Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Zhu Qiyu gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, very well! I'm deploying troops in the front, while they're hoarding grain and raising prices in the back."

"With the nation in peril, all these people have on their minds is money!"

Zhu Qiyu knew that since the Yongle Emperor, corruption and collusion between officials and merchants had become increasingly serious in the Ming Dynasty.

He just didn't expect that at this critical juncture, there would be people profiting from the national crisis.

Before transporting the grain back from Tongzhou, these merchants raised the price of grain from a few qian to several liang.

Zhu Qiyu did not pursue the matter, after all, things are valued for their rarity.

But now they are using the imperial court's grain to make huge profits.

This really crossed Zhu Qiyu's bottom line.

Zhu Qiyu originally intended to gradually reform the economy after the defensive war ended, and then resolve the conflict relatively peacefully.

But they're just trying to make themselves look bad; this is intolerable!

If you don't want to be dignified, I'll make you dignified!

Shen Yi was so frightened that he knelt on the ground, his forehead pressed against the floor tiles: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your subject... Your subject will do it immediately!"

"What do you plan to do?"

Zhu Qiyu walked around the desk and stood in front of Shen Yi, looking down at the Vice Minister of Revenue: "Continue to hand over the grain to those merchants and let them make a fortune."

Shen Yi, are you truly confused or just pretending?

"Your Majesty, I dare not! It is only in this way that the imperial court has always sold grain, through merchant guilds and overseen by the Ministry of Revenue..."

"So you didn't regulate anything?! You just told me the price of grain had gone up, and that's your regulation?!"

Seeing Shen Yi trembling on the ground, Zhu Qiyu cursed under his breath and asked, "Shen Yi, I ask you, which merchants were involved in the resale?"

Shen Yi's voice trembled slightly: "Reporting to Your Majesty, it mainly concerns the three major trading companies: Yongfeng, Guangyuan, and Shengtai."

Since the Yongle era, the imperial court has often entrusted them with the sale of surplus grain from the Ever-Normal Granary in exchange for salt permits…

"Anything else? I don't believe there are only these three."

Shen Yi shuddered, his Adam's apple bobbing a few times: "And...and Renshou Palace Manor..."

Zhu Qiyu's pupils suddenly contracted: "Renshou Palace Estate?"

The air inside the hall seemed to freeze instantly.

Yu Qian suddenly looked up, and even Xing An, who had been standing with his head bowed, showed a look of fear.

Renshou Palace was originally built for the use of the Empress Dowager and other imperial concubines.

According to the old system, these palace estates only dealt in silk, porcelain, spices, and other similar items.

The money obtained was used to subsidize the expenses of the various palaces, and he never inquired about the matter of grain.

But now Renshougongzhuang is involved in the sale of grain.

Doesn't that mean they can also exchange for salt permits and sell official salt?

Zhu Qiyu asked, "How much grain was transported from Renshou Palace Estate?"

"One hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure)." Shen Yi's voice grew lower and lower. "Moreover, after acquiring them, they did not use them themselves, but instead resold them at a high price to those three trading companies."

I sent someone to inquire, and Liu Shun, the eunuch in charge of the Renshou Palace estate, said... that this is palace business and told me to mind my own business.

Zhu Qiyu slammed his hand on the imperial desk, causing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to jump up: "What a business in the palace! What a meddlesome thing to do!"

How dare they stab me in the back at this critical juncture!

Yu Qian stepped forward: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger. This matter may not have been the Empress Dowager's intention; it must have been done by someone below..."

Zhu Qiyu took a deep breath and calmed himself down.

Yu Qian is right; this is very likely a case of the eunuchs at Renshou Palace deceiving their superiors and concealing the truth.

After a long silence, Zhu Qiyu slowly spoke: "Shen Yi."

Shen Yi trembled: "Your Majesty, I... Your Majesty, I await your decree."

"Go back and reopen the imperial grain sales outlets, and sell all grain at eight qian per shi, canceling the sales by other grain merchants."

Shen Yi couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, if this continues, the national treasury..."

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand abruptly: "I know it will be a loss! But I would rather lose money than let the people of the capital lose heart."

