Emperor Jingtai, who inherited a Ming dynasty shattered by defeat, devoted all his efforts to reconstruction.
- Focus solely on defending Liaodong and the northern regions!
Based on a strategy that strictly prioritized defense, Emperor Jingtai and his ministers reorganized the northern troops.
Though they had lost the war, they stationed troops experienced in actual combat, particularly those familiar with gunpowder weapons, along the Great Wall in the north, and gathered remaining gunpowder and artillery to deploy along the wall.
The troops hastily gathered while losing the war were redirected to restore destroyed canals and transportation networks.
“Restoring canals and transportation networks is urgent to suppress chaos in Jiangnan and properly secure tax revenue!”
This was Emperor Jingtai’s decision for swift recovery of damages. Some officials tried to restrain this.
“Your Majesty, Joseon could push through Shanhaiguan Pass! We must prepare!”
However, before Emperor Jingtai could step in, the Cabinet Deputy Chief countered their opinions.
“Joseon is already being overwhelmed by digesting the territories they’ve secured. No need to worry about Joseon! We only need to think about the Tatars in the north!”
“The northern Tatars might try to circumvent, Your Excellency.”
“Do you think Joseon would simply let the Tatars run wild in the northern territories they’ve just gained? No, in our current situation, it would be excellent if the Tatars would just do that.”
“…”
Thus the situation was settled as the Cabinet Deputy Chief silenced the concerned ministers.
The ministers’ initial assessment of Emperor Jingtai was similar to what they had concluded about Emperor Xuande.
- An ordinary[1] monarch.
- Might be fine in peaceful times but in these chaotic times…
However, when chaos erupted in the Jiangnan region with people claiming to be Emperor Jianwen and his son, the ministers revised their assessment after seeing Emperor Jingtai’s response.
“Gather troops immediately and suppress them!”
Upon first hearing the news, Emperor Jingtai ordered immediate suppression in anger. However, the Minister of War stepped forward to oppose this.
“It’s impossible in our current situation. I have a better strategy! We only need one imperial edict!”
“Speak.”
After hearing the Minister of War’s proposal, Emperor Jingtai immediately accepted it.
There were tragic events during the previous Jingnan Rebellion. We cannot hide Our sorrow over this. Therefore, We shall restore Emperor Hui’s era name “Jianwen” and bestow the title of Prince to Zhu Wengui. Thus, Zhu Wengui shall come to Us.
As such edicts were posted throughout Jiangnan, those claiming to be Emperor Jianwen or Zhu Wengui began fighting each other, each claiming to be the real one.
Seeing this situation, the ministers revised their assessment of Emperor Jingtai.
- He knows how to listen. This is his greatest strength.
- His judgment is as excellent as the previous emperor’s.
While people in Jiangnan were killing each other, Emperor Jingtai and Ming’s ministers devoted all their efforts to restoring the canals.
Ironically, the merchants from Joseon provided great help with these restoration projects.
Besides conscripted soldiers, merchant groups from Hebei were also participating in canal restoration.
The merchant group leaders were in quite a troublesome situation.
Emperor Jingtai and court ministers were urging swift completion almost daily.
The merchant leaders’ concerns became their subordinate merchants’ worries, and they ended up complaining to the imperial merchants as well.
Not long after the war ended, the Joseon trading post in Shandong reopened its doors.
Trade with Joseon, no, the Empire, was necessary even for Ming’s imperial court and government.
With tax administration in chaos due to Jiangnan’s turmoil and broken canals, trade with Joseon was essential to secure needed funds.
Grain collected through taxation from the Jiangnan region where Ming’s administrative power was still alive, along with large quantities of sulfur and saltpeter, were Ming’s main items for sale, while the Empire sold various iron agricultural tools, medicines, cotton cloth, and some luxury goods.
This trade was necessary for the Empire too. Though water control projects had shifted to the management phase, enabling stable agriculture, there were many regions like Great Snow Island where food self-sufficiency was difficult, leaving quite a distance to complete self-sufficiency. Moreover, they had acquired the Northern Territory. Sufficient food was needed to settle those living in the Northern Territory as imperial citizens.
The best solution was to strengthen agricultural production in the Northern Territory while building large-scale agricultural regions in the Divine Territory. However, both required considerable time and manpower, making Ming’s grain essential.
Of course, they could import from Dai Viet or Siam, but those countries grew rice varieties completely different from what imperial citizens mostly ate. In contrast, many farmers in Ming’s Jiangnan specialized in growing rice suited to imperial tastes. It had become profitable.
Regarding sulfur and saltpeter, it was for military reasons. Though the Empire had eased its supply situation by obtaining sulfur from Great Snow Island and importing saltpeter from India, they bought up all the saltpeter and sulfur Ming offered for sale.
This was partly to stockpile for possible contingencies, but also to control a significant portion of Ming’s military power.
The situation had reversed from when Ming had previously controlled Joseon’s access to water buffalo horns, essential for making composite bows.
Due to this background, when the Joseon trading post – no, the Imperial trading post – reopened in Shandong, merchants from both countries renewed their friendships.
“Hm? Master Wang, you don’t look well. Actually terrible.”
“Ah! Master Kim, is my complexion that bad?”
