Jingming

Chapter 515: Alliance for today, guidance for the future (final chapter)

From the perspective of future generations, this time can be called the "Youth Edition of World War". Although the Ming Dynasty was unilaterally defeated, the only participants were the Ming Dynasty and its surrounding neighbors.

But from the beginning of the civil strife in North Korea to now, on the occasion of the longevity ceremony of the Emperor of Heaven, who is 40 years old, the "Beijing Summit" will establish the pattern of the East.

The Ambassador of Portugal witnessed this meeting as an envoy from a country outside the region.

Louis has been in Ming Dynasty for many years, and he has reached middle age. If you only look at him from the back, he looks no different from the dignified officials and gentry of the Ming Dynasty.

This meeting was held at the Temple of Heaven and Earth. Originally, this place was only used as an important place for worship, but now it is increasingly becoming a special area for dealing with ritual relations in the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong has another definition: Little United Nations.

Now, this meeting is also like an alliance.

The innermost small circle is the Ming Dynasty and several vassal states that came from the Ming Dynasty clan. In the middle, there are other vassal states that are sincerely surrendered and respectful. The periphery consists of Tubo and other places that are further away and that Ming Dynasty now despises or has no control over.

Luis also signed a new letter of credence with Ming Dynasty on behalf of Portugal, called a strategic partner country.

"But now I have figured it out. You all have your own difficulties, and you have to walk slowly." Zhu Houcong continued, "Even if it is a dispute over inheritance or a dispute over borders, it is inevitable that the public will say what is right, and the mother-in-law will say that the mother-in-law is right. Yes. After the establishment of diplomatic relations, China will not regard itself as a suzerain and force you to do whatever you want. However, with the Huanming Federation, it is always good for the people under your rule to be able to make concessions without using weapons. I will take care of the people. Heart, just do this step first.”

The emperor was generally pleasant-looking and approachable. He had in-depth exchanges with the heads of state on the ideas of governing the country and introduced his experience of the prosperity of the Ming Dynasty.

It is a very fresh and huge round table, and there seems to be no distinction between superior and inferior when sitting together.

Zhu Zaichi couldn't help lowering his head and grinning.

His mentality is naturally different and he is young. To him, this melon is certainly sweet. But I'm afraid many people think it's better for me to be free behind closed doors and don't disturb me.

"This generation is like this, and it's hard to say what will happen in the future." Zhu Houcong said with an inexplicable meaning in his eyes, "I'm afraid, it will still be inevitable in the future. But it's hard to say whether Portugal will be the protagonist by then. With the benefit of maritime trade with the Ming Dynasty, Portugal has already It’s enough to show off in Europa.”

The Ming Dynasty will also expand outward, but it will not spread out sparse colonies thousands of miles apart like those small countries in Europe that are themselves sparse.

It is no longer the time in ancient times when we could live without contact.

Based on these major circles, only when the technical conditions mature, at least until railways, internal combustion engines and wireless communications mature, will it be possible to control a larger area.

The Mongolian, Yuan, Burmese, Jiaozhi, and Jurchen who had taken the lead before were naturally hammered very hard this time, but that was the end of it, right?

Then North Korea and Japan disappeared, and the sky changed.

The distance is much closer, and there are many springboards along the way.

"It's called the Federation, it means we are all one family." Zhu Houcong said with a smile, "Look at the Portuguese ambassador, he can't sit here today. In my mind, there are still things inside and outside. After so many years of merchant ships, you all know that the Westerners What are you doing all over the world? Now that the Ming Dynasty has defeated the Portuguese first, they dare not make mistakes, but there is always the possibility of serious trouble in the future. What if the Westerners also have better ships and better artillery, and the whole family will advance and retreat together, and you will all It's safe."

The family's words were also very kind.

How can a backward system like a tribal alliance be used to enlighten people's wisdom and recruit talented people?

Louis still did not get the advanced Ming ships and munitions that João III and Alfonso wanted.

In the Hall of Prayer for Harvest at the Temple of Heaven and Earth, the loving father of the Ming Dynasty said this.

Under the autumn sunshine in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, many kings drank tea together in the afternoon, expressing goodwill and harmony.

There is no camera, but there is a painter and credentials.

It seems that Ming Dynasty has indeed stopped. This time it is not aggressive and does not force them to implement new systems internally and provide good governance to the people.

