"The governor of six provinces?" Emperor Jiajing looked at Xu Jie for two full seconds. When Xu Jie's heart was beating like a drum, he pulled the corner of his mouth slightly, smiled slightly, and said, "Xu Jie, are you very brave?"
"I am terrified... Your Majesty, please forgive me..." Xu Jie was already frightened by the stare of Emperor Jiajing. After hearing what the emperor said, cold sweat broke out on his back. He fell to his knees with a plop, and kept asking for forgiveness.
Yan Song couldn't help but feel relieved. Fortunately, he hadn't decided who to recommend as the governor yet, and didn't have time to express his opinion. Otherwise, he would have to bear the brunt of the emperor's bold comment.
Li Mo was in a complicated mood. Although he looked down on Xu Jie for being a bootlicker of Yan Song, he had to admit that Xu Jie's suggestion to set up governors of six provinces was really crucial to the current campaign to suppress the Japanese pirates.
Although we have to admit that the "Ten Difficulties and Three Strategies" proposed by the old dog Yan Song were of high standard, it was Xu Jie's suggestions that made Yan Song's suggestions have the greatest effect. It is no exaggeration to say that Xu Jie's suggestions were the "finishing touch".
Similarly, Xu Jie's suggestion can also make all the suggestions of everyone present, whether they have raised them or not, play the greatest effect. If the destruction of the Japanese in Jiangnan is compared to a game of chess, then setting up a governor or not setting up a governor-general can be said to be a world of difference. If a governor-general is not set up, it will be a messy game, a dead game. No matter whether you suggest to deploy troops or add warships, etc., without a governor, everyone will fight on their own, and the result can only be half the effort and twice the result. If a governor is set up, with unified dispatch and command, the game will come alive, and people, materials and strategies can be put to good use, so that the plan to destroy the Japanese will be twice the result with half the effort.
It was also because he saw the value of Xu Jie's suggestions that Li Mo felt complicated when he heard Emperor Jiajing say that Xu Jie was very courageous. Logically speaking, Xu Jie, Yan Song's bootlicker, should be happy to be reprimanded by the emperor, but after seeing the value of Xu Jie's suggestions, he felt some sympathy and pity.
Most of the other officials present were gloating over the misfortune.
Just when everyone in the hall was in various moods, Emperor Jiajing on the throne spoke again.
"Haha, but you are still not brave enough, and your vision is not big enough. The six provinces of Nanzhili, Zhejiang, Shandong, Guangdong, and Fujian are not enough. Let's add Huguang as well. The troops of Huguang will also be under the unified command of the governor-general. At the same time, I will grant the governor-general the power to make decisions on the spot. Whether it is to mobilize troops or fight, there is no need to ask me for instructions. The governor-general can do what he sees fit and directly issue a document to mobilize troops and fight."
Emperor Jiajing chuckled, teased Xu Jie, and then said something shocking.
"Ah? Not only was His Majesty not angry, he actually accepted Xu Jie's audacious suggestion?"
"Huh? They're also giving Huguang to the governor-general, and the seven provinces the power to mobilize troops and raise funds. That's too much."
"What? Did I hear correctly? The emperor actually gave the governor-general the power to directly issue orders to mobilize troops and fight?! This governor-general is not just a powerful person. It's not an exaggeration to say that he is the uncrowned king."
When the officials in the palace heard what Emperor Jiajing said, they opened their mouths in surprise. They were shocked, unbelievable, and incredulous. Your Majesty, you turned too fast and too quickly. We have all been thrown into the ditch.
Yan Song was also very surprised. With his dim eyesight, he almost thought he was hallucinating. After seeing the surprised and unbelievable expressions on everyone's faces, he was sure that he was not hallucinating and that the words just now were indeed said by the emperor.
Of course, the one who was most surprised and felt the most deeply was Xu Jie, who was kneeling and making suggestions.
Unexpectedly, the emperor not only adopted his bold suggestion, but also included Huguang as the governor.
Your Majesty is truly a great Lord!
Xu Jie couldn't help but sigh in his heart! It is such a blessing for our Ming Dynasty to have such an emperor!
Your Majesty ascended the throne at the young age of twenty, and at the beginning of his reign, he abolished the corrupt government of the previous dynasty and made a new government. It is because of Your Majesty that our Ming Dynasty has a sign of rejuvenation! If not, if Your Majesty had not later become obsessed with fasting and alchemy, and could not devote himself to governing the country, otherwise, our Ming Dynasty would have ushered in a prosperous era!
Thinking of this, Xu Jie, while praising Emperor Jiajing extremely, couldn't help but feel a little regretful.
However, Xu Jie was soon full of confidence again. Although His Majesty was obsessed with alchemy, he always made wise decisions when faced with major events like today, and was not moved by outsiders. After seeing through the uselessness of alchemy in the future, there was still hope.
Emperor Jiajing seemed very satisfied to see the surprised expressions of the crowd. He pulled the corners of his mouth, revealing a smile that looked down upon the world, and said in a domineering manner, "All the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects. I still have some confidence. As long as it is convenient to suppress the Japanese, let alone the seven provinces in the south of the Yangtze River, it doesn't matter if I can dispatch the military power of the whole world."
"Your Majesty is wise!" Xu Jie kowtowed to the ground, saying sincerely. After he finished knelt, he raised his head and continued to advise, "Your Majesty, the power to mobilize troops from the six provinces is already heavy. If Huguang is added, it may be too much."
"Haha, I have just said that all the land under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects. No matter whether it is seven provinces or eight provinces, they are all my subjects! How can you turn the tables?! You are still too timid and narrow-minded. Since we are going to appoint a governor-general, then we should do it thoroughly and in place to provide the greatest convenience for the suppression of the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan. We should eliminate the Japanese pirates in Jiangnan in the shortest time and let the people in Jiangnan suffer less. They are all my people. How can I sit back and do nothing?"
"Your Majesty has great talent and strategy, and loves the people deeply. We cannot even begin to look up to him." Yan Song was the first to sing praises after Emperor Jiajing finished speaking.
"Your Majesty loves his people like his own children."
"Your Majesty is wise."
"It is a great honor for the common people of the world to meet His Majesty. No, it is a great honor for ten lifetimes..."
After Yan Song spoke, a number of ministers, including Xu Jie, echoed and sang praises to Emperor Jiajing.
"Don't say any more flattery. My ears are callused from hearing it all. Now that the Japanese threat is approaching the capital Yingtian, it is urgent to destroy them. Regarding destroying the Japanese, if you have any suggestions, please tell me one by one."
Emperor Jiajing waved his sleeves, sat arrogantly on the dragon throne, waved his hands unhappily, and urged.
"Your Majesty, during the Hongwu reign, due to the invasion of Japanese pirates, Tang He, Duke of Xin, was ordered to manage coastal defense. All coastal areas of Fujian and Zhejiang were guarded by cities on land and warships on the water, so for more than a hundred years, the Japanese pirates dared not invade. Later, the law was relaxed and corruption arose. Soldiers were allowed to pay taxes and then be released from their posts. As a result, the rich and powerful were released and the old and weak were forced to serve. Warships were damaged and abandoned, allowing the Japanese pirates to take advantage of the situation and invade. Please order the governors of each province to strictly supervise the areas under their jurisdiction, repair warships in advance to guard key points, hunt down soldiers who paid taxes and escaped to train the troops, and clear the accumulated silver for the construction of warships."
Cabinet minister Lu Ben stepped out and bowed.
"Yes." Emperor Jiajing nodded and accepted Lu Ben's suggestion.