Jiajing Chengming

Chapter 497: Dealing with Liu Daxia’s nine clans and setting up an official library!

Yan Song's words made Pan Zhen break down on the spot.

"shut up!"

Pan Zhen therefore turned the tables and angrily pointed at Yan Song and shouted at him.

Yan Song was not angry about this, but instead felt sorry for Pan Zhen.

Pan Zhen did look pitiful after her sudden fit of rage, and she backed away with a pout and tears in her eyes.

Yan Song did not say much. He knew that after the Jiajing period, many scholars and officials had lost their defenses.

There is no way, the current emperor is too good at making things happen.

Many civil officials who had been indulged in arrogance by previous emperors had particularly fragile psychological endurance.

Otherwise, there would not have been a civil official who would have directly resorted to killing his colleagues because of the Great Ceremony Debate at the beginning of Jiajing's reign, attempting to use physical means to silence those who opposed him.

It was already tolerable for a civil official like Pan Zhen, who only broke down in front of his colleague but never lost his composure in front of the emperor.

Pan Zhen gradually regained his senses after leaving Yan Song's study.

Then, Pan Zhen habitually followed official etiquette, bowed to Yan Song, and fled.

But after Pan Dan escaped from Yan's house, Yan Song's words were still like a thorn, piercing deeply into his heart.

Because what Yan Song said was true.

The times have changed.

The gentry class became more divided.

Gentry who are of commoner origin can no longer represent public opinion.

If we really want to restrain the emperor with so-called public opinion, we must make public opinion truly become the real opinion of the world, and we must truly put forward our views from the standpoint of benefiting the country and the people of the world.

Yan Song began to take the initiative to transform himself into a loyal minister who considered the interests of the majority of people in the world.

Therefore, after Pan Zhen left, Yan Song did not immediately submit a memorial to impeach Pan Zhen. Instead, he first submitted a memorial to advise Emperor Jiajing not to accept the tribute from the violating barbarian Mo Dengyong, but to focus on maintaining the order of rites and laws. The reason was that this was the only way to ensure the supreme sanctity of imperial power and preserve the credibility that the Ming Dynasty, as the suzerain state, should have.

The Ming Dynasty cannot become the connivance and shelterer of regicide and usurpation of the throne.

In short, Yan Song suddenly became a hawk who advocated the use of military force against Annan.

Xia Yan has now also become a hawk.

Therefore, when Zhu Houcong asked him in the Imperial Study how to deal with Mo Dengyong's request for tribute, he took the initiative to speak out:
"Your Majesty, the order to use force has been issued. If we stop now, it will greatly damage the prestige of our country and encourage the ambitions of villains. As the saying goes, the arrow is on the string and has to be shot. We must continue to send troops at this time. Even if Mo Dengyong commits suicide out of fear of punishment, we must send troops to transform Annan in the name of preventing Annan from usurping the throne again! This is the virtue that a superior country should have!"

Zhu Houcong nodded in agreement.

"Then let this envoy come to the capital first, and you can drag him to mislead Mo Dengyong and make him think that we are going to stop advancing. At the same time, let the army continue to advance and contact Li Ning who is plotting to restore the Qing capital."

Zhu Houcong gave such instructions.

Xia Yan bowed and said yes.

The Ming Dynasty's decision to send troops to Annan was for the right reasons.

Not to mention, Mo Dengyong did usurp the throne, which is not in line with the universal values ​​of this era.

More importantly, Le Ninh, the new leader of the Annan Le regime supported by the Annan warlord Nguyen Gan, had taken the initiative to send envoys to Beijing to request the Ming Dynasty to attack the Mo clan.

Therefore, it can be said that the Ming Dynasty had a legitimate reason to launch its campaign this time.

More importantly, Annan is now in a state of division.

The Nguyen and Mo clans each controlled part of Annam's territory.

This makes it impossible for Annan to form a united force now.

The Ming Dynasty could naturally take this opportunity to unify Annan again.

Historically, during the Yongle reign, the Ming Dynasty unified Annan and established the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration. However, during the Xuande reign, ministers such as Yang Shiqi and Yang Rong took the opportunity to advise Emperor Xuanzong to abandon Jiaozhi in order to cater to his overall contraction strategy. Emperor Xuanzong then decided to withdraw the troops and ordered Wang Tong and others who were still in Annan to lead an army of more than 80,000 people back to the north and abolish the Jiaozhi Provincial Administration.

However, Zhu Houcong knew that in history, Emperor Xuanzong directly abandoned Jiaozhi and changed it to the Kingdom of Annan, which brought far more negative impacts than positive significance to the Ming Dynasty.

Because historical facts that happened later proved that this behavior would have long-term and even fatal effects on the Ming Dynasty.

First, it dealt a heavy blow to the Ming Dynasty's international reputation in the southwest and the West, and shook the Ming Dynasty's status as the suzerain state.

Therefore, the southwestern chieftains continued to rebel, and they unscrupulously abducted Han people as slaves. It was even common for them to fight among themselves and ignore the imperial court's orders.

