Chapter 55: Rod Responsibility
"What your Majesty said is absolutely true." He Xi said: "Your Majesty is well versed in the art of conquering Han Dynasty. If the punishment is unknown, the power is unpredictable."
"The art of approving Han?" Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly and said: "You mean that I have deviated from the right path? I did not issue repeated orders and appeals against corruption and malfeasance that time. They have a right to die. What is wrong?"
If the punishment cannot be known, the power cannot be measured. This is the legalist view. Many people equate ancient Chinese Legalist thought with modern legal thought. In fact, there is a big difference between the two, but they have similarities and many differences.
Take this sentence: if the punishment is unknown, the power is unpredictable. It is one of the schools of Legalism. It can be called an emperor's trick, that is, not clearly stating what can be done and what cannot be done. The monarch or emperor maintains a sense of mystery and can then attack his ministers on the pretext of any problem. For the ministers to maintain a sense of awe towards the Lord, it can be called trembling with fear.
But this is indeed not the right way to do it.
In this case, which minister can be loyal to the emperor? It's just due to lust.
He Xi said: "Your Majesty governs the world with tyranny and rules the troubled times. Of course, there is nothing wrong with it. However, Your Majesty also said that he wants to warn the ministers of the world with killings, but they can't be killed and punished? This shows that this rule Problems have arisen in the way of officials. Since the founding of Your Majesty's country, more than one hundred thousand people have died due to corruption and abuse of power."
"But the excuses are severed. Shouldn't Your Majesty think deeply about it?"
Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought.
He Xi secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Advising Zhu Yuanzhang requires skill. Who is Zhu Yuanzhang? He is the kind of person who has his own rules and regulations in his heart and is extremely determined. As long as he is determined to do something, he will do it even if he kills everyone in the world. It is too difficult to change Zhu Yuanzhang's mind.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang was also a realist. More practical.
It is almost impossible to change Zhu Yuanzhang's philosophy. Under Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon robe, he has the heart of an old farmer. Has simple values. He wants people to live and work in peace and contentment, hates bureaucrats, and hates corruption deeply.
If you want to convince Zhu Yuanzhang, you must start from reality.
Zhu Yuanzhang may not necessarily want to go on a killing spree. Rather, in Zhu Yuanzhang's view, to curb the corrupt behavior of Ming officials, he had to go on a killing spree. Now it seems that the effect is not very good. This is also where Zhu Yuanzhang’s confusion lies.
Zhu Yuanzhang was moved in his heart and thought to himself, "Is there any way to eliminate corruption in future generations?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "He Xi, does your teacher have any advice?"
He Xi was stunned and thought to himself, "Who is my teacher?" It took a while before He Xi remembered that he seemed to have a teacher. Zen Master Dazhi also understood what Zhu Yuanzhang meant. What Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to ask was not Zen Master Dazhi, but what methods future generations would have to punish corruption.
He Xi was speechless for a moment.
I think of the money that corrupt officials have in their houses and the astronomical amounts of embezzled money. and an extremely small clerk. They can all be greedy for hundreds of millions. He Xi didn't know how to introduce the advanced anti-corruption experience of later generations to Zhu Yuanzhang.
He Xi could only say: "The teacher never taught me anything. However, no matter what your Majesty says, the imperial system was created by your Majesty, and you do not abide by it. Why should it be set as a model for all generations? A human head is not a leek, it will not grow back if it is cut off."
"Your Majesty, please think again."
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted in his heart.
Zhu Yuanzhang was able to achieve such great achievements because he thought about many things countless times. Just the matter of corruption. Why did Zhu Yuanzhang go on a killing spree? Even many things are suspected of indiscriminate killing.
In his opinion, this is an overkill.
Many people instinctively feel that there is a clear boundary between the Yuan Dynasty and the Ming Dynasty. actually not. As Zhu Yuanzhang himself said, there were a large number of former officials of the Yuan Dynasty in his court. Li Shanchang, Liu Bowen and others all held positions in Yuanting, but they were just big and small.
I don’t know how many there are below.
And what kind of government was the Yuan Dynasty? It was an extremely corrupt government, and even exposed corruption openly. How much you pay and what kind of official you can be are all clearly marked.
How could he be honest if he didn't be ruthless and kill these officials to the point where they were fighting each other?
When Zhu Yuanzhang heard this, he didn't want to talk to them about this issue anymore. He turned his eyes and looked at Xu Zheng.
Xuzhou nodded, indicating that it had been arranged.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Okay. No need to say any more. I have made up my mind on this matter. I will order the secretary to supervise the cabinet. Just ask them to take over."
The prince immediately knelt on the ground and said: "Father, Guo Huan and his like deserved their death. However, among the scholars in Zhejiang, many innocent people were implicated. Even if they are guilty, they are not guilty enough to die. Please have mercy on Your Majesty."
The prince tried his best to persuade Zhu Yuanzhang, but in the end he could only go so far.
Zhu Yuanzhang was very familiar with this scene.
This is not the first time.
Every time Zhu Yuanzhang handles a major case. All princes are like this.
