I'm really not doing business

Chapter 995 The people's rebellion is like fire, the people are like fuel for the fire.
The system of ministers in the Wenyuan Pavilion during the Ming Dynasty was characterized by heavy responsibilities despite light power.

There are currently five Grand Secretaries in the Ming Dynasty: Zhang Juzheng is in charge of the Ministry of Personnel, Ling Yunyi is in charge of the Ministry of Justice, Shen Li is in charge of the Ministry of Rites, Zhang Xueyan is in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, and Lu Guangzu is in charge of the Censorate. This was a unique structure during the Wanli era. Logically speaking, once they became Grand Secretaries, they should have been relieved of these duties and focused on being Grand Secretaries.

Indeed, they worked in the Wenyuan Pavilion, and the duties of each department were handled by the Minister or Vice Minister of the relevant department.

But then again!
The emperor and his chief minister played a trick on each other. The actual decision-making process in the Ming Dynasty was conducted through the Wenhua Hall. This was a special system of deliberation and joint decision-making that emerged during the Wanli era when the emperor was young and the country was in turmoil.

Logically speaking, this special system during a special period should have reverted to its original form after the emperor assumed personal rule, since the decision-making process in the Wenhua Hall was somewhat offensive to imperial authority.

When the emperor was young and the country was in turmoil, the court discussions in the Wenhua Hall were to prevent ministers from bullying the emperor. This system of joint deliberation was to protect the young emperor. At that time, Feng Bao would scold this person and that person all day long, and he was very powerful.

After the emperor assumed personal rule, this system of joint deliberation became somewhat offensive to the authority of the emperor. After all, if the ministers made decisions together, it would be equivalent to the emperor being sidelined by the ministers. If the ministers discussed and agreed in private, wouldn't the emperor's decisions be completely rejected?
This drawback was not revealed because the emperor's authority grew stronger day by day. In the nineteenth year of the Wanli reign, once the emperor had made up his mind, no one dared to oppose him.

All of this was achieved through the emperor's daily military inspections, control of the capital garrison, and diligence in submitting memorials overnight, as exemplified by Emperor Taizu Gao, who valued frugality and devoted all the imperial treasury to state affairs.

This collaborative system still functions very smoothly, even while being bugged.

If the emperor's authority is lacking in any of the three areas of military or finance, he will be rendered powerless.
Without a system of deliberation, the emperor's authority would be unchallenged, and the ministers would become mere paper-thin Grand Secretaries and clay-sculpted Ministers.

If the ministers are scheming, incompetent, or the emperor is lazy, this system of deliberation will turn into a pointless wrangling session, incompetent and inefficient.

Because they form a check and balance, this system of deliberation has become the optimal solution at present.

The world is a vast makeshift stage, and the Hall of Literary Glory, the highest hall of power in the Celestial Empire, is no exception.

The absence of any one link would lead to instability, causing a huge political storm that would sweep across the entire Ming Dynasty.

Entrusting state affairs to ministers saves the emperor some trouble, provides ministers with a place to argue without completely breaking off relations, and allows policies to be decided quickly and implemented.

Zhu Yijun didn't know how long this system could continue to operate stably, but he knew that Ye Xianggao's concerns were valid: the current predicament of cabinet ministers was that they had little power but heavy responsibilities.

In the original timeline, during the Wanli era, or even the Ming Dynasty, Shen Shixing was the last cabinet minister who dared to take action. Even though he tried to balance things out and wanted everyone to be considerate, he always ended up making things difficult for everyone, which seemed somewhat ridiculous. However, he was still struggling to maintain this mess, hoping that the Ming Dynasty could recover.

Once the time of Shenshi (3-5 PM) had passed, the Ming Dynasty was completely engulfed in factional strife.

There are no authoritative figures or political strongmen. Everyone is struggling in the quagmire and slowly rotting away. No one is willing to stand up and take responsibility, and no one is willing to raise their voice to reform the old ways and start anew. Everyone is just going along with the crowd and enduring each other for the sake of the country.

Zhu Yijun pondered the matter without success, and his subsequent inquiry to the cabinet also yielded no results.

Night had fallen, the moon was hidden, and the stars shone brightly in the sky. Inside the Wenchang Pavilion of the Quanchu Guild Hall, Zhang Juzheng sat by the window, looking at the Chinese hackberry tree outside. It was planted by him when he passed the imperial examination and his name was inscribed on the golden list. Now it was tall and swaying gracefully, its branches and leaves reflecting the light of the lime torch inside the Wenchang Pavilion.

