How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 153 The Great Ming Treasure Island is Jeju Island (I'll try to update five chapters tomorrow, please vote with monthly tickets)

In late August of the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, a somber atmosphere pervaded Ganghwa Island in Korea.

This place has long since changed. What was once a refuge for the Joseon royal family is now surrounded by layers of Ming Dynasty flags. The Ma family army, along with the even more elite Imperial Guard, numbering in the thousands, has secured the island like an impregnable fortress.

On the island, along the Jianghua Waterway and at the foot of Mangsu Mountain on the opposite bank, two new earthen and wooden fortresses have been erected, both low and stout in the shape of five-pointed stars. Newly cast bronze cannons are mounted on the fortresses, their golden barrels gleaming in the sunlight.

These two fortresses are garrisoned by imperial soldiers from the Ming Dynasty; Koreans are not allowed to enter without military orders.

Whom were they guarding against? The Joseon king and his ministers knew perfectly well. They were guarding against the Eastern barbarians, but also against themselves.

The royal court on the island had long since become a mere shell. King Injo still held court every day, but the real decision-makers were the man to his left—Yang Hao, the advisor on military affairs related to aiding Korea. Yang Hao listened with narrowed eyes to the reports from the Korean officials; a simple "hmm" meant the matter was settled; a shake of the head meant even the Chief State Councilor Kim Sang-yong's words wouldn't make a difference.

Moreover, Yang Hao's actions were perfectly legitimate, because Emperor Chongzhen had appointed a "Regent" to Korea—Yuan Keli was currently serving as the Commander-in-Chief of the Korean Expedition and the Regent of Korea, while Yang Hao was appointed by Yuan Keli as the "Chancellor of the Court."

That day, the harbor became bustling. Several large Fujian-style ships, guided by a warship under Ma Chengen's command, slowly approached the shore. A fair-skinned man, dressed in a bright red robe embroidered with gold, disembarked. Surrounded by Imperial Guards and eunuchs, he stepped steadily ashore.

The one who arrived was Wei Zhongxian, the Duke of Ningguo and the Grand Master of Ceremonial.

Ma Chengen and Yang Hao were already waiting at the dock. Even Yuan Keli, the Regent and Supervisor who usually didn't handle day-to-day affairs, showed up.

"Eunuch Wei, you must be tired from your journey." Yang Hao stepped forward, his face full of smiles.

Wei Zhongxian waved his hand, his voice high-pitched yet forceful: "Serving the Emperor, what's with the talk of hardship? How is the King of Joseon doing lately?"

"Very good, very good, all thanks to the Emperor and Eunuch Wei's good fortune," Yang Hao replied hastily.

The group headed straight for the temporary palace. The sentries along the way were all Ming soldiers. When they saw Wei Zhongxian's large entourage, they all saluted with their hands on their swords, but they didn't even glance at the Korean officials mixed in with the group.

King Yong (Li Zong) was already waiting in front of the palace with his officials. He was dressed in the court robes of a prince, his face was pale, and his eyes held deep fear. Behind him, Chief State Councilor Kim Sang-yong and Left State Councilor Lee Gwi, among others, lowered their heads and dared not utter a sound.

"Your Majesty, I have come to visit you on the Emperor's orders." Wei Zhongxian greeted you with a perfectly timed smile and gave a perfunctory bow.

Li Zong quickly returned the greeting: "Thank you so much, Your Excellency. I am deeply grateful."

Upon entering the main hall, they stood in order. Wei Zhongxian, without hesitation, stood at the head of the table and took out the bright yellow imperial edict from a sandalwood box held by a young eunuch beside him.

"King Injo of Joseon, receive the decree—"

With a whoosh, everyone in the hall knelt down.

The imperial edict was short, mostly platitudes praising the Joseon king and his officials for their steadfastness and commendable loyalty. After it was read, King Injo led the way in expressing his gratitude, but he felt no relief whatsoever. He knew the real show was yet to come.

