Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 451 Sharing Prosperity with the Ming Dynasty! Zhu Yunwen's Worries!

"Excellent!" Zhu Yunwen clapped his hands in praise, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration: "Li Fangyuan, I knew I had not misjudged you."

"With you in charge of Goryeo, I am confident that Goryeo will surely usher in a prosperous and peaceful era in the future."

A treaty, after a year of fruitless negotiations, was settled with just a few words from His Majesty.

This scene left Shen Moshu and a group of Ministry of Rites officials speechless with astonishment, their shock palpable.

In their view, the court's demand to sign such a treaty with Goryeo was simply a deliberate attempt to make things difficult.

After all, Goryeo was different from Japan, Siam, or Pegu, all of which had been conquered by the Ming Dynasty's iron cavalry, submitted to the Ming Dynasty, and allowed the Ming Dynasty to take whatever it wanted.

Goryeo, however, took the initiative to seek peace, relying on its status and naturally hoping to obtain more favorable terms.

Who could have predicted that His Majesty would win over the Goryeo envoys with just a few words and have them sign the contract with complete satisfaction?

It turns out that everything was under His Majesty's control.

The real killer move was not military intimidation, but quietly supporting a new king, namely Lee Bang-won.

This Goryeo prince, in order to ascend the throne, was willing to compromise with the Ming Dynasty at the expense of national interests.

That move was absolutely brilliant!

Subsequently, Li Fangyuan picked up his pen without hesitation, solemnly signed the treaty, and exchanged documents with the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Yunwen immediately issued an imperial edict, bestowing a grand banquet upon the Goryeo delegation, and ordering Yao Guangxiao to take full responsibility for assisting Yi Bangyuan in seizing the throne in Goryeo, with the military providing necessary support.

Yao Guangxiao was always skilled in political maneuvering and had a meticulous mind, especially adept at handling such unpredictable events.

His intelligence agency had laid a deep trap in Korea years ago, operating covertly for several years and establishing a solid foundation.

Now, having him handle this matter is undoubtedly the best choice.

After the Goryeo delegation took their leave, leaving only the emperor and his ministers in the hall, Shen Moshu stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said with great admiration, "Your Majesty is far-sighted and confident. You have already calculated the Goryeo matter without missing a single point. With just a few words, you have made them submit and sign the treaty. I am truly impressed!"

After speaking, he paused slightly, as if in doubt, and changed his tone: "However, there is one thing I do not understand."

"Logically speaking, reaching such a treaty is already a great achievement and can be considered a perfect success."

"However, since His Majesty holds the reins of the Goryeo throne in his hands, Lee Bang-won would likely grit his teeth and agree to even the most stringent conditions we propose in order to ascend the throne."

"Why doesn't Your Majesty take this opportunity to amend the treaty and strive for greater benefits?"

Zhu Yunwen waved his hand: "Although the Ming Dynasty is the Celestial Empire and has the power to influence the survival of Goryeo, if we rely solely on force and oppression without moral influence, how can we maintain our authority for long?"

Even if the new king of Goryeo is forced by circumstances to sign the treaty, what will the common people of Goryeo think?

"Wouldn't they harbor resentment, secretly resist, or even scoff at the peace treaty with the Ming Dynasty?"

"If the people of Goryeo oppose us everywhere, then even if our Great Ming has a mighty army that can shake the world, we will be exhausted and exhausted, like trying to put out fires everywhere in a raging fire. As soon as one fire is extinguished, another one starts burning."

A cold glint flashed in Zhu Yunwen's eyes: "If this continues, how will the merchants of our Great Ming be able to establish themselves and expand trade in Goryeo?"

"The cost of suppressing the rebellion would probably far outweigh the benefits gained; it would be a losing proposition, and a wise person would not do it."

He then changed the subject, saying, "Therefore, I often say that the essence of a peace treaty lies in the two words 'mutual prosperity'."

"This is not empty talk or pretense, but my heartfelt sentiment."

"As long as Goryeo sincerely submits and is willing to walk the same path as the Ming Dynasty, it will surely be able to share the glory of the Ming Dynasty's prosperous era."

"This is a win-win path, not a lose-lose one."

Zhu Yunwen smiled and said, "The signing of a peace treaty must be based on equality and voluntariness."

"I want the people of Goryeo to not only accept the treaty, but also to wholeheartedly support the Ming Dynasty's garrison and welcome Ming Dynasty merchants to come and do business here."

"Let them admire the culture of our Great Ming Dynasty from the bottom of their hearts and respect the teachings of the sages. Only in this way can we secure eternal benefits for Goryeo."

He glanced around and said, "The Public Opinion Department should shoulder a heavy responsibility in this matter!"

