How big is the scope of Southern Zhili?
Of the three capitals of the Ming Dynasty, two were in southern Zhili: Nanjing and Fengyang.
In addition to Yingtian Mansion and Fengyang Mansion, there are also Twelve Mansion and Four Prefectures.
However, Southern Zhili did not set up any three departments such as the Chief Envoy, the Inspection Envoy, and the Commander-in-Chief. All prefectures and prefectures in Southern Zhili were under the direct jurisdiction of the imperial court.
For example, in terms of finance and taxation, each prefecture directly interfaces with a department of the Ministry of Household Affairs. According to current practice, the finance and taxation of the prefectures and prefectures in Southern Zhili are connected with the Sichuan Qingli Department of the Ministry of Household Affairs. After arriving at the Ministry of Justice, he was evenly distributed to the Qing officials in several provinces.
Even though all thirteen provinces in the world have censors, there are none in Southern Zhili. There is no single governor of Nanzhili, but the governor of Yingtian and the governor of Fengyang.
It’s all just because Southern Zhili is so important: summer grains, wheat, autumn grains, rice, Southern Zhili account for about 20% of the country; literary style is at its peak, all high school students in the North-South Ranking incident were from Southern Zhili; ancestral mausoleums are in Southern Zhili; water transport is the most important The important section is in South Zhili; the lower reaches of the Yellow River, which diverts the Huai River and flows into the sea, is in South Zhili...
Nanjing is also located in southern Zhili. During the founding of the People's Republic of China, a large number of nobles and nobles settled in Nanjing. All the government offices in Beijing had their back-ups in Nanjing.
The words "Nanjing Guoben" are often seen by Zhang Zilin in many memorials and imperial edicts.
But now, he's above it.
Not only was he the governor of South Zhili, but he was also the governor of Zhejiang. Incidentally, he took over the governorship of Fujian, which had not been decided yet.
"Xingdutai, I wonder what your holy will is in supervising the military affairs of Nanjing, Zhejiang, and Fujian. The defense inside and outside Nanjing, and the conduct of Jiang and other affairs. Are you also under control?" The person who asked the question was Qiao Yu, the minister of the Ministry of War in Nanjing.
The Nanjing Garrison Hall is the largest "pier" in South Zhili and the core of power in South Zhili.
Among the six bureaucracies in Nanjing, only one, the Minister of the Ministry of War, can be called the real power. That is because the Minister of the Ministry of War, as usual, is the Counselor for the meeting and maintenance of the garrison hall.
At this moment, the internal garrison is Dai Yi, the garrison eunuch, the Nanjing garrison is Wei Guogong Xu Pengju, who has just succeeded Cheng Guogong Zhu Fu and is resigning, and the co-garrison is Xining Marquis Song Liangchen, who has just ascended the throne after his father's death. The person in charge of the affairs of the Yangtze River, that is, the training of the Yangtze River Navy, was Xiangcheng Bo Li Quanli, the former head of the Nanjing Military Governor's Office, and the admiral in charge of the affairs of the Yangtze River was Hu Zan, the censor of Zuoqiandu of the Nanjing Metropolitan Procuratorate.
This group of people, plus Li Chongsi, governor of Yingtian and minister of the Ministry of Industry of Nanjing, Zang Feng, governor of Fengyang, and Yin Mengchun of Yingtian Mansion, all looked at Zhang Zilin at this moment.
There was confusion, uneasiness and vigilance in their eyes.
Zhang Zilin understood them, so he said calmly: "You all know well why I am here. Before I return to Beijing to resume my duties, the military affairs of Southern Zhili, Zhejiang and Fujian will naturally be under my control. If you want to report to your Majesty, what do you think? No, just do it yourself.”
All the civil servants and nobles suddenly had complicated expressions.
Together with Zhejiang and Fujian, Southern Zhili holds almost 30% or more of the world's money and food. There are also the remaining Nanjing guards controlled by the five Nanjing prefectures. Although their combat power is very poor, there are also Southern Zhili, Zhejiang, and Fujian guards. And the soldiers and naval forces under the supervision of the envoy.
It can also choke the water transport.
The governor of Zhejiang Province has too much power.
This is no longer a question of whether the structure that provided a large number of official positions in Nanjing may be abandoned, but a question of how angry the emperor was over the killing of officials in the southeast before appointing such an imperial envoy.
Xu Pengju was very young and he was afraid, so after Duke Zhu Fu resigned, he took over the garrison of Nanjing and sent it to Beijing almost every month.
The same goes for Song Liangchen. His father just passed away.
