Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

As one of the areas that Zhu Youjian paid the most attention to, the three northwestern provinces had long established pigeon links with the capital.

The news that the imperial court had formed a three-province bandit suppression committee and ordered Shanxi and Henan to form anti-insurgency and disaster relief committees was quickly spread to the three places via carrier pigeons and secret codes.

Sun Chuanting, who was appointed as the governor-general of the three provinces and fully responsible for the bandit suppression in the three provinces, immediately summoned Yang Zhaoji, Yang He, Zu Dashou and others to arrange the bandit suppression in Shanxi without waiting for the official document to be delivered after receiving the order:
"The Shanxi bandits originated from Yansui."

"However, there is a severe drought in Yansui. There has been no harvest for years. The people have no surplus food, and the households have also been organized by the garrisons."

"The bandits in Yansui were unable to plunder food and were being chased by government troops, so they fled to Shanxi."

"Banditism is spreading in Shanxi. We have no choice but to send troops to Shanxi."

First of all, to define the matter, Sun Chuanting believed that he had to obey the court's order and send troops from Shaanxi to Shanxi.

Yang Zhaoji was the governor of three provinces and was responsible for suppressing bandits in Shanxi. Upon hearing this, he said with shame:
"What the governor said is absolutely right!"

"It is Yang's responsibility to suppress the bandits in Shanxi. Yang is willing to lead the troops to suppress the bandits in Shanxi."

Yang He, the military guard who served with him, also expressed his willingness to go to Shanxi.

Generals such as Zu Dashou were eager to take action and also expressed their willingness to go to Shanxi to suppress the bandits.

After the emperor clarified the standards for conferring titles based on military merit and conferred the title of earl on Mao Wenlong and Man Gui, the generals in the army were encouraged and wanted to obtain titles.

As Shaanxi was plagued by frequent banditry but rarely engaged in major wars, these Qin soldiers and generals trained by Sun Chuanting all wanted to go to Shanxi to make merit and gain some honor.

Sun Chuanting was naturally very satisfied with the army's morale. He took out the imperial order and said:

"Your Majesty has issued an order: Zu Dashou has made great contributions in suppressing bandits, and he is promoted from deputy general to general, and is appointed as the deputy admiral of the three provinces to suppress bandits."

"Military Guard Envoy Yang He went with Zu Dashou. Together with Shanxi Governor Geng Ruqi and Shanxi General Zhang Honggong, he was in charge of the Shanxi bandit suppression affairs."

Upon hearing this, Zu Dashou and Yang He immediately knelt down and accepted the order.

Especially Zu Dashou's face, which was full of joy and he couldn't hide his happiness.

After being transferred to Shaanxi by the imperial court on suspicion of collusion with the enemy, he fought bravely in the fight against bandits in Shaanxi and was always the first to fight, in order to regain the emperor's trust and not to be seen as a general with two hearts.

For this, he had lost many of his retainers and had achieved fruitful results in battle. Now the emperor promoted him, which meant that he had restored his trust in him and believed that he was a useful person.

In the future, he might succeed Yang Zhaoji as the commander-in-chief of the bandit suppression force, or even be awarded the title of earl like Man Gui.

How could Zu Dashou not be happy about this?
Yang He had another idea in mind, and asked Sun Chuanting:

"Taiwan Governor Sun, in addition to suppressing bandits, are there any other orders from the imperial court to provide disaster relief?"

"The situation in Shanxi is similar to that in Shaanxi. If we only suppress them but don't pacify them, it will be difficult to quell the bandit problem!"

Sun Chuanting looked at the order from the court and said:

"The court did not mention disaster relief, but asked Shanxi and Henan to set up a quelling and disaster relief committee modeled after Shaanxi, with full responsibility for quelling the rebellion and disaster relief."

"We are responsible for suppressing the bandits, but the disaster relief will be up to the Shanxi officials."

As the governor-general of the three provinces, Sun Chuanting had the final say on matters related to bandit suppression. However, he had no power to intervene in how Shanxi and Henan provinces pacified the people.

The Governor-General of the Three Provinces who Suppress Bandits was not the Governor-General of the Three Provinces after all. He only had military power.

Yang He's position was only the military protector of the three provinces' bandit suppression army, responsible for the liaison between the bandit suppression army and the local areas.

