Chapter 38: Class! Everywhere!

Old Zhu’s face was filled with anticipation, his eyes fixed intently on Zhu Gaochi, shimmering with excitement. By now, he was fully convinced that his grandson was not merely spouting nonsense, but truly possessed a brilliant strategy to resolve the troubles in the Southwest.

"After the 'favor-extending' policy, the next step is 'controlling barbarians with barbarians,' which is to say, 'controlling tribal chiefs with tribal chiefs,'" Zhu Gaochi said, straightening his back. His expression was confident and resolute, his eyes revealing a maturity and wisdom far beyond his years.

"Simply put, the Imperial Court can forcibly relocate tribal chiefs from one region to another. Any who dare to disobey will be summarily executed to serve as a warning to the rest!"

"The southwestern frontier—including Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, and Huguang—is home to a vast number of tribal savages and chiefs. After the Court suppresses a region, it can forcibly relocate the tribal chiefs and their people from Yunnan to Sichuan, or move those from Huguang to Yunnan or Guizhou." Zhu Gaochi paced slowly, his tone measured and his logic clear. "The only reason these tribal chiefs dare to oppose the Court is their familiarity with the local mountains and forests; they hold the advantage of time and terrain. Once relocated to unfamiliar territory, they will struggle to integrate with the local tribes, and will naturally have to view the Imperial Court as their only source of support, becoming dependent on it. Meanwhile, the local tribes here will also be kept in check. It is effectively like the Court planting a nail in the region!"

Old Zhu was taken aback. The anticipation that had previously filled his expression was instantly replaced by shock; his face was a mask of disbelief. His eyes widened, staring hard at Zhu Gaochi, as if re-evaluating the grandson before him. This plan was indeed ruthless, but it was undoubtedly effective. It did not look like something a child could have conceived.

Reflecting on the decision to launch a military campaign into Yunnan, Old Zhu had not been satisfied with mere military action; he had urgently summoned his civil and military officials for an audience to discuss how to govern Yunnan thereafter. After all, the situation in Yunnan was unique. With its mix of Han and indigenous peoples, its multitude of tribal chiefs, and its critical geographical location on the southwestern frontier, no amount of caution was excessive. Old Zhu had full confidence that General Fu Youde’s army would sweep through Yunnan; he had never once worried about failure.

However, the Confucian officials in the court did nothing but shout slogans of "benevolence and morality." Everything they said was the same tired rhetoric: that the Court should practice benevolent governance, embrace distant peoples with kindness, and appease them so they would voluntarily submit and be grateful to the Imperial Dynasty... Every time Old Zhu thought of this, a wave of annoyance washed over him.

It was all complete rubbish! The Yuan Dynasty had spent an entire era failing to "civilize" these tribal chiefs and their people, yet these officials still had the gall to spout such nonsense! They were all useless fools who knew nothing but empty slogans.

Only today, from the mouth of a child, had Old Zhu finally heard the answer he was looking for! Control barbarians with barbarians, use tribal chiefs to govern tribal chiefs, and enforce mandatory relocation!

What Zhu Zhuoyuan did not know was that the Great Ming Dynasty would eventually attempt this very method, though with mediocre results. First, the local tribes were not stupid; they only nominally submitted to the Ming to protect their homes. They acknowledged the Emperor so they could continue living in their ancestral lands in peace. When the Court "betrayed their trust" and forced them to move, they were bound to resist. Second, this plan relied on the Court’s willingness to wage large-scale warfare against the tribes. Only when they were beaten into submission would they truly obey, and the human, material, and financial costs to the Court would be a significant burden.

Therefore, the plan was not inherently feasible, but the circumstances were different now. Once the Southern Expeditionary Army swept through and pacified Yunnan, the overwhelming military pressure would force those tribal chiefs to suppress any ulterior motives and tuck their tails between their legs. If not, they would taste the edge of the Ming’s blades!

"Of course, as we mentioned earlier, local tribal chiefs often use their merits to justify their transgressions, and their encroachments grow deeper. They might even use the tribal armies under their command to attempt secession and partition."

"Therefore, whether it is the 'favor-extending' policy or 'controlling barbarians with barbarians,' the goal is merely to weaken their influence. Then, we proceed to the final step: reforming the hereditary system of the tribal chiefs and dispatching officials with fixed terms to manage the regions. Simply put, this is..."

