Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Cilang's gaze swept over the assembled officials, a wave of disappointment washing over him:

"Military pay is the foundation of national stability and must not be reduced; taxes are already as heavy as a thousand pounds, how can they be increased further?"

"If further exploitation continues, it will incite the people to revolt, and the Nine Temples may once again be shrouded in smoke and dust—"

"Do you all want me to become a ruler who brings about the downfall of his country?"

Zhu Cilang's question, "A monarch who brought about the downfall of his country," instantly silenced all discussions in the court regarding tax increases.

The hall fell into a deathly silence, even more oppressive than before.

The officials who had just been vying to offer suggestions on "increasing revenue" were now silent as cicadas in winter, their eyes avoiding the young emperor's gaze.

It was as if the person sitting on the dragon throne was not a monarch, but a red-hot iron.

Gao Hongtu opened his mouth, stared at the shocking number on the tablet, and finally let out a heavy sigh, bowing his head in despair.

Zhu Cilang swept his gaze across the silent assembled officials, and seeing no one respond, said:

"Since none of you gentlemen have a solution, I will do it myself!"

His voice suddenly rose, and the eunuch on duty, who was holding the scribblings, trembled, causing cinnabar to splash onto the memorial.

"Effective immediately, the annual stipends of princes and above will be reduced by one million taels of silver, the expenditures of imperial clansmen below the rank of General of the State will be reduced by 30%, and the expenditures of my imperial treasury will be cut by 70%."

His tone was resolute.

"On the day the Jurchens are wiped out, I will lead all the princes to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to apologize!"

"boom--!"

The shock caused by this edict was far greater than that caused by Shi Kefa's previous outburst.

The entire court erupted in chaos.

"Your Majesty! No! Absolutely not—!"

"The laws of our ancestors! Your Majesty! The laws of our ancestors cannot be violated!"

Several angry shouts, distorted in tone, erupted from the ranks of the royal family members.

An elderly prince with white hair and beard swayed violently, his face turning pale.

He became agitated, abruptly shoving away the ministers who tried to help him, staggering and falling to the ground below the steps, banging his head on the ground.

"Your Majesty! This is tantamount to destroying your own defenses and shaking the very foundation of the nation! The founding emperor's policy of enfeoffing relatives and friends ensured the stability of the empire!"

"Today's reduction of official stipends chills the heart of the imperial family. In the future... in the future, who will be there to protect His Majesty?"

"This old minister...this old minister would rather die than obey such an order!"

His voice was hoarse, tears streamed down his face, and a bluish-purple bruise instantly appeared on his forehead.

Marquis Chengyi, Liu Kongzhao, turned deathly pale. He abruptly stepped out of his seat, disregarding even the most basic etiquette.

"Your Majesty! This proposal has alienated the imperial family and disloyalty throughout the land! It has disheartened the soldiers and chilled the hearts of the nobles!"

"Your Majesty, please reconsider! What would Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu think from beyond the grave?"

"Your Majesty, I would rather die than obey this imperial edict!"

His ivory tablet fell to the ground with a clang, cracking open with a thin line.

Just as the opposition was reaching its climax, a clear and firm voice rang out from the ranks of civil servants:

"I second that proposal!"

Everyone looked on in astonishment, only to see a censor in a green robe stepping out of the ranks; it was none other than Huang Shu, who was known for his uprightness.

Ignoring the surprised and suspicious looks from those around him, he said loudly:

"Your Majesty is wise! When the nation is in peril, the imperial family should set an example! The annual stipends of the imperial family consume half of the nation's tax revenue, yet they do nothing to benefit the country."

"Your Majesty's personal practice of frugality and rectification of malpractices is truly a blessing for the nation!"

His words immediately stirred up even greater waves.

Several censors stepped forward to second the motion, while more conservative officials glared angrily, instantly creating two distinct factions in the court.

Zhu Cilang looked at the old prince below the steps, then swept his gaze over the excited Liu Kongzhao, his eyes deep and cold, showing no sign of wavering.

A hint of sarcasm flashed through his mind:

Which of these "loyal ministers and filial sons" who cried out in deafening cries and claimed to be "shaking the foundation of the nation" didn't have mountains of gold and silver in their treasuries and fields stretching as far as the eye could see?

