Who killed the Ming Dynasty?

Inside the vermilion threshold, a bustling crowd of over three hundred guests, adorned in elaborate headwear and flowing robes, filed in.

The eight-zhang-square nanmu hall of Zuixianlou was so crowded that it was impossible to breathe.

Gao Hongtu sat in a rosewood armchair, with Zhang Youyu, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, sitting beside him with his shoulders hunched. Behind them were his subordinates, including the chief physician and the assistant chief physician.

In front of three bamboo screens on the right, five nobles in python robes and jade belts were fiddling with jade thumb rings on their fingers—

The leader was none other than Liu Kongzhao, the Earl of Chengyi. He squinted and his lips curled downwards in a half-smile.

The music had just begun when it abruptly stopped.

The guests exchanged glances, all showing expressions of astonishment.

On each table, only two dishes were laid out:

One dish features rouge radishes meticulously carved into the shape of peonies; the other dish is artemisia argyi stewed with Yuhua tea, a specialty of Nanjing.

Gao Hongtu slowly rose, a subtle, enigmatic smile on his face, and said in a clear voice:

"I am honored to have you all grace us with your presence today, and I have specially prepared this banquet for you. The food is simple and plain, but it is a token of my appreciation. I hope you will enjoy it."

These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall.

"Bang--!"

Marquis Chengyi Liu Kongzhao's face turned ashen. He was first taken aback, then his anger turned into a raging fury. He slammed his hand on the table.

Dishes and bowls splashed everywhere, and a peony carved from a radish rolled onto the ground.

He pointed his spear at Gao Hongtu and began to hurl insults:

"You, surnamed Gao! You think you can fool us nobles with this pig feed swill?"

"Have you gone mad with poverty and are trying to fill the hole in your Ministry of Revenue by cutting back on banquet allowances?"

"Even the slop-collecting servants in my mansion eat better than this!"

A merchant beside him immediately smiled obsequiously and echoed:

"For Minister Gao (a respectful term for a high-ranking official) to serve such lowly things to distinguished guests is simply treating you all like..."

He deliberately dragged out his tone.

"...They treated me like a peasant who only deserved to eat coarse food and wild vegetables!"

Seeing this, Wang Zongqi, a cloth merchant from Jiangnan, curled his lip and snorted, muttering to the person beside him:

"Is Minister Gao going to fob us off with this meager meal? That's far too impolite."

"Yes, isn't that incredibly rude?"

Lianghuai salt merchant Wang Zongxiao also spoke up:

"This Yuhua tea was originally a tribute from Shexian County, but it is paired with artemisia... Your Excellency's combination is truly unique."

Several other prominent figures, though silent, all frowned and looked embarrassed, clearly puzzled by the unexpected dish.

Gao Hongtu's smile froze instantly, and he picked up the jade chime cup and struck it heavily.

"clang--!"

The sharp sound of the chime cleaved through the noise of the room, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

After the echo faded away, he slightly raised his chin:

"Do you all know what these two dishes are called in Huaibei?"

The group looked at each other, puzzled, and no one spoke first.

Gao Hongtu's expression darkened, and he said in a heavy tone:

"It's called 'Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Auspiciousness'! The vegetable stalks are shaped like dragons, and the radishes are carved like phoenixes."

"With food like this, nine out of ten households in Huaibei don't even have a speck of oil for their New Year's Eve dinner."

"Your Excellency's words are nothing short of alarmist!"

A young businessman couldn't help but blurt it out.

Gao Hongtu shook his head slightly:

"When the people of Shaanxi and Gansu were exchanging children to eat, when the Jurchen cavalry had already breached the capital."

"Gentlemen of high rank and great wealth, do you still wish to hold a banquet with thirty-six courses in this very city of Jinling?"

Liu Kongzhao frowned, his face full of displeasure:

"What is Minister Gao up to? A gathering of three hundred people and all he gets are two plates of ornately carved radishes mixed with wild vegetables?"

"Even the beggar in front of the Earl's mansion gets to eat three meat dishes and two vegetable dishes every month!"

Gao Hongtu turned his gaze to Liu Kongzhao and leaned forward:

"Lord Chengyi, this world has no room for foolishness!"

"We are noble families who have received the emperor's favor for generations, enjoying the imperial court's salary and occupying the fertile land of Jiangnan."

