The prince had reported that he was safe, and Yang Shen breathed a sigh of relief.
Since the secret message could be reported to Lu Bing on the way, it would naturally be reported to the emperor as well.
Presumably Lu Bing has already escorted the prince on his journey. Here in the capital, envoys from various vassals are gathering more and more, and Zhu Houcong has already moved into the Zhai Palace near the Temple of Heaven and Earth.
On Yan Song's side, they were rehearsing the ceremony in which the emperor would personally offer sacrifices to heaven and earth.
"There can't be any mistakes!" Yan Song took the Minister of Etiquette and Liaison and seriously faced the Ming Dynasty envoys who had been sent to various vassals and now returned to China, "Each glass liter contains soil collected from each vassal.
If one kilogram is accurate under the current new standard, the extra soil should be mixed together, and after spreading it, the soil wall should be even, 10 long and 5 wide, and the three colors of the three chen must be pure!"
This time, the ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven and earth was naturally redesigned. After all, the purpose was different.
Zhu Houcong lived in the Zhai Palace, and Yang Shen and Xia Yan accompanied him in the Wuliang Hall, the main hall of the Zhai Palace.
It is called this name because the temple uses brick arches to bear the load and does not use beams.
In front of the Wuliang Hall, there is a bronze man pavilion. The bronze man in the pavilion is not very tall. According to the previous measurement standard, it is one foot and five inches. The bronze man holds a sign in his hand and writes the word "Fast".
Zhu Houcong is a vegetarian here and is not a womanizer, but the issue that the monarch and his ministers are talking about now is "country".
"The source of the prince's calamity is on my side." Zhu Houcong looked at Xia Yan, "The situation in Japan has changed. In Gong Jin's opinion, how long should they be allowed to fight each other?"
If the Ming Dynasty was not about to throw away the shackles of the so-called "country without conquest" and there were rumors of an imminent large-scale conquest of Japan, naturally they would not start gambling.
The thieves chiefs who were named by the Emperor of Heaven to be captured broke their jars and prepared to use the banner of resisting foreign enemies to raise their momentum. Only then did the Japanese rebellion that they had stopped to avoid being attacked from both front and back reappear.
Ryukyu was attacked by a mere guard, and now the entire east is becoming more chaotic.
Xia Yan was very happy: "Just as your Majesty said, they are seeking their own way to death. In the past, they caused trouble in Ningbo and the crime was unforgivable. Now they are invading Ryukyu, Korea and even China are behind. This time, the division has a reputation, and I think it can be done."
Calmly reorganize the army and destroy the country with great power. First straighten out the sea and land routes to Tsushima Island. As for Ryukyu...the longer the Japanese pirates cause trouble, the more Ryukyu people will eat pots and pans when the king's division arrives."
Yang Shen frowned slightly: "Go to Tsushima Island by sea and land?"
"Given the current situation in North Korea, do they still have the energy to eradicate the Japanese invasion? When the Ming Dynasty goes on an expedition, it is natural that they cannot rely solely on shipping military supplies and food and grass. Is North Korea willing to let the Ming Dynasty use the road, and will it allow the Ming Dynasty to bring money to purchase food and grass nearby?
Isn’t this the reason why Korea has so many worries, and it also makes Ming Dynasty unable to take action, making the war in Japan more intense.”
In the Zhai Palace, the monarchs and ministers of the Ming Dynasty were very "bad".
Zhu Houcong nodded: "The other vassals have just two or three years to think about how to improve political conduct and people's livelihood according to the standards required by the superior country."
You don't have to take action immediately, there is time to make corrections.
Does this count as the mercy of the Emperor of Heaven?
But the envoys from various countries who finally knew what kind of convention they were going to make this time were in a panic.
In the Datong Pavilion not far from the Temple of Heaven and Earth, the envoys of various vassals were discussing it heatedly, but some of them still used the interpreters of the Ming Dynasty Lijiaobu sect.
There is no way, Ming Dynasty Mandarin is the lingua franca. Let them communicate in their own dialects, can they have a clear conversation?
As a result, the situation seemed very awkward, and my speech was very restrained and cautious.
"Not just weight, but also length?"
