The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 581 Luo Fangbai returns to Beijing

The news that Mo Tianci agreed to go to Japan was brought by Huang Zhen.

Mo Zibu laughed and said, it's just a fief of 500,000 stones. It's no problem to give it to him. Anyway, the Tokugawa family's territory will probably not be kept.

Although it is unlikely that all the vassal states and hereditary successors of the Tokugawa family will be abolished, at least most of the territories that directly belong to the Tokugawa Shogun will definitely be confiscated.

"Who says the old man is so strong even with age? If he hadn't given birth to the sixth and seventh sons, how could I have driven him to do things? Hahahaha!"

Mo Zibu was quite unfilial and told his elder brother, Duke of Qiong, Mo Zihuang, a joke about his father, Mo Tianci.

What could Mo Zihuang say? Although one was his younger brother, he was the emperor, the ruler. The other was his father. He couldn't afford to offend either of these two great gods.

"Your Majesty is right. I think the sixth and seventh sons are here to collect debts, or rather, all children are here to collect debts." Although he couldn't afford to offend both sides, Mo Zihuang felt that Mo Zibu was right.

Given his father Mo Tianci's status, even the emperor would not allow him to do something he doesn't want to do.

Only the sixth and seventh brothers had to travel around the world at the emperor's behest in order to leave an inheritance for their two younger brothers who were not very close to the emperor.

"In fact, it's not just the emperor, I feel the same way too. I have eight sons. It gives me a headache just thinking about it." After talking about the emperor, Mo Zihuang began to talk about himself secretly.

"Then I'll give you two fiefdoms of 100,000 koku each in Kanto, Japan. However, you have to be a fiefdom. You can't just stay on the mainland and collect tribute. You have to go to the local area to guard it."

Although Mo Zihuang did not make much contribution when Mo Zibu retook the country, he was not completely useless. He did a good job in several cities for a short period of time, at least he did not make any mistakes.

Look, my second brother Mo Zitang has been staying in Beijing for almost three years, and it will soon be my eldest brother's turn.

Among the eldest brother Mo Zihuang's sons, three were born to the Arakan princess who was abducted back then. They will definitely go to Arakan and Chittagong to become vassal kings in the future. It would also be good to find two of the remaining five to go to Japan.

"I thank you, Your Majesty. Please rest assured that I will develop these two fiefdoms in Kanto, Japan, into the foundation of our Mo family in Japan."

Mo Zihuang was quite happy. In the past, the two Japanese fiefdoms with a total of 100,000 stones were actually quite poor.

But things are different now. China does not require such a complicated and deliberately wasteful system of sankin-kotai, and there is no need to support so many retainers. The surplus population has a place to go, and they can even be sold as piglets.

Then this 100,000-stone fiefdom is not small. If converted into grain, it is 20,000 tons. If the five officials and five civilians are halved, there will still be 10,000 tons left.

After deducting the tribute to the court and the expenses for supporting some retainers, there are at least 5,000 tons, which is about the same as the net income of 40,000 to 50,000 acres of land in an ordinary place in China, and it can be inherited.

It is simply the best industry.

Mo Zihuang was happily receiving the reward in the hall, while Luo Fangbai and Huang Zhen, who were waiting to be summoned outside the hall, were also chatting.

In fact, the Dayu Dynasty also had the system of "participating in the work and explaining things to the emperor", and those who were required to do so were these vassal officials in Southeast Asia.

Their legitimate sons, that is, those born to their legal wives, regardless of gender, were required to study in the capital, and they themselves had to go to the capital to meet the emperor every two years.

"Brother Luo, I heard that you gave up the opportunity to establish a vassal state in Jiabei and decided to take up a position in the imperial court?"

Luo Fangbai nodded when he heard Huang Zhen's question. The so-called Jiabei refers to the northern part of Jiaqing Island (Kalimantan).

The Sultanate of Brunei, which originally occupied this place, has been beaten to death by the Chinese in Jiaxi, and its territory will soon be designated as Jiabei Province.

Luo Fangbai himself was sent to Jiaqing Island by the emperor and stayed there for ten years.

During these ten years, he served as the governor of Jiaqing Province, and also served as the admiral of Jiaqing's navy and army, and the prefect of Jiaxi Prefecture. Basically, he was the de facto lord who controlled the military and political affairs of the entire Jiaqing Province.

However, when Mo Zibu offered Luo Fangbai the choice of establishing a marquisate in Jiabei or returning to the imperial court to serve, Luo Fangbai considered it and gave up the idea of becoming a marquis.

