Huangming

Chapter 175 Jade Seal's Hidden Meaning, Northern Desert Alliance

West Garden.

The atmosphere inside the training ground was tense and tense.

Zhu Youxiao sat upright on the high throne, his eyes piercing as he reviewed the military drills of the nobles' troops.

General Qi Jin personally instructed him on the essentials of military strategy, while Commander Zhang Zhiji supervised the training on the battlefield. His orders were strictly enforced, demonstrating the demeanor of a general.

Compared to twenty days ago, the military drills of these sons of nobles have greatly improved.

Recalling when they first joined the army last year, these pampered young men were still fair-skinned and delicate, with the air of young ladies; but now, after two months of rigorous training, everyone's face is weathered, their muscles and bones are like iron, and their shouts reveal the spirit of valiant warriors.

"kill!"

The shouts of the three armies shook the woods, and the sounds of clashing swords and galloping horses echoed throughout the western garden.

Putting aside their combat capabilities, their mere presence alone is enough to deter anyone from underestimating them.

We'll have to see how strong they are when they clash with the Beijing garrison ten days from now.

"Your Majesty."

Wei Chao appeared from the side, smiling, and said, "Zhang Jingshi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, requests an audience."

Zhu Youxiao turned his head and asked, "What is it?"

Wei Chao immediately said, "Your Majesty, it concerns the alliance with Ligdan Khan."

Zhu Youxiao's eyes lit up, and he said, "Send him to see me immediately!"

Ligdan Khan's envoy, Guiying, had been in the capital for several days, discussing the alliance with the Ministry of War.

The two sides had a lot of disputes and had not been able to reach an alliance agreement. Zhang Jingshi came to visit today. Could it be that there has been a result?
Zhang Jingshi arrived soon after.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhang Jingshi, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, respectfully wish Your Majesty a long and peaceful life!"

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said, "I am well, get up."

The eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs brought Zhang Jingshi a round-backed chair. The old vice minister slowly sat down on one side and said, "I have come today to report on the matter of discussing the alliance with the envoy of Ligdan Khan."

"Oh? So the alliance has been formed?"

Zhang Jingshi shook his head and said, "The alliance was not reached. Your Majesty just asked our Great Ming to provide a large amount of grain, cotton clothing, gunpowder, and ironware, but the promises you made were not credible, so the negotiations were put on hold."

Zhu Youxiao frowned slightly, tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest of the throne, and said in a deep voice, "Ligdan Khan has a good plan. Do you think our Great Ming's resources are given away for nothing? If he truly wants to form an alliance, he should treat us with sincerity, not be so greedy."

Zhang Jingshi bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise. Guiying just proposed that if the Ming Dynasty does not agree to these conditions, they will secretly communicate with the Jurchens. Such coercion is not the behavior of an ally."

Non-my family, its heart must be different.

There's a real chance that if you form an alliance with this Lindan Khan and offer him benefits, there's a very high probability that it's like throwing good money after bad, with nothing to show for it.

Zhu Youxiao's gaze was calm as he slowly said, "Minister Zhang, please convey to Guiyingqia that the Great Ming Dynasty is willing to open trade with Ligdan Khan and treat him with sincerity. They want grain, cotton clothing, gunpowder, and ironware, which is fine, but our Great Ming Dynasty also needs warhorses, cattle, and sheep to strengthen our border defenses. Since my ascension to the throne, I have always kept my word and never engaged in deception like Li Chengliang did. Both sides can start with trade to build trust, and when the time is right, we can discuss a deeper alliance."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingshi pondered for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, “Your Majesty is wise! This arrangement neither diminishes the majesty of our Great Ming nor fails to test the sincerity of Ligdan Khan. Your subject will certainly convey Your Majesty’s will truthfully.”

Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly and said, "The trade market can be set up in Datong, Xuanfu, or Liaodong. It should be strictly supervised by the Imperial Stud and the border troops to prevent unscrupulous merchants from engaging in fraud and to prevent Jurchen spies from infiltrating. If Ligdan Khan is truly committed to forming an alliance, he should restrain his people from harassing the border residents; otherwise, the trade market should be suspended immediately."

Zhang Jingshi solemnly replied, "Your subject understands, and will certainly discuss the advantages and disadvantages with you, Your Excellency."

Zhu Youxiao turned his gaze to the drill ground and saw the imposing formation of the noble camp. He smiled slightly and said, "Tell him that our Great Ming is now strong and powerful, and we are not afraid of any threat. However, we are also willing to work with those who are sincere to seek peace. If Ligdan Khan is sensible, he should cherish this opportunity."

Zhang Jingshi rose and bowed, saying, "Your subject takes his leave and will proceed immediately."

At this stage, it is unrealistic to reach all agreements with Ligdan Khan at once.

