I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 180 If you want benefits, do it yourself!

When Emperor Taizu formulated the national system of his dynasty, he abolished the prime minister and replaced it with a system of six ministries and five armies, separating the military and the political affairs and checking each other.

But later he formed a cabinet as the emperor's outer court secretariat. Chengzu and Xuanzong developed it and the Silijian further. During the Zhengtong and Chenghua periods, the cabinet officially became the power center of the Ming court.

Zhu Yijun discovered that the system of six ministries and five armies, separating military and political affairs, was a good idea, but the path went astray.

The change of the central government of the Ming Dynasty into the cabinet actually created a big loophole, that is, Emperor Taizu did not establish a permanent institution and system for the highest decision-making for the Ming Dynasty.

Emperor Taizu was in high spirits. He took on all the world's affairs by himself and became the weightlifting champion of the Ming Dynasty.

But he can do it, but his descendants may not be able to do it.

Chengzu led his troops to fight outside the capital all year round. There were so many important events in the Ming Dynasty that it was impossible for him to make all the decisions. So he began to delegate power to the cabinet, which gradually became the highest decision-making body of the Ming Dynasty.

According to Taizu's ancestral system, the Five Military Commission was responsible for managing the army and exercising checks and balances with the Six Ministries.

But the problem is that the noble group and the Five Military Commandery controlled by them cannot even enter the highest decision-making body of the Ming Dynasty.

They had no idea what the people inside were discussing or what military and national affairs they were deciding.

The consequence of being excluded from the highest decision-making level was that the noble group was almost wiped out in a seemingly coincidental defeat, and then the Five Military Commission, which had no resistance, was gradually seized by the Six Ministries and the Cabinet.

In order to balance the situation in the court, all parties must have a seat in the highest decision-making body and have their own say in the discussion and decision-making process of military and national affairs.

This is the only way to avoid a situation where one company dominates the market and ends up being too powerful to be controlled.

Now Zhu Yijun decided to gradually take back the military power from the Ministry of War and put it in the Supervision Office, and then delegate power to them to make more important decisions related to national defense strategy.

Previously, when Zhu Yijun was in the Western Garden, accompanying Emperor Jiajing to "observe government affairs", he read through a large number of court documents and discovered that over the past hundred years, the Ministry of War, which had usurped military power, was completely a layman leading the professionals.

They played word games, used various methods to deal with military officers and generals, and made great efforts to use maps to defend against the enemy. However, when it came to real military preparations for border affairs, they were completely half-baked.

Whenever something happens at the border and there is a need to see the real action, they jump up and down, like a group of monkeys who react violently but are useless, and are at a loss as to what to do.

Zhu Yijun envisioned that after he ascended the throne, he would establish the highest decision-making body and operating system in the Ming Dynasty.

Every year, the court's financial budget and verification, the performance evaluation and appointment and dismissal of civil and military officials above the third rank, national defense construction, taxation policy, foreign relations, war or peace with a certain country, these major military and national affairs should be discussed and finally decided in this highest decision-making body using some mechanism.

During the discussion, the participation of all parties can ensure the interests of all parties. Once all parties reach an agreement, it must be implemented unconditionally.

The Supervisory Office, the Six Ministries and other institutions should be the military and political executive agencies.

In Zhu Yijun's mind, Qi Jiguang had already been positioned as the leader of the new army's meritorious noble group, and he began to deliberately train him and encourage him to actively participate in military and political decision-making discussions.

In the end, the group of military nobles headed by him will no longer be wary of the civilian group, and will dare to "fight for power and profit" in the highest decision-making body and compete with the civilian group.

Qi Jiguang had no idea of ​​Zhu Yijun's thoughts. He just felt that the Crown Prince trusted him immensely and was willing to listen to his opinions on military affairs.

This surpassed several previous emperors and was far beyond his imagination.

This trust made him excited and even more grateful.

"Yuan Jing, we must not be careless when it comes to border affairs. A little negligence may lead to a big mistake. In the previous few incidents, the northern barbarians broke into the border. In my opinion, it was all caused by this unhealthy trend of talking about war on paper.

Therefore, I strongly advocate that you be transferred to the Supervisory Office to participate in military affairs. This is to use your actual combat experience to clean up the habit of talking about war on paper and ensure that you have no right to speak without investigation. "

Qi Jiguang immediately replied: "I know. This is the most important point that Your Highness has raised with the Supervisory Office. Because of this, Mr. Wenchang went to Liaodong in person to conduct on-site investigations of the Jurchen situations in Jianzhou, Haixi, and other places before making subsequent decisions."

