Huangming

Chapter 415 The Chieftain's Borders Collapse, Uprising in the Nine Garrisons

In March of the second year of the Tianqi reign (1623), temperatures in Liaodong had already risen and warmed up.

But as for whether spring has arrived, it hasn't.

It's even snowing in Hetu Ala.

This is the unique "peach blossom snow" of Liaodong. It is already the season when grass grows and orioles fly in Jiangnan, but here the cold snow is still falling and can cover your shoulders.

now.

In a side hall of the Jin Dynasty's palace, Huang Taiji, dressed in a black leather robe, stood with his hands behind his back in front of a map, his brows furrowed into a deep frown.

"Bring the people up."

His voice was not loud, and the guards outside the hall responded and quickly brought in a trembling figure.

It was Chen Chun, a centurion who had fled from Shenyang.

Chen Chun's armor was tattered and dirty, with mud and snow clinging to the plates. His hair was disheveled and stuck to his forehead. As soon as he entered the palace, he knelt down with a thud, his knees hitting the blue bricks with a dull thud. Then he began to kowtow repeatedly.

"Your humble servant Chen Chun greets the Great Khan! I beg the Great Khan to take me in!"

Huang Taiji slowly turned around, his gaze falling on the trembling figure behind him, his tone devoid of emotion:

"Get up and answer. What is the situation in Shenyang?"

Only then did Chen Chun dare to raise his head, his face still showing signs of shock.

"Great Khan, it's all over!"
Almost all the officials in Shenyang have been arrested by Xiong Tingbi!
I happened to be on duty outside the city when I heard my brothers saying they were going to investigate corruption. I also saw the Imperial Guards checking people at the city gate, so I took advantage of the chaos to sneak out of the city and ran all the way here...

The other brothers were either captured before they could react, or they tried to resist but were trapped in their homes by soldiers who had been lying in ambush, without even a chance to fight back!

He swallowed hard, and recalling the chaos of the time, a hint of fear crept into his eyes.
"That scoundrel Xiong Tingbi is quick and ruthless!"
I heard that he checked the accounts two months in advance and found out exactly who embezzled how much military rations and who hid how much stolen silver.

On the day the operation began, the city gates and military camps were all sealed off; no one could escape!

"So, Liaodong won't descend into chaos?"

A hint of disappointment finally crept into Huang Taiji's voice.

He had originally hoped that Zhang Bingyi's mutiny would disrupt Liaodong and that these escaped Ming officials would bring news of "great chaos," but he never expected that Xiong Tingbi would control the situation so tightly.

"Yes, it's not going to be chaotic anymore!"

Chen Chun nodded quickly, his tone tinged with helplessness.

"It's mainly the lower-ranking soldiers who are now getting paid and having food to eat, so they don't have much resentment at all!"

If this had happened a year or so ago, and Xiong Tingbi had dared to arrest people like this, the soldiers would have rebelled long ago!
But now...

Nobody's making a fuss!

"More than a year ago..."

Huang Taiji repeated these words in a low voice, his gaze drifting to the wind and snow outside the window, as if lost in memories.

More than a year ago, his father Nurhaci was still alive, and the Jin Dynasty still held the two important towns of Kaiyuan and Tieling. They could send troops to plunder villages in Liaodong from time to time. At that time, the Ming army was even short of troops to guard the city gates.

But now, with the Khan dead and Kaiyuan and Tieling lost, the Great Jin can only cower in Hetu Ala, and dare not even approach Fushun Pass easily.

The changes over the past year or so have been so rapid that they caught him somewhat off guard.

He withdrew his gaze and looked back at Chen Chun, his tone becoming even more somber:

"You've been in Shenyang for so long, haven't you heard any useful intelligence?"
For example, Xiong Tingbi's troop deployment, or the Ming army's grain storage locations?

Upon hearing this, Chen Chun's face immediately showed embarrassment, and he lowered his head even further.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! My garrison is located outside Shenyang, and it's not even close to the front lines..."

