Fu Shanhe

Chapter 540 Thunder
Yong'an, the residence of the Marquis of Hanshui.

"My lord, was the trip successful?"

Jing Yaqing asked with concern.

"The journey went smoothly beyond expectations. After entering the capital, the Liaodong army was blinded by the prosperity of the city."

They did a lot of terrible things, causing widespread anger and resentment.

"My husband went north to serve the king, following the will of the people and the general trend, and encountered almost no obstacles."

Li Mu replied with a smile.

The swift end of the northward campaign to support the emperor was also unexpected for him.

Within the Annam Protectorate, the estimated duration of this northern expedition was two to three years.

No one expected that the Liaodong army would be defeated so quickly, so quickly that the Northern Barbarians didn't even have time to send troops to intervene.

In an effort to contain the Tatars, he even dispatched an army to the north to harass them, but it was all in vain.

The containment plan failed to work, but the military operations of the Tatars harassing them from the sea were to continue for a long time.

Under the guise of attacking the northern barbarians, they successfully extended their sphere of influence from the South China Sea to the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Bay.

It is not only of extraordinary strategic significance, but also of enormous economic value.

The maritime trade routes to Goguryeo and Japan were now directly under their control.

"In the capital..."

Halfway through her sentence, seeing Li Mu's grim expression, Jing Yaqing's eyes suddenly welled up with tears.

"Condolences!"

Li Mu hugged his wife tightly and said.

Before the border army recaptured the capital, the Liaodong rebels carried out a massacre in the city, and many noble families were brutally murdered.

As one of the noble and aristocratic families, the Jing family was no exception.

Apart from those clansmen who broke through the encirclement and remained in the capital, there were almost no survivors.

Li Mu was also powerless to do anything about this.

The saying that noble families share the fate of the nation is not a joke.

With very few exceptions, most noble families suffered heavy losses during dynastic changes.

Being able to preserve the clan's lineage is considered fortunate.

In a sense, the Liaodong rebels did do one good thing.

Although dying at the hands of the rebels is not as good as dying for one's country voluntarily, at least it preserves the clan's reputation.

If they followed the rebels to Liaodong and then surrendered to the northern barbarians to save their lives, they would be doomed.

After comforting his wife, white banners were once again hung in the mansion.

With the passing of elders in both the Jing and Li families, coupled with the national mourning period, the atmosphere in the mansion was very oppressive.

Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere, the usually lively sons have become well-behaved.

Li Mu had personally experienced the grief of losing a loved one and knew that only time could heal all wounds in such situations.

After resting at home for two days, he quickly threw himself back into work.

Having been away for more than half a year, the Annam Protectorate had accumulated a lot of government affairs waiting for him to handle.

Looking at the thick stack of reports in front of him, Li Mu secretly groaned.

He was indeed born to be a hard worker; even after becoming a regional ruler, he still had to go to work.

It took three whole days just to go through it once.

This is even with subordinates handling it on his behalf. If he had to do everything himself, he would be exhausted sooner or later.

However, no matter how much authority is delegated, the leader still needs to personally oversee many specific matters.

Why has the migrant mortality rate on Irian Jaya (New Guinea) increased?

Li Mu asked, frowning.

As the Annam Protectorate continued to expand, the development of European colonists in Southeast Asia was severely restricted.

Compared to their approach of occupying a colony with just a few hundred people and one or two warships, the Protectorate General's approach was much more domineering.

More than 200,000 naval and army personnel and hundreds of warships are active in the Southeast Asian region year-round.

The military power that was on the table was enough to make the European colonists feel suffocated.

At first, they even tried to team up with the natives to cause trouble, but after several clashes, they all calmed down.

The more you know, the more you learn to respect.

After understanding the military strength of the Annam Protectorate in Southeast Asia, the European colonists, who had originally been clamoring to organize a coalition, were forced to become compliant.

There was no other way; the situation in Europe was too unstable, and there was simply no capacity to carry out a large-scale transoceanic expedition.

Their initial hesitation caused them to miss the optimal time to intervene.

Once ships of immigrants arrived in Southeast Asia and established local governments on the islands, it was too late to send troops.

"My lord, it's mainly related to the local climate."

Although Irian Jaya is large, the island experiences high temperatures and heavy rainfall year-round, resulting in relatively infertile land.

The Ministry of Government positions Irian Jaya as a source of timber and minerals, but the immigrants disagree and are looking for arable land.

As exploration of the inner island increases, the probability of accidents inevitably rises as well.

The recent increase in the mortality rate was mainly due to the extreme weather conditions caused by typhoons.

Caught off guard, the immigrants suffered heavy losses.

Wang Jingchuan explained with a troubled expression.

Logging and mining/smelting can also provide a large number of jobs, theoretically enough to support the development of a region.

However, the deep-rooted love for the land in the hearts of the Chinese people is simply unstoppable.

Coastal areas are frequently eroded by rain and are also frequently hit by typhoons, making it extremely difficult to transform them into high-quality farmland.

