Chapter 411: If there is further war or border provocation, I shall surely pacify the grasslands and deserts forever

What Zhu Yijun taught Zhu Yiliu was indeed the art of balance—that is, power, reputation, and benefits should not be entirely handed over to one faction. In this way, no single family would become too powerful, and no imbalance would occur.

During the nine years Zhang Juzheng has been in power, he has never sought reputation for himself, while Wang Chonggu, since returning to the capital, has never sought power. He has also been avoiding self-destruction, never going to the Grand Secretariat to sit in office. As for the Zhe Party, they have only gained reputation; whether it was the rehabilitation of Hu Zongxian or the death of Xu Jie, the Zhe Party only gained reputation.

The imperial court has its own self-adjusting balance.

And Wan Shihe has finally returned to his loyal Ministry of Rites.

The Minister of Rites has been confirmed, and the position of Minister of Personnel has a vacancy, but the Minister of Personnel is not as urgent as it is now. Ma Ziqiang retired due to illness; once he left, there was no one to manage the affairs of the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Personnel is different; Wan Shihe originally did not manage the affairs of the Ministry of Personnel much, as Zhang Juzheng, serving as the Senior Grand Secretary, held concurrent charge.

"Draft a memorial for the person to be the Minister of Personnel, and we shall have the court recommendation before the new year." Zhu Yijun gave his instructions, and the assembled officials received the order.

The Ministry of Revenue began to report the preliminary audit results. The pace of land measurement in the Great Ming has begun to slow down, rising from 7.84 million *qing* last year to 7.92 million *qing* this year. The North and South Zhili, Shandong, Fujian, Jiangxi, Huguang, Liangguang, and Yunnan of the Great Ming have successively completed the land measurement. The Yang family of Xindu in Sichuan has just been dealt with. The remaining *tusi* (native chieftains) in Guizhou and Guangxi are too numerous, Shaanxi's land is too arid, and Henan has been a difficult nut to crack for land measurement throughout the dynasties.

These are all places where slow work produces fine results; Zhu Yijun did not excessively urge them.

However, compared to the land measurement which did not see a large increase, what surprised Zhu Yijun more was that the Great Ming's land tax this year exceeded 30 million *shi* for the first time, which converts to roughly 15 million taels of silver. This figure is roughly the same as during the Hongwu and Yongle periods, though there is a gap compared to the Shunzhi period when the Tatars founded the Qing Dynasty.

The entire Qing Dynasty, before the Yongzheng period, used the Great Ming's tax laws, and the land registers all used the "Fish-Scale Registers" from the 15th year of Wanli. However, between the Shunzhi and Yongzheng periods, the Tatars could collect over 20 million taels of silver in taxes annually.

During the Shunzhi period, the world had not yet ended its great chaos; the Chuang King, the Daxi King, and the Jianzhou Jurchens were moving south, and the country was riddled with holes. Yet, Dorgon led the orphans and widows into the pass, and in one year, he could still collect 21.5 million taels of silver + 6.4 million *shi* of grain (Draft History of Qing, Volume 121, Treatise 96, Treatise on Food and Money II).

Zhu Yijun is the Emperor of the Great Ming people; he is neither a bandit nor a robber. The Great Ming's tax burden has indeed not yet reached its limit, but formulating even more stringent decrees does not have much significance.

The reason the Tax Inspection Office has not been widely opposed is that the pursuit of the Tax Inspection Office is not to plunder, but to collect arrears. Every single item is calculated clearly for you, even more clearly than your own family knows.

And this time, the audit by the Ministry of Revenue that surprised Zhu Yijun the most was that in the Great Ming imperial court's fiscal revenue, industrial and commercial taxes and official factories, etc., exceeded 30% for the first time, reaching as high as 7.23 million taels of silver. The largest part of this came from the customs duties of opening the seas; the silver escorted to the capital by the Maritime Trade Office alone exceeded 2.2 million taels, while the three woolen official factories contributed 1.45 million taels, and the dividends from the Emperor's leading investment in opening the seas exceeded 1.23 million taels.

