Chapter 819: Court Deliberations

During the Yongle era, whenever Emperor Zhu Di faced unresolved matters, he would often send documents to the Wenyuan Pavilion and then listen to suggestions from Yang Rong and others before making a decision; actual court discussions were rare. During the Hongxi era, due to the good relations between Zhu Gaochi and Yang Shiji and others, the situation remained the same. Now that Zhu Zhanji had ascended the throne, and since most civil officials were veteran ministers who had served for three or even four to five reigns, Empress Dowager Zhang instructed that matters be decided through deliberation by the ministers, so the frequency of court discussions gradually increased. While the number of attendees varied, generally, all members of the Cabinet and Jian Xia were present.

Jian Xia had just finished handling departmental affairs. Although there were two important military matters to discuss today, he was not present. Among the six ministries, only Zhang Ben and Zhang Yue from the Ministry of War, Hu Wei, the Minister of Rites, and one vice minister from the Ministry of Revenue were there.

With the military situation in Luchuan still unresolved and the emperor planning to inspect the borders personally, the atmosphere at that day’s court discussion was heavy. Yang Shiji, sitting at the center, glanced around at everyone before saying, “Everyone knows the agenda for today. First is the matter regarding Luchuan. One question is whether to advance or retreat; the other is, if reinforcements are sent, who should lead them.”

“The Si family in Luchuan has rebelled more than once. They keep causing trouble repeatedly. We’ve given them every official title we could, yet they have now annexed several places like Nandian and Mangshi, showing their aggressive ambitions. Retreating is absolutely unacceptable. Not only should we not retreat, but we must also send generals and more troops as soon as possible.”

It was Yang Rong who spoke. Unlike his previous ambiguous stance, he was decisive from the start. Hu Wei, the Minister of Rites, who had been about to speak, was stunned by his words and soon showed deep annoyance.

“It’s easy to say, but where will the troops come from? Previously, when fighting in Jiaozhi, troops were dispatched from Guangxi and Yunnan. The Duke of Qian suffered a defeat partly because of careless command and partly because the troops from Yunnan were already exhausted! The conflicts in southern border regions don’t affect the overall situation, and the Si family wouldn’t dare advance further east. Why not leave it for now? Remember, the national treasury is limited—it’s not bottomless! Also, with the Duke of Qian guarding Yunnan, who among the few princes and nobles in the capital is suitable to be sent there? Don’t suggest just picking any random person from the Five Military Commanderies—otherwise, sending more troops would be pointless!”

Zhang Yue had once been to Jiaozhi himself. Upon hearing Hu Bian say that the troops in Yunnan were exhausted, his expression immediately hardened. He thought it was outright nonsense. Not to mention that Mu Sheng had kept his troops in Mengzi County for days without moving, only sending troops in gradually once the overall situation ahead was settled, and even the total number of troops was not large. Moreover, Yunnan was different from other places; from the military commanders to the general’s office, there were quite a number of troops under their command. How could they all be exhausted?

At that moment, before others could finish speaking, and considering that the latter part of Hu Bian’s statement made some sense, Zhang Yue remained silent. He had been pondering the military affairs in Luchuan these days, and after hearing Yang Rong’s words, he had begun to form some ideas. Now, he simply continued to think on his own. However, before he could think much longer, the minister beside him, Zhang Ben, suddenly coughed.

“Minister Hu, regarding the so-called exhausted troops in Yunnan, I believe none of us here knows as much as Zhang Yuanjie. Let him explain whether such a possibility actually exists. As for Duke Mu Sheng of Qian… I happened to meet him when he returned to the capital. We might as well hear his opinion on his character, his confidence in future battles, and whether it would be appropriate to assign someone else as commander.”

As he spoke, Zhang Ben turned to look at Zhang Yue, revealing a faint smile that was hard for others to notice, before adding in a low voice, “Although you are young, no one has been to Jiaozhi and Yunnan as often as you have. So you may speak frankly. If you have any suggestions, please share them. This is a court discussion, and it involves military strategy. Our Ministry of War certainly has a responsibility to address this.”

Normally, the elderly minister Zhang Ben was quiet and not one to talk much, but this time he made it clear that he would support Zhang Yue no matter what he said, which surprised Zhang Yue somewhat. Seeing that everyone else was looking at him intently, he pondered for a moment before speaking directly, “Previously, when troops were deployed in Jiaozhi, they were mainly drawn from Guangxi and Guizhou. Duke Mu Sheng was stationed in Mengzi County to protect the supply routes and rear areas, just in case of emergencies. Therefore, the troops in Yunnan cannot be considered exhausted. As for Duke Mu Sheng himself, to be honest, he is not the type to rush into everything, so his leadership may lack initiative. But after all, he is a duke, and hastily assigning another nobleman there might hurt his pride. And…”

Zhang Yue paused for a moment before speaking carefully, “In the eyes of the people in Yunnan, aside from the former King of Qianning, there is only the current Duke of Qian. If they are asked about the old title of Marquis of Xiping, they would not even know who that is. Just the title of Duke of Qian and the surname Mu are enough to intimidate most of Yunnan. Therefore, if more troops are to be sent to southwestern Yunnan, this factor must be taken into account. The Si clan in Luchuan is not only ambitious but also often unstable internally. Whenever the court supports one person, rebel forces often emerge within the tribe, making it far less stable than places like Nandian and Mangshi. Thus, to ensure long-term peace in southern Xinjiang, it is necessary to remove this thorn—provided the right person is chosen.”

