I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 224 We should raise loyal dogs, not sheep

Zhu Yijun returned to the Xi'an Gate Supervisory Office, where Hu Zongxian, Zhao Zhenji and Xu Wei were waiting for him.

"Mr. Wenchang has returned from Liaodong. I see you have lost a lot of weight. You must have worked hard." Zhu Yijun said to Xu Wei.

"Your Highness, I am responsible for your duties and will not slack off. I am just worried that I am not talented enough and will miss out on your important plans."

Zhu Yijun laughed loudly: "Mr. Wenchang is a man of great talent, so I am naturally relieved. Sit down, everyone, and listen to Mr. Wenchang talk about the situation in Liaodong."

"Yes."

Everyone sat down and listened to Xu Wei speak.

"Your Highness, Hu Bu Tang, Zhao Zhong Cheng, this time Wen Chang is following Your Highness's order to go to Liaodong to investigate the situation of Jianzhou and Haixi Nuzhen, and to supervise Liaodong Town to eliminate Jianzhou Nuzhen.

Starting from September 7th, Governor Tan was stationed in Liaoyang, commanding more than 40,000 Liaodong cavalry and infantry troops. The troops were divided into two routes, led by Zhou Guotai and Li Chengliang, and went out of Fushun Pass and Yagu Pass respectively.

The left-wing troops led by Zhou Guotai marched along the Hunhe River and the Huiba River, aiming directly at the Jianzhou Left Guard. Along the way, they captured the Huifa City and Nadanfu City of the Jianzhou Left Guard. Then they turned north and went down along the Songhua River, captured the cities of Ula and others of the Haixi Jurchens, and captured more than 2,100 people including Wang Gao and Ata father and son, and captured 56,000 people, who were settled in Fushun, Tieling and other places.

The troops on the right, led by Li Chengliang, first took out the city of Helaatu in Jianzhou Wei, then marched eastward along the Zhupo River and Changbai Mountain to the Bomen River area, eradicating the remnants of the Jianzhou Jurchens. They killed more than 2,200 people, including Juechangan and Taksi, and captured more than 47,000 people, who were settled in Weining, Gushan and other places.

The troops from the left and right routes destroyed a total of 15 tribes of Jianzhou Jurchens, including Wang Gao, Juechang'an, Suksuhuhe, Dong'e, and Yehe, as well as nine tribes of Haixi Jurchens, including Hada, Suha, Mantu, and Deya.

Zhu Yijun nodded.

These battle reports had already been jointly submitted by Tan Lun and Xu Wei.

"Now that the Jianzhou Jurchens and Haixi Jurchens have been defeated, the remnants left in the deep mountains and old forests will be wiped out. Once they survive this winter, Liaodong Town will send troops to clear them out twice in the spring. This will basically achieve our goal and take back all of the Jianzhou Jurchens' territory."

Xu Wei continued.

“Your Highness’s strategy is to occupy these lands forever, advance step by step, erode the tribes in the northeast, take in all their people, educate them as subjects, and make them work for the Ming Dynasty.

The Bureau of Surveying and Mapping dispatched five surveying teams to follow the army into various parts of the Northeast to survey and map the local terrain and select locations for city building. When spring comes, they can start building castles, such as the three cities of Xinghua, Fengning, and Chengde, to guard Jianzhou and other places, and then set up guard posts, open up farming and grazing, as a custom. "

Zhu Yijun asked: "Mr. Wenchang, you have been to Jianzhou for a field survey. What do you think the Ming Dynasty should do to secure this place forever?"

Xu Wei said bluntly: "Your Highness, in Jianzhou and other places, the mountains are high and the forests are dense, so transportation is inconvenient. People have to walk or pack horses along the ravines to get around. Secondly, the winter is too cold, with heavy snow, so people can't go out at all and can only stay in the winter. And the winter there can take up one-third of the year, which is very long."

Xu Wei explained it in great detail.

The Northeast is a bitterly cold place, so from the Tang Dynasty to the present, they could only control an area near Liaoyang. The rest of the mountainous and densely forested areas could not be defended even if they wanted to, and had to be given to the Jurchens who were accustomed to outdoor activities in the mountains and forests.

"How do the Jurchens make a living?" asked Zhao Zhenji.

"Zhao Zhongcheng, the Jianzhou and Haixi Jurchens make their livings by fishing, hunting and herding, and they trade furs and horses with the Ming for grain, cotton cloth, salt and other items.

Wang Gao was able to rise to power because he controlled the important ferry leading to Fushun Pass, collected tolls from passing passengers, and resold the goods; Juechang'an of Helaatu City, the left guard of Jianzhou, was a relative of Wang Gao and lived close to Fushun Pass and Yahu Pass. He bought furs and horses from them and resold them to Fushun, making huge profits and becoming stronger.

The rest of the tribes, in order to obtain food, salt, cotton cloth, ironware and other items from the Ming Dynasty, had no choice but to join Wang Gao, Jue Chang'an and others and rebel.