The fiscal revenue combining the Great Ming's land tax, commercial tax, and official factory revenue reached the highest record in the history of the Great Ming.

"The Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Revenue have put their hearts into this." Zhu Yijun flipped through the memorial of Wang Guoguang. Wang Guoguang and Zhang Xueyan have truly done a good job. The matter of the Great Ming's land measurement was led by Zhang Juzheng, but the people doing the work have always been the Ministry of Revenue pushing it forward. The Fish-Scale Registers in Zhu Yijun's hands are even more refined than before.

Wang Chonggu's expression was a mix of five flavors; it could be said he was both happy and worried. What he was happy about was that the dividend from the woolen official factories this year changed from a 10% profit share to a fixed dividend of 10,000 taels of silver. What he was worried about was that this year's dividend from opening the seas was a full 40,000 taels more than last year's 230,000 taels, reaching 270,000 taels. The absolute figure is not large, but the growth rate far exceeds Wang Chonggu's estimates.

It will only take five years for the dividends from opening the seas to exceed 500,000 taels.

Such a terrifying growth rate made Wang Chonggu incomparably worried. Wang Chonggu has been controlling the expansion speed of the Jin Party and the Wang family, preventing them from exceeding the upper limit that the imperial court can tolerate. And the growth rate of the Jin Party's gains is far higher than the growth rate of the imperial court's fiscal revenue. This is fatal; it means that the Jin Party will sooner or later exceed the tolerance limit.

Wang Chonggu was contemplating how to "burst" some more gold coins for His Majesty.

Wang Chonggu's eyes rolled, he shook his sleeves, took out a memorial, and said: "This year, the Ministry of Works has already started construction on two imperial roads, one from Chaoyang Gate of the capital towards Shanhai Pass, and one from Xizhimen towards Xuanfu. The progress is indeed very fast, but I believe that the imperial road between Datong and Xuanfu can be built together. I wrote to Wu Baipeng, the Grand Coordinator of Xuan-Da, and communicated about the matters therein, and have gained some insights."

Wang Chonggu handed the memorial to Feng Bao. After Zhu Yijun finished reading it, he did not give a vermilion rescript to Wang Chonggu's memorial. The main content of the memorial was the various difficulties in building the Xuan-Da imperial road. It was roughly that the Jin Party would be responsible for the initial overall coordination, and this part would cost about 100,000 taels of silver. This part would be paid for by the Jin Party and the Jin merchants—what was eaten would be spat back out.

"I have long known of the loyal heart of the Vice Minister of Personnel, Wang, to the monarch and the country. The imperial court's finances are becoming more abundant by the day, so there is no need for this time. As for the matter of the Jimin Canal, I must still trouble the Vice Minister." Zhu Yijun agreed with this matter, but did not agree with the Jin Party paying for it. The Jin Party had just "burst" a large wave of gold coins; Zhu Yijun was already very satisfied with the Dujiangyan Jimin Canal. It is enough for the Jin Party to invest their main energy into the Jimin Canal.

If you keep shearing the same sheep, you will scare the sheep away. It won't be too late to wait until it gets fatter.

"I obey the decree." Wang Chonggu bowed his head and received the order. He always felt that His Majesty's refusal to accept this money was simply to let the Jin Party have a good new year, eat and drink their fill, and then stretch out their necks to be slaughtered. But thinking carefully, the construction period of the Jimin Canal lasts for ten years; before the Jimin Canal is built, His Majesty should not kill the chicken to get the eggs.

In short, not earning silver makes one feel panicked, and earning too much also makes one feel panicked.

The court discussion continued. The Ministry of War reported the details of the naval expansion this year. The navy expanded from the Songjiang Town Navy to the Songjiang, Yuegang, and Guangzhou three-town navies. The scale of these three-town navies is 30,000 for Songjiang Town, and 15,000 each for Yuegang and Guangzhou, reaching a total scale of 60,000.

