The ministers who participated in this discussion came with more or less plans in mind. Regardless of whether it is practical or not, and whether the effect is good or not, it must be there.
Otherwise, if you are asked by the emperor and then don't know anything about it, you will no longer want the official position.
Even Yan Song, who did not want to take risks, put forward the "Five Disadvantages of Border Towns" in a decent manner, as well as mobilizing Xuanfu troops to march westward to Datong to intercept the return of the northern captives, which did not require responsibility.
Xia Yan, on the other hand, came up with the extremely offensive proposal of "reply", which could even be regarded as a military adventure.
In fact, Emperor Jiajing was still interested in "replying". This offensive plan was more in line with his character of wanting to fight back forcefully after being slapped in the face.
It's a pity that Qin Dewei poured cold water on it one after another, and Xia Yan currently only has a preliminary draft without many detailed ideas, and he can't say that Qin Dewei is "all-knowing".
Emperor Jiajing's enthusiasm was extinguished, and the "complex set" no longer looked so good.
As a result, the two pavilion elders were speechless by Qin Dewei. Guo Xun was afraid of being "accused of the remaining poison" and decisively gave up. Only the 25-year-old Cheng Guo Gong Zhu Xizhong was left shivering.
Emperor Jiajing finally noticed that Qin Dewei sneaked into the meeting today just to raise a bar.
So Emperor Jiajing shouted: "Qin Dewei! If you don't have any suggestions, just retreat!"
Qin Dewei then reported: "I heard that the cabinet has many doubts about the ministers, so they dare not cross the line and talk too much, lest the cabinet become dissatisfied again."
Emperor Jiajing said impatiently: "I allow you to talk too much!"
Qin Dewei added: "Actually, it's useless even if I say it. The cabinet will definitely be constrained, and it still won't be done in the end. It's better to set up a military aircraft office in Wenyuan Pavilion..."
Emperor Jiajing was already in a bad mood, and Qin Dewei seemed to be on the verge of committing suicide and was trying his best, which made Emperor Jiajing furious.
How long has it been since then, and you are still thinking about internal struggle for power? Emperor Jiajing issued an order to the eunuchs on his left and right: "Push Qin Dewei out of the palace with twenty sticks!"
Academician Qin, who was dragged to the entrance of the palace, shouted loudly: "Your Majesty! I asked the chieftain why he was able to penetrate hundreds of miles into the hinterland. I thought everyone in the court knew it, so I thought there was no need for me to say anything!
I just didn’t expect that Your Majesty is actually a wise king, and all the ministers are mediocre!”
Emperor Jiajing: "..."
With just one sentence, Emperor Jiajing was impressed!
"Your Majesty is indeed a wise king, and all his ministers are mediocre ministers." This sentence really spoke to the heart of Emperor Jiajing.
Why has the emperor worked conscientiously for more than ten years, but the country has not improved at all? This must be the reason!
So Emperor Jiajing stopped the imperial staff and asked Qin Dewei: "Tell me, why can the enemy invade deep into the hinterland this time?"
Qin Dewei reported: "In recent years, after the enemy chief Anda gained power, his attitude towards the Han people was very different from that of other chiefs.
In previous years, when Han people entered the North, they were treated as slaves, but Anda changed the old rules and recruited Han people!
All Han people who can read and write will be promoted and put to good use, and all Han people who have meritorious status will be given high priority! In addition, for the Han people living in the north, I will allocate land for farming!"
These are the new measures that Qin Dewei mentioned in recent years. With the current efficiency of message transmission and the Ming Dynasty's backwardness in intelligence work in the north, we are still not clear about these situations.
So when the emperor and his ministers heard what Qin Dewei said, they were all surprised. We were all smart people, and we could immediately understand that such barbarians would definitely be more difficult to deal with!
Qin Dewei continued: "Since these Han people are willing to accept the recruitment of the chief, they will naturally inform them of the mountains and rivers within the border wall, and even act as guides!
Moreover, if there are Han civilians under my command, how can I not send someone as a spy, promising a heavy reward, perhaps pretending to be a beggar, or pretending to be a businessman, sneaking into the border walls of the Ming Dynasty, and spying on the military situation in various places?
Therefore, in previous years, most of the northern captives were bandits on the border wall and did not dare to go deep into the hinterland, but this time the chief Anda dared to drive hundreds of miles into the hinterland of Shanxi to plunder!"
When Emperor Jiajing heard this, he felt that the doubts in his heart had been truly answered.
What the other ministers just said was a bit false, but only Qin Dewei got it to the point.
Qin Dewei suddenly looked at Yan Song again and said: "The Art of War says that if you know yourself and the enemy, you can fight a hundred battles without danger. Now that the enemy knows me and I don't know the enemy, the enemy can penetrate deeply."
Just now, Mr. Yan Ge said arbitrarily that this was an accident, so what is he if he is not a mediocre minister?
If we don't deal with it, I'm afraid something like this will happen again next year or the year after that. At that time, what should Mr. Yan Ge say? Is there an accident every year?"
Yan Song: "..."
