Di Ming

Chapter 235 No one is better than Zhu Zhihu for taking on disciples.

When the emperor issued his decree, the court officials felt it was both expected and somewhat astonishing.

A fifteen-year-old governor!

Zhu Yin, at such a young age, already commands the troops of the five northwestern garrisons; this is truly an anomaly in the dynasty.

In the Ming Dynasty, governors-general were mostly appointed on a temporary basis, and their appointments were made according to specific circumstances.

For example, the position of Governor-General of the Five Garrisons was not previously held by the imperial court. It was only created temporarily because the Mongol nobles in the northwest, including Prince Qing, rebelled and declared themselves emperors, a matter of great importance.

However, according to custom, the civil officials of the Imperial Commissioner-Governor-General were usually given the title of Vice Censor-in-Chief, and in that capacity, they would supervise the army and command troops.

Zhu Yin's official rank was only that of a fourth-rank Vice Censor-in-Chief, two ranks lower than that of a Deputy Censor-in-Chief, so he was not qualified to serve as Governor-General.

However, Prince Qing usurped the throne, and in this urgent situation, the emperor had no choice but to act accordingly.

Among the court officials, no one was foolish enough to petition for Zhu Yin to be given the title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, to match the position of Governor-General.

Because it definitely won't work.

The Right Vice Censor-in-Chief was a third-rank official in the capital, still within the censorate system, and already a high-ranking official. Zhu Yin had only been an official for three or four years, and had only served as Vice Censor-in-Chief for a little over two months. How could he possibly be granted the title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief? Even if he had made great contributions at Wuliangsuhai, it wouldn't be acceptable.

Therefore, a lower-ranking appointment is the only option: Zhu Yin will be appointed as the Governor-General with the title of Vice Censor-in-Chief, an exceptional appointment. He can be promoted to Right Vice Censor-in-Chief later after accumulating more experience.

In reality, whether it was the recommendation of court officials or the final appointment by the emperor, there was a force at work, influencing and driving things forward. This force was surging beneath the surface in the court, going unnoticed, yet its influence was already growing steadily.

From cabinet ministers and eunuchs of the Directorate of Ceremonial, to the Nine Ministers and officials of various ranks in the capital, Zhu Yin was no longer fighting alone; he had cultivated a force to be reckoned with.

Without the influence of this force, neither restoring the Hetao region nor becoming the governor-general would have been possible.

Zhu Yin was only fifteen years old when he was granted the Imperial Sword and appointed as the Governor-General of Five Garrisons, which seemed absurd at first glance.

However, the court officials had no objection to this.

Zhu Yin was the only child prodigy to achieve the highest honors in all three categories of imperial examinations, a feat unparalleled in history. He was also the tutor of the eldest prince. His high starting point in his official career more than compensated for any lack of experience. Moreover, even before entering officialdom, he had already distinguished himself in Nanjing, foiling a Jesuit conspiracy and helping the court quell a plague in Jiangnan.

This time, they recovered the Hetao region, decisively defeated the Ordos tribe, and achieved a great victory at Wuliangsuhai, a feat unseen in a century.

No one can deny Zhu Yin's talent.

Nowadays, discussions about Zhu Yin are shrouded in mystery.

Of course, Zhu Yin's mystique was limited to his status as a "born sage," "the God of Literature," and "a brilliant advisor," and had nothing to do with the imperial destiny.

No one doubts that this mystique is related to the divine throne and the rise and fall of dynasties.

This was not only due to the effective propaganda by the Tiger Tooth agents, but also because Zhu Yin came from a family that had passed the imperial examinations, and more importantly, because there was no concept of a civil official usurping the throne in the Ming Dynasty, from the imperial court to the common people.

The emperor appointed Zhu Yin as the governor of the five garrisons, partly because of the urgency of the situation and the impropriety of changing commanders on the eve of battle, but there was another unspeakable reason.

That's silver!
Zhu Yin conquered the wealthy Ordos Golden Horde, acquiring the gold and silver of the Mongol nobles, the vast majority of which he handed over to the Mongols.

The emperor made another fortune and secretly praised Zhu Yin for his loyalty and filial piety. Considering the large sums of gold and silver he received, he was happy to give Zhu Yin an important position.

These many reasons led Zhu Yin to be granted the Imperial Sword and appointed as the Governor-General of the Five Garrisons with the title of Vice Censor-in-Chief.

The imperial edict and the Shangfang sword have already been sent to the Northwest. With the urgent delivery of six hundred li, they should have reached Zhu Yin's hands by now.

