The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the border troops, it was overthrown and the Qing Dynasty was destro

Chapter 350 Governor Hong's Bitter Heart
When Xiong Wencan's strongly worded memorial arrived in the capital, it immediately caused a huge uproar in the court and among the people.

Officials of all ranks, whether working in government offices or gathering privately in teahouses and taverns, invariably discussed this matter.

"Have you heard? This time, the campaign to suppress bandits in the Central Plains hasn't even made any big moves yet, and these two are already fighting amongst themselves!"

"Who's fighting with whom?"

"Who else could it be? Hong Hengjiu and Xiong Taimeng!"

"How could they be fighting? One is the governor-general of five provinces, and the other is the prime minister of six provinces, both appointed by the emperor to suppress bandits."

"Sigh, isn't this obvious? There's a lack of unified authority, and orders are issued from multiple sources!"

"One side wants to suppress, the other wants to appease; how can they not fight each other?"

"Something's wrong."

"Hong Hengjiu's main responsibility is to oversee the Northwest, guard against enemy threats, and also deal with the bandits in Shanxi and Shaanxi. How come he's now at odds with Xiong Taimeng, who is in charge of the main battlefield in the Central Plains?"

"I remember that when the previous two prime ministers, such as Chen Yuxuan and Lu Jiandou, were in office, I didn't see Governor Hong having any disputes with them?"

"Things are different now; there are much more complexities involved..."

Immediately, discussions arose among both the government and the public, and various speculations and rumors spread like wildfire.

These voices, of course, reached the ears of Zhu Youjian and Yang Sichang without missing a single word.

The emperor's reaction was as expected: he was anxious and angry, but also wary and suspicious.

He longed for news of victory to arrive as soon as possible, hoping to wipe out the bandits who had plagued him for over a decade, but at the same time, he harbored deep distrust towards the civil and military officials at the front.

Since Zhu Youjian ascended the throne, the word "bandit" had haunted him like a nightmare.

Over the course of eleven years, the suppression of bandits consumed countless grains, fodder, and silver, resulting in the loss of tens of thousands of officers and soldiers. But what was the outcome?

The more they tried to suppress the bandits, the more numerous and stronger they became!

Now, the central government has finally laid out this unprecedentedly large net, encompassing several provinces, with the intention of eliminating future troubles forever.

But the net had only just been cast, and before any big fish had been caught, infighting broke out among his own men. How could he not be furious?
In Zhu Youjian's initial plan, the establishment of the governor-general and prime minister of the five provinces was based on the consideration of checks and balances.

The previous two leadership teams worked well together, one in the Northwest and the other in Hubei and Hunan.

Not only did they keep to themselves, but they even drove Gao Yingxiang, Zhang Xianzhong, and other troops into a desperate situation, almost achieving their goal.

However, while the checks and balances have been achieved, they have evolved into an awkward situation of conflicting orders and mutual obstruction.

The lawsuits on the front lines have actually reached his desk, requiring him, the emperor who is extremely busy with state affairs, to make a personal judgment!

"Wenruo?!"

Zhu Youjian slammed the memorial onto the imperial desk and gave an order to Wang Chengen, who was standing to the side.

"Go, bring Yang Wenruo to me!"

Wang Chengen was startled and immediately agreed. He then hurriedly left the Wuying Hall and headed straight for the Wenyuan Pavilion.

Yang Sichang has now been granted the title of Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion and has officially joined the cabinet.

Inside the duty room, he was equally overwhelmed and restless.

Yang Sichang had just received a report of victory from Hong Chengchou a few days ago, which stated that the government troops had won one victory after another, and the space for the bandits to operate had been reduced to less than one-tenth.

He thought the situation was settled, but he never expected that this was just the calm before the storm.

Xiong Wencan's lawsuit directly brought the charge of Hong Chengchou's "abuse of power and reckless initiation of war" to the Emperor's attention, causing an uproar in the court and among the public.

What angered Yang Sichang even more was that many people in the court were subtly pointing the finger at him, believing that he, as the Minister of War, had made a mistake in his appointment.

Yang Sichang had a bitter pill to swallow, but he couldn't say a word about it.

The problem clearly lies in the staffing of officials at the front lines, and even more so in the morale of the troops.

Yang Sichang sensed something amiss regarding Hong Chengchou's unusual behavior.

Hong Hengjiu is restless and wants to take this opportunity to rise to the top!
That's why he disregarded personnel arrangements, brazenly bypassed Xiong Wencan, and directly mobilized troops from several provinces, attempting to monopolize the credit for suppressing bandits and use it as a stepping stone to advancement.

In truth, it's no wonder Hong Chengchou was so eager.

Anyone who spends more than a decade in the harsh northwest, enduring wind and sand, facing Mongols and bandits, would feel resentful.

There's a saying that goes, "Once is acceptable, twice is acceptable, but not a third time."

Hong Chengchou was a figure active on the political stage during the Tianqi era. In terms of seniority and military achievements, he was no less than anyone else.

But the result?

