Chapter 576 Putting Power in Prison
The pursuit of extravagance has spread throughout Nanya and Zhejiang. This is a scene that Zhang Juzheng cannot see in the capital, and it has caused a stir. Li Le's worries, he returned to Beijing this time to resign, mainly because of this matter.
The influx of a large amount of silver has caused money to come first in Jiangnan.
“Money is omnipotent, and has even gradually become the standard for measuring good and evil, right and wrong, right and wrong, so that everyone worships money, believing that money can communicate with ghosts and gods, and that money can control the grinding and pushing of ghosts. "Li Le said worriedly: "It is true that this is inevitable for the development of the commodity economy, but it is still too drastic. "
The influx of a large amount of silver and the blockage in Nanya Weir caused Li Le to see. situation.
Li Le tried to study the reasons behind this trend. In Nanya, with the continuous concentration of production means, the continuous clarification of the division of production, and the gradual abundance of commodities, the general equivalent of measuring the value of commodities - silver, It seems to have become a general equivalent that can buy everything, and can even be a magical power that can determine the fate of others, which then leads to the worship of money. The final result is that money is supreme.
“There is a brothel in Yuhufang where you can send flower baskets. Like the capital, the price is one hundred taels of silver per pot, and ten pots are one thousand two hundred taels. The more you buy, the more expensive it will be. The more expensive it is, the more people will be there. Why is it so weird to spend a fortune just for a beauty to smile and get everyone to praise her and compete for wealth?"
"There was a weaver girl in the brocade shop who was originally promised to be a matchmaker. The three matchmakers and six betrothals have been decided, and it is the time for Feng Guang to get married. But on the wedding day, the Zhinang's natal family needs another five taels of silver to get out of the sedan chair, and the husband's family cannot afford the money to get out of the sedan chair. The bearer carried the bride and walked back to her parents' home, which made the relatives and friends who came to have a feast helpless."
"This trend also spread to the Imperial College of Nanya. When I first arrived in Nanya. , Nanya Imperial College was brought by Geng Dingxiang, it was quite simple, even if they were wearing linen clothes, there were many people there. This spring, when I went to Nanya Imperial College, everyone was wearing silk and satin, and there were some accessories hanging on their waists, for fear of falling behind others. Holding a mahogany fractured fan."
"The strange appearance makes people worried."
Li Le used three cases to illustrate the widespread nature of Nanya's emphasis on money and money.
“How did you deal with these three things?” Zhang Juzheng asked curiously. In the letter, Li Le mentioned these things, but he was not so specific.
Li Le said with a painful expression: "In Yuhufang brothel, every flower basket sold has to pay a sitting tax of 40 silver to the court. I thought I could stop this trend, but after a little implementation of two On the same day, I found out that these guys took twenty silver out of the money that was supposed to be given to the brothel girls.”
“For a hundred taels of flower basket, the brothel girls were only given twenty-two taels. I took away twenty taels of silver at once, and those brothel girls scolded me so much that they were greedy even for prostitutes’ money!”
“This decree has to be stopped. Stop, the twenty silver coins were not given to the brothel girls, these owners kept them for themselves, just because the brothel girls rarely went out, and did not understand the implementation and suspension of the decree, these brothel girls still scolded them. "Me!"
"It turns out that these bosses have been trying to reduce the share of these women. The additional tax I set immediately became a reason for them to exploit Xia Zhe."
Zhang Juzheng thought for a moment, and found that banning luxury is not that easy. Li Le’s practice told Zhang Juzheng that this thing not only attracts criticism, but can also be easily exploited by powerful right-wingers.
As soon as the imperial court said it wanted to collect taxes, it immediately allocated them downwards. The imperial court stopped collecting taxes, and they remained silent and allowed the imperial court to continue to be scolded. This was completely normal in the process of implementing government decrees.
"How do you deal with it?" Zhang Juzheng asked seriously.
Li Le gritted his teeth and said: "I set a tax of one thousand silver for a flower basket, and asked Luo Bingliang, the tax marshal of the Tax Inspection Institute, to collect the tax. Suddenly, no one in Nanjing was selling flower baskets."< br>
There were three fires when a new official took office, and Li Le burned the first one, burning himself black and blue.