Moreover, after Xiong Tingbi arrested us, he changed the garrison that very day, transferring all the troops from the outer city to the inner city. The newly sent troops were all unfamiliar faces, and this servant had no idea about their backgrounds..."

After talking for so long, not a single piece of useful information was obtained.

Huang Taiji's brows furrowed even more, and his disappointment was almost palpable.

He had thought these deserters would provide some information about the Ming army's strengths and weaknesses, but they turned out to be nothing but incompetent fools who only knew how to be corrupt and couldn't even get any military intelligence.

But he suppressed his impatience and softened his tone:

"Alright, you did escape from Shenyang, so you know a bit about the Ming people's strengths and weaknesses."

"Go down. Those surrendered people who fled from Shenyang and Liaoyang will all be under your command. Organize them into a Han army Niru, and you will be the Niru Ejen."

Chen Chun suddenly raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

He originally thought he was just a deserter and that he would be lucky to save his life. He never expected that Huang Taiji would give him an official position!

He quickly kowtowed several more times, leaving red marks on his forehead, and his voice became distorted with excitement:
"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for your grace! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

If that scoundrel Xiong Tingbi dares to lead his army to attack, I will risk my life to kill him for the Great Khan!

We will certainly not betray the Khan's trust!

Huang Taiji looked at his obsequious manner with a hint of disdain in his eyes, but still spoke calmly:
"Very good. This is the kind of spirit I want from you. Go down and keep those surrendered people in check, don't let them cause trouble."

"Yes! I obey your command!"

Chen Chun kowtowed again before carefully getting up and walking backward out of the palace gate, his steps much lighter than when he came.

After Zhang Chun hunched over and left the side hall, the hall door creaked shut, and the forced calm on Huang Taiji's face finally shattered completely.

"Humph!"

He first gave a cold snort.

Then he clenched his right fist tightly.

His composure in front of the surrendered soldiers had now turned into barely suppressed agitation.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

Huang Taiji cursed under his breath, pacing back and forth on the animal-hide-covered ground, his boots crunching over scattered charcoal ash, leaving messy marks.

He originally thought that Xiong Tingbi's purge of corruption in Liaodong would surely provoke a backlash from those corrupt officials, and even if it didn't cause chaos, it would at least cause a large number of officials to flee.

At that time, he could not only gather these people who were familiar with the defense of Liaodong, but also extract information about the Ming army's deployment from them. He might even be able to take the opportunity to plunder southwards and replenish the Jin dynasty's already depleted granaries.

But reality dealt him a heavy blow.

Among those who fled to Hetu Ala, the highest-ranking official was only a centurion; there wasn't even a mid-level general from Shenyang Guard.

These people either only knew the trivial matters of their own garrison, or they had been transferred from key positions before Xiong Tingbi took action.

Not only did he vaguely answer questions about the number of muskets the Ming army had, and where their grain and fodder were stored, but he also gave a vague answer about who the newly appointed garrison commander of Liaoyang was.

"We can't even get a single useful piece of information out of them. What's the point of keeping these people around except to waste food?"

Huang Taiji stopped in front of the faded map of Liaodong in the hall, his eyes so sinister they seemed to drip with water.

What worried him even more was the disruption of supplies.

In the past, he relied on corrupt officials in Liaodong to sell the ginseng he collected in the mountains and the sable furs hunted by hunters to the Ming Dynasty through merchants, in exchange for grain, iron, and silk thread to repair armor.

Those daring Liaodong merchants would also secretly deliver salt and gunpowder to the Jin dynasty, making money by risking their lives.

Now, however, Xiong Tingbi has almost wiped out the corrupt elements in Liaodong. Merchants, without inside help, dare not venture north again, and Liaodong merchants are being closely watched by the Ming army.

In Dajin's granary, the grain left over from last winter is only enough to last for three months.

The blacksmith shop was long gone, and they could barely even shoe the horses of Ajige's cavalry.

The most critical issue was gunpowder; the stockpile was less than 100 jin (50 kg), not even enough to defend the walls of Hetu Ala.

