[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor":3,"chapter-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-325":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Wanli, the Enlightened Emperor",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2322147,4542,"Chapter 325","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-325",325,"\u003Cp>Though marital intimacy may be greatest for a father,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>but now Zhu Yijun’s proposal to adopt San Niangzi as his daughter is purely a diplomatic calculation—even one originally suggested by the senior scholars of the Ministry of Rites.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The title of granted lady follows the rank of her husband.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, San Niangzi’s title of “Chaste and Loyal Lady” derives from the rank of the Righteous Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By law, a granted lady may not remarry; should she do so, the court shall revoke her title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now that Altan Khan’s death draws near, according to Mongol custom and the current situation, San Niangzi will inevitably be forced into another political marriage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the court intends to support San Niangzi, it must bestow upon her a new title, enabling her to wield the court’s authority and bolster her influence beyond the frontier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For this, Grand Secretary Shen immediately devised a plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since a lady follows her husband, why not have San Niangzi share a tent with the new Righteous Prince? Then the court need not revoke her title—her “Chaste and Loyal Lady” designation would endure until death, and the court could easily balance her against the Righteous Prince, seated securely above them both.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was, in fact, the original historical plan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun immediately rejected it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There cannot be two suns in heaven, nor two masters in a state—this holds true even for barbarian tribes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dual authority will only breed chaos: when the Right Wing has both a Righteous Prince and a Grand Lady vying for power, they will, as in history, alternately brawl and insult each other, sulk and depart, then fight over succession, exhausting themselves in futile internal strife until the Right Wing fractures, becoming easy prey for the Tumens or the Jurchens.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun had a strategy for the Mongol Right Wing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Right Wing’s submission, through trade, the construction of Han cities, and increasing contact from officials to commoners, relations have grown ever closer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is, in fact, a perfect window to resolve most historical grievances since the fall of the Yuan and rise of the Ming.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After San Niangzi is summoned to the capital, her path becomes clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, settlement; second, registration; third, civilizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Proceed step by step, but no matter the approach, the court must have a “submitter”—at least nominally uniting the three myriads of the Right Wing, personally coordinating with the court’s moves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the authority of the Mongol Right Wing’s common lord and the moral legitimacy of Ming support, she will attract Han and Mongol populations outward, expand Guihua City inward, build bridges and roads, and collect taxes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until Guihua City becomes a provincial capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until most of the Right Wing’s people settle and register.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Until trade with Xuan and Da becomes constant and frequent…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Precisely because of this, the court must support San Niangzi to the utmost—“Chaste and Loyal Lady” is far too meager!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emperor, from a lofty strategic perspective, thoroughly exchanged views with his ministers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The politically correct strategy of using Han culture to transform the barbarians is not only righteous but also cost-effective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the emperor and his ministers swiftly reached consensus.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After days of deliberation, Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi delivered the final proposal—a plan that seemed implausible at first glance but, upon reflection, was exquisitely brilliant: grant San Niangzi the title of Han princess!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, it grants San Niangzi an independent title.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The title “Chaste and Loyal Lady” is subordinate to the Righteous Prince—it always remains one step removed. Don’t think only the Han value titles; in truth, the Tatars place even greater weight on lineage and birth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Titles like general or governor are too ordinary, lacking even a sovereign’s status—how could they command the warlords of various tribes?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet proclaiming herself queen or establishing a kingdom would be too forceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After careful consideration, the Han princess title proved most suitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second, and most crucially, it is the vital act of ancestral recognition!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An adopted father-daughter bond is still a father-daughter bond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaving aside Li Zhi’s gender theories, women in Tatar politics inherently suffer weaknesses.