Emperor Zhengde

Chapter 372: Deification of the Retired Emperor

Under the instructions of Zhu Houzhao, shortly after the dissolution of Parliament, King Zhu Zaikun of England announced the implementation of a maritime ban policy.

During the reign of Henry VIII, a series of incentive policies were introduced to encourage the bourgeoisie to engage in trade activities, and the bourgeoisie was also encouraged to establish many shipbuilding bases and factory workshops.

But for the fishermen along the coast, the establishment of these ports and factories naturally dealt a heavy blow to their fishing activities, forcing them to become hard laborers on the docks.

But now, the Kingdom of England naturally changed its policy.

"The King has ordered that all ports be converted into fishing ports. Fishermen along the coast can go out to sea to fish, but no boats are allowed to go out to sea! Only London is allowed to open a port, and it is limited to trade with Ming Dynasty!"

Roger conveyed Zhu Zaiyun's latest maritime ban policy to the Privy Council, and the Privy Council conveyed the decree to all counties.

The inspectors of various counties immediately carried out Zhu Zaikun's instructions and began to demolish the docks and factories. Not only that, they also converted the ports into fishing ports, using a combination of subsidies and trade bans to turn the coastal residents into fishermen again.

Pong pong!
The masts of England's largest merchant ship were also cut down.

At the same time, the English royal family also completely banned any collusion with English pirates who engaged in overseas plunder, declared these people illegal pirates, and ordered the royal navy to eliminate them and asked the Ming navy to assist.

England is a maritime country, and both the bourgeoisie and the treasury are heavily dependent on income from foreign trade.

Therefore, Zhu Houzhao's decision to let Zhu Zaiyun implement a maritime ban policy in England was actually a retrograde move. However, now that he had strong military power and the entire Ming Dynasty as his backing, Zhu Houzhao still insisted on turning England into an agricultural civilization.

In Zhu Houzhao's view, it is not impossible for England to become an agricultural civilization.

For example, Japan and England are very similar, both are island countries. Why did they remain closed to the outside world before the Meiji Restoration, while England could not?

Zhu Houzhao naturally knew that if he wanted to turn England into an agricultural society, he would naturally have to slow down England's productivity level, and this would mean forcibly reducing England's GDP.

However, Zhu Houzhao also thought of a solution, which was to reduce the total population and increase the average personal income. How to reduce it? First of all, he must be ruthless to the reactionary bourgeoisie and never kill one if he can kill two. Secondly, he can implement a strict birth control policy.

"The main problem is to ensure that the majority of the lower-class people have enough food and clothing in this process. As long as we can solve the problem of food and clothing for the people, there is no need to worry that the maritime ban will lead to resistance from the bourgeoisie. Remember, the capitalists themselves are cowardly and are paper tigers!"

Zhu Houzhao said this at the Privy Council meeting, and at the same time instructed: "Therefore, I have decided to create a 'sweet potato heyday' in England! What is a sweet potato heyday? As the name suggests, it means relying on sweet potatoes to solve the food problem of the people."

According to the original history, sweet potatoes were brought back to Spain by Columbus from America after 1492 AD, and then spread to Asia via Africa. In this era, because sweet potatoes were first spread to the Ming Dynasty, and Spain and Portugal were destroyed by the Ming Dynasty, England is not yet familiar with sweet potatoes.

Zhu Houzhao also took this opportunity to promote sweet potatoes in England to promote agricultural development in England. Not only sweet potatoes, but also potatoes, which should have been introduced to England after 1586, were also promoted in England by Zhu Houzhao.

In Zhu Houzhao's view, relying on sweet potatoes and potatoes, a Kangxi and Qianlong prosperous era could be created in the East, and naturally the same could be done in England.

"I have ordered Zhu Zaijie in Spain to transport 200,000 dan of sweet potatoes and potatoes! So, by then, the whole of England will not have to worry about a major crisis due to the sea ban."

Zhu Houzhao was full of confidence in this.

Therefore, Zhu Zaiyuan and others also confidently implemented the closed sea policy.

But because of this, the bourgeoisie resisted fiercely.

Admiral Robert was so angry that he started a rebellion and led his fleet to attack the Port of London, but was quickly sunk by the Ming warships. He was even escorted to the city of London and tortured to death.

The great pirate Drake was also captured and shot by the Ming navy.

