In the Guangzhou Mansion, after Zhang Fujing led the officials to pay homage to the emperor, a banquet was held at the governor's Yamen.
The full name of the Governor's Yamen is the Governor's Office.
If it is a governor's yamen in another province, apart from the secretary who sits in the governor's model camp, there is actually only one civil official in the entire governor's yamen, and that is the governor himself.
The rest are all the governor's staff, or non-staff personnel hired by the governor himself.
But the Guangdong Governor's Office now has a total of 136 people.
The governor Zhang Fujing was appointed as the right deputy imperial envoy of the Metropolitan Procuratorate, and his rank was the third rank.
Under him, the Guangdong Governor's Yamen currently has no officials above the sixth rank. That's because, under the sixth grade, Guangdong can make his own choices.
The current governor's yamen itself only needs to conduct official business with the Chief Envoys Department, the Capital Command Envoys Department, the Punishment Department, the Public Security Department, the Taxation Department, and the Metropolitan Inspectorate Department. Each department has its own independent government office, and the governor's subordinate officials only need to communicate with them.
At the provincial level, it stands to reason that the Procuratorate and the Metropolitan Procuratorate are both local constitutional supervision departments at the same level. The head of the Guangdong Ducha Department should theoretically supervise the performance of duties by Zhang Fuking and other departments.
But this is because Zhang Fujing's current qualifications are not enough, because according to the design, Guangdong will have a governor in the future.
The grade of this governor must be higher than that of Zuo Buzheng, who is currently in the second grade, and reach the second grade.
Therefore, the current government reform is not the end yet. Zhang Fujing thought about what Liang Chu said that day about "the merits of the Ancestral Temple" and seriously said to the senior officials he invited to the governor's office today:
"Guangdong is the place where new laws are being tried out. His Majesty's practical studies and dialectics have been enlightening and enlightening for Fu Jing, and he has benefited a lot from his thinking. He has truly learned the true teachings of the great truth!"
Zhang Fujing bowed his hands to the north and said solemnly, "Thanks to His Majesty's holy grace and the high regard of the imperial court, the Guangdong Provincial Examination can be held once a year! The imperial court appoints the examiner for the Provincial Examination, but the Guangdong Academy Examination selects candidates. I believe that Guangdong should take the exam New learning!”
As soon as the words fell, everyone had different expressions.
Encore was opened this year, but the total number of candidates passed the exam in the province in one year will not be too many.
The difficulty of taking the examination is very high, and each province has a fixed quota. During the Hongxi reign of Renzong, the number of candidates admitted to provincial examinations in each province was stipulated:
The quota for Nanjing Imperial College and South Zhili is 80; the quota for Beijing Imperial College and North Zhili is 80; 50 for Jiangxi, 45 for Zhejiang, 45 for Fujian, 40 for Huguang, 40 for Guangdong, and 40 for Henan and Thirty-five people each from Sichuan, 30 people each from Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Shandong, and 20 people from Guangxi...
Even if Guangdong set up a deputy list last year and this year, the total number of new candidates in Guangdong was less than 200.
This is a drop in the bucket for the huge number of official posts that Guangdong has decided to create.
At present, many people who have been waiting for vacancies in the past have come to Guangdong. Many people from other provinces have been recommended to Guangdong to serve as officials. There are also many supervisors, but it is not enough.
After the government reform in Guangdong this year, the total number of officials who have actually taken up their posts is less than 4,000, and most of them are officials and government officials with good reputations in the previous three-level government offices in the provinces, prefectures, and counties, who were awarded grades ranging from the ninth to the eighth grade.
Now Zhang Fujing said that Guangdong will have to take a new academic examination in the academic examination next year. No one knows what chain reaction it will cause.
Academic administration used to be in the Department of Prosecution and Prosecution, but now it has been moved to the Department of Chief Affairs and Envoys, and is under the responsibility of its lower ceremonial hall.
Zhang En, the governor of Guangdong Province, hesitated and said: "Next year, taxes and servitude will be separated. In addition to not hiding their fields and collecting land taxes according to the rights of the land, the wealthy gentry must strictly abide by the preferential and exemption policy. In addition, the servitude will be divided into small and small groups." Mu. Futai, the real tough battle is about to begin. Is it inappropriate to issue an order to all prefectures and counties to take practical studies at this time?"
