Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Skills can be developed through practice.

This was an understanding that Zhu Youjian had long ago.

Sun Chuanting, Lu Xiangsheng, and others all developed their skills step by step because they were placed in suitable positions.

The same was true for Zhu Yujian, a descendant of the Tang emperor. His years of service in the Nanyang region greatly enhanced his career.

Historically, Zhu Yujian did not have this opportunity.

He was imprisoned with his father when he was young. He was finally rescued and inherited the throne of the Tang Dynasty. However, he was demoted to a commoner and imprisoned in Fengyang for eight years because he beat his uncle to death.

After the Hongguang Emperor granted a general amnesty, he was enfeoffed as the Prince of Nanyang and sent to Guangxi to assume his fiefdom. On the way, Nanjing fell, and he was enthroned as emperor.

It can be said that he experienced very little in his life, spending most of his time in prison.

Even so, he delivered the best performance among the emperors of the Southern Ming Dynasty and was hailed as a capable ruler.

Now, Zhu Yujian, after several years of experience in establishing his own fiefdom, is clearly more capable and has also gathered a group of followers.

His performance during the arrest shocked even Zhu Youjian, who realized that this member of the imperial clan had truly matured.
"call……"

"They are truly not to be underestimated!"

"This person has the potential to become an emperor."

Zhu Youjian was both pleased and wary of Zhu Yujian's performance. He now understood why previous emperors had not dared to give important positions to members of the imperial clan.

With the example of Emperor Chengzu's Jingnan Campaign, which emperor wouldn't worry about vassal kings rising up in rebellion?

If even Zhu Youjian (Emperor Yongle) felt this way, how much more so would those emperors who lacked confidence?

If Zhu Youjian hadn't promised not to kill Zhu Yujian during the arrest, he really would have been tempted to kill him.

Reflecting on these thoughts, Zhu Youjian examined himself and said:
"They've still been corrupted by power!"

"I forced myself to go fishing before, thinking it would help me suppress my lust for power."

Only now do I realize that I have been corrupted by power.

"He simply couldn't control his lust for power!"

Realizing his own inner thoughts, Zhu Youjian deeply reflected on his actions:

Previously, he was so idle that he would even delegate power to his ministers when he went fishing, which made him feel that he had suppressed his desire for power.

Now he understood that this was because he realized that as long as he controlled the military and the mind, these ministers posed no threat to him at all.

Zhu Yujian, on the other hand, felt threatened, which made him unable to resist the urge to suppress him.

Even if the threat is very small, the possibility is almost non-existent.

Reflecting on the fact that Emperor Jiajing was obsessed with Taoist practices yet unwilling to relinquish power and appoint corrupt officials, the Jiajing era, which could have been a golden age, turned into a period of widespread corruption and instability.

Zhu Youjian took this as a warning and felt that he needed to better control his lust for power:

The greatest enemy of restoring rites and music and governing the country according to rites was not anyone else, but the emperor who held great power.

Therefore, after reflecting on himself, he decided:

"Suppressing and guarding against Zhu Yujian is completely unnecessary."

Even if he establishes a powerful vassal state, it's impossible for him to raise an army to quell a rebellion and seize the throne.

"We must make good use of capable members of the royal family and give them opportunities to demonstrate their abilities."

Just treat them according to proper etiquette; there's no need to worry too much.

Having decided on his attitude towards Zhu Yujian, Zhu Youjian instructed Gong Yonggu to continue south to bring Zhu Yujian back to the capital, giving him the respect he deserved.

At the same time, at the request of ministers such as Yuan Keli, Liu Zongzhou, who was staying in Annam, was summoned back to the capital to continue presiding over the reconstruction of rites and music.

This was the request of many officials. Yuan Keli, Liu Lishun, and others believed that Liu Zongzhou should be recalled so that he could continue to preach benevolence and righteousness before the emperor.

