Di Ming

Chapter 359 "I have been in officialdom for several years, and I am already disheartened."

Li Hualong is exactly forty years old this year and has been in officialdom for more than ten years. The year Zhu Yin entered officialdom, he was already a fourth-rank official, the Vice Censor-in-Chief. Before being appointed Governor of Liaodong last year, he held the position of Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War.

That's right, he was Zhu Yin's ex-boyfriend. Not only was he more than twenty years older than Zhu Yin, but he was also much more senior.

But as soon as he met Zhu Yin, he addressed Zhu Yin as "Brother Zhihu".

This is because Li Hualong and Zhu Yin had a good relationship when Li was in the court, their political views were similar, and they were familiar with each other. Of course, more importantly, Zhu Yin was a top scholar in the imperial examination, a member of the Hanlin Academy, held a higher official position, and also had a noble title.

"Brother Yu Tian, ​​you've kept me waiting." Zhu Yin quickly dismounted upon seeing Li Hualong, bowed, and said, "I suspect that if it weren't for Brother Yu Tian's arduous efforts to stay here, Hao Jie and Gao Huai's army would have already collapsed, wouldn't it?"

A bitter smile appeared on Li Hualong's bronze face. "I dare not take credit for it. I can only do my best to procure food and supplies, transport military provisions, and organize militia to reinforce the river defense camp. Otherwise, what can I do with just a few thousand old, weak, and exhausted men?"

Looking at the vast army drinking from the river, he was utterly captivated and said with delight:

"Another formidable army, and with the Jurchen barbarians as their ally. With Brother Zhihu leading the troops into the capital this time, Liaodong is safe! How many men did Brother Zhihu bring?"

Zhu Yin said, "We have exactly 70,000 soldiers, over 56,000 warhorses, and over 35,000 camels, mules, and draft horses. After resupplying, we will cross the river tomorrow!"

Upon hearing this, Li Hualong felt much more at ease. More than 50,000 warhorses meant at least 20,000 to 30,000 cavalry. Even the previously intact Liaodong garrison didn't have that many cavalry.

Li Hualong then ordered his attendants, "Immediately prepare provisions, oil, salt, firewood, and other supplies, and send them to the main camp for replenishment. Act quickly according to the amounts the Grand Marshal just mentioned!"

Zhu Yin solemnly said, "Brother Tian, ​​you have truly worked hard. I know it has not been easy for you. On behalf of the imperial court, I thank you, Brother Tian; on behalf of the entire army, I thank you, Brother Tian."

Zhu Yin held Li Hualong in high regard. This man was also a renowned minister, and he has a separate biography in the History of Ming. The Biography of Li Hualong in the History of Ming states that he was "decisive and resourceful, and remained calm in the face of adversity... He made outstanding contributions in Liaodong and the Southwest."

This man started as a county magistrate and rose through the ranks to become Minister of War before retiring. How could he not have real ability? Historically, he was the governor-general of military affairs in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Huguang, and he quelled the rebellion of Yang Yinglong in Bozhou.

When he served as Minister of Works, he also presided over the dredging of the Yellow River and Huai River to alleviate the water transport crisis, and was also a "capable minister in water management".

During the Imjin War, he coordinated the grain depots in Liaodong and Shandong, supplying hundreds of thousands of shi (a unit of dry measure) of grain to the Korean front. He also actively expanded the arsenals in Liaoyang and Guangning, and supervised the manufacture of firearms and armor. In addition, he strengthened river defenses to prevent the Japanese army from invading Liaodong from the north, and established a beacon tower system to transmit military intelligence. His contributions were truly remarkable.

Zhu Yin believes that without Li Hualong's efforts, the Japanese pirates in history would likely have invaded Liaodong before Li Rusong sent troops.

This was a highly capable and well-rounded official, possessing both strategic vision and a pragmatic approach. He participated in two of the three major campaigns of the Wanli Emperor's reign. His organizational skills were evident in both the Imjin War and the pacification of Bozhou.

If he had been the military commissioner instead of Hao Jie, the situation in Korea would certainly have been different.

At this point, Zhu Yin suddenly laughed and said, "Brother Yu Tian, ​​would you like to check my official seal?"

According to regulations, when a newly appointed imperial envoy meets an important official, he should proactively present his official seal to prove his identity. The official should also proactively request to verify the seal to confirm the imperial envoy's identity.

