Zhu Yunwen remembered a famous dialogue in history, not by Zhu Yuanzhang, but by Zhu Di's grandson Zhu Zhanji.
Zhu Zhanji asked the old farmer: "The crops are growing well. Can we make a lot of money?"
The old farmer replied: "We sow in the spring, cultivate in the summer, and harvest in the autumn. We dare not delay for a moment. Even so, we can only live barely. How can we make money?"
Zhu Zhanji was embarrassed and asked uncomfortably: "Then you should be able to rest in the winter, right?"
The old farmer complained: "The court's corvee service came down again in winter, and I am more tired than before."
This old farmer didn't know that Zhu Zhanji was the emperor, and he certainly didn't know that his conversation with Zhu Zhanji would be passed down from generation to generation.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the old farmers in the countryside. Their waists could never straighten up. Their whole lives had been given to the land and survival.
Who is in charge and who is the master doesn’t seem to have much influence on them. Anyway, no matter who sits on it, they are still farmers and they still have to farm in all seasons. The difference is how much things the officials will take away when they come. That’s the only difference. .
In fact, we cannot blame them. Since the unification of the Qin Dynasty, the Central Plains dynasties have divided and rejoined, and have been in chaos. After all, the dynasties that really care about the people are in the minority. A regime dominated by the landlord class is unlikely to stand up to advocate the interests of the people and farmers. .
It has nothing to do with their interests, so what if the empire changes?
It has nothing to do with their interests, so what if a few emperors die?
It has nothing to do with their interests, so what if they shave their heads and leave them in braids?
Isn’t it just farming, living!
No one cares about them on weekdays, so why should they be asked to care and die in the most critical time?
The blood in Yashan was probably the moment when the people became most aware, but will there be any more after that?
In the uprising at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, countless people participated, just to survive, not for Maitreya to come to the world, to become princes and generals, or to build an ideal country!
The people have no patriotism, no collectivism, no consciousness of serving the Ming Dynasty and dying without regrets, just because no one cares about them.
Among the rules of victory and defeat that have been written for thousands of years, only politicians, military strategists, and conspirators... If you have to find out the position of the people, they will be the meat on the board and be slaughtered by others!
The blame for the rise and fall of the civilization in the Central Plains lies with the Confucian scholars and the landlords. The common people are just stepping stones, stepping on them when they are not needed and stepping on them hard when they are needed.
Therefore, the creation and continuation of ancient history are more like the methods of the ruling class, rather than the creation of history by the people as described in a certain doctrine.
Even the most fundamental power comes from the people.
After all, the earth provides the foundation. It is not the earth that has the final say on what the tallest building will look like, but the people who build it.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the rickety old man, and for the first time he doubted Teacher Ma and En's theory. He didn't know if it was due to his own lack of understanding. No matter who the real master of history was, one thing was certain, he was The master of Ming Dynasty.
How the world goes and where it goes is not decided by these people, but by themselves.
Although these words are a bit arrogant and have a hint of nihilistic historicism, this is the fact. The rise and fall of the feudal dynasty largely depends on the governance of the royal family and the bureaucracy, and how the people at the top control it. Direction, how to decide and manage. Standing in his own position, Zhu Yunwen could not truly serve the people, but he could, like Tang Zong, do less corvee and less wealth, cherish the people's power, restrain his own desires and impulses, and not easily disturb the people and not easily plunder from the people. .
Along the way, thinking all the way, Zhu Yunwen had a clearer understanding of the future direction of governance, that is, what kind of empire there is like a court.
If the court is not honest, the empire will suffer from many diseases.
If the imperial court is not strong enough, the empire will not rise.
Bureaucratic governance is still the core of governance and a key node in all issues.
Zhu Yunwen's thinking is divergent, from people in all walks of life to the rise and fall of the country, from patriotic education to historical protagonists, from top to bottom to the direction of governance. He constantly supplements his understanding of the Ming Dynasty and constantly corrects the scale of the direction.
In the evening, Zhu Yunwen did not enter the city, but chose to stay in an inn by the Shangtang River. He felt quite comfortable looking at the still bustling and brightly lit river at night.
Xue Xia came back. Yao Shan "invited" Xue Xia out of the dungeon on the grounds of improper behavior as a servant. Then he acted resolutely and swiftly. First, he ordered people to inspect Hu's grain store, and then all the shops related to Hu Xin were inspected. , seize account books and related persons, etc.
At the same time, the case of Wang Kang's death was also under investigation. Between "getting beaten with a hundred sticks" and "telling the truth", Wu Zuo chose the latter and confessed that he was instructed by cell leader Liu Lin to give perjury.
The seemingly seamless thing was torn apart like this. Yao Shan immediately grabbed Liu Lin, the prison leader, without interrogating him or telling him why. He slapped him with fifty sticks and almost sent Liu Lin to the woods.
Liu Lin, who was beaten to only half his life, didn't care about the financial relationship. Without waiting for Yao Shan to ask questions, he confessed that Hu Xin ordered him to kill Wang Kang, the censor, and gave him 500 taels of silver as a seal. fee.
At this point, Hu Xin had no way out.
Facts have proved that although the local snake is brave and powerful, it still only takes one kick for the dragon crossing the river to kill him.
Hu Xin naturally denied all this, saying that Liu Lin framed the crime. There was no actual evidence and only the confessions of one or two people. How could he prove that he killed Wang Kang, the censor?
