How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 156 They've rebelled! They've rebelled! (Third update, two more updates today, at 6 PM and 8 PM)
In northern Shaanxi in the twelfth lunar month, there is not a single snow in sight.

The sky was a dull yellow, and the ground was cracked like a tortoise shell. When the wind blew, it swirled up the dried yellow dust, making it fly everywhere and choking people so much they could hardly breathe.

Along both sides of the official road, the bark of the trees that could be chewed had long been stripped bare, revealing bare, white wood stumps. Every now and then, one could see people huddled up by the roadside, motionless—they had starved to death. Others, still breathing, dragged their bodies forward, their eyes vacant, not knowing where they were going.

The stray dogs, however, had grown fat and were wandering around the area with red eyes.

Niu Jinxing, riding his horse with a few imperial guards, tightly covered his mouth and nose with his sleeve. But the stench of dust and decay still seeped into his nostrils. His family were considered large landowners in Henan, and in recent years, the people of Henan had generally lived a comfortable life; he had never seen anything like this. He felt a tightness in his chest and waves of nausea.

This is no longer the human world; it is clearly the deepest hell.

Several refugees staggered past his horse, their hushed conversation drifting into his ears.

"Thirty coins... thirty coins it is..."

"Mixed with bran, it can keep you full..."

Niu Jinxing was taken aback at first, then realized what they were talking about. His stomach churned, and he almost fell off his horse. He quickly grabbed the saddle, his face ashen.

"Lord Hanlin, ahead... ahead is Yan'an Prefecture." The accompanying guard's voice trembled, clearly quite frightened.

Niu Jinxing nodded, speechless. He was acting on Wei Gonggong's secret orders, ostensibly to inspect the situation of the military settlements in Shaanxi, but secretly to find two treacherous figures named "Li Hongji" and "Zhang Xianzhong".

Looking at the scene now, with corpses everywhere, even without these two "cursors," are there no other "cursors"? Absolutely not.
……

The border military camp in Fushi County was deathly still.

Several soldiers sat around a dying fire, their tattered uniforms offering little protection from the cold wind. A pot of simmering, indistinct porridge sat untouched by the heat, devoid of even a speck of oil.

Zhang Xianzhong was shirtless, and the freshly drawn bloodstains on his ribs were still burning hot. He gritted his teeth, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

The squad leader, whip in hand, walked over, cursing and swearing, and poked his wound with the tip of the whip: "You son of a bitch Zhang Xianzhong, you're the one who talks the most nonsense! Unpaid wages? Which battalion doesn't owe wages? If you dare to make another sound, I'll whip you to death!"

Zhang Xianzhong suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide and bloodshot. He stared intently at the officer in charge, without uttering a sound.

The officer in charge felt uneasy under his gaze, but his tone became even more aggressive: "What are you looking at? You don't like it? You think you can mess with me...?"

Before he could finish speaking, Zhang Xianzhong suddenly leaped up like a leopard! He grabbed the whip tip that the officer was wielding with his left hand, and with his right hand he pulled out a sharpened dagger from his back waist. Without hesitation, he plunged it into the officer's neck!
"Uh..." The officer's eyes bulged out instantly, staring at Zhang Xianzhong in disbelief. Blood spurted out like an arrow, splattering all over Zhang Xianzhong's face.

"You think I don't know?" Zhang Xianzhong roared, panting heavily. "The emperor in Beijing has already paid the owed wages to everyone. It was you and those corrupt officials who colluded... Damn it, if you don't want people to live, then none of you should live!"

Several of his sworn brothers immediately rushed forward, some grabbing knives, others firing arrows, and in an instant they cut down the squad leader and two bodyguards who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion.

The camp erupted in chaos.

Zhang Xianzhong wiped the blood from his face, snatched the officer's knife, put on a cotton coat, and roared at his brothers, "Those who follow me will eat meat and drink wine to their hearts' content! Those who don't have the guts, stay and wait to die!"

No one hesitated. They quickly looted the corpse of its valuables, then rushed to the stables and seized several decent horses and a few bows and arrows.

"go!"

Zhang Xianzhong mounted his horse, took one last look at the man-eating camp, and then spurred his horse forward. The few riders, like arrows, plunged into the deep night, instantly swallowed by the ravines of the Loess Plateau.

When the large group of men heard the commotion and chased after them, they only saw a few still-warm corpses on the ground and an empty stable fence.

……

In the mountain valleys outside Anse County, an unknown number of people had gathered in a dark mass.

Men, women, old, young. They were all so thin they were unrecognizable, and the tools they carried were even more meager: hoes, wooden sticks, and some were just holding sharp stones.

Everyone stared at the burly man on the earthen slope. He was Gao Yingxiang, a former horse trader.

