After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

Chapter 123 The Hateful Scholars

"Who wants to rebel?"

Zhu Houzhao immediately perked up.

Li Chun also subconsciously placed his hand on the knife handle.

Yang Shen quickly said, "Your Highness, please don't shout! That's not what I meant!"

Zhu Houzhao became dejected again, muttering, "I thought someone was planning a rebellion!"

Yang Shen said, "What I mean is that the Marquis of Dingxi can be won over, but Li Gong, the Chief Clerk of the Ministry of War, is different; he is a civil official."

"Military generals wield power over troops; aren't civil officials more reliable in comparison?"

"The fact that Your Highness can say these words means that they have achieved their goal."

"Who?"

"Of course, it's the civil officials!"

Zhu Houzhao was somewhat bewildered, his face full of question marks.

Yang Shen nodded, organized his thoughts, and slowly began to speak.

"Your Highness, I dare to first describe the civil and military structure of our Great Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Houzhao sat upright, adopting a serious listening posture, while Li Chun also listened attentively.

Yang Shen said, "Since the founding of the country by our ancestor Emperor Di, it was thanks to the military generals of Huaixi, such as Xu Da, Chang Yuchun, and Li Wenhuan, who fought their way to the top with swords and spears. Later, when Emperor Taizong quelled the rebellion, he relied on military generals such as the Duke of Yingguo, the Duke of Chengguo, and the Earl of Xiangcheng. It was precisely because of their military achievements that military generals held extremely high positions, wielded military power, and had absolute authority."

"A military general's power comes from only two sources: imperial authorization and military merit. In times of peace, if there are no battles, military merit disappears, and they can only rely on the emperor's rewards. Without the emperor, they are nothing. Therefore, military generals are born to be the emperor's henchmen. Without the emperor, they become like water without roots or a tree without stems. They may appear imposing, but in reality, they crumble at the slightest touch."

Zhu Houzhao nodded thoughtfully.

Yang Shen changed the subject: "But civil officials are different."

"Our Ming Dynasty holds the imperial examinations every three years, selecting three hundred Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest level of the imperial examinations). Since the founding of the dynasty by Hongwu Emperor, more than a hundred years have passed. Do you think we've produced that many Jinshi?"

Zhu Houzhao counted on his fingers and clicked his tongue, saying, "That must be—tens of thousands, right?"

Yang Shen nodded: "There are at least tens of thousands of people, and these people are not independent individuals. They are from the same year, hometown, and school, and they are intermarried, formed societies, and apprenticed to each other, creating a huge network. What's even more impressive is that they have firmly controlled the quotas for the imperial examinations in the hands of powerful families."

Zhu Houzhao was taken aback: "Isn't the imperial examination based on merit?"

Yang Shen smiled wryly: "Your Highness, studying is an extremely luxurious thing."

"First of all, scholars cannot work and need to be supported. Children from poor families have to work in the fields from the age of five or six to help earn a living. Where would they get the money to send them to school? Even for ordinary farming families who are just getting by, sending a child to school requires hiring a tutor, buying books, and preparing paper and ink. All of these things cost money. The travel expenses for taking the exam and the cost of lodging are another expense. Ordinary families simply cannot afford it."

Zhu Houzhao remained silent; his upbringing did not include these things.

Those old scholars also spoke of the hardships of the common people, but only in a few words.

Yang Shen continued, "Even if you sell your entire fortune to confess, you still have to overcome numerous obstacles at the examination hall. Although our Ming Dynasty severely punishes cheating, who among the powerful families doesn't know everyone? The examiners are also human; when they see the papers, they can usually discern some connections. Fellow townsmen, classmates, or descendants of old friends will naturally give some preferential treatment, as long as the paper isn't too bad. This isn't considered cheating, but where do ordinary people get such connections? As a result, only a very small number of poor students can pass the exam."

