After the vigorous ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven and prisoners, the soldiers returned to camp and all officials returned to their posts. But everyone can realize that the Ming Dynasty is different from the past.
After the founding of the country, according to old rules, the emperor should weaken the power of powerful ministers and soldiers and consolidate his rule. They will inevitably be afraid of those who have great achievements. The Duke of Wei, Xu Da, had always had the greatest achievements in the court. People at that time thought that Xu Da would be favored and left idle in the future, and would be feared by the emperor. This is the fate of the heroes of the past dynasties, and there is nothing to criticize.
But now His Majesty has great talents and strategies, and he is not afraid of the achievements of his ministers. Xu Da has made Wei Gong, regardless of the difference between Wei Gong and Wei Guogong, but there is a world of difference. With this example in front of us, the Ming Dynasty will be different from previous dynasties. Everyone realized from this several-day prisoner sacrifice ceremony that today's Ming Dynasty is an unprecedented great dynasty.
Everyone is holding back their energy and wants to leave their own glorious achievements in this magnificent era.
In Jinshen Palace, Xu Dazheng, who had just been granted the title of Duke of Wei, was having a small gathering with the emperor in the palace.
"Hey, brother, why are you giving me all these gold and silver jewels?" Everyone else thought that Wei Gong should be complacent and complacent at this moment. Unexpectedly, Xu Da looked sad and helpless at this moment. "That gold and silver can't be eaten or drunk on the grassland. I don't know how much people and rice it will cost to carry it all the way to the grassland."
"He Lin's side is full of waste, it's better not to get rid of this thing! Why don't you exchange some people for me... Now that He Lin has ten houses and no one, how can I guard the northern border fence for the Ming Dynasty..."
Lao Zhu rolled his eyes and scolded with a smile: "Xu Tiande, don't be shameless. You don't accept the gold I gave you, and you still want people from us?"
"I, the people of the Ming Dynasty, that is where the vitality of the Central Plains lies! The Meng Yuan Dynasty has been plundering for hundreds of years. If you go and look at the north, there is still no human habitation for ten miles and no roosters for hundreds of miles!"
"You want us to assign people to you? Where should we go? No! Ask whose people are willing to follow your Duke Wei to go to the grasslands to open up wasteland and cultivate land..."
Lao Zhu has always been stingy, but this time he rewarded Xu Da with a lot of gold. First, the output of Yingzhou Jinshan and Silver Mountain is gradually stabilizing, and Lao Zhu has more and more money on his hands, so he is no longer stingy in allocating some gold and silver to reward meritorious ministers like Xu Da; second, being brainwashed by Zhu Su again and again, Lao Zhu finally Understand what real wealth is: gold and silver are things outside the body after all. Only food and population are the top priority of a country!
It's okay to reward gold and silver, everything is easy to discuss. Let us move the people of Ming Dynasty? No need to talk! Our Ming Dynasty’s own population is not enough!
How can I send you to move to the grassland!
"But if there is no one in hand, how can I do anything?" Xu Da frowned. Let him conquer all directions, let him open up the wilderness, and he will be blinded.
"Didn't we arrange the textile and wool industry for you? Just follow it..."
"But we can't use all the Mongols. If there are no Han people in our hands, how can I educate the people of Helin?" Xu Dadao said.
Lao Zhu also knew this truth, and had actually allocated some criminals from the Central Plains to Xu Da to take him to Helin. But Xu Da felt it was not enough, so he went to the palace to ask for it. The two old brothers were at each other's throats at the royal table. Xu Da kept complaining. Although Lao Zhu knew his difficulties, he felt sorry for the lack of material resources in the Central Plains and was unwilling to let go.
Queen Ma pushed the door open and came in, holding a drawer of freshly made steamed buns in her hand. I couldn't help but laugh when I saw these two old brothers still arguing in this imageless manner. "Chongba, Tian De just came back after doing great work, why are you so anxious with him?"
"Are we anxious? Why are we so anxious..."
"Tiande, don't blame him. He has always been used to picking and searching, and the lining of his dragon robe has holes in it. He is not willing to let the bureau change, let alone separate the people from seclusion...forcibly The people who have left their homes will be stigmatized! In the past, that was all when there were refugees all over the place. Now the people in various states and capitals have finally managed to stabilize themselves..."