Fu Lun, the eunuch of Guangdong and Guangdong in the main town, committed suicide out of fear. Dai Yi, the garrison eunuch of Nanjing, sat here without saying a word. No one knew what he was thinking.
Zhang Zilin said "please" and they all fell silent.
Everyone knows why Zhang Zilin was appointed by the emperor. At this time, the report said that "the power of the governor of Zhejiang Province is too heavy, and the foundation of Nanjing may be in danger of being shaken"?
Zhang Zilin is not Yang Tinghe who "showed weakness to the enemy". At that time, Zhang Zilin dared to listen to Yang Tinghe's words and show "ruthlessness" to the emperor. Now he said clearly: "I have three things to do when I go south: supervise food, suppress rebellion, and quell chaos. You don't need to speculate. I can tell you clearly what the holy will is."
He is not Zhang Fuking, he has his own rules.
He had been an official in Nanjing for ten years. Zhang Zilin knew exactly who these southeastern officials and gentry were.
He does not need to rely on the emperor to give him a sword to show his authority. He is one of the Nine Ministers and a minister who participates in national policy meetings.
He doesn't need to kill local officials to show off his ruthlessness, he is already a ruthless person.
Facing everyone's gaze, the great Sikou said calmly: "Slowing down the transportation of autumn grains is considered treason and should be suppressed! Killing officials is rebellion, and ineffective handling of cases and concealment are also treason and suppression! The armies do not obey restraint and use excuses to gain control. If they are in chaos, treat them as traitors and suppress them!"
Suppress them one by one, and the guard hall can still hear needles. Won't this campaign cause chaos in the southeast?
But if there is chaos in the army, who will come to suppress it?
"Why did Mao Cheng become an official? Before Datong Law, it was just because he was small and forgot about the big." Zhang Zilin gave an example, but did not say the second half of the sentence. Is Mao Cheng really unfaithful? Just pedantic.
But the essential question is whether loyalty is absolute or not.
Therefore, Zhang Zilin continued: "Killing an official is rebellion. There are only two ways in this matter, loyalty or rebellion. Do you understand?"
"...I sincerely follow the holy will and please give me your instructions." Dai Yi spoke.
He is a minister, and his attitude is very clear.
Zhang Zilin looked at him and realized that after Wei Bin and Fulun, the ministers were already the most sober.
"Your Majesty is as merciful as the sea, and his courage is overwhelming. Before I went south, all the ministers were united in the national policy meeting, and the monarch and his ministers were already prepared for the worst." Zhang Zilin's words once again made many people's hearts beat wildly, "As your Majesty said, the vassal vassal state will Wang Jitong, isn't there chaos? Your Majesty is in charge of the throne, and the cabinet ministers support him and all ministers persuade him to come. Wei Guogong, you were the first to invite me at that time, have you not forgotten?"
Xu Pengju, a young man, kept calling his mother in his heart. He didn't know why Zhang Zilin named him: "I've never forgotten it!"
Qiao Yu was frightened when he heard this, and then he saw Zhang Zilin looking at him: "Therefore, if we need the border troops to go south and the kings of the provinces to be diligent, it will be a struggle for the legal system, which will turn the world upside down. Counselor Qiao, you said that at this time, the autumn grain canal transportation Is there chaos? Should the real culprits who killed officials be found out? Should the disobedient people be suppressed? Are the armies in the southeast still loyal to the emperor?"
"...Every sentence of Dutai is the most reasonable."
"I would like to warn you all in one sentence: At the national policy meeting, you may not be fully aware of the power of the monarch and his ministers. In this process, I am here on behalf of Mr. Yangge." Zhang Zilin finally said this big news, " Less than half a year later, Mr. Yang Ge asked his son to abandon his imperial study and go to Guangdong to review events. Mr. Yang also asked himself to go south to serve as the foundation of His Majesty's country. Your Majesty's great talents and strategies should be understood with your heart."
Coming to the Southeast, how many people will be disturbed by this round of official killings? How many people’s interests are touched?
The civil servants participating in the meeting now understand the essence of it better than the nobles.
So why did Yang Tinghe invite himself to go south? Has His Majesty completely suppressed him, or has His Majesty made him completely submissive?
Zhang Zilin said: At the national policy meeting, it is difficult for outsiders to imagine the single-minded power of the monarch and his ministers.
If there is no chaos in the imperial court, what can we rely on in the southeast?
It's nothing more than a temporary pain.
The pain of the imperial court lies in taxation and water transportation.
The pain in the southeast is the destruction of families and clans, and the death rolls!
Zhang Zilin only left this warning to the senior officials of Nanzhili, and then went to the Nanjing Criminal Department.
