I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 172 Cadres are the decisive factor

Xi'an Gate of Xiyuan, the military administration supervision office.

The Minister of War and Deputy Director of the Military Administration Office, Hu Zongxian, sat in the first seat at the lower left; below him sat the Vice Minister of War and Assistant Director of the Military Administration Office, Xu Wei; and the Vice Minister of War and Director of the Naval Bureau of the Directorate General, Liang Menglong.

Sitting first on the lower right are Wang Guoguang, assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, minister of the Imperial Household Department, and general manager of the Coordination Bureau; Liu Yingjie, assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue, and associate manager of the Coordination Bureau; and Li Zhi, doctor of the Ministry of Revenue, and director of the Coordination Bureau.

Sitting at the top seat was Zhu Yijun.

"Wang Gao of Jianzhou is a traitor who defied the majesty of heaven. He deserves death! The next step of the Supervisory Office is to eliminate Wang Gao, to demonstrate the majesty of heaven, and to uphold the law of the country."

As soon as Zhu Yijun opened his mouth, he set the tone for today's meeting.

"Mr. Ruzhen, you have returned to the capital and are in charge of the Ministry of War and military affairs. In the south, the chieftain of Bozhou is ready to make a move, the Yao people in Guangxi are rebelling and surrendering, and bandits are rampant in the mountainous areas bordering Jiangxi and Fujian.

Yin Zhengmao in Guangxi and Wang Yi'e in Jiangxi both did a good job. But for these two rebels, I have always said that three parts are military, two parts are politics, and five parts are economy.

Mr. Ruzhen now has to support Yin and Wang in their military operations, and also assist them in coordinating the relationship between the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works, so that they can govern the local areas and benefit the people. Please take care of it. "

Hu Zongxian immediately responded: "Your Highness is wise, I will keep it in mind."

Since the first strike of the sword in the 41st year of the Jiajing reign, Zhu Yijun, with a few chopsticks of the sword, not only gathered a group of capable ministers and officials called the "Crown Prince Party", but also established enough prestige among these talented and arrogant ministers.

Be resolute and decisive, and enforce the law by issuing orders.

"The matter of Wang Gao is also a great exercise for us. The Northeast is the first step in our strategy of attacking the east and reconciling the west. All things are difficult at the beginning. We must make a good start."

Everyone listened quietly.

Prestige is built on victory. In the past few years, Zhu Yijun led the Prince's Party from one victory to victory, so his prestige was naturally established.

Everyone can and must listen to what is said.

"The Jianzhou Jurchens are quite different from the Northern Tartars. The Northern Tartars can gather tens of thousands of cavalry at any time, roaming the grasslands south of the desert and threatening the nine borders.

Although the Jianzhou Jurchens have a large number of people, they are scattered across thousands of miles of mountains, forests and swamps in the northeast, with hundreds or thousands of tribes. Wang Gao can gather four or five thousand soldiers and horses to travel across the northeast. This number of troops is not enough for us to defeat when we reach the desert south pass."

There was a chuckle in the conference room.

Everyone's eyes followed Zhu Yijun's movements, and their thoughts followed his words.

"New situations require new tactics. Wang Gao, if we concentrate our forces to attack him once or twice, they will surely disperse. Then how to deal with the various Jurchen tribes scattered in the mountains, forests and swamps will be a big problem.

Mr. Wenchang, please go to Liaodong in the name of the Supervisory Office and, with the assistance of Supervisor Tan, conduct an on-site investigation. Without investigation, there is no right to speak. What is the situation in the Northeast? What is the situation of the Jianzhou Jurchens like? We are just talking about it on paper here, and we must go to the Northeast to see it for ourselves. "

Xu Wei immediately replied, "Yes, Your Highness. I will leave today and go to Liaodong for an on-site investigation."

"Okay. Mr. Wenchang, go and investigate on the spot. But we still have to fight. First of all, we must eliminate the Jianzhou Right Guard headed by Wang Gao. The Supervisory Office will formulate a plan and work with the Coordination Bureau to raise food and money and make preparations before autumn."

Hu Zongxian stroked his beard and replied, "Your Highness, it is early summer now. If we prepare to fight Wang Gao before autumn comes, we should still have time."

"That's good. Taking advantage of the cool and warm autumn weather, the Liaodong cavalry and infantry troops launched a thunderous attack on Wang Gao's Jianzhou Right Guard and the Jurchen tribes who dared to join the rebellion, destroying their castles, burning their camps, seizing their cattle and sheep, and plundering their people.

When winter comes, let God take care of those Jurchen tribes that have scattered and hidden in the mountains and forests!"

Zhu Yijun's words hit everyone's heart like a hammer.

His Royal Highness the Crown Prince's methods remain the same as before. If he does something, he will do it thoroughly.

