Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 292 Centralization Methods
Zhu Cilang eventually presided over the separation of Hainan from Guangdong and the establishment of the "Nanyang Town", which was used as the base of the future Nanyang Navy.

This move caused a stir both inside and outside the political arena, and the Zheng family's response to this decision in particular attracted much attention.

The Zheng family's overseas trade had a huge influence in Fujian and Taiwan, and how to coordinate their interests with the military expansion of the new regime became the key.

Initially, Zhu Cilang's attitude was very tough, and the conditions he offered were almost unacceptable to the Zheng family, and his intention to test them was obvious.

He wanted to see how the Zheng family would react, especially since the strength the Zheng family had accumulated through overseas trade over the years was really worrying.

However, the Zheng family did not show any determination to fight to the death with the court.

After Zhang Huangyan's repeated persuasion, Zheng Sen, the current head of the Zheng family, realized that it would be better to compromise than to confront the enemy head-on.

After all, Zhu Cilang not only demonstrated his strong ability on the battlefield, but his rule was also gradually becoming more stable.

However, although Zheng Sen was afraid of Zhu Cilang's strength, he was more aware that the interests of the Zheng family must be maximized in this situation.

Therefore, while cooperation appears on the surface, a struggle for interests actually unfolds amidst the undercurrent.

The Zheng family finally retained direct jurisdiction over the two prefectures of Zhangzhou and Quanzhou, but in military terms, Zhu Cilang refused to give in and would never allow the Zheng family to retain too many troops. This arrangement was fraught with danger.

If the Zheng family wanted to maintain control of Taiwan, they would have to spend a lot of resources and manpower, and this cost would be enough to weaken their power in Fujian.

For Zhu Cilang, conquering Taiwan was a strategic decision that would benefit future generations.

But there are not many tangible benefits in the short term, and it may even be a losing deal.

However, he knew very well that if Zheng Sen could not successfully occupy and maintain control of Taiwan.

Then the Zheng family would have no reason to continue maintaining that huge navy and fleet, which also became the key for him to implement further military reorganization and power reduction.

Because of this, Zhu Cilang was not worried that the Zheng family would take the initiative to provoke a war.

Zheng Sen's allies would not support him either. Instead, these complex relationships provided Zhu Cilang with an opportunity to gradually disintegrate the Zheng family's power.

In this political and military game, the Zheng family has always been in a dilemma.

Conquering Taiwan would mean huge losses, especially since the Dutch had a stronger navy and stronger fortifications than the Zheng family.

But if he does not capture Taiwan, he will lose the legitimacy to continue to maintain a large military.

If he succeeded in taking Taiwan, his army would be greatly weakened and he would no longer have the strength to resist Zhu Cilang's centralized power.

After several rounds of negotiations, the various forces finally reached a consensus before the "Cabinet Meeting".

At this time, after careful discussion, Zheng Zhilong and his sons believed that although they had lost some land, their control and relative independence in Fujian could still be guaranteed.

Sea transportation can solve the problem of food supply, and the conquest of Annan also provides them with a new opportunity for long-term development.

The seemingly harmonious situation on the surface is actually the result of countless hidden transactions and interest exchanges behind the scenes. The so-called "happy and harmonious situation" is just a compromise reached reluctantly by the various factions after nearly half a month of fierce competition.

The division of land, population, and troops, and the redistribution of workshops and trade all became bargaining chips at the negotiating table.

Zhu Cilang also took this opportunity to promote his plan for institutional reform and power checks and balances in the new dynasty with the support of external forces.

At the cabinet meeting, the seemingly harmonious discussions and decisions had actually already been finalized in secret.

Zhu Cilang took advantage of the situation and although he made some concessions on the surface, he was actually steadily advancing his plan of unification.

At some point in the future, when the strength of all parties is gradually weakened, the central government's power will be re-assembled, and Zhu Cilang will completely take control of the overall situation.
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As various parts of the Central Plains were gradually recovered, the war in the Central Plains that had lasted for decades finally came to an end, and the entire Chinese land ushered in a rare short period of peace.

However, beneath the apparent calm of the New Ming Dynasty, a new storm was quietly brewing.

As Li Gou moved north and Zheng Zhilong moved south, the areas under their respective control gradually entered the stage of summer grain collection. Zhu Cilang also began to plan a severe anti-corruption campaign and embarked on a plan to comprehensively reform the administrative system.

