Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

With the appointment of the three governors of Beizhili, the reshuffling of governors-general and governors in the north was basically completed.

Martial law was in effect in the three provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Henan, and the appointment of officials was under the emperor's control.

The Northeast is still a war zone, and the provinces of Liaodong and Liaoxi are preparing to mobilize troops to clear the ground.

Lu Xiang-sheng, the governor of Liaodong, and Bi Zi-su, the governor of Liaoxi, were both taking advantage of the opportunity of establishing provinces to vie for the title of Earl, and they would not request to leave at this time.

The Liaodong military governor, Sun Chengzong, has now been transferred to the capital, leaving the Northeast without a person in charge of the overall situation.

Zhu Youjian was still considering continuing to send military commanders to Liaodong. He preferred to establish the position of Governor-General of the Northeast, who would concurrently serve as the Governor of Liaodong.

However, Lu Xiang-sheng lacked the seniority to handle the position. Zhu Youjian could only entrust him with the duties left behind by the Liaodong military governor, such as the Liaohe River Inspector General, and would consider his promotion later.

Besides these, the last place left in the north was Shandong. This region had two governors, the Shandong Governor and the Dengzhou-Laizhou Governor, whom Zhu Youjian had always intended to merge.

He addressed his ministers:

"After the Jurchen rebellion, the imperial court established the Dengzhou-Laizhou governorship to support the war in southern Liaoning."

"After I ascended the throne, in order to provide stronger support, I appointed Sun Guozhen, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, to concurrently serve as the governor of Shandong."

"Now that the Jurchens have fled and the Liaodong War is basically over, there is no need to appoint a governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou."

"I have decided to change the Dengzhou-Laizhou Governor to the Military Commissioner and establish a Protectorate Commandant to oversee the defense of the Jiaodong Peninsula."

"Sun Guozhen was transferred to the position of Minister of the Navy, and Shandong Governor Ting recommended him."

The ministers had anticipated this decision.

Because after the emperor ascended the throne, he always allowed the governors of Dengzhou and Laizhou to concurrently serve as governors of Shandong, effectively merging the two positions.

The position of governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou has now been abolished, leaving only the position of governor of Shandong, which was the norm before the Jianzhou Rebellion.

Considering the significant contributions Shandong had made to the Liaodong campaign over the years, Zhu Youjian and his ministers decided to promote officials from the region after discussion.

Chen Yingyuan, the Right Provincial Governor who was in charge of supplying provisions in Shandong, was promoted to Governor of Shandong because he was commended for his merits after the Liaodong War.

The promotion of the Left Provincial Governor of Shandong to Governor of Baoding and the Right Provincial Governor to Governor of Shandong made Shandong officials very envious.

However, this was what they deserved. As the rear base for the Liaodong campaign, Shandong allowed the officials to fully utilize their abilities.

After Lu Xiangshan and Sun Guozhen went to the front lines, these two provincial governors were already in charge of the governor's affairs; this was merely a formal recognition of their titles.

What attracted even more attention from court officials was the promotion of Sun Guozhen, the governor of Dengzhou and Laizhou, to Minister of the Navy, which shows that the emperor valued this official highly.

Among the local governors who were protected by Zhu Youjian back then, Sun Guozhen was one of the most successful.

This official, who had experience in the Penghu naval battle and frequently crossed the sea to southern Liaoning, was regarded by Zhu Youjian as a versatile talent proficient in maritime affairs.

Between him and Sun Yuanhua, Zhu Youjian ultimately chose him. Sun Yuanhua, who had his sights set on the position of Minister of the Navy, could only take on the role of Vice Minister, responsible for the planning and construction of the fleet targeting the Western Ocean.
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South of Shandong lies Southern Zhili, while the north is under the jurisdiction of the Jiangbei Governor, also known as the Fengyang Governor.

This position is actually at the level of a governor-general, because its official title is Governor-General of the Grand Canal Transport and concurrently in charge of military affairs, Governor of Fengyang and other places and concurrently in charge of waterways. It can be simply referred to as the Grand Canal Transport Governor-General.

Considering that the current governor-general Zhu Guangzuo was doing a good job, and that the reorganization of Jiangbei prefectures and counties also needed his supervision, Zhu Guangzuo was allowed to remain in office.

