Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 296 Seven Years, Itchy

"If we don't let go of our prejudices, then they will always be barbarians and we must always be on guard against them. Border defense will always cost us a greater price!"

It was snowing heavily outside, but the heater was burning brightly in Hongqing Palace in the southeast of the Forbidden City.

Today is the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, the last day for this group of officials to study at the Tongzheng Academy.

Wei Yunzhong sat among them, looking up at the emperor.

After passing the imperial examination in the first year of Taichang, he entered the Hanlin Academy as a reviewer of the Painting Gallery. Cheng Qinan first went to the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, and is now the inspector of Liaodong. Meng Xikong was first appointed as the magistrate of Leping, and now he has gone to Wuchang to serve as the prefect.

After Wei Yunzhong completed his previous naturalization plan for water conservancy and bridge affairs, he was transferred from being a reviewer in the Painting Gallery to being a doctor in the Water Conservancy and Bridge Management Department of the Ministry of Works. This time, he was really going to be promoted.

It seemed normal for a prefect to be promoted from the fifth rank to the fourth rank.

But this was the newly established Liaoyuan Military and Civilian Prefecture, and it was also the first military and civil prefecture to appear in the Northeast.

In the Ming Dynasty, there were numerous military and civil offices, Xuanwei offices, Xuanfu offices, and Zhaotao offices, most of which were distributed in the southwest.

All the military and civil offices established during the Hongwu period were run by local chieftains.

But those newly established during the Jiajing and Wanli periods were not Tusi. All those who removed the title of Junminfu were accompanied by the reform of Tusi.

The Xuanwei Si, Xuanfu Si, Zhaotao Si and the remaining Tusi-type military and civil offices were originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War, but are now naturally under the jurisdiction of the Privy Council.

The military and civil offices that send officials to govern are different, so Wei Yunzhong will still be a civil official outside the Privy Council.

In order to facilitate his coordination of the newly established garrison troops, Wei Yunzhong was given two additional titles: Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Works and Chief Censor of the Censorate, and was also appointed Governor-General of Liaoyuan.

Additional official titles come with additional salaries, so Wei Yunzhong already had a third-rank title, a fourth-rank official position, and the authority of a governor.

This is because the Liaoyuan Military and Civilian Government will continue to expand.

Zhu Changluo also looked at Wei Yunzhong.

When he first passed the imperial examination, Wei Yunzhong was just 21 years old and was in high spirits.

In the Zanhua Gallery, Zhu Changluo was able to come into contact with the emperor from time to time, and he was slowly changing him invisibly.

Wei Yunzhong is not yet thirty, young and strong. His rank has risen so fast, and he will go to the Northeast to prove himself next.

He's going to be there for a long time.

Zhu Changluo was not afraid of him forming too deep a relationship with the families of Shanxi who had migrated there. For the Ming Dynasty, the emergence of a large Han clan whose interests were deeply tied to the local people in the original territory of the Jurchens was a good thing in the long run.

Zhu Changluo was speaking to other people when he said that just now.

"According to the convention, only those who have been promoted to the fourth rank or above can enter the Tongzheng Academy for further study, but you are different." Zhu Changluo looked at them one by one, "I have ordered the Hanlin Academy to search for old archives from the Yongle and Xuande periods. You have all heard the story of Jiaozhi. The Northeast is bitterly cold, and Jiaozhi is hot and humid. Officials would like to stay in a comfortable place. This is human nature."

The main hall of Hongqing Palace is now a school, and some people present did sigh silently in their hearts.

In the past, this would have been considered exile.

"But I have ordered you all to come for further studies, and especially to come when you register and graduate, just to let you know: I want to remember each of your names, and I will pay attention to each of your merits and demerits. Everyone who goes to Liaoyuan has a title that is one rank higher than their actual position. I hope you can work there for a few years with peace of mind, and you will all be given important positions after passing the exams!"

Therefore, among these officials who may have only been promoted to the fifth or sixth rank but are able to stay here to attend classes, many still have expectations.

At present, Liaodong is a border town, not a province.

But judging from their additional titles, Liaodong will probably have to move its border towns out of the city in the future and become a province sooner or later.

The level has gone up, which is progress to some extent, but it’s not complete in one step.

Zhu Changluo continued to instruct them: "After you go there, remember three important things. First, repair the road, second, develop culture and education, and third, develop industry. I don't plan to build another border wall outside there, as it is connected to the Jurchens and even the Tatars on both sides. If the Jurchens in Liaoyuan feel worse than before, they will naturally surrender to our people. On the contrary, they were abandoned first, and their lives are getting better and better, so many other Jurchens will come to surrender."

"As for safety, you don't have to worry too much. The Privy Council has made proper arrangements. The Wild Jurchens are already weak, and the Jianzhou tribe is eyeing them covetously. You can exchange what you have with the Wild Jurchens in Liaoyuan, and they will make their own choices. As for the Yehe tribe, there is no need to worry. The Tatars have their own army guarding that direction."

On this day, Zhu Changluo spent his time here.

Not only did he constantly explain his ideas to them, but he also put forward some clear requirements.

Of course, the more the emperor celebrated the New Year with them and showed that he valued the Liaoyuan Military and Civilian Government, the more motivated they would be.

Even if only temporarily.

The accurate information from Liaodong has not yet been transmitted back, but the will of the Ming Dynasty must be implemented.

At least the previous practices of the Jianzhou and Yehe tribes had been reported back, and the Ming Dynasty was also aware of it.

It was only after nightfall that Zhu Changluo returned to the Forbidden City.

