Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Zhu Cilang abruptly waved his sleeve and continued:

"Do you all want me to 'ally with the barbarians to quell the rebellion' and 'maintain a precarious peace in the Jiangnan region'?"

He deliberately raised his voice.

"In the past, Zhao Gou became a vassal and paid tribute, which brought him nightly revelry in Lin'an. Yet the pines and cypresses in front of Yue Fei's tomb still face north."

"If we now ally with the enemy, we will divide the country along the river and abandon a million people north of the river to a bloody and filthy fate."

His voice echoed endlessly among the golden dragon pillars, shaking the hearts and minds of all the officials.

Zhu Cilang glared at his ministers:

"Are you all ignorant of history? A century has passed since the Song dynasty moved south; has the bright moon over Bianliang ever been seen again?"

"I would rather follow in the footsteps of my late emperor, with disheveled hair, and climb Coal Hill than be a drunken recluse on West Lake!"

He abruptly rose, his imperial crown swaying, and immediately issued an edict:

"Issue an edict to the four garrisons and all governors-general and governors of the empire: Anyone who advocates 'allying with the barbarians to quell the rebellion' shall be regarded as a traitor! Anyone who speaks nonsense again shall be executed without pardon."

Upon receiving the decree, the court fell into an instant silence.

The heated debate was abruptly silenced by this decisive imperial edict.

Ma Shiying's face was ashen, and cold sweat soaked through his mid-lane shirt.

Shi Kefa's eyes were glazed over, his lips moved but no sound came out;

Liu Zongzhou, tears streaming down his face, gazed at the young emperor on the dragon throne, his body trembling slightly.

Amidst the coiled dragon and golden pillars, only the wisps of smoke rising from the top of the incense burner continue to curl upwards.

The Master of Ceremonies of the Court of State Ceremonial, standing beside the steps of the imperial court, broke the silence and loudly proclaimed:

"May His Majesty be blessed!"

His gaze swept over the silent train, and he sang again:

"If any officials have matters to report, do so promptly; otherwise, the court may adjourn!"

This routine greeting seemed particularly jarring in the empty hall.

"Your Majesty! I have a memorial to present!"

Lian Guoshi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, stepped out of the ranks, his voice sounding urgent:

"Your Majesty, I impeach the four garrisons north of the Yangtze River! Military discipline has deteriorated, and the problem of 'killing innocent people to claim credit' has not been eradicated. I fear that before the royal army even sets out, the people's hearts will have already collapsed."

Lian Guoshi's voice was like a sharp sword, piercing the dull atmosphere of the court.

These words touched upon Zhu Cilang's deepest concerns—

During his journey south, he nearly became a victim of Liu Zeqing's murderous charlatanry in Huai'an.

Liu Zeqing... This name was like a poisonous thorn stuck in Zhu Cilang's heart.

If this barbarian is not eliminated, there will never be peace north of the Yangtze River. How can we then talk about recovering lost territory?

The killing intent surged within him, but he forcibly suppressed it; now was not the time.

The common people feared government soldiers more than bandits.

The young emperor lamented: This problem is a sign of national ruin; it will destroy the people's hearts, disrupt harmony, and corrupt the army's spirit.

He declared with thunderous force:

"Soldiers' blades hang over the common people, the loyal and brave are disheartened, and the cunning and treacherous prosper! We must now resolutely abolish this old system of prioritizing merit."

Qian Qianyi raised his tablet high, striving to uphold the old system, and argued that the system of meritorious service was an established law of Emperor Taizu and the foundation of the two-hundred-year reign, and should not be lightly abolished.

Ma Shiying, concerned about the hardships faced by the border troops and the potential for unrest due to the loss of their promotion opportunities, proposed increasing their pay to appease them.

Zhu Cilang remained unmoved and immediately issued an imperial edict:

"The system of meritorious service is hereby abolished!"

"Those who kill the enemy chieftain will be rewarded with one hundred taels of silver, and their promotion will be based on their rank."

"Military achievements are determined by complete victory, capture of cities, and seizure of strategic passes."

His gaze swept over the officials, both civil and military, who stood with their heads bowed before His Majesty. He knew that these officials were already corrupt, the supervisory system was a mere formality, and regional separatism had become a reality.

He already had a plan for purges in mind, waiting only to implement it after he gained control of the military.

......

The high platform behind Wuying Hall.

Platform summons (a private audience with the emperor).

The clamor and tense atmosphere of the imperial court have been left far behind.

