Chapter 882: Insight

Zhu Qiyu, though never educated as an emperor, was born into the imperial family and had absorbed such knowledge by osmosis.

He asked: "Is the root cause in the military farming system?"

Pan Yun said without expression: "For the past twenty years, military officers have grown arrogant and seized military farmland; soldiers have become tenant farmers for individual officers—a common occurrence. In earlier years, they still trained during farming off-seasons, but these past few years, except in a few frontier strongholds that maintain a minimal training routine, soldiers elsewhere have no off-season at all. They must not only till land for these officers, but also store fodder and raise poultry for them—worse than tenant farmers, they've become outright laborers."

Zhu Qiyu's mind suddenly flashed with scenes of quarrels—after court dismissed, some censor officials and military officers cursed each other at the palace gates;

and in taverns, whenever civil and military officials met—especially if one was a censor—they would argue, sometimes even come to blows; the words "seizure of military farmland" exploded in his mind.

He had always treated what he saw and heard as entertainment.

Because their quarrels and fights were so amusing—a group of dignified officials shouting like market harlots, brawling like street thugs…

He would tell these stories as jokes to his elder brother, never imagining they were the root cause of this personal campaign, never imagining they would kill his brother.

Zhu Qiyu's lips moved as he asked: "Chen Huai is unsuitable—who do you think is fit to be the commander of Datong?"

Pan Yun: "Why not consider Kuang Ye?"

Zhu Qiyu's eyes lit up brightly—yes, how had he forgotten Kuang Ye?

Kuang Ye was upright, intolerant of corruption, and best of all—he was the former Minister of War.

In this campaign against the Oirat army, his performance was also notable; at least after being left behind in Datong, he proved far more useful than Guo Deng, even sending a large force to support the late emperor.

Fortunately, he had dispatched Chen Huai earlier, which saved most of the officials accompanying the imperial carriage and the majority of soldiers from being slaughtered by the Oirat cavalry or scattered entirely.

Zhu Qiyu immediately decided: "Then it's Kuang Ye!"

Pan Yun's lips curled slightly.

In her timeline, Kuang Ye had also been the one constantly urging the emperor to return to the capital.

He was extremely similar to this timeline's Kuang Ye—both had fallen from their horses and suffered serious injuries upon leaving the capital.

Perhaps he had sensed even then that this personal campaign would not go well, and thus urged the emperor to return.

In her timeline, Zhu Qizhen was twenty-two—full of youthful vigor; here, Zhu Qizhen is only eighteen.

Imagine such a young, arrogant emperor, constantly contradicted and advised, making a desperate gamble—giving the entire court only two days to prepare before leaving the capital on a personal campaign, marching out of Jingcheng fueled purely by pride—would he listen to Kuang Ye and turn back? Not only would this young emperor refuse to turn back; probably, the vast majority of people in this world would not turn back either.

Even if they realized their mistake, they would never turn back.

That would be too shameful, too damaging to authority!

Kuang Ye's wording and methods were wrong, but his opinion was right.

In this world, few admit their mistakes; fewer still admit them and correct them.

In her timeline, Zhu Qizhen only realized his error long afterward—but by then, too many had already died.

The civil and military officials who accompanied him, the soldiers, the civilians killed along the way as the Oirats entered the capital—numbering hundreds of thousands.

Afterward, the Great Ming not only lost its backbone, but also its national foundation; border defenses steadily weakened. Even when Yu Qian increased military investment, tolerated Yang Jun's crimes, promoted Yang Hong, and reformed the army, the results remained negligible throughout Zhu Qiyu's reign—only easing after Zhu Qizhen's son ascended the throne.

But now it's different.

Kuang Ye is still alive; many military officers died in this campaign, but compared to her timeline, far more survived.

Chen Huai, Zhu Mian, the Jing brothers, and Zhang Zhong, son of the Duke of Ying…

More than ten military officers who would have died miserably in the Oirat chaos now live.

The Great Ming need not rely solely on Yang Hong.

In her timeline, Yang Hong, who held the vital Xuanfu garrison and earned great merit defending Jingcheng, wielded immense power—he had to be appeased even by Yu Qian and Shi Heng.

Thus, despite the entire court knowing that the Tumu Crisis, the emperor's capture, and the massacre of officials resulted from Yang Jun's negligence and dereliction of duty, Yang Jun still kept his life.

He was merely transferred to the frontier by Yang Hong's influence during censorial accusations, and after two years, restored to his former post.

Several of Yang Hong's nephews, holding key military posts, had contributed nothing.

Pan Yun was thinking of Yang Hong when Zhu Qiyu mentioned him, sighing: "... Yang Hong submitted a petition of guilt; he knows his son's crimes were heinous, but Yang Jun is already dead—he was his only son. My suggestion is to balance merit and fault, and retain him as commander of Xuanfu."

Pan Yun smiled and nodded: "Prince Cheng is benevolent."

Aside from a few military officers who were deeply dissatisfied, the rest of the court had no objections to Zhu Qiyu continuing to employ Yang Hong.

Yu Qian also had none—right now, in Xuanfu, stability was better than change; as long as Yang Hong harbored no treasonous intent, he could remain in command.

He was different from Guo Deng; Yang Hong truly possessed talent, and having guarded Xuanfu for years, this time, the Oirat forces that infiltrated the defenses came through the Datong line—Xuanfu's defenses, except for Yang Jun's detachment sent to rescue the emperor, were held firm by Yang Hong's own army.

Too bad—a tiger father produces a dog son.

When Yu Qian heard Prince Cheng intended to appoint Kuang Ye as commander of Datong, he immediately led the support and proposed Chen Huai as his deputy.

The previously irritated military officers fell silent, weighed the matter briefly, and said nothing—effectively accepting it.

But privately, everyone couldn't help discussing: "Wasn't General Chen proposed? Why give it to Kuang Ye? He's a former Minister of War, yes—but he's a civil official. Does he even know how to train troops or defend a post? This isn't warfare—it's tedious, complicated work."

Chen Huai, however, kept thinking back to when the Duke of Ying had hidden him and Zhu Mian behind a screen to speak with Kuang Ye—would Kuang Ye, if left behind, truly reorganize military farming and troop training?

Datong is a strategic stronghold; if Datong could be reorganized, it could serve as a model for nationwide reform.

This war has truly taught a hard lesson.

If he were to handle military farming, pay, and training, he would offend his fellow officers.

Kuang Ye is different from them.

Kuang Ye is a civil official; his descendants' advancement depends on the imperial examinations. In military affairs, he only needs to safeguard his own interests.

But he cannot.

His family is military register.

Chen Huai inherited his father's post, entering the army as a deputy thousand-household, rising all the way to Marquis of Pingxiang—he's a new noble of military merit.

His descendants will all need military posts; how could he dare offend the old military nobility?

Oh, even the new nobility won't do.

Besides, his own hands aren't clean; whoever handles military reform could do it—but not him.

Chen Huai's mind jolted—he suddenly remembered: why had the Duke of Ying brought Kuang Ye here for such a major reform? Because Kuang Ye was Minister of War and had a good reputation among civil officials—but why then had he hidden Chen Huai and Zhu Mian behind the screen to listen? (End of chapter)