"Reforming the native administration and replacing it with appointed officials?" Old Zhu blurted out, as if struck by a bolt of lightning. He was suddenly enlightened, his eyes narrowing, reflecting a glimmer of deep thought.

"Reforming the native administration?"

"Yes, reforming the native administration!"

Old Zhu’s eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but mutter to himself. A look of surprise flickered across his face, as if he saw the hope for long-term stability in the Southwest. But then, his brows knit together tightly, and his expression turned solemn. "However, if the Court were to truly implement this, it would inevitably trigger resistance from the tribal chiefs in the Southwest. This would be tantamount to forcing them into rebellion. I fear chaos would be at our doorstep..."

Nonsense, of course they would resist! Zhu Gaochi mused to himself. If you strip them of their hereditary status, it is equivalent to usurping their thrones. How could they willingly offer their necks to the blade? These tribal chiefs were just like the vassal kings during the Jianwen Emperor’s attempt to curtail their power—they had men, they had weapons, and they were exceptionally united. Moreover, most were not Han, and they felt no sense of belonging to the Central Plain’s dynasty. If you dared to draw your sword on them, they would jump up and strike back!

The key was that these tribes were scattered across the entire Southwest, and regions like Yunnan and Guizhou were the gateways to that territory. That was why the Court had repeatedly adopted a policy of appeasement, using the *Jimi* (loose rein) system to win them over and prevent them from uniting in a rebellion that could sweep across the entire Southwest!

"Old man, have you forgotten our previous strategies of 'extending favors' and 'controlling barbarians with barbarians'?" Zhu Gaochi teased with a confident smile. "The 'favor-extending' policy aims to create internal discord among the tribal chiefs, while 'controlling barbarians with barbarians' is meant to dissolve their control over their own people!"

"In truth, whether it was the previous Song Dynasty or the Yuan, there has always been a fundamental misconception: that the tribal people never received any benefits from the Imperial Court!" Zhu Gaochi shook his head slightly, his expression earnest. "Historically, when the Court governed the Southwest, all rewards and official titles were bestowed upon the tribal chiefs. While the chiefs received countless honors, the common tribal people received nothing!"

Upon hearing this, Old Zhu’s face changed. The original solemnity was replaced by a sense of shock and contemplation. His lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but he remained silent.

"Chi-er, you mean..." After a long silence, Old Zhu’s voice was low, carrying a hint of inquiry.

"Exactly. The people of the Southwest are just like us—they are divided by class," Zhu Gaochi said with a chuckle. "In our Great Ming, class stratification is very rigid; the distinction between scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants is an insurmountable chasm."

"The tribal people of the Southwest are actually much like the Mongols. They are divided into nobles and commoners. The nobles inherit power and control everything, while the commoners are subjected to generations of enslavement and exploitation. One cannot lump the tribal chiefs together with the tribal masses!"

"Their relationship is like that of the Mongol nobility and the Mongol people. There is top-down exploitation and oppression. The nobles enjoy everything, while the commoners, along with their families and property, are mere private slaves to these nobles. Thus, the lives of the common tribal people are miserable!"

"The Court’s historical policy of the 'loose rein' system has only served to win over the tribal chiefs, using them to rule the commoners. By acknowledging the hereditary status of these chiefs and granting them titles, the Court has engaged in indirect rule, but the Imperial decrees have never actually been implemented on the ground." Zhu Gaochi’s voice turned heavy. "When the lives of the tribal commoners become unbearable, they rise up in rebellion. If the tribal chiefs cannot suppress them—or, more likely, if they deliberately choose not to—they report the situation to the Court and request troops. This only exacerbates the hatred between the Court and the tribes!"

"Why? Because if the Court adopts a policy of appeasement and sends relief or rewards, it all falls into the hands of the chiefs; the commoners receive nothing. If the Court sends an army to suppress the rebellion, the ones who die are not the chiefs, but the commoners. Consequently, the Court naturally... loses the hearts of the people!"

By the time he finished, Old Zhu’s face had darkened. It was not directed at Zhu Gaochi, but at those damnable tribal chiefs! This skill of "deceiving those above and bullying those below"—they really were masters of it! No wonder the tribal commoners were constantly rebelling, no matter how much the successive dynasties tried to appease them or bestow rewards. The root of the problem lay right here!

It was truly outrageous!