Chapter 611: Before the Storm
Although it was the Dragon Boat Festival, at the first moment of the Xu hour, the staff of the Military Affairs Department’s Geographical Affairs Division, who should have gone home after work, gathered again in the office. The Geographical Affairs Division was the most crucial part of the entire Military Affairs Department, and someone always stayed on duty at night. That night, it was Tang Yong, a senior official, who was on duty. Zhang Yue took the two military reports from him and frowned after just a quick glance.
Pan Zheng had raised an army in Zhengzhou to rebel.
Spies from the enemy reported that the Tatar leader Altan had united various tribes, growing increasingly powerful.
Seeing that Zhang Yue and the other two remained silent, Tang Yong stood up and said, “Minister Li hasn’t gone back yet. He just sent word that once everyone is here, we should head to the second hall. Once the discussion is over, he will immediately go to the palace. This is urgent military intelligence—we can’t afford to delay. I remember there are still many prepared military reports and maps. Let’s find them together so that if Minister Li asks, everyone will be prepared. As usual, follow the previous division of labor; we only have fifteen minutes.”
It was already dark. Although everyone had been called away from home and initially complained, facing urgent military reports from both the north and south, no one dared to take it lightly. So they quickly got started on their tasks. Once everything was ready, led by Tang Yong, they hurried to the second hall, each focused solely on keeping their eyes on the path ahead.
The tile-roofed buildings around the Military Affairs Department had been built six or seven years ago. Over the years, due to financial constraints in the treasury, they had been little repaired—maybe just a few tiles replaced on the roofs and a few bricks added to the walls—making them look quite dilapidated. Even in the dim light, with no clear view of the path, there was only the dim lantern held by Tang Yong ahead, while everything else was pitch black.
Only one oil lamp was lit in the second hall. So after entering and paying their respects, even Zhang Yue, who had the best eyesight, could hardly make out Minister Li Qing’s expression behind the large desk—likely grim. Sure enough, as soon as Tang Yong reported the situation, Li Qing said coldly, “The Geographical Affairs Division is responsible for military affairs across the country. Although these two reports were delivered only this evening, since you deal with such matters all day long, you should be more careful! If you had noticed the signs earlier, we wouldn’t be in this situation now!”
He had always been a man who seldom showed emotion. During his tenure as acting head of the Ministry of War, he had set extremely strict demands on everyone, from top to bottom. Now, seeing that no one spoke, his voice grew even colder: “Even on the Dragon Boat Festival, you should remember your identities! Taking leave to go out for no reason, or even leaving the office early—such lack of dedication is nothing short of betraying the emperor’s grace. I’ll be returning to the palace soon; there are still people on duty in the Cabinet, so the military reports can be submitted tonight. Since you’re all under the Ministry of Geography, share your opinions one by one.”
Although Tang Yong had warned them just earlier, no one expected Li Qing to suddenly lay such a heavy blame on them and then ask this question directly. Everyone knew Li Qing was strict, and even if they had their own ideas, none of them wanted to be the first to face criticism, so they simply looked at each other in confusion. Zhang Yue had only been assigned to the Ministry of Geography for a short time. Seeing his colleagues quietly stepping back while Li Qing’s gaze was fixed on him, he decided it was better not to try to avoid it.
“Reporting to Minister Li, although both are urgent military reports, I believe the situations in those two areas are still stable. Rebellions in Jiaozhi have occurred time and again—counting the initial Chen Jianting and Chen Jikuo, there have been at least dozens of them. It’s not surprising that another rebel like Pan Zheng has emerged now that Li Li has just been captured. General Zhang, who is in charge of Jiaozhi, has not yet returned. With his skilled troops, capturing one Li Li should not be a problem; as long as they are handled properly, it won’t lead to chaos. As for Arutai uniting the Tatar tribes, it started at the beginning of the year. He’s a defeated and fleeing general; it’s likely he’s just bluffing to resist the Oirats…”
“Enough!”
Cutting Zhang Yue off abruptly, Li Qing said coldly, “By your logic, these urgent military reports are unimportant? One Li Li has caused chaos in Jiaozhi—who knows if there isn’t another like him? The Tatars have always been a major threat in the north. You make it sound so easy. You all are veterans of the Ministry of Geography—stop standing there like statues!”
Faced with Li Qing’s merciless rebuke, the others reacted differently—some were uneasy, some took pleasure in others’ misfortune, some remained expressionless, and some showed indifference. But when the criticism turned toward them, they finally rallied their spirits and stepped forward to present their views according to their rank and experience. With such a picky boss, from Tang Yong down, everyone acted with utmost composure, speaking in almost identical ways.
The rebellion in Jiaozhi should be quelled immediately with a large army to prevent it from spreading into a full-scale uprising. The plan to withdraw troops is suspended for now, but a withdrawal schedule still needs to be set, with the remaining troops not exceeding 30,000. As for the northern border, strict vigilance and organization of troops are necessary to respond promptly to any military action—given the precedents set by people like Fang Bin, they are already prepared for the emperor to lead a personal campaign.