The interpreters could not help but include "Ming Dynasty official goods" when they relayed it: "Not only the weight, length, but how many of these must be based on the new standards determined by the superior country before trade with the Ming Dynasty can be carried out?"
An envoy replied: "It has to do with whether you are qualified to trade. This is really..."
The interpreters said: "Now wood, guano, stones...many things can be sold to the upper country. If it is to continue trade, then..."
But the focus of the envoys of the various vassals was not just the measurement standards related to trade qualifications, but another matter.
"Why must we ensure the food, clothing, housing and transportation of those slaves before we can continue to be crowned kings?"
Regarding such questions, the translators from the Ministry of Rites and Communications of the Ming Dynasty would truthfully explain it.
The purpose is also to collect their opinions.
Both Li Qi and Yin Yuanlao remained silent on such a topic.
Among the vassal states of the Ming Dynasty, Korea and Jiaozhi were all more thoroughly transformed into kings. They called themselves Little China.
They knew very well that the slave's statement was incorrect.
Even if this is true, it cannot be said like this in the Ming Dynasty when Confucian civil servants were in power.
Naturally, some people directly asked the interpreter: "Do we have to let farmers and fishermen bear less burden before His Majesty the Great Emperor can canonize our king?"
The interpreters said the standard answer handed down by the Ministry of Etiquette and Foreign Affairs: "This is your Majesty's initiative. There is an old saying in China that the people are the most important, the country is second, and the king is the least. Your Majesty, with the dignity of the Emperor of the Celestial Dynasty, issued this to the vassals.
This initiative is an act of kindness that should be performed by benevolent kings throughout the ages, and it is also for the long-term peace and stability of the feudal lords and the longevity of the country."
Li Qi and Elder Yin looked at each other, then lowered their heads silently.
"His Royal Highness Li of North Korea, Mr. Yin, what do you have in mind?"
They didn't want to talk much, but a small country in Nanyang asked them.
The Mo family and Li family envoys from the northern and southern divisions of Jiaozhi also looked at them.
Why is Li Qi so talkative?
Elder Yin had no choice but to cough: "His Majesty's initiative is just right. As the ruler of the country occupies a high position, he should work for the welfare of all people."
"Can……"
The envoys from various countries in the Datong Pavilion gathered for talks, looking like they had no choice but to huddle around and turn around in a circle of circling fish in the face of the general situation.
The ministers of the Ming Dynasty were still watching.
This is the Ming Dynasty at this time.
At the doorstep of their own home, if Daming had any ideas, they could only face this kind of celestial pressure.
The convention to be concluded by the Ming Dynasty is divided into two main parts.
First of all, it is necessary to at least use the standards of the Ming Dynasty in the process of trade between the two parties. Only then can one be qualified to continue trading with the Ming Dynasty.
Secondly, we must follow the initiative of the Emperor of Heaven, from officialdom and folk customs to civil affairs and people's livelihood, and pay attention to the rights and interests of ordinary people. Only then can we continue to be recognized and canonized by the Emperor of Heaven.
The real meaning behind these two parts is: if you don't comply, the Ming Dynasty will not recognize it as a vassal state in the future.
No trade was allowed, no envoys were established, and it was not within the vassal system of the Ming Dynasty that restricted other vassal states from invading their land and people.
Outer Yunnan, Jiaozhi...their situations have shown the effectiveness of Ming Dynasty's restrictions.
Although private confrontations and minor frictions are never absent, at least they no longer dare to easily launch a war to destroy the country.
Everyone knows that maybe Daming is waiting for an opportunity.
But now, the Ming Dynasty has linked the action of canonization and whether to recognize the clan with the effectiveness of their governance and peace of the people, and the chain reaction it has brought is really thought-provoking.
On the other side of Tubo, the envoys of the three Dharma kings and the five kings looked at the others uneasily and calmly.
Ming Dynasty indeed showed its fangs unabashedly, but who was the first?
Among them, a certain eminent monk who was the envoy of the Merciful Dharma King knew it well.
Although Tubo is not in the first place, everyone is in the ranking sequence.
In this regard, he looked down upon the current emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
It's normal to have ambitions, but wanting to unify the Ming dynasty is really a bit arrogant.
