How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 242 Selection of Officials and the Censorship of Factions
In Beijing during the twelfth lunar month, it gets dark early. By late afternoon, the sun has already disappeared, leaving only a dry, cold northwest wind that makes people's skin feel tight.

But inside the Qin Prince's mansion, it was a completely different world.

Deep within the mansion, in the grand hall, stood a waist-high copper charcoal brazier at each of the four corners, burning with the finest silver-boned charcoal, warm and cozy without a trace of smoke. The hall was brightly lit, filled with the melodious sounds of string and wind instruments, and several dancers, dressed in thin gauze and stepping on soft carpets, swayed their waists like water snakes.

Prince Qin, Zhu Cunxu, sat in the main seat, his chubby face glistening with oil, a broad smile on his face. Now the head of the Imperial Clan Court and favored by the Emperor, he was a prominent figure among the imperial clan in Beijing. Below him sat Princes Zhao, Lu, and De, as well as several princes from the Qin and Zhou vassal states. These princes, previously confined to their fiefdoms, had nowhere to spend their wealth, living like prisoners. Now, thanks to the Emperor, they could reside permanently in the capital, each one like a bird released from its cage, thoroughly enjoying themselves.

After several rounds of drinks and several dishes, the princes began to talk freely.

Prince Lu took a sip of wine and smacked his lips: "The wine in the capital is still the best! It's much better than the wine in my Yanzhou Prefecture!"

King Zhao laughed and said, "Old Lu, is it because your wine is so good? I think you're just attracted by the beauty of the women in Beijing!"

The crowd burst into laughter. Prince De, being older, waved his hand and said, "Be careful what you say! We are able to enjoy ourselves here today entirely thanks to the Emperor's grace. We should remember the Emperor's kindness."

"Of course!" the King of Qin replied, his voice booming. "His Majesty is benevolent and compassionate towards us, his relatives. If it weren't for His Majesty's approval, we'd still be stuck in that Sifang City, feeling utterly miserable!"

These words resonated with everyone, and they all nodded in agreement. The atmosphere became even more lively.

Seeing that the fire was almost ready, the King of Qin waved his hand. The musicians and dancers tactfully withdrew. The flower hall immediately fell silent, with only the occasional crackling of the charcoal fire remaining.

The princes were all somewhat unsatisfied and looked at the King of Qin with a puzzled expression.

The King of Qin's smile faded slightly. He sighed, picked up his wine cup, but didn't drink. "My uncles and brothers," he said, "we're eating, drinking, and having a good time here. But have you ever thought about how many of our relatives in various places can't even receive their full stipends and are struggling to make ends meet?"

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over them. The princes exchanged glances, their cheerful expressions vanishing, replaced by a perfunctory and worried look. The Ming Dynasty had many impoverished members of the imperial family, but they were princes; poverty wouldn't affect them.

"Yes...it's not easy," King Lu muttered.

"Alas, we are all descendants of the founding emperor, yet our fates are so different." King Zhao sighed as well, but his eyes seemed to wander.

The King of Qin put down his wine cup and lowered his voice: "To be honest, His Majesty has also been thinking about this matter. A few days ago, when he summoned me, he mentioned... that there may be talented members of the imperial clan, but unfortunately, they are restricted by the ancestral rules that someone came up with, and they have no way to serve the country. His Majesty has searched through the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions of the Ming Dynasty,' and it does not say that those generals and lieutenants are not allowed to take the imperial examinations!"

Confucius, who was seated below the King of Qin, cleared his throat and spoke.

He shook his head and said, "Since it's not in the 'Imperial Ancestral Instructions,' it's not an ancestral rule, but just an old custom. Ancestral rules should be upheld, but old customs, in my humble opinion, should be abolished if they are no longer suitable for the times! If we could allow talented members of the imperial clan to participate in the imperial examinations like ordinary scholars, and earn a degree, they could serve the court and make a living on their own. Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?"

