How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 239 The New Order: Rewards and Punishments

Xi'an in the twelfth lunar month is drier and colder than Beijing. The wind whips up yellow dust, casting a hazy, yellowish glow over the sky.

Inside the Yin'an Hall of the Prince's Mansion, however, lay a completely different scene. It was resplendent in gold and jade, with incense wafting in the air.

Prince Zhu Gongxiao of Zhou sat in the main seat, his tall figure clad in a princely robe, his full beard giving him a particularly fierce appearance. To his left sat Ni Yuanlu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, a thin and stern-looking man. To his right sat Hong Chengchou, the Governor of Shaanxi, wearing a second-rank official robe with a pheasant insignia, his triangular eyes also revealing a ruthless intent.

The seats on both sides below were filled with people. They were all members of the Zhu family clan from Shaanxi. There were princes, generals who protected the state, generals who assisted the state, and a bunch of lieutenants. They were all dressed in formal attire, but their expressions varied. Some were fearful, some were resentful, and most had their heads down, lost in thought.

The hall was eerily quiet, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire.

Everyone knew that the Prince of Zhou had come from Beijing this time, carrying the imperial sword and bearing the title of "Grand Master of the Imperial Clan," not to visit relatives. News of the widespread famine in northern Shaanxi had already reached this secluded mansion.

King Zhou cleared his throat, and his voice echoed slightly in the empty hall.

"Fellow clansmen," he began, his voice particularly authoritative, "you are all descendants of the founding emperor, connected by blood."

He paused, looking over the crowd.

"I'm sure you all know the current situation in Shaanxi. Outside Tongguan, people are resorting to cannibalism. In the border town of Yulin, military households are deserting. This is a natural disaster, but even more so, a man-made one. The Emperor is in the capital, worrying day and night. How can we, the descendants of the Zhu family, sit comfortably within these high walls, living in luxury, and watch the people of the Ming Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty collapse like this?"

No one responded. The old princes' eyelids drooped, as if they were asleep.

The Prince of Zhou leaned forward slightly: "His Majesty sent me here not only for disaster relief, but also to try out new policies and find a way out for Shaanxi and the whole country."

He picked up the bright yellow "Regulations on Grain Coupons" on the table.

"This charter is the only way out. But the road needs people to walk it, and the grain needs people to provide it." His voice deepened. "Where is the grain in Shaanxi? Is it in the official granaries? The official granaries are empty. Is it in the people's homes? The people don't even have rice in their pots. Wealthy households have to provide it. And if we want the wealthy households to provide the grain, we, the Zhu family, must take the lead! The Prince of Qin has already said that all the grain stored in the estates under the Qin vassal state will be under my control! You must also provide the grain if you have it, and the labor if you have it. Only then will other wealthy households follow, and only then will the Ming Dynasty prosper!"

His gaze suddenly sharpened as he stared at a fat old man below, dressed in a four-clawed python robe.

"Brother Yongshou, your estate must have had a good harvest this year, right?"

Prince Yongshou, Zhu Cunji, was one of the wealthiest men under the Qin Prince. Hearing this, he raised his head and gave a forced smile: "Thanks to the Emperor, we're doing alright. However, it's barely enough to cover the household expenses, and we still have to support so many members of the imperial family. It's tough."

"Difficult?" King Zhou sneered. "More difficult than those soldiers who starved to death outside?"

The Prince of Yongshou's expression changed: "King Zhou, what do you mean by this? According to ancestral rules, vassal kings are not allowed to interfere in local civil affairs! Even though you are an imperial envoy, you cannot..."

"Ancestral rules?" Prince Zhou abruptly interrupted him, raising his voice, "Have you even seriously read the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions'? The founding emperor enfeoffed us princes to protect the country and ensure the well-being of the people. My imperial decree to come to Shaanxi for disaster relief is precisely to protect the country and ensure the well-being of the people!"

Prince Yongshou looked on incredulously—was there really such a statement in the "Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty"? Could a vassal king really protect the country and bring peace to the people?
King Zhou ignored him and slammed the regulations on the table with a "bang": "I have invited you all here today not to discuss anything, but to inform you! All the royal estates, county princely residences, and general's residences under the Qin vassal state must register and record their grain reserves! The grain reserves of royal residences shall not exceed one hundred shi, and the grain reserves of general's residences shall not exceed ten shi! Any surplus grain shall be uniformly allocated by the Imperial Envoy Office brought by me for disaster relief and to stabilize grain prices!"

These words were like a boulder thrown into water, causing an uproar in the hall.

"How can this be done!"

"This is going to kill us!"

"Where are the ancestral rules and family laws?!"

The Prince of Yongshou suddenly stood up, pointed at the King of Zhou, and said: "Zhu Gongxiao! This is a forged edict! This is an exploitation of the royal family! I will submit a memorial to impeach you!"

