Chongzhen's domineering

Chapter 3 No destruction, no construction; a balance of power
With war breaking out on all sides, how should we deal with it?
Zhu Jue seemed to be posing a difficult problem for Wei Zhongxian.

actually not.

This is the art of managing people.

Those in positions of authority must also employ effective methods to manage their subordinates.

To put it simply, it's quite simple. If you don't know what to do, just do as I say.

Wei Zhongxian was naturally at a loss. He had never been to school, let alone studied military strategy. With war raging everywhere, how could he possibly know how to handle the situation?

He could only pretend to stand there deep in thought.

Zhu Jue, however, was genuinely pondering it.

As he flipped through the memorials, he recalled his experiences in later generations and suddenly realized something.

The problem in Southeast Asia is not actually a problem, but an opportunity—an opportunity to control maritime trade and even dominate the world!

Later generations lamented that the Ming Dynasty missed a golden opportunity to dominate the world.

This is because at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, its population, economic strength, military strength, and even shipbuilding technology were unparalleled in the world.

Unfortunately, the Ming Dynasty did not choose to develop technology and control maritime trade to dominate the world. Instead, it followed the old path of feudal dynasties that prioritized agriculture over commerce.

The Ming Dynasty's two hundred years or so coincided with the nascent stage of capitalism. European countries accumulated vast amounts of primitive capital through brutal plunder, thus rising to the top of the world, while the Ming Dynasty closed itself off from the world and declined.

The Ming Dynasty still has a chance, because its population is still there and its world-leading technology is still there. It's just that the Ming emperors are not enterprising and are not good at managing the economy, which has led to a serious decline in their economic and military strength.

He could have taken full advantage of the Ming Dynasty's massive population, world-leading technology, and abundant resources to start from the ground up, gradually monopolize the world's money-making industries, and bring the Ming Dynasty back to the top of the world!

Now he is the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, with a starting point far higher than in his previous life. With his rich entrepreneurial experience, development will definitely not be a problem.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty still had a lot of resources at this time. For example, it still held a monopoly on industries such as cloth, silk, porcelain, and tea. It was just that the profits from overseas trade all ended up in the pockets of private individuals or the Zhejiang clique.

He could easily use his power as emperor to seize the profits from overseas trade.

The key to this robbery was the pirate leader Zheng Zhilong.

If Zheng Zhilong could control the situation, he could control overseas trade.

As for how to handle Zheng Zhilong, it's actually quite simple.

This fellow wants to be ennobled and bring glory to his ancestors.

He could have easily used this to get Zheng Zhilong to wipe out the other pirates, and then tricked him into coming to the capital under the pretext of granting him a title and a noble rank, effectively placing him under house arrest.

That's exactly what the Qing government did!

Whom did Zheng Zhilong send to deceive?
He thought about it carefully, then asked, "Eunuch Wei, do you know where Xiong Wencan is now?"

Xiong Wencan?
I only know Xiong Tingbi. What's Xiong Wencan?
Wei Zhongxian thought for a moment, then cautiously said, "Your Majesty, I do not know Xiong Wencan. He does not seem to hold any official position in the court."

Not in the court?

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue decisively said, "Issue an imperial decree to summon Xiong Wencan to the capital for an audience."

Alright, I don't even know this person, I'm sure I haven't offended him, so there's no harm in bringing him here.

Wei Zhongxian readily bowed and said, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

The An She Rebellion in the southwest doesn't seem to be a big problem, because historically, the An She Rebellion was quelled.

As for how the rebellion was quelled, he didn't need to consider that; he only needed to know who quelled it.

Those in positions of authority only need to identify and appoint capable people; they do not need to personally handle every matter.

Zhu Jue glanced at Zhang Heming's memorial again and then asked, "I heard that Zhu Kuiyuan, the Governor-General of the Five Southwestern Provinces and Minister of War, was almost successful in suppressing the She'an Rebellion. Why did you suddenly dismiss him?"

Someone slipped me money!

Wei Zhongxian avoided eye contact and said, "Your Majesty, Zhu Kuiyuan was in mourning for his father. It was not that I dismissed him. The Ministry of War decided that Min Mengde, the governor of Pianyuan, would take over his post. However, Min Mengde did not take office, so Zhang Heming took over his post."

Nonsense!

With the She-An Rebellion still unresolved, can the Governor-General of the five southwestern provinces and the Minister of War be arbitrarily replaced?

