Guangzong Yaoming

Chapter 250: Great Changes in the Suzerainty

For Zhu Changluo, the most difficult part of what he needs to achieve is not how to do it, but how to change their concepts and get everyone to actively do it.

The most important and fatal change in the Ming Dynasty's vassal policy was the Jingnan Campaign.

Zhu Yuanzhang was not lying here. Zhu Di was not far away. Now Zhu Changluo began to analyze the historical origins, and Zhu Di's coffin was very excited.

"At the beginning of the country, Taizu enfeoffed the princes and established vassal states in various border areas, each with a guard army. At that time, the princes were the border guards of the Ming Dynasty..."

Isn’t it the same for Prince of Yan, Zhu Di?

Zhu Changluo brought up this topic in order to trace the Ming Dynasty's vassal system back to its source: the emperor still hoped that the vassal kings would make contributions to the country and the court.

Therefore, they could be given generous clan salaries and corresponding powers.

However, the Jingnan Campaign broke the original strategy of the various vassal states to protect the country's borders.

Afterwards, the imperial guards were disbanded and many vassal kings moved inland. The emperor had to grant fiefs to new princes out of family affection, to treat existing princes well out of moral pressure, and to be wary of rebellion by princes for the sake of the stability of his power. All these reasons led to changes in the policy of vassal kings.

In the end, they don't need to talk about contribution, they just need to be obedient; they can't do this or that, they just need to be supported.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to raise them now. What should I do?
"Just one thing. It has long been allowed that the generals of Fengguo can go to school and take the imperial examinations, but has anyone served in the government in all these years? It is forbidden for the royal family to engage in business, which family has not done so in their fiefdom?" Zhu Changluo concluded, "We must find a way. But unless the monarch and his subjects change their minds, this method is not easy to think of. For the various vassals, I might as well be frank. The ones who need to figure it out are nothing more than the princes and dukes."

"…Your Majesty, please let me know how we should change our ideas." Zhu Huazeng came to add support again.

Zhu Changluo looked at him and explained them one by one.

"First, the clan salaries of each vassal state are all paid to the royal palace. When you handle palace affairs, do the clan members of each vassal state feel that it is fair? Or do you regard the clan salaries as private property?"

"Secondly, each domain has its own land and shops, which should be where the clans of each domain live together. Do you also treat them as private property?"

"Third, as a vassal king, have you done a good job in educating your clan members and disciplining them over the years?"

The three consecutive questions did not seem to involve a change in concepts, but Zhu Changluo asked: "I am the chief patriarch, and you are the minor patriarchs. I want to find a way out for you, and you also need to find a way out for your own clan members. To put it bluntly, to change your concepts, you should first figure out how you managed in the past, how you should manage in the future, and whether you can manage well. The key is how you can be considered to have made contributions to the country and be grateful to the people below."

After saying that, he pointed and said, "King Qin, the Qin vassal was the best vassal in the world back then. You tell me first."

The lineage of today's King Qin Zhu Yizhu is a legend.

His grandfather was the luckiest King of Qin, who was originally only a lieutenant guarding the country, already a low-ranking member of the royal family. However, the previous King of Qin had no heir and no brothers, and the King of Qin before that was also an only child, so he could be traced back all the way to his family according to the rules of etiquette and law.

The lieutenant who guarded the country became a prince overnight.

It is the same now when the King of Qin comes. It is not that just because his grandfather is a prince, the whole family can be promoted.

According to the new policy of royal vassalage at that time, except for the prince and the crown prince, everyone else in this line could only inherit according to their original titles.

So the following situation arose in the Qin vassal state: when Zhu Yi's elder brother inherited the throne, his elder brother became a prince and his younger brother became a lieutenant of Fengguo.

But when Zhu Yi's brother died, he had no offspring, so Zhu Yi was changed from the former Lieutenant of Fengguo to the King of Qin.

Of course, during the process, Zhu Yijun had already conferred the title of Prince of a County on Zhu Yizhu in order to show his favor to Qin Fan. However, this was just a title on the list of the Imperial Clan Court, and Zhu Yizhu still received clan salary as a lieutenant of Fengguo for so many years.

This was the suppression of the royal family after the civil officials continuously pushed for the reform of the vassal policy. Even though Zhu Yijun was willing to solve the problem of Qin vassal inheritance, the civil officials actually hoped that this vassal state could be abolished.

But the title of "the number one vassal in the world" saved the Qin clan, and even Zhang Juzheng at that time had to make compromises.

Now that Zhu Changluo, the Prince of Qin, has expressed his opinion first, what ability does Zhu Yiqi have to say?

