Chapter 1059: Iron hooves break mountains and rivers, black clouds brush the ground with a foul smell

"Your Majesty, I am old and frail. What Chen Jingyi said is his idea. My idea is simpler: if you really want the overseas Viceroyalties to enjoy long-term peace and stability and be used by our Ming for a long time, the key lies in the garrison troops." Sun Kehong looked at the burly Emperor and spoke his views.

"Oh? Let's talk about it in detail." Zhu Yi sat up straight, his expression much more solemn.

He also wanted to know what the wealthy merchants and big families in the private sector thought of the Wanli Reform.

"Your Majesty, Liu Ting was the Grand General for the Southern Expedition, and Liang Menglong was the Viceroy of Military Affairs. They led 280,000 Han troops to quell the rebellion in Bozhou. A full 280,000-strong army, lasting 114 days, wiped out the ambition of the rebellion of the raw and cooked Miao led by Yang Yinglong in one fell swoop."

"If calculated from the Hongwu reign, when Liu Ting led the army into Hailongtun, it had already been a full 232 years." Sun Kehong brought up a problem that few Ming scholar-officials discussed, and that was that the Ming was already old and frail.

According to past experience, at most another seventy years, it would be time for a change of dynasty.

Even so, the Ming could still pull together an army of such a massive scale to quell the disaster. This was a very difficult and unusual thing.

Western Han and Eastern Han, two Han dynasties for more than four hundred years. The strongest era of the Han army was naturally when Wei and Huo drove the Xiongnu north. However, the famous "Good Family Sons" and the Feathered Forest Army gradually exited the historical stage after Emperor Wu of Han passed away, and since then, aristocratic families dominated the world.

It can be simply summarized that the prosperous period of the Han army lasted for a very short time. After that, military affairs gradually fell into the hands of border armies and aristocratic families.

The Great Tang reached Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, and in just a short hundred years, the Fubing system was abolished. The An Lushan Rebellion ignited the flames of war, and everyone fell into chaos. The madness and darkness of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms were the foul-smelling corpse water left behind after the death of the prosperous Tang.

The military strength of the two Song dynasties existed until Emperor Taizong of Song's Battle of Gaoliang River. After that, the military weakness of the two Song dynasties was known to everyone.

The Ming was completely different. By the Wanli reign, it had been established for more than two hundred years, and the Ming state still had the organizational ability to organize a large-scale army of more than 200,000 people for battle without worrying about violence getting out of control.

The foundation of all this was the Ming's "beggar soldiers," the garrison troops.

The Ducheng Battalion, which His Majesty used very smoothly, naturally tended toward the Ducheng Battalion, but the soldiers of the garrison troops were the foundation of the Ming.

The garrison troop system and the Han dynasty's garrison fields, the Tang dynasty's Fubing system, the only difference was that the garrison troops planted official fields, not private fields, and the means of production were collectively owned, not individually.

Admittedly, because of various reasons, annexation also existed, but even so, the garrison troop system was still the key to the Ming's survival.

And Sun Kehong's meaning was very clear: the Ming was opening the sea now, and everything was good, but the only bad thing was that they had not established garrison troops overseas.

Han townships were gathering areas, equivalent to the Ming's towns, but outside the towns, in the countryside, the Emperor, ministers, officials, and overseas Viceroys seemed not to have noticed.

Of course, this might be the same as the previous contradiction—they were establishing rule and couldn't take care of it. So now, it was time to do it.

Once you eat it, you have to digest it cleanly, rather than spitting it out again.

"What Sun Merchant Leader said is very true. I did indeed neglect it. Thank you, Sun Merchant Leader, for the reminder." Zhu Yi expressed his gratitude very solemnly. This merchant leader who had been in a wheelchair for thirty years could sit firmly in the position of the Songjiang Ocean Trading Firm's merchant leader; he truly had substance.

Actually, in the eyes of the powerful and wealthy families, the 100,000 elite troops of the Ducheng Battalion and the 160,000 navy were indeed very terrifying, but the most terrifying thing was the public opinion that gave birth to the Ducheng Battalion and the navy. The common people were willing to become the sharp blades in His Majesty's hands under the leadership of the court and were willing to believe in the court once more.

