In a patriarchal society, blood relations determine that the royal family is the circle closest to the center of the ripples, and only this circle forms a perfect circle, so that the power of dripping water can spread farther.
From the feudal relatives of the Shang and Zhou dynasties to the Fanping Zhou Dynasty, the most important role of the clan is to protect the royal family. The emperor is the core of the entire country's machine. He does not exist in isolation. He needs a community of interests that ripples around. Manage the country and consolidate rule.
Zhu Biao knew very well where his roots lay, but he was by no means unlimited indulging them. The royal clan system of the Han, Tang, and Song Dynasties all had a certain degree, but the treatment of the royal family in the Ming Dynasty was really too much.
Although in the early Han Dynasty, the clan kings were also granted many titles, but since Emperor Wu issued the order of favor, most of the clan problems have been alleviated. From Emperor Guangwu of Han Dynasty and Emperor Zhaolie of Han Dynasty, we can know that if there is no meritorious service for a long time, the descendants of the clan will eventually disappear. marketplace.
In the early Tang Dynasty, officials were given as gifts to elevate the status of Li Tang's clan and officials in order to maintain the rule of the dynasty. However, the scope of the clan in the Tang Dynasty was wider. In addition to the emperor's sons, the queen's relatives, distant relatives of the Li family, etc. The meritorious officials given the surname are also allowed to join the Zongzheng Temple and are regarded as members of the clan.
However, the Tang system also stipulated that those of the fifth class were not considered relatives. Relatives outside the fifth class were given fields and sent to places outside the capital to support themselves, and were treated as common people. Therefore, the number of people supported by the state was always controllable.
Moreover, after the Anshi Rebellion, all the royal family members were abandoned without a position, or lived in other counties, buried in oblivion, no more than common people...
When Zhu Biao was silent and thinking, the Minister of Rites stood up again. The person below was small and it was not a big deal to see the excitement, but his status was destined to be inevitable. Even if the emperor returned to the capital and was expected to be angry, he would not cause any trouble to the prince. After all, Your Highness is your beloved son who has been cherished for many years.
"I dare to ask Your Highness, our dynasty's etiquette system mostly follows the Tang Dynasty system, but Your Highness is planning to return to the Tang Dynasty's patriarchal system?"
Zhu Biao shook his head when he heard this and said: "After the Wu Zhou Dynasty, Xuanzong treated King Chengqi of the Song Dynasty and other kings with great kinship, but he only used food, clothing, sound, sex, entertainment, and entertainment instead of official duties. As a result, although many of the descendants of the clan were in the capital, the youngest ones were Maybe he won't leave the palace. Even though he is called a king, he is actually no different than a common man, which is really not what I want."
The Minister of Rites breathed a sigh of relief. If the prince really planned to do this, then he would have to beg for his remains and return home. Changing some places would not matter to the overall situation, but if there really was an irreconcilable conflict between the political views of the emperor and the prince, then But there will be a river of blood.
Zhu Biao glanced at him without saying anything. Tang Xuanzong had experienced the period when the kings of Li and Tang were wantonly slaughtered during the Wu and Zhou Dynasties. He must have been wary of his relatives and relatives. Of course, he was wary of his brothers. He truly cares, but that doesn't stop him from deliberately suppressing it.
Xuanzong's methods suppressed the imperial relatives, but power must still be distributed, which led to the massive expansion of garrison towns. The military governors of the feudal towns controlled local military power and had administrative, financial and personnel jurisdiction over several states in the area. The consequences were also It's obvious.
As a clan valued by relatives, they are naturally an extension of the emperor's tentacles. It is wrong to completely abandon them and raise them for leisure. The main issue is the issue of balance, restriction and appointment.
Moreover, the current situation in the Ming Dynasty also determines that the clan must take over the military power of the local warriors. Otherwise, if they are allowed to operate in the local area for a long time, they will be in danger of separatist feudal towns. In many cases, blood relatives of the clan will always have to More trustworthy than outsiders.
Zhu Biao looked at the job system set out in the ancestral injunctions. At present, it seems that Lao Zhu still has certain expectations for the descendants of the clan. It is stipulated that all princes and grandsons who have civil and military talents who are worthy of appointment will be tested by the imperial court for their reputation. , the official position is transferred, and the promotion and transfer are carried out as usual.
This is different from the historical policy of treating the clan like pigs after Zhu Di seized the throne. Zhu Biao also hopes that the clan's children can contribute to the country, rather than just eating, drinking, having fun and having babies.