Zhang Juzheng frowned and said: "Aren't you vindictive? I guess these powerful people will only laugh at you behind your back, and they will only flip the table if they don't have any means."
"But No, I was laughed at at the time." Li Le also laughed at himself. He shook his head and said, "I just became governor and want to do something big. Governor Pan left Suiyuan in a hurry. I also want to prove it. I ended up being a little too eager to get things done."
"Later, I came up with an idea. I could sell flower baskets, but the flower baskets from each brothel had to be picked up from the Yingtianfu Drum Tower on the third day of every month. Women go to the Drum Tower to get their share. "
"There is no limit to the price of a flower basket. There are up to ten flower baskets in a brothel. Isn't it a competition for luxury? Don't these dudes compete for wealth? !”
“This makes those dudes grit their teeth.”
“One brothel will only give ten flower baskets this month, and one thousand flower baskets next month. After there were too many flower baskets, no one bought them anymore."
Zhang Juzheng still frowned and shook his head and said: "You and Shi want to do something arrogant, but the prostitute who is trying to make a joke will suffer. I'm afraid life will be even more difficult if the city gate catches fire and the fish in the pond will suffer. "
"The lesson is sir," Li Le said with a smile: "This flower basket can't be sold, but it can be sold. Liquor. If you sell more, you will earn more. If you sell less, you will earn less. "
"There are many wineries in the outer city. The wine in these wineries is not so easy to sell, and the profit is very thin. , I built a government-run winery in Laojiekou, which was a way for the brewing craftsmen to make a living. It was also the first government-run winery built by my disciples in Nanya, and it was very prosperous. ”
Zhang Juzheng's brows widened, he nodded and said, "Although it is suspected of competing with the people for profit, it is better than the previous method."
"Later, the official factory ran out of wine, and the public was allowed to enter , the voice of opposition has decreased a lot." Li Le shook his head and said: "But most of the money earned by the brothel woman from selling wine was taken away by the nanny, and not much can be kept in her hands. Determined by the relations of production.”
“I originally thought that after the abolition of the slave status, there would be some improvement, but the effect is not obvious, not to say that there is no, but most of the slave status is still the same as in the past. , there is not much difference, especially the brothel girls.”
“Because these brothel girls, especially the brothel girls by the Qinhuai River, have their feet bound, and they can only make a living with their feet bound, and they can’t even go out. It’s all very difficult.”
Foot binding is not a custom at all, but a physical confinement that enforces physical attachment. The fate of brothel girls has not been significantly improved by the decree to abolish the status of slaves, because their lives have not improved significantly. They have been completely trapped in the brothel. Even when Nanya abolished the slave status, these women did not come to the Drum Tower to participate in the ceremony to abolish the slave status.
“Abolition of the slave status may not seem to have any effect in the short term, but as time goes by, it will gradually become apparent.” Li Le explained that he was not criticizing this decree as a futile effort, but It is believed that this kind of long-term decree will take time to slowly take effect, and the time scale will be extended from one or two years to one hundred years. Only in two hundred years will the impact of this long-term decree on all aspects of the Ming Dynasty be reflected. incisively and vividly.
Of course Zhang Juzheng knew that this kind of decree would have little effect in the short term, but the imperial court no longer recognized the legality of the deed of betrayal. As time went by, it would slowly affect all living beings. He continued to ask: "Brocade Workshop What about Zhi Niang’s case?”
Li Le said with a very complicated expression: “It was just a sentence of returning the bride price. Zhi Niang couldn’t stand the judgment of others and jumped into the Qinhuai River, but she didn’t die. She was rescued and now lives in the official factory of the Weaving Bureau in Zhijinfang and refuses to go home.”
“This Zhinang knows very well that the twenty-five silver gift money and the Her parents used her reputation to make a fortune. They didn't give her a penny, and they made her bear the infamy. Her reputation was ruined, and she refused to marry even if it was difficult. After jumping into the river, It is a return of flesh and blood and this life to the parents, and the relationship is broken. "
It is a common phenomenon for married daughters to throw away their wives. The husband's family does not divorce his wife, and there are very few divorces. , The parents of this family are so cruel. Even if they really get these five taels of silver, how much injustice will their daughter have to suffer in other people's homes?
