Strategy for the Revitalization of the Late Ming Dynasty

Chapter 293 Step by Step
Zhu Cilang sat in a high seat, his brows and eyes calm, and asked in a calm tone:

"What's the situation with the army and weapons workshop?"

Li Banghua took a step forward and quickly replied:

"Your Majesty, the military court has been conducting strict inspections, and the distribution of military rations and salaries is generally clean, with few daring to embezzle. However, there are many problems at the weapons workshop, especially in the procurement of supplies, where there is too much water."

Some of the workshop leaders had only been in Nanjing for half a year and had already bought three houses and married two concubines.

After hearing this, Zhu Cilang's face darkened and he said coldly:

"Then isn't the situation in other workshops even worse?"

Zhou Shixian immediately followed up:
"Your Majesty is wise. The cotton clothing workshops and the tobacco and alcohol workshops are colluding internally and externally to secretly resell supplies. Misappropriation and corruption are especially common among the employees of military distribution stations.

Now, a lot of tobacco and alcohol that should have belonged to the military have flowed into the civilian market."

Zhu Cilang nodded with a stern expression. In fact, he had noticed as early as during the Battle of Xuzhou that the signs of corruption within the army had begun to grow.

Now, taking advantage of the chaotic post-war recovery period, the problem has become more prominent and rampant.

Ultimately, the confrontation between regimes is essentially a competition to see who has a worse internal situation.

Unless victory is achieved in the future, we will be able to use various means to whitewash the situation and cover up the dirty facts.

Corruption is everywhere. As long as you ensure that your opponent's corruption is more serious and the administrative costs are higher, your chances of winning will be greater.

He raised his eyes and glanced at the ministers, his tone suddenly darkened:
"The military and civil affairs cannot be mixed. Military discipline must be strict. The management of the weapons workshop is under the sole authority of the military court. No other department may interfere!"

"Your Majesty," Li Banghua frowned slightly upon seeing this, as if he had some words that were difficult to say:
"There is one more matter... I did not want to alarm Your Majesty, but this is a matter of great importance and I must report it."

Zhu Cilang's eyes flashed, and his voice was low but powerful:
"Another military matter? Let me be clear, military issues need to be properly addressed more than others."

Li Banghua hesitated for a moment and finally said:

"In the Xuzhou garrison, a captain forced a local girl into marriage. A local girl was already engaged and refused him. The captain was furious and the incident caused a sensation in the city.

Now the local gentry have already gone to the government office to make trouble, and the situation is somewhat unstable."

Zhu Cilang's expression remained unchanged as he said coldly:

"Is this not just one or two incidents? I anticipated this happening and warned the soldiers time and again, yet they remain unfazed."

He paused, glanced at everyone, and spoke in a sharper tone:
"From now on, all military affairs will be handled according to military law, and all civil disputes and court affairs will be handled according to the Great Ming Code.

Unless there is a major dispute, there is no need to consult me ​​on these minor matters. Those who violate this will not be forgiven!"

After the words were spoken, all the ministers in the hall held their breath and dared not say a word.

Everyone knows that His Majesty's authority cannot be challenged, and anyone who dares to break the rules will pay a heavy price.

Zhu Cilang knew that he could not control everyone's behavior on the battlefield.

But he also understood that if long-term stability was to be achieved, fundamental changes must be made.

He established the "Ming Fa" subject and reincorporated it into the imperial examination system in an attempt to rebuild the rule of law.

This new version of the "Ming Dynasty Code" was finally formed after repeated discussions and revisions by many officials.

This is not only to deal with the current situation, but also to pave the way for the future.

With the further development of productivity, the booming of industry and commerce, and the continuous advancement of science and technology, society has put forward higher requirements for political systems, administrative concepts, and ideology.

The old system of the past no longer adapts to the new situation. Zhu Cilang is keenly aware that the construction of the rule of law plays a vital role in this process.

He understood that change could not be achieved overnight, but just like a spark that starts a prairie fire, any big thing needs a beginning.

Every new system and every crackdown sows the seeds for future institutional transformation. One day, these seeds will converge into a prairie fire and completely change the future of the Ming Dynasty.

"This typical case must be dealt with seriously!"

Zhu Cilang's tone turned cold, his eyes as cold as ice as he glanced at Li Banghua and Zhou Shixian in the hall:

"Killing a chicken to scare the monkeys is the only way to enforce discipline. I must let my soldiers know that a few victories are not enough to make them forget my rules.

Those who deserve to be chopped off must be chopped off! If military discipline is broken, it is more terrible than the lack of rules in the court!"

Military discipline is related to the safety of the Ming Dynasty. If military discipline is allowed to relax, the advantage on the battlefield will disappear.

