The Ming Dynasty: Starting with the Carpenter Prince!

When Yang Lian entered Zuo Guangdou's duty room, he was holding a copy of Xiong Tingbi's report in his hand.

Jin scouts were frequently active in the Puhe direction, and the troops at the strongholds along the way were insufficient. The last sentence was, "I dare not guarantee the next battle."

The Tangbao newspaper circulated in the Ministry of War this morning, and Yang Lian immediately had a copy made after reading it.

Zuo Guangdou was writing something in the duty room when he looked up at him and put down his pen.

"Is it about Liaodong again?"

"Take a look." Yang Lian handed over the copy.

Zuo Guangdou read it more slowly than Yang Lian, finishing line by line, then folded it and placed it on the table, his tone calm and composed.

"Do you believe Xiong Tingbi's statement, 'I can't guarantee the next battle'?"

"I believe he's in dire straits in Puhe." Yang Lian sat down opposite him, her voice slightly lower than usual, probably knowing there was someone in the duty room next door, "but I don't believe he did his best."

Zuo Guangdou didn't respond, waiting for him to finish speaking.

"Fufu, Xiong Tingbi has been in Liaodong for two years. What has he done in those two years? He repaired a few sections of the city wall, tightened military discipline for a while, and then what? Is simply holding the city without losing it considered a merit?"

He counted Xiong Tingbi's accounts on his fingers.

The Liaodong front was three months behind on pay. The imperial court allocated funds twice, but only half of the first payment reached Liaodong, and the military governor's office remained silent. The second payment hadn't even arrived yet, and there was no follow-up. The memorial only stated, "Although I have done my utmost to defend," but what utmost?

Yang Lian spoke with his chin slightly raised; it was his habit, not arrogance, but seriousness.

When he gets to the crucial points, his voice unconsciously gets a little louder; he can't control it.

He had been sitting in the military governor's office for two years, arguing countless times with the frontline generals. His talent for cursing was greater than his talent for fighting. He was not unaware that the Puhe stronghold was weak, but knowing this, he neither increased the number of troops nor repaired the fortifications. Instead, he wrote a report back saying, "Your subject dares not guarantee it."

"What do you call this? You call shifting the blame to the imperial court."

Zuo Guangdou thought for a moment.

"Wenru, you're right. But the timing isn't right to change the coach."

"When is the right time?" Yang Lian's voice rose a little, but Zuo Guangdou glanced at him and he lowered his voice.

"What if Puhe really falls? What if Shenyang is really besieged? Will it be too late to change commanders then?"

"I'm not saying I won't change it."

Zuo Guangdou's speaking speed was the exact opposite of Yang Lian's: slow, deep, and each word seemed to be weighed carefully.

"What I mean is, if we submit the proposal to change the coach now, what will Fang Congzhe do? He's protected Xiong for two years, and changing the coach is like slapping him in the face. He'll drag it out. If something really happens at Puhe, changing the coach will become his idea instead of ours."

"So we're just going to ignore it?"

"We'll manage it. But we'll have to do it differently. Instead of directly saying we'll replace the commander, we'll say we'll investigate. Wasn't the Liaodong pay investigation system just implemented? We won't touch the commander until the investigation results are out. Once the results are out, if Liaodong's pay is indeed less than a million taels, then it's not a matter of replacing the commander, it's a matter of accountability. In the end, the commander will naturally be replaced if necessary."

Yang Lian remained silent for a while.

He disliked beating around the bush; he believed in speaking the truth. But he had to admit that Zuo Guangdou was better at calculations than he was.

"Okay. How do I fill out the question booklet?"

"The investigation of the Liaodong military pay should be expedited. Don't just check the section on the treasury; check exactly how much Liaoyang received. By the way, I'd like to mention that the defense of the military governor's office was inadequate. I won't directly say that the commander should be replaced, but I'll imply it."

Yang Lian stood up, took two steps in the duty room, and then stopped.

"Fufu, let me tell you something from the bottom of my heart."

Zuo Guangdou looked up at him.

