Chapter 1084: The Great Ming Is the Natural Ally of Small Foreign Nations

Wang Qian stirred up twelve major cases in Luzon, killing a great many people; this slaughter provoked condemnation from the Great Ming's moral guardians — how could he kill so many? In these twelve cases Wang Qian killed fully over ten thousand people in total, and even many more were not counted in the statistics.

The reason he launched such a massive killing spree was actually simple: all these cases were the aftermath of the Luzon Tongzhang Town rebellion.

The Han civilians of Tongzhang Town in Luzon rose up in revolt; the cause was that the officials dispatched there by the Governor-General's Office, seeking to save trouble, colluded with local priests, favored the red-haired foreign priests and the barbarians who had attached themselves to them, and ultimately drove the Han civilians of Tongzhang Town to rebellion.

As Governor-General, Yin Zongxin personally went to suppress it, hanging all those officials, priests, and barbarians, and only then were the Han civilians pacified.

This case caused a tremendous shock; even the Emperor grew anxious and wanted to head south, fearing the situation in Luzon might change; coupled with the Han civilians' uprising in Tongzhang Town, together with the twelve major cases of this year they were collectively called the Luzon Religious Cases.

After Wang Qian and Yin Zongxin resolved the Tongzhang Town issue, they conducted a comprehensive screening of the entire Luzon territory, which led to the emergence of these twelve major cases; the dead were no longer merely enough to make rivers of blood — even the fish in the sea were gorged.

Were many killed? Indeed a great many; in the Emperor's twenty-three years, the five major cases did not kill this many people — Wang Qian in one year killed more than the Emperor's total over twenty-three years.

Zhu Yijun reviewed each of these twelve Luzon cases one by one; he said to Zhang Hong with resignation: "If I went, I would only recite the 'kill' sutra — there is no other way; officials dare not offend the increasingly tight-knit priests and barbarians, so they make things difficult for the Han people; matters having come to this, if I don't recite the 'kill' sutra, what should I recite?"

"Recite benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness? Do these scholar-officials want to make the barbarians laugh?"

"The court officials' criticisms of Wang Qian all come from viewing things in the Great Ming heartland; if they really went to Luzon, they would have only this one method, and would likely kill even more ruthlessly than Wang Qian."

"I know Wang Qian very well; although he acts somewhat arrogant and domineering relying on his father, at heart he is extremely gentle and benevolent; he mocked the sword scar on Yao Guang's face, and upon learning the truth he regretted it so much he wanted to slap himself twice in the night, and took Yao Guang as a model, aspiring to be a man useful to the Great Ming and to the myriad people."

"Lord Wencheng beat him every day; after Lord Wencheng left, Wang Qian single-handedly intercepted artisans going down the mountain into the city — that is already very filial."

"When he served as Prefect in Songjiang Prefecture, he was also extremely cautious regarding murder cases; every case involving killing he personally investigated, to prevent wrongful convictions; in his five years in office there was not a single unjust case, and he was called Venerable Qingtian."

"Such a gentle, benevolent gentleman — once he reached Luzon, in one year he stirred up twelve major cases, heads rolling by the thousands; is that Wang Qian's fault?"

Zhu Yijun truly knew Wang Qian well; this fellow, as the capital's second most notorious dandy, was on extremely intimate terms with the Emperor; the Emperor truly understood Wang Qian — he is not a bad man, much less a killing star; if he were a killing star, when his arch-enemy Yao Guang was abandoned by the Yao clan, Wang Qian should have kicked him while he was down and beaten the drowning dog.

But Wang Qian did not beat the drowning dog, even though he clearly could have done so.

If that is not Wang Qian's fault, whose fault is it?

A perfectly good gentleman of mine, upon reaching Luzon, became a killing star — the Luzon barbarians ought to reflect on their own conduct.

"These thirteen Luzon religious cases were approved by me in vermilion; the killing was decided by me; if they want to curse, let them curse me — I am like a man covered in lice who no longer feels the itch." Zhu Yijun emphasized again that Wang Qian's actions were not private punishment, not his personal will; the Emperor had a clear decree, so as a subject Wang Qian had no choice but to kill.

Zhang Hong said in a low voice: "Aside from the heavy killing karma in these thirteen religious cases, among these 13,000 people there are also 2,400 Han people."

