Raising chickens and pigs and digging for wild vegetables, the county magistrate's promotion wa

Chapter 395 The Ming Dynasty Shares the Same Surname with the World

Helplessly rubbing his forehead, Yang Shaofeng could only sigh and say, "Your Highness, before you decide who to fight, you must first make the soldiers understand why we are fighting."

"If someone tells the soldiers that they are serving the emperor and should risk their lives for him, does that mean the soldiers should think that they should risk their lives for whoever is serving the emperor?"

"If someone tells the soldiers that they can immediately strive for a title and honor, can the soldiers think that one general's success is built on the bones of ten thousand soldiers, and that they, as soldiers who earn a living, are risking their lives?"

"So if you really want your soldiers to go to the battlefield with the courage to die for their country, you must first make them understand why we fight."

"It's not about working for the government or risking your life, nor is it about winning a title on horseback."

"They are the millions of people who protect this Ming Dynasty, including their wives, children, and elderly parents."

"You must instill in the soldiers the idea that they should fight wholeheartedly for the Ming Dynasty and its people."

"But the prerequisite for instilling this concept in the soldiers is to find a way to ensure that all the common people have enough to eat and wear, and to let the soldiers know that their struggles are meaningful, not for the military merit of a particular soldier being ennobled, nor for..."

Seeing Yang Shaofeng suddenly stop talking, Zhu Biao couldn't help but ask, "Is it for anything else? Why did you stop talking, brother-in-law?"

Yang Shaofeng did not answer Zhu Biao's question, but Zhu Biao smiled nonchalantly and said, "It's not for the sake of one family or one clan's rule, am I right, little brother?"

Just as Yang Shaofeng was slightly stunned, Zhu Biao laughed and said, "Brother-in-law, you underestimate my father too much."

Zhu Biao picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile, "My father said that our Great Ming Dynasty does not share the world with the scholar-officials, but with the millions of ordinary people in this world."

“My father said that the emperor’s surname is indeed Zhu, but the world does not belong to one family or one surname. It belongs to the Zhu family and all the people.”

“My father once said that the Yuan dynasty was tyrannical and there were righteous armies all over the world rebelling against the Yuan. If my Zhu family descendants do not love the people, there will surely be righteous armies all over the world rebelling against the Ming dynasty in the future.”

"Although I am not very capable, I am at least willing to listen to advice. What you just said, brother-in-law, is all wise advice, and I understand it all."

Yang Shaofeng chuckled and took a sip of tea as well.

Father-in-law, if my mother-in-law hadn't passed away so early, and if my brother-in-law hadn't passed away so early, would you still have remained true to your original intentions?

If you can stay true to your original aspirations, what will the Ming Dynasty become?

Just as Yang Shaofeng was pondering this, Zhu Biao smiled and picked up his teacup, gesturing to Yang Shaofeng: "Actually, regarding the cases of Qian Hegao from Songjiang and Dong Mantian from Changsha Prefecture who gathered a crowd to plot a rebellion, my father only intended to kill the ringleaders and let the rest go back to their fields. Later, because they were involved in the Empty Seal Case, more were killed."

After a slight pause, Zhu Biao added, "So, brother-in-law, please feel free to speak your mind. In our Great Ming Dynasty, there is no rule against punishing people for their words."

Yang Shaofeng chuckled again and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I was being petty."

Zhu Biao gave a slight snort and said, "It's just that you're petty, brother-in-law."

After all, he was Zhu Biao's brother-in-law, so Yang Shaofeng decided not to stoop to Zhu Biao's level for the time being.

After some deliberation, Yang Shaofeng smiled and said, "As I just said, we must ensure that all the people in the world are well-fed and clothed, so that the soldiers can understand why they are fighting."

Zhu Biao's attention was drawn back to the main point, and he couldn't care less about mocking his brother-in-law for being petty for the time being.

Yang Shaofeng said, "As long as the problem of food and clothing for the people is solved, and the soldiers know why they are fighting, the remaining problems such as Hu Yuan, Jiaozhi, the Western Regions, Japan, and Dali will no longer be problems."

"To put it more realistically, when the people of the Ming Dynasty are well-fed and clothed, the people of all the surrounding vassal states will envy the people of the Ming Dynasty, and they will look forward to the Ming army coming to reclaim their countries."

"At that time, the decisions regarding policies such as replacing local chieftains with centrally appointed officials and promoting education will naturally be made by the Ming Dynasty."

"Of course, those whose writings should be destroyed should still be destroyed, and those whose historical records should be burned should still be burned."

"These things must be completely destroyed."

"Speak Chinese, learn Chinese etiquette, write Chinese characters, and use Chinese customs."

"After several generations, who will still remember the Hu Yuan dynasty, Jiaozhi, and Dali?"

As Yang Shaofeng finished speaking, Zhu Biao fell silent once again.

I feel that my brother-in-law makes a lot of sense.

But I also felt that my brother-in-law's explanation wasn't very detailed.

Before Zhu Biao could ask any more questions, Limpy Wu led the Chang brothers and Xia Yu to the backyard of the government office.

Upon seeing Zhu Biao and Yang Shaofeng, the Chang brothers and Xia Yu were the first to bow and greet the two, saying, "Your subjects greet Your Highness the Crown Prince and Your Highness the Imperial Son-in-Law."

After exchanging greetings, Zhu Biao looked at the Chang brothers and Xia Yu and asked, "Why did you come to Dengzhou?"

Chang Mao chuckled and said, "His Majesty was worried about His Highness coming to Dengzhou Prefecture alone, so he sent my brother and me, along with Inspector Xia, to escort him."

Xia Yu bowed slightly and said, "Your Highness, I have come to Dengzhou Prefecture for two reasons: first, to protect you on the orders of the Emperor; and second, to escort the gentry, officials, and their relatives involved in the blank seal case to Dengzhou."

Yang Shaofeng's eyes lit up, and he asked, "How many did you bring as collateral?"

Xia Yu cupped his hands and replied, "Your Highness, in addition to the more than 600 officials and 400 gentry involved in the case in Ningyang County, more than 100 officials and more than 2,000 gentry involved in the case have been escorted this time."

"A total of 23,227 relatives of the officials and gentry involved in the case are still being escorted to Dengzhou."

"It is expected that they will be brought in gradually within a month."

As Xia Yu finished speaking, Yang Shaofeng almost burst out laughing.

More than 23,000 people.

Tsk tsk.

The number of people killed in the Empty Seal case may not have been large, but the number of people involved in it was considerable.

With these 23,000-plus people, the various projects in Dengzhou Prefecture can be completed much faster.

Seeing Yang Shaofeng's barely suppressed smile, Xia Yu's lips twitched involuntarily.

This prince consort is good in every way, except for his serious problem of always complaining that there aren't enough laborers.

After silently grumbling to himself, Xia Yu continued, cupping his hands in greeting, "Besides this, His Majesty has another matter to entrust to Your Highness and the Prince Consort."

Zhu Biao and Yang Shaofeng were both taken aback. Xia Yu continued, "More than two thousand gentry households were involved in the blank seal case. They also had tens of thousands of servants. Should these people be exiled to Dengzhou, dismissed, or sold again? Your Highness and the Prince Consort should submit a memorial."

Yang Shaofeng was immediately dumbfounded and asked, "What did the Duke of Han and the Earl of Chengyi say?"

Xia Yu replied expressionlessly, "Your Highness, the Emperor did not mention the Duke of Han or the Earl of Chengyi."