Chapter 573: A Sea of Literary Talents, Few Military Experts

Being an official in the Ming Dynasty was a physically demanding job, and being a cabinet minister was even more so. When Zhang Yue, accompanied by the eunuch who was guiding him, saw Yang Rong and Jin Youzi following the emperor’s entourage, he once again deeply realized this.

In less than a month, whether due to the harsh weather beyond the borders or the physical and mental strain, both men appeared much more haggard. Yang Rong, who used to pay great attention to his appearance, now had messy hair sticking out a few inches from the sides of his black hat, his beard uneven, and his eyes bloodshot.

Since the army was still on the move, upon hearing from the eunuch that the emperor had ordered Zhang Yue to meet them first, the two exchanged a glance. Having been colleagues for years and always traveling together on northern expeditions, they knew to maintain appearances, even if there were underlying rivalries. This time, Yang Rong spoke first, using a few words to send the eunuch away. Only after he disappeared from sight did Yang Rong and Jin Youzi ride closer to Zhang Yue. The latter asked in a low voice, “Is the memorial to pacify the barbarians ready?”

“Rest assured, gentlemen. The group carrying the memorial should arrive in Yunchou by tomorrow.”

“That’s good.”

As he spoke, Yang Rong subtly glanced to the left and saw Lu Zhen, the Minister of Rites, talking with his attendants. He recalled the emperor’s somewhat peculiar attitude when Lu Zhen welcomed him earlier. Though Lu Zhen was clever, even the most skilled person can’t do without resources—no matter how capable he was, he couldn’t possibly know anything beyond the memorials sent to the capital. Yang Rong had a vague sense that something was amiss.

He had always disliked Lu Zhen, a vindictive official from the Ministry of Rites, but he couldn’t ignore his tactics. After all, although cabinet ministers held high status, they were only of the fifth rank. Even the young Zhang Yue was on equal footing with him, while the Minister of Rites was a second-rank official. If it were just Lu Zhen who fell, Yang Rong would have been happy about it. After all, he had almost been forced by Lu Zhen and others to take on the position of head of the Imperial Academy. Fortunately, the emperor saw through their intentions and refused, otherwise, there would be no Yang Rong today.

“Academician Yang?”

With so many chaotic thoughts in his mind, Yang Rong barely relied on his horse to guide him, even loosening his grip on the reins unconsciously. It wasn’t until he heard the voice beside him that he snapped back to reality. Turning his head, he saw Zhang Yue handing him a section of the reins. Realizing what had happened, he awkwardly took them. Noticing that Jin Youzi had fallen a few steps behind, busy reading some memorials on his horse, he couldn’t help but smile bitterly.

He had forgotten—right now they were on a military campaign, and that’s how they had spent these days. Others could rely on tall people to hold back the sky if it fell, but they themselves were among those who stood at the top; if thunder struck, they would be the first to suffer. So he steadied himself and asked Zhang Yue more about the situation in the capital.

Zhang Yue certainly understood what Yang Rong wanted to know most, but with so many curious ears around, it was clearly not advisable to reveal everything. Yang Rong had been the chief examiner in the Wu Xu examination session of the 16th year of the Yongle era—he was his true mentor. Yet both Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di had loathed scholars forming cliques: one dismissed the imperial examinations as selecting useless young men and abolished them for decades; the other feared connections between examiners and successful candidates, strictly preventing mentor-student alliances. Yet this mentor-student relationship was unquestioned among scholars everywhere, even if he had long since become a disciple of Du Zhen.

Thus, he talked about everything from military provisions to conscription of laborers, from court affairs to appointments, seemingly covering every detail, but actually circling around trivial matters, only briefly touching on most important topics. Still, he noticed Yang Rong’s brows gradually furrowing and understood that the other man had grasped his meaning.

Ever since Emperor Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the position of prime minister and elevated the six ministries, the dream of scholars becoming prime ministers had ended for generations. Since being selected to serve in the Wenyuan Pavilion, Yang Rong had seen it as a path to becoming a renowned official. But to become such an official, one first needed a wise ruler—and not just one ruler for a single generation. Zhu Di now trusted him even more, entrusting him with military affairs on this northern expedition. What he had to do was not only maintain and strengthen this trust but also ensure that the future emperor would trust him just as much after ascending the throne.

After carefully weighing Zhang Yue’s words, he made up his mind. He stopped asking about court affairs and instead chatted casually about other things. When he learned that Zhang Yue’s grandmother was unwell, he couldn’t help but think of his own early-deceased parents, and his expression grew awkward. Whether it was the death of his father or mother, he had returned to the capital to take up his post right after burying them, due to Zhu Di’s order to suspend mourning. Though this proved the emperor truly couldn’t do without him, it was a great failure in terms of filial piety.

