Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 3 All Gentry and Powerful Clans Should Be Killed
Zhu Youjian glanced at the old eunuch with gray hair on the ground: "Get up, go and get an embroidered stool yourself, Cheng'en, you too."

"This slave takes the order."

"The slaves dare not!"

Wei Zhongxian lowered his head even further until Wang Chengen spoke up, saying, "Eunuch Wei, we should not refuse the seat His Majesty has offered."

He cautiously moved over an embroidered stool, sat on it with his buttocks dangling in the air, ready to kneel down and kowtow at any moment.

The two people were seen sitting down.

Zhu Youjian then nodded.

To be honest, he doesn't really like his subordinates kneeling on the ground and talking to him these days.

Because in his view, this was not efficient enough.

But in this day and age, it seems that this is difficult to correct.

Zhu Youjian put down the book in his hand, picked up the sword beside the table, and slowly stood up from the chair.

This action startled Wei Zhongxian and Wang Chengen, who hadn't even settled in their seats yet, and they immediately prostrated themselves on the ground again.

Zhu Youjian ignored their reactions.

Instead, he took his sword and walked five steps away from Wei Zhongxian before stopping, saying:

"This sword was used by my elder brother when he was alive. Before he passed away, he told me to take good care of you. Take it back with you as a keepsake."

Wei Zhongxian, somewhat flustered, abruptly looked up and stared directly at the sword in the Emperor's hand.

He felt as if something was blocking his throat, making it impossible for him to speak for a moment.

He subtly raised his gaze a few inches upwards.

Even in the dim candlelight, the Emperor's face surprisingly revealed a hint of imperial grandeur.

A surge of heat burst from his eyes.

Fear, gratitude, grievance, and relief at surviving a disaster.
All the emotions contained in the tears were finally condensed into a single sentence at this moment.

Wei Zhongxian crawled forward on his knees, bowing five times and kowtowing three times.

"This servant kowtows to express gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace! Long live the Emperor!"

"This servant is deeply grateful for His Majesty's grace and will serve him with utmost loyalty, even unto death!!"

Wei Zhongxian was not very educated.

But these words of devotion, spoken even unto death, came from the bottom of his heart.

He respectfully accepted the precious sword that the late emperor had used from the emperor's hands, as if a drowning person had grasped at the last straw.

Zhu Youjian looked at the old eunuch kneeling before him, tears streaming down his face.

His facial expression remained completely expressionless, showing no sign of joy or anger, and not even a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

He had seen this kind of scene far too many times.

Although it wasn't as exaggerated as it is now, the essence is the same.

What you say is not important; what you do is.

Zhu Youjian sat back down in his chair, gestured for Wang Chengen and Wei Zhongxian to sit down, and then asked very directly:
"How much silver will be collected in taxes from the Jiangnan region this year?"

When Wei Zhongxian heard the emperor inquire about taxation, he quickly composed himself.

I've lived for almost sixty years.

He knew perfectly well that if he wanted to gain His Majesty's trust, he had to be useful.

"Your Majesty, the total amount of land tax, Liaodong military pay, salt tax, commercial tax, and other miscellaneous taxes collected in the Jiangnan region is estimated to be around five million taels of silver."

After a pause, he cautiously added, "If I had kept a closer eye on things, I might have been able to collect six million taels. Any more than that might have incited a popular uprising."

Hearing Wei Zhongxian's reply, Zhu Youjian remained expressionless, but in his heart, he had already made a mental note of Jiangnan.

As someone who has been through it all, he knows that even setting aside the issue of productivity in that era...

Even the most prosperous region in the Jiangnan area, a country with over 50 million registered residents and an actual population that may exceed 100 million, could not possibly generate such a small amount of tax revenue.

So how much silver did those gentry and wealthy families actually take?

It seems that only by thoroughly investigating from top to bottom and inside to outside can we understand this problem.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhu Youjian said, "The tax should be levied at five million taels; there is no need to increase the tax."

No one knew better than him that these taxes would ultimately only fall on the shoulders of the poor.

He never even considered affecting the interests of the lower classes.

"Your Majesty is wise and benevolent, truly a blessing from Heaven for our Great Ming Dynasty. This servant speaks on behalf of the people of Jiangnan."

Before Wei Zhongxian could finish his flattering remarks, Zhu Youjian interrupted him with his own flattery:

"How much silver did you give Xu Yingyuan?"

Wei Zhongxian hurriedly reported truthfully: "Your Majesty, this servant sent Xu Yingyuan 100,000 taels of silver."

Listen to this answer.

Wang Chengen couldn't help but feel some worry for Xu Yingyuan.

If His Majesty had acted according to his previous temperament, Xu Yingyuan would definitely have been in big trouble.

But now, they probably won't punish him easily, right?
Zhu Youjian did not dwell on this issue, but continued to ask:

"Hmm, I've also heard that some of your godson sons have been behaving disobediently lately?"

Wei Zhongxian paused, momentarily wondering why the emperor would suddenly ask such a question.

But she immediately and honestly replied, "It is indeed so. This servant is terrified that Your Majesty would trouble yourself with this matter."

"How much silver can we get by killing them?"

As soon as these words came out.

Wang Chengen was stunned.

Wang Chengen was shocked that his master, whom he had served for half his life, would say such blunt things.

In the past, they would always give an ambiguous attitude and let their subordinates guess how to do things.

If it's done well, it's all my credit; if it's done wrong, it's all your responsibility!
Wei Zhongxian's mind immediately raced as he began to try and figure out the emperor's intentions.

Hmm, His Majesty is short of money.

more importantly.

The Emperor's order for us to kill those people is tantamount to giving everyone a clear message.

Let them know that our family is not on the verge of collapse as the rumors suggest.

What does this mean? It means that the Emperor's heart is still with our family!
Otherwise, why not just have someone seize his property? Those damned Donglin Party members in the court would love to see him die!

For the Emperor, it's just a matter of a word!

Therefore, our family must do this task assigned by the Emperor well to repay the Emperor's kindness!
Wei Zhongxian quickly began to calculate in his mind just how much silver his disobedient adopted sons could confiscate for the emperor.

Having navigated the palace for years, he had long since formed a mental account of his affairs.

Therefore, after thinking for a moment, he replied, "Your Majesty, if you give me half a month, I can at least confiscate 500,000 taels of stolen silver to fill the imperial treasury."

"Hmm." Zhu Youjian nodded lightly.

Although 500,000 taels is not much, not even enough for a month's pay for the Liaodong war, it is enough for what he needs to do.

Just as Wei Zhongxian was about to kneel down again to take his leave so he could hurry up and handle the matter.

Zhu Youjian spoke again.

"You've taken the blame for me. From now on, do your job well, and I'll guarantee you a peaceful end in your position as the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial."

This time, it was Wei Zhongxian's turn to be stunned.

It's hard for outsiders to understand just how powerful a kind word can be for eunuchs like them.

Especially since these words came from His Majesty, who held the power of life and death over him.

Moreover, these words are not only heartwarming, but also a promise!
This promise was made in front of His Majesty's own personal eunuch, Wang Chengen, and was not simply a way to win people's hearts!

He died peacefully.

For eunuchs who served the emperor, this was such an unfamiliar term.

Throughout history, how many powerful eunuchs have managed to die peacefully?

The precedents of Wang Zhen and Liu Jin, who were executed by slow slicing and whose entire families were exterminated, are right here in this dynasty!
　In 1627, the Ming Dynasty's actual tax revenue was approximately 1300 million to 1600 million taels of silver, with the Jiangnan region accounting for about 40% of that.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)