Chapter 113 Logistics
Ever since the Cabinet sent the impeachment memorial from the court, the voices against the Crown Prince suddenly rose up, one wave higher than the other, becoming more and more fierce and relentless, hitting the vital points everywhere; the civil servants who had been deeply rooted for more than a hundred years were enraged by the disrespectful behavior of the stupid nobles, so their tactics were unprecedentedly cruel and vicious; they coordinated closely and efficiently, and their methods were sophisticated and tactful, and they were determined to make this ignorant fool suffer a great deal.
On the fifteenth day after the Shandong incident, the Chief Censor and some officials from the Ministry of Rites organized the first wave of offensive, impeaching Mu Qi for being "arrogant and domineering" and "having sincerity that cannot be questioned", implying that Mu was plotting rebellion and intended to get his hands on military power.
From the twentieth to the thirtieth, officials of the Ministry of Clan Affairs, headed by the Director of the Imperial Clan Affairs Office, echoed the accusation that Mu Qi was "cruel and tyrannical" towards the royal family and had "no loyalty to a subject". He used the many rebellious cases since Prince Yin to harm the royal family, which was a serious violation of the ancestral system of the dynasty since Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong, and made the royal family feel disheartened and terrified.
After the 30th day, several doctors from the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue were instigated to write a letter to the emperor, also impeaching Mu Qi for his unbridled arrogance and lawlessness. In the past six months when he was ordered to take charge of the central government's confidential information, he had repeatedly violated the law, usurped the authority of the six ministries and the cabinet, and behaved in a highly treasonous manner.
In short, within just one month, with the coordination of top and bottom and left and right, the offensives launched against the Prince of Duke Mu were one after another, one wave higher than the other; the three waves united to strengthen each other's momentum, and within a few months, more than 2,000 impeachment memorials were flown to the Ministry of Public Security, almost burying the cabinet alive - the dragon has a reverse scale, which cannot be touched, and if it is touched, it will kill people; after more than a hundred years of hard work, in addition to the emperor, the real dragon that domineering across the world, the civil servants in the imperial examinations who had been dormant for generations were making progress every day, with their fellow villagers as the skeleton, their peers as the veins, and their in-laws as scales and armor; they finally transformed themselves into a latent dragon that had been patient and refrained from acting!
It is better to have organization than not to have organization, and it is better to have inheritance than not to have inheritance; no matter how much you criticize the imperial examination system, it is one of the most outstanding selection mechanisms of this era. The top scorers from all over the country are organized through this selection mechanism, and the power they possess is of course incredibly strong. In comparison, no matter whether it is the nobles who rely solely on bloodline, or the generals whose training process is highly dependent on talent and luck, they cannot compare with it. In the political arena, the strong prevail over the weak, the big bully the small, and organized civil servants can defeat all political forces and are no match for them - even a founding duke would definitely not end well if he offended the fundamental interests of such power!
Of course, the imperial era is the imperial era. If Master Feixuan, who lives deep in the Nine Palaces, is willing to intervene strongly, it is not impossible to repel this attack. But everyone in the court knew clearly that the Supreme would never give up easily. After all, the lessons of the past are vivid in our minds. Zhenjun's good cousin, Emperor Wuzong, once strongly favored Liu Jin, and Jiaomen Tianzi Baozong also tried his best to protect his old baby Wang Zhen. However, in the end, he was defeated miserably. Not only did the person he tried his best to protect die and his family was destroyed, even the emperor himself was affected by the political struggle, lost face, and was laughed at by the world.
To put it bluntly, all these twists and turns still cannot offend the public. After being criticized by thousands of people and ending in vain, and after arousing the anger of the vast majority of civil servants in the court, the political rift will only become more and more serious. Even if the emperor's authority is used to suppress it, it will be absolutely impossible to eliminate this fundamental conflict; if the conflict intensifies, it may even drag down the majesty of imperial power.
In fact, even a powerful authority like the imperial power often resorts to force, goes with the flow, and is unwilling to come into direct conflict with most civil officials. Now that the situation is overwhelming, the court is almost ironclad. Unless the current emperor can be as powerful as Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong, re-refine the earth, water, fire and wind to create the world again, and use his prestige to rewrite the court rules, today's situation is doomed.
Using the majority to bully the few and taking advantage of the strong to bully the weak, that's what political struggle is all about. Don't play it if you don't like it.