“You look like someone who might be smelling incense behind a folding screen tomorrow. Should I give you some medicine?”
At Imperial merchant Kim Il-su’s words, Ming merchant Wang Degu flinched for a moment. This was because of one of the many meanings the word “medicine” carried in Joseon, no, the Empire.
Seeing Wang Degu’s reaction, Kim Il-su continued with a smirk.
“What are you thinking? Not that kind of medicine – I’m saying this because your complexion really doesn’t look good.”
Speaking thus, Kim Il-su rummaged through his desk drawer and pulled something out to hand to Wang Degu.
“Bear gallbladder from Great Snow Island I got recently. See the imperial seal on the wrapping? It’s genuine.”
“Oh my! How kind! This Wang will never forget Master Kim’s grace!”
Wang Degu was sincere as he bowed deeply with clasped hands.
Ming was flooded with all sorts of counterfeit medicinal ingredients. As a result, imperial medicines bearing the Empire’s royal seal traded at high prices. There were even rumors that Ming’s imperial court used only imperial medicines.
In such circumstances, genuine bear gallbladder could command any price. He could either use it himself or make a profit by selling it, or curry favor by presenting it to superiors.
“What’s troubling you so much? Afraid to spend nights with your wife? Or are your children causing problems?”
To Kim Il-su’s question mixing jest and earnestness, Wang Degu sighed and answered:
“Well, the elder I serve has taken on a major task for the merchant group, and he’s losing sleep every day because of it.”
“Major task? What kind of task is causing such trouble?”
“The merchant group has been tasked with restoring canals destroyed in the previous war, and no one wants to take on this work…”
“Isn’t civil engineering usually the most profitable?”
Kim Il-su tilted his head at Wang Degu’s words.
As he said, civil engineering projects were highly profitable work. Profits could be continuously made throughout the process – from procuring workers, to managing their food, clothing, and shelter.
Of course, there were those who tampered with materials or did shoddy construction hoping for quick riches. However, the moment they were caught by inspectors’ eyes, their entire property would be confiscated and their whole family would become government slaves sent to Aoji.
There were attempts to avoid this by bribing inspectors, but no inspector would accept such bribes. If problems arose later, property confiscation and exile to the Office of Records were the minimum punishment – inspectors could face life labor in Aoji in severe cases.
Well, after changing to the Empire, only the perpetrators became government slaves working until death in Aoji or other harsh locations. However, property confiscation remained unchanged, so once caught, the perpetrator’s entire family would end up on the streets.
Wang Degu explained the reason for Kim Il-su’s observation:
“The problem is that the government is pressing for construction period reduction every day. You know how it is, Master Kim? With government-assigned work, one mistake could lead to the extermination of three generations of family.”
“So you’re worried sick?”
“Yes. The worksite size is limited, but endlessly adding workers won’t solve anything. It just increases idle hands. Yet there seems to be no other solution, hence the worry.”
Kim Il-su nodded at Wang Degu’s words.
“That’s true. Hmm… You need to reduce construction time, but there’s no good method, and if something goes wrong and your master suffers misfortune, that wouldn’t be good for you either. Is that why you look like that?”
“That’s right.”
At Wang Degu’s answer, Kim Il-su immediately offered a solution.
“That problem could be solved with just a bit of money.”
“What? How? Please share your wisdom. I beg you.”
Seeing Wang Degu’s earnest plea, Kim Il-su explained about “incentive payments.”
“…So divide them into teams, select the best-performing teams, and give appropriate rewards to team leaders and members. After that, everyone will attack the work with fire in their eyes.”
“Ah!”
Letting out an involuntary exclamation, Wang Degu bowed again with clasped hands.
“This Wang swears before heaven and earth! I will definitely repay this kindness! If I cannot repay it, my descendants will repay it for generations!”
Kim Il-su smiled and waved his hand at Wang Degu’s oath.
“What’s with the oath… Just continue good business dealings with me in the future.”
“Don’t worry about that!”
Watching Wang Degu leave excitedly after finding an answer to his worries, Kim Il-su clicked his tongue softly.
“Tsk! Our country has had an incentive system since long ago, yet a self-proclaimed great nation…”
After expressing such doubt, Kim Il-su soon found his own answer.
“I suppose it’s because they have too many people? That must be it.”
Since ancient times, Ming, no, the Central Plains had been overflowing with people. If one wasn’t enough, they’d use ten; if ten weren’t enough, they’d use a hundred.
Therefore, there had never been any need to consider the concept of “incentives.”
As he clicked his tongue, Kim Il-su’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Wait? Come to think of it? His Majesty was the first to think of ‘incentives’? My my~ Indeed! He was different from the start!”
After admiring Hyang’s ability, Kim Il-su soon began writing a report to send to his merchant group.
“By the way… I might be able to secure quite a strong connection here. A merchant group trusted with government construction projects must have ties to the Ming court.”
Thus, the “incentive system” was introduced at the canal restoration construction sites. With the implementation of the “incentive system,” construction efficiency visibly improved.
And in the autumn of Imperial Year 3, the broken canals were reconnected.
Upon receiving the report, Emperor Jingtai commanded his ministers:
“Consider the matter of moving the capital to Nanking.”