My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 457 The Elders' Methods

Yan Yonghe waved the copy in his hand and said:
"As Su Jianzheng stated in his memorial, this General Staff Headquarters is an advisory body, only responsible for formulating plans and establishing training routines."

Li Ji immediately said:

"This is an infringement upon the authority of the Ministry of War! This is condoning military officers' interference in politics!"

Yan Yonghe suddenly straightened his face and said:
"Li, the Censor! Which law in our dynasty forbids military officers from interfering in military and political affairs?"

Li Ji's newly built-up momentum dissipated once again.

The prohibition against military officers interfering in military and political affairs is a tacit understanding among civil officials.

Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang would naturally not compile laws to prevent military generals from interfering in politics; during Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, those in charge of military and political affairs were all military generals.

Li Ji glared at Yan Yonghe and said:
"Yan, the Censor, is asking a question he already knows the answer to!"

Yan Yonghe was too lazy to get entangled in this matter. Debating is just a pointless battle that won't yield any results.

All we need to do is suppress Li Ji's momentum.

Yan Yonghe ignored Li Ji and continued:
"Infringement of departmental authority? According to Su Jianzheng's memorial, the Ministry of War's authority is greater than before. So what departmental authority is being infringed?"

Li Ji's face flushed red. In terms of debating skills, he really couldn't compare to Yan Yonghe.

At this moment, he also regretted it. When he came in today, he saw Yan Yonghe trying to run away. He could have pretended not to see it, but he inexplicably went up to stop Yan Yonghe and forced him to make a statement.

As a result, the officials present all had shifty eyes, clearly wavering.

Yan Yonghe did not press his advantage.

He said:
"May I ask a question? His Majesty has already deployed military officers from the Imperial Guard to guard the palace. If His Majesty inquires about military affairs from them, what can the outer court do?"

"Are military supervisors not allowed to guard the palace?"

Everyone was silent.

The emperor assigns military officers to guard the borders; what right do the civil officials of the outer court have to question this? Isn't this tantamount to rebellion?

As Yan Yonghe said, if the emperor asked the military generals around him about military affairs, these civil officials in the outer court would have no way to do anything about it.

Yan Yonghe said:
"Prosecutor Su has submitted a memorial to His Majesty, clarifying the responsibilities of the General Staff Department, which also defines the duties of these military officers. If they overstep their authority and interfere in politics, we can naturally submit a memorial to impeach them!"

"Prosecutor Su's move puts everything under the sun, which actually makes it easier for the outside world to supervise!"

"Isn't this a good thing?"

The officials present all fell silent.

Even Li Ji couldn't find a way to refute it.

After dealing with Li Ji, Yan Yonghe said:
"Gentlemen, the most important duty of us Six Ministries Censors is to impeach and punish, not to oppose every major policy of the court in order to gain prominence and show off."

"Prosecutor Su's proposal is for the sake of the great affairs of the court, and is not a private matter for one's own family."

"Everyone should refrain from blindly submitting memorials of opposition, lest they delay the court's important policies."

After Yan Yonghe finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and said:
"I am feeling unwell and will return home to recuperate."

After saying this, Yan Yonghe, despite his "illness," left the Sixth Department.

The officials had already received favors from the allocation of rooms, so they couldn't very well start threatening to kill Su Ze after the New Year.

With Yan Yonghe's explanation, everyone dispersed.

Li Ji and Zhang Shu, two censors from the Ministry of War, stood still, and Zhang Shu also began to consider resigning.

“What Li and Yan said makes sense. Since the Grand Secretaries are not objecting at this time, it would be better for us to wait for the Ministry of War to submit its memorial before we rashly jump out to object.”

Li Ji clenched his fists, knowing that the situation was hopeless.

If only a few officials submit memorials, they cannot create a significant impact and will hardly affect the government.

Moreover, the law does not punish the masses. If everyone opposes together, the emperor cannot punish all six departments, as that would cause an even greater political upheaval.

But if only a small group of people oppose it, then it is much easier to target that small group.

Zhang Shu was just reminding Li Ji.

