I want to write a suicide note to contribute my last effort to the Ming Dynasty.
It's a pity that my body can't support it anymore, and such a letter of advice may not be effective. Hu Weiyong sits in charge of Zhongshu, and his words are in vain. When Hu Weiyong fell, I don’t know when or what month.
Liu Ji closed his eyes in pain and whispered: "Carry me to the patio."
"Father……"
Liu Lian wanted to dissuade him, but when he thought that this was his father's last wish, he couldn't bear to refuse, so he had to call his family to put Liu Ji in a chair covered with quilts and carry him out.
The Fu family, the Chen family, and the Zhang family sat around Liu Ji, wanting to cry but not daring to cry, and choked in low voices with red eyes.
Liu Ji raised his head and looked at the bright moon, and murmured softly: "The Lingtai is planning to pacify the northern captives, and ten thousand cavalry are guarding the Central Plains. I mean that the emperor has entrusted me with the order, and I will recommend Xuanyuan with my blood! They say that I, Liu Ji, am excellent in poetry and prose, but Compared with Gu County Man, after all, he is still a little less heroic. Lian'er, Jing'er, you are optimistic that Gu County Man's rise will set off a huge storm..."
For some reason, Liu Ji always felt that the moon had become a mirror. The mirror did not reflect his old face, but Gu Zhengchen's resolute and handsome face.
"Gu Zhengchen, you are seeing me off, right? That's good. There is a talented person in this generation. My mission, Liu Ji, has been completed. As for the remaining mission, I will leave it to you..."
Liu Ji felt that scenes from the past flashed through his mind. In just a moment, everything in his life flashed through his mind.
Take a deep breath.
Liu Ji trembled and wanted to stand up, but he did not stand up after all. He only shouted hoarsely: "I, Liu Ji, Liu Bowen, have three thousand stratagems, and consider myself a loyal minister! I have no regrets in my life, and I have no regrets in this world! Go!" Rest, rest, let go of the emptiness, right and wrong, let it go..."
Drop your hands.
The cries drowned out the banging sound of the fourth watch.
In Wuyang Village, the lights are brightly lit. Every household goes out and stands outside the Liu Mansion, holding lanterns to guide the way, stretching out for more than a mile...
The sky in Zhongdu is bright.
Zhu Yuanzhang got up, straightened his clothes, took the prince and his disciples to pay homage to Emperor Renzu Chun.
"Thinking of the hardships of the past, grieving the anniversary of the current death, losing voice and appearance, thirty-two years..."
Thinking of his father Zhu Wusi, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but feel sad. It was a tragic time that he couldn't bear to look back on. His relatives passed away one after another, and their lives were worse than a piece of grass.
At that time, I just wanted to eat and survive. Who would have thought that I would become a great person step by step!
Now that he has established a dynasty, his father and mother are both gone.
How to repay their nurturing grace?
Zhu Yuanzhang touched his belly and nodded solemnly: "Why repay the kindness? Only if the people no longer have famine! I will work hard and work diligently to ensure that the people of the Ming Dynasty have enough food, warm clothes and no suffering from famine. Don’t be exposed to the cold wind and snow!”
Having enough to eat is the greatest principle of governing a country.
This is true.
Visiting Zhongdu again, Zhu Yuanzhang found that many people here still couldn't afford to eat. This was not a problem of two taxes, but a problem of frequent natural disasters.
God does not favor this land.
After the sacrifice, Zhu Yuanzhang entered the imperial city of Zhongdu, and Mao Xiang presented the official documents transferred from Jinling.
Prince Zhu Biao lowered his hands to his side.
Zhu Yuanzhang opened a document and saw that it was written by Ru Taisu. His brows immediately furrowed. After reading half of it patiently, he dropped the document and gritted his teeth: "This Ru Taisu can easily cost seven or eight thousand yuan to write a document." The words are all obscure and difficult to understand, which is really abominable. I said that the official document was about to go straight to the topic, but he still didn't listen, so he was demoted from the Minister of the Criminal Department to the head of the Criminal Department to reflect on it!"
Zhu Biao did not intercede for Ru Taisu for the simple reason that he was disgusted with his documents...
"This is—Gu Zhengchen has written a letter. It's rare. There are still two letters of promise."
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little surprised.
Zhu Biao's eyes lit up and he walked to the desk: "Mr. Gu handed over documents at this time. I think it has something to do with the opening of the sea."
Zhu Yuanzhang opened a document, glanced at it a few times, and handed it to Zhu Biao: "Compared with Ru Taisu's document, Gu Xiaozi's document is much better. He gets straight to the point, never procrastinates, does not flatter, and does not introduce the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. .”
Zhu Biao took the document and said as he read it: "Mr. Gu doesn't like to worry about writing, and his documents are more pragmatic. Father, Mr. Gu requested an order to transfer all relevant information to the maritime trade in Fujian Province." The tax was abolished and the municipal shipping tax rate was set at five to one tax."
Zhu Yuanzhang picked up the tea bowl and said solemnly: "Five taxes and one tax, heavy tax. This is so cruel as soon as the sea opens. Isn't he afraid that the sea trade will not be successful?"
Zhu Biao thought for a moment and said seriously: "Father, in my opinion, since Mr. Gu took office in Jurong, he has brought hundreds of thousands of money and food to the court. In terms of the ability to gather money and food, I am afraid that only South Korea can do it." To compete with it. Since Mr. Gu thinks it can be set as five taxes and one tax, it means that he is sure."