"For the past thirty years, I have been dreaming of being a farmer in the morning and ascending to the throne of the emperor in the evening. Now, Your Majesty's kindness has enabled me to fulfill my wish. It is truly a great blessing from heaven."

Luo Fangbai was also telling the truth. The important reason why he was willing to give up his title in Nanyang and return to the court was that the emperor wanted to establish the new Imperial Clan and Vassal Court.

This newly established institution combined part of the functions of the Zongrenfu and most of the Lifanyuan, and was responsible for coordinating foreign colonization. In fact, it would be most appropriate to call it the Ministry of Colonies.

The Zongfanyuan was in charge of all matters concerning colonization, from the rulers of feudal states to the owners of manors. It was another extremely important government office besides the Six Ministries, the Dali Temple, the Censorate, and the Transport Bureau.

Luo Fangbai became the minister in charge of the Imperial Court, and it was basically certain that he would enter the cabinet in the future. If he was more capable, it would not be impossible for him to become the prime minister.

Huang Zhen expressed his blessing. After all, Luo Fangbai had only come to Southeast Asia in the last ten years or so. He could have been a scholar on the mainland. After adapting a little, he could return to the court to serve.

But he is different. He is the fourth generation Chinese born in Thailand (Siam), and before him he was a royal noble from the Ayutthaya Dynasty.

Moreover, when he was trapped in Ayutthaya, it was the emperor who personally led his army to rescue him. He was then ordered to guard Dancheng (Greater Danasarim area) for more than ten years.

For more than ten years, Huang Zhen, who was born and raised in Nanyang and could be said to be Nanyang's hometown, found it difficult to go north to adapt to the rhythm of the court after he was in his forties.

"Brother Huang seems to be ready to accept the title and stay in Dancheng forever?" Luo Fangbai already knew what Huang Zhen would choose.

This man was the emperor's most trusted confidant because the emperor saved his life.

This kind of favor, even if it was between ordinary people, would be something they would be grateful for for a lifetime, not to mention that the other party was the emperor.

Anyone in this world can cause trouble, but Huang Zhen is the only one who dares to be even a little disloyal. Human morality can torture him mentally.

Moreover, over the past decade or so, Huang Zhen has actually been the emperor's retainer, and his eldest daughter has been betrothed to the emperor's third son, Mo Chongyu, so there is no need to make a fuss.

Huang Zhen was about to answer when Mo Zihuang came out to greet him, and the two of them hurried in.

"Ah Zhen, Yu'er will be granted the title of Prince of Dancheng first. Let's set up the framework. In the future, I plan to assign Miancheng, Xintu, and Dancheng to Ayu. The title of Prince will be determined after Ayu comes of age. As for you, you will be granted two earldoms around Xintu."

Mo Zibu also began to prepare to divide the fiefdoms among his sons and confirmed Asen's status. The empire now also needed to clarify the heir so that some things could be handled more easily.

After hearing this, Huang Zhen quickly knelt down to express his gratitude. The fiefdom of his son-in-law, the Prince of Dancheng, was not small, including the three places of Mawlamyine, Towei and Tanassar in the southeast of Myanmar in later generations.

It is basically Mon State and Taninthayi Division of Myanmar. At present, it is the largest vassal state in Southeast Asia.

"Keep an eye on Suki for me. I'm afraid this old guy might cause trouble." Mo Zibu looked at Huang Zhen and said:

“Although Ayu was born to the Su family and is Su Ji’s grandson, this does not mean that Su Ji is completely trustworthy.

Our Great Yu Dynasty is the world of the Tang people, and Su Ji cannot be fully considered a Tang person at the moment."

"I understand. Such a good place at the mouth of the Irrawaddy River cannot be given to those barbarians." Huang Zhen nodded with a happy smile on his face. In fact, this is still a struggle between ethnic groups.

Now that more and more Chinese are going to Southeast Asia, the demand for serfs who work as contract laborers has greatly increased. However, over the past decade or so, the Mongols have continued to live in their original way and have basically not made any proactive changes.

To date, among the more than 600,000 people of this ethnic group in Lower Burma, it is estimated that only about 10,000 can speak Mandarin, and there are probably less than 3,000 who can use it fluently.

At the same time, since the Burmese King Meng Yun had never completely surrendered, the Burmese people were still somewhat resistant to assimilation.

Originally, this was just a minor resentment on their part, not a big problem. When this generation was almost dead, the new generation would have grown up under the rule of Dayu, so in another 20 to 30 years, assimilation would basically be completed.

