Chapter 14: Recruiting Brave Warriors for a Voyage Around the World

  Chongzhen 1st year, February 9th.

  Taihe Gate. Early morning.

  Before the morning court began, all the officials first sang a poem together, the theme of which was Wen Tianxiang's "Zheng Qi Ge", and then the morning court started. This time the singing was more uniform and majestic than before, presumably they had practiced in private beforehand. Needless to say, who doesn't want to make a good impression in front of the emperor?

  Yang's reform inspiration actually came from pyramid schemes. Falsehoods and lies told a thousand times, ten thousand times, the brain would be washed clean. So there was also the matter of officials "reciting poems" when attending court. The purpose was to "brainwash" the officials.

  Then it's time to get down to business.

  ……

  Yang Reform sat on the "Dragon Chair" in a daze. Underneath was a group of courtiers discussing matters. They were debating whether to increase salaries, arguing endlessly. Yang Reform saw before him a group of BBS water army, posting and speaking purely without meaning, their voices like the "racket" sound of next door's house renovation, directly blocked out.

  Yang Reform visited the new army yesterday and suddenly had a lot of enlightenment. First, military affairs must be strictly grasped, in other words, to train the new army, and deepen loyalty education. Second, silver must be tightened up quickly, otherwise even one's own Wenke Wuju people will become their own grave diggers in the future.

  Raising an army is easy, as long as you have money. You can train as many new troops as you want, without having to report to anyone or get anyone's approval. You can buy as many rifles as you want, as many cannons as you want, and build as many battleships as you want, all without having to consider anyone else's opinions. This is the benefit of being an emperor.

  Those officials will not bother you no matter what you do, whether you are a carpenter or preparing to be a Taoist at home, as long as you give them silver or don't ask for it.

  Yang reforming himself was bored thinking, suddenly found that the entire hall was quiet, no sound at all, all the ministers were staring at themselves with their eyes wide open.

  Yang Reforms asked: "Huh? Why are all of you looking at me? There's no flower on my face, hehe, how's the discussion going?"

  The ministers thought to themselves, "This emperor is really something. We've been talking for half a day and exerting ourselves, while you just sit there, lost in thought for half a day. It's as if our efforts were all for nothing. If we had known it would be like this, we wouldn't have bothered putting on such a show."

  An elderly minister stepped forward and said: "We beg to report to Your Majesty, we have discussed the issue of increasing the Liaodong tax, but our opinions are divided and cannot be unified. We request that Your Majesty make a wise decision!"

  "Imperial decree? Increase the allowance? Didn't I just allocate 2 million taels of silver from the inner treasury a few days ago? How could it be used up so quickly?"

  "Reporting to Your Majesty, the 2 million taels of silver allocated from the imperial treasury are being disbursed as we speak. Discussing the increase in Liaodong's allowance is merely for future needs; it can't always be supported by the imperial treasury!" This old minister indeed spoke a just word, this Liaodong allowance is absolutely not something that Chongzhen's current imperial treasury can afford to pay.

  For example, a soldier needs to spend one or two silver coins (food and salary) per month, which is twelve taels per year. For 100,000 soldiers, it would be 1.2 million taels per year, not counting the cost of equipment, training, burial, consolation, rewards, military officers, and construction, etc. It's impossible to fill the gap of 100,000 soldiers with just two or three million taels per year. Moreover, there are more than 100,000 soldiers inside and outside the pass, as well as troops in other directions. Chongzhen's internal treasury, no matter how much it has, cannot withstand this. Of course, if it's just for maintenance, 1.2 million taels would be enough for 100,000 soldiers.

  "Yes, I understand what you are saying, but I also understand about the increase in salary, and I'm sure everyone else understands where the increased salary will end up. I won't say more, you all should think of other ways." Yang Reform vetoed the matter of increasing salaries, but the fact is that the increased salaries always ended up with those poor households who were already struggling, the scholars and landlords had nothing to do with it, this is exactly what would force those people to rebel! By then, the war outside the pass won't have subsided yet, inside the pass will be in chaos. Therefore, Yang Reform wisely vetoed this matter.

