The First Gongsheng of Ming Dynasty

Chapter 302
Zhu Youtang's determination to manage the grassland has been shown in front of the Minister of Civil and Military Affairs of the Manchu Dynasty.

Facing such a king with great ambitions to expand the territory, the ministers present, especially the civil servants, did not know what to say. They once relied on regulating and restraining this seemingly weak and helpless king to become the king in their hearts. Mingjun.

But now everything is going out of control.

After the court meeting ended.

On the way out of the palace, the ministers had already discussed it, and most of the ministers still tended to support the strategy of using troops in the northwest.

It's not about whether it's militarism, but more about whether it's effective. It took less than half a year to clean up a fire screen that was once powerful and repeatedly violated the border. The emperor also used his strength to explain that he was not just a conservative king.

When Liu Jian and the others heard the comments from the people below, they felt uncomfortable.

Whether the interests of Ming Dynasty are important in the eyes of civil servants or the interests of Ming Dynasty in the eyes of the emperor, there are contradictions and conflicts in it.

……

……

Cabinet value.

After Li Dongyang and Xie Qian came back, what they were most concerned about was naturally what the emperor had said to Liu Jian and the others in the inner court.

Liu Jian also talked about it roughly. Most of the matters involved have been mentioned by the emperor, and Liu Jian did not deliberately evaluate the emperor's actions.

Xie Qian also chose to remain silent this time.

Only Li Dongyang seemed not very confident about the matter of incorporating Huozhai, he said: "If Huozhai has asked for permission from the imperial court, there is still a conflict. What Huozhai wants is to graze and build a city in Weininghai. It is the people and cattle and sheep, but what Da Ming can give him is the Hetao land that has not been operated for many years, and the other people are not allowed to gather."

"Binzhi, what do you mean?" Liu Jian looked over.

Li Dongyang said: "Even if Huozhai is really willing to accept the imperial court's imperial seal, it may only be a stopgap measure. After the situation in the grassland changes, it will be a matter of time before the rebellion occurs."

"Ah."

In fact, Liu Jian was also concerned about this level.

Did the emperor not expect it?

If the emperor hadn't had such concerns, he would not have proposed a plan that was close to "buying horse bones with a thousand gold". He would rather let Huo Zai surrender and then rebel, but also give a sample to the grassland tribes. It is estimated that even Zhang Zhou himself saw Huo Zai's rebellion. It is impossible for Sie to submit to Daming sincerely.

Li Dongyang said: "I don't know what your Majesty means by moving the township of Xuan Da General System from Xuan Mansion to Da Tong?"

Xie Qian looked over with a smile, and there are things that even you Li Binzhi can't understand?

"I think." Liu Jian said, "Your Majesty wants to use Datong as the foundation and let Zhang Bingkuan prepare for the battle on the grassland."

Li Dongyang asked: "How much money will the court spend on this?"

Liu Jian shook his head: "The imperial court can't even afford the money and rations to reward the soldiers who have made contributions in the two battles of Weininghai and Maoerzhuang. Everything depends on Zhang Bingkuan's own raising in the northwest. , How much can he raise?"

Not only Zhang Zhou, but even the cabinet knows that after the change of the grain distribution system, the situation in the northwest is getting worse day by day.

But they still don't want to change the salt law back.

What is needed is to be able to control the Northwest... Anyway, the Northwest is like that, and the future of Ming Dynasty is not determined by the rise and fall of the Northwest. The central government's finances cannot be guaranteed, so why pursue the long-term stability of the Northwest?

"Autumn is about to begin, and there are constant reports of disasters in various places. The Ming Dynasty can be said to be a precarious and eventful autumn. Zhang Bingkuan is in the northwest, and he can indeed stabilize the morale of the army, and it can be regarded as a peace in the court."

Liu Jian sighed again.

It roughly means that even if we look down on Zhang Zhou, but now that his military power is already there, it is still possible to be a township in the northwest.

Create a good external environment, let us concentrate on solving the bad things inside.

Xie Qian said with a smile: "The situation in various parts of Daming is not very good now, and it is not much worse than the future. Compared with the future... who knows?"

In the eyes of Liu Jian and others, Daming is a bit "precarious" now, because they feel that Daming's finances have almost collapsed, and the so-called Hongzhi Zhongxing is only based on the mutual comfort between the monarch and his ministers. How much better it will be, I really don't know.

