When everyone was still speechless at the fact that they were granted the title of Duke of the Four Kingdoms in World War I, the Emperor of Heaven said this.
And the people listening to this sentence include businessmen. What does this mean?
At this moment, Yang Shen suddenly understood why the emperor sent the King of Yue to bury Yang Yiqing's body and lived in the Duke's Mansion of Guizhou for so long.
The emperor's ambitions were so broad, how could this undisciplined statement be just to encourage his subjects?
Lords of vassals, lords of vassals... In the future, the Ming Dynasty will probably be like the early days of the Ming Dynasty, when the kings will actually seal off external vassals and act as a barrier.
under a new system.
Yang Shen could think of it, so Zhang Fujing and the others could naturally think of it.
There were so many extraterritorial vassal states surrounding the Ming Dynasty that they could accommodate many princes.
The emperor only has six princes now, which is probably not enough.
Therefore, it makes sense why Prince Rui was able to get the emperor's ear and face.
It makes sense that the vassals were not completely confined to the capital.
In this case, the heart of the empire really needs to be carefully planned.
So during the chat during the dinner, Zhang Fujing mentioned what they had discussed outside the Meridian Gate.
"Renovate the Forbidden City?" Zhu Houcong frowned, "In order to prevent the palaces from getting flooded again, we really need to take more precautions. It's just that this project is a bit expensive, so we don't have to rush it."
I have the impression that Jiajing was full of "fire virtue". It seems that even the three main palaces were burned down during his reign.
Yang Shen finally understood why Zhang Fujing mentioned this matter today, because many wealthy businessmen from the countryside immediately "misunderstood" Zhang Fujing's meaning and enthusiastically expressed that they should do their part.
How could giving gifts to local officials be as good as giving gifts directly to the emperor?
This kind of opportunity to help the emperor build his home higher is impossible to ask for.
Jin Gaola was even more ashamed.
He has been doing it for so many years and has raised so many people, but he just hasn't made that much money.
Fortunately, the emperor did not agree on the spot.
"Let's do this. The Ministry of Literary Affairs and the Ministry of Industry and Commerce will study it and come up with a plan and budget first. You all have your heart, and I am truly relieved. This time in Wanshou, there are indeed a lot more gifts in the internal transportation warehouse, and there are many rare treasures. It’s just flashy, and the palace won’t need so much. You can see what you want to buy back later. There’s no need to rush out the money, because in the end this project will require a lot of purchases, right?”
Zhu Houcong looked at Yang Shen with a smile again: "The number one scholar also contributed. Those who pledged to raise national debt and respond to national policies today are also from good families. Write some words and go back to frame the lintel. It will be a good story."
Yang Shen couldn't laugh or cry, but he could only reply: "I must do my best."
Immediately the guests and hosts enjoyed themselves.
For these wealthy businessmen, when they met the emperor himself, his demeanor, style, and speaking style were really very different from what they imagined.
If I say the most different... I don't mean to look down on them, but I mean to rely on them.
Isn't this enough?
In which dynasty and generation did business profits have a close connection with such national policies?
…
So far, the three major events of the Longevity Festival have been completed: military parade and awards, internal and external birthday celebrations, and top-level deployment of economic expansion.
The next few months are preparations.
The establishment of the two Great Wall Companies is connected with the upcoming changes in household registration and military structure.
The household registration reform is also connected with the land distribution in the three major border areas of Qinggan, Hetao and Xuanning.
The military affairs meeting must first pass on the spirit. This time, the governors of the five prefectures and the general soldiers of the provinces outside the border areas went to Beijing to participate in the meeting.
They are all members of the army, and they come faster than civil servants - if you can't ride a horse and can't stand the bumps, what kind of general will you be?
It was safe for them to leave the local area, at least this winter.
The generals were rushing on the road. Envoys from many small countries in Nanyang had not yet left Beijing, and the fast ships that wanted to report to Beijing urgently were already sailing in Nanyang.
Last summer, Malacca was recaptured by the Ming Dynasty Navy. When the news of the defeat reached Portugal, it was already the end of last year. At that time, there was a fierce battle in Hetao, and Zhu Houcong was on his way to Kaiping.
Portugal then studied countermeasures and set the tone that it must give it a try.
Count Enrique led several ready-made ships to go ahead, not only to hold the Governor of India and the Governor of Malacca to account, but also to shoulder the important task of recapturing Malacca. Portugal organized more warships and merchant ships to form an expeditionary fleet, and then set off.
