Chapter 380 Xu Jie scolds the censor
"Power generation, ask Hai Rui what happened, notify all the yamen in the capital, and ignore it, otherwise he will be investigated by the East Factory as an accomplice!"
Zhu Houzhao immediately replied to Emperor Zhu Zailei.
It was already common for Zhu Houzhao to see students making trouble and even writing letters on the bus while marching.
In Zhu Houzhao's view, this is a way for the middle class, that is, the gentry class, to express their political demands. There are good aspects, such as writing letters on the bus in the late Qing Dynasty, but there are also bad aspects, such as interfering with the judiciary and even refusing to enforce the law to force the court to follow the law. They act according to their will, for example, they are now strongly demanding that Hai Rui step down.
Zhu Houzhao didn't know how Hai Rui angered these Southern Zhili students, but he knew that the court could not violate the administrative system and remove Hai Rui from office just because these Southern Zhili students were unhappy, even if Hai Rui resigned voluntarily.
Emperor Zhu Zailei followed the instructions of the Supreme Emperor Zhu Houzhao and ignored these students in the capital. He also ordered all government offices to ignore them.
But it was impossible for the civil servants to ignore it. After all, they were also members of the gentry class.
At this time, Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, couldn't help but said to Emperor Zhu Zailei: "Your Majesty, the public sentiment is turbulent. Although the Supreme Emperor asked us to ignore it, we can't really sit back and do nothing. After all, these students are also our citizens of the Ming Dynasty. We are on a hunger strike." If you don’t eat, you really have to do something for fear of causing trouble.”
"The Emperor has issued a strict order, what can I do? Now that the Emperor is no longer in power, the people's lives are becoming more and more prosperous, and with the openness of their minds, the liberalism in Jiangnan is getting stronger and stronger. It is clear that equality is required. But if they don’t abide by the rules, how can it be that they have the final say in the dismissal of court officials?”
As the emperor, Zhu Zailei was naturally not satisfied with this phenomenon.
Xu Jie didn't know what to say when he saw this. He naturally hoped that these students could force the court to make concessions, but he also knew that the current emperor and the Supreme Emperor were not weak masters.
Therefore, Xu Jie could only persuade Emperor Zhu Zailei with a mentality of caring about the health of these students.
Emperor Zhu Zailei did feel sorry for the lives of these students. After all, the education he received taught that the lives of others, especially the lives of his compatriots, need to be respected.
The so-called equality is not just talk, but real respect for life.
Therefore, Emperor Zhu Zailei sighed and said: "Come with me to see the Supreme Emperor. He is experienced and knows what to do?"
In fact.
Zhu Houzhao didn't know what to do. In his memory, from ancient times, even in the 21st century, and even in some highly developed and high-welfare countries, the middle class would cause trouble and threaten the government.
Even the more financially developed regions are, the more proud they are of this.
Therefore, in Zhu Houzhao's view, if we do not use violence and bloody suppression because we are compatriots and do not want to destroy the peace, then you can only do your thing and I will do mine. As long as you do not violate the law, you will starve to death. Deserve it! But once you violate the law, don't blame me for being rude.
"You have to get used to this phenomenon. You need to care about public opinion, but you don't mean to follow it blindly, because public opinion is not unified from beginning to end. Ming Dynasty now has hundreds of millions of citizens, and they all have enough food and clothing. Nuan Yi, and also learned some miscellaneous thoughts, naturally there are several doctrines and several political demands. Today you see the students asking for Hai Rui's dismissal, and tomorrow you will know that some people are asking for Hai Rui to stay in office. ”
When Zhu Houzhao said this, Emperor Zhu Zailei and Xu Jie nodded.
Xu Jie also knew that he could not play any tricks in front of Zhu Houzhao, but he still had to say: "Your Majesty, your Majesty, life is precious. We cannot turn a blind eye just because our own citizens are committing suicide. I dare to speak out, but the court should still do this." The members of Nanzhili who are making trouble in the capital should think about it.”
"Yes, Father, Xu Jie is right. My son was disobedient before, but Father still taught him well and gave him good advice. Now these students are just like ignorant children. We have to abandon them and let them go!"
Zhu Zailei also followed suit.
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but look at Zhu Zailei: "You mean you want to control these people?"
Zhu Zailei nodded.
"What are you going to do, promise them, and remove Hai Rui?"
When Zhu Houzhao said this, he looked at Xu Jie. Xu Jie's eyes lit up, and he immediately lowered his head when he saw Zhu Houzhao glance at him.
"Of course not. The governor of Yingtian in Hai Rui was appointed by me. The document issued by the Ministry of Civil Affairs is in compliance with the constitution. How can it be dismissed based on public opinion? In this case, wouldn't it mean that every time I appoint an official, if it does not comply with the local regulations? I will be deposed, whether I am the emperor or they are the emperor.”
