After talking about Guangdong, Zhu Cixiang turned the topic to Xiangxi and Shizhouwei.
He considered it and said: "The guard system of this dynasty is actually a kind of feudalism, but the laws are not strict, the rights and responsibilities are unclear, and the hierarchy is unclear, so there are many corruptions. Fortunately, the Xiangxi and Shizhou Guards and other places have been driven away by barbarians. The battle lasted for many years and was quite fruitful, so it can be maintained...Now that we have to formulate laws and restrain the vassals, it is better to start with Xiangxi and Shizhouwei!"
"The government is governed by the government, and the feudal government is governed by the feudal government" is the reality faced by the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, it has become a top priority to formulate a set of laws that can be "feudal". This is probably also "one country, N system", right?
In later generations, when New China was so powerful, it also used this method. What other tricks does Zhu Cixi have now? It is impossible to bulldoze and crush them... In the original history, the mountains in western Hunan and the mountains in eastern Kuiwei were not completely controlled by the central government until the New China!
How can Zhu Cixi's strength compare with that of New China? If we really want to go into the mountains of western Hunan and Kuidong to fight public security wars, we will definitely fall into a quagmire and be unable to get out.
Moreover, those mountainous areas do not have much oil and water, and the gains outweigh the losses if they conquer them. If we insist on conquering them, we are guaranteed to go bankrupt.
In addition, the mountains in western Hunan and eastern Kui are not places where emperors can grow! The terrain there consists of high mountains, deep valleys, and dense forests. It is especially easy for a king of the valley to dominate one area. But at the same time, it is difficult to unify, so there is no synergy and no threat to the central government.
"Your Royal Highness, I believe that the system of guard posts should be abolished in Xiangxi and Shizhou Wei, and the laws of chieftains should be implemented. At the same time, chieftains should be established in Pingman General Mansion to formulate unified and feasible laws, and the chieftains should be allowed to send elders from their clans to stay permanently. The General’s Mansion is both for hostages and for discussing politics.”
The person who spoke was the cool official Ji Kun. He seemed very excited today because Zhu Cixiang had obviously adopted his suggestion. His career as a cruel official is expected to end soon...
Wang Fuzhi, who is currently an Attendant of the Hanlin Academy, is from Hunan and is relatively familiar with the situation in western Hunan. He twirled his beard and said: "I think what Ji Yushi said is very good. Xiangxi and Shizhou have always been barbaric, with high mountains and dense forests, and fierce Li and Miao people. , non-Chinese warriors are not enough to suppress it. And the title of a guard station has never been as good as that of a chieftain. Whether it is Xiangxi, Shizhou, Yunnan, Guizhou, or Sichuan, whenever there is a military conflict, the native soldiers are stronger than the soldiers of the guard station. The reason is , it’s just that the chieftain deserves his name, and the guard is feudal but not established. Therefore, the head of the chieftain can run the business honestly, while the commander of the guard is not caring and only wants to make more money. "
Zhu Cixiang nodded repeatedly. He had also studied chieftains and guards. In his view, Tusi is a family business, and Weisuo is a company controlled by insiders.
Of course, there are family businesses that screw up, and there are insider-controlled businesses that thrive. However, the generation and incentive mechanism for internal personnel in the Ming Dynasty's guards was very negative. To be a commander, command a colleague, command a general, etc., you must first be able to reincarnate! Of course, the chieftain family system also needs to be reincarnated. However, a guard in the Ming Dynasty often had a bunch of "command families". There were often many people who were qualified to be commanders, commanders, and commanders. Who can be appointed depends on the above... It just depends on who can pay the bribe!
And after becoming the head of the first guard, the assessment and incentive mechanisms were terrible again. Except for the border troops who have to fight and need a little refreshment, the assessment criteria for other guards are still the preferences of the above - that is, continue to pay bribes! There is basically no incentive mechanism. If the health center is well run, those in power will not benefit at all. Unlike the succession of chieftain families from generation to generation, the guard station may not necessarily be passed down to descendants (usually it is passed around among a bunch of families). What's the point of doing it well? It’s better to get more at home!
So Zhu Yuanzhang's guard system...is really not as good as the upright feudal one!
Perhaps according to Zhu Yuanzhang's original intention, most of the more than 300 guards were there to raise merit and maintain law and order. The one who truly protects the country must be the Lord of Jiubian Fortress - without Zhu Yunwen and Zhu Di's efforts to cut down the vassal, they would be a "family business", and the Lord of Sai is hereditary.
