How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 151 Huang Taiji, I have an endless supply of women to feed and an endless amount of favors to bestow. Do you have any?
A day later, it was still at Yihai Hall in Tsinghua University. The gold bricks on the ground were cool to the touch. Liu Xiang knelt down first, his forehead pressed against the ground, followed by his sister Liu Yueying and Old Master Ding. The three of them didn't dare to breathe loudly.

Emperor Chongzhen wasn't wearing his imperial robes today, just a black casual suit. In the candlelight, the gold-embroidered dragon pattern shimmered faintly. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were deep and unfathomable. He held the gift list handed to him by Liu Xiang and slowly looked at it: 300,000 taels of silver in cash, plus 200,000 taels for Cantonese embroidery, Guangcai porcelain, spices, pearls, and other miscellaneous items, totaling 500,000 taels.

"Five hundred thousand taels..." Chongzhen scoffed inwardly. He recalled how, in his previous life, he was cornered by both Li Zicheng and the Eastern Barbarians, and he almost had to kneel before those stingy officials to scrape together a few coins. Now that he had learned to "sell out foreign vassals" and "live off women," things were different. Zheng Zhilong had just spent two million taels a few days ago, and Liu Xiang had followed up with another five hundred thousand.

But Liaodong was a bottomless pit; no matter how much silver was poured in, there was no return. Therefore, Liu Yueying's "soft rice" (being a kept woman) would have to cost at least a million taels of silver!
He put down the list, his voice calm yet unsettling: "Liu Xiang, I know of your loyalty. Five hundred thousand taels of silver is not too little for the court; it is a token of your sincerity."

Liu Xiang lowered his head even further, his voice trembling: "This humble subject is terrified! My family is poor and far inferior to General Zheng. I can only offer my entire fortune to express my heartfelt devotion to the Emperor and the Ming Dynasty! I only regret... I only regret that I am incompetent!"

Chongzhen's gaze then shifted to Liu Yueying, who was kneeling behind Liu Xiang. Today, the girl wore a pale white ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) over a light blue vest. She appeared meek and submissive, yet her posture was ramrod straight. Unlike the delicate fragility of ordinary young ladies, she possessed a calm strength that had weathered many storms, a resolute spirit emanating from her very bones. Chongzhen's gaze lingered for a moment on her slender neck and tightly pursed lips. Hmm, she did have a touch of heroism; she looked presentable.

He thought to himself, "Now that I am the supreme ruler, the only emperor in the world, it's not too much to ask for a 'royal' meal that's perfect in every way, right?"

He withdrew his gaze, his tone softening but gaining more weight: "The vast sea frontier cannot be guarded by one person alone. Zheng Zhilong is protecting it for me in the north, which greatly comforts me." He abruptly changed the subject, like a knife being drawn from its sheath, "But the South Seas offer even greater opportunities. Your Liu family has been active in Guangdong for generations, familiar with foreigners and acquainted with foreign affairs. Your future prospects are certainly not small."

He paused, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over Liu Yueying again, before uttering a vague yet alluring remark: "You all go back first and wait patiently. I have a favor to bestow upon your Liu family. This favor concerns the fate of the nation, as well as the lives, fortunes, and future of your Liu family!"

"This humble woman thanks Your Majesty for your great kindness!" The three of them, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, kowtowed and withdrew. As Liu Yueying left the main hall, she felt that the gaze behind her was still lingering on her, and there was also a... indescribable heat that made her heart tighten.

That night, at the Guangdong Guild Hall in Beijing.

As Liu Xiang and Ding Shiye were speculating under the lamp whether the Emperor's "favor" was genuine or not, a trusted subordinate rushed in, his voice hoarse with fear: "B-Boss! Eunuch Wei... Eunuch Wei is here! The entourage is already at the door! What a grand display!"

The three men were taken aback and hurriedly straightened their clothes before going out to respectfully welcome Wei Zhongxian into the main hall and offer him the finest tea. Wei Zhongxian maintained his usual ambiguous smile, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then slowly got to the point.

