After the construction of the new city was officially put on the agenda, Zhu Yunxu also led the new army on the road back to Beijing.
It was a rapid march when we came, but it was much slower to return.
There is no urgent military situation, so there is no need to march desperately.
During these days in Songjiang Mansion, the Jin Yiwei who had fallen behind before returned to the team one after another, and now they have returned.
Didn't do anything, ran for nothing.
In contrast, the imperial guards who followed the team showed off to them the miracles of war they had witnessed, which made people envious.
The people of Songjiang came out one after another to see the new army off.
Inside the luxurious and spacious carriage, Zhu Yunzhen lay on the thick cotton mattress, minimizing the bumps of the carriage.
Next to him, the little girl Xixi was beating his legs.
The original dirty clothes have been replaced by beautiful Luo Shang, his face is washed clean, his hair is tied up, and he is wearing a headdress, and his smart eyes are as clear as a pool of autumn water.
A man relies on his clothes and a horse relies on his saddle.
Xixi's attire changed and she turned into a pretty girl.
"Brother, they all say you are a god. But can't gods fly in the clouds and mist? Why do you want to ride in a carriage?"
Xixi asked in confusion.
Zhu Yunzhen couldn't help laughing.
Although both of them are six or seven years old, his soul is that of an adult.
It is inevitable to think that children are naive.
But sometimes I feel that the world of children is better.
Innocent and carefree.
It's so tiring for adults to scheming and deceiving each other all day long.
Because of this, Zhu Yunzhen brought the little girl Xixi with him.
It's nice to have someone to keep you company and feel a little childish.
Hearing her question at this time, he couldn't help but feel dumbfounded, and he became playful again, so he said: "This is the mortal world, not the fairy world. You can't just use magic to fly in the clouds and mist, it will violate the laws of heaven."
"Oh, so that's it!" Xixi suddenly realized, and asked: "Is that because other spells can't be used too!"
Zhu Yunxuan blinked and said, "Of course. Unless it's absolutely necessary!"
"I understand!" Xixi nodded seriously.
Seeing her like this, Zhu Yunzhen couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Children are easy to deceive and believe whatever they say.
But then, an idea flashed through his mind.
If you use your various miraculous performances to deceive an adult, the other party may not believe you.
To a certain extent, time travelers can be called "gods".
At least in terms of understanding the future.
This is a point that can be exploited.
When necessary, using this can easily achieve certain goals.
Zhu Yunzhen was secretly planning in his heart.
He seemed to be on the road of being a magic stick, going further and further away.
But what choice did he have?
Although he is the crown prince, he is inferior to one person and superior to ten thousand people.
However, in promoting the social transformation of the Ming Dynasty, breaking through the feudal etiquette that had restricted people for countless years, and entering a new era, the resistance encountered was unimaginable.
Even though he is the crown prince, he still feels that he is surrounded by enemies and is struggling.
Any ideological understanding that is too advanced and beyond the times is destined to be denounced as heresy and treason.
It often takes decades, even hundreds or even longer, before they can be gradually recognized and accepted by latecomers.
The development of history has its own inevitability.
How easy is it to forcefully push the wheel of history forward across the ages?
Let alone the Ming Dynasty, in an era when feudal etiquette seriously restricted people's thoughts.
Even in later generations, in an era when technological civilization was highly developed and minds were more open, any independent thoughts would be rejected by most people.
The thoughts of later generations also come in waves. Whichever way the wind blows, people chase them.
Ideas that transcend the times will also not be accepted by society.
But for Ming Dynasty to develop rapidly, people must experience a violent ideological turmoil.
Historically, during the Renaissance in the West, a religious reform was carried out that lasted for hundreds of years, and also laid the ideological foundation for the subsequent Industrial Revolution.
If he now wants to overthrow the "god" of the feudal etiquette system, the best and fastest way is to establish a new god.
The best candidate for the New God is undoubtedly himself.