In recent days, the entire court and the public have been focused on the Northwest. The cabinet is uneasy, fearing the arrival of reports of Zhu Yin's crushing defeat. Shen Yiguan is naturally restless, and even Wang Xijue, the Grand Secretary who dislikes Zhu Yin, is also worried and anxious.

If the Northwest suffers a major defeat and the usurper Prince Qing goes unpunished, I, as the chief minister, will inevitably have to resign to take responsibility.

Therefore, during this period, the cabinet ministers worked very late, waiting every night for urgent reports from the Northwest.

Today is the fourth day of the fifth lunar month, and tomorrow is the Dragon Boat Festival, a day considered unlucky. The palace has already set up altars and held rituals to ward off the five poisonous creatures. But the Grand Secretaries are all uneasy. Will bad news suddenly arrive on this unlucky day?

Wang Xijue had a feeling that something was about to happen. His ceremonial robes looked a little loose, and he paced back and forth with a furrowed brow.

Shen Yiguan held his teacup, staring blankly at the stack of memorials on the table, not opening a single one for a long time.

Zhao Zhigao sat listlessly at his desk, reading the memorials for a while, then began to divinate the divination results on his own, the tortoise shell in his hand making a "tap-tap" sound, looking very worried.

Clearly, Grand Secretary Zhao's prediction was inauspicious!

Zhang Wei was reading memorials, but after reading two, he absentmindedly wrote a memorial, then stood up and paced with Wang Xijue.

Now that Prince Qing has declared himself emperor, the Western Mongol and Oirat Mongols have both become involved, and the emperor, court officials, and people across the land are all watching the cabinet's decision with bated breath.

Although there are many political affairs in the world, none are of great importance except this!
Even the major event reported by the King of Korea—that Japan was about to invade by sea—had to be put aside at this time, since it was, after all, a matter for Korea.

However, the situation in the Northwest was not as simple as a Mongol general rebelling against the Ming Dynasty; it was a rebellion of regional princes. If the situation in the Northwest got out of control, not only would the four men lose their positions, but many others would also lose their heads!

Compared to the rebellions of Prince Ning and Prince Anhua years ago, the rebellion of Prince Qing is clearly far more dangerous. Prince Ning only had 60,000 ragtag troops, and Prince Anhua had less than 10,000. Yet Prince Qing had the support of the various Mongol tribes in the northwest! How could those Tartar cavalry compare to Prince Ning's weak army?

To put it in the worst-case scenario, even Guanzhong might be lost! Just thinking about it sends chills down my spine.

The eunuchs on duty inside and outside the Wenyuan Pavilion dared not even breathe loudly, for fear of offending the gentlemen and being banished.

For a moment, the vast Wenyuan Pavilion was eerily quiet. The lamplight flickered between the curtains and desks, and the dripping of water from the water clock rang out "ding-dong," each drop seeming to fall on everyone's heart. Time was like these drops of water, passing by in a monotonous way.

"Dong—dong—dong—" The drum on the drum tower sounded, signaling the arrival of the first watch of the night.

It was already pitch black outside, and the palace lanterns were lit, but none of the four of them stopped their shifts. It seemed they intended to stay up all night to keep watch at Wenyuan Pavilion.

The four men were all seasoned and experienced officials. Based on their experience, they knew there would be urgent reports from the Northwest in the next couple of days.

Only by staying in the duty room can one receive the report first and take the action as quickly as possible.

The Emperor and his court officials are watching closely; the cabinet absolutely cannot afford to make any mistakes at this time.

Wang Xijue glanced at the bronze water clock in the corner of the hall, finally breaking the silence in the cabinet, and stopped to say:
"The reports from the Northwest should arrive soon. The cabinet must be prepared to receive both good news and bad news. If Zhu Yin messes things up and the situation becomes uncontrollable, it won't just be a matter of his head."

"His Majesty has also bestowed upon Zhu Yin the Shangfang Sword, granting him command of the military affairs of five garrisons. What immense trust this is! If Zhu Yin were to suffer a defeat, His Majesty would be deeply embarrassed, and the Cabinet would naturally bear the responsibility. This is a minor matter, however. Prince Qing and the rebels will inevitably become increasingly arrogant. To quell the rebellion would not be a matter of two million taels of silver; it would likely require another two million. It might not even be a matter of silver; the Northwest would truly be in ruins..."

