Ming Dynasty: The Crocodile King of Han Prince Zhu Gaoxu's Family

Chapter 384 New Year's Gift 3
"Your Highness, the grain production in Guangdong and Guangxi is abundant. In addition to supplying the needs of the army, there is also surplus."

After deliberation, officials from Guangdong and Guangxi have reached agreements with several neighboring prefectures through methods such as exchange. They are exchanging grain for medicine, cloth, armor, and other supplies.

"Therefore, Guangdong and Guangxi will absolutely guarantee the supply to my Prince's residence!" The old man from the Guangdong Provincial Administration Office spoke with great conviction. However, Zhu Zhanhe could see through his rhetoric: this fellow was using grain to exchange for various supplies from other prefectures and counties!

What a clever man! Zhu Zhanhe couldn't help but secretly admire the other party's methods. Zhu Zhanhe didn't object to the other party's methods; after all, when Zhuge Liang governed Shu, he used the resources of Shu to exchange for resources to continue his campaigns against Wei!

"Very good. It seems that my efforts to overcome all opposition and allocate land to officials in Guangdong and Guangxi have not been in vain!" Zhu Zhanhe was very satisfied with the officials in Guangdong and Guangxi.

After all, as long as it doesn't affect internal development, Zhu Zhanhe doesn't object to Yunnan and other places doing business with other prefectures and counties. In fact, he'll even praise anything that benefits the people and development! Because he has the Royal Merchant Caravan to back him up! He's not afraid of a trade war!
"Now that the preparations for the expedition are complete, let's talk about the governance issues that follow." Zhu Zhanhe knew that conquering a country was easy, but maintaining it was the real challenge! The biggest problem was how to hold onto the country that had been taken from the foreign tribes.

"Your Highness, after discussions within the cabinet, it is tentatively scheduled that the selection of scholars from Yunnan, Guangdong, Guangxi, and Annam will be conducted again after the New Year."

"Firstly, it's to supplement the needs of the Crown Prince in Annam, and secondly, it's to plan for the future needs of the Crown Princes in places like Nanxiang and Zhenla." As the head of the Ministry of Personnel, Xia Yuanji naturally stepped forward and spoke about the issue of re-selecting officials.

We need a lot of manpower!

Officials who perform well in Annam should be promoted to command positions in newly developed territories!
Those who are incompetent can be removed! We have plenty of room for them!
It's not just a problem with officials; it's also a problem with the civil administration of Annam!
"I believe Minister Xia has also seen the strategy proposed by Huang Zhong in Annam. Now, officials within Annam are starting to personally teach the children in the schools!" Zhu Zhanhe stated, expressing the need for civil officials.

In fact, Zhu Zhanhe had shown Xia Yuanji the essays on Annam's civil administration that Huang Zhong had presented when he was in Annam long ago. After all, the fact that people in Annam spoke an incomprehensible foreign language was something Zhu Zhanhe simply could not tolerate!

"Your Highness, rest assured, I have already communicated with the officials of Guangdong and Guangxi. A large number of scholars from these regions will be entering Annam soon." Xia Yuanji was a man of foresight; he knew that Annam was desperately short of scholars, and even more so, lacking teachers! Therefore, Xia Yuanji had already reached an agreement with the officials of Guangdong and Guangxi to allow scholars from these regions to enter Annam in large numbers!

Furthermore, in order to encourage scholars from Guangdong and Guangxi to settle in Annam, Xia Yuanji even planned to provide them with some other forms of compensation!

"Good! It seems that the Guangdong and Guangxi regions are indeed my vital backbone!"

Since the lands of Guangdong and Guangxi are so generous, I cannot be stingy.

I will compensate each of the scholars who are willing to enter Annam, and even all those who will later expand their territory, with one hundred acres of fertile land!

At the same time, officials at the county level and above in the newly developed areas will be selected from among them! Since there are scholars willing to come and help, Zhu Zhanhe is very generous. He directly compensates each scholar who is willing to support his external development with one hundred mu of land! He also gives priority to officials at the county magistrate level and above! Zhu Zhanhe believes that this will attract even more scholars!

