Chongzhen, who pretended to run away after pretending, originally planned to go back to the harem to find Tian Guifei to "relax and relax", after all, his golden armor was very majestic, and if he didn't show off, wouldn't he be in a panic.

But when Emperor Chongzhen arrived at the harem, he suddenly remembered a big event. Originally, I thought of going directly to the imperial study to summon the ministers to discuss, but after thinking about it, I simply turned around and went to the queen's palace. As for the rest, let's just wait until tomorrow to surprise the ministers.

After the great court meeting on the tenth day of October in the seventh year of the Apocalypse was held, the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty followed Emperor Chongzhen's scolding of the street, which was more shrewd than a shrew, and once again refreshed their understanding of Emperor Chongzhen's bottom line, and also made the ministers start to estimate the thickness of Emperor Chongzhen's face again.

After some nonsense as usual and Chongzhen's strong announcement of the new guard and the pension system for the fallen soldiers, Chongzhen said to Guo Yun, the secretary of the household department, "Guo Aiqing, how much silver is there in the treasury?" What is the geometry of grain and grass? If my will had been fully implemented in the capital first, how many taels of silver would it need? ”

Guo Yun said: "Your Majesty, there are less than five million taels of silver in the household, and if your Majesty's will is completed, the silver taels required will be at least nine million taels of silver." Grain and grass have been transferred to Beijing near the division to store grain into Beijing, enough for a year. Even if the city is besieged, the consumption on the battlefield is too large, and it is estimated that it is enough to support more than ten months. ”

Emperor Chongzhen was silent, and the ministers immediately exploded, and the ministers almost forgot about the loss of honor in front of the king, and they all turned their heads and ears, and walked to Youyu Shi and shouted: "Quiet! The ministers quieted down.

Wen Tiren, the first assistant of the cabinet, came out of the class and said: "Your Majesty, now that Jiannu is besieging the city, I don't know when it will retreat, but I can order soldiers and horses from all over the country to enter the king of Jingqin, so that Jiannu will retreat early." Only the construction of the Martyrs' Shrine can be postponed. ”

Guo Yunhou, the head of the household, went out again and said: "Your Majesty, what the first assistant said is very true. Why not postpone the construction of the Martyrs' Shrine? It is not too late to wait for the tax revenue to come up in the spring of next year before it can be built. ”

Hearing that the big man in front of him had already spoken, the ministers behind him immediately began to seconded various proposals, all of which persuaded Emperor Chongzhen to postpone the construction of the Martyrs' Shrine and wait for the tax revenue to come up next spring.

Emperor Chongzhen continued to study those little fresh meat in later generations, with an expressionless face. just sneered in his heart: "No wonder some people in later generations said that the elimination of the eunuch party was the real beginning of the Ming Dynasty's demise." Just these ministers, it's strange if they don't play the Ming Dynasty to death! Don't repair the Martyrs' Shrine? Then who will go up to the city wall to die for me!? ”

Chongzhen coughed his throat, and after all the ministers were quiet, he said, "All Aiqing is reasonable.

However, now that the city is under siege, if the construction of this martyr's shrine is suddenly stopped, I am afraid that it will chill the hearts of all the soldiers. At that time, who will guard this huge Beijing city for me? Is your cabinet going? Or do you six go? Or do you go to the Imperial Historians? ”

The first assistant Wen Tiren, Cui Chengxiu, the secretary of the military department, and Guo Yunhou, the secretary of the household department, were silent. In fact, everyone knows that if the hearts of these soldiers are cold, they are afraid. Jiannu hasn't been able to enter the city yet, and his people will be hacked to death by these big-headed soldiers first! Most of the remaining ministers secretly scolded Chongzhen in their hearts: It's not something that you little emperor did? You can repair this shrine if you want, anyway, it will cost your money!

Chongzhen saw that the ministers were silent, so he took the initiative to speak: "Now is the time of national disaster. I would like to transfer the two million taels of silver in the inner money to the household for use.

