"That's a good word, out of control." The emperor repeated it with satisfaction, then stroked his beard and said leisurely: "Throughout the history books, the last years of dynasties have given people this feeling. No matter how hard the monarchs and ministers tried, they still could not stop the slide. abyss."
Alas, my father also believed that this was the end of the dynasty.
Hearing this, Zhu Lizheng didn't know how to answer the question. He hesitated to speak, and finally swallowed the words back in his stomach.
In fact, although it is often said that the authorities are confused and bystanders are clear-eyed, people who understand are not stupid. As early as decades ago, many people put forward arguments similar to "the days of the present era are numbered."
Although there was chaos for a while after that, the successful completion of the constitutional transformation gave many people hope, thinking that this was actually the "cycle of rise and fall" and the beginning of a new era.
But there are also people who hold objections, believing that this is just a new deal and reform to extend the life of the dynasty. It only temporarily suppresses the contradictions, and does not have a "big reshuffle" and does not solve the problem from the root. Therefore, today's Ming Dynasty can only be said to be a return to glory.
Of course, this kind of view and argument is suppressed by the government. No matter how open the Ming Dynasty's atmosphere and public opinion are, it will not allow the voice of "your country's pill" to continue to be swaggering on the market.
"But." The emperor suddenly spoke again, "Even if the downhill road is inevitable, so what? Life has to go on after all. I won't live much longer. What will happen to the Ming Dynasty in the future depends mostly on you."
The emperor has always disliked staying in the Forbidden City. In his words, "It is difficult to live long in a deep palace." Since his health was not good recently, he simply moved to Xiyuan.
The emperor said to his face that he did not have much time left. Is there any need to say more about how he should react now?
Zhu Lizhen and Zhu Lingjing reacted very quickly. They lowered their heads together and said quickly: "My father has a long life."
"I'm tired of hearing this kind of talk..." The emperor didn't care and asked instead: "So, how should we deal with this situation? Ning You, can you tell me?"
In fact, Zhu Lingjing was secretly happy at first. What did it mean that she could participate in this kind of conversation that should only exist between the monarch and the prince? This is real recognition!
But this question is not easy to answer now. Without preparation in advance, I can only answer it verbally, and it has to be just right.
She did not dare to be negligent, blinked quickly, then raised her head and replied: "My son, I feel that nothing can be changed from the original. The first priority is to ensure the food supply. If there is any flaw in this, the chaos will become bigger and bigger. "
The emperor smiled and asked calmly: "Did you combine thousands of words into this sentence, or do you only know this?"
"Huh?" Zhu Lingjing, who was slightly embarrassed, thought for a while and said hesitantly: "My son... I dare not pretend to know all aspects, but of course I know more than this."
"You are right to regard this as the 'top priority'. The operation of the country is indeed complicated, but its basic laws are so simple." The emperor paused and said in a contemptuous tone: "But... , many boastful old scholars and self-proclaimed smart people have ignored this point."
"After all, food is the most important thing for the people, and industry and commerce are also based on agriculture." the crown prince added.
The emperor put his hands behind his hands and started walking again. As he walked, he said slowly:
"There are 600 million people in our country, and farmers account for more than 80%. They are the absolute majority. Their needs are not much, just food and clothing. With development in the future, their needs will gradually increase... But, at the moment, they All that is needed is food, clothing, housing and transportation.”
"Nowadays, everything cannot be compared with the past. The loss of long-distance transportation of food can be compared to the sky and the earth; artificial fertilizers can greatly increase crop yields; I heard that Americans are trying to use the products of petroleum cracking to make textile fibers, and we also There must be. These are all good things that I didn’t dare to think of in ancient times.”
"But even with these advantages, how can every household be protected from hunger and cold? Production is always easier than reasonable distribution. This is the difficulty that needs to be overcome. I say this to emphasize the key point with you two. Because many people will be confused by the chaotic appearance and ignore the most basic things.”
The crown prince and princess nodded and said in unison: "I will obey my father's teachings."
The emperor with complicated eyes stared at the reflection of the setting sun on the Mochou Lake. For a long time, he said leisurely: "It is not easy to repair the big holes. There are countless small holes. The ship will sink sooner or later."
"But we shouldn't sink now." Zhu Licheng said simply.
"The storm is coming. Once we persevere through the strong winds and waves... we won't have to worry about it anymore."