After the reform of the Examination and Assessment Law, the examination records for the six subjects were all in the hands of the Cabinet.

Offending the emperor might result in a beating in court, but it could also earn you a good reputation among scholars.

However, if you offend the Grand Secretaries and they hold a grudge, they will give you a low evaluation in the examination book, and you will be transferred out of the Six Ministries.

Su Ze was the fifth secretary of the Grand Secretariat, and was the most trusted confidant of the Grand Secretaries. If only Li Ji had stepped forward, it would have been too easy to target him.

After hesitating for a long time, Li Ji finally said:
"Let's see what the Ministry of War has to say first!"
-
Ministry of War.

Minister of War Cao Bangfu was much more resolute than the Six Ministries.

There's no way around it. Su Ze may seem to have increased the power of the Ministry of War, but in reality, he has taken away both command and decision-making authority. Wouldn't the Ministry of War eventually become an executive body that accepts orders from the inner court and the General Staff?
Isn't this going against the Heavenly Spirits?
To demonstrate his resolute resistance, Minister of War Cao Bangfu submitted a memorial to the emperor requesting to resign.

In addition to Cao Bangfu, two other officials from the Ministry of War's Department of Personnel and five other officials from the Department of Military Affairs also submitted their resignations.

The Gao Gong cabinet was also furious after learning that the Ministry of War had threatened to resign.

The Ministry of War's refusal to take responsibility is tantamount to putting pressure on the emperor and the cabinet.

However, the Ministry of War has many affairs to attend to. With so many officials resigning at this time, and supplies to the Northeast and Guangxi still needing to be transported, the paralysis of these tasks would have a huge impact on the court.

Gao Gong, with a cold face, convened a meeting of cabinet ministers.

"With the Minister of War resigning, the Ministry of War's military administration is nearly paralyzed. What are your thoughts, Grand Secretaries?"

The Ministry of War's actions were naturally seen as a provocation against the cabinet's power.

Gao Gong was a powerful Grand Secretary, and Cao Bangfu's way of protesting was indeed somewhat disregarding the overall situation.

As the number one critic of the Ministry of War, Zhao Zhenji was the first to jump out and say:
"The Ministry of War is using state power to coerce His Majesty!"

"In my opinion, we should agree with Cao Bangfu's resignation!"

Zhao Zhenji had a long-standing feud with the Ministry of War, so there was no problem with him saying that.

However, Gao Gong did not directly agree with Zhao Zhenji's opinion.

It is easy to dismiss a Minister of War, but difficult to find a suitable successor.

To have enough prestige to support the affairs of the Ministry of War, and to ensure its operation under such circumstances, is naturally extremely difficult.

This is why Cao Bangfu, the Minister of War, dared to threaten to resign.

Gao Gong was also very troubled by this.

He never expected that Cao Bangfu would be so disregard for the overall situation, resorting to threatening to paralyze the Ministry of War.

At that moment, Zhang Juzheng, the Second Grand Secretary, suddenly said:
"Grand Secretary, the Ministry of War will be burdened with heavy affairs after the New Year and cannot be left without a leader."

“Shen Shixing, the Assistant Director of the Military Selection Office, is steady and capable. He can be temporarily appointed to handle the affairs of the Ministry of War.”

Old fox.

Gao Gong glanced at Zhang Juzheng. Shen Shixing was his disciple, yet Zhang Juzheng could recommend him so openly and without any hesitation.

Chaos is the ladder to progress.

The position of Director of the Military Selection Division of the Ministry of War is only one rank lower than that of the Vice Minister of War, who concurrently manages the affairs of the Ministry, but the official rank is much lower.

The position of Director of the Military Selection Office is a fifth-rank official, and the position of Vice Minister of the Ministry of War is a third-rank official. Normally, one would need to transition to one or two fourth-rank positions.

Zhang Juzheng allowed Shen Shixing to concurrently manage the Ministry of War, even if only for a short period of time. As long as Shen Shixing could maintain the Ministry of War without any mishaps, it would be a very impressive career achievement.

