Ming Dynasty: A mere unruly commoner is rebelling against the heaven?

Chapter 114: If a million people rebel, then I will rebuild the Ming Dynasty!
Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Youtang took the memorial and ticket sent by the Imperial Household Department and started to look through them.

When he saw that the cabinet recommended to Zhu Youtang that Shanba be named the new King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty, his face darkened.

The Ming Dynasty's governance of the Northwest was generally carried out around the Hexi Corridor.

In order to firmly control the Hexi Corridor, the Ming Dynasty adopted three forms of management near the Hexi Corridor and formed a multi-level defense system.

The first one is located to the east of the Hexi Corridor, with Lanzhou Prefecture as the dividing line. It implements the same county system as the inland area and is directly managed by the Shanzhou Provincial Administration.

The second type, from Lanzhou Prefecture to Suzhou Guard, is the core area of ​​the Hexi Corridor of the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty court established the guard system here and implemented a militarized management system, which was governed by the Shanzhou Xingdusi.

The third method is to enthrone the local ethnic minority leader from Suzhou Wei to Hami Wei in the west as the King of Ming Zhongshun, in order to protect the core area of ​​the Hexi Corridor in a tributary manner.

The Ming Dynasty court's system of enfeoffing foreign kings in the northwest was somewhat similar to the chieftain system implemented in the southwest region.

Generally speaking, the land was governed by the local people, local officials enjoyed a high degree of autonomy, and the Ming court had only nominal ruling power.

The three most important characteristics are hereditary officials, hereditary land, and hereditary citizens.

Hereditary officials manage the same piece of land and the people on the same land for generations.

This system temporarily maintained local stability and consolidated the unity of the dynasty.

At the same time, it strengthened the exchanges between the central government and border areas and promoted the development of ethnic minorities in border areas.

However, this system has also created barriers between ethnic groups and has made it impossible to truly achieve ethnic integration.

Moreover, local officials had too much autonomy, which was equivalent to dividing the land and enthroning themselves as kings, and they could rebel against the Ming court at any time.

During the Yongle period, Zhu Di conquered Annan in the south and reincorporated Annan, which had been independent from the Central Plains dynasty since the end of the Tang Dynasty, into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Di then announced the abolition of the Kingdom of Annan and renamed it Jiaozhi Province, which governed fifteen prefectures, forty-one states, and two hundred and ten counties.

While sending Han officials from Guangdong and Guangxi to manage Jiaozhi, they also appointed many local officials in Jiaozhi and allowed the people of Jiaozhi to govern Jiaozhi.

As a result, in the second year of Xuande, Jiaozhi rebelled again, killed Han officials, and launched a rebellion.

Emperor Xuanzong had no choice but to recognize Jiaozhi's independence and re-ennoble Jiaozhi as the Kingdom of Annan.

In this way, due to the drawbacks of the native official policy, Jiaozhi Province, which had been returned for 20 years, became the Kingdom of Annan again.

During the Chenghua period, Wang Zhi wanted to personally lead an expedition to Annan and recapture Jiaozhi.

Unfortunately, all the ministers in the court opposed it, and the late emperor finally gave up the idea of ​​​​recovering Jiaozhi.

This was not the only case of chieftain rebellion during the Ming Dynasty, but this one had the greatest impact.

The Milu Rebellion during the Hongzhi period, the Bozhou Rebellion during the Wanli period, and the Shean Rebellion during the Tianqi period.

These are all the drawbacks brought about by the chieftain system.

And now, Zhu Youtang wants to completely solve the problem of natives controlling the land and having a high degree of autonomy.

The Ming court conferred the title of King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty, which was essentially the establishment of a native official with an extraordinary status in the northwest.

This proposal by the cabinet is also very interesting.

After Han Shen's death, his children were also slaughtered by Ahem Khan, so the Ming Zhongshun King's family line died out in Han Shen's generation.

But Han Shen has a younger brother!

Yamkebolla was Hanshen's younger brother, and both of them were Uighurs. It was natural that he should inherit the throne of Zhongshun.

Shanba is the great-great-grandson of the second King Zhongshun, Tuotuo, and their blood relationship is eight generations apart.

His relationship with the previous King Zhongshun, Han Shen, was not as close as his relationship with King Anding, Qianben.

However, the cabinet suggested that Shaanba be named the King of Zhongshun and that Yamkebolla be appointed as the deputy governor to assist Shaanba in managing Hami Guard.

In this way, a nail was planted in the Hami Guard, making the Hami Guard less solid.

To be fair, this proposal by the cabinet is of very high quality.

But this was far from enough for Zhu Youtang.

Since Zhu Youtang wants to change the chieftain system, he might as well take this opportunity to abolish the title of King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Youtang rejected the cabinet's proposal and kept it without issuing it.

……

The next day.

It's another day of court meeting.

Zhu Youtang put on his court robes, got on his sedan chair and headed towards Fengtian Gate.

Outside the Fengtian Gate, civil and military officials stood respectfully in their seats, waiting for Zhu Youtang to come to court.

Following the words of the eunuch from the Imperial Household Department at Fengtian Gate, "The Emperor has arrived!"

Zhu Youtang sat on the dragon throne, and all the officials below the steps knelt on the ground to pay their respects.

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

Zhu Youtang waved his hand and said, "Everyone, please stand up."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

After bowing, all civil and military officials stood up.

Zhu Youtang was the first to speak: "Yesterday I received a report from the front line that the Ming expeditionary army has recaptured Hamiwei and captured Gaochang City."

"This is a great achievement!"

After hearing this, all the officials understood and congratulated in unison: "Congratulations, Your Majesty! Congratulations, Your Majesty!"

