How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 238 How are slaves trained?
More than ten days later, Tongguan, Shaanxi.

There wasn't a single patch of green to be seen on either side of the official road. The soil was yellow, and the sky was gray.

Several corpses lay crookedly by the roadside, skin covering bones, long frozen solid. Wild dogs scratched at them in the distance, their eyes green.

Further away, dilapidated shacks dotted the landscape, resembling a chaotic graveyard. Weak, feeble cries drifted on the wind.

The Zhou king's chariot stopped at the pass.

Ni Yuanlu jumped out of the carriage first, and upon seeing the scene before him, his brows furrowed. He turned back to help the Prince of Zhou.

King Zhou had always lived a life of luxury and had never seen anything like this before. When he got out of the carriage and took a look, his face turned pale instantly.

"This...this is Shaanxi?" His voice trembled slightly.

Ni Yuanlu nodded sadly: "Your Highness, this is only Tongguan. Further in, I'm afraid... it will be even more unbearable to see."

Just then, a commotion broke out ahead.

There stood a large, dark group of men, their faces sallow and thin, their clothes tattered, but their frames were thick and strong. Their eyes lacked the numbness of ordinary disaster victims; instead, they radiated a fierce intensity, as if driven to the brink of despair. They had blocked the main road, carrying not hoes, but mostly sharpened wooden sticks, and even a few old, blunted knives.

These people were clearly not ordinary farmers; they were undoubtedly military households from northern Shaanxi who had fled due to extreme hunger. The income of the Ming Dynasty's border troops consisted of land reclamation, grain transported by civilians (sometimes in exchange for silver), and annual stipends. For the past two or three years, Emperor Chongzhen had been working hard to raise these "annual stipends" for the border troops, and he had also reorganized military farms in towns like Jizhou, Xuanfu, Changping, and Datong. However, in Shaanxi today, due to drought, many border military households had suffered crop failures, and the province's land taxes had decreased significantly. Naturally, they couldn't raise enough grain for civilian transport, and even if the remaining annual stipends could be paid out, it wouldn't be enough to buy food for their families in this year of extreme famine.

Therefore, many military households in northern Shaanxi (where the disaster was most severe) also became refugees! Fortunately, the bandits have not yet grown too powerful, otherwise, if these fleeing military households had joined them, it would have been a disaster.

"Hungry! We need food!" The leading man shouted at the top of his lungs toward the Zhou king's convoy. He had an old scar on his face and his posture still bore the mark of a soldier.

"If the government doesn't open the granaries, even the Heavenly King himself can't help! We are military households of Yulin Town! It's only right and proper for soldiers to receive rations!"

The escorting soldiers immediately drew their swords, pointed their guns, and shouted sternly, "How dare you! His Majesty the Prince Zhou, the Imperial Envoy, has arrived! To offend the royal carriage, do you intend to rebel? Stand back!"

Upon hearing this, the group of soldiers not only did not retreat, but instead burst into laughter, mixed with angry curses.

"Bullshit! You're kidding me!" The scarred man spat. "Prince Zhou? Prince Zhou of Kaifeng? I know! Princes are not allowed to leave the city, it's an ancestral rule! How could he possibly come to this wilderness of Tongguan? You son of a bitch!"

Another veteran chimed in, "Exactly! Which corrupt official hired this actor again? Wearing a python robe and daring to impersonate a prince? Do they think we border soldiers are so easily fooled?"

"The prince? The prince is enjoying himself in the city! Why would he come to see us soldiers waiting to die? What a joke!"

The officers and soldiers were furious, their faces turning pale, yet they were speechless for a moment. The strictness of the feudal domains was known throughout the land, and the doubts raised by these soldiers were difficult to refute.

The officer in charge was sweating profusely as he looked at Prince Zhou: "Your Highness, this...is it..." His hand was gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, and the situation was about to spiral out of control.

King Zhou looked at these border troops who should have been the shield of the court, now turned into starving corpses blocking his path, and his palms were sweaty. He subconsciously touched the imperial sword in his bosom.

