Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 515 The Art of Managing People! Old Zhu's Western Tour!

The fourth document was the "Censorate's Quick Report," compiled by palace eunuchs based on various reports submitted by the Censorate and the Military Discipline Division under the Military Affairs Department.

This newspaper lists cases of illegal acts, dereliction of duty, and negligence in government affairs involving officials at all levels, especially high-ranking military and political officials, including the oversight failures of generals.

This "Quick Report from the Capital Garrison" is a top-secret document, intended for the emperor's exclusive viewing.

The Censorate had the power to "report on hearsay." Whenever there was any disturbance in the court or in the localities, even if the facts had not yet been ascertained, it could report it based on what it had heard.

Whether the content in question is true or not still needs further verification.

Sometimes it's just hearsay, but sometimes it can conceal real corruption, bribery, or other illegal and disorderly conduct by officials.

The intelligence gathered by the Military Discipline Division was mostly similar.

While some of the matters involved may not be considered heinous crimes or necessarily constitute clear offenses, those who are merely occupying positions without performing their duties, neglecting their responsibilities, or abusing their power are still recorded.

Some things, though seemingly ordinary, have hidden anomalies, or involve many officials, making it difficult to clarify the attribution of responsibility and temporarily impossible to convict. Therefore, they are listed in the briefing under the name of "awaiting investigation".

There are countless problems, too numerous to list.

Zhu Yunwen ordered the Censorate and the Military Discipline Office to compile such intelligence into a book every day for his personal review, so as to keep track of the movements and words of court officials and military generals.

This is, in fact, a special report on personnel supervision at the highest level.

Although this report occasionally overlaps with the aforementioned briefings in content, their focus is quite different.

The former aims to have a comprehensive view of the overall situation and control the country's military and political affairs.

This "Quick Report from the Capital Garrison" focused more on intelligence gathering on officials and generals.

It can also reveal various problems existing in officialdom and capture the trend of the times, which is an important basis for Zhu Yunwen to maintain the order of the court and understand the trends of officialdom.

Because this "Quick Report of the Censorate" involved a large number of private affairs and inappropriate words and deeds of high-ranking officials and military generals, and its content was extremely sensitive, the work of sorting and archiving it was carried out personally by trusted eunuchs in the palace to prevent the information from being leaked to the outer court and causing unnecessary trouble.

Although these four briefings each have their own focus, they often overlap and corroborate each other.

If one piece of information is suspected of being false or untrue, clues and flaws can often be found in the other documents.

This arrangement also serves as an invisible oversight mechanism.

On the other hand, since it is a "briefing" format, its content is mostly concise summaries, omitting lengthy details.

Zhu Yunwen could read it all in one go without spending much time each day.

If there was anything that needed to draw the emperor's special attention, the words "urgent" or "important" would be marked in red in the header or title, or a suggestion requesting the emperor's annotation would be attached.

If Zhu Yunwen felt it necessary to understand the details of a matter after reading it, he would order another detailed report on the matter to be submitted.

Sometimes he would also write notes or make comments directly on the briefing to show his attitude.

But all of this depends on his personal will.

In other words, after the briefing was presented, whether Zhu Yunwen read it, how carefully he read it, and whether he approved it were all up to him. He did not need to explain to anyone, and no one could know whether he had read it or not.

Neither the Minister of State Affairs nor the Minister of Military Affairs were allowed to inquire about, nor dared to inquire about, their duties. They knew only their responsibilities and dared not presume to interpret the Emperor's will.

Zhu Yunwen also intended to maintain this mystery.

Since the court has a Political Affairs Office and a Military Affairs Office, many matters should be decided by the two offices themselves.

If there is no imperial edict, the minister shall handle the matter according to precedent.

Only if there is an explicit imperial edict will one act in accordance with the decree.

Such a system of decentralization can reduce the burden on the emperor, improve the efficiency of government affairs, and avoid the stagnation of the government caused by relying on the emperor to make all decisions.

Of course, if a major event is imminent, and the ministers of state affairs or military affairs believe that it is a matter of fundamental importance and requires an imperial edict, but they dare not make decisions on their own, and His Majesty has not yet issued an order, they will go to the emperor to request His Majesty's judgment in order to rectify the situation.

At present, the Ming Dynasty is facing numerous internal and external affairs, and there are so many matters, large and small, that it is impossible to handle them all personally.

The Battle of Jinchuan in the southwest was important, but it was not yet of "extreme urgency".

There were no signs of collapse or rout, nor any overwhelming success; everything was progressing steadily and remained under control.

The battle was naturally mentioned in the several reports submitted to His Majesty, described in a standard and routine manner.

Whether the emperor read it or took it to heart, they did not know.

