How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 36 Negotiable Silver? Redemption Land? This is Chongzhen's New Policies! (Please add to your favorites and read on!)

On the third day of the eleventh month, at the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Before dawn, the Hall of Supreme Harmony was already filled with civil and military officials dressed in mourning clothes. Since the death of Emperor Tianqi and the ascension of Emperor Chongzhen, the political landscape in the court had been in turmoil. The eunuch faction was losing power, and those close to Wei Zhongxian were all feeling insecure.

Today, three more people—Cui Chengxiu, Tian Ji, and Zhou Yingqiu—are missing from the court! One is one of the Five Tigers of the Eunuch Party, another is the leader of the Five Tigers of the Eunuch Party, and the third is a notorious corrupt official of the Eunuch Party. Who knows who will be implicated next!
The palace gates slowly opened, and an official from the Court of State Ceremonial announced loudly, "His Majesty has arrived."

Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, dressed in a plain white robe, strode steadily into the main hall. His face was serene, his gaze piercing. He stood before the throne, his eyes sweeping over the assembled officials. The officials prostrated themselves, shouting "May Your Majesty enjoy boundless blessings!"

"Rise," Emperor Chongzhen said calmly, his voice not loud, but his authority growing ever stronger.

All the officials rose and stood respectfully with their heads bowed.

An official from the Court of State Ceremonial stepped forward, unfurled the imperial edict, and loudly proclaimed: "By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Cui Chengxiu, Left Censor-in-Chief and Minister of War; Tian Ji, Minister of War; and Zhou Yingqiu, Minister of Personnel, have been found guilty of embezzlement, abuse of power, and favoritism. They are hereby suspended from their posts for investigation. A final decision will be made after they have paid their fines and redemption land."

As soon as the imperial edict was issued, a low murmur rippled through the hall.

"Suspension from duty for investigation? What kind of regulation is that?"

"A fine for crimes? A land for redemption? When did the Ming Dynasty have such rules?"

"Could it be... a roundabout way to ask for money?"

The officials exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts filled with surprise and uncertainty. They had long heard that the emperor was implementing a system of "punishment fines," but none of them had expected that he would actually dare to openly present it in the court!
Emperor Chongzhen sat on his throne, calmly observing the restless courtiers below, a slight smile playing on his lips. A famous saying goes: "Where there's a will, there's a way!" In his previous life, however, he refused to compromise, caring too much about how history would portray him, resulting in the downfall of his dynasty, and history books filled with slanderous tales against the Ming.

In this life, he had finally seen the light. As long as he could hold out and prevent the Manchus and Li Zicheng from destroying the Ming Dynasty, shame was irrelevant. At worst, he could rewrite history! As long as he was as shameless as Emperor Qianlong, the Ming Dynasty could definitely continue for another few decades or even a hundred years!
"My esteemed ministers, do you have any doubts?" he asked slowly.

The hall fell silent instantly.

Emperor Chongzhen explained calmly, “The silver for punishment and the land for redemption are my new policies, intended to give those officials, both inside and outside the court, who still have a conscience and have repented, a chance to reform themselves.”

He paused, glanced at the assembled officials, and continued, "As long as they recognize their mistakes and actively return the embezzled money and land to the court, the court will grant them leniency based on their attitude in admitting their guilt and the urgency of their return."

"Cui Chengxiu, Tian Ji, and Zhou Yingqiu voluntarily surrendered to me at Wenhua Hall yesterday and are now confessing their corruption on Qionghua Island."

He spoke in a gentle tone, even with a hint of leniency, and patiently persuaded them, saying, "I am benevolent and cannot bear to implement the severe punishments in the 'Great Proclamation of the Ming Dynasty,' which punish those who embezzle more than sixty taels of silver with 'beheading and skinning.' I am willing to give them a chance to make amends and atone for their sins."

"Among my beloved ministers, if there is anyone who has succumbed to temptation in the past and taken silver that should not have been taken, you may also repent and return to office, just like them."

"This is my benevolence, and also my new policy!"

After these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

The ministers had varying expressions; some were filled with surprise and doubt, some were covered in cold sweat, and some were deep in thought.

Money for redemption? Land for atonement?
This is against ancestral customs!

But who dares to stand up and say that the emperor has violated ancestral rules?
Now, eight or nine out of ten people standing in the court are "eunuchs" promoted by Wei Zhongxian. Who among them doesn't have some dirty secrets? If we really followed Zhu Yuanzhang's method, they would all be skinned alive!

