Rebirth of Zhu Di's son

Chapter 380 Ming Americans

After a while.

above the lobby.

Zhu Zhantang asked: "Do you know why I left you alone?"

"Go back to your Majesty, I don't know."

Zhao Juluo replied respectfully.

"You can go ahead and do it boldly when it comes to the Rites and Examinations Department. Don't ask me why."

Zhu Zhantang said calmly: "Gu's principle is that no matter how high your previous official position is or how rich your resume is, as long as you violate the laws of the court, you must be prepared to be punished by the law."

Zhao Juluo once served as the magistrate of Jiangning County in Yingtian Prefecture. Later, he was beaten to death by the court and demoted to civilian status for accepting bribes to work for businessmen.

If he hadn't encountered the "Eight Kings Conflicting Domain" incident and got the chance to revive, then he would probably have to be an ordinary commoner in this life, and at most he could rely on his past connections to do business and become a rich man.

Since being appreciated by Zhu Zhantang and transformed into the Minister of Ceremony, Zhao Juluo has been very serious and responsible, meticulous and striving for excellence in his work.

Although the American Kingdom is located in the same province and is directly managed by the Ming Dynasty, it has great autonomy after all.

While Zhu Zhantang was called a lonely Taoist and a few people, his civil and military officials were called ministers, just like the vassal states of Zong Zhou Dynasty.

In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang's original plan was to change the titles of the kings and establish Zongzhou feudal states overseas.

Therefore, after 30 years of development in the Ming Dynasty, the level of science and technology and medical treatment has become higher and higher, and the technology of long-distance navigation has become more and more advanced. Now the princes of the Ming Dynasty have become accustomed to and even eager to establish vassal states overseas.

As the sky is high and the emperor is far away, although each vassal state cannot be said to be an independent kingdom, the vassal kings are actually earthly emperors.

They can dominate and prosper in their respective kingdoms, grant people official titles, and make them rich for a lifetime.

Therefore, in order to prove his ability and talent, Zhao Guluo took advantage of the desire of many indigenous people to obtain the status of "Chinese" in the United States during this period and launched a "preferential" policy for ceremonial examinations.

Any indigenous people who pass the language and etiquette standards, as long as they conduct commercial transactions in the market designated by the Rites and Examinations Department, and the transaction amount exceeds a certain amount, they can report to the Rites and Examinations Department with the transaction ticket and be exempted from taking the Chinese character writing test.

This "designated market" is run by a trading company directly affiliated with the Relics Division, and all goods sold in the market are provided by the trading company.

After deducting the costs of commercial transactions, all profits belong to the trading company, which is equivalent to belonging to Li Kaosi.

In the words of later generations, Zhao Juluo established a large "trading company" under the Li Kaosi.

Currently, there are three subjects in the U.S. Kingdom’s etiquette exam, namely speaking Chinese, writing Chinese characters, and using Chinese rituals. The prerequisite for taking the etiquette exam is to choose a Chinese name, which means that the test taker needs to find a Chinese ancestor for himself.

According to the regulations of the Ming Dynasty on ceremonial examinations, there were not many Wozhou natives who were qualified to participate in the ceremonial examinations of the United States.

Learning to speak Chinese is a prerequisite for indigenous people to take the Ming Dynasty Rites Examination. As long as they learn to speak simple Chinese and practice some simple Chinese etiquette, they will be eligible to be employed by Ming citizens or vassal states, or be recruited by the prince's governor's office as an auxiliary soldier. .

If aboriginals sign a five-year employment contract with Ming citizens, after the expiration of the term, they can go to the yamen in the city where they apply for household registration to fill out an application form for the ceremonial examination, or the employer can hand over a sum of money on their behalf to help them apply for the ceremonial examination in advance.

Auxiliary soldiers with indigenous origins can directly apply to take the ceremonial examination after their service period expires. Those who pass the exam will receive Ming military registration registered with the court, and their children will automatically become Ming citizens and obtain Ming household registration.

The vassal kingdoms of the Ming Dynasty must also adopt the policy of absorbing the indigenous people and turning the barbarians into summer according to this large framework.

However, in order to highlight the autonomy of each vassal kingdom, the imperial court allowed each vassal to formulate some preferential policies, but the basic principles of speaking Chinese, practicing Chinese etiquette, and using Chinese names could not be broken.

Therefore, Zhao Juluo dared to formulate "preferential" policies for the Wozhou natives.

The idea that the Wozhou natives are descendants of the Yin Shang Dynasty was left as early as the middle Yongle period when Zheng He first landed on the Wozhou continent.

After nearly 20 years of continuous improvement by the official "professionals" of the Ming Dynasty, and the subsequent excavation of bronzes, pottery and other products similar to those of the Yin and Shang Dynasties by tribes in various parts of Wozhou, the saying that the Wozhou indigenous people originated from China has almost become the common belief among the Wozhou indigenous people. consensus.