The so-called "crackdown on corruption" is not just a moral punishment against corrupt officials, but an initiative with deep political considerations.

At this time, further strengthening of centralization was a necessary step for Zhu Cilang to maintain power and eliminate dissidents, and anti-corruption was one of the most effective means in this process.

Not only can he eliminate those corrupt bureaucrats in the name of "corruption", but he can also consolidate the support of grassroots soldiers and civilians and quickly enhance his own reputation.

Zhu Cilang knew that in a bureaucratic system without effective supervision and checks and balances, corruption was almost inevitable.

Using corruption as an excuse to punish dissidents can not only deter disobedient officials, but is also an efficient use of political means.

However, Zhu Cilang himself was not so naive as to expect this action to completely eradicate the corruption problem.

In this authoritarian bureaucratic system, without establishing a real system of checks and balances and supervision, relying solely on severe anti-corruption actions is not enough to curb corruption.

For thousands of years, human nature has not changed; only the ruling system has changed.

The so-called putting power in a cage seems simple, but it is actually difficult.

Zhu Cilang did not expect that he could completely reform the system in a short period of time, but he knew that once the power in his hands was strong enough, he could temporarily rely on this high-pressure method to ensure the efficiency of the bureaucratic system in the short term.

To completely eradicate corruption is a long and arduous process, but under the current circumstances, he must first consolidate his power and crack down on dissidents left over from the previous dynasty.

In an autocratic bureaucratic system, if there is no clear mechanism of checks and balances, the so-called honest officials and wise rulers are only accidental and cannot solve long-standing institutional problems.

However, he also did not deny that if there were a strong and wise ruler, or a group of honest and upright officials, they could indeed temporarily curb the spread of corruption through severe crackdown measures within a certain period of time.

Because of this, Zhu Cilang decided to take advantage of this and use iron-fisted methods to eliminate those dissidents among the bureaucracy who supported the old dynasty and attempted to oppose the new policies. At the same time, he would rectify the officialdom, restore efficient operation at the grassroots level, and alleviate the dissatisfaction of the people.

He knew very well that the efficient mobilization capabilities and strict execution of orders at the grassroots level were the fundamental reasons for his victory in the southern half of the country.

During the national war, it was this organizational and execution ability that enabled him to mobilize limited resources to fight against more powerful enemies.

In order to maintain this advantage, he must use the anti-corruption campaign as an opportunity to carry out a large-scale overhaul of the entire bureaucratic system.

Zhu Cilang's strategy was clear: he did not intend to eradicate corruption completely in a short period of time. Instead, he selectively targeted disobedient officials, eliminating those who ignored the new policies and secretly supported the old forces. At the same time, he was well aware that he had to be cautious when dealing with high-ranking officials.

Because these people not only hold actual power in the local area, but are also closely connected with local interest groups. If they are not handled properly, they may trigger a greater political crisis.

Therefore, he prefers to gradually weaken the influence of these local forces through a series of gradual reforms, and ultimately achieve complete control over national power.

The summer grain collection work was Zhu Cilang’s first step in testing the loyalty of local officials.

During this period, he will closely monitor performance in various regions, especially those key areas.

Any sign of corruption or passive resistance would become a reason for him to order a rectification, and those officials who performed outstandingly and were loyal to the new policy would be promoted and reused.

In this way, he can gradually achieve effective control over the local area while maintaining stability at the grassroots level.

Of course, the anti-corruption campaign is not simply a political purge.

Zhu Cilang was well aware that over-reliance on high-pressure tactics might cause panic and unrest in the officialdom and affect administrative efficiency.

Therefore, while promoting anti-corruption, he also took a series of measures to appease the grassroots and alleviate the doubts of officials.

In particular, through incentive mechanisms, we will reward officials who serve the country, work diligently and honestly, and encourage them to play a greater role in future new policies.

All of this must start with cracking down on corruption and eliminating dissidents.

By rectifying the bureaucracy, he will pave the way for future political reforms and provide strong guarantees for the smooth implementation of new policies.

The success or failure of any political reform ultimately depends on the control of power and the design of the system.

And everything he did was to ensure that he could firmly grasp the initiative in his future rule.

Of course, Zhu Cilang’s goal is far more than just “fighting corruption” and “preventing corruption”.

He also tried to further control the power of the Zheng family through this "crackdown" operation.

