My father is Chongzhen? Then I have no choice but to rebel.

Chapter 22: I had a headache when I had no money, but why do I still have a headache now that I have money?

Soon, someone in the crowd finally spoke up.

"Your Highness, I am innocent! I have no knowledge of these matters. I am loyal to the Emperor and Your Highness!"

Once someone started shouting, the rest of the people followed suit.

"Your Highness, I am a loyal subject and would never dare to harbor any rebellious thoughts! I beg Your Highness to examine this matter carefully!"

"My loyalty is evident to all, and I have absolutely no intention of rebelling!"

"My loyalty is as clear as the sun and the moon. I hope Your Highness the Crown Prince will understand!"

For a moment, all the nobles present began to express their loyalty, and many even burst into tears.

What happened in the morning was scary enough, how come something even scarier happened just as evening was approaching?
If I’m not careful and get involved with Duke Cheng, all nine generations of my clan will be wiped out!
First, the Duke of England stabbed them in the back and reported them to the emperor and the prince for drawing salaries without working.

Then Duke Cheng stabbed them in the back, wanting to drag all nine of their clans along with him.

Are these damn dukes all fucking crazy?
All the nobles present couldn't help but curse in their hearts.

Zhu Cilang's eyes swept over everyone and continued in a cold voice:

"You nobles, the Ming Dynasty has treated you well for nearly three hundred years, giving you three hundred years of prosperity and wealth."

"Yet you don't think of anything in return. Instead, you keep asking for more, sucking the blood of the Ming Dynasty like termites!"

"That's not all, now you want to rebel, right?"

"Do you really think that the Emperor wouldn't dare to kill you all?"

As soon as Zhu Cilang finished speaking, everyone present became frightened again.

"Your Highness, I am truly wronged. I dare not harbor such rebellious intentions!"

"I beg Your Highness the Crown Prince to understand my loyalty. The sun and the moon bear witness to it!"

"I am wronged!"

At this moment, the nobles knelt on the ground, crying so hard that their noses were foaming.

They couldn't understand how the gentle and refined prince of the past could become like this?
They want to kill them all at any time.

Looking at the nobles crying bitterly in front of him, Zhu Cilang's mood finally eased a little.

But he still didn't intend to let them off so easily.

You think that paying some money will make the matter over? Are you dreaming?
He continued:

"I'm giving you a chance. Within three days, you must gather 5000 soldiers to fill the Beijing camp."

"I want 5000 elite soldiers! Anyone who uses the old, weak, sick, or disabled to make up the numbers will die!"

"It doesn't matter if you use slaves, servants, or even sons to make up the numbers, I only want to see these 5000 people."

"This is the last chance my father and I give you."

"Of course, if any of you want to rebel, you can try. I'm waiting for you!"

After saying this, Zhu Cilang no longer paid attention to the crowd, shook his sleeves and left.

It was not until Zhu Cilang's figure completely disappeared from everyone's sight that someone began to climb up tremblingly.

Then, someone couldn't help but complain:

"5000 people? Where can we find that many people? I only have about thirty servants in my house. How can that be enough?"

"Not enough? If not, then use your son! Do you really want to be exterminated?"

"Stop kneeling, everyone! Go gather some people! Otherwise, we're going to be wiped out!"

After a quarrel, the nobles soon dispersed.

By this time in the Ming Dynasty, every noble family maintained a group of servants and slaves, ranging from a dozen to several hundred. These servants were the main force drawing salaries without paying the salary. When they had nothing to do, they would work in the nobles' houses, and when the Beijing army needed to inspect them, they would go to fill the number of staff and receive military pay.

Because they are supported by nobles, these people have much higher physical fitness than ordinary soldiers.

And there is basically no need to train the soldiers, they can be directly sent to the battlefield to fight!

Of course, Zhu Cilang would not let go of such a good source of soldiers, so he issued such an order.

Together with the servants in other noble houses, it should not be a problem to collect 10,000.

After everyone gathered, they were dispersed to various locations in the Beijing Camp, and after a little training they became new Beijing Camp soldiers.

After returning to the palace, Zhu Cilang looked through the list of confiscated property that Luo Yangxing had brought with him.

If we add in what we have just received and what the Duke of England and his men voluntarily handed over, the treasury now has a deposit of more than 50 million taels.

In addition, there were more than three million taels of gold and more than two hundred boxes of rare treasures.

It looks like a lot, but it won’t last long!

Zhu Cilang could almost foresee that the Ministry of Revenue would definitely ask him for money during the morning court tomorrow!
There is no way. Up to now, the court has been in arrears with officials' salaries for too long. Officials in Beijing have been in arrears for about four or five months, and officials from other places have been in arrears for more than half a year.

The military salaries of the nine border areas are still owed.

In addition, disasters continue to occur in various places, and disaster relief also requires a large amount of silver!
In addition, Sun Chuanting must go to Shaanxi to train troops and support Hong Chengchou who is far away in Liaodong!
Each of these things requires money.

After all, we can’t let officials work on an empty stomach all the time, right?
We can't let the soldiers fight on an empty stomach, right?
We can’t let the victims starve to death, right?
Zhu Cilang had a headache.

I have a headache when I have no money, but why do I still have a headache when I have money?

It seems that there is still not enough money!
In this case, it is time to take action against the eight imperial merchants in Shanxi.
Thinking of this, Zhu Cilang said again:

"Ma Bao, go call Wang Qinian over."

"Slave, you obey!"

Ma Bao responded and then turned and left.

Soon, Wang Qinian, a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, came in front of Zhu Cilang.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

Wang Qinian bowed respectfully.

Although Wang Qinian was a captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he had never been taken seriously.

In addition, the civil and military officials in the court repeatedly suggested to Chongzhen that he should not rely too much on the Jinyiwei, which led to Wang Qinian being further marginalized.

His brothers also had a hard time because they couldn't get their salaries, and many of them went looking for other ways to make a living.

Before he met Zhu Cilang, he had only two hundred men under his command.

But with Zhu Cilang's various supports, he now has the full number of people under his command.

Of course, all these people are loyal to Zhu Cilang.

Zhu Cilang looked at Wang Qinian and said:
"Stand up, you are my loyal follower, so you don't need to be so reserved when you see me from now on."

"Considering your contributions, I intend to make you a deputy commander first, and all the Jinyiwei under your command will be promoted one level each."

The ranks of the Jinyiwei from high to low are:

The commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the associate commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the assistant commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the pacification envoy of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the deputy captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the hundred households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the trial hundred households of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, the general flag of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and the small flag of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

At the end are naturally the ordinary Jinyiwei.

Zhu Cilang promoted Wang Qinian from the position of Captain of the Embroidered Uniform Guard to the position of Commander-in-Chief, which was equivalent to promoting him two levels!

(End of this chapter)