My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 479 The Wind Blows Again Over Yumen Pass

March.

Li Ji handed over the case at hand to Zhang Shu, another official in the Ministry of War, and then, led by Zhang Siwei, a civil official in the Ministry of Personnel, went to the Ministry of War to report.

The official in charge of selecting officials was very humble and kept trying to get close to Li Ji along the way.

However, Li Ji felt that this Zhang Xuanlang seemed to be probing into his relationship with Su Ze.

“Master Li,” Zhang Siwei broke the silence first, his voice gentle, as if chatting casually:

"Today is a bright and sunny day, a perfect day for taking office. In fact, this promotion is well-deserved. Brother Li was known for his practical skills and willingness to take on responsibilities when he was in the Ministry of War, which His Majesty and the Ministry of Personnel have both noticed."

Li Ji bowed slightly, maintaining a cautious respect: "Zhang Langzhong is too kind. I am merely doing my duty and dare not claim credit. This promotion is entirely due to the Emperor's boundless grace and the impartial selection of officials such as Minister Yang and Zhang Langzhong of the Ministry of Personnel. I can only repay this debt by working diligently and conscientiously."

Li Ji had served in the Six Ministries for many years and was no longer a newcomer to officialdom. He knew that the current situation in the court was complex, and since he had just been promoted, he could not afford to leave any ammunition against him.

Zhang Siwei's eyes flickered slightly, his steps slowed a little, and he lifted his head as if by accident:
“Brother Li is too modest. In the court, who doesn’t know that you are a model of ‘sincere dedication’? It’s quite a coincidence that Inspector Su also seems to have a high opinion of you. It’s said that Inspector Su strongly recommended you to Minister Yang for your entry into such a crucial position as the Military Selection Department.”

He deliberately emphasized the words "Prosecutor Su" and "strongly recommended," his gaze seemingly casually falling on Li Ji's face, but actually capturing Li Ji's most subtle reactions.

Li Ji felt a slight tremor in his heart as he thought of some rumors circulating in the capital.

The man before him, Zhang Siwei, was a disciple of Gao Gong, just like Su Ze, but the two were vying for the position of Gao Gong's political successor.

It seems that Zhang Siwei's closeness to him was motivated by a desire to gather information about the "Soviet Party" and was a deliberate attempt to extract information from him.

Zhang Siwei analyzed the current situation and concluded that, given Su Ze's standing with the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Grand Secretaries, it was virtually impossible to bring him down.

Moreover, Su Ze was extremely cautious in his official duties, and his clan had dwindled, with no relatives who committed wrongdoing.

Su Ze's wife, Zhao, was a low-key person, but she came from a scholarly family and was dignified and proper. She was very popular among the noble ladies in the capital.

Even when they tried to attack Su Ze by targeting his family, they couldn't find a point of attack.

Since neither Su Ze himself nor his family have any points of attack, the only option is to start with the "Su Party".

Zhang Siwei was close to Li Ji because he wanted to find out about the Soviet Party from Li Ji.

After all, Li Ji had just been promoted and was in a state of arrogance.

Li Ji's heart tightened suddenly. Sure enough, they've come! The words "Su Party" were both an aid to his official career and a constraint on him.

Zhang Siwei, after all, was under the same tutelage as Su Ze, so he came up here merely to test the waters.

If they encounter forces hostile to Su Ze, they will immediately suppress him.

This is something that will inevitably happen after taking sides.

Li Ji remained composed, revealing just the right amount of confusion and a hint of humble bewilderment:

"Chief Prosecutor Su?" Li Ji frowned slightly, his tone filled with genuine confusion and gratitude.

“Prosecutor Su is a pillar of the court and a key figure in the nation, busy with countless affairs of state. How could I, a mere lowly official, possibly be worthy of Prosecutor Su’s attention?”