Chen Qiyu, the first governor-general of five provinces, was actually Hong Chengchou's subordinate when he was in Shaanxi!

At that time, Hong Chengchou ousted Yang He and successfully took the position of Governor-General of the Three Border Regions, while Chen Qiyu was merely the Governor of Yansui.

But the emperor bypassed him and directly promoted Chen Qiyu to Governor-General of Five Provinces.

The emperor's reason at the time was to allow Hong Chengchou to "focus on the northwest border affairs and suppress bandits," so he had no choice but to swallow his anger.

Later, Chen Qiyu was forced to resign and return to his hometown because he let the main force of the bandits escape at Chexiang Gorge, and Hong Chengchou finally got his wish and became the governor of five provinces.

He thought he had reached the pinnacle of his position.

But then Lu Xiang-sheng suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was promoted to premier of seven provinces at less than forty years old!

Seeing that Lu Xiang-sheng was indeed loyal to the country and skilled in both literature and martial arts, Hong Cheng-chou could only prioritize the overall situation and "endure for the sake of the country."

Since he can't become the premier of seven provinces, surely he can return to Beijing and become the Minister of War?

When Zhang Fengyi, the former Minister of War, committed suicide out of fear of punishment, the central government was in dire need of a senior official with military expertise to oversee things.

Hong Chengchou's relatives and friends in the capital ran around trying to recommend him to the emperor, but in the blink of an eye, Yang Sichang snatched the position away.

To put it bluntly, Yang Sichang and Hong Chengchou were actually from different generations!
Although Yang He was Hong Chengchou's superior back then, he was also a colleague, only one level higher.

As Yang He's son, Yang Sichang could be considered a junior.

Moreover, when it comes to actual experience in leading troops into battle and suppressing bandits, is Hong Chengchou really inferior to Yang Sichang?

But the result?

The emperor seemed to ignore Hong Chengchou and promoted Yang Sichang, who was in mourning at home, to the position of Minister of War.

But this is not the end.

After taking office, Yang Sichang immediately recommended Xiong Wencan to the emperor as the chief of the anti-bandit campaign, thus completely blocking Hong Chengchou's path forward.

Upon learning the news, Hong Chengchou was furious. With nowhere to vent his anger, he could only lead his troops to give Gao Yingxiang and his men a sound beating.

Of course, Yang Sichang wouldn't let Hong Chengchou off easily either.

From a certain perspective, Hong Chengchou can be considered Yang Sichang's father's killer.

Back then, his father, Yang He, was in charge of pacification efforts in Shaanxi. However, because Hong Chengchou was secretly plotting and strongly advocating for suppression, Yang He's pacification efforts failed, and he was imprisoned and sentenced to death by Emperor Chongzhen.

Although Yang Sichang later repeatedly petitioned the emperor, expressing his willingness to take the blame for his father, the emperor changed the sentence to exile Yang He to the border, where he eventually died of illness.

Don't forget, Yang Sichang was recalled to the capital after being forced to resign from his post. He was keeping vigil at his father's grave one moment and then took over the central government the next.

How could he not hate Hong Chengchou? And how could he possibly recommend Hong Chengchou for an important position before the emperor?

Hong Chengchou was aware of this, which is why he overstepped his bounds and tried to take over command from Xiong Wencan.

He had a clear plan: as long as he could wipe out the bandits in one fell swoop, he could gain access to the central government with this great achievement.

Yang Sichang held Hong Chengchou's report of victory, his mind racing with thoughts of how to handle the situation.

But just then, a dry cough suddenly came from the door of the duty room.

Wang Chengen has arrived.

Seeing that Sichang was deep in thought with his eyes closed, he gently knocked on the door frame and called out softly:

"Minister Yang? Minister Yang?"

Upon hearing the sound, Yang Sichang immediately snapped out of his reverie, quickly got up, and went to greet him.
"Wang Bingbi, what brings you here? May I ask what brings you here?"

Wang Chengen bowed slightly.
"Don't dare to take it seriously."

"It is the Emperor's order that you come to the Wuying Hall immediately, as there is an important matter to discuss."

Yang Sichang knew perfectly well that it was definitely about the power struggle between the governors and viceroys at the front lines.
He nodded imperceptibly, then turned slightly and gestured for them to proceed.

"Since His Majesty has summoned us, then we will trouble you to lead the way."

The two dared not delay and quickly returned to the Wuying Hall. After announcing their arrival, Yang Sichang bowed and stepped inside.

Upon seeing his reaction, Zhu Youjian directly handed him the memorial on his desk and asked bluntly:

"Minister Yang, have you read the memorials submitted by Xiong Wencan and Hong Chengchou?"

"The conflict between the Governor-General and the Prime Minister has caused unrest in the government and among the people. What do you think should be done about this?"

Who is right and who is wrong between them?

When faced with the emperor's questioning, Yang Sichang had already prepared his answer on the way there.

He knew that he must not criticize the official positions established by the emperor, nor could he expose the emperor's imperial scheming.

