Chapter 217: Conquering the outside world and keeping the inside at bay
Zhu Youxiao ordered someone to hang up the map of the Ming Dynasty, then pointed a pole at the Guanzhong area and said:
"If they don't rebel, I won't take action first, but I can't sit still and wait for death. If they really rebel, we must send troops to quell them as quickly as possible and suppress them with military power!"
"I thought that if we first send an army quietly southward and send troops to Xi'an, we would be able to quickly pass through Hanzhong and go directly to Shuzhong!"
"I also want to take this opportunity to rehabilitate these southwestern chieftains and completely eliminate this cancer that has plagued them for hundreds of years!"
When he heard that he had returned to his native land, Ma Xianglin, who was standing aside, looked a little unnatural.
The military generals didn't know much about the matter of returning home. They only knew that there were battles to fight, and that was enough.
The civil servants were even less calm than when they just heard about the personal expedition. Even the neutral Wang Zaijin couldn't help but stepped forward and said:
"Your Majesty, the reform of the chieftain system is of great importance. You must not rush it. Otherwise, if you are not careful, the chieftains from all provinces will join forces to fight against the imperial court. This matter must be done step by step, and cannibalization is the best way!"
Compared with Wang Zaijin, Xu Guangqi pointed out the key point directly. He said righteously:
"Your Majesty, I firmly object. The affairs in Liaodong have not yet been settled. How can the troubles in the southwest reappear at this time?"
"I am not ignorant of the disasters of the chieftain system, but there is always a sequence for everything. I believe that the most urgent task at the moment is to deal with the Liaodong generals first, and only after stabilizing the outside of the pass, can we rectify the inside of the pass."
"I also understand that Your Majesty, our Ming Dynasty has accumulated countless shortcomings over the past two hundred years since its founding. Corruption in the officialdom has become increasingly fierce, corrupt officials, landlords and bullies have emerged in endlessly. But it is precisely because of this that Your Majesty should remain calm and not be angry.
Blinded by this!"
"Ruling a big country is like cooking a small dish. Your Majesty has only been on the throne for only one year, and this year will not be more than 18. There is no need to be so anxious. You can wait until the situation becomes stable and clear before making reforms!"
"The words of Mr. Ge are indeed the safest policy, but I can't wait this long. If I miss this opportunity, I don't know how long we will have to wait."
"During the Hongwu period, Emperor Taizu also tried to reform his native land and return to his hometown, but in the end it was a complete failure. The chieftains used this to fuel their arrogance."
"Do you think Emperor Taizu really has nothing to do with them? Who in the world can stop Taizu's founding army? Even the Mongolian and Yuan cavalry can only flee far away from Mobei. How easy is it to destroy these chieftains? Why not do this?
Well, that's because these chieftains hold great righteousness."
"When the imperial court is powerful, they are more well-behaved than anyone else. But when the imperial court is not powerful, they are more hateful than Jiannu and Tartars. The most hateful thing is that the imperial court can only suffer the loss of being dumb!"
All the ministers knew in their hearts that everything the emperor said was true. The imperial court's control over the chieftains was really too weak. When the chieftains realized that the imperial court was about to sunset, they would immediately rebel and attempt to separate themselves.
Isn't that what Yang Yinglong was like back then? After the imperial court's expedition to the northwest and Korea, the country's national strength declined significantly. The national treasury was depleted of much money, and the elite troops suffered heavy casualties. But he really overestimated himself, even for the declining Ming Dynasty.
, can also strangle him to death with one hand.
After leaning a little, Zhu Youxiao said again:
"As you just said, sending troops to conquer for no reason will definitely arouse the anger of heaven and the people. But if we don't use force to suppress it, how can we succeed in reforming the country? I don't want to think about the things that Taizu failed to accomplish when he founded the country.
I think I am not as good as Taizu!"
"Since Taizu, more than two hundred years have passed, and the emperors of all dynasties have never reformed the chieftains and returned them to their hometowns. By my time, the chieftains have already become unstoppable. I can never allow them to continue to grow bigger.
We must not allow a second Yang Yinglong to appear and harm the people of our Emperor Ming and the livelihood of the people of the world!"
"In order to fight against foreigners, we must first settle the internal affairs. How can we settle the internal affairs if we are not satisfied internally? Jiannu and Tartars are only stumbling blocks that hinder the prosperity of our Ming Dynasty. Internal corruption and deformed systems are the fatal consequences."
"During the Han Dynasty, Han Taizu Liu Bangbai was besieged. Empress Lu had no choice but to send envoys to ask for peace and pay tribute to the Xiongnu Great Chanyu. She suffered all the humiliation. Empress Lu was even more insulted by the Great Chanyu's letters, and Empress Lu also
I can only greet him with a smile and continue to send money, food and women."
"Emperor Xiaowen was a great and wise man, but how humiliated was he? Emperor Xiaowen almost wanted to order an army to attack the Huns, but in the end he was chased back by a quick horse. Why?"
"It was for the sake of people's livelihood, to stabilize the internal affairs, and to eradicate those princes and kings with ulterior motives. It can be said that they went through countless hardships. It was not until the chaos of Emperor Jing's Seven Kingdoms was put down that the Han Dynasty truly stabilized."
"Although I don't dare to compare with Emperor Xiaowen, I have the aspirations of Emperor Xiaowen. I don't dare to expect that my descendants will have Emperor Xiaojing and Emperor Xiaowu, so I can only carry them with my own strength!"
"I have no choice but to take advantage of my youth to solve these shortcomings and scourges once and for all. Even if I fail, there is at least room for improvement!"
After hearing what the emperor said, the ministers couldn't help but feel pity in their hearts. It was really not easy for such a heavy burden to be placed on the young emperor.
They also began to understand why His Majesty imposed such harsh punishments and conducted many personal expeditions. What he did in the end was not just to bring peace to the world and to create eternal peace for the people.
And Wang Xiangqian, who has experienced four dynasties, is even more emotional. His Majesty is really a very responsible emperor. His sense of responsibility is much stronger than that of previous generations of emperors. It is a pity that he was born too late. The Ming Dynasty was already riddled with holes, so there was no need for strong medicine.
Can't be saved.
The emperor told the truth sincerely, and the ministers had no reason to refute. Someone always had to do these things. They ministers could not change anything at all, only the emperor could.
It is so difficult to meet an emperor who wants to achieve great achievements. The Ming Dynasty has experienced more than ten generations of emperors. Although His Majesty is not the first person to have such an idea, except for Taizu, His Majesty is the first one to want to truly
Change through practical actions.
And it is very methodical. To outsiders, it seems to be tyranny and atrocities, but they, who are well aware of the shortcomings, know that every time His Majesty takes action, he hits the key to the problem.
There are no longer those noisy censors in the court who spend all their time scratching their heads to impeach. The so-called clean wind has been lingering in the court.
When the morale of the Ming Dynasty and the national prestige were greatly reduced, His Majesty took the initiative to defeat Lin Dan Khan, re-employed and supported Xiong Tingbi, and repeatedly defeated the invasion intentions of the slaves. He also won two huge victories in a row. The situation outside the customs was better than a year ago.
A lot.
This is what they have seen and experienced with their own eyes, and they have truly felt it.
Today, His Majesty is no longer an emperor who is just sitting on his laurels. He is using his own actions to make changes.