Ming Dynasty entry: I am Chongzhen, the greatest emperor of all time!

Chapter 124 Preparing to Go South of the Yangtze River

Zhu Youjian pretended not to see Ni Yuanlu's reaction and continued to say while holding his teacup, "Don't worry, Grand Secretary, I have seen everything you have done."

"Once this trip to Jiangnan is over, we will select the thirty-six meritorious officials, and the Grand Secretary will definitely choose the one with the greatest merit."

"Is this something for a meritorious person?!" Ni Yuanlu almost cursed.

If it weren't for Zhu Youjian on the other side, he would have loved to show him what it meant to be both literate and skilled in martial arts.

"Your Majesty! I truly am powerless to help you!"

"The four garrisons in Liaodong alone have already taken my life, not to mention the major issues of the State Council and the reform of the court."

"After more than a month of fighting, money and food have been spent indiscriminately."

"The entire Beizhili region is in dire need of reconstruction. The rebel Li Zicheng is still in the west, and although the Jurchens have retreated in the north, we still need to be on guard."

“The Chahar Road is only a framework; nearly 500,000 herders from Chahar and other Mongol tribes also need to be properly resettled.”

"Now it is already June, and there are only two months left until the autumn harvest. The autumn tax has not yet been paid, and Jiangxi is flooded again. The bandits in Sichuan and western Sichuan are stirring up trouble."

"These matters have already overwhelmed this old minister, Your Majesty, yet you still want this old minister to oversee the country for five months."

"Do you really think this old minister will never die from overwork?!"

Now that things had come to this point, Zhu Youjian felt embarrassed.

But it's impossible to change his mind with just a few words.

After going to Jiangnan, he was making hundreds of taels of silver every minute, so he had no time to waste in the north.

Zhu Youjian placed the teacup back on the table and then changed the subject.

"I am naturally aware of the merits of the Grand Secretary."

"But I have no other choice."

"Since I ascended the throne, I have been working tirelessly from dawn till dusk, never daring to relax for a moment, for fear of losing the empire that my ancestors worked so hard to build."

"But the more diligently I govern, the faster the Ming Dynasty decays."

At this point, Ni Yuanlu's lips twitched involuntarily.

You know the truth yourself...

Zhu Youjian continued, "I reigned for eighteen years, only to end up with the city besieged by a million rebels."

"Only then did I realize that no matter how diligent I am, I am only one person being diligent. But if I make all the officials in the world diligent, that would be ten thousand 'me's'!"

"So I executed a group of people who treated official positions like a business, and kept a group of diligent people, and the Ming Dynasty really came back to life."

"It was then that I realized what I should do."

“Your Excellency, look, north of the Yellow River, the number of officials has been reduced by half, yet the efficiency is still higher than before.”

Ni Yuanlu did acknowledge this statement, noting that there were tens of thousands of officials in Beijing who faced frequent obstacles in pursuing their goals.

Although there are only a few thousand people now, all kinds of government affairs are proceeding surprisingly smoothly.

Normally, it would take the imperial court several years to build a new prefecture, but now building a new circuit has become a trivial matter that is not worth mentioning.

The changes are evident.

"But this is only one capital city. My Great Ming Dynasty has two capital cities and thirteen circuits!"

"There are still 100,000 officials in the world!"

"Although you are tired now, it is only temporary. Once I go to Jiangnan and rectify the court, loyal ministers and righteous men will be everywhere and heroes from all over the world will gather in the court. Will you still be so tired then?"

Ni Yuanlu subconsciously wanted to nod, but immediately realized something was wrong.

"no……"

"Your Majesty! My beloved emperor!"

"I understand the reasoning you're giving, but I truly cannot put it into practice!"

“These are all matters of great importance to the nation, even affecting the fate of the country for a century. I must personally handle them all. I am simply too busy to manage them all…”

Ni Yuanlu almost cried when she said this.

If they were just everyday trifles, it wouldn't be a big deal, but none of these things are trivial.

Even the smallest matter could affect the lives of hundreds of thousands of people; the slightest mistake could result in eternal infamy.

How dare he!

