How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 171 Li Zicheng: Long live the Principal! A pledge of loyalty to the Principal! (Please subscribe and vote!)

Last night, Emperor Chongzhen had made love three times on Consort Zhen Liu Yueying's bed in Yonghe Palace, and only fell asleep in the middle of the night. Before dawn, he woke up, feeling soreness and swelling in his lower back. He muttered to himself: It seems I really need to get a training room in the palace to properly strengthen my muscles and bones, otherwise my body might not be able to take it.

As soon as he moved, Liu Yueying's soft, sleepy voice came from beside him: "Your Majesty... it's still early, why don't you rest a little longer?" A warm, soft hand had already placed on his lower back and began to massage it gently.

Chongzhen gave a vague "hmm" and didn't get up, but his mind was already racing. This slight backache was nothing compared to the huge hole of hundreds of thousands or even millions of taels of silver in military expenses. At this moment, what was on his mind was no longer whether or not to attack Da Ning, but how to win the war, and after winning, which wealthy family he should "mooch" the next meal from the imperial treasury.

When he got up with the help of two palace maids, his back felt much better. Liu Yueying also got up, wearing only a simple silk jacket and her hair loosely tied up. She personally brought him a bowl of ginseng soup that had been kept warm.

"Your Majesty, you've worked hard. Have some soup to refresh yourself." Her voice was still hoarse from just waking up, but her hands and feet were nimble. After Chongzhen finished washing up, she pushed a bowl of well-cooked bird's nest porridge in front of him.

Emperor Chongzhen sat down, stirred the porridge in his bowl with a spoon, but did not eat it immediately. He sighed and said, "Yueying, I've been thinking about this for a while now, but I still feel a little uneasy."

Liu Yueying was a very perceptive person, and she understood immediately. Her tone was as relaxed as if she were having a casual chat: "Are you worried about the soldiers' pay and provisions for the war against the Eastern Barbarians? I've done a rough calculation, and the three million taels from my family and the Zheng family are already a bit tight after supporting the establishment and equipment of the Xinjing Garrison, plus the expenses in Korea for a year. Is Your Majesty thinking about... how to 'increase revenue' again?"

When she said the word "open source," her eyes sparkled, and she glanced sideways at Chongzhen with a hint of knowing mischief.

Emperor Chongzhen wasn't embarrassed by her pointing out his thoughts; on the contrary, he found her directness refreshing. He put down his spoon, leaned forward, and spoke as if discussing a confidential matter with his most trusted confidant: "Indeed. Although my imperial treasury has the support of your family and the Zheng family, once this war begins, the expenses will be a bottomless pit. If we want to use some 'extraordinary methods' to stabilize the foundation of the country, Yueying, do you think there are any safe and reliable ways to deal with the maritime merchants in the southeast, or even in the South Seas and the West?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yueying showed no jealousy whatsoever; instead, her eyes lit up, revealing the shrewdness typical of a head of a large merchant family. After a moment's thought, she began to recount her experiences as if listing her treasures: "Since Your Majesty has inquired, I will speak frankly. If we are talking about 'increasing revenue,' there are indeed several promising avenues."

She counted on her fingers, one by one, for Chongzhen: "The first one is the sister of Yang Liu and Yang Qi from Zhejiang. The Yang family is wealthy, and their fleet travels all over Southeast Asia. If their sister could enter the palace, it would be a great help to our navy and maritime trade. Moreover, the Yang family has already expressed their intention to accept her. Your Majesty, why don't you go with the flow and grant her a gift?"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded, signaling her to continue.

"Secondly, in the Fujian region, the Zheng family has many affiliated merchants, such as the Li family and the Zhong family. They have a lot of dealings with the foreign barbarians and Portuguese, and their wealth is considerable. Although they are not as wealthy as the Zheng family, it is not difficult for them to come up with a dowry of several hundred thousand taels of silver."

