How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 332 Huang Taiji: Chongzhen, you wait, I'm coming right now!

In April of the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign, Liaodong suffered a severe drought.

The Liao River had long since dried up, its riverbed cracked into hard, dry clumps of mud, gaping with menacing gashes. The fields were devoid of any greenery, not even a hint of moisture; as far as the eye could see, there was only a deathly, scorched yellow expanse.

A large army moved silently across the scorched earth. Men and horses were shrouded in thick yellow dust, their features obscured. Leading the charge were elite Bayara guards, their armor covered in dust, yet their eyes pierced the dust like knives. Close behind were the armored soldiers of the two Yellow Banners, and behind them, an endless expanse of Mongol cavalry, their Khorchin and Kharachin banners mingling together, the heavy clatter of hooves making one's heart ache.

The Great Khan, Huang Taiji, sat astride his horse, his plump face grim, his brows furrowed in a deep frown. Beile Abatai and Hauge, civil officials Fan Wencheng and Ganglin, along with Obahong Taiji of the Khorchin and Gulusiqibu, the leader of the Kharachin, all surrounded him. No one spoke; only the muffled thud of hooves crushing the dry earth and the occasional rustling of armor plates could be heard. The soldiers' faces were etched with hunger, their lips cracked, and their horses were thin, their ribs protruding, but their eyes gleamed with a ferocious light forged by thirst and hunger, like that of ravenous wolves.

Reaching a high slope, Huang Taiji reined in his horse, and the others stopped as well. He gazed at the lifeless, scorched yellow landscape before him, remaining silent for a long time. This land seemed to be silently telling a story of despair.

Obataiji of Khorchin spurred his horse closer, his voice hoarse: "Great Khan... Khorchin's grasslands are completely ruined this year. Grain reserves are almost gone, and if the drought continues, the men and horses... really can't hold on."

The Kharachin chieftain, Gulusiqibu, also said with a bitter face, "The tribe has already started killing skinny horses for food. Survival is difficult enough, how... how can we fight this war?"

Huang Taiji did not turn around; his gaze remained fixed on the distance.

“Natural disasters,” he suddenly spoke, his voice low but clear enough to drown out the wind, “are not necessarily bad things.”

Everyone was taken aback and looked at him.

He turned his fat face, his gaze sweeping over the several Mongol Taijis like a brush: "The foundation of my Great Jin is the Manchu Eight Banners, plus the Mongol brothers who have truly submitted! The number of people who can mount a horse, draw a bow, and fight to the death is less than a million! These are the real 'people'!"

He pointed sharply to the southeast: "With vast land and sparse population, we have room to maneuver! Liaodong is suffering from drought, so what? We can requisition grain from the eight provinces of Korea! We can plunder the reserves of the Ming Dynasty's border towns! As long as our swords are strong enough, we won't starve!"

Just then, a series of urgent whistles and the sound of horses' hooves came from the flank, quickly followed by deathly silence. A moment later, several soldiers in white armor galloped back, throwing a blood-dripping cloth bundle on the ground. Inside the bundle were several Ming army night scouts' helmets and a minor officer's badge.

Just as Lin dismounted, picked it up, glanced at it, and whispered, "Great Khan, it's a scout from Ningyuan Town. It should have come from Zhongtunwei in Yingzhou."

Huang Taiji didn't even lift his eyelids, seemingly unconcerned whether these scouts from Ningyuan had relayed the news of his army's march towards Daning. He simply waved his hand. "Bury them. Continue advancing." These few heroes from Ningyuan Town were thus silently wiped out, without even slowing the army down an inch.

Obataji swallowed hard and whispered a reminder: "Great Khan, now under the rule of our Great Jin, including the surrendered Koreans and Han bondservants, the population... is probably in the millions."

“Millions?” Huang Taiji sneered, his voice chilling. “Those are cattle and sheep! Livestock! Consumables!” His face turned completely cold. “If they die, we can just capture more! The eight provinces of Korea are all in my hands, and the Joseon Dynasty is only left with Ganghwa Island, barely clinging to life. Our manpower and resources are inexhaustible! As long as we maintain the fighting strength of our million real ‘people,’ the Great Jin will not fall!”

His tone softened, and his finger turned southwest, as if it could pierce through the void and see the city: "Do you know how much silver that brat Chongzhen has poured into Kaiping these past two years? Military settlements, city construction, and this whole 'official service' thing, letting the Taijis from the grasslands take turns living there! From the southern and northern deserts, from Han China to the Western Regions, even Russian caravans are gathering there! He's practically turned Kaiping into a treasure trove on the frontier!"

