Ming Dynasty: My Father Zhang Juzheng

Chapter 223 Opportunity for Reform

The night is deep.

The light was still on in Zhang Yunxiu's study. He frowned and concentrated, leaning over the table and writing: "It has been more than 200 years since Taizu founded the country. Things have changed a lot in the meantime, and it is no longer the same as before.

At first, Taizu intended for the army and the people to be one, self-sufficient, and to protect the border without consuming a single grain of rice from the imperial court.

"However, in today's garrisons, the people have fled, and only one in ten soldiers in a garrison remains. Most of the fields have been occupied by military officers and tyrants, and the soldiers who defended their homes and country have become the private property of a few people. If this is allowed to develop, in less than a hundred years, will the garrisons of the Ming Dynasty still have troops that can fight?!"

As he wrote this, Zhang Yunxiu's arms felt sore and beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

He flexed his wrists and continued writing: "I request that the military households be abolished, and that the land of the military households be divided among the military men in the households. The best and strongest among them be selected and incorporated into the new army to protect the border."

After finishing writing, Zhang Yunxiu put down his pen and let out a long sigh.

Looking at what I had written, I couldn't help but feel nervous.

The military household system has been in place for nearly two hundred years, and many capable people have long seen its drawbacks, so a large proportion of the nine frontiers have adopted the recruitment system.

In other words, the military system of the Ming Dynasty was a coexistence of the garrison army and the conscription system.

But why, despite seeing the drawbacks of the Wei-suo system, no one tried to reform it?
Zhang Yunxiu guessed that there were two main reasons: First, this was the system set by Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and it was the ancestral system. Who dared to change the ancestral system, not to mention whether it could be changed well.

Just one violation of ancestral rules is enough to keep the censors engaged in verbal battles for years.

Moreover, if this matter is corrected, it may not necessarily be a credit. If it is not corrected, not only will it be a crime of violating the ancestral system, but it will also be a crime of incompetence.

second.

poor.

The Ming Dynasty could not afford to maintain so many troops.

As the name suggests, military households serve as soldiers in wartime and work as farmers in peacetime.

How great it is! You can fight in wars, farm, and pay taxes to the country - the tax on military households' land is much higher than that of ordinary people.

Not only would it cost a lot of money and effort to change these military households, but officials in the court would not benefit from it either.

Therefore, even if some people saw the abuses of the military households, they would pretend to be deaf and dumb, whitewash the situation, and continue to enjoy music and singing.

It is different now.

Zhang Yunxiu thought of the current situation and grinned.

Today, the imperial court holds the power to mint coins, and relying on its huge trade surplus, it absorbs silver from all over the world like a whale.

If you have money, you will naturally feel more confident.

This is also the reason why Zhang Yunxiu had the courage to initiate the military household reform.

If this is accomplished, it will be a permanent solution.

The more he thought about it, the more excited Zhang Yunxiu became. He put the memorial back on the desk, stood up and walked out of the study.

At this time, the moon was high in the sky, and the clear moonlight hung from the dome like a veil, spreading over the bamboo forest and puddles in the courtyard.

The courtyard is as clear as a pool of water.

There is no night without the moon, no night without bamboo and cypress
Zhang Yunxiu thought of the great things he would do in the future, and his heart surged. He straightened his chest, sniffed the fragrance of the tender bamboo, and disappeared into the night under the bright moonlight.

Early the next morning.

Zhang Yunxiu did not present the memorial directly, but went to see Shen Yongmao first. The two met in the hall, exchanged a few simple greetings, and then Zhang Yunxiu took out the memorial and handed it to Shen Yongmao.

Shen Yongmao looked at Zhang Yunxiu's eager face and knew that this was not a good thing.

I looked down and saw the name.

"Please abolish the military household registration."

"Ahem." Shen Yongmao's cheeks turned red from choking. He raised his head as if he had received an electric shock, looked at Zhang Yunxiu, and asked with difficulty: "Brother Zhang, this is a big deal. Why did you do this?"

"I said the Ming Dynasty, for the sake of the people of the world, do you believe it?" Zhang Yunxiu said slowly.

Shen Yongmao nodded, but he didn't dare to interfere with this memorial. Your family is big and powerful, and you have the emperor and Empress Dowager Li as your backers. If the plan fails, at most you will be reprimanded and demoted.

If I dare to get involved, I will definitely be used as a scapegoat.

"Brother Zhang, I'm not trying to discourage you, but this won't work."

"Why?"

"You think others will be happy about destroying their jobs?" Shen Yongmao smiled. He knew what was going on without even reading it. "You are going to reform the military households, so you will definitely check the headcount. If you do, how can those officers get paid without doing anything?"

"Let's not talk about far away places. Just look at the 12 regiments in the capital. Do you know how many marquises and earls are relying on empty quotas?"

Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents.

If Zhang Yunxiu dared to check the vacancies, he would be retaliated by the military generals. Of course, most civil officials would not lend a hand, at most they would give the censor some verbal encouragement.

One can imagine how Zhang Yunxiu felt as he was poured a bucket of cold water before he even started.

He smiled bitterly, shook his head, and sighed, "The country's military has become so corrupt, and these nobles who have received the grace of the country for generations have no intention of repaying the country, but instead have been racking their brains to suck blood from the court. It's really sad and lamentable."

Shen Yongmao did not respond to this, but instead clasped his fists and congratulated him, "Come to think of it, I haven't congratulated you on your appointment as the new Chief Censor. As a fourth-rank official, you will have a very glorious future!"

"What kind of happy event is this?"

"Why doesn't the joy of promotion count?"

"Brother Shen, if you consider me a friend, you have to help me with this matter." Zhang Yunxiu ignored Shen Yongmao's flattery, changed the subject again, and stared at him with burning eyes.

Shen Yongmao pretended to be confused: "How can I help? You should ask the Ministry of War for this matter. It is not in accordance with etiquette for me, a secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, to interfere in this matter."

"As for Lord Shen," Zhang Yunxiu stopped there.

As expected, he came here for his father.

As the son of the Prime Minister and a doctor in the Ministry of Personnel, his status is self-evident. If it were someone else, he would have laughed it off and covered it up.

But this person is Zhang Yunxiu.

Tianjin and Songjiang are two seaports, and the right to mint coins, which one did not make the emperor and him rich? If we talk about the status in the emperor's heart, Shen Shixing, the chief minister, may not be as good as Zhang Yunxiu.

Therefore, when Zhang Yunxiu asked him the question, he became a little hesitant.

It’s not good to refuse, and it’s not good to agree.

Fortunately, Shen Yongmao was also an expert in Tai Chi. He calmly opened the memorial and took a look at it, then handed it back to Zhang Yunxiu: "Brother Zhang, this is a move for the country and the people. It is truly a role model for scholars of our generation."

"I will relay this matter to my father. Please be patient, Brother Zhang."

"Thank you, Brother Shen."

That evening.

Shen Yongmao hurried off his shift and went straight to the old house to look for his father. He hurried into the living room and saw his father wearing a black suit, with his eyes slightly closed, half leaning on the armchair.

The gray beard spread along the chin and spread to the abdomen.

Shen Yongmao walked carefully into the living room and called softly, "Father."

Shen Shixing's face, which was covered with age spots, trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes. Seeing that it was his son, he waved his hand and motioned him to sit down: "What's the matter?"

"Father, Zhang Yunxiu came to see me today." Shen Yongmao replied.

"Oh? What earth-shattering thing is he going to do?" Shen Shixing asked casually.

"Abolish the guards and organize a new army."

"puff"

Shen Shixing suddenly spat out the tea he had just drunk, looked at his son in astonishment, and confirmed: "You mean, he, he wants to change Taizu's guard system?" "Yes." Shen Yongmao nodded, was stunned for a moment, and added, "He also wants me to ask you for your opinion. It seems that he intends to let you support him from the top."

Shen Shixing was so angry that his cheeks turned red and his beard stood on end.

You want to take the lead in something that will make everyone hate you?
There are no doors!

Of course, he wouldn't refuse directly.

He has been an official for many years and is well versed in the ways of the officialdom. The only thing he can do is to "delay". This matter is of great importance, so it will take at least one or two years to discuss it, and then report it to the higher authorities, and then discuss it for several more years after reporting it to the higher authorities.

Several years passed in the process.

It is not impossible that Zhang Yunxiu might forget about this matter.

"Well, you go and reply to him and tell him that this is a serious matter and that the cabinet ministers need to discuss it first."

"My child obeys."

Zhang Mansion.

The warm spring breeze blew by, and Zhang Yunxiu's restless mood finally calmed down. He stood in his own pavilion, holding the pavilion pillar, looking at the night sky, and Shen Yongmao's promise emerged in his mind.

It has been half a month, and Shen Yongmao said he wanted to discuss it. How come it has been half a month and there is still no conclusion?

This father and son are really two cunning guys.

During this period, he didn't just wait at home.

He reported this memorial to the emperor. When the emperor heard that it would cost a huge price, he shook his head and thought it was too risky.

The emperor was his backer, and if the emperor didn't agree, he would be a little worried.

Just as I was thinking about it, I suddenly heard a burst of footsteps behind me.

The familiar fragrance wafts into my nose.

Zhang Yunxiu looked back and saw Zheng Xier walking towards him with a food box in her hand and smiling.

Today she was wearing a decent snow-white velvet dress, with simple light makeup, and an amber Ruyi hairpin on her hair emitting a bright light.

