The Longevity Ceremony held on the 20th anniversary of the Emperor's accession to the throne is not as sharp as the 12th year of Jiajing.
There is no military parade, only performances and sports games.
However, Da Ming, which had not fought for several years, was obviously stronger. The shock and doubts that had formed in the minds of the steam locomotives before had not subsided.
This time, the emperor still took special time to meet with foreign envoys from various countries one by one.
This time, the emperor accepted the congratulatory gifts and also returned gifts.
And this gift is a set of utensils.
A desk clock, a metal ruler, a glass cup, a metal bucket, a metal weight, and a thermometer.
Time, length, volume, weight, temperature... The Ministry of Rites and Communications of the Ming Dynasty incidentally issued credentials and invited envoys from various countries to take them back.
In order to facilitate border trade, the Ming Dynasty invited various countries to send envoys to the Ming Dynasty to discuss weights and measures, and then conclude a convention.
Whether countries use them internally or not is their business, but if they want to do business and communicate with the Ming Dynasty, they should go to the trouble of switching to the new weights and measures and various other standards that the Ming Dynasty will adopt when trading and communicating.
Accompanying this set of standard weights and measures is an explanation of why.
The calendar of the Ming Dynasty is sufficient, and the Polytechnic Institute has also had a special project to revise the calendar over the years. Zhu Houcong also knows the accuracy of the time set now, but he believes that he has been continuously researching and improving the Ming Dynasty Clock for more than ten years.
, should be the most accurate in the world at this time. Its one second, one minute, and one hour have clear basis. Naturally, the lunar calendar will still be used, but the solar calendar with more detailed division of unit time will also begin to be introduced.
And that length is based on the meridian that has been measured in China. In the Tang Dynasty, the monks and his party had measured the meridian. After Malacca was recaptured, they went to that area to measure the true equator. After calculation, they took ten million points of the length from the pole to the equator.
One is named one distance. Five hundred distances are the new one mile, inch, chi, zhang... They will all have to be relegated to a secondary position in the long process of education and popularization.
The volume is divided into two categories, one is liquid and the other is solid. The glass liter filled with one liter of water is exactly the same weight as the one kilogram weight. Pour it into a metal bucket with a length, width and height of ten centimeters, which is exactly the same.
Full.
This all shows the rationale of this new set of standards.
And that thermometer is something that has finally matured after years of secret research. It is still based on water, freezing is zero degrees, and boiling is 100 degrees. Ordinary sensible temperatures now have a clear measurement tool, which allows foreign envoys from all over the world to measure them.
They feel that it is mysterious and mysterious.
"Your envoy has also seen that the Ming Dynasty is still reforming its system. Even if the "Da Ming Hui Dian" needs to be revised, it will have to wait until many new system changes are almost completed."
Liu Long smiled as he faced the envoy of Joseon this time, Yin Xingren, the eldest son of the uncle of the crown prince of Joseon.
"……this."
Yin Xingren was very confused.
In the previous dynasty war, his father Yin Ren, in order to occupy a dominant position in the Shizi sect, secretly joined forces with the Xiao Yin brothers to eliminate Jin Anlao first.
Nowadays, North Korea is completely ruled by foreign relatives. Although the status of the Crown Prince is unshakable, the Xiao Yin brothers never stop wanting to depose the Crown Prince and establish the Queen's own son as the Crown Prince.
Under the pressure of Queen Wending and her two brothers, Li Yi is now re-employing Yin Ren, but Yin Ren must accumulate more chips.
If we can truly correct the errors regarding the Korean royal family lineage in the "Da Ming Huidian", we will be able to grasp one more great meaning.
It is a pity that the Ming Dynasty backhandedly sent out such a new set of weights and measures, and also established a new Ministry of Agriculture and a Ministry of Commerce. In reality, it was "still undergoing restructuring."
The inches, feet, feet, hours, quarters, liters, and buckets used in the past are quite different from the new standards.
Yin Xingren didn't even understand why he was going to such trouble.
Liu Long continued to say to him: "Back then, the leader of your country asked your Majesty to send a great scholar to Korea to give lectures. However, your Majesty studied physics and human theory diligently. The Ming Dynasty continued on the path of learning. This new weights and measures contain the most rational principles.
.I invite your country to send envoys to discuss and make a public treaty, just for the advancement of learning in the vassal states and smooth border trade. Your envoy did not see that the steam engine was made, so your majesty was overjoyed and conferred the title of marquis?"
Yin Xingren didn't understand: "How does this relate to the advancement of knowledge...?"
Liu Long said with a smile: "The Ming Dynasty will set up an academy of sciences, award academicians of various sciences, and enjoy special subsidies and salaries from the State Council, so that they can be specially funded to study their knowledge. Your Majesty is so kind, and the Ming Dynasty scholars have the intention to stay away from the Ming Dynasty lectures? However, border trade
In addition to being compatible, Ming Dynasty is kind enough to issue another visa. There is no limit on the number of visas. As long as the application is approved, anyone can come to Ming Dynasty to do business, work, and study. Your Majesty, you might as well think about it again?"
