Wanli Ming Emperor

Chapter 246 Guangke Snake Shadow, Yinshi Bullfight

August of the eighth year of the Wanli reign.

On the third day of the month of Gengzi, Consort Han was pregnant, and the Emperor personally offered sacrifices to the Night-shining deity at the Evening Moon Altar.

Fan Yingqi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, requested that the emperor move his carriage to the south for an inspection tour.

The court held a meeting, but to no avail.

On the sixth day of the month of Guimao, after completing three years of examinations, Sun Jigao, the prefect of Xinhua Prefecture in Yunnan, and Gu Xiancheng, the councilor of Sichuan, were appointed as compilers of the Hanlin Academy and concurrently as drafters of imperial edicts, serving in Nanjing. After completing three years of examinations, Yu Menglin, the assistant prefect of Zhaoqing Prefecture in Guangdong, was promoted to prefect of Huizhou Prefecture.

The original positions were filled by Wang Yingxuan, Yao Sanrang, and Zhang Yikun, who were originally appointed as secretaries of the Imperial Secretariat.

On the seventh day of the Jia Chen year, the Mongol Shunyi King fell seriously ill and petitioned to build temples and Han city to pray for blessings and longevity. Princess Yong'an and Lady Zhongshun, Zhu Xuanji, submitted a memorial.

After deliberation, the court bestowed upon the temple a quantity of building materials such as cement and timber, named the temple Dazhao, named the city Hohhot, and dispatched three eminent monks, including Hongfa, to travel beyond the pass to spread Buddhist teachings.

After serving six years in the civil service examination, Chen Dong was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, Left Vice Minister of War, and Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong. He was then appointed Right Censor-in-Chief, Minister of War, Governor-General of the Three Border Regions, in charge of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, and Yan'an, and in charge of Xuanfu and Datong, stationed at Huamachi.

On the eighth day of the month (乙巳), the Liaodong generals recruited the Jurchens who had surrendered. An imperial edict was issued to reward Li Chengliang, Yang Wudian, and others with varying amounts of silver, and to appoint the surrendered Jurchen Zhang Jia as the Vice Commander of the Jianzhou Left Guard.

Li Chengliang, the General Commander of Liaodong, was appointed as the personal guard of the Grand Marshal of the Five Armies Commandery, a position to be promoted according to precedent.

On the tenth day of the first month of the Dingwei year, Wang Zongyi, the Minister of Rites, was dispatched to offer sacrifices to Confucius. No reward was given to the Duke of Yansheng that year.

After serving six years, Wang Zongmu was promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and Grand Coordinator of the Grand Canal Transport, and later became Right Censor-in-Chief, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Grand Coordinator of Liaodong. Cai Ruxian, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud, was then appointed as the Circuit Inspector of Liaodong.

Hu Zhili, Right Vice Censor-in-Chief and Governor of Shuntian Prefecture, was appointed as the Grand Canal Transport Commissioner; Zheng Zongxue, Advisor to the Five Military Commissions, was appointed as the Minister of the Court of Imperial Stud.

On the sixteenth day of the year Gui Chou, the Emperor dispatched his civil and military officials to offer sacrifices to Wen Tianxiang, the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty.

He Luowen and Lin Shizhang, vice ministers of the Ministry of Rites, and Xu Guo, vice minister of the Ministry of Justice, requested that the emperor move his carriage to the south for a tour.

The court held a meeting, but to no avail.

On the seventeenth day of the Jia-yin year (1644), the Emperor ascended the throne in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and all civil and military officials performed congratulatory ceremonies. All the royal palaces and government offices of the empire presented congratulatory memorials.

On that day, the Ministry of Revenue reported that due to the land surveys conducted in various provinces, many land surveys had not been completed and reports had not been submitted, and that those cases had not been fully resolved. It was proposed that the governors and censors of each province investigate and submit their reports.

The Five Military Commissions reported that, according to precedent, Jiao Ze, the commander of the Shenji Battalion of the Beijing Garrison, was to be transferred to lead four battalions of combat troops and one battalion of chariot troops, totaling 15,000 men, to exchange garrisons and conduct drills with the Nanjing military.

That is correct.

