Chapter Nine: Eminent Ministers and Capable Generals

The Donglin Party recommended Liu Yizheng, Han Zhuan, Qian Longxi, and others to enter the cabinet, attempting to create a government entirely belonging to the Donglin Party, a 'government filled with loyal officials'.

The official road system during the Ming Dynasty was highly developed, yet its quality was a cause for concern

At this time, the eunuch faction has fallen, and the leaders of the Donglin Party are either dead or have been dismissed to their homes, leaving only a few insignificant figures in the court

In order to recommend new ministers, it is necessary to first remove the current cabinet officials. Therefore, today the Eastern Forest Party has concentrated its efforts on several cabinet ministers.

Sun Chengzong's illustrious name needs no further elaboration; he is a loyal minister and a renowned figure whose entire family sacrificed for the country

As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Cheng'en was immediately so frightened that his legs went weak and he fell to the ground "Your Majesty, with your invaluable body, how can you wear the white dragon robe..."

Among them, Sun Chengzong is a member of the Donglin Party and has considerable seniority, which is beyond dispute

Wait a moment

Li Yunze smiled and said, "There are many people from Wei Zhongxian's hometown; this cannot be considered a crime. If you want to use this as a reason, then I will send you to his hometown to have a good talk with the locals."

The remaining few were not recognized by the Donglin Party, and immediately there was an uproar in the court.

Theoretically, the handling of ministers holding the title of cabinet elder must be subject to a joint review by the Three Departments.

First, it is essential to severely punish the eunuch faction, leaving no one unscathed, and to strike them with utmost severity

There were still people attempting to block the entrance at Chaoyangmen, but they were driven away from a distance by the accompanying soldiers.

Returning to the imperial study, Li Yunze instructed Wang Cheng'en, "You go and convey the decree, summoning a few individuals back to the capital."

Those who possess both capability and loyalty are certainly qualified to enter the cabinet

The reason is simple: Sun Chengzong is to be dispatched to Liaodong to serve as the chief strategist.

It is rare not only to leave Beijing but even to exit the palace

Gu Bingqian's meaning is to plead guilty and accept punishment, hoping that Li Yunze can grant him a way out

Li Yunze's gaze turned towards the Chief Minister Gu Bingqian "They are impeaching you, so defend yourself."

Nearly eighty years old, Gu Bingqian trembled as he bowed, saying, "This old minister has committed an offense; I implore Your Majesty to show mercy."

Each impassioned speech, filled with fervor and spittle flying, seemed to make the grand hall tremble with the sound of furious roars

After being defeated and captured in the Battle of Dalinghe, unlike Hong Chengchou, who surrendered, he chose to fast to death in loyalty to his country

The entire capital was in an uproar upon receiving the news

Your Majesty, it has been an hour since anyone has come to obstruct us

Equipped with weapons, donning armor, bearing a strong bow, and riding a fine steed, one sets out on a journey.

They immediately bypassed the matter and began to recommend the ministers

The East Forest Party's tactic can intimidate Zhu Youjian, but it cannot truly frighten him

Li Yunze waved his hand, and Wang Cheng'en immediately called for the burly general to step forward, remove Gu Bingqian's official hat, and directly drag him out of the main hall

Li Yunze has just eliminated the Nine Thousand Years, and his prestige is currently at its peak

Furthermore, it is decreed to reinstate Sun Yuanhua as the Governor of Denglai, overseeing the logistics for the relief efforts in Dongjiang and Liaodong. A team of Imperial Guards will be dispatched to accompany Sun Yuanhua to Denglai, to execute and confiscate the properties of those who have engaged in maritime piracy.

Controlling the cabinet is essential for Li Yunze to save the Ming Dynasty

Man Gui, Zhao Shuijiao, Cao Wenzhao, Cao Bianjiao, and Lu Xiangsheng. Let each of them lead their respective troops into the capital.

Furthermore, I recommend Your Excellency.

As for Wen Tiren, who is referred to as the Emperor's Echo Bug, he carried the cabinet's great seal while accompanying the emperor on his travels

Li Yunze did not accept any of these recommendations

As the generals of the Han Dynasty dragged away several cabinet ministers, the entire cabinet was instantly left empty, with only the last remaining member, Li Guopu.

