How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 310 The Emperor is going to demolish Southern Zhili!
The clamor of the people outside Hongwu Gate had not yet subsided when the Wenhua Hall in the Forbidden City of Nanjing was once again filled with people.

This wasn't a grand court assembly; those standing in the hall were all high-ranking officials of sufficient rank. Emperor Chongzhen sat above, his expression unreadable. Those below were filled with apprehension.

"You all witnessed what happened outside Hongwu Gate yesterday," Emperor Chongzhen began, his voice devoid of emotion, yet it silenced the hall. "The people's hearts are like water, capable of carrying a boat but also capsizing it. I don't need to say it, but you all understand."

His gaze swept over the crowd, lingering briefly on Xu Hongji and Zheng Sanjun's faces.

"Diverting the Yellow River and the Huai River to eradicate flooding is a matter of national destiny and cannot be left unresolved. I have made up my mind and will soon travel to Huai'an to personally inspect the river works and determine the strategy."

Upon hearing this, many people below breathed a sigh of relief. It was good that the Emperor was leaving Nanjing.

But what Chongzhen said next made some people stop laughing.

“During my northern tour, the administration of Nanjing needs a prime minister.” He paused, his gaze sweeping over the ranks of nobles and civil officials. “Prince Qin, Duke Dingguo, Mr. Qian.”

The three people whose names were called immediately stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, we are here."

"Prince Zhu Cunshu is hereby appointed to temporarily assume the post of 'Nanjing Garrison Commander'," Chongzhen's voice was clear and forceful. "Duke Xu Yunzhen will assist in military administration; Minister of Rites Qian Qianyi will assist in state affairs. The three of you will jointly manage all affairs in the capital. Major matters must be discussed and decided by the garrison command, and reported to me by express courier at a speed of six hundred li."

"Your Majesty, we obey!" the three replied in unison, though their voices differed slightly. The King of Qin was extremely excited! To leave someone in charge meant an immense level of trust.

Duke Dingguo, Xu Yunzhen, tried hard not to laugh out loud—after so many years of loyalty, he was finally getting a reward! Now that he was assisting in military affairs, would he next replace Duke Wei as the garrison commander of Nanjing? They were both descendants of the Prince of Zhongshan Wuning, so why should the garrison commander of Nanjing always be Duke Wei's responsibility?
Qian Qianyi, on the other hand, looked extremely cautious—he knew all too well the Emperor's methods! To have him, the leader of the Donglin Party, serve as an advisor in the Donglin Party's stronghold, and to jointly manage affairs in the capital with Prince Qin and Prince Dingguo, was a test! To put him on the fire and see what he was made of.
This arrangement caused many people below to exchange knowing glances. The Prince of Qin was a member of the imperial family, the Duke of Dingguo was a nobleman from the Beijing faction, and Qian Qianyi, though a leader of the Donglin Party, was a "pragmatic" man. This arrangement of leaving the capital in the capital was clearly intended to create a system where these three, along with the Nanjing garrison eunuch Lu Jiude, would check and balance each other. The Emperor was determined to keep Nanjing firmly in his grasp.

Before everyone could think it through, Chongzhen's gaze fell on Xu Hongji, Zheng Sanjun, and Lü Weiqi, who all looked bewildered.

"Duke of Wei, Minister Lü, Minister Zheng."

The three men tensed up and quickly stepped forward, saying, "Your Majesty, we are here."

"The three of you, two of you jointly command the defense of Nanjing, and one of you manages the finances and provisions of Southern Zhili. These are all of great importance to river works and grain transport." Chongzhen spoke in a steady, official tone. "You will accompany me north this time to advise on river affairs and to be ready to consult with me. Go back and prepare immediately."

Xu Hongji, Lü Weiqi, and Zheng Sanjun's minds went blank. Accompanying the emperor north? Officially ostensibly as counselors, but in reality, it was a coercion! This was to transfer them away from their home base in Nanjing!
Furthermore, once they leave, will the military and political power in Nanjing fall into the hands of the Prince of Qin, the Duke of Dingguo, and Qian Qianyi?
Your Majesty, this is an attempt to seize power from the Six Ministries and nobles in the capital!
But the imperial decree was absolute, and the three had no choice but to grit their teeth, kowtow, and accept the order: "Your subject... obeys the decree."

Emperor Chongzhen then appointed several officials from the Ministry of Works to remain in the capital, as well as Zhang Zhiji, the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner, to accompany him. He then left Li Changgen, the General of the Imperial Guard Rear Army, with over ten thousand elite troops to remain stationed in Nanjing.

