One night a few days later.
In a small village in Chuxiong Prefecture, Yunnan, it is when the sky is high and the clouds are clear and the moon is shining brightly.
Accompanied by the sound of dogs barking one after another, camp soldier Lai Daliang knocked on his door.
"Father, mother, eldest brother is back!"
Lai Daliang's younger brother Lai Erliang shouted with a smile.
"How's it going? Jin Yiwei's master wants you to do something?"
Lai Daliang's father, Lai Wuwang, asked about Lai Daliang.
Lai Daliang nodded and said "Yeah".
Lai Wuwang laughed: "Why do you think this is? This Jinyiwei is also strange now. He only looks for ordinary people like us to do things, and he is so generous! The eldest grandson earned a lot of silver coins just because he did something for Jinyiwei. That’s more than my grandfather earned in his entire life!”
"Dad, can this be compared? After all, we are working for the emperor."
Lai Erliang said something.
Lai Daliang said at this time: "Dad, I thought about it. The silver reward Xiaoshi received plus my military salary is enough to give the second son a housewife. We might as well let him have a family next."
Lai Wuwang nodded.
Lai Erliang laughed happily.
Then, Lai Daliang looked at Lai Erliang: "But, brother, this money can't be given to you for free. You have to find your own way out and earn some money!"
"But I don't know how to earn it?"
Lai Erliang said.
Lai Daliang said: "I have been receiving training from Jin Yiwei these days and I understand that now the imperial court has abolished the ban on road guides and allows its citizens to go anywhere in the country. However, serving sergeants need to ask their superiors for permission."
"This is a good thing. It means we don't have to worry about being arrested, and Xiaoshi can study without having to herd cows."
Lai Wuwang smiled.
Lai Xiaoshi, who had always had a sullen face, also laughed at this time.
"In addition, Jin Yiwei's master also told me that the people of this country have a high tax exemption when they go out to sell goods. In order to develop their own contacts, Jin Yiwei specially developed some small people in various places so that they can borrow Jin Yiwei's money to go to the capital. He placed an order, then went out to sell it, and even said that if he lost money, he would only lose the principal, but if he continued to operate, he would need to be the eyes and ears of Jinyiwei."
Lai Daliang said and looked at Lai Erliang: "So, brother, you can go to the Jinyiwei Hundred Households in Chuxiong Mansion to borrow money and go out to do business."
Lai Erliang nodded: "I'll try!"
Lai Daliang added: "Listen to them, these good things are all because the new emperor started the New Deal with Grand Master Zhang after he ascended the throne, but now there are still people who want to abolish the New Deal. Back in the past, poor people could not go to other places to find food or serve as soldiers. Don't expect to have enough food, so if we people want to live such a good life, we have to protect the New Deal with the Jinyiwei, including you, the second son. If you really go to do business outside the customs and become the eyes and ears of the Jinyiwei, it is also to protect the New Deal. "
Lai Erliang listened carefully.
Lai Daliang said: "When we get married, we will go to Jin Yiwei to borrow money."
Lai Erliang nodded and said "Yes", and then said: "It was the New Deal that gave me the opportunity to marry a wife."
…
"It was the New Deal that made me reunite with my childhood sweethearts and win the title of Toad Palace. So unlike you, I don't feel how harsh the New Deal is on the gentry now."
In the early winter of the eleventh year of Wanli, the capital had already snowed early, and now white flowers were flying for another day.
Inside the school building of the Ming Dynasty's ruling school.
Liu Quexian, Ye Xianggao and other new scholars gathered around the fire to ward off the cold and talk about state affairs during class breaks.
As reserve officials of the empire, they were more concerned about government affairs than before after becoming Jinshi, so much so that even if they sat around the fire to ward off the cold, they still talked about politics.
Because Jinshi Li Tingji treated the gentry too harshly after mentioning the New Deal, he just said this.
Ye Xianggao, who was selected by Zhu Yijun as the number one scholar, nodded aside and said, "But since we want to serve the king and make great contributions to the country, we can't just discuss national affairs from our own standpoint. Otherwise, how can we find out and fill in the gaps?"
After hearing this, Li Tingji stood up and raised his hands to Ye Xianggao: "What Jin Qing said is absolutely true."
Liu Quexian also stood up and raised his hands to Ye Xianggao: "Please give me some advice."
Ye Xianggao said "I don't dare" in return, and then said: "During this war in Burma, I summarized the situation based on the reports from the Jinyi Guards. The proportion of living beings among the rebels in Tongyi was as high as four." If there are more than one, the other three will become the slaves of Hao You."