"Thirdly, speaking of those companies in Guangdong, they are close to Macau and are most familiar with Westerners. They have good ships, powerful cannons, and broad knowledge. If we can form a marriage alliance with them, the benefits of imitating Western firearms and strengthening the navy in the future will probably be greater than the direct dowry."

Emperor Chongzhen listened attentively and couldn't help but ask, "What about overseas? Are there any opportunities for writing articles there?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yueying smiled slightly, leaned closer to Chongzhen, and lowered her voice even further, with the intimacy of sharing a secret: "Your Majesty is wise. Those wealthy merchants overseas, to put it bluntly, are just seeking a title and a powerful backer. Take Southeast Asia, for example, places like Java and Luzon. Among our Chinese merchants, there are plenty who are extremely wealthy. But those red-haired barbarians and Portuguese, they give them the title of 'Kapitan' on the surface, but behind the scenes, they are ruthless! They are envious of others' wealth, or if they are short of money themselves, they will find a pretext to confiscate property, kill people to establish their authority, and they have done many such underhanded things."

Seeing that Chongzhen frowned as she listened, she continued, "These people may look like wealthy overseas tycoons, but they are actually rootless drifters, and they are very anxious inside. Your Majesty, think about it, if their families could send daughters into the palace, even if it's just in name, they would be relatives of the Ming Dynasty. If those foreign barbarians wanted to touch them, wouldn't they have to think twice before offending Your Majesty's imperial might? This connection is more useful than a hundred thousand troops! At that time, Your Majesty only needs to issue an edict recognizing their status, and wouldn't they be grateful and happily offer up hundreds of thousands of taels of silver?"

"Excellent! This is yet another batch of 'concubines for financing'!" Chongzhen listened with increasing satisfaction, nodding and signaling Liu Yueying to continue.

She paused, her eyes darting around, and then continued, "Take Siam, for example. It has always been a vassal state of our Great Ming. It's a vast and sparsely populated country, and many Chinese people have settled there in the past. If His Majesty wanted to take a Siamese princess as a concubine, they would be more than happy to do so. And then there's Annam. Right now, the Zheng lord is in charge in the north, and the Nguyen lord is in charge in the south... The two sides are fighting to the death. Who wouldn't want the support of the Great Ming? These two countries don't have much cash, but they have a large territory and a small population. They don't have much else, but they have plenty of rice! If His Majesty were to form a marriage alliance with them, in the event of a famine in the north, not to mention anything else, it would be a piece of cake to ship a hundred thousand shi of rice from them by sea!"

This is a must! Chongzhen thought to himself: This is a "food security type concubine," for food is the most important thing for the people!

Finally, she lowered her voice to a whisper, with a hint of probing: "There's another place, which the gentlemen in the court might find unbelievable... that is Japan. Leaving aside the fact that the Chinese merchants in Nagasaki have their own connections, the southwestern domains of Japan, such as Satsuma and Choshu, are only superficially friendly to the Tokugawa Shogunate; they're secretly engaged in thriving trade and don't mind seeking foreign aid. If Your Majesty could set aside your airs of a superior nation and secretly offer them some benefits, perhaps... you could even bestow upon a few Ming Dynasty princes upon Japan!"

"To grant several Ming princes in Japan? Is that even possible?" Emperor Chongzhen was somewhat skeptical.

Liu Yueying smiled and said, "Your Majesty, have you forgotten that during the Wanli era, our Great Ming Dynasty even bestowed the title of King of Japan upon Toyotomi Hideyoshi? Furthermore, their Tokugawa Shoguns also referred to themselves as the King of Japan, and the legitimacy of this Japanese kingship originated from the conferment of the title upon the Ashikaga Shogunate by the Jianwen Emperor in his earlier years. If the Shoguns of Japan were all kings bestowed by the Ming Dynasty, what's wrong with bestowing a title of Prince upon a feudal lord of Japan?"

