Chapter 4: Expanding the Army? No, I Want to Reduce it by 100,000

Wu Ying Hall.

Xu Huizu entered the hall, performed a respectful salute, and respectfully said to Zhu Yunwen, “Your Majesty, Prince Gaoyang has won a golden sword.”

Prince Gaoyang, Zhu Gaoxu.

The second son of Zhu Di.

Zhu Yunwen nodded slightly and said, “It seems that my fourth uncle’s son is indeed formidable, inheriting the excellence of his father. However, is it not beneath your dignity to personally come to the palace just for a martial arts competition?”

Xu Huizu lowered his head, hesitated for a moment, and then knelt down, solemnly saying, “Your Majesty, I have seen the Guards of King Yan, the soldiers under the control of imperial court, completely obedient to his commands. I am filled with anxiety day and night. Furthermore, I have witnessed each King of Yan’s son have exceptional skills, especially Zhu Gaoxu, who excels in warfare.”

“I believe that when the regional Kings hold significant military power outside the capital, it becomes difficult for the imperial decrees to reach every corner of the empire, which is detrimental to the court. I earnestly implore Your Majesty to implement the policy of reducing the power of the regional kings to restore peace to the empire.”

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xu Huizu with a slight frown.

It seems that the news of summoning King Yan to the capital yesterday made Xu Huizu mistakenly believe that it was an attempt to keep the King in the capital and reduce his power.

That’s why he came here in advance to request reducing the power of vassal kings(削藩).

First, it allows him to express his loyalty and clarify that “I, Xu Huizhu, am a loyal follower of your reign, Jianwen Emperor. Please trust me.”

Second, it helps to strengthen their relationship and demonstrate their stance.

After all, Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng have continuously advocated for the reduction of feudal powers. Although this matter is kept confidential, it is difficult to bypass the Five Army Command Headquarters.

“Reduce the power of the vassal kings? Haha, why should i do that?”

Zhu Yunwen stood up, looked at Xu Huizhu’s surprised face, and said, “You’re overthinking it. My uncles can still be trusted.”

Xu Huizu looked at Zhu Yunwen in disbelief, unsure if he had changed his mind or if he was distrusting him.

Understanding Xu Huizu’s thoughts, Zhu Yunwen kindly said, “The prosperity of the empire lies in the prosperity of the people and the peace of the nation. Uncles have defended the borders and made significant contributions.”

Xu Huizu was somewhat perplexed.

Zhu Yunwen explained, “Let’s set aside the matter of reducing the power of the vassal kings for now. I intend to implement a new military policy, and I wanted to hear your thoughts on it.”

“A new military policy?”

Xu Huizu looked at Zhu Yunwen and quickly responded, “As long as Your Majesty commands, I dare not disobey.”

Zhu Yunwen shook his head slightly and asked, “How many elite troops are currently in the capital garrison?”

Xu Huizu promptly reported, “There are currently 500,000 elite troops in the capital garrison, Your Majesty. If your majesty intend to expand the military, I suggest mobilizing troops from Guangdong, Guangxi, and the northwest. The soldiers there are skilled and brave, and they can be of great use!”

Xu Huizu’s idea was simple. If Zhu Yunwen did not plan to reduce the power of vassal kings, then strengthening the central government’s military power would be necessary. By having a strong military force, they could overpower any threat posed by the regional kings, weakening their influence.

Zhu Yunwen frowned slightly, surprised at the size of the current garrison of 500,000 troops. During the reign of Zhu Yuanzhang, the military development was considered, and the “Inner and Outer Garrison” system was implemented, with 48 divisions of troops. Each division consisted of 5,600 soldiers, amounting to nearly 300,000 troops at that time. However, over time, by the beginning of the Jianwen era, the size of the capital garrison had already reached 500,000 troops, and the northern vassal kings also commanded more than 300,000 troops.

“How about reducing the military by 100,000?” Zhu Yunwen asked solemnly.

Xu Huizhu quickly said, “Deploying 100,000 elite troops to defend… eh? Reducing the military?”

Xu Huizhu, who thought they would be discussing troop deployment, was suddenly taken aback.

How could they weaken their own strength without strengthening it?

How would they respond if the vassal kings showed any signs of defiance?