Li Hualong laughed and said, "Isn't this unnecessary? There's no need for that. I've already received the official report and proclamation. Brother Zhihu is the imperial envoy who will succeed Hao Jie. We're acquainted, so there's no need to check the official seals and credentials. Brother Zhihu, please, let's go to the governor's office to talk."

The governor's office in Liaodong was originally located in Liaoyang City. However, due to the war against Japanese pirates, Li Hualong was stationed directly in Jiuliancheng to coordinate the supply of provisions and equipment nearby.

Upon arriving at the governor's office in Zhenjiang Fort, Li Hualong dismissed his attendants and personally poured Zhu Yin a cup of tea. He then got straight to the point, saying, "Let me first inform Brother Zhihu of the latest military situation in Jiangnan."

"Because the Japanese army was cut off from communication with the country and its navy was suppressed, morale was low. So they enslaved tens of thousands of Korean laborers and craftsmen on the Han River to build warships. They looted a lot of shipbuilding timber reserves in Korea and demolished Korean houses to take beams and pillars to use as shipbuilding materials, which saved them three years of construction time."

"It is clear that warships are of utmost importance to the Japanese army at present. If they cannot open up sea routes to the mainland for a long time, even if they occupy Liaodong, their morale will be difficult to maintain."

"In order to build warships, the main force of the Japanese army split up and went out in all directions to capture craftsmen and plunder timber that could be used to build ships, in an attempt to open up the sea route as soon as possible. Because of this, the Japanese army camp did not continue to send reinforcements to North Pyongan Province. Most of the Japanese troops were still busy with shipbuilding."

"As a result, the Japanese army advancing on Yizhou and Changcheng still only numbered 60,000 to 70,000 men. This is why Hao Jinglue and Gao Huai were still able to hold the Yalu River."

"However, the Japanese army has enough ship materials and craftsmen. The main force of the Japanese army is gathering and heading north. In three to five days at the latest, there will be more than 100,000 Japanese troops in North Ping'an Province. Hao Jie and Gao Huai will inevitably fall. These past few days have been like an eternity for me."

Li Hualong's meaning was simple: the reason the Japanese army hadn't launched a general offensive wasn't because Hao Jie and Gao Huai had defended the area well, but because the Japanese army's main focus had been on building warships. But now, the main Japanese force had moved north.

Li Hualong put down his teacup and continued, "But Hao Jie and Gao Huai joined forces and sent a message saying that the Japanese army did not cross the river because their attack was thwarted and they were driven back. In order to redeem himself, Hao Jie shamelessly colluded with Gao Huai to lie about his military achievements."

At this point, Li Hualong took out a gift list from his sleeve, pushed it in front of Zhu Yin, and said in a slightly somber tone:

“Brother Zhihu, please take a look. This is the gift list Gao Huai gave me. He and Hao Jie are trying to use this gift list to shut me up and make me lie with them.”

"Oh?" Zhu Yin's gaze turned slightly cold, his eyes sweeping over the list clearly. He noticed the gift list read:

"Five hundred taels of gold, one liter of Korean pearls, twenty catties of old Korean ginseng, twenty sable pelts..."

These items were estimated to be worth nearly ten thousand taels of silver, showing a very generous spending.

"Hmph, he's really not stingy." Zhu Yin sneered. "This Gao Huai lost tens of thousands of troops, his crimes are unforgivable, and he even bribed ministers, deceiving the emperor."

He had actually received this information, but he simply didn't care.

Li Hualong stroked his beard and said, "I was afraid he would do something desperate, so I didn't refuse his gift. I just told the young eunuch who came to deliver the gift, 'I understand what Eunuch Gao means.'"

"But I can't sleep or eat properly if these gifts stay with me for even one more day. Now that Brother Zhihu has arrived, I'll hand them over to you and hand them over to the imperial court together."

Zhu Yin shook his head and said, "With these things, we can't bring down Eunuch Gao. I heard that after he came to Korea, he sent a lot of gold and silver to the palace as tribute. Where did the money come from? It not only came from embezzling military pay, but also from extorting the Korean king and his officials."

