Chapter 964: Shi Heng

Pan Yue startled, looked up, and indeed saw Shi Heng standing not far ahead.

Shi Heng had come to escort his son Shi Hong to the Embroidered Uniform Guard recruitment.

Given Shi Heng’s rank, he could easily have granted his son a hereditary appointment, but with the current investigation into military lands and corruption, he did not wish to give others grounds for criticism, and besides, his son was certainly capable.

He had just sent his son inside when he turned and saw Pan Yun.

The two regarded each other in silence for a moment, then Pan Yun gave him a slight nod.

Shi Heng turned his gaze away, expressionless, and looked at the person beside her.

When he saw that besides her three senior disciples, Pan Yue was also with her, his eyes flickered slightly.

Wasn’t it said that Pan Yun had advanced in her realm and severed familial ties, growing distant from her family?

Each time she returned to the capital, she never met any of the Pan family.

His gaze shifted between the two, then he sneered after a moment.

Pan Yun said to Pan Yue: “Brother, take Miao Zhen and the others to watch the contest.”

Pan Yue glanced at Shi Heng, then turned and left.

Pan Yun stood still; Shi Heng paused a long while before stepping forward, a faint, mocking smile on his lips: “Why has the State Preceptor come to watch this minor contest? Does someone in your household also seek to join the Embroidered Uniform Guard?”

Pan Yun tilted her chin toward the opposite seating platform: “I came to watch them.”

Shi Heng turned to look and saw the foreign envoys on the platform; he fell silent for a long while: “The Oirats didn’t come this year.”

Pan Yun: “They’ve just finished a war. I hear they’ve already killed Toghtoa Bukha and formally declared themselves khan. They’re probably busy suppressing rebellious tribes now—why would they bother coming?”

Shi Heng was startled: “Esen declared himself khan? When did this happen?”

Pan Yun turned to him and smiled: “Last night.”

Shi Heng was speechless—events on the steppe last night, and Pan Yun already knew of them today.

The news arrived so swiftly…

Shi Heng instantly thought of the radio he had seen.

Shi Heng’s eyes flickered: “The border…”

Pan Yun gazed northward and murmured: “At this hour, Kuang Ye’s army should have left the city.”

Shi Heng’s heart surged; he suppressed his excitement and asked: “What does His Majesty intend?”

“As the Great Ming’s appointed Generalissimo of the Oirats, Taisi, Prince Huai, and Chief Secretary, how dare he murder his sovereign and declare independence? The Great Ming must restore order and safeguard the peace and stability of the Oirats,” Pan Yun said. “If we don’t act now, shall we wait until he consolidates his internal power and unites his people?”

Shi Heng: “The imperial treasury…”

“Chen Xun says the imperial treasury is not an issue.”

Shi Heng inwardly scoffed—now the imperial treasury wasn’t an issue?

But he agreed with this strategy, and he longed to lead troops into battle himself—but…

He looked up at Pan Yun and said tightly: “State Preceptor, why conduct investigations into military lands now? Aren’t you afraid of stirring unrest within the army?”

He advised: “At this moment, we should focus entirely outward—first quell external threats, then investigate military affairs.” Pan Yun: “If the commander of Datong were Guo Deng, I would support your proposal. Or if Datong’s army were still what it was a year ago, I would advise His Majesty to first repel the foreign threat, then secure the interior. But now, Datong’s army has been completely renewed: lands seized by officers and local gentry, soldiers, and exiles have all been restored to their rightful places. Troop morale is high—even the exiles sent there last year due to the imperial campaign have joined the army and undergone rigorous training.”

Shi Heng’s chest rose and fell; his face darkened further as he suppressed his anger: “State Preceptor, if you had ever served in the army, you would not raise your sword first against your own troops. Corruption across the realm—if the military accounts for two parts, civil officials and local magistrates account for five, and the imperial house for three. Whether for wealth or power, you must not begin by targeting the army.”

He stepped closer, lowering his voice: “State Preceptor, you cannot have soldiers risking their lives on the frontlines while receiving not a single benefit.”

Pan Yun’s face remained expressionless: “Soldiers treated like hired laborers and tenant farmers by you still have to fight on the battlefield—why should they sacrifice their lives for your gains?”

Shi Heng: “If we don’t seize military lands, are they not still hired laborers and tenant farmers?”

His mutter was barely audible: “It’s those above who make them laborers and tenant farmers!”

Pan Yun stared back coldly: “They say General Shi deeply understands the soldiers’ hardships and has repeatedly petitioned to improve the conditions of ordinary troops and reduce the people’s burdens. But how much of those benefits actually reached the soldiers and the people?”

Shi Heng: “If I didn’t speak up, they’d get nothing. If I do speak up, even if I take nine-tenths, they still get one-tenth!”

Shi Heng sneered: “State Preceptor, in the army, we at least leave the soldiers one-tenth. But among local officials and gentry, they don’t just seize the benefits granted by the court to the people—they force the people to pay extra. Their corruption dwarfs ours. Why don’t you go after them?”

Pan Yun smiled softly: “How do you know I haven’t?”

With that, Pan Yun walked past Shi Heng.

Shi Heng froze, too late to ask more—only her voice whispered into his ear: “General Shi, Esen is not of the ‘Golden Clan.’ The Jurchens will never submit to him. The imperial campaign reveals how severely our northern defenses have decayed. The rear has been entrusted to you—how you proceed is your decision.”

Shi Heng stood stunned, then slowly tore his gaze from her back and turned to look at the Jurchen officers on the platform.

The Jurchens primarily inhabited the Nuerkan Regional Command, an administrative institution established by Zhu Di after Zhu Yuanzhang’s eight northern campaigns had secured the Liaodong Regional Command, using military strength to pacify the Jurchen tribes.

The Great Ming pursued an active northern strategy toward the Jurchens: granting titles to local chieftains, conducting regular inspections to maintain sovereignty, without stationing troops or levying taxes.

The Great Ming’s garrisons only reached the Liaodong Regional Command, where numerous guard battalions stood—this was the gateway to the capital.

But since the Xuande reign, the court had reduced its deterrence and aid to the Jurchens, shifting from an active defense to a passive one.

Last year, when the Oirat army invaded in three columns, the eastern column came from Nuerkan; how deeply the Jurchen tribes were involved cannot be fully investigated.

Shi Heng’s mind raced—he suddenly understood why His Majesty had begun by investigating the army.

The Emperor, Pan Yun, and Yu Qian were planning a comprehensive overhaul of the northern strategy.

The Jurchens… the Jurchens…

North to beyond the Outer Khingan Mountains, the westernmost point was Kuyu west of the Tartar Strait; the southern tip of Kuyu was separated from Ezo by only a narrow strait. In later times, that land became northern Japan—but now, it was dotted with tribes, still an independent region.

It was said the Japanese had long coveted this land, repeatedly attempting to seize Ezo and then enter Kuyu;

To the west, they sought to conquer Korea, then enter Jianzhou Guard.

These intelligence reports were gathered by Embroidered Uniform Guards stationed in Japan.

Neither the Ministry of War nor these military commanders took Japan’s ambitions seriously.

In their view, Japan was merely a tiny island nation, dreaming of invading the Great Ming’s territory—utterly delusional.

They dared only raid coastal areas—could they truly dare to land and seize territory?