Zhu Yunwen was not joking; instead, he spoke with utmost seriousness: “You know better than anyone about the state of the military. What we need is not the old, weak, sick, or a bunch of servants or lackeys. Nor do we need a group of pampered soldiers. What we need is an army capable of fighting!”

The issue of corruption within the military had always been a chronic problem throughout various dynasties.

Just because you hold a spear, does that mean you’re an elite soldier? Look at your age, you’re practically buried in the yellow soil up to your neck.

Just because you have a registered name, does that make you a true soldier? Who doesn’t know that you’re the servant of some influential figure or the retainer of a military general?

A group of individuals who rarely engage in training, how dare they call themselves elite?

Xu Huizhu broke out in a cold sweat, suddenly understanding that quality mattered more than quantity when it came to the military.

“You have one month to rectify the army. After one month, I will personally inspect them! Make sure to create some noise and make it noticeable.”

Zhu Yunwen issued the order.

After leaving the Wuying Hall, Xu Huizhu returned to the Five Army Commandery’s office, still in a state of uncertainty. He summoned his two younger brothers, Xu Yingxu, the Deputy Commander^[1]“佥事” was used to refer to a mid-level administrative officer who assisted in the management and governance of local affairs. of the Central Army, and Xu Zengshou, the Left Commander of the Right Army Commandery, and informed them about the plan to reduce the army by 100,000 soldiers.

Both of them were taken aback and caught off guard by the news.

Xu Huizhu calmly observed his two brothers as they processed this astonishing information and sighed, remarking, “The Emperor’s move is truly remarkable.”

Perplexed, Xu Yingxu asked, “Elder brother, what do you mean?”

Taking a sip of tea to calm his nerves, Xu Huizhu explained, “The Emperor’s actions serve three purposes. First, it is to reorganize the army. Second, it is to discipline the influential and noble generals. And third, it is to convey to the regional kings that the Emperor has no intention of interfering with them and hopes they will maintain stability in their fiefdoms.”

“Perhaps the Emperor has another layer of intention.”

Gazing at his brothers, Xu Zengshou spoke slowly, “By informing the regional kings that the Emperor is capable of taking action against the army in the capital, he is also implying that if he were to take action against the border armies under their control, it would be within reason. At that point, even if the border princes oppose, they would have no grounds to resist.”

Impressed, Xu Huizhu glanced at Xu Zengshou and agreed, “The Emperor’s intentions are hard to decipher now, but reducing the army by 100,000 is an inevitable move. However, it is a risky move that will surely offend many.”

In times of peace, the generals, nobles, powerful figures, and influential families all sought to accumulate wealth. The meager salaries established by Zhu Yuanzhang long ago would have left them starving.

For these individuals, the best way to amass wealth was through military salaries.

By reducing the army by 100,000, it was not necessarily reducing the actual number of soldiers by that amount but rather removing those who were embezzling salaries or fraudulently collecting military funds.

According to Xu Huizhu’s estimation, the actual number of soldiers to be cut would probably not exceed 50,000.

“Brother, there is another troublesome matter…”

Xu Zengshou looked at Xu Huizhu and massaged his temples.

“What is it?”

Xu Huizhu had a bad feeling about this.

Sighing, Xu Zengshou replied, “This morning, Miaojin entered the palace to accompany the empress and was appointed as Chief of Education of the Imperial Academy. The court is now in shock, and some officials are preparing to impeach…”

Xu Huizhu felt his vision darken and a sense of dizziness overwhelmed him. “What? Miao Jin? How could she enter the Imperial Academy? How could she become Chief of Education?”

The Imperial Academy was a prestigious institution, a gathering place for scholars from all over the country. Many officials had graduated from the Imperial Academy. Not to mention that these scholars were stubborn and unruly, always spouting lofty ideals of benevolence, righteousness, and the Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant Virtues^[2]In Confucianism, the Sangang Wuchang (Chinese: 三綱五常; pinyin: Sāngāng Wǔcháng), sometimes translated as the Three Fundamental Bonds and Five Constant … Continue reading. How could they possibly accept a woman?

What kind of move was the Emperor making? Wasn’t he just asking for trouble?

The court officials were always looking for something to complain about. They were idle during the period of national mourning, so upon hearing that a woman had entered the Imperial Academy, they would surely jump at the opportunity to criticize and submit petitions.

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