Jingtai: Making the Ming Dynasty Great Again

(Packing up to head back to the city. Sorry to keep you waiting!)

Jin Lian then recounted the sixteen strategies he had previously presented to Zhu Qiyu to the public.

After the reading was finished, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

After a long while, someone stepped forward and knelt down: "Your subject, Li Kan, the Supervising Secretary, has a memorial to present!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him and said, "Speak."

Li Kan said, "If Minister Jin's sixteen policies can be fully implemented, it will indeed increase the court's revenue."

However, each of these sixteen strategies threatens other people's livelihoods, making their implementation quite difficult!

Zhu Qiyu smiled and said, "What Li Jishi said is absolutely right."

Every one of these sixteen strategies threatens other people's livelihoods.

The pursuit of confiscated goods in military settlements threatened the livelihoods of officers in the garrison.

The ordination certificates for monks and Taoist priests threaten the livelihoods of temples and Taoist monasteries.

The pursuit of taxes on salt and tea threatened the livelihoods of salt and tea merchants.

The investigation into the extinct landholdings of the powerful and wealthy is aimed at securing their livelihoods.

The reopening of the Maritime Trade Office will threaten the livelihoods of coastal smuggling operations.

Before Zhu Qiyu could finish speaking, Li Kan sensed something was amiss in his words, and his face instantly turned pale.

As expected, Zhu Qiyu changed his tone: "But were these jobs given to me by me?!"

Was it given to us by the imperial court?!

The encroachment of military garrison officers on cultivated land is intolerable under the law!

Monks and Taoist priests occupying land without paying grain taxes are harming the country and its people!

Salt and tea merchants owing taxes is deceiving the emperor!

The powerful and influential are trying to conceal the land owned by those who have no descendants, which is tantamount to seizing the people's interests!

Coastal smuggling forces controlling maritime trade are competing with the imperial court for profits!

Finally, Zhu Qiyu glared angrily at Li Kan, his eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Many ministers trembled at Zhu Qiyu's last few words.

Li Kan prostrated himself on the ground, saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! I had no such intention!"

Zhu Qiyu snorted coldly and remained silent.

A moment later, another person stepped forward and stood beside Li Kan: "Your subject, Wang Xuan, Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Rites, has a memorial to present!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "You also think that I'm ruining someone's livelihood?"

Wang Xuan said, "I do not criticize Minister Jin's strategy; I am only worried that it is being implemented too hastily."

These matters are too far-reaching; if they were implemented simultaneously, it would likely cause widespread unrest.

Your Majesty, I urge you to proceed step by step, starting with the easier tasks and gradually tackling the more difficult ones.

Zhu Qiyu's expression softened slightly: "What Wang said is absolutely right. I have already discussed this matter with Minister Jin."

Start with the easy stuff and move on to the difficult stuff; start with the near stuff and move on to the far stuff.

"Your Majesty is wise."

After speaking, Wang Xuan returned to the queue.

Zhu Qiyu looked down and asked, "Does anyone else want to speak?"

Yu Qian stepped forward: "Your subject, Yu Qian, Minister of War, second Minister Jin's proposal."

Hu Ying also stepped forward: "I, Hu Ying, Minister of Rites, second this motion. The Ministry of Rites has long intended to rectify the issue of ordination certificates for monks and Taoists, but it has not been able to implement it until now."

Yue Qian: "Your subject, Yue Qian, Minister of Rites, seconds this motion."

……

Several senior officials seconded the motion, and no one else dared to say anything more.

Zhu Qiyu nodded: "Alright, since everyone agrees, then it's settled."

Minister Kim, draft a detailed charter and submit it to the cabinet for review.

Jin Lian bowed deeply: "Your subject obeys the decree."

The assembled officials responded in unison, "We obey your decree!"

After the court session, Zhu Qiyu summoned Fan Guang and Han Cheng.

Zhu Qiyu received them in the Wenhua Hall: "General Fan, has your injury healed?"

Fan Guang clasped his hands in a gesture of respect and said, "Your Majesty, I am fully recovered."

The army doctor said I could go into battle after another half month of rest, so I can leave now.

Zhu Qiyu smiled and said, "Good, I like your impatient nature."

I called you here today because I have an important matter to entrust to you."

