Everyone in the empire believes that they are so powerful that they can withstand small mistakes and problems.
Did the people of the Ming Empire clearly realize that the Ming Empire was going to fall? It's not clear.
Even when Li Zicheng started the Northern Expedition in the 17th year of Chongzhen, he didn't know that he was going to destroy the Ming Dynasty. He even planned that if the war didn't go well and the court was willing to make the king a peacemaker, he could agree temporarily and then make plans. .
For the civil unrest that spread throughout the Ming Dynasty, for the emperor and ministers of the capital, it was a counter-insurgency war that took place far away. Even if the Ming Dynasty was briefly defeated, it would definitely win back, because in the ninth year of Chongzhen, Emperor Chongzhen had just The first king of Chuang, Gao Yingxiang, was beheaded in the capital.
In the first month of the seventeenth year of Chongzhen, when Li Zicheng declared himself emperor in Xi'an, the people in the capital were indifferent to the suppression of the rebellion in the northwest and were still complaining about the bad weather as always, while the ministers and officials in the capital, They are still full of enthusiasm for fighting against each other.
Few people can sense that the end is coming.
In the eyes of the emperor and his ministers, what exactly is a poor coolie? They are not specific people, just cold statistics. Empathy with statistics is a very rare ability. When you are not physically around you, you will not have that urgent sense of crisis.
Even in the spring of the fifth year of Wanli, Zhang Juzheng had already established a set of political correctness in the court of trying to save the head of Guizhou by trying to save the powerful, but this was just a narrative style, and everyone continued to play power games within this established framework, such as Mao Ni The official factory was working in the summer, and three people died from the heat. The officials were taking the opportunity to overthrow the king, instead of thinking about improving the environment of the factory to prevent such tragedies from happening again, let alone caring more about the lives of ordinary people.
Therefore, Zhu Yijun never believed that the Tomb Sect who hindered progress was stupid. In appearance, they were retrograde, pedantic, stubborn, and refused progress. But in fact, these people were all very calculating and knew very well how to protect their vested interests.
On the surface, the fight is about whether to amass profits through officialdom or whether to support the New Deal, but in fact the fight is about the official hat on the head, the money on the chest, and the money in the pocket.
Expecting meat-eaters to think about the vast number of poor and hardworking people is in itself a false pretense.
The reason why Zhu Yijun has always strongly supported Zhang Juzheng's New Deal, and even intensified it, is because he really knew that the Ming Dynasty would die, and it would die during the Wanli period, so he would definitely be more radical than Zhang Juzheng in doing things.
This is also the fundamental reason for the political differences between Zhu Yijun and Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng had only been in power for five years, and the Ming Dynasty had already shown signs of excitement. This could easily lead to the illusion that as long as the emperor or the chief minister of the country is willing , it is a very common thing to be excited. If there is really any crisis, just find another Zhang Juzheng.
But after Zheng He, there will be no more Zheng He, and after Zhang Juzheng, there will be no more Zhang Juzheng.
During the Chongzhen period, not everyone wanted to pick up Zhang Juzheng's New Deal, and test it into law, clear the throne, return land, Haicao, six volumes and one account, strengthen the army, give power to military generals, rectify academic affairs, and bypass degrees, etc. Wait, but by that time, it was completely impossible to pick it up.
The social conflicts in Ming Dynasty have intensified to the point of being completely irreconcilable.
This is the reason why Zhu Yijun made the courtiers feel sincere terror. It was not that the emperor was murderous and killed innocent people indiscriminately. In five years, the emperor only struck the court with a stick once. In the largest case, he only killed more than 700 people. Personally, this is nothing new in the long history of Ming Dynasty.
The reason why the courtiers felt terrified was that the emperor had both great love and ruthlessness.
This kind of great love is a great love for statistics, and this kind of ruthlessness is ruthless towards specific people. Your Majesty is full of love for those people you have never met, but you have no mercy for specific people. .
Wu Qingbo Li Wei, the emperor's maternal grandfather, was almost shot to death with an arrow because he interceded with Zhang Siwei. Xu Congcheng, uncle of the Prince Consort, was directly committed suicide. More than 700 heads were taken away from the Northwest Clan Party.
