After summoning Zeng Cheng and a host of other big and small shot leaders, Zhu Jinsong spoke directly, saying, "It has been about four or five years since I ascended the throne and became emperor. It is about time we addressed the issue of rewarding the nobility."
The first issue that lay before Zhu Jinsong was the matter of the nobility.
History was replete with rebellions, and many had succeeded. However, every rebellious group in its early stages could ensure the flow of talent, promoting the capable and sidelining the incompetent. But after a rebellion succeeded, many such groups would develop a tumor called the nobility.
Of course, it was not entirely appropriate to directly label the nobility as a tumor, as the existence of the noble system did have certain positive aspects. However, it was undeniable that the noble system often degenerated rapidly after a rebellion's success.
Noble groups that were incredibly powerful during the initial struggle for power might, by the end of the dynasty, be so degenerate that they could no longer ride horses or draw a bow, let alone lead troops into battle.
Some nobles would even entertain thoughts of becoming emperor themselves.
Of course, if the rapid corruption of the noble system was the only problem, it would not be particularly severe. The truly critical issue arose with the descendants of the founding nobles spreading their branches, leading to inevitable land annexation. Following in the footsteps of those before them, the founding nobles would set their sights on land, and generation after generation would leech off the nation. The local gentry and scholars throughout the land would then follow suit.
And Zhu Jinsong, from the start of his rebellion to now, having secured the empire across sixteen provinces, naturally had his share of nobles.
For instance, should the brothers Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sanshun be enfeoffed as kings?
Should Liu Heming, Liu Erniu, Geng Rui, and others who had followed Zhu Jinsong in rebellion from the very beginning be rewarded?
No?
That would be ridiculous!
Everyone had risked their lives, followed Zhu Jinsong in killing officials and rebelling. After you became emperor, if everyone couldn't even secure a hereditary noble title, then what was the point of rebelling with you? Was it merely to become a general or marshal, and then follow Zhu Jinsong in selflessly serving the people of the Great Ming?
On this matter, never expect reason to prevail, because there was no reason to be found.
I don't know you, you don't belong to me, we remain the same, accompanying a stranger.
Understood? If you understand, you understand. If you don't, don't ask. With such intelligence, don't even think about time-traveling and rebelling.
Secondly, there was the issue of newspapers.
The "Great Ming Newspaper" was run by the Great Ming court. The articles published were either personally written by Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, or by those in the Hanlin Academy. Although not entirely detached from the populace, the content that common people enjoyed was not heavily featured in the "Great Ming Newspaper."
There were public calls for Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, to permit private individuals to establish newspapers.
Allow it, or not? Or perhaps establish censorship, and ban an entire issue for a single misplaced character, lest they say something they shouldn't?
For example, any article daring to contain the word "satisfaction" would be banned. Those daring to write "Tartar Qing" instead of "Qing" would also be banned if possible. And those daring to write the names of Zhu Jinsong or previous Great Ming emperors would all be replaced with asterisks?
Beyond the issues of nobility and newspapers, there were other matters such as the Great Ming Law and the system of weights and measures, the制度 of tributary states, the practice of extracting wealth from Europe, and whether the populace should be prohibited from owning firearms, among a host of other issues.
These miscellaneous problems collectively gave Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, a headache.
Zhu Jinsong was troubled, and so were Zeng Cheng, Liu Erniu, Liu Heming, and the many other big and small shot leaders.
Logically speaking, Emperor Zhu had been on the throne for several years, and now controlled sixteen provinces. It should be time for enfeoffments, for some to be made Dukes, and others Marquises. After all, the Great Ming empire was not conquered by Zhu Jinsong alone.
The crucial question was, how should this be handled?
Should they directly state that their contributions were significant and that being enfeoffed as a Duke was not unreasonable?
Even if the Emperor had a good temper, such forwardness would be courting death.
Furthermore, the emperors of the Zhu family, from Zhu Chongba all the way to Chongzhen, had all embodied the word "stingy and ungenerous" to the extreme.
Therefore, all the high-ranking officials remained silent, none willing to be the first to broach this topic.
Seeing the silence of the gathered leaders, Zhu Jinsong let out a chuckle and said, "No one is speaking? If you won't speak, I will."
"Throughout all dynasties, at the beginning of the founding of a nation, the nobility must be rewarded to compensate for their merits. This is an eternal and unbreakable truth. Those who challenge this have been infamous. And I am a very timid person, nor do I intend to challenge this fine tradition. Therefore, the rewards that are due to you will be given."
As Zhu Jinsong's words fell, the leaders present felt a sinking feeling in their hearts.
No one knew what had gotten into Zhu Jinsong, to speak in such a tone today.
Zhu Jinsong, however, did not pause and continued, "For the national ranks, I intend to establish five tiers: Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, and Baron. Each tier will be further divided into national and county levels."
"Our Tartar Qing still exists, and many foreign barbarians remain. Therefore, enfeoffments will begin with county marquises, to avoid having nothing left to grant in the future."
"Anyone who receives a noble title shall not inherit it hereditarily. Even a Duke will have his rank reduced after three generations."
"The imperial clan will be the same. All princes and郡王 will also have their ranks reduced after three generations."
"The list of rewards will be distributed in the coming days."
"If you find this acceptable, then follow this rule. If you find it unacceptable, you are free to find ways to overthrow me, the emperor. I can go to Menglianggu again."
The gathered leaders exchanged glances, then hastily stood up and bowed together, saying, "Your subjects deserve death!"
There was truly no other recourse.
