Fu Shanhe

Chapter 449 Ambition
Capital.

"Why can't the Beijing garrison, with its more than 300,000 troops, even muster 200,000 soldiers?"

After completing the sacrificial ceremony, Emperor Yongning questioned him sternly.

He risked everything for this personal campaign, defying the opposition of the nobility.

The agreement was to transfer 200,000 elite troops from the Beijing garrison to the north to reinforce the troops defending the Great Wall.

After completing the procedures, it was only when the army was about to set off that it was discovered that many soldiers in the Beijing garrison had been temporarily recruited to make up the numbers.

Taking such troops to the battlefield would be irresponsible to the imperial court.

"Your Majesty, the Beijing Garrison has suffered several heavy blows in recent years."

In previous years, the imperial court lacked funds, and the reconstruction of the Beijing Garrison was delayed until the ninth year of the Yongning era when the garrison was finally able to be fully established.

Newly enlisted soldiers have not yet completed military training and are not suitable for going to the battlefield.

After rigorous screening by the Governor-General's Office, only about 100,000 soldiers met the requirements for deployment.

Jing Guoliang explained with a helpless expression.

While there are objective reasons, the main cause is still the internal problems within the nobility faction.

In the corrupt Great Yu Dynasty, there were very few clean officials, and the noble families were no exception.

The ideals of the younger generation have not been extinguished. They joined the army and were caught up in the war to quell the rebellion. They personally experienced the cruelty of war, and very few of them embezzled military pay or rations.

But the older generation of nobles couldn't do that.

Having grown accustomed to a life of luxury in Beijing, their ideals and ambitions have long been worn away, leaving only self-interest in their eyes.

In the past, with the emperor keeping a close eye on things and the leaders of the nobility keeping an eye on them, no one dared to go too far.

When Jing Guoliang and Li Yuan took up their posts in local areas, they were no longer under the control of powerful figures, and the emperor above them was easy to fool.

Once freed from restraint, the nobles quickly let loose and indulged their desires.

The Beijing garrison suffered heavy losses, and at the very moment when it should have been replenishing its strength, they instead took the opportunity to reap huge profits.

In addition, the Ministry of Revenue's funding was already insufficient, so rebuilding the Beijing Garrison became a mere political slogan.

It wasn't until Jing and Li returned to Beijing and the nobility seized power that the reconstruction of the Beijing Garrison truly began.

It's easy to overthrow external forces, but difficult to overthrow internal ones.

The Beijing garrison was a complex and intertwined group, involving too many nobles, making it difficult to take decisive action.

Even with repeated requirements from above, deviations are still inevitable when it comes to actual implementation.

The staffing was complete, but the quality of the soldiers was questionable.

It was filled not only with a large number of elderly and infirm people, but also with a bunch of temporary workers.

Jing Guoliang and Li Yuan tried to rectify the situation several times, but since those involved were all their own people, they couldn't bring themselves to kill them.

Making an example of someone is merely sending them home; it lacks sufficient deterrent effect.

Left with no other choice, they had to select capable generals from the provinces to bring them to the capital and reshuffle the Beijing garrison.

Unfortunately, the lack of capable generals in local areas also hindered the speed of personnel turnover in the Beijing garrison.

Slow progress is not a problem; as long as we can persevere in the long term, the Beijing-Bingkou issue can still be resolved.

Unfortunately, before the capital garrison could be fully reorganized, Emperor Yongning was already clamoring to personally lead an expedition.

Normally, we could cover it up, but at a time like this, we can't hide it anymore.

After a selection process, the original plan to send 200,000 troops was reduced by half.

Even if it's a mess made by one of our own, we have to clean it up, even if it's painful.

"Bastard!"

"Investigate the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard for me!"

"No matter who is involved, these corrupt officials must be brought to justice!"

Emperor Yongning angrily issued the order.

No matter how nicely Jing Guoliang puts it, the number of troops he can mobilize for this personal expedition is 100,000 fewer.

For the emperor, a personal military campaign was one that could not be lost.

The sudden loss of 100,000 troops meant that his chances of winning had been greatly reduced.

There was still room for maneuver before the announcement was made.

Now that the sacrificial ceremony has been completed and all parties are ready to go, if he suddenly announces that he will not go, his political credibility will be ruined.

Now that things have developed to this point, no matter how great the difficulties, Emperor Yongning must take action.

Even if we can't change the overall situation, we can still find ways to expose the corrupt officials and vent our anger.

He had a rare opportunity to openly suppress the aristocratic faction, and he didn't want to miss it.

"Your Majesty, if you want to clarify the problems of the Beijing Garrison, please start by investigating the Ministry of Revenue."

For over a century, the Beijing Garrison has never received the full amount of military pay and provisions allocated by the imperial court.

As far as I know, the capital garrison can receive up to 80% of its funds and provisions at times, and sometimes even less than 60%.

Not only were the amounts reduced, but the quality of the money and grain was also seriously problematic.