And the number of Great Ming naval forces will expand from 30,000 to 90,000 within three years, and form substantial combat effectiveness.

What is more interesting is that the output of saltpeter this year grew at an incredible speed, from 500,000 *jin* to a sudden increase of 2.53 million *jin*. This terrifying figure is actually the salt sand from 73 horse ships. The lords of the Ming know this in their hearts, but they all see through it without saying it.

The Ministry of Works reported on the shipyards, textile bureaus, official factory group manufacturing, wine cellars, alum, etc., belonging to the imperial court. The Great Ming's official factories this year are still growing rapidly at a terrifying speed, and the number of artisan households has also increased from 190,000 last year to 210,000.

The lords of the Ming finally have silk to use. The output of silk can meet the needs of the Western great sailing ships, and there is still a surplus, which can be sent to the imperial court. Although the quantity is not large, it is enough for the weaving needs of the officials in the capital.

The content of the court discussion is very extensive. Whenever it reaches the end of the year, the time for this court discussion will be extended a bit. Zhu Yiliu felt bored, and finally, when he couldn't help but yawn, the long, dry, and boring court discussion ended amidst the sound of officials asking to withdraw.

"Brother, surrounding the position of Minister of Personnel, there should be a bloody struggle, right!" Zhu Yiliu asked with excitement in his eyes.

"The Ministry of Rites doesn't matter, but the Ministry of Personnel is the private territory of the Zhang Dang. The Master will not give it up." Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "The Evaluation Law is the foundation of all new policies. You don't learn when I tell you to learn the Great Way of Conduct."

"That is to say, there won't be one?" Zhu Yiliu asked with some disappointment.

"Hmm."

Zhu Yiliu wanted to watch the excitement, but he was disappointed. There was no fierce factional struggle surrounding the Minister of Personnel. Zhang Juzheng still possessed extremely formidable authority in the imperial court; no one could reach into the Ministry of Personnel.

At the Quanchu Guild Hall, the Great Ming's Vice Senior Grand Secretary Wang Chonggu, Tan Sima Tan Lun, and Minister of Rites Wan Shihe gathered in the Wenchang Pavilion.

Zhang Juzheng wanted to determine the candidate for Minister of Personnel with the leaders of the other two parties. This matter should be done early rather than late; it must be completed before the new year, otherwise, people's hearts will be restless.

"Let Liang Menglong return to the capital from Danning Guard." Zhang Juzheng determined the candidate for Minister of Personnel: Liang Menglong.

Liang Menglong, a disciple of Zhang Juzheng, Grand Coordinator of Ji-Liao. Liang Menglong became a *jinshi* in the 32nd year of Jiajing. That year, Zhang Juzheng had just returned to the capital. When Li Chengliang conquered Gule Village and Qi Jiguang led the capital camp, which at that time only had 10,000 men, out of the pass to Yipianshi and then to Guangning Guard, Liang Menglong was the Grand Coordinator of Military Affairs. Since then, every time Qi Jiguang went on an expedition, Liang Menglong was the Grand Coordinator of the capital camp.

"No! Absolutely not!" Tan Lun became anxious as soon as he heard this. He stood up abruptly and said: "Liang Menglong was already added as Tan Sima in the 6th year of Wanli. If I suddenly die, he should come to the Ministry of War! How can you, Duke Jiangling, just move him to the Ministry of Personnel with one word?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, what death or life." Wan Shihe spat lightly. This Tan Lun speaks strangely; how can he curse himself to pass away?

Tan Lun even had the idea of the successor to the Tan Sima on Ling Yunyi. The Great Ming's Tan Sima must be someone who can ride a horse. This was a rule set during the Jiajing period. When inspecting military horses, one must not ride in a sedan chair, but must ride a horse. The capital camp is strong and the horses are sturdy; to coordinate such strong military affairs, one must have some ability. In the capital camp, there are not a few people like Li Rusong.

