Daming: I, Yang Xian, really govern Yang!

Imperial Palace, Hall of Supreme Harmony.

After Zhu Biao attended Song Lian's funeral, he returned to the palace to prepare for today's proceedings, only to find that Zhu Yuanzhang, who was supposed to be criticizing the papers in the past, had his eyes closed and "slept" while lying on the chair. His face looked extremely tired.

Zhu Biao glanced at it, raised his hand to signal the chamberlain on the side not to disturb him, and then he also stepped lightly, preparing to exit quietly.

Unexpectedly, Zhu Yuanzhang's voice suddenly sounded.

"came back."

Zhu Biao stopped, looked back at Zhu Yuanzhang, who had woken up at some point, bowed and said, "Yes."

"How is it?" Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a long time and then asked.

"Master Song has been buried safely." Zhu Biao replied.

Zhu Yuanzhang said: "That's good, that's good."

He and the Fourth Master of East Zhejiang both had a good start, but unfortunately neither had a good ending.

Thinking of the last scene between himself and Song Lian, in which he was kicked away, and then thinking of the past, Zhu Yuanzhang felt somewhat uncomfortable.

It can be said that Song Lian has been firmly implementing his Confucian principles throughout his life.

Therefore, if Zhu Yuanzhang was asked to name a minister who would never betray him, Song Lian would definitely be on the list.

The emperor and his ministers had been getting along for decades, and what Song Lian said to Zhu Yuanzhang was simple and unrevealing. Even if it was a family matter, whenever Zhu Yuanzhang asked questions, he would answer them one by one without even a trace of falsehood.

One time when Song Lian was drinking with a guest, Zhu Yuanzhang secretly sent someone to investigate. The next day, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Song Lian if he drank yesterday. Who is the visitor? What is the meal? Song Lian answered truthfully. Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "That's true. You didn't deceive me."

Song Lian's reply to Zhu Yuanzhang was that the king is like his father and the sky, and a minister must not hide anything from the king.

This is also the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang was willing to hand Zhu Biao over to Song Lian at that time, because Zhu Biao was the future emperor.

In Zhu Yuanzhang's heart, Song Lian was worthy of being the emperor's master.

It's a pity that the two of them walked and finally parted ways.

This is a choice of path, right for things, not for people.

If it were not for the fact that today is a key node in industrial reform, Zhu Yuanzhang must set an example.

If Song Lian had not committed suicide in this way of resisting the reform, although Wen Zheng would not be obtained after his death, there is still hope that he could get the posthumous title of "Wen Xian".

Those who can receive this posthumous title in history are not mediocre people.

Now of course, there is no need to think about it. Zhu Yuanzhang was already merciful by not holding the Song family accountable.

"How is his family?" Zhu Yuanzhang said.

Zhu Biao replied: "Song Shen told me that the day before Master Song died, he went to see him specifically. The original words he warned him were, 'Three generations of our Song family have been officials in the same dynasty. Your Majesty's kindness to our Song family Just like heaven and earth, how can you repay it? Only by being honest, loyal and diligent can you contribute even one ten thousandth. If you are an official in the inner court, you must remember it."

Zhu Yuanzhang pondered for a moment. To him, this sounded like what Song Lian had said.

"Song Lian's grandson Song Shen, if we remember correctly, is he currently working in the Imperial Ceremony Department?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked.

"Yes, my current position is the preface class." Zhu Biao replied.

"I know that Song Lian's two sons are not very talented. It would be great if they can do well in their current position. Boss, look at this, if this Yang Shen is really talented, he will be placed in the Department of Ceremonies of the Palace. It's a bit unfair." Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment and then said.

After listening to Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Zhu Biao's eyes showed joy, and he bowed and replied: "I understand."

"Father, there is a memorial from the Fourth Brother." Zhu Biao took out a memorial from his arms and handed it to Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang opened it and took a look. A smile finally appeared on his face and he said: "This kid has always had a big nose since he was a child. He can't hide anything delicious from him. Now that our Daming Shenlong has just opened to traffic, he wants to build one too." A direct train from Jinling to Peking.”

Zhu Biao also laughed and said: "The fourth child is asking us for money."

This is not just as simple as building a train. The most important thing is to lay a good railway, and the investment costs are astronomical.

Although the ultimate goal of the imperial court is to lay railways throughout the Ming Dynasty, where to build them first and where to build them later, there is a lot of knowledge involved.