Shen Yi, listen carefully: the daily sales volume of the discount warehouse needs to be limited.

Each person is limited to purchasing one stone per transaction and must register their name, address, and number of family members.

While supplies last each day.

In Zhu Qiyu's view, the common people were more important than wealthy merchants.

One reason is that he came from a later era, and the concept of putting people first had long been deeply ingrained in his soul.

Of course, during these twenty-one years, Zhu Qiyu was constantly reinforcing and changing his thinking: increased civil rights would weaken imperial power.

Ignorant people are good people.

After all, the feudal nature of society cannot be changed in a short period of time.

Unleashing the natural instincts of the people is tantamount to revolutionizing ourselves.

Decades later, perhaps we can try to transition from feudal society to modern society.

That depends on the results of their own efforts over the past few decades.

Another more important reason is that ordinary people are the foundation of Beijing at this stage.

The city was defended by these ordinary people, not by corrupt officials and the wealthy who were heartless.

Shen Yi kowtowed deeply: "Your subject understands!"

Zhu Qiyu added: "Furthermore, have the Ministry of Revenue post a notice to clearly inform the entire city of my decision."

I want every citizen to know who is protecting them.

Shen Yi hurriedly withdrew, while Yu Qian stood aside, seemingly wanting to say something but holding back.

"What does Minister Yu want to say?"

Yu Qian carefully considered his words: "Your Majesty, the matter of Renshou Palace involves the Empress Dowager."

If handled improperly, it could damage the dignity of the imperial family and create a rift between His Majesty and the Empress Dowager.

With a formidable enemy at hand, internal affairs are not advisable…”

Zhu Qiyu hummed in agreement: "I know, but some people will have to die because of this!"

If I show leniency to Renshou Palace Estate today, Cining Palace Estate and Kunning Palace Estate will follow suit tomorrow!

The palaces and imperial relatives will all realize, "Oh, so this is how easy it is to make money during a national crisis! So the emperor's sword won't be used against his own family!"

If things are like this, what's the point of defending the city?

When I ascended the throne, I said that I would live and die with the Ming Dynasty.

If I don't even dare to touch a few parasites who profit from the nation's misfortune, what right do I have to save the Ming Dynasty?

No sooner had the words been spoken than a report came from outside the hall: "Lu Zhong, the Deputy Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, has been ordered to have an audience!"

Lu Zhong strode into the hall and knelt on one knee: "Greetings, Your Majesty! May Your Majesty be well!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and slowly said, "Lu Zhong, I want you to lead the Embroidered Uniform Guard to thoroughly investigate the price increases by several major grain merchants in the capital."

Find out who's backing them up.

Anyone who dares to conceal or destroy evidence during the investigation will be apprehended on the spot!

Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!

Lu Zhong swallowed hard. "Your Majesty, if the investigation uncovers officials in the court and nobles in the palace..."

"Do as you please. I want to see who is doing this kind of undermining of the Ming Dynasty in my palace!"

Lu Zhong, remember this: the Embroidered Uniform Guard is the emperor's personal army.

You are my eyes, my sword.

A look of shock flashed in Lu Zhong's eyes; the Emperor's decree contained far too many profound meanings: "Your subject obeys!"

"Alright, you can go now."

The hall returned to silence.

Zhu Qiyu walked back to his desk and sat down. It was only the first day of his reign, and he had barely stopped since the morning court session.

He wanted to take it slow and reduce the killing, but this group kept pushing him.

Looking at the young emperor, Yu Qian suddenly said, "Your Majesty's actions today were thunderous, but I worry that such force may cause unrest in the palace."

Zhu Qiyu opened his eyes: "I want to make them uneasy."

I want them to know that the Jingtai era is different now!

Minister Yu, do you know what I fear most?

What I fear is not their greed, but that they take it for granted!

I am not afraid of them profiting from the national crisis, but I am afraid that they will think that they are entitled to make that profit!

Zhu Qiyu sighed and looked at Yu Qian: "Minister Yu, how is the training of the three battalions going?"

"My visit to the military camp tomorrow is not a cursory inspection; I want to see their true fighting strength."

Yu Qian bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, rest assured, tomorrow Your Majesty will surely see a battle-ready army!"