Fengtian Temple.
A new wave of courtiers' offensive has arrived, and the voices demanding Zhu Yunwen to issue an edict of sin are getting louder and louder, and this time the person taking the lead is cabinet minister Yu Xin. Xie Jin was very cautious about becoming an enemy of Zhu Yunwen. In order to avoid getting into a dilemma, he simply did not come to the court meeting.
Of course, it was not only Zhu Yunwen who was "besieged" by the ministers, but also Yang Shiqi, the Minister of Rites.
As the Minister of Rites, he had no consciousness at all. He was not the first to stand up and call on the officials to urge Zhu Yunwen to issue an imperial edict to punish himself, and he was still mute in the court. He was not as good as Huang Guan, who at least dared to act for the sake of etiquette.
Yang Shiqi didn't care about these impeachments. He didn't feel any pain or itching. He broke the law and no one could touch him. You scold yours, I'll take my nap, keep a distance from each other, and don't spit on each other.
"For the sake of the common people and the country, for the common people's livelihood, and for the eternal stability of this country, I ask the emperor to show mercy, issue an edict for committing sins, and appeal to heaven to ask for forgiveness!"
Yu Xin shouted loudly, then knelt down.
Immediately afterwards, more than forty officials came out of their duties, knelt down in unison, and shouted in unison: "I second my opinion."
This is not advice, this is coercion.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the officials who were assuming that if you don't issue an edict to sin against yourself, we won't get up. He moved the corner of his mouth slightly and asked: "Are there any officials who want me to issue an edict to sin against ourselves? Kneel down if you want to. Hurry up." , don’t waste time.”
When the officials heard this, they couldn't help but be shocked. They looked at each other. A dozen more officials knelt down and went in. The remaining twenty or thirty officials remained unmoved.
Zhu Yunwen looked deeply at the officials in front of him. They included cabinet ministers, important ministers of the six ministries, and some were supervisory censors, ministers, and others. They were very good. In this case, let's all go out to do things.
"Yuge, the Huguang Chief Envoy has come to report that the local cold disaster is serious, so you should go to Huguang to provide disaster relief. Chen Xingshan, you go to Fujian, Dong Lun goes to Guizhou... Wang Du goes to Sichuan, the disaster is urgent, you can set off today. "
Zhu Yunwen did not hesitate and sent out all officials, including the cabinet and other officials.
Issue an edict to sin against yourself?
It was impossible for Zhu Yunwen to agree. Once he wrote it, once he did it, it would mean denying his decision to move the capital. The matter of moving the capital is absolutely unshakable.
Whoever wants to use the weather to oppose the relocation of the capital should do it yourself. It doesn’t matter whether you are a cabinet minister or a minister of the six ministries. Each one counts.
】
Zhu Yunwen's toughness surprised all the officials, and Yu Xin was also a little unbelievable. However, Zhu Yunwen did not give them a chance to defend himself. He stood up, glanced around, and left a meaningful sentence: "If the snow stops after you leave Beijing, It’s sunny, did I handle it correctly?”
Jie Jin stayed at home and heard the news that Yu Xin was leaving. He went to see him off and couldn't help but sigh: "You know the emperor's temperament, why do you do such an inappropriate thing?"
Yu Xin looked down on Jie Jin's speculation and compromise, and snorted coldly: "If you come forward together, we can still go together. Now it seems that you and I will still take two paths after all."
Jie Jin looked at Yu Xin leaving with a little sadness in his eyes. Was this a breakup?
Being a minister is not easy.
Zhu Yunwen had a strong personality and strong will, and it was not something that could be opposed by Manchu officials. Although he does not have Zhu Yuanzhang's iron fist, he still has the wisdom to handle government affairs. Driving away Yu Xin, Chen Xingshan and others is his method of controlling the court.
Don’t kill people, but drive them out for a while. When these people come back, it will definitely be spring. Spring can’t issue any more sinners, right? Suddenly more than half of the people in the court were missing, which would be somewhat of an operational problem in normal times, but in winter, missing a few people was no problem.
No matter how cold the winter is, it will eventually get over.
On the third day after Yu Xin and other officials left the capital, the sky cleared up and the weather began to get warmer.
In mid-December, a large amount of coal was transported to the capital in two batches, by land and sea. The price of coal in the capital fell and returned to the daily level. The people's hearts became stable, and the capital began to become lively.
Considering that severe cold may become the norm, Zhu Yunwen decided to select a site outside Jinchuan Gate to build a coal reserve warehouse, requiring the court to reserve enough coal to supply the needs of the people of the capital for two months. At the same time, he ordered local governments to prepare coal reserves in preparation for the cold. disaster.
Lunar New Year's eve.
Zhu Yunwen sat in a chair, meditating on the past. His deep memories were intertwined with the events of the Ming Dynasty in the past five years, weaving scenes of colorful dreams.
In this dream, there was suffering, fatigue, pain, and a nightmare that was difficult to escape.
In this dream, there is also warmth, love, happiness, and unbridled smiles.
In this dream, there were tears sliding down the cheeks, blood flowing out of the body, someone dying and never waking up, and a home broken and unable to be perfected again.
In this dream, some people were cultivating grain, some were making joints and tenons, some were traveling north and south without forgetting things, and some were studying hard and asking questions in the cold window.
The five long years passed by in a blur.
Zhu Yunwen clenched his fists, stood up, and welcomed the arrival of Jianwen's sixth year.
New Year.
