"His Majesty is a god among men!"

Tie Xuan was reviewing military criminal cases at the commandery. Some officers and soldiers, emboldened by the nobles backing them, had dared to abduct commoners' daughters. Such crimes had actually occurred right under the emperor's nose, during the strictest period of mourning!

Without punishment and execution, there would be no striking fear into their hearts.

Yet Tie Xuan also knew that behind those officers and soldiers stood the second most powerful figure among the military nobility:

Li Jinglong!

Li Jinglong was the son of Li Wenzhong, Prince of Qiyang. Li Wenzhong was Zhu Yuanzhang's only nephew by blood, and Zhu Yuanzhang had even regarded him as a son. He had once changed his name to Zhu Wenzhong.

Zhu Yuanzhang was Li Jinglong's great-uncle, Zhu Di and the other enfeoffed princes were his father's cousins, and the Jianwen Emperor, Zhu Yunwen, was his own cousin.

How could a mere fifth-rank judicial officer at the Five Army Commandery possibly stand against such a man?

But Tie Xuan refused to accept it. He would not bow!

And so, in his written judgment, Tie Xuan ordered execution by beheading!

Perhaps before long, Li Jinglong would send someone to his door to demand an explanation. He might even arrange for officials to impeach him, leaving him in disgrace.

But I, Tie Xuan, have a clear conscience!

A sound came from outside the door. Tie Xuan proudly straightened his back and fixed his gaze on the entrance.

Wan Gui of the Envoys Office entered with an imperial edict in hand and announced loudly, "Tie Xuan, an imperial decree!"

Tie Xuan hurriedly rose and knelt. The other officials working there also dropped to their knees.

Some secretly rejoiced, believing Tie Xuan was in trouble. But as they listened carefully to the edict, it did not seem to be what they had expected.

When Tie Xuan heard "promoted to Left Vice Minister of War," he too was somewhat dazed.

He, a fifth-rank official, had suddenly become an official of the Principal Third Rank?

Only after Wan Gui finished reading did Tie Xuan accept the decree and give thanks for the imperial favor, still full of questions.

Wan Gui stepped forward to congratulate him. "Vice Minister Tie, you have truly ascended to heaven in a single step. This humble fellow offers his congratulations, my lord."

Tie Xuan knew he was angling for a reward. He felt around his person, found only three taels of loose silver, and handed them to Wan Gui.

The corner of Wan Gui's mouth twitched, but he could hardly turn up his nose at it. Clinging to the belief that even the smallest mosquito was still meat, he accepted it. Besides, Tie Xuan was clearly in favor, and souring their relationship would be unseemly. After a little idle conversation, he hurried away.

One thing was worth mentioning: in many television dramas of later ages, imperial edicts were always delivered by eunuchs. They would arrive at a minister's residence and proclaim in their shrill voices something along the lines of "You've been promoted" or "You're finished."

Or they would visit an imperial consort and announce, "Banish her to the cold palace!" It looked dashing and imposing, but in the Ming dynasty, it was hardly realistic.

In the Ming dynasty, delivering imperial decrees was the responsibility of a dedicated government office called the Envoys Office, a department specifically tasked with conveying the emperor's commands.

Zhu Yuanzhang had a very clear definition of a eunuch's role: "To sweep and clean, and attend upon commands. Unless entrusted with other duties, their numbers must not be excessive."

In short, eunuchs were merely household servants.

Of course, apart from palace eunuchs reading decrees at court, conveying verbal instructions, or delivering edicts on the emperor's special commission, external deliveries were primarily handled by the Envoys Office.

Having been promoted, Tie Xuan naturally had to report to the Ministry of War. Minister of War Ru Chang welcomed him, exchanged pleasantries for a while, then said, "His Majesty sent word that you are to enter the palace once you have settled in."

Ru Chang held Tie Xuan's abilities in high regard. In particular, Tie Xuan was only in his early thirties, a vigorous member of the younger generation with a promising future.