With the arrangements complete, Chongzhen stood up and said, "The matter is settled. Go and make your preparations. Court adjourned."

The crowd shouted "Long live the Emperor!" and then dispersed. Their thoughts, however, varied. The Duke of Dingguo remained calm, Qian Qianyi glanced with complex emotions at the retreating figures of the Duke of Wei, Lü Weiqi, and Zheng Sanjun, while the Prince of Qin was already pondering how to proceed with the remaining officials.

In the corner of the palace, Lu Jiude, the eunuch in charge of Nanjing, and Wei Zhongxian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, were whispering to each other, and it was unclear what they were discussing.
The dragon boat left the Nanjing dock and headed north along the canal.

Emperor Chongzhen's flagship was the largest, surrounded by guard ships on all sides. Xu Hongji, Lü Weiqi, and Zheng Sanjun were also assigned to the fleet, though they were some distance from the imperial ship and were surrounded by numerous "guards."

Xu Hongji stood by the ship's railing, looking at the scenery on both banks, but his heart felt heavy. Zheng Sanjun quietly approached and whispered, "Lord Duke, the Emperor's move... has sidelined us."

"Hmph," Xu Hongji snorted, "a diversionary tactic. Set up a garrison behind us, then take us away. Nanjing will then belong to the Prince of Qin, the Duke of Dingguo, and Qian Muzhai." As he spoke, he glanced at the silent Lü Weiqi beside him, "Jieru, what do you think?"

Lu Weiqi, who had been gazing at the river, turned around upon hearing this, his expression grave. He appeared to be on the same boat as Xu Hongji and Zheng Sanjun, but in reality, he was somewhat of an observer, as he was from Xin'an, Henan, which had also suffered from the disaster this autumn.

“Duke Zheng,” he said in a low voice, “I’m afraid…it’s not as simple as just the change of power in Nanjing.”

Zheng Sanjun hurriedly asked, "What insightful opinion do I have?"

Lu Weiqi's gaze swept over Xu and Zheng, and he lowered his voice: "The Emperor established this 'remaining governor' position, employing members of the imperial family, Northern meritorious officials, and... people like Qian Muzhai. This is a temporary measure, not a long-term arrangement. In my opinion, the Emperor may truly intend... to divide the provinces." "Divide the provinces?" Xu Hongji's eyelids twitched violently, and he lowered his voice even further: "Dismantle Southern Zhili? This... this is a move that shakes the very foundation!"

“This would shake the very foundation!” Lü Weiqi said with certainty. “If the provinces of Jianghuai, Jiangnan, and even Jiangdong were to be separated, the provincial and judicial commissions would inevitably be reorganized, and the transfer of officials and the allocation of funds and provisions would all require a complete overhaul. The current situation where the Six Ministries of Nanjing control the Southern Zhili region would vanish in an instant.” He paused, looking at the enormous dragon boat. “His Majesty’s move to Huai’an this time is not merely for river management. If we can stabilize Jiangbei and open up new possibilities, in the future… His Majesty might very well stay in Nanjing for an extended period.”

Zheng Sanjun gasped: "What I mean is... His Majesty might be moving back and forth between the two capitals, North and South?"

“It’s not impossible,” Lü Weiqi said slowly. “His Majesty’s new policies in Huguang have already shown results. If this time, under the guise of river management, we can reorganize the canal transport, river works, and even… integrate the military towns north of the Yangtze River, then with Xuanda, Jiliao, and Huguang in the north and Jiangbei in the south, His Majesty, with elite troops and ample funds, can control the world from the center. There’s no need to stay in Beijing guarding the borders all the time. It’s not impossible to travel back and forth between the border and the treasury!”

Xu Hongji's heart sank as he listened. If the Emperor were to truly move north or south, the power of the nobles and officials who were dependent on the old system in Nanjing would inevitably diminish significantly. Every imperial journey could be accompanied by a new round of power reshuffling, and those who were "invited" out of their strongholds would undoubtedly be the first pawns to be sacrificed in this great reshuffling.

"Excellent methods... truly excellent methods!" Xu Hongji stared at the enormous dragon boat ahead, feeling a chill run down his spine for the first time. He wasn't Zheng Sanjun; that guy was backed by a group of Huizhou merchants—it was just a matter of earning a little less. And where had all his military farms and official lands in Southern Zhili gone? Without the sustained embezzlement by the Nanjing nobles led by the Duke of Wei for over two hundred years, could those lands have simply vanished into thin air?
Zheng Sanjun's face also turned pale, and he murmured, "If that's really the case, is this Jiangnan... still the Jiangnan we know?"

