How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 266 Those who obey me prosper, those who defy me perish—this is my rule, Chongzhen!
The wind from beyond the Great Wall swirled grass clippings, lashing against the makeshift golden tent erected at the ruins of Kaiping City. Inside, Empress Dowager Sutai looked at her three trusted confidants kneeling before her; the news they brought was more biting than the autumn wind.

Gurushabu spoke first, his voice low: "Your Majesty, there are malicious rumors circulating on the grasslands, saying that Altan Hongtaiji is not a true descendant of the Golden Family." The scar on the old general's face flickered in the candlelight, and he looked furious.

The clown Taiji then added that he was Hudun Tuhan's uncle and the most senior member of the tribe. Several envoys from smaller tribes secretly asked him whether the "Nine White Tribute" would still be offered, their words laced with probing.

Su Chahar Bai was the most agitated, his fists clenched until they turned white: "It must have been Huang Taiji who poisoned him! The people of the Kharachin tribe said that Altan Hong Taiji's birthday, minus ten months, is too close to the day the Empress Dowager meets the Ming Emperor in Beijing!"

Su Tai suddenly stood up, the firelight inside the tent casting flickering shadows on her face. She thought of Emperor Chongzhen's young yet unfathomable face, and the promises and support he had secretly given her. The most insidious thing about this rumor was that it was half true and half false, like poisonous weeds on the grassland, impossible to eradicate, always growing back with the wind.

She looked at Altan sleeping on the wool blanket. The child did indeed resemble Chongzhen in some ways. He had a handsome face with a straight nose and a delicate oval face, unlike the "basin-shaped" face typical of the Golden Family.

But alas, who dares to say that this child is not the offspring of Hudun Tuhan? Even the Eternal Heaven will not forgive him!

"I already know about these rumors!" Su Tai's face was ashen. "Spread the word that I will complain to the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Those villains who dare to spread evil rumors about Altan Hong Taiji, just wait to suffer the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty's wrath! He is a great hero who has repeatedly defeated Jianzhou Huang Taiji, and is the favorite of the Eternal Heaven. Anyone who dares to anger him will surely die a horrible death!"

These words immediately gave the three people below confidence!

To dare claim that Altan Hong Taiji was the son of the Chongzhen Emperor is truly courting death!

If what they say is wrong, then they are slandering the Ming Emperor and the legitimate heir of the Golden Family, and must be torn to pieces!

That's right. Did they think the Ming emperor wouldn't use the wheel-cart execution method? How did the Doyan tribe perish?

Empress Dowager Su Tai waved for the three to leave, and then personally wrote a letter to Emperor Chongzhen seeking help.
On an autumn night in Beijing, the warm pavilion of the Qianqing Palace was brightly lit with candles. Emperor Chongzhen had just finished reviewing a memorial about the drought in Shaanxi when Fang Zhenghua tiptoed in and handed him a letter sealed with sealing wax.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Kaiping, personally written by Empress Dowager Sutai."

Emperor Chongzhen opened the letter and read it, a cold smile slowly creeping onto his lips. Fang Zhenghua stood to the side, hands at his sides, not daring to utter a sound.

"Summon Wei Daban." Chongzhen put down the letter and tapped his fingers lightly on the imperial desk.

Wei Zhongxian arrived quickly, and Chongzhen first invited the old eunuch to sit down, then handed the letter to Fang Huazheng: "Fang, please read it to Wei."

Fang Zhenghua took the letter with both hands and read it calmly: "Your concubine Su Tai submits this memorial with tears in her eyes: Rumors have suddenly arisen on the grasslands, all claiming that Altan Hongtaiji is not of the Golden Family bloodline, but is in fact Your Majesty's offspring."

When Eunuch Fang read this, he paused, stealing a few glances at Emperor Chongzhen.

"Continue," Emperor Chongzhen said calmly, without any impatience or anger.

"The Kharachin and Khorchin tribes all used this as a pretext to refuse to offer the tribute of the Nine White Powders. My concubine and her son are isolated beyond the Great Wall; if these rumors continue, we fear we will fail to live up to His Majesty's grace."

