Huangming

Chapter 381 Plotting in the Southern Capital, A Tyrant's Experience

Jiangnan was the Ming Dynasty's treasury, but at the same time, it was not directly under the jurisdiction of Beijing.

At this point, we must introduce the unique system of the Ming Dynasty: the separation of the two capitals.

In the nineteenth year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di moved the capital from Nanjing to Beijing, but did not abolish Nanjing's status as a secondary capital.

Instead, he ordered that Nanjing's entire administrative system be preserved:
From the Cabinet and the Six Ministries to the Censorate and the Court of Judicial Review, they corresponded one by one to the imperial court in Beijing, only with officials of slightly lower rank and their power spheres confined to the territory of Southern Zhili.

This vast area, encompassing present-day Jiangsu, Anhui, Shanghai, northern Zhejiang, and eastern Jiangxi, was thus separated from the direct jurisdiction of the Six Ministries in Beijing and became the "private domain" of the Nanjing imperial court.

The Nanjing Six Ministries were by no means empty "shadow agencies".

The Nanjing Ministry of Revenue was in charge of collecting land tax, grain tribute, and commercial taxes in Southern Zhili. Every year, the tax and silver ledgers of the provinces south of the Yangtze River had to be checked by the Nanjing Ministry of Revenue before it selected "major matters" to be reported to Beijing.

The Nanjing Ministry of Justice was responsible for judicial trials in Southern Zhili. If local officials caused public resentment due to tax collection, the Nanjing Ministry of Justice had to investigate first, and the Beijing Ministry of Justice was not allowed to intervene directly.

Even in the imperial examinations, the Nanjing Hanlin Academy could independently preside over the provincial examinations in Southern Zhili and select local officials.

This system is like an independent "mini-court," holding real power in the governance of the South.

In contrast, although the Six Ministries in Beijing dominated national government affairs, they were always "inadequate" in governing Southern Zhili.

According to regulations, the Ministry of Revenue in Beijing was only responsible for verifying the total tax revenue of Southern Zhili, while the specific collection process and transportation routes were all coordinated by the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing.

When the Ministry of Personnel in Beijing appointed or dismissed officials, it was necessary to first discuss the selection of local officials in Southern Zhili with the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing. If the two sides disagreed, it would often take several months to make a decision.

The only officials who could exert influence over Southern Zhili from Beijing were temporary appointees such as the governors of Yingtian and Fengyang.

Although these governors were responsible for "supervision," they had no actual administrative power and were often helpless in the face of the passive resistance from the six ministries in Nanjing.

To give an analogy, when Zhu Youxiao implemented the new policies in the north, it was as if he were renovating his own backyard. Once the decrees were issued, the border troops and local officials all obeyed them.

But when he arrived in Southern Zhili, it was as if there was a thick wall separating him from the government. If he wanted to extend his control over tax administration, he had to get past the Six Ministries in Nanjing first.

Officials in the provinces south of the Yangtze River were well aware of this:
Their direct superiors were the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, not the Ministry of Revenue in Beijing; and the opinions of the Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing were more important than those of the Ministry of Personnel in Beijing in their promotion assessments.

With this "backer," they naturally felt emboldened in the face of Beijing's calls for tax payments.

This explains why the provinces in the Jiangnan region dared to delay filing their tax returns.

The officials of the Provincial Administration Commission had already reported the amount of tax revenue to the Ministry of Revenue in Nanjing, but deliberately delayed sending it to Beijing.

Without Nanjing's tacit approval or even support, they wouldn't dare to openly defy Beijing's orders, even if they had ten times the courage.

Who is backing them up?
The answer lies hidden in the offices of the Six Ministries in Nanjing.

Most of the officials in Nanjing were from the Jiangnan region, either from local gentry families or had close ties with salt and silk merchants in Jiangnan.

The taxes collected in Jiangnan were directly related to the interests of their family and the pockets of the gentry group in Southern Zhili.