Zhu Yunwen, Queen Ma Enhui, and Prince Zhu Wenkui once again appeared in the Imperial College to celebrate the New Year with the people and bid farewell to this miserable winter.
The theme of Zhu Yunwen's lecture this year is still education.
In Zhu Yunwen's view, basic education in Ming Dynasty was still not grasped. Social studies in various places were not in place. County schools did not dare to expand enrollment. The pace was too slow and the appetite was too small. In order to express his emphasis on education, Zhu Yunwen relented for the first time and allowed provincial-level institutions of higher learning at the Imperial College level, that is, local Imperial Colleges. Students who have failed to graduate from local Imperial Colleges can directly participate in the imperial examination without having to study in Nanjing Imperial College. At the same time, he encouraged Supervise students to "experience".
The formulation of this policy was proposed by Yang Shiqi. In Yang Shiqi's view, Ming Dynasty needed to learn from the historical lessons of the Tang Dynasty, that is, the number of scholars increased, and there were too many officials who could not be accommodated by the court.
The problem of various types of envoys in the Tang Dynasty, such as envoys to encourage farmers and envoys to transport people, was one of the consequences of too many scholars and the court's inability to arrange them.
The path of scholars should not be too rigid. The imperial court needed to encourage and support local schools and focus on using miscellaneous studies to guide supervisory students to paths other than official careers, such as doctors, craftsmen, generals, merchants, etc.
Zhu Yunwen knew that Yang Shiqi was talking about long-term matters, at least in the next twenty or even thirty years, but future matters cannot be left to the future, and policies need to be forward-looking.
Although a cold disaster brought a lot of trauma to Ming Dynasty, when the spring breeze blows, the frozen hands will gradually heal. The Ming Dynasty has a tenacious vitality, and the people also have their own strength.
Whether it is suffering or joy, life will always go on, and no one will really dwell in the past forever.
When the ice and snow melted and the earth warmed up, an urgent military report was sent to the capital.
Wuying Palace.
Zhu Di, Xu Huizu, Tie Xuan, Liu Jun, He Fu and others looked serious.
Jie Jin stood in front and read out: "According to reliable information, the Timurid Empire is rapidly mobilizing troops, and the number of migrant workers recruited even exceeds one million. There is a possibility of emigration at the same time as the war." Yili judged Shami Chagan, Timur is very likely to launch a war in the summer and autumn of this year. Song Sheng judged that Timur should attack Yilibaili in the summer. Yang Rong judged that Timur would definitely choose to attack Yilibaili in the summer..."
"The situation in the northwest has changed. I hope the court will make a decision quickly. Do not delay too much, so as not to affect the military affairs. The northwest will be endangered and the world will be shocked. I am waiting for a quick report and begging for a reply..."
Zhu Yunwen put his hands behind his back and examined the map of the Western Regions hanging on the screen. He turned around and said to Zhu Di and others: "Timur can't hold himself back and is ready to take action. What do you think? Are the judgments of Song Sheng and Yang Rong trustworthy? "
Zhu Di stepped forward, looked at the northwest direction of the map, and said seriously: "Your Majesty, I think the judgments of Song Sheng and Yang Rong should be trustworthy. Timur has experienced hundreds of battles and knows how to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. He will attack in summer." Once the best opportunity is delayed until winter, the high mountains, rugged roads, and wild sands of the vast sea in the Western Region will cause excessive loss of troops. As a commander, I will not choose to march in winter."
Xu Huizu agreed with Zhu Di and said: "Timur's determination and will to conquer the east will not change. All he can choose is time. Summer is the most suitable for him. Since Timur's empire is fully mobilized The war force will surely march eastward this summer, and we should prepare early."
Tie Xuan looked at the map in silence, listened to the analysis of Zhu Di, Xu Huizu and others, and finally stood up and expressed his objection: "I believe that the imperial court should prepare for Timur's Eastern Expedition in advance, but the time for sending troops, It can be delayed, but not too early.”
Zhu Di frowned and looked at Tie Xuan: "The journey from the capital to Jiayuguan is extremely long. Although the court has prepared granaries along the way, there are no logistical worries. However, the infantry has traveled more than 5,000 miles and will take at least two to three months to arrive. Even if the troops are dispatched at the end of January, it will be nearly May when they arrive at Jiayuguan. In addition, the sergeants have traveled a long distance and need to rest and recuperate. It will still take four months, so why is it delayed?"
Facing the powerful Zhu Di, Tie Xuan was not afraid: "The reason for delaying the dispatch of troops is because the Ming Dynasty cannot support such a large-scale campaign and can only shorten the combat time. King Yan, please look at the map, even if Timur is ready After the Eastern Expedition, summer begins, and when Timur crosses the mountains, defeats Yili, and captures Hami, will he be able to do it in less than two months?"
Zhu Di was silent.
It is said that the road to the Tianshan Mountains is difficult to walk and the climate is changeable. Even if Timur successfully crosses the Tianshan Mountains, Shamichagan in Yili will fight with all his strength. However, in Zhu Di's view, Shamichagan was no match for Timur, and failure was inevitable.
But Yilibali was very big, and Timur could not let the enemies appear behind him. He could only sweep them all the way to completely eliminate the military power in Yilibali. When they pushed to eight miles away, at least two people would be needed. months time.
If the main force of the Ming Dynasty arrived in the northwest two or three months earlier, they would need to prepare rations for hundreds of thousands of troops for two or three more months. This pressure would be great for the Ming Dynasty, even if Zhu Yunwen prepared the camel city and the mare. , prepared the logistics, this pressure will be overwhelming.
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