Daming Yuanfu

Chapter 2350: Visiting Nanjing (XVII) Civil Rebellion in the Western Regions

"Ri Xin wants me to personally summon Xu Hongji?"

In the Qianqing Palace, Zhu Yijun held the cabinet bill in one hand and touched his chin with the other, and asked Chen Ju beside him thoughtfully: "Did he tell you anything about the reason?"

Chen Ju bowed and said, "Duke Jingguo never said anything, but Tian Yi would tell me the news he had verified every day. He said that most of the major problems that have been found so far were supervised by Duke Weiguo, Chengshanbo and others in name only, but in fact they were handled by the Nanzhili, Yingtianfu and other government offices."

Zhu Yijun snorted when he heard this: "So he failed to supervise the work? No wonder he filed a petition to accuse himself. However, it seems that Rixin doesn't completely believe their words, especially a mere director of the Construction Department... He may be in charge of the matter, but how can he let Xu Hongji, Wang Yunzhong and others completely let go?"

Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty has a keen eye."

"Since Rixin wants me to summon him to meet him, then I will summon him. Let Xu Hongji and Wang Yunzhong come to see me." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "I have something else to do in the afternoon. Let them come now."

  Chen Ju was a little surprised and subconsciously glanced at the hourglass not far away. He thought that if Duke Wei and Bo Cheng Shan came at this time, they would definitely not be able to make it in time for lunch. Could it be that the emperor wanted to starve them on purpose?

This matter is neither big nor small. If the emperor wants his subjects to die, they have to die, let alone just starving themselves. I guess the emperor doesn't intend to punish him severely, so let's just give him a light punishment!

Chen Ju received the order and arranged for the Imperial Household Department to send someone to summon him. After returning to the emperor, Zhu Yijun asked again, "What other major events have happened recently? I saw a report yesterday saying that Liu Jing had submitted a memorial saying that the Western Regions were not peaceful?"

Chen Ju replied, "Your Majesty has a photographic memory, and there is indeed such a slip. However, since the matter is not serious and Your Majesty was visiting Xuanwu Lake yesterday, I will approve it according to the draft of Duke Jingguo."

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "This is related to the military affairs of the Western Regions, so it is appropriate to approve it according to the new bill. But...what happened in the Western Regions?"

"The situation was that the imperial court had just established a government in Yili, and because there was a shortage of housing, the newly appointed Yili magistrate requested that a local temple be used as a Confucian school. Since he himself had no place to work in the government office, he also worked there. Who would have thought that within ten days, a group of local unruly people were bewitched and broke into the magistrate's house in the middle of the night and beat him to death with sticks."

Zhu Yijun glared at him and said angrily, "The teacher is also an official appointed by the court. How dare this unruly person be so bold?"

Chen Ju sighed, "Yes, he was really daring and presumptuous. Therefore, Shunyi Prince Erdemutu ordered a thorough investigation. It was finally found out that it was the former temple imam who instigated the believers to do it, so Erdemutu ordered his arrest. Unexpectedly, this person once again instigated the believers to resist the law. Erdemutu was extremely angry and immediately dispatched troops to kill all the rioters..."

"Wait a minute!" Zhu Yijun frowned and stretched out his hand to stop Chen Ju from continuing, but asked: "Why is Erdemutu handling this matter? Where is Liu Jing?"

Chen Ju said: "Liu Jing personally led an army to Qihe with Boshuoketu to wipe out the local remnants. As for the specific situation, according to the reports a few days ago, it should be Boshuoketu's troops as the vanguard, and Liu Jing led the army to support the rear."

"Hmm, I see." Zhu Yijun's face looked much better, but he still frowned and said thoughtfully, "Rixin said before that the Western Regions have been worshipping Islam for a long time, and the customs are very different from those in the mainland. The officials sent by our court should handle religious issues with caution to avoid unnecessary conflicts... Is there any follow-up to this matter?"

Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said, "Yesterday's memorial from Liu Jing was the follow-up."

Zhu Yijun subconsciously guessed that the situation was not good, frowned even deeper, and asked, "How is it?"

"From Yili (previously Yili was also called Yilibali), rebellions broke out in Yangjibalik, Beshbalik, Turpan, Youlishi, Kuxian, Aksu, Kashgar and other places, with participants ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of people." Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said, "Yesterday Liu Jing said in his memorial that he had led his army back to Yili and planned to suppress the rebellion along the way. Please ask the court to make corresponding preparations..."