This is why Zhu Yijun compiled this worsted woolen wealth myth. As long as the poor coolies will not be affected by this incident, Zhu Yijun will not stop and will continue.
"Sir, they have exchanged all their money for big cloth. When they have no money, will they bring their relatives and friends into the game? After all, this is a rare opportunity to make a fortune." Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng in front of him and asked. I want the reaction of the right-wingers.
A powerful person will not immediately lead the poor coolies to make a fortune together, but when the money in his hands runs out, he will definitely tell all his relatives and friends about this opportunity to make a fortune through his huge network of relationships, and everyone will participate together. in this bet.
The current social environment of Ming Dynasty is different from that of later generations.
Later generations can incur huge debts by unwinding banks, and use the basic logic of being too big to fail and being a thief to evenly distribute risks to the entire society. When the debt reaches a certain scale, it can only use over-issuance. Currency is used to fill this hole, and the consequences of excessive currency is inflation, and the whole society bears the price.
In the current Ming Dynasty, there is no such thing as a bank. The currency of the Ming Dynasty is not a banknote method, but a money method. Gold, silver, and copper are precious metals in the Ming Dynasty. They have use value and exchange value. The scarcity of gold, silver, and copper is As a result, the borrowed money is all real money, and the only one who bears the price is the powerful and powerful.
"Yes." Zhang Juzheng exhaled. He asked for an audience this time to persuade the young emperor to be benevolent and forgiving. He who is powerful and powerful is also your Majesty's people. Why does your Majesty treat your own people like this?
The powerful right-wingers will continue to lure more people of their kind to participate in this inflated feast. Even if everyone knows that this is a bubble that will burst as soon as it is poked, they will continue to attract people in. Participate in this bubble so as to maintain this bubble.
"When all the relatives and friends are done, it's time for them to borrow money from everywhere. This bubble must continue to be promoted, otherwise when the bubble is burst, how many families will be destroyed and people will be killed. Do you think they will borrow money from everywhere, sir?" ?" Zhu Yijun continued to ask calmly.
"Yes." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head again and replied. No one can stop a stone rolling down the cliff. Instead, it will roll faster and faster because there are too many people behind pushing him. Even if he is heavily in debt, I will continue to push it forward, because only in this way will the wealth of myself and my family not be in vain.
But whether this stone rolling down the cliff would kill Ming Dynasty was something Zhang Juzheng had to consider.
Zhang Juzheng himself shaped the political correctness of trying to save the leader of Guizhou from the powerful, causing His Majesty to only see the negative role of the powerful, but not the positive role of the powerful right-wingers.
Of course, in the current social environment where there is no way to have both and there is no merger, it is extremely ridiculous to talk about the positive role of powerful people. Even if Sun Keyi and Sun from Songjiang are somewhat reverent, because they earn too much, they continue to pay Donate to promote the development of maritime affairs in the Ming Dynasty, but it is only a Sun family.
Zhang Juzheng wanted to speak for the powerful people of the Ming Dynasty, but he couldn't find any good reason. Even if these merchants could build even a woolen factory, Zhang Juzheng could also speak of the active role of the powerful people in solving the problem of landless tenants. , but the woolen factory has reached this point in full swing, and the powerful people still can't make it.
Faced with the cumbersome factories, the powerful people chose to fry worsted woolen cloth. This choice itself conflicted with the court's resettlement of landless tenants and refugees.
There are still no private merchants who can start a woolen cloth business. In fact, it is still because of the cost.
The main profit of the Woolen Official Factory lies in woolen wool, because most of the worsted wool is sent to the palace, and the price of woolen wool needs to be kept low. When the Yongding Woolen Factory is still expanding, almost It is impossible to continue to squeeze costs downwards.
Zhang Juzheng did not give any more advice, otherwise he would be as boring as the official who kept spouting nonsense.
The powerful right-wingers were really too lazy, so Zhang Juzheng could only put aside the plot to help others and respect the fate of others.
