Chapter 327 Old Confucian’s Confusion
In the spring of March, the golden radiance filled the Ming Dynasty's capital city, which was densely packed with tall buildings and red walls like a forest, and anyone could feel the empire's ubiquitous glory.
Confidence and harmony are perfectly displayed in every citizen. They wear long robes with wide sleeves and wear brocade floats. They fold their palms and bow before them. They are wealthy and know etiquette.
Zhu Houzhao, who was patrolling incognito, was very pleased that he could see such people. This was his ideal scene of a prosperous age, but he knew that such prosperity and tranquility, as well as the self-confidence of a great nation reflected in thousands of people, all require money. Constructed.
Although the war to regain Cochin is still going on, the people of the empire are already enjoying the huge profits of the war in advance.
Because through the form of war coupons, a large amount of private capital, most of which came from scholar-bureaucrats (the middle class) and the powerful, flowed into the court, and the court was able to have sufficient capital to carry out public utility construction in advance.
A sufficient subsistence allowance system has been implemented for the widowed and lonely, and professional government agencies will provide employment guidance and training for the unemployed. Beggars will also be forced to work because of laziness. It is precisely because of this that the weak are helped. The poor should be helped, the old should be supported, the young should be educated, and the lazy should be managed.
"Alas, the old man cannot understand, the old man cannot understand! Why is it that today's government is not the way of the saints, but it is the same as the rule of Yao and Shun? Selecting the talented and capable, adhering to faith and cultivating harmony...the old will die, the strong will be useful, and the young will Something good...".
When Zhu Houzhao came to a school and asked Tang Jingyi, an old scholar, Tang Jingyi sighed.
He really didn't understand that as an old Confucian who had experienced the Chenghua, Hongzhi, and Zhengde dynasties, Tang Jingyi knew that even in the Hongzhi and Zhongxing dynasties, there would inevitably be hunger and beggars, even if they were stealing and selling things. It also happens frequently. If there is a famine year, it is inevitable to die of hunger.
But there is no doubt that the courtiers at that time also worked very hard. From the emperor to the prefectures, they all abide by the etiquette and laws, and did not benefit the people or waste their money. Even the proposal to recover the Hetao was dropped to avoid wasting military supplies. Not to mention.
"At the time of the late emperor, it can be said that the court was prosperous, the Qing Dynasty was evident in the temples, and the world was virtuous and filial. The late emperor was even more thrifty and courteous, treated his ministers with benevolence, and loved the people like his sons. Confucianism was unique, but it was difficult for the people in the capital to do so. The rice used in cooking was not as good as it is now. The poor and humble villagers can still eat three kilograms of meat a day, and the children in the village can also read Li Du's poems;
However, nowadays, people with eccentric skills and promiscuous skills are prominent, the ministers in the court are too many villains and no gentlemen, and Confucianism is even criticized as pedantic! I don’t understand, I really don’t understand!
For example, now the imperial court is not only carrying out large-scale construction projects everywhere, but also launching repeated conquests! Why can the subsistence allowance subsidy for widows, widows and lonely people be increased to five silver dollars per month! There are no less than 100,000 such people in the whole capital, which means 500,000 silver dollars, or 6 million silver dollars a year! Moreover, the imperial tax money at that time was not even half of the money used to subsidize the poor people at this time! ”
After Tang Jingyi finished speaking, he drank a glass of strong wine and couldn't help but cough. It was obvious that drinking tea could not relieve his inner depression. At this time, he could only drink strong wine to relieve his depression.
Zhu Houzhao was not angry when he saw this, although he could understand that Tang Jingyi, as an old Confucian, was obviously quite dissatisfied with the current imperial court's abandonment of Confucian concepts of governance and bold reforms.
But the more depressed the old Confucian Tang Jingyi became, the happier Zhu Houzhao became, because only in this way can he prove that Ming Dynasty has indeed changed.
Moreover, in fact, Zhu Houzhao knew that it was a period of severe drought in North China. According to the original history, a great famine would occur in Beizhili this year. Although the Ming Dynasty at that time was also able to provide relief, it did not cause major changes.
But in this life, the impact of this severe drought is obviously less, because the Ming Dynasty's food supply base has spread all over the world, and coupled with the promotion of sweet potatoes, the Gyeonggi area has sufficient food reserves to cope with droughts.
"Shopkeeper, please bring two bottles of Xihuashan yogurt!"
At this time, two young men in a tavern had just finished their meal. One of them, a young man in a green shirt, suddenly stood up and shouted to the shopkeeper who was holding an abacus in front of the counter.
Because it is in the capital, and the majority shareholder behind Xihuashan Dairy is the Queen, so these wine shops have people from Xihuashan Dairy using chemical refrigeration to refrigerate and sell Xihuashan cheese.
As soon as the green-shirted scholar finished speaking, the shopkeeper hurriedly brought two bottles of yogurt in glass bottles. The yogurts were sealed with kraft paper. The middle glass bottle had the Xihuashan Dairy brand engraved on it and a painting on it. Only Phoenix is used as a trademark. Of course, many people in the capital already know that this is the representative Queen, otherwise who would dare to use Phoenix as a trademark.
