Late Ming Dynasty: So what if Emperor Chongzhen was inactive?!

Chapter 207 The Ultimate Dream of Confucianism: Establishing Virtue, Merit, and Words
In other words, Zhu Youjian was good-natured and didn't punish him outright. Instead, he gave him a position in the Court of State Ceremonial and then sent him to the grasslands to eat sand and serve as an envoy to various tribes.

The Ming Dynasty is currently engulfed in flames of war, which looks very critical, but in reality, it is nothing compared to the Jurchen invasion. These invading Mongol tribes generally number only a few hundred or a few thousand people, and very few have more than ten thousand.

Moreover, even if there were more than ten thousand, it wouldn't be much for the Ming Dynasty. After all, their quality was far inferior to that of the Jurchens, and the local garrison could handle it on its own.

So Zhu Youjian sent Xiong Wencan to ask them: what exactly is wrong with them that they have to come to the south to hunt for food? Can we discuss doing some business together and find a way to survive?

If you have nothing to trade with the Ming Dynasty, you can become a mercenary for them. The Ming Dynasty pays equal wages to all workers and is fair and honest! Don't fight each other; it's bad for everyone. If you're so weak, don't come here looking for death!
The local chieftains in the south are even more ridiculous. The Han people living in these places are not good-tempered either. Otherwise, why would the good places be occupied by the Han people, while they can only hide in the mountains and valleys?

Often, their rebellions were quelled by local clans and government officials. After all, the two largest groups, led by She Chongming and An Bangyan, had already been wiped out. Any rebels with any strength were absorbed into their ranks and then killed along with them.

The most powerful private armed force in the southwest right now is the Shizhu chieftain. If even Qin Liangyu has rebelled, then Zhu Youjian shouldn't be questioning the old lady, but rather reflecting on his own actions. In short, the biggest crisis facing the Ming Dynasty right now is Zheng Zhilong's group; the others are just minor disturbances and not worth worrying about.

If Zheng Zhilong were determined to rebel, the imperial court would truly be unable to subdue him; they would be essentially the Jurchens at sea. Even if the imperial court could withstand immense pressure and defeat them with all its might, it would still be difficult to capture them, after all, the sea is vast, even larger than the boundless grasslands.

Zheng Zhilong had many hideouts, including Taiwan, Japan, Southeast Asia, and even Europe. Moreover, when Zheng Zhilong was at the height of his power, he joined forces with the imperial court to deal with the colonial armies of Spain and other countries. If he had been severely beaten by the imperial court, he might have surrendered to the West and become a comprador and collaborator of the European powers.

The situation the court will face then will be even more complex. Before the Ming Dynasty's invincible fleet emerges, it's best to avoid war if possible. The navy's main task at present is to maintain absolute hegemony in the northern seas and deliver a crushing blow to the Jurchens. The Ming Dynasty's navy is the only military branch that can reliably crush the Jurchens.

While the Ming Dynasty was making progress, the Jurchens were not to be outdone. In order to counter the Ming Dynasty's firearms, they improved their shield carts and applied them on a large scale on the battlefield. In the future, they may well develop their own cart camps. After all, they are a fishing and hunting people, not a purely nomadic people. They are currently undergoing a feudalization process and developing agricultural industries.

The Jurchens' territory wasn't limited to Liaodong; much of the north and southern Mongolia were also under their control, including Korea, a massive bloodbath. Recently, King Injo of Korea has been making a lot of noise. Previously, the court claimed it lacked the ability to help him recover lost territory, but now that the court has won a major victory, surely it has no reason to shirk its responsibility?
Although Zhu Youjian sympathized with Li Zong and reluctantly agreed to take a Korean concubine, he ultimately chose to protect his territory in Liaonan over helping Korea.

Zhu Youjian comforted Yi Jong, saying, "Don't worry, Korea will always be yours. One day, the Ming Dynasty will definitely help you recover your lost territory. As for when that 'one day' will be, it's hard to say. Maybe it will have to wait until the Jurchens are destroyed and Korea becomes a no-man's land. I hope that Yi Jong can live to see that day."

