Volume 256 Biographies 144: Cui Jingrong, Huang Kezuan, Bi Ziyan, Li Zhanggeng, Liu Zhifeng

崔景榮黃克纘畢自嚴李長庚〈（王誌道）〉劉之鳳

Cui Jingrong, Huang Kezuan, Bi Ziyan, and Li Zhanggeng (Sub-biography: Wang Zhidao)]〉 Liu Zhifeng

崔景榮，字自強，長垣人。萬歷十一年進士。授平陽府推官。擢御史，劾東廠太監張鯨罪。巡按甘肅、湖廣、河南，最後按四川，積臺資十八年。

Cui Jingrong, styled Ziqiang, came from Changyuan. He passed the jinshi examination in the eleventh year of the Wanli reign. He was appointed as the investigating censor for Pingyang Prefecture. Promoted to censor, he impeached Zhang Jing, the Eastern Depot eunuch, for criminal conduct. He served as touring investigating censor in Gansu, Huguang, and Henan, and finally in Sichuan, amassing eighteen years on the censorial bench.

播州亂，景榮監大帥遇劉綎、吳廣輩軍。綎馳金帛至景榮家，為其父壽，景榮上疏劾之。播州平，或請以播北畀安氏，景榮不可。會總督李化龍憂去，景榮為請蠲蜀一歲租，恤上東五路，罷礦使。化龍疏敘監軍功，弗及景榮。已，晉太仆少卿。

During the Bozhou rebellion, Jingrong oversaw the forces of the supreme commander Liu Ting, Wu Guang, and their colleagues. Ting hurried gold and silks to Jingrong's home as a birthday gift for his father; Jingrong memorialized the throne to impeach him. Once Bozhou was pacified, some proposed granting northern Bozhou to the An clan; Jingrong refused. When Grand Coordinator Li Hualong stepped down to observe mourning, Jingrong petitioned to remit one year's land tax in Sichuan, provide relief to the five eastern Shang routes, and abolish the mining commissioner. In his memorial on merits earned while supervising the army, Hualong made no mention of Jingrong. He was later promoted to Vice Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud.

三年滿，擢右僉都御史，巡撫寧夏。銀定素驕，歲入掠。景榮親督戰破之，因議革導賊諸部賞，諸部懼，請與銀定絕。銀定既失導，亦叩關求市。寧夏歲市費不貲，景榮議省之。在任三年，僅一市而已。其後延鎮吉能等挾款求補市，卒勿許，歲省金錢十余萬。

When his three-year term ended, he was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and appointed Grand Coordinator of Ningxia. Yinding had long been arrogant and launched raids into the interior every year. Jingrong personally directed the fighting and defeated him; he then proposed abolishing the rewards paid to tribes that guided the raiders. The tribes, alarmed, asked to sever ties with Yinding. Stripped of his guides, Yinding too came to the border passes seeking trade. Ningxia's annual border markets cost a fortune; Jingrong proposed cutting them back. In three years in office he held only a single market. Later Yan, Zhen, Jineng, and others used their record of compliance to demand the markets be restored; he ultimately refused, saving more than a hundred thousand taels of gold and silver annually.

四十一年，入為兵部右侍郎，總京營戎政。改吏部，以疾辭去。逾年，起宣府大同總督。召還，晉兵部尚書。會遼、瀋失，熊廷弼、王化貞議不協，命廷臣議經、撫去留，景榮數為言官所論。御史方震孺請罷景榮，以孫承宗代之。遂引疾歸。

In the forty-first year he entered the capital as Right Vice Minister of War and took charge of the capital garrisons' military administration. Transferred to the Ministry of Personnel, he resigned on grounds of illness. A year later he was recalled to serve as Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong. Recalled to the capital, he was promoted to Minister of War. When Liaodong and Shenyang were lost, Xiong Tingbi and Wang Huazhen could not reconcile their views; the court ordered a debate on whether to keep or dismiss the military governor and grand coordinator. Jingrong was repeatedly attacked by censorial officials. Censor Fang Zhenru petitioned to dismiss Jingrong and replace him with Sun Chengzong. He thereupon pleaded illness and retired.

天啟四年十一月，特起為吏部尚書。當是時，魏忠賢盜國柄，群小更相倚附，逐尚書趙南星。即家起景榮，欲倚為助。比至，忠賢飾大宅以待，景榮不赴。錦衣帥田爾耕來謁，又辭不見。帝幸太學，忠賢欲先一日聽祭酒講，議裁諸聽講大臣賜坐賜茶禮，又議減考選員額，汰京堂添註官。景榮皆力持不行，浸忤忠賢指。又移書魏廣微，勸其申救楊漣、左光鬥。廣微不得已，為具揭。尋以景榮書為征，曰：「景榮教我也。」於是御史倪文煥、門克新先後劾景榮陰護東林，媚奸邪而邀後福。得旨，削奪為民。崇禎改元，復原職。四年卒，贈少保。

In the eleventh month of the fourth year of Tianqi he was specially summoned from retirement to serve as Minister of Personnel. At that time Wei Zhongxian had seized control of the state; his factional hangers-on backed one another in turn and drove out Minister Zhao Nanxing. Jingrong was summoned from his home; they meant to lean on him for support. When he arrived, Zhongxian had prepared a lavish mansion for him; Jingrong did not accept it. Tian Ergeng, commander of the Brocade-Clad Guard, came to call on him; he again refused to see him. When the emperor visited the Imperial Academy, Zhongxian wished to hear the chancellor lecture a day early; he proposed cutting back the seating and tea ceremonies for ministers in attendance, and also proposed reducing examination quotas and purging supernumerary appointments at the capital ministries. Jingrong firmly blocked every one of these measures, gradually falling afoul of Zhongxian's designs. He also wrote to Wei Guangwei urging him to intervene on behalf of Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou. Guangwei, left no alternative, drafted a memorial on their behalf. Soon Zhongxian seized on Jingrong's letter as proof, saying, "Jingrong put me up to it. Thereupon censors Ni Wenhuan and Men Kexin successively impeached Jingrong for secretly shielding the Eastern Forest faction, currying favor with the wicked, and angling for future reward. An imperial order followed stripping him of rank and reducing him to commoner status. When Chongzhen took the throne, his original office was restored. He died in the fourth year and was posthumously enfeoffed as Junior Guardian.

