Chapter 979: I, at my wit's end

Zhu Yijun was not a greenhorn who had just become Emperor, but a mature Emperor who had been in power for nineteen years. His attitude toward corruption was one of limited tolerance. If it were the founding Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, he would have long since killed until heads rolled.

Zhu Yijun's prestige could also achieve killing, but killing was simple. After killing, the construction of the imperial road would fall into a deadlock.

And the secret memorial system, a system that no one else would know about except the two parties, and even the great eunuchs around the Emperor didn't know what was written, was a complete black box.

The secret memorial system was a treacherous scheme offered by the sycophant Wang Chonggu, but if the Emperor could use this treacherous scheme well, it could indeed avoid the disorderly expansion of political struggles.

After the Emperor sternly warned Chen Zhixian, Chen Zhixian received the protection of the Emperor's imperial favor and luckily escaped a disaster. Whether the Beijing-Guangzhou Imperial Road could be built on schedule was a matter of life and death for Chen Zhixian, so he would naturally be more attentive.

Chen Zhixian believed in the Emperor. As long as he completed the imperial order on schedule, with quality and quantity, he would absolutely be fine, because the Emperor never broke his word.

After the Emperor handled the tail of the Beijing-Guangzhou Imperial Road corruption case cleanly, Gao Qiyu's memorial was presented to the Imperial Presence.

The Emperor issued an edict for Gao Qiyu to recommend a General Director for the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance. After Gao Qiyu declined twice, he recommended a candidate, the Right Censor-in-Chief Zhao Huan, who was from Donglai, Shandong, and was in the same cohort as Gao Qiyu.

Zhao Huan and Gao Qiyu were in the same cohort, and Gao Qiyu's reason for recommending Zhao Huan was quite interesting: this person would not collude with the Jiangnan literati.

Zhao Huan had a grudge against the Jiangnan literati, which was why Gao Qiyu recommended Zhao Huan.

This matter was related to Zhao Huan's older brother and younger brother. Zhao Huan's older brother was named Zhao Yao, who became a Jinshi in the second year of Longqing, and Zhao Huan's younger brother Zhao Can became a Jinshi in the second year of Wanli. The three brothers, Zhao Yao, Zhao Huan, and Zhao Can, were known as the "Three Phoenixes of Donglai."

In the fifth year of Wanli, Zhang Juzheng's eldest son, Zhang Siwen, participated in the metropolitan examination, and an attack on Zhang Juzheng for examination fraud broke out in the court. In this attack, Zhang Siwen chose to enter the Academy of Sciences and not enter officialdom, which ended the matter.

In that attack, Zhao Yao and Zhao Can were both implicated.

All three brothers were Jinshi and were directly saturated with attacks by the censors of the Southern Yamen. Since then, Zhao Yao's official career had not been smooth, and Zhao Can was even more miserable, forced to the point of having to resign and return home.

Of the Three Phoenixes of Donglai, only Zhao Huan remained. Zhao Huan never concealed his attitude toward the Jiangnan scholar-officials, calling them "cheap scholars" at every turn.

The candidate recommended by Gao Qiyu was actually his standard for the General Director of the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance.

First, he must be a Northerner, preferably someone whose family had no entanglements with maritime trade;

Second, he must have deep-seated grievances with the Jiangnan scholar-officials, to the point of being life-and-death enemies, before he could be entrusted with a heavy responsibility;

Third, it would be best to choose an upright official who had shown high moral conduct in daily life.

Among these three standards, the weight of the first and

second was the highest. If the third condition was not met, he could still be appointed.

Zhao Huan was indeed an upright official, not only because he did not fear the powerful, but also because he was very resourceful.

At the end of the Wanli era, the Wanli Emperor neglected government, and many offices were empty.

The Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Rites, and the Ministry of Works only had one Vice Minister each. The Minister of War and the Left and Right Vice Ministers were all vacant. The Ministry of Personnel was slightly better, having a Minister like Zhao Huan, but he was also a lone commander, with the Left and Right Vice Ministers vacant. The Ministry of Justice had no Minister, only a Left Vice Minister.

The six ministries only had one Minister.