"As for the claim of 'strong recommendation'... I, Li, am truly apprehensive and dare not presume to guess the superior's intentions. Perhaps it is because when I was in the Sixth Section, I handled several document summaries from the Ministry of War and the General Staff Department quite diligently, with few oversights, and that happened to catch the eye of Prosecutor Su?"

Seeing Li Ji feign ignorance, Zhang Siwei thought to himself that these "Su Party" members were just as hypocritical and cunning as Su Ze.

As a civil official, he naturally knew that it was Su Ze who sent someone to speak to Yang Sizhong, the Minister of Personnel, that allowed Li Ji to be included in the list of candidates for promotion.

Li Ji denied his relationship with Su Ze and attributed the credit to the emperor and the Ministry of Personnel, speaking in a righteous and eloquent manner.

However, Li Ji's words also revealed his respect for Su Ze.

However, the "gratitude" towards Su Ze was only expressed as admiration for his "keen insight" and "mentoring of younger officials" style of governance, avoiding the claim of "forming private cliques".

As Zhang Siwei listened, his smile remained gentle, but a hint of disappointment and a deeper curiosity flickered in the depths of his eyes.

Li Ji's answer was too "proper," so proper it sounded like he was reciting a memorized text, interpreting Su Ze's actions entirely as an appreciation based on official performance, without any factional bias.

This either shows that Li Ji is extremely shrewd, or... he really is as ignorant as he appears to be about the so-called "Soviet Party's" inner workings?
Zhang Siwei denied the latter speculation. The position of Assistant Director of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War was an important position that many people would do their best to obtain, with power no less than that of the Provincial Governor.

Did Su Ze really use his connections with the Minister of Personnel to promote talented individuals?

Zhang Siwei didn't believe such a thing; he could only conclude that Li Ji was extremely cunning.

Birds of a feather!
In Zhang Siwei's eyes, Su Ze was also that kind of person—deeply scheming, hypocritical, and cunning, yet pretending to be selfless and devoted to the public good.

Birds of a feather flock together!
When the test failed, Zhang Siwei decisively gave up, and the two, each with their own thoughts, continued walking towards the Ministry of War.

Upon arriving at the Ministry of War, Zhang Siwei did not continue to probe but quickly completed the procedures.

The Ministry of War seemed to have important matters to attend to, and since there was no Vice Minister in charge at the Ministry, Li Ji's superior, Shen Shixing, the Director of the Military Selection Department, took over Li Ji on behalf of the Ministry of War.

After the handover was completed, Zhang Siwei did not exchange many pleasantries with Shen Shixing, Zhang Juzheng's top disciple, and hurriedly left, citing busy affairs of the Ministry of Personnel.

Li Ji finally breathed a sigh of relief after Zhang Siwei left.

There's no way around it; dealing with someone as intelligent as Zhang Siwei is just too exhausting.

Next is Shenshi (3-5 PM).

Shen Shixing was genuinely enthusiastic towards Li Ji.

He pulled Li Ji aside and said:

"I had long heard of Li Yuanwailang's great reputation for military affairs, and Zilin even praised him as a pragmatic minister who was knowledgeable in military matters."

Upon hearing Shen Shixing mention Su Ze, Li Ji immediately said:

"I also can't understand how I could have caught the eye of Inspector Su and been suddenly promoted to the Ministry of War. I am truly terrified."

Faced with Shen Shixing, a key member of the "Su Party," Li Ji quickly revealed his identity and attributed his promotion to Su Ze.

Shen Shixing was well-informed and naturally knew the reason for Li Ji's promotion.

Since it was recommended by Brother Zilin, he was naturally considered "one of us," so we became much more cordial upon meeting.

Shen Shixing, as the leader, was just about to take Li Ji to visit various departments and get to know some familiar faces when he heard a clerk report that Wang Chonggu, the Minister of War, had summoned officials of the rank of Assistant Minister and above to a meeting at the Jietang Hall.

Shen Shixing smiled and said:
"That saves us trouble. Li Yuanwailang, let's go straight to Jietang."

