Chapter Seven: Military Training and the Establishment of Financial Resources

I, Xu Guangqi, have seen Your Majesty

Although it is said that the land of Huaxia belongs solely to me, it is not the case that Huaxia belongs only to me. Throughout history, no dynasty has escaped decline and fall. Even if the great Ming were to perish, it must not be at our hands, nor can it be destroyed by the barbarian invaders. Such an outcome would not only be detrimental to the royal family but also to all Han people across the realm. The Han people must not again become like sheep or be regarded as inferior beings due to the invasion of the barbarians!

After receiving the gifts from the two individuals, Zhu Youjiao directly inquired about their views on the current state of the government.

At this moment, Sun Chengzong also began to speak

Zhu Youjiao smiled faintly, knowing that Sun Chengzong had not yet mentioned another point. Currently, the Ming Dynasty not only faced a surge in military expenses due to the chaos caused by the Liao territory and the Jurchens, but also had to spend a considerable amount of money because of the successive deaths of Emperors Wanli and Taichang. Particularly for Emperor Taichang, who passed away too early, he did not have the opportunity to prepare his mausoleum in advance and had to construct it posthumously.

Zhu Youjiao thus regained his composure and looked at the two, smiling gently, and said: "You two esteemed ministers, please rise!"

Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong both understood that being appointed as a lecturer in the Imperial Academy signified their impending reemployment

No aristocrats or gentry from any dynasty would voluntarily donate the majority of their money and grain in the face of internal and external troubles of the state

Therefore, it is indeed necessary for the Ming Dynasty to save expenses and enrich the national treasury

Therefore, military training cannot be delayed

Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong exchanged a smile, and could not help but clasp their hands in greeting to each other

I, Sun Chengzong, have paid my respects to Your Majesty

Zhu Youjiao thus asked with a smile: "As far as I know, you have already submitted a memorial to my grandfather, clearly stating the need to guard against the establishment of bandits and the necessity of employing Western methods to train our new soldiers in the Ming Dynasty. My grandfather therefore allowed you to train troops in Tongzhou. I wonder how the training in Tongzhou is progressing, my dear minister?"

Zhu Youjiao reached his own conclusion and looked towards Xu Guangqi: "There is no need to conduct military training in Tongzhou; it can be done in my Southern Garden, training my royal guards to replace the weakened troops of the capital. When the time comes and there is an emergency in the realm, my guards will be mobilized to eliminate the invaders and suppress the bandits, securing the territory of the Ming Dynasty and safeguarding the people of the Han!"

At this time, both Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong were nearing the age of destiny, yet in the officialdom, such an age for the two could only be considered as just beginning to unfold their grand ambitions

Thank you, Your Majesty

Then, Zhu Youjiao turned to Sun Chengzong and said, "However, what you say is reasonable, my dear minister. The court is indeed short of funds at present, but we cannot neglect our duties simply because of a lack of money and books. I will first allocate funds from the imperial treasury for military training, but the royal surplus grain is also limited. We must find ways to increase the revenue of the national treasury. However, the Ministry of Revenue is currently overwhelmed with the expenses for the military payments to Liaodong and the repairs of the mausoleums, leaving no time to consider increasing revenue. In the past, the inner court collected taxes on mines throughout the realm to open up financial resources, but many ministers submitted memorials to advise against it, arguing that the inner court is greedy and harms the people. Therefore, I will let you, my dear minister, find ways to open up financial resources to provide for the military training expenses of Xu Qing's family. You are a civil official and also my teacher, loyal to the emperor and loving to the people. I believe that you will not attract criticism from the world for opening up financial resources for the Ming dynasty."

Xu Guangqi did not expect that the young emperor before him would be aware of his efforts in training troops for the court. He felt a deep sense of comfort and surprise in his heart. However, amidst his joy, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes as he said: "Your Majesty, I must report that due to the urgent situation regarding the Liao affairs as stated by the Ministry of War, and the insufficient financial resources of the national treasury, this matter has nearly been abandoned. I have only been provided with a small amount of equipment, which is why I have had to remain in the capital to advocate for this issue with the Ministry of War."