Wang Xijue paused here, lost in thought. He needed an emergency plan to deal with the disastrous defeat in the Northwest. He had opposed Zhu Yin's appointment as Governor-General of the Five Garrisons. When the news of Prince Qing's ascension to the throne arrived, his first thought was to replace Zhu Yin and appoint Zheng Luo, a senior official who had been in charge of the Northwest for many years, to take charge. Unfortunately, Zheng Luo was old and ill, unable to travel.

Upon hearing Wang Xijue's words, Shen Yiguan's expression turned solemn, his gaze turning cold. He cursed under his breath, "Damn it."

If the Northwest were to truly spiral out of control, Wang Xijue would definitely advocate for the execution of the young tiger. He was essentially giving himself a heads-up.

If Prince Qing doesn't die, Zhihu will be sentenced to death. Even as a cabinet minister, protecting his disciple's head won't be easy; he'll have to pay a price.

Wang Xijue wanted to use this opportunity to force him to give up some benefits.

But if such a thing were to happen, he would do everything he could to save his disciple's life.

"Prime Minister." Shen Yiguan put down his teacup, stroked his beard with a sarcastic tone, and said, "Alas, it's really difficult to do things these days. No one is incapable of doing something, and even if you do, you're carrying a huge responsibility. National affairs are like a bottomless abyss."

"Prime Minister, I am not speaking on behalf of Zhu Yin, nor do I intend to let personal matters interfere with public duty. However, you know that Prince Qing's ascension to the throne was not voluntary; he must have been coerced by Bo Bai and others. Rather than a usurpation of the throne, it is more accurate to say that the Northwest was in turmoil. The Northwest has a long history of unrest, which has intensified in recent years. It was not caused by Zhu Yin's trip to the Northwest. Didn't he cause trouble on the border of Taozhou two years ago, killing the deputy commander and forcing the court to close the border trade?"

"No matter who goes to the west to take charge, this abscess will burst. Even without Prince Qing, they will still control Prince Su. There are a bunch of princes and relatives in the northwest, which one can't be established? In any case, the court's military preparations have been neglected in recent years, giving the barbarians an opportunity. Even if a large army is sent to suppress them, it won't be effective in a short time. The dynasty has been plagued by barbarians for more than two hundred years. Do you expect Zhu Yin to quell it all in one day? That would be giving him too much credit."

With just a few words, Shen Yiguan portrayed the extremely taboo topic of Prince Qing's ascension to the throne as a chaotic uprising in the Northwest.

In this way, even if Zhu Yin were to suffer a defeat, the responsibility would be significantly lessened. After all, the threat from the northern barbarians was ever-present, and many civil and military officials had suffered defeats; holding them accountable wouldn't necessarily mean certain death sentences.

Shen Yiguan certainly didn't expect Wang Xijue to accept the "northwest barbarian rebellion" narrative. He was merely stating his position first, throwing out the "northwest barbarian rebellion" rhetoric. With this rhetoric in place, other court officials would naturally support him. This was the public opinion preparation to prevent Zhu Yin from being sentenced to death should he be defeated in battle.

In this way, even if we exchange benefits with Wang Xijue, the cost will be much smaller.

Second Grand Secretary Zhao Zhigao, understanding the situation, immediately nodded and said, "Yes, Grand Secretary, the Prince of Qing's rebellion, at its core, stemmed from recklessness. If we kill Zhu Yin after the defeat, who will dare to volunteer for service in the future if there are any more barbarian uprisings?"

As the second-in-command, how could he not harbor resentment towards the strong-willed Wang Xijue? Although he maintained a friendly facade, he would not let any opportunity pass by to challenge Wang Xijue's authority as the chief minister.

Wang Xijue's expression was cold, but he cursed Shen Yiguan inwardly as "a scoundrel from Ningbo".

The person he was most wary of in the cabinet was not Zhao Zhigao, the second prime minister who coveted the position of prime minister, but Shen Yiguan, who ranked last!
This person is shrewd and cunning, leaving no room for error, slippery and elusive, never showing his emotions, and has a deep and calculating mind. He is far more cunning than Zhao and Zhang, and is by no means an upright and honest person.

His deliberate offense against Zhang Juzheng was clearly an opportunistic move to cultivate his reputation.

Wang Xijue knew very well that with Shen Yiguan around, even if Zhu Yin was defeated, it would be difficult for him to be sentenced to death. He said this only to try to exchange benefits with Shen Yiguan.