This is the point Wang Qian is most criticized for; the Great Ming has no ministers of barbarian origin, so naturally no one speaks for the barbarians; the main issue is these Han people — Wang Qian killed them without hesitation; is that not debatable?

"These desperadoes, colluding with priests and barbarians, profiting by oppressing Han people — do they not deserve to die?" Zhu Yijun retorted.

"They deserve to die." Zhang Hong stopped there; he is a eunuch, and his words were a reminder to His Majesty why some scholar-officials revile Wang Qian — their motive lies in the fact that, aside from the different region, these people in the Great Ming heartland also profit by oppressing Han people.

Wang Qian continues to be promoted and transferred; the great blade falls on their heads, so they must spare no effort in attacking and denouncing him.

As a eunuch, one must at all times, in all places, by every means, put eye drops on the scholar-officials — first to show one has not colluded with the civil officials, second because this is the eunuchs' natural stance; where one sits determines how one thinks.

In the Wanli Restoration, eunuchs and scholar-officials have not ceased hostilities.

"Good one, Zhang Hong." Zhu Yijun immediately understood why Zhang Hong said these things, and said with a smile: "You've learned a bit of Feng Da Ban's skill."

"Only a smattering of the knack." Zhang Hong said very sincerely; if he had half of Feng Bao's ability, Li Yougong would still have to advance by seniority; unfortunately he has only a tiny smattering.

Li Yougong is different; when Li Yougong speaks ill of scholar-officials, he aims straight for the heart with an executioner's axe, and he practices class theory, practicing it extremely well; in one year in Guangzhou Prefecture, to guarantee successive victories at the front, he provided the foundational conditions.

Li Yougong merely memorialized one case of a Guangzhou powerful magnate; these wealthy merchants and great traders had monopolized Great Ming military supplies, substituting inferior goods for superior; when this batch of supplies was about to ship out, Li Yougong spot-checked and discovered the fraud; normally, the wealthy merchants would spend a bit of silver, let the fighting grunts suffer, and that would be the normal outcome.

But these four wealthy merchants and great traders were directly confiscated by Li Yougong.

All the powerful magnates and local tyrants in Guangzhou mocked these four upstarts: "Upstarts are upstarts! Not a shred of survival experience! Unlike us powerful magnates, who after experiencing Yin Zhengmao, Ling Yunyi, Wang Jiaping and those fellows, have already deeply mastered the way of survival."

What can be done, what cannot be done — the Guangzhou powerful magnates know perfectly well in their hearts.

The Great Ming Emperor, with nothing better to do, wants to kill pigs for the New Year; messing around with military supply items like cotton, grain, medicine, meat, etc. — if that isn't courting death, what is?

The Guangzhou Prefecture powerful magnates truly know how to survive; they have experienced far too much; for instance, they have been constantly urging Guangzhou Prefect Wan Wenqing to contact his mentor Wang Jiaping, trying every means to get the court to issue directional additional treasure notes.

Under heaven, there is indeed no business more profitable than printing priced tickets and certificates; Guangzhou Prefecture sugar tickets are a zero-capital, infinite-profit business, but this money must be earned with one's life and spent with one's life; the Great Ming is a commandery-county empire — if Guangzhou plays with sugar tickets, isn't that rebellion?

So the powerful magnates hope the court will quickly issue additional treasure notes, first to dilute the sugar tickets; then it won't involve the crime of treason, and the rest is just a struggle over interest distribution — a scope of struggle the Emperor permits.

After so many years, everyone has figured out the Emperor's temper; all eating from the same pot — whoever tries to overturn the pot and prevent others from eating, the Emperor kills; although the Emperor represents the myriad people and eats the most, the rice in the pot is indeed plentiful.

Zhu Yijun's main tasks in coming to Songjiang Prefecture this year are two: ensure the smooth progress of the Great Ming army's campaign in Annan, because this time the main force is the navy, and supplies and such are mostly maritime affairs, which are more convenient from Songjiang Prefecture;

The second task is to guarantee the stable operation of the Huan-Tai Commercial Alliance and the Western Ocean Commercial Alliance.

These two yamen were both newly established not long ago; their systems are not yet mature, and require the Emperor to make final decisions.