What virtues and abilities does Min Mengde, the governor of Pianyuan, possess?
Who exactly is Zhang Heming?

You've already promoted two high-ranking officials to the second rank, and now you've even seized military power in the southwest!

The key issue is that you seized military power in the southwest but did nothing, watching helplessly as She Chongming and An Bangyan, who were almost wiped out, rose from the ashes!
Zhu Jue coldly said, "Don't you know that war is a matter of life and death, a matter of survival or destruction? How can a leader of troops in battle have a period of mourning?"

Uh, how do I put this?

Wei Zhongxian rolled his eyes and simply said, "Your Majesty, please forgive me, this humble subject truly did not know."

It was truly absurd that Emperor Tianqi would allow a petty hoodlum to govern the vast empire of the Ming Dynasty.

This guy is all about being lawless and doing whatever he wants!

There are some things that require this guy to mess around and act recklessly, but the way to govern a country is definitely not to mess around and act recklessly.

Zhu Jue shook his head slightly, then said authoritatively, "Send a messenger with an urgent message to convey my decree: reinstate Zhu Kuiyuan as governor of the five southwestern provinces and quell the She'an Rebellion."

Well, anyway, both Min Mengde and Zhang Heming have been promoted.

Wei Zhongxian quickly cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

It should be fine to hand over the She'an Rebellion in the southwest to Zhu Kuiyuan.

If it weren't for Wei Zhongxian's reckless actions, Zhu Kuiyuan would probably have quelled the She'an Rebellion long ago.

The problems in the Northwest and Northeast became more complicated. Historically, it was the peasant uprisings in the Northwest and the invasion of the Jurchens in the Northeast that put the Ming Dynasty in a difficult position and ultimately led to its demise.

The problem in the Northwest is a major challenge. The Little Ice Age disaster will continue for decades. If the imperial court does not have enough money and grain for disaster relief, peasant uprisings in the Northwest will continue indefinitely.

Where did the Ming Dynasty court get the money and grain to provide disaster relief?

There are at least tens of millions of disaster victims in the Northwest. At present, the tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty is not enough to provide relief for a month. Even if we rob money and grain, we cannot fill this huge hole.

There is a solution, it seems that all we need to do is introduce high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes and potatoes and promote their cultivation.

However, it takes time to introduce it, it takes time to promote it, and it takes even more time to truly achieve high yields.

This process could take anywhere from a few years to more than a decade, and it simply cannot solve the immediate crisis.

It seems there are only two paths to take now: appeasement or encirclement and suppression.

Both appeasement and suppression have their advantages and disadvantages.

If we choose to appease them, then we don't need much money or food, but if we keep appeasing the rebels, the situation will definitely be complicated.

Both Li Zicheng, the rebel leader, and Zhang Xianzhong, the Eighth King, were ambitious people. Such people would never be easily appeased. Simply appeasing them would only allow them to take the opportunity to accumulate strength and grow stronger.

If we choose to encircle and suppress them, we would need to gather at least 100,000 troops. Leaving aside where these troops would come from, the cost of food and supplies alone would be a huge expense.

The key is that rebel armies can run away. Li Zicheng, the leader of the rebels, once fled into the deep mountains and forests, and his forces rose again. Suppressing them for several years was futile.

Choosing to encircle and suppress them at this time seems premature; the uprising cannot be quelled if the food problem cannot be solved.

It seems the only option is to appease them for now.

As for the rebel army's repeated ups and downs, it's not a big problem. Anyway, the rebel army will first plunder the princes and royal families. These guys won't think about attacking the capital until they've finished plundering the princes and royal families.

He could just lead the rebel army to deal with those feudal princes and royal families!
Lin Run, the censor during the Jiajing reign, was absolutely right. The most worrying and problematic issue in the world today is the problem of the imperial clan. If the problem of the imperial clan is not resolved, the Ming Dynasty will sooner or later be dragged down by these princes and members of the imperial family.

This problem has always troubled the emperors of the Ming Dynasty, and it seems that successive emperors have no way to deal with these vassal states.

The peasant uprising in the Northwest was a perfect opportunity to resolve the issue of tributary states. If the problem couldn't be solved, then the people who created it should be dealt with. Once the people who created the problem were gone, the problem would naturally disappear.