Thousands of memorials were submitted over several months, and even the Ministry of Civil Affairs was almost overwhelmed by impeachment memorials. In the face of such a stormy political situation, Master Feixuan and the cabinet maintained an odd silence. They did not give any characterization of the incident, but simply kept the memorial in their possession and avoided talking about other things. Considering the status of the prince of Duke Mu and the merits of the Duke Mu's Mansion, this ambiguous attitude is understandable, and the important officials who organized the impeachment did not take it seriously. If the Duke Mu, who was a powerful figure in the previous generation, was still around, people would probably be a little wary of him; but now the one supporting the family is just a young man who has risen to the top through favor, so he naturally does not inspire any awe. Not to mention, the young man's actions were extremely ridiculous and can only be described as stupid - seeing that the political crisis was imminent, Mu did not quickly return to Beijing to organize a counterattack, but instead wandered between Shandong and Tianjin, using the so-called "rectifying coastal defense" and "building large ships" as excuses, and remained hesitant outside Beijing!
How stupid! All major events in the world are determined by the capital, the central government, and the officials in the imperial court. Even if the coastal defense is well developed in other places, can it reverse the situation in the capital? No matter how outstanding your achievements and hard work are, as long as you win this political struggle, the anti-Mu faction can get rid of this guy completely with a single official document.
There is nothing more foolish and dull than abandoning the center and plotting for a "navy" or "coastal defense"; the enemy is so weak and incompetent that victory is easy to achieve.
——Of course, there are smart and capable people in the anti-Mu faction. From the various actions of the prince over the past six months, one can actually vaguely guess what he is planning. But because of this, they feel relaxed.
"I know what that guy means." Mr. Ouyang Jin, former Chief Censor and pioneer of the anti-Mu movement, loudly expressed his opinion at a private gathering of the anti-Mu movement, confidently saying, "He just wants to use the emperor's order to provoke a war and use his military exploits to suppress us. Humph, he thinks it's easy!"
In everything, we must pay attention to first come first served and seniority. Different from the civil servants who have turned against Mu in anger because their interests have been violated, Mr. Ouyang Jin has been steadfast from the beginning and has decisively charged to the forefront of the overthrow of Mu. He has contributed his official position and his originally white and flawless buttocks to the cause of overthrowing Mu. Such foresight and great achievements will certainly impress those who came after him. Therefore, even though he no longer holds an official position, he is still regarded as an elder of the anti-Muslim faction.
Everyone should respect the elders' words, but even so, Zhu Keyi, the new Minister of Rites and Imperial Clan Minister, still had doubts:
"If he really has military merit, it would indeed be a big problem, especially since he is a nobleman."
Ouyang Jin smiled slightly and said calmly:
"Does Shao Zongbo think that he can really achieve great success outside?"
The Minister of Rites hesitated for a moment and replied in a low voice:
"I went to the outskirts of Beijing to watch the musketeers' drills. Those 'rocket weapons' were indeed, truly, extremely powerful..."
As I said, the reactionaries are not stupid NPCs, they also have their own considerations. Since it has been decided to take action against Mu Qi, of course a detailed and accurate assessment of the strength of the Mu Mansion must be conducted. The civil servants in the Ministry of Rites and the Imperial Clan Court may not be familiar with the military system, but the power of the rockets was so incredible that even those who were blind to the military could not help but be frightened and greatly worried.
However, mentioning such details in front of the anti-Mu group of leaders is a bit like giving them a sense of superiority. So after the Minister of Rites explained a few words, the officials sitting around him looked quite dissatisfied. Even the elder Ouyang Jin turned sideways and looked at him carefully.
The Minister of Rites' voice faded away, and he felt a little embarrassed.
"... Young Master Zong is right. The firearms of the suburbs of Beijing are indeed unrivaled in the world." Ouyang Jin was silent for a moment, then suddenly smiled and said contentedly, "But it is precisely because the rockets are so powerful that the Mu family will inevitably be defeated. Young Master Zong, do you know the cost of training the musketeers of the suburbs of Beijing?"
"Please give me some advice, sir."
"According to the eunuch in front of the emperor, it's two hundred taels." Ouyang Jin said calmly, "It's just one year, that's two hundred taels per person."
The Minister of Rites gasped, and the expressions of the officials beside him suddenly changed. Two hundred taels is actually nothing, and it is probably just the expenses of one or two months for the families of the nobles present; but if you take into account the practice of maintaining troops in the imperial dynasty, this expenditure is really shockingly large!
You have to know that nowadays the annual expenditure of a general on the frontier to support his most trusted elite servants may be only around seventy or eighty taels; this is already "exhausting material resources" and will make the nine borders complain bitterly.
"Two hundred taels per person, the annual expenditure on maintaining the army alone is 700,000 or 800,000 taels. If we mobilize to go to war, the expenses will be unimaginable." Ouyang Jin said slowly: "Before the troops move, the food and fodder must go first. Can the Mu family raise millions of dollars? The previous money was used from the inner treasury, but once the war starts, money will be spent like water. Not to mention the Mu Guogong Mansion, even the emperor may not be able to support it. At that time, we can only rely on the national treasury and the Ministry of Revenue. And the Ministry of Revenue..."