"Hu~~"

Huang Taiji took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. The cold air cleared his muddled mind somewhat.

He walked to the window, pushed it open a crack, and saw that the peach blossom snow was still falling outside. The tiny snowflakes hit the window frame, making a soft "shush" sound, as if reminding him of the severity of the situation.

Don't panic. He is the Khan of the Great Jin Dynasty. The legacy left by our father, Nurhaci, cannot be destroyed in his hands.

He looked at the map again, his gaze shifting from Liaodong to the grasslands to the west.

He was pondering a way to break the deadlock.

After Ligdan Khan's defeat, the Chahar region split into two parts. Ejei was young and had Ligdan Khan's support, but Juntu Taiji also had several commanders.

And the Khorchin tribe, they're now Ming Dynasty's dogs.

but
He still has a glimmer of hope.

As long as he can stabilize Hetu Ala and send people to the grasslands to win over Ejei and Chaohua, even if he can only keep the Mongol tribes neutral, the Great Jin can still buy some breathing time.

Just as he was beginning to make some plans, hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, accompanied by a guard's announcement:

"Great Khan, Amin Beile, the banner lord of the two red banners, requests an audience!"

"Let him in!"

As soon as Huang Taiji finished speaking, Amin, covered in snow, strode in.

His face was full of anxiety, and he even forgot about etiquette, stepping forward directly and saying:

"Great Khan! Something terrible has happened! Ming scouts are starting to appear in the mountains and forests around Hetu Ala!"

"what?"

Huang Taiji suddenly looked up, and the last trace of composure on his face vanished.

He strode up to Amin, grabbed her arm, and pressed her for answers:
"Did you see clearly? They're Ming scouts? How many are there? Which direction did they go?"

"See it clearly!"

Amin was panting heavily, her voice trembling slightly.

"They were all dressed in black, carrying short guns on their backs, and riding fast horses. Three groups appeared along the Suzi River in the east of the city in the morning, and in the afternoon, someone saw them again at the mountain pass in the west of the city."

There weren't many of them, only five or six people in each group, but they kept wandering around, like they were drawing a map!

Huang Taiji's brows furrowed tightly, his heart feeling as heavy as if it were weighed down by lead.

Before the two armies clash, scouts must first go out to explore the terrain, find out the defenses of the garrison, and estimate the food and supplies reserves. Once the scouts have gathered the intelligence, the main force will advance along the route scouted by the scouts.

"Before the two armies move, the scouts must go first..."

Huang Taiji murmured to himself, his face grim.

"So, Xiong Tingbi is already prepared to take action against Hetu Ala?"

The candlelight inside the hall flickered in the wind seeping in through the window cracks, casting shadows on Huang Taiji's face and reflecting the solemnity in his eyes.

Amin stood aside, watching Dahan's silent demeanor, and dared not utter a sound.

The appearance of Ming scouts meant that the decisive battle that would determine the fate of the Jin Dynasty was not far away.

Huang Taiji's eyes sharpened again.

He looked at Amin and said, "Now that things have come to this, there's no need to back down. Take advantage of this last bit of time to build fortresses around Hetu Ala, and at the same time train soldiers in preparation for the battle after spring."

If we win, it will be a war to establish our nation.

"If we are defeated, my Great Jin will truly cease to exist."

Amin nodded.

The Great Jin Dynasty is now on the verge of collapse.

One step back means death!
They had no other choice!

Ten days later, it was late March.

Thousands of miles away, Beijing has finally shed the chill of late winter and gained a touch of spring.

The morning breeze brushes against your face, no longer stinging your cheeks like it did in the twelfth lunar month, but instead carrying a moist warmth.

but.

Although spring has been long in, Beijing has received very little rainfall. Even the moat at the foot of the Forbidden City is half a meter shallower than in previous years, exposing the pebbles at the bottom.

Even so, the fields on the outskirts of the city were already bustling with activity.

The old farmers, carrying hoes and wearing patched tunics, walked into the fields in the morning dew and bent down to break up the clods of earth.