Start with the economy, then move to the military, proceeding step by step.

At a certain point, the two sides could even send troops to support each other.

In short, Ligdan Khan still needs to be supported. If we just sit and wait for him to be destroyed by the Jurchens, the pressure on the Ming Dynasty in Liaodong will increase many times over.

However, there should be limits to support; it shouldn't be a case of getting something for nothing.

Although the Ming Dynasty was willing to help them resist the invaders with money and grain, it was not in the same way as the Song Dynasty's annual tribute system. It would not allow them to take advantage of the favor and become arrogant and push their luck!
The Ming Dynasty is currently short of horses. If we could exchange tens of thousands of warhorses with Ligdan Khan, it would alleviate our immediate crisis.

After all, reforming the Taipusi horse administration is not something that can be accomplished overnight. Even if all the regulations are implemented, it will take several years for the breeding of warhorses to show results.

However, the military situation on the nine borders is currently dire, with the Jurchen cavalry eyeing the frontier with predatory intent. What the Ming Dynasty lacks most is elite cavalry that can immediately charge across the battlefield.

After Zhang Jingshi left, Wang Tiqian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, came to pay his respects again.

"This servant, Wang Tiqian, greets Your Majesty."

Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly, his gaze still fixed on the military formations training in the drill ground, but he asked, "Wang Tiqian, how are the preparations for reopening the Western Investigation Depot that I instructed you to do a few days ago?"

Wang Tiqian, who was standing to the side, immediately bowed and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, this servant has already selected a group of shrewd and capable people from the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Eastern Depot. They are all experienced and loyal. Now everything is ready, and we are just waiting for Your Majesty's decree to restart the Western Investigation Depot."

Zhu Youxiao raised the corners of his mouth slightly and said calmly, "Good. This matter should be handled sooner rather than later. Tomorrow, you shall draft a secret edict, under the pretext of investigating the military situation in the border towns, to secretly restart the Western Depot. Remember, the selection of personnel must be very careful. I want people who can get things done, not useless people who only know how to flatter."

Wang Tiqian quickly replied, "This servant understands and will certainly conduct a rigorous selection process to ensure Your Majesty is not disappointed."

Zhu Youxiao did not issue an official decree to reopen the Western Depot for the time being.

The reason is also very simple.

Officials feared the Western Depot like a tiger.

The story of the Western Depot begins in the mid-Ming Dynasty.

The Chenghua Emperor realized that the power of eunuchs was growing and that internal struggles within the court were constant, so he had to find a way to strengthen control over powerful officials.

Therefore, he decided to establish a secret service agency—the Western Depot.

The establishment of this agency was like giving the emperor a "secret weapon," providing him with an extra layer of protection in the power struggle. The operating mechanism of the Western Depot could be described as "mysterious and unpredictable."

It is responsible not only for investigating and arresting officials suspected of treason, but also for intelligence gathering and suppressing political dissent.

Imagine that the agents of the Western Depot were like secret "007s," lurking in every corner of the palace, ready to act at any time.

They ensured the emperor's absolute control through eavesdropping, surveillance, and even assassination.

The officials of the imperial court were walking on a knife's edge, fearing that they might be spotted by the secret agents of the Western Depot if they were not careful.

What you say to whom today may become the talk of the town tomorrow.

The atmosphere of terror was so intense that it was suffocating, and even the most loyal officials had to tread carefully.

Because the Western Depot acted too brutally, it aroused strong dissatisfaction from both the court and the public, and was therefore abolished after only five months of operation.

However, the West Depot was re-established several times, but was finally abolished in the fifth year of the Zhengde reign.

Zhu Youxiao's reopening of the Western Depot was clearly something that the officials did not want to see.

Once the imperial edict is issued, dissenting memorials will inevitably rain down upon the emperor.

Zhu Youxiao decided to cook the raw rice into cooked rice first.

"What difficulties have you encountered in restarting the Western Depot? How can I provide support?"

Wang Tiqian bowed even lower and cautiously replied, "Your Majesty, the main difficulties lie in three areas. First, the Western Depot has been abolished for over a hundred years, and its old records have been lost. I need to retrieve the espionage regulations from the Chenghua and Zhengde eras from the Northern Garrison of the Embroidered Uniform Guard for reference. Second, the intelligence network in the border towns needs to be rebuilt, and currently we lack translators proficient in Mongolian and Manchu languages. Third..."

He hesitated for a moment, then said, "If we don't use the imperial treasury, I'm afraid it will be difficult to cover the costs of rewarding spies and bribing informants."

"I grant you permission to access the secret files within the Forbidden City."

Zhu Youxiao raised his hand, signaling the attending eunuch to bring the gilded token.