"Now that the roads in the northern frontier are blocked by starving corpses and the emperor is in exile, do you really intend to indulge in nightly revelry on the Qinhuai River?"

"These two simple dishes today are meant to let you all taste the suffering of the common people."

After everyone had processed his words, Gao Hongtu straightened his clothes and composed himself, bowed respectfully towards the palace, and said in a deep voice:

"Today, I, on behalf of Heaven, proclaim this imperial edict!"

"All of you here are either members of the royal family or pillars of Jiangnan. Now is the time for you to serve your sovereign and father."

His voice was thunderous.

"His Majesty is determined to reorganize the three major camps, build warships, forge firearms, and train a new army. But each and every one of these things—"

"It all has to be built with real money!"

The crowd began to whisper among themselves.

Qian Wanguan, a cloth merchant from Jiangnan, frowned slightly and asked hesitantly:

"May I ask, sir, what exactly do you mean by 'serving the country'?"

Gao Hongtu swept his gaze across the room and said in a booming voice:

"I am here by imperial decree to raise five million taels of silver!"

"Five million taels?"

These words caused an uproar, with everyone showing astonishment and discussing the matter once again.

Gao Hongtu then took out a document titled "Public Receipts for Fundraising," and said with great weight, "Every word carries immense weight:"

"This is not a donation, but a temporary loan from the court to you all."

"Each bill is worth fifty taels, with a term of three years. It can be used as collateral for the exchange of rice by the grain transport office, the conversion of salt tax into certificates, and the offsetting of customs duties. The annual interest rate is one percent."

He tapped the document lightly with his fingers and said solemnly:

"The 'Fundraising Receipt' is here, and the cinnabar on the Ministry of Revenue's seal is still wet. Those who are willing to go to the national crisis together, please come forward and sign it immediately."

Before he could finish speaking, he had already glanced at Zhang Youyu, the Vice Minister of Revenue.

Zhang Youyu understood and immediately waved his hand, ordering people to bring out the ebony long table.

A celadon brush rest holds down the Xuan paper, and next to the rhinoceros horn paperweight, three stacks of documents bearing the official seal of the Ministry of Revenue are neatly stacked, the cinnabar ink sticks bright red and glaring.

He lifted his official robe and sat upright at the desk, while the junior official was already holding the inkstone and grinding ink, waiting for his orders.

A murmur of discussion rose and fell in the hall.

Some shook their heads and sighed, while others lowered their heads in deep thought. A buzzing murmur filled the space, but no one took the lead.

After a long silence, a young man mustered his courage and stood up, bowing respectfully, but unable to hide the trepidation in his voice:

"This student dares to ask Your Excellency, if the imperial troops fail to advance... will this 'fundraising receipt' still be valid?"

No sooner had he finished speaking than another middle-aged merchant couldn't contain himself and loudly echoed:

"Minister Gao, please don't blame us commoners. If our army suffers a crushing defeat, which government office will we be able to redeem these vouchers from?"

Upon hearing this, doubts arose among the crowd in the hall, growing wildly like weeds, and the noise reached a fever pitch.

Gao Hongtu's face was ashen, and he gave Zhang Youyu, the Vice Minister of Revenue, a meaningful look.

Zhang Youyu calmly straightened his robes and slowly stood up.

He made a slight pressing motion forward and raised his voice:

"Everyone—please be patient!"

His voice possessed an inherent authority, suppressing the clamor in the room.

In an instant, the noisy crowd of nobles and dignitaries fell silent, and all eyes turned to Zhang Youyu.

"Let me tell you about an event from the sixteenth year of Emperor Chongzhen's reign—"

He surveyed the entire room and slowly began to speak:

"In the spring of the sixteenth year of Chongzhen's reign, the Forbidden City was hidden under dark clouds."

"The flames of war in Liaodong have not yet died down, and bandits have risen up again in Shaanxi and Shanxi. The Ministry of Revenue's treasury has long been empty, and the border troops' food and pay have been in arrears for twenty-four months."

"On the morning of the first day of the second month, the late emperor stood in front of the Fengtian Hall and personally drafted an imperial edict urging donations. He ordered the Directorate of Ceremonial to affix the seal with vermilion lacquer and send it by fast horse to the south of the Yangtze River."