He crossed the ocean and arrived in Goa first, relieved the former Governor of India from his duties and escorted him back to Portugal. After spending some time to rectify, he rashly went directly to negotiate.
Maybe it was the Portuguese expeditionary fleet that was approaching behind him that gave him the confidence, maybe it was Portugal's invincibility at sea over the past many years that made him overconfident, maybe the Governor of India and Juan shied away from the blame and told some news that confused him, who knows?
Many times idiots do stupid things.
But this time, Alfonso, who had evolved in the Ming Dynasty, Wang Zhi, who was already extremely shrewd, Huan, who was ambitious, and Zhao Jun, who wanted to make great achievements again, co-directed a big show.
When they returned to Goa with Enrique's "order", part of the Portuguese expeditionary fleet, which consisted mainly of merchant ships and eleven large and small warships, sailed into the Strait of Malacca and approached the city of Malacca. They had already ambushed the end of the strait near the Indian Ocean. Some of the Daming Navy and Haimao escort warships in the island fjord, as well as other warships scattered to the east, surrounded them.
In the city of Malacca, the flag of Portugal was pretending to be real.
The captured Enrique was dressed like a human being, and being so far away, with Juan personally leading him, at least the big shots from this group of Portuguese warships and merchant ships had to go ashore to meet the new Governor-General of India who had "made great achievements" .
The result is naturally a surprise.
After the marines on the shore and the surrounding Ming warships worked together to destroy two large and four small Portuguese warships and five merchant ships, the others gave full play to their life-saving spirit.
The play can continue.
A new Goa that can be recognized by both Portugal and Ming Dynasty can control the profits of sea routes between Asia and Europe, and merchant ship owners who can survive more do not need to think too much.
They just need to go back and control the other warships staying in Goa together.
This time it was easier. First, the Clippers went back to report that they had captured several Ming warships that were still patrolling the sea here, and they took some Ming flags, armor, and weapons as evidence.
Another businessman who was most determined to work with Juan and Alfonso returned to Goa with two shiploads of goods, asking the expedition warship there not to make an empty trip and to go to Malacca to load the goods back to Portugal.
John III just made a wrong judgment and sent the wrong person, which ruined Portugal's national destiny in Asia.
Alfonso hadn't given up yet. Looking at so many Portuguese generals and soldiers who had been captured, he couldn't help but said to Zhao Jun: "Portugal must be at its weakest now! As long as they can be loyal to me and return to Portugal, I will I can drive Joao away!”
Juan was frightened when he heard this, and he didn't know why Alfonso was bolder than him.
Traveling between Malacca and Goa, gunfire roared immediately after taking the people off the boat. Juan also took a strange risk - if he ran behind Alfonso's guards who came to greet him, he would be beaten from behind. Where was the bullet hit?
And now, Alfonso really wants to replace the Portuguese royal family!
Zhao Jun shook his head: "His Majesty made it very clear in his last secret decree. Uncle Nan'ao, your side pays great attention to bloodlines, and there are marriages between royal families in many countries. Portugal is not the only one with routes and interests. It can be calculated to make a profit. That's enough, I can't take risks with the navy."
He looked at these surrendered generals: "The capture of the warships and these surrendered generals depends on what your Majesty will do with them. As for the next step, it is better to wait until Yang Duhu and Yang Wuhou arrive. Calculating the time, Yang Wuhou picked them up in Guangzhou After taking care of Yang Duhu, it’s time to arrive in the next few days.”
"Why……"
Alfonso could only sigh.
Although he also knew that the emperor was telling the truth, it would be extremely satisfying for him to return to Europe in such a dazzling way.
Unfortunately, Zhao Jun refused to even go out to Goa to directly defeat the expedition fleet there. Instead, he risked being discovered and lured them into the ambush circle here in Malacca in two batches.
Alfonso knew that this Ming Dynasty Navy would be Zhao Jun's future foundation, so he would never give in lightly.
But if Zhao Jun still wants to bring all the captured warships back to the Ming Dynasty, then Spain may swallow Portugal, and the next time it comes to Goa may be the Spanish expedition fleet.
It was time to wait for the Emperor of Tomorrow to make a decision. Fortunately, two days later, the Maritime Bureau escort fleet led by Yangwu Marquis Xue Han finally arrived here with Yang Bo.
After seeing the city of Malacca, Yang Bo stood on the bow of the boat and just sighed at the wonder of his experience.
After winning the imperial examination, he first witnessed the northern invaders' invasion to the south in the sixth year of Jiajing, and fought to the death with Yu Dayou at Huangya Mountain. After passing the imperial examination, he sent Yang Yiqing to his burial with the King of Yue, and experienced the War of Outer Yunnan in the rear. Last year, he accompanied him on the Northern Expedition. , and went to Nanyang again this year.