"I didn't expect that one day, I would become the villain I despised most in the past." Zhu Yunxuan silently laughed at himself in his heart.
For the sake of Ming Dynasty, we can only sacrifice ourselves.
He reluctantly became a "god".
…
Two days later, the new army arrived at Suzhou City.
Liu Hanmo, the prefect of Suzhou, had already led a group of officials to greet him at the city gate.
After some etiquette, Zhu Yunxian ordered the new army to enter the city.
I have heard for a long time that Suzhou is prosperous, and it is not like the capital city. Each district is separated and heavily guarded, and it has a unique charm.
He also wanted to see it.
What would Suzhou look like during the Ming Dynasty?
But when he opened the curtains and looked outside, he found that there were not many people on both sides to greet the new army.
The streets are depressed and not as prosperous as the rumors say.
Many people's faces were full of sorrow.
Zhu Yunxuan had secret doubts in his heart. When he arrived at the magistrate's office, he asked Liu Hanmo: "Everyone in the world knows that "there is heaven above, and Suzhou and Hangzhou below." Suzhou and Hangzhou have been prosperous since ancient times."
"But looking at it today, the streets of Suzhou are quite depressed. They are not as prosperous as the rumors say. This place is not as prosperous as Songjiang Mansion. It has just experienced war. Why is it like this?"
Liu Hanmo cupped his hands and sighed.
"The prosperity of Suzhou is a thing of the past. Suzhou today is no longer what it used to be."
Zhu Yunzhen was greatly puzzled and asked: "What happened? Please explain it to me in detail."
After he took charge of the country, he looked at the taxes paid by various places. Suzhou was still the main tax center of the Ming Dynasty, and it was not an exaggeration to call it the economic pillar.
If Suzhou becomes like this, the financial crisis of the Ming Dynasty will further deepen.
Liu Hanmo was quite hesitant and hesitated to speak.
It wasn't until Zhu Yunzhen urged him repeatedly that he finally made up his mind to speak.
"The taxes in this dynasty are highest in Suzhou, followed by Songjiang Prefecture, Jiaxing Prefecture, Huzhou, Changzhou, and Hangzhou."
"In comparison, taxes elsewhere are much lighter."
"I wonder if His Highness the Grand Sun knows this?"
He had long heard that his grandson was extremely talented and intelligent, and his poems and articles were astonishing to the world. Now he led troops to put down the Japanese pirate rebellion in Songjiang. The legend was even better than that of heaven and man.
But when I actually met my grandson, I was shocked by his young age and worried whether he was really as mature as an adult.
Zhu Yunzhen nodded and frowned slightly.
He had already heard about this.
According to folk rumors, because Suzhou, Songjiang, Jiaxing, Huzhou and other places were originally Zhang Shicheng's territory, he competed with Zhu Yuanzhang for the world, but was defeated by Lao Zhu.
Zhu Yuanzhang held a grudge and imposed heavy taxes on the people under Zhang Shicheng's rule.
This story spread like wildfire, and many people believed it.
But of course it's fake.
How could Lao Zhu be so petty?
What's more, with Lao Zhu's personality, such a big event would never be mixed with such childish and ridiculous personal emotions.
The real reasons are very complex.
The most important point is that the wealthy businessmen and large landowners of the Ming Dynasty were mainly concentrated in Suzhou, Jiaxing, Songjiang, and Huzhou.
The Ming Dynasty adopted a heavy tax policy in these places in order to combat and control the wealthy households and landlord class in Jiangnan, thereby stabilizing its rule.
Of course, there are many other reasons and considerations.
Liu Hanmo said: "Despite this, Suzhou City was still quite prosperous before."
"The reason why everything is in such a sluggish state is related to His Highness the Grand Sun."
Zhu Yunzhen was stunned immediately.
Suzhou city became depressed, is it because of me?
…
I was delayed today, so I'm not sure if I can still code the third chapter.
If not, I will make it up in the fourth update tomorrow.
(End of chapter)