"In the past, you regarded Ming Dynasty as your suzerain. In the past few years, I was also worried about the people. I hope you will pay more attention to people's livelihood. You must know that people's livelihood difficulties have always been the cause of disasters. When civil strife occurs, it will inevitably affect neighboring countries, such as the escape of North Korean refugees. , Japanese pirates were raging."

In fact, unlike what Zhu Zaichi thought, many people actually breathed a sigh of relief.

One by one, the vassal states came over to talk alone. In front of Zhu Zaichi, he was his real father; in front of other central and peripheral princes, he was also the loving father of the Ming Dynasty.

But can everything go as they wish?

Zhu Zaichi nodded.

After digging nails in the Ili Valley and building a buffer zone with those Central Asian civilizations, what Ming Dynasty deserves more control over are the Nanyang Islands and Australia extending out from its doorstep.

You can control yourself, but you can't control others.

In the Zhai Palace, Louis, who was the most foresighted by Zhu Houcong, only smiled and said after putting down his pen: "We are far apart, and I hope to see Portugal as a partner, but I have to be careful. You are exploring colonies everywhere. Who knows when you will covet the East again in the future? Everyone depends on you. That’s it, if we can maintain mutual benefit through sea trade, that’s already support.”

On the contrary, the smoother trade relations with the Ming Dynasty and the more equal courtesy relations than in the past made people feel relaxed.

Zhu Houcong smiled and raised his hand and said modestly: "The most important thing is that a family should move around more. The more exchanges we have, the better we will understand each other. Doing business and trading, sending talented heirs to school, and applying for work are all important factors for us in all countries. There are benefits. Frankly speaking, China is still getting better and stronger. If you remain stubborn, you will be even more frightened in the future. Although China is a bit forceful now, I believe that your kings, ministers and people will eventually feel that This melon is sweet."

Therefore, just listen to the thoughts and ideas of Ming Dynasty's loving father. What deserves more attention or vigilance is what he will do next.

Speaking of which, Alfonso is getting older. Although João III is still alive, it is probably due to problems caused by marriages within the family, and children frequently die in infancy. And Alfonso is bound to his sister and has a son. I am afraid that he will really try to make his youngest son the king of Portugal later.

Louis was a little helpless: "Your Majesty, the great emperor, with the current power of the Ming Dynasty, how dare Portugal continue to covet the East?"

"What I wholeheartedly hope for is harmony, friendship, mutual trust, mutual assistance, and common development among our neighbors."

Being able to do this will eliminate huge internal and external pressures.

If it wasn’t the Ming Dynasty, it might be some other big or powerful country that finally knocked on the door.

But most vassal states cannot learn, and as soon as they learn, they will be abolished - their own power and position will be abolished.

"...Your Majesty's kind heart, little king..."

The Ming Dynasty no longer regards them as ministers in the capacity of canonization. Whoever submits credentials will continue to be recognized and establish diplomatic relations with the same authority as requesting canonization. This fact has not changed in essence.

Nearly forty heads of state and crown princes were sitting at a table, and the Ming Emperor came up with a new concept.

They are all based on family lineage. Can't talented people replace them? There is simply not much thought of giving up some of the benefits, and there are not that many benefits to give away.

The Ming Dynasty was extremely well prepared. This time, the heads of each country did not wear the official uniforms used for the Ming Dynasty's canonization. The Weaving Bureau has long been ordered to weave robes that suit their identities and characteristics based on the clothing customs of many countries.

On the layers of circles in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the uppermost layer is a scene where the kings are smiling, drinking tea and talking.

Below, there are many painters splashing ink on the desk. Wen Zhengming is still there, and his body is very strong. Who can explain this?

This scene needs to be painted, and the master of each country has a copy. There is a panoramic view of all the kings gathered together in their respective robes, as well as their personal portraits.

Before arriving in the capital, they did not expect that they were being treated with respect as the masters of a country.

In their minds, the important ministers of the Ming Dynasty were much more powerful than they were. Each adviser would specifically connect with a king of the country, so that they could feel treated like distinguished guests of the Ming Dynasty.

It was not a tribute, but their congratulatory gifts were all received in return. The long-lost return gifts were worth more than them.

Zhu Houcong was very willing - he conquered many countries and how much was captured?

What matters is the back.

As the crown prince of Ming Dynasty, Zhu Zaiyi also experienced his last thing before leaving Beijing here.