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most fatal is the problem of succession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For instance, San Niangzi, who alternately falls in love with Cai Kexian and abducts him to her bed, then treats Wu Dui as a father, pouring out her heart to him—her romantic entanglements are legendary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When San Niangzi becomes the de facto ruler of the Mongol Right Wing, her succession will inevitably be clouded by endless political scandals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>False rumors—when they arise, who can guarantee their truth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in Wang Zongyi’s plan, this weakness becomes her strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If San Niangzi truly controls the Right Wing, within her sphere of influence, she will inevitably become a founding ancestor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When descendants trace their lineage, San Niangzi will naturally become the pivotal node in the Right Wing’s ancestral genealogy—you need not care who fathered your line; she is your ancestor, and that alone suffices to claim noble blood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that point, San Niangzi’s identity as a Han princess becomes indispensable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wife of Altan Khan, daughter of the emperor, the Aria-Dalai personally blessed by the Third Dalai Lama, the reincarnated Bodhisattva Mother.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A perfect fusion of male and female, sovereign and deity, merging two peoples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is this not the living emblem of united front strategy!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If wielded well, it will be an excellent card in resolving Han-Mongol relations!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Wang Zongyi’s lengthy exposition, colleagues who had previously doubted now fell silent, finally conceding defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Zhu Yijun, reluctant as he was, had no choice but to grit his teeth and agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus arose the awkward scene before them: the young emperor personally inviting a prince’s wife to become his adopted daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was undeniably awkward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ming court’s ministers understood the subtext, but San Niangzi knew none of these hidden machinations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the emperor spoke, silence stretched for several breaths.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi studied the emperor, noting his face younger than her own son’s, and several times opened her mouth, then closed it again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing her strange gaze, Zhu Yijun, unsure what she was imagining, felt a pang of awkward empathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cleared his throat and added: “The Righteous Prince is near death. I am granting this title for the sake of the Chaste and Loyal Lady.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Forget the awkwardness; don’t ask what I’m plotting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just consider for yourself—isn’t the benefit immense!?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Political beings have their own safety words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, San Niangzi’s eyes instantly cleared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her dazed expression vanished in an instant; her brows furrowed, her steps slowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She appeared lost in deep, painstaking thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Zhu Yijun stopped and stood still in the eastern hall, watching soldiers and retainers practice musket shooting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone waited patiently for San Niangzi’s reply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bang!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qi Jiguang’s Divine Mechanism Corps retainer Bian Shiyong, two hits, reward: three taels of silver, one silver plaque, one bolt of colored silk, one tael in cash, one tael military bonus!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crack of musket fire and the announcements of rewards became the background hum of her contemplation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Long passed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi finally responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to the emperor and bowed with solemn formality: “Your Majesty’s kindness is overwhelming, yet…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your humble subject is old and frail, past her prime. To be named Your Majesty’s princess would only bring ridicule upon the court and tarnish the dignity of the Celestial Realm.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I dare not presume.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was, of course, deeply tempted by the emperor’s offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ming had dominated central China for two centuries—her people had witnessed it firsthand, and the court’s titles were far more than empty honors.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Indeed, Ming recognition meant control over trade between the Western Mongols and Xuan and Da.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Controlling the distribution of grain, salt, wine, and cloth naturally earned the respect and allegiance of all tribes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its value was self-evident.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, why would the current ta jis be scrambling to have the Ming appoint the new Righteous Prince as Altan Khan dies?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the other hand,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the relationship between vassal and sovereign among frontier lords was never rigid—among the steppe people, this was commonplace: Dong Huoyi, also a Ming-appointed governor, still raided across the border.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Father and daughter are different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pro-Han faction might merely earn the mocking nickname “son-chief,” but the Golden Clan ta jis could exploit this to stir unrest and challenge her power—after all, Guihua City is still under the control of Qat and Dacheng Bi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The risks and rewards were hard to gauge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess… even a princess of equal rank would be preferable?