The Left and Right Censors-in-Chief of the Censorate were all vacant, with only one Assistant Censor-in-Chief. There were 110 Censors, but only 21 were in office; there were 50 Supervising Secretaries of the Six Offices, but only 11 were in office.

As the Minister of Personnel, Zhao Huan did a big thing. In the eighth month of the forty-third year of Wanli, Zhao Huan intended to kneel at the palace gate to remonstrate!

If you, the Wanli Emperor, didn't fill the vacancies, he, Zhao Huan, the Minister of Personnel, would starve to death in front of the Huangji Gate! Zhao Huan intended to act as Bi Gan, and clearly, the Wanli Emperor didn't want to act as King Zhou of Shang.

In the end, Zhao Huan achieved success and filled many official positions in the capital.

Zhao Huan could be considered one of the few upright officials who could force the Wanli Emperor to fill vacancies after the Wanli Emperor neglected government.

Zhu Yijun was very satisfied with this candidate, especially very satisfied with the standards set by Gao Qiyu.

If the Emperor felt that Gao Qiyu recommended Zhao Huan because they were in the same cohort, Gao Qiyu also gave three alternatives: Wang Qian, who was in the Emperor's heart; Yang Junmin, a descendant of a noble family and son of the former Minister of Personnel Yang Bo; and the "Seaweed King" Yao Guangqi.

The biggest characteristic of these three people was their background.

Wang Qian, who went to brothels with the Emperor (the gathering at Taibai Tower), naturally didn't need to be mentioned. Yang Junmin was the son of the former Minister of Personnel Yang Bo. Although Yang Bo had died, his connections were still there, and Yang Junmin was not a good-for-nothing; he inherited both the family business and connections.

As for Yao Guangqi, his background was Ling Yunyi, and His Majesty the Emperor.

"Seaweed King" was a nickname Yao Guangqi earned with his life. The centipede-like scar on his face was evidence of him risking his life for fishermen. Just the four words "Seaweed King" were enough for the Emperor to remember for a lifetime.

And Ling Yunyi, the Junior Grand Secretary who killed without blinking, was Yao Guangqi's mentor.

Among the four, Zhu Yijun finally checked off Yao Guangqi.

Gao Qiyu still underestimated the interests related to the Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance. He felt that Zhao Huan could be appointed because he was at odds with the Jiangnan literati, but Zhu Yijun still felt that Yao Guangqi, who walked his own path with his life, was more trustworthy.

The Pan-Pacific Trade Alliance was a matter of great importance. Zhu Yijun didn't know if an upright official like Zhao Huan could withstand the hunting of the Jiangnan scholar-officials, but Yao Guangqi could indeed. If Yao Guangqi was provoked, he would really dare to risk his life.

"In this officialdom, every step is an opportunity and also a danger. Whoever dares to move my Seaweed King, I will move his entire clan." After checking off Yao Guangqi, Zhu Yijun gave a special annotation:

Yao Guangqi can be entrusted with the task. I am promoting him specially because I know well that Guangqi is loyal, diligent, and patriotic. Junior Minister of Rites, encourage him, do not fail my expectations. Whoever dares to obstruct him, the nine clans will not be spared.

Zhu Yijun also specifically instructed Gao Qiyu to help look after Yao Guangqi. After all, not everything had to be brought to the Imperial Presence. If Gao Qiyu could help, it would save countless troubles.

And the last sentence was Zhu Yijun's threat. Daring to let Yao Guangqi have an accident was the moment to test the bonds of the nine clans.

The old matter of Zhu Wan in Zhejiang must absolutely not happen again during the Wanli era.

Zhu Yijun continued to handle the memorials. There were a few interesting things in the seventh-month memorials.

Li Chengliang was a person who couldn't stay idle. In the fourth month of this year, Li Chengliang went to the Iron Gate Pass and rebuilt it.

After the Iron Gate Pass was completed, Li Chengliang submitted a congratulatory memorial. This majestic pass, which had been established since the Han Wudi era, had been buried in endless wind and sand after the An Lushan Rebellion. Time passed, and in the nineteenth year of Wanli, it finally stood tall in the yellow sand again.

And the Hot Spring Pass (Alashankou) that Li Chengliang kept thinking about had also completed its geographical survey, preparing to be built in five to ten years under the support of the Western Regions tribes to block the prying eyes of thieves outside the Alashan Mountains.