Li Ji never expected that he would encounter such a grand meeting so soon after arriving at the Ministry of War.

Has some urgent military situation occurred?

Guangxi? Northeast? Or Northwest?

Li Ji, filled with questions, arrived at the Hall of State Affairs, where the Ministry of War held its meetings. Shen Shixing then led Li Ji to meet Wang Chonggu, the Minister of War. Wang Chonggu offered a few words of encouragement, and Shen Shixing subsequently took Li Ji to meet the other officials and assistant ministers from various departments.

Li Ji had served as a censor in the Ministry of War for many years, so he was already a familiar face in the Ministry of War and it didn't take much effort to get acquainted with him.

Once everyone had arrived, Shen Shixing stopped socializing and pulled Li Ji to sit down near Wang Chonggu.

Li Ji originally wanted to sit at the end of the table, but Shen Shixing pulled him to sit next to him.

The Ministry of War currently has only one Vice Minister, and the Governor-General of Jiliao, Tan Lun, is not in the capital.

Therefore, when arranging the seating order, Shen Shixing, the Assistant Director of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War, was placed right next to Wang Chonggu, the Minister of War.

Logically, the Assistant Minister should have sat at the end of the table, but Shen Shixing insisted on sitting with a group of doctors without showing any displeasure.

This also shows that Shen Shixing had a high prestige in the Ministry of War. The fact that the deputy of the Military Selection Division could be ranked on the same level as the heads of other divisions also demonstrates the power of the Military Selection Division in the Ministry of War.

Is this the difference between having someone to protect you and not having anyone to protect you?

Li Ji was almost in tears. When he was an official, he was not only targeted by others, but he also had no benefactors to promote him. He had to rely on his own efforts to achieve results step by step in order to gain the recognition of his superiors and colleagues.

Things have never gone so smoothly.

Minister of War Wang Chonggu was an impatient man. After everyone was seated, he immediately said:

"Urgent dispatch from Jiayuguan!"

"The chieftain of the Wushen tribe, Nalibulai, personally led his iron cavalry and captured three cities of Huozhe in ten days!"

"The recent discussion on border defense and coastal defense was disrupted by Su Ze's theory of taking both into account."

"A great opportunity is at hand, but the Grand Secretaries are debating whether to send troops to take over the territory conquered by the Wushen tribe."

"This matter is no longer a simple military or political issue. His Majesty has instructed all ministries to discuss and submit their opinions in a memorial. What suggestions should our Ministry of War offer?"

Upon hearing this news, everyone was in an uproar.

Liu Bing's "Yelü Dashi" plan once sparked discussion in the capital, and even major newspapers competed to report on it for a while.

However, at the time, neither the General Staff nor the Ministry of War were optimistic about this plan.

The Wushen tribe was not a powerful military force; it was easily defeated by Qi Jiguang back then.

The Firemen have been operating in the Western Regions for generations and have always been the biggest threat to the Western Frontier.

Therefore, at that time everyone felt that Liu Bing's so-called "Yelü Dashi" plan was nothing more than a futile attempt to defeat a formidable opponent.

The goal was to incite the Wushen tribe and the Huozhe to fight each other, thus weakening the Wushen people.

However, the result was that after the Wushen people left Jiayuguan, they were unstoppable and had broken out of the Hexi Corridor, completely invading the Western Regions!
Military Selection Officer Shen Shixing took the intelligence report and read it aloud:
"On the fifteenth of last month, the Wushen tribe, under the banner of 'protecting the law and exterminating evil,' sent two thousand elite cavalry across the Jade Gate at night. Their vanguard, armed with muskets gifted by the Ming Dynasty, arrayed themselves and fired in unison. The 'Tiger Thorn Red' personal guard in front of the black tent of the fire-wielding general Ma Mahei was all killed in the smoke of battle."

At this moment, Dai Xu, the chief of the Department of Military Affairs, said:
"How strange! Nomadic tribes are known for their fierce fighting in open battles, but their sieges are as easy as cutting flesh with a dull knife. How did the Wushen tribe acquire such skill?"

