The Ming Dynasty: The opening scene features Zhu Di angrily accusing him of illegitimate succession.

Lin Yue bombarded him with questions, but Zhu Di remained calm and composed. After a moment's thought, he answered with composure.

"What you're saying is essentially about your concern that Beiping will become the front line and that the capital of the Ming Dynasty will be left without any protection."

"In that case, one day I will personally lead my iron cavalry to sweep across the northern deserts, exterminate the remnants of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, and eliminate border troubles forever."

Zhu Di had the confidence and the ability, he declared loudly.

"Once I have pacified the Mongol Yuan dynasty and the world is at peace, my relatives will naturally no longer need to wield weapons. They can simply enjoy high-ranking positions and generous salaries, and pass on their wealth and status for generations. Isn't this the best way to show kinship?"

Isn't that better than having them guard the frontier, enduring wind and rain?!

"Your Majesty is mistaken!" Lin Yue was not convinced at all and continued to refute, "Let alone the fact that the remnants of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty are scattered in the vast northern desert, it is still unknown whether they can be eradicated once and for all."

Simply offering generous salaries to bribe members of the imperial family is like drinking poison to quench thirst; it will inevitably cripple the Ming Dynasty's finances sooner or later. If this policy is implemented, the Ming Dynasty will be in grave danger.

Zhu Di's face darkened, and anger surged within him.

What does Lin Yue mean by this? This won't work, that won't work, and he keeps spouting nonsense. The Ming Dynasty is in danger. Is he here to advise us or to annoy us?

"Lin Yue, what do you mean by that?"

Just now you scolded me for disregarding kinship, but now that I am treating my relatives well and bestowing upon them high-ranking positions and generous salaries, you are doing everything you can to obstruct me.

Is it wrong to treat members of the imperial family well? The Ming Dynasty is at its peak, its treasury overflowing; can't it even afford to support a few members of the imperial family?!

"We simply cannot afford to support them!" Lin Yue said decisively. "Your Majesty, please answer me first: how many princes, dukes, and other members of the Ming imperial family are there today? What are their annual stipends?"

Zhu Di was taken aback and turned to look at the eunuch Liu Tong beside him. This man had been by Zhu Di's side since childhood, and was responsible for observing external affairs and doing intelligence work.

Liu Tong stepped forward half a step and bowed.

"There are thirteen princes, more than thirty dukes, and more than three hundred generals, lieutenants, and female members of the imperial family!"

According to the regulations established in the 28th year of the Hongwu reign (1389), a prince's annual stipend was 10,000 shi (a unit of grain), a duke's stipend was 2,000 shi, and generals and lieutenants received stipends decreasing to around 200 shi. The total annual consumption of rice for stipends was approximately 320,000 shi. (This refers to the actual amount of rice; in the early Ming Dynasty, there were usually other rewards, such as paper money.)

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di said to Lin Yue, "It's only 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure). The Ming Dynasty is rich enough to support the whole country; how could we not afford it?"

For the Hongwu and early Yongle periods, 300,000 shi was indeed not much. During the Hongwu period, the national tax grain alone amounted to 32 million shi, and the stipends of the imperial family were less than 1% of the Ming Dynasty's treasury.

Lin Yue scoffed and questioned, "You can afford it now, but what about in the future? Does Your Majesty know how quickly the imperial family is multiplying?"

Princes and dukes often had many wives and concubines, while ordinary members of the imperial clan also had many children, with each having seven or eight.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, the royal family population will double in thirty years!

Today there are 300 people, in 30 years there will be more than 600, and in 60 years there will be more than 3,000 people, according to conservative estimates.

These three thousand-plus people alone incurred expenses exceeding one million bushels of grain.

Lin Yue's eyes were sharp as he said in a loud voice, "This is just the stipend. There are also banknotes, brocade, silk, salt and tea, horse feed, and special expenses for the royal family's weddings, building mansions, and funerals!"

But what about another hundred years? Or another hundred and fifty years?

In my opinion, the number of prominent members of the imperial clan in the Ming Dynasty alone is close to tens of thousands, and the stipends for these members must be at least ten million shi (a unit of grain), which is insufficient to support them.

Lin Yue turned to look at the officials, spread his hands, and said righteously: "Do you gentlemen still remember that at the end of the Hongwu reign, there were only fifty-eight members of the imperial clan, and their annual stipend was only tens of thousands of shi (a unit of dry measure)?"

