How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 22 I've finally learned how to be an emperor! (Please read on and add to your favorites)

On the third day of the tenth month of the seventh year of the Tianqi reign (1627), at dusk.

Inside the Forbidden City, dusk settled heavily. Zhu Youjian strode through the familiar palace alleys, his boots echoing dully on the blue bricks.

A month ago, he left for Jizhou with a heavy heart. Now that he's back, he finally has some soldiers who can truly obey him and save his life.

The red-lacquered gates of Kunning Palace were wide open, but the palace maids and eunuchs who used to come and go were nowhere to be seen; only a few eunuchs stood there with their heads hanging low. Chongzhen's heart stirred, and he quickened his pace.

"Your Majesty!" A slender figure rushed out of the hall. Zhou Yufeng forgot all etiquette and staggered a few steps to rush to his side, her fingers tightly gripping the cuff of his robe, which was covered in the dust of the border.

"I...I..." She choked on her words, burying her face in the fabric, her shoulders trembling violently. Her fingers were slender, but clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

Zhu Youjian felt a surge of warmth in his heart, a mixture of sourness and throbbing. He raised his hand and gently wiped away her tears with his fingers, roughened from practicing swordsmanship and archery these past few days: "Yu Feng, don't cry... Haven't I returned unharmed?" His voice was a little hoarse as his gaze swept over her noticeably thinner face. "You've suffered."

Zhou Yufeng shook her head vigorously, forcing a smile through her tear-filled eyes: "I'm not crying, I'm afraid..." She swallowed the rest of her words, only staring blankly at him. Her eyes were full of relief at surviving a disaster—after all, the Ming Dynasty had seen the "Fortress Incident," and Zhou Yufeng was terrified!

Chongzhen squeezed her slightly cool hand, feeling a real warmth in his palm: "From now on, I will not let you live in fear." His tone was heavy, "I... have already learned how to be this emperor."

These words sounded abrupt, but every word hit the mark. Although Zhou Yufeng didn't understand the intricacies of the conversation, she could sense a confident air about him from his steady tone, and she couldn't help but nod emphatically.

"Where is my sister-in-law?" Chongzhen looked around, but the courtyard was empty in the twilight, and there was no sign of Empress Zhang.

Zhou Yufeng said in a low voice, "After the late Emperor's coffin was moved to Renzhi Hall, Her Majesty moved to Cining Palace." Her face flushed slightly. "Her Majesty also ordered me to move to Kunning Palace..."

Emperor Chongzhen was taken aback, but then he understood. Empress Zhang was making room for Zhou Yufeng, which both fulfilled the proper etiquette and implied that Zhou Yufeng should take the position of Empress.

"It's late today, I'll go to Cining Palace to pay my respects to my sister-in-law tomorrow," he said softly, taking Zhou Yufeng's hand. "Come, come back to Qianqing Palace with me."

"Today?" Zhou Yufeng was taken aback. "It's still the mourning period..."

Emperor Tianqi's 100-day mourning period was not yet over, and according to the rules, Chongzhen could not sleep with Princess Zhou... But he had already learned how to be an emperor!

He grinned: "What's there to be afraid of? I am the emperor! The real emperor!"

……

Qianqing Palace, night.

The candlelight flickered, illuminating the gauze curtains hanging before the dragon bed. Zhou Yufeng sat on the edge of the bed, her eyelids lowered, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress. Chongzhen had "learned" to be an emperor, but she hadn't yet learned to be an empress. Now, staying in the Qianqing Palace, and with the late emperor's hundred-day mourning period upon her, she couldn't help but feel uneasy.

Emperor Chongzhen looked at her, his heart filled with mixed emotions. In his previous life, after ascending the throne, he was so busy with state affairs that he neglected her until the day the city fell... This time, he was determined not to let her suffer any more grievances.

"Yu Feng," he called softly.

“Your Majesty…” She raised her eyes, a hint of shyness in them.

"In this life, I will protect you." He held her hand, "and I will never let you live in fear."

Zhou Yufeng didn't quite understand the deeper meaning behind those words, but she still nodded gently.

Emperor Chongzhen stared at her, then leaned down and gently pecked her forehead. She trembled, but did not flinch.

The candlelight dimmed, and the gauze curtains were lowered.

The young emperor, three times in one night...

The next day, the sun was high in the sky.

Emperor Chongzhen opened his eyes to find it already bright outside. He was momentarily stunned—since ascending the throne, he had never slept until this time.

Zhou Yufeng was still fast asleep beside him, her long, black hair spread out on the pillow, making her skin look as white as snow. He gently stroked her hair.

"Your Majesty is awake?" She opened her eyes groggily and saw Chongzhen looking at her. Her face flushed red, and she quickly sat up. "I was rude..." Chongzhen chuckled and reached out to press her back onto the bed. "It's alright. I also woke up late today."