Yin Xingren thought for a while, but still didn't understand.
Liu Long sighed inwardly, this guy was far behind Jin Qi back then.
You, the Yin family, can describe this matter as a special favor from the Ming Dynasty to North Korea after you return. Isn't this the result of your mission?
Then, by borrowing this matter, can we win over the Shilin sect? After all, Prince Wang is orthodox, and the Shilin sect should naturally be on this side. When you come to Ming Dynasty with a visa, you can not only travel and study, but also do business and work. Is your family like this?
Can you also use this to win over some honorable ministers and businessmen?
Liu Long shook his head secretly, thinking that he would have to ask the North Korean diplomat to tact Yin Ren for this matter.
They all had an "inner Zen" incident last year, and Li Yi's health is getting worse and worse. If there is a major chaos in North Korea, it will probably be in the past few years.
Yin Xingren couldn't understand, and then asked about another thing.
Taking advantage of the fact that envoys from all countries are in the capital, there are also some disputes that need to be adjudicated by the Ming Emperor.
For example, the dispute between Jiaochin South and Champa, the dispute between North Korea and Jianzhou...
"Your Majesty has already reprimanded the envoys of Jianzhou." Liu Long spread his hands and said, "I will tell you the truth. If Jianzhou still refuses to listen to Ming Dynasty's instructions and invades North Korea, and Ming Dynasty seriously sends troops to Liaodong, won't you, the kings and ministers of North Korea, be afraid? After all,
It is better to resolve the conflict with Jianzhou on your own."
Yin Xingren was very sad.
The Minister of Rites and Foreign Affairs told the truth. In the past, when Chenghua plowed the court, North Korea was frightened and extremely afraid that the Ming Dynasty would plow North Korea along the way. At that time, the Ming Dynasty sent an envoy to take charge of the state. Why did the leader of North Korea grant Jianzhou?
What do you want to do with the Governor of Zuo Wei, who knows Dong Shan, the doctor of Zhongxian, and the official secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China?
Later, he repeatedly apologized and sent generals to stab the Jianzhou guards in the back, assisting the Ming Dynasty in plowing the Jianzhou Jurchens, and only then escaped the disaster.
But now there is a fight between big and small officials in North Korea, and Li Yi is worried about his own safety and dare not relax his military power. This puts North Korea in a dilemma when facing the Jianzhou Jurchen attack.
The blame was passed to Yin Ren, who was in power, but he was not given military power to prevent his tentative inner Zen from turning into real inner Zen. Yin Ren was torn, and he only hoped that the Ming Dynasty would have a deterrent effect on Jianzhou.
But Daming's attitude was actually like this.
If Ming Dynasty does not care, the situation will still get worse. If Ming Dynasty sends troops, North Korea will be afraid. The best result is that Ming Dynasty will only take verbal control, but now Ming Dynasty does not want to "meddle in the dispute between North Korea and the crown prince" through Ming Dynasty.
Because of his reputation, he was extremely restrained in Dayin's requests.
"It is true that Jianzhou has made mistakes despite repeated admonitions. The leader of your country has repeatedly requested that the Ming Dynasty should not descend with thunderous power at the slightest disturbance." Liu Long said, "Your envoy still needs to return to the country to explain to the leader of the country."
Yin Xingren had no choice.
If Li Yi repeatedly begged Ming Dynasty to do something for North Korea, then everyone would be afraid, lest Li Yi use the help of Ming Dynasty to get rid of these powerful officials.
This is the most difficult scripture to recite in North Korea, and the Minister of Rites and Communications of the Ming Dynasty said with a strange smile: "Your Majesty was pleased to hear that Li Yi accepted the invitation of the Crown Prince to serve Zhaoxue, the eldest son of the concubine, and was quite appreciative of it. Your Majesty went there in person
In this letter, I ordered the envoy to forward it to your lord, saying that it is always a good thing to have a harmonious clan. Your Majesty is very pleased that the name of your prince's benevolence and filial piety has reached heaven."
Yin Xingren's expression changed. Could Li Yi interpret this as Yin Ren building momentum for the Crown Prince?
Li Yi is now older, more suspicious and more frightened!
But Yin Xingren was in trouble and couldn't tell. Shouldn't he, the eldest son of the leader of the Imperial Family, be happy about this?
At the banquet given by the Emperor of Heaven to the envoys of all countries, Zhu Houcong stood high on the throne and said loudly: "I am very happy that you have traveled thousands of miles to congratulate me. Although the countries have their own systems, they have accepted me
If you canonize them, they will all be my subjects."
In the midst of respectful voices, Zhu Houcong changed his subject: "You have been in the capital for some time, and you also know that I implement new laws and reform various systems, all for the welfare of the people. All vassals regard Ming Dynasty as their suzerain, and in my mind, all vassals
The people are all like my people, and they are nothing more than direct descendants. I hope that after you go back, you can also advise your Lord to love the people like his sons, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment. In my place, only what the people want can be done.