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, San Niangzi’s words all revolved around her age as an excuse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In short: she was tempted, but the price must still be negotiated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What nonsense is this, Chaste and Loyal Lady?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the emperor could speak, Minister of Rites Wang Zongyi interrupted eagerly: “When Shi Jingtang was forty-five, he still accepted Emperor Taizong of Liao, Yelü Deguang, as his adoptive father for the sake of state affairs.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You, Chaste and Loyal Lady, are only in your thirties—truly in the prime of life. How can you speak of old age and jeopardize the great plan of our two peoples?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Equal rank is impossible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This is not merely verbal convenience—it is moral and ritual law; in the Ministry of Rites’ view, hierarchical status is paramount.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Song and Liao could call each other brothers because their power was balanced; San Niangzi is, at best, a Mongol Shi Jingtang—she cannot be a princess of equal rank, only a daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi pressed her lips together, clearly still deliberating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She opened her mouth to argue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Zhu Yijun suddenly grew stern: “I have been thinking solely of your benefit, yet you hesitate and refuse.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I do not understand: this princess title benefits the relations between our two peoples and promotes trade for merchants and commoners—why do you refuse?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Are you so powerful among the three myriads of the Right Wing that you no longer need my recognition?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has the Lady become so dominant among the three ten-Battalion Commander of the right wing that she no longer needs My imperial bestowal?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Or does my age—under sixty—make me unworthy to be your father?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor swept away his earlier courtesy, like a newly appointed official who refused to drink, gesturing wildly, eyebrows lowered, eyes cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was plainly acting like a thug.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Weak nations have no diplomacy; this holds true for vassal tribes as well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This isn’t the days of Altan Khan, who commanded sixty thousand cavalry; San Niangzi’s power has not yet reached such a level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if we grant the utmost leniency, it is San Niangzi who now seeks the court’s favor—how can everything go exactly as she wishes, perfectly and flawlessly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historically, when San Niangzi clashed with Xin’ai Huang Taiji for power, she was driven to flee with her followers—yet in the end, didn’t she endure humiliation and marry her own sixty-year-old son-in-law?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adopting a young father is no more humiliating than marrying an old son-in-law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether viewed from her personal interest or the tribe’s broader welfare, this arrangement benefits both sides.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun knew exactly where San Niangzi’s psychological bottom line lay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He laid his cards on the table outright: this is the price, no bargaining!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor’s angry outburst was loud and unmistakable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The crack of rifle shots and the announcements of silver rewards vanished instantly; the entire Eastern Hall fell into sudden silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only the occasional sounds of cleaning rifle barrels and loading gunpowder remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless eyes turned toward them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi fell silent once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having held power for years, she was not frightened by the Emperor’s tone—essentially, both sides were still haggling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Ming court’s determination to adopt her as a daughter was far stronger than she had anticipated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, this matter being non-negotiable did not mean other areas couldn’t be bargained over…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi drew a deep breath, looked up at the Emperor: “Your Majesty, this humble subject has borne three sons with Shunyi Wang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her gaze was sharp, her words direct—she, too, had revealed her bottom line.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A princess is not a hereditary title; the Ming court must aid her in transferring power to her own sons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun studied San Niangzi deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi had long been pushing to install her son as successor to the Tumet tribe; the entire Ming court knew of this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was a covert struggle between San Niangzi and the direct lineage of Altan Khan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why now seek Ming aid?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Historically, San Niangzi had sought to install her grandson—then came Xin’ai Huang Taiji, gathering over seventy lords of the Golden Clan, using military pressure to force San Niangzi to surrender the Khan’s seal to Altan Khan’s great-grandson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi could not accomplish this alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But it suited Zhu Yijun perfectly—since she must become an ancestor, her own sons must be elevated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor clapped his hands and nodded: “First, grant him the title of Garrison General; when circumstances mature, the position of Shunyi Wang shall be decided by your word alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, San Niangzi’s expression finally relaxed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She paused, stepped back three paces, and bowed deeply: “This matter is of great gravity; I humbly beg Your Majesty to allow me several days to consider carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This posture clearly meant she had agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Careful consideration” meant the matter was too weighty, too complex, requiring preparations and paperwork—she could not simply kneel on the spot and call him “adopted father” like some childish farce.