It is not that there are no perfect systems and ideologies in this world, but even if there were, there could not be perfect people. Any system executed by humans has the possibility of problems, such as the "Silly Eagle" model so fanatically praised by some filial descendants. The "Silly Eagle" family's system indeed has little corruption, but the reason for this is not that people do not covet, but rather that corruption is openly acknowledged and euphemistically termed political donations. The officials of the Great Ming are not all saints, and each has their own selfish motives and ideas. As the territory of the Great Ming expands, the difficulty of direct rule by the court will also increase. Another, more important reason is that Zhu Jinsong could do as he pleased when he was alive, because Zhu Jinsong himself was an emperor who came to power through military conquest. Neither the civil official system nor the military system dared to challenge Zhu Jinsong. As for the next generation and the generation after that, will the civil official system and the military system still be as obedient as they are now?
To put it more plainly, when the emperor becomes a useless figure, will the civil officials and generals still obey orders obediently?
One can figure this out just by thinking about it. More crucially, the population of the Great Ming is still sparse relative to its vast territory. With the migration of successive batches of people to old ports, Lanfang, Nugan, Dugansi, and Wusizang to develop the border regions, many prefectures and counties in the Great Ming have experienced a decrease in population. Although this has alleviated the situation of resource strain to a certain extent, and the existing resources are sufficient to meet the needs of all the people, the decrease in population in various regions has also led to the Great Ming losing its capacity for external expansion to a certain degree. This results in the Great Ming being unable to effectively develop territories like Xikun and Ourolopa even if it could conquer them by force, because there are not enough people to migrate there. Therefore, instead of occupying these territories without people to develop them, it would be better to follow the original plan and allocate these territories to the officials as fiefs. Even though these officials are all very cunning, they are absolutely enthusiastic when it comes to matters of fiefs.
After all, granting these territories to them as fiefs does not change the fact that the territories belong to the Great Ming. After careful consideration, Zhu Jinsong once again tapped his fingers on the table and said, "My lords, there is no need to persuade me further. The decision has been made. Some areas in Xikun and Ourolopa will be made available as purchasable fiefs. This decision will not change." Hearing Zhu Jinsong say this, Zeng Cheng and a group of ministers had no recourse and could only bow in agreement. After Zeng Cheng and the other ministers had all agreed, Zhu Jinsong continued, "Besides Ourolopa and Xikun, how is the selection of personnel to accompany the third prince to Xin Zhou coming along?"
Liu Huaiwen immediately bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, among the court officials below the fifth rank, forty are willing to sail with His Highness the Prince. Among those above the fifth rank, there are only a dozen or so."
"However, there has been a significant response from the common people regarding accompanying His Highness the Prince to sea, especially from Henan and Shandong provinces, with as many as ten thousand households responding. If we add other prefectures and counties, will it not be close to a hundred thousand households?"
Hearing Liu Huaiwen's words, Zhu Jinsong was at a loss as to whether to be happy or to complain. The number of one hundred thousand households seems quite large, but it depends on how this one hundred thousand households is calculated. If it were according to the time before the suppression of clan and family power, one household might have more than seven or eight people, with some even having twenty or thirty people. Even taking an average of ten people per household, one hundred thousand households would still be a million people. However, after suppressing clan and family power, the number of people per household is not as large. According to the results of the household department's statistics last year, the average number of people per household in the Great Ming is only six. Ten thousand households is about six hundred thousand people. Compared to a scale of one million people, the scale of six hundred thousand people is undoubtedly much worse, and it may even affect the development of Xin Zhou. The territory of Alaska is not large, nor is it small. Throwing six hundred thousand people there might not even make a ripple. After thinking about it, Zhu Jinsong simply looked at Zeng Cheng and the other ministers and asked, "In your opinion, should the third prince go now, or should we wait a while for him to recruit more people before he goes?"
Zeng Cheng bowed and said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I believe it would be better to let His Highness the Prince of Jin go as soon as possible." "It is not that I hope His Highness the Prince of Jin can recruit more people, but since the decision was made for His Highness the Prince of Jin to go to Xin Zhou, it has already been delayed for more than two years. Those who are willing to go have already registered, and those who are not willing to go, even if we delay further, they will probably still not be willing to go. Furthermore, His Highness the Prince of Jin's fief was originally controlled by those barbarians from Sha'e, and since it has now returned to our Great Ming, it is better to go and occupy it as soon as possible. If we delay any longer, who knows what other changes might occur there? As for the safety of His Highness the Prince of Jin... I believe that as long as the Five Military Commissions can allocate some troops to garrison Xin Zhou, the safety of His Highness the Prince of Jin will not be a problem."
