Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 317 This is the way of civil and military checks and balances

The next day.

Afterwards.

Fangzhai, living room.

"Mr. Xie Ge is now serving as a cabinet advisor and in charge of the Fourth-Rank Yamen Printing Department. The burden on his shoulders is quite heavy. How can he have time to come here today?"

Fang Xiaoru, 69, stroked his beard with his left hand and made a gesture with his right hand, asking Jie Jin for tea, and asked him to sit down.

"Xie is here, naturally, for His Majesty's reform of the military system."

Xie Jin cupped his hands and sat down firmly.

Although he is only 57 years old this year, his temples are already white, and age spots inevitably appear on his face like Fang Xiaoru. At first glance, he looks more like an old man than someone in his late sixties.

Fang Xiaoru's aging condition is no better than Xie Jin's, and her forehead is covered with wrinkles.

The reason why the two of them look like this is due to overwork.

In the early Yongle period, the seven cabinet advisers working in Wenyuan Pavilion were Xie Jin, Huang Huai, Yang Shiqi, Hu Guang, Jin Youzi, Yang Rong, and Hu Yan.

Later, Hu Yan was transferred to the Imperial College to preside over the restructuring of the Imperial College into the Imperial College. Fang Xiaoru was transferred to the cabinet by Zhu Di, and because he was the oldest, he became the head of the cabinet advisers.

In the middle of Yongle, with the implementation of the new imperial examination policy of selecting scholars in nine subjects, the imperial court needed to compile more and more books, so Zhu Gaoxu asked Zhu Di to add the Zhengsipin Yamen Printing Department under the Ministry of Rites to be responsible for compiling teaching materials and Works related books.

However, Fang Xiaoru and Xie Jin, who were particularly bookish and obviously lacking in political ability, were "entrusted with important tasks" by Zhu Gaoxu on the grounds that "compilation of books by subject is a century-old plan of the imperial court." The long and fulfilling work of compiling books.

Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru have been working together for more than [-] years. They have made great contributions to the cultural and educational undertakings of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, after Hu Guang died of illness in the 20th year of Yongle, the only people in Zhu Di's cabinet team who actually acted as advisors were Huang Huai, Yang Shiqi, Jin Youzi, and Yang Rong. Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru became actual nominal advisors. .

In May of the first year of Qianxi, Zhu Gaoxu used the Lu Zhen case to purge a wave of officials from the Six Ministries, and then completed personnel adjustments. Huang Huai, Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Jin Youzi were transferred from the cabinet and promoted to the Six Ministries, each serving as a minister of the First Ministry. Ranked in the third rank.

Only Xie Jin and Fang Xiaoru remained in the cabinet and were also in charge of the affairs of the Printing Department. Their official ranks were not one and a half levels lower than Huang Huai, Yang Shiqi and the other four.

Fang Xiaoru didn't care. He was already old and at the age where he could propose to become an official. His pursuit of official status was not that strong.

Not long ago, he became an official with the official position of Zhengsi Sipinsi Sizheng. Zhu Gaoxu rewarded him with a large pension, which can be said to be a stable retirement.

"What about reforming the military system? The old man has already retired and doesn't pay much attention to matters in the court."

Fang Xiaoru said pretending to be surprised.

He understood the purpose of Xie Jin's visit this time, and the reason why he pretended to be confused was because he no longer wanted to get involved in the affairs of the court.

He decided to compile some more books and teaching materials for the students of Ming Dynasty while he could still see things.

"After my husband took office, there were only six advisers left in the cabinet, and Xie could not find any colleagues with whom he could talk with in the cabinet."

Xie Jin's face was dark and he said: "The last time I was summoned by His Majesty, it was a month ago that His Majesty inquired about the progress of the compilation of "History of China"."

In the current cabinet, apart from him, the other five advisers are Jian Yi, the Minister of Personnel, Yu Yanzhao, the Minister of Rites, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of the Ministry of Husbandry, Qitai, the Minister of the Ministry of War, and Song Li, the Minister of the Ministry of Industry.

These five people are all high-ranking ministers. On weekdays, they either accompany Emperor Qianxi Zhu Gaoxu or deal with the affairs of the Ministry. Only Jie Jin spends all day with books. Occasionally, he takes turns in the cabinet and deals with a lot of things. It's a matter of the Printing Department.

During the Yongle Dynasty, although Xie Jin was responsible for compiling books most of the time, as long as Zhu Di was in Beijing, he would definitely summon him from time to time, and occasionally even treat him to a meal.

However, since Zhu Gaoxu succeeded to the throne, the number of times he summoned Jin Jin can be said to be very few.

To put it bluntly, Xie Jin felt that he was left out by Zhu Gaoxu.

This time, as a cabinet advisor, Xie Jin had no idea about such a big thing as splitting up the Southern Zhili and reforming the military system.

In particular, the reform of the military system was a huge matter related to the fate of the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Qianxi Zhu Gaoxu did not hold a court meeting in advance.

