The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

"A great victory! A great victory! Marquis Hu Zhiyi of Wuwei has won a great victory at Mengyuan Town!"

"A great victory was achieved at Mengyuan Town! Our army killed 13,000 enemy soldiers and captured 150,000!"

"Xi'an liberated, Chengdu liberated, the entire Sichuan and Shaanxi region liberated!"

With the dust settled on the Sichuan-Shaanxi war, the victory report, stained with the sweat of post horses, was delivered to Nanjing by messengers on an urgent journey of eight hundred li.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the land of six dynasties, and once again stirred up the city of Nanjing, which had just been quiet due to the turmoil of the new policies.

In the streets and alleys of Nanjing, a large number of newsboys waved newspapers that still smelled of ink, like nimble fish weaving through the crowds.

Their youthful voices were slightly hoarse from shouting, and their cheeks were flushed with excitement.

"Look at the newspaper! Look at the newspaper! A tremendous victory! The government troops have recovered Sichuan and Shaanxi!"

The topics that were once hotly discussed on the streets have now been completely swallowed up by this even more impactful wave of good news.

The news of the Jingnan Army's expedition to Sichuan and Shaanxi had already been reported in the newspapers and was not news to the public.

The Jingnan Army defeated the Wanmin Army in the south and attacked the Jurchens in the north, winning one victory after another. No one was surprised that the Jingnan Army had achieved victory in this expedition to Sichuan and Shaanxi.

However, when the exact battle report arrived, it still shook the entire city.

The Jingnan Army's expedition, from its oath-taking ceremony at Tongguan to its decisive victory over the Shun army and the recovery of Sichuan and Shaanxi provinces, took less than ten days.

Even more unbelievable is that the main force of the Shun army, which once dominated the Central Plains, was utterly defeated in less than two days in front of the Jingnan army.

Such overwhelming power is truly astonishing.
Such remarkable military achievements could not help but attract worldwide attention.

At this moment, the area in front of the Duke of Yan's residence was bustling with carriages and horses, creating a great deal of noise.

Inside the main hall of the mansion, a group of officers and soldiers from the Jingnan military faction gathered, their faces beaming with barely suppressed joy.

The significance of the recovery of Sichuan and Shaanxi cannot be overstated.

The two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty have now all been recovered.

With the New Year approaching and the world nearing stability, Chen Wangzheng was getting closer and closer to the throne.

Although there were still chieftain rebellions in Yunnan, they were nothing more than a minor ailment.

The main force of the Sichuan Shun Army was defeated by Ma Xianglin, and Liu Zongmin was killed in battle.

After news of Li Zicheng's escape and the recapture of Shaanxi spread, the remaining Shun army forces in Sichuan surrendered without resistance.

Only fourteen years had passed since the She'an Rebellion.

During the suppression of the rebellion, Ma Qiancheng and Qin Liangyu, a married couple, were ranked first in merit for their contributions in the Nanchuan Road campaign.

The formidable military might of the six former Pacification Commissioners remains deeply etched in the memories of the chieftains of various ethnic groups in Southwest China.

Ma Xianglin, in his capacity as the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu, issued a public notice, and the local chieftains, intimidated by his power, dared not resist and obeyed his orders.

The noise in the main hall subsided with Chen Wang's arrival, and in an instant, it became completely silent.

Chen Wang, wearing a golden crown and a python robe, stirred up a gust of wind as he stepped over the threshold.

Chen Wang walked straight to the main seat in the main hall without glancing to the side.

All the officers and soldiers of the Jingnan Army stood up straight, clasped their hands and bowed their heads.

What is the situation in Yunnan?

Chen Wang flicked his sleeves and sat down, his wide python robe spreading out on the armchair. Without raising his head, he asked the question.

"After capturing Kunming, Sha Dingzhou kidnapped Governor Wu Zhaoyuan, intending to control Yunnan."

Dai Zhenglin bowed slightly and reported.

