The four words "people-oriented" have appeared frequently in newspapers recently, basically replacing "pacify Liao and eliminate slavery."
The ministers could anticipate that once external threats were eliminated, the emperor's attention would turn to domestic affairs. "Putting the people first" was the purpose, or principle, of governing domestic affairs.
In fact, the saying "The people are the foundation of the state; a solid foundation brings peace to the state" dates back to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Unfortunately, for thousands of years, this has remained the case. If the state truly enjoyed peace and prosperity, there would be no cycle of dynasties changing.
Zhu Youxiao was putting the "people-oriented" policy into practice, from the national grain reserve, to tax reductions and exemptions, to the promotion of smallpox vaccines in medical schools.
It is not enough to just shout slogans, but to actually do things, so that it can serve as a role model and let the ministers know that the emperor does not just talk, but must see actual actions.
Every citizen of the Ming Dynasty is a national treasure. Do you know the demographic dividend? Have you ever seen a million-strong army?
If you like it, grab it; if you don't obey, beat it. The emperor built not a celestial kingdom in name only, but the world's most powerful country. The vast fertile land and the boundless ocean are all ours.
"The weather is getting warmer now. I allow you to go home to visit your family." The emperor was lost in thought and suddenly said something inexplicable.
Zhang Yu'er's eyes widened immediately, but the surprise in her expression was fleeting. She quickly said, "Your Majesty, I appreciate your grace. However, this is against the palace regulations. Please revoke your order."
The emperor glared at her domineeringly and said, "Rules are made by people. I am the Supreme Ruler, so I can change them. Not only you, but all the concubines in the harem are treated the same way."
It's good to have talent, so you don't have to worry about being talked about by others. Although Zhang Yu'er was promoted to a concubine and had two daughters, she always felt inferior to others in terms of her background and was cautious in everything she did.
"Your Majesty, I thank you. Your Majesty, I thank you." Yu'er was overjoyed and went up to him, kissing him passionately on the left and right.
If you kiss me, I have to kiss you back to avoid being at a disadvantage!
The emperor laughed, held Qi'er's face, gave her a long wet kiss, then hugged her soft body and rolled onto the bed.
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There was a peaceful atmosphere in the capital before the New Year, but something that happened suddenly made many people alert.
Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen was investigated, his house was sealed, and he was imprisoned on the charge of deceiving the emperor.
The charge of deceiving the emperor is very broad and can be serious or minor. In the past, the emperor issued an edict ordering nobles and officials to withdraw from business and strictly investigate collusion between officials and businessmen.
However, Zhu Chunchen did not follow the instructions completely. He simply changed the name of the shop in the capital to that of a distant relative, thinking that he could get away with it.
It's easy to imagine how this trick could have been hidden from the Imperial Household Department. The emperor had clearly not just learned about it, and the fact that he was taking drastic action at this moment was precisely because he was capitalizing on the prestige of his victory over the Liao.
Sun Yingyuan was in charge of the Beijing camp, Lu Xiangsheng was in charge of the Five Cities Military Department, and there were still tens of thousands of powerful troops in Liaodong. The external threat had been eliminated, and the emperor had no more worries.
After the incident, the emperor dealt with it swiftly and harshly. Zhu Chunchen was stripped of his title and exiled, as were his relatives. All the proceeds from the confiscation of his property were given to Wu Yongxian to be used as funds for the reconstruction of Liaodong.
Starting with Zhu Neng, a hero in the Jingnan Rebellion, the title of Duke of Chengguo, which had been hereditary for nine generations and the twelfth in number, was completely removed from the list.
As for it, it’s just concealing a few shops. Even if it can be called "deceiving the king", it doesn’t need to be punished so harshly, right?
The emperor was short of money again. Previously, he had to pacify the Liaodong region and now he was rebuilding Liaodong. Many nobles in the capital were afraid, thinking that the emperor had set his sights on their wallets.
