How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 83 The Second Most Beautiful Woman in Yehe, Are You Convinced? (Third Update)

Xuanfu Town, the dungeon guarding the eunuch's mansion.

The torches crackled, their light dim and flickering. The air was thick with the stench of blood, mildew, and a chilling atmosphere. Wang Dengku, the former head manager of the Wang family's trading company, now huddled in a corner, his face ashen, tears streaming down his face. His silk robe was stained and stained, and one of his cloud-patterned shoes with its thousand-layered soles was nowhere to be seen.

Wei Zhongxian sat in his armchair, leisurely sipping his tea. Beside him stood Tu Wenfu, the eunuch in charge of provisions for the Xuanfu Garrison, and two expressionless servants. A eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial was hunched over his desk, writing furiously.

"Eunuch Wei... Ancestor Wei!" Wang Dengku's voice was hoarse, his knees aching from the friction, his voice trembling with sobs. "I'm innocent! I'm a legitimate businessman! I run errands for the Prince's Mansion and the Duke of Cheng's Mansion! One of my sisters is even a concubine in the Duke of Cheng's Mansion... She has a deep friendship with Eunuch Pang Yugui, the head steward of the Prince's Mansion! They're from the same village..." He forced a fawning smile, "Please... for the sake of the Prince and the Duke, have mercy... spare my life!"

Wei Zhongxian raised his eyes, a friendly expression spreading across his face as if he were listening to an old acquaintance chatting casually, and he even nodded slightly. "Oh? Eunuch Pang Yugui? I know him. Close to the Prince's Mansion, and also has connections in the Duke of Cheng's Mansion? You have a powerful backer? No wonder your business is so large... tsk." He turned to the eunuch who was recording, "Did you write that down? Doing business on behalf of the Prince's Mansion and the Duke of Cheng's Mansion, family ties, good relations with Pang Yugui, did you miss anything?"

"Your Majesty, not a single word has been missed," the eunuch replied respectfully.

Wang Dengku watched the pen move so quickly, feeling uneasy, but still nodded frantically: "Yes, yes, yes! Every word I said is true! Please, Your Excellency, investigate thoroughly!"

"Alright, alright." Wei Zhongxian smiled and leaned forward, appearing exceptionally friendly. "Then, Manager Wang, tell me more carefully, what specific business deals do you conduct with the Duke of Cheng's Mansion and the Prince of Dai's Mansion?"

Wang Dengku hurriedly replied, "It's just... lending money for profit, buying and selling grain, transporting livestock... all legitimate businesses! I would never dare to break the law!" He glanced at Wei Zhongxian's face and saw that the other man's smile was getting wider, which reassured him a little.

Wei Zhongxian nodded: "Good rules, good rules indeed. Well... the Duke of Cheng's mansion and the Prince of Dai's mansion must have a lot of money stored in your old shop, right? It must be a considerable sum for business turnover?"

In a moment of impulsiveness, Wang Dengku blurted out, "Yes! Yes! Your Excellency is wise! Hundreds of thousands of taels have been deposited! It's all recorded in the books!" He felt he had seized a chance. "Your Excellency, if you would be lenient and let me go... I will surely be richly rewarded! I will surely be richly rewarded!" He even considered getting some silver from the merchant to bribe officials—this Lord Wei had paid a lot of money for his crimes and redemption land; surely he could recoup some of it?

"Good, it's good that you know what you're doing." Wei Zhongxian's smile remained unchanged. "Anything else? What dealings do your family have with the seven princely mansions and over a hundred general's mansions in Datong City?"

Wang Dengku is now like a dead pig that's not afraid of boiling water. He's already "sold out" the Prince of Dai and Zhu Chunchen, so why would he be afraid of selling out a few more princes and generals of the imperial clan?

"Then confess everything!" Wei Zhongxian continued his deception—a thief's bite goes deep into the bone!
"I'll talk, I'll talk!" In order to please Wei Zhongxian, Wang Dengku was "speaking without reservation," spilling everything he could and couldn't say, leaving no stone unturned.

Wei Zhongxian raised his chin, and the eunuch recording the confessions immediately brought several still-wet ink slips to Wang Dengku and handed them red inkpads.

"Manager Wang, sign this. If you do, we'll feel much more at ease." Wei Zhongxian's voice was as gentle as if he were coaxing a child.

A confession without a signature is not considered irrefutable evidence!
Although Wang Dengku did not disclose the "life-threatening" deal, that was not important. Just the fact that he helped the traitor manage money was enough for all his protectors to completely sever ties with him.

Without his protective umbrella, how he dies depends entirely on the Emperor's mood.

Wang Dengku was captivated by that smiling face, feeling that a way out was just around the corner. He hurriedly and tremblingly dipped his finger in red ink and pressed it onto the blank space of each sheet of paper. After finishing the last one, he looked up hopefully: "Father-in-law...when can that wicked man...leave?"

Wei Zhongxian smiled kindly and nodded, saying, "Soon. I'll take you... to see the prince and duke you want to see."

