How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 323 If the old isn't killed, the new won't come.

The chaos in Nanjing has finally subsided somewhat.

Outside the granary, a long queue stretched out. The porridge was so thin you could see your reflection in it, but it was still something to eat. Soldiers of the Imperial Guard, swords at their sides, patrolled the streets, their eyes scanning the area with vigilance. Several young clerks dressed in "training institute" uniforms, holding booklets and pens, were registering and signing documents for the gathered refugees, saying they would be arranged to repair the river embankment as a form of work relief, with meals provided.

The powerful figures in the capital—Minister of Rites Qian Qianyi, the garrison commander Duke Dingguo, and the Prince of Qin—were extremely busy, but they were all well aware of the situation. The Emperor, through this turmoil, was letting these gentlemen in the southeast, who were unaware they were living in a chaotic world, know who could protect their dignity and property.
What they're busy with right now is simply cleaning up their mess and, incidentally, clearing their own name.

Zhu Xiaoba squatted against the wall, holding a chipped bowl, carefully drinking the thin porridge provided by the official granary. After a couple of sips, he pulled out the tattered cloth bag from his pocket, carefully poured the musty-smelling rice into the bowl, stirred it with his fingers, and then shoveled it into his mouth. After finishing, he reached into his pocket and felt a hard little thing—it was something he had snatched from the fingers of a panicked shopkeeper a few days earlier when he stormed Qian's Rice Shop; it was golden, probably the legendary gold.
A clerk from the training center walked up to him, holding a pen and a booklet: "What's your name? Where are you from? Can you still work?"

Zhu Xiaoba raised his head, his mouth full of rice, and mumbled, "Zhu... Zhu Xiaoba, Fengyang... can work!"

The clerk noted it down, then pointed to a shed made of tattered mats nearby: "Go wait over there after you finish eating. The river workers are short-handed for digging earthworks; meals will be provided."

Zhu Xiaoba's eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously.

On the street, shop assistants were cleaning up the smashed shops. But large warehouses like "Qian's Rice Shop," which had been looted, had brand-new seals pasted on their doors, the paste not yet dry, and were stamped with the vermilion seal of the "Grand Canal Salt and Grain General Bank Preparatory Office."

The gates of the prestigious Wei State Duke's Mansion and Funing Marquis's Mansion were tightly shut, covered with crisscrossing seals, exuding an aura of death.

The sky was still overcast.

But the wind blowing through the streets and alleys seems to smell really different.

……

In the Huai'an Imperial Palace, the lights were brightly lit in the duty room.

Xu Chengye knelt on the cold, gold-brick floor, covered in dust. He had been summoned from Nanjing overnight by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, riding at breakneck speed, his heart pounding with anxiety.

The Chongzhen Emperor sat behind a desk piled high with documents. Wei Zhongxian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and Duke of Ningguo, and Gao Qi, the Grand Eunuch's scribe, huddled in the lamplight, their hands hanging at their sides.

"Get up," Emperor Chongzhen said, his voice neither loud nor soft.

Xu Chengye felt a slight sense of relief and quickly kowtowed, saying, "Your Majesty, this humble subject thanks you." He stood up, keeping his hands at his sides, not daring to raise his head.

"You did a good job with the Nanjing matter." Chongzhen's voice remained calm. "It was a bit chaotic, but it didn't go too far. You knew where to lead it, and not many people were killed."

The "rice riot" in Nanjing involved tens of thousands of people and stormed many noble residences; some people certainly died! However, Xu Chengye and Chang Yansi managed the situation well, and no high-ranking nobles were publicly killed. It wasn't that Chongzhen was unwilling to kill, but rather that he couldn't carry out such a brutal killing. The idea of ​​trampling the bones of nobles in the streets was something only someone like Huang Chao could do; Chongzhen was ultimately the maintainer of the Ming Dynasty's order.

