Night, in the mansion.
Although it is said that Yu Qian has been transferred out of the capital, his title is Youdu Censor, and he is under the capital procuratorate. Therefore, according to the convention, he is still regarded as a capital official. Therefore, Yu Fu is naturally still in the capital, and there is no Follow Yu Qian to toss together.
However, since Yu Qian left the capital, Yu Shiyue's visits to Yu's mansion have been much less frequent. As soon as the sedan stopped, Yu Shiyue saw Yu Mian greeting him in front of the mansion.
"I met Shibo. My father ordered me to greet him here. He said that Shibo had arrived, so he led Shibo over to see him."
Yu Shiyue got off the sedan chair and raised his eyebrows when he heard what Yu Mian said.
"How did your father know that I was coming over today?"
You know, after seeing the imperial edict, he decided to come on the spur of the moment and did not send a greeting card in advance. Yu Qian could even predict this. Could it be that he went out to Beijing and learned the art of divination?
"I don't know about this. Shibo might as well ask his father later."
Yu Mian said while leading Yu Shiyue forward.
Seeing this situation, Yu Shiyue nodded secretly. After what happened last time, the child has indeed become much more stable.
"Brother Shichao, long time no see!"
When they walked into the courtyard, they saw that Yu Qian was already waiting outside the study door. Yu Shiyue smiled and saluted back. The two exchanged greetings and then sat down in the study.
The aroma of tea lingered on the table in front of him, and Yu Qian spoke.
"Brother Shichao is here to send troops to suppress Japanese invaders?"
"Yes and no!"
Yu Shiyue took a sip of tea, his face became slightly solemn, and he said.
"The cabinet has just received the order. His Majesty has issued an edict, ordering you to be the Admiral and Minister of Military Affairs of Fujian and other departments to participate in the suppression of Japanese pirates. I believe you already know this news, right?"
The imperial edict did not arrive at the cabinet until the afternoon, and it would have to wait until tomorrow at least if it was to be sent to the court. However, Yu Shiyue's words were not a question, but a rhetorical question with determination.
Yu Qian did not deny it, nodded slightly and said.
"Yes, your Majesty already told me about this matter when I just returned to Beijing and went to reply to His Majesty's decree."
So, Yu Shiyue put down his cup and looked at Yu Qian, as if that was indeed the case.
After a moment of pause, he sighed and said.
"In that case, how dare you show off like this today?"
What happened this morning has now spread, but the time is too short and it has not yet fermented.
However, it is conceivable that even if a major event like sending troops to suppress the Japanese has been decided, there will still be various opinions and opinions in the court.
In the morning at court, Yu Qian confronted Wang Hong with such sharp words, it was impossible not to arouse discussion among the ministers in the court.
If that's all, that's it. However, now that the emperor has issued an edict, ordering Admiral Yu Qian to supervise military affairs, the direction of public opinion may not be that simple.
Yu Shiyue could imagine that in a few days, Yu Qian's remarks about flattering the emperor would appear.
Therefore, this was what confused him. Since the Emperor had already decided that Yu Qian would take over this job, Yu Qian should keep a low profile.
After all, from the standpoint of the courtiers, Wang Hong's theory is tenable. When the court wants to suppress the Japanese, most of the time, the battle is ineffective and only increases the waste...
After hearing this question, Yu Qian fell silent, picked up the teacup and took a sip without speaking.
Seeing this situation, Yu Shiyue frowned and said.
"It seems that my guess is correct. There is another hidden secret in this matter. Why, isn't it convenient for me to tell you?"
Yu Shiyue understood Yu Qian. He could understand what he said just now, and Yu Qian would not understand it. In this case, Yu Qian still did this, which can only show that the emperor had other reasons to convince Yu Qian.
After hearing this, Yu Qian pondered for a moment and finally said.
"Brother Shichao, what do you think of the imperial court's maritime ban policy?"
Sea ban?
Yu Shiyue was slightly surprised, but soon he thought of what Yu Qian and Wang Hong said during the confrontation in the early morning.
He didn't think about it carefully at the time, but looking back at what Yu Qian said at that time, he did have a slightly different meaning.
"A sure way to go!"
After pondering for a moment, Yu Shiyue spoke.
"What Wang Hong said today is a little biased, but it is not unreasonable. The Japanese pirates are powerful at sea, but when they arrive on land, they are hard to beat with just two fists. Strict sea bans can at least preserve the tranquility of the coast. Although the Japanese pirates will sometimes If an attack occurs, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages..."