King Zhou looked at King Yongshou, his tone icy: "King Yongshou is compassionate towards the people's hardships and his loyalty is commendable. Since you feel that I am exploiting the royal family, then so be it."

He paused, raised the imperial sword, and said, word by word, "Within the high walls of Fengyang, there is peace and tranquility, most suitable for health and longevity. Prince Yongshou should go there and read the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty' carefully, to see whether our ancestors intended for us, the descendants of the Zhu family, to guard our grain while the people starve to death, or to allow us to live in peace and prosperity!"

Prince Yongshou's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembled, and he couldn't utter a single word. Two guards from the Imperial Clan Court stepped forward and "supported" him, one on each side.

"Take him away!" King Zhou waved his hand.

Prince Yongshou, as if his bones had been removed, was dragged out of the main hall, limp and lifeless. The moment his figure disappeared, all the members of the royal family in the hall shuddered. They all remembered now that this Prince Zhou had come to Shaanxi with the official title of "Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan"!

The Prince of Zhou surveyed the crowd, his voice softening slightly but still carrying an undeniable authority: "Of course, those willing to voluntarily pay their taxes and cooperate with the new policies will not be treated unfairly. I will petition the Emperor, in the name of the Grand Minister of the Imperial Clan, to allow them to relocate to the capital with their families. The capital is prosperous and safe, offering frequent audiences with the Emperor, and you won't have to remain within your fiefdom. Those who are capable and loyal will even be given official positions by the Emperor!"

A slap followed by a sweet treat. Now, no one dared to utter a sound. Several of the younger princes even showed signs of interest—they knew how comfortable the Prince of Qin was in Beijing.

“Hong Fuyuan.” King Zhou looked at Hong Chengchou.

"Your humble servant is here." Hong Chengchou bowed.

"The defense of Xi'an and the suppression of local unrest are entrusted to you. Anyone who takes advantage of the situation to cause trouble, whether military or civilian, will be dealt with according to military law!"

"Your humble servant obeys the decree!"

"Minister Ni."

“Your Highness.” Ni Yuanlu stood up.

"You will be stationed at the Xi'an Grain Management Office, overseeing all financial and grain transactions, and strictly adhering to regulations!"

"I understand."

Finally, King Zhou looked at the princes who had shown interest and said, "My brothers, I will trouble you to take the men of General Hong and my own men to each estate to count and transport the grain."

The princes were all taken aback. One of them, the boldest, asked in a low voice, "Brother, we are princes, and we must guard our fiefdoms. We cannot leave the city!"

"Forbidden vassal states?" King Zhou smiled. "I am the Grand Master of Ceremonies. I have said that His Majesty now wants you to go down and pacify the people. Do you understand?"

"We will obey your orders, Brother Wang." The group hurriedly agreed.

That was the end of it. A combination of swift and decisive action, along with a policy of appeasement, left no one daring to resist.

After everyone dispersed, King Zhou walked to the palace entrance and looked out at the gray sky. Ni Yuanlu followed him.

"Your Highness, are you really going to Yan'an in person?" Ni Yuanlu asked with some concern. Yan'an Prefecture was the place most severely affected by the disaster and in the most chaotic state.

A resolute look appeared on Prince Zhou's bearded face: "I have no choice but to go. The Emperor has entrusted the hearts of the people in northern Shaanxi to me, so I must go there to guard them. Hong Chengchou has troops and can suppress the rebellion. You have laws and regulations and can manage the grain. But someone has to go and stabilize the hearts of the people. I am Prince Zhou of the Great Ming Dynasty. If I don't go, who will?"

He patted the cold railing: "Xi'an is in your hands and Hong Chengchou's. I'm going to Yan'an to provide food for the disaster victims and the military households!"

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

After the bloody "shaving of heads and changing of clothes" a few days ago, the whole city seemed to be dead.

The streets were nearly deserted. Occasionally, a few North Koreans with long braids would walk by quickly, heads down, like shadows. Most shops were closed, and behind the windows, one could occasionally glimpse a pair of terrified eyes.

The former prefectural government office has now become the headquarters of the Great Jin Khan.

In the main hall, the charcoal brazier burned brightly. Huang Taiji sat at the head of the table, dressed in casual clothes, his face somewhat pale, but in good spirits. Fan Wencheng and Ning Wanwo stood at the foot of the table, while Dorgon, Abatai, and other princes stood on either side with their hands on their swords.

Below, a row of people were kneeling. They were all bondservantes who had "made contributions" in the "shaving heads and changing clothes" movement these past few days.

Kim Seong-in knelt at the front, his head bowed low. He was wearing a newly changed silk robe, his head was shaved clean, and a thin, wispy braid trailed behind him, which looked quite incongruous.

Zhao Si knelt beside him, limping on one leg, but his back was straighter. Behind him were several Han and Korean bondservants, all with blood on their hands.

A Goshha was loudly reading from the merit book:
"...Jin Chengren, for his effective persuasion to shave his head, is awarded top-class merit!"