The term "accidental" was just said casually to comfort the emperor! Can you, Qin Dewei, be so serious about picking on words and chasing after him fiercely?
Emperor Jiajing became irritable again and said bitterly: "How come I have encountered such a situation that has never happened before!"
No matter what the previous generations of emperors were like, the situation was generally stable! But why when it was his turn to become emperor, Zhu Houcong, various new situations emerged one after another from the north to the East China Sea?
Qin Dewei advised: "Your Majesty, don't worry about it! Misfortunes lie where blessings depend, and blessings lie where misfortunes lie. What may seem like troubles may turn out to be a turning point.
In order to cope with the new situation, the court cannot stick to the old ways, so I suggest setting up a military aircraft office in Wenyuan Pavilion..."
Emperor Jiajing interrupted Qin Dewei, "Tell me first how to deal with the Beibei!"
Qin Dewei replied: "The pacification of the Northern Barbarians is by no means an overnight event, but a long-term process. It can take five, ten, or twenty years.
Moreover, this is an all-round and comprehensive process, and it cannot be solved once and for all with just one or two adventurous actions.
Xia Yan's suggestion of a complex scheme is, at this stage, a military adventure, just like a gambler who goes to the gambling table and loses nine times out of ten."
Xia Shoufu: "..."
It was Yan Song just now, now it's your turn?
Emperor Jiajing only wanted quick results and a quick solution to the problem, so he didn't like Qin Dewei's tone very much.
But I still have to endure it for the time being. After all, it seems that only Qin Dewei is reliable at the moment, so I can only listen to Qin Dewei's beeping.
"If you want to pacify the Northern Barbarians, you must actually fight not only a military war, but also a political war and an economic war. Even now, the political war and the economic war have a higher priority."
When Qin Dewei said this, he paused intentionally.
But unfortunately, no one in the audience asked him what a political war was and what an economic war was. They all stared at him.
Qin Dewei could only continue to say, "Political warfare is a battle for people's support. I think several measures can be taken.
First, all the Han people living in the Northern Han Dynasty will be pardoned as long as they are willing to return, and the border troops are strictly prohibited from taking credit for killing the returning Han people!
In any case, the Central Plains is more comfortable than the desert. As long as conditions are met, most Han people will naturally be willing to come back.
Second, recruit the Beilu Hu people at the border, distribute living expenses, and provide local herds of horses. However, they will only accept the poor Hu people who have fled, not the noble leaders of the Beilu people.
Their generation had a difficult life in the northern part of the Great Wall, and was oppressed by the Master, so their livelihood was precarious. But after arriving in the Ming Dynasty, they had stable food and clothing, so they were bound to be loyal to the Ming Dynasty. A little use can be of great use.
Third, boost the morale of the soldiers and civilians in border towns and strengthen their will to defend their territory!"
Qin Dewei mentioned the so-called "political battle" points. Everyone present felt that the third point was the most important, but Qin Dewei said it the simplest, with just one sentence.
Emperor Jiajing finally couldn't help but ask: "How to improve the morale of the soldiers and civilians in border towns?"
“Back then, our ancestors established the system of field farming in Weisuo, with the original intention of allowing military households to have land for farming. As the saying goes, those with permanent property have perseverance, but this is far from the case.
The military households themselves not only had to hand over the grain, but also had to bear a large burden of labor, so they may not be willing to regard the farmland as a permanent product!
What is particularly abominable is that these taxes and the service system have gradually become a tool for the guards to occupy farmland and drive out military households to make profits for themselves!
If things go on like this, the military households in the border towns will be overwhelmed. How can they not flee, and where will they have the morale to defend the border and resist the captives?"
Xia Shoufu said: "The imperial court will regularly send officials to inspect the farmland."
Qin Dewei said without thinking: "That is just treating the symptoms but not the root cause. The soldiers and civilians in the border towns have low morale and have no enthusiasm to fight the Northern invaders to the end."
Xia Shoufu responded: "How can we boost morale?"
Qin Dewei did not speak to Xia Yan anymore and said to Emperor Jiajing: "I wonder if your majesty has the courage to do something unprecedented in good governance?"
The words "unprecedented throughout the ages" intrigued Emperor Jiajing.
Qin Dewei replied: "The military households in the border towns will be permanently relieved of all burdens, including money, food and taxes! All the military households' income from the farmland will belong to themselves!"
This proposal shocked everyone, the emperor and his ministers, and countless questions rushed into their minds.
If you don’t pay taxes and don’t serve, are you still a subject of the Ming Dynasty?
If the grain and grain turned in by military households are lost, where will the money and grain come from to make up for the shortfall?
If they don't serve, where will the troops for the border army come from?
Just such a simple sentence, I don't know how many aspects will be involved, I am afraid that Bian Town will need to be restructured in all aspects.
There are many things that everyone does not understand, and Qin Dewei needs an in-depth explanation.
Qin Dewei took the opportunity to stuff his private goods and said: "If your Majesty wants to implement it, why not set up a military aircraft office in Wenyuan Pavilion..."
Emperor Jiajing shouted: "That's enough. Let's not mention these. What are the other measures?"