In fact, this is also the view of most courtiers on the maritime ban.
After hearing this, Yu Qian thought about it for a while, and finally, he briefly reviewed the part about the maritime ban he had given to the emperor that day.
"... According to His Majesty's wishes, the purpose of sending troops to suppress Japanese pirates this time is not to eradicate Japanese pirates, but to ensure that Huangdian's ships can return smoothly. By then, if the sea route can be opened, it may be a source of wealth no less than mutual trade. "
Although it is generally said that it is best not to reveal the content of a private performance, but since the emperor did not ask him to keep it secret, it means that he can still reveal some.
"You mean, His Majesty wants to open the sea?"
Yu Shiyue blinked, his face a little surprised.
Although he had expected that there was something complicated behind this matter, he did not expect that there was such a big connection hidden behind it.
Opening the sea is no joke. After all, the sea ban policy is a national policy set by Taizu. If it is to be shaken, it will be even more difficult than opening up mutual trade in the first place.
Moreover, this issue is not just an issue of ancestral system. You must know that in addition to Emperor Taizu, the previous emperors such as Taizong and Xuanzong have also stated the maritime ban policy to varying degrees. If they really want to open the sea, it will be no less than Against all previous emperors.
In addition, the foundation of the Ming Dynasty was agriculture, and the vast sea was definitely not suitable for farming. The biggest role of opening the sea was naturally maritime trade, which would involve the national policy of focusing on agriculture and suppressing commerce.
Among other things, if merchants want to go to sea, then the court must consider the corvee they should bear, how to calculate taxes, and whether to relax restrictions on merchants.
Moreover, since the sea is about to be opened, in addition to the Ming caravans going to sea, there will definitely be caravans from other countries. How to interact with each other? What if these caravans carry weapons? Do we need to add new yamen and officials? I am specifically responsible for this series of problems that need to be solved. It cannot be done by just touching the upper lip to the lower lip.
Yu Qian hesitated for a moment and said.
"Your Majesty just has this idea, but what happens depends on the harvest of the Imperial Store..."
"However, no matter what, this is always a thing worth trying. Your Majesty is right. The people on the coast are too poor. The court's strict sea ban is ultimately a temporary solution rather than a permanent solution. The coast is barren and it is difficult to collect taxes. The people Life is hard, but if this path can be opened, it will be of great benefit to the people."
"But……"
Hearing what Yu Qian said, Yu Shiyue was a little silent. After a moment, he spoke.
"Tingyi, do you know how difficult and difficult this matter is?"
After hearing this, Yu Qian fell silent again. Then, he spoke again, but his expression was very firm, and he said.
"Although things are difficult, if it benefits the people of the country, wouldn't it be a pity for oneself?"
…………
On this day, Yu Shiyue and Yu Qian talked a lot. The two talked until late at night before returning home. However, when Yu Shiyue left Yu's home, his expression couldn't help but become a little more complicated.
The political situation is complicated and natural disasters occur frequently. Under this situation, the emperor is determined, but he does not know whether it is a blessing or a curse.
Half a month passed in a flash, and it was less than a month before the end of the year. Although the candidates for the expedition had not yet been decided, the admiral Yu Qian was definitely here, and the officials all breathed a sigh of relief and began to make preparations. Matters concerning sending troops.
However, even so, the candidate for the seal is still one of the things that the imperial court is most concerned about. In these days alone, no less than dozens of recommendations have been submitted.
It has to be said that the strength of the British government is still sufficient. In just half a month, more than a dozen noble mansions have written letters recommending Zhang Shi. However, what people did not expect is that this time, Dingguo The government did not show any weakness. Seven or eight memorials were submitted, all recommending Wuxing.
In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Qiyu couldn't help but hesitate when he looked at the memorial that had just been sent in front of him.
The sudden appearance of Wuxing this time was indeed something he did not expect. Originally, Zhu Qiyu's chosen candidate was indeed Zhang Min.
There are two reasons for choosing him. One is that the British government is now gathering power. In this case, it still has to be given some opportunities. If the pressure is too tight, the effect will sometimes not be achieved. Moreover, with Yu Qianzai, If something goes wrong with Zhang Xi, he can take over smoothly.
In addition, the more important point is that the disaster next year will be serious, so unrest factors such as the British government must be dealt with.
