How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 194 Inviting someone to dinner and accepting them as a dog (Please add to your favorites and subscribe)
The weather in Beijing gets dry and cold in winter.

Duke Yansheng, Kong Yinzhi, sat in his warm sedan chair, wrapped in a thick sable coat, but his heart was filled with warmth. He had traveled all the way from Shandong, finally arriving at the capital. Thinking of the courteous manner of Eunuch Gao Qiqian and the Emperor's special favor of summoning him to Tsinghua Garden, he felt a sense of pride.

After all, he was a descendant of a sage; the Emperor was well aware of his significance.

The sedan chair entered the West Garden and stopped at the entrance of Tsinghua Garden. Eunuchs were already waiting and led him inside. The garden was quiet, the water was covered with a thin layer of ice, and the pavilions and towers looked somewhat desolate in the winter, but the imperial grandeur was undeniable.

He was led to a warm pavilion. A eunuch announced his arrival, and after a short while, a calm voice came from inside: "Summon the Duke of Yansheng to an audience."

Kong Yinzhi straightened his clothes, took a deep breath, and stepped inside.

The heated chamber was quite warm, with an underfloor heating system. Emperor Chongzhen, dressed in plain clothes, sat on a soft couch, holding a huanghuali thermos that looked somewhat like a pen holder. Standing beside him was Wei Zhongxian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, and several unfamiliar eunuchs.

"Your subject, Duke Yansheng Kong Yinzhi, pays his respects to Your Majesty!" Kong Yinzhi quickly knelt down and performed the grand ceremony.

"Rise, Minister Kong, and take a seat." Emperor Chongzhen's voice was somewhat casual. "You must be tired from your journey."

"Seeing His Majesty makes all the trouble worthwhile." Kong Yinzhi sat down, half-placing his buttocks on the embroidered stool, feeling much more at ease. The Emperor's attitude was so warm and friendly!
Emperor Chongzhen took a sip of goji berry tea and slowly asked, "Is everything alright in Qufu? Are the Confucius Cemetery and Temple being maintained and used for sacrifices on schedule?"

"Thanks to Your Majesty's great blessing, all is well. We have never dared to slacken in the slightest during the important sacrificial ceremony," Kong Yinzhi quickly replied.

"Yes, that's good." Chongzhen nodded. "The teachings of Confucius are the foundation of our dynasty. Your family has upheld them for generations, and your contributions will last for generations."

Kong Yinzhi felt relieved upon hearing this, and his back straightened even more.

Emperor Chongzhen then inquired about the customs and conditions of Shandong, as well as the harvest, his tone remaining gentle throughout. Wei Zhongxian stood by, hands at his sides, a perfectly measured smile on his face. For a moment, the atmosphere in the warm pavilion became surprisingly harmonious.

After chatting for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a young eunuch quietly set out wine and dishes. They weren't luxurious, but they were very exquisite.

"Since Minister Kong has come from afar, I have prepared some simple wine and snacks. Let's eat and chat," Emperor Chongzhen invited.

Kong Yinzhi was flattered and repeatedly expressed his gratitude.

After several rounds of drinks and five dishes, Chongzhen put down his chopsticks, picked up a warm towel to wipe his hands, and as if suddenly remembering something, asked casually, "Minister Kong, you've been in Shandong for a long time. Have you heard that a 'military troop donation' is being promoted in Beizhili recently?"

Kong Yinzhi's heart skipped a beat. Here it comes! He was prepared, put down his wine cup, bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I... have indeed heard of it."

"Oh?" Chongzhen looked at him calmly. "You must have heard about the Tongzhou Wharf incident?"

Kong Yinzhi composed himself, not flustered at all, but instead straightened his back a bit, revealing a just-right amount of helplessness and indignation on his face: "Since Your Majesty has asked, I dare not not speak frankly. I am already aware of the matter in Tongzhou. The one who led the trouble was none other than my good-for-nothing cousin, Kong Yinshu."

His quick admission caused Emperor Chongzhen to glance at him, signaling him to continue.

