Chapter 4172: The Fall of the Gate
Xiao Xun then understood that Fang Xuanling was trying to hit him.
But what he didn't understand was that the Qinghe Fang family was also a prominent family with a noble family status. Now it was suddenly elevated because of two generations of powerful officials, Fang Xuanling and his son. As a vested interest in the "family politics", the children of the family only needed to get You can become an official by recommendation, keep the lintel from generation to generation, enjoy the bells and pans, and enjoy the luxurious food. Why do you rebel against yourself?
If the "family politics" collapses, no one in the clan, except the legitimate sons, will be able to hold an official position. If they want to enter the official career, they will have to pass the extremely cruel imperial examination... This will be a disaster for all the powerful families in the world.
His Fang family is also involved, so why bother cutting off his own foundation?
……
Seeing that he was silent and pale, Fang Xuanling naturally knew what he was thinking, so he stopped, raised his hand to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and said softly: "The rich and powerful families control the way to rise, and the common people have no hope of becoming officials, and those at the bottom Officials had no hope of being promoted based on their merits, and over time, classes were formed. Opposition emerged between classes due to competition for interests. The government was in constant turmoil, and the country never had peace. It suffered from internal strife day after day, and finally collapsed. "
The word "class" has been around since ancient times. Jia Yi once mentioned in the book "New Book: Class" that "if there is no one with the rank of a majesty in the hall, the height of the hall is almost no more than a foot. The emperor is like a hall, the ministers are like a majesty, and the common people are like Like the land, this is how it was created."
Xiao Xun is also a scholar and knows the great meaning of this word, but he becomes more and more puzzled: "Since humans are born living in groups, due to the amount of wisdom, strength, will, etc., they are naturally divided into upper and lower, high and low, unless people in the world age and die. If we don’t interact with each other, the class will always exist. Today, all our noble families will collapse, but tomorrow’s class will not disappear. What’s the use of suppressing the noble families?”
He has always believed that the national policy of suppressing the clans started by His Majesty Li Er is because the clans are now too strong and wantonly interfering with the state affairs. Especially the clans in Shandong, Jiangnan and other places are so powerful that they almost monopolize the local area. Officials are not allowed to go to the countryside, and the empire Although China is nominally unified, and although the monarch is nominally the co-ruler of the world, in reality he is ostracized by the clan.
Suppressing the clans and strengthening the imperial power is the right thing to do, so this is a struggle between the clans and the imperial power.
Although he couldn't accept it as the representative of the family, it was understandable that the same would happen if he was replaced as the emperor.
Therefore, whether it was the previous Guanlong Mutiny or the current support for the King of Jin to fight for the throne, there was essentially no difference. It was all members of the aristocratic family who hoped to single-handedly enter the center and seize the power to govern the country, thus ensuring the interests of the aristocratic family.
But Fang Xuanling mentioned "class"... As long as people's lifestyle is still to live in groups, "class" will always exist. Today, the Jiangnan gentry will be destroyed, tomorrow the Shandong family will rise, and the Guanlong clan may flourish again in the future... …What’s the point of being so busy?
Fang Xuanling shook his head and laughed, holding Xiao Xun's arm and continuing to move forward in the salt field. A small boat was moored on the far coast, lowering the hanging board, waiting to take the two of them back.
Walking slowly, his voice became clearer: "Mr. Nanhai has misunderstood. What we are doing is not to break classes so that they no longer exist. How can classes be broken? Besides, the existence of classes drives progress and pursuit. It is people's The motivation to yearn for a better life is good, but due to the existence of clan politics, the upward path of the class is completely blocked, and the bottom class The people have no hope of improving their class and have to live in low status for generations, like pigs and dogs for generations... This naturally creates resentment and causes social unrest. As long as the clan politics is broken and the path to advancement is smoothed, even the people at the bottom will be able to live in low status. Being able to improve one’s class through one’s own efforts is the long-term way for a country.”
The three-pronged approach of imperial power, prime ministerial power, and imperial examinations can cure the stubborn class diseases.
How can the prosperity of one family and one surname be as prosperous as the common people in the world? Today, the clans are self-proclaimed and control the official career path. In the future, the country will decline and the mountains and rivers will be broken. All the clans will become sinners who will be reviled for centuries in history.
Besides, even if clan politics no longer exists, the legacy of the clan is still there, so we can’t just massacre all the clan’s children, right? With their rich heritage, money, and hundreds of years of monopoly on education, for a long time in the world, those at the top of the political hierarchy will still be the children of wealthy families. There will always be one or two children from poor families with outstanding talents and amazing talents who stand out. It can be rare.
Only by giving people at the bottom the hope of advancement can we resolve their grievances and promote social harmony...
Xiao Xun said no more, but asked: "What does Xuan Ling want the Lanling Xiao family to do?"
Fang Xuanling spoke frankly and did not beat around the bush: "The Lanling Xiao family is the leader of the Jiangnan gentry. As long as they can express their support for the crown prince's ascension to the throne, obey the central government's jurisdiction, promote the government and county schools in Jiangnan, and improve the imperial examination system, it will inevitably make people Looking at the scenery across the south of the Yangtze River, the prestige remains intact.”