  The grand hall fell silent! All the ministers were silent, the emperor's words were not wrong, where did the increased salary go? Everyone knew it in their hearts. Let's not discuss it anymore. Discuss other things. It seems that this emperor is also clever and cannot be fooled!

  Yang Reform suddenly said: "I see that all of you, my dear officials, are tired. Today, I'd like to discuss something else with you, let's relax a bit... Yesterday, I was looking at the 'Kunyu Wanguo Quantu' map and had some thoughts. If this earth is really round, how can people stand on it? Or, if one sets sail from a certain port in the Great Ming Empire and travels in one direction for years, won't they eventually return to their original place?"

  Shrimp rice? Is the earth round? The officials on the ground were all stunned, this Ming dynasty scholar-official elite couldn't understand. We elites have always only discussed the Four Books and Five Classics, poetry, songs, and fu, what does it have to do with us whether the earth is round or not? A ship sailing in one direction will return to its original place, this problem seems too... too far-fetched! It's really beyond our consideration. We're thinking about collecting a few more dou of land rent, raising two concubines, drinking a cup of wine, raising a few children, and on rainy days when we have nothing to do, beating the kids. As for how round the earth is or how wide the sea is, these are not things we consider.

  "Look at the picture." Yang Gaofei said.

  The little eunuch rushed out quickly and stood in front of the group of officials, unfolding a huge map. This was the famous "Kunyu Wanguo Quantu", an original version. It was basically close to modern maps and could be considered a relatively complete and reliable map. From this, it can be seen that there was already a gap between Western technology and Eastern technology in some areas, and Western technology had begun to catch up with the East at this time, and even surpassed the East in some technologies.

  Below, the ministers discussed and argued, Yang Reform said: "Everyone loves the son, I am known as the Son of Heaven, but I did not expect that this world is so big. Even if I am the Son of Heaven, known as the master of the world, rich in four seas, it is only one-tenth of what I have obtained. Alas, the name of the Son of Heaven is how ridiculous and ignorant..."

  "We would rather die ten thousand times..." The ground was again filled with kneeling figures. The Emperor actually said that his title as the Son of Heaven was merely nominal, how could this be endured by the ministers?!

  "Alas, I'm not thinking about the name of this heavenly son being inconsistent. What I'm thinking is, with so many places on earth, why can't we move our imperial subjects to those places? On one hand, it would alleviate the suffering of our dynasty's lack of land, and on the other hand, it would also be a pioneering achievement! What do you think, my dear officials? In the future, when we expand our territory, all of you will also be remembered in history as pioneers! How about that?..."

  Yang Reform was just testing the reaction of the civil officials, he didn't have much hope for immigration and expansion. The fact that the group of civil officials had burned Zheng He's navigation charts for his voyage to the Western Ocean was a clear indication of this.

  "Your Majesty, it's not possible. Those overseas lands are barbarian lands, full of diseases and epidemics. How can we move people there? Those who go will probably die nine out of ten times! Why must Your Majesty make things difficult for those poor families?"

  "Your Majesty, it is not feasible. Currently, the military expenses are already barely covering the costs, how can we afford to provide for the immigrants' silver needs?" Another minister also hastily intervened, likely from the Ministry of Revenue, who was more sensitive about money matters.

  "Your Majesty, our heavenly dynasty is a country of etiquette and propriety. How can we recklessly start a war over a small piece of land, causing the people to suffer and their livelihoods to be destroyed? And worry about others' food and clothing?

  I reckon this person is an old fool, a typical inwardly cruel and outwardly gentle guy. His own family is almost starving, yet he's concerned about whether other families will have enough to eat.

  In 21st-century America, if there were such sentiments, Saddam would cry out saying 'I really don't have "weapons of mass destruction"'. Between countries, apart from interests, is there anything else?"

  "Your Majesty must not..."