"I'm not replacing Xiong Tingbi because of factional strife. I genuinely think he's incompetent. The soldiers in Liaodong are guarding the border on empty stomachs, the military governor's office hasn't fought a single decent battle in two years, and the frontline generals are full of complaints. If this kind of person stays in Liaodong, something big will happen to Liaodong sooner or later."

Zuo Guangdou nodded.

"I know. You were never involved in partisan politics."

He paused for a moment, then added a sentence.

"But others may not see it that way."

Among the many officials in the court, it's rare to find one who doesn't have to read people's faces. But sometimes, not reading people's faces is a double-edged sword, hurting both oneself and others equally.

…………

Yang Lian's memorial arrived at the cabinet the next day.

The proposal was written strategically, without directly mentioning the replacement of the commander-in-chief. Instead, it stated that "the inspection of the Liaodong military supplies should be expedited, and the responsibilities of the military governor's office in defense should also be clarified at the same time."

The implication was clear to everyone: the investigation was ultimately aimed at Xiong Tingbi.

Yang Lian followed Zuo Guangdou's approach, but he didn't hold back his words, and his wording was even more direct than Zuo Guangdou's, making the five words "the military governor's office is not doing a good job in defense" even more emphasized and clear.

If someone else said those five words, it would be an implication; but if Yang Lian said them, it would be practically a direct statement.

…………

The Eastern Palace.

When Wang An brought back news of Yang Lian's memorial, Zhu Youxiao was flipping through the memorials from Liaodong.

"Yang Lian has been submitted for the imperial examination? What did he say?"

They said the inspection of the Liaodong military pay should be expedited, and that the military governor's office was not doing a good job of defense.

"Didn't they directly say they'd change the coach?"

"They didn't say it directly, but the meaning was there."

Zhu Youxiao nodded and closed the question booklet.

Not surprising. Once the Puhetang report arrived, Donglin couldn't possibly remain inactive.

He had seen Yang Lian before, both in the warm pavilion and at the investiture ceremony. When Yang Lian impeached Cui Wensheng, his voice was so loud that it could be heard throughout half of the Qianqing Palace.

Upright, passionate, and fearless in his actions.

But the damage caused by an honest person's wrongdoing can be greater than that caused by a bad person.

Yang Lian's logic in saying Xiong Tingbi was incompetent is sound. However, replacing him with someone who can't fight is what truly threatens Liaodong.

He went through all the candidates recommended by the court, and each one was more unreliable than the last.

Xiong Tingbi had flaws, but he held firm to them. Holding firm to them was a merit in itself.

"My lord, has Father Emperor seen Yang Lian's memorial?"

"It hasn't been submitted yet; it's being held up in the cabinet."

"Was it suppressed by Grand Secretary Fang?"

"About that."

Zhu Youxiao stood up and took two steps.

Fang Congzhe can suppress Yang Lian's essay for a while, but not forever. The more you suppress someone like Yang Lian, the more determined he becomes. Yang Lian is not one to give up easily; his next essay will only be more forceful.

Zuo Guangdou would follow along, and Liu Yiju would also chime in.

The people on Donglin's side are getting increasingly anxious, while Fang Congzhe's side is becoming increasingly blocked. If both sides reach a stalemate, not a single word can be pushed forward regarding the Liaodong matter.

This is the really tricky part.

It's not the change of leadership itself, but the internal strife it triggers that will drag down the entire reform in Liaodong.

The Liaodong military pay verification system has just been implemented, and 60% of the version has loopholes; it needs time to process the data. Similarly, the seeds of protecting the bear have just been planted and need time to sprout.

Both lines of thought required a peaceful and uneventful court, but Yang Lian's submission was like throwing a stone into calm water.

…………

Warm room.

Emperor Taichang's expression was not good after reading Yang Lian's memorial today.

It wasn't because the question book was wrong, but because he didn't want to take the path the question book pointed to.

"I know Yang Lian," Emperor Taichang said, putting down his examination paper and rubbing his temples. "He's straightforward and outspoken, but sometimes he's a bit too hasty."

Zhu Youxiao flipped through the exam paper beside him, without saying a word.

Emperor Taichang said another thing.

"What do you think about the situation in Liaodong?"