Li Yuan stepped forward and said.

He was also very unhappy about the corruption within the aristocratic faction.

But political struggles are never black and white.

No matter how much you dislike those people, you still have to protect them in court.

There was no way around it; the noble faction, though seemingly powerful, actually consisted of only a little over a hundred companies.

Including the local military garrison families that were affiliated with the nobility, there were at most a few hundred such families.

It's difficult to expand further at this scale.

No matter what you do, you can't escape this circle.

If the imperial court investigates strictly, it could potentially destroy dozens of noble and powerful families.

Once such a political loss is suffered, it will be difficult to not only continue to hold power, but also to withdraw unscathed.

Moreover, these people were not weak scholars waiting for the court to come and slaughter them.

Besides serving in the capital, they also had sons who led troops in local areas, including generals and lieutenant generals.

If the imperial court were to take action against their families, the people below would rise up in retaliation.

If you can't handle it yourself, then just shift the blame elsewhere.

In the past, covering things up meant putting them on the table, which made it impossible to resolve the situation.

Now that the situation has changed, it is truly unjust for the Guangxun noble faction to bear the emperor's wrath alone.

Bringing civil officials into the game is undoubtedly the best way to shift the blame.

If the imperial court investigates diligently, officials who have served in the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue will basically be doomed.

It is highly likely that officials from the Ministry of Industry will also be implicated.

If this method of operation is used, it's estimated that half of the officials in the imperial court could be sent to prison.

"check!"

Emperor Yongning gritted his teeth and gave the order.

Seeing the group of evasive civil officials, he knew that Li Yuan had told the truth.

In an era where the nation and its people were bound together, the money in the national treasury was essentially the emperor's money.

He himself was reluctant to spend the money, thinking it would be used for important military and national affairs, but unexpectedly it was embezzled by his subordinates.

"Your Majesty, corruption cases can be investigated at any time. The most urgent task is still to fight the Northern Barbarians."

Minister of War Luo Wenbo immediately spoke up to persuade him.

The noble faction has now revealed its true intentions, clearly aiming to shift the blame to Jiangdong.

If the investigation continues, countless officials will be implicated.

No matter what, the work still needs to be done.

The old hands in the Ministry of War weren't very capable, but they did have some basic military knowledge.

If a new batch of people were brought in, who knows how many more jokes they would make.

It's fine to laugh it off in normal times; Da Yu has a high enough margin for error to not cause any major trouble.

If this were to happen during the emperor's personal campaign, causing a major blunder could be fatal. "Your Majesty, Minister Luo is right."

The court needs stability at the moment, and launching a major military campaign at this time would inevitably affect the northward campaign.

Since this has already happened, investigating now will be pointless; it's better to settle things after the war.

Minister of Revenue Lü Lingfeng echoed this sentiment.

He knew better than anyone the true nature of the Ministry of Revenue.

The internal accounts were a mess; they might fool the emperor, but if a professional audited them, they would be exposed without a doubt.

He hadn't even warmed his position as Minister, and sending the Imperial Guard to investigate now would be tantamount to ruining his career.

However, he knew Emperor Yongning's temper, and that directly obstructing him would definitely backfire, so he simply adopted the tactic of stalling.

As for what to do after the war, we'll talk about that when the time comes.

With this much longer buffer period, everyone can also clean up their own messes.

In fact, he was unwilling to make this decision deep down.

The nobility launched an attack, so how could the Qingliu Party not retaliate?

Unfortunately, the current situation is special; during wartime, nobles are needed to risk their lives.

If the problems of the nobles are discovered at this time, the court will not be able to take action; at most, it will only impose symbolic punishments.

Aside from damaging their reputation, they actually did not shake the power of the nobility faction; instead, they cleaned up the trouble for them.

According to the rules of the political game, once something has been dealt with openly, it cannot be mentioned again in the future.

The imperial court applied different standards to civil and military officials when dealing with corruption.

If a civil servant is found to be involved in corruption, his career is basically over, and he may even lose his head.

If a military officer is found to have committed corruption, as long as he doesn't cause a major scandal, he'll at most be dragged out and given a beating.

As for reputation, that's not a problem at all.

The reputation of the nobility has already been ruined by them, so they don't care about adding another stain to it.

Unless the problems of the Beijing Garrison are entirely attributed to the nobility, corruption alone cannot shake their foundation.

Unfortunately, the Ministry of Revenue's embezzlement of funds and grain, coupled with the Ministry of War officials' involvement in profit-sharing, made it impossible to cover up the fraud.

"Ok!"

"What you ministers say makes sense. This matter will be postponed for now."

Emperor Yongning suppressed his displeasure and said.

Knowing there was a problem but being unable to investigate, he felt as uncomfortable as if he had swallowed a fly.

No matter how unhappy you are, you have to endure it.

Others may disregard the overall situation, but he, as the emperor, must.

The army is about to set off tomorrow. If we overturn the table now and it affects the battle with the northern barbarians, we will suffer a huge loss.