Grand Secretary Han Kuang and other ministers hoped to solidify the powers granted by the emperor, revise the responsibilities of various departments in the Great Ming Code, and incorporate the powers granted in recent days into the rites and laws.

At their joint request, Zhu Youjian finally decided to recall Liu Zongzhou and no longer leave him in Annam.

At the same time, it further relieved the front lines in Annam, demanding that they conquer the entire territory of Annam as soon as possible and thoroughly clean up the area, no matter what methods they used.

The goal is to establish the Ying Gong vassal state as soon as possible, formally establish it in Annam, fulfill the wish of the old minister Zhang Weixian, and attract more nobles to establish vassal states.

Therefore, he came up with another idea: to hold a ceremony as their national day after the nobles opened up their fiefdoms, and to hold a grand celebration.

This celebration, like the Winter Solstice Festival and the Emperor's Birthday Festival, involves the vassal king leading his subjects to pay homage towards the capital and swear allegiance to the emperor.

This was to strengthen the education of the vassal states and let their subjects know who they should be loyal to first.

He summoned the rulers of the previously established vassal states, such as the Han King's vassal state, the Qing King's vassal state, the Jiangling Duke's state, and the Ningyuan Earl's state.

They were to choose a capital city to build an ancestral temple, where they could swear allegiance.

The newly appointed Prince Han, Zhu Shao, Prince Qing, Zhu Zhuo, as well as Duke Jiangling, Zhang Tongchang, Earl of Ningyuan, Li Zunzu, and others, all returned to the capital as a result.

They also had to participate in the noble council's vote on Zhu Yujian to determine how to deal with Zhu Yujian and the Tang princes.

After receiving the imperial decree, Zhang Tongchang and others rushed to the capital to pay homage before the port was frozen over.

Zhang Tongchang and Li Zunzu joined forces, while the Prince of Han and the Prince of Qing traveled together.

Both of them served as generals in Northeast China, so when Zhang Tongchang and Li Zunzu met, they naturally talked about the war in Northeast China.

Although no major wars occurred in Northeast China this year, there were quite a few battles of varying sizes.

They achieved some merit by eliminating the remaining forces of the Jurchens.

However, for the two who had already become high-ranking nobles, these achievements were clearly not enough to satisfy them.

Zhang Tongchang said:

"News came from the Chahan tribe that the Jurchens are gaining considerable strength in the northern desert and are difficult for them to resist."

"I foresee that next year, the Ming Dynasty will have to send troops, otherwise the Jurchens will unify the northern deserts."

“I have sent people along the river to find out the route to Langjuxu Mountain.”

"I wonder if the Marquis of Ningyuan would be willing to join me in sealing the wolf's lair?"

To seal the wolf's lair and dwell in the Xu!

This is the highest honor for a military officer, and Li Zunzu was naturally very interested in it.

He was eager to elevate his title to Marquis to solidify his lineage's right of succession, and was highly motivated to achieve merit and willing to take risks for it.

He asked Zhang Tongchang:

"The most difficult thing about marching into the northern desert is not knowing the route."

"How confident is Duke Jiangling that this route is feasible?"

Zhang Tongchang said with a smile:

"The reason we didn't know the route before was because our strategy was wrong."

"His Majesty's instruction is to attack along the river, making full use of the Ming Dynasty's naval advantages."

"Langjuxu Mountain is the source of the Gonglu River. This river was called Luqu River in the early days of the dynasty. Emperor Chengzu renamed it Yinma River. It is connected to the Aru River in the upper reaches of the Heilongjiang River."

"You can reach Langjuxu Mountain by following the river; you won't get lost at all."

“I’ve sent people to explore it several times and have confirmed this route.”

"During the high-water season, rafts and small boats can also be used for navigation."

This solved even the logistical problems, which made Li Zunzu very happy.

He told Zhang Tongchang that he was willing to send troops as long as there was an order from the imperial court.

Zhang Tongchang was equally delighted with this promise.

