Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Chapter 127 Shang Fang’s Sword
The reason why Zhu Youjian asked Sun Chengzong to serve as the governor of Liaodong was simple. This man could control the situation and do practical things.

After the defeat of Liaodong that year, Yang Hao, Xiong Tingbi, Yuan Yingtai, Wang Huazhen and other Liaodong officials were either killed or imprisoned. The court officials deduced that Jie Jingbang was the Liaodong Economic Strategy, but Jie Jingbang was afraid of the difficulty and rejected it, and was punished by deregistration.

The court officials again recommended Wang Zaijin, but Wang Zaijin also reluctantly declined, fearing that he would follow in the footsteps of Jie Jing State, so he had no choice but to accept the post.

After arriving at Shanhaiguan, Wang Zaijin passively retreated at first, and was condemned by people as "intending to abandon the pass to donate his heavy responsibility." Under the pressure of public opinion, we had to build heavy barriers on the grounds that "the outer barriers are broken, but the inner barriers can still be defended."

Yuan Chonghuan, Shen Qi, and Sun Yuanhua strongly opposed it. They couldn't argue and asked the court for a ruling. Ye Xianggao, the then chief minister of the cabinet, believed that there should be no assumptions and that the decision should be made after an on-site investigation. Sun Chengzong, Minister of the Ministry of War and Dongge University Scholar, invited himself to go and investigate.

After arriving in Liaodong, Wang's plan to build a key pass in Jin was rejected after fierce debate. However, the defensive plan for closing the gate is still unresolved. Governor Yan Mingtai of Liaodong advocated guarding Juehua Island in the southeast of Ningyuan, Yuan Chonghuan of Ningqian Army advocated guarding Ningyuan, and the Liaodong Manager Wang advocated guarding Zhongqian Post near Balipu in Jin——

The three Liaodong civil servants were still at loggerheads.

After Sun Chengzong returned to the court, he stated the strategy to Emperor Tianqi face to face. He said that the king had no support in Jin, but he was diligent and diligent, so he should be transferred to another position.

Emperor Tianqi immediately summoned Wang back to Jin Dynasty and was appointed Minister of War in Nanjing. Then the Ministry of Personnel and other yamen will recommend the Liaodong economic strategy, and four candidates are proposed: Yan Mingtai, Li Sancai, Wang Zhicai, and Wang Zhichen.

The ministers argued endlessly. Sun Chengzong believed that the most important thing at present was to straighten out the situation in Liaodong, and invited himself to go to Shanhaiguan to supervise the division. Train soldiers and horses, coordinate civil and military affairs, and then select those who can be entrusted with important tasks to serve as managers and governors.

The Emperor of Tianqi, Long Yan, was very happy and immediately issued an order. Sun Chengzong, as a cabinet scholar and the Minister of War, supervised the affairs of Guancheng, Jiliao, Tianjin, and Denglai. "As soon as the merits are fulfilled, he will be called back to the court."——

The post of governor of Liaodong began with Sun Chengzong.

When Sun Chengzong left Beijing, Emperor Tianqi personally sent him to the gate. He gave Shang Fangjian to sit on a python, ordered all officials to enter the court in auspicious uniforms, and sent ministers to Chongwen Gate. Everything is modeled on the old story of Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty visiting Tonghua Gate to express his condolences to Pei Du when he went to Huaixi. Since the time of Pei Du, when ministers go out of town and are given a yue, there has never been such a grand ceremony as that of Sun Chengzong.

Sun Chengzong lived up to expectations. After arriving in Liaodong, it only took him five months to straighten out the situation in Liaodong. The soldiers and people were stable, and the civil and military were harmonious. The current situation in Liaodong was established by Sun Chengzong.

At the same time, Sun Chengzong supported Yuan Keli, the governor of Denglai, and used Mao Wenlong, Shen Yourong and others to regain southern Liaoning, leaving the Hou Jin Dynasty exhausted and unable to threaten Liaodong. "Close the door and silence the police, let China and North Korea enjoy a banquet, and no longer worry about side affairs."

But the good times did not last long, because Wei Zhongxian sent Liu Yingkun to express his goodwill to Sun Chengzong, but Sun Chengzong ignored him. There were also rumors from Wei Guangwei and others that Sun Chengzong wanted to oust the emperor. Wei Zhongxian launched an eunuch impeachment. Because of the defeat of Liuhe, Sun Chengzong resigned and returned to his hometown.

The imperial court used Gao Di, the Minister of War, to manage military affairs in Liaodong, Jizhen, Tianjin, Denglai and other places. After Gao Di took office, he changed his strategy and withdrew the garrison outside Shanhaiguan.

This act of fear and retreat triggered Hou Jin's massive westward march and the Battle of Ningyuan broke out. Ningqian's troops prepared Yuan Chonghuan, who stood out in the battle of Ningyuan and thwarted Houjin's attack.

This victory made Emperor Tianqi overjoyed, saying that "it has been weak for ten years, but today it is defeated", "I admire the shame of the three dynasties, and comfort my arms at night".