Wang Guoguang, Minister of Revenue, Yin Zhengmao, Minister of War, and Wang Zongyi, Minister of Rites, petitioned to make a southern tour.

The court held a meeting, but to no avail.

On the 21st day of the month (戊午), Cao Lun, Wang Qianshan, and Yang Tingyou, the heretics and rebels from Henan, were executed by dismemberment in the marketplace, and twelve others, including Ji Tingyou, were beheaded. They used unorthodox sorcery to incite chaos, violate rituals, and stir up unrest among the people, and stormed government offices.

An imperial edict was issued ordering the provincial judicial commissioners of Henan, Zhejiang, and Jiangxi provinces to return to the capital to conduct an investigation.

Li Changchun, a junior official in the Bureau of Imperial Records, was appointed Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Jiangxi; Zhao Zhigao, the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy, was promoted to Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Henan; and Zhao Xian, the former Governor of Huguang, was reinstated as Provincial Surveillance Commissioner of Zhejiang.

On the day of Gengshen (the 23rd day of the month), the emperor was honored with the birth of his son in the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and the court officials offered their congratulations.

The emperor decreed that 20,000 taels of silver from the imperial treasury be used for rewards in celebrations within the palace, and dispatched Duke Dingguo Xu Wenbi as the chief envoy and Grand Secretary Shen Shixing as the deputy envoy to bestow the title of Consort Wu upon her.

On that day, Shen Shixing, a Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, and Wang Xijue, a Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion, submitted a memorial.

The new policies created stagnation, turning a deep-seated problem into a chronic one.

This was especially true in the Jiangnan region. In Nanjing and the provincial capital, officials were all exiled to the southern suburbs; the scholarly circles and societies were filled with corrupt and wicked individuals, deeply entrenched in evil, who usurped power and influence. Internally, they incited popular uprisings to resist the Qing dynasty; externally, they used public opinion as a pretext to seize power. Public sentiment was indignant, the cries of wolves were deafening, slander against the emperor was rampant, and an atmosphere of malevolence pervaded the land!

Your subject has heard that the emperor's inspection tours are for the purpose of examining systems, rectifying territories, and ensuring the well-being of the people.

Xuanyuan's tours were to pray to the gods and pay homage to the mountains to secure the regions; Xiahou's journeys involved clearing trees to guide rivers and define the boundaries. In the past, Shun and Yu traversed the mountains and secured the Nine Tripods; King Mu of Zhou inspected the regions and brought order to the feudal lords. These are the places that a ruler must tour, setting an example for ten thousand generations!

The two ministers of Suzhou and Songjiang respectfully submit this memorial.

The matter was then referred to the court for discussion.

Some might say that the bloodline of the Three Wu states and the lifeblood of the Jiangnan nation are so important that the sun and moon must not shine down and the emperor's authority must not be exercised.

Some say that Emperor Taizu visited the border once a year, Emperor Wen made five trips to the Jiangnan region, and the Eight Steeds of Emperor Wu traveled thousands of miles. Could this be an ancestral custom?
Some say that with the birth of a prince, it is appropriate to take advantage of this great celebration to spread benevolent words to the east and west, and to extend blessings to the north and south. This is the great way to solidify the hearts of the people and cultivate the nation's future!

The ministers agreed, and all the officials seconded the motion.

On the 24th day of the 11th month (the day of Xinyou), an imperial edict was issued in the Wenhua
"Chengzhou established Luoyang, thus beginning the construction of two capitals; Emperor Youyu diligently served the people and placed great emphasis on inspection tours. I, as the ruler of the world, have only followed the established rules. However, since the new policies were implemented, evil spirits have run rampant, the ban on reporting has been lifted, and the social order has been destroyed."

The emperor from Jiangnan and Zhejiang made daily requests, his imperial carriage held his sword, Suzhou and Songjiang resounded with cheers, and the emperor's face was adorned with questions. Is this not what the people of Jiangnan have been hoping for?
On August 30th, he made an inspection tour to Nanjing!

Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Rensheng are hereby appointed to oversee the state affairs. Zhang Hong, the Director of the Directorate of Ceremonial, Li Jin, the Director of the Eastern Depot, and Xu Wenbi, the Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, are to serve under their command.

