How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 142 Zhu Changxun, over there he killed Zhu Chunchen! (Second update, third update in five minutes!)

In late June, Beijing was still unbearably hot. The sun beat down relentlessly, and the ground shimmered with dazzling heat.

At the foot of the Xisi Archway, a sea of ​​people thronged. Every ordinary citizen stood on tiptoe, craning their necks to peer at the makeshift wooden platform. Beads of sweat streamed down the foreheads of the soldiers guarding the platform.

Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun's carriage, was slowly passing by. The carriage was as stuffy as a can, and he was so dizzy from the jostling that he couldn't stand it any longer and lifted a corner of the curtain to get some fresh air.

That one glance almost scared the soul out of him.

Two people were kneeling on the platform, dressed in white prison uniforms, with death warrants stuck behind their backs. It was clear they were about to be beheaded.

Prince Fu's heart skipped a beat. He quickly turned back and asked Chen Guang, the Imperial Attendant who was following outside the carriage, in a low, urgent voice, "Guang, who is that outside... who is going to be killed?"

Chen Guang had already seen it clearly, and his heart was pounding. Hearing the sound, he quickly moved closer to the carriage curtain, his voice as low as it could go: "Your Highness, it's...it's Duke Cheng, Zhu Chunchen, and his eldest son..."

"The Duke of Cheng?" Prince Fu's plump face turned deathly pale. He had spent a long time in Luoyang, and although he didn't know all the nobles in the capital, the title "Duke of Cheng" was too prestigious. How could a hereditary duke be killed so easily?
He couldn't resist peeking through the curtain a little more, and saw the executioner drop a bamboo slip. The sound of the slip hitting the ground wasn't loud, but it felt like it had struck his heart.

The executioner raised his dagger, which gleamed brightly in the sunlight, making him uneasy.

Seeing the blade descend, he abruptly closed his eyes, his large body huddled in the corner of the carriage, gasping for breath. Outside, the sounds of people mingled, but he could only hear his own heart pounding wildly, fast and loud. Zhu Chunchen… the Emperor really dared to kill a Duke! And in broad daylight, in the middle of the marketplace!
The convoy moved forward slowly and laboriously, each bump feeling like a blow to Prince Fu's heart. His face was deathly pale, and he was drenched in sweat, his robes clinging to his body, soaked through.

……

On the other side, Wei Zhongxian's carriage was also stuck outside the crowd. A servant leaned close to the carriage window and whispered, "Grandpa, ahead... it's the Duke of Cheng and his son being executed."

Wei Zhongxian leaned against the carriage with his eyes closed, his face blank, only letting out a soft "hmm." His knuckles, however, were slightly white as he rested his hands on his knees. He had known about this for a while, but now that it had come to this, it still felt like a needle prick to his heart.

The Emperor chose this day, precisely the moment Prince Fu and he arrived in the capital, to kill him in this place. He understood the implications of this far better than that incompetent Prince Fu.

This was a warning to Wei Zhongxian, and also a threat to Prince Fu. The Emperor was clearly telling everyone: a hereditary duke can be killed at will, so what are you all?
It's truly like walking on thin ice while serving a king!

Wei Zhongxian felt a chill creep up from the bottom of his heart; even in the sweltering heat of June, he felt somewhat cold.

……

Prince Fu's carriage finally moved out of the Xisi Archway area, and after several twists and turns, entered a quiet street and stopped in front of a large mansion.

The four gilded characters "Chengguo Duke's Mansion" above the lintel were still there, but the seal on the vermilion gate, which had just been torn off, left messy marks. Two strongmen from the Imperial Guards pushed open the heavy gate with a creak.

Supported by Chen Guang, the Imperial Attendant, Prince Fu shakily alighted from the carriage, his legs trembling. The moment he stepped through the gates, a chilling, empty atmosphere enveloped him. Even though the pavilions and towers remained after the house was ransacked, the decay and deathly air was undeniable. Fallen leaves lay unswept in the courtyard, and many window frames were broken, staring out like dark, gaping holes.

"This...this is the residence His Majesty arranged for me?" Prince Fu's voice trembled with tears, his fat face shaking. To be placed in this mansion, where his home had just been ransacked and the original owner of the body had just been beheaded—this wasn't accommodation, it was clearly a scare tactic!
Chen Guang, in his fifties with a fair complexion, was a trusted eunuch personally chosen by Consort Zheng for Prince Fu. Having spent most of his life in the palace, he had seen it all. He quickly supported the nearly collapsed Prince Fu and whispered, "Your Highness, be careful what you say! Now that we're here, let's settle in first. Right now… survival is the most important thing!"

After much effort, they managed to help Prince Fu into a barely adequate main room and dismissed the servants. Prince Fu could no longer hold on; he slumped into a grand chair, clutching Chen Guang's sleeve, tears and snot streaming down his face: "Guang, you saw it all! The Duke of Cheng… his head has been chopped off! I'm next! The Emperor is trying to force me to my death!"