The cabinet ministers had actually been aware of His Majesty's inquiry to the cabinet today, but no one had dared to bring it up. Ye Xianggao was very clever, but everyone who had reached the position of cabinet minister was also very clever.

Ye Xianggao discovered it, and so did cabinet ministers throughout history.

For example, in the early years of the Wanli Emperor's reign, Zhang Juzheng wanted to implement the performance evaluation system, but Yang Bo, the Minister of Personnel, desperately tried to stop him, preventing Zhang Juzheng from implementing it. However, when the Wang Jinglong case broke out, Zhang Juzheng used the Wang Jinglong case to settle the matter and in return, he was able to implement the performance evaluation system. He was even personally questioned by the emperor.

Later, Zhang Juzheng gritted his teeth and made a tough decision to take over the Ministry of Personnel himself, which finally allowed the performance evaluation system to be fully implemented. He then formed an alliance with Wang Guoguang and promoted the land survey.

At that time, the system of deliberation and joint decision-making in the Wenhua Hall had not yet been formed. This system was not fully established until the sixth year of the Wanli reign, when the chief minister gradually began to return power to the emperor.

Zhang Juzheng knew that this system was unstable, but he was powerless to do anything about it. The Wenhua Hall deliberations were right at the center of the power vortex.

There has never been a standard answer to how this center should operate stably, efficiently, without hindering or attacking each other.

Zhang Juzheng began writing, then put down his pen, leaving behind a blank memorial. He was at a loss as to what to do about the current system of power centers.

"Sir, His Majesty will be making his grand visit tomorrow, so everything inside and out has been thoroughly cleaned." You Shouli entered the study of Wenchang Pavilion and reported on the cleaning of the residence. Tomorrow is the 23rd of the month again, and His Majesty will be coming to the Quan Chu Guild Hall for a free meal once more.

This is also one of the delicate balances in the court discussions at the Wenhua Hall. His Majesty the Emperor and the Grand Tutor have an excellent relationship, and the Emperor himself is very happy to display this close relationship. This unwavering monthly free meal also makes the ministers clearly understand that it is really difficult to sow discord between the Emperor and the Grand Tutor.

It was precisely because of the close relationship between the emperor and the head of the civil officials that the court officials of the Wenhua Hall were unable to form a united force and thus undermine the emperor's authority.

"Has there been any news from the palace?" Zhang Juzheng asked after thinking for a moment.

You Shouli, unaware of what news the gentleman was asking about, truthfully replied, "News has come from the palace: tomorrow will proceed as usual."

"Understood." Zhang Juzheng nodded.

The next day, after the morning court session, the emperor's imperial carriage appeared in front of the Quan Chu Guild Hall. The emperor not only came to freeload a meal himself, but also brought the empress, the crown prince Zhu Changzhi, and the second son Zhu Changchao along.

Zhu Changzhi and Zhu Changchao practiced martial arts together and had a very good relationship. Zhu Changchao was in poor health, so Zhu Changzhi would give in to him. The two were very close.

Of course, it would be best if the ornamental fish in the Quanchu Guild Hall were spared further damage.

The two princes, both young and skilled with tailless arrows, are currently competing to shoot fish. The fish in the Goose Return Pond of the Chu Guild Hall have been thoroughly ravaged by the two princes.

The young prince was shooting fish, the empress was sitting in a pavilion by the pond to escape the summer heat, and palace servants stood by her side. Inside the Wenchang Pavilion, there were bursts of arguing.

Wang Yaozhuo glanced at the Wenchang Pavilion and thought it was perfectly normal.

It would be strange if a young leader and a conservative leader didn't argue. These arguments would happen every two or three months. At first, Wang Yaozhuo was terrified, but later he found that the frequency hadn't increased and there was no discord, so he stopped paying much attention.

That being said, it's good to have a fight. When you're arguing, you're always speaking your mind and saying what's on your mind.

The argument between the emperor and his chief tutor was quite amusing. It revolved around a topic from the emperor's youth: whether the monarch and the state, the monarch and the father, could be separated, and whether the monarch was the monarch and the state was the state.

The emperor still thought it was possible to separate the two, while the prime minister thought the emperor was naive. They started arguing, but eventually stopped.

