Chapter 251 People are superstitious about authority, and you represent authority!
The second day.
Xia Zhibai went to the Hanlin Academy early in the morning.
Arrived at the front hall, Xia Zhibai met some acquaintances, but these acquaintances looked somewhat unkind. After all, the dignified deputy censor of the capital and the middle-level officials of the Ministry of Household Affairs were all assigned to Xia Zhibai's subordinates. .
Of course they can't keep a good face.
Xia Zhibai looked around, but found that Hua Lun had not arrived.
He invited not many people to the court this time, only four people, Hua Lun, Lian Zining, Xie Min, and Ding Zhifang.
Nowadays, these four people have similar official positions, and they basically serve in the Sixth Department.
He actually wanted to call a few more people, but other people he knew were appointed as local magistrates this year. He really couldn't call them, so after thinking about it, he could only return these few. The one from the capital was called.
Seeing Xia Zhibai, Lian Zining had a dark face and said angrily: "Xia Zhibai, what do you mean?"
"You are just a fifth-rank official, and you want me, the deputy censor of the capital, to help you?" The deputy capital censor serves the people, so there is no distinction between superiority and inferiority. Besides, you are still the deputy capital censor, but your power is urgent and you are temporarily committed."
"If not. There is really no one, why would I think so?”
“It’s just Hua Lun?”
Xia Zhibai didn’t say much about this matter, but asked about Hua Lun’s situation. .
Lian Zining said: "Hua Lun is currently in charge of the Ministry of Rites. The Ministry of Rites is currently very short of manpower. It is not easy for him to hand over the job in a short time, so it may be delayed for a while. But Xia Zhibai, please bring us together." , What exactly are you going to do?”
“Didn’t the imperial court arrange the manpower?”
“The Duke of Xin and the Imperial Guards will be with us.”
“Where to use it? Can you get along with us?"
Lian Zining asked about his puzzling explanation. He was naturally aware of Xia Zhibai's recent troubles and had no intention of getting involved, but Xia Zhibai seemed to be deliberately not letting it go. Like them, if they had to be dragged in, they also looked helpless.
Xia Zhibai nodded and said: "The imperial court has indeed arranged manpower, but Duke Xin and the Imperial Guards are obviously not something I can command."
"Although there are officials from the Salt Transportation Department to help, these people I can't believe it either."
"Things in the south are very serious."
"But it can be big or small to a certain extent."
"You are in the Yushi Mansion. Some of them are working in the Ministry of Industry, which is quite suitable.”
"I want to keep things in the south as small as possible."
Lian Zining frowned but didn't say much.
Xia Zhibai did not know many people in the court. He went to do business at the beginning, and then spent more than a year in the north. Although he was appointed as a bachelor of the Hanlin Academy when he came back, he was just a bachelor. A fifth-grade honest official has little contact with officials in the DPRK and the Central Government. Even if he wants to find someone to help him, he will probably hit a wall.
What's more, Xia Zhibai himself is not well-liked by others.
Lian Zining has been in the government for some time, and has long since lost his youthfulness and immaturity. He said solemnly: "I don't want to get involved in the affairs of the south. You also know that I was born in Jiangnan, and this time it is the south that is causing trouble. No matter what the outcome is, it will be detrimental to my career.”
Xia Zhibai nodded.
He smiled and said: "Of course I know this."
"But you don't have to worry too much. Since I dare to call you here, I naturally have my reasons."< br>
“It will not affect your career.”
“And you overestimate the status of the South.”
"The South is indeed a force that cannot be ignored in the world, but the Ming Dynasty is not limited to the South. What I want to do is to break the old southern pattern. The world has always been a small farmer economy and has always advocated self-sufficiency. The southern economy Developed and capable of raising people, the South can, to a large extent, be free from the rest of the world."
"Now that you and I are both court officials, we should know that this situation will not be allowed to happen in all dynasties. "
"In order to strengthen control over the south, the central court is actually able to destroy the economy of the south, so that the south must rely on the central court."
"It's just that your majesty was born in the south. I just can’t bear to do it.”
“But it is imperative for the imperial court to strengthen its control in the south.”
"What happened in the south this time, to a certain extent, can be regarded as a test of the imperial court by the south, and even a certain degree of economic decoupling, allowing the imperial court to reduce supervision and return to the 'tax farming system' of the Yuan Dynasty. The imperial court only Collecting taxes cannot interfere with local political affairs."
"This is something the court will never tolerate."
"You will definitely be suppressed."
Lian Zining was silent. .
He actually knows something.
It just involves too many people and interests.
It is simply not something that an official like him can handle.
In these several court meetings, he has been deliberately avoiding the topic of the South.
Jie Min sighed and said: "Brother Xia, since you know it, it is impossible not to know that it is so difficult to do this, it is almost impossible to do it. There are so many officials involved that it will make people's scalp numb." , Although we have certain official positions in the court, we are really nothing compared to those behind the scenes."
"You are making things difficult for us."
Ding Zhifang also looked bitter.
Xia Zhibai shook his head.
Lian Zining and others think too simply.
