Yang Ling left the Forbidden City and first returned to the Inner Factory to learn about the development of the Inner Factory while he was away from the capital. Wu Jie, Huang Qiyin, and Yu Yong were overjoyed when they heard that Yang Ling had been promoted to Marquis and General of the Dragon and Tiger. They congratulated him and then reported the development of the Inner Factory.
The Inner Faction's intelligence network had already been fully deployed throughout the Great Ming Dynasty. Due to the fact that they had pioneered a new path, their intelligence network did not clash with that of the Eastern Faction, Western Faction, or the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Hence, their development was extremely fast, and the results were also quick. Yang Ling's Deity of Informants had now caught up to the Guards Department, becoming the most efficient department among the Guards Department.
Yu Yong was born with the mind of a businessman. He was not afraid of others taking advantage of him. The Inner Factory operated like a joint-stock company. With the aim of making money together, they not only did not offend the existing local tyrants, but also pulled them in. Jin merchants, Huizhou merchants, Fujian merchants, the Ganshan horse caravan, the aristocrats of Jiangnan, and even the meritorious officials from the capital joined in one after another. Their interests were shared, and they had vaguely formed a powerful hidden force.
If this faction needed it, it could gather up more than a hundred million taels of silver in a single night, and it could also influence the opinions of many officials in the capital and other regions. Its strength did not seem very obvious, but it was already silently seeping into the political world, the aristocracy, the business world, and all other social strata of the Great Ming Dynasty. Outsiders did not feel this obvious, but the heads of the inner factory knew just how enormous this power was.
If Yang Ling wanted to show his ambition in the officialdom, he had to have his own political views. The Emperor could give him power, but whether this power could really be used, whether it could not be used by the upper and lower levels, and whether it could not be used by the upper and lower levels, depended on the cooperation and obedience of the various classes. The Inner Factory was now pulling the elites and leaders of these classes to their own ship.
The Fire Warrior missionary's research on firearms had temporarily reached a bottleneck. He wanted to go further but could not get the gist of it. Seeing that the cathedral was about to be completed, several missionaries became passionate again and ran to the cathedral every day to check on the progress. Third Gear Feng Tang, who was in charge of firearms research, had not achieved much, and was rather annoyed by this. When he saw Yang Ling, he could not help but feel a little ashamed.
Yang Ling knew that even in the modern era, where all kinds of specialized disciplines were developed in great detail, it would take several years to invent a new type of weapon or overcome a technical obstacle. As the saying goes, haste makes waste. He did not expect the new gun to be ready in a mere two or three months, so he had to comfort him.
Now the Shaanxi administrative department had begun to prepare for planting sweet potatoes and corn. Although Liu Jin resented Yang Ling for obstructing his path to power, he had a very strong sense of home. In any case, with the money from the inner factory, there would be no famine in Shaanxi. If these crops really had a miraculous effect, then it would be a great merit for the elders of his hometown. Therefore, he was very concerned about this matter. From time to time he paid attention to the trial planting of new grain in Shaanxi. When the inner factory sent grain seeds to Shaanxi and taught farmers how to farm, Liu Jin was very cooperative.
Min Wenjian had been promoted to the Jiangnan commander-in-chief. The Jiangnan commander-in-chief had two generals. One was in charge of training soldiers and was called Zhangyin. The other was in charge of farming and was called Xianshu. Min Wenjian was now the Xianshu officer of Jiangnan and was responsible for the farming of the entire army in the land of fish and rice.
Min Wenjian was not good at this, but he respected Yang Ling's ability very much. He did not know how to farm, but he knew that he strictly followed Yang Ling's instructions. He changed all the barren land in the army to new crops and ordered the soldiers to open up a large number of fields that were originally not suitable for planting crops. He spared no effort in his work.
Zhu Zhishan was also promoting new crops in Taoyuan. He was prepared to try two crops a year, but his territory was too small. Compared to Shaanxi and Jiangnan, the momentum was far less. Listening to this, Yang Ling was very happy. At present, it seemed that only the capital had the least influence. But the Emperor's territory was different from other places. Under the circumstances where all the civil and military officials had doubts, it was indeed not suitable to be too high profile.
Otherwise, with the thousands of young and strong workers in the inner factory, it would be a piece of cake to farm these fields. Yang Ling was worried that the thousands of tenant farmers would not have anything to do and would inevitably lead to a civil revolt. Fortunately, before Cheng Qiyun left, she had made very appropriate arrangements for the tenant farmers who bought the fields. Those tenant farmers did not cause trouble. They obediently received the grain seeds and followed their masters to learn how to farm.