Wei Zhongxian sat on the embroidered stool listening, when he secretly glanced at Emperor Chongzhen and saw him tapping his fingers lightly on the imperial desk with a faint smile on his face. Wei Zhongxian was startled and thought to himself, "What mischief is this Emperor up to now?"

"What do you think?" Emperor Chongzhen suddenly asked.

Wei Zhongxian pondered for a moment before looking up and saying, "Your Majesty, this old servant believes that the more we try to explain this matter, the worse it will become."

Seeing Chongzhen's smile deepen, Wei Zhongxian continued, "The people on the grasslands value strength, not words. They might not believe us if we say whose child it is. But as long as our swords are strong enough, and we kill anyone who disagrees, they will definitely believe whatever the Emperor says!"

"Go on," Chongzhen said.

A cold glint flashed in Wei Zhongxian's eyes. "Your Majesty, this old servant believes this is an opportunity."

"What opportunity?" Chongzhen asked.

"It's an opportunity for the people of the grasslands to pledge their loyalty to the Emperor!" Wei Zhongxian said. "It's also an opportunity for them to divide into factions and label each other!"

"Why not issue a decree that all those who follow Su Tai in offering the Nine White Tributes are loyal vassals of the Ming Dynasty, rewarded with tea and iron, and granted border markets? Those who hesitate or spread rumors are enemies of the Ming Dynasty and enemies of the Chahan tribe, and shall be annihilated!" Chongzhen stared at the location of Kaiping on the map for a long time before speaking: "Wei Daban, you personally go to the grasslands, carrying my imperial sword, to deliver the decree to Governor Sun and Su Tai. Tell them that on the grasslands, those who submit to me prosper, and those who oppose me perish. Isn't this also Genghis Khan's rule? Now, I follow the same rule!"

The candlelight flickered and danced, making the smile on Chongzhen's face appear even deeper.

In the early winter of the fourth year of the Chongzhen reign, the withered yellow grass lay flat on the ground of the Jinlianchuan Grassland outside Kaiping City, stretching all the way to the horizon.

Wei Zhongxian's carriage arrived on a gloomy afternoon. He brought few ceremonial guards, only a few skilled guards and a troop of cavalry. He carried the imperial edict and a heavy imperial sword.

Sun Chuanting and Su Tai greeted him outside the makeshift gate. Wei Zhongxian offered little in the way of pleasantries, directly unfurling a yellow silk scroll, his voice sharp yet undeniably authoritative: "Sun Chuanting, Su Tai, receive the imperial decree."

The decree was clear: Sun Chuanting was given the title of "Premier General of Military Affairs in Southern Mongolia," and Su Tai was bestowed the title "Lady Zhongshun." Wei Zhongxian himself was given the title of "Imperial Envoy," wielding the imperial sword and having the power to execute first and report later.

After announcing the imperial decree, Wei Zhongxian managed a slight smile on his old face and bowed to Sun Chuanting and Su Tai: "General Sun, Lady Zhongshun, we have delivered His Majesty's message. Now, it's up to us to make this performance resound throughout the grasslands."

That night, the tent was brightly lit. Sun Chuanting, Su Tai, Wei Zhongxian, along with several trusted generals and Mongol elders, sat around a rough map of the grasslands.

"The proclamation has already been sent out," Wei Zhongxian said, pointing to the location of Jinlianchuan on the map. "It's in the name of Lady Zhongshun and Commander-in-Chief Sun. It's very clear: On the first day of the eleventh month, we will hold a meeting at Jinlianchuan to jointly honor Altan Hongtaiji and offer the tribute of nine white coins. Those who come are loyal subjects of the Ming Dynasty and will enjoy eternal wealth and honor; those who don't come are traitors, and the heavenly army will annihilate them, leaving not a single one alive!"

He paused, his sinister gaze sweeping over the crowd: "Our people have already sent out this proclamation. Every Taiji who can breathe on the southern grasslands must know about it. We want to see who dares to be so shameless."

Sun Chuanting pondered and said, "Eunuch Wei's plan is excellent. However, what if someone doesn't come, or comes but pretends to comply but then disobeys?"

Wei Zhongxian sneered and patted the imperial sword on the table: "That's why His Majesty sent me here. I'll play the villain!"

……

In the warm chamber of the Shenyang Khan Palace, the charcoal brazier crackled and popped as Huang Taiji stared at several newly arrived secret reports on the table, his brows furrowed in worry.