Although Li Zunzu was only a count, he only had one guard under his command according to the system.

However, his five thousand men were trained as the original Li family retainers, and their combat power was extremely strong.

Especially after equipping themselves with new-style firearms and developing musket archery on horseback, they were fully capable of chasing down the Jurchens and leaving them with no chance to retaliate. Zhang Tongchang, knowing he was not skilled in battle, was willing to take him along to seal the Wolf Mountain.
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This idea, when raised during an audience with the emperor, immediately piqued Zhu Youjian's interest:
"The victory at Fenglangjuxu is an achievement etched on the monument to heroes!"

"If you can once again seal the Wolf's Nest and even firmly occupy this place, it will give the martyrs of all ages a perfect ending."

"I approve of your ideas. Let the Privy Council formulate a plan to send troops to the northern desert next year and conquer the Xiongnu."

Zhu Youjian was very interested in such achievements that could be recorded in history.

Even if the actual effect of sealing the wolf's lair is not significant now, the fame brought by this feat will make Zhu Youjian more powerful in the world.

For the emperor, authority meant power. Subjects who respected and feared the emperor were more likely to obey him.

This was essential for restoring the rites and music system, as Zhu Youjian needed a higher reputation.

He used this incident to his advantage, saying:

"This time, in order to seal the wolf's lair, we will not only build an altar to offer sacrifices to heaven."

"We also need to worship Huo Qubing as a mountain god and build a temple to worship him."

"Generals who once ventured deep into the northern deserts and conquered the grasslands are enshrined in the temple."

"If you recover the northern desert, you will surely have a place in the world a hundred years from now."

"I will use Huo Qubing's mountain god temple to forever guard the northern desert."

This made Zhang Tongchang and the others even more delighted, but also worried:

"Your Majesty, Mount Langjuxu is located deep in the northern desert."

"It's not difficult to temporarily seize control of the territory, but maintaining it for a long time will put a lot of pressure on you."

“If someone were to damage the mountain god’s temple, it would be quite unfortunate.”

Zhu Youjian waved his hand and said:

"Don't worry!"

“Sun Yuanhua brought back many cattle, horses and sheep from his mission to the West.”

"One type of fine-wool sheep is particularly suitable for textiles."

"I have a few finished wool sweaters here, which I will bestow upon you later."

Zhu Youjian ordered someone to fetch the wool sweater, and said:
"These wool sweaters are lightweight and warm, much better than felt, and could even be used as tribute."

"I believe that the people will accept this woolen fabric, just like cotton and linen."

"In the future, grazing on the grassland will be even more profitable. Not only can we raise cattle and sheep for meat, but we can also sell wool."

“Developing grasslands is not without profit. Garrisons set up on grasslands can achieve self-sufficiency simply by grazing.”

"You vassal states are the same; you can use more pastures to graze sheep and gain more benefits."

This was something he paid close attention to. Of all the species that Sun Yuanhua brought back, the fine-wool sheep was the one he valued the most.

This Merino sheep, which originated in Spain, became very famous in later generations.

Its wool is of high quality and is suitable for manufacturing high-end textiles.

Unlike coarse wool, which can only be spun into felt.

This type of sheep has high wool production, a long lifespan, and good meat quality, making it highly productive.

Zhu Youjian believed that once wool textiles were accepted by the people of the Ming Dynasty, the demand for fine wool sheep would rise indefinitely.

Even the entire grassland would probably not be enough to meet the demand.

With the profits from fine-wool sheep, the Ming Dynasty could establish vassal states, set up garrisons, and build roads on the grasslands, bringing the area under its complete rule and preventing any new barbarians from emerging.

Zhang Tongchang and the others were confused and didn't believe that a single type of sheep could have such a great effect.

However, since the emperor's predictions had come true so often, they dared not oppose them.

They could only listen to the emperor's fantasies and keep agreeing with him.
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Zhu Youjian sensed their insincerity and offered no further explanation.

