Chapter 1491: Public Spirit and Private Motives in Serving the Nation

Over the years, relying on the civil-military separation system that walled off the Cabinet from the army, and on His Majesty's intentional or unintentional favoritism toward the military, the army had been acting on its own authority more and more often. Though it could not yet be called arrogant, domineering, or too powerful to rein in, these early signs were enough to make a civil official of former Ming background like him feel both displeasure and vigilance — and within the Great Han Cabinet, this displeasure and vigilance was in fact not his alone, but a sentiment that had been slowly and widely rising.

Because his seniority and achievements surpassed everyone else's, the Chancellor was not worried that the military would disregard him, but as the Finance Minister had said to him before, he himself was fine — but what about his successors? If the military was already acting this independently while he was still in office, how much worse would it be in front of his successors? No matter what, this trend absolutely must not be allowed to grow. What His Majesty had decreed was civil-military separation, not that the military should override the Cabinet.

What was more, the military had this time taken the initiative to demand that Japan's financial resources be placed in its own hands. If they were allowed to get their way, wouldn't that be disastrous? In the future they would have even less need to consider the Cabinet's views, and future Cabinet ministers would inevitably find it even harder to contend with the military.

Carrying this anger, the Chancellor furrowed his brow and pondered how to counter this Marshal without losing the dignity of a grand minister before His Majesty or disrupting the harmony between the civil and military grand ministers.

"Let the garrison supervise Japan's gold and silver mines? That… would be out of keeping with established practice, would it not?" While the Chancellor was still thinking, the more impatient Finance Minister suddenly spoke up on his own. "Moreover, if troops are to be stationed in Japan, their original purpose is to maintain order and protect the safety of the legation and Great Han merchants and citizens. If they are also assigned the task of supervising the mines, wouldn't that be putting the cart before the horse?"

"The Finance Minister worries too much." Although the Finance Minister had clearly objected and the Chancellor also seemed unsupportive, Marshal Shi showed no sign of backing down. "Our Great Han army is a tiger-guard force. Since it could defeat the shogunate, it can naturally overawe Japan. And… if it can obtain the authority to supervise Japan's mines, it will be all the better able to protect Great Han's interests in Japan, will it not?"

"Protecting Great Han's interests naturally requires the cooperation of the garrison, but having the garrison handle absolutely everything on its own is, I fear… still somewhat improper. After all, our dynasty intends to turn Japan into a docile and obedient tributary state, not to directly annihilate the country, so we must still pay some attention to appearances." By now the Chancellor had also thought of a response, so he took over the conversation himself. "Furthermore, leaving aside how it looks to outsiders, since ancient times what the military has most strictly forbidden is arrogance, extravagance, and self-indulgence. If the garrison is put in charge of Japan's mining affairs, it will be hard to avoid some men losing themselves among Japan's mountains of gold and seas of silver and forgetting a soldier's proper duty…"

Although the Chancellor spoke obliquely, he had directly accused the military of overstepping its proper bounds by trying to seize control of financial resources, and had also raised the risk of corruption. This accusation made Marshal Shi's expression shift slightly.

"The Chancellor's words are overly anxious. With the garrison supervising, our dynasty's strict military discipline has never tolerated the lax or the negligent. Even if one or two petty scoundrels dared to play tricks, they would certainly be caught — indeed, they would be caught more strictly than when no one was watching."

"Strict as military discipline may be, it is after all handled internally, and there will inevitably be places oversight cannot reach. As Chancellor, nipping problems in the bud is precisely my fundamental duty — how could I let this go unaddressed?" The Chancellor still showed no sign of yielding. "I fully understand the Marshal's intent, and both supervision and the division of authority are necessary measures, but troubling the garrison to do this is hardly necessary. There is no need to proceed with this."

"If we do not proceed this way, then this so-called division of authority with the legation to Japan becomes a mere formality, does it not? They are all colleagues from the Cabinet, and all serving as officials in Japan — in the end, won't it still come down to seniority and rank? When the time comes, the legation to Japan will still monopolize all authority, great and small. Chancellor, you must think carefully!" The Chancellor's outright refusal did not make the Marshal back down in the face of difficulty; on the contrary, it seemed to have stirred his emotions as well, and he raised his voice. "I still insist on my opinion: for the sake of dividing authority and ensuring security, supervision of Japan's gold and silver mines must be included within the garrison's purview!"

"What Marshal Shi says is not without reason…" Before the Chancellor could speak, the man seated on the same side as Marshal Shi and closest to him — the Minister of Naval Military Administration, Marquis of Jiujiang, Liu Tao — spoke up. "Our nation has sent an expeditionary force far across the sea; the human and material resources expended have been immense, so post-war arrangements are certainly of the utmost importance. If the legation to Japan monopolizes everything from top to bottom, I fear there is a risk of it growing too powerful to control; dividing authority is imperative. Moreover, the hardships our officers and soldiers will endure will far surpass those of previous campaigns. If after the war even the most critical task cannot be entrusted to them, I fear the men's morale will be severely damaged."

"Do our officers and soldiers go to war for the nation, or for gold and silver? True soldiers who serve the nation would not think of such things." Seeing that the army and navy grandees had indeed coordinated their positions, Finance Minister Chen Hong's face instantly turned cold. "What the Marquis of Jiujiang says makes it sound as though our soldiers will only fight happily if they can seize all of Japan's gold and silver for themselves. That is not good."

