Lao Liu's desire to spread Buddhism southward to the Indochina Peninsula was not a sudden move, but a move that had been planned for a long time.
The ten-year strategic plan he formulated for the Prime Minister's Maritime Affairs Office is called the "Nanyang Strategy". To put it bluntly, it means first Fujian and Guangdong, then Central and Southern China, and then control the entire Nanyang sea area.
Although his energy is still involved in domestic affairs at present, and he has not even dealt with the coastal areas of Fujian and Guangdong, it does not prevent him from making early arrangements for the "Nanyang Strategy".
Lao Liu's "Nanyang Strategy" actually copied the strategic line of the future Emperor Yongle. Crossing the river by following the Fourth Brother's footsteps is considered correct.
Zhu Di's Nanyang strategy at that time was to develop both land and water, acting as horns for each other.
While he sent Zheng He to lead a fleet to sweep the Nanyang waters, he also sent Zhang Fu and others to lead an army to conquer Annan, return it to its territory, and set up the Jiaozhi Chief Envoy Department for direct rule.
Emperor Yongle's decision to "prefecture and county Annan" was not a grand success as some people call it, but was carefully considered and had deeper strategic considerations——
Because after directly bringing Annan under its rule, the Ming Dynasty can effectively control the entire Indochina Peninsula, and then it can control Champa, Siam, and Chenla countries nearby, and it can control Manchuria and Sumatra, Old Port near the peninsula, and far away.
Guawa, Bo Ni and other countries.
In this way, by coordinating with the invincible fleet at sea, the entire South China Sea can be firmly controlled. This will then lay the foundation for future exploration of the Western Ocean.
The complete version of Fourth Brother's strategic vision is of a historical level, and he is right to follow the prescription.
In this case, collecting local intelligence in advance and cultivating a leading party are basic operations.
There is a saying that "expecting broken shoes to pierce your feet", these tasks mainly have to be completed by the foreign personnel of the Shipping Department. If Zhu Zhen expected these unreliable bald donkeys and cow noses, he would be really blind.
In fact, his real purpose in asking Buddhism and Taoism to go to sea to preach is to let them... go to sea to preach.
Unlike the Ming Dynasty, which had long ago transitioned to constructing a country with secular imperial power as its core, these Nanyang countries, with the exception of Annan in the Chinese cultural circle, were basically still in the primary stage of the integration of politics and religion.
Their kings are simply unable to form a powerful political power and cannot rule their country with administrative and military power. They can only rely on the power of Buddhism or Hinduism to maintain their rule. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that in Nanyang, faith is the country.
.
The biggest feature of these two religions is that they can calm people's hearts, but their biggest shortcoming is that they are too calm. Therefore, the political powers of most countries in Southeast Asia are extremely weak and cannot resist the newly introduced Tianfang Sect.
In less than a hundred years, the Tianfang Sect will sweep across the entire Southeast Asia, pushing Buddhism and Hinduism to the corners of the country, and will dominate by itself. Until another hundred years later, the more aggressive Catholicism will arrive...
Therefore, whoever controls Nanyang’s beliefs will be able to rule Nanyang. If you don’t actively fight for it, you can only watch others turn their backs on foreigners, seize food from the tiger’s mouth, and make Nanyang separate from the circle of Chinese civilization.
Therefore, Lao Liu wants to force Buddhism and Taoism to go out and rob believers in Nanyang.
As for the effect, I can only say that doing it is better than not doing it. Only after you do it will you know what the problems and shortcomings are, and you can make targeted improvements and enhancements...
Anyway, let’s take the first step first and then talk about it.
~~
Women are the slowest to go out, and Zhang Xunzhen is no exception.
Fortunately, Lao Liu came here early today and was patiently waiting for her.
After assigning the task to Zhang Maocheng, he gave Zhang Daren free advice:
"Do you know why you can't compete with the other Buddhists?"
