Chongzhen revived the Ming Dynasty

Feng Dazhu's problem made Zhu Youjian realize something profound:
There is no more land left to distribute in the capital.

It could even be said that this applies not only to land, but also to other interests.

When the meritorious officials who helped restore the dynasty return to the capital to take up their posts, can this situation still be maintained?
He was looking forward to this, because he wanted to drive the nobles out of the capital.

Therefore, after the sacrificial ceremony for the martyrs the following day, Zhu Youjian issued an edict to allocate residential land and corresponding sacrificial fields in the capital for the meritorious officials of the restoration.

Zhu Youjian did not explain where these lands came from.

However, it is common knowledge that only one thousand mu of sacrificial land was left for the errant nobles such as Marquis Yangwu.

The quick-witted Zhang Weixian soon offered to offer up the land. He wanted to offer up the extra land and plead to be allowed to establish a fiefdom in Annam.

Zhu Youjian felt quite apologetic about this.

He had long agreed to Zhang Weixian's request to open up the territory, but it had been delayed due to the Liaodong War.

The Liaodong campaign is now basically over, and winter in the north is not the time for military action. On the contrary, Annam is in its dry season, which is a suitable time to launch an attack.

Seeing that Zhang Weixian's days were numbered, and that he was clinging to life only to establish a fiefdom, he summoned the officials of the Court of Colonial Affairs and inquired:
"How did Zhang Jingxin's mission to Annam go?"

"How many powers in Annam are willing to submit and pay tribute?"

Huang Lijie was mainly busy with this matter in the Court of Colonial Affairs, and even regarded the destruction of Annam as a way to get ennobled as a count.

Seeing that the emperor was finally interested in inquiring about Annam, he hurriedly reported:

"The Cao Bang Mo clan, the Xuan Quang Zhen Wu clan, and even the Lê clan rulers are all willing to submit to the Ming Dynasty."

"Only the powerful minister Zheng Jing seemed to be quite opposed."

"However, he is on good terms with the Prince of Jingjiang and is currently working with the Jingjiang Kingdom to attack the Nguyen clan of Guangnan."

“The Prince of Jingjiang is currently attacking the Ruan family from both the north and south with the Zheng family, which is why Guangxi has not yet mobilized its troops.”

The fact that Prince Jingjiang and Lady Zheng had become acquainted was a change that Zhu Youjian had not anticipated.

However, considering that the Lancang River Delta was seized by the gentry of Jiangnan, the Jingjiang Kingdom could only expand northward.

In this way, they came into contact with the Ruan family.

His alliance with the Zheng family was entirely justified.

Besides the Le family rulers, the small state of Annam also had the Mo, Vu, Trinh, and Nguyen families.

Zhu Youjian was so confused by what he heard that he didn't want to bother with it.

He asked Huang Liji:

"Who is willing to pay tribute and accept a title from the Ming Dynasty?"

"Don't listen to their verbal obedience. What I want is to turn Annam into an internal vassal state and completely divide it up."

Huang Lijie hesitated now, and Zhuang Tingchen, the Minister of the Inner Court, said:
“These forces in Annam talk a good game, but none of them come to pay homage.”

"I believe that the Rong and Di peoples are human in appearance but beast in heart, and their words are all unbelievable."

Zhu Youjian nodded and said:

"If they are unwilling to pay tribute, it means they have no sincerity in submitting."

"It seems we need to devise a strategy for dealing with Annam. You should discuss contingency plans with the Privy Council."

He ordered the Court of Colonial Affairs and the Privy Council to cooperate in launching a campaign against Annam.

He wanted to grant the Duke of Ying a fiefdom before Zhang Weixian passed away.
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This action naturally came to the attention of the nobles and dignitaries in the capital.

They marveled at the Emperor's deep affection for the Duke of England, yet were also caught in a dilemma.

The establishment of fiefdoms was an inevitable trend, and the emperor enfeoffed members of the imperial family, nobles, and meritorious officials in the restoration of the dynasty in the border regions and overseas.

