Xu Jie knew he was in a dilemma and had already devised a plan, but it required Prince Yu to shift his mindset. He had hinted at it several times today, but Prince Yu still hadn't grasped the idea. Any further delay would be detrimental to crucial matters.
With this thought, he decided to go all in and said:
"Your Highness, the current situation is becoming increasingly difficult to salvage… Zhu Mo's failure is likely a foregone conclusion. However, as the Crown Prince, Your Highness cannot think like others. Think about His Majesty's mood at this moment. To speak frankly, His Majesty greatly values and supports Zhu Mo! Now that Zhu Mo has encountered trouble and been apprehended, His Majesty will surely pity his talent.
Your Highness must understand His Majesty's sentiment and insist on saving Zhu Mo in court! But Your Highness will eventually be the Emperor, and you cannot be tied to Zhu Mo and offend all the scholars and gentry of the realm. Therefore, you must maintain a balance. While insisting on rescuing Zhu Mo, absolutely do not mention the reform, nor express your opinion. Let His Majesty make all the decisions. Your Highness only needs to make His Majesty understand one thing: Prince Yu is a person of great integrity.
Furthermore, there are no outsiders here today, so I will be direct. To put it bluntly, Yan Song has gone too far this time. When Anda settles into Deshengbao, His Majesty will inevitably recall the Tumubao incident… The affairs of the royal family should not be discussed by us subjects, but the situation is urgent, so I shall be bold enough to say a few words! Your Highness, His Majesty pities Zhu Mo's talent, and on the other hand, he will be greatly angered by Yan Song! Your Highness must grasp this point thoroughly and absolutely must not allow His Majesty to have any doubts…
This, Your Highness, is the 'Save Mo, Protect the Emperor' strategy I have devised for you. Your Highness can consider it, and during the court session, we will naturally protect Your Highness's safety."
Hmm,
Prince Yu pondered for a while longer and finally understood—
His Majesty must be worried about a second Tumubao Incident, fearing he might become a retired emperor! Xu Jie dared not speak it plainly, but he had made it clear. Therefore, he had to dispel this notion from His Majesty and stand firmly by His Majesty's side. If Yan Song dared to force his hand, he would openly confront him!
At this moment,
Gao Gong and Li Chunfang also nodded, feeling that Xu Jie's strategy was quite sound.
…
The next day
At the third watch of the morning, kuAiδugg
The capital, Huangji Hall.
The officials had already gathered in the main hall.
The Jiajing Dynasty was highly unusual; all previous customs had been abolished, leaving only two types of gatherings: court discussions and court assemblies. Court discussions involved the Grand Secretaries and relevant Vice Ministers and Generals, with only two or three individuals sent from the Directorate of Ceremonial. Court assemblies, however, were for deciding major affairs, with officials of rank three and above from all ministries often participating. The Directorate of Ceremonial was also on high alert, with all five supervisors and the Director present. Sometimes, members of the imperial family also attended.
Over the decades, Jiajing had made numerous renovations to the palaces, creating three main halls and seven palaces. He usually resided in Yuxi Palace and Shouchang Palace, rarely visiting the three main halls.
Today,
At the suggestion of the Yan Song cabinet, Jiajing decided to hold an official court session at Fengtian Hall, which he had renamed Huangji Hall.
It should be noted that
This was Jiajing's first official court assembly in twenty years, and all royal protocols were meticulously observed. However, Jiajing still wore a Daoist robe and meditated with his eyes closed in a side hall. The dragon throne was empty, with only a seat set up next to it, where Prince Yu sat motionless.
Yan Song today staked his biggest gamble. He had drunk ginseng soup early and was now composed, his spirit contained, as steady as an old dog. After the officials took their positions and the supervising eunuch announced the commencement of the court session.
