How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 184 Emperor Chongzhen: To fight the Jurchens, the militia will pay their share of the taxes, and I will take the lead! (Please subscribe)

The Shuntian Governor's Office in Tongzhou City was unusually lively today.

The main hall of the three-courtyard complex was filled with servants dressed in blue robes and small hats. Inside the hall, the place was packed with people.

Almost all the prominent gentry from Shuntian and Yongping prefectures were present. There were retired officials dressed in simple, dark-colored straight-cut robes and wearing square-shaped headscarves; wealthy merchants in silk Taoist robes and large jade thumb rings on their fingers; and officials in mourning attire dressed in plain white or dark brown linen mourning clothes, standing silently to the side.

Any one of these people would be a powerful figure in any region, capable of shaking the ground with a stomp of their foot. Yet, at this moment, they all remained silent and sat quietly on either side.

At the head of the main hall, Lu Xiang-sheng, the governor of Shuntian, sat upright on his official seat. He wore a scarlet robe with peacock embroidered patches, his dark red face expressionless, and his eyes swept across the hall below, his gaze so sharp it seemed capable of scraping a layer of skin off a person.

To his lower left was a grand chair, where Marquis Wuqing, Li Chengming, sat holding a cup of tea, his eyelids drooping as if he hadn't woken up yet.

"Distinguished fellow villagers," Lu Xiang-sheng began, his voice not loud, yet clearly reaching everyone's ears, "I have invited you all here today for one purpose. The Jurchens occupy Daming and are eyeing the capital. The court has appointed me as the governor of this region, and my primary task is to strengthen defenses, organize local militias, and protect the borders and the people."

He paused briefly, and the hall fell even quieter.

"However, training troops requires funds, building fortifications requires labor, provisions, and equipment. These cannot come from nothing. Therefore, it is necessary to thoroughly survey the land, clarify the household registration and corvée labor, so that the apportionment of money and provisions can be based on evidence. In addition, checkpoints should be set up at key water and land routes to collect 'military training taxes', which should be used exclusively for military supplies."

The meaning couldn't be clearer: they wanted to clear out the land, investigate households, and increase taxes.

Many people lowered their heads, cursing inwardly. This Lu Xiang-sheng, a new official, was making a huge splash with his first three moves! Land reclamation? Who doesn't have some hidden land? Household registration checks? Who doesn't have a few servants hidden away? And that damned "local militia donation"—it's clearly just a pretext!

Lu Xiang-sheng took in everyone's expressions without showing any emotion, and turned his gaze to Marquis Wuqing.

"My lord, you are a model of meritorious officials in our Shuntian Prefecture. What do you think?"

Marquis Wuqing, Li Chengming, seemed to have just been awakened. He put down his teacup and slowly stood up. He first bowed to Lu Xiangshan, then turned to the crowd and cleared his throat.

"What Governor Lu said is a wise and experienced way of governing the country, and it is also a good strategy to protect our lives and property!" Li Chengming said in a loud voice. "Our Wuqing Marquis's Mansion has been deeply indebted to the country. At this critical moment, we should step forward and set an example!"

He straightened his back and declared loudly, "I hereby swear that all the estates and shops of the Marquis's manor in Shuntian and Yongping will be thoroughly investigated and verified by Governor Lu's men, and there will be absolutely no concealment! All the servants and slaves in the manor will be registered and await inspection! As for that 'military training tax'..."

He paused, then emphasized, "All merchant caravans under my manor's name will pay the full amount at checkpoints, not a penny less! In addition, I am willing to donate 10,000 taels of silver and 200 able-bodied men to help Governor Lu accomplish this great undertaking!"

After he finished speaking, he looked around, hoping to see a crowd respond.

However, no.

The hall was deathly silent.

The only sound was the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves outside the window.

Some of the gentry looked down at the tips of their boots, some stroked their beards with wandering eyes, and some simply closed their eyes, like old monks in deep meditation.

Not a single person spoke up in agreement.

