Chapter 24: Chongzhen Borrows Money

The Chongzhen Emperor, having finished showing off, originally planned to return to the rear palace to find Consort Tian and "relax" a bit — after all, he cut quite the imposing figure in that suit of golden armor, and it would be a real shame not to flaunt it.

But when the Chongzhen Emperor reached the rear palace, a major matter suddenly came to mind. He had thought of going straight to the Imperial Study to summon his ministers for discussion, but after mulling it over, he simply turned and headed for the Empress's palace instead.

As for everything else, he might as well leave it until tomorrow — that would give all the ministers a nice surprise.

After the grand court assembly on the tenth day of the tenth month of the seventh year of Tianqi convened, the civil and military officials of the Great Ming, having already witnessed the Chongzhen Emperor's shrewder-than-a-shrew street cursing, once again had their understanding of his bottom line refreshed, and were forced to recalculate the thickness of the Chongzhen Emperor's skin.

Following the customary round of nonsense and Chongzhen's forceful proclamation of the new guard-station system and the bereavement compensation system for fallen soldiers, Chongzhen addressed the Minister of Revenue, Guo Yunhou: "Minister Guo, how much silver does the state treasury currently hold?

And if Our edict just now were to be fully implemented in the capital first, how much silver would be required?"

Guo Yunhou stepped out from the ranks and reported: "Reporting to Your Majesty, the Ministry of Revenue currently holds less than five million taels of silver, and grain supplies are insufficient for one month's needs.

To fulfill Your Majesty's edict, the silver required would be at least nine million taels."

The Chongzhen Emperor remained silent. The assembled ministers below immediately exploded into an uproar, nearly all of them forgetting the matter of decorum before the sovereign, whispering to one another until a Censor shouted, "Silence!" Only then did the ministers quiet down.

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren stepped out from the ranks and reported: "Reporting to Your Majesty, though we do not fear the Jianzhou barbarians now besieging the city, they are still a menace.

Since the capital's grain and fodder are insufficient for a month, it would be better to implement a rationing system.

Additionally, an edict could summon troops from various regions to march to the capital and relieve the sovereign, forcing the Jianzhou barbarians to withdraw early, whereupon grain could be delivered to the capital via the canal transport system."

The Minister of Revenue, Guo Yunhou, once again stepped out from the ranks and reported: "Your Majesty, why not temporarily postpone the construction of the Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred?

We could wait until after the spring tax revenues come in next year to resume construction, and it would still not be too late."

Hearing the senior figures up front had spoken, the ministers behind them immediately began chiming in with all sorts of seconding opinions, all urging the Chongzhen Emperor to temporarily postpone the construction of the Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred and wait until next year's spring taxes came in.

The Chongzhen Emperor continued to imitate those pretty-boy idols of later generations, his face expressionless. Only in his heart did he sneer: "No wonder people in later ages said that the fall of the eunuch faction was the true beginning of the Great Ming's demise.

With ministers like these, it'd be a miracle if they didn't play the Great Ming to death! Not build the Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred?

Then who's going to get up on the city walls and risk their lives for Us?!"

Chongzhen cleared his throat, and once all the ministers had quieted down, said: "My beloved ministers speak with reason.

However, with the Jianzhou barbarians now besieging the city, if the construction of this Shrine of the Loyal and Martyred were suddenly halted, I fear it would chill the hearts of the officers and soldiers. When the time comes, who will defend this vast city of Beijing for Us?

Will your Grand Secretariat go? Will your Six Ministries go?

Or will you Censors and remonstrating officials go?"

Chief Grand Secretary Wen Tiren, Minister of War Cui Chengxiu, and Minister of Revenue Guo Yunhou fell silent.

In truth, everyone knew that if the hearts of these soldiers were chilled, it was likely that before the Jianzhou barbarians could even breach the city, they themselves would first be hacked to death by these rank-and-file troops!

Most of the remaining ministers were cursing Chongzhen inwardly: Isn't this mess all your doing, you little emperor? If you want to build this shrine, then build it — the money spent is yours anyway!

Seeing that the ministers were silent, Chongzhen took the initiative and spoke: "We now face a time that can truly be called a national crisis. We are willing to transfer two million taels of silver from the privy purse into the Ministry of Revenue for use.

In addition, We wish to borrow some silver from Our beloved ministers. When the national treasury is ample again, this silver will naturally be repaid. What say you?"