"This Mexican Governor Peto is rather interesting; how does it feel like he's seen the light?" Zhu Yijun received a special state letter from the distant opposite shore of the Pacific, the Mexican Governor's Office, forwarded by the Jin Shan state.

Previously Peto used silver mines and future silver mines as collateral, hoping to exchange for a bit of Great Ming mining, post-road construction, smelting and other techniques; although it ultimately did not succeed, the Great Ming court dispatched several master craftsmen to support Jin Shan in establishing a few official factories — of course, no iron-horse factory or machinery factory.

Even if people were sent, Jin Shan lacks the conditions.

After seeing the court's actions, Governor Peto immediately memorialized in praise and gratitude; it works in Jin Shan too — since Jin Shan has them, he can purchase them; and he declared that his original promise of silver mines and half the silver mine proceeds still stands — Your Majesty may station people there.

For Peto, not following the Great Ming meant starving nine meals in three days; ever since he followed the Great Ming, in just a few short years, Peto really has a bit of the air of a Mexican King.

He held only half a silver mine, which turned into a whole one.

This was not the result of his conquest; rather, the local red-haired barbarians in Mexico defected to Peto; compared to Felipe, who does not treat overseas Spaniards as human, however you look at it, the Great Ming is the better choice.

A most basic fact: politics often proceeds from the stomach, not from ideology; Felipe's expedition against England went poorly, so he could only increase exploitation of the colonies; never mind interest distribution — even eating is a problem.

Before there was no choice; now Governor Peto, however you look at him, is a local king, and on top of that the Great Ming court presses down above him; the Great Ming's high morality is there for all to see; these red-haired barbarians are not fools, so naturally they chose Peto.

Peto took half the silver mine cluster without bloodshed, without conquest, without killing — only "basket-food and jar-drink to welcome the royal army"; Governor Peto never expected he would actually be completing a gorgeous transformation from Governor to King.

And Governor Peto submitted a state letter — requesting the Great Ming Emperor to permit the Mexican Governor's Office to become a Mexican state recognized by the Great Ming.

"Send down to the Ministry of Rites for deliberation." Zhu Yijun did not decide immediately; he had the Ministry of Rites personnel deliberate, to see the Great Ming's internal opinions.

In late April, the Emperor received two sets of Ministry of Rites deliberation results.

The radical faction represented by Gao Qiyu believed Mexico's statehood could be permitted, shedding its status as a Spanish colony and completing its own dynastic construction.

Mexico lacks the basic conditions for dynastic construction — the four beams and eight pillars — it has only two beams and three pillars; the remaining two beams and five pillars all need Great Ming assistance; then the Great Ming that helps Mexico complete its dynastic construction is the undisputed suzerain.

The conservative faction represented by Shen Li believed Mexico's statehood must not be supported; this would cause Great Ming-Spain relations to deteriorate completely.

The Mexican Governor's Office is not the former Philippine Governor's Office; to Felipe the Philippine Governor's Office is really too far, too far — whether maintaining rule or extracting benefits, it is somewhat like a chicken rib, tasteless to eat but a pity to discard; but the Mexican Governor's Office's silver mine cluster is Felipe's lifeblood.

The Great Ming global trade fleet still needs the license granted by Felipe to dock at Spanish colonial ports.

Complete enmity between the Great Ming and Spain is unfavorable to the safety of the global fleet — this is visible interest and benefit; moreover Spain has not recently continued to provoke the Great Ming, so for the Great Ming to do this is somewhat immoral.

Interestingly, the radical faction is in the majority this time, Shen Li and these conservatives have become the minority, unlike the previous uproar over the posthumous title for Ling Yunyi, Shen Li's attitude this time is not firm.

Shen Li's meaning is very clear, even in the Taixi waters of Lisbon and Free City, the Spanish Invincible Armada no longer has the strength to defeat the Great Ming global trade fleet.

This matter, besides not looking good, actually does not cause loss of interests, so Shen Li's attitude is not so hardline.

The drawbacks of gathering wealth and promoting interests are undoubtedly evident; after Hai Rui, Shen Li, the most principled, when discussing issues, always starts from interests rather than morality.

"Then let it be as Peto requested, let the Prince of Lu handle it." Zhu Yijun finally vermilion-approved Gao Qiyu's memorial, choosing to allow the Governorate of Mexico to secede from Spanish rule and establish independence, while Jinshan State will provide necessary assistance.