Ouyang Jin was all smiles, his intentions were self-evident. The clues are subtle and the foreshadowing is profound. Zhao Juqing, Ouyang Jin and other anti-Mu elders have been lying dormant for such a long time, not just living a carefree life with nothing to do, they have also hidden a large number of hidden players and made sufficient preparations. In large-scale military campaigns, fighting is all about money. As long as we hold on to the purse strings, can the army really rise to the sky?
I’m not good at fighting, and you’re not good at making money. The civil servants have controlled the government for more than a hundred years, and their tactics are by no means simple. Although they did not understand military affairs, they had already figured out all the key points where the enemy might turn the tables and set up sufficient defenses - although they could not say it explicitly, everyone had already reached a consensus: there would never be another emperor as powerful and well-mandated as Emperor Gaozu and Emperor Taizong!
"I have heard that the boy surnamed Mu is so arrogant that he is even spreading the story of Champion Marquis Huo Qubing in Shandong. It is really like an ant trying to shake a tree. It is ridiculous and overestimating oneself." Ouyang Jin sneered: "But he compares himself to Huo Qubing, which is convenient for him to attack - even if Monkey King has great magical powers, can he turn over the imperial court's control?"
Since ancient times, Han Bai, Wei Huo and other famous generals have been known. However, for the court officials, Marquis of Guanjun Huo Qubing was much easier to control than Marquis of Huaiyin Han Xin. Different from the military genius who "drives the people in the market to become soldiers", Guanjun Hou is born rich when fighting in wars. He needs strong soldiers, powerful horses, and the most elite and skilled cavalry in the world. Only then can he roam the northern desert and be invincible. But strong soldiers, powerful horses, armor and food, which one of them is not a gold-devouring monster? As long as the army's logistics are blocked, even if the champion marquis is made of iron, how many nails can he drive?
This arrangement is so meticulous and detailed that everyone can't help but admire it from the bottom of their hearts. As expected, the old ones are the wisest. No matter what the Prince of Duke Mu was planning, the masters of the anti-Mu faction had already made preparations and blocked all the loopholes in advance. If you think about it carefully, no matter how you look at it, the current situation of the fight is that the old men are against the little Dian Gong, and the advantage is in my hands.
Since I have the advantage, of course everyone should show their ability and strive to be rewarded and get a high position in the future. A doctor from the Ministry of Rites who was also invited spoke up:
"Although Mu Qi is already trapped, the Duke Mu's Mansion is deep-rooted and difficult to deal with. I wonder if we should first clip off some of his wings to scare him away."
Ouyang Jin glanced at him:
"What do you mean?"
"My humble opinion is that Zhang Taiyue and his gang..."
After hearing this, Ouyang Jin was slightly stunned. As an original anti-Mu faction, he certainly remembered the fight with Zhang Taiyue and others before and after the Battle of Shangyu. Originally they thought that their entire army had mobilized to overwhelm the enemy, and even if they could not hit the target in one blow, they would at least be able to seriously injure the enemy. Unexpectedly, the newly promoted Hanlin scholar Zhang Taiyue suddenly appeared, and with his skillful tactics, he actually defeated them on equal terms and ended the fight in nothing. This made everyone lose face, and it also ended up as an old grudge.
While I am still in an advantageous position, it is only right that I settle old scores. But Ouyang Jin was a shrewd man after all, and did not speak immediately. Instead, he raised his glass and sipped, looking around. Another old veteran who opposed Mu, the Minister of Justice Zhao Juqing, was sitting in the distance. After making eye contact with him, he shook his head slightly and mouthed the word "Xing".
After all, we have been working together for such a long time that we know each other well. With just a glance, Ouyang Jin understood what Zhao Juqing meant - after compiling "The Sayings of Emperor Xingxian", Zhang Taiyue had been regarded by the current Feixuan Zhenjun as a loyal emperor party member in the Hanlin Academy and was rewarded generously; acting rashly without any evidence would be suspected of offending the imperial power. Their brazen attack on the Prince of Mu had already greatly challenged the emperor's authority. If they expanded their offensive recklessly, Master Feixuan might regard it as a sign of his subjects' attempt to seize power. By then, the Supreme will fight back with all his might, and it will be a fight to the death, and they will definitely not gain any benefit.
Since the "Quotations" is still there, Zhang Taiyue must be there; this classic book has ensured the Zhang family's peace and tranquility for more than ten years.
The Crown Prince has gone, but the "Quotations" he left behind are still protecting his followers; this iron wall is insurmountable, and the important officials have no choice but to stop.
Ouyang Jin sighed slightly in his heart and could only speak:
"Let's put this aside for now and talk about it later."
·
After sending off a dozen officials who had come to the banquet for negotiation, only two founders of the anti-Mu faction, Ouyang Jin and Zhao Juqing, stayed behind to discuss the next wave of offensive. They planned to mobilize officials who had retired from the capital's suburbs to write a petition together to put more pressure on Mu Qi.