Zhu Yijun's face turned very ugly when he heard this. He said in a deep voice: "What is Liu Jing doing? I just performed Fengshan on Mount Tai and paid homage to the Xiaoling Mausoleum, informing the heaven and earth and ancestors that I have recovered the Western Regions, but the Western Regions are about to start a war again?"

Chen Ju sighed and said, "Your Majesty, the situation in the Western Regions is complicated, and Liu Jing has no choice but to do so."

Zhu Yijun sneered, "A helpless act? Why didn't Liu Jing show such helplessness when he was in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Korea?"

Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty, calm down. Yunnan, Guizhou, and Korea are all different from the Western Regions. For example, Yunnan is the inherent territory of the Ming Dynasty. Although the local chieftains rebelled with the support of the Mang family in Myanmar, I have Yunnan to rely on. Once the imperial army arrives, they will naturally surrender. The situation in Guizhou is the same.

As for Korea, although the Japanese pirates were fierce at that time, Duke Jingguo personally led the army to suppress them. Liu Jing was just a general under Duke Jingguo. As long as he was loyal and dared to fight, Duke Jingguo would make the final decision on other matters. "

"It's not the same in the Western Regions." Chen Ju continued, "Although the imperial court has recovered the Western Regions, the local barbarians are alienated from the Ming Dynasty, and many of them are Muslims, whose doctrines are very different from those of the Chinese. Therefore, although the imperial court's army is strong and can drive out the remnant Yuan forces in one battle, it may not necessarily make them truly surrender."

"Moreover, the Western Regions are vast and mostly inhabited by nomadic people. Once a rebellion breaks out, they come and go like the wind. Even if the imperial army wants to suppress the rebellion, it may be difficult to capture their main force in a short time. There are also many Muslim temples in the area, and their imams are often quite prestigious in the local area. Once they instigate believers, it is very easy to cause a large-scale rebellion."

"Therefore, Liu Jing's move was also to prevent the rebellion from expanding, and he had no choice but to resort to this last resort."

Zhu Yijun said that just now mainly because he was angry. He felt that the chaos in the Western Regions at this time was a bit of a slap in his face. Now, after Chen Ju's persuasion, he realized that it was not Liu Jing's fault, and even Erdemutu's fault could not be blamed - after all, he was maintaining the dignity of the court.

The emperor understood the reason and could only snort coldly, saying, "Does my kingdom have to depend on the moods of those imams?"

Chen Ju smiled bitterly and said, "Your Majesty, of course, does not need to care about the faces of those imams, but the local people are mostly influenced by them. It is said that a three-foot-thick ice is not formed in a day. After all, the Western Regions have been lost for hundreds of years and have not been under the rule of the king for a long time. Once the local people are instigated by them, it is very easy to cause rebellion. Therefore, the court needs to be more careful in governing the Western Regions."

Zhu Yijun's anger, which he had just suppressed, rose again, and he sneered, "Be more careful? Be more careful means letting those unruly people kill the imperial officials? I think it's because we are too careful that those unruly people are so bold!"

Chen Ju sighed and said, "Your Majesty, Liu Jing is also considering the overall interests of the court. After all, the Western Regions have just been settled and people's hearts are not yet attached. If the court's army is too tough, I am afraid it will provoke a greater backlash."

Zhu Yijun sneered, "A bigger backlash? Isn't it already a bigger backlash now?"

Chen Ju said: "Your Majesty, although there is some backlash now, it is only the work of a few unruly people. If the imperial army can quickly suppress the rebellion, it may be able to deter other evil-minded people."

Zhu Yijun was still angry, but he also knew that what Chen Ju said was right. He stopped trying to be tough and fell silent, but his breathing was heavy, and it was obvious that he was in a very bad mood. Of course, he knew that the stability of the Western Regions was not only related to the safety of the new frontier of the Ming Dynasty, but also to his reputation as a saintly monarch.

"Your Majesty, as Lord Jingguo said before, there are many ethnic groups in the Western Regions with different beliefs, plus many historical issues, so many things are indeed difficult to accomplish overnight." Seeing the emperor's solemn expression, Chen Ju whispered to comfort him, "But Your Majesty is wise and brave, and he will definitely handle it properly."

