Chapter 3, Underwear and Inner Garments

My first perception was a severe headache, and my body felt somewhat light, as if my soul were about to leave my body and fly away. Upon opening my eyes, after a moment of haziness, I saw a delicate and handsome young girl standing in front of me, her face filled with surprise. Looking further back, there was a thin eunuch.

Your Majesty, this is Empress Zhou! Wang Cheng'en has presented Empress Zhou.

In contrast to the new atmosphere of the dynasty and the hopes of ordinary citizens and officials for the future, the atmosphere within the imperial palace was tense. Empress Zhou, with a worried expression, sat by Emperor Chongzhen's bedside and asked Wang Cheng'en, who was behind her, "Why has Your Majesty not yet awakened? Did not the imperial physician say..." Before Empress Zhou could finish her sentence, Emperor Chongzhen on the bed let out a faint groan.

Who are you

Wang Cheng'en sighed deeply and said, "This old servant, Wang Cheng'en, Your Majesty truly does not remember?"

My current priority is to understand the situation and know the course of history. The only one who can provide me with a detailed explanation is Wang Cheng'en. After Wang Cheng'en's narration, I have gained a general understanding in my mind

Empress Zhou's long-held anxiety finally returned to its original state, and she expressed her gratitude to all the deities and Buddhas she had sought. With her red lips slightly parted, she said: "Your Majesty, do you feel better now?"

Wang Cheng'en was taken aback and replied: "The imperial treasury still has 17 million taels of silver, of which 7 million taels were left by Emperor Wanli, and another 1.8 million taels were obtained from the confiscation of Wei Zhongxian's estate. The remainder was accidentally discovered in a cellar outside the Yangxin Hall a month ago. As for the era and the person who buried it, that remains unknown"

I gasped, not expecting that the plain-looking, slender individual before me would be Wang Cheng'en, the most trusted eunuch of Emperor Chongzhen. This chief eunuch was indeed remarkable; when Chongzhen hanged himself, he had only this one person by his side, and he even accompanied Chongzhen in his final act, which is quite rare.

The first treacherous minister of the Ming Dynasty, Wei Zhongxian, along with his main accomplices, was completely eradicated by the newly ascended Emperor Chongzhen, who had been on the throne for less than a year. This has given many people hope for the Ming Dynasty, and there is widespread anticipation that Emperor Chongzhen will make further efforts to revitalize the Ming.

After listening to Wang Cheng'en's account, I felt somewhat fortunate. If I had arrived earlier and encountered that dead fat man Wei Zhongxian, could I have possibly contended with him? Fortunately, Chongzhen had some skills; otherwise, I would not have known what to do. Additionally, Chongzhen swiftly and decisively eliminated Wei Zhongxian's faction, establishing a high level of personal prestige, which is a very favorable situation for me.

Who are you

"You are ... ... ." How would I know the surname of his boss? Before I could finish my words, I pretended to have a headache, covering my head with both hands, and my face displayed an even more painful expression

Upon hearing Emperor Chongzhen's question, Empress Zhou's earlier surprise vanished without a trace, and her expression turned somewhat flustered as she said, "I... I..." She could not have anticipated that Chongzhen would utter such words.

Wang Cheng'en hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, this old servant has taken note of it"

At this moment, Empress Zhou's expression was truly pitiable. Just now, Chongzhen had favored Consort Tian over the Empress, making her feel as if her heart had been stabbed several times with a knife; the sensation was simply unbearable.

I coughed lightly and said, "I need to discuss some matters with the chief steward. My beloved consort, you must be tired as well; please return to the palace and rest for now! I will go to the Kun Ning Palace tonight." In my memory, Kun Ning Palace should be the residence of the empress.

At this time, it is June of the first year of Chongzhen, which is 1628. I can't help but think of that "post"; it is indeed accurate! It just happens to be 1628.

Arriving at the Qianqing Palace from the inner treasury, this is the emperor's sleeping quarters and the place where he conducts daily affairs of state. Sitting on the dragon throne, my heart remains unsettled for a long time. Although the piles of gold and silver have greatly shocked me, the pressure does not stem from there, but from within myself. I know that I am not cut out to be an emperor, yet since I have come to this era, I must strive for survival.

