How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 160 Is this a showdown with the King of Qin? Is this a bombardment of all the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty?! (Second Update)
In December in Beijing, the wind howls like a knife.

A thin layer of snow covered the yellow glazed tiles of the Forbidden City. Inside the West Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, however, it was so warm it made one want to doze off.

Several gilded charcoal braziers were burning brightly, occasionally crackling and sputtering a few sparks.

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, was not wearing his imperial robes, but only his blue casual clothes, sitting on the heated kang (a traditional Chinese bed-stove). Several memorials were spread out on the kang table, and he held one in his hand, but did not read it, his eyes gazing at the gray sky outside the window.

Wang Chengen, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stood by the kang (a heated brick bed) with his hands hanging at his sides. Below him, seven or eight high-ranking officials, including Grand Secretaries, ministers, and nobles, sat on embroidered stools according to their rank.

No one spoke. Only the crackling of the charcoal fire and the occasional muffled cough could be heard.

The silence is almost oppressive.

Emperor Chongzhen turned his gaze back, glanced at everyone, and finally fixed it on Wang Chengen.

“Daban,” he said in a low voice, still somewhat immature, sounding like an innocent “big boy,” “tell the gentlemen about that document concerning Wei Zhongxian and Hong Chengchou.”

"This servant obeys the decree." Wang Chengen bowed and stepped forward, pulling out a book of questions from his sleeve and opening it.

"Your Majesty, esteemed gentlemen, this is a secret document submitted by Hong Chengchou, the Shaanxi Grain Supervisor, and endorsed by Eunuch Wei, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"It is reported that His Highness the Prince of Qin is loyal to the emperor and the country. Despite his own financial difficulties, he still donated 20,000 shi of military rations. His loyalty is commendable."

He paused slightly at this point.

"However, His Highness Prince Qin also has his difficulties. Although the Qin vassal state has a large number of imperial-granted estates and pastures, the ancestral system is strict, and princes and members of the imperial family are not allowed to leave the city at will. As a result, the land is far away, management is lax, and cunning estate managers, powerful officials and clerks take advantage of the situation, resulting in annual deficits in rent and taxes."

"Therefore, His Highness the King of Qin has the reputation of having a mountain of grain, but in times of emergency, the amount that the treasury can allocate is actually very limited. His situation is pitiful and his circumstances are worrying."

The warm pavilion grew even quieter. Bi Ziyan subconsciously rubbed his fingers together, and Wang Zaijin sat up straighter. Although the others remained silent, everyone knew that the Emperor was about to punish the Prince of Qin.

Wang Chengen's voice remained steady, but he revealed the core message.

"Wei and Hong believe that in order to resolve the Prince of Qin's predicament, reassure the Qin vassal state, and alleviate the court's worries, they earnestly request Your Majesty to issue a special decree."

"His Highness the Prince of Qin is permitted to entrust the estates and pastures that he is unable to manage personally to unemployed members of the royal family in Xi'an, such as the General of the State and the Lieutenant of the State, in accordance with the ancient practice of bestowing favors and obligations, so that they may leave the city to manage them nearby and make a living on their own."

"In this way, the King of Qin can enjoy stable benefits, the royal family can have a foundation for their lives, and the court can get rid of hidden dangers. It is truly a win-win-win strategy."

He finished speaking, bowed slightly, took a step back, and transformed back into his shadow.

The warm room fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's heart was racing.

Wei Zhongxian and that Hong Chengchou are really daring! This isn't just about punishing the Prince of Qin; it's clearly a barrage of attacks on all the princes of the Ming Dynasty! Granting them land as a form of favor is like digging up the very foundation of their royal families! Which prince would be happy about that?

But those guys weren't happy about it; the generals, lieutenants, and members of the royal family without titles were probably ecstatic. Not only could they get a share of the prince's property (or nominally manage it for him), but they could also leave the city!
It's very difficult for princes to leave the city. If these lower-ranking members of the royal family can leave the city at will, and they also have the pretext of managing the land for the princes, what will happen next is obvious—there are only a few princes, and how many poor members of the royal family are below them?

Next, if those vassal kings didn't want to receive a decree of favor, they would have to obediently request a change of title themselves.
Grand Secretary Huang Lijie was the first to stand up, his face flushed as if he had discovered some brilliant strategy.

