How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 132 Our family guarantees you'll be a martyr!
The back hall of the eunuch's office in Datong was tightly shut. After Yuan Chonghuan left, the cold and oppressive atmosphere in the room became even heavier, making people feel suffocated.

Wei Zhongxian didn't move, still slumped in the armchair. The trace of panic and lingering fear on his face seemed to have been forcibly smoothed out, replaced by something like solidified oil in the twelfth lunar month—cold and hard, covering the last vestiges of human color. Only when his eyes occasionally darted around did they reveal the churning calculations within.

Cautious footsteps could be heard outside the door.

"Enter." Wei Zhongxian's voice was not loud, and his tone was flat and monotone.

The door opened. The first to enter was Liu Yingkun, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Guards. He had a long, thin face, and his eyes were always narrowed, yet they gleamed with a sharp light. He walked into the hall, bowed deeply, and spoke in a low voice: "Grandfather!"

The hall was so quiet that you could hear the wind howling through the eaves outside the window.

Wei Zhongxian didn't wake him, leaving him bent over. He picked up the bright yellow edict scroll on the table, weighed it in his hand, but didn't open it.

"Governor Yuan just arrived," he said, his voice a little hoarse. "His Majesty... is going to get serious in the north. Fight the Mongols, make a show of force, then it'll be easier to negotiate. Use force to achieve peace!"

He emphasized the words "using force to promote peace." His gaze fell on Liu Yingkun.

“This task, I must handle properly for His Majesty.” He changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming dejected, even somewhat disheartened, “But I feel… a tightness in my chest.”

Liu Yingkun lowered his head even further, not daring to reply, but his ears were perked up.

"It's our good-for-nothing nephew who's blocking the way!" Wei Zhongxian slapped his thigh, his voice filled with heartache and disappointment. "Liangqing! That Earl of Suning!"

"His title... alas, to my shame, he has accomplished nothing! Since His Majesty ascended the throne, what he hates most are officials and nobles who occupy positions without doing any work! He holds the title of Earl in name only, but he has never served His Majesty once, nor fired an arrow at the enemy! No merit is a fault! If this continues... alas, as long as we are alive, we can still take care of him, but if we are gone one day, how will he stand?"

These words sounded like domestic troubles and the worries of elders. Liu Yingkun listened, his back relaxed slightly, thinking it was just ordinary household chores.

Suddenly, as if he had taken a breath, Wei Zhongxian sat up straight.

"However! Right now, a tremendous opportunity is at hand! Unparalleled wealth and fame are right before our eyes!"

He raised his voice: "According to His Majesty's wishes, this time we will use fighting to promote peace... Governor Yuan is in charge of 'peace,' and I am in charge of 'fighting.' Fighting means sending troops, which is a good time to make meritorious contributions! I think... we should let Liangqing take this opportunity to earn some military merits so that he will have someone to rely on in the future."

"Military merits?" Liu Yingkun asked cautiously.

"Yes! Military merit!" Wei Zhongxian declared resolutely, "Only the fame and glory earned on the battlefield can silence the criticism of the people!"

"Yingkun, you're reliable. You need to plan this matter thoroughly for our family." Wei Zhongxian's eyes were like hooks, fixed on Liu Yingkun's face. "You draft a plan immediately. This time, we're sending troops to the grasslands to intimidate the Chahan tribe. We don't need a major battle, but we need to make a big show of it! We need to make that old bastard Huduntu feel the pain and fear! More importantly..."

Wei Zhongxian lowered his voice and leaned forward: "...We need to arrange a few small battles, so that my nephew has the opportunity to 'capture' the heads of the Tartars and make real contributions! Understand? The scene needs to look good, and the credit should go to him!"

Liu Yingkun's eyes darted around, and he immediately understood—this was an attempt to use national affairs to glorify his own people! He was familiar with this tactic!
"Don't worry, Grandfather! I understand!" Liu Yingkun smiled broadly, his mind racing. "In my opinion, we can draw elite guards from the Li family, the deputy commander-in-chief of Datong, the Ma family, and Wang Tong, the military commander of Xuanfu. Combined with my own elite soldiers, it won't be difficult to gather ten thousand elite cavalry and musketeers!"

"Instead of sending troops deep into enemy territory, just outside the border wall, find those scattered camps of the Chahan tribe, pick those that look tough but are actually weak, and give them a good beating! Spread out your formation, beat the drums, and have the Earl of Suning lead the selected elite troops to charge ahead... Wouldn't the credit for beheading and capturing flags then surely fall on the Earl?"

As Wei Zhongxian listened, the layer of frozen oil on his face softened a little, revealing a hint of "gratification": "Hmm... that sounds reasonable. The Li family, the Ma family, Wang Tong... they are all sensible. You should coordinate this matter in our family's name. Draft a detailed strategy, clearly stating the troop strength, provisions, and advance routes."

"Yes, sir!" Liu Yingkun quickly replied.