黃克纘，字紹夫，晉江人。萬歷八年進士。除壽州知州，入為刑部員外郎。累官山東左布政使，就遷右副都御史，巡撫其地。請停礦稅，論劾稅使陳增、馬堂，他惠政甚著。屢以平盜功，加至兵部尚書。四十年，詔以故官參贊南京機務，為御史李若星、魏雲中所劾，還家候命。居三年，始履任。四十四年冬，隆德殿災，上疏陳時政，語極痛切。不報。

Huang Kezuan, styled Shaofu, came from Jinjiang. He passed the jinshi examination in the eighth year of the Wanli reign. Appointed prefect of Shouzhou, he later entered the Ministry of Justice as an assistant department director. He rose through the ranks to Left Administrative Commissioner of Shandong, then was promoted in place to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and appointed grand coordinator of the province. He petitioned to halt mining taxes and impeached the tax commissioners Chen Zeng and Ma Tang; his other benevolent policies won wide notice. Rewarded repeatedly for suppressing bandits, he was promoted all the way to Minister of War. In the fortieth year he was ordered to assist in Nanjing military affairs at his former rank; impeached by censors Li Ruoxing and Wei Yunzhong, he returned home to await the emperor's decision. After three years at home he finally assumed his duties. In the winter of the forty-fourth year, after Longde Hall burned, he memorialized on current affairs in language of searing bluntness. The court gave no reply.

召理京營戎政，改刑部尚書，預受兩朝顧命。李選侍將移宮，其內侍王永福、姚進忠等八人坐盜乾清宮珠寶下吏。克纘擬二人辟，余俱末減。帝不從，命辟六人，余遣戍。克纘言：「姜升、鄭穩山、劉尚理不持一物，劉遜拾地上珠，還之選侍，而與永福、進忠同戮，輕重失倫。況選侍篋中物，安知非先朝所賜？」當是時，諸珰罪重，謀脫無自，惟請帝厚待選侍，則獄情自緩。於是流言四布，謂帝薄待先朝妃嬪，而克纘首入其言。帝不悅，責克纘偏聽，命如前旨。

Summoned to oversee the capital garrisons' military administration, he was transferred to Minister of Justice and received the deathbed trusts of two reigns. As Lady Li was about to move out of the palace, eight of her eunuchs—Wang Yongfu, Yao Jinzhong, and others—were charged with stealing jewels from the Palace of Heavenly Purity and handed over to the judicial authorities. Kezuan proposed the death penalty for two of them and reduced sentences for the rest. The emperor refused and ordered six executed; the rest were banished to frontier service. Kezuan said, "Jiang Sheng, Zheng Wenshan, and Liu Shangli took nothing at all; Liu Xun picked up a pearl from the floor and returned it to Lady Li, yet they are to die alongside Yongfu and Jinzhong—the gradation of punishment is out of balance. Besides, who can say the items in Lady Li's casket were not gifts from the previous reign? At that time the eunuchs' crimes were grave and they had no way to save themselves; they could only urge the emperor to treat Lady Li generously, in hopes the case would soften on its own. Rumors then spread that the emperor was treating the late emperor's consorts harshly, and that Kezuan had been the first to give voice to that view. The emperor was displeased, rebuked Kezuan for partiality, and ordered that the previous edict stand.

已，楊漣陳「移宮」始末。帝即宣諭廷臣，備述選侍淩虐聖母狀。且曰：「大小臣工，惟私李黨，責備朕躬。」克纘皇恐上言：「禮，父母並尊。事有出於念母之誠，跡或涉於彰父之過，必委曲周全，渾然無跡，斯為大孝。若謂黨庇李氏，責備聖躬，臣萬死不敢出。」御史焦源溥力駁其持論之謬，末言：「群豎持貲百萬，借安選侍為名，妄希脫罪，克纘墮其術而不覺。」克纘奏辨，因乞罷。略言：「源溥謂在神宗時為元子者為忠，為福藩者非忠。臣敢廣之曰：神宗既保護先帝，授以大位，則為神考而全其貴妃，富貴其愛子者，尤忠之大也。又謂在先帝時為二後者為忠，為選侍者非忠。臣亦廣之曰：聖母既正名定位，則光昭刑於之令德，勿虛傳宮幃之忿爭，尤忠之大也。若如源溥言，必先帝不得正其始，聖母不得正其終，方可議斯獄耳。」疏入，帝怒甚，責以輕肆無忌，不諳忠孝。克纘皇恐引罪，大學士劉一燝等亦代為言，乃已。無何，給事中董承業、孫傑、毛士龍，御史潘雲翼、楊新期，南京御史王允成並劾克纘是非舛謬。克纘不服，言曩不舉李三才，故為諸人所惡。源溥復劾克纘借三才以傾言官。克纘奏辨，再乞休，帝不問。

