Chapter 141: The Troubles Left by the Ancestors

Wen Tiren, who never wanted to return to the Imperial Prison, saw it with perfect clarity. Shi Fenglai, standing silent at the side, was exactly what the Chongzhen Emperor had prepared for him to see — Look, We have your replacement ready and waiting.

So, either you obey, or would you care to go enjoy the snow like Xie Jin did?

A chill running secretly down his spine, Wen Tiren, with the barefaced nerve of a true scoundrel, bowed and said, "Your servant will raise the matter of reforming weights and measures at tomorrow's court assembly, subject solely to Your Majesty's decision."

Only then did Chongzhen give an "Mm," nod, and say, "Good. Our beloved minister Wen is indeed loyal; Our heart is deeply comforted. By the way, Our beloved minister Wen mentioned a few small problems just now — that was only two. Are there any others?"

Wen Tiren could have slapped himself across the face. He had wanted to show off a moment ago, and now the situation was that he had shown off, all right — and in doing so, had successfully dug his own grave and buried himself in it!

But since the Emperor had asked, even if he no longer wished to say anything, he would have to invent a few more small problems to make up the numbers. Otherwise, if the "few small problems" he had mentioned turned out to be only two, would that not be deceiving the sovereign?

Since he was doomed to offend people either way, and only by following the Emperor could he have a future, Wen Tiren, having thought it through, went all in.

He continued to Chongzhen, "Reporting to Your Majesty, aside from the promotion of the official language and the issue of weights and measures that your servant has mentioned, there are in fact quite a few other problems.

For instance, the Mongol side, the southwestern side, and the south — all of these are problems."

Chongzhen said with curiosity, "Our beloved minister Wen, speak slowly. We are listening."

Wen Tiren bowed and said, "Your servant obeys the edict." He sorted out his thoughts, then continued, "Take, for example, the Hakka people in the south.

They were originally Han people who migrated south during the Five Barbarians' Chaos on China and the Song dynasty. These people think constantly of nothing but returning to Han registration, so they pose no real problem."

"But apart from them, there are also other ethnic groups, such as the Miao, the Zhuang, and so on. In any case, their numbers are not large, but whether they are willing to enter our Great Ming's Han registration — no one can say."

"Further, there are the Mongol tribes of the north.

If they are poor herders, that is one thing; at the end of the day, whichever side offers a better life, whichever side is stronger, that is where their hearts incline.

In your servant's humble opinion, having them change their registration and submit to civilization would not be difficult."

"But the chieftains of those tribes may not be so willing.

Once they enter Han registration, what becomes of their original rules? Do they continue to follow the laws of the steppe, or do they implement our Great Ming's legal code?

If the Great Ming Code is enforced, the headmen and chieftains who could originally act like tyrants will presumably be unwilling. If they continue with the ways of the steppe, then from our Great Ming's perspective, it is our Great Ming that suffers the loss."

"Furthermore, your servant…"

Seeing Wen Tiren stop and fall silent, Chongzhen knew the man had some misgiving in his heart. He immediately spoke: "Our beloved minister Wen, speak freely. Whether what you say is right or wrong, We absolutely will not hold you to account."

Having obtained Chongzhen's imperial pardon, Wen Tiren then said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, if our Great Ming were still the Great Ming of the founding era, pursuing the fleeing and chasing the routed, the barbarians of the steppe would naturally be willing to submit.

However, now, with the chaos of the Jianzhou barbarians in the east and so many natural disasters within our Great Ming's realm, the barbarians of the steppe, well, naturally harbor quite a few other ideas."

"Moreover, at the time of the founding, the Exalted Emperor, Grand Progenitor, stipulated in the 'Household Statutes': 'All Mongols and Semu people who wish to marry Chinese shall do so only by mutual consent of both parties; they are not permitted to marry among their own kind.

Violators shall be punished with eighty strokes of the heavy bamboo, and the man and woman shall be confiscated as government slaves.

Where a Chinese person is unwilling to marry a Hui or a Kipchak, they may follow their own kind in marriage, and this is not within the prohibition.'"

Hearing this, Chongzhen felt a distinct ache in his balls. Thanks to all the reading he had done since transmigrating, this statute posed no difficulty in comprehension.

Looking at it with the mindset of a programmer from his past life, this Zhu Chongba's brain must have, somehow, short-circuited for a moment when he decreed that other ethnic groups were forbidden to intermarry within their own communities and must marry Han people — and most importantly, it had to be by mutual consent.

Would Han people back then even have been willing to look at those barbarians? And what's more, in this shoddy prohibition, he had specifically let the Hui and the Kipchaks off the hook, allowing them to marry within their own communities…

But no matter what, this was done by the old ancestor of the body he now inhabited, which meant it was done by his own old ancestor. So what could he do?

No matter how much his balls ached, he had to endure it. Just change it and be done.

Could he really start cursing Zhu Yuanzhang for doing a shoddy job?

His balls aching beyond measure, Chongzhen gave an "Oh" and said, "We understand."

Wen Tiren, whose own balls ached even more, bowed and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, the original intent of the Exalted Emperor, Grand Progenitor, was for all the various peoples to gradually merge into our Great Ming's Han population, to become one body, never again divided into us and them.

Therefore, the Miao, She, Yi, and such peoples in the south are not much of a problem at present. Only…"

From the history he had originally focused on in school, he knew that the Green Cult was a sect from the Arabia region, and somehow it had made its way to the Central Plains, along with the Luminous Religion, the Ming Cult, and the like — a whole mess of chaotic sects had come running over.

As for the native Daoist ox-noses, although some of them did contribute during times of national turmoil, most were still more concerned with pursuing immortality — thoroughly useless.

The Chongzhen Emperor, a staunch Han supremacist by nature, decided not to indulge this nonsense, and therefore spoke: "This matter, after all, was permitted by the Exalted Emperor, Grand Progenitor. What if We wished to change it somewhat?"

His heart trampled by ten thousand divine beasts, Wen Tiren bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, this matter is not easily undertaken. For one, the various lords of the court may not agree; for another, the common people may not agree with Your Majesty's decree either."

Chongzhen, however, asked with curiosity, "Setting aside the various lords of the court for now, what is the issue with the common people?"

Wen Tiren said, "The very reason the Exalted Emperor, Grand Progenitor, specially permitted them to marry within their own communities was because of this."

Chongzhen, however, recalled certain arguments and said bluntly, "Then permit them to intermarry with Han people, and also do not prohibit them from marrying within their own communities. If any still cause disorder—" At this point, Chongzhen let out two cold, dark chuckles.

(End of chapter)