These five to ten years involved not only a pass, but also the supporting construction of roads, bridges, and post stations along the way.

In the development of the Western Regions, the Great Ming did not invest too much manpower and material resources, and everything seemed a bit slow. With the strength of the whole nation, even if they stopped repairing the latter half of the Beijing-Guangzhou Imperial Road, they could build an imperial road to the Iron Gate Pass and the Hot Spring Pass. But in the national policy of emphasizing both sea and land, the Emperor still chose to prioritize opening the seas.

"Your Majesty, this is a land reclamation approval submitted by the Regional Inspector of Liaodong, Gu Yangqian." Feng Bao presented a memorial, an approval on cotton-hemp paper, and a thin booklet to the Imperial Presence.

Zhu Yijun finished reading the memorial, picked up the approval, and looked at it for a long, long time.

On this approval, besides the seal of the Liaodong Administration Commission, there was also the seal of the Liaodong Agricultural Reclamation Bureau. Besides that, there were the seals of Liaoning Prefecture, Jilin Prefecture, etc.

What was written on the approval was:

Regarding the imperial edict on Liaodong affairs, now there is Sha Dali's family of seventeen from Shandong, reclaiming 480 mu of wasteland, coming to

the line. East to Zhaoshui Pool Bean Fir Forest, West to Maojiagou, North to Bald Vulture Ridge, South unlimited, still permitted to reclaim wasteland. The Administration Commission and other places obey the imperial edict. In the second year of Wanli, the imperial edict stated that Liaodong had many thieves and few people, allowing the people to migrate and reclaim wasteland. The Regional Inspector and the Regional Military Commission and other places gave approvals for land reclamation and were not allowed to obstruct.

And the memorial clearly wrote about the process of how Sha Dali left his hometown to reclaim wasteland near Jilin in Liaodong, and especially how, after reclaiming the wasteland, he gradually brought his family to Jilin.

Today, the Administration Commission office was finally established, and it could give Sha Dali's family the land reclamation approval.

The land reclamation approval was the legacy of Hou Yuzhao. The legal effect of this approval was equivalent to a land deed. It was not allowed to be bought or sold, but it could be leased. Now, going to Liaodong to reclaim wasteland, these 480 mu of land were all the ancestral property of Sha Dali's family, and they could continue to reclaim wasteland until it bordered other people's land before stopping.

The Liaodong land reclamation approval was jointly recognized by the Liaodong Administration Commission office and the Agricultural Reclamation Bureau, and the deed was verified every three years to determine the scope of land reclamation. As long as the land was written on the verified deed, it belonged to Sha Dali's family.

This was the first approval issued in Liaodong. Zhu Yijun looked at it for a long, long time and couldn't bear to put it down. This was a small step in the Great Ming's development of Liaodong, and also a precious step, representing that the Jilin area was being turned into a real county of the Great Ming.

Land reclamation in Liaodong was truly bitter. According to the Regional Inspector of Liaodong, Gu Yangqian, Sha Dali was able to reclaim so much land because he had great strength, and he brought his family to Liaodong intermittently.

In the process of Sha Dali's family reclaiming wasteland, his older brother froze to death in the first year, his younger brother was attacked by a tiger in the sixth year and died under the tiger's sharp claws, and Sha Dali's eldest son went into the mountains to pick wild goods and never returned.

And the Liaodong Administration Commission also issued the first "Land Reclamation Book." The people reclaiming wasteland in Liaodong needed to study the Land Reclamation Book before they could reclaim wasteland. The study time was three months, mainly on precautions.

This Land Reclamation Book was compiled by Hou Yuzhao when he was in Liaodong, and it was only completely written and printed today.

With the land reclamation experience of this Land Reclamation Book and the Administration Commission office, Zhu Yijun believed that in less than fifty years, the Liaodong barbarians could all be planted into the soil!

The Liaodong Administration Commission, after stumbling for so many years, finally slowly set up its framework and could normally perform its functions, instead of continuing to exist as an appendage to the Shandong Administration Commission. The Great Ming's two capitals and fifteen provinces finally became eighteen provinces.