"Yes. You fought in the southeastern battlefield against the Japanese invaders, from Nanzhili to Fujian and Guangdong. Later, you were transferred to Jizhou Town. You fought in all the battles that could be fought, including cavalry, infantry, and navy. You started from the southeast and trained the troops on your own, which can be said to be comprehensive. Others still need to say that they have no right to speak without investigation, but you have personally practiced it, which is a step deeper than their investigation. So Yuan Jing, you should participate more in the military affairs of the Supervisory Office.

If the top makes fewer ridiculous and wrong decisions, there will be fewer casualties down there.”

Qi Jiguang replied solemnly: "I will remember this. I will follow your instructions and do my best in the supervision office."

In the study room of Gao Gong's mansion, Gao Gong listened to what Zhang Siwei said and stroked his beard in silence for a long time.

Zhang Siwei was not in a hurry. He picked up the teacup and drank it slowly.

He saw that Gao Gong had lost his fighting spirit and did not want to fight with the Crown Prince anymore. He only wanted to achieve some political achievements and then join the cabinet with the support of the people.

But if you don't fight, what should I do?
If you don't fight, how can I demonstrate my value?

If you don't fight, how can I gain any benefit from your fight?

So, you must fight!
Gao Gong slowly said, "Feng Pan, is this plan feasible?"

Zhang Siwei was overjoyed.

Gao Da Huzi, I know you. You are a proud and arrogant person. How could you bear it after being humiliated by the prince?

And if you want to do big things, you have to seize power. Now the emperor is living a carefree life in the Forbidden City and not taking care of anything. The biggest obstacle standing in your way is the prince.

If you move the crown prince aside, you will be able to seize power, do extraordinary things, and achieve extraordinary achievements.

But you have to use extraordinary means before that!
"Of course it is feasible. No matter how intelligent the prince is, he is only thirteen years old. According to the ancestral system, a lecture on classics should be held in the Wenhua Hall to read the classics of Confucius and Zhu Xi so that the prince can distinguish right from wrong and understand the principles of heaven.

Now the Prince's tutor is only in name, and the East Palace's Chancellery is completely gone. Lord Xinzheng, you were once the Emperor's tutor, the Emperor's Imperial Teacher, and the Prince's tutor in the East Palace, so you have no responsibility."

Gao Gong stroked his beard and said, "Feng Pan is right. It is an ancestral system passed down from Emperor Taizu to hold a lecture for the crown prince and to teach him the meaning of the classics. I have also heard that the late emperor was too indulgent to the crown prince, and several of his enlightenment teachers were perfunctory.

At the age of twelve, he has not even written a decent imperial edict. How can this be acceptable? What if he becomes the emperor in the future, appoints the top scholar, and accepts his disciples, but he cannot even tell the difference between good and bad imperial edicts?

Zhang Siwei nodded repeatedly, "Xin Zhenggong is absolutely right. You must stand up and correct the wrongs and restore the right path."

Gao Gong nodded, "The day after tomorrow is the 15th regular court session, which is a great opportunity. Feng Pan, you will take the lead and lead the memorial. In front of all the civil and military officials, please ask the emperor and the entire Eastern Palace to set up a lecture for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to lecture on the meaning of the scriptures."

Zhang Siwei almost jumped up. Why did you ask me to do it?
I usually just hide in the back and fan the flames, and never rush to the front, so it is easy for me to become a martyr.

Gao Gong seemed to ignore the distress on Zhang Siwei's face and continued, "Feng Pan, you have now been reinstated as a scholar of the Hanlin Academy and an editor of the National History Museum. As the leader of Tsinghua University, if you don't step forward now, when will you?
After you submit your petition, I will strike while the iron is hot and, together with all my friends, will agree to recommend you as the Crown Prince's guest and the East Palace Secretary."

A delicious pancake fell down and Zhang Siwei hesitated.

To eat or not to eat?
Looking at Zhang Siwei's hesitant expression, Gao Gong sneered in his heart.

He was no political novice. He was able to jump back and forth between Yan Song and Xu Jie in the past, not because of his status as a tutor in Prince Yu's Palace. He had been repeatedly defeated in front of the Crown Prince recently, because his opponent was too smart and had too many cards in his hand, not because he was too stupid.

Zhang Siwei was thinking about something in his mind. Gao Gong had already heard the scraping sound, so he simply pushed it back.

If you want to reap the benefits, do it yourself.

Anyway, I have no plans to have a direct conflict with the Crown Prince in the near future.

This old face still hurts!
(End of this chapter)