novelonline Chapter 945: Successor
Chapter 945: Successor
Chapter 945: Successor
In autumn, when the leaves turn yellow and the landscape looks bleak for thousands of miles, a large convoy moves slowly forward on the straight road from south to north.
At the front was a formation of soldiers with flags held high. They rode tall horses and wore colorful clothes. Ordinary people would not dare to approach them after just one look.
Behind them were carriages one after another.
Carriages come in different sizes, and size is naturally related to status.
Behind the group of carriages were dozens of carts loaded with goods, and at the end there was a guard army to support them.
The emperor's vehicle was in the front half and was also the largest one.
The distance between the two capitals was about 2000 li, and since the large army was not marching, it was about 30-40 li a day, 30 li was called a she, and the she in "retreat three she" was a unit of distance. But a small army could travel faster on horseback, and they could walk a little longer, so they could travel about 100 li a day.
So this journey took Zhu Houzhao about 20 days, which was a bit torturous for him, but it was actually normal in that era.
To this end, he brought a lot of books to read on the road. When he got tired of reading, he would take a short break and look at the scenery outside the window.
The only thing that concerned him now was Han Shierlang's war in the northwest.
The Japanese side had sent back a battle report in July, and it was brought back by the Koreans. Because the British ship sent back to report the victory lost the news at sea, this led to a delay in the news, which even made Zhu Houzhao a little anxious.
Accidents are inevitable when sailing on the sea these days. After all, without modern meteorological technology, it is impossible to predict the time and place where a storm will form.
These people were indeed unfortunate after the great victory, and all Zhu Houzhao could do was to provide them with pensions according to the standards.
I just hope that Japan's victory can comfort the soldiers.
Regarding the treatment of Japan, Zhu Houzhao's national policy was even more brutal, namely enslavement.
Modern people always preach the glory of human nature, but in fact, it is oppression that has enabled mankind to enter the industrial age.
Industrialization, that is, large-scale machine production, this mode of production must meet two basic conditions.
First, it is an infinite market. Simply put, everyone needs this commodity, which is closely related to everyone's food, clothing, housing and transportation. Food is not good because it cannot be preserved for a long time without deterioration. Housing and transportation cannot be well marketed. Some people are not "good" and will never go anywhere in their lives.
Second, a huge supply of raw materials is required.
Because the efficiency of large-scale machine production has increased dramatically, the demand for raw materials has increased significantly, and even a skilled housewife needs rice to cook.
The cotton textile industry perfectly meets these two requirements.
Cotton can be grown on a large scale, and clothes are a product that everyone needs.
This large-scale planting, picking, and simple production requires a large amount of manpower - slaves are the most economical choice.
This is how the later plantation economy came about.
The Ming Dynasty does not lack human resources, but why not use them if there are cheaper slaves?
It is precisely because of the use of slaves and the oppression of these people that excess profits continue to accumulate, so rich countries become richer and poor countries become poorer.
This has nothing to do with morality. If you don't use slaves but others do, then your products will not be price competitive and eventually the entire industry will be gone. In the end, you will become a poor country and your citizens will suffer.
Looking around, the best source of slaves for Zhu Houzhao was Japan.
There is no room for discussion on this matter.
The court has issued special licenses to several larger companies, allowing them to engage in this kind of trade, that is, transporting people and selling them, and then making a profit.
As long as the cotton was transported to several major cotton-growing areas, the plantation owners would probably do the math to see whether it was more cost-effective to hire a regular local citizen or to buy a slave to do the work.
Of course,
This will, to a certain extent, impact the employment opportunities of the country's ordinary people. Maybe they will then cry out: The Japanese stole our jobs!
But these are small matters, and they are nothing compared to the benefits gained.
As long as the country develops rapidly, people will be needed everywhere.
On the contrary, if the country stops and the industry declines, everyone will be doomed in the end.
As for the war in the northwest...
Zhu Houzhao couldn't describe his feeling. He believed he would win, but the subsequent governance issues were more of a headache for him.
In addition to the ongoing Western Expedition, the most important issue that required him to make a quick decision was the issue of the crown prince.
In fact, his personal hesitation on this issue has caused some chaos in the court.
He even envied Zhu Yuanzhang a little. Zhu Biao was the eldest son and had outstanding abilities, so there was nothing for him to hesitate about.
But his eldest son...
Even I, as a father, shook my head when I thought about it. If he succeeds to the throne, what percentage of the achievements I have made over the past few decades can be preserved?
"Ugh."
Whenever he thought about it on the way, he would sigh.
He even thought about writing a secret book himself, recording all future events in it, and passing it on to his successor when he dies...
"Your Majesty, we have arrived."
The voice interrupted his thoughts.
Zhu Houzhao responded, then stood up and got out of the car. When he bent his head to get out, he looked at the sunset in the west, and then asked, "Where are we going to rest today?"
"Your Majesty, we will be staying in Cangzhou today."