The assembled ministers were all silent upon hearing this. Not one of them spoke up about lending silver to Chongzhen. To the ministers, the state belonged to you, Chongzhen, but the silver was their own!

Seeing that everyone still remained silent, Chongzhen said to Zhou Kui: "Minister Zhou, as the State Uncle, your fortunes rise and fall as one with the Great Ming. Why not set an example?"

Zhou Kui, upon hearing this, stepped out from the ranks and said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant's family has traditionally lived by farming and scholarship. To this day, we have only managed to save a little over ten thousand taels of silver.

Your servant is willing to donate it all, to help overcome this national crisis!"

These words were spoken with an air of utter righteousness.

But to Chongzhen's ears, they were nothing but a joke.

Just from what the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot had uncovered during this period, it could already be confirmed that State Uncle Zhou's household held no less than two hundred thousand taels of silver, with other treasures amounting to over twenty cartloads.

If measured by actual value, even if State Uncle Zhou couldn't compare to the "Two Mas and One Li" of later generations, he probably wasn't far off.

Wen Tiren saw the emperor's cheek twitch and thought, this is bad.

He hurriedly stepped out from the ranks and reported: "Reporting to Your Majesty, your servant has been an official for many years and ordinarily receives court subsidies for various household expenses, so there is still some surplus wealth at home.

Your servant is willing to donate one hundred thousand taels to support state expenditures."

The Minister of Revenue, Guo Yunhou, also said: "Your servant's household is poor and frugal. My parents, wife, and children all rely on your servant's salary for support.

The household truly has no surplus wealth to speak of, and I can only pledge a donation of fifty thousand taels. Your servant is ashamed before Your Majesty's abundant grace!"

Next, the Minister of War, Cui Chengxiu, also stepped out from the ranks and said: "Your Majesty's abundant grace blankets the soldiers of the realm. Your servant pledges a donation of one hundred fifty thousand taels."

Seeing the senior figures up front all pledging donations, a flock of eunuch-faction members also jumped out. One donated a hundred thousand taels, another eighty thousand, and in a short while, they had actually cobbled together over one and a half million taels.

Chongzhen did a mental calculation: he would put up two million taels, the eunuch faction had donated one million, which meant they were still short by about one and a half million taels.

But seeing that the ministers were pledging no further donations, and that among the Donglin Faction, only a single Vice Minister of Revenue had pledged a donation of three hundred taels, Chongzhen finally felt despair toward the upright gentlemen of the Donglin Faction and cast aside the last shred of wishful thinking in his heart.

With a mirthless, skin-deep smile, Chongzhen said: "In that case, my beloved ministers may return home and consider the matter carefully before deciding whether to pledge a donation. If there is nothing else, the court is dismissed."

The furious Chongzhen Emperor returned to the rear palace and immediately dispatched Wang Cheng'en to summon Wei Zhongxian, Cao Huachun, and Tian Ergeng.

Chongzhen still remembered that on his very first day after transmigrating and possessing this body, he had instructed Tian Ergeng to investigate the personal assets and properties of all officials in the capital!

To prevent Tian Ergeng from merely going through the motions, he had also ordered Cao Huachun to do the same thing in secret.

When the two sets of findings were cross-checked later, the largest discrepancy was no more than a hundred or so taels, and Chongzhen knew then that both men had put their hearts into carrying out the assignment.

The several men who had risen and come to the palace looked at the emperor's gloomy expression, and none of them dared to open their mouths to speak. Finally, it was Chongzhen who said: "Tian Ergeng."

Tian Ergeng dropped to one knee, clasped his fist in his palm, and said: "Your servant is here!"

Chongzhen said: "At tomorrow's court session, dispatch guards to wait outside the hall for Our summons. Later, send men out together with the Eastern Depot agents to carry out an assignment."

Having said this, Chongzhen turned his head to Wei Zhongxian and said: "Companion Wei, your Eastern Depot agents have a task to perform this time. Leave the palace shortly and order the Eastern Depot agents to go out onto the streets and solicit donations for Us.

No amount is too small — record every single one. Especially if any beggars or brothel women donate money or goods, do not disdain even a single copper coin!

Record every person and every deed, and compile a summary for Us this evening. Tomorrow, We want to see whether Our pillars of state still care even a little for their own face!"