This kind of public support was the fundamental reason why the Ming Emperor could slaughter the powerful and wealthy families like pigs.

Those who often slaughter pigs in the countryside know that there is only one person holding the knife, just making a cut on the pig's neck to bleed it, but there are always several people holding the pig down so it doesn't move around.

"And Your Majesty." Sun Kehong's expression was complex. He looked at the burly Emperor and then at the Secretariat, wanting to speak but stopping, deliberating repeatedly before saying: "Your Majesty, iron hooves break mountains and rivers, black clouds brush the ground with a foul smell."

"The iron hooves of the Hu Yuan went south, breaking the Great Song's mountains and rivers. The black clouds pressed on the city, and the foul-smelling wind blew across the entire world. Feng Sheng led the army to conquer the west, and for a thousand li, they were all Hu captives. The Zhongshan Wang Xu Dazhi arrived at Datong. In the land of Yanyun, the Han people all spoke the Hu language, but they scolded the Han people on the city walls."

"To this day, these places have changed back. The garrison troop system is a means of royal transformation."

Sun Kehong had tried his best to deliberate. He hoped that His Majesty would understand his meaning.

These lands that had been lost for hundreds of years finally became the world of the Han people again. The fundamental system was the garrison troops everywhere. They absorbed the Hu people who were willing to submit, killed the Hu people who were unwilling to submit, and planted these Hu people who did not submit to royal transformation into the soil.

Zhu Yi obviously understood Sun Kehong's meaning and said with a smile: "I understand. In those days, the Chengzu Wen Emperor conquered Annam and established the Jiaozhi Three Commissions, and likewise established garrison troops, but they only built eleven guards and thirteen offices in total, which was indeed not enough."

Because it involved the Chengzu Emperor, Zhu Yi spoke more politely. Actually, these eleven guards and thirteen offices only built three garrison troops from beginning to end. After that, Chengzu was addicted to northern expeditions and didn't pay much attention to this place of Jiaozhi.

At that time, Chengzu was trying every means to move the capital to the north, so it was normal not to pay attention to Jiaozhi.

"Your Majesty, the equal-field system that Xiong Tingbi engaged in on the Kanto Plain is the Fubing system's land grant. His approach is reasonable because he first has to face the expulsion of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. How to quickly develop sufficient military power within three to five years is the primary task."

"But after that, Viceroy Xiong still has to use the garrison troop method." Sun Kehong mentioned Xiong Tingbi. Xiong Da engaged in the equal-field system on the Kanto Plain, but he only engaged in the equal-field system in the Edo River, and for the rest, he still had to use the garrison troop method.

Zhu Yi chatted with Sun Kehong and Chen Jingyi for a long time before having Zhang Hong send them away.

When he was idle, Zhu Yi also thought: if Zhu Yuanzhang's talent in finance was as high as his talent in military affairs, that would truly be great.

Unfortunately, Zhu Yuanzhang's talent in financial affairs was as little as his love for corrupt officials.

This garrison troop system of Zhu Yuanzhang naturally had some shortcomings, such as desertion, such as corruption, but in the border areas where military danger was present, this system could maintain existence for a long time and had extremely strong combat effectiveness. At the same time, for the court, the cost of combat was extremely low.

In October of the second year of Chongzhen, the little slave chief Huang Taiji broke through the Xifengkou and attacked the capital from the Xifengkou.

The Chongzhen Emperor urgently ordered the Shanxi Viceroy Geng Ruqi and Regional Commander Zhang Honggong to lead 8,000 soldiers to enter the capital to defend it. They prepared their own grain and grass. When they arrived at the capital, their rations were eaten up. They asked the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue for grain, but the Ministry of War did not give it, and the 8,000 soldiers were starved for a full three days, which broke out into a mutiny.

And the Minister of Revenue, Bi Ziyan, came forward and mobilized the rations, and the mutiny was quickly quelled. But someone had to be responsible for the mutiny. The Regional Commander who led the troops to defend was executed, and the Viceroy was exiled.

At this moment, it was only fifteen years away from the Ming's demise. These beggar soldiers, as long as they were given food, were willing to fight and were willing to sell their lives.

