Chapter 50 Take action
Guo Huan smiled slightly and said: "You are right. At the beginning, I actually just wanted to get some money to use for things. But I later discovered that the Ministry of Accounts are all idiots. They couldn't tell if I misappropriated it. So. As soon as I came here, I thought: Why am I focusing on political achievements?"
"Of course you get rich by getting promoted. But in the Ming Dynasty, can you get rich by getting promoted? Not necessarily. Our Majesty, we are really good at abacus. So what if the officials of the Ming Dynasty become first-class officials? They are probably not as good as those of the Yuan Dynasty and the prime ministers. The former seventh-grade official."
"And I'm still on tenterhooks. I'm afraid that one day I'll offend His Majesty somehow and my body will be missing."
"In this case, why should I bother to gain political achievements? All I need to do is move my pen. Money will come rolling in. What do you want?"
"Tell me, why do I need any political achievements?"
He Xi said: "This is so shameless. Because of your own selfishness, you have increased taxes several times for the people. Aren't you ashamed at all?"
Guo Huan sneered and said: "Only people like you would think this way, but you don't know that in the previous dynasty, these mud-legged people received 50% of the harvest, which was already a great gift. Now the place with the most taxes is just acres. Taking six buckets, it’s only one-sixth. This is too much.”
"And this is what one person wants? The imperial court destroyed the gentry and moved all the famous clans of the previous dynasty to the barren land in the north. Do you know that Suzhou has the most beggars now? Because you can only return to your hometown by dressing up as a beggar. But gentry is gentry, The mud-legged people are the mud-legged people. Even if the government changes, they will not be able to change the world."
He Xi said: "In this case, the official land of the imperial court has been dispersed through your hands."
Guo Huan said: "Don't say it so harshly. I just admit the reality and provide convenience. They will naturally give me convenience."
He Xi suddenly calmed down and looked at Guo Huan. He had never felt that the person in front of him was so strange. It felt like there was reproductive isolation after six hundred years. Because of the difference in thinking, people were simply not the same species.
Suddenly He Xi could understand Zhu Yuanzhang better.
Yes, although He Xi was also afraid of Zhu Yuanzhang, Zhu Yuanzhang put a lot of pressure on him. There are many things between him and Zhu Yuanzhang that are difficult to understand each other. But on major issues of right and wrong, Zhu Yuanzhang's views were the same as He Xi's.
The Guo Huan in front of him is a typical Confucian bureaucrat. He talks about benevolence and righteousness, but behind the scenes is business. He talks about not talking about benefits, but actually he doesn't talk about the benefits of the court and the people. It's all for your own selfish benefit. Instead, one set after another.
Not only Confucius is resurrected, but even Zhu Zi is resurrected. Seeing such disciples and disciples, I am afraid they will be angry to death.
Although Zhu Xi was not a perfect man, he still had a certain moral standard. Can't be considered a bad person. Guo Huan is a smart man with outstanding abilities. But it's hard to call him a good person.
He Xi's heart was filled with murderous intent, and he said, "The books of sages have been read on dogs."
Guo Huan said: "Books of sages? Nine Confucian scholars and ten beggars. From then on, except for a few fools such as Song Lian, only ghosts believe in books of sages. Reading books of sages is just better than begging for food."
In fact, what Guo Huan said is the truth.
How much harm did the Yuan Dynasty rule do to Chinese culture? It's difficult to say in detail. Apart from anything else, just looking at the Song Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty, they are basically two different painting styles. The difference between the Song Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty was only a hundred years, just three or five generations.
Why is this happening?
It was the destruction of culture by the Yuan Dynasty.
One official, two officials, three monks, four Taoists, five doctors, six workers, seven hunters, eight commoners, nine scholars, and ten beggars. This is the classification of social classes in the Yuan Dynasty.
Scholars are only slightly better than beggars.
Under such circumstances, who would still believe in the writings of sages, and who would still believe in the poems and clouds of scholars?
It is true that some imperial examinations were held in the late Yuan Dynasty, which seemed to improve the social status of scholars. However, among the scholars, Han people only accounted for a small part, while ethnic groups such as Mongolian Huihui had more places. The Southerners among the Han people are the people from the original Southern Song Dynasty. It's a small part of a small part. Not to mention, what if I pass the Jinshi exam?
Liu Bowen was a Jinshi of the Yuan Dynasty and a genius in the world. In the end, he could only return to his hometown. Even if he was appointed as an official, he would mostly be in the transitional states and counties. Because in the Yuan Dynasty, the most important thing when appointing an official was one’s family background.
Although some scholars have passed it down, like Song Lian. Song Lian's master could go directly to Zhu Xi, and he was Zhu Xi's disciple. But most of the lower-class scholars in the Song Dynasty no longer exist.
This is also the reason why Zhu Yuanzhang stopped the imperial examination for ten years, because he could not select talents and there were not enough scholars.
In fact, in the early Ming Dynasty, Neo-Confucianism was not very prosperous. The reason is also very simple. The culture itself in the early Ming Dynasty was in a trough. Although there were some embellishments from the Yuan Dynasty, it was difficult to say that there were any famous figures.
There are all kinds of thoughts.
Just like the famous Liu Bowen, who can be regarded as a typical example in the early Ming Dynasty, he cannot be regarded as a Neo-Confucian.