The essence of Zhu Youxiao's new policies was to break this "closed loop of local interests" and to collect more tax revenue from Jiangnan into the national treasury for use in the Liaodong war and disaster relief in the north. This naturally touched the sore spot of Nanjing gentry and officials.

They dared not openly oppose the emperor, so they exploited the loopholes in the "separate governance of the two capitals" system, using "delay" as a form of passive resistance:

The Nanjing Ministry of Revenue withheld the tax and silver ledgers from approval, giving the provinces south of the Yangtze River an excuse to "pending verification."

The Ministry of Personnel in Nanjing secretly gave instructions to local officials, who were happy to "take their time and do a good job".

To put it bluntly, this is not a simple case of "late tax filing," but rather a silent power struggle between Nanjing's interest groups and the imperial power in Beijing, leveraging the independence granted by the system.

Unfortunately, Zhu Youxiao couldn't find an excuse to deal with them.

After all, it's not the end of the year yet, and they haven't defaulted; they're just trying to sabotage him.

Whether or not he will eventually face off against her in a direct confrontation remains to be seen.

Zhu Youxiao sat in the East Warm Pavilion, having already thoroughly considered this matter.

The reason he was unwilling to send an imperial envoy to Jiangnan was that he knew that if he did not first leverage the "fulcrum" of the Six Ministries in Nanjing, even if the imperial envoy went, he would only be brushed off by Nanjing with "system procedures".

To break down Nanjing's "institutional barriers," one must first seize control of its core power hub.

This power hub is located in three key positions.

One type was the military officer in charge of Nanjing, also known as the "outer garrison commander," who concurrently led the Central Military Commission and was commanded by nobles.

The second was the Nanjing Garrison Eunuch, also known as the "Inner Garrison Eunuch," who represented imperial power to monitor officials of all ranks in Nanjing and reported directly to the emperor in secret. He was the emperor's "spies" planted in Jiangnan.

This position also represents the true power holder in Nanjing.

He was in charge of the Nanjing Imperial City, the Twenty-Four Offices, and the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum.

Controlling the seventeen guards of Nanjing (including the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Xiaoling Guard), effectively holding military power.
The third position was the Advisor on Military Affairs, a position traditionally held concurrently by the Minister of War in Nanjing. This position oversaw all military and political affairs in Southern Zhili, coordinated civil and military officials, and served as the "general coordinator" of the Nanjing administrative system.

These three entities check and balance each other, and together they constitute the core of power in Nanjing.

By controlling these three positions, one can control Nanjing and Southern Zhili.

Zhu Youxiao had already begun planning for this long ago.

Zhu Youxiao's first move was to target the "outer defense" position.

Previously, this position was held by Xu Hongji, a descendant of Xu Da, the King of Zhongshan, and the Duke of Wei.

Although this nobleman was loyal to the Ming Dynasty, he had long lived in Jiangnan and maintained close ties with the Nanjing gentry group, and his attitude toward the new policies remained ambiguous.

When sweet potato planting was promoted this year, the Nanjing Jingying garrison refused to purchase sweet potatoes on the grounds that "military rations were sufficient," which was tacitly approved by Xu Hongji.

In the first half of the year, Xu Hongji suffered a relapse of his old injury and submitted his resignation requesting retirement, but Zhu Youxiao suppressed the memorial and refused to approve it.

He was waiting for the right opportunity, an opportunity to legitimately replace his own people with his own.

Until last month, the time was finally right.

Zhu Youxiao issued an imperial edict summoning Zhang Weixian, the Duke of Yingguo, to Nanjing immediately to take over as the military officer in charge of Nanjing's defense, and at the same time granting him full authority to "rectify the Nanjing garrison".

Zhang Weixian came from the Duke of Ying's family and was known for his loyalty and integrity. He had served in the north for a long time and had little connection with the gentry in the south. More importantly, he had previously assisted in the reorganization of the Beijing garrison and knew how to eliminate the "infiltration of local forces" in the army.