After listening to Xu Wei's words, Zhao Zhenji turned to Zhu Yijun and said, "Your Highness, I think the way to make the northeast Jianzhou and other places permanent is what Your Highness said before, 30% military, 20% politics, and 50% economy."

Hu Zongxian and Xu Wei nodded involuntarily.

This strategy was proposed by Zhu Yijun in response to the bandits and pirates in Fujian, Jiangxi and Guangdong who had been unable to be eradicated. The core point was to ensure that the people there had enough food to eat and warm clothes to wear. Only in this way could the source of the chaos be cut off.

Hu Zongxian echoed, "Your Highness, I have learned something from Mr. Wenchang's words. Three parts military, two parts politics, and five parts economy can be changed."

"Mr. Ruzhen, how do I change it?"

"Three parts military, three parts education, and four parts economy."

Zhu Yijun nodded, "Mr. Ruzhen's words make sense. Jianzhou and Haixi Jurchens can temporarily stop talking about politics. We should focus on education first, starting with children, teaching them to read and understand principles, know the principles of hierarchy, and understand laws and regulations.

Of course, if you want them to be convinced, you must first let them have enough food and warm clothes. Life in the Ming Dynasty is more comfortable than in the tribes. I believe that most Jurchens are still willing to stay in the Ming Dynasty and be the people of the Ming Dynasty. "

"Your Highness is wise!" Hu Zongxian, Zhao Zhenji and Xu Wei answered in unison. "Then how can we control and organize them? Mr. Wenchang just mentioned that we should use the military household system of the garrisons?"

"Your Highness, the guard system is just a temporary solution that I came up with. I think the first priority is to destroy the tribal system of the Jurchens."

"Destroy the tribal system?" Zhu Yijun asked with great interest, "Mr. Wenchang, please elaborate."

"Your Highness. The Jurchens grew up in a bitter cold land. Like the northern barbarians in the south and north of the desert, they must stick together to survive in the dangerous wilderness. With blood ties as the bond, families live together, and then each family gathers into a tribe, working together, and is very fierce.

The Jurchens, like the northern barbarians, admire the strong. When a hero rises, many people flock to him, because the strong can help them survive."

Zhu Yijun, Hu Zongxian and Zhao Zhenji nodded involuntarily.

What Xu Wei said is very pertinent.

On the grasslands of the north and south of the desert, and in the wastelands of the northeast, staying alive is the first priority. A strong person can lead them to grab food, kill enemies, and keep them alive.

"Now that Mr. Wenchang has said that, I feel that the guard post is not very suitable for the Jurchens, nor for the northern barbarians outside the Great Wall."

Hu Zongxian and the other two looked at Zhu Yijun, waiting for his next words.

"The military household system of the guards is for raising sheep, and it is impossible to tame wild wolves into loyal dogs."

"Your Highness, what should we do?"

"If it doesn't fit, change it. In my eyes, there is no unchanging system, nor is there the best system, only the most suitable system.

The system of the Mongols and the Jurchens was developed over hundreds of years, and they certainly had their own strengths.

If there are advantages, learn from them. Don’t despise the barbarity of the Mongols and the Jurchens, as long as they work, that’s fine.”

Two quarters of an hour later, Zhu Yijun made the decision, "We have almost finished discussing the strategy of subjugating the Jurchens and permanently consolidating Jianzhou. Mr. Wenchang, please sort it out and draft a regulation. The Supervisory Office will review it again and implement it after approval."

"Your Highness is wise!"

At this time, Feng Bao was peeking out of the door. Zhu Yijun immediately saw him, stood up and said, "I still have to go to Ziguang Pavilion to discuss the Lianghuai Salt Administration and the Nanjing Zhenwu Camp mutiny with the Cabinet and the Ministry of Revenue, Ministry of War, and Ministry of Justice. Mr. Ruzhen, you go first. I have something to do and will go later."

"Yes."

Zhu Yijun went out of the door and walked to the side. Feng Bao followed him and seeing that there was no one around, he whispered a secret to him.

"Meng Chong?" Zhu Yijun had a plan in mind.

"Yes, Your Highness, it is Meng Chong." Feng Bao answered affirmatively.

No wonder his father, Emperor Longqing, lost his wings after being a little bee for six years. The root of the problem is here. He had a premonition and kept a trick up his sleeve, but he didn't expect Meng Chong to find it.

Zhu Yijun put his hands in his sleeves and slowly turned around in place.

Feng Bao lowered his head and held his breath.

Why bother trying to stop something you can't stop yourself?

Zhu Yijun stopped and turned to Feng Bao and said, "Duan Chaoyong, have someone keep a close eye on him when necessary."

Seeing Zhu Yijun's cold eyes, Feng Bao's heart trembled, and he quickly replied: "I know, I will make him disappear completely."

Zhu Yijun nodded, "Okay, have the elders and Minister Gao and Minister Huang arrived?"

"We're here. I'm waiting in the duty room outside Xi'an Gate."

"Okay, follow me to Ziguang Pavilion."

(End of this chapter)