Ni Yuanlu hurriedly leaned closer and whispered, "Your Highness, you mustn't! These are all fierce soldiers. If pushed too far, chaos will erupt in an instant! His Majesty's new policies prioritize pacifying the people and, more importantly, appeasing the army!"

King Zhou suddenly came to his senses. He took a deep breath, pushed aside his guards, and walked directly to the front of the formation, facing the group of soldiers who were full of suspicion and hostility.

The soldiers quieted down, all eyes fixed on him as if he were a thief.

King Zhou stopped, glared at the officer in charge, and shouted, "Put your swords away! Why are you brandishing weapons at your own brothers!"

He turned back to look at the soldiers, his bearded face truly bearing the imposing air of a prince: "I am the King of Zhou! No doubt about it!"

He suddenly pulled out the gleaming golden imperial sword from his robes and held it high: "This is the imperial sword bestowed by the Emperor himself! The royal command flag is on the carriage behind! You are all sons of soldiers, do you recognize this?!"

The restless crowd quieted down considerably.

Zhou Wang pressed his advantage, his voice booming: "Ancestral rules? The Emperor is the law! The Emperor has ordered me to leave the capital to oversee disaster relief efforts and has bestowed upon me a sword and banner, so I have come to Tongguan! The Emperor's new rule is to ensure that you meritorious border soldiers can have food and survive!"

His gaze swept over the bewildered faces: "I know your suffering! I know you are owed wages and oppressed! I am here by imperial decree to stand up for you and find you a way to survive!"

Someone in the crowd whispered, "Really... does the Emperor really remember us?"

The scarred man's eyes flickered, and although his tone was still tough, his imposing manner had weakened by three points: "Talk is useless! Where's the food? Where's the silver? We've seen plenty of empty promises!"

King Zhou glanced at Ni Yuanlu. Ni Yuanlu nodded slightly.

King Zhou shouted, "We have grain! The court is also trying to find ways to get silver! But money doesn't just fall from the sky! The court has its own new laws!"

He held up the bright yellow regulations in his hand: "His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate, and in consideration of your hardships, has specially promulgated the 'Regulations on Grain Coupons'! From this day forward, the first 'Grain Management Office' will be established right here in Tongguan! It will be dedicated to resolving your problems!"

The soldiers looked at each other, whispering amongst themselves. "Grain coupons?" "What the hell does that mean?" "Is this just another scam?"

Ni Yuanlu stepped forward and explained loudly, “Soldiers! From now on, the government will no longer make empty promises! Anyone with strength can be registered and assigned to work daily to repair military defenses, official roads, and water conservancy projects! Each day, 'work points' will be recorded, and 'grain coupons' can be directly redeemed at the official granary! Those who contribute will be rewarded, it will be fair and just, and there will be no delays!”

(The concept of "work points" was familiar to Emperor Chongzhen in his previous life. Although he himself was not from the countryside, many of his close fellow apprentices were, and he also had an older brother who had "worked in the countryside." So when he formulated the "Grain Coupon Regulations," he borrowed this term and invented a kind of "work point grain coupon"—this kind of grain coupon did not require spending money and could be directly exchanged for grain at the "Grain Management Office." In name, it was "work-for-relief," but in reality, there was no "work" for them to do. It was just a pretext to gather the displaced people together, give them some porridge, and prevent them from gathering and causing trouble.)
Upon hearing this, the soldiers were skeptical. Some grumbled and thought it was a scam, while a few with sharp eyes sensed something was amiss.

"Are they really giving us cash?"

"Repairing defenses? We're experts at that!"

Just then, the gates of Tongguan opened wide, and a prefect rushed out with a group of entourage. The prefect at the head of the group was covered in sweat and knelt down on the ground: "Your Highness, please forgive my lateness in welcoming Your Majesty!"

The local official's kneeling confirmed the Zhou king's identity, dispelling the soldiers' last remaining doubts.

Looking at the local officials and then at the starving soldiers before him, who were filled with extreme distrust of the government, King Zhou understood the situation quite well. Words alone wouldn't suffice.

