Jingming

Chapter 380 The Cold Arrival in the Northern Desert
After all the kings came to the capital, they were actually no strangers to entering the palace.

Every year on major festivals, it is always necessary to go to the palace to worship.

Cui Yuan, the Marquis of Jingshan and the consort of the eldest princess, has now relieved himself of the burden of participating in national policies on behalf of his ministers, at least part of the burden, after the military affairs meeting.

But he took on another burden: the clan order.

Today is a banquet. Not only the kings are coming, but Cui Yuan, Yu Chengye, Lu Bing and others are also coming.

The three of them arrived early and waited outside the Meridian Gate.

Currently, construction is still underway under the wall of Yanchi Tower outside the Meridian Gate.In the two areas designated by the Forest of Yingjie Steles, stone monuments cut from outside the city will be sent here and erected.From last year to now, the Ministry of Rites and the State Council have jointly decided on the heroes of the Ming Dynasty who are qualified to leave their names here.

Not to mention the people before the Jiajing Dynasty, ten years have passed since the Jiajing Dynasty. Currently, there are only three people who are qualified to leave their names here: Yang Tinghe, Yang Yiqing, and Li Jin.

But Li Jin is only qualified to leave a monument under Yanchi Tower, and cannot leave a statue in the Hall of Heroes in the middle like Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing - where is the exclusive honor for those who enter the temple.

According to this standard, there are currently only 19 people in the Yingjie Hall, and apart from the 12 people who accompanied Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang and the four people who accompanied Emperor Taizong Zhu Di, from then on, among the Ming emperors, only Zhu Qiyu was accompanied by Yu Qian. Sacrifice.

Renzong, Xuanzong, Yingzong, Xianzong, Xiaozong, Ruizong, none of them.

This is why after the gates of the Ancestral Temple were reopened, so many ministers were looking forward to receiving this honor, so they chose to stand firmly on the emperor's side.

Today, the vassal kings who arrived one after another thought of this after seeing these monuments and looking up at the Hall of Heroes.

The founding of the country by Taizu, the peace of Emperor Taizong, and the defense of the country by Emperor Ruizong were all extremely important turning points in the history of the Ming Dynasty.

Now, His Majesty has ordered the Minister of Humerus to accompany the sacrifice, and he obviously believes that the Ming Dynasty is in a new turning period.

In fact, this is the case. Otherwise, how could these vassal kings change the old system and all enter the capital?
In the afternoon, shortly after the bell tower chimed three times, the counselors came out of the Meridian Gate, and then they began to enter the palace.

There are five inner Jinshui bridges.

The bridge in the middle and the main entrance of the Meridian Gate are called Yulu, so this bridge is called Yulu Bridge.

Apart from the emperor, there is only one person who can walk this way into the Forbidden City once in his life, and that is when the queen enters the palace on her wedding day.There are three people who can walk out of this road once in their lives, and that is when the number one scholar, the second best scholar in each subject, and the third most beautiful person leave the palace after the passing ceremony.

Now, the vassal kings and the relatives of the country each go his own way and step on his own bridge.

The Ming Dynasty has changed a lot, but some rules have not changed.

Among the kings, King Rui is the youngest.

The status of the kings is not high or low, so they are only sorted by age, with King Rui coming last.

There was a festive atmosphere in the palace, but the kings were in a very uneasy mood.

At this moment, they, the vassal kings, came in from the front court, and their princesses and Queen Rui's mother entered the palace from the back court.

When they arrived at the Qianqing Palace, they knew that the Kunning Palace behind them should have been "busy" for a long time, but the Qianqing Palace was in order.Except for Cui Yuan and He Qin who started to discuss some things, the rest were quiet and depressed.

A stage was set up in the courtyard in front of the main hall of Qianqing Palace.Tables and chairs were also set up on the platform in front of the main entrance.At night, the emperor, empress, two concubines, concubines, queen mother, princess, prince-in-law, plus princes, princesses and others will gather here to eat, admire the moon and listen to the opera.

Let’s talk about the friendship first, and then enjoy the joy of being close.

Or in other words: declare your power first, then show your favor.

Everyone knows that this year's battle will be bigger than last year's because of what happened at the big stadium not long ago.

Zhu Houcong set out from the Yangxin Hall and entered the Qianqing Palace through the Yuehua Gate. In front of him were two groups of people kneeling to see him.

"Everyone, get up and take a seat in the palace."

Zhu Houcong, accompanied by Huang Jin, climbed up the steps, entered the Qianqing Palace and sat on the throne.

After they sat down one by one, Zhu Houcong smiled and asked Zhu Rangxu: "The King of Shu was the first to enter the capital. After entering the capital, have you still gotten used to it in the past two years?"