Zhu Zailei said.
"Let's get to the point. This is the contradiction. You can't control it unless you give in, give up your power of appointment and removal, and let them have their own way."
Zhu Houzhao continued: "I heard that there is already the thought of Panzi. Lei'er, if you are willing, you can accept the thought of Panzi and become an emperor with only ritual symbols and national symbols. Anyway, I have already transformed the country." Passed to you!”
Xu Jie looked at Zhu Zailei. He represented the interests of the scholar-bureaucrat class, and he hoped that Zhu Zailei would accept Dan Zai's ideas and accept the emperor and scholar-bureaucrats co-ruling the world. Of course, it was still the idea of scholar-bureaucrats governing the world fundamentally.
"My son is unwilling, unless the workers can remove their boss and the villagers can remove their chief and ask the court to protect their right to vote in the village!"
Zhu Zailei thought for a while, raised his head and replied.
After the internal affairs reforms carried out in the Ming Dynasty and now under Zhang Cong, the local grassroots basically required villages below the rural level to implement villagers' self-government, while in cities and towns, each village implemented villagers' self-governance. Village leaders and village leaders were elected by villagers and residents. This system has even been written into the outline of the constitution.
However, over the years, neither the villagers nor the common people have been interested in this election. Some powerful gentry have usurped their power and even turned the village justice and square justice into "hereditary". Many villagers and citizens have also Never objected.
Zhu Zailei also talked to Zhu Houzhao about why villagers and residents did not pay much attention to their own rights. Zhu Houzhao could only explain it by saying that the people's wisdom is not fully developed yet, so they don't care. But Zhu Zailei said something at this time: "My son now believes that the majority of the common people do not need discipline or power, because they have no ability to control anyone. Instead, they need others to control them and lead them. They need leaders. But these students are different. They have no worries about food and clothing. They don't need to be controlled. What they need is freedom and a court that listens to them. "
Xu Jie did not expect that the current emperor would have this kind of thinking, but he also admitted that it seems that as His Majesty the Emperor said, the people of the world have no ambition to dominate the world, and are even willing to be dominated, but people like him do Not wanting to be manipulated, he couldn't help but look at Zhu Houzhao and sighed secretly:
"Who told the Supreme Emperor to abandon Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism and depreciate Confucianism? Otherwise, how would I want to be free today? Naturally, I only care about my father, my parents and my family, and finally myself."
Zhu Houzhao noticed the way Xu Jie looked at him and couldn't help but ask: "Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, what do you think of the emperor's views?"
Xu Jie bowed deeply to Zhu Houzhao. In any case, the Zhengde Emperor Zhu Houzhao did give the Ming Dynasty unprecedented wealth. He still respected it in his heart, but he also replied truthfully: "I believe that Neo-Confucianism cannot be abolished, and the court should Rebuild Confucian ethics! Forbid people from talking about state affairs! ”
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but smile after hearing this. He knew that Xu Jie was speaking from the bottom of his heart and was not hiding anything private. Otherwise, he would not risk irritating himself by saying this. After all, he despised Confucianism from the beginning.
"You, Xu Ge, are the elder of the Xu family. Even if you become an official, you are still the head of the family. Naturally, you don't mind the confinement of Confucianism. You can ask your son to see if he is willing to obey your orders in everything, even marrying a wife. I have to listen to your arrangements, even what subjects I study, and what thoughts I follow.”
After Zhu Houzhao said something, he asked Zhu Zailei: "I have heard that the son of Liu Siwen, the censor of Yunnan Province, committed suicide by jumping into a river because he wanted to resist an arranged marriage. Before committing suicide, he had passed the provincial examination and it made a lot of news. , is this possible? ”
"Going back to the Supreme Emperor, this kind of thing is not new in recent years. There are many fathers and sons who have turned against each other. There are even censors who have protested against the law of leniency for fathers to kill their sons and asked the court to modify it," Zhu Zailei replied.
After Xu Jie heard this, he also knew that the Supreme Emperor did not agree with his suggestion of rebuilding the Confucian Neo-Confucian order, so he could only remain silent.
This discussion between the three top figures in the empire did not produce any results, but it seemed that each of them had gained a lot.
"I didn't expect that I have already lived for almost eighty years, and I still get confused when encountering some things!"
Zhu Houzhao couldn't help but said this in the end.
Zhu Zailei also returned to his Forbidden City. In fact, he didn't really want to be a slave owner who could kill others, so he didn't care about the loss of power, but he really couldn't accept letting the outsiders decide the court. politics.
"Your Majesty, Hai Rui's message has arrived. According to Hai Rui, Lu Fang, a student from Yingtianfu, organized the villagers to cause trouble and killed five villagers. He was suspected of intentional homicide, so he asked the local police station to arrest Lu Fang and let him According to the investigation branch, the case was filed and Ying Tianfu The Criminal Court has already sentenced him to death! The sentencing message has been sent to the Imperial Court and Dali Temple! But as a result, the students and others spread rumors about Hai Rui and framed the student Lu Fang! But I didn’t expect these students to come directly to the capital." br>
At this time, Li Fang came over and handed the telegram from Nanjing to Zhu Zailei.
