Zhu Cixiang really did what he said. A few days later, he actually let King Zhu Yihai of Lu, King Zhu Youlang of Yongming, King Zhu Yu'e of Nanyang, and Emperor Zhu Youjian attend a cabinet meeting that focused on discussing Nanyang colonial affairs.
The cabinet of the Ming Dynasty was expanded again in the early 16th year of Hongxing Dynasty, and two ministerial-level yamen were added at the same time, one was called the Lifan Yuan and the other was called the Navy Department.
These two ministries, like the Ministry of War (although the name has not changed, actually became the Ministry of War), are both civil and military ministries. Both military and civilian officials can serve in these two ministries, and both civil and military officials can serve. The minister, while the minister always maintains a combination of civil and military affairs.
The Admiralty Department among these two ministries is responsible for the increasingly large-scale naval military administration, and jointly leads naval affairs with the Naval Military Command under the Grand Marshal's House.
As for the Lifanyuan, it sounds like a yamen that deals with tribute envoys from vassal states or vassal towns. In fact, it is not the case. It is a yamen established specifically for the Ming Dynasty to expand its colonies. He was only responsible for the colonial (immigration) affairs of those "colonial" vassal towns and vassal states that needed help from the Ming court or organized immigrants to settle there.
Vassal states such as Japan, Korea, Annan, Jungar, Tumut, and Chahar have nothing to do with the Lifan Yuan. Their communication with the court does not go through the Lifan Yuan, but through them in response to the request. The day's march into the memorial hall was carried out.
The affairs of the two newly opened yamen, the Navy Department and the Lifan Yuan, need to cooperate with each other in many aspects. Therefore, almost all the military officials in the Lifan Yuan are from the navy. This yamen is also a bit like the navy. A branch of the ministry.
The current minister of the Navy is Zhu Cixiang's brother-in-law Zheng Jiangong, while the minister of the Lifan Yuan is Su Guansheng, who had been in charge of the Tianjin Navy in his early years.
The task of selecting important ministers for the twelve principalities of Malacca (the ministers of the principalities were ministers to the emperor) fell on Zheng Jiangong, Su Guansheng and Wei Zaode, the chief assistant who was also in charge of the civil service.
"Now that the Twelve Dukes are young and unable to personally take on important responsibilities, they must rely on their accomplices to take charge of the country's affairs. The Twelve Kingdoms have not yet opened their borders, and there are no people or land. Everything has to be created from scratch, which is extremely difficult. Therefore, the selection of accomplices to take charge of the country's affairs is extremely difficult. Especially crucial, if you choose your companions, you can achieve twice the result with half the effort by creating the great cause of the Twelve Kingdoms.
Among the many accompanying ministers, the first and second assistants of the principality and the ministers in charge of all aspects are the most important. What I want to discuss with you today is the first and second ministers of the twelve countries and the ministers who are in charge of military affairs, finance, personnel, construction, settlement, education, prisons, foreign affairs and other important affairs of the country. Therefore, I plan to confer these ten important ministers with the title of earl of the feudal state, and grant them a city of 250 miles square! "
According to Zhu Cixiang's plan, a principality is no more than a thousand miles square, and now ten ministers are granted to it to cover only a quarter... This grandeur is really big enough!
When Emperor Zhu spoke, his eyes slowly swept over the faces of the ministers, ministers, and Hanlin scholars in the Huangji Palace.
No one showed any excited expression!
They are all old foxes! Zhu Cihong said in his heart: You people all know that this vassal count and 250 square miles of land are not easy to get, right? But it doesn't matter...among the civil and military officials of the Ming Dynasty, there were evil people who wanted to climb up but couldn't!
By offering such a high price, there is no fear of not being able to recruit satisfactory people.
Zhu Cixiang continued: "Now we will select the first assistant and the second assistant. There are twenty-four people in total. The first assistant must be both civil and military, and the second assistant must be proficient in military strategy."
The so-called "both civil and military" does not mean being able to fight and write articles, but that one must have both civilian and military experience.
The second assistant's proficiency in military strategy means that he has high military quality and has held important military positions.
"As for one's background..." Zhu Cixiang thought for a while, "Anyone who is a courtier, a vassal, or an accomplice can be recommended!"
Courtiers refer to the direct ministers of the imperial court. They are all courtiers, regardless of whether they are civil or military officials, local or central officials, or their official positions. The vassal ministers refer to the officials of the internal vassal. As for the accompanying ministers, they refer to the officials of foreign vassals.
