Zhu Youtang's determination to manage the grassland has been presented to the civil and military ministers of the Manchu Dynasty.
Faced with such an ambitious king, the ministers, especially the civil servants present, did not know what to say. In the past, they had relied on regulating and restraining this seemingly weak and helpless king to become a king in their minds. Mingjun.
But now everything is heading towards an uncontrollable situation.
After the court meeting is over.
The ministers had already discussed it on their way out of the palace, and most of the ministers still tended to support the northwest military strategy.
It's not about whether this is militancy, but more about whether it's effective. It took less than half a year to clean up a once arrogant Huo Si who had repeatedly committed crimes. The emperor also used his strength to prove that he was more than a conservative king.
When Liu Jian and others heard the comments from the people below, they felt bad.
Which is more important, the interests of the Ming Dynasty in the eyes of civil servants, or the interests of the Ming Dynasty in the eyes of the emperor? There are contradictions and conflicts in this.
…
…
Cabinet value.
After Li Dongyang and Xie Qian came back, what they were most concerned about was naturally what the emperor had said to Liu Jian and the others in the inner court.
Liu Jian also briefly talked about it. Most of the matters involved had been discussed by the emperor in court, and Liu Jian did not deliberately comment on the emperor's actions.
Xie Qian also chose to remain silent this time.
Only Li Dongyang seemed to be less confident about incorporating Huoshan. He said: "If the current request from Huoshan is still in conflict with the imperial court's approval, what Huoshan wants is to graze cattle and build a city in the Weining Sea. It’s the people and cattle and sheep, but all Daming can give him is the land in the Hetao that hasn’t been managed for many years, and his people are not allowed to gather together.”
"What do you mean, Binzhi?" Liu Jian looked over.
Li Dongyang said: "Even if Huo Si is really willing to accept the imperial edict, it may be just a temporary measure. After the situation in the grassland changes, it will almost be a matter of time to revolt."
"Um."
Liu Jian was actually concerned about this aspect as well.
Didn’t the emperor think of it?
If the emperor did not have such concerns, he would not propose a plan that is close to "buying horse bones for a thousand gold". He would rather let Huo Si surrender and then rebel, but also set an example for the grassland tribes. It is estimated that even Zhang Zhou himself saw Huo Si It is impossible for Si Si to surrender to the Ming Dynasty sincerely.
Li Dongyang said: "I want to move the headquarters of Xuan Da General Administration from Xuan Mansion to Datong, but I don't know what your Majesty's intention is?"
Xie Qian looked over with a smile, "Is there anything you, Li Bin, can't understand?"
"I think," Liu Jiandao said, "Your Majesty wants to use Datong as the foundation to prepare Zhang Bingkuan for the war on the grassland."
Li Dongyang asked: "How much money will the court spend on this?"
Liu Jian shook his head: "The imperial court continuously rewarded Weininghai, and the money and food for the meritorious soldiers in the two battles at Maoerzhuang are not available for the time being. Everything depends on Zhang Bingkuan's own financing in the northwest. However, with the current increasingly desolate situation in the northwest, in a short time , how much can he raise?”
Not only Zhang Zhou, but also the cabinet also knew that after the changes in the grain kaizhong system, the situation in the northwest was getting worse day by day.
But they still don't want to change the salt laws back.
What we want is to be able to control the northwest... Anyway, the northwest is like that. The future of the Ming Dynasty is not determined by the rise and fall of the northwest. The central finance cannot guarantee it, so why pursue the long-term peace and stability of the northwest?
"Autumn is about to enter, and reports of disasters in various places are constant. The Ming Dynasty can be said to be a precarious and troubled autumn. Zhang Bingkuan is in the northwest, and he can indeed stabilize the morale of the army and the court."
Liu Jian sighed again.
The general meaning is that even if we despise Zhang Zhou, his military power is already displayed there, and he can still serve as a rock in the northwest.
Create a good external environment and let us concentrate on solving the internal troubles.
Xie Qian said with a smile: "The situation in various places in the Ming Dynasty is not very good now. Compared with the future, it is not much worse. Compared with the future...who knows?"
In the eyes of Liu Jian and others, the Ming Dynasty is now a bit "precarious" because they feel that the Ming Dynasty's finances are close to collapse, and the so-called Hongzhi ZTE is only based on the mutual comfort between monarchs and ministers. When it comes to the finances of the Hongzhi Dynasty,
I really don't know how much better it can get.
