Nanjing, Forbidden City, Fengtian Gate.
With the sound of the cleansing whip three times, people in Nanjing who had been waiting outside the Meridian Gate for a long time, from the Ming Dynasty civil and military officials of the sixth rank and above to the local government officials who were not civilized or military (the government officials are all full sixth rank), came one after another. Walking through the entrance, we entered the Meridian Gate and the large square outside Fengtian Gate.
Today’s meeting is going to be held!
Although Emperor Hongxing of the Ming Dynasty was a wise king, he was a wise king who liked to sleep in, so he rarely held court meetings early in the morning. If there is something to be discussed, it is usually a joint discussion between the two governments - the heads of the cabinet and the Marshal's Office can just go to Fengtian Hall or the Dongnuan Pavilion of Fengtian Hall for a meeting.
If there are any major affairs that require caution, before the final decision is made, the so-called political king meeting will be held - the term is copied from Dorgon, but the connotation is different. The so-called political meeting of kings is a fairy meeting held by local political councils and the kings in Beijing. Emperor Zhu listened to everyone's opinions, especially the opinions of the local government officials, that is, the opinions of a group of gentry government officials selected by the local state government, to show caution.
Of course, this council of kings is by no means a parliamentary democracy or anything like that... but an institution similar to Taiwan's remonstrance.
Although Emperor Zhu reformed the Yushitai, turning the Yushitai, which was in charge of everything, into an anti-corruption bureau, and abolished the six subjects that liked to talk nonsense, it did not mean that he did not need to listen to different opinions. However, disagreements about major policies or the impeachment of officials should not come from anti-corruption departments and mid-level bureaucrats within the government who do not do practical work and do not understand local conditions.
Now that there is a collegial meeting between the two governments to solve problems and a political meeting to raise issues, Zhu Cixiang can basically be a wise king who can discover and solve problems...
Therefore, meetings that affect sleep quality should not be held if possible.
But yesterday at noon, news of a huge victory was delivered to Nanjing! So in the afternoon, various yamen were notified of the upcoming court meetings.
Now that the sky is just getting brighter and the weather is cooler, the officials who entered the square outside Fengtian Gate under the guidance of the eunuchs were yawning to relieve their fatigue and rubbing their palms together to keep warm. Some came in a hurry, carrying steamed buns and steamed buns. He is nibbling steamed buns, fried dough sticks, etc... He doesn't look like a good official!
"The Emperor has arrived, the Emperor has arrived..."
Following the eunuch's droning voice, the Ming Dynasty courtiers and senior officials who yawned, rubbed their palms and secretly ate breakfast suddenly became energetic - the emperor is here too today? It’s really rare, you have to take a closer look.
When these courtiers and officials were worshiping with shouts of long live, the first filial son of the Ming Dynasty had already helped Emperor Chongzhen out of the Fengtian Palace and onto the white marble platform outside the Fengtian Gate.
Then everyone heard the voice of Emperor Zhu who couldn't hide his smile: "Pingshen, Pingshen..."
Listening to the imperial government is "outdoor work", which is relatively difficult. Not to mention being exposed to wind, rain, and sun, there are no seats. Only Zhu Cihong and Emperor Chongzhen who occasionally appear below the Fengtianmen Gate have chairs to sit. Everyone else can only stand!
Seeing that the ministers had climbed up and took their seats, and Zhu Cixiang was already sitting on a dragon chair with a big buttocks, he smiled and said: "I called all the ministers here today just to tell you the good news... .Yesterday at noon, King Rinan sent an envoy to report his victory. The 30,000 soldiers of the Ming Dynasty invaded the capital of the Champa Kingdom, Bintonglong. They occupied the city and rebelled against the country, and now the country has been destroyed!"
His tone was excited, as if he had won an incredible victory!
In fact, the war that destroyed the Champa State was not worth mentioning from a military point of view... The Champa State was also number one in Southeast Asia in its early years, but it has long since declined. The last glory of this country appeared two hundred to three hundred years ago, almost in the early Ming Dynasty. At that time, a hero named Zhi Peng'e appeared. He was good at raising elephants. He could train elephants that could really charge into battle. He defeated the Annan Chen Dynasty and defeated Shenglong three times.