This was an extremely fair assessment. Even though Hu Jie was initially dissatisfied with Zhang Yue refuting his claim about exhausted troops, he couldn’t find any fault and merely sneered, “If that’s the case, I won’t say anything else. I just have one question: who will take on the responsibility of partnering with the Duke of Qian?”

This was undoubtedly an extremely tricky problem. Among those in the Five Armies Command, only a few could take on the task of leading troops—Marquis of Ningyang Chen Mao, Marquis of Yangwu Xue Lu, Marquis of Chengshan Wang Tong, and Marquis of Baoding Meng Ying. The latter two were still second-generation nobles who had not experienced major battles. Moreover, who would be willing to serve as Mu Sheng’s deputy and fight in Yunnan?

Du Zhen remained silent, not because everyone knew it was his son-in-law who had just spoken, but because he too was hesitating over the candidate. The nobles who could be granted favors had already been so done. Sending someone there meant limited rewards in case of victory and complete loss of reputation in case of defeat. Besides, they were no longer the kind of people accustomed to fighting on the battlefield, so it was natural that no one seemed suitable. At that moment, he couldn’t help but glance at Zhang Yue, only to find that Zhang Yue was looking in another direction. Following his gaze, he saw Yang Rong, whose expression was as stern as still water.

Indeed, Zhang Yue had once told him that the Duke of Qian, Mu Sheng, often gave gifts to high-ranking officials. Yang Rong had repeatedly spoken up on his behalf. If it weren’t for Mu Sheng’s hasty decision to withdraw after a poor battle, Yang Rong would likely still have sided with him. And Zhang Yue had just emphasized the importance of choosing the right person…

As both father-in-law and teacher, Du Zhen had always understood Zhang Yue’s thoughts deeply. In an instant, an idea struck him. Seeing that others were still arguing about which marquis or earl would be more suitable, he calmly said, “Since no one suitable can be found among the Five Armies Command, why must it be a noble who leads the troops? Select a troop force from Guizhou or Sichuan, then choose someone skilled in military affairs to oversee them, under the pretext of assisting in Luchuan’s military affairs. Wouldn’t that be better than sending another deputy?”

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present exchanged glances. It had always been customary in times of war to have both civil and military officials work together—whether during the three northern expeditions or Zhang Fu’s southern campaign against Jiaozhi, civil officials would always accompany the troops as advisors. But they were merely advisors; the nobles remained in a higher position. Even high-ranking civil officials like secretaries could only be ordered around. However, it was said that Duke Mu Sheng of Qian State respected scholars and officials and was extremely hospitable to the nobles of the court. During festivals, none of those present ever went without gifts. The problem was that Luchuan was different from Jiaozhi and from the Mongol Yuan dynasty—ordinary people were not familiar with this place. Who would be suitable to be sent there?

Just as everyone was deep in thought, a gentle knocking sound came from outside the tightly closed door. Soon after, a lowered voice said, “My lords, urgent military reports from Luchuan have arrived from the Ministry of War!”

Hearing this, Yang Shiji nodded at a eunuch from the Imperial Ceremonial Bureau standing nearby. The middle-aged eunuch quickly went to the door, opened it, and took in two documents. After returning, he handed them to Yang Shiji. Seeing this, everyone present had their own thoughts, but Yang Shiji calmly opened them and then passed them to Yang Rong. After everyone had taken a look, Yang Shiji cleared his throat lightly.

“One of these documents is from Duke Mu Sheng of Qian State, who requests troops to suppress Si Renfa, who has repeatedly invaded Ganya, Nandian, Tengchong, and Jinchǐ, becoming increasingly aggressive. The other document is from Si Renfa himself, claiming his lands have been invaded and asking that troops be sent to reclaim them, with plans to send envoys to the capital to pay tribute.”

Although everyone present believed Luchuan had sinister intentions, they were all familiar with military affairs and understood what had become of Luchuan, which had once been as powerful as an emperor under the Yuan dynasty. First, internal strife over the throne led to fragmentation, and later, due to the Ming court’s tolerance, several local chieftains in Luchuan defected to the Ming and declared independence. As a result, the once-powerful Luchuan was reduced to just Luchuan, Longchuan, Zhafang, and other areas. Since Si Renfa came to power, he has strived to regain his lost territories. But after finally managing to divide and rule the southern regions, how could they allow Si Renfa to make a comeback?

