Chapter 52: A First-Rate Emperor Sets the Standard

"Therefore, if these ten policies can be put into practice, the state's finances may gradually improve."

Guo Yunhou's somewhat hoarse voice finally came to a pause.

He raised his head and looked at Zhu Youjian expectantly.

Zhu Youjian's fingertips tapped lightly on the table; he remained silent for a long while, as if still savoring Guo Yunhou's words.

After a long moment, he slowly spoke, his voice clear and resonant.

"What Minister Guo has presented are all prudent, state-minded counsels. We have taken them all to heart."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled Grand Secretaries and ministers in the hall.

"But even the best state policies must ultimately be carried out by men."

"In the past, state affairs decayed and corruption ran rampant. Many who were caught up in it had no choice in the matter."

At these words, the atmosphere in the hall instantly grew delicate.

To be frank, among those standing in this hall today to deliberate state affairs, few were entirely innocent.

As if oblivious to this undercurrent, Zhu Youjian continued:

"However, We have long resided deep within the palace, and after leaving the princely residence, Our time was spent only on study and martial practice. Of court affairs, We truly know very little."

"Among the myriad civil and military officials, the personnel are tangled and complex. We cannot yet distinguish the virtuous from the treacherous. It will take time — observing carefully, watching with intent — before We can see clearly and plainly."

"Otherwise, should We mistakenly employ a treacherous minister, even the best state policy, once it reaches the lower levels, will turn into one disastrous affair after another, bringing calamity to the state and its people."

"Therefore, Minister Guo's ten policies shall be set aside for now. We will revisit them once We have gained a better understanding of the various lords of the court."

He spoke earnestly, appearing every bit the young Son of Heaven who had just ascended the throne.

Guo Yunhou could only cup his hands and assent, yet he could not suppress the disappointment in his eyes.

In matters of the dynasty's finances and taxation, he was the most anxious man of all.

For no other reason than this: so long as the dynasty's finances remained in disarray, he would be the donkey bound to the millstone, condemned to endless drudgery and suffering.

Yet this was merely Zhu Youjian's lie.

What did he mean, he could not distinguish the virtuous from the treacherous? What did he mean, he would revisit it once he understood better?

Virtue and treachery — it is difficult to say there is any absolute standard.

A leader draws a line as the standard: those above the line are virtuous, those below it are treacherous.

If the leader does not take the lead in defining this standard, he will naturally fall under someone else's definition.

Historically, the Donglin Faction loved to do this, and the eunuch faction, in truth, loved to do it as well.

One might rather say: whenever there is factional strife, the struggle is not really over right and wrong — it is a struggle for the power to define that very standard!

Zhu Youjian did not care how the standard had been set before. Now was the time for him to set the standard.

His thoughts racing, Zhu Youjian had already formed a plan in his mind.

"The matter of the enthronement bounty, which was just mentioned — let us discuss it now."

He raised his head, his gaze turning sharp, no longer that of the mild-mannered youth from moments before.

"In the days since Our enthronement, We have personally audited the inner treasury and discovered it to be utterly depleted and strained."

"Even with the confiscation of the traitors Wei Zhongxian and Madam Ke's estates, the proceeds are barely sufficient for palace expenditures."

"Yet this enthronement bounty concerns the dignity of the state and the morale of the troops on the nine frontiers. It cannot be withheld."

"However, the privy purse is in dire straits. We require the assistance of the various ministries."

Here it comes!

The hearts of every minister in the hall tightened.

Zhu Youjian's gaze fell first upon Huo Weihua, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

This Vice Minister Huo was the very man who had presented the "immortal elixir," the Nectar Drink, to his imperial elder brother.

Yet after the Tianqi Emperor's passing, instead of being implicated like those in the Red Pill Case, he had received successive promotions — a testament to his keen eye and skill at maneuvering.

For the matter of supporting the bounty, he was the most fitting person to begin with.

"Minister Huo," Zhu Youjian's voice was not loud, but carried an undeniable pressure, "how much can the Ministry of War contribute?"

Huo Weihua hurriedly rose, but felt the Emperor's sharp gaze was impossible to meet directly.

His mind raced with calculations, and fine beads of sweat had already seeped from his forehead.

"The Ministry of War... to contribute one hundred fifty thousand taels — is that feasible?" Zhu Youjian asked lightly, as if consulting, yet also as if issuing an order.

Huo Weihua stood silent for a moment, as though making some agonizing decision.