Yes, the powerful right-wingers are lazy, not stupid, nor incompetent, they are just lazy. If they can just lie down and make money, they will never set up a factory, because running a manual factory is very hard, and they have to solve many, many problems, and they earn a lot of money. With small profits, how can you make more money by driving up the price of wool?
Lying down to collect rent and harvest leeks is indeed easier than running a workshop.
Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng's choice to compromise and continued: "Sir, in this trade, people's greed is clearly displayed, but at the same time, they will slowly discover that their real gold and silver are replaced by cloth and silk, and then in order to exchange it for If we continue to play this game, we will definitely get rid of Yanxing Tower and build a trading place by ourselves."
"This is something the court needs to pay attention to."
"I accept the order." Zhang Juzheng obeyed the leader's order.
Zhu Yijun arranged a combination of punches to drain the Ming Dynasty's human-shaped silver mines and squeeze out all the value of their silver.
"Your Majesty, the Queen of Shaanzhou, Yaozhuo, is still serving your Majesty?" Zhang Juzheng finished talking about the woolen foam and asked about Wang Yaozhuo's arrangements.
The last time Zhang Juzheng met Wang Yaozhuo was when he was doing an accounting. Wang Yaozhuo was holding an abacus, and he didn't know whether this person was in line with His Majesty's wishes.
"It's good that you're still waiting by my side." Zhu Yijun didn't understand why Zhang Juzheng asked Wang Yaozhuo at first.
"Yesterday the Empress Dowager Rensheng and Empress Dowager Cisheng ordered the Ministry of Rites to select a bride and select a beautiful girl." Only then did Zhang Juzheng explain the second thing about his audience. The Empress Dowager ordered the Ministry of Rites to select a bride.
Your Majesty is already fifteen years old. His Majesty will get married in the sixth year of Wanli. Then in the first month of the fifth year of Wanli, the selection of women to enter the palace will begin.
Yes, in order to prevent the young emperor and the empress from becoming a superficial couple, and in order for the empress to be able to act like a mother to the world, they had to be selected in advance, and the wedding would only be held after six months of training in the palace.
This time it’s just marriage selection.
Choose three people in total.
If Wang Yaozhuo is still satisfied, then just choose two more.
"Isn't it too early?" Zhu Yijun heard this, blinked and said, "Sir, what are you doing at my age?"
"When I was fifteen years old, which should be the year I passed the imperial examination, my parents' orders and the words of the matchmaker determined the wedding date." Zhang Juzheng recalled that he seemed to have won the imperial examination. After that, he was very busy. He had to study with teachers everywhere, and also He wants to be admitted to Jinshi and has no time to worry about marriage. These days, marriage is also determined by his parents.
"How old did you get married, sir?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously after hearing this.
"In the twenty-fifth year of Jiajing, I was already twenty." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said.
He got married relatively late. Calculating the time should be in the 25th year of Jiajing. The reason why it was so late was because of his grandfather's death, the wedding was postponed for three years, so he got married at the age of 20.
In the twenty-sixth year of Jiajing's reign, he was named on the gold medal list. Before he could give his wife the good news, news of his wife Gu's death reached the capital.
Zhang Juzheng's life was magnificent. It seemed that he only lived in government affairs and was a ruthless person. However, Mr. Zhang was a living person of flesh and blood. In the 27th year of Jiajing, one year after the death of his late wife, Zhang Juzheng wrote a poem to commemorate his wife. , and then not long after, he wrote another one.
These are also two of the few poems that showed emotion in Zhang Juzheng's life. Most of the time, Zhang Juzheng seemed like a cold and ruthless political machine.
"I heard about this draft girl, but I want to order the eight prefectures of Bei Ya, the three prefectures of Nan Ya, and the two provinces of Henan and Shandong. For such a big war, I have to send a secretary to select and examine the candidates. If the candidates are successful, they will bring their parents to Beijing to see. It's really disturbing the people, so I think it's better to wait a little longer." Zhu Yijun wanted to delay it on the grounds of disturbing the people.
