Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Following Zhu Youjian's order, the Privy Council quickly began assessing the threats posed to the Ming Dynasty by surrounding countries.

Chief of Staff and head of the Planning Committee, Yang Sichang, explained at the court assembly:

"Among the vassal states surrounding the Ming Dynasty, Japan was the most powerful."

"It has a population of over 20 million, more than one-tenth of the Ming Dynasty's population."

"The land has three islands, covering approximately 120 million square li, exceeding the limit of a thousand square li for a vassal king."

"Whether in terms of land or population, it is first-class in the surrounding areas of the Ming Dynasty."

Pointing to the three main islands of Japan, Yang Sichang described Japan's strength, then turned to Korea and continued:

"The land area of ​​North Korea is not much different from that of Japan, about 800,000 to 900,000 square miles."

"But its population is far less than that of Japan, only five or six million."

"Korea's strength was far inferior to Japan's. During the Wanli era, when faced with Japan's invasion, Korea was no match for it and could only be restored by the Ming Dynasty."

"This country's strength is roughly equivalent to Annam. The court only needs to send 10,000 new troops to take over Korea."

Clearly, faced with such a weak Korea, the Privy Council wanted to achieve the feat of conquering the country, and Yang Sichang's words undoubtedly demonstrated this.

Faced with the temptation of being granted a title after the destruction of a country, no capable officer could remain steadfast.

After easily capturing Annam's capital, the officials of the Privy Council were very confident.

However, the other ministers were unwilling to resort to force.

Grand Secretary Han Kuang, having taken the blame for the emperor's coercion of Joseon, could not object. Grand Secretary Seong Gi-myung, however, said:

"Weapons are instruments of violence; even sages use them only as a last resort."

"Korea has always been subservient to the Ming Dynasty. As long as the King of Korea is willing to pay homage and return the former territories of the Han and Tang Dynasties, the Ming Dynasty will not need to send troops to Korea."

"A weakened North Korea would be a good counterbalance to Japan."

Yang Sichang expressed his opposition, saying:

"Even at its peak, Korea couldn't stop Japan, let alone after returning the former territories of the Han and Tang dynasties, its strength would be even reduced."

“Japan has never been a peaceful country. During the Tang Dynasty, it once invaded Baekgang Port but was defeated by Liu Rengui’s troops.”

"During the Jiajing era, Japanese pirates wreaked havoc, causing great suffering to coastal areas."

"During the Wanli era, they even invaded Korea, and the Ming Dynasty sent troops twice to drive them out."

"Once this country becomes powerful, it will inevitably covet the land."

"In order to eliminate the threat to future generations, the Ming Dynasty should take the initiative to destroy Japan when it is strong."

These words are well-reasoned and fully demonstrate the threat posed by Japan.

However, some officials disagreed. Xiong Mingyu, the Right Vice Minister of War, said:
"Although Japan has invaded several times, it is nothing more than a minor ailment."

"The Ming Dynasty can easily drive them out as long as it sends troops."

This nonchalant attitude thoroughly enraged Zhu Youjian.

Coming from a later era, he knew the dangers Japan posed and immediately rebuked them sternly:

"When the Mongols and Jurchens first rose to power, weren't they all plagued by minor ailments?"

"If anyone thinks that the enemy is unchanging, the Ming Dynasty will be destroyed by rising enemies."

"You are the Vice Minister of War, how can you be so ignorant?"

"What use is he to me? Take off his official hat."

He ordered Gao Shiming, a eunuch from the Directorate of Ceremonial, to remove Xiong Mingyu's official hat and dismiss him from all his posts in court.

This punishment greatly surprised the court officials, because it meant that Xiong Mingyu would not receive any preferential treatment after his retirement.

Grand Secretary Han Kuang said:
"Your Majesty, Vice Minister Xiong's mistake was unintentional. Why treat him so harshly?"

"We can first dismiss him from his post as Vice Minister of War, and then reappoint him when officials are selected in August."

