Some matters may be minor and relatively easy to handle, with no difficulty in making decisions. However, major matters are not so easy and require discussions with the high-ranking officials in the court.
For example, Fu Youde seems to have belatedly realized some things. Or perhaps some of his previous plans didn't work out, and now he's trying to find a new way to break the deadlock.
"Your Majesty, the reason I went on this expedition to Goryeo was largely because I noticed some shortcomings in the court's military system," Fu Youde said frankly. "Your Majesty's major revision of the Yellow Register has left many military households without a means of livelihood."
When this was mentioned, Zhu Yunying became serious, because he knew that what Fu Youde said made a lot of sense.
The military system of the Ming Dynasty was the garrison system, which was inspired by the military system of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. In essence, the implementation of the garrison system required a household registration system to ensure the number of troops and maintain its operation.
The military households in the Ming Dynasty came from two sources: those originally from the Yuan Dynasty and those of active-duty military personnel. Moreover, military households were hereditary and strictly managed, making it extremely difficult to remove them from the register. Generally, it was impossible to remove someone from the military register unless the entire household was wiped out, someone in the family became a high-ranking official, or the emperor issued an imperial edict.
Now Zhu Yunying plans to change some policies, including merging the poll tax into the land tax, which means that ordinary people can be relieved of considerable pressure. As for military households, they will certainly be tempted as well.
Although the management of military households was always relatively strict, even during the early years of the Ming Dynasty, there were still some who ran away. Some people simply could not bear the hereditary status of a military household.
Furthermore, over the years, the trend of peace and prosperity has become quite evident. As a result, some officers of the garrisons have begun to engage in corruption and bribery, and there have been instances of military households being treated as personal servants.
Although the imperial court did severely punish such behavior, and some generals suffered as a result, it must be said that while this phenomenon was not widespread, it was indeed becoming increasingly apparent. After all, with peace restored, many people's aspirations changed.
In the past, the commanders of those garrison posts, apart from those garrison posts that were responsible for farming, also had to train troops.
But things are different now. These garrison commanders are eyeing more land and more revenue. Military training and preparedness seem increasingly distant from them, and no longer seem to have much to do with them.
It's been a long time since we've fought a war or gone on a campaign. We're not on the border, so frequent military training is pointless. It's better to live a comfortable life; that seems like the most peaceful and wonderful thing.
Zhu Yunying was aware of this phenomenon, and the Five Military Commissions also possessed such intelligence.
However, it seems there aren't many options, since there aren't any places inland that require military intervention for the time being.
Zhu Yunying then became serious, listening carefully to Fu Youde's report. The garrisons certainly needed closer attention; even though there seemed to be no major military activity at the moment, preparations for war should not be forgotten, and the storage of weapons was absolutely unacceptable.
Supervision is necessary where needed, and improvements are required where necessary. The emergence of new policies will inevitably change some existing patterns. Moreover, while the "equalization of land tax and poll tax" may seem to restrict land consolidation to some extent, it will liberate some productive forces.
However, such a policy also caused great damage to the original Yellow Register system of the Ming Dynasty, a fact that cannot be denied.
Zhu Yunying had no intention of turning a blind eye or remaining silent, and did not feel that he should wait until the situation deteriorated before paying attention to these matters.
Zhu Yunying listened patiently, but gradually he began to feel that something was amiss. The old general Fu Youde's meaning was actually quite simple.
He wasn't really questioning anything wrong with the garrison system; at this moment, he simply wanted to grant the Five Military Commands greater power. In truth, the Five Military Commands were, to some extent, also constrained by the Ministry of War, since the Ministry of War was in charge of military administration, including the selection, appointment, and evaluation of military and local officials, as well as military systems, training, conscription, garrisoning, and border defense.
Moreover, when going on expeditions, high-ranking officials often supervised the troops, which was a limitation on the Five Military Commands. Even though the Five Military Commands often disregarded the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War seemed to be merely doing odd jobs for the Five Military Commands, it was still a restriction.
Fu Youde's idea was to completely sideline the Ministry of War and give the Five Military Commands full control over military affairs. He longed for the days of the Grand Military Commands, when military merit held greater power.
Zhu Yunying almost laughed. Old Zhu was worried that the Grand General's Office was too powerful, which is why he split up the Five Military Commands. Old Zhu was worried that the military officers would become too powerful, so in his earlier years, he had to bear the reputation of being ungrateful and had reduced or punished some military officers, and he also used the Ministry of War to limit the Five Military Commands.
But now things are really going badly. Fu Youde is practically pushing Zhu Yunying backwards, and is even giving Wu Xun more power.
Zhu Yunying would certainly not allow such a thing; it's just Fu Youde daydreaming. This guy might have some political acumen, but it seems his political wisdom is rather limited.
Or perhaps Fu Youde was simply feigning honesty and offering a suggestion that the emperor would never adopt. If that suggestion was rejected, he could then settle for something less desirable, thus increasing his chances of being accepted by the emperor.
These are actually quite possible; it seems that Fu Youde does have some ulterior motives.
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