In February, Shen Shixing, the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty cabinet, received a report of the Korean War and learned that the war situation was at a deadlock, so he called Wu Dui, Wang Xijue, Zhou Yong, Minister of War, and Jianda, Minister of War, to discuss.
Jian Da originally succeeded Li Song, who had offended Gao Pragmatic, as governor of Jiliao during the Battle of Yuan Dynasty. After the war, he returned to the Ministry of War and became the Minister of War due to his meritorious service - but the real reason is of course not that simple.
In fact, Gao Pragmatic attaches great importance to the Korean War, so he wants to unify the command power in Liaodong, so now it has become Gu Yangqian to hold the two positions of governor and governor, completely controlling Liaodong in the hands of the Shi School. This can avoid the trouble of the frontline fighting in Korea, but all kinds of wrangles in the rear leading to insufficient supplies.
At this time, Shen Shixing said: "I heard that when the army first arrived in North Korea, they recovered the four roads and won a complete victory. Why are they stopping now? North Korea also reported to the Ming Dynasty and asked the court to order Song Yingchang to attack again. The emperor is waiting for our reply. This Is the reason for not fighting true as Song Yingchang said, and can the Ministry of War verify it?"
Zhou Yong replied: "Bing Yuanfu, the Ministry of War is always paying attention to the Korean War, and there are constant investigations. The cause of this incident was the conflict between the North and the South due to the false reports of military achievements in the army, and the morale of the army was turbulent. In addition, Li Rusong's direct descendants were in Bi The Battle of Tieguan suffered a lot of losses and also lowered his prestige. Faced with the dissatisfaction of the Southern Army, he was unable to suppress it. Song Yingchang is currently trying to stabilize it.
Yuan Fu naturally knew that if the troops were not united and the north and south were hostile, the battle would be difficult to win. After the battle at Byokjeokwan, the Japanese troops gathered on the front line. Their military strength surged, and they were heavily guarded. There was no opportunity to take advantage of them. The number of our troops is far smaller than that of the Japanese army. If we start a war rashly, we may suffer heavy losses and return without success, so we have to wait and see for the time being. "
Wang Xijue was still brooding over the betrayal of the Xin School by the Tieling Li family. At this time, he acted as if he was deeply concerned about the morale of the army and said in a serious tone: "It is a war, and a chaotic morale of the military will not only be detrimental to the war, but will also become a laughing stock of the vassal state. In my opinion, this must have been caused by the Northern Army's struggle for merit. Li Rusong came from a famous family in Liaodong, and most of the soldiers in the army were his family's close confidants. Li Rusong cannot be blamed for this incident. Song Yingchang should be strictly ordered to report the facts about military merit and rewards. This will stabilize the morale of the military. As for Li Rusong himself, the court should also impose strict orders and even hold him accountable."
Jianda, the former governor of Jiliao and the new minister of the Ministry of War, was relatively neutral. Hearing this, he said: "It is a taboo for military strategists to fight for merit and fight within the army. Fortunately, Song Yingchang is here, and he will be able to stabilize the morale of the army, and then military planning can be carried out." The Ministry of War will also urge Song Yingchang to put an end to the matter as soon as possible to prevent Japanese pirates from taking advantage of the opportunity to attack. At present, the army consumes a lot of food and grass every day, how can it be forced to delay the war due to internal strife?"
Jianda's words deliberately ignored the statement of "strict orders to Li Rusong". Wu Dui naturally listened to the Xiange and knew the elegant meaning. In addition, he also opposed delaying the war, so while calculating military supplies, he said: "I have heard from Hu before According to the Ministry's calculations and frontline reports, the army's rations are one liter and five pieces per person per day, and each war horse needs three liters of beans per day. This means that the army consumes nearly 800 dan per day, and the horses use the same amount of beans per day. It's nearly nine hundred stones.
At present, grain ships and trucks are being transported to North Korea one by one. The North Korean locals are also trying their best to raise funds. However, due to the cold weather at this time, it is still difficult to meet the daily needs of the army. Therefore, if the war drags on for a long time, I am afraid it will not be good for me. . "
Zhou Yong praised: "What Mr. Wu Ge said is absolutely true. The situation of the army's food and fodder is indeed like this. Mr. Wu Ge is so concerned about the military food and fodder issue, which is really a blessing for the officers and soldiers. Yuan Fu, the two armies must always plan carefully when fighting. If you are not careful, the whole army may be defeated, and there are currently no fighters, so you cannot go into battle easily.