Zhu Yuanzhang pursed his lips, glanced at Zhu Biao, shook his head and said: "Li Shanchang is good at raising money and food. Without him, the founding of the Ming Dynasty would not have been so smooth. But you have forgotten one thing. Li Shanchang is more of a good co-ordinator when gathering money and food." He is good at mobilizing and organizing people's transportation. The reason why he can accomplish these things is to rely on large-scale fanfare and forceful orders to urge things to happen."
"But Gu Xiaozi is different. He gathered money and food without disturbing, exhausting or hurting the people. For example, in Jurong, he took away a total of more than 10,000 yuan from Buddhist and Taoist sects. When he arrived in Quanzhou Prefecture, he cured corruption and He came out with more than 100,000 silver coins. He sent people to the Champa Kingdom and brought hundreds of thousands of silver coins to the court. However, in the whole process, he did not use the people much. The most surprising thing is that he used the people Interest must be paid, but his accounts are still adding money..."
Zhu Biao thought about it carefully, and it was indeed the case.
It is said that Gu Zhengchen's voyage and trade brought a lot of money and grain. The money was sent directly to the Ministry of Household Affairs, and the grain was delivered directly to the gate of Jinchuan, and the people who transported the grain were arranged by businessmen...
The industry in Jurong has indeed given money to the people, and many families have been lifted out of poverty because of the women's work. Some men are still not satisfied, saying that the women earn more than themselves, so where can the men's families put their face? Putting aside the facial issues, it is a fact that more and more people in Jurong have enough to eat.
Zhu Yuanzhang continued: "When it comes to money and food, Gu Xiaozi is probably better than Li Shanchang. Judging from the four-legged account book, he is proficient in accounting. If he is transferred to the household department in the future, within ten years, the household department will probably be rich. Gotta bleed oil.”
Zhu Biao did not refute, because these were indeed very likely to happen.
However, his father will not transfer him to the household department, at least not within the foreseeable three years.
The continuous research and development of the Far Fire Bureau, the integration and array of firearms arms, and the shaping of the army of faith are all inseparable from Gu Zhengchen. Wei Guogong Xu Da also wanted to transfer Gu Zhengchen to the army for training, and then follow him to defeat Wang Baobao and eliminate Yuan Ting.
Hube?
Forget it, the court is not short of money and food now, and he can play a greater role in other positions.
Zhu Biao handed the document to Zhu Yuanzhang and asked: "What about father, this document?"
Zhu Yuanzhang thought for a while and laughed: "Since he dares to set a heavy tax of five to one, we can't be too stingy. Come and approve it and tell him that any merchant holding a voyage trade document from the Quanzhou Ship Division, Fujian Province , Zhejiang Province, the 14th Prefecture of Zhili Province, and all Guanjin are released tax-free."
Zhu Biao was a little surprised and asked quickly: "Father, is this too lenient?"
Zhu Yuanzhang shook his head and said seriously: "The Ministry of Household Affairs reported that last year, the store tax was 210,000 taels, and the customs tax was 570,000 taels. It can be seen that the customs tax attracted more business. Some time ago The seizure of the goods of Ninanxiong merchants by Guanjin officials is clear evidence that Guanjin harmed merchants. Moreover, Gu Zhengchen brought 400,000 guan of money and food to the court with just one voyage of trade, which was more than half of the conquest of Guanjin last year. , I will reduce the penalty once for him, why not?"
Zhu Biao nodded, wrote down the approval document, and then said to Zhu Yuanzhang: "In this way, Zhili, Zhejiang, and Fujian will be connected together, and businessmen will inevitably flock to Quanzhou Prefecture."
Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand and shook it gently: "With one move, the whole plate is alive."
Seeing that his father was in a good mood, Zhu Biao thought for a while and asked: "Speaking of which, my father has been busy with sacrifices in Zhongdu during this period, and some documents have been piled up. I remember that a few days ago, Mr. Gu had another letter about the society. The documents I studied..."
Zhu Yuanzhang's face darkened and he became stern: "This boy actually criticized our policy of benefiting the people as useless, and said that if this continues, it will become a business and only harm the people. Does he know that we had no chance to study at the beginning? , secretly ran outside the house to listen to my husband reading, and then I realized something, he actually thought social studies was inappropriate!"
Zhu Biao had a headache.
Although Gu Zhengchen's criticism of sociology is already very euphemistic, it can be summarized into two points:
Social studies are set up in every village, but they are unrealistic and must be changed.
The content of social studies teaching is not good and must be changed.
At the end, some speculations were added, saying how the officials might have harmed the people.
My father attached great importance to education, especially social studies. For this reason, he also selected Lin Boyun and other 366 Chinese scholars to go to the north to teach the people, in order to make the people "customs good and beautiful". In order to achieve "great rule of the world".
But one action after another, the edicts were issued, and many prefectures and counties took action after hearing the news. Suddenly Gu Zhengchen appeared and shouted "No, don't do this." Naturally, his powerful father was not happy.
Seeing that his father wanted to get angry, Zhu Biao said: "Father, I think that the social studies in various places should be run by local governments first. As for the social studies in Quanzhou Prefecture, it will be arranged by Mr. Gu. After one year, let Fuzhou Prefecture Compare the students from the social club with the students from the Quanzhou Fushe Society, and you will be able to tell which one is better and which one is worse. This way, you can have a comparison without delaying the education."
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted, rolled up his sleeves and said: "After all, you think what he said is reasonable. That's all, you can just watch and approve the document. I said that you and him make the final decision on the matters in Quanzhou Prefecture. If you lose, it will be your fault. No one can escape punishment. If you vouch for him, then you should take responsibility for him. It is reasonable and reasonable."