Zhang Fujing killed twice in Guangdong and had two military exploits to defeat the Portuguese. At this time, his reputation was already quite strong.
Hearing this, he did not directly refute Zhang En, but asked Sun Jiao: "Master Hou, what do you think?"
Sun Jiao chuckled: "I came to Guangdong just to supervise the restructuring of the Yamen Office. If my daughter hadn't been so young, she would have returned to Beijing to resume her duties. I don't need to say anything about studying politics in Guangdong."
Sun Jiao, who had brought the good news back to the capital at the beginning of the year, was blessed with a daughter at this advanced age and was only one month old.
He planned to stay in a warmer place in Guangdong until the spring flowers bloom before returning to Beijing.
Zhang Fujing ignored his excuse and continued to ask with a smile: "Master Hou is also a scholar. I wonder what your Majesty's experience is in the three principles of heaven, matter, and man, as well as the dialectical method?"
Sun Jiao gave him a helpless look.
Fortunately, I only asked him about his thoughts on the knowledge itself and did not involve specific policy decisions in Guangdong Province.
Sun Jiao, the head of state, could only heave a long sigh: "In my whole life of studying, I have never seen anyone as talented as your Majesty. The three principles of heaven, matter, and man are connected by the two words "practice" and "practice". It is indeed like the glorious sound of the great road, which is deafening and enlightening. , which is thought-provoking. Dialectics is also a good way to conduct yourself in the world and govern your country."
Zhang En looked at them both with a complicated expression.
What to play?
One of you was promoted by the emperor, and the other is the head of state.
Whether the new knowledge proposed by His Majesty can withstand the scrutiny of the world is one thing, but that itself is not important.
However, the New Party deduced the basis for the reform from the theory of the three principles of nature, things and man and the dialectical method. "The foundation of the state system cannot be changed lightly, and the laws used by the state should be constantly changed in accordance with the principles." This sentence is what touches the nerves of many people.
This is the right to explain whether changes are necessary in the current situation.
Guangdong is now starting to take new studies, which is to help the new party promote this knowledge.
At present, Neo-Confucianism is still orthodox. It is a knowledge that many scholars have studied for countless years, using it to prepare for imperial examinations and to make friends and discuss it.
This new set of knowledge draws on the strengths of others within the framework of Neo-Confucianism, and seems to integrate more knowledge very well on the surface.
If there is no new law, then people who study knowledge in the world may not try to contribute their own efforts in the process of adding bricks, annotations and publicity, and invite famous scholars.
But now that there are new laws, the timing of new knowledge being proposed is a bit of a coincidence.
Fei Hong, Sun Jiao, and Wang Shouren were not in the center. Did this new knowledge really come from His Majesty, or was it carefully prepared by the new party headed by Yang Tinghe and proposed in His Majesty's name?
"Yong Xiu, when you were involved in the debate between Xinxue and Neo-Confucianism, what do you think of the three principles of heaven, matter, and man?" Zhang Fujing asked Yang Shen again.
Yang Shen, who has been promoted to the third rank of the Chief Envoy and the Chief of the Liting Hall, said flatly: "With this knowledge, even Wang Bo'an would be speechless. This is a blessing for the Confucian school. Why can't Guangdong be the first in the world?"
Zhang En was speechless. You are Yang Ting and his son. You were so reckless before.
Yang Shen looked at Gui E again: "Brother Zishi, you are in charge of the household office. How are the land taxes and taxes in Guangdong this year?"
Gui E's little eyes were filled with excitement. He liked this feeling of opening and closing so much.
"Although this year we only edited and reviewed the scientific regulations, and the miscellaneous offices have not yet been reorganized, Tian Fu has carried on with the power of Futai last year. Guangdong Tian Fu has collected more than 1.7 million dan this year, more than 600 yuan more than in previous years. Ten thousand stones! If there is no major disaster next year, we can add at least six to seven hundred thousand stones."
Gui E sighed: "After the Qing Dynasty, the amount of land that should be allocated to Guangdong more than doubled, and that doesn't even count..."
He didn't finish his sentence. In the early days of the Guangdong Empire, there were more than 230,000 hectares of farmland. Now, after more than a hundred years of cultivation, the actual total farmland area should be 30,000 to 40,000 hectares more. But correspondingly, tens of thousands of hectares of it were turned into guard fields.