After hearing these words, Chongzhen felt as if a door had been opened to cause trouble and disruption to the Japanese invaders.

He couldn't help but clap his hands in admiration, even momentarily forgetting his imperial dignity, and gently grasped Liu Yueying's hand: "Wonderful! Yueying, you are truly my... my Goddess of Wealth!" His worries vanished instantly, and he immediately made the decision: "Good! Let's do it your way. Keep an eye on things in Southeast Asia and Japan for now, and find some reliable channels to gather information. After the battle of Daning is over, we'll plan in detail!"

Liu Yueying smiled and gently squeezed his hand in return: "Your Majesty, rest assured, this matter is just like doing business. I know what's important and I will definitely find you a few 'good matches'."

After having breakfast, Chongzhen felt refreshed, and even his lower back pain seemed to have lessened. He stood up and ordered, "Prepare the carriage and head to the Grand Parade Ground of the Beijing Garrison!"

In a secluded training ground enclosed by high walls within the South Garden, three hundred elite cavalrymen stood in formation. The air was filled with the scent of grass and earth, mingled with the vibrant energy of all things thriving.

Li Hongji stood ramrod straight at the head of the column, like a javelin thrust into the ground, though his palms were damp with sweat. He wore a brand-new blue arrow-patterned vest over a dark blue cloth armor, the breastplate polished to a gleaming shine. But what made his heart pound most were the two short weapons slung at his waist—flintlock pistols presented as tribute by Zheng Zhilong and Liu Xiang, with ivory handles and ebony stock, gleaming with a faint blue light in the sunlight. These things didn't need a match; a single pull of the trigger was all it took to fire—they were priceless treasures.

His three hundred men were all mounted on two horses each, their saddlebags filled with rations and these precious short guns, along with a hard bow on their backs, a saber at their waist, a long lance hanging from a sling, and an iron whip tucked into their calves… Their armor was probably more extravagant than that of many generals' household guards. He secretly glanced up and quickly at the stands. General Cao Wenzhao and his deputy Huang Degong, fully armored, gripped their sword hilts, their faces grave. But what truly made Li Hongji's throat go dry was the young figure standing between them in an apricot-yellow dragon robe with arrow-sleeved sleeves—Emperor Chongzhen, his "Principal Zhu."

Just then, Chongzhen's gaze swept over and met his. Li Hongji's heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his eyelids.

"Li Hongji".

The emperor's voice was not loud, but it carried clearly throughout the quiet training ground.

"Your student is here!" Li Hongji jolted, almost instinctively stepping forward, clasping his hands in a fist and bowing, his voice slightly trembling with nervousness. He used the self-reference of "student," a habit he had developed in the Tsinghua Military Academy. In the face of this array of swords and spears, it seemed a little awkward, yet it conveyed a unique sense of closeness.

Chongzhen slowly walked down from the command platform and came to stand in front of him. He was so close that Li Hongji could see that the emperor's eyes were a little tired and he could smell a trace of ink.

"The strategy of raiding Daming was your idea first. General Cao, General Huang, and I have agreed that you, this detachment, will be the vanguard of the entire army." Chongzhen looked at his "good student"—Li Zicheng, a graduate of Tsinghua University's first class. "These three hundred elite imperial guards were handpicked by me from among five thousand cavalry. I am now promoting you to a substantive commander of a thousand men, leading this detachment alone. All three thousand brothers in the army are watching you. I entrust you with the first merit in the raid on Daming. Do you dare to stir up a hornet's nest for me, for your Principal Zhu?"

A commander of a thousand households! A real appointment! Li Hongji felt a rush of blood to his head, his ears ringing. He was from Mizhi, Shaanxi, and had risen through the ranks from a small post station, witnessing too much of the corruption in officialdom. He never imagined that one day he would be so highly regarded by the emperor. He knelt down on one knee with a thud, not entirely out of courtesy, but because his legs were a little weak.