“These gold and silver are not sent to the palace for nothing. Don’t you know His Majesty’s temperament? Gao Huai is so filial, would His Majesty be willing to punish him? In the end, it will just be a matter of turning a big problem into a small one, and a small problem into nothing.”

Li Hualong fell silent for a moment. After a long silence, he said dejectedly, "Why is Your Majesty so concerned about gold and silver? The emperor should be impartial. If this continues, where will the court's discipline be? Where will the nation's credibility be?"

"Where is the nation's credibility?" Zhu Yin sneered. "If His Majesty truly cared, would he have neglected court for several years, allowed Zhang Jing to persecute officials, enabled the secret police to wield their power, and even enfeoffed three princes and increased taxes by opening mines?"

"What?!" Li Hualong exclaimed in disbelief, "Such a thing has happened?!"

Zhu Yin was taken aback. "Brother Yu Tian, ​​you don't know what's happening in the court?"

Li Hualong shook his head blankly, "I really don't know. I've been busy with food and military supplies these days, and I even went to the upper reaches of the Yalu River. I haven't received any news from Beijing in time."

Zhu Yin was not surprised. If Li Hualong had not arranged for a messenger in Beijing beforehand, and had only followed the procedure to receive the imperial gazette, it would have taken a month.

After listening to Zhu Yin recount the major events that had recently occurred in the court, Li Hualong felt a chill run down his spine and was still in disbelief.

"More than a hundred people have been imprisoned, and the eldest prince has already been enfeoffed as the Prince of Xin? The third and fourth princes have also become the Prince of Fu and the Prince of Gui?"

Zhu Yin took a sip of tea and said slowly and deliberately:

"Such a big matter will be announced in the official gazette in Liaodong very soon. Do you think I would joke about it? The court is now in chaos because of the secret police and the imperial guards. Everyone is in danger."

"Now that the mining tax commissioner is dispatched everywhere by imperial decree, the world is in turmoil. And of all times, it has to happen at this critical juncture—"

At this point, the young minister raised his hand and pointed south, his expression full of anguish. "Korea still has a large Japanese pirate army! Even if we're going to cause trouble, why not finish this battle first?"

"Your Majesty is so willful, can't you wait a bit? The most important matters of state are sacrifice and war, yet you treat them like child's play. How are we, as your subjects, supposed to conduct ourselves? We can't criticize the ruler, we can't speak out against him, and we can't just blend in with the crowd! If I had known this official position was so difficult, I shouldn't have entered it in the first place."

"They say that even after ten years of drinking ice, it's hard to cool one's blood. But Brother Yu Tian, ​​I've been in office for a few years and I'm already disheartened."

At this point, his expression was one of deep regret.

Li Hualong sighed, "I never imagined... the way of the virtuous would decline while the way of the petty would flourish, to this extent! I've been away from the capital for less than a year, and yet it feels like a lifetime has passed. Your Majesty, Your Majesty... alas... there's neither wind nor rain, neither sunshine nor gloom." "Brother Zhihu is loyal and devoted, concerned for the country and its people; no wonder he has such complaints. But what can we do? We can't just resign and leave at this juncture, can we? If we abandon our posts, what will happen to the military affairs of Korea?"

"The affairs of the state are thus, what can be done, what can be done!"

At this moment, he was filled with disappointment in the emperor.

For years, he had not attended court, summoned ministers, performed sacrificial rites to Heaven, or held banquets and lectures... All of this had long drawn criticism from both inside and outside the court, chilling the hearts of the people. Now, he had gone even further, condoning the reactionary actions of the secret police and the imperial guards.

"Enough." Zhu Yin, having subtly sown discord between Emperor Wanli and his ministers, and knowing that such attempts to sow discord weren't made overnight, changed the subject:
"Neither of us are officials in the capital now, and we both bear enormous responsibilities on our shoulders. We can only focus on military affairs in Korea. We are powerless to do anything about important matters of the court."

He stood up and paced around the flower hall. “I have served as an envoy to Japan and know that the Japanese army adheres to Bushido, their people are extremely martial, and they are cruel and barbaric. They are truly a formidable enemy of China throughout the ages.”

"This trip to North Korea is a do-or-die situation. I can only do my best."

Li Hualong's expression changed slightly. "Brother Zhihu is well-versed in the situation of the Japanese pirates, and is naturally intelligent and proficient in military strategy. Moreover, he has the famous general Qi Jiguang in command of the army. Why would he be pessimistic?"

