Volume One: The Young Dragon Opens Its Eyes - Chapter 144: Prince Xiang as Army Inspector

Chapter 144: Prince Xiang as Army Supervisor

Seeing this situation, Zhu Qizhen instead set his mind at ease.

To say that Zhu Qizhen felt not a single ounce of worry about Prince Xiang leading troops in Yunnan would naturally be a lie. However, there were people who worried far more than Zhu Qizhen.

Namely, the vast group of civil officials.

While Zhu Qizhen worried about the security of the throne beneath his own seat, the scholar-bureaucrats felt an even greater, boundless terror.

The stance of the civil officials in upholding a unified empire was absolute and beyond doubt. No matter how many minor criticisms they might harbor against the Emperor, or how divergent their political views might be, when it came to defending the Emperor himself, they were more proactive than anyone else.

This was determined by the very nature of the scholar-bureaucrats.

And this was precisely why the civil officials had always been supported by the Emperors.

For military generals to hold overwhelming power was a scenario reminiscent of the late Tang and the Five Dynasties period; but when civil officials held overwhelming power, at worst the Emperor could simply rule through effortless inaction, hands folded over his sleeves.

When faced with any threat to imperial authority, they were far more sensitive than the Emperor himself.

This was the exact reason why Yang Rong wanted Prince Xiang and the others to arrive only after the battles had been won. Given Prince Xiang’s status here, regardless of whether he held an official post, he would wield immense influence within the military.

After all, the southern expeditionary force numbered over a hundred thousand men—a formidable and massive power.

Yet, this was a result the Grand Empress Dowager could not accept. The Grand Empress Dowager stated, "Prince Xiang will remain in Luchuan henceforth, and he cannot avoid experiencing the trials of war. Now, let him follow the Marquis of Baoding to gain experience and be tempered, so that he may shoulder heavy responsibilities independently in the future. What is this? Yang Rong, do you perceive a problem?"

Faced with this ambiguous and probing question from the Grand Empress Dowager, Yang Rong’s heart suddenly skipped a beat.

Yang Rong held a deep-seated fear of the Grand Empress Dowager.

Back during the incident regarding the deposition of the Empress, Yang Rong, serving as Emperor Xuanzong’s chief strategist, had been thoroughly battered and worn down by the Grand Empress Dowager. Naturally, he knew just how terrifying a woman could be when she abandoned all reason.

Yet, on matters of principle, Yang Rong was unwilling to make excessive compromises. He replied, "What the Grand Empress Dowager says is entirely correct. Since His Highness Prince Xiang possesses no prior experience in leading troops, to command them rashly might bungle critical military affairs. How about this: let Prince Xiang serve as the Army Supervisor, operating alongside Wang Ji. How does that sound?"

There were three people who truly decided the outcome of the war in Yunnan.

Mu Ang, the Duke of Qian, was the current person in charge and represented the native military forces of Yunnan, alongside the Marquis of Baoding, Meng Ying. As the commander-in-chief, Meng Ying was the core of all military command. Then there was the Minister of War, Wang Ji.

Although Wang Ji possessed the experience of commanding a sweeping victory in the Northwest, in military matters, the imperial court still placed its trust in the veteran general, the Marquis of Baoding. Wang Ji’s responsibilities lay primarily in the realm of logistical support.

While Yang Rong appeared to be granting Prince Xiang the authority of an Army Supervisor, he had deliberately placed Prince Xiang alongside Wang Ji.

And whose man was Wang Ji?

He was Yang Rong’s man.

Wang Ji was regarded by Yang Rong as his own proxy.

Yang Rong understood Wang Ji better than anyone; without a second thought, with Prince Xiang and Wang Ji paired together, Wang Ji would undoubtedly keep an absolute, unyielding watch over the Prince. No matter what, Wang Ji came from a background of scholar-bureaucrats and had attained his status through the imperial examinations. On the question of political stance, there was simply no room for doubt.

The Grand Empress Dowager was far from satisfied with this arrangement and was about to speak when—

Yang Shiqi interceded, saying, "Your Majesty, Grand Empress Dowager, when Prince Xiang proceeds to Luchuan, according to precedent, a princely residence ought to be constructed. However, Luchuan remains in enemy hands, and it is located in the distant southern frontier; undertaking large-scale construction at this time is likely inauspicious. This minister suggests that the Ministry of Revenue allocate three hundred thousand taels of silver, and dispatch officials to accompany Prince Xiang to Luchuan, where matters can be reconsidered once the situation settles."

"What does the Grand Empress Dowager think of this?"

Hearing the sum of three hundred thousand taels, the corners of Zhu Qizhen’s mouth twitched slightly.

What was this?

This was blatant, undisguised buying off—outright bribery.

One had to admit that sometimes, this tactic worked with absolute effectiveness.

In order to make Empress Dowager Li relinquish her power, the Wanli Emperor had been willing to spend a vast fortune so that the Prince of Lu could establish his domain. Similarly, the Guangxu Emperor had gone to great lengths, expending enormous effort to rebuild the Summer Palace, simply to persuade Cixi to return governing power.

What Yang Shiqi had in mind went a step beyond what Zhu Qizhen had surmised.

Zhu Qizhen guessed that Yang Shiqi likely believed the Grand Empress Dowager was making arrangements for her own afterlife through these actions.

Over this recent period, several major affairs had been handled solely by the Emperor himself, as if the Grand Empress Dowager did not exist at all. From this, anyone with the slightest political acumen could perceive that the Grand Empress Dowager’s return of power was imminent.