The prefect of Suzhou Prefecture, the prefect of Songjiang Prefecture, and the Prime Minister of Zhenjiang Prefecture in Southern Zhili Province. The three prefectures in Southern Zhili Province that had an accident had arrived in advance.
"This governor was previously in charge of the world's criminal justice. How have you investigated the assassinations of the magistrates of Kunshan County, Qingpu County, and Zhenjiang Prefecture?"
Sitting beside him was Li Chongsi, the governor of Yingtian. Of course, he cannot be the governor of Yingtian Mansion. The general jurisdiction of the Yingtian Governor is the several prefectures to the east and south of Yingtian Mansion: what happened this time was all within the scope of his governorship.
"Master Dutai, only Qingpu County has caught the assassin on the spot." Li Chongsi answered on his behalf, "The magistrate of Kunshan is suspected of a vendetta, and the assassination of the magistrate of Zhenjiang may be the work of Yangtze River bandits. We have only got some clues. The file is here..."
"Yangtze River water bandits? Let's suppress them first." Zhang Zilin didn't even look at the file. "Zhu Wan, you first go to Counselor Qiao, Admiral Hu, and Uncle Xiangcheng, and then go to Zhenjiang Prefecture to supervise the assassination case of Zhenjiang Prefect."
"Your Majesty, take your orders!"
Along with Zhang Zilin, there were many people from the Ministry of Punishment who went south, including Zhu Wan, a fellow of Zhang Fujing and Huang Zuo, who was from Suzhou.
He was imprisoned just three days after he was born, and it took a hundred days for the Zhu family to clear up his injustice.
Because of the changes brought about by this subject, when conferring officials, Zhu Wan no longer looked at the Ministry of Government and Work as in history, but the Ministry of Government and Punishment.
Now, twenty-seven-year-old Zhu Wan also has his chance.
"Since the Yangtze River water bandits are suspected, the supervisor's intention is to suppress them. If we continue to suppress them, there should be new clues."
In front of Hu Zan, Zhu Wan saluted: "I will go to Zhenjiang first and wait for the navy camp."
Hu Zan, the censor of Caojiangdu, nodded and watched him leave.
Most of the Yangtze River water bandits are related to illegal salt trafficking. The Xinjiangkou Division Camp, the Nanhu Camp in Jiujiang Prefecture, and the Anqing Camp in Anqing Prefecture spend hundreds of thousands of taels every year to build oars for military households along the river to detect theft.
How much food and salary will be spent to suppress bandits this time, and how many people's interests will be affected?
But the Yangtze River water bandits were suspected of assassinating the Zhenjiang prefect...
Hu Zan gritted his teeth and said to Li Quanli, the uncle of Xiangcheng: "Li Caojiang, water transportation cannot be delayed. For the army to suppress the bandits, please send troops from Nanhu Camp and Anqing Camp down the river, and suppress them along the way!"
Li Quanli clasped his fists and said, "Don't worry, Admiral, I will make arrangements right away."
Zhang Zilin made his first move south, starting with the suppression of bandits.
…
"Guo Xun invites you to go to Shandong to suppress bandits and train troops?"
Zhu Houcong looked at Zuoshu with a strange expression.
At the national policy meeting, one person was temporarily missing. Although the post of Shangshu of the Ministry of Punishment was temporarily assigned by Zuo Shilang of the Ministry of Punishment, he did not get the opportunity to participate in the national policy meeting.
Everyone understood that Zhang Zilin would come back after finishing this matter. This was the emperor's reassurance to him, and it was also the emperor's way of telling Southeast that the governor-general of Zhejiang Province was only a temporary one.
Cui Yuan has not yet started to go south. He reported: "The bandits in Shandong have their own way to suppress them in Shandong. I have dissuaded him. However, he was afraid that going south would cause trouble, so he insisted on training his troops first. I discussed it with the Grand Sima. There are occasional bandits in Zhending Prefecture who steal canal ships, and the troops are unable to protect the canal transport, so it is difficult to divide the troops to pursue them. Zhending Prefecture is under the jurisdiction of the Northern Zhili Province, and Wuding Marquis wants to train troops, so he may allow it. Now the autumn grain in the south The Northern Transport is the time when thieves are rampant.”
"That's right. After all, you have the courage to fight without fear." Zhu Houcong nodded, "The Shenji camp's army is the best among the Beijing camp. Even if it was slack in training before, it is not completely a new army. Just Let’s see if he cripples this army of Shenji Camp, or if he develops his edge.”
He thought for a while and then said: "Zhang Zilin has gone south. Let the right minister of the Ministry of War temporarily supervise the canal transportation and suppress the bandits and coordinate the arrangements. Cui Yuan, please warn Guo Xun, if he kills good people for meritorious service, I will kill everyone in the family. , there will be no ambiguity.”
