Chapter 204 The civil servants demanded Manchu and Confucianism to establish the country
Zhu Houzhao smiled slightly. He had to admit that these civil servants still took him seriously, but he did not intend to continue to refute. In fact, he could not destroy the pride of these people now, because this civilization and the people under this civilization The people have given them this kind of pride. Only when this civilization is destroyed by foreign civilization will they realize how arrogant and blind they once were.
But compared to later generations of literati who lost their cultural confidence, Zhu Houzhao now felt that the arrogance of the civil servants in front of him was valuable. However, in order to make these scholar-bureaucrats aware of a problem they were facing, he had to raise it to avoid future problems. The literati made the statement “We need to be colonized for three hundred years.”
"According to what Bian Qing said, if the foreigners respect the scholars and officials, even if they raise troops to occupy my country and kill our Han people, will you accept it as the destiny of heaven? Even the scholars and officials will accept it as the destiny of heaven?"
When Zhu Houzhao asked, Bian Gong was speechless for a moment. He wanted to say that this was the case, but subconsciously he felt that it was wrong to say so. He couldn't help but think of the hot discussion that had arisen recently, that is, about the destruction of the Song Dynasty. Whether Zhang Hongfan is a traitor to the Han Dynasty and whether a loyal minister to the Yuan Dynasty is a loyal minister.
"I feel that this argument cannot be ignored. What is the destiny of heaven? Is it the destiny to respect the scholars and officials, or is it the destiny to respect the people of the world? You should discuss it carefully and write a memorial and submit it. If there is any reason and evidence, I will Accept it, bring it to public discussion, and add it to the outline of the constitution!”
Zhu Houzhao knew that Confucianism did not have a clear explanation of many concepts, such as the difference between a country and a dynasty, the difference between a nation and a country, whether loyalty is to the country or to one's own king, and human rights. Although scholar-officials instinctively used Confucian words to defend Although he discussed the rights of scholar-bureaucrats, he did not put forward the idea of human rights, nor did he even put forward the difference between sovereignty and human rights.
Ideas need to be developed, thought and discussed.
Zhu Houzhao hoped that as an emperor, he could give more thinking questions to these proud scholar-officials of this era.
"I obey the order!"
Wang Hua, the chief minister of the cabinet, knew that His Majesty the Emperor was again posing difficult problems for scholar-bureaucrats like him. Sometimes he didn't know how to evaluate the difficulties His Majesty the Emperor had raised. He even couldn't guess the real purpose of His Majesty the Emperor's raising these difficulties. Because he discovered that ever since His Majesty the Emperor raised these shocking but thought-provoking questions, the Ming Dynasty and its people had begun to change.
Some Neo-Confucian officials also began to deviate from the orthodoxy, burning the bonds of prostitution of their servants and maids, saying that everyone's rights should be respected. At the same time, the emperor should respect the rights of people like himself, and should no longer kill those who were disrespectful because of their words. Even when many courtiers thought this man was crazy, the emperor actually did not punish him.
Some scholars even wanted to break with their families, feeling that the clan was the biggest obstacle to judicial justice in the court and the source of restricting the intellectual freedom of scholars. For example, their rebellious son, although he was already a governor, never refused to Listen to your father, who says that you are a minister of the Ming Dynasty, not the royal family! But he couldn't refute it.
Wang Hua also had to admit that there were some intolerant officials who directly said that Confucianism was a theory that breeds traitors, and based on the fact that people who are not from our race must have different hearts, they believed that safeguarding the dignity of the Ming Dynasty was not only safeguarding the dignity of the king and father, but also safeguarding the dignity of China. dignity.
But no matter how many deviant remarks there are, Wang Hua knows that as the chief minister of the cabinet, his most important job is to fulfill his powers and responsibilities in accordance with the outline of the constitution. Therefore, he still responded now and said that he would think carefully about it in accordance with Zhu Houzhao's request. Think about this problem and write a memorial.
