Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 171: To Pacify the Internal and External is Either Foolish or Malicious (Part 2)

Whether to pacify the internal and external forces or to pacify the external forces and then pacify the internal forces was a topic of constant debate in the officialdom of the Chongzhen era.

Historically, Emperor Chongzhen was swayed by his court officials, sometimes wanting to pacify the country while simultaneously trying to pacify both internal and external troubles, sometimes wanting to deal with the Jurchens first, and sometimes wanting to suppress the rebels first.

The result was that the rebels were not eliminated, the Jurchens were not dealt with, and the Ming Dynasty was brought to its demise.

In fact, when the rebels had not been eradicated after more than ten years of suppression, Emperor Chongzhen should have realized that the idea of ​​"pacifying the internal before pacifying the external" was a mistake.

The reason is simple: the Little Ice Age brought constant natural disasters, the food problem could not be solved, and the rebels could not be suppressed. In fact, the more they were suppressed, the more rebels there were.

Emperor Chongzhen failed to see this point, which is why he believed the nonsense of those civil officials in the outer court, who said that internal strife should be dealt with before external pacification.

As for the basis for those civil officials' so-called "pacifying the internal before pacifying the external," or the seemingly reasonable saying "pacifying the internal must precede pacifying the external," it is actually completely nonsensical!

This is because the saying "to repel external aggression, one must first pacify internal strife" comes from Zhang Zhongjing's "Treatise on Febrile Diseases - Taiyang Disease" in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The original text reads, "Licorice is sweet and neutral, and has the ability to pacify internal strife and repel external aggression."

This was originally used to describe the medicinal properties of licorice, meaning that licorice can both calm the body internally and resist external diseases.

In other words, the so-called "to repel external aggression, one must first pacify internal strife" does not come from military books, but from medical books!

Anyone who uses this as a basis to clamor for prioritizing internal stability over external security is either stupid or malicious.

Can these medical principles and medicinal properties be used as military tactics?
Even if there is a health problem, it cannot be generalized based on the medicinal properties of licorice.

For example, Taichang's sudden death is a very obvious example.

Taichang only had a simple case of diarrhea, but Cui Wensheng gave him a laxative, making him unable to stop the diarrhea. Then, Fang Congzhe's confidant Li Kezhuo gave him an even more potent red pill, and Taichang died instantly!
Is this a case of "pacifying the interior before resisting external aggression"?
Taichang died suddenly not because of diarrhea, but because someone deliberately gave him laxatives and even offered him the most irritating medicine.

These are all external factors.

Taichang can't deal with those who dare to drug him; no matter what disease they get, they could die suddenly.

This has little to do with what disease he has; it's purely due to external factors.

Therefore, when it comes to treating illness, the saying "to repel external enemies, one must first secure internal stability" sometimes doesn't hold water, let alone the principles of military strategy.

Those who are now making a lot of noise about internal strife and external peace are either stupid or malicious.

Zhu Jue couldn't help but snort coldly after reading the first one.

Next is information about the main figures of the Fuxing Society.

Zhang Pu, the founder of the Fushe Society, was from Taicang Prefecture in Suzhou. He was also a disciple of Zhou Yanru, the top scholar in the imperial examination in Changzhou Prefecture. He entered the Southern Imperial Academy because of his teacher-student relationship with Zhou Yanru.

Zhang Pu came from a family of officials; his uncle, Zhang Fuzhi, was the Minister of Works in Nanjing during the Wanli era.

However, Zhang Pu was born out of wedlock, and his uncle had fallen out with his father over the inheritance. As a result, Zhang Pu suffered humiliation from a young age, which motivated him to work hard.

If such a person can't get up, that's fine; but if they do get up, that's something else entirely.

To put it bluntly, this kind of person is somewhat twisted inside and somewhat unscrupulous in doing things.

Next, Zhang Cai, the number two figure in the Fushe Society, was also from Taicang Prefecture in Suzhou. This guy was a Jinshi in the first year of Chongzhen's reign and was initially appointed as the magistrate of Linchuan County in Jiangxi!

He didn't notice at the time that Fushe No. 2 was actually on the list of Jinshi graduates in the first year of Chongzhen's reign.

Next, Wu Changshi, the third most important figure in the Fushe Society, was also from Suzhou Prefecture, but specifically from Wujiang County.

He seemed to remember that this person was Zhou Yanru's henchman, and it seemed that Zhang Pu was ultimately poisoned to death by this person at Zhou Yanru's behest!