The latest battle report at the moment is that Song Yingchang and Li Rusong have ordered Yang Yuan to guard Pyongyang and prevent and control the Datong River; Li Rubai to guard Baoshan, Cha Da to guard Linjin to support each other; Zu Chengxun to guard Kaicheng, and the troops are divided into four groups to stabilize the rear. Fortunately, the transportation of grain, grass and military supplies is only a little slow. I will also send special personnel to supervise along the roads in various places. At the same time, I have contacted the Sea Trade Alliance to provide assistance in shipping matters. "
Wang Xijue expressed his approval this time and said: "I agree with my opinion. The so-called general will not accept the orders of the foreign emperor. It is better to leave it to Song Yingchang to decide how to act. The top priority should be to stabilize the morale of the army and supply military supplies, and then we can look for more Fighter. If the war can be ended as soon as possible, the troops can return to the court, the world will be stable, and money and food can be saved to deal with the chaos in the southwest." It seems that in Wang Xijue's eyes, civil strife also has a higher priority.
Wu Dui also echoed the proposal and said: "What Mr. Wangge said is also what the world's ministers and people hope for. I think the cabinet also needs to reply to Song Yingchang, clearly informing him of the court's intentions and the cabinet's opinions. Considering the overall situation, it must be as early as possible Annihilate the Japanese pirates and recover the entire territory of Korea. Therefore, if there is a fighter opportunity, there should be no delay, and if necessary, report it to the court quickly."
Shen Shixing turned to Jianda and asked: "Japanese pirates are cunning and cruel by nature. If they cannot hit the enemy's vital points, it will be difficult to attack and win quickly. I heard that the blunderbuss held by the Japanese pirates are not weak, and half of the Japanese army hold this firearm. The leader of our army There are many artillery and more powerful cavalry. I think using strengths and avoiding weaknesses can reduce casualties on the battlefield. I wonder what Shao Sima has to say?"
Jian Da replied: "Our army has an overall advantage in firearms, but the Japanese pirates are relatively proficient in muskets, and the gap with me in muskets is slightly smaller. As for artillery and cavalry, as the chief assistant said, it was our army that defeated the Japanese army." , this is also the reason why Li Rusong took back the four realms in one fell swoop when he sent out troops."
After hearing this, Zhou Yong added: "What Mr. Jian said is true. First Assistant Mingjian, this time our army not only defeated the Japanese pirates with far and near firearms, but also carried a large number of old-style firearms that can use waste heat. Although these firearms are old, they are It is suitable for the North Korean army's advance operations and is still useful. If it is not possible, it can also be used as assistance to the Korean military for emergency response.
In addition, regarding the dispute between the north and the south, the soldiers from the north and the south actually have their own strengths. This selection is all elites who have been tempered by battles. Judging from the battle reports, the Japanese pirates will never be able to defeat us even if they concentrate several times their troops in the field. Therefore, as long as they hold on to the city, By supporting each other, we can at least ensure a stable front. At this time, the Japanese pirates and I were both waiting for the opportunity to fight, and at the same time, we were also waiting for spring to get warmer and easier to fight. At this time, the first assistant should encourage Song Yingchang. "
Everyone agreed, and Shen Shixing then concluded: "The two armies are wary of each other in the confrontation. It is the time when they are waiting for a good opportunity to use strange tactics. Food roads, military camps, exhausted soldiers, ordnance, may lure the enemy to encircle and annihilate them, or outflank and surprise them, which will shake the overall situation." There are ways to break the confrontation. We are thousands of miles away, and it is difficult to know the rapid changes in North Korea. We can only place our hope in Song Yingchang to guard the dangerous points, seize the opportunity to break the deadlock.
A message was sent to Song Yingchang, telling him not to be impatient, but to concentrate on collecting military information and looking for fighter opportunities to strive for a great victory in the first battle. At the same time, Li Rusong also needs to be sternly warned, asking him to strictly enforce military discipline and not to bully the court people or kill prisoners indiscriminately.
As for those who are in our army, they must be treated equally. They must not bully the Southern Army, which will tear the morale of the army. They must not share the same hatred with the enemy, so as not to be taken advantage of by Japanese pirates and laughed at by the feudal states. "
This statement did not seem to have much private value. Wu Dui, Zhou Yong and others expressed their approval, so the cabinet and the Ministry of War each sent letters to Song Yingchang to inform them of the collegial opinion. Shen Shixing also reported to the emperor, respectfully asking for relief.
Gao Pragmatic did not attend this meeting, not because Shen Shixing did it intentionally, but because Gao Pragmatic was busy with another major event recently and had no time to attend the meeting - the 21st year of Wanli was the time for the Beijing inspection plan. After the reform of the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Audit Office of the Ministry of Household Affairs had a lot of economic review data that needed to be communicated to the Ministry of Personnel as an important indicator for Beijing inspection, so Gao Pragmatic was very busy during this period.