The duties of governing the country are of great importance. Therefore, I hereby appoint Zhang Juzheng, Grand Academician of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, Hai Rui, Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and Wang Chonggu, Left Commander-in-Chief of the Five Military Commands, to assist in governing the country. If Emperor Taizong of Tang were to appoint someone to assist in governing the country, he would certainly appoint Fang Xuanling. You should understand my intention and be respectful and diligent.

However, for matters concerning civil and military officials' appointments, tributes from the four barbarian tribes, and the mobilization of troops, the emperor should request permission from the emperor while he is away from home; other routine matters need not be reported to the emperor.

By imperial decree, Shen Shixing, Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion, Wang Xijue, Grand Secretary of the Dongge Pavilion, Chen Wude, Vice Censor-in-Chief, Yao Hongmo, Wan Gong, He Luowen, Li Youzi, Xu Guo, Chen Jingbang, and officials from the Censorate and the Imperial Secretariat, etc., accompanied the Emperor.

Zhu Xixiao, Left Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Jiang Keqian, Right Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and Luo Sigong, Commander of the Five Military Commands, led their troops to accompany him.

Wherever he went, the prince stopped a short distance from the capital to greet him, and soldiers, civilians, and officials paid homage within the territory.

All supplies have been prepared and will not trouble the people; no official department may offer any tribute.

On the day the edict was issued, all ministries and departments responded immediately, and civil and military officials were fully prepared to depart.

……

August 28th, early morning.

There were still two days before the emperor departed for his loyal Nanjing.

Logically speaking, things that have been prepared in tacit agreement for two months should have been arranged by now.

However, even today, the emperor still seems to be constantly busy.

This was because after the conclusion of the southern tour, the court officials naturally became more eager to take advantage of the fact that the emperor was still in the Forbidden City to expedite and simplify various matters.

For example, the naming of princes.

After a prince is born, the palace administration records the prince's birth mother and birth date. Before the prince is given a name, he is simply called a prince. Only after the name is given is he called the prince according to his birth order.

If it were to follow the proper procedure, the Hanlin Academy would first review the names of imperial relatives of the same generation that had been bestowed by the emperor to avoid duplicate names, and then select a few names with auspicious meanings to present to the emperor for his review.

After the emperor had chosen a name, the Ministry of Rites would issue a document to the Imperial Observatory, which would then determine an auspicious date based on the name and the emperor's birth date and time, and the sacrifice would be offered at the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Then a series of procedures were carried out, including cutting hair, chanting praises, offering congratulations, conveying edicts to the Imperial Clan Court, recording the information in the Imperial Records, and issuing imperial edicts to the whole country.

According to the "Collected Statutes of the Ming Dynasty," the naming ceremony for princes was to be held three months after the birth.

But as the saying goes, etiquette can be adapted, and the process began on the very day the current prince was born, less than three months later.

Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi was ordered to propose four characters: “洞、澔、濬、冲”. He also clearly marked the pronunciation, meaning, and allusion of each character for selection.

Among them, the character “洞” comes from the Book of Songs, the character “澔” comes from the Rhyme Dictionary, the character “濬” comes from the Book of Documents, and the character “冲” comes from Laozi and Pan Yue's Rhapsody, all of which express profound hopes.

Zhu Yijun asked Empress Liu to help him choose, and they finally settled on the character "Jun"—according to the patriarchal system, the legal mother is the only true mother. Even during the naming ceremony, the prince had to be held by the empress, while the birth mother could only bow down from the steps.

On the fifth day, which is today, after the prince's condition stabilized, he has reached the point of offering sacrifices at the ancestral temple.

At this moment, dawn was just breaking.

Zhu Yijun was in the Imperial Ancestral Temple, dressed in a leather cap, offering sacrifices such as silk, dried meat, pickled vegetables, fruits, and wine to his ancestors.

He bowed deeply, murmuring, "My first son, I respectfully request the name 'Changjun' from my imperial grandfather and father. I humbly pray for Heaven's blessing and the blessings of all the sage emperors..."

Because he was not born of the principal wife, he could only be called the first son, not the eldest son.