Then the West was no longer able to control it.

Another thing is that Xuanzong abandoned Jiaozhi, and the peace he had hoped to bring did not occur.

According to historical records, after abandoning Jiaozhi, "Annan continued to disturb the border."

Later, the Li regime stopped paying tribute for twenty years.

As the saying goes, the barbarians "fear power but not virtue", Xuande and his ruling ministers thought that abandoning Jiaozhi could buy peace and save national treasury, but instead it made people despise the Ming Dynasty, which brought greater disasters to the people living in the southwestern border and greater hidden dangers to the country's southwestern territory, directly causing the Ming Dynasty to spend more military pay in the future to quell various chieftain rebellions and deal with the harassment from Annan.

It can be said……

Xuande and his ruling ministers were said to be not fond of ostentation and only willing to implement benevolent policies that benefit the people, but in fact they would rather carry out strategic military contraction than conduct deeper reforms.

The land survey work stipulated by the Hongwu Emperor, which was to be carried out every ten years, was not strictly implemented, nor was the real problem of the large number of military households fleeing at that time solved, nor was there any revenue from maritime trade or even border trade. As for the internal cleansing of the bureaucracy, there was no achievement at all, and instead the government simply sacrificed military strength to reduce fiscal expenditure in order to reduce the burden on the people.

Zhu Houcong also knew that many of the so-called upright and honest ministers in the ruling class of this era were only willing to reduce the burden on the people by sacrificing the country's military strength and saving financial expenditures, and were very resistant to opening up new sources of revenue and military revitalization.

For example, during the Chenghua period, Emperor Chenghua wanted to seize Annan while Li Hao of Annan was defeated by Laos, and he asked for relevant information about the Yongle Dynasty's expedition against Annan. However, Liu Daxi, the assistant minister of the Ministry of War, hid it and did not give it to Emperor Chenghua. Liu Daxi also took the initiative to tell Yu Zijun, the then Minister of War, "Once the war starts, the southwest will be in chaos."

The history records: "Zijun realized it, and the matter was put to rest."

Therefore, in the previous ten years, Zhu Houcong had been mainly engaged in opening up new sources of finance, establishing new domestic systems, and cultivating new aristocratic groups.

After all, it is impossible for him to really rely on the clean-minded bureaucrats who nominally love the people like their own children, dare to abandon their land and the prestige of the country for the people, but are actually extremely conservative and only care about the interests of the gentry, to make Chinese civilization go abroad and expand to all parts of the world.

These clean-minded bureaucrats will only castrate Chinese civilization, leaving it strong inside and weak outside. In the end, it will be surpassed by other civilizations and even have to rely on other civilizations for redemption.

But it must be said that it was because Liu Daxia hid the information about the Yongle Dynasty's expedition to Annan.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong had to send Ye Bushou to Annan for scout first.

It should be noted that from Guangxi, the entire Annan bordering the Ming Dynasty is covered with continuous mountains, known as the Ten Thousand Mountains. Marching and fighting in such an area is naturally not an easy task. If there are pictures and text materials from the Yongle Dynasty in Annan for many years as a guide, it will naturally be much easier.

"The emperor has issued an order. Liu Daxia was short-sighted and arbitrarily hid the books and pictures, which led to their loss. He has greatly damaged the national plan and can be regarded as a criminal minister of all ages. His crime should be punished twice as much as before to serve as a warning to others! In addition to depriving him of all his titles, his entire clan will be exiled to Guangdong and Guangxi, and will be deployed by the army to serve in the army to pay off his debts! If he can hand over the books he hid, his entire clan will be exempted from punishment."

After Xia Yan's words, Zhu Houcong issued an edict to punish Liu Daxia again.

"The minister obeys the order!"

Xia Yan responded and started to make arrangements according to Zhu Houcong's instructions.

However, Zhu Houcong did not order a ceasefire, but only sent tribute envoys from Mo Dengyong. Instead, he increased the punishment for Liu Daxia, a civil official who had already passed away. Once the news of this was announced, many civil officials who only wanted to return to the previous era of co-governance between the monarch and his ministers and maximize the interests of the gentry class became even more disappointed and shocked.

"What should we do? Duke Zhongyi is the son-in-law of Duke Yang Wendi's clan!"

"Nine clans were exiled to serve in the army. Doesn't that mean that Yang Wendinggong's clan will also have to serve in the army?"

"Didn't Xia Guixi know how to stop it?"

For a time, people from all walks of life were talking about it.

But because Jiajing was now in power, with a strong army and abundant financial resources, even the northern barbarian Altan could not threaten him. In addition, he was also tyrannical and overbearing, so these ministers talked about it but did not submit any memorials to oppose it.

But not long after, Yang Shou, the grandson of Yang Pu, suddenly rushed over from Huguang with documents wrapped in brocade, knelt outside Zuoshun Gate, and shouted:
"When I was sorting out my father's belongings, I found the old documents of Emperor Taizong's expedition to Annan that my uncle had hidden in my house. I am now returning them to the court. I beg Your Majesty to show mercy and forgive my father and my uncle!"