Gao Yingxiang raised a chipped waist knife in his hand, his voice hoarse from hunger and excitement, yet it carried far:

"Fellow villagers! The government's granaries are full! The landlords' grain is rotting! And our children? They're starving to death!"

Suppressed sobs rose from the crowd.

"They won't give us a way to survive! Not a single grain!" Gao Yingxiang pointed his knife towards the county town at the foot of the mountain. "There's grain in that town! Follow me, Gao Yingxiang, smash open the city gates, open the granaries! Let's rebel against them and earn a way to survive!"

"Inverted!"

"Follow the rebel leader!"

"Let's seize the grain!"

The crowd erupted into chaos, their eyes burning with the will to survive. They surged toward Ansai County in a frenzy, their momentum suggesting they were prepared to fight to the death.

On the city wall of Ansai County, several emaciated soldiers trembled as they looked down at the sea of ​​heads below.

"Boss Wang, what... what should we do?" a young soldier asked the old soldier next to him, his voice trembling with tears.

The old soldier surnamed Wang spat: "What can we do? Just wait to die! The county magistrate hasn't paid a penny in three months, his belly is practically sticking to his back, what can he use to shield himself? His own ribs?"

A soldier standing nearby said angrily, "That's right! The grain at the Zhang and Li families' houses in the city is overflowing! They'd rather let it rot than part with a single bowl of porridge! Yesterday, my mother went to beg for some food, and their wicked servants beat her out!"

"Shut up!" a junior officer in old official robes shouted, though he didn't really have the guts. "Close the city gates! Quickly... quickly report to the county magistrate!" Inside the county town, in the second hall of the county government office.

Zhao Dequan, the magistrate of Ansai County, was in a panic, repeatedly bowing to the gentry below him: "Old Zhang, Old Li, disaster has struck! The rioters... the rioters are going to attack the city! For the sake of our fellow villagers, please open the granaries and distribute some grain to calm them down!"

Zhang Ziwen, the richest man in Ansai, a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, stroked his beard and said slowly, "Your Excellency is mistaken. It's not that I'm stingy, but this grain cannot be released. If we release grain today, even more starving people will come tomorrow. When will that end? Besides, although His Majesty has the benevolent policy of 'converting silver into grain,' the market price... heh heh, opening the granaries now would only disrupt the market." He was truly dissatisfied, as this "conversion of silver into grain" cut off his family's profits from exploiting farmers with cheap silver.

Li Wentai, the wealthy man, chimed in, "Old Zhang is right. How can a mere rabble of rebels and a mob possibly breach our fortified city? Your Excellency should urge the strong soldiers to defend the city! Once the imperial army arrives, the situation will naturally be quelled."

Zhao Dequan cursed inwardly. Defend the city? The soldiers had no food, the horses had no grass, and the morale of the army had long since collapsed! He looked at these few rich and heartless old landlords and wished he could stuff them into his own granary.

Outside the city, Gao Yingxiang stared at the tightly closed city gate and the low city wall, his eyes gleaming with ferocity. He was surrounded by dozens of men who were willing to fight to the death, including Wang Wu, an old soldier who had escaped from the border army.

"Chuang Wang, a direct confrontation will result in heavy casualties!" Wang Wu said, panting. "I see there are few people on the city wall, and the defenders are demoralized. Why don't we pick a few quick-handed men to sneak up to the city gate amidst the chaos and see if we can open the bolts?"

"Alright!" Gao Yingxiang nodded, pointing to several strong men in the crowd who had been carpenters. "You guys go with Brother Wang Wu! The rest of you, follow me and throw stones onto the city wall to distract the corrupt official!"

"Break down the city gates and eat!"

"Come on!"

The starving people howled, picking up clods of dirt and stones, and hurling them indiscriminately at the city walls. Though their aim was terrible, the sheer force of their attack was terrifying.

The soldiers guarding the city wall were already nervous, and when they saw stones raining down, they all huddled behind the crenellations, not daring to show their heads. Just as the junior officer peeked out to shout for arrows to be fired, a fist-sized stone flew past his helmet, startling him so much that he screamed and crouched down.

Taking advantage of the lull, Wang Wu, along with seven or eight strong men, used the crowd as cover and crouched low as they rushed to the city gate. The city gate of Ansai County was old, with thick door panels, but the bolt was not very sturdy. Wang Wu drew his knife, and together with the others, they desperately pried and smashed the bolt with the tips of their knives and iron bars they had found. The wood rattled and creaked, almost inaudible in the commotion, but it was their only hope for survival.

Inside the city, Zhao Dequan heard the deafening sounds of battle and constant crashing outside, and his soul nearly left his body. He pointed at Zhang Ziwen and Li Wentai and roared, "It's all your fault! If you had just provided the grain earlier, this wouldn't have happened! Now look what's happened, the city is about to fall, and nobody can escape!"