Li Chengming's smile froze, and he was somewhat embarrassed. He looked at Lu Xiangsheng for help.

Lu Xiang-sheng frowned slightly. He had anticipated resistance, but he hadn't expected that even with Marquis Wuqing personally leading the charge, it would still be so awkward. Were these local bullies determined to band together and defy orders?

The air in the lobby was like solidified paste, so thick it was suffocating. A silent resistance permeated the air.

Just at this incredibly awkward moment, a series of heavy and orderly hoofbeats suddenly came from outside the yamen, along with the authoritative shouts of the guards and the running shouts of the soldiers on both sides of the road!
Everyone was stunned.

The yamen runners guarding outside the hall scrambled in, their faces pale, and cried out in a shrill voice, "The Emperor... the Emperor is here!"

what?
Everyone was stunned.

Lu Xiang-sheng was the first to react, and he stood up abruptly. Li Cheng-ming also panicked and almost knocked over his teacup.

The gentry below the hall were thrown into chaos, hastily rising from their seats and kneeling down in a flurry.

Emperor Chongzhen, dressed in a dark blue silk robe, without his usual winged crown but only a net cap, strode in with a slight smile on his face. Half a step behind him followed the affable Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian of the Directorate of Ceremonial. Behind them were several obsequious personal eunuchs.

"Your subject Lu Xiang-sheng (Li Cheng-ming et al.) pays his respects to Your Majesty! I was unaware of Your Majesty's arrival and have failed to greet you properly." Lu Xiang-sheng hurriedly led everyone to kneel in welcome.

"Get up, all of you." Chongzhen smiled and gestured with his hand, his tone relaxed. "I was feeling bored in the palace. I heard that things were lively here at your place, Minister Lu, and that you had invited the talents from Shuntian and Yongping. So I dragged my companion Wei over to see what was going on. We came uninvited. I hope Minister Lu won't mind?"

As he spoke, he naturally walked to the head of the hall and sat down on the large public seat. Wei Zhongxian stood behind him with his hands at his sides, smiling.

Lu Xiang-sheng dared not say he was being blamed and quickly replied, "Your Majesty's presence is an honor to our humble abode."

Emperor Chongzhen's gaze swept across the hall, and when he saw the gentry who were trembling with fear and dared not raise their heads, his smile deepened.

"I think I overheard Marquis Wuqing talking outside just now? What good things were he saying? Let me hear them too?"

Marquis Wuqing, Li Chengming, quickly repeated his statement, but his voice was much softer than before, filled with fear.

"Good! Marquis Wuqing is a man of great integrity and righteousness, worthy of being a meritorious official of the dynasty!" Chongzhen praised, then changed the subject and said as if having a casual conversation, "However, the Marquis just said that he is a role model, but after thinking about it carefully, I think that's not quite right."

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines, wondering what the emperor meant.

Emperor Chongzhen tapped the armrest of his chair with his finger and said slowly, "If we're talking about Shuntian and Yongping prefectures, who owns the most land? Who runs the biggest business? It seems to be me, doesn't it? If we're talking about setting an example, then it should be me!"

As he spoke, he turned to look at Wei Zhongxian: "Wei, what do you think? You own a few estates, don't you?"

Wei Zhongxian immediately bowed, his face full of smiles: "Your Majesty is wise! My meager property is only preserved thanks to Your Majesty and the court's blessings. If we're talking about landlords in Shuntian Prefecture, Your Majesty, if you're second, who dares to claim first? My... my property is even less worth mentioning, barely enough to make ends meet."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded, withdrew his gaze, and looked at the crowd below, his expression gradually becoming serious. "So, who is Governor Lu trying to defend against by organizing local militias and building fortresses? It's the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall! If the Jurchens breach the border walls and invade, who will suffer the greatest losses from their burning, killing, and looting?"

He paused for a moment, his gaze sharp as he swept over every face.