At these words, Liu Tao's face paled slightly.

"Marquis of Pingyuan… this…"

"Is the Marquis of Pingyuan making an accusation of malicious intent? The Marquis of Jiujiang has served the nation for so many years with outstanding achievements — how could he be someone who speaks out of private motives?" Marshal Shi Manqiang also furrowed his brow and spoke up for the navy. "Besides, who ever said that our officers and soldiers would refuse to fight for the nation? Let us not exaggerate too far… Let everyone discuss the matter on its own terms. If having the garrison take charge of supervising Japan's mines is not good, then just say it is not good. Do not stray into other areas, lest this turn into a quarrel driven by personal feelings."

Although the Finance Minister's words were fierce, everyone present knew that Chen Hong's elder brother, Chen Sheng, was one of the Great Han's only few Marshals, had been enfeoffed by the court as Duke of Ji, and was now commanding the great army in Liaodong and the lands further north — Zhao Song had previously been his subordinate. Of the two brothers, one was enfeoffed as Duke and the other as Marquis; theirs could be said to be one of the most powerful and sought-after noble houses in the Great Han right now.

The Chancellor understood clearly in his heart that the Finance Minister had spoken so fiercely for two reasons: first, to avoid any suspicion that he was putting private ties above public duty; and second, out of his friendship with the Chancellor, he had deliberately stepped forward to take the heat for him — by speaking fiercely, he allowed the Chancellor to then pull the conversation back and appear impartial.

He truly owed this old friend…

"Of course it's not good." Without a second thought, the Chancellor picked up the thread. "What does the realm's stability and the court's order depend on? It depends on everyone working together with one heart, each performing their own duty. Is not the army and navy's duty simply to fight well and kill the enemy for the nation? Financial management is a matter of great importance to the realm. Even when the Cabinet delegates it to specially appointed men, we still feel it is not enough and must proceed with the utmost caution — so how can the military insert itself into it? Director Kong, you are specifically in charge of foreign affairs. What do you say?"

Kong Zhang, who had remained silent all along, gave a slight start when he heard the Chancellor call out his name. He had originally not intended to take part in the dispute between the Chancellor and the Marshal, but since the Chancellor had called on him by name, the intent was obvious: to make him also declare his stance and bolster the Chancellor's position. And whether from the standpoint that the Chancellor was his superior, or from his own position in charge of foreign affairs, he could only support the Chancellor's view.

If there was a legation to Japan, then following the precedent of Goryeo, it would certainly be directly overseen by the Foreign Affairs Department. And if the authority to supervise Japan's gold and silver mines were assigned to the legation to Japan or to another agency stationed in Japan, then the Foreign Affairs Department's authority and influence would inevitably skyrocket — and the position of Foreign Minister that the Chancellor had promised him would certainly become even more powerful and weighty.

"I believe the Chancellor is absolutely right." Based on this reasoning, he joined the discussion with firm resolve and declared his support for the Chancellor's view. "Although it is not good for a single office to hold too much authority, having policies issued from multiple doors is even worse. Japan is isolated across the sea; when emergencies arise, it cannot simply wait idly for instructions from home, nor can the various agencies pass responsibility back and forth among themselves. Therefore, clearly delineating authority and responsibility is very important. Because the garrison bears a heavy responsibility, it is best that it not be distracted. As for the authority to supervise the mines, we in the Cabinet will certainly discuss it thoroughly when we return, and we will surely be able to produce a plan that satisfies everyone…"

Seeing the civil officials declaring their positions one after another, Marshal Shi Manqiang did not sit idly by. His gaze shifted slightly and landed on Zhao Song.

Zhao Song also understood that this was the moment for him to pick a side and declare his stance, and like Kong Zhang, he had no other position he could choose.

"The Chancellor need not worry on our army's behalf. Our soldiers all fight for His Majesty; every man strives valiantly to be first, fearing only to fall behind others. As it is in battle, so it will be after the war. Though Japan's mining affairs are complex and numerous, they are the most critical part of Japan's affairs. We loyal and courageous officers and soldiers will certainly be able to relieve His Majesty of his cares!"

As soon as these words were spoken, every face in the room changed again. Zhao Song was the commander of the expeditionary army against Japan — his words carried decisive weight. Moreover, his statement meant that the entire military had already unified its position: they intended to seize the supervisory authority over Japan's gold and silver mines for the army after the war.

If the argument continued any further, it would no longer be a dispute of opinions, but a political struggle at court.

"Brigade Commander Zhao, everyone understands your intentions, and no one thinks the soldiers under your command are disloyal or unrighteous. But even so, there are some things that are better left undone." Kong Zhang quickly spoke up. "We are all handling affairs for the court; both the army and the Cabinet want to carry out His Majesty's great enterprise well. Why quarrel over such a minor matter? The Cabinet has handled financial and administrative affairs for many years and must have accumulated experienced personnel. They need only be transferred over and can take up the work immediately, without delaying the court's grand plans. If we let garrison men take over, without specialized personnel, how could they manage the work in a short time? Besides, if people inside engage in fraud and trickery, there wouldn't even be anyone to supervise them!"

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