But very quickly, he abandoned his struggle, bowed deeply from the waist, and replied in a resounding voice:

"If Your Majesty has concerns, we your subjects must naturally share the burden! The Ministry of War, from top to bottom, is willing to share Your Majesty's burden!"

"This ministry shall retain only ten thousand taels for day-to-day operations. The remaining one hundred fifty thousand taels can all be allocated to support the grand bounty!"

A trace of a satisfied smile finally appeared on Zhu Youjian's face.

"Minister Huo is indeed a minister loyal to his sovereign and mindful of the state."

A single, offhand word of praise from him made Huo Weihua feel as if he had been granted a great pardon, and he secretly let out a sigh of relief.

Zhu Youjian's gaze then shifted to Xue Fengxiang, the Minister of the Ministry of Works.

"Minister Xue, what of the Ministry of Works? The Three Great Halls have just been completed — a great project with enormous expenditures. Can you still contribute at present?"

Xue Fengxiang's cheek twitched, clearly pained to the extreme.

The Ministry of Works was a money-spending office; there was plenty of grease to be had, but the shortfalls were even greater.

He clenched his teeth, steeled his heart, and stepped out from the ranks: "Though the Ministry of Works also faces difficulties, with Your Majesty at the helm, we can shift funds and keep things running. This subject... this subject's ministry can contribute eighty thousand taels!"

"Minister Xue is likewise a pillar of the state." Zhu Youjian nodded in approval.

Finally, his gaze settled on Guo Yunhou, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue.

"Minister Guo," Zhu Youjian's tone softened considerably, "the Ministry of Revenue oversees all the realm's taxes and wealth, bearing the heaviest burden of the state. We understand your difficulties. Perhaps it would be better if..."

Before he could finish, Guo Yunhou strode forth from the ranks, his voice ringing like a great bell.

"Your Majesty! This year, every frontier stipend for the Nine Borders has already been issued in full — the Ministry of Revenue still has strength to spare! This subject's ministry set aside one hundred thousand taels for unforeseen needs; the remaining two hundred thirty thousand taels can all be offered up, to bolster the Son of Heaven's prestige!"

"Excellent!"

Without waiting for Zhu Youjian to speak, Lai Zongdao, the Minister of Rites beside him, also stepped forward and cupped his hands. "Your Majesty, the Court of Imperial Entertainments under the Ministry of Revenue can also contribute thirty thousand taels!"

Zhu Youjian felt a slight jolt in his heart.

Wasn't the Court of Imperial Entertainments just the place that did the cooking? How could it collect taxes too?

He swiftly suppressed this surprise and instead burst into loud laughter.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent! My ministers, every one of you is indeed a worthy and loyal servant of our Great Ming! With men like you at my side, why should I ever worry that the affairs of state will not flourish!"

He turned his head and spoke to the senior eunuch Gao Shiming, who stood in attendance at his side. "In that case…"

He paused a moment, calculating rapidly in his mind.

One hundred fifty thousand, plus eighty thousand, plus two hundred thirty thousand, and another thirty thousand… that made four hundred ninety thousand taels in all.

His quick calculation done, Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, filled with a decisiveness that brooked no doubt.

"Then from the privy purse, allocate another one million three hundred ten thousand taels! Make up the full sum of one million eight hundred thousand taels, and dispatch it at once to the Nine Borders, as the enthronement bounty!"

The moment the words left his mouth, he himself felt his heart bleeding.

After handing over this 1.31 million, his privy purse would have only… 1.3 million left!

Not only had all the money from the property confiscations been given away, he had even thrown in over a hundred thousand extra taels on top…

The reason for his acute heartache had absolutely nothing to do with any craving for luxury.

The various expenses for this Great Ming Emperor's food, clothing, and daily needs did not actually require all that much silver.

The reason he valued the privy purse so highly was entirely born of a simple, profound distrust of the integrity and competence of the officials of this era.

One tael of silver in his hands, Zhu Youjian's hands, and that same tael in the hands of some outer-court civil official — the value each could produce was as far apart as heaven and earth.

The ministers in the hall naturally had no idea of the pain inside this young Son of Heaven's heart. Hearing that figure, they all bowed in unison.

"Your Majesty is sagely wise! So benevolent to the troops — truly a humane sovereign without parallel in all the ages!"

Gao Shiming also cupped his hands and acknowledged the order: "This slave obeys the decree!"

Amid the swelling chorus of "Long live His Majesty," Zhu Youjian suddenly raised a hand, and posed a question that seemed utterly unrelated.

"This bounty — according to past practice, how is it distributed into the hands of the officers and men of the Nine Borders?"