How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 327 Kheshig Trading Company, Authentic Mongolian Master's Shop!

In the spring of the sixth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign, Nanjing was shrouded in continuous rain. The yellow tiles of the Forbidden City gleamed from the rain, and the air was filled with the damp scent of earth. But beneath this dampness, a restless and uneasy mood was subtly stirring.

Scattered rumors began to circulate among the common people, about India, about the Mongols, and about an immense fortune. These rumors were told in great detail, yet no one could pinpoint their true source.

In the west warm pavilion of the Wuying Hall, Emperor Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian, did not sit on the dragon throne, but stood in front of a huge map. The map was crisscrossed with mountains and rivers, and his gaze passed over the Central Plains, fixed on the vast region in the southwest marked "Mongol".

The Grand Eunuch Wei Zhongxian, the Minister of Rites Qian Qianyi, and the Director of the Water Transport Commission Zhang Zhiji stood with their hands at their sides. They had all been summoned urgently by secret imperial decree.

"Tell me your thoughts," Chongzhen said without turning around. "How do we eat this piece of fat meat sent by the Mongol delegation, so that we can enjoy it with juicy goodness without getting a bone stuck in our throat?"

Qian Qianyi exchanged a glance with Zhang Zhiji, then spoke first, his tone cautious: "Your Majesty, the Mongol delegation has come with lavish gifts, intending to establish a marriage alliance and recruit soldiers. According to protocol, our dynasty should show leniency and employ both kindness and severity."

"A combination of kindness and severity?" Chongzhen turned around, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips. "Muzhai, tell me, how exactly do you intend to use this combination of kindness and severity? Should we ask for less betrothal gifts, or send more dowry? Hmm?"

Qian Qianyi was taken aback by the question and quickly bowed, saying, "This old minister is foolish and asks Your Majesty for clarification."

Emperor Chongzhen walked to his desk and tapped the surface with his knuckles, producing a dull thud. "I see it very clearly. These two Persians, Mizar and Amir Khan, hold fast to one principle—only those from the Mongolian steppes are true Buddhas! Whether Sarentuya is a princess is secondary; the most important thing is that she must be a legitimate daughter of the Golden Family, raised on the southern steppes! They may not be able to distinguish whether those warriors and merchants are of pure Mongol descent, but they must bear the mark of the steppes, and they must gain the approval of Empress Dowager Sutai and Prince Altan to be considered worthy!"

Wei Zhongxian replied in a shrill voice, "Your Majesty is wise! These barbarians are just stubborn. However, this stubbornness can be used to our advantage."

“That’s right!” Chongzhen’s gaze swept over the three men. “So in this negotiation, we must go along with their demands. They want authenticity, so we’ll give them the full extent of authenticity! Sarentuya is the most beautiful Sarilang flower on the grasslands! Every warrior we send must be a true warrior who can spend the night on horseback! As for the merchants…”

He paused, lowered his voice, but said with even greater force, "We'll create a group of 'Mongolian merchants' for them! We'll send the brightest young men from Jiangnan, Huguang, and even Shanxi and Shaanxi to Guihua City to get a taste of their own medicine, learn a few words of Mongolian, know how to drink mare's milk wine, and ride inferior horses! Empress Dowager Sutai and Prince Altan will personally award them 'Kheshig diplomas'! When they go to India with these diplomas, they'll be the elite!"

Zhang Zhiji gasped, "Your Majesty, this...this won't work! Merchants are driven by profit; I'm afraid they can't endure this hardship, and they won't be able to replicate it."

“Whether they look alike or not, they’re only three-tenths similar!” Chongzhen interrupted him. “The important thing is not how much they resemble Mongols, but that the Mongols think they do! And this ‘thinking’ is decided by me, by Empress Dowager Sutai, and by Prince Altan! This is the power of certification! With this power, even black can be called yellow!”

