Simulates history, but Chongzhen is the Divine Emperor at the beginning

Chapter 126 Believe in the wisdom of future generations!
[“How big is the territory of the Ming Dynasty?”]

If this question were asked to someone from the Ming Dynasty, they would probably come up with the classic "Two Capitals and Thirteen Provinces." After all, these areas were the largest territories directly controlled by the imperial court, and everyone generally agreed on this.

[However, if this question were asked to future generations of Ming Dynasty history enthusiasts, they would probably come up with a bunch of rather bizarre answers.]

[For example, "Nurgandusi", "Duoyan Three Guards", "Korea", "Three Xuans and Six Weis"...]

[There are some controversies among them, and different people have different opinions, especially the "Three Announcements and Six Comforts"!]

The so-called "Three Xuans and Six Weis" actually refer to several administrative agencies on the Indochina Peninsula. Although they were autonomous chieftains, they were nominally superior to vassal states and belonged to the broader Ming Dynasty territory... Of course, this "broad definition" was a bit too broad, so broad that even the Ming Dynasty people themselves didn't really consider this area their own.

Because the Ming Dynasty couldn't even control the local chieftains in Yunnan and Guizhou, Emperor Wanli once mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops to suppress the rebellion of Guizhou chieftain "Yang Yinglong", and the battle lasted for a long time... And over the "Three Xuans and Six Weis" outside Yunnan and Guizhou, the Ming Dynasty had virtually no real control over them!

[As for the Three Xuans and Six Wei, they probably didn't really consider themselves Ming Dynasty subjects. The two sides probably only had a truncated relationship... Especially after the Ming Dynasty's decline, the Three Xuans and Six Wei, who had always been isolated from traditional Han territory, naturally gradually disappeared.]

[However, the demise of the Three Xuans and Six Weis does not mean that all the local people died. These broadly defined "Ming Dynasty survivors" may not normally consider themselves Ming people, but after the complete restoration of the Ming Dynasty, they suddenly remembered their identity as "Ming Dynasty survivors"!]

During your time as the head of the Ming Dynasty, these "Ming Dynasty survivors" continued to pour into the southern border. You were certainly aware of this and expressed your understanding.

[But you still underestimated the extent of their enthusiasm...]

When your fleet arrived in the Nanyang region, countless chiefs and kings claimed to be descendants of the "Three Xuans and Six Weis" and enthusiastically declared: "As long as the Prime Minister agrees, we will all submit!"

[Prime Minister, please accept our loyalty! ]

【loyalty!】

[You looked at the chiefs and kings kneeling on the ground, begging for submission to the Ming Dynasty, and couldn't help but fall into deep thought...]

Although conventional wisdom suggests that more territory is better, you also know that for the Ming Dynasty, which is still in the feudal era of productivity, land is actually more than enough.

The Qing Dynasty relied on the core areas of Han China to support a population of 400 million. The current population of the Ming Dynasty is only a little over 100 million. Even if you include the newly acquired Korea and Japan, it is still far less than 200 million. Therefore, the Ming Dynasty is truly not short of land.

[And since you don't intend to establish colonies, that means the new territories won't be able to provide any real benefits to Ming. In fact, because their development levels lag far behind Ming, if Ming were to take them, not only would it not benefit Ming, but it would also cost a lot of manpower and resources to alleviate poverty...]

[Under these circumstances, expanding territory is not a good idea. At least under current historical conditions, the short-term benefits of expanding territory are almost negative.]

[However, just because we can't expand our territory now doesn't mean we can't in the future. When Ming's productivity truly achieves a qualitative leap in the future, expanding our territory will then demonstrate extremely significant long-term benefits!]

So, should we accept the offer of surrender? Or should we reject it?

[You thought about it and decided not to accept it for now, and to accept it later...but now might as well put your own mark.]

[So you immediately granted them all Ming citizenship and promised that their children could study in the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty would also grant them some trade concessions. In short, there were many benefits.]

[As for the contents, let’s talk about it later…]

Although everyone was still a little dissatisfied with this answer, they still thought it was a great honor to be able to allow their children to study in the Ming Dynasty!

[And you've already promised to allow submission in the future. It's just a matter of how long to wait. As long as time is long enough, sooner or later the entire country will be able to "break away from the barbarians and join the Ming Dynasty"...]

【The host and the guests were both delighted.】

【……】【"wait……"】

You watched them depart from the boat, taking in their anticipation and joy for the future, which ultimately turned into a long sigh.

[They may one day realize their "Great Ming Dream," but no one knows when that day will come.]

[And no matter what, you will definitely not see that day...]

[With mixed emotions, you command the fleet: Keep moving forward!]

In the ninety-sixth year of the Chongzhen reign, your fleet departed from the Southeast Asian countries, then passed through the Strait of Malacca and sailed into the vast Indian Ocean...

As usual, you sailed along the coast to replenish your food and water. Your journey was safe and sound, without encountering any strong winds or waves, nor any unscrupulous bands of robbers.

[However, there are still kings and chiefs who know your identities and flock to you, eager to pledge their loyalty to you!]

【Indian hot pot is not tasty! 】

【Daming Hotpot is delicious! 】

[I love the Ming Dynasty! Please, Prime Minister, let me become Ming citizens!]

Some people even excitedly said: "The Nanyang countries can be promised future annexation, so why can't we?"

We can talk too! We can love Ming Dynasty too!

[Faced with their sincerity, the corners of your mouth twitched... You could tell, of course, that these pure foreigners, not belonging to the "Three Xuans and Six Weis," had little understanding of the Ming Dynasty. The only reason they wanted to join the Ming Dynasty was because the Divine Emperor, a humanoid nuclear bomb, was so powerful!]

The power of the humanoid nuclear bomb naturally aroused their superstitious thinking: if the Divine Emperor is so awesome, then the Ming Dynasty where the Divine Emperor resides must be the true "Heaven on Earth"!

In their imagination, the Ming Dynasty might be a place where everyone can fly, the ground is paved with gold, milk and honey flow everywhere, and there might even be dozens of beautiful women per capita...

[This isn't just wishful thinking on their part. The main point is that even the true God, the Divine Emperor, has emerged. So, is there anything impossible in this world?]

[Anyway, joining the Ming Dynasty is the right choice! ]

[You understand their thoughts and know how outrageous their fantasies are, but... this is actually a good thing. You don't need to burst their dreams.]

So, as usual, you granted them Ming citizenship, allowed them to trade with the Ming, and allowed them to send people to study there. As for submitting to the Ming… there's no rush for that.

【Anyway, believe in the wisdom of future generations! 】

[While silently reciting these things, you try your best to leave behind a claim to the ancient past for future generations...]

[You, a desperate lunatic, even in the most hopeless situation, still did not give up the pursuit of hope with all your might.]

[Even if this hope only belongs to the future...]

……

(End of this chapter)