He is just saying timidly and in clichés.

Qin Fan was not an exception. Over the years, the princes had been passed down from generation to generation. At this point, they were not all useless, but just average. How could they answer the high-level questions raised by Zhu Changluo?

It's just an expression of obedience.

After listening to this, Zhu Changluo sighed: "Either the officials of the palace are in control, or the princess or the Yibin family is in control. Most of the vassal states are like this. Since you can't tell the truth, how can you manage it well in the future?"

Of course he knew about this situation, but he just pretended to be willing to listen to the situation before giving a conclusion.

"If you can't do it well, why not let the clan affairs office do it?" Zhu Changluo looked at them, "I'm afraid you won't be willing to do it."

No one in the hall responded.

Of course not.

Even if they have poor abilities, they still have the highest status in the fiefdom. Even if the specific affairs are handled by officials of the palace, relatives, or confidants, they still make the decisions on the surface.

Will the emperor eventually seize power from the various vassal states?
"If you ask me, the contributions of the clans to the country are either to produce talents to serve the country, or to increase the country's financial resources, and the most basic thing is not to cause trouble. If you want to be kind to the people below, then you can ensure that all the clan members on the list of clans can receive clan salaries and have the opportunity to find other ways out."

Zhu Changluo paused and looked at everyone, then glanced at Hou Gongchen before saying, "When I said changing your status, I wanted you all to work in the Zongrenfu and do things that would benefit the people below. If you want to do something that would benefit the country, then gather together and let me lead you to do it together in the Zongrenfu."

There were more than twenty pairs of anxious and confused eyes in the hall.

How to take office? How to be led?
Thinking about the previous Changming... thinking about the emperor asking about clan salary and land property... it doesn't seem good.

Are they all being taken away when they are gathered together?

At this time, Zhu Changluo let Hou Gongchen speak.

Hou Gongchen had stayed in Wuchang Prefecture for a long time and had a record of the Prefecture's accounts in his hands.

Now Wang Bing is still staying there to take care of the government affairs, but Hou Gongchen has rushed back.

After hearing the emperor's order, he stepped forward, calmed his mind and breath, and said seriously: "Since I am the head of the clan, in addition to the family rules, the welfare of the Ming clan is the new task assigned to me by Your Majesty. Now that there is the precedent of Changminghao and Taixue, I have visited the clan relatives in Chufan and presented some ideas to Your Majesty..."

Of course, these are just opening remarks. In fact, this is an idea that Zhu Changluo has been thinking about for a long time.

In the silent night at the imperial mausoleum, this idea finally emerged slowly in the palace and in front of the kings.

Zhu Changluo watched all this quietly.

For each domain, this will be a very drastic change:
First of all, all assets will be quantified: the royal palace, fields, houses, and shops, and the clan office will conduct a comprehensive survey and statistics.

Then, the clan government would follow the example of Changminghao and form a holding company. This holding company has three main businesses: first, the centralized management of all clan lands, and the income from farming is connected with Changming Grain Store; second, maritime trade, in which it cooperates with Changminghao and goes abroad in the future to make profits through maritime trade; third, light industry dedicated to maritime trade, such as silk, tea, porcelain, lacquerware...

Next, arrangements were made for the clan members: all the royal palaces were converted into academies, and clan members started their studies at local academies, then passed the examinations to the clan school in Beijing, and finally went to the Imperial College and took the imperial examinations. This was a path to becoming an official, and the clan house would help the economic burden of lower-level clan members going to school. Those who did not want to study and become officials could work in business companies under the clan house, or rent the land taken over by the clan house.

And the most critical issue is the clan salary: the emperor will accept the court's own suggestion to set a permanent quota for the existing clan salary, so that part of the clan salary will be uniformly managed by the Clan Affairs Bureau and directly distributed to each clan member by the Clan Affairs Bureau.

After Hou Gongchen finished speaking, Zhu Changluo made a summary.

"For the other princes, just like the King of Shu, the King of Lu, and the King of Chu got their share from Changminghao before, the share that the princes get from now on will be truly your private wealth, and you don't need to worry about the other clan members. For the other clan members, in addition to the clan salary that they will definitely receive, they will also have their own way out and other sources of income. For me, I have gained talents among the clan members, and it won't be a problem even if the number of clan members doubles. For the country, the court will get more taxes, and the local areas will have fewer burdens and concerns from the clan members."

The princes looked at each other, and finally looked at Prince Lu Zhu Yiliu at the same time.

You are the emperor's uncle, and Empress Dowager Li is still alive, so please say something!

(End of this chapter)