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

Before Zhu Di could speak, Lin Yue, who was below the steps, had his eyes light up. Before Xie Jin could step back, he strode forward and said loudly.

"What Scholar Xie said is absolutely right. I share the same idea as him. The enfeoffment system is indeed the foundation of the Ming Dynasty's strength."

In my opinion, the enfeoffment should not only extend within the territory, but should also aim overseas!

Upon hearing this, Xie Jin was initially delighted, stroking his beard and nodding, assuming that Lin Yue was simply agreeing with him. However, his next words froze his smile on his face.

What does it mean that the enfeoffment should be aimed at overseas? Did he mean that?

Xie Jin said in a deep voice, "What does Lin, the Imperial Censor, mean by this? Emperor Taizu Gao enfeoffed various vassal states, all in strategic locations, in order to protect the royal family and safeguard the borders. This is an ancestral system!"

In the past, when the Zhou emperor enfeoffed feudal lords, they resided outside the royal domain but within the Chinese territory. Governing by doing nothing demonstrated benevolence and virtue; how could this be considered pointing a sword overseas?

"The word 'barrier' that Scholar Xie mentioned is exactly the key point!" Lin Yue said loudly, immediately expressing his agreement.

"The vassal kings serving as a shield are a direct result of ancestral tradition."

In my opinion, the best defense is to build a barrier outside the country!

Today, the borders of the Ming Dynasty are bordered by the Northern Yuan to the north, the Jurchens to the east, and the barbarians to the south. If we merely enfeoff princes within our borders, it will only be a passive defense. If bandits invade in the future, they will still bring disaster to the border people.

If we could enfeoff the princes to foreign lands, using these vassal states as a buffer to keep threats at bay, then the Ming Dynasty could enjoy lasting peace. Wouldn't that be a more secure barrier?

Xie Jin frowned and said sternly, "Our Great Ming Dynasty is a superior nation. We should win over distant lands with benevolence and virtue. How can we lightly resort to arms and recklessly provoke border conflicts?"

The overseas territories are all wild and untamed lands, inhabited by various indigenous groups, and rife with miasma. Forcibly granting fiefdoms to them would only lead to military conquest and widespread suffering, completely contrary to the benevolent rule of our Great Ming Dynasty!

Zhu Di sat on the dragon throne, watching Lin Yue's unreasonable arguments, and felt no surprise whatsoever.

Since Lin Yue entered officialdom, which of his suggestions was not surprising?

From his angry rebuke of Yao Guangxiao to his opposition to the cabinet, and now his advocacy for overseas fiefdoms, this madman's thinking always deviates from the norms of the court. His strange pronouncements are full of unbridled sincerity, which has made him no longer surprised.

His gaze swept over Lin Yue, who was speaking passionately below the steps, and then fell on Xie Jin, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

While Xie Jin spoke of ancestral rules and the enfeoffment of princes, every word he uttered was actually advocating for Zhu Gaochi.

Civil officials have always favored the benevolent eldest son, simply because they felt that Zhu Gaochi would be more easily restrained by them after he ascended the throne, and that they would be more likely to implement their so-called benevolent rule.

The current proposal to enfeoff other princes is simply an attempt to force them to leave the capital and take up their fiefs, thus eliminating any possibility of them vying for the throne and ensuring that Zhu Gaochi's position as crown prince remains as secure as Mount Tai.

How could Zhu Di not see through this little scheme?

He simply composed himself, sat upright without uttering a word, and let the two argue.

Xie Jin's selfish motives are obvious, and although Lin Yue's ideas are radical and absurd, they always manage to hit some overlooked key points.

Let's see what kind of arguments these two come up with, and also get a glimpse into the thoughts of the entire court, while also listening to just how outrageous Lin Yue's theory about overseas fiefdoms can be.

Perhaps we can glean something useful from this rambling nonsense.

For example, the idea of ​​using the Ming Dynasty's navy to control key sea routes in the overseas enfeoffment is very commendable.

"What do you mean, Scholar Xie? When did I say I wanted war?" Lin Yue retorted.

"In his words just now, Scholar Xie praised the Zhou emperor for his feudal system and his ability to govern by doing nothing."

Have we forgotten the merits of the Zhou emperor in enfeoffing his relatives to protect the Zhou, expanding the territory by thousands of miles, and educating the barbarians?