The clods of earth were as hard as rocks, and each shovel strike sent up a spray of fine soil, yet they didn't seem to mind the hard work; sweat beaded on their foreheads, but smiles graced their lips.

"We have well water to irrigate the fields this year, so we don't have to worry about drought!"

An old farmer straightened up, wiped his sweat with his sleeve, and looked at the newly dug well by the edge of the field, his eyes filled with gratitude.

This well was dug by imperial decree last winter.

At that time, Beizhili had just suffered a winter drought, and the wheat seedlings had all withered. Zhu Youxiao urgently summoned people from the Ministry of Works and the Academy of Sciences to figure out how to dig more wells and find more water.

First, the old canals of the Yongding River and Chaobai River were dredged, and the river water was diverted to the fields on the outskirts of the city.

Then the Academy of Sciences improved the drilling method, which was the "percussion drilling method".

They also set out six steps: “selecting the well site, erecting the stone circle, chiseling the large opening, fanning the mud, divining with bamboo, and chiseling the small opening.”

Take this "Xiangjingdi" for example. It's not something you can just dig anywhere. You have to have an old farmer lead a craftsman from the Academy of Sciences to look at the terrain and feel the soil.

If the soil is blackish in color and can be kneaded into a ball, it is very likely that there is water underneath.

If the soil is yellowish and crumbles when pinched, then it needs to be moved to a different location.

The "stone circle" is even more elaborate, requiring bluestone slabs quarried from Xishan to be stacked in circles around the well opening, two feet above the ground, to prevent rainwater from flowing in and to prevent children from falling in.

When it came to "carving the big hole," the craftsmen had to take turns swinging iron chisels weighing more than 30 kilograms and smashing them against the ground, until their arms went numb. They could only carve three to five feet deep a day.

The excavated mud blocks had to be hoisted up little by little using a bamboo-woven "mud-fanning basket," which is called "mud-fanning."

Once a certain depth has been reached, the bamboo will be "divinated".

Select bamboo of uniform thickness and free from insect infestation, split it in half, then assemble it into a cylinder, and lower it into the well as well walls to prevent collapse.

Finally, "carve a small hole" by using a fine chisel to penetrate the soil at the bottom of the well, and wait for the clear water to slowly seep out. Then the well is complete.

These wells, dug in this way, could reach depths of one or two hundred feet. In the years before groundwater was over-exploited, almost every well could produce water.

Nowadays, stone wells like these can be seen everywhere on the ridges of fields and near village entrances in the suburbs. Wooden buckets are hung at the wellheads, and two farm women carry water with a shoulder pole. The wooden buckets hit the well wall and make a "thump-thump" sound. The clear water is sprinkled on the fields and splashes up tiny dust particles.

However, without a water pump, relying solely on manual labor to carry water is ultimately inefficient.

A strong laborer can only irrigate half an acre of land by fetching water all day long. If it is wheat, this amount of water is far from enough.

Fortunately, Zhu Youxiao had made preparations in advance, and last year he transferred a large number of sweet potato seeds and distributed them to farmers in Beizhili.

This sweet potato is drought-resistant. Even if irrigation is insufficient, as long as it is watered once or twice, it can still yield a good harvest in the fall.

One mu (approximately 0.16 acres) can yield three to four hundred jin (approximately 150-200 kg), more than double that of wheat, which perfectly compensates for the low irrigation efficiency. Especially now that sweet potatoes have been promoted and there is demand, people are willing to grow them.

Besides sweet potatoes, there are some other new things in the fields this year.

Corn obtained in exchange from the "Western Barbarians".

The corn seeds were bright yellow, and the kernels were even bigger than soybeans. When the old farmers first saw them, they didn't dare to plant them, fearing that if they were planted badly, it would delay the harvest.

Zhu Youxiao then ordered the imperial estates in the suburbs of Beijing to conduct a trial planting, designating 200 mu of land as a demonstration field. He also sent people from the Academy of Sciences to monitor the planting, record when to sow, the row spacing, and when to fertilize.

The corn in the demonstration field has now sprouted green shoots, with tender stems topped with two round leaves, swaying gently in the wind.

