Transmigrating to the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming Dynasty: Becoming a Great Emperor Through Idlene

The accountant, codenamed Jia San, looked up at the bustling front yard outside the window and whispered to his companion, "Today's first deal is 3,200 taels. We're buying 500 bolts of palace silk, with a 30% markup. The grain transport agreement is in triplicate, with a 1,000 tael rebate."

"Remember this!" The accountant, codenamed Yi Qi, wrote coded text in the ledger. It wasn't Chinese characters, but a modified Arabic numeral code that only the Imperial City Guard could understand.

"The Emperor's father-in-law just said that he's going to Tongzhou tomorrow to inspect a batch of furs." Jia San added, "They say it's for the palace to buy materials for winter clothes, but actually it's smuggled goods from the Jurchens."

Yi Qi stopped writing: "Will you write it down or not?"

"I remember. But don't move for now." Jia San lowered his voice and said, "His Majesty instructed that the Grand Tutor should spread out the net first. The net should be pulled in after all the fish have been caught."

In the front yard, Zhou Kui was being toasted by a Shanxi merchant. The merchant's surname was Fan, and he was a descendant of the Fan family, one of the eight major merchant families in Shanxi.

"Father-in-law, please take good care of the furs and medicines used in the palace." The merchant handed over a silver note with a smile.

Zhou Kui casually flipped through the denominations: five hundred taels.

He accepted it without showing any emotion: "No problem, no problem. The Fan family has many connections in the Xuanda area, and there will be many opportunities for cooperation in the future."

"Of course," Merchant Fan leaned closer and lowered his voice, "To be honest, Father-in-law, we have our own connections outside the Great Wall. The best ginseng and sable fur are only half the price of what they are in the market..."

A glint flashed in Zhou Kui's eyes.

He naturally knew where these goods came from.

Either it was looted by the Jurchens, or it was bought directly from them. According to the law, this is treason, punishable by death.

But the profits are too high.

So great that he was willing to take the risk for it.

"We'll discuss this in detail in a few days," Zhou Kui patted Merchant Fan on the shoulder. "There are too many people around today."

"Understood, understood."

The banquet lasted until evening. Zhou Kui was completely drunk and had to be helped into his carriage by his servants. The moment the curtain was lowered, the drunkenness on his face vanished, replaced by a shrewd and calculating expression.

He held the list of gifts he had received that day in his hand; it listed eight thousand taels of silver notes and antiques and paintings worth over ten thousand taels. And this was only the first day.

"Master, shall we return to the manor?" the coachman asked.

"No, go to the residence of Commander Luo of the Embroidered Uniform Guard," Zhou Kui said. "We need to make some arrangements so that business will be easier in the future."

The carriage creaked and groaned as it traveled along the snow-covered streets.

Zhou Kui was unaware that two peddlers carrying loads were following behind his carriage. Their loads contained no goods, only short knives and crossbows.

The money he received, the people he met, and the words he spoke today were all recorded in detail, encrypted, and sent to the Forbidden City.

Inside the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Chongzhen was reviewing two reports.

One report was from Lu Wenzhao's night raid report: "The enemy raided the Xuanfu camp, burning a considerable amount of grain and fodder. The enemy suffered over a hundred casualties, while our side suffered no casualties."

The other document was the Imperial City Guard's surveillance report on Zhou Kui. It was so detailed it was unbearable, listing everything from what Zhou Kui ate that morning, who he met, how much money he received, and what he said—not a single word was missing.

Wang Chengen cautiously said to the Emperor, "Isn't what the Imperial Father-in-law is doing a bit too much? Colluding with the enemy and smuggling are capital offenses."

"Let him do it." Chongzhen put down the report. "The more outrageous he goes, the more reasons I'll have to deal with him later." More importantly...

He walked to the map and pointed to Xuanfu: "Through Zhou Kui, I can find out the smuggling network of the Shanxi merchants and the Jurchens. How many officials were involved, how many generals took money, how many merchants acted as intermediaries... Only after I find out the details can I wipe them all out in one fell swoop."