Wang Dengku sensed something was amiss, but he still repeatedly bowed to Wei Zhongxian in gratitude. Perhaps he wanted to thank Wei Zhongxian for digging a deep pit large enough to bury his entire family?

However, Wei Zhongxian also had his kind heart. At this moment, he wouldn't immediately shatter Wang Dengku's illusions—if a person loses hope, they might not live! And Wang Dengku's value in living is certainly greater!
He considered handing Wang Dengku over first, then seeing what the Emperor thought—there were plenty of Shanxi merchants doing similar business with Wang Dengku! If the Emperor felt he wasn't "enough to eat," he could use Wang Dengku's own confession to force him to expose his accomplice Wei Zhongxian. He was confident he could confiscate two or three million taels of silver for the Emperor.
Just as he was contemplating this good news, Tu Wenfu leaned forward and whispered, "Your Majesty, a messenger just arrived. It's... a secret decree from His Majesty."

Wei Zhongxian paused, his sly smile turning into a serious expression: "Go back to the study to look."

In the study room.

Tu Wenfu carefully took out a wax-sealed wooden box.

"Master Eunuch, it's a secret decree personally written by His Majesty," Tu Wenfu said in a low voice.

Wei Zhongxian sat down in the main seat, closed his eyes as if to rest, and said, "Read." "Yes." Tu Wenfu unfolded the yellow paper and read it clearly in a low voice. The candlelight flickered, illuminating Wei Zhongxian's calm face. He tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest, listening carefully to each word.

After Tu Wenfu finished reading, the study was quiet for a moment.

Wei Zhongxian opened his eyes, stroked his chin, and said, "His Majesty's intention... is for us to contact Hudun Tu Khan to negotiate peace. This is another important task!"

Tu Wenfu smiled and flattered, "His Majesty is relying on Grandfather more and more."

Wei Zhongxian nodded with a smile. He had indeed made a fortune from this trip to Xuanfu, completely turning his fortunes around!

Thinking of this, he said to Tu Wenfu, "Wenfu, His Majesty also values ​​you highly. Escorting Consort Su Tai to Tsinghua Garden is also an important task!"

……

Several days later, the convoy, weary from its journey yet discreet, entered Tsinghua Garden in western Beijing as dusk fell.

Although this place was not the Forbidden City, it possessed the solemn tranquility of a royal garden. Supported by two meek palace maids, Lady Sutai Nara stepped down from the carriage. She changed out of her travel-worn robes and into the Mongolian noblewoman's attire that Tu Wenfu had prepared in advance.

The old pain from Wang Tong's kick to her shoulder hadn't healed and was still throbbing, but what unsettled her even more was the purpose of her trip and the person she was about to face.

She quietly took a deep breath, trying to suppress the fear and anticipation in her heart.

The rule on the grasslands beyond the Great Wall is that the strong are respected and the weak are subservient!
As the second most beautiful woman in Yehe, she was captured by the Ming army and sent to the Ming royal villa, where she was about to meet the Ming emperor. If the emperor was satisfied with her, the rest would be self-evident.

Guided by Tu Wenfu in a low voice, she passed through several quiet courtyards and arrived at the outside of a warm pavilion. The curtain was lifted by a eunuch, revealing a brightly lit interior, with warmth mixed with a faint sandalwood scent wafting towards her.

A voice called out from inside, "Summon them!" Tu Wenfu gestured for them to enter.

She took a deep breath, bowed her head and stepped forward, not daring to look directly at him. Following the etiquette she had hastily learned before entering the palace, she prostrated herself deeply on the ground and said in broken but clear Chinese: "This sinful woman, Jin Shi Su Tai, pays her respects to His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty and wishes His Majesty a long life and good health."

Silence fell over the warm pavilion. After a moment, a young yet authoritative voice rang out from above: "Raise your head."

Su Tai's heart skipped a beat, and she slowly raised her head as instructed. First, she saw piles of documents and an imperial seal on the desk, and then she saw the emperor sitting behind the desk.

For a split second, she almost stopped breathing.

On her way here, she had imagined many different appearances: perhaps dignified and cold, perhaps cunning and calculating, perhaps as majestic and rugged as Nurhaci... but she never expected him to be such a handsome and slender young man!

Is it him? Is it this seemingly weak young emperor whose army defeated the mighty Khutuktu Khan, causing her followers to bleed profusely and forcing her, the Northern Yuan princess, to kneel here?
Lost in thought, Chongzhen also glanced at the kneeling Yehe Princess.

This second most beautiful woman in Yehe was indeed quite attractive. Her brows carried the spirited air of a woman from the northern frontier, her nose was high and straight, and her skin, tanned a healthy honey color from years of wind and sun, shone brightly in the candlelight. Though kneeling on the ground, her back was straight, revealing a stubborn refusal to completely submit. She was truly a remarkable beauty from the northern frontier.

"Su Tai, are you convinced?" Chongzhen asked gently.

Sutai snapped back to his senses, prostrated himself deeply again, his forehead lightly touching the cool gold brick floor, and answered in the most submissive tone possible:

"The might of the Ming Dynasty... I am completely convinced."

(End of this chapter)