The princes and taijis on the grasslands didn't really believe Zhu Jinsong's claims.
They wouldn't doubt that the Great Ming could consider the grasslands as part of its territory; after all, the Solun tribe was a precedent.
However, when it came to the Great Ming treating the nomadic peoples of the grasslands as its own subjects, these princes and taijis couldn't help but have their doubts.
There's a saying: "See the essence through the appearance."
From the Xiongnu to the Rouran, then to the Turks, and from the Tatars and Oirats to the Mongols, why did generation after generation of grassland tribes incessantly raid southwards? Why couldn't they learn to farm like the people of the Central Plains?
The answer was the ecological and survival environment of the grasslands. They couldn't farm like the people of the Central Plains, so they could only choose a nomadic lifestyle to ensure the survival of their tribes.
Similarly, due to low productivity and a single means of survival, these grassland tribes could only resolve issues caused by natural disasters like black blizzards and white blizzards by abandoning the old, weak, and infirm within their tribes and raiding southwards.
From the perspective of the Central Plains, this was, of course, wrong. If you can't survive, you come to rob me? There's no logic to that!
And from the perspective of the various grassland tribes, did they have any other solutions besides this method?
Therefore, the grassland tribes and the Central Plains could only constantly fight each other.
When the grasslands were strong, they would heavily beat the Central Plains. When the Central Plains were strong, they would heavily beat the grasslands.
For instance, now that the Great Ming's fist was hard, these princes and taijis on the grasslands were willing to submit to the Great Ming. Even if they had to implement Han laws, speak the Han language, and give up some of their rights, these princes and taijis could only endure it with gritted teeth.
Don't talk about forced resettlement; that's the most foolish approach. Even if the grassland tribes agreed to resettle, would the Central Plains people whose livelihoods would be encroached upon be willing? Even if the current grassland tribes resettled, wouldn't new grassland tribes emerge in the future?
The population reduction policy of the Qing Dynasty was also a case of drinking poison to quench thirst.
On the surface, in over two hundred years of the Qing Dynasty, there were indeed no southern raids from the grasslands, and the population reduction policy seemed to work. But in reality?
In reality, the Qing Dynasty cooled off too early and happened to have a good period. If the Qing Dynasty had cooled off a bit later, and at an earlier time, the Qing Dynasty might not have met its current fate.
Those interested can search for "Conquest of Qing by the Grasslands" along with "Xuan He Yan." It's highly likely they'll discover a new world. The grassland nomads are simple and honest, but you can't treat them like fools (mentioning a certain beast, the full title of this proclamation cannot be directly issued).
Chen Danran said: "Those who do not plan for ten thousand generations are not fit to plan for a single generation; those who do not plan for the whole situation are not fit to plan for a single region."
The population reduction policy, which only plans for one generation and one region, is simply drinking poison to quench thirst. It not only fails to solve the problem thoroughly but also leaves behind endless harm.
To truly solve the problem of the grasslands, the only way is to completely bind the grasslands and the Central Plains together.
Emperor Zhu looked at the grassland princes and taijis standing in the hall and said with a smile, "I believe all of you have witnessed the living conditions of the Solun tribe?"
Upon mentioning the life of the Solun tribe, the princes and taijis on the grasslands couldn't help but feel envious and resentful.
In terms of their original living conditions, the tribes on the grasslands were certainly better off. After all, the place where the Solun tribe lived was originally harsh and cold, and the Qing Dynasty had forcibly required the Solun tribe to maintain their hunting and fishing customs, forbidding them from farming or raising livestock. Compared to the life of the grassland tribes, the living conditions of the Solun tribe were actually more difficult.
However, ever since the Solun tribe sided with the Great Ming first, everything changed.
The Great Ming directly sent people to guide the Solun people in farming and animal husbandry, allowing those beggars from the Solun tribe to relearn farming and animal husbandry.
As the crops planted by the Solun tribe began to be harvested, the living conditions of the Solun tribe were now even better.
But, being envious was useless.
At that time, the situation between the Qing and Ming was not yet clear. Before the Solun tribe sided with the Great Ming first, all the grassland tribes looked favorably upon the Qing Dynasty, believing that Qianlong, that old dog, could still achieve a historic victory. No one dared to bet on the Great Ming.
When the Qing Dynasty's rule began to decline, these princes and taijis on the grasslands began to worry about the Great Ming's attitude towards the grasslands.
There was a Great Ming before, the emperor also had the surname Zhu, and there was an emperor called Zhu Laosi...
As a result, they procrastinated until now, causing these princes and taijis to regret their decisions immensely.
Zhu Jinsong, however, seemed completely oblivious to the envy and resentment on the faces of these princes and taijis. He merely said with a smile again, "I said earlier that I want to make the grasslands and the Great Ming indistinguishable and treat the nomadic peoples of the grasslands and the people of the Great Ming equally. Naturally, I also want to allow the nomadic peoples of the grasslands to live as good a life as the people of the Great Ming."
"Therefore, I plan to build cities and roads on the grasslands."
"A city will be built in the center of every few tribes, and straight roads will connect each city. Additionally, several roads will be built directly to the Great Ming."
"For example, Chahar and Hujirtu will each have a city built, connected to Xuanhua by a straight road, and the two cities will also be connected by a straight road."
To tie them together, there must be ropes – roads.
Theoretically speaking, even if the means of survival on the grasslands were too singular, with so many livestock such as cattle, sheep, and horses, even through barter, nomadic peoples shouldn't be unable to cope with white blizzards and black blizzards, right?
The problem lay with the roads.
