Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 312 Yungui Governor’s Mansion

Of course Zhu Gaoxu understands that the benefits of doing so are obvious.

Those Tusi children who entered the Imperial Academy and studied in the Imperial Academy were restrained and educated by the Han family's etiquette and education just like the Central Plains disciples, and their thoughts were changed.

Some of the chieftain disciples who had studied in the Imperial College had new changes in their governance strategies after they returned to inherit the chieftain position.

For example, Gao Ce of Beisheng Prefecture in Yunnan went to school in the capital at the age of nine and returned to Yunnan to join the army. "On the day he came to power, private individuals were prohibited from acquiring land or houses without authorization." He suppressed land annexation and made the "people of Beisheng Prefecture" under his jurisdiction " "Nai Anye" is already an official in China.

This strategy of "using Xia to transform barbarians" was still used after the new imperial examination system was fully promoted in the early Yongle period.

Even after Zhu Gaoxu succeeded to the throne and changed the Yuan Dynasty to Qianxi, the court's strategy of "using Xia to transform Yi" did not change.

As for the second point mentioned by Qi Tai, Zhu Gaoxu knew that this also had historical reasons.

After the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that "when I was an official in the Yuan Dynasty, I valued my own clan and despised the people of China. Is it fair that the southerners have no authority?"

In order to consolidate the stability of the regime, Zhu Yuanzhang specifically adjusted the policy towards the barbarians who surrendered under his rule, that is, "I am the lord of China, and the Chinese and barbarians are inseparable. Although the surnames are different, the word "Fu" is the same." Between Huayi?"

He formulated the principle of "applying both power and virtue" to govern the barbarians, that is, "the barbarians cannot be feared by force, nor can they be favored by favors. However, one cannot touch their hearts with one's power, and one cannot control their violence with one's benefits, but both power and benefits can be used together." , this is the way to control the barbarians."

Wei refers to military coercion and conquest, and virtue refers to political favor and kindness.

While Zhu Gaoxu was deep in thought, Qi Tai continued: "In order to appease the barbarians, Taizu implemented the policy of 'using both power and virtue' towards the surrendered barbarians, and granted official positions to the surrendered barbarian leaders, such as Tu Zhizhou, Tu Zhixian, or Xuanwei Send envoys and set up guard posts in the strong points where the barbarians live."

"For example, in the second year of Hongwu's reign, the Yao children were brought to Guangxi, and an inspection department was set up at strategic points in the passes to police rapists and thieves, and then gradually placed in various places."

"In addition, Taizu reduced taxes on the barbarians based on their actual conditions, built water conservancy projects, and built roads to improve the production and living environment of the local barbarians."

"Among them, the larger-scale projects include the restoration of the Dexing Anling Canal in the fourth year of Hongwu, which can irrigate tens of thousands of hectares of farmland, the restoration of the Anling Canal in the 29th year of Hongwu, and the restoration of Dianchi Lake in Yunnan."

"Of course, Taizu did not copy the system of chieftains of the former Yuan Dynasty. The imperial court implemented Tuliu unified governance where conditions allowed. For example, in the fourth year of Hongwu, when the native officials accepted the Yuan Dynasty and surrendered, Taizu ordered 'Shizhou Xuanwei Si to be the third rank of subordinates. All the officials in Dongxiang are in the sixth grade, and they are used by Liuguan.'"

Zhu Gaoxu also knew this.

In some places with convenient transportation and high economic prosperity, the Ming Dynasty sent floating officials to govern together with local officials to limit the power of local officials.

Moreover, the imperial court had an explicit order that disputes between chieftains should not be resolved privately by force, but should be decided by the imperial court, that is, "those who have enemies should obey the orders of the emperor."

In other words, the Ming Dynasty did not adopt the policy of encircling and exterminating the barbarians in the southwest by force.

Historically, Ji, the biological mother of Emperor Hongzhi Zhu Youtang, is a classic case.

The Ji family was originally the daughter of a native official of the southwest barbarian tribe. Her parents died when she was young. She was adopted by a relative in Guiling, He County, Guangxi Province when she was young. In the second year of Chenghua, she was captured by the Ming army and brought to Yeting. After entering the palace, she was awarded the title of female history, and she was a police officer. With his knowledge of writing, he became the favor of Chenghua Emperor Zhu Jianshen, and gave birth to Hongzhi Emperor Zhu Youtang in the sixth year of Chenghua.

"However, the strategy of using both power and virtue has advantages and disadvantages."

Qitai began to elaborate on his personal views: "Because the imperial court appointed chieftains, although it strengthened its rule over the southwest region, it also had quite a few drawbacks."

"The southwestern chieftains have jurisdiction over a large amount of local land and people. Their official positions can be hereditary, and they have almost absolute power within their jurisdiction. They can even establish a private army of a certain scale. This is a major hidden danger."

"Not only that, some chieftains also brutally oppressed the local people and plundered the local people."