Starting from the 1st year of Wanli, Liang Menglong was the Senior Vice Tan Sima. By the 6th year of Wanli, he was added as Tan Sima, titled *Butang*, coordinating the military affairs of Ji-Liao and Baoding. He had a son who inherited the hereditary position of a company commander in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, rather than inheriting a position in the Imperial Academy. This was clearly being cultivated to be the Tan Sima.

As a result, now, Zhang Juzheng wants Liang Menglong to return to the capital to be the Minister of Personnel. This completely disrupted Tan Lun's arrangements.

"Grand Tan Sima, Liang Menglong is a disciple of my Zhang Juzheng, how did he become your person? Why can't I arrange it?" Zhang Juzheng said with a smiling face: "Oh my, for the position of Tan Sima, Grand Tan Sima, please look for another one. Now the Ministry of Personnel has a vacancy."

"Look? Where to look?!" Tan Lun sighed. In the Zhe Party, there really isn't a suitable candidate for Tan Sima. Shen Yiguan? Yu Youding? They can't even ride a horse; they are really not suitable.

Wang Chonggu leaned sideways towards Tan Lun and said: "I do have a candidate here. Liu Yingshi, the head of the Lutai Academy, is a good candidate."

Tan Lun sighed and could only settle for the next best thing. Liu Yingshi is from Weixian, Shandong, and was in the same cohort as Zhang Juzheng. He became a *jinshi* in the 26th year of Jiajing. In the 4th year of Wanli, Luo Rufang, the Administration Commissioner of Yunnan, returned to the capital to report on his duties. Liu Yingshi and Luo Rufang gathered people to lecture outside the city, violating Zhang Juzheng's ban on gathering people to lecture while rectifying academic administration. Under the impeachment of the remonstrating officials, he retired to his hometown and founded the Lutai Academy.

It was Luo Rufang who gathered people to lecture; Liu Yingshi was somewhat caught in the crossfire. After the incident, Liu Yingshi also sought Zhang Juzheng, but ultimately failed to obtain protection. At that time, it was the critical moment for Zhang Juzheng to rectify academic administration. Between the friendship of a classmate and the national policy, Zhang Juzheng chose the national policy.

If Tan Lun recommended Liu Yingshi, then Liu Yingshi should be counted as a figure of the Zhe Party.

Liu Yingshi is not as good as Liang Menglong, mainly because his political faith is not firm. He participated in gathering people to lecture and also founded the Lutai Academy.

But there is no suitable candidate.

Jimen is the northern gate of the capital. Jimen is there, so the capital is there. This is the last line of defense for the capital. Although the Great Ming now holds Danning Guard and Quanning Guard, Jimen has retreated to the fourth line of defense, but the defense of Jimen is still of great importance.

Liu Yingshi was the Junior Vice Tan Sima in the 1st year of Wanli. If it weren't for the Luo Rufang case, Liu Yingshi would at least be a Senior Vice Minister now, and becoming a Minister was also within reach.

Zhang Juzheng thought for a moment and said: "What does Vice Senior Grand Secretary Wang think?"

"I have no opinion." Wang Chonggu is a bit interested in the Minister of Personnel, but not much.

Yang Bo was originally the Minister of Personnel. After the case of assassinating the king and driving the carriage, Yang Bo retired and gave the position of Minister of Personnel to Zhang Han. Zhang Juzheng, as Senior Grand Secretary, held concurrent charge. The Ministry of Personnel has since fallen into the hands of Zhang Juzheng, and it has been eight years.

The Ministry of Personnel is the head of the six ministries. Wang Chonggu is of course interested, but that is just thinking about it. If he were to manage the Ministry of Personnel, he would have a direct conflict with Zhang Juzheng. This is a situation that Wang Chonggu has tried his best to avoid since Zhang Siwei was exterminated by clan.