In Zhu Houzhao's view, it was better for the scholar-bureaucrats to think in advance about how to deal with the invasion of aliens than to wait until the aliens actually invaded. Therefore, after expressing this question, he said to Wang Hua again:
"Chief Minister, you said that the surrounding countries have become loyal to the Ming Dynasty and already respect our dynasty! But do you know that this Manlajia despises the teachings of Confucian saints and does not use Confucianism to build a country, but uses the Persian way Found the country! I have wanted to betray our Ming Dynasty and have betrayed the famous religion for a long time.”
As Zhu Houzhao spoke, he looked at the Manchurian envoy Mu Hanmo De and asked: "Mu Han Mo De, what I said is wrong. Since your country no longer obeys China, why did you come to China for help at this time? Why don't you go?" Osman asks for reinforcements?”
"Report to His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty! Although Manlajia regards the Great Food Law as the foundation of its country, it also pays tribute to the Ming Dynasty! It is a vassal of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, Manlajia dares to ask His Majesty the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty to send troops to help Prince Bintang restore the country!" This scene Hammed said.
"I can help you restore the country, but I have a request. You must abide by the Confucian laws of China to restore the country. You must establish principles and principles, be loyal and filial, open up academic courses and recruit scholars, implement benevolent government, and care for the people by frivolous corvee and low taxes! You must not believe in evil religions. Talk about ghosts and gods!”
Zhu Houzhao said this, and the chief minister of the cabinet, Wang Hua, and other civil servants agreed repeatedly.
"Your Majesty's words are very reasonable. The reason why Manlajia has such a disaster today is because he has not been able to become a king. Otherwise, how could the king and the people be united and let a little Buddha take advantage of it!"
Fu Gui, the Minister of Rites, couldn't agree more with Zhu Houzhao's remarks. He even couldn't help but think to himself that his Majesty's ability to ask Manlajia to establish a country and govern the world in this way shows that he still understands the way of a king. But why can he ask the foreign vassal country to have normal ethics? Ming Dynasty did not strictly demand that Ming Dynasty take the lead in normal ethics.
"I also feel that this should be the case. Since Manlajia is a vassal of the Ming Dynasty, it should follow Confucianism as the orthodoxy. If not, how can we respect China!" At this time, Wang Qiong, the Minister of Household Affairs, also added. At this time, Manlajia's envoy Mu Hanmude became a little reluctant and had to ask: "The Ming Dynasty has never interfered with how the vassals established the country, why are they now forcing each other so hard! Manlajia does not use Confucianism The founding of the country was naturally requested by the people of Manchuria. Please forgive me, Your Majesty the Emperor!”
"So, in your Manlajia, you can govern the world even without using Confucian words? Can you convince all the people? Tell me, what are the advantages of your big food method? Maybe I can let the Ming Dynasty learn a thing or two." , although Zhu Houzhao said this to the Manchu envoys, he was actually talking to the civil servants of the Manchu dynasty.
Zhu Houzhao's purpose is very simple. If you don't help me force Manlajia to agree to establish the country with Confucianism after restoration, then you will not let Ming Dynasty recognize the status of Confucianism.
How could these civil servants not understand the implication of Zhu Houzhao's words?
Therefore, Fu Gui, the Minister of Rites, panicked first and immediately spoke in front of the Manlajia envoy. He directly and loudly rebuked the Manlajia envoy: "This is simply ridiculous! You don't follow Confucianism as orthodoxy. The Ming Dynasty How can you be recognized as a vassal? You are deceiving the Ming Dynasty. You are clearly respecting the Ming Dynasty as the master, but in fact you are betraying the Ming Dynasty!”
"That's right, Your Majesty! I believe that the reason why Manlajia fell as a country must be because it did not follow the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. His claim that he would only follow the people's request and not build a country based on Confucianism is just a lie to my Majesty, the Ming Emperor! Everyone knows the sage Confucius. Why do you know the so-called other saints! I think what your majesty said is true. If Manlajia wants to help the Ming Dynasty restore its country, it must build its country based on Confucianism!"
