After the three cabinet ministers left, Chongzhen sat alone for a long time. Finally he took a long breath, then got up and went back to the inner palace. As he walked, he was still thinking about Shang Yi.
When he killed Yuan Chonghuan, Chongzhen was only an eighteen-year-old boy, and he still had some ambitions. Moreover, Chongzhen had just eliminated Wei Zhongxian's party at that time. He felt good about himself and thought that there was a holy emperor like himself, but there was no such thing. Yuan Chonghuan was also able to revive the Ming Dynasty.
However, as time went by, the situation in the Ming Dynasty went from bad to worse. Only then did Chongzhen realize that the mess he was facing was far more complicated than he had imagined. Moreover, he could not do everything by himself, but he had to do it. Several capable ministers came to help him. Therefore, although Chongzhen later killed many ministers, he was still relatively tolerant of some officials who were recognized as capable. He was particularly merciful to ministers such as Hong Chengchou, Sun Chuanting, and Yang Sichang. move.
It is precisely because of this that Chongzhen cannot treat Shang Yi with caution. Shang Yi is capable and seems to be loyal to himself at present, but he is too young. And being young means that the future is full of variables and unlimited room for promotion. But currently He happened to be a general that the Ming Dynasty was in urgent need of. He not only had to use it, but also had to reuse it. This made Chongzhen feel even more headache.
This time, I used a lot of honors and false titles to deal with Shang Yi without being forced. Next time, I can only promote Shang Yi to the rank of commander-in-chief. But what about the future? What should I do to promote Shang Yi again? What should I do? How can we control Shang Yi? Thinking of this, Chongzhen sighed, but Shang Yi married a wife based on scriptures again, otherwise marriage would be a good way.
In fact, Chongzhen didn't realize that he had led himself into a misunderstanding. He had a headache when there were no capable generals, but he still had a headache when he had capable generals. As Chongzhen thought about it, he came to Queen Zhou. In front of the palace. At this time, the eunuchs had already reported in. Empress Zhou and a group of eunuchs and maids were waiting outside the palace gate to welcome her.
After entering the palace and taking a seat, a palace maid offered sweet potatoes. Chongzhen drank a few sips, and then Empress Zhou asked: "Does the Emperor seem to have something on his mind?"
Chongzhen sighed and said: "It's not all the affairs of the imperial court. It has happened in these years. Alas, it's okay not to talk about it." Then he looked around and asked again: "Where is Juan'er? "
Queen Zhou said: "She left the palace to visit Mrs. Linyi. That day, I invited Mrs. Linyi. She was about the same age as her, so the two of them got along quite well."
When Chongzhen was full of worries, he didn't take it to heart for a moment and said: "That's fine, this child shouldn't be kept in the palace all the time. It's better to let her go out and walk more."
Queen Zhou hesitated for a moment, then added: "At the same time, Nuo'er also went to visit Uncle Linyi's injury."
After hearing this, Chongzhen was touched. He sighed and said, "It's a pity that Shang Yi married a wife according to the classics, otherwise..." Suddenly he realized that he had made a mistake and stopped quickly.
After hearing this, Queen Zhou said: "Could it be that the emperor wants to..."
It was difficult to take back the words he had spoken, and Chongzhen was full of thoughts at this time and was thinking of finding someone to talk to him, so he said: "The queen also knows that Shang Yi is a young man, and he is young and promising, and he is as good as Nuer." A good match. If you can recruit him as your consort, firstly, you will have a lifelong support for you, and secondly, you can show your favor to Shang Yi, making him grateful to the court and loyal to me, the Ming Dynasty."
Queen Zhou was also startled, and hurriedly pushed away the maids and eunuchs on the left and right, and then said: "Your Majesty, does Shang Yi have any disobedient intentions?"
Seeing that everyone on the left and right had retreated, Chongzhen became less scrupulous. He shook his head and said, "That's not true. On the contrary, he was injured in a rescue attempt the day before yesterday, which shows that he is loyal to me. But he is still too young. I
I am afraid that he will be provoked by traitors in the future, so I have to take precautions. It is a pity that he married a wife according to the scriptures, and when he rescued the driver that day, his wife also had a lot of credit. Although I am the emperor, how can I force it?
What about ordering Shang Yi to divorce his wife?"
Because according to the system of the Ming Dynasty, once he became a consort, he was not allowed to marry another concubine, and he could only live with the princess for the rest of his life. Therefore, it was basically impossible for Chongzhen to recruit Yi as his consort.
Although Empress Zhou never interfered in the government affairs, the harem was still influenced by it and often listened to Chongzhen's complaints, so she could understand Chongzhen's intentions to some extent. She said: "Your Majesty, I am just a female, and I should not interfere in the government affairs. But now
Speaking of Juan'er, although she is not my biological child, I raised her from a young age and she is no different from my biological child. Therefore, I dare to say a few words and ask the emperor to forgive me."
Chongzhen nodded and said: "If you have anything to say, just say it. There are only two of you and me here, and we can't spread it."
Queen Zhou said: "It seems to me, Ju Chen, that Juan'er has a good impression of Shang Yi."
Chongzhen was startled for a moment, his face suddenly changed, and he said: "What did you say? Could it be that..."
Queen Zhou said hurriedly: "Your Majesty has misunderstood. I just said that Nao'er has a good impression of Shang Yi, but there is no personal relationship between them. Your Majesty, please think about it. Shang Yi and Lao'er are about the same age, and they are young and promising. They are both
He has saved Yao'er once and also saved the emperor. It is only natural that Yao'er should have a good impression of him."
