Following the principle of skipping obscure characters and connecting difficult parts with context, Su Yan skimmed through the memorial submitted by Yu Che, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of War. He roughly understood the intention behind the long-winded and obscure rhetoric, which could be translated into modern language as:
Although the country is currently peaceful, hidden dangers are still emerging. Shanxi, Henan, and Shandong are experiencing banditry, attacking prefectures, killing officials, and seizing grain; while the northern Tartar tribes are becoming restless, harassing the border and plundering the people. My troops are stretched thin and cannot manage fighting on both fronts. Your Majesty, could you allocate more troops and supplies?
This was a military and national affair. With his limited knowledge of military matters and history, Su Yan was worried that if he made a misstep, he might become a traitor to the country. He hesitated for a moment, deciding to first gauge the Emperor’s opinion.
“The Left Assistant Minister Yu Che requests the mobilization of the capital’s garrison troops and the three major camps of the capital army to encircle and suppress the bandits and subdue the northern Tartars. The manpower involved is substantial and would be no easy task.”
Emperor Jinglong pondered, “Indeed, it is not easy. Although the three major camps are well-trained and equipped, they are tasked with defending the capital. If a large portion is mobilized, it would leave the capital vulnerable and could provide an opportunity for the northern Tartars to strike.”
Su Yan, feeling certain that Emperor Jinglong was not inclined to mobilize large forces, gathered his courage and said, “Your Majesty, after reading the memorial, I do have some thoughts, but I fear my humble opinions might be misleading.”
Emperor Jinglong replied, “Speak candidly. I will sift through the valuable from the worthless.”
Su Yan organized his thoughts and said calmly, “Since the ancestor Emperors led the campaign against the northern border and defeated the Tartars several times, and after the Battle of Bae Lake severely wounded the northern Tartars, they have not had the strength to revive their power for ten years. With the death of their leader, Taerhe, the northern Tartars have been embroiled in continuous internal strife. Under these circumstances, they should not have the capability to launch a large-scale invasion into the Central Plains. Therefore, the disturbances at the border are likely caused by a few roaming tribes.”
“These nomadic tribes have always migrated with the water and grass, relying on sheep, horses, and livestock for sustenance. Their lives are quite harsh, and seeing the abundant resources of the Central Plains, they are tempted to invade.”
“After the northern campaign, we abolished the tribute trade. They cannot obtain necessities through trade, so they resort to plundering the border. After attacking one area, they quickly move to another, making them difficult to guard against.”
“Even if we dispatch a large force to subdue them, they will retreat into the northern wilderness, and our troops will struggle with the severe weather and supply difficulties, making sustained operations challenging.”
Emperor Jinglong frowned, “So you’re saying that our great Ming has no way to handle these northern barbarians?”
“Not entirely. After the death of their leader, the Mongol factions are fighting over the supreme authority of the Golden Family. They each believe themselves to be the legitimate successor and harbor even more resentment towards other tribes than towards us. It is like…”
Su Yan cautiously glanced at Emperor Jinglong and continued, “It’s like after the death of the main wife, the concubines vie for the position of the main wife, both overtly and covertly. If the family elder intervenes and supports one of them as the rightful wife, the concubines will fight fiercely among themselves.”
Emperor Jinglong couldn’t help but smile, “Though this analogy is crude, it is indeed apt. Are you suggesting that we support one of the tribes to suppress the others?”
Su Yan replied, “Regardless of which tribe we support, we will be raising a potential threat. Your Majesty, do you know why rural farmers dangle carrots in front of donkeys? It’s because the donkey will keep moving forward, striving to reach the carrot it can never quite get. What we need to do is provide the Mongol tribes with a carrot.”
Emperor Jinglong smiled, “According to you, how should we present this carrot?”
Su Yan said, “We could send envoys to secretly visit the leaders of the tribes, first dropping a bait, then issue a declaration recognizing one tribe’s supremacy, bestowing upon them a title such as ‘King of the Grassland’ or ‘Khan,’ promising exemption from tribute, and opening border markets for trade.”
“In order to maintain their position and interests, they will have to subdue the other tribes. The other tribes, feeling jealous and unwilling, will resist with all their might. We just need to observe the outcome.”
Emperor Jinglong shook his head slightly, “Tribute not only serves to display the power of our celestial empire but also acts as a necessary measure to prevent vassal states from becoming too powerful. Abolishing it too easily might be too lenient.”
Su Yan squinted, a cunning smile forming, “Your Majesty, there is a saying that wool comes from the sheep. Since these tribes cannot trade with us, we can increase export duties under the pretext of post-war economic hardship and rising costs.”
“Increasing export duties?” Emperor Jinglong repeated thoughtfully, “Interesting…”
Seeing the Emperor’s nod, Su Yan grew bolder and continued enthusiastically, “The fortunate chosen tribe should neither be too weak nor too strong. If too weak, they lack the ability to influence the situation and will soon be subdued by other tribes; if too strong, they will quickly absorb other tribes and become a significant threat.”
“We need to carefully balance support and suppression, and if necessary, we might even need to replace one concubine with another…”
Suddenly, Su Yan realized that this was precisely the tactic Emperor Jinglong often used in court. Was he, in essence, presenting his own ideas on the Emperor’s favored strategy? If he had offended the Emperor, it would be like a mouse licking a cat’s nose—seeking death! He abruptly stopped, feeling regretful and nervously glancing at the Emperor’s expression.
Emperor Jinglong was looking at him with a half-smiling expression, revealing a trace of amusement without any visible anger. Su Yan finally felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.