By the first year of the Yongle reign, the number had increased to 127, with a stipend of over 300,000 shi of rice.

If the Ming imperial family truly numbered in the tens of thousands, then perhaps three or four tenths of the Ming dynasty's revenue would have been spent on supporting them.

At that time, most of the tax grain in the country will be used to feed the imperial family, the people will be overwhelmed, the national treasury will be empty, and how long can the Ming Dynasty last?

If foreign enemies were to attack again at this time, how could the Ming Dynasty's empire be preserved?

The confidence on Zhu Di's face gradually faded.

Emperor Yongle didn't understand much about exponential growth, but he could tell that what Lin Yue was saying seemed to make some sense.

Today, 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) may not seem like much, but at the rate at which the imperial clan has children, the amount of support they will have to support in a hundred years will be astronomical. At that time, let alone raising troops to guard the borders, even the operation of the imperial court will be difficult to sustain.

Historically, during the Jiajing era, the expenses of the imperial family reached a point where the Ming Dynasty's finances could not bear them. Therefore, Emperor Jiajing initiated reforms, which were quite effective, reducing the amount of money allocated to them.

However, the Wanli Emperor was a foolish and incompetent ruler who lavishly rewarded the Prince of Fu and other vassal kings, thus restoring the reduced expenditures through land grants and other rewards.

The issue of clan ties was not completely resolved until the Tianqi and Chongzhen reigns. At that time, the Ming Dynasty was so poor that the emperor simply defaulted on his debts. He didn't say he wouldn't pay, but when asked, he simply said he had no money.

"Your Majesty considers generous rewards a sign of favor, but I believe they are actually the root of disaster!" Lin Yue said with great distress.

"If the imperial family members are given all the power and do not need to work, but instead enjoy wealth and luxury, they will only become more arrogant, extravagant and dissolute, and their numbers will increase even more!"

Later on, the expenses for supporting the imperial clan became excessive, and since members of the clan were not allowed to engage in business on their own, the lack of food and clothing might have led to unspeakable tragedies.

Zhu Di remained silent for a long time. He had to admit that Lin Yue's words hit the nail on the head.

Using force to reduce the power of the princes would earn him a reputation for being ungrateful, but to maintain his legitimacy, he would have to treat his relatives with kindness, which would further strain the treasury. Caught in this dilemma, Emperor Yongle was truly at a loss.

"Since you say this path is blocked, then in your opinion, how should the problem of the vassal kings be resolved?"

Zhu Di raised his eyes and looked intently at Lin Yue.

Emperor Yongle's eyes held a hint of expectation. Although this madman's words were arrogant, he always managed to hit the nail on the head. Perhaps he really had a way to break the deadlock.

Lin Yue was so engrossed in his speech that he completely forgot his purpose, only feeling the exhilaration of speaking freely and confidently about the state of the nation.

Upon being asked this question, he immediately perked up, a flash of inspiration striking him, and he blurted out: "What's so difficult about that! If the power of the vassal kings becomes too great, they threaten imperial authority; if they are treated with favor, they drain the national treasury. So let's not weaken the power of the vassal kings, nor treat them with favor, but simply change the system of enfeoffment!"

"Change the title?" Zhu Di frowned slightly. "How do you change the title?"

"Once His Majesty expands the territory, the princes will be reassigned to the newly established lands!" Lin Yue's voice was loud and clear.

"The Prince of Su is stationed in Lanzhou and the Prince of Qing is stationed in Ningxia. After Your Majesty has conquered the Western Regions and taken over Hami, Huozhou, and Yutian, you may reassign them to those places."

The Zhou King resides in Kaifeng, and the Chu King in Wuchang. However, after Your Majesty pacifies Annam and Champa, or sweeps away the Tatars and Oirats in the north, you may reassign them to the areas along the Onon and Luqu rivers, or to the territories of Zhenla and Malacca!

Lin Yue spoke very quickly, his eyes sparkling with the passion to conquer new territories.

"absurd!"

Before he could finish speaking, a furious shout suddenly rang out.

Minister of War Jin Zhong strode out from the court ranks, his beard and hair bristling, and pointed at Lin Yue, angrily rebuking him: "This is a plan that will bring chaos to the world! It must never be done!"