He also did not have much of a say in local affairs and could only sigh and hope that Shanxi Governor Geng Ruqi would do a good job of comforting the people.
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At this time, the atmosphere in the Shanxi Governor's Office was much more solemn than that in the Shaanxi Governor's Office. Everyone in the hall held their breath, and you could almost hear a pin drop.

After receiving the imperial reprimand document, everyone knew that Geng Ruqi's time in Shanxi had entered the countdown.

If he could control the banditry in the next few months, it would be fine. If not, then as the emperor warned, at least he would be exiled.

Geng Ruqi, who was nearly killed by the eunuch party, was not afraid of death. He had no regrets about refusing to pay homage to Wei Zhongxian.

However, if he was dismissed from office by the court for poor governance, his ancestors would be disgraced and his family would be exiled. Geng Ruqi felt that he should not end up like this no matter what.

So he stared at the Shanxi officials in the hall and said sternly:
"Shanxi officials are all responsible for the spread of banditry this time."

"The Emperor ordered me to make meritorious contributions while serving my sentence, and the same goes for you."

"If you cannot control the banditry, you will be exiled overseas with me."

All the Shanxi officials were so frightened at the words that they knew Geng Ruqi was not lying.

The Li Yangchong case two years ago brought about a major earthquake in the Shanxi officialdom. Almost half of the officials were exiled or even had their homes confiscated or were executed.

The current bandit problem is definitely more serious than the Li Yangchong case. If it cannot be controlled, the court will not mind clearing out Shanxi officials again.

Although Geng Ruqi was only serving his sentence to make meritorious service, his power was unprecedentedly great. All Shanxi officials implicated in the banditry were now serving their sentences to make meritorious service, and he decided who to select and who to employ.

These officials all hoped that Geng Ruqi would continue to behave like a gentleman, be strict with himself and lenient with them.

Shanxi Provincial Surveillance Commissioner Lü Xun said:

"The imperial court is far away and doesn't know what's going on in Shanxi."

"If all local officials who are affected by banditry are dismissed, who will govern the area?"

"And if this continues, which local official will dare to report the bandit problem?"

Geng Ruqi had thought the same before, and even under the persuasion of Shanxi officials, he submitted a memorial to the court urging the court not to punish local officials who caused banditry.

He and many Shanxi officials believed that the bandits came from Shaanxi, so it was wrong to punish local officials.

But now that he had been reprimanded by the court and even dismissed from office, Geng Ruqi suddenly realized that he had been deceived:
If Shanxi officials were not responsible, how could the banditry spread so quickly?
If these people had not deceived their superiors and shirked their responsibilities, I would have sent troops to quell the banditry in its early stages.

Someone pointed this out in the news from the capital. Cheng Jiming, the Minister of Rites who had secured for him the opportunity to redeem himself from his crime, warned him not to trust local officials.

Therefore, Geng Ruqi now deeply hates himself for being blind and deceived, and also hates these Shanxi officials who are in collusion with each other.

Facing Lu Xun's words, he rebuked mercilessly:
"What Envoy Lu said is really too absurd!"

"Why did the imperial court establish the Censorate? Isn't it just to monitor the local areas?"

"If local officials conceal banditry, what do you, the Censor, do?"

"Do you want me to teach you how to be a censor?"

Lu Xun's face turned red when he heard this. He never expected that Geng Ruqi, who was extremely kind before, would be so disrespectful to him now.

As an inspector who had been promoted from doctor, councilor and councillor, he did not think highly of Geng Ruqi. He thought that Geng Ruqi only gained fame by chance, and that he was promoted quickly from a deputy military commissioner to a governor.

Moreover, Geng Ruqi's failed experience as the ICAC made him feel that this person was just a figurehead but had no talent at all.

As a result, the situation in Shanxi, which was like a blank sheet of paper after the cleansing of the officialdom, was allowed by Geng Ruqi to become rigid again.

Now facing Geng Ruqi's rebuke, Lu Xun said stiffly:
"I don't dare to trouble the governor to teach me. I will naturally do my part."

Geng Ruqi clapped his hands fiercely upon hearing this, and sneered:

"What a responsibility!"

"Isn't it the job of officials to govern the local area?" "Now that banditry has emerged, it is because they have failed in their duties."

"If anyone cannot obey my orders to quell the banditry, I will take him with me in the future."

