Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 830 You're Not a Local Tyrant
Zhang Yanling is making great efforts to expedite the establishment of the Datong Coal Mine.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yong, the Duke of Baoguo, who was serving as the commander-in-chief of Datong, was also actively working to transfer himself to Yansui as the commander-in-chief, so that he could cooperate with his former superior, Wang Yue, to send troops to the grasslands and make it easier for him to achieve meritorious service.

Zhu Yong's plan was clear: to gain a transfer opportunity by currying favor with Zhang Yanling.

Therefore, when he learned that Zhang Yanling had come to Datong to promote mining, he immediately provided maximum cooperation.

That day, Zhang Yanling had just returned to his post in Datong Town. Before he could even enter the town gate, he saw Zhu Yong leading several people to greet him.

"Baoguo Gong?"

Zhang Yanling was very surprised.

After all, Zhang Yanling did not hold any official position and had little contact with local officials and generals after arriving in the Northwest. Unlike when he went to Nanjing, where he was fulfilling the military and political duties entrusted to him by the emperor, it was unlikely that the generals guarding the Northwest would come to see him this time.

Unlike Nanjing, the censors in the Northwest are more conscientious and extremely sensitive to the interactions between military commanders and relatives of the emperor. They report even the smallest things, almost to the point of being paranoid. If you hold military and political power, you must ensure that you abide by the rules and not seek your political future through opportunistic means.

Zhu Yong dismounted and came over to greet him, smiling and bowing respectfully.

He did not explicitly state his purpose, but instead invited Zhang Yanling to the General's Mansion in the city under the pretext of "family friendship," where a banquet had been prepared in advance.

No outsiders were invited, because his son Zhu Hui is no longer serving in the military, so this was a private banquet.

At the dinner table, Zhang Yanling didn't touch his chopsticks. Instead, he sat there, smiling at Zhu Yong: "Sir, please speak plainly..."

"As the saying goes, one should not accept a reward without merit. I am merely holding the nominal position of Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with very little real power. After leaving Datong, I may have to go to Yansui, so I cannot stay here for long."

Zhu Yong stood up, poured wine for Zhang Yanling, and said with a smile, "I must toast the Second Young Master to thank him for his assistance to my father and me in achieving military merits at Pianguan!"

"No need for wine."

Zhang Yanling shook his head and said, "I am young, and drinking is bad for my health, so I should avoid it if possible. Besides, I didn't contribute much to your and your son's military achievements. That was the result of the joint efforts of Minister Li and Duke Baoguo."

"Wasn't it your father's prophecy and military strategy?"

Zhu Yong said with a smile, "It was thanks to Grand Secretary Zhang's reminder that the Tatars' treacherous intentions were foreseen in advance, which allowed our army to ambush and defeat them in one fell swoop, keeping the grasslands in turmoil to this day, and making things much easier for the soldiers on the borders of the Ming Dynasty."

"is it?"

Zhang Yanling frowned and said, "How come I heard that since the beginning of this year, due to internal strife within the Tatars, many tribes have come to invade the border. Some villages have been plundered and massacred by the Tatars, and even some towns have not been spared. These situations have been reported truthfully by the local authorities."

"Why is it that when the Duke speaks of it, it's as if nothing happened?"

Zhu Yong's old face instantly turned bright red, and he looked extremely embarrassed.

I had intended to flatter the Zhang family's son a few times to show my goodwill and establish a connection with the Zhang family.

Who knew that Zhang Yanling's words would reveal the current state of military and political affairs in the Northwest!

This is enough to show that Zhang Yanling was not blind and deaf, and was fully aware of the true situation in the Northwest...

In other words, Zhang Yanling, the chief instructor of the new army, was not only able to act recklessly because he had a powerful father in the court who could control everything, but he also enjoyed the emperor's trust.

Zhu Yongqiang smiled and said, "It is precisely because the situation is so unpredictable that I have come up with the idea of ​​seeking your advice, Second Young Master?"

"Does the Duke of Baoguo want to inquire about how the local areas can avoid harassment from foreign invaders? Should the army hold the city and maintain the status quo? Or should they be proactive and take advantage of the internal strife within the Tatars to achieve merit and establish a career?"

