Ming Dynasty: Zhu Biao's younger brother, the most rebellious son in history

Chapter 6 The secret of the Ming Dynasty's prosperity lies in Zhu Yuanzhang's slogan during his rebellion
Zhu Biao drank a cup of strong tea and gradually sobered up. He then told Zhu Kai about what happened in the court:
"Second brother, the Duke of Wei and a group of ministers want Dad to order another Northern Expedition. It has only been two years since the first Northern Expedition. If we continue to fight now... can we fight?"

Zhu Kai took a sip of beer and then said, "It's possible to fight, but it's not easy."

Zhu Yuanzhang reigned for 31 years and launched 13 northern expeditions. He won a great victory in the first one, but the second northern expedition, which was about to begin, ended in a great defeat.

"Can fight? But not easy to fight?"

After hearing Zhu Kai's six words, Zhu Biao couldn't help but ponder. His thoughts were similar to Zhu Kai's. He felt that the second Northern Expedition was a bit hasty. "Second brother, I think it's difficult for us to fight this battle. The main reason is the lack of baggage. We did win the Northern Expedition last year, and we gained a lot. But the spoils seemed a lot, but the Ming Dynasty was too big. The spoils were distributed to various places. A year's time is not enough for the spoils to be transformed into strength. It would be good if we win this Northern Expedition. If we lose, it would be worse."

Although Zhu Kai left a bad reputation in Yingtian Prefecture and was a notorious playboy, Zhu Biao knew that his younger brother was a talented person. Before the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang went out to fight and Zhu Biao was in charge of the government. Zhu Kai gave him many ideas.

Therefore, if you have any problems, you can always go to Zhu Kai.

After thinking about the reasons why Zhu Yuanzhang didn't want to fight, Zhu Kai said to Zhu Biao:

"Brother is right. The granary in Liaodong is still in the hands of the Mongols. They have sufficient supplies and are on the defensive, waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. We have traveled a long distance and have a long supply line, so our demand for food and grass is even greater."

In ancient wars, especially those against nomadic peoples in the north, the Central Plains dynasties before Emperor Xuanzong of Tang could still use the advantages of weapons to defeat the invasions of nomadic peoples. For example, the Modao army formation of that time could kill both men and horses with one blow.

But later, the weapons of the nomadic peoples gradually became equal to those of the Central Plains dynasties. To defeat them again required generals to understand the battle formations and use them to defeat the enemy.

But by the Ming Dynasty, battle formations and weapons were no longer the main factors determining victory or defeat. Nomadic peoples invaded the Central Plains and learned everything about iron smelting, military tactics, etc. from the Central Plains dynasties. They also learned to use captives for farming. Of course... it was another matter if the monarch and his ministers could not unite against the common enemy. For example, Chongzhen in the late Ming Dynasty wanted to defeat the Tartars, but the people around him were all useless teammates.

But now is the early Ming Dynasty. The emperor and his ministers are of one mind. Military generals and soldiers are eliminated through wars one after another. Therefore, logistics is the key factor in determining victory or defeat at this time.

"Yes, if there is enough food and grass, even if Duke Wei doesn't want to fight, my father will urge him to fight."

At this point, Zhu Biao immediately thought of another question and asked Zhu Kai, "Second brother, Huguang is a fertile land, and it has been a famous land of fish and rice since ancient times. However, after years of war, nine out of ten houses in Huguang are empty. Even if father moved people from Jiangxi to fill Huguang, the effect is very small. If we want to restore the people's livelihood in Huguang, what should we do?"

Zhu Biao now asked about restoring people's livelihood and no longer mentioned the Northern Expedition. Zhu Kai followed his lead and continued, "Brother, the answer is actually in the slogans our father raised when he was a rebel. It's just that our father deceived the people into rebelling with him, but he didn't think deeply about the people and didn't think about what the most core and survival issues of the people are."

In this regard, Zhu Kai did a good job. He never thought about getting too involved in Zhu Biao's development. As long as Zhu Biao was healthy and could become the emperor safely, Zhu Kai would never get involved in other matters. He would just answer whatever Zhu Biao asked and would not talk about anything else.

In later life, when Zhu Kai was surfing the Internet, he hated some netizens who were know-it-alls the most.

Especially on certain messaging apps, they pretend to be cool while teaching you how to behave, without even looking at their own moral character.

Just like the questions Zhu Biao asked Zhu Kai at this time, let alone the Northern Expedition and food issues, even at the dinner table, let Zhu Kai tell who won and who lost in this Northern Expedition, and who preserved the strength, Zhu Kai could tell all these clearly.