In fact, something big happened in Beijing this time, but the detailed description is too complicated. In short, Zhao Nanxing and other rising stars of "Moral Practical Science" saw the "increasing decline" of the "Xinxin School" and began to think "others can replace it." Some of Wang Xijue's disciples and former officials attacked him severely, which resulted in a strong backlash from the Xin School - I can't beat the Shi School, but you juniors dare to make trouble at this age?
So under the instructions of Shen Shixing and Wang Xijue, the Criminal Division sent Liu Daolong to impeach Chen Yubi, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and Zhao Nanxing, the doctor of the Examination Department of the Ministry of Personnel. Immediately, Wang Xijue also took this opportunity to impeach and impeach certain people in the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Supervisory Council who had monopolized power and formed a party.
Zhu Yijun laughed loudly after watching this in the palace, and said to the people around him: "Look, these officials are fighting before the Jingchao, during the Jingchao, and when the Jingchao is over, they continue to fight, but they want to use me to fight, I I also want to use them to fight."
The Chief Supervisor of Ceremonies, Bing Bi, Zhang Cheng, repeatedly praised: "Your Majesty is very insightful and knows everything about the affairs of the imperial court. It's just that your servants don't understand. Wouldn't it be unfair for all the officials in the capital to act so recklessly and hinder your Majesty's governance?"
Unexpectedly, the emperor suddenly changed his color and said: "Zhang Cheng, please stop fanning the flames in front of me. This is deceiving the emperor!"
Zhang Cheng hurriedly knelt down to plead guilty, and Zhu Yijun said coldly: "I know all the officials in the world, and it is in my heart to choose and appoint officials. Those who I punish must have their faults, those who remove must be useless, those who promote must be talented, those who remain in office must have merit, and those who remain in office must be meritorious. Some people stay to leave for the future.
The cabinet ministers could not compete for one power, but Zhao Nanxing killed his relatives in Guisi. The justice was praised. In the blink of an eye, the people recommended by the ministers were dismissed because of poor evaluation, and the rest were recognized by the government and the public as incompetent. , no problem.
As for Chen Yubi, he was not the mastermind, but he also deliberately provided a cover for the attack on Shen and Wang, and the result was just to cover up. If I had known about this earlier, Shen and Wang would not sit idly by and ignore it. As expected, these memorials have come.
Originally, the Ministry of Personnel and the Supervisory Office jointly conducted inspections to supervise each other, but now they are working together, which inevitably raises suspicions of forming cliques for personal gain. However, it is a bit strange that Mr. Shen is cooperating with the Ministry of Personnel this time. I wonder if he is admitting that he was alienated and pragmatic in the past few years. His steps are wrong... Let's take a look again, just wait for these few days, these memorials will come every day. "Zhang Cheng took the order.
As a result, Chen Yubi, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, met with the cabinet minister the next day and went to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to defend himself again, trying to ensure that Zhao Nanxing, the doctor of the Ministry of Personnel Examination, had no fault in what he said, and that he was dedicated to serving the public good.
Zhu Yijun looked at it and snorted coldly: "I have long said that Chen Yubi's move was just to cover for others, and now it seems that it is indeed the case!"
Chen Ju immediately knelt down and begged the emperor to calm down, and advised: "Your Majesty, it is normal for the ministry to protect subordinate officials."
Zhu Yijun snorted again and said: "Of course I know this is 'normal', but even if the reasons Zhao Nanxing gave are legitimate, there are so many things going on in the world now, how can I allow him to destroy the unity of the cabinet?
According to my decree, Chen Yubi, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was not clear about the right and wrong. He protected his subordinates and was fined three months' salary. Zhao Nanxing was no longer a human being. He was too arrogant and was demoted to three levels. At the same time, Yu Chunxi and Yang Yuting were immediately dismissed and never used again. "Chen Ju and Zhang Cheng took the order.
Later, Shen Shixing excused Zhao Nanxing in the name of the cabinet, but in fact he gave Zhao Nanxing a bad review that "he is a person who is not a person, and he is too restrained."
Chen Yubi knew the emperor's intention and knew that he was not in great danger, so Shangshu threatened to resign. As expected, the palace refused to approve this, so Chen Yubi went to Shangshu again to defend himself, and went through all the tricks.
At the same time, Yu Shenxing, the Minister of Rites, Shi Xing, the Minister of Industry, Shen Li, the censor of Zuodu of the Supervisory Yuan, Wang Ruxun, the censor of Zuoqiandu of the Supervisory Yuan, Wei Yunzhen, the right official, Zeng Qianheng, the Shaoqing of Dali Temple, Kong Jian, a doctor in the Ministry of Rites, Chen Tailai, a Yuanwailang, Principals Gu Xiancheng, Zhang Nabi, Jia Yan, assistant coach Xue Fujiao and others also interceded for Zhao Nanxing.