Zhu Yijun continued, "Before the fall, we must be ready. The key is food and supplies. The cotton quilts and cotton clothes in Songjiang are being made in a hurry. Together with Annan and Siam, they will transport rice from Guangzhou, the wheat from Haizhou from the Central Plains and Huai River, and the military equipment from Dagu and Leting from Kaiping and Beijing. All of them need to be transported by sea to Yingkou and Tashan, and then transported north via the Liaohe River to Liaoyang and Shenyang for military use.

So shipping is the key, Mr. Mingquan, please make sure to coordinate well. "Mr. Mingquan is Liang Menglong, who was recommended by Zhao Zhenji and is responsible for shipping affairs. He is the assistant minister of the Ministry of War and is in charge of the Navy Bureau and shipping affairs.

After all, Liu Tao was in charge of the Navy Bureau, and he put more energy into forming a navy. Building ports, coordinating with local authorities, opening sea routes, and allocating resources required full-time civil servants to do this.

Liang Menglong is brave and meticulous in his work, and is willing to use his brain to find ways to solve problems. He has done a really good job over the past year.

He nodded confidently and replied, "Don't worry, Your Highness. The current shipping capacity is close to half of the grain transport capacity, and it will definitely not hinder the Liaodong war."

Zhu Yijun nodded with satisfaction.

“Once the route is determined, cadres are the decisive factor.”

This sentence really hits the nail on the head!
"Okay! Mr. Zihe, you and Mr. Wenchang will go to Liaodong together. Before the troops move, the food and fodder must move first. Please, as the assistant minister of the Ministry of Revenue and the director of the General Coordination Bureau, stay in Liaodong and coordinate the supplies."

"Yes."

Liu Yingjie responded immediately.

This person was also a ruthless person. During the Gengxu Rebellion in the 29th year of Jiajing, the Ming army fought a bloody battle with Altan Khan's troops outside the capital. Emperor Jiajing issued an edict to select officials to go out of the city to reward and comfort the Ming army that was defending the king.

All the officials in the court were afraid of being chosen, except Liu Yingjie, who was a Langzhong of the Guangdong Qingli Division of the Ministry of Revenue, who stepped forward.

After leaving the city, they drank bloody water and pretended to be dead. In the chaotic battlefield, they risked their lives to find the Ming army that was fighting a bloody battle with Altan Khan and completed the task of rewarding and comforting them.

People with ulterior motives in the government and the country, such as Xu Jie, knew clearly why the Crown Prince's Party had been able to become so powerful in just a few years. The main reason was that almost all of them were such ruthless people.

Among Hu Zongxian, Tan Lun, Liu Tao, Cao Bangfu, Wu Dui, Wang Chonggu, Huo Ji, Yin Zhengmao, Wang Yi'e and Liu Yingjie, which one had not been to the battlefield and walked among the dead?

Even Liang Menglong, in the 42nd year of Jiajing, when the Yellow River was breached in Pei County, he managed the river as the deputy envoy of Henan. "He worked together with the soldiers, dared not stay in the house during the day, and slept on the river with his headband and blanket on his clothes at night." He was ready to live and die with the river embankment at any time.

After the discussion and task arrangement, Zhu Yijun returned to Xiyuan and went to the Silijian to share his father's worries.

Hu Zongxian pulled Xu Wei aside.

"Brother Wen, I have been in the southeast and northwest for a long time and have not been in Beijing for long. I am not very clear about the situation in the court. I would like to ask you for more advice."

Hu Zongxian and Xu Wei were familiar with each other. In fact, Hu Zongxian was grateful to Xu Wei for his recognition and support. Without Hu Zongxian's recruitment and recommendation, there might not be Xu Wei, the Vice Minister of War today.

In fact, Hu Zongxian was Xu Wei's benefactor, and Xu Wei was his former official.

So when Xu Wei heard Hu Zongxian's words, he quickly replied respectfully: "Why did you say that, Lord Ruzhen? Without Lord Ruzhen, there would be no Xu Wenchang today. But if you have anything to say, please just ask. Wenchang will tell you everything he knows."

Hu Zongxian asked softly, "Gao Xinzheng has returned to the court. He is highly respected by the whole nation and has been a lecturer in Prince Yu's palace for nine years. He should not be underestimated. In the last major case in Shanxi, we rooted out the Jin Party led by him. He must be jealous.

I don’t quite understand how to deal with the situation in the court in the future. I am good at planning for the military and the country, but not for the court.”

Xu Wei hurriedly comforted him, "Don't worry, Lord Ruzhen. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has already had a perfect plan. The cabinet includes Lord Shaohu, Mr. Shilu, and Mr. Shuda.

Gao Xinzheng was appointed as the head of the Ministry of Revenue this time, but he did not join the cabinet. It was because His Highness and Lord Shaohu reached a tacit understanding to suppress him temporarily. "

Hu Zongxian stroked his beard and said, "Gao Xinzheng is a very capable man. He cannot be suppressed. Sooner or later, he will enter the cabinet."

Xu Wei smiled and said, "Gao Xinzheng should first figure out the affairs of the Ministry of Revenue. We can talk about entering the cabinet later."

Hu Zongxian nodded slowly, understanding what was going on.

(End of this chapter)