Chapter 4, the headquarters of the Ming Company reduces its internal staff

A faint sound emerged from my throat, and I tried my utmost to control myself, to appear more refined. However, the torrent of passion within me was like a dam that had burst, utterly impossible to conceal or restrain

What? Three hundred thousand taels! I widened my eyes in disbelief, unable to comprehend the true nature of the situation, as I was immersed in it. The monthly expenses of the palace are astonishingly high, and what is even more perplexing is that I certainly do not consume over two hundred dishes at each meal! Where has all this money gone?

The appearance of Empress Zhou is far too alluring for me. I am quite fortunate to have arrived in the late Ming Dynasty rather than the late Qing Dynasty. If I had become Guangxu, I would probably be unable to perform at all! The women of Guangxu were truly unattractive, almost capable of warding off evil, as even ghosts would be frightened upon seeing them.

I picked up the memorial regarding the riots of the famine-stricken people in Shaanxi. During the Ming Dynasty, Shaanxi and Shanxi were considered remote provinces with extremely poor natural conditions. Even in good years, they could barely maintain a subsistence level. Now, the signs of continuous natural disasters have already emerged. If not addressed, it is highly likely that peasant uprisings will occur. Historically, it has been due to the inability of the common people to survive that they have turned into bandits and marauders. Moreover, the people of Qin are known for their bravery and martial spirit. Once it escalates into a major upheaval, the situation will undoubtedly spiral out of control.

After the turmoil during the reigns of Emperor Shen Zong, Emperor Tai Chang, and Emperor Xi Zong, the Ming Dynasty was on the verge of collapse, facing crises on all fronts. The court's finances were in disarray, with severe deficits, and the burden of various forms of exorbitant taxes was increasingly heavy on the common people. Natural disasters and man-made calamities followed one after another, while the bureaucratic elite was corrupt and incompetent, further exacerbating the conflicts. At this moment, the Ming Empire resembled a powder keg on a stove, with the potential for explosion at any time.

After a day and night of rest, the injury on my head had mostly healed. The next day, under the guidance of Wang Cheng'en, I ascended the throne to attend court. My original intention was to familiarize myself with the civil and military officials, but unexpectedly, during my first morning court session, I encountered a difficult issue.

After the fervent flames had subsided, Empress Zhou had to intervene in Emperor Chongzhen's actions. She gasped and said, "Your Majesty... you have an injury on your head... do not deplete your vital energy!" At that moment, Emperor Chongzhen still had an injury on his head, and she did not wish to become a historical sinner

It was only after immersing myself in the role of the emperor that I truly realized the challenges of being a leader. Everyone aspires to hold an official position, to become an emperor, yet the difficulty of being a good official and a good emperor is indeed immense

Sitting on the dragon throne and pondering for a long time, I finally came up with an excellent idea. I recall that there are many imperial farms around Beijing, with vast lands, and the control of these farms is directly in the hands of the imperial palace. By assigning the majority of the palace maids and eunuchs to these farms, allowing them to rent land and farm as tenants, this could be considered the only viable solution at present

I tapped my head while looking at the three memorials in front of me; one was regarding the Liaodong mutiny, another was about the tsunami in Zhejiang, and the last one concerned the riots of starving people in Shaanxi

After the dismissal of Lai Zongdao and Yang Jingchen, Liu Hongxun became the most powerful figure in the cabinet. I believe that Liu Hongxun is a person of integrity and decisiveness in handling affairs, as he took advantage of the situation in the court to resolutely dismiss Yang Weiyuan, Li Hengmao, Yang Suoxiu, Sun Zhixie, Ruan Dacheng, and others.

The news of the massive layoffs in the palace spread rapidly, eliciting mixed reactions. Supporters argue that this was an initiative by Emperor Chongzhen, asserting that such a move not only saves expenses but also creates wealth. Critics, on the other hand, believe that this action undermines the emperor's authority and is highly inappropriate. Of course, the former perspective is held by capable officials and common citizens, while the latter is predominantly voiced by corrupt scholars and similar figures.

Sleep now!" Saying this, I gently pulled her into my arms, and before long, I fell into a deep sleep

I set aside the memorial and instructed someone to summon Wang Jiazhen, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Revenue. I asked, "My dear minister, how much silver does the Ministry of Revenue still have?"