Standing behind his father, he listened to his father talking and laughing about the local customs with the Sultan of Johor and King Ulyanha Khan.

But in my mind, I remembered what my father said before setting off from Zhai Palace this morning: Dad will spend the next half of his life laying the foundation for your future. With the infiltration of these countries and the co-optation of some forces, I don’t know how many changes can be brewed in a generation. The platform of Huanming Federation is what you should keep paying attention to in the future in Vietnam. If you click on a person, I will let him preside over the daily affairs here and deal with envoys from various countries. When you sit in this position, there will be many opportunities to achieve great achievements and establish prestige.

From the beginning of the year to now, half a year has passed.

From the first moment when he learned that he was going to North Vietnam to the present moment, Zhu Zaiyi really felt his father's painstaking efforts.

Now his eyes were looking at his eldest brother who was sitting not far away, talking to Gaifa, the leader of Siam Ayutthaya.

Previously, in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, the Ming Dynasty announced to the other countries what to do with Burma, Jiaozhi, and the Jurchens.

In addition to North Vietnam, which was the real territory of the Ming Dynasty during the Yongle period, it was recovered and established as a province, and South Jiaozhi was established as a country of Vietnam, with the King of Yue as its leader.

On the Burma side, Lower Burma gave the Ming Dynasty’s first man, Mu Shaoxun, who was truly crowned a king with a different surname and honored as the leader of a country. The country was called Cangnan. In addition, there are three kingdoms: Mengyang, Mubang, and Bagan, each based on the past marriages of the three vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty. As for the restored Lanna Kingdom, the eighth prince born to Zhu Houcong and Lanna's sister was naturally the head of the country.

Gaifa actually came, risking a powerful minister to usurp the throne, and took the initiative to return the invaded old Lanna land and many new territories, just to gain the recognition and help of the Ming Dynasty to help him eliminate the powerful minister.

So now Zhu Zaiyi felt a little ridiculous when he looked at Gaifa, who was chatting happily with his eldest brother. Are you dizzy because of internal worries and the courtesy you received after arriving in Beijing? Luring the wolf into the house is no different.

Of course, if the eldest brother's future has clearer possibilities, he can get along well with him in Vietnam - at least when the eldest brother sends troops to help Gaifa, Vietnam can transport grain and grass to support him.

In the ceremonial tone that Ming Dynasty's loving father himself explained, the respectful etiquette and respectful "Your Highness" of the top veteran actors of Ming Dynasty made many people lost. But at the dinner party that night, the outstanding literary figures of the Ming Dynasty wrote countless poems praising the harmony of the Federation.

Those are "Respect to the Country of XX" and "Ode to XX" written individually by the top literary masters of the Ming Dynasty. If you take them back and frame them, you can remember them for many years.

Among them was even Yang Shen, the former number one scholar and former prime minister of the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong then took his hand and said, "It's hard to repair!"

"...For the Ming Dynasty, I..." He could hardly imagine how his actions tonight would be reviewed in future history.

The emperor personally arranged for the top ministers of the Ming Dynasty, the top masters in the literary world, the painting world, and the calligraphy world. During this period of time, they used countless works to let the vassal leaders and envoys feel the literary and artistic style and friendship of the Ming Dynasty.

All this will establish new relationships and lay new groundwork for the next twenty years.

After the thunderous attack, the troops were withdrawn and stabilized, and then there was such kindness and respect. They were frightened and then sweet, and most of the time they were confused and numb.

In a court like the Jiajing Dynasty, who doesn't have superb acting skills?

What's more, if you are acting under orders, if you perform well, it will be a great achievement.

Great achievements bring great rewards.

After the "summit" at the Temple of Heaven and Earth ended and the emperor returned to the Forbidden City, there was a big reward in front of the National Assembly Hall.

Guo Xun, Yu Dayou, Ma Fang, Xue Han, Yan Shifan... the military generals who made great contributions in the war to destroy the country and have now arrived in Beijing have received countless awards, both internally and externally.

Yang Shen, Mao Bowen, Xia Yan, Zhang Jing, Yang Bo... civil servants who wanted to become officials, went to the vassal state and newly returned to the real land were also honored.

Cui Yuan, Lu Bing, Yu Chengye...many relatives of the country, who have been loyal for many years, also have periodic merit awards.