The power of life and death over officials and nobles must be firmly grasped in our hands!
This is also a necessary condition for officials and nobles to maintain their awe of the emperor. If they were allowed to be beaten to death by commoners like dogs, the emperor's power would be diminished. Moreover, once this precedent is set, others might follow suit. Couldn't local gentry incite the people to beat and kill county officials?

Therefore, if the Nanjing "rice riots" really escalate to the point where "the streets are littered with the bones of officials and nobles," then many more people will be killed afterward.
Xu Chengye hurriedly replied, "It is all thanks to Your Majesty's brilliant strategy. Your humble servant... Your humble servant merely followed the plan and dared not claim any credit."

"Hmm." Chongzhen snorted, tapping his fingers lightly on the smooth tabletop. His tone abruptly changed: "The Duke of Wei's mansion... what do you think should be done?"

Xu Chengye froze, his heart leaping into his throat. He knelt down again with a thud, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty! The Duke of Wei's mansion... despite its many faults, is still of the blood of the Prince of Zhongshan and has rendered great service to the country! I beg Your Majesty to consider the Prince of Zhongshan's role in assisting the founding emperor in expanding the territory and to show leniency! This humble subject... this humble subject is willing to stake his life to ensure that the Duke will repent and reform!"

He spoke with heartfelt emotion, his eyes welling up with tears. After all, he also shared the surname Xu, and was part of Xu Da's rear guard.
The duty room was silent. Chongzhen remained silent, simply watching him. His gaze was heavy, making Xu Chengye feel suffocated. After a long while, Chongzhen finally spoke slowly, his tone icy: "Xu Hongji, Xu Yinjue, as meritorious officials guarding Nanjing, your family has received the emperor's favor for two hundred years. And what has happened? You can't even guard your own residence, needing my imperial guards to protect it. What face do such incompetent people have to occupy such high positions, what qualifications do they have to be called garrison nobles?"

His gaze was sharp as a knife, sweeping over Xu Chengye and then over Wei and Gao in the lamplight: "The responsibility of guarding the borders lies in protecting the people. They can't even protect themselves, what use are they? My mind is made up. Immediately strip Xu Hongji of his title of Duke of Wei and his post as garrison commander of Nanjing, and strip Xu Yin of his title of heir apparent. All his titles and ranks are to be revoked!"

Xu Chengye lay prostrate on the ground, his heart sinking. The Emperor was serious; he was even going to strip him of his title!

Emperor Chongzhen was not finished speaking: "After stripping him of his title, the Three Judicial Offices and the Embroidered Uniform Guard shall jointly conduct an investigation. Investigate thoroughly for me! How much official land and military farmland has the Duke of Wei's mansion embezzled over the years? How many vacancies in the Beijing Garrison have they embezzled? How many salt permits have they smuggled in collusion with salt smugglers? Every single case must be thoroughly investigated! The evidence must be solid, both witnesses and physical evidence. After the investigation is completed, the crimes shall be determined according to the Great Ming Code, and the punishments shall be carried out in accordance with the law!"

These words were like a bucket of ice water poured on Xu Chengye in the dead of winter, chilling him to the bone. This wasn't leniency; this was a complete uprooting of him, to be executed according to the law!
Chongzhen's gaze fell back on Xu Chengye, its sharpness slightly diminished, but its depth deepened: "Xu Chengye."

"Your subject... Your subject is here." Xu Chengye's voice trembled.

"Although you are from a collateral branch, your loyalty, courage, and talent were evident in the Nanjing incident. Even more commendable is your concern for the people, showing some of the integrity of your ancestor, the Prince of Zhongshan." Chongzhen's tone softened somewhat. "The bloodline of the Prince of Zhongshan cannot be severed because of unworthy descendants. Court titles are not to be usurped by the incompetent. This Duke of Wei title is best left vacant..."

He paused, each word crystal clear: "I have decided to bestow this title upon you, Xu Chengye. I hope you will emulate your ancestors, be loyal and diligent in serving the king, truly shoulder the responsibility of guarding this region, and never again betray the nation's favor or disgrace your family!"

