The wind rises at the end of the Ming Dynasty

The first year of the Weiyao era. (1644)

March 1st.

Nanjing City.

Just past the hour of Yin (3-5 AM), Nanjing was still shrouded in a thin, bluish-gray mist before dawn, but the streets leading to the imperial city were already adorned with flowing lights.

Civil and military officials, dressed in brand-new court robes and holding ivory tablets, passed through layers of palace gates and gathered towards the Fengtian Hall under the guidance of the palace guards.

This former palace, once the capital of the Ming Dynasty, has now become the power center of the Great Chen Empire.

On both sides of the imperial road paved with white marble, stood golden-armored warriors holding spears.

The red tassels on their helmet plumes swayed slightly in the morning breeze, like dancing flames.

On the steps of the imperial palace, the throne, entwined with nine dragons, shimmered with a dark golden luster under the candlelight.

At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), the Great Bell tolled, and drums and music played in unison.

Three cracks of the whip silenced the entire court.

"The Emperor is coming to court—"

Amidst the greetings and salutations of the officials from the Court of State Ceremonial.

Chen Wang, wearing a winged crown and a bright yellow dragon robe with twelve symbols, ascended the dragon throne located on the nine-tiered platform.

Accompanied by the chanting of praises by officials of the Court of State Ceremonial.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, civil and military officials bowed their heads in unison, their shouts so loud that even the dust between the beams and pillars of the hall trembled slightly.

Chen Wang sat upright on the dragon throne and slowly raised his hand.

"Everyone is safe."

Chen Wang's voice was loud and clear, yet possessed a penetrating quality that was both unsettling and easily heard throughout the spacious hall.

As the officials rose, the rustling of their court robes was like silkworms eating leaves.

Military officials were on the left and civil officials on the right, a departure from the previous dynasty's rules.

In the mid-to-late Ming Dynasty, due to the problems left over from the Tumu Crisis, the status of civil officials was greatly enhanced, laying the foundation for civil officials to control the military.

Therefore, civil officials held a higher status than military officials in terms of etiquette.

For example, even a first-rank military official like Qi Jiguang had to dismount and bow when facing civil officials of lower rank.

Back when Cao Wenzhao was already a second-rank military official, he could only treat a county magistrate, who was not even a seventh-rank civil official, with utmost respect.

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, military officials were no different from servants in the eyes of civil officials.

but now.

Everything has changed dramatically.

Chen Wang leaned back on the dragon throne, looking down at the group of military officials in the Fengtian Hall.

Standing at the head of the military officials on the left is Hu Zhiyi, who was promoted to Marquis of Wuwei for his role in the recapture of Sichuan and Shaanxi.

Currently, there are only two marquises in the Great Chen Dynasty.

Hu Zhiyi, dressed in a crimson python robe and wearing a black gauze hat, was positioned at the head of the military officials.

Then, in order, came Zuo Liangyu, Jiang Xiang, Zuo Guangxian, You Shiwei, Li Dingguo, Liu Wenxiu, Ai Nengqi, Liu Guangzuo, and a host of other earls.

In addition, a number of battalion commanders, including Liu Guoneng, Luo Rucai, Hao Xiaozhong, Xu Yong, Wang Guang'en, Wang Yuncheng, Xu Kebian, and Li Guoying, were also included.

Almost all of the former officials of the Ming court were removed from the court.

And this is not all that Wu Chen is about.

Hu Zhili, Cao Bianjiao, Zhou Yulin, Gao Jie, and Zu Zefu, the five earls, are still in the Northern Kingdom.

Cao Dingjiao, on the other hand, led the navy south to consolidate the maritime borders.

Compared to the imposing and dignified ranks of military officials.

The civil officials in the procession appeared much less imposing.

This also reflects the current situation in Da Chen, where military affairs are valued more than civil affairs.

After Emperor Longwu issued his abdication edict, Ma Shiying and other former officials of the Ming court submitted a petition to resign from all their posts.

Currently, of the six ministries, apart from the Ministry of War, the Ministry of Personnel, the Ministry of Revenue, and the Ministry of Works, the other two ministries were temporarily filled in to act as ministers.

Chen Wang's gaze shifted slightly, looking at the ranks of civil officials.

At the top of the list is naturally the Minister of Personnel, who is the head of the Six Ministries.

Noticing Chen Wang's gaze, Tang Shiping slowly bowed and lowered his head.

Chen Wang nodded slightly, his gaze lingering on Tang Shiping for a moment.

Tang Shiping had always been his absolute confidant, in charge of logistics and military affairs, and in charge of important departments such as the Military Affairs Department.

He may not yet be qualified to serve as Minister of Personnel, but at present, he is undoubtedly the best candidate.

Behind Tang Shiping were Dai Zhenglin, the Minister of War, and Wang Yuankang, the Minister of Revenue.

As the former Chief of the General Staff, Dai Zhenglin was qualified to serve as Minister of War in terms of military strategy.