Tie Xuan greatly respected Ru Chang. Back in the Hongwu reign, Ru Chang had served as Right Deputy Censor-in-Chief before becoming acting Minister of War. His outstanding work had then led Zhu Yuanzhang to appoint him Minister of War outright.

Toward this "veteran minister," who was only forty, Tie Xuan naturally showed the utmost deference.

"Lord Ru, do you know why His Majesty has transferred me to the Ministry of War?"

Tie Xuan was rather puzzled.

After all, officials who leaped straight up the ranks as he had were rare. Those who did had either been recommended by someone or were trusted intimates of the emperor.

Recommended?

I don't know any grand secretaries, nor am I acquainted with officials in the six ministries. I've even offended a fair number of people while working at the commandery. Surely no one would be willing to recommend me.

A trusted intimate?

Although I've seen His Majesty, His Majesty has never noticed me.

With so many people at court, who would pay attention to a lowly fifth-rank official? He barely qualified to attend court at all.

Standing at the very back of the hall, he could take a nap without anyone knowing.

Ru Chang looked at Tie Xuan and chuckled. "I only received the news an hour before you did. I hear His Majesty thinks very highly of you. If you have questions, you might as well ask him directly."

"In that case, I shall enter the palace and seek an audience with His Majesty now."

Tie Xuan rose, bowed, and withdrew.

Zhu Yunwen was drawing a world map in a side chamber of the Hall of Martial Valor. He had strictly ordered that no one was to enter the room at any time without his permission.

Shuangxi could only wait outside the door, with no idea what Zhu Yunwen was doing inside.

After Tie Xuan arrived and his presence was announced, Zhu Yunwen came out and invited him in. Once he had granted him a seat, Zhu Yunwen asked with a smile, "Minister Tie, do you have questions?"

Tie Xuan nodded repeatedly. "Your servant is filled with trepidation, deeply afraid of failing to live up to Your Majesty's grace."

Zhu Yunwen laughed. "This is nothing. You were always going to become Minister of War in the future. I have every confidence in your abilities. I summoned you today for one matter."

Tie Xuan's brows lifted, and excitement surged through him.

He failed to grasp the hidden meaning of "you were always going to become Minister of War in the future." All he understood was that within a few years, he would be promoted to Minister of War!

"Please instruct me, Your Majesty."

Tie Xuan spoke while struggling to suppress his delight.

Zhu Yunwen asked, "Since you served at the commandery, you must know about the large-scale troop reduction. Do you think there is anything improper about my order?"

Tie Xuan looked at Zhu Yunwen and hesitated before finally saying, "Your servant believes there are both sound and unsound aspects to Your Majesty's decision."

"Ha! Have no reservations. Explain in detail. I will not hold it against you."

Zhu Yunwen gave Tie Xuan a pill to settle his nerves.

Tie Xuan replied solemnly, "Your Majesty, cutting one hundred thousand troops will save enormous amounts of supplies and military pay, benefiting the foundations of the state. Although one hundred thousand positions may seem a great number, their removal will not undermine the Capital Garrison's strength. Most will be old or infirm soldiers and vacancies that exist only on paper."

"You understand my intentions well enough. What, then, are the unsound aspects?"

Zhu Yunwen asked.

Tie Xuan said frankly, "The greatest losses from cutting one hundred thousand troops will fall upon the nation's nobles. Once they become dissatisfied, trouble may arise. That is the first concern. At present, the enfeoffed princes hold powerful armies outside the capital, stationed along the frontiers, and their troops are seasoned fighters. If Your Majesty weakens the Capital Garrison now, and the princes grow powerful enough to threaten the capital, we may face many more storms..."

"Oh? Do you believe the princes are certain to rebel?"

Zhu Yunwen asked with interest.

Tie Xuan fell silent.

This question was both crucial and difficult to answer.

After all, these princes were Zhu Yunwen's family. If he claimed they were certain to rebel, he had no proof. How could empty words persuade the emperor?

Yet Tie Xuan also thought it impossible to say they would never rebel.

That was particularly true of Zhu Di, Prince of Yan, the foremost of the enfeoffed princes. Although his ambitions were not yet laid bare for all to see, glimpses of them were already visible.