In addition, I want to borrow some silver from all the enemies of Aiqing, and when the treasury of the dynasty is rich, the silver will be returned, how about it? ”

The ministers were silent when they heard this. No one said anything about lending money to Chongzhen. For the ministers, the country is your Chongzhen, and the silver is your own!

Chongzhen saw that everyone still didn't speak, so he said to Zhou Guotai: "Zhou Aiqing, as the national ruler, is one with the rise and fall of the Ming Dynasty, why not set an example?" ”

When Zhou Kui heard this, he went out and said: "Your Majesty, the minister's family has always studied Confucianism through farming, and so far he has only saved more than 10,000 taels of silver. The minister is willing to donate all of them to help overcome the national disaster! ”

The words were righteous and awe-inspiring, and when they heard Chongzhen's ears, it became a joke. Just from the situation detected by Jinyiwei and Dongchang during this time, it can already be determined that Zhou Guotai has no less than 200,000 taels of silver in his house, and there are more than 20 cars of other treasures. If it is based on the actual value theory, even if Zhou Guotai is not as rich as the two horses and one Li in later generations, it is estimated that he is not far behind.

Wen Tiren saw that the emperor's face twitched, and his heart was not good, so he hurriedly went out and said: "Your Majesty, the minister has been an official for many years, and he usually has the imperial court to subsidize all kinds of households, so there is still some surplus wealth at home. The minister is willing to donate 100,000 taels for the use of the state. ”

Guo Yunhou, the head of the household, also said: "The minister's family is poor, his parents, wives and children are all supported by the minister's dedication, and the family really has no money to spare, so he can only pledge 50,000 taels, and the minister is ashamed of His Majesty's favor!" ”

Then Cui Chengxiu, the secretary of the Ministry of War, also came out and said: "Your Majesty Longen, Ze is a soldier of the world." The minister pledged 150,000 taels. ”

Seeing that the bigwigs above have pledged to donate, a group of eunuch party members also jumped out, you donate 100,000 taels, I donate 80,000 taels, and after a while, I actually made up more than 1.5 million taels.

Chongzhen calculated in his heart that he took out two million taels and the eunuchs donated one million taels, which was still short of one and a half million taels.

It's just that seeing that the ministers no longer pledged, and only one of the household servants in the Donglin Party pledged three hundred taels of silver, Chongzhen finally felt desperate for the righteous men and gentlemen of the Donglin Party, so he put aside the last bit of luck in his heart.

Chongzhen, who was smiling without smiling, said: "In this case, Zhong Aiqing can think about it carefully after going back, and then decide whether to donate or not." If nothing else, let it go. ”

When the angry Emperor Chongzhen returned to the harem, he immediately sent Wang Chengen to summon Wei Zhongxian, Cao Huachun, and Tian Ergeng.

Chongzhen still remembers that on the first day after crossing the possession, he told Tian Ergeng to go to check the net worth and property of officials in Beijing! In order to prevent Tian Er from disobeying the yang, he asked Cao Huachun to do the same thing in secret. In the end, when the two sides were compared, the biggest difference was only one hundred and ten taels, and Chongzhen knew that the two of them were doing errands with their hearts.

Several people in the palace looked at the emperor's gloomy face, and no one dared to speak at all. In the end, Chongzhen said: "Tian Ergeng." ”

Tian Ergeng knelt on one knee, clenched his fists and said, "The minister is here!" ”

Chongzhen said: "Tomorrow in the court, send Lux to listen to the announcement outside the hall." ”

After speaking, Chongzhen turned his head to Wei Zhongxian and said, "Wei Daban, you Dongchang Fanzi, you have something to do this time." After a while, you will leave the palace and order Dongchang Fanzi to go out and go to the street to collect donations for me, just for the soldiers who sacrificed to defend the city. There is no limit to how much, try to record it as much as possible, and Tian Ergeng also sent Jinyiwei to go with him. Especially if there are beggars or women in Qinglou donating money and materials, a penny is not too little! And every man and every man shall record it, and shall gather it for me in the evening. I'm going to see tomorrow, my ministers, but I still need a little face! ”