The emperor is satisfied, and the nobles enjoy wealth and glory

Li Yunze is very clear about what kind of person Gu Bingqian is

If you dare to cause trouble, you will be beaten until you submit or until death

This is the first grand court meeting after the demise of the Nine Thousand Years. The Donglin Party members are already eager to go, ready to thoroughly beat the drowning dog

Zhang Chun may seem to lack prominence, yet he is a highly capable and renowned minister

Li Yunze, who had long been utterly disappointed with the Ming army, resolved to rebuild a new military force. These several renowned generals were his designated commanders of the new army

This matter can be understood, as the Donglin Party was severely suppressed by the eunuchs in previous years. The so-called Five Tigers of Donglin, Six Gentlemen, and Eight Gentlemen were either eliminated or died from illness or distress after being demoted.

One by one, esteemed ministers and capable generals entered the capital. Each time one returned, Li Yunze would summon them to a platform for a banquet, and then assign them specific duties to undertake.

On the 26th day of the 11th month in the 7th year of the Tianqi era, Li Yunze directly exited the Chaoyang Gate without notifying the officials.

Whether guilty or not, go to the prison to argue your case

The position of the cabinet ministers has become the focal point of contention among various factions.

Li Yunze's departure from Beijing is akin to dropping a heavy bomb

The eunuch faction has fallen, and the Donglin faction is mercilessly attacking the drowning dogs; no one in the court will speak a good word for them

The reason why the emperors of the Ming Dynasty declined from one generation to the next is largely due to their prolonged seclusion within the Forbidden City, which prevented them from engaging with the true state of the people's lives, trapping them in an information cocoon

According to the rules, after reaching the age of seventy, even if one is guilty, they should still be treated with dignity. This reflects the traditional virtue of respecting the elderly and cherishing the young in Chinese culture

The Chongzhen era had no shortage of renowned generals capable of fighting; however, they were all severely undermined.

Sun Chuanting is going to Shaanxi to deal with the bandits, while Xu Guangqi is engaged in technology

The Donglin Party seeks revenge, which is understandable

Sun Chengzong served as the Chief Minister of the Cabinet, while Wen Tiren held the position of Deputy Minister. After stating this, Li Yunze stood up and said, "I take my leave from the court"

The procession waited outside Chaoyang Gate for an entire morning, dispersing the officials and summoning the nobility to take their places, until the sun was high in the sky

Li Yunze plans to construct a road leading to Tianjin Wei, and if possible, to also build a railway. Subsequently, transportation can be facilitated via maritime routes for the movement of troops, supplies, personnel, and goods

The reason Li Yunze retained Li Guopu is quite simple: because the historical records state that this person is capable of getting things done and is of honest character

He is of the scholar-official class and has fought fiercely against wild boars for many years, having killed numerous generals of the Later Jin dynasty

He gestured to Wang Cheng'en, who immediately held up a decree and began to read it aloud

Who else is there

Li Yunze recalled the one who had persistently engaged in guerrilla warfare behind enemy lines, Mao Wenlong. "Send 100,000 taels of silver and 200,000 shi of grain to Dongjiang Town, along with 100 jars of imperial wine. You will personally go to Dongjiang Town to inform Mao Wenlong that I have not forgotten their contributions to the Ming Dynasty. Let them continue their good work, and after the restoration of Liaodong, there will surely be great rewards."

As soon as Li Yunze sat down, the Donglin Party could not wait to spring forth and launch a fierce offensive.

This is a very rare quality in the court

The road from Tongzhou to the capital is also a dirt road, dusty on sunny days and muddy on rainy days

The remaining Xu Guangqi and Li Guopu dared not meddle in affairs. Even if the officials were anxious to the point of jumping up and down, they merely shook their heads

Liu Honghua was taken aback; if he really went to Wei Zhongxian's hometown and claimed that the locals were all eunuchs, would he even be able to return alive

The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, decrees: Hereby, there are ... Sun Chengzong ... Xu Guangqi ... Zhang Chun ... Sun Chuanting ... Wen Tiren ...

Take him out and beat him

The nobility of the Ming Dynasty was numerous, yet years of glory and wealth had long since corrupted them, as can be seen in "Dream of the Red Chamber"

Sun Chuanting needs no further introduction; he is renowned as one of the twin pillars alongside Lu Xiangsheng during the late Ming Dynasty

At this time, several members of the cabinet were almost all from the Eunuch Party

Zhang Chun is also going to Liaodong to serve as a tactical commander

After the news spread, those nobles who had not come to Chaoyangmen urgently mobilized their family members to report in actively

The official Liu Honghua from the Ministry of Personnel stood up as a cannon platform, stating, "I impeach Li Guopu as a remnant of the eunuch faction; he is a fellow townsman of that traitor Wei!"