After listening to these introductions, Yang Ling nodded with satisfaction. He said to Wu Jie, "Today, I have been conferred a nobility and promoted to an official position. It is time to show off my abilities. Haha, at the same time, I am also the target of public criticism. I have to be more careful in recommending the opening of the sea ban. How is the list of names that I asked Old Wu to prepare before returning to the capital? "
Wu Jie smiled and said, "Your humble servant and Lord Huang were worried that Your Excellency would become complacent and lose your vigilance. After hearing Your Excellency say 'target of public criticism', I believe that Your Excellency already has a plan in mind. We are relieved."
He gently fished out a piece of paper from his sleeve and handed it to Yang Ling. He said in a reserved manner, "Your Excellency, this is a list of officials that we, the Imperial Bodyguard, and Dongchang have jointly discovered who are closely related to the coastal smugglers. There are a total of 76 people. Among them, there are 29 who have a say in the Imperial Court.
These people only have the word profit in their eyes. They have no moral integrity. We have shown them our power and enticed them with profit. They have no choice but to bow their heads to us. These 29 officials have all agreed to submit their support for the opening of the sea ban. Please take a look, Your Excellency. "
Yang Ling gladly took the list and read it carefully. The 29 people selected ranged from the fifth rank to the third rank. Their ranks were not fixed. There were officials from the six ministries, as well as the Imperial Censors from the Hanlin Academy, the Spring Square, and the Imperial Envoy Station. However, there was no official who held the power in the Imperial Court.
He sighed softly and thought for a while before saying slowly, "The Six Ministries, the Nine Ministers, and the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet are either worried that the power of the eunuchs in the Imperial Court will grow out of control, or they are worried that the construction of the navy and the decentralization of the military will cause chaos. I have a way to deal with these people, so there is no need to worry too much.
Although the meritorious officials and nobles are not in power, their influence in the Imperial Court is not to be underestimated. Now, with the business of the Imperial Court, we have pulled more than half of them in. I believe that when I propose the lifting of the sea ban, they will not be a hindrance. "
Huang Qiyin thought of his own experience and said with a sigh, "Yes, we cannot be rash in such an important matter. We need to plan carefully and then take action. If we do not make thorough preparations now, when we announce our political views in the Imperial Court, it will be the final battle. It will be too late to deal with it by then. If we are not careful, we will be beaten to the ninth level of the night and never be able to rise again."
Wu Jie said, "Yes, there is still a considerable number of powerful officials in the Imperial Court. Some of them are short-sighted and have no vision. Some of them are from the aristocratic families of the inland plains and are worried that the lifting of the sea ban will affect the interests of their families. Some of them are stupid and old, firmly holding on to the idea that the Imperial Court only accepts tribute and does not engage in trade. It will be difficult to get them to agree."
Peng Jizu said disapprovingly, "Aren't the two of you worrying too much? No one can compare to the Emperor's favor and trust in our Factory Supervisor. As long as the Emperor nods, they have to agree whether they agree or not. Why bother with them? "
Yang Ling shook his head and said, "The Imperial Court cannot be compared to the army. Once a military order is issued, there is no room for discussion. These officials are only the leaders of these factions. With them leading the opposition, there will inevitably be a considerable number of officials who will follow. Even the Emperor cannot force an edict in the face of fierce public opposition."
He thoughtfully thought for a moment, and a smile floated to the corners of his lips. He turned to Wu Jie and said, "Has Old Wu drawn up a list of these people?"
Wu Jie hurriedly took out a slip of paper from his left sleeve and said, "I have long prepared. After some estimation, the officials who have some prestige among the civil officials and are likely to lead the opposition to Your Excellency's plan to open the sea have all been recorded on this piece of paper."
Yang Ling took it and said, "Let me see who those people are. It seems that this matter will fall on Grand Scholar Jiao."
As soon as Yang Ling's voice faded, a foreigner appeared by the door and respectfully said, "Factory Supervisor, Grand Scholar Jiao from the Imperial Cabinet invites Your Excellency to come to my residence for a chat."
Yang Ling laughed and put the slip of paper into his sleeve. He stood up and said, "Speak of the devil. Servants, prepare a horse. I will go to the Jiao residence immediately!"
