How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 276 The Dowry Soldier, the Good Neighbor

In the first month of the fifth year of the Chongzhen reign, Beijing was still frozen solid, and breath turned to ice.

The Kunning Palace in the Forbidden City, however, was warm as if it were another world. The underground heating was burning brightly, and the heat rose from under the golden bricks, effectively keeping the bitter cold out of the carved windows.

A family dinner had just begun.

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, sat in the main seat, wearing a loose Taoist robe. He had a smile on his face, looking less like an emperor and more like an ordinary young master. He leaned over and gently touched the little bundle of flesh wrapped in bright yellow swaddling clothes in Empress Zhou's arms with his fingertips.

The little dumpling is his second son, Zhu Cixuan, who is one month old today.

“Look at this boy, his eyes and eyebrows resemble yours,” Chongzhen said to Empress Zhou as he turned around.

Empress Zhou's face glowed with a genuine sense of comfort. She carefully held the baby and whispered, "I think this little mouth is just like His Majesty's."

Beside them, the three-year-old eldest prince, Zhu Cilang, dressed in his tiny princely robes, was being held by his wet nurse. His dark, bright eyes were fixed on his younger brother, and his little hand reached out, trying to touch him. Empress Zhou quickly smiled and gently stopped him, saying, "Cherish your brother, he's still too young to touch you."

Empress Zhang, the Lady of Yi'an, sat at the head of the table, her eyes filled with kindness as she looked at the scene before her. Now an "elder" in the palace, seeing the Chongzhen family living in harmony and with their numbers growing, she felt more at ease than anything else.

The concubines sat below.

Consort Mao (Mao Dongzhu) was already showing her pregnancy. She sat on a chair with thick cushions, her face rounder, but she still looked playful and lively. Consort Tian and Consort Liu (Liu Yueying) were the same; they were both heavier and sat together talking quietly. Consort Yuan, Consort Yang, and the others were also smiling and chatting.

Notably, there were two other guests present.

One was Empress Dowager Sutai. Although she was dressed in Mongolian robes according to custom, the fabric was clearly fine brocade from Jiangnan, a deep, rich purplish-red that made her skin appear even whiter. She sat there, her posture respectful yet not subservient. When her gaze occasionally swept over Emperor Chongzhen in the main seat, a barely perceptible tenderness and dependence unconsciously crept into her expression of gratitude.
Beside her was her son, four-year-old Altan Hongtaiji. The little guy was handsome, dressed in a Mongolian robe, and was curiously looking at Zhu Cilang, who was a little younger than him.

They came to Beijing to spend the winter according to the custom of "pilgrimage," and also to let Altan and Zhu Cilang spend some time together before returning to Kaiping in the spring. Accompanying them were several leaders of large Mongol tribes who had been granted the title of Prince, each with a large retinue of followers, driving cattle, horses, and sheep. They came to Beijing to escape the cold, trade, and also to show their loyalty.

Emperor Chongzhen treated Su Tai and her son with exceptional kindness, showering them with gifts and frequently inviting them to stay in the palace. This favor was truly beyond repayment!
The hall was filled with the aroma of food and the smell of charcoal fire. Adults were chatting and laughing, and children were babbling. It was a rare scene of peace and tranquility.

As Chongzhen observed all this, his gaze lingered on Su Tai for a moment, the smile on his lips seeming to deepen slightly. He then turned to the crowd, the tension that had been building for years finally eased a little. These past few years had been difficult. External disasters and man-made calamities, internal repairs and rebuilding—finally, a few warmer days were on the horizon.

Just then, Fang Zhenghua, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, quietly entered through the side door, quickly walked to his side, bent down, and whispered:

"Your Majesty, Zhang Xianzhong's urgent secret report from the Hetao region has arrived."

Emperor Chongzhen's smile remained unchanged; he merely nodded slightly. He took the slender wooden box sealed with sealing wax and said to the people at the table, "You all eat first, I'll take a look and come over."

Empress Zhou and the others were used to it; the emperor was always busy, so they continued to joke and laugh.

Emperor Chongzhen peeled back the sealing wax, pulled out the paper strip inside, and unfolded it to read it.

At first, his expression was normal, but as he watched, the corners of his mouth couldn't help but turn up. By the end, he couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter, the sound growing louder and louder until it became a hearty laugh.

"Great! Excellent! There's going to be a new member in the family!"

At this moment, everyone stopped eating and looked over.

Empress Zhou, as the head of the harem, smiled and asked, "Is Your Majesty doubly blessed today? I wonder which family has good news this time? Is it that a little sister is about to be added to the palace?" Her tone was teasing, clearly indicating that she was no stranger to this topic.

Emperor Chongzhen placed the note on the table, took a sip of wine, and laughed, "The Empress has guessed most likely. It's Gao Yingxiang, the Pacification Commissioner of Hetao. He has a niece named Gao Guiying. Zhang Xianzhong's letter said that this girl is spirited and a daughter of a military family. I have already granted her request and brought her into the palace."