"Sha Dingzhou submitted a memorial stating that the Mu family was tyrannical and had brought disaster to Yunnan. The chieftains fought hard to quell the rebellion, but the Mu family stole the credits and failed to reward or punish them fairly. They could no longer tolerate this and thus launched the rebellion. He earnestly requested the court to investigate the matter thoroughly."

Chen Wang remained silent, his eyes slightly narrowed as he looked at the table.

Dai Zhenglin looked at the spot where Chen Wang was scrutinizing and said.

"This is a letter sent by an envoy from Shading Prefecture."

Chen Wang's gaze fell on the letter on the table, its sealing wax intact.

Such letters, which required his personal attention, were not opened by either the Central Military Commission or the General Staff Department, who dared not act on their own initiative.

Chen Wang turned to look at the guard beside him and nodded slightly.

The guard immediately understood, stepped forward, half-squatted down, opened the letter, and then carefully unfolded it on the table.

Chen Wang's gaze slowly swept over the letter, but he lost interest after reading only half of it.

“Sha Dingzhou is not so stupid as to be beyond redemption.”

The letter Sha Dingzhou wrote to him was a letter expressing his desire to serve the country.

The opening was the same old story, using high-sounding words to explain why he rebelled against the Mu family.

Then Mao Sui recommended himself, claiming that he was highly respected among the many chieftains in Yunnan and that his troops were powerful.

Seeing the puzzled looks from Dai Zhenglin and the other officers, Chen Wang pointed to the letter in front of him and sneered.

“Sha Dingzhou said that if I let him replace the Mu family to guard Yunnan for generations, he would definitely obey my orders and be law-abiding from then on.”

A look of astonishment flashed in Dai Zhenglin's eyes, while all the officers and soldiers in the hall showed disdain.

"Yunnan is located in a remote area, with many chieftains, high mountains and long rivers, and its situation is far more complex than that of other provinces."

"The Mu family mansion has existed for far too long and is already rotten to the core. It is indeed time for Yunnan to change its ways."

Chen Wang's tone was relatively calm at first, but it became increasingly cold as he spoke.

"But what is Tasha Dingzhou?"

Chen Wang snorted coldly, making no attempt to hide his disdain.

Yunnan did indeed need someone to oversee it, but the reasons were different from those in the early Ming Dynasty.

In the early Ming Dynasty, the Tusi (chieftain) forces in Yunnan were deeply entrenched and unruly.

A strong military deterrent cannot be formed without a large force.

Years of painstaking efforts and infiltration are insufficient to achieve truly effective jurisdiction and control.

But now, times have changed.

Chen Wang had already decided to wait until the time was right to begin implementing the "reform of native chieftains and replacement of officials with centrally appointed officials" policy on a large scale in the southwest.

"Issue the imperial edict, but not in the name of the court; issue the order in my name."

"Sha Dingzhou is a smooth talker and a flatterer; his crime of treason is unforgivable!"

Chen Wang's voice was calm, but his words determined the life and death of many.

“Anyone who has joined the rebels but has been able to repent and return to the right path after hearing this order may be pardoned from the death penalty.”

"Anyone who continues to cause trouble in Sha Dingzhou upon hearing this order shall be punished for treason, stripped of all their posts, and their entire family shall be exterminated!"

"However, if there are any stubborn and unyielding individuals who, after receiving the order, still insist on following Sha Dingzhou in rebellion..."

Chen Wang's tone suddenly became stern, and he spoke in a solemn voice.

"They shall all be punished for treason, stripped of all official positions, land, and property, and their entire families shall be implicated without exception!"

"Whoever takes the head of Sha Dingzhou will be rewarded with 100 gold pieces, granted the title of third-class earl, and will be able to grant his son the privilege of entering a military academy without examination."

The policy of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials did not actually begin in the Qing Dynasty.

The initial phase of replacing native chieftains with appointed officials had already begun during the Ming Dynasty.

The reason why the Qing Dynasty was able to implement it on a large scale during the Yongzheng period and ultimately succeed was because of this.