Zhang Yanling asked.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yong instantly understood and quickly replied, "Naturally, I want to seal the wolf's lair and establish unparalleled achievements!"

Zhang Yanling said, "However, we cannot accurately control the whereabouts of the Tatars at present. If we rashly send troops, we may find that we cannot find the main force of the Tatars to carry out a strategic decisive battle."

"After all, the Tatars usually roam around, they don't have fixed settlements or gather together waiting for us to wipe them out!"

On the grasslands, because there are so many cattle and sheep, they must be grazed in a dispersed manner, otherwise everyone's livestock will not have enough to eat.

Correspondingly, the tribes were mostly scattered, each occupying a piece of grassland to graze their livestock. Once they had finished eating the grass on that piece of land, they would move on to the next place, making it difficult for them to gather together.

Only in winter do some tribes gather their cattle and sheep in places with fertile pastures and nearby unfrozen water sources, and even then, they still have to prepare fodder for the winter in advance.

In addition, in the event of a major war, the tribes would also briefly regroup.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be easy to find the main force of the Tatars in one go, engage them face-to-face, and annihilate them in one fell swoop.

Zhu Yong said, "What the second young master says is true. However, as far as I know, the Tatars have been fighting each other since the beginning of this year due to internal strife. Many tribes have gathered together to form a force, advancing and retreating together to avoid their own tribe being swallowed up by others."

"In this way, we only need to send spies to the grasslands to gather information and then we can know the movements of all parties and conquer each tribe one by one."

"is it?"

Zhang Yanling asked, "Are you guaranteed victory when encountering an enemy?"

"This one……"

Zhu Yong fell silent for a moment.

Obviously, with the Ming army's previous strength, it would be difficult to win the war against the Tatars, but who could stop the Ming Dynasty from having such a powerful figure as Wang Weining?

Zhu Yong was very familiar with Wang Yue. He had cooperated with Wang Yue in many battles. However, in the Battle of Weininghai, Wang Yue's most brilliant battle, Zhu Yong was transferred to perform other tasks instead of going on the expedition with Wang Yue. As a result, his group achieved nothing, which became the biggest regret of his life.

However, in the later Battle of Black Rock Cliff, he still followed Wang Yue and achieved great military exploits, but this battle was somewhat unremarkable compared to the great battle of Weininghai that can be recorded in the annals of war.

Zhang Yanling said, "Duke Baoguo, if you have something to say, can't you just say it to me clearly?"

"Ugh!"

Zhu Yong originally wanted to take advantage of his seniority in front of Zhang Yanling and show off his strategic abilities. However, he now realized that Zhang Yanling's power in the court was not solely due to his father and his empress sister.

Zhu Yong said, "Young Master, let me be frank. I very much hope to be transferred to Yansui to assist Vice Minister Wang in the military campaign. As for the significance of this battle, I am somewhat aware of it. If we can conquer the grasslands in one fell swoop, it will be a legendary tale that will be remembered for all time. At this time, if I am stationed in Datong and make no contribution to the overall war effort, I will regret it for the rest of my life."

Zhang Yanling squinted and looked over.

It's as if it's asking, "How old are you?"

You are already a Duke!

Wang Weining's situation is very different from yours. He has an urgent ambition to make achievements and restore the title that was stripped from him by the court, while you are good enough without making any mistakes. Why would you need to risk your life for this?

Your family is, after all, a hereditary dukedom...

Of course I know history. In the end, your title of Duke of Baoguo was only passed down for two generations, and it stopped with your son. However, later there was a Marquis of Funing who continued to pass it down.
Zhang Yanling said, "At my young age, do I really have the ability to do anything for you? Isn't Your Excellency giving me too much credit?"

Zhu Yong laughed and said, "You are highly valued by His Majesty, so you naturally have this influence. Besides, only your father has this ability! Others may not know, but do you think I don't? The fact that Vice Minister Wang was pardoned and even reinstated is entirely due to the planning behind the scenes by you and your son."

"is it?"

Zhang Yanling's expression was slightly cold as he said, "If it all comes down to strategy, can anyone be competent to serve as the commander-in-chief of the three border regions? My lord, there are some things you shouldn't say carelessly."

