Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 130 Martial Law in War Zones

According to the martial law system, the emperor can indeed replace the law with edicts in martial law areas.

However, the ministers did not expect that the emperor would use this article so quickly and directly abolish the military regulations of the "Da Ming Code".

Some civil servants instinctively wanted to dissuade and persuade the emperor not to abolish laws at will. Yuan Keli, the Minister of War, said:
"What your Majesty said is absolutely true. The general does not adhere to this rule. Some regulations should indeed be abolished in the diplomatic theater."

"The clauses such as the ability to mobilize officers and soldiers are also worthy of discussion."

After all, he has been on the battlefield, and his ideas are different from other civil servants. In Yuan Keli's view, it was very appropriate for the emperor to abolish the rule that the generals should not stick to it. It was also necessary to designate the outside of the pass as a war zone and implement martial law in the war zone.

Facing the confused looks of other ministers, Yuan Keli said:

"If the general doesn't stick to this rule, there is a rule: anyone who loses the city will be beheaded."

"As a result, Liaodong must be very cautious when building a walled city, and must arrange soldiers and horses to defend it to prevent the walled city from falling."

"When the walled city is attacked, the first thing they have to do is to hold on to the walled city and ask for help from other soldiers."

Some ministers were confused, wouldn't this be good? Isn't that what it should be?
Xue Zhen, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, was captured, and Li Ruogui, who was acting as minister, rarely spoke at court meetings. Lai Zongdao, as the Minister of Rites, had the responsibility to uphold etiquette and law, and asked:
"Isn't that appropriate?"

"This has always been the case in the Ming Code, and its provisions should not be abolished at will."

Yuan Keli explained:

"If you are in the Mainland, there is nothing inappropriate about this provision."

"But in Liaodong, that would be very inappropriate."

"The Jianlu of the Later Jin Dynasty were a formidable enemy that required the entire Ming Dynasty to deal with. Their soldiers and horses were as strong as any elite of the Ming Dynasty."

"Facing such an enemy, the Ming Dynasty's troops and horses should not have any restrictions, especially in places with walled cities. They cannot have to stand firm."

"Jianlu figured this out. They only need to attack the Ming Dynasty Walled City, and the Ming Dynasty soldiers must defend it, and the rear must also rescue them."

"Otherwise, no official will be able to bear the charge of losing the city."

"This limited the tactics of the Ming Dynasty soldiers. When the Jianlu attacked, they could only stand and wait for reinforcements."

Some people understood Yuan Keli's explanation, while others still didn't understand it. Lai Zongdao continued to ask:

"It is natural to defend the city."

"Are we going to abolish this article so that they can no longer defend the city?"

Yuan Keli felt that he couldn't explain clearly to these officials who were talking loudly in the court. Some ministers were very old, but they were not as clear as the young emperor.

According to their thinking, if a city falls, it should be beheaded. All the governors, governors, soldiers, and generals of the Ming Dynasty do not need to do anything but just defend the city. If the walled city falls, the person in charge will be executed.

This rigid approach still worked when the Ming Dynasty was victorious and few cities fell. But now that war is raging, it is no longer appropriate——

You can't just kill some governors if they fall into the city, right? How many governors did the Ming Dynasty have, enough to kill them?
If this regulation is not explicitly abolished, as long as a city falls, the officials of the Ministry of Science and Technology will be impeached, the person in charge will be arrested, and then executed according to law.

Therefore, in Yuan Keli's opinion, this regulation must be abolished. Otherwise, even if the emperor wanted to protect the officials, he might not be able to protect the officials who fell into the walled city.

Moreover, Yuan Keli has been on the battlefield and knows that when a general encounters an enemy, the first thing he needs to decide is whether to retreat or defend. This is a very critical choice for the general.

However, the ministers in the court believed that the general could only stand firm and there was no other option. The general in charge of the rear can only send troops to rescue, and there is no other option.

This is too rigid for battlefield command. Hou Jin only needed to encircle the points for reinforcements and use more to attack fewer, and he could wipe out Ming's soldiers and horses one by one in the field.

The emperor probably saw this and decided to impose martial law in the war zone and abolish the inappropriate clauses.

Listening to the high-minded speeches of the court officials, and then thinking about being criticized for the martial law system, Yuan Keli felt mentally and physically exhausted, and felt that he could not let some officials do whatever they wanted.

He now feels that the emperor's monopoly of power is necessary sometimes. The martial law system must exist, and the terms of martial law should be determined as soon as possible without further delay.