Later Yang Lian laid out the full course of the Palace Transfer affair. The emperor immediately announced to the court a full account of how Lady Li had abused the empress dowager. He also said, "Ministers high and low think only of the Li faction's private interests and reproach me personally. Kezuan, in terror, memorialized, "By ritual, both parents are to be honored alike. Acts born of sincere devotion to one's mother may in appearance touch on exposing one's father's faults; they must be handled with tact so that no trace remains—only this is great filial piety. If I am accused of shielding the Li faction and reproaching Your Majesty, I would not dare utter such words though I deserved ten thousand deaths." Censor Jiao Yuanpu forcefully refuted the error of his position, concluding, "The eunuch clique holds a fortune in funds; under the pretext of securing Lady Li's welfare they vainly hope to escape punishment, and Kezuan has fallen for their trick without realizing it." Kezuan memorialized in defense and asked to resign. He said in brief, "Yuanpu holds that in the Shenzong era to support the heir apparent was loyal and to support the Prince of Fu was not loyal. I venture to broaden this and say: since Shenzong protected the late emperor and invested him with the great throne, then to preserve his honored consort for Shenzong's sake and enrich his beloved son is loyalty of the highest order. He also holds that in the late emperor's era to support the two empresses was loyal and to support Lady Li was not loyal. I broaden this as well: since the empress dowager has been given her rightful title and position, then to make manifest her exemplary virtue as a model to the realm and not spread idle tales of palace quarrels is likewise loyalty of the highest order. If Yuanpu's view is correct, only when the late emperor did not rightly begin and the empress dowager did not rightly end may this case be debated at all. When the memorial arrived, the emperor was furious and rebuked him for levity, presumption, and ignorance of filial piety. Kezuan, in terror, acknowledged guilt; Grand Secretaries Liu Yijing and others also spoke on his behalf, and the matter was dropped. Before long, supervising secretaries Dong Chengye, Sun Jie, and Mao Shilong, censors Pan Yunyi and Yang Xinqi, and Nanjing censor Wang Yuncheng jointly impeached Kezuan for confused and erroneous views. Kezuan would not accept this and said that because he had long refused to recommend Li Sancai, he was hated by these men. Yuanpu again impeached Kezuan for using Sancai to undermine the censorial officials. Kezuan memorialized in defense and again asked to retire; the emperor took no notice.

天啟元年冬，加太子太保。尋復以兵部尚書協理戎政。廷臣議「紅丸」，克纘述進藥始末，力為方從哲辨。給事中薛文周詆其滅倫常，昵私交，昧大義。克纘憤，援《春秋》不書隱公、閔公之弒，力詆文周，且白選侍無毆聖母事。給事中沈惟炳助文周復劾克纘。先是，帝宣諭百官，明言選侍毆崩聖母。及惟炳疏上，得旨：「選侍向有觸忤，朕一時傳諭，不無過激。追念皇考，豈能恝然？」於是外議紛紜，鹹言前此上諭，悉出王安矯托，而諸請安選侍者，益得藉為詞。蓋是時王安已死，魏忠賢方竊柄，故前後諭旨牴牾如此。

In the winter of the first year of Tianqi he was enfeoffed as Grand Guardian of the Heir Apparent. Soon he was again appointed Minister of War to assist in military administration. When the court debated the Red Pill case, Kezuan recounted how the medicine had been administered and vigorously defended Fang Congzhe. Supervising secretary Xue Wenzhou denounced him for destroying moral order, clinging to private friendships, and ignoring great principle. Kezuan, indignant, cited that the Spring and Autumn Annals does not record the assassinations of Duke Yin and Duke Min, fiercely attacked Wenzhou, and also declared that Lady Li had not beaten the empress dowager to death. Supervising secretary Shen Weibing joined Wenzhou in again impeaching Kezuan. Earlier the emperor had announced to all officials that Lady Li had beaten the empress dowager to death. When Weibing's memorial went up, an imperial order came: "Lady Li had given offense in the past; my announcement at the time was not without excess. When I recall my late father, how can I remain indifferent? Public debate then swirled; all said the earlier imperial announcements had been forged at Wang An's instigation, and those who had petitioned to secure Lady Li's welfare gained further grounds for argument. For by then Wang An was dead and Wei Zhongxian had just seized power, which is why the earlier and later edicts contradicted one another so starkly.

克纘歷官中外，清強有執。持議與爭「三案」者異，攻擊紛起。自是群小排東林，創《要典》，率推克纘為首功。時東林方盛，克纘移疾。詔加太子太傅，乘傳歸。四年十二月，魏忠賢盡逐東林，召克纘為工部尚書。視事數月，復移疾歸。三殿成，加太子太師。崇禎元年，起南京吏部尚書。有劾之者，不就，卒於家。

Kezuan served at the capital and in the provinces; he was upright, forceful, and principled. His views differed from those who disputed the Three Cases, and attacks arose on every side. From this time the factional hangers-on drove out the Eastern Forest and compiled the Essentials Canon, generally crediting Kezuan with the leading merit. When the Eastern Forest was at its height, Kezuan pleaded illness. He was enfeoffed as Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and returned home by post-horse relay. In the twelfth month of the fourth year Wei Zhongxian drove out the Eastern Forest entirely and summoned Kezuan as Minister of Works. After several months in office he again pleaded illness and returned home. When the Three Halls were completed he was enfeoffed as Grand Preceptor of the Heir Apparent. In the first year of Chongzhen he was recalled to serve as Minister of Personnel in Nanjing. Impeached by others, he did not take up the post and died at home.

畢自嚴，字景曾，淄川人。萬歷二十年進士。除松江推官。年少有才幹，征授刑部主事。歷工部員外郎中，遷淮徐道參議。內艱闋，分守冀寧。改河東副使，引疾去。起洮岷兵備參政。以按察使徙治榆林西路，進右布政使。泰昌時，召為太仆卿。

Bi Ziyan, styled Jingzeng, came from Zichuan. He passed the jinshi examination in the twentieth year of the Wanli reign. He was appointed as the investigating censor for Songjiang. Young and capable, he was summoned to the capital and appointed a principal secretary in the Ministry of Justice. He served as an assistant department director in the Ministry of Works and was transferred to administrative vice commissioner of the Huai-Xu circuit. When his mourning period ended he was assigned to defend Jining in Ji Prefecture. Transferred to vice commissioner of Hedong, he resigned on grounds of illness. He was recalled as administrative commissioner for military preparedness in the Tao-Min region. As surveillance commissioner he was moved to administer the western route of Yulin and was promoted to Right Administrative Commissioner. In the Taichang era he was summoned to serve as Minister of the Court of the Imperial Stud.

