There should be nothing.

Chapter 341 The Simulated Brocade-Clad Guard System

Zhu Mo had anticipated that these two might waver. After all, Prince Yu had stepped forward. While he hadn't explicitly opposed the reforms, he was already shielding Yan Song. Moreover, various rumors suggested that some vassal princes, meritorious officials, eunuchs, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard were also aligning themselves with Prince Yu, and a powerful faction was subtly taking shape. Considering the disparity in strength, these two individuals naturally wouldn't be as resolute as before.

This, of course, wasn't their fault. It was simply human nature. Throughout history, the officialdom had been fickle, with frequent changes of allegiance being commonplace.

However, they still failed to grasp one crucial point—

Prince Yu was not Yan Song. He was the Emperor's son, just as the current Emperor had a relationship with the Crown Prince. Such a relationship was difficult to confront. This was a tradition ingrained over thousands of years in this country. The principle of "father guides son" and "ruler guides minister" meant that those in subordinate positions could not oppose those in superior ones. Prince Yu had very little room to maneuver; any overt opposition would be construed as rebellion or defiance.

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Therefore, all struggles would not be open but would remain hidden beneath the surface. Of course, such struggles would also be incredibly blatant and violent, with the intensity of confrontation soaring. If before, it was about veiled criticism or shifting blame, at this stage, it would be a bare-knuckle brawl, a direct confrontation.

It was with this in mind that Zhu Mo had no intention of seeking further legitimization through the Grand Secretariat. He would operate directly as an influential minister. Whether Zhang Juzheng participated was irrelevant; as long as someone did, it was enough. If they disagreed? Very well, let's fight it out.

With this thought,

Zhu Mo spoke frankly:

"Brother Taiyue, Brother Ziwen, the pretext is already established. The Zhoushan Public Office has been recognized by the Grand Secretariat, and the war crimes of the Wokou have been declared by the court to various countries. Where else do we need other pretexts? My dispatching warships is to apprehend criminals..."

He paused deliberately at this point, observing their expressions.

Zhang Juzheng smiled calmly, "Zi Xuan, you are the Imperial Envoy, and also a Grand Secretariat member. The imperial decree has already been issued, allowing you to act at your discretion. I believe that using the Zhoushan Public Office to pursue criminals, while a bit far-fetched, is still plausible. Therefore, the maritime matters need no corroboration from the Ministry of War. As for the mountain bandits on land, they naturally fall under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War. Having Qi Jiguang lead them would be most suitable. I can submit a memorial to the Grand Secretariat."

Zhang Han understood clearly—

Zhang Juzheng did not wish to be too closely aligned with Zhu Mo at this moment. As one of the senior officials of the court, he was currently in a difficult position and had not yet decided how to proceed, preferring to observe Zhu Mo's stance first. But it was different for himself; he had been recommended by Zhu Mo from Xuan and Da. Although not exactly allies, this connection was universally known.

He pondered for a moment and then smiled,

Kou Kou five six 37 four three six 75

"Scholar Zhu, since it was previously determined that the Wokou had also been involved in the Grand Canal transportation, then I have no choice but to take responsibility. Anything related to the Grand Canal, as the Governor-General, I will not have any objections!"

Good!

Zhu Mo thought: This is for the best. I will give you a big gift. https:/

He immediately smiled and said,

"Brother Ziwen, to be honest, I have an idea. See if it makes sense... I want to try 'Maritime Transport of Grain for the Grand Canal'..."

Maritime transport of grain for the Grand Canal?

Both of them were immediately stunned.

Zhu Mo continued,

"The capital and the provinces north of the Huai River have always relied on grain transported by the Grand Canal. For years, there have been incidents. Moreover, you have both witnessed the drawbacks of the current Grand Canal system; it is bound to cause problems sooner or later. Also, Brother Taiyue understands best; the number of people engaged in farming has significantly decreased, and there will soon be problems with grain production.