This case was the most impressive example for Li Le when he was the Prime Minister of Ying Tianfu. It is one of the most intuitive examples of the huge challenge that money has to public order, good customs, laws, and social consensus. Just for five taels of silver to get off the sedan chair, he made a case. Ground chicken feathers.
The Zhi Niang of Zhi Brocade Square is one of the few women in today's world who can get a decent job, rather than a lowly job of selling one's body for fun. In addition, there are schools in the official factories, so most of the Zhinangs are studying. Literary, although I dare not say that I am knowledgeable, I can recognize the words used in daily life. The family that Zhiniang married into can be regarded as a middle-class family in Nanjing, not too poor, but not too rich either.
It was originally a good thing to stay together forever and spend the full moon as a couple, but it ended up like this, just for the five taels of silver to get off the sedan chair.
"What about the extravagance competition in the Imperial College?" Zhang Juzheng did not comment on the Zhi Niang case in Zhijinfang, because this is not an isolated case, it is a custom that has arisen in Nanya. Zhang Juzheng is in the capital of Beiya. After hearing about this bad custom, Nanya Ground also banned it, but the effect was very poor.
“It is stipulated that the uniform should be worn when entering the Imperial College, and no jewelry is allowed to be worn. Any extravagant behavior is regarded as a bad behavior with worrying moral character. Only then has the trend of extravagant competition in the Imperial College been restrained.” Li Le said about this The regulations were very strict, and uniform uniforms for Imperial College were even created in order to prevent the social atmosphere from further declining.
Zhang Juzheng nodded and said: "Well, there is no other way. Beiya Imperial College must also implement it. There are also third-level schools and the Royal Institute of Technology, which must have such regulations. After all, it is a place for study and self-cultivation. The trend of extravagance should not spread to the school under any circumstances.”
The school is the place where the outlook on life, world view and values are formed. If this place is poisoned by the trend of extravagance, it will be completely destroyed. It is inevitable that the rituals will collapse and the music will fall.
Zhang Juzheng’s face was extremely solemn, because the alienation of power to people is limited and partial, especially for the bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty. The bureaucrats of the Ming Dynasty are a small part of the large collection of the Ming Dynasty. Alienation, there is also a way to eliminate it like metabolism.
However, the impact of money's alienation on people is universal and extremely far-reaching. It penetrates into all aspects of the Ming Dynasty. This alienation needs to be dealt with carefully by the court.
"Difficult." Zhang Juzheng thought for a long time and finally said one word.
Zhang Juzheng recalled a question that His Majesty asked during the banquet. He punched someone for fifteen cents and killed him for twenty cents. A person who grew up in this situation would really treat others as objects. Treated the same, even objects like people are not as expensive as the porcelain bottles at home.
This is also a manifestation of the alienation of money from people.
New situations will bring new challenges. It is impossible for Ming Dynasty to prevent the inflow of silver. Ming Dynasty’s money shortage problem is more serious, and silver is gradually becoming a means for Ming Dynasty to implement redistribution. If silver stops flowing in, Ming Dynasty’s new policies will To be destroyed in one day.
Zhang Juzheng said with some uncertainty: "Looking at this matter, the essence of the problem is that the currency is in Nanya, in the barrier of the metropolis, but I have never been to Nanya, so to this The understanding of the matter is not comprehensive enough, Li Le, what do you think?"
"The damming of silver has exacerbated the common occurrence of this phenomenon." Li Le conservatively agreed with Zhang Juzheng's view.
"No, the essence of this problem is not the silver barrier." Zhang Juzheng immediately denied his statement. He looked at Li Le and said: "The pursuit of money is the pursuit of material, and it is the pursuit of more. There is nothing wrong with pursuing a good life, so the essence of the question is whether people are slaves or masters of money. "
"This is the key"
Zhang Juzheng immediately realized. He corrected his one-sided understanding as quickly as possible.
Zhang Juzheng thought for a while and then said: "There must be a clear and clear boundary here. People are the main body and money is the appendage. People need to be controlled rationally. This rationality can be public order and good customs, or It can be a consensus, or it can be a law.”
