“The second matter: with the northern barbarians and southern pirates causing frequent conflicts, and military supplies running low, I intend to expand silver mining. What are your thoughts?” Emperor Jiajing asked, looking slowly at Yan Song, Xu Jie, and Li Ben.
“Your Majesty is wise. Seeking silver from mines without increasing the people’s taxes is a benevolent policy. I wholeheartedly agree,” Yan Song replied, seizing the chance to speak first.
“I second that,” Li Ben quickly followed.
“I also agree,” Xu Jie said, bowing in assent before adding, “With finances strained, beyond mining silver, I suggest minting coins to bolster the treasury. Copper-producing provinces like Yunnan, Liangguang, Shandong, and Fujian could cast copper coins.”
“Well said. Have the Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of Works study and implement this,” Jiajing nodded approvingly at Xu Jie’s suggestion.
“The silver mines in Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Fujian are abundant—especially Yunnan, which accounts for nearly half of our dynasty’s output. Mining could begin in these three provinces first,” Yan Song proposed, unwilling to be outdone.
“Very good. Start with those three provinces,” Jiajing agreed, accepting Yan Song’s input.
“Your Majesty, who will manage these mines? Will the Ministry of Revenue oversee them, or will local officials take charge?” Yan Song inquired.
Silver mines were a lucrative prize, dripping with wealth. Knowing who’d control them would allow him to position his people accordingly.
If the Ministry of Revenue took over, he’d grease the wheels there, planting his faction’s officials.
If local officials were assigned, he’d shuffle his allies into Yunnan, Zhejiang, and Fujian—especially in silver-rich districts—ensuring tight control.
With the mines in his faction’s hands, he’d never lack for silver.
“No need for the Ministry of Revenue or local officials to take on more burdens. I’ll send palace eunuchs to oversee each mine. With so many idle eunuchs in the palace, they can ease the load for me, the ministry, and the local authorities,” Jiajing said calmly.
In Jiajing’s mind, eunuchs were more loyal than external ministers, their fates tied directly to him.
*Uh…*
Eunuchs managing silver mines? Titles like “Supervisor Eunuch of Such-and-Such Mine” hinted at Jiajing’s intent to funnel the silver into the imperial treasury.
Yan Song, Xu Jie, and Li Ben—shrewd as they were—caught his drift from this personnel choice.
They exchanged glances. As usual, Yan Song’s look nudged Li Ben to step forward.
“Your Majesty, sending eunuchs to manage mines—doesn’t that go against precedent?” Li Ben ventured, steeling himself.
“Precedents are made by men. In the days of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, were there such rules? They’ve been built up dynasty by dynasty,” Jiajing retorted, displeased.
Li Ben stammered and fell silent,不敢再言.
“Your Majesty, while eunuchs managing mines could lighten the load for the ministry and local officials, unlike them, eunuchs lack oversight. Once outside the palace, they might exploit Your Majesty’s name to harm the regions,” Xu Jie couldn’t hold back, offering his objection.
Throughout history, eunuch overreach had been a root of corrupt governance. Empowering them was a recipe for disaster.
Court scholars had long opposed it for two reasons.
First, eunuch power came at the expense of the gentry’s own. Take the Directorate of Ceremonial: the Pen-Holding Eunuch, who drafted imperial edicts—approving or rejecting documents—and the Seal-Holding Eunuch, who stamped them for the Grand Secretariat to enact, had siphoned significant authority from the cabinet.
A Pen-Holding Eunuch could slip personal agendas into the emperor’s decisions, a frequent occurrence. A Seal-Holding Eunuch delaying a stamp could be even worse.
Even a lowly eunuch from the Directorate, on official business, enjoyed treatment akin to a third-rank official.
That power could belong to the cabinet.
For now, Jiajing was sharp, and eunuchs like Lü Fang and Huang Jin were restrained. But with a weaker emperor and ambitious eunuchs, the cabinet-eunuch clash could ignite instantly.
Beyond the Directorate, the Eastern and Western Factories and the Embroidered Guard wielded judicial and investigative powers, further eroding the gentry’s influence.
Second, eunuchs answered only to the emperor, unchecked. Living cloistered lives, physically incomplete, they were prone to warped minds—obsessed with power and wealth, greedy beyond measure, and instinctively hostile to commoners, officials, even normalcy itself.
Once empowered, they acted without restraint, harming people and persecuting officials.
The Embroidered Guard and the Factories had birthed countless such cases since their inception.
Eunuchs were beasts: caged in the palace, they were pets; released, they devoured without blinking.
“When eunuchs leave the palace, they’ll be treated as external officials. Censors and remonstrators can impeach them, local officials can report them, and the Embroidered Guard and Factories can oversee them. They won’t be allowed to cause trouble,” Jiajing said, his tone edged with irritation.
“Your Majesty, why not test it with a few mines under eunuch management, leaving the rest under the old system—Ministry or local control? After a few years, we can assess whether to expand their role,” Yan Song suggested, compromising when he saw Jiajing’s resolve.
Jiajing fell silent, considering.
Yan Song bowed his head, a flicker of unease in his chest.
“Then let’s pilot it in Yunnan with eunuchs managing the mines. The rest will be handled by Ministry appointees,” Jiajing decided, adopting Yan Song’s idea.
Not just a few mines, but all of Yunnan—home to half the dynasty’s silver. Nominally a pilot, it was effectively a split.
Jiajing was claiming half the mines for the imperial treasury.
“Your Majesty is wise,” Yan Song praised instantly. Half for Jiajing meant half for him to maneuver.
“Your Majesty is wise,” Li Ben echoed, bowing.
Xu Jie pursed his lips, wanting to object but holding back, before joining in, “Your Majesty is wise.”
“Good. Push forward with the mining swiftly. As for the heir, don’t hold back—submit any thoughts via confidential memorials,” Jiajing concluded.
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Yan Song and the others bowed in compliance.