"God bless the Ming Dynasty! The sun, moon, mountains and rivers will last forever! The Ming Dynasty will be forever strong!"

When Zhu Youtang heard this, he felt somewhat happy.

"Haha, what do you think about the governance of Hami Guard and Gaochang City?"

After hearing Zhu Youtang's question, Xu Pu and Liu Jian, who were standing at the bottom of the stairs, showed doubtful expressions. Didn't they already give suggestions on this matter in the draft yesterday?

Could it be that His Majesty is not satisfied with the proposal made by their cabinet?
However, the candidate they proposed for King Zhongshun was already the most suitable one.

In the current situation, there is no one more suitable than Shanba to become the new generation of the Ming Dynasty's loyal and obedient King.

Xu Pu and Liu Jian looked at each other in surprise and confusion.

They could not guess what Zhu Youtang was thinking, but they did not dare to propose to him in person that Shanba be the new King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty.

The Minister of Personnel Wang Shu pondered for a moment, then suddenly pointed at the tablet and took a step forward.

"Your Majesty, the Ming Dynasty's loyal and obedient Prince Han Shen is now dead, and his descendants have all been slaughtered."

"I suggest that Shaanba, the nephew of Prince Anding Qianben, be appointed as the new Prince Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty?"

Although Wang Shu had just learned the news, he was worthy of being an old civil servant who had been in the officialdom for forty years.

It only took a short time to sort out the interests involved and give the same advice as the cabinet.

But just as Xu Pu and Liu Jian thought, Zhu Youtang was not very interested in this proposal.

He just hummed lightly and said no more.

Seeing that Zhu Youtang was dissatisfied with the proposal, the Minister of War Liu Daxia suddenly stepped forward and made a suggestion.

"Your Majesty, Han Shen has a younger brother named Amkebolla. According to the blood relationship, Amkebolla should inherit the throne of Zhongshun."

"Your Majesty, please enthrone Amkebolla as the new King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty."

Xu Pu and Liu Jian cursed him in their hearts, "What an idiot!" How could someone even come up with such a proposal?

Zhu Youtang shook his head, also dissatisfied.

Afterwards, Tu Yu, the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, Li Hao, the Minister of Public Administration, and the Secretary of the Ministry of War all gave their suggestions.

But all the suggestions cannot escape the issue of recommending the King Zhongshun of the Ming Dynasty.

It seems that the affairs of the northwest can only be governed by the Zhongshun King of the ethnic minority.

Zhu Youtang had put away the smile on his face and his expression became solemn.

It seems that not only a few ministers in the cabinet think so, but all the civil and military officials in the court have the same idea.

"okay."

Zhu Youtang didn't want to listen any more and simply gave the order.

"Regarding matters in the northwest, I do not intend to confer the title of King Zhongshun any more."

"From now on, Hami Guard and Gaochang City will be directly incorporated into Shanzhou and will be directly governed by the Shanzhou Governor."

"In Hami and Turpan, prefects and county magistrates were set up, and all local officials were directly appointed by the Ming court."

"At the same time, the guards of Hami Guard are directly under the command of the Shanzhou Xingdusi."

"Han officials will directly manage the local natives."

Zhu Youtang's words shocked all the civil and military officials in the court.

After a brief moment of unconsciousness, dozens of officials came out and knelt in front of Zhu Youtang, trying to dissuade him at the top of their lungs.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible!"

"Your Majesty, since the Yuan Dynasty, the border areas have been using the policy of natives ruling the land. If you abolish it at will, I'm afraid it will provoke civil unrest in the border areas!"

"Yes, Your Majesty! For hundreds of years, the natives in the border areas have been ruled by local ethnic leaders. If we rashly replace them with Han officials who directly lead them, I'm afraid the natives will rebel!"

"Your Majesty, if the natives rebel, there will be endless troubles!"

"Your Majesty, please think twice!"

"..."

What the civil officials said was not wrong. The policy of natives ruling the land not only maintained the stability of the border, but also consolidated the unity of the dynasty.

If Han officials were forced to directly manage the natives, the local natives might really rebel.

However, this system was highly dependent on the loyalty of local officials to the Ming Dynasty.

If the local officials had no intention of rebelling, the country would be peaceful and prosperous, and the times would be peaceful and tranquil.

However, as soon as the local officials showed signs of rebellion, they would immediately declare themselves kings, requiring the central government to spend a lot of time, effort, manpower and food to suppress the rebellion.

Zhu Youtang would never rely on the loyalty of these native officials to govern the local areas of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, the Ming Dynasty court adopted this policy because the military strength of the Ming Dynasty at that time was not enough to sweep the world, so it had to make a compromise.

But for Zhu Youtang now, this policy is no longer necessary.

In the face of absolute military strength, Zhu Youtang did not need any compromise.

Zhu Youtang stood up, walked to the steps, and stood with his hands behind his back.

"If one person rebels, I will kill him!"

"If a hundred people rebel, I will kill them all!"

"If ten thousand people rebel, I will massacre ten thousand people!"

"If a million people rebel, I will strike back at the Ming Dynasty!"

Zhu Youtang's voice was like thunder, and every word he said revealed his domineering spirit!
His words were filled with the heroic spirit of sweeping across the world, and no one else could do it better than him!

Re-attack the Ming Dynasty? !

Every word Zhu Youtang spoke was like the sound of a huge bell, exploding in the ears of all the civil and military officials in the court.

At this moment, all the civil and military officials were terrified and extremely shocked!
After being frightened, all the civil and military officials in the court knelt on the ground to pay their respects and shouted "Long live the emperor".

"Long live my emperor! Long live!"

(End of this chapter)