Zhu Yunwen's use of the late emperor's final edict to bar Zhu Di from entering the capital for the funeral made one thing certain: Zhu Yunwen also considered Zhu Di a threat.

Tie Xuan sighed and answered gravely, "Your Majesty, among the frontier princes, those brimming with ambition are chiefly the Princes of Yan, Ning, and Dai, with Yan and Ning the most prominent. Though your servant dares not make a definite claim, I surmise that unless measures are taken to curtail the princes' power, the Prince of Yan may make his move within two years."

Zhu Yunwen drew a deep breath and inwardly exclaimed in admiration:

What a formidable man Tie Xuan is!

According to the course of history, Zhu Yunwen began curtailing the princes' power in the eighth month of the thirty-first year of Hongwu, and Zhu Di rebelled in the sixth month of the first year of Jianwen. It spanned two calendar years, but in truth, less than a year had passed!

Although Tie Xuan served as a judicial officer at the commandery, his gaze was not fixed solely on the criminal cases before him. Instead, he surveyed the situation throughout the realm.

Such a man had an eye for the whole board!

Zhu Yunwen marveled inwardly at what a fool the historical Zhu Yunwen had been. He had failed to employ worthy ministers and relied only on a handful of bookworms, squandering several chances to defeat Zhu Di.

If Tie Xuan, Sheng Yong, Ping An, Xu Huizu, and others had been entrusted with important responsibilities, Zhu Yunwen could say with certainty that Zhu Di would never have reached the capital!

"My reduction of one hundred thousand troops is only the beginning. A policy of elite troops depends not merely on each soldier's physical fitness, but also on their convictions, armaments, logistics, and every other aspect. I promoted you to the Ministry of War because I hope you can shoulder the responsibility of training the Capital Garrison's new recruits."

Zhu Yunwen looked at Tie Xuan solemnly.

During Zhu Yuanzhang's reign, the Five Army Commandery had been established to oversee the armies. But to prevent it from becoming too powerful and its generals from monopolizing authority, it was granted the right to command troops, but not to deploy them.

The authority to deploy troops was reserved for the emperor.

The Ministry of War had authority over military appointments, dismissals, promotions, transfers, and training, but it had no right to command troops.

Initially, the Five Army Commandery wielded enormous power. The Ministry of War did not even qualify as its little brother and was simply ignored. Later, Zhu Yuanzhang revised the arrangement several times, following the principle that "authority must not be monopolized by one office, nor affairs stalled by obstruction and concealment." Only then was the Five Army Commandery weakened and the Ministry of War granted certain powers.

Although the Five Army Commandery would inevitably be involved in training recruits, the Ministry of War would take the lead.

Tie Xuan finally understood Zhu Yunwen's intentions. He stood, straightened his back, and declared solemnly, "Your servant shall not fail Your Majesty's grace!"

Zhu Yunwen picked up a document from the desk and handed it to Tie Xuan. "These are the policies for new recruits that I have drafted. Study them carefully when you return, then present me with a complete, workable training plan. You may discuss this with the Ministry of War, the Duke of Wei, and the others."

After bowing, Tie Xuan departed and returned to the Ministry of War. He placed the document on his desk, feeling rather dismissive.

What could His Majesty know about training soldiers?

Training new recruits would still require the people of the Ministry of War and the Five Army Commandery to pool their wisdom and work out a solution together.

Still, it was the fruit of the emperor's labor. Not even giving it a glance would do His Majesty's hard work an injustice. Without much hope, Tie Xuan opened the document-and immediately stood up. The more he read, the graver his expression became. Finally, he slapped the desk and shouted, "His Majesty is a god among men!"

Ru Chang frowned and glanced at Tie Xuan, thinking, Even if you're trying to flatter His Majesty, lad, surely you shouldn't do it in the Ministry of War's main hall?

But Tie Xuan hurried over with the document and handed it to Ru Chang.

Ru Chang read it, then read it again. Suddenly, he sprang to his feet, slapped the desk, and cried, "His Majesty is a god among men!"