Under the pretext of combating corruption and under the banner of upholding justice, he deeply implanted the "Inspection Department" and the "Military Law Corps", two centralized institutions that only obeyed his orders, into strategic locations such as Fujian, Shaanxi, and Shanxi.

The officialdom problems in these areas are difficult to solve, corruption among officials is rampant, and the situation has become extremely serious.

While Zhu Cilang was rectifying the officialdom, he also tried to leave a long-term political legacy through measures such as the "Academy of Sciences" and "Imperial Examination Reform" to pave the way for future political transformation.

The concentration of power alone cannot maintain stability forever; institutional reforms must be implemented to lay the foundation for subsequent development.

Therefore, he hopes to take this opportunity not only to combat corruption, but also to promote a series of political reforms, trying to implant more efficient and fair mechanisms into the future political structure.

"Your Majesty, this is a list compiled by the Inspection Department, the Supreme Court, and the Ministry of Justice. It contains a total of 112 people, all of whom are loyal and just.

The Supervisory Office sent 35 people, the Dali Temple sent 21 people, and the Ministry of Justice sent 60 people to be responsible for the investigation, arrest, and interrogation of this operation.

Li Banghua respectfully clasped his fists and reported. He paused and continued:
"Currently, the Inspection Department has evidence of corruption against more than 20 officials of the fifth rank and above. These cases involve a wide range of officials, from state governments to provincial transport departments, and even military generals.

The amount of corruption and bribery for officials below the fifth rank was even more shocking. Even a small county magistrate could embezzle thousands of taels of silver in a single year.

As Zhu Cilang's confidant, Li Banghua naturally served as the commander-in-chief in this anti-corruption campaign.

The Inspection Department under his charge was responsible for supervising high-ranking officials. It was above the Dali Temple and the Ministry of Justice, and no one dared to look down on it.

Under Zhu Cilang's instructions, Li Banghua secretly sent capable personnel from the Inspectorate to collect evidence of corruption among officials. Now the evidence has been accumulated sufficiently and the time is ripe.

At the same time, the Ministry of Justice also has a number of long-pending cases that need to be dealt with urgently.

Zhou Shixian followed closely and reported to Zhu Cilang:
"Your Majesty, the Ministry of Justice currently has a large backlog of cases. Disputes over water and land are rampant, clan feuds are common, and disputes among local tyrants are numerous. Many issues remain unresolved for a long time.

Especially in the military camps, corruption and fraud are particularly serious.

Among the hundreds of large and small camps in Nanzhili and Jiangxi provinces, almost none were innocent.

Some have even relied on their connections with high-ranking military officials to commit crimes without fear or apprehension."

Zhu Cilang did not seem surprised after hearing this.

He had planned this anti-corruption storm long ago. As early as several months ago, Li Banghua and Zhou Shixian were ordered to conduct secret investigations and collect evidence, but the time was not right, so they had been keeping it secret.

Now, as the investigation gradually deepens and the chain of evidence becomes complete, the situation has entered a critical stage. Zhu Cilang has decided to begin a thorough liquidation of corrupt forces.

He had heard about these corruption phenomena a long time ago, but even so, he couldn't help but sigh at the audacity of these corrupt officials.

For a long time, local tyrants and corrupt officials have colluded with each other, becoming an obstacle to the court's administration, and the corruption in local governance has caused complaints from the people.

Zhu Cilang was very clear that if these cancers were not cleaned up in time, the court's ruling foundation would gradually decay, which would sooner or later lead to social unrest and might even repeat the tragedy of the civil uprising in the late Ming Dynasty.

Behind this "severe crackdown" operation, there are deeper political considerations.

In particular, local officials like Zheng Zhilong, who hold heavy military power, have become the biggest threat to centralization.

Under the pretext of outward expansion, they are actually seeking greater local autonomy and attempting to further expand their sphere of influence in the power vacuum.

What Zhu Cilang had to do was to use a thundering anti-corruption campaign to warn these ambitious people that anyone who dared to disobey the central government's orders would be severely punished.

As Zhu Cilang's right-hand man, Li Banghua led the Inspection Department, which was not only a supervisory agency, but also a sword in Zhu Cilang's hand to strike against local forces.

They not only have to expose the corruption of local officials, but also gradually dismantle the powerful forces entrenched in the local area and weaken their political influence.

To achieve this goal, it is necessary to clean up corrupt forces and restore the prestige of centralized power.

(End of this chapter)