How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 103 Wei Zhongxian: My family has inadvertently tricked Huang Taiji again! (23rd update)

In the first year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, in the third month of spring, the wind in Zhangjiakou Fortress on the frontier was still cold. The high walls of the Fan family mansion stood tall, and next to it was the Fan family's old shop, both shrouded in an atmosphere of solemnity.

Outside the courtyard, a dense mass of soldiers stood, divided into three groups.

One group consisted of Wei Zhongxian's elite troops, dressed in new military uniforms and with steel swords at their waists. Wei Zhongxian sat on a cushioned armchair.

The other force consisted of civil officials. Zhu Zhifeng, the governor of Xuanfu, and Yuan Chonghuan, the governor of Datong, each led their personal guards, their armor gleaming. Yuan Chonghuan remained calm; he too had received a secret decree and knew of the emperor's aversion to the Shanxi merchants' collusion with the barbarians. His purpose in coming today was twofold: first, to supervise, and second, to, if necessary, use his ability to "promise the moon" to coordinate with Wei Zhongxian's "knife."

The third force consisted of noble families' retainers and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Duke Dingguo Xu Xigao and Marquis Funing Zhu Guobi personally led the charge, accompanied by their retainers, servants, and Embroidered Uniform Guard officers in flying fish robes. They were waiting to get a share of the spoils and claim the top prize in the "loyalty offering."

Three groups of people—eunuchs, civil officials, and nobles—came together to ransack the home of Shanxi merchant Fan Yongdou.

The tightly closed vermilion gates of the Fan family mansion and the heavy doors of the Fan family's old shop were both sealed with the official seal of the Xuanfu Governor. Before the gates, Fan Yongdou's brother Fan Yongchang, the steward, the shopkeeper, and Fan Yongdou's wife, Wang (Wang Dengku's sister), trembled under the watchful eyes of the guards. Wang's eyes were red and swollen, and she was being supported by two maids.

Wei Zhongxian's gaze swept over Zhu Zhifeng, Yuan Chonghuan, Xu Xigao, and Zhu Guobi, and he forced a smile: "Governor Zhu, Governor Yuan, Lord Xu, and Lord Zhu, everyone is here. Shall we follow the old rules of the Duke of Cheng's mansion? Four people per group, one from the eunuchs, one from the household guards, one from the standard-bearers, and one from the Embroidered Uniform Guard, keep an eye on each other, and act together! How about that?"

It turns out that the Fan family mansion and old shop, because of their relationship with Zhu Chunchen and Wang Dengku, had been sealed off by Wei Zhongxian and Zhu Zhifeng at the beginning of last month on suspicion of "colluding with the enemy." Today, when Yuan Chonghuan, Xu Xigao, and Zhu Guobi arrived, the search and seizure officially began.

This was Emperor Chongzhen's intention; he wanted everyone to supervise each other in the competition of "dedication of loyalty," which is the meaning of "it is better for the masses to be loyal than for one person to be loyal."

Only by working together to pledge allegiance can we quickly eliminate the "eight future imperial merchants."
Therefore, he did not recall Wei Zhongxian, but instead allowed him to continue investigating the case in Xuanfu and Datong. He also sent Yuan Chonghuan, Xu Xigao, and Zhu Guobi to Xuanfu to confiscate the property of the Shanxi merchants, and then to Datong to confiscate the property of the Prince of Dai.

"Please make the arrangements, Eunuch Wei," Zhu Zhifeng said, bowing.

“That is the way it should be.” Yuan Chonghuan nodded.

"We will obey Eunuch Wei's orders," Xu Xigao and Zhu Guobi replied in unison.

Wei Zhongxian nodded and said to Du Xun, the eunuch in charge of Xuanfu, "Du Xun, begin. Tell the men to search carefully! Don't miss a single needle or thread! Land deeds, debt deeds, calligraphy and paintings, antiques, gold and silver, account books... register them all! Anyone who dares to smuggle anything in will be beheaded on the spot! Those with clean hands will be rewarded!"

