In the capital, the court went to court early that day. As soon as the court went to court, Li Shi, the minister of the Ministry of War, came out to report.
"Your Majesty, two days ago, the Ministry of War received the report from Dingxianghou Guo Deng, the commander-in-chief of Datong. The Grand Master Wala also sent five hundred elite cavalry to coerce Yang Jie, the commander of the Beijing Guard, and commanded the minister Yang Jun and others. Approaching Yanghekou."
"Guo Deng learned that our army did not receive advance warning at night and led his army to set up an ambush a hundred miles outside the city. He successfully rescued Yang Jie and others. The captives fled in a hurry and were pursued by our army. In this battle, more than 400 people were beheaded. , three hundred and fifty horses were seized, and the rest of the ordnance was taken separately.”
"Now that Yang Jie has returned to Datong under the escort of Guo Deng, please tell me how to reward him."
This military report, it should be said, is not new news.
Li Shi also said that the military report had arrived in Beijing and been sent to the palace two days ago, but it was not made public at the court meeting.
However, since it was an open military report, even if it was not announced, it would have been widely circulated by the time it reached the Ministry of War.
In the past two days, there has been a lot of discussion about this matter in the imperial court.
For no other reason than because some parts of Guo Deng's military report were unreasonable.
The most critical point is that according to the description in the military newspaper, Yang Jie and others were coerced, but the problem is that Yang Jie's identity is not simple.
If we say that a few months ago, the name Yang Jie would have been very unfamiliar to most courtiers, especially civil servants.
The only impression of this name in the court was that of the legitimate son of the Marquis of Changping.
However, precisely in the past two months, this name has become a hotly discussed topic in the entire court.
Not long ago, there was chaos on the border. The various Tatar ministries gathered at the Xuanfu to demand an explanation. They claimed that Yang Jie was sowing discord on the grassland and killed the Tatar Khan Totuobuhua and Jinong Agadoerji. They demanded that the Ming Dynasty Out of Yang Jie.
This started as a starting point, triggering a series of earthquakes in the court.
First, there were rumors in the capital that Yang Jie secretly sneaked into the grassland, and with his own power, he joined forces to instigate civil strife in the entire grassland. The descriptions were vivid and detailed.
Later, the Xuanfu army reported to Beijing, and the emperor personally admitted at the court meeting that Yang Jie went to the border with a secret mission.
Although on the surface, it was just that chaos was about to break out in the grassland, and Yang Jie was ordered to go deep into the grassland in advance to find out the news.
However, recalling that a few days ago, the emperor quietly sent Yang Hong, Marquis of Changping, to lead troops out of Beijing. In fact, many ministers already had the answer in their minds as to what the truth was.
Then came the border between the Karaqin Tribe and the Wengliguote Tribe and Chen Bing. Starting from this, a series of chain reactions were triggered in the court.
Judging from the emperor's performance at the court meeting, it was clear that the emperor was ready to intervene in the chaotic situation on the grassland.
However, many ministers in the DPRK and China were opposed to this.
To this day, this matter still has no result. Although the emperor has not mentioned it again, the edict that came from the palace some time ago has made many ministers uneasy.
Not long ago, Yu Qian, the Minister of the Ministry of War, who was in charge of the reorganization of military camps in the local area, was urgent about border affairs and submitted a memorial.
As most courtiers expected, Yu Shaobao also did not advocate war, and elaborated on the disadvantages of war in his memorial.
As soon as the memorial was published, many ministers breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, according to usual experience, the emperor still relies heavily on Shaobao on many important matters, and will at least consider his opinions in detail.
Therefore, they thought that this time Yu Shaobao's memorial would not completely stop the emperor from thinking, but at least it would make him think more.
But what I didn't expect was that the emperor had no expression on this memorial.
And just on the second day, a decree came from the palace, rewarding Yu Qian with two hundred taels of gold, five hundred taels of silver, ten pieces of silk, ten pieces of pearls, and a piece of coral. He praised Yu Qian for his hard work and encouraged him to be more fearless. Difficulties, to share the country's worries, end the trip to reorganize the military garrison as soon as possible, and return to Beijing to resume his duties.
Those who are able to gain a foothold in the government are all talented people, so naturally they cannot just look at things superficially.
The decree was written in colorful flowers, and every word revealed trust and reliance on Qian. However, the more so, the more dangerous it became.
