Late Ming Dynasty: Oops, I am surrounded by the Donglin Party

“In addition to Marquis Huaining, Your Majesty can also try to summon some of the sons of noble families.

Compared to their fathers who are addicted to business, I believe that the children of noble families are more worthy of training.

Especially those who have no inheritance rights, I am with them all day long, their minds are relatively simple, and they have not yet been corrupted by power and money.

As long as they are guided, they can help Your Majesty in due time."

This was Zhang Shikang's real thought. He believed that military generals should not interfere in state affairs. All they needed to do was to fight and win battles.

This is also the reason why Zhang Shikang did not recommend Emperor Chongzhen to use civil officials to control the army. They have both political experience and military power, which is very dangerous.

In recent decades, many defeats led by civil servants in the Ming Dynasty were caused by mutual attacks among court officials.

After all, you are a civil servant, and so am I. You can fight and win, but that would be disadvantageous to me. I must find a way to hold you back.

Zhang Shikang was indeed thinking and making suggestions very carefully, but he didn't notice the strange look in Emperor Chongzhen's eyes.

It was a look of extreme appreciation, like seeing a long-desired treasure.

"In addition to the generals, there are also the troops. I heard from my father that the generals of the nine important towns are almost all succeeded by their fathers. Many important towns have formed groups similar to warlords and aristocratic families.

This is very fatal, but in the current situation, guarding against the Jianlu is the most important thing. Your Majesty can only appease them and try to keep them loyal."

It is a bit of an exaggeration to say that the son inherits the father's position, but many border towns have indeed formed aristocratic families. For example, in the Guanningjin defense line, after Yuan Chonghuan's death, military power fell into the hands of Zu Dashou's brothers and Wu Xiang.

For a long time, Zu Dashou only obeyed the orders of the court and not its announcements.

Zu Dashou was Wu Xiang's brother-in-law. After Zu Dashou surrendered to the Qing Dynasty, Wu Xiang was placed under house arrest in the capital, but the military power of Shanhaiguan fell into the hands of Wu Xiang's son Wu Sangui.

Everyone knows the final result. It was Wu Sangui who opened the gate of Shanhaiguan that allowed the Qing Dynasty to gain power.

This was the case with Zu Dashou and his son from the Wu family. There were also many other families in other border towns, such as the You family and the Hou family. A few decades further back, there were also Li Chengliang and his son, and so on.

The emperor naturally does not want the formation of warlords, but most of the time the emperor cannot do whatever he wants. The situation is stronger than the person, and it is your fault that you do not have military power.

The emperor has no military power, so generals in various places who command heavy troops dare to flatter you. If you know how to appreciate it and provide them with food and wages on time, it's fine. If you don't, they will dare to go on strike.

"The border troops cannot be moved, and the troops sent to suppress the bandits cannot be moved without authorization. The only troops Your Majesty can use are the Beijing troops.

Although I have never been to the Beijing Camp, Your Majesty should know something about it. The Beijing Camp is almost rotten.

They occupy labor service, falsely claim to have a job, sell idle time, monopolize military service, and eat up empty quotas, and they also withhold military pay. If I were a soldier in the Beijing camp, I would have run away long ago.

This is also the reason why I do not recommend that Your Majesty use noble relatives. This is what they do, and my father did it too. "

Although most of the power of the Five Military Commanderies has been transferred to the Ministry of War, the Beijing Camp is the "only remaining" part.

As a result, the many commanders of the Five Military Commanderies could suck the blood of the Beijing Camp as much as they wanted, and did not treat the soldiers of the Beijing Camp as human beings at all.

“The Beijing camp must be rectified, but the nobles and relatives cannot be suppressed, otherwise the balance between civil and military affairs will be completely unbalanced.

But I am definitely not trying to absolve my father and the others of their guilt. This is for the greater good.

Your Majesty should select a trustworthy and capable general, give him power, and let him reorganize the Beijing camp. However, the concerns of the nobles should be dispelled and the commander should only be reorganized without punishment. Otherwise, the warehouse of the Beijing camp will surely catch fire.

Oh, in addition to being trustworthy and capable, he must also be smart, and definitely not a civil servant, but Marquis Huaining is not suitable, Your Majesty must think carefully about it. "

After all, he had read a lot of novels and historical materials about the late Ming Dynasty in his previous life. Besides, he was from a noble family, so Zhang Shikang was relatively familiar with the situation of the Five Military Governor's Office.

It is known that when Emperor Chongzhen first ascended the throne, he actually sent Li Banghua to reorganize the Beijing camp. Although Li Banghua was a civil servant, he refused to go along with the civil servants.

As a result, he offended a lot of people after investigating, and finally the warehouse caught fire. He was collectively attacked by a large number of civil servants, Li Banghua was dismissed from his post, and had to eat dirt in his hometown for several years.

Now he is still working as a minor official in the Censorate, with no hope of promotion.

It is understandable that the civil officials helped the nobles to cover up. After all, the Beijing Army was the emperor's personal army, and no civil official wanted the emperor to control a powerful army that could threaten them.

On the other hand, it can be regarded as a compromise between the civil officials and the nobles. They have been bullied like that, and even a rabbit will bite when it is angry. What's more, the nobles are also favored by the emperor, so they have to share some of their interests, right?

Civil and military officials have achieved an outrageous balance in their interests.

But you have achieved a balance, but it has sucked the blood of the entire court. This situation should have been rectified long ago.

There is only one goal, to restore the combat effectiveness of the Beijing camp.

Emperor Chongzhen listened attentively, but his eyes never left Zhang Shikang, and he became more and more eager, with a strange smile on his face.

While Zhang Shikang was speaking, he looked up and felt his whole body go hairy.

This... Your Majesty... This can't be possible... Hiss! Zhang Shikang took a breath of cold air, and his tonsils and prostate trembled.

"I think you are quite suitable. I want to promote you to be the commander of the Beijing Camp and help me to dismiss the old and weak and reorganize the Beijing Camp."

Emperor Chongzhen could not think of anyone more suitable than this guy who was trustworthy, capable, smart, and could not be a civil servant.

He is loyal, knowledgeable, not nepotistic, and can even sacrifice his own father for the sake of justice. In this recent period of time, he has even reported his own father twice.

The more Emperor Chongzhen looked at him, the more he liked him and the more he respected him. This was the kind of loyal minister he was looking for.

Ancestors, here I, the unfilial son Zhu Youjian, express my gratitude.

Zhang Shikang was numb.

"No... Your Majesty, you absolutely cannot do that!"

Emperor Chongzhen watched Zhang Shikang's performance with a smile.

"I have never been to a military camp and I know nothing about soldiers. How can I take on such a big responsibility?"

Zhang Shikang was really crazy. What kind of place is a military camp? The food is not good, the accommodation is not good, and there are only rough men. Is that a place for people to stay?

"I don't know anything about military affairs, and those civil officials may not understand it either. If they can go, why can't you? I trust you."

At this time, the eunuch who served the meal came in from outside the hall under the instructions of Wang Chengen. The Qianqing Palace was very large. It was not only the place where Emperor Chongzhen handled memorials, but also the emperor's bedroom.

In a short while, several dishes were placed on the table.

"No, Your Majesty, I..."

"You said all this yourself. You have to find someone I trust, someone who has a sharp mind, and not just a civil official.

I think you have a very smart mind. You are not a civil official, so it is you. "

Emperor Chongzhen would not allow Zhang Shikang to question him at all. That was how he was. If he believed that someone was capable, it would be fine even if they were not.

"But... this..."

"Okay, come and have dinner together."

Zhang Shikang looked very bitter. How did he get himself into this mess after going around in circles?

……