Zhu Youxiao was so obsessed with power that he even lost face. He looked down on Zhang Heming more and more.

You shameless bastard, you mistakenly trusted Wang Huazhen and brushed off a mere panic? And you even offered to go to the sidelines and clean up the mess. Do you have the ability to do that?

After a moment's hesitation, Zhu Youxiao said calmly, "Since Minister Zhang has such a wish, how can I refuse? The war is urgent. Minister Zhang, please leave the capital immediately and rush to Shanhaiguan!"

Zhang Heming bowed and waited for a while. Seeing that the emperor had no words, he could only say, "Your humble servant obeys your order."

According to customary practice, officials of the rank of Minister of War would receive rewards from the imperial court when they were sent on border missions. For example, they would be given the title of Grand Protector, a python jade, or an imperial sword, to show that they were sent by the imperial court.

But since the emperor hadn't spoken, Zhang Heming couldn't ask for it. He didn't think much of it, thinking the emperor didn't understand, so he glanced at the Prime Minister, Ye Xianggao, hoping he would come forward and offer some advice.

But Ye Xianggao frowned slightly and said nothing, as if he didn't see it at all, or his mind was racing and he was not in the court at all.

"What you say makes a lot of sense." Zhu Youxiao, fed up with the quacking of ducks in his ears, raised his hand to silence the noise and said in a deep voice, "Issue an order to transfer the Governor of Ji and Liao, Wang Xianggan, to Shanhai. Send Dengzhen to cross the sea to harass. Send the Tianjin navy to Juehua to support the battle in Guangning along the coast."

"I obey your order." As soon as Zhu Youxiao finished speaking, Ye Xianggao, who had been silent all the time, bowed and accepted the order.

Zhu Youxiao was slightly surprised and looked at Ye Xianggao thoughtfully.

With Ye Xianggao taking the lead, the imperial edict was not seriously flawed, and all the ministers bowed and saluted, "Your Majesty obeys your order."

Zhu Youxiao withdrew his gaze, stood up from his seat, and walked out of the hall. Behind him, he heard the shrill voice of an eunuch, "Dismiss the court!"

………………

It was fine to hold court in the Qianqing Palace. Zhu Youxiao quickly returned to his study, which was only a few steps away. This further strengthened his determination to change the court ceremony.

The morning court session starts at 8 a.m., so no one has to get up earlier than the chickens. There is plenty of time to eat breakfast and punch in for work feeling refreshed. How nice!

Moreover, Zhu Youxiao had to walk a long way from the harem to hold court at the Fengtian Gate in front of the Fengxian Hall, which was a waste of time and delayed things.

Of course, he didn't have to walk, as the palace servants carried him! But it was quite troublesome when it was windy, rainy, or cold.

But I can change the working hours and office location. I am the chairman and president of Daming Co., Ltd., so why can't I do this?

Zhu Youxiao was impatient and wanted to change things as soon as he said so. He asked someone to draft an edict and send it directly to the cabinet.

The work and rest schedule and living habits have basically been formed. Zhu Youxiao listens to memorials as usual, especially those about military affairs and economy, which he pays the most attention to.

"Good, Zhu Xieyuan has done a great job. I will issue an imperial decree to reward him." Zhu Youxiao was delighted when he heard the Sichuan battle report. "Let the cabinet discuss how to reward him for his achievements."

In the first year of the Tianqi reign, She Chongming, the chieftain of Yongning, rebelled, conquered 41 prefectures and counties, advanced by land and sea, and surrounded Chengdu.

Zhu Xieyuan, who was the Left Governor of Sichuan at the time, urgently dispatched official troops from Shizhu Xuanwei Office, Long'an Prefecture and other places to provide assistance. Later, the court promoted Zhu Xieyuan to Governor of Sichuan and dispatched Yang Yumao as the commander-in-chief of Sichuan to enter Sichuan to quell the rebellion.

From October to December, the Ming army fought over a hundred battles, annihilated more than 10,000 rebels, and successively recovered Zunyi, Suiyang, Meitan, Tongzi, Wujiang and other places.

