Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2418: The Duke is not an assistant, but a regent (IX) Personnel transfer

As the New Year was drawing near, Huang Zhiting, who was stationed in Dingnan, returned to the capital as usual. Previously, when her fleet arrived at Shanghai Port, she heard about the turmoil in the capital and was shocked. She only stopped the fleet in Shanghai Port for one night to replenish supplies and hurried north the next morning. However, she did not expect that as soon as she arrived in Tianjin, good news had already arrived.

She originally wanted to have a good talk with Gao Youshi about the situation in southern Xinjiang over the past year, especially the boy's performance after the late emperor appointed Gao Yuan as the governor-general of Siam. However, Gao Youshi was extremely busy and she could not find a suitable time, so she had to postpone the talk.

Gao Youshi was indeed very busy, busy with the large-scale personnel changes in the court. Because the late emperor preferred quietness to activity, the important positions in the court had not changed frequently in recent years. After he returned from Nanjing, he was recuperating in the deep palace due to illness, and many officials were already "overage in their posts".

Now, with the return of Zhao Zhigao and Zhou Yong, some other important positions will also have to be changed - to some extent, this is also in line with the tradition of "a new emperor, new ministers".

In the last ten days of the year alone, Gao Youshi made the following important personnel arrangements on behalf of the young emperor who had just begun to learn:

Zhao Zhigao, a Grand Secretary of Jianji Hall, and Zhou Yong, a Grand Secretary of Wuying Hall, each begged to be buried. For their contributions in supporting the emperor, they were both given the title of Grand Tutor and allowed to retire and return to their hometowns. Shen Yikuan, a Grand Secretary of Wenhua Hall, knew about the conspiracy of Zheng Guotai and Li Wenjin but did not report it, and even allowed his students to participate. He should have been severely punished, but considering that he had assisted the government for many years, he was stripped of his original and concurrent posts and ordered to return to his hometown.

Minister of Rites Yu Shenxing presided over the enthronement ceremony for his meritorious service. With the recommendation of the nine ministers and the approval of the emperor, he was promoted to Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace and entered the cabinet to assist in government affairs.

The Minister of War Song Yingchang assisted the Prime Minister Gao Youshi in quelling the Zheng-Li Rebellion and was promoted to the Grand Secretary of Wuying Palace and entered the cabinet to assist in the administration with the recommendation of the Nine Ministers and the approval of the Emperor.

Xiao Liangyou, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, assisted the chief minister Gao Youshi in quelling the Zheng-Li Rebellion. With the recommendation of the nine ministers and the approval of the emperor, he was promoted to the Grand Secretary of the Dongge and entered the cabinet to assist in the administration.

The Minister of Personnel Chen Yubei asked to return home due to old age, and was granted the title of Junior Tutor and was sent back in a carriage.

Due to changes in the cabinet and the ministry, Ye Xianggao was promoted to the Minister of Personnel, Guo Zhengyu was promoted to the Minister of Rites. Wang Tingzhuan was transferred back from the Western Regions and promoted to the Minister of War.

The official positions in the Western Regions were adjusted, and the Governor-General of Anxi and the General-in-Chief of Anxi were established; the official positions in the Tumed and other tribes were adjusted, and the Governor-General of Anbei, the Governor of Anbei, and the General-in-Chief of Anbei were established.

Because the Governor-General of Anxi, Wang Tingzhuan, was transferred back to Beijing, Li Tingji was appointed as the Governor-General of Anxi.

The emperor ordered Shunyi King Ba Hanaji to be the governor-general of Anbei, transferred Fang Congzhe to be the governor of Anbei, and appointed Erdemutu as the general of Anbei.

Because the term of office of the commander of the Imperial Guard, Ma Gui, had expired, he was transferred to be the deputy dean of the Military Academy; Liu Jing, the general of Anxi, was rewarded for his contribution in pacifying the Western Regions and was transferred to be the commander of the Imperial Guard.

Li Rumei, deputy commander of the Imperial Guard, was appointed as the general of Anxi; Zhang Wanbang, the general of Ji-Liao and commander of the First Army of Jizhen, was appointed as the deputy commander of the Imperial Guard; Cao Fu, the former chief of staff of the Imperial Guard, retired due to old age, and Ma Dong, the commander of the Third Regiment of the Imperial Guard, was appointed as the chief of staff of the Imperial Guard; Xiao Ruxun, the general of Yansui, was appointed as the commander of the Third Regiment of the Imperial Guard...