Wang Yuankang, who had always been in charge of civil affairs and taxation and oversaw all departments, had in fact always been performing the duties of Minister of Revenue.

As for the Minister of Works, he will be appointed by Bo Jue, who is currently the Dean of the Hubei-Guangdong University of Technology.

Bo Jue is not only proficient in technology, but also has excellent management skills as he has been in charge of artillery factories in various places.

The Ministry of Works was originally a bunch of incompetents; how could they possibly manage the ministry's affairs well?
The current ministers of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Justice are both officials transferred from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

In fact, such a promotion is not in accordance with regulations.

But now, no one has raised the slightest objection.

because.

Chen Wang today.

He was the real emperor.

An emperor whose word was law.

Holding the royal title in hand, speaking of imperial authority.

Once the golden words are spoken, the fate of the world is decided.

nobody.

They dared to defy Chen Wang's will.

Like.

In the past, at the beginning of the Ming Dynasty.

No one dared to disobey Zhu Yuanzhang's edict.

All dissenting voices in the imperial court have been silenced.

After the regular worship ceremony, the presentation of memorials began.

As is customary, the censors would be the first to step forward and report on local conditions, official conduct, and other matters.

During the Ming Dynasty, court assemblies were generally governed by a set of rules. In the later period, the memorials submitted were usually about matters that had been largely decided.

However, there will still be some debates and unresolved political matters in the imperial court.

However, this morning assembly was not a routine meeting that could be easily concluded.

After all the reports submitted by the censors and officials were adjudicated, Dai Zhenglin, as the Minister of War, lightly flicked his sleeves and stepped forward in formation.

"Your Majesty, I, Dai Zhenglin, Minister of War, hereby report this."

"Penghu Earl Cao Dingjiao respectfully obeyed the imperial edict, leading the joint fleet southward to advance into the South Seas, intimidating the villains, and on the seventeenth day of the first month, subdued more than 1,300 troops of the Netherlands, thus recovering Taiwan."

Dai Zhenglin's voice was calm and gentle, echoing throughout the spacious hall.

"On the first day of the second month, the Penghu Earl's troops advanced into Luzon and clashed with the enemy country of Spain. They defeated the Spanish navy in Manila, sinking three enemy gunboats and capturing five."

"On the fifth day of the second month, they landed in Manila and besieged the city for three days. The Spanish commander of Manila led his 1,100 men to submit a letter of surrender and surrender the city."

"Luzon has been recovered, but the descendants of the King of Luzon have been completely wiped out by the Spanish, making it difficult to rebuild the country." Dai Zhenglin bowed deeply and respectfully requested.

"Regarding the former territory of Luzon, there are many different opinions on how to deal with it. We humbly request Your Majesty's wise decision."

Chen Wang's gaze was calm; he received the fastest battle reports from the war in Southeast Asia.

He had already heard about everything Dai Zhenglin was talking about, so he had no doubts whatsoever.

"Since ancient times, the countries of Southeast Asia have all been vassal states and former territories of China."

“The vassal states of Southeast Asia have always been respectful and paid tribute throughout the four seasons, yet they have been harmed by the Western barbarians.”

"However, the situation is constantly changing, chaos is breaking out in the land, and the northern barbarians are causing trouble, so that I am preoccupied with other matters and have no time to look south."

Chen Wang looked down, his tone chilling.

“While China was in turmoil, the Western barbarians seized control of Southeast Asia, attacked the various vassal states there, killed their royal families, and enslaved their people to enrich their own countries and support their own people, treating the dignity of our nation as nothing.”

Chen Wang's gaze slowly swept over the group of civil and military officials.

"Now that the land of China is at peace, we should once again proclaim the prestige of our nation to the four seas and spread the virtue and might of our Celestial Dynasty to the eight directions."

"Since Luzon has been destroyed and has no royal descendants, it is difficult to rebuild. Moreover, its location in the South Seas is of great importance, so it is hereby incorporated into the territory of our Great Chen."

"Gentlemen, do you have any objections?"

Chen Wang's tone was calm, with a questioning tone.

However, Chen Wang's tone was questioning.

However, everyone knew that Chen Wang had not consulted anyone.

His mind was made up, his will was set.

Inside the Fengtian Hall, all the civil and military officials bowed their heads.

"Your Majesty is holy."

"That's it."

Chen Wang raised his hand and said solemnly.

"The Cabinet drafted an edict, which was promulgated throughout the land, to establish a province in Luzon, with three offices, making it the fifteenth province of our Great Chen."

Liaodong is now established as a province, serving as the fourteenth province of the Great Chen Empire. If another province is established, it will become the fifteenth province.

Taiwan, however, is not a separate province; instead, it is under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province.

This was an agreement that had been reached long ago.

"Your Majesty is holy."

With the issuance of Chen Wang's imperial edict, the civil and military officials cheered once again.