“During the Yongle era, Si Renfa sent a delegation to the capital, offering six elephants, a hundred fine horses, and various gold and silver artifacts. Because of this, the court was less inclined to accept local chieftains who defected from Mengmao. It was during this time that Si Renfa was able to rest and reorganize his forces. Now, he’s trying to make a comeback again. His tribute is merely a tactic to buy time.”

Zhang Yue held back his thoughts repeatedly and stayed silent no matter who he met, so he inevitably broke the silence first. He had originally wanted to talk more about the importance of the Pingmyan Pacification Commission within the territory of the Great Ming, but considering that some of his remarks might be shocking, he decided to put it aside for now. His words sparked quite a bit of discussion, but since Duke Mu Sheng of Qian State had changed his earlier proposal to withdraw troops and instead requested more troops for Luchuan, everyone quickly agreed to send ten thousand troops from Guizhou and Sichuan to Yunnan. As for who would lead the troops, that would be discussed later. The army to accompany the emperor on his inspection tour was decided immediately, but there was some disagreement over who should accompany him.

Soon, everyone dispersed. Zhang Yue had originally planned to return to the Ministry of War with Minister Zhang Ben, but was called back by Du Zhen. So he waved goodbye to Zhang Ben and stayed behind. Once the others were far away, Du Zhen asked, “You kept staring at Yang Mianren—were you thinking of taking him out?”

Although he had known his thoughts couldn’t be hidden from Du Zhen, being completely exposed now made Zhang Yue laugh and say, “As expected, Master understands me best. First, he knows military affairs well. Second, he has a good relationship with Duke Mu Sheng of Qian State. Third, if someone else were sent, even with Duke Mu Sheng’s kind nature, he might not actually follow their orders in battle. The southwest is not a place to train young military officers. Moreover, the military affairs in Luchuan are complex and involve the Mang family of Burma. Has Master seen the newly drawn maps from the Ministry of War? Burma is nominally a vassal state of our dynasty, but currently, the Mang family in Burma is even more ambitious than the Si family in Luchuan. Si Renfa is already weak; after dealing with them, we still need to consider Burma. Even if Burma doesn’t show any signs of rebellion for now, we can’t use force to take it, but we also can’t ignore it.”

Zhang Yue couldn’t say these things to others, but he could pour them all out to his mentor and father-in-law, without worrying whether Du Zhen would scold him for being heretical. Sure enough, Du Zhen didn’t ask further and only told him to come to his house that night for a detailed discussion before sending him away.

Now that he had spoken out about what was weighing on his heart, he felt much more relieved. His pace slowed down, and as he walked, he noticed raindrops beginning to fall from the sky. By the time he reached the palace gates, the raindrops had turned into large drops, turning the world white. The continuous rain created splashes everywhere, and he was trapped in the gateway, unable to move, so he had to wait there. Just as he grew impatient and planned to ask someone for rain gear, a person wearing a coir raincoat and conical hat rushed out from behind him, heading straight for him.

“Lord Zhang!”

Zhang Yue initially found the voice somewhat familiar. It was not until the man took off his rain-soaked conical hat that he recognized it as Cao Jixiang. Seeing him greet him with a smile and saying he had just been recalled to the capital a few days ago, Zhang Yue suddenly remembered something, feeling somewhat uneasy. Wang Zhen was dead, and although the gap at Tumu Fort hadn’t been completely sealed, at least half of it had been covered. If they could truly avert that disaster, then neither Yu Qian, Xu Youzhen, Shi Heng, nor Cao Jixiang would likely still hold such influence.

“You were recalled so quickly?”

“Wasn’t it because of that memorial submitted by Minister Yu earlier? Eunuch Zhang said that those in charge of guarding the imperial officials might not stay in their positions, so it was better for me to return to the capital. I mentioned it to Eunuch Wang, who agreed and transferred me to the Bureau of Ceremonial. Though I’m just a messenger, being able to enter the Bureau of Ceremonial is better than anything else. So I’m quite satisfied with my current situation.” Seeing Zhang Yue nod thoughtfully, he added with a smile, “If it weren’t for the little contribution I made regarding the matter of Marquis Zhenyuan earlier, I wouldn’t have had the chance to be recommended by Eunuch Zhang. I really owe a debt of gratitude to Lord Zhang.”

Hearing this expression of thanks, Zhang Yue felt strange. Cao Jixiang couldn’t possibly know that Yu Qian’s incident had acted like a fuse, triggering a series of events. Eventually, due to Empress Dowager Zhang’s intervention, the Internal Studies Hall was temporarily suppressed, and there was also a reshuffle in the power structure among the eunuchs in the palace. And he had played a role behind the scenes in that. However, without Wang Zhen, there might be Li Zhen or Zhang Zhen—things related to the eunuchs could only be handled gradually; this was just the beginning.

Zhang Yue didn’t want to get too close to Cao Jixiang in this crowded place. So, seeing the rain lessen, he nodded with a smile and said, “Follow Eunuch Wang closely. As long as you don’t make mistakes, there will be plenty of opportunities.”