I believe that it will not be long before, after witnessing the economic development of the western region, governors from all over the country will rush to report to the court and strive for the railway to be settled in their homes as soon as possible. Even Zhu Hong in Goryeo is no exception. After all, the Yalu River is only so wide.

I am afraid that only Zhu Xi, who is far away from abroad, is not interested in this. At this time, he is still addicted to his custom career.

No one would have thought that he, who originally loved infrastructure, would start to fall in love with the custom industry in just a few years.

And it's cool, this guy really treats the custom industry as a great cause.

Now, not only in his own fiefdom, the custom shops under his jurisdiction have even opened all over Japan.

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and scolded: "It's okay to build the railway, but boss, tell him to show some sincerity. The court doesn't have so much money now."

"Yes, Father."

Mobei, Suiyuan.

Prince Meng's Mansion.

In the study, besides Zhu Di, the owner of the palace, there was another person, a monk.

A man dressed in black, with a rich face and an amiable smile, but the sharpness inadvertently revealed in those triangular eyes made people shudder.

The whole person gives people a wonderful feeling.

Just like where he was sitting right now, a ray of sunlight came in from the window and hit half of his body.

Half of the body is in the light, and half of the body is hidden in the darkness.

The Buddha and the demonic aspects are intertwined.

This is why at first glance, this monk makes people feel conflicted.

Being able to be summoned by Zhu Di alone shows Zhu Di's trust in this monk. Zhu Di received a reply from his elder brother. After reading the above content, he raised his head and looked at a monk in front of him and said: "Master Daoyan, His Highness the Crown Prince meant that the train was given free of charge by the court, but the money for building the railway , we need half of the finance from our fiefdom.”

The black-robed monk in front of him, who always remained lazy and weak, as if he was in a state of illness, was one of the most famous monks in Chinese history.

It is so strange that there is not even another monk like him in history, the black-clad prime minister Yao Guangxiao.

"History of the Ming Dynasty·Biography of Yao Guangxiao" records: When he visited Songshan Temple, the minister Yuan Gong saw him and said: "What a strange monk he is! His eyes are triangular, shaped like a sick tiger, and his nature must be murderous, Liu Bingzhong is also."

Yao Guangxiao was originally a disciple of Buddhism. Yuan Gong described him as a monster monk. Instead of being angry, he laughed and accepted it.

In the original time and space, he assisted Zhu Di in launching the Jingnan Campaign, and was praised by Zhu Di as "the number one hero of the Jingnan Campaign". He received infinite glory, was granted the title of Duke of the country, and was worthy of enjoying the Ancestral Temple.

The success of the Jingnan Campaign was first due to the incompetence of Emperor Jianwen and his ministers, then Zhu Di's luck, and thirdly Yao Guangxiao's plan.

Even the headstrong Zhu Di believed that the number one contributor to his victory in the world was Yao Guangxiao. This shows how big a role Yao Guangxiao played in the battle of Jingnan.

Zhu Di also trusted Yao Guangxiao very much and gave him his most valued eldest grandson, Zhu Zhanji, who would later become Emperor Xuanzong of the Ming Dynasty. But Yao Guangxiao refused all the treatment and wanted none of it. After becoming famous, this openly rebellious monk with "blood on his hands" finally became a Buddha.

And this also created his legend.

Even though the history of the Ming Dynasty has changed now, due to fate, this pair of monarchs and ministers from the original time and space finally came together.

This started a few years ago.

After Zhu Di became a vassal, he always followed Yang Xian's policy of governing Mongolia, and the governance results were indeed remarkable.

One day, a black-robed monk suddenly visited the Mongolian palace and said that he had a strategy to control Mongolia.

This black-robed monk is Yao Guangxiao.

After Yao Guangxiao met Zhu Di, he first praised Yang Xian's policies, and at the same time pointed out the real purpose of these policies.

Zhu Di originally just wanted to meet him casually, but after hearing this, he stopped his contempt.

At this time, Yao Guangxiao finally put forward his own policy.

Yao Guangxiao said: "The poor monk thought that the prince could ask the major temples in the Ming Dynasty to send monks to build temples in gathering places across the grasslands."

Buddhism was originally the state religion of the Northern Yuan Dynasty, and many grassland people believed in Buddhism.

In Yao Guangxiao's view, these monks could become the court's right-hand assistants in ruling the Mongolian people.

"Master, is this really okay? Don't you monks all pay attention to the four elements? Can you really do things for the court?" Zhu Di still felt that Yao Guangxiao's proposal was a bit absurd.