In addition to the original thirteen provinces, Suiyuan, Gansu, Jiangzuo, Jiang You, and Liaodong were added.

The Liaodong Regional Military Commission would gradually continue to be split into three Administration Commission offices: Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. Liaodong was very vast, providing sufficient redundancy for the Great Ming's population growth.

Jiangzuo and Jiang You, after being split in the thirteenth year of Wanli, did not complete the split until the nineteenth year of Wanli.

By the end of the nineteenth year of Wanli, Jiangzuo and Jiang You actually still couldn't be called complete Administration Commission offices, because the prefectures that originally belonged to the Southern Yamen were actually still under the direct jurisdiction of the court. For example, financial taxes were directly paid to the court instead of being sent to the capital of the province.

Zhu Yijun was very happy with this Liaodong approval, and even issued a "Everything is Great" box to celebrate the establishment of the Liaodong Administration Commission.

Li Yashi, who was good at writing jokes, wanted to write a joke, but in the end, he didn't have the guts to compile it.

"Your Majesty, all the Western envoys have left the Great Ming's maritime territory." Feng Bao took out the memorial from the Court of State Ceremonial and presented it to the Imperial Presence.

"Did the Portuguese King's envoy, Paulino, find the Minister of State he admired?" Zhu Yijun asked with some curiosity.

Feng Bao shook his head and said, "No, Paulino left with regret. Your Majesty, the Senior Secretary Meng Jinquan is willing to follow the Prince of Lu to venture out because the Prince of Lu is a Prince of our Great Ming. If the Prince of Lu hadn't shown sufficient talent, I fear Meng Jinquan wouldn't have followed the Prince to the Golden Mountain Country."

"Scholars have always been like this. Without huge benefits and a clear future, they won't easily take risks. Being able to be a Minister of State in Portugal is at least equivalent to being a Provincial Administration Commissioner in the Great Ming. If one has this talent, why run to a place like Portugal to suffer?"

A Provincial Administration Commissioner was respectfully called a "Regional Governor" and was the head of a region. A Provincial Administration Commissioner of a province was a high official among high officials. If one committed a crime in the Great Ming, one would also be "deliberated by nobility" (third rank or above), having great judicial privileges. With this talent, why run to a place outside the civilization like Portugal to suffer?

Antonio could get a Xu Fan because Xu Jie had been offending the imperial rage, and Xu Fan had to run.

"Then I have no other way. His office of Han scholar-officials is actually very dangerous." Zhu Yijun did not forcibly order the scholar-officials to go to Portugal. These scholar-officials had the ability to ruin things, and it was a great ability.

The eighty-eight Han scholar-officials were divided into four groups—Heaven, Earth, Mysterious, and Yellow—to evaluate state affairs and summarize them into four documents to be presented to the Palace. This system was clearly a variant of the parliamentary system. The benefits were very obvious: Antonio could get sufficient advice on state affairs, which was a bit better than the palace secretaries coming up with bad ideas.

The disadvantages were also very obvious: these guys were not easy to deal with. Antonio would definitely be completely sidelined; it was only a matter of time.

Zhu Yijun had no good way and could only hope for Antonio's good luck.

"The Grand Minister of Rites submitted a memorial saying that since the Mexican Viceroy Peto successfully handled the loan, envoys from all sides have been asking if they can buy five-masted ocean-going ships and handle loans." Feng Bao spoke of the Emperor's lending business. This loan was jokingly called a "favor loan."

Being able to handle this kind of loan was His Majesty's favor. Antonio was too successful, making countless people jealous.

To do a lending business, one must have the ability to recover the loan. This kind of international debt and high-risk war loans, at present, really only the Emperor of the Great Ming could handle.

"Except for England and Japan, the others can be handled." Zhu

Yijun thought about it and approved Shen Li's memorial. They could all borrow, as long as they could sell the five-masted ocean-going ships. The five-masted ocean-going ships sold were not only arms business and security business, but also the rules of maritime trade.

Want to buy the Great Ming's ships? No problem. But if they condone privateering licenses, the Great Ming would exclude them from tribute trade.

The Great Ming currently did not have sufficient ability to project power globally and trade freely, so the formulation of maritime trade rules could only be done in this way, using the Great Ming's productivity to subtly change them.

