My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 449 The Hot Commodity: Martial Arts Student
The memorial requesting the construction of five cities to secure the northern border was passed.

The city-building plan was implemented after the spring of the seventh year of the Longqing reign. The Ministry of War dispatched officials to survey the mountains and rivers of Liaodong, and five fortresses were gradually built at strategic points in the Changbai Mountains.

[The five cities controlled key trade routes, limiting the Jianzhou Jurchens' operational space, and forcing the unborn Jurchen tribes to submit.]

The Andong Protectorate, relying on its fortified strongholds for farming and garrisoning, accelerated the expansion of Northeast China.

[For the first time, the new military officer class took the lead in national and military policy, breaking the tradition since the Song Dynasty of civil officials monopolizing military policy.]

New junior officers are taking the lead, vying with civilian officials for military decision-making power.

[National fortune +2.]

[Prestige value remains unchanged.]

[Remaining Prestige: 4800.]

With the new class of military officers officially taking the stage, Su Ze had no idea where this completely transformed Ming Dynasty would end up.

However, overall, the new-style officers were also an emerging class. They brought more advanced and scientific military decision-making to the Ming Dynasty and could also solve the problem of the Jianzhou Jurchens. In general, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.

After reviewing the settlement report, Su Ze closed the [Handheld Ming Dynasty Court] app.

The Chinese New Year is just around the corner, and all government departments are preparing for it.

Li Rusong was a talented person. Su Ze took out another piece of paper and wrote a letter to Li Chengliang, who was far away in the Northeast. In the letter, he praised Li Rusong. He then took out two bags of fine rice and opened the window.
-
Li Rusong was going through a very difficult time.

He never expected that this petition would cause such a huge mess!
The censors were indignant, and the Ministry of War was united in its determination to find fault with their own memorial.

Although Li Rusong was fearless, he began to feel apprehensive when he recalled his father's teachings to Jing.

If something really happens, even his father, who is the Deputy Protector-General of Andong, can't protect him!

The only consolation was that Dean Su was on the same side as him and had even written a letter in support of him.

Li Rusong was afraid of causing trouble again, so he hid in the military camp all day.

However, news from the military camp was scarce, and Li Rusong was worried about missing important information, so he was on tenterhooks every day.

Although he also heard some good news, the governors-general of Xuanda and Jiliao both supported his strategy.

However, Li Rusong was unaware of the political situation at court, nor did he know whether his strategy would be adopted by the court.

Of course, what he feared even more was that if he rashly submitted a memorial, he would be attacked by the court officials and implicate Dean Su.

Then I'll get beaten to death by my father.

Where is Li Qizheng?

A pedestrian arrived at the military camp. The sentry at the gate, seeing the scene, was so frightened that he hurriedly went into the camp to report.

Upon hearing that someone from the Imperial Guard had arrived, Li Rusong hurriedly donned his armor and left the camp. His heart skipped a beat, unsure whether this was a blessing or a curse.

The military camp had not yet received the imperial edict, but fortunately, this passerby was considerate enough to instruct them to bring out tables and chairs, thus setting up the scene.

The passerby unfurled the imperial edict and began to proclaim it.

"Li Rusong, the commander of the Khrushchev army, possesses great vision and is skilled in strategy."

Hearing the opening words, Li Rusong breathed a sigh of relief; surely this wasn't an imperial edict of punishment.

"Recently, you led the submission of the 'Memorial Requesting the Construction of Five Cities to Secure the Northern Border.' Based on historical research and taking into account the geographical advantages, your proposed strategy of besieging Jianzhou and controlling Changbai Mountain is truly a sound plan for securing the border and stabilizing the country. All the cabinet ministers agree that your proposal is excellent."

"I hereby appoint you as the commander of the Imperial Guard Cavalry of the new Beijing Garrison and transfer you to the Imperial Guard. I bestow upon you a set of fine armor from the Imperial Treasury, a royal horse, and ten gold coins to demonstrate my intention to reward loyalty and merit."

"May you be even more loyal and diligent, and do your best in military affairs. Be respectful!"

Li Rusong was stunned when he heard the imperial edict!
The pedestrian said in a friendly manner:
"Commander Li, aren't you going to thank the Emperor and accept the imperial decree?"

Li Rusong hurriedly followed the procedure to express his gratitude and accept the imperial decree. Immediately afterwards, two eunuchs from the Inner Transport Department who had been in charge of the previous shipment brought over the emperor's rewards.

The fine armor is a beautiful leather armor, more for ceremonial purposes than practical ones, but it was a gift from the emperor and could be passed down as a family heirloom.

The imperial horse was the same; it was a fine tribute horse. Li Rusong was a cavalryman, and he could tell at a glance that it was a priceless steed!

The ten gold coins were to be sent to the ancestral hall, and the key was that the Imperial Guard was in charge.

Did I get promoted?
It sounds like I've been demoted from a regimental commander to a squad leader.

However, the Imperial Guards held high-ranking military positions, with a rank equivalent to a commander of a thousand! In the Ming Dynasty's military system, this was definitely a mid-level officer!

