"The emperor wants to use the Council to balance the power of Confucian scholars and officials."
In Zhongdu City, there is the residence of Left Prime Minister Luo Fangbo.
A group of officials from Guangdong and Lanfang gathered together to discuss.
As Zhu Daohua ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor.
Next is the great feudal ministers.
Luo Fangbo, the Languo Guild, has a hereditary and irreplaceable title, which means that Luo Fangbo will be the Duke of the country who retired with the Ming Dynasty in the future.
"The former Emperor Yizong of the Ming Dynasty said that all ministers can be killed and all scholar-officials are shameless. Although it is biased, if these Confucian scholar-officials have too much power, they are indeed not serving the country!"
The one who was speaking was Wu Bingjian, Minister of Commerce.
Wu Bingjian, who was born in the Thirteenth Line of Business, naturally knew that many Western countries had parliaments.
Luo Fangbo himself, who traveled in Southeast Asia, even established a republic earlier than the United States.
So these Guangdong officials are no strangers to institutions like parliament.
"Hunan and Guangdong are now at war with each other, but when Jiangsu and Zhejiang recover, I am afraid that the power of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang parties will be no less than that of Hunan, and the people of Jiangsu and Zhejiang are good at doing business and taking exams to become officials, but they cannot be underestimated. "
Song Xiang, governor of Hunan, said.
"It doesn't matter. Among the nobles, most of them are from Guangdong and Lanfang. Guangdong and Lanfang have a solid foundation in the country. We just need to follow the emperor's footsteps."
Luo Fangbo said.
"Since the Emperor has made a decision and asked us to fight, then we must fight hard!"
"The commercial tax in Guangdong this year is 8 million yuan, as well as customs duties, salt taxes, mineral taxes, and stamp taxes on loan vouchers that are about to be levied. The total is no less than 12 million yuan. This year, factories are being expanded across Guangdong, absorbing a large number of People from Jiangxi and Guangxi have moved into Guangdong, making Guangdong's market more prosperous. The total tax paid next year will not be less than 15 million. This number alone is enough to establish Guangdong's status as the largest province!"
Luo Fangbo said.
Strictly speaking, he was an official from Lanfang.
But who makes these Lanfang people basically identify themselves as Cantonese?
"The Council of Government was established only because the Emperor trusted us. We in Guangdong must firmly hold a relative majority in the Council of Government so that the Emperor will not be restricted by those group of Confucian scholars and officials!"
Who would have thought.
The Cantonese Party, which was originally mainly composed of the emerging bourgeoisie, later evolved into the conservative party of the Ming Dynasty, representing the interests of the royal family and nobles.
"In addition, the culture and education in Guangdong must also be tightened up. After all, the power of the Council is limited, and we children of Guangdong still have to work hard on the imperial examination!"
"The Guangdong Chamber of Commerce should actively donate money and promote education. As long as our Guangdong talent pool continues to emerge, our Guangdong's position in the DPRK and China will be stable."
"That's right, that's right. Let the poor boys in the family hurry up and study with peace of mind. Anyway, the content of the Four Books and Five Classics in the imperial examination has been reduced a lot, and there will definitely be more physical exams in the future!"
"Both business power and gentry power are too heavy."
Ouyang Houjun, the prefect of Chenzhou, sighed.
The other side.
A group of Hunan officials also gathered.
"This is not without its benefits. Now the prime ministers on the left and right are all from the Cantonese Party. With the constraints of the parliament, the prime minister will probably have no taste at all."
Peng Jun, the prefect of Hengyang, said with a gloating smile.
The Guangdong Party fully supports the establishment of the Parliamentary Yuan.
But the first thing the House of Representatives limits is the power of the cabinet.
In accordance with the provisions of the "Rites of the Ming Dynasty".
The Council has the power to supervise and initiate a vote of no confidence in the policies of the Prime Minister and the Cabinet. Once the no-confidence vote is passed, the Prime Minister and officials from various cabinet ministries must go to the Council to explain and seek support from the Council. If it is not passed in the end, , then the emperor’s ruling is required.
At the same time, the House of Representatives also has the power to impeach the cabinet.
It can be said.
There is this parliament.
Being the Prime Minister of the Ming Dynasty really doesn't feel like much.
There is a group of people watching everything.
The Prime Minister is also frustrated.
"Everyone is worried." Military advisor Tao Biquan has been by Zhu Daohua's side for a long time and has some understanding of Zhu Daohua's thoughts.
"The so-called gentry's power and the importance of business power only come from the monarch's power. Everyone, please see, of the twenty items in the first chapter of the general outline of "The Rites of the Ming Dynasty", sixteen of them are all based on strengthening the monarch's power."
"The emperor has the exclusive power to legislate, dissolve and convene the Council, military power, confer nobility, enfeoffment and other powers."
"The prosperity of the monarch's power is probably only comparable to that of the two emperors Taizu and Chengzu of the Ming Dynasty."
"On the other hand," Tao Biquan sighed, "it's the power of the people in Chapter 2!"
"The power of gentry, merchants, and even officials at all levels is contained in this chapter. In other words, all subjects of the Ming Dynasty, whether gentry, merchants, or officials, are all equal under the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty."
"Any subject with the nationality of the Ming Dynasty has the obligation to serve in the army and pay taxes. No subject may be arrested, imprisoned, interrogated, or punished except in accordance with etiquette. According to etiquette, the subject's property shall not be infringed upon, and in accordance with etiquette, the secrets of the subjects' letters shall not be infringed. According to etiquette, subjects have the right to petition. According to etiquette, the lives and safety of subjects are protected by the Ming court. According to etiquette, subjects have the freedom to move."
Tao Biquan was very familiar with some of the rights and obligations stipulated in this "Ming Li".