Cui Yuan's heart trembled: "I accept the order."
Yang Tinghe looked at the emperor and saw that the right minister of the Ministry of War was his younger brother, Yang Tingyi.
Zhang Zilin went south. South Zhili and Zhejiang are important autumn grain areas, so he had to shoulder a layer of responsibility first.
Now Yang Tingyi has to shoulder another layer of responsibility in the area of water transportation and suppressing bandits.
If the autumn grain of the Ming Dynasty drops sharply by one or two levels, even if a lot of the official army in the capital is reduced this year, it will be difficult for the capital to stabilize.
The emperor must use an upright attitude to control the southeast, so the matter of controlling risks can only be left to ministers like them.
Yang Tinghe said again: "Your Majesty, I am responsible for handling the matter of Huangzhuang Huangdian. In order to protect the northern Zhili and transport grain to the border areas, I ask your Majesty to give permission. As requested by me, I will seize 30% of Huangzhuang's fertile land and sell it. This year's autumn food will be all gone." In addition, can the 27 official stores and 11 imperial stores in Beijing be taken over by the Ministry of Household Affairs to stabilize grain prices?"
Zhu Houcong took a deep look at him: "Yang Qing's report of the Thirty-Percent Imperial Mansion has a total of seven places, and it involves a lot of work. Even though I have my will, it may still be difficult to implement it."
He had seen the cleanup plan that Yang Tinghe had sorted out. This time, the emperor's own palace was not touched. There were seven palaces in total, accounting for 30% of the area. Half of them belonged to the Empress Dowager Zhang, and the other half belonged to certain princesses. , other royal family members.
Among them are Cui Yuan’s family.
Those imperial stores were all vacated by Zhu Houzhao, and were previously run by ministers and relatives. Official stores are basically run by the powerful people in Beijing.
These shops sell all kinds of goods that come from north to south, and even some items for imperial use made by the twenty-four yamen in the palace. The inside story is very complicated.
The plan proposed by Yang Tinghe affects the interests of the royal family, the emperor's servants, relatives and dignitaries.
But Zhu Houcong didn't think about stopping it. First of all, Yang Tinghe did not touch those that went directly into the emperor's private treasury. Secondly, the nobles and powerful people make money in this way without paying taxes and constantly suppressing the space of other businessmen. This is indeed a problem that needs to be solved.
Zhu Houcong just didn't expect Yang Tinghe's attitude to be so resolute now, that he really dared to directly offend Empress Dowager Zhang and offend so many relatives.
"If your majesty has a will, it will naturally be carried out by your Majesty." Yang Tinghe said frankly, "If there are no major events in the southeast, it may be very difficult for me to implement it. Now is the best time. I just need your majesty to work hard and help." I would like to appease Renshou Palace and all the honorable relatives."
He also said to Cui Yuan: "Daiping still has a salary now. The eldest princess shouldn't care about the harvest of Xuhuangzhuang and the profit of the shop, right?"
Cui Yuan was a little embarrassed: "Now that I am advising you, the eldest princess will still listen more. If there is a will, I should follow it. Your Majesty is aware of it."
Everyone in the imperial study room showed knowing smiles. Not counting the early days of the founding of the People's Republic of China, Cui Yuan may be regarded as the most powerful prince-in-law in the Ming Dynasty for hundreds of years. Recently, it is obvious that his momentum and spirit are slightly different.
"In that case, let's get it done." Zhu Houcong was also waiting for the day when Yang Tinghe formally proposed this matter. "I will hold a banquet to admonish the distinguished ministers of the country."
What Yang Tinghe said was comfort, but when it came to Zhu Houcong, it became an admonishment.
The emperor's Longevity Festival was not celebrated with much fanfare, but after the emperor's biological mother and sisters arrived in Beijing and entered the palace, the long-delayed interview with the ministers and relatives was finally arranged.
But this time, the distinguished ministers and relatives also entered the palace, and His Majesty held a banquet in Qianqing Palace.
Do you dare not to go?
After going there, can I come out without expressing my stance?
After Maifu went to Guangdong and Guangxi, Zhang Yong was still in charge of the Royal Horse Supervisor, and his status did not diminish at all.
It was actually Wei Bin and Gu Dayong who went to the imperial palaces in the capital to announce the decree.
Xu Guangzuo, Duke of Dingguo, was chattering when he thought about Guo Xun, who was now going to lead his troops to kill and suppress the bandits.
The two brothers Zhang Heling and Zhang Yanling were the most afraid.
(End of chapter)