Before his father rose to prominence, the Li family's hereditary Liaoyang General was only a commander of a thousand households.

I've only been out of school for a year, yet I've already accomplished what my ancestors accumulated over generations!

Otherwise, why would my father have sent me to the capital to study?

Li Rusong hurriedly summoned his trusted confidants and handed another red envelope to the passersby and the accompanying eunuchs. Amidst cheers, the procession carrying the imperial edict departed.

Congratulations on your promotion!

Li Rusong felt as if he were in a dream. Before long, his superior, Gao Yuan, the cavalry commander, also arrived at the military camp.

It turns out that it wasn't just Li Rusong who was promoted; all the officers who jointly submitted the petition were transferred to the Imperial Guard.

This commander, who was not from the military academy, said with an envious tone:
"The task of guarding the palace is arduous, and the Ministry of War's transfer order is urgent. You will be reporting to the Imperial Guard the day after tomorrow."

Gao Yuan was a subordinate of Qi Jiguang and an old friend of Li Rusong, who was also an instructor at the military academy. Li Rusong had received a lot of care since joining the army.

He was also somewhat reluctant to part with it.

Gao Yuan said:

"Don't act like a child. Do you know why His Majesty transferred you all to the Imperial Guard?"

Li Rusong said:
"Is it a rumor about rebuilding the Privy Council?"

Gao Yuan was considered a mid-to-high-ranking officer in the new Beijing garrison, so the information he had access to was naturally of a higher level than that of Li Rusong.

He nodded and said:
"Rebuilding the Privy Council is still a long way off, but since you have submitted your memorials and His Majesty has transferred you to the Imperial Guard, you will inevitably have many opportunities to be consulted by His Majesty on military affairs in the future."

Li Rusong nodded emphatically.

The Ministry of War studied Li Rusong's strategic plan for a long time but could not find any flaws, and two high-ranking officials on the frontier submitted memorials to support it.

This demonstrates that officers who graduated from military academies possess excellent military skills.

At such times, the emperor would inevitably have them advise him on military and political matters.

The background of a military supervisor is a huge advantage.

This group of military academy students were all nobles and sons of military families who shared the fate of the nation, and their loyalty was beyond question.

The head of the Military Academy was the emperor himself, and these students of the Military Academy were theoretically all disciples of the emperor.

They were completely at odds with the civil officials of the outer court, yet they were also professional military talents.

The emperor brought them to his side so that he could hear different perspectives on military matters in the future.

Gao Yuan patted Li Rusong on the shoulder and said:

"His Majesty's trust is hard-won, but once you're in the Imperial Guard, you must still be careful with your words and actions."

Li Rusong nodded hurriedly. He knew that this memorial had not been easy to pass, and that a military officer's current status was not enough to compete with a civil official.

If it weren't for Su Ze's help, they would have been killed by Ke Dao long ago.

The Ministry of War also oversees the new army in the capital, and many officials in the Ministry of War are probably watching them closely, waiting for them to make a mistake.

Li Rusong was not arrogant enough to think that he could easily influence the court's military decisions.

These officers served as a reference for the emperor, someone who could listen to the officers' voices when problems arose.

Seeing that Li Rusong's attitude was correct, Gao Yuan was finally relieved.

Gao Yuan sighed:
"It's a pity I'm too old. If I were ten years younger, I would like to study at the Military Academy."

"Well done, you're from the Military Academy!"

Li Rusong was very proud to receive such high praise from these battle-hardened officers.

Knowing that his former subordinate had a bright future, Gao Yuan organized a farewell party for him in the army, and personally escorted Li Rusong to the Imperial Guard camp on the day of the report.

"Li Banzheng!"

Before even stepping into the Imperial Guard barracks, Li Rusong heard a familiar voice. Turning around, he saw Liu Jinchen, who had drafted the memorial with him.

"Brother Liu!"

Liu Jinchen bowed to Li Rusong:
"If it weren't for Li Banzheng leading me to submit the petition, I wouldn't have received such a great reward! My father praised me so highly this time; I've never been praised like this in my entire life!"

Li Rusong knew that Liu Jinchen was the heir of the Earl of Chengyi. The Earl of Chengyi had finally regained his title, so he was very strict with the education of his successor.

The Earl of Chengyi was also a nobleman, and he understood the deeper meaning behind the emperor's commendation, so he was naturally very satisfied with his son.

For nobles, these rewards and official positions were secondary, since Liu Jinchen would inherit the title of Earl of Chengyi in the future anyway.

The most important thing is to be able to strategize military plans by the emperor's side; this is the most important thing for a nobleman!
What are the nobles fighting for? Isn't it the emperor's trust and favor?

Liu Jinchen suddenly said:

"By the way, is Li Banzheng married?"

"what?"

"Well, I have a younger sister who isn't married yet."

Seeing Li Rusong staring at him, Liu Jinchen quickly said:
“Li Banzheng, my sister doesn’t look like me, she looks like my mother.”

Li Rusong was indeed not engaged, but he knew he was being watched by many people, so he quickly said:

"Such an important matter should be decided by Father."