What they are crying about is not the "foundation of the nation," but clearly the mountains of gold and silver they cannot bear to part with.

"What Huang Qing said is truly loyal advice for the country and its people!"

He then abruptly turned to Liu Kongzhao and asked,

"I ask you, will you allow this to rot away the foundation of the nation, ultimately leading to the collapse of the ancestral temples and the annihilation of all?"

"I urge all members of the imperial family to stand with me through thick and thin, and to help alleviate the nation's crisis!"

His voice suddenly became extremely soft.

"I am not being harsh on my relatives; I am doing this for the sake of the nation and the foundation of our ancestors' legacy."

"Today's reduction of salaries is not my wish, but a result of the circumstances."

"A three-year period! If Heaven grants our blessing, we will quell the enemy within three years and restore our lost lands."

He changed the subject...

"I, the Emperor, shall personally go to the high walls of Fengyang, bare my back, and address my ancestors and all my princes and uncles—"

"I will plead guilty with a bundle of thorns on my back!"

The phrase "bearing thorns to plead guilty" struck everyone's hearts like a heavy hammer.

Only heavy breathing remained inside the hall.

In the dead silence, Zhu Cilang looked at the old prince who had collapsed to the ground:

"Uncle Wang!"

His voice wasn't loud.

"Last year, Henan suffered a severe drought, resulting in a million refugees who resorted to cannibalism."

"I have heard that the Prince's uncle's residence is holding a ten-day banquet at his villa in Luoyang to celebrate the Crown Prince's birthday, costing over thirty thousand taels of silver."

"The pearl used in the 'Pearl, Jade, and White Jade Soup' served at the banquet was a luminous pearl from the South China Sea, worth a thousand taels of silver."

This seemingly casual remark was more explosive than the imperial edict that had just ordered the reduction of official rank.

The old prince, who had collapsed, stopped crying and stared blankly at the young figure on the dragon throne, his eyes filled with horror.

His lips trembled, and in the end, it turned into a long, desperate sigh. He collapsed completely and was hurriedly supported by the ministers.

The anger on Liu Kongzhao's face instantly froze. He looked at the cracked tablet on the ground.

His lips moved a few times, but in the end, it only turned into a muffled snort, and he dejectedly retreated back to the train.

The stipend of one million taels of rice for members of the imperial family will be reduced.

The cost was that it nearly tore apart the bonds within the royal family, leaving deep rifts.

But Zhu Cilang's eyes were like a deep, cold pool, completely unmoved.

This vast land is already a leaky boat riddled with holes, and cannot tolerate even the slightest bit of womanly compassion!

He could clearly feel the weight of that supreme power pressing down on his shoulders.

"As for the remaining two million eight hundred thousand taels..."

The young emperor's voice rang out again.

"I have my own plans."

These words immediately drew countless surprised, speculative, and even more incredulous glances—

Without raising taxes, reducing wages, or exploiting the common people, and even touching the imperial family, where else could they conjure up such a huge amount of money?

Minister of Revenue Gao Hongtu almost instinctively stepped forward, his voice filled with confusion:

"Your Majesty! This old minister...this old minister is foolish and ignorant, may I ask about this plan..."

Zhu Cilang's gaze fell precisely on Gao Hongtu's face, his eyes filled with scrutiny.

Gao Hongtu felt a surge of tension.

As the head of the Ministry of Revenue, which was in charge of the nation's finances, he understood the weight of the word "planning" better than anyone else.

His Majesty did not look at Shi Kefa, nor at Ma Shiying, but focused only on him.

He realized that this matter was of great importance and should not be discussed publicly in the court. His throat bobbed, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

"Please calm down, Minister Gao. We will discuss this matter later!"

The officials in the hall looked at each other, their minds filled with doubts, but none of them dared to ask any further questions.

Zhu Cilang withdrew his gaze, his voice regaining its imperial authority.

"The key to governing a nation lies in establishing its fundamental principles!"

"However, the foundation of the state is already rotten! Today's court debate on cutting salaries is merely a stopgap measure."

His voice suddenly turned sharp, pulling everyone's thoughts out of the mire of money:

"My lords! Tell me—"

"At this time when the land is in turmoil and the nation is on the verge of collapse, you, as the pillars of the Ming Dynasty, what sound strategies do you have to stabilize the country and save this crumbling edifice?"