"Don't talk about these useless things." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said, "I know that governing the Western Regions is not a one-day job. But this rebellion was obviously deliberately instigated by someone in an attempt to undermine the governance of the court. I will never tolerate such behavior."

Zhu Yijun finally came to his senses. He no longer said that there was anything wrong with Liu Jing's plan to quickly put down the rebellion, nor did he worry that the Western Regions would immediately start a war again after the Fengshan and the audience, which would damage his reputation. Instead, he began to make a decision. He pondered for a moment, then asked, "How did Rixin draft a reply to Liu Jing yesterday?"

Chen Ju replied, "The Duke of Jingguo's proposal is to order Liu Jing to resolutely suppress the rebellion, but at the same time, it also requires Liu Jing to be careful about the means, control the escalation of intensity, and control the scope of the attack. According to the Duke of Jingguo's proposal, this time we must insist on only attacking malicious rebels, and not expand to ordinary people... In general, only the main culprits should be executed, and the rest of the offenders should be treated leniently."

Zhu Yijun nodded. Gao Youshi's decision was still very pertinent. Now it is necessary to find a balance between decisive suppression and protecting civilians.

He stood up, walked to the window, looked at the scenery outside, pondered for a while, then turned to Chen Ju and said, "Pass on my order and emphasize to Liu Jing again that the rebellion must be quelled quickly, but at the same time, the truth must be found out and the mastermind behind it must be uncovered. In addition, tell Liu Jing that in the process of suppressing the rebellion, it is necessary to minimize the harm to civilians to avoid arousing greater dissatisfaction."

Then, he felt that these statements were simply a reiteration of Gao Youshi's meaning, which did not seem to have much significance, so he paused and said, "At the same time, pass on my oral order and summon Duke Jingguo to see me immediately. I want to discuss this matter with him in person."

Chen Ju accepted the order. He knew that the emperor did not want to see unrest in the Western Regions, but there was no better way for the time being, so he could only place high hopes on Gao Youshi's experience and wisdom, and wanted to see if this loyal minister had anything to add.

"I'll arrange it right away." Chen Ju bowed respectfully and then stepped out.

Zhu Yijun sat back at the imperial desk. He knew that the problem in the Western Regions could not be solved simply by force. He even suspected that this rebellion might be just the tip of the iceberg, and there might be deeper reasons behind it. Now he needed more intelligence and a more thorough plan.

He decided that when Gao Youshi arrived, he would personally discuss the situation in the Western Regions with him, especially the financial and logistical preparations. In his eyes, Gao Youshi, as his most trusted minister, was unparalleled in talent and ability. He not only had unique insights in military affairs, but was also an expert in financial management. His advice was crucial to him - especially for this trip south, the court had already spent too much money, and without money, things in the Western Regions would only be more difficult.

Since Gao Youshi was staying in Chunhe Palace temporarily, he came to Qianqing Palace in a hurry not long after. His steps were still steady and fast, and he looked no different from the past. Just listening to Gao Youshi's footsteps, Zhu Yijun felt much more at ease.

"Your Majesty, I am Gao Youshi, your servant," Gao Youshi said with a salute.

"Duke Jingguo, please don't be polite. Stand up." Zhu Yijun was now much calmer, and his voice was calm and powerful: "Duke Jingguo, I believe you already know the situation in the Western Regions. Liu Jing is returning to Yili to quell the rebellion, but I need to ensure that the army has sufficient logistical and financial support. What do you think about this?"

Gao Youshi nodded and said, "Your Majesty is wise. I think that although the rebellion in the Western Regions was caused by sectarian disputes, now that the war has begun, how it happened is no longer the most urgent issue. Restoring stability in the border as soon as possible is the top priority. Therefore, suppressing the rebellion is the top priority, and stable logistical and financial support is a prerequisite for a successful suppression of the rebellion."

He paused, sorted out his thoughts, and then continued: "First, I have instructed the Ministry of Revenue to allocate additional military funds for the Western Regions. The first batch is 300,000 taels, and whether more funds are needed will depend on the subsequent situation.

At present, according to Liu Jing's estimate and my own judgment, I have prepared sufficient food, weapons and military pay to ensure that my army has no worries. Some of these had already been transported to the Western Regions in advance and were originally intended for storage, and some were to be transported urgently from the interior of the country. I had already sent a letter to the relevant government offices yesterday."