These people actually belong to different factions, but this time they all came out to intercede for Zhao Nanxing. Obviously their opinions were different and they all had different meanings.
Emperor Wanli listened to the Superintendent of Ceremonies read to him everyone's memorials. Sometimes there were points in the memorials where the cabinet and various ministries were criticizing each other. In some places, there were even insinuations about the emperor himself. However, after so many years of influence from Gao Pragmatism, Zhu Yijun basically understood these remarks. Immune, I listened calmly, and my expression didn’t change much.
Neither Chen Ju nor Zhang Cheng dared to express their opinions at will, so they could only wait for the emperor to speak. Zhu Yijun was silent for a moment, and suddenly said: "With so many officials at all levels trying to protect Zhao Nanxing, it seems that he must be the mastermind. I know this person a little bit. He is honest and upright, but it's a pity that he has great ambition, talent, and narrow-mindedness. They are just crazy fools. Since they are sincere and sincere, I will help them.
According to the decree, Zhao Nanxing, Yu Chunxi, Yang Yuting, and Yuan Huang resigned from their posts to serve the people; Chen Tailai was demoted and transferred to outsiders; Yu Shenxing, Shi Xing, Shen Li, Wang Ruxun, Wei Yunzhen, and Zeng Qianheng were fined three months; Zeng Tongheng, Kong Jian, Gu Xiancheng, and Zhang Nabi, Jia Yan, Xue Fujiao and other friends plotted to disrupt the government and were demoted to three levels and transferred out of Beijing. "The Supervisor of Ceremonies received the order.
When Shen Shixing, the chief assistant of the cabinet, learned that he was mentioned in the petition, he also petitioned to resign. However, he soon received an edict from Zhu Yijun, which said, "I have pain in my eyes due to the rising fire in the New Year. Please come out immediately. I will wait for you." When my fire heals, I will summon you to discuss state affairs."
Judging from the emperor's reaction here, it seems that he has great trust in Shen Shixing and still entrusts state affairs to the cabinet. The steward of the Shen Mansion paid his respects and said, "I am deeply trusted by the Holy Spirit. Congratulations to me for getting through this."
Shen Shixing said: "I know the emperor and his ministers well, how can I compare to Chen Yubi, Shen Li, Zhao Nanxing, Gu Xiancheng and others? But this matter is not because of my clever methods, but because the emperor has such a intention, and smart people will not get involved. ——You see, Gao Nanning didn't say a word. Let's not talk about this. Go and prepare the car. I need to go to the cabinet to discuss something." The steward was ordered, went out to prepare the car, and sent Shen Shixing to Donghua Gate.
In the cabinet, Shen and Wang talked about the matter of Beijing inspection. Wang Xijue congratulated: "This time the dispute between the cabinet and the officials has been completely defeated. From now on, we can concentrate on state affairs. Chen Yubi is really stubborn. After passing the previous It can be seen from the fact that the Minister of Personnel did not avoid the sedan chair of the cabinet. In the past, in order to ease the conflicts between the cabinet and the cabinet, the heavenly officials always asked the bearers in advance to avoid the sedan chair.
But Chen Yubi didn't know whether he didn't understand the mystery or did it on purpose. He just followed the old rules, did not avoid the sedan chair, and faced each other equally. It can be seen that this person is either aloof and does not know how to adapt, or he is deliberately fighting for power, but he does not know the truth behind him. Gao Qiuzhen is now also a cabinet minister. What he did not only offends us, but also makes Gao Qiuzhen dissatisfied, so today's defeat is the result. "
Shen Shixing sighed: "It's just that the fight was a bit too big this time. The emperor punished so many officials at once. They will definitely think that it was the cabinet ministers - especially the two of us who were obstructing it. This made the emperor furious and punished him." . In the future, they will put all these accounts on you and me, and the cabinet disputes will probably never end. How can we handle state affairs like this?"
Wang Xijue replied: "Don't worry Yuan Fu, this is also a last resort. Although I have always opposed blocking the way of speech, I still feel that speech cannot be too rampant. If you want to achieve great governance in the world, in addition to the unity of the emperor and the ministers, it is necessary to enforce orders and prohibitions. The government and the opposition are united.”
Shen Shixing thought thoughtfully and said: "I expect there will be aftermath after this great dispute. In particular, there may be adjustments to important positions among the six departments. You and I need to pay attention to it, so as not to miss the opportunity and be taken advantage of by others."
Wang Xijue praised: "Yuan Fu's words are very true. It is reasonable to prepare for a rainy day." After a pause, he asked again: "There was something that was difficult to explain clearly before. Now that only Yuan Fu and Xi Jue are here, I have to ask." Well - Song Yingchang and Li Rusong both performed quite poorly this time, can we think of a way to replace them?"
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