Chapter 640: Recruiting Soldiers in Joseon

You think that's the end of it?

Within the Westerners faction, they had already split into the elders faction and the young Turks faction, and the two sides were locked in endless strife. Add in the tangled mess of other factions and miscellaneous forces mixed in, the entire situation in Joseon had become a chaotic stew.

Zhang Yu had already sorted out the thread of Joseon's factional strife—it was basically just everyone fighting each other. Once they toppled their opponents, the faction would split internally and keep fighting.

The entire country was worn down through this constant infighting. Of course, this also had to do with Joseon's national strength. Joseon couldn't beat Japan to the east, and expanding westward was even more impossible.

These Joseon rulers, ministers, and scholars had long since worn away whatever lofty ideals they once held in their hearts, devoting themselves single-mindedly to fighting among themselves at home, and this was the result.

After figuring all this out, Zhang Yu decisively wrote a routine memorial to Zhu Youxiao.

The memorial's content was very simple—temporarily do not recruit Joseon students to come over. Joseon's scholars were no good; they couldn't be accepted. Secondly, they absolutely could not be allowed to hold official posts.

Hadn't the Great Ming's factional strife only just ended a few years ago?

At a time like this, letting Joseon scholars come over—to stir up another wave of factional conflict?

These people couldn't do anything else right, but when it came to fighting their own people, they simply never stopped, and they struck ruthlessly. If they came to the Great Ming and then stirred up factional strife here, that would be a real problem.

Zhang Yu only hoped it wasn't too late to stop it.

This time, the ones accompanying Joseon King Li Zong were from the young Turks faction—that made it clear these were the forces supporting the Joseon king, but in truth they weren't of much use.

The elders faction had deep roots, numerous members, and acted with steady prudence—in this regard, they could be said to be firmly entrenched. Their position couldn't be shaken in a short time.

Under these circumstances, if the Great Ming cured Queen Inmok, then the elders faction was bound to make a comeback. In that situation, how could Li Zong not panic?

After understanding all these circumstances, Zhang Yu became even more relaxed and composed.

Now that the Great Ming had stuck a foot in, this matter became easy to handle. As long as the Great Ming helped from the middle, were you afraid things wouldn't get chaotic?

No wait—were you afraid you couldn't enter a harmonious and beautiful new era?

After they sat down, tea was brought up.

Zhang Yu took a sip of tea, smiled, and said, "Truly fine tea! It has a distinctive flavor. Much better than what I drink back in the Great Ming."

This wasn't Zhang Yu talking nonsense, nor was it flattery or empty praise—this tea really was better than what he usually drank.

Although his relationship with Han Kuang was out of the ordinary, and Han Kuang received tea bestowed by the Emperor every year, what use was that?

The quantity wasn't much to begin with—it never even reached Zhang Yu's hands.

Under such circumstances, Zhang Yu could only buy his own tea to drink.

But with his meager salary, being able to afford tea at all was already good enough. As for drinking fine tea—don't even think about it.

Zhang Yu had never drunk tea as good as what was before him now—that was a fact.

Joseon King Li Zong nodded but said nothing.

After all, in the current situation, there really wasn't much to say. The tea problem wasn't worth discussing—they should get down to business quickly.

Glancing at Zhang Shunyao beside him, Li Zong nodded in his direction.

Zhang Shunyao stepped forward and said with a beaming smile, "Lord Zhang, we're both surnamed Zhang—that's fate. A young talent like Lord Zhang, we'll need your guidance in the future."

Zhang Yu was thoroughly contemptuous of this kind of opening.

Same surname Zhang? Since when did sharing a surname make you family?

You're not even from our Great Ming—who knows where your Zhang surname came from?

But this wasn't the time to say such things, so Zhang Yu smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare, I wouldn't dare! I'm still young, my credentials are weak, and my experience is lacking—I should be the one asking Lord Zhang for guidance."

"Not at all, not at all!" Zhang Shunyao said with a smile. "To receive such favor from the Great Ming's sage Son of Heaven and be entrusted with such an important task—that's not something just anyone could achieve. And Lord Zhang is so young—clearly a talent of the Great Ming. I admire you deeply and wish nothing more than to befriend you wholeheartedly!"

"You flatter me, you flatter me!" Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly.

In his heart, he truly felt helpless.

If you have something to say, just say it—stop beating around the bush.

You brought me in, plied me with wine and food and pleasantries, and now that all that business is finally done and we can sit down to talk, you're still circling around the point?

No wonder you're always fighting each other—with this kind of mundane routine, even I want to go up there and kill you all. You'd start a fight over something like this?

Seeming to sense Zhang Yu's impatience, Zhang Shunyao didn't continue further, his expression still bright and sunny.

Zhang Shunyao looked at Zhang Yu and said, "Lord Zhang, word just came from the Grand Queen Dowager's side that the Great Ming's imperial physicians can cure her. All of Joseon is deeply grateful. His Majesty the King has already submitted a memorial of thanks to the sage Son of Heaven."