The platform here is high and open, and the evening wind is strong.

Zhu Cilang's imperial robe billowed like raging waves in the evening wind, while Gao Hongtu's official robe billowed like startled sails.

The setting sun cast two long, slanted shadows on the white marble floor tiles, its rays melting into gold.

Gao Hongtu held a thick stack of documents, the edges of which rustled in the strong wind.

The deficit figure of 3.8 million taels of silver mentioned in the court just now still weighed heavily on him, making it hard for him to breathe.

"His Majesty……"

Gao Hongtu's brows were furrowed with worry, and his voice betrayed his anxiety.

"The reduction of the stipend for the imperial family can alleviate the problem of one million taels of silver, but... but the enormous sum of two million eight hundred thousand taels of silver is like a sword hanging over our heads."

"Your Majesty, I... I dare to ask about the 'planning' you spoke of..."

Zhu Cilang suddenly turned around and looked at the sky outside the palace walls, which was bathed in the glow of the sunset.

Gao Hongtu's reaction was as expected.

Although this veteran official was capable, his thinking was ultimately trapped in traditional financial management models.

Expecting him to actively seek out those incredibly wealthy individuals is probably harder than climbing to heaven.

The key to breaking this deadlock lies with oneself.

"Gao Qing,"

Zhu Cilang's voice pierced through the wind.

"I ask you, where does all the wealth of the world gather?"

Gao Hongtu's expression tightened:

"Your Majesty... the wealth of the realm should naturally replenish the national treasury..."

"The national treasury?"

Zhu Cilang's lips curled into a cold smile, devoid of any warmth.

"The national treasury has been depleted for too long!"

"What I'm asking about is the mountain of gold and silver hidden deep within the mansions of Yingtian Prefecture and the warehouses of the salt merchants and tycoons of Yangzhou City."

Gao Hongtu's expression changed slightly, as if he understood something.

Zhu Cilang took a step closer and said:

"I will not increase taxes, nor reduce provisions, nor exploit the common people. I will borrow—"

"Borrow this life-saving money from the wealthiest and most powerful family in the Jiangnan region."

"borrow--?"

Gao Hongtu looked up in surprise, thinking he had misheard.

"good!"

Zhu Cilang declared unequivocally,

"The Ministry of Revenue shall issue 'fundraising receipts' (bonds) immediately."

He pulled out a pre-prepared paper template from his sleeve and slapped it onto the cold white marble railing.

A gust of wind lifted a corner of the paper, revealing neat, official-style characters: "Public Receipt for Fundraising".

"This document serves as proof."

Zhu Cilang spoke quickly and clearly.

"We hereby grant a loan of five million taels of silver to all nobles, merchants, and wealthy households in Yingtian Prefecture and Yangzhou Prefecture to alleviate their immediate crisis!"

Gao Hongtu gasped:

Five million taels?!

He staggered backward, struggling to process the staggering number.

"Exactly!"

Zhu Cilang's gaze was firm; he not only wanted to fill the financial gap, but also to reserve funds for subsequent battles.

"The official notes are issued at a rate of fifty taels per note for ease of circulation. The term is three years, with principal and interest to be repaid upon maturity."

"Three years? Five million... principal and interest..."

Gao Hongtu's mind raced, his expression growing increasingly grave.

"Your Majesty is wise, however... this old minister dares to suggest that the law this public relies on may not be entirely sound."

"The nobles of Jiangnan have always been indecisive. If they cannot return the full amount by the time of the appointed time, it will not only damage the dignity of the imperial family, but also... it will violate the established laws of our ancestors."

"Snap—"

Zhu Cilang slammed his hand on the railing.

"When Emperor Taizu established the dynasty, he implemented the salt monopoly system to gather grain and fodder from all over the country; when Emperor Chengzu quelled the rebellion, he used paper money to supply the army with its provisions."

"My imitation of Emperor Xiaozong of Song's 'Southeast Public Deeds' system has been seen as a violation of ancestral rules?"

Dusk was falling.

The young emperor raised his chin and said:

"Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures!"

"If Minister Gao can devise a better plan, I will immediately burn these official documents."

The sound of evening drums echoed from Zhongshan Mountain in the distance, startling a flock of egrets that flew over the roof ornaments of the Forbidden City.

Gao Hongtu shuddered, fine beads of sweat sliding down his aged cheeks.

He had no other choice but to bow and ask:

"Your Majesty, I dare to ask: when the three-year term of the public contract expires, what will the national treasury use to repay it?"