Zhu Youjian said angrily:
"He was supposed to be transferred from the Ministry of War because of his association, but he stayed on because of the upcoming change of leadership." "I didn't expect him to be so ungrateful, spouting such nonsense in court."

"Does no one read my 'Theory of Yin and Yang' properly? Why do people still look at things from a static perspective?"

"Everything in the world is in motion and changing, and the core of this is the word 'Yi' (易, meaning change/change)."

“A minister who thinks that a weak enemy now will remain weak in the future is not a qualified minister.”

He severely reprimanded Xiong Mingyu and used him to berate the court officials.

He knew that some people didn't take his articles seriously, praising them to his face but not really valuing them.

Now I must tell them:

Regardless of what you think, you all have to study.

My philosophical views are the same as your views on the world. If they don't align with yours, you need to change them as soon as possible.

Which of these ministers in the court wasn't well-read? Of course, they could understand the emperor's unspoken meaning.

They knew that the emperor was using this as an excuse to punish Xiong Mingyu, and that the emperor's purpose was to make them study those subjects.

This upset many ministers, because they didn't agree with those ideas at all.

Seeing that some people wanted to argue, Cheng Jiming said:
"Xiong Mingyu's scholarship is not proficient, and due to the matter of forming a society, he needs to leave his post in the Ministry of War."

"Your Majesty should punish according to the established rules, and should not punish indiscriminately out of anger."

"If Your Majesty wishes to restore the rites and music, you must do so in accordance with the established rites and laws."

This forced Zhu Youjian to suppress his anger, and he nodded, saying:

"Scholar Cheng is right. I punished him arbitrarily out of anger."

"You all tell me, how should Xiong Mingyu be punished?"

The officials felt relieved, thinking that the emperor was still a wise ruler who could listen to advice.

The final punishment for Xiong Mingyu was to avoid forming associations and to be transferred from his position as Vice Minister of War.

As for what he had just said, the courtiers did not consider it wrong. Even if his views were incorrect, he should not be punished for his words.

Zhu Youjian was furious upon hearing this, and Cheng Ji ordered:
"Your Majesty is wise and insightful, but your ministers are not omniscient."

"If people are severely punished for making mistakes, who will dare to speak in front of His Majesty in the future?"

"I believe that Xiong Mingyu should be allowed to study, but he should not be punished for it."

Zhu Youjian could only suppress his anger and ordered Xiong Mingyu to stay at home to study and copy Yin-Yang theory and the theory of contradiction.
-

After this interlude, the discussion finally turned to Japan again, and Zhu Youjian said:
"I also hope that the Ming Dynasty will always be strong and that Japan will never have the strength to threaten the Ming Dynasty."

"But I know this is impossible. All countries are progressing, especially Japan, which is very good at learning."

"During the Tang Dynasty, they sent Tang envoys to learn from the Tang Dynasty's reforms."

"After the Taika Reform, Japan began to grow strong and soon launched the Battle of Baekgang against Tang Dynasty."

"The same was true of the Korean War during the Wanli era. After Toyotomi Hideyoshi unified Japan, he launched an attack on Korea, a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty, hoping to use Korea as a route to attack the Ming Dynasty."

"This country has always been like a venomous snake, eyeing the land."

"We must eliminate its threat to the Ming Dynasty when it is at its strongest."

This was his view, and also the reason he decided to take military action against Japan.

Even if the Ming Dynasty were powerful, Japan would not have the capacity to launch an invasion of China. Such a large country, placed next to the Ming Dynasty, would simply be a pawn used by external powers to contain it.

Zhu Youjian did not intend to leave this hidden danger for his descendants, so Japan had to be weakened so that it would no longer have the strength to threaten the Ming Dynasty.

That way, North Korea can feel secure in being weakened, and won't be completely powerless to restrain Japan.

It can be said that weakening Japan and weakening North Korea are intertwined; both must be carried out simultaneously. (End of Chapter)