When Emperor Dezong of Tang ascended the throne, he was determined to deal with the five vassal towns of Hebei. These five vassal towns had been highly independent since the An Lushan Rebellion and were unwilling to listen to the court's orders. This move by Emperor Dezong of Tang forced the five towns of Hebei to rebel again.

Emperor Dezong of Tang mobilized the Jingyang troops to go to quell the rebellion. The Jingyuan Military Governor Yao Lingyan led 5,000 soldiers to arrive in Chang'an and asked Emperor Dezong of Tang for reward money before they were willing to go to Hebei.

Emperor Dezong of Tang ordered the Jingzhao Yin to reward them, but the Jingzhao Yin only gave them coarse tea and light rice, which immediately caused a mutiny. Finally, they broke through Chang'an, and Emperor Dezong of Tang fled in a panic.

When the Jingyang mutiny occurred, the Great Tang had only been established for 165 years. The defending troops mobilized to enter the capital to quell the rebellion directly broke through the capital and drove away the Emperor.

If one compares it like this, one will find the obvious difference, and the reason for this difference is indeed the garrison troop system playing a key role.

These soldiers clearly knew that they were the Ming's soldiers, not the soldiers of some Military Governor.

It was also because of the garrison troop system, this solid economic foundation, that the Ming's violence would not be so easily out of control and did not form vassal towns.

Zhu Yi issued an order to the cabinet to discuss the establishment of overseas garrison troops.

The Ming was conquering Annam again. How to completely dispel the Annamese people's will to resist and how to prevent internal traitors from stealing the fruits of victory—the garrison troop system was probably the answer.

The Ming Emperor received the envoys of overseas barbarian countries on the 14th day of the seventh month and answered many details about the pricing of the Pan-Pacific Commercial Alliance and the establishment of the Western Commercial Alliance. On the next morning, the Emperor convened the second special court discussion on the military campaign against Annam in the West Flower Hall of the Imperial Study in the Huangpujiang Palace.

"Your Majesty, the Songjiang Prefect Hu Junde submitted a memorial requesting to rename the Huangpujiang Palace to Yanqing Palace, taking the meaning of 'the sea is calm and the river is clear'." The Great Zongbo Shen Li came out of the ranks to speak of a matter that had nothing to do with the conquest.

Songjiang Prefecture had great enthusiasm for striving for the status of a secondary capital, which could be described as tireless, even using moves like "advancing one pawn a day."

If Songjiang Prefecture were a secondary capital, then what would Yingtian Prefecture, this secondary capital, be? How could there be two secondary capitals in one Jiangnan!

Songjiang Prefecture did not speak, advancing one pawn a day. If the Huangpujiang Palace really succeeded in changing its name, it would be an upgrade from a palace to a palace where His Majesty resided permanently. Then wherever the Emperor was, that would be the capital. Even if it wasn't a secondary capital, it would be a secondary capital.

"Yingtian Prefecture has blocked it for so long, but it can't block it anymore. Change the name to Yanqing Palace." Zhu Yi said with a smile.

Yingtian Prefecture kept shouting "don't," but couldn't come up with a good countermeasure, and finally could only let Songjiang Prefecture succeed.

"Your Majesty, issue an order to the Ministry of Revenue to inquire about the targeted issuance of Huang Jinbao Notes to Liangguang. The Ministry of Revenue discussed and decided on 6 million guan per year." The Great Situ Zhang Xueyan came out of the ranks and spoke of the Ministry of Revenue's discussion result.

"Is it so much? The Ming hinterland has 6 million guan, Luzon has 6 million guan, Guangdong has 6 million guan, that's 18 million guan. I can only store 1.5 million taels of gold a year. It's over-issued by three times. Is there really no problem?" Zhu Yi was startled. Although it was to build a reservoir, this one-time issuance of 6 million guan was equivalent to 1.2 million taels of gold.

"Your Majesty, it might not be enough." Hou Yuzhao explained that it was already very conservative.

"Fine, it is my fault. I cannot store more gold, so I will follow what the Ministry of Revenue discussed." Zhu Yi thought for a moment and decided to issue it. The scale of sugar tickets in Guangzhou alone exceeded 5 million guan. This 6 million guan thrown in was really not much.