But the standard for historians to evaluate the pros and cons of an era does not lie in financial conditions.

Just like in the Wanli era, Daming's finances were not bad, and it was also called the dark age. The professional politicians in Daming are their weakness when it comes to making money.

It seems that the literati only care about the so-called Haiyan and Heqing, and they don't really realize how to make the court collapse, and they don't understand the laws of historical development.

……

……

The imperial court's decree on the matter of surrendering to Huo Sie soon spread to Yanghekou.

Zhang Zhou also sent someone to use fast horses to sieve the fire and send it back to the north with the emperor's imperial pen and Zhu Zhu's commentary. At the same time, he got the news that Yongxie Bubu had sent troops to Weininghai.

"Zhang Zhutai, His Majesty's intention is that if you want to move the town to Datong Town, staying in Yanghekou is not an option."

Tang Yin brought Yang and Wei Commander Song Xian together.

Don't think he is just the head of the Ministry of War, but Song Xian treats Tang Yin like an imperial envoy, and he is also very flattering to Tang Yin.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Bo'an just went to Datong, and I have no intention of going to Datong yet."

"Not going to Datong..." Tang Yin was a little puzzled.

I didn't say much.

You are disrespectful!

The emperor told you to go, but you insist on staying in Yanghekou?Or do you make your own claims?
Zhang Zhoudao: "In the past few days, I will go to the south of Datong to open mines. If there is any war in the north, I will let the governor of the Xuanfu Ma and Bo'an to plan it. As for Pianguan, there is Wang Dehua in charge. , I don't have to worry."

Tang Yin was worried when he heard this.

The emperor asked you to fight, and the situation in the grassland is still uncertain, so you actually want to put down your military affairs and start mining?
Song Xian didn't have so many opinions. He asked for instructions: "Master Taiwan, how can you help me in the end? Yang and Wei can help send people to help."

Zhang Zhou glanced at Song Xian, it seemed that the commander of Yanghewei really hoped to climb up to his big tree, and he tried his best to curry favor with him, which was a bit of a private use.

"No need."

Zhang Zhou picked up a few things on the table and handed them to Tang Yin, meaning to help him pack and tidy up, "I have been bothering you for a long time in Yanghekou, and I will cause you trouble. If Huosi enters the customs, I will come back again. matters, listen more to that Wang Zhongcheng, don't make trouble for him, just don't make trouble for me."

"Yes."

After Song Xian took the order, he was sent out by Zhang Zhouxian.

Tang Yin asked: "What's wrong, it's not convenient to say it in front of him?"

Zhang Zhoudao: "I said Junior Brother Tang, study your majesty's memorabilia carefully, and tell me what you think when we leave tomorrow. That's it! You go back too."

"..."

Tang Yin was speechless.

Why don't you just say it, let me go back and study?what do i studyThe imperial edicts given to you by the emperor are all expressly stipulated, so is there any secret language?
But now it was Zhang Zhou's order to him, so he had no choice but to take out all the so-called edicts and "study" overnight.

……

……

Zhang Zhou met Chen's daughter that night.

Chen's daughter came from Xuanfu. She was still in Xuanfu waiting for Zhang Zhou to find her to open a mine. She was temporarily recruited to Yanghekou. I don't know what the meaning of coming to the Northwest is.

But if she was told to go back to the capital or Nanjing... she would not be able to go back.

"Master Zhang."

When Chen's daughter saw Zhang Zhou, she looked very respectful.

If it was said that Zhang Zhou's appointments in the army were only on paper and in rumors passed down by word of mouth, now they were presented in front of her eyes.

"Sit." Zhang Zhou usually looked lazy and inactive.

But in the northwest, Zhang Zhou is really doing things.

Nearly all of his official duties can be summarized as... money and food.

Zhang Zhou asked Tang Yin to study the emperor's will, in fact, to let Tang Yin know that the emperor did not mention money and food in almost a word in all the wills, and told him Zhang Zhou that preparations for war are fine, but the support that the court can give is limited. You finance it yourself.

On this basis, as long as you can change money and food, you can do whatever you want.

Chen's daughter sat down this time, far away from Zhang Zhou, looking very reserved.