"Your Majesty, please understand!" Kong Yinzhi said earnestly, even with a hint of grievance. "Our Kong family was granted sacrificial lands and exempted from corvée labor by the grace of Emperor Taizu Gaozu, as recorded in the 'Collected Statutes of the Great Ming,' known throughout the land. This 'military training tax,' though nominally a donation, is in reality no different from an additional levy, violating ancestral regulations! My cousin, though somewhat impetuous, was angered that court officials would levy such an unethical tax on the family of a sage, leading to the conflict. While his actions are indeed infuriating, his heart... may well have harbored the intention to uphold the laws of the court and the established laws of our ancestors!"

His words were impeccable. First, he invoked the golden signboard of the founding emperor and the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty" to occupy the moral high ground; then he characterized the "military training tax" as an "illegal additional levy" and glorified Kong Yinshu's tax resistance as "righteous indignation" in upholding the laws of the ancestors, thus placing himself on the moral high ground in an instant.

The warm room fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

Chongzhen looked at him quietly, his face revealing neither joy nor anger. After a long while, he chuckled softly, but there was no warmth in his laughter: "According to what you're saying, Minister Kong, your family members resisted taxes and assaulted officials, and not only were they without fault, but they were actually meritorious? My 'military training tax' is a wicked policy that disrupts the ancestral system?"

Kong Yinzhi's heart tightened, but the words had already been spoken, so he could only force himself to speak: "Your subject dares not presume to discuss state affairs. However... the exemption from corvée labor was established by the founding emperor, and I hope Your Majesty will show compassion to the descendants of the emperor and investigate even the smallest details!"

Chongzhen stopped looking at him, turning his gaze to the withered branches outside the window. His tone was as indifferent as ice: "The founding emperor established exemptions for legitimate corvée labor. Did he ever say that even the military pay for protecting the borders and defending against foreign invaders could be exempted? If the Jurchens breach the border walls and their iron hooves trample across Shandong, would your Confucius family's lands and books also be preserved through ancestral exemptions?" He paused abruptly, knowing that what he was about to say would be fatal. "Wait a minute," he continued, "when the Jin destroyed the Northern Song and the Yuan destroyed the Jin, it seems your ancestors were all spared. They surrendered to the Jin and the Yuan, and when my Great Ming drove out the Tartars and restored China, your family was still spared."

He whirled around, his gaze like lightning, and shot towards Kong Yinzhi: "I see you've already decided that when the Jurchens from beyond the Great Wall invade again, you'll follow your ancestor's example and surrender once more?" Kong Yinzhi was terrified! He had stumbled upon a trap!

After Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking these words about killing not only people but also destroying their spirit, he gestured with his chin toward Wei Zhongxian beside him.

Wei Zhongxian immediately stepped forward, the slight humility on his face vanished without a trace, replaced by murderous intent. His voice, shrill and sharp like an icy needle, pierced Kong Yinzhi's heart:

"Kong Yinzhi! How dare you!" This sharp shout exploded in the quiet warm room, startling Kong Yinzhi so much that he trembled all over.

"You instigated your cousin Kong Yinshu to smash up the imperial tax checkpoints and assault soldiers. This is not just tax resistance! You are openly defying the Emperor and sabotaging the imperial plan to resist the Jurchens!" Wei Zhongxian's finger almost touched Kong Yinzhi's nose. "I can tell you're not confused, you're harboring evil intentions! You're clearly advocating for the Jurchens and are suspected of colluding with the enemy!"

"No, no! Eunuch Wei, I'm innocent! I am utterly loyal to His Majesty, as heaven and earth can attest!" Kong Yinzhi was terrified. This accusation was a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of his family! Although his Kong family might not be executed, he, as the Duke Yansheng, was definitely doomed!
"Loyalty?" Emperor Chongzhen finally spoke again. He glanced at the limp Kong Yinzhi and said coldly, "I see his loyalty is reserved for a master who can allow him to continue enjoying wealth and power. Whether it's the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty or the barbarians beyond the Great Wall, it makes no difference to him. But as far as I'm concerned, your title of Duke Yansheng of the Kong family... it would be the same if someone else were to hold it. What scholars throughout the land care about is whether there is a Duke Yansheng, not who holds the title."

These words struck like a thunderbolt, sending Kong Yinzhi's soul flying to the heavens.