I accidentally bumped my head last night, and my mind is somewhat unclear. You must accompany me often from now on. For those people and matters that I may forget, you need to remind me, do you understand

Only when one possesses the "barrel of a gun" can power and strength truly be grasped, enabling significant reforms to be carried out. Otherwise, one is bound to face constraints in action, and it is highly likely that a situation of disconnection between orders will arise. The phenomenon of having policies from above and countermeasures from below has long been a common topic in political discourse.

Wang Cheng'en happened to hear Emperor Chongzhen inquiring about Consort Tian, and he quickly replied, "Your Majesty, Consort Tian is currently kneeling before the divine altar, praying for Your Majesty's blessings!" He believed that Consort Tian bore primary responsibility for the unexpected incident involving Chongzhen, but he was well aware of the Emperor's deep affection for her. Given his own status, there were certain things he could only think but not voice.

Wang Cheng'en observed Emperor Chongzhen sitting motionless on the dragon throne, seemingly contemplating a matter of great importance. He quietly poured a cup of tea and placed it beside the writing desk.

Empress Zhou, upon hearing Emperor Chongzhen say that he would go to Kun Ning Palace tonight, could not help but smile with joy. It had been a few days since Emperor Chongzhen last visited Kun Ning Palace, so she needed to return and prepare well.

Wang Cheng'en also sensed that something was amiss; Emperor Chongzhen actually did not recognize Empress Zhou. This was unacceptable! He swallowed a few times and said, "Your Majesty, do you recognize this old servant?"

Empress Zhou felt her face flush slightly under Chongzhen's gaze, unable to meet his eyes. In her memory, he had never looked at her so intently before! Her heart began to race.

There are legends that when Li Zicheng captured Beijing, he obtained 37 million taels of silver, while others claim that he only received 200,000 taels of silver at that time, which is why he extorted the Ming officials in Beijing. In any case, the exact amount remains uncertain.

Where is Lady Tian

I sat up with a furrowed brow, touched the painful wound, and thought to myself that it was fortunate; it seemed I had not suffered any lasting effects. Otherwise, I would end up like Liu A Dou, and that would ruin https://mhetushucom.com

I took a sip of tea and said: "Convey my decree to summon Governor Yuan Chonghuan of Jiliao and General Mao Wenlong of Dongjiang to the capital immediately." It is now the first year of the Chongzhen era. By next year, that fellow Mao Wenlong will likely be executed by Yuan Chonghuan before he can report back. There are various opinions about the historical figure Mao Wenlong, but it is true that he loved to boast and was not skilled in warfare. His strengths lie in logistics management or business, so he should be assigned to a suitable position. Yuan Chonghuan was appointed as the Governor of Jiliao in April of the first year of Chongzhen, holding the title of Minister of War. Now it is June, and according to the course of history, he will soon arrive in Beijing from his hometown in Guangdong to meet with Chongzhen. It would be good to meet them together.

Seventeen million taels, although it is more than half less than thirty-seven million taels, is still significantly more than two hundred thousand taels. With this amount of silver, I, as the emperor, can govern more comfortably. It is still the first year of the Chongzhen era, and aside from the troubles in Liaodong, the situation in various regions is relatively stable, presenting great opportunities ahead

Wang Cheng'en felt somewhat reassured after listening to the imperial physician's explanation, thinking to himself that it would be disastrous if Emperor Chongzhen no longer recognized anyone.

I looked at Empress Zhou. Although it was our "first" meeting, historical records describe her as frail and serious, not a jealous woman. Concubine Tian competed with her for favor, but later fell out of favor with Chongzhen due to her rudeness. It was she who actively helped Concubine Tian regain Chongzhen's affection! Such a woman is hard to find

Having money in hand has significantly boosted my confidence. The headache that was bothering me has also subsided. I will immediately ask Wang Cheng'en to take me to see it, as I have never seen a pile of gold and silver before! This time, I must take a good look.

Upon hearing these words from Emperor Chongzhen, Empress Zhou's expression improved slightly. "Your Majesty must not dwell on this too deeply; the health of the dragon body is of utmost importance." She certainly did not wish for Emperor Chongzhen to suffer from another splitting headache as he had just moments ago.

I have thought a lot about the information I saw just before "dying" and have basically formulated a step-by-step approach in my mind. After that, I was reminded of the pressing issue at hand regarding military power.

In early June, the city of Beijing is shrouded in oppressive heat; this year's climate seems somewhat unusual, as the traditional dog days of summer have never been this hot. However, the pedestrians on the streets are undeterred by the sweltering heat, each moving with a light step.