Issuing notes without gold meant using credit as an endorsement. Zhu Yi still had this bit of credibility.

Guangzhou Prefecture was too short of money, to the point that even private tickets issued by various sugar workshops could be used as money. Guangzhou Prefecture couldn't manage it. If they managed it, the common people would have no money to use. If they didn't manage it, private tickets and fake tickets would impact official tickets and Huang Jinbao Notes.

Solve the urgent need of Guangzhou Prefecture first, and then Zhu Yi would think of ways to store more gold.

Actually, the Ming court was really conservative. According to Felipe's experience of three gold bond explosions, if they wanted Huang Jinbao Notes to explode, His Majesty had to over-issue more than seven times every year and continue for several years. The higher the multiple of over-issuance, the faster the explosion.

The Ming had only over-issued less than three times. This was nowhere near that. Not to mention precious metals like gold, silver, and red copper, even the Ming's massive goods could support this bit of Huang Jinbao Note issuance.

"The captives on Gusu Island were all castrated and sent to Luzon." The Great Sima Liang Menglong came out of the ranks to report on the disposal of the captives from the Annam conquest.

Among the captives on Gusu Island, there were more than 1,100 Ming people. These Ming people were not second-generation immigrants overseas, but Ming people born and raised in Guangzhou, Fujian, etc. They escaped from the Ming after the Japanese pirate scourge and the Wanli Reform.

How to deal with these Ming people became the focus of recent debate in the court. Finally, the conservative Ministry of War won, treating them as barbarians, which was equivalent to depriving these people of their Ming identity and dealing with them according to the treatment of barbarians.

According to the reformist view, these people were all Ming people. It was a series of problems that appeared after Qi Jiguang was transferred back to the capital in the second year of Longqing, so they should not be treated as barbarians, but as Ming people, exiled to Luzon, Jiugang, Gold Mountain, etc., to contribute to the Ming's overseas expansion.

The Ministry of War weighed it repeatedly and still castrated them all.

"The army has its own regulations, so just do it." Zhu Yi did not excessively interfere with the front lines.

Ultimately, what made the Ministry of War make up its mind was Chen Lin's memorial. In Chen Lin's view, these captives of sea bandit origin were burning, killing, and plundering, and were not worthy of being human. Bearing the curse that "killing captives is inauspicious," Chen Lin drowned 400 of the captives in the sea.

The reason was very simple: the sea bandits led by Lin Daoqian mainly made a living by selling people. They sold barbarian slaves, and they also sold Ming people.

Those with Ming blood on their hands all ended up drowned in the sea, and the rest were all castrated and sent to overseas plantations as slaves.

"Your Majesty, why is a paragraph missing from Li Yashi's 'On China'?" The Great Zongbo Shen Li came out of the ranks to inquire about Li Yashi's "On China." Shen Li read this book, and it was indeed written extremely well, with a very deep understanding of the Ming.

Those who are in the situation are confused, and Ming people who are born and raised here would take some things for granted and think it should be so. The bystander is clear, and Li Yashi discussed the Ming's military, political, economic, and cultural aspects from the perspective of a barbarian, which was very worthy of reference.

If it weren't for Li Yashi insisting on returning to the West, he would have been qualified to be a fifth-rank official in the Ministry of Rites.

"He scolded me, so I deleted it!" Zhu Yi said with anger: "He actually said at the end that I am a monarch of a fallen country. It is simply unreasonable! I locked him up for twenty days, which was already very polite!"

"This..." Shen Li was shocked. It was bad, Li Yashi really learned the real stuff! He was actually a straightforward and upright official, actually daring to scold the Emperor in a book given to the Emperor to read first!

Li Yashi also had nine generations in the Ming!

What surprised Shen Li most was that he was only locked up for twenty days, which meant Li Yashi was right.

"I dare to ask, what did Li Yashi say?" Shen Li asked in a low voice. He wanted to know what problems were seen from the perspective of a barbarian, which actually received the Emperor's affirmation.