If Zhu Yinzhen is to suffer a military defeat, he will inevitably be imprisoned and punished. Whether he can save his life depends on whether Shen Yiguan and others will make concessions.

Wang Xijue said indifferently, "The victory or defeat of the army rests on the shoulders of its commander. With the royal army in full force and the celestial dynasty towering high, how can the enemy, like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, possibly succeed by chance? A great victory in the Northwest is only natural. Even if they are not good ministers or famous generals, they should still fight and win. If they fail, they will truly be guilty beyond redemption. How can they then convince the world and repay the emperor's kindness?"

As the chief minister, the shrewd Wang Xijue certainly wouldn't be swayed by Shen Yiguan's words. He directly stated that a great victory was to be expected, and even a mediocre commander shouldn't fail; therefore, a defeat would be an unforgivable crime.

Zhang Wei didn't have many thoughts about the other three and said directly:

“Song Yingchang, the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, is well-versed in military affairs. If Zhu Yinzhen is defeated, let Ye Mengxiong take over first, and then add the title of Right Vice Minister of the Censorate to Song Yingchang and appoint him as the Northwest Military Commissioner.”

"Furthermore, immediately order the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Imperial Stables to prepare the latest military equipment, provisions, warhorses, and mules, and prepare an additional 50,000 men. It is always better to be prepared than not.

Wang Xijue nodded and said, "That's exactly how it should be done. Even doing it a day earlier could influence the war situation in the Northwest..."

Just as he was speaking, a commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, followed by the sound of footsteps.

Immediately afterwards, someone outside the Wenyuan Pavilion shouted: "Report! Urgent dispatch from 600 li northwest! Report directly to the Cabinet!"

As the bell rang, the four cabinet ministers all paled.

The Northwest Tang newspaper has finally arrived!

"Send it quickly!" Wang Xijue rushed forward, almost knocking the inkstone to the ground. Shen Yiguan's face twitched. Zhao Zhigao and Zhang Wei immediately threw down their memorials.

The four Grand Secretaries had completely lost the composure and demeanor expected of prime ministers.

But then the Director of the Ministry of War's Carriage and Horse Management Department, beaming with joy, announced loudly, "Gentlemen, a great victory in the Northwest! A great victory in the Northwest!"

What? A great victory in the Northwest?

The four cabinet members were immediately overjoyed. Grand Secretary Wang Xijue took the report, glanced at it briefly, and then burst into laughter.

"Excellent! Zhu Yin has utterly defeated the Western Sea Duoluo Tuman tribe! Huo Luochi was even shot dead!"

Zhao Zhigao took it and immediately rejoiced, "Another great victory! Tonight we can finally get a good night's sleep!"

After reading the report, Zhang Wei stroked his beard and laughed, "Zhu Yin truly understands military affairs! He can be described as a genius in using troops. Two consecutive great victories are by no means a fluke."

Shen Yiguan didn't say anything, but he breathed a sigh of relief.

My dear young tiger, you have truly worried your master greatly. Now that the good news has arrived, I can finally rest easy.

Shen Yiguan was relieved and couldn't help but feel proud of Zhu Yin.

No disciple is better than Zhu Zhihu. This disciple is truly remarkable.

Zhihu, you're so promising! This time, your master will do everything he can to secure you the position of Junior Guardian of the Heir Apparent!
"Send it to the palace immediately!" Wang Xijue said with a joyful smile. "Zhu Yin did a good job, and it will make His Majesty happy too!"

The good news was immediately sent to the Qianqing Palace and reported to the emperor overnight.

Not long after, Gao Huai, the eunuch on duty in front of the Emperor in the Qianqing Palace, arrived at the Cabinet.

Upon entering the Wenyuan Pavilion, Gao Huai immediately said, "Mr. Wang, gentlemen, my grandfather has received the good news and is overjoyed. He said the Northwest campaign was well done and urged Zhu Yin to continue his efforts. However, my grandfather asks if there are any other reports from Zhu Yin?"

Wang Xijue was taken aback and asked, "No, there's no more. This is the only copy. What message does His Majesty wish to know?"

Gao Huai asked with a smile, "Grandpa said that since Zhu Yin won a great victory, what about Huo Luo Chi's silver? Why didn't we seize any of the gold and silver we captured before?"

The four elders immediately understood.

Your Majesty is asking about silver!

P.S.: I haven't been updating much these past few days because the Lunar New Year holiday was stressful and my writing environment was poor. I'll try to update more frequently in a few days. Thank you, and goodnight.

(End of this chapter)