"...Zhao Si killed more than thirty disobedient individuals, displaying bravery and decisiveness, and his merit is rated as top-class!"

"...Li Xiaoqi, effective patrols, numerous arrests, merit rating: average!"

"Zhang Zhongjin has captured and killed many people; his merits are rated as average!"

"...Park Chang-beom, who offered advice and suggestions and was familiar with the people's conditions, is rated as having average merit!"

After the reading was finished, the hall was quiet.

Huang Taiji coughed and spoke with considerable satisfaction.

Kim Song-in.

"Your servant is here!" Kim Seong-in trembled and quickly replied.

"You are a scholar, and you understand things. From now on, you will help manage the civil affairs of Quanzhou City. I hereby appoint you as the acting prefect of Quanzhou. Do a good job."

Kim Song-in was stunned, then kowtowed violently, his forehead hitting the floor tiles with a loud thud: "This servant...this servant thanks the Great Khan for His grace! This servant will certainly do his utmost to serve the Great Khan!"

"Zhao Si".

"Your servant is here!" Zhao Si shouted.

"You're a tough character, capable of getting things done. The defense of Quanzhou City is now in your hands. I hereby appoint you as the garrison commander of the Quanzhou City Garrison, and a newly formed battalion of Korean Green Standard Army soldiers will be under your command. If anyone dares to cause trouble in the city again, you will execute them first and report later!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! Your servant obeys! We will defend the city like an iron barrel!" Zhao Si's face flushed with excitement.

Huang Taiji then appointed Li Xiaoqi, Pu Changfan, and several others, bestowing upon them official positions such as Qianzong (military commander) and Xianling (county magistrate).

After rewarding the officials, Huang Taiji looked at the group of people below who were kowtowing vigorously and waved his hand: "Get up. Do your jobs well, and I will not treat you unfairly."

"Thank you, Great Khan! Long live the Great Khan! Long live the Great Khan!"

The group thanked them profusely and left.

As Fan Wencheng watched their retreating figures, he whispered to Ning Wanwo beside him, "This is a desperate measure. Extraordinary times call for extraordinary people."

Ning Wan nodded: "Mr. Fan is right. With these examples, more people will follow."

That evening, Zhao Si held a banquet in a large house he had seized. Kim Sung-in, Lee Hyo-gi, Jang Chung-jin, Park Chang-beom, and others were all present.

The food and wine were plentiful, all of which were confiscated from wealthy North Korean households.

Zhao Si, his face flushed from drinking, patted Jin Chengren on the shoulder: "Old Jin! How about it? Following the Khan, people like us can become officials! You're a sub-prefect, and I'm a garrison commander! We wouldn't have dared to dream of this before!"

Li Xiaoqi chimed in, "Yes, Commander Zhao is so impressive! From now on, we'll be the ones calling the shots in Quanzhou City!"

Park Chang-beom held up his wine cup and carefully offered a toast: "It is all thanks to the Great Khan's grace and the support of Commander Zhao and Magistrate Jin."

Jin Chengren forced a smile and drank cup after cup. The liquor was strong, burning his throat. He looked at Zhao Si's smug face, at the exquisite porcelain on the table, and then at the old gentry who was the first to behead that day. A stone seemed to be lodged in his heart.

"There's no going back..." he muttered softly.

"Huh? What did you say, Lao Jin?" Zhao Si didn't hear clearly.

"No...nothing." Kim Sung-in picked up his glass. "Let's drink, let's drink."

Outside the window, the entire city of Quanzhou was pitch black.

Hwang Tai-ji didn't drink tonight. He stood in front of the map, looking at the outlines of the eight provinces of North Korea.

“Quanzhou is almost done.” He pointed to the location of Hanyang. “Next, it’s Hanyang’s turn.”

Fan Wencheng bowed and said, "The Great Khan is wise. If the heads of Hanyang, Pyongyang and other places are shaved, all the eight prefectures of Korea will surely be more obedient to the Great Jin."

A glint of ambition flashed in Huang Taiji's eyes: "Only by taking over Korea can our Great Jin truly have a foundation. As for the Ming Dynasty... there's still a long way to go."

Inside the Qin Prince's Mansion in Xi'an, Prince Zhou had already packed his belongings.

He gave Ni Yuanlu and Hong Chengchou a few final instructions before boarding the carriage heading north.

The convoy rolled through the cold streets of Xi'an, exited the North Gate, and headed towards the more desolate and dangerous northern Shaanxi.

Zhou Wang, inside the car, had his eyes closed. He didn't know what awaited him in Yan'an. But he knew he had to go.

Because only a prince like him, who didn't care about money or official position and wholeheartedly protected the Ming Dynasty, could secure enough food to sustain the people of northern Shaanxi. As long as the starving people of northern Shaanxi had something to eat, the Ming Dynasty wouldn't descend into chaos.

(End of this chapter)