Zhu Yin smiled wryly and said, "Brother Yu Tian, ​​I'm not pessimistic about the war, but rather... about what's happening outside the battlefield!"

"The political situation in Korea has changed dramatically. What can the war in Korea do without the support of the court? Salaries, provisions, gunpowder, weapons... everything depends on it, and we cannot afford to be impeached or hindered!"

"If anything goes wrong, forget about winning the battle, it will be difficult to even get out unscathed."

Zhu Yin was telling the truth. The Ming Dynasty's system maximized balance, that is, mutual checks and balances. As the Governor-General of Jiliao and the Military Commissioner of Korea, he had jurisdictional power, but he couldn't wield absolute power. Especially on crucial logistical matters, he had to consult with the governor. If the governor disagreed, he couldn't get things done.

Li Hualong immediately reassured him, "Brother Zhihu, rest assured. You need not worry about provisions, military supplies, or anything else! As long as I remain the Governor of Liaodong, the Korean army will have nothing to lack!"

"As long as Brother Zhihu doesn't go too far, I will fully cooperate with you in any matter."

Zhu Yin stopped in his tracks and said, "Brother Yu Tian, ​​I feel much more at ease now. There is something I need your help with."

Li Hualong said, "Brother Zhihu, please speak."

"Armor!" Zhu Yin held up two fingers. "The arsenals in Liaoyang and Guangning, and the Liaodong Ordnance Bureau, are all under the supervision of Brother Yu Tian. The Ministry of Works just allocated another 10,000 suits of armor to you from the Beijing Armor Factory. Brother Yu Tian is still in charge of at least 20,000 suits of armor, right?"

Li Hualong nodded and said, "There are still more than 23,000 sets of armor, which are for replenishment. Just a few days ago, the King of Joseon and Crown Prince Gwanghaegun sent people across the river to ask for 6,000 sets of armor. Given their current state, I dare not give them to them. If they are defeated and turn to the Japanese pirates to attack the Ming Dynasty, then that would be my fault."

Zhu Yin said, "I request... to allocate 18,000 sets of armor to the Jurchen army. As you have seen, although our soldiers all have armor, most of the Jurchen soldiers do not."

"What!" Li Hualong's eyes widened. "How much? Eighteen thousand suits of armor for the Eastern Barbarians? Brother Zhihu, you..."

Zhu Yin poured him a cup of tea. "Brother Yu Tian, ​​I know what you want to say. The Eastern barbarians are outsiders, not of our kind, so their intentions are certainly not right. But in extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken, and we should not be bound by conventional rules."

"Thirty thousand Jurchen soldiers came to fight for the Ming Dynasty. Their warhorses and bows are their own. They brought all the armor they could, but it still wasn't enough."

Li Hualong looked somewhat troubled. "Allocating 18,000 suits of armor to the Jurchens is far too much. If the Jurchens retaliate in the future, we will be the sinners. Why are the Jurchens so obedient now? One reason is their lack of armor."

Zhu Yin said, "But those Jurchen soldiers who weren't armored couldn't withstand the Japanese musket fire once they went into battle! Brother Yu Tian has been here for almost a year, so you should know how powerful the Japanese muskets are."

"The Japanese army in Korea had 20,000 to 30,000 musketeers, whom they called 'arquebusiers.' They used imitations of Western weapons that could kill unarmored soldiers from a hundred paces away and break through our padded armor within twenty paces. They were more effective and more numerous than our arquebuses and three-barreled muskets. Moreover, their musketeers were an independent and well-trained unit, which was actually the strongest fighting force in the Japanese army."

"Without armor for defense, the Jurchen soldiers will find it difficult to exert much combat power; charging forward would be suicidal. No matter how fierce they are, they are still flesh and blood; how can they withstand the bombardment of the Japanese pirates' muskets? I'm afraid that after only a couple of battles, they will suffer heavy casualties and their morale will collapse."

"The court wants the Jurchen army to fight for them, but it doesn't want to provide them with armor and weapons. How can it win people over? The Eastern barbarians are indeed barbaric, but they are not stupid."

"There are 200,000 Japanese troops in Korea, all of them battle-hardened elites. There are also 50,000 Korean auxiliary troops. That's 250,000 men."

