With a strict supervision system, or in other words, without a suitable environment, no one would harbor rebellious thoughts, or would not dare to do so.
Ambition, utilitarianism, greed... everyone has them.
The emperor was high above everyone else, possessing the power to satisfy the desires of his subjects. If they wanted fame, he would give it to them; if they wanted profit, he would reward them with profit; if they wanted power, he would grant them power...
But it cannot be allowed to grow indefinitely and needs to be controlled within certain limits.
For example, anti-corruption and the decentralization of military command, military law, and food and wages are all means for the emperor to control through systems and laws.
Corrupt officials must be severely punished, and military power cannot be monopolized by one person to prevent the emergence of warlords.
With these systems and secret reports, the emperor did not have to bother to examine the loyalty of officials and generals. After all, historical records cannot be fully trusted.
Loyalty and competence are not identical; being both loyal and competent is, of course, the best. But as long as one is competent, the emperor will use him, regardless of whether you seek fame or profit.
At this time, the emperor was in the Qianqing Palace reading memorials and petitions, as well as secret reports from his confidants and ministers.
In this majestic and magnificent palace, the emperor is both the supreme being and a prisoner.
How many emperors were deceived by their ministers, and how many emperors were blinded by this memorial?
To maintain a clear hearing and a clear eye, the surveillance and secret reports of the factory guards are indispensable, as are the reports of trusted officials. Together, they can prevent one side from being biased.
"Master Yuan, you've worked so hard..."
After reading Yuan Keli's memorial, the emperor gained a deeper understanding of the current situation in Liaodong.
The trauma of the war was severe, the reconstruction process was complicated, and the investment was huge, which gave the emperor a headache.
If it was just a simple restoration, it would obviously not satisfy the emperor. Reconstruction is really a reconstruction from scratch. Roads, houses, infrastructure... are all according to the emperor's plan. What is built will be a new Liaodong.
Broad, thickened roads, even if made of rammed earth, will crisscross Liaodong; the fertile black soil will yield crops like rye, potatoes, and corn even in the cold of the Little Ice Age...
If Liaodong is stable, then the Ming Dynasty is stable. As for the threat from the Western Barbarians at sea, even if the navy does not develop, it will only be hundreds of years away.
It is the emperor's dream to roam the world, but the threat from the north has always been a nightmare for the Han dynasties in the Central Plains throughout history, and this is also the emperor's deep-rooted concern.
The Jiannu still had some remaining enemies. The cold weather of the Little Ice Age had caused the grasslands to move south, making life even more difficult for the nomadic peoples. And there were also greedy bears further north...
Therefore, the stronger the rebuilt Liaodong becomes, the larger its population, the more complete its facilities, and the greater its power. It will not only serve as a barrier to the Ming Dynasty, but also become a strategic blade that the Ming Dynasty thrusts northward.
The emperor's eyes became firm, and in his reply to Teacher Yuan he agreed to the huge additional funding that was not planned.
Money is nothing, spending it wisely is the right choice. If you are an emperor, no matter how poor you are, you can easily have ten dishes in one meal.
The emperor pursed his lips, smiled self-deprecatingly, and gently put down his pen. When he looked up, he saw Li Chengcheng's smile and the candied white fungus served to him.
Taking the small bowl, the emperor smiled and nodded, then drank slowly with a small spoon.
"Your Majesty," Li Chengcheng reported with a smile, "The reward money from Liaodong has been transferred, and there is still 13.5 million silver in the treasury."
The emperor pondered for a moment and said, "Keep ten million and send the rest to mint coins."
Half of the money left by Grandpa Wanli had been spent, and the only thing left in the inner treasury was that the emperor had earned it in every possible way. For example, glass mirrors, textile machinery...
Although the anti-corruption campaign and the clearing of military garrisons solved a lot of problems, the emperor still had to spend his private money to make the Ming Empire what he wanted it to be and to survive the impending disaster.
The emperor felt a pang of pain, but he wasn't stingy. Revenue and expenditure were gradually balancing, though there were a few unplanned expenses this year. But hard work pays off, and that day isn't far off.
Putting the bowl down, the emperor took out another secret memorial, which was from Shen Yourong.
In history, Zheng Zhilong controlled the Taiwan Strait with his powerful navy, and even the foreigners had to pay a toll, making him a fortune.
How could the emperor not have thought of such a way to make money? He had been gritting his teeth and raising funds for the navy.
Shen Yourong's secret report was a response to the emperor's urgent need. Based on the current rate of investment and expansion, the emperor's requirements would be met in two or three years.
Not surprising! Although the emperor was anxious, the answer was not far from his estimate.
Building ships and adding guns, expanding the navy, and conducting sea training...all these cost money, and it's not possible to see big results in a short period of time.
Although the combined size of the Ming Empire's navy is now large enough to resist the Western barbarians with its numerical advantage, it only has an advantage in the near sea, which is not what the emperor hopes for.
“Hopefully, the money will speed up the process.”
The emperor wrote a reply, then looked up at Li Chengcheng and said, "Take another two million silver coins from the inner treasury."
Li Chengcheng was stunned for a moment, then nodded vigorously, "I obey your order."
The emperor just smiled bitterly and picked up the memorial and the petition again.
He was not surprised by the huge cost, because he wanted to transform the entire Ming Empire, not just act as a paper-hanger and let the empire continue on its original path and maintain its original state.
The Ming Empire was not only the Celestial Empire and the center of the world as the people of the Ming believed. The emperor wanted the Ming Empire to truly stand at the top of the world, to stand tall among all the powers, and even to become the empire on which the sun never sets.
The emperor's focus is on the whole world, not Asia, let alone the country.
Recovering Liaodong was only a part of his grand plan and the first goal he wanted to achieve.
For this purpose, the emperor spent all the money in the inner treasury without any hesitation.
The emperor breathed a sigh of relief, put down his pen, and gently rubbed his sore eyes. A soft hand fell on the emperor's shoulder, squeezing with just the right amount of force, making him feel a sense of relief.
The palace door opened slightly, and Wang Tigan hurried in. Seeing that the emperor was resting with his eyes closed, he hesitated and did not step forward to report.
"Royal companion, present it!" The emperor opened his eyes slightly and said slowly.
"Yes." Wang Tigan stepped forward and bowed, presenting a secret report. "Urgent report from Yunnan sent by the Pacification Office."
Yunnan?! The emperor opened his eyes, slightly surprised. He reached out to take the secret report, opened it and looked at it, frowning.
Duke of Qian, Mu Qiyuan, died suddenly?!
The emperor blinked slowly, feeling that there was something suspicious, and looked carefully at the content below.
Mu Qiyuan inherited the title of Duke of Qian two years ago. The emperor was deeply dissatisfied with his frivolous and lawless behavior, as well as his indulgence of his servants in harming the people. However, this guy's sudden death was too sudden.
"Mu Tianbo is only one year old..." The emperor put down the secret report, tapped it lightly with his fingers, and muttered to himself.
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