After Yang Yiqing expressed his gratitude, he began to report on the construction of the Northern Borderline.
On the grassland north of Da Tong, a majestic city had already begun to take shape.
This city was used as a deterrent to the northern border.
Both the strategic and economic significance were extraordinary.
Because of the existence of this city, the tens of thousands of kilometers of territory outside Great Ming Pass would be firmly in the hands of the Ming court.
After Zhu Youtang heard Yang Yiqing's report, he said to the cabinet in a deep voice,""Your cabinet should move the people into this city.”
Liu Jian stepped forward." Your humble servant obeys Your Majesty's orders. Please name this city."”
Zhu Youtang thought for a moment and said,"This city guards the territory of the Ming Dynasty, so let's call it the Ming Guard."”
"Your Majesty," Yang Yiqing said,"I have observed the Ming Protectorate for a long time. If it were to grow grain, it would not be as meaningful as a frontier fortress trade city."”
After Yang Yiqing finished speaking, everyone in the hall nodded.
"I agree." Liu Jian stepped forward.
Zhu Youtang also thought so. The significance of growing food on the grassland was too small.
The reason why Zhu Youtang spent ten million taels of silver to build the Ming Department was because of its strategic significance.
As long as the Ming Protectorate stood on the grasslands, it represented the authority of the Ming Dynasty. The Ming Dynasty's battle achievements were great, and the Ming Dynasty was invincible!
Other than that, it could also produce a strong siphoning effect. The scattered nomads on the grasslands would flock to this city.
Of course, Zhu Youtang had a second plan, which coincided with Yang Yiqing's suggestion.
As an important trading town in the frontier fortress, it was not far from the Silk Road.
As long as the western countries wanted to do business with Great Ming, they didn't need to enter the pass and could do it in the Ming Protectorate. This also blocked the possibility of this group of westerners entering Great Ming to obtain information.
"Correct!"
"Yang Yiqing, hear me!"
Yang Yiqing was jumping wildly. He had just been promoted to Grand Secretary of Canopy Hall and was already in the limelight. He did not expect the Emperor to be so wise.
"This lowly subject receives the decree!"
Zhu Youtang said in a clear voice," I order you to be the commander of the Ming Guard. Within its territory, there will be a Chief Secretary and a Justice. All laws, commercial taxes, and customs duties will be implemented according to the inland regulations!”
"This lowly subject obeys the decree!"
After Yang Yiqing finished reporting his work, the next person to go was the Minister of Works, Jia Jun.
"Your Majesty, the Great Wall fortification west of Jiayu Pass has been built to Hami!”
The Great Wall once again stretched for thousands of miles.
Zhu Youtang said in a deep voice,"Minister Jia Aiqing has worked hard. This merit is comparable to the opening of the territory. He is promoted to the Minister of Works, Jia Jun, as a scholar of the Hall of Martial Meritocrats."”
"The budget for your Great Wall will be allocated from the Ming Protectorate to continue to repair all the way to Turpan. I want to surround the entire Longyou region within the Great Wall!”
"This lowly subject obeys the decree!"
……
The year-end summary of the second year of Hongzhi came to an end.
Before leaving the court, Zhu Youtang said to Zhou Hongmo, the Minister of Rites,""Hongzhi's third year of examinations, properly recruit talents for me.”
The imperial examination produces a batch of scholars every three years.
These Jinshi were the future pillars of Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Youtang wanted to train a group of talents and send them to the North Border Guard.
After the bloodbath in the Southeast officialdom, the number of officials in the Ming Dynasty was decreasing day by day. Zhu Youtang was in great need of talents now.
He did not know what kind of surprise this imperial examination would bring to Zhu Youtang.
Zhu Youtang was still looking forward to it.
……
"Order Hongzhi to grant amnesty for three years!”
As Zhu Youtang's voice rang out, the court session ended.
"Long live our emperor!"
Baiguan Mountain shouted.
Before the end of the court meeting, Zhu Youtang seemed to have remembered something and told Li Min, the Minister of Revenue,"Starting from the third year of Hongzhi, Su Song's taxes should be changed to be equal to the taxes of the other provinces.”
At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, because Chen Youliang and the others occupied Susong, the people and wealthy merchants of Susong also gave Chen Youliang a large amount of food support.
After Zhu Yuanzhang ruled the Ming Dynasty, he set a higher tax in Susong than in the other provinces. No one dared to break this ancestral rule.
The Minister of Revenue, Li Min, had always wanted to reduce Su Song's heavy taxes, but he was afraid of being impeached for violating the ancestral system, so he had never dared to speak.
After Zhu Youtang finished speaking, he was overjoyed."Thank you, my emperor, for sympathizing with the people!"
"Retreat," Zhu Youtang waved his hand.
……
After the retreat, Zhu Youtang called Ma Wensheng to Yangxin Hall.
There were some things he still needed to remind Ma Wensheng.
"This lowly subject greets the emperor."
Zhu Youtang nodded and said to Ma Wensheng,""Minister Ma still has to go to the southeast.”
Ma Wensheng cupped his fists.”
Zhu Youtang pressed his hands together." I have taken care of the officials in the southeast. The southeast will be peaceful for a while. But I know that people are hard to control. There will always be people who take risks."”
"Tell Qi Jingtong to hurry up and train his soldiers. In the third year of Hongzhi, the Ming Navy will press down on the Japanese islands and fight a few beautiful battles!”
Zhu Youtang naturally wouldn't let go of the unrest caused by the Japanese pirates in the southeast.
However, Zhu Youtang's goal was naturally not this.
The Japanese island was rich in resources. This island had a large number of copper, iron, silver, gold, and other mines.
Only after White Tiger and the other two had finished drawing the map of the Japanese islands would Zhu Youtang's army arrive.
However, before that, Zhu Youtang should not be delayed from launching a few wars to prevent the Japanese pirates from sneaking into the southeast coast of Ming Dynasty to commit crimes.
Ma Wensheng shouted,"Your humble subject obeys the decree!"”
"Yes, I am. You may leave."
"I will take my leave."
……
After two years of governance, the Great Ming Empire was already prosperous and peaceful.
Zhu Youtang had a particularly comfortable New Year.
The palace had already prepared a large number of fireworks.
The concubines and concubines were also dressed up meticulously, each displaying their magical powers, ready to attract Zhu Youtang at any time.
Bang bang bang!
Colorful fireworks exploded above the palace of the Forbidden City. It was a beautiful sight.
……
The fireworks in the capital had alarmed all the candidates in the capital.
The opening day of the third year of Hongzhi was set to be the fifteenth day of the first month.
Therefore, many students would find a residence in Beizhi in advance.
Wen Zhengming was a provincial examination candidate last year. This year, he came to the capital from Suzhou to participate in the Hongzhi three-year examination.
"Brother Wen, have you heard?"
"What did you hear?" Wen Zhengming was puzzled.”
"Su Song's taxes have been reduced."
"What?" Wen Zhengming's eyes widened.
His ancestral home was Suzhou, and his family was Su Song's food giant. But even so, Su Song's heavy taxes were so heavy that the people of Wuzhong could not breathe.
"In the last court meeting of the second year of Hongzhi, His Majesty broke the ancestral system with a single sentence and decreed that Su Song's taxes would be equal to the taxes of all the regions!”
Hearing this, Wen Zhengming was a little stunned. He clenched his fists and muttered,"Such a wise ruler! I, Wen, will definitely be loyal to the country and the king! This time, he had to pass the exam and serve the country!”
His entire body trembled as he looked in the direction of the Forbidden City with determination!
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