Around the time of the new law in Guangdong, the amount of land subject to land tax in Guangdong increased sharply from just over 70,000 hectares to nearly 200,000 hectares. Isn’t it theoretically possible to harvest more than two million shi of grain a year just by maintaining the current land tax collection ratio? ?
"As for the commercial taxes collected under the Procurement Law and the Commercial Law, I heard from Chief Zhai that it is more than 230,000 taels, right?"
Gui E looked at Zhai Luan, who had been promoted from the Fourth Grade to the Third Grade Tax Department, and saw him nodding: "This year, the imperial court and various offices in Guangdong spent a total of more than 400,000 taels on purchases. Ten draws One of them is more than 40,000 taels. On the side of the Shibo Division, since the tribute and trade transactions have all been borne by Huang Mingji, the taxes collected by the city transactions have actually been more than 150,000 taels, which is twice as much as in previous years. In addition to many other The total number of courses is more than 237,500 taels."
The Household Office is only responsible for the population and land tax, and the rest is spent by Guangdong itself. The Tax Department covers many miscellaneous taxes in addition to land taxes. In Guangdong, there is also the Shipping Department.
After hearing this, Yang Shen said: "Guangdong's new law will definitely be implemented! It must be unlucky that there are stubborn and greedy people blocking the car. On the contrary, Guangdong has many opportunities to win, and the Jiajing five-year examination will definitely also test practical studies. , dialectical method, wouldn’t Guangdong Juzi be able to show off his talents?”
Hearing Yang Shen's words, Zhang Fujing nodded and looked at Yang Shen with emotion.
"I have studied a lot of this practical science recently. Among them, physics, I don't know how many great Confucians have dabbled in it throughout the ages. Now it seems that it is closely aligned with the Tao. Physics and human principles are just like the Taoist saying that Tao is born in one, one is born in two, and two is born. Three, three give birth to all things.”
Yang Shen entered a state of true excitement: "Natural principles give rise to physics and human principles, and these physical and human principles are intertwined and circulate indefinitely. If no one studies things, the principles of things will not be understood; if no one understands physics and uses it, we will Nowadays, we can only cultivate by slashing and burning. How can we tame cattle and horses, divert water damage to make profits, and follow the calendar to coordinate farming? We know honor and disgrace when we have enough food and clothing, and we know etiquette when we have solid barns. Isn't this principle of human ethics closely related to the principle of all things?"
He showed how quickly he accepted new knowledge because of his own intelligence. Although others nodded secretly after hearing this, they felt that he was emotionally inclined to accept new knowledge.
But Yang Shen's argument is very clear: "This new knowledge is in line with the principles of heaven and earth, and it will definitely flourish! Guangdong is the first to take the new learning, and knowledgeable people will only applaud and praise it! I'm afraid this new law is a good opportunity for the prosperity of Guangdong's culture and education!"
Guangdong is discussing whether to test practical studies and dialectics first in the provincial examinations for academicians next year. However, in Chengdu Fuzhong, Sichuan, people in Fei Hong's house are furious.
"Yang Jiefu did whatever it took to get the new law! Now it seems that he did not hesitate to debate the scriptures with Wang Bo'an at the scripture banquet with the dignity of the first assistant. What kind of face did he have to speak out on behalf of the scholars?"
This angry person targeted Yang Tinghe for his betrayal of Neo-Confucianism.
Although the core of this practical study is still the three principles of heaven, matter and man, a new thing has been added, which in the eyes of many people has changed beyond recognition.
"If we follow these three principles, then farmers, Mohists, doctors, Yin and Yang... these three religions and nine streams, can't they all be classified as physics and become Confucian disciples? Will these people be able to pass the imperial examination in the future without learning the words of sages? Opening a new subject and becoming a scholar? If so, where is the etiquette? Where is the dignity and inferiority?"
"Strange tricks are used to invade the house, the world's customs are not ancient, and the evil is always the same! Fei Gong, you have to do something!"
They all looked at Fei Hong, who was silent. Fei Hong sighed quietly, then looked at them and said: "According to Yang Jiefu, the theory of the three principles of heaven, matter and man and the dialectical method , Your Majesty has realized it.”
Everyone was immediately speechless.
I avoided this point just now because it was difficult to clearly refute the emperor's ideological problems.
This is the advantage of Zhu Houcong himself standing up and proposing some new insights, and it is also the reason why Yang Ting and others have the patience not to shout about any new knowledge first.