Zhu Cilang's modern moral values ​​did not allow him to condone his soldiers' misconduct.

After all, the imperial court has provided sufficient food, wages and welfare, and will not let anyone off easily if they dare to challenge his authority.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Li Banghua immediately nodded in agreement, his voice steady but with a hint of nervousness.

"I obey your order!" Zhou Shixian also followed suit, not daring to hesitate for a moment.

Zhu Cilang pondered for a moment, then solemnly instructed:

"Mr. Meng, you must arrange the entry of the Military Court and the Inspectorate into Yunnan and Guangxi as soon as possible, and ensure that nothing goes wrong."

He paused for a moment, and his tone slowed down slightly, but still maintained his dignity:

"Remember, the crackdown must begin with high-ranking officials in the government, but the steps should not be too big, and progress should be made in a steady manner."

Zhu Cilang knew that any reform could not be rushed, especially one involving adjustments to the power structure, which would affect the entire structure.

The Ming Dynasty's bureaucratic system was complex and intricate, and if overly radical policies were rashly implemented, it might provoke a greater backlash.

He will gradually tighten the reins of power, starting from the top and gradually going deeper, and every step must be steady and solid.

"I will not tolerate anyone violating military discipline and laws." His voice deepened again, carrying an irresistible majesty.
"Whether officials or soldiers, anyone who dares to cross the line will pay the price."

After Zhu Cilang finished speaking, the hall fell into silence and no one dared to speak easily.

The emperor before him was no longer the young man who had just ascended the throne, but a mature, cold, and thoughtful emperor. Every decision he made was of unquestionable authority.

"The future of the Ming Dynasty does not allow for any retreat or slackness." Zhu Cilang said lightly.

Finally, Zhu Cilang waved his hand gently, signaling the ministers to leave.

Under Zhu Cilang's order, Li Banghua and Zhou Shixian immediately began to make arrangements. They quickly took action, arrested those ministers who had stood on the wrong side in the court one by one, and tried them according to the latest procedures.

The government and the public were immediately shocked, and everyone's attention was focused on this sudden purge storm.

Next, the officials who were truly corrupt and guilty of numerous crimes were purged, including those who had close ties with Zhu Cilang. Although the emperor did not favor those on his side, this action was not entirely fair and impartial in the eyes of other officials in the court.

They knew very well that although Zhu Cilang had arrested his own people and would even sentence them, whether these people would be reinstated was actually just a matter of a casual imperial edict issued by His Majesty the Emperor.

Zhu Cilang was obviously well aware of this, so he not only carried out strict arrests and trials, but also required that all procedures must be strictly carried out in accordance with the "Great Ming Law".

The construction of the legal system is a gradual process with clear rules, which is always more long-term and stable than acting according to personal emotions.

In this way, when most people were caught off guard, the anti-corruption campaign was quickly launched in the administrative center of the New Ming Dynasty.

The storm came violently and severely, and every slight movement in the political arena affected the nerves of all parties.

At the same time, Li Guo and Zheng Zhilong returned to their respective military bases after traveling for several days.

They quickly learned about the recent changes in the court, and after seeing the list of officials thrown into the Heavenly Prison, they suddenly understood - Zhu Cilang's true purpose was already clear.

However, Zhu Cilang's methods were quite restrained and cautious. Li Banghua would never take action against those ministers who had no major faults or for whom no substantial evidence could be found for the time being.

The cleverness of this tactic lies in the fact that even if someone in the court raises doubts, they cannot find any solid evidence.

On the contrary, if the questioning is excessive, the questioner himself is likely to be labeled as a member of the party.

Everything is under Zhu Cilang's control. The court is like a chess game, and every move is carefully calculated and proceeds step by step.

Zhu Cilang knew very well that if he did not first eliminate the "protection umbrella" of the upper echelons and thoroughly support a group of new officials who had shallow roots and were eager to make achievements, then the "flies, mosquitoes and gnats" that had been entrenched in the local area for a long time could not be effectively cleared out.

Li Guo had already accepted Zhu Cilang's military law team and inspection department, which gave him greater autonomy in Shaanxi affairs.

As the defender of the northwestern border, Li Guo needed to guard against Mongolian attacks in the north and had no ability to take care of other matters.

Therefore, he did not have much objection to Zhu Cilang's arrangement.

However, Zheng Zhilong's position was completely different.

He was deeply dissatisfied with Zhu Cilang's request to send the military law team and the inspection department to the local area to enforce military discipline and strengthen training.

In his view, Zhu Cilang was ostensibly doing this for the sake of world peace in the name of "rectifying military discipline", but in reality he was doing so to weaken his actual control over Fujian.