"Alright, alright, I understand." Zhu Yijun chose to compromise. Zhang Juzheng was right. If they really separated, the emperor's power and responsibility would become unequal, with too much power and too little responsibility.

Zhang Juzheng naturally opposed it. Emperor Shizong had burned his robes and the previous emperor had disappeared into the underworld. It was not easy to have a diligent emperor. Zhang Juzheng had to prevent the imbalance of power and responsibility of the emperor no matter what.

The Ming Dynasty really cannot afford another incompetent ruler.

"Your Majesty is wise." Seeing that His Majesty had agreed with his point of view, Zhang Juzheng knew when to stop and did not press his advantage.

"This cabinet minister holds a heavy responsibility despite his limited power. Do you have any good ideas, sir?" Zhu Yijun brought up Ye Xianggao's question.

Zhang Juzheng thought about it carefully for a while, and finally shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, things are fine as they are now. Wherever Your Majesty is, the court will be there."

The problem of the cabinet ministers having limited power, leading the Six Ministries or the Censorate, was resolved. Furthermore, because the emperor had sufficient authority and the government decided on policies through public deliberations in the Wenhua Hall, there was no need to worry about overstepping their bounds. As long as the system could operate stably, it was best not to make any unauthorized changes.

Moreover, after reigning as emperor for so many years, Zhu Yijun discovered that the more he tried to achieve perfection and thoroughness, the more he made a mess of things. There must be trade-offs in doing things, and if you don't want to make trade-offs, you will ultimately fail.

Sometimes, doing nothing is also a form of wisdom.

“What you say makes sense, sir. It’s best not to make any rash moves.” Zhu Yijun and Zhang Juzheng reached a consensus on this matter. He wanted to strive for perfection, but reality told him that he couldn’t, so he would maintain the status quo.

"How is the Second Prince's health?" Zhang Juzheng looked at Zhu Changchao, who was shooting fish outside the window, and asked about the Second Prince's health.

"I almost harmed him, but fortunately, the chief physician Chen Shigong's medical skills were superb, and he was brought back to life." Zhu Yijun said, referring to Zhu Changchao's condition, which had now completely improved.

Previously, Zhu Yijun had been somewhat wishful thinking, believing that his child would get better as he grew older and that surgery could be avoided if possible. However, this only made the illness worse.

Zhu Yijun looked out the window and said with a smile, "Chao'er is growing an inch every month now, almost as tall as his brother, and he's gotten much stronger too."

"Very good." Zhang Juzheng was in a very good mood upon hearing the news.

Emperor Shizong's devotion to Buddhist practices was also related to the successive deaths of his princes. In the short span of three years, from the sixteenth to the nineteenth year of the Jiajing reign, four princes born in succession died young.

Zhang Juzheng was very worried about Zhu Changchao's health, because some things, once started, will continue to happen one after another.

Premature death was quite common these days, but the fact that four princes died before the age of one made the situation rather strange.

When Zhu Changchao was seriously ill, Zhang Juzheng was worried that the illness was about to start again. But now, the two brothers playing around made Zhang Juzheng breathe a sigh of relief, which meant that the defense of Tonghe Palace was still impenetrable.

"What are you worried about, sir?" Zhu Yijun keenly sensed that Zhang Juzheng's mood had improved.

"I'm worried about whether Shen Shixing can handle things, or more precisely, whether he can protect His Majesty," Zhang Juzheng said, expressing his concerns in his own home, where no one was around.

"Hahaha." Zhu Yijun laughed loudly. Zhang Juzheng was getting old, sixty-eight years old, and began to develop his usual paranoia, even distrusting his disciples whom he had known for many years.

"I will protect myself." Zhu Yijun would not entrust his safety to anyone else, not even Zhang Juzheng.

Imperial power is invincible beyond three zhang (approximately 10 meters), but within three zhang, one must protect oneself; relying on anyone else is unreliable.

"Chen Lin, the naval commander of Songjiang, reported that he wanted to stay in Songjiang Prefecture for several months after the imperial road was repaired." Zhu Yijun handed Zhang Juzheng a joint memorial signed by Wang Xiyuan, the governor of Yingtian, Li Le, the governor of Songjiang, Wang Qian, the prefect of Songjiang, and Chen Lin, the marquis of Shouli.