“In addition to the question of whether people are masters or slaves of money, it is also very clear that this is caused by the excessive gap between rich and poor.”
"Allow me to think about it."
No political order can be thought of at once. You need to think about the key points slowly, which takes time. Zhang Juzheng was in Beiya and could not see many things very clearly, so he had a long communication with Li Le, but this communication was still a glimpse into the whole picture. After an hour of understanding, Zhang Juzheng finally Sure, a southern tour is necessary.
The courtiers must see it with their own eyes. Relying only on hearsay is just part of the story.
"I will compile what you said into a memorial overnight and send it to the palace tomorrow." Zhang Juzheng sent away the two students and began to write a memorial. The content is mainly about phenomena, not problems, causes, and methods. , so the memorial was written smoothly, and Zhang Juzheng completed his memorial before the curfew time ordered by His Majesty.
Zhang Juzheng did not make things difficult for You Qi. After the break time, he put down the memorial and went to rest. There was no need to rush this matter.
Zhu Yijun received Zhang Juzheng’s memorial. Li Zhi had already mentioned the alienation of people by money. Li Yashi also mentioned it. Now there is another Li Le. Everyone in the Ming Dynasty is concerned about the changes of money in the Ming Dynasty. There are certain expectations and early warnings. Of course, some things are bound to happen, but this is also a drastic change that the Ming Dynasty will inevitably experience. You cannot not stop eating because you are afraid of being choked, otherwise you will starve to death.
Zhang Juzheng officially began to think about the system and how to use system design to reduce the chaos in this social change.
"Mr. said that the phenomenon is caused by the over-concentration of the means of production, that is, the excessive gap between the rich and the poor caused by mergers. He is trying to analyze this phenomenon and solve it." Zhu Yijun admires Zhang Juzheng's courage very much!
This problem can actually be avoided rather than faced, because it is very difficult and has a huge impact. However, the negative impact will be fully reflected very slowly. It will take ten or twenty years to become a chronic disease that is difficult to cure. , Zhang Juzheng did not avoid talking about it, but faced it bravely.
The Emperor of Ming Dynasty had a pile of miscellaneous newspapers on his hands. The only content of these miscellaneous newspapers was to discuss how to establish more supervision mechanisms to check power, which was probably to put power in a cage.
"Put power in a cage. What is this cage? A cage?" Zhu Yijun flipped through several memorials and shook his head repeatedly. His level was not as good as that of Lin Fucheng and Li Zhi. Lin Fucheng and Li Zhi were both good at it now. Don't propose government orders, just talk about problems.
Put power behind bars.
This seems like a wonderful idea, but who will be responsible for building this cage? Who is going to be imprisoned in this cage? Who will supervise the normal operation of this cage? In the end, it will become a spiral door problem of power supervising power.
As the most powerful person in the world, Zhu Yijun will not ignore it. He will not let anything become his fetters, not even the ethics of the third generation of Fa, or the Ming Dynasty's ancestors. These are tools to better rule Ming Dynasty, not constraints.
Even Huang Ming’s ancestral precepts are tools, not constraints.
After Zhu Yuanzhang left, he could no longer care about the affairs behind him. He paved all the way for Zhu Yunwen's ascension to the throne. In the end, Zhu Di won the world. Zhu Yuanzhang's ancestral law is still being implemented, but every emperor will After tinkering, Zhu Yuanzhang decreed that eunuchs were not allowed to interfere in politics, and the ceremonial supervisor had been in existence since the Yongle period.
The Emperor of Ming Dynasty certainly has the final right to interpret the ancestral laws and the ancestral precepts of the Ming Dynasty.
Zhu Yijun will not accept any form of the so-called constitutional model. He is an absolute dictator. When he feels it is necessary, not even Zhang Juzheng can stop him.
In Zhu Yijun's view, and from his practical experience, the so-called constitutional government is a complete lie. The constitutional monarchy is just a fig leaf for carnivores to enjoy. With such A fig leaf exists, and no one needs to be fully responsible for the corruption of the country.
The essence of constitutional monarchy is the lie that meat-eaters only enjoy the benefits of power but do not bear any responsibilities!
