How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 101 Everyone has loyalty to offer, and everyone has a bright future! (21st update)
Inside the Qianqing Palace, it was so quiet that you could hear the water clock dripping.

Emperor Chongzhen shifted his gaze from Yuan Chonghuan to Huang Lijie, Sun Chengzong, Wang Zaijin, and Bi Ziyan. He picked up the document, "Policy on Establishing Three Feudatories in Liaodong to Secure the Border," and weighed it lightly in his hand.

"Gentlemen, please speak as well." Chongzhen's voice was not loud, but every word was clear. "What do you all think of Niu Huiyuan's plan? Mr. Huang, you are the Prime Minister, you should speak first."

Grand Secretary Huang Lijie had already prepared his speech. Upon hearing this, he immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Your Majesty, I believe that Niu Huiyuan's plan is a wise and experienced suggestion for governing the country, and it is indeed a good solution to the current predicament!"

He paused, and seeing the emperor's expressionless face, continued, his tone heavy: "Your Majesty, the court... truly has no money left. Shaanxi has suffered from severe drought for years, leaving the land parched; Shanxi and Henan are also plagued by frequent disasters, and signs of popular uprisings are already emerging! Of the nine border garrisons and thirteen towns, only Liaodong Garrison can barely maintain its operations; the other garrisons have been in arrears with their pay for quite some time. The mutinies in Jizhou and Xuanfu last year are still fresh in our minds!"

He glanced at Emperor Chongzhen, and seeing that the emperor was listening intently, he raised his voice: "The additional tax levied on Liaodong has already strained the people's resources, especially in the three provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan, and it is unsustainable! In the seventh year of the Tianqi reign, only four million taels of silver were actually collected from Liaodong. If the additional tax levied on these three provinces were waived in the first year of the Chongzhen reign, it would be fortunate if three million taels could be collected. If we follow Niu Huiyuan's plan, and allocate two million two hundred and eighty thousand taels of silver annually to the Three Feudatories, the remaining amount can still be used for disaster relief in Shaanxi and Shanxi, as well as for the defense needs of the four garrisons of Jizhou, Xuanfu, Datong, and Changping."

At this point, his tone became urgent: "If we continue to spend four or five million taels of silver annually on Liaodong, there will be no money for disaster relief, and no funds for Ji, Xuan, Da, and Chang! Once the Jurchens bypass Mongolia, break through the Great Wall, and enter, the heartland of Northern Zhili will surely be ravaged! By then, it will be too late to regret!"

When Chongzhen heard the words "the heartland of Beizhili," his eyelids twitched slightly.

He also remembered that after the tenth year of Chongzhen's reign, the northern provinces, including Beizhili, would suffer from terrible long-term and large-scale natural disasters, mainly droughts, with some areas experiencing short-term floods, as well as a major epidemic! Before that, Beizhili had eight years of "decent" weather!

Although these eight years were marked by constant disasters and famines, they were a rare "good year" compared to the hellish scene that followed the tenth year of Chongzhen's reign.

He is now hoping to accumulate some wealth over these eight years, and if he can further promote the drought-resistant sweet potato, perhaps fewer people will starve to death.

In order to preserve this pitiful respite in Beizhili, it is necessary to keep Huang Taiji firmly outside the Great Wall!

Records of the three "entry wars" during the tenth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign flashed through his mind. The one in the second year of Chongzhen's reign ravaged the capital region for four or five months, ruining spring planting; the one in the seventh year of Chongzhen's reign ravaged Xuanfu and Datong for four months; the one in the ninth year of Chongzhen's reign again trampled the capital region, ruining the autumn harvest… Three invasions, two trampling the harvest, one trampling the spring planting, each like a locust plague, abducting hundreds of thousands of people and slaughtering even more. Even more terrifying was that, to resist the Jurchens, troops had to be transferred from the northwest, and those loyalist armies, lacking pay and supplies, mutinied along the way, ironically strengthening the bandit groups—this is how Li Zicheng rose to power!
Therefore, the Ming Dynasty must withstand the Jisi Incident!
If Huang Taiji is thoroughly humiliated on the first attempt, and he learns that the Ming Dynasty's border walls are not so easy to breach, then the government will have the energy to deal with the deadly Little Ice Age!

