How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 331 Not long after, Chongzhen and Aurangzeb will be brothers-in-law.
Springtime in the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign (1644), on the Jinlianchuan Grassland.

The meadows that were withered and yellow last year are now sprouting new green shoots, stretching as far as the eye can see. This place is outside Xuanfu, where the sky is high and the land is vast, and the wind carries the scent of grass and earth.

Deep in the grassland, on a gentle slope by the water, two horses galloped swiftly, their hooves treading over the newly sprouted grass, splashing dew and mud.

On horseback were two girls dressed in Mongolian attire.

The one in the blue robe is the older sister, Saren. She is tall, with honey-colored skin common on the grasslands, an oval face, broad eyes, and a straight nose. When riding a horse, she exudes a calm and steady aura, like a leisurely foal on the grasslands.

The one in red is the younger sister, Gao Yun, who looks even more delicate and pretty. She has a slender and strong figure, and her bright black eyes seem to speak volumes, revealing her intelligence at first glance. Her movements as she controls the horse are exceptionally light and graceful, as if she and the horse are one.

There were several low barriers made of bundles of straw in front of the horse. Without stopping, the horse leaped over them. The girl on horseback straightened up as she was airborne, drew her bow and nocked an arrow with a backhand motion, her movements fluid. The moment the horse landed, the arrow was already released.

Whoosh!Whoosh!
The arrow flew swiftly, striking the bullseye of the target a hundred paces away, its fletching still humming.

"it is good!"

People cheered from the edge of the hillside. It was Empress Dowager Sutai of Southern Mongolia. She was dressed in a dignified Mongolian noblewoman's robe, a smile on her face, and turned to look at a high-ranking Ming Dynasty official beside her, wearing a scarlet robe and a jade belt.

That high-ranking official was Sun Chuanting, the Governor-General of Xuanfu, Datong, and Southern Mongolia. His face showed little smile; he merely nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over the young woman in the arena who had just put away her bow and reined in her horse, observing her closely.

“Empress Dowager,” Sun Chuanting began, his voice steady, “the two-year term is up, and His Majesty will soon be making his northern tour and will come to see them in person. Judging from their archery and horsemanship, they are already comparable to ordinary cavalry.”

Upon hearing this, Empress Dowager Sutai's smile faded, and her expression turned serious. She knew that these two girls were, to some extent, related to the financial future of the Chahar tribe, and of course, also to Emperor Chongzhen's trust in her.

On the grassland, Saren and Gao Yun had already trotted back, dismounted nimbly, and walked to Sun Chuanting and Empress Dowager Sutai. Both of them had sweat on their foreheads, but their breathing was even. Upon closer inspection, Saren was calm yet resilient, while Gao Yun stood quietly, but his eyes were already darting around, scrutinizing the expressions of Governor Sun and Empress Dowager Sutai.

Sun Chuanting didn't let them rest. His personal guards had already set up tables and chairs, and laid out paper and pens.

"Sit down," Sun Chuanting ordered. "Tell me. Recently, a report from Xuanfu and Datong said that a small group of northern barbarians had been harassing the border, and our army only drove them away without pursuing them further. What do you two think about this?"

This is already testing their military and political skills.

Saren spoke first, his voice steady: "Governor, I believe that the northern barbarians' spring invasions are mostly for food. It is prudent and mature for the border troops to drive them away without annihilating them. Right now, there is a spring famine, and the northern barbarians are also short of food. If we push them too hard, we are afraid they will become desperate and cause a major disturbance. What we should do now is to strictly guard the passes and appease the border people."

Sun Chuanting remained silent, watching Gao Yun intently.

Gao Yun's eyes were sharp, and he quickly replied, "Sister's words are sound and reasonable. However, I believe that in addition to driving them away, we can also send elite night scout squads to follow and scout. If we find an opportunity for the enemy to be exhausted and scattered in search of food, we can pick on the weakest part, strike them hard, and cut off dozens of heads before returning. In this way, we can both demonstrate our military might and deter other units, without triggering a major war. The key is to grasp the right timing and strength."

After listening, Sun Chuanting's face remained expressionless, but a fleeting hint of satisfaction flashed in his eyes. Then he watched as the two women picked up their brushes and wrote down their proposed strategies word by word on the paper, which he considered a test of their "Chinese language skills."

