Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

There are 89.31 million people in the country, which must exceed 100 million including children.

Why is it said that the population has not recovered yet?

Because when counting household registrations, the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun were also included, and Liaoning was also added.

Moreover, Pyongyang and the territory of Korea to the north have all been integrated into Liaoning Province.

Tsushima Island, Sado Island, and Iwami Country are all under the name of Shandong Province, and the people within their jurisdiction have also been registered as households.

The ethnic minorities in Guangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, Sichuan, Fujian, and Shaanxi also established Baojia according to Wang Anshi's Tuding system. As long as the population in Baojia is included, all residents will be counted as one household. (Taiwan counties are under the jurisdiction of Fujian.)

None of the above belong to the Northern Song Dynasty household registration.

The household registration area of ​​the Ming Dynasty was a quarter larger than that of the Northern Song Dynasty, but the population was only the same as that of the middle Huizong Dynasty.

This is the result of eight full years of restoration after the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

When we say that the statistical area has increased by a quarter, we also include many border areas and Jizhou.

For example, in the Hehuang area, although it was conquered by the Northern Song Dynasty, there is no household registration data. In Lanzhou alone, there are 395 households and 981 people. Those far away from the city and the fortress are not included.

As of last year, it had only been eight years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, and the governance of Hehuang had been very effective.

The Han, Tubo, Dangxiang, and Uighur ethnic groups in the eight states of Hehuang were all brought under the rule of the Ming government. The registered household population over the age of 15 reached 320,000. In relatively remote places, such as the mountainous areas of Taozhou (Gannan), the Ming court was temporarily unable to control them.

This year, the Hehuang area was officially renamed Lanzhou Prefecture, and the eight prefectures under its jurisdiction were changed to eight counties.

People living in the county and nearby areas, no matter what ethnic group they belong to, are prohibited from wearing left-fold clothing. However, there are no hard and fast rules for hairstyle, and people of all ethnic groups are given a certain degree of freedom.

Official schools were set up in every county, with former prisoners serving as teachers.

…

Zhu Guoxiang, who had just returned from Wangchuan Villa, carefully read the national household registration statistics.

and accompanying work reports from various provinces, prefectures and counties.

“The eight states of Hehuang have been basically digested,” Zhu Guoxiang commented.

Ju Ming said very pertinently: "Thanks to the Song Dynasty's decades of management. After the recovery of the Hehuang area, rebellions occurred frequently, and the Song Dynasty suppressed them many times. The tribes that could make waves were all crippled by the Song Dynasty's border troops. Well, I happened to pick the peaches in the Ming Dynasty. In the past two years, the people of all ethnic groups in Hehuang did not dare to resist and obeyed the government's arrangements. "

Zhu Guoxiang pulled out another copy and said while reading: "Is it too early to establish a government in Pyongyang? I think it is safer to continue to use military control."

"Don't be afraid," Ju Ming said with a smile. "If an accident happens, it will lure the snake out of its hole. The internal rebellion will be suppressed and the stubborn resisters will be eliminated. If Goryeo sends troops to kill, it will be an excuse to annex Goryeo!"

This year, Pyongyang will set up a government together with Lanzhou.

Pyongyang Prefecture has four counties under its jurisdiction, namely: Jizi County (Pyongyang), Anxian (Anzhou), Uixian (Baozhou), and Xingxian (Hamxing).

In order to facilitate their rule, a large number of people moved out of the mountains and were given ownerless farmland or wasteland.

These mountain people who moved out are mainly Jurchen people and supplemented by Bohai people. Change the tribal form to a rural form, and the tribal leader becomes the village chief and Li Zheng.

Counting the Han soldiers, craftsmen and their families who migrated there, as well as the local Koreans, Jurchens and Bohai people. There are a total of more than 90,000 people aged 15 and above in the four counties of Pyongyang Prefecture, which also contributes to the population of more than 80 million in Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Guoxiang said: "You can send another envoy to Goryeo to see the specific situation."

"No need," Ju Ming said, "We have people at the Goryeo court who are acting as informants, and they are also central officials."

"Leading party?" Zhu Guoxiang asked.