She couldn't help but take a look at Liu Gui who was standing beside her. If it wasn't for the presence of a discussion tent with people beside her, she should really be worried that Zhang Zhou was the one coveting her.

"Have you worked hard all the way?" Zhang Zhou asked with a smile.

Chen's daughter said: "Before we left, everything was not safe, but the road was very peaceful, and you could even see caravans coming and going. I heard that your lord won the battle on the grassland and kept the frontier safe."

"You can talk." Zhang Zhou said, "but it's meaningless. Originally, I wanted to open an iron mine north of Zhangjiakoubao, but now I changed my mind and planned to open a coal mine in Datong Town. The purpose of calling you here is precisely because of this. .”

After listening to this, Chen's daughter felt a little relieved.

She asked: "Does your lord want to let all the places invest in mines?"

"Hehe." Zhang Zhou was laughing.

This tone is a bit like Zhang Heling. When he knew that he was going to open a coal mine in Datong, he thought he was going to grab a private mine.

Liu Gui said coldly: "Is your lord the kind of person who steals by chance?"

"It's the little girl who made a slip of the tongue, and I hope the adults will forgive me." Chen's daughter hurriedly got up and admitted her mistake.

"sit."

Zhang Zhoudao, "I have always relied on my own ability to open mines, and you know what I do. If you can't put what you have learned into practice, it's no different from not learning. What I want is just one of yours. pretense."

"The little girl doesn't understand."

Chen's daughter and Zhang Heling played different roles in mining, but Zhang Zhou felt that this woman understood the many twists and turns in the officialdom, but she just didn't say it.

"In mining, the biggest problem is to compete with the people for profit. This is easy to be impeached by the censor, and I never put eggs in one basket. Xishan Coal Mine, I rely on the Jiang family, and Datong I use Your Chen family." Zhang Zhou said, "But your Chen family must unconditionally belong to me, your business failure in Beijing makes you have to board this boat, isn't it?"

Chen's daughter's cheek muscles were tense, and she did not speak.

Zhang Zhoudao: "Tomorrow, I will go south with me. If you encounter a place with mines, you will stay and help take care of it. As for the employment, the governor of Datong and the local health office will provide assistance, but the local magistrate and county government will not cooperate."

"You should know that when I came to the northwest to use troops, I relied on the governor, the capital, and the capital, as well as the general military mansion, guard office, and thousand household offices under my jurisdiction, and had nothing to do with the local civil administration office."

Chen's daughter probably understood that she was going to be the vanguard.

"If there is trouble, someone will help you solve it, but you have to deal with the big problem by yourself. If the government goes to inspect the mine, you have to be tough. Good luck."

Zhang Zhou also told Chen's daughter clearly.

If you help me mine, the local government will definitely find you trouble, which involves a dispute over the interests of the strong dragon and the local snake.

It seems that you are backed by the Weisuo and Qianhusuo, and even the Xuanda General System and the Governor of Datong are your backers, but you should not expect much help from these people and Yamen at critical times, even you It is not impossible to be arrested and imprisoned by the local government.

The so-called "good luck" probably means...seeking good fortune for oneself.

Chen's daughter asked: "Don't Mr. Zhang plan to manage the local government?"

"Hehe, let's go."

Zhang Zhou smiled.

From this point of view, it is the material for doing business all year round. I know that the biggest way to do business in this era is to manage up and down.

Not to mention mining, even if it is an ordinary business, if the local government such as the customs office is not in charge, it will be difficult to move forward.

"This official controls the military affairs of the six towns in the northwest. I am looking for someone to open mines, and I still need to manage? Who should I manage? Is it my subordinate?" Zhang Zhou smiled.

Chen's daughter feels what is called "pressure".

Feelings let me go to mine, and I don't intend to live in harmony with the local government. You don't even give me the basic money to buy roads, so you say wish me good luck or something... You Zhang Bingkuan is really picky, you don't want this kind of money Want to save?

Zhang Zhoudao: "Let's put it this way, if something happens to the local government and gentry, people from the Marquis of Shouning will come forward to fight against it. You don't rush to the front. If someone from the government wants to make things difficult for you, they will discuss with you about filial piety." You should pretend you didn’t hear anything about it. But you can’t leave Shanxi, and if anything happens to the mine, if the government deliberately makes things difficult for you, you have to go ahead.”