Thanks to his youth and good health.
But now, he has a new identity, and this identity will definitely be with him for a long time.
Arriving at the pier, after meeting Zhao Jun, Alfonso and others, Yang Bo was a little surprised by the local people who came to greet them: "Admiral Zhao, are there so many Han faces in Nanyang?"
Zhao Jun smiled: "Yang Duhu didn't know something. Over the past thousands of years, countless people from the border areas of Fujian and Guangdong, as well as survivors of Zhao and Song Dynasties, have gone to Southeast Asia."
"That's true..." What Yang Bo lamented was just the proportion. "In the past, Sanfoqi was also a descendant of the Han people. Putting it this way, it would be easier for me to serve as an official here."
Weng Wanda had already set the general order here that day.
The Ming Dynasty only wanted the city of Malacca and a large area around it, and gradually built it into a fortress and a prosperous port city. In other places, there are small countries that draw national boundaries and respect the Ming Dynasty. In this Southeast Asia, the city of Malacca, which directly belongs to the Ming Dynasty, is the center.
Therefore, Yang Bo's job is simple, after all, he only manages one city.
But to say it is complicated is too complicated.
The first thing is complicated.
After listening to their introduction of the latest situation, Yang Bo looked at Alfonso strangely.
In the end, he just said: "This place is further away from Europe. The war situation is fast and slow. I won't be in a hurry for a while. On the contrary, Goa needs to go back faster. If the Portuguese leader sends an envoy to ask about the situation of the war, the secret cannot be revealed. .”
Juan was waiting for these words. He was still a prisoner, but relatively free, fighting for Ming's plot and his own ambitions.
If he returns to Goa, no one can control him, the first person under the former Viceroy of India.
"The merchant ships should all be loaded with goods and go to Goa, but they cannot set off and return immediately." Yang Bo looked at Alfonso meaningfully, "As you have said before, Portugal cannot bear the consequences of losing this trade route. Now that the warships at his disposal are here, the Portuguese monarch must bow his head even if he does not. Your Majesty wants to recapture Malacca for the benefit of maritime trade, and you cannot put the cart before the horse."
"But……"
Yang Bo looked at Xue Han again: "Your Majesty not only sent Marquis Yangwu here, but also took up a position in Nan'ao Maritime Trading Company, so he has other arrangements for Uncle Nan'ao. I am here with the order to convey this to Uncle Nan'ao. Arranged.”
Xue Han never caught up with this opportunity to make a meritorious service, and he felt regretful.
Malacca is alone overseas. At this moment, although he and Zhao Jun are the nobles and leading generals, they must be controlled by Yang Bo.
Alfonso looked at Xue Han and could only sigh in his heart.
Although he is a foreigner, he has done everything the emperor asked him to do before leaving Beijing. Can't he still prove his loyalty?
Carolina is still in the palace, and his grandson is still in the palace.
Now when he heard this, he just made a big salute first. This was the way he received the order: "Is this the way to ask for the Holy Annals?"
Yang Bo stood up and said, "Holy greetings."
Then he solemnly said: "His Majesty said: Alfonso, you are too courageous. But if what you planned can come true, why don't you go back to Portugal with the remaining military strength and just be an important minister? Many families in Europe are fighting, do you want to sit on it? Stabilizing the position is easier said than done? First, rely on the profits from sea trade to raise a private army and cultivate strength, and then have a son. Since I want João to compensate, he must send the money."
Alfonso was overjoyed. Was this allowed? And he was allowed to take back all these captured warships and generals.
"I can help you do this, but I will only help you here. If there are any captured warships and generals, I will lend them to you. When you arrive in Portugal, if Joao does not bow his head, you will steal the things back, Governor of India All the savings the government has accumulated over the years can barely make up for the loss. If he bows his head, then two large merchant ships will be exchanged for one warship. In the future, I will only recognize you for trade with Portugal. Whether you can rely on this to regain a foothold in Portugal depends on you. It’s up to you.”
After Yang Bo finished narrating, he smiled at Alfonso and said, "Uncle Nan'ao, do you understand?"
"I understand!" Alfonso seemed to be rejuvenated. "You really can't rush, you have to wait for the opportunity. Now, we can't let Portugal really be in chaos. If it is swallowed up by Spain, they will definitely come to fight for it, and Malacca will not be able to peaceful."