Zhu Yi pulled the stool back and stood up, standing in front of the map, pointing to the map of the entire Ming territory and saying: "In these twenty-two years, I wouldn't say I have been diligent and conscientious, but I have been diligent!"

"I personally engage in farming and mulberry, set up the Baoqi Division Agricultural Academy, sweet potatoes, potatoes, pasture grass, water fertilizer, refined salt, fast-growing poplars, late-maturing potatoes, etc., all of which benefit the people!"

"I have invigorated martial arts and raised troops, rebuilt the Ducheng Battalion, inspected troops and horses every day, rain or shine, conquered Jianzhou, attacked Danning, pacified Altan, connected Liaodong, Danning, Xinghua, Kaiping, and Guihua into one, and recovered Hetao! In the southwest, I reopened the Three Commissions and Six Commissions and established six prefectures to govern!"

"I decisively opened the sea, first recovered Ryukyu, then opened the Nagasaki, Luzon, Jiugang, and Gold Pool Viceroyalties, sent my own brother, the Lu Prince, to the Gold Mountain Kingdom, had the global merchant fleet conduct global trade every year, established Ming halls widely overseas, and established the Pan-Pacific Commercial Alliance and the Western Commercial Alliance to seek the long-term prosperity of maritime trade!"

"I rewarded artisans, built 74 government factories, and 44 are under construction. Coal and steel are connected into a sea! Established the Academy of Things to study the infinite principles of all things, hoping that human power will overcome heaven! Built roads, totaling 35,000 li, connecting north, south, east, and west, seeking the peace of all people!"

"For twenty-two years, I have not been lazy for a single day. A barbarian who came from the West actually dared to scold me!"

"I should have fed him black bread mixed with dirt, not mixed with sawdust! Stuff him to death!"

When the ministers heard the Emperor's rage, they all looked at their noses and hearts. The ministers had participated in countless court discussions, and the Emperor had always had a kind of calmness, like Mount Tai collapsing in front without changing color, and elk rising on the left without blinking.

This kind of steadiness had existed since the Emperor listened to the government at the age of ten.

As a result, now, because of a barbarian's words, the Emperor counted all his achievements for more than twenty years.

Hou Yuzhao wanted to speak but stopped. He actually wanted to remind His Majesty that there was also the "Return Land Order," which was a great achievement.

As a result, the Emperor, because of a few words from a barbarian, had now recounted all of his own achievements over the past twenty-plus years.

Everyone could talk about principles clearly, but doing things was as difficult as ascending to heaven.

This was the difference between Hou Yuzhao and other ministers. Other ministers heard that the Emperor was a bit broken, while Hou Yuzhao heard that His Majesty had missed his own achievements. Hou Yuzhao was always different from others and was reversed again.

"Stuff! Him! To death!" Zhu Yi flicked his sleeves and slapped the table. The West Flower Hall of Yanqing Palace was silent, and one could hear a needle drop.

"Great Zongbo, do you think I should stuff him to death?" Zhu Yi looked at Shen Li and asked.

"Yes, Your Majesty is right. Should stuff him to death! A barbarian, having lived in the Ming for twenty years, luckily received a bit of imperial favor, and now doesn't know the height of heaven and earth!" Shen Li hurriedly echoed. At this time, he had to coax the Emperor and could not provoke the Emperor again.

The great sailing ships hadn't left yet. If the Emperor was angry and executed Li Yashi, he wouldn't be able to expand the Ming's influence.

"Right." Zhu Yi sat down, his anger slightly eased.

"Your Majesty, what did Li Yashi say?" Shen Li asked after the Emperor sat down.

The ministers who were looking at their noses and hearts suddenly looked at Shen Li. It had to be said that Shen Li was indeed worthy of being an upright official on par with Hai Rui. Seeing the Emperor's rage, he still wanted to continue asking. Wasn't the Emperor's answer just now clear enough? The Emperor didn't want to say!

Zhu Yi looked at Shen Li, and Shen Li did not dodge, just looking at the Emperor's scrutinizing gaze.

"If you want to see, then take a look." Finally, Zhu Yi sighed and took out the part that Zhang Hong had deleted and handed it to Shen Li.

After Shen Li read it, he passed it to the other ministers.