To some extent, this was due to the foundation laid by the Ming Dynasty's long-term management and continuous weakening of the Tusi (local chieftain) power in the southwest region.

The southwest region now has the initial conditions for implementing the policy of replacing local chieftains with centrally appointed officials. However, now is not the time to begin this policy.

The new policy case has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people, with a total of 20,000 people implicated. Almost all officials in the Jiangnan region have been dismissed from their posts.

Many places in the Ming Dynasty were still lacking officials.

Before implementing the policy of replacing local chieftains with centrally appointed officials, these issues must be resolved first.

There is currently a severe shortage of reserve officials.

However, this does not prevent us from laying a solid foundation now.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Wang made up his mind.

"In the past, Hou Liangzhu quelled the rebellion and achieved a great victory in the southwest, making outstanding military achievements."

"This time, when we went south to Yunnan to quell the rebellion, we appointed Hou Liangzhu as the commander-in-chief, allowed him to temporarily hold the seal of the General Who Conquers the South, and gave him the authority to command the troops in Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan and to control all the armies to suppress the rebellion."

"Ma Xianglin was appointed as the deputy commander, stationed in Sichuan to coordinate operations."

The officers and soldiers of the Jingnan Army in the hall were all slightly taken aback. There seemed to be a momentary pause in the air, but no one showed any unusual expression.

Dai Zhenglin narrowed his eyes slightly, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

"The Marquis of Yongyi is loyal to the country and has outstanding military achievements. Although he survived the chaos of the She-An Rebellion, his prestige may not be enough to convince the people..."

When Dai Zhenglin mentioned the words "loyal to the country," his tone became more forceful.

The position of head coach for the Yunnan expedition is not actually important; either Hou Liangzhu or Ma Xianglin would suffice.

But the important thing is the title of General Who Conquers the South.

Mu Ying was stationed in Yunnan, and his official title was General Who Conquers the South.

The position of General Who Conquers the South has always been inherited by the lineage of the Duke of Qian, which is also the lineage of the Prince Mu's Mansion.

The current General Who Conquers the South is still Mu Tianbo.

Chen Wang directly appointed Hou Liangzhu as General Who Conquers the South.

This undoubtedly represents Chen Wang's intention to openly and legitimately strip the Mu family of their status.

Hou Liangzhu is the one who will replace the Mu family.

"Yunnan is located on the border, with a complex situation and many forces mixed together. It is difficult to deter them without a high-ranking general, and there is a fear that unforeseen changes may occur in the future..."

Dai Zhenglin carefully chose his words, even though those present were all officers and soldiers of the Jingnan Army faction, and they were of one mind.

However, Dai Zhenglin still chose to only reveal seven-tenths of his thoughts, omitting his most fundamental concern.

Hou Liangzhu was, after all, a former general of the Ming army, and did not belong to their Jingnan Army faction, nor was he like Jiang Xiang, who had completely surrendered.

At this moment, Sichuan and Shaanxi have been liberated, and the land of China has been reunited.

As the New Year approaches, everything awaits a fresh start, and the date of the change of dynasties and the establishment of a new era is drawing ever closer.

At this critical juncture, there is no room for the slightest surprise or risk. If, at this crucial moment, some uncontrollable event were to occur in the remote southwestern border region, it would undoubtedly be…

"No problem."

Chen Wang raised his hand, stopping Dai Zhenglin from saying anything more.

“Don’t trust those you employ, and ignore those you doubt.”

"Furthermore..."

Chen Wang glanced sideways at Dai Zhenglin and said in a serious voice.

"There is no need to preserve decaying things. The lineage of the Duke of Qian has completed their mission and enjoyed wealth and honor for many years."

"Yunnan no longer needs a second Mu Palace..."

Although Chen Wang and Hou Liangzhu only met once, at that time Chen Wang was only a deputy commander.

However, he had a deep understanding of Hou Liangzhu.

During the She'an Rebellion, Hou Liangzhu made great contributions but was dismissed from his post.

Later, an imperial censor presented testimony in his defense, and five years later, he was commended, reinstated, and given his original position.