In this crisis, only Chen Jisheng landed safely. Zhu Youjian simply returned his battle report, instructing him to report truthfully. If he falsified the report again, he would not receive the military merit. He did not scold him. Many things did not need to be said; Chen Jisheng understood what was going on in his heart.

The initial appointment of Yuan Chonghuan was due to a shortage of talent, and he was the only option to fill the gaps. Now that the two powerful figures in Fujian have been transferred, finding suitable replacements has become a challenge for Zhu Youjian. Clearly, he has a collecting obsession, wishing he could have all the talented people by his side, but the reality simply doesn't allow it.

Looking at his personnel management, it's easy to see that he's always been just robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Zhu Youjian thought of Wang Zaijin again. Wang Zaijin's military theories were not taught in universities. His works, "Records of Liaodong in Three Reigns" and "Essentials of Coastal Defense", were of very high quality. To put it arrogantly, he could even compare himself to Sun Tzu. After all, "The Art of War" is only a general outline, while his works are much more detailed.

In military matters, history is still evolving, not just spiraling. With the widespread use of paper, the content of articles and books has become generally richer, and the so-called profound truths are no longer touted. Military works have transformed from esoteric "correct nonsense" into detailed, illustrated explanations that are almost like being fed a lesson. Even so, there's still the fear that some people won't understand them, and indeed, most people don't understand them. There's an incredibly wide gap between theory and practice.

Zhu Youjian never thought Wang Zaijin was a fool; his only criticism was Wang's lack of practical experience. Without experience, one cannot apply for a job; without being hired, how can one gain experience? After much deliberation, Zhu Youjian decided to give him another chance.

"I intend to transfer you to Fujian. Are you willing to go?" Zhu Youjian asked.

"If Your Majesty issues a decree, how can we, as your subjects, refuse? We are willing to go!"

Wang Zaijin's words were well said, and Zhu Youjian's eyes lit up slightly. He knew that being an official in the capital and being an official in the local area were two different paths, and neither side might be willing to switch.

"If you were appointed governor of Fujian, what would you do?" Zhu Youjian continued to inquire.

This time, Wang Zaijin learned his lesson and didn't rush to answer. Instead, he asked in return, "May I ask what Your Majesty's orders are?"

"I have only two requirements: one is that Fujian must not be in chaos, and the other is that taxes must not be reduced. Can you do that?!" Zhu Youjian asked.

Wang Zaijin's eyebrows furrowed, and he finally couldn't hold back any longer. He said with a somewhat aggrieved expression, "I also have some experience in coastal defense."

He is indeed somewhat pitiful. As a military strategist, he has been rejected by the emperor time and time again, and now he is even starting to doubt himself.

If he only wanted to be an official, he could have been doing just fine as the Minister of War in Nanjing, with money, leisure, and status. There was no need for him to come to Beijing and compete with others. But people who love to write books are showing that they like to express themselves and always have some ambition. Wang Zaijin also wanted to prove himself.

His military treatises are currently just ordinary private writings. If he could actually win a couple of brilliant battles, he could sit at the same table as Qi Jiguang. Although he somewhat looked down on Qi Jiguang's status as a military general, Qi Jiguang's two military treatises would definitely be passed down through the ages.

The Confucian ideal of "three immortalities" – establishing virtue, establishing merit, and establishing words – was first achieved by a mere soldier, making Old Man Wang green with envy!
Zhu Youjian laughed and said, "Then you should repair the coastal defenses, train the navy, and fulfill your ambitions. I'm not stopping you."

Wang Zaijin said awkwardly, "We have neither manpower nor money. Even a skilled cook cannot cook without rice."

"I grant you permission to retain 50% of the tax revenue from Fujian. You may also draw 3,000 men from various guards outside the Imperial Guards of Beijing. As you are in charge of the military administration of the Imperial Guards of Beijing, you should know who are capable men and who are capable soldiers, right?!"

(End of this chapter)