Chapter 221: The past cannot be remonstrated

Does Zhang Fu have any solution?

Maybe there is, maybe there isn't.

But that's not the issue at the moment.

What Zhang Fu had to face was how to dispel Zhu Qizhen's deep malice towards the top-level elite group in the guard system.

Zhang Fu said: "The deficiencies in the defense have been accumulated for a long time, and the old ministers are stupid. How can we do anything about it? Your Majesty intends to start a new business, and I can only sigh that your Majesty is a wise man. However, although there are unscrupulous people in the defense in the world, there are also some who are loyal to the court.

Geng Geng, although the battle of Mao'erzhuang was a huge defeat, Your Majesty must also see that those who fought for the Ming Dynasty until death were also the children of Weisuo."

Zhang Fu actually understands.

The elite of the Beijing camp and the elite of the frontier army are already the last essence of the guards. In a few decades, even these elites will be gone. They will gradually rely on the generals and servants to conquer the world.

Zhang Fu may not know the future development, but such a trend can be seen.

Even the rate of decline of the guard base will decline sharply after a certain limit, and even the last bit of combat effectiveness will not be squeezed out.

Therefore, even if Cheng Guogong wins this battle, even if Zhu Qizhen spends money to win today, there will be times in the future when he can't win even if he spends money.

But right now, what Zhang Fu said is right.

The remnants of the Ming army are in the garrison, but the essence of the Ming army is also in the garrison, because the garrison system is the Ming army itself.

At least now, the Ming Dynasty does not have any economic and political divisions outside the guard system. Even the soldiers guarding the palace are from the emperor's seventeenth personal guard.

Zhu Qizhen suddenly remembered a sentence from nowhere, that is, regarding historical issues, it is better to be broad rather than detailed.

It’s not that history cannot be studied in detail, but that studying historical issues in detail has no intention of solving practical problems. Yes, during the Yongle period, it was almost the same as the Ming Dynasty tax. By the Zhengtong period, the income from farming was completely gone, not to mention that it had to be subsidized by the court.

situation.

But when Zhu Qizhen faced this problem, was he going to bring order to the chaos, bring those who had embezzled state property to justice, and restore the guard system to the time of Taizu?

No, not to mention whether it can be done. Even if it can be done, I'm afraid the world will be in chaos for a while.

Therefore, what he had to do was to reshape the military system and restore the combat effectiveness of the Ming army.

Therefore, for many historical issues, it is better to be rough than to be detailed. Only the officers of the Ming Dynasty guards at all levels upheld the attitude of loyalty to the emperor and the court. Zhu Qizhen ignored the previous issues.

How to convey this attitude naturally has to be done through Zhang Fu.

After all, Zhang Fu's prestige is still unique in the military.

Zhu Qizhen said: "As the master has said, those who have gone by cannot be admonished, but those who have come can still be pursued. What happened during the reign of Taizong and what happened during the reign of Xuanzong, I don't know. I won't go into it, but today Mao'er

Zhuang's defeat is intolerable to me."

"Does the Duke know what I mean?"

Zhang Fu breathed a sigh of relief.

He was afraid that the emperor would lose his temper and act his own way.

Not only was the emperor unhappy with what he did, but even the British Duke Zhang Fu did not do what he wanted to do. As for the British Duke Zhang Fu himself, didn't he want to cheer up the Wei Suo?

Doesn't he know the inside story of the guard station?

If he really didn't understand what the garrison was like, he wouldn't have repeatedly rejected Zhu Qizhen's opinion of leaving the fortress and insisted on relying on the Great Wall to fight Wac.

In this regard, British Duke Zhang Fu was much more clear-headed than Cheng Guo Duke Zhu Yong.

Zhang Fu was already very satisfied with this result.

Although he heard the implication of Zhu Qizhen's words, if he did not cheer up in the future, his previous words would be invalid. It is impossible to say that Zhu Qizhen would have stronger means to implement it.

Zhang Fu said: "I thank your Majesty for your magnanimity."

Zhu Qizhen said: "My lord, you are a veteran of the four dynasties of the Ming Dynasty, a minister of the humerus of the Ming Dynasty. Emperor Taizong regards him as his nephew, and I also regard him as a pillar. I can also ask you to come and review the current situation. The Wei Suo has been

It cannot be done, but the military strength of the Ming Dynasty is determined not to be like this. I have initially conceived a principle. Since the guard posts are no longer available, then we will abolish the posts and establish counties, and change the inland guard posts into counties and put them under the jurisdiction of the provinces. From then on, the imperial court will focus on recruiting troops."