"We must not only guide the hearts and minds of the people of the Ming Dynasty, but also inspire the common people of all nations to yearn for the Ming Dynasty from the bottom of their hearts."

"Remember, conquest by force is the worst of all; the true way to rule is to influence people through culture, to let them bask in the light of the sage, and to make them forever grateful to the Ming Dynasty!"

Upon hearing this, the assembled officials were all deeply moved and knelt down in unison, exclaiming, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The Confucian ideal of educating the world is the highest ideal in the hearts of every Confucian scholar.

Most of the ministers present were scholars well-versed in the classics, and Zhu Yunwen's words deeply touched their hearts, arousing a sincere resonance among them.

However, deep down, Zhu Yunwen's true considerations for making this decision went far beyond that.

If we want Goryeo to remain subservient for a long time, we must never resort to oppression.

Excessive oppression will only provoke a backlash and increase the cost of rule.

Only by combining kindness and severity, using culture as a bond and interests as a guide, can we ensure the steady and long-term stability of the Ming Dynasty's hegemony.

Just as in history, during the Industrial Revolution, serf owners were willing to transform serfs who had been bound for generations into wage laborers who could freely sell their labor.

It was not out of compassion, but because they found that the cost of keeping serfs was far too high.
Serf owners were required to provide serfs with food, clothing, shelter, and even care for them when they were sick.

After all, the death of a serf meant the loss of a living fortune.

Although they did not regard serfs as human beings, cattle and horses were also their property.

When cattle or horses are sick, they should be allowed to rest and receive treatment.

We can't let the oxen and horses get too tired; if they die from exhaustion, we can't afford the loss.

Freelancers, on the other hand, are quite different.

They were given the name of "freedom," and were transformed from serf owners into capitalists. All constraints could be removed from them. They could be forced to work day and night with harsh methods, and every bit of their strength could be squeezed out to undertake the most arduous labor.

If these employees damage their health due to overwork, or even become seriously ill, the capitalists can simply ignore it!
At that time, all that's needed is to fire these employees, discard them like trash, and find new blood to fill the vacancies.

In this way, capitalists are not only spared the expenses of maintenance, but can also enjoy the fruits of labor. Compared with serfs, their income is many times higher.
What's even more interesting is that free laborers are often attracted by the promises made by capitalists, a mentality that serfs did not have.

Serfs, having been lowly for generations, knew they had no hope of rising above their circumstances, and thus often treated their labor perfunctorily and without any enthusiasm.

Free laborers, on the other hand, were ignited by empty promises and mistakenly believed that as long as they worked hard and struggled, they could break free from the shackles of fate. As a result, they voluntarily worked twice as hard, often for twice the hours and at several times the intensity of serfs, yet received very little in return.

It is much cheaper than supporting a serf.

Even if the employee falls ill or dies prematurely due to overwork, the employer is not liable.

When they grow old and frail and their usefulness diminishes, they can be dismissed without any mercy.

Based on this calculation, the value of a free laborer is hundreds or thousands of times greater than that of a serf.

The same principle should be applied to dealing with Goryeo.

The Ming Dynasty should not use force to suppress them, but rather use clever support to secretly control their economic lifeline and make them serve the Ming Dynasty's grand ambitions.

More importantly, by combining kindness and severity, using economic incentives and cultural means, they subtly educated and shaped the hearts and minds of their people.

This ensured that everyone in Goryeo, from royalty and nobility to commoners, yearned for the glorious Ming Dynasty and was willing to serve its hegemony, remaining loyal forever.

Let Goryeo forever be a loyal servant of the Ming Dynasty, rather than a threat.

Over the past year, the Ming Dynasty has been negotiating with the Goryeo delegation while cleverly utilizing the information channels brought by the delegation to promote the Ming Dynasty's strength, wealth, and cultural achievements to Goryeo.

Through these efforts, a group of officials and scholars who admired the Ming Dynasty and longed for civilization and progress gradually emerged within Goryeo, and their hearts were deeply moved by the glorious civilization of the Ming Dynasty.

These "enlightened people" in Goryeo spontaneously promoted the prosperity and advancement of the Ming Dynasty to their own people without any deliberate effort from the Ming.

They passionately described the grandeur of the Ming Dynasty, emphasized the backwardness of Goryeo, and called for Goryeo to take the Ming Dynasty as a model and humbly learn from its governance and cultural essence.

They even frequently wrote to the King of Goryeo, advising Goryeo to spare no effort in making peace with the Ming Dynasty and to strive to maintain a lasting friendship between the two countries. Only in this way could the prosperity and stability of the country be ensured.

The Ming court naturally favored these patriots who were devoted to the Ming Dynasty.