Seven years.

It is said that after seven years, one should feel itchy, and Zhu Changluo is already thirsty.

For nearly seven and a half years, Tian Le had been like a stabilizing force for him, constantly planning and accumulating strength in the Privy Council.

As for domestic affairs, Tian Le only supported Zhu Changluo with the power of the army and let Zhu Changluo do a few small things.

It was nothing more than strict preferential exemption, nothing more than encouraging industry and commerce through the promotion of Changminghao and Zongminghao and expanding commercial taxes, nothing more than improving the information transmission and basic transportation conditions of the Ming Dynasty through the post station system and road and bridge affairs, and then rectifying the officialdom and academic style through many means such as the Imperial College, the Academic Record Inspection, and the Inspection Office. But with the foundation of the huge Ming Dynasty, this was enough, at least for Jianzhou, which had not yet become a complete Jurchen.

So after seven years, Zhu Changluo could finally begin to truly build his own achievements and establish his true prestige.

Relying on imperial power to suppress is never as good as actually bringing greater territory and benefits to the country through war.

Everyone knows how much money can be saved if the nine borders of the Ming Dynasty no longer have such strong border defense pressure, but this has never been done.

Especially after the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Tumu, the expenditures of border towns became increasingly high.

In the past, talking about eliminating the threat from the north was almost like a fantasy, let alone being able to reach a consensus and even have hope of succeeding?

This is the only way to reflect the emperor's true ability and establish real prestige.

In front of Guo Lanzhi, Zhu Changluo revealed his true feelings again.

“Next year is really important.”

"I don't understand military affairs, but I believe in your majesty. Your majesty is blessed with great fortune and is blessed by gods, Buddhas, and saints."

Guo Lanzhi served as the queen steadily and raised the eldest son of the Ming Dynasty.

Everything was going exceptionally well for her.

Although she developed a cold and cautious personality due to family reasons when she was a girl, after entering the palace, she did not expect to have such a close friendship with the emperor.

The emperor was willing to talk to her about some important military and national affairs. Guo Lanzhi just listened, because the emperor also said that he was just sorting out his thoughts and was actually confident in his heart.

It doesn't matter how much truth or falsehood it is. Guo Lanzhi only knows that this is the emperor's way of making her feel at ease, and that is enough.

"Blessing from the saints?" Zhu Changluo sighed, "That's right. I have been patient for so many years, and it is not easy to wait for this opportunity. The leader of the Khanate has just grown up and wants to take power, the Haixi tribes are in danger, Jianzhou has not yet become powerful, and civil unrest has broken out in Korea."

These are all external factors. Although there are reasons that he has secretly laid out for the internal conflicts in North Korea, they have intensified so violently.

However, Zhu Changluo did try his best to seize this opportunity.

At least you have to have the capital to fight, right?

The army, military preparations, financial planning... and most importantly, talent.

People like Yuan Keli and Xiong Tingbi have truly reached their prime, Li Chengliang's "nuclear deterrence" is still there, Tian Le is a top-notch pragmatic minister, Ma Gui, Liu Jing, Dayun, Xiao Ruxun and others can all fight, and there are even people like Yu Zigao and Qin Liangyu who can be used by him in an unconventional way.

Zhu Changluo then laughed: "I always feel better when I talk to you, maybe because you always think I am capable."

"Your Majesty is certainly capable." Guo Lanzhi glanced at him, seeming to want to say something but stopping herself.

"What do you want to ask?"

"...Yehenala." Guo Lanzhi said, "I know she is related to the military and national affairs, but I always feel uneasy when I hear those rumors..."

"What's the rumor about the rise and fall of the world?"

"That's right. I went to pay my respects to the Empress Dowager and saw that she was suffering a lot. Your Majesty approved the tribute from the Yehe tribe, but also made her suffer in the palace to temper her character. I am worried that she will harbor resentment in the future. Your Majesty is blessed with great fortune, so he will not respond to the rumors of the destruction of the world. If you respond to the other side, I think it is better...why not accept it?"

Zhu Changluo was a little surprised. He didn't expect Guo Lanzhi to make such a proposal.

"You seem to have great faith in my fate." Zhu Changluo teased.

"Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven! I am just thinking privately. Since Your Majesty wants to use the Yehe tribe, you might as well show your grace. In this palace, she is like water without a source, and I can naturally control her. On the contrary, she is now nameless and without status. If I pay attention to her merits and demerits, wouldn't it be lowering my status?"

Zhu Changluo looked at her quietly for a while, and nodded after a long time: "I understand. But this matter is not urgent, I still have some considerations at the moment."

After chatting with her in Kunning Palace and paying some attention to Zhu Youjian's studies, Zhu Changluo went to the palace of Concubine Shu, Fan Sirong.

Nurhaci's fourth daughter, Mukushi, was trained by her here.

Fan Sirong was more calm and clear-minded, and she certainly understood the emperor's intentions.

After the clouds and rain stopped on the bed, Zhu Changluo asked a question.

"I'm very frightened and timid." Fan Sirong replied.

"Continue teaching the rules first." Zhu Changluo ordered, and then asked, "Does Ling'er like playing with her?"

"…It's my fault. I don't know why, but this child is naughty and curious, which is unlike me."

"Then it's like me." Zhu Changluo laughed.

Actually, it’s not surprising, since he is a foreigner and not too old.

Zhu Changluo slowly fell asleep while thinking aimlessly about future possibilities.

Just spend this new year in peace.

We will eventually find out how far we can achieve in the eighth year of Taichang.

(End of this chapter)