"Everyone," Chongzhen said in the same leisurely tone, "I plan to have Prince Ding Zhu Cijiong go to Liaodong in person to convey my imperial edict, which will just delay the matter of enfeoffment. What do you think?"
The ministers all glanced at Fan Jingwen out of the corner of their eyes.
Fan Jingwen is the chief minister of the cabinet, and he must take the lead when confronting the emperor head-on.
Fan Jingwen thought for a moment and asked, "May I ask your Majesty, what will Prince Ding do after delivering the decree?"
"My intention is that Prince Ding should stay in Liaodong after receiving the decree. When the Ministry of Revenue has money, he will come back to be enfeoffed as a vassal!"
Fan Jingwen frowned, feeling that things were not that simple.
By then, even if the Ministry of Revenue had money, Chongzhen could still prevent Prince Ding from returning.
Over time, Prince Ding will definitely be able to develop his own power in Liaodong.
Thinking of this, Fan Jingwen raised his head and looked at the other cabinet members.
Although Wang Jiayan, Qiu Yu, Xie Sanbin and others also noticed that something was wrong, they did not have a suitable countermeasure at this moment.
"Your Majesty," Fan Jingwen asked again, "What about His Royal Highness Prince Yong? Is he also leaving Beijing for Liaodong?"
"No!" Chongzhen shook his head. "Prince Yong will stay in the capital with the Mongolian hostages. He is younger than Prince Ding, so he should be ranked after Prince Ding in terms of enfeoffment."
Fan Jingwen lowered his head again and communicated with others with his eyes.
Although Chongzhen's compromise plan had flaws, it was generally in line with the interests of all parties.
For the civil service group, as long as Prince Ding's position as a vassal king is not abolished, Prince Ding will not be able to obtain military power.
Secondly, sending Prince Ding to Liaodong could delay the enfeoffment of a fiefdom and ease financial pressure.
For Chongzhen, as long as Prince Ding went to the front line, he would have the opportunity to gain military power.
After all, a general is not subject to the orders of his king when he is away from home.
Wang Yongji's official position was Governor-General of Pingliao and Minister of War, and he had the final say on whether to give Zhu Cijiong military power.
Chongzhen believed that Wang Yongji would give Zhu Cijiong a chance.
(In the Ming Dynasty, the cross-regional mobilization of troops and money and grain required the procedures of the Ministry of War, so many governors would be given the title of Minister of War or Vice Minister of War. This was mainly to facilitate the cross-regional mobilization of troops and the coordination of money and grain, etc.)
Chongzhen, the cabinet, and all the civil and military officials reached a consensus amid mutual suspicion: Prince Ding Zhu Cijiong would go to Liaodong to issue the imperial edict, and then stay in Liaodong to serve.
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