  "Your Majesty, it can't be!......"

  ……

  Just like in Yang's reform imagination, opposition was overwhelming. Yang let out a sigh and thought to himself that the pressure was too great! Even if he were an emperor, facing so many opposing voices would be helpless! No way, his own backbone wasn't strong enough! If he were Zhu Yuanzhang or Zhu Di, he probably wouldn't have had so much trouble and could have sent another Zheng He fleet to North America to observe the Indians.

  Yang Reform opened his mouth again, pretending to smile: "I know that this matter is not feasible, so I don't plan to do it. However, I heard that there are high-yielding crops overseas. If we can bring them back to the Great Ming Dynasty, it would be a meritorious deed, and countless lives would be saved. It's truly like being an immortal Buddha who is supported by all people under heaven."

  "Your Majesty, are you referring to the sweet potatoes, potatoes and corn from overseas?" a minister came forward to report.

  "Ah, exactly, do you know these things?" Yang Reform's voice was filled with delight, finally meeting a "good person". It's really a good person! Isn't he himself dealing with these few things? With these few things, under the terrible weather of the late Ming dynasty, it is possible to save more people and reduce the number of rebels.

  "I report to Your Majesty, I don't know, but I have heard that Xu Zixian and Xu Shaobao said so, and I haven't seen it with my own eyes. However, although I haven't seen it with my own eyes, I do know that Xu Shaobao has actually grown sweet potatoes." The official reported thus.

  "Xu Guangqi?" Yang Reform suddenly understood, the Xu Shaobao he mentioned was actually Xu Guangqi, who had recently been summoned back to court. He himself had even given him the title of Shaobao, which deviated slightly from history, as Shaobao was a title that was only added posthumously. However, there was another difference: due to the relatively low mobility of officials in the Grand Secretariat and various ministries, Yang Reform did not make any drastic moves. The Wei case had yet to be settled, and Yang Reform was not prepared to launch a large-scale purge, so many were able to retain their positions and continue serving as officials. As a result, Xu Guangqi never actually became Minister of Rites, but Yang Reform gave him the honorable title of Shaobao as compensation.

  "I am aware that Xu Shaobao has personally cultivated sweet potatoes. I also know that all of you should learn from Xu Shaobao! However, I have heard that there are other high-yielding crops overseas. I plan to dispatch brave warriors to follow the old route taken by the eunuch San Bao, and head in one direction to: first, verify the theory that the Earth is round; second, record the local products, especially crops, select excellent seeds, and bring them back to our dynasty to alleviate the food shortage; third, I have always wanted to experience the exotic customs, but unfortunately, I cannot leave the Forbidden City, even if I could leave the Forbidden City, I couldn't leave the capital city. So, I can only recruit brave warriors to take a trip for me, record the scenery and human feelings along the way, and satisfy my longing. Of course, this is a private matter of mine, it won't trouble you, and it won't require funds from the Ministry of Revenue. I will use my own privy purse to recruit some brave warriors and build several large ships..."

  Along the old route of Sanbao Taigong, re-advancing to prove that this world is a sphere. This somewhat surprised many officials, thinking that the emperor was indeed idle and had nothing better to do, but it's none of our business, let him be. However, upon hearing about searching for high-yielding drought-resistant crops, everyone felt that although the emperor was being absurd, he was also doing something good, at least compared to that carpenter. Most importantly, as long as the Ministry of Revenue doesn't have to spend money on it, then it's fine, mind your own business, you're the emperor, no one can control you, just do as you please.

  Then all the ministers said "good". Yang's reform to recruit brave warriors and build large ships to go out to sea was considered a success, of course, this money had to be paid by himself, it was the emperor's private matter.

  The emperor then issued an order to recruit skilled craftsmen from all over the country to build large ships in Tianjin and sail out to sea, and to recruit brave warriors to explore for the emperor, which became a "hot news" of the Ming Dynasty. Another stone was thrown into the stagnant water of the Ming Dynasty, stirring up a few small ripples.