Regarding Chongzhen's inquiry, Huang Liji was silent for a moment before replying: "In the cabinet, Qian Shouzhi thinks that for the civil unrest incident in Shaanxi, we should still listen to the opinion of Yang He, the governor of Shaanxi, and take appeasing the rebellious people as the best policy.

However, Zhang Changgong believes that the number of people who have returned to their hometowns is probably less than one-third. If the imperial court is too weak, I am afraid that when the remaining victims return to their hometowns, there will be even greater chaos.

Moreover, in the past two years, the squires in Shaanxi have provided great assistance to the imperial court in order to stabilize the place and build water conservancy. Now because the exiles who have returned to their hometowns have made trouble, they have to return the land, and it seems unfair to these local gentry.

In the past few years, the imperial court has been helping the people affected by the disaster in Shaanxi, but it is the gentry from all over the country who assist the imperial court in maintaining local law and order and collecting taxes. We will not gain much from helping these people to regain their land, but if we lose the support of the local gentry because of this, I am afraid that the policies pursued by the imperial court in Shaanxi will not be sustainable...

As for the occupation of water by the clans and the local gentry to collect water charges, there was a consensus in the cabinet that such an act was inappropriate and that someone should be sent to stop it. However, the Qin and Qing kings may not obey the orders of the cabinet..."

After Zhu Youzhen interrupted Huang Liji's speech, he said coldly: "On the side of the clan, I will deal with it personally, but on the side of the local squires and grassroots officials, it is still necessary for the imperial court to appoint officials to form an investigation team to deal with it.

I believe that the most important thing for the cabinet to consider now is not to appease the rebellious people in Shaanxi, but to encircle and suppress the rebellious people by force. At present, our top priority should be whether we can ensure that spring plowing and production in various parts of Shaanxi will not be delayed.

Whether the land is returned to the people or awarded to the squire, if they can't be planted and cultivated now, what will the people of Shaanxi eat after summer and autumn? Harvesting one more stone of grain in Shaanxi is equivalent to saving seven or eight stones of grain transferred from the south to Shaanxi for the imperial court. I don't care who these lands belong to now, but if someone abandons a large area of land for reasons that are undecided, then the court will have to intervene.

Therefore, I ask you gentlemen to adopt the following urgent measures to ease the situation in Shaanxi. First, let Yang He first recruit Wang Ziyong and Gao Yingxiang, and any conditions can be negotiated slowly, but they must first let their people's mutiny army be stationed in the same place, and they cannot continue to wander and disrupt agricultural production in other areas. Leave enough time for the imperial court to solve the Shaanxi problem;

Second, the county government in Shaanxi was strictly ordered to maintain local social order and not to intensify the contradictions. If the contradictions between the local people and the gentry continue to intensify, then the county magistrates are the first responsible persons for the incident, and the imperial court will definitely punish them severely.

Third, let Yang He, Cai Maode, Shi Yongan, and Hong Chengchou mobilize officers and men to set up checkpoints on the main transportation roads in Shaanxi and Shanxi, temporarily prevent the disaster victims from other places from returning to their hometowns, and communicate with the disaster victims in various counties.

Fourth, the county officials should inform the people under their rule, telling them that the imperial court will soon send officials to Shaanxi to settle the issue of land ownership, and therefore ask them to remain calm for the time being.

Until the court officials arrived at the place, all the land would remain in its original state, and the crops that had been sown would belong to the next planter, regardless of who the land belonged to in the future. In order to avoid disputes, fields with questionable land ownership will be exempted from taxes this year.

From the date of arrival notified by the imperial court, all those who destroy crops and fight for fields and injure human lives shall be imprisoned, and local officials shall not release prisoners under any pretext until they arrive and dispose of them together. ”

In just a few moments, the emperor came up with a preliminary plan, which made Huang Liji also begin to feel a little pressured. As for the other members of the cabinet, they either agreed with or had reservations about the emperor's ideas.

For example, Zhang Ruitu had reservations about the emperor's proposition, and after listening to Chongzhen's decision, he said with some impatience: "Your Majesty, although the implementation of the appeasement strategy can buy some time for the imperial court, but for these bandits who go back on their word, blindly retreating will never solve the problem.

The minister thinks that no matter what, we still have to completely solve these bandits, so that we can avoid worries. Otherwise, once something happens again in Shaanxi, these bandit leaders will probably incite local disturbances again.

In Yichen's opinion, although Yang He has a good character, he is too weak, so these bandit leaders have the opportunity to gather the rebels to riot. Therefore, the minister suggested that it would be better to choose more capable officials to take charge of Shaanxi's government affairs. ”

Regarding Zhang Ruitu's statement, Qian Qianyi disagreed. As a wealthy southern bureaucrat, although Qian Qianyi's heart for fame is heavier, he still has a simple sympathy for the people at the bottom.

In dealing with these rioters, he maintained the same position as Yang He, and was very disgusted by Zhang Ruitu's hard-line attitude. Therefore, when he heard that Zhang Ruitu intended to use this incident to drag Yang He off the horse, he couldn't help but defend Yang He.

After Zhu Youzhen listened to a few words, he interrupted the quarrel between the two, and then said to everyone: "Whether Yang He is weak or tough, now is not the time to argue about these issues. The cabinet should first focus on how to calm down the Shaanxi incident.

From the capital to Xi'an, even if it is an eight-hundred-mile expedited, it will take at least 13-15 days. If you have no opinion on the points I just said, then I will send someone to Xi'an today.

