Cao Huachun shuffled forward several steps on his knees and spoke first. "Your servant would never dare deceive Your Majesty. But I am getting on in years, and I still oversee the Brave Guard Battalion. My strength cannot keep pace with my duties, and there have been times when those beneath me hoodwinked me. My loyalty to Your Majesty has never wavered. If so much as half a word I have spoken is false, may I die a wretched death!"
"Your Majesty, even with courage enough to fill the heavens, I would never dare collude with anyone inside or outside the palace," Luo Yangxing continued. "As the official in charge, I neglected affairs within and without, allowing petty men beneath me to slip through the cracks and others with ulterior motives to exploit them. That was a dereliction of my duty, but I would never, ever dare cultivate ties with court officials!"
The two kneeling men were filled with dread and unease. His Majesty had summoned them and inexplicably flown into a rage. Would he next find some pretext to convict them and dispose of them?
If they were merely demoted, they could accept that. They had stashed away plenty of silver over the past few years, enough to cover their expenses for the rest of their lives. But if they were imprisoned, or something even worse... Neither dared pursue that thought. Despite the bitter cold, cold sweat kept breaking out across their foreheads.
Seeing their terror, Zhu Youjian decided he had asserted his authority sufficiently. He turned and sat back down behind the imperial desk. "Whether you have been wronged, I know full well. These are exceptional times, so I shall give you one more chance. If there is a next time-"
"I would not dare! I shall faithfully discharge my duties and keep to my proper place!" Before the emperor could finish, Luo Yangxing rushed to declare his loyalty.
"This slave will never dare neglect his duties again. I shall spare no effort, bend my back to the task, and give my all until death!"
Seeing the awe written across their faces, Zhu Youjian felt that his display of authority had worked quite well. Thoroughly pleased with his handling of the matter, he finally raised a hand toward them. "Rise and speak!"
Luo Yangxing and Cao Huachun let out deep sighs of relief, feeling as though they had made a circuit of the gates of hell. Even after rising, however, their legs remained painfully weak, as if they were treading on cotton, with none of the reassuring firmness of solid ground beneath their feet.
"From now on, I must know everything that happens within and without. There must be no further concealment, nor obedience to my face and defiance behind my back. If I learn of any such thing..."
"We would not dare! We shall not fail the trust Your Majesty has placed in us!"
Both men made to kneel again, but Zhu Youjian waved a hand impatiently. "Speak standing!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"What I just said is the first matter. Time and again, the Jurchen have entered through the passes at crucial moments in our campaigns against the Rebel Bandits. Luo Yangxing, investigate this for me. Find out exactly where the breach is!"
The Jurchen had timed their incursions through the passes with such precision. Zhu Youjian knew this was connected to the Eight Great Shanxi Merchants, but that did not mean there were no Jurchen spies at court, in the capital, or elsewhere. This matter had to be investigated thoroughly.
"I shall obey!" Luo Yangxing replied hastily.
"As for the second matter..." Zhu Youjian frowned slightly and looked at the two men in the hall. "Whether we are suppressing the Rebel Bandits or destroying the Jurchen, war requires provisions and pay. I trust I need not explain the court's present circumstances to you."
Zhu Youjian paused midway, swept his gaze over the two men, and continued, "We now face troubles within and threats without, natural disasters and man-made calamities. The treasury is empty. Tell me, what should be done?"
Hearing Zhu Youjian mention the empty treasury, Cao Huachun and Luo Yangxing wondered what he meant. If there is no money, shouldn't he go to the Ministry of Revenue?
"One of you is the director of the Eastern Depot, and the other commands the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Tell me, where has all the court's money gone?" Zhu Youjian finally posed his real question.
Cao Huachun's heart lurched. The court's lack of money was plain for all to see. Otherwise, His Majesty himself would not be wearing patched clothes, and those ministers would not have to feast behind closed doors for fear of anyone finding out.
Years of warfare had long since eaten the court's coffers bare. With natural disasters on top of that, grain could not be collected. Without tax revenue, where was the court supposed to get money?
Yet His Majesty would not have asked such an obvious question merely in passing.
After a moment's silence, Cao Huachun answered, "Your Majesty, military spending accounts for the largest share of the court's expenditure, and seventy percent of that goes toward the Liao Military Tax."
As he spoke, Cao Huachun watched Zhu Youjian's expression. Seeing that he remained calm, he gathered his courage and continued, "Next are the unending expenses of the imperial clan. Although these have already been reduced considerably, the imperial clan's population is..."
Zhu Youjian nodded. "You are correct!"
Leaving aside the Liao Military Tax, it had taken some nerve for Cao Huachun to raise the issue of the imperial clan. It seemed his earlier intimidation had indeed had some effect.
To strengthen imperial authority, Ming Chengzu, Zhu Di, had decreed that princes could not interfere in government, leave their fiefs without permission, take the imperial examinations and enter official service, or become merchants. Their titles would also pass down hereditarily without reduction in rank.
In other words, their task was to have children.
The more children they had, the greater the court's expenses naturally became.
The imperial clan had a vast population; tugging a single hair would move the whole body. This was not the time to deal with them.
"The Liao Military Tax and the imperial clan-these are necessary expenses. But what about the rest? Why do you say nothing about that? If you dare not say it, I shall tell you. Great Ming's money has all gone into the pockets of corrupt officials and unscrupulous merchants!"
At Zhu Youjian's words, Cao Huachun and Luo Yangxing's legs gave way, and they dropped to their knees again, kowtowing incessantly as they begged for mercy. "Spare us, Your Majesty! We would not dare!"
Zhu Youjian cast them a sidelong glance. "Did I say I meant you? Get up!"
Cao Huachun and Luo Yangxing thought they might as well remain kneeling to answer. Who knew what else His Majesty had waiting for them? Their hearts kept rising and falling, never finding a steady place to rest.
Still, both men truly did have thieves' guilty consciences. The moment they knelt, they began calculating how much silver they had accepted that they should never have touched, wondering whether they ought to find some pretext to send a portion of it into the palace.
Seeing their expressions, Zhu Youjian snorted inwardly and continued, "I raise this matter because I want you to investigate just how much silver is sitting in the residences of these corrupt officials in the capital."
Before you continue