How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 40 Wang Chengen, study hard and be a good eunuch! (Please read on and add to your favorites)

Internal transport warehouse accounting office.

Wei Zhongxian, his back hunched, ran his fingers over a stack of newly transcribed yellow registers, his voice weary: "Cui Chengxiu, 200,000 taels of silver, 2,000 taels of gold, equivalent to 20,000 taels of silver; 30,000 mu of land, equivalent to 300,000 taels of silver; 26 properties, equivalent to 180,000 taels of silver... totaling 700,000 taels. Zhou Yingqiu, 500,000 taels of silver, 487,000 mu of land, equivalent to 470,000 taels of silver; 13 properties, equivalent to 125,000 taels of silver; antiques and calligraphy... Tian Ji, 40,000 mu of land, equivalent to 400,000 taels of silver..."

He paused, then raised his cloudy old eyes to look at the three figures standing with their hands at their sides in the shadows—Cui Chengxiu, Zhou Yingqiu, and Tian Ji. All three were dressed in plain clothes, their faces ashen, like wilted eggplants.

“It’s all here,” Wei Zhongxian said in a low voice. “It has emptied most of your wealth. You should know the extent of His Majesty’s favor.”

Cui Chengxiu's Adam's apple bobbed as he forced a smile that was more like a grimace: "Old... Old Eunuch's advice is right, this sinful subject... no, we are deeply grateful!"

Wei Zhongxian ignored him and pointed to the side with his withered hand: "This is Wang Chengen, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Treasury, Eunuch Wang."

Wang Chengen was dressed in a brand-new blue undergarment, with a rhinoceros horn belt around his waist. His face was fair, but his eyes held a sense of restraint and bewilderment. He took half a step forward and nodded slightly.

"Eunuch Wang is His Majesty's most trusted advisor," Wei Zhongxian's voice rose slightly, "From now on, His Majesty's private funds in the Inner Treasury will be under Eunuch Wang's control. The three of you..."

His gaze swept over Cui, Zhou, and Tian: "From now on, if you need to do errands, withdraw money, or submit notes, you'll have to go through Eunuch Wang."

Cui Chengxiu reacted the fastest, kneeling down with a thud and slamming his forehead heavily against the gold brick: "Your humble servant Cui Chengxiu pays respects to Eunuch Wang! Eunuch Wang's supervision of the Imperial Treasury is truly a testament to His Majesty's wisdom! From now on, your humble servant will follow your lead without question!"

Zhou Yingqiu and Tian Ji were a beat behind, but they also hurriedly knelt down, repeatedly calling him "Eunuch Wang".

Wang Chengen had never received such a grand gesture before. He frantically tried to help him up, but then realized it was inappropriate and froze, his face flushed red: "Get up...get up, get up quickly! You're making me feel so ashamed..."

The three men did not rise. Cui Chengxiu took out a brand-new "Four Great Heng" silver note from his sleeve, held it high above his head with both hands, and respectfully handed it to Wang Chengen: "Eunuch Wang, you have just taken charge of the Imperial Treasury, and there are many things to manage. This is just a small token of our respect. We hope you will accept it! Consider it... consider it a small token of our appreciation!"

Zhou Yingqiu and Tian Ji also hurriedly took out their own silver notes and presented them in the same manner.

Wang Chengen stared at the three thin pieces of paper, feeling an unbearable burning sensation in his hands! He instinctively withdrew his hand, shaking his head repeatedly: "This...this is unacceptable! If His Majesty finds out..."

"Take him down! Take him down!" Wei Zhongxian's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a nail driven into Wang Chengen's ear.

Wang Chengen turned his head in astonishment.

Wei Zhongxian's wrinkled old face remained expressionless. He merely tilted his head slightly, lowered his voice, and spoke quickly and softly: "Cheng'en, you are in charge of His Majesty's finances! You must have a sum of 'liquid money' that you can access at any time! Understand? The silver in the imperial treasury is clearly recorded in the accounts, and all the eyes in the outer court are watching! What if His Majesty wants to spend some private money to cover some expenses that are difficult to manage openly? That's where your 'liquid money' comes in! If the imperial treasury runs out, your money will be His Majesty's lifeline! Do you understand?"

Wang Chengen was dumbfounded, his mind a complete blank. Saving the Emperor's private funds? This...this is against the rules!
"Rules?" Wei Zhongxian seemed to see through his thoughts, and then instructed, "Rules are rigid, but people are flexible! Our first duty as servants is to please our masters! Only when our masters are pleased can we survive! Take this!"

