The Zhu Family's Pig-Raising Methods: The Downfall of a Dynasty

Above the sky, Zhu Dijun's voice echoed across different times and spaces, pulling all the emperors back from their shock and fear of the "Eastern Depot" to the live broadcast room.

"Family members, let's temporarily put aside our pursuit of the Khazars."

"Because, compared to this enemy lurking in the shadows, the Ming Dynasty suffers from an even more fatal and ironic ailment."

Zhu Dijun's tone carried an indescribable complexity.

"A system designed by the two great rulers, Emperor Taizu and Emperor Yongle, with the intention of ensuring the stability of the empire, but which ultimately almost brought down the entire dynasty."

His words instantly drew the attention of all time and space to Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di.

Designed by hand?

To bring down the dynasty?

In the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang frowned deeply. "The national policies we've formulated are all for the long-term prosperity of the Zhu family; how could they possibly bring down the Ming Dynasty?"

In the fifteenth year of the Yongle reign, Zhu Di had just reshaped his inner order due to the "punishment of the rebels" rhetoric, but now a sense of foreboding arose within him.

Zhu Dijun didn't keep them in suspense. He continued, "Let's get back to the main topic: how the Khazars and the civil service group gradually dismantled the Ming Dynasty from within."

"Their methods are not always assassinations with swords drawn."

"More often than not, it's a more sophisticated and subtle method—praise to kill!"

"They will exploit loopholes in your system, then lavishly praise and support it, pushing you into an abyss of no return!"

Zhu Dijun looked towards Yongle Time and Space.

"After the Jingnan Rebellion succeeded, our ancestor Zhu Di, facing the public opinion and the tampered history books, besides the genius-level move of extending his father's life by four years, did another great thing."

Inside Yongle Palace, Zhu Di's face instantly darkened.

Extend life by four years?

A shady tactic?

Why do these descendants always speak so unpleasantly?

But he didn't react, because he wanted to know what else he had done wrong.

"In order to prevent the emergence of another 'rebel prince' like you, you have adjusted the system of princes established by your father."

"That's what Zhu Dijun said."

"You have preserved the generous stipends and prestigious status of the vassal kings, but stripped them of almost all of their guard powers and strictly forbade them from interfering in politics or leaving their fiefdoms without authorization."

"From then on, the vassal kings of the Ming Dynasty were transformed from 'frontier kings' who guarded the country's borders into a group of 'wealthy idlers' who were kept in their fiefdoms."

Upon hearing this, Zhu Di nodded.

That's right, that's exactly what he did.

He himself was a prince who successfully rebelled, so naturally he wanted to plug this biggest loophole. Shouldn't it be right to strip them of their power, increase their salaries, and let them live peacefully as wealthy men?

Zhu Yuanzhang, the Hongwu Emperor, also showed an approving expression.

Biao'er is kind and benevolent, while Yunwen is weak. Allowing those uncles who hold military power to remain on the border would indeed be a huge hidden danger. Di'er's method, though ruthless, is good for the country and its people!

However, above the sky, Judy Jun let out a sigh.

"This is exactly what the civilian government and the Khazars wanted to see!"

"Not only will they not object, they'll wholeheartedly support it!"

"They will sing praises of Your Majesty's wisdom and might in the court, commending you for solving the problem of the imperial clan once and for all!"

Why?

"Because a feudal lord who has no military power, no political influence, and only knows how to collect money and have children poses no threat to them!"

"More importantly, an ever-expanding imperial clan with astronomically high salaries will become a huge financial black hole, constantly draining the national strength of the Ming Dynasty!"

"A country with a strong core and weak branches, a centralized government, is difficult for them to shake."

"But what about a country that's been dragged down to its wits' end by its own royal family, unable to even pay its border troops?"

A cold smile curled at the corners of Zhu Dijun's mouth.

"They just need to stand by and watch quietly as the elephant is slowly drained of its blood by the parasites on its body, until it collapses with a thud!"

boom!

Zhu Di's mind felt as if it had been struck hard by a heavy hammer!

He suddenly looked at Yao Guangxiao, Yang Shiqi and others beside him, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt.