After hearing what the others said, Li Qing couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Yue, feeling somewhat hesitant. The Minister of Works ranked lowest among the six ministries and was merely a stepping stone for him. But the Ministry of War was currently headed by the more experienced Zhao Jin, so it wouldn’t be easy for him to take over both positions. Under such circumstances, he needed to deliver tangible results. A northern expedition was undoubtedly one option; had he not managed the logistics of the previous expedition flawlessly, he wouldn’t have been given temporary control of the Ministry of War again. However, it would be absolutely unacceptable to cater to the emperor’s wishes just because three ministers had suddenly resigned. Launching troops recklessly could lead to endless troubles, especially considering the emperor’s health…
“Zhang Yue, stay. The others may leave first!”
Although he had just been rebuked harshly, Zhang Yue didn’t feel uncomfortable. After all, these senior officials all had decades of experience, so it was normal for them to act arrogantly. But now that Li Qing suddenly asked him to stay, it was indeed strange. Once everyone else left, only he and this elderly Minister of Works who also served as Minister of War remained in the hall, and he became extremely cautious.
“Take a look at this.”
Zhang Yue saw Li Qing pick up something from the table and hand it to him. He was momentarily stunned before stepping forward to take it. After a quick glance, he was shocked and almost instinctively raised his head. Although the room was dimly lit, he and Li Qing were quite close, so he could clearly see the acting minister’s furrowed brows. But at that moment, he couldn’t care less about his expression and was focused on understanding the few lines written on the paper.
“This document arrived this afternoon. Minister Zhao and the two deputy ministers and I have all read it. Tuohuan, the King of Shunning from the Choros tribe of the Oirats, says that if our Great Ming decides to send troops this time, he is willing to cooperate fully to capture Arutai and bring him to the capital. You previously told the emperor that the Tatars were at the end of their strength, and just now you said Arutai was bluffing. But considering this confidential military report, your views do hold some merit. Still, since you’re young, you need to be more careful in what you say in public! Among the three Oirat tribes, the Choros are the strongest now. It would be ideal if they could suppress the Tatars, but it seems someone still needs to make the trip. You come from a military family—why not prepare yourself for it?”
“Get ready?”
Although he expected Li Qing not to keep him there for no reason, Zhang Yue was still greatly surprised to hear such words. Going to Tartary or Oirat was an extremely dangerous endeavor in either case. The rise of the Oirat was not good news for the Ming Dynasty, and Tuohuan had no good reputation either. The thousands of miles of the grasslands were full of dangers. But now was not the time to ponder Li Qing’s motives. So, seeing that the other man said nothing more, he silently bowed and then turned to leave.
Zhang Yue had been delayed for over half an hour, and by then the outside had changed completely. The sky was filled with stars, but the moon was only a sliver, its light seemingly obscured by the stars, faintly moving behind the clouds. Several officials from the Bureau of Geography had already disappeared; the courtyard was empty, with only a small, not very lush tree rustling in the breeze. He slowed down and walked over to the tree, then suddenly turned to glance at the second hall.
Was sending him to Oirat Li Qing’s own idea, or did other elders share this plan? This was different from his previous northern inspection to Xinghe. Moreover, he wasn’t some selfless hero willing to take on any task, nor a daredevil eager to rush into danger wherever it was! Besides, what were the emperor’s intentions? What were his plans?
Li Qing naturally had no idea that Zhang Yue was secretly criticizing him among himself for being such a high-ranking official. After Zhang Yue left, he summoned servants to prepare a carriage and then carefully prepared the military reports before leaving the Ministry of War. Zhu Di now rarely attended court and had even handed over the appointment of officials to the crown prince, retaining control only over matters of military strategy. Thus, other matters didn’t need to be reported, but military intelligence from the north couldn’t be delayed even for a moment.
At that time, only the Left Gate remained unlocked among the four palace gates, allowing the Cabinet to remain and for important documents to be sent in and out. Li Qing took this route. Since a eunuch had gone in to inform them in advance, Jin Youzi, who had received the news, waited outside the courtyard personally. After they met, he went inside and scanned the thick stack of documents in a glance before nodding.
“The Emperor once ordered the nobles to organize their troops; it seems he still has that intention. But if another northern expedition is launched, there will likely be countless casualties. For the sake of the common people, it would be better to let the barbarians fight each other—even if they suffer losses, it won’t affect our Great Ming. When Xinghe was besieged earlier, if not for Prince Shunning Tuohuan’s encouragement, Arutai wouldn’t have been on the verge of having his stronghold raided by Prince Anle Tuboluo and Prince Xianyi Taiping, nor would he have withdrawn his troops so early. Since he wants to fight now, it’s better to let him take the lead. However, during last year’s northern expedition, the Oirats suddenly changed their plans—why are they acting suddenly now?”
Jin Youzi had accompanied Zhu Di on three northern expeditions, so although his rank was much lower than Li Qing’s, Zhu Di trusted him greatly in military strategy. Thus, Li Qing certainly wouldn’t ignore his opinion. After pondering for a moment, he said directly, “Therefore, I think the court should send someone to the three Oirat tribes. After all, relying solely on a few spies is extremely unreliable. Understanding the current situation of the three Oirat tribes will give us more flexibility in formulating future military strategies.”