"What does the Duke think?"

Zhang Fu didn't know how to answer for a while.

The issues involved here are so complex that it is like re-creating a military system. It is easy to say it now, but when it comes to actually doing it, you don't know how many problems there are.

It's like there's so much noise that I don't know where to start.

Zhang Fu was silent for a moment and said: "Your Majesty is wise."

Zhu Qizhen said: "Wang Ji is responsible for recruiting troops. I am worried that he is not familiar with military matters and will ruin important things. Is the Duke willing to work with Wang Ji to handle this matter?"

After Zhu Qizhen calmed down, he knew that even if he started anew, he could not completely throw away the current Ming military system. Moreover, he did not trust Wang Ji to completely leave the recruitment of troops to Wang Ji.

It's not that Wang Ji is incompetent, but that Wang Ji is involved in private goods. Although the military suffered heavy losses due to the defeat of Maoerzhuang, many powers and interests were ceded to the Ministry of War.

Because the political game depends on the strength behind it. In the battle of Mao'erzhuang, the number of Jingnan officials who were in charge of the Fifth Army Governor's Mansion was almost all gone. Several generals had to replace their heads. What happened to the dandy who came to power in a hurry?

Maybe fight with the big guys in the civil service.

Therefore, Zhu Qizhen could only follow the rules of the game and leave the power of recruiting troops, which was the prototype of the new military system in the future, to Wang Ji.

But Zhu Qizhen was determined not to let civilian officials control all the power. Therefore, he originally wanted to arrange for a reliable person to join him. It turned out that this person was Liu Yongcheng. However, Liu Yongcheng was an eunuch, although he himself was considered good at fighting.

No less than an honorable minister. If he is not a eunuch, there is no problem in becoming a knight.

But there are many ifs. Liu Yongcheng may not be able to compete with Wang Ji in this matter.

At this moment, it seems that Zhang Fu is a more suitable candidate.

"Your Majesty has great love, and I appreciate it very much. I am old and sick and can no longer bear the heavy responsibility." Zhang Fu said.

Zhang Fu knew very well that this was something that offended people and was not human inside or out.

For Wang Ji, Zhang Fu must fight hard to ensure that the nobles have a certain say in the new military system. This cannot be compromised. Therefore, this offends the civilian officials. But how can most nobles get it?

?

No, because it's very simple. If the emperor wants to take action on the guard system, the person who will lose the most profits will be the Xungui Group.

If it weren't for the defeat of Maoerzhuang, a large number of people died. Zhang Fu would not have the confidence to speak. Do you really think that Zhang Fu would only say that an emperor is wise in this matter?

It can even be said that Zhang Fu's desire for power is not that big. If it had been before the battle of Mao'erzhuang, Duke Cheng Guo would have been able to resist him forcefully.

It is not a lie that Zhang Fu is old and sick.

He came to court this time dragging his body with illness. He was quite disheartened now, and the death of Duke Cheng was a big blow to him.

If it weren't for what happened just now, Zhang Fu wouldn't have stayed alone to deal with it.

He really didn't want to do such a thing.

After all, as long as he lives, even if both the civil and military sides are dissatisfied with the British government, he is not afraid. The two words "Zhang Fu" are enough to scare all young people.

But how many more years can he live? His son is not yet ten years old.

He doesn't think about himself, but he also thinks about his son. If others can't take revenge on him, why can't they take revenge on his son?

Zhang Fu's mentality was also clearly seen by Zhu Qizhen. Zhu Qizhen said: "The British prince seems to be of the same age as my eldest son?"

Zhang Fu said: "Your Majesty, thank you for your concern. It is true."

Zhu Qizhen said: "At the end of the day, he is already eight years old. My eldest son is going to leave the court to study. I intend to choose a noble family member as his companion. The British prince is just old enough. Why not let him study with the emperor's eldest son?

Bar."

When the British Duke Zhang Fu heard this, he immediately understood that this was a deal.

Although Zhu Qizhen has not yet canonized the crown prince, the eldest son of the emperor is the most favored by His Majesty, and he is the eldest son. According to the ancestral system, it is already a certainty.

Zhu Qizhen did not grant him the title of prince, but his attitude towards the eldest son of the emperor was also very different. Everyone could see that the emperor was undoubtedly independent on the issue of the prince. It was only a matter of time before the eldest son of the emperor was granted the title of prince.
Chapter completed!