Snapped!
At this time, Nottingham, the Inspector of Liverpool County, also shot and killed a dozen English pirates who were engaged in sea plunder, including three merchants from Scotland.

In any case, at Zhu Houzhao's request, England enforced a maritime ban policy.

This forced the entire ruling class of England to continue to become feudal manor lords.

This was naturally beneficial to the Ming Dynasty, because it would make the Ming Dynasty England's only trading partner, and England's treasury revenue and the people's living needs could only rely on Ming Dynasty's trade.

However, Zhu Houzhao's decision to ask Zhu Zaiyun to do so naturally made the neighboring countries, whose trade with England was originally very developed, dissatisfied. Not only the neighboring countries, but also the English capitalists who could only be feudal landlords, were the same. England's agricultural development was not as good as that of the Ming Dynasty, and these landlords were naturally unwilling to exploit the land in the traditional way.

and so.

Not long after Zhu Houzhao asked Zhu Zaikun to implement a strict maritime ban policy, multiple rebellions broke out in the country.

But this is nothing. England is not the Ming Dynasty. Even if all the bourgeoisie rebelled, they could not fight against the 20,000 officers and soldiers around Zhu Houzhao.

The logistical supplies of the 20,000 Ming troops brought by Zhu Houzhao did not have to worry about being cut off, because Ming ships were constantly traveling on the route from Spain to England.

Several months ago, Zhu Houzhao had ordered the Governor of Ceuta in the Mediterranean to transport a batch of arms to England.

Therefore, the Ming army in England now is more than enough to deal with rebellions in various places.

but.

What was expected happened. Because England's maritime ban policy also harmed the interests of France and Scotland, Scotland and France declared war on England almost at the same time and had already sent troops to England.

For England, if it wants to fight against these two countries, it is obviously impossible to win without the help of the Ming army. Now even with the help of the Ming army, it is difficult because there are still many bourgeoisie in the country who are rebelling.

Faced with internal and external troubles, Zhu Houzhao could not help but say to Zhu Zaikun: "My son, there is no need to panic in this situation. You must still remember one thing: all reactionaries are paper tigers. Don't forget that the majority are truly silent, and they support you. These city workers and farmers support you. What you have to do now is to further win them over." "Please give me some advice, father," Zhu Zaikun said with a bow.

"Distribute all public land to farmers, and all public housing in cities to lower-class citizens. Since these bourgeoisie and feudal lords still refuse to surrender, we should completely overthrow them. Once the workers and peasants have completely broken with these capitalists and landlords, they will be especially loyal to us!"

Zhu Houzhao then instructed Zhu Zaikun on how to do it specifically.

Although Zhu Houzhao planned to let his son launch a large-scale land revolution in England, one problem they now had to face was the military pressure from France and Scotland's attacks from the north and south.

"If necessary, we can abandon important towns such as London and Liverpool. After all, merchants in urban areas are more powerful and have more popular support. The Scottish and French armies only care about occupying cities! Our real supporters are farmers in the countryside, so we need to go to the countryside first! Turn the farmers who support us the most into elite soldiers, and then completely defeat these reactionaries at home and abroad!"

Zhu Houzhao continued, "I have thought for a long time and decided to move the entire royal family and the Privy Council to Newquay. This area is close to the sea, but the industry and commerce are not developed, but the agriculture is developed. It is close to the sea and can continue to receive maritime supplies from the Ming Dynasty. The agriculture is developed and most of it is rural, which is naturally convenient for us to carry out our work and further strengthen ourselves!"

"Your Majesty is right," Zhu Zaiyun was obviously a man without any ideas, so he just did whatever Zhu Houzhao said.

Zhu Houzhao continued, "Besides that, I have ordered your second brother to send troops to attack France, and I have promised him that he will be granted as much territory as he conquers in France. I believe your second brother is very willing to send troops. In this way, the fire in France's backyard will start. Let's see how long he dares to fight in England! What's more, I have ordered the Ming Navy to harass the coasts of France and Scotland at any time. My dear, after France retreats, I will help you annex Scotland and Ireland!"

After hearing what Zhu Houzhao said, Zhu Zaikun became excited. The depression he had felt about going to the countryside to develop disappeared. Even some of the nobles who had chosen to support him as the king began to look forward to it.

then.