Wang Si, editor of the Hanlin Academy, reported.
"I believe that what your Majesty said is true. If Manchuria wants the Ming Dynasty to help restore the country, it must build the country based on Confucianism!" Wang Yin, the right minister of the Ministry of Punishment, also agreed.
For a time, these civil servants were afraid that Zhu Houzhao would really be influenced by the Manchurian envoy and no longer respect Confucianism and Confucius, so they all agreed to the conditions proposed by Zhu Houzhao. In their view, interfering in Manchurian internal affairs was not important. The important thing is that to maintain the orthodox status of Confucianism, His Majesty the Emperor must know that Confucianism is orthodox!
Therefore, each of these civil servants demanded that Manlajia must establish the country based on Confucianism, even more strongly than Zhu Houzhao.
"Draft the decree! If Prince Bintang of Manlajia does not agree to respect Confucianism and establish a country, the Ming Dynasty will not help him restore the country, and will choose Manlajia people who respect Confucianism to rebuild a new dynasty! The Ming Dynasty will grant him the throne, and no one in the world will dare to covet it. ! ”
After Zhu Houzhao said this, Wang Hua and other cabinet members quickly said yes, but the Manchurian envoy Mu Hanmode couldn't help being horrified. He had to admit that His Majesty the Ming Emperor's move was very vicious, and he could not use it as Manchurian envoy. On the grounds that the throat of Nanyang cannot be occupied by Western barbarians, the Ming Dynasty was forced to restore the country to its own prince, because even if the Ming Dynasty restored Manchuria for its own benefit, it could not restore the country without establishing a prince who did not respect Confucianism.
In the end, Prince Bintang had to express his willingness to change to Confucianism as the orthodoxy of governing the country, and he was willing to study in the Imperial Academy of the Ming Dynasty first, and then return to the country to govern after the restoration of national unification. Zhu Houzhao agreed to the request of Prince Bintang of Manchuria. At the same time, , and also appointed Fu Gui, the Minister of Rites, as the Prime Minister of Manchuria, responsible for helping Manchuria recover and rebuild the Confucian order.
Fu Gui is currently the most stubborn Neo-Confucian official in the empire. He is not good at fighting but is good at teaching Confucian Neo-Confucianism to others. Even if Zhu Houzhao asked him to write 10,000 Jingyan articles every day, he could write tirelessly. Because of this , Zhu Houzhao asked him to be responsible for helping Manlajia regain his country.
There was no other reason. It would not be a problem to recapture Managa from Fo Langji with the military strength of the Ming Dynasty. Putting Fu Gui in charge of this matter was undoubtedly to establish a Confucian Neo-Confucian ruling order in Manaka.
At the same time, Zhu Houzhao also meant to strengthen his control over Manlajia. The official prime minister was actually the real military and political leader of Manlajia. In the future, even if Prince Bintang returned to Manlajia and became the king, he would be nothing more than a puppet of the Ming Dynasty.
At the same time that Zhu Houzhao appointed Fu Gui, the Minister of Rites, as the Prime Minister, Wang Hong was also promoted to the right minister of the Ministry of War and the left deputy governor of the capital, Nanyang Minister, who was specifically responsible for the war to conquer the colonists of Manchuria and Fuji.
At the same time, Pires, who turned into an envoy of the Ming Dynasty, took Zhu Houzhao's credentials and officially embarked on the journey to Folangji with the help of the Ming Dynasty Maritime Trading Company.
"Although this Daming Sea Trading Company is called a company, it is actually engaged in colonial plunder. Otherwise, there would not be tens of thousands of naval officers and soldiers on board. But they are now employees of this company, even more powerful than those on the same ship. The status of Andra and other Francois is even higher, but it is undeniable that Andra, the eagle dog who accumulated wealth in the Ming Empire, is now starting a new chapter in his life!”
There is a passage in "The Life of Andhra" that says this.
(End of chapter)