After everyone finished reading, Shen Li said: "Your Majesty, Li Yashi is right."

"I know, otherwise he would have been a specimen long ago, cut into thousands of pieces." Zhu Yi nodded and said: "I have no other choice."

The stance of unreservedly favoring the poor and suffering laborers would indeed aggravate the tearing, but the Wanli Reform only had this one road, and they could only move forward like this.

"Your Majesty is wise." Shen Li looked at the ministers, and seeing that no one wanted to express an opinion, he could only say so.

"Your Majesty, Li Yashi is right, but he is not entirely right." Hou Yuzhao suddenly spoke: "Your Majesty has indeed favored the poor and suffering laborers, but has never intended to force the powerful and wealthy families, rich merchants, and local gentry into a dead end."

"At most, it is to make these meat-eaters abide by the law. This requirement is not excessive. So far, within 20,000 li of the Ming's water journey, there are no official ships or official trade, but the easiest and fattest piece has been given to these meat-eaters."

"The tearing is indeed aggravating, but a new consensus is also forming."

Hou Yuzhao was very certain that Li Yashi was right. This kind of unreserved favoring was indeed a bit too obvious, but as long as the wealthy households were willing to abide by the law, they would live more comfortably than in the past.

"The country is changing with each passing day. The lives of these wealthy households are much more comfortable than in the past. Your Majesty, I noticed that in recent years, the amount of corruption by corrupt officials has become larger and larger. Is the morality of new officials not as good as that of old officials? I don't think so."

"Xu Jie was corrupt by nature. He embezzled so much silver, but only annexed 400,000 mu of land. It was because the Ming was very poor at that time, so he could only embezzle this much." Hou Yuzhao talked about a person, Xu Jie.

As the Imperial Teacher, Xu Jie's family property was not even one-quarter of Sun Kehong's current family property. The silver in Sun Kehong's hands could buy 1.6 million mu of land in Songjiang Prefecture.

The scale of corruption became larger, which had nothing to do with morality; it was mainly because the court had developed for more than twenty years, and everyone from the Emperor to the common people lived better than in the past.

As the Grand Secretary and tutor to the Emperor, Xu Jie's family assets were not even one-quarter of Sun Kehong's current family assets; the silver in Sun Kehong's hands could buy 1.6 million mu of land in Songjiang Prefecture.

"Hou Aiqing's words make sense!" Zhu Yi heard this and showed a sunny smile.

He admitted that he was indeed a bit broken by Li Yashi's scolding. The length was not large, but it twisted a knot in the Emperor's heart.

When he was free, Zhu Yi would also ponder. The more he pondered, the less smooth his heart became.

Zhu Yi's rage this time was not because Shen Li was ignorant of the situation and kept asking, nor was it because Li Yashi pointed at the imperial carriage, but because he couldn't figure out this problem and was a bit anxious. He was angry at himself. It was just that sentence: he had no other choice.

He had no other way, he was at his wit's end.

Once Hou Yuzhao spoke, Zhu Yi finally understood. In the process of development, problems are solved. As long as they are still expanding overseas, these wealthy households can still eat meat and won't always be thinking about eating people. After all, the Emperor doesn't allow it, and the common people can also catch their breath.

"Your Majesty, issue an order to the cabinet and the Ministry of War to inquire about the establishment of overseas garrison troops. I think it is very necessary." The Great Sima Liang Menglong said with a solemn expression: "This is the best of the best strategies. I request the Grand General to discuss it."

The Ming was extremely hesitant about conquering Annam again. If they conquered it and lost it, what should they do?

The Ministry of War also had doubts about whether the garrison troop system could prevent history from repeating itself. After thinking about it, it was better to ask Qi Jiguang, who understood military affairs best, to judge it.

"Proclaim the Grand General." Zhu Yi did not hesitate and sent someone to invite Qi Jiguang. Qi Jiguang was fishing in the Dragon Pool, and he led 30,000 troops to guard the Yanqing Palace.

Qi Jiguang was invited to the East Flower Hall. The eunuch left quickly to report that the Grand General had arrived.