Once the chaos in the Ministry of War subsides, Zhang Juzheng can rightfully propose that Shen Shixing be promoted.

However, Gao Gong had no reason to refuse Zhang Juzheng's proposal. The cabinet needed to demonstrate that it was not coerced by Cao Bangfu, and that it needed to take action.

Maintaining the operation of the Ministry of War was a way of putting pressure on Cao Bangfu and others, demonstrating that the Ministry of War could function even without them.

Shen Shixing, who has served as a military selection officer in the Ministry of War for nearly a year and enjoys high prestige within the ministry, is currently the best candidate.

Gao Gong nodded in agreement, and Zhao Zhenji did not object. Thus, the decision was made to temporarily appoint Shen Shixing, the Military Selection Officer, to manage the affairs of the Ministry of War.

After the cabinet meeting adjourned, Gao Gong returned home.

"Sir, Commander Wang has come to pay his respects again."

The old servant in Gao Gong's household had served Gao Gong for thirty years and was known for his steady and cautious manner.

After Gao Gong became the Grand Secretary, he rarely met with outsiders in private, and this old servant blocked many high-ranking officials and dignitaries from meeting him.

But the person who made him report to Gao Gong was naturally no ordinary person.

Wang Qian, a commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, was an ordinary official in the capital.

However, his father was Wang Chonggu, the Vice Minister of War and Governor-General of Xuanfu and Datong.

After the chaos in the Ministry of War, Wang Qian, who was in the capital, frequently visited the residences of important officials, and he also visited his own residence three times.

Gao Gong had refused to see him on the previous two occasions, but today Gao Gong changed his mind.

"Have Wang Qian come to see me in the side hall."

Gao Gong did not go to see Wang Qian immediately. Instead, he changed into casual clothes and then slowly made his way to the side hall.

Upon seeing Gao Gong, Wang Qian immediately bowed in greeting.

Gao Gong nodded slightly, and after the old servant served tea and left, he said to Wang Qian:

"Commander Wang, you've come to deliver a message from your father, haven't you?"

Wang Qian smiled broadly and said:
"Your Excellency, I have come to pay my respects on my father's orders."

After saying that, Wang Qian reached for his sleeve.

Gao Gong looked unwell and stopped Wang Qian's actions with a cough.

Wang Chonggu and Gao Gong were political allies. When Anda invaded, Gao Gong supported Wang Chonggu and Qi Jiguang, which led to their victory.

The matter of bestowing tribute was also accomplished with the strong cooperation of Wang Chonggu, the Governor-General of Xuanda.

Wang Chonggu was a civil official who commanded troops and was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), but his children were not good at studying.

Wang Qian, thanks to Wang Chonggu's merits, was granted the position of commander of the Imperial Guard.

Wang Qian usually associated with low- to mid-level officials and had a strong sense of江湖 (jianghu, a term referring to the world of martial arts and江湖义气, a code of honor among江湖 people). He would immediately reach out and offer his services, which Gao Gong disliked very much.

Gao Gong naturally understood what Wang Chonggu meant by sending his son over.

News of the chaos within the Ministry of War must have already reached Xuanfu.

Wang Chonggu has been stationed at the Nine Garrisons for many years, and his achievements are sufficient. He is now only one step away from becoming the Minister of War, one of the Nine Ministers.

When the previous Minister of War, Huo Ji, retired, he recommended Cao Bangfu in his resignation letter, and Wang Chonggu lost the competition.

Seeing this opportunity, Wang Chonggu decided he had to seize it.

The reason is simple: the Ministry of War has more than just him as a vice minister.

Tan Lun, the Governor-General of Jiliao, was also the Vice Minister of War.

Tan Lun had the merit of assisting Hu Zongxian in quelling the Japanese pirates, and also had military achievements in supervising the construction of the Tongliao Fortress and suppressing the Khorchin tribe during his tenure as Governor-General of Jiliao.

More importantly, the last time Tan Lun led the petition in support of Su Ze, Wang Chonggu also quickly submitted a petition in support of Su Ze, but ultimately he was a step behind Tan Lun.