"...I would like to thank you for your kindness. I am very used to it. The prosperity and livability of the capital city are far from being comparable to Chengdu. Your Majesty allows me to enter the palace and go to the Fengxian Hall to worship my ancestors during the memorial day. This is a favor that I did not dare to ask for before. It is used in the mansion. Du, your majesty has great grace and full salary. This is also a grace that has never been seen before. The royal family of Shu allows both business and education. The descendants of the future generations all praise your majesty for your wisdom. "

Zhu Rangxu was very well-behaved, and only talked about good things, and there seemed to be no harm.

Zhu Houcong said sternly: "Maoren, in addition to the clan stipends for the harvest of last year's grain reserve, each prince's palace should receive a profit allowance. Is it settled now?"

Cui Yuan immediately replied: "Your Majesty, everything has been calculated. After being stored and transferred to various warehouses as usual, it has been shipped to Beijing. I am waiting for it to be sent to the royal palaces in September."

"How was last year's harvest?"

"Back to Your Majesty, the grain storage number is owned by the Agricultural College and Jinke Fertilizer Factory. On average, the yield per mu is [-]% higher than that of ordinary fertile land. Because of the responsibility of storing grain to meet military needs, Huang Mingji transferred it to the River Transportation Bureau We don’t dare to neglect, and we try our best to control the losses in transportation. After paying the land taxes and paying the land taxes, the grains handed in by the hired farmers, excluding the expenses of purchasing fertilizer, repairing ditches, transportation and grain storage, are about [-]% more than the previous year."

Cui Yuan introduced the numbers endlessly.

Based on the imperial land and land granted by the clan, as well as some official land purchased and sold over the years, the Grain Reserve Company owned a total of 23 seven hectares and 250 acres of land in the entire Ming Dynasty.

There is no doubt that Liangchuhao is already the largest single “landowner” in Ming Dynasty, but it operates in a corporate manner.

These fields have different crops grown in different places.The grain storage company owns the rights to the land, and farming involves hiring or renting local farmers.But unlike ordinary farmers, Liangchuhao has technical support from the Agricultural College of Huangming University and fertilizer supplies from Jinke Fertilizer Factory. It can concentrate its efforts on continuously improving farm tools and improving the water conservancy facilities of its fields.

The average yield of paddy fields per mu reaches more than three stones and two buckets, exceeding the average yield of two stones and six buckets in the south.

Drylands are also higher than normal.

This is not surprising. In the past, the land given by the kings was a good position.

Now Cui Yuan is reporting the numbers, and all the kings know that this is for them.

The land granted by each royal palace was handed over to the grain storage account for unified management. The emperor promised two things.

First, the royal family’s salary is fully provided.

Second, after paying the land tax, deducting the costs, and deducting the royal stipend, half of the remaining "profit" grain was deposited in each warehouse to meet military needs, and the other half was distributed as a profit subsidy based on the proportion of each prince's land.

After Cui Yuan finished his report, Zhu Houcong said with a smile: "If you do the math, the basic salary plus the profit is no less than the net profit you made in the past when you managed the land yourself, right?"

"...Your Majesty is kind and wise, and I admire him greatly." King De was the first to praise him, fearing that the emperor would cause trouble for him.

"I also know that we can't just calculate it like this. For example, for other princes and other counties, you no longer have to apply for and distribute the salary and food. Just talking about the money and food in your hands, it is still incomparable to the past."

"Your Majesty has ordered the royal family to handle this matter. I am relieved of my troubles. It's not too late to be happy!" Another vassal king who was sitting in the grand arena immediately said hurriedly.

From now on, the relatives of each vassal king will not look at the face of the vassal king, and all their kindness comes from your majesty.The land granted by each vassal has nothing to do with them. They only know that they can receive their full salary in time.

In terms of happiness, the vassal clans below the county king are really happy, but the vassal king himself is not happy.

Zhu Houcong said again: "The grain reserve is based on the imperial land and the land granted by each vassal. Half of the income from farming is reserved for military needs, in order to protect the foundation of the Ming Dynasty from loss. This is a good thing for the descendants of the clan for generations to come. This is true. You can understand it, right?"

"Your Majesty's move was far-sighted, and I understood it at the time. If not for Your Majesty's kindness, I would still be receiving a stipend."

Zhu Houcong sighed: "I am trying every possible means for the long-term benefit of the clan. Even if I am demoted to a higher rank, there is nothing I can do. Just imagine, if the Ming Dynasty flourishes for another 100 or 200 years, how many people will there be in the clan? How can I bear with the descendants of the Zhu family? Will you have to worry about having a full stomach every day in the future? The kings in Shaanxi and Shanxi know this kind of thing best, right? There are people in the clan who have to beg. How can I bear it? "

The king of Dai was originally sealed in Shanxi. He hurriedly testified and wiped his tears to express his fear of poverty.