Wang Cheng'en followed the imperial physicians out of the palace and voiced his doubts: "Your Majesty... it seems that you do not recognize the Empress, not even me. What... what is going on?"

As I watched Empress Zhou depart, I instructed Wang Cheng'en to summon Tian Shuge back. Kneeling on the ground in such hot weather, wouldn't she risk heatstroke? That light beauty is my first woman; I should treat her a little better

Wang Cheng'en was so frightened that his voice changed, and he urgently said: "Quickly summon the imperial physician, quickly summon the imperial physician"

The imperial physician responded quite straightforwardly, stating that it is entirely normal for Emperor Chongzhen to be temporarily disoriented and unable to remember certain people and events due to the injury to his brain. With the use of more calming and mind-clearing medications, he will recover.

I feigned a headache and said: "I feel that both of you are very familiar, but I just can't recall at the moment. It truly troubles me greatly."

The faction of Wei Zhongxian has been purged, and following the imperial decree of Chongzhen regarding the counter-revolutionary case, it can be considered that the majority have been cleared. On the court's side, emulating the ancient divination practices, Qian Longxi, Li Biao, Lai Zongdao, Yang Jingchen, Zhou Daodeng, and Liu Hongxun have been appointed as Grand Secretaries, entering the cabinet to handle affairs. The appointments of Shi Fenglai and Zhang Ruitu have been revoked, and subsequently, Han Huoguang has been summoned into the cabinet after recommendations. (The character for 'fire' combined with 'broad' cannot be produced, so in the future, it will be replaced with the character for 'mineral').

After Wei Zhongxian was executed, all awards and edicts from the previous years were revoked. Furthermore, under the proposal of Hanlin editor Ni Yuanlu, the "Essentials of the Three Dynasties" was destroyed, and all the heretical writings authored by the eunuch faction were completely overturned. The ministers who were wronged during the Tianqi period were all exonerated, and they were generally granted official titles, awarded posthumous honors, exempted from confiscation of property, and their families were released and returned. Following this action, both the internal and external populace were invigorated, eagerly anticipating governance.

The first step is to appoint Sun Chengzong as the Minister of War, instructing him to reorganize the capital garrison. The second step is to promote Lu Xiang, the governor of Daming, to the position of Deputy Minister of War, allocating funds for him to recruit new troops. The decree has been issued; however, it is likely that it will take some time for both individuals to assume their posts.

Upon surveying the room, aside from the pale-faced young girl before me and the eunuch, there were no other individuals present. I directed my gaze once more to the girl and the eunuch. The girl appeared to be no more than seventeen or eighteen years old. Although her beauty was somewhat diminished at this moment, it was still evident that she was a lovely young woman, with elegantly arched eyebrows, sparkling eyes, a delicate nose, and a rosy little mouth. If her face were a bit fuller, she would be even more perfect. Her attire was quite luxurious, suggesting that she might be a concubine of the emperor. The eunuch, on the other hand, was rather thin, raising doubts about the palace's food provisions; however, he exuded a certain vitality, displaying a keen intelligence.

I do not wish to become too immersed in the role. After a court physician performed a few acupuncture sessions on me, I halted the performance, took a few deep breaths, and said: "I feel much better now, you may all withdraw!"

I know that Wang Cheng'en in history was absolutely loyal to Chongzhen, to the extent that they were like father and son, like brothers. I can fully trust him to be of use to me. As for the other eunuchs, none of them can be reused; otherwise, I would be treading the same path as in the late years of Chongzhen.

There is one more important matter, which is whether there is any money in the inner treasury of Chongzhen. Regarding this controversial topic, I can finally engage in a dialectical discussion myself, "How much silver is still in my inner treasury?"

What! I nearly jumped out of bed after hearing Wang Cheng'en's words, goodness! Seventeen million taels of silver, what a huge pile that must be!

Four or five imperial physicians had been waiting outside. Upon hearing the summons, they all entered and, seeing the appearance of Emperor Chongzhen, hurriedly began their diagnosis

I have thought of another person I can rely on to lead the troops, and there should be no issues regarding loyalty; it is Yuan Chonghuan, who was later executed by Chongzhen.

I did not expect that the two individuals before me were both among the closest to Emperor Chongzhen. Wang Cheng'en goes without saying, and this Empress Zhou is also quite an admirable empress. However, her father is rather detestable, and I must make sure to deal with him properly in the future