And precisely because her return of power was imminent, the Grand Empress Dowager naturally harbored anxieties regarding her own eventual passing. It stood entirely to reason that she would wish to secure a proper arrangement for her only biological son.

Therefore, Yang Shiqi’s compromise on this matter likely stemmed from such considerations as well.

As Zhu Qizhen gazed at Yang Shiqi’s calm, unfathomable gaze, he continued to speculate inwardly, though he could not be certain whether his deductions were right or wrong.

The Grand Empress Dowager remained silent for a long moment before saying, "Since the Senior Grand Secretary has spoken thus, let it be settled in this manner."

The Grand Empress Dowager and Yang Shiqi were long-standing partners, their cooperation tracing its origins all the way back to the Yongle era. They understood one another deeply.

The Grand Empress Dowager knew that Yang Shiqi would never allow Prince Xiang to touch the power over the southern expeditionary forces. This compromise was already his absolute bottom line.

Although the inner imperial treasury possessed funds, the Grand Empress Dowager knew all too well that despite the apparent sum of over thirty million taels of silver, once a true war broke out, it would still fall woefully short of covering the expenses.

Once trouble arose, the expenditures of the court were so immense that even a mountain of gold and silver would be unable to sustain them.

Consequently, the Grand Empress Dowager would never drain the inner treasury; that basic sense of the grand picture was something she still possessed.

Yet, if she did not use those funds, did it mean Prince Xiang would not require money?

If Prince Xiang truly wished to plant his roots in Luchuan, the amount of silver he would need was by no means small.

Although the Grand Empress Dowager had intended to leave her private savings to Prince Xiang, the sum was not substantial. Even factoring in Prince Xiang’s estates in Xiangyang, the total amount could not possibly reach thirty million taels—wait, no, thirty thousand? No, thirty-xian? In the early Ming dynasty, silver possessed immense purchasing power; it was only after the Longqing era, when the circulation volume of silver surged dramatically, that it depreciated significantly.

This sum of silver was enough for Prince Xiang to accomplish a great deal.

It could also be considered the final token a mother could bestow upon Prince Xiang; as for what the future held, she truly lacked the capacity to manage it any longer.

With the Grand Empress Dowager’s words spoken, this grand assembly reached its conclusion, drawing to a hasty close.

On the surface, this meeting had yielded only a single decision: enfeoffing Prince Xiang in Luchuan, following the precedent of the border-guarding princes of the early dynasty, granting him three personal guards, and placing all the native chieftains of the Luchuan region under Prince Xiang’s unified command.

Yet, the ripples surrounding this meeting were not so easily pacified.

Within the cabinet chamber, Zhang Fu and Hu Ying had already departed.

Yang Shiqi, Yang Rong, and Yang Pu sat facing one another, having dismissed all attendants.

Sighing softly, Yang Rong said, "No matter what, after this affair, the Grand Empress Dowager will presumably no longer interfere in state affairs. It can also be considered fulfilling our duty to the late Emperor."

Yang Shiqi remarked, "Enfeoffing Prince Xiang in Luchuan is merely a minor matter, but in the future, if His Majesty truly desires to relocate the imperial princes and noble houses to the outer territories, heaven knows what monumental chaos it might provoke. Mianren, have you never considered this?"

Yang Rong replied, "To slacken and to tighten are the twin principles of civil and military governance. During the reign of Emperor Taizong, campaigns were launched in all directions, whereas from the Hongxi era down to the present, the state has wholeheartedly focused on recuperation and peace. It is indeed time to change our course and steer the ship."

"The movements of the Oirats—the Brocade Guard submits a report to me nearly once every ten days. Does Lord Dongli truly remain ignorant of the Emperor’s intentions?" Yang Shiqi sighed and said, "The Emperor possesses youthful vigor and aspires to accomplish great deeds across the realm; he cannot be restrained by force. Yet once military operations commence, how can one end them simply at will? I fear this will prolong decades of warfare, and when that time comes, what crime have the living souls committed?"

Yang Rong countered, "Lord Dongli worries too much. Both you and I are already old; how many more years can we sustain this? The Emperor is also a man of measure; this is merely laying the groundwork for the future."

"If we truly wage a great war against the Oirats, who knows whether we will still be around by then? Each generation has its own responsibilities. Do you not have an exceptional disciple in Yu Qian? Whether he can manage to check the palace in the future depends entirely upon Yu Qian."

Yang Shiqi retorted, "Do you not also have Wang Ji?"

With a heavy sigh, Yang Rong said, "Wang Ji will not suffice. I originally intended for Wang Ji to oversee the campaign in Luchuan and subsequently take charge of the Ministry of War. Who could have anticipated that the Grand Empress Dowager would outmaneuver us by pulling out the Marquis of Baoding?"

"Henceforth, with Zhang Fu holding court within and the Marquis of Baoding commanding without, things will not be easy to handle."

In terms of seniority and military achievements, only Zhang Fu surpassed him by a slight margin. Yet, in order to secure a firm footing for the meritorious nobility in the capital, Zhang Fu could under no circumstances be dispatched to lead troops in the field. Furthermore, Zhang Fu’s wealth and glory were already absolute; to achieve further military merits would inevitably court the suspicion of overshadowing the sovereign.

The Marquis of Baoding, however, was different.

Precisely because he carried a blemish on his record, he had to fight desperately to achieve merits, allowing the Meng family to secure a top-ranking position among the military aristocracy.

Although the Marquis of Baoding had been re-employed by the Emperor, the moment His Majesty ascended the throne, the Grand Empress Dowager had transferred the Marquis from Nanjing to Beijing. Though he had remained idle ever since, who failed to understand the underlying implication of that move?