The hall fell completely silent after those words. The princes exchanged glances, none of them responding immediately. This was a very serious matter.

The King of Lu frowned and hesitated before saying, "Duke Confucius, that's true... but what about the old rules... and those civil officials outside? Will they agree? Aren't they afraid they'll accuse us of competing with the people for profit and breaking the rules?"

Prince Zhao squinted, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "If it is His Majesty's will... it is not impossible. However, how should we proceed? His Majesty cannot simply issue an edict, can he? The spittle of those censors could flood the Qianqing Palace."

Seeing that the time was right, the Prince of Qin leaned forward and lowered his voice even further: "That is what His Majesty means. His Majesty does not wish to issue an edict by force, thus giving others grounds for criticism. He hopes that we, the princes and dukes in the capital, can jointly submit a memorial, in the name of showing compassion for our relatives and seeking a way out for our children, to earnestly request His Majesty's mercy. In this way, His Majesty can act accordingly."

He looked around and asked, "What do you all think?"

Prince De first stated: "This is a good thing that will provide a way out for the royal family, and I agree with it."

The princes all chimed in, "What the Prince of Qin says is true!" "We certainly agree!"

King Lu and King Zhao exchanged a glance and nodded. King Lu said, "Since it's for the sake of the royal family, I, Old Lu, have nothing to say."

King Zhao added, "But the wording of this memorial must be carefully considered, lest someone find fault with it."

"Of course!" King Qin smiled again, seeing that the matter was settled. "Come, now that this is settled, let's continue drinking and having fun!"

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air again, and the dancers gracefully entered once more. The flower hall quickly returned to its previous lively atmosphere. The princes clinked glasses and exchanged toasts, as if the momentous event concerning the fate of countless members of the royal family had been nothing more than a minor episode at the banquet.

However, everyone knew in their hearts that once this memorial was submitted, it would likely stir up a storm in the court.

But they are not afraid!
They were princes, and princes who had left their fiefdoms and were living in seclusion in the capital. As long as the emperor didn't speak, the spittle of the civil officials wouldn't hurt them at all; they might even be accused of framing a prince.

Almost at the same moment.

Thousands of miles away in Hanyang, North Korea, the scene was quite different.

Inside the Injeongjeon Hall of Changdeokgung Palace.

Huang Taiji sat on his throne, his face darker than the sky outside. At his feet lay a military report detailing the latest developments of the "anti-shaving" uprising.

Dorgon, Ajige, Mangultai, and Amin, several princes, sat on either side, all expressionless. The Eight Banners ministers, including Sony, the Han officials such as Fan Wencheng and Ning Wanwo, and the traitors Kim Seong-in, Park Chang-beom, Lee Kyung-jik, and Han Run, all stood with their hands at their sides, not daring to utter a sound.

"Quanzhou Prefecture! Qingzhou Circuit! More than a dozen rebel groups have emerged!" Huang Taiji's voice was calm and cold. "Kill the pacification envoy I sent! Is a simple shaving order really that difficult? Huh?"

No one dared to answer the call.

Amin couldn't hold back any longer. He jumped up and roared, "Great Khan! Why waste time talking to these Korean lackeys! Kill! Kill them one by one, kill them family by family! Kill them until they're scared!"

Dorgon glanced at him sideways and said coldly, "Kill? Can we kill them all? There are only so many Eight Banner soldiers. If we get bogged down in this quagmire of Korea, what about our homeland in Liaodong? The Ming army recently captured Kuku and Tun, and they've also taken the entire Tumed River region. If we can't reinforce Abatai as soon as possible, he won't be able to continue as the appointed general!" He turned to Huang Taiji, "Great Khan, why don't we organize the 'Korean Eight Banners' and have Park Chang-beom and Han Yun recruit soldiers, so that Koreans can fight Koreans?" Huang Taiji didn't speak, his gaze sweeping over the few traitors.