"Good." The emperor rubbed his hands and ordered, "Those who have work to do, let them finish their meals and come back. Those who have nothing to do, please take a rest. You must be tired after traveling all day."
"Yes."
"Where's Jae-ryeol? Call him over."
The fourteen-year-old Fifth Prince already looks like a little adult. He has a slender figure. Although not as handsome as the second prince, he also has a heroic spirit. The temperament of a young prince also makes him stand out.
Zhu Houzhao bought some river shrimps today, which is a non-greasy meat and is not bad for him.
After dinner, he would guide Zai Rui to read.
But today the little fellow was not very honest. After reading the Zizhi Tongjian for a while, his thoughts suddenly jumped to other places and he asked, "Father, I heard that the north is bitterly cold and it is not suitable for people and animals to survive. Why did you instruct my third and fourth brothers to clarify the ownership of those bitterly cold places at the Mongolian tribal alliance meeting?"
Zhu Houzhao stayed in an exquisite courtyard in Cangzhou County tonight.
Along the way, he issued strict orders that officials above the rank of prefect in all places were not allowed to come to welcome him. Only the local officials were needed to coordinate some specific matters. After all, there were so many people involved.
But the county magistrate only met with a few of them, and did not meet with most of them. He basically sent his subordinates to handle them.
That's why he is now enjoying the evening breeze with his son in such a leisurely mood.
Holding a fan in his hand, he said leisurely, "Many people have asked this question, and I have answered it, haven't I?"
"But father is obviously not a king who likes to show off." Children are still more sensitive after all.
Zhu Houzhao explained it using the term territorial fanaticism.
"How old are you, and you're already talking about your father. Can you tell me why I don't like to show off?"
"Because if the emperor needs land, then the entire Nanyang cannot stop the Ming navy, so why bother to sign the Ming Treaty with them?"
Zhu Houzhao nodded. "Your explanation is a plausible excuse."
Zai Rui closed the book in his hand, and a desire for knowledge began to appear in his eyes. "So, can I know the real reason in my father's heart?"
Zhu Houzhao looked at him quietly and said, "Because those lands are useful."
Zai Rui was stunned. "Father, please forgive me for my rudeness. What use is there for such a barren land?"
"Have you paid attention to the steam-powered vehicle that the Academy of Sciences is developing? Once it succeeds, this steam power will quickly replace human and animal power in a few decades. Now answer me, how can this steam power be obtained?"
"Burn the fuel." Zai Rui answered in a daze.
"To be specific, it's about burning coal. Where can we find coal? You don't know, and neither do I. But in theory, the more land we occupy, the more coal we will have. As for Nanyang, it's not that we won't occupy it. We just control a few key nodes and occupy it in a more cost-effective way. Do you understand now?"
Zai Rui was only fourteen years old, so he probably wouldn't fully understand it.
But the superficial meaning of this reason is not difficult to understand, "So this is the reason given by my father!"
The little boy is naturally inclined to worship and depend on his father. If he really shows something, like Zhu Houzhao is doing now, then this worship will be more thorough.
"Father is indeed a man of foresight. Even Mr. Gu and Mr. Wang admire him very much."
"How can I govern the country if I can't scare a fourteen-year-old kid like you?"
"No, what Father said makes sense. If we own all the coal, other countries will need us."
Zhu Houzhao, the Great Khan, said, "All of these are a bit extreme and unlikely."
"That's 80 percent."
Zhu Houzhao: ...
"Just continue studying."
"Father, I have another question."
"You said."
"Why does the sun turn red at night? Why isn't it red at noon?"
Well, it seems that he also saw today's sunset.
As for this question, it would be a bit difficult for Zhu Houzhao to explain, and it might even sound a bit nonsense, but it doesn't matter, because people at that time didn't understand.
During the journey from Beijing to Nanjing, taking his children to school became one of the few enjoyable things in his trip.
Zai Rui had a rich imagination. Although he was young, his thoughts jumped quickly. He asked questions about everything, including mathematics, physics, and even astronomy and geography. He even raised questions about naval battles.
As for Zhu Houzhao, he was also talking nonsense.
This way time seems to pass faster.
……
……
Twenty-two days later, he arrived in Nanjing and entered the imperial palace in Nanjing.
Because this is the location of the Ming Xiaoling Mausoleum, and the emperor seldom came here often, every time he came, his ministers would propose to pay homage to the Xiaoling Mausoleum. Zhu Houzhao felt that it was only natural to burn incense for Zhu Yuanzhang, so he basically agreed.
At Zijin Mountain, Yingtian Governor Wang Shouren accompanied him throughout the trip and did not dare to be negligent in the slightest.
It’s a pity that in autumn, the trees on the mountain are dead and the scenery is not so beautiful.
Standing on the mountain and looking at the whole view of Nanjing City below was a different feeling. The emperor climbed up and looked into the distance, and said to Wang Shouren: "On the way, several people mentioned that they wanted to return the capital to Nanjing. What do you think about this, my dear?"