"Finally you're willing to take it out."

"Just like last time when he suddenly said he had found the blueprints for the voyage to the West."

Zhu Houcong smiled coldly.

He had previously issued an order to hold Liu Daxia accountable for the loss of the old documents related to Zheng He's voyages to the West.

But not long after, a Hanlin scholar said that the old documents about the voyage to the West were found in the Wenhua Hall, and that the old documents from the Ministry of War must have been transferred to the Wenhua Hall when Liu Jin was in power.

For this reason, an imperial censor interceded for Liu Daxia, saying that if this was the case, Liu Daxia should not be blamed, but Liu Jin should be blamed.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong did not punish Liu Daxia again that time.

But this time, Zhu Houcong had to blame Liu Daxia again for the loss of the old Annan documents.

And this time, it was the Yang family who came to retrieve the drawings of Annan.

Zhu Houcong only said these few words.

Xia Yan also laughed and said, "This is a common trick used by the gentry. Many important documents of the court are said to be lost, but in fact they are just in their hands and become tools for them to make profits. Documents like this one about the distribution of roads in various counties in Annan are not only convenient for military expeditions, but also for smuggling trade. It can be said that whoever controls this map can monopolize the trade with Annan. But I don't know whether Liu Daxia hid this document in the Yang family at the behest of the Yang family, or whether he intended to use the Yang family as a marriage-in-law to monopolize the benefits of trade with Annan. After all, Duke Yang Wendi also had students and old friends all over the world. Relying on the Yang family to do this is better than relying on the Liu family, and it can also conceal people's eyes and ears. After all, no one would suspect that Duke Yang Wendi would compete for this profit!"

"Whether it is true or not, the relationship between these wealthy families is indeed complicated. If they prosper together, they all prosper together. If they suffer together, they all suffer together. Even if I deal with them, they have to settle the trouble for their relatives."

"But I still have to keep my word. Since the Yang family has returned the old documents of Emperor Taizong's expedition to Annan on behalf of Liu Daxia, I will exempt Liu Daxia's family from the punishment of nine generations."

"At the same time, print another copy of this document and give it to Wu Tingju and Guo Xun."

"Then, print a few more copies of this ancient document, just like the ancient documents from the voyage to the West, print enough copies to put in the shelves and cabinets of each county, and ask the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Revenue to discuss how much silver it would cost to expand a library in each city's official school from the county to the province and then to the two capitals to store ancient books and documents that can be opened to the public and read by the scholars and civilians of the country."

"I intend to build many official libraries for the benefit of the public. I will order the construction of libraries in certain counties, prefectures, and governors. Then, I will place the copied books and manuscripts in these places to enlighten the people and prevent the important illustrated knowledge in the world from being controlled by the powerful and wealthy."

"After all, facts have proven that if we only keep these important illustrated knowledge on the shelf and keep it exclusive to the court, it will inevitably be stolen and hidden by bureaucrats for personal gain. It is better to share it with the people so that wealthy families with ideas and strength can profit from it, which can also increase the tax source for the court and curb their annexation of land."

"In short, it is better to open up completely than to benefit those thieves who use the slogans of saints to harm the interests of the court!"

Zhu Houcong knew that there was a huge amount of wealth overseas waiting to be mined after he improved the country's strength and people's wisdom, such as gold in the Americas and iron ore in Australia. Therefore, as an emperor, he had a particularly grand vision. After realizing that it was unreliable to rely on the bureaucracy to monopolize important knowledge and information in the hands of the court, he chose to open up completely to the scholars and the people.

Xia Yan knew why Zhu Houcong was so courageous, so he did not object, but only reminded Zhu Houcong:

"Your Majesty's desire to enlighten the people, make them richer and more polite is a good policy, but in my humble opinion, the wealthy families in the world have always been only concerned with their own interests. Therefore, I am afraid that even if Your Majesty takes the initiative to enlighten the people, they will collude with officials to prevent it. For example, the local gentry may bribe the library manager to hide and transfer important documents, making it difficult for the people who need to know the relevant documents to find them, unless they are their own people."

Zhu Houcong nodded and said, "That's right. I am a bit fanciful. For thousands of years, weakening and impoverishing the people has been a habitual practice of the meat-eaters as a whole. Even if I am the emperor, I cannot expect to achieve it with just one decree if I want to enrich the people and enlighten them."

"But your majesty, don't be discouraged. In my humble opinion, although we cannot suddenly enlighten all the people, we can first enlighten some of them, and then use them to enlighten more people. For example, we can only let scholars with military backgrounds supervise libraries. In this way, at least the wealthy military families who are hidden will benefit."

Xia Yan suggested at this time.

Zhu Houcong smiled and said, "That's a good idea. Let's add another rule. Only those who buy court bonds to show their loyalty can enter the library to borrow books. I have to let those loyal and good wealthy families who are willing to support the court and use their money to enrich the country and the people get some benefits. Moreover, with the supervision of these wealthy families, those who want to manage the library will not dare to hide."

(End of this chapter)