You're supposed to be punishing corrupt officials? You're the ones being used by corrupt officials! Zhou Yanru is a corrupt official who will be remembered in history!
Next up are some of the more well-known members of the Fusion Society.

The first one is Wu Weiye, also from Taicang Prefecture in Suzhou. He was a renowned genius; he could write poetry at the age of seven, and his articles were famous throughout Jiangnan by the age of fourteen.

Zhang Pu once exclaimed, "The true essence of literature lies in this son!"

This means that Wu Weiye is almost like the God of Literature descended to earth.

Wu Weiye, that's Wu Meicun!

Another one is Huang Zongxi. He wasn't even from Suzhou Prefecture, or even Southern Zhili; his ancestral home was Yuyao County, Shaoxing Prefecture, Zhejiang. However, that's not the point. The point is that he was the son of Huang Zunsu, one of the Seven Gentlemen of Donglin!
Huang Zunsu was imprisoned by Wei Zhongxian and tortured to death.

This guy had an irreconcilable hatred for Wei Zhongxian and the eunuch faction!
Understood.

No wonder the Fushe Society vehemently denounced Wei Zhongxian and the eunuch faction, and even clamored to eradicate them. It turns out these people were either from Suzhou or had a blood feud with Wei Zhongxian and the eunuch faction.

Zhu Jue also vaguely understood that the Suzhou uprising was probably instigated by Zhang Pu in secret.

All because Zhou Yanru sent his confidants back to his hometown, a popular uprising broke out in Suzhou Prefecture shortly afterward.

Who else can Zhou Yanru turn to?
Naturally, he would seek out his prized disciple, Zhang Pu.

This guy seemed to be afraid of being implicated by Wei Zhongxian, so he ran to Nanjing and even used Zhou Yanru's connections to get into the Southern Academy.

The sudden emergence of the Fushe Society is likely closely related to Zhou Yanru.

This guy is most likely trying to use the Fushe Society to collude with the Jiangnan gentry to oppose him!

What kind of tricks can Fuxing Society come up with?
These guys seem to have some skills after all.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then decisively said, "Yingchao, go and tell the centurion in charge of the Eastern Depot's secret agents to keep a close eye on those guys from the Fushe Society, investigate what they're up to, and report back to me as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Wang Yingchao nodded repeatedly and said, "This servant understands."

Zhu Jue thought about it carefully again, then waved his hand and said, "Go."

Wang Yingchao quickly bowed and took his leave.

The shipbuilding story isn't finished yet.

Zhu Jue thought about it carefully again, and then asked, "Liangfu, is it still possible to convert all the shipyards into these kinds of giant, assembled ships?"

Wang Zheng pondered, "There should still be time. They're still sawing the ship planks. These two hundred-plus giant ships require an extraordinary amount of ship planks."

Zhu Jue then asked, "Are the bow and stern components you've manufactured for a 1,600-ton warship or a 3,200-ton warship?"

How could I dare to board a 3,200-ton behemoth all at once?
This is the first time we've attempted to build a ship by piecing it together.

Wang Zheng hurriedly explained, "Your Majesty, these bow and stern components are all from a 1,600-ton warship. I originally intended to assemble one first to test it out and see if there were any problems. If there were no problems, then I would try to make one from 3,200 tons."

1,600 pieces is also acceptable.

As I said before, you have to have it first.

They are currently facing a severe shortage of ships.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then decisively said, "Let's try assembling a batch of 1,600-ton giant ships first."

Wang Zheng nodded repeatedly and said, "I understand."

Zhu Jue glanced around at the craftsmen waiting to start work and then asked, "It seems like this giant ship being assembled doesn't need that many people to work on it, does it?"

This can save a lot of people.

Wang Zheng nodded slowly and said, "If this giant ship is assembled from parts, then the craftsmen responsible for shaping and applying the coating can be saved. We will only need about half the original manpower."

That's just right.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue replied without hesitation, "Then send the extra craftsmen to guide the infantry under Jian Dou in building the shipyards. This year, we will strive to complete the entire row of shipyards along the north bank of the Tonghui River, and also excavate the waterways."

How many docks and waterways are there?

If all of them are built, how many giant ships can be built in one batch?
Very good!
Now it's finally my turn to show off my skills.

Upon hearing this, Wang Zheng nodded excitedly and said, "Your Majesty, I understand."

(End of this chapter)