"Then recommend Liang Menglong to return to the capital from Jimen, and transfer him from Tan Sima to manage the Ministry of Personnel. Grand Tan Sima, please take the trouble to recommend Liu Yingshi to go to Jimen to coordinate the military affairs of Ji-Liao and Baoding." Zhang Juzheng summarized this major personnel appointment and transfer.

Just as Zhu Yijun said, Zhang Juzheng does not intend to let go of the Ministry of Personnel. The Evaluation Law needs Zhang Juzheng's personal prestige to continue to be implemented stably.

Wan Shihe did not say a word, but he is of the Emperor's Party and a witness. The imperial court needs such a "jack-of-all-trades" figure to let everything happen under the Emperor's eyes.

All the criminals of the Yang family of Xindu arrived in the capital from Sichuan on the 17th day of the 10th month of the 8th year of Wanli. The arrival of the criminals in the capital is the result, not the process. In the investigation and supplementation in Sichuan, more and more evidence appeared before the Ministry of Justice, the Court of Judicial Review, and the Censorate.

Yang Ningren, Yang Huairen, and other grandsons of Yang Tinghe were all arrested. Entering the capital, they should have entered the prison of the Ministry of Justice, but ultimately, Yang Ningren and the more than 230 criminals of the Yang family's claws and teeth were locked in the prison of the Northern Internal Security Division.

This is the result of the game. Some people want Yang Ningren and the others to die, but the Ministry of Justice does not want to get involved and is also afraid that someone will make trouble. Ultimately, it is more appropriate to send them to the Northern Internal Security Division. After all, they were criminals arrested by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

This case is a major case of the 8th year of Wanli. A joint trial by the three judicial offices is unavoidable. Zhu Yijun took Zhang Juzheng, Wang Chonggu, Lu Guangzu, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, and Hai Rui and Li Youzi of the Censorate to the prison of the Northern Internal Security Division.

The capital had just experienced a heavy snowfall, and it was freezing cold. The heavy snow would not melt until around the new year, but in the Northern Internal Security Division, not a single bit of snow could be seen.

Zhu Yijun saw Yang Ningren. Along the way, Yang Ningren and the others, who had lived in luxury, suffered a lot. Even Yang Ningren looked sallow.

"You are a smart person." Zhu Yijun put down the case file in his hand and looked at Yang Ningren with some emotion.

The "Dengtou" case was clearly done by the Yang family of Xindu, but the whole major case had no direct connection with the Yang family of Xindu. It was all the crimes of the brokers and buyers. Of course, these brokers and buyers were just the running dogs of the Yang family of Xindu. If it weren't for some brokers and buyers being cunning and leaving behind some written and physical evidence, the major case of the Yang family of Xindu would have been a complete miscarriage of justice, a miscarriage of justice for the Great Ming Emperor to avenge a private grudge.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Actually, your criminal subject really wanted to cooperate with the land measurement. After the former Grand Coordinator Luo Yao arrived, your criminal subject also cooperated for a period of time, but, sigh..." Yang Ningren bowed his head and said: "Your criminal subject deserves to die ten thousand times."

Yang Ningren wanted to cooperate with the Great Ming imperial court's land measurement because Luo Yao was a direct descendant of the Zhang Dang, and the Great Ming's attitude towards land measurement was incomparably firm. The Yang family of Xindu was no longer the Yang family when Yang Tinghe and Yang Shen were still alive. Yang Ningren wanted to cooperate, but he couldn't do it, otherwise, his end would be no different from Zhang Gaorui's.

Yang Ningren clenched his fists and said: "If Yang Youren could have passed the *jinshi* examination in the 5th year of Wanli, our Yang family would not have been so passive. But he didn't pass."

Yang Youren passed the imperial examination and thus entered the ruling class of officials selecting officials. Even if the energy he could exert was limited, he could at least befriend some figures in the capital. The Yang family's decision-making could then be more composed. Even if they surrendered to the imperial court, local prominent families and gentry who wanted to make a move against the Yang family would have to fear the potential retaliation from Yang Youren, and the Yang family would not have to fight to the bitter end.