Fan Guang solemnly replied, "Please give your orders, Your Majesty."

Zhu Qiyu said, "I intend to send you to Gansu Town to take over as the commander-in-chief."

Fan Guang immediately knelt down and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "Aren't you going to ask why?"

Fan Guang raised his head: "Your Majesty must have your reasons for sending me. I will only do my job well and will not concern myself with anything else."

Zhu Qiyu nodded, then looked at Han Cheng: "Han Cheng, I hereby appoint you as Fan Guang's deputy, serving as the deputy commander-in-chief of Gansu Garrison."

Han Cheng knelt on the ground: "Your subject is willing to follow General Fan to Gansu, even at the cost of ten thousand deaths!"

Zhu Qiyu said, "Alright, you two go to Gansu and stabilize the situation first."

Remember, what I want is for all the military settlements in Gansu Town to be cleared up and all military quotas to be replenished.

"Find out every single officer who is drawing salaries without working and occupying farmland!"

Fan Guang and Han Chen kowtowed: "Your subjects obey the decree."

Zhu Qiyu walked up to the two men and personally helped them up: "Both of you have served with me in defending the city, and you are people I trust."

The town of Gansu is now in your hands.

"If you do a good job, I will reward you."

Fan Guang and Han Cheng exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Your Majesty, we will certainly not fail in your trust!"

Zhu Qiyu called out again, "Cheng Jing."

Cheng Jing stepped forward: "Your subject is here."

Zhu Qiyu looked at him: "I plan to send you to Gansu as a garrison eunuch. What do you think?"

Cheng Jing knelt on the ground: "Your Majesty, I am willing to share your burdens. However... I am afraid that I will not perform my duties well and will let Your Majesty down."

Zhu Qiyu smiled and said, "I trust you."

You have been by my side for so many years, and you are always cautious and discreet.

The first reason I went to Gansu was to keep an eye on things there for me.

Secondly, all the eunuchs who used the name of the imperial store to amass wealth were purged.

The military farms in Gansu were seized, and those eunuchs were not without fault.

"You're going to find those corrupt officials for me."

Cheng Jing bowed deeply: "Your Majesty, I obey your decree. However, after I leave Your Majesty's side..."

Zhu Qiyu waved his hand: "I still have Xing'an by my side. You can come back after this matter is settled."

You've been with me for so many years, I can't bear to let you go.

But this is something that absolutely needs you.

You've been in the palace for a long time, so you know the tricks of those eunuchs.

If someone else went, they would probably be deceived by them.

"Your subject will certainly not fail in his mission."

Two days later, Fan Guang, Han Cheng, and Cheng Jing led three hundred elite guards away from the capital and headed west.

Two days later, Shen Yi, the governor of Gansu recommended by Jin Lian, and Wu Ning, the governor-general of Gansu recommended by Yu Qian, also set off.

There has been some controversy regarding the selection of Shen Yi.

Some people believe that Shen Yi has never been to the border region and is therefore unfit for such an important task.

In the end, it was Jin Lian who strongly suggested it, and used the repatriation of refugees as an example to illustrate his ability.

Zhu Qiyu then decided to give him this opportunity.

A few days later, Fan Guang and his party arrived in Ganzhou City.

They did not enter the city in a grand manner.

Instead, they first sent a messenger to report the situation, then set up camp outside the city to wait for the governor and the garrison eunuch to come and greet them.

This is the custom: when a new general arrives, local officials must go out of the city to greet him.

But after an hour, the city gates remained tightly shut, and no one came out.

Han Cheng said in a deep voice, "General Fan, they are trying to intimidate us."

Fan Guang sneered, "Fine! Send the order to set up camp and cook. We'll eat and wait for them."

Another hour passed before the city gates finally opened.

Ma Ang, Wang Jing, and Li Gui led a group of officials out slowly.

The former commander-in-chief, Ren Li, did not even show his face.

Ma Ang cupped his hands and said, "General Fan has come from afar; please forgive me for not welcoming you properly."

Fan Guang looked at him and said calmly, "Governor Ma is too kind."

This garrison has been ordered to assume the post of Commander-in-Chief of Gansu. We request Governor Ma to guide us into the city for the handover.

Ma Ang said with a forced smile, "General Fan, please."