The one who truly needs to be replaced is the Grand Canal Transport Commander. Zhu Youjian plans to take a good look at him during the autumn military exercises on the Grand Canal and select a capable nobleman to fill the position.

He regarded the Grand Canal as a railway, formed a rapid strike force, and quelled rebellions along the route.

The Grand Canal was of paramount importance to the imperial court. Even after maritime transport developed, it still played a vital role in many ways.

Zhu Youjian has already instructed officials in the Grand Canal Transport Office to shift their focus in these directions.

Zou Weilian, the governor of Anhui, took office two years ago. He did a good job in implementing the single-tax system and was retained in his post.

Only Cao Wenheng, the governor of Jiangnan and inspector of Taihu Lake, has been promoted to vice minister of the Ministry of Revenue because he has done too well, and a successor needs to be selected.

Wu Shangmo, the governor of Zhejiang, was an official valued by Zhu Youjian and played a significant role in overthrowing the eunuch faction. Even though he was over seventy years old, Zhu Youjian still issued a special decree to continue his official career and selected him as the governor of Jiangnan.

To commend this veteran official and to encourage court officials to take up local posts, Zhu Youjian specifically praised him, saying:
"Wu Shangmo wasted many years in the imperial examinations and remained inconspicuous in the capital."

"But after he went to govern a local area, his abilities were fully demonstrated."

"Whether in Shanxi or Zhejiang, he has a good reputation in politics. Such an official should be given important responsibilities, and should be given the title of Minister of Revenue in Nanjing, so that he can participate in the Nanjing court meetings."

"I hope that officials will take him as an example and do more practical things."

Most of the officials admired him; not everyone has the courage to overturn an entire bureaucracy. Wu Shangmo's actions in Shanxi earned him great renown.

However, some people were dissatisfied with this behavior, saying that Wu Shangmo was from Ningguo Prefecture in Southern Zhili and should not serve as an official in Southern Zhili.

This made the officials from Southern Zhili (Southern Zhili) restless. Qian Qianyi, a native of Suzhou, said:

"Your Majesty, the prefectures of Southern Zhili are directly under the jurisdiction of the imperial court, just like the provinces."

"The term 'fellow townsman' in Southern Zhili has always referred to those from the same prefecture; no one says that being from the same Southern Zhili means being fellow townsmen."

"I believe that as long as one does not return to one's original post, one should not avoid the situation."

"Serving in the Nanjing court should not be avoided either."

This was echoed by officials from Southern Zhili, and the same was true for those from Northern Zhili.

Because if they avoid official positions in the Northern and Southern Zhili regions, they will have far fewer official positions to compete for.

Zhu Youjian also did not consider those from the Northern and Southern Zhili regions to be from the same hometown, but it was a fact that officials in the Northern Zhili region looked after each other. After the establishment of the Donglin Party, the various prefectures in the Southern Zhili region also showed signs of integration, with the Donglin Party serving as a link between them.

The core of the Donglin Party was in Southern Zhili. Historically, the Fushe Society, founded by Zhang Pu and others, also relied mainly on people from Southern Zhili and influenced the political landscape.

Considering that the deepening of ties between these prefectures was inevitable, Zhu Youjian said:
"Officials from the Northern and Southern Zhili regions, in addition to their own prefectures, do not need to avoid other prefectures and counties."

"However, officials such as governors and viceroys who directly govern the local area must not be from the local area."

“Wu Shangmo’s hometown, Ningguo Prefecture, was under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Anhui Province, so he did not need to avoid the position of Governor of Jiangnan.”

"However, he is not qualified to serve as the governor of Anhui, which directly governs Ningguo Prefecture. Similarly, the officials under the governor of Anhui should not be locals."

The conclusion was drawn based on the jurisdiction of the governor.

This will further distinguish the five prefectures in Jiangnan, the five prefectures in Anhui, and the five prefectures in Jiangbei, preventing them from being completely mixed up.

