Emperor Chongzhen was too extreme.

Chapter 106 The Whole Country is an Enemy? Defeat Them One by One!
For a full two or three days.

Both Yan'an Prefecture and Yansui Military Town were immersed in revelry.

nowadays.

Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong had finally understood what Sun Chuanting's meaningful smile meant before he left.

Yes. In this way, the people of Yan'an Prefecture will indeed have no worries about food and drink and will no longer starve to death.

Meanwhile, those from other ethnic groups also realized their value in life on the land of Yan'an Prefecture.

Everyone has a bright future.

More importantly, His Majesty has instructed that we should march out of the pass and annihilate the Chahar tribe after the spring of next year.

This sparked a warm response within the Yansui military town.

Regardless of the soldiers' current physical condition, their daily training has undergone tremendous changes.

Meanwhile, in Yan'an Prefecture.

Sun Chuanting and Song Xianze have been working non-stop these past two days.

Although it was tiring, it was very fulfilling.

With the land statistics compiled from various parts of Yan'an Prefecture, dealing with the distribution of people from other ethnic groups became much easier.

But once you've tasted success with something, it's easy to think about how to expand it further.

For example.

One-tenth of the gentry and officials in Xi'an Prefecture remained unpunished.

Other states have even more remaining.

If these people were brought together and utilized in a unified manner, it is conceivable that Shaanxi's development would proceed even more rapidly.

However, those with lofty ambitions will inevitably face distant worries.

After considering the bigger picture, Sun Chuanting's initial elation gradually subsided.

He ultimately did not bring up this suggestion to His Majesty.

Although Sun Chuanting also really wanted to gather these people together, the problem was that he really couldn't do it.

Not only could he not do it, he also had to advise His Majesty not to do it either.

There is no other reason.

The events in Shaanxi will have an impact that extends far beyond Shaanxi itself.

Although the emperor's visit to Shaanxi was very short.

But the earth-shattering events that have occurred here must have already reached the capital.

Sun Chuanting knew all too well what kind of people those powerful families across the country were like.

He himself witnessed the practices of Shanxi merchants in Shanxi.

Like these aristocratic and powerful families.

Upon hearing what happened in Shaanxi, their reaction was inevitably one of shock and panic.

Then they united as one, thinking of a way to make the emperor fall into the water.

There are far too many examples like this.

Therefore, in Sun Chuanting's view...

If all the remaining officials and gentry in Shaanxi were truly killed...

This will inevitably unite the powerful and influential families across the country with an unprecedented force.

Even so, they would not openly rebel.

However, the imperial edicts sent out from the capital would never receive any further response.

Well, although the Ming Dynasty is already showing this trend.

But after all, there's still a layer of paper separating us on the surface, isn't there?

Sun Chuanting knew.

The Emperor's entourage cannot remain in Shaanxi indefinitely; His Majesty will eventually have to return to the capital.

So whether or not this layer of paper is present makes a significant difference.

There is paper.

With such extraordinary talent, His Majesty can use this thin layer of paper to slowly manipulate things.

Step by step, the entire Ming Dynasty underwent a complete transformation and reform.

Sun Chuanting didn't know exactly how long it would take to see results.

After all, the Ming Dynasty is now completely rotten!

Although Shaanxi has been initially revitalized, Sun Chuanting is not optimistic about the future of the Ming Dynasty.

They were even somewhat pessimistic.

Because the Ming Dynasty at present is like a terminally ill person, covered with festering sores, who is about to die.

Shaanxi is merely one of the countless festering sores on the body of this dying man, and not so important of all.

The powerful families and clans of Jiangnan, the Japanese pirates who invaded the borders of Zhejiang, the maritime smuggling in Fujian, the Jurchens of Liaodong, the Shanxi merchants, and the mining thieves of Huguang.
Which of these is not infinitely more difficult to handle than the drought in Shaanxi?!

now.

Sun Chuanting looked at the beaming Song Xianze and countless farmers beside him.

He could only sigh silently in his heart.

His Majesty did not know how to solve these problems.

But even with His Majesty's unparalleled talent, it would be difficult to completely eradicate these festering sores.

It will take at least twenty or thirty years to accomplish.

To put it bluntly, His Majesty is a human being, not an omnipotent deity.

And that's an optimistic estimate.

If we're being conservative...

It would probably take thirty to fifty years, or even two generations, to accomplish this.

Because this is not simply ZTE.

Every dynasty has a history of more than two hundred years, why are they still talking about a revival?
If we had to give this great undertaking a name, then we could only call it the "End of the Prosperity".

The move to revitalize ZTE.

Although there aren't many recorded in historical books, there are still a few examples.

But throughout history, when has there ever been any instance of decline or ruin?

Unheard of!

Therefore, this layer of paper must be kept.

There is paper.