The farmers in Huangzhuang went to check on it every day, muttering, "If these foreign crops can grow well, we'll have another way to make a living in the future."

We are now in the Little Ice Age, with winters getting colder and summers getting drier. Under normal circumstances, harvests will be greatly reduced, and some places may even have no harvest at all.

But this year is different.

With wells for irrigation and hardy crops like sweet potatoes and corn, the farmers felt more secure.

Spring plowing is in full swing outside the city.

Inside the city.

Forbidden City.

Inside the East Warm Pavilion.

Emperor Zhu Youxiao of the Ming Dynasty was also very busy.

now.

Zhu Youxiao sat on a dragon-shaped chair covered with bright yellow brocade. He wore a spring uniform made of dark blue satin with a dark pattern, and the collar and cuffs were embroidered with fine cloud patterns.

Compared to the heavy fur coat he wore in winter, his robes looked much neater and accentuated his tall and straight figure.

His skin wasn't the pale complexion of a weak monarch, but rather a wheat-colored tan from years of practicing riding, archery, and martial arts in the inner training grounds. His muscles were firm, and even the strength with which he gripped the memorials revealed the composure of a martial artist.

"Is this the land register from the land survey conducted in Baoding Prefecture?"

Zhu Youxiao lifted his gaze from the memorial in his hand and swept it over the two people standing below him.

At the lower end of the East Warm Pavilion, the two stood side by side, yet exuded completely different auras.

On the left, Hong Chengchou is dressed in a fourth-rank official robe, with a jade belt around his waist. His hair is neatly combed, and his face carries a sharp and capable air.

He was originally a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the 47th year of the Wanli reign. Last year, he was just a minor official in charge of a minor post. However, Zhu Youxiao valued his knowledge of agriculture and his ability to coordinate, so he was promoted to be in charge of military farm affairs.

In just two years, he was promoted several ranks and is now the chief official of the Qingtian Division, the imperial commissioner for disaster relief in Beizhili, and has been given the title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, while also serving as the imperial commissioner for land survey in Beizhili.

He could be considered a "close advisor" whom the emperor had promoted beyond his usual rank.

Zhu Chengzong on the right, however, seemed out of place.

He wore the official robes of the Duke of Cheng, adorned with python patterns, made of the finest brocade, yet it still couldn't conceal the somber mood emanating from him.

As the heir of Zhu Chunchen, the former Duke of Cheng, he personally exposed his father's rebellion last year. Although he was commended by Zhu Youxiao and inherited the title, he also earned the reputation of "patricide".

In the circle of nobles, no one wanted to associate with him; even his servants looked at him with fear.

Over time, he became increasingly withdrawn, and a coldness always settled between his brows.

At this moment, he lowered his eyes and stood stiffly, as if unwilling to have any interaction with anyone.

Others may not know, but he himself knows that last year when the Shuntian Prefecture conducted a land survey, he killed several people in a fit of rage because of the resistance of local gentry. Although he can barely control his violent temper now, he still feels murderous intent when he thinks about those things.

Upon hearing Zhu Youxiao's question, Hong Chengchou immediately stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and spoke in a clear and forceful voice:
"Your Majesty, in this land survey in Baoding Prefecture, the registered private land totals 35,120 hectares, and the official land, including the school land of the prefectural school, the military farmland of the garrison, and the idle estates of the princes, totals 408 hectares, for a total of 35,529 hectares."

He paused, then took out a detailed list from his sleeve and presented it with both hands.

"This land survey took four months, one month ahead of schedule. A total of 11,780 hectares of hidden and unregistered land were discovered, all of which were privately seized by local gentry and garrison officers in collusion."

Zhu Youxiao took the detailed list, saw the words "Wang Family Manor of Yaoshan", and looked up to ask:
"How were these hidden tracts of land mostly seized privately?"

"Your Majesty, taking the Wang family of Yaoshan as an example, their ancestors were once meritorious officials. The current head of the family, Wang Xianming, took advantage of his marriage relationship with the commander of Baoding Guard to 'convert' more than 2,000 mu of farmland in the surrounding area into the name of the garrison's land reclamation.