Once the palace is well run, it can be passed on to children and grandchildren! If one of the nine frontier fortress kings can use it seriously, with three or four guards and about 20,000 elite soldiers, it will be enough to destroy Nurhaci, who has not grown up. If the nine kings of Sai can be careful and have 180,000 elite soldiers...hehe, they will be invincible in the world!
It is a pity that the balanced cooperation between the King of Sai and the emperor was completely destroyed because of Zhu Yunwen's reduction of the vassal state - without the reduction of the vassal state, Zhu Di, the King of Yan, would be restricted by the other eight vassals. As long as he has some balancing skills, the situation can basically be maintained. .
Zhu Cixiang had already made up his mind and said to Chang Yanling: "Marquis Huaiyuan, last time you said you would go to Sichuan to quell the chaos, but I did not agree. Firstly, it is because the situation in Sichuan is not easy to deal with and you have no foundation there. Secondly, I want you to serve as a Pingman general and take over the responsibility of the Xiangxi and Shizhou guards... Just follow the path of changing the guard station into a chieftain. However, there must be many officers in the guard station and few chieftain officers. There will be many people who have nowhere to go. Therefore, I will later have people hold a martial arts competition in Wuhan for the guards of Xiangxi and Shizhou, and recruit a group of Xiangxi and Shizhou warriors who are good at crossing mountains and ridges to join the army."
Prince Zhu wanted to recruit an army from Xiangxi and Shizhou that was good at fighting in mountainous and jungle terrain. His New Army Model Army was not suitable for fighting in mountainous areas, because phalanx tactics, flying artillery tactics, and infantry and cavalry artillery coordination tactics could only be used on flat terrain. They would not be able to function in places with high mountains and dense forests.
Zhu Cixi then said to Du Yinxi: "Du Fantai, when the martial arts competition is over and the mountain soldiers form an army, you will take them to Yunnan... Yunnan is vast, and it is impossible to give it all to Cizhao. You have to leave one portion for the Mu family and some for the imperial court. Dufantai, are you willing to take this trip to look after my fourth brother?"
"I am willing!" Du Yinxi also knew that Zhu Cixiang did not want him to be an official in the central government, but it was always a good thing to be a governor in Yunnan.
Although Yunnan is remote, it is a place where you can do something great!
Zhu Cixiang yawned at this time, showing a bit of fatigue. Cao Youyi, He Tengjiao, Chang Yanling, Du Yinxi and others looked at each other, then stood up and left together. Zhu Cixiang did not try to persuade him to stay, and just said to Ji Kun: "Ji Yushi will stay for a while, and the others please come back."
Ji Kun was overjoyed and quickly sat down again.
Zhu Cixiang watched the other people leave, then took out a secret document, handed it to Ji Kun, and whispered: "Gao Jie secretly reported that Huang Degong and Shi Kefa colluded with each other to hide my fifth brother Cihuan, with evil intentions!"
What? Ji Kun was stunned and subconsciously said: "No way..."
Zhu Cixiang nodded, "I don't think it's... Gao Jie and Huang Degong have never been on good terms, and now they are fighting over several counties in Xuzhou and Haizhou, and the lawsuits have all come to me. At this time, Gao Jie The secret report of this matter may be to frame Huang Degong. Therefore, I want you to serve as the censor of Zuoban, Shandong, to supervise the civil servants in Xuzhou, Haizhou, and Huaibei. In this name, you can go there and find out the truth for me. "
After hearing Zhu Cixiang's words, Ji Kun cried out in his heart: I am a censor, not a royal guard! The skin of the cruel official has not yet been peeled off, why do you want to be a spy again!
Ji Kun shook his head: "Your Highness, the Jin Yiwei should be responsible for this..."
"That's right!" Zhu Cixiang smiled, "Then I'll give you a part-time job as a guard of thousands of households... secretly of course!"
Or a secret agent...
"Master Qiansui..." Ji Kun still wanted to refuse.
Zhu Cixiang waved his hand and said, "Take the "Admonishment and Recommendations on Politics" with you and show it to Gao Jie, Huang Degong, Shi Kefa, Gao Hongtu, Zuo Maodi and Lu Wang Zhu Yihai... Shandong Zhong The West, Xuhai, and Huaibei are not easy to control, so I still want to feudalize them. I want to hear their opinions? In addition, my father has decided to implement inner meditation early next year. I hope they can Enter the court to participate in my enthronement ceremony!"
After hearing these words, Ji Kun already understood that he had to go this time! And it’s a huge responsibility!
