The disgraced official I took care of was actually Zhu Houcong's childhood friend.

Chapter 602

Many people were no longer looking at Zhou Chu with friendly eyes.

Zhou Chu could sense the way these people were looking at him. Although he didn't know who they were, he knew it was inevitable.

Once any dynasty reaches its middle stage, all the interest groups have already formed. Those who control these interest groups want to maintain the status quo, and anyone who wants to break the existing situation will become their common enemy.

Zhou Chu is clearly this person.

If it were the early days of a dynasty, when everyone was ambitious and enterprising, this problem would not exist.

For example, in the original history, after Zhang Juzheng died, all his reforms were purged. Also, the gentry group of the Ming Dynasty united together and strongly demanded a maritime ban. Did they not know that after the sea was opened, the Ming Dynasty would be invincible at sea?

They knew all too well, but during the maritime ban, they were a vested interest group and naturally did not want others to join them.

The advent of trains has now directly severed the roots of those officials who colluded with the salt gang.

How could they possibly tolerate this?

Zhou Chu knew very well that this was just the beginning. After all, with the advent of the steam engine and the train, the Ming Dynasty would embark on a great reform and even gradually enter the Industrial Revolution.

In doing so, Zhou Chu might even offend the entire gentry class throughout the land.

This is the reason why Zhou Chu has always been so pessimistic.

"Your Majesty, I humbly request that Your Majesty issue an edict to subdue the area west of Wuhai!"

Minister of War Wang Xian said excitedly.

Unlike other officials, the Ministry of War officials were focused on expanding the Ming Dynasty's territory to an unprecedented extent, so that they could all be remembered in history.

His name will be remembered in history.

Just four simple words, yet they're enough to get everyone hooked.

Especially Wang Xian, who was already sixty-three years old at this time. He knew very well that he would not be able to serve as Minister of War for more than two years. If he did not take advantage of his time as Minister of War to conquer a large territory for the Ming Dynasty, he would regret it.

“But the Ming Dynasty has already reached Wuhai. To the west of Wuhai should be the Yarkand Khanate, and further west are the Kazakh Khanate and the Uzbek Khanate, as well as some other small countries. The Ming Dynasty has always been a land of etiquette. How can we raise an army without a just cause?”

Jiajing looked troubled.

Although Jiajing said this, judging from his thorough knowledge of the countries west of Wuhai, it was clear that Jiajing had long harbored ambitions towards the countries of the Western Regions, and even the countries of Central Asia.

After all, it had been more than three years since the Ming Dynasty had completely conquered the Wuhai region and more than a year since it had conquered Tibet. During this year, the Ming Dynasty had not used its military force against other countries. The officials of the Ministry of War had long been unable to restrain themselves and had submitted memorials to the Jiajing Emperor, urging him to recover the southern Yue kingdoms west of Annam.

However, all the countries in the southern Yue kingdoms were vassal states of the Ming Dynasty. Since the Ming Dynasty completely recovered Annam, these small countries were terrified and paid tribute every year. Some countries even paid tribute multiple times a year in order to protect themselves. Moreover, the tribute items were completely different from before, and they were all valuable items.

Especially after news of Emperor Jiajing's fondness for ambergris spread, the kings of these small countries went to great lengths to collect it.

This left Jiajing with no reason to attack them, since they were originally a vassal state of the Ming Dynasty.

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go on a mission to the Western Regions to ensure that our Great Ming army has a just cause!"

A fifth-rank official from the Ministry of War stepped forward directly.

Having learned from Ouyang Bijin's previous example, everyone naturally knew how to give the Ming Dynasty a legitimate reason to attack.

Those with higher official positions were reluctant to risk their lives so much. For example, the Vice Minister of War was still hesitating when this fifth-rank official stepped forward.