After reading the memorial, Zhang Juzheng pondered it carefully. There were advantages and disadvantages, but the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

The benefits are obvious. The Ming Dynasty is developing both land and sea, with an emphasis on opening up the sea. Many urgent matters require His Majesty the Emperor to personally handle them in Songjiang Prefecture. In particular, as the navy grows stronger, trust issues will become increasingly apparent. With the Emperor in Songjiang Prefecture, these problems can be alleviated or even resolved.

The downside is that the emperor might be in danger. After all, if he is away from the capital for a little longer, chaos might break out in the capital, which may appear loyal but is actually disloyal. The safety of the emperor and his princes would then be in question.

Whether it's the emperor or a prince, if anything happens to either of them, it will cause a violent upheaval that the Ming Dynasty cannot accept.

"I think there's no rush," Zhang Juzheng said, expressing his opinion that it would be more prudent to discuss the matter when the princes were older.

Zhu Yijun frowned and said, "Actually, it's very urgent."

The extravagant lifestyle in Songjiang Prefecture and the concerns of the Songjiang Navy are urgent matters. Zhang Juzheng's statement that there is no rush seems to be overly cautious.

"Haste makes waste, and patience brings peace; there's no need to rush." ​​Zhang Juzheng pondered for a moment but still insisted on his view. The seemingly impenetrable defenses of Tonghe Palace could have some loopholes, posing a threat to the safety of the princes and making the palace precarious.

Zhang Juzheng stated his reasons: "Your Majesty, the matters mentioned by the two governors and the Marquis of Shouli are not urgent. It is not too late to wait until the Crown Prince is older and can take charge of affairs on his own before he is stationed permanently in Songjiang."

"Take it easy and you'll be at peace." Zhang Juzheng has made his point very clear, and His Majesty can understand it.

Some things, once they go wrong, can cause catastrophic consequences. If a prince dies an unnatural death, the trust between the emperor and his subjects will completely collapse. Systems such as the Wenhua Hall Council, which operate on a delicate balance, will become dispensable as trust disappears.

"What you say makes sense, sir, but I still have to go." Zhu Yijun looked at the two children running around and playing outside the window, and after thinking for a long time, he finally made his decision.

Zhang Juzheng was not exaggerating; the things he was worried about had happened in the Ming Dynasty, and more than once.

Zhu Yijun was no longer alone; he was the father of several children. If he stayed away from the capital for an extended period, and spent several months or even half a year in Songjiang Prefecture every year, his children would be in extreme danger.

This was a matter of choice: national affairs or family affairs. In the end, Zhu Yijun had to choose national affairs.

“Your Majesty, a true ruler is selfless. Your family affairs are also national affairs,” Zhang Juzheng advised again. The emperor had chosen to prioritize national affairs, which pleased Zhang Juzheng. However, the emperor had no family affairs; all matters were national affairs. The safety of the princes directly affected the fate of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yijun hesitated. Zhang Juzheng was right. In fact, they could wait. As long as he was still alive, the Songjiang Navy would not be in chaos. The issue of trust was not that serious. With the system of secret reports, Zhu Yijun could communicate with Chen Lin in ways that others could not know. Many things could be explained clearly.

It's not so easy for treacherous officials to sow discord. Zhu Yijun was not stupid. The emperor and his ministers all knew that His Majesty was not so easily fooled.

Zhu Yijun pondered for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "Let's wait until the imperial road is completed. At first, we can stay in Songjiang Prefecture for a month or two under the pretext of escaping the cold, and then gradually increase the time."

The emperor did not make a decision immediately, but waited until the imperial road was completed before deciding. Initially, he could visit once every two or three years, staying for one or two months each time, and gradually increase the frequency and duration.

"Your Majesty is wise." Zhang Juzheng acknowledged the Emperor's statement.

“Your Majesty, I feel that there is some conflict between the Workers’ Union and the system of appointing artisans to government positions,” Zhang Juzheng said solemnly. “The power given to them is too great, which is not good.”

The selection of artisans for government positions was underway in Shuntian Prefecture, and Zhang Juzheng keenly noticed some problems.

The story of the dragon slayer turning into a dragon has played out in the life of the craftsman.

This is not surprising. Once you gain power, you will be corrupted by it. First, doubts will arise deep in your heart: Why should I persist? Then, your heart will change: If others can take it, why can't I? Then, dragon scales will slowly grow, and finally, you will become an evil dragon.

