How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 256 The Shock of the New World
The matter in Xi'an is considered settled.

The Prince of Han, the Prince of Su, and the Prince of Qing followed Wei Zhongxian's entourage eastward.

The further you go, the wider the world becomes.

With fewer migrants on the road, the crops in the fields looked more vibrant. By the time they could see the towering walls of Beijing, the three princes' homesickness had long been overshadowed by their curiosity.

Instead of going directly through Yongding Gate into the city, the carriage turned west and onto a newly built dirt road.

"Your Highnesses, Jingxi is just ahead," Wei Zhongxian said with a smile, pointing ahead from his horse.

The King of Han lifted the carriage curtain and looked outside.

He was stunned when he saw it.

In the distance, a long, earthen-yellow wall, like two giant pythons, stretched across the western part of Beijing, seemingly endless. The walls and ground beneath them were teeming with people, like ants. Closer up, one could hear shouts, the sound of tamping earth, and the rumble of carts and horses rolling over the road.

The air was filled with the smell of loess and sweat.

"This...this is building the Great Wall?" Prince Su's head popped out of the carriage, his eyes wide.

Wei Zhongxian scoffed, "Prince Su is joking. This is the new city wall in western Beijing, built by order of His Majesty."

He brandished his riding whip and pointed:

"See that wall? It's not high, only about two zhang (approximately 6.6 meters), but it's very thick and can withstand artillery fire. The wall is also slanted, so there are no blind spots for firing. The platform built outside the wall is triangular and called a gun platform. It's very powerful when you mount a cannon on it."

He said with a hint of pride, "This wall connects to Xizhimen in Beijing at one end and plunges into the Western Hills at the other, with a total length of more than 30 li! There is another wall that is even longer to the north. It completely encloses the beautiful places of Yuyuantan and Xiangshan."

Looking at the endless construction site, Prince Qing clicked his tongue and exclaimed, "How many people will this require?"

"Not many, only about 100,000 right now," Wei Zhongxian said casually. "Most of them are disaster victims from Shanxi and Henan. His Majesty has opened two major factories in western Beijing and Tianjin to provide work relief and give them a way to make a living."

He paused, lowered his voice, and said with a profound meaning, "This is the true meaning of the Emperor's boundless grace."

The vehicle continued onward, entering the heart of the construction site.

The area on both sides of the road was bustling with activity. People were digging trenches, hauling soil, and laying bricks, their shouts echoing loudly. In several higher locations, the foundations of mansions had already been laid, and they all looked to be quite large.

Wei Zhongxian became interested and pointed out each point in turn:

“Look there, at the foot of Fragrant Hills, is the foundation of His Majesty’s villa.”

"Over there is Prince Fu's garden."

"That's His Highness the King of Qin..."

"King Zhao..."

"Prince Lu..."

"Prince De..."

"King Zhou..."

"Prince Lu..."

"Confucius's residence is also there."

Finally, he pointed to a piece of newly leveled land, smiling broadly: "See that? That's a small plot of land we've reserved for ourselves, for our retirement."

He turned his head, looked at the three princes in the carriage with complicated expressions, and said slowly:
“The three princes, the two existing residences belonging to the Duke of Cheng are convenient. But if you feel... well, you don’t feel comfortable living there, you can still buy land in western Beijing right now.”

He drawled, "However, the price changes every day, so if the three of you are interested, you'd better make plans early."

The King of Han, the King of Su, and the King of Qing exchanged glances but remained silent. Their unease about the haunted house was stirred up by the bustling scene before them and Wei Zhongxian's words, leaving them feeling uneasy.

The imperial carriage finally entered Beijing and headed straight for the Prince of Qin's residence.

The Qin Prince's mansion, though not particularly large in the city, was brightly lit tonight. A large group of princes had arrived! The Prince of Qin, the Prince of Zhao, the Prince of Lu, the Prince of De, the Prince of Lu, and dozens of other princes, along with dozens of other people, were all gathered in the mansion. The main gate was wide open, as if a grand celebration was about to take place.

Upon seeing Wei Zhongxian lead the three princes, Han, Su, and Qing, the Prince of Qin was the first to greet them, his face beaming with smiles.
"We've been waiting for you! You must have had a long journey!"

He held the hands of the three princes warmly, as if they were old friends. The other princes also gathered around, exchanging pleasantries. A banquet was set up in the hall, the aroma of wine and food filling the air, accompanied by melodious music, a stark contrast to the cold and oppressive atmosphere of the Qin Prince's Mansion in Xi'an that night.

The three kings were a little stunned by the enthusiasm, but their initial unease gradually melted away in the warm atmosphere.

After a few rounds of drinks, they started talking non-stop.

The King of Qin, holding a wine cup, had a ruddy complexion:
"Once you three get to Beijing, forget about all those unpleasant things that happened in Shaanxi! This Beijing is the place for people to live!"

He pointed out the window: "Look at this prosperity, this liveliness, can Xi'an compare?" "To tell you the truth," he lowered his voice, with a hint of pride, "I now work in the Imperial Clan Court, as the Minister of the Imperial Clan! I can see the Emperor's face often, that's what you call a close minister of the Emperor!"

"Doing business with the Emperor, that's the right way! It's a hundred times better than burying silver in a cellar and letting it rust!"

He got more and more excited as he spoke, and began to make grand promises:

"Once the new city in western Beijing is built, we'll move out and live at the foot of Fragrant Hills. That's what peace and quiet is all about! As for business, we'll set up shop in Tianjin. We can do it at the docks, warehouses, pawnshops, and money exchanges! We can also invest in maritime trade. That's the kind of business where money makes money and interest compoundes!"

