Chapter 291 Fortunately, Nanjing (Seventeen) Civil War in the Western Regions
"Rixin wants me to personally declare to Xu Hongji?"
In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yijun held the pavilion ticket in one hand and touched his chin with the other hand. He thoughtfully asked Chen Ju next to him: "Why did he say hello to you?"
Chen Ju bowed and said: "Jing Guo Gong didn't say anything, but Tian Yi will explain the day's investigation news to the slaves every day. I heard from him that the main problems identified so far are mostly related to Wei Guo Gong, Cheng Shanbo and others. Supervision is done in name only, but in reality it is handled by people from Nanzhili, Yingtianfu and other yamen."
When Zhu Yijun heard this, he snorted: "Then the supervision is not good enough? No wonder he went to court to accuse him. However, Rixin didn't seem to completely believe their words, especially the head of the camp and maintenance department... It might be possible He is in charge, but how can he alone let Xu Hongji, Wang Yunzhong and others completely let go?"
Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty's discernment is as bright as a torch."
"Since Rixin wants me to announce the interview, then let's summon Xu Hongji and Wang Yunzhong to come to see you." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said: "I have something to do in the afternoon, so let them come now."
Chen Ju was a little surprised and subconsciously glanced at the hourglass not far away. He thought to himself that if Wei Guogong and Chengshan Bo came at this time, they would definitely be late for lunch. Could it be that the emperor wanted to starve them on purpose?
This matter is neither big nor small. If you want me to die, I have to die, not to mention just a hungry meal? I think the emperor does not intend to punish him severely, so let's give him a small punishment!
Chen Ju received the order and went to arrange for the Supervisor of Ceremonies to send someone to announce the call. After returning to the emperor, Zhu Yijun asked again: "What other major events have happened recently? I read yesterday's report that Liu Wei went to Shu, and the Western Region was not very peaceful. ?”
Chen Ju replied: "Your Majesty really has a photographic memory, and there is indeed such a lapse. However, because the matter is not serious, the Emperor was visiting Xuanwu Lake yesterday, so I will approve it according to Duke Jingguo's vote." "
Zhu Yijun nodded and said: "This is related to the military affairs of the Western Regions, and there is nothing wrong with making the approval according to the new vote. But...what happened in the Western Regions?"
"The likely situation is that the imperial court was newly established in Yili. Due to the temporary shortage of housing, the new Yili priest asked a local temple to be converted into a Confucian school building. Since he had no place to live in the yamen, he also worked there. Who would have expected On the tenth day, a group of local unscrupulous people were bewitched, knocked on the door in the middle of the night, and beat the edict to death with sticks."
Zhu Yijun glared when he heard this and said angrily: "The edict is also an official of the imperial court, how dare the unruly people here be so bold?"
Chen Ju sighed: "Yes, it was really audacious, so the prince of Shunyi, Erdemutu, ordered a strict investigation. Finally, it was found that the former temple imam instigated the believers to do it, and Erdemutu ordered the arrest. Clinker This person once again provoked the believers to resist the law. Erdemutu was extremely angry and immediately dispatched troops to kill all the rioters..."
"Wait a minute!" Zhu Yijun frowned and reached out to stop Chen Ju from continuing, but asked: "Why is Erdemutu handling this matter? Where is Liu Wei?"
Chen Judao: "Liu Wei personally led an army and went to Qihe with Boshuoketu to wipe out the remnants of the local area. As for the specific situation, according to the reports a few days ago, it was probably Boshuoketu's tribe as the vanguard, and Liu Wei Lead the army behind to suppress the formation."
"Well, that's it." Zhu Yijun's face looked much better, but he still frowned and said thoughtfully: "Rixin said before that the Western Regions have been practicing Islam for a long time, and the customs are very different from those in the mainland. Officials stationed in our court should be cautious
Deal with sectarian issues to avoid unnecessary conflicts... Is there any follow-up to this matter?"
Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said: "Yesterday Liu Wei's essay is the follow-up."
Zhu Yijun subconsciously guessed that the situation was not good, frowned deeper, and asked: "How?"
"Starting from Yili (previously Ili was also called Yilibali), Yangji Bali, Beelse Bali, Turpan, Youlisi, Kuxian, Aksu, Kashgar and other places have experienced chaos, with numerous participants.
It ranges from a thousand to tens of thousands." Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said: "Yesterday Liu Wei's memorial said that he had led his army back to Yili and planned to suppress the rebellion along the way. Please make corresponding preparations for the court..."