Later, when bandits entered Sichuan, Hou Liangzhu faced them with a small, isolated force, only to be harshly criticized.

After the bandits left, Hou Liangzhu was constantly ostracized by Chen Shiqi, and he had long been disheartened with the Ming court and extremely dissatisfied with the imperial court.

Hou Liangzhu has been corresponding with him in recent days.

Choosing Hou Liangzhu was Chen Wang's idea after careful consideration.

Yunnan is located on the border and has many mountains.

The officers and soldiers of the Jingnan Army who followed him had little experience in mountain warfare, and most of them were unable to adapt to the humid and malaria-ridden climate of the south.

The only truly capable generals who could lead independently were Ma Xianglin and Hou Liangzhu.

Ma Xianglin is a good candidate, but also not a good candidate.

The reason it is considered good is because Ma Xianglin had extremely high prestige in the southwest region and was a skilled and courageous warrior.

However, the downside was that Ma Xianglin was the Pacification Commissioner of Shizhu and also a relative of the imperial family.

Countless historical examples have shown that if the power of maternal relatives becomes too great, it will undoubtedly lead to disaster.

Dai Zhenglin saw that Chen Wang's mind was made up, and that he was only using Hou Liangzhu to stabilize the local area.

There was no intention for Hou Liangzhu to be the hereditary governor of Yunnan.

Dai Zhenglin then stopped offering advice and instead continued reporting on the situation in Yunnan.

"According to the plan previously formulated by the Duke, Hou Liangzhu has led his troops south toward Yunnan after the liberation of Sichuan."

"In the southwestern part of Sichuan, along with a group of chieftains in southern Sichuan, troops were also dispatched to follow the imperial edict. Ma Xianglin has already led his three divisions southward toward Yunnan."

"As for the chieftains in northwestern Sichuan, they were ordered by Ma Xianglin to march north with the troops of the Third Division of Sichuan Garrison to attack Songpan Guard in northwestern Sichuan, an area occupied by the Qiang chieftains."

Chen Wang picked up the teacup on the table and took a small sip.

The Qiang chieftain of Songpanwei was incredibly audacious, having previously colluded with the Khoshut Khanate.

Previously, it had caused several disturbances, encroached on the land in central Sichuan, and even plotted rebellion.

Chen Wang would naturally not let such an opportunity slip by easily.

"After the Songpan Guard was recaptured, it was renamed Songpan Prefecture. All the chieftains within the prefecture were abolished, and counties were established, which were directly governed by officials dispatched by the Ministry of Personnel."

During the Ming Dynasty, the policy of "replacing local chieftains with appointed officials" was generally implemented by finding various pretexts for local chieftains to violate the laws of the court, stripping them of their positions, and replacing them with appointed officials.

Or, when a powerful chieftain died out or was deposed for a crime, the chieftainship was no longer established. Instead, the territory was divided to enfeoff smaller chieftains or appointed officials, thus gradually promoting centralized power.

The simplest and most brutal approach would be to wait until the chieftain rebelled, then quell the rebellion, and finally decisively eliminate the old chieftain system to prevent future troubles.

After the Bozhou Rebellion and the She'an Rebellion, the chieftains in the rebellious areas all became places directly under the jurisdiction of the Ming Dynasty.

"Send the order to Ma Xianglin."

Chen Wang's voice deepened, carrying a hint of sternness.

"On the day of recapture, reforms will be implemented immediately. All the ringleaders who stubbornly resist will not be escorted but executed on the spot as a warning to others."

“Strictly screen their relatives and confidants; those who are destined for exile or relocation to the border, and all those who rebel, shall be killed!”

Chen Wang showed no mercy whatsoever.

On the issue of opening up borders, being merciful to the enemy is tantamount to being cruel to one's own people.

Those Qiang chieftains chose Li Zicheng, standing on the opposite side. While they were burning, killing, and looting throughout Sichuan and Shaanxi, they should have foreseen the cruel fate that awaited them if they were defeated. (End of Chapter)