With the founding heroes and the leaders of the Jingnan campaign about to be enfeoffed in Annam, if they don't take action, there won't be any good land left in the surrounding area soon.

Therefore, some nobles began to actively campaign, and marquises and earls such as the Marquis of Wuding, the Marquis of Zhenyuan, and the Marquis of Xining all took action. Zhu Youjian was pleased with this and decided to enfeoff them all in the Indochina Peninsula. This region has complex terrain and numerous ethnic groups, making it suitable for enfeoffing nobles to govern different areas.

Otherwise, he would have to be granted the title of Tusi (chieftain), which would be less desirable than being granted the title of a noble.

However, the biggest issue in the capital at this time was not the movements of the nobles.

Rather, it signifies the end of the state of war and the return of cabinet power.

The wartime committee, the wartime cabinet, was officially dissolved, and power was returned to its original state.

The cabinet and the State Council were overjoyed.

Having accomplished this, Han Kuang's prestige has also returned to some extent.

When the Suzhou and Songjiang merchants who had come to Beijing to petition learned of this, they were devastated.

They had intended to demand that the state of war continue while it was still in effect.

Little did I expect to learn this news as soon as I arrived in Beijing.

Wu Shirui, who was nominated to petition, said to Liu Lishun with great dissatisfaction:
"What do you think Lord Yuan was thinking? Giving up such a dukedom like that?"

"If he misses this opportunity, will he have any other chance to be granted the title of Duke?"

“A Jurchen who has not been completely wiped out is not worthy of the title of Duke.”

Liu Lishun, however, knew his teacher's aspirations and calmly said:
"When the war ends, it is only natural to withdraw from the state of war. The teacher is setting an example for future generations."

"As for whether the title will be duke or marquis, that will be decided by the emperor."

"I believe His Majesty will not mistreat his meritorious officials."

Wu Shirui was so angry he was practically fuming. He truly couldn't understand someone like Liu Lishun.

Instead of doing a good job as a public official, they insist on talking about serving the citizens.

His teacher, Yuan Keli, was even more incomprehensible, showing no interest in the dukedom that was within his grasp.

He said to Liu Lishun:

"I don't care about any of that. All I want is for the wartime status to continue and for the new district to keep getting orders."

"The nobles in the capital are all saying that we should go to war with Annam."

The idea of ​​going to war with Annam is no longer just a rumor; preparations have already begun.

Liu Lishun inquired with his teacher and learned that the emperor had already transformed the Restoration Army into a marine corps, selecting soldiers capable of long-distance voyages by sea to transport them to the south.

Therefore, he knew better than Wu Shirui, and he also knew that there were still orders coming in the Suzhou-Songjiang New Area.

After all, Suzhou and Songjiang are closer to Annam, which gives them an advantage over transporting production materials to the north.

The reason he's saying this now is simply to manipulate Wu Shirui and other Suzhou-Songjiang merchants.

Only after Wu Shirui had finished venting his anger did he reveal:
"In fact, the Privy Council also intends to maintain a partial state of war and continue the war."

"But you should know that the imperial court issued four million yuan in war bonds for the Liaodong War, which have not yet been repaid."

"The Ministry of Revenue will not be able to afford to wage war until these bonds are fully repaid."

"The Privy Council has no money; it cannot cook without rice."

The implication was that the Suzhou and Songjiang merchants needed to spend money.

If you want the imperial court to purchase supplies, you can pay for them yourself, and the imperial court will then use the money to purchase the supplies.

Wu Shirui's jaw dropped when he heard this elaborate scheme. He never imagined that business could be conducted in this way.

So why did they sell supplies to the imperial court? It was to make money to buy bonds, hoping the imperial court would repay the principal and interest in the future.

Wu Shirui simply couldn't understand how anyone in the imperial court could think like that. Did they really believe that the merchants of Suzhou and Songjiang were so eager to do business with the imperial court?
He certainly wouldn't do that; if you're going to look for someone else, look for someone else. (End of Chapter)