: General and Prime Minister

Author: Silent

: General and Prime Minister

When faced with the issue of rewards in the northwest, even senior experts like Ma Wensheng remain silent.

Zhang Mao said: "Your Majesty, the matter of meritorious service may be postponed for a few more months until all inspections are completed..."

Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "Mr. British, do you mean to let me be dragged by them, so that such a great contribution can be reduced to nothing, or that the border soldiers will forget it?"

"Old minister, that's not what I meant."

Zhang Mao was also very anxious.

When did I say I wouldn’t give them rewards? By delaying the rewards, I mean I owe them first and then redeem them when the court has money?

Zhu Youtang said: "In the two battles of Pianguan and Ningyuan, many problems arose during the reward period, which have not yet been resolved. After the troops are deployed in the northwest, preparations must be made and money must be mobilized."

Li Dongyang asked for instructions: "Does your Majesty have any plan?"

Zhu Youtang took out Zhang Zhou's memorial and said: "Actually, before Bingkuan left, he mentioned the salt policy. I also plan to use salt as a reward for this meritorious service. It can also be regarded as a reward for the border troops." The meritorious soldiers should have an explanation. Alas!"

In the end, Zhu Youtang couldn't help but sigh.

Even Zhang Mao on the side frowned after hearing this.

Just now, Your Majesty, you lectured me and said that I had bad ideas. I think your Majesty's and Zhang Bingkuan's proposals are not much better.

When I say issuing IOUs, don’t you just mean using salt currency as a bad check? What is the difference between issuing salt currency indiscriminately and occupying a nest? Even if the grain is issued, the salt merchant will not be stupid enough to exchange it with the full amount, and finally pay back Isn’t it “making great achievements into small things”?

Zhu Youtang continued: "If there are any shortcomings, I would like to reward you with a military promotion to establish a rule."

Although he didn't explicitly say that he wanted to change the first merit theory system, he vaguely mentioned this point.

During the Chenghua and Hongzhi dynasties of the Ming Dynasty, when it came to rewarding military merit, they focused on material rewards rather than promotion of official positions. They were very cautious about the promotion of military positions, because the court knew that temporary rewards were more direct than promotions, because promotions In the future, it will bring continuous pressure to the imperial government's finances, and the reward will be a one-time deal.

But the disadvantage of doing this is that it requires a lot of money at once.

Until the Zhengde period, the Ming Dynasty was financially stretched. Zhu Houzhao began to consider the enfeoffment of close ministers, and promoted meritorious officers to official posts. In particular, the positions of Jinyiwei Qianhu and Baihu were greatly increased. At one time, the hereditary official positions of Jinyiwei were as many as Nearly 100,000 people...

Even though this seems to increase the financial pressure on the imperial court, as long as it is not fulfilled, the official salary is not a rare thing, but more of a reputation.

Even if we want to increase the salary, it will only harm the future for more than ten years or even decades. It is equivalent to using future finance to solve the current problem, which is better than taking money directly from the treasury, right? Maybe my descendants will solve the financial problem. Is it solved?

This is also very similar to the local finance of the Ming Dynasty.

They all want to do things right now.

But the result is... everything that can't be done is spending future money, leaving some shortfalls for the next person to fill, and the next person will blame it on the successor!

Zhu Youtang also means the same thing. We can't get so much money from the treasury now, so we can appoint more officials, give some guidance, and at most add some actual material compensation. This matter has been exposed first... If you have money We can’t just spend it all on rewarding past achievements, but we should also prepare for future wars, ladies and gentlemen, don’t you think so?

…

…

Several ministers present heard this, and although they felt aggrieved, they were right.

They also seemed to understand why the emperor called Zhou Jing, the minister of household affairs, to come over when discussing rewards for military merit.

In fact, it is to tell them that the biggest problem with military rewards is whether the Ministry of Revenue can sustain it.

Li Dongyang broke the silence and said: "Your Majesty, with such a decision, I am afraid that the army officers and generals will have opinions."

"Yes." Zhu Youtang nodded and said, "In the past, I wouldn't have known how to tell Lieutenant General Shiming, but now that Bingkuan is in charge of the army, it may be logical if he is responsible for executing it."