Zhu Jinsong nodded, and then turned his gaze to Zhu Erdan, Liu Ming, and the other military officials, asking, "What about your Five Military Commissions?" Zhu Erdan, as the elder brother of Zhu Laosan, naturally had to avoid suspicion. Liu Ming and Liu Erniu and others did not have these complicated concerns. Liu Ming directly replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I believe that His Highness the Prince of Jin can take one army with him. With one army in hand, whether for further development or stable growth, it should not be a problem. After all the other ministers have expressed their views, Zhu Erdan also added, "Your humble subject believes that Laosan has learned from his elder brother for so long. If he cannot even deal with a few barbarians in Xin Zhou, it would be too much to say." However, after Zhu Erdan finished speaking, Liu Huaiwen resolutely said, "Reporting to Your Majesty, I believe that we should open an maritime route from Xin Zhou to the Great Ming." "The reason why the common people are unwilling to go with His Highness the Prince of Jin is not only because they know little about Xin Zhou, but also because it is inconvenient to travel from Xin Zhou to the Great Ming. If there is a maritime route, it will be convenient for the common people to travel back and forth, and they will naturally be willing to migrate to Xin Zhou?"
Hearing Liu Huaiwen's words, Zhu Jinsong immediately had some ideas. The Great Ming's railway lines were being laid rapidly, and telegraphs and electric lights had also begun large-scale pilot programs. The capital had even become the only city on the small broken ball that never slept. In contrast, the Great Ming's maritime transport was far behind. This gap does not mean that the Great Ming's maritime strength is not good enough to ensure the safety of the routes, nor does it mean that the Great Ming's ships are too backward to open transoceanic routes. In fact, the Great Ming's overseas military bases are absolutely capable of ensuring the safety of maritime routes, and no one is so idle as to go and provoke the Great Ming's navy. The Great Ming's ships have also developed greatly since the appearance of simple steam-powered paddle steamers. This gap refers to the total tonnage and the number of routes of the Great Ming's maritime transport. In these two aspects, the Great Ming even lags behind England, France, the Netherlands, and other European barbarians. It cannot be helped, the Great Ming is currently vigorously developing its naval strength, and its attention and investment in maritime transport naturally will not be too much. However, after a moment's thought, Zhu Jinsong could not help but look at Liu Huaiwen warily and said, "The treasury also does not have much money." Hearing Zhu Jinsong say this, Liu Huaiwen could not help but feel a little amused. "Do I only know how to ask for money in Your Majesty's heart?"
Zhu Jinsong did not answer Liu Huaiwen's question, but instead told Liu Huaiwen with a determined look: Yes, you are just an old man who only knows how to reach into the treasury! Liu Huaiwen naturally understood the meaning in Zhu Jinsong's eyes, and immediately said with a cold snort, "The reason why I proposed to develop maritime transport this time is indeed because our Great Ming's strength in maritime transport is indeed insufficient. Although our Great Ming's maritime military strength is strong enough, and the maritime routes between the north and the south are busy, our Great Ming's maritime transport is still far behind when looking at the entire world. Not to mention comparing with England and France, or even with the prosperous scene of Eunuch Zheng He's voyages to the West, just compared to the former Song Dynasty, our Great Ming's maritime transport is much worse. Speaking of which, Liu Huaiwen suddenly became extremely angry and said with a cold snort, "When I have time, I will definitely go to the graves of Kang Mazi and that old dog Qianlong and urinate on them! Damn them!"
Zeng Cheng and a group of ministers suddenly looked at Liu Huaiwen in horror. Not to mention that the bones of that little girl Bu Mu Bu Tai had already turned to ash, even Qianlong's mother, who was the closest, was probably long rotten! Thinking about it, Zeng Cheng simply said, "Then, when you go, remember to do it for Zeng, and I will treat you to drinks later." As Song Yucheng, Lin Shao, and other ministers requested Liu Huaiwen to urinate or pay respects on their behalf, Meng Fanzhi, the head of the Ministry of Rites, said with a cold snort, "What kind of behavior is this! Do you see that we are all cabinet ministers and ministers of various ministries of the Great Ming, and yet you still need someone to urinate or pay respects on your behalf?" However, just as Zhu Xisong thought that among the ministers of the Great Ming court, there was at least one normal person who was not following Liu Huaiwen and others in engaging in such "DiDi" (ride-sharing) urinal or "DiDi" paying respects business, Meng Fanzhi once again said with a cold snort, "I have an old chamber pot at home. Take it and place it on their graves for me. I want them to never be reborn!"