"It can be regarded as the leading party," Ju Ming said. "The nobles who opened the capital controlled the court and put the King of Goryeo under house arrest. If the local nobles of Korea did not act as dogs to the nobles who opened the capital, they would have no hope of career advancement. In addition, the king was under house arrest. , they are very resentful towards the Kaijing nobles, they would rather be ruled by the Ming Dynasty.”

Zhu Guoxiang asked: "I heard that the King of Goryeo was very smart. He had eradicated two powerful officials in a row before?"

Ju Ming nodded and admitted: "He is indeed very smart, daring and charismatic. While he was under house arrest, he was able to win over the eunuch arranged by the powerful officials, and also won over a doctor who treated him. Relying on the eunuch and the doctor He helped to organize a coup, but the secret was leaked midway, and all the eunuchs and doctors were killed. Three of the civil and military officials involved in the coup were beheaded and more than a dozen were exiled.”

"Oh, he can be considered a wise monarch." Zhu Guoxiang sighed.

Ju Ming said with a smile: "It was precisely because of the failure of the coup last year that some middle and low-level officials who allowed Goryeo to open the capital took the initiative to contact the Ming Dynasty officials in Pyongyang. Some people hope to use the Ming Dynasty to eradicate powerful ministers, and some people simply break the rules and become the leading party."

What the father and son still don't know is that another coup is brewing in Goryeo this year - the powerful ministers group is split within.

The knowledgeable people among the nobles of the capital hoped to eliminate the traitors and revitalize the country. They tried to kill the ruling ministers, rescue the king from house arrest, and then reform the finances and military to drive the Ming army away from Pyongyang.

…

Luoyang, horse market.

It's called the horse market, but it actually sells donkeys and mules.

Today there are sellers of novelties - elephants and rhinos.

Among the Annan envoys, Liu Yaomin, the deputy envoy who understands Chinese, is hawking in a strange accent: "Elephants, elephants that have been tamed. They have a docile temperament, can understand human nature, and can do farm work..."

Annan's uncle Du Yingwu felt embarrassed and was drinking in a restaurant on the next street.

He is still in a state of confusion and can't figure out why the Ming Emperor doesn't want auspiciousness.

Painting scales on a rhinoceros and presenting it as a unicorn to the Ming Dynasty was the suggestion of Zhang Boyu, Grand Master of Annan.

Taishi Zhang was well versed in the history of Annan and decided to follow the example of decades ago and offer auspicious signs to please the Ming Emperor.

How come the flattery was photographed on the horse's leg?

"Ms. sir, go and have a look. Officials from the Ming Dynasty are arresting people again!" A member of the mission came over.

Hearing this, Du Yingwu threw out the copper coins to pay the bill and quickly ran to check the situation.

The money for food and drinks was obtained by him in exchange for gold.

The gold was intended to be used as tribute to buy some goods and go back to make money.

When Du Yingwu rushed to the horse market, a tax collector and several tax collectors were entangled with Liu Yaomin who was selling rhinos and elephants.

Du Yingwu asked: "What happened?"

Liu Yaomin said with a sad face: "To sell things here, you need a tax payment certificate from the Luoyang tax field. It is a tax stamp that states where the goods are shipped from and to where, and it also has customs stamps along the way. Without a tax stamp, you can't sell it in Goods are sold here.”

"This is too much!" Du Yingwu was furious.

Although he is a sycophant, he is also talented and has high self-esteem.

He has smooth and fair skin since he was a child. He is one of the most handsome boys in Vietnam and is good at flying kites and singing.

When he grew up, he became proficient in riding and archery, medicine, chess, pot throwing, art of war, and fortune telling. The king was carrying out a large-scale construction project, and he was also responsible for supervising the construction and managing the engineering team in an orderly manner... Although many people called him a sycophant, no one dared to deny his talent.

Such a handsome and respectable person was arrested and squatted in prison on the first day he came to Luoyang.

Now he is selling off his tribute, and is actually being bullied by a few tax collectors.

Du Yingwu pointed at the tax collector and asked: "Is this how the great Ming Dynasty, Zhongyuan Zhengshuo, treats envoys? Where is the etiquette? Where is the face of the Ming Dynasty?"