Wang Cheng'en received this decree from Chongzhen, and his expression was similar to that of Wang Jiazhen from the library earlier. The downsizing of the imperial palace can truly be said to be unprecedented, and it is likely to remain unmatched in the future. With only over 500 people allowed to remain in the vast imperial palace, it is rather desolate

Through the words of Wang Cheng'en, I learned that there are numerous palace maids and eunuchs within the imperial palace, and the expenses are astonishingly high. It seems that there are too many idle people, but how should this be resolved

Just when I was experiencing the "dove occupying the magpie's nest," I thought my luck was quite good, as previously the original Chongzhen had eliminated Wei Zhongxian, and the first year of Chongzhen had a relatively favorable situation.

The scorching lips first landed on her mouth, then on her eyes, ears, and cheeks, finally gliding down to her smooth and delicate neck

I sat in front of the writing desk, looking at the memorials submitted by the cabinet, feeling as if my head was about to explode

Wang Jiazhen never expected that Emperor Chongzhen would take money from the inner treasury to provide disaster relief. Since the reign of Emperor Wanli, the inner treasury had always been as stingy as a miser, never parting with a single cent! Yet under Emperor Chongzhen, he actually took the initiative to release funds from the inner treasury, which was truly a refreshing change for the new dynasty, making him feel that the Ming Dynasty had hope.

The liquid wax from the candle on the candlestick drips down drop by drop, while the yellow candlelight flickers gently from time to time, transforming the room into a shimmering golden glow, filled with an intoxicating atmosphere

After inquiring with Ni Yuanlu, the truth became quite clear. The relationship between Lai Zongdao and Yang Jingchen with Wei Zhongxian is also ambiguous. When Wei Zhongxian was in power, the two of them flattered him excessively, but after Wei Zhongxian's downfall, Mei Bu Yidian appointed them as Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, which had already caused dissatisfaction among the officials. It seems that these two individuals cannot be reused, but they should not be put in a difficult position either. It would be better to let them return home to enjoy their grandchildren.

After the court session, I suddenly recalled that Ni Yuanlu was a commendable individual. He later rose to the position of Minister of Revenue. After Beijing was captured by Li Zicheng, he committed suicide to remain loyal to his country. Such a person at least possesses noble character and is unlikely to engage in self-serving actions. It would be better to consult him regarding the matter of impeachment.

It has only been a few days, and such events have already occurred; this is indeed a precursor to chaos at hetushu.com. Especially in Shaanxi, if not handled properly, a peasant uprising is bound to spread like wildfire. Once figures like Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong gain momentum, it is likely that everything will be lost! I, as the Chongzhen Emperor, might as well prepare for hanging!

Empress Zhou looked at the sleeping Emperor Chongzhen and couldn't help but chuckle softly. She had a strong intuition that after the injury to his head, Emperor Chongzhen's temperament had changed somewhat, and the change was for the better, making her feel very warm.

The call of Empress Zhou and a slight headache gradually brought me back from the sea of desire. Looking at the beautiful woman before me, who was gasping for breath, I fully realized what a virtuous woman is like, while also feeling quite guilty.

After nearly a month of diligent effort, I have gradually integrated into this era. The most gratifying aspect is that I can finally understand traditional Chinese characters. Although writing them is somewhat challenging, being able to comprehend them is already an extraordinary achievement for me. I even admire myself a little!

Even if one indulges excessively, there is no need to risk one's life! To take a step back, even if I were to become the emperor now, women would still be plentiful. However, I must not let lust cloud my judgment. If I were to perish due to a woman's allure, then the most commendable aspect of Emperor Chongzhen would be ruined by me

Wang Jiazhen, the acting "Minister of Finance," was most afraid of being asked by Chongzhen about the remaining silver in the national treasury. It was truly difficult to speak out, and with a pained expression, he said: "Your Majesty, the treasury... has less than 500,000 taels left..." While 500,000 taels is a substantial amount for an individual, it is pitifully inadequate for a nation.

The methods for making money are essentially limited to increasing revenue and reducing expenditure. Increasing revenue is no longer a viable option; I have already gained a certain understanding of the dangers posed by the three taxes. Once Chongzhen decides to impose heavy taxation again, I, as the emperor, will likely be on the verge of losing my position. The only remaining path is to reduce expenditure, but foolish measures such as cutting down on post stations to save money must absolutely be avoided

I know the treasury is out of funds, but I never expected that https://m.hetushu.com would have not even one hundred thousand taels of silver, it truly is impoverished! Do we really have to rely on the silver from the internal treasury to survive? Once this precedent is set, the silver that was intended for fleeing will likely be spent quickly.