"Then let's go to the port to see how many warships there are that can return to Portugal. Admiral Zhao said that there are many captured, and I think not all of them will be used by Nan'ao. On His Majesty's Longevity Day, the war in the Nanyang Protectorate is still going on. I haven’t congratulated you yet. Jing Haibo still shows his victory, and it would be better to have a bigger formation, Admiral Zhao, is this the reason?"
Zhao Jun had a smile on his face: "Exactly!"
How could you come back empty-handed?
With the mentality of giving it a try, Zhu Houcong asked Alfonso to do it.
But it must not be a brutal ousting of the Portuguese royal family. In that case, it would be impossible to sit still.
On the contrary, if João III does not bow his head, sea trade with Portugal will be temporarily cut off, leaving him to struggle to support himself. Even Juan couldn't accept this.
The best outcome is that Joao III bows his head, Juan can be recognized by both parties, and Ming Dynasty has also driven a nail into Portugal.
If Alfonso wants to slowly realize his ideal, he can only rely on Daming's support behind him.
He opened the way, and Nan'ao Sea Trading Company followed, and its tentacles would slowly reach there.
The situation at sea has completely changed, and important military officials from the two provinces in the hinterland have also gathered in Beijing.
The time has come to October, and the atmosphere in Wuying Palace is very serious today.
The meeting was attended by Xia Yan, the military general staff officer, as well as the minister of state in charge of national defense affairs, as well as Gu Dingchen, the minister of the Ministry of National Defense, Zhai Luan, the minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Yang Shen, the minister of the Ministry of Finance and Taxation.
The generals of the provinces, including Yan Chunsheng, the admiral of the three battalions, the governors of the five prefectures, Guo Xun, Li Quanli, and Zhu Qi, the Nanjing garrison Wei Guogong Xu Pengju, and the admiral of Nanjing Zhenwu Camp, Song Liangchen, the Marquis of Xining, all sat down first, waiting. The emperor comes.
There was a booklet in front of them.
That was the Ming Dynasty's military reform draft that was about to be officially launched.
The waiting time was also the time for them to read through the top-secret draft that had just been handed to them.
Everyone's expressions were solemn.
In general, the Ming Dynasty wanted to determine the military structure and military system, and take the direction of elite troops without giving up the public security management of the huge territory.
From the perspective of positioning, the formal army of the Ming Dynasty will be divided into three categories: border defense army, territorial army and mobile army from the defense area.
In the border defense army, the four major military-civilian border areas of Qinggan, Hetao, Xuanning, and Jiliao, needless to say, Yunnan and Guangxi have also been transformed into border areas in terms of military affairs, and the two military-civilian border areas of Taiwan and Hainan are adjacent to Fujian and Guangdong. In terms of military affairs, the navy will be the main focus.
The territorial army is naturally the other hinterland provinces. Except for the two capitals, the provinces in the hinterland are included in the daily jurisdiction of the five prefectures.
From the direction of division, the five major military regions represented by these five prefectures are: the former military governor's office governs two island border areas, the right military governor's office governs two border areas in Yunnan and Guangxi that are not directly called border areas, and the Chinese military governor's office governs the Xuanning border area , the Zuojun Dudufu administered the Jiliao Border Region, and the Houjun Dudufu administered the Hetao and Qinggan Border Regions.
However, the Fifth Army Governor's Office cannot have the final say on matters in the border area, both in peacetime and in wartime. It depends on the emperor's decree and the military affairs meeting.
The mobile army is very simple: the three major battalions in Beijing, the Zhenwu Camp in Nanjing and the Yangtze River Navy.
In addition to these formal troops, there are the special forces directly under the emperor under the Jin Yiwei, the security forces under the General Department of Public Security system, and the escort forces of several special enterprises under the Huangming Assets Bureau.
From the perspective of the military system, this has the greatest impact. In the past, the garrison system and the recruitment system were based on military status in parallel, but from now on, it will be changed to voluntary recruitment and compulsory recruitment.
Elite troops, that is, the future border defense army, territorial army, and mobile army will all adopt the method of volunteer recruitment, including other military forces. Voluntary recruits all have contracts with a fixed number of years and long-term dedicated service.
In addition, unless there is a large-scale national war and the existing troops are no longer sufficient, compulsory recruitment will begin. Compulsory recruitment no longer distinguishes between military and civilian status, but only based on age. In the same way, military membership no longer has the shackles of having to serve in the army for generations.
In terms of military merits, armaments, pay and ranks, there have also been changes.
The most striking point is the decoupling of title and military rank. A title is a reflection of the merits of one's ancestors and one's own. From now on, military rank is the basis for truly determining which level of general one can serve as.
