In the Palace of Heavenly Purity, Guard Wang stood up cautiously and respectfully after hearing Zhu Houzhao's question.""Your Majesty, this border town will not become an isolated island.”
"This border fortress is built on the Hailar River. It has abundant water, enough to build a thousand-year-old city.”
" This time, the Tartars lost 70% of their population and nearly a million people. Last year's winter was extremely cold, and many of them died of hunger and cold. The remaining Tartars have already left the grasslands and migrated to the west. There are no traces of the Tartars within a radius of 10,000 miles…"
Wang Shouren reported the results of the war against the Tartars.
Zhu Houzhao listened to Wang Shouren's words and asked,""What is the total population of the Tartars?”
"Your Majesty, before the Battle of Datong, the total population of the Tatars was more than two million. After the war, there were only about five hundred thousand left…"
"Your Majesty, only by constantly moving the people to the grasslands can we defend this place forever and include this grassland with a radius of ten thousand miles in the territory of the Ming Dynasty…"
" As for besieging this city, please rest assured, Your Majesty. The Tartars will not have the strength to return within thirty years, and the other small countries will not dare to besiege this city in fear of their national prestige…"
Shouren Wang said.
"I didn't ask you if other countries would come to besiege us," Zhu Houzhao said."I asked you, if there are strong enemies besieging us, how do you rescue them…"
" Your Majesty, three small cities can be built between Datong Prefecture and the border fortress. They can be used for commercial exchanges and to buy goods from the countries of the Western Regions. They can also be used to sell goods through these cities. These three small cities are three hundred miles apart. Each of them will be guarded by ten thousand soldiers. They will become the hub of the border fortress and provide the border fortress with materials, armaments, and soldiers..."
" Your Majesty, you can collect customs duties from the countries in the Western Regions. The revenue from the customs duties is enough to maintain the operations of the three small cities and the border towns…"
Wang Shouren was shrewd and answered fluently. He had long thought of a solution to the various difficulties in border construction.
When Zhu Houzhao heard Wang Shouren's answer, a smile finally appeared on his serious face.
"Good, not bad. Zhen is very comforted. Bring me a brush and ink!”
As soon as Zhu Houzhao finished speaking, Wang Shouren retreated and sat back on the armchair.
The eunuchs spread Xuan paper on the table and Zhu Houzhao picked up the brush.
"The border city is located in a dangerous place and suppresses the barbarians…"
After thinking about it, Zhu Houzhao started to splash ink…
Three large words appeared on the paper. The domineering aura of a king and the thick and heavy aura of a great country came.
Slave Suppression Pass!
Zhu Houzhao raised his pen and wrote,"The sun is the most important place in the world, the first pass in the world!"
When Liu Jian and Xie Qian saw Zhu Houzhao's inscription, they immediately felt heroic.
"Your Majesty's words really have the bearing of a king!”Liu Jian praised.
Liu Jian and Xie Qian were also fond of writing. Both of them were good at calligraphy. Now that they saw Zhu Houzhao's calligraphy, they felt that the Emperor's words were filled with the dignity of a great country. They were thick and did not lose their spirituality!
"This city pass is a city pass deep into the desert. I have allocated five million taels for its construction. As for the trade with the countries of the Western Regions, it will be handled by the Ministry of Revenue.”
Zhu Houzhao issued the decree.
Right now, there were twenty million taels of silver in Great Ming's national treasury, enough for Zhu Houzhao to squander freely for a while.
If this border fortress was built, the Ming Empire would increase its territory by a quarter, and the embarrassing situation of the Ming Empire lacking war horses would be completely reversed!
The customs duty was a type of business tax, and it was the most important type of tax. The Ministry of Revenue collected 10% of the tax from the merchants of the Great Ming Dynasty, but they had to collect 30% from the merchants of the Western Regions…
After Zhu Houzhao named this border town, he discussed with the cabinet chief, Liu Jian, the specific methods to increase the salary of the Ming officials.
The salary system of the Ming Dynasty officials was still the same as during the Hongwu and Zhu Yuanzhang era. It had not changed for more than a hundred years. The salary system of that era had continued until now, and it was clearly lagging behind.
Liu Jian heard Zhu Houzhao's words and cupped his hands."Your Majesty, after I left the palace, I gathered the cabinet to discuss the salary system. Your Majesty, don't worry. I will definitely give you a perfect salary system within three days…"
Zhu Houzhao listened to Liu Jian and said,""Thank you for your trouble, Pavilion Elder."
"How could I dare to slack off on the task His Majesty has given me?" Liu Jian stood up excitedly.”
Zhu Houzhao gave a few more instructions to Liu Jian and the others, who then left the palace.
……
Liu Jian had just left the palace when the eunuchs and palace maids of Cining Palace entered the Palace of Heavenly Purity one after another. They were holding various nourishing items in their hands.
" Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager asked me to bring you a bowl of ginseng soup. The Empress Dowager told me to watch you drink it…" the eunuch of Cining Palace said to Zhu Houzhao.
Zhu Houzhao looked at the ginseng soup, deer antler lotus seed porridge, and Tianshan snow lotus tea in front of him. He sighed that the empress dowager was making a mountain out of a molehill. It was just a concubine. Was there a need to make such a big fuss?
"Alright, leave them here."
……
Dragon Guarding Mountain Villa.
Iron-guts Deity Marquis Zhu Budian was writing a memorial.
" Your Majesty, the four secret agents of the imperial court, Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow, have ventured deep into the dangerous areas and made great contributions. The heads of many leaders of the Tartar grassland tribes are now being presented…"
After Zhu Budian finished writing the memorial, he carefully sealed it and ordered people to send it to the capital.
In the Guarding Dragon Mountain Villa, Zhu Budian was leaning on the white tiger throne. The four masters of Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow had always dreamed of entering the capital and meeting the emperor. Although they were known as secret agents of the imperial court, they were not real imperial guards.
They were only experts of the Guarding Dragon Mountain Villa. They were called secret agents because they did not have any official positions…
" Lord Marquis, His Majesty has issued a decree to collect a business tax. This method is too brilliant. The merchants of the Ming Dynasty have nowhere to hide…" Shangguan Haitang said after entering the Guarding Dragon Hall.
"Oh, even Wansan is feeling the pressure?”
" Reporting to Lord Marquis, it's not just pressure. All the businesses run by Wansan have been affected. For every hundred taels of silver earned, His Majesty will collect ten taels of silver as taxes. Almost half of the profits have been earned…"
Zhu Bujue listened to Shangguan Haitang's words and remained unmoved. Zhu Bujue looked down on businessmen. In Zhu Bujue's eyes, even if he was 13,000 yuan rich, he was still a businessman.
"I have already written a letter for you. Bring your heads to the capital to claim credit. His Majesty will definitely invite you personally…"
Shangguan Haitang's expression immediately became rich after hearing Zhu Bujian's words.
"His Majesty really wants to see us?"
Shangguan Haitang felt overwhelmed by the unexpected surprise. The experienced Shangguan Haitang was at a loss.
He was finally going to see Great Ming's Emperor Zheng De. Who wouldn't be excited about such a thing?
……
Two days later, Zhu Houzhao arrived at the court.
After the civil and military officials congratulated him, the Minister of Personnel, Yang Yanhe, walked out of the court and said,""Your Majesty, Wang Hong, the provincial judge of Guangdong Province, has come to the capital by imperial edict. He is waiting outside the palace for the edict…"
When Zhu Houzhao heard Yang Yanhe's report, his face revealed some joy. My invincible navy is finally going to begin construction!
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