"I was almost deceived by these scholars. Since they should be punished for breaking the law, these people actually dare to come to the capital to cause trouble! What is this, an attempt to blackmail the court and interfere with the judiciary?"
Zhu Zailei threw the message to Li Fang: "Go back to Hai Rui, I already know it."
Xu Jie, the chief minister of the cabinet, had just returned home when he saw his housekeeper coming to report: "Sir, Chen Lianfang, the censor of Henan Province, submitted a post today asking for an audience."
"Let him come to the study."
Xu Jie said something, and not long after, he saw Chen Lianfang coming.
Chen Lianfang hurriedly said: "Yuan Fu, Hai Rui is brutally punishing Jiangnan. He only cares about the common people and does not love the gentry, which has caused public resentment. Otherwise, these members of the Southern Zhili Province would not come to the capital to demand Hai Rui's removal. Public opinion cannot be violated!"
"I don't know, I have not only spoken to His Majesty today, but also to the Supreme Emperor. But the imperial court has its own laws. How can we dismiss the governor of a province because of a member's trouble!"
Xu Jie said.
"Xiaguan understands what Yuan Fu means. In the end, this matter must be handled by officials in the court. Xiaguan has already drafted a memorial to impeach Hai Rui and request the court to dismiss Hai Rui from office. But now the court no longer allows the imperial court to impeach Hai Rui." Direct access to historical memorials God heard, and Yang Lin, the censor of Zuodu, was a stubborn military official. He said that Xiaguan's memorial was a false accusation with no proof and no evidence, so Xiaguan really had no choice now. "
After Chen Lianfang said that, he added: "According to my official's wishes, I can only ask the senior general to submit the memorial directly to His Majesty. I also ask the senior general to let the emperor know the heart of the scholars in the world for the sake of thousands of scholars in the south of the Yangtze River!" < br>
"Do you think it's useful, Chen Yushi? Besides, His Majesty has issued a strict decree that any official in the DPRK who cares about these living members will be investigated as the mastermind or accomplices behind the scenes!"
When Xu Jie said this, Chen Lianfang was stunned for a moment, and after a while, he spoke out: "The villagers killed by the Lu Shengmen were originally degenerate people in the past. They were extremely despicable, so they were killed as long as they were killed. Moreover, these untouchables threatened the Lu Shengmen. Previously, the landmen had not personally If you can't punish the doctor, why should you let him pay for it with his life? What is happening now is all caused by the Supreme Emperor. Why is everyone equal in the world? Just because of this equality, how can the world's scholars love this country? ! ”
"Asshole!"
Xu Jie slapped the table and pointed at Chen Lianfang: "You are treasonous! Ignorant! Arrogant! Childish! You, Chen Lianfang, come from a family in the south of the Yangtze River. You grew up in fine clothes and fine food, with hundreds of servants. The villagers were all in awe when they saw you. Now even a three-year-old child sees you. You don’t have to kowtow to bow. You’re not used to it, aren’t you? You’re not used to this equality, right? You blame the Supreme Emperor, right? I’ll tell you, this matter has nothing to do with the Supreme Emperor. The emperor has nothing to do with it, this is the general trend! The decline of Confucianism is also the general trend. Even if it is not lonely in our dynasty, it will still be lonely a hundred, hundreds or thousands of years later. The common people can be self-reliant without relying on the land of your gentry. How can you let them be like this? I was just as obedient to you as before! What’s more, no one knows a few words now, so why bother to make yourself so noble?”
After Xu Jie scolded Chen Lianfang, he asked his housekeeper to drive Chen Lianfang out.
Zhu Houzhao found out about this through Zhu Zailei at this time, and asked with a smile: "Is Xu Jie really scolding you like this?"
"According to people from Xichang, this is indeed the curse. Chen Lianfang also published an article criticizing Xu Jie for only having eyes for the Supreme Emperor," Zhu Zailei replied.
"It seems that Xu Jie scolded me, but this also shows that there are still many people in the court who understand. Regardless of these nonsense, destroying the Japanese is the top priority right now." After Zhu Houzhao said, Zhu Zailei Also nodded , the father and son couldn't help but look at the Nanzhili students under the city tower. Zhu Zailei first asked: "Father, will there be more and more people demanding or even threatening the imperial court in the future?"
"Yes! But this is a good thing. Maybe in the future, common people who only know how to make money will be able to do the same, instead of being silent or not caring. However, if they dare to evade taxes and break the law, they still cannot be leniently punished!"
Zhu Houzhao said.
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(End of chapter)