As expected, Wei Zhongxian had the imperial edict put away, put on a more amiable face, and said with a smile, "His Majesty is concerned about the difficulties of the vassal states, and specially ordered me to bring a token of his appreciation to help His Majesty rebuild the country."

He handed over a gift list.

A young eunuch took it and read aloud, "Bestowed by Imperial Decree, 50,000 taels of silver!"

At that one word, the eyes of His Highness and his courtiers lit up. Fifty thousand taels of silver! This was truly a lifesaver! Yi Jong's Adam's apple bobbed, and he was about to rise again to express his gratitude.

“Your Majesty, please do not be hasty,” Wei Zhongxian gestured for him to sit down, and said slowly, “This silver is for Your Majesty’s emergency needs. However, His Majesty is far-sighted and believes that to resist the enemy for a long time, silver alone is not enough; we need a continuous supply of military equipment and provisions.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the room. Seeing that everyone was listening intently, he continued, "His Majesty has found a true way out for your country, a tremendously good deal."

Lee Jong's heart skipped a beat. Kim Sang-yong's brows furrowed slightly.

“There is a wealthy merchant in Fujian named Zheng Zhilong,” Wei Zhongxian said slowly. “He is loyal to the Emperor and is extremely rich, with a fleet of ships all over the world. He has his eye on Jeju Island in your country and is thinking of spending 200,000 taels of silver to buy it as a place to moor, repair, and store goods.”

Two hundred thousand taels! This sum made several Korean officials gasp. But before they could think it through, Wei Zhongxian continued, "The Zheng family will not pay this two hundred thousand taels in cash."

Everyone was stunned when they heard this.

“Cash is not very convenient to circulate. The Zheng family is willing to provide 2,500 high-quality Japanese muskets, 50,000 catties of refined gunpowder from the Ming Dynasty, 10,000 bolts of thick cotton cloth from Songjiang, and 100,000 shi of rice from Siam.” Wei Zhongxian counted them off on his fingers. “These things are more tangible than silver these days. Muskets and gunpowder can defend against enemies, cotton cloth can keep the army warm, and rice can sustain the people. Your Majesty, don’t you agree?” Li Zong opened his mouth, but before he could speak, Wei Zhongxian added, his tone seemingly casual but carrying a great deal of enticement: “Moreover, the Zheng family is engaged in maritime trade, with strong ships and powerful cannons. With them stationed in Jeju, it’s like adding a lock to the sea for Korea. Japanese pirates, sea bandits, and even ships from the Western barbarians will not dare to approach. This is only beneficial to your country.”

At this moment, Yang Hao immediately stepped forward, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Li Zong, and said in an urgent tone, "Your Majesty! Heaven's grace is boundless! This is the best strategy to preserve the nation! Jeju Island is far away and is currently of little use to us, easily exploited by the Eastern barbarians. To exchange this useless island for such a huge sum of money and strong support, and to ensure lasting peace on the coast, is simply a godsend! I believe we should accept it immediately!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than Ma Chengen, standing at the head of the military officers' ranks, let out a heavy snort. He was tall and had a rugged face; his snort seemed to reverberate throughout the hall.

Ma Chengen clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Zong and said in a booming voice, “Your Majesty! What Counselor Yang said is absolutely right! I’ll put it this way: it’s already winter, and the sea can freeze over in an instant! Jianghua Island will be nothing but a drafty, dilapidated courtyard! Without these weapons, provisions, and supplies, we can’t quickly train a new army. When the iron hooves of the Eastern barbarians trample across the ice, even if I and my men risk our lives, how long can we hold them off? If it really comes to that, it will be too late to regret it!”

His words were a blatant threat. The faces of the Joseon king and his ministers in the hall turned pale. King Injo's hands trembled slightly inside his sleeves.