The emperor ended with these words, then left the crown prince and princess behind and went back to his hotel to rest alone.
Because there were still some things that had not been taken care of, Zhu Lizhen was also in a hurry to return to the East Palace.
He looked at Zhu Lingjing aside and asked casually: "Do you have enough income and expenses at ordinary times? If you have any difficulties, don't be embarrassed to talk about it."
The latter nodded and said: "My expenses are not much, it is more than enough."
After just a few casual words, Zhu Lizheng, who was thinking about the things to be done, left in a hurry.
Zhu Lingjing, who was left alone, slowly walked a few steps to the side. She stood by the lake with a normal expression, staring at the setting sun that had just touched the horizon in the west. The sunset glow turned half of the sky red.
After a while, she said to herself: "The end is the end, the sunrise and sunset are the most beautiful times."
When the sun completely set, she happened to return to the princess mansion.
Just as she was about to take a bath, she suddenly thought of something, turned her head and asked, "Isn't Zhou Kexing going to be beaten? Has he been executed?"
Su Yiyi beside her shook her head and said: "I don't know, maybe not yet. The unwritten rule in the military prison is to beat him before he is released from prison."
"Oh, let me explain, tomorrow you..."
Cane torture is no joke. Under normal circumstances, you will not be able to move freely for three to five days after being beaten. It may take ten days and a half to fully recover and heal.
This unwritten rule is to make the prisoner's impression even more profound - after finally waiting to be released after serving his sentence, he has to be slapped with a stick and cannot celebrate happily after limping out of prison.
The next day, early in the morning.
In the D-class dining area of Qixia Prison, dozens of people are having breakfast, and today's morning news is playing on the loudspeaker above the corner.
According to the seriousness of the crimes, Qixia Prison divides prisoners into four levels: A, B, C and D. The things committed by those in level A are more outrageous than the last.
"...The enemy was persistent and arrogant. After the young man retreated, he was slapped in the nose and scolded. This was considered a good time and he was completely angered. That day, the boy wrote an order himself and went to Shangguan's check-in room. When Shangguan went to the latrine, he stole the seal and stamped it..."
"...That's a block of explosives worth more than ten yuan per pound. Tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk tsk Well, it is said that the sentence is to be executed by firing squad, and I guess he will be executed in the autumn."
It was very interesting to listen to other inmates bragging and spanking while eating in the early morning.
The morning news coming out of the loudspeaker was talking about the succession of the British King to the throne. It seemed that a coronation ceremony would be held soon. At the same time, the British also planned to hold a large-scale fleet review?
When Zhou Changfeng finished the remaining gruel in one gulp, a military policeman came over, cupped his fists and said to him: "D number 327, the cane punishment will be carried out today. Please prepare."
Aha? Making a plan today?
Not only Zhou Changfeng was puzzled, Mu Yu also felt strange.
So he directly called out to the military policeman, "Hey, isn't the rule in Qixia Prison that the cane should be used after the sentence is over? What's going on?"
The latter also shook his head blankly and replied that he was just conveying the news and did not know the reason.
Mu Yu patted Zhou Changfeng's shoulder and said comfortingly: "It's actually quite good. After the beating, you can rest in peace, so as not to be hit with a board on the eve of the day when you should leave happily, which will be a disappointment."
Although he didn't know why, beating too early would be a beating, and finishing early would be one less thing to do, so Zhou Changfeng didn't think much about it and followed the military police to the execution room after breakfast.
The stick used in the stick punishment is larger than the ordinary military stick in the army. In ancient times, the specifications and shape of this stick were clearly specified in the "Da Ming Law" - the thorn board used in the stick punishment has a diameter of three and a half centimeters at the big head and two centimeters at the small head. One cent per cent.
When he saw the long and thick black-green wooden stick, Zhou Changfeng couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. If he was beaten fifty times by this thing, he might not be able to get out of bed for three days.
He has also heard a lot of interesting things these days. For example, board-making was a technical job in ancient times. How can you put a piece of paper on tofu, smash the tofu but the paper does not break, or how can you put a piece of paper on the tofu? The paper can be smashed but the tofu will not be damaged.
Out of curiosity, he asked several military police and prison officers present.
As a result, the military police second lieutenant couldn't stop laughing, "Maybe there were such talented people in the past, but they had to rely on that skill to make a living. We... obviously don't study hard in this craft."
