Chapter 438 The storm is coming
"The Emperor, by the Mandate of Heaven, proclaims: Now the foreign barbarians are taking advantage of the emptiness of our imperial court and are leading a large army to invade our borders. How can we sit idly by while the Ming Dynasty prospers?"

"The great Ming army has bravely defeated the enemy and protected our territory. I have received the mandate of heaven and have specially rewarded the three armies to honor their outstanding military achievements."

"My warriors are all pillars of our country and have made outstanding contributions. I feel sorry for them because of their hard work. I have given them fine wine, delicious food, gold, silver, cloth and clothing to comfort them and to commend their lofty ambitions."

".Li Mu, Lu Lin, Wei San and other centurions of the Beijing Camp were all brave and good at fighting. They faced the enemy without caring about their own lives, and died heroically on the battlefield. The court praised their loyalty and bravery, and specially awarded them the title of Xuanwu General, gave them a large sum of money, and ordered them to be buried with honor to comfort their heroic spirits. In recognition of their merits, their sons and daughters were specially allowed to study in the county school, hoping that they would carry on their ancestors' aspirations and continue the glory."

". Ding Mian, Zhao Sihai and Zhang Jingchao, the captains of the Fifth Army, were brave and good at fighting. They always led the troops in battle and were extremely brave. Unfortunately, they died bravely on the battlefield and died heroically for their country. They were given the title of General Guangwei and their coffins were returned to their hometown for a grand burial. Their sons entered the Imperial Academy."

". Lu Bai, Fei Bin, Le Hou and other thousand-householders of the Fifth Army Camp fought bravely, were brave and good at fighting, and made many military achievements. They were awarded the title of Associate Commander of the Guard and hereditary Commander of the Guard."

".Guei Yong, the garrison commander of Funing City, was brave and resourceful, and fearless in the face of danger. He was promoted to the general of Jizhou."

".Zhao Sanhe, deputy commander of the Three Thousand Battalion, is extremely brave, has extraordinary strategies, and has made outstanding military achievements. He was given the title of the co-governor of the capital and the hereditary commander of the guards, and is in charge of the Three Thousand Battalion."

". Zuo Lengchan, the councilor of the Central Army Commander's Office and a military officer of the Shenji Camp, has the ability to capture the general and the courage to defeat ten thousand men. He was appointed as the commander-in-chief and given the title of Earl of Funing, and was in charge of three thousand camps."

". The governor of the Three Thousand Battalions, Xianning Marquis Qiu Yue, is the bravest of the three armies, invincible, and has made many outstanding achievements. He was appointed as the deputy governor and is in charge of the Left Army Governor's Office and the Three Thousand Battalions."

".Ou Zanghua, the governor of the Fifth Army Camp, planned and strategized, and won battles thousands of miles away. He was always victorious in battle and always captured in attack. His military exploits were so outstanding that he was honored in the national canon and was granted the title of Minister of Rites and Earl of Weiguo."

As Zhang Yong's voice spread, Zuo Lengchan became very excited. He couldn't help but look up at Ou Zanghua who was kneeling in the front. What he had said at Junior Brother Ou's house seemed to be slowly coming true!
Now that he is the Earl of Funing, the next step is to strive for hereditary succession.

Thinking of this, Zuo Lengchan's heart was filled with energy, and he wished he could immediately lead the lower three thousand battalions back to the grassland and fight for a few more months.

Lu Bai, Fei Bin and others were very excited when they heard about the rewards from the court, but they felt sad when they thought of their three brothers who died in the battle. However, they had gained a posthumous reputation and their descendants could enter the Imperial College, which was a perfect ending.

Among the civil servants, many people were hesitant to speak, especially the fearless censors. But they remembered that the Left Censor-in-Chief Peng Ze had personally greeted them last night and told them not to say anything no matter what happened today, otherwise they would not blame him for being ruthless.

The censors were still wondering what had happened last night, and why the Left Censor-in-Chief had to warn them specifically. Only today did they realize that it was such a big deal.