"Yes, Ancestor!" Du Xun responded shrilly, then turned and roared, "Did you all hear that? Groups of four, keep an eye on each other! Make your move!"

Du Xun stepped forward, leading the guards, and tore off the seals on the doors of the Fan family mansion and the old shop. The heavy door hinges creaked.

Du Xun, Xu Xigao, and Zhu Guobi each led their raiding teams, pouring into the Fan family mansion and the Fan family's old shop.

The Fan family outside the door were all weeping. Seeing the door wide open, Wang's body went limp, and she fainted. Fan Yongchang and the others looked ashen-faced.

Wei Zhongxian glanced at them and said coldly, "What are you howling about? I know all about your family's dealings with the Mongol Tartars. At worst, we'll confiscate all your assets, but you'll still live. Money, you can't take it with you when you die!"

He paused, his voice turning stern, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, and he raised his voice: "But if you get involved with the Jurchens in the east... Hmph! That's a crime punishable by the execution of your entire family! Not to mention you Fan family members, any of the shop assistants in the store who get involved will not live! In Zhangjiakou Fort, anyone who betrays their country and aids the enemy, not one of them, will not escape!"

Yuan Chonghuan immediately stepped forward and interjected, "What Eunuch Wei said is absolutely right! Listen to all of you, unless someone can suddenly realize their mistake, confess voluntarily, and expose others, they might have a chance to atone for their crimes! If we wait until we find the secret accounts and letters, it will be too late!"

Yuan Chonghuan's repeated "unless" was like pouring cold water into boiling oil.

A middle-aged manager surnamed Qiao, who was kneeling at the entrance of the Fan family's old shop, suddenly broke free from the grasp of the eunuch beside him and rushed to Wei Zhongxian's chair, kowtowing. "Eunuch Wei! Eunuch Wei, spare my life! I will expose you! I will expose you! Fan Yongdou! He... he has been secretly transporting things to the Jurchens beyond the Great Wall all these years! Firearms! Ironware! Grain! Medicine! All of which are strictly forbidden from leaving the country by the court! He is a traitor!"

"What?!" Wei Zhongxian suddenly stood up from his chair, his face filled with murderous intent, staring at Fan Yongchang and the others: "Good! Good Fan Yongdou! Good Fan family! They really deserve to be executed! Du Xun! Keep a close eye on them! Those surnamed Fan and their cronies, don't let a single one escape! They'll all be beheaded! Unless..." He deliberately dragged out his words, his gaze sweeping over the other people whose faces were ashen.

Before he could finish his "unless" statement, another steward, surnamed Li, knelt down beside him, his voice shrill: "Eunuch Wei! I also want to expose you! I'm reporting you!"

Wei Zhongxian said coldly, "The Fan family and the employees of the Fan family's business are all guilty of a capital offense! What else do you want to expose?"

The steward, Li, trembled violently, his finger pointing shakily into the depths of the fortress: "I...I'll expose you! In Zhangjiakou Fortress...it's not just the Fan family that's doing this! Wang Dengku's Wang family! Jin Liangyu's Jin family! And...and Huang Yunfa of the Huang family! They...they're all the same, secretly transporting contraband to the Jurchens! Sharing information! They're in cahoots!"

These words struck like a thunderbolt!

Zhu Zhifeng and Yuan Chonghuan exchanged a glance, their faces showing surprise—as if they had just stumbled upon this major case!
Xu Xigao and Zhu Guobi's eyes gleamed with a sharp light—this was another opportunity to offer their loyalty!

Wei Zhongxian slowly sat back in his armchair, a satisfied look on his face. He looked at the locations of the other major businesses in the fortified city and laughed heartily.