"This was His Majesty's command," Zhang Yu said hastily. "We who serve as ministers are merely carrying out orders."

Zhang Shunyao nodded and said, "This time, in the attack on Japan, Joseon will cooperate fully. So if Lord Zhang has any proposals or ideas, please feel free to raise them."

"There are dedicated people to discuss that," Zhang Yu said with a smile. "The people from the Staff Office should be arriving soon—I don't need to participate in that. The navy will also send people over, so you can rest assured."

"Once everyone has arrived, both sides can coordinate the details of dispatching troops. From what I understand, they've also shipped over a good number of weapons and armor this time, all to equip your forces. This is a gift from His Excellency to you."

Hearing this, Zhang Shunyao's eyes narrowed slightly. Hesitation rose in his heart.

Weapons sent by the Great Ming would certainly be fine—the craftsmanship would definitely be excellent. That was something they could anticipate. After all, over the past two years they had bought no small amount of weapons and armor from the Great Ming. Though the prices were very high, the quality was indeed excellent.

Under such circumstances, the weapons and armor the Great Ming was sending this time became an unstable factor.

What they bought themselves could be equipped to anyone. But if the Great Ming was sending them over, would the Great Ming hand the weapons and armor to their people? Let their people make the arrangements?

Judging from the current situation, probably not—the Great Ming would select which Joseon troops to equip. In that case, the Great Ming would be supporting whichever troops they chose.

And whoever they supported would have their strength increased. This made Zhang Shunyao and the Joseon king nervous.

Zhang Shunyao looked at Zhang Yu and asked, "May I ask how many it will equip?"

Seeming afraid Zhang Yu might misunderstand, Zhang Shunyao hastily added, "So we can make preparations to receive them in advance."

"Not many—should be enough to equip thirty thousand men," Zhang Yu said after thinking for a moment.

That's still not many?

Zhang Shunyao was instantly choked into silence.

Only the Great Ming would dare say such a thing—equipment for thirty thousand men was an enormous sum.

Joseon King Li Zong asked hesitantly, "All given for free?"

"Of course." Zhang Yu nodded and said with a smile, "This is a bestowal from the Great Ming Emperor."

Zhang Yu was fully aware of the entire process of this matter. When the operational plan was being drawn up, the Staff Office had already calculated the costs.

If too many land forces were shipped over from the Ming side, the cost would be too great and the expenditure too heavy. Moreover, the distance was far, and if there were combat casualties, treatment would also be difficult.

If the losses were too heavy, it would also be detrimental to the morale of the main army. Most critically, letting Ming soldiers die and be wounded in such numbers was something the Staff Office could not bring itself to do.

But the Joseon people were different. By consuming their effective strength in this way, giving them some weapons and armor, and recruiting them into an army to be sent directly to the battlefields of Japan.

In this way, the Ming would not need to send too many troops—having the Joseon cooperate would suffice. As for the territory taken, giving a portion to Joseon would be enough.

Under such circumstances, Joseon's enthusiasm could also be mobilized. All the Ming would pay was nothing more than some equipment. This equipment was something the current Ming could afford.

Moreover, when the time was ripe, ore could be purchased in Joseon and craftsmen recruited, and a site could be sought near Joseon to serve as a Ming base for manufacturing equipment.

Even after taking territory in Japan, the same could be done there. By that time, things would be much easier to handle.

At the same time, surrendered Japanese troops could also be recruited, armed, and sent to fight.

In short, the Staff Office had detailed plans, so Zhang Yu only mentioned the general idea—the specifics would depend on what came later.

"Of course, this is only the beginning. Don't think it's too little—there will be more to come later. By that time, when Joseon and Japan are at war, the more territory we take, the more troops we'll need."

"When that time comes, we'll need to equip even more armies."

King Yi Jong of Joseon and Zhang Shunyao exchanged a glance, both somewhat hesitant.

Clearly, they had underestimated the Ming's ambition. This time, the Ming was going to pull off something big.

Originally, Joseon had thought that merely sending troops to assist would suffice, but now it seemed that was not the case.

The two could not help but hesitate. They even forgot the matters they had originally wanted to discuss with Zhang Yu at this moment.

After hesitating for a long while, Zhang Shunyao spoke: "Then how will these weapons and equipment be distributed? Will they be handed over to us for distribution?"

"That I wouldn't know." Zhang Yu quickly shook his head and said: "We'll only know after the people from the Staff Office arrive."

Zhang Yu had no desire whatsoever to get involved in this matter. Although he knew the truth of things, he could not say it.

The Ming would never let the Joseon select and distribute weapons themselves. If it were possible, the Ming would even want to directly recruit soldiers in Joseon and have the Ming do the training.

In this way, the Ming could obtain a force of effective strength that was highly responsive to command. When the critical moment came, what this army would do would depend entirely on what the Ming wanted them to do.

In this regard, Zhang Yu had abundant ideas, but unfortunately they could not be realized.

The arrangements and deployments for this matter were all decided by the Staff Office. He had no right to participate or speak on it—even having ideas, he could only report them.