But why bother? Victory and defeat are inevitable, Zhu Kai will not participate too much in or change it, he just wants to change the Ming Dynasty in a subtle way, so that they can stand at a higher level to see the world.

At this time, Zhu Yuanzhang and Feng Sheng had already walked to the outside of Fengxian Hall. He happened to hear the conversation between Zhu Kai and Zhu Biao, and his face turned black.

I was resisting the tyranny of the remnant Yuan Dynasty and looking for a way to survive for the people. How could that be considered a rebellion?

He also accused me of deceiving the people into rebelling with me!

Zhu Yuanzhang was so angry that his teeth itched!
He believed that no emperor in history had served the people better than he did, but Zhu Kai accused him of deceiving the people and not considering their survival seriously.

Based on Zhu Kai's words, breaking a belt would be the least of his worries.

Zhu Yuanzhang, who was so angry that his teeth itched, stopped. How would Zhu Biao refute Zhu Kai when he complained about his father like this?

When Zhu Yuanzhang was still the King of Wu, Zhu Biao began to help Zhu Yuanzhang handle government affairs. He was very clear about the people's survival issues and the policies implemented by Zhu Jiajun at that time. It would be strange if he did not refute them.

Zhu Yuanzhang thought very confidently: Let's see how the prince of our dynasty can refute you, the rebellious son! Zhu Yuanzhang was full of expectations for Zhu Biao's answer.

He had no reason not to have high expectations. Zhu Biao's teachers and officials in the Eastern Palace were all civil and military officials who had fought with him to conquer the world. Zhu Yuanzhang trusted this team very much. There was no reason why Zhu Biao would not become a talent under their guidance.

"My father was a traitor... Nonsense! My father was trying to find a way for the people to survive, so he had to lead the people to rise up and resist the tyranny of the Mongols!"

While Zhu Biao was signaling Zhu Kai to be careful with his words, he himself began to think about the slogan his father used when he rebelled... no, the slogan he used when he led the people to resist the tyranny of the Mongols.

After thinking for a while, Zhu Biao said, "My second brother, what you said is this sentence: 'Expel the Tartars, restore China, establish rules and regulations, and save the people'?"

"Yes, the most important thing is the last four words - help the people."

Zhu Kai said to Zhu Biao:
"As long as the 'establishment of principles and rules' before providing relief to the people is changed to equal distribution of land, within two years, Huguang will once again become a land of fish and rice, with fertile fields stretching for thousands of miles."

Divide the land equally?

Zhu Biao was still thinking about the meaning of these four words, but Zhu Yuanzhang outside the door felt like he was struck by a bolt from the blue!
The chaos in his mind was suddenly cleared up.

Divide the land equally...

Divide the land equally...

Yup!

If I had replaced the four words "establishing guidelines and rules" with "equal distribution of land", who in the world would still rebel?

As for establishing rules and regulations...who would care about rules when the people can't even fill their stomachs?

Zhu Biao was trapped in it and said, "My second brother, what you said is wrong. The purpose of establishing the rules and regulations is to restore the rules of the Han people to govern China and the laws that the people should abide by. Without rules, there will be no order."

"What the hell, Fangyuan, we can't even fill our stomachs, who cares about the rules?" Zhu Kai sneered, "When my father was herding cattle in Fengyang, he slaughtered the landlord's cattle and cooked them for food. According to the rules, anyone who kills a working ox should be killed. Did my father die?"

Zhu Biao shook his head and said subconsciously: "Our father is not stupid, he ran away!"

"..."

At this moment, Zhu Yuanzhang wished he could sew Zhu Biao and Zhu Kai's mouths shut. If your father hadn't run away, what about you bastards?

Just as he was about to push the door open, Zhu Yuanzhang heard Zhu Di's question again:

"Second brother, dividing the land equally sounds like a good idea, but our father conferred titles on many meritorious officials at the beginning of the founding of the country. Their families were also granted a lot of land by our father. Do we want to divide their land?"

Zhu Biao added:

"Our father gave them a lot of land and exempted them from taxes. If the land is divided equally, agricultural taxes will be collected from them. Do they want to pay the taxes exempted by our father?"

"..."

Feng Sheng, who was standing behind Zhu Yuanzhang, couldn't help but tense up.

His family has 3,000 acres of fertile land. If it is divided equally, how much will be left?
That guy named Zhu Di is not a good guy!
From now on, I have to remind my son-in-law to stay away from him, so as not to offend the nobles and get into trouble.

(End of this chapter)