When he implemented this policy, there was indeed a chorus of praise in the court! Those civil officials who usually loved to find fault stood with him this time, for the first time ever!

At the time, he only thought that he had finally done something right that satisfied everyone.

Looking back now... what were those thoughts hidden behind those praising smiles?

"Family members, let's look at some data to see just how terrifying Old Zhu's 'pig-raising method' really is."

The visuals on the screen changed, revealing a salary chart from the time of Zhu Yuanzhang.

During the Hongwu reign, a prince's annual stipend was: 50,000 shi of rice, 25,000 guan of paper money, 40 bolts of brocade, and 100 bolts each of gauze and silk...

[The Prince's annual stipend: 6,000 shi of rice...]

This is just the beginning; there's a long list of other supplies to come, such as cloth, salt, tea, and horse feed.

"Emperor Taizu doted on his son and gave him the highest salary in history, which is understandable."

"After all, in his initial plan, these sons were to guard the frontier and serve his Zhu family. Giving them more was only right."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction upon seeing this.

Our son deserves the best life!

"but!"

Zhu Dijun then changed the subject.

"Both Emperor Taizu and Emperor Chengzu overlooked a very basic issue."

"That is, population growth is exponential!"

On the sky, an AI animation began to unfold.

A prince can have a dozen or even dozens of sons who are dukes or generals.

A prince can have dozens of descendants.

"According to the rules set by the founding emperor, all members of the imperial clan, even the lowest-ranking Fengguo Lieutenant, are entitled to a salary from birth, which will never be revoked!"

"They don't work, they don't pay taxes, their only life goal is to collect money, and then... have more children to collect more money!"

On the screen, the little figures representing the Zhu family clan began to split and multiply at a terrifying speed visible to the naked eye!

From the initial dozens, to hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands...

On the other hand, the golden pillar representing national fiscal revenue, after rising in the early stages, began to slowly stagnate, and even declined due to natural disasters and man-made calamities.

But the red expenditure representing the prince's salary was like a red-hot steel needle, unwavering and relentlessly growing upwards!

Emperors from all timelines were stunned.

For the first time, they witnessed firsthand how a dynasty could be devoured piece by piece by its own people!

"By the mid-Ming Dynasty, the number of members of the imperial family in Shanxi alone exceeded ten thousand! Paying their salaries alone consumed more than half of Shanxi's annual fiscal revenue!"

"And this is just Shanxi!"

"By the end of the Ming Dynasty, the total population of the imperial family across the entire country exceeded 200,000! How much grain did these 200,000 unproductive 'pigs' consume every year?"

"at the same time!"

The scene shifts to a key border town during the Chongzhen era.

The ragged border soldiers shivered in the cold wind, their eyes numb, their weapons rusted.

A line of blood-red characters appeared in the center of the image.

A mutiny broke out in Datong Town due to unpaid rations!

[A mutiny broke out in Ningyuan Garrison due to unpaid rations!]

Why is there a pay shortfall?

Zhu Dijun's voice was like a sob of blood.

"Because the national treasury is truly empty!"

"All the money has been used to support the 'dragon sons and dragon grandsons' of your Zhu family!"

"During the Chongzhen era, the annual salary of Prince Fu, Zhu Changxun, was 20,000 shi of grain! And how much was the annual military pay of an elite soldier in the Nine Garrisons? Twelve shi!"

"Supporting one Prince Fu could feed nearly two thousand soldiers!"

"While Li Zicheng's peasant army swept across the land because of a single meal, this Prince Fu was hiding in his Luoyang palace, facing a table full of delicacies, worrying about what to do with his weight of over 300 jin!"

This moment.

In the eleventh year of the Hongwu reign, Zhu Yuanzhang's world collapsed.

He looked at the fat, pig-like descendant in the sky, then at the soldiers who had rebelled because of hunger.

His body began to tremble violently.

His eyes, which had just been filled with murderous intent, were instantly swallowed up by boundless fear and despair.

He was not defeated by the enemy.

He was crushed to death by the overwhelming weight of his father's love!

The perfect plan he devised, and the endless wealth he left to his descendants, in the end, all became the sharpest knife that killed this dynasty!