Later, these people realized that the prosperity of the wool textile industry caused by fine-wool sheep could potentially lead to "sheep eating people".

The fiefdoms on the grasslands will inevitably become very popular in the future, representing a high-end industry for this period of time.

He had already instructed the inner court to prepare and find several pastures to be used as the inner court's property.

He roughly outlined the plan to brief these people and boost their confidence in developing the grasslands, saying:
"If the waterway of Yinma River can be navigable, the court will have no problem securing Langjuxu Mountain."

"The current difficulty is that the river's water volume is unpredictable, making it difficult to keep the water flowing smoothly."

"My request is to build the road as soon as possible so that cement, steel bars and other materials can be transported there when shipping is unobstructed."

“Build a two-lane, third-class highway across the grassland that can accommodate horse-drawn carriages, ensuring that even if the river is closed to navigation, supplies can still be transported by road.”

"After this road is built to Langjuxu Mountain, a temple will be built on the mountain."

This plan is much more reliable than the previous one.

With this route, troops can be dispatched at any time to provide support. Even if the people on the grassland temporarily occupy Langjuxu Mountain, they certainly wouldn't dare to destroy the temples.

The Ming Dynasty will firmly control this area and has the ability to send troops at any time.

The only drawback is that it is very expensive.

Even now, Northeast China cannot fully produce its own cement and steel bars, let alone transport them to the grasslands to build roads.

Zhang Tongchang suggested:

"I believe that the highway should be repaired, but there is no need to rush it."

"When I was working on the construction of a new canal between the Aru River and Kuolan Lake, I discovered a coal mine."

"We can wait until this coal mine is mined to produce cement, which will shorten the transportation distance."

This coal mine later became known as the Zhalainuoer Open-pit Coal Mine, with reserves of up to 100 billion tons and recoverable reserves of 28.8 billion tons. It was discovered in the late 19th century and has been mined for over a century.

Its scale is so large that, in this era, it could completely meet the fuel needs of the entire grassland.

Zhu Youjian said with great delight:

“The canal was diverted to a different location, and a city was built next to the coal mine.”

“Cities can be built in other places with mineral resources as well, and strongholds should be set up all over the grasslands.”

"This time, we must proceed steadily and surely to ensure long-term stability and security in our conquest of the grasslands."

Having determined the overall strategy, Zhu Youjian then addressed Zhang Tongchang:

"Your concerns are valid; we should not be too hasty."

"Next year, we'll first seal off the Wolf-Dwelling Mountain and let all the tribes of the grasslands know that the Great Ming has arrived."

"After that, we will proceed steadily, building cities and roads."

"This matter will be entrusted to you, Qing, to prepare for the establishment of the Yuanning Protectorate."

"This land, the former territory of the Han and Tang dynasties and the Mongol Yuan dynasty, must be recovered by the Ming Dynasty."

They regarded the Langjuxu Mountain, which Huo Qubing had visited, as the ancient land of the Han and Tang dynasties.

Zhu Youjian directly traced the legal basis for this rule back more than 1,700 years—

At that time, the tribes on the grasslands did not yet exist, and the Ming Dynasty was more qualified to be the successor.

To strengthen the persuasiveness, Zhu Youjian officially renamed the somewhat awkward name of Langjuxu Mountain as Langshan.

Huo Qubing was then bestowed the title of God of Langshan. After a temple was built to worship him and the region was stabilized, Zhu Youjian planned to designate it as the Northern Sacred Mountain.

The current Hengshan Mountain, located south of Beijing, is frequently the subject of suggestions to be moved to a different location for worship.

The Beihai people were worshipped remotely from Huaiqing Prefecture in Henan Province, so the sea was not visible at all.

Zhu Youjian planned to change these sacrificial rites after Langshan, Beihai and other places were recovered.

Huo Qubing was revered as the god of Langshan Mountain, and Su Wu as the god of the North Sea, and they are worshipped by later generations. (End of Chapter)