"With this item, one can enter the storeroom of the Directorate of Ceremonial Affairs. The 'Regulations of the Western Depot' established by Wang Zhi during the Chenghua era should still exist. As for the translators, let the Ministry of Rites select twenty students from the Four Barbarian Institute who are fluent in foreign languages, and say that they are for the purpose of preparing for the Ligdan Khan trade."

Wang Tiqian accepted the token with both hands, and then heard the emperor continue: "Regarding the matter of money and grain, first allocate 30,000 taels from the surplus of the Eastern Depot, and I will then order the Imperial Horse Administration to take 20% of the profits from the warhorse trade. Remember, within three months, I want to see that the generals of the Xuanda border towns know exactly which concubine they sleep with every night."

"My slave understands!"

The emperor's support stirred Wang Tiqian's heart, but he also had other concerns.

Wang Tiqian touched the ground with his forehead, hesitated for a moment, and then gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, I have another matter. If the Six Ministries investigate the accounts, how should the Western Investigation Bureau respond?"

Zhu Youxiao, with a serious expression, said: "The reopening of the Western Depot is my family matter! Let those upright officials keep an eye on the rats in the Taicang Treasury!"

He turned to look at Wang Tiqian, who was kneeling on the ground, and said:

"Wang Tiqian, after the Western Depot is reopened, what I want you to do is not just keep an eye on the nine borders."

The implication is obvious.

He entrusted the Western Investigation Bureau with important responsibilities, which naturally gave it more power.

Wang Tiqian clearly understood. He bowed even lower, held his breath, and said, "Please give your instructions, Your Majesty."

"Shaanxi and Shanxi."

The emperor slowly uttered the two place names, a cold glint in his eyes, and said, "These two places have suffered from continuous natural disasters in recent years, and refugees are everywhere. I have heard that many local officials have concealed the extent of the disasters and lined their own pockets. Send capable men to infiltrate the ranks of the refugees and find out for me exactly who is profiting from the suffering of the refugees!"

"In addition, regarding my promotion of crops such as sweet potatoes and corn, as well as drought relief preparations, you must thoroughly investigate which local officials are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, or who are perfunctory and irresponsible."

"The servant understands."

Wang Tiqian's forehead was beaded with sweat, but his words were resolute.

“The Shaanxi Three Border Governor’s Office, the Shanxi Provincial Administration Commission, and the Servant Association each dispatched a group of undercover agents to infiltrate under the guise of merchants and vagrants.”

Zhu Youxiao nodded slightly and continued, "As for Jiangnan, Suzhou, Songjiang, Changzhou and Zhenjiang are the wealthiest places in the world. However, the people of Donglin Academy consider themselves to be upright and honest, but in secret they are colluding with salt merchants and pirates. I have given you 20,000 men to ensure that every merchant ship that goes out to sea and every secret letter exchanged is under the control of the Western Depot!"

Wang Tiqian was shocked. Twenty thousand people!
This was far larger than the Western Depot during the Chenghua era, and even larger than the current Embroidered Uniform Guard.

He said cautiously, "Your Majesty, if we are to spread such a large net across Jiangnan, I'm afraid it will take..."

"You don't need to worry about money and supplies."

Zhu Youxiao interrupted him.

"I will allocate 500,000 taels from the Imperial Treasury and secretly order the eunuch in charge of the Nanjing garrison to assist. Remember, the gentry of Jiangnan are best at deceiving their superiors and subordinates. I want you to be like a spider weaving its web, watching every single thread of their secrets!"

Zhu Youxiao would get back double the money spent on the Western Depot from the gentry!

Salt tax, local tax, and commercial tax.
Once you've got the situation under control, getting the money is a piece of cake, right?
"This servant obeys the decree!"

Wang Tiqian prostrated himself and immediately declared, "Within three months, this servant will ensure that the magistrates of Shaanxi, the scholars of Jiangnan, and even the courtesans of the Qinhuai River become His Majesty's eyes and ears!"

Suddenly, a deafening battle cry erupted from the training ground.

"kill!"

Amidst the roar, Zhu Youxiao slowly leaned back on the dragon throne: "Go. If anyone obstructs you, I grant you permission to act first and report later."

When Wang Tiqian picked up the ivory tablet, he caught a glimpse of the four characters 'As if I were personally present' engraved on it, and his whole body trembled.

He knew that the world would soon be shrouded in an invisible net.

ps:
I have been diligent in governing day and night, personally handling important military and national affairs.

With the West Factory about to reopen and the Nine Border Trade Zones awaiting resumption, we need your support through monthly subscriptions.

All those who contribute votes will have their names recorded in the Lingyan Pavilion (on the list); subscribers will be granted the honor of walking through the Forbidden City! (Feel free to comment in the comments section)
Why don't you all hurry up and do it?
(End of this chapter)