Zheng Zhilong knew this very well, but he had to face reality.

Zhu Cilang's decisions were never as simple as they seemed. He centralized power in the name of "severe crackdown". This move had begun to pose an invisible threat to local forces, large and small, in the south.

Zheng Zhilong understood that as the situation developed, the game between him and the emperor would become more intense.

Every move Zhu Cilang made was forcing him to make a choice: to continue to rule his own territory or to choose to compromise.

However, the price of compromise is undoubtedly the loss of more autonomy, while continued resistance may incur the emperor's wrath.

Behind this seemingly prosperous situation, undercurrents are surging, and various forces are quietly adjusting their strategies in this "crackdown operation."

Zheng Zhilong always had doubts in his heart. Whether it was the intervention of the military law team and the Inspectorate, or Zhu Cilang sending students from the "Academy of Sciences" to Fujian to establish a branch, set up the "Zhangzhou Weapons Bureau", and send a caravan as an envoy to Macau, he could not fully see through Zhu Cilang's true intentions.

Zhu Cilang is making frequent moves. What kind of plan is hidden behind this?
Despite this, Zheng Zhilong could not act rashly.

Nowadays, all major court policies must be discussed and decided by the "cabinet", and if Zheng Zhilong openly opposes it, he will be challenging the court rules and violating the righteousness.

This was obviously a price he could not afford.

In fact, this was exactly what Zhu Cilang had carefully planned.

Since he gave them benefits, he naturally hoped that they would remain silent at critical moments.

After all, if you receive benefits but don’t obey, wouldn’t it be a waste of effort?
Zhu Cilang's strategy obviously worked. As long as Zheng Zhilong and Li Guo were forced to compromise politically and accept his arrangements, Zhu Cilang was not in a hurry to break off relations with them, even if they still seemed to be separatist on the surface.

For Zheng Zhilong, this was not the most urgent matter.

At present, Zhu Cilang has tacitly acknowledged that he controls the highest military power in southern Fujian.

This superficial compromise temporarily maintained the delicate balance between the two sides.

However, as Zhu Cilang implemented severe anti-corruption measures in the court and strengthened centralized control over various regions, the political situation became turbulent.

Famous scholars such as Qian Qianyi, Wang Fuzhi, and Huang Zongxi also began to become active, striving for greater voice and influence in the academic and ideological battlefield.

They knew that facing Zhu Cilang's centralized rule, force might not be the only way to resist politically.

This group of scholars gradually formed a new political force. Through writing articles, giving lectures, and making friends with local officials, they gradually established their influence in the fields of knowledge and public opinion.

They began to think about how to find an opportunity to break through Zhu Cilang's power structure through cultural and ideological promotion.

Zhu Cilang was obviously aware of these changes. He did not curb the activities of these famous scholars, but instead had a vague laissez-faire attitude.

This does not mean that he is doing nothing in academia, but rather that he hopes to observe whether these people can provide him with new opportunities in the turbulent situation by letting them go.

After all, behind the interweaving of ideas and power, there are often more possibilities.

At the same time, the debate within the cabinet became increasingly intense.

On the one hand, Zhu Cilang had to stabilize Zheng Zhilong and others in the south, and on the other hand, he had to guard against the remaining Qing forces in the north and the counterattack of the Mongols.

His plan was not limited to unifying the country, but also to gradually achieve strategic control over the entire Northeast Asia by expanding the territory of Liaodong.

This grand layout requires both solid internal support and strong execution of external expansion.

Local forces like Zheng Zhilong still have relative independence on the surface.

But he knew very well that once Zhu Cilang completed his control over Liaodong and truly eliminated the remaining forces of the Qing Dynasty, then Zhu Cilang would inevitably take back control of local military power.

Therefore, the hidden worries in the hearts of Zheng Zhilong and Li Guo grew day by day.

They know that the current compromise is only a temporary measure and the future situation remains full of uncertainties.

Zhu Cilang's centralized power hand will sooner or later reach them, and whether they can find bargaining chips to resist again at that time remains an unsolved mystery.

At the same time, the development of trade routes in Guangdong, Fujian and other places, especially trade with Macau, Taiwan and other places through sea transportation, gradually became an important reliance for Zheng Zhilong to maintain his own strength.

By controlling these trade routes, he not only gained huge economic benefits, but also to a certain extent strengthened his capital to compete with Zhu Cilang.

However, as Zhu Cilang strengthened his supervision of coastal trade, especially through the layout of the "Zhangzhou Weapons Bureau" and the "Macau Merchant Caravan", Zheng Zhilong found that his economic lifeline was being gradually compressed.

(End of this chapter)