When the imperial edict was issued, Zhu Youxiao specifically instructed Zhang Weixian: "The Nanjing Garrison has long been plagued by malpractices. If anyone dares to obstruct the rectification, you may execute them first and report later."

This short sentence was the imperial sword that gave Zhang Weixian the power to break through the military barriers in Jiangnan.

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Youxiao appointed him as the "Inner Defense Commander".

He recalled the former Nanjing garrison eunuch to Beijing and replaced him with his trusted eunuch Gao Qiqian.

Gao Qiqian was formerly a servant of Consort Zheng. When Consort Zheng lost power, he saw that things were not going well and decisively sided with Zhu Youxiao. He not only exposed many of Consort Zheng's conspiracy, but also did his best to confiscate the property of the eight major Shanxi merchants later.

This earned him the deep trust of Zhu Youxiao.

Zhu Youxiao had a deeper meaning in sending Gao Qiqian to Nanjing:
Gao Qiqian was knowledgeable in military affairs and could cooperate with Zhang Weixian to supervise the Beijing garrison.

He was also adept at reading people's expressions and could accurately detect any unusual movements by Nanjing officials. More importantly, he had no connections in Jiangnan and would only be loyal to the emperor.

Before his departure, Zhu Youxiao gave Gao Qiqian a secret order consisting of only eight characters: "Find out all the facts and report them truthfully."

Zhu Youxiao wanted Gao Qiqian to expose the corruption within Nanjing's officialdom.

As for Wang Zaijin, the Minister of War in Nanjing who concurrently served as "Advisor on Military Affairs," Zhu Youxiao adopted a delaying tactic.

Although Wang Zaijin was not a close confidant, he had no obvious misconduct and had served in Nanjing for many years, familiar with military and political affairs in Jiangnan. If he were to be replaced rashly, it might trigger a collective backlash from Nanjing officials.

Zhu Youxiao chose to leave him alone for the time being, but he had already secretly made his plans.

He intended for Yuan Keli to succeed him as Minister of War in Nanjing.

Yuan Keli was known for his "uprightness and integrity," and more importantly, he had no vested interests with the gentry of Jiangnan, making him an ideal candidate to implement the new policies.

Once Zhang Weixian and Gao Qiqian had established themselves in Nanjing, it was time for Wang Zaijin to be transferred to Beijing and Yuan Keli to go south.

At that time, the core of Nanjing's civil and military affairs will be entirely replaced by Zhu Youxiao's "own people".

but.

Zhu Youxiao was not blindly optimistic.

The inertia of the "separate governance of the two capitals" system is difficult to break overnight. The arrival of Zhang Weixian and Gao Qiqian may encounter covert resistance from the Jiangnan forces, and there may even be a situation of "paying lip service but acting against it."

But he had already prepared for the worst.

If the people he sends cannot solve the tax problems in Jiangnan, and if the resistance in Nanjing remains stubborn, he will personally make a southern tour once the war in Liaodong in the north has stabilized and the disaster situation in various places has eased!
He was going to make a southern tour sooner or later anyway, it's just a few years sooner.

but
Zhu Youxiao also knew that his southern tour would be opposed by the court officials.

After all, since the Yongle Emperor moved the capital, Ming emperors rarely made southern tours.

But once he made up his mind, the opposition of his ministers was useless.

By then.

He will personally go to Nanjing, which will no longer be "remote command," but rather he will directly face the gentry and officials of Jiangnan with the absolute authority of the emperor.

At that time, the so-called "institutional barriers" and "local resistance" will all crumble in the face of the emperor's personal presence.

If those powerful families who concealed tax revenue, the officials who were passive and negligent in their duties, and the Nanjing dignitaries who secretly supported them still do not repent, what awaits them will not be as simple as "impeachment by the capital inspection."

Instead, rivers of blood flowed!
Of course, Zhu Youxiao hoped that things wouldn't come to that.

If he could defeat them within the rules, Zhu Youxiao would act according to the rules.