Now, not only will he not be skinned alive, but he can also pay some fines to settle his crimes and then be reinstated! This emperor is truly benevolent! What a good emperor!

They wanted to stand up and oppose it, and then the emperor sent Sun Chengzong of the Donglin Party to skin them alive... Isn't that brain-dead?
Sun Chengzong, the leader of the Donglin Party who could absolutely be called a "righteous minister," remained silent at this moment.

Although he did not agree with the "penalty silver" and "redemption land", he also understood the emperor's predicament - the Ming Dynasty was really short of silver!

Moreover, the corrupt practices of the Ming Dynasty were deeply entrenched and difficult to reverse. If Zhu Yuanzhang's methods were truly followed, the anti-corruption campaign could have destroyed the Ming Dynasty...

Finally, Sun Chengzong understood that Chongzhen did not want to kill the eunuch faction, but rather to first harvest some of their resources and then recruit them as his lackeys!
To keep the eunuch faction content to act as lackeys, there needs to be money for redeeming sins and land for atonement. Otherwise, once the Donglin Party enters the government, its anti-corruption campaign will wipe out the eunuch faction.

Therefore, if Sun Chengzong were to stand up and oppose this today, his plan to lead the Donglin Party into the court would be ruined.

If you can't get involved, how can you serve your country and people? How can you leave a lasting mark on history?

Seeing that his ministers were silent, Emperor Chongzhen was satisfied and signaled the officials of the Honglu Temple to continue reading the imperial edict.

"By the mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Sun Chengzong shall be appointed Left Censor-in-Chief."

The courtiers stirred up another commotion.

Sun Chengzong was previously a Grand Secretary of the Wuying Hall—a dignified Grand Secretary! Now he has been appointed Left Censor-in-Chief, which means he is being used as a sword hanging over the heads of the eunuch faction!
Looking at the assembled officials with their varied expressions, Chongzhen smiled and said, "In the past, the appointment of the Minister of War and the Minister of Personnel was somewhat chaotic. There were twelve ministers in the six ministries in Beijing, which was not in accordance with the ancestral system. Now, we will change it back to one minister per ministry. The Minister of War will be temporarily appointed by the Vice Minister. I will make other arrangements later."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the officials standing in the front row: "As for Minister Wu and Minister Xue, your positions as Ministers of Works will be temporarily suspended, and you will be reassigned later."

Wu Chunfu and Xue Fengxiang, whose names were mentioned, paled instantly. Wu Chunfu was one of Wei Zhongxian's "Five Tigers." Now that his leader Cui Chengxiu and colleague Tian Ji had been detained, and he had been dismissed from his post, the next step would likely be to pay a hefty fine! But their "crimes" were serious, and they would probably have to pay a huge sum of money!

The three men were terrified, but dared not disobey. They could only kowtow and express their gratitude along with Sun Chengzong: "Your subjects...accept the decree."

Li Kuilong, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief, and Ni Wenhuan, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who were standing in the back row, were trembling with fear even though they were not called out by name, afraid that they would be next.

Chongzhen's gaze swept over them, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips: "Don't be afraid, you two. You are both good dogs of Wei Zhongxian, and you haven't been greedy enough. So I won't keep you here. Be good dogs for me, and bite whoever I tell you to bite!"
However, that smile sent chills down their spines.

Subsequently, officials from Honglu Temple read out the imperial edict reinstating Li Banghua and Qian Qianyi, and commended them for their merit in submitting a petition to the emperor earlier, speaking on behalf of the two border generals, Sun Zushou and Zu Dashou.

Li Banghua was appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Qian Qianyi was appointed as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.

The two men, already dressed in their official robes, stepped forward and knelt, saying, "Your Majesty, we thank you for your great favor!"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded slightly and offered a few words of encouragement.

Officials from Honglu Temple unfurled another imperial edict and read it aloud:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Zhang Weixian, Duke of Yingguo, is a meritorious and respected elder statesman who has made great contributions to the nation. However, he is advanced in years and suffers from chronic illness. He has repeatedly petitioned to retire in order to live out his remaining years. I am moved by his loyalty and diligence and remember his meritorious service. I hereby grant his request and allow him to retire to enjoy his old age. I will also grant his son the position of Vice Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard as a sign of my favor."