The princes chimed in, their words making the eyes of Prince Han, Prince Su, and Prince Qing light up, their scheming minds turning entirely to how to get rich.

Prince Qing couldn't help but ask, "Brother Prince Qin, our silver... is still hidden in the cellar in Fengdi. Transporting it to Beijing won't be safe!"

Upon hearing this, the King of Qin burst into laughter, patting his chest:

"Why bother with all that trouble! Just go to Qin Jinyuan! My bank has branches in Beizhili, Shandong, Shanxi, and Shaanxi! You deposit your silver, get a receipt, and when you come to Beijing, you can withdraw your silver with the receipt! I only charge you one percent of the exchange rate, it's safe and cheap!"

He leaned closer and said mysteriously, "If you deposit your silver with Qin Jinyuan, he will not only safeguard it, but also give you interest every year! If you want to invest, you can use the silver notes as cash, it's very convenient!"

The three kings were dumbfounded. They had only ever known how to hide silver, never imagining that it could "come alive" like this. The last bit of hesitation in their hearts vanished completely.

The banquet ended in high spirits.

After watching the three princes being settled in with Prince Qin and others, Wei Zhongxian quietly left Prince Qin's residence and went to the palace to report back.

Inside the warm pavilion of the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Chongzhen was still reading memorials.

Wei Zhongxian went in, bowed respectfully, and recounted in detail the events in Xi'an and the banquet at the Prince of Qin's residence that evening.

"...The three princes, having witnessed the scene in western Beijing and listened to what the Prince of Qin said, have already begun to make their plans. Judging from the situation, most of the silver they have hoarded will be transferred to the capital through Qin Jinyuan."

Emperor Chongzhen put down his vermilion brush and softly hummed in agreement.

He walked up to the huge map of the Ming Dynasty, his gaze first falling on Shaanxi.

The land and grain left behind by the three princes should be properly managed by the Zhou king, and perhaps tens of thousands more starving people can be saved.

His fingers then moved to Beijing and Tianjin.

If the silver of the three princes—Han, Su, and Qing—along with that of the previous princes like Qin, were to flow into Qin Jin Yuan and the Imperial Estate Bank, it would be a lifeline. This lifeline could support the army, boost commerce and industry, and stabilize this crumbling empire.

Finally, he pressed his fingers heavily on Liaodong.

Huang Taiji has returned to Shenyang and is sharpening his knives; he doesn't have much time left.

“Tell the Prince of Qin,” Chongzhen turned around, his voice calm, “to give these newly arrived princes extra care in their fundraising at Xingye Hall in western Beijing.”

"This old servant understands." Wei Zhongxian bowed and withdrew.

The room fell silent.

Emperor Chongzhen walked to the window. The night sky was pitch black, with only a few cold stars twinkling.

At this moment, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs quietly entered, carrying a thick letter box.

"Your Majesty, an urgent message has arrived from a flying ship of barbarians in the South Seas. It was delivered by Eunuch Wang Chengen from the far west."

Emperor Chongzhen took the letter box, which was sealed tightly with wax. He opened it and found a thick stack of letters inside.

He unfolded the letter and read it by candlelight.

Wang Chengen's handwriting was somewhat messy, carrying an air of travel weariness.

"Your humble servant respectfully reports: We were ordered to travel west, braving countless storms and hardships, and finally arrived safely at the Portuguese-leased territory on the western coast of India and Mongolia at the end of last winter, a place called Goa..."

"...After we arrived safely in Goa, we rested briefly and then did our best to investigate the surrounding situation. This place is located on the western coast of the Indian Mongol Empire (Mughal Dynasty). According to the Portuguese and Dutch, the current monarch, Shah Jahan Padisha, is a young, strong, and ambitious ruler."

"The sheer power of this nation is astonishing. Its territory stretches for nearly ten thousand miles, and its armored soldiers number in the hundreds of thousands. In addition to its elite cavalry, it also possesses hundreds of war elephants, whose charge shakes the earth. The country is piled high with wealth, and its trade routes are well-developed. The profits from the trade of Indian cotton, spices, and gems with Goa alone are enough to support tens of thousands of soldiers. The prosperity of its capital, Agra, and the magnificence of its palaces are said to surpass even the Forbidden City in Beijing, where everything is made of gold, jade, and precious stones, indulging in the utmost luxury."

"This servant observes that the Mughal Empire is truly a first-rate power in the West, far surpassing any small country in Southeast Asia. Although the Portuguese and Dutch have powerful ships and cannons, they dare not act recklessly here and must rely on its whims to obtain trade benefits. If we can establish relations with such a powerful country, we may be able to form an alliance, which would greatly benefit our Great Ming in containing Liaodong and even the Western Regions."

"Therefore, I humbly submit this request: once the matters between us and the Red Barbarians have settled somewhat, I intend to personally travel to their capital, Agra, with Your Majesty's letter and generous gifts to pay a visit to Shah Jahan Padisha. This will serve two purposes: firstly, to assess the situation and demonstrate Your Majesty's power and prestige, and secondly, to explore the possibility of establishing trade and friendly relations."

Emperor Chongzhen put down the letter and let out a long breath.

The delegation to Europe has arrived in India and, following his previous instructions, has begun making contact with the Mughal Empire. If they can establish good relations with the Mughal Empire, the mission will be halfway to success—India is now a powerful and influential country with an economy comparable to that of Europe as a whole, making it a huge market.

If a sea-land combined transport route could be established in the future, connecting India, the Ottoman Empire, Venice, and France, it might be more profitable than going directly to Europe by bypassing Africa!
(End of this chapter)