As he spoke, he said earnestly: "The Fang family and the Xiao family are in-laws. They should advance and retreat as one, and share weal and woe. But now they have different ideas, which has led to wars and hostility. Many people in the world laugh at our ignorance. If If you can change your mind and denounce King Jin's rebellious behavior, not only will the Xiao family's interests not be damaged, but the Fang family will compensate."
Xiao Xun was silent, this is like giving a sweet date with a stick. As the prince's minions, the Fang family needs a stable ally in Jiangnan to completely eliminate the possibility of the other Jiangnan nobles acting in secret. At the same time, they will play a more important role in politics. Provide more compensation and concessions in both economic and financial aspects.
In other words, the prince threw a bone and made the Xiao family betray the entire Jiangnan gentry and become the prince's lackeys...
It is conceivable that once he agrees, the Lanling Xiao family can certainly get huge compensation, but from now on, they can be regarded as secluded from the Jiangnan gentry.
But can he refuse to agree?
The prince wanted to control the south of the Yangtze River and make the whole south of the Yangtze River completely subordinate to the central government and become the real territory of the Tang Dynasty. The first thing he had to do was to "kill the chickens to scare the monkeys" and single out a family clan as a model to be severely punished in order to achieve deterrence. The purpose of group ethics.
As long as he refuses now, there is no doubt that the Lanling Xiao family will become the first "chicken" to be slaughtered. Hundreds of years of ancestral foundation will be overturned in one fell swoop, and the descendants of the clan will be scattered everywhere, and they will never be able to stand up again...
This was like putting a knife to his neck and forcing him to submit.
But who allowed the nearly 100,000 private troops raised by various Jiangnan families to be attacked by the navy at a time when their ambitions were full, and the decision was made in one battle?
After being silent for a long time, Xiao Xun sighed and said: "This matter is so big that I can't settle it with just one word. I still need to go back and communicate with Shi Wen to discuss it. I also need to consult the clan for their opinions. Otherwise, even if I agree now, things will happen again." , but not beautiful.”
Fang Xuanling said happily: "That's how it should be."
When it comes to the family's route, future, or even life and death, the whole family must discuss and unify opinions.
The two boarded the boat moored on the shore. The sails of the boat were raised, and the boat quickly left the shore. The salt fields grew smaller and larger before their eyes, and finally turned into an endless expanse of white, with piles of salt grains standing among them. It's like a snowy world.
Xiao Xun stood by the side of the ship. What he saw in his eyes was not salt, but piles of money.
With such financial support, the central government's treasury is full. Externally, it can attack barbarians and expand territories at will. Internally, it can strengthen the central jurisdiction. All parties in civil affairs will successively introduce a series of policies to combat clan politics and force the imperial examination system. Promote it to every county and every mountain village.
The foundation of the aristocratic family is already on the verge of collapse, and the only way to restore it is to block the flow and buck the trend...
After thinking about it, he said to Fang Xuanling: "Whether to support the prince still needs to be discussed and decided by the clan, but I can assure you here that the private armies that were previously defeated by the navy and are now scattered around will be punished by each family. Restriction will not poison the countryside and cause turmoil in the south of the Yangtze River."
The clan does not want a turbulent Jiangnan. In this regard, the interests of the central government are consistent, so it is better to sell one.
Fang Xuanling did not accept this trick and said with a smile: "That's not necessary. These private armies are unorganized and will disperse sooner or later. Unless they get the support of certain clans, they can cause harm to one party. But by then, the central government will They will definitely be happy, because that means that the share of sea trade will be freed up, and everyone can share the profits. Wouldn’t everyone be happy? ”
Xiao Xun was speechless.
This is to tell him clearly that whoever dares to continue to support the private army behind his back will have his sea trade license completely confiscated, and will no longer be eligible for sea trade from now on... Chi Guoguo's threat, but the effect will definitely be very good. .
Today, sea trade has become the largest source of wealth for most of the Jiangnan gentry, but this source is tightly controlled by Huating Town and the navy. The reason why the Jiangnan gentry assists the King of Jin in fighting for the throne may not be hopeless. Thoughts on abolishing Huating Town in the future.
After all, gold, silver, money, and silk were flowing in like sea water, but they were robbed by the center. It made anyone feel so painful that it was hard to breathe... But now that it was completely defeated, naturally all thoughts were completely defeated, and they could only rely on the navy and let it be manipulated.
Turning around to look at the sunset slowly setting at the end of the sea and sky, thousands of afterglows poured on the sea, dyeing the sky and sea water red.
I feel desolate and desolate in my heart. Perhaps within a few generations, the once-prominent family that could build a country and destroy it will become a relic of the past, drifting away in the wind...
Since Cao Wei's "Nine Ranks Zhongzheng System", the former aristocratic families have finally achieved a legal monopoly in politics. For hundreds of years, the aristocratic families have controlled all the resources in China, and the people at the bottom can only be enslaved and exploited like dolphins and dogs. Generation after generation, ad infinitum. However, now, the death knell of clan politics is still ringing. Under the mighty trend, going against the trend can only be like a mantis trying to control the cart, a mayfly shaking the tree, and there is no way to make a comeback.
And their generation is the sinners of the family. (End of chapter)