If the problem of the vassal states is difficult to solve, then let the rebel army deal with the vassal kings and their families. Without destruction, there can be no construction. When it's time to be ruthless, you have to be ruthless!

As for how to appease the rebel army, he didn't need to consider that; he only needed to consider who to send to appease them.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then asked sternly, "Do you know Yang He? Is he in the court?"

Yang He?

Xiong Tingbi was recommended by this fellow, so of course I recognize him.

However, I fired this guy for protecting Xiong Tingbi!

Wei Zhongxian's eyes darted around, and he said slyly, "Your Majesty, I know Yang He. I heard that his parents have passed away one after another, and he is currently in mourning at home."

Is he going into mourning again?
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue decisively said, "Issue an imperial decree to summon Yang He to the capital for an audience."

If this guy says bad things about me, you won't cause me any trouble, will you?
Wei Zhongxian was taken aback for a moment, but still bowed and said, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

Next is the problem in the Northeast. Liaodong is the key area. The Jin Party, which controls the Donglin Party, is in cahoots with the Jurchens. If he starts to crack down on the Donglin Party, the Donglin Party will definitely allow the Jurchens to kill people in the capital region. Even if he doesn't crack down on the Donglin Party, the Jin Party will still lead the Jurchens to invade the capital region!
He knew that in the second year of Chongzhen's reign, the Jurchens massacred people in the Ming capital region from Jizhou Town. Yuan Chonghuan was executed by being cut into pieces in that battle, and generals such as Man Gui, Zhao Shuaijiao, and Sun Zushou also died in battle. From then on, the Ming capital region became the Jurchens' backyard, and was invaded countless times. As a result, the capital region was also plagued by epidemics.

In other words, even if he didn't crack down on the Donglin Party, the Jurchens would have at most two years before they invaded the capital region. This was the most urgent matter.

He needs to find someone quickly to resist the Jurchens.

If the Jurchens were to cause a plague to spread throughout the capital region, then the Ming Dynasty would be beyond saving.

Now, who in the Ming Dynasty can resist the Jurchens?

As later generations know, there were indeed a few loyal ministers and capable generals in the Chongzhen era who were good at fighting; it's just that the historical Chongzhen Emperor was not good at recognizing and employing talent.

Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then said sternly, "Eunuch Wei, the reason why the Ming Dynasty is in turmoil is because of the incompetence of the governors and viceroys. We cannot sit idly by. Anyone who is incompetent and negligent must be dismissed and investigated. Anyone who suffers a defeat must be executed."

Uh, what does this mean by being so vague and nonsensical?
Wei Zhongxian thought for a moment, then simply clapped his hands and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

You think I just say things casually, right?
Zhu Jue nodded, then asked, "Who do you think should be sent to pacify Liaodong? How about sending Duke Ningguo, Wei Liangqing, and Marquis Dong'an, Wei Liangdong?"

what?
Liangqing is still wet behind the ears and illiterate, while Liangdong can't even walk yet. How can you send them to pacify Liaodong!
You're not planning to use this opportunity to kill them, are you?
Wei Zhongxian stammered, "Your Majesty, I have never heard of any dukes or nobles leading troops into battle. I'm afraid this will cause controversy."

There are many dukes, marquises, and nobles who lead troops into battle.

Zhu Jue feigned difficulty: "Eunuch Wei, if we don't send someone to pacify Liaodong, the Jurchens will eventually march on the capital. Who do you think we should send?"

Sigh, I even sent Wang Zhichen, but that good-for-nothing just hides in Shanhaiguan and won't budge. Who else can I send?

If the people I send are incompetent and hold their positions without doing their jobs, they will either be dismissed and investigated or executed.

This means they don't want me to send anyone to hold a position without doing any work!

Wei Zhongxian rolled his eyes and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, I will obey your will. Whoever you say to send, I will send."

You finally realized it?

I am determined to put an end to your idea of ​​interfering in Liaodong.

Liaodong cannot be allowed to be as chaotic as the southwest. If we send incompetent people there, the Jurchens might actually attack the capital.

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then asked, "Are Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangshan in court?"

Uh, who are these people?
Wei Zhongxian said somewhat awkwardly, "Your Majesty, I have never heard of such two people in the court."

These two are loyal and capable generals who are good at fighting.

Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue simply said, "Issue an imperial decree to summon Sun Chuanting and Lu Xiangshan to the capital for an audience."