But Yang Youren didn't pass. The reason he didn't pass was that Yang Youren didn't read the "Theory of Contradictions."

Do you regret it? Yang Ningren had regretted it long ago. Even when he bribed Luo Yao, he was hesitant. He seemed to have many paths to take, but in fact, there was only one path, and that was a dead end.

Although Yang Ningren was in Sichuan, he knew everything about the capital very well. He would read the capital gazettes and miscellaneous gazettes of the capital carefully to understand the changes in the capital. It could even be said that Yang Ningren knew His Majesty very well. In some issues that did not involve the great right and wrong of national affairs, His Majesty was really easy to talk to.

If the Yang family really cooperated with Luo Yao to complete the land measurement, His Majesty would not have taken action regarding the grievances from the beginning of the Jiajing period. In the face of national affairs, His Majesty always put aside private feelings.

Zhu Yijun looked at Yang Ningren and shook his head: "Everything is fate, not a single bit is up to people."

"Placing hope on Yang Youren was a mistake in itself. He failed the examination in the 5th year of Wanli and failed again in the 8th year of Wanli. He didn't even know that the Great Ming had recovered Danning Guard. Studying behind closed doors in the ever-changing Great Ming is truly unwise."

Yang Ningren did not answer for a long time. After thinking for a long time, he said: "Yang Youren was already the best reader in the family."

It can be said that the *jinshi* of the Great Ming are bad, but it can never be said that they are stupid. On the contrary, the palace examination, which is known as leaping over the dragon gate, is no different from ascending to heaven if you want to pass. Even a family as strong as the Yang family of Xindu finds it equally difficult to cultivate a *jinshi*.

"You have such close contact with the Yang family of Bozhou, are you planning to rebel?" Zhu Yijun picked up the case file and asked.

Speaking of the former Grand Coordinator of Sichuan, Luo Yao, he was not an incompetent person, otherwise, he would not have been taken as a disciple by Zhang Juzheng. Luo Yao scraped 340,000 taels of silver in Sichuan in three years. He chose to submit, on one hand, because of the Yang family of Xindu, and on the other hand, because of the Yang family of Bozhou. If he forced them too hard, he was afraid that a great mess would be made.

This villain has been the *tusi* of Bozhou from the Tang Dynasty to the present. When Zhu Yuanzhang was still begging everywhere, the Yang family of Bozhou was already the native emperor of Bozhou.

"Never thought of rebelling." Yang Ningren shivered and said quite submissively. It was a settled fact, and Yang Ningren could not argue. To say they wanted to rebel, their family didn't have that much courage, but they had the courage to seek wealth under a pretext, and it was very large.

The arrival of the criminals in the capital is actually the result. Those who should be beheaded should be beheaded, and those who should be exiled should be exiled. Zhu Yijun seeing Yang Ningren was still for the sake of Yang Ningren's past disaster relief. Compared to Yang Youren's inhumanity, Yang Ningren, who was born in the second branch, acted more humanely.

Zhu Yijun stood up and intended to leave. It was not easy for the three judicial offices to try the case here.

"Your Majesty, the Great Ming Law has a fixed rule for extermination of the clan; children under fifteen years old are not to be beheaded! Your Majesty, your criminal subject begs Your Majesty to spare the lives of the children in your criminal subject's family." Yang Ningren heard the movement and hurriedly said loudly. If he didn't plead for mercy now, His Majesty would leave, and there would be no more pleading for mercy.

"You are overthinking. I didn't say I wanted to kill the children." Zhu Yijun flicked his sleeves and gave Yang Ningren a positive answer.

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for your great grace!" Yang Ningren knew His Majesty very well. His Majesty says one thing and does another, never breaks his word, and has excellent credibility. Since he said it, he would not take action against those children.