Although it was ostensibly a 'donation of land to aid the army,' the Wang family still collected the rent, while the garrison helped them conceal the tax amount.

Hong Chengchou's tone was tinged with resentment.

"Some clerks were bribed by local gentry to tamper with the 'foot bow' used for measuring fields."

The original plan was five feet per step, but it was changed to four feet eight inches. Although it seems like only a difference of two inches, this could result in underreporting of nearly four hundred acres of land out of ten thousand acres.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his brows furrowing slightly.

It seems that, like Shuntian Prefecture, Zhen Ding Prefecture was quite complicated.

This place is adjacent to the capital and is a gathering place for the estates of princes and nobles. Many imperial relatives seized land under the guise of "imperial bestowal" and colluded with local officials and gentry to protect them. Even the land survey during the Wanli era could not crack this tough nut.

"The resistance from Baoding Prefecture was so great that the land survey could be completed in four months, which is beyond my expectations."

"It all depends on the experience of clearing fields in Shuntian Prefecture."

Hong Chengchou quickly replied, "Last year, when the Shuntian Prefecture conducted a land survey, His Majesty instructed us to summarize three methods: 'dividing areas for measurement, verifying by household, and drawing fish-scale diagrams'."

Today, the Qingtian Division has more than 2,300 officials, nearly half of whom are newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) from the previous year or the last.

These scholars, new to officialdom and unburdened by former colleagues, were willing to work hard and possessed a sharp edge. When faced with resistance from local gentry, they argued forcefully; when encountering difficulties from garrison troops, they used the "land survey token" bestowed by His Majesty to investigate directly. This allowed the land survey in Baoding Prefecture to proceed smoothly.

When Zhu Youxiao heard the words "newly appointed Jinshi," the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.

He had two ulterior motives when he established the Seitai Division:
First, we must thoroughly investigate all the land in the country, plug the loopholes in the concealment of taxes by wealthy landowners, and replenish the national treasury.

Secondly, the Qingtian incident served as a training ground for newly appointed scholars.

Let them leave the study of the Hanlin Academy, go to the fields and see the real hardships of ordinary people, deal with the gentry and corrupt officials, and hone their abilities in practice.

More importantly, these scholars were promoted quickly because of their merits in clearing the fields, and no longer needed to rely on seniority or connections. They would naturally be grateful for the emperor's favor and become "fresh blood" that the emperor could use.

"Among those newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations), are there any outstanding performers?" Zhu Youxiao asked, his gaze sweeping over the Qingtian official's name on the detailed register.

"Have!"

Hong Chengchou quickly replied:
"Wen Zhenmeng, a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations) who was in charge of the land survey in Anzhou, Baoding Prefecture, found out 1,200 hectares of hidden land in Anzhou in just twenty days. He also captured three clerks who had altered the bow and arrow. The local people called him 'Wen Qingtian' (a name implying integrity and uprightness)."

Furthermore, Fu Guan, the third-ranking scholar in charge of Xiong County, actually persuaded the largest landowner in Xiong County to voluntarily hand over his hidden land and even donate two thousand mu as school land. These people are all capable of great things!

Zhu Youxiao nodded, placed the detailed list on the table, and turned his gaze to Zhu Chengzong, who had remained silent:
"Zhu Qing, you are in charge of verifying the military farmland in the garrisons. Do you have any supplementary information regarding the situation in Baoding Garrison?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Chengzong finally raised his head.

"Your Majesty.

Baoding Garrison concealed 310 hectares of farmland, involving 17 officers, five of whom were arrested for resisting the land survey and are now imprisoned in Shuntian Prefecture.

Many soldiers in the garrison areas had no food to cultivate because their land had been seized. Now that the garrison lands have been cleared out, I have ordered land to be distributed to each household, and the soldiers' resentment has largely subsided.

He spoke with his head down, showing no extra emotion.