"Furthermore," Wei Zhongxian tapped his finger on the table, "you draft a secret report for me, detailing this 'using force to advance peace' plan, and submit it to His Majesty. It must be written in a grand and dignified manner, all for the sake of His Majesty's border strategy and the Ming Dynasty!" "Once it's written, you personally go to the capital and present it to His Majesty! You must deliver it to the Emperor personally!" Wei Zhongxian stared at him. "After delivering the report, go see Liangqing and tell him exactly what 'good opportunities' are available in Datong. Tell him to immediately submit a 'Petition for War,' and then you bring him, along with all the idle servants he keeps in his household, safely to Datong! I'm going to give him a great victory!"

Liu Yingkun understood immediately; he was being asked to act as both a persuader and bodyguard, to coax that lord to come to the border to "make a name for himself." He immediately bowed: "Your Excellency is truly wise! I will certainly handle this matter perfectly! I will ensure that Your Excellency comes in glory and returns with great achievements!"

"Alright! Go quickly!" Wei Zhongxian waved his hand.

Liu Yingkun bowed and withdrew, then quickly went to draft the secret strategy.

……

Several days later, in the capital city, in the East Warm Pavilion of the Qianqing Palace.

Emperor Chongzhen, dressed in a loose Taoist robe, sat on the kang (a heated brick bed) and listened to Liu Yingkun, who was covered in dust from his journey, kneeling before him to report.

Liu Yingkun carefully described the situation in Datong, especially the state of the Chahan tribe's Ligdan Khan, who was "outwardly strong but inwardly weak, with his people in dire straits, yet still holding up the empty air of a Mongol overlord."

Upon hearing this, Chongzhen chuckled and interjected, "Let him put on airs! It's all empty fame. The most important thing right now is to keep him in check. Even if he can't be used by me, as long as he doesn't side with the Jurchens and keeps Huang Taiji in check in the north, that will be a great achievement."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Liu Yingkun hurriedly kowtowed and presented Wei Zhongxian's secret report, "This is the strategy of 'using force to promote peace' that Eunuch Wei and I have agreed upon. I respectfully request Your Majesty to review it."

Emperor Chongzhen received the secret report forwarded by Wang Chengen, quickly scanned it, and saw phrases such as "to select more than 10,000 elite household guards and elite soldiers from Xuanfu and Datong, to go beyond the Great Wall at an opportune time, to intimidate them with their power, and to find an opportunity to lightly punish them in order to help with the pacification efforts." His face showed no emotion.

He put down the secret report, neither confirming nor denying, but casually asked, "Has Consort Su Tai returned safely to Hu Dun Tu's place?"

Liu Yingkun hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, the horses have been returned. Hudun Tuhan has also delivered 2,500 fine warhorses as agreed, and they are now in storage."

Upon hearing that the 2,500 military horses had been acquired, a hint of satisfaction appeared on Chongzhen's face, and he nodded slightly: "Hmm. You have handled this matter well. Wei Zhongxian, you, and Governor Yuan have all made contributions this time."

In reality, what Chongzhen truly cared about was how Sutai could give birth to a son for the "infertile" Huduntu Khan—once a son was born, Sutai could become Empress Dowager, and at that time the Chahan tribe might completely submit... Therefore, it was absolutely crucial not to let Huduntu flee at this moment. If he left, Sutai would find it difficult to become Empress Dowager, and then how could the Ming Dynasty bring the Chahan tribe under its control?
He pointed to the secret document with his finger: "This strategy sounds quite comprehensive. We should not rush into action for now, but wait for further progress in Yuan Chonghuan's pacification efforts before making our move. The timing of this 'attack' must fall at the juncture of 'peace' to achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"This servant understands! Your Majesty's plans are far-reaching, and we will obey Your Majesty's will!" Liu Yingkun hurriedly replied.

Chongzhen seemed to remember something else and added, "By the way, you all in Datong, spread the word about the victory in Korea. Tell them that the Ming army has defeated the Eastern barbarians in Korea, beheaded thousands, and rescued the Korean king. They are currently confronting the Jurchens and will surely achieve even greater victories soon. This must be heard by the people of Huduntu."

After a moment's thought, Liu Yingkun immediately understood that this was the Emperor's brilliant plan—to inform Ligdan Khan that the Ming Dynasty and the Jurchens were currently entangled in Korea and had no energy to attend to the southern Gobi Desert. As a result, Ligdan Khan's value had increased significantly, so he should not flee westward but wait for the right price to come... It was only right to see who offered the highest price.

"Your Majesty's plan is brilliant! This servant will return and inform Eunuch Wei, and we will act accordingly!"

"Hmm. Go then. Tell Wei Zhongxian that border affairs are of utmost importance, and instruct him to pay close attention," Chongzhen said calmly, waving his hand.

Liu Yingkun kowtowed heavily: "This servant obeys the decree! This servant takes his leave!"

He bowed his head and respectfully withdrew from the East Warm Pavilion. Liu Yingkun dared not delay and hurried out of the palace, thinking to himself that he had to hurry to the Suning Earl's residence to handle another important matter entrusted to him by his grandfather...

(End of this chapter)