Zhu Houzhao, the English royal family, and the nobles who remained by the king's side voluntarily evacuated the city of London before the French and Scottish armies joined forces in London. Even the 20,000 Ming troops who could have fought back withdrew after a brief resistance. The reason was naturally to avoid dividing their troops to defend too many cities, which would result in them being eaten up one by one by the French and Scottish armies.

"Bring me up!"

At this time in the English countryside, an English feudal lord, Chief Justice Shaw, was brought to trial.

Farmers from several nearby villages were gathered together, and several farmers who had a deep grudge against Xiao Zuo or had been severely bullied by him in the past were invited to criticize Xiao Zuo.

Xiao Zuo's crimes were exposed one by one, and then the new judge announced his execution.

Then, the local inspector confiscated Xiao Zuo's manor and the land it owned, and distributed them to farmers and serfs who had less land or even no land.

As a result, the farmers became more motivated and actively joined the army, willingly protecting the royal family. After all, they had to protect the fruits of their victory.

Catholic clergy and other religious figures who colluded with Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Zaikun, represented by Thomas and Roger, spared no effort to promote and even deify Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Zaikun for their own religious interests.

Farmers in a village in Newquay County who had just been allocated land and had a bumper harvest even though the land was barren by planting sweet potatoes and potatoes were listening to the monk Mani sent by Thomas saying, "This is the gospel from God. God became Emperor Zhengde in the East. Now he has become the emperor. Our king is also his son, the Holy Son! These delicious foods, which have a much higher yield than wheat, are the gospel he brought. Amen. May our Emperor Zhengde live as long as the sun!"

Because they had obtained land and abundant food, and because Confucian education had become popular, these farmers believed in the words of these church fathers and monks.

What's more, Zhu Houzhao did reward some poor English farmers with money and goods from time to time, in order to make more and more people believe that he was a kind-hearted god.

"This retired emperor from the East, the former Emperor Zhengde of the Celestial Empire, not only brought us a prosperous life, but also freed us from the troubles of disease, dispelled evil for us, and granted us longevity!"

Due to the development of global trade, various new epidemics began to appear in England, like other parts of Europe. The latest vaccine technology and medical technology such as penicillin brought by Zhu Houzhao made the people of England more convinced that Zhu Houzhao was really a god, and that his son, King Zhu Zaiyun of England, was indeed the son of God.

In the countryside of Newquay, Zhu Houzhao did not feel the tranquility unique to the countryside. Every day, English people from various counties came to pay homage to him.

However, Zhu Houzhao would only receive a small number of people, and he would do so by drawing lots.

However, when Zhu Houzhao met these representatives, he would give them some antibiotics, but nominally called them holy medicines.

Because of its miraculous antibacterial effect, more and more English people believe that Zhu Houzhao is a god.

Because of Zhu Houzhao, Zhu Zaikun's prestige began to gradually increase, and the lower-class people in England began to be completely convinced that Zhu Zaikun was the only Holy Son who could legitimately rule them.

……

At this time, in the cities occupied by the French and Scottish armies and other rebel forces in England, ordinary English people were not happy that they were ruled by the bourgeoisie or foreign armies. Instead, they missed Zhu Houzhao and their king Zhu Zaiyuan.

Under the influence of Catholic propaganda, and Zhu Houzhao's request for them to use Capital as a propaganda tool, the urban residents of England, whose land and fishing ports had been re-enclosed, and whose labor and personal freedom had been re-deprived, began to look forward to Zhu Houzhao coming to save them.

……

In less than half a year, Zhu Zaikun's royal army expanded to 100,000, and most of them were farmers who were extremely loyal to him.

A year later, when the French army suddenly withdrew half of its troops, Zhu Zaikun launched a counterattack with his army, which had expanded to 150,000.

Because the Ming Dynasty's capital force was powerful and the British bourgeoisie itself was not strong enough, and Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Zaikun united the church, peasants, and the lower-class citizens in the city, not to mention that Scotland and France were inherently aggressive, the encirclement of England by these two countries collapsed in just half a year, and the English rebels were also suppressed.

Zhu Houzhao and Zhu Zaiyuan returned to London again.

Zhu Zaiyun also issued an official decree that from then on, merchants were demoted to low status and only farmers, monks, Confucian scholars, and workers were allowed to take the imperial examinations, in order to further strengthen the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans and the purpose of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce.

Thank you for the 100 Qidian coins reward from my book friends Xigua and Coke

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(End of this chapter)