Lin Yuan transmigrates into the body of the Chongzhen Emperor. As soon as he ascends the throne, he discovers three things: the treasury is empty, the Liaodong garrison's pay has run out, and the officials are still crying poverty.
But a check by the System reveals that the officials' private treasuries, the salt merchants' secret accounts, the Tongzhou customs house, and the border garrisons' phantom payrolls are all flush with cash.
The Ming Dynasty isn't broke. The money just isn't in the treasury.
The Ming Dynasty isn't short of people. It has too many idlers.
The Ming Dynasty can still be saved. It just hasn't cut a single one of the people who need cutting.
So Lin Yuan takes control of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, investigates the secret accounts, seizes the customs houses, opens the Armaments Bureau, and trains a new army with firearms.
The civil officials try to force his hand? First, pay back what you owe.
The eunuch faction tries to seize power? Step behind the guns before you talk.
The border garrisons are short on pay? The emperor will first find out who stole the army's rations.
You want me to save the Ming Dynasty?
Fine.
First, let's physically cut out these parasitic, useless ledgers.