"What does this mean?"
Later, Ye Xianggao asked Zhu Guanzheng Jinshi in his classmate hall.
Ye Xianggao then asked and answered his own question: "It shows that the disadvantages caused by the New Deal where officials and gentry all pay for themselves and work as errands are getting worse!"
"The biggest problem with officials and gentry paying taxes and serving as servants together is not the loss of profits, but breaking the convention of distinction between high and low. After Taizu founded the country, he also wanted to make no distinction between high and low. The gentry all over the world not only had to pay taxes but also perform corvee service, but because of this As a result, scholar-bureaucrats were reluctant to serve and even missed the former Yuan Dynasty. Mr. Qianxi (Song Lian) preferred to use the Zhizheng reign of the former Yuan Dynasty instead of the Hongwu reign of the current dynasty. This is an example!"
"Although Shilin dare not openly confront the imperial court, many things will be difficult to contain once resentment accumulates!"
"Later, Taizu had to issue an edict: There is no distinction between nobles and barbarians between nobles and barbarians, so we should exempt them from corvee service except for paying rent and taxes. Only in this way can the scholars return to their hearts. Serve as an official in this dynasty."
"Nowadays, the officials and the gentry are all responsible for the new policy. It is equivalent to no longer recognizing the difference between high and low. Although it is in line with Taizu's original intention, it does make many people feel resentful because they feel that no one is superior after studying and gaining fame;"
"After all, I have been studying for many years and have no special skills. However, after being ranked first, I still have to serve and pay money. This will give rise to the feeling of reading for nothing, and even the family members behind it will be dissatisfied. You must know that often in poor families, one person can achieve fame through studying. , it is often the effort of the whole family, and we are waiting for some reward after winning the prize. Now that there is no reward, wouldn't we be resentful?"
"In this way, it is inevitable that some people will no longer want to work for the court, preach the benefits of the court, and help the government maintain the stability of the countryside. At worst, they will be afraid of collaborating with barbarians and bandits, and will want to change the dynasty."
"So, Qing Jin doesn't agree that the officials and gentry should be paid as one and the same as the errands?"
Liu Quexian asked calmly.
Ye Chengxin chuckled: "If I didn't agree, I wouldn't take the exam to become an official."
After hearing this, Liu Quexian nodded and smiled: "Yes!"
Then, Liu Quexian bowed his hand to Ye Chengxin: "What Qing Jin said is to the point and thought-provoking. You can be my friend!"
Ye Xianggao returned the gesture.
Liu Quexian continued: "In the past, when I was in prison, I heard Mr. Defushan propose that everyone should be friends. Some great scholars strongly disagreed with this and said it was not the true meaning of the saint. Now after listening to Jin Qing's words, I am even more convinced. In order to understand something, the common people in the world can accept that scholars are valuable, but what they cannot accept is that they cannot become scholars."
"Just like in the past, when I was a commoner, what I resented most in my heart was that I didn't have the opportunity to own a piece of land so that I could cultivate and study as a career, rather than that scholars were more valuable than me. Now the court must be advocating new rites. In my opinion, new rites are still There shouldn't really be any distinction between high and low, but now there are far more powerful and gentry people than there were in the early days of the Kingdom. If we don't have to work in a well-paid family, it will be difficult for the common people in the world to even stay alive, let alone study and progress."
"Exactly this!"
"Corvee service can no longer be exempted, but the court should give some preferential treatment to those who have merit and fame in other aspects, especially the majority of the growths and epiphyses. They have no food at all, but now they have to pay for silver. How can they be compared with the common people in their studies? different?"
Ye Xianggao nodded and said: "So, I have decided to go to school after the exam. For the long-term stability of the country, I asked the court to use other strategies to nurture the scholars. The new etiquette proposed should not ignore the superiority and inferiority. sequence."
】
"The emperor loves the people as his own son, so he emphasizes that benefiting the people is as important as wealth and a strong army. If you are a minister like this, you may provoke the wrath of Thunder!"
Li Tingji said at this time.
Ye Xianggao said with a smile: "Just because science and technology are losing power, you can't dare to remonstrate. What's more, the emperor is not a coward. If you don't remonstrate, you will be suspected of not doing the best for the emperor."
Not long after Ye Xianggao, he actually got into such a trap.
"How bold!"
Zhang Hong, the Superintendent of Ceremonies, said something after seeing Ye Xianggao's memorial.