Seeing that Ni Yuanlu was starting to soften his stance, Zhu Youjian immediately seized the opportunity and intensified his efforts.

"I have faith in the Prime Minister's abilities and am confident that he will be able to handle this matter properly."

"Please rest assured, my lord. Of course I will not let you shoulder this burden alone."

"I have ordered the Minister of Rites of Nanjing and the Prince of Zhou to come to the capital immediately to assist the Grand Secretary."

"These officials in the capital are also at the mercy of the Grand Secretary."

"Moreover, there are so many things to do, and I didn't ask the Grand Secretary to handle them all. Shouldn't things be prioritized according to their importance and urgency?"

“This…” Ni Yuanlu gritted her teeth and finally nodded in agreement.

The emperor is showing you respect by consulting with you; if you continue to hesitate, it will only make things worse.

Moreover, even if only one of these things were accomplished under normal circumstances, it would be enough to build up political capital for a lifetime, let alone so many major and important matters.

As long as he completes the task step by step, Ni Yuanlu will at least be remembered in history and become a figure like Wang Anshi, Xie An, or Yu Shaobao!
"Your Majesty, I will serve you with my life, even unto death, to repay your kindness!"

"But among all these matters, which are of paramount importance, which are urgent, and which are less urgent?"

Zhu Youjian nodded in satisfaction, "The establishment of the State Council and the establishment of the three standing battalions are urgent tasks, while the establishment of one of the four garrisons in Liaodong and the reconstruction of the Liaodong defense line are of paramount importance."

“If that’s the case… wait!” Ni Yuanlu’s smile froze on her face.

"What are the three standing battalions?!"

"Didn't I tell the Grand Secretary?" Zhu Youjian immediately became embarrassed after saying that.

He didn't seem to have mentioned it to Ni Yuanlu. At the time, he felt that Ni Yuanlu couldn't offer any constructive suggestions, so he only gave it to Wang Jiayan and Huang Degong.

Who knew these two didn't even tell Ni Yuanlu? You two really don't form a clique?

Thinking of this, Zhu Youjian quickly waved his hand. Ni Yuanlu's workload was indeed a bit excessive. He was really afraid that the old man would die if he were given any more burdens.

"It's alright, Grand Secretary. I just want to change the Beijing Garrison into three standing battalions. Just know that. I'll leave the rest of the specifics to Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan."

Ni Yuanlu breathed a sigh of relief. In any case, Zhu Youjian's military achievements were already approaching those of Emperor Chengzu and Emperor Xuanzong, so it was not his place to express his opinion. Moreover, he also greatly approved of Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan.

With them in charge, nothing will go wrong.

"Then I will first reform the State Council, and at the same time have the British Duke and the Lord of the Sea establish a temporary defense line on the spot."

"You can decide for yourself," Zhu Youjian said, waving his hand dismissively.

As he spoke, he took a roll of yellow silk from the attendant and handed it to Ni Yuanlu.

"This is the organizational structure and specific details I have set up for the four armies in Liaodong. Take it back and take a good look at it, and then discuss it with Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan."

"Once nothing is overlooked, have the Ministry of Revenue calculate how much silver is needed, and I will allocate it to you. Then, have the Ministry of War begin preparations for its establishment."

"Apart from Zheng Sen's and Qi Yuan's troops, you may choose any army of the Ming Dynasty. I grant you the right to select troops from these units."

After saying this, the attendant beside him took out an imperial edict and read it aloud.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees: I have inherited this great undertaking, and I am constantly vigilant, fearing only that the central government will be out of control and the foundation of the nation will be unstable. Now, we have Ni Yuanlu, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet and the Premier of the State Council, who is of great wisdom and insight, and is known for his loyalty and diligence. He has assisted in the administration of state affairs and has repeatedly made outstanding contributions. At this time, during my inspection tour of the south, I wish to personally investigate the people's suffering and rectify the system. However, the country cannot be without a ruler for a single day, and the administration cannot be neglected for even a moment."

He specially appointed Ni Yuanlu as Grand Secretary of the Wenyuan Pavilion and concurrently as Regent, to oversee all officials and decide on all government affairs.