If he cannot defeat them, this emperor will not hesitate to overturn the table when necessary.

The Celestial Master of Longhu Mountain, the Xiaoling Guard, and the Salt Tax.
One thing after another went through Zhu Youxiao's mind.

Time flies.

The light in the East Warm Pavilion gradually dimmed, and the leaden clouds outside the window pressed down lower and lower.

"Your Majesty, it is already late afternoon, time for dinner."

At this moment, Wei Chao, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, stepped forward quietly, bowed, and spoke cautiously.

Just now, when the emperor was staring at the memorial in deep thought, the solemnity between his brows made him dare not disturb him easily.

A meal was already laid out on the table, 24 dishes in total, a truly dazzling array, many of which were Zhu Youxiao's favorite dishes:

Amber-colored braised chicken with chestnuts, vibrant green stir-fried vegetables, steaming hot mutton soup, and a plate of steamed flatbread sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Looking at the food, Zhu Youxiao's stomach began to rumble.

Zhu Youxiao rubbed his temples and was about to get up to have his meal when a sudden commotion broke out outside the hall.

The chaotic footsteps, mixed with shouts from guards and gasps from eunuchs, shattered the tranquility of the Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youxiao frowned instantly, put down his chopsticks, and asked with a hint of displeasure, "What's all the commotion outside?" Just as he finished speaking, the door creaked open, and Wei Zhongxian and Wang Tiqian stumbled in, their eunuch robes damp with cold and snow, and even their hats askew.

Forgetting all etiquette, the two knelt down with a thud, their knees striking the gold bricks heavily, yet they seemed oblivious, their faces filled with barely suppressed excitement, their voices trembling:

"Your Majesty! A great victory! A great victory in Liaodong!"

"A great victory in Liaodong?"

Zhu Youxiao's displeasure vanished instantly, replaced by unbelievable joy.

He leaned forward abruptly, slammed his hands on the table, and raised his voice several decibels: "Quickly! Bring up the report!"

Wei Zhongxian quickly crawled a few steps on his knees and raised the victory report high with both hands.

It was an urgent report delivered by the fastest postal station, covering 800 li. The envelope was stamped with the wax seal of "Liaodong Governor's Office". The corners were worn from the long journey, but this did not affect its weight at all.

Zhu Youxiao reached out and took it.

He unwrapped the sealing wax, unfolded the report, and quickly scanned the words on it. At first, he was a little anxious, but the more he read, the brighter his eyes became, and an uncontrollable smile gradually appeared on his lips.

"Good good!"

Three consecutive "good"s came from his mouth, his voice filled with ecstasy. He even couldn't help but raise his hand and slap the table, causing the sauce in the dish to splash out.

"Slay Nurhaci! Defeat Fushun! Defeat the main force of the Jurchens in the Red River Valley! Zhu Wanliang, well done! Xiong Tingbi, well done!"

Every word in the report filled Zhu Youxiao with ecstasy.

The Ming army in Liaodong not only captured Fushun, a city that had been occupied by the Jurchens for a long time, but also defeated the main force of the Jurchens in the Red River Valley. Most importantly...
Nurhaci, the Jurchen chieftain who had wreaked havoc in Liaodong since the end of the Wanli era and caused the Ming Dynasty to suffer repeated defeats, was actually beheaded by General Zhu Wanliang outside Hetu Ala!
This good news is of great significance.

This means that the Jurchen threat that had plagued the Ming Dynasty for nearly a decade has finally been severely suppressed.

This meant that the battle situation in Liaodong was completely reversed from this moment on.

This also means that all his efforts in implementing new policies, reorganizing the border troops, and winning over the Mongol tribes have yielded the richest returns.

Zhu Youxiao clutched the report tightly in his hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

He stood up and paced back and forth in the pavilion, already planning the aftermath of this great victory.

With this victory, the voices in the court opposing the new policies and impeaching him for "violating ancestral rules" will fall silent.