They were surrounded by guards in three layers inside and outside, and in the pavilion halfway up the mountain, there were only the two of them. The emperor doted on Wang Shouren, so he often gave him opportunities to perform solo.
"I don't think there is any reason to do so. It is not a priority at the moment."
"So what do you think is the important matter right now?" Zhu Houzhao sat down and placed one hand on the stone table.
Wang Shouren wore a round-necked red robe, with an elegant demeanor, like a famous minister. He cupped his hands and said, "The vacancy of the throne is a major issue for the country."
This sentence is not surprising.
"Anyone with a discerning eye can see that." Zhu Houzhao lowered his head. "So, my dear, which prince do you think would be the best for me to appoint?"
"The eldest prince is very talented and has great potential. He can be the crown prince."
"Where is the second prince?"
Wang Shouren said calmly, "The emperor's second son is kind and benevolent, and treats people with sincerity. He can be a wise king."
"Third Prince?"
"The Third Prince is courageous and brave, loyal and brave, and can be a wise king."
Zhu Houzhao did not ask the fourth and fifth brothers. He understood what Wang Shouren meant and there was no need to test him on idioms.
Anyway, there were only two of them, and he was facing him, so Zhu Houzhao said directly, "I don't want to establish a eldest son. The eldest son's talent is not prominent. If I make him the emperor, I will not be able to rest in peace a hundred years later."
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable!" Wang Shouren knelt down, his tone a little heavier.
"Get up, let's talk. To be honest, I haven't had anything else to do on this trip, but I have been hiding this thought in my heart and I have never been able to make up my mind."
"Yes!" Wang Shouren stood up, held his arm high, and continued to speak, "Your Majesty, please forgive me for being so bold. If Your Majesty doesn't like the eldest prince, then you can appoint someone else. Why is it so difficult for you to make up your mind?"
Zhu Houzhao glanced at him. Was it necessary to poke at his sore spot? "Tang Taizong launched the Xuanwu Gate Incident, killed his brother and seized the throne. He then appointed Li Chengqian as the crown prince, but favored Wei Wang Li Tai, which led to constant fighting for the throne. In the end, the princes were already inclined to imitate Tang Taizong's Xuanwu Gate move. Although he eventually avoided these crises, choosing Li Zhi also planted the seeds of disaster, which led to constant fighting among the Tang royal family for three hundred years, with rivers of blood flowing, which is really sad."
This period of the Tang Dynasty was particularly bloody. Starting from Li Shimin, there was no normal succession, and there were few normal ones after him. This also led to many bad consequences. For example, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang killed three sons in one day, and Wu Zetian killed her sons and daughters! Anyway, the one who survived the killing became the emperor!
Compared with the Zhu family, the Li family does not have the problem of "vassal salaries".
Wang Shouren said softly: "Your Majesty is well-versed in history books and can see the big picture from the details, so why are you hesitating?
Emperor Taizong also loved the King of Han, but for the sake of the country and the people, he finally chose to establish his eldest son. Even so, the King of Han still rebelled. Fortunately, Emperor Taizong had taken precautions and it did not lead to a disaster. But even so, haven't you heard about the rebellion of Ning Ni in the eleventh year of Zhengde?
If the emperor does not follow the rule of enthroning the eldest son as the heir today, I dare say that the disaster is not over yet. "
No normal person would dare to speak to the emperor like this.
Zhu Houzhao had developed a habit of acting superior and was almost angry, but in a flash he thought that Wang Shouren was right.
So he suppressed his dissatisfaction and asked, "Can the country be stable and peaceful if the eldest son is made the heir? Can you tell me where there is a king who has a hundred generations?"
"Then what does the emperor want to establish?"
"Of course it's Lixian."
Wang Shouren replied calmly, "What is considered virtuous? Emperor Wu of Han was a man of great talent and outstanding military achievements. Is he virtuous? Emperor Renzong of Song was benevolent and loved the people. He was studious and listened to advice. Is he virtuous? Li Yu, the last ruler of the Southern Tang Dynasty, was extremely talented and proficient in poetry and calligraphy. Is he virtuous? Emperor Taizong of our dynasty was virtuous for his five expeditions to the northern desert. But Emperor Renzong was also virtuous for his rest with the people.
Even if we put all these aside and only use the emperor's preferences as the standard for virtuous and unvirtuous, then pillow talk and whispers will affect the emperor's judgment. How can we be sure then?
Not only that, the emperor must understand that no one in the world would say that he is not virtuous. Everyone pretends to be virtuous. How can we distinguish them? Just like Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, Yang Guang, when he was the King of Jin, he was wise, brave, and talented, but in the end, the picturesque Sui Dynasty was ruined by his "great cause". In the end, it is difficult to judge whether one is virtuous or not!
A person's life can only be judged after his death!"
As expected of a contemporary master, his words contained both factual examples and logical statements, and they went straight to the core of the issue, which made Zhu Houzhao clench his fists and frown after listening to him.
(End of this chapter)