Mexico will become a vassal state of Jinshan State, and simultaneously a vassal state of Great Ming, which is not contradictory, because Great Ming's feudal system, from the Zhou enfeoffment onwards, is not that my vassal's vassal is my vassal.

Great Ming's research on oracle bone script is gradually deepening; since Wu Ding of the Shang dynasty, the Shang has had direct power of management and record over those enfeoffed feudal lords and their dependents, achieved through human sacrifice, livestock, oracle bones, and reporting millet, etc.

All regions must send turtle shells and various cattle and sheep to Yin capital, especially the Qiang people; in fact, this is just taxation.

And the Shang Son of Heaven at that time would also bypass the enfeoffed feudal lords to pursue arrears from the dependents of the feudal lords, for example, a certain regional marquis's subordinate owed the Son of Heaven thirty small Qiang people, delayed the great king's ancestral sacrifice, which certainly requires asking when they can be sent.

If they cannot be sent, then the great king will surely launch a punitive expedition under the pretext of punishing the disobedient; since the small Qiang people cannot be caught, then do not be feudal lords.

This is almost no different in essence from the Great Ming emperor recently pursuing tax arrears.

China's feudal system, enfeoffing states, and Taixi's feudal system, when traced to the source, are not the same thing, merely similar, but actually quite different.

The Prince of Lu going to Jinshan State does not mean he is no longer a person of Great Ming, nor does it mean Jinshan State is independent of Great Ming; Jinshan State's condition is more like Yunnan during the Hongwu era—too far, transportation inconvenient, unable to establish effective rule, only allowing the Qian Guo Gong Fu to garrison.

"If he finds this wretched place of Jinshan State hard to endure, let him come back; he has already gone out, his posture is already sufficiently made." Zhu Yijun likewise received a letter from Zhu Yizhu; in Zhu Yizhu's family letter, it was all lamenting.

His emotions were extremely full; there, he even had no toilet paper to use, not because the emperor shortchanged his allowance—toilet paper was still plentiful—but mainly because Jinshan State lacks paper severely; those toilet papers, he was unwilling to use for wiping, but instead remade them into pulp and made new paper.

Zhang Hong said with deep feeling: "Your Majesty, news comes from the capital, the Empress Dowager has received a letter, she is both crying and laughing, both feeling pity for the Prince of Lu enduring hardship, and relieved that the Prince of Lu has finally grown up."

The Empress Dowager is truly greatly relieved, Zhu Yizhu has finally grown up, not managing the household knows not the value of firewood, rice, oil, and salt, not working knows not that labor is to serve others as ox and horse, Zhu Yizhu would rather wrong himself than not maximize the limited resources in his hands.

Even if one day Jinshan State truly cannot hold up, and the Prince of Lu returns to Great Ming, then he is not a useless good-for-nothing who understands nothing, and can spend his remaining years in peace.

Zhu Yizhu in Great Ming is a world-ruining demon king; although the emperor presses down, he dare not do excessive things, but now his spirituality has finally come to guide him, to settle himself properly.

To be parents, the greatest worry is after one's death, the child cannot settle himself—how can one be at ease?

"If the Prince of Lu is willing to return, he would not write letters." Zhang Hong does not think the Prince of Lu is willing to return.

Zhu Yizhu has a way back; if he is willing to return, board a ship, two months and he will reach Songjiang Prefecture, so he can instead do well as king of Jinshan State, because any force on Jinshan State's land does not want to drive the Prince of Lu to desperation.

Driven to desperation, the Prince of Lu returns home, leaving behind a group of great and small meat-eaters, who can only stare helplessly, having lost Great Ming's support, lost Great Ming's goods, even gold and silver mountains would be utterly worthless.

Likewise, in his letter the Prince of Lu also analyzed Governor Peto's various aspects; under Great Ming's influence, this pirate-born Governor Peto, his political cultivation has already crushed worldwide the motley crews.

The Prince of Lu received Governor Peto in the Jinshan Palace of Jinshan State, met with Governor Peto, regarding the issue of Mexico's founding.

From the talk, Governor Peto choosing to break from Spanish rule is not a spur-of-the-moment decision, but based on his own thinking logic.