After reciting the blessing, Zhu Yijun took the incense offered by the official from the Ministry of Rites and carefully inserted it into the censer.

The entire Forbidden City doesn't need to cheer for this name. As long as there are no unusual phenomena such as thunder, fire, or fox calls, it means that the father and grandfather have agreed.

Zhu Yijun bowed three more times and then withdrew.

Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi and Duke of Dingguo Xu Wenbi stepped forward tacitly to the left and right of the emperor to perform the ancestral rites for the emperor's ancestors other than his father and grandfather.

Zhu Yijun simply watched the two high priests silently, making no further move.

"Have the imperial edict and decree been drafted?"

An imperial edict is an official document issued by the Ministry of Rites to the Imperial Clan Court, requiring the names of the officials to be recorded in the imperial register.

Imperial edicts were used to announce to the world.

Shen Maoxue, who had just been transferred from the prefect of Baoding to the emperor's court, seemed to be not quite used to the change from a high-ranking official in a prefecture to a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat.

He was stunned for a moment before he reacted and quickly replied, "Your Majesty, it can be drafted today, and it can be promulgated the day after tomorrow when Your Majesty ascends the Fengtian Gate."

The name Shen Maoxue might sound like it has something to do with Yu Maoxue, the guy who got into a fight in the Wenhua Hall.

It was just a coincidence.

Shen Maoxue's ancestral home is Ningguo Prefecture in Southern Zhili. He was the top scholar in the imperial examination in the fifth year of the Wanli reign and is forty-two years old this year.

Perhaps due to his three years of honing his skills in local affairs, his literary talent had somewhat declined. Shen Maoxue spent three days writing a three-thousand-word edict announcing the birth of the prince, and still hadn't finished it—judging by his confident expression, he was definitely going to have to stay up all night tonight.

Fortunately, the emperor's focus was not on pushing for progress.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and corrected, "I will be going on an inspection tour the day after tomorrow, so I won't have time to guard Fengtian Gate."

"Let the two empresses do the work for us."

Tomorrow is the naming ceremony, which he, as the father, cannot refuse, but there is no need for him to personally handle the matter of issuing the imperial edict the day after tomorrow.

It was during the time when the two empresses dowager were overseeing the country, and it was only natural for them to issue edicts on behalf of the emperor.

However, upon hearing the phrase "the two palaces will take care of it," Shen Maoxue froze, appearing quite at a loss.

Seeing this, Zhang Hong, the Grand Master of Ceremonial Affairs, stepped forward at the opportune moment.

He leaned closer to the emperor and said with a helpless, bitter smile, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid we still need to try to persuade the Empress Dowager Cixi..."

It's truly a helpless situation.

Although Empress Dowager Li could not resist the emperor's insistence on his southern tour, it did not stop the old lady from throwing a tantrum.

Regent?

That won't do. The empress and concubines cannot interfere in politics. The emperor should find someone more capable!

Zhu Yijun was fully aware of this.

He turned and glanced at Zhang Hong, questioning him with exasperation, "I'm about to embark on my southern tour, why are you still acting so negligent, as if I have to do everything myself?"

Why can't you take the initiative and secretly coax the old lady to be nice to you?
Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong could only swallow his pride and force a smile, saying, "Your Majesty is right, Your Majesty is right."

joke.

Empress Dowager Li has been unhappy for a month or so. Her own son didn't personally try to appease her, so how could an outsider possibly do it?

If they don't ask the emperor to intervene, the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs will be helpless. They can't just ignore Empress Dowager Li and send all the memorials to Empress Dowager Chen—then they'll be accused of sowing discord within the imperial family, and who can bear that?
Seeing that Zhang Hong was completely unfazed, Zhu Yijun knew he couldn't be relied upon.

He waved his hand and sighed reluctantly, "After the report is presented in Chengguang Hall, I will go to pay my respects to the two empress dowagers."

They were eagerly waiting for the old lady to calm down, but in the end, they couldn't escape this ordeal.

Zhu Yijun gave a few brief instructions and left the ancestral tablets of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu to two high priests, Xu Wenbi and Wang Zongyi.

He then left the Imperial Ancestral Temple and went to the Temple of the World.