After checking the names of the people on the list one by one, Zhao Juqing hesitated for a moment. The anti-Mu faction is full of talented people. Although Ouyang Jin is the most powerful and jumps the highest, the one who really plans and makes the big plans is the non-stick master Zhao Juqing. However, during the political struggle for dozens of days, he had been hiding behind the scenes and keeping silent, fully understanding the Taoist essence of striking back after being attacked. By now, the political tide is unstoppable, and it seems that he should stand up, lead the charge, and try to reap the fruits of victory. It has always been the style of Minister Zhao to plan carefully before taking action.
...But, but, for some reason, perhaps it was some kind of conservative and perfunctory instinct of a veteran official, but whenever Shangshu Zhao thought of the grand scene of the final decisive battle, he always felt palpitations involuntarily - of course, this kind of palpitations should be without reason; he had made up for all the omissions and prepared all kinds of killer moves, leaving no room for his opponent to turn over. only……
Zhao Juqing lowered his eyes and handed over the impeachment list.
"I'll trouble Lord An to contact these old gentlemen." He called Ouyang Jin by his nickname. "After all, overthrowing Mu is a big deal. Lord An should show up more often to accumulate prestige and facilitate his reinstatement in the future. As an official in office, it's not easy for me to move around casually."
No matter what, just follow your heart, take a step back for now, and protect your comrades in front of you first.
Being aware of danger, change and retreat, and protecting your own safety are much more important than blindly advancing.
·
In general, the strategy of the anti-Muslim faction is actually quite safe and correct. They cannot interfere with the success or failure of a military operation, but as long as they have a stranglehold on logistics, no army can start a war. Since the supply was cut off, Prince Mu was doomed to fail. This is a secret method that has been used since ancient times to control martial arts with culture, and it will not tolerate a young man causing trouble.
But unfortunately, they overlooked some small details that go beyond traditional experience.
After inspecting the progress of shipbuilding and maintenance at Tianjin Port, Prince Mu managed to summon Ru Wang, whom he had not seen for a long time, and put forward a direct request: the war against Japanese pirates was imminent, and he hoped to borrow 1.8 million taels of silver as funds; and if he could find a way to get some money from the emperor's treasury, the military expenses would be almost enough.
After presiding over the Battle of Shangyu, his status as a scholar rose greatly, and he was highly appreciated by the bank headquarters. He was not afraid to agree to the 1.8 million taels; but he still asked one more question:
"I wonder how the prince plans to pay back the money?"
"We have to take action against Japan." The prince said in a gentle voice: "Japan has a lot of potential that can be tapped, and it will definitely satisfy the bank."
"potential?"
"Usury, mineral monopoly, concessions, free trade rights, extraterritoriality." The prince said calmly: "Do you still need me to teach you these things?"
Speaking of this, Mu Qi couldn't help but feel regretful. To be honest, as long as there was still some room for maneuver, he would not want to let a bad guy like England with ulterior motives interfere. But there is no other way. Firstly, military expenditures are really difficult to come by, and secondly, Da'an has too little experience in foreign military operations. In all aspects, it has to rely on these old empires. Based on his understanding of Master Feixuan, he estimates that after defeating Japan, he will be satisfied if he can occupy a few large silver mines and collect mining taxes. The means of squeezing out money are primitive and crude, and not much can be squeezed out. Only by letting the bankers take action personally can Japan be squeezed dry from top to bottom, and future generations will be grateful to Daiying for his great kindness. Daan has an overall view of the situation, which not only greatly increases his profit share but also allows him to accumulate valuable insights.
It takes experience to extract oil from water. In terms of experience, who can compare with Dai Ying today?
The profit for a businessman is no more than a hundred times; the profit for a country is immeasurable. The Bank of England, which originated from pirates, certainly understood this principle very well. But with such a tempting pie in front of him, Ru Wang did not rush to agree, but confirmed:
"Your Highness, are you going to use the rights of Japan as collateral?"
"That's right." The prince said calmly, "You can mention the specific terms and we can discuss them."
"That's good." Ru Wang smiled, "I agree. The silver and supplies can be delivered as soon as possible, and it will definitely not delay the deployment of troops."
"You agreed so soon?" Mu Qi was a little surprised: "Aren't you going to mention some specific conditions?"
"There's no need for that." Ru Wang smiled and said: Based on my understanding of the prince, if it involves the rights and interests of Da'an, the prince will probably fight hard with me, and it may take several months to negotiate the conditions by arguing over every detail. But what is being sold out now is Japan’s interests... The Crown Prince wouldn’t be so determined to protect even Japan’s interests, right? ”
The prince was speechless.
"…You are really good at judging people."
After a moment's silence, he spoke coldly.
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