Xu Hongji said in a barely audible voice, "It seems we need to let the brothers in Nanjing know how powerful we are and put in more effort! Otherwise, we'll all end up like Zhu Chunchen!"

Inside Emperor Chongzhen's imperial boat, a completely different scene unfolded.

Emperor Chongzhen stood before a huge map hanging in the cabin, his gaze first falling on Beijing, then slowly shifting to Nanjing. His finger traced the Grand Canal northward, finally stopping at Huai'an, but then he drew a line between the two capitals, one in the north and one in the south.

“Qingjiangpu in Huai’an is the place where the Yellow River, the Huai River and the Grand Canal meet. It would be most convenient to set up the General Office of the River Transport Commissioner here,” he said to Zhang Zhiji and Wei Zhongxian beside him.

Zhang Zhiji nodded: "Your Majesty is wise. By stationing the emperor in Huai'an, we can both deter the old government offices in charge of waterways and canal transport, and also allow us to direct the project nearby."

Wei Zhongxian squinted and smiled, "Your Majesty, those prefectures north of the Yangtze River have been ravaged by the floods. They've heard that Your Majesty intends to manage the river, and the gentry and common people are all eagerly awaiting it. When we arrive, we can summon them and use the hearts and minds of the people north of the Yangtze River to suppress those corrupt officials south of the Yangtze!"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slightly, but his finger moved away from Huai'an and lightly touched the area between the two capitals on the map: "Jiangbei is the foundation. But my concerns go beyond that."

His gaze swept over the two men, his voice calm yet weighty: "The establishment of a garrison in Nanjing is not merely to stabilize the situation during the river management period. In the future, when the river works make progress, I may not reside in Nanjing for long, nor will I be confined to Beijing for an extended period."

Zhang Zhiji and Wei Zhongxian tensed up and listened intently, holding their breath.

"Emperor Taizu established the capital in Nanjing, and Emperor Chengzu moved the capital to Beijing, both with profound intentions. However, times change and circumstances change. It is the way to govern the country by giving equal importance to both the north and the south." Emperor Chongzhen's finger moved slowly between the two points. "What I want is for the court to be able to move freely between the two capitals. The north can control the nine border regions, and the south can pacify the finances. The place where the emperor stays is the center of power."

He looked at Zhang Zhiji: "Zhiji, you are in charge of the canal transport, so you should know that the smooth flow of the canal is not only related to the capital's food and provisions, but also to the lifeline connecting the north and the south. If I return to the north in the future, your office will be the hub that maintains the connection between the two capitals."

He then turned to Wei Zhongxian: "My lord, the Nanjing Garrison Office may seem like a temporary measure, but it is actually the foundation for my management of Jiangnan and the implementation of new laws. No matter where I am in the north or south, there must be reliable people here to safeguard this half of the country's wealth."

Wei Zhongxian immediately bowed: "This old servant understands! Your Majesty has a far-sighted plan to revitalize this stagnant capital and make it truly useful to the court."

“Exactly.” Chongzhen’s gaze sharpened. “I cannot follow the example of Emperor Wuzong, who became trapped in Beijing after his southern tour. Nor can I be like Emperor Wanli, who secluded himself in the palace and lost control of the south. What I want is to revitalize both the northern and southern capitals. Wherever the court is, that is the central hub. Only in this way can we break the current stalemate of north-south divide and ineffective governance.”

He sneered, tapping his finger heavily on the map: "Setting up a garrison is only the first step. When we have more free time, Southern Zhili is indeed too vast... We must divide and rule it!"

Zhang Zhiji and Wei Zhongxian exchanged a glance, their hearts filled with shock. The Emperor was about to completely change the political landscape of the Ming Dynasty, which had lasted for a century, allowing imperial power to truly extend beyond Beijing and break down the entrenched barriers of the Jiangnan interest groups.

"We understand." Zhang Zhiji took a deep breath. "Your Majesty's move is to free the court from the predicament of one region and truly take control of the overall situation."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slightly: "Therefore, the trip to Huai'an is not only about river management, but also about whether I can establish a foothold in Jiangnan. With this foundation, I can look north to the border and south to manage finances, and no longer be subject to others."

He gazed out the window at the northward-flowing river, his eyes filled with a profound sense of distance. Wei Zhongxian and Zhang Zhiji stood solemnly to the side, already understanding in their hearts that the Emperor was about to embark on a grand scheme, the chessboard of which was the entire world, and the first step had already been taken at Qingjiangpu.

(End of this chapter)