Walking into the pavilion, Zheng Xier opened the food box, took out the cakes from it, and gently placed them on the stone table.

Zhang Yunxiu turned around and sat down, and asked, "Are the children asleep?"

"Asleep." Zheng Xier smiled faintly, revealing two beautiful dimples on her fair cheeks.

Zhang Yunxiu felt itchy at the sight of this. He pretended to pick up a piece of cake to taste, and asked casually about the business in the capital and Songjiang Prefecture.

Zheng Xier answered one by one, and the total profit was half a million a year.

This does not include the plunder from Zhang Yunxiu in Japan and the fleets sent overseas.

"Husband, our family already has so much money, and you've become a high-ranking official, what else do you want?" After saying that, Zheng Xier blinked her almond eyes and sat astride Zhang Yunxiu's legs.

The two of them were face to face, and could almost hear each other's heartbeats.

"Did Ruoxi ask you to come?" Zhang Yunxiu asked calmly.

A trace of panic clearly flashed across Zheng Xier's face, but it quickly disappeared.

She smiled charmingly, twisted her hot body and said coquettishly: "Why did my sister ask me to come? I came here secretly by myself."

"Xi'er."

"Ah."

Looking at the well-behaved and docile Zheng Xier, Zhang Yunxiu asked: "Do you know what I like most about you?"

"What do you like?" Zheng Xier looked nervous.

"I like your intelligence, your sensibility and your ability to know when to advance and when to retreat."

Zheng Xier felt that Zhang Yunxiu was trying to "stab" her, so her charming face turned pale. She opened her mouth to explain, but Zhang Yunxiu interrupted her and said, "I know that you and Ruoxi are doing this for my own good."

"But there are things that I have to try, otherwise it would be a waste of time."

Zheng Xier didn’t understand all this. She just wanted to live a peaceful life with the man in front of her.

Seeing his wife's cautious look, Zhang Yunxiu smiled and pinched her cheek, saying softly: "But don't worry, I'm not a saint. If it's really impossible, I won't bite the bullet and do it."

"I still have you, Ruoxi, and this whole family."

Zheng Xier's face turned red.

It turns out that my husband knows everything and understands everything.

It's a pity that my sister Ruoxi and I have been living in fear, really worried that our husbands will do something stupid and do something that will shock the world and make ghosts cry.

Now that the misunderstanding was resolved, Zheng Xier felt relieved, and being held in his arms again, evil thoughts suddenly arose in her mind.

"Go to my room." Zheng Xier bit her hair and said with seductive eyes.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled, hooked his arm around Zheng Xier's waist, turned around and left.

Around four o'clock in the morning.

Zhang Yunzheng and Zheng Xier were sleeping soundly when they were suddenly awakened by the sound of hurried footsteps outside the door. He rubbed his eyes, looked at the light outside the door and shouted, "What's going on?"

Han San's urgent voice followed: "Sir, sir, something terrible has happened. Something terrible has happened in Japan.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army led a sudden attack on Li Rusong's army. Li Rusong was unable to resist and is now planning to abandon the silver mine. "

Zhang Yunxiu was startled and broke into a cold sweat. He quickly found some clothes to put on, and said to Zheng Xier who looked worried, "You should have a good rest."

After saying that, he walked out of the room.

Outside the door, Han San came forward with sweat all over his forehead.

"Son."

"Go to the study and talk."

The two moved to the study.

As soon as they sat down, Zhang Yunxiu got straight to the point and asked, "What's the timing of this?"

"According to the messenger, it was at least six days ago." Han San said with a worried look on his face, "This time, all the bandits on the entire Japanese island have united, with an army of nearly 200,000."

"Even if General Li is a god descending from heaven, it would be hard to resist him."

Zhang Yunxiu also understood the danger, so he quickly ordered: "So, the East China Sea Fleet and the South China Sea Fleet still have 20,000 people, let them all go to the Japanese island to provide support."

"Zhao Dalong's East China Sea Fleet has already passed. The South China Sea Fleet is out of reach and also has to guard against the Portuguese, so it can't move easily." Han San explained hurriedly.

Zhang Yunxiu heard the voice and remained silent.

The Japanese pirates were so quick, he had planned to reform the military system of the guards first before conquering the Japanese islands, but Toyotomi Hideyoshi took the initiative and caught him off guard.

But Zhang Yunxiu soon realized it.

This is a great opportunity, an opportunity for those civil officials and military generals to realize that a strong army can bring huge benefits in the struggle for world hegemony.

We must use interests to drive them to carry out reforms.

"Send a message to Li Rusong, telling him to preserve his strength. If we can't hold Silver Mountain, we should retreat to Kyushu Island and wait for support."

"Yes!"

(End of this chapter)