Since there was neither an official instruction nor a summons to ministers for a personal consultation, they tacitly agreed that there was no need to seek special permission from the emperor and would make their own decision.

This tacit understanding and silence is itself a result of the gradual adjustment between the ruler and his subjects.

Several months earlier, Zhu Yunwen had already set the overall strategic policy for the war in the southwest and handed over the specific command authority to the Military Affairs Department, allowing them to independently coordinate and control the war situation.

Unless there are special circumstances, such as an urgent need for a large-scale troop increase, or the need to report a major victory that would shake the court and the public, such information would usually only be mentioned briefly in the daily briefings. There would be no need to specifically request the emperor's attention or ask him for instructions one by one.

During this period, Zhu Yunwen devoted almost all his energy to scientific research, traveling day and night between the Ming Academy of Sciences and the Imperial University of Peking, personally guiding the research and development and implementation of new technologies.

He would often just glance at the various briefings he received, or more often than not, he would simply put them aside without ever reading them carefully.

It's perfectly normal to miss some information.

Lately, the magazine he reads most often, and even almost daily, is the monthly journal "Frontiers of Science," jointly compiled by the Ming Academy of Sciences and the Imperial University of Peking.

Unlike the journal "Daming Science" and its various professional sub-journals, which focus more on the explanation of principles and technical papers, with difficult writing and complicated terminology.

"Science Frontiers" is a concise popular science publication aimed at decision-makers, with intuitive and clear content that highlights the latest scientific and technological achievements, industrial developments and their potential applications.

For example, a certain research institution has recently overcome a core technology.

What new production equipment has a large factory developed, and how much has it increased its production capacity?

Or perhaps a new type of machine tool or a new type of firearm has been successfully developed, with performance superior to the old geometry, reduced manufacturing costs by several percent, and expanded functionality.

All of these were listed in detail to help Zhu Yunwen quickly grasp the state of technological development in the Ming Dynasty.

The reason he paid so much attention to this science and technology report was that the "miscellaneous and not in-depth" knowledge he had learned in his previous life, although it could not be used to write papers, was often effective in evaluating projects, pointing out directions, and proposing key ideas, and sometimes could even determine success or failure with a single word.

This is why he devoted almost all his thoughts and enthusiasm to this, and inevitably became somewhat indifferent to court affairs and military matters.

In Zhu Yunwen's view, the Ming Dynasty's military affairs department had gathered the most experienced generals and commanders in the country, all of whom were veterans of countless battles.

There was no need for the emperor to be involved in every little detail, from how tactics were deployed to how troops were mobilized.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty is now at the height of its power, with excellent military equipment and advanced firearms that are far beyond the reach of the ragtag army of the local chieftains in the southwest.

Even the harsh natural conditions of high mountains, treacherous roads, and severe climate could not hinder the steady progress made with the support of Ming Dynasty's technology.

In his mind, the outcome of the war was already decided. Therefore, even if the briefing occasionally mentioned the military situation in the southwest, he was too lazy to investigate it in detail, treating it as a routine matter and glancing over it.

In Zhu Yunwen's vision, the current battle was nothing more than following a predetermined script.

The Ming Dynasty's iron army will eventually crush the mountains, seize the tribes of Tibet, and completely eliminate the border troubles. He only needs to wait to hear the good news and then celebrate his victory.

Little did they know that such a secret was hidden in the battle plan.

Zhu Yunwen paid particular attention to personnel changes, as they directly affected whether his power could remain stable.

Once he has control over personnel matters, he really doesn't need to worry too much about the specific details of handling affairs.

Appointing officials is about getting things done.

When not necessary, the emperor's intervention in "micromanagement" can be counterproductive.

Zhu Yunwen has no desire to be a "micro-management master".

Therefore, he only read the reports in the "Quick Report of the Capital Censor" and the "Daily Briefing" about the quarrel between Duke Xu Huizu of Wei and Duke Lan Yu of Liang.

However, the specific reason for the argument was not explained in detail.

If Xu Miaojin hadn't mentioned it at this moment, Zhu Yunwen would never have known the reason behind it.

During this trip to the north, unless it was an urgent matter or a major political matter that required his personal decision, the other daily military and political affairs were handled by the Military Affairs Department and the Political Affairs Department, so he had no time to attend to these trivial matters.

Xu Miaojin had clearly been prepared, and was just waiting for the right opportunity to speak to him.

When she spoke, her words were appropriate and her tact was just right. She neither said that her brother's idea was better nor made any unwarranted judgments about Lan Yu's views. She simply relayed the debate between the two of them in a frank and unbiased manner.

It is up to Zhu Yunwen to weigh the pros and cons and make a decision.