Ou Zhanshi will only be 26 years old next year, and he has been promoted to the position of Shangshu. How can he be promoted in the future?
What’s more important is that title. It’s simply nonsense. There is no such thing as Earl of Weiguo!
This clearly tells everyone that His Majesty wanted to confer the title of Duke, but was forced to come up with this thing due to the ancestral system.

It is hard to understand why the cabinet had no reaction to such an outrageous operation.

Could it be that the legendary three paper-made cabinet ministers and six clay-sculptured chancellors are about to reappear in the court?
Tolerable or unbearable!
Many censors were eager to try, thinking that it was time to strike hard. Otherwise, how could they govern the country well if they stayed with this group of insects?

After the imperial edict was read, some censors were about to stand up when they heard Emperor Zhengde say slowly: "Although we have won many victories in this war, we have also paid a heavy price. I have personally been to the front line and witnessed the smoke of war. Only then did I deeply understand the preciousness of peace. It is really hard-won. However, if we want peace, we cannot achieve it with verbal battles. We must use the might of the army to intimidate the villains and make them afraid, so that they are willing to submit to us."

"This battle can ensure the stability of the North for ten years, but what about after ten years? If we start another war, who can guarantee victory?"

"As the Zuo Zhuan says, 'In times of peace, be prepared for danger. If you are prepared, you will avoid danger. This is how we govern our country and our families." "I hope you will all encourage each other!"

There was no way to refute these words. All the civil and military officials bowed and said, "We thank your Majesty for your teachings!"

Then, Emperor Zhengde looked at Wang Zhuo, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, and said calmly: "For many years, Mr. Wang has been diligent in state affairs and busy in the court. I have seen it all and am grateful to you. Today, Mr. Wang has completed his work and is retiring to enjoy his old age. I have granted you special permission to return to your hometown, where your children and grandchildren can accompany you and enjoy the happiness of family life."

After hearing this, Wang Zhuo's face turned pale as he knelt down to thank the emperor for his grace.

Then, Emperor Zhengde promoted Peng Ze to the position of Minister of Personnel, Liang Chu to the position of Prince Grand Tutor and Grand Secretary of Huagai Palace, and Minister of Justice Yang Yiqing to the cabinet.

As a result of this operation, Yang Tinghe lost an arm and the cabinet gained a dissenter.

Of course, the ones who suffered the greatest losses were Liang Chu and Wang Zhuo. One was promoted in name only and demoted in reality, and the other was even worse off. It sounded like his descendants were accompanying him, but in fact he was telling him that his sons and grandsons should not come to the court because it would not accept them.

With just one word, the career dreams of three generations were shattered.

Faced with this sudden change, the other court officials were even more confused and could not understand the emperor's intention.

It is understandable that Your Majesty, relying on the remaining power of your great military achievements, would suppress the Prime Minister's faction a little. However, the punishment Wang Zhuo received seemed too harsh and unbelievable.

For a moment, many censors calmed down. After all, the current situation was obviously a big whirlpool. If they were caught in it at this time, they would not know how they would die.

The censor is just reckless, not stupid.

After the court session ended, Ou Zanghua happened to see the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Mao Ji, when he was walking out. He immediately quickened his pace to catch up with him and greeted him, "Mr. Hai Weng, please stay."

Mao Ji turned to look at Ou Zanghua, bowed calmly and said, "Your subordinate greets the Spring Officer."

This man was a Jinshi in the 23rd year of Chenghua. He worked in the Hanlin Academy for a full 20 years before he was promoted to the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue by Emperor Zhengde. He was then promoted to the Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites in August of the same year. After that, he returned home to attend the funeral and observed mourning for another three years. He only returned in May this year.

After Ou Zanghua returned the greeting, he said sincerely: "Mr. Hai Weng's knowledge is as vast as the stars in the sky, which is beyond my reach. There are many affairs in the Ministry of Rites that still need to rely on Mr. Hai Weng and take more care to ensure that they are safe and thorough."

Mao Ji heard this and said, "The spring official is humble. I am in my position and should do my job."

Ou Zanghua climbed up the pole with a smile on his face: "Thank you very much, Mr. Hai Weng!"

(End of this chapter)