* * *
In the ancestral hall in the backyard of the Jiao residence, Jiao Fang burned incense in front of the ancestral tablets, kowtowed and silently prayed for a long time. His son, Jiao Huang, also followed his father and kowtowed. He then stepped forward and helped his old father up.
Jiao Huang was Jiao Fang's youngest son and was just 28 years old this year. Old Jiao Fang had five sons. The eldest, third and fourth sons died early. If there were only two sons, the second son, Jiao Rui, was now a magistrate in Shandong's Wudingzhou. Jiao Huang had just entered the Hanlin Academy as an examiner.
Jiao Huang helped Jiao Fang up and said softly, "Father, Yang Ling has been promoted again and again. The Emperor's favor is indeed unparalleled. But the strong can easily be broken. When his son was in the Hanlin Academy, he knew that many officials were dissatisfied with him. Now that Yang Ling had the military power, financial power, and the power to supervise the officials, he was like the scorching sun at noon, hot to the touch, attracting the attention of all the civil and military officials. He was now the target of all.
The son thought that his father should not offend Yang Ling, but he also should not get too close to him. But his father had rejected the gift from the Minister of Internal Affairs, Liu Gong, and had invited Yang Ling to a banquet today. This clearly showed that he was on his side. I am afraid that father will offend Minister Liu and the officials of the court. It will be difficult to defend against open spears and covert attacks. "
Jiao Fang laughed and looked at him. He shook his head lightly and said, "Son, your foresight is still far from good. It is good to lean against a big tree. I have leaned against a big tree all my life. My old eyes will not be wrong. Mr Yang is a reliable person."
He looked at the ancestral tablets on the incense table and sighed, "Our family has been officials for four generations. Your great ancestor Ren Gong was a professor in the Residence of the Han Prince. After his death, he was posthumously awarded the title of Minister Guanglu, Taibao of the Zhu Guo Crown Prince, Minister of Personnel and Grand Secretary of the Hall of Martial Heroes. Your great grandmother was awarded the title of First Rank Lady. Your grandfather Duke Jing He was an editor in the Hanlin Academy. After his death, he enjoyed the same salary and official position as your great ancestor."
"When it comes to your father's generation …" Jiao Fang let his son support him and walked to the outer room to sit down. He continued, "When he was still alive, he was already a first rank official. He was honored with the title of Grand Secretary and was promoted to Left Pillar of the State. Son, who do you think bestowed this upon him?"
Jiao Huang's face reddened. He said, "Yes, I understand. But the path of an official is rough and the officialdom is dangerous. I just feel that Mr Yang … he is so young but he has shown off his abilities. It is really not a good omen."
Jiao Fang smiled and glanced at him. He said, "This, father can see." He gently stroked his white beard and said, "Your father was the top scorer in Tianshun for eight years. But he was an editor in the Hanlin Academy for nine years and could not be promoted. In the second year of Chenghua, your father presided over the writing of the funeral oration for Lord Yu Qian. It caused a sensation in the court. Emperor Xianzong appreciated it. It was originally a promotion opportunity. But the traitors of Wan An and Peng Shi were in power. Instead, father was chased out of the court by them. "
"Hey! The ups and downs of the officialdom, after several twists and turns, it was not easy for me to return to the court. Liu Jian, Xie Qian, these so-called modest gentlemen also formed a clique to suppress me! Wan An, Peng Shi, Xie Qian … these Jiangxi people are jealous of the virtuous and capable, not one of them is a good thing. "
Most of the enemies Jiao Fang had made in his life were Jiangxi people. These people's official ranks were always higher than his, suppressing him to the point that he could not lift his head. Old Jiao Fang was now more than seventy years old, but as soon as Jiangxi people were mentioned, he still flew into a rage.
Jiao Huang saw his father was so angry that his face was red and he was breathing heavily. He quickly stroked his chest and said, "Father, please don't be angry."
Jiao Fang took a few deep breaths and said, "The current Emperor is still young. He only favors Mr Yang, Liu GongGong, and the other old ministers in the Crown Prince's residence. Originally, your father could still benefit from both sides, but now they are neck to neck. I can't let one of them be subordinate to the other. Sooner or later, there will be a conflict. If my guess is correct, yesterday Mr Yang's promotion to Marquis and his control of the military was Liu GongGong's first step to advance by retreating! "
"Liu GongGong, this person … we can only share riches and honor, but not trials and tribulations. He is not the most reliable person. Mr Yang, on the other hand, knows how to use people well, and his character is benevolent. Compared to him, Father can only choose to stand on his side. To establish a foothold in the cabinet, to protect our Jiao family's good fortune, do you think it is so easy? "
Jiao Huang hesitated, "Can Mr Yang stand?"
