Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 443 The Emperor is Too Radical
It was clear that the emperor was becoming radicalized.

There were signs of this at the end of last year, and it became particularly obvious after returning from Chengde.

But Ye Xianggao was not so strong-willed and courageous to resist the emperor's will. The Privy Council was likely to become the center of the court in the next few years or even a decade, and other government offices could only act around the needs of the Privy Council. Ye Xianggao could only be deeply worried about this.

The source of the problem, of course, was not the merit-hungry military, but the emperor himself.

After this meeting, at least three of the seven ministers privately expressed their concerns to him, hoping that he would step forward and persuade the emperor.

Ye Xianggao was very helpless and could only mention it tactfully when Liu Ruoyu appeared.

"Eunuch, you have always been clear about the general situation. Now that your will is clear, we should shoulder the heavy responsibility and implement it. Regarding state affairs, Eunuch, you should pay more attention to the rear army governor's office. There must be no more trouble in the northwest!"

Liu Ruoyu was a scholar who entered the palace. Over the years, he has shown a lot of Chen Ju's style.

Hearing what Ye Xianggao said, he certainly understood, but he just replied: "The governor will pay attention to it, don't worry."

This certainly did not count as him, an eunuch, colluding with important officials outside the court, because he knew that Ye Xianggao wanted to pass a message to the emperor through him.

The point Ye Xianggao mentioned was, on the surface, that the Northwest must be stable, but the focus was on the Rear Army Governor's Office.

After telling Zhu Changluo, Zhu Changluo was speechless for a moment.

Liu Ruoyu said, "I think what Prime Minister Ye said makes sense. Your Majesty, since the battle of Songshan, except for those who were incorporated into the Beijing camp and moved to Xuanfu, Liaoxi and Liaodong, the generals and soldiers in the northwest have not made any achievements in the past twenty years. Now, the front army, the central army, the left army, and the right army have either made great achievements and received rewards, or are about to go out to fight. If the generals of the right army have the intention of provoking a fight, we must be on guard. The old Grand Tutor has now resigned, and the people in the northwest are uneasy."

Tian Le was appointed as the Minister of War because of his great achievements in the Northwest Border Town. He had been the Privy Councilor in the court for so many years. Although the Northwest Border Town had no chance to participate in the Northern Expedition, Tian Le was enough to keep them in check.

Now that Tian Le has resigned, he will go to Japan. As for the war in Outer Yunnan, the credit will go to the Right Army Governor's Office and the South China Sea Fleet; for the East China Sea plan, the credit will go to the Central Army, the Left Army, the Front Army, the North China Sea, and the East China Sea.

The only thing that they have been longing for is the Rear Army Governor's Office, which they cannot obtain: all the tribes in the northern border respect the emperor as the Eternal Heavenly Khan, and have been as obedient as sheep in recent years. Where can the other soldiers of the northwestern border towns and the Rear Army Governor's Office go to earn their honors?

The point of the problem is not this, but the worry that Ye Xianggao conveyed in a tactful way: Your Majesty, if this goes on, how can we suppress the greed for merit in the army?

Who doesn’t long to be another Liu Jing?
Of course, Zhu Changluo had already planned future opportunities for meritorious service for the Rear Army Governor's Office. Didn't he tell Lindan Batur and others about this in Chengde?

But precisely because of this, Ye Xianggao's concerns were further confirmed: There was no criticism of the Ming Dynasty's continuous expansion of territory, but after such a long period of continuous wars, how could the soldiers' restless hearts be calmed down in the future?

In particular, the Ming Dynasty’s military weapons were more advanced, and the achievement was as easy as taking candy from a sack.

"I understand." Zhu Changluo just said, "There's no need to be so anxious. Once the Privy Council has made its plans, let General Sun be transferred to the post of Right Commander of the Rear Army next year."

Let Sun Chengzong suppress it first. He knows how to plan for the long term and make preparations in advance. There is always a pie hanging there for the generals of the rear army.

"…Your Majesty, I dare to ask a question." Liu Ruoyu looked at Zhu Changluo, "The Taichang Dynasty's expansion of territory was unprecedented in all dynasties. In the future…"

"The future is the future." Zhu Changluo stared at him, "I know what you are worried about. With the talent of the Ming Dynasty's civil and military forces, if the fictitious vassal states outside the real land have any disloyal intentions in the future, the harm will be far greater than the current barbarians."

Liu Ruoyu only knew that he was loyal.

Ye Xianggao and others might be worried that military power would overwhelm civil power, but Liu Ruoyu did add a word from the perspective of concerns for the country.

Zhu Changluo then sighed deeply: "I understand your painstaking efforts. Everything has its pros and cons. Before the problem appears or becomes acute, we should focus on the major issues first and let go of the minor ones. They are worried, so you should let them know about it first. Military power is indeed sensitive, and they dare not ask too much, which is right. But as ministers, you can think carefully first and present your opinions in secret memorials. But now that the Ming Dynasty is becoming stronger, we must leave a greater foundation for future generations."