Tang Jingyi may have drunk some wine at this time, and he was depressed because the prosperous age in front of him was not the prosperous age created by Confucianism, so he pointed angrily at the yogurt and said to Zhu Houzhao:
"Look, even the current Queen of the Mother World no longer embroiders and raises mulberry trees, observes women's etiquette, and understands women's virtues, but she also runs a business. A bunch of villains praise the Queen for personal gain and say that she has done good things for the people. This is really ridiculous! But you have to admit that today’s children do grow faster than those of previous generations, but this is an ancestral rule! >
Tang Jingyi had just finished speaking. At this time, the scholar in green shirt couldn't help but added: "But the ancestors did not say that the harem is not allowed to do business!"
The old scholar Tang Jingyi couldn't help but choked and was speechless for a moment.
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but laugh. He couldn't help but recall that since his queen developed Xihuashan Dairy into a very famous dairy company in Gyeonggi, there were indeed many civil servants who could not tolerate the queen's business behavior as the mother of the country, and therefore wrote a memorial Advise the emperor to stop the queen from doing this.
What the civil servants could offer was nothing more than etiquette, and there were also reasons why the harem was not allowed to interfere in politics.
However, Zhu Houzhao also refuted the civil servants by saying that neither the etiquette nor the ancestral system mentioned the reason why the harem was not allowed to do business.
It is precisely because of this that the Civil Service Group failed to prevent the development of the Xihuashan Dairy Industry.
Zhu Houzhao also knew that theoretically, the powerful, especially the emperor who was in charge of the empire and the queens who were related to the emperor, would harm the interests of the common people if they did business.
However, at this time, because the Ming Dynasty was still an autocratic monarchy, and it was basically a family, the interests of the emperor and even the queen were consistent with the interests of the country. If Zhu Houzhao wanted to keep the empire firmly in his hands, Naturally, he could only allow himself and his close relatives to control the main economic industries of the imperial court.
At this time, the scholar in green shirt had just finished speaking, and the younger scholar also stood up: "Brother Ruzhen is right, the current queen is indeed not involved in politics. The old gentleman's so-called confusing facts It's not just confusion at first, and it's precisely because the Queen can do business that it makes her The Empress was able to directly provide three million silver dollars to support poor students during the severe drought in North China, and she even spent no less than one million silver dollars to support poor students every year. Just think about it, if the Empress did not do business and only embroidered and raised mulberries, how could she do it? There is so much money to help the world!”
At this time, the green-shirted scholar directly placed a stool in front of the old Confucian Tang Jingyi: "Old sir, in fact, there is nothing unclear about this matter. From the perspective of a junior, it is still because the scope is too narrow. Naturally, your Confucianism cannot explain it. Why is it that the late emperor, who valued Confucianism, was more benevolent than your current majesty, but still had internal and external troubles? But now, your majesty has imposed strict laws and heavy taxes, but has made the country peaceful and the people peaceful."
"But in fact, it makes sense to explain it using sacred science. In the past, the Ming Dynasty was closed. The total wealth of the Ming Dynasty did not increase, but the number of people increased, and the land did not change. Naturally, the imperial court As we become poorer and poorer, so do the people.” At this time, the younger scholar also took over.
"Now the Ming Dynasty is not closed. Although the number of people is increasing, the wealth of the Ming Dynasty is also increasing. Through trade and the expansion of territory, the court is getting richer, and the people are getting richer and richer, and even Even if the court imposes heavy taxes and strict laws, neither the scholar-bureaucrats nor the common people will have their income reduced due to heavy taxes, but will still increase their income due to the court's trade and external expansion;
The hustle and bustle of the world is all for benefit, and the holy science shows that Ming Dynasty is not isolated and closed, but Ming Dynasty is just one country in the entire earth. Therefore, Ming Dynasty needs to constantly grab more benefits from the outside in order to make it more prosperous. Only when the people of Ming Dynasty live a better life can the country be strong and prosperous!
People have courtesy, justice and shame, but there are only interests between countries. Mr., you have been advocating morality and Confucianism all your life, and you will naturally sneer at certain actions of the court. However, you have to admit that you can now have the energy and calmness to drink a few glasses of wine here. , eat two or three plates of soy sauce beef, and be a noble gentleman, because the Ming Dynasty plundered countless wealth through war and colonization, so that you have sufficient pension security. ”
At this time, after the green-shirted scholar said this, Tang Jingyi was speechless. After a moment, he became even more lonely and said: "Is it true that my Confucianism is of no benefit to governing the country? Is there really no prosperous dynasty in the world that can govern the country with etiquette?"
"Actually, old gentleman, you can practice it yourself. Now the Ming Dynasty has issued a clear decree that all the land in the world is the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Therefore, those who are interested can apply to the imperial court to be selected as officials. As long as they have a meritorious status or above, and You can ask for a seal from the imperial court and choose a place outside the Great Wall or overseas to rule, and the imperial court will grant you the right to rule for thirty years.”
