Daming: I can’t kill such a greedy prince-in-law?

As he spoke, he took out an account book from his sleeve: "This is a list of the seized items calculated by the Military Equipment Bureau and the Ministry of War. The good horses alone are worth 800,000 taels. If the Yan vassal state is unwilling to pay even this little military expenditure, won't the other border towns be disheartened?"

"Secondly," Ouyang Lun glanced at the officials who objected, "the army of the Yan vassal has been expanded to 70,000 in recent years, far exceeding the ceremonial system for princes. If the court even pays for the military expenses, isn't it a disguised way of subsidizing the princes to raise troops? The seven kingdoms of the Han Dynasty and the eight kings of the Jin Dynasty are all lessons from the past."

This sentence made Zhu Yuanzhang's fingers suddenly stop tapping.

A gleam of light flashed in the old emperor's turbid eyes.

"Third," Ouyang Lun turned to Zhu Biao and said sincerely, "I have no personal grudge against the King of Yan, and we even have a very good personal relationship. But because the King of Yan is your Majesty's closest relative, you should set an example. If your Majesty makes this exception, and the King of Chu and the King of Shu follow suit in the future, how will the court finances be supported?"

Finally, he bowed and said, "I suggest that the Yan vassal state bear 30% of the military expenses, which can be offset by spoils of war. This will not only preserve the friendship of the royal family, but also maintain the dignity of the court."

The court was in complete silence. The officials who had opposed were speechless - Ouyang Lun quoted classics in every sentence, and every word hit the nail on the head.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly chuckled: "The prince consort has made a clear calculation." He turned to Zhu Biao, "Biao'er, what do you think?"

Zhu Biao pondered for a moment and nodded slowly: "Brother-in-law Ouyang, what you said is indeed reasonable. Decree: Yan vassal must hand over the horses and weapons seized in this battle, worth 1.2 million taels of silver, and allocate another 300,000 taels of silver in cash to make up the difference in military expenses."

He added: "This is a special case, it will not happen again. The King of Yan has made great contributions to the country, so I will give him an additional 1,000 taels of gold as a token of consolation."

You can hear a pin drop in the Taiji Hall.

The officials from the six ministries and nine government departments looked at each other with their eyes and noses, but no one stepped forward to refute.

Minister of War Tang Duo had already taken half a step forward, but at this moment he quietly retracted his black gauze boots.

He glanced at the Minister of Revenue Guo Zi beside him, only to see that his colleague was staring at the patterns on the tablet, as if he had suddenly developed a great interest in the wood grain.

Several military generals who had close ties with Prince Yan's Palace exchanged glances with each other.

They wanted to say that Prince Yan had made great contributions in guarding the border, but Ouyang Lun's words "in disguised form of funding for the princes to raise troops" were like a knife, blocking their mouths - whoever responded to this statement had ulterior motives.

At the end of the line of civil servants, the young Xie Jin suddenly started coughing violently.

He hurriedly covered his mouth and nose with his sleeves, attracting the sidelong glances of several imperial censors around him.

This talented scholar had just prepared an impassioned speech, but now he wished he could crush the memorial in his sleeve into powder.

The eight words "Seven Kingdoms of Han and Eight Kings of Jin" quoted by Ouyang Lun were like eight mountains pressing on the hearts of all those who wanted to speak for the princes.

The right censor-in-chief Yuan Tai's beard trembled slightly.

This old minister, who was known for his courage to remonstrate, was thinking of the secret letter he received last month. The gift list sent by the chief secretary of the Prince of Yan's Mansion was still lying in the secret compartment of his study. He stole a glance at the throne, and Zhu Yuanzhang's skinny fingers were gently stroking the armrest of the dragon chair, like a butcher testing the blade on a whetstone.

Suddenly, there was a "click" sound from the corner of the hall.

Everyone turned around in horror and saw that it was the official's ivory tablet that had fallen to the ground. The official's face turned pale and he did not dare to bend down to pick it up. The sunlight shone through the carved window lattice, casting mottled shadows on the ground, like a mouth that wanted to speak but stopped.

Zhu Yuanzhang suddenly laughed. The old emperor's laughter was like a blunt knife scraping across bamboo joints, startling several Hanlin scholars. "It seems that all the ministers think that the prince consort is right?" He glanced at the ministers, "Then let's do this."

In the Taiji Hall, Ouyang Lun's voice had just fallen, and the ministers in the hall were still immersed in the discussion about the sharing of military expenses.

Suddenly, Ouyang Lun took another step forward, clasped his hands and said loudly: "Your Majesty, I haven't finished speaking yet!"

This sound was like a bolt of thunder out of the blue, causing the court, which had originally calmed down, to become agitated again.

Several ministers standing in the front row of the civil service team looked up at the same time, with surprise flashing in their eyes.

Even the eunuchs standing at the foot of the imperial steps couldn't help but exchange glances - is this prince consort going to poke a hole in the sky today?
Zhu Yuanzhang's half-closed eyelids suddenly lifted up, and a gleam of light flashed in his turbid eyes.

