Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 570 Caste System (Special thanks to book friend lansei570 for three monthly tickets!)
While Chai Zongxun was still pondering, the deputy assistant Li Di came out and said:

“Your Majesty, I believe that the caste system in India is derived from the religion that its people believe in, and it has a long history and is deeply rooted.

The people of India are numerous and the ethnic groups are diverse. Now that our Great Zhou has conquered India, we should take advantage of the situation and adopt the "caste system" to facilitate governance."

Wang Qinruo, the Minister of Commerce, came out and said:

"Your Majesty, the "caste system" of India is more similar to the clan system of the Wei and Jin Dynasties in China, but it is different from the "serf system" in Tubo and other places. The personal freedom of the people is not greatly restricted. They can engage in agriculture or work in workshops and businesses.

If the long-standing "caste system" in India is abolished, conflicts between ethnic groups will easily arise due to its large number of ethnic groups. "

Chai Zongxun finally made a decision and said:
“Since the caste system in India has been in place for thousands of years and is the religious belief of the people there, and the ethnic situation is complicated, I am determined to maintain the caste system to rule India.

The imperial court organized the immigration of 5 million Han people from populous provinces in the inland to India, giving each household 100 mu of land and 20 taels of silver for settlement.

All Han people who arrive in India are classified as the top class in the "caste system" - Brahmins.

Local officials can only be selected from the Brahmin class through imperial examinations, and marriage is allowed only among people of the same class.

All the ministers said:

"Your Majesty is holy."

Minister of Works Feng Zheng came out and said:
"Your Majesty, now that Tianzhu is under your rule, I think the court can build several major coastal cities along the coast of Tianzhu as soon as possible, which can greatly promote the maritime trade from our Great Zhou mainland to Tianzhu."

Chai Zongxun nodded slightly and said:

“Feng Ai Liao’s proposal is a good one.

India has a large population and abundant resources, so it is a good opportunity to exchange what it needs with the mainland.

The Ministry of Works will work out a plan to build a major coastal city as soon as possible, and after submitting it to me for approval, we will start construction. "

In the following days, the emperor and his ministers discussed in court and determined the officials such as the governor, the prefect, and the prefect who would go to South India to establish a provincial government.

There were a total of 220 prefectures in Northern and Southern India, and the number of prefectures in the Great Zhou Empire thus exceeded 2,000.

A month later, the Ministry of Industry’s planning scheme was out: the first batch of six port cities would be built along the coast of India, all located in densely populated areas.

The port standard is to be able to accommodate a thousand large merchant ships or sailing battleships with a cargo capacity of 20,000 kilograms at the same time.

It is expected that two million local Indian people will be employed. Considering that India's economy was backward and prices were low at that time, a monthly salary of one tael, five hundred coins per person would be enough to support a family of six. It would also greatly boost India's economy and improve people's livelihood.

After reading it, Chai Zongxun gave his imperial approval.

After the imperial edict calling for immigration was issued nationwide, it aroused heated discussion among the people.

“Is this Tianzhu the country where the great Tang monk Tripitaka traveled west to seek Buddhist scriptures?

Your Majesty is truly wise, even conquering a country so far away!"

“You are so short-sighted!
Your Majesty said that this is the "Age of Exploration" and that all citizens of our Great Zhou Empire should not limit their horizons to the Chinese homeland, but should look to the world.

Some people only have China in their minds and are not interested in foreign countries. How can they be citizens of the richest and most powerful country in the world?
In the early years, your majesty led the army in person and conquered the Maya continent, which was much farther away from our Great Zhou than this Tianzhu!"

"I heard that India has a mild climate and abundant arable land, and rice and other crops can be harvested two or three times a year, with a very high yield per mu.

This time, Your Majesty has given very generous conditions for immigrants to India, with each household being given 100 acres of fertile land and 20 taels of silver for settling down!
I plan to have my little six respond to His Majesty's decree and immigrate to India. Once there, he can become a small landowner and help His Majesty secure the territory."

"Your Majesty's edict also states that all Han Chinese who immigrate to India are local "Brahmins". What does this mean?"

The people guessed for a while but could not come to the point. A scholar laughed and said:
“I know this.

It is recorded in the "Great Tang Records on the Western Regions" by Master Tripitaka of the Tang Dynasty that the Indians believed in Brahmanism and Buddhism, and had practiced the "caste system" since ancient times. From high to low, they were divided into four distinct classes: Brahman, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra.

Your Majesty's edict states that when Chinese people go to India, they are the highest level of "Brahmins" and enjoy all kinds of preferential treatment! "

The common people were very interested and asked for details. After learning about the various benefits, they rushed to sign up to immigrate to India.

In just over four months, the populous states had recruited more than 800,000 households and 5 million immigrants.

Under the arrangement of the imperial court, these immigrants will travel to India by land and sea.

On September 7, the 58th year of Kaixi, Chai Zongxun received news that Lady Huarui was seriously ill, so he decided to visit her the next day.

Lady Huarui was born in the eighth year of Tianfu in the Later Jin Dynasty (943). As of this year, the fifty-eighth year of Kaixi (1017), she is already 74 years old.

At noon on September 8, Chai Zongxun arrived at Han Jiyu's residence in the inner city of Bianjing. Han Jiyu's eldest son, Han Meinong, and everyone in the residence welcomed him respectfully at the gate.

Han Meigong was born in the 37th year of Kaixi (996), is 21 years old this year, and has a younger brother and three younger sisters.

He passed the military examination the year before last and is now preparing for next year's military examination at home.

After greeting, Chai Zongxun reached out and shook Han Meigong's hand, saying:

"Gong'er, take me to visit your grandmother."

Han Meigong responded:
"Yes, Your Majesty."

He immediately led Chai Zongxun into the mansion, and half a minute later they arrived at the main hall in the backyard of the Han mansion. Madam Huarui was lying on the big bed with her eyes closed, looking haggard.

Han Meigong was about to go forward and wake up Madam Huarui, but Chai Zongxun sighed:
"Gong'er, please leave. I will come and wake up Madam Huarui."

After Han Meigong bowed and left, Chai Zongxun sat down on the chair that He Yao, the chief eunuch, had moved to the bedside in front of the palace, and reached out to hold Madam Huarui's hand.

After Chai Zongxun called out a few times, Lady Huarui woke up.

After seeing that it was Chai Zongxun, Madam Huarui trembled all over and said in tears:
"Your Majesty has condescended to come before me. Please forgive me for not being able to perform the formalities and pay my respects to you!"

Chai Zongxun held Madam Huarui's hand tightly and sighed:

"I haven't seen you for a few months. My dear, you look so haggard. It's all my fault that I didn't spend more time with you."

Madam Huarui said hurriedly:

"Your Majesty, what are you talking about? I am very lucky to have your Majesty's favor.

Your Majesty has always been very kind to me and my children. With Yuer and my grandchildren accompanying me these years, I have lived a very happy life."

Seeing tears in Chai Zongxun's eyes, Lady Huarui reached out and stroked his face, saying:
"Your Majesty is the eternal sage of China, benevolent, righteous and wise, how could you be sad for a concubine and injure your body?
These days, I have been ill in bed, and I often think of the days when I accompanied Your Majesty. I feel sweet as honey in my heart, and I have no regrets in this life! "

Chai Zongxun took Madam Huarui's hand, placed it on his lips and kissed it gently, then sighed:

"Don't worry, my beloved, I have been focusing on training Yu'er over the years and giving him a good opportunity to make achievements.

Once he returns to China with the army that conquered India, I will promote him to be the commander-in-chief of the army and confer him the title of duke!"

(End of this chapter)