As a royal with the power of life and death, he had no sense of awe toward Crown Prince Zhu Helin. He chatted with ease, sometimes even feeling tempted to tease him. However, when it came to Emperor Jinglong, he acted like a mouse encountering a cat; even standing too close made the back of his neck feel icy cold. Could it be that their destinies were simply incompatible by nature?
Emperor Jinglong tilted his head and propped it on his hand, assuming a leisurely posture. His tone was unhurried as he said, “Let’s continue discussing the issue of the bandits.”
Su Yan took a deep breath. Issues of internal unrest were far more sensitive and acute than external threats. If he spoke recklessly, he feared he might truly meet a grim end this time.
After thinking carefully for a moment, he said, “Your Majesty, I believe the common people are the easiest to satisfy in the world. They only seek to live simple, stable lives—working by day, resting by night, raising children. As long as they have food to eat, a roof over their heads, clothes to wear, and are not driven to desperation, they would never rise in rebellion.”
Emperor Jinglong’s expression indeed turned cold. “Are you suggesting, Minister, that I have driven these people to desperation, forcing them to rebel?”
Su Yan fell to his knees. “That is not what I meant. Those who have driven the people to desperation are not Your Majesty, who is deeply concerned about the nation’s welfare, but the corrupt officials in local governments!
The flooding of the Yellow River caused crop failures downstream for two consecutive years. Your Majesty ordered the states and counties to allocate grain for disaster relief, showing great imperial grace. But after layers of embezzlement, how much of that grain and money actually reached the disaster victims? When their stomachs are empty, their thoughts turn to change. Those bandits hiding in the mountains take advantage of the opportunity to recruit the people, expand their forces, kill officials, seize grain, and loot everywhere.”
“If Your Majesty were to deploy elite troops to encircle and eliminate them, it could certainly wipe out these disorganized groups, but this method only addresses the immediate problem and not the root cause. As long as we clean up the court and local governance, and ensure that the people live in peace without suffering from hunger and exploitation, most of the banditry will naturally be resolved. The remaining unrepentant brigands won’t be able to cause much trouble.”
Emperor Jinglong listened in silence and, after a long pause, finally spoke, “Corrupt officials must be severely punished, and bandits and outlaws cannot be easily spared. If we do not immediately dispatch troops to exterminate them, they will only continue to disrupt the people’s lives and cause harm to the region. Your words are sensible and reasonable, but this must be addressed gradually, not with immediate action.”
Su Yan sighed inwardly and said respectfully, “Your Majesty has considered everything thoroughly, and I fall short. However, bandits come in different categories, and if we can treat them accordingly, it may achieve better results with less effort.”
Emperor Jinglong raised an eyebrow, “Oh? What are these categories?”
“The first category mostly consists of refugees and disaster victims who wander aimlessly, committing theft and robbery. When confronted by a strong military force, they will collapse like scattered sand. These people should be treated with mercy; offering them food and land will likely turn them back into law-abiding citizens.”
Emperor Jinglong nodded slightly.
Su Yan continued, “The second category includes so-called ‘green forest heroes’ and ‘righteous warriors.’ They claim to fight corrupt officials and oppressors, robbing the rich to help the poor, and have gained quite a bit of public support. We should use both military force and diplomacy—intimidate them first and then pacify them, tempting them with honor and benefits. These people have some skills and could be recruited into the army or sent to the border as reinforcements.”
Emperor Jinglong nodded thoughtfully.
“The third category consists of truly rebellious elements, such as mountain bandits who are not satisfied with just plundering but dream of attacking the capital and the imperial court. They often have so-called ‘divine emissaries’ or supernatural assistants, inciting people with heretical teachings and deceiving the masses. These bandits must be dealt with decisively, just one word—”
Su Yan suddenly looked up, his eyes cold and resolute, his voice firm: “Kill. We must eradicate them completely to prevent any resurgence!”
After a moment of silence, Emperor Jinglong sighed deeply and slowly stood up, “I previously thought of you as merely a charming scholar, but it seems I underestimated you.”
Su Yan quickly bowed, “This official is humbled.”
“No need to be humble. You are young but possess unique insights and perspectives. Continue to gain experience in the court, and I may have use for you in the future.”
“This official is willing to serve Your Majesty with all my might.”
Emperor Jinglong patted his shoulder with a look of approval. Suddenly, he felt a chill on the back of his hand—a small, round droplet of water. He looked down in surprise and saw that Su Yan’s hat was dripping wet.
Su Yan was immediately embarrassed.
He had just bathed and, upon discovering his jade pendant was missing, hurriedly looked for it, barely drying his hair before hastily tucking it into his black hat. Initially, the hat managed to hold the moisture, but soon it became soaked, and droplets began to trickle out.
Seeing the droplets sliding down his white neck and leaving shiny trails, Emperor Jinglong felt an unexpected stir. He couldn’t help but reach out to wipe them away.
As his fingertips brushed Su Yan’s neck, Su Yan shivered, recoiling like a startled turtle and instinctively trying to hide his head and neck in his clothing, giving the Emperor an anxious and slightly annoyed look.
Emperor Jinglong paused, looking at Su Yan’s bright, expressive eyes, and said with a light laugh, “Su Yan, your eyes will eventually cause trouble one day.”
Su Yan almost rolled his eyes but quickly realized this would be highly disrespectful. He immediately lowered his head, adopting a contrite expression.
Emperor Jinglong laughed heartily and instructed the attending eunuch, “Take Su Shidu to dry his hair and prepare some medicine to prevent him from catching a cold.”
Su Yan, relieved to finally be dismissed, thanked the Emperor and hurriedly exited the room.
Emperor Jinglong sat back down, noticing the water stains on his fingers were dry and still faintly fragrant. He pondered for a moment before shaking his head with a self-deprecating smile.