天啟元年四月，遼陽覆。廷議設天津巡撫，專飭海防，改自嚴右僉都御史以往。置水軍，繕戰艦，備戎器。及熊廷弼建三方布置策，天津居其一，增設鎮海諸營，用戚繼光遺法，水軍先習陸戰，軍由是可用。魏忠賢令錦衣千戶劉僑逮天津廢將，自嚴以無駕帖疏論之，報聞。四方所募兵日逃亡，用自嚴言，攝其親屬補伍。兵部主事來斯行有武略，自嚴請為監軍。山東白蓮妖賊起，令斯行率五千人往，功多。

In the fourth month of the first year of Tianqi Liaoyang fell. The court debated establishing a Tianjin grand coordinator devoted to coastal defense, and Ziyan was appointed Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and sent there. He established a naval force, repaired warships, and stocked military equipment. When Xiong Tingbi devised the three-front disposition strategy, Tianjin was one of the three fronts; additional camps such as Zhenhai were established. Following Qi Jiguang's legacy methods, the navy trained first in land combat, and the force thereby became effective. Wei Zhongxian ordered Brocade-Clad Guard chiliarch Liu Qiao to arrest a dismissed general at Tianjin; Ziyan memorialized that there was no imperial warrant, and the court acknowledged receipt. Troops recruited from all quarters fled daily; adopting Ziyan's proposal, their relatives were seized to fill the ranks. Lai Sixing, a principal secretary in the Ministry of War, was skilled in military affairs; Ziyan asked that he serve as supervising general. White Lotus rebels rose in Shandong; he ordered Sixing to lead five thousand men there, with considerable success.

初，萬歷四十六年，遼左用兵，議行登、萊海運。明年二月，特設戶部侍郎一人，兼右僉都御史，出督遼餉，語詳《李長庚傳》。及是，長庚遷，乃命自嚴代。敘前平賊功，進右都御史兼戶部左侍郎。時議省天津巡撫，令督餉侍郎兼領其事，即以委自嚴。又議討朝鮮，自嚴言不可遽討，當俟請貢輸誠，東征效力，徐許其封耳。京師數地震，因言內批宜慎，恩澤宜節，人才宜惜，內操宜罷，語甚切直。自嚴在事數年，綜核撙節，公私賴之。

Earlier, in the forty-sixth year of Wanli, when troops were deployed in eastern Liaodong, sea transport via Dengzhou and Laizhou was debated. In the second month of the following year a Vice Minister of Revenue was specially established, also holding Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, to go out and supervise Liaodong supplies; details are given in the biography of Li Zhanggeng. At this point Zhanggeng was transferred, and Ziyan was ordered to replace him. Citing his earlier merit in suppressing rebels, he was promoted to Right Censor-in-Chief and Left Vice Minister of Revenue. At the time it was debated to abolish the Tianjin grand coordinator and have the vice minister supervising supplies also take charge of that post; this was entrusted to Ziyan. There was also debate on attacking Korea; Ziyan argued that it could not be attacked hastily—one should wait until they requested tribute and showed sincerity, contributed to the eastern campaign, and only then slowly grant them investiture. The capital suffered repeated earthquakes; he therefore urged caution in inner rescripts, restraint in imperial favors, care for talent, and abolition of palace guards—his language was blunt and direct. In several years in office Ziyan audited accounts and practiced economy; public and private affairs alike relied on him.

五年，以右都御史掌南京都察院。明年正月，就改戶部尚書。忠賢議鬻南太仆牧馬草場，助殿工。自嚴持不可，遂引疾歸。

In the fifth year he was made Right Censor-in-Chief and placed in charge of the Nanjing Censorate. In the first month of the following year he was transferred in place to Minister of Revenue. Zhongxian proposed selling the Southern Court of the Imperial Stud's horse pastures to fund palace construction. Ziyan held that this could not be done and thereupon pleaded illness and retired.

崇禎元年，召拜戶部尚書。自嚴以度支大絀，請核逋賦，督屯田，嚴考成，汰冗卒，停薊、密、昌、永四鎮新增鹽菜銀二十二萬，俱報可。二年三月，疏言：「諸邊年例，自遼餉外，為銀三百二十七萬八千有奇。今薊、密諸鎮節省三十三萬，尚應二百九十四萬八千。統計京邊歲入之數，田賦百六十九萬二千，鹽課百一十萬三千，關稅十六萬一千，雜稅十萬三千，事例約二十萬，凡三百二十六萬五千有奇。而逋負相沿，所入不滿二百萬，即盡充邊餉，尚無贏余。乃京支雜項八十四萬，遼東提塘三十余萬，薊、遼撫賞十四萬，遼東舊餉改新餉二十萬，出浮於入，已一百十三萬六千。況內供召買，宣、大撫賞，及一切不時之需，又有出常額外者。乞敕下廷臣，各陳所見。」於是廷臣爭效計畫。自嚴擇其可者，先列上十二事，曰增鹽引，議鼓鑄，括雜稅，核隱田，稅寺產，核牙行，停修倉廒，止葺公署，南馬協濟，崇文鋪稅，京運撥兌，板木折價。已，復列上十二事，曰增關稅，捐公費，鬻生祠，酌市稅，汰冗役，核虛冒，加抵贖，班軍折銀，吏胥納班，河濱灘蕩，京東水田，殿工冠帶。帝悉允行。