Anyone who has been in power knows that this kind of restructuring must be an arduous and troublesome matter, and it is unknown what the effect will be.
However, Emperor Jiajing didn't have much thought on state affairs now and hated troublesome things very much, so he simply forgot about it and didn't want to listen to Qin Dewei's in-depth explanation.
Qin Dewei advised: "Your Majesty! To consolidate border defense, we must first stabilize people's hearts. This is the fundamental strategy!"
Emperor Jiajing snorted coldly: "We are just bordering the Yi and Di invaders. How can we mess up the situation and change the laws at will? You should talk about economic warfare and military warfare first!"
Qin Dewei wanted to continue to persuade: "If your Majesty is worried about unexpected events, you can first choose a place to try it out, Datong is fine!"
Emperor Jiajing became impatient again and warned: "I said no!"
Qin Dewei sighed secretly, and then said: "As for the economic war, we must first start with the thoughts of the chieftain An Da.
First, this man is the uncle of the little prince, the leader of the Beilu clan, but he is extremely powerful and has forced the little prince's tribe to the east outside Liaoning Town.
Moreover, I have a lot of disagreements with the little prince. So I want to accept the canonization of the Ming Dynasty, use the title of the Ming Dynasty to strengthen my reputation, and suppress the little prince."
Many years ago, people at that time called Beilu Dayan Khan "little prince". Later, the Ming Dynasty continued to use "little prince" to refer to the Great Khan, the leader of the Beilu clan.
"Omniscient" time travelers like Qin Dewei don't know what the name of the little prince during the Jiajing Dynasty was, because there are no relevant records in history.
It can also be seen from this that the Ming Dynasty ignored the intelligence work of the Beilu, and actually did not even know the name of the nominal suzerain of the Beilu, the Great Khan.
"Secondly, the chief Anda repeatedly invaded the border areas, but in fact he was just trying to force the Ming Dynasty to pay tribute.
For the Beilu chieftain, those who benefited from looting were those at the grassroots level.
But if tribute can be paid to the Ming Dynasty, then the people who will benefit must be the upper class of the northern tribes like the chief Anda. They can control the tribute market, monopolize operations, and make huge profits.
Therefore, for the chieftain of the Beilu, it is not cost-effective to join the bandits, and it is far inferior to paying tribute and trading."
The other people in the palace were completely speechless. They were all stunned at Qin Dewei. Why do you, Qin Dewei, know so much about me?
Of course Qin Dewei understood. An Da was also one of the most famous Beibei leaders in history, and he dreamed of opening a border market with the Ming Dynasty.
He fought for decades and spent almost a lifetime with only one purpose: to trade with the Ming Dynasty.
But Emperor Jiajing had a stubborn character. No matter what the outcome of the fight, he would never agree to my payment of tribute. Even after the Gengxu Incident, he was forced to agree to open a border market, but he broke the contract a year later.
In the original historical time and space, I finally realized my wish after the death of Emperor Jiajing.
When Qin Dewei mentioned the tribute issue, Emperor Jiajing said angrily: "This is impossible! How could the Ming Dynasty be forced to pay tribute to the barbarians? What's the difference between this and the alliance under the city?"
Qin Dewei could only explain again: "Your Majesty! Paying tribute is just a means, and there are many ways to use it. One of them can be a delaying strategy. In the name of paying tribute, we can prepare border defenses and gain a breathing space.
Secondly, it can cover some of our actions, just like building a plank road openly and secretly visiting Chencang! For example, the other cover mentioned by Xia Yan can allow Tonggong Border Market to be opened in the east to cover it.
Third, the location of the Tonggong border market can be designed very subtly to provoke internal fighting among the Beibei.
Fourth, through the border market, I can bribe people from the North to be used by me, otherwise I won’t even have a guide!”
Emperor Jiajing didn't want to hear this at all, and rolled his sleeves and said angrily: "In the eyes of the people of the world, they are the Northern invaders. I, the emperor and ministers of the Ming Dynasty, are afraid and are forced to pay tribute! The matter of paying tribute is absolutely non-negotiable!"
Qin Dewei had no choice but to bite the bullet and said: "Your Majesty! Any war must have a clear political purpose and cannot be fought blindly without any goal!
I wonder if you have ever thought about what is the goal of the Ming Dynasty in fighting the Northern Lu?
As the saying goes, wild fire cannot be blown away, and the spring breeze blows again, and the killing of the northern barbarians cannot be finished. Even if the Ming Dynasty won a great victory, it was impossible to completely eradicate the northern barbarians.
Therefore, according to my vision, until the end of the war, military victory must be transformed into political victory and economic victory as soon as possible.
Especially economic victory, this is the longest-lasting idea, and tribute and trade are actually a means of control!"
Emperor Jiajing stubbornly refused and said: "Even if Tong Gong is won, it will be a matter later and will never be considered now!"
Qin Dewei was speechless, Emperor Jiajing was too stubborn and too difficult to deal with!
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－
This paragraph is too difficult to write...I have revised it repeatedly, but I don’t know how to write it to be satisfactory. Continue to ask for monthly votes!