After personally offering sacrifices at the Ruizong Temple, he led a group of eunuchs back to the Western Garden.

On the way back, Zhu Yijun still didn't forget to inquire about important matters with his attendants: "Is the imperial banner still not ready?"

Since Emperor Shizong's southern tour in the eighteenth year of the Jiajing reign, no emperor of the dynasty has made a formal tour for more than forty years. The imperial banners and dragon flags that were previously in use have become unusable.

Adhering to his duty, Zhang Hong quickly replied solemnly, "Your Majesty, it was prepared the day before yesterday, and I will personally hand it over to the Imperial Guards shortly."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "Put the old imperial banner in the National History Museum, so it won't be stolen again."

Your Ming court even stole the seal of the Wenyuan Pavilion and the emperor's everyday clothes. If you don't give them a few instructions, I'm afraid even the dragon flag will be hard to escape.

Zhang Hong bowed and accepted the order with a blush on his face.

Zhu Yijun walked ahead and casually remarked, "I heard that Wang Xiao, the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Treasury's Jia Zi Ku, reported that the annual silver allowance and other materials are insufficient?"

Each warehouse has a fixed annual allocation and source of materials, but requisitions from various regions often fail to arrive on time.

He wasn't quite sure whether the imperial treasury had overspent or if the funds simply weren't enough to begin with.

Zhang Hong recalled for a moment before nodding and saying, "There was such a thing, but it was rejected in court."

"The Grand Minister of Rites said in the hall, 'His Majesty issued an edict upon ascending the throne, emphasizing frugality and cutting back on the quota. How can we allow what was reduced in the past to be restored now, or what was less before to be more now?'"

“This servant thinks the Grand Minister of Rites is right, so I withdrew the memorial from the Jiazi Treasury.”

Zhu Yijun couldn't help but frown.

Wang Guoguang's statement clearly indicates that the expenditure exceeded the budget.

In the sixth year of the Longqing reign, the inner court, taking advantage of the new policies, launched a round of anti-corruption campaigns, reducing personnel and expenditures by more than half.

However, as the turmoil gradually subsided and concubines entered the palace, leading to a mix of expenses, the old ways began to resurface.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yijun couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

Such things are indeed like weeds, with new ones sprouting every now and then. Zhu Yijun slowed his pace and whispered, "The palace eunuchs have been sent to study accounting for quite some time now."

"Taking this opportunity, Ōtomo might as well ask some accountants to check Ginju's material usage records."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong's face lit up with joy!
The emperor's arrangement was clearly intended to use this minor matter as a prelude to the establishment of the previously mentioned "Auditing Bureau"—a rigorous system that would verify every penny, unlike the cursory audits conducted by the Ministry of Revenue and the Censorate.

A government office with entirely new powers, a precedent that could be extended from the inner court to the outer court—no matter how small, it was a groundbreaking achievement that created something from nothing!

Isn't this the key to being enshrined in the Weixin Pavilion and having one's name recorded in history?

Zhang Hong quickly declared, "This servant will definitely investigate to the fullest extent of the law!"

Zhu Yijun gave a soft "hmm".

Suddenly, he changed the subject: "I did not take my Grand Chamberlain with me on this trip to Jiangnan. People outside say that he is old and has fallen out of favor and cannot attend to me. Has he heard of this?"

Zhang Hong was stunned for a moment, then nodded in understanding.

He remained calm and showed no resentment: "Only the person drinking the water knows whether it is hot or cold. This servant knows that this is His Majesty's trust."

Although it is unknown why the emperor suddenly brought this up.

However, with just this bit of gossip, even if he chewed it up, he couldn't hurt him, a former official of the Eastern Palace who had been in charge of the Directorate of Ceremonial for more than eight years.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun suddenly smiled with a touch of nostalgia.

He reached out and patted Zhang Hong on the shoulder, his gaze sincere and his words earnest: "I won't give you any more instructions."

"I will be making a southern tour the day after tomorrow. My whole family will remain in the palace, and I will have to trouble you, my esteemed servant, to take good care of them."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong was stunned and deeply moved.

The emperor's attitude towards his inner court officials was truly unprecedented in the dynasty.