But Yao Guangxiao nodded extremely firmly and said: "Even if all four are empty, he is at least a monk of our Ming Dynasty. With Yang Guogong's strategy as the mainstay, Buddhist teaching as a supplement, and a combination of soft and hard tactics, we will be able to quickly assimilate Beiyuan."

Zhu Di just wanted to give it a try at first, but he didn't expect that the final effect was extremely good.

Some places even spontaneously formed towns due to the establishment of temples, and the pattern of "building towns with temples" emerged, which accelerated the urbanization of the Mobei grassland to a certain extent.

Moreover, although Yao Guangxiao was a monk, he solemnly confessed to Zhu Di that monks in this land can only play a role in educating people's hearts and dispelling the hostility of the grassland people. Once any temple monks cross the line, they will be killed without mercy.

There is also the fact that secular royal power must always be placed above religion. All monks on the grassland must obtain identity certification issued by the royal palace before they can walk on the grassland.

It is precisely because Yao Guangxiao is a monk that he can see the harm of religion. If a regime is dominated by religion in the end, then the regime is not far from destruction. Even if it survives, it will be just a soulless puppet.

Since this incident, Zhu Di began to trust Yao Guangxiao more and more, and now he can be said to be the first staff member of the palace.

Time returns to the present.

After listening to Zhu Di's words, Yao Guangxiao shook his head with a smile and said: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and His Majesty the Emperor have made good calculations. The cost of a train and the cost of a subway laid from the capital to the Mobei grassland are like worms and big trees. What’s more, most of this railway is still in the Central Plains.”

"Master, do you want me to reject this matter?" Zhu Di said.

Yao Guangxiao shook his head again and said: "No, the sooner the railway is opened, the better it will be for the prince and for us Mongolia. At present, the railway in the western part of the Ming Dynasty has just been opened, and the people of the world have not really seen its power. It will not be long before , I am afraid that officials from all over the Ming Dynasty will be rushing to build railways. When that time comes, the competition will become more intense and the price to pay will be greater. "

Yao Guangxiao pondered for a moment and then said: "The prince can reply to His Highness the Crown Prince and say that our Mongolian fiefdom is willing to fully fund the construction cost of the railway."

"Full amount?" Zhu Di suspected that he heard wrongly, so he repeated it again.

You must know that even half of the money is not a small amount. Although there is no specific calculation, Zhu Di can be sure that this number is enough to affect the financial operation of the entire small court in the fiefdom.

Not to mention full investment, whether the palace's internal treasury can come up with so much money is still a question.

The land of Mongolia is inherently weak.

All the gold and silver treasures originally accumulated by Bei Yuan were brought back to the capital after Yang Xian defeated the Bei Yuan Royal Court in one fell swoop.

It can be said that what was initially handed over to Zhu Di was a piece of impoverished fiefdom.

It was under Yang Xian's suggestion that Mongolia started to engage in farm animal husbandry, which gave Mongolia a stable financial income.

It's just that this money is basically only enough for daily expenses. You must know that Mongolia still has the task of developing urbanization in these years.

Later, Mongolia became rich thanks to the food processing factory that cooperated with Yang Xian and the various canned meats sold to various places in the south of the Yangtze River.

Now, with great difficulty, the palace has some savings, but it seems that they will all be spent again.

Yao Guangxiao smiled and nodded, and said: "Your Majesty heard it right, it is fully funded. There is only one condition. Since this railway was fully funded by us, the right to operate and use it should be given to us. In the future, the states along the way If the government wants to use it, it must pay us the fee. If the money is not enough, we can borrow money directly from Daming Bank.”

After hearing Yao Guangxiao's words, Zhu Di's eyes lit up.

In this way, although it is a loss now, in the long run it will be a huge profit.

It is equivalent to spending all your wealth to buy a hen that can lay golden eggs.

Although Yao Guangxiao said this, he knew in his heart that the court would definitely not agree to this proposal.

Sure enough, after Zhu Di sent the plan to the imperial court, he quickly received a reply: Mongolia would provide half of the funds and the imperial court would provide half of the funds. The right to use this railway built is still in the hands of the imperial court, but the income generated in the future will be divided 50-50 between the fiefdom of Inner Mongolia and the imperial court. If there are no problems, the contract can be signed directly.

Those who seek the top will get it, those who seek it will get the bottom, and those who seek the bottom will get nothing. (End of chapter)