How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 99 Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Chuanting, Yang Sichang, Sun Yuanhua, it's your turn to take the exam! (19th update)

March 11th, the first year of the Chongzhen reign.

Inside the Wenhua Hall.

Emperor Chongzhen sat on his throne, his fingers clenching Niu Jinxing's "Policy on Establishing Three Feudatories in Liaodong to Secure the Border" until they turned white. His eyes were fixed on a single line of text:
"In the past, Shi Chaoyi was betrayed and abandoned by his followers, and eventually he was beheaded. Who knows if Huang Taiji is not the same Shi Chaoyi we know today?"

Great! That's fucking great!

He abruptly closed his eyes, a tightness in his chest. Images flashed before his eyes: the crooked tree on Coal Hill, the chaotic scene of Li Zicheng's entry into Beijing. If he had had such capable men under his command back then, things wouldn't have come to this.

Li Zicheng's "Grand Secretary Niu" was indeed a talent! He was far superior to his subordinates, who were all talk and no action! Otherwise, how could he have produced a Grand Secretary himself? The founding prime minister couldn't be much less capable!

Most people only see the trouble that the regional military governors brought to the Tang Dynasty, but they don't see that it was precisely because there were regional military governors that the military leaders under the An Lushan rebels would defect back to the Tang Dynasty! If the military leaders of the An Lushan rebels could defect to the Tang Dynasty, why couldn't the beile and banner lords under Huang Taiji defect to the Ming Dynasty and become regional military governors?
If Amin, Daišan, Dorgon, and others all have such thoughts, then Huang Taiji will be the one forced to climb the tree!

Even if Huang Taiji is skilled and can control the situation, as long as there is a possibility that his subordinates can be bribed, the Jurchens will never be stable. This move is ruthless, but it hits the nail on the head!

"The top scholar...it must be the top scholar!" Chongzhen practically spat out these words through clenched teeth, his voice so low that only he could hear them.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, and picked up Huang Zongxi's paper again.

"However, the difficulty in implementation lies primarily in funding and provisions..."

After reading just the first sentence, Chongzhen couldn't help but nod emphatically in his heart.

Yes, no money! The She-An Rebellion in the southwest dragged on for so many years, the root cause being a lack of silver! Yang Yinglong of Bozhou was so fierce, yet the imperial court was willing to spend two million taels, and it was quelled in just over a hundred days. If he could auction off two million taels now, the She-An Rebellion could also be quelled quickly, and those military households in Shaanxi who were barely surviving could be sent to Shuixi and Yongning to become small landlords.

If we could get figures like Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong to settle in Sichuan and Guizhou, then spending two million would be totally worth it!

Wait, I can actually come up with two million now!
Emperor Chongzhen suppressed his urge to immediately send the money and continued reading. He discovered that Huang Zongxi had even figured out where the two million would come from.

They opened up ports, engaged in "trade-in trade," and raised money by selling licensed status...

"That Huang Zongxi... he really has some brilliant ideas!" Chongzhen couldn't help but curse in his heart, but a smile appeared on his lips.

He put down the paper and glanced around the hall.

Grand Secretaries Huang Lijie and Sun Chengzong, and Ministers Wang Zaijin and Bi Ziyan, these veteran officials were all given seats, and each of them kept their eyes downcast and their minds at ease.

Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Yuanhua, Sun Chuanting, and Yang Sichang, the four newly summoned officials who had not yet been appointed, stood respectfully to the side.

Emperor Chongzhen smiled, his voice not loud, but everyone perked up their ears: "Today, let's discuss this policy essay."

He waved his hand to the side and said, "Xu Yingyuan, read the 'Policy on Establishing Three Feudatories in Liaodong to Secure the Border'."

"This servant obeys the decree." Xu Yingyuan quickly stepped forward, picked up Niu Jinxing's scroll with both hands, and read it aloud in a high-pitched voice, word by word.

Only his voice could be heard inside the hall.

Huang Liji's eyelids drooped, his fingers fidgeting inside his sleeve. Sun Chengzong frowned slightly, as if deep in thought. Wang Zaijin and Bi Ziyan exchanged a glance, then quickly looked away.

They all understood that the Emperor didn't really want to discuss this matter; he wanted to use these two articles to promote his "Chongzhen New Deal"! Niu Jinxing and Huang Zongxi had accurately grasped the Emperor's thoughts and their words hit the nail on the head.

Now the Emperor is using the opportunities of the provincial and palace examinations to promote these essays, and now he is using these essays to test Yuan Chonghuan and the other three... This is to select the capable ones who are willing to follow this path!
After Xu Yingyuan finished reading, he carefully placed the scroll back on the imperial desk.

Emperor Chongzhen remained silent, his gaze slowly sweeping across the faces of Yuan Chonghuan, Sun Yuanhua, Sun Chuanting, and Yang Sichang.

"What do you think?" He paused, his tone flat. "Don't speak, just write it down."

