activa-t Chapter 27: Wang Shouren as Commander-in-Chief, Heading to Expedition in Liaodong!
Chapter 27: Wang Shouren as Commander-in-Chief, Heading to Expedition in Liaodong!
Beijing.
Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Houzhao received news from the imperial spies, confirming that the Uriyangkhai had indeed rebelled in Liaodong.
"What ungrateful wretches!"
Zhu Houzhao slammed the dragon case down, and harbored murderous intent towards the entire Uriyangkhai!
Uriyangha is a collective term for three garrisons in the Liaodong direction: Doyan Garrison, Fuyu Garrison, and Taining Garrison.
They also have another name, the Duoyan Three Guards.
After Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and founded the Ming Dynasty, the Yuan Dynasty retreated to the grasslands and was historically known as the Northern Yuan.
The Northern Yuan was divided into three major groups: one called the Tatars, one called the Oirats, and the other was the Uriyangkhai.
From the Hongwu era onwards, the Uriyangkhai repeatedly rebelled against the Ming Dynasty, surrendered, rebelled again, and surrendered again, in a continuous cycle.
The repeated rebellions of the Uriyangkhai, along with the frequent raids on the Ming borders by various tribes of the steppe, actually stemmed from a single fundamental contradiction.
That was the tributary trade.
Simply put, the grasslands are poor in resources, and they cannot survive without the resources from the Ming Dynasty.
However, the Ming Dynasty always had the final say in the tribute trade. The Ming Dynasty determined how much stuff the nomadic tribes could sell to the Ming Dynasty each year, how much stuff they could buy, and the prices at which they sold and bought.
The Ming Dynasty was extremely harsh on these tribes on the grasslands. Everything they sold was cheap, and everything they bought was expensive.
Grassland tribes sell a waist knife for 37 coins, a foreign bow for 25 coins, a pound of pepper for 38 coins, and a pound of sandalwood for 7 coins.
To buy things from the Ming Dynasty, a piece of porcelain cost 6250 wen, a pound of musk cost 18750 wen, a bolt of silk cost 1250 wen, and a pound of tea cost 3670 wen.
Thus, even if the nomadic tribes wanted to buy things, they still had to consider the Ming Dynasty's attitude.
If a tribe begins to grow powerful, the Ming Dynasty will restrict the amount of tribute paid by that tribe, pushing them to the brink of destruction.
Hua Dang repeatedly petitioned the Ming Dynasty to increase the amount of tribute trade, but the late emperor felt that the Uriyangkhai were growing stronger and therefore refused.
The Hua clan harbored resentment and had long accumulated grievances. Coupled with their urgent need for goods from the Ming Dynasty, this led to their attack on Liaodong and their rebellion against the Ming.
But for Zhu Houzhao, this was absolutely intolerable.
These things are for you, I will give them to you. You may take them.
I won't give it to you, you can't take it!
The Uriyangkhai are treacherous and ungrateful; they have no reason to exist anymore!
Zhu Houzhao picked up the Liaodong Strategy presented by the Ministry of War and began to examine it closely.
Thanks to Zhu Houzhao's previous investigation into tax arrears across the land, there is now a great deal of food and military pay, enough to support Zhu Houzhao in raising an army of 100,000 to enter Liaodong and completely annihilate the Uriyangkhai.
But the question is, who will be the general in charge of this expedition?
The Ministry of War recommended Yang Yiqing, the current Commander-in-Chief of the Three Border Regions.
Yang Yiqing served as the governor of Shanzhou for many years and personally took charge of border military affairs, but Zhu Houzhao had a more preferred candidate.
That man is Wang Shouren, the current head of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War!
……
The next day, morning.
Zhu Houzhao sat high on the dragon throne, his gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials below.
"My dear ministers, I'm sure you already know that the Uriyangkhai have rebelled and launched a major invasion of Liaodong. What are your thoughts on this?"
As soon as Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, Liu Daxia, the Minister of War, stepped out of the ranks, holding his official tablet, and bowed in salute.
"Your Majesty, I would like to recommend Yang Yiqing, the General Commander of the Three Border Regions, to lead the Xiliang Army to reinforce Liaodong!"