Liu Jinchen said repeatedly:
"Yes, yes, this matter still needs your father's decision. If Li Banzheng is not engaged, my father will send someone to Liaodong."

Li Rusong suddenly felt a bit overwhelmed; it seemed that showing off wasn't all good.

"Li Banzheng".

Li Rusong looked up and saw a familiar figure. After a while, he remembered that it was Mu Changyou, who had briefly studied at the Martial Arts Academy.

Influenced by Zhu Shikun, Li Rusong also had no good feelings towards this "deserter" from the military academy.

Mu Changyou didn't finish his studies at the Military Academy, but he managed to get himself into the Imperial Guard. Naturally, people with formal training wouldn't respect him.

However, since they would become colleagues in the future, and Mu Changyou was the younger brother of the current Duke of Qian, he was not someone Li Rusong could easily offend, so he bowed respectfully.

Mu Changyou also put on a warm demeanor, and he enthusiastically pulled Li Rusong aside, saying:
Is Li Banzheng married?

?

Li Rusong never imagined that this kind of marriage proposal would happen to him. He had just been transferred to the Imperial Guard and was already involved in two marriage proposals.

Mu Changyou said with a smile:

“I have a younger sister, who is my brother’s twin sister.”

Good heavens, this is the younger brother of the current Duke of Qian, and can be considered the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Qian's family!
Unlike the newly restored Marquis of Chengyi, the Duke of Qian, though far away in Yunnan, is a super-rank duke of the Ming Dynasty, and his marriages are all with meritorious nobles and important officials.

But for some reason, seeing Mu Changyou's smiling face always made Li Rusong feel somewhat resistant. He used the same excuse:

"Such an important matter should be decided by my father."

Mu Changyou nodded and said:
"That's right, that's right. We've already sent someone to the Northeast from home."

Li Rusong never expected that his memorial would become a coveted marriage proposal among nobles.

Then several other sons of meritorious officials came to him, all saying that they had women of marriageable age in their families, but Li Rusong used the same rhetoric to deflect them all.

It wasn't just Li Rusong himself; all the military officers transferred to the Imperial Guard this time who were unmarried were being asked about marriage, many of whom were people they would never have been able to marry before.

Many people couldn't resist and agreed immediately. One of the fastest, a son of a hereditary soldier from the Beijing Garrison, had even set a wedding date.

Let his father worry about this; Li Rusong diligently began his work as a member of the Imperial Guard.
-
As the sixth year of the Longqing reign drew to a close, and all government offices began to be sealed and locked, the Grand Secretariat finally began preparing for a holiday.

The five departments under Su Ze's command of the Secretariat and the Chancellery have finally reached the time for a holiday.

On the 24th day of the twelfth lunar month, Su Ze was at his busiest before the new year. He summoned the head of the fifth household and began to handle the last of the miscellaneous tasks.

First, Luo Wanhua reported:

"Your Excellency, the dormitory buildings under the Secretariat have been completed and handed over to residents before the new year. However, there are still a few extra units?"

To facilitate the work of the five departments under the Secretariat and Chancellery, the emperor specially designated a piece of land near the Forbidden City to build affordable dormitory buildings for them.

With the development of construction technology, coupled with the construction of cement plants and new brick kilns, the construction cycle of new-style earthen buildings has been further shortened, and the cost of earthen buildings has become increasingly cheaper.

Nowadays, various government departments are trying to build their own low-rent dormitory buildings, which can be seen as a way for them to win over the hearts and minds of the people.

Su Ze said:

“We’ve taken over the territory of the Secretariat and the Six Ministries. Luo Kongmu, go and ask around. If there are any officials in the Secretariat and the Six Ministries who are poor and live far away, register them.”

Everyone looked at Su Ze, thinking that Su Ze and the Sixth Division had a bad relationship, but they didn't expect that he would actually bring the Sixth Division to the room allocation.

As a supervisory body, the Six Ministries and the Censorate would naturally not build a building for themselves.

The Sixth Division, in particular, has a lot of power, but too few people and a small budget.

Many officials in the imperial examination system were indeed poor.

However, since Su Ze had already spoken, Luo Wanhua naturally agreed.

Song Zhihan, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Personnel, also reported:
"A few days ago, Chief Minister Gao asked our staff to draft a list of candidates for vacancy, but the Ministry of Personnel was not very cooperative, saying that the 'Documents of Deeds' were a secret of the court and that they would not let us look at them."

The "Documents of Deeds" are the official resumes. The cabinet has the power to appoint and dismiss officials below the seventh rank, but there are too many officials below the seventh rank, and it is impossible for the cabinet elders to appoint them one by one.

Therefore, the Ministry of Personnel was responsible for drafting the list and attaching a brief assessment report for the Grand Secretaries to refer to.

The problems reported by Song Zhihan gave Su Ze a headache. Su Ze naturally knew why the Ministry of Personnel was not cooperating.

But reporting such a trivial matter to the Grand Secretaries would make the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery appear incompetent.

(End of this chapter)