The rights possessed by these subjects of the Ming Dynasty are of course not necessarily disadvantageous to officials like them.
Because if Zhu Daohua really acted in full compliance with "Ming Li".
No matter how powerful the king is.
They don't have to worry about "the cunning rabbit is dead and the lackeys cook it", and they don't have to worry about "the house is confiscated, the family is exterminated and the ten clans are executed."
There is no need to worry about Jin Yiwei's surveillance and arrest.
Of course.
When their rights as officials are protected.
The traders and pawns of the Ming Dynasty, ordinary people, will also have all the rights of the Ming Dynasty subjects like the superior scholar-bureaucrats.
According to etiquette.
All subjects of the Ming Dynasty are equal!
"Now that you are an official in our Ming Dynasty, you can't show off your official power. But there are gains and losses. With such a rule, we people are protected."
"Yes, yes, we can't spoil this gift. Zhou Li protected the Zhou Dynasty for eight hundred years. The Zhou Dynasty did not fall until the collapse of rituals. We will all be nobles of the Ming Dynasty in the future. If the Ming Dynasty can also use Ming Li With eight hundred years of protection, our children and grandchildren can enjoy eight hundred years of wealth and prosperity."
"Don't let the etiquette collapse and the music be ruined!"
Everyone said one after another.
"Master Luo, what do you think of this parliamentary politics?"
Tao Biquan looked at Luo Dian, who was sitting in the front seat, smiling and saying nothing.
Luo Dian smiled and said: "I think that the emperor's etiquette system brings peace to the world. This is good governance that will benefit the present and the future. You and I, Confucian scholars, shout about self-denial and restoration of etiquette every day. Now that the etiquette has come, how can we do it?" Mr. Ye has become a dragon."
"What's more, this political council only has the power of supervision and impeachment. The political affairs of the Ming Dynasty are always carried out by us Confucian scholars and officials."
Luo Dian smiled and said: "The Ming Dynasty's etiquette is good for everyone, so we must abide by it. The emperor wants to hold a parliament, how can our ministers resist the opposition? In my opinion, if the Ming Dynasty can really By acting in accordance with the Ming Li, I am afraid that in the future, it will be possible for civil and martial arts to reach far beyond the Han and Tang Dynasties. By then, you and I will be famous officials through the ages. How can he want to undermine him just because he has lost a little official authority?"
"We can't tear down the Ming Dynasty. The emperor is right. Now the world is in a time of great strife, just like the disputes in the Warring States! China's two land sinkings were caused by the collapse of rituals and music. Now there is a Europa in the world This civilization is comparable to that of China. If you and I tear down the Ming Dynasty, the orthodoxy of us Confucian scholars and officials will be exterminated by the Westerners, and we will not be able to cry at that time!"
"What Master Luo said is absolutely true. We Hunanese cannot demolish the Ming Dynasty, but must do our best to maintain it." Tao Biquan and others nodded repeatedly.
"We who read the books of saints and sages shout for the restoration of rituals every day. Now there is a saint and emperor who has restored this ritual. If we object, how can we be a gentleman?" Peng Jun, who was already preparing to be promoted to the official minister, also nodded and said.
"It's okay to hold a political meeting. When oranges grow in Huainan, they become oranges, and when oranges grow in northern Huaibei, they become oranges. This parliament may be controlled by a group of profiteers in Guangdong, but in Hunan, it must be a world dominated by literati and bureaucrats!"
"In terms of money, we can't compare with Cantonese guys, but in terms of talent, even ten of them from Guangdong can't compare with us!"
"Yes, yes, the officials of the Ming Dynasty still have to take the imperial examination, and the Yuelu Academy will be established throughout Hunan! As long as we continue to cultivate talents for economic development, we Hunanese will always be able to succeed in the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty. , the emperor must also rely on the talents of our Sanxiang!"
In the midst of excitement.
The Ming Emperor formally registered, promulgated a constitutional "Ming Li", and established a parliamentary Council.
The Ming Dynasty took a small step towards a constitutional monarchy.
At the end of the eighteenth century, we are about to enter the nineteenth century.
This is a big improvement.
As local officials return to their respective jurisdictions.
The noisy Yingtian Mansion court seemed to have become much quieter.
Discussions and debates about Mingli, and disputes and discussions caused by political meetings.
With Yingtian Mansion as the center, it spread to all parts of the Ming Dynasty, and also spread to the Qing court in the north, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in the northwest and other places.
This ripple rippled through the entire East Asian world.
It's now the end of the year.
Zhu Daohua's Ming Dynasty court could not always focus on Mingli and Yizhengyuan.
His Ming court has to budget and plan for next year.
The Ming court next year will mainly face three things.
In terms of domestic affairs, of course, we must prosper the Jiangnan market as soon as possible, and support a number of factories that rely on steam engines for production by forming joint ventures with merchants and landlords in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.
Develop silk weaving, shipbuilding, shipping and other industries in the Jiangnan region.
And externally.
The first is to deal with the British and Spanish coalition forces.
The main thing in this regard is to wait until the training of Zhejiang soldiers under Sun Shiyi is completed, and then they can be sent to Bangladesh on large ships.
As for naval battles, it is impossible for the Ming army to take the initiative to attack. The ocean is so big, how can we find the opponent's main force?
Therefore, you can only wait and wait for the opponent to appear, and then give a thunderous blow.
The second is to prepare for the Northern Expedition next autumn!
The target of the Northern Expedition was of course the Qing court.
Now the Ming army has 200,000 troops.
And two hundred thousand soldiers are not to be kept unused.
Therefore, after next year's autumn harvest, the Northern Expedition against the Manchus in the north will begin.
(End of chapter)