"England deserves it." Feng Bao expressed his view again. Privateering licenses were abandoned by both gods and men. England relied on privateers to defeat Spain; it was impossible to cancel them in the short term.

As a Great Ming person, Feng Bao naturally loathed words like "sea pirates" and "Japanese pirates."

"The Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue Wan Guoqin, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Zhang Wenda, the Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Chen Dengyun, and others jointly impeached the Vice Prefect of Shuntian, Yang Junmin, for eight crimes, each one confirmed." Feng Bao solemnly placed a memorial in front of the Emperor.

First, merit and demerit are based solely on taxes. Whoever can pay the taxes in full on schedule is considered a merit. This point was particularly obvious in the Official Selection Law. The clerks from Shuntian Prefecture who went to the Imperial University for advanced studies were all capable officials who had paid their taxes in full for several years.

The second to eighth matters were all related to "merit based solely on taxes."

Second, condoning corruption in the six offices of the Shuntian Prefecture office. The Shuntian Prefecture office opened its doors to money; if you had no money, don't come in. Except for murder cases, any other matter required spending silver to grease the wheels; otherwise, nothing would be accomplished. Small amounts were ten or twenty silver, large amounts were hundreds or thousands of silver. Corruption was rampant in the Shuntian Prefecture office.

Third, condoning lowly industries. Corruption in the six offices of the Shuntian Prefecture office naturally led to condoning and shielding gangs in the city, opening back doors for some businesses. Wherever there were many people, the surroundings were full of brothels and gambling dens. The atmosphere in the capital was ruined because of this.

"The Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Revenue Wan Guoqin, the Supervising Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Zhang Wenda, the Assistant Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate Chen Dengyun, and others have jointly impeached the Vice Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture Yang Junmin on eight counts, each one with solid evidence." Feng Bao placed a memorial solemnly in front of the Emperor.

First, merit is judged solely by tax revenue; whoever can pay the full tax on time is considered to have achieved merit. This point is particularly evident in the official recruitment law; the minor officials from Shuntian Prefecture who went to the Imperial Academy for further studies are all capable officials who have paid their taxes in full for several years.

The second through eighth counts are all related to merit being judged solely by tax revenue.

Second, conniving at corruption in the six offices of the Shuntian Dai Fuya. The Shuntian Dai Fuya opens its doors for money; if you have no money, don't come in. Except for murder cases, anything else requires spending silver to grease the wheels, otherwise, nothing is accomplished. Small amounts are ten or twenty silver, large amounts are hundreds or thousands. Corruption is rampant in the Shuntian Dai Fuya.

Third, conniving at base industries. Corruption in the six offices of the Shuntian Dai Fuya naturally leads to conniving at and shielding gangs in the city, opening back doors for some businesses. Wherever there are many people, the surroundings are full of brothels and gambling dens, and the atmosphere in the capital has rotted because of this.

Fourth, bandits and gang members run rampant. Even the coal carts of the Xishan Coal Bureau have been hijacked along with their cargo. Some children disappeared without a trace after going out to buy soy sauce. The six offices of Shuntian Prefecture accept bribes and connive at and shield human traffickers and slave traders.

Fifth, yamen vermin are rampant. The people all say: "One less runner in the yamen, one less vermin among the people." These yamen vermin commit all kinds of evil, and their harm is even greater than that of bandits and gangs.

Sixth, black workshops. Workshops that do not follow the imperial decree and sign contracts for labor, but instead establish production relations similar to deeds of sale, are everywhere.

Seventh, collusion between officials and merchants. Corruption in the six offices has provided too many conveniences for these merchants, passing off the fake as the real and the inferior as the superior, to the point where the people have nowhere to cry for justice.

Eighth, conniving at the private keeping of slaves. Luxury households moved from the Western Earth City, and every household keeps slaves, from a dozen to over a hundred. The Shuntian Dai Fuya sits idly by and watches coldly.

"Eight counts, and not a single one is a false accusation. But these supervising secretaries and censors, why don't they ask why this is so? Eighty percent of the clerks and runners in the six offices

are students and former subordinates of the powerful and influential in the city. How can Yang Junmin manage them? With what can he manage them?"