But they were not happy about this, as Dayu happened to need a large number of semi-serfs in recent years.

If you don't want to be a Tang person, then you must want to be a serf!

Now, those who originally supported their assimilation are no longer so supportive.

Many people have set their sights on the approximately three million Mon and Burmese people, hoping to separate them into different places and make them all semi-serfs.

It's a perfect example of bringing disaster upon oneself.

This is also the real reason why Huang Zhen is smiling. The emperor is finally willing to make an exception. Even if Su Ji blocks this trend, he can still be defeated. That would be great.

There are more than three million people. Even if a farmhand with a fifteen-year contract is only worth ten silver dollars, that is still thirty million. What's more, they will continue to reproduce and at the same time free up a lot of land.

"In the future, the Korean and Japanese long-term workers can be supplied to Lower Myanmar first to exchange the ethnicity." Since he had decided to do so, Mo Zibu went straight to the point.

The Japanese and Koreans were sent to Lower Burma, and the Burmese and Mon people were sent to Nanji Island (Java Island), Jiaqing Island (Kalimantan Island), Jiading and Taiping to work as semi-serfs.

"Your Majesty, I also suggest changing the name of Myanmar. Myanmar refers to the Burmese, and Dian refers to plains. It would be better to change Myanmar to Hanchuan." Huang Zhen had been planning for a long time and even thought of a name.

"Hanchuan." Mo Zibu muttered a few words, "Yes, Myanmar has abundant water and many large rivers, so let's call it Hanchuan.

From now on, there will be no Upper Burma or Lower Burma. They will be called Shangchuan and Hanchuan, and the Shangchuan Province and Hanchuan Province will be established."

"Your Majesty, based on my years of experience guarding the Nanyang, I have made a few suggestions for the nobility of Dayu."

Seeing that Huang Zhen had something important to do, Luo Fangbai also submitted his own memorial.

This was his greatest confidence in taking up the post of Minister of the Imperial Court. In the entire Dayu Dynasty, perhaps no one had as rich experience in colonization as Luo Fangbai.

"I suggest that the titles of nobility in Dayu be divided into inner ministers, close vassals, garrison vassals, and outer vassals.

Among them, the eunuchs are court titles, and the princes, dukes, dukes, and earls in the country are all court titles, which are no different from previous dynasties.

The relatives of the Chinese are our Chinese vassals, such as Wu Rang, Marquis of Songcheng, Lin Tonghuo, Bolin of Wanlong, etc., and they also hold titles such as king, duke, marquis, baron, viscount, baron, and garrison commander.

The vassal states are located in the north and south of the desert, Korea, and Japan. Your Majesty has established five ranks of nobility, from Shunyi King to Zhongyi Marquis, each distinguished by the place they guard. These lower-ranking Chinese territories will be ruled by vassal states first, and will be gradually changed in the future.

As for the foreign vassals, that is, those who will be granted titles in the future in Khorasan and Tianzhu, all of their titles will use the title of king, to show that they are outsiders who are subject to me, are not part of the imperial court, and cannot enjoy the treatment of the Chinese.

Mo Zibu understood that this was actually similar to the so-called relatives, hereditary descendants, and foreigners currently practiced in Japan.

The main problem to be solved is that the titles granted to officials other than the eunuchs are too high, which makes the titles granted to the eunuchs seem less valuable.

For example, according to the traditional Chinese rules, the Shimazu clan's Satsuma Domain, which actually controlled a population of more than one million, should at least be a marquis. If the Tokugawa Shogun were to be given a duke based on the current scale, he would at least be given a dukedom.

But in reality, it is impossible for them to obtain such a high title.

But if these people are not given the title of duke or marquis, but only given the title of viscount or baron, then what about Nanyang? A marquis like Wu Rang has a population of only four or five hundred thousand.

Therefore, it is better to make a strict distinction.

Mo Zibu quickly read through it and nodded in agreement, saying, "I agree with the general idea. Fang Bai will go and elaborate on it, such as whether the vassal states can be transferred to other vassal states in the future, and how the land surrendered by the vassal states can be transformed into internal officials."

"Also, this matter must be done in secret because North Korea has not yet submitted." Inspired by Luo Fangbai, Mo Zibu finally figured out what to do with North Korea in the future.

The four Han counties should be restored, and if the ruler of the Li Dynasty is obedient, they should be transferred to Australia or other places.

Apart from the four Han counties, they were divided into pieces and used as vassal states to harvest a wave of population first.

(End of this chapter)