Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

Just as Wu Ning was staring out the window in a daze, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the door.

The door was then pushed open, and Deputy Commander-in-Chief Han Cheng strode in.

Han Cheng's face was contorted with rage: "Governor Wu, I can't take this anymore!"

Wu Ning turned to look at him: "Deputy Commander Han, what's wrong?"

Han Cheng said resentfully, "Today I went to inspect the camp outside the city, and guess what happened?"

The guards at the camp gate wouldn't let me in again!

They said that a written order from Ren Li was required each time!

I'm the deputy commander-in-chief, ordered to reorganize the troops, yet I can't even enter the barracks!

Wu Ning asked softly, "Where is General Fan?"

Han Cheng: "General Fan is still hanging around the General's Mansion."

Ren Li claimed to be unwell again today and refused to see anyone.

Wu Ning walked over and sat down next to him: "Deputy Commander Han, don't be in a hurry."

We've only been in Ganzhou for about ten days.

Ren Li has been running this place for many years, so it's understandable that we can't do anything about him right now.

Han Cheng stared wide-eyed: "So we're just going to wait it out like this?"

The Emperor sent us to reorganize Gansu, but we've been here for so long and the handover is still not complete. What's going on?

Just as Wu Ning was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the door again.

This time, it was Shen Yi who came in.

Wu Ning looked at his tired expression and smiled bitterly: "It seems that we are all in similar situations."

Shen Yi shook his head: "It's not just that."

Three of the people I sent to investigate at various garrisons have not yet returned.

They sent people to look for it, but the local garrison said they had never seen it.

I doubt……"

He didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Han Cheng abruptly stood up: "What? They still dare to detain people?"

Wu Ning gestured for him to sit down: "Lord Shen, have you told Eunuch Cheng about this?"

Shen Yi nodded: "I told him, and Eunuch Cheng said he would keep an eye on it."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a shrill voice rang out from outside the door: "Everyone's here? We have something important to discuss at home."

Cheng Jing walked in.

His face was ashen, and his eyes held an barely suppressed rage.

Wu Ning felt a chill run down his spine.

Cheng Jing was one of the emperor's most trusted confidants.

For him to lose his composure like this, something serious must have happened.

Cheng Jing took out a small notebook from his sleeve: "Take a look at this."

Wu Ning took the notebook and opened it, and Shen Yi and Han Cheng came over to read it together.

The notebook was filled with numbers, dates, and a few names.

Wu Ning looked at it for a while, then looked up at Cheng Jing: "Eunuch Cheng, what is this?"

Cheng Jing sneered: "These are the things we've found out in the last ten days."

Didn't Liu Yu say that iron and gunpowder were reserved for the government?

We sent people to check the government's accounts, and they said the government had never received any of those things!

Shen Yi frowned: "What about all that iron and gunpowder..."

"It was sold to the Oirats."

"What?!"

Han Cheng suddenly stood up, his expression changing drastically.

Shen Yi also gasped.

Wu Ning's hand, holding the notebook, trembled slightly: "Eunuch Cheng, do you have conclusive evidence?"

Cheng Jing pointed to the notebook and said, "Our family sent people from the Eastern Depot to investigate secretly, and they found out the location of Liu Yu's transaction with the Oirat merchants."

In a valley eighty miles north of Ganzhou City, there were four transactions in the first half of last year.

Two thousand catties of iron ingots and four hundred catties of gunpowder.

A deathly silence fell over the signing room.

How many swords and spears can be forged from two thousand catties of iron?

How many muskets can be loaded with 400 catties of gunpowder?

How many Ming soldiers would be killed if these things fell into the hands of the Oirats?

Wu Ning looked at Cheng Jing: "Eunuch Cheng, are Ma Ang, Wang Jing, and Li Gui involved in this matter?"

Cheng Jing sneered: "Liu Yu is just a small manager of the Imperial Store. Without anyone backing him up, he wouldn't dare to do such a thing."

We've already checked.

The batch of iron that Liu Yujin received last September was approved by Wang Jing.

As for gunpowder, that's a military supply; it can't leave the warehouse without Li Gui's permission.

Shen Yi murmured, "Ma Ang is the governor, Wang Jing is the garrison eunuch, and Li Gui is the imperial inspector..."