But the standard by which historians evaluate the quality of an era does not depend on the financial situation.
Just like in the Wanli era, the Ming Dynasty's finances were relatively good, which was also called the dark era. However, the professional politicians of the Ming Dynasty were weak in making money.
It seems that the literati only care about the so-called Haiyanheqing, and do not really realize how to cause the collapse of the court, let alone the laws of historical development.
…
…
The imperial decree concerning Huo Si's surrender soon reached Yanghekou.
Zhang Zhou also sent people with fast horses to carry the memorial to the fire sieve, and the memorial was sent back to the north by the emperor's imperial pen and Zhu Pi. At the same time, he received the news that the Yongxiebu tribe had sent troops to march to Weininghai.
"Zhang Zhitai, His Majesty's intention is that you want to move the town to Datong Town. Staying in Yanghekou is not an option."
Tang Yin came with Yang Hewei commander Song Xian.
Even though he was just the head of the Ministry of War, Song Xian held Tang Yin up as an imperial envoy and was very flattering to Tang Yin.
Zhang Zhoudao: "Bo'an just went to Datong. I have no intention of going to Datong yet."
"Not going to Datong..." Tang Yin was a little confused.
Not much to say.
This is called resisting the decree and being disrespectful!
The emperor asked you to go, but you insist on staying in Yanghekou? Or do you have your own opinion?
Zhang Zhou said: "In the next few days, I will go to the south of Datong to mine. If there is any war in the north, I will let Governor Ma of Xuanfu and Bo'an make plans. As for Pianguan, Wang Dehua will be in charge.
, I don’t have to worry either.”
Tang Yin felt worried after hearing this.
The emperor asked you to fight the war. The situation on the grassland is still uncertain, so you actually want to put down your military affairs and go mine?
Song Xianze didn't have so many opinions. He asked for instructions: "Master Taiwan, do you think the general can help? Yang and Wei can help dispatch manpower to assist."
Zhang Zhou glanced at Song Xian. It seemed that the commander of the Yanghe Guard really wanted to cling to his big tree and was trying his best to fawn over him, a bit like using a public weapon for personal use.
"No need."
Zhang Zhou picked up a few things on the table and handed them to Tang Yin, meaning to help him pack and organize them, "I have been bothering you for a long time in Yanghekou, causing you trouble. If the fire sieve enters the customs, I will come back. Around Datong
Regarding your affairs, listen more to Wang Zhongcheng. If you don’t cause trouble for him, you just don’t cause trouble for me.”
"yes."
After Song Xian accepted the order, he was sent out by Zhang Zhouxian.
Tang Yin asked: "Is there anything that is not convenient for you to say in front of him?"
Zhang Zhoudao: "Junior Brother Tang, please study His Majesty's memorial carefully and tell me what you think when we leave tomorrow. That's it! You can go back too."
"..."
Tang Yin was speechless.
Why don't you just say it and let me go back to study? What should I study? The emperor's orders to you are all clearly stated, is there any code that can't be used?
But now that Zhang Zhou had given him an order, he had no choice but to take out all the so-called edicts and "study" them overnight.
…
…
That night Zhang Zhou met Chen's daughter.
Chen's daughter came from Xuanfu. She was still waiting for Zhang Zhou to find her to start a mine in Xuanfu, but she was temporarily recruited to Yanghekou. A rich girl who was born in the land of plenty in the south of the Yangtze River, to a bitter and cold place like the northwest, she had nothing to do.
I don’t know what the point of coming to the Northwest is.
But if she were asked to go back to the capital or Nanjing... she wouldn't be able to go back.
"Master Zhang."
When Chen's daughter saw Zhang Zhou, she looked very respectful.
If Zhang Zhou's commission in the army was only on paper and in rumors passed down by others orally, now it was before her eyes.
"Sit." Zhang Zhou usually looks lazy and inactive.
But when he arrived in the northwest, Zhang Zhou was really doing things.
The summary of almost all his official duties at present is...money and food.
Zhang Zhou asked Tang Yin to study the emperor's decree. In fact, it was to let Tang Yin know that the emperor almost never mentioned a word about money and food in all the decrees. It was to tell Zhang Zhou that it was okay to prepare for war, but the support the court could give was limited.
You raise it yourself.
On this basis, as long as you can convert money and food, you can do whatever you want.