It can be seen that the Ming Dynasty is gradually stripping away the color of many official positions and official titles inherited from the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty.
In addition to general officers, ordinary volunteer soldiers will also have the rank of sergeant, corresponding to different military pay, pensions, rewards and retirement benefits.
All armaments are coordinated by the General Armament Department of the Military Affairs Council.
According to the new draft, the Ming Dynasty will reduce the number of standing formal troops to 600,000.
According to the so-called data on the Ming Dynasty roster, the Ming Dynasty should have more than two million generals. But on the one hand, most of them are stationed troops, and on the other hand, the data is also very watery. In actual circumstances, the real combat strength should be only close to one million, and the mobilizable mobile force would hardly exceed 300,000.
However, these forces have to be distributed across the vast Ming Dynasty, and there are very few that actually use more than 100,000 troops at a time.
Now, these 600,000 people will be organized into 60,000 naval divisions and naval divisions. The mobile military strength of the Jinyiwei system is 20,000 soldiers, the three major battalions in Beijing are 150,000, and the Nanjing Zhenwu Battalion is 20,000. The remaining 350,000 soldiers are There are also a total of 250,000 distributed in the four major border areas in the north and Yunnan, Guangxi, Guangdong, and Fujian. The remaining twelve provinces have less than 10,000 each.
The rest will be converted to citizenship, or go to the Public Security Department system, or sign a contract to become corporate bodyguards.
In the event of a large-scale national war, there is also a compulsory reserve system, and the total force size can be temporarily expanded to three times, to one hundred and eight hundred thousand.
Recruitment and conscription, troop source matters, and roster and rank management are matters for the Ministry of National Defense in the future.
Those who were the first to read it couldn't help but look at Xia Yan.
Is this really good? A total of 600,000 standing formal military strength, is it enough?
Xia Yan did not answer. After Zhu Houcong arrived at Wuying Palace and accepted the ceremony, he said: "Have you finished reading it? Soldiers are more expensive than more. An ordinary soldier will be paid three to five taels of silver a year, plus military provisions. Barracks training, Ming Dynasty’s annual military expenditure is not a small amount.”
After the changes are completed, almost all the salary for recruiting soldiers can be saved. When he was in the army, food, clothing and housing were all the responsibility of the military.
Yang Shen was indeed under a lot of pressure.
Does the Ming Dynasty now have the financial conditions to fully implement the recruitment of standing troops? That depends on the actual situation of tax collection this year after the great victory in the Northern Expedition last year and the emperor's prestige reaching a new height.
But the emperor has made up his mind and will definitely change in this direction now.
Many people still have many questions. At this meeting to "clarify the spiritual purpose", Zhu Houcong answered all questions.
As Yang Shen listened, it was the huge flow of money from the companies in the system that supplied the armies with daily rations, uniforms, and weapons. It only flows within the systems of the Huangming Assets Bureau, the General Armament Department, the Ming Bank, and the National Treasury. In fact, many military expenditures are still supplied in kind.
The contract for recruiting soldiers is on file with the Ministry of National Defense. It is signed with the Ming Dynasty, not with the private soldiers of generals at all levels.
What generals hope for is the multiple incomes and benefits brought by military ranks, titles, and military positions. Don't think about becoming a "local king" by drinking the blood of soldiers, serving in the army, and invading military villages as in the past.
Zhu Houcong returned with the prestige of a great victory and a group of newly awarded ministers and brave generals. He resolutely pointed at this stubborn problem that the Ming Dynasty monarchs and ministers had been worried about for many years. In these years, he carried out small-scale trials and reforms of border towns and military camps and the establishment of local security departments. After the changes.
Accordingly, after this change, the pacesetter camps of the governors of the hinterland provinces will no longer be under the control of the governors. To grasp the direction well is to grasp the direction well - the excessive power of local officials that some people worried about before will be withdrawn here.
Those who are literary should return to literature, and those who are martial should return to martial arts.
But civil and military affairs, including money, all belong to the emperor.
Under Yang Shen's eyes with complicated emotions, Zhu Houcong calmly ordered: "Have a few more meetings in the capital to fully understand and think clearly. Continue to sit in the army, or go to the Great Wall Company or the Public Security Department to calm down. The military reform is not because the world is at peace, but for the future. There will still be opportunities to make meritorious deeds. Let the Ming Dynasty King's Army be reborn first! Whether it is to defend the land and go on an expedition, or to provide disaster relief, the merit in my eyes is not just on the battlefield!"
(End of chapter)