You know, usually, Yu Qian often goes to the emperor to give advice, and most of the emperors will accept it. However, quarrels are always inevitable. Most of the time, Yu Shaobao can still earn a three-day trip to his own house.
It seems miserable, but this is actually a good thing. It means that the emperor was angry, but he did not remember it in his heart. After the punishment, the matter was over.
I'm afraid that like now, I clearly offended the emperor, but the emperor didn't mention it at all, but praised him for other things.
At this time, the praise is not just a compliment, but more of a warning.
It means that I am so kind to you, so you must know the right amount!
Moreover, there is another small detail, that is, Yu Qian has always been known for his integrity in the court. Even if it was given by the emperor, he did not take it, but enshrined all the rewards.
For some unknown reason, this matter was publicized, so from then on, when the emperor rewarded Yu Qian, they usually used precious but practical things such as cloth, fresh vegetables, etc., as a sign of consideration for his courtiers.
But this time, look at the things given by the emperor, gold, silver, silk, pearls and corals. These things are all extremely valuable. Isn't it abnormal?
In addition, at the same time as this imperial edict was issued, the emperor also lifted the ban of King Xiang and King Yi, and asked them to assist in the affairs of the clan.
Although on the surface, it was for the clan members to visit their relatives in Beijing.
But again, in the court, one can never just look at the surface. As the New Year approaches, so many clan members come to Beijing. Although the clan mansion is busy, the Ministry of Rites is not a free man. No matter how many things are done, Hu Hui With Uncle Zong in charge, there is nothing he can't handle.
The emperor released King Xiang and King Yi at this time, and there was a lot of discussion in the court and the public. One of them believed that the emperor was beating Yu Qian.
You must know that when King Yi came to Beijing, he was called to the capital for training because of his resistance to the big policy of reorganizing military camps.
However, as King Yi, he would not have been banned since he entered the capital. Therefore, many ministers have always been inclined to believe that the main reason why King Yi was so ignored by the emperor was because he was in Beijing. The conflict between Jiao and Yu Qian.
But now, King Yi has been released. From this perspective, the emperor's intention of warning Yu Qian is actually self-evident.
Of course, not all people in the DPRK and China have good relations with Yu Qian, so they don't care about Yu Qian's situation.
What really concerned them was that Yu Qian was the person who had the greatest influence on the emperor among the civil servants. Even the memorials he submitted were ignored by the emperor. So, does this mean that the emperor's desire to start a war has not been extinguished?
With the lessons learned from the civil war, most of the courtiers were very worried about starting another war with the grassland.
And all of this started from Yang Jie!
Now that Yang Jie has returned to the Ming Dynasty, it is conceivable that after receiving this news, the various tribes still lingering in Xuanfu will definitely take this opportunity to cause trouble again.
Under this situation, outside there are these desperate grassland tribes jumping up and down, and inside there is the emperor who wants to start a war. If this is not handled properly, Ming Dynasty may really be dragged into the quagmire of war again.
This is what all the ministers are most worried about!
Therefore, after hearing the news, many ministers present were first happy that Guo Deng had won the battle, but then worries appeared on their faces.
The emperor was very happy. Although he already knew the content, he still picked up the military report submitted by the Ministry of War from the imperial cabinet, read it several times, put his hands on his hands and smiled.
"Okay, okay, okay, Guo Deng is really a fierce general. This time he pursued the bandits, beheaded more than 400 people, and returned in triumph. Yang Jie also returned safely. It is really a happy event!"
"It is passed down that Guo Deng was extremely brave in this battle and boosted the morale of our frontier troops. He ordered the Ministry of War to report his merits according to the system. All the officers and soldiers who participated in the battle were each given one tael of silver and one piece of cloth. The chief military officer Guo Deng was given a silver armor. One pair, and one precious bow, as a token of recognition.”
This reward is nothing, but the key lies in the emperor's description.
Boost the morale of our border troops...
This sentence may have been unintentional, but it made the worries in the eyes of the ministers present deepen.
As a result, the palace was quiet for a moment, and then someone from the military department spoke up.
"Your Majesty, this battle is certainly a great victory. However, the imperial court has its own rules. Just describe the merits according to the rules. The reward seems too generous. If you reward me this time but don't reward me in the future, it will easily make the soldiers on the border feel dissatisfied."
