Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 390: Polarization (Special thanks to book friend Xunmi Tiantang/Ling Hongchen for the monthly ticket!)

Later Chinese historians attributed both the "local worthy system" and the "jury system" to the great innovations and historical achievements of Zhou Shizu Chai Zongxun.

Hundreds of years later, because the Great Zhou Empire had long been the world's most powerful country, the whole world gradually came to recognize the "parliamentary system" and "jury system", which were originated by Emperor Taizu of Zhou.

After being busy with government affairs for more than a month at the beginning of the year, Chai Zongxun and the ministers in the court had nothing to do.

So, at the morning court on February 15th, Chai Zongxun issued an edict to select a princess consort for Crown Prince Chai Jiyu from girls aged 16 to 18 across the country.

After the imperial edict was issued to various places, the people heard that the prince was choosing a concubine, and families with daughters were extremely excited. As of April, the number of people who registered to participate in the selection of concubines in all states across the country reached more than 4, second only to the number of people who registered to participate in the selection of concubines by Emperor Chai Zongxun.

After the registration deadline, provincial capitals across the country began a detailed preliminary selection of beauties. The beauties who passed the preliminary selection were expected to arrive in Bian Jing before September.

On the morning of March 7, the 30th year of Kaixi, after discussing some important domestic affairs, Zhang Yong, the "Duke of Wusheng" and the commander of the Longxiang Guard, came out and said:
"Your Majesty, I have two things to report.

The first thing is that news came from the South China Sea that after the New Year, more than 200 large merchant ships from private businesses in the Jiangnan area of ​​our Great Zhou Dynasty went out to sea together. On February 12 of last month, they engaged in battle with the navy and merchant ships of the Angkor Dynasty in the strait south of Annan.

After more than ten days of fierce fighting at sea, our Great Zhou civilian merchant fleet defeated the Angkor navy, sinking more than 700 enemy warships, and more than 500 escaped. After modifying the "Yansu Cannon", the advantage over the Angkor warships was overwhelming!

It can be said that we have greatly promoted the power of our Great Zhou in the South China Sea countries!"

Chai Zongxun was very pleased and said:
"These private business people are brave and resourceful, and are worthy of being the subjects of our Great Zhou!
In this battle, 200 civilian merchant ships defeated more than a thousand warships of the Angkor barbarians, which will surely scare the small countries in the South China Sea. Let's see who dares not to be respectful to our Great Zhou in the future!"

All the ministers in the Chuigong Hall loudly praised the wisdom of Emperor Chai Zongxun, and it took a long time before they stopped.

The Prime Minister and Minister of War Zhang Qixian came out and said:
"Your Majesty, Holy Ming!
In this naval battle in the South Strait, our Great Zhou only dispatched 200 large civilian merchant ships, which have defeated the Angkor monkeys. If the Royal Navy with strong ships and powerful guns had gone into battle, it would almost certainly have wiped out the Angkor navy!

I believe that soon our Great Zhou private businesses will be able to open up sea trade routes to India and the Arab world, and the national treasury revenue will also increase significantly."

Chai Zongxun said:

"Instruct the governors of Dali and Annan and the Longxiang Army to be prepared to resist the invasion of the enemy. Be on guard against the Angkor Dynasty getting angry and suddenly sending troops to invade our Great Zhou border."

The current reigning king of the Angkor Dynasty is Uttayavarman I, who has been in power for more than twenty years. He is arrogant, conceited, and ambitious.

Currently, the Angkor Dynasty has a population of more than 8 million and a territory of approximately 2.2 million square kilometers. It is the most powerful country on the Southeast Asian peninsula.

The current strategic focus of the Great Zhou is on fighting the Star Sect countries in Central and West Asia. In Dali and Annan, which border the Angkor Dynasty, only 5 Dragon Army garrisons are stationed in each of them.

Chai Zongxun said:

"Lord Zhang, the Angkor Dynasty is considered a small hegemon among the countries in the South China Sea. I wonder how strong this country is?"