"Without our Jurchen allies, won't our Han army just have to fight the enemy to the death? The Ming Dynasty doesn't have many elite troops left. How many more times can we withstand such attrition?"

Li Hualong paced back and forth. “Brother Zhihu, I understand the reasoning. But if the Jurchen army has tens of thousands of soldiers and rebels in the future, how will we explain it to the court? This is no small matter.”

Zhu Yin smiled faintly, "Brother Yu Tian's insight is keen, and his concerns are quite valid. But does Brother Yu Tian really think that after this battle, there will still be tens of thousands of Jianzhou soldiers left?"

"They are so loyal to the Ming Dynasty, fighting to the death for it. Who knows, most of them might end up buried on the battlefield? War is dangerous and fraught with peril; who can say for sure?"

Li Hualong immediately understood.

He sat down again and smiled, "That's true. We can't let the Jurchen soldiers down. We should represent the court and take good care of them. Alright, then let's make it 18,000 suits of armor. Brother Zhihu, it's up to you."

Zhu Yin felt relieved. "Brother Yu Tian is very generous. I thank you on behalf of Nurhaci and the others."

Zhu Yin insisted on providing armor to the Jurchens because he needed to grasp the main contradiction. What was the main contradiction? It was the elimination of the Japanese army occupying Korea.

The Koreans are weak and incompetent. Given their nature, the longer the Japanese occupy Korea, the more Koreans will submit and surrender. Once Korea sides with the Japanese, they will inevitably help the Japanese conquer Ming China.

Time was on the Japanese side, not on the Ming side.

By then, whether Japan would split up or not would no longer matter. Because with Korea as its base, the Japanese army, enslaving millions of Koreans, could completely establish its own independent system and expand its territory independently.

Therefore, eliminating the Japanese troops in Korea as soon as possible is the most urgent task.

Li Hualong changed his tone, "However, this is by no means a small matter, and it is impossible to keep it from the court. I am worried that someone will impeach you."

"Impeachment is inevitable," Zhu Yin sneered. "But isn't that how the dynasty is? Anyone who wants to do something gets impeached and criticized. If no one impeaches me, I'd be embarrassed to be the military commissioner."

Li Hualong laughed and said, "That's true. Anyway, if they impeach Brother Zhihu, they won't let me off the hook either. We'll both be impeached in the end."

Zhu Yin felt a little ashamed and cupped his hands, saying, "I have truly implicated Brother Tian."

Li Hualong shook his head and said, "What are you saying? Brother Zhihu, you are being too polite. We are all doing this for the sake of the country. How can we talk about being implicated or not? It is you, Brother Zhihu, who dares to act and take responsibility, who is far superior to those mediocre officials! I admire you very much."

After saying that, he wrote a warrant, and Zhu Yin also wrote a warrant. The two of them used their respective imperial envoy seals and handed them together to the military supervisor, instructing him to go to the armory to collect armor.

Zhu Yin then wrote another official note, which was immediately sent to the Yizhou camp in Jiangbei to inform Hao Jie that he had led his troops to reinforce the city and that Hao Jie should hold Yizhou and prepare for the handover.

Then, the two drank tea and discussed matters such as provisions and military supplies, waiting for the supervising magistrate to return and report.

A full hour later, the Superintendent and Vice Prefect entered with a strange expression, bowed, and reported:

"Your Excellency, Grand Chancellor, the armory in the several armories combined is less than 18,000 sets! We have counted them repeatedly, and there are only a little over 17,000 sets, which is 6,000 sets short!"

"What?!" Li Hualong stood up abruptly. "What did you say?! According to regulations, armor from the armory cannot be taken without my order! Six thousand are missing? What happened?"

The supervising magistrate hesitated for a moment, then said, "I asked the same question, but the arsenal manager did not answer. He only said that his surname was Li and that he was from Huoxian County, Tongzhou. He even aggressively said that one should not meddle in things one should not meddle in, and one should not ask questions one should not ask."

Upon hearing this, Li Hualong was instantly enraged. "How dare you! You're lawless!"

“They are the Empress Dowager’s family.” Zhu Yin coldly uttered a few words.

P.S.: Don't worry, I'll definitely cross the river tomorrow. I won't write too much about the war. Thank you, goodnight, and please vote with your monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)