In other words, as long as the ability is sufficient, no matter whether it is courtiers, vassals or accomplices, they can be recommended to Zhu Cihong. As for who Zhu Cihong chooses, it depends on the situation...
"Now let me tell you a few more conditions," Zhu Cixi paused, and then said, "A good man has three gangs, let alone assisting the Twelve Dukes in establishing a vassal state? So there is no need to recommend lone ministers. The ministers you recommend must have their own The retainer and staff must have at least ten people. The expenses of these retainers and staff must be borne by the retainer himself."
In other words, the 250 square miles provided by Zhu Cihong was not only for the Earl's family, but also for their retainers.
If all ten earl-level retainers of a principality are gathered together, then including their retainers, at least 110 capable officials are already in place.
With these 110 officials, the framework of a principality regime can be set up.
"People say that good people do not serve as officials, kindness does not lead to military affairs, and righteousness does not manage finances... And it is more difficult and dangerous to establish a state in a barbaric land thousands of miles away than to serve as an official and govern in the Ming Dynasty itself." Zhu Cixiang said slowly, "So I don't want good officials who only serve the people and make decisions. You'd better recommend some cool officials to me!"
Use cool officials?
The Emperor Ming Dynasty, who was listening on the side, narrowed his eyes and thought: This traitor doesn’t need a good person anymore! The people of Nanyang are going to suffer again!
The important officials of the imperial court in the Huangji Palace have long been accustomed to Emperor Zhu's tendency to behave like a villain, so no one gave any advice - just be cruel to the officials. It is useless to practice benevolence and righteousness in that kind of place anyway... ..And admonishment is useless. Zhu Cixiang is not a person who accepts advice humbly at all.
Zhu Cihong paused and said: "Wei Shoufu, Zheng Haibu, Su Lifan, I will give you six months to select people. After six months, you will give me a list of two hundred and forty people, and ask them to bring their chosen people." The retainers came to Yingtian Mansion for an audience.
When the time comes, I will choose one out of ten... For the rest, I can also choose the ministers of military affairs, finance, personnel, construction, reclamation, education, prisons, and foreign affairs of various countries.
In addition, let the world know, post the imperial list in the direct provinces, internal vassals, external vassals, etc., and openly recruit earl-level ministers of the vassal state! Regardless of their background, as long as they are proficient in one of the five political affairs, including military affairs, finance, construction, settlement, and education, and can recruit 10 retainers, they can nominate themselves and come to Yingtian Mansion to attend the examination! "
Zhu Cihong asked Wei Zaode, Zheng Jiangong and Su Guansheng to recommend candidates for the principality's first second assistant, while those allowed to self-recommend were "technical" officials responsible for military affairs, finance, construction, settlement, and education.
As for the principal's personnel, prison, and foreign affairs officials, they will be selected from the unsuccessful candidates for the first and second assistants.
After all the accompanying ministers of the Twelve Principalities are in place, they can be used as the core to organize the Twelve Principalities' reclamation corps - of course the reclamation corps are all "land soldiers". According to Zhu Cixiang's case, the land soldiers will be divided into It is the third level of viscount, baron and knight.
Those who hold the title of viscount are the senior officers of the settlement army, while barons are junior officers, while soldiers are below the baron and are soldiers of the settlement army. Scholars were not considered nobles, and the land granted was only one mile square (400 acres).
Barons, viscounts and knights from the Twelve Principalities will also be recruited openly - to work as a leek in Nanyang is to fight against terrible miasma, so Zhu Cixiang will not force anyone to go, they must voluntarily, and live and die by their fate. ...Can't blame Emperor Zhu!
And this kind of "public recruitment of nobles" is unprecedented in China, and it is probably unheard of in the world.
So as soon as the imperial list was released, it immediately caused a sensation all over the world, not only in the Ming Dynasty, but also in Japan, Korea, Annan, Siam, and the Nanyang vassal towns of Jinou Army and Xiyang Army... and Taiwan Island under the jurisdiction of the Dongning Army also caused a stir.
For those with lofty ideals who are already in a miasmatic land, what else is there to fear? Is malaria more severe in Malacca than elsewhere?
There is no such thing!
So no one wants to let go of this opportunity to become a noble! If you miss it, you may never have another chance!
