Chapter 270: |
Chapter 270
At this moment, Li Er finally grasped Su Li's letter's purpose. The earlier situation merely served as an introduction. The actual demands were yet to be revealed. This left him wearing a peculiar expression.
“So, King Yongle has this in mind.”
“No wonder he began by explaining the situation in the northwest. It appears I have no choice but to agree.”
Indeed, King Yongle, Su Li, detailed the current situation in the northwest to establish the foundation for his request.
After all, even if the various Hu tribes in the northwest had submitted, discussing significant changes would require a sufficient number of Central Plains subjects. Li Er squinted at the letter, contemplating for a moment.
Certainly, both population and talent were of utmost importance to a nation. Neither could be taken lightly. Population formed the country's bedrock, and talent was essential for its growth. Without an adequate population and talent pool, a nation would face difficulties and limitations in its development.
Even if Su Li were the reincarnation of an exiled immortal, there was no straightforward approach to this matter. However, Su Li's factories within the Great Tang were undoubtedly alluring.
In the months since Su Li's departure, intelligence gathered by spies regarding the profits made Li Er very eager. If not for his concerns about Su Li, Li Er would have been reluctant to release such a substantial source of income.
An increase in taxes would likely lead to public discontent, with people attributing it to King Yongle's, Su Li's departure, and the current emperor's alleged oppression. Even pondering this scenario gave Li Er a headache.
Previously, he had no means to intervene, as it had taken considerable effort to initially relocate Su Li to the northwest. If he were to interfere now, Su Li could easily jeopardize his position as the emperor.
Li Er recalled the scene when tens of thousands had lined the road to bid farewell to Su Li and couldn't help but feel somewhat envious. He believed he was not inferior to Su Li in any way, and now that Su Li had left, it was his time to shine.
Su Li's factory profits were critical to the nation's foundation. Acquiring half of the shares would supply the state treasury with ample funds to support his ambitious plans. This opportunity was not to be missed.
Li Er meticulously analyzed the situation. The barren and impoverished lands in the northwest differed significantly from the Central Plains. Setting aside the Hu tribes that had already submitted, the harsh climate, poor soil, and ongoing conflicts made one hesitate to contemplate it.
Even someone as remarkable as King Yongle, Su Li, could only hope to attract one to two million Central Plains people. Given the vastness of the northwest, it was even more desolate than one might imagine. Otherwise, there wouldn't be nearly two million Hu people left after Su Li's arrival.
One to two million people might sound substantial, but it wasn't a significant loss for the current Great Tang. Acquiring a substantial income stream for less than ten percent of the population seemed like a worthwhile trade-off. Li Er pondered this as he closed the letter and requested writing materials.
Quite intriguing, he mused. I would like to see if your policy of cultural assimilation can succeed.
Cultural assimilation might appear straightforward, even with Su Li implementing various prohibitions and directives. However, in reality, coexisting between the Han and Hu people was bound to result in friction and conflicts.
Their customs, diets, and ways of life differed significantly. More importantly, the deep-seated animosity between these two groups was not underestimated.
The conflict three years ago resulted in the deaths of a substantial number of Hu people, possibly surpassing the surviving Hu population. Their parents, elders, and relatives had perished in that war. While Su Li could instill fear, it was impossible to erase the enmity between the Han and Hu communities entirely.
If Su Li could sincerely achieve this cultural assimilation, it would be a positive development for Li Er. At the very least, the northwest of the Great Tang would become inhabited by Han people rather than being dominated by so-called foreign tribes. However, with Su Li intending to relocate the population, policies would need to be enacted to encourage childbirth and swiftly fill the population gap left by Su Li's move.
Recent changes in the Great Tang, coupled with the substantial profits from the factories, provided by Li Er with the resources to implement such policies. Having decided to agree, Li Er began drafting the imperial decree.
“Managing the population might be feasible, but the matter of the recruitment edict is more complex,” Li Er muttered. “I'll have to issue a separate decree for that.”
The recruitment edict originated during the reign of Duke Xiao of Qin and was notably effective then. It had attracted talents like Shang Yang, who had initiated legal reforms in Qin. Li Er had also issued such mandates in the past. Thus, this matter was not entirely unfamiliar to him, although he did have some reservations. Allowing Su Li to acquire the population and talents raised concerns about nurturing a potential threat in the northwest.
After all, Su Li was the renowned Emperor Yongle. While Li Er believed that Su Li had no ambitions of seizing power, there remained a concern that if the Northwest's influence grew too substantial, it might become challenging to regain control, especially after Su Li's eventual passing.
However, Li Er quickly dismissed this possibility. The mere one to two million Central Plains people, combined with the nearly two million local nomads, would amount to a maximum of four million inhabitants. He was well aware of the barren and harsh environment in the northwest. Developing massive cities similar to those in the Central Plains would be nearly impossible.
The issue wasn't solely about population. It fundamentally revolves around the scarcity of resources and suitable land for large-scale urbanization. The vast northwest consisted of deserts, snow-covered mountains, and arid regions. It simply lacked the necessary resources, such as timber, to support the construction of large cities like those in the Central Plains.
Reaching tens of millions of inhabitants was daunting, even for someone like Su Li, who wasn't a true immortal. Faced with the constraints of nature, there were limitations to what one could accomplish. Reflecting on this, Li Er felt somewhat reassured.
“It’s essentially a call for talent. I wonder how many individuals are willing to venture to the desolate northwest. Only Emperor Yongle possesses such charisma,” he mused. He also felt that, in the past, sending Su Li away was similar to burning bridges. Therefore, once Su Li had truly established control over the entire region, he essentially agreed to all his requests.
Moreover, he had left capable Tang soldiers stationed throughout the northwest, only withdrawing them once Su Li had firmly established his authority over the entire area. If the other party desired to recruit talent and welcome the people, there was no harm in approving.
Li Er finished writing the two imperial edicts, as was his custom. He meticulously reviewed them to ensure they were flawless, then handed them over to the imperial envoys with instructions to announce the imperial edicts.
He took a deep breath, knowing that this time, the Great Tang would undoubtedly be profoundly affected by these decisions!