With a wave of his hand, several eunuchs immediately brought over four sets of tables and chairs, complete with writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones, and placed them in a corner of the Wenhua Hall.

“Write it here,” Chongzhen said.

The four of them felt a chill run down their spines: The Emperor is testing us!

Yuan Chonghuan's mind was in turmoil. He had been holding back his ambition, preparing a strategy for "pacifying Liaodong in five years," which he was waiting to present to the emperor.

But judging from the Emperor's current attitude, he clearly favors the policy of "establishing three vassal states"...

This strategy... is actually feasible. No one knows the situation in Liaozhen better than him. Of the 100,000 troops on paper, at most 30,000 to 40,000 can be deployed for battle. On Mao Wenlong's side, there are only a few thousand capable of fighting, plus some scattered troops in southern Liao, totaling at most a dozen or so elite soldiers.

If we could truly establish three fiefdoms in Jinzhou, Ningyuan, and Lushun, each with 10,000 elite troops, and provide them with a substantial annual stipend of 760,000 taels of silver, and grant them permanent jurisdiction with appropriate decentralization… we could hold them out. Holding them would mean a huge sum of money in the form of provisions, and perhaps even the opportunity to make extra money through secret trade with the Jurchens. Who wouldn't fight tooth and nail?
But what about him, the potential future governor-general? How could he possibly oversee three powerful regional military governors who were only subject to orders and had immense autonomy?
He gripped the pen, his brow furrowed in worry. Where should he put the pen?
Just then, Yang Sichang's voice suddenly rang out from the side, calm and clear:
"Your Majesty, I have finished writing."

A barely perceptible smile flashed in Chongzhen's eyes. It really was him.

"Read it," Chongzhen said.

Yang Sichang stood up, held up the memorial he had just written with both hands, cleared his throat, and spoke in a steady voice:

"Your Majesty, I have read Niu Huiyuan's strategy and analyzed it repeatedly. I believe it is an excellent way to break the deadlock and a wise and prudent plan for governing the country. It is feasible and should be implemented as soon as possible!"

He first affirmed the core of Niu Jinxing's strategy—concentrating troops in cities, relying on fortified cities and cannons, and economically weakening the enemy. Then, he changed the subject:
"However, holding onto the Three Feudatories is a temporary measure, not a long-term solution. The court must not be complacent and place all its hopes on the loyalty and bravery of the regional military governors and the internal strife within the Jurchens."

"I believe that we should set a five-year timeframe and carry out three tasks as a basis for future plans."

"First, we must vigorously rectify domestic affairs and broaden the sources of revenue. We must conduct a thorough survey of land, strictly investigate fraudulent deposits, and recover outstanding arrears. We must also reorganize the salt administration and customs. Only in this way can we fill the hole in the Liaodong military expenditure and support newly trained troops, instead of wasting the national capital."

"Secondly, we must organize and train a new Beijing garrison to rebuild a powerful force for the central government. The Beijing garrison is in disarray, and the nation has lost its claws and teeth. We should appoint fierce warriors as generals, weed out the old and weak, recruit strong and brave men from the north, and train them rigorously. Equip them with fine weapons and provide them with generous pay. Within five years, we will surely have a fine army capable of fighting in the field and controlling all directions. This is the sharp sword in Your Majesty's hand, which can not only prevent the Three Feudatories from becoming too powerful, but also prepare for the future annihilation of the country."

"Thirdly, observe the situation and act accordingly, shifting from defense to offense. If within five years, Heaven blesses the Ming Dynasty, internal reforms are successful, the treasury is full, and the new army is trained, and if the Three Feudatories of Liaoxi can indeed trap and exhaust the Jurchens, then Your Majesty can personally lead the elite of this new army to patrol the border, or send elite cavalry to join forces with the Western Jurchens to frequently harass their strongholds beyond the border. If the Jurchens are attacked from both sides, then the recovery of the entire Liaodong region can be expected!"

After Yang Sichang finished reading, he bowed and presented the memorial.

Emperor Chongzhen nodded repeatedly, a genuine smile appearing on his face. This Yang Sichang was indeed a wise man; he not only understood the intention but also anticipated the consequences and pointed out Emperor Chongzhen's desire to train a new army.

"Good, Minister Yang is indeed a wise and experienced strategist." Chongzhen praised, then turned his gaze to the other three, "And you? Have you finished writing as well?"

Sun Yuanhua put down his pen almost simultaneously: "Your Majesty, I have finished writing!"

Sun Yuanhua stood up. He wasn't tall, nor was he particularly imposing, but he stood ramrod straight, holding the document he had just written in both hands. He took a deep breath and spoke in a steady voice:
"Your subject, Sun Yuanhua, respectfully reports."

“Niu Huiyuan’s ‘Policy of Establishing Three Feudatories in Liaodong to Secure the Border’ proposes that the feudatories guard Liaodong and share power to defend against the barbarians. This policy has its merits. I also believe it is feasible.”

