Ming Dynasty: At the beginning of the game, Lao Zhu resigned and retired.

Chapter 141 Mr. Hu convinces people with reason

Chapter 141 Mr. Hu convinces people with reason

Seeing that the military parade was settled, Hu Weiyong turned around and talked about the thing he cared about most.

"Prince!"

"There is one more thing that I need to talk to you about!"

Zhu Biao was also excited by what he heard and hurriedly replied: "Mr. Hu, please speak!"

Hu Weiyong smacked his lips, took another sip of tea, sorted out his manuscript, and then spoke loudly.

"Prince!"

"The last thing is what you, the prince, and our Ministry of Etiquette should pay attention to the most!"

"That's how to give a homecoming gift!"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Biao combined what Hu Weiyong said before and probably guessed what Hu Weiyong was going to say.

However, he couldn't interrupt.

Hu Weiyong looked around and said calmly.

"When foreign countries come to pay tribute to our Ming Dynasty, they naturally have to bring state gifts."

"I took a look at the gift list, and wow, it really has everything."

"Pheasant, ginseng, wood, fur..."

"There are all kinds of weird and weird things!"

"Actually, you all understand in your heart that those things are just a rare thing for us to see."

"Although we don't produce it locally, but in their place, what kind of rare thing can it be?"

"It's just people doing it for fun and to make it look good."

"But based on these things, they want to ask me, the Ming Dynasty, to give me real money, silver, swords, guns, armor, rice, flour, grain and oil..."

"Everyone, this is a bit unreasonable!"

Hu Weiyong paused here and gave everyone some time to think.

He was no longer as excited as before.

He knew very well that shouting was a comfortable way to vent his emotions, but in fact it would still be the same after today.

So, now that we are done getting excited and venting, we have to reason with people like them.

Especially Zhu Biao!

His influence on Zhu Yuanzhang was too profound.

As long as Zhu Biao's position is firm, I really don't worry about whether he will tell Zhu Yuanzhang.

But if Zhu Biao had to talk about this matter now, it would really be nothing.

After all, after all, in fact, these bad things are not so much caused by the Ministry of Rites as they are caused by Zhu Yuanzhang.

Historically, the Ming Dynasty was very kind to countries that came to pay tribute!

How kind is it?

He is so kind that even when the national treasury is in depression, he still returns generous gifts!

It is precisely because the Ming Dynasty was so kind that many small and foreign countries around it came to the Ming Dynasty to fight against the autumn wind.

Once this kind of behavior becomes a routine, it will be tragic.

In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the return of tribute had actually caused a certain economic drag on the national treasury.

And this problem began during the Zhu Yuanzhang period.

There is no way, Zhu Yuanzhang was born in a farmer's family. Even after he became the emperor, many of his practices and ideas still followed the ideas he had when he was farming.

To put it bluntly, they have the mentality of small farmers, who love to save face and like to show off.

If you are just an individual, good face is nothing.

After all, who among the great old men has lost face?

But for an emperor, especially an emperor like Zhu Yuanzhang who sticks to his word and doesn't even dare to persuade others, it would be great fun to save face.

No, you can see the signs now.

What did the tribute mission bring?

The letter of credence is written in a colorful way, but in fact it is just a blank slate.

But who asked Lao Zhu to just take this bite?

But today, Mr. Hu can’t stand it anymore!

He planned to give Lao Zhu a good lesson and take Da Ming’s pulse by the way!

"Prince, I'll explain this to you carefully!"

"Look, our Ming Dynasty is far from being rich right now, right?"

Zhu Biao nodded honestly.

Seeing this, Hu Weiyong continued: "In that case, why do we give so many benefits to small foreign countries?"

Speaking of this, Hu Weiyong raised his fingers and started talking to people one by one.

"I've done the math, especially our Ministry of Rites, and we have two main ideas."    "First, our Ming Dynasty is the kingdom of heaven. When these small countries come, they still come to pay tribute."

"It doesn't matter how many things I brought, and it doesn't matter whether the credentials written in the certificate are nonsense, but at least in appearance, people are respectful."

"Therefore, I, the Ming Dynasty, must have the magnanimity of a heavenly kingdom. Is that what you guys think?"

Hu Weiyong said this and looked around.

When everyone heard this, they were not too presumptuous and just nodded honestly.

That's exactly what they thought.

And they don’t think this idea is wrong!

Hu Weiyong looked at Zhu Biao who looked confused.

"Prince, this idea is correct, but the thing I gave you is wrong!"

"What is a national gift?"

"The national gift is actually just a face-saving act!"

"Although our Ming Dynasty is not rich, our Ming Dynasty is the orthodox Chinese dynasty, the Han Dynasty, and Confucianism has been passed down for thousands of years!"

"Therefore, if you want to give a national gift, it is wrong to give any gold, silver, treasures, swords, guns, and armor!"

“Can’t we use gold and silver to provide disaster relief?”

"Can't we use swords, guns and armor ourselves?"

"To put it bluntly, sending Confucian classics is the most in line with my Ming Dynasty's reputation!"

"Since these small foreign countries recognize the Ming Dynasty as their suzerainty, they must learn the rules of the Ming Dynasty and the rules of the Han family, right?"

"Is it normal to give away Confucian classics?"

"This is what my etiquette department should do!"

Only then did everyone suddenly realize.

Yes!

Not stupid!

Mr. Hu actually made it very clear.

What kind of real money are you giving?

These four books and five classics are given away, and it doesn't cost much to give them face-saving gifts.

This is really what the Ministry of Etiquette should do.

All the officials’ eyes lit up at this moment.

However, Mr. Hu’s story is not over yet.

"The second thing is that it's time to pay tribute."

"You said that this visit every three to five years can be regarded as a small country with a filial piety and a heart for the Ming Dynasty."

"But this comes every year, and every year you bring a bunch of rags in exchange for a bunch of good things. What does this mean?"

"Okay! Even if we treat him as a grandson or son, let's treat him as a neighbor!"

"But this neighbor doesn't come to the door every two days to catch the autumn breeze, does he?"

As soon as Hu Weiyong said these words, everyone was completely convinced.

Although the Ministry of Rites and the civil servants of the Ming Dynasty at this time were not as arrogant and domineering as they were in the middle and late Ming Dynasty.

At that time, the civil servants and the emperor were careless in what they said!

What our civil servants say is true.

You and the scholar-bureaucrats share the world!

In the eyes of civil servants in the middle and late Ming Dynasty, this sentence did not include the first word "Jun" at all.

But at this time, the civil servants had more or less this intention.

No, seeing that Hu Weiyong was right, everyone looked at Zhu Biao with bright eyes.

Zhu Biao was also unambiguous and nodded directly.

"Okay, let's do what Mr. Hu said!"

All the officials from the Ministry of Etiquette were already convinced, and now that the prince has nodded, let alone that.

Even if there are a few who have other ideas, what do you want to do when facing a prince or a former prime minister?

(End of this chapter)