After explaining a lot but not letting the ministers understand, Zhu Youjian saw Yuan Keli's dilemma and said in person:
"If a city can be defended, it must be defended, especially the cities in the interior. There are Ming people inside, and the people cannot be allowed to fall."

"But most of the cities in Liaodong are military, and everyone in the frontline cities will be included in the reserves in the future."

"If there are too many enemies attacking, the defender can retreat decisively when he determines that it is difficult to hold on. He cannot hold on all the time and involve all the troops in the rescue."

"The Jianlu could concentrate their forces to attack, but the Ming Dynasty could not put troops in every city that could resist all the Jianlu."

"The Ming Dynasty didn't have that many troops, and they couldn't afford the money and food."

"If a city cannot be defended, it must be retreated. The general has the right to make the decision."

After talking about the city, Zhu Youjian proposed the strategy of "building a stronghold and fighting a dull war" and said:

"Moreover, the Ming Dynasty's army is good at defense. After abolishing the rule that the general does not stick to it, the general can form a stronghold as soon as possible during battle."

"Then decide whether to abandon the camp as needed. You don't have to worry about being beheaded if you fall into the city."

"So if the general does not adhere to this rule, it needs to be abolished in the diplomatic war zone."

"Let the soldiers set up their camps flexibly and use the tactics that the Ming Dynasty is good at to deal with the Jianlu of the Later Jin Dynasty."

"The Ming Dynasty's army must learn to 'fortify the stronghold and fight stupidly', use defensive methods to attack, integrate offense and defense, and advance steadily."

These six words are so simple and easy to understand that as soon as the emperor proposed it, the ministers could figure it out. These six words, "Strengthen the stronghold and fight stupid wars" really suit the taste of civil servants and make them feel that this is how the war should be fought.

Therefore, if the general does not stick to this rule, it must be abolished, otherwise this tactic will not be realized at all——

Once a city is captured, it will be beheaded. Which Ming general would dare to form a stronghold at will? Isn't that putting your life on the camp?

It is a tactical necessity for the emperor to abolish the rule that the general will not stick to this rule in the war zone. Let the generals take off their burdens and form strongholds at will.

After understanding this, the ministers no longer objected to the abolition of this clause. The only request is not to abolish the entire clause, but to discuss the provisions of this clause bit by bit.

Zhu Youjian followed the good example and did not abolish the general's non-compliance as a whole. Instead, he first explicitly abolished the provision of losing the city wall, and then asked Yuan Keli to discuss other provisions with the frontline generals.

He really had no confidence in the soldiers and horses of Liaodong and believed that their possibility of victory in the field was unlikely, so he asked the soldiers and horses of the Ming Dynasty to form a stronghold as soon as possible when encountering Jianlu in the wild to resist Jianlu's attack.

The ministers also had little confidence in the soldiers and horses of Liaodong, and did not believe that those soldiers could defeat the Jianlu in a field battle. On the contrary, they felt more at ease about guarding the camp. The previous Ningyuan Zhijie and Ningjin Zhijie were both successful examples. Relying on the stronghold of the city wall, Hou Jin was forced to retreat.

After successfully passing this article, Zhu Youjian asked Yuan Keli to discuss in detail to see which of the provisions on unauthorized transfer of officers and soldiers, private possession of prohibited weapons, etc. should be abolished. Frontline generals must be given the authority to mobilize troops, and frontline civilians must be given the ability to protect themselves.

In short, there is one sentence: everything is aimed at quelling the war and is completely based on the needs of the war.

Yuan Keli was very excited that the emperor was so reasonable and abolished so many regulations that were not suitable for the front line. He felt that it was a blessing for the Ming Dynasty to have such a wise emperor. Generals fighting on the front line can shed a lot of burdens.

But what the emperor said next made him not so happy:

"Nowadays, there are many things happening in all directions, especially in the grasslands, where war is almost breaking out. Let Ming open another front."

"So martial law should be implemented outside the Great Wall, or outside the Ming Dynasty itself."

"I have the right to directly decide on matters in these places to avoid delays and affect the safety of the Ming Dynasty."

Most of the ministers were indifferent to this and did not care about affairs outside the Ming Dynasty. If the emperor wants to handle it directly, then just let the emperor handle it. It has nothing to do with the overall situation of the court.

However, Yuan Keli clearly realized that the emperor was expanding his power in this way. In the future, the emperor would be able to decide matters such as the canonization of Lin Dan Khan with one word.

But if he objected, he couldn't say it. The emperor is more familiar with external affairs than many ministers, and he understands this very well.