He first set the tone, affirming the feasibility of Niu Jinxing's strategy. Several senior officials in the hall nodded slightly, while Yuan Chonghuan listened attentively.

“Indeed!” Sun Yuanhua’s tone suddenly changed, and his voice rose a few decibels. “In my view, the perilous situation in Liaodong is such that if we rely entirely on the regional military governors or hope that the Jurchens will collapse on their own when their food supplies run out, we are gambling with the fate of the nation! This is not the way to achieve long-term stability!”

"In my early years, I traveled extensively in Macau and personally witnessed the exquisite nature of Western firearms. Now, I risk my life to speak frankly: If we wish to secure peace in Liaodong, we must use firearms as our blades and elite troops as our shields, and adopt warfare as our defense!"

He paused and continued:
"The regional military governors can temporarily secure the borders, but three problems are difficult to eliminate: First, if the regional military governors become disloyal, the borders will collapse; second, the Jurchens are not easily defeated, and if they cannot plunder the Ji and Liao regions, they can plunder Korea! Third, the Liaodong route is difficult to traverse, and from Juehua Island to Ningyuan, small boats transport grain as slowly as ants carrying grain; Jinzhou and Dalinghe Fort are both precarious cities, and the grain stored there can only last for a hundred days. If the enemy besieges the cities and cuts off the roads, even with regional military governors, it will be difficult to hold out for long!"

With each point he made, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly tense. These were all very real potential dangers.

"However, the advent of Western firearms has revolutionized the battlefield!" Sun Yuanhua's voice gradually filled with confidence. "The era of bows, horses, swords, and spears is coming to an end! There are three key reasons for this!"

He held up three fingers:
"Firstly, light artillery is suitable for field battles! I have heard that the Portuguese cast three-pounder cannons, which can be pulled by mules and horses at a speed of swiftness, and thirty-six cannons can be deployed in an hour! The range is two hundred paces, and the iron bullets that hit them shatter men and horses! In contrast, the Jurchen bows and arrows can only reach fifty paces!"

"Secondly, firearms can penetrate heavy armor! The dove-shaped musket is six feet long, and its lead bullets can pierce through the Jurchen's three layers of cotton armor! If they are fired in formation in rotation, three-tenths of the enemy cavalry will be killed before they even get close!"

"Thirdly, the grapeshot can kill like flies! A single shot unleashes a hail of bullets, specifically designed to break through densely packed enemy formations!"

"Therefore, I believe the court should promptly implement three measures!" Sun Yuanhua declared resolutely.

"Firstly, we will bring in craftsmen from Macau to establish a cannon factory! We urgently need to recruit one hundred Portuguese artillerymen and chief craftsmen to establish the 'Beijing Cannon Factory' in the capital! We will use bronze to cast fast-firing cannons and strive to cast two hundred high-quality, lightweight cannons within three years!"

"Secondly, train elite troops and reform the old system! Select 50,000 strong and capable soldiers from the nine border regions and train them in tactics that combine spears and firearms! The artillerymen will learn the Portuguese techniques of aiming, loading, and rapid movement! The musketeers will emulate the European phalanx, firing in volleys, creating a continuous barrage of bullets. Spears will protect the muskets, making them able to withstand cavalry charges! With the support of mules and horses carrying cannons and four-wheeled artillery carts, the army will advance like thunder, no longer the siege soldiers of the past!"

"Thirdly, combine cavalry and infantry to subdue the enemy! The enemy is good at dividing their forces and outflanking, so we should use a combination of cavalry and artillery to break them! Light artillery should advance swiftly with the cavalry and blast the enemy into disarray upon encountering them! The musket formation should hold the key points, and when the enemy is routed, the iron cavalry should pursue and annihilate them! If we can obtain this 50,000 new troops armed with firearms, 200 light artillery pieces, and more than 10,000 elite cavalry, why should we wait for the enemy to fall into disarray? We can go straight out of the border to attack their stronghold and recover Liaoyang as easily as turning our hands!"

"Your Majesty!" Sun Yuanhua suddenly knelt down, raising the memorial high above his head with both hands. "The regional military governors can temporarily secure the borders, but firearms are the foundation of warfare! In the past, the six cannons of Ningyuan repelled 100,000 enemy troops. If we had two hundred light cannons and tens of thousands of elite musket and spear troops, wouldn't we be able to sweep them away? I am willing to go to Macau in person, and I will present the cannons to Your Majesty within a year! If I fail, please behead me!"

Emperor Chongzhen nodded in satisfaction, thinking to himself: This Sun Yuanhua is not bad either. He must have received Xu Guangqi's guidance, as he immediately came up with the corresponding Western tactics.

However, Sun Yuanhua may be good at military technology, but he's no good at being a commander!

Thinking of this, Chongzhen turned his gaze to Sun Chuanting: "Minister Sun, what do you think?"

(End of this chapter)