Zhu Youxiao looked at him for a moment and slowly said, "You did well. The garrisons are the foundation of the Ming Dynasty's border defense. If the land reclamation is not properly managed, the soldiers will have no fighting power. You have been able to uphold the bottom line and prevent the garrison officers from showing favoritism, which is a great achievement."

Upon hearing the words "a great achievement," a barely perceptible flicker of emotion flashed in Zhu Chengzong's eyes, but he immediately lowered his head again.
"Your Majesty, I am merely fulfilling my duty."

Zhu Youxiao looked at the land register on the table, his mind churning with thoughts.

The Qingtian campaign not only cleared the land, but also cleaned up the old problems of the Qing court, thus loosening the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.

Baoding Prefecture was just the beginning; other prefectures and counties in Beizhili would follow.

After the land survey in Beizhili is completed, there's still Henan, Shandong, Jiangnan...

The road ahead is long, but as long as we keep going step by step, we can eventually bring this Ming Dynasty back to life.

After a while.

Zhu Youxiao picked up a vermilion brush and wrote the character "可" on the cover of the land register of Baoding Prefecture.

"The results of the land survey in Baoding Prefecture were to be archived by the Ministry of Revenue. Half of the hidden land that was cleared out was to be returned to its original owner, and the other half was to be used as official land for people to cultivate. The rent and taxes collected were to be used for specific purposes and allocated to the Liaodong military supplies."

"Hong Qing, the next step is to proceed with the land survey in Hejian Prefecture following this model."

"The minister obeys the order!"

Hong Chengchou bowed and accepted the order, his voice filled with excitement.

Zhu Chengzong also bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

As the land in each prefecture and county of Beizhili was surveyed one by one, the hidden lands were re-registered, and the tax money embezzled by gentry and officials could flow back into the national treasury.

More importantly, the imperial court's control over local areas will gradually deepen, like the roots in a field.

Imperial power did not extend to the county level?
He'll find a way to get it sent to a lower county!
Call ~
Zhu Youxiao leaned back on the dragon throne, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air, feeling much more relaxed.

Nowadays, every household in Beizhili grows sweet potatoes. After last autumn's harvest, many families had dried sweet potatoes stored in their grain bins, so even with this year's spring drought, they wouldn't have to worry about going hungry.

Meanwhile, the military power of the Beijing garrison was firmly in their own hands, and the soldiers in the inner training grounds practiced every day. They were equipped with muskets and chariots, so even if local powerful families wanted to cause trouble, they could not stir up any waves.

"With the people's hearts at ease and military power secure, we can truly have Beizhili in our hands."

Zhu Youxiao muttered to himself.

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside the hall, accompanied by the high-pitched voice characteristic of eunuchs:
"Your Majesty, great joy in Liaodong! Great joy in Liaodong!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Youxiao sat up straight.

Could it be that the Jurchens were wiped out?

He harbored a faint expectation in his heart.

Soon, three eunuchs bowed and entered. Wei Chao, who was in the lead, had a wide smile on his face, almost overflowing with it.

He strode forward, holding a memorial with a bright yellow cover in both hands, and knelt on the ground, his voice filled with ecstatic joy:

"Your Majesty! Great news for Liaodong! The three magistrates, Xiong Jinglue, Sun Futai, and Yang Dutang, have reorganized the Liaodong garrison, and the amount of cash they have seized alone is ten million taels!"
In addition, the land, shops, antiques and paintings, when converted, amount to seven or eight million taels of silver. More importantly, the number of empty employees found during the investigation was as high as 40%.

From now on, we can save two million taels of silver annually in military pay allocated to Liaodong!

Wei Zhongxian followed behind, his face lacking the overt joy of Wei Chao, yet he too knelt on the ground, his tone calm and steady:
"Your Majesty, the internal troubles in Liaodong have been completely eliminated. Those parasites who sucked the blood of the soldiers have either been brought to justice or imprisoned. The soldiers now have sufficient food and pay, and their morale is high."

"From now on, when dealing with the Jurchens, we no longer need to worry about internal strife, and Your Majesty will no longer need to trouble yourself with raising military funds."