After a pause, he added, "No country can remain strong forever. If we build up our wealth now, we will have more room to maneuver even if it weakens for various reasons in the future."

Deep down, Zhu Changluo had two considerations for making this "hasty" decision.

The first is to inspire the spirit of martial arts. Of course, this goes against the cognition and tradition since the Zhao and Song dynasties, but the times have changed. Right now, the entire earth is entering a period of great contention. If you don't practice martial arts, you will be beaten?

The second is that he knows that the current situation still depends largely on him. No matter how well Zhu Youjian is educated, he can never be compared with his special father. It is also an objective law that no country can be strong forever. No matter how much he changes his mind, the many traditions that have existed for thousands of years have huge inertia, which cannot be reversed in just a few decades of his lifetime. After his death, can all the systems really be preserved?

Zhu Changluo had never been so conceited. All he did was leave behind some seeds, clues, evidence and claims.

Because of this, he was not worried that the civil and military officials in the distant border areas would split and rebel in the future.

Let them rebel if they want, let them secede if they want, the seeds and people of Eastern culture have already been sown.

Of course, he didn't leave it alone, he still wanted to try his best to plan a framework, whether it was how to control the military power of the huge empire, or how to create and maintain cultural centripetal force.

These two important tasks will be planned by two very young people.

Or three.

"During this period, you have followed me and heard a lot." Looking at the summoned Lu Xiangsheng, Zhu Changluo said solemnly, "You still need to see a bigger world. Before that, I will teach you some more insights this winter. After the beginning of next spring, you will set off for Nandu, go to Nandu University and talk more with Song Yingxing, and help him there."

"Disciple obeys your order." Although Lu Xiangsheng didn't understand, he obeyed.

"Pay more attention to Xu Guangqi." Zhu Changluo said to him, "Similarly, you cannot just focus on classics, history, humanities, and military tactics. The study of nature is also crucial to the future of the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Changluo wanted him and Song Yingxing to get to know each other first and become "comrades in arms."

Institutions, economy, technology, culture...which one doesn't need to be taken seriously?
When it comes to culture, the packaging part is naturally started by the newly appointed concubine Wang Wei. The core things come from the accumulation of thousands of years of the entire Chinese nation, but the surface part needs to be packaged and disseminated well.

Wang Wei is wonderful, and Zhu Changluo has already tasted her.

Being in her prime years, with both talent and beauty, it was natural that she was favored by many emperors.

Now she could no longer stay in the Qianqing Palace, but she did not move to the other six palaces. Instead, she stayed in the Yangxin Palace.

The emperor did not seem to take the concerns of Ye Xianggao and others seriously. He kicked the ball back and asked the ministers to give their own opinions first, while he himself seemed to be starting to enjoy himself.

As a result, Xiong Tingbi became the core of the private discussions among the ministers on this issue.

Who made him control part of the troops when he was the inspector and governor of Liaodong?
Discussion is allowed, but everyone also needs to give their own opinions: With the existence of the Privy Council and the principle that military power should be controlled by the emperor, how should the Ming Dynasty ensure the army's loyalty to the emperor and the country in the future?
Only Tian Le, Lu Xiangsheng and the prince were present at the "comrades-in-arms" discussion that day, and they were unaware of it.

So even though the emperor had a solution in his mind, they were now at a loss for words.

And there is still a lot of official business to deal with.

Fortunately, this matter is not urgent. The weather is getting colder, and the war in faraway Outer Yunnan has probably already begun. The imperial decree has also been passed to Korea, Dongdu, and Zhejiang. The first phase of the war against Japan will probably be ready to begin in the early spring of next year.

After next year, Sun Chengzong will go to the Rear Army Military Governor's Office to serve as the Right Governor, so Yuan Keli should come back.

Anyway, as long as the Right Army Governor's Office achieves results in the first phase of battle in Outer Yunnan, the rest will be a turn-based system: attack in the dry season and defend in the rainy season.

The construction of a machinery factory, the Ming Silver Bank, a mint under the Ministry of Government and Industry, a special treasury office... many things need to be done.

The sixteenth year of Taichang passed day by day in this rhythm. Naturally, there were frequent reports of victory in Outer Yunnan, but this was all expected and not surprising.

At the beginning of spring, Lu Xiangsheng took his leave of the emperor and promised the reluctant princess that he would write to her from time to time to tell her about his experiences.

In North Korea, war had been planned for months.

At this moment, the imperial edict arrived.