Sun Chuanting felt that there was a real chance of accomplishing this within a few decades, and that he would just need to wholeheartedly guard Shaanxi for His Majesty.

Without paper, Sun Chuanting didn't even dare to think about what to do.

now.

Sun Chuanting was riding a horse.

Listening to the cheerful laughter around him, and looking in the direction of His Majesty's Yansui Garrison, his gaze became increasingly solemn.

Even if we don't break the ice.

How perilous will His Majesty be after returning to the capital?
Countless worries flooded my mind one after another.

Sun Chuanting took a deep breath.

Once he finishes his current tasks, he must communicate with His Majesty in advance to discuss these matters and allow His Majesty to make plans ahead of time.

at the same time.

In the capital city.

The cabinet ministers and representatives of the civil service gathered again at that secluded mansion.

But this time.

People are much more cautious than before.

Specifically, every corner of the room was thoroughly searched.

I'm afraid that before they've even finished their discussion, the Imperial Guards under the bed will burst out laughing.

Although everyone knew that this was impossible in this heavily guarded mansion.

But the matter to be discussed today is far too important to be taken lightly.

Moreover, their caution was not unfounded or based on overreaction.

Some time ago, an official wanted to transfer some assets back to his hometown.

As a result, before he even left the city in the middle of the night, his concubine was confiscated by the imperial party!

Recently, the Imperial Party in the capital has indeed become much more aggressive than before.

He even goes so far as to raise his fist and slap someone in the face right there in the imperial court.
Such behavior is truly no different from that of the tyrannical rulers Jie and Zhou.

They really set a good example of how the superiors set a good example for the subordinates!
Think of this.

The atmosphere inside the room became oppressive again.

Some time ago.

They had just thought they could trap the emperor in Shaanxi and were finally having a good time.

But unexpectedly, various intelligence reports came in that the emperor was not only alive, but had also killed many people who should not have died!

A sense of oppression pervaded the air.

Grand Secretary Huang Lijie spoke up: "Have you all heard about the many vassal kings whose families were raided and whose clans were exterminated, the execution of Qiao Yingjia, Hong Chengchou and others by dismemberment, and the massacre of Du Wenhuan and his personal guards?" The officials nodded silently.

When people first heard these bombshell announcements being relayed back to the capital, they were filled with panic and fear.

But now, I am completely numb.

The emperor has already seized power, so it's clear he can't just die peacefully in Shaanxi anymore. What can we do?!

He flew straight over and cleaved him in two with a single strike?!

Or should they simply rally the powerful families to raise an army, sweep all the way to Shaanxi, and kill the emperor?!

They wanted to, but that's not how aristocratic families rebel.

There is no other reason.

If that were actually done, it would surely be recorded in history books and could never be erased.

They may have won for a time, but it is equivalent to losing for generations to come.

When the time comes, whichever faction ascends to the throne, they will do everything in their power to eliminate these powerful and influential families.

They might be able to defend against one or two generations, but what about after that?

Just like Sima Yi swore an oath while drowning.

You might have had a good time then, but what about your descendants?

It is our responsibility to carry on the family legacy.

For countless aristocratic families, this statement is by no means a joke.

So if we can't just go to Shaanxi and kill the emperor, why worry about it every day?

We can't really scare ourselves to death, can we?

Instead of wasting time on this, let's think about how to curb the emperor's momentum.

Ever since.

After nodding in agreement, someone else spoke up:
"Not only that, I heard that he also led his troops in a surprise attack on the foreign tribe overnight, and returned victorious. The whole of Shaanxi was overjoyed."

One official lamented, "Some are happy while others are sad! I heard that the emperor even carried out some kind of 'eleven-fold levy' in Shaanxi."

"It's eleventh day of the lunar month," someone corrected.

The official who brought up the matter shuddered and continued:
"In that case, let's wait and see how the emperor deals with the remaining officials and gentry in Shaanxi."

The words weren't explicitly stated, but everyone understood what they meant.

If the emperor doesn't go too far with the remaining people, and doesn't confiscate their property and exterminate their families...

So our aristocratic families in the mainland are willing to maintain a certain tacit understanding with the imperial power—to avoid a complete falling out.

After all, the fact that the emperor was able to accomplish such a feat in Shaanxi already proved his ability.

The powerful families were also willing to give up some of their profits for this.

At worst, I used to get 90%, now I only get 80%.
80% is still too little, let's say 85%!

of course.

The profits that were given up must naturally be recouped from the poor.

Moreover, they did not truly coexist peacefully with the emperor.

This is merely a delaying tactic.

Afterwards, the powerful and wealthy families would inevitably think about how to get rid of the emperor in a reasonable and justifiable way.

After all, half of that 10% comes from cutting flesh from everyone else's body.

To take something and then give it away? That's against human nature!

If the emperor doesn't even spare the remaining officials...
That would be ungrateful!

No matter how brilliant and powerful you are, no matter how extraordinary your abilities are, you are still just an emperor.