When Zhu Yijun heard this, his face became very ugly, and he said in a deep voice: "What is Liu Wei doing? I have just enshrined Mount Tai, and worshiped Xiaoling, telling heaven and earth that my ancestors said that I had recovered the Western Regions, but the Western Regions were about to
Are we going to start a war again?"
Chen Ju sighed and said: "Your Majesty, the situation in the Western Region is complicated, and Liu Wei has no choice but to do so."
Zhu Yijun sneered and said: "What a helpless move? When Liu Wei was in Yunnan, Guizhou, and North Korea, why didn't he see so much helplessness?"
Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Yunnan, Guizhou, and Korea are all different from the Western Regions. For example, Yunnan is the land of the Ming Dynasty. Although the local chieftains rebelled with the support of the Mang Burma, after all, I have Yunnan to rely on. When the imperial army comes,
When they arrive, they will naturally surrender. The same is true in Guizhou.
As for Korea, although the Japanese pirates were ferocious at that time, Duke Jingguo personally led the army to pacify the Japanese. Liu Wei was just a general under Duke Jingguo. As long as he was loyal and dared to fight, it was up to Duke Yingguo to make the final decision."
"This is not the case in the Western Regions." Chen Ju continued: "Although the imperial court recovered the Western Regions, the local Hulu were at odds with the Ming Dynasty, and there were many who believed in Islam. Their teachings were very different from those of China. Therefore, although the imperial army was strong
, we can drive out the remaining forces in one battle, but that may not make them sincerely submit."
"Besides, the Western Region is a vast territory, and most of them are nomadic people. Once they rebel, they can come and go like the wind. Even if the imperial army wants to put down the rebellion, it may be difficult to capture the main force for a while. And there are many Muslim temples in the area, and their imams
They are often quite prestigious in the local area, and once they instigate believers, it is very easy to trigger a large-scale rebellion."
"Therefore, Liu Wei's move was also to prevent the rebellion from expanding, so he had to take this step."
Zhu Yijun said that just now because he was angry. He felt that the chaos in the Western Region was a bit of a slap in the face. At this moment, after Chen Ju persuaded him, he also knew that Liu Wei was not to blame for this matter, and Erdemutu could not even be blamed for it - after all
He is maintaining the dignity of the court.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! The emperor wanted to understand the reason and could only snort coldly and said: "Does it mean that my empire depends on the faces of those imams?"
Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said: "The emperor naturally does not need to look at the faces of those imams, but the local people are mostly affected by them. This so-called freezing three feet does not last in a day. After all, the Western Region has been lost for hundreds of years, and it is not a long-term service to the king.
, once the local people are instigated by them, it is very easy to cause rebellion. Therefore, the imperial court needs to be more careful in its governance in the Western Regions."
Zhu Yijun's anger that he had just suppressed came up again, and he sneered: "Be more careful? If you are more careful, you will allow those unruly people to beat the imperial officials to death? I think it is because you are too careful that you let those unruly people act so boldly!"
Chen Ju sighed and said: "Your Majesty, Liu Wei is also thinking about the overall interests of the imperial court. After all, the Western Region has just been decided, and the people are not attached to it. If the imperial army is too tough, it will probably arouse a greater backlash."
Zhu Yijun sneered: "A bigger rebound? Isn't it already a bigger rebound now?"
Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty, although there is some backlash now, it is only the work of a few unruly people. If the imperial army can quickly suppress the rebellion, it may not be able to deter other people with evil intentions."
Zhu Yijun was still angry, but he also knew that what Chen Ju said was the truth. He no longer spoke forcefully, but fell into silence. He was breathing heavily and was obviously in a bad mood. Of course he knew that the stability of the Western Regions was not only related to the Ming Dynasty.
The security of the new frontier is more related to his reputation as a saint king.
"Your Majesty, as Duke Jingguo said before, in the Western Regions, there are many ethnic groups with different beliefs. In addition, there are many problems left over from history. It is indeed difficult to accomplish many things overnight." Seeing the emperor's serious face, Chen Ju comforted him softly: "But your Majesty is wise.
Shenwu will definitely be able to handle it properly."
"Don't talk about these useless things." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said: "I know that governing the Western Regions is not something that can be accomplished in a day. But this rebellion was obviously deliberately instigated by someone in an attempt to undermine the governance of the imperial court. For this kind of behavior,
I will never tolerate it."
