GBP Chapter 172 A Great Nation Should Be Magnanimous
Chapter 172 A Great Nation Should Be Magnanimous
Since Empress Ma brought Zhu Biao and the others to Ningyang County, in just one day, Magistrate Yang has begun to seriously question his life.
This Empress Ma, who cornered me, Yang, with just a few words and left me with no way to fight back, is someone even the Jurchens couldn't find a fault in their historical records.
And this guy in front of me, who keeps calling me brother-in-law and is more outgoing than anyone else, what would he say to Zhu Chongba, "First there are the rulers of Yao and Shun, then there are the people of Yao and Shun"?
I'm afraid this guy is even more ruthless than Old Zhu. His innocent little rabbit act is probably just an act!
Seeing that Magistrate Yang seemed to be inexplicably distracted, Zhu Biao couldn't help but ask, "Brother-in-law? Brother-in-law?"
Yang Shaofeng snapped out of his reverie and replied, "Your Highness, please forgive me. I was just thinking about what kind of food would be good for the stomach."
Just as Magistrate Yang was thinking about how to fool Zhu Biao, the door to Empress Ma's room creaked open, and Jin'er came out, curtsied to Zhu Biao and Yang Shaofeng, and said, "Your Majesty and Young Master Yang may go and pay your respects now."
Zhu Biao nodded, first saying "Thank you, sister," and then pulled Magistrate Yang into the house.
Upon entering the room, Zhu Biao bowed to Empress Ma, who was already seated, and said, "Your son respectfully inquires after Mother's well-being."
Empress Ma smiled and said, "All is well."
Zhu Lao Er and Zhu Lao San also stepped forward in turn and bowed to Empress Ma, saying, "Your children respectfully inquire after Mother's well-being."
Empress Ma smiled and said she was well again. Yang Shaofeng then walked up to Empress Ma, cupped his hands and bowed, saying, "Your subject, Yang Shaofeng, the magistrate of Ningyang County, respectfully inquires about the well-being of Your Majesty."
"All is well, all is well," Empress Ma said with a smile, then instructed Zhu Biao, "Quickly help your brother-in-law up and sit down to talk."
Zhu Biao quickly agreed, walked to Magistrate Yang's side, took Yang Shaofeng's arm, and said with a smile, "Brother-in-law, please sit down and talk."
After they were all seated, Zhu Biao couldn't wait to say, "Brother-in-law, I have a question that has been bothering me for a long time. I hope you can answer it for me."
Magistrate Yang was slightly taken aback, then cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, please speak. I will tell you everything I know without reservation."
Zhu Biao nodded and said, "When I was in the capital, I heard the gentlemen say that the arrival of foreign vassal states as tribute was a sign of a nation's strength. If vassal states were to come to pay tribute, even if our Great Ming suffers a slight loss, we cannot mistreat those vassal states."
Yang Shaofeng unconsciously pursed his lips, but Zhu Biao continued, "But my father also said that the arrival of all nations to pay tribute is actually a good opportunity for our Great Ming to control the small foreign countries. Cutting off their tribute is the greatest punishment for the small foreign countries. I wonder what my brother-in-law thinks?"
As Zhu Biao finished speaking, Magistrate Yang first stared blankly at Zhu Biao, then unconsciously glanced at Empress Ma.
Well, although I know that your Zhu family produces some oddballs, Zhu Biao, aren't you a bit too oddball?
Is it really appropriate to discuss matters like tribute and the cessation of tribute in this setting?
Empress Ma smiled and said, "You and Biao'er are about the same age. At this age, he doesn't really trust his teachers or his father. He might listen to what you say. Actually, I'm also curious whether Biao'er's teachers are right or His Majesty is right?"
Yang Shaofeng was completely numb.
He even wanted to find the gods in charge of time travel and say: If I, Yang, am guilty, please let the law punish me, and please don't let me run into those monsters and demons from the Zhu family!
After silently criticizing it for a while, Magistrate Yang slowly said, "In my opinion, tribute has both advantages and disadvantages for vassal states, but generally speaking, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. For our Great Ming, accepting tribute from vassal states also has both advantages and disadvantages. If handled properly, the advantages will definitely outweigh the disadvantages, but if handled improperly, the disadvantages will outweigh the advantages. Whether it is an advantage or a disadvantage depends on how Your Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince decide."
Zhu Biao's eyes lit up, and he pressed on, "If the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for the vassal states, and the benefits also outweigh the drawbacks for our Great Ming, wouldn't both sides benefit?"
Yang Shaofeng first nodded slightly, then shook his head slightly, and said: "I once heard a wise man named Lu Xun say: All systems in the world are good, but after being manipulated by people, they will become both good and bad. I think the same is true for the tribute system."
Zhu Biao nodded thoughtfully, then suddenly said, "By the way, after spring, the messengers sent out by the Ministry of Personnel will be back soon. They might even bring envoys from various countries with them. Brother-in-law, would you like to make a trip to the capital and help me meet these envoys?"
Yang Shaofeng was stunned again, then pointed to himself and asked, "Your Highness wants me to go to the capital? This..."
After Yang Shaofeng said that, Zhu Biao immediately realized what was going on.
My brother-in-law, who was only a nominal brother-in-law, was still a sixth-rank magistrate of Ningyang County, not one of those minor officials in the capital. In addition, he had to do spring plowing after the start of spring, so it was impossible for him to go to the capital to meet any envoys.
After pondering for a moment, Zhu Biao sighed softly and said, "I was being presumptuous."
Seeing Zhu Biao's dejected look, Yang Shaofeng suddenly felt a pang of pity and said, "Your Highness only needs to remember one thing: a great nation should be magnanimous."
Zhu Biao was slightly taken aback and asked, "What is meant by magnanimity?"
……
"Wheat flour mixed with soybean flour, plus some flattened wheat grains and beans, this should be good for the stomach, right?"
"Never mind, she is my mother-in-law after all. It's not appropriate to let her eat locust powder. Let's wait until my father-in-law comes next time to give it to him."
"Is there anything that goes better with rice than these pickled shredded vegetables?"
"It's better to boil the eggs. Fried eggs are too oily and not good for your stomach first thing in the morning..."
Yang Shaofeng was so worried that he was losing hair. If it were just Zhu Biao, Zhu Lao Er, and Zhu Lao San, Magistrate Yang would have dared to prepare pure meat-filled buns for them early in the morning, perhaps with a few fried eggs, and then make a big pot of egg drop soup.
However, with his mother-in-law, Empress Ma, present, Magistrate Yang dared not act recklessly anymore and could only obediently prepare breakfast according to the standards for nourishing the stomach.
After arranging for the cook to prepare breakfast, Yang Shaofeng lay back down on the recliner and spaced out once again.
No, I have to find a way to get Empress Ma and Zhu Biao away as soon as possible. Old Zhu's family is just too bizarre. If they stay in Ningyang County any longer, my heart can't take it.
What legitimate crown prince would have his ministers prepare breakfast so early in the morning?
What kind of noble prince would pull his ministers aside to discuss the issue of tribute so early in the morning?
No wonder later books say that the Zhu family produced many oddballs. It shows that it wasn't just Zhu Lao Si's lineage that produced oddballs, but Zhu Chongba's lineage was particularly known for it!
And you even made me go to the capital with you to meet some envoy from a vassal state, and you even asked me what it meant to "be magnanimous in a great nation"? If you're so capable, go and get a few envoys from that short, ugly country, and I'll show you what magnanimity really means!