He ignored the prefect and turned to Ni Yuanlu, sternly saying, "Minister Ni, set up a tent and start working right here! First, compile a roster! Begin registering these soldiers right here!"

"Yes!" Ni Yuanlu immediately instructed the accompanying officials.

King Zhou then gave the prefect a cold glance: "Get up." He paused, then suddenly raised his voice, not only asking the prefect but also addressing all the soldiers: "I ask you, are there any estates belonging to the Prince of Qin near Tongguan?"

The prefect nodded subconsciously, then paused, looked up at Prince Zhou with a question in his eyes: What are you trying to do?
King Zhou stopped looking at him, turned to face the group of soldiers, and spoke in a loud voice:

"Mere registration is not enough! Seeing is believing! I will go to the Prince of Qin's estate right now."

He suddenly waved his hand, pointing into the distance:
"Move the grain for the brothers! Let's cook! Eat!"

The soldiers stared blankly at King Zhou, their fierceness and suspicion completely vanishing, replaced by disbelief. Someone took the lead, and the dark mass of people, like waves of wheat swaying in the wind, knelt down in unison.

"Your Majesty, a thousand years old!"

"Your Majesty the King! Your Honor, the Upright and Just Magistrate!"

The shouts were deafening, filled with the sobs of survivors.

……

At almost the same time, Jeonju Prefecture, North Korea.

Just as dawn was breaking, a fairly tidy street was sealed off by a group of fierce-looking Later Jin Eight Banner soldiers.

The North Korean civilians on the street shrank back into their houses in fear, peeking out through the cracks in their doors. Kim Song-in was dressed in an awkward Manchu-style robe, his hair long since shaved into a shaved rat tail, his scalp gleaming bluish. He held a leather megaphone in his hand, ready to speak.

Beside him stood Zhao Si. Zhao Si had a limp, leaning on a ghost-head knife, his face expressionless, his eyes like still water.

Behind him followed two Han Chinese bondservants, Zhang Zhongjin and Li Xiaoqi, both carrying gleaming waist knives and with menacing faces.

"Old Jin, the time's up, let's get started." Zhao Si tilted his head, his voice hoarse.

Kim Song-in swallowed hard, raised a megaphone, and shouted in Korean: "By order of the Great Khan! All men in the city... shave their heads and change their clothes! Those who obey will live, those who resist will die!"

At a house on the street corner, the door opened. An elderly man dressed in gentry's attire, his hair and beard all white, stepped out. He glared at Kim Song-in: "You, what did you say? You're a Korean too, aren't you? How could you say such a thing?"

Kim Sung-in's face flushed red, his lips trembled, and he couldn't speak.

Zhao Si chuckled and nodded to Zhang Zhongjin and Li Xiaoqi: "This old guy is tired of living, let's grant him his wish."

Zhang Zhongjin and Li Xiaoqi darted out like leopards.

The old man straightened his back and began to curse loudly: "A land of beasts! It will never be good..."

Before the word "death" could be uttered, a flash of light, and a head fell to the ground. Blood spurted high into the air.

Suppressed cries and screams could be heard coming from the houses on both sides of the street.

Kim Sung-in looked at the head rolling on the ground, his stomach churned, and he almost vomited.

Zhao Si, leaning on his knife, limped to another door and banged on it with the scabbard: "Open the door! I want a haircut!"

The door opened, and a middle-aged man collapsed to the ground, crying, "I'll shave... I'll shave... Don't kill me..."

Jin Chengren waved his hand numbly, and a barber from Liaodong walked over with a razor, pressed the man down, and quickly shaved his head, leaving only a small tuft at the back of his head, which he then braided into a money rat braid.

The man collapsed to the ground as if he had lost his soul.

One, two, three...

Those who resisted were all beheaded by Zhang Zhongjin and Li Xiaoqi. Those who submitted had their heads shaved and braids tied, making them look like walking corpses.

Kim Seong-in initially felt ashamed, but later, looking at the blood everywhere and the increasing number of bald heads, he calmed down. Even when one family hesitated, he shouted angrily, "What are you dawdling for! Do you want to end up like him?!" He pointed at the headless corpse.

