"With no corvee and reduced taxes and land rents, it's no wonder that the people of China are so rich and idle."
Looking at the green water laden with silk, grain, and rice passing along the street, Sakai Ieji couldn't help but tell his feelings to Masuda Nagamori first, and asked Masuda Nagamori: "You think our general can do this?" Do you want this state to be so wealthy?”
Masuda Nagamori smiled bitterly at this, then looked at the two children who were bowing and said:
"It's very difficult! Their wealth lies in the fact that they are superior to us in farming, weaving and education, so everyone can be leisurely, but everyone knows etiquette when there are many people."
"It can be said that it is a truly heavenly kingdom. Its civil and martial arts are far superior to ours. Compared with us who are only obsessed with fighting for power and killing, being called barbarians is not entirely contemptuous."
I don’t know if it’s because I’ve learned Chinese culture, or if it’s human nature to be strong.
Masuda Nagamori seems to have really opened a filter for Daming now, and he seems to be expressing his feelings from the heart and as objectively as possible.
Anyway, Masuda Nagamori suddenly said that the Japanese should be barbarians.
At this time, Sakai Kaetsugu suddenly asked the old boatman: "Boatman, why do you still go out to make money instead of resting at home?"
"Can't stay idle!"
"I'm used to working hard, but it's still hard to suddenly not have to work hard anymore."
After the old boatman replied a few words, he continued to sing Jiangnan folk songs.
Sakai Ieji said nothing more.
At this time, the sound of clanging iron wheels and the clattering of horse hooves suddenly came from the official road on the other side.
Sakai Ieji couldn't help but follow the sound.
Then, he saw several large horses appearing in front of him, and they were pulling a long and large iron cart galloping on the wooden track.
In the railway carriage, there are beautiful women who are as beautiful as gods, sitting by the fire with their hands on the window, and there are also men in rich clothes, stroking their beards and looking out the window.
"Really, the people on the side are like the moon, and the bright wrists are covered with frost and snow."
"This is the Kingdom of Heaven. If you can be reincarnated here, even if you are not a human being but just an ox or horse, it will be enough!"
Masuda Nagamori couldn't help but sigh at this time.
Sakai Ieji did not sigh like Masuda Nagamori. He just asked the old boatman: "What kind of car is this?"
"Horse-drawn train! It's new to the General Temple this dynasty. Now it's mostly used by officials and nobles. If you're willing to pay, civilians can go on it, but it's not necessary."
said the old boatman.
After hearing this, Sakai Ieji couldn't help but murmured: "How can such a big car run on wood?"
While Sakai Ieji was meditating, their ship docked, and Masuda Nagamori, Sakai Ieji and others also came ashore.
"One silver dollar per person, so expensive?"
But when Masuda Nagamori was paying the boat fare, he discovered that the boat fare in Ming Dynasty was ridiculously expensive. Sakai Ieji couldn't help but said this, and asked the old boatman:
"Is this bullying us Japanese people? Do you know how much rice one silver dollar can buy in Edo?!"
"What do you Japanese people know? Why do I support others when others are playing?"
"It's really rare just because I can't stay idle, and it's not just because doing this job is more worthwhile than doing other chores!"
"It used to be cheap, and young boat girls were still driving the boats, but what era is it now? It's the era of new gifts!"
"Nowadays, no one will work hard all day for a few copper coins, and it is only because people like me are willing to do business that only costs one or two cents. Otherwise, it will only get higher!"
The old boatman glanced at Masuda Nagamori, then started laughing.
After hearing this, Masuda Changsheng and others had no choice but to give money, and did not dare to violate the rules here.
"Although the prices of goods in China are very cheap, the price of people is particularly expensive. The force we hired before and the boatman we use now are more expensive than hiring a samurai in Edo."
Sakai Ieji even complained about Masuda Nagamori because of this.
Not long after, Masuda Nagamori and Sakai Ieji entered Nandu City.
While they lamented the prosperity of Nandu, especially when they saw the exquisite pagoda and were horrified, they also discovered that soldiers and civilians were blocking officials in Nandu City.
"Corrupt officials innocently arrested the common people of this county and concealed the taxes that had been reformed. If my parents still don't make the decision and insist on delaying the action on the pretext of going to Beijing for pilgrimage, we may not be able to stop the angry people and will also punish our parents." He is designated as an accomplice and is suspected of harboring the culprit."
"Old parents, please get off the sedan!"
"Old parents, please get off the sedan!"
…
Therefore, Masuda Nagamori and Sakai Ieji saw with their own eyes that a group of scholars led many people to stop the honor guard of Shu Yingfu, the magistrate of Shangyuan County, who had the "Shangyuan Zhengtang" and other ceremonial signs. They shouted in the street and detained a person. The official who was tied up with five flowers.
soon.
Masuda Nagamori and Sakai Ieji saw the magistrate Shu Yingfu really trembling as he walked out of the sedan chair, wiping his sweat while saying:
"This county does not know about this matter. However, the county is indeed busy with complicated matters and has no time to deal with these matters. However, since the people's situation is like this, the county has no choice but to squeeze out time to deal with it and ask all the villagers to take this corrupt official to the police station." The county government is in jail, and this county will go to court to investigate the case."
"Thank you, parents!"