Of course, the so-called "entire Wozhou indigenous people" are only those indigenous tribes that maintain trade relations with the Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers, and do not include the indigenous tribes who live in primitive mountains and forests, are isolated from the world, and have never come into contact with the Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers.

The indigenous people were equal to savages. They were prohibited from entering the cities built by the officials and people of the Ming Dynasty. They were not qualified to enter the cities to work, do business, farm, or seek medical treatment. They were also not qualified to take scientific examinations, become officials, or enlist in the army.

Only chiefs of indigenous tribes or village leaders, or persons authorized by them, were eligible to trade with the people of the Kingdom of the United States.

The natives who pass the rites examination will become citizens of the American Kingdom and obtain the civilian household registration of the Ming Dynasty in the United States.

If you are selected to join the army, you will be granted military status. If you take the scientific examination and pass the imperial examination, you can become an official.

The preferential policies implemented by Zhao Juluo were equivalent to opening a "shortcut" for those wealthy natives to avoid taking a writing test and pass the rites test to become Americans of the Ming Dynasty.However, according to the regulations of the Royal Ceremony Office of the United States, Ming Americans who were naturalized from indigenous people and were still unable to write three to four hundred commonly used Chinese characters within three months were required to pay a fine.

Those who are still unable to write three to four hundred commonly used Chinese characters after more than one year will be revoked from their American citizenship and expelled from the Kingdom of the United States.

"Abide by the law and actively pay taxes, which are the obligations that Gu and his subordinates should fulfill for the imperial court."

Zhu Zhantang looked at Zhao Juluo and said slowly: "After all, everything we have is given by the imperial court and by Gu's father. Therefore, the higher the financial income of the United States Kingdom, the greater the return it needs." The imperial court, return the favor to your majesty, the father of the orphan."

"What the king said is absolutely true. I would like to learn from you."

Zhao Juluo bowed and saluted.

"I don't want the office you manage to become a stain on the U.S. Kingdom and even the imperial court. The vassals of the Ming Dynasty and the U.S. Kingdom are newly established. We cannot be criticized for paying taxes."

Zhu Zhantang said in a deep voice: "If someone evades taxes in the trading companies affiliated with the Rites and Kao Division, I will definitely not take it lightly."

"I will obey the king's order."

Zhao Juluo bowed again.

"Go back."

Zhu Zhantang waved his hand.

"Wei Chen retire."

Zhao Juluo said respectfully.

After a while.

Cao Jixiang, the eunuch in charge of the US Palace, hurriedly walked in from outside. He bowed and said: "Your Majesty, Commander Li of the Xijin Guard has sent someone to report that the imperial envoy Sanbao, the eunuch, has led the fleet into the West Sea of ​​Wozhou. It is expected that We will arrive at Xijin Port in the first quarter of the day today."

"Where is Commander Li now?"

Zhu Zhantang stood up suddenly and asked quickly.

"Reporting to your Majesty, according to what the messenger said, Commander Li is commanding the soldiers to set up a ceremony platform, preparing to welcome the Three Treasures Great Eunuch."

Cao Jixiang replied respectfully.

Zhu Zhantang was overjoyed, and immediately walked down the steps, while loudly ordering: "Cao Jixiang, you go and pass on the solitary message, and ask the officials of the fourth rank and above to gather in the square outside the palace, and then take a boat with him to Xijin Port to meet the Three Treasures. Great eunuch!"

"Your Majesty, I have something to say. I don't know whether to say it or not."

Cao Jixiang said hesitantly.

Zhu Zhantang said coldly: "If you have something to say, say it quickly, and if you have a fart, hurry up. If there is a next time, just go and raise horses!"

"The servant realizes his mistake."

Cao Jixiang was so frightened that he knelt down and kowtowed.

Zhu Zhantang responded silently.

Cao Jixiang raised his head slightly and secretly glanced at Zhu Zhantang. Seeing that the other party was waiting quietly, he bravely spoke: "Your Majesty, you are a prince and the head of a country. I don't need you to welcome Zheng He." Do it yourself.”

"presumptuous!"

Zhu Zhantang's expression changed and he scolded: "You can call Zheng He by his name? Who do you think you are?"

"I'm guilty of this. I'm in trouble. I ask your Majesty to punish me."

Cao Jixiang was so frightened that he quickly kowtowed.

Zhu Zhantang was quite satisfied with Cao Jixiang's reaction and said in a deep voice: "Why don't you go down and pass on the solitary edict?"

"The servant obeys the order."

Cao Jixiang quickly accepted the order and said: "My slave, go now, go now!"

(End of this chapter)