Jiao Fang smiled and said, "He can! Wang Qiong and Fan Ting were removed, Mr Yang recuperated for more than a month, and the Ministry of Rites and Dongchang were handed over to Liu Jin. From then on, Father knew that this person's breadth of mind, bearing, and foresight are few. "
His white eyebrows moved, and he said, "Father invited Mr Yang to a banquet today because I want to know what he is going to give up, and how much he is going to give up. Times have changed, and there are some things that we can no longer give in to. "
* * *
In the private room of the Jiao family's inner hall, Yang Ling and Jiao Fang sat opposite each other and drank.
The two talked about the situation of Datong and the capital after they parted. Yang Ling knew that Jiao Fang must have something else to say, so he kept his cool and did not ask. The two chatted for a while, and Jiao Fang poured another cup for Yang Ling, and said, "Daren, you have made a great contribution on this trip. Today at the court meeting, His Majesty will reward you. Daren will be promoted to the rank of Marquis, and you will be in charge of the four towns. This is really worthy of celebration."
"Oh?" Yang Ling glanced at Jiao Fang, and said without batting an eyelid, "Haha. Among the civil and military officials of my Ming Destiny, who has ever assisted His Majesty and worked hard, who has ever received such a great reward? His Majesty has bestowed such a great reward on me, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness. However, good fortune is often accompanied by misfortune. The reward is so great that it has made all the civil and military officials look at it. I am really frightened, and I am looking for an opportunity to speak to His Majesty, and tactfully decline the reward. "
A trace of joy flashed in Jiao Fang's eyes, and she hurriedly asked, "Daren is of noble character and unquestionable integrity, and is open-minded. This kind of breadth of mind is admirable. It is just that … Now Daren holds the power to supervise the officials, the power to tax Ming Destiny, and the power to command the elite troops of the four towns of the border army in the capital camp. Everything is in great demand.
The disciples and Daren are closely related, and share honor and disgrace. For matters concerning Daren's future, how can I not do my best? I don't know what position Daren wants to resign from. This old disciple has been in and out of the official world for decades, perhaps I can give some humble opinions for Daren to consider! "
"So Jiao Fang has also seen that Liu Jin is roasting me on the fire." Yang Ling was slightly surprised. He didn't think that Jiao Fang would be so open to him. Jiao Fang was usually too flattering, and it was inevitable that people would look down on him.
Yang Ling thought for a moment, and said frankly, "I won't hide it from Minister Elder, this official is now wholeheartedly thinking about lifting the ban on the sea, and enriching Ming Destiny. As for the power to command and train the troops, haha, this official comes from a scholarly background, and was only a general of the Shenji Battalion. How can I command the troops of the four towns? Since His Majesty trusts me so much, as an official, I should act according to my capabilities. I want to hand over the military power. "
Jiao Fang frowned slightly, and asked, "En … handing over the military power to avoid being envied by others is indeed a wise way to protect oneself. But in this way, Daren can be at ease in the inner court, and retain the power to supervise the officials?"
Yang Ling asked attentively, "What does Minister Elder think?"
Jiao Fang shook his head, "Forgive this disciple for being presumptuous, but this disciple thinks that this must not be done!"
Yang Ling only wanted to form an alliance with Wuliangha in the north, provoke internal strife in the Tartars, and weaken them. With Ming Destiny's military power, he could destroy them on his own. As for lifting the ban on the sea and opening trade with other countries, as long as this important matter was achieved, other than enriching the country and strengthening the people, the exchange of knowledge and culture would inevitably slowly affect Ming Destiny, and cause it to change in a way that moistens things.
To change the ideology that had been formed for thousands of years by all levels of a country, and thus change its historical trend, it was not something that could be achieved with the power of an emperor or a powerful official. He believed that as long as they could always maintain communication with the world, the empire that was currently the strongest and richest in the world would not decline.
His wisdom and ability were not much better than the ancients. His only strength was that he had already seen history. Even if he spoke of this knowledge, it would only be seen as preposterous remarks, and they would not be able to understand theories that were hundreds of years in advance.
Only by synchronizing with the world would the people of the Great Ming Dynasty be able to come into contact with these new things. They would be able to experience these things bit by bit in their lives. They would be able to understand and experience what was advanced and what was backward.