"Whether you are beheaded or exiled, you will always have a companion on the road!"

Warning Shanxi officials to put away their previous tricks and stop trying to get away with it.

If they dare to treat their lives as a joke, I will take them with me.

Geng Ruqi, who had given up everything, had completely broken off relations with Shanxi officials and would no longer maintain a mutually beneficial situation.

He even submitted a memorial to the emperor, requesting that Shanxi be placed under martial law and that he be allowed to eliminate the bandits at his own discretion.

Zhang Honggong, the general of Shanxi, also signed the memorial. He had a deeper understanding of martial law because he was the one who led the Shanxi Town to impose martial law in the Yancang Highway area to prevent refugees from roaming on the highway.

In his view, martial law would help him to act more conveniently. If the bandit problem in Shanxi was to be quelled as soon as possible, martial law must be declared throughout the region.
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This memorial caused an even bigger stir in the court than before, because many officials did not think that the situation in Shanxi was so serious that martial law was necessary.

Every time the martial law area was expanded, the emperor's power was expanded. The emperor was able to directly adjust the positions of Sun Chuanting, Zu Dashou and others because Shaanxi was a martial law area.

The officials who were unwilling to see this, of course, did not want to expand the martial law area. Even the Prime Minister Han Yu did not think that the situation in his hometown required martial law.

Just as the Ming emperor and his ministers were wrestling with the issue, a message from the grasslands ended the debate:

After a few months of silence, the Jianlu finally launched an attack again. As expected, the direction was the grassland, and they easily defeated the Chahan tribe of Shunli King Lin Danhan.

Without much resistance, Ligdan Khan fled with his people, but the Jianlu pursued closely, hoping to make this Mongol Khan surrender and conquer all the tribes on the grassland.

When they arrived at Guihua City, the Shunyi King led his army to intercept them, but they were also defeated by the Jianlu. Now the Shunyi King has fled to Hetao, and the Zhongshun Duke sent people to ask for help from the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty did not learn of this news until then. The news was transmitted to the capital through the arm communication system established in Zhangjiakou, Xuanfu and Juyongguan.

The Ming Dynasty's emperor and ministers were shocked when they learned the news.

Because although they guessed that the Jianlu might march westward, they did not expect that the tribes in the southern grasslands of the desert were so vulnerable.

The Shunli King and Shunyi King, who were enthroned by the Ming Dynasty, have now been defeated by the Jianlu. The previous nominal rule over the grassland can also be said to have collapsed.

Chief of Staff Yang Sichang immediately suggested:

"The situation on the grassland is chaotic. I think Xuanfu and Datong should be placed under martial law immediately to prevent the invasion of the Jianlu."

"All areas of the Nine Borders should also strengthen their vigilance to prevent the grassland tribes defeated by the Jianlu from fleeing to the interior and causing chaos."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Xieyuan, the commander of the Great Wall, immediately seconded the proposal and believed that martial law should be declared in the Xuanda area. Even Jizhen should prepare troops and horses to guard against the invasion of the Jianlu, just like last year.

Yuan Keli, the co-director of the Privy Council, and others also seconded the proposal. The Grand Secretaries, the Nine Ministers, and other ministers were unable to raise any objections in the face of this situation.

Zhu Youjian immediately ordered:
"Xuan Da is under martial law immediately. Xuan Da Governor Zhu Mei is granted the Imperial Sword and is given full responsibility for Xuan Da's affairs as the chief officer. He will decide whether to go on an expedition or defend depending on the situation."

"The nine frontiers are on war preparedness, gathering the Mongols who have surrendered and rebuilding the Mongolian Left and Right Guards. Those who disobey can be expelled or even exterminated."

"The Ming Dynasty must provide all possible support to the Mongolian tribes that are resisting the Jianlu. The emergency plan previously formulated by the General Staff should be issued and implemented immediately."

The Privy Council officials all responded after hearing this, and many of them recovered from their previous panic.

Because the Ming Dynasty had anticipated that the Jianlu would march westward and had drawn up a contingency plan, they believed that as long as they followed the predetermined plan, the situation would still be under control.

But the other ministers were generally very nervous. They didn't know what the outcome of this battle between the Jianlu and the Mongolian tribes would be.