"I am scared, but I understand. I am thinking too simply. Forcing your Majesty to relocate the people for you is trapping Your Majesty into injustice..."
Empress Ma calmed down the quarrel between the two brothers with a few words, and then started to divide the steamed buns and pour the wine for them. "You don't have to be disobedient. Our two families have been friends for generations. Even if you are sealed outside the customs in the future, your descendants who want to worship your ancestor will still have to come to the Ancestral Temple in Yingtian City."
"The sacrifices are all in one place, which shows that we are a family. How can we need so many etiquette behind closed doors? It's just a matter of fact."
"I have an idea. Since you don't have a clue yet, why not ask the juniors? Yungong is very resourceful at a young age, and Su'er was planning to manage the grassland a few years ago. Miaoyun is also a girl. Famous, wool spinning depends more on his strength."
"How about we invite them all to the palace and hear what they mean?"
Lao Zhu's eyes lit up. That kid from Lao Wu had a lot of tricks up his sleeve. Maybe there was a way to have both ends. Xu Da also nodded and said: "I will follow the queen. I am already old, and the fiefdom should have been handed over to Yungong in the future."
"Now it's okay to change your name to your in-laws." Empress Ma smiled gently, and then asked the female officials outside the palace to announce Zhu Su and Xu Yungong. Not long after, Zhu Su and the Xu family brothers arrived hand in hand, and Queen Ma repeatedly asked them to sit down. After exchanging a few words of greetings, Empress Ma told Xu Da and Lao Zhu's thoughts.
"Yungong, do you have any opinion?" Lao Zhu asked kindly.
"Return to your Majesty." Xu Yungong stood up quickly and sat down respectfully after seeing Lao Zhu indicating that there was no need to be polite. "I believe that there are still tens of millions of herdsmen on the grasslands. Moreover, the great Khan of Oara, Ye Sudie'er, is stubborn and still has ambitions. He has not sent envoys to pay tribute so far. He has shown his intention to be an enemy of our Ming Dynasty."
"In this case, why don't we follow the system of Yingzhou and send troops to capture Mongolian Tatar prisoners as our people. Our Ming Dynasty has always been benevolent and righteous, and those herdsmen and soldiers are not born to be vicious. If we can ensure that they live in peace all year round, they will definitely be willing to work for our Ming Dynasty. Herding sheep and cattle.”
"As long as we have cattle and sheep, my Ming Dynasty will have a firm foothold on the grassland. There will be plans for the future."
"Good!" Lao Zhu nodded. "Cut away the power of the tiles to replenish the vitality of the forest. This is a strategy that kills two birds with one stone. Miaoyun, what do you think?"
Xu Miaoyun glanced at Zhu Su first, then stood up and performed a blessing ceremony, and said generously: "I heard that there are thousands of households in Shanyang in the north who have been doing business with me in the Ming Dynasty. Today, I will accept the fate and join the Ming Dynasty."
"My humble servant, could you please Your Majesty to allocate these ten thousand households to my father and rely on them as a foundation? And with the pearls and jade of Shanyang Ten Thousand Households in front of me, people will know that I am a great Ming Dynasty benevolent and righteous. If you follow the Great Ming Dynasty, you can have food and clothing."
"Hahahahaha, she is a filial woman!" Lao Zhu and Queen Ma looked at each other, and both couples nodded with satisfaction. "Don't worry, we have already decided to split Shanyang Wanhu into Duoyan Guard, Taining Guard, and Fuyu Guard, and put them under your father's command. In other words, your father is famous and stationed far away from the customs, so he can suppress him. These newly attached Mongolian tribesmen."
"It's just that we haven't made this matter public yet. When you two get married, we will treat these three guards as a betrothal gift to your Xu family!"
Xu Miaoyun's face turned red, but she didn't run away, but still looked generous and slightly blessed: "My lord, thank you, Your Majesty, and the Queen for your kindness." However, the shyness on her cheeks could not be hidden at all.
Lao Zhu and Queen Ma smiled at Xu Miaoyun, feeling that this daughter-in-law was becoming more and more satisfied with her. After the couple looked at each other again, they finally turned to Zhu Su's side.
"Lao Wu, it's your turn. Your Uncle Xu feels that there is a lack of manpower on the grassland. Do you have any good ideas that can help your Uncle Xu open up the wild land of the grassland?"
(End of chapter)