"They are the landlords! They are us who own land, shops, and houses in Shuntian and Yongping!" Chongzhen's voice rose slightly. "My imperial estates are the most numerous, and my official lands are the most extensive. Therefore, if the Jurchens come, I will suffer the greatest losses! Governor Lu's organization of local militias is precisely to protect my property!"

He leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable frankness: "Therefore, I am not here today solely as the emperor. I am here as the largest landowner in Shuntian Prefecture to support Governor Lu!"

These words were like a thunderclap out of nowhere, stunning everyone.

The emperor... claims to be supporting Lu Xiang-sheng as the "greatest landowner"?
Before they could even process what was happening, Emperor Chongzhen had already made his decision.

"Since I have benefited the most, then I should contribute the most!" he declared loudly. "Issue my decree: allocate 50,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury and immediately deliver it to the Shuntian Governor's Office as funds for the establishment of the militia! All the imperial estates under my name shall be subject to Governor Lu's survey and audit first! All the caravans of my imperial shops and merchants shall pay their dues to the militia in accordance with regulations. If there is a shortage of even a penny, Minister Lu, you may directly impeach the eunuch in charge!"

"This servant obeys the decree!" Wei Zhongxian immediately interjected, addressing Lu Xiang-sheng and the others, "Since His Majesty is so understanding and righteous, we cannot lag behind. I will also donate 20,000 taels of silver! As for those worthless estates and shops under my name, I will leave it to Governor Lu to investigate! I will pay the militia tax due without question! If anyone dares to resist paying taxes because of my family's name, Governor Lu, you may arrest them directly, and I will have no complaints!"

The emperor and Wei Zhongxian actually took the lead in donating money, clearing land, and paying taxes!
This... this is simply unheard of!

The gentry below were completely bewildered. Their previous plans had been thrown into disarray. They could have silently resisted Lu Xiangshan and Li Chengming, but now were they to confront the Emperor and Wei Zhongxian?

Looking for death?
After Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking with Wei Zhongxian, he looked "kindly" at the people kneeling below the hall.

That gaze was even more unsettling than Lu Xiang-sheng's piercing eyes. It was a silent inquiry, and a silent pressure.

In the silence, a chubby young man kneeling at the front of the crowd suddenly took a half-step forward with disproportionate agility, lifted his mourning clothes, knelt down, and kowtowed heavily, his voice trembling with excitement:

"Your Majesty is wise! Eunuch Wei is righteous! Your subject... Your subject Zhang Haogu, a former compiler of the Hanlin Academy who is currently in mourning, is willing to donate five thousand taels of silver! All the land and people in my family will be fully cooperated with Governor Lu's investigation! The local militia will donate, and not a single penny will be owed! Protecting our homes and defending our country is a shared sentiment!"

This sound broke the suffocating silence.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Zhang Haogu with an approving smile and whispered to a middle-aged eunuch attending him, "Remember Zhang Haogu's name. Give him priority when he finishes his mourning period!"

"The slaves obey the order."

Such a casual remark was like pouring a ladle of cold water into a boiling oil pan.

"Your Majesty! Your subject will donate three thousand taels!"

"This humble citizen is willing to donate two thousand taels of silver and fifty able-bodied men!"

"This humble shop is small, but I'm donating eight hundred taels! I fully support Governor Lu!"

……

The once deathly silent hall instantly transformed into a bustling marketplace. Gentry rushed to express their opinions, fearing that if they were even a step too late, their names would fail to catch the emperor's eye.

Just then, a guard from the governor's office, holding a document sealed with wax, rushed in through the side door, bypassed the crowd, and knelt directly on one knee in front of Lu Xiang-sheng.

"Governor! General Sun of Jizhou has sent an urgent report!"

The noise stopped abruptly.

Everyone looked at the newspaper.

Lu Xiang-sheng took the document, quickly peeled off the sealing wax, glanced at it, and his expression changed slightly. He immediately stood up, walked to Chongzhen's side, and whispered, "Your Majesty, Sun Zu-shou has sent an urgent report that the Tatar cavalry beyond the Great Wall are making frequent unusual movements, and a large force is gathering in the Daning area, which may indicate a large-scale invasion."

