Zhu Yuanzhang in the cellar

Chapter 105 I, Zhu Yuanzhang, send you money!

If you stand outside the imperial city, you will see a beam of light rising straight into the sky from the Jinling City Palace.

It's a bit like the pillar of light left behind after a character dies in Minecraft.

The eunuchs, palace maids, and guards in the palace all saw this strange sight. They raised their heads and stared in amazement at the terrifying daylight.

It’s so damn bright.

"Quick, Zhu Di, put away your magical powers!"

Zhu Di couldn't bear it anymore. He couldn't even open his eyes and could only cover his face with his hands.

Little Zhu Di turned off the light and said complacently, "How is it?"

"what are you doing?"

Zhu Di was shaken to tears and said angrily: "I am you and you are me, why are you trying to harm me?"

"How could I harm you? I brought you something good."

"It's too bright. It almost blinded me. What the hell is this?"

"The things we use for lighting over there."

"The fairy world also needs lamps?"

"What else? Don't think the fairy world is too mysterious. Fairies are also human beings."

Little Zhu Di said: "Although you can go up to the sky and into the earth, you still need the help of magic weapons."

Zhu Di had recovered slowly by this time. He rubbed his eyes, wiped away his tears, and slowly adjusted to the darkness before saying, "Don't you have magical powers?"

"With Mao's magical power, immortals cannot descend to the mortal world. If they do, they can only become mortals."

"Then how did you guys..."

"I can only come here through special means. Isn't it that my father is worried that your country is not strong enough and will be bullied by the Northern Yuan Dynasty, so he specially sent me to deliver something?"

Little Zhu Di said happily.

Zhu Di looked up and down at the LED light, nodded and said, "Well, if we encounter Northern Yuan cavalry during a night battle, if we suddenly turn on this light, we will surely win a great victory."

Huh?
Including Xiao Zhu Di, Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He, everyone opened their eyes wide.

Yes.

Why didn't they think of that?

If Zhu Yuanzhang took this thing with him when he went to war and fought the Mongols at night, wouldn't he be invincible?
You have to know that the Mongols had no cities. Except for the capital, Karakorum, which had rammed earth walls, the rest of the place was endless plains and grasslands.

So fighting against the Mongols was basically a battle in the wild.

The Han people are good at defense. They stay indoors during the day and launch night attacks. If the LED lights were shot in the direction of the Mongols, both people and horses would probably be blinded.

For a moment, little Zhu Di whispered in Zhu Yunfeng's ear: "Why didn't you take this thing out earlier? If you bring it to your father..."

Zhu Yunfeng whispered: "You are still Emperor Yongle, don't you realize it yourself?"

"How can it be the same? I haven't gone to Peking for training yet."

"What did you say?"

Zhu Di was completely confused.

"It's okay. Actually, father didn't ask us to bring this. He asked us to bring something else."

Little Zhu Di waved his hand, motioning him to come over.

The elder Zhu Di came alone, and the guards did not allow him to enter the Yuehua Gate, so he followed the younger Zhu Di to the outside of the underground palace.

Turn on the LED and shine it downwards, and you will see countless plastic bags densely packed together.

At Zhu Yunfeng's request, all the plastic bags are white bags without the manufacturer's name printed on them, except for the words "seeds" and "urea" which are very conspicuous.

"what is this?"

Zhu Di was puzzled.

"Immortal seeds, have you ever heard that one acre can produce nine to ten stones of grain in one season?"

Little Zhu Di said proudly.

"Nine to ten stone of grain?"

Zhu Di's jaw dropped.

He had cultivated land in Peking before, so he naturally knew the yield from farming.

The best farmland in Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions can only produce five to six shi, while ordinary farmland can only produce two or three shi.

It is unheard of to produce nine to ten shi per acre in one season.

"good."

Little Zhu Di said: "It's nine to ten stones!"

Zhu Di immediately knelt down in the direction of the underground palace, saying, "Thank you, father, for your grace. Thank you, father, for your grace."

This underground palace is different from the underground palace of the Hongwu Dynasty. Since Zhu Yuanzhang asked Zhu Di to build it into a temple, the form of the underground palace below is somewhat similar to that of the Taimiao.

There is an altar below, with a portrait of Zhu Yuanzhang enshrined, so it is reasonable for him to kneel down towards the underground palace.

After thanking the old Zhu for his kindness, the young Zhu Di pulled him up and said, "It's only June now, and there's still time to plant late rice in July. You should immediately find 30,000 acres of land near the Qinhuai River, and I will help you plant it during this time."

"Good good."

Zhu Di smiled and said, "Father still cares about us."

"Don't say I didn't help you."

Little Zhu Di put his hands on his hips and said, "I begged my father for a long time to get this for you. You may not be able to get these good things in the future, especially the immortal fertilizer that increases grain production. It is very precious and is used to grow medicinal materials for alchemy. Ordinary rice seeds don't need these."