It takes courage and perseverance for an official to stand up and directly refute the emperor's academic mistakes. After all, there are only a handful of people like this. In other words, if it becomes a trend, more people will come out to echo it.
Now, don't they just want Fei Hong to lead this trend?
But unfortunately, everyone knows that the old party is now at a disadvantage. Your Majesty still hopes that the new law can achieve the goal of enriching the country and strengthening the army. The new party at least now has support.
At this time, the old party stands up to attack the new knowledge and wants to slap the emperor in the face? Isn't that the only way out?
The old party still hopes that the new party will not produce any results, and the emperor will reactivate the old party after being disappointed.
"Yang Jiefu's words are extremely treacherous!" Someone said, "In your Majesty's opinion, there is nothing wrong with recruiting all the skilled experts in the world and using them. The dialectical method is only a method of speculation. However, Yang Tinghe declared that because of what your Majesty has gained, It is a great fallacy to say that the foundation of the state cannot be changed lightly, and that the laws used by the state should be constantly changed according to reason!"
He looked at Fei Hong with burning eyes: "Fei Gong, the foundation of the state cannot be changed lightly. Doesn't that mean that the foundation of the state can be changed, but it cannot be changed easily? What is the foundation of the state? Such unsubordinate words! "
Fei Hong looked at him in surprise: "What should I say?"
"The foundation of the state system, in a small way, is the throne, succession, and imperial power; in a big way, it is the etiquette system. It is the emperor who follows the etiquette and law and recruits Confucian scholars to help him rule the world! Yang Jiefu actually said that the foundation of the state system is Change, but change should not be taken lightly. What is his intention? No matter in a small or big way, he is the enemy of the emperor and the enemy of the world!"
Those words made everyone nod their heads.
"This makes sense! Under the new law in Guangdong, the gentry's purchase of land is no different from the common people's payment of taxes. This is harmless and is an act of public loyalty and support for the country. However, the gentry can do business, but they are regarded as the same as cunning merchants by commercial and tax laws. Why do people in the world still study? Scholars, farmers, industry and merchants should all take their own places, so that the world can be in order!"
"Your Majesty talks about physics and the method of speculation. This kind of knowledge is done by scholars. Now the new party does not know the true meaning of your Majesty, but misinterprets it as evidence of the new law. The intention is sinister. From that sentence, the foundation of the country cannot be changed lightly. , This can be seen from the fact that the laws used by the state should be constantly changed according to reason."
"Since he has the intention of being disobedient, he wants to lead the Ming Dynasty into chaos! If the laws of the country are constantly changing, and the people of the world are at a loss what to do, how can they deal with themselves?"
After he finished his impassioned speech, he looked at Fei Hong eagerly.
The core meaning is to give the gentry all over the world a focal point to attack the New Party and Yang Tinghe: Do you still want to tamper with the country? What do you mean?
In addition, there is another direction of incitement: Do you, Yang Tinghe, want to dig out the roots of Confucianism in the world? If you are just a scholar, that's all. If you attack the status of the gentry like this, can the world still be in order?
Fei Hong looked at these "old party members" who were reluctant to part with the profits of their own real estate companies with some sadness: Can't you see that with Yang Tinghe's level of knowledge, he can't develop this set of knowledge?
In fact, as long as you are serious about learning, you will naturally be able to appreciate the rigor and profundity of this set of knowledge.
It’s not that they don’t understand, it’s just that they don’t want to understand because of their interests.
At least we must first drive away the new party and restore the old system, and then we can explain this practice and dialectics from another angle.
Exegetical authority?
It would be better to directly offend the emperor by attacking the theory of the three principles of heaven, matter, and man, and directly enter into a dispute over the right to interpret it. Doesn’t that mean that he agrees that these three principles can be called a new classic?
After this great debate, the core of the theory of the three principles of heaven, matter and man should be deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and it will surely become a success.
Fei Hong stood up and said, "What you said makes sense. I will write a letter to impeach the fallacy of Yang Jiefu's statement."
Everyone was overjoyed, but Fei Hong was a little confused.
If we really deduce it from the three principles of heaven, matter, and man and the dialectical method, there really will be no unchanging national foundation in the world.
Why was Your Majesty willing to let Yang Tinghe say those words?
(End of chapter)