Zhu Yijun finally came to his senses. He no longer said there was anything wrong with Liu Wei's plan to quickly put down the rebellion, and he no longer struggled with Feng Chan. After paying homage to him, it would damage his reputation if another major war in the Western Regions was about to begin. Instead, he began to make decisions.
He pondered for a moment and then asked: "How did Nixin plan to reply to Liu Wei yesterday?"
Chen Ju replied: "The vote plan of Duke Jingguo ordered Liu Wei to decisively suppress the rebellion, but it also required Liu Wei to pay attention to the means, control the escalation of intensity, and control the scope of the attack. According to the vote plan of Duke Jingguo, this time the counterinsurgency needs to be suppressed.
We must insist on attacking only malicious rebels and not extend it to ordinary people... In general, we only punish the first culprits and give leniency to the remaining offenders."
Zhu Yijun nodded. Gao's pragmatic decision was still very pertinent. Now we really need to find a balance between decisive suppression and protecting civilians.
He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the scenery outside the window, pondered for a while, then turned to Chen Ju and said: "Pass on my will and emphasize to Liu Wei again that the rebellion must be put down quickly, but at the same time the truth must be found out.
Uncover the mastermind behind the scenes. In addition, tell Liu Wei that in the process of counterinsurgency, it is necessary to minimize the harm to civilians and avoid arousing greater dissatisfaction."
Then, he felt that these statements were simply repeating Gao Pragmatic's meaning, which did not seem to have much meaning, so he paused and said: "At the same time, I have sent an oral order to summon Duke Jing to come to see you immediately.
We need to discuss this matter with him."
Chen Ju accepted the order. He knew that the emperor did not want to see turmoil in the Western Regions, but he had no better way at the moment, so he could only place high hopes on Gao Pragmatic's experience and wisdom, and wanted to see what else he, a humble minister, could do
Replenish.
"I will make arrangements now, my servant." Chen Ju bowed respectfully and then withdrew.
Zhu Yijun sat back in front of the imperial court again. He knew that the problems in the Western Regions could not be solved by simple force. He even suspected that this rebellion might be just the tip of the iceberg, and there might be deeper reasons behind it. Now he needs more
information and requires more careful planning.
He decided that when Gao Jingshi arrived, he would personally discuss with him the situation in the Western Regions, especially the financial and logistical preparations. In his eyes, Gao Jingshi, as his most trusted minister, was unparalleled in talent and ability, not only in military matters.
He has unique insights and is a good hand in financial management. His advice is crucial to me - especially for this trip south, the court has spent too much money, and if there is no money
, things in the Western Region will only become more difficult to handle.
Since Gao Jingshi was temporarily staying in Chunhe Palace, it didn't take long before he hurried to Qianqing Palace. His pace was still steady and fast, and he looked no different from before. Just listening to Gao Jingshi's footsteps, Zhu Yijun
I feel much more at ease.
"If you are a high-ranking minister and are pragmatic, please see your Majesty." Gao Wu practiced etiquette.
"The Duke of Jingguo is exempt from the courtesy and is free of charge." Zhu Yijun calmed down a lot at this moment, and his voice was calm and powerful: "Duke Jingguo, I believe you already know the situation in the Western Regions. Liu Wei is returning to Yili to suppress the rebellion, but I need to ensure that the army is in the logistics.
and sufficient financial support. What do you think about this?”
Gao Pragmatic nodded and said: "Your Majesty is wise. I believe that although the chaos in the Western Regions originated from sectarian disputes, now that the war has begun, how it happened is no longer the most urgent matter. Only by restoring stability to the border areas as soon as possible can we
It is the top priority. Therefore, counterinsurgency is a top priority, and stable logistical and financial support are prerequisites for successful counterinsurgency."
He paused, sorted out his thoughts, and then continued: "First of all, Wei Chen has instructed the Ministry of Revenue to allocate additional military expenditures for the Western Regions. The first batch will be 300,000 taels. We will see whether further allocations are needed depending on the subsequent situation.
At present, I have prepared sufficient food, grass, weapons and military pay based on Liu Wei's estimates and my own judgment to ensure that our army will have no worries. Some of this has been shipped to the Western Regions in advance and was originally intended to be stored.
, and some of them need to be transported urgently from within the customs, and I already sent letters to the relevant yamen yesterday."