The smile on Chongzhen's face vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling expression. He nodded heavily.

Lu Xiang-sheng understood immediately, turned abruptly to face the astonished and bewildered gentry below, and spoke in a voice like the clash of metal, echoing throughout the hall:

"The Jurchens are approaching, their military might is imminent! There is no time to lose!"

He took a deep breath and said sternly, "I hereby promulgate the 'Regulations for the Shuntian Militia'! Your righteous actions today are the guarantee for the lives of millions in Shuntian and Yongping tomorrow! I hope that after you return to your hometowns, you will act in accordance with these regulations immediately! Anyone who outwardly complies but inwardly disobeys or delays military operations will be punished."

His gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the entire room: "The law is merciless!"

"First, organization! All counties and prefectures under the jurisdiction of Shuntian and Yongping shall immediately establish a Militia Headquarters, jointly managed by the county magistrate and respected gentry elected by the local people. Under each county, villages and towns shall follow the Baojia system, selecting able-bodied men from each household, one out of every three able-bodied men, two out of every five able-bodied men, and they shall concentrate on training during the slack farming season, without delaying the farming season!"

The audience listened intently; this meant that power and responsibility were being delegated simultaneously to local officials and gentry.

"Secondly, equipment! The local militia are encouraged to bring their own knives, spears, clubs, and other weapons. In addition, the government will oversee the manufacture of spears and bows and arrows, which will be distributed to various bureaus. And most importantly," Lu Xiang-sheng emphasized, "the governor's office will, at an opportune time, distribute new, lightweight, portable breech-loading cannons (improved tiger crouching cannons) to key villages and towns guarding strategic locations, as the core of their defense!"

Upon hearing that they would be issued firearms, many gentrymen's eyes lit up, as this undoubtedly gave them real defensive capabilities.

“Thirdly, fortifications!” Lu Xiang-sheng gestured, and two of his personal guards unfurled a scroll with simple diagrams. “These are the construction guidelines for trenches and walls issued by the governor’s office. All prefectures and counties must immediately survey the terrain and construct defensive fortifications at the intersections of official roads and in strategic locations around villages and towns, in accordance with the plans. They must coordinate with each other to form early warning and blocking points, preventing the Jurchen cavalry from penetrating freely!”

The blueprints depicted simple defensive works that incorporated the concept of a bastion. Although they were not as good as regular city defenses, they could greatly increase the chances of survival and retaliation for untrained local militia.

"Fourth, rewards and punishments!" Lu Xiang-sheng's sharp gaze swept across the entire room. "The matter of the militia is a matter of life and death, not child's play! Those who defend the territory and kill the enemy and are rewarded with honors will be generously rewarded by the governor's office! They may be exempted from taxes and provisions, or the governor may petition the court to grant them honorary official titles! However," he changed his tone, his voice suddenly turning cold, "if anyone deserts in battle, neglects fortifications, delays military operations, or even colludes with the enemy, the governor has the imperial decree in hand and will deal with them according to military law without any leniency! Do not say you were not warned!"

The four regulations were clearly defined, employing both rewards and punishments. They included an organizational structure, equipment support, construction standards, and strict rewards and punishments. Hearing this, the gentry felt somewhat reassured. The emperor's and the eunuch's statements had shattered their hopes, while Lu Xiangshan's meticulously detailed regulations offered a seemingly viable path to self-preservation. It was better than ending up in chaos, at the mercy of the Jurchens.

"The regulations are here!" Lu Xiang-sheng handed the document to the clerk. "Immediately copy them to all prefectures and counties! After you return, you must act accordingly! I will dispatch officials to supervise the process in different areas. If anyone is found to be disobedient or negligent in their duties, there are still many empty seats in the prisons of the Jizhou border army!"

Everyone felt a chill run down their spines and bowed deeply, saying, "We will obey Governor-General's orders!"

(End of this chapter)