In particular, it was not the kind of infatuation and closeness that the outer court criticized, but a kind of trust and respect that indicated a willingness to entrust important matters to him!

In the past, aside from high-ranking officials in the outer court, who was qualified to hear such words as entrusting their entire family to others?
At that moment, Zhang Hong heard it.

His throat moved, and he suddenly took half a step back, prostrated himself on the ground, and choked with sobs as he faced the emperor walking ahead: "Your Majesty's great trust has been entrusted to me, and I will die ten thousand times over!"

He stopped addressing them as "Master" and "Servant," and instead solemnly addressed them as "Your Majesty" and "Your Eunuch."

Isn't this a eunuch's promise to be a gentleman?

Zhu Yijun stopped and glanced back.

There are basic principles to emotional appeals; they should be kept within reasonable limits. Zhu Yijun simply nodded slightly and reached out to help the person up.

After this incident, Zhu Yijun remained silent and headed towards the West Garden.

We walked through the palace and halls in silence.

Not long after.

The group then returned to the West Garden.

As soon as they reached the outside of Chengguang Hall, the eunuch on duty came up to them and whispered that so-and-so requested an audience, and that so-and-so was already waiting in the outer hall, and so on.

Zhu Yijun initially thought it was too early and that he could rest for a while, but upon hearing this, he had no choice but to give up.

He rubbed his face, forcing himself to look energetic: "I will go change into my everyday clothes first. Please invite Wang Chonggu, Yu Dayou, Qi Jiguang, and Jia Sanjin into the hall and offer them seats to wait."

Wearing a leather cape is really uncomfortable.

Zhu Yijun walked from the side hall into the warm pavilion, changed into a comfortable Taoist robe, and then felt relaxed and at ease.

The emperor appeared in the main hall looking refreshed and in good spirits.

The four people waiting inside the hall quickly got off the low stool and stood up, saying, "Your Majesty!"

Of the four, Wang Chonggu and Yu Dayou were the left and right commanders of the Five Military Commissions, Qi Jiguang was the commander-in-chief of the Beijing Garrison, and Jia Sanjin was the chief censor of the Five Military Commissions.

Today's audience clearly indicates that we are discussing military matters.

Zhu Yijun walked up the steps to the imperial desk and sat down leisurely: "Ministers, please sit down and talk."

After a pause, he got straight to the point: "I will soon be making a southern tour, and there are some things I need to explain to you all."

"Princess Yong'an reported that Prince Shunyi will probably not live through this winter. She probably won't have time to 'persuade' Qiataiji and Dachengbiji to give up Bansheng."

"Next spring, there will surely be a great battle between Princess Yong'an and the Dacheng courtesan."

Historically, Altan Khan died in the winter of the ninth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, a year earlier than expected. It's unclear whether this was due to unforeseen circumstances or because his wife, the Third Lady, couldn't wait any longer.

But no matter what, with Altan Khan's death, the situation on the right wing of Mongolia was about to change drastically.

The imperial court must make plans as soon as possible.

The first to speak was naturally Prince Chonggu, who confidently said, "Your Majesty, this matter is nothing to worry about."

"If it were the original Da Cheng Taiji who was in charge of Bansheng, he might have been able to fight Princess Yong'an. However, after he fell from his horse and died, his wife Da Cheng Biji only gathered up the remnants and inherited the remaining power. Her strength was really limited."

"Even if they join forces with Chataiji, they will only have six thousand able-bodied men and a little over a thousand cavalry. They will certainly not be able to withstand Princess Yong'an's military might!"

As the second most powerful woman in the Mongol right wing under Anda Khan, Third Lady commanded tens of thousands of archers, and her strength was beyond doubt.

Not just anyone can stage an accident to extort money.

Then, Zhu Yijun shook his head: "The outcome is naturally without suspense, but if Dacheng Biji holds his ground and cannot rise, it would be easy for him to hold out for a year or two."

Victory or defeat on the battlefield is one thing, but the political implications are another.

Yu Dayou followed up, "Is Your Majesty worried that if the war drags on, the other two commanders of the Mongol Right Army might become disloyal?"

After Anda Khan, the Right General of the Mongols, died, Bansheng rebelled against San Niangzi.

