The Ming Dynasty's Five Hundred Years

Chapter 251 Questioning the Government
"What does Your Majesty believe is the root cause of the rebellion? Is it the unruly nature of the people, or the incompetence of the officials?"

Zhu Gaochi said without hesitation, "Only a very small number of cases were caused by wicked people; most were caused by local officials who levied exorbitant taxes and levies, which made the people unable to bear their fate, so they rose up in rebellion."

"This is true everywhere under heaven. If people can live a good life, they don't want to rebel. The reason why Annam keeps getting into chaos is ultimately because of the support of the local people."

I have studied why Annam has repeatedly experienced riots. Most of them are because after the arrival of court officials, they mistreated the people, causing discontent and unrest. Later, two capable governors were appointed, and things improved slightly last year.

The situation of Nurgan Commandery was essentially the same as that of Jiaozhi.

The key to ensuring the stability of their rule lies in eliminating the possibility of rebellion.

Your Majesty requests that Your Majesty dispatch an inspector to the Nurgan Regional Military Commission to investigate the Jurchen leaders who have joined the Ming army, as well as ordinary people, the Jurchen leaders and people living within the jurisdiction of the Nurgan Regional Military Commission, and the Han people, merchants, military officers, and civil officials.

In short, people from all walks of life and all social classes were questioned once, and their thoughts and opinions were heard. They were asked to express their dissatisfaction with the Ming Dynasty or to share any grievances they had regarding the system.

We should listen to opinions from all sides, and if there are indeed significant errors or omissions in the Ming Dynasty's policies, we should correct them promptly. Since we cannot possibly kill everyone, why must we become their enemy?

Upon hearing Li Xianmu's words, a word immediately came to Li Qi's mind—negotiation.

The significance lies in fully accepting opinions from all sides and exchanging ideas to resolve resolvable conflicts.

How many tragedies, massacres, and hostility are caused by communication problems?

"Mingda, your idea is quite novel. I have just thought about it carefully, and it has never appeared in history before."

Zhu Gaochi was very pleased with Li Xianmu's suggestion, as it perfectly aligned with his governing philosophy for the Ming Dynasty: to avoid war.

Li Xianmu said softly, "Because the sage said that barbarians fear power but do not cherish virtue. We scholars are determined to educate all directions. However, any idea we have is too lofty."

Although the Celestial Empire is indeed superior, it shouldn't be shown directly. Just like how the rich look down on the poor, saying it directly would only create enmity.

It's one thing to be poor when they're always poor, but once they become rich, wouldn't it be a waste of humiliation not to destroy them?
During the Han and Tang dynasties, the Han people never took the initiative to educate and civilize the barbarians, but they all voluntarily submitted to the Han culture. There were even barbarian chieftains like Liu Yuan, who were self-disciplined and restored to propriety, and were even more Confucian than the great Confucian scholars of the Han people.

Qibi Heli of the Tang Dynasty was willing to be buried alive with Emperor Taizong of Tang. During the An Lushan Rebellion, how many Hu generals risked their lives for the Tang Dynasty!

The attitude towards barbarians is a tactic, and often, it's more effective than swords and spears.

At this point, Li Xianmu looked at Zhu Rong standing beside him. Zhu Rong looked somewhat embarrassed, as Li Xianmu's words seemed to imply that they were useless.

"General, don't overthink it. Without military force as a guarantee, that's what the Song Dynasty will end up like: the Khitans ride the Jurchens, and the Jurchens ride the Mongols."

I said those things only because this is all that can be done by force right now. Even the late emperor's five campaigns against the Mongols could only achieve this much.

Could it be that the army of my Great Ming Dynasty can really wipe out all the Jurchens in the deep mountains and forests?
What does General Zhu think?

Li Xianmu was never a proponent of abolishing military power; on the contrary, he valued military strength more than anyone else. He might even be the only minister in the Ming Dynasty who was prepared to reform the military system. He simply recognized the reality that the Ming Dynasty's current military strength was insufficient to fundamentally resolve the existing border issues.

He had to forge a new path and try new methods; this was the political experience or lesson he left to future generations.

Zhu Rong nodded and said, "What the Grand Councilor said makes sense. We can't possibly storm into the deep mountains and forests. In fact, our control is only in the south. If we go further north, we really reach the Changbai Mountains and the Heilongjiang River, where the Ming Dynasty's control is extremely weak."

Liaodong during the Ming Dynasty was not equivalent to the three northeastern provinces. Basically, the Ming Dynasty only controlled the southernmost part of the land. The Heilongjiang area in later generations was only a very weak part of the country under the control of the Ming Dynasty.

Historically, this is why the Xuande Emperor stopped managing that area of ​​land and even abolished the Nurgan Regional Military Commission.

"Zirong, you've always been resourceful, what do you think?" Zhu Gaochi looked at Yang Rong.

"I think Mingda's words make a lot of sense. One person's plan is short-sighted, but two people's plans are long-sighted. Even when there are matters in the Ming Dynasty, we still hold court discussions to hear the opinions of different ministers."

As for what policies should be implemented in Liaodong and Nurgan Regional Military Commission, I believe we cannot simply sit a thousand or two thousand miles away and implement them directly.

We still need to ask more questions and observe more closely. Everything is for the long-term stability of Liaodong. After all, the more stable Liaodong is, the less the imperial court will spend. Military supplies in Liaodong have been increasing year by year; this can't continue."

Huang Huai also cupped his hands and said, "I think so too. What Lord Shouzheng said is a wise and prudent opinion. Let's hear what the people inside and outside Liaodong have to say first, so that the court can prescribe the right medicine."

Zhu Gaochi fell into deep thought, the memorial he hadn't finished reading unconsciously bobbing up and down on the table like a fluttering butterfly.

"Snapped!"

Zhu Gaochi stopped thinking and slammed the memorial in his hand onto the table with a loud thud.

"Following Mingda's suggestion, select a governor, no, directly send an imperial envoy."

The imperial edict has been issued!

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

During the Hongxi era of the Ming Dynasty, the enlightened faction within the ruling class realized that simply using force to resolve border issues would only lead to a vicious cycle reminiscent of the Han and Tang dynasties.

Minister of War Li Xianmu creatively proposed the "Governor's Consultation System," an innovation in the governance of a multi-ethnic state.

This was the first time in ancient times that a dynasty was willing to listen to the voices of different ethnic groups and social classes, and subsequently adjust its foreign policy accordingly.

This measure effectively maintained long-term peace in the Liaodong region of the Ming Dynasty, and through subsequent policy evolutions, it formed the basic system we know today, profoundly influencing the formation of a multi-ethnic state. —From "Changes in the Political System of the Ming Dynasty"

(End of this chapter)