Therefore, we must prevent Tubo from becoming the first, second, and third place. After the Ming Dynasty suffered a lot in handling the affairs of the vassals, the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty should also understand the truth: For thousands of years, which Chinese hero has not wanted to do this?
Whether you want to do it or not and whether you can do it are two different things.
The question now is: If such a convention is not concluded this time, will the canonization be withdrawn immediately? For the vassal state that first signed the convention and then failed to do it, when and in what form will the next step be triggered?
Woolen cloth?
…
In late autumn and early winter, this season is often full of harvest atmosphere.
According to the new calendar of the Ming Dynasty, on October 1st of the solar calendar in the year 2382, the city of Beijing in the Ming Dynasty was surrounded by the solemn Temple of Heaven and Earth in the new city area.
Today is the day when the Emperor of Heaven personally offers sacrifices to heaven and earth. Today there is only a ceremony.
As for this ceremony, in addition to the officials of the Ming Dynasty in Beijing, the principal and deputy envoys from various countries were also present.
One of the ceremonies was the unveiling of a bronze figure standing on the circular platform in the middle of the Great Hall of the Temple of Heaven and Earth.
The three eaves of the Daxiang Hall are green on the top, yellow in the middle, and green on the bottom, which symbolize heaven, earth, and all things.
Under the Daxiang Hall, there is also a three-story round platform.
According to the new measurement units of the Ming Dynasty, this Daxiang Hall has relatively precise dimensions: 38.02 meters in height and 2402 meters in diameter.
This is a Mingtang style building.
The so-called Mingtang-style building refers to the Ming Zhengtong Church, a missionary place, and a ritual building of the highest standard. The internal layout of the building must have double circles on the outside and squares on the inside.
Specifically speaking of the Temple of Heaven and Earth, the first layer is round on the outside and square on the inside. The outer area of the Temple of Heaven and Earth is circular, with square walls and four gates. The second layer is round on the outside and square on the inside. The round platform and the outer wall of the building, as well as the square rooms divided inside it.
The largest square room in the Daxiang Hall is called the Taishi. The south, north, east, and west of the Taishi are called Mingtang, Xuantang, Qingyang, and Zongzhang respectively. The bottom floor, The middle floor has a unique layout of "five rooms, nine rooms, twelve halls, and eight rooms", which respectively symbolize the four seasons, twelve months, twelve hours, and the stars in the sky, forming a strong symbolic meaning.
Now, the Emperor of Heaven has arranged to unveil a total of eight bronze figures on the second round platform that symbolizes "earth".
Each bronze figure is the same height. In the words of Yan Song, who is the host: "The height is 392.07, and the weight is 9981 kilograms, exactly. The inner belly is hollow, and it breathes the awe-inspiring energy of heaven and earth; Holding a bucket in your hand, it contains a square of fertile soil, weighing a kilogram of earth, taken from all directions!"
What the bronze man held in his hands was first a small pavilion-like container. Then inside, there was placed a standard bucket made of transparent glass, which contained soil.
The envoys of various vassals knew that the Ming Dynasty diplomatic envoys took some local soil when they returned to Beijing.
However, now that there are so many vassal states, there are only eight bronze figures here.
What was then unveiled was the back earth wall, the screen wall located in the Mingtang leading to the Taishi.
This screen wall, which is ten meters wide and five meters high, is made of metal as wide and glass as the surface, blocking all kinds of soil behind it.
These soils are roughly divided into four areas: sun, moon, stars, and bottom. The color of the soil in each area is different. The colors used to outline the sun, moon, and stars are gold and silver. , copper tricolor metal.
It can be seen that the arcs and branch lines are all rounded or aligned.
Zhu Houcong recited loudly: "This year, I will announce to the world that it will start from the first year of the Republic recorded in Huanghuang Qing History, and it will be called AD 2382."
"This year, I will take the fertile lands of all the vassal states, and use the measurement and balance in accordance with the laws of heaven to offer the lands of China and the eight directions to heaven and earth."