"Your subject knows nothing about military matters." Zhu Youxiao feigned ignorance, lowered his head and flipped through the examination book, as if thinking about how to phrase his words.

"However, after the lecture a couple of days ago, I asked Lecturer Sun about my studies and we chatted about Liaodong for a bit."

Emperor Taichang listened while holding his teacup, without interrupting.

"Comrade Sun said something that left a deep impression on me. He said that what Liaodong fears most now is not that it cannot win, but that if someone else takes over, they won't even know how to defend it. Commander Xiong has been in office for two years, and he knows exactly which forts and towers along the way are usable, which sections of the road need repair, and which troops are capable of fighting. If a new person takes over, it will take at least three months just to get through all of this. If there is any movement on the Puhe side in those three months, the new commander won't even have a good grasp of the map."

Zhu Youxiao scratched his head.

"I don't quite understand either, but I feel that what Lecturer Sun said makes some sense. He has served in the border regions, so his judgment is more accurate than mine, who has never left the palace."

Emperor Taichang glanced at him but said nothing.

The Crown Prince hid behind Sun Chengzong, saying only, "What Instructor Sun said is beyond my understanding." But Sun Chengzong's judgment was a professional assessment, not a political statement, and Emperor Taichang had no reason not to consider it carefully.

After a while, he closed Yang Lian's notebook and wrote four words in his comment.

"Understood. Stay in China."

Keep it in the meantime, don't issue it. Neither reject nor approve it, just leave it as is.

Emperor Taichang used these four words to quell the talk of changing commanders.

Zhu Youxiao lowered his head and flipped through the question book, his face expressionless.

The seed has been planted. No rush.

Emperor Taichang suddenly spoke again.

"Fang Congzhe told me something these past two days."

Zhu Youxiao paused for a moment.

"He said that since the implementation of the Liaodong military tax inspection system, there has been some backlash from the local areas. Several provincial governors privately wrote to him to complain that the inspections were too detailed and the local areas were overwhelmed."

Emperor Taichang spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about something that had nothing to do with him.

Fang Congzhe's idea was that the system could be retained, but the pace could be slowed down to avoid chaos in the local areas.

Zhu Youxiao did not respond.

Emperor Taichang said another thing.

"I think Fang Congzhe has a point. After all, he served as Grand Secretary for seven years, and he knows the affairs of the local areas better than anyone else."

Zhu Youxiao understood that Emperor Taichang was revealing his secrets to him.

Emperor Taichang was not discussing the inspection of the Liaodong military funds with him.

Emperor Taichang was telling him: Fang Congzhe is still useful.

Having served as Grand Secretary for seven years, he had the best understanding of the local situation. To implement the system of verifying the Liaodong military expenditures, one could not bypass the cabinet, nor could one bypass Fang Congzhe.

You can dislike him, you can be wary of him, but you can't drive him away.

If we drive him away, who will mediate with those people in the area?

The Donglin Party members were all officials in the capital, and each of them was more eloquent than the last in the Six Ministries. But when it came to actually implementing a system in the provinces, none of them could be counted on.

Being reasonable and getting things done are two different things.

Fang Congzhe is able to.

This person may be bad, but he can get things done.

It is a fact that Fang Congzhe secretly altered the terms, added poisoned clauses, and suppressed Sun Chengzong. But it is precisely because he was so closely connected with the local network that he knew who he could touch and who he couldn't, which allowed him to "optimize" the system in the draft to a level that the local authorities could barely accept.

The Crown Prince's 100% plan was reduced to 60% by Fang Congzhe.

There's a 60% chance a version will be implemented. There's a 100% chance it won't.

A system that cannot be implemented is no different from one that doesn't exist.

"Father is right." Zhu Youxiao nodded obediently. "Grand Secretary Fang is mature and prudent, and he has indeed worked hard."

Emperor Taichang glanced at him, his lips twitched slightly, but he said nothing more.

…………

On the way back to the Eastern Palace, Zhu Youxiao thought to himself for a while.

Yang Lian's proposal was accepted, and the matter of changing the coach was temporarily put on hold.