The emperor did not have a good impression of the nobles and vassal states, but there were other reasons for his severe punishment of Zhu Chunchen besides the fact that this guy concealed his business activities.
Historically, when Li Zicheng's army approached the capital, Emperor Chongzhen sent Zhu Chunchen to guard the Qihua Gate of the capital.
However, after Li Zicheng captured Beijing, Emperor Chongzhen rode out of Donghua Gate with dozens of eunuchs, holding a three-barreled rifle, but was stopped by a hail of arrows. When he ran to Qihua Gate (Chaoyang Gate), Duke Chengguo Zhu Chunchen closed the gate and refused to let him in.
At this time, Zhu Chunchen had already decided to join a new master. He knew that the overthrow of the Ming Dynasty was imminent. Although he had been deeply favored by the emperor for generations, he could not give up his wealth and glory and was absolutely unwilling to die with this king who had lost his country.
No matter how much Emperor Chongzhen called out for help, Zhu Chunchen remained indoors and turned a deaf ear. As soon as Li Zicheng's army arrived, the Duke of Chengguo immediately surrendered the Qihua Gate.
Only at the end of the dynasty did the true faces of those "loyal ministers" emerge. The integrity of some nobles and civil officials was even worse than that of eunuchs.
It's not just Zhu Chunchen. The emperor has a score to settle. He wants to slowly deal with those bastards who waste the country's money but have no desire to serve the country.
Whether it was a warning to others, or the beginning of a campaign to clean up the nobles and vassal states, or even simply because the emperor was annoyed by Zhu Chunchen's historical ingratitude, the Zhu Chunchen incident cast a shadow over the New Year atmosphere in the capital.
Of course, the shadow only affected the nobles. Those who were not concerned with the matter still celebrated, and the common people did not care about the fate of the dukes and marquises.
For those who owe foreign debts, there is a saying that "the end of the year is difficult." For the nobles in the capital, it is now their turn to be anxious.
Hurry up, clean up your mess now, don't wait until the emperor catches you. Also, discipline your children and relatives at home, don't let them be found guilty by the officials for any illegal activities.
Although the emperor was ruthless in his treatment, he still had to save face and always found an excuse to take action again.
Humph, I'm going to be ruthless, but I won't even spare your dignity. I'll confiscate your property and destroy your entire family just as you harbor resentment.
The emperor sat in the hall, listening to Lao Wei's work report with a calm expression, and from time to time he reached out to fiddle with the small model on the table.
Old Wei spoke respectfully, with clear logic and concise narration. He had a rare good memory and did not even need a manuscript.
The emperor finally finished listening to the report. A smile appeared on his face, and he slowly said, "Wei Ban has done a great job. He has worked very hard over the past few years. Without internal stability, the pacification of Liao would not have been so smooth."
"It's all thanks to the emperor's wisdom and bravery. I just try my best to do my job well and dare not complain about the hard work." Old Wei bowed and declined humbly.
The emperor smiled and said, "Being able to do your job well and satisfy me is a great achievement. Next year, we must continue to strengthen our work in the south. The emperor is far away, and there are always some idiots who want to deceive me."
Old Wei immediately assured, "Your Majesty, rest assured. Those nobles and relatives in the Southern Capital who commit crimes will not be let off. Moreover, I have collected a lot of information, enough to catch some of them."
"No rush." The emperor narrowed his eyes and sneered, "After I transfer a battalion of troops from Liaodong to Nanjing, it won't be too late to deal with them."
Old Wei quickly flattered him, "Your Majesty is far-sighted and has a battalion of battle-hardened soldiers to intimidate everyone. Everyone must obey him."
Elite troops and generals were transferred from Liaodong, not only to Nanjing, but also to various border towns. They were all brave and experienced soldiers, and the northern border defense could be strengthened at once.
This is the same principle as assigning military officers who have graduated from military academies to various places and reorganizing the officers and soldiers in the garrisons.
There are differences in combat effectiveness and quality, which is unavoidable, but the difference cannot be too great, at least it can be used to deal with bandits.
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