The seven western provinces of the Ming Dynasty include the southern part of Kazakhstan, the whole territory of Kyrgyzstan, the whole territory of Tajikistan, the central and eastern parts of Uzbekistan, the central and eastern parts of Turkmenistan, the eastern regions of Iran, and the central and northern regions of Afghanistan.

Among them, the rich region ends at Bukhara in the west, Samarkand, Ferghana, and as far east as Andijan, that is, to the Tien Shan Mountains, this large area has many plains, so it is the essence of the whole Central Asia.

These essence areas are all controlled in the hands of the Ming Dynasty and become the core control area of the Ming Dynasty, and then the surrounding vassal states and the Xuanfu Division of the Xuanfu Division, forming a barrier on the periphery of the Ming Dynasty to protect the safety of the hinterland.

"Although the intensity of immigration has been controlled in recent years, because of the immigration policy that lasted for more than 20 years, the population of the Ming nationality in the seven western provinces has reached nearly 8 million, plus the population of the vassal states and Tusi, although there have been years of control, the total population still exceeds 120,000."

Huang Huai, the governor of the seven provinces, returned to China and participated in the report.

The population of each region, as well as the local customs and customs, strengthened the awareness of the adults.

"Although General Ren's opinion is reserved, the minister supports General Ren's opinion, the population pressure in the seven western provinces is very huge, in recent years, in addition to the Tusi and the population of the vassal states have shown signs of participating in the rebellion, we also have great internal contradictions, and the land contradiction is the key."

"If potatoes and other crops really have the effect that agronomists think, the minister suggested that these crops be promoted immediately in the seven western provinces, which can quickly stabilize the local situation."

The Ming Dynasty has developed industrialization for many years, because it has not implemented the expansion of the Guozijian to ensure the gold content of senior talents, and the talents from the Guozijian have mastered the most cutting-edge knowledge and technology in society, which is fundamentally different.

Therefore, the scholars of the Ming Dynasty have a very high status, although they cannot completely solve the phenomenon of indiscriminate filling, and generally maintain the quality of scholars.

Because of this reason, after learning about it, Huang Huai did not doubt the inference of the agronomist, so he deliberately rushed back.

Ordinary people don't know about these news, because it involves secrecy, but with Huang Huai's status, many confidential news logically needs to be told to him.

Zhu Gaochi knew that Huang Huai's idea was not wrong, because until later generations, potatoes were one of the main crops in the five Central Asian countries.

Not only that, but potatoes were also the fourth most important food crop in China in later generations, after rice, wheat and corn.

It was introduced from South America during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty and has been planted for more than 400 years in later generations. Potatoes are grown in 26 provinces, and the annual output of fresh potatoes has reached 90 million tons, accounting for 24% of the world's total output, ranking first for many years.

Two of the four important food crops come from the Americas, corn and potatoes. In modern times, the role of sweet potatoes was greater, but because of the development of modern science and technology, the role of sweet potatoes became much smaller.

This is true even in ancient China, where agricultural technology was developed, not to mention that agricultural technology was inferior to other countries and regions in ancient China.

Huang Huai thought that potatoes could save lives, but Zhu Gaochi was unwilling.

Although Daming also needs potatoes and corn, but not to the point of saving lives, the current era, Daming population growth rate is the world's first, and the rest of the countries and regions can not be compared at all.

But when crops such as potatoes and corn spread out, it was different, and the populations of many countries began to grow dramatically, and compared with the fertility rate of ancient China, there was no longer as outrageous as before.

Zhu Gaochi shook his head.

Seeing the emperor's attitude, Huang Huai reminded: "Even if I try my best to keep crops such as sweet potatoes and corn secret, they will still spread in the end." ”

After listening to this, Zhu Gaochi smiled and said: "I don't plan to keep it secret for the rest of my life, I have a plan." ”

Although Zhu Gaochi ascended the throne and became the emperor, he did not change his words, and still called himself me, not me.

Civilization is progressive.

Etiquette that is too ungrounded is a deliberate act of the nobility in order to distinguish it from the commoners.

It is undeniable that many ordinary people in later generations regarded those complicated etiquette as worship and regarded it as a high-level behavior, and even asked why China did not have the sense of etiquette of eating Western food in the West.

These people are uneducated, and they cannot be assumed that others are right just because they are uneducated.

The Ming Dynasty of industrialized society, people-oriented, everyone for me, I for everyone, the implementation of social resource allocation, coupled with the original Chinese civilization, evolved very fast, Zhu Gaochi was unwilling to be a moth, becoming an obstacle to social development.

Many could not understand the new emperor, but this did not prevent people from respecting him.

After Huang Huai heard that His Majesty the Emperor had his own ideas and a set of plans, he knew that he could not convince His Majesty the Emperor, and he was full of expectations.

Zhu Gaochi did not hide it.

Huang Huai is the governor of the seven western provinces, and he needs to do it.

"Last year, when you told the imperial court that some of the backers behind the rebel forces in the seven western provinces were mainly from the Delhi Sultanate, I had a plan to take revenge on the Delhi Sultanate."

