How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 206 We've never fought a battle with such wealth! (New book title: How Can You Be Emperor Chongzhen Without Money?)
At the docks of Tianjin, just as dawn was breaking, the sea breeze, carrying a salty, fishy smell, made one's face feel tight.

But this wind also carried a different kind of warmth.

The sounds of people, horses, and workers' chants blended together, making the river mouth dock a scene of utter chaos.

Mao Wenlong, wearing a worn-out cloak, stood on a high mound of earth. Behind him followed his son Mao Chengdou, strategist Shen Shikui, and several generals including Chen Jisheng and Wang Fu.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on the long convoy below the dock.

The carts were not loaded with grain or weapons, but with heavy wooden crates.

The cart shafts creaked under the weight, and the mules and horses pulling it puffed out thick white breaths, their hooves pawing the ground. Each box required two strong men to lift it with heavy effort, carefully carrying it onto the waiting barge.

"Dad, how many boxes are there?" Mao Chengdou was young and had never seen anything like this before, so his eyes were a little wide open.

Shen Shikui adjusted his handkerchief, holding a booklet in his hand, and said in a low voice, "General, young master, there are 1,100 whole chests in total. According to His Majesty's reward, it is a solid 300,000 taels of silver, not a tael less."

Mao Wenlong remained silent, his dark, rough face expressionless. He walked step by step down the mound of earth to a large truck.

The escorting officer rushed over and knelt on one knee: "General!"

Mao Wenlong ignored him, stretched out his rough palm, and patted the cold wooden planks of the box in front of him. Then, he lifted his foot and stepped directly onto it, standing firmly.

He turned around and looked at the growing number of his old brothers from Dongjiang behind him. These men had followed him to Pi Island, eating salted fish, drinking sea air, and fighting the Jurchens with knives; their faces and bodies were all scarred.

The dock gradually quieted down, with only the sound of waves lapping against the ship's side.

Mao Wenlong's gaze swept over the familiar faces, and he suddenly grinned, his voice like a broken gong, yet it carried far.

"You all better open your eyes and look carefully!"

He stomped hard on the box under his feet, making a dull thud.

"What is this? Ah? It's silver! Plenty of pure white silver!"

He gestured with his arm, pointing to the long convoy.

"Three hundred thousand taels! The Emperor himself didn't even blink an eye, he gave it all to us!"

A commotion arose in the crowd; many veterans' eyes lit up, yet they were also somewhat incredulous.

Mao Wenlong's voice rose even higher, carrying a sense of catharsis that had been building up for many years.

"Think back to when we were living a miserable life on Pi Island before the current emperor ascended the throne! We couldn't see a single tael of silver all year round, and we were even severely lacking in weapons and gunpowder! What kind of life was that? That was a poor war, a rotten war!"

He paused, then his voice suddenly rose, almost shouting:
"But what about now? The Emperor trusts us! We get whatever we need: provisions, gunpowder, muskets! I've never fought such a well-funded war in my entire life!"

"Boom!" The crowd erupted in cheers. The soldiers' faces finally revealed barely suppressed excitement and elation. Someone shouted first, "Long live the Emperor! Marshal Mao is mighty!"

The shouts quickly merged into one, startling the seabirds on the dock into fluttering flight.

Mao Wenlong jumped off the carriage and waved his hand, "Don't just stand there like idiots! Mr. Shen, quickly take inventory and put everything into storage. According to the list, replenish what needs to be replenished and replace what needs to be replaced! Chen Jisheng, take your men to take over the muskets and gunpowder that Eunuch Wei has allocated! Wang Fu, your men are familiar with the waterways, go and scout out the tides over Yingkou again!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" The men responded with a bang and immediately went about their tasks.

Shen Shikui leaned closer to Mao Wenlong and whispered, "General, with this money, we can not only prepare enough provisions for the expedition, but also buy some salted meat in Tianjin to take on the journey, so that the brothers can have a few good meals before setting off. A generous reward will surely bring forth brave men, and for those dare to be the first to charge, this silver is even more..."

Mao Wenlong waved his hand: "You decide! This time, don't try to save me any trouble! Do whatever makes you happy!"

Chen Jisheng rubbed his hands together and grinned, "General, this is wonderful! Gunpowder is plentiful, and bullets are plentiful! When we see the Tartars, we won't have to be so stingy with counting our shots anymore!" Wang Fu was more pragmatic, "General, money is good, but our escape route is more important. I suggest allocating more silver to reward the sailors of the Zheng family's fleet who are sent to meet us, and instruct them to be sure to wait for us at the designated location at the exact time."

Mao Wenlong nodded: "That's right! Tell the brothers to fight with all their might! His Majesty has given us the greatest confidence! As long as the knife is sharp and we can bite off a piece of the Jurchens, that will be a great achievement! As for our retreat, Zheng Yiguan is waiting at sea, and His Majesty is holding the fort in the capital. The sky won't fall down!"