As the emperor, Zhu Yijun only had this attitude towards the establishment of a constitutional monarchy. No one could even think of completing the so-called establishment of a constitutional monarchy in his hands!
He doesn’t believe that stuff at all! He is the emperor, and his position is that no one can challenge him, let alone put himself in a cage.
But Zhu Yijun did not shut up these writers, but allowed them to discuss it in the newspapers.
This is inevitable during the Restoration. If you don’t even have this measure, there is no need to engage in the Wanli Restoration.
Emperor Yongzheng wrote a book called "Dayi Jue Mi Lu". Translated, it is roughly: resolutions and notices on several historical issues since entering the customs.
This is a book in which Emperor Yongzheng personally debated scriptures with Han Confucian Zeng Jing. There are actually five main issues discussed in it. The first is the legitimacy of the Qing Dynasty; the second is the Ming Dynasty. The third is the distinction between Huayi and Huayi; the fourth is shaving one's hair and changing clothes; the fifth is Emperor Yongzheng's analysis one by one of the ten sins accused by Zeng Jing.
What’s more interesting is that Yongzheng, a person with a very normal aesthetic, did not speak harshly about shaving his hair to make it easier to dress. He did not force his braids to look good and his mandarin jacket to look good. Instead, he avoided this problem.
Zeng Jing said: Peacock feathers, horseshoe sleeves, and animals in clothes; these clothes all come from animals, so the people who wear them are also animals.
Yongzheng replied: Everyone should follow their own customs and use them according to their own needs; they have no interference in people's virtuousness or political gains and losses; the customary clothing of one place is all the same. It is used for convenience, and it has nothing to do with whether the person is virtuous or not, or whether the government's decree is successful.
Yongzheng was a little bit off guard and immediately pulled the Han and Tang Dynasties out, saying that some clothes in the Han and Tang Dynasties, such as feather coats, crane cloaks, and lion belts, were all named after animals. Don't you Han people also think that clothing is the glory? In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, animals and animals were embroidered on the patches!
Yongzheng is completely sophistry.
Zeng Jing’s point is that the people wearing the clothes are beasts and the clothes are not good-looking. She said that shaving one’s hair and changing clothes is the slaughter of humans by beasts. Faced with this problem, Yongzheng could only speak harshly. After all, he shaved his hair in the first place. Easy to take, leave your hair but not your head, leave your hair but not your hair, make the whole world boil and the sky is full.
Each of these five questions is a major crime for clan execution. For the last question, Zeng Jing even listed ten major crimes for Yongzheng himself.
In fact, these five questions all point to one problem, which is the congenital terminal illness of the Qing Dynasty and the defense of the Manchu and Han Dynasties.
However, Yongzheng still allowed such a discussion and went to debate the scriptures in person. Zeng Jing lived until December of the thirteenth year of Yongzheng, the third month after Yongzheng’s death. Zeng Jing, a treasonous traitor, ', was executed by Ling Chi by Emperor Qianlong, and Qianlong even violated his father's instructions and banned "Dayi Jue Mi Lu" in a literary prison style.
After the Dayi Jue Milu was written in the seventh year of Yongzheng's reign, it was widely published. Emperor Yongzheng even required everyone in the public court and local officials to have a copy of it. All local officials and academic officials must be familiar with Dayi Jue Milu. There are too many copies of the recorded content for lectures, and no amount of banning can prevent their spread.
In Qianlong's view, Dayijue Milu would only make things worse. No one would look at what Emperor Yongzheng said, and everyone cared more about what Zeng Jing said, which ultimately led to widespread, great Questions about the Qing Dynasty on a large scale.
Emperor Yongzheng bravely faced the congenital terminal illness of the Manchu-Han defense. He did not run away from the problem, nor did he behead his family and confiscate his family. He even added fuel to the flames, discussed the problem in depth, and wanted to completely solve the problem.
But Qianlong chose to cover his mouth. Covering his mouth was easy, but covering his mouth meant escaping. The result of covering his mouth was this congenital terminal disease, and there was no room for relief.