As he watched the two pieces of material he had been polishing for two years gradually become more and more refined, he couldn't help but recall two years ago.

It was the summer of the fourth year of the Chongzhen Emperor's reign. A secret imperial edict was sent to his governor's residence, clearly stating that talented young women should be selected from the Golden Family of Southern Mongolia and carefully nurtured for the long-term benefit of the empire. The Emperor entrusted this responsibility to Sun Chuanting and Empress Dowager Sutai.

There was a sentence in the decree that he remembered clearly: "This is not a matter of personal feelings, but a matter of national importance. You should treat it with the same dedication you would show when forging a sword."

At the time, Sun Chuanting didn't know what Chongzhen was planning, but he dared not be negligent. Together with Empress Dowager Sutai, he secretly selected girls from various tribes in Chahar. Dozens of eligible girls were initially chosen. After rigorous screening based on physique, temperament, comprehension, and even their sense of the political situation, it took half a year. Finally, the two cousins ​​before him, Saren and Gaoyun, remained. Their parents had both died in the war against the Later Jin; their backgrounds were clean, and their will was firm.

Upon hearing the report, the emperor personally bestowed names. The elder sister was named "Saren" (moon), signifying her future role in illuminating India; the younger sister was named "Gaoyun" (high clouds), signifying her role in encircling the Forbidden City. With the names decided, the paths they would take were also set.

For the next two years, this Jinlianchuan Grassland became their training ground in seclusion.

Archery and horsemanship were fundamental skills, and the best instructors from various Mongol tribes were hired to teach them. Sun Chuanting himself would personally inspect their progress every ten days or so. In addition, he personally taught them to read maps, explain the situation on the nine border regions, analyze the court's structure, and even predict the Liaodong war. What he wanted them to know was not embroidery, but the skills to govern and stabilize the country.

Empress Dowager Sutai taught them the etiquette of the Golden Family and the origins of the various Mongol tribes, instructing them on proper speech and conduct, and how to project nobility and dignity in every movement. Emperor Chongzhen also had Tian Ji, who was in charge of procuring arms in Guangdong, find a Western missionary named Lu Ruohan from Macau. This elderly missionary had previously served in Goa and knew Persian, so he taught Saren Persian, explained Indian customs and traditions, and incidentally taught her some arithmetic and geometry. Gao Yun also studied, but she paid more attention to the political systems and laws of foreign lands.

In Kaiping, there was also a taciturn commander of the Imperial Guard, surnamed Shen. He didn't teach fighting; instead, he taught people how to read people, understand their words, sense danger, and find a way to survive. These were the skills for survival and success in chaotic times.

Over the course of two years, the two rough gems gradually began to shine. Saren became increasingly calm and gentle, and developed a genuine longing for the distant Mongolian lands thousands of miles away; Gao Yun, on the other hand, became increasingly astute and decisive, displaying some extraordinary talent in political maneuvering and strategy.

Sun Chuanting looked at them like a swordsmith looking at his sword, which he had forged over a thousand hammer blows and was about to unsheathe.

“Governor,” Saren’s voice pulled Sun Chuanting back from his reverie, “When exactly will His Majesty depart for his northern tour? How should I…prepare?”

Sun Chuanting said solemnly, "At the latest, next month. His Majesty will be bringing envoys from the Mughal Empire of India to Kaiping for an inspection tour. Saren, you must appear as 'Princess Sarentuya' at that time. Your demeanor and bearing are related to the national dignity, and you cannot make the slightest mistake."

He then looked at Gao Yun: "You will also accompany His Majesty and serve him. You must observe more, listen more, and ponder more. There is knowledge to be gained everywhere around His Majesty."

The two sisters bowed together, their voices firm: "We understand, and we will certainly live up to His Majesty, the Governor-General, and the Empress Dowager's high expectations!"

As night fell, the campfire at the grassland camp gradually died down, leaving only the sound of the wind rustling through the grass.

Inside Saren's tent, the lamp was still on. She sat upright on the felt rug, her back straight, just as she had been riding a horse during the day. The lamplight outlined the contours of her profile, giving her a resemblance to the valiant princesses of legend. In her hand, she caressed an exquisite Persian dagger; the jewels on its scabbard gleamed faintly, reflecting her calm gaze.