Beizhili was also divided into different regional factions based on the jurisdictions of the governors of Shuntian, Tianjin, and Baoding. Both of these areas were places that Zhu Youjian wanted to develop vigorously, and he could not allow them to form a unified political force based on their hometown ties; he had to strengthen political distinctions.
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The emperor made a conclusion on the matter, and the officials could only obey. Next, they elected governors and viceroys for the southern provinces.

The first to be retained were Nan Juyi, the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi, and Fu Zonglong, the Governor-General of Sichuan and Guizhou. This was because the war against Annam was still ongoing, and it was not appropriate to replace them at this time.

However, with the suppression of the She'an Rebellion and the completion of the follow-up work, the Governor-General of the five provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou was changed to the Governor-General of the Southwest and concurrently the Governor of Yunnan, mainly responsible for the provinces of Yunnan and Guizhou, as well as the campaigns against Annam and Burma.

Yuan Chonghuan, the original governor of Yunnan, was transferred to the position of military commissioner of Burma due to his poor performance in the Annam War, serving as the vanguard officer for the conquest of Burma.

The position of Governor of Guizhou, relinquished by Fu Zonglong, was taken over by Shi Yong'an, the Governor of Southern Jiangxi. He was a hero of the Battle of Guiyang and was now returning to his old post.

Yin Tonggao, the governor of Sichuan, did a good job in settling things in Sichuan. In addition, since the Grand Secretary Han Kuang planned to take action against the Prince of Shu, Yin Tonggao, who was also a member of the Donglin Party in Shanxi, was allowed to remain in his post.

Governor-General of Hubei and Hunan, Min Hongxue, was already restless in his position. With the support of his fellow townsman Wen Tiren, he participated in the competition for several court positions, but unfortunately lost in all of them.

As a gesture of appeasement to the local governors, he was transferred to Nanjing as Minister of Revenue, replacing Lin Yuji in the vacant position.

The position of Minister of Justice in Nanjing, vacated by Zheng Sanjun, remains vacant and will be reserved for an official who has rendered meritorious service in Nanjing.

After discussion, the position of Governor-General of Hubei and Hunan was concurrently held by Wang Jiazhen, the Governor of Hubei, just as the Governor-General of Guangdong and Guangxi concurrently served as the Governor of Guangdong.

Wang Jiazhen received this reward for his contributions during the establishment of Hubei Province.

However, he was under a lot of pressure because the refugees in the Yunyang area had not disappeared, and this place had become a gathering point for disaster victims from the northwest to move south.

In Macheng, in eastern Hubei, the rampant slavery was well-known both in the court and among the people, and the emperor even dispatched an imperial envoy with troops to investigate.

If either of these two events were to fail, he would be utterly destroyed. This is also why Min Hongxue was transferred from the Two Lakes region, and why Wang Jiazhen easily assumed the position of Governor-General.

Insightful officials do not want to compete for this position; they would rather serve in a stable place.

(The future Governor-General of Immigration will be replaced by the Governor-General of the Northeast, making it one of the Eight Governor-Generals)

Zhejiang is such a place. It was governed very well by Wu Shangmo, the governor who overturned the officialdom of the province. Tasks such as the tax system, high-standard farmland, and limiting land and slavery were basically completed. It even developed an industrial park to support the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area.

This was a place where one could gain merit by following the established practices of Xiao He and Cao Zhi, and it was highly sought after by many officials.

Ultimately, Lu Shanji unexpectedly took over the position.

He was promoted directly from counselor to governor in Korea. This was a reward for his work in Korea and also a sign that meritorious officials from Liaodong were being given important responsibilities.

The other governors, Zhu Yifeng of Fujian, Xie Xuelong of Jiangxi, Zhang Tianlin of Hunan, and Li Yun of Guangxi, were all retained in their posts.

Shi Yong'an, the governor of southern Jiangxi, was transferred to the position of governor of Guizhou, and this position needed to be filled through election.

Zhu Youjian originally intended to dismiss this position, but a few years ago, a civil unrest occurred in this area, and the border area of ​​Jiangxi, Guangdong and Fujian provinces was indeed difficult to govern, making it one of the most prone to turmoil in the south.

Ultimately, after careful consideration, Zhu Youjian chose to retain the position, assigning it to oversee the border region of Jiangxi, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, including Ganzhou, Tingzhou, and Shaozhou. Wu Aheng, the assistant staff officer who had rendered meritorious service in Liaodong, was promoted to this position.