"Your Majesty!" he exclaimed excitedly, "This plan is brilliant! This old minister congratulates Your Majesty and the Great Ming Dynasty!"

He turned to his colleagues, “Eunuch Wei and Councilor Hong are truly loyal and virtuous officials! This is not about competing with the princes for profit, but rather a superior strategy to revive a dying family and protect the imperial clan! His Highness Prince Qin will be freed, the imperial clan will have a way to survive, the court will be free from hidden worries, and the world will be at peace! Your Majesty, you must make a decision when necessary, and this should be approved immediately!”

His words essentially defined the nature of the matter. It wasn't "robbery," it was helping.

Zhang Zhiji, the heir apparent of the Duke of Yingguo, immediately rose to his feet, his voice booming: "Your Majesty, I second your proposal! We wholeheartedly support such a sound strategy for pacifying the country! If any fools in Xi'an dare to obstruct Your Majesty's rule," he paused, then clasped his hands in a fist salute, "I request permission to lead a troop of elite soldiers to serve as Your Majesty's vanguard!"

The nobles' attitude was clear. Although they no longer had "a brigade of elite troops" at their disposal, that did not stop Zhang Zhiji from "dedicating his loyalty."

Minister of Revenue Bi Ziyan also stood up: "Your Majesty, what Grand Secretary Huang and Prince Zhang said are wise and experienced words of advice for the country. As the Minister of Revenue, I know that the treasury of Shaanxi is already empty. If this policy can revitalize the Qin region, bring peace to the people of Qin, and alleviate the urgent need for food and provisions, it will be a great merit for the country and the people. I second this proposal."

Minister of War Wang Zaijin succinctly stated: "Your Majesty, the Anse army is on the front lines, waiting for rice to be cooked. I second that suggestion."

Those in charge of finances and military affairs nodded. The Left Censor-in-Chief, Sun Chengzong, pondered for a moment before slowly speaking: "Your Majesty, what my colleagues say is quite right. This is indeed a good solution to the chronic problems in Shaanxi. However, this old minister believes that the implementation method could be slightly delayed."

He looked at Chongzhen and said, “The Prince of Qin is, after all, a prince. Could Your Majesty, in your imperial edict, offer him some words of comfort and make it clear that this is a ‘temporary measure’ and a ‘special favor’ for his retirement, and that once the situation eases, his property will still be under the management of the Prince’s residence? This would put his mind at ease and prevent him from acting rashly, which would be undesirable.”

As the leader of the Donglin Party, he couldn't possibly fawn over Wei Zhongxian like the "eunuch faction," could he? If he did, wouldn't he have wasted so many years wearing the Donglin Party hat? So he had to bring up something different.

After Sun Chengzong finished speaking, Qian Qianyi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, stood up gracefully and straightened his sleeves.

"Your Majesty," he said slowly, "Sun Gong's concerns are wise and prudent. However, I believe that renaming is of utmost importance." "The term 'extending grace' comes from Sima Qian and perfectly aligns with the Holy Emperor's virtue of loving one's relatives and benevolent people. If we were to directly call it the 'Decree of Extending Grace,' it would seem a bit too harsh. Perhaps... we could name it 'The Special Policy of Mutual Assistance and Care for the Qin Feudal Royal Family'?"

He smiled smugly, “In this way, all the subjects of the world will know that His Majesty’s actions are not for any other reason, but are truly an unprecedented act of benevolence in caring for orphans and the weak! It is His Majesty’s boundless imperial grace towards the imperial family!”

He's not having an easy time now either. He has to offer a different kind of "loyalty" than Wei Zhongxian—Wei Zhongxian wields a bloody knife, while he uses a brush to write eloquent articles to cover it up.

At this moment, Chongzhen's gaze fell on the last person.

Li Chengming, the Vice Minister of the Imperial Clan Court, was theoretically representing the imperial clan, but in reality, he was merely a maternal relative—and he wasn't even surnamed Zhu. Naturally, he wouldn't speak up for the Zhu family's princes at this moment, and instead, he added insult to injury: "Your Majesty, as far as I know, the 'difficulties' faced by the Qin princes are not unique to other princes. Why not pilot the policy of bestowing favors in the Qin princes? If it succeeds, then extend it elsewhere."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded approvingly—this Marquis of Wuqing is becoming more and more loyal!
He picked up the rosewood thermos on the table and took a sip of goji berry tea.

Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he asked Wang Zaijin, "Minister Wang, have there been any military reports from Liaodong recently? Have the Eastern Barbarians in Korea quieted down yet?"

Wang Zaijin immediately replied: "Your Majesty, the main force of the Eastern Barbarians is still confronting our army in Korea. However, Yuan Keli and Ma Chengen have submitted memorials for several days, saying that the Korean righteous army is short of funds and urgently requests assistance. However, Grand Secretary Sun and I have analyzed that if the threat in Shaanxi is not eliminated, the supplies and funds for aiding Korea will be like a tree without roots, a castle in the air. The most important task at present is to secure the interior!"

"Peace within the palace..." Chongzhen repeated softly, put down his teacup, and his gaze sharpened as he swept across the entire room.

"Li Chengming is right!" His voice suddenly rose, carrying an undeniable determination. "Do other princes not have the same difficulties as Qin? They do! They all complain to me about being poor, but aren't they all sitting on mountains of gold and silver while letting their relatives go hungry?"

He stood up, walked to the imperial desk, and tapped his fingers heavily on the table.

"The 'Policy on Mutual Assistance and Retirement for the Qin Feudal Clan' must be discussed and passed as soon as possible! The Cabinet, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of War, and the Court of Imperial Clan Affairs, all of you, get moving! Three days, I'm only giving you three days, to produce the detailed rules for me!"

He surveyed his ministers, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Only if this strategy works in Shaanxi, and the Qin vassal state is stable, can Shaanxi be stable! Only when Shaanxi is stable can the court have the resources to reorganize Sichuan and Guizhou! Only then can my uncles and brothers be safely relocated there to guard the region!"

His words struck everyone like a bolt of lightning. The Emperor was directly linking the "benefit of the Qin vassal state" with the subsequent conferment of more vassal kings and the relocation of vassal states to Sichuan! Once the Qin vassal state was dealt with, some clear-headed vassal kings would probably volunteer to go to Sichuan and Guizhou to garrison the region.

The warm room was so quiet you could hear breathing. Huang Lijie, Zhang Zhiji, and the others all wore knowing expressions. Sun Chengzong and Qian Qianyi, on the other hand, lowered their eyes slightly, lost in thought.

Emperor Chongzhen paused, his tone softening, yet becoming even more profound.

"I know some people will think I'm impatient. But how can I not be?" He sighed, a perfectly measured weariness on his face. "You all know how chaotic Shaanxi is. Sun Chuanting is struggling in Ansai, waiting for supplies. And the court? The national treasury is practically overflowing!"

He abruptly changed the subject and mentioned a name.

"Speaking of Shaanxi, I'm reminded of that governor, Hu Tingyan... What has he done in the past six months? He didn't know how to provide disaster relief, he didn't know how to suppress bandits, and he couldn't even appease the vassal kings. All he does when something happens is to submit a memorial complaining! I think he's completely helpless; he's just a lazy official!"

He snorted coldly, his gaze sweeping over Huang Liji, who was still concurrently serving as Minister of Personnel.

"As for that Councilor Hong Chengchou, his memorials have hit the nail on the head several times! Wasn't he the one who first came up with the 'mutual assistance for the elderly' policy? He's capable and decisive! That's exactly the kind of official my Shaanxi needs right now!"

He stopped looking at the crowd, turned his back to them, and gazed out the window, his voice calm yet carrying immense pressure.

"You all should discuss this. The position of Governor of Shaanxi is of great importance... Shouldn't we replace him with a capable and competent official? We can't keep having capable people being suppressed by incompetent ones, can we?"

After saying that, he waved his hand, the meaning of which was quite clear.

"Your Majesty, we obey!" Led by Huang Liji, the officials responded in unison, their minds perfectly clear. The Emperor wasn't simply asking them to "discuss"; he had clearly already set the tone—Hu Tingyan was out, and Hong Chengchou was in power!

Everyone bowed and withdrew from the warm pavilion, their minds in turmoil. They all understood that the Emperor was determined to use Hong Chengchou as a weapon to deliver a severe blow to the princes of Shaanxi, and indeed, to the entire Ming Dynasty. This "Policy for Mutual Assistance and Support for the Qin Princes" was no mere policy of support; it was clearly a clarion call to action against all the princes!
With Hong Chengchou as an example, there will only be more and more people who are "loyal to the country," "loyal to the nation," and "utterly loyal."
(End of this chapter)