In the first year of Chongzhen he was summoned and appointed Minister of Revenue. With revenue gravely short, Ziyan asked to audit tax arrears, supervise military colonies, enforce performance reviews, eliminate redundant soldiers, and halt the newly added salt-and-provisions payments of two hundred twenty thousand taels for the four garrisons of Ji, Mi, Chang, and Yong—all were approved. In the third month of the second year he memorialized, "The annual quotas for the border garrisons, apart from Liaodong supplies, total more than 3,278,000 taels of silver. With savings of three hundred thirty thousand from the Ji and Mi garrisons and others, the amount still required is 2,948,000 taels. Tallying annual receipts for the capital and borders: land tax 1,692,000, salt levy 1,103,000, customs 161,000, miscellaneous taxes 103,000, surcharges about 200,000—in all more than 3,265,000 taels. Yet arrears persisted year after year; actual receipts fell short of two million—even if all were devoted to border supplies there would be no surplus. Moreover capital miscellaneous expenditures totaled 840,000, Liaodong courier stations more than 300,000, Ji and Liaodong pacification gifts 140,000, and converting old Liaodong pay to new pay 200,000—expenditure already exceeded income by 1,136,000 taels. Moreover there were inner-court procurements, Xuan and Datong pacification gifts, and all manner of extraordinary needs beyond the regular quotas. I beg that Your Majesty order the court ministers each to state their views. Thereupon court ministers vied to offer plans. Ziyan selected what was feasible and first submitted twelve measures: increasing salt certificates, debating coin minting, collecting miscellaneous taxes, auditing concealed land, taxing monastery property, auditing broker houses, halting granary repairs, stopping office renovations, southern horses for mutual aid, Chongwen market taxes, capital transport allocation and exchange, and lumber price conversion. Later he submitted another twelve: increasing customs duties, donating public funds, selling living shrines, adjusting market taxes, eliminating redundant labor, auditing false claims, increasing commutation fines, converting garrison troops to silver pay, clerks paying shift fees, riverbank shoals and marshes, eastern capital paddy fields, and palace-work honors and robes. The emperor approved them all for implementation.

詔輯《賦役全書》。自嚴言：「《全書》之作，自行一條鞭始，距今已四十五年。有一事而此多彼少者，其弊為混派；有司聽奸吏暗灑瓜分，其弊為花派。當大為申飭。」因條八式以獻。帝即命頒之天下。

An edict ordered compilation of the Complete Book of Taxes and Corvée. Ziyan said, "The compilation of the Complete Book began with the single-whip reform; it has now been forty-five years. When one item is assessed more in one place and less in another, the abuse is called mixed apportionment; when officials let corrupt clerks secretly sprinkle and divide assessments, the abuse is called scattered apportionment. These should be sternly prohibited. He thereupon set forth eight formulas and presented them. The emperor immediately ordered them promulgated throughout the realm.

給事中汪始亨極論盜屯損餉之弊。自嚴言：「相沿已久，難於核實。請無論軍種民種，一照民田起科。」帝是其議。先是，忠賢亂政，邊餉多缺，自嚴給發如期。又疏言：「最耗財者無如客餉。諸鎮年例合三百二十七萬，而客餉居三之一，宜大裁省。其次則有撫賞、召買、修築諸費，皆不可不節。」帝褒納之。其冬，京師被兵，帝憂勞國事，旨中夜數發。自嚴奏答無滯，不敢安寢，頭目臃腫，事幸無乏。明年夏，以六罪自劾，乞罷，優旨慰留。先以考滿加太子少保，敘遵、永克復功，再進太子太保。

Supervising secretary Wang Shiheng vigorously argued the harm of illegal military colonies draining supplies. Ziyan said, "This has continued for a long time and is hard to verify in practice. I ask that whether military or civilian in origin, all be assessed alike according to civilian fields. The emperor approved his proposal. Earlier, when Zhongxian threw the government into disorder, border supplies were often short; under Ziyan disbursements were made on schedule. He also memorialized, "Nothing drains funds like guest-pay. The garrisons' annual quotas total 3,270,000 taels, of which guest-pay accounts for one-third; it should be greatly reduced. Next come pacification gifts, procurements, construction, and other expenses—all must be restrained. The emperor praised and accepted this. That winter the capital came under attack; the emperor, anxious over state affairs, issued edicts several times in the middle of the night. Ziyan answered memorials without delay, dared not sleep peacefully, his head and eyes swelled from exhaustion, and affairs fortunately did not fail for want of supply. The next summer he impeached himself on six counts and asked to resign; a gracious edict comforted him and kept him in office. Earlier, on completion of his term review he was enfeoffed as Junior Tutor of the Heir Apparent; citing the recovery of Zunhua and Yongping, he was further promoted to Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent.

兵部尚書梁廷棟請增天下田賦，自嚴不能止。於是舊增五百二十萬之外，更增百六十五萬有奇，天下益耗矣。已，陳時務十事，意主利民，帝悉采納。又以兵餉日增，屢請清核，而兵部及督撫率為寢閣。復乞汰內地無用之兵，帝即令嚴飭，然不能盡行也。

Minister of War Liang Tingdong asked to increase land tax throughout the realm; Ziyan could not stop it. Thus beyond the previous increase of 5,200,000 taels there was a further increase of more than 1,650,000, and the realm grew still more exhausted. Later he set forth ten items on current affairs, aiming chiefly to benefit the people; the emperor adopted them all. Because military pay grew daily, he repeatedly asked for a clear audit, but the Ministry of War and the governors generally shelved the matter. He again asked to eliminate useless troops in the interior; the emperor immediately ordered strict enforcement, yet it could not be fully carried out.

御史余應桂劾自嚴殿試讀卷，首薦陳於泰，乃輔臣周延儒姻婭。自嚴引疾乞休，疏四上，不允。時有詔，縣令將行取者，戶部先核其錢谷。華亭知縣鄭友元已入為御史，先任青浦，逋金花銀二千九百。帝以詰戶部，自嚴言友元已輸十之七貯太倉。帝令主庫者核實，無有，帝怒責自嚴。自嚴飾詞辨，帝益怒，遂下自嚴獄，遣使逮友元。御史李若讜疏救，不納。逾月，給事中吳甘來復抗疏論救，帝乃釋之。八年五月，敘四川平賊功，復官，致仕。又三年卒，賜恤如制。

Censor Yu Yinggui impeached Ziyan for reading palace examination papers and ranking Chen Yutai first—Chen was a relative by marriage of Grand Secretary Zhou Yanru. Ziyan pleaded illness and asked to retire; he submitted four memorials and was not permitted. At the time there was an edict that for magistrates about to be selected for promotion, the Ministry of Revenue should first audit their grain and tax accounts. Zheng Youyuan, magistrate of Huating, had already entered the capital as a censor; he had previously served in Qingpu and was in arrears on golden-flower silver by 2,900 taels. The emperor questioned the Ministry of Revenue; Ziyan said Youyuan had already paid seven-tenths, stored in the Grand Canal granary. The emperor ordered the granary chief to verify; there was nothing; the emperor angrily rebuked Ziyan. Ziyan argued with polished words; the emperor grew angrier, imprisoned Ziyan, and sent envoys to arrest Youyuan. Censor Li Ruojian memorialized in his defense; it was not accepted. After a month supervising secretary Wu Ganlai again submitted a forceful memorial in his defense, and the emperor then released him. In the fifth month of the eighth year his merit in pacifying rebels in Sichuan was recounted; his office was restored and he retired. Three years later he died and was granted condolence gifts according to regulation.