Zhu Yijun returned to the Imperial Study of the Tonghe Palace and received a very strange memorial. It was a joint memorial from San Niangzi and Buyan, the son of Tuman Khan. The content was begging the Great Ming Emperor to sell more grain and cotton clothes to the outside of the pass because of the heavy snow.

This year's snow came heavier than usual. San Niangzi came to the Great Ming to sell wool, but the heavy snow blocked the road, and she couldn't go back. When the snow stopped, San Niangzi originally intended to spend the new year in the capital. This was already the third time she had spent the new year in the Great Ming, but this year's snow was too heavy. No matter what, she had to go back, and she had to bring more grain and cotton clothes.

Especially cotton clothes, otherwise this winter, more people would freeze to death on the grasslands.

It is not cold when it snows, but cold when it melts. In the long winter, at the beginning, because of sufficient food, they could still hold on, but when the snow melts, coupled with food shortages, the number of people who freeze to death is not hundreds or thousands, but calculated in tens of thousands.

"It's fine if she wants cotton clothes, but she also wants to borrow money. She's pushing her luck. The Ministry of Rites will not allow the request in the next chapter." Zhu Yijun drew a large 'X' and decided to ignore it. Originally, in August of this year, the capital camp was supposed to set out for Xuanfu to attack Kaiping Guard, but Wang Rulong had already taken it down, so the capital camp didn't move.

This heavy snow came very timely. Next spring, the Great Ming army will attack Guihua City from two directions: Kaiping Guard and Datong. They don't seek victory, only to train the troops.

The Great Ming can lose many times, but Andahan only needs to lose once, and he will lose his crown.

"What is General Qi's opinion?" Zhu Yijun asked, holding the memorial in his hand.

Feng Bao bowed his head and said: "General Qi said it can be given, or it can not be given. If given, it will be harder to fight, but easier to rule. If not given, it will be easier to fight, but harder to rule. But that is a matter for the civil officials to worry about."

"The Master wrote four words on the floating slip: 'The hearts of the people are the direction.'"

San Niangzi borrowed money to buy cotton clothes, using the shipping tickets she purchased as collateral, worth about 150,000 taels of silver. She was not whoring the Emperor's silver and cotton clothes for free, while Buyan and Tuman Khan had no collateral. Tuman Khan promised that if he borrowed money this year, he would come to the capital to pay tribute next year.

Although Tuman Khan didn't say it clearly, if a Khan personally comes to the capital to pay tribute, he certainly won't be able to go back. He will probably be neighbors with King King Shang Jiu of the Ryukyu Kingdom and King Ashikaga Yoshiaki of the Japanese Kingdom.

"Then give a little. The hearts of the people are indeed very difficult to obtain." Zhu Yijun took back the memorial and gave a vermilion rescript: Allocate 120,000 cotton clothes, 40,000 cotton quilts, 30,000 pairs of cotton shoes, and 20,000 cotton hats to help the border people survive the severe winter.

Zhu Yijun has plenty of cotton clothes. The Sun family of Songjiang started their business with this. Zhu Yijun originally intended to use this batch of cotton clothes for the capital camp to spend the winter when they went on the northern expedition.

This is a business, not a reward. Tuman Khan has to pay for it himself, and San Niangzi is absolutely impossible to default on the debt. The Great Ming has the strength to urge collection.

"In the next chapter of the Ministry of Rites, tell Lady Zhongshun that any sun and moon logo on the cotton clothes must not be removed, otherwise it will be regarded as stubborn and obstinate." Zhu Yijun handed the memorial to Feng Bao and solemnly instructed.

Anyone who removes the Great Ming's Sun and Moon Flag will be regarded as stubborn and obstinate. When the Great Ming attacks in the future, they will all be treated as resisting the Great Ming's royal transformation. It will be light if they are sent to the mines, and heavy if they are castrated as slaves. This is no joke.

