Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji left.
He left the Prince's Mansion in the East Palace in despair.
Looking at the backs of the two of them, Zhu Gaoxu felt very heavy.
These two are truly pure and good ministers, the "Jian Xia" virtuous ministers who will go down in history.
Jian Yi is a simple and upright person, treats others with sincerity, is benevolent, filial and loyal to his friends. He is good at handling relationships with colleagues and friends, and never hurts anyone with a word.
Starting from the Yongle Dynasty, he served as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel for a long time, served in five dynasties, and played an important role in the politics of the early Ming Dynasty.
However, he devoted himself to the establishment and improvement of laws and regulations in his political life, but his ideology was more important than keeping the rules, so he made no major achievements.
To put it bluntly, Jian Yi is a typical Jin gentry official who serves the country and the people.
The same is true for Xia Yuanji. Although his reputation as a virtuous person spread throughout the government and the public, he still had trouble getting rid of his status as a gentry.
In other words, the positions of these two people are a bit unfirm, and their buttocks are not in the right position.
They not only want to benefit the common people, but also seek benefits for the gentry. How can there be such a best of both worlds in this world?
As Zhu Gaoxu just said, local gentry annexed fields and court officials were corrupt and bribery-taking. Given their status, Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji could not possibly be unaware of these things.
But these two people didn't do anything, they just did their jobs conscientiously.
They are qualified officials, but not qualified ministers.
As a minister of the emperor, and as a result of the emperor's salary, one should be loyal to the emperor!
Jin gentry officials harmed the interests of the court and enriched their own pockets through corruption and bribery. They should have been suppressed and dealt with!
And the reason why they dare to do this is because of the fame and privileges that scholars have.
Even if the incident is discovered by the court, the worst case scenario is that they will be dismissed from office and driven home, but their fame will still be there. Even if they return to their hometown, they will not be rich and powerful gentry.
Even because of their experience as officials, they can rely on this layer of influence to live a more carefree and happy life in the local area, and even the local county magistrate does not dare to offend!
Fame and privilege are the greatest source of motivation for official corruption!
This thing has always existed, and official corruption has always existed!
That's why Zhu Gaoxu was ruthless and prepared to stab them in the neck!
Why can scholars be superior to others?
Why can scholars be superior to the common people?
Why can scholars enjoy fame and privileges with confidence?
This has been the case in all dynasties. Is this right?
Now that I have ascended the throne and proclaimed myself emperor and taken charge of the army and soldiers, am I still afraid that scholars like you will rebel?
Come on, give it a try and see if you scholars are really powerless!
Zhu Gaoxu still admired and valued these two talented officials, Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji.
They are not too old now, and they can at least shine for the Ming Dynasty for another ten or eight years.
Therefore, Zhu Gaoxu hopes that the two of them can make the right choice and their stance must not be skewed!
Jian Yi and Xia Yuanji came to the household duty room together. They both sat quietly in a daze, and neither of them spoke first.
However, after Xia Yuanji was silent for a long time, he suddenly looked up at Jian Yi, smiled angrily and cursed: "You old guy, you insist on questioning the prince, are you okay now?"
Jian Yi smiled bitterly and shook his head.
How did he know that the prince was secretly holding back his ultimate move?
They work together as errands and pay for food as one person!
This is simply going to kill all the scholars in the world!
Once news of this new policy spreads, scholars all over the world will surely rise up to oppose it.
Once it is not handled properly, war will spread and the world will be in chaos.
Your Highness, how dare you!
"Old Xia Tou, this matter is too... shocking!"
"We can't let the prince do whatever he wants!"
"How about we go see His Majesty the Emperor and ask him to take action..."
"Why are you so stupid?" Xia Yuanji roared angrily: "Do you think His Majesty the Emperor doesn't know about it?"
"Haven't you ever wondered why the emperor suddenly announced his Zen status not long ago and ordered the Ministry of Rites to prepare a Zen status ceremony?"
Hearing this, Jian Yi was stunned for a moment, and then his face turned pale.
His Majesty the Emperor suddenly declared his throne, and the Crown Prince conspired to implement the New Deal...
I see!
So that’s it!
Not only did His Majesty the Emperor know this, he was also prepared to help the Crown Prince one more time and directly help him sit on the Dragon Throne with his own hands!
When Prince Zhu Gaoxu ascends the throne and proclaims himself emperor, who will dare to stop him from implementing the New Deal? Who can stop him from implementing the New Deal?
The emperor and the prince are two completely different identities!
For a moment, Jian Yi was in a state of confusion.
"Then what should we do?"
"Is it true that just by watching, the prince cuts off the foundation of scholars?"
Xia Yuanji looked at Jian Yi quietly and finally sighed.
"Yizhi, you and I have been colleagues for many years and are close friends. I have to remind you that the prince is right this time!"
"Spreading the land among the peasants is an evolved version of the whipping method. It is a benevolent act that benefits the country and the people. The only thing that damages is the interests of the gentry!"
"You Jian Yi might as well ask yourself, what reasons and excuses do you have to prevent the imperial court from implementing such benevolent policies? Are you really doing it to harm your own interests?"
As soon as these words came out, Jian Yi's face suddenly turned red.
He quickly waved his hands and explained hesitantly: "What nonsense is this!"
"You and I have known each other for so many years. Don't you, Xia Yuanji, still not understand me?"
"I just think that the prince is too irrational and immature to act so impulsively!"
"If he really does this, even if the New Deal is successfully implemented, his reputation will be completely ruined. He may be scolded by scholars all over the world!"
"Haha." Xia Yuanji sneered: "This prince's reputation is not much better to begin with!"
"If Zhu Gaoxu really cared about his reputation, he wouldn't have done those things back then, and he wouldn't even try to kill scholars now!"
Hearing this, Jian Yi was speechless.
That seems to be the case!
From the very beginning when he promoted the new learning, Zhu Gaoxu stood on the opposite side of the gentry and the gentry!
After so many years, the gentry and the gentry have been tortured to death by him, but not only are they living well, but they are about to ascend the throne and proclaim themselves emperor. How can anyone reason with this?
Is it possible that suppressing the gentry and the gentry is in line with the general trend of nature?
There is no such reason!
"Weizhe, do you want to support the Crown Prince?"
"Do we have any other choice but to support him?"
Xia Yuanji spread his hands and asked with a bitter look on his face.
After all, this new policy has the support of His Majesty the Emperor, and the Crown Prince personally planned it, so they have no room for resistance at all.
Furthermore, Xia Yuanji really didn't want to resist, or he couldn't go against his true intention.
As Zhu Gaoxu said, scholars have enjoyed it for so long that they have almost forgotten that they themselves are also members of the common people.
I don’t know since when, after scholars gained fame, they turned into gentry lords, lording it over the common people, annexing fields and plundering people’s wealth, which has become a major cancer in all dynasties!
Now that the imperial court is preparing to declare war on the gentry and completely abolish their fame and privileges, what else can Xia Yuanji do as the current Minister of Household Affairs?
Is it possible to go against one's true intention and help those gentry without caring about the people of the country?
Xia Yuanji cannot do such a thing, and will not do such a thing.
"No matter what, the people of our country and our country should come first!"