The meritorious officials of Liaodong were once again given important positions, becoming the group that benefited the most from this reshuffle.

This was both to reward merit and because their military experience gave them a significant advantage in the position of governor-general, making it easier for them to gain trust.

Zhu Youjian's support was also an important factor. He planned to have these officials who were familiar with the new army establish provincial governor's standard battalions in the localities and build a new army equipped with firearms.

As long as one place is well-trained, the local and surrounding provinces' civil unrest can be quickly quelled.

(There were a total of twenty governors, and several military commanders with the same rank as governors, which was more than the number of provinces.)
With these positions confirmed, the reshuffling of governors and viceroys within the territory was basically completed.

For the sake of stability, most governors and viceroys were retained in their posts.

The same applies to overseas governors-general; Zhu Youjian needed officials willing to establish a presence in their respective regions over a long period. Frequent changes would disrupt the established order.

Therefore, he mostly bestowed honors and rewards upon the governors and protectors of overseas regions, and rarely transferred them.

Governor-General Hong Chengchou of Andong, Governor-General Guo Shangyou of Nanyang, Governor-General Geng Ruqi of North America, and Inspector General Shen Yongmao of Lancang River were all retained in their posts.

The only position left vacant by Kong Zhenyun after his transfer to the imperial court was filled by Huo Weihua, whom Zhu Youjian appointed to the post.

He was one of Wei Zhongxian's chief strategists and is still viewed with hostility by the Donglin Party. Even though he made significant contributions in Liaodong, it is currently inconvenient for him to be transferred to the imperial court.

Zhu Youjian placed him abroad to broaden his horizons and gain experience.

Meanwhile, considering the important role played by the Inspectorate, Zhu Youjian had already planned to establish more Inspectors on major rivers and lakes to be responsible for local shipping and water conservancy.

Excellent local officials, like the governor of Jiangnan, will concurrently serve as inspectors, gaining the power to interfere in other places.

For example, Zhu Youjian intended to appoint Liu Rongsi, the governor of Baoding, as the inspector of the Haihe River, so that he could better manage the Haihe River system.

For major rivers like the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, a separate inspector would be appointed to oversee navigation and water conservancy.

Candidates for the Inspector General were mainly nominated by the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, and they were also governors-general.

At the same time, the completion of the change of governors and viceroys marked the beginning of the local leadership transition.

Officials in the provincial administration commissioners and judicial commissioners were also to be replaced.

When Zhu Youjian was energetic and power-hungry, he wanted to personally arrange the appointments of the provincial governors.

He no longer had that interest, so he put the Minister of Personnel, Guo Yunhou, in charge of the selection of these officials.

The only thing that concerned him was the demotion of Hanlin officials, who were being cultivated as future prime ministers.

Ni Yuanlu, Jiang Dejing, and others took up concurrent positions in local governments. Some served as prefects, while others held official posts in the provincial administration.

The positions of these individuals were determined by the Cabinet, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Personnel, with the emperor making the final approval.

Their positions are given priority, and they can choose their officers based on their preferences. Only after they have made their selections will the vacant positions be filled by officers.

At the same time, a group of outstanding officials in government and etiquette were selected as candidates for the future Nine Ministers.

The selection pool is much larger than before, unlike the Hanlin Academy which only had one or two hundred people after its expansion. They will be divided by age, with one or two hundred people in each age group.

Zhu Youjian established this system to cultivate a talent pool of officials. The main reason he appointed veteran officials upon ascending the throne and rarely changed local officials in recent years was that there was a gap in the ranks of officials after Wanli's neglect of governance, and many officials did not receive sufficient experience.

He hoped that the future Nine Ministers and Governors-General would be filled by sufficiently outstanding individuals. He aimed to cultivate a talent pool, rather than focusing on the specific candidates. Only after these individuals became Governors-General and Inspectors would they likely catch the emperor's eye.

To prevent court officials from forming cliques and supporting certain individuals, Zhu Youjian (Emperor Zhu Youjian) set clear requirements for the resumes and achievements of these officials. Only those with rich experience and satisfactory performance could be included on the list. (End of Chapter)