These difficulties did not deter immigrants.

Driven by a desire for the land, people spontaneously began exploring the island.

They didn't find any fertile land, but the island's abundant resources still brought them a great harvest.

Seeing the returns, everyone's enthusiasm increased even more.

When the private sector takes the initiative to explore and develop the inner islands, the government naturally will not stop them.

As the number of immigrants increased, the policy of allocating five acres of cultivated land per person came to an end.

Even now, when the government allocates land, it's the immigrants who have to go there and cultivate the land themselves.

To encourage land reclamation, the Annam Protectorate even enacted special laws.

Any land that one cultivates can be designated as ration land up to twenty mu and enjoy tax exemption.

Limiting the amount of land was not because Li Mu was stingy, but mainly to protect the common people.

If there were no quantity restrictions, it wouldn't be long before the people's land would become the result of the officials and gentry's reclamation.

Land transactions are now prohibited within the territory of the Annam Protectorate, and coupled with restrictions on the amount of land each person can own, this effectively curbs land consolidation at its source.

With these restrictions, along with a series of oversight measures, it can be ensured that the land reclaimed by whom belongs to that person.

In an era without machinery and lacking oxen, relying solely on manual labor, twenty acres of land was basically the limit for one person.

"For thousands of years, the Chinese people have focused on the mainland and lacked sufficient understanding of the ocean."

Our large-scale expansion into the ocean has set a precedent in history.

Based on past experience, it's normal to suffer losses when encountering extreme weather.

However, one should learn from one's mistakes.

We cannot change extreme weather, but we must learn to survive in it.

Especially in typhoon-prone areas, preventative measures must be taken in advance when constructing ports and wharves.

Of course, if possible, it is still best to avoid areas prone to extreme weather.

The world is so big, we can start with the easy things and move on to the difficult ones; there's no need to get stuck on one particular area.

Li Mu said expressionlessly.

Extreme weather will remain an unsolvable problem even hundreds of years from now.

The power of nature is not something that human beings can easily overcome.

Those who choose to explore Southeast Asia must bear the challenges posed by nature.

"Rest assured, Your Excellency, the Ministry of State Affairs has already formulated corresponding measures."

Currently, the main development areas are mostly fertile land and rich in natural resources; areas with harsh conditions have not yet been included in development plans. To date, we have discovered hundreds of millions of acres of arable land in Southeast Asia.

Theoretically speaking, reclaiming the lands of Southeast Asia and the Indochina Peninsula would be equivalent to recreating China!

Wang Jingchuan said excitedly.

I originally thought Li Mu was just bragging, but I never expected that there really was such a vast land in the Indochina Peninsula and Southeast Asia.

As the development of new territories progressed, the political slogan of "recreating a new China" gradually became a reality.

As major participants in the southward expansion movement, they will undoubtedly leave a significant mark on future historical records.

When it comes to contributions to civilization, he would easily rank among the top ten of all the famous ministers throughout history.

Influenced by Confucian culture, no one can resist the temptation of leaving their mark on history.

If you joined Li Mu earlier only to gain wealth and status, now you are fighting for your ideals.

Civil officials were easily swayed, but military officers were even more so.

Every time an island is occupied, a monument is erected there to commemorate the event.

From generals to soldiers, everyone wanted to have their names engraved all over the world.

As a promoter of the southward expansion movement, Li Mu naturally wouldn't dampen everyone's enthusiasm.

All officers and soldiers who participated in each battle were recorded and stored in local chronicles and headquarters archives.

When the officers and soldiers retire, they can make a copy to take back as a family historical record.

Their deeds are also recorded in the local chronicles of their place of household registration.

"Ok!"

"The five-year plan is about to reach the point of evaluation, and based on the current data feedback, it should have exceeded expectations."

The next five-year plan should also be gradually put on the agenda.

Unlike previous expansion efforts, the next strategic plan will emphasize development.

Having vast lands is not enough; we must also transform these lands into comprehensive national strength.

The exact amount of grain produced, ore mined, and copper and iron smelted in each region must be recorded in specific data.

In particular, the promotion and application of new technologies should be carried out gradually and in accordance with local conditions.

The agricultural sector also needs to be refined; the Ministry of Government should have a clear understanding of which crops are suitable for which land.

The local government offices below need to guide the people in planting according to the actual situation.

Another issue is the imperial examination system, which also needs to be addressed.

In principle, I support the establishment of the imperial examination system, but the territory of Annam Protectorate is so vast that starting the system would involve many issues.

The imperial court has gone astray in its system of selecting officials through the imperial examinations; we cannot follow in its footsteps.

For specific problems, the various departments should coordinate with each other to come up with a proper solution.

After Li Mu finished speaking, everyone instantly felt the pressure.

The new development plan, while not overturning the previous gameplay, has undergone a fundamental transformation in its core.

The series of measures implemented by the Annam Protectorate were ultimately aimed at better expanding outwards and better occupying and assimilating new territories.