In the middle of the execution room is a long bench, about half a meter wide and two meters long.
According to the current requirements, the victim does not need to take off his pants, he can just lie down on it, and the board will be placed on the buttocks.
However, just when Zhou Changfeng gathered up his courage and prepared to face the painful and unbearable board that he imagined, someone walked in.
"You guys haven't started fighting yet, have you?"
"yes."
Zhou Changfeng turned around and found that it was the warden Yuan Huai.
The latter seemed a little helpless, and he said: "Sir Zhou, someone specifically told you to be punished in advance this morning, and also said... if you sincerely admit your mistake and dictate a letter of apology, we can be more gentle."
Zhou Changfeng understood this immediately.
Co-authored, this is what the woman did on purpose, this, this, this... isn't this specifically designed to mess with people's mentality!
Now he finally understands how correct it is to say "It is difficult to raise a villain and a woman", and Zhu Lingjing must be too small-minded!
Zhou Changfeng, who was very depressed, made up his mind and said displeasedly: "I only recognize the crime determined by the Military Justice Division and not her fault. Just hit her. No matter how serious it is, how much heavier can it be?"
"Okay, let's do it normally." Yuan Huai, who couldn't laugh or cry, nodded, and then waved his hand.
ten minutes later……
With tears in his eyes, Zhou Changfeng turned over from the bench with a grin on his face and almost lost his balance. Fortunately, the military policeman next to him helped him.
"Stop showing off, we will help you and send him back slowly."
In fact, it wasn't until the paddle actually landed on his butt that Zhou Changfeng realized that it was completely different from the spanking in his mind.
Flexible things like rattan and belts can only damage the surface of the skin at most, but the things used in cane torture are both hard and tough. One after another, the skin can be completely broken.
That's a full fifty times!
At this time, Zhou Changfeng felt a trace of regret in his heart - maybe giving in before would not have hurt so much?
After returning to the cell, two military policemen told him to lie down on the bed and not move. The military doctor would come over later to debridement and apply medicine.
Mu Yu looked at Zhou Changfeng dripping with blood in shock, and then thought that he would receive thirty blows in the near future, and couldn't help but feel terrified in his heart.
He lamented: "No wonder the stick can kill people. If it were slightly tilted upward and fell on the lumbar spine, it would not only kill people, but also make them disabled."
After about a cup of tea, a gray-haired military doctor walked in carrying a medicine box.
He probably had seen similar scenes countless times. He just glanced at it and immediately took out the boric acid disinfectant and ointment in an aluminum tube.
First, clean the wound area with boric acid disinfectant, and then apply the unknown black-green, mushy ointment. The cool feeling suddenly alleviated the pain a bit.
"It's really shameful that this kind of corporal punishment is still retained today..." Zhou Changfeng couldn't help complaining: "When will this thing be abolished?"
The military doctor packed up the medicine box and said, "It's not as if it should be abolished. Now the only two methods left are flogging and cane. However, I heard that the Consultative Council is also discussing whether to abolish the cane punishment."
"Come on, this news came out a few years ago, and it's been three to five years now with no clue." Mu Yu on the side said disdainfully: "If you have the ability, you can abolish the cane punishment before I get beaten."
Ming Dynasty is now a standard unicameral system, which is theoretically more efficient and can avoid the bicameral system. However, sometimes when there are differences within the Consultative Council, proposals will also reach a stalemate.
As for the proposal to abolish corporal punishment, it was jointly submitted by several officials from the Ministry of Punishment and Criminal Affairs Bureau, and it was sent to the Consultative Yuan for review as early as the year before last.
However, it is obviously impossible for everyone to hold the same attitude towards this, so this proposal has been circulating within the Consultative Yuan, and has been taken out for reconsideration from time to time.
Now, after several revisions, the proposal has been reduced to the cane punishment, that is, only the cane punishment is abolished, but the caning punishment is retained. Only in this way can we consider progress.
After complaining, the two gradually brought the topic to the news they heard this morning - the coronation ceremony of the British King.
George V died last year and the throne was passed to Edward VIII. However, he insisted on marrying the American Simpson, which was against the Church of England, thus triggering a constitutional crisis. Edward VIII finally chose to abdicate. The throne now passes to his younger brother, now King George VI.
"The British have made great contributions to the world's military power, and the navy has played an important role. It is quite reasonable that the king's coronation will include a ship review."
(End of chapter)
