Anti-Qing: I'm actually an honest person

Chapter 208 The essence of reform is the redistribution of power
On the school field, the awkward silence lasted for a long time, but it was suddenly broken by Le Erjin: "Bold!"

As he said that, he was about to roll up his arms and sleeves and go forward to beat up Chen Tingjing. Seeing this, Chen Tingjing was happy and unafraid, and put on a look of remonstrance, but Kangxi trotted to stop him.

"Emperor Chongzhen of the former Ming Dynasty was able to allow civil and military officials to speak out about current affairs. Compared with Liu Dapao, I think it is a little insufficient. Uncle, do you think that I am more tolerant than Chongzhen?"

As he spoke, he was still winking wildly at Le Erjin under his puzzled eyes.

After a while, Kangxi sat down on the chair again, and said to Chen Tingjing: "What the teacher said is indeed enlightening and enlightening. I am not a stupid king who cannot accept advice. Teacher, what you said is indeed very reasonable. However, it is definitely impossible for my Qing Dynasty to completely copy the corresponding system of Nanming."

"The reason why Nanming was able to prosper in commerce and trade was because they had a lot of money in the final analysis, and the reason why they had a lot of money was because they cooperated closely with the Dutch and completely monopolized the sea trade. Zheng Zhilong, Zheng Chenggong and his son are more than ten times bigger. His land can grow sugar cane, cotton, silk, and oil in large quantities. Even if there is a shortage of food, it can be solved through external input. solve?"

"If there is a strategy to enrich the country and strengthen the military, I will naturally learn it humbly. At present, my Qing court has established a cooperative relationship with the British East India Company, but the British are no match for the Dutch now, and my Qing court has no Navy, without the benefits of a navy, this sea trade would be impossible to talk about."

"As the saying goes, horses don't get fat without night grass, and people don't get rich without windfalls. In fact, this is the same for a country and a regime. The reason why Nanming, where Liu Dapao was in, developed so fast. Of course, I admit that Liu Dapao It is a talent, and its system does have merits, but more importantly, it is because of the convenience of the sea trade and the cooperation with the Dutch that Nanming made them a windfall after another."

"I don't have such a windfall in the Qing Dynasty. If I copy it rashly, I'm afraid everything will be a tree without roots."

Chen Tingjing said loudly again: "My minister thinks that although we in the Qing Dynasty were not able to develop maritime trade, Shandong and Shanxi have always had many big businessmen. Yes, for example, if this patented method can also be promulgated to the world, so that all craftsmen in the world can work hard, with my background in the Central Plains, I will eventually be able to defeat the Nanming, the mere gunpowder method, I heard that it is Liu Dapao developed it himself, if the imperial court can control the world's talented people for its own use, why worry about not being able to crack it?"

Kangxi's face was stiff, and he nodded with an ugly face, but said: "That's good, very good, since the teacher said that, I think I must have a strategy in mind, why don't I ask the teacher to write down the specific method of how to reform this matter. How about handing over the detailed documents and discussing with the civil and military officials in the court?"

"Yes, minister, I must be completely heartbroken and fulfill my mission."

"I'm tired, that's all for today. When you go back, think about it. Is there any way to steal Liu Dapao's gunpowder recipe as soon as possible? I'm not feeling well, so I need to rest."

After finishing speaking, he turned his head and left, as if he didn't want to stay here any longer.

Seeing this, Prince Kang Jieshu sighed deeply, and then gave Chen Tingjing a meaningful look, but shook his head and walked away with a wry smile.

Le Erjin still didn't understand why, so he couldn't help but catch up and asked: "Brother Shu, what, what's the situation, why didn't you speak just now, and let this Chen Tingjing talk nonsense? The emperor is also, why did you let him advise and write?" Where's the fold?"

Jie Shu said expressionlessly: "Otherwise? If the emperor doesn't accept it, this old fellow will naturally compare Chongzhen with him. This is just to say what he wants to say for him."

"No, do you really want to learn from Qianming and let these scholars talk nonsense? What kind of nonsense, the truth that scholars are wronging the country, I don't understand today, don't you understand?"

"Of course I understand. Today, my heart is as clear as a mirror. However, do you really think that Chen Tingjing's letter today represents those pedantic scholars? He is from Shanxi!"

"Shan... Shanxi people, what, what's the matter, is there anything special about Shanxi people?"

"In the final analysis, Nanming's set is nothing more than an upside-down of scholars, farmers, commerce and industry. As long as we learn it, no matter how we change it, we must improve the social level of merchants and craftsmen, not to mention the sensitive issue of dividing imperial power. , businessmen must also discuss politics.”