At this time, Zhu Qiyu didn't want Nangong to take the opportunity to cause trouble for him.
However, Zhang Xi also had a shortcoming, that is, his fighting ability was really not enough. Although the general who hung the seal did not have to go to the battlefield in person, Zhu Qiyu was still a little worried after all.
Relatively speaking, Wu Xing was born in the military and has rich combat experience. He will have greater confidence in fighting.
Moreover, another point is that Wuxing's qualifications and military achievements are actually almost the same. If he can win this battle, he may use it to obtain a title.
Wuxing itself belongs to the lineage of Duke Dingguo. Now that Duke Dingguo wants to promote Wuxing, it is actually releasing goodwill. Therefore, this is where Zhu Qiyu is in trouble.
Prior to this, the nobles in the court had always been headed by the British Duke and the Chengguo Duke, and most of the military mansions were also controlled by them.
If he wants to change this situation, Zhu Qiyu must build up his own strength. Fan Guang and Yang Hong are a good example. However, there are many nobles in the court, and the strength of the two of them is still too weak.
In this way, Duke Dingguo's Mansion is a good choice. As an old government, no matter how low-key it is, it always has a good foundation. Compared with these newly promoted nobles, the advantages of Duke Dingguo's Mansion are The reason is that if Zhu Qiyu wants to replace people from the other two major princes in the original military government, especially those from the British government, the Dingguo government has many ready-made people. These people may not be outstanding, but they are always barely available.
Moreover, the most important thing is that the Dingguo Duke's lineage was not reused in Xuande and Zhengtong dynasties, so there was no need to worry about their stance when promoting them.
However, the disadvantage of this lineage is that it is too comfortable and does not have much enterprising spirit. Moreover, the talents of the people who can be pushed out can only be said to be sufficient.
Strictly speaking, the former Marquis of Fengcheng and now the Duke of Fengguo Li Xian can be regarded as members of the Dingguo Palace. This is clearly reflected in him.
Zhu Qiyu once thought about letting Li Xianlai be the backbone of Xungui. Unfortunately, his talents and courage are indeed limited. Although he can be of some use, it is impossible to point him to shoulder the responsibility.
So now, Duke Feng has become a mascot attending various sacrificial ceremonies for the court.
However, the premise of all this is that Duke Dingguo holds the old concept of nobility!
You must know that there are many talents in the army, and there are also those who can fight. However, these people are not from noble backgrounds, so it is difficult to occupy high positions in the military government.
Although Zhu Qiyu wanted to promote these people, on the one hand, the imperial court had its own rules. In many matters, it was customary to use nobles. Breaking these rules rashly would cause backlash and dissatisfaction from the nobles.
Secondly, and most importantly, as the emperor, Zhu Qiyu could not personally inspect these middle- and low-level officers. Therefore, who should be used and who should not be used is the biggest problem.
However, the olive branch extended by Duke Dingguo this time is a new hope. Wu Xing and Zhang Shi are different. Although neither of them has a title, Zhang Shi is considered to be from a noble family, but Wu Xing is a real person. A person who has stepped up from the ranks of low-ranking officers.
According to the court's practice, the chief seal officers who lead the army on expeditions should basically be nobles with titles, and at the end they should be the children of generals from noble families. Officers without titles, even if they are outstanding, can only serve as deputy generals. .
One of the important reasons for this convention is that military generals with noble backgrounds are easier to control. Even if they go on an expedition, their family members and connections are all in the capital, but if they are ordinary officers, this may not be the case.
However, in Zhu Qiyu's view, this practice cannot be said to be useless, but in general, it does more harm than good.
Doing so can certainly ensure the court's control over the army, but it also leads to the rigidity of the battle system. As the commander-in-chief of an army, it is difficult to guarantee combat effectiveness, so the final outcome is naturally unpredictable.
However, the imperial system was like this, and it was difficult for him to break it rashly. The Dingguogong government's willingness to push Wuxing to go out and seal the expedition was undoubtedly an opportunity for change.
Duke Dingguo's government promoted Wuxing, so naturally, the pressure among the nobles would be borne by them.
Once Wu Xing can really serve as the chief general, then on the one hand, he can follow this example in the future to promote more generals to be used in frontline battles. On the other hand, Dingguo Gongfu can also take advantage of the situation to further balance the power among the nobles. .
Therefore, Zhu Qiyu rarely felt hesitant about who to choose...