Guo Xun has survived until now and survived a Northern Expedition. He, a fool who has stood clearly on the emperor's side since the beginning of Zhu Houcong's accession to the throne, finally received the best treatment in the Ming Dynasty: with the title of king, King Yi can only respect him even though he is the king. He will only have two or three years to live, but his son Xijue will be the Duke of the country. He is worthy of his ancestors and worthy of himself.

Yang Shen turned gray early, but his father and son spent their entire lives reaching the highest position of civil servants, and now they also have the title of Duke of the State. Even if his son is not talented enough, there is still a marquisship waiting for him.

Mu Shaoxun is the king of Cangnan, General Yan Chunsheng is the king of Zhenxi, and the generals of foreign vassals have many titles, but everyone pays more attention to Yu Dayou and Ma Fang.

Originally the Marquis of Hanhai, Yu Dayou only had the title of Duke of Qin, but this title belonged to Qin, and Yu Dayou still retained Ming Dynasty as a first-class military figure in the future!

Ma Fang, on the other hand, was still young and had no title before, only the title of Marquis of Dingbei. As the admiral of the Dingbei Camp of the Beiting Protectorate, he still has a chance in the future.

Qi Jiguang is younger. This time he was only promoted to the Dongyang Marine Division as a guerrilla general, and later expanded into Southeast Asia. He also had plenty of opportunities.

"Taizong of the Tang Dynasty had the Lingyan Pavilion, where the twenty-four heroes helped Li Tang rule the world! I built the Hall of Heroes and the Forest of Steles above and below the Meridian Gate. Thousands of years later, as long as the Forbidden City remains, I and my descendants can help me and my descendants to rule the world. , where he will be respected and praised by future generations!"

After finishing reciting the reward decrees, Zhu Houcong stood up and spoke loudly.

"It is now one hundred and eighty years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty. In another twenty years, I will probably still be alive. Two hundred years after the founding of the Ming Dynasty, can the monarchs and ministers have such ambitions? The glorious Ming Dynasty has not turned from prosperity to decline, but is thriving?"

Yan Song was the best at telling things, and he immediately shouted: "Your Majesty has a long life, and your anger will last forever. The sun and moon will not fall, and the elixir will be eternal. The history of the Qing Dynasty is clear, and the Ming Dynasty will be recreated. The two hundred years since the founding of the country will only be as good as when your Majesty was a young man. There is boundless heaven and earth to flex our muscles. The world is unified, generations of sages and good ministers have been fascinated by it for thousands of years, and it has actually started from today! Before the achievements are completed, the Ming Dynasty does not dare to be prosperous, and the ministers do not dare to slack off!"

When the Chief Assistant opened his mouth, the newly rewarded ministers, the coveted rank 4, 5, 6 and 7, immediately learned to praise him continuously.

"The great unity of the world begins today! I don't dare to slack off before my achievements are accomplished!"

Zhu Houcong suffered from these and emphasized them over and over again, which was also a kind of intrusion.

"well said!"

The middle-aged emperor is still full of energy and has a loud voice.

"I won't slack off either!" Zhu Houcong glanced at him, "Where is Wu Cheng'en?"

"...I'm here."

Zhu Houcong nodded: "Wu Qing accompanied me to the funeral, chatted for many years, and worked hard to write for more than a year. The first volume of "Datong Immortal Ming Ji" has been completed. I succeeded to the throne as a young man, and I have heard many praises of saints for more than 20 years. It is often said that I am a divine king who came to this world, and what I think is indeed extraordinary. Let’s print this volume first and circulate it to hundreds of officials. The prosperous age of Datong has indeed just begun. If we continue on this road, we will eventually end up flying into the sky and into the earth. I would like to dream about those magical days together with you."

So the scene of the big reward was actually the emperor ordering people to distribute the first volume of a certain novel.

Since it was impossible to see on the spot, the emperor continued to speak.

"The old ministers have worked hard for the country, the backbone has a bright future, and the newcomers have their own merits. What can the future of the Ming Dynasty look like? The monarch and his ministers will live up to the three things. They will live up to the justice of heaven and public will, the middle will live up to the power and honor, and the people will live up to the common people. . As long as you live up to these three, civil and military officials can strive for official positions and merits. I see you display your talents for the foundation of Ming Dynasty and Datong, and I have no reason to be suspicious."

