How can one be Emperor Chongzhen without money?

Chapter 63 Is he trying to become the second Ming Taizu? (Please add to your favorites and read on!)
Emperor Chongzhen sat on his throne, expressionless, and read through the list of Zhu Chunchen's crimes that Li Banghua had recorded and handed over before slowly putting down the thermos cup in his hand.

"Good! What a fine Duke of Cheng, Zhu Chunchen!" Chongzhen's voice suddenly rose, filled with the fury of being deceived. He slammed his hand on the imperial desk with a loud "crack," causing the cups and saucers to shatter.

"My trusted ministers? The nobles who have received the nation's favor for generations? They are such treacherous and disastrous corrupt officials who have brought ruin to the country! Embezzling military pay! Withholding rations! Inciting mutiny! Colluding with foreign invaders! Selling military supplies! Overstepping authority! Which one of these is not a capital offense?! Which one of these is not a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one's family?!"

His chest heaved, as if he were extremely angry, and his gaze swept like a knife over the kneeling, trembling nobles below:
"You!" He pointed at Xu Xigao, Li Shouqi, Zhu Guobi, and others, "You know very well about Zhu Chunchen's crimes! How much he embezzled, how much grain he withheld, how much military farmland he seized, how much bribery he accepted—you all know it all!"

Chongzhen's voice suddenly turned fierce, like a thunderclap: "Why?! Why did you only speak up now?! Why didn't you report it before?! Are you deaf? Blind? Or... complicit?! Speak!"

"Om..."

The last four words struck the hearts of every nobleman like a hammer blow! Colluding with the corrupt! Was this truly the same as the founding emperor's plan to kill meritorious officials? We were all Zhu Chunchen's accomplices?
Xu Xigao and the others were terrified, their heads pressed tightly against the cold floor tiles, their bodies trembling like leaves in the autumn wind.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger! Your Majesty, please calm your anger!" Xu Xigao cried, his voice hoarse. "Your Majesty, we are guilty! We are guilty of failing to report what we knew! We were foolish! We deserve to die! Please punish us, Your Majesty!"

"We are guilty! Please punish us, Your Majesty!" Li Shouqi, Zhu Guobi, and the others hurriedly kowtowed repeatedly, pleading guilty in unison.

"Knowing but not reporting?" Chongzhen sneered, his voice chilling. "You're quick to admit it! This crime... do you really admit it?"

"We confess! We confess our crimes! We beg Your Majesty for mercy!" Xu Xigao and the others kowtowed desperately, as if grasping at a straw. Concealing their knowledge was better than complicity and treason! They confessed to this crime!

"It's good that you confess," Chongzhen's voice softened slightly, but remained icy. "Since you confess, then write a letter of repentance! However..."

He abruptly changed the subject, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd, "What I want you to write is not Zhu Chunchen's crimes! What I want you to write is yourselves!"

"Huh?" Xu Xigao and the others looked up abruptly, their faces drained of color instantly. Writing about themselves?!

“That’s right!” Chongzhen’s voice was resolute. “Write about yourselves! Write about your families! You have been blessed with the country’s favor for generations and have enjoyed wealth and honor, but how much have you actually amassed over the years?”

How much military pay did they embezzle?
How much grain and fodder were embezzled?
How many military farms did they seize?
How much bribe did he receive?
How much military supplies did they resell? How much farmland did they seize?
"Write down everything clearly, one by one! The clearer and more understandable it is, the less I will consider punishing you for failing to report such matters!"

He paused, looking at the ashen faces of the nobles, and his tone became somewhat magnanimous:
"I know that water that is too clear has no fish. Noble families have large expenses and need to maintain a good image, so I can understand that they may have some shady income. As long as it is not a serious crime such as colluding with the enemy, rebelling, or undermining the foundation of the country, I can give you a chance to reform!"

Emperor Chongzhen's voice echoed in the silent Yihai Hall:
"Today, right here, you will all confess to the crimes you have committed, and the crimes your families have committed! Return the stolen goods that should be returned! Hand over the fines that should be paid! Return the land that should be returned to you!"

"As long as you sincerely repent and complete all the necessary refunds and punishments... I will show you mercy!"

He glanced at everyone and said, word by word:

"Your titles remain! I will also leave you a portion of your wealth! You are still meritorious officials and nobles of the Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, disbelief flashed in the eyes of Xu Xigao and the others! The title was still there?! Part of their wealth could be retained?! His Majesty… His Majesty was actually showing such mercy?!

Looking at the hope in their eyes, Chongzhen slowly added, his tone carrying a hint of barely perceptible regret:

"Actually... if Zhu Chunchen hadn't fled to escape punishment and severed himself from the Ming Dynasty, I... might not have been unable to spare him. If he had been willing to confess his crimes, pay his dues, return the stolen goods, and pay the fine, I might have been able to give him a way out, allowing him to live out his remaining years as a wealthy and noble duke. It's a pity... he chose a dead end!"