But Yang Lian wouldn't give up, and neither would Zuo Guangdou.

The attitude of the Donglin faction towards the Crown Prince has already changed.

During the investiture ceremony, they considered the Crown Prince one of their own, given their past relationship of storming the palace to support him. But now, the Crown Prince doesn't support changing the commander-in-chief or holding anyone accountable, and the Liaodong military expenditure verification system has only been implemented to 60% of its original level.

Donglin felt that the Crown Prince's efforts were insufficient.

The shift from "allies" to "uncertainty" is quietly taking place.

Zhu Youxiao was not in a hurry.

The change in Donglin's attitude towards him was expected.

He needs Donglin to do things, but he doesn't need Donglin to be satisfied.

A satisfied Donglin faction is too dangerous. Satisfaction means that Donglin considers the Crown Prince to be one of their own and believes that the Crown Prince should listen to them. If the Crown Prince ever does something that displeases Donglin, the backlash will be ten times more severe than that of Fang Congzhe.

Keep your distance, neither too far nor too close.

This made Donglin think that the Crown Prince "wanted to help but had limited ability," rather than that he "was unwilling to help."

The same applies to Fang Congzhe.

Fang Congzhe felt that he had changed most of the Crown Prince's proposal in the draft vote and that he had the situation under control.

It made him feel...

Those who are in control are the easiest to deal with because they won't escalate the situation.

Donglinchong, Fang Congzhe blocked.

The Crown Prince pushed forward two lines of investigation: verifying the Liaodong military supplies and protecting Xiong.

Both sides were focused on each other, and neither had time to look at the Crown Prince.

It's not about eliminating the opponent, but about making the opponent do the work for you.

Emperor Taichang's words just now probably conveyed the same meaning.

The father and son understood each other implicitly, but neither of them said it out loud.

It's best not to make it clear.

If they make it clear, it becomes a conspiracy; if they don't, it's just that the father and son made their own judgments and happened to collide, and in the future, neither of them owes the other anything.

Emperor Taichang was confined to the Eastern Palace for nineteen years. His judgment of people and things was impeccable, but his health was poor.

…………

Back at the East Palace, Wang An was waiting at the door.

"Your Highness, what about Yang Lian...?"

"It's been accepted."

Wang An breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned again.

"Lord Yang won't let this go so easily."

"No. He'll take the exam again. Next time, it won't just be him; Zuo Guangdou will take it too. And the time after that, Grand Secretary Liu will also speak up."

"Then what should we do, Your Highness?"

"Nothing to do. Let them argue."

Zhu Youxiao sat in the chair and stretched.

"Daban, what people hate most when they're arguing isn't that the other person wins, but that there's someone standing by who doesn't argue. When Donglin and Fang Congzhe are arguing, the fiercer the better. When they're arguing, no one is watching the Liaodong military tax inspection process, no one is watching the seeds of the Xiongnu take root."

Wang An pondered these words for a moment, then nodded as if he understood but not quite.

For twenty-six years, he had been a high-ranking eunuch, and judging people's positions was his livelihood, but he found it increasingly difficult to understand the Crown Prince's thoughts.

"Does Your Highness mean... let them argue, and we'll do what we're doing?"

"More or less. But the grand meeting will have to be held sooner or later. The inspection of the Liaodong military pay, the change of commanders, the military situation in Liaodong—all these matters must be laid out and clarified at the grand meeting."

When will the meeting be held?

"No rush. Let's wait until Yang Lian's second set of questions arrives."

Zhu Youxiao leaned back in his chair, staring at the roof beams.

Donglin has one leg, Fang Congzhe has one leg, and the Crown Prince has one leg.

A three-legged stool cannot stand steadily if any one of the legs is missing.

Donglin wanted to saw off Fang Congzhe's leg, thinking that he could stand on two legs.

He can't stand on a stool with his two legs, so he has to use a cane.

The big discussion is coming soon.

At that time, all three legs must be present; not one can be missing.

Donglin wanted to get things done, Fang Congzhe wanted to take the fall, and the Crown Prince wanted to make the final decision.

Each party gets what it needs, and no one can monopolize the market.