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhu Yijun suddenly felt relieved and nodded, indicating to Gao Pragmatic to continue.
"Secondly, Wei Chen must bring up old matters again, and still recommends that the imperial court strengthen business support for the Western Regions. By increasing the supply of tea, silk and other commodities to the Western Regions, not only can the local people trade and improve their living standards, but also through
Taxes increase the court's fiscal revenue.
In addition, Wei Chen also suggested that the court immediately increase investment in infrastructure construction in the Western Regions, such as building roads, water conservancy, etc., to promote local economic development.
These things should be easy first and then difficult, and we should first make some investment that can bring immediate results, so that the people of the Western Regions can realize as soon as possible that only under the rule of the Ming Dynasty can they live and work in peace and contentment, and their lives become better and better day by day."
A hint of appreciation flashed in Zhu Yijun's eyes. Gao Pragmatic's suggestions not only considered military needs, but also took into account the economy and people's livelihood. This is exactly what he hopes to see. After so many years of influence from Gao Pragmatic, he also knows what Gao Pragmatic means by going to the Western Regions.
What is the real role of transporting tea, silk, etc.
These are all hard currencies, but Han merchants usually return after transporting them to the Western Regions, so local merchants in the Western Regions can do resale business. Since these merchants are local merchants in the Western Regions, they will spend the money they make in the Western Regions, so
The income of local people will also increase. Gao pragmatically called it the "trickle-down effect", which the emperor thought was very vivid.
Of course, Gao Pragmatic also said that this approach is not enough. After all, if the productivity of the Western Regions itself cannot be improved, it will not be beneficial to just earn more money, but will lead to skyrocketing prices. Therefore, at the same time, the development of the Western Regions
Local production is the ultimate solution. For this, Gao Pragmatic once explained the rationale to him in detail, and he also agreed very much.
At this time, Gao pragmatic continued: "Furthermore, although this incident began with the school expropriating temples, Wei Chen still suggested that the imperial court should strengthen its investment in cultural education in the Western Regions. By establishing schools, libraries and other facilities, we should promote Confucian culture and improve local
Public literacy, accelerating the integration of Sinology, thereby reducing conflicts caused by cultural differences."
Zhu Yijun nodded slightly, but was a little worried and asked: "Will accelerating the promotion of Sinology at this time arouse a greater wave of opposition?"
"Perhaps, but it is necessary. Even... to some extent, this rebellion may be a blessing in disguise." Gao pragmatically said decisively: "Without today's incident, the imperial court can only proceed cautiously and slowly.
But since there is this rebellion, it is no wonder that the imperial court used thunderous means to kill some, shock some, and coax others."
Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked: "Are you sure?"
Gao pragmatic said flatly: "I will prepare a budget of three million taels for this, and we must complete this matter no matter what."
Zhu Yijun was surprised: "Are you going to spend so much money again?"
"It's just that you have to prepare in advance, but it doesn't necessarily cost so much." Gao Pragmatic comforted: "Everything is done in advance, otherwise it will be ruined. It is always good to be prepared."
Zhu Yijun felt relieved and said: "I hope Liu Qing can do his job more efficiently. Three hundred thousand taels is no longer a small amount."
Gao pragmatic nodded and continued: "Finally, Wei Chen suggested that the court strengthen the management of sects in the Western Regions. The court does not ban ordinary believers and ensures fair treatment, but for extremists who incite the people and undermine peace,
It must be severely punished.
At the same time, we should also find some sensible and general imams respected by the local people to cooperate with us, and use them to guide the local sects to develop in the right direction of peace and tolerance."
Zhu Yijun nodded repeatedly after hearing this, then thought for a while, and said slowly: "What Lord Jingguo said is true. I completely agree with it. Just act on it. When you need me to issue an edict, let Chen Ju come."
Gao Pingshi bowed and saluted, saying: "We must do our best to live up to the emperor's trust."
Zhu Yijun nodded, then looked at the hourglass, and with a thought in his heart, he said: "In any case, Xu Hongji and Wang Yunzhong will be here soon. Since you happen to be here, come and listen with me to how they plead guilty and defend themselves."
Gao pragmatic hesitated a little, but still agreed, cupped his hands and said: "I obey the order."
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PS: This chapter is 5K, which makes up for the missing words in the previous chapter. In fact, this chapter should have been posted last night, but before I finished coding, there was a sudden power outage. I turned on my phone and checked, and it seemed to be a power grid maintenance upgrade.