Previously, when he brought Mongolian women into the palace, court officials said he was "violating ancestral rules."

He was accused of "recklessly altering agricultural policies" by promoting sweet potato cultivation.

He reorganized the border troops, saying he "treated his soldiers harshly."

But now?

He "broke the ancestral rules," but in return, he won a great victory in Liaodong and eliminated Nurhaci, a major threat to his cause!
What does this mean?
This shows that those rigid ancestral systems are no longer suitable for the present-day Ming Dynasty.

This shows that his new policies are the right way to save the Ming Dynasty!

As long as we keep winning and continue to produce tangible achievements, what can anyone do if they bring up "ancestral rules" again?

Merit is the best reason, and victory is the strongest source of confidence.

Next, he can take advantage of this momentum to further promote tax reform in Jiangnan and completely control Nanjing.

We can use this great victory to continue implementing the new policies!

"Wei Zhongxian!"

Zhu Youxiao stopped and looked sharply at Wei Zhongxian, who was kneeling on the ground.

"Immediately make several copies of the victory report and send them by fast horse to the Grand Secretariat, the Six Ministries, and the Censorate, so that all the civil and military officials know that our Ming soldiers have killed Nurhaci and reversed the decline in Liaodong!"

"The slaves obey the orders!"

Wei Zhongxian quickly agreed, and staggered slightly as he stood up, but still hurried out, afraid of delaying even a moment.

Wang Tiqian also quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, such a great victory should be announced to the world to reassure the people! This servant will go and convey the imperial decree to have the Imperial Observatory choose a day to offer sacrifices to Heaven and comfort our ancestors!"

Zhu Youxiao nodded.

He continued, "Today is a day of great joy. Rewards will be given to everyone in the palace and to all the officials in the capital!"

"Furthermore, since the start of the campaign in Liaodong, many border generals have been defeated and killed, and only now has this great victory been achieved. Nurhaci instigated rebellion for more than ten years, ravaging Liaodong, and now he has been executed, and the border troubles have been somewhat relieved. The court is summoned to discuss and commend the merits of the Liaodong soldiers, and it is planned that rewards will be given after verification and approval!"

Upon seeing this, Wei Chao quickly accepted the order.

"I'll do it right away!"

The two men beat us to the gun when we reported the victory earlier, so we've already lost the initiative. Now, we have to do the job of copying the victory report and announcing it to the world. We can't afford to fall behind again.

He had just bowed to accept Zhu Youxiao's instructions and turned to leave when the emperor called out softly, stopping him in his tracks.

"Wei Dadang, wait a moment."

Zhu Youxiao's voice no longer held the ecstatic joy he had when he saw the victory report; instead, it carried a lazy relaxation, as if a taut string had finally been released.

Wei Chao paused, then quickly turned around, bowing deeply with his head lowered, his posture even more respectful than before: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"

He glanced at the emperor out of the corner of his eye and saw Zhu Youxiao leaning back on the throne with a faint smile on his lips. His expression was one of ease he had never shown since he had been planning for Jiangnan and worrying about Liaodong in recent days.

"Dinner will be served at Chuxiu Palace instead."

Zhu Youxiao spoke casually.

"Chuxiu Palace?"

Wei Chao was taken aback for a moment, his pupils contracted slightly, and then he instantly realized what was happening.

The Chuxiu Palace is currently occupied by three noble ladies sent by the Khorchin tribe: Zhe Zhe, Hailanzhu, and the young but bright-eyed Benbutai.

Since they entered the palace, although the emperor allowed them to live in Chuxiu Palace, he never set foot there. Even the daily rewards were given according to the rules, and there was never any special favor.

At that time, Wei Chao privately pondered that the emperor was concerned about the controversy in the court caused by "taking a foreign woman" and did not want to give others a handle to use against him. But now it seems that it was not that the emperor was unwilling, but that he was just waiting for an opportunity.