Although Zhu Yuanzhang was angry, he also got used to it. Anyway, he felt that he was now aware of the remnants of the past and had changed his mind. To overcorrect. If he kills all the officials in the world a few more times, no one will dare to violate his laws. When the time comes, future generations will just take the Ming Law as their sect and handle all cases.
Originally, Zhu Yuanzhang thought that after the prince succeeded to the throne, he would just treat the world with mercy. Now he knew that his prince was walking in front of him. I suddenly had mixed feelings about the scene in front of me.
Suddenly turned his head. He said to He Xi: "He Xi, do you think what the prince did was right or wrong?"
He Xi was stunned. How could he interrupt the situation in front of him?
Yes. He Xi did not want Zhu Yuanzhang to kill people randomly. After all, in his opinion, it was not too much to deal with the serving officials in the Guo Huan case. But it would be a bit too much to involve the children of family members and officials.
Out of a sense of justice, I give you some advice. Of course it is necessary.
But He Xi had no intention of involving herself in it.
Now Zhu Yuanzhang has clearly refused. He Xi had no intention of persuading him again.
As for the matter between the prince and the emperor, what could he, an outsider, say? Talking badly about the prince will offend the emperor. How can you arrange my prince's affairs? Talk bad about the emperor. It also offended the emperor.
He Xi thought about it and could only salute and say: "Your Majesty, in troubled times, there is nothing wrong with using heavy laws and governing the world tyrannically. His Royal Highness is a benevolent person who loves and cares for the people, and there is nothing wrong with him."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Then no one is wrong. Why is this?"
He Xi felt sweat on his forehead, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind, and he said: "The Han family originally has laws, but the overlord's way is mixed with it. How can we use pure Confucianism? How can we use Zhou Zheng?"
As soon as this moment came out, Zhu Yuanzhang burst out laughing.
This is flattering Zhu Yuanzhang without directly criticizing the prince.
Among all the kings, Zhu Yuanzhang respected Liu Bang the most. Because like Liu Bang, he started from scratch. And this sentence was what Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty used to educate his son, and it was not a good word among Confucian officials. But to Zhu Yuanzhang's ears, it sounded very appropriate.
At the same time, although Emperor Xuan of the Han Dynasty did not use Confucianism, his methods were much gentler than Zhu Yuanzhang's. Zhu Biao, on the other hand, seems to favor Confucian scholars, but he really understands the prince. We know that the prince's methods are actually more gentle. With Zhu Yuanzhang here, he seems to be biased towards Confucian ministers.
But in fact, the prince is not lacking in skills.
Although He Xi's words were more biased toward Zhu Yuanzhang, they did not offend the prince.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled, then turned cold and said: "The preface is correct, but it is inconsistent and has different intentions. The prince is the crown prince. As a minister, how can you flatter the king and treat the crown prince indifferently? Someone will punish you with a stick for twenty."
He Xi was stunned. I didn't know what to say for a while.
No matter what he does between father and son, it will be wrong.
The prince saw this. He immediately said: "Father, all the mistakes are my son's fault. I asked Brother He to speak out. Please punish me."
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "This is just a punishment for you. You are the prince, the foundation of the country. Even if you have done something wrong, you can't do anything lightly, otherwise the government and the public will be uneasy. He Xi is helping you. Naturally, I will punish you one or two, and I will take it for you. In addition, He Xi I was doing something for you, but it was done?"
The prince was stunned and thought to himself: "Does this need to be said?"
Zhu Yuanzhang said slowly: "It didn't happen. It was because the work was not done well, so it is natural to punish him. Just punish him here."
"Yes." Xu Zheng said. He turned to He Xi and said, "Secretary He, I'm offended." With a wave of his hand, he pressed He Xi in front of the door and took off He Xi's clothes three times. Exposing the smooth spine. Press on the bench.
Xu Zheng handed a towel to He Xi and said, "Secretary He."
He Xi was full of complaints and didn't know what to say. He couldn't figure out Zhu Yuanzhang's meaning. Is it possible to warn him not to get too close to the prince? Or it was because of other things, as soon as the Guo Huan case came out, it was already proven. Everything he said was correct.
Why do you still need to be beaten?
This boss is really difficult to maintain.
It’s just that people under the eaves have to bow their heads. He thought to himself: "When I get the chance, I will go to sea. I won't wait for you anymore."
"Ah-----" He Xi bit the towel and was hit hard with a stick. His whole face was distorted. You know, He Xi didn't have good food and clothing since she was a child, but she grew up without worries. He is neither a bastard in the teacher's eyes nor a top student in the teacher's eyes. But they are generally good students. I have never been beaten, and I have never had any fights with anyone. Have you ever been punished like this?
In fact, Zhu Yuanzhang had already ordered him to go down and not to take heavy responsibility, just pretending.
But even if it is just pretending, it is still raw. This kind of style of play is just scratching an itch for Fu Youde, Fu Zhong, Mu Ying and other powerful generals, and it is nothing at all. But for He Xi, it was unbearable.
If it weren't for the towel in his mouth, he would have screamed right now.
Even so, he bit the towel and let out a muffled groan.
At this time, He Xi suddenly felt as if there was a piece of nephrite lying on his body, and heard the person behind him say: "Father, don't punish the prince brother."