“Sister,” she whispered to Gao Yun, who was leaning against the felt rug beside her. Gao Yun was more relaxed, one hand supporting her chin, the other unconsciously twirling her sash. Her eyes flickered in the candlelight, and as she listened to her sister’s words, her mind was already racing.

"This journey will take us thousands of miles, and I don't know when we will meet again. It is as if the daughter of my Golden Family will eventually be scattered to the ends of the earth for the sake of the family."

Upon hearing this, Gao Yun immediately sat up straight, grabbed Saren's hand, her palm warm and strong. "Sister, don't say such discouraging things! As members of the Golden Family, whether we travel to India or serve in the Ming Dynasty palace, we are all striving for a future and good fortune for our family! Besides, His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty has granted our clan a way to live and bestowed honor upon us, and we cannot fail to repay this kindness. Although we are separated by distance, our hearts are one. We sisters share the responsibility of reviving our family's fortune and repaying the Emperor's grace!"

She spoke quickly and decisively, with an undeniable resolve.

Saren looked at the light in his sister's eyes, as bright as the stars outside the tent, and nodded heavily.

That same night, Beijing was already ablaze with lights from every home.

In the warm pavilion behind the Qianqing Palace in the Forbidden City, Emperor Chongzhen, unusually, did not review memorials. Instead, he sat around a table with Empress Zhou, Consort Mao, Consort Tian, ​​Consort Yuan, Consort Liu, Consort Yang, and Consort Gao Guiying, whose health was already showing signs of decline, for dinner. On the table were several home-style dishes with a "Handong flavor": lotus root stewed with pork ribs, braised fish chunks, and stir-fried preserved pork with rapeseed, all emitting a fragrant aroma.

Emperor Chongzhen ate very little, taking only a few bites before putting the rest down. He glanced at Empress Zhou beside him, then swept his gaze over the other concubines, finally settling on Gao Guiying's protruding belly. His tone was gentle yet carried a hint of planning: "In a few days, I will be making a northern tour to the grasslands, to Kaiping. This trip will take at least a month, and at most two months."

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhou put down her silver chopsticks and said gently, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will take care of everything in the palace." She paused, then glanced at Gao Guiying with a hint of worry, "It's just that Guiying's health..."

"That's exactly what I wanted to say," Chongzhen interjected. "Guiying is pregnant and should not travel long distances, so she will not be accompanying me this time." He turned to Consort Yang, who had a slender figure and a touch of heroism between her brows, and said, "Yujiao, you are steady and skilled in archery and horsemanship. You will accompany me on this trip to the grasslands."

Overjoyed at the news, she immediately stood up and clasped her hands in a graceful gesture: "Your Majesty, I accept the decree! I will certainly protect Your Majesty!"

Chongzhen nodded, gesturing for her to sit down. He then looked at Empress Zhou, as if remembering something, and added in a casual tone, "There is one more thing. This time when I return, I will bring back a young lady from the Golden Family named Gao Yun. I have already had Su Tai examine her; she is sensible, knows her place, and is skilled in archery and horsemanship. From now on, she will serve as my bodyguard when I travel, just like Guiying and Yujiao. Empress, please arrange things in the palace for now."

Empress Zhou, being astute, immediately understood that this was not merely a matter of having more guards, but a crucial matter connecting Southern Mongolia with the Indian Mongol Kingdom. She smiled and replied, "I understand. Your Majesty, rest assured, I will arrange everything properly and will certainly not mistreat the noble lady of the Golden Family."

Although Gao Guiying was somewhat disappointed that she could not accompany him, she knew the importance of the matter and gently stroked her belly, saying softly, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will take good care of myself in the palace. With Sister Yang accompanying me, I am also at ease."

Emperor Chongzhen hummed in agreement, his gaze sweeping over the women. Seeing that they all looked happy and harmonious, he picked up his chopsticks again, took a piece of rapeseed, and said with a smile, "Eat your meal. During the time I have been away from the capital, you must all behave yourselves and not trouble the Empress."

The concubines responded in unison. Inside the warm pavilion, candlelight flickered, and bowls and chopsticks clattered softly as the emperor, empress, and concubines dined like ordinary people. However, beneath this ordinariness, a marriage alliance concerning the stability of the northern frontier and the connection with the Mongol Empire had already been arranged.

Before long, Emperor Chongzhen and Aurangzeb would become brothers-in-law.
(End of this chapter)