Zhu Gaochi said directly: "The internal benevolence is the virtue of the Ming Dynasty, and the external benevolence is the Ming Dynasty's clan system, which belongs to the gospel of the people of the world." However, the Delhi Sultanate is unrepentant and has repeatedly violated the Ming Dynasty, and for the sake of the Ming Dynasty, it must retaliate back. ”

Zhu Gaochi began to laugh.

"When Timur was alive, he led a large army to invade the Delhi Sultanate, killing and looting in the local area, and the local king instead called him a tribute, extremely filial."

"Our Ming Dynasty defeated the Timurid Khanate and brought peace to the local area, but who knew that the local rulers were ambitious people who didn't want to live in peace with the Ming Dynasty, but wanted to encroach on the land and interests of the Ming Dynasty."

When Timur attacked the Delhi Sultanate, he was no longer the same person as the current ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, but the local ruling power had not changed, so Zhu Gaochi did not think that he was wrong.

If Zhu Di had been alive, he would have personally conquered the Delhi Sultanate, and he would not have allowed these clowns to provoke the Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Gaochi endured for two years and finally made up his mind.

In the past, because of Zhu Di, Zhu Gaochi never worried about military defeat, and now if he launches a war against the Delhi Sultanate, it will be the first counterattack launched by Zhu Gaochi after he ascended the throne.

Zhu Gaochi was a little worried that he would fail, although it was logically impossible to fail.

But who knows.

Before the Tumubao Change, who would dare to think that hundreds of thousands of elite soldiers would be defeated on the battlefield.

Zhu Gaochi didn't think that he would be such a monarch, but no one could say for sure what would happen in the future, so the sages told the monarch not to start a war easily, because it was easy to start a war, but if he lost, the consequences would be heavy.

So war is a last resort, not a necessary one. Only then did "though the kingdom is great, the warlike will perish; Although the world is peaceful, forgetting the war will be dangerous".

Zhu Gaochi set the tone, and the cabinet started.

The elites at the top are watching.

What kind of just war will be waged by the most virtuous monarch in the world will be related to the future prestige and ruling strength of the new monarch.

Daming is huge.

The society is broad.

The common people live their own stable and progressive lives.

Zhejiang Province is an economically strong province in the Ming Dynasty, and Zhao Changhe of Yin County, Ningbo Prefecture, came to his brother-in-law's family with a child of several years old, and Zhao Changhe had a quarrel with his brother-in-law at the dinner table.

"What do you make money for?"

Zhao Changhe was once again vetoed by his brother-in-law, drank a few glasses of wine, slapped the table and shouted, "Do you earn money and save it to get moldy?" If you don't train your children to study, what are you doing with so much effort? ”

"Guangming is not my son, if it is my son, I will provide him with education even if I smash the pot and sell iron."

The man was scolded by his brother-in-law, and he was very unhappy.

The mother-in-law was crying, not wanting to see her husband and brother at odds, and the eldest son hid back in the room with his sister and cousin, and the children's ears were close to the wooden door, carefully eavesdropping on the quarrels of the adults in the hall.

The old man drank stuffy wine without saying a word, and he recognized his daughter-in-law and brother in his heart, but it was not easy to show it, his son wanted to save face, and on this occasion, it was not easy for him to speak.

Sure enough, the man was so angry that he even wanted to flip the table, and the old man glared at his son fiercely.

Zhao Changhe was not angry with this, and he was unwilling to go too far, after all, his sister was still at home, and she said a few cruel words, called her son and left.

The man also threw the gift brought by his brother-in-law out of the door, but was finally stopped by his wife.

The surrounding villagers were also alarmed, and soon came to the door, and your words of consolation were always not a few words of home and prosperity.

A few days passed.

The man who calmed down took his wife to visit the door, Zhao Changhe seemed to have forgotten the quarrel of the day, and after the banquet, it started to be lively again, and several children were also crazy.

Small doors, small households, days are always like this.

On the way back, the man said drunkenly: "What your brother said also has some truth, Guangming still has to continue to study, although your brother said that he came to study for Guangming, but I have hands and feet, there is no such reason." ”

"Our family is not as wealthy as your brother's family, but it is no problem to save money and provide for bright study."

The mother-in-law has no opinion, a traditional woman, she should do whatever the husband says.

Tang Guangming lowered his head and followed behind his father.

He is the eldest son in the family, and entering the factory to work early can give the family more income, and the younger brothers and sisters can also eat more meat, so Tang Guangming did not object to his father's opinion.

"It's bright."

"Would you like to read?"

The man asked tentatively.

This is the opportunity that his uncle won for himself, Tang Guangming no longer hid his thoughts, and nodded vigorously.

The man was a little stunned, but finally did not say anything, and the family walked quietly on the road.

After another half a month, the man suddenly called Guangming and went to Ningbo Mansion.

My son's grades in the county school were very good, and he quickly and successfully registered with the transcript and the procedures handled in the county school these days, paid a sum of money, and living expenses, etc., and completed the process in a few days, and finally left his son in the city.