"Your Majesty is sixteen when he is a child. Emperor Yingzong ascended to the throne at the age of nine and got married in the first month of the seventh year of Orthodoxy. Emperor Wuzong ascended the throne at the age of fifteen and got married in August of the following year. Emperor Sejong ascended the throne at the age of fifteen and got married in September of the first year of Jiajing. They are all sixteen years old. The laws established by our ancestors cannot be violated. I am ignorant by nature and do not believe in the theory of yin and yang. Whenever your majesty takes action, you should only act according to reason." Zhang Juzheng has made it very clear.
The reason why the emperor wanted to get married so early was entirely for the sake of future generations.
Future generations are the most important thing. Song Renzong just wanted to implement the New Deal. He had no heirs to succeed him, so he just couldn't implement the New Deal.
Therefore, the most important thing for an emperor is to get married and have children.
Looking at Zhang Juzheng's expression, Zhu Yijun knew that this matter could not be fought. Zhang Juzheng was very determined on this matter, and he could not delay it in just three words.
In fact, Zhu Yijun also expected this result. From the Queen Mother Chen and Queen Mother Li directly issuing orders to the Ministry of Rites, he knew that this matter was a top priority for the court.
Parents to enrich people.
Zhu Yijun agreed to the selection of girls for marriage, but also emphasized not to disturb the people too much.
"It disturbs the people, just like in the orthodox years, when a selection of girls is made, at least a few hundred, and at worst a few thousand. The widows are scared to marry, for fear that they will be selected into the palace and become palace maids, so they just choose two, there is no need to go to war. "Zhu Yijun further gave clear instructions. Whether it disturbs the people too much depends on the quantity.
In the thirteenth year of the orthodoxy, Emperor Yingzong drafted 400 women into the palace. Four hundred people may not seem like many, but if you know that these have gone through many rounds of selection, you will know that there has been a lot of trouble in the local area and among the people. There was such a big turmoil that even the widow was frightened into getting married.
There are only two people in absolute number, so the selection will not be so troublesome, and the main palace is already in front of the emperor, so it will not disturb the public.
"Yin Butang said that there are also beauties sent from Luzon for selection." Zhang Juzheng said with a complicated expression. The Ministry of Etiquette was responsible for this matter. Yin Zhengmao specifically asked about Emperor Zhang Juzheng's wedding last time when he returned to Beijing. At that time, Yin Zhengmao said that he would send beauties to him. Enter Beijing.
What if the emperor loves to learn foreign languages?
"Taiwanese?" Zhu Yijun was stunned and asked with a frown.
Zhang Juzheng nodded and said, "Taiwanese."
"Send it, send it to the emperor's uncle." Zhu Yijun chose a compromise. The emperor's concubines were involved in the replacement of the throne. When the replacement of the throne was not completely determined, he would not admit foreign women into the palace. Palace, this could easily cause all kinds of troubles, but as the surname of the country, Yin Zhengmao cooperated with the imperial decree, and the little emperor was not easy to refuse directly.
Give it to the emperor's uncle Zhu Zaiyu to enjoy.
"I obey the order." Zhang Juzheng obeyed the leader's order with a smile on his face. Yin Zhengmao had to express his obedience and friendship. After all, the country's surname was Zhengmao, and the little emperor also had to express that Jian was in the emperor's heart and holy heart. The family is prosperous, so these foreign girls can naturally come to the capital. However, after entering the capital, they are all given to the emperor's uncle, and everyone is happy.
The little emperor always has various ways to make everyone look decent.
Zhang Juzheng left to draft the yellow list of draft girls, while Zhu Yijun took out "Metamorphosis" and continued to study Thai and Western culture.
There are fifteen volumes of Metamorphosis, containing 250 mythological stories from ancient Greece and Rome. The one in Zhu Yijun’s hand has been processed countless times. The one in Zhu Yijun’s hand has not been translated. My foreign language is already very good, there is no need to continue to get a Thai concubine to learn foreign languages together.
Pygmalion was a king of Cyprus and a sculptor. Out of disgust with the depravity and debauchery of women, Pygmalion decided not to marry. He carved a woman out of ivory and prayed to the God of Love to give the statue life. The god of love satisfied Pygmalion, and they finally lived happily together.