All departments and offices under the Six Ministries, military and state affairs, finances and criminal matters are permitted to act expediently. All internal and external memorials must be reviewed and approved. The promotion and demotion of officials below the third rank are also decided by the emperor.

Shi Kefa, Minister of Revenue in Nanjing, and Zhu Gongxiao, Prince of Zhou of the Imperial Clan, will enter the capital immediately to assist in the administration of state affairs. All civil and military officials will be under your command.

The defense of the four towns in Liaodong, the safety of the Chahar herdsmen, the collection of autumn taxes, and matters concerning disaster relief and military preparedness in various provinces should all be handled promptly in accordance with the previous agreement to secure the nation.

The term of the regency will be limited to five months for the time being.

I expect you to shoulder the responsibilities of Yi Yin and the sincerity of the Duke of Zhou, leading all officials to fulfill my will. If there are any doubts or difficulties, report them to me by express courier at a distance of six hundred li, and I will decide on the matter myself. When I return south, I will surely reward you according to your merits and make it known to the world.

You must carefully maintain the balance of power, and not shirk your duties. Be mindful!

June of the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign. By imperial decree.

"Your subject accepts the decree!" Ni Yuanlu knelt down, bowed, and received the imperial edict.

Zhu Youjian then removed his sword, saying, "I have been on this journey for quite some time. There are still those in the capital who are arrogant and complacent, and those who are corrupt and lawless. I hereby bestow upon the Grand Secretary the Emperor's Sword. If necessary, execute them. Remember, the Northern Zhili must not be lost, and the Jurchens must not have a chance to breathe!"

"Your subject accepts the decree and thanks you!" Ni Yuanlu bowed again, and then solemnly accepted the Emperor's sword.

Zhu Youjian then got up and left, satisfied.

As he reached the door, he added, "By the way, I have a fine young man in my household; I'll leave him to you as well."

“It’s Zhang Huangyan, the son of Zhang Gui, the former Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice. Let him practice properly.”

After saying this, Zhu Youjian walked out the gate without looking back and rode away on horseback.

Only the officials of the Ministry of Personnel remained, kneeling in disarray.

……

After leaving, Zhu Youjian went straight back to the palace.

The appointment with Huang Degong and Wang Jiayan was at Hai Shi (9-11 PM), and it's almost Xu Shi (7-9 PM) now.

Once he finishes dealing with the standing army, he can confidently head south to make money!

With that in mind, Zhu Youjian quickly returned to the Forbidden City.

After a simple dinner, Huang Degong and the other two arrived together.

After the formalities between the emperor and his subject were completed, Zhu Youjian instructed Wang Chengen to fetch some stools.

Because they had just returned from a great victory, they were all in good spirits, and the camaraderie of having fought side by side made them quite relaxed in their conversation.

However, in the short time it took for Wang Chengen to go out and fetch a stool, when he returned, the atmosphere in the hall had become exceptionally cold.

The candlelight flickered inside the hall.

Zhu Youjian's fingers tapped out rapid drumbeats on the rosewood table.

The copper studs on Huang Degong's shoulder armor reflected the firelight, casting menacing shadows on the palace wall.

He stubbornly retorted to Zhu Youjian, "Your Majesty requires 30,000 standing troops, but even if I went to the underworld, I couldn't gather that many."

"If we can gather 20,000 men from the Beijing Garrison, we'll be grateful! But you won't allow us to transfer troops from the 3,000-strong garrison or draw men from other places. There's no way we can muster enough men!"

Huang Degong gets angry when this is mentioned.

Although the standing army only numbered 30,000, it still gave him a lot of trouble.

Although the Beijing garrison had experienced several major battles and its combat strength had increased dramatically, its casualties were also ridiculously high.

Even including the 5,000 Qi family soldiers, the total number was only 35,000. Zhu Youjian's requirements were that the age of the regular army members could not exceed 32 years old and could not be lower than 18 years old, and they had to be in good health and free from hidden diseases and infectious diseases.

There are fewer than 20,000 suitable candidates for the Beijing Garrison, and not all of them can be transferred.