For a long time, the military's pace of territorial expansion exceeded the government's ability to manage local areas.

In order to better manage the local area, nearly half of the land in the Annam Protectorate remained under military control.

Militarized management is conducive to quickly stabilizing local order, but it has hindered economic development.

Even if immigrants were sent there, they would basically be given food rations and living supplies, and then left to develop freely.

Routine management simply involves explaining the court's policies. As long as people don't break the law or cause trouble, the military won't interfere.

This kind of management is nothing more than making a group of farmers change their farming location.

Low productivity does nothing to contribute to industrial development.

To improve overall strength, it is necessary to transform a portion of the agricultural population into an industrial population.

It seems quite simple; all you have to do is send the immigrants to the factory at the beginning.

However, in practice, it is not simply a matter of population movement.

The prerequisite for increasing the number of industrial workers is to have industries, and the prerequisite for having industries is to have markets.

Despite possessing the most advanced production technology of our time, the pace of industrial development remains slow, primarily due to insufficient market demand.

This was a completely unfamiliar topic for everyone.

These kinds of things were never taught in the classics, and none of the many sages throughout history have encountered such an unprecedented upheaval.

We can only move forward by groping our way, seeking development through exploration.

The imperial examinations that Li Mu proposed later caused everyone even more headaches.

While agreeing in principle, they also rejected the imperial examination system of the Great Yu Dynasty, clearly indicating their intention to overthrow and rebuild a new system.

It was simply because they were worried about too much resistance that they disguised themselves as imperial examinations.

Just by looking at the textbooks used by the students of the Annam Protectorate, one can see that their lord was indeed promoting Confucianism, but only to a limited extent.

In academic circles, however, they are completely at odds.

Confucianism values ​​principles over techniques, while this school directly reverses this, emphasizing techniques over principles.

In daily exams, not only are arithmetic scores brought up to the same level as traditional Chinese studies, but a science subject has also been added.

Some of the knowledge contained therein was passed down from our ancestors, some came from Europe, and some was personally revised and supplemented by Li Mu.

When traditional scholars saw this, they were all so angry that they cursed.

Fortunately, the traditional pedantic scholars were mostly concentrated within the territory of Dayu, and they would only curse in private based on hearsay.

According to Li Mu, if these things were included in the imperial examinations, the traditional literati circle would definitely explode.

Adhering to the principle of bullying the weak and fearing the strong, these people are unlikely to dare to cause trouble for Li Mu, but they will definitely not back down when it comes to cursing the executors.

Their reputation among scholars might be even worse than Qin Hui's.

Even though they knew it would be troublesome, they couldn't refuse.

Based on historical experience, the founding monarchs of every unified dynasty were stubborn; once they made up their minds, nothing could change their minds.

Throughout history, no founding emperor has ever changed his national policies simply because of opposition from scholars.

Although Li Mu is not yet the emperor, in the eyes of the public, it is only a matter of time.

"My lord, we must not rush the imperial examinations!"

Lan Linjie couldn't help but offer some advice.

He'd rather postpone things than risk stepping on this landmine.

If this policy were to come to fruition under his control, the scholars within the territory of Dayu would surely want to dig up his family's ancestral graves.

There's no way around it; the struggle for orthodoxy is never open to compromise.

The fact that a large number of Confucian classics were incorporated into a single field of Chinese studies is itself quite unorthodox.

By creating two more parallel disciplines, Confucianism was suddenly pulled down from its supreme throne.

In particular, much of the scientific knowledge was actually developed by the Mohists, which makes it even more unacceptable to most people.

The reason it was able to be promoted in Annam Protectorate was mainly due to its opponents; very few people immigrated there.

The scattered dissenting voices had no effect on Li Mu's decision.

"Indeed, we cannot rush things, which is why I asked you to formulate a plan first."

When to implement it and how to operate it will have to wait until the time is right.

Li Mu said calmly.

He didn't take the concerns of others seriously at all.

For scholars across the land, their true core desire was to become officials through the imperial examination system, rather than what the specific exams tested.

As long as their path to officialdom is not blocked, things are negotiable.

The rulers wanted to forcefully promote the reform of the imperial examination system, but these guys were just making a fuss for a while in the early stages.

Once they realize that things are beyond their control, they will most likely come back cursing and grumbling, and pick up those things that are considered miscellaneous knowledge to learn.

Some people are stubborn and insist on fighting to the bitter end, so let's just grant their wish.

Since ancient times, reforms have never been done without bloodshed.

Moreover, this is not just a simple reform, but an intellectual revolution that has begun in academia, aiming to completely break the bad habit of valuing theory over practice.

To reduce everyone's resistance, Li Mu showed some leniency, at least not directly targeting the Four Books and Five Classics.

Once the new imperial examination system is accepted in the future, he will gradually eliminate some feudalistic and harmful ideas by deleting and revising the textbook content.

(End of this chapter)