This is not to falsely accuse the Great Qing. As the saying goes, Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Ming novels – these all require literacy to understand. However, the Yuan Dynasty's Yuan Qu, and the more popular crosstalk and opera of the Great Qing, are precisely things that can be enjoyed without knowing how to read.
The fundamental reason for this is the issue of literacy rates.
The higher the literacy rate, the more widespread books become, the faster all sorts of knowledge spreads, and the faster culture, science, technology, arts, philosophy, and other aspects develop.
The inverse is also true: the lower the literacy rate, the more difficult it is for books to become widespread, knowledge is monopolized by a few, and the development of culture, science, technology, arts, and philosophy stagnates.
To give the simplest example:
Before the advent of writing, did anything resembling philosophy or art exist in the world?
Perhaps, but it was not recorded, and thus could not be passed down.
After the appearance of writing, various cultural, technological, artistic, and philosophical elements began to be recorded and inherited. For instance, during the Spring and Autumn period, seal script and bamboo slips had developed considerably, leading to the "Hundred Schools of Thought."
Although after the Qin and Han dynasties, most of the other schools of thought disappeared into the river of history, what was meant to be passed down was largely preserved.
By the Song dynasty, with the invention of movable type printing, books truly began to spread on a small scale among the populace. After Zhu Yuanzhang vigorously promoted community schools, the number of literate people in the Central Plains increased, and novels began to flourish.
A particularly crucial turning point here was the Song dynasty. Before the Song, was Li Er not a generation's hero? This man was a formidable figure who led people into battle; to say he wasn't a hero would be sheer nonsense.
(Don't even mention Li Er's Xianbei bloodline. Because the Central Plains have always been a patriarchal society, Li Er himself did not acknowledge his Xianbei lineage and only considered himself an emperor of the Han. This narrative was first propagated by the Japanese. Similarly, the claim of "no China after Yaoshan" was also a Japanese fabrication.)
However, even a heroic figure like Li Er had to compromise with aristocratic families. The reason for this compromise was precisely the problem of knowledge monopoly brought about by extremely low literacy rates.
It was only after the Great Song dynasty developed movable type printing that the problem of knowledge monopoly began to be preliminarily resolved. Vast numbers of books started to circulate, and a large amount of knowledge began to spread from the monopoly of aristocratic families to the common people.
This is also why Zhu Yuanzhang could so unscrupulously implement the system of collective punishment. Apart from Zhu Yuanzhang being an emperor who rose from horseback and was not afraid of rebellion, the most important reason was the popularization of books and community schools, which increased the literacy rate in the Central Plains. Even if Old Zhu replaced the entire court of officials, he would not have to worry about a shortage of usable people.
At most, there would be a period of initial chaos, and once the newly appointed novices adapted, the problems would gradually be resolved.
Even in the late Ming dynasty, despite various natural and man-made disasters causing the nation's strength to decline, and signs of Europe's technological surpassing, the Great Ming could still suppress the Dutch and the English barbarians. This was also due to literacy rates. Those scholars, represented by Xu Guangqi, did not let go of the opportunity to learn European technology. At this time, the Great Ming might have been slightly behind, but it still had opportunities to surpass them.
And this point is precisely why the Great Qing desperately pursued literary inquisition.
As long as literacy rates remain low, no one will think by reading books, and consequently, no one will tinker with technologies that could bring trouble to the Great Qing.
Therefore, the Great Qing remained stable for over 150 years. If it weren't for the cheat Zhu Jinsong, a穿越者 (transmigrator), suddenly raising a banner of rebellion, the Great Qing's dynasty might have remained stable for several more decades, until the door was knocked open by English barbarians with their cannons, until Hong Xiuquan from Bavaria raised his banner of rebellion, until the Great Qing completely perished.
Similarly, this is also why Zhu Jinsong worked tirelessly to promote literacy and community schools.
The literacy and community school initiatives, which began from the moment he occupied Menglianggu, provided Zhu Jinsong with a sufficient pool of usable talent. It was precisely this batch after batch of talent that allowed the Great Ming to surpass Europe in aspects like artillery, firearms, steam engines, and electricity.