This time Chen's daughter sat down far away from Zhang Zhou, looking very reserved.
She couldn't help but glance at Liu Gui who was standing aside. If this place wasn't like a meeting tent and there were people around, she would really be worried that Zhang Zhou was the one who coveted her.
"Have you been working hard along the way?" Zhang Zhou asked with a smile.
Ms. Chen said: "Before we left, everything was not very stable, but the road was very peaceful. You could even see caravans coming and going. I heard that the adults won the battle on the grassland and ensured the stability of the border fortress."
"Quite good at talking." Zhang Zhou said, "But it makes no sense. Originally, I wanted to open an iron mine north of Zhangjiakou Fort, but now I have changed my mind and plan to open a coal mine in Datong Town. This is why I called you here.
.”
After hearing this, Mrs. Chen felt a little relieved.
She asked: "Are you going to ask all places to donate mines?"
"Haha." Zhang Zhou was laughing.
This tone is a bit like Zhang Heling. When he knew that he was going to open a coal mine in Datong, he thought he was trying to rob private coal mines.
Liu Gui said coldly: "Your Excellency, are you the kind of person who takes advantage of others?"
"My little girl made a mistake, and I hope you can forgive me." Mrs. Chen quickly stood up and admitted her mistake.
"sit."
Zhang Zhoudao, "I have always relied on my own ability to mine. You also know what I do. If you can't put what you have learned into practical use, it is no different from not learning. What I want is just one of yours."
Pretense.”
"The little girl doesn't understand."
The roles played by Chen's daughter and Zhang Heling in the mining were different, but Zhang Zhou felt that this woman understood the many twists and turns in the officialdom, but she just didn't say it.
"The biggest problem when opening a mine is to compete with the people for profit. This is easy for the censor to impeach. I never put my eggs in one basket. For Xishan Coal Mine, I rely on the Jiang family, and on Datong, I rely on the Jiang family.
"Your Chen family." Zhang Zhou said, "But your Chen family must surrender to me unconditionally. The failure of your business in Beijing forces you to get on this boat, doesn't it?"
The Chen girl's cheek muscles were tense and she was silent.
Zhang Zhou said: "I will follow you south tomorrow. If you encounter a place with a mine, you can stay and help take care of it. As for the employment, the Datong governor and the local health office will provide assistance, but the local magistrate, county government, etc. will not cooperate."
"You should know that when I come to the northwest to use troops, I rely on the governor, the general secretary, the general general secretary, and the general military office, guard office, Qianhu office and other yamen under my jurisdiction. It has nothing to do with the local civil affairs yamen."
Chen's daughter probably understood that she was going to be the vanguard.
"If you have trouble, someone will come to help you solve it, but big problems have to be faced by yourself. If the government comes to inspect the mine, you have to be tough. I wish you good luck."
Zhang Zhou also told Chen's daughter openly.
If you help me mine, the local government will definitely find you trouble. This involves a dispute of interests between Qianglong and local snakes.
It seems that you have the Weifuo and the Qianhusuo behind you, and even the Xuan Da General System and the Governor of Datong are your backers. But at the critical moment, don’t expect these people and the Yamen to give you much assistance, or even you.
It is not impossible to be arrested by the local government and imprisoned in a prison cell.
The so-called "good luck" probably means... wishing for good fortune.
Chen's daughter asked: "Don't Mr. Zhang plan to manage the local government?"
"Haha, let's get on with it."
Zhang Zhou smiled.
This seems to be the stuff of people who have been doing business all year round. I know that the biggest way to do business in this era is to manage everything from top to bottom.
Not to mention mining, even ordinary business will be difficult to do without taking care of customs duties and other local authorities.
"I control the military affairs of the six towns in the northwest. I am looking for people to mine, but I also need to take care of them? Who should I take care of? My subordinates?" Zhang Zhou smiled.
What does Chen's daughter feel called "pressure"?
My emotions made me go mining, and I didn’t intend to live in harmony with the local government. You didn’t even give me basic money to buy the road, so you said you wished me good luck... You Zhang Bingkuan are really stingy, you don’t even give me this kind of money.
Want to save?
Zhang Zhoudao: "Let's put it this way, if the local officials and gentry cause trouble, someone from Shouninghou will come forward to fight against it. You don't rush in front. If someone from the government wants to make things difficult for you, they must discuss filial piety and management with you."
