In a garden waterside pavilion near the Beicheng River in Yangzhou, an ordinary imperial meeting was taking place, with no more than ten people participating. The specifications of such a meeting could not be more ordinary, but this time it did not end from morning to afternoon, and people were still
There was endless debate.
The emperor was sitting upright, with his eyes closed as if he was resting his mind. He didn't speak for a long time. The eunuch standing beside him was Wang Gou'er, the chief seal officer of the ceremonial supervisor.
Sitting, the ministers only stood up when they were speaking, but Wang Gou'er stood there all day long. However, Wang Gou'er naturally had no complaints. Not everyone can stand here and participate in military and state affairs... Just
Is it possible to be like Zheng He?
Not long ago, the emperor felt that there was someone in the palace who was disloyal to him. Wang Gou'er was naturally guilty and frightened because he had two boats. Fortunately, he had become the most powerful eunuch in the palace. No one dared to speak against him.
Wang Gou'er found a scapegoat to speak ill of the urban romantic young man and successfully dragged the eunuch Zheng He into trouble.
Zheng He had been in charge of various shipyards and naval affairs for a long time. He was not often in the palace. After the death of Yongle, he experienced two changes of palace owners. Don't look at the two imperial powers from Taizong to Renzong, and then from Renzong to Xuande.
In the outside world, the handover was relatively smooth. In the palace, there was only one emperor and one emperor, and those in power had already changed. Even though Zheng He was famous, he had few party members in the palace due to his neglect of management... Such a person
If people don’t take care of themselves, why do they have to move those trees with big roots and deep roots?
Moreover, many eunuchs do not have a good impression of Zheng He, mainly out of jealousy. Eunuchs who are literate and knowledgeable know that this guy is going to be famous in history; everyone is a rootless eunuch, why can he be the only eunuch to be famous?
And when everyone dies, they are burned in the furnace like dogs? But for a famous person like Zheng He, it is difficult to find some trivial things to punish him, and there must be some practical aspects.
Wang Gou'er mainly started from two aspects. First, he said that Zheng He was an Islamic believer, based on the fact that he was born in a Hui family and had believed in Islam since he was a child; also, during one of his voyages to the West, he went to the holy land of Islamic religion, so he quietly believed in Islam.
Religion. In the Ming Dynasty, there was basically freedom of religious belief. As long as it did not endanger the ruling religion, the imperial government did not care what you believed in. However, there was a special precaution against the Islamic religion. Most of the reasons were based on practical interests... The main reason should be
After the "greening" of the Western Regions, the Gansu and Shaanxi regions became increasingly barren and could not afford the needs of a large army. The Ming army was unable to advance westward and had to passively resist the eastward expansion of the Islamic religion. If the Islamic religion was allowed to spread eastward, it would endanger the rule of the Ming Empire.
Zheng He also heard about this matter. When the naval fleet was stationed at Taicang Port in South Zhili, he built Buddhist temples and paid a large amount of money to engrave the "Diamond Sutra" to publicize his devotion to the Buddha everywhere. Because of the concubines and eunuchs in the palace,
Zheng He believed heavily in Buddhism, and gave away some Buddhist treasures he brought back from the West as gifts.
Emperor Xuande took all these things into consideration, and at the same time felt that this famous figure who spread the gospel of the Ming Empire to the world was his grandfather and the glory on his face. There was no need to say that he was an Islamic religion and forcefully push the glory out.
Forget it.
This plan did not work, so Wang Gouer had another plan. The Jinyiwei conducted a secret investigation and believed that the firearm technology relied on by the "King of Hunan" rebels was imported, and there were many personal and material evidences. The Ming Empire's fleet traveled across the sea, but
Not only have the rebels been in the inland for many years, but they are also able to obtain things from overseas. Wang Gouer instigated people to insinuate that Zheng He had colluded with the rebels, tipped off the information, and supported them behind the scenes.
There is no real evidence that can directly convict Zheng He of "colluding with rebels", but these things are enough to make the emperor suspicious... My family has spent so much money on overseas voyages, which family are we supporting?
Emperor Xuande did not want to touch Zheng He without real evidence and jeopardize the achievements of his imperial grandfather. However, the original plan to let Zheng He sail to the West again, and Xuande also wanted to share some glory, has now been completely abandoned. One is because of the civil war.
The situation worsened and military expenditures were insufficient, which had a lot to do with no longer trusting Zheng He.
After Zheng He was shot, Wang Gou'er could breathe a sigh of relief, so now he can still stand at the court meeting on important military affairs and continue to look for opportunities to tip off Jianwen's party members. As long as this matter is not exposed, no matter what happens in the future
Whichever side wins, Wang Gou'er will have credit... Of course, if unlucky enough that Han Wang wins, Wang Gou'er will have to admit it.
...The superior Zhu Zhanji still had his eyes closed. Of course he was not asleep, but a group of people quoted from scriptures and discussed it for a whole day, and he was indeed a little tired.
The strategy finally agreed upon within the court is to move the strategic center of gravity westward. Because the trapped Jianghuai area in the lower reaches has not been able to break through for a long time, many people in the emperor and the military have lost patience. In addition, Huguang has been defeated one after another, and the power of Jianwen's remnants has evolved from a small illness.
It has become a serious problem, and the situation is unimaginable if it continues like this.