Today's Great Ming Dynasty, like the Zhou Dynasty a thousand years ago, bears the mission of upholding etiquette and moral education. His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Ming, as the ruler of the world, should extend his benevolent rule to all corners of the land!

Lin Yue solemnly cupped his hands to Zhu Di, his words ringing with conviction.

"In Liaodong there are cannibalistic evil tribes. Wherever they go, white bones are exposed in the wilderness. On the islands of the South Seas, the natives practice slash-and-burn agriculture, burning forests to grow crops. When the land is exhausted, they migrate. They are displaced year after year and do not know the art of farming and weaving, nor the way of etiquette."

Even more so in the far west, where people are deeply mired in the cruel oppression of religion, bathing is considered a sin and cleanliness a defilement. Nobles bathe only once or twice in their entire lives, and though their bodies reek for miles, they are considered close to gods!

"Their medical skills were primitive. When they fell ill, they would pray and use witchcraft. They regarded bloodletting and vomiting as good remedies. Countless people died at the hands of quack doctors."

The common people blindly follow religion, daring not to question it in the slightest. The upper class and nobility disregard ethics, unaware of the fundamental principles of human relations, such as marrying someone of the opposite sex and showing respect to those from distant lands. Marriage within the same clan is considered normal, resulting in many of their offspring being foolish and dying young, with no semblance of human morality whatsoever!

Even worse, some regard their own kind as livestock, often eating them without realizing the difference. How are these barbaric and ignorant people any different from beasts?

Lin Yue stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials: "These barbarians know nothing of propriety, human relations, or education; they suffer unspeakably yet remain bewildered and helpless."

Our Great Ming Dynasty possesses the skills of farming and weaving, the wisdom of medicine, and the culture of etiquette. Are we just going to stand by and watch them sink into ignorance?

Sending vassal kings overseas was not for conquest, but to spread the king's influence.

"Teach them to farm and weave, to diagnose and treat illnesses, to understand ethics and uphold propriety, to transform barbaric lands into civilized lands, and barbarian people into people of etiquette—is this not the duty of the Celestial Empire?"

"The enfeoffment within the territory advocated by Scholar Xie is merely a means of maintaining stability and preserving the status quo. The enfeoffment overseas proposed by me is the true way of the Zhou emperor."

He granted vast fiefdoms to the world and educated all directions, spreading the Ming Dynasty's imperial influence throughout the world and making the Ming Dynasty the legitimate dynasty throughout the four seas!

Isn't this a better demonstration of the might of our Great Ming Dynasty than being confined to a corner and passively defending ourselves?

My holy emperor of the Great Ming Dynasty should be the ruler and father of all under heaven; why should he favor one over the other?

Xie Jin was so angry that his face turned pale. What was all this nonsense? It was complete utter rubbish.

What era are we living in? How can there still be fundamentalist feudalism? Zhu Yuanzhang enfeoffed princes to bridge the four-hundred-year division between the North and the South, to rebuild the centripetal force of the Han people, and to guard against the Yuan Dynasty's raids from the North.

What nonsense are you spouting, Lin Yue? How could you allow His Majesty to enfeoff vassal kings overseas? Vassal kings are already difficult to manage within the territory; if they were sent overseas, wouldn't they become local emperors?

Without any hesitation, Xie Jin retorted, "How can the imperial court control a place thousands of miles away overseas?"

The vassal states are far across the ocean, and over time they will inevitably develop ulterior motives, eventually becoming enemy states. Wouldn't that be like raising a tiger to cause trouble?

Overseas vassal states have their own order, and all lands under heaven belong to their respective owners. How can our Great Ming Dynasty forcibly seize vassal territories? Wouldn't that be tantamount to premeditated aggression against another country?!

"Scholar Xie's words are nothing but a frog in a well, a presumptuous talk about overseas matters!" Lin Yue sneered, his tone sharp.

"You keep talking about forcibly seizing vassal territories, but do you know that most of the overseas regions are ignorant and barbaric, without even a proper kingdom?!"

He raised his eyes and swept them over the assembled officials, saying loudly, "Those so-called vassal states are either primitive tribes who eat raw meat and drink blood, like the cannibals of Liaodong who regard human life as worthless."

More often, however, were scattered and disorganized indigenous settlements, lacking even a calendar, writing system, or city walls, let alone the establishment of their own nation!