Qi Jiguang sat down. The sun was just right, and the begonia flowers in the courtyard were blooming brilliantly. He suddenly turned his head and looked into the East Flower Hall, behind the antique shelf, at the twelve-chapter imperial robe. This was the true attire of the Son of Heaven.

A beam of sunlight from the eaves shone on the imperial robe. The twelve chapters woven with gold threads shone brightly in the sun, and the pearls and jade of the Son of Heaven's crown emitted a warm light.

Qi Jiguang stood up slowly and walked step by step to the imperial robe. He did not reach out, but stood there, staring fixedly at the five-clawed golden dragon on the imperial robe. There was a bit of confusion in his eyes. He raised his hand, and just as he was about to touch the five-clawed golden dragon, he suddenly stopped.

The confusion in his eyes disappeared, turning into a kind of openness and relief.

He had seen the twelve-chapter imperial robe many times before and never felt anything. Seeing it today, he actually looked until his eyes were blurred. He raised his hand, and just as he was about to touch it, he stopped.

The confusion in his eyes disappeared, turning into a kind of openness and relief.

The confusion in his eyes before had greed and desire. The openness and relief now were restraint and rationality.

"Grand General." Zhang Hong said in a low voice beside Qi Jiguang: "His Majesty summons the Grand General to the West Flower Hall to discuss matters."

"How long has it been?" Qi Jiguang didn't know how long he had been looking. Usually, it was a small eunuch who came to proclaim. Maybe the small eunuch was scared to death when he saw the Grand General looking at the dragon robe and crawled back to report, so the Emperor sent Zhang Hong.

"A quarter of an hour." Zhang Hong answered carefully. Feng Bao was not there, and Li Yougong was in Guangzhou Prefecture. His Majesty reminded Zhang Hong not to say what shouldn't be said and just go to proclaim the Grand General for an audience.

If there was anything to say, the Emperor would say it himself. If the eunuch asked randomly, it would easily cause trouble.

"Let's go." Qi Jiguang turned and left, going to the West Flower Hall.

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty live in peace." Qi Jiguang bowed in greeting.

"Qi Shuai, no need for etiquette, sit, sit." Zhu Yi said with a smile: "Feng Banban, bring good tea."

Zhang Hong immediately went to pour tea. Even if the Emperor called the wrong surname, Feng Bao was not there, and Zhang Hong did not dare to correct him, which also represented that the Emperor's heart was actually not that calm.

"Did the General look at the dragon robe in the East Flower Hall for a while?" After Zhang Hong poured the tea, Zhu Yijun asked without any hesitation. Zhang Juzheng had taught him that once a rift appeared, it must be addressed face-to-face; otherwise, it would be exacerbated by slander, driving them further apart.

This was Zhu Yijun's most important art of governance, and he asked it directly.

"Your Majesty, people are not greedy often because they cannot reach it, not because they lack ambition; those who can reach it will all be greedy."

Qi Jiguang said quite sincerely: "The reason a person is a person, and not a beast, is that humans have reason and can restrain their own desires, rather than becoming slaves to money and power."

"The General is broad-minded," Zhu Yijun said sincerely.

In the past, Qi Jiguang really could have reached it, but he restrained himself.

Now that he was advanced in age, he rarely attended to affairs and was enjoying his twilight years; he had even resigned from the position of Regional Commander of the Beijing Tianjin Tianjin Weisuo, and now he lacked that strength.

"The older a person gets, the harder it is to restrain oneself." It was not the first time Qi Jiguang had seen the twelve-symbol imperial robe; he had seen it many times before and never thought anything of it, but today, seeing it, he was actually dazzled.

The difficulty of maintaining one's integrity to the end is something everyone must face; Qi Jiguang was glad he had resigned from the Beijing Tianjin Tianjin Weisuo, otherwise, this time he really would not have been able to explain himself.

The Emperor is a very suspicious creature; when you have the strength to replace him, the Emperor will naturally give rise to suspicion, and suspicion combined with strength will cause conflicts to intensify.

Now that Qi Jiguang lacked that strength, he was no longer the Regional Commander of the Beijing Tianjin Tianjin Weisuo, no one would put a yellow robe on him again, and without supporters, even if the Emperor were suspicious, he would still bestow favors to win him over, rather than calling for his execution.