"If it becomes a regular practice and rewards are given every time, I am afraid that the imperial court will increase its expenditure. In the opinion of the minister, it is enough to issue a commendation. There is no need to add additional rewards. Please give me your Majesty's understanding."
It should be said that since the last time we dealt with the two playful censors, these officials of the Department of Science and Technology have become much more comfortable now.
There were also censors who had been relegated by the imperial court before, but this time it was a completely different concept.
Usually, although these ministers were punished, they were demoted because they dared to speak out and angered the emperor.
This kind of relegation may cause temporary suffering, but there is a great chance of recovery, and one can also gain a good reputation among scholars as a voice for the country.
But this time, Zhang Ying and Li Xi were demoted. During the entire court meeting, only the process of their petitions was discussed, and the content of their petitions was never mentioned.
In other words, they were demoted not because of something specific. If this is the case, then the idea of serving the country naturally does not hold true.
Under this situation, even if the censors didn't want to restrain themselves, they couldn't.
To put it bluntly, they are not afraid of being demoted or demoted. Even if they are dismissed from office, the probability of resumption is very high.
However, the premise of all this is that both the government and the public agree that they have been wronged and forced to be demoted.
If the emperor does this, even if the content of their remonstrance is correct, there will be problems in the process, and even if they try to revive in the future, they will encounter difficulties.
Naturally, the censors gradually did not dare to do such a useless thing.
Of course, this does not mean that they have given up their right to advise. On the contrary, in order to prove their sense of existence, within the framework prescribed by the emperor, they still maintain the style of science and education.
Just like now, this matter involves military affairs, so the one who speaks out and advises is the military affairs department.
Generally speaking, if the emperor does not agree or veto directly, but asks the ministers for their opinions, then it can be regarded as a discussion at the lower court. In this way, other imperial censors can also participate. coming.
Therefore, any new system needs to be constantly adjusted and slowly achieve a balance.
Although many imperial censors were dissatisfied with the emperor's reform of Ke Dao at the beginning, after a period of actual implementation, each of them also developed a new way of handling it.
Of course, this method is not as convenient as the beginning, when the censors could freely submit their memorials, but it is still a result that can be accepted by these officials.
However, the disadvantage is...
"The Qing family's words are a bit unfounded. The border is now peaceful and there are not many wars. A little encouragement can make the border soldiers more loyal to their duties."
"What's more, there is a report in the military report that the people who took Yang Jie to the border this time were not ordinary bandits, but Ye Xian's personal guards with extraordinary fighting power. Although Guo Deng won, he still paid a lot of effort. The price, therefore, cannot be regarded as an ordinary victory, and there is nothing wrong with increasing the reward.”
"As for worrying about increasing the court's waste..."
The disadvantage is that if the emperor directly agrees or vetoes, then it is equivalent to not discussing it at the court.
Then, most of their science and technology officials who have nothing to do with military affairs will most likely be punished if they interfere.
Although the emperor has not been so serious so far, for most censors, they need to think more about the risks and wording before coming forward.
On the throne, Zhu Qiyu was still smiling. Speaking of the imperial court's extravagance, he glanced at Shen Yi, the Minister of Revenue next to him, and then said with a smile.
"These rewards will come from me, not from the treasury. Is that okay?"
Yes, the emperor has already said this, so it would be rude to pester him any further.
As a result, several military officers below looked at each other, did not continue to speak, and said with hands.
"Your Majesty's grace!"
Then he retreated.
After all, rewards are a trivial matter. The real problem lies in how Yang Jie, or in other words, how to deal with the tribes gathered on the border.
At this point, this matter can only fall on the Ministry of War.
However, looking at the two ministers from the Ministry of War, many ministers felt an additional layer of worry in their hearts.
Yu Shaobao personally presented the memorial, but was beaten like this by the emperor.
Nowadays, there are only two ministers in the Ministry of War. It is not easy to withstand the pressure of the emperor.
Of course, no matter how difficult it is, you can't escape your life.
Feeling that all the eyes in the court were focused on him, Li Shi, the Minister of War who had just submitted the military report, bit the bullet, but still stepped forward.
"Your Majesty, all the Tatar ministries gathered in the Xuan Mansion earlier and claimed to seek an explanation from Yang Jie, the commander and commander, but so far there has been no result."
"Now that Yang Tongzhi has returned to the Ming Dynasty, these tribes will probably have trouble again after learning the news. How to deal with this matter needs to be arranged in advance..."
(End of chapter)
