met free Chapter 771 Your Good Son-in-Law is Just Bad, Not Stupid
Chapter 771 Your Good Son-in-Law is Just Bad, Not Stupid
Emperor Zhu frowned slightly, tapped the table with his finger, and said to himself, "With the Dengzhou border market in place, the conflict over money and grain can be considered resolved."
"Aside from the conflict over money and grain, what remains is the conflict between imperial power and the power of officials, as well as the conflict between the government, the gentry, and the common people."
"Judging from this scoundrel's consistent behavior, he probably doesn't care much about the conflict between imperial power and ministerial power."
"In other words, his real purpose was to resolve the conflict between the government, the gentry, and the common people."
"They want to shift these conflicts outwards..."
Emperor Zhu's brows furrowed even more deeply. "He intends for our Great Ming to follow the path of the Han and Tang dynasties?"
As Emperor Zhu finished speaking, Empress Ma shook her head slightly and said slowly and carefully, "It shouldn't be."
"Although the Han and Tang dynasties were at their peak, their power overwhelmed the world, and all nations paid tribute to them."
"However, the Han Dynasty first had the Yellow Turban Rebellion, and then the warlords carved up the country. Although the Tang Dynasty did not have warlords, the disaster caused by the regional military governors was even more severe than that caused by the warlords."
“At its root, all of these are due to excessive warfare that has depleted the nation’s strength.”
"Although our Great Ming Dynasty is now able to provide for the needs of soldiers and horses, the country is exhausted due to years of war."
"Even with the profits from the Dengzhou border market, it only made up for the deficit in gold, silver and grain."
"Right now, the priority should be rest and recuperation."
"Moreover, your good son-in-law is just bad, not stupid. He couldn't possibly be unaware of the lessons learned from the Han and Tang dynasties."
After a slight pause, Empress Ma picked up her teacup, took a sip, and added, "Besides this, you should pay even more attention to the former Song dynasty."
Emperor Zhu was slightly taken aback. He quickly picked up the kettle and refilled Empress Ma's teacup with hot water before asking, "The former Song Dynasty? Why are we bringing up the former Song Dynasty again?"
Empress Ma said, "When the world is in turmoil, people value military achievements."
"But since ancient times, it has always been about conquering the world on horseback, not governing the world on horseback."
"When the world is at peace, in order to allow the people to recuperate and thrive, it will be necessary to have scholars to govern the country."
"When scholars govern the country, it often leads to the abandonment of weapons and the grazing of horses."
"Moreover, with the lessons of the Han and Tang dynasties as precedent, that is why the Song Dynasty adopted the policy of strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches, and sharing the world with the scholar-officials."
"Although they did not have regional warlords, they suppressed military power with civil administration, which led to military exhaustion. They were first defeated by the Liao, then by the Western Xia, then by the Jin, and finally perished by the Mongols."
"This serves as a lesson from the past."
As Empress Ma finished speaking, Emperor Zhu unconsciously tapped the table, then smiled and said, "Emphasizing literature is like the Song Dynasty, emphasizing military prowess is like the Han and Tang Dynasties; it's truly a dilemma."
Empress Ma nodded, but Emperor Zhu smiled and said, "However, although this problem is a headache, our good son-in-law has paved a new way for us."
"Although we don't quite understand it yet, we can always just copy it."
"Does the girl still remember those words on the wall of the Ningyang Thousand Household Garrison?"
Empress Ma nodded again and said, "I remember, it means being loyal to the Ming Dynasty, loyal to the Emperor, loyal to the people, serving the people wholeheartedly, coming from the people and going back to the people, and the Ming army being the people's own army."
Emperor Zhu chuckled and said, “That’s right. Our good son-in-law has tied the Ningyang Thousand-Household Garrison to the people. The soldiers in the garrison help the people with the autumn harvest and spring planting, and the people of Ningyang County also cherish the soldiers in the garrison.”
"Therefore, most of the people in Ningyang County are not afraid of officials or soldiers."
"If we gradually promote this and make all the guard posts in our Great Ming Dynasty become like the Ningyang Thousand-Household Guard Post, and combine it with the logistics system he implemented in Dengzhou Prefecture, not only will our original idea of enabling the people to dare to sue the officials be realized, but we will also not have to worry too much about that scoundrel trying to shift the conflict outwards, as there will be the separatist disaster of the Han and Tang dynasties."
The more Emperor Zhu spoke, the happier he became.
Empress Ma glanced sideways at Emperor Zhu.
Virtue!
What, you copied your son-in-law's homework and you're actually feeling accomplished?
And you were just calling him a good son-in-law, but then you suddenly became a scoundrel.
It's really something else; one minute it's wagging its tail, the next it's baring its teeth.
Your face changes as fast as your good son-in-law!
……
Just as Emperor Zhu and Empress Ma were discussing how to balance civil and military affairs and how to allow the people to recuperate, Yang Shaofeng and Zhu Biao, the Executive Vice Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, had already hurriedly left the capital.
"Hahahaha!"
"Finally, I'm leaving this wretched place, the capital!"
Zhu Biao burst into loud laughter, and after laughing, he couldn't help but start complaining.
"One year!"
"Do you know how I got through almost a whole year?"
"Every day I wake up to countless memorials to review!"
"I've never had a meal that's freshly cooked!"
"In the imperial court, one has to scheme and fight with those civil and military officials."
"In the harem, I also need to discipline those stupid younger brothers, big and small."
"We must be extremely cautious in everything we do, for fear that something might harm the people."
"The key is that you have to be careful with what you say, for fear that if you say something wrong, the censors will seize on it and record it in the historians."
"That damned crown prince, he's really gone too far!"
Zhu Biao vented his discontent wildly, almost shouting out, "I'm going to rebel! I don't want to be the crown prince anymore!"
After venting his frustrations, Zhu Biao chuckled and said, "Now it's all good. These things are now my dad's responsibility. I can finally take a break."
As Zhu Biao finished speaking, Yang Shaofeng almost lost his composure.
This is truly a heartwarming display of filial piety, brothers!
While inwardly complaining, Yang Shaofeng comforted Zhu Biao, who was on the verge of going crazy: "Things will be better once we get to Ningyang County and Dengzhou Prefecture."
“Ningyang County has three hundred Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) and a large number of second-generation nobles. These people are being tortured to the point of ecstasy. Seeing their miserable state should make Your Highness feel a little better.”
"There is also Dengzhou Prefecture. There are treasure ships, various warships, and the Dengzhou Prefecture city, which has not yet been fully completed. There are also all kinds of workshops."
"And that sanatorium, the scenery inside is quite nice. Your Highness can stay for a few more days to relax."
Zhu Biao glanced at Yang Shaofeng and said, "No, I'm not staying here. My brother has come all this way to visit his sister, and you, as his brother-in-law, are kicking him out to stay in some kind of sanatorium?"
Yang Shaofeng couldn't hold back any longer.
Why don't you go stay in a nursing home?
Why must you stay at my house?
That won't do!
If you don't stay, how can the reputation of the sanatorium be established?
If I don't spread the word about the sanatorium, how am I supposed to convince Deng to bring Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen here?
If they don't come, wouldn't the money that Dengzhou Prefecture spent building this sanatorium be wasted?
Just as Yang Shaofeng was secretly complaining, Zhu Biao continued, "I know what my brother-in-law is planning."
"It's nothing more than letting my younger brother stay in that sanatorium, and then you, brother-in-law, secretly board the treasure ship and go to sea, and then order the navy to change course to Japan halfway there."
Zhu Biao's eyes gleamed with wisdom: "I've already seen through my brother-in-law's plan!"