In Governor Peto's view, for small-volume, single-industry, economically fragile, raw-material-supplying barbarian states, choosing a good master is more important than grand narratives.

For barbarian states, subjective initiative is meaningless, because keen reform, pushing industrial development, popularizing education, etc., in the face of not having enough to eat, are useless.

Great Ming's experience, for barbarian states, fundamentally has no reference value or borrowing significance, because Great Ming is Great Ming, Great Ming's experience and significance are distilled by Great Ming people from mountains of corpses and seas of blood; barbarian states copying it will only achieve nothing.

Oranges grown in the south become bitter citrons when grown in the north.

Likewise, Governor Peto said the fundamental reason for choosing Great Ming over Spain is: Great Ming is the natural ally of these raw-material-supplying barbarian states, because Great Ming is production-oriented, while Taixi colonists are plunder-oriented—this is the essential difference.

Goods need exchange; only outflow, no inflow, that is not trade; the Spaniards living in Mexico cannot endure Felipe's endless greed and plunder.

Governor Peto having such insight and vision has truly surpassed countless motley crews; at least he knows that trading with Great Ming is genuinely buying and selling, not nine-tenths of the benefits being plundered away.

"Your Majesty, Mr. has come." A little yellow gate hurried in, bowed his head and said.

"Oh? Please come in quickly." Zhu Yijun tidied up the memorials on the desk, sat upright respectfully, awaiting Zhang Juzheng's arrival.

Zhang Hong clearly knows, the Emperor's attitude toward Zhang Juzheng is completely different from that toward other officials; the Emperor's attitude toward Zhang Juzheng is that the teacher ranks above ruler and subject; each time Zhang Juzheng comes, the Emperor sits upright respectfully waiting—this is respect and favor.

Previously Zhang Juzheng was the empire's Grand Tutor; now Zhang Juzheng is no longer that, but the Emperor still, in these small details, remains as always.

"Your servant pays homage to Your Majesty, may Your Majesty's sacred body be at peace." Zhang Juzheng made a bow and paid respects.

"Teacher, no need for ceremony, please sit." Zhu Yijun said with a full-face smile: "If the teacher does not come, I would still have to go find the teacher; this is not because Governor Peto intends to become king, I intend to allow it, and there is also the matter of the Prince of Lu; I intend to allocate one hundred thousand silver, to purchase some necessities of life, he there even is unwilling to use toilet paper."

Zhu Yijun chatteringly spoke of Jinshan State and Mexico's affairs, especially regarding Governor Peto's situation.

"Governor Peto I have seen; he has such insight, not from his natural disposition, but also because he truly hired silver to employ a Shaoxing master, who instructed him face-to-face before he gained this understanding." Zhang Juzheng could indeed understand Governor Peto's change, he too was gradually changed under the influence of Great Ming culture.

Governor Peto first obtained registration in the Daguangming Sect, slowly accepted Great Ming wisdom, hired a Shaoxing master; this change lasted approximately ten years.

"Teacher entering the palace, for what purpose?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously; Zhang Juzheng has no interest in state affairs whatsoever, just the emperor asking, he also cannot be bothered to look, fundamentally unwilling to expend that spirit; all are flies buzzing and dogs scrambling for petty gains, seeing too much, seeing too long will be very tiresome.

"Your servant today went to Shanghai County Ya Lu Book Market, just to listen to storytelling; on the way back, passing a public school, it just let out; Your servant saw those reading children, also felt quite gratified, years of rushing about, not without achievement." Zhang Juzheng said with furrowed brows: "But Your servant hearing these children, mouths full of filthy words, inevitably some sorrow arises from within, thus I came to seek Your Majesty."

"Scholars should also have the appearance of scholars; speaking filth, sweeping away elegance."

Zhang Juzheng seeing the realm peaceful and people prosperous, naturally his heart is filled with joy; hearing these children speak filth, this joy instantly turns to terror, even to the point of having to face the Son of Heaven; children are what? Children are the rising sun, the Great Ming of tomorrow, that is the future, that is hope.

But Zhang Juzheng from these children only saw speaking filth; he would not be terrified before it would be strange.

"Over so many years, I have never seen the teacher so flustered and at a loss." Zhu Yijun said sincerely; Zhang Juzheng has a method, but not only established after the Wanli Reforms, but already confirmed as early as the late Jiajing and Longqing periods.