Wang Chengen gasped. He then realized that the emperor not only coveted Zhou Kui's money, but also intended to use Zhou Kui as bait to lure out a bigger fish.

"So... will 60% of the profits from the Four Seas Trading Company really be given to the Emperor's father-in-law?" Wang Chengen asked.

"Divide it up." Chongzhen sneered. "Only when he tastes the sweetness will he work harder to spread the net for me. When he spreads the net big enough and strong enough, when I pull it in, I will have caught more than just one fish."

A bell tolled outside the window. The palace gates were locked.

Emperor Chongzhen walked to the window and gazed at the Forbidden City in the twilight. Snow still clung to the glazed tiles, bathed in the golden-red light of the setting sun.

It's beautiful, but unrealistically so.

Like this empire, it appears quite magnificent on the outside, but is riddled with problems inside.

Corrupt officials are greedy for power, unscrupulous merchants are treacherous, and foreign enemies invade.

He could only quietly implant new things into those decaying structures.

The Imperial City Guard is like a knife.

Sihai Trading Company is an online platform.

Sun Chuanting sowed the seeds in Shaanxi.

Lu Xiang-sheng was building ships in Nanjing.

Johann Adam Schall von Bell lit a fire in the West Garden.

These scattered points now seem insignificant.

But one day, they will connect into lines, weave into a net, and gather into a fire.

By then...

"Your Majesty, it's time for dinner," Wang Chengen gently reminded him.

Emperor Chongzhen turned around: "Serve the meal. Keep it simple."

"Yes."

Dinner was simple: a bowl of porridge, two steamed buns, and a dish of pickled vegetables. This was a habit Chongzhen developed after ascending the throne, not because he was truly frugal, but to create a contrast with the extravagant officials in the court.

During the meal, he suddenly asked, "Wang Banban, if you were the emperor, what would you be most worried about right now?"

Wang Chengen was startled and quickly knelt down, saying, "This servant would not dare to speak nonsense..."

"Just say it."

Wang Chengen thought for a moment, then said cautiously, "This servant feels that it is time to act. The scheme Your Majesty has set up is quite complex and will require some time. But the Jurchens will not give us time, the bandits will not give us time, and those officials in the court... will not give us time either."

Emperor Chongzhen nodded. That hit the nail on the head.

What he lacks most is time.

Historically, the seventh year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign (1644) marked a turning point. In that year, Gao Yingxiang, Li Zicheng, and Zhang Xianzhong led three armies totaling 200,000 men, traversing five provinces. Huang Taiji invaded the border three times, abducting tens of thousands. Yang Sichang's "Four Cardinal and Six Corner" plan was implemented, but with limited success.

He has at most three years left.

Within three years, Sun Chuanting aims to establish a firm foothold in Shaanxi.

Within three years, Lu Xiang-sheng plans to build a navy on the Yangtze River.

Within three years, the Imperial City Guard must develop combat capabilities.

Within three years, Johann Adam Schall von Bell must produce usable technology.

Three years...

"That's enough," Chongzhen said, putting down his chopsticks. "A lot can be accomplished in three years."

Looking at the emperor, Wang Chengen suddenly felt a pang of heartache. Twenty-three years old should be a vibrant and spirited age, yet he had to bear such a heavy burden.

"Your Majesty, please take care of your health."

"I know." Emperor Chongzhen stood up and suddenly said, "I want to see the stars."

Wang Chengen accompanied Emperor Chongzhen to the terrace, where they gazed at the night sky.

The weather was beautiful and clear on the night of the 26th of the first lunar month. We could see Orion's Belt, the brilliance of Sirius, and the faint shadow of the Milky Way.

The universe is vast, and history is long.

A person or a dynasty is but a fleeting moment in the long river of time.

But the choice we make now concerns the fate of millions of people.

At night, the Forbidden City appears especially solemn under the starlight.

This palace has witnessed too many rises and falls, too many deaths and rebirths.

Now it's his turn to turn to a new page.

Regardless of whether the outcome is joy or sorrow.

Make sure to write until the very end.