As the imperial edict was read aloud, a slight commotion arose among the ranks of the nobles. Zhang Weixian, the leader of the nobility, had finally and completely withdrawn from the core of power. It remained to be seen who would succeed him.
Immediately following, another imperial edict arrived:

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: Zhu Chunchen, Duke of Cheng, is a man of unwavering loyalty and far-sighted vision. He is hereby appointed Governor-General of the Capital Garrison, overseeing all three major military camps, in recognition of his meritorious service!"

Zhu Chunchen's plump face instantly lit up with uncontrollable joy, like a blooming chrysanthemum. He practically leaped forward, lifted his robes, and knelt down, his voice so loud it shook the palace beams: "Your subject Zhu Chunchen kowtows in gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

His forehead slammed heavily against the gold brick, making a dull thud. Governor-General of the Beijing Garrison! This was the position he had always dreamed of! Although some of his military power had been taken away, in name he was the supreme commander of the Beijing Garrison! His pride practically overflowed from every pore.

It seems the Emperor is unaware that the envoy of Hudun Tu Khan was summoned by him. The young Emperor Zhu still has to rely on this noble leader!

However, the voices of the Honglu Temple officials did not cease:

"Zhang Zhiji, the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Central Military Commission, is commendable for his loyalty and bravery, and possesses outstanding talent. He is hereby appointed as the Commander-in-Chief of the Five Armies. I hope he will perform his duties diligently and live up to my expectations!"

Zhang Zhiji followed closely behind, stepping forward and bowing deeply: "Your subject Zhang Zhiji thanks Your Majesty for your great favor! I will certainly do my utmost to live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"

His voice was calm and his demeanor humble. He showed no pride at having been promoted to the rank of Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army Camp; in fact, he seemed somewhat apprehensive.

Meanwhile, a silent undercurrent was surging within the ranks of the nobles.

Zhang Weixian's departure, Zhu Chunchen's promotion, Zhang Zhiji's rise... This sudden reshuffling of power made these nobles, who were extremely sensitive to the power game, sense something unusual.

Emperor Chongzhen sat upright on his throne, taking in everything. His face still wore that gentle smile, as if he were merely arranging a routine personnel change.

However, the game of chess has only just begun.

The vermilion gates of the Qianqing Palace slowly opened, and Zhou Yufeng, leading Tian Xiuying and Yuan Shi, stood gracefully before the steps, bowing to him—these were three exceptionally beautiful young women! Chongzhen paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the youthful faces of Tian and Yuan—one was sixteen, the other fifteen; in Handong Province, they would still be middle school students…

"Your Majesty is back." Zhou Yufeng greeted him with a smile, her voice gentle. "I noticed that Qianqing Palace is rather empty, and I would like to leave my two younger sisters here to keep you company."

Chongzhen smiled bitterly to himself. In his previous life, when he was a "deputy director," his personal conduct was quite upright. He would even avoid eating in the canteen with his female subordinates. Now, however, he had to deal with three wives. On the surface, he nodded gently and said, "Yu Feng is the mistress of the house. You're in charge."

Just as he was about to take a step, Gao Yushun, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, jogged closer and whispered, "Your Majesty, Li Kuilong, the Left Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and Ni Wenhuan, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, are kneeling outside Zuoshun Gate, saying... saying they want to surrender and pay a ransom."

Emperor Chongzhen raised his eyebrows slightly.

These two old dogs among the "Five Tigers" of the eunuch faction are quick to act!

"Let them wait in the Wenhua Hall." Chongzhen dusted off non-existent dust from his sleeve. "Tell Cao Huachun that, following the example of those three from Qionghua Island, they should first submit the list of their crimes and then discuss leniency."

As Gao Yushun bowed and withdrew, Zhou Yufeng was softly instructing Tian Xiuying and Yuan Shi: "Would it be alright for the younger sisters to stay in the Nine-Room Pavilion? There are nine warm rooms there, each with two floors..." Before she could finish speaking, Chongzhen suddenly turned his head:

"Wait a minute."

Gao Yushun immediately stood at attention.

"Add one more thing." Chongzhen stared at the newly fallen snowflakes on the glazed tiles. "Have them confess the crimes of Cui Chengxiu, Tian Ji, and Zhou Yingqiu. Reporting and exposing them is also a meritorious act!"
Tell them that their accusations are commendable, and I can protect them; they will not be dismissed from their posts, the matter will not be made public, and they can continue to serve in their current positions.

(End of this chapter)