"Northern Zhili is the foundation of the nation," Chongzhen said, his voice resolute. "It is also the location of our ancestors' mausoleums, and we must not allow it to be lost! What Mr. Huang said is a wise and experienced view of governing the country."

Upon hearing this, Huang Lijie felt a great weight lifted from his heart, but his face still showed concern for the country and its people. He bowed deeply and said, "Your subject will obey Your Majesty's decree!"

Chongzhen's gaze turned to Wang Zaijin, the Minister of War.

Wang Zaijin immediately stepped forward, his voice booming: "Your Majesty! I also agree! I still hold the view of 'welcoming the enemy and resisting the enemy'! The Liao generals and soldiers are truly untrustworthy! Spending millions every year on Liao garrisons is utterly futile! The best course of action is to retreat to Shanhaiguan, relying on the fortified city and cannons! The money saved should be used to train the Beijing garrison and strengthen Ji and Xuan provinces, which is the proper course of action!"

After a moment of contemplation, Chongzhen said, "Ningyuan and Jinzhou have already been opened up, costing countless amounts of money and grain. Abandoning them abruptly might shake the morale of the people. Moreover, Dongjiang Town has a significant restraining effect behind enemy lines, so how can we abandon it lightly? As for Mao Wenlong, he is not a Liaodong native, so he should be able to maintain order."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chengzong, who was at the next station, and Yuan Chonghuan, who had just returned to his station, suddenly changed color!
The emperor's words clearly indicate that he has already decided to abandon Liaoxi! Right now, it's just a matter of weighing the options between "establishing three vassal states in Liaoxi" and "establishing one vassal state in Liaoxi (Dongjiang)"!
Sun Chengzong could no longer contain himself and suddenly stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly: "Your Majesty! Liaoxi must not be abandoned! The Ningjin defense line is the result of the hard work of countless soldiers and is also the shield protecting the capital! If we abandon it, Shanhaiguan will be directly exposed to the enemy's attack, and the country will be in grave danger!"

Emperor Chongzhen looked at him, his tone calm yet unquestionable: "Mr. Sun, this is all the money we have. Two million two hundred and eighty thousand taels. If seven hundred and sixty thousand are given to Dongjiang, then only one million five hundred and twenty thousand will remain in Liaoxi. Not a single coin more."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sun Chengzong before finally settling on Yuan Chonghuan: "My demands are not high. The troops in Liaoxi are content to hold Jinzhou and Ningyuan. If Jinzhou proves too difficult to defend, they may retreat to Ningyuan. Minister Yuan,"

He directly named him: "The Governor of Liaodong, with an annual salary of 1.52 million taels of silver, covering all provisions, wages, and equipment. Will you accept it or not?"

Yuan Chonghuan knelt down with a thud, his voice bitter: "Your Majesty! The situation beyond the Great Wall is complex, everything is expensive, and soldiers are risking their lives... 1.52 million soldiers a year is truly... truly a stretch, unsustainable! I beg Your Majesty..."

Emperor Chongzhen ignored him and turned to Bi Ziyan, the Minister of Revenue: "Mr. Bi, the reconstruction of the Beijing Garrison requires money, the annual transport of supplies to the nine border regions requires money, the defense of Jizhou, Changping, Xuanfu, and Datong requires money, the suppression of the rebellion of She'an in Sichuan and Guizhou requires money, and disaster relief in Shaanxi and Shanxi requires even more money! You are the Grand Minister of Agriculture, tell me, can the court still give more money to Liaodong Garrison?"