Okay.

Xie Qian and others were thinking, we are still thinking about how to suppress Zhang Zhou's achievements. As a result, now for the sake of military merit rewards, the monarchs and ministers have to rely on Zhang Zhou's prestige to make empty promises to the soldiers. If they are not appeased, Okay, Zhang Zhou, I'm afraid Zhang Zhou will take the lead in making trouble.

Then it’s really... unbearable.

Zhu Youtang said: "I have also thought about the meritorious ministers in this battle. I want to make Bingkuan the Duke of Lai, promote the censor of Zuodu, and promote the military affairs of Xuanda and the three sides. Do you have any opinions? ?”

There was no mention of promoting Zhang Zhou to the position of Minister of War, but following the precedent of Wang Yue, Zhang Zhou was asked to lead the army part-time as the censor of Zuodu, and he also shouldered the same civil and military duties. He was both the censor of Zuodu and the Duke of the country. , it seems that Zhang Zhou has the final say in the northwest.

Liu Jiandao: "To rashly place the position of official and general on one person, and to have government come from officials and generals come from orders, will be of no benefit to the stability of the northwest."

It would be difficult for Ma Wensheng and other ministers to oppose this kind of thing.

Only Liu Jian, the first assistant, was qualified to give the emperor some advice.

Just as they had discussed before the court meeting, regarding the reward to Zhang Zhou, they should not go against the emperor, but should be gentle and persuade him. Try to let Zhang Zhou choose the same before the civil and military positions, rather than letting Zhang Zhou have the power. , affecting the balance of power in the northwest and even the imperial court.

Zhu Youtang shook his head and said: "In extraordinary times, extraordinary things happen."

Liu Jiandao: "Your Majesty, if the northwest wants to raise troops for a long time, and Zhang Zhou is responsible for both civil and military duties, there will be no one to check and balance the northwest, and the balance of the country and the dynasty in using troops to run the army will also be broken. The veteran is not targeting one person, but It was for the long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty, and also for the morale of the army’s officers and men.”

Zhu Youtang frowned and said: "Ruling the army with Bingkuan will affect morale?"

Are you making trouble with me?

Zhang Zhou was in the northwest, and every soldier was as if he had been given a shot of chicken blood. I have never seen such morale among the soldiers in the northwest of the Ming Dynasty.

Xie Qian was not afraid of trouble. He came out and said: "If one person is in charge of military and political affairs, it is inevitable that the left and right hands will be stuck in one place, and no matter how good his fists and feet are, he will not be able to use them. Those who obey others will prosper, and those who go against others will not be able to gain a foothold." When he took charge of military affairs in the Xuanfu, he had issues with the governor of the Xuanfu and asked Your Majesty to consider the hidden concerns of the generals in the northwest towns."

Zhu Youtang was silent for a moment.

Although Zhang Zhou was in the northwest and could boost the morale of the army, in most cases he could calm the people and prepare for war.

But when Zhang Zhou protects Ma Yi and plays against Ma Zhongxi, it is indeed a bad start. This will make those veterans of the traditional factions, especially the old Confucian officials, have very different opinions about Zhang Zhou. big.

Zhu Youtang said: "My lords, I don't really want to highlight Bingkuan, but with his merits and presence, he can also intimidate the grassland Xiaoxiao, and he can use it to manage the army in the northwest. You should have no objection, right?"

This time even Xie Qian didn't speak.

Any other comments?

He, Zhang Bingkuan, is awesome. We have to admit this. He fought three unprecedented battles in half a year and won each of them so cleanly. He also brought out a group of awesome people from Yanwu Hall and established a foothold in the northwest like a tiger descending a mountain. Wang Shouren can do anything...

It’s okay not to accept it.

Seeing that no one objected, Zhu Youtang seemed to really make it clear: "If there is no objection, then Bingkuan will be appointed as the censor of Zuodu, leading the military affairs of Dapianguan and other departments, and regulating the military affairs of various places in the northwest. Although Qin Hong is still in charge of the trilateral administration, Bingkuan is given priority. As for the title of Duke Lai, it can be given to him after he returns to the court. What do you think?"