Gulusiqibu's eyes lit up instantly, greed burning like fire: "Great Khan, if only we could take it down..."

Huang Taiji's voice suddenly rose, becoming resolute: "Issue the order! Once Kaiping is breached, swords will not be sheathed for three days! Whoever seizes the gold, silver, grain, cloth, men, women, and children in the city, keeps them!"

These words were like a torch thrown into a pot of boiling oil. The Mongol princes and the Eight Banners generals immediately began to breathe heavily, and the hunger in their eyes was completely ignited by greed.

"Haug!"

"Your subject is here!" Hauge spurred his horse forward.

"You are to lead the two Yellow Banners' Bayara as the vanguard to scout the road to Daming. If you encounter any small groups of Ming troops, eliminate them immediately. The main army's whereabouts must not be revealed!"

"Whoo!"

"Abatai!"

"The slave is here!"

"The Eight Banners of Mongolia, as well as the troops of Khorchin and Kharachin, are all under your command! Upon arrival in Daning, rest immediately and prepare to traverse the thousand-mile pine forest!"

"Whoo!"

Huang Taiji finally looked at Fan Wencheng and Gang Lin: "Give Dorgon the order! Tell him to lead the Korean Green Standard Army, the Eight Banners Han Army, and some of the Two White Banners troops to launch a large-scale attack on Fuzhou! Make sure to keep the Ming army in Liaoxi firmly under the walls of Fuzhou!"

"Slave understands!"

Orders were issued one after another, and the troops, who had just been shrouded in hunger and exhaustion, seemed to be suddenly infused with a ferocious spirit. The generals shouted, urging their men to speed up. The entire army, like a slumbering beast, began to stir. Huang Taiji glanced one last time towards the southwest, where a thousand-mile-long pine forest stretched out, and beyond the pine forest lay his target—Kaiping.

He gently nudged the horse's flank and loudly gave the order:

"Hurry up! Once we get through the pine forest, I want to see if that brat Chongzhen will stay holed up in the city or slink away in disgrace this time!"

The army moved at the command, the sound of hooves suddenly becoming rapid, raising clouds of dust that surged into the sky like a flood bursting its banks, rushing towards the northwest.

At the end of April in the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign, the wind in the border region still carried a chill.

On the plains outside Kaiping City, dragon flags fluttered. Ten thousand imperial guards, their armor gleaming, marched in impeccable formation, escorting the emperor's carriage as it moved slowly forward. The procession was silent, save for the muffled thud of horses' hooves on the dry, hard earth of early spring.

Emperor Chongzhen sat in his imperial carriage, gazing ahead. A new city stood on the grassland, its walls towering high, sharply defined, bearing the marks of newly rammed earth, vaguely resembling the imposing grandeur of a frontier city. This was Kaiping, the place he had painstakingly built.

The envoys from the Mughal Empire of India, Mizar and Amir Khan, rode alongside the imperial carriage, their faces filled with undisguised astonishment as they gazed upon the city that had sprung up from the ground.

The procession reached the open space in front of the city. It was already packed with a huge crowd of people waiting to welcome them.

Empress Sutai of Southern Mongolia, dressed in a magnificent Mongolian robe, stood at the forefront. Beside her was a handsome young boy, the loyal Prince Altan Hongtaiji. Behind them followed a large group of Mongolian Taijis and Jinong.

Sun Chuanting, the governor-general of Xuanda and southern Mongolia, stood at the front of the civil officials' line, dressed in a scarlet robe, with a calm expression.

Among the military generals, Zhang Xianzhong, dressed as a Mongol noble chieftain, with a fur robe over soft armor and a fierce gaze, stood out surprisingly well among the Mongol commanders—this man was now a "Mongol certified" by the Ming Emperor and would accompany Princess Saren to India to fight for Aurangzeb. He also had a group of Mongols from the Ordos region who didn't speak much Mongolian.
In addition, Sutai also selected one of the Golden Family girls from the Chahar tribe who were not selected as his wife—now he can be considered Aurangzebu's brother-in-law!

Behind Queen Sutai followed two young women dressed in smart riding and archery attire, leather boots, belted waists, and arrow-sleeved robes, exuding a commanding presence. They were none other than the Saren and Gaoyun sisters.