“Excellent…excellent indeed! Your Majesty is wise! I couldn’t understand before how the Jurchens could survive in the harsh lands beyond the Great Wall without starving. It turns out that these corrupt officials have been sending them supplies all along!”
"Huang Taiji, you probably never dreamed that your grain sacks hidden inside the pass would be uprooted by us... for the Emperor!"

He slammed his hand on the armrest of his chair and shouted sternly, "Du Xun! Lord Xu! Lord Zhu! Governor Zhu! Governor Yuan! Immediately dispatch men! According to the previously drafted list, surround all those unscrupulous merchants in Zhangjiakou Fort! Seal their doors first! I will submit a memorial to the emperor requesting permission to confiscate their property! Not a single one of them shall be spared!"

Inside the Qianqing Palace, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

Sun Chuanting prostrated himself and kowtowed: "On my journey to Shaanxi, I will surely reorganize the military farms, investigate long-standing abuses, and train a fighting force for Your Majesty!" Chongzhen helped up this "long-tested loyal minister," his eyes gleaming: "Minister Sun is my right-hand man, and the Qin army is a sharp sword to quell the bandits. Go forth and do as you please; if there are any obstacles..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xu Yingyuan rushed in, carrying an urgent report: "Your Majesty! A 600-li urgent dispatch from Xuanfu! Written by Eunuch Wei himself!"

Emperor Chongzhen raised an eyebrow, unfolded the memorial and read it carefully. His expression changed from calm to amused, and finally he burst into laughter.

"Excellent! Well done, Wei Zhongxian! He certainly hasn't disappointed me!"

He slammed the report on the imperial desk, pointed northwest, and said to the astonished Sun Chuanting, "Does Minister Sun know? Wei Zhongxian has uncovered Huang Taiji's lifeline in Zhangjiakou!" He pointed to the words "Fan Yongdou smuggled firearms and ironware to the Jurchens" and "Many unscrupulous merchants are involved; we beg Your Majesty's decree to capture them all in one fell swoop," his eyes sharp: "The eight major Shanxi merchants in Zhangjiakou are a den of snakes and rats, every household colluding with slaves! I only sent him to investigate, and he has truly turned everything upside down!"

Sun Chuanting took the report and read it carefully, his expression growing increasingly grave. Wei Zhongxian had not only confiscated the Fan family's property, but also, through the steward's revelations, intended to wipe out the Wang, Jin, and Huang families in one fell swoop. Zhangjiakou was likely to be awash in blood!

Emperor Chongzhen walked to the window with his hands behind his back, gazing at the leaden sky outside the palace walls, and said coldly, "Huang Taiji probably never dreamed that his grain sacks and iron warehouses hidden inside the pass would be wiped out in one fell swoop by my 'Zhongxian'!" He deliberately emphasized the words "Zhongxian," and turned around with a smug look on his face: "Minister Sun, don't you think Wei Zhongxian is quite capable, understanding my intentions so well and working so hard to show his loyalty?"

Sun Chuanting solemnly said, "Eunuch Wei's move is indeed like cutting off the enemy's supply lines, which is of great benefit to the country. I'm just afraid..." He hesitated for a moment, "...it has too many implications, some people will be wronged, and the trade route from Xuanfu and Datong to the outside world will also be cut off..."

Emperor Chongzhen waved his hand and said resolutely, "This matter concerns the rise and fall of the nation and the safety of the state. We should rather wrong the innocent than let the guilty go free! If a few trade routes are cut off, so be it!"

Whether the "Eight Great Imperial Merchants" were wronged or not, how could Emperor Chongzhen not know? Those Shanxi merchants played an indispensable role in his "tree-climbing" incident!
He lowered his voice and said, "Moreover, my original intention was to cut off the trade routes from Xuanfu and Datong to the outside of the Great Wall. If the trade routes are cut off, not a single grain of rice or a single ounce of iron will be transported to the Jurchens! Wei Zhongxian's actions are exactly what I wanted!"

(End of this chapter)