Xu Chengye's head buzzed; he could hardly believe his ears. It wasn't adoption, it was a direct bestowal of a title! The Emperor wanted him, a collateral descendant, to directly inherit the title of Duke of Wei!
"Your Majesty! I...I come from humble origins and am not very talented. I am afraid I am not up to the task!" He instinctively declined, as this favor was too great and too hot to handle.

"If I say you're qualified, then you are." Chongzhen's tone left no room for argument. "Your title is bestowed upon you by me. You only need to be responsible to me and serve the court, without being bound by the old rules of legitimate and illegitimate children. As for any objections within the clan..." He snorted coldly, "The laws and regulations of the state are paramount, and my decree is the highest rule!"

Xu Chengye understood. This was not a succession within the clan; it was direct intervention and a re-granting of titles by the imperial power. His power and legitimacy derived entirely from the emperor.

He took a deep breath, kowtowed heavily, his voice choked with emotion: "Your subject... Xu Chengye, kowtows to thank the Emperor for his grace! Your subject will serve you with all his heart and soul, and do everything in his power to repay Your Majesty's kindness! I will certainly live up to the Emperor's trust and the illustrious name of my ancestors!"

"Alright." Chongzhen nodded. "Get up. Your first task is to cooperate with the authorities to investigate all the crimes committed by the former Duke of Wei's family. You must handle this impartially and without favoritism. This is also an opportunity for you to clarify past abuses and rectify your family's conduct."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Xu Chengye stood up, his heart surging with emotion, knowing the weight of his responsibility.

Chongzhen continued to instruct Xu Chengye:

"The land holdings of the Duke of Wei's mansion must be thoroughly investigated. The sacrificial land and burial land bestowed by Emperor Taizu shall be preserved and maintained by your branch of the family. All other land holdings that are found to be illegally occupied from official land, military farms, or civilian land shall be confiscated and turned over to the government. Half of these shall be allocated to the 'Grand Canal Salt and Grain General Bank' as public funds."

He then shifted his tone and revealed the most crucial part: "The remaining half of the confiscated land, as well as some of the original estates of the Duke's mansion, I authorize you to oversee the distribution to the impoverished illegitimate sons of each branch of the mansion. Each household will be granted twenty to fifty mu of land and issued a 'Perpetual Land Deed by Imperial Decree,' allowing them to cultivate the land for generations. However, all land owned by the Duke's mansion and its sons must be subject to imperial taxes and national levies in accordance with the law."

Emperor Chongzhen looked at Xu Chengye with a deep gaze: "Do you know why I asked you to do this?"

"Your Majesty, I humbly request your clarification."

"This is called bestowing favors!" Chongzhen said decisively. "Distribute the profits of the Duke's mansion to the poor members of the clan. Firstly, it will resolve the accumulated resentment within the clan, allowing you, the new Duke, to gain a firm foothold and popular support. Secondly, it will ensure that many descendants of the Xu family have stable property and a secure livelihood, enabling them to serve the country with peace of mind. Having received your favor, they will naturally be loyal to you and the court. This is far more stable than you monopolizing the huge sums while causing resentment among the clan! This is also my strategy in the southeast to cultivate a solid foundation and win over the hearts of the people. You must do this well."

Xu Chengye finally understood. The Emperor not only wanted him to inherit the title, but also wanted him to use the "land redistribution" method to dismantle the old clan power structure and build a new interest group centered on him and directly loyal to the imperial power. This was a combination of kindness and power! At the same time, it was also the only way for the Xu family, and other noble families in Nanjing, to gain a new lease on life and the Emperor's trust.

The old must be eliminated before the new can come.
"Your Majesty, I understand! I will certainly implement this plan properly, so that my Xu family can be used by Your Majesty and share the burden of the court!"

(End of this chapter)