"I have inherited the destiny and guarded the country for twenty and two years. I have never slacked off in governing the country and bringing peace to the people. The teachings of the sages and the great unity of the world will not dare or be forgotten. The monarchs and ministers are of one mind, and the rich and powerful people from all over the world swear to be united."
"Today, the sects and vassals jointly offer sacrifices to the heaven and the earth. With the support of the people, I report the results of twenty-two years of serving the country..."
Inside and outside the Ming Hall, the Ming Emperor recounted the achievements of him and his ministers over the past twenty years.
What made the envoys of various vassals feel different in the sound of the communication was the rich numbers in what the Emperor of Heaven said.
Yang Shen naturally heard it clearly, but he also sounded a little dazed.
In the sixteenth year of Zhengde, when the emperor was still a boy, he naturally heard many numbers from his father, who was the chief minister at the time.
How many fields and people were hidden back then? Although this was only the result of the old system, after the emperor reported it to the world, it still seemed that the fields and people in the Ming Dynasty had expanded a lot.
Fiscal revenue, business scale, water conservancy projects, output of steel and other important industrial products, straight mileage...
In the ears of the vassal envoys, this was the Emperor of Heaven’s intuitive explanation of the national power of the Celestial Empire.
They don't know whether these numbers are true or false, but even if the astronomical figures are halved and then halved, they are still unreachable.
Zhu Houcong made a "report" like a "work report" and finally came to the end.
"All the people in the world are still not enough to have enough food and clothing, and have the old and the young supported."
"Inside and outside China, the development of vassals and vassals is uneven, and three or five enemy chiefs are going against the current."
"I have understood the three principles of heaven, matter, and man, and with the ambition of benefiting all people in the world, today I not only tell heaven and earth, but also inform our enemies and friends in all directions."
"The Ming Dynasty of the People's Republic of China is a great civilized country. The dignity of a superior country is not due to the country's wealth and military strength; it is actually due to the fact that the people are the most precious and the world is home!"
"Anyone who goes against the will of the people and becomes an enemy of a civilized country will be punished by the people."
"I will not hesitate to help those who admire the teachings of civilized countries and take those who have mastered them as the first to practice."
"All nations and peoples, please listen to my instructions."
"The four seas are harmonious but different, and they don't have to be the same. However, the inside and outside are harmonious, and they can communicate with each other, and the people can live and work in peace and contentment. This is the foundation of hundreds of benefits."
"If you enclose territory in all directions for your own selfishness and indulge in forgetting the people, chaos will arise in the long run, causing harm to the country and neighbors, and the destruction of life in the region. This is the first of hundreds of harms."
"Today, I bring my envoys from all the countries to offer sacrifices to heaven and earth, and then we will make a treaty and a peace plan together, and put the people first in everything."
"Since I regard China as my suzerain, the people of my sect and vassal are all my subjects."
"Those who harm my people will be killed no matter how far away they are!"
"Those who bless my people will be rewarded without hesitation!"
After listening to the envoys of the various vassals, they said so many practical things and promoted the strength of the Ming Dynasty, it was obvious that the Ming Dynasty was aggressive and looked down on all directions.
Everything today reveals one meaning: surrender.
If you want to seek a canonization to strengthen the legitimacy of the royal power, you must accept that your people are also the people of the Ming Dynasty.
If you ask for canonization but do not follow the requirements of the Ming Dynasty and "put the people first", you are also a criminal who harms the people and should be punished.
If you want to break away from the status of a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, you will directly become the enemy of the Ming Dynasty and create instability around you.
Zhu Houcong put down the ritual inscription, which was not neat and tidy, turned around and walked out of the Mingtang, accepting the kneeling worship of all the officials inside and outside.
At this moment, his eyes were calm, but his domineering aura was not concealed at all.
The times have not restricted him, but he has determined that he is doing what he should do.
There is no need to dwell on right or wrong. At least compared to too many "kings" outside the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Houcong will definitely bring about some faster development.
Using better technology and systems to achieve better development is the hard truth.
Let’s talk about the real thing tomorrow.
But today, I want to express my attitude first.
After offering sacrifices to heaven and earth, Zhu Houcong no longer needs to continue fasting.
That night, he drove back to the palace and gave a banquet to all the vassal envoys!