This story is a fairy tale. After the emperor's uncle Zhu Zaiyu knew it, he must have something to say. Not everything can be remembered and reverberated. For example, after several years of nurturing the artistic cells of the little emperor, the emperor still had no intention of studying music theory. interest.
The 20th century Irish writer Bernard Shaw created a satirical play called "Pygmalion" based on this mythical story.
The story told by the flower girl is: a top-notch person, a professor with the honor of a duke, made a bet with a colonel, and used the street flower girl Eliza as an experiment. In six months, the flower girl was trained to become a prostitute. A lady from a famous family.
The professor successfully transformed the flower girl into a striking and shining woman. However, the professor pursued celibacy and had no intention of marrying the flower girl. The flower girl could neither become a distinguished duchess nor return to the vegetable market. Selling flowers.
Wang Yaozhuo seems to fit this story very well. She was born in poverty, was in precarious life, and had a blood feud. Because the emperor wanted to see foreign officials, county magistrates, elders, and common people, she came to the capital from Shaanzhou, Henan. The Lu family in Shaanzhou was raided by the emperor. , Wang Yaozhuo took revenge and studied in the inner study. He was liked by the Queen Mother and studied music and arithmetic with Prince Zheng.
If Zhu Yijun didn't like it, Wang Yaozhuo would not be able to become a queen, nor would she be able to return to poverty again. She seemed unable to settle herself.
But Zhu Yijun knew that this was not the case. Wang Yaozhuo's arithmetic skills had entered the palace and she could participate in the accounting in the inner study. Moreover, Wang Yaozhuo was present in every accounting. Even if the emperor didn't like her, she could still do it. A maid next to the Queen Mother helps the Queen Mother sort out the palace accounts. Even if no one dares to ask her to be a mother-in-law after leaving the palace, she can still settle herself well.
Zhu Yijun couldn't help but think of Chen Xuexue, the minister of Honglu Temple, who has been criticized by civil officials recently. Such things as extramarital affairs and illegitimate children are nothing in the West. Spain likes marriage to open up borders. Marriage to open up borders does not mean that only marriage is needed. Enough, the marriage is about gaining claims.
Under the huge profits, some merchants once again began to tentatively build woolen factories, because the sales of Huangzhuang's official factory records increased again. This time, the merchants were not as reckless as last time, and they wanted to eat them in one bite. Big fat guy.
Some merchants chose to merge some small handicraft workshops around the Yongding Woolen Factory. These workshops were mainly responsible for supplying goods to the official factory, such as cleaning wool; some merchants aimed at the purchase, preliminary processing and transportation of wool; Looking at the collection and distribution of woolen woolen goods, these are all profitable.
This time, the powerful right-wingers are finally willing to choose to be down-to-earth and take it step by step.
In fact, Zhu Yijun also hoped that the powerful people of Ming Dynasty could show their active role. The expansion of official factories was subject to the influence of the court's wind and rigidity, and the speed was not very fast. The powerful people were willing to come in and set up some handicraft workshops. Zhu Yijun Still very willing to see it.
However, Zhu Yijun soon discovered that a new problem had arisen.
These merchants, who wanted the support of the right wing, began to deduct the wages of the poor coolies for the sake of profit.
This is a kind of path dependence. Landless tenants, idle idlers in the city, and military households who escaped from their homes are almost equivalent to slaves in these days. Some of them who can't survive ring the bell themselves and become eunuchs. Not a few.
Therefore, for merchants, it is very reasonable and natural for merchants to temporarily withhold wages. If you have nothing to do, I will give you some work. Do you still want money?
If it were in the past, the craftsmen would have just changed their employers and continued working, but things are different now. The official factory is expanding and requires a lot of manpower.
This resulted in factories that had paid workers for two months or three months without workers being available. However, the labor costs of official factories were actually further reduced, and the expansion rate was further accelerated.
The screening has begun. The business world is always so ruthless. Any path dependence will become a fatal shortcoming in a new industry, and change requires expensive costs and prices.