That's fine, but Banseong is, after all, an impregnable Han city, and San Niangzi probably won't be able to pacify it anytime soon.

I can't control the situation!

Zhu Yijun nodded, then shook his head.

His expression was solemn, and his tone was enigmatic: "Not only the two commanders of the Mongol Right, but also the Tuman Khan!"

Mentioning this, Zhu Yijun couldn't help but feel irritated.

Since the sixth year of the Wanli Emperor's reign, the Tuman Khan has been far too quiet!

Historically, in September of the seventh year of the Wanli reign, Altan Khan began to issue warnings, saying that Tuman Khan was coming.

The imperial court immediately informed Liaodong. Upon hearing the news, Governor-General Liang Menglong immediately deployed his troops, ordering Li Chengliang to fortify the city and clear the fields, and also dispatched Xu Ruji and Yang Li to intercept and kill them at Yongping, while sending Qi Jiguang to lead men to ambush at Yipianshi.

In October, the Tumans indeed led more than 50,000 cavalrymen deep into Liaodong from forts such as Qiantun and Jinchuanying, where they were ambushed and a large-scale battle broke out.

Zhu Yijun was naturally prescient about this.

At that time last year, although he did not receive a warning from Anda Khan, he still sent a letter to Li Chengliang, ordering him to go out of the pass to investigate and take strict precautions.

As a result... not to mention last year, it's already August of the eighth year of the Wanli reign, and we haven't seen a single hair of Tuman Khan!

I'm both afraid he'll do something reckless and afraid he won't come for a long time!

They had at least 50,000 to 60,000 cavalrymen. During the Gengxu Rebellion, the number was only about the same, and back then they marched all the way to the foot of the capital!
Historically, despite having an intelligence advantage, Liaodong has never gained any significant advantage.

Now that Altan Khan, who issued the warning, is about to die, internal strife is about to break out in the Mongol right wing. In addition, the other two commanders will inevitably become hesitant and wait-and-see. At that time, whether it is due to mutual restraint or the ability to gather intelligence, the situation will be worse than before.

How could one not be worried when an ambush has turned into a head-on confrontation?

Wang Chonggu nodded in understanding.

Although he was unaware of the myriad thoughts running through the emperor's mind, he couldn't find any fault with the timing of Anda Khan's death, fearing that Tuman Khan would cause trouble.

After a moment's hesitation, Wang Chonggu said bluntly, "Your Majesty, if Anda Khan dies, the battle to establish Third Lady's authority will be indispensable."

"As for the Tuman tribe, they may not make any moves. Even if they were to seize the opportunity to invade the border, border defense is a routine matter, and there is not much more that can be done except to strengthen vigilance."

At this point, he looked up and met the emperor's gaze.

The situation beyond the Great Wall is different from that in the Central Plains. The ruler of the grasslands can never be secured by someone else's support. No matter how long it takes to attack Bansheng, it can only be done by the Third Sister herself. There is no way anyone can do it for her.

There's no need to worry too much about the Tuman Khan's side either, since Liaodong has experienced many years of war and has always been on high alert.

We can't repeat last year's mistake of scaring ourselves and ending up as a laughingstock in Liaodong for being "ignorant of military affairs."

Zhu Yijun shook his head, his expression solemn, and carefully corrected, word by word, "It's not 'maybe', and it's certainly not 'even if'."

"When Anda Khan dies, Tuman Khan will surely invade the border!"

Tuman Khan will definitely come—from the perspective of some Mongolian professors, that is, "the stubborn Ming emperor would rather be beaten than allow tribute and trade," so "Tuman Khan, who wanted to gather people to negotiate tribute and trade with Liao, was already "disheartened" and determined to "fight to the death."

They're simply waiting for the right opportunity.

This is why Zhu Yijun never dared to reform the military leaders in Liaodong.

Last February, several small tribes, fearing retaliation for stealing cattle and sheep from Tuman Khan, voluntarily surrendered to Liaodong.

However, Tao Chengku, the guerrilla commander of the Cheying garrison, "used the pretext of rewarding and rallying them, then took advantage of their unpreparedness and beat them to death." The entire group colluded, and Li Chengliang reported the victory at Changding Fort, ultimately claiming a great victory and receiving a large sum of reward money.