In this matter, Zhu Youtang seemed to be deliberately predicting the reaction of civil servants in advance.

Previously, I took a resolute attitude and wanted to promote Zhang Zhou to a higher position. I expected that you would come out to oppose it, so I will finish my words first, and then we will each take a step back.

Zhang Zhou continued to take overall control of the northwest military affairs, and even Qin Hong had to be controlled and dispatched by Zhang Zhou, so Zhang Zhou was only allowed to serve as a civil servant.

But the title of Wu Xun is no longer something to be "rewarded in the future", but is decided directly. Duke Lai Guo belongs to him. When does he leave the post of General Secretary of Xuanda and return to the capital, when will the title be given to him.

Xu Qiong asked for instructions: "Your Majesty, after he returns to the court, will he still retain his errands outside the Governor's Mansion?"

This question is very Buddhist.

So much so that everyone present could not help but take a look at Xu Qiong.

In fact, they also heard that Xu Qiong had "betrayed". If the emperor didn't say anything about this, we should pretend not to know. This would be the time when Zhang Zhou made the greatest contribution and the emperor relied heavily on him. If he were allowed to do so at this time, When the emperor comes to decide, it must be the civil servant Wu Xun who asked him to catch it.

Are you, Xu Qiong, simply reminding the emperor to settle matters once and for all?

Zhu Youtang said: "The compilation of "Huidian" has been basically completed. It only needs to be officially published. I will delay it for a few days, but the things decided before will not deviate. With Bingkuan's contribution to compiling the book, he will be promoted to The purpose of studying as a bachelor is so that he can better teach the prince in the future. As for his current position as the right minister of the Ministry of War, it is not necessary."

The emperor also made it clear.

Zhang Zhou's part-time job in the Sixth Department can be waived.

However, the position in the Hanlin Academy must be retained, and Duke Lai Guo must also give it to him. At that time, Zhang Zhou will no longer hold the position of governor and magistrate of the rear military governor's office, but will be directly given to the vacancy, and it will really become the Ming Dynasty. The representative figure who will enter the phase.

"I will also listen to his opinions more about the military rewards for this battle, how to prevent the Fire Sieve from invading the country, and the preparations for the battle on the Sujing Grassland. I also hope that all of you will not interfere too much, and the court will treat it as such. Harmony is the most precious thing."

Zhu Youtang also seemed to rely on the ministers present and reminded him.

As a result, even Zhang Mao felt very angry. Suddenly Zhang Zhou became a general. Before, he wanted to let this kid harm the civil servants, but now he doesn't even let Zhang Zhou off the governor's office... Fortunately, Zhang Zhou At present, he is only responsible for the northwest military affairs. It seems that he is still a little short of getting involved in the Beijing camp, but who knows what will happen in the future?

For the civil servants present, it was even more unpleasant.

Zhu Youtang's tone was calm, because the negotiation process was generally smooth. He said: "This matter has been settled. In the next ten months, or even half a year, the defense of the northwest will be the top priority of the imperial court. Seriously, we need to rely more on you all to work together as one, and we need to put aside our prejudices."

Come to this.

There is no one to object.

Originally, everyone still hoped that Liu Jian would come out and say a few words, but Liu Jian's look seemed to have "cleared the past feud" with Zhang Zhou, which probably let them know that Zhang Zhou's rise was unstoppable.

…

…

"how?"

Several ministers left the Qianqing Palace, and Xiao Jing was supposed to personally guide them out of the palace or back to their rooms.

But Xiao Jing also recognized the situation and gave them space to discuss on their own, and the person who led the way even lagged far behind.

The words were spoken by Xie Qianwen.

No one at the scene answered his question.

It cannot be said that everyone is speechless about Zhang Zhou's rise, or has no strategy, but all strategies must be based on "Zhang Zhou made mistakes". If Zhang Zhou continues to give credit to himself one by one, Even if he talks about the strategies against Zhang Zhou in garish words, the emperor will not fail to listen.

It's all in vain.
To be continued...