The entire Dagu New Port in Tianjin was transformed into a massive military outpost in an instant. Boxes of silver were moved into the sturdy warehouses that had been temporarily requisitioned, and Mao Wenlong's servants were meticulously polishing the newly acquired muskets and shotguns, the air thick with the sulfurous smell of new gunpowder.

By evening, all preparations were complete.

Mao Wenlong boarded the largest warship. At the bow, the flag bearing the character "Mao" fluttered in the sea breeze.

Behind him were dozens of warships and troop transport ships of various sizes, all loaded with Mao Wenlong's eager retainers and thousands of imperial infantry and knights.

Mao Wenlong took one last look at the still bustling Tianjin Port, now lit up with lights, took a deep breath of the cold air, and said in a deep voice:
"set sail!"

The anchor chains rattled, and the sails slowly rose to full capacity. One after another, the fleets carrying Mao's army and the Imperial Guard slipped silently into the vast sea under the cover of night, heading straight for Liaodong.

……

Inside the Forbidden City, however, the scene was quite different.

Several candles flickered gently in the side hall of Jingren Palace. Chongzhen, having changed into casual clothes, leaned against a heated couch, watching as Mao Dongzhu was led in by palace servants. She wore the ceremonial robes of a concubine, but her steps were larger than those of ordinary concubines, causing her skirt to billow in the breeze and even the candlelight to flicker.

"Your Majesty, I, Mao, pay my respects." Her kneeling posture was standard, but when she raised her head, the light in her eyes was like that of a little bird that had just been locked in a cage, restlessly looking around.

Emperor Chongzhen gestured for her to rise. Mao Dongzhu stood up briskly, her eyes darting around before she boldly met his gaze. This reminded Chongzhen of the women of the martial world he had read about in later miscellaneous books—women who, despite being restrained, pretended to be fearless.

"Sit down," Chongzhen said, pointing to the embroidered stool opposite him.

Mao Dongzhu thanked the emperor, first straightening her skirt before sitting down. Her fingers were distinct, unlike the slender fingers of an ordinary young lady; they looked as if they had handled weapons. After sitting down, she didn't rest, her fingers secretly twisting the sash of her dress, sometimes making circles, sometimes loosening them.

"Are you getting used to life in the palace?" Chongzhen picked up his teacup, but kept an eye on her reaction out of the corner of his eye.

"Your Majesty, it's a habit," she replied respectfully, but the corner of her mouth unconsciously twitched slightly, as if she had remembered something unpleasant. Her expression was exactly like that of a little fox who pretended to be obedient on the surface but harbored wicked intentions in her heart.

After a moment of silence, she suddenly leaned closer and asked with bright eyes, "Your Majesty, may I ask you a question?" Her tone was like that of a child asking for candy.

"Just ask."

She first pretended to look around, then lowered her voice: "If...if my father were to lose the battle in Liaodong, would you—" At this point, she suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes widening as if she had said something wrong and was flustered. But her cunning gaze was clearly meant to attract his attention.

Chongzhen watched her performance without showing any emotion. He saw her lower her hands, then lean forward again, even softening her breathing: "Won't this implicate me?" She even blinked after saying that, looking just like a cat plotting to steal a fish.

If it were any other concubine, such behavior would have warranted punishment for breach of etiquette. But for some reason, Emperor Chongzhen found it amusing. He deliberately frowned and said, "Consort Mao, how dare you!"

To everyone's surprise, she wasn't afraid at all. Instead, she chuckled, revealing two small tiger teeth: "Your Majesty, please forgive me, it's really..." She tilted her head, twirling a strand of hair with her fingers, "Father often says that Your Majesty is a wise ruler and will not take your anger out on your family because of the war. I just wanted to test whether he was right."

Such eloquence reminded Chongzhen of those quirky and mischievous characters. He put down his teacup and said calmly, "Your father is right, victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Let me be frank with you, as long as I can still obtain large sums of silver from the wealthy southeast of the Ming Dynasty, I am not afraid of setbacks. If once doesn't work, try twice. If twice doesn't work, try ten times, a hundred times. With the national strength of the Ming Dynasty, I am more than capable of wearing down and exhausting the Jurchens. Tell your father to go ahead and do it. I don't care if they suffer defeats, as long as they can win every battle!"

Mao Dongzhu's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands excitedly, "Sure enough!" She then realized her mistake and quickly sat up straight, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips.

Looking at her vibrant appearance, Chongzhen suddenly felt that having an unconventional concubine in the deep palace wasn't such a bad thing after all. She was better than those wooden puppets who only ever said "Your Majesty is wise."

"It's late, go to rest." When Chongzhen got up, he saw Mao Dongzhu secretly making faces at the candlelight. When he turned his head, she quickly changed to a well-behaved look.

(End of this chapter)