In the east warm room of the Qianqing Palace, the incense of ambergris rose. The young emperor Zhu Changhao was practicing calligraphy under the arrangement of his father-in-law and imperial tutor, writing dozens of "one" characters one by one on the rice paper. Gao Guoshi sat on the armchair on the left side of the imperial desk, with the yellow silk memorials spread out in front of him piled up into a small mountain. He rubbed his sore eyebrows and his eyes fell on the "Petition for Retirement" at the top, with his red pen suspended.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister," Zhao Zhigao's trembling voice came from the steps, "This old minister is over 70 years old and has been ill for a long time. Lately, I have been suffering from poor eyesight and hearing. In the cabinet's drafts, I often write '准' as '淮'. I am really not capable of the important task of assisting you..." When he said this, he suddenly started coughing violently and almost dropped the ivory tablet in his hand.

The little emperor stole a glance, but was frightened back by his father's look, and hurriedly pretended to write honestly. Gao Youshi then stood up to help him, and felt that Zhao Zhigao's arms were as thin as sticks, and he couldn't help sighing in his heart.

In any case, this old minister who had served in three dynasties, had experienced ups and downs in officialdom for many years since he passed the imperial examination in the second year of Longqing's reign. Now he was so weak that he needed the help of eunuchs even to stand steadily.

"Mr. Zhao is a veteran minister of three dynasties. There is no need to be so polite." Gao Youshi closed the memorial gently, as if he had forgotten that he was also a "veteran minister of three dynasties."

"I heard about the recent Zheng-Li rebellion, and Lord Zhao was worried. Afterwards, he was busy with the late emperor's request, which was even more harmful to his health." He turned around and took out a scroll of bright yellow silk from the rosewood box. "Before the late emperor died, he asked that the old minister entrusted with the care of the orphan should be honored. Although the current emperor is young, he knows the gratitude. Now I specially give Lord Zhao the title of Grand Tutor, and grant him a carriage with crane pattern, allowing him to return home in glory."

Zhao Zhigao's cloudy old eyes were filled with tears, and he knelt tremblingly to receive the imperial edict. After the Imperial Household Department announced the imperial edict, he suddenly pulled out a book from his sleeve: "This is the "Simple Meaning of the Great Learning" written by an old minister. I am willing to present it to Your Majesty to explain the holy teachings. In addition..." He lowered his voice, "Although Shen Jiaomen's crime is unforgivable, his students and former officials are all over the court and the country. The Prime Minister should be cautious when dealing with it."

Gao Fusi nodded without saying anything, watching the old minister's hunched back stagger away. The copper bells on the eaves rang softly, startling the jackdaws perched on the ridge beasts of the Wenhua Palace, which fluttered across the three steps.

Soon, Wuying Palace Grand Secretary Zhou Yong also came to bid farewell. For many years, the Wuying Palace Grand Secretary, who has been jokingly called "the old man who raises his hands" by the outside world, held the "Great Edict" bestowed by the emperor, and his voice was still loud and clear: "This old minister will go and carve the imperial edict in the Zhou family ancestral hall, so that future generations will remember the emperor's grace for generations."

At this point, he suddenly turned to Gao Youshi and said, "Prime Minister, before we part, I have something to say, but I don't know whether I should say it or not..."

"Mr. Zhou, please speak."

"I beg you, Prime Minister, not to learn from Huo Guang." Zhou Yong knocked his tablet heavily on the gold brick. "Although the current emperor is young, he is very intelligent. The Prime Minister should follow the example of Duke Zhou and pass on his reputation to future generations."

Gao Youshi was quite surprised. He didn't expect Zhou Yong to have never disobeyed him for so many years, and he dared to "boldly speak frankly" before leaving. However, he didn't care. He nodded and said, "I have received great favors from three dynasties. This is exactly what I want."

In the warm room, the young emperor was working at his desk, copying red characters. He tilted his head and asked, "Uncle, is Mr. Zhou leaving too?" Gao Youshi walked over and gently stroked the young emperor's melon-shaped hat, "Your Majesty, an old minister has accomplished his mission and retired, which is the only way to show the court's grace and loyalty." After that, he took Zhou Yong's ivory tablet, tied an apricot-yellow tassel on it with his own hands, and issued an imperial decree on behalf of the emperor, "Promote him to the position of Grand Tutor, grant him a suit of python robe and a carriage with crane pattern, and allow him to return home in glory."