I have long considered that it will take two or three more years for the Tunkenwei to produce a substantial amount of grain. During this interim, I intend to purchase grain from countries like Joseon, Japan, Nanyang, Bianluo, and Annan. To be frank, I have already entrusted merchants to buy grain from Japan and Joseon, and they should be returning these days.

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Next, I plan to establish a grain market in Hangzhou. A portion of the grain for the Grand Canal will then depart from Hangzhou and travel along the coast, which is what is meant by 'Maritime Transport of Grain for the Grand Canal'."

Oh...

This?

They both understood perfectly: Zhu Mo intended to draw both the Ministry of War and the Grand Canal system into his maritime operations, thereby legitimizing the use of force by his Zhoushan Public Office. At the same time, he was also signaling to Prince Yu and the Yan family that many people still stood with him, Zhu Mo.

Zhang Juzheng thought: I naturally support the reforms. Not just me, even Prince Yu supported them at the time. It was your reform, your talk of restoring the Great Way of Yao and Shun, that made Prince Yu suspicious. Now, the situation has reversed, and the meritorious officials are also making things difficult for you. How can I still help you? When Prince Yu ascends the throne, I can continue the reforms. For now, it's best to wait for the Emperor to compromise, and then we'll see.

At the same time, he smiled and said,

"Maritime transport of grain for the Grand Canal is certainly acceptable. Now that the Wokou have been largely suppressed, it is indeed worth a try. Tan Lun is currently the Commander of the Grand Canal Military Affairs. Zi Xuan can consult with him about it..."

Heh heh,

Zhu Mo felt a sense of regret.

It seemed that pursuing the remnants of the Wokou would not be an easy task. No wonder the Wokou could never be fully pacified. They insisted on waiting for decrees from the Grand Secretariat, which still showed their suspicion of my strength. It seems Yu Dayou will also face difficulties, so no action can be taken for now. The current priority is to quickly uncover clues and continue attacking the Yan faction. Dealing with a few meritorious officials will make them truly submit.

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With this thought,

He decided not to force the issue and said calmly,

"Then let us first pursue the mountain bandits on land, especially those in the mountainous regions of Fujian, Chaoshan, and the two Guang provinces. Brother Taiyue, please take care of this matter?"

With that said,

Zhang Juzheng had no objections and smiled,

"I will immediately submit a memorial to the Grand Secretariat, to be sent to the capital by urgent dispatch."

...

After leaving,

Zhu Mo was somewhat displeased and simply moved out of Guanyin Temple, returning to live at the Northern Training Grounds.

By the time his personal guards were settled, it was already getting dark. He figured Lü Kun should have a plan by now and immediately sent someone to summon him to the Northern Training Grounds for discussions.

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Not long after,

Lü Kun arrived, holding a document, and said, "Zi Xuan, I've been thinking about this for the past few days. See if this is appropriate."

Zhu Mo looked and saw a diagram, structured like a tree. It was clearly an organizational chart, with small characters written on each branch. The main trunk was labeled "Mingfa School," and the branches were labeled "Ding, Qi, Suo, Zhen, Si," and so on.

Lü Kun pointed to the diagram and explained,

"Zi Xuan, my Emperor imitates the Embroidered Uniform Guard, but with some differences. I think we should call them Zhongwu School outwardly, but inwardly, they should still be called 'Mingfa School,' as it is about reform. I have thought deeply about this; people often say Shang Yang was ruthless, but some of his methods were indeed necessary."

He sighed, seemingly reluctant, and continued,

"The headquarters of the Mingfa School will be called the Law Department, followed by the Law Garrison, then the Law Station, the Law Banner, and at the bottom are the Law Soldiers, which is equivalent to the small banners and reservists in the guards. Below that, of course, are the people who do the work. The number of people at each level will decrease accordingly. For example, the Law Soldiers will first be set at one hundred, the Law Banners will have only ten, the Law Stations three, the Law Garrisons one, and finally reporting to the Law Department, which is me."

He looked at Zhu Mo expectantly.

Zhu Mo, at this moment, was inwardly delighted.

This fellow is simply a genius!