In every reform and restoration, there will be this kind of opinion bag. Allowing such opinion bag to exist is a sign of courage to face the problem head-on.
When a problem occurs, it is possible to solve it only by facing it. Avoiding it will only let the problem go deep into the bone marrow and become a terminal disease among terminal diseases.
Zhu Yijun allowed the commentators to express their opinions. He set very clear limits on the boundaries of the discussion. He physically bowed Chen Youren and could not beautify the atrocities of the Japanese pirates. This was Zhu Yijun's only limit.
Those who do it are just being faithful and discussing issues realistically is just Zhu Yijun’s beautiful vision.
“For example, this miscellaneous newspaper is a long serialized article called "The Legend of the Heroes of the Eastern March", which I like very much." Zhu Yijun named and praised a long serialized article called Zhengde Miscellaneous News, which contains It describes a large number of outstanding anti-Japanese talents who emerged when the Japanese invasion was raging.
Even Luo Gongchen, the owner of the Dufu Pavilion and the commander of the coastal defense, is included in it. Luo Gongchen's life and contributions are completely listed.
"The eldest uncle ran it, and now the young uncle Shen Li is in charge." Feng Bao glanced at it and said with a smile: "The young uncle is a loyal minister. He does everything for every article and everyone. It will be published only after a detailed understanding. Qi Shuai will read every issue, and there are no mistakes. It is a reliable article. "
"It is more like compiling history than a miscellaneous newspaper. It is extremely rigorous. "
"Official report?" Zhu Yijun said with a smile: "The Ministry of Rites has done a good job, and I will give the young uncle a crane cloak, and add him as the Crown Prince Shaobao and the Minister of Rites."
After Wan Shihe entered the cabinet, the Ministry of Rites' affairs were handed over to Shen Li, while the right minister of the Ministry of Rites, Chen Xuexue, took charge of diplomacy. The entire Ministry of Rites did not become a gathering place for cheap Confucians, holding high the etiquette to prevent the emperor from reforming the old and reforming, and with Wan Shihe and Shen Li, Chen Xuexue and other Confucian scholars who were good at adapting had a lot to do with it.
This time, Shen Li was promoted, but he was still the young uncle. If there was a problem with the Ministry of Rites, it was still Wan Shihe who took care of it.
Wan Shihe began to organize official newspapers in the name of the imperial court a long time ago. Different from folk newspapers, these official newspapers, as authoritative newspapers, are not the mouthpieces of humble Confucians. It is to fully practice the truth and be faithful. Any information source must be confirmed before it can be published.
Official newspapers and miscellaneous newspapers formed two camps, competing on the battlefield of public opinion.
If you don’t occupy the high ground of public opinion, the enemy will occupy it.
This issue of Zhengde Miscellaneous News tells the story of Shi Maohua. Because Shi Maohua made great contributions in Shaanxi, people only remember his contribution in resisting the captives and not his work in Yangzhou Prefecture in the southeast. The Japanese story was over, and Shen Li completed the little-known stories.
There is a detail here. Shi Maohua trained soldiers in Yangzhou Prefecture. He ate, lived and walked with the soldiers. For Pao Ze, he was the one who could give his back to the opponent on the battlefield. This was also Shi Maohua's. The reason why Maohua was able to win the war against the Japanese in Yangzhou.
Shi Maohua, who was on his way back to Beijing at this time, was very dissatisfied with Pang Xian, the great medical officer accompanying him!
Pang Xian, the great medical officer, was a disciple of Li Shizhen. After Shi Maohua submitted a petition at the end of last year claiming that he was ill and asked to retire, Pang Xian went to Shaanxi to diagnose and treat Shi Maohua.
"You are so disgusting, why can't I read the newspaper?" Shi Maohua seemed to be in very good spirits and could even slap the table. This was not entirely consistent with what the court thought he would be in his twilight years.
Pang Xian said with a smile: "Governor Pan took a look and Governor Shi returned to Beijing safely. We are about to arrive at Guihua City. Guihua City is connected to Chi Road. We will return to Beijing soon. ”
"Are you serious about not showing me anything?" Shi Maohua sighed heavily and asked helplessly.
Pang Xian nodded and said: "There is a will."
(End of this chapter)