Bi Ziyan remained expressionless, slowly shaking his head, his voice dry: "Your Majesty is wise. The annual Liaodong military expenditure of four to five million taels of silver is indeed unsustainable. The national treasury is empty, and petitions from various regions demanding payment are piling up like mountains. I... cannot cook without rice."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded, his gaze returning to the kneeling Yuan Chonghuan, his tone resolute: "Did you hear that? It can't be sustained in the short term! Moreover, the war in Liaodong is not a matter of a day or two; we must make long-term plans for ten or twenty years! I cannot divert funds meant for food and life-saving purposes from elsewhere to fill that bottomless pit in Liaodong!"

"One million five hundred and twenty thousand taels." Chongzhen's voice was cold and hard. "Whether it's enough or not, I will talk to Zu Dashou and He Kegang myself."

He paused, raised his voice, and addressed the crowd: "This matter will be submitted to the court for discussion later! Ministry of Revenue and Ministry of War, both of you, remember what I said today!"

Wang Zaijin and Bi Ziyan immediately bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Chongzhen's meaning couldn't be clearer. As long as the Ministry of Revenue insisted on having no money and the Ministry of War insisted on prioritizing the defense of Ji, Xuan, Da, and Chang, the proposal to "establish the Three Feudatories in Liaodong" would surely pass!

Emperor Chongzhen then picked up Niu Jinxing's policy proposal again and said to the ministers in the hall, "The one who presented this policy is Niu Huiyuan, who has the talent of a top scholar. I intend to appoint him as the top scholar in this imperial examination. What do you all think?"

Appointing Niu Jinxing as the top scholar was a declaration to the world that the Ming Dynasty would completely shift its strategy in the Liaodong Peninsula from the ambitious "five-year Liaodong recovery" to the protracted attrition policy of "establishing vassal states and holding fast." Huang Lijie immediately said, "Your Majesty is wise! Niu Huiyuan's talent is worthy of being the best in the world!" Wang Zaijin and Bi Ziyan also echoed this sentiment.

Sun Chengzong looked ashen-faced, glanced at Yuan Chonghuan kneeling beside him, and finally sighed deeply, saying in a low voice, "This old minister... has no objection."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and then picked up another policy document that had not been read aloud—"Policy on Moving Feudal States to Sichuan to Plough the Southwest".

"This policy essay was written by Huang Zongxi of Zhejiang, who was also a top scholar," Chongzhen said calmly. "However, what I want the world to see first is the 'Policy on Establishing Three Feudatories in Liaodong to Secure the Borders.' So... let him be ranked second."

He sneered inwardly. Huang Zongxi's policy proposal involved the imperial clan, commercial taxes, and maritime trade; once it was released, it would inevitably cause a huge uproar, especially provoking a strong backlash from the powerful gentry of the southeast. He shouldn't publicize it too much yet; let Sun Chengzong and Qian Qianyi deal with it first. If they couldn't handle it, the princes of the northwest would lead their imperial relatives and seemingly benevolent northwestern soldiers to beg for food—that was the Zhu family's ancestral skill!

After announcing the top four scholars (Zhuangyuan and Bangyan), Emperor Chongzhen stopped announcing the third-place scholar and instead began assigning official positions to Yang Sichang, Sun Chuanting, Sun Yuanhua, and Yuan Chonghuan.

"Yang Sichang." The emperor's voice was not loud, but it made everyone prick up their ears.

"Your subject is here." Yang Sichang quickly stepped out of his seat, bowing and awaiting orders.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at him, pondered for a moment, and said, "I see that you are knowledgeable in military affairs. I will grant you the title of Director of the Department of Military Affairs in the Ministry of War, and also the position of Academician of the Hanlin Academy, to assist in the military administration of the capital garrison and serve as an advisor to the emperor. I need you to devote more effort to the grand plan of pacifying Liaodong and securing the border."

Yang Sichang felt a surge of warmth in his heart; this meant he was to be kept in the central government and given an important position. He quickly replied, "Your subject will certainly do his utmost and live up to Your Majesty's grace."