Next, the gentlemen can continue to discuss how to completely solve the chaos in Shaanxi and select the personnel to go to Shaanxi. Do you have any comments? ”

After the meeting began, Guo Yunhou, who had not expressed his attitude, finally spoke up at this moment: "The minister agrees with His Majesty's proposition, the most important thing at the moment is to keep the spring ploughing in Shaanxi first, and the natural disaster has just passed.

Your Majesty is right, if Shaanxi produces one stone less grain and transports grain from the south into Shaanxi, it will cost an additional seven or eight stones of grain. With the current financial revenue of the imperial court, I am afraid it will be difficult to fill this gap. ”

With Guo Yunhou's statement, Zhang Ruitu, who realized that he had become a minority, finally kept silent and no longer tried to lead the responsibility to Yang He.

So within a short period of time, all nine members of the cabinet expressed their support for the emperor's proposed emergency measures, and decided to select within three days the investigating officials to go to Shaanxi to deal with land and other issues.

In addition, a plan for dealing with the land of the displaced victims will be discussed. Compared with selecting the right people to go to Shaanxi, the solution to deal with land disputes is obviously more of a headache for those here.

This temporary cabinet meeting, because of Chongzhen's decisive disposition, made the cabinet ministers not turn the meeting into a farce of shirking responsibility.

When the other ministers left, Huang Liji stopped, and after his colleagues left, he said to the emperor quite worriedly: "Your Majesty, how do you plan to deal with the affairs of the clan?" If the affairs of the clan are not handled well, I am afraid that the investigation officials sent by the imperial court may not be able to achieve good results in Shaanxi. ”

Zhu Youzhen nodded and said: "The reason why the squires in Shaanxi are able to be unscrupulous now is that they feel that there are palaces and clans in front of them, and if the court does not dispose of the palaces and clans, it will naturally be difficult to deal with them."

If the imperial court disposes of the palace and the clan, they will naturally be restrained. So, speaking of which, if you don't dispose of a group of clans this time, there will always be people who want to do something harmful to others and benefit themselves. ”

Listening to Chongzhen's tone, there didn't seem to be much anger, but Huang Liji's heart couldn't help beating.

He thought about it for a while, and then said to Chongzhen euphemistically: "Your Majesty, after all, King Qin and King Qing are relatives of each other, and their seniority is higher than Your Majesty. If the reprimand is too much, I am afraid that it will hurt His Majesty's reputation. ”

Zhu Youzhen glanced up at Huang Liji, and finally showed a smile and said, "Don't worry, sir, I have my own ideas about this matter." Mr. only needs to pick out the officials who go to Shaanxi..."

After leaving from the Wenhua Palace, Zhu Youzhen returned to the Qianqing Palace, and when he was about to walk to the door of the upper study, he suddenly stopped and said to Wang Chengen beside him: "Wang Banban, you go to the Wuying Palace to inform Mr. Sun, and it will be said that I will ask the members of the General Staff to inspect the northern suburbs of the camp together and conduct the award ceremony in front of the army." ”

Wang Chengen hesitated slightly, and couldn't help but confirm to the emperor: "Your Majesty, didn't the previous cabinet mean to say that the award ceremony and the adjustment plan for the supervision personnel and defense area will be passed together?" ”

Zhu Youzhen shook his head and said, "Originally, I was not in a hurry, but since there is a problem in Shaanxi, I want to transfer a new army to go, so naturally I must first appease the morale of the army."

They had just finished the war with the Houjin, and before the imperial court could reward them, they hurriedly sent them to Xi'an to prevent a possible rebellion. Isn't it criticized that the court uses them without giving them rewards or honors?

First confer the rank of general, and then send people to Xi'an, I think they don't have so many complaints about the imperial court. In addition, tonight I want to meet with the representatives of the three banks in the capital, and you can arrange for me. ”

Wang Chengen also nodded and said: "Since Your Majesty has made a decision, then the minister will go to pass the word for Your Majesty..."

The next day, on the large playground of the big camp in the northern suburbs outside the Desheng Gate in the capital, tens of thousands of soldiers of the Fifth Division of the New Army and the First Guards Division were wearing armor or military uniforms, standing solemnly in front of the rostrum of the large playground, waiting for the emperor's review.

Although there were many fewer colorful flags in this array, the soldiers erected in the square, because most of them were bloody, were a little more murderous than the previous ones.

Zhu Youzhen, who passed in front of the array, stepped onto the rostrum, and after giving a brief speech to the soldiers, he ordered the ceremony to begin.

Until the last moment, Sun Chengzong was still hesitant to accept the title of marshal. However, Mao Yuanyi, who was standing beside him, whispered to him: "Teacher, it is not wise to refuse Your Majesty in this scene now.

Moreover, if you accept the title of marshal, you will also give the General Staff a more independent position, so that the Cabinet will not interfere in the affairs of the General Staff, so that the General Staff will not be bogged down in party disputes. ”

Mao Yuanyi's last sentence finally moved Sun Chengzong, and it was more important to him than anything else to keep the General Staff Headquarters he had worked so hard to build. After all, with his current age, it is difficult to do anything for Da Ming anymore.

However, the General Staff is still very young, and as long as it can continue to develop, it can truly become the head of the Ming army, which can not only avoid the risk of turning the army into a feudal town, but also maintain the combat effectiveness of the Ming army.

Sun Chengzong, who figured it out, finally stepped forward to accept Chongzhen's gift, a marshal's badge and a marshal's cane.

When Sun Chengzong took over these two things, the soldiers in the audience were obviously very excited, and they couldn't help cheering one by one.