But after that, in the early 15th century, when Annan was replaced by the Hu Dynasty, the city began to suffer misfortune. The capital was conquered by Emperor Hu, and all the good things that had been robbed from Annan were taken back. . After Annan defeated the Ming Dynasty's invasion, the Li Dynasty took over the Hu Dynasty, and the life of the Champa Kingdom became even more difficult. Most of the territory was annexed by Annan, and the remaining Cham people were trapped near Bin Tonglong to survive.
Although due to the spread of Tianfang religion (the king of Champa later converted to the true god), Champa has regained a little vitality, but after entering the Age of Discovery, the power of Tianfang religion in Southeast Asia is in decline, and the old brand of Tianfang sultans are not big. Prosperity, not to mention the newcomer in Champa?
Moreover, as soon as Champa joined Tianfang Sect, it automatically stood on the opposite side of Catholicism - Nan Ruan, who is next door to Champa, is supported by the Portuguese!
So Champa was bullied by Nan Ruan in various ways, and its territory shrank again and again. Now there are only a few city-states left - Champa has always been a commercial city-state plus an agricultural tribe. After the introduction of Tianfang religion, some of the commercial city-states believed in the true god. , agricultural tribes are still the way of Brahmins. Moreover, the two sides are not united. The Cham people who believe in Brahman are close to Zhenla, while the Cham people who believe in the true God want to rely on seaports and trade routes to become part of the world of Tianfang religion.
Moreover, the two groups together did not have many people, that is, there were hundreds of thousands of people. Facing the 30,000 troops of Ming Dynasty and Annan, there was simply no way to resist - all their strong men together were less than this number.
Besides, more than two-thirds of the Cham people believe in Brahmanism. They fight based on caste... How many people can go to the battlefield?
The Zhan people who believed in the Tianfang Sect could not be attacked either. Before the Ming and Annan coalition forces arrived, they began to run towards the Malay Peninsula. Even Ba Bi, the king of Champa, fled before the army invaded.
Therefore, the conquest army occupied the entire territory of Champa almost without a single blow!
Moreover, according to the agreement reached by Zhu Cizhao, Chen Zizhuang and the Annan Sizhong, the Ming Dynasty's gains from this war were limited, which was just some land along the coast of Champa (the rest of the land went to Nan Ruan), which was roughly the Qing Dynasty of Vietnam in later generations. Hoa, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.
Apart from two very good ports (Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay) and a few coastal plains, there is actually not much else to offer.
But Zhu Cixiang still looked like he had gotten a big deal, and said with a smile: "Rinan County, which left China during the Han Dynasty, has finally come back... What an incredible achievement! The King of Rinan County is indeed mine." Good brother, the Emperor’s good son! I can’t treat him badly. Emperor, what do you think of rewarding him?”
Emperor Chongzhen smiled bitterly and thought to himself: This child Cizhao is so miserable... He was all driven south of Annan! You can never go back in this life!
He tentatively said: "I miss Fifth Brother a little bit... In addition, the 30,000 soldiers who followed Fifth Brother in the southern expedition have all worked hard and made great achievements. Isn't it time to let them return to the court with a victory?"
Zhu Cixiang smiled and said: "King Rinan is not afraid of hardships, dangers, and miasma, and he is really the pillar of the country. Although the land captured in this expedition is not much, it is the beginning of opening up the border to the south! He will definitely be famous in history in the future... .Now that Rinan County is newly attached, the people are not convinced, and everything is waiting for improvement. It is really not the time to recruit King Rinan back.
However, all the soldiers who followed King Nichinan in his southern expedition do not have to stay in the barbaric land... King Nichinan, Zhang Yong, and Qiu Lei can choose 5,000 soldiers who are willing to stay in Nichinan permanently and choose a place with a cool climate on the coast of Nichinan County. It is rich in products and has a good natural harbor to build a city and live there for a long time. I will not hesitate to reward these soldiers who are willing to settle in Ninan. As for the remaining soldiers, they returned home in batches. "
Most of the 30,000 troops brought by Zhu Cizhao actually did not reach the Champa Kingdom at all - the troops attacking Champa were mainly the troops of the "Four Annan loyalists".
Moreover, the occupied land in Zhu Cizhao's hands was basically abandoned, and it was not easy to develop it, so it could not support an army of 30,000.
It would be great if you can leave 5,000... Colonization and expansion of land to the south can only be done step by step and slowly.
Although it is only a small step now, it is a big step for China as a whole!