Pretend you haven't heard anything about it. But you can't leave Shanxi. Whenever something happens in the mine and the government deliberately makes things difficult for you, you have to rush to the front."
The Chen girl looked ugly.
What she wants to ask most right now is actually, if I put in so much effort, how much can I share?
Zhang Zhou also answered her appropriately: "I will not promise you specific benefits, but if someone mentions your Chen family in the future, you are my direct descendant Zhang... Let me show you His Majesty's secret decree!"
"Secret decree?"
Mrs. Chen was surprised.
The emperor's secret decree? What is this concept?
Zhang Zhou asked Liu Gui to hand over something.
Chen's daughter knelt on the ground first, received it in her hand, and then knelt there to read what was in her hand. After she read it... she discovered that it was actually a "letter" written by the emperor in a private capacity to Zhang Zhou.
The terms of address are "Bingkuan", "you", "I" and the like, and the meaning expressed is that I am very sure of your contribution, but unfortunately there are too few places where the court can support you.
, you need to raise it yourself. In order to raise it, you can "act cheaply". Even if there is an imperial censor who impeaches you, I will support you...
Just barely said it.
Even if you commit crimes locally, I will always stand by you.
After she finished reading, she suddenly realized that she had read something she shouldn't have read. The image of the "king" in the letter was so morally shattered that he even fought with the people in order to get his Bingkuan to help him raise military pay and supplies.
Li, and said so many words that cannot be presented in front of hundreds of officials...
Is this...surely the emperor's tone?
While she was shocked, she was also thinking, does this sound like what the emperor said?
But the man in front of me is the most trusted person of the emperor. What's the point of forging a secret letter from the emperor and showing it to a common man like me?
"Get up and continue to sit and talk. Do you understand?" Zhang Zhou asked after Liu Gui got the emperor's secret order back.
Ms. Chen felt like she was on a pirate ship.
Zhang Zhoudao: "I am a person who likes to go straight when doing things. Even His Majesty understands my nature, so he will not beat around the bush with me. Your Majesty asked me to raise military supplies and even cast artillery by myself to complete the accumulation before sending troops. He also proposed
I don’t need to care about the opinions of local officials and the imperial censor.”
"But I am in the middle of the court, how can I not care about these things?"
The Chen girl frowned.
The emperor wants you to offend others because he wants to preserve your reputation and make you an alien in the eyes of the civil servants in the DPRK.
As a result, you let people like us come out to bear the infamy, while you yourself become a "saint"?
"I'm not trying to sell dog meat by selling sheep's head to raise funds to run the army and manage the border areas. Don't the old ministers in the court understand? Probably the people who can't understand the most are the people in the local government! If I want to
If I focus on how to deal with them, how can I focus on running the army and using troops?"
"These things have to fall on your shoulders! Miss Chen, the amount of tasks I give you is not too big. You can help me earn 200,000 taels of silver every year, which is probably enough!"
When Chen's daughter heard this, she thought the goal was really "not big."
Just kill me!
Two hundred thousand taels...how much coal must be mined to have this value?
"Come with me tomorrow and put on men's clothes. If there are women around me, it will inevitably make people think too much. If you don't have many people, just listen to my people. Do it well." Zhang Zhou laughed.
It seems like a group of people, all doing odd jobs for him.
And he is a person who runs the whole operation, waiting for others to come on board for everything, and counting the money behind his back.
…
…
Xuanfu.
Wang Shouren received the order from the imperial court, asking him to prepare to greet the fire sieve and enter the Pass to pay tribute in Datong Town.
Wang Xi said: "Wang Zhongcheng, what do you think the imperial court wants? Do you want us to take advantage of the unpreparedness of the fire sieve, send troops to attack, and order it..."
"Where did you find out about the things that were not mentioned in the decree?"
Wang Shouren asked.
Wang Xi looked embarrassed, but vaguely disappointed.
Wang Shouren knew that because of Zhang Zhou's presence, everyone in the Northwest Army wanted to make a difference. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If Zhang Zhou's influence was lost, it would be even more difficult to make achievements on the battlefield.
"It is expected that Huo Si will not enter the customs easily. He proposed to surrender to the Ming Dynasty because he was in danger. But once he leaves the military camp, how can the tribes on the grassland sit idly by? How to get Huo Si to obey the orders and enter the customs depends on Zhang Zhitai.
After discussing with them, all the garrison posts in Datong have recently been strengthened to prevent Tatar invasion!"