A secret report details that Emperor Chongzhen was not deterred by the rumors about Altan's lineage. Instead, he used the situation to his advantage, having Empress Dowager Sutai convene a grand meeting in Kaiping. The meeting set clear prices: those who believed in Altan Hongtaiji's lineage and offered tribute of nine white coins would be loyal vassals of the Ming Dynasty, rewarded with tea and iron, and granted access to border markets; those who hesitated or spread rumors would be considered enemies of the Ming and the Mongols and would be completely eliminated!
Another secret report alarmed Huang Taiji even more: several of the usually wavering junior Taijis of the Kharachin tribe had prepared lavish gifts and sent people to Kaiping. Even within the Kharachin, some people began to discuss privately that following the Ming Dynasty would at least provide them with tangible tea and iron for the time being, which was more practical than just shouting "Great Khan of the Mongols."

"How ruthless Chongzhen was!" Huang Taiji slammed his fist on the table, making the teacups jump. "Instead of taking the bait, he turned the rumors into a sieve! He's using this as an excuse to sift out all the opportunists on the grasslands and bring them into his camp!"

Fan Wencheng stood at the lower end with his hands at his sides, his voice lower than usual: "Great Khan, the Ming Dynasty's move is indeed brilliant. They no longer dwell on the authenticity of bloodlines, but directly draw a line, using tangible benefits to force the various tribes to choose sides. Survival on the grasslands is difficult, tea and iron are lifelines, and many small tribes cannot resist such temptations."

The door to the warm chamber was suddenly pushed open, and Obataiji, the leader of the Khorchin tribe, and Batur of the Kharachin tribe rushed in, both carrying a chill in their bodies, their faces showing undisguised anxiety.

"Great Khan! The news from Kaiping is getting worse and worse!" Obtaiji said urgently. "The Ming Dynasty is offering rewards on the Ming grasslands, and Sun Chuanting's troops are also moving north, putting on a show of support. If this continues, I'm afraid... I'm afraid the morale will really collapse!"

Batur chimed in, "Our scouts sent to the northern deserts report that even the usually neutral tribes are inquiring about the details of the 'Nine White Tributes.' Chongzhen is trying to undermine our cause by using grain and iron to buy our hearts and minds!"

Huang Taiji glanced at the two men, then looked at Fan Wencheng: "Mr. Fan, what should we do now? That brat Chongzhen acted too quickly. If he really takes over most of the southern desert tribes, won't we be trapped in Liaodong?"

Fan Wencheng pondered for a moment, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "Great Khan, although the Ming Dynasty's plan is ruthless, it is not without flaws. They can promise great benefits, and so can we! They draw a line with 'trust,' and we can proclaim that Su Tai has surrendered to the Ming and lost his Mongolian identity, and that Altan, whom he has supported, is nothing more than a Ming puppet. We can intensify our contact with the Grand Princess Nangnang in the Ordos region; I've heard that she recently gave birth to a posthumous child for Hudun Tu Khan!"

"Is this really true?" Huang Taiji thought to himself: This Hudun Tu Khan had no sons when he was alive, but now that he's dead, his sons have suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
Fan Wencheng said, "Why not grant her son a legitimate title and let her compete with Su Tai? At the same time, we should either intensify our efforts to win over the tribes that have already wavered, or... make an example of them to warn others. We must not let Chongzhen succeed so easily."

Obataji gritted his teeth and added, "Spreading rumors alone is not enough; we must make them bleed! It's time for my Khorchin cavalry to get moving."

Upon hearing this, Huang Taiji slowly stood up, walked to the charcoal brazier, and stared at the flickering flames: "That's how it will be. Oba Taiji, send someone to the Hetao region and make sure to persuade Grand Princess Nangnang. Batur, your Kharachin tribe is familiar with the routes, pick two of the closest and most enthusiastic tribes to Kaiping, and teach them a lesson. Fan Wencheng, plan the details quickly!"

He turned around, his face regaining its usual coldness: "Does Chongzhen think he can win over my Mongol warriors with such a small reward? I will let him know that wolves on the grasslands are not so easily turned into guard dogs!"

(End of this chapter)