Call me the appointed master. If you blindly squeeze the people, keep fighting, and make the people miserable, then you have lost my original intention of naming me the master and becoming a ruling party of my own!"
No matter where you are, this is absolutely true in a broad sense.
These envoys expressed their stance respectfully, but their hearts were filled with turmoil.
What is the Ming Dynasty going to do? Is it going to decide whether to continue canonizing people based on whether the people live and work in peace and contentment?
This is actually the case.
Zhu Houcong said calmly: "I have ennobled the vassal states and the lords of the vassal clans, opened borders for trade, and allowed visas to go to the Ming Dynasty to study, do business, and travel. I hope that the people everywhere can live and work in peace and contentment, and the better. As the saying goes, and
For your sake. Whether it's the Ming Dynasty or you, the people's lives will be better and better, and disputes will naturally be eliminated. The stability around the Ming Dynasty is not only a blessing to the Ming Dynasty, but also a blessing to you."
After looking at a few people, he continued: "This time, several people still came to me to complain. You said they were kidnapping the people, and they said you were invading the land. No matter what the truth is, I can't believe it. Fortunately, I
The purpose of setting up propaganda envoys is to understand the situation of the vassals. We have just invited the vassals to send envoys to the Ming Dynasty next year to discuss weights and measures. The propaganda envoys from various places will submit a detailed report to me, and we will make a decision at that time."
"In this detailed report, I don't look at other things, but only two figures: how long the people can live on average, and how much money they can have left in a year. As I said, I care about both the legitimate sons and the common sons. Those who have merit in governance, I will
The country's leader will be given additional rewards and preferential tariffs for border trade. Those who neglect government affairs and harm the people will be reprimanded by me and asked to make corrections."
"I'll make it clear in advance: you don't have to listen to Ming's opinion. But what Ming wants is a stable surrounding area. People cannot live in a place where people have no fixed homes and have no means of livelihood. A place that can be stable can be like Ming.
Commerce and trade benefit the people. In places where there is no stability, the Ming Dynasty must also find ways to stabilize and facilitate business. Why must we do business? Agriculture, industry and commerce are all based on the country, and it is a matter of benefit to the country and the people. While you are still in the Ming Dynasty,
What a great realization!”
The loving father of the Ming Dynasty did business just to make the people live a better life.
No matter how foreign envoys looked at this in the Ming Dynasty, they could only see that it was indeed the case today.
There's really no harm in it.
If you feel that Ming Dynasty has malicious intentions, it can only mean that what you have done is so bad that the Celestial Empire cannot stand it.
Not only did the Ming Dynasty want to entrust the canonization to make other surrounding vassal states feel scrupulous, but also wanted to enclose the land for self-entertainment and enjoy wealth, then the Ming Dynasty set some clear conditions for the canonization. Isn't it too much?
What? Because not canonizing it would be detrimental to the Ming Dynasty?
What a joke, times have changed. These days, because mere craftsmen have been granted the title of marquis, these foreign envoys have heard from countless people in the capital that the great ministers and generals of the Ming Dynasty are unhappy.
With the current strength of the Ming Dynasty, do the vassal states and clans who dare to harm the Ming Dynasty think they have a long life?
The Longevity Ceremony came to an end, and everyone was having fun together at the remaining sports meeting, gambling and enjoying the bustling entertainment of the Ming Dynasty capital.
Unknowingly, as the Ming Dynasty restrained itself over the years, a tacit understanding has been formed among the surrounding vassal states: as long as they are canonized by the Ming Dynasty, there will only be some minor friction between them, and they will not dare to make a big fuss.
He ended up with the same fate as Meng Yang and others.
But now the Ming Dynasty's canonization has other conditions, not just submission. So if the canonization is withdrawn and the envoys are called back, will the other surrounding vassal states and vassal clans show their fangs and besiege and carve up the country unscrupulously?
And if we follow Ming's new standards and treat the people well... wouldn't that mean cutting their flesh?
Reluctant to part with it!
No matter what they thought, the Ministry of Rites and Communications issued an order to the envoys from various places to "visit the living conditions of the people in the vassal area."
This kind of behavior frightened the upper echelons of the feudal clan, but they did not dare to openly stop it.
A new undercurrent is brewing around the Ming Dynasty, and everyone speculates that the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty is looking for a model to open up new territories.
If it really doesn't work, then we can only bite the bullet and resist!
It's something you can do only as a last resort. You can still put it off now...why don't you do it quickly after you go back, so as not to be the one who is pointed out and scolded by the emperor of tomorrow?
The people of the various vassals will soon feel the benefits brought to them by the Ming Emperor's words. The embassies and Ming merchants and storytellers will all praise the Ming Emperor's kindness and love for the people.
But the goal chosen by the Ming Emperor was actually very clear.
To alert the vassals, the best target is naturally Japan, which has been at war for decades.
And when the new system there spreads to the surrounding areas, won't the powerful people outside the clan there realize that it's better to be directly a minister of the Ming Dynasty than to have a king on your head?