"Since the imperial court treated the barbarian chieftains mainly by appeasing them, they had no choice but to use force to suppress them. After the rebellion was put down, as long as the barbarian chieftains expressed their willingness to surrender and paid tribute as usual, the court would treat them leniently and order them to remain. Take the original position.”

When he said this, he said with a worried look on his face: "This kind of appeasement has pampered certain chieftains to a certain extent, and will definitely lead to individual chieftains gradually growing stronger, and even becoming a separatist force that dominates one side."

When Zhu Gaoxu heard this, he subconsciously thought of the rebellion of Yang Yinglong, the chieftain of Bozhou in history.

"Your Majesty, I have one more thing to say, I don't know whether I should say it or not."

Qi Tai said respectfully. "Say." Zhu Gaoxu frowned.

Qi Tai said: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, there is another reason why the barbarians in the southwest have rebelled repeatedly."

"What is the reason?"

Zhu Gaoxu asked.

"In view of the story of the Yuan Dynasty's destruction of the Song Dynasty, Taizu attached great importance to the 'defence between Yi and Xia' and strictly distinguished Han people and barbarians."

Qitai replied: "During the Yongle period, after Guizhou was established as a province, the imperial court gradually implemented the policy of returning natives to exile. When many exiled officials were governing the southwest, they excluded and discriminated against the barbarians in their jurisdiction."

"In this way, not only did the local officials' interests suffer, but they were also squeezed and oppressed by the exiled officials. Under such circumstances, it was inevitable that the barbarian chieftains would repeatedly rise up and confront the imperial court with force."

"I deeply believe what Qi Qing said!"

Zhu Gaoxu stood up and stood with his hands behind his back.

As the overall population of the Ming Dynasty continued to increase, maritime trade became more prosperous, and the economies of various regions gradually developed. The existence of various barbarian chieftains has hindered the development of the southwest region of the Ming Dynasty.

"I am determined to completely abolish the chieftain system, but this matter needs to be done slowly."

Zhu Gaoxu walked around the imperial table, walked up to Qi Tai, and said solemnly: "Therefore, I order you to carry out a comprehensive pilot program in Guizhou after taking office as governor of Guizhou."

"Your Majesty, the complete abolition of the chieftain system is a major matter related to the ancestral system. Should we convene a meeting with the ministers before making a decision?"

Qi Tai bowed quickly and asked tentatively.

He was not stupid. During the Hongwu and Yongle dynasties, when they tried to reform the local chieftains and return them to local officials, they only set up local officials in appropriate places and never completely abolished the chieftains.

When Zhu Di established the Chief Secretary of Guizhou, he took advantage of the civil strife between the two chieftains in Sizhou and Sinan.

The following year, Zhu Di took advantage of the power of the imperial army to split Bozhou Xuanwei Division into two military and civilian offices, Zunyi and Pingyue.

Although the highest official of the Military and Civilian Government is called the prefect, he is still a kind of chieftain similar to the Xuanweisi, enjoying the preferential treatment and high degree of autonomy granted by the court.

In the eyes of chieftain leaders, hereditary official positions are a tool for them to exploit the lower class people. If they lose their hereditary official positions, they will also lose a tool for extracting profits.

If Qitai, after assuming the post of governor, follows Zhu Gaoxu's orders and recklessly implements land reform throughout Guizhou, he will definitely cause the barbarian chieftains in the territory to raise troops to resist.

Even based on the principle of "the lips are dead and the teeth are cold", it will trigger a comprehensive rebellion among the chieftains in the entire Sichuan, Yunnan, Huguang, Guangxi and other southwest regions!
"Qi Qing, I have made it clear just now. I intend to completely abolish the chieftain system, but I do not mean that it must be done within three or five years. The Hongwu and Yongle dynasties failed to comprehensively do so. It’s because the time is not mature enough.”

Zhu Gaoxu explained very patiently: "Now that the Ming Dynasty has arrived at its prosperous age after more than fifty years of recuperation, it is not an empty talk to complete a comprehensive transformation of the country within the next ten, 20 or even 30 years."

"Your Majesty, I am ashamed."

Qi Tai bowed deeply and said, "I just misunderstood His Majesty's meaning."

"I know what you're worried about."

Zhu Gaoxu helped Qi Tai up and comforted him: "Tomorrow the court will discuss that I will establish the Yunnan-Guizhou Governor's Office to manage the military affairs of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces. Once the reorganization of this Governor's Office is completed, there will be at least [-] well-equipped officers and soldiers stationed in Yunnan and Guizhou. land, then the barbarians will no longer be able to overturn the sky."

As the Minister of War, Qi Tai was familiar with the "dudufu" system such as the "general governor's office" and the "fifth military governor's office".

Although it was the first time for him to hear "Yunnan-Guizhou Dudufu", it was not difficult to understand its meaning from the literal meaning - that is, a military yamen that specializes in controlling the officers and soldiers of Yunnan and Guizhou provinces.

(End of this chapter)