The old emperor's wrinkled fingers rested on the armrests of the dragon throne, his knuckles slightly white.

He slowly sat up straight, his voice hoarse but with unquestionable majesty: "Oh? Prince Consort, do you have anything else to say?" He paused, and the corners of his mouth pulled out a smile, "Even if you haven't finished, then go ahead and say it. Let's see what else you can say."

Zhu Biao, who was standing next to the throne, leaned forward involuntarily.

The usually steady young emperor now had a gleam of curiosity in his eyes, and the jade sceptre in his hand unconsciously turned in another direction.

He noticed that Ouyang Lun's demeanor today was different from usual - this usually lazy prince consort now stood up straight and looked quite serious, which was quite rare!

"What I want to say is the 'national grand strategy' that concerns the Ming Dynasty's century-old foundation!" Ouyang Lun spoke word by word, his voice echoing in the empty hall.

As soon as the five words "national grand strategy" came out, there was a sound of gasps in the court.

Lan Yu, who was standing in the line of generals, suddenly widened his eyes, and his thick fingers unconsciously stroked the sword at his waist.

In the queue of civil officials, the ivory tablet in Xie Jin's hand fell to the ground with a "pop". The sound was particularly harsh in the silent hall, but he seemed not to notice it and just stared at Ouyang Lun's back.

Zhu Yuanzhang's breathing became noticeably faster.

Zhu Yuanzhang's palm, covered with age spots, slammed heavily on the armrest of the dragon throne, making a dull sound.

His cloudy eyes were frighteningly bright at this moment, like an ancient well suddenly illuminated by a torch in the dark night.

Although the specific content of this "national grand strategy" was not yet clear, his intuition from a lifetime of fighting told him that it must be related to the northern grasslands - the major concern that had troubled successive dynasties in the Central Plains.

Zhu Biao was so excited that he took half a step forward. The beads on his crown shook violently, reflecting tiny rays of light in the sun. As the current emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he understood too well the importance of formulating long-term national policies.

Since ascending the throne, he has been thinking about a question: What will happen after the Ming Dynasty conquers the grasslands? Will it be like the previous dynasty, fighting back and coming back again and again?
Ouyang Lun looked around, taking in everyone's reactions.

He took a deep breath, and his voice became more steady: "The so-called national grand strategy is to formulate a long-term strategy for the Ming Dynasty that will last for decades. Now, wherever the Ming army points to, the Northern Yuan Dynasty is defeated. But I want to ask - what will happen after we take over the grassland?"

This question is like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.

Minister of War Tang Duo unconsciously clenched the memorial in his hand until his knuckles turned white.

He suddenly realized that the military supply deployment and border defense that he usually considered were simply child's play compared to the questions raised by Ouyang Lun at this moment.

A hint of admiration flashed in Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes.

The old emperor nodded slightly, and in his hoarse voice there was a rare urgency: "Go on."

Ouyang Lun was encouraged and his tone became more determined: "The strategies of all dynasties towards the grasslands are nothing more than a cycle of 'defeat-appease-defeat again'. Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty was like this, and so was Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty. But I think that the Ming Dynasty should have the courage to surpass its predecessors!"

He suddenly spread his arms, and his wide sleeves drew two arcs in the hall: "We should not only want a temporary victory, but also make the grassland a part of the territory of the Ming Dynasty forever! We should let the herdsmen there call themselves the people of the Ming Dynasty, let the children there recite the books of sages, and let the leaders there be proud to come to the court for an audience!"

These words were so powerful that they resounded in the hall.

The sunlight shines through the carved window frames, casting mottled shadows on the ground, as if adding a layer of gold to these bold words.

Zhu Biao's heart was filled with excitement and a blush of excitement appeared on his young face.

He couldn't help but turn his head to look at his father, only to find that Zhu Yuanzhang was looking at Ouyang Lun with a complicated look - there was admiration, surprise, and a hint of imperceptible vigilance in that look.

Fu Youde, who was standing in the queue of military officers, suddenly stepped out, and his loud voice broke the brief silence: "Your Majesty is right! But I don't know how to implement it specifically?" Although the old general had white hair and beard, his eyes were burning with a fiery fighting spirit, as if he was ready to go to the battlefield again at any time.

Ouyang Lun nodded slightly to Fu Youde and said calmly, "This is exactly what I will elaborate on next." He turned to Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao and bowed solemnly, "Please allow me to explain in detail."

Outside the hall, a breeze blew by, making the wind chimes on the eaves make crisp sounds.

Ouyang Lun straightened his clothes and took another step forward, speaking in a steady and powerful voice:
"Your Majesty, the 'national grand strategy' I mentioned is not just about the allocation of military expenses this time, but about the direction of Ming's national policy for the next few decades!"