He looked at Wei Zhongxian and Qian Qianyi: "This negotiation will be led by the two of you. Zhongxian, you must stand up for me and maintain your dignity! Muzhai, you smooth things over from the side and make sure your words are well-chosen. The core issue is only one: the Ming Dynasty can help the Mongols obtain all the 'authentic' Mongolian resources they want, but on the condition that the 'Kheshig Trading Company' of the Mongol Khanate be responsible for the trade of exporting Mongol warriors to the Mongols, and that this trading company obtain tax exemption rights within the territory of the Mongols."

“Your servants understand!” Wei Zhongxian and Qian Qianyi replied in unison.

"Furthermore," Chongzhen added, "they want to see the grasslands and meet the princess, don't they? Granted! Tell Mizar and Amir Khan that I will soon be heading north to Kaiping to inspect the border regions, and they can accompany me! Let them see for themselves what the true Mongol Khan's court is like, and what the splendor of a princess of the Golden Family truly is!"

A sharp glint flashed in his eyes: "In Nanjing, the garrison must quickly set up the framework of the 'Kheshig Merchant Guild.' Spread the word that anyone who wants to invest, anyone who wants to obtain the identity of a 'Mongolian merchant,' hurry up and raise the money! This time when I go north, I will take the people they have selected with me to the grasslands for 'study'! Afterwards, we will set off with Princess Sarentuya and directly establish contact with the Crown Prince of the Mongol Empire. Once this opportunity is gone, it will be gone forever!"

"Go," Chongzhen waved his hand. "Reach a settlement. Remember, this matter is of paramount importance. Whether our Great Ming can overcome this current hurdle may very well depend on this!"

Inside the main hall of the Ministry of Rites, the atmosphere of the negotiations was solemn and dignified.

On the Ming side, Wei Zhongxian sat in the main seat, Qian Qianyi to his left, Zhang Zhiji to his right, and several minor officials responsible for recording documents. The Mongol delegation was led by Mizar, followed by Amir Khan, with an interpreter seated to one side. After exchanging pleasantries and serving tea, Mizar spoke first through the interpreter, his tone respectful but his attitude clear: "I have come from afar on the orders of my lord, Emperor Shah Jahan, for two reasons: first, to forge a lasting alliance between our two nations and to marry the esteemed Princess Sarentuya; and second, to recruit true Mongol warriors to help my lord restore the glory of his ancestors. The princess's bloodline must be noble and pure, and the warriors must come from the steppes—this is something my lord has repeatedly emphasized."

Wei Zhongxian held his teacup, gently stirring the floating leaves with the lid, without even lifting his eyelids: "I understand what Your Excellency means. You just want to see the real princess on the grassland with your own eyes."

Qian Qianyi quickly took over: "Your Excellency, please rest assured. Princess Sarentuya is a direct descendant of the Golden Family. She grew up on the southern grasslands and is skilled in archery and horsemanship. Her lineage is beyond doubt. As for the warriors, they are naturally the most loyal and brave men selected from the various tribes of southern Mongolia."

Aamir Khan couldn't help but interject, his voice booming: "We hope to send people north to see the princess in person, to see if she has truly adapted to life on the grasslands! We also want to see firsthand how those warriors gallop across the grasslands!"

This suggests a lack of trust in the Ming Dynasty, but Wei Zhongxian not only didn't get angry, he put down his teacup and said with a smile, "General, you speak your mind, I appreciate that."

He surveyed the Mongol delegation and said slowly, "To be honest, His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty will soon be traveling north to inspect the border regions and will be visiting Kaiping. If any of you are interested, you are welcome to accompany him. At that time, you will not only be able to witness Princess Sarentuya's charm on the grasslands, but also the heroic bearing of the warriors from the various Mongol tribes of the Southern Mongolian region of the Great Ming Dynasty."

Mizar and Amir Khan exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. Mizar quickly rose and bowed, saying, "It would be our greatest honor to accompany His Majesty the Emperor north and witness the grandeur of the grasslands!"