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun laughed heartily and stepped forward, grasping San Niangzi’s hand: “Of course, of course.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Both smiled; the hall’s ambient noises resumed, the atmosphere warming once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun held San Niangzi’s hand and helped her rise: “Whether or not you accept, the tribute gifts from your visit to the capital must not be omitted.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Beyond the cement road from Guihua City to Datong that I just promised, I shall gift you a city as well—how does that sound?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only then did he realize he had unconsciously shaken hands, forgetting gender distinctions, and quickly let go.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi had no time to savor the skin-to-skin contact; she seized the key word: “A city!?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Shixing, seeing the Emperor still awkwardly wiping his hand, stepped forward tactfully: “Indeed. When you and your late husband built Hancheng to symbolize harmony between our two peoples…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As the saying goes, to give without receiving is impolite. Since Guihua City’s construction, Han and Mongol civilians have flocked to it in great numbers; within just a few years, the population has swelled to hundreds of thousands.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now that trade between us is flourishing, Guihua City is too cramped to properly accommodate all the tribes under your authority.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Therefore, His Majesty intends to provide materials and build a new city to gift you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi frowned, paused to consider, then asked: “Will there be garrison troops stationed there?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned to Wang Chonggu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Chonggu immediately shook his head: “No such condition.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, not now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But once the road is finished, if someone rebels, the situation may change—after all, after San Niangzi’s death, things will likely see several reversals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nearby, Wang Zongyi added: “At most, we may send scholars to establish schools and teach language and writing.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi suddenly understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she still failed to grasp the Ming court’s scheme after hearing this, she would be unworthy of leading her people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Surely, Lady Shunyi has seen His Majesty’s earnest intentions.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi turned her head and met the Emperor’s gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His face was earnest, his tone sincere: “Since Altan Khan’s tribute and the opening of trade, the Mongol western tribes have ceased their raiding lives of cutting throats for survival.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I won’t claim they are now wealthy—but at least they no longer starve, their clothes cover their bodies; since settling in Guihua City, the number of frozen corpses on winter roads has halved.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun sighed, gesturing for San Niangzi to walk with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you have submitted, the three western Mongol tribes are all my subjects.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As the saying goes, stealing is worse than buying, buying worse than producing—I too wish the Mongol people would no longer wander the land, homeless and rootless, but live in brick-and-tile homes, sheltered from wind and rain, in peace.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Whether building roads or expanding cities, all are for the livelihood of the western Mongol people, to facilitate trade between our peoples, and to accelerate their urbanization…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Emperor continued his long-winded speech.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi walked silently behind him, listening intently, her expression deeply complex.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She clearly heard the mixture of truth and deception—half fear of Mongol raids, half the desire to sinicize them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet, compared to the Ming court’s vague scheming, now that it was spoken plainly, she felt lighter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Setting aside the Golden Clan’s ambition to restore Genghis Khan’s glory, the vision the Emperor painted was not bad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Trade through markets was indeed easier than raiding; brick palaces were indeed more comfortable than tents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To let the western Mongol people live as the Han do—wasn’t that also her hope?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Genghis Khan must have thought so—otherwise, why would he have entered the Central Plains and chosen this very capital as his seat?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her goals and the Ming court’s plans had no fundamental conflict.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only drawback was the noose around her neck, her dependence on others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or, in the Japanese phrase, this was called “being bound by homeland.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi had already leaned toward agreement, yet hesitated: “Your Majesty, my people raise cattle and horses, moving with water and pasture—even if we expand the city, few will settle permanently.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun turned to face her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In plain terms: Guihua City itself had no industry; its current scale barely sustained itself—further expansion, even with free houses, would still leave no one to inhabit them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi was an experienced leader; she would not overlook the source of food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To rely entirely on trade would be to treat people as fools.