"Let's change the person in charge!"
It would be impossible for the Zhu family emperors to exterminate the Confucius family of Qufu; at the very least, it would require a tremendous price, because no scholar in the world would agree to it! But to exterminate them would be a matter of a single word, and could be done right now! After exterminating them, finding another person with the surname Kong in the Confucius family of Qufu would be an extremely easy matter.

Just then, the door to the warm pavilion opened silently. A young eunuch, head bowed, entered carrying a vermilion lacquered tray. On the tray was an exquisite jade cup, the wine inside dark in color.

The young eunuch gently placed the tray on the table in front of Kong Yinzhi, and then, together with another eunuch who had somehow appeared behind Kong Yinzhi, they subtly flanked him from the left and right.

Poisoned wine! This is truly a trap, a death sentence!
Kong Yinzhi stared at the cup of wine, his last ounce of strength drained away. He slid off the embroidered stool with a thud, collapsing to the ground headfirst with a muffled thud. Tears streamed down his face, his voice trembling with anguish.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty, have mercy! I know I was wrong! I deserve to die! I beg Your Majesty to spare my life! I will never dare to do it again! Your Majesty, spare my life! Spare my life—!"

He wailed, losing all semblance of the dignity befitting a descendant of a saint, becoming no different from a dying prisoner in the marketplace.

Chongzhen stared at him expressionlessly. He had anticipated the Duke of Yansheng's reaction—Kong Yinzhi was a "three-time loyalist" in history. Initially a subject of the Ming Dynasty, he surrendered immediately when Li Zicheng entered Beijing! Then, when the Jurchens marched south to Shandong, he again immediately shaved his head and surrendered to the Qing! He didn't even struggle; his bones were as soft as cotton.

However, the current Chongzhen Emperor has no intention of replacing him with a man of strong character to serve as Confucius.

The spineless "Holy Duke" is perfect for raking in gold coins, isn't he? And besides gold coins, he has many other things to rakgle.
When Kong Yinzhi's cries turned into desperate sobs, Wei Zhongxian slowly walked forward, bent down, and whispered in Kong Yinzhi's ear in his uniquely effeminate voice:

"Lord Kong, are you scared now? Where were you before?"

He paused, looking at Kong Yinzhi's trembling body, before continuing slowly, "Want to live... it's not impossible. In this world, there's no reason why one can't atone for one's crimes through meritorious service. His Majesty is benevolent and will always leave people a way out. It just depends on whether you... know how to walk that path."

Kong Yinzhi, as if grasping at a straw, abruptly raised his head, his face covered in tears and dust, looking utterly disheveled. He looked at Wei Zhongxian desperately: "I understand! I understand! I beg you, Lord Wei, for guidance! Just spare my life, I'll do anything! I'll do anything!"

Wei Zhongxian straightened up, looked down at him with a condescending gaze, and slowly uttered a few words:
"If you want to live, you must be loyal, and be loyal to the best of your ability... Really and genuinely offer up the 'loyalty' that your Kong family has for the Emperor and the Ming Dynasty. Be Kong Xianzhong!"

“I will give! I will definitely give! I will give even if it means going bankrupt!” Kong Yinzhi kowtowed repeatedly.

"Can simply surrendering your family wealth compensate for your grave crimes of opposing the court and suspected collusion with the enemy?" Wei Zhongxian asked in a sinister tone.

Kong Yinzhi was stunned for a moment, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration and immediately shouted to Emperor Chongzhen, "Your Majesty, I...I will immediately submit a memorial to confess my crimes to all the people! I supported the militia tax and all the new policies of the court! I was blinded by greed, I deserve to die! I will even put aside my own family for the greater good, please punish Kong Yinshu and other lawless family members! I...I will be Your Majesty's dog from now on! If Your Majesty tells me to go east, I will never dare to go west!"

He only cares about surviving now; he doesn't care about ancestral laws, the dignity of the sage, or his cousins ​​and relatives.

Wei Zhongxian nodded in satisfaction and turned his gaze to Emperor Chongzhen.

Looking at the Duke Yansheng at his feet, who had completely lost his dignity and was now groveling for mercy, Chongzhen revealed a smile unique to victors—still the same spineless coward, perfect to take him in as a dog.

(End of this chapter)