Qian Qianyi pressed his advantage: "That's exactly right. At that time, you will not only be able to meet the princess and the warrior, but also meet with Empress Dowager Sutai and Prince Altan of Southern Mongolia of our Great Ming. The truth will then be clear."

This reply greatly surprised the Mughal delegation. Mizar quickly whispered to Amir Khan for a moment and immediately agreed. The atmosphere of the negotiations immediately warmed up.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Wei Zhongxian slowly picked up his teacup again and casually mentioned, "Speaking of which, there used to be a 'Kheshig Trading Company' in the Southern Mongolian Khanate, which specialized in escorting travelers and protecting the borders and people. Of course, they also provided mercenaries to many Mongol Khanates in the west. Many warriors under Empress Dowager Sutai and Prince Altan were registered in the trading company to make a living."

He spoke casually, as if it were common knowledge. Mizar and Amir Khan exchanged a glance, both somewhat puzzled. They had never heard of this trading company, but since it was a mercenary force exported by the Mongol Khanate, it sounded reasonable. Otherwise, why couldn't their Mongol ancestor Babur always defeat the Uzbeks? It turned out they had hired outside help!
Qian Qianyi promptly took over the conversation, explaining in a gentle tone: "This marriage alliance and recruitment of soldiers are matters of great importance, involving countless details. His Majesty, Empress Dowager Sutai, and Prince Altan have agreed that the selection of warriors for your country should be handled by the 'Kheshig Merchant Guild,' as it is the safest option. Firstly, they know the backgrounds of the warriors inside and out; secondly, they have a well-established set of procedures to ensure that the warriors' selection, departure, and arrival in your country are all conducted according to established rules, preventing any mishaps."

Aamir Khan's attention was indeed focused solely on the warrior himself. He asked eagerly, "That's excellent! But I wonder how many genuine steppe batars this trading company can provide for my lord? And how much silver is needed to settle down?"

Wei Zhongxian wanted exactly this effect. He smiled slightly and said, "General, rest assured, how could there be a shortage of eagles on the grasslands? As long as the price is fair, we have as many as you need! As for the specific number of people and the resettlement and clothing expenses for each warrior," he deliberately paused and looked at Mizar, "Since your esteemed envoy is going to accompany the emperor north, you can discuss it with Empress Dowager Sutai and Prince Altan in person. They know best the value of their men and will never let their friends suffer losses."

He then changed the subject, seemingly casually adding, "However, the operation of this trading company involves considerable expenses, including carriages, boats, and provisions for the people and horses. For the sake of long-term considerations, this 'Kheshig Trading Company,' carrying documents from the Mongol Khanate, is procuring goods and trading local products within your country. We hope your country will grant us tax exemption. In this way, the trading company can operate sustainably and better serve your country."

Mizar's mind was entirely focused on the princess and the warriors. He didn't see anything wrong with this trade favor, which seemed to be requested by the Mongol Khanate's own trading company, as long as it didn't add to his master Shah Jahan's financial burden. After a moment's thought, he nodded in agreement: "This is not difficult. Since it is the Mongol Khanate's trading company working on important matters between the two countries, it is only right to provide some convenience. The specific details can be finalized with the Khanate after we go north."

Aamir Khan waved his hand dismissively: "As long as you can send real Mongolian warriors, these small matters are negotiable!"

The subsequent negotiations went exceptionally smoothly. The two sides barely fussed over details and quickly reached an agreement on the macro framework, including the marriage ceremony and arrangements for the delegation's northward journey. Mizar and Amir Khan were very satisfied, feeling that the Ming emperor truly possessed the magnanimity of a Celestial Empire, acting decisively and always considering their needs.

They talked all day long, until the city lights came on, and finally a framework agreement was reached. Both sides were naturally delighted.

When the negotiations concluded, Wei Zhongxian smiled and said to Mizar and Amir Khan, "In that case, please make preparations as soon as possible. Once His Majesty selects an auspicious day, we will set off north. The grasslands are vast; we will surely ensure your journey is worthwhile!"

(End of this chapter)