Shen Shixing continued reading:
"Afterwards, the garrison commander of Jiayuguan sent people to investigate and gathered the remnants of the fire-wielding soldiers for questioning, thus reconstructing the course of the war."

"Yumen Pass has long been abandoned. The firefighters hastily built a city, only reinforcing the walls of the ruined pass."

"The Wushen tribe adopted Liu Bing's plan and concentrated their use of gunpowder to break through the pass in one fell swoop."

"In addition, the Wushen chieftain Nalibulai hung the captured tiger-thorned red-gold helmet on the tip of his spear and proclaimed along the way that 'those who destroy Buddhism will be punished by heaven.' He said that the fire people persecuted heretics and plundered Buddhists, and since there were many devout Buddhist cities in the Hexi Corridor, Buddhist believers along the way voluntarily opened their cities to offer grain, so that the Wushen had no worries about the rear."

Everyone nodded; this made sense.

However, the fighting strength of the Wushen tribe still surprised everyone. If they had known that the Firemen were paper tigers, the Ming Dynasty would have just gone to fight them themselves.

Shen Shixing said again:

"The Wushen tribe was small in number and lacked strength, so Liu Bing sent someone to contact the garrison commander of Jiayuguan, asking our Ming Dynasty to take over the territory conquered by the Wushen tribe in exchange for gunpowder and weapons."

"This matter has sparked another debate within the court."

Shen Shixing paused and said:

"The General Staff produced a battle plan, requesting the court to rebuild the two ancient passes of Yumen and Yangguan, and push the Ming Dynasty's defensive line to Dunhuang."

"His Majesty has instructed the Ministry of War to verify its feasibility. All of you may raise any ideas you may have now, and they will be compiled into a departmental proposal and sent to the Cabinet."

Strengthening the ministerial council was also a political reform implemented by Su Ze after he took control of the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery.

The original memorials submitted by the Ming Dynasty were mainly personal memorials.

The memorials submitted by relevant departments were usually written by the head of the department.

This kind of official document is clearly rather casual and influenced by personal emotions.

Individual proposals are often not comprehensive.

Therefore, after Su Ze took control of the five departments of the Secretariat and Chancellery, he began to guide the various government offices to submit memorials through departmental discussions.

A departmental meeting is a memorial submitted after a department has reached a consensus, and then the entire department signs it, affixes the department's official seal, and sends it out.

This is primarily the result of collective wisdom and effort, making all content more complete.

Secondly, if the department that submits the memorial can form a departmental agreement, then there is also a consensus within the department. Since the matter has been fully discussed, the difficulty of implementation is also low.

The Six Ministries and Nine Ministers in the capital soon discovered that departmental opinions carried more weight than individual memorials. After all, they represented the opinions of a department, and the emperor and the Grand Secretaries had to consider them, or at least not completely reject them.

Furthermore, since the opinions of the departments are collective, the probability of saying something wrong is very low. Moreover, since it is the opinion of a department, even if something is said, the emperor is unlikely to demote someone from that department.

Therefore, when faced with important political matters, the Six Ministries and Nine Ministers in the capital would hold meetings to reach a consensus before making any decisions.

Shen Shixing said again:

"The main point of contention between the court and the government is the issue of abandoning Dunhuang last time."

As the top scholar, Shen Shixing also had an excellent memory, and he spoke directly without a script:

"In the eighth year of the Hongzhi reign, our Great Ming Dynasty achieved a victory in the conquest of Hami and also recovered Dunhuang."

"However, the Hami rebels rose up again. Although they were defeated by our Great Ming, the Western Regions are never at peace."

"In the eighteenth year of the previous emperor's reign, the court closed Jiayuguan again, and Dunhuang was abandoned once more."

"Dunhuang has been restored and abandoned twice. Should we still establish a city there? The Grand Secretaries are all hesitant."

(End of this chapter)