Chapter 19: I Have the Power to Depose the Empress
“Minister Zhou Kui pays homage to His Majesty!”
Upon entering the East Warm Pavilion, Zhou Kui immediately knelt and bowed.
Chongzhen slowly flipped through the memorials, seemingly ignoring Zhou Kui’s salute.
Fifteen minutes passed, and Chongzhen still showed no intention of allowing Zhou Kui to rise. Zhou Kui’s legs had gone numb, and inwardly he pondered what the emperor meant.
Another fifteen minutes elapsed. Chongzhen set down the memorial and said coldly, “Zhou Kui, do you know your crimes?”
Startled, Zhou Kui whispered, “Your Majesty, I do not understand…”
“Do not understand? Then tell me, why do you possess hundreds of thousands in wealth?”
“Your Majesty, I am innocent. How could I possibly have so much…”
“Zhou Kui, you are truly obstinate.”
Chongzhen interrupted sharply, “On the 29th day of the 8th month in the 7th year of the Tianqi era, at noon, at Qingyan Pavilion in the southern city, you agreed to help Chen Shaoming obtain a salt permit. He promised to pay you 100,000 taels of silver once the matter was completed, with 30,000 taels given in advance. Surely this is irrefutable!
“You were so eager to profit that you started lining your pockets as soon as I ascended the throne!”
“On the 3rd day of the 9th month in the 7th year of Tianqi, the head of the Wang family in Datong invited you to meet at Fengming Courtyard to discuss the tea permit…”
“You, a state elder, actually frequented a brothel. What of your propriety, your sense of shame? You have disgraced the royal family utterly!”
“The Embroidered Uniform Guard uncovered this. You won’t deny it, will you? Do you think the guards are blind? Shall I have them all brought here for questioning?”
“You know the imperial prison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, do you not? Believe it or not, I could have you sent there for half a month.”
Upon hearing “imperial prison,” Zhou Kui trembled all over, terror filling his eyes. Few who entered that prison ever emerged alive.
“Zhou Kui, I give you a chance to live. Surrender your ill-gotten wealth, and I shall pardon your past.”
“Your Majesty, even if you kill me, I do not have such wealth!”
Chongzhen looked coldly at the pleading Zhou Kui, inwardly sneering.
Zhou Kui was known for extreme greed and stinginess. Historical records show that in the 17th year of Chongzhen’s reign, when Li Zicheng advanced to Beijing, the emperor ordered ministers to donate silver for military support and recruit soldiers.
To set an example, Chongzhen sent the eunuch Gao Ding to ‘borrow’ money from Zhou Kui’s residence. But Zhou Kui responded with a dramatic show of weeping, wailing, and even threatening suicide—his lamentations were pitiful indeed.
In short, he gave no money but made a great fuss.
Upon learning this, Empress Zhou reprimanded him and then sold her own gold and silver jewelry to raise 5,000 taels for donation. Unexpectedly, Zhou Kui only contributed 3,000 taels, effectively profiting by 2,000 taels.
When other royal relatives and ministers saw the state elder’s behavior, they all followed suit. In the end, Chongzhen only managed to raise 130,000 taels.
After Li Zicheng entered the capital, Zhou Kui was captured and forced to kill his own wife and daughter-in-law. Only after brutal torture did he reveal his fortune: 520,000 taels of silver and tens of thousands of rare coins, converted to over three million taels of silver.
Most shamefully, to save his own life, he handed over the imprisoned Crown Prince Zhu Cilang to the regent Prince Dorgon.
This last act was the primary reason why Chongzhen targeted Zhou Kui first.
Though Qian Yi was shameless, compared to Zhou Kui, he was insignificant; at least he never killed his wife and children for money.
“Zhou Kui, I ask you one last time: will you surrender your wealth or not?”
“Your Majesty, I truly do not have such wealth, I…”
“Guards, drag Zhou Kui out and behead him!”