He pushed his hand forward, almost stuffing the three silver notes into Wang Chengen's stiff palm.

It felt slightly cool to the touch. Wang Chengen looked down and saw the note clearly—Cui Chengxiu's note clearly stated, "Eligible for 10,000 taels of pure silver upon presentation of this note!" Zhou Yingqiu's and Tian Ji's notes were also 10,000 taels each.

Seeing Wang Chengen accept the silver notes, Cui Chengxiu, Zhou Yingqiu, and Tian Ji visibly relaxed their tense backs and let out a long, silent sigh, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from their shoulders.

"Thank you, Eunuch Wang! Thank you, Eunuch Wei!" The three kowtowed again, their voices filled with a sense of relief at surviving a calamity.

Wei Zhongxian waved his sleeve, as if shooing away flies: "Alright, the sentiment is enough. Since His Majesty has accepted your compensation money and land for redemption, he considers you as his own people. Now that Eunuch Wang is protecting you, you can rest assured and just do your job well for His Majesty!"

"Yes! Yes! We will repay Your Majesty's grace with our lives!" The three men felt as if they had been granted a pardon. They bowed deeply to Wang Chengen and then carefully retreated from the accounting room, their backs bent.

The door hinges creaked softly, cutting off the outside light and taking away the suffocating sense of oppression.

Only Wei Zhongxian and Wang Chengen remained in the accounting office.

Wang Chengen clutched the three burning silver notes, his knuckles turning white. Finally, he couldn't help but speak, his voice hoarse: "Eunuch Wei... Eunuch Wei, since they... since they are already His Majesty's men, why do they still... still rely on us? Why send this..."

"Depend on you?" Wei Zhongxian scoffed. "Cheng'en, you're still too naive. They're not dependent on you, they're afraid!"

"afraid?"

"They're terrified!" Wei Zhongxian's voice suddenly turned cold. "Do you think they're done with just paying money and land? What they've done—none of it can be brought to the table? The salt inspectors protecting smuggled salt, the officials selling official positions, the military commanders privately buying weapons… Isn't every single one of these dirty deeds? Isn't every single one of these private dealings? Isn't every single one of these things in accordance with the court's rules? They're afraid! Afraid that one day His Majesty will turn against them, afraid that one day the officials of the outer court will seize on their weaknesses and they'll die without a burial place!"

He paused, looking at Wang Chengen's still bewildered face, and said earnestly, "Therefore, they need to find a backer, someone who can speak for them in front of His Majesty, someone who can protect them when storms come! Our Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs is His Majesty's eyes and ears, His Majesty's hands! If they don't cling to our coattails, whose will they cling to?"

"Then...why would they do such improper things?" Wang Chengen was still puzzled.

"Why?" Wei Zhongxian seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world. "Promotion! Getting rich! To get promoted and get rich faster! His Majesty needs people to do these dirty jobs, these shady dealings, to get money for him, to do things that the court can't do openly! In officialdom? There are plenty of people who are scrambling to climb the ladder and make money! It's a perfect match! We people are the middlemen, acting as guarantors! And do you think we'll act as guarantors for nothing?" He pointed to the three silver notes in Wang Chengen's hand: "This is what we're supposed to take! Chengen, you weren't just taking their money, you were taking money for His Majesty! Do you understand?"

Wang Chengen felt his head buzzing. Wei Zhongxian's words were like hammers, shattering the palace rules and duties he had carefully adhered to for over a decade. The imperial treasury was the emperor's private coffers, but the outer court was watching... It wasn't convenient for the emperor to spend his private money... He needed to keep another "liquid cash"... to collect money for the emperor...

This intricate system is a hundred times more complex than any of the ledgers he has ever managed!
"The silver in the Imperial Treasury is gleaming, and every Grand Secretary and Minister in the Outer Court is eyeing it. They're all trying to find ways to squeeze it out to fill the national treasury and fund the military!" Wei Zhongxian's voice carried a worldly wisdom. "Does His Majesty have to defer to them if he wants to do something for himself, reward someone, or build a garden? What a joke! So, you must save another sum for His Majesty! Keep it in secret! Keep it in your hands, Wang Chengen! This is the money His Majesty can truly use as he pleases! Do you understand?"