At the same time, Shen Yiguan was still in his own house, "awaiting dismissal and investigation". The former Grand Secretary of Wenhua Palace had just finished compiling his "Collection of Poems from Huimingxuan". When the Jinyiwei broke into the house, he was staring at the four characters "unity of knowledge and action" on the plaque in front of the courtyard.

"Lord Shen, I'm here to arrest someone on your orders." Luo Sigong's embroidered spring sword shone coldly in the sunlight.

Shen Yikuan suddenly laughed and threw the "Self-Accusation Memorial" with the ink not yet dried on the table into the brazier, and sighed: "Thirty years of hard work, in the end it all turned into a pie in the sky!" He forced himself to remain calm, but still grabbed Luo Sigong's sleeve, "General Wei, do you still remember who wrote your mother's epitaph in the 21st year of Wanli?" Luo Sigong was unmoved, but instead quickly snatched the "Self-Accusation Memorial" from the fire: "Lord Shen, it would be more appropriate for me to take this memorial back to the cabinet." Then he slapped the smoking memorial on the table to put it out, spread it out and examined it for a few seconds.

Shen Yi Guan looked at the words in the memorial that said, "My students and former officials have committed many illegal acts." He suddenly showed a hint of self-mockery: "What a great 'many illegal acts'! I just don't know, is this the law of the emperor, or the law of Gao Yuanfu?"

"Take him away!" Luo Sigong's embroidered spring sword was not unsheathed, but he quickly pressed it against Shen Yiguan's throat and whispered, "Now that things have come to this, if you don't want to implicate the whole family, I suggest that Lord Shen be careful with his words."

The next day, Xiao Daheng, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, led 13 censors to jointly impeach Shen Yikuan. The memorial listed twelve major crimes, especially "allowing his student Qian Menggao to privately transfer troops from Ningqian to Tongzhou to spy on the capital", "hiding Zheng Guotai's correspondence and secretly meeting with Li Wenjin" as the most serious.

Gao Youshi sat upright in the Wenhua Hall, looking at his former political enemy kneeling under the red steps, his dragon robe and jade belt gone, leaving only plain clothes and linen shoes.

"Shen Jiaomen," Gao Youshi tapped the secret box on the table, "We both know why you sent people to Xinzheng two years ago. I put the overall interests of the court first and suppressed such a deep hatred, hoping that you would turn back, but unexpectedly..."

Gao Youshi sighed softly when he said this. Without waiting for Shen Yikuan to answer, he suddenly unfolded the yellow silk in the box and said, "The emperor is kind and considerate of your assistance for many years. He only orders you to be stripped of your original and concurrent positions and sent back to your hometown in Yin County. I hope you will reflect on your mistakes in your lifetime and don't let down the emperor's grace again."

Shen Yikuan suddenly looked up and saw that the end of the yellow silk was covered with the emperor's treasure. His throat rolled for a while, and he finally kowtowed heavily: "Your Majesty, I am a guilty minister... Thank you for your grace!" When he stood up, he staggered and almost fell.

A few days later, in the Western Regions Protectorate in Yili, tallow candles on bronze candlesticks crackled, and the strong smell of burning tallow mixed with the snow outside the window, condensing into frost on the carved wooden lattice window lattice. Wang Tingzhuan's fingers passed over the blue lacquer mark of the Caspian Sea on the "Western Regions Atlas", and suddenly slapped it hard.

"Boshoktu, how many muskets do you think the Russians have?"

The Mongolian fur coat of Boshoktu, the "Mongolian Jinong" and the general of Qihe, was still stained with the moisture of the Ili River. His wolf-head-patterned sword glowed dimly under the candlelight: "To the Protector General, the Russian army has 3,000 musketeers and 5,000 Cossack cavalry. Their muskets have a longer range than our bows and arrows..."

"Really?" Liu Jing's voice was so loud that it seemed to shake the candlelight. The Ili general, who didn't know he had been transferred to the position of commander of the Imperial Guard, shouted, "I have dealt with the Japanese in Korea. Their bird guns are pretty good, but their range is not as good as the Wanli Type 2 of our army at that time!"

Wang Tingzhuan raised his hand to stop Liu Jing: "General Liu, please listen to what Boshoketu has to say."

Boshoktu looked at Wang Tingzhuan gratefully and continued, "Although their muskets are not as good as the magic weapons of the Ming Dynasty, they can still shoot farther than bows and arrows. Our army was only chasing the Kazakhs before and did not expect to be ambushed by musketeers, so we suffered a loss."