"Of course, it's also due to Vice Minister Wang's outstanding abilities... He already had a high reputation in the court, and his accumulated military achievements further enhanced his prestige both in and out of the court."

Zhu Yong said, “If I can cooperate sincerely with Minister Wang, or if I have the opportunity to achieve great things under the command of your father and son, especially in the conquest of the grassland tribes… then I will definitely be grateful and follow your lead in the future.”

Zhang Yanling said, "That's not how it works. Everything should be based on His Majesty's will."

"Loyalty to the emperor is fundamental."

Zhu Yong said, "That's exactly what I think." Zhang Yanling looked at the impassioned Zhu Yong and thought to himself, "If you follow my father and me blindly, there will be problems even if there's no ambiguity."

Who knows how others might attack my father and me?

Zhang Yanling continued, "If you, my lord, are interested in making military achievements, you can submit a memorial to His Majesty to recommend yourself. Why do you need to come to me?"

"Aren't you in Datong?"

Zhu Yong said, "You see, recently, Shanxi has been quite tense because of your arrival. What you did in Yingtian Prefecture has frightened many people. I am not very capable, but I hope to assist you, the Imperial Uncle, in your work! You can open as many mines in Shanxi as you want."

Zhang Yanling asked curiously, "Is the Duke from Shanxi?"

“No, my ancestral home is Henan,” Zhu Yongdao said.

“Then how can you, a man from Henan, ensure that the people of Shanxi will obey your command? Even if you use force to subdue them, how can you guarantee that the troops here will continue to obey you when you are transferred elsewhere in the future?” Zhang Yanling said. “Most of the officers and soldiers you can mobilize here now are locals, aren’t they?”

“Basically.”

Zhu Yong nodded.

Zhang Yanling said, "They should prioritize protecting the interests of local officials and gentry, since this is where they have lived for generations and there will be conflicts of interest... Am I right?"

"This one……"

Zhu Yong felt immense pressure.

He originally intended to assure Zhang Yanling that he would help him develop the mines in return, and in return, Zhang would help him plan his transfer to Yansui so that he could participate in the war to quell the Tatars. They would each get what they wanted.

However, Zhang Yanling's words made him keenly realize that he, Zhu Yong, was merely a temporary official and had no way to mobilize local soldiers to assist in mining. Moreover, since most of his officers and generals were from Shanxi, seriously harming the interests of his fellow villagers could lead to a mutiny in the army.

Zhang Yanling said, "Regarding the mining, I hope to cooperate with the officials and gentry in Shanxi. We can share the profits and avoid a fight to the death."

"I have some business here, and I hope to find someone in the local area to cooperate with."

"You wouldn't be thinking of..."

Zhu Yong was very curious, but he stopped talking as soon as he started to speak.

Zhang Yanling laughed and said, "It seems that the Duke of Baoguo is well-informed, even knowing in advance about my actions targeting local officials and merchants. Let me put it this way, if we cooperate in doing business, then everyone will make money together, and everyone will get a share! But if anyone tries to cause trouble, then don't blame me for being impolite!"
"Of course, I wasn't saying this to you, my lord."

"Yes, yes, I don't do business in Shanxi."

Zhu Yong looked very embarrassed.

Zhang Yanling said, "However, there are indeed some matters that I hope to obtain your assistance, Your Excellency. His Majesty is currently selecting generals to accompany the army on expeditions beyond the Great Wall, and the Duke of Baoguo is naturally among them!"

"My lord, let's strive harder. I hope that in the upcoming campaign to pacify the grasslands, we can work together and achieve a complete victory in one battle!"

……

……

While Zhang Yanling was extremely busy in Datong, Wang Yue, who had been promoted to the position of Trilateral Governor-General less than two months prior, had already begun to make moves.

Although the new army was not sent there, it did not affect Wang Yue's ability to deploy troops. After all, many of the generals and soldiers in Yansui were his early recruits, and they knew each other well and could even command each other like an extension of their own limbs. In addition, the court had made up for the military pay owed over the years, and the morale of the soldiers on the three borders was high, so he was very confident.