"What kind of 'Heavenly Kingdom' is this! What kind of 'under the feet of the Son of Heaven,' the place of supreme goodness!" Zhu Yijun slammed the table and stood up, tore down the red silk cloth covering the map, and looked at the glaring "Hundred-One" label of Shuntian Prefecture. The more he looked, the more glaring it seemed.

"Feng Bao!" Zhu Yijun stared at the map for a long time and said loudly.

"This subject is here."

Zhu Yijun looked at the map and said: "Proclaim General Qi to come."

"This subject obeys the decree." Feng Bao bowed again and personally went to the Grand General's Mansion to invite Qi Jiguang to the Tonghe Palace.

Yang Junmin is not the culprit, otherwise, it wouldn't be eight counts, but nine. If Yang Junmin were corrupt, he would be the first to be impeached, but Yang Junmin is not corrupt.

Yang Junmin has truly been conscientious since returning to the capital these past few years, which is already very difficult. But from top to bottom, the Shuntian Dai Fuya is full of students and former subordinates of the nobles. Eighty percent of the reason the atmosphere in the capital has become like this is because of these vermin.

Yang Junmin is not Wang Xiyuan; he really cannot afford to offend these nobles. Wang Xiyuan is a student of the Grand Secretary and Imperial Tutor, a fellow disciple of the Emperor, and has the merit of serving as an inspector in Yunnan; he is held in the Emperor's heart.

Yang Junmin has his father's connections, but Yang Bo was defeated and retired years ago. Besides, when people leave, the tea goes cold. Yang Bo has been gone for many years; how many of those connections are still useful? The Jin faction has already completely disbanded.

The position of Vice Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture is truly hard to hold; one receives pressure from all sides and has bitterness that cannot be spoken.

"This subject pays respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be at peace." Qi Jiguang walked into the Imperial Study of the Tonghe Palace with a dragon-like gait and bowed his head.

"I am not at peace. General Qi, sit. I will explain the situation in Shuntian Prefecture to you in detail." Zhu Yijun explained the chaos in Shuntian Prefecture to Qi Jiguang in detail.

After venting his grievances, Zhu Yijun said with a solemn expression: "The six offices and runners of Shuntian Prefecture cannot be controlled by these powerful families. Every count in these memorials is true, but Yang Junmin is not the culprit. Even if I behead Yang Junmin, the capital will not be any better."

"My idea is to have the Beijing Garrison send out clerks and elite soldiers to take over the six offices of Shuntian Prefecture."

"Your Majesty, absolutely not." Upon hearing the Emperor's idea, Qi Jiguang immediately said: "This move will likely cause an uproar in the court and the public."

The reason for the uproar is simple: this is the Emperor digging his own grave.

The entire process of Sima Yi's coup told everyone the three elements of a palace coup: control the city gates, control the armory, and control the Wenyuange.

Controlling the city gates controls the entry and exit of personnel; controlling the armory disarms the entire capital; controlling the Wenyuange means the Emperor's decrees cannot leave the palace, stripping the Emperor of his administrative power, even if a blood-written edict were useless.

Qi Jiguang can impose military rule on any prefecture or county in the world, and even to survive natural disasters, he can impose comprehensive military rule on many places, just like

Li Rusong went to Rongcheng.

But the Grand General, above all, cannot take over the capital.

The Emperor trusts Qi Jiguang's character, but Qi Jiguang is afraid that someone will try to stage a coup. Being a Duke is enough to pass down to descendants; Qi Jiguang does not want to be Sima Yi—even a dog wouldn't do it!

Large armies can be temporarily mobilized into the city, but they absolutely cannot be stationed in the city as a permanent system.

"General Qi, I meant half and half." Zhu Yijun is not a child, so he hurriedly explained that it was not all of them.

"That is still too many. There are eight thousand runners in Shuntian Prefecture. Even one-tenth, eight hundred elite soldiers from the Beijing Garrison, would be enough to suppress them all. It won't work, it won't work," Qi Jiguang waved his hands repeatedly and said.

Eight hundred elite soldiers can be used as eight thousand border troops. To say one can fight ten of those vermin in the Shuntian Dai Fuya is an exaggeration; one fighting twenty is more than enough.