If the emperor finds the opinions of the cabinet unsatisfactory, he can choose not to approve them and return them to the cabinet for further drafting. At times, the emperor may not even wish to handle the approval process himself, delegating it to the eunuchs, which is why the position of the eunuch who holds the pen exists. Notorious figures such as Liu Jin and Wei Zhongxian, who were known for their great treachery and evil, were also pen-holding eunuchs, frequently acting on behalf of the emperor to approve documents

When her sensitive red cherries on her chest were continuously attended to, her body suddenly tensed uncontrollably, followed by a wonderful sensation that caused her body to erupt without warning, boiling over.

Wang Cheng'en understood this well and replied without hesitation: "Your Majesty, the monthly expenditure of the imperial palace is approximately 300,000 taels."

The emperors of the Ming Dynasty were relatively leisurely. The memorials from various regions were first submitted to the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, who would review them. After the Cabinet drafted the response, it would be presented to the emperor along with the original memorial for the emperor's decision, commonly referred to as the "ticket approval".

I watched Wang Jiazhen leave, pondering solutions to the financial crisis. Wang Jiazhen had just mentioned that the court was already facing a serious deficit, with annual revenues nearly exhausted by August each year. If this continues, what will become of us

It was originally the case that Ni Yuanlu, an editor from the Hanlin Academy, requested the destruction of "The Essentials of the Three Dynasties" to exonerate the Donglin Party members. His successor, Prime Minister Lai Zongdao, agreed to the destruction of "The Essentials of the Three Dynasties," but was not very proactive about exonerating the Donglin Party members. At this time, the Donglin Party members were gradually gaining power in the court, making it impossible for a Prime Minister like Lai Zongdao to remain. Officials from the Donglin faction continuously submitted memorials to impeach Lai Zongdao, creating a chaotic atmosphere in the morning court that left me feeling dizzy.

After ascending the throne, Chongzhen focused his attention on Liaodong, dedicating all efforts to dealing with the Later Jin, while not giving sufficient attention to the severe internal crises of the Ming Dynasty. He believed that as long as the Later Jin was resolved, the revival of the empire would be just around the corner. In fact, this was a serious mistake

Empress Zhou somewhat foolishly accepted the caresses of Emperor Chongzhen, truly lost in her thoughts. The difference from her previous experiences was simply too great, yet she had no energy to ponder these issues. Her body first responded with excitement, followed by agitation and trembling

Without hesitation, I discussed this plan with Wang Cheng'en and prepared a list, entrusting him with the full responsibility of handling this matter. I specifically emphasized two points: first, to ensure that the lives of these palace maids and eunuchs are worry-free; second, to retain the beautiful palace maids. Additionally, I instructed the abolition of the eunuch production house, stating that in the future, no more eunuchs should be produced, as it would suffice to use palace maids. After all, it is more pleasant to look at beautiful palace maids! Otherwise, listening to the eunuchs' androgynous voices all day long is utterly annoying.

Thrift should start with oneself. I immediately sought out Wang Cheng'en to inquire about the monthly expenses of this emperor, preparing to save wherever possible

Spending the entire day with Wang Cheng'en, absorbing knowledge like a sponge, has left me, this "imposter" Emperor Chongzhen, with no opportunity to be "fickle". As a result, some ministers flatter me by saying I can be compared to Yao, Shun, Yu, and Tang. I must say, the feeling of being flattered is truly delightful and comfortable

I will allocate one million taels of silver from the internal treasury for disaster relief in various regions, especially focusing on the provinces of Shaanxi and Shanxi. You must ensure that this silver is used appropriately; if any mistakes occur, I will hold you accountable.

The ringing alarm bell diminished my desires. After taking a deep breath, I lay down beside Empress Zhou, my face nestled perfectly in the curve of her neck, inhaling the faint, delicate fragrance of femininity that enveloped her, which greatly eased my mood

Empress Zhou's jet-black hair lay spread across the pillow, and as she gazed at Chongzhen, her eyes, illuminated by the candlelight, appeared increasingly crystalline and bright

I do not know about others, but I am familiar with Sun Zhiwei and Ruan Dacheng. One is the culprit who caused our ancestors to wear braids for over a hundred years, while the other was one of the notorious traitors during the Southern Ming period. Dismissing them is truly a great relief to the people!

What is the approximate monthly expenditure of the palace