Zhang and Li were also panicked, not expecting these peasants to actually fight so desperately, and to make such a big fuss.

Just then, a loud "boom" came from the city gate! Then came a tidal wave of cheers and footsteps!

"The city is broken!"

"The door is open!"

In the chaos, Wang Wu and his men actually broke the door bolt! The starving people poured into Ansai County like a flood bursting its banks!
Gao Yingxiang took the lead, brandishing his chipped sword and roaring, "Follow me to the county government granary! Anyone who blocks the way will die!"

The crowd went completely mad, rushing into the streets, smashing anything in sight of wealthy houses and looting anything dressed in silk. The usually domineering yamen runners and servants of the gentry were now fleeing in terror. Zhang Ziwen and Li Wentai tried to slip away through the back door, but were spotted by sharp-eyed starving people and swallowed up by the throng in the blink of an eye…

……

The underground heating system in the Qianqing Palace in Beijing is burning brightly.

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, felt a chill creep into his heart. On the long table before him lay three newly arrived urgent memorials delivered over 600 li (approximately 300 kilometers).

A thicker document was a secret report from Wei Zhongxian. It detailed the devastation in Shaanxi, how stubborn the Prince of Qin was, and how he refused to relocate his fiefdom. It also mentioned that Gao Yingxiang had gathered a crowd in Ansai and launched an uprising, capturing the county seat. Zhang Xianzhong had killed officials and fled, his whereabouts currently unknown.

The report concluded by mentioning that the trail of Li Hongji, a courier from Mizhi Post Station, had been found, and Niu Jinxing was on his way there, and would soon be able to recruit him.
The other report was from Sun Chuanting. The new army's training had yielded results, and the soldiers were eager for battle. However, Shaanxi was in ruins, with starving refugees everywhere. It seemed unlikely that 20,000 soldiers with their weapons could suppress the unrest. He requested His Majesty's wise decision on a strategy.

Upon seeing the name "Gao Yingxiang," Emperor Chongzhen's eyelids twitched. What was destined to happen had finally arrived. The wheels of history, laden with the stench of blood, began to roll on.

Upon seeing "Zhang Xianzhong is nowhere to be found," his fingers tightened sharply, wrinkling the edges of the memorial.

He managed to slip away from this mudfish! This man is fierce and cunning, even more so than Li Zicheng! This escape will surely stir up a great storm.

Only when he saw the message "Li Hongji's whereabouts have been found, and Niu Jinxing is on his way" did his tense nerves relax slightly. Fortunately, the biggest variable is still in the cage for now.

He also saw an urgent report from Liaodong, saying that the Ganghwa waterway in Korea was completely frozen, and the Eastern Barbarian army was gathering in Seoul, and war was imminent.

We're really facing difficulties both internally and externally!

Emperor Chongzhen slowly stood up and walked to the enormous "Complete Map of the Ming Dynasty". His gaze moved from Shaanxi to Korea, then to Liaodong, and finally settled firmly on the land of Shaanxi.

Chaos has begun, and a harbinger of doom has appeared. But none of this was unexpected.

He remained silent for a moment, but there was no panic in his eyes. Months ago, he had Sun Chuanting, Cao Wenzhao, and Zhou Yuji recruit and train these 20,000 new soldiers from the Beijing garrison's quota in Shaanxi. Why? To prepare for today! This investment, in retrospect, is precisely the kind of capital that can be put to good use now!
He turned around, his voice steady and powerful, without the slightest hesitation.

"Wang Chengen".

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Wang Chengen, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, immediately bowed and replied.

"Issue an edict to Sun Chuanting." Chongzhen spoke slowly, but each word carried immense weight. "An army is raised for a thousand days, but used for one. Order him to immediately reorganize the new army and, together with Generals Cao Wenzhao and Zhou Yuji, march to Anse! I gave him this elite force not just for show! They must wipe out Gao Yingxiang's rebel forces in one fell swoop, and with thunderous force, deter the disobedient!"

"My slave understands!"

"Draft another secret edict for Wei Zhongxian." Chongzhen's gaze sharpened. "Tell him to tell the Prince of Qin! I know his treasury and estates are overflowing with grain. Give him two choices: either immediately produce 500,000 shi of grain for disaster relief in Shaanxi, and I will allow him to stay in Xi'an temporarily, with the matter of transferring his fiefdom to another date; or let him wait for the imperial decree, and I will immediately issue an edict to further enfeoff him with a fiefdom in the Miao region of Guizhou! Let him weigh the options himself!"

He paused, his tone turning icy: "Also, tell Wei Zhongxian that Li Hongji must be kept firmly under control! As for Zhang Xianzhong, issue arrest warrants everywhere; we want him alive or dead!"

"This servant obeys the decree!" Wang Chengen bowed deeply and quickly withdrew to deliver the decree.

(End of this chapter)