……

Beneath the Great Wall, the camp of the allied forces of the grasslands.

The siege has been going on for more than half a month, but the enemy's defenses remain as solid as a mountain.

The grassland allied forces, accustomed to conquering cities in a single day, were very unaccustomed to the sudden reinforcement of the enemy's defenses.

Some small tribes even considered retreating.

Everyone came here to make money, not to tackle tough challenges.

Rumors were rampant in the army, and Hugjil Chanyu was under considerable internal pressure.

"Great Chanyu, the Shanxi merchants are ready and can launch a coordinated attack from within or without at any time."

Nichileg reported with delight.

For nomadic peoples of the grasslands, conquering cities was not their forte.

The Great Yu dynasty purged its incompetent officials and replaced them with capable generals, instantly making the Great Wall defenses much stronger.

While it's true that forcing people to surrender might break through the defenses, the price to pay would be enough to make them wince.

Moreover, breaking through the Great Wall defenses is not just about crossing the Great Wall; it also requires capturing the fortresses and strongholds along the way.

Leaving even a single nail could potentially cut off the army's retreat.

In this context, the inside game becomes particularly important.

The strongest fortresses are always breached from within.

No matter how the defenses are built, they cannot stop attacks from both inside and outside.

"Tell the Shanxi merchants to continue lying low; it's not time to expose them yet."

The Emperor of Dayu personally led his troops on the expedition, clearly indicating that the Yu Dynasty wanted to take a big gamble.

Since that brat Yongning wants to come and die, I, the Chanyu, will naturally create an opportunity for him.

Hugjil said with a sneer.

It was originally just a casual move, but unexpectedly, it actually attracted Emperor Yongning.

If there are no internal problems, the strength of the Great Yu Dynasty is enough to conquer the three Tatar kingdoms.

Based on their strategy of attrition warfare, they have no chance of winning.

To avoid being put on the defensive, he preemptively led his troops south to seek an opportunity to fight.

Now is the chance.

If they can defeat Emperor Yongning, who is personally leading the expedition, and inflict heavy damage on the Great Yu, all the difficulties faced by the Tatar people can be easily resolved.

"The Great Chanyu, Emperor Yongning, personally led the expedition, mobilizing a considerable number of troops."

In addition to the 100,000 troops stationed in the capital, there were tens of thousands of troops near the capital, plus troops drawn from the south, bringing the total strength to no less than 200,000.

Once they join forces with the border troops, it will be very difficult to fight!

Nichileg advised with a solemn expression.

Their own Chanyu's strategic plan is good, but his appetite is too big, and he might choke them to death.

The safest strategy is to deal with the Yu army along the Great Wall before the enemy arrives, and then seize the opportunity to fight a decisive battle with the enemy's reinforcements.

"Don't worry, the more troops the Yu Dynasty mobilizes, the greater our chances of winning."

Humans need to eat, and livestock need to eat grain.

During the Yu Dynasty, grain production in the north was limited, and supplies for the border regions had to be drawn from the southern provinces.

With such a large increase in troops, logistics alone will be a huge problem.

To maintain an army of hundreds of thousands in combat, it would likely require mobilizing over a million people in the rear to transport supplies.

Taking into account the losses incurred during transportation, the Yu Dynasty would consume more than 100,000 shi of grain every day the war lasted.

With these expenditures alone, they might be able to grit their teeth and hold on for a while longer.

Unfortunately, the officials of the Yu Dynasty were insatiably greedy. How could they not profit from such a large-scale mobilization of funds and grain?

The people in the northern provinces were already suffering, and it was normal for some trouble to arise from conscripting so many laborers.

Even if nothing goes wrong, we can still arrange for people to cause trouble for them.

Hugjil said confidently.

In order to deal with the giant that is the Great Yu Dynasty, he has studied the culture of the Yu Dynasty for many years and his understanding of the internal affairs of the Great Yu Dynasty is even better than that of Emperor Yongning.

In terms of money and supplies alone, the Great Yu Dynasty was not lacking; at least it could muster the funds and supplies for the Northern Expedition.

Unfortunately, the internal mobilization capacity of the Great Yu Dynasty was weak, and a large amount of social wealth was in the hands of the gentry and was not under the control of the imperial court.

The persistently high price of grain is the best evidence of this.

The powerful gentry families in the south who had completed the land consolidation did not use all the land for growing grain in order to maximize their profits.

As the Yu Dynasty lifted the maritime ban, more and more gentry in the south chose to cultivate more profitable cash crops.

The textile factories in the Jiangnan region were constantly in operation, producing countless silks and satins that were then sold all over the world.

These people don't even want to pay normal commercial taxes; they only reluctantly pay them when a knife is held to their throats. Don't even expect them to voluntarily contribute money and grain to support the imperial court.

Against this backdrop, using war to ignite the internal conflicts of the Great Yu Dynasty and detonate this giant from within was undoubtedly the best option.

……

(End of this chapter)