"Your Highness is so kind!" Originally, Xia Yuanji had planned to privately discuss with his son-in-law after the court assembly some compensation for the scholars who had entered Annam! Unexpectedly, his son-in-law generously gave each scholar who was willing to settle in the newly developed land one hundred acres of land! He even gave them priority in official positions!

This was something Xia Yuanji hadn't expected. However, upon reflection, Xia Yuanji understood. After all, his son-in-law was a king who had risen to power; this kind of maneuver was perfectly normal! After all, that's the mindset of a king! To gain the greatest benefit with the least amount of profit!

It has to be said that Zhu Zhanhe was quite willful, having conquered a lot of land himself!
In response, Zhu Zhanhe declared with boundless pride, "I have plenty of land, I'm willing! I can do whatever I want!"
In fact, another reason for Zhu Zhanhe's willfulness was that she had enough Jinyiwei (Imperial Guards) to supervise her! "The land has been distributed to everyone, but you all know that it's all far away in Annam. If you don't let people cultivate it, I can't control that!" Regarding the land issue, Zhu Zhanhe's biggest worry was what would happen if the land he distributed was left uncultivated!
After all, Annam is not like Yunnan; it's quite far away and not in our immediate vicinity. Therefore, Zhu Zhanhe kindly reminded the many officials present of this.

In reality, Zhu Zhanhe's true intention was to have his officials quickly dispatch manpower from the Central Plains to support Annam! After all, Zhu Zhanhe didn't believe that anyone would willingly leave thousands, or even tens of thousands, of acres of land to lie fallow for no reason!

"By the way, since we're selecting civil officials, we can't neglect the selection of military officials." Before the officials could respond, Zhu Zhanhe shifted the topic to the selection of military officials.

"The war in Annam is over. The military academy should be established as soon as possible."
In addition, while selecting civil officials, an imperial edict will be issued in the name of the Prince's Mansion to set up a competition to select military generals! "Now is the time to use people, and Zhu Zhanhe will not give up any opportunity to select talents!"
Even if it's just a low-ranking officer, Zhu Zhanhe won't give up! After all, in Zhu Zhanhe's view, his family's wealth was accumulated little by little!

"Your subject will obey the imperial decree!" Mu Sheng had always been aware of his lord's fondness for military officers. Therefore, when Zhu Zhanhe mentioned the martial arts academy and the martial arts competition to recruit generals, Mu Sheng agreed without hesitation.

"Your Highness, regarding the recent progress of transportation and construction from Guangdong and Guangxi provinces into Annam..."

"Your Highness, regarding the selection of concubines arranged by the Princess Consort and the Dowager Consort," the officials then continued to nag Zhu Zhanhe for a long time, discussing everything from the recent progress of infrastructure construction in Annam, the progress of schools, the progress of Taoist temples, important cases in Yunnan, and so on.
When Zhu Zhanhe returned to his palace somewhat wearily, Princess Xia was already waiting for him in the room.

"Your Highness is back." Princess Xia saw her husband enter and quickly stepped forward to help Zhu Zhanhe take off his clothes and change into casual attire. However, Zhu Zhanhe could see a hint of grievance and unhappiness in his wife's somewhat dimmed eyes.

"My Queen Consort, what's wrong?" After his wife helped him change into casual clothes, Zhu Zhanhe turned around gently and pulled Princess Consort Xia close, pressing her against his body. Then, staring at his wife's aggrieved eyes, he asked softly.

"Your Highness, I am fine."

I am very pleased with Your Highness's reward today;

But~~
"But, Your Highness, why are there New Year's gifts being delivered today? It's a group of young girls!" In the end, Princess Xia nestled into her husband's arms, still looking aggrieved, and explained why she was unhappy.

"It's alright. If someone brings it, Your Highness should accept it and let the maids of the Prince's residence properly train them."

I believe that the person they sent has a clean background.

After the New Year, the Prince's Mansion will once again organize the selection of scholars and the martial arts competition for military officers.

At that time, a large number of new officials will be brought into the Prince's Palace, in addition to the officials who have been stationed in Annam and Yunnan this year.

"When the time comes, the Princess can bestow some of the eligible young ladies from the Prince's residence upon the officials as their principal wives." After hearing his wife's words, Zhu Zhanhe understood why she was unhappy. After all, anyone would be unhappy if dozens of beautiful girls were given to their husband.

(End of this chapter)