Therefore, Wei Zhongxian pretended to take the credit and knighted his nephew Wei Liangqing.

After Yuan Chonghuan's great victory in Ningyuan, he was promoted to governor of Liaodong. Gaodige, the governor of Liaodong, went to Yudai to live in peace. The imperial court appointed Wang Zhichen, the governor of Jiliao, and the minister of the Ministry of War as the governor of Liaodong.

Then, Yuan Chonghuan was impeached by the king's minister Shangshu because he sent monks to offer tribute to Nurhaci without authorization and negotiated peace with him. The conflict between the two was so great that Wang Zhichen asked to leave due to illness, and was dismissed by the court and returned to his ministry. As governor of Liaodong, Yuan Chonghuan was in charge of Liaodong affairs.

Yuan Keli, who was serving as the minister of war in the court at that time, believed that this incident was "humiliating the country and out of plan". The eunuch party was worried that Wei Liangqing was knighted and promoted to Nanjing's minister of household affairs, so he was forced to return to his hometown.

After that, Huang Taiji led Houjin troops to surround Jinzhou and attack Ningyuan, and the Battle of Ningjin broke out. In this battle, Mangui stood out. Yuan Chonghuan was blindly defensive and was considered to be "too old to be angry", so he was allowed to go away. Then Wang Zhichen was reinstated as the governor of Liaodong and concurrently as the governor of Liaodong. However, he still disagreed with Zhao Lijiao recommended by Yuan Chonghuan, and also with Liu Yingkun, the eunuch of Liaodong who was the supervisor, and was unable to straighten out the situation in Liaodong.

Zhu Youjian sorted out the feudal officials in Liaodong since the Apocalypse, and found that the period during which Supervisor Sun Chengzong was the most stable, there were not so many messy things for the court to worry about. So he asked Sun Chengzong to resume his duties as governor of Liaodong and straighten out the affairs of Liaodong.

After receiving the approval of Yuan Keli, the Minister of the Ministry of War, Zhu Youjian immediately ordered that Sun Chengzong be reinstated as a bachelor of Zhongji Palace, and given the title of Minister of the Ministry of War of Nanjing, to supervise the affairs of Liaodong, Tianjin, and Denglai.

Not hearing the word Ji Liao, and thinking that the Governor of Ji Liao had been removed and replaced by the Great Wall Governor, Yuan Keli said:

"The grassland tribes on the east and west sides of Liaodong are close to Liaodong and are related to Liaodong's defense."

"The position of governor of Liaodong cannot be without the power to deal with the grassland tribes."

After Zhu Youjian considered it, he said:
"In matters on the grassland, the Great Wall Supervisor takes the lead and pays attention to recruitment and control."

"However, a section of the Great Wall and the northern grassland in Yongping Prefecture are under the exclusive responsibility of the Great Wall Guards Envoy, and are also under the command of the Great Wall Superintendent and the Liaodong Superintendent."

"If there is a conflict between the orders of the two supervisors, the Great Wall Guardsmen will coordinate. If the matter is urgent, make your own decision. If the matter is not urgent, report it to the court."

This straightened out the defense zones of the two supervisors and solved the problem of poor coordination. Although the Great Wall Guardsmen had to suffer from the hostility of the two governors, it was better than before when the governor of Liaodong and the governor of Jiliao or the governor of Jiliao had unclear powers and responsibilities and often had conflicts.

After resolving the conflict between the two supervisors, Zhu Youjian directly transferred back the third supervisor without further setting up:
"Liu Yingkun, the eunuch of the imperial horse supervisor and the eunuch of Liaodong, once relied on Wei Ni."

"In view of his past merits, he will be given a lighter sentence. He will be demoted to the Imperial Horse Supervisor and be allowed to return to the capital to report on his duties."

"The eunuch who oversees Liaodong and the eunuch who guards Liaodong are cancelled, and the eunuch who guards Shanhaiguan is replaced by Gao Qiqian. Let him cooperate with the inspector of Liaodong and do a good job in the defense of Shanhaiguan."

"The duties of the guard eunuchs are to assist the generals in guarding the passes and supervising the distribution of money and food in the army. Other matters are only supervisory and will be reported to me."

After confirming the leadership of the Liaodong Governor in Liaodong, Zhu Youjian said clearly:

"The affairs outside Shanhaiguan are handled by the Liaodong Superintendent himself."

"There is no governor of Liaodong. The admiral of Liaodong is stationed on the Ningjin front and is responsible for the frontline war."

"Another member of the Liaodong Protector's Envoy will be stationed at Shanhaiguan to be responsible for logistics and coordinate the defense of the Great Wall with the Great Wall Protector's Envoy."

"In matters concerning Liaodong, the governor of Liaodong, the admiral of Liaodong, and the military envoy of Liaodong are in charge. The three of them give Shangfang swords to control the generals, and the others have their Shangfang swords taken back."

"There can no longer be three governors and four generals who all give Shang Fang Sword."

(End of this chapter)