The Sun and Moon Flag was designed by the Great Ming Ministry of Rites. The entire logo is a triangle, with the sun and moon embroidered in red in the middle, meaning the sun and moon shine together. The triangular flag is formed by the overlapping of four identical triangles, meaning the three mysteries and four dimensions. The three mysteries are "Laozi," "Zhuangzi," and "Zhouyi," and the four dimensions are the four directions, meaning that from the sky to the earth, there is no one who is not a subject. It also represents the four dimensions of the country: propriety, righteousness, integrity, and shame.

The overall design conforms to the ritual laws of the Great Ming's feudal imperial system. Similarly, this did not appear out of thin air. In fact, this flag of the Great Ming has existed since the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, and it is often hung by the people of the Great Ming.

(Image: Sun and Moon Shining Together Flag of the People)

All cotton clothes have this logo. Removing it represents a heart of disobedience. The Great Ming wants to carry out royal transformation on the northern barbarians. If the northern barbarians dare to remove it, Zhu Yijun dares to kill. To solve this contradiction between survival that has lasted for hundreds of years, Zhu Yijun is also prepared to be scolded as an executioner.

Feng Bao bowed his head and said: "I obey the decree."

San Niangzi was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot at the Hui Tongguan Yi. The Ministry of Rites' memorial had been submitted for three days, and the Great Ming Emperor did not reply, which meant refusal. Then she could only helplessly take the goods she had already bought and hurry back to the grasslands. If she could save some people, she would save some.

This year's snow was heavier than usual. This snowfall made San Niangzi terrified. A cold winter and heavy snow are the nightmare of the grasslands. With such heavy snow inside the pass, it must be two feet thick outside the pass. No matter how difficult it is, she must go back.

Zhu Yijun treated San Niangzi as a political creature. As a representative of the reconciliation faction, she did not wantonly exploit the people of the grasslands, but hoped that everyone would have a bright future and a peaceful life. This expectation is extremely extravagant, but San Niangzi is willing to pay everything for it.

Chen Xuehui, the Minister of the Court of Ceremonial Guests of the Ministry of Rites, and Li Yougong, the eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial, brought the Emperor's imperial decree to the Hui Tongguan Yi. As Lady Zhongshun conferred by the Great Ming, San Niangzi did not live in the Four Barbarian Hall when she entered the capital.

"San Niangzi, receive the decree." Li Yougong opened the imperial decree and said loudly: "The Emperor, by the grace of Heaven, decrees:"

"The northern barbarians are scattered on the grasslands. The people do not plow or weave, and the land has no other products. The daily necessities of the barbarians, such as pots, pans, needles, and thread, rely on China. Now the winter is cold and the ground is frozen like a mirror. The grasslands have no clothing, and felt furs cannot withstand the cold. I also know the thin and hungry shape and the poor state. Heaven has the virtue of loving life. I comply with the will of Heaven and grant the request of Lady Zhongshun."

"All sun and moon flags on the cotton clothes must not be removed, otherwise it will be regarded as plotting rebellion. The contradiction between the Great Ming and the northern barbarians has lasted for a long time. If there is further war or border provocation, I shall surely pacify the grasslands and deserts forever."

"Respect this."

Li Yougong took the pages of the imperial decree off the brocade of the imperial decree, handed it to San Niangzi, and then whispered: "The Emperor's oral decree: The weather is cold and the snow has blocked the road. Lady Zhongshun, travel slowly on the road and be careful."

"This concubine thanks Your Majesty for your great grace!" San Niangzi took the imperial "paper" and was stunned for a moment. You could say His Majesty was stingy—he borrowed so many cotton-padded clothes—but you could also say he was generous—he wouldn't even give the brocade for the imperial edict, only a sheet of paper.

It would be a lie to say San Niangzi was not moved. She wanted to climb the dragon bed to repay the kindness, but fate played tricks on her. This kindness from His Majesty could not be repaid; it simply could not be repaid.

(End of chapter)