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun, well aware of the Qing dynasty’s successful approach to Mongol issues, had long prepared his answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He raised two fingers: “First, establishing pastures to ensure grasslands regenerate is the duty of any ruler of the steppe.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Second, I shall send craftsmen to build irrigation systems, diverting water from the Hei River and Dahei River to fertilize the soil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Third, over these years, I have cultivated many superior seed varieties—millet, wheat, vegetables, and a new crop called potato. I shall send you both the seeds and the farmers.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun did not boast about the potato’s exact yield per mu, because even he could not be certain—though this winter’s harvest from the imperial estates reached over five hundred jin per mu, soil and climate varied, and yields could not be copied blindly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi paid no mind to the potato; she frowned, hesitated: “Are you saying… I must take control of Fengzhou Tan?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Arable land beyond the frontier was scarce; among the western Mongols, even fewer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun looked at her strangely: “What else?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fengzhou Tan, with its temperate continental climate and vast black calcareous soil, was undeniably fertile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>According to Han settlers under Zhao Quan’s leadership, over two hundred thousand mu had already been cultivated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such a rich land—wasn’t it precisely the foundation for the western Mongols’ settlement?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi fell into thought, then slowly spoke: “Your Majesty, Fengzhou Tan is not controlled by one tribe alone.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xin’ai Huang Taiji has troops stationed there; Qita Ji holds thousands of mu; Chilike and Dacheng Bijie are minor players—but even Qing Baduer’s tribes control portions of Fengzhou Tan’s fields.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Add to that the Han, Jurchens, Oirats, Buddhists, and White Lotus sect—all depend on Fengzhou Tan for food; their interests are tangled beyond untangling.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems… difficult.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He gave her people, technology, irrigation—she had no grounds to refuse; she truly found the matter thorny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun smiled, noncommittal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked at San Niangzi seriously: “That is your own affair, Lady Shunyi.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Simply defeat them all, then redistribute their lands—only then can you truly be the common lord of all tribes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun’s confidence far exceeded San Niangzi’s own.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, historically, she had already accomplished it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qita Ji was beheaded by her; Dacheng Bijie was taken as a daughter-in-law; Qing Baduer submitted; the White Lotus sect crumbled like clay chickens and paper dogs—Fengzhou Tan was fully absorbed, her victories well-documented.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There is no reason that with the court’s backing, she should now fail.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun reached out and patted San Niangzi on the shoulder: “I will later send you another batch of firearms.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To say this much already showed mutual goodwill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi said nothing more, only pressed her lips together and bowed deeply: “Your humble subject will not betray Your Majesty’s great expectations; peace between our two peoples shall be forged in this generation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing these words, the emperor and his ministers exchanged glances and burst into laughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun lightly raised his hand, signaling San Niangzi to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he turned to walk toward the Eastern Hall to watch archery, he suddenly remembered something and added to San Niangzi: “Oh, by the way, as for artisan and peasant households, that’s fine—but don’t spare the Han members of the White Lotus Sect who are organized into armed units; treat their leaders as war trophies, and I’ll give you extra rewards.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He still remembered the White Lotus Sect’s scheming and assassinations, and crushed them effortlessly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet to prevent false claims of killing innocents, Zhu Yijun gave only meager rewards to the leaders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>San Niangzi had no objection, and didn’t even bother to react with any special gesture to such a minor matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickened her step to catch up: “Your humble subject dares to beg Your Majesty to choose a site and bestow a name upon the new city!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhu Yijun didn’t turn back: “No need to search for a better site—just below Mount Qingse, a few li beyond Guihua City. They’ll flank each other, making future merger into one large city easier.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“As for naming, since Guihua City was named in Han, let this new city bear a Mongolian phonetic rendering to show goodwill.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused, then clapped his hands and laughed: “Call it ‘Qingse Zhi Cheng’—translated as, Hohhot!”\u003C\u002Fp>",3677,"2026-06-20T16:31:35.124Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","89b4c38a2705249b34f98d80b682654b8aaf4b17255aa75ce53d3feee2f35642","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-326","wanli-the-enlightened-emperor-chapter-324",375,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fwanli-the-enlightened-emperor-cover.jpg"]