Wang Yue knew that the emperor would definitely not allow him to openly lead troops to fight the Tatars. Perhaps one decree would cause him to lose his official position and have to go back to his hometown to raise chickens and farm.

Therefore, his first move was to send troops to the Hetao region to build fortresses.

When the news reached the capital, it caused an uproar in the court and among the people.

The Hetao region was originally part of the Ming Dynasty, so it was not unusual for the Ming army to be stationed there.

Unfortunately, this matter involved violations of regulations.

In the twentieth year of the Chenghua reign, Li Sheng, then the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, submitted a memorial to the emperor requesting that troops be stationed in Weininghai and Hetao for farming and grazing, and that cities be established for the relocation of people.

However, Emperor Chenghua believed that Li Sheng was bringing up old grievances. Wang Zhi and Wang Yue, who had been demoted, pleaded for him, and Li Sheng was directly demoted to Tongpan and imprisoned by the Embroidered Uniform Guard, with a strict order not to mention the matter again.

Since then, stationing troops in the Hetao region has been considered a taboo for the imperial court...

Wang Yue has just been promoted to the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Three Border Regions, and he has directly led troops to the Hetao region. It seems as if he is trying to exonerate Li Sheng, which is equivalent to overturning the decision made by Emperor Chenghua and expressing his dissatisfaction with the late emperor.

Furthermore, since the people in the court did not support Wang Yue's initiative to provoke the Tatars and trigger a war, the matter caused a great uproar when it reached the capital.

In the imperial court, this matter was frequently mentioned. Many officials submitted memorials impeaching Wang Yue for going against the late emperor's wishes, harboring ambitions for external expansion, and for his actions severely exacerbating conflicts with the Tatars and engaging in reckless military campaigns.

A series of accusations were pinned on Wang Yue.

In fact, Zhu Youcheng knew that this group of people were not targeting Wang Yue.

Their ultimate target was the Zhang family, father and son, and they even had designs on the emperor himself...

After all, the decision to send Wang Yue to the Northwest to serve as the commander-in-chief of the three border regions and to prepare for war was more a result of discussions between the emperor and the Zhang family, and did not receive the support of most of the ministers in the court.

No results were reached at the court meeting, and the emperor did not intend to issue an edict to stop Wang Yue.

However, Zhu Youcheng still felt that Wang Yue's actions were too impulsive and lacked consideration. He should have simply focused on defending the passes, reorganizing the troops, and actively preparing for war, instead of launching a major offensive right from the start.

With Zhang Yanling not currently in the capital, the emperor's first thought when faced with a matter was to consult with his father-in-law... so he sent Li Rong to Zhang's residence to inquire about Zhang Luan's opinion.

After Li Rong arrived at the Zhang residence, he waited for an incredibly long time.

After all, Zhang Luanda had to rush back from outside the city, and with the time he spent delivering the message, Li Rong had to wait for nearly an hour, and the tea had to be changed three times before he finally saw Zhang Luanda.

"Mr. Zhang."

When Li Rong saw Zhang Luan appear, he even felt a little like crying.

"Oops!"

Zhang Luan quickly stepped forward and asked in surprise, "Is Eunuch Li still here?"

Li Rongxin thought, "How could I not be here?"

Should I return to the palace without even asking you? How am I supposed to explain that to the Emperor? Do you expect me to come to me to discuss things?

Zhang Luan probably realized that what he said was inappropriate, so he quickly explained, "What I meant was that you could just send someone to inform me. I haven't been staying in the city to recuperate recently; I've been out relaxing. Just let me know next time, and I'll send someone to convey my message."

“Mr. Zhang, His Majesty personally appointed me to seek your opinion, and we must discuss this in person.”

Li Rong said, "This matter cannot be neglected."

Zhang Luan glanced at the sky outside the window and said, "It's almost noon, how about we have lunch together?"

Li Rong seemed speechless.

I was thinking to myself, "Did you even hear what I was saying?"

Or is it that you simply don't understand it at all?

I've already said that we can't slack off on the emperor's orders, so why are you showing such a negative side? Do I owe you a meal?

(End of this chapter)