In February of the Tianqi reign, Zhu Xieyuan used the rebel general Luo Qianxiang as an insider and sent his troops to set an ambush and feign surrender. She Chongming fell for the trick and personally approached the city, where he was surrounded by Ming troops. Luo Qianxiang surrendered, and She Chongming escaped, retreating to Yongning.

"The siege of Chengdu has been lifted. It's time to recapture Chongqing." Zhu Youxiao stroked his chin, looked at the map hanging on the wall, and said with some regret: "It's a pity that the White Spear Army will be delayed again when it is dispatched north."

The White Spear Soldiers were a unit led by Qin Liangyu, the Shizhu Xuanwei Envoy. They were renowned for their ferocity and bravery. They were a key force in suppressing the She'an Rebellion, and their achievements were remarkable. Zhu Youxiao knew they couldn't be deployed lightly.

"Issue an edict to reward Qin Liangyu, the envoy of Shizhu. Let the cabinet decide." Zhu Youxiao looked at the map for a while and then orally recited the edict.

Zhu Youxiao thought for a moment, then said, "Tell the Ministry of Revenue to allocate 100,000 silver taels to help Qin Liangyu expand her army of white-pole soldiers."

Damn it, if those bastards in the Ministry of Revenue don't withdraw the funds, they will have to spend my private money! Thinking of the dwindling treasury, Zhu Youxiao felt a pang of pain.

Alas, why didn’t my grandfather make more money, tens of millions, so that I don’t have to worry about money?

When Zhu Youxiao thought about the treasury, he especially missed his grandfather Wanli who had passed away. If his grandfather was not so greedy for money, who could have left him six or seven million silver coins?

It's just that his dead father was short-lived and unreliable, so he was only emperor for a month. He was even fooled by the civil servants into removing all the mining supervisors and tax supervisors. This blocked the way to make money!

No taxes are collected from mining, and coal bosses cry poor. Where is justice? Whenever Zhu Youxiao thought of this, he was furious.

Yes, there are problems with the tax collection system and regulations. But we can change them. If you remove them all at once, wouldn't that make me the bad guy?

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Ye Xianggao is waiting to see you outside the palace." Wang Tigan's voice interrupted Zhu Youxiao's thoughts.

Ye Xianggao, what is he here for?

Zhu Youxiao recalled Ye Xianggao's unusual cheerfulness during the court discussion and frowned suspiciously.

Although he did not get the point, he could not refuse the Prime Minister an audience.

Ye Xianggao entered the hall, knelt down and kowtowed, "Your Majesty, I pay my respects to the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!"

"Mr. Ye, please don't be so polite." Zhu Youxiao raised his hand and asked the palace maid to bring an embroidered cushion.

After Ye Xianggao thanked him respectfully, he only sat halfway on the embroidered cushion. For a sixty-three-year-old man, this posture was truly difficult.

There was no special expression on Zhu Youxiao's face. He looked at Ye Shoufu indifferently, waiting for Ye Shoufu to speak.

Because the Donglin Party's classification was too broad, and Zhu Youxiao had a deep understanding of the Donglin Party, he had already formed a new understanding in his mind.

According to the classification standards at that time, whether Ye Xianggao was a member of the Donglin Party was definitely true and there was no doubt about it.

His thoughts tended towards Donglin, and his actions were consistent with Donglin, such as the dispute over the national foundation, Prince Fu's enfeoffment, and support for the abolition of mining taxes. Can you say he is not?

But Ye Xianggao felt bitter and wanted to tell others that he was not a member of the Donglin Party, really not.

There is an idiom called "no way to argue", and another idiom called "just shut up, you are the one".

This was the political ecology at the time. Members of the Donglin Party never said who they were, while the opposition called anyone who was related to the Donglin Academy, or who supported or sympathized with Donglin doctrine, the "Donglin Party."

This is a bit embarrassing. For example, the palace relocation case planned and organized by the Donglin Party had many participants, including Duke Yingguo Zhang Weixian, Jinyiwei Commander Luo Sigong, and others who just wanted to join in the fun. Were they all members of the Donglin Party?