Kim Seong-in's legs trembled, and he knelt down with a thud, kowtowing repeatedly: "Great Khan... this servant... this servant has a foolish idea..."

“Speak,” Huang Taiji uttered a single word.

"The yangban... those people in the yangban value fame and official positions the most," Jin Chengren stammered. "Their rebellion is for two reasons: first, to maintain their official status, and second, because they fear losing their privileges... If... if the Great Khan were to show mercy and allow scholars who have shaved their heads to participate in the imperial examinations, and if they pass, they could be given official positions... surely... surely many people would be willing to submit..."

Fan Wencheng immediately stepped forward, bowed, and said, “Your Majesty, Judge Jin’s words are wise and insightful! However, I believe we should look further ahead. The civil service examination should not be limited to the Yangban. There are still many ‘juniors’ and commoners in the Joseon Dynasty who have long been oppressed by the Yangban. If Your Majesty grants them the hope of passing the civil service examination, they will be deeply grateful, and Your Majesty can then fundamentally undermine the Yangban’s foundation!”

"No! Absolutely not!" Park Chang-beom was so anxious he almost jumped up, forgetting all about etiquette. "Your Majesty! Commoners and lowly people are crude and uncultured. How can they be allowed to enter such a refined hall? If they are allowed to take the exam with the Yangban, it will surely discourage the scholars who have pledged allegiance!"

Han Run quickly chimed in, "Lord Park is absolutely right! If this precedent is set, what will become of our decorum?"

Huang Taiji listened quietly, his brows furrowing more and more tightly.

He understood all too well what the Korean lackey meant: "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?" But Han lackeys like Fan Wencheng believed in the saying, "Are kings and nobles born with a special destiny?" So, which path should the Great Jin take?
After a long while, Huang Taiji finally spoke:

"All right."

Everyone held their breath.

"The imperial examination must be held." Huang Taiji's gaze swept over Fan Wencheng and Jin Chengren, then over Park Changbeom and Han Run. "How to do it? There must be a plan. Fan Wencheng and Ning Wanwo, you two, together with Jin Chengren and Li Jingji, draft a proposal. First and foremost, prioritize those who have submitted to the two classes, to show them leniency; but we cannot completely block the path for those from humble backgrounds, we can allocate some quotas to them. You can determine the specific criteria."

He paused, then looked at Amin and Dorgon: "The suppression of the bandits cannot be stopped. As Dorgon suggested, we will organize and train the Eight Banners of Korea. Amin, you will be in charge, Han Run will be your deputy, and Park Chang-beom will be in charge of provisions and pay. We must use war to sustain war and pacify Korea for me as soon as possible!"

"Yes, sir!" they all replied in unison.

The meeting adjourned. Fan Wencheng, Ning Wanwo, and others worked through the night to draft the charter. Amin and Han Run immediately began arranging for some Korean bondservants to be elevated to the Eight Banners of Korea.

Huang Taiji sat alone in the hall, gazing at a map of the Ming Dynasty spread out on the table, pondering: Both the Ming and Jin dynasties are currently accumulating strength, preparing for the final battle! The Ming dynasty is supposedly implementing some kind of new policy, and even sent a prince to Shaanxi to set up some grain depot, hoping to save more lives! Hmph, womanly compassion! The Jin dynasty doesn't have so many problems; they're focused solely on strengthening their army.

Once the "shaving order" is fully implemented in Korea, there will be millions of Jin slaves across the three thousand miles of land. That's enough to support hundreds of thousands of soldiers. At that time, what will that little Chongzhen have to fight with?

Qianqing Palace, Beijing.

Emperor Chongzhen stood by the window, watching the fine snow falling outside. The Prince of Qin had already sent word, and things had begun. He knew the real battle was yet to come. Those civil officials would never easily allow members of the imperial family to extend their influence into the imperial examination system, their private domain.