After hearing this, Chongzhen calmed down, thought about it carefully, nodded, and said: "That's what the Queen said."
Empress Zhou continued: "Although I have mentioned to the emperor before that I want to betroth Juan'er to a distant nephew of my concubine, but now the court is at the time of employing people. If you can tie up a general for our Ming Dynasty, I will give it to you."
How can I ignore the overall situation of the imperial court with my personal affairs?"
After hearing this, Chong Zhen was quite touched and said, "I am also very touched that the Queen is willing to consider the overall situation. But Shang Yi married a wife based on his scriptures, so what should I do?"
Queen Zhou said: "I have thought of a way, but I don't know if it is feasible or not?"
Chongzhen said: "Just tell me."
Empress Zhou said: I plan to treat his wife as a righteous daughter, let Nuoer become her sister, and the emperor will give her the title of a princess, and then follow the example of Empress E and Nv Ying, and grant marriage to Shang Yi together. In this way
Come here, not only can Yi be recruited as your consort, but his married wife has also been named a princess, so you can show your kindness. Furthermore, you have fulfilled Du'er's wish. I don't know what the emperor thinks."
Of course, Chongzhen understood that Queen Zhou had made such a big circle, but she was actually taking advantage of a loophole. Although the prince-in-law could not marry another concubine, there was no explicit rule that he could not marry two princesses at the same time. Although everyone with a discerning eye knew what was going on.
, but I can't say anything. It can also give my daughter a good old home, and also allow her to help him tie Shang Yi firmly. If after Shang Yi's death, he really can no longer award the reward, but he must reuse it.
In his case, this may not be a feasible solution. In fact, apart from marriage, Chongzhen felt that he really could not think of any good solution.
Therefore, Chongzhen thought about it again and again before saying: "Shang Yi will soon send troops south to quell the chaos. After the rogue bandits are pacified, I will make a decision. Although Nao'er has reached the age of marriage, it can still be postponed for another one or two years.
Got up."
Queen Zhou nodded and said, "Everything is just as the emperor said."
The next day, the imperial edict from the imperial court was passed down, and Shang Yi also learned that he had been promoted again. He didn't care about it, but pulling out the silver and weapons were what he needed most, so he took people to the Ministry of Husbandry first.
He received the money given to him.
It was agreed in the imperial edict that 50,000 taels of silver would be plucked from the household department, and another 50,000 taels of silver would be plucked from the inner treasury. The total was 100,000 taels of silver. Who would have thought that after several layers of plucking and distribution to Shang Yi, only more than 60,000 taels of silver were left.
Two. And this is the result of everyone knowing that this silver is of great use and not daring to deduct it too harshly or showing mercy. According to normal circumstances, one hundred thousand taels of silver must at least go through the palace, cabinet, staff and five departments.
After peeling off the layers of the Military Governor's Mansion, it would be great to have thirty thousand taels in Shang Yi's hands.
After getting the money, Shang Yi couldn't laugh or cry. For such an important sum of money, the people below him actually wanted to exploit it. The officials of the Ming Dynasty had reached the point where they were desperate to make money. But a year later, Li Zicheng's
When the army came to Beijing, Chongzhen ordered his ministers to donate money to help defend the city. However, all of them started to cry because they were poor. They were pushed around and pushed hard by Chongzhen. A total of only 200,000 taels of silver were donated.
As a result, when Li Zicheng broke into Beijing, it only took more than ten days to plunder more than 70 million taels of gold and silver from the officials of the Ming Dynasty. I really don’t know what they did with so much money. In the end, it was all cheap.
Li Zicheng.
At this time, Shang Yi remembered that it is said that after Li Zicheng broke through Beijing, he opened the inner treasury and found that there were more than 30 million taels of silver hidden inside. Later generations generally cited this example to prove Chongzhen's stupidity. He clearly had money in the inner treasury but
He was reluctant to use it, but wanted to exploit the people. When the army came to the city, he asked officials to donate money, but he was reluctant to use his own private money.
However, Shang Yi knew that this statement was obviously a fabricated lie. Not to mention the poor government fiscal revenue situation at the end of the Ming Dynasty, it was impossible for Chongzhen to store in his own bank of silver equal to the entire government fiscal revenue in the two years of the Ming Dynasty.
Judging from historical records alone, during the reign of Chongzhen, silver was issued from the internal treasury many times to assist with salaries. In the fourth year of Chongzhen (1631), 100,000 internal coins were issued, and Wu Di was ordered to go to Shaanxi to extend relief;
In the sixth year of Chongzhen (1633), he was given 40,000 internal coins, 4,000 pieces of plain red python satin, and one thousand pieces of red plain satin, which were rewarded in front of the army; in the eighth year of Chongzhen (1635), Chongzhen ordered Hong Chengchou to send troops to Tongguan to exterminate the bandits.
Dafa had an internal fund of 200,000 for military purposes.
Although the amounts these times were not huge, when the situation was still maintainable, Chongzhen could still use money from his own internal treasury to support his expenses. Then when Li Zicheng came to the city, it was a matter of life and death.
, Chongzhen had no reason but suddenly became stingy and could not bear to spend money.
Therefore, we can only say that up to this time, the Shu Dynasty had indeed stopped seeking scriptures.