"The prince is going to Vietnam, and I have made many arrangements for my sons, clan, and relatives. I have trained them and trusted them, just hoping that you will also see higher and further. When I took over the throne, I asked why Rich country. Today, the Ming Dynasty will be rich and powerful. How many times more powerful than at the beginning? In the future, the Ming Dynasty will be rich, powerful, and willful. How many times more rich and powerful will it be than today? Fighting is not a bad thing. If you fight without defeat, the king, his subjects, and all the people will be able to reach the same place. The right path is to enjoy greater wealth and live like a fairy in the Ming Dynasty."

"The heads of all the countries gathered in the capital, and the world was just a small corner of the world! I treat them as a family because I have regarded myself as the real master of the world. Now, it is just me who thinks so. But after reading this " "Datong Immortal Ming Ji", I hope you also have such pride and such a vision!"

"To the east of the Eastern Ocean, there is still fertile soil; to the south of the Southern Ocean, there is still heaven and earth; on the shore of the Western Ocean, there is already rising. Above the nine heavens, stars are spread out!"

After saying this in one breath, Zhu Houcong paused, and then said sadly: "When life is limited, I can only imagine the immortal world first. But it doesn't matter, my descendants, your descendants, my descendants of all the people of China, Once you have that picture in your mind, you know where to go.”

"During the pre-Qin period, the sages longed for the past and had the idea of ​​a prosperous and harmonious world in troubled times. That was their wildest imagination."

"This fantasy has inspired generations of scholars. For thousands of years, wise kings and wise ministers have tried their best to get closer."

"Today, I and you have also begun to have new ideas, so as to encourage each other..."

During the great dynasty meeting, the sunshine near noon shone in from the south of the main hall.

The Emperor of Ming Dynasty talked about his imagination, and as he talked, long-lasting memories came to his mind.

It's just that in his fantasy, the world is unified and the world is unified. The descendants of Yan and Huang are all like dragons, weaving dreams of stars and seas with their ability to fly into the sky and escape from the earth.

These are fictitious, but under the rule of China, the billions of people who control a star of resources and financial resources, the per capita longevity and the prosperity of food and clothing are more concrete and fascinating.

The Emperor of Ming Dynasty seemed to be talking about a dream. Zhu Zaiyi, who was about to "go to work" after attending today's court meeting, finally felt where his father's eyes were staring.

He has seen so far, so he is disappointed that he could only see twenty or thirty years into the future?

Even if you can only see it for a hundred or fifty years, you may have different perceptions.

After Zhu Houcong finished speaking what he wanted to describe, he looked at the expressions of the ministers in the quiet hall.

Some people are a little tired, some are thoughtful, and some are in agitated mood.

He looked at the sunlight and shadows outside the palace from a distance, and smiled calmly in his heart: "Therefore, there is a great unity in the world, and monarchs and ministers must share this ambition. Your Majesty, I believe that there is no hindrance to the depth of this ambition. It is important for you and your ministers to carry out this ambition." . When it comes to deeds, regardless of the heart, the nobles are great if they have an appearance."

Many people were shocked and expressed their opinions again.

Zhu Houcong just nodded with a smile: "Dismiss the dynasty, hold a banquet, and congratulate the heroes! In the 200th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, we will see if we can hold another grand ceremony of Datong in the future!"

In the National Assembly Hall, the Emperor of Heaven pointed the direction to an unknown number of hundreds of years.

But at this moment, as usual, there are mountains shouting long live, and they are all called saints.

I don’t want to think about the grand ceremony of Datong anymore.

But inside and outside the National Assembly Hall, Tang Shunzhi, Xu Jie, Gao Gong, Yu Dayou, Qi Jiguang, Zhang Juzheng...

They knew that the emperor's words were meant for them, the young and middle-aged generation, and to tell them where to go in the future.

Walking together with the emperor on this road, they will accompany the elderly emperor at the grand ceremony in the future and take the stage as important ministers of the Ming Dynasty.

That will also be the summary of the lifetime achievements of this unprecedented king.

After kneeling on the ground and raising his head, Zhang Juzheng was suddenly stunned.

He was only qualified to kneel outside the palace, but from a distance, the emperor's eyes seemed to be on him.

...Maybe the midday sun was already a bit strong, and Zhang Juzheng felt hot all over.

【Complete the book. 】

(End of this chapter)