"Sun Chuanting," Chongzhen called out another name.

“Your subject is here.” Sun Chuanting stepped forward and stood at attention.

"I'll give you the title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and send you to Shaanxi to reorganize the military and government and recruit new soldiers." Chongzhen said decisively, "I grant you permission to act as you see fit. Reorganize the garrisons as needed, recruit the able-bodied men as needed, and try to recruit as many strong and brave men as possible from Shaanxi who have no food. Then lead them to fight the She-An rebels. As for the accounts of the funds going to the Beijing garrison."

Sun Chuanting knew in his heart that the Emperor wanted him to go and navigate the treacherous waters of the "Relocation of Feudal Counties to Sichuan" policy! But he still said loudly, "Your Majesty, I obey the decree and will certainly lead a capable army to quell the two rebellions in the southwest."

When it was Yuan Chonghuan's turn, Chongzhen's tone became a bit somber: "Yuan Chonghuan."

Yuan Chonghuan, who was still kneeling on the ground, raised his head, his face not looking good.

Chongzhen looked at him and asked, "The Governor of Datong has made a great contribution this time and will certainly be promoted. This vacancy will then be open. Governor of Datong, your next task is to pacify the Chahan tribe and keep an eye on Hudun Tuhan. Whether you pacify or suppress, you must not allow the Mongols and the Eastern Barbarians to collude. Are you willing to take this assignment?"

Yuan Chonghuan's heart skipped a beat. Although Datong was also a border town, it was far inferior to Liaodong. Appeasing the Mongols was an even more troublesome task, and Hudun Tu Khan was a difficult "boastful Khan" to deal with. But then he thought again, Liaodong was a mess now, and the emperor clearly no longer trusted him. If he refused this task, he might not even have a chance to turn things around.

He gritted his teeth, kowtowed, and said, "Your subject is willing to go. I will do my utmost to defend Datong and pacify the Mongols."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded and instructed Huang Liji, "In that case, Mr. Huang, arrange for this matter to be decided by the imperial court."

Huang Liji quickly replied, "Your old minister obeys the decree."

Finally, it was Sun Yuanhua's turn. Chongzhen's tone softened somewhat: "Sun Yuanhua."

“Your subject is here.” Sun Yuanhua stepped forward and bowed.

"I will give you the title of Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Works, and appoint you as the Superintendent of the Beijing Garrison's Artillery Factory, responsible for the reorganization of the Beijing Garrison's firearms. You will be in charge of casting and training cannons. As for how much silver is needed, just submit a memorial to me directly."

Sun Yuanhua was a man of action, and upon hearing this, he immediately replied, "Your subject will certainly do his utmost to build good cannons and train elite troops for Your Majesty."

After arranging the official positions for the four men, Chongzhen breathed a sigh of relief. Yang Sichang was appointed as a staff officer, Sun Chuanting was appointed as a military commander, Sun Yuanhua was appointed as "Sun the Cannon," and Yuan Chonghuan was appointed as "Yuan the Big Mouth" to boast with Hudun Tuhan.

As for Niu Jinxing, he will first be given the position of compiler in the Hanlin Academy, then a part-time position assisting the military administration of the capital garrison. He will follow Li Banghua for a few months to gain experience, and then be sent to help Sun Chuanting—he can be responsible for teaching Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong how to "be loyal"!
As for Huang Zongxi, who was ranked second in the imperial examination, he was guaranteed to be a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and also a principal officer in the Yunnan Provincial Administration of the Ministry of Revenue. The Yunnan Provincial Administration of the Ministry of Revenue sounds like it was in charge of Yunnan affairs, but in reality it also oversaw the salt tax, customs, and maritime trade for the whole country.

Huang Zongxi could first familiarize himself with the business, and then go to Jiangnan to "Xianzhong" to run the Maritime Trade Office.

Now everyone has something to offer, and everyone has a bright future!
(End of this chapter)