Everyone instinctively turned their gaze to Yuan Keli, who had remained silent until now. This true commander of the aid-to-Korea army simply kept his eyes slightly closed, as if lost in thought.

His silence, more so than Yang Hao's persuasion or Ma Chengen's threats, instilled even greater despair in Li Zong. This meant that, from top to bottom, the Ming Dynasty had no objections to the matter.

The newly appointed Chief State Councilor, Kim Sang-yong, felt his chest heaving violently. He took a sudden step forward, wanting to speak, wanting to say, "Ancestral land, how can it be bought and sold!" But when he raised his eyes, he saw Wei Zhongxian's ambiguous smile, Ma Chengen's hand on the hilt of his sword, and the gleaming spear tips of the Ming soldiers outside the palace.

The words that were about to come out turned into a silent sigh and two streams of cloudy tears. He staggered back a step, as if he had aged ten years in an instant.

Seeing this, Left Councilor Li Gui knew the situation was hopeless. He stepped forward and supported the swaying Emperor Li Zong, whispering, "Your Majesty... the Celestial Empire... has made thorough arrangements, all for the sake of our nation... In times of emergency, expediency is necessary, but the fate of the nation is paramount..."

Li Zong glanced at the silent officials below, then at Yang Hao staring intently, then at Ma Chengen, who was threatening him, and then at Yuan Keli, who remained silent. Finally, his gaze fell on Wei Zhongxian's seemingly gentle but actually unyielding face.

He felt a chilling coldness and utter powerlessness. When did this throne become so burning hot?
He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were lifeless. With trembling hands, he picked up the seal of the Korean king on the table. Beside him, someone had already laid out the "Deed for the Sale of the Island".

The seal fell with a dull, soft sound.

Wei Zhongxian's smile instantly became genuine and radiant. He stepped forward, personally collected the stamped document, carefully blew on the still-wet ink, and said gently, "Your Majesty is truly wise and righteous; I admire you. Rest assured, I will oversee this batch of military equipment and provisions, and they will be disbursed immediately!"

Having finished his business, Wei Zhongxian did not linger any longer, politely declining Li Zong's invitation to a banquet, and went to inspect the two fortresses accompanied by Ma Chengen and Yang Hao.

As soon as they left, Yuan Keli stood up and silently departed.

In the empty hall, only King Injo and a group of distraught Joseon ministers remained. Kim Sang-yong finally collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face.

Li Zong looked at the gray sky outside the palace and felt that there was no warmth left in that small space.

……

A few days later, the "island sale contract" bearing the seal of the King of Joseon, along with Wei Zhongxian's secret memorial, was sent back to Beijing by express courier, reaching the Emperor's desk in the Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at the contract and finally a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

The "Treasure Island Delegation" of our motherland has expanded!
"Jeju Island... Jeju..."

He stood up, walked to the huge map on the wall, and slowly moved his gaze from Korea to the right, across the narrow sea, and onto Kyushu Island in Japan.

"With this stepping stone, the Beiyang Fleet can finally stand firm." He muttered to himself, "Next, we should watch how this 'Prince of Jeju' stirs up the seas of the East for me."

He turned to Wang Chengen, who was standing beside him, and said, "Draft an edict. Tell Zheng Zhilong that I have obtained the island for him. Tell him to hurry up and make sure that before spring, I want to see the dragon flag of the Ming Dynasty planted on Jeju Island!"

"Tell Yuan Keli and Ma Chengen that things are stable in Korea. I don't want a quick victory; I want them to stall for time and keep Huang Taiji's main force firmly pinned down in Korea!"

Wang Chengen bowed and replied, "This servant obeys the decree."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at the map again, his gaze sharp.

In this grand game, another crucial move has been made. Next, it's Liaodong's turn, Jizhou's turn, and the turn of that old slave's son who calls himself the Great Khan in Shenyang to make his move.

"Huang Taiji, being my kept man is quite delicious. Is your knife sharp enough?"

(End of this chapter)