Qin Shi Huang, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Taizong of Tang, and Emperor Taizu of Song—which one of them didn't possess extraordinary talent and ability?

But what are the consequences of offending a powerful family?
The First Emperor was condemned for a thousand years for merely killing a few Confucian scholars and burning a few books, and to this day he cannot shake off the title of a tyrant.

The rule of the empire by aristocratic families is the fundamental principle by which an emperor can become emperor.

Even though the founding emperor of this dynasty killed countless people, he could still easily cause a major upheaval in the north and south if he wasn't careful.

What can you do?

With so many powerful families, how could you possibly kill them all?!

Do you really think that killing a bunch of people in the capital and doing something in a poor, remote place like Shaanxi will allow you to compete with powerful families?
You dare to kill any of the remaining officials and gentry in Shaanxi!
We won't openly rebel, but from now on, your decrees will never leave the capital!
Do you really think you can just stay in that tiny corner of the capital and be the emperor of the Ming Dynasty?!
Think of this.

Grand Secretary Zhang Guopu continued, "If the Emperor really takes action against the remaining officials and gentry in Shaanxi, have you all prepared your memorials?"

Everyone looked at Zhang Guopu and nodded slightly.

If the emperor really makes a move, they will show him what it truly means to be a lonely and isolated ruler!

In Yan'an Prefecture.

As time slowly passed.

Sun Chuanting's worries did not dissipate; on the contrary, they intensified.

He feared that, given His Majesty's temperament, he might directly order the remaining officials and gentry in Shaanxi to be treated as foreigners and punished.

of course.

Sun Chuanting also wanted to get involved.

But it shouldn't be done immediately; rather, it should be done gradually, slowly, and in an orderly manner.
Make it level, make it high.

For example, we can keep an eye on these people first, and then deal with them gradually over a year or two.

In that case, those powerful and wealthy families probably wouldn't react so strongly.

With many worries.

Sun Chuanting was no longer able to focus on his work.

After handing over the duties in Yan'an Prefecture to several capable subordinates, he immediately went to Yansui Military Town to pay homage to His Majesty.

He must explain the seriousness of this matter to His Majesty.

But what Sun Chuanting didn't expect was...

Upon arriving at His Majesty's palace, he heard the words that terrified him the most.

"Chuan Ting, you've come at the right time. Send the remaining officials and gentry from Shaanxi to the central assembly as well."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting became extremely anxious, so much so that he interrupted His Majesty directly.

"Your Majesty, it is absolutely impossible!"

"."

Sun Chuanting knelt on the ground and recounted the consequences of the matter, especially the fact that powerful families would form a full-scale alliance to defy orders.

However, he was unmoved by Sun Chuanting's series of heartfelt and earnest advice.

Zhu Youjian simply sat in his seat and listened calmly.

He was certainly aware of what Sun Chuanting was saying.

He even anticipated from the very beginning that things would develop to this point.

But for Zhu Youjian, this was exactly what he wanted.

What is Zhu Youjian going to do?!

He wanted the world to have only one Ming Dynasty, not just one emperor within the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the alliance of powerful families is a major benefit for him, saving him the trouble of searching for each one individually.

To quell external threats, we must first secure internal stability.

How to pacify the internal situation?

For Zhu Youjian, a comprehensive and thorough purge was the best approach.

Any appeasement tactics.

None of them could truly bring the Ming Dynasty to the top of the world.

After all, these days, the Ming Dynasty wasn't the only empire that wanted to dominate the world.

As for those so-called aristocratic families, Zhu Youjian didn't take them seriously at all.

If we can't even handle these people, what's the point of talking about there being only one Great Ming Dynasty in the world?!

However, Zhu Youjian could understand Sun Chuanting's concerns.

He looked at Sun Chuanting and said in a gentle tone, "I am aware of the concerns you have raised. There is no need to worry. I will take care of them myself."

Upon hearing this, Sun Chuanting was taken aback at first, then quickly considered how His Majesty should break the deadlock.

From his perspective, he truly couldn't understand how His Majesty could deal with those large groups of powerful and influential families using such tactics.

We can't just kill everyone, can we?

This doesn't seem like it's about rebuilding the world from scratch! This is far more difficult than rebuilding the world!

Throughout history, even the founding emperors of various dynasties who gained power on horseback only achieved this with the support of certain powerful families.

What is His Majesty going to do?!

Sun Chuanting racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.

After a moment of silence, Sun Chuanting finally spoke, continuing his advice:

"Your Majesty, if we really do this, the powerful and wealthy families throughout the country will become an impenetrable wall, impossible to penetrate. How will you then break this deadlock?"

"Therefore, Your Majesty, please reconsider!"

Zhu Youjian looked at Sun Chuanting, his tone indifferent:

"Defeat them one by one."

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(End of this chapter)