Wang Chonggu was well-informed. Su Ze had submitted a memorial to exonerate Hu Zongxian, and one of his trusted advisors, Xu Wei, was a former subordinate of Hu Zongxian.

Su Ze also recommended Qi Jiguang, who was also a former subordinate of Hu Zongxian.

Wang Chonggu believed that although the relationship between Su Ze and Hu Zongxian's former subordinates was concealed, he had still managed to see through it.

Given this relationship, if I don't work harder, Tan Lun should become the Minister of War.

I wouldn't have had the chance then.

Therefore, when Wang Chonggu submitted a memorial to support Su Ze and showed goodwill to Su Ze, he sent his son to the capital to lobby for his return to the capital during the recent chaos in the Ministry of War.

Gao Gong was also weighing the options.

He was dissatisfied with Cao Bangfu's lack of understanding of the big picture, but he also acknowledged that Cao Bangfu had made contributions in managing the Ministry of War over the years.

Wang Chonggu presided over the Xuanda border trade, stabilizing the northwestern border. This was a major political achievement of Gao Gong's rule. Naturally, Gao Gong was also worried that the situation would change if Wang Chonggu left Xuanda, which is why he delayed letting him return to the capital.

But the situation has changed now.

Zhang Juzheng recommended Shen Shixing to temporarily manage the Ministry of War, and it was imperative to quickly appoint a new Minister of War.

After deciding on his idea, Gao Gong said to Wang Qian:
"Go and inform your father to prepare for the handover of military affairs."

Even the dull-witted Wang Qian was overjoyed to hear this!

He quickly said to Gao Gong:

"Thank you so much, Your Excellency! You have allowed my son and me to be reunited in the capital!"

Gao Gong waved his hand, signaling Wang Qian to leave.

Wang Qian left the Gao residence without even entering his own home, and rode directly towards Xuanfu.
-
The twenty-first day of the first lunar month.

Six subjects.

Zhang Shu, a supervising secretary in the Ministry of War, rushed in and said to Li Ji, a senior supervising secretary in the Ministry of War:

"Li, the Supervising Secretary, and Zhang, the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, have submitted a memorial requesting that Shen Shixing, the Military Selection Officer, temporarily take charge of the affairs of the Ministry of War. His Majesty has granted their request!"

Li Ji said dismissively:
"How long has Shen Shixing been at the Ministry of War? No matter how capable he is, he can only manage to keep things running at best. Can he really get the Ministry of War back to normal operation?"

Li Ji originally intended to petition the emperor to the death.

However, after being scolded by Yan Yonghe, he decided to let the Ministry of War take the lead first.

As expected, the Ministry of War reacted strongly. Minister of War Cao Bangfu threatened to resign, paralyzing the Ministry of War in order to oppose Su Ze's memorial.

Since that's the case, Li Ji no longer intends to petition the emperor to the death. He simply submits a few memorials along with those from the Ministry of War to express his stance.

Grand Secretary Zhang instructed his disciple to stabilize the situation; this was to pave the way for his disciple and would not change the current state of affairs.

Li Ji looked towards the five offices of the Secretariat and Chancellery.

The matter was clearly caused by Su Ze, but the Fifth Branch of the Secretariat was unusually quiet.

Could it be that even the esteemed Su Sanshu is nothing more than this?

Su Ze recently went all out and has been promoted from Su Ershu to Su Sanshu.

Li Ji sneered, thinking to himself, "But Su Ze is still too arrogant, actually coming up with such a radical reform plan."

"Once your golden body is broken, see how closely the officials of the censorate will watch you!"

Just then, the five departments of the Secretariat and the Chancellery suddenly stirred. Su Ze led the heads of the five departments, along with all the officials from the military department, to the scene.

Li Ji felt a sense of foreboding and quickly sent Zhang Shu over to investigate.

Zhang Shu quickly returned with the information and stammered:

"Governor-General Wang Chonggu of Xuanda has been summoned back to the capital to report on his duties. His Majesty has dispatched the Crown Prince to the city gate to welcome him!"

(End of this chapter)