Zhu Yijun suddenly felt relieved, nodded, and signaled Gao Youshi to continue.

"Secondly, I must bring up the old matter again and still suggest that the court strengthen its support for trade in the Western Regions. By increasing the supply of tea, silk and other commodities to the Western Regions, not only can the local people benefit from trade and improve their living standards, but also the court's fiscal revenue can be increased through taxation.

In addition, I also suggest that the court immediately increase investment in infrastructure construction in the Western Regions, such as building roads and water conservancy projects, to promote local economic development.

These things should be done from the easy to the difficult, and first of all, some investments that can produce immediate results should be made so that the people of the Western Regions can quickly realize that only under the rule of the Ming Dynasty can they live and work in peace and contentment, and their lives will get better day by day. "

Zhu Yijun's eyes flashed with admiration. Gao Youshi's suggestion not only took into account military needs, but also took into account the economy and people's livelihood, which was exactly what he hoped to see. After so many years of influence from Gao Youshi, he also knew the real purpose of Gao Youshi's so-called transportation of tea and silk to the Western Regions.

These are all hard currencies, but Han merchants usually transport them to the Western Regions and then return, so local merchants in the Western Regions can resell them. Since these merchants are local merchants in the Western Regions, they will spend their profits in the Western Regions, so the income of local people will also increase. Gao Youshi called it the "trickle-down effect", and the emperor thought it was very vivid.

Of course, Gao Youshi also said that this approach was not enough. After all, if the productivity of the Western Region itself could not be improved, it would be useless to earn more silver. Instead, it would lead to soaring prices. Therefore, at the same time, developing local production in the Western Region was the ultimate solution. Gao Youshi also explained the reasoning to him in detail, and he also agreed.

At this time, Gao Youshi continued, "Furthermore, although this incident started with the school requisitioning the temple, I still suggest that the court increase its investment in cultural education in the Western Regions. By establishing schools, libraries and other facilities, promoting Confucian culture, improving the literacy of local people, and accelerating their integration into Sinology, conflicts caused by cultural differences can be reduced."

Zhu Yijun nodded slightly, but with some concern, he asked, "Will accelerating the promotion of Sinology at this time arouse a greater wave of opposition?"

"Maybe, but it is necessary. In fact... to some extent, this rebellion may be a blessing in disguise." Gao Youshi said decisively: "If it weren't for today's incident, the court would have to proceed with these tasks carefully and slowly. But since there is this rebellion, it's no wonder that the court has used thundering means to kill some, shock some, and coax some."

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and asked, "Are you sure?"

Gao Youshi said decisively: "I will prepare a budget of three million taels for this, and I will accomplish this no matter what."

Zhu Yijun was surprised: "So much money is going to be spent again?"

"It's just a preparation in advance, it doesn't mean it will cost so much." Gao Youshi comforted: "Everything is prepared, and without preparation, it will fail. It's always good to be prepared."

Zhu Yijun felt relieved and said, "I hope Liu Jing can do a better job. Three hundred thousand taels is not a small amount."

Gao Youshi nodded and continued, "Finally, I suggest that the court strengthen the management of religious sects in the Western Regions. The court does not prohibit ordinary believers and ensures fair treatment, but extremists who instigate the people and undermine stability must be severely punished.

At the same time, we should also find some sensible and broad-minded imams respected by the local people to cooperate with us, and use them to guide the local religious sects to develop in the right direction of peace and tolerance. "

Zhu Yijun nodded repeatedly, then thought for a while and said slowly: "Duke Jingguo is right. I completely agree. Just do it according to this idea. When I need to issue an edict, let Chen Ju report it."

Gao Youshi bowed and said, "I will do my best to live up to the trust of the emperor."

Zhu Yijun nodded, then looked at the hourglass, and said, "According to calculation, Xu Hongji and Wang Yunzhong will be here soon. Since you happen to be here, you can listen to how they confess their crimes and defend themselves with me."

  Gao Youshi hesitated for a moment, but still agreed, and said, "I obey your order."
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PS: This chapter is 5K, which makes up for the missing words in the previous chapter. Actually, this chapter should have been posted last night, but there was a power outage before I finished typing. I checked on my phone and it seems that the power grid was undergoing maintenance and upgrading from last night to noon today...