Not only did they express their appreciation for their loyalty through intelligence agents, but they also secretly helped them grow their power in Korea by providing them with money and support.

Their existence provided the Ming Dynasty's intelligence agency with a wealth of "intelligence" from within Goryeo, and laid a solid foundation for promoting Lee Bang-won's ascension to the throne in Goryeo in the future.

It was thanks to the support of these "loyal allies" that the Ming Dynasty's plans were able to be implemented step by step.

After properly handling the affairs of Goryeo, they began to discuss another matter: Zheng He leading his fleet back to China.

After heated discussions among the court officials, everyone agreed that a grand welcoming ceremony should be held for Zheng He's return to demonstrate the power of the Ming Dynasty and its emphasis on maritime endeavors.

Many of today's ministers hold shares in numerous companies.

The prosperity of these companies largely depends on the expansion of overseas trade.

Zheng He's return not only signified the opening of new sea routes but also foreshadowed further growth in commercial interests, which was undoubtedly great news for them.

The courtiers were happy to take this opportunity to publicize it extensively, which helped drive up the stock price.

Of course, this selfish desire can only be kept deep in one's heart and must never be made public.

They delivered a passionate speech in the imperial court, declaring that Zheng He had made great contributions to the country and that the court should take this opportunity to encourage more people to devote themselves to the cause of going to sea and to promote the pioneering spirit of the Ming Dynasty.

These high-sounding reasons became a convenient excuse for holding the grand ceremony.

Zhu Yunwen was aware of all this, but he did not reveal it.

After all, from the very beginning, he used the lure of profit to induce all levels of the Ming Dynasty to support overseas expansion and embrace the wave of industrialization and capitalism.

Now, the courtiers' reactions have proven his foresight.

Zhu Yunwen was secretly pleased and happy to go with the flow, ensuring the grand ceremony was held as scheduled.

After the court session ended, the officials left the main hall one after another, but Zhu Yunwen gestured for Yang Rong, Yang Shiqi and Yao Guangxiao to stay.

He ordered all the eunuchs to leave, leaving only four people in the hall, and a heavy atmosphere filled the air.

"My grandfather has been living in the inner palace for a long time. The deep palace is lonely and he is bound to feel tired. Recently, he has been thinking about leaving the palace and wants to go out for a walk."

Zhu Yunwen spoke calmly as he slowly recounted the matter to the three of them.

These days, he has been thinking about how to make proper arrangements, but he always feels that all the plans are flawed and cannot be perfect.

Left with no other choice, he had to keep his three trusted ministers behind to discuss the matter, hoping they could offer some advice and solutions to this problem.

In any case, all three of them were in the know about this matter.

Upon hearing this, the three of them looked on in astonishment, exchanging bewildered glances, and the hall fell silent for a moment.

"There can be no two suns in the sky, nor two rulers in a country. It would be unwise for the founding emperor to reappear now."

After a long pause, Yang Shiqi broke the silence first, speaking cautiously and solemnly: "If the Emperor Taizu has any needs, please let him know, and His Majesty will do his utmost to meet them."

"However, the news of Emperor Taizu's 'death' has already been announced to the world, and the funeral has long been completed. If we were to suddenly announce his resurrection now, it would be difficult to explain to the people of the world."

"Even if we can temporarily cover it up with excuses and deceive the common people, how will the historians record this matter in the future? This matter concerns the national dignity, and I hope Your Majesty will think it over carefully."

Although Yang Rong and Yao Guangxiao did not speak, the solemnity in their expressions and their nodding gestures were enough to show that their thoughts coincided with Yang Shiqi's.

In their view, it would be best for the Taizu Emperor to remain in the inner palace forever, quietly spending his remaining years until he passed away peacefully one day.

As for that renowned founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, he has long been fixed in the eyes of the people and in the records of history with his "death".

To be brought back to life is absolutely impossible.

Yang Shiqi addressed the emperor as "Emperor Taizu" from the outset, his meaning being self-evident.

Zhu Yuntong's gaze slowly swept over the three people, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty is getting old and has been living in the deep palace for a long time. Although the imperial physicians take good care of you, you are depressed. In the long run, I am afraid that it will harm your health. I am very worried."

He raised his voice slightly, his tone becoming more resolute: "I have been working tirelessly day and night to implement the new policies, not only to consolidate the Ming Dynasty and for the sake of the people, but also to reassure my grandfather and let the facts prove that the new policies are by no means the source of chaos, nor will they shake the foundation of the nation."

"I hope that he will no longer have to hide in the deep palace, but can see the light of day again and enjoy his old age."

"You need not concern yourselves with trivial matters." He waved his hand, his voice resolute: "I have kept you here today to discuss how to bring the Emperor out of the inner palace and back into the world."

……

(End of this chapter)