To handle a case, you need both witnesses and physical evidence. If one of the two is missing, the case will not be sealed and the sentence will not be imposed.
Although ancient times were called the evil feudal era, it seemed that the top local leader could control the sky with one hand and kill anyone he said. But in the Ming Dynasty, it was all nonsense. The prefect did not even have the authority to remove the county magistrate, so why should he be killed for no reason? Pass judgment.
Unless there is ironclad evidence or a decree from the court.
But Hu Xin is an old fox after all. During the Hongwu Dynasty, the investigation was so strict that he was not defeated, let alone now?
Just when Yao Shan was unable to do anything, the Security Bureau stepped in. With its "smooth tongue", the Security Bureau "instigated rebellion" by Hu Guangcai, the shopkeeper of Hu's Grain Company. Hu Guangcai was intimidated and deceived by the Security Bureau. Hu Xin was already dying, so he was ready to stand up and pick up stones.
Hu Xin took out the bribery account book and directory, and safely handed over Hu Xin's relationship network in Suzhou Prefecture for more than ten years to the Security Bureau. After Yao Shan received it, he immediately ordered the arrest of Hu Xin and other officials, and then wrote a document and reported it to the court quickly, waiting for disposal.
In just two days, Suzhou, which originally looked like a stormy sea, only experienced an astonishing undercurrent. Except for the Suzhou government office, few people knew what was going on.
Hu Xin fell, and a total of 26 officials including him were impeached.
Zhu Yunwen looked at the documents intercepted by the Security Bureau and was a little frightened. There were many people involved in the Hu Xin case. In addition to the magistrate's office, there were also three county magistrates and five bookkeepers.
A small general judge has the energy to collude with so many people. The corruption has not been discovered by the court for many years, which shows the secret of his methods.
"Send it to the capital and leave it to the cabinet for disposal."
Zhu Yunwen did not directly handle the documents. Although it was very simple, if this matter did not go through the Sixth Department of the Capital and the Cabinet, who could learn a lesson and how could he take it as a warning?
"Can I leave a message?"
Xue Xia asked.
Zhu Yunwen thought for a while, then picked up a pen and wrote a line:
The crime of forming a party for personal gain is unforgivable, Hu Xin should abandon the market, and others will be dealt with according to law.
The so-called abandonment of the market, in layman's terms, means beheading at the entrance of the market, a public beheading.
Zhu Yunwen is not polite to such greedy and evil people. Since there was a hobby in ancient times to watch executions, then let's use it. Although it may bring shadow to the children, it can save a few villains and the shadow will not matter for a while. .
I thought the matter would end there, but Zheng Zhi brought new news, making the matter more complicated.
Zheng Zhi reported: "Zhou Deng was accused of breaking into a house and killing someone. However, he claimed that he was wronged because he was framed by Hu Xin."
Zhu Yunwen didn't pay too much attention at first, and just said: "If there is any grievance, it shouldn't be difficult for the Security Bureau to investigate it and hand it over to Yao Shan for disposal, right?"
Zheng Zhi looked troubled and said, "Your Majesty, I can't handle this matter, and even Magistrate Yao can't handle it."
Zhu Yunwen was a little strange. The Suzhou government was in the process of rectification. It was the time when Yao Shan was using means to establish his authority and clear away the remaining evil. It was time for all unjust and wrong cases to be cleared up at this time. What else could he not handle?
"What's the matter? Tell me!"
Zhu Yunwen became serious.
Zheng Zhi replied: "Your Majesty, although Zhou Deng is from Jiaxing, he is not an ordinary citizen. He claims to be a household house dianshi, one of the six houses in She County, Huizhou Prefecture. According to what he said, he once looked through the account books. It is believed that someone has tampered with She County's account books, causing She County to pay more than 9,000 shi in taxes every year. The people have been under pressure for a long time, and it can be said that the people are living in dire straits."
Zhu Yunwen frowned. If it was a matter of Huizhou Prefecture, then Suzhou Prefecture really had nothing to do with it. He thought for a moment and said, "Huizhou Prefecture has many mountains and little land, and does not produce much grain. I remember that in the past few years, the entire tax revenue of Huizhou Prefecture was only 160,000 yuan." Shi, if the people of She County really pay more than 90 million shi, that would be a big deal!"
Zheng Zhi said: "That's true."
Zhu Yunwen rubbed his eyebrows, soothed his nerves, and said, "Does Zhou Deng have evidence? Why did he end up in Suzhou?"
Zheng Zhi replied: "According to Zhou Deng's explanation, he was just a clerk in the Sixth House, an official, and had no authority to report to the court. In order to report the matter to the court, he approached the Huizhou Prefecture's Yamen, but the Yamen ignored him. I was helpless. Then, he took an opportunity to leave She County, brought the evidence to Wuxian County, Suzhou, and found his friend Shen Cheng, who was the official of Wuxian County at the time."
"and after?"
"Later Shen Cheng and his wife were killed, and Zhou Deng was treated as a prisoner and put in prison for three years."
Zheng Zhidao.
Zhu Yunwen stood up and said sternly: "Human life is a matter of vital importance, why don't you report it to the court!"
Zheng Zhi looked aggrieved. You were still the prince three years ago. Grandpa Taizu was not in good health at that time. How could you pay attention to such a small local matter...
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