Seeing this, Masuda Nagamori couldn't help but ask the Han man next to him: "May I ask this gentleman, why are these people so not afraid of officials?"
"Why be afraid?"
"Not to mention the county magistrate, even the governor dared to stop him!"
"As long as there is a reason and I don't mind the trouble, I dare to lock them into the capital and complain to the emperor."
The Han man replied.
After hearing this, the Sakai family couldn't help but asked: "How can we manage the common people well when they are so unruly?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Why are our people so unruly?"
"Everyone is literate, and they are just arguing legally according to the "Great Edict" and the imperial edicts and regulations set by Taizu! They are not smashing, looting or burning, nor are they torturing and beating officials."
The Han man replied speechlessly and said:
"Besides, if we don't get stronger with the help of factory guards, these dog officials will never implement the new policy!"
"They are more proactive than anyone else about things that are good for them. If you don't argue or make trouble about things that are good for the people, even if they can't stop them, they will try their best to embarrass you!"
"This is our successful experience in implementing good governance after the Holy Emperor came to the throne. In the words of the great officials, only the cooperation between the king and the people can benefit the people and strengthen the country."
"Sure enough, the people of this country are different!"
Masuda Nagamori couldn't help but say this to Sakai Ieji after listening.
Sakai Ieji then echoed: "Now that I think about it, our Edo people are much more respectful, and there will never be any such disrespect. They will only be moved and honored to serve the nobles and samurai!"
"Yes, although it is very wealthy here and the warriors are well treated, there are so many fierce people that the politicians fear the people like tigers."
Masuda Nagamori echoed.
Sakai Ieji also continued: "There are also many lazy people who are not as diligent as the people of Edo, so manpower is extremely expensive. Therefore, no corvee and low taxes are not worthy of our shogunate to imitate, otherwise the feudal lords will only More chaos!”
Masuda Nagamori also continued to nod: "Yes, it's not that good here. If you are a civilian and a sergeant, it is okay, but if you are an official, it is better to stay in Edo. At least there is order in Edo. If we in Edo If we change it like this, it will only destroy our gift of peace; but if we don't change it, we may destroy our country."
"If the etiquette is gone, what's the use of a country?"
Sakai Ieji asked Masuda Nagamori directly and said: "It's better not to change!"
Masuda Nagamori agreed with approval and said: "That's right! It's better not to change. At most, we try our best to show favor to the Ming Dynasty in order to delay the country's collapse. Sure enough, our shogunate is also wise. He knows that our small country is different from the big country of the Tang Dynasty. Instead of following the example of the Ming Emperor in reforming the system, it is better to follow the example of the Lee family of Korea and show favor to the Ming Emperor."
"The utensils they use can be imitated."
Sakai Ieji looked at the horse-drawn train parked outside Nandu City and said again, and then looked at Masuda Nagamori and said: "There are also farming, weaving and dyeing techniques, and house building and flood control methods, but no matter what, I, Yamato, Tradition cannot be thrown away, and the etiquette of bringing peace to the people cannot be abolished.”
Masuda Nagamori nodded: "Yes, we should stick to our own way of governing the country and just learn its skills. After all, the situations in the two countries are different, and as long as the Ming Emperor is willing to recognize our status as a general and not Ashikaga's status, we We should continue to insist on closing the sea to prevent the common people from being affected by the current culture of the Ming Dynasty."
…
"There are some useless rituals that should be discarded as soon as possible!"
"The rituals of this dynasty originated from the Zhou rites, and were later developed by Confucius, Xun, etc., and even to the present day by Cheng Zhu and King Lu, they have been evolving and being new with the times."
“But one thing has not changed, and that is etiquette is about respect and benevolence.”
"Therefore, it is not etiquette to kill a son to serve his mother, and it is also not etiquette to even force a widow to hang herself or maintain chastity in the name of chastity!"
"The husband still has the rites of husband and wife to observe. The death of the husband means that the rites of husband and wife are gone. Only the rites of parents and children remain. The hair and skin of the body are inherited from the parents. Therefore, it is not appropriate to remarry for the sake of raising children. , it shows benevolence and is not disrespectful."
While Masuda Nagamori and Sakai Ieji saw many situations in the Ming Dynasty and believed that their shogunate should not make too many changes in the future, the future monarch of the Ming Dynasty, the prince Zhu Changjun, was being crazily instilled in etiquette by Li Zhi to seek change.
Li Zhi even bluntly told the prince that rituals had been changing since the beginning of the Zhou Dynasty, and they had been changing in line with the times.
Zhu Changxun was very touched when he heard this.
Combining history with the new ideas instilled by alternative Confucians like Li Zhi made him, who was only in his teens, even more convinced that rituals are subject to constant change.
However, Zhu Geng, who was also responsible for teaching Zhu Changxun, could not accept this very much, and immediately criticized Li Zhi, saying: "Your Highness, Li Zhi is a sensationalist who messes with etiquette and confuses people's hearts. Your Majesty should order him to be punished!"
"Your Highness, I believe that Li Zhi should not be punished. If Li Zhi is executed for this reason, the new etiquette will not exist. Discussing etiquette is a major matter of the country and must be discussed."
Jiao Hong expressed different opinions.
Zhu Geng had to remain silent after hearing this.
Zhu Changxun didn't say much about this, but looked at Li Zhi: "Master Li, continue talking."
(End of chapter)