Yang Rong, Shangshu of the Ministry of War, has already mentioned the layout after the westward advance: "After the deployment of the Shenji Battalion's vanguard marched to Jingzhou Prefecture, and mobilized officers and soldiers from Xiangyang and other places to assist, they first held on to Jingzhou; when reinforcements from Sichuan's army arrived along the river, then
Cross the river from Jingzhou to attack. The Beijing camp bypasses the Dabie Mountains from Yangzhou and enters Henan, then goes south to Huangzhou. Crossing the river, it first captures Jiujiang Prefecture. After crossing the river in two ways, it can attack on two fronts. Hundreds of thousands of troops first settle in Huguang. Huguang is established
, go down the river, and then attack Nanjing..."
Some people raised objections, saying that all the troops from the capital camp were withdrawn from Jianghuai, and local officials and troops would not be able to stop the Han Dynasty, which would be equivalent to handing over the Jianghuai area that was finally obtained. Yang Rong said: "You can immediately mobilize the elite troops back to the inland, and then move closer to Jianghuai
Chronicles of the Reborn Artificial Man.”
There was a lot of discussion in the waterside pavilion. The war has continued until now. Everyone has realized that the situation is dire and even the troops from the nine sides have to return for reinforcements.
When a minister of Yang Rong's level puts forward a military proposal, it affects the whole body. He suggested that elite troops be mobilized to help. In order to ensure the security of the north, the only way is to remove the barriers outside the customs in advance and guard the Great Wall alone... This involves national defense policy.
That's why this imperial meeting has been discussed from morning till now. There are too many things involved.
The Ming Dynasty's national policy for the northern defense line has been evolving. During the Yongle period, the military force was strong and there was no problem of defense. The emperor personally went on several expeditions, and the army was in the offensive period. However, by the time of Renzong and now Xuande, it was no longer able to take the initiative to attack. The strategy
They set up strongholds outside the Great Wall, with heavy troops in Xuandatun rushing to support them at any time, trying to gather and annihilate the invading enemies at the foot of the Great Wall in the field battle outside the pass.
However, before the outbreak of the civil war, there was already talk of a comprehensive defense. At that time, court officials believed that they should try their best to stop the troops and allow the people to live in peace. They should reduce the army and continue to dismantle all the fence strongholds north of the Great Wall. This trend seemed unstoppable, starting from the end of Yongle period.
The two largest strongholds were abolished, and this will undoubtedly continue during the Xuande period... But Yang Rong's remarks now make everything even more sudden.
At this time, Yang Shiqi couldn't help but repeat the old tune again. As soon as he opened his mouth at this juncture, everyone knew what he was going to say before he said it. It is very important for a minister to adhere to his political opinions. If he keeps one tune every day, he will undoubtedly give people
The impression of being untrustworthy. Yang Shiqi has always held political opinions against the abolition of the Great Wall fence.
"Whether it is the current civil strife or the need to recuperate before, it is a temporary situation. But Yanyun's military preparations are related to the long-term peace and stability of the Ming Dynasty. The saint must not ignore it." Yang Shiqi said seriously, "The Han Dynasty spent all the money and food in the world to prepare for Shuofang.
; The loss of the Western Region in the Tang Dynasty led to the resettlement of the four towns in Anxi several times; the loss of Yanyun in the Song Dynasty has been remembered for hundreds of years. Because the country's security cannot be tied to one line, it must expand the territory outwards as a vertical and horizontal force. I, Taizong, moved the capital to the north, using the sky
The son guards the gate of the country, and Yan has become the foundation of the Ming Dynasty; how can the security of the country be tied to Yanshan Mountain and a high wall? I do not advocate that saints raise armies again, but when people are poor, they do not forget to study, and when the country is peaceful, they do not forget to teach martial arts, and the security of the country is in danger.
It can’t be child’s play…”
Yang Rong did not argue with Yang Shiqi, but said casually: "If we don't mobilize the elite troops of Xuanda, everything from the east to the capital will be empty."
When Yang Shiqi saw this, he couldn't continue to object. His words were too fierce, which gave the emperor a bad impression. After all, Yang Shiqi and the "King of Hunan" had a close friendship and almost became a family.
"The current forwards of the Shenji Battalion should not be transferred to Jingzhou too early." Yang Rong temporarily put aside the previous topic and turned to talk about specific matters, "Going to Jingzhou too early will easily expose the imperial court's intention to use troops. Wait until the Sichuan troops are approaching.
If we mobilize again, we can catch the rebels off guard. Maybe we can open the Jiang defense just from Jingzhou..."
The emperor bowed, and Yang Rong hurriedly stopped talking and stood and bent upward. Zhu Zhanji said: "As Yang Rong suggested, all ministries will handle it as soon as possible. Xuanda's troops will not move for now, and we will discuss it later."
Zhu Zhanji only said two simple words, which was to immediately implement what was agreed upon and put aside the dispute at the same time. All the ministers bowed sincerely and sincerely: "I obey the decree."
...Not long after, a quick report arrived at the Yangzhou Palace, and the city of Changsha fell. Zhu Zhanji was very unhappy, but he didn't show much shock. Anyway, none of the news coming from Huguang in more than a year was good.
, almost all rebels are unstoppable.
There is almost nothing that can be done if Changsha Prefecture is captured. At present, there is no army in Huguang Province that can fight a vicious war. An important town like Changsha only relies on the fortifications built many years ago. The soldiers are no longer capable of fighting, and there are no reinforcements.
South of the river, countless prefectures and counties, countless "military households" may be recruited to defend the city, but the court can no longer allow them to form an army to fight in a short period of time. The only ones with hope are Yunnan and Guangxi
Some of the southern conquest army over there are still in Cochin, Vietnam, and some are on the border of Yunnan and Guangxi. The court may be able to mobilize some of them, but maybe... The three sides of the country are all members of the Zhu clan, thousands of miles away.
I'm afraid the generals and soldiers don't want to get involved.