Chapter 114: The Demonstration of National Strength
"You don't know how much money has been spent over the years on palace expenses, official salaries, natural disasters, wars, various repairs, etc. In the end, my father was forced to issue banknotes, which almost brought the people to their knees."
"Sometimes I find that being an emperor is really hard work. It's not as good as the carefree life of a prince like you. Now, you've brought such a huge income to the court. As your brother, I really look up to you!"
"Brothers, let's not talk about this, but big brother, you said that the court is short of money everywhere. Is it really that short?" Zhu Chong's words were ambiguous, but Zhu Biao didn't seem to understand.
"Of course we're short of money. You don't know, after several northern expeditions and years of war, the treasury is now so empty that even horses can run through it. We were counting on the banknotes to hold on for a while, but after what you said, we're even more stretched now."
After hearing what Zhu Biao said, Zhu Chong felt as if he had betrayed the Ming Dynasty. He smiled awkwardly and said nothing.
Seeing this, Zhu Biao waved his hand and said, "Don't think too much. We are brothers and we have nothing to say. Seriously speaking, the emperor and I have to thank you very much."
"If it weren't for you, who could show my father the crisis that the treasure notes would bring to the Ming Dynasty in a few decades, I'm afraid he would continue to issue large quantities of treasure notes, bringing irreparable disaster to the Ming Dynasty."
"Also, because of what you said last time, although the Emperor didn't explicitly agree, I can sense that the Northern Expedition will be slowed down for the next two years."
Hearing Zhu Biao say this, Zhu Chong laughed, "Brother, do you think our father is really willing to give up the Northern Expedition?"
"Well..." Zhu Biao and Zhu Chong looked at each other. The two brothers understood what was in each other's eyes, and smiled at each other the next moment.
However, as a time traveler, Zhu Chong knew too much about the history of the Northern Expedition during the Hongwu period.
He knew very well that Zhu Yuanzhang was unwilling to give up and that the Northern Expedition must continue. After all, Zhu Yuanzhang had been in power for decades and had fought against the small Northern Yuan court almost every year, and had even captured the Northern Yuan emperor.
But in the end, it didn't work. The Northern Yuan emperor could capture one and establish another. There was such a vast grassland in the north. As long as they were given enough time to recuperate, it wouldn't take long for a new force to rise again.
Therefore, Zhu Chong knew that the north would always be the biggest threat in the Ming Dynasty. So from this point of view, it was not wrong for Zhu to launch a northern expedition. Otherwise, the later Yongle Emperor Zhu Di would not have died in battle on the way to conquer the Northern Yuan Dynasty.
But generally speaking, the wars waged by the emperors of the Ming Dynasty against the north did not have much significance. At most, they could only gain less than twenty years of peace. They never fundamentally resolved the threat from the north.
"Second brother, actually I have always wanted to ask you, what do you think of the small court in the north?" Zhu Biao asked suddenly, which made Zhu Chong feel a little surprised.
This was the first time, as far as Zhu Chong could remember, that Zhu Biao asked him about his opinion of the Northern Yuan court.
Zhu Chong certainly had his own opinions, and he was familiar with this period of history, but he would never tell it to Zhu Biao.
So after much thought, Zhu Chong smiled and said, "I don't have a specific opinion. I just analyzed the pros and cons from various angles. I think conquering the small Northern Yuan court will waste people's money and resources, and the gains will not outweigh the losses."
"I knew it." Zhu Biao nodded. "But if we don't conquer the Northern Yuan and continue to invade our borders every year, then passively defending ourselves isn't a solution. Don't just analyze the pros and cons. Is there a complete solution?"
Zhu Chong opened his mouth, looking helpless. Zhu Biao was causing trouble for him again.
But after thinking for a long time, Zhu Chong said: "Brother, I didn't say we shouldn't attack the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
"What?" Zhu Biao's eyes lit up when he heard this. "But that's exactly what you said. And didn't you also say in front of the emperor that it's not appropriate to attack the Northern Yuan Dynasty?"
Seeing that Zhu Biao was determined not to leave until he explained clearly, Zhu Chong knew that he had to explain clearly.
"Brother, I'm afraid you've misunderstood. The existence of the Northern Yuan Dynasty is a threat to our Ming Dynasty. It is absolutely necessary to eliminate it. However, the threat to our Ming Dynasty from the north is not just the Northern Yuan Dynasty."
"Hmm?" Zhu Biao seemed thoughtful after hearing this. "Go on."
"Let's not talk about the small Northern Yuan Dynasty. The people in the bitter cold north are inherently tough. They believe in the bandit logic of robbing others when they have nothing."
Zhu Chong spoke eloquently, "So, as long as someone in the north raises a call, a large number of people will be gathered immediately, and they will march south to invade our Daming border, causing our Daming border to be in constant war and chaos, making it impossible for us to settle down and recuperate."
"So I have always believed that if we want the northern border of the Ming Dynasty to have a stable environment for recuperation and improve people's livelihood, we must destroy the small Northern Yuan Dynasty, but..."
"Just what?" Zhu Biao was getting excited when he heard Zhu Chong's words, but he couldn't help but ask anxiously when he saw that Zhu Chong didn't say anything further.
"Brother, have you ever thought that even if we destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty, will they really be wiped out?" Zhu Chong asked back.
"Well, what you mean is..." Zhu Biao understood the meaning behind Zhu Chong's words.
Before this, Zhu Biao knew the significance of Zhu Yuanzhang's Northern Expedition, which was to destroy the Northern Yuan Dynasty and ensure long-term stability in the northern border of the Ming Dynasty.
But from what Zhu Chong had just said, Zhu Biao clearly felt that he seemed to have missed something important.
Seeing Zhu Biao's puzzled expression, Zhu Chong couldn't help but sigh in his heart. It seemed that the highest ruling officials of the Ming Dynasty were not aware of the problems existing in the Ming Dynasty.
It was now the eleventh year of Hongwu in the Ming Dynasty. That was ten years later, Lan Yu captured the young emperor of the Northern Yuan Dynasty and completely destroyed the Yuan Dynasty.
But within ten years, many forces re-emerged on the grassland. After Zhu Di usurped the throne and became emperor, the north attacked again. Zhu Di died on the expedition to conquer the enemies in the north, but in the end he still failed to completely eliminate the threat from the north.
Many things have not happened yet, and Zhu Biao just happened to ask about it. Zhu Chong felt that he needed to teach Zhu Biao a lesson.
"Brother, we all know that some people are strong, some are weak, and some are strong, and some are small."
"If the Northern Yuan Dynasty were like some small border kingdom, the Ming Dynasty would be able to wipe it out in the shortest possible time with just the arrival of the Heavenly Soldiers. Because it lacks vast land, it has no room for maneuver. But those wolves in the north are different."
"What's the difference?" Zhu Chong's words made Zhu Biao vaguely feel something.
"Let me ask you a question first, brother. What aspect does a country's strength mainly refer to?" Zhu Chong asked Zhu Biao a question.
"Of course it's the army!"
"wrong!"
“Is that the population?”
"wrong."
“Is it national strength?”
"Even more wrong."
"What is that?" Zhu Biao said he couldn't figure it out.
"The strength of a country is mainly reflected in its land area!" Zhu Chong made a shocking statement.
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