Chen Guang was also panicking, but he had to put on a brave face: "Your Highness, Your Highness! Please calm down! If the Emperor really wanted to harm you, why would he send you to the capital? Wouldn't it be easier to just send an imperial edict to the high walls of Fengyang? Letting Your Highness stay in this mansion, although... although it is a warning, it also shows that there is still room for maneuver."

In truth, he wasn't entirely sure... A close relative prince of Prince Fu's status, sent to confinement by imperial decree? It seemed unlikely. But if the charge of colluding with a traitor were proven, then going to the high walls of Fengyang would be perfectly legitimate.

"Turn around? How can we turn around?" Prince Fu asked as if he had grasped at a straw.

"Silver!" Chen Guang's voice was even lower. "What the Emperor wants is definitely silver! Your Highness, we must 'voluntarily offer our loyalty'! We must let the Emperor see Your Highness's 'loyalty'!"

"How much...how much can I get?" The thought of spending money made Prince Fu's heart feel like it was being torn apart.

"We can't leave anything out, but we also can't reveal everything at once," Chen Guang thought to himself. "Let's send a message first and test the waters. Your Highness, the most important thing right now is to get someone in the palace to speak on your behalf!"

"Yes! Yes! Find the Empress Dowager!" Prince Fu suddenly grabbed Chen Guang's hand. "You must think of something quickly, submit a petition to the palace! Go and beg to see Consort Zheng! Tell her that Xun'er is going to die! Tell her to plead with the Emperor to save Xun'er no matter what!"

"This servant understands! This servant will go and think of a way right away!" Chen Guang kowtowed heavily and hurriedly withdrew.

……

Forbidden City, Ciqing Palace.

It was cooler here than elsewhere, with an ice basin in the corner. Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, had taken off his outer robe, wearing only a light crimson gauze robe, and was dining with Empress Zhang and Empress Zhou. On the table were several refreshing side dishes, and each person had a bowl of chilled mung bean and lily porridge.

Emperor Chongzhen was always close to his sister-in-law, Empress Zhang, and fearing she might be lonely, he often invited her to dine with him at the Qianqing Palace. Sometimes, like now, he would bring Empress Zhou along to keep Empress Zhang company, chatting and having a meal together, making the dinner table feel somewhat like that of an ordinary family.

"The mung bean porridge here, my sister-in-law, is so fragrant and sweet," Emperor Chongzhen said with a smile after taking a sip of the porridge.

Empress Zhang smiled and said, "I'm glad Your Majesty is happy. It's hot, so eat something light to cool down."

Empress Zhou replied, "Yes, my sister-in-law is always the most thoughtful."

As they were chatting and laughing, Emperor Chongzhen seemed to suddenly remember something. He put down his spoon and said to Empress Zhang, "Sister-in-law, our palace might have received some unexpected income recently." Empress Zhang and Empress Zhou both looked up at him.

Emperor Chongzhen smiled and said in a relaxed tone, "When the time comes, I will allocate some funds to Cining Palace to properly repair the palace and make things easier for my sister-in-law."

These words were spoken casually, but Empress Zhang's heart stirred. She was about to ask for details when she saw Chongzhen's gaze turn towards the outside of the hall.

At this moment, a eunuch rushed in and whispered a few words in Wang Chengen's ear. Wang Chengen's expression changed slightly. He stepped forward, bowed, and reported, "Your Majesty, Consort Zheng from Cining Palace has arrived. She says she has urgent business to discuss with Consort Zhang."

The smile on Chongzhen's face faded slightly, and a knowing glint flashed in his eyes. He picked up a handkerchief to wipe his mouth and said indifferently, "Oh? The Empress Dowager has arrived? Please come in."

……

Consort Zheng was truly anxious.

She was in her sixties, dressed in the everyday clothes of a concubine, her hair neatly combed, but the wrinkles around her eyes betrayed her weariness. Upon entering the hall, without even a proper look, she bowed towards Empress Zhang's seat and began to weep, pleading, "Your Majesty! You must do justice for my Xun'er..."

She was halfway through her sentence when she suddenly noticed Emperor Chongzhen sitting at the head of the table. She froze, her bow incomplete, her face showing a mixture of surprise and embarrassment.

"Your Highness, there's no need for such formalities." Chongzhen's tone was calm, with a hint of junior's concern. "It's so hot outside, Your Highness, why did you rush over? Are you feeling unwell?"

Consort Zheng snapped out of her daze, her heart pounding with anxiety. She never expected the Emperor to be here! The words she had prepared caught in her throat. Forcing herself to remain composed, she stammered, "This old woman…this old woman heard that Prince Fu had come to the capital, and I was worried about him…"

"Uncle, you must be tired from your journey. I have arranged for you to rest at the Duke of Cheng's residence." Chongzhen continued, his tone still gentle. "Don't worry, Your Highness, I will have someone take good care of you. We are all family, so please speak slowly."

The calmer he remained, the more uncertain Consort Zheng felt. She glanced at Chongzhen, then at the silent Empress Zhang and Empress Zhou, realizing that her appeal today was unlikely to succeed. The Emperor's words had effectively blocked all avenues of communication.

"Yes...yes..." Consort Zheng could only go along with it, "Your Majesty is wise...I just...I just miss my son so much..."

