In Lu Xuan's mind, as long as he could maintain a leading position in productivity, technology, economy, military, and so on, whether or not he went on expeditions was irrelevant. Because those territories were there; they wouldn't disappear. As long as he was strong enough, he could take them at any time.
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Chapter 179 Sweeping Across the World, and That Glimmer of Hope (Ming Dynasty Volume, The End)
In the blink of an eye, Lu Xuan had been on the throne for forty years. According to the age system of this world, he should be sixty years old. However, due to his special physique, he looked like someone in his thirties or forties.
But those who know him well know that he is not young anymore. At least not in this world. Lu Xuan still has no children, which has always been a source of heartache in China.
Although Lu Xuan seems to be fine now, there's always a chance of something going wrong. What if something happens to Lu Xuan?
However, Lu Xuan himself didn't seem worried. In fact, even some of the leadership in China didn't show much anxiety, as if they already knew what was going to happen.
Until that day, Lu Xuan convened a meeting of the Chinese leadership.
Zhao Jingzhong, Lu Wenzhao, and Shen Lian, all of whom are old and need assistance, made a rare appearance at the meeting.
That's not all; this meeting even saw a long-absent representative of the Zhu family, namely, the son of the previous emperor, Zhu Youjian, and the Ming dynasty.
At the meeting, some people looked knowing, realizing that day had finally come. However, there were still others who were unclear about what had happened. They only knew that something big was about to occur.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I, Lu Xuan, have been in charge of China for forty years. Forty years, I have asked myself if I have done anything wrong to this country or this nation. However, I am very tired."
Upon hearing this, both those in the know and those unaware of the situation showed expressions of shock. They already knew what Lu Xuan was about to say.
"Yes, I am tired. So, I am prepared to abdicate. But as everyone knows, I have no children. And I have always believed that relying on offspring for the succession of a dynasty is unreliable. Therefore, I am exercising my rights here one last time and making the following arrangements for this country..."
The entire country went mad. Their emperor was abdicating. Not dead, but voluntarily. Even though the people of China today had embraced various new ideas, and the literacy rate had reached over 70%, they still couldn't imagine that someone would willingly relinquish the throne.
Who was the last person to do this? The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors? The Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors are nothing. In fact, for the people of China, even the legendary Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors cannot compare to their own Chinese emperors.
It ensured that 600 million people in China had enough to eat, even meat. It expanded China's territory nearly three times its original size. It defeated all the nomadic tribes surrounding China that could be considered enemies. It even forced the Westerners, thousands of miles away, to pay tribute annually.
Whether in civil administration or military prowess, he surpassed all other rulers throughout Chinese history. The titles of enlightened ruler, sage ruler, and heavenly ruler combined are insufficient to describe his greatness. If possible, the people of China would even wish for this emperor to live ten thousand years, for he is the most deserving person in the world to live such a life.
But now, he is stepping down.
That day, millions of people besieged the imperial city. They believed that Lu Xuan had been coerced in some way. A coup had broken out in the court. They almost stormed in and dragged out all the civil and military officials to be hanged. Even the soldiers guarding the city had their doubts.
In the end, it was only through Lu Xuan's personal intervention that the people were appeased. He then announced the details of his abdication.
After Lu Xuan abdicated, no new emperor was elected. In fact, no one even suggested it, as no one was qualified to succeed Lu Xuan to the throne. Therefore, Lu Xuan established a parliamentary system.
It was essentially a hybrid of modern parliamentary systems and later people's congresses. The first term of twelve members was officially appointed. This move was primarily to appease the long-serving officials who had fought alongside him for decades. After all, those who fought for him sought promotion, wealth, and status. Therefore, some favoritism was necessary.
No one objected to this, in fact, given that Lu Xuan voluntarily stepped down. He could make any request now without any objection.
Most of these first-generation councilors were descendants of meritorious officials. Their fathers had built the empire, so it was only natural for the younger generation to enjoy its benefits. Moreover, these individuals were among the first to receive modern education and had spent over ten years training outside the capital. Their abilities were certainly sufficient. And this enjoyment was not unlimited. Starting with the next generation, elections would still be necessary to determine the councilors.