"Liu Xiang, His Majesty's favor has arrived." He took a sip of tea, raised his eyelids, and said, "His Majesty has noticed your sister... well, he thinks she is virtuous and gentle, with a touch of heroism, and wants to bring her into the palace and bestow upon her the title of... Consort Zhen."

"Consort?" Liu Xiang was overjoyed. Starting with the rank of consort was truly a great favor! But before this joy could reach her head, Wei Zhongxian's next words were like a bucket of ice water poured over her, chilling her to the bone!
"The Emperor's grace is boundless, but the rules of the palace cannot be disregarded." Wei Zhongxian slowly pulled out a piece of gold-flecked red paper from his sleeve and gently placed it on the table. "This is Consort Zhen's dowry list, which I have drafted: 800,000 taels of silver in cash, and 200,000 taels of Cantonese embroidery and Guangcai porcelain. This amount will preserve the dignity of both the Imperial Family and the Liu Family, and will also be a source of support for the Consort in the palace in the future."

"One...one million taels?!" Liu Xiang's vision blurred, and she almost collapsed to the ground, her voice shrill. "Eunuch Wei! This...this is going to kill my Liu family! This morning, I even went so far as to declare my entire fortune worthless before the Emperor, and I only managed to claim 500,000 taels! This...this..."

Liu Yueying stood to the side, her face turning deathly pale. Enter the palace? Become a concubine? And with a dowry of… one million taels? She froze completely. What kind of nonsense was this? How could her family be sent to the palace after just one trip to Beijing? And… a million taels as a dowry? That's far too much! Is that the price the Emperor pays for his concubines? Who could afford that?

Master Ding immediately knelt down with a thud, pleading with a sob, "Your Excellency, please understand! The Liu family has been suffocated by Zheng Zhilong for years. Business is difficult, sea routes are blocked, and we simply... simply cannot produce so much cash! I beg Your Excellency to have mercy and put in a good word for us before the Emperor..."

Wei Zhongxian listened quietly to their complaints of poverty until their voices subsided and only their heavy breathing remained. Then he put down his teacup, a profound and even mocking smile on his face.

"Have you finished speaking?" He strolled over to Liu Xiang, whose face was ashen, and looked down at her. "You all only see that the Emperor wants money, but you don't understand what the Emperor is giving you. You're short-sighted! No wonder you, Liu Xiang, have been beaten and suppressed by Zheng Yiguan your whole life!"

"A favor...?" Liu Xiang was completely dumbfounded. How could spending one million taels to buy a concubine's position be considered a favor?
"Indeed! This is a great favor! An immense favor! Unparalleled wealth!" Wei Zhongxian's gaze suddenly sharpened, and his voice rose, carrying a seductive quality. "His Majesty has taken your sister as a concubine, so you, Liu Xiang, are now the Emperor's brother-in-law! His Majesty has decreed that you will be granted a substantive post—'Admiral of the Southern Seas Fleet'! Your rank is equivalent to that of a general, and you are permitted to establish your own residence and command, specifically in charge of major affairs such as coastal defense, trade, and pacification of the barbarians in the Southern Seas!"

Liu Xiang's eyes widened instantly, and he gasped for breath. The Emperor's brother-in-law! The Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Seas! These two heavy titles hit him like a ton of bricks, leaving him a little dizzy!

"Think about it carefully!" Wei Zhongxian's voice was full of incitement. "With the prestigious titles of 'Imperial Brother-in-Law' and 'General of the Southern Seas,' when you return to Guangdong, what will those officials, gentry, and wealthy merchants who used to kowtow to you show their true colors? Will they avoid you, or will they be begging you to partner with them, bringing silver with them? You'll probably get your 'one million taels' dowry back with interest in no time! Before, you were begging them for food; now, they'll be begging you, squeezing some 'favors' out of your pocket! And this is just the beginning!" As Wei Zhongxian spoke, he walked a few steps to the window, suddenly pushed it open, pointed to the southern night sky, and his voice became impassioned: "Zheng Zhilong has occupied a small Jeju Island in Beiyang, keeping an eye on Korea and Japan for the court, and he'll be granted the title of Prince in the future! The Emperor says that Borneo in the South Seas is vast and rich in resources, equivalent to ten Jeju Islands! That place is full of spices and gold! You, Liu Xiang, as the Emperor's brother-in-law and a general, will manage this land for the Emperor, expand the territory, and pacify Borneo! When you return with the land, the Emperor will be so pleased that he will reward you with more than just a Prince! Perhaps... a Prince! Hereditary, with the fate of the nation!"