If all the training is withdrawn, then there will be no one to guard the Xuanfu front and the Datong Henan area.

The entire Beizhili region is now relying on these 30,000-plus people.

As for recruiting soldiers from the civilian population, that's out of the question.

Before Li Zicheng's attack, Beizhili had already undergone a large-scale southward migration, leaving very few people.

After defeating Li Zicheng, Dorgon launched another attack.

The entire Beizhili region had a population of less than two million.

Some of them were veterans who had served as soldiers in various places and were now civilians.

The previous selection of 100,000 men to be reorganized into five military battalions had already drained the resources of Beizhili.

It would be extremely difficult to recruit 10,000 able-bodied men from the populace who meet Zhu Youjian's requirements.

Wang Jiayan took out a memorial from his sleeve. The densely packed, tiny characters gleamed bluish-white in the candlelight. "Last night, your subject and the Ministry of Revenue worked through the night to verify the situation. There are currently 28,427 soldiers in the Beijing Garrison. According to Your Majesty's requirements for age and physique, only 19,300 are qualified."

He paused, tapping his knuckles on the four characters of Chahar Dao, "If we include the Mongol tribes that have submitted."

"The Mongols are unacceptable!" Huang Degong exclaimed again. "Our Great Ming Dynasty and the Mongol Tartars are blood enemies. The fact that we are now lying low is only because of the strength of our army. It is already a great favor from Heaven that we have managed to get the Mongol tribes to submit. How can we allow these barbarians to become the imperial guards and personal protectors of the Emperor?!"

Zhu Youjian couldn't stand it any longer and slammed his fist on the table.

"Why are you all so stubborn?!"

"Aren't Mongolians human beings?!"

“This Central Plains region, even tracing back to ancient times, was only a thousand miles of Henan. Back then, the land of Qi and Lu, the hometown of Confucius, was still considered Dongyi. The land of Jing and Chu was also considered Nanman during the Qin Dynasty. Now, isn’t that part of our Chinese land?”

"Now that the Chahar Circuit has been newly built, it is one of the fourteen circuits of the two capitals of our Great Ming Dynasty. The Mongols are naturally citizens of our Great Ming Dynasty!"

"Tiger Mountain, you must understand one thing: it is easy to go from frugality to extravagance, but difficult to go from extravagance to frugality."

"Once the Mongols are fed and clothed, they will no longer think about how to rebel, but how to protect this hard-won good life!"

"I have also heard a saying, which I have said before, that we should unite all forces that can be united!"

At this point, Qi Yuan nodded, "I also think so."

Huang Degong wanted to retort, but Zhu Youjian stopped him.

"Send an edict to Abunai, saying that I want to send 8,000 Mongol warriors from Chahar to form the Imperial Guard. Those who join the army will be treated the same as the Imperial Guards, and each household will be granted two li of pasture, and their salt and iron quotas will be increased by 30%."

After saying that, he pointed at Huang Degong and said, "You go and select people yourself, especially those tribes that have a blood feud with the Jurchens. You also need to see carefully how the Mongols react when they find out that they are to be my imperial guards!"

"By the way, tell those Khans that their sons are serving as Imperial Guards in the capital. I will build schools for them to learn Chinese characters. Five years from now, I want these Mongol sons to be more like Han Chinese than Han Chinese themselves."

Wang Jiayan expressed his concerns, saying, "Forgive my frankness, but the veterans of the Beijing Garrison have fought in numerous battles, and now they must fight alongside foreign soldiers. I fear..."

"That's why I wanted General Qi to train them personally." Zhu Youjian unfastened the jade belt from his waist and placed it on the table. The dragon's eyes, inlaid with agate, gleamed with a blood-red light under the candlelight.

"The Yiwei Battalion was composed of 500 remnants of the Xuanjia Cavalry, 2,000 elite cavalry drawn from the Sanqian Battalion, and 8,000 elite cavalry from the Mongol tribe."

"Starting tomorrow, the Imperial Guard will conduct drills at dawn and practice Mongolian tactics at dusk. Tell those lads that whoever masters the enemy's skills first will have their reward doubled!"