Moreover, these places have nothing to do with the overall situation of the court. He cannot destroy the good relationship with the emperor because of these side issues.

He even helped the emperor expand the martial law area for war needs.

Thinking of what happened in Southwest China, Yuan Keli said:

"There have been wars in the southwest for many years, and I believe that Guizhou and other places should also be classified as war zones."

"We must give Zhu Xieyuan, Fu Zonglong and others great power and allow them to flexibly arrange tactics."

Zhu Youjian nodded in agreement and emphasized:
"Guizhou belongs to the mainland, and the terms of martial law in the mainland's war zone should be different from those in the war zone outside Guanxi."

"Military strongholds can be abandoned as needed, but cities with civilians cannot be abandoned at will."

"You discuss the specific terms with the frontline generals. They must meet the needs of quelling the chaos and must not infringe on the interests of the people."

Asking Yuan Ke to determine the terms of martial law in the mainland war zone, Zhu Youjian also thought that the southwest should arrange a military escort to form a triumvirate with the governor and admiral to be responsible for enforcing martial law, so he said:
"The war-torn areas in Guizhou and adjacent to Shuixi are classified as inland war zones, and partial martial law is implemented."

"Recommend another military envoy to enforce martial law together with Zhu Xieyuan and Fu Zonglong."

With the addition of another official position, the officials quickly forgot about the fact that the emperor ordered martial law outside the Ming Dynasty, and began to select military guards.

Min Mengde was the first candidate to be put forward as the previous candidate for governor of the five provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou.

Yuan Chonghuan, who was previously proposed by Zhu Youjian as governor of Huguang, was also proposed.

After all, in the eyes of many people, Yuan Chonghuan was able to achieve victory in Ningyuan and had the ability to fight. It was more appropriate to place him on the front line than in Huguang.

Zhu Youjian didn't care about this, and felt that as long as Yuan Chonghuan was not placed in Liaodong, it would be fine. The transformation of the Southwest requires talents who dare to think and act. It may not be wrong for Yuan Chonghuan to be bolder.

Therefore, after Yuan Keli expressed that the court needed ministers like Min Mengde who were familiar with the southwest, he suggested that Yuan Chonghuan serve as the military envoy. Zhu Youjian appointed Yuan Chonghuan as the military envoy of the five provinces of Sichuan and Guizhou, and Min Meng was included as a candidate for the Minister of War.

One of his goals, to have the leadership of foreign affairs like the president of the United States, was quietly realized amidst the indifference of the officials.

Previously canonized overseas hereditary officers have been able to fulfill their honors.

　"History of the Ming Dynasty" provides incomplete statistics on the slain governors:

　　Since the emperor came to the throne, he has executed seven governors, Chongjian (Zheng Chongjian) and Yuan Chonghuan, Liu Ce, Yang Yipeng, Xiong Wencan, Fan Zhiwan, and Zhao Guangye. The emperor's anger against the invaders was increasing day by day, and he used the law more and more harshly. His merits and crimes were not exaggerated, but the affairs of the territory were in ruins, and he died.

　　At the end of Chongzhen's reign, eleven governors were killed: Wang Yingzhi of Ji Town, Geng Ruqi of Shanxi, Li Yangchong of Xuanfu, Sun Yuanhua of Denglai, Zhang Yiming of Datong, Chen Zubao of Shuntian, Zhang Qiping of Baoding, Yan Jizu of Shandong, Shao Jiechun of Sichuan, Ma Chengming of Yongping, Shuntian Pan Yongtu, while Li Xianfeng in Henan Province was caught and hanged himself, so he refused to cooperate.

　　(Liu Zhao, the governor of Jiliao, was beheaded. He was an eunuch. It is estimated that in the eyes of those who compiled "History of the Ming Dynasty", the eunuch was not counted as a person and was not included in the statistics.

　　The governor Yang Sichang died of shock and worry. Some said he committed suicide out of fear of crime. If he had not died, Chongzhen would not have been able to save him. When Zhang Xianzhong killed King Xiang, he said that he was killed so that the court could kill Yang Sichang.

　　Historically, Emperor Chongzhen killed more than a dozen governors, but he was indeed not a brutal and indiscriminate killing. "History of the Ming Dynasty" can only say that he "used the law more harshly" and enforced the law too strictly.

　　It is the practice of the Ming Dynasty that "merits and crimes should not be exaggerated" and merit should not be offset by faults. The system of the Ming Dynasty was too rigid and became outdated in the later period)

　　
　
(End of this chapter)