So, he deliberately shifted the gloomy topic and said with a smile, “Your grandmother is also a fortunate woman; her strict family traditions have produced many talented people, and no one relies solely on family connections. You’ve become famous throughout the land at such a young age all thanks to your own merits. At first, some people doubted you, but now I doubt no one does anymore. Even Huanzhang is extremely knowledgeable and down-to-earth; he will surely achieve great things in the future. By the way, have you seen him since you returned to the capital? His ability to enter the Censorate as a student wasn’t entirely due to my recommendation—both the head and vice-head of the Imperial Academy in the north and south recommended him.”

Seeing Yang Rong so enthusiastic about this matter, Zhang Yue was delighted that Gu Bin had found such an excellent teacher. His aloof cousin had carried that precious bag for years, only to visit Yang Rong’s house for Zhang Yue’s sake. Yang Rong accepting such a disciple was likely not only out of gratitude but also because of his character. At that moment, recalling Gu Bin’s plans when they met on the road, he simply admitted, “I did see him after returning to the capital, but he told me he wants to take the provincial exams again next year.”

“Hm?”

Jin Youzi, who was just riding over with a scroll in his saddle bag, heard this and laughed, “Mianren, your disciple really has ambition. Ever since the founding emperor, our dynasty has been selective in promoting talents—regardless of whether they come from the top ranks of the Imperial Academy or are commoners. Often, someone who impresses the emperor in a single examination is immediately promoted to a high official position. Still, he’s young, so it’s not bad for him to follow the traditional path of the imperial examinations; it’s at least an experience. Speaking of which, the examination in the second year of the Jianwen era was truly filled with talented people…”

As soon as he said this, Jin Youzi regretted it and quickly changed the subject. But this left all three of them somewhat awkward, with Zhang Yue even deliberately stepping back a few steps. The examination in the second year of the Jianwen era was indeed outstanding—three people, Hu Guang, Jin Youzi, and Yang Rong, entered the cabinet. Among them, Hu Guang was personally chosen by Emperor Jianwen as the top scorer due to his striking appearance. Hu Jing, Wu Pu, Yang Pu, Hu Xian, Gu Zuo, and others were also highly renowned. In contrast, Wang Gen, who was rejected as the second scorer because of his unattractive appearance, committed suicide by drinking poison to follow Emperor Jianwen.

Zhang Yue even remembered a sharp remark from later generations: Emperor Jianwen’s greatest contribution was selecting a group of outstanding officials for the Yongle era.

After waiting for so long, he suddenly remembered that it had been quite some time since Yuan Fang entered that carriage, and concern began to grow in his heart. Zhu Di was becoming increasingly irritable, and having experienced the emperor’s wrath firsthand, he paid even more attention to what was happening in the carriage ahead. Unfortunately, the massive army marching northward produced a tremendous noise—the clatter of hooves, footsteps, the scraping of weapons, and the combined breaths of tens of thousands of people. Moreover, the strong winds outside the border made it impossible to hear any other sounds.

He didn’t know how long he had waited before finally seeing someone come down from the carriage ahead. With his sharp eyes, he immediately recognized it was Yuan Fang. Seeing him mount his horse with ease, he felt somewhat relieved—at least it meant the emperor hadn’t thrown anything like inkstones or teacups in anger. Yet barely had this thought crossed his mind when someone rushed toward him.

“Lord Zhang, the emperor summons you!”

Since most of the journey after leaving the border was through wilderness, to prevent difficulties in obtaining water or insufficient supplies for hundreds of thousands of troops, in addition to wagons carrying grain, there were also water carts filled with clean water. After all, one could slaughter cattle and sheep if food ran out, but running out of water was truly dangerous. Due to the inconvenience of cleaning, even the emperor’s carriage was only thoroughly washed once after returning to Kaiping, causing its once-vibrant red paint to fade significantly. Normally, subjects were not allowed to board the emperor’s carriage, but during this expedition, with few civil officials around to nag about etiquette, Zhu Di paid no mind to such rules.

Seeing two eunuchs open the two doors made of carved agarwood with gold-inlaid floral patterns, Zhang Yue steadied himself and climbed into the carriage. At the front of the carriage were two ventilation windows covered with red silk curtains. Since it was difficult to light a fire inside, the light was dim. He could vaguely see countless carved auspicious beasts and birds on the carriage walls, but he couldn’t identify them.

Unlike ordinary carriages, this one was six feet tall, allowing even tall men to stand upright. However, it was difficult to keep one’s balance while the carriage jolted along. Though he tried his best to stay steady, he still stumbled slightly when bowing, fortunately concealing it with the motion. Before he could speak, he heard the emperor’s voice.

“I sent you back to the capital ahead of time. What did you observe?”
“Your Majesty, I saw that everyone was working diligently and in good order.”