"Since they have to be demoted, they will eventually return to the common people after several generations. Even though I have mentioned the five services, I cannot bear to see them living without any foundation. In any case, they still have a substantial and sufficient salary, which is better than that of ordinary people. People are better off. Therefore, I have allowed the princes and below in the clan to study, do business and even serve as officials. In this way, with the efforts of two, three or even four or five generations, it is possible to establish a family business."

"This is the foundation of sincerity for eternity!" King Shu once again took the lead in expressing his stance.

Zhu Houcong said happily: "I feel relieved to see that everyone understands my painstaking efforts. In the future, my descendants will be the same. The Ming Dynasty is not what it used to be, and there are many places to employ people. Many systems and laws are also constantly changing. Perfect. No matter what, the descendants of the clan are still better at doing things than ordinary people, don't you think?" "Your Majesty is so generous, and your ministers must be loyal to you and abide by the law!"

It was King De who spoke this time.

After that, he left the table and knelt down, kowtowed and said: "Although my unfilial son has been favored by His Majesty and is allowed to do business, he got permission to set up handicaps at the competition venue before, but unexpectedly he boldly violated the law and committed fraud. I have apologized. Third way, today I ask your majesty to convict you, take away his throne, and demote him to a commoner."

After saying this, five more feudal princes came out and knelt down to apologize, all saying the same thing.

Zhu Houcong waved his hand: "Why is this so? Young people are eager to try, which is a good thing. If they commit some crimes, they will be fined and shut down for rectification according to the law. I don't blame them so harshly, I just teach them well. How? Business is also a kind of knowledge. I allow the clan members to study and practice business. If they rely on their clan status and engage in fraud, the world will rise up to attack them, which will be unsightly. This time, everyone should learn from it."

"I thank you for your kindness! Long live your Majesty! Long live! Long live your Majesty!"

"Today is a good day for reunion." Zhu Houcong asked them to return to their seats, "If Taizu can create the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, how can there be no more talented people in the descendants of the clan? If it were not for some mistake, I would also be the vassal king. Even if you have great abilities, is it not a life of depression? Now that I have opened a bright road for the children of the clan, the children of the clan must also walk on it in an upright manner. I can give you a favor today. "

While everyone was waiting quietly, Zhu Houcong paused and then said: "If a vassal produces a Jinshi or an academician of the Hanlin Academy, it will still be a prince, and the next generation will not be downgraded; if it is a prince or below, the next generation will not be downgraded. . If there are two people from that domain, they can be promoted to the next level, and so on."

The hearts of all the vassal kings were shocked.

After the rules of being demoted to a higher rank were established, ministers could still think of ways to perform meritorious service, but the clan had no choice but to continue to be demoted from generation to generation.

Now, the emperor gave them new hope.

Even though those with clan status could only serve as civil servants, and the ceiling for promotion was obvious, but this required the kings to do a good job as patriarchs with higher salaries and better business opportunities.Just like a family of poets and calligraphers cultivates candidates and scholars from generation to generation, the head of the family will benefit from whichever branch cultivates talents.

Even if he is demoted to a county king, if he trains two Jinshi, will he become a prince again?
Zhu Houcong smiled and looked at them to thank them.

Jinshi, as the most high-end "Seventh Grade Exam", will definitely become more and more difficult in the future. After all, the general "civil service" examination will only be the national exam, nicknamed the Eighth Grade Examination, and the provincial exam, the Ninth Grade Examination.

Being from a clan, it was naturally impossible for them to be exposed to military affairs, and they would naturally ask the emperor's opinion when it came to official selection and promotion.But for the lower level of the clan, it is ultimately a way out, and the clan masters of each clan will also choose to sponsor training for the sake of their own rank.

If a Jinshi can really emerge from the clan, he must be someone with extraordinary intelligence.

There are bound to be few such people, so the total burden on the clan is still controllable.

In any case, Zhu Houcong must try his best to change the bad environment that they can do business by relying on their clan status, so naturally he must give guidance separately.

In the matter of the Grand Arena, the princes and brothers engaged in business fraud, and the fine bank was closed down.

Compared with the punishment of Yan Shifan and Zhang Rong, the punishment of the clan seems much lighter.But only Cui Yuan knew that this case would be published in "Ming Pao" to alert the middle and low-level clans who did not need to follow the feudal king to Beijing.

Prince Rui in the Palace of Qianqing was silent the whole time, watching the emperor calmly beating and holding the vassal king's heart.

His mood was complicated. He knew that his mother had some deep-seated resentment towards the emperor, and even today she was still vaguely looking forward to certain possibilities.Originally, she would not have thought this way.But after experiencing the emperor using their mother and son as bait, and experiencing the fear during the rebellion, she began to think this way.

It's just that Prince Rui now knows very well that there is no chance as long as this imperial uncle is still in power.

He is a man who has already caught up with Taizu Taizong in both civil and martial arts.

