Chapter 1 The Way of Reward and Punishment
In the Palace of Qianqing.
Zhu Yuanzhang, who came from the northern tour, did not wash away the dust. Looking at the memorial in his hand.
Zhu Yuanzhang returned from Liaodong. It also took two months. Today is the winter of the 20th year of Hongwu.
The whole Jiangnan situation is chaotic. Within these two months, the prince had dealt with them one by one. Now Zhu Yuanzhang saw these files. He looked at the files one by one. Most of these rebels were killed. But it was far from satisfactory to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Is that all?"
The prince said: "The clearing of land has been carried out in various places. On average, 20% of the land has been cleared in each government. In the next year, the Ming Dynasty will be able to increase taxes by about five million to six million stone. However, there are some problems here. Some The land is too thin. Only some refugees cultivate it. In the mountains and forests, you may be able to survive without paying taxes. Once you pay taxes, you may have something unbearable to say. So ------"
Zhu Yuanzhang said; "You want to reduce taxes?"
The prince said: "Living within your limits is the right way for the world. When the imperial court governs the world, does it depend on wealth? It depends on virtue. Now, although the imperial court is marching south and north, it is thanks to your majesty's benevolence that there has always been a surplus. Not to mention, opening up Since the beginning of the sea, there have been millions of taxes. It is enough to make up for the shortage of the court. Why compete with the common people for every inch of land. If the upper class is stricter, the lower class will be very strict. I am worried that the people below will freeze and starve because of this tax. Death is not the good intention of the imperial court’s new policy.”
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "Since the land is thin and not enough to support the people, we should not live in the south. There has always been a shortage of people in the north. Let's do this. In such cases, all people will be moved to Liaodong. Give them 100 acres of wasteland, a set of farming tools, and three years of rations." I can guarantee this. What does the prince think?"
The prince was stunned and didn't know what to say.
Zhu Yuanzhang snorted coldly, the son he raised was jealous of him. Too tender.
Does the situation mentioned by the prince exist? exist. But the Ming Law is also very complete. There are detailed rules for tax collection. There is a complete conversion between upper and lower fields. Five liters per mu is just an average number. If it is dry land with particularly low yield, it is like some barren land in the northwest. Only a few bushels per acre. Naturally, they won’t levy that much. As for how to convert specifically. I won’t go into details here. Anyway. Zhu Yuanzhang was diligent in government and loved the people. It can be said that everything is meticulous. This is what the prince said. Qing Zhang only found out today. no. always have. How could it not be solved?
The prince said this, but he didn't mean it.
In the prince's opinion, this time, all parts of the south will be slapped. Give a sweet date. The slap has been given. Now it’s for Tianzao. Of course. Two steps forward and one step back. It still scraped a layer of oil among the major families in the south of the Yangtze River, but now it is loose in their hands. Be comforted.
After all, everyone will still have to cooperate in the future.
In the prince's view, these powerful families are still the foundation of the Ming Dynasty. We must fight without losing, and we must fight for the benefits that should be fought for. But the relationship that should be maintained also needs to be maintained.
But Zhu Yuanzhang didn't seem to be like this.
Zhu Yuanzhang's plan to vacate the cage and replace the bird is already proceeding step by step. For these scholar-bureaucrats in the south. The fate of the next few decades has already been decided. Zhu Yuanzhang would slowly eliminate these large families from the foundation of the empire.
Not to mention Zhu Yuanzhang, who was originally rude to these people. I have no intention of continuing to work with these people.
And maybe in the eyes of the prince, he has clear land. The matter of increasing taxes. Already good. But for Zhu Yuanzhang. Just the beginning. Give in now. What to do in the future? Therefore, Zhu Yuanzhang directly proposed a plan to immigrate to Liaodong.
This plan. He Xi would definitely raise his hands in agreement. After all, He Xi has a painful worry at the moment. That means there are too many people. The most accurate thing is that there are too many people in Korea. Originally, the Han people merged with the Korean people. But if the Koreans in Liaodong become the mainstream. This is not what He Xi wants to see.
The prerequisite for not discriminating against other ethnic groups and embracing all rivers is that the Han people are the main body. This cannot be mistaken.