"Your...Your Highness?!" Liu Xiang's legs went weak, and he knelt down with a thud. It wasn't fear, but the overwhelming wealth that made him tremble! He screamed hoarsely, "Father-in-law! Ancestor Wei! It was my stupidity! It was my blindness! I didn't recognize His Majesty's grace! One million taels! Even if I had to borrow from the King of Hell, I would definitely raise it for you and His Majesty within three months! His Majesty's kindness is higher than the sky and deeper than the sea! I, Liu Xiang...I, the Liu family, are willing to serve His Majesty to the death for generations! We would gladly give our lives for him!"

Liu Yueying watched as her brother suddenly became like a madman, immediately plotting with Master Ding how to raise money and how to use his new identity to gain benefits. The initial humiliation and shock in her heart were instantly replaced by a cold realization.

She understood it all.

The emperor wasn't lusting after beautiful women.

He was clearly exploiting her wealth! He was using her status as a "concubine" as a rope to tightly bind her brother, the "King of Yuehai," and then, through the Liu family, to influence the incredibly wealthy merchants of Guangdong and Southeast Asia. Today it was a million taels of "dowry," but tomorrow it could be used by the Liu family to "distribute favors" to those who wanted to curry favor with the "Imperial Brother-in-Law" and the "General of Southeast Asia"—a special trade license, a permit for overseas reclamation, or even an edict to suppress pirates—which of these couldn't be exchanged for real money? The emperor was turning the wealth and resources of Guangdong and Southeast Asia into pawns on his chessboard, ultimately transforming them into provisions, gunpowder, and lives to be consumed by the Jurchens on the Liaodong battlefield!

Having figured this out, Liu Yueying developed an inexplicable interest in the young emperor in the deep palace.

This king is ruthless and shameless.

In order to pacify Liaodong, he even managed to turn something as simple as taking a concubine into a business deal of exchanging favor for money. He really had no shame.

Such emperors are different from the benevolent and incompetent rulers in history books; they possess a wicked nature that disregards everything to achieve their goals.

"Fine," she took a deep breath, "I'd like to see what kind of mess you can make of this Ming Dynasty."

……

Meanwhile, inside Yihai Hall in Tsinghua Garden, candlelight shone brightly.

Emperor Chongzhen did not retire for the night. He stood alone before a massive map of Korea. On the map, key locations such as Pyongyang, Seoul, Uiju, and Kaesong were prominently marked in vermilion ink, with the words "occupied by the Jurchens" written in smaller characters beside them, resembling horrifying scars. Nearly half of the Korean Peninsula had fallen to the Jurchens' military might.

His finger pressed heavily on the location of Uiju, a crucial point connecting Joseon and Liaodong, now serving as a springboard for Hwang Tai-gil's movements. He then passed Seoul, imagining the wretched state of King Injo of Joseon on Ganghwa Island. A tremendous pressure, like the deep night outside the window, weighed on his shoulders.

Liaodong was a bottomless pit, and the mess in Korea only made things worse. Every day, requests for help from the front lines arrived at his desk like death warrants. Money, food, soldiers, firearms... everything was lacking.

He slowly raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the palace dome, looking towards Liaodong. A smile, a mixture of weariness and ruthlessness, curved his lips as he whispered in a voice only he could hear:
"Huang Taiji, you are sharpening your sword outside the pass, waiting for me to be driven to desperation."

"But you can't imagine that I have an endless supply of women to feed and an endless amount of favors to bestow."

"Let's see who wears out the other first."

(End of this chapter)