Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 51 Believe in the wisdom of future generations!

"title?"

Zhu Yuanzhang sneered and said, "We in the Ming Dynasty do not need these so-called titles. They are only used by dynasties that have perished."

"The Ming Dynasty we established is destined to prosper forever and ever."

Zhu Yuanzhang regained his confidence.

His expectation for the Ming Dynasty was not to become one of those dynasties that perished, but to become a country that would last through the ages, or even forever.

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "Your Majesty, as the founding monarch, is naturally full of confidence in the new Ming Dynasty. However, if you want the Ming Dynasty to last forever, it is not enough to rely on the monarch's confidence. You also need to rely on the reasonable governance of the world."

"Mencius, whom Your Majesty disliked the most, once said that if a country has no laws at home and no enemies outside, it will inevitably perish."

"Born in sorrow and die in comfort!"

"Based on your Majesty's current governance of the country, your demands on the country, and your plans for the future of Ming, I dare to give the country a name."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned.

But he did not stop it. He was just very curious about what name Xia Zhibai would give to the Ming Dynasty.

A good posthumous title or a bad posthumous title.

Zhu Biao also looked over, looking curious.

Xia Zhibai's words this time were much more intense than last time, and were filled with a sense of treason and even rebellion.

He was also very curious about what posthumous title could be given to the Ming Dynasty in Xia Zhibai's eyes.

"Just!"

Hearing this word, Zhu Yuanzhang's eyes looked slightly strange and a somewhat elusive expression appeared.

He stroked the gray beard on his chin, smacked his lips, and muttered the word "Gang" softly. After thinking about it, he did not feel disgusted.

Gang means firm.

Strong
This is a beautiful posthumous title.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said indifferently: "I don't like this word, but our Ming Dynasty does fit the word tough. We drove the Mongols away with our strong character. We have always been upright and incorruptible towards corrupt officials."

"If all our descendants can be so upright, strong and resolute, then our Ming Dynasty will be stable and there will be no more problems."

Xia Zhibai smiled and said, "Your Majesty can rest assured. Under your system, the descendants of your Zhu family will have no choice but to be tough."

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned. He didn't quite understand what Xia Zhibai meant.

Xia Zhibai did not hide anything and explained directly: "Your Majesty regards the family as the world, and only wants his descendants to be the guardians of the family. In this case, how can you not be upright?"

“Because they have no choice!”

"You didn't give them any other options."

"Since the Qin Dynasty, every dynasty has made some domineering declarations when its civil and military achievements were at their peak."

"The Zhou Dynasty is: All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects."

"Qin is: The valiant old Qin will face the national crisis together. We will not stop fighting until our blood is shed."

"The Han Dynasty states: All lands that the sun and moon shine on, and all lands that rivers flow to, are Han territory. Anyone who openly offends the mighty Han will be punished, no matter how far away he is."

"The Jin Dynasty: pacified the nations, pacified the four directions, opened up the obscurity of the nine regions, and achieved great success for a thousand years, unifying the unconquered by the previous kings and the unconquered by the previous kings."

"The Sui Dynasty said: Any barbarian who dares to invade will have his country destroyed, his race exterminated, and his descendants exterminated."

"Tang's rule: All the barbarians, both inside and outside the country, who dare to raise an army will be killed!"

"Even if it is the Song Dynasty, there is a saying that even if my country is destroyed, I will never stand with the enemy, and I will never allow others to sleep soundly beside my bed."

"What about Ming?"

Xia Zhibai stared at Zhu Yuanzhang.

Zhu Yuanzhang did not speak.

Xia Zhibai said: "Under the system designed by your majesty, under your majesty's careful arrangements, and even under the ancestral laws promulgated by your majesty."

"I'll arrange a few words for Daming."

"One sentence is: The sun, the moon, the mountains and the rivers will last forever, and the Ming Dynasty will last forever."

"Another saying is: No marriage, no compensation, no cession of territory, no tribute. The emperor guards the country's gates and the king dies for the country."

"Compared with the declarations of other dynasties, the slogans of the Ming Dynasty are indeed weaker, lacking in dominance and confidence."

"Is your Majesty's Ming Dynasty really upright?" "Or does it have to be upright?"

Xia Zhibai chuckled, with a hint of contempt and coldness on his lips, and continued: "This is the eternal foundation that Your Majesty has laid for the Ming Dynasty."

“It’s frustrating.”

"If the Ming Dynasty could be like other dynasties, actively explore and forge ahead, and make the country rich and the people strong, then it would be able to attack when it advances and defend when it retreats. Wouldn't that be more sustainable than being a turtle?"

"Does Your Majesty still think that 'Gang' is a good posthumous title?"

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent.

He even wanted to skin Xia Zhibai alive, and his face looked extremely ugly.

Gang is definitely not a good word.

Just not bad.

And from Xia Zhibai's words, he felt the frustration and helplessness of the Ming Dynasty in the future. It could only guard that one acre and three mu of land, unable to retreat or advance, and could only hold on.

There is no room for flexibility.

A feeling of helplessness also came over me.

This reminded Zhu Yuanzhang of some bad memories. He was just farming honestly, but ended up being constantly troubled by the surrounding ruffians and some corrupt officials.

Frustrated and helpless.

Just to keep that little bit of harvest.

Will his Ming Dynasty become like this in the future?
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head.

No.

impossible.

How could his Ming Dynasty become like this?

He chose to rebel because he couldn't stand the grievance back then. Now that he is the emperor, if his descendants still feel so humiliated in the future, then wouldn't his reign as emperor be in vain?
But when I think about all the things I have planned for the Ming Dynasty, isn't it asking my descendants to be honest and respectable people?

If there are no enemies around, it will be fine. But if there are enemies, the various systems you set up will become constraints and shackles for your future generations.

Think of this.

An idea suddenly emerged in Zhu Yuanzhang's mind that he must destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty while he was still alive and get rid of the worry forever.

But what if it is not removed?

Zhu Yuanzhang's heart suddenly became confused.

An unprecedented feeling of confusion and uneasiness surged into his heart, and this emperor, who was once as powerful as a tiger, finally showed anxiety and helplessness.

He couldn't think of a solution for a moment.

But if he makes adjustments to the existing system, there will be too many changes, and many of his arrangements for the eternal stability of the Ming Dynasty will be abandoned.

This was something he couldn't accept.

Xia Zhibai said: "Your Majesty, now you know how naive and fanciful your stubbornness is."

"People can't plan for their afterlife for too long."

"One generation has its own business."

"Only by constantly strengthening ourselves and making progress can this world have a future and the Ming Dynasty truly last forever."

“Country country.”

"There must be a country before there can be a family."

"If the country is poor and weak, how can the family last long?"

"And your majesty, you have too little confidence in your descendants. You have certainly risen from a humble man to the ruler of the world today."

"You have enough to be proud of."

"It will also be enough for future generations to look up to."

"But your descendants have a much higher starting point than you. Their insights and ideas, at that time, were far better, more thoughtful, and more comprehensive than you think."

“Believe in the ability of those who come after you!”

(End of this chapter)