Zhu Houzhao shook his head: "The transfer of the Xiliang army to Liaodong is a long and arduous journey, and will take a very long time."
"Furthermore, if the Xiliang army goes to Liaodong, who will guard the gateway to the northwest?"
"I believe we should send 100,000 troops from the capital to Liaodong!"
"As for the selection of the head coach... where is Wang Shouren?"
When Wang Shouren was suddenly called by name by the emperor, he trembled and quickly stepped out of the ranks.
"Wang Shouren, Principal Officer of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"
"I intend to appoint you as the Governor of Liaodong, with the seal of the General Who Conquers the Barbarians, and lead 100,000 troops from the capital into Liaodong to quell the Uriyangkhai rebellion."
Zhu Houzhao stared at Wang Shouren, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Are you capable of this position?"
"ah?!"
Wang Shouren was so shocked by Zhu Houzhao's words that his eyes widened in disbelief.
The head of the Military Selection Department of the Ministry of War was just a minor official of the sixth rank.
The governor of Liaodong was a high-ranking local official of the second rank.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that this was a meteoric rise to power!
Not only was Wang Shouren shocked, but the other civil and military officials were also astonished.
They whispered among themselves, wondering why Wang Shouren, an obscure and insignificant official, would catch His Majesty's eye.
Liu Daxia turned to look at Wang Shouren, his heart filled with surprise and uncertainty.
He had some impression of Wang Shouren, but not because of Wang Shouren himself, but because of his father, Wang Hua, who was the top scholar in the imperial examination in the seventeenth year of the Chenghua reign and was currently the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites.
Wang Hua was also quite shocked. He couldn't understand why his son was favored by the current emperor.
But military campaigns are not child's play. Is his son capable of serving as governor?
Wang Hua hesitated, wondering whether he should resign from this heavy responsibility on behalf of his son, but Liu Daxia spoke first.
"Your Majesty, Liaodong is in dire straits, and the selection of a commander-in-chief is of paramount importance. Although Wang Shouren is exceptionally talented, he has never been on the battlefield or participated in military affairs."
"Your Majesty, we urge you to reconsider and appoint another person!"
Liu Daxia prevented Wang Shouren from becoming the governor of Liaodong, not only because he lacked combat experience, but also because Wang Shouren was not one of their people!
They were resentful that an outsider had been given such a lucrative post as governor!
Therefore, Liu Daxia strongly opposed Wang Shouren's appointment as governor of Liaodong and once again recommended Yang Yiqing as commander-in-chief.
But Zhu Houzhao didn't care about Liu Daxia's words at all, treating them as nonsense.
His choice of Wang Shouren as general was not without its reasons.
Firstly, there's Wang Yangming's great name; who in later generations doesn't know him?
Wang Shouren, a civil official, repeatedly achieved military merits and was granted the title of Earl of Xinjian, becoming one of the three civil officials in the Ming Dynasty to be granted a title for military achievements.
He eventually rose to the position of Minister of War in Nanjing, and his ability to lead troops in battle was beyond question.
Secondly, he, along with his father Wang Hua, were ostracized by the civil service.
Simply put, the Ming Dynasty stipulated that no one could be granted a noble title without military merit, so those who were granted titles were generally military officers.
However, if the emperor greatly trusts a civil official, he will let that civil official lead troops into battle.
If a civil official wins a battle, the emperor can rightfully bestow a title upon him.
Therefore, those civil officials who were granted titles were all people who were close to the emperor and far away from other civil officials; the civil official group regarded them as traitors.
The other two civil officials who were granted titles for their military merits were Wang Ji, the Earl of Jingyuan, who was granted the title by Emperor Yingzong Zhu Qizhen, and Wang Yue, the Earl of Weining, who was granted the title by Emperor Xianzong Zhu Jianshen.
Wang Ji, Wang Yue, and Wang Shouren are collectively known as the Three Wangs!
Zhu Houzhao understood this principle deeply, so he was certain that Wang Shouren would not be like other civil officials and would not compromise his principles!
With an official like Wang Shouren who was capable and did not collude with the civil service, what reason did Zhu Houzhao have not to choose him?