This last sentence struck the hearts of the nobles like a heavy hammer! Zhu Chunchen was doomed! But they... still had a way out! As long as they confessed honestly, returned the stolen goods, and accepted punishment!
Otherwise, once Zhu Chunchen is arrested and implicates them one by one, they will have no way to survive.

"Your Majesty, we understand! We thank Your Majesty for your boundless grace! Your Majesty's kindness is immeasurable! We will certainly tell the truth and dare not conceal anything! Those who should be dismissed will be dismissed! Those who should be punished will be punished! We will have no complaints!"

Xu Xigao's voice trembled with excitement as he led the way in kowtowing heavily, his forehead slamming against the floor tiles with a loud thud.

His problem is the biggest. Zhu Chunchen escaped in his carriage, so he has to make a big show of loyalty!

"Your Majesty, we kowtow in gratitude for Your Majesty's divine grace!" Li Shouqi, Zhu Guobi, and the others also seemed to wake from a dream, and hurriedly kowtowed to express their gratitude, their voices filled with relief and thanks for surviving the ordeal.

Emperor Chongzhen had a decent reputation for being willing to "risk his life for money." Those corrupt officials from the eunuch faction all kept their jobs after paying their fines and redeeming land, didn't they? Wei Zhongxian is now a great hero, and Cui Chengxiu has secured a lucrative position in the Lianghuai salt transport—these are exemplary figures!

They must not emulate Zhu Chunchen; they should emulate Wei Zhongxian and Cui Chengxiu.
"Xu Yingyuan!"

"The slave is here!"

"Bring them brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones! Let them write right here in Yihai Hall! If they can't write clearly or understand it, they are not allowed to leave!" Chongzhen's voice was resolute.

"According to the order!"

A moment later, Xu Yingyuan, accompanied by several eunuchs, brought over a few low tables, laid out Xuan paper, ground ink, and respectfully placed the ink-soaked purple-haired brushes before Xu Xigao, Li Shouqi, Zhu Guobi, and other nobles.

This time, the nobles looked at the white paper and black ink before them. Though their hearts were still heavy, the despair from before was gone, replaced by the relief of surviving a calamity. They knew this was money to buy their lives! They had to return all the ill-gotten gains they had accumulated over the years, with interest, in order to survive!

However, in order to keep their titles and protect their lives and property, they had to write clearly and sincerely enough!
Xu Xigao took a deep breath, no longer hesitated, and with trembling hands picked up the pen.

He dared not look at Emperor Chongzhen, nor at his colleagues. He could only stare intently at the Xuan paper before him, gritting his teeth as he began to recall—how many fictitious positions had the Duke of Dingguo's mansion embezzled from the Beijing garrison over the years? How many estates in Tongzhou, Liangxiang, and Daxing had been acquired through the encroachment of military farms? How many shops in the capital and Tianjin had been obtained through forced purchases and sales? How much "standard silver" had they collected from Shanxi merchants? How much military funds had they resold?
Each and every incident was like tearing his heart out, but he had to write them down!
He began with the first line: "Your subject, Xu Xigao, humbly submits this report, repenting and confessing his crimes... Upon investigation, it has been found that over the years, the number of soldiers in the Beijing garrison has been falsely claimed, amounting to approximately 500,000 taels of silver embezzled annually... In Zhangjiawan and Liangxiang, Tongzhou, 23 military farms and estates have been seized, totaling 258,000 mu of fertile land... There is a silk shop on Qianmen Street in the capital, which was obtained by forcibly purchasing civilian property at low prices... 20,000 taels of silver have been collected annually from Shanxi merchants Wang Dengku and Fan Yongdou under the 'standard silver' system... Approximately 30,000 taels of silver have been profited from reselling obsolete military equipment from the Jizhou garrison..."

The brush tip swished across the rice paper, making a soft, scratching sound. Each stroke was like tearing away flesh, bleeding blood. But Xu Xigao knew it was to save his life! To save his title! His Majesty had said that as long as they confessed honestly, returned the stolen goods, and accepted punishment, their titles would remain! Their future would still be there…

Li Shouqi, Zhu Guobi, and others also picked up their pens, racking their brains to list out their families' shady dealings one by one. The seized land, the embezzled salaries, the bribes received, the forcibly occupied shops… each and every one of these, though deeply painful, was written in exceptional “detail,” for fear that any “unclear explanation” might anger the emperor on the throne and cost them their hard-won livelihood.

Emperor Chongzhen sat upright on his throne, holding a thermos and slowly sipping his tea. Amidst the rising aroma, he looked at the nobles below, who were diligently writing at their desks, and a hint of barely perceptible smugness flashed in his eyes.

This round was truly a resounding victory. Zhu Chunchen's Chengguo Duke's mansion was utterly finished, and these fat sheep before him finally lay willingly on the chopping block.

When this sword falls, the price at which the Ming Dynasty safely weathered the "Jisi Calamity" will at least be enough.

(End of this chapter)