Twelve-year-old Tang Guangming went to school smoothly.

Prefectural schools are different from prefectural schools.

Not only are the teaching buildings taller, but there are also many children, there are student dormitories, and most of the students live on campus, and they come from various counties, towns and townships, and they speak a variety of voices and have complex exchanges.

Tang Guangming was very excited, he buried his head in reading.

It's not easy to be able to study in Fuxue, if it weren't for his uncle, he would have left school a long time ago, Tang Guangming cherishes the hard-won opportunity to study very much, and similarly, his grades have also climbed all the way.

As the best children in the school, they are treated differently.

One day, the teacher told Tang Guangming that if a great sage went to the provincial capital to give a lecture, their school would arrange a group of outstanding students to listen to the lecture so that Tang Guangming could prepare.

It's not nerds who read well.

Opposite.

Most people who are good at reading are much more mature and energetic than their peers.

Tang Guangming was very sensible and did not say anything to the public, and the classmates in the class only knew that Tang Guangming had taken leave today.

The capital of Zhejiang Province is in Hangzhou.

The prosperity of Hangzhou, even the children of Ningbo Mansion are shouting and excited, they came to the provincial capital of the school, where the school is very beautiful, and there is a running water supply.

In the large hall, neat rows of tables are lined with bright glass windows and chandeliers on the ceiling.

The children sat down in turn according to their schools, and outstanding students from all over the province, even the envoys, came to participate in this academic lecture in person.

Tang Guangming went out for the first time, participated in such an activity for the first time, and saw many senior officials, and their children were particularly valued and treated and communicated with as adults.

Countless novelties and excitement impacted Tang Guangming's simple heart, as if something was breaking out of the shell, and he had more knowledge of society, and he came into contact with many scenes that ordinary people could not touch in their lifetime.

"Although the ancestors did not clearly put forward the concept that all men are created equal, the pursuit of the concept of equality is contained in the doctrines of some schools and thinkers."

A few months ago, just after participating in an event held by His Royal Highness the Prince, Tao Lian started his own lecture tour non-stop.

From Peking to Beijing, from Beijing to Zhejiang.

Tao Jun, the most famous natural science thinker at the moment, and Cao Duan are the two most dazzling sages in the Ming Dynasty, known as North Tao and South Cao.

Lao Tzu, a representative figure of Taoism, put forward the "Tao of Nature", advocating respect for the laws of nature, advocating "rule by inaction", believing that all things have their own way and should conform to nature without interfering. Implicit in this thinking is the idea of equality, that is, the belief that all things have the right to exist and develop, and should not be artificially divided and oppressed. ”

Mozi, the founder of the Mohist school, advocated "both love and non-aggression", advocating loving one's neighbor as oneself and opposing war and aggression. ”

He believes that the harm of the world stems from lack of love, advocates universal love and undifferentiated mutual assistance, and opposes inequality formed by differences between rich and poor, noble and low, strong and weak. Mozi's doctrine expresses the pursuit of equality and justice to a certain extent. ”

After Buddhism was introduced to China, its concept of "equality of all beings" also had an impact on the idea of equality in China. ”

"Buddhism believes that all living beings have the same Buddha nature, and that there is no distinction based on race, class, wealth or poverty. To a certain extent, this concept challenged the hierarchical system of ancient society and played a certain role in promoting the development of the idea of equality. ”

"It's a pity."

Tao Cheng wants to open the shackles of people's thoughts, he has given up on the adults and started to start with the children, and the children in front of him are the future of Daming in Tao Jun's eyes.

Tao Cheng lamented: "Although the ancient ancestors put forward many ideas of equality, but did not form a systematic theory, the concept of equality contained in the doctrines of these schools and thinkers, to a certain extent, has influenced the values and codes of conduct of future generations, and has a certain historical significance for promoting the development of social fairness and justice, but I think that to continue to develop further, everyone is equal, so even if the Son of Heaven commits a crime, he should be guilty of the same crime as the common people, and the Son of Heaven has no privilege, because people are equal." ”

Tang Guangming was dumbfounded.

There are many children with the same expression as him.

Even the children, not to mention the adults, the big ones have changed color.

However, the status of the literati in the Ming Dynasty was high, and even officials did not dare to offend easily. In short, the rights of officials are limited, and they cannot be said in a word, which is also why the ideas that appeared in the middle and late Ming Dynasty in history and were widely disseminated by later generations.

In short, compared with Cao Duan's thoughts, Cao Duan has become a conservative in front of Tao Lian, even if many people think that Cao Duan's remarks and thoughts are radical enough, but they have not seen and heard Tao Duan's thoughts.

"It turns out that the conservative is myself."

Cao Duan saw Tao Jun's speech report in the newspaper, and after reading it carefully, a wry smile appeared on the corner of his mouth.

In Cao Duan's view, Tao Wei was too presumptuous to rely on the emperor's indulgence.

It takes time for things to develop, and it's too much.

(End of chapter)