Empress Zhou's smile remained unchanged upon hearing this, but she raised her voice slightly, adding a touch of mockery: "This is truly a joyous occasion. How much 'dowry' has the Gao family prepared for this new sister?" She deliberately paused on the word "dowry." Emperor Chongzhen didn't consider the matter of "taking a concubine for financial gain" shameful—it was a Ming Dynasty ancestral rule! Had the Taizu Emperor not married Guo Zixing's burdened daughter, would he have achieved his later meteoric rise to power?
Emperor Chongzhen extended his right index finger and waved it at Empress Zhou, saying leisurely, "Not much, just this number, one thousand."

Empress Zhou was slightly surprised: "One thousand taels? That's simpler than I expected." She thought it was silver.

Emperor Chongzhen laughed and shook his head, saying, "It's not silver. It's a dowry of one thousand Hetao cavalrymen from Gao Yingxiang!"

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent for a moment, then burst into soft laughter.

The pregnant Consort Mao was the most outspoken, and she laughed heartily while rubbing her belly: "Oh my, His Majesty is getting better and better at managing the household! This is not just taking a concubine, it's clearly bringing her and her troops back to the palace together! His Majesty is really going to eat this 'soft rice' in a creative way, and eat it to the very core!"

Her words were so witty that even Consort Zhang, seated at the head of the table, couldn't help but laugh, covering her mouth with her handkerchief. The hall was instantly filled with a cheerful atmosphere. Empress Dowager Su Tai also smiled slightly, glancing quickly at Chongzhen with a knowing and indescribable look in her eyes before lowering them again.

Emperor Chongzhen was even more delighted by Consort Mao's words. Mao Wenlong's daughter was quite amusing, a real source of joy in the palace. He turned to Fang Zhenghua and instructed, "Fang Zhenghua, did you hear that? I've accepted these thousand cavalry! Go and draft an edict to send to Zhang Xianzhong!"

His expression turned serious, and his tone became earnest: "Tell him, I want skilled men! Each man must ride two horses! His riding skills must be thoroughly tested and taught to him; he must be an experienced rider who can live a normal life on horseback! I can provide them with armor and weapons as needed, but their riding skills cannot be sloppy! Even if they are Yi Ding (Mongolians), as long as they are skilled in horsemanship and loyal, I will take them!"

He paused, then smiled and said to Empress Zhou and Consort Tian, ​​"This is a good idea. From now on, they will be called 'dowry soldiers'! This can be a precedent!" He thought for a moment, then added, "I've also heard that the Ma family, the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu in Sichuan, has trained very brave 'White-Spear Soldiers,' who can traverse mountainous terrain as if it were flat ground. When the opportunity arises, I'll have the Prince of Jin in Guizhou (the Prince of Jin's family has now been enfeoffed in Guizhou, becoming the border princes who suppress the southwest) inquire whether his family has any eligible women willing to come to the palace as companions. As for the 'White-Spear Soldiers,' they can naturally serve as guards, to show the court's favor and their family's loyalty..."

His words were half true and half false, like casual conversation, yet also as if he were addressing everyone present. The meaning was clear: he wasn't short of money anymore, but he still lacked elite troops, and those who had elite troops could now consider sending some as part of their dowry as a form of "loyalty offering."

Of course, whether or not you have a daughter is not important; the daughter can be a "futures contract," while the soldier is the "spot."

At almost the same time, the scene in Shenyang, outside the Great Wall, was quite different.

Although the palace was heated by an underfloor heating system, the chill still seeped into everyone's hearts through the cracks in the walls.

Huang Taiji (Huang Taiji) sat on a tiger-skin chair, looking at the urgent report sent back from the northern desert by Hauge and Fan Wencheng, his face as gloomy as the bottom of a pot.

Daishan, Amin, Dorgon, and several other princes sat below, none of them uttering a sound.

"Take a look at them all." Huang Taiji handed the letter to Daishan, who was closest to him. "A formidable character has arrived from the north."

The letter passed around among several people, and everyone's expression turned grim.

“Rakshasa…” Dai Shan stroked his beard, his brows furrowed. “Such a large territory? And such powerful firearms?”

Amin snorted, "Screw them! If they come, we'll fight! Do you think they can stay in that godforsaken place, the Northern Desert?"

Huang Taiji remained silent, his gaze fixed on Dorgon, who had also remained silent.

Dorgon raised his eyes, his gaze calm: "Eighth Brother, what Fan Wencheng said makes sense."

He stood up and walked to the simple map hanging in the middle: "This Rakshasa is a northern bear. It is indeed large and strong. But look, it came from the west and headed east. What is its purpose?"

He pointed to the direction of the Ming Dynasty on the map: "What it wants is the south! It wants the silk, porcelain, and tea of ​​the Ming Dynasty! If our Great Jin blocks its path and fights it to the death, it will only exhaust our strength, and the Southern Dynasty will benefit!"