“Orderly? The typhoon in Guangdong destroyed grain stores, floods in northern and southern Zhili submerged countless fields, and even roads and bridges were submerged in water. I dispatched so many people to oversee the transport of military grain and pay, yet delays still occurred. Is this what you call orderly?”
“Your Majesty, even in the ancient times of Yao and Shun, floods plagued the land year after year. Now, with typhoons and floods, everyone works together to overcome difficulties, which is proof of order. As for military grain and pay, after returning to the capital and reviewing the accounts, I am convinced that officials at all levels have no intention of being negligent. The whole country rejoices at Your Majesty’s triumphant return, and moreover, all the brave men have joined the campaign—ranging from court officials to laborers transporting supplies. Most of them have relatives in the army. Putting oneself in their shoes, who would want their own sons and nephews to face the danger of running out of food?”
Having just met Yuan Fang and heard him report in detail on the situation in the capital, Zhu Di listened to Zhang Yue’s words and began to believe him after careful consideration. Since Zhang Yue claimed to have reviewed all the accounts, Zhu Di couldn’t help but ask several questions, and upon seeing his fluent answers, he was satisfied that Zhang Yue had at least not slacked off since returning to the capital. Yet, to his surprise, after finishing his report, Zhang Yue presented him with a scroll.
After visiting the Armaments Bureau that day, Zhang Yue took time to write this report at home. The firearms of the Ming Dynasty were among the most advanced of their time, especially those used by the Divine Machine Corps. However, the Divine Machine Corps could not expand its personnel indefinitely. Moreover, the military structure established by Zhu Yuanzhang no longer suited current circumstances; otherwise, the emperor wouldn’t have needed to establish three separate military camps. Thus, after presenting the scroll, he discussed the latest armament arrangements at the Armaments Bureau.
Zhu Di, sitting at the head, listened intently and then began to examine the scroll carefully. Finally, he glanced at Zhang Yue thoughtfully. Compared to his usual subtle approach, Zhang Yue was much more direct and incisive this time, with many remarks hitting the mark precisely. The situations he mentioned were things Zhu Di had witnessed during his recent campaign. Despite emphasizing military preparedness and going to great lengths to establish the three military camps in the capital, the strength of the troops in various commands had weakened significantly compared to before. Although he valued noble families, he didn’t want military generals to become too powerful. Yet, the second and third generations of nobles were far inferior to those who had fought alongside him in past campaigns.
Military positions should be filled only when necessary, military structures should be properly organized and specialized, and border farmlands should be managed sustainably… After reading the lengthy report, Zhu Di wore a thoughtful expression and simply lowered his head to study Zhang Yue closely.

After four years in official service, this young man from the Zhang family had achieved numerous merits. After two years of training in the Ministry of War, he performed excellently in various tasks such as defending Xinghe, overseeing recruitment, and investigating spies. Unfortunately, he could no longer be appointed as governor of Xuanfu, nor could he be granted the title that had once been considered for him.
“This matter will be discussed in court. You may retire now.”
Only after getting off the carriage and mounting his horse again did Zhang Yue wipe the sweat from his brow, thinking that this hurdle had finally been overcome. As the army moved forward slowly, he couldn’t help but wonder what difficult assignment he would be sent to upon returning to the capital—after all, the emperor had always treated him in this way, never allowing him a moment of peace. Of course, it was unlikely he would be appointed as governor again, and there were no higher positions available in the Ministry of War, as the next higher ranks were those of vice ministers and ministers. The best outcome would be to remain in the Armory Department, as he was already familiar with all its affairs.
Sitting on his horse, he couldn’t help but recall Xu Da’s “Report on Subduing the Barbarians” he had read before, frowning slightly.
“The Yuan clan rose from the deserts, taking advantage of the end of the Song dynasty to lead their barbarian tribes. They used dogs and sheep to disrupt the natural order, and their barbaric customs disrupted Chinese traditions. They abandoned proper hairstyles and clothing, and disrupted social norms.”
“Yet, though I am but a humble man, I have been entrusted with the heavy responsibility of commanding the army. Given authority to save the people from disaster, I hope to resolve conflicts without resorting to violence. With flags waving, the regions of Huai and Yi were subdued; with drums beating, Qing and Yan were pacified. The Jishui River was crossed by their troops, and Laiyang fell quickly.”
“With speed like the wind and force like thunder, they attacked Daliang. Like lightning, they quickly took control of Xiluo. They sent reinforcements to defend the capital, and marched swiftly toward Handan. They launched attacks from Linqing, with unstoppable momentum. Their bravery was like wildfire. The enemy forces collapsed, their armies disintegrated. The emperor and his subjects looked at each other in despair, while fathers and sons planned to flee. The concubines gathered in the inner palace, while carriages and horses fled through the northern gates.”
Although the Mongols were even worse now than before, the sudden changes in the grasslands could not be taken lightly. Throughout the Ming dynasty, the great threat from the grasslands never ceased. If things went wrong, the Tumu Fort Incident twenty years later brought great shame to the court. Followed by the decline of the military system, the Ming army became weak, and the situation hardly improved from the mid-Ming to the late Ming period. Even today, there were many famous civil officials, but among military generals, apart from Zhang Fu, who else could be considered a great general?