Zhu Houzhao also took up the conversation at this time. He really hoped that old Confucian scholars like Tang Jingyi would stop sulking in the capital and instead go abroad to turn overseas indigenous settlements into places of Confucianism.
After all, within these four seas, we cannot just let Western missionaries carry the "gospel" to spread it everywhere, and let Western civilization gradually spread to the world. As the typical successors of Confucianism in Eastern civilization, Confucian scholars should also take the initiative to spread it everywhere. One's own thoughts of loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness.
It would be best to turn those indigenous people into docile people who can obey the etiquette and law.
At this time, Zhu Houzhao said this, and the scholar in green shirt also echoed: "This dear friend is right. There are still so many barbaric lands. If you really want to govern the country with Confucianism, you can recreate the rule of Yao and Shun." World, you might as well apply to be an official outside.”
Tang Jingyi couldn't help but stand up, cupped his hands and said: "In that case, thank you three for your advice, Tang will go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs to take the exam, and then Confucianism will be revived among the Yi and Di!"
After Tang Jingyi finished speaking, he walked away.
The scholar in green shirt raised his hand to Zhu Houzhao and said: "My dear friend, please forgive Hu for being abrupt. What you said just now sounds like someone from Zhongjun Society. I would like to introduce myself first. My surname is Hu and my name is Zong." Xian, whose courtesy name is Ruzhen, is a 33rd-year student of the Zhengde Department of Economics and Law at Capital University, and a preparatory member of the Zhongjun Club. ”
"I, Zhu Shou," Zhu Houzhao replied.
"You are Zhu Shou? The winner of sixty-seven patents, the founder of Zhongjunshe theory, and the master of sacred learning! Disrespect!"
At this time, another young scholar suddenly stood up, raised his hand to Zhu Houzhao and said: "The junior student's surname is Zhang, his current name is Juzheng, and his courtesy name is Shuda. He is currently a freshman in the junior class of the Arithmetic Department of Capital University and an active member of the Zhongjun Society!"
Like thunder!
It’s truly thunderous!
Zhu Houzhao did not expect that the two scholars he met now were actually Hu Zongxian, a famous anti-Japanese official in the late Jiajing Dynasty in history, and Zhang Juzheng, a famous politician in the early Wanli period in history.
What Zhu Houzhao didn't expect was that Zhang Juzheng was still a child prodigy just like in history. He seemed young, but he was already a student in the juvenile class, which proved that he had already started reading at a very young age. It took others more than ten years to learn. Complete knowledge cannot be said to be irresponsible.
But what Zhu Houzhao didn't expect was that his tried and tested pseudonym actually surprised the two of them. He couldn't help but think that his pseudonym seemed to be somewhat famous and could no longer be used. He would need to change it to a different one.
In any case, Zhu Houzhao was very happy to be lucky enough to meet these two historical figures in advance. What made him even more happy was that these two people are still passionate young people, obviously more youthful and energetic than the portraits in the historical albums of later generations. Just like this Just like the Ming Empire, which was also in its adolescence and flourishing.
However, Zhu Houzhao did not intend to have too much communication with these two people. After all, they were not on the same level yet.
Because Zhu Houzhao is now the emperor, he is not a civilian, so he does not need to show off in front of Hu Zongxian and Zhang Ju to win their favor and then gain their favor.
On the contrary, as the emperor, Zhu Houzhao is now more looking forward to how Hu Zongxian and Zhang Juzheng will show off their extraordinary talents in front of him in the future.
In any case, contacting these historical figures at a higher level gave Zhu Houzhao a different feeling. He was not disappointed that Hu Zongxian, an enlightened official in history, and Zhang Juzheng, who dared to challenge his own class, in this life He still did not become a rigid person. He still actively accepted new ideas and became a progressive young man in the new era of Ming Dynasty.
Hu Zongxian and Zhang Juzheng were obviously more interested in Zhu Houzhao than Zhu Houzhao was in them. After all, the two people now began to ask Zhu Houzhao some questions, just like in an interview.
"Mr. Zhu, what do you think of the phenomenon that the most profitable industries in the world are concentrated in the royal family and the court?"
"Mr. Zhu, what do you think of the relevant decrees from Japan, Thailand and other countries prohibiting the flow of silver into the Ming Dynasty?"
"Mr. Zhu, there is something I don't understand, and I would like to ask you to clarify my confusion. You said that the king is wise and foolish, and the law has pros and cons. Therefore, if you want to make the country permanent and the people safe, should you make the king above the law or should the law be above the king? Above? ”
……
To be honest, Zhu Houzhao was a little irritable at this time. He admired the actions of these two people in history, but the behavior of these two people now made him feel like they were like two sparrows, chattering in his ears. non-stop.
"Excuse me, Zhu has something else to do."
(End of chapter)