On either side of the welcoming procession stood two thousand cavalrymen in Mongol attire, their military bearing impeccable and utterly silent. A closer look revealed that half of the cavalrymen had flintlock pistols hanging from their saddles, while the rest were lancers—a configuration identical to that of the Ming imperial guard's pistol-wielding cavalry!
At the edge of the crowd were several blond-haired, blue-eyed Russians. The one leading them, not young, was a Russian explorer named Ivan Petrin, who was said to have visited Beijing at the end of the Wanli era. He had recently come to Kaiping as a tribute envoy from Russia, bringing with him many Siberian furs, Moscow pearls, and Kazan ginseng, which he sold in Kaiping.
The imperial carriage came to a stop, and Emperor Chongzhen alighted from the carriage.

Empress Dowager Sutai, along with Altan Hongtaiji and the others, knelt down in unison, shouting, "Welcome, Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"

The sound echoed through the valley.

Emperor Chongzhen raised his hand: "Rise."

Everyone stood up. Chongzhen's gaze swept over them, pausing first on the faces of Empress Dowager Sutai and Altan, and he said gently, "Empress Dowager, Prince Shunyi, you have worked hard. It is cold in the border region, and it is kind of you to wait here for so long."

Su Tai hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty's presence is a great honor for the southern desert, and we are deeply grateful." She turned to Saren and Gaoyun behind her and introduced them, "Your Majesty, these two are the sisters of the late Hudun Tuxian Khan, Princess Saren and Princess Gaoyun."

Chongzhen's gaze fell on the two women. The elder sister, Saren, was calm and composed, while the younger sister, Gaoyun, was strikingly beautiful. Her bright, dark eyes held a hint of curiosity and shrewdness as she secretly glanced at the emperor before quickly lowering her gaze, a subtle, almost imperceptible, sly smile playing on her lips.

Emperor Chongzhen's heart stirred; this Princess Gaoyun possessed an inexplicable intelligence. He nodded slightly to Sutai, his tone becoming gentler: "The Empress Dowager is very kind." He then personally bent down to help Sutai up, and said to Saren and Gaoyun, "Please rise, both princesses."

Lu Ruohan, the interpreter standing nearby, quietly translated Su Tai's words to the Indian envoy. Upon hearing this, Mizar and Amir Khan immediately began to scrutinize Saren and Gao Yun. The two women were tall and graceful, their brows displaying both the haughtiness of nobility and the heroic spirit of the steppe people—truly born "beautiful and fierce"!
The two exchanged a glance, secretly praising: This was truly the direct bloodline of the Golden Family; their lineage was absolutely noble and powerful! Looking at the Mongol cavalry standing around them, each a burly man in a fur robe, riding Mongol ponies, they appeared even more integrated with their horses, exceptionally fierce. If this were taken to India… Mizar could almost picture this ferocious army charging across the plains, crushing an enemy force ten times its size.

Just then, a thunderous cannon roar suddenly came from the city wall! It was a salute to welcome the emperor.

The Indian envoys were startled, then noticed that the gunners firing the cannons were also dressed in Mongolian robes, yet their movements were remarkably skilled. The two were even more astonished: these Mongols were not only adept at archery and horsemanship, but they also controlled cannons with such precision!

Emperor Chongzhen glanced at the "Mongol artillery," nodded approvingly at Sun Chuanting, and then announced the entry into the city.

The procession passed through the city gate, and a bright and open space opened up before them. The streets were wide, but the houses on both sides were still rather rough, mostly newly built brick and stone houses, and some even had rammed earth walls. However, the streets were bustling with activity, crowded with caravans from all directions. Silks from Han China, furs from Mongolia, spices from the Western Regions, and even silverware from Russia were on display in abundance.

The distant sounds of hawking, bargaining, and the neighing of camels and horses mingled together, creating a chaotic yet vibrant atmosphere.
This hastily built border town, with its unique geographical location, has surprisingly gathered astonishing prosperity in a short period of time.

Surrounded by a crowd, Chongzhen walked through the rough yet bustling streets toward the Khan's Palace in the city center.

Just then, a fast horse came galloping from the north, its hooves clattering. The rider, covered in dust, rushed to Sun Chuanting's side, reined in his horse, jumped off, and whispered an urgent report.

Sun Chuanting listened, his expression unchanged, but his eyes suddenly sharpened. He slightly turned his head and whispered a few words to his personal guard, who immediately turned and quickly left. This small action was noticed by Zhang Xianzhong and Gao Yun. Zhang Xianzhong narrowed his eyes, while Gao Yun gently touched his sister Saren's arm.
(End of this chapter)