"This..." Zhang Maocheng certainly couldn't give in, but this was the fact. "What do you think, Your Highness?"
"Because others are cultivating the afterlife, but you are cultivating this life. The afterlife cannot be detected, but this life can be seen, Da Zhenren..." Lao Liu finally saw Zhang Xunzhen's belated arrival, and left Zhang Da Zhenren alone.
"It cannot be seen in the next life, but it can be seen in this life." Zhang Maocheng murmured and repeated this sentence, but he was stunned there.
The sixth person over there was also a little stunned. He saw that Zhang Xunzhen, who was carefully dressed up, looked even more otherworldly, with a fairy spirit, and the smell of tea was even more refreshing and pleasant. It was really called——
'The girl with pupils cut her waist like a bundle, and a piece of black gauze is wrapped in cold jade. She is floating and has a natural posture. Looking back, the pink and white are all mundane.'
Seeing the straight eyes of King Chu, Zhang Xunzhen was secretly proud that his painstaking efforts in cleaning up were not in vain.
"Your Highness, why are you looking so lost?" She stretched out her delicate white hand and waved it in front of his eyes before calling Lao Liu back to his senses.
"Oh." Lao Liu held her hand naturally and said, "Of course it's the one who appreciates the flowers, the moon and the beauty."
"Ahem..." Zhang Daren on the side almost choked to death on his saliva.
That's too much! Even if you send your sister to keep her safe, at least you can't do anything directly in front of her!
Zhang Xunzhen quickly withdrew his hand and said with a blushing face: "Your Highness, please respect yourself, so many people are watching."
"My self-esteem is one hundred and eighty. There should be no one heavier than me, right?" Lao Liu laughed and said, "Let's go quickly, don't keep big brother waiting."
Zhang Xunzhen nodded and followed Lao Liu, not forgetting to keep a distance from him.
Lao Liu waved his hand to Zhang Maocheng who was walking to the door and said, "Let's go, Mr. Zhang Da."
As he spoke, he opened the curtain of the golden carriage and made a gesture to Zhang Xunzhen to invite him into the carriage.
Zhang Xunzhen looked at his sedan, hesitated, and got into Lao Liu's car.
As Zhang Maocheng watched King Chu's golden chariot go away, his nose felt sour. Is this the price of freedom?
But he was sore for just a moment, and then he laughed again.
Compared with the harvest, the price is very cost-effective...
~~
On the golden chariot over there, Zhang Xunzhen sat opposite Lao Liu and said angrily: "You are scorning me in public again."
"Haha, if you do this a few times, you'll get used to it." Lao Liu laughed twice, looked at Zhang Xunzhen seriously and said, "I can't let others guess about our relationship, so I have to let them understand..."
"Your Highness is quite upright." Zhang Xunzhen asked speechlessly: "What is our relationship?"
"Illegal relationship." Lao Liu said seriously.
"You will be scornful of me all day long!" Zhang Xunzhen was ashamed and angry, but he couldn't lose the battle, so he smiled lightly and said: "But it doesn't matter, people from outside the world, their false reputation is like a floating cloud to me. Besides, I am a poor man.
Then I followed my elder brother back to Longhu Mountain."
"Oh..." Lao Liu's smile faltered as expected: "Do you want to go back too?"
"This is so fresh. My mission has been completed. Why don't I go home?" Zhang Xunzhen sighed quietly. I felt pity for him and said, "Staying in Nanjing without any friends, there are still bad guys who try to bully me in different ways."
"Don't you have a godmother?" Lao Liu said in a dull voice.
"No matter how kind my godmother is to me, I still have to go back to my own home." Zhang Xunzhen said the word 'home' very seriously.
"Yes, I have known for a long time that everything you did was to save your brother and to uphold the truth." Lao Liu laughed at himself and said: "Since the goal has been achieved, why are you still staying in the capital?"
A smile flashed across Zhang Xunzhen's eyes, but he nodded calmly and said, "That's right."