"The Left and Right Jinwu Battalions are composed of 5,000 Zhejiang soldiers as the base, and 15,000 elite troops drawn from the Beijing Garrison. They continue to train daily, focusing on firearms and supplementing with weapons!"

Suddenly, the night watchman's drum sounded outside the palace, and the clapper at the hour of Hai (9-11 PM) startled the eunuch on night duty, making him shudder.

Wang Jiayan hunched over his desk, writing furiously, the abacus beads clicking. "If His Majesty's words are true, the first batch of standing troops will require one and a half liters of rice, four ounces of meat, and two eggs per day. Thirty thousand troops will consume thirteen thousand five hundred shi of grain per month, not even including winter clothing and armor."

"Have Zheng Zhilong's fleet transport grain from Southeast Asia." Zhu Youjian pointed his finger at the Ryukyu nautical chart. "Zheng Sen told me that the Fujian Navy is converting the Frankish-style deckboats, and they will be able to sail the Siam route next month."

Qi Yuan then asked, "Has Your Majesty ever considered how to resolve the pent-up resentment among the soldiers caused by daily drills that draw blood? Back when I, Qi Yuan, was in Jizhou..."

"Therefore, I grant you permission to set up a martial arts arena." Zhu Youjian had already considered all the issues. "From small-scale duels to large-scale battles between two departments, there will be monthly competitions. The winner will receive a champion's flag, and each member of the department will be rewarded with ten taels of silver and a certain amount of wine and meat."

"Furthermore, every quarter the entire army will conduct military exercises, and the best performer will be personally bestowed a military flag by me, to be proclaimed to the world!"

Huang Degong swallowed hard and unconsciously said, "If there had been this rule during the Battle of Hunhe back then, I could have led my brothers all the way to Hetu Ala!"

"However, I still have some concerns; equipping double-layered armor with muskets may not be appropriate."

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the table. "Hushan, you might as well finish what you have to say."

"Why was the Mandarin Duck Formation able to defeat the Japanese pirates? It was because the rattan shield bearers blocked arrows, the wolf-tooth rakes blocked the enemy, and the long spears pierced through." Huang Degong tore open his shirt to reveal an arrow scar on his chest. "The muskets take thirty breaths to reload, and apart from the heavy musketeers, there are no other soldiers in the army. What if the Jurchen cavalry charges at us? In my opinion, it's better to..."

"Therefore, each general is equipped with five tiger-squatting cannons." Zhu Youjian patiently explained, "The newly cast bronze cannons of the Ministry of Works can fire three hundred paces, and the shrapnel can sweep up a whole area. Moreover, as long as the whole army is disciplined and fires in three stages, advancing when the drum sounds and stopping when the drum sounds, without collapsing or becoming chaotic, the Jurchens are nothing to fear."

"In addition, military medical officers will be added, and each squad will have a pacification commissioner. Each division will have a pacification commissioner to supervise those who drink the blood of soldiers. Seventeen prohibitions and fifty-four executions will be established as military laws. In peacetime, the Anti-Corruption Bureau will jointly enforce these laws with the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of War. In wartime, the pacification commissioners will jointly enforce them with their chief officers."

The three exchanged glances, making sure their questions had been answered, and then bowed to receive their orders.

Before leaving, Huang Degong suddenly asked, "I will go to Mongolia to select people, but let me make this clear beforehand: what if those wolf cubs don't obey me?"

"Then beat them into submission! Isn't that what you, Huang Chuangzi, have been waiting for me to say?!"

Zhu Youjian cursed irritably, "Tell those Mongols that whoever can beat the Xuanjia Army in the martial arts competition will be rewarded with a golden belt! If they can't even beat an old soldier from the Beijing Garrison, they should go back to the grasslands and herd sheep as soon as possible!"

"If there are no problems, go and get things done quickly. I will be going to Nanjing for a few months in a couple of days. I hope to see the standing army when I return."

"We will certainly not fail Your Majesty's grace!" the three replied in unison.

Zhu Youjian added, "Don't neglect the four garrisons in Liaodong either; they must cooperate well with the Grand Secretary."

"The minister obeys the order."

(End of this chapter)