Do you think these two can pacify Liaodong?
Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian repeatedly cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

Zhu Jue nodded slightly, then fell into deep thought again.

These are all immediate concerns; widespread warfare is not the fundamental problem that led to the demise of the Ming Dynasty.

The fundamental problems of the Ming Dynasty lay within. Court officials vied for power and profit, and corrupt officials ran rampant. Everyone was only concerned with their own interests, and few thought about saving the crumbling Ming Dynasty. This led to the collapse of the Ming Dynasty's economic foundation and a sharp decline in its military strength.

If he didn't find a way to develop the Ming Dynasty, even if Wei Zhongxian could seize 70 million taels, it wouldn't be enough. The tens of millions of disaster victims in the Northwest alone couldn't be solved by a mere 70 million taels. Moreover, the provisions and expenses for suppressing the Jurchens in Liaodong and the uprisings in the Northwest would be far more than that.

Furthermore, the military strength of the Ming Dynasty had also severely declined. Compared with the Hongwu Dynasty at the beginning of its reign, its strength was less than one-tenth of what it was at the beginning. With less than one-tenth of its strength, it was simply not enough to solve the problems of peasant uprisings in the Northwest and the Jurchens in the Northeast.

Economic and military strength can only be developed through industry. A country can only have a future if it develops its industry. Relying solely on making money through business is like building castles in the air. You need to have something to sell to do business, and military strength simply cannot be developed by relying solely on business.

If he wanted the Ming Dynasty to develop, he needed to build a huge industrial empire. But he couldn't build such an empire by himself; he also needed to cultivate a group of professionals.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty still had many talented people at that time, but no emperor had the ability to recognize and use them.

Another problem is that the Ming Dynasty was rotten to the core. If it continued to use the current management system to develop industry, it would not be able to develop at all. The Chongzhen reign in history is clear evidence of this. Relying on the existing government management system, the Ming Dynasty would only become more and more chaotic and worse until it perished.

Even more serious is that there are still many traitors in the Ming court who collude with the enemy and sell out the country. After he adopts the methods of later generations and develops the industry of the Ming Dynasty, the Jurchens will probably learn from him very soon. In the end, all his hard work will probably benefit others.

In other words, if he were to continue developing industry using the existing management system, it would be tantamount to suicide!

It seems that the Ming Dynasty must be destroyed before it can be rebuilt.

Since the Ming Dynasty is utterly rotten, let Wei Zhongxian fight the Donglin Party and the Qi-Chu-Zhe Party. Let these guys fight to the death, until they all perish together. Then I'll reshuffle the deck.

This won't be accomplished overnight. The Donglin Party and the Qi-Chu-Zhe Party are not to be underestimated. These guys won't just surrender. It will take at least a few years to completely deal with them.

He couldn't let the rottenness of the court hinder the development of the Ming Dynasty. During this period, he still had to create another management system to develop the Ming Dynasty. Otherwise, if the Ming Dynasty stagnated for a few more years, he would be powerless to reverse the situation.

This management system could not be associated with the outer court. He could only secretly build the inner court in the palace, create the Directorate of Works directly under the inner court, and replace the outer court to slowly develop the Ming Dynasty.

The Ming Dynasty had already entered the final stage of the feudal dynasty. If it continued to follow the old path, its demise seemed inevitable. Therefore, the creation of the inner court seemed imperative.

This not only solves the shortcomings of the existing management system and allows the inner court and outer court to stand on equal footing, but also prevents the fruits of development from being given to the Jurchens.

So, what is the Ming Dynasty in dire need of development right now, and what kind of talent is it training to build its inner court?
Gunpowder weapons definitely need to be developed. In this day and age, only the mighty can control the truth, and the truth is only within the range of cannons. Therefore, vigorously developing firearms and artillery is of paramount importance.

The Imperial Weapons Department definitely needs to be established, and the Ming Dynasty has no shortage of such talent.

Bi Maokang seems to have invented the flintlock musket, but no one paid attention to it. Therefore, the Ministry of Weapons of the Imperial Court was handed over to Bi Maokang to take charge.

There's also equipment, namely the machines for manufacturing weapons and producing various materials, which also need to be developed.

Otherwise, relying solely on handcrafting, it would be impossible to produce a large number of firearms and cannons, let alone monopolize overseas trade by producing a large quantity of goods.

The Imperial Equipment Department also needs to be established; the Ming Dynasty has no shortage of such talent.