李長庚，字酉卿，麻城人。萬歷二十三年進士。授戶部主事。歷江西左、右布政使，所在勵清操。入為順天府尹。改右副都御史，巡撫山東。盡心荒政，民賴以蘇。盜蔓武定諸州縣，討擒其渠魁。

Li Zhanggeng, styled Youqing, came from Macheng. He passed the jinshi examination in the twenty-third year of the Wanli reign. He was appointed a principal secretary in the Ministry of Revenue. He served as Left and Right Administrative Commissioner of Jiangxi, encouraging integrity wherever he was posted. He entered the capital as prefect of Shuntian. Transferred to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, he was appointed Grand Coordinator of Shandong. He devoted himself to famine relief, and the people relied on him to recover. Bandits spread through Wuding and other prefectures and counties; he campaigned against them and captured their ringleaders.

四十六年，遼東用兵，議行登、萊海運。長庚初言不便，後言：「自登州望鐵山西北口，至羊頭凹，歷中島、長行島抵北信口，又歷兔兒島至深井，達蓋州，剝運一百二十里，抵娘娘宮，陸行至廣寧一百八十里，至遼陽一百六十里，每石費一金。」部議以為便，遂行之。

In the forty-sixth year troops were deployed in Liaodong and sea transport via Dengzhou and Laizhou was debated. Zhanggeng at first said it was impractical, but later said, "From Dengzhou toward the northwest mouth of Tieshan to Yangtou'ao, passing Middle Island and Changxing Island to Beixin Mouth, then Rabbit Island to Shenjing and Gaizhou—lighterage one hundred twenty li to Niangniang Palace; overland to Guangning one hundred eighty li, to Liaoyang one hundred sixty li—each shi of grain costs one tael. The ministry debated and deemed it practical, and the route was adopted.

明年二月，特設戶部侍郎一人兼右僉都御史，出督遼餉，駐天津，即以長庚為之。奏行造淮船、通津路、議牛車、酌海道、截幫運、議錢法、設按臣、開事例、嚴海防九事。時議歲運米百八十萬石，豆九十萬石，草二千一百六十萬束，銀三百二十四萬兩，長庚請留金花，行改折，借稅課，言：「臣考會計錄，每歲本色、折色通計千四百六十一萬有奇。入內府者六百余萬，入太倉者，自本色外，折色四百余萬。內府六百萬，自金花籽粒外，皆絲綿布帛蠟茶顏料之類，歲久皆朽敗。若改折一年，無損於上，有益於下。他若陜西羊絨，江、浙織造，亦當稍停一年，濟軍國急。」帝不悅，言：「金花籽粒本祖宗舊制，內供正額及軍官月俸，所費不貲，安得借留？其以今年天津、通州、江西、四川、廣西上供稅銀，盡充軍費。」於是戶科給事中官應震上言：「考《會典》，於內庫則云：金花銀，國初解南京供武俸，諸邊或有急，亦取給其中。正統元年，始自南京改解內庫。嗣後除武官俸外，皆為禦用。是金花銀國初常以濟邊，而正統後方供禦用也。《會典》於太倉庫則云：嘉靖二十二年，題準諸處京運錢糧，不拘金花籽粒，應解內府者悉解貯太倉庫，備各邊應用。是世宗朝金花盡充兵餉，不知陛下初年何故斂之於內也。今不考各邊取給應用之例，而反雲正供舊額，何相左若是？至武官月俸，歲不過十余萬，乃雲所費不貲哉。且原數一百萬，陛下始增二十萬，年深日久，顛末都忘。以臣計之，毋論今年當借，即嗣後年年借用可也；毋論未來者當濟邊，即見在內帑者盡還太倉可也。若夫物料改折，隆慶元年曾行之以解部濟邊，六年又行於南京監局，亦以濟邊。此則祖宗舊制，陛下獨不聞耶？」帝卒不聽。