[The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims:

The universe is vast, the sun and the moon are bright. I have received the mandate of heaven, and I rule the world, I am kind to those far and near, and my virtue is known to all neighbors. However, the Japanese barbarians are fierce and stubborn by nature, and they do not obey the king's teachings and have repeatedly violated the heavenly dynasty. Since the Hongwu period, the Japanese pirates have been rampant in the southeast, looting counties, slaughtering people, burning houses, abducting women and children as slaves, and digging up ancestral graves for fun. Their evil deeds are so heinous that they have angered both gods and humans!
In the past, Korea was a loyal country, and it was loyal to the emperor and vassalized the emperor. The Japanese chieftain Hideyoshi, with his wolfish ambitions, falsely claimed to be "the one kingdom of the eight directions", raised an unjust army, and crossed the sea to invade the territory of the loyal vassal. Iron hooves trampled on the mountains and rivers, and burned the ancestral temples. The capital fell, and Uiju was in danger. The three thousand miles of rivers and mountains wept blood, and millions of people were covered in dust. The old Korean king Yi Sun wept and presented a petition to the Celestial Empire. I thought of the righteousness of the father and son, and how could I bear to sit idly by? So I sent a strong army across the river to rescue. Under the city of Pyongyang, the Japanese corpses blocked the river; in the Noryang Sea, the pirate ships sank. After seven years of bloody battles, the jackals were finally driven out.

However, the wounds had not yet healed, and civil strife broke out again. In the Joseon Yi family, fathers and sons suspected each other, and brothers fought against each other, and finally killed their fathers and brothers. Since human relations no longer exist, how can the eight provinces be safe? Moreover, the Jurchen rebels arrogantly rebelled against the Ming Dynasty and invaded Joseon again. The tyrant Li Hui did not think about defending the land and the people, but made peace with the enemy to seize the land and rebel against the Ming Dynasty. I felt pity for the Korean people who were so tired and suffering, so I ordered the soldiers to go to Joseon again, depose the tyrant and punish the treacherous ministers, suppress the Jurchens and pacify the eight provinces. In addition, in response to the repeated requests of the Korean subjects, I appointed Prince Lu as the ruler of Joseon. For several years, the Korean subjects have been able to live and work in peace and recuperate.

Now, observing Japan, the bandits are still ruthless. The regent Tokugawa has not repented and confessed his crimes. He has even accumulated a lot of armor and weapons, forged firearms privately, spied on the sea borders, and plundered merchant ships. Ryukyu has also reported that the Japanese pirates destroyed their capital, captured their king and ministers, treated them like slaves, and forced them to submit. The Japanese pirates have no intention of giving up their wolfish ambitions. Although there is an ancestral precept not to punish them, we will conquer them. However, if these bandits are not eliminated, how can the West Sea be at peace?

The subjects of Korea share the same hatred for the enemy! We weeping: We are willing to mobilize all our national forces to follow the Heavenly Master in his expedition to the East; the remaining people of the eight provinces vow to eat the flesh of the Japanese. I am moved by their loyalty and righteousness, and I hereby order:
- Appoint the Advisory Scholar, Grand Master, and Senior General Tianle to be the commander-in-chief of the expedition against Japan and to control the naval and land forces;

——Li Sancai, the governor of Korean affairs, was in charge of logistics for the expedition against Japan and the transportation of military supplies;

—— Xiliang Hou Ma Gui was the commander-in-chief of the northern army, and Jin Jingrui was the commander-in-chief of the Korean naval and land forces;

——Dispatch 50,000 officers and men from the two Liaodong and Liaoxi towns, as well as 1,000 warships and cargo ships from the Beiyang Fleet, to meet at Busan.

A letter to the people of Japan:

If you can tie up the chieftain and bring him to surrender, and open the city to welcome the army, then we will not ask about the coercion, and you will be safe if you are kind;

If you resist stubbornly and help Zhou to commit atrocities, then when the heavenly troops arrive, both you and I will be destroyed!

When the edict arrives, the stench will be wiped out. Outside Kyushu Island, a Jingguan will be built; at the foot of Mount Fuji, Han flags will be planted everywhere!

I rule the world with benevolence, but if I encounter tigers and wolves, I must use swords and spears!
God of Heaven, the mountains and rivers, and the country all witness my heart!

The sixteenth day of the first lunar month in the seventeenth year of Taichang.

It was issued personally by the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.

Admire this. 】

The sound resounded in front of Gyeongbokgung Palace. The young Prince Lu knelt at the front, followed by his two cousins.

"We, the ministers, obey the imperial edict and will devote all our national strength to the country and defeat the Japanese bandits!"

Li Sancai spoke, and then the Korean civil and military officials all accepted the order and expressed their determination - who objected?

The winter snow has not yet melted, and the war is about to begin.

Then Tian Le, who had arrived here a long time ago, stepped forward solemnly to receive the order.

This is the last glory of this life!
(End of this chapter)