More importantly, the continuously improving literacy rate in the Great Ming enabled the people of the Great Ming to gradually gain the ability to read. Coupled with the relatively monotonous entertainment activities at the time, the story version of the "Hongwu Edict" naturally had fertile ground for promotion.
Once the "Hongwu Edict" was promoted...
Upon imagining the entire populace of the Great Ming knowing the regulations of the Great Ming Law, and potentially even using the Great Ming Law to drag corrupt officials to the capital for trial, Zeng Cheng couldn't help but feel a chill.
After a period of silence, Zeng Cheng and other senior officials bowed slightly and accepted.
The tide had turned.
As generation after generation of students graduated from prefecture schools and even universities, the senior officials in the court suddenly discovered that the knowledge they possessed was no longer monopolized.
Compared to students who had systematically studied governance, history, and even how to rebel and govern, the only advantage these senior officials might have was years of accumulated experience.
However, experience is just experience. What they could accumulate, those students could also gradually accumulate.
Therefore, there was no one in the entire court who was irreplaceable.
Just as Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials were feeling a bit lost and even disappointed, Zhu Jinsong said with a smile, "By the way, I have another idea. Perhaps you lords can advise me?"
Without waiting for Zeng Cheng and the others to ask, Zhu Jinsong continued, "The two biggest problems that trouble me most right now are, one, the scarcity of population in our Great Ming, and the other is the scarcity of our imperial clan."
"The shortage of population and the shortage of imperial clan members have severely constrained the speed of our Great Ming's external expansion. Now we can only watch as vast tracts of land in Europe and Western Kunlun are controlled by barbarians."
Upon hearing Zhu Jinsong's words, Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials were somewhat bewildered.
The scarcity of population in the Great Ming was an old topic in the court. After all, the Great Ming had to migrate a portion of its population outwards for border settlement each year. However, after nearly ten years of migration, only a few million people had been relocated. Not to mention the newly occupied territories, even regions like Burma and Jiaozhi, which were taken earliest, were not yet filled. Zeng Cheng and the senior officials of the court were also troubled by this issue.
However, the topic of the imperial clan being too small was something Zhu Jinsong, the emperor of the Great Ming, had brought up for the first time.
And compared to the issue of too few people, the problem of too few imperial clan members was even more difficult to solve. By the time Zhu Jinsong and Zhu Erdan, Zhu Sansun's children grow up, it would be at least another decade.
During this time, Zhu Jinsong had to govern the country, and Zhu Erdan and Zhu Sansun had to lead troops in battle. Even if Zhu Jinsong, Zhu Erdan, and Zhu Sansun went all out to have children, how many could they produce?
Therefore, the problem of the imperial clan in the Great Ming was, in fact, more unsolvable than the problem of too few people.
Zhu Jinsong continued, "I think, since there are not enough imperial clan members, and our Great Ming has so much territory overseas, I will temporarily not rely on the imperial clan."
"My plan is to allocate a portion of Western Kunlun. If any of you lords wish to go overseas to establish a kingdom, you can propose it to me."
"Of course, it's not anyone who can go overseas to establish a kingdom. There must be standards. And these lands will absolutely not be given away for free. Those who need to pay money will still have to pay money, otherwise, Uncle Huaiwen wouldn't be asking me for money to buy cats every day?"
Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials continued to be bewildered, even suspecting that Zhu Jinsong was fishing – wanting to establish a kingdom overseas indicated too great an ambition, and then…
Seeing that no one among Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials responded, Zhu Jinsong tapped the table with his fingers and said, "What I hate most about you is this: you always overcomplicate things."
"Let me tell you plainly, I want all the land on this small ball, but I cannot manage it all myself. The Great Ming does not have that many imperial clan members, and I cannot rely on enfeoffing them. Therefore, I can only have designs on you, understand?"
"Whoever wishes to go overseas to establish a kingdom, buy land from the Ministry of Revenue with money, and then spend money to recruit people to go overseas with you to develop it. The land belongs to the Great Ming court. You will at most be granted a title like King of X. Then, you can further enfeoff subordinates, which will not affect the Great Ming homeland. Understand?"
Upon hearing this, Zeng Cheng tentatively asked, "Your Majesty, this seems a bit inappropriate?"