Fang Zhenghua entered and immediately seized Zhou Kui by the neck. Zhou Kui struggled fiercely, crying out, “Your Majesty, my daughter is the Empress, I am the state elder! You have just ascended the throne; you cannot kill the state elder!”
“State elder?”
Chongzhen sneered, “Since I can confer her as Empress, I can just as well depose her.”
That simple sentence instantly silenced the struggling Zhou Kui, his eyes wide with disbelief.
Even though Empress Zhou had known of Chongzhen’s plan in advance, hearing the words ‘depose the Empress’ again caused her face to pale and her body to tremble slightly.
“Zhou Kui, if I expose your crimes, do you think anyone would dare gossip about my deposing the Empress?”
“I give you one last chance: will you surrender or not?”
After a long moment, Zhou Kui remained silent. Chongzhen waved his hand, “Take him away, behead him. Confiscate all his property into the imperial treasury, and exile his entire clan to the desolate north.”
Fang Zhenghua obeyed and dragged Zhou Kui outside. Suddenly, Zhou Kui seemed to awaken, screaming, “I will surrender, I am willing to hand it all over! Please spare my family!”
Then he broke down and wept bitterly.
Chongzhen frowned at the incessant crying. If not for Empress Zhou’s presence, he would have had this man executed outright to avoid such trouble.
“Daban, tell Li Ruolian to reserve the Zhou estate for Zhou Kui, and allow him to keep ten percent of his property. The rest shall go to the imperial treasury.”
“Also, have Li Ruolian arrest everyone involved. Didn’t they have money? If they want to live, they must pay up. Whatever was given to Zhou Kui, bring back tenfold. For each tael short, execute one member of their clan. Anyone holding office shall be dismissed, investigated, and barred from future employment.”
Chongzhen finished and turned to the sobbing Zhou Kui. “Zhou Kui, from this day forth, if I learn you still associate with those ministers and gentry, or dare to accept even a single tael from them, I will have you executed immediately.”
“Take him away!”
After Zhou Kui was dragged out, Empress Zhou emerged from behind the curtain and knelt, “Your Majesty, your servant thanks you for your heavenly grace!”
Chongzhen helped her to her feet, her complexion pale. “Yufeng, I hope the state elder understands my painstaking efforts. Otherwise, when the reckoning comes, he will surely be condemned to death.”
“If he ever comes to you crying in the future, just give him the cold shoulder so he learns his lesson.”
“When the court stabilizes, I will grant him the title of Count and some land so he can live comfortably as a wealthy gentleman.”
“Your servant thanks Your Majesty on behalf of my father!”
“Feng’er, in private, you need not perform such grand salutations. It tires both you and me. Once in the harem, this is home—no need for such formality.”
Chongzhen smiled as he helped Empress Zhou up. “It’s late; let us rest and soon bear me a dragon son or phoenix daughter!”
As the saying goes: “Cloudlike tresses, radiant beauty with golden hairpins, warm hibiscus curtains embrace the spring night.”
After a night of joy, Chongzhen awoke refreshed.
He jogged several laps around Coal Hill with Fang Zhenghua and others. One’s health is the foundation of revolution; he did not want to die before fulfilling his goals.
After cleansing and dining, he attended the morning court. Following yesterday’s executions, the ministers were much more obedient. Chongzhen merely offered some advice and deferred all matters to the cabinet.
This routine lasted for half a month with no further action. Each day he attended court, reviewed memorials supported by the cabinet and the Directorate of Ceremonial, then spent time with Empress Zhou and Consort Tian, living a rather carefree life.
This brought a sigh of relief to the ministers.
One morning, just after his early meal and before court, Fang Zhenghua entered with a grave expression.
“Your Majesty, the Fang family sent to Zhongzhou with the imperial edict has returned.”
“Quick, bring them in!”
Chongzhen was eager to learn Qin Liangyu’s response but, seeing Fang Zhenghua’s serious face, he asked with concern, “Why the grim expression?”
“Your Majesty, a grave matter has arisen!”