"Sigh." Zhu Yijun also knew Qi Jiguang would not agree, so he continued: "Then what about retired soldiers?"

"Your Majesty, retired soldiers from the Beijing Garrison are still soldiers," Qi Jiguang said something inexplicable. If one understands the Beijing Garrison, it is not hard to understand this sentence.

Being retired does not mean the elite soldiers of the Beijing Garrison have no connection with the Beijing Garrison. The families of the elite soldiers of the Beijing Garrison will live in the Beijing Garrison for three generations, and only the fourth generation will leave the military register and be attached to the civilian register of the capital.

Moreover, most of the descendants of the elite soldiers of the Beijing Garrison will also participate in the selection for the Beijing Garrison.

Zhu Yijun had also considered the option of outsiders, choosing to transfer clerks and runners from outside to fill the positions and rewarding them with quotas for the Imperial Academy's official recruitment law, but after a little thought, he knew it was not feasible.

In this place of the capital, if you throw a brick, you will hit a noble. These nobles in the capital can indeed only be managed by nobles.

"I am at my wit's end." Zhu Yijun spread his hands, admitting his incompetence. Except for the Beijing Garrison, he really could not think of a good way.

Seeing His Majesty say this, Qi Jiguang hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, if there were a way to solve this, so many Mayors of the Capital throughout the dynasties would have solved it long ago. In the Han Dynasty, moving wealthy families to guard the mausoleum led to the 'Five Mausoleum Youths,' who were arrogant and lawless."

One becomes confused when one is personally involved. In Qi Jiguang's view, His Majesty is too eager to solve the "Hundred-One" problem of the capital.

From the vertical scale of history, this is fundamentally an unsolvable problem, from the Five Mausoleum Youths to the current luxury households in the Western City;

and from the horizontal scale, the War of the Three Henrys in France was concentrated on infighting in the Paris region.

A place of supreme goodness like the capital is like this in ancient and modern times, at home and abroad—an unsolvable problem.

The Emperor is one of the few enlightened monarchs in the world, but it is almost impossible to completely eradicate such an ancient and unresolved difficult and complicated disease.

The Vice Prefects of Shuntian Prefecture before Yang Junmin—Wang Yie, Shen Yiguan, Wang Xiyuan—were all virtuous officials. If there were a way, they would have proposed it long ago.

"To put it bluntly, when I was fighting on the front lines, I was most afraid of receiving letters from some noble in the capital. Your Majesty, not only me, but

also the Marquis of Ningyuan Li Chengliang, the Marquis of Sishui Yin Zhengmao, and the Marquis of Yingyang Zhang Yuanxun were also afraid," Qi Jiguang said with lingering fear: "Generals like Ma Lin, who, despite being the Marquis of Yangcheng, still had to wear armor and hold weapons, charging at the front, are actually few."

Qi Jiguang's words are not hard to understand; the gist is: the all-powerful nobles... a single letter to the front lines would cause countless troubles.

Ma Lin is the son of the Earl of Yangcheng Ma Fang. Ma Lin was fighting at the front, and if it weren't for Qi Jiguang stopping him, he would have wanted to charge into the mountain city with Zhao Ji and Luo Shangzhi.

Fighting is about dying; it is facing life and death directly. Is the son of a noble lady a son, and are others not born of a mother? Giving preferential treatment affects morale.

Qi Jiguang is good at training troops; he doesn't like these young master soldiers in the capital at all, not at all. He would rather have honest people from mining backgrounds.

"Does the Grand Secretary have no way?" Qi Jiguang asked with a furrowed brow.

"No," Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "The Grand Secretary said he is also at his wit's end."

"Then the Grand Secretary is most skilled in official administration. If even the Grand Secretary has no good way, then I fear there really is no way," Qi Jiguang said sincerely. Zhang Juzheng is most skilled in official administration; if even Zhang Juzheng has no good way, there is really no need to waste that effort.

With the Beijing Garrison suppressing the capital, there will be no accidents.

"Your Majesty, this subject actually has a way," Qi Jiguang suddenly had a flash of inspiration and thought of a possibility.

"Oh? What good strategy does General Qi have?"

Qi Jiguang said with bright eyes: "Your Majesty, craftsmen!"