"Principal... Your Majesty!" His voice choked with emotion, and he lowered his head even further. "This student... what is this humble general? How dare I accept such a divine favor from Your Majesty! General Cao and General Huang are both renowned generals of our time. This student is just a rough man. I'm afraid... afraid of delaying Your Majesty's important matters!"

"Get up!" Chongzhen shouted in a low voice, reaching out to help him up. The force wasn't great, but it carried an unyielding air. "How did I teach you in the military academy? The first thing a general needs is courage! What I value is your daring and decisive spirit, Li Hongji! Don't try to fool me. I'm asking you, do you dare to accept this vanguard seal?"

These words struck like a hammer blow, shattering the last vestiges of panic and inferiority in Li Hongji's heart. He abruptly raised his head, his eyes reddening, and shouted in a hoarse voice, "I dare! The principal believes in me, and I, your humble servant... will do my utmost to make it a success!"

"Good!" Chongzhen patted his shoulder heavily, then turned around and shouted to the entire army, "I don't want you to fight to the death! I want you to burn down Huang Taiji's grain storage, and bring me and the Ming Dynasty the head of the Jurchen leader to present this great victory! Then, all of you will return unscathed, and I will personally reward you for your merits!"

At this moment, Commander Cao Wenzhao stepped forward, his face grim, and said, “Commander Li, His Majesty’s kindness is as heavy as a mountain! Courage is necessary, but you must remember even more: you are the vanguard of the entire army, the spearhead, not a lone force going to your deaths. When you encounter the enemy, you must discern their strengths and weaknesses, and not act recklessly. All actions must be in accordance with the orders of the central army! ‘Acting expediently’ is to encourage you to be clever, not to show off your abilities!”

Li Hongji solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general will certainly remember the general's teachings!"

At this moment, three hundred pairs of eyes were fixed on him. Li Hongji took a deep breath of the cool morning air, turned abruptly, and faced his equally excited brothers. Without wasting words, he pointed to the fully armed troops behind him and roared in his thick Shaanxi accent:
"Brothers! Look carefully! The Emperor, our Principal, has prepared for us the best horses, the fastest swords, the toughest armor, and these short guns that can be fired without a matchlock! Why?!"

His gaze swept over the excited, flushed faces: "Because we are the spearhead! The first spearhead to stab Huang Taiji in the heart! Those who are afraid of death, get the hell out of here now! If you're a real man, follow me, Li Hongji, and let's make a fortune! Kill the Tartars, burn their provisions, and let those old foxes on the border see that our Imperial Cavalry is no coward!"

"Do it! Do it! Do it!" The bloodlust of the three hundred men was ignited, and their deep roars echoed back and forth on the training ground.

Emperor Chongzhen and Cao Wenzhao exchanged a glance and nodded slightly. Li Hongji, as if struck by a sudden inspiration, drew his gleaming saber from his waist with a "whoosh," the tip pointing directly north.

"Death for His Majesty!"

"May the Great Ming Dynasty be victorious!"

"Ten thousand! Victory!"

Three hundred sabers were drawn simultaneously, the rising sun casting a cold gleam, and a roar shook the heavens and the earth:
"Ten thousand! Victory!"

"Ten thousand! Victory!"

Li Hongji mounted his horse, took one last look at the principal's slender figure on the reviewing stand, spurred his horse, and the warhorse neighed and galloped away.

Three hundred knights and six hundred fast horses, like a whirlwind, kicked up dust and rushed out of the training ground, disappearing into the northern fields covered with crops.

As Chongzhen watched them disappear from sight, he whispered to Cao Wenzhao beside him, "Wenzhao, I've let this wolf from the Northwest out of the way. Whether it's gold or brass, we'll find out when we take it to Daning."

Cao Wenzhao bowed and replied, "Your Majesty knows how to use talent. This lad may be a bit wild, but he is indeed a sharp blade. Your subject will use this blade well."

(End of this chapter)