What surprised Xie Jin the most was that not one of the six ministers, nine ministers, and generals held any objections.

He believed that there was only one explanation for this, and that was that Zhu Gaoxu had discussed it with the six ministries, nine ministers, and the princes in Beijing.

"Sir, please listen to this old man's advice. The so-called 'one emperor and one minister' is now the Qianxi Dynasty, not the Yongle Dynasty."

Fang Xiaoru's nickname for Xie Jin was obviously a word of comfort. "Sir, you have misunderstood. Mr. Xie is not here to seek comfort for falling out of favor, but for the shortcomings of the new military system."

Xie Jin straightened his clothes, sat upright and said.

Fang Xiaoru said seriously: "If the noble gentleman wants to persuade me to write to His Majesty to withdraw the order to reform the military system, then there is no need to say more."

"Your Majesty has great talent and great strategy. The new military system does have many merits, but it has one major drawback."

Xie Jin did not forget the purpose of his visit. He waited for Fang Xiaoru to express his views before speaking.

"I would like to hear the details." Fang Xiaoru said.

"The warrior rules the country."

Jie Jin slowly said four words.

"Be careful!"

Fang Xiaoru's expression suddenly changed, and he immediately turned to look at Xie Jin, and said in an imperceptible voice: "If your words get out, it will be a great disrespect to His Majesty, and you should be punished!"

He believed that Xie Jin said that the disadvantage of the new military system was that "a warrior ruled the country", which was tantamount to saying that the new military system would cause chaos in the world and reproduce the melee of vassal and town separatism.

Because during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, warriors ruled the country. An Chongrong, the general of the Later Jin Dynasty, once said, "The emperor, if he has strong soldiers and horses, he would rather have the seed."

Jie Jin looked at Fang Xiaoru with confusion. He was about to explain, but was stopped by the other party raising his hand.

"Sir, please listen to what I have to say."

Fang Xiaoru calmed down his expression and said after calming down: "The governor controlling several armies and guarding one area looks like a state pastor in the late Han Dynasty or a military envoy in the late Tang Dynasty, but it is completely different from the two."

"His Majesty's edict is very detailed. During wartime, all battle plans of the Governor's Office must be reported to the Military Staff Department of the Governor's Office. Without a transfer order from the Military Staff Department, the Governor's Office is not allowed to command or mobilize any soldier within its jurisdiction. Violators shall be punished with Punishment for treason.”

"Neither the local governor nor the governor of the metropolitan governor's office has direct control over the officers and soldiers of the imperial court, and they cannot mobilize the army at will without His Majesty's order."

"The military admiral has the strength of an army. It is reasonable to say that a certain army admiral becomes rebellious when he sees the strong troops under his command."

"However, the local governor and the governor of the metropolitan governor's office usually have only a few hundred soldiers at their disposal. How can they dare to rebel against the imperial court? If they really raise troops, they will be punished with death!"

"Even if the admiral of an army persuades the deputy admiral and staff admiral to raise troops to rebel, the commanders of the battalions, Qu, and villages under his command will all receive royal salaries, and the commanders of the Military Supplies Department, the Military Law Department, and the Ordnance Department will have exclusive authority over one place. , How can these people follow blindly?"

Fang Xiaoru said this, picked up the teacup, took a sip of tea, and then said seriously: "Therefore, I believe that the new military system has no shortcomings, and it will not lead to the recurrence of feudal towns."

After hearing what Fang Xiaoru said, Xie Jin smiled awkwardly and said, "Sir, you have misunderstood Xie very deeply!"

Without waiting for Fang Xiaoru to ask questions, he immediately explained: "The meaning of Jie is that the power of military officers overpowers civilian officials. The situation of 'civilian control of military affairs' gradually formed in the Yongle Dynasty will no longer exist."

Suddenly, Fang Xiaoru also smiled.

"Why are you laughing, sir?"

Jie Jin said doubtfully.

Fang Xiaoru said: "I'm laughing at you for living in the court for more than twenty years, but now you still haven't seen through the methods of the emperor and his current government."

"Please sir teach me."

Xie Jin suddenly stood up and bowed.

"It was only after I became an official that I thought about the past and realized that the situation of 'using civility to control military affairs' as you mentioned was just a means for the emperor to check and balance civil and military affairs."

Fang Xiaoru motioned Xie Jin to sit down, then stroked his beard and said: "How do you know that the reform of the military system is not something that the emperor has agreed to long ago? Besides, the army has no permanent momentum, and the water has no permanent shape. National policies and policies should change according to the times and trends."

"Nowadays, all the advisors of the cabinet are ministers. It can be said that the cabinet is in charge of the government affairs of the court, and your majesty has reformed the military system and made the governor-general in charge of the military. This is the way to balance the civil and military affairs."

"Sir, you are a great talent, but you are not as good as me!"

Xie Jin stood up again and bowed to him: "Xie Jin almost made a big mistake. Thanks to Mr. Xie for your timely instructions. Please accept Xie Jin's prayers!"

(End of this chapter)