"You mean we need immortal fertilizer to grow food?"

"The seeds can grow, but not much. That's okay. I can teach you how to get some defective fertilizer. Although it may not produce nine to ten stones in the future, six to seven stones should be no problem."

"Good, good, even if it can only produce six to seven stones, it's good enough. If every acre of land in Ming Dynasty can produce this much, why should the country be in turmoil?"

Zhu Di nodded repeatedly.

Zhu Yunfeng also agreed very much after hearing this.

To some extent, productivity determines everything.

You have endless food and endless daily necessities, even in a feudal society.

Unless the system is too outrageous and exploits people to the point where they can no longer survive, it is acceptable to the vast majority of people.

of course.

The relationship between productive forces and production relations is one of mutual dependence and interaction.

If the system is unreasonable and there are significant problems in the design of national laws, policies, labor distribution and other systems, then no matter how high the productivity is, the country will not last long.

That's why Zhu Yunfeng wanted to do both things well.

On the one hand, modern materials should be provided to help the Ming Dynasty improve its productivity. On the other hand, institutional design must be carried out to change production relations and adapt to the corresponding productivity.

Otherwise, even if your productivity increases, it will not be the people of the Ming Dynasty that will be supported, but the gentry, bureaucrats and other vested interests.

"His Majesty Taizu said that he wanted to rebuild a political system tailored for the Ming Dynasty."

Zhu Yunfeng said, "The increase in grain production does not mean everything. With more grain, more people will go mining, and gold, silver and copper will be abundant, which will increase the wealth of the people. But Taizu once set the original tax rate, collecting only 3000 million shi of grain every year. If the policy is not changed, such a huge amount of wealth will not flow into the treasury. Guess who will flow into the hands?"

Zhu Di frowned and said nothing.

He has actually been thinking about this issue recently, that is, whether to make some policy adjustments.

After taking over the Ming Dynasty, he found that many policies from the Taizu period were no longer applicable.

For example, under the Wei Suo system, many soldiers have escaped to this day.

The feudal system was also a problem. He himself was a feudal lord who was rebelling, so he naturally had to be on guard.

In addition, the six ministries squeezed in countless memorials every day for him to handle alone. It was a bit exciting at the beginning, but now his head is about to explode.

However, after careful consideration, Zhu Di had no choice but to do nothing. He was even more conservative than he was in history and did not dare to make some policy adjustments as he had done in history.

The reason is that in history, Zhu Di succeeded in his rebellion, established his own legitimacy, and was able to make some changes relying on his personal authority.

However, it was Taizu who gave him the throne, and according to "Huang Ming Zuxun": "All my descendants must obey my orders and not be clever or disrupt the laws I have established. Not a single word can be changed." His current legitimacy has changed from being given to himself to being the inheritance of the family business given to him by his father. It is legal now, and it also saves a lot of trouble.

But he also lost something, that is, if he changed the policies left by his father, it would be disobedience.

Isn't this a trap for future generations?
It has only been four years since Zhu Yuanzhang's death, but various problems have already arisen in the system he established. As a local vassal king and now an emperor, Zhu Di is naturally aware of this.

Therefore, after hearing Zhu Yunfeng's words, Zhu Di frowned and thought for a moment, then said: "Of course I know, it's probably those corrupt officials, wealthy folk gentry, and various princes."

"Yes, His Majesty Taizu now knows that the establishment of the Imperial Ming Ancestor Precepts was too hasty, so he wants to change everything to prevent his descendants from suffering in the future."

Zhu Yunfeng sighed and said, "It's a pity that he can't come down, otherwise he could help you in person in the future."

Zhu Di asked tentatively: "Father, if we fight in heaven, can we win?"

He was still very nervous about this.

The existence of Lao Zhu was a good thing for him. In addition to the things Lao Zhu gave him, the most important thing was that if Lao Zhu came occasionally, it would strengthen his authority.

You can say anything Lao Zhu says.

For example, the "Imperial Ming Ancestor Instructions" was abolished, and all matters would be left to the fourth son to handle.

So no matter what policy he implemented, even if it was to recall all the princes to Nanjing and imprison them, it would only take a word.

So when Zhu Di heard that his father was fighting in heaven, he was very concerned.

“Not very optimistic.”

Zhu Yunfeng sighed, "Your Majesty Taizu paid a heavy price for coming to the mortal world. There is an enemy named Han Lao Mo, who is always insidious and cunning. He took advantage of Your Majesty Taizu's descent to the mortal world to attack Taizu's territory, causing Taizu to suffer heavy losses. There is also an enemy known as the Heaven-Covering Saint Body, whose surname is Ye. He is extremely powerful and led a large army to attack Your Majesty Taizu's fairyland. Now Your Majesty Taizu is being attacked from both sides and is in a precarious situation."

Zhu Di was immediately panicked and asked hurriedly, "What can I do? Can I lead the civil and military officials to the Imperial Ancestral Temple to pray for my father?"