He strode out, standing to the right and below the throne, casting a sidelong glance at the assembled ministers, and said in a deep voice:
"Today's court session is of extraordinary importance… You have all seen the gazette, haven't you? Anda's army of eighty thousand is on the move, comprising twenty-eight divisions. This is the first major military deployment in a century. Today, apart from Zhang Juzheng, who is ill, all members of our cabinet are present… I believe this is an unprecedented event for the Great Ming in a century. All departments and provinces must remain vigilant and first unite to overcome it… From this moment onwards, everyone's efforts must be directed towards a single goal. Halt all other work at hand…"
Cough, cough,
He fell silent for a moment, hoping to hear Jiajing's reaction, but heard nothing. He looked at Lu Fang and the other five eunuchs, who all lowered their heads, their expressions unreadable.
He continued:
"The cabinet has also been in communication recently… Yan Shifan, you may present the proposals."
His strategic planning, with internal and external coordination, had firmly controlled the situation. When he said they had been in communication, he hadn't actually met with Xu Jie or Gao Gong's people.
Yan Shifan did not dare to be careless. After pondering for a moment, he stepped forward and said:
"Everyone, the cabinet's intention is quite simple. The first point is that until Anda withdraws, all departments and regions, except for daily maintenance, must focus their efforts on one area! Where is that area? Naturally, it is the war… The war is immense, unprecedented in a century. Compared to the Tumubao and Gengxu incidents, the crisis is not in the least bit inferior…
The cabinet does not claim to have a specific plan, but it is all for the sake of victory! How can we achieve victory? It comes down to three words: Money, Troops, and People!
As for money, everyone knows that the national treasury is empty! This money is all in Jiangnan, being used for disaster relief… Internal troubles and external threats have been a problem for many years. But to fight a major war, we need major funds. Without preparing seven or eight million taels, who can feel secure? Therefore, the cabinet believes that the bulk of it must come from Jiangnan, specifically, the money in the state-run banks! There are about ten million taels in total, and we must allocate eight million taels. This should be done as quickly as possible, ideally, with an order to transport the money immediately after today's deliberation!"
After stating the first point, he paused and scanned the surroundings. No one dared to respond.
Yan Shifan couldn't help but feel a secret delight: My lord is truly formidable! This defensive maneuver has exposed Zhu Mo to the enemy's sharp edge. Everyone in the court knows this is a confrontation. Anyone who opposes will be acting against all the scholars and gentry of the realm. Brilliant, truly brilliant…
He cleared his throat and continued:
"The second point is naturally troops. War relies on troops. The cabinet believes that this time the Tatars have united twenty-eight divisions, a complete mobilization, which means a decisive battle… Since it is a decisive battle, we must reinforce our troops! Anda has increased his forces threefold. To ensure a sure victory, we must prepare at least five times the troop strength, right? Therefore, the cabinet believes that all surplus troops in the provinces, excluding those fighting Japanese pirates, should be dispatched to the Xuan Da Ji Liao front line. Of course, the capital is the capital, and there can be no mistakes. Thus, we must send more troops to the areas surrounding the capital…"
After speaking,
He looked around the hall again and paused, but still received no response from Jiajing.
Yan Shifan continued:
"As for people, there are civilians and talent! Civilians assist in the rear, and talented individuals lead in the front. This difficult juncture can then be overcome… Therefore, all provinces, especially those bordering the nine frontiers, must provide civilian laborers, as many as they can!
As for talent, war relies on troops, but even more so on generals. As the saying goes, a cowardly army is a defeat for one, but a cowardly general is a defeat for an entire unit! The cabinet believes that in the Xuan Da Ji Liao garrisons, leaving aside the sub-commanders, all deputy commanders and above must be verified. Those who are capable should be retained, and those who are not must be replaced! The major battle has already begun, so we will replace them as we fight! Another aspect is the civil officials… Civil officials do not fight, but the rear cannot be in disarray. We must use reliable people, especially in the provinces of Xuan Da Ji Liao, as well as the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Revenue, and regions like Jiangnan and Liaodong. Reliable people must be in place!
With these three points, this war can be fought and won. The cabinet has deliberated several times, and these are the decisions made. Everyone is welcome to express their opinions!"
Hiss~
Hiss~
Hiss!