In the second month of the following year a Vice Minister of Revenue was specially established, also holding Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, to supervise Liaodong supplies from Tianjin—and Zhanggeng was appointed. He memorialized to implement nine measures: building Huai River ships, opening ferry routes, debating ox carts, assessing sea routes, cutting off escorted transport, debating currency law, establishing investigating censors, opening surcharge precedents, and tightening coastal defense. At the time annual transport was set at 1,800,000 shi of rice, 900,000 shi of beans, 21,600,000 bundles of fodder, and 3,240,000 taels of silver. Zhanggeng asked to retain golden-flower silver, carry out commutation, and borrow tax levies, saying, "I have examined the accounting records: each year goods-in-kind and commuted payments together total more than 14,610,000 taels. What enters the inner palace exceeds six million; what enters the Grand Canal granary, apart from goods-in-kind, is more than four million in commuted payments. The inner palace's six million, apart from golden-flower grain, consists of silks, cotton cloth, wax, tea, pigments, and the like—all rotting with age. If commuted for one year, there would be no loss to the throne and benefit to the people. Likewise Shaanxi lambswool and Jiang-Zhe weaving should also be paused for a year to meet the state's urgent military needs. The emperor was displeased and said, "Golden-flower grain is the ancestral institution of our forefathers; the regular inner-court quota and officers' monthly pay cost an enormous sum—how can it be borrowed and retained? Let this year's tribute silver from Tianjin, Tongzhou, Jiangxi, Sichuan, and Guangxi all be applied to military expenses." Thereupon Revenue Section supervising secretary Guan Yingzhen memorialized, "Consulting the Collected Statutes, concerning the inner treasury it states: golden-flower silver—in the founding of the dynasty it was forwarded from Nanjing to pay military salaries, and when the borders had urgent needs it was also drawn from there. In the first year of Zhengtong it began to be redirected from Nanjing to the inner treasury. Afterward, apart from military officers' pay, all was reserved for imperial use. Thus golden-flower silver commonly aided the borders at the founding, and only after Zhengtong was it devoted to imperial use. The Collected Statutes concerning the Grand Canal granary state: in the twenty-second year of Jiajing it was approved that capital transport grain and funds from all places, whether golden-flower grain or not, that should have gone to the inner palace were all to be stored in the Grand Canal granary for use on the borders. Thus in the Shizong reign golden-flower funds were entirely devoted to military pay—one wonders why in Your Majesty's early years they were gathered into the inner palace. Now without examining the precedents by which the borders drew supplies, you instead speak of the regular old quota—how can these be so contradictory? As for military officers' monthly pay, it amounts to no more than a hundred thousand taels a year—how can you say the cost is enormous? Moreover the original sum was one million; Your Majesty first added two hundred thousand—with the years passing, the whole story has been forgotten. In my reckoning, whether this year it should be borrowed or in succeeding years borrowed annually—all may be done; whether future funds should aid the borders or what is now in the inner treasury should all be returned to the Grand Canal granary—that too may be done. As for commutation of materials, in the first year of Longqing it was carried out to release ministry stores and aid the borders; in the sixth year it was again carried out at the Nanjing supervisory offices, likewise to aid the borders. These are the ancestral institutions—has Your Majesty alone not heard of them?" The emperor ultimately refused to listen.

時諸事創始，百務坌集，長庚悉辦治。天啟二年，遷南京刑部尚書，就移戶部。明年，召拜戶部尚書，未任，以憂歸。

At that time many undertakings were being launched and affairs piled up on every side; Zhanggeng handled them all. In the second year of Tianqi he was transferred to Minister of Justice in Nanjing, then moved in place to the Ministry of Revenue. The next year he was summoned and appointed Minister of Revenue but did not take office and returned home to observe mourning.

誌道，漳浦人，天啟時為給事中。議「三案」為高攀龍所駁，謝病歸。其後附魏忠賢，歷擢左通政，論者薄之。及是，以忤中官罷。

Zhidao came from Zhangpu and served as supervising secretary in the Tianqi era. His views on the Three Cases were refuted by Gao Panlong, and he resigned on grounds of illness. Later he attached himself to Wei Zhongxian and rose through posts to Left Commissioner of the Transmission Office; commentators held him in low esteem. At this time he was dismissed for offending a palace eunuch.

長庚不植黨援，與溫體仁不甚合。推郎中王茂學為真定知府，帝不允。復推為順德知府，帝怒，責以欺蒙，並追咎冠帶監生授職事，責令回奏。奏上，斥為民。家居十年，國變，久之卒。

Zhanggeng did not cultivate factional backing and was not on good terms with Wen Tiren. He recommended Department Director Wang Maoxue as prefect of Zhending; the emperor did not approve. He again recommended him as prefect of Shunde; the emperor was angry, rebuked him for deception, and also pursued blame for appointing students with honorary rank to office, ordering him to memorialize in reply. When the memorial was submitted he was stripped of rank and reduced to commoner status. He lived at home ten years; when the dynasty fell he died not long after.

劉之鳳，字雍鳴，中牟人。萬歷四十四年進士。歷南京御史。天啟三年六月，上疏別白孫承宗、王象乾、閻鳴泰本末，請定去留，而撤毛文龍海外軍，令居關內。又請亟罷內操。忤魏忠賢，傳旨切責，復宣諭廷臣，再瀆奏者罪無赦。六年，之鳳方視江防，期滿奏報。忠賢奪其職。

Liu Zhifeng, styled Yongming, came from Zhongmou. He passed the jinshi examination in the forty-fourth year of the Wanli reign. He served as a censor in Nanjing. In the sixth month of the third year of Tianqi he memorialized to clarify the full course of Sun Chengzong, Wang Xiangqian, and Yan Mingtai, asked to settle their retention or dismissal, and urged withdrawal of Mao Wenlong's overseas army to stations inside the passes. He also asked that palace guards be abolished at once. Offending Wei Zhongxian, he received an edict of stern rebuke; the court ministers were again told that anyone who memorialized again would be punished without pardon. In the sixth year Zhifeng was inspecting river defenses and, when his term ended, submitted his report. Zhongxian stripped him of his post.

崇禎二年，起故官。帝召周延儒燕見，宵分始出。之鳳偕同官上疏曰：「臣等待罪陪京，去延儒原籍三百里，其立身居鄉，不堪置齒頰。今乃特蒙眷註，必將曰舉朝盡欺，獨延儒一人捐軀為國，使陛下真若廷臣無可信，而延儒乃得翦所忌，樹所私，曰為馮銓、霍維華等報怨。此一召也，於國事無纖毫益，而於聖德有丘山之損。」忤旨，詰責。已，復列上五事，曰舉謀勇，止援兵，練土著，密偵探，選守令，俱見采納。

In the second year of Chongzhen he was recalled to his former office. The emperor summoned Zhou Yanru for a private audience over wine; he did not leave until midnight. Zhifeng joined his colleagues in memorializing, "We await punishment while attending the capital, three hundred li from Yanru's native place; his conduct in office and at home is not fit to be mentioned. Now he is specially favored; it will surely be said that the whole court deceives while Yanru alone gives his body for the state, making Your Majesty believe no court minister is trustworthy—whereupon Yanru can cut down those he resents, advance those he favors, and say he is avenging Feng Quan, Huo Weihua, and the like. This one summons brings not the slightest benefit to state affairs but a mountain-high loss to Your Majesty's reputation. Offending the imperial will, he was rebuked and questioned. Later he again submitted five items: promoting strategists and the brave, halting relief troops, training local forces, tightening espionage, and selecting prefects and magistrates—all were adopted.