Therefore, it was enough for him to do this, and his mission would be completed. As for the high and mighty power, it could bring endless glory, but wasn't it always accompanied by bloodshed? If he had more than two years to live, he could stay away from the center of power, hide behind the scenes to protect himself, and spend his life with his beautiful wives and concubines. How carefree would that be?
Yang Ling was like this, so he did not mind Jiao Fang's words. He only smiled and said, "Why not?"
Jiao Fang said, "As long as the person lives, the government lives, and if the person dies, the government dies. You should know how many people in the court are against it. If you think that once you implement this policy, you will be free of worries, and from then on, you will only see that your efforts are in vain, and you will give up halfway. "
Yang Ling's heart skipped a beat when he heard this. That's right. Since ancient times, were there not many examples of people dying because of political appeasement? If one left the center of power, how could one ensure the implementation of policies? But … military power … was too troublesome. It was like a sharp sword hanging over one's head, and one did not know when it would fall.
He frowned and said, "In order to persuade the civil officials and the Bureau of Rites to cooperate, I have already agreed to give up the power of taxation. You also know this. Since you oppose it, is it wrong to give up military power? With military power in hand, it is like riding a tiger's back. "
Jiao Fang said, "Since ancient times, power is more important than wealth. Shi Chong's wealth is comparable to that of a country, but not as great as that of a general who controls an entire government army. The tax is the court's revenue, and it is illegal to withhold it. Moreover, it is far from the wealth of the Inner Works. Handing it over to the Ministry of Revenue and the Bureau of Rites to mutually restrict each other is not a big deal.
The Inner Works is independent of the court, and is close to the Emperor. It is the foundation of your life, so the power of the Inner Works cannot be touched. But because the Inner Works is independent of the court, you can forever hide behind the scenes, unable to truly involve yourself in court politics, forever an outsider. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Liu Gong, has the power to 'approve'. Liu Gong and you are on good terms, and you can use him to influence the political situation. What if there is a day when there is animosity between the two? Won't you be unable to influence court politics? "
There will be a day? They are already on the verge of falling out.
Yang Ling understood the meaning of Jiao Fang's words. He also knew that even though he was the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, if Liu Jin really had a head-on conflict with him, even if Jiao Fang was completely on his side, without Liu Jin's support, he would not be able to directly participate in court politics. Jiao Fang alone would not be able to do much.
Thinking of this, Yang Ling couldn't help but shake his head hesitantly. Going from being in charge of the army to participating in court politics, and not giving up on the Inner Works, there would be many officials in the court who would be wary of him. They would definitely think of ways to restrict and restrict him. At that time, he would be trapped in scheming and plotting every day, guarding against being framed. What else could he do? Moreover, the Emperor was still young and did not know the pros and cons of this. In two years, would Zhengde be able to rest assured in handing over so much power to an official?
Jiao Fang squinted her eyes and took a sip of wine. She slowly said, "Your Excellency, what do you think the famous officials of ancient times relied on to achieve a lifetime of meritorious deeds and to finish well from the beginning to the end?"
Yang Ling said, "Of course it was because they were talented and able to judge the situation. They were not arrogant and deceived their masters. At the same time, they had to meet a wise emperor to achieve meritorious deeds and live a peaceful life."
Jiao Fang nodded and then shook her head. She said, "But in my opinion, the most important point is the Emperor's ambition."
Yang Ling frowned. "The Emperor's ambition? What do you mean? "
Jiao Fang said, "Emperor Wu of Han's ambition was to expand his territory and build a strong Han empire. Therefore, he placed great importance on talents who could accompany him on this path. Wei Qing and Huo Qubing stood out from the crowd and became extremely important officials. Emperor Taizong of Tang chose to rule a prosperous Tang Empire. Therefore, he chose famous officials like Fang Xuanling and Du Ruhui. What is the current Emperor's ambition? "
Yang Ling blurted out, "The Emperor worships martial arts and wants to expand his territory and become a Wu Emperor."
Jiao Fang clapped her hands and said, "Exactly. Therefore, Your Excellency's command of the army today is a rare opportunity. Only by commanding, training and commanding the army will you be able to match the Emperor's wishes. Only then will you be able to walk on the same path as the Emperor forever. As for Your Excellency's concern about having military power in your hands, Emperor Wu of Han was forbidden to personally lead the army. Why can't Your Excellency let the current Emperor, who worships martial arts and loves soldiers, personally lead the army? "
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