What was the situation of the clan's children in the middle of the Ming Dynasty? The generals and lieutenants of the royal family mobilized tens of thousands of people. Although they destroyed the savings of the inner government and exhausted all the tax revenue of the world, was ridicule enough to support them?
The common people even had to abandon their chopsticks, wind their houses, donate money, and sell themselves to provide for the kingdom's salary. Princes and grandsons passed down their lives for hundreds of generations, using limited land to increase their uncounted salary and grain. What can they do to benefit their future generations?
On the one hand, the clan system after Zhu Di brought a heavy financial burden to the court. The cost of vassalage was close to half of the court's taxes. This eventually became one of the main reasons for the decline of the Ming Dynasty. On the other hand, it also made it difficult for those who were enterprising and determined to The clan members who serve the country have no way to serve the country and can only be devoted to being pigs, otherwise they have ulterior motives.
Zhu Biao opened his mouth and said: "It is said that a gentleman will be killed after five generations, but this stipulates that for the sixth generation and below, it is really inappropriate to be awarded the rank of lieutenant, receive annual salary and enjoy the support of the country. Five generations have not contributed to the family and the country, how can they be shameful?" Enjoy peace and happiness.”
Several people from the Hanlin Academy and the Ministry of Rites immediately bowed down happily: "Your Highness the Crown Prince is wise."
Zhu Biao ignored them and continued to point and order: "And here, the prince's second-born son and concubine, when they are ten years old and ten years old, are all granted the title of county king? Isn't it appropriate? The prince's concubine is all granted the title of general of the country, and his descendants will be descended from generation to generation."
A county prince is also a prince, and the annual salary set by the court is quite a lot. If we follow Lao Zhu's idea, then for the prince, every additional son born will increase the income of a county prince, which means that the more sons he has, the more income he will earn. The more, the better the princes’ standard of living.
The princes of the Ming Dynasty may not be as capable of having children as Prince Jing of Zhongshan in the Han Dynasty, but if they really let go of the problem of having children, it wouldn’t be much different. They are all princes, and there is no shortage of women. The cows who plow the land are all hard-working, and they are afraid of producing grain. Isn’t there enough land?
Therefore, for the clan, having fewer children and better health will benefit the country and the people.
Zhu Biao turned to the aspect of camp supplies. The current salary for the prince was 4,800 shi of grain, 4,800 bolts of silk, and 450 jin of cotton. After hesitating for a long time, he decided to leave it alone.
My father is also at this age. He can have as many sons as he can, and the total number is just like that. After all, the country has just been founded, the royal family is thin, and there are only two grandchildren, Yang'er and Liang'er.
After speaking in general, the Minister of Rites led them away with a grimace. After the changes were completed according to the prince's wishes, he would show them to him again, and the details would have to be more careful.
After they left, Zhu Biao relaxed and leaned on the back of the chair. Only after raising a son did he realize the kindness of his parents. He now has two sons. According to his arrangement, except for the line that inherits the throne, all other children and grandchildren will gradually disappear. People, after five or six generations, they will start to worry about their livelihood again.
However, in the old days, Wang Xietang Qianyan flew into the homes of ordinary people. As the blood of the emperor, the royal family was at the center of power. Once they were involved in the power struggle, they would be in danger if they were not careful, and even lost their lives in the cruel struggle. .
Moreover, misfortunes depend on blessings, and blessings depend on disasters. When the dynasty is in peace, the royal family can exploit the people with their privileges and live a life of extravagance and pleasure. But once the dynasty collapses, these last royal families often need to spend their whole family's blood. , to repay the debts of themselves and their ancestors for their arrogance and licentiousness, and suffered a more miserable fate than ordinary people.
Being invisible to the public is the real way to survive. What's more, if they are really determined, there is no way for them to rise. When the time comes, whether they are studying martial arts and serving in the Ming Dynasty, or overseas, they can break the earth and become kings. .
It's just that most people who are born in peace and happiness will choose to enjoy wealth and wealth. As for the well-being of children and grandchildren, that is, children and grandchildren will have their own blessings.
Just like the second and third children, maybe a few years ago they still had the intention to go overseas and establish a country and become a true king of life and death, but now it seems that they have no such ambition.
The second child was addicted to women, and the third child obviously saw that Zhu Biao wanted to support a younger brother to become a clan official, and he tried his best to get a position, a prominent and stable position in the Ming Dynasty.
The fifth child is stable by nature, so he may not be able to leave his homeland. As for the other brothers, they are too young to see it. At present, it seems that the fourth child can take on this important task, pioneering the clan and paving another way for them.
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