People are so forgetful. The daughter-in-law who was criticized becomes the mother-in-law and starts criticizing her daughter-in-law; the student who denounced the corrupt and dark world becomes an official and becomes even worse; people always forget the suffering and sins they have endured because of forgetfulness, and because of forgetfulness, they still make the same mistakes as their predecessors.

"Does the gentleman mean that we can only choose one: the artisan-official system or the workers' alliance?" Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked, "Which one do you think is better?"

"I want them all." Zhang Juzheng waved his hand and said, "What I mean is that it's too hasty. We only carried out the shareholding system reform of the official factories at the beginning of the year, and then established the Workers' Alliance in the middle of the year. It's only August, and we're already asking for the selection of artisans and officials. It's too hasty."

"Haste makes waste. My idea is that the Xishan Coal Bureau has been managed very well by Duke Wencheng and is fully capable of withstanding such a big change. However, the local government factories should promote the reform by mainly adopting the shareholding system, allowing the craftsmen to adapt to their new status first. After a period of time, we can then start the establishment of the workers' union."

“Without sufficient conflict, a state of reconciliation cannot be achieved; the Xishan Coal Bureau is a special case.”

The elite troops of the Beijing garrison were very capable fighters, but that doesn't mean the soldiers of the Nine Border Garrisons were as capable.

The Xishan Coal Bureau was able to do it because Wang Chonggu had explored the trade union four times while he was alive, but ultimately failed, which allowed Shen Shixing to do it so smoothly.

In other places, government factories should not implement such policies so drastically. Of the three things concerning artisans—the shareholding system, the labor union, and the transfer of artisans to government positions—the shareholding system is the most important foundation.

We must make the artisans the masters of the official factories, and let them know that they are the masters and what power they possess.

Zhang Juzheng did not blame the dragon slayer for turning into a dragon; at least in this process of change among craftsmen, it was the court that implemented policies too quickly.

"Then let's follow your advice and push forward the shareholding system first." Zhu Yijun readily agreed with Zhang Juzheng's view. The conservatives had their advantages; they could restrain the extreme policies of the radical reformers and allow the policies to be implemented gradually, thus resolving the contradictions.

At present, the external environment of the Ming Dynasty is not harsh. The Ming garrison is stationed in the north and the navy is stationed in the south. There is no need to take such big steps or rush things.

Zhang Juzheng simply stated his desire to retire. After the New Year, he would be 68 years old. He was getting old, and his energy was waning. He was also becoming increasingly stubborn and less receptive to advice. He felt it was time for him to leave the court and hand it over to his successors.

Seventy is a rare age in ancient times, and Zhang Juzheng was already close to being a centenarian. He felt that if he continued to sit in the position of Grand Secretary, he would hinder the progress of those who came after him. He planned to retire after the New Year, read and revise books, raise fish, and enjoy his old age.

Wang Chonggu was fully aware of the drawbacks of his excessive reliance on personal relationships, but as people get older, they become stubborn like children, believing that their path is absolutely correct and beyond question.

This stubbornness was very evident; he insisted on establishing the labor union despite the heavy reliance on personal relationships. Unsurprisingly, he failed many times. Wang Chonggu clearly knew that he was an obstacle to the reform of the government-run factories, but he could no longer change things.

"Sir, retiring at the height of one's career is something others can do, but not you. You understand what I'm saying." Zhu Yijun genuinely wanted Zhang Juzheng to rest, regardless of the conflict between power, imperial power, and ministerial power.

This old man devoted himself to the Ming Dynasty, exhausting all his energy. Now that he is old and frail, he would naturally agree to rest if he could.

But is it possible to get a refund?
"Indeed, I do have some such thoughts." Zhang Juzheng was taken aback, then laughed self-deprecatingly. Others might be able to, but he could only die in the position of Grand Secretary. To initiate reform, one must pay a price. An unfortunate old age and an untimely death were the price.

When Zhang Juzheng first became Grand Secretary and initiated the performance evaluation system, he had already foreseen this day. However, as he grew older, he developed some fantasies of retiring gracefully.

On this point, Zhang Juzheng admitted that he did not understand it as well as Wang Chonggu.

Wang Chonggu knew until his death that he could not retreat even a single step.

The emperor went to the Quan Chu Guild Hall for a free meal again. As long as the emperor's carriage still appears in front of the Quan Chu Guild Hall as scheduled, it means that the political situation is basically stable, just like the sun will rise as usual, which makes people feel at ease.