Prince Rui was worried about his mother's performance in Kunning Palace.With such an identity and experience, the young King Rui is actually much more mature than his mother.

The atmosphere in the Qianqing Palace became more and more harmonious, and the emperor and the kings started to engage in family affairs.When chatting with the young King Rui, he asked about his recent studies.

"Reporting to your majesty, your majesty has given my nephew his homework, and he has been working hard on it." Zhu Zaiyan replied respectfully.

In the complicated eyes of other kings, Zhu Houcong nodded: "Zai Yan, you, like the prince and the king of Yue, were taught by me personally. I hope you study hard. If you pass the imperial examination in the future, I will issue an edict to pardon you. My biological father’s family was complicit in the crime of treason in the past.”

The young man Zhu Zaiyan's mind finally moved, and his eyes were slightly red: "My nephew, thank you for your kindness! My nephew will definitely study hard."

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, his biological father and mother were still imprisoned within the high wall, and he was the stepson of the late emperor.He has a resentful queen mother, but he also has an emperor teacher who has really regarded him as a student all these years.

Zhu Zaiyan, who was caught in so many multiple identities, was not cheerful and had very complicated feelings for the emperor.

Zhu Houcong knew that their feelings towards him were all complicated, and there must be many rights and wrongs in the past and in the future.

But his eyes and gaze will not stay suspicious of these trivial aspects for a long time. For him, just do what he thinks is right.

At night, Qianqing Palace is brightly lit and bustling.

Zhu Houcong caught a glimpse of the loneliness in Lin Qingping's eyes and comforted him softly: "After the New Year, Zaiyuan will return to Beijing."

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, she, as a mother, misses her son who is far away in Yunnan.

During the Mid-Autumn Festival, Anda on the grassland is not just a Han Chinese festival.

Now, he was just looking at the richer information that he had collected from Tubo over the past six months.

In ten months, Ming Dynasty's powerful southern expedition defeated the armies of the three divisions.

There are more powerful cannons and more cannons that can be mounted on vehicles.

These are all fine, as the Han people’s firearms are already powerful.

What makes Anda feel cold is how the Han people unexpectedly prepared the logistics of food, grass and military supplies in the dangerous mountains and rivers.

During the Mongolian Yuan expedition to the south in the past, he still remembered the records handed down from his clan. He knew how difficult it was.

It is not that the chieftains in Yunnan have no contact with the outside world.The chieftains in Outer Yunnan should definitely know about the preparations of the Han people.But this time, were they insufficiently prepared and defeated by a sneak attack, or were they actually well-prepared and were truly defeated by a devastating attack?

In the border market on the other side of Duoyan, Khan Court is even closer.When the Tumote tribe passed by, they always said that they had been bought by the Khan Court.

Do you want the Tumote tribe to rob the Khan's cavalry now and intensify the conflict?
In the past three years, apart from helping Gunbilik conquer Qinghai, Anda has only been wiping out the remaining small Oara tribe in the northwest of Tumut, and training the combat power of his generals.

Gunbilik no longer had any ambition to make progress. Although he played and sang every night, his body was still able to endure it.

"Is Hua Dang really dead?" Ida asked.

"He is indeed dead. Now in the Duoyan Department, his grandson Gramtai is the one who calls the shots."

Ida nodded: "After three years, Duoyan Department should be a lot richer. This year, let's go to Daning!"

"Khan, the Khan Court and the Ming people..."

"We can't just wait like this. After Tang Shunzhi went to Shaanxi, Gunbilik was not willing to plunder easily. He only dared to force Turpan and the old Wala tribe in the west. He went to Daning to rob the Duoyan tribe. Ruona San The whole region was completely annexed by the Han, and the Khan Court and Yongshebu bordered them."

Anda made up his mind: "Let Man Shou Bald, who pretends to be Chahar, pretend better. Give him all the flags and attire left by the people who rescued Chahar!"

This operation doesn't require too many people, just looting.

The grassland is vast, and Daning is among the mountains. There are opportunities if you calculate mentally or not.

Huadang had just died, Gramtai was young, and his attention was within the tribe.

The rural examinations of the Ming Dynasty have begun, and the governors of the provinces and the envoy Zuo are preparing to leave for Beijing.Their triennial major national policy meeting is also a special period when many prominent positions are handed over, and it is probably difficult to take care of the outside world in time.

Wang Zhi got on the ship to Malacca, while Yan Shifan was still on the way.

The young Gram Tai did not know that a sneak attack was brewing against his Duoyan Department. He was preparing for the last two big border markets before winter.When winter comes and the mountains are covered with heavy snow, money will be reduced. Every family hopes that he, the leader of the tribe, will give them benefits.

North of the border wall, I am preparing.

The southern wind has just begun, and the cold in the northern desert has arrived again.

(End of this chapter)