Song Yingxing's "Tiangong Kaiwu" is an ancient encyclopedia of industry. If this person is trained, there will definitely be no problem in manufacturing equipment. The Ministry of Equipment of the Inner Court will be handed over to Song Yingxing.

There's also shipbuilding. In those days, strong ships and powerful cannons were the key to success, so the Imperial Shipbuilding Department was indispensable, and the Ming Dynasty had no shortage of talent in this area.

Wang Zheng seems to have put forward the advanced theory of self-propelled steamships. With proper training, he could easily build steamships. Therefore, the Imperial Shipyard was put in charge of Wang Zheng.

In agriculture, high-yield crops such as sweet potatoes and potatoes need to be introduced and tested as soon as possible, and raw materials such as silk and cotton should also be grown in as many varieties as possible.

If the Ming Dynasty wanted to survive the Little Ice Age and develop, it needed to establish an inner court agricultural ministry. At that time, the Ming Dynasty happened to have an agricultural expert.

Xu Guangqi was a famous agronomist in history. He was capable of being promoted without any training, so the Ministry of Agriculture in the inner court was put in charge of him.

Speaking of raw materials, mineral resources, and even timber and rubber, need to be collected by someone. The Imperial Resources Department also needs to be established, which doesn't require much professional skill.

It seems that Song Yingxing has a brother named Song Yingsheng. One is responsible for manufacturing the machines, and the other is responsible for providing the raw materials. The two work together perfectly, so the Ministry of Resources of the Inner Court was put in charge of Song Yingsheng.

Another area is trade, which also requires dedicated personnel. To control overseas trade, the Ministry of Commerce of the Imperial Court must be established, and it is not difficult to cultivate talent in this area.

Bi Maokang seems to have an elder brother, Bi Maoliang, who once served as the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue in the outer court. He should have no problem being in charge of commerce and trade. Therefore, the Ministry of Commerce in the inner court was entrusted to Bi Maoliang.

If these people are used well, why worry about the Ming Dynasty not prospering?
Zhu Jue thought for a moment, then asked, "Are Xu Guangqi, Bi Maokang, Wang Zheng, and Song Yingxing in court?"

Xu Guangqi, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, was a fellow graduate of the same examination as my cousin Wei Guangwei. I wanted to give him an important position, but he refused, so I had no choice but to let him go back to his hometown and live a quiet life.

The brothers Bi Maokang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and Bi Maoliang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, pleaded for the Donglin Party, and I dismissed them from their posts and removed them from the register of officialdom.

As for the brothers Wang Zheng and Song Yingxing, I don't know them.

Forget it, let's just pretend we don't know each other.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian's eyes darted around, and he then mumbled, "Your Majesty, it seems that Xu Guangqi, Bi Maokang, Wang Zheng, and Song Yingxing are not holding any positions in the court."

You're truly speechless; you're the kind of person who doesn't use useful people!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Jue decisively said, "Issue an imperial decree to summon Xu Guangqi, Bi Maokang, Wang Zheng, and Song Yingxing to the capital for an audience."

Why did you hire these people?

Can these people pacify the four directions?
Wei Zhongxian was taken aback for a moment, then repeatedly cupped his hands and said, "Your humble servant obeys the decree."

That's about enough. It's getting late, time for dinner.

Zhu Jue looked up at the sky, then waved his hand to signal Wei Zhongxian to step down.

Wei Zhongxian cautiously asked, "Your Majesty, is there an early court session tomorrow?"

What do we do at the morning court session?
Nowadays, all the officials in the court are incompetent; it's a waste of time to waste time talking nonsense with them!
Besides, if I want you to take the blame for robbing money and grain, then I have to pretend I don't know what you're doing. If you attend court every morning, how can I pretend I don't know?

Zhu Jue shook his head slightly and said, "Let's skip the morning court session. I don't have time. Just take care of your business."

You're not free?
Fine.

It's really annoying to be going to bed early.

I don't want to attend the morning court session either.

Upon hearing this, Wei Zhongxian quickly bowed and took his leave.

At this moment, Wang Chengen suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, would you like to have a meal at Kunning Palace?"

Kunning Palace?
Forget it, women will only slow down my progress.

I haven't even started yet, how can I have time to concern myself with personal matters?

Zhu Jue shook his head slightly and said, "Let's have dinner at Qianqing Palace today."

(End of this chapter)