Chen's daughter's complexion was ugly.

What she wants to ask most now is actually, how much can I share if I put in so much effort?

Zhang Zhou also answered her appropriately: "I won't promise you specific benefits, but in the future, when others mention your Chen family, it's my direct descendant of someone Zhang... I'll show you His Majesty's secret decree!"

"Secret decree?"

Chen's daughter was very surprised.

The emperor's secret decree?What is this concept?
Zhang Zhou asked Liu Gui to hand over something.

Chen's daughter first knelt on the ground, received it in her hand, and then knelt down there to read the thing in her hand. After reading it... she discovered that it was actually a "letter" written by the emperor to Zhang Zhou in his personal capacity.

Among them, the address words are "Bingkuan", "You", "Zhen" and so on, and the meaning expressed is actually that I am very sure of your contribution, but it is a pity that the imperial court can support you too little , you need to raise money by yourself, in order to raise money you can "do things cheaply", even if there is a censor to impeach you, I will support you...

That's about it.

Even if you commit crimes in the local area, I will completely stand by your side.

After she finished reading it, she suddenly realized that she had read something she shouldn't have seen. The image of the "king" in the letter was completely shattered. In order to let his kindness help him raise military pay and supplies, he even did not hesitate to fight with the people. Li, and said so many words that cannot be presented in front of the officials...

This... Are you sure it's the emperor's tone?
While she was shocked, she also thought, is this what the emperor said?

But this person in front of me is the most trusted person of the emperor. What's the point of him forging a secret letter from the emperor and showing it to a common man like me?

"Get up and continue sitting and talking, do you understand?" Zhang Zhou asked after Liu Gui had brought back the emperor's secret decree.

Chen's daughter felt like she was on a pirate ship.

Zhang Zhoudao: "I am a person who likes to do things straight. Even His Majesty understands my temperament, so he will not beat around the bush with me. His Majesty asked me to raise military rations and materials, and even cast artillery by ourselves to complete the accumulation before dispatching troops. He also proposed I don't have to care about the opinions of the local government and the censor."

"But I am in the court, how can I not care about these things?"

Chen's daughter frowned.

The emperor wants you to offend others because he wants to keep your words honest and make you an outlier in the eyes of court officials.

As a result, you let us people come out to bear the infamy, and you yourself became a "saint"?
"It's not like I'm selling dog meat to raise money to govern the army and the border. Don't those old ministers in the court understand? Probably the most incomprehensible are the people in the local government! If I want to My mind is on how to deal with them, how can I put my mind on how to manage and employ soldiers?"

"These things have to fall on your shoulders! Ms. Chen, the task I give you is not too big. You can help me earn 20 taels of silver every year, which is probably enough!"

When Chen's daughter heard it, the goal was really "not big".

You kill me and forget it!

20 taels... how much coal would it take to get this value?
"Come with me tomorrow and change into men's clothes. If I have women by my side, it will inevitably make people think too much. If you don't have many people, just listen to my people. Work hard." Zhang Zhou laughed.

It seems that a group of people are doing odd jobs for him.

And he is a person who manages everything, waiting for others to play everything, and counting money behind his back.

……

……

Xuanfu.

Wang Shouren got the imperial court's decree, asking him to prepare to meet the Huosai Pass and pay tribute in Datong Town.

Wang Xi said: "Wang Zhongcheng, look at the intention of the court, whether to let me take advantage of the fire and send troops to attack and make him..."

"Where did you find out what was not mentioned in the decree?"

Wang Shouren asked.

Wang Xi looked embarrassed, but vaguely disappointed.

Wang Shouren knew that because of Zhang Zhou's presence, everyone in the Northwest Army wanted to make a difference. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Zhang Zhou's influence was lost, it would be even more difficult to make achievements on the battlefield.

"It is expected that Huozhai will not enter the customs easily, and he would propose to surrender to Daming because of his own danger. But once he leaves the barracks, how can the tribes in the grassland sit idly by? How to make Huozhai obey orders and enter the customs depends on Zhang Zhitai Discuss with him, and recently all the garrisons in Datong have stepped up their guards to prevent Tatars from invading!"

(End of this chapter)