This was certainly not because she was completely ignorant of military strategy. The young girl had read many military books since childhood and came from a military family like the Xu family, so she was naturally very familiar with military and political affairs.

Otherwise, Xu Huizu wouldn't have consulted his younger sister about everything in the past.

This is certainly not just about spoiling his younger sister.

Rather, it was because Xu Miaojin could genuinely offer him advice and strategies.

Xu Miaojin is not expressing any opinion at the moment, simply to deliberately avoid suspicion of "interference in politics by the empress dowager".

She understood the nuances perfectly.

Zhu Yunwen pondered for a moment before slowly speaking: "Your brother's plan is quite insightful, and your maternal uncle's considerations are not without merit."

"However, my great-uncle was a bit too hasty."

"It should be understood that taking over Tibet is only the first step."

"Next, the imperial court will need to station troops to guard the southwest for a long time and manage it well, which will depend on a continuous supply of materials."

"If the roads are blocked, the troops cannot be stationed; if supplies are insufficient, the situation cannot be secured."

"Instead of pursuing a quick victory, it is better to proceed step by step."

"Building roads while fighting, and constructing while fighting, is a sound long-term strategy."

"By proceeding slowly, we can avoid unnecessary casualties among our soldiers."

Zhu Yuntong was well aware of how terrible altitude sickness could be.

Although Daming, under his guidance, already knows the different gases in the air, knows that oxygen exists, and knows that the real cause of "cold miasma" is altitude sickness caused by lack of oxygen.

However, the Ming Dynasty was not yet able to produce pure oxygen on a systematic and large scale like in later generations, so that soldiers could breathe it.

Although some medications can alleviate altitude sickness to some extent, "oxygen inhalation" is the fundamental solution.

If oxygen cannot be administered for treatment, and troops are forced to march rapidly without considering altitude sickness and allowing their bodies to acclimatize to the high-altitude environment, the casualties will be extremely heavy.

This is something Zhu Yunwen did not want to see.

Moreover, the continuous loss of soldiers would severely shake the morale of the new army, thereby affecting its combat effectiveness.

It could have unforeseen consequences for the war.

Conversely, as long as the soldiers gradually adapt to the plateau environment, with the advantage of the Ming Dynasty's firearms, the war in Tibet will be as stable as Mount Tai.

"There is no need to rush the attack on the Jinchuan watchtowers. Let it be a real combat exercise, so that the soldiers can practice more tactics and strategies."

He smiled slightly and said, "Hasn't the Academy of Sciences recently developed several new types of firearms? Many of them have not yet been tested in actual combat. This war is a good opportunity to test their capabilities."

Xu Miaojin smiled slightly and said softly, "His Majesty will decide this matter, so my brother and the Duke of Liang will no longer need to argue so fiercely."

"Once we arrive at the headquarters, we will have the telegraph station send a message to Nanjing to convey His Majesty's decree."

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yunwen shook his head and smiled, "Let Yang Rong, who is accompanying me, send this telegram. The wording can be slightly suggestive, just enough to convey my attitude, but there is no need to issue it as an imperial edict."

He added, "Once an imperial edict is issued, it becomes an ironclad rule; but the current matter is still a debatable issue, and some room for maneuver needs to be left."

"Secondly, this plan is tantamount to completely rejecting the Duke of Liang's opinion."

"My great-uncle is a very proud man, and this would make him lose face."

"By not issuing an imperial edict, my great-uncle was able to back down gracefully, thus saving face for himself."

Xu Miaojin chuckled softly: "Your Majesty's skill in managing people has reached a state of perfection, becoming increasingly refined."

"This move is thorough and appropriate, much better than issuing a direct decree. Your Majesty's previous considerations were inadequate and far inferior."

As she spoke, her tone suddenly softened, and a delicate blush rose on her cheeks, like peach blossoms in full bloom, radiating the joy of spring.

Zhu Yunwen was stunned for a moment before he suddenly realized what was happening.

His own hand was still resting on some part of her body.

I was so focused on talking that I came to my senses. Suddenly, my emotions surged, and my hands, which had been still, began to caress me again without my noticing. The movements were gentle yet teasing.

Xu Miaojin's breathing became increasingly rapid, her chest heaving, her heart seemingly restless and unsettled, her breath coming in soft gasps.

Before long, inside the carriage, the curtains were lowered, and the air was filled with fragrance, creating a beautiful spring scene. It was as if even the surrounding world had fallen silent, holding its breath to listen.

……

Just as Zhu Yunwen was on his northern tour, at this very moment, on the western border of Beshbalik, the Ming army's dragon flags were waving, and in the central army camp, Zhu was summoning his generals to discuss matters!
……

(End of this chapter)