The truth was later revealed.

Court officials took turns impeaching Li Chengliang, Tao Chengku, Ma Weidu, Wang Youchen, and others, requesting that they be removed from their posts.

Zhu Yijun withstood the pressure and only dismissed Tao Chengku, because he was afraid that easily changing personnel in Liaodong would affect the combat effectiveness of those military leaders.

The four men looked at each other in bewilderment.

Was the emperor alert to border troubles, or simply afraid of unrest in Liaodong, and thus interrupted his southern tour?
Yu Dayou hesitated for a moment, then stood up and said, "Your Majesty is a divine and mighty ruler. The omen must have some meaning. Why not send Ang, the chief of the Duoyan Guard, to send someone to investigate among the Tuman tribes?"

Despite not having experienced the hardships of being impeached for corruption, sent back to his hometown, losing the battle of Luxia'ao, and being dismissed from his post, Yu Dayou's health was still quite good.

Although the possibility of fighting on the battlefield is gone, sitting in the Five Armies Commandery, working half-work and half-rest, he should be able to live to eighty.

Zhu Yijun remained noncommittal: "The Ministry of War has its own plans regarding how to dispatch the Duoyan Guard and Princess Yong'an; you need not concern yourselves with it."

"I summoned you here for another reason."

Wang Chonggu observed the nose with his eyes and the heart with his nose.

This is the difference between civil officials and military generals; Wang Chonggu would never utter a word like "dispatching the Doyan Guards."

The emperor was particularly sensitive about his powers. Although the powers of command and training were transferred to the Five Military Commissions, diplomacy, logistics, rewards and punishments, and appointments and dismissals were still ultimately under the Ministry of War.

In his position, he seeks his government.

This audience with the emperor naturally revolves around the issue of command.

as predicted.

The emperor paused for a moment, then changed the subject: "If the Tuman Khan is just causing small-scale raids, that's fine. I'm sure the officials in Liaodong won't disappoint me."

"I fear they might launch a large-scale invasion!"

The power to deploy troops was reserved for accompanying the emperor on his southern tour.

When the Tuman Khan's army finally presses in, crosses the Liao River, and invades the homeland, it will inevitably be necessary to draw troops from surrounding towns and even mobilize the capital's garrison.

We can't just wait for battle reports to travel back and forth between the north and south, can we?

Zhu Yijun's gaze swept over the several military commanders, first landing on Wang Chonggu: "Minister Wang."

Wang Chonggu immediately stood up and listened attentively.

“Those who served as generals in ancient times understood the opportune moment, grasped the essentials of the geography, and followed the sentiments of the people. After much thought, I believe this is exactly what is being said about you, Minister Wang.”

"A man of both literary and military talent, capable of assisting the world, such achievements deserve to be inscribed on the Lingyan Pavilion."

Upon hearing this, Wang Chonggu was at a loss for what to do.

After Zhu Yijun finished speaking, he turned to Yu Dayou and Qi Jiguang: "Yu Dayou was known as the Dragon and Qi Jiguang as the Tiger. They were famous generals in the southeast at that time."

The two men awkwardly bowed.

"But I think otherwise."

"Minister Yu is prudent and steady, while Minister Qi is swift and decisive. Their ambitions extend far beyond the southeast. They will conquer the northern sea, seal the Wolf Mountain, and seize the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households. What are these achievements worth mentioning?!"

The two exchanged a glance, their hearts inexplicably burning with passion.

Seeing this, Jia San was eager to make a move and had already figured out how to politely decline.

Zhu Yijun glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and then said in a pale voice, "Minister Jia, though of humble rank, bears a heavy responsibility."

Having said that, he looked away.

"My lords, war is about to break out in the north, yet I will make a southern tour."

"If the Tu barbarians launch a large-scale invasion, there will be an extremely urgent situation, and there will be no time to travel back and forth between the north and south."

"After much deliberation..."

Zhu Yijun slowly rose, his expression solemn, his words earnest: "I have decided to grant you the power to make decisions on the spot, to command the Beijing garrison, and to direct the Liaodong region!"

(End of this chapter)