"What can't these three accomplish together?"

Han Cheng clenched his fist: "Then what are we waiting for? Immediately submit a memorial to the Emperor, requesting an imperial decree to arrest them!"

Wu Ning waved his hand: "No rush."

He stood up and paced a few steps in the signing room: "This matter is of great importance."

Ma Ang, Wang Jing, and Li Gui were all officials appointed by the imperial court.

Submitting a memorial to the emperor without solid evidence would only alert the enemy.

We must solidify the evidence so that the Emperor can legitimately issue an order to arrest them.

Cheng Jing nodded: "Governor Wu is right."

We've already arranged for people to keep an eye on Liu Yu. As soon as he makes contact with the Oirat people again, we'll catch him red-handed.

But Liu Yu was just a nobody.

The real challenge lies with Ma Ang, Wang Jing, and Li Gui.

They have power, and they have soldiers in the city. What if they become desperate and do something rash...?

Shen Yi: "Does Eunuch Cheng mean that the imperial court needs to send troops?"

Cheng Jing nodded: "Exactly. We only have a few hundred men in total."

If it really came down to a fight, they would be no match for Ren Li and his group.

Only the imperial court sending troops can control the situation.

Wu Ning pondered for a moment: "Then let's submit a memorial."

He looked up at the three of them and said, "Let us jointly submit a memorial to the Emperor and truthfully report what we have found."

Please, Your Majesty, send elite troops into Ganzhou under the pretext of escorting grain.

"We'll arrest them all once the imperial officials arrive!"

Shen Yi nodded: "Okay, let's do it that way."

Wu Ning began, "Your Majesty, I, Wu Ning, the Governor-General of Gansu, respectfully report..."

The four memorials were quickly completed.

Wu Ning stacked the four memorials together, sealed them with sealing wax, and stamped them with his governor's seal.

He looked up at Cheng Jing: "Eunuch Cheng, through whose channel should this memorial be submitted?"

Cheng Jing understood what he meant.

If they went through the normal post stations, they would likely be intercepted by Ma Ang and Wang Jing's men.

He took out a bronze plaque from his sleeve and placed it on the table: "Go through the Eastern Depot's channels."

Our men are waiting outside the city; we'll set off tonight and be sent to the capital by express courier.

Wu Ning picked up the bronze plaque and looked at it. The plaque was engraved with the four characters "Eastern Depot Investigation Officer".

This was someone Zhu Qiyu specially assigned to Cheng Jing to serve before he left the city.

Wu Ning returned the bronze plaque to Cheng Jing, saying, "Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Cheng."

Cheng Jing waved his hand: "We are all serving the Emperor, so there's no need to say thank you."

We'll arrange it right away.

You guys can continue doing what you were doing these next few days.

Don't let anyone see through your disguise.

Han Cheng said, "What about Ren Li...?"

Wu Ning said, "If he wants to delay, we'll delay with him. Let's see if he can keep delaying until the imperial officials arrive."

Cheng Jing nodded and pushed open the door to go out.

Wu Ning, Shen Yi, and Han Cheng were left in the signing room.

Looking out the window at the darkening sky, Shen Yi asked softly, "Who do you think the Emperor will send?"

Wu Ning said slowly, "No matter who is sent, we must remember this."

The Emperor trusts us, so we must handle this matter flawlessly.

Han Cheng nodded.

Wu Ning withdrew his gaze and silently counted the days in his mind.

It's more than 2,000 li from Ganzhou to Beijing.

It can be delivered in four days by express courier.

When the emperor saw the memorial, it would take several more days to mobilize troops.

The army's march can take anywhere from half a month to a month, depending on how fast it is.

In other words, it would take at least twenty days for the imperial court's officials to arrive in Ganzhou.

Wu Ning turned to Shen Yi and Han Cheng: "Gentlemen, we need to be extra careful in the days to come."

Shen Yi nodded: "Understood."

Han Cheng grinned: "Don't worry, I may not be good at much else, but I'm good at playing dumb."

Wu Ning smiled, but there was a hint of bitterness in his smile.

It has only been a few years since Emperor Taizong, yet this situation of regional separatism has reappeared.

The Ming Dynasty is truly ill.