When Hongwu took the imperial examination in his early years, Neo-Confucianism was not regarded as the main content.
It was Zhu Yuanzhang who thought about it and finally decided on Neo-Confucianism as the main content of the imperial examination. Then it was strengthened by Ming Chengzu. Eventually it became the central idea of governing the country in the Ming Dynasty. It can even be said that Zhu Yuanzhang completed a renaissance of Chinese culture.
It's just that because of his own shortcomings, Zhu Yuanzhang only started to study seriously after he became an adult. A lot of Confucianism makes a lot of subtle claims, but he actually doesn't understand it. In addition, Neo-Confucianism was the prominent science of the Yuan Dynasty. In the end, it evolved into what it looked like historically.
When He Xi came to this period, it was the moment when Zhu Yuanzhang made his final weighing of Neo-Confucianism. If there is no change, a few years later, after Zhu Yuanzhang deleted the Four Books and Five Classics, he restarted the imperial examination, focusing on this.
The Ming Dynasty Central Committee is still like this. As for Guo Huan, he doesn't pay attention to any sage's books at all. He probably feels hard to wipe his butt.
He Xi was so angry that he couldn't speak for a while.
Guo Huan suddenly looked up at the sky and said: "It's almost time. I don't know why you came to see me. But I'm not a fool. You came here this time, using you as a guise, secretly the Jin Yiwei came to check me. I have seen through it Come to think of it, while you are here, Jin Yiwei has already started taking action."
"It's just that you forgot one thing. Money can make all the difference. Today's Hangzhou city is no longer named Zhu, but Guo."
As soon as Guo Huan's voice fell, as if to confirm Guo Huan's statement, He Xi heard a cry of death suddenly coming from outside. The distance is not too far, probably just outside the Chief Envoy's Yamen.
He Xi was stunned. He didn't know how Guo Huan came to the conclusion that he was a cover and Jin Yiwei was the one who hosted him. However, Guo Huan's reaction really surprised He Xi. He Xi said: "Are you going to rebel?"
Guo Huan said: "Rebellion, I don't want to rebel, I just want to get some money. I have lived and died for the Ming Dynasty. Is it just for a few taels of silver? Your Majesty is only an old farmer. It is not generous. In this case, I can just take it myself." . Now that I have come to this point, it was only because of you who forced me to do so. Now that you have found out that I have embezzled a large amount of money, do you think you can survive without rebelling?"
"Since the result is the same, why don't I do it?"
Behind He Xi, Wang Qianli was sweating profusely on his forehead. The scabbard almost popped out, and there were people all over the window. It should be Guo Huan's men in ambush. He Xi gently pressed Wang Qianli's hand to tell him to calm down.
He Xi said: "Actually, the result is different. You are just a corrupt person. Being an accomplice can reduce the consequences, but now you are treasonous. It is estimated that the accomplice will die."
Guo Huan said: "Are you kidding me? Now my family is ruined and I have no choice but to go into exile overseas. You want me to think about them?" At this moment, Guo Huan's true mentality was exposed. Guo Huan said with a ferocious face: "Originally, if you weren't The pursuit is so tight, and after I go to sea, I won't be able to do anything to you, but you are so confident that you come to the door, doesn't it make me feel so bad?"
"He Xi, I won't let you die easily."
He Xi said: "Are you sure that the plan you set up outside can catch Commander Mao Xiangmao?"
Guo Huan was stunned and said, "Is this Mao Xiang here?" Although Guo Huan had noticed that there was something wrong with Mao Xiang's whereabouts, he never expected that Mao Xiang actually came. After all, he was the commander of the Jinyi Guards, and his weight in Guo Huan's heart was different.
Guo Huan then smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, now the city of Hangzhou is under my control. These officials in Hangzhou City are all my people. They have no way out. Today, let alone Mao Xiang, the prince is here. Your Majesty is here , I will also drink and hate this."
"Really?" He Xi said.
Guo Huan looked at He Xi, suddenly smiled, and said, "I don't understand. You seem to be stalling for time now, wanting to see if there is any possibility of turning the situation around. No problem, I'll make it happen for you. I'll let you see Mao Xiang's head. Then I’ll send you on your way. I’ll also let you walk in a clear way.”
He Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He actually didn't expect that today would be so dangerous. Originally, he just wanted to drag Guo Huan for a while and let Mao Xiang complete the deployment outside. Prepare to catch all Guo Huan in one fell swoop.
It's just that he didn't expect the current situation. He thought that Guo Huan was just a corrupt criminal. Who would have thought that he would be so bold now. Just a secret killer. He actually dared to fight against Jin Yiwei blatantly.
He Xi is a person who cherishes his life. Naturally, I was a little scared. Now that I heard Guo Huan say this, I felt relieved.
However, he didn't think Guo Huan could win outside. This confidence does not lie in Mao Xiang, but in another person. As long as we survive this period of time, the situation will definitely turn around.
He Xi said: "Then I would like to thank Mr. Guo for his kindness. It is better for me to obey my orders than to be respectful. Otherwise, let's talk about it."
He Xi's attitude made Guo Huan a little confused. He couldn't help but think about it and thought to himself: "Is there something I didn't think clearly about and overlooked."