Zhang Yongdao:
"Reporting to Your Majesty, according to the intelligence sent back by the Dragon Guards who have infiltrated the Angkor Dynasty:

The Angkor Kingdom had more than 8 million people, including 600,000 armored soldiers.

The people make a living by growing rice. There are many checkpoints in the country, and the nobles are rampant. The powerful officials often keep hundreds of concubines, and people often die of hunger and cold on the road. The treasury income is estimated by the Longxiang Guards who have infiltrated the area to be more than 8 million taels per year, which is equivalent to the Dali Kingdom in the past. "

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
“This is due to the inferior nature of human beings.

As long as a country forms a hereditary bureaucratic aristocracy, it will only use the power in its hands to expand its interests by any means possible based on its personal interests, leading to severe social polarization.

Looking at history, any dynasty in which the power of the bureaucratic aristocracy was unrestrained would eventually lead to extreme polarization, the people would suffer and uprisings and riots would break out to overthrow the dynasty, eventually leading to the collapse of the dynasty.

All dynasties, ancient and modern, both in China and abroad, are no exception; none can escape this law."

Chai Zongxun took a few sips of the tea on the imperial table and continued:

"Since the Angkor Dynasty is so financially weak and yet still doesn't know how high the sky is and how deep the earth is, and dares to provoke my Great Zhou, I will order the civilians to replace their merchant ships with "Yansu Cannons" and beat the Angkor barbarians severely for me!"

After the ministers discussed and praised for a while, Zhang Yong continued:
"Your Majesty, the second thing I want to report is about Li Jiqian, a traitor from the Tanguts of our Great Zhou who fled to Xiagos.

Since Li Jiqian led dozens of remnants to flee to Xiagos in the 24th year of Kaixi, he relied on the business skills he had learned in the Great Zhou to command his clansmen to run industry and commerce, and earned a large amount of money in just a few years.

Your Majesty, Li Jiqian is a cunning villain who uses the money he earns from private trade to make friends with the princes and ministers of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and persuade them to speak well of him to King Sol.

Whenever these princes, ministers and their families passed through the border state where Li Jiqian was stationed, Li Jiqian would send people to entertain them warmly, accompany them to visit famous places in the state, and take care of them in every possible way.

When these people returned to the capital, Li Jiqian would personally present them with local specialties and rare items, and escort them out of the state with courtesy.

Therefore, almost all the princes and ministers of the Khitan praised Li Jiqian highly.

When Saul heard that Li Jiqian had collected rare treasures from all over the place and contributed them to him, and that he often heard his close ministers praising Li Jiqian, he valued him even more.

Li Jiqian seized the opportunity and completed the orders given by Saul several times very well. Saul even planned to marry his third princess to Li Jiqian this year to win him over. "

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"Real men make friends based on their aspirations, but despicable people try to curry favor with others by using money and possessions!

It's ridiculous that the ruler and ministers of the Khitan nation were so seduced by wealth and beauties that they were played around by Li Jiqian, completely unaware that Li Jiqian was a man-eating tiger with ulterior motives!
I predict that once a vicious villain like Li Jiqian gains power in Khitan, he will eliminate all the noble ministers who dare not obey his orders. By then, there will be a bloody storm and Khitan will fall into the hands of Li Jiqian, this narrow-minded, sinister and vicious tyrant!

If a villain takes the throne, it will bring disaster to the country and the people!"

Minister of Rites Guo Wuwei came out and said:

"Your Majesty, Holy Ming!
Those who can endure what others cannot will be much more cruel than ordinary people after they gain power. Li Jiqian was such a person who was both tolerant and resourceful.

In the past, Emperor Wu of Liang took in Hou Jing, a traitor of Northern Qi. Once he gained power, Hou Jing massacred all the nobles in the south of the Yangtze River. I am afraid that this will happen again in the Khitans soon!"

(End of this chapter)