"Many of the vassal states in Southeast Asia have already fallen into the hands of Western barbarians. The situation in Southeast Asia is complex, so Penghu Earl Cao Dingjiao is to proceed cautiously and plan slowly."

During this period, the influence of Western colonial powers in the Far East was not very strong.

Throughout the entire East, including the Indian Ocean, no fleet or army could withstand the forces led by Cao Dingjiao.

But the biggest problem is how to maintain long-term rule.

"The Southeast Islands are a shield for our country in the South Seas. They are easy to recover, but difficult to govern."

"The Ministry of War plans military affairs and expands the territory; the Ministry of Personnel assists in this work, dispatching officials south to maintain stability and preside over government affairs; the Ministry of Revenue assists in recruiting people and relocating them across the sea to enrich the local areas."

"The Ministry of Rites recruited students to go to Southeast Asia to establish schools and educate the local people. The Department of Instruction took the lead, and the other departments assisted in the work."

To maintain long-term rule, cultural assimilation is more important than military domination.

Chen Wang understood this principle very well; he had already planned to incorporate the entire Southeast Islands into the country's territory.

He did not want to engage in colonial rule like the Western countries, nor did he want to maintain the previous tributary system.

Today, China has a population of over 100 million.

In ancient times, when productivity was low and high-yield crops were not yet widespread, the existing land was already nearing its limit in supporting such a large population.

This can already be glimpsed from the predicament of the late Ming Dynasty.

With such a large population, there is no need to keep them all in their original locations.

Relocating them would not only quell internal strife but also consolidate the newly acquired territory, achieving two goals at once.

The only obstacle is the strong attachment people have to their homeland, making it difficult for them to leave.

However, this is not a big problem. Faced with the will of the state, individual will can only shift accordingly.

Of course, Chen Wang didn't want to use overly harsh methods, nor was it really necessary.

Prolonged wars and natural and man-made disasters have led to a large influx of refugees in various places, with the number of refugees in Yunyang reaching as high as one million.

The refugees have already left their hometowns, and the sense of belonging to their homeland has faded considerably. All it takes is to offer them substantial rewards and explain their situation; some of them can be recruited.

Then, we can have the Ministry of Rites promote it, and newspapers can publish some cases of people who have become rich by migrating to Southeast Asia. Surely, there will be quite a few people willing to move there.

It's important to understand that even in a closed-off court like the Qing Dynasty, there were large-scale, spontaneous population migration movements like "Going to the Northeast" (闯关东).

The population of Southeast Asia is not very large today.

By simply filling in a few gaps, the people of the Great Chen Empire could become the main population in the area, completely transforming the Southeast Islands into Chinese territory.

As a person from a later generation, Chen Wang was naturally well aware of the importance of the Strait of Malacca.

And the Strait of Malacca is the same today.

Every year, thousands of merchant ships from the West pass through the Strait of Malacca, laden with all sorts of goods, and are required to pay commercial taxes to the Dutch East India Company, which controls the Strait of Malacca.

At the same time, the Dutch East India Company also monopolized important goods such as spices, which it then sold at high prices in European and Asian markets.

The annual revenue is roughly estimated to be close to one million silver dollars.

Such enormous profits should naturally be returned to the central government.

"Now that we are opening up Southeast Asia and restoring order, the old policy of maritime prohibition is no longer suitable."

"My mind is made up. I wish to reopen maritime trade, designating Guangzhou, Xin'an, Xiangshan, Qiongzhou, Tianjin, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Xiamen and other places as maritime trade centers, reopening the Maritime Trade Office, and allowing them to trade with other countries by sea."

"The Ministry of Revenue established a Customs Department to be in charge of all matters related to overseas trade taxation."

"The specific regulations will be submitted to the relevant ministries for discussion, and the details of the rules will be drafted by the Cabinet."

Chen Wang no longer beat around the bush, and the power he now wielded no longer required him to make any compromises.

Official trade is always official trade, even though the government can mobilize a lot of financial and material resources to solve problems in a short period of time.

However, official activities always have certain limitations.

Only by getting more people involved in the maritime trade industry can more money flow into China, and only then can the maritime trade province truly flourish.

Only then can the people of China turn their attention to the ocean, which is far more expansive than the land.

Only then could China fully take advantage of the Age of Exploration and move towards a broader future.

Chen Wang slowly stood up and looked at the assembled civil and military officials.

"The ocean is our future."

"Of all the land in the world, the land accounts for only three-thirds, while the ocean accounts for seven-tenths."

"We have been trapped by the northern barbarians and internal strife for far too long, so long that barbarian ships roam the seas, so long that the colonies of various barbarians are within reach, so long that all the vassal states have fallen into the hands of enemy countries."

"but."

"all of these."

"It will all end today!"

"Preach my will."

"The people of the world, sailing on the four seas, need not worry about the threats of pirates and foreign invaders."

"because……"

"The Empire's fleet will sweep away all obstacles in their path!" (End of Chapter)