Zhu Yijun not only paid attention to the many contradictions and conflicts in the woolen factory, but also looked at the Xishan Coal Bureau.
On the 13th day of the first lunar month, the Xishan Coal Bureau under the Ministry of Industry was officially established. This means that the preparatory work has been completed. Today, Zhu Yijun will go to the Xishan Coal Bureau in person, not only to express political support, but also to implement it. looking for an answer.
The mountain was cut down into a bare mountain without coal. Is it because of Feng Shui or other reasons?
Guo Chaobin, Minister of Industry, led His Majesty towards Mentougou, and Zhu Yijun finally saw the mining of the Ming Dynasty.
"This well is forty-five feet long?" Zhu Yijun stood in front of a kiln well and looked at Guo Chaobin and asked in great surprise.
Forty-five feet, one foot is about the height of a building, which is about the height of a fifty-story building in later generations. The kiln well is a very deep well.
"My family only has half a mouthful of porridge, but we can't reach Mentougou." Guo Chaobin said very helplessly. The kiln workers were poor coolies who earned money through hard work. They risked the world and worked in the wells. As a result, when the coal was lifted up, they might not be able to get it. Wages, this is the current living situation of kiln residents.
"A censor in the court said that since there is a lot of coal in Xishan, and most of the coal comes from Mentougou, then a coal extraction bureau should be set up at Marco Polo Bridge to collect taxes. Why should we build a coal bureau? It would be unnecessary." Zhu Yijun stood at the kiln In front of the well's door, the dark hole inside is like a bloody mouth that selects people and swallows countless lives.
This statement of the royal censor in the imperial court is actually a typical example of doing more than doing less. Since the Prince Consort is mining coal in Xishan, then let them do it. As long as they draw points and the court gets the taxes, why bother? He had to personally organize it, and even the emperor's uncle got involved.
When this bottomless hole appeared in front of Zhu Yijun, Zhu Yijun determined the importance of preparing to establish the Xishan Coal Bureau.
Because the imperial court has set up a taxation bureau, the tax revenue collected will definitely be distributed to the kiln residents in an intensified manner. The kiln residents are already using their lives to earn their daily necessities, and if they are deducted, the consequences can be imagined.
Zhu Yijun had always known that mining coal in the Ming Dynasty was not as easy as in England. There was coal for three feet, but he never expected it to be so difficult.
Science is an ideal and focuses on possibility; engineering is reality and focuses on feasibility.
The current mining of Xishan Coal Bureau is entirely based on the excavation of huge manpower to supply the needs of the capital. As for how many poor coolies die every year, it is just a number.
Zhu Yijun looked at the kiln shaft and did not choose to go in. Everyone who followed him would not allow the little emperor to go down the shaft because it was too dangerous. However, Zhu Yijun still wandered around the mines of the Coal Bureau, and Prince Consort Li He also Following him, the kiln shaft that the emperor looked at was the Pushui Gou kiln.
This kiln well originally belonged to Li He. He took out three of the six kiln wells at home to connect the official factories of the Xishan Coal Bureau of the imperial court.
"It takes a long time to pump water, it takes a long time to ventilate to prevent the accumulation of gas (gas), and it takes horsepower to drag the coal up from the mine. In short, it requires power." Zhu Yijun looked at the Pushui Gou Kiln and determined that the Xishan Coal Bureau is urgent What is needed, a steam engine.
Without a steam engine, there would be many deaths and injuries when operating a kiln to mine coal. Only the kiln residents who could not survive would leave the kiln. To point out the technology of the steam engine, it also required a huge amount of resources to be piled up, burned, and wasted to create.
Without massive resource investment, technology cannot progress.
Resource-locked technology tree.
Coal has been mined in England since the 15th century. The coal there is like this, 1 meter of soil... 10 meters of soil, everything below 10 meters is coal. Here in the Ming Dynasty, it is 1 meter of soil... 10 meters of soil... underground water... stone ...69 meters of stone...151 meters of coal gangue...Coal is extremely difficult to mine, but it is urgently needed. Please give me a monthly ticket, wow! ! ! ! ! !
(End of chapter)