Without roads, what good would it be for the nomads to have so many cattle and sheep? Once a sudden heavy snowfall occurred, a large number of cattle and sheep froze to death. How many cattle and sheep could the grassland tribes consume? How could they be transported to the Central Plains for sale?
With roads and cities, combined with measures like social schools and markets, it would be possible to transition these grassland tribal nomads from pastoralism to settlement, which would not only speed up the pace of sinicization but also facilitate the Great Ming's rapid assistance during white blizzards and black blizzards on the grasslands.
Therefore, roads are the prerequisite for solving the problem.
However, these princes and taijis of the grassland tribes did not consider whether building roads would facilitate disaster relief for the Great Ming, but only that building roads and cities would facilitate the Great Ming's use of troops on the grasslands.
Once they transition from nomadic to settled life, there would be nowhere to run!
Zhu Jinsong naturally saw the hesitant and conflicted expressions on the faces of these princes and taijis, but Emperor Zhu was indifferent to this. Instead, he directly stated, "In the future, the Great Ming will build social schools in these cities, so that children on the grasslands can also have books to read like children in the Han regions."
"At the same time, these cities will also undertake the tasks of the former border markets, but they will be changed from occasional openings to long-term openings, just like the markets in cities in the Han regions, including salt, iron, and tea. There will no longer be the messy regulations of the past, such as limited transactions based on coupons."
"In addition, the Great Ming will also station some troops within and outside the cities. Once the grasslands encounter situations like white blizzards and black blizzards, the garrisons will quickly dispatch to provide disaster relief."
"Furthermore, the Great Ming will also conscript soldiers on the grasslands. Any grassland nomad who is eighteen years of age and under thirty-five years of age can sign up for military service, and all treatments will be the same as for Han children."
At this point, Zhu Jinsong suddenly changed the topic and said sternly, "In the future, the Great Ming will establish prefectures, counties, and various levels of yamen on the grasslands, and everything will be exactly the same as in the Han regions."
"That is to say, from the date of the establishment of government offices, private soldiers and private punishments will no longer be permitted in the grassland tribes. You, along with the elders and nobles of each tribe, will receive investiture from the imperial court, with hereditary succession in descending order of rank for every other generation, until the爵 is extinguished."
"If you are willing to accept this, then stay. If you are unwilling to accept it, I will not force you. You can leave now. Whether you go to pledge allegiance to Qianlong, that old dog, or plan to migrate elsewhere, I guarantee your safety within the Great Ming."
After speaking, Zhu Jinsong picked up his tea and quietly waited for the choice of these princes and taijis.
No one chose to leave.
Zhu Jinsong directly laid out all these conditions on the table, and these princes and taijis felt more at ease. They were not afraid of the conditions and requirements of the Ming Emperor, but rather feared that the Ming Emperor would, like the wise and virtuous rulers of the Qing Dynasty, slowly carve up the grasslands and bleed them dry!
The Taiji of the Dorbet tribe immediately bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"
The other princes and taijis also bowed one after another, saying, "We respectfully obey the decree of the Heavenly Khan!"
These princes and taijis on the grasslands had also come to understand. Losing some rights was losing rights, but losing rights was better than sending the entire family to the next life together.
Moreover, if they could be completely the same as the Han regions, it was hard to say who had the advantage and who had the disadvantage.
As for the Ming Emperor being willing to guarantee their safety within the Great Ming... who would guarantee them once they left the Great Ming? The grassland tribes couldn't even defeat the Qing Dynasty's Eight Banners under Qianlong, that old dog. Did they really think they could contend with the Great Ming's army?
There were better ways to seek death!
Seeing that all the princes and taijis had made their choices, Zhu Jinsong chuckled and said, "Since you have chosen to trust me and the Great Ming, then I and the Great Ming will not let you down."
"The Great Ming will establish many workshops on the grasslands, and I will allocate some additional shares for you to distribute as dividends. The benefits you receive in the future will be far greater than what you lose."
"In addition, as I said earlier, the Great Ming will build cities and straight roads on the grasslands. This will require a large number of young and strong laborers. For the grassland nomads who are willing to work on the construction sites, they will be paid wages according to the treatment of Han children."
"With money and markets, the lives of the grassland nomads will surely be much better than before."
Zhu Jinsong's promise made these princes and taijis happy.
The Taiji of the Dorbet tribe even knelt down with a thump and said, "To the Supreme, Almighty, Great, and Invincible Emperor of Great Ming, the Heavenly Khan! The Dorbet tribe is willing to use their lives to defend your majesty and their blood to carry out your will!"
The expressions of the princes and taijis of other tribes immediately turned dark.
It was this Taiji of the Dorbet tribe again!
This person has the bearing of Heshen, the Grand Tutor. He absolutely cannot be underestimated!
Then, the princes and taijis who did not want the Taiji of the Dorbet tribe to steal the show also quickly bowed and said, "We are the same!"
Zhu Jinsong laughed heartily, reached out, and motioned them to rise, saying, "Please rise."
After all the princes and taijis had stood up, the Taiji of the Dorbet tribe said flatteringly, "Reporting to Your Majesty, your subject believes that since there is the protection of the Great Ming army and the Great Ming laws will be fully implemented, there is indeed no need for the Dorbet tribe to retain its original cavalry."
"Therefore, your subject thought of offering all the original cavalry of the Dorbet tribe to Your Majesty, to be disposed of by Your Majesty?"
The princes and taijis of the Durbe, Alshai, Haochi, and Kalaqin tribes immediately shouted, "Your subjects are the same! Your subjects also want to offer the tribal cavalry to Your Majesty!"