Erdemutu suddenly spoke up, "General Liu, I have inquired about it. Those musketeers are called shooting troops in Russia. They are the personal troops directly under the emperor of that country, roughly equivalent to the imperial guards of the Ming Dynasty. They are indeed quite capable."

As Gao Youshi's student, the prince of Shunyi spoke Chinese with almost no grassland accent. "And their Cossack cavalry horses are taller and bigger than ours. They suddenly charged and my troops were scattered. I and the three hundred warriors..."

"What happened to the three hundred warriors?" Liu Jing's eyes widened.

Erdemutu clenched the Mongolian knife at his waist, his Adam's apple rolling: "I and three hundred warriors were suppressed in front of the shooting army, and in the end only twenty people and I survived." He suddenly opened his collar, revealing the gunshot wound on his left shoulder, "This was caused by the Russian lead bullets - I was wearing two heavy armors at the time."

Xiong Tingbi's official uniform glowed bright blue in the light of the charcoal fire. This rising star who was highly regarded by Gao Yuanfu said, "General Liu, what Boshuoketu and Erdemutu said is true."

He pushed the Russian intelligence on the table over and said, "According to the secret report handed over by Jinghua, although the level of Russian army's firearms is not top-notch, it is indeed somewhat comparable. As for the Cossack cavalry's warhorses, the Prime Minister once said that they are Don horses bred from the hybrid of Mongolian horses, Persian horses (Arabian horses) and European horses, and they have inherited many advantages... The Prime Minister also instructed us to try to obtain as many as possible."

Liu Jing grabbed the intelligence and glanced at it, then suddenly threw the teacup to the ground. "The Prime Minister has such instructions? In my opinion, this matter cannot be resolved peacefully. After we have made some repairs, we must continue the Western Expedition. At least we must grab some of this... this hippopotamus." He drew his sword and drew an arc on the map. "Protector General, I think Moscow is far away, but if we concentrate our elite cavalry to go on the expedition, we may not be unable to take it..."

Wang Tingzhuan waved his hand and said, "The Western Region has just been pacified and its system has just been established. Now is not the time to mobilize troops on a large scale."

Liu Jing was quite disappointed, but he could understand it. However, he was still restless and said, "Recently, Andijan reported that there are always cavalrymen sent by Burihatu in the west, and they seem to have some intentions.

After much thought, I always feel that it is not safe for our army to occupy only Andijan. We should continue to send troops westward in two routes, one to occupy Samarkand and the other to occupy Tashkent. In this way, we can form a situation with Andijan as the rear and Samarkand and Tashkent as the two wings, and firmly grasp the Fergana Basin in our hands... Although this move is not an explicit order from the prime minister, it is in line with the intention conveyed by the prime minister before. I wonder if Wang Duhu and Xiong Zhizhi are willing to jointly petition the court for approval with me?"

Before Wang Tingzhuan and Xiong Tingbi could reply, the sound of horse hooves suddenly came from outside the window, and the voice of the postman came through the snow and wind: "Eight hundred miles in an emergency! The imperial court has issued a transfer order!"

Wang Tingzhuan and others quickly arranged to receive the order, and then unfolded the yellow silk. The candlelight illuminated the six words "Wang Tingzhuan is ordered to return to Beijing immediately" and flickered. He read the transfer order in its entirety and handed it to Liu Jing: "Congratulations, General Liu... Oh no, Commander Liu."

Liu Jing was stunned and read the transfer order. He said in surprise, "I am transferred to the commander of the Imperial Guard to replace the retired Ma Gui. Li Rumei is coming to the Western Regions... er, to Anxi to replace me?" He coughed lightly and rolled his eyes. "Li Rumei is the brother-in-law of Yuan Fu. Why is he sent to Anxi to eat sand?"

Wang Tingzhuan coughed lightly, pretending he hadn't heard. Xiong Tingbi smiled and said, "Now that the four directions have been pacified, I'm afraid there is no other place to make military achievements except Anxi."

Liu Jing suddenly realized what was going on, but he immediately sighed and slapped his thigh, saying, "Damn it... When Li Wulang comes, I still have to talk to him about Samarkand and Tashkent, and then I can go back to Beijing with peace of mind."

Everyone looked at each other and stopped talking.
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PS: I have a cold. My nose was so stuffy in the first half of last night. I took a cold medicine, and fell asleep while typing... I'll make up for it in the second half of the night.

Thanks to the book friends "Xiao Ai Gu Yue", "Alibaba Forty Thieves" and "Liang Bian Shuang Yi Pao Feng" for their monthly ticket support, thank you!