“Family ties are a natural human emotion.” Chongzhen nodded and instructed Wang Chengen, “Go, bring a stool for the Dowager Consort. Also, bring a bowl of iced porridge to help her cool off.”

Consort Zheng sat down tremblingly, with no appetite for her porridge. She had hoped to plead with Emperor Chongzhen through Empress Zhang's influence, but instead, she had directly confronted the Emperor. She ate the meal with extreme unease.

Emperor Chongzhen stopped looking at her and instead chatted with Empress Zhang and Empress Zhou about palace gossip, as if nothing had happened. Only occasionally would his gaze sweep over Consort Zheng's face, which was trying to appear calm but couldn't hide her panic.

The ice basin in the hall emitted wisps of cool air, but it couldn't dispel the chill in Consort Zheng's heart. She suddenly felt that her Xun'er was likely to suffer a great loss of blood this time. And this young emperor's scheming was far deeper and more ruthless than she had imagined.

After the porridge and snacks were finished, the palace servants cleared the food table. Chongzhen stopped his idle chatter and calmly looked at the uneasy Consort Zheng. He gently waved his hand, and Empress Zhou understood. She gracefully rose, exchanged a glance with Empress Zhang, and then led the palace servants out of the hall quietly, leaving only Wang Chengen to serve at the door.

The hall was suddenly left with only Emperor Chongzhen, Consort Zheng, and Empress Zhang, who stood silently as witnesses. The atmosphere instantly became heavy.

"Your Highness," Chongzhen began, his tone still calm, but the politeness of a junior was gone, replaced by an unquestionable authority, "There are no outsiders here. Your Highness is no outsider either. I know what you are worried about. Let's speak frankly."

Consort Zheng looked up abruptly at the emperor, who was young enough to be her grandson. His eyes held no trace of youthful impetuosity, only a deep, unfathomable calm. Her heart pounded even faster.

"This old woman...this old woman doesn't know what Your Majesty means..." she was still trying to make excuses.

Emperor Chongzhen leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on Consort Zheng: "You really don't know? When I let my uncle move into the Duke of Cheng's residence, did you really think I suspected him of having connections with Zhu Chunchen and Zhu Naijun?"

Consort Zheng's face turned deathly pale, and she nearly slipped off her embroidered stool. "Your Majesty! Xun'er has absolutely no ulterior motives!"

"Whether he has ulterior motives or not is irrelevant," Chongzhen said in a chilling tone. "What matters is whether he can hold onto the 'blessing' his grandfather bestowed upon him!"

He stood up, took a step, turned his back to Consort Zheng, and spoke as if to himself, yet each word struck her heart: "In the forty-second year of the Wanli reign, my uncle was enfeoffed in Luoyang, and was granted 20,000 hectares of farmland (in reality, this was insufficient, but it was nominal), along with many salt permits and countless amounts of gold and silver. Large tracts of fertile land in Henan were also nominally given to the Fu Prince. My grandfather loved his son, but this kind of love is like putting my uncle on a fire to roast!"

He turned sharply, his gaze piercing: "How much do the common people and the soldiers on the nine borders earn each year? The Prince of Fu sits on a mountain of gold, yet has he contributed nothing to the country? Now the Eastern barbarians are besieging the pass, and bandits are running rampant; the national treasury is overflowing! Your Highness, you have served three emperors; tell me, who should bear the burden of this resentment and the difficulties of the court? Is it those starving border soldiers? Or... those princes whose wealth rivals that of a nation?"

Consort Zheng was rendered speechless by this barrage of questions. This was essentially linking her son's decades of hard-earned wealth to the current national crisis.

Chongzhen's tone softened slightly, but it was even more imposing: "I am killing Zhu Chunchen today not because he deserved to die—although he certainly did—but to show the world! I want them to know that the Ming Dynasty has changed! The days of lying down and wielding power are over!"

He walked back to Consort Zheng, looked down at her, and lowered his voice, but with an undeniable force: "I'll be frank with you. I had no intention of harming my uncle. He is, after all, my own uncle."

A glimmer of hope suddenly appeared in Consort Zheng's eyes.

“But,” Chongzhen changed the subject, “he must give up what he shouldn’t have taken and what he can’t hold onto! He can’t stay in Luoyang anymore. The land and wealth there are a source of trouble, not a blessing.”

“Then… Xun’er…” Consort Zheng asked in a trembling voice.

"The sea is wide enough for fish to leap, and the sky is high enough for birds to fly," Emperor Chongzhen said. "I can show him a new path. Move his fief to Fuzhou, and I will allow him to open up maritime trade and do business with Western merchants. There, the emperor is far away, there aren't so many eyes watching him, and there aren't so many old debts to settle. As long as he operates honestly, the profits will be no less than collecting rent in Henan!"

Then, he offered the most alluring condition to Consort Zheng: "You are getting on in years, and it's lonely in the palace. I can issue an edict allowing you to go to Fuzhou with your uncle. Mother and son can be reunited and enjoy family life. In Fujian, he is a true prince, and you are the Dowager Consort. Isn't that a hundred times better than being forced to watch your step in the Forbidden City?"

(End of this chapter)