So he bowed and slowly began to speak:

"In my opinion, the dispute between Governor-General Hong and Premier Xiong is precisely a manifestation of their eagerness to share Your Majesty's burdens and their desire to quell the bandits as soon as possible."

"Governor Hong, seeing the growing strength of the bandits and fearing they might rebel again, acted swiftly and decisively."

"Premier Xiong's desire to appease the people shows his compassion for their suffering and his hope to quell the unrest at a relatively low cost."

"Both of them are courageous and capable ministers. This dispute precisely demonstrates that they care about national affairs and are not people who would abandon public duty for private gain."

"This is a blessing for His Majesty and a boon for the court!"

Adhering to the principle of turning a funeral into a celebration, he directly placed a high hat on the emperor's head.

As expected, Zhu Youjian's tense expression eased slightly after hearing these remarks.

He was naturally happy to hear his ministers "arguing" for the sake of the country, which was better than them colluding and deceiving the emperor.

Zhu Youjian nodded slightly, and said with a hint of self-satisfaction:

"Yang Qing is right."

"Now that orders are coming from multiple sources at the front, the soldiers are at a loss, which will only delay our chances of victory."

"Does Minister Yang have a good plan to resolve this predicament?"

Yang Sichang was waiting for this statement; he first and foremost had to consider things from the perspective of the overall situation.

After all, he was the one who devised this grand plan of encirclement and suppression, and he had boasted about it to the emperor.

Now that the time to quell the bandits in March is fast approaching, he needs the frontline to immediately stop their infighting and work together to complete the bandit suppression plan.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly began to speak:

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Xiong advocates appeasement, and his intentions are commendable."

"But in my observation, bandits are fickle in their habits, and their defection or betrayal often hinges on a single thought."

“My father… My father once advocated for the pacification of the three border regions of Shaanxi, but his efforts were thwarted by the repeated resurgence of bandits.”

"This matter serves as a stark warning, therefore I believe we should proceed with utmost caution!"

But Zhu Youjian frowned and pointed to Xiong Wencan's memorial:

"Xiong Wencan previously reported that a bandit leader, known as Liu Guoneng, who was known as the 'Heaven-Slaying Liu,' had surrendered to him due to the pressure of the encirclement and suppression."

"Xiong Wencan guarantees that once there is one, there will be two, and there will be a continuous stream of people following suit and coming back."

"If Hong Chengchou were to launch a major offensive at this time, wouldn't that discourage those who wished to surrender?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Sichang immediately understood the emperor's inner inclination: he still wanted to quell the rebellion as quickly as possible with minimal cost.

Having no other choice, Yang Sichang could only bite the bullet and offer his suggestion:
"Your Majesty, it is a good thing that some bandits are willing to surrender. This shows that Your Majesty is benevolent and can reform even the most stubborn and unruly."

"To prevent them from feigning surrender and then turning back, I believe that all bandits who have been appeased should not be allowed to run rampant."

"For example, they could be made to kill the enemy to serve their country, so that the blood of their own kind could prove their sincerity in surrendering. Only then would the court be willing to make arrangements for them."

He then cited several examples of bandits who feigned surrender and then rebelled, describing them in great detail.

Zhu Youjian nodded inwardly upon hearing this, realizing that Yang Sichang's words were true:

"Yang Qing is right. The bandits who have been appeased do indeed need to be restrained."

"Killing the traitors to serve one's duty is a good method."

He then posed the most crucial question:
"In your opinion, Yang Qing, who should take the lead in the current battle on the front lines?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Sichang immediately adopted a posture of loyalty and patriotism, responding:
"Your Majesty, Commander Hong has long been stationed in the Northwest, and his border troops are brave and skilled in battle. They are indeed capable officials of our dynasty."

"However, the situation in Sichuan is currently unclear. The bandits occupy the three southwestern provinces, and their movements are unpredictable. We must be on guard."

"I am worried that if Governor Hong devotes too much energy to the Central Plains, the bandits in Sichuan may take advantage of the situation and attack Hanzhong and Huguang."

"At that time, I will be attacked from both sides, and the situation will be even more difficult."

He observed Chongzhen's expression, guiding him while secretly sabotaging Hong Chengchou.

"In my humble opinion, it would be better to temporarily place some of the elite troops under Governor Hong's command under the control and command of Premier Xiong."

"In this way, we can strengthen the troops on the main battlefield in the Central Plains, and also allow Governor Hong to strictly guard the gateways of southern Shaanxi and western Henan, ensuring that our rear is safe."

Yang Sichang's words were spoken in a grand and dignified manner, and he seemed to be putting national affairs first in every aspect.

In reality, however, he intended to separate the various Qin armies under Hong Chengchou's command.

If the most capable units of the Qin army were selected and assigned to Xiong Wencan, then even if Hong Chengchou wanted to suppress the rebels, he would be powerless to do so.

If another pretext is found for support or defense, Hong Chengchou can be transferred to the border of Shanxi and Henan, excluding him from the main battlefield in the Central Plains. Then he can only watch helplessly as Xiong Wencan reaps the rewards.

(End of this chapter)