“Shi Yan, the year before last, you organised the Cangtou Army to guard the Zheng Yang Gate, I still have an impression, what advice do you have about the Japanese invasion in Jiangnan?”
After Emperor Jiajing heard Lu Ben’s advice, he stretched out his finger and nudged Li Mo, asking for his opinion.
When Li Mo heard Emperor Jiajing mention his organisation of the Cangtou Army to guard the Zheng Yang Gate, he, who had deep qi cultivation skills, couldn’t help but have a touch of faint self-congratulation appear on his face.
The saint mentioned the Cangtou army guarding the zhengyang gate, is Li Mo in recent years the most proud of a thing, but also he was able to return to the ministry of ministers of a big bottom, that is happened in the year before last year when the change of the gengxu.
At that time, the Mongolian Tartar chief Ita sent troops to invade Datong, the front of the army crossed the Great Wall and drove straight into the capital city. As a large number of troops were sent to Datong and other border towns to defend and resist the Tartars and other northern captives, the troops that remained in the capital added up to only 40,000 to 50,000 people, and there were also quite a lot of old and sick people among them. As early as after the Tumu Fortress change, the capital camp is no longer as elite as it used to be. In desperation, Emperor Jiajing had to order the civil and military ministers in the capital, every thirteen people to guard a city gate, which one of the gates out of the problem, only thirteen ministers are asked. Li Mo was serving as minister of the Ministry of Justice, he was ordered to lead the five thousand guards at the gate of zhengyang.
The Tartar soldiers and horses at the Zheng Yang Gate were watching intently, Li Mo only had 5,000 soldiers in his hand, and a small half of them were old, weak, sick and disabled, seriously short of soldiers and generals. In order to defend zhengyangmen, Li Mo after some deep thinking, will be zhengyangmen near the workshop of the people selected five thousand people, organised, named “Cangtou army”, with the treasury of the armour and weapons armed them, so that they and the five thousand soldiers together to defend zhengyangmen. The Tartars at the Zheng Yang Gate saw a large number of soldiers and horses at the gate, more than 10,000 people, with bright armour, sharp weapons and banners, and regarded it as a hard nut to crack, and never dared to hit the idea of Zheng Yang Gate.
Li Mo’s ability to calmly respond to the Emperor Jiajing’s appreciation, not long, the Ministry of Justice, Xia Bangmu retired, Li Mo was promoted to the Ministry of Justice.
This is not a simple promotion.
Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, there has never been a precedent from the Ministry of the Ministry of Ministers of the Ministry of the Ministry of Ministers of the precedent of promotion, see how special this step.
It was also evident that Li Mo’s weight in Emperor Jiajing’s heart was not light.
“Your majesty, I suggest to raise troops to train a new army. Through the recent years, Jiangnan Japanese war reports can be seen, the guards have been no longer able to fight, now is not practicing war, not good station. I have investigated, military households flee, eat empty pay, old, weak, sick and disabled and other cases are common, it is difficult to take on the current important task of combating the Japanese.”
Li Mo stepped forward and bowed to report back.
“Recruiting soldiers to form a new army? Well, this move is not impossible, let’s discuss it later. Who else has suggestions?”
Emperor Jiajing commented noncommittally, then asked again.
The hall was quiet for two seconds.
There are Yan Song, Xu Shi, Lu Ben and Li Mo’s suggestion in front, the hall of officials think that there is no better suggestion.
After two seconds of silence, just as Emperor Jiajing’s face showed his dissatisfaction, one person stood out.
It was Zhao Wenhua!
Zhao Wenhua was now the Minister of the Ministry of Works, and was also qualified to participate in the court deliberations.
“Back to Your Majesty, I have seven matters of Japanese defence to report.”Zhao Wenhua took a step forward and bowed deeply.
Zhao Wenhua’s body was vaguely agitated at the moment, yes, it was agitated. For this day, he had been preparing for half a year. As early as half a year ago, he had realised that the Japanese were suffering from a growing momentum.
When the Japanese are getting out of control, His Holiness will definitely convene a court meeting to discuss the countermeasures for eliminating the Japanese invaders in Jiangnan.
This is a great opportunity.
Back then, he went behind the back of his father Yan Song, risking the risk of offending his father Yan Song, to the Holy offering hundred flowers wine, is not in order to be able to further it. Unfortunately, although the contribution of the hundred flowers wine, but did not go further not to mention, but also offended his father Yan Song, if not begged his mother to intercede for himself, begging for forgiveness from his father, he was afraid that his career will be at the end of the road, so that there is a good chance to get through this robbery.
After seeing the increasing trend of the Japanese, Zhao Wenhua predicted that the emperor would convene a court meeting.
So, he started to prepare for this court meeting half a year ago, checking local records, reading military books, humbly seeking advice, and not ashamed to ask questions …….Countless days and nights of painstaking thought, finally achieved this “anti-Japanese seven things”.
The content of which, he has long been familiar with, recite it backwards and forwards.