For Emperor Chongzhen to extend the reform movement from Shaanxi and Beizhili all the way to Jiangnan, he needed a team of officials capable of clearing land and investigating taxes in Jiangnan on his behalf.
"I hope that among the hundreds of thousands of clan leaders in the Ming Dynasty, there are a few hundred who are truly capable," he muttered to himself, his breath instantly dissipating into the cold air.

But in the distant, unseen territory of Jeonju Prefecture in North Korea, a completely different scene unfolded.

Zhao Si rode a fine horse from Liaodong, leading a group of Korean Green Standard Army soldiers who had already shown some ferocity, and swaggered into a prefecture city under the jurisdiction of Quanzhou Prefecture.

However, this time he wasn't there to kill people; instead, he had people carry several buckets of paste and a large roll of newly printed notices.

"Paste it! Make it as conspicuous as possible!" Zhao Si yelled at the top of his lungs, "City gate towers! Market entrances! The walls of those rich people's houses, cover them all up with it!"

The Green Standard Army soldiers busied themselves. They applied paste and affixed notices to the walls. The notices, written side-by-side in Chinese and Hangul on yellow paper, stated: "By the grace of the Great Khan of the Jin Dynasty, to appease the scholars of Korea, a special imperial examination has been opened. All scholars who have followed the custom of shaving their heads and whose families are of impeccable character, regardless of their original party affiliation, may travel to Hanyang Prefecture next spring to take the examination. Those who pass will be granted official positions and a bright future."

Most of the onlookers were illiterate, craning their necks to watch the spectacle. Those who could read squeezed to the front, stammering as they read aloud. Each sentence arose in the crowd, causing a stir.

"Did you hear that? Shave your head, and you can take the imperial examination and become an official!" Zhao Si said smugly, pointing at the notice with his riding whip. "It's much better than following those good-for-nothings from the Li Dynasty! This is the way out given to you by the Great Khan, don't be ungrateful!"

The news spread like wildfire, along official roads and side streets, reaching every village and town in the prefecture.

In a remote mountain village, several members of the Li family from Quanzhou, who had gone into hiding, were huddled around a dim oil lamp, deep in thought. They were staunch members of the "Southern People's Party," vowing never to shave their heads. An old servant risked his life to secretly retrieve a notice from town and tremblingly handed it to them.

The leader was named Li Hang, a young scholar who had passed the imperial examination. He unfolded the notice and quickly read it by lamplight, his face growing paler and paler. After reading it, he gently placed the notice on the table and remained silent for a long time.

The room was deathly silent. The flames in the charcoal brazier flickered slightly, illuminating the young but haggard faces.

"Hmph," one of the impatient young men couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "Huang Taiji's scheme is so vicious! He's trying to wipe out our lineage! He's letting those cowardly 'Northern People' scum climb up the social ladder by taking advantage of the Hu people's power!"

Another voice, filled with panic, said: "If...if quite a few people really go...then who will still uphold this righteous cause of opposing the shaving of hair? People's hearts...I'm afraid they'll fall apart!"

Li Hang raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, his voice hoarse but clear: "Do you all understand? This is not just about shaving heads, it's about making us kill each other."

He pointed at the notice as if it were a venomous snake: "Those traitors of the Northern People's Party are just looking for an opportunity to wipe us out. Now that they have the barbarians as their weapon, they will surely rush to take the exam and be the vanguard. At that time, they will be 'good citizens who have submitted,' and we who refuse to shave our heads will become 'rebels.' They will use the official seals given to them by the barbarians to kill us 'rebels' with perfect justification!"

Another silence fell over the room, even more oppressive than before. The air seemed to freeze, making it hard to breathe.

The impatient young man slammed his fist on the table, making the oil lamp flicker: "Are we... are we just going to stand by and watch them use the swords of the barbarians to slaughter all of us loyal 'Southerners'?"

No one could answer him.

(End of this chapter)