Dai Shan asked, "Then what does the Fourteenth Prince mean?"

Dai Shan stroked his short beard, pondered for a moment, and then asked, "Fourteenth Brother, Mr. Fan's method of 'luring wolves to drive away tigers' sounds ingenious. But how exactly does it work? And how exactly should we point the way?"

When Dorgon heard his brother ask a question, he immediately perked up. He walked a few steps to the roughly drawn map of northern Mongolia and pointed heavily at the vast territory of Khalkha Mongolia.

“Brother, you’ve hit the nail on the head. Giving directions isn’t just about pointing them in the right direction.” His eyes sharpened, gleaming. “Those Khalkha people have never been on our side. Their territory is so vast, and the water and grass are so poor; managing them is a huge hassle. Perfect, let’s take this opportunity to get rid of this burden!” He drew a line on the map with his finger. “Let’s make it clear to those Russians that they can travel west of the Ergun River, into the Outer Khalkha region! They can trade there! But they have to abide by our rules, three in total.”

He held up one finger: "First, tolls. Any caravan that passes through our territory, whether heading to the Ming Dynasty or back to their Russian homeland of Tobolsk, must be taxed according to the value of their goods! This is a matter of course, and it's pure silver; why not take it!"

Then, he raised his second finger: "Secondly, buy firearms. The Russians' muskets and cannons look no worse than the ones we bought from Japan. We should use the pretext of doing business to spend money to buy them! Buy the best ones! More importantly, we should try to find a few craftsmen who know how to make cannons and muskets! This is the long-term plan!"

Finally, he extended his third finger, his tone suddenly hardening: "The third point, and the most crucial one, must be clearly defined! The Nenjiang and Heilongjiang river basins are our foundation, our escape route; we absolutely cannot let those Russians touch them! We must make those Russian devils understand that this is our 'private domain,' untouchable! As for the area west of the Ergun River and east of Lake Baikal, we must also strive for it. Bage is the Great Khan of the Mongols, and the Mongol tribes there are all Bage's subjects; that territory naturally belongs to our Great Jin, and we must try our best to secure it. The more we secure, the safer our backyard will be."

As Daishan listened, he pondered the matter, then nodded, though a hint of hesitation remained on his face: "The method sounds good. But if we let them pass through here, what if the Ming Dynasty doesn't approve, closes the border, or sends troops to block them at the Great Wall? If we can't do business with the Russians, our toll revenue will be lost."

"Stop him?" Dorgon curled his lip in a mocking sneer. "Does he think he can stop her? That little Chongzhen Emperor treats Sutai and her son so well, bestowing upon them titles and building cities for them. Those tribes in Southern Mongolia are now holding these 'tribute and audience' ceremonies every year, making it as easy for them to enter and exit the Great Wall as visiting relatives. That breach has long been opened! What's the point of talking about a blockade?"

He straightened his back and continued confidently, "We can have the Russians go under the banner of 'Russian tribute envoys'! Emperor Chongzhen is very concerned about his image and values ​​this empty title of 'all nations paying tribute' more than anything else. Even if he's unhappy about it, he probably won't send the tribute envoys away directly, for fear of losing the dignity of the 'Celestial Empire.' Once this approach is established, there's no fear of it not happening again! With repeated occurrences, it will naturally become the norm!"

His eyes gleamed with shrewdness, and he added, "Besides, we can use this route ourselves! Our ginseng, pearls, and hides can be taken west by Russian merchants to sell in exchange for what we need. No matter which way we go, we won't lose money!"

Huang Taiji listened quietly, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the armrest of his chair: "Fourteenth Prince, according to your plan, we intend to take advantage of this bear that suddenly appeared in the north to gain benefits from both the Ming Dynasty and the Russians?"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Dorgon nodded emphatically, his tone resolute. "That's exactly what we mean! As for the Ming Dynasty, we'll drive that bear away and let it harass Chongzhen, making his northern borders unsettled and diverting his attention. As for the Russians, we'll collect their taxes, buy their weapons, and clearly define their territory so that they will ultimately serve our purposes."

Huang Taiji squinted, his gaze shifting between the rudimentary map and the grander scheme of the Later Jin dynasty in his mind, carefully weighing his options. A moment of silence filled the hall. Finally, he slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and made his decision:

"Good! Let's proceed with this strategy! Fourteenth Prince, this matter is entrusted to you in overall charge! Hauge and Fan Wencheng are still in the northern desert; have them fully cooperate with you."

He fixed his sharp gaze on Dorgon and solemnly instructed, "Remember three things: First, make sure you get all the benefits—silver, firearms, nothing less! Second, keep the north stable. Make good use of this bear cub, but also be constantly on guard against it, lest it turn around and bite us! Third..."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and his voice grew even colder and sharper: "Find that Chongzhen Emperor of the Southern Dynasty a 'good neighbor' that will keep him preoccupied and unable to sleep soundly!"

(End of this chapter)