Zhao Si glanced at him, a half-smile on his face.

He experienced this scene himself back then!
From dawn till noon, the street was completely transformed. The living men all wore queues, their faces filled with terror. The dead had their bodies dragged away.

The air was thick with the stench of blood mixed with the smell of urine, lingering for a long time.

……

Inside the prefectural government office, the charcoal fire burned warmly.

Huang Taiji sat at the head of the table, drinking ginseng soup. Below him were Fan Wencheng, Ning Wanwo, and several other princes.

A Goshha entered and knelt to report: "Great Khan, the pilot program in the south of the city is complete. One hundred and seventeen disobedient individuals have been executed, and the rest have all had their heads shaved and braids tied."

Huang Taiji put down his bowl and nodded: "Good. Shaving the head and tying it into a braid is like a sharp knife. It can cut through the mess and also test the loyalty of the traitors!"

He looked at Fan Wencheng: "Mr. Fan, next, it's time to have the entire North Korean country undergo a forced shaving of heads and changing of clothes."

Fan Wencheng bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. I believe there are three steps to take."

"explain."

"First, abolish its national title and its eight circuits. Eight prefectures can be established, such as Hanyang Prefecture, Quanzhou Prefecture, and Donglai Prefecture, so that it will have no more thoughts of restoring its national title."

Dorgon interjected, "What about the Busanpo border crossing?"

Ning Wanwo continued, "Your Highness, that place is called Dongnae in Korea, and it is strategically important. It should be upgraded to Dongnae Prefecture and heavily guarded."

Huang Taiji: "Hmm. And the second one?"

Fan Wencheng: "Secondly, establish a garrison general. Set up a Grand General's Office in Hanyang to oversee the entire situation. Garrison points will be set up in key locations in each prefecture, with elite troops of the Eight Banners to maintain order."

“Thirdly,” Fan Wencheng emphasized, “we will establish a ‘Coastal Defense Office’ in Donglai Prefecture. This is the foundation for our Great Jin’s communication with Japan, acquisition of firearms, and training of a navy! It is our lifeline!”

Huang Taiji's eyes lit up: "Good! After completing these three steps, Korea will truly be our Great Jin's Korea! Not just the Ming Dynasty's watchdog!"

He looked at everyone: "Did you all understand?"

"Whoo!"

The meeting adjourned. Huang Taiji walked alone to the map, tracing his finger from Shenyang to Hanyang, and then to a place called "Donglai".

Beyond the sea lies Japan. And beyond that, is there an even wider world?

A newfound ambition rose within him.

……

Back at Tongguan, King Zhou and Ni Yuanlu were extremely busy.

The first grain depot's shed was finally erected. Several literate clerks brought by Ni Yuanlu set up a table and began registering and recording information.

Soon, a group of military households who had fled famine in northern Shaanxi, dragging their hungry wives and children who could barely walk, signed up. When they received the advance payment slips marked "work points" and stamped with a red seal, their hands trembled. The soldiers guarding them told them that with these slips, they could immediately go to the temporary soup kitchen next door and exchange them for four large bowls of thick porridge, which would save their families.

Seeing that they could actually exchange their goods for food, the crowd slowly began to stir. More and more military households, with their families in tow, gathered around, clamoring to register.

Standing on the makeshift earthen platform, King Zhou watched the crowd below gradually regain its order and finally breathed a sigh of relief. He knew that these military households who had fled famine in northern Shaanxi, when truly driven to desperation, would genuinely take up arms and fight the Ming Dynasty head-on!
I have to get these people under control no matter what.
The stench of blood still lingered in Jeonju City.

Kim Seong-in and Zhao Si were drinking in a tavern.

Kim Sung-in drank one glass after another, trying to get himself drunk.

Zhao Si savored the moment, then suddenly said, "Old Jin, today... that last note of yours was quite impressive."

Kim Seong-in's hand trembled, and the wine spilled. He didn't say anything, poured himself another glass, and gulped it down.

Outside the window, a group of North Koreans with shaved heads walked by numbly.

North Korea is probably really going to disappear.

(End of this chapter)