累遷刑部侍郎，遂代鄭三俊為本部尚書。之鳳以天下囚徒皆五年一審錄，高墻罪獨不與，上疏言之，報可。嘗與左侍郎王命璿召對平臺，論律例及獄情，帝申飭而退。時有火星之變，之鳳特請修刑，言：「自今獄情大者，一月奏斷，小者半月。贓重人犯，結案在數年前者，大抵本犯無髓可敲，戚屬亦無脂可吸。祈悉宥免，全好生之仁。」從之。然之鳳雖為此奏，其後每上獄詞，帝必嚴駁，之鳳懼甚，諸司呈稿，遲疑不敢遽發，屢疏謝病，帝不從。會尚書範景文劾南京給事中荊可棟貪墨，下部訊，之鳳予輕比。帝疑其受賄，下之吏，法司希旨坐絞。給事中李清言於律未合，同官葛樞復論救。帝怒，鐫樞級，調外。十三年四月，之鳳獄中上書自白無贓賄，情可矜原。亦置不省，竟瘐死。

He rose through the ranks to Vice Minister of Justice and then replaced Zheng Sanjun as minister of that ministry. Zhifeng noted that prisoners throughout the realm were reviewed every five years but those in the high-walled prison alone were excluded; he memorialized on this and received approval. Once he and Left Vice Minister Wang Mingxuan were summoned to audience at the Terrace of Peace, discussed statutes and prison cases, and the emperor gave stern instructions and dismissed them. When Mars underwent an irregular movement, Zhifeng specially asked to reform punishments, saying, "From now on major cases shall be reported and decided within one month, minor ones within half a month. For heavy bribery offenders whose cases were concluded years ago, generally the principal offender has nothing left to squeeze from and relatives no wealth left to extort. I pray that all be pardoned and exempted to preserve the virtue of cherishing life. The emperor assented. Yet although Zhifeng made this memorial, afterward whenever prison reports went up the emperor sternly rejected them; Zhifeng was greatly afraid, the various offices hesitated over drafts and dared not send them promptly, and he repeatedly memorialized to resign on grounds of illness—the emperor would not agree. When Minister Fan Jingwen impeached Nanjing supervising secretary Jing Kedong for corruption and the case was sent down for investigation, Zhifeng gave a light sentence. The emperor suspected he had taken bribes, handed him over to the judicial authorities, and the law officers, seeking to please, sentenced him to strangulation. Supervising secretary Li Qing said this did not accord with the law; his colleague Ge Shu again argued for his rescue. The emperor was angry, reduced Shu's rank by inscription, and transferred him outside the capital. In the fourth month of the thirteenth year, from prison Zhifeng submitted a letter declaring himself innocent of bribery and asking that his case be treated with compassion. This too was ignored, and he ultimately died of illness in prison.

計崇禎朝刑部易尚書十七人。薛貞以奄黨抵死。蘇茂相半歲而罷。王在晉未任，改兵部。喬允升坐逸囚遣戍。韓繼思坐議獄除名。胡應臺獨得善去。馮英被劾遣戍。鄭三俊坐議獄逮系。之鳳論絞，瘐死獄中。甄淑坐納賄下詔獄，改系刑部，瘐死。李覺斯坐議獄削籍。劉澤深卒於位。鄭三俊再為尚書，改吏部。範景文未任，改工部。徐石麒坐議獄，落職閑住。胡應臺再召不赴。繼其後者張忻，賊陷京師，與子庶吉士端並降。

In all, seventeen men held the post of Minister of Justice during the Chongzhen reign. Xue Zhen was put to death as a member of the eunuch faction. Su Maoxiang was dismissed after half a year. Wang Zaijin did not take office and was transferred to the Ministry of War. Qiao Yunsheng was banished to frontier service for allowing a prisoner to escape. Han Jisi was struck from the rolls for debating a prison case. Hu Yingtai alone left office with honor intact. Feng Ying was impeached and sent to frontier service. Zheng Sanjun was arrested and imprisoned for debating a prison case. Zhifeng was sentenced to strangulation and died of illness in prison. Zhen Shu was imprisoned in the imperial prison for taking bribes, transferred to the Ministry of Justice, and died of illness. Li Juesi was struck from the rolls for debating a prison case. Liu Zeshen died in office. Zheng Sanjun again became minister and was transferred to the Ministry of Personnel. Fan Jingwen did not take office and was transferred to the Ministry of Works. Xu Shiqi lost his post and lived in retirement for debating a prison case. Hu Yingtai was summoned again but declined to return. His successor Zhang Xin, when rebels took the capital, surrendered together with his son Duan, a Hanlin bachelor.

贊曰：崔景榮、黃克纘皆不為東林所與，然特不附東林耳。方東林勢盛，羅天下清流，士有落然自異者，詬誶隨之矣。攻東林者，幸其近己也，而援以為重。於是中立者類不免蒙小人之玷。核人品者，乃專以與東林厚薄為輕重，豈篤論哉？畢自嚴、李長庚計臣中辦治才，而自嚴增賦之議，識者病焉。劉之鳳議獄不當，罪止謫罷，竟予重比，刑罰不中，欲求治得乎！

The commentator says: Cui Jingrong and Huang Kezuan were both shunned by the Eastern Forest, yet they simply refused to join it. When the Eastern Forest was at the height of power it gathered the pure streams of the realm; any gentleman who stood apart was followed by abuse and slander. Those who attacked the Eastern Forest rejoiced that such men were near themselves and used them for added weight. Thus the neutral commonly could not avoid being stained by association with petty men. Those who weighed character looked only to one's distance from or closeness to the Eastern Forest as the measure of worth—is this sound judgment? Bi Ziyan and Li Zhanggeng were men of practical administrative talent among revenue officials, yet Ziyan's proposal to increase land tax was deplored by the discerning. Liu Zhifeng's judgment in a prison case was improper; the offense warranted only dismissal, yet a heavy sentence was imposed—when punishments are not balanced, can good government be sought!

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