Someone wanted to request Empress Dowager Zhang to intervene, but the palace, which had just undergone a thorough purge, was extremely strict, making it impossible for any messages to get through.

However, since Li Yunze has already spoken, they can only grit their teeth and have the servants hurry home to fetch weapons and armor

This is the best opportunity for Li Yunze to seize power, and he will certainly not let it slip by

As Wang Cheng'en was about to leave, Li Yunze suddenly called out to him, "Don't set off just yet. First, send a swift horse to summon Sun Yuanhua back to the capital. We will go together when the time comes"

The sky is slightly brightening, and the grand morning assembly has already commenced

At this time, Sun Chengzong and Zhang Chun have already gone to Liaodong, and Sun Chuanting has already gone to Shaanxi

Maritime transport is the most convenient, rapid, and effective means in this era

There is no doubt that Li Yunze is establishing his authority

Li Yunze has many tasks to accomplish, including putting fishing boats into the Bohai Bay for fishing, experimenting with artificial rainfall systems, surveying the road construction route from the capital to Tianjin, and so on

The remaining Wen Tiren and Li Guopu were specifically kept by Li Yunze to serve as sounding boards

Since the reign of Emperor Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao, the emperors of the Ming Dynasty have been living as reclusive figures in the Forbidden City for over a hundred years

Some astute individuals immediately perceived Li Yunze's intention, which was to protect Li Guopu

As for Wen Tiren, there is no doubt that he is a treacherous minister, yet Li Yunze chose to include him in the cabinet

Departure

Li Yunze is not the vain Zhu Youjian; he immediately signaled to the Minister of the Honglu Temple, "How should we deal with the uproar in the court?"

Xu Guangqi, a great scientist, is most suitable to oversee the Ministry of Works after entering the cabinet

As for those nobles, anyone who appeared at Chaoyangmen had all received a word from Li Yunze

Li Yunze is different; he is not someone who merely knows how to hide away and indulge in pleasure

The Donglin Party decided to continue their efforts and eliminate the last cabinet minister, Li Guopu, in order to vacate the position and replace it entirely with their own members

On an afternoon journey, the traveling party arrived in Tongzhou, several dozen miles away.

The Ming Dynasty's cabinet originally functioned merely as an institution akin to a secretariat; however, over time, it evolved into a powerful entity that held the reins of national governance and wielded the authority of the Prime Minister

Listening to Li Yunze from beginning to end, I generally understood their meaning

During this period, Li Yunze also returned to the modern world to receive the previously purchased artificial rainfall system, second-hand fishing boats, and other supplies, all of which were stored in his rented warehouse and dock.

The individuals mentioned by Li Yunze are all considered to be pillars of support.

Moreover, I would like to personally observe along the way the living standards of the common people in the Ming Dynasty.

Wang Cheng'en respectfully bowed and said, "As commanded."

Seeing that the Prime Minister has fallen, the remaining ministers, including Huang Liji, who proposed to execute Xiong Tingbi with a note, Shi Fenglai, who suggested building a shrine for Wei Zhongxian, and Zhang Ruitu, who wrote the epitaph for Wei Zhongxian's shrine, all took off their official hats and performed a grand salute, declaring themselves guilty

With the issuance of each imperial decree, the fates of numerous individuals were likewise altered

As for the notion that being beaten in a court of law would grant the victim fame and prestige, Li Yunze is completely indifferent to it

There is also

Shut up, get lost

The cabinet has added five individuals, and with the remaining Li Guopu, the number is sufficient

Unlike those officials who can retire and beg for their bones, the nobility truly lives in dependence on the emperor.

The emperor was dissatisfied; apart from their titles, there were no significant difficulties.

The officials and nobles collectively intend to intervene, but without a leader, they cannot form a substantial force

The generals of the Han immediately responded with a salute, rushing forward to drag out those from the Donglin Party who were shouting loudly.

Li Yunze is certainly a person who respects the elderly and loves the young, but the premise is that you cannot be a criminal

In court, one must stand firm

If you desire dignity, you may. Go to the imperial prison and inquire about the intentions of the Jinyiwei. If they agree, then you shall have your dignity

Due to their high status, the previous attempts to apprehend them were unsuccessful, as only the Emperor has the authority to deal with the ministers of the cabinet.

At this time, renowned figures such as Yang Lian and Zuo Guangdou have already passed away