The real power in the south is actually military generals and meritorious groups.
These people followed Zhu Yuanzhang to conquer the world.
After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Ming Dynasty rewarded people for their merits. These noble families gradually came up with the idea of "resting with the country". They did all kinds of mischief in the south. To a certain extent, they believed that this was what their family should do. Got it. It's just that the emperor is stingy.
Since the emperor won’t give it to them, they will take it themselves.
Up and down the court, the influence of the Meritorious Group was so great that even the court was wary of it.
But historically, these people were the focus of Zhu Yuanzhang's subsequent rectification. From the Li Shanchang case in the 23rd year of Hongwu to the Lan Yu case in the 26th year of Hongwu, in just a few years, Zhu Yuanzhang basically The founding figures of the country were cut all over.
It's impossible to hide.
Lian Zining and others did not realize why Zhu Yuanzhang was actively wooing scholars.
Wenzhi is indeed one aspect.
On the other hand, it was to check and balance the nobles in the DPRK and stabilize the DPRK situation with the help of scholars.
Only because of the Hu Weiyong case and the Guo Huan case, Zhu Yuanzhang had to slow down the pace of suppressing the meritorious nobles, and even had to make certain concessions in order to conquer Bei Yuan, but this kind of concession was ultimately For the time being, as the situation in the court stabilizes, Zhu Yuanzhang will definitely start cleaning up the meritorious groups.
This is a historical necessity.
The ‘scholars’ Zhu Yuanzhang wanted were scholars who stood on the side of the imperial power and on the opposite side of the meritorious group.
Rather than being a scholar who looks forward and backward, and is afraid of the east and the west.
Xia Zhibai said: "You have forgotten your position."
"You are the ministers of the Ming Dynasty."
"Being wise and protecting yourself is not suitable for you."
"It's not that I'm making things difficult for you, it's that you haven't seen the situation clearly."
"The imperial court will definitely take action regarding matters in the south, it just takes time. Sooner or later. "
"The Salt Policy only intensified these conflicts in advance. From the current point of view, the conflict between the imperial court and the meritorious group is far from being so acute. With the imperial court suspending the Northern Expedition, The Meritorious Group probably had a premonition that His Majesty was angry."
"They will make some concessions this time."
"I will not let you deal with the forces behind these this time. I will just use your six forces to push some things to be implemented as soon as possible. I will be responsible for the specific matters myself and will not involve you."
< br>Lian Zining and Jie Min looked at each other and let out a long sigh.
Lian Zining said: "Since we have been ordered by the court, what can we say? What do you want us to do?"
Xia Zhibai said calmly: "At present, you There is no need to do anything. I will just take the opportunity to spread the news that there are officials from the Sixth Ministry accompanying me this time. This is mainly to increase my own weight and make the meritorious groups in the south more fearful and dare not do anything. Action."
"At the same time."
"You can help me spread the word."
"Tell the chief secretaries in the south that I have no intention of staying in the local area when I go south this time."
"I will only hold two conferences in the local area. "
"One is the official and business meeting."
"Convene local manufacturers to Yuhang for discussion. Those who fail to meet will be regarded as illegal factories and the court can directly ban them. This official and business meeting will The main thing is to solve the problem of factory ownership. The court gives profits to the people, not to merchants.”
"I have only one request."
"The businessmen who come can really make the decision!"
"The second is the workers' conference."
"This is to solve the problem The problem of riots in the south. "
"It is natural that the Zao households have demands. Since the local government is unable to handle it, it should be left to the court to handle it, and let the local officials take action from the Zao households who are causing trouble. Select some representatives to attend the meeting in Yuhang, and the government will then provide solutions.”
"Both are final decisions."
"I, Xia Zhibai, will make the decision on behalf of the court."
"No local discussion is allowed."
"If there is another local decision Those who cause trouble and make noise will be directly blamed by the local officials."
"I will give them one month. After one month, I will follow Xin Guogong and others to Yuhang."
"You guys come with me."
Hearing this.
Lian Zining looked confused.
Because they don't seem to be doing anything.
Even he felt that they were dispensable.
Not only Lian Zining had this idea, but also Jie Min and others.
Xia Zhibai smiled and said with a deep look: "You yourself are not important. What is important is who you represent. I am a man of low words. Duke Xin and Jiang Wei represent the power of the court, and you represent the six ministries. , represents the Imperial Palace, represents the central court.”
“What I want is not only for them to sit down with me”
“I also want them to sit down with me. Talk.”
Lian Zining still doesn’t understand.
Xia Zhibai hesitated for a moment, then said in a different way: "You yourself have no influence in front of the Southern Group, but as officials of the Six Ministries and as censors, you are very convincing among the people."
"Just like Lian Zining, you are working for the Ministry of Industry. If you tell the people that steam engines are beneficial to the people, the people will agree with you more because you are from the Ministry of Industry and have understanding of these things. The people will understand these things. The words of officials from the Ministry of Industry are naturally convincing. "
"People are superstitious about authority."
"And the position you are in represents authority!"< br>
(End of this chapter)