Although there were many powerful figures present, and if they all united, they could throw the entire Great Ming into disarray, everyone present was shrewd. They knew that it was impossible for these individuals to truly unite, and they also knew that Emperor Zhu had the backing to overturn the table and start anew.
This Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming was different from the deaf old dog Qian.
Many times, Qian's imperial decrees might not even leave the capital. Even if they did, not everyone would execute them, and even if executed, no one could guarantee they wouldn't be carried out haphazardly.
The existence of the "Great Ming Newspaper" ensured that Zhu Jinsong's decrees could be disseminated throughout the land in the shortest possible time. The existence of the Farmers' Associations and the Imperial Guards also ensured that the court officials of the Great Ming would find it difficult to deceive their superiors and mislead their inferiors as they had in the past.
Moreover, these leaders were well aware that in addition to the Ming Sect as a visible intelligence network, Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming possessed at least two independent intelligence systems operating in parallel. Zhu Jinsong was fully aware of every move made by the Tartar Qing, the Great Ming court, and even the common people.
As for the possibility of falling into a similar predicament as emperors like Zhengde and Tianqi?
That was even more absurd.
Setting aside the fact that Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming had no particular fondness for park visits, even if he did, no one could penetrate the guards protecting the temporary imperial palace. To infiltrate the palace guards, one would first need to infiltrate the outer perimeter of the palace, manned by the Solon soldiers who were impervious to influence and only recognized Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming and Consort Agungna.
Even if the Solon battalion were dealt with, one would still have to face the even more unyielding Great Ming Imperial Guard.
This was the only army in the Great Ming not under the jurisdiction of the Five Chief Military Commissions. Although recruitment was done jointly with the Five Chief Military Commissions, and military discipline and training were similar to other armies, the Imperial Guard's provisions and equipment were allocated by the Ministry of Revenue, and their training was separate from other armies.
In essence, the Imperial Guard was a trump card that Zhu Jinsong kept for himself. This army owed allegiance to no one except Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming.
The reason Zhu Jinsong was in such a state today was entirely due to the exasperation caused by the leaders of the entire Great Ming court.
This was because from Zeng Cheng and Liu Huaiwen in the civil official system, to Liu Heming and Liu Erniu in the military, and even Ke Zhiming in the intelligence system, every single one of these leaders had been discussing the issue of rewards privately of late.
Of course, Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming had not failed to consider rewarding merits. After all, the Tartar Qing was on the verge of collapse, and with sixteen provinces in hand, it was indeed time to reward these meritorious officials.
However, these idiotic individuals actually envied the nobles of Europe.
This was intolerable.
If the Great Ming court were truly to become like those in Europe, then what was the point of Zhu Jinsong's hard-fought rebellion? Was it to create another Great Ming court, another noble group, another Donglin Party?
Envious of the European nobles? Wanting hereditary succession? Then I will first show you what a true emperor is and nip your aspirations in the bud!
If you are not convinced, then rebel. I will give you the opportunity to rebel!
After the leaders admitted defeat, Zhu Jinsong let out a cold snort and said, "Listen to me carefully. What I give you is yours. If I don't give it to you, no one can reach out. Otherwise..."
Hearing Zhu Jinsong's meaningful snort, the leaders present suddenly realized.
The emperor, chosen by heaven, his word is law. His word can establish a nation, his word can destroy one.
It was like Cao Cao's assessment of the dragon: it can be large or small, rise or hide. When large, it stirs clouds and spits mist; when small, it hides its form. When it rises, it soars through the universe; when it hides, it lurks within the waves.
Even if this person before them was close to his officials, he was an emperor forged in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. As long as he drew breath, the Great Ming army would have no problems.
If the army had no problems, then the so-called nobility and civil officials could only keep a low profile.
After Zhu Jinsong's meaningful snort, he continued, "Next, let us discuss whether to allow private newspapers and the issue of weights and measures, as well as whether to prohibit private possession of firearms and hand grenades."
The idea of turning newspapers into a mouthpiece of sorts was entirely due to Zhu Jinsong's anger at the leaders in court. After all, the Great Ming Law explicitly stipulated that illiterate citizens of the Great Ming could curse the emperor at will, and officials were not to question them.
Suppose an entirely illiterate commoner were to go to Jinan and curse Zhu Jinsong's temporary imperial palace. Zhu Jinsong, the Emperor of the Great Ming, could only endure it, and even had to send people to inquire why he was cursing, whether he had encountered any difficulties, and if there was anything Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming could do.
As for the increasing literacy through efforts in various regions and the widespread promotion of social schools and county schools by Zhu Jinsong, there might come a time when there were no illiterate citizens in the Great Ming...
What did that have to do with the Great Ming Law and Emperor Zhu Jinsong of the Great Ming?
In any case, the Great Ming Law and Zhu Jinsong had guaranteed the right of illiterate citizens to curse the emperor.
As for what educated citizens who wished to curse the emperor should do?
Did this not demonstrate the benefit of newspapers?
Zhu Jinsong intended to slightly relax some controls, initially allowing two private newspapers to test the waters. If it proved feasible, more restrictions would be gradually lifted.
The issue of weights and measures could also be easily resolved, as long as the Ministry of Works created a standard and gradually promoted it.
Conversely, the issue of prohibiting private possession of firearms and hand grenades was quite troublesome.
ps: This book should really be renamed "Burying the Whole World." After all, whenever I write about the Tartar Qing, the 404 is always watching me. Yesterday, two chapters were swallowed, one was unblocked, and the remaining chapter will require an application for unblocking in a few days.