"And so, every three years, three hundred people were transferred. Over a hundred years, the civil service group grew larger and its roots deepened. They controlled the court, the local governments, and public opinion. The world was like a pot of porridge; if someone wanted more, someone else had to eat less. The common people had already been squeezed to their limit; any further squeezing would cause chaos. So, from whose bowl did the civil officials steal the extra porridge?"

Zhu Houzhao blurted out, "Are you trying to steal mine?"

Yang Shen praised, "Your Highness is wise! This is the power of both the emperor and the military."

"During the founding of the dynasty and the Jingnan Campaign, military generals held great power and influence, while civil officials could not cause any trouble. But ever since the Tumu Crisis in the fourteenth year of the Zhengtong reign—"

At this point, he glanced at Zhu Houzhao, and seeing no reaction, continued, "In the Battle of Tumu Fortress, dozens of nobles died, and the elite troops accumulated by three generations of the Ming Dynasty were lost. From then on, the power of military nobles plummeted, and the imperial power also suffered a severe blow. Civil officials seized the opportunity and began to infiltrate the army."

Li Chun couldn't help but interject, "Civil officials leading troops? Can they even fight a war?"

Yang Shen said, "Li Qianhu is right. When it comes to fighting, military generals are definitely the professionals. But the current rule is that civil officials are in charge of the army. Take Shanhaiguan for example. Marquis Dingxi Jiang Ji is the commander-in-chief, nominally in charge of all the armies. But Li Gong, the head of the military department, is in charge of provisions, supplies, equipment, pay, and even the troop deployment and verification. If Jiang Ji wants to send troops, he needs Li Gong's approval to get supplies. If he wants to repair the city, he needs Li Gong to allocate funds. If he wants to pay the soldiers, he needs Li Gong to verify the roster. Although Marquis Dingxi is nominally still in charge of the army, the lifeline is already in the hands of civil officials."

"If the Marquis of Dingxi wants to win the battle, he has to maintain a good relationship with Li Gong. How could Jiang Ji not know that Li Gong is smuggling salt and iron and reselling military supplies? Even if he knew, what could he do? If he were to break off relations, he might be able to gain some temporary advantage, but what about in the future? Military officers without military achievements can only sit around and squander their resources, while civil officials are continuously produced through the imperial examinations. So he can only turn a blind eye and even share some of the benefits, so that everyone can rot together."

Zhu Houzhao clenched his fists upon hearing this: "No wonder! These scholars are truly hateful!"

Yang Shen felt a sudden tightness in his anus for no apparent reason, and could only continue, "Your Highness, it's not that civil officials can't be corrupt, but their methods are far more sophisticated than those of military generals. Military generals drawing salaries without working is a bad habit, but at least they remain within the army; the soldiers are still the same soldiers, and even if the pay is embezzled, the battle still has to be fought. But civil officials engaging in smuggling is aiding the enemy! Selling grain, ironware, and cotton clothing to the Mongols, and once the Mongols are well-fed and clothed, they'll come with knives to attack our border people and rob our property. This is like stabbing your own people in the back."

What's the difference?

Zhu Houzhao jumped to his feet: "Then what are we waiting for? Arrest Li Gong and behead him!"

Yang Shen quickly stopped him: "Your Highness, please calm down! As I just said, this matter cannot be rushed."

Zhu Houzhao took a deep breath and sat back down: "Tell me, what should we do?"

"It's very simple: give military officers power, and enough power! Only when they have no worries will they be wholeheartedly loyal to His Majesty and His Highness!"

"How should I give it to him? Should I go to my father and ask for an imperial edict?"

"At best, obtaining an imperial edict can solve the immediate crisis, but what about ten or twenty years from now?"

"Then—what should we do?!"

"A marriage alliance!"

Yang Shen smiled slightly and continued, "I have already inquired about this. The Marquis of Dingxi has a daughter who is thirteen years old this year and is not yet betrothed."

Zhu Houzhao was stunned for a moment, then his eyes widened: "You—you mean, you want me to marry her?"

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