After they finished washing and dressing, Chongzhen changed into a plain-colored everyday outfit, while Zhou Yufeng wore a light-colored palace dress. Together, they rode in a palanquin to Cining Palace.

……

Ciqing Palace.

Empress Zhang was dressed in plain white, with a white silk flower adorning her hair, which trembled in the wind. When she saw Emperor Chongzhen and Zhou Yufeng arriving side by side, her heart, which had been hanging in suspense for many days, finally settled down.

Zhou Yufeng took a few quick steps and knelt down with a thud: "This concubine greets Your Majesty, my sister-in-law!"

Emperor Chongzhen bowed respectfully and said, "Your brother inquires after your health, sister-in-law."

Empress Zhang stepped aside, accepting only a half-bow: "Your Majesty, please rise! The etiquette between ruler and subject is more important than family etiquette..." She reached out to help Zhou Yufeng, but withdrew her hand just before her fingertips touched her arm. Instead, she gave Chongzhen a deep bow: "This concubine also inquires about Your Majesty's well-being."

Emperor Chongzhen looked ashamed and said, "Sister-in-law, I have been away from the capital for a long time and fought a battle with the Tartars in Jizhou. I have caused you worry."

"It's good that you're back...it's good that you're back!" Empress Zhang said repeatedly, her voice trembling slightly. "Since you left, so many eyes have been watching you in the court and the palace, so many hearts have been hanging in suspense! Many people have been gossiping behind your backs, saying that the Tumu Crisis is just around the corner, and my heart is filled with worry..." She suddenly stopped, her eyes already red.

Emperor Chongzhen smiled wryly: "It was my willfulness that caused you, my sister-in-law, so much worry!" He looked up and met Empress Zhang's reproachful yet tender gaze, and said, word by word, "But rest assured, my sister-in-law, this time... I have finally learned how to be a true emperor!"

Empress Zhang was taken aback. She looked at her brother-in-law before her. The hardships of life in Jizhou seemed to have smoothed away some of his impetuousness, and an unprecedented composure had settled in his eyes.

She let out a long sigh of relief: "Good...good! This is the good younger brother the late emperor entrusted with the empire!"

……

Hall of Benevolence and Wisdom.

The enormous coffin stood silently in the center of the hall. Emperor Chongzhen walked up to it alone, lifted the front of his robe, and knelt properly on the prayer mat.

“Your Majesty,” he said in a low voice, “your younger brother… has returned.”

"During this trip to Jizhou, I witnessed firsthand the suffering of the border troops—they were so hungry that their chests were practically touching their backs, and they could barely hold their spears, yet they still had to guard the Great Wall under the threat of swords! I personally handed them their pay, one piece of silver at a time, into their withered hands… Your Majesty, I understand!"

He raised his head, his gaze intense: "To be an emperor, one must hold the grain and provisions tightly in one hand, and the sword handle in the other! Every grain and provision must be in the bag and used effectively; the sword handle must be a steel blade capable of cutting off the heads of the Tartars, and it must only obey my orders!"

"Although I cannot control all the weapons in the land, I must have a strong army that can keep order, hold off the Tartars, and defend the vital territory of Beizhili!"

"The emperor must guard the nation's gates... The emperor must have elite troops to effectively defend these gates!"

Outside the palace, the autumn wind howled and swept across the eaves. Chongzhen's voice grew even deeper: "My brother, do you know what the foundation of our Great Ming is? It's the military households of the nine border garrisons and thirteen towns! Why is Liaodong in chaos? Because the military households of Liaodong can't hold on! Why is Shaanxi engulfed in flames? Because the military households of Qin Town are also on the verge of collapse! If the foundation is not stable, no matter how high the Forbidden City is built, it will collapse..."

He kowtowed heavily: "Your subject swears to you: as long as I have food to eat, I will never let the soldiers guarding the border go hungry while guarding the nation's gates! If there really isn't enough to eat, then I will prioritize protecting the Liaodong, Jizhou, Xuanfu, and Changping garrisons in Beizhili... In short, the sky of the Great Ming will not fall!"

The vows echoed between the coffins. Chongzhen slowly rose, took one last look at the massive outer coffin, and strode out of the hall.

……

outside the temple.

Xu Yingyuan, the chief scribe of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the head of the Eastern Depot, jogged over with a bow: "Your Majesty, Duke Zhang Weixian of Yingguo, Duke Zhu Chunchen of Chengguo, and Duke Xu Xigao of Dingguo have brought imperial edicts and request an audience with Your Majesty!"

Emperor Chongzhen paused, his gaze sweeping over the three figures in white robes and jade belts, standing respectfully with their hands at their sides under the palace lanterns in the distance. He suddenly turned his head and grinned at Empress Zhang and Zhou Yufeng, who were following closely behind. That smile revealed his complete understanding:
"See that? The one begging for mercy is here."

He stepped forward, his plain white robes billowing in the autumn wind: "Summon me...to the warm pavilion of Qianqing Palace!"

(End of this chapter)