Wang Chengen looked into Wei Zhongxian's unfathomable old eyes, then down at the three silver notes in his hand that seemed to burn through his palm. His throat tightened, he swallowed hard, and finally, very slowly, nodded.

"……understood."

"Good that you understand!" The coldness on Wei Zhongxian's face vanished instantly, replaced by a kind smile. "Come, Cheng'en, come with me to the Qianqing Palace to report to His Majesty!"

……

West Warm Pavilion of Qianqing Palace.

The charcoal fire burned brightly, providing a warm and cozy atmosphere. Emperor Chongzhen was not wearing his imperial robes, but only a dark-colored straight-cut robe with subtle patterns. He held his precious huanghuali wood thermos in his hands, sipping hot tea casually. Several memorials were piled on his desk, with a vermilion brush lying to the side, clearly having just been reviewed.

Wei Zhongxian and Wang Chengen stood respectfully below the steps with their hands at their sides.

"Is everything settled?" Chongzhen asked calmly, without even lifting his eyelids.

“Your Majesty,” Wei Zhongxian bowed, “the fines and land for redemption for Cui Chengxiu, Zhou Yingqiu, and Tian Ji have all been counted and deposited into the treasury, and the account details have been clearly copied by Eunuch Wang.” He paused, then added, “The three men are deeply grateful for the Emperor’s boundless grace and are extremely respectful to Eunuch Wang.”

Emperor Chongzhen hummed in agreement, his gaze falling on Wang Chengen: "Chengen, the responsibility of managing the Inner Transport Treasury is quite heavy, are you handling it smoothly?"

Wang Chengen's heart tightened, and he quickly bowed: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this servant...this servant will do her best to manage Your Majesty's money!" His palms began to sweat again, and the three silver notes seemed to be burning hot in his sleeve pocket.

Emperor Chongzhen glanced at him and knew he had accepted bribes. He nodded in satisfaction: "Wei Banban is mature and prudent. You should learn more from him about the rules and ways of the Imperial Treasury."

He knew Wang Chengen was a good person, but he hadn't forgotten that in his previous life, when disaster struck, neither he nor Wang Chengen had any money to save them.
"This servant obeys the decree!" Wang Chengen's voice trembled.

"Alright," Chongzhen put down his thermos and waved his hand. "Wei Banban, stay here. Cheng'en, go and keep an eye on things in the Imperial Treasury."

"Yes." Wang Chengen felt as if he had been granted a pardon, and hurriedly bowed and retreated, his steps unsteady.

Only Emperor Chongzhen and Wei Zhongxian remained in the warm pavilion.

Emperor Chongzhen picked up his teacup, took another sip, and looked at the old eunuch below the steps with a deep gaze: "How was the teaching?"

Wei Zhongxian bowed even lower, a bitter smile on his face: "Your Majesty, Eunuch Wang... is an honest man. He's a bit cunning, and I'm afraid he won't be able to figure things out for a while."

Emperor Chongzhen smiled bitterly: "Honesty is good. Honest people are trustworthy."

He paused, then tapped his fingers lightly on the inside of the thermos, making a crisp "tap, tap" sound.

"However, you still need to know the rules." Chongzhen's voice was not loud. "The Inner Treasury is my money bag. How the money in the bag is spent and where it is spent is up to me. Outside the bag... there also needs to be some pocket money that can be taken out at any time."

He raised his eyes, his gaze piercing Wei Zhongxian:

“Wei Banban, you teach him to be a ‘good eunuch.’ You have to be careful with the word ‘good.’ What I need are capable and adaptable servants, not lawless parasites that drain my coffers! Do you understand?”

Wei Zhongxian shuddered, and with a thud, he knelt down, his forehead slamming heavily against the gold brick.
"This old servant... understands! This old servant will certainly teach Eunuch Wang carefully, so that he can be... be a good eunuch who is loyal to His Majesty and can share His Majesty's worries and troubles!"

Emperor Chongzhen looked at the old eunuch prostrate on the ground, and after a long while, he spoke in a low voice:
"Good, you understand. Get up."

Wei Zhongxian shakily got up, his head bowed, not daring to look at the young emperor on the throne.

Emperor Chongzhen picked up the thermos again, his gaze fixed on the deepening twilight outside the window, his voice fading as if he were talking to himself:

"This Ming Dynasty... sometimes, you really do need a few 'good eunuchs'... Zhongxian, you're doing very well now, keep it up!"

(End of this chapter)