There are not many Han people in Liaodong. Even today, there are a large number of Mongolians and Jurchens among the population under He Xi's rule. There are also some small local tribes that cannot be named. The core of the Han people is mainly the large group of troops brought by Ma Yunyewang.
That is more than a dozen health centers. Just 40,000 to 50,000 people and their families.
but. Hu and Han people have lived together in the north for a long time. Although some people are said to be foreigners, their behavior is the same as that of the Han people, so there is no need to worry so much.
But the arrival of hundreds of Koreans was still a big problem.
Therefore, Liaodong is extremely eager for the Han population. Even for a Han Chinese, when arriving in Liaodong, it is easy for him to start from the village and armor. Although this position is not considered an official. But his subordinates can always manage a few families.
It can be considered a status. If there is itself again. Become the head of the village, the head of the river, the head of the canal. Or it is not impossible to be promoted to the military and become a minor official in the local administrative system.
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "What does the prince think of my plan?"
"Father," the prince said, "ruling a big country is like cooking a small one. If it is complicated, it will be fragile. Today we are going to war. Power is needed, but kindness is not enough. I am doing this to ease the situation. Otherwise, everyone in the south will be in danger. ”
Zhu Yuanzhang said: "That's right. The way to govern the country, the way to use soldiers, and the way to control people are all based on the four words of kindness, power, reward and punishment. However, if rewards and punishments are messed up, the laws of the world will not exist. The laws of the world will not exist. If it survives, it will fall apart one day."
"As far as this matter is concerned, who has merit and who has fault. Who should be rewarded and who should be punished? To whom is the grace of His Highness the Crown Prince given?"
The prince naturally understood very well that his original intention was to bring some benefits to the Jiangnan clan. So that he can win over these people for his own use. And the man behind the trouble this time. The prince doesn't know who he is? But by virtue of interests. The prince can actually delineate the scope of suspicion.
It may not be because of this incident that he comforted him.
He launched a large-scale war and mobilized more than half of the troops in several southern provinces. Tens of thousands of rebels were captured. Even in some remote places in Guizhou and Guangxi, the war is not over yet. Still surrounding the mountain. Only then can there be compromise and relaxation.
The prince said: "Father, the world cannot be purely based on rewards and punishments. This is what you teach your children."
Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a while. This was really what Zhu Yuanzhang taught the prince.
Yes. The merits of many things are not too important. Just like Hu Weiyong's party, they are all deserving of death. Of course not. In fact, many of Hu Weiyong’s party are people whom Li Shan has relied on for a long time. Hu Weiyong himself is also a member of Li Shanchang.
This group of people managed money and food and supported Zhu Yuanzhang's great cause of pacifying the world. Everyone is a sinner.
However, Hu Weiyong disrupted the government. Take the prime minister of the Yuan Dynasty as an example. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty had just been established and the system was not sound. Zhu Yuanzhang was inevitably a bit crude and crude in politics, so he went on a killing spree.
In some people's eyes, the world is black and white. In the eyes of some people, the world is chaotic and mainly gray.
Zhu Yuanzhang sighed and said: "Buddhism has three realms. Seeing mountains is mountains, seeing water is water. Seeing mountains is not mountains. Seeing water is not water. Seeing mountains is still mountains, seeing water is still water. Now I finally understand."
When Zhu Yuanzhang started his army, he didn't think much about it. It was purely out of passion that he was desperate. It is a last resort. It is the first level. Gradually he became a generation of emperors. I also ate a lot. Betrayed by countless people. He was not so suspicious from the beginning, but he had suffered a lot and almost lost his life several times. Then when we look at the situation in the world, we naturally reach the point where we see mountains but not mountains and water but not water. At first glance, it seems to be a Machiavellian move. Under the surface, it's all hookup.
Zhu Yuanzhang ensured his rule in the future. Naturally, they also went on a killing spree.
However, now that Zhu Yuanzhang is traveling to the north, he understands a truth. That is, humans are actually very insignificant in history. Under the mighty power of time, even if you are an emperor for eternity, there is very little you can do.
Previously, the Confucian worldview was dominated by tranquility. Regarding the difference between ancient and modern times, it is often said that moral decay has occurred. People's hearts are not ancient, but now Zhu Yuanzhang fully accepts what later generations call advanced and backward, a dynamic view of history.
Naturally, I am willing to go with the flow.