As for the various fundamental national policies, Lu Xuan didn't elaborate much. He knew that national policies needed to change with the times. So, he ultimately left only one sentence as a maxim: "Inner sage, outer king." The rest was up to the times.
...
There was a whole host of things, all about arrangements for the country. Most people didn't pay attention to them; what they really cared about was that their emperor was really going to abdicate.
A month later, Lu Xuan's abdication ceremony was officially held. As per his request, all the ceremonies were kept simple, just like when he ascended the throne.
But on that day, for the first time, all the court officials and disciples went against his wishes and held an unprecedentedly grand ceremony for him.
Because they anticipated a large turnout, the ceremony was held outside the city.
As for the number of people present that day, it may never be possible to count them. All that is known is that as far as the eye could see, it was filled with a sea of people.
Later scholars investigated the grandeur of that day, but they could not arrive at a convincing and accurate conclusion, and could only offer a sigh.
"In the five thousand years of Chinese history, there has only been one such person."
In fact, many people in later generations have studied Lu Xuan. The Chinese government even established an official organization specifically to study Lu Xuan's life, write his biography and legendary experiences, and even research his imperial power tactics and the profound ideological changes he brought about.
Meanwhile, countless private researchers and groups emerged among the common people. They weren't interested in imperial power struggles or major ideological shifts. What truly interested them were Lu Xuan's various anecdotes and stories. For example, his drunkenly abducting eight dancing girls in the capital was a topic of endless discussion. Even the question of which of those eight girls was the most beautiful has been debated for decades.
Or perhaps the love story between Lu Xuan and his bodyguard, later Queen Ding Baiying. This has been adapted into countless versions of the story. Yes, although Lu Xuan had more than twenty lovers in his lifetime, in the eyes of the general public, he remained incredibly pure-hearted. His love with Ding Baiying was particularly moving, and countless young women were deeply touched by their romance…
As for more details about Lu Xuan's private life with the eight dancers, his romantic escapades, and so on, those belong to underground literature. They couldn't be made public, but they were far more popular than legitimate research. Passed down through generations, they supported countless writers and poets.
After Lu Xuan stepped down, the first generation of Chinese parliamentarians naturally faced immense pressure. There was no way around it; their former superior was simply too formidable, and they couldn't withstand it.
Fortunately, Lu Xuan had worked diligently for forty years, securing two major grain-producing regions in South Asia and India, laying an extremely solid foundation for China. At this time, China had reached an unprecedented level of economic and military strength. And when military development reaches a certain point, there is only one option: to expend military power.
Therefore, two years after Lu Xuan's abdication, and after meticulous preparation, China embarked on another expedition. This expedition was far larger in scale than the previous expedition to India. The number of people mobilized alone reached one million. It is historically known as the Million Man Expedition.
The first target is Europe.
It was Europe, not any particular country. This was the extent of China's dominance at that time. New howitzers were already in service with the entire army. High-explosive weapons appeared on the battlefield for the first time. The deafening explosions were like divine retribution.
After the Mongols, another scourge of God descended upon Europe. And this time, the Danube did not stop them.
After a three-year expedition, all of Europe groveled at the feet of China. Thus, Eurasia achieved its first unification in human history. An unprecedentedly vast nation emerged, encompassing almost all existing civilizations.
Well, not entirely, because at that time, the Americas should still have had quite a few indigenous people who could barely be called civilized. And Lu Xuan had already left behind information about the Americas.
Therefore, five years after its expedition to Europe, the Ming Dynasty set foot on the Americas. Although outwardly benevolent and inwardly wise, the Chinese were not as ruthless as the Anglo-Saxons, who exterminated the Native Americans. With ample time and resources, the Chinese were able to easily assimilate these indigenous peoples. Then, through large-scale immigration, they quickly transformed the Americas into Chinese territory.
Next came Oceania, where there were few notable rivals, but the abundant mineral resources still made the Chinese envious. As the expeditions came to an end, China's national strength had swelled to an unprecedented level.
In the year 312 of the Chinese Era, only one dominant civilization existed on this planet: the Chinese. At this time, for this civilization, only one goal remained: the stars and the sea. But that's a story for another time…
Let's talk about Lu Xuan after he abdicated.