After leaving the Quan Chu Guild Hall, Zhu Yijun made a detour and went to Wang Guoguang's home to visit the old minister. Wang Guoguang was already eighty years old this year, which was quite an achievement.

Zhu Yijun went to visit Wang Guoguang not because his condition had worsened and he had entered the terminal stage, but because Wang Guoguang's health had improved significantly after Zhang Juzheng's last visit, and Zhu Yijun planned to see him again while he was still lucid.

"Your Majesty has grown so tall." Wang Guoguang was very confused when he saw the emperor. In his memory, the emperor was a short, chubby boy. The image of the burly emperor kept overlapping with that of the chubby boy from back then.

Zhu Yijun sat down in front of Wang Guoguang and said with a smile, "I'm almost thirty."

"Good, good." Wang Guoguang was quite pleased to see the emperor like this. The more he looked at him, the more satisfied he became. With such a valiant emperor, he could finally give his due thanks to the late emperor and Emperor Shizong in the afterlife.

Emperor Shizong and the previous emperor entrusted the country and its people to these important ministers. Today, with the Ming Dynasty in its current state, these important ministers have no regrets.

“Your Majesty, I have thought about this for a long time, and there are still some problems with General Qi’s decision to relocate the people of Shaanxi, Gansu and Suiyuan.” Wang Guoguang struggled to sit up straight and asked his son to bring him a memorial. These days, he dictated the memorial and his son wrote it down, and the memorial was now complete.

“Shaanxi, Gansu and Suiyuan are too far away. It would be safer to relocate people from Shanxi, Beizhili and Shandong. In this way, even if the world changes, the people of Shaanxi, Gansu and Suiyuan will still have a place to go.” Wang Guoguang continued, “The migration of people that our ancestors established was a last resort. At that time, nine out of ten houses were empty, and we could only migrate to distant places. Now we can migrate to nearby places.”

Wang Guoguang immediately saw the problem in Qi Jiguang's memorial on relocating people. Even with the advantage of the imperial road, relocating people from Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan to populate Liaodong was still too far. It would be better to relocate people from Shanxi, Beizhili, and Shandong to populate Liaodong, thus leaving a population surplus, while allowing people from Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan to be relocated closer to Liaodong.

After reading Wang Guoguang's memorial, Zhu Yijun was somewhat surprised. Wang Guoguang was already ill and could not even recognize him, the emperor. However, the entire memorial was still well-reasoned and clearly organized.

Wang Guoguang's idea was very specific. The key was to relocate people from Henan and Hebei to reduce the population of these two places to within the land's carrying capacity, with the main purpose of preventing civil unrest.

More specifically, it refers to Henan.

"Popular unrest is like fire, and the people are like fuel; we must remove the fuel from under the cauldron." Zhu Yijun fully understood Wang Guoguang's idea.

The most severe impact of the celestial upheaval was on the Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan regions, where there was a high probability of civil unrest. However, these areas had relatively small populations, so after a period of chaos and death, things would eventually stabilize.

Henan has a large population, and if a large-scale civil unrest breaks out, Henan will be the key. If the population of Henan drops to within the carrying capacity of the land, Henan will remain calm and the people's hearts will not be lost, and the civil unrest can be contained within Tongguan Pass.

This seems exceptionally cruel. Are the people in the heartland the same as the people in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan?
Wang Guoguang made it very clear that the court's primary concern was the survival of the dynasty. This was the last resort, a last-ditch effort to contain the civil unrest within a certain range when all other options were exhausted and there was nothing else to be done.

“A few days ago, Vice Minister Ling came to visit me. He had served as the governor of Henan, and he thought my memorial was feasible.” Wang Guoguang told His Majesty the Emperor that Vice Minister Ling had also read and revised the memorial, and that if Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan really fell into chaos, the court must be prepared to make drastic measures.

"It won't come to that. The Ming Dynasty will never have to make such a drastic decision. As long as I live, I guarantee that day will never come," Zhu Yijun solemnly promised Wang Guoguang.

If the calamities continue to worsen and signs of great chaos appear, Zhu Yijun will turn the blade inward, first killing powerful figures, local gentry, and elders, and then carrying out a thorough land redistribution in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan.

Sacrificing one place to preserve the overall situation is ultimately not a way to preserve the overall situation.

(End of this chapter)