The Tumen Khan invaded in the second year of Longqing; Zhang Juzheng ordered Qi Jiguang northward, the Tumen Khan could no longer invade southward; the Japanese menace still ravaged Guangzhou, Zhang Juzheng recommended Yin Zhengmao, and furthermore requested a convenient-to-act imperial edict; in negotiating with the Altan Khan, resolving the northern barbarian issue, of course this negotiation, was not Zhang Juzheng's merit calculation;

These internal and external troubles are truly Zhang Juzheng's genuine portrayal; when the Wanli Reforms arrived, with the emperor's life-risking support, Zhang Juzheng in the twenty years before the Wanli Reforms even had a kind of illusion of omnipotence.

But over so many years, when has Zhang Juzheng ever been so terrified?

Zhu Yijun truly is the first time seeing on Zhang Juzheng's face this expression.

"If Gao Qiyu insists on implementing the Dinghai education system and makes it like this, I would have retired, yet still impeach him! He is a sycophant; the Emperor entrusted state affairs to him, and he repays the Emperor like this!" Zhang Juzheng said while saying, becoming somewhat angry, very dissatisfied with Gao Qiyu.

"Teacher, it is not like that." Zhu Yijun repeatedly waved his hands: "The children's world and the adults' world are different; in the children's world, animality outweighs humanity; in the children's world, they will use speaking filth, displaying violent means, doing bad deeds, etc., to manifest their uniqueness, to determine their position."

"Moreover, children learn speech from adults; Great Ming Wanli Reforms, a large batch of poor laborers escaped poverty, especially Songjiang Prefecture, this under-heaven hub of all goods, more poor laborers can afford their children's schooling, but their parents, big characters they do not recognize a single one; children follow them in learning speech, naturally learn to be like this."

Zhu Yijun does not consider this Gao Qiyu's inability, but rather a true portrayal of the times changing.

The improvement of national quality is a rather lengthy process, the most important still being the economic foundation.

"Your Majesty originally already noticed this." Zhang Juzheng long exhaled, he worried the Emperor had not noticed the problem, hence his anxious entry into the palace, but since the Emperor has already noticed, he is relieved; he is old, already lacking sufficient energy, but the Emperor is in his prime, and moreover the Emperor also has methods.

Zhang Juzheng's frequent display of omnipotence is actually borrowing the Emperor's strength; even many of these, fundamentally are the Emperor's methods, not his own.

Zhu Yijun said with a smile: "It was Gao Qiyu himself who brought this up; he noticed this phenomenon last year, and furthermore formulated the evaluation method for official schools, now being implemented; specifically, it is that educational achievement, moral cultivation, etc., are all quantified, and then performance is based on evaluation results, disbursing the labor remuneration of school chiefs."

"Child not taught, father's fault; teaching not strict, teacher's laziness, and the teacher's laziness also has to do with the fact that there are over a hundred children in one class at the public school."

"As a disciple of Mr., in the realm of upright officials, he is the most capable minister and able official in the Great Ming."

In the private school, a schoolhouse has only a dozen or so students, at most twenty, and the family school has even fewer, so this teacher can manage it.

This public school is truly overwhelmed, and conversely, the tuition of private schools is basically unaffordable for ordinary families, but the public school can still endure because of the court's subsidies.

Popularizing education has always been a heavy and distant task, absolutely not something achieved overnight.

"It was proposed voluntarily by the Shao Zongbo, so that's still acceptable." Zhang Juzheng breathed a sigh of relief, then shook his head and said: "Gao Qiyu is still timid; he fears he cannot control his own desires, so he dare not even come to the door. Before, he kept begging me for forgiveness, and I truly forgave him, yet he still dare not come."

Zhang Juzheng felt that Gao Qiyu clearly understood that his desire for progress could easily turn into lust for power, and in the natural contradiction between the emperor and the crown prince, he would play an unsavory role, so he simply dared not move forward.

Cowardly and timid! The conduct of a coward!

Zhu Yijun also just smiled; Zhang Juzheng really is old. In fact, old people are just like children—going along doesn't work, going against doesn't work, no matter what you do, if you don't like it, you don't like it; the nose is not a nose, the eyes are not eyes.

Zhang Juzheng dislikes Gao Qiyu; whatever he does, he gets scolded.