Little Zhu Di and Ji He standing by watched him talk nonsense, trying so hard to hold back their laughter that they almost got hurt.

"Don't mess with those fake things."

Zhu Yunfeng smiled and said calmly, "Gold is also a very important resource for cultivating immortals in the immortal world. This time, His Majesty Taizu has brought you so many immortal seeds and immortal fertilizers. Do you understand what I mean?"

"This"

Zhu Di looked embarrassed.

"Why, Your Majesty, you won't give me any gold?"

Zhu Yunfeng frowned.

“That’s a must.”

Zhu Di spread his hands and said, "There is not much gold in the treasury now."

"Oh, Taizu knows that it's not easy for you, and he doesn't want much, so just give me a few thousand pounds as a token of appreciation."

Zhu Yunfeng waved his hand.

"Zhu Di."

The elder Zhu Di went up to hug the younger Zhu Di, walked aside and whispered: "Tell me the truth, is it that guy who wants it, or is it father who wants it?"

All are not fools.

As to what exactly happened to Zhu Yuanzhang in the fairy world, Zhu Di would not delve into it or think deeply about it, as Zhu Yuanzhang's deification was a blessing from heaven and could greatly safeguard his rule.

They may even believe in it subjectively and promote it vigorously.

Since Zhu Yuanzhang became a god, it was very beneficial to Zhu Di in terms of the legitimacy of heaven's mandate.

But asking for money is another matter.

It’s easy to ask for money from his father.

But what if the little devil down there is troublesome?
He's not stupid.

Even if it is not the emperor, even if it is people around high-ranking officials who go down to the lower levels, it is not uncommon in all dynasties to solicit bribes in the name of the higher-ups.

Just as Little Zhu Di was about to speak, Big Zhu Di immediately said, "Think it through. I am you and you are me."

"This"

Little Zhu Di looked back at Zhu Yunfeng, who was winking at him. He finally hesitated and said, "He wants some. Father does need gold, too."

"Then how much is appropriate?"

"Well"

Little Zhu Di thought for a moment and said, "A few hundred kilograms will be enough."

"call."

Zhu Di heaved a sigh of relief and said, "That's not bad. The national treasury only has a few hundred thousand taels of gold. Money is needed everywhere. I'm really worried that my father will take it all."

Fortunately, I have myself as an insider, otherwise I would have been the scapegoat.

"If it's several hundred kilograms, it's fine."

After receiving the news, Zhu Di said with a smile: "I will take out 500 kilograms, which should be enough."

'Damn Lao Si, this traitor.'

Zhu Yunfeng was furious.

This guy actually favors himself!

unacceptable.

You have to know that their waists were almost broken after carrying more than 80 tons.

Although 300 kilograms of gold is roughly equivalent to 2 kilograms and is worth nearly million yuan, Zhu Yunfeng's original psychological expectation was one ton of gold.

Forget it.

For the sake of the younger brother, he would not kill the older brother, after all, he is his direct ancestor.

"Five hundred kilograms is five hundred kilograms."

Zhu Yunfeng rolled his eyes at Little Zhu Di, then looked around and said, "We can go to the Qianqing Palace to discuss things now. You can have someone move the things away. Later, the fourth brother will teach you how to plant these immortal seeds."

"Row."

Zhu Di made arrangements immediately afterwards.

He ordered people to light candles in the Qianqing Palace. Now the Qianqing Palace was sealed off, and except for allowing eunuchs and palace maids to come and clean it every day, even he didn't dare to come in casually.

Soon the Qianqing Palace became brightly lit again, and it was even more lively outside. Countless guards delivered bags of supplies to the warehouse.

While Zhu Yunfeng and Ji He were walking towards the study room, the elder Zhu Di pulled the younger Zhu Di and whispered, "Zhu Di."

"What's wrong, Yongle?"

"I've always wanted to ask, who are those two guys? One is fat and the other is thin, and they were always with my father."

"They? They are not simple."

"How to say?"

"They are the left and right guardians of our father. Our father relies heavily on them. They are on an equal footing with me and my elder brother."

"Big brother?"

Zhu Di's jaw dropped again, and he asked tremblingly, "Is my eldest brother here too?"

Little Zhu Di said as a matter of course: "Of course he is here, next time I will ask him to come and talk to you?"

"No, no, no, no."

Zhu Di waved his hands repeatedly and said in panic: "Brother is very busy. It must not be easy for him to manage the Immortal Dynasty for our father. It is better not to disturb him."

After saying that, he went into the study.

joke.

The fact that my father allowed him to rebel against little Jianwen showed that Zhu Yunwen was too rebellious to kill my father's sons.

But it’s different for the eldest brother. Even if the brothers have deep love, how can it compare to the relationship between father and son?
When the eldest brother comes, he will scold him severely.

It’s scary just thinking about that scene.

(End of this chapter)