As soon as these words came out, all the civil and military officials in the court held their breath and concentrated. Even Zhu Yuanzhang leaned forward slightly, and a sharp gleam flashed in his cloudy eyes. Zhu Biao's eyes were even more blazing, and it was obvious that he had been extremely interested.

Ouyang Lun took a deep breath and continued:

"Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, the remnants of the Northern Yuan Dynasty have always been a major threat to the country, so the imperial court has used military forces over the years and spent countless amounts of money. But I think that simply 'taking over the grasslands' is far from enough! The real 'national grand strategy' should be how to make sure that the grasslands will never again become a threat to the Central Plains!"

Zhu Yuanzhang tapped the armrests of the dragon throne with his fingers, his eyes gleaming. Zhu Biao couldn't help but ask, "Brother-in-law Ouyang, what do you mean...?"

Ouyang Lun bowed and said, "I dare to ask Your Majesty, the Emperor, to think about this - even if we destroy the Northern Yuan today, will new nomadic tribes rise up on the grasslands ten or twenty years later? If we just defeat them without governing them, the descendants of our Ming Dynasty will never have peace!"

As soon as these words came out, everyone in the court showed a thoughtful look. Zhu Yuanzhang nodded slowly and said in a deep voice: "Yes, when we were conquering the world, the Yuan people were also like this, defeated and then rose again, and then defeated again, and it was endless. Prince Consort, do you have any good plan?"

Ouyang Lun looked determined and said loudly: "I think the real 'national grand strategy' should be carried out in three steps!"

"First, military strikes are only a means, not an end. The court should set up military towns in the grasslands, cultivate land and station troops there, so that the grasslands become a place that the Ming Dynasty actually controls, rather than a place that is merely 'submitted'."

"Second, economic control. The reason why the grassland tribes repeatedly went south to plunder is simply because the nomadic economy is fragile. Once they encounter natural disasters, they can only rely on plunder to survive. The court should open up mutual trade, allow the trade of tea, salt, and ironware, and even send craftsmen to teach herdsmen how to farm and weave, so that their livelihoods are no longer completely dependent on plunder."

"Third, cultural assimilation. The imperial court can send Confucian scholars to the grasslands to educate them, and let their children study in the Imperial Academy, learn Chinese rituals, and read Chinese books. A hundred years later, the people of the grasslands will no longer be 'barbarians', but 'people of the Ming Dynasty'!"

Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes sparkled when he heard this, and Zhu Biao couldn't help but slam his head and said, "Great! This is the strategy for long-term peace and stability!"

Ouyang Lun continued, "And the military expenditure issue of the Yan vassal state is precisely the first step of the 'national grand strategy' - the court must establish a principle: the vassal kings can lead troops, but they must raise their own military expenses, otherwise, the court's finances will be dragged down sooner or later! Only in this way can we ensure that the governance of the grassland in the future will not get out of control because of the vassal kings' self-reliance in raising troops!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter: "Great! What a great 'national strategy'! Prince Consort, your words are much better than those mediocre officials who can only shout 'cut down the feudal lords' and 'increase taxes'!"

Zhu Biao also showed a look of relief, and said: "What Brother-in-law Ouyang said is far-sighted. I will discuss this matter in detail with the cabinet and make sure to formulate a long-term plan!"

In the court, all the ministers looked at each other in shock. They originally thought that today they were only arguing about the sharing of military expenses, but they didn't expect that Ouyang Lun would directly raise the topic to the level of "a hundred years of national destiny"!

And those officials who originally wanted to speak for Prince Yan were now completely speechless - if they continued to oppose, wouldn't they be considered villains who "only cared about their own interests and ignored national policies"?

In the court, the ministers were filled with turmoil.

Everyone's expression was frozen on their face, but their eyes were flashing with complex light.

Minister of War Tang Duo's fingertips unconsciously rubbed the edge of the tablet, and he sighed in his heart: "What a 'national grand strategy'! I have been in charge of the Ministry of War for more than ten years, and all I have thought about is food, wages, and weapons, but your husband has already planned the fate of the country for a hundred years." He glanced at Ouyang Lun's tall back, and suddenly felt that this seemingly lazy husband, at this moment, had the bearing of holding up the sky and the sea.

Lan Yu, who was standing at the head of the military officers, unconsciously loosened his grip on the sword handle.

The veteran general's eyes flashed with a gleam, and he thought to himself: "I have fought for half my life and beheaded countless people, but I have never thought about what to do after the war. Ouyang Lun's plan is three times sharper than my sword!" He couldn't help but think of the hateful eyes of the herdsmen when he was chasing the remnants of the Yuan Dynasty on the grassland - if he had used Ouyang Lun's plan earlier, why would it have come to this?

Xie Jin quietly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with his sleeve.

The young scholar was in a state of confusion: "I claim to be well-versed in the classics, but I can only quote from the classics and talk about benevolence and righteousness. What the prince consort said is the real way to apply it to the world!" He looked down at the scattered drafts of the memorials on the ground, and suddenly felt that those gorgeous words were so ridiculous. (End of this chapter)