At this moment, he had been preparing for a long time, so how could his mood not be excited.
“Speak.”Emperor Jiajing nodded.
“Thank you, Your Majesty. I prevented the Japanese seven things: one, sent officials to Jiangnan sacrifice sea god. Second, the Secretary to bury the bones, reduce the corvée. Thirdly, recruit more strong men from Jianghuai to be the navy, and overhaul the warships to strengthen the sea defence. Fourth, increase the collection of Jiangnan field levy, Su, Song, Chang, Zhen four provinces of the people’s field a husband over a hundred acres, the heavy section of its levy, while pre-collecting the official field tax grain for three years. Fifth, make the rich people to lose their wealth and self-efficacy, after the quelling of the Japanese, or exempted from the crime. Sixth, sent important ministers to supervise the military situation in Jiangnan. Seven, to recruit the old Tongfan party and salt apprentices to penetrate into the interior of the Japanese to scout the enemy.”
Zhao Wenhua bowed deeply and reported back aloud, and after speaking, every cell in his body pricked up his ears in deep anticipation.
This anti-Japanese seven things is his half a year’s hard work, but also an opportunity to promote himself that he has been planning for a long time.
Half a year’s work, whether it can be accomplished, is at this time.
“Well, it’s rare to have a heart.”Jiajing Emperor nodded slightly, looking to His Highness, “What do you think?”
His Holiness said that I have a heart ……Zhao Wenhua couldn’t help but be very excited inside, if he wasn’t at His Highness, he would almost have to burst out in joy.
At the time of Zhao Wenhua’s excitement, Minister of War Nie Bao swept a deep glance at him, stepped forward, and spoke aloud, “Back to Your Majesty, regarding the seven things that Lord Zhao said about preventing the Japanese, I thought that, among them, the first, second, third, fifth, and seventh five things can be used, but the fourth and sixth two things are not feasible. Jiangnan has been flooded, and now the Japanese are getting more and more serious, the people are not happy, how can we impose additional taxes. As for the sixth thing, send important ministers to supervise the military situation in Jiangnan, both intention to set up the Governor of Jiangnan, and then send important ministers to supervise the military situation in Jiangnan, really not necessary.”
Nie Bao this year just appointed Secretary of the Ministry of War, after taking office on the prevention of autumn, was highly praised and adopted by the Jiajing Emperor, and then asked to build the capital outside the city, was adopted by the Jiajing Emperor, after the completion of the outer city, due to the merit of the Prince Shaobao.
Nie Bao is a Wang Xuezhi into the famous honest officials, the Yan Party has always loathed.
“Lord Nie, perhaps did not listen carefully to what I said seven things. The next official said that the increase in the collection of Jiangnan field tax, specifically refers to two categories, one is Su, Song, Chang, Zhen four provinces of the people’s field a husband over 100 acres of people, heavy section of its tax. Because of the Su, Song, Chang, town four Fu affluent, and this year’s flooding is not serious, and the next official heavy section is a husband over 100 acres of people, they are affluent, heavy section of its tax, and does not affect their livelihood. The second category is the government land, the government land is the official land of our dynasty, the advance levy of three years of tax and grain, in the final analysis, the levy is the tax and grain of our dynasty, will not affect the livelihood of the people. With the money, tax and food, we can better fight against the Japanese invaders. This is also to pacify the Japanese in Jiangnan as soon as possible. As for the sixth matter, sending an important minister to oversee the military situation in Jiangnan is to share the Jiangnan Governor’s worries and assist the Jiangnan Governor in eradicating the Japanese invaders, the so-called one person’s plan is short, two people’s plan is long.”
Zhao Wenhua opened his mouth to refute after Nie Bao’s words.
He had been preparing for half a year for the seven matters of Japanese defence, and had long thought about how to respond to various objections.
Therefore, the response to Nie Bao’s rebuttal sounded reasonable.
“The Japanese are in serious trouble, it is the time to use money, sacrificing to the sea is a waste of money …….”Li Mo, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, also raised an objection.
“Lord Li is wrong, everything has a spirit, let alone the sea. The reason why the Japanese invaders are getting more and more intense, successive cross-sea and cross the ocean to come, must be a sea monster secretly haunted, sacrificing the sea to pray for the sea god to bless my Ming, kill the haunted sea monster, to help my Ming to eliminate the Japanese invaders. In this way, the annihilation of the Japanese invaders will be like divine assistance.”
Zhao Wenhua was also the first to retort in defence after Li Mo’s words, and was equally well prepared.
Yan Song nodded approvingly.
“Concerning the sea sacrifice, what is the opinion of the Ministry of Rites?”Jiajing Emperor did not comment, but looked to Xu Shi.
“I thought that sacrificing the sea was feasible and necessary.”Xu Shi bowed his head and said.
Li Mo scornfully swept a glance at Xu Shi.
“Well, I also think so.”Emperor Jiajing nodded slightly.
Zhao Wenhua was ecstatic.