Zhu Jinsong chuckled and said, "Inappropriate? What's inappropriate about it? All enfeoffed states must implement the Great Ming Law, and the required tributary missions must not be missed. Even the ruler of a state merely collects taxes themselves, supports their own officials, and in return, must pay allegiance to the Great Ming as the suzerain. In this way, of course, there is nothing inappropriate."
Zeng Cheng thought to himself, you really make it sound easy.
The ruler of a nation, facing south and claiming to be sovereign. Even if they have no military power, even if there is still a Great Ming Emperor above them, even if the enfeoffed state completely implements the Great Ming Law, appearing more like a decoration, it is still the ruler of a nation. This reverence cannot be exchanged for any amount of money!
More importantly, can you guarantee that various enfeoffed states will not cause trouble? Can you absolutely guarantee that no one will raise an army in rebellion?
After thinking about it, Zeng Cheng still cupped his hands and bowed, "Your Majesty, I believe this is inappropriate. If in the future someone..."
Zhu Jinsong waved his hand and said, "Someone does what? Someone rebels? What do you think the 'little pot' is for? Also, I merely have this idea now, but how to do it in a way that guarantees the enfeoffed states will not threaten the Great Ming court, and is also beneficial to those lords who go out to buy land and establish kingdoms – this is precisely what I need you to research."
Zeng Cheng was instantly exasperated.
Well, after all that, you want us to pay money to buy territory, have us restrict our own powers, and then still lord over us...
However, Zeng Cheng also could not refuse the temptation of facing south and claiming to be a ruler.
Or rather, no one in the Central Plains could refuse such a temptation.
After thinking about it, Zeng Cheng once again tentatively asked, "Then the common people..."
Zhu Jinsong said, "The common people are not allowed. This time, the reason I intend to give you lords the opportunity to go overseas and establish kingdoms is that I value your ability to govern. No matter how much money the wealthy merchants and magnates have, what do they know about governance?"
"Furthermore, this matter is not just for civil officials; the Five Army Commanderies will also be included."
"Discuss among yourselves later what rank and above are eligible for overseas enfeoffment, and what the regulations will be after enfeoffment. In any case, you must thoroughly research all these miscellaneous issues and present a plan to me."
This could also be considered a perk from Zhu Jinsong.
As the old saying goes, after a blow, give a sweet date. Zhu Jinsong has continuously forced the Great Ming officials to concede in other areas, so he is naturally more generous with perks like enfeoffment that are nominally significant but practically empty.
Compared to a place like Western Kunlun, which is a desolate area.
And Zhu Jinsong is confident that Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials will be interested in enfeoffment and establishing kingdoms. However, after discussing it thoroughly, they will only try their best to ensure that the enfeoffed states do not threaten the Great Ming.
Not to mention that the power of enfeoffment will definitely remain with the Emperor of the Great Ming. Zeng Cheng and the others might even dig out forgotten official positions like Chancellor and Grand Commandant from historical records, and then give the appointment power of Chancellor and Grand Commandant to the Emperor of the Great Ming.
They might even revive the practice of hostages, such as requiring the next generation of rulers to reside in the capital of the Great Ming for a certain number of years.
To put it bluntly, everyone wants the opportunity for territorial enfeoffment. Zeng Cheng and the senior officials understand that the opportunity is good and must be seized. However, only when they can make Emperor Zhu of the Great Ming feel at ease will they have a chance to obtain it.
And to make Emperor Zhu of the Great Ming feel at ease, the best solution is to limit the power of the enfeoffed rulers, and let the Emperor of the Great Ming decide on military and legal authority.
Otherwise, even if they discuss and finalize the plan, Emperor Zhu of the Great Ming will not approve it and will only keep asking for revisions until he is satisfied.
Of course, before discussing the plan for overseas enfeoffment, the most important thing is to properly handle the matters assigned by Emperor Zhu, such as the division of various ministries, the division of the Censorate and the Directorate of Censors, and the issues of the small newspapers in Jiangnan.
No one is foolish, especially senior officials like Zeng Cheng. If you give them an inch, they'll be shrewder than monkeys!
After Zeng Cheng and the other senior officials bowed and agreed, Zhu Jinsong tapped the table with his fingers again, bringing the conversation back to India and Europe.