The tax collector said disdainfully: "A man who deceives the emperor, what kind of etiquette can he talk about?"

Liu Yaomin quickly stopped him to prevent the situation from intensifying, and begged for mercy: "May I ask, noble man, if you can be accommodating?"

The tax collector said: "I also act according to the rules. In Luoyang cities, valuable goods are not allowed to be sold without a tax certificate. You pick some vegetables and fruits to sell, and I can still turn a blind eye. But you are selling It's a rhinoceros or an elephant. If I don't stop it, I'll be derelict in my duty!"

In desperation, Du Yingwu and Liu Yaomin had no choice but to get the elephant and rhinoceros out of the city, and then ran to Honglu Temple for help.

After all, the Ming Dynasty was a state of etiquette. Honglu Temple helped report the matter, and the Ministry of Household Affairs petitioned the cabinet, which finally allowed them to sell things in Luoyang.

The Vietnamese envoy re-rented the horse market stall and continued to sell rhinos and elephants there.

For three days in a row, many people came to see the fun, but no one even asked about the price.

Who is so full that he would buy this thing to go home?

"It's better to throw it away," Liu Yaomin suggested. "You can't sell it at all. You have to pay extra every day to buy food for the rhino and elephant."

Du Yingwu said: "Just give me a price. An elephant is fifty guan each, a rhinoceros is 30 guan each. And those agarwood, ebony, gems...all are sold at low prices. Return to China as soon as possible."

On the fourth day, the selling price is directly listed on a wooden sign.

Soon a businessman came to buy them, bought two elephants and a rhinoceros, and then drove them outside Donghua Gate, claiming that they had purchased exotic animals and presented them to the court.

The rest of the tributes were also snatched away by merchants.

The Annan envoy finally embarked on their way back home.

Sitting on the boat, Du Yingwu said with a ferocious expression: "I have never been humiliated like this since I was born. When I return to China, I will definitely ask Your Majesty to send 100,000 troops to attack the Ming Dynasty!"

Liu Yaomin said: "My lord, calm down your anger. The Ming Dynasty is strong and invincible."

Du Yingwu clenched his fist and said: "My uncle was able to defeat the Song army back then, and I can also defeat the Ming army!"

Du Yingwu's uncle was Li Changjie, the eunuch who led troops to attack the Song Dynasty.

Although Li Changjie was an eunuch, he was also a famous warrior.

As soon as he conquered Champa, he captured the king of Champa. The second expedition captured the city and annexed its three states. Three expeditions to occupy the city were also achieved with great success. Then he led an army of 100,000 to attack the Song Dynasty, captured Yongzhou, massacred the city, and kidnapped tens of thousands of Song people.

Du Yingwu, a sycophant, was also able to fight. Historically, he had no defeat in his life.

The monarchs and ministers of the Ming Dynasty were so abominable that Du Yingwu could not swallow his breath!

…

As soon as the Annan envoy left, a fast ship sailed to Luoyang.

The messenger went to the Ministry of War first, and then went straight to the palace with urgent reports.

Ju Ming looked at the emergency report from Shaanxi and the letter asking for help from the King of Gaochang. He couldn't help but sigh: "The butterfly wings are fanned like this, but the Yelv Stone can still be tossed."

Yelu Dashi sent troops last year and captured the capital of the Eastern Kara Khanate.

Then he spread the message to the grasslands at the northern foot of the Tianshan Mountains, and all the tribes north of the Tianshan Mountains expressed their submission to Yelu Dashi.

Today, the Kashgar, Hotan, and Aksu regions are occupied by rebels from the Eastern Kara Khanate.

Korla, Turpan, Hami and other places belong to the territory of Gaochang Uighurs.

The rest of the place was swallowed up by the Yelu boulder!

The westernmost territory of Yelv Dashi has expanded to 200 miles west of Talas.

Next, Yelu Dashi will definitely annex Kashgar, Hotan and other places first, and then attack the Gaochang Uighurs who have lost half of their territory.

The King of Gaochang was so frightened that he could not sleep at night, and quickly sent people to ask for help from the Ming Dynasty.