Now that the Liaodong victory has been a great success and Nurhaci has been beheaded, the biggest weight on the Emperor's heart has been lifted. The confidence brought by this great victory has finally allowed him to let go of his deliberate restraint.

"Yes! This servant will go to Chuxiu Palace to convey the imperial decree, instructing the palace servants to prepare dinner and to invite the three noble ladies to freshen up and await His Majesty's arrival!"

Wei Chao quickly agreed, his voice carrying a touch of appropriate eagerness, and his steps were much lighter as he turned around.

Being able to do this "pleasant job" for the emperor can be considered a way to make up for the regret of having my credit stolen before.

Zhu Youxiao watched Wei Chao's hurried departure, then slowly leaned towards the throne, his fingertips tapping lightly on the armrest. The sharpness of an emperor gradually faded from his eyes, replaced by a touch of human detachment.

He's been living a very "tense" life these days.

For the sake of the Liaodong war, he worked day and night, calculating supplies, allocating troops, and dealing with both open and covert attacks in the imperial court.

To ensure the implementation of the new policy, he endured the stigma of "violating ancestral rules" and shouldered all the pressure.

Even the entry of Nakorchin women into the palace was to win over the Mongol tribes and pave the way for the Liaodong war. From beginning to end, it was all driven by the calculation of "imperial power" and had no trace of "willfulness" of their own.

But it's different now.

Good news came from Liaodong: the Tungus wild boar had been killed, and the situation in Liaodong had been completely reversed.

Those courtiers who had criticized him will soon be speechless at the news of victory.

This emperor, relying on his new policies that "did not follow ancestral rules" and his strategy of "marrying into foreign tribes," won this crucial battle concerning the survival of the Ming Dynasty.

Why can't he indulge himself just once?
The reason the Mongolian woman in the Chuxiu Palace was not to move was that she did not want to give the court officials any more reason to attack him while the war situation was still uncertain.

But now that he has won a great victory and his achievements are obvious, who can stop him from doing whatever he wants?

"These women, can't I have my way with them?"

He grinned and chuckled.

"You won't let me play, but I'll play anyway, and I'll play to my heart's content!"

He slept with three women in one night!

It was specifically designed to make those scholar-officials furious!

He was actually looking forward to seeing those pedantic scholars trying to advise him, yet also looking heartbroken and anxious!
One by one, they criticized him based on the teachings of sages and ancestral precepts.

snort!
You old fogies, it's time for a change.

A domineering air of looking down upon the world appeared on Zhu Youxiao's face.

I am the Emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty, the Emperor who turned the tide in Liaodong and changed the fate of the Great Ming Dynasty. It is only natural for me to enjoy the "reward" brought by this victory.

He even deliberately wanted to experience what it was like to be a "tyrant" in the eyes of others.

It's not that I'm truly indulging in alcohol and women, but rather that I want to use this indulgence to tell everyone:

This emperor possessed both the ability to strategize and quell external threats, and the power to act arbitrarily and control his own life.

All those constraints and the criticisms of courtiers should be forgotten in the face of absolute victory.

He was the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, the master of the Ming Dynasty!

Those formalities are meant to restrain mediocre rulers, not to bind wise and capable rulers like myself!

Those ministers who fantasize about establishing a 'constitutional monarchy' in the Ming Dynasty and want the emperor to rule from behind the curtain can give up on that idea.

He, Zhu Youxiao, will become the most centralized monarch in history!
Only centralized monarchical power can save the Ming Dynasty.

He will break through the rules that were previously inviolable one by one!

He kicked the pedantic Confucian scholars embroiled in factional strife and punched the wild boar skin of Jianzhou.

He has already accomplished most of the goal he set on the first day after he transmigrated.

Reforms and reforms eradicated deep-seated problems; opening up the seas and colonizing the world spread Chinese methods.

However, we still need to work on this.

but.
There is still a long time ahead, and he will eventually accomplish these things!

PS:

The extra chapter will be late, so don't wait. I suggest you read it when you wake up tomorrow!
(End of this chapter)