If the Jianlu successfully established their rule over the steppes south of the desert, then towns like Xuanfu, Datong, and Shaanxi would be under threat from the Jianlu and would need to be heavily defended like Liaodong.

This was definitely a further blow to the Ming Dynasty.

The Liao military pay alone was enough to make the entire Ming Dynasty feel suffocated. If additional military pay was given, the whole country would probably rebel.

Zhu Youjian knew that the Ming Dynasty was destroyed by the combined effects of internal and external troubles. So he changed his previous calmness and ordered:

"The bandit problem in Shanxi must be quelled as soon as possible. We must not allow it to spread, as it will lead to both internal and external troubles."

"Order that Shaanxi Governor Shen Zizhang temporarily take over the post of Governor-General of the Three Borders and preside over the Shaanxi Anti-Rebellion and Disaster Relief Committee."

"Sun Chuanting, the governor-general of the three borders, is the governor-general of the three provinces for suppressing bandits, temporarily in charge of Shanxi's military and political affairs, and is responsible for suppressing the rebellion in Shanxi."

"The entire Shanxi province is under martial law, and Sun Chuanting is in charge of all power."

"Anyone who dares not obey orders will be killed with the Imperial Sword!"

The previous decision to let Zu Dashou, Yang He, Geng Ruqi and Zhang Honggong be jointly responsible was changed, and Sun Chuanting was made the chief officer to take charge of all power.

He needed to eliminate the banditry in Shanxi as quickly as possible, without letting the Jianlu know, and cooperate with them both internally and externally.

Most of the ministers had some opinions about this decision. Han Yu, the chief minister of the cabinet, said:

"Your Majesty, Sun Chuanting is from Zhenwuwei, Daizhou, and should not be an official in Shanxi."

"The issue of martial law in Shanxi is also worth discussing."

Zhu Youjian was already impatient to argue about this matter and ordered:
"Sun Chuanting has been promoted from a centurion to a deputy centurion because of his meritorious service. He will be transferred to the Jinwu Guard immediately, and his family will be moved to the capital."

"Datong in northern Shanxi needs to be under martial law to prevent the Jianlu. Martial law has been declared along the Yancang Highway in central Shanxi, and the south is suffering from banditry."

"In such a critical situation, what is the debate about martial law?"

He urged Han Yu to draft an edict and ordered martial law in Shanxi.

Han Yu was weak in character to begin with, and as the emperor's words were well-founded, he could only draft an edict, declaring martial law in Xuanfu, Shanxi and war preparations in the nine border areas.

Sun Chuanting, who had just asked Zu Dashou and Yang He to prepare for sending troops, had to hand over the matters at hand to Shen Zizhang after receiving the new order, and personally lead the troops to Shanxi to quell the rebellion.

The Imperial Camp's Brave Guard Battalion also set out immediately, and a battalion of the Eagle Army with combat experience was added.

Troops from the entire north also began to be mobilized and transferred to the newly formed Five Army Camps to guard against the invasion of the Jianlu.

The prefectures and counties in northern Zhili once again felt the fear of last year, and the enthusiasm for repairing the city defenses rose again.

The cement, sand and gravel in Zhuolu District, as well as the newly opened arsenal, quickly became prosperous.

Even Xu Sen, who only opened a shell company and was still testing new muskets, had people placing orders with his equipment company.

Those gentry who had donated money to obtain the right to bear arms all wanted to obtain sophisticated firearms to defend themselves.

The nobles who had invested in the Tongzhou Arsenal even divided up the newly produced muskets to equip their own guards.

Those nobles who were not going to establish fiefdoms, did not obtain shares in arsenals, and were not qualified to form garrisons, regretted it deeply. They looked for connections everywhere to buy muskets to equip their servants.

The entire Ming Dynasty was swept by a wave of military repairs, and newspapers launched large-scale propaganda, allowing many people to realize the significance of defending the country.

The people of the capital were participating in the election and forming a parliament with great enthusiasm. With their active support, militia teams were quickly formed in various districts of the capital.

The military and civilian households that had previously resisted and were unwilling to perform military service after adulthood, now began to enlist in the army and enter the Shenshu Camp for training under the strict orders of the court and the contempt of their neighbors.

The progress of the military reform in the capital was greatly accelerated. Under the pressure of the possible invasion of the Jianlu, the officials generally became more active in their work. (End of this chapter)