Wang Tiqian stood at the back, nodding repeatedly in agreement:

"The Jurchens were not wiped out last year because of corrupt generals who colluded with the enemy and embezzled military rations."

Now that Liaodong is peaceful and the people are of one mind, it shouldn't be long before we can take Hetu Ala and restore peace to Liaodong!

Zhu Youxiao reached out and took the report of victory handed to him by Wei Chao, and his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.

He unfolded the military report, his eyes quickly scanning the numbers on it.

"Ten million taels of silver"

"700,000 mu of land"

"40,000 yuan of unpaid wages remain."

Every message made him smile slightly.

Last winter, urgent reports of the Liaodong army's urgent need for funds arrived in the capital one after another. Li Changgeng, the Minister of Revenue, was so worried that he came to plead for help every day. He even had to divert 500,000 taels from the imperial treasury to deal with the emergency.

Now, with nearly 20 million taels of stolen goods, not only can the shortfall in military pay in Liaodong be filled, but it can also be invested in water conservancy and land reclamation in Beizhili, and even the funding for the Academy of Sciences to improve firearms has been secured.

"Hahaha! Okay! Okay!"

Zhu Youxiao could no longer maintain his imperial composure. He leaned back on the dragon throne and burst into laughter, a rare hint of youthful exuberance in his eyes.

"Xiong Tingbi, Sun Chengzong, and Yang Lian are truly my right-hand men! They deserve to be rewarded! Rewarded handsomely!"

He turned to look at the three eunuchs, his tone softening considerably:

"You three are quite good at bringing good news; this is just in time. Go and collect your rewards."

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

The three eunuchs immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

After the three people left, the laughter in the East Warm Pavilion gradually faded away.

Zhu Youxiao picked up the report of victory, but the smile on his face slowly faded.

How much silver and money was plundered from Liaodong?
There are indeed many.

However, these 20 million taels were obtained through confiscation of property, and were "water without a source."

After confiscating the corrupt officials in Liaodong, there was no way to replenish the national treasury with this money in the future.

The Ming Dynasty's annual expenses were well over ten million.

The military pay for the nine border regions, the cost of transporting grain, the stipends for members of the imperial family, as well as disaster relief and water conservancy projects in various regions—all of these require money.

To completely solve the fiscal problem, we need to rely on surveying and measuring land to increase the tax base, promoting sweet potatoes and corn to increase grain production, and even opening up new sources of taxation, such as levying taxes on overseas trade.

"The road ahead is still long."

Zhu Youxiao sighed softly, folded the report of victory and put it into the brocade box, then picked up the memorial on his desk again.

But after flipping through two books, a secret memorial tucked inside caught his eye.

The cover reads "Respectfully presented by Ma Shilong, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Xuanfu".

He unfolded the secret document, and as soon as his eyes swept over a few lines, his brows slowly furrowed.

In his secret memorial, Ma Shilong said that since the rectification storms that have swept through Jizhou and Liaodong, the generals of Xuanda and other towns are all in danger.

The general couldn't sleep at night, worried that his past corruption would be brought up again.

Guerrilla commanders and brigade commanders were suspicious of each other, fearing that someone would implicate them if investigated.

Even worse, some junior officers have been secretly contacting their former subordinates. If the court continues its investigation, a mutiny may break out.

Zhu Youxiao leaned back on the dragon throne, his fingers pinching a tightly folded corner, his eyes gleaming.

Xuanda is a crucial town on the nine borders, bordering Mongolia to the north and Shaanxi and Gansu to the west. If the generals here were to become disillusioned, or even trigger a mutiny, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"The rectification should continue, but rushing it will only cause trouble."

The joy at the confiscation of Liaodong property quickly faded from Zhu Youxiao's face.

We need to find a way to keep these people calm.

If a rebellion were to break out in the Nine Borders, even ten million taels of silver would probably be insufficient to quell it.

ps:
There's a lot of information to look up.

In addition, there's a long chapter of 8400 words!
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(End of this chapter)