After hearing this, Zhu Youjiao pursed his lips and said: "The troops must be trained. What you, my minister, have said about 'seeking true materials for use' and 'creating practical weapons for defense against internal and external threats' are both urgent matters of the present time that cannot be delayed. I have also learned about the Jurchens who are currently causing trouble in the Liao region. These Jurchen warriors are quite skilled in battle. If our Ming Dynasty wishes to eliminate the Jurchens, we must cultivate a strong military. Although there are some fierce soldiers among the border troops in the Liao region, they are merely the private guards of military commanders, their loyalty is hard to ensure, and there are even suspicions of fostering bandits for personal gain. Therefore, our Ming Dynasty must have a truly strong army that fights for the court, an army that truly belongs to me!"

Sun Chengzong also had a restless night, refusing the request of his concubine to warm his bed. The night before he was to meet the Emperor, he spent the night alone in his study, organizing in his mind the knowledge and experiences he had accumulated over the years, as well as his views on the situation in the court.

Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong entered the palace early and met outside the Qianqing Gate

Xu Guangqi could not help but speak first: "In response to Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the most pressing matter for the court at present is the situation in Liaodong. The chieftain Nurhaci harbors great ambitions, and I observe that this man is quite knowledgeable in military affairs and adept at winning people's hearts. Therefore, many of the generals in Liaodong have surrendered to him. I believe that the threat posed by the Eastern Manchus in Liaodong is not comparable to the past Hu people, and I fear there may be a future danger of collusion with internal traitors that could endanger the foundation of our great Ming dynasty"

At this moment, Zhu Youjiao was already standing on the platform of the Qianqing Palace, gazing at the solemn crimson Forbidden City, quietly contemplating how to extend the fortunes of this empire that had stood for over two hundred years in the world

Certainly, even if one does not engage in the practice of wealth redistribution domestically, and seeks to counteract entropy through external plunder to offset the rat race, it is essential to possess a strong military. Otherwise, how can one colonize foreign lands and seize resources from the hands of Westerners

During the Chongzhen era, the emperor requested the ministers to donate funds to support the military. However, the chief minister of the cabinet only contributed 500 taels of silver, while Li Zicheng, who had troops, extorted over 100,000 taels of silver. This serves as a striking example.

Xu Guangqi, upon hearing Zhu Youjiao's words, could not help but straighten his chest, his eyes shining with brilliance. He had not expected that the young emperor before him possessed such great ambition and strong opinions, and a surge of passionate blood welled up within him: "Your Majesty is wise! The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of every individual, let alone us officials. Your Majesty's words have awakened me profoundly!"

However, the two of them truly did not expect this to come so suddenly

Whether from the gentry or the commoners, all Han people must avoid the recurrence of this crisis. The rise and fall of the nation is the responsibility of every individual, not to mention that all of you are those who partake in the benefits of the state, and I am the Son of Heaven. Therefore, the training of troops is an urgent matter that cannot be delayed

Your Majesty is wise! The Beijing garrison has been disbanded and is now comprised mostly of the elderly and weak. Although the southern troops are strong, they suffered considerable losses due to the upheaval of years past. The court must indeed establish a new army, but currently, the internal affairs of the court are in disarray, the nation is in distress, and the people are impoverished. Even the tribute from Liao is barely sufficient to sustain the realm. If we were to train more troops, it would be exceedingly difficult. In my humble opinion, we should first rectify internal governance, reduce expenditures, and replenish the national treasury.

In the past, he did not have the opportunity to become a lecturer in the imperial lecture hall, that is, the emperor's teacher, but now he has this opportunity, and naturally, he is unwilling to miss it

Zhu Youjiao nodded. Many civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty in this era might not believe that the Manchus would defeat Li Zicheng and seize the Ming throne in just over twenty years. However, Zhu Youjiao believed it, which made him greatly appreciate Xu Guangqi's foresight and insight

Xu Guangqi and Sun Chengzong immediately paid their respects upon seeing Zhu Youjiao dressed in the dragon robe

Xu Guangqi was filled with excitement; he took out the "Elements" that he and Matteo Ricci had translated overnight. He hoped that the young Emperor Zhu Youjiao would be willing to study this book beyond the Confucian classics

However, according to the course of historical development, the Ming Dynasty only had a national fortune of a little over twenty years. Therefore, in Zhu Youjiao's view, the Ming Dynasty could not wait until it had accumulated enough money to train its troops; it needed to accumulate funds while simultaneously training its military. Otherwise, without soldiers at hand, it would be very difficult to fill the national treasury. After all, most of the empire's wealth is concentrated in the hands of the powerful gentry, rather than the common people. To extract money from these individuals would require forceful means, and without one's own troops, such force would be impossible.

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