"However, throughout the dynasties and dynasties, the south has always been emphasizing business and the north has been emphasizing agriculture. Eight and a half of the top ten chambers of commerce in the world are located in the south. Since Liu Dapao has found the opportunity, the big and wealthy merchants in the whole country have long been They are already his people, the patent law, capable craftsmen try their best to run to the south, only Shanxi merchants, and only Shanxi merchants, in the north, and connecting the Central Plains and grasslands is their foundation As for the craftsmen, most of the craftsmen in our Qing Dynasty, except for the official craftsmen, are probably already in their hands."

When Le Erjin heard this, he couldn't help cursing: "This old man, he had such a thought. In this way, no matter how we change, where we change, or how we change, these Shanxi merchants will follow suit. In other words, as long as the imperial court allows merchants to discuss politics, the Shanxi gang will occupy half of the court sooner or later. At that time, based on today's discussion and his qualifications, he will definitely become the leader of the Shanxi gang and Hanchen. Are you on an equal footing with us? Bah! I thought he really wanted to serve the country, but after a long time, it turned out to be for personal gain!"

Jie Shu nodded and said: "These Han officials are like this. They are obviously doing things for their own benefit, but they can hide their purpose and pack it up as if they are really serving the country and the people. He, you are like a fool."

Le Erjin couldn't help asking: "Then if the reforms are really carried out according to what he said, can the court become better? Can it become as rich as Nanming?"

Jie Shu shook his head and said: "It's difficult, it's too difficult. Do you know that the Han people have a saying called Dongshi Xiaoxiao? Hey~ Actually, today he pointed out the inner and outer meanings of the words. Nanming's way, Nanming's The responsibility of using it is good government, and if we use it in the Qing Dynasty, it may not be bad government."

"For one thing, we don't have the benefits of sea trade. The reason why Nanming is rich is because of sea trade. With the first windfall earned by sea trade, naturally, we can use this windfall to do many other things to earn money. More money. In the final analysis, many of Nanming's system designs are essentially designing how to spend money and how to spend this windfall. Liu Dapao is not a thing in the pool. There are only more than 400 million taels of silver left in the national treasury, what should I learn?"

"Secondly, it's too late for us to learn now, and the status quo of southerners emphasizing business and northerners emphasizing agriculture is here. Zhejiang people have called out the political idea that agriculture and commerce are all based on agriculture and commerce 100 years ago. , People's reforms have a foundation, and countless merchants help each other, which makes Nanming become a popular place for everyone to contribute firewood."

"What about our Qing court? Apart from letting these Shanxi merchants enter this elegant hall, it may not have much effect. On the contrary, the cognitive confusion caused by this will definitely make the whole society turbulent."

"For example, the method of investment and recharging. Almost all of our Eight Banners have good land under their names, and they also conceal it. Whether it is farming or doing business in those places with this name, we can always try our best. To evade taxes, you can also domineering and cover the sky with your hands. To put it bluntly, it is the Han Chinese tyrants who partnered with our Eight Banners children to steal the taxes that originally belonged to the country."

"Since we want to elevate the status of merchants, do we still need to check the farmland? What is the calculation of local affairs, and who has the final say between the powerful and the wealthy merchants?"

"Besides, Liu Dapao's system is not without its shortcomings. The most important thing is that it cannot centralize power. Nanming is rich, but how much money can Liu Dapao really use? Suppose he has 100 million taels of silver in Nanming, Liu Dapao can use only 20 taels of silver. Although I only have 20 taels of silver in the Qing Dynasty, I can use all of the [-] taels today. This is because Liu Dapao himself is the founder of the country and has unparalleled prestige. .”

"If we really follow Liu Dapao's way of messing around, it's hard to say whether we can make more money, but we must be restrained when we spend money today and in the future. To put it bluntly, the benefits may not be found. But the disadvantages are greater for us than for Nanming."

Le Erjin suddenly realized: "So there are so many ways, so you said, did you see it today?"

"Of course, although Jinshang is young, his eyesight is not bad."

"Then why did he agree to let Chen Tingjing write the memorial?"

Jie Shu asked with a wry smile, "Otherwise?"

"Of course it is... yes..."

"Rebuke him, or even kill him? Since his remonstrance has come down in the public today, it no longer represents himself. To put it mildly, he represents all Shanxi merchants. To put it bluntly, he represents all Shanxi merchants. He represents all Han bureaucrats."

"Today's Manchu Qing is already a wrecked ship with leaks everywhere. My disciples of the Eight Banners once conquered the world with martial arts and bravery, so it is only natural to divide the world with military achievements. In fact, the Ming court has already declined a little."

"To win this battle, it is useless to rely solely on strong soldiers and horses. Firearms, armor, logistics, money and food, especially firearms, and craftsmen are indeed very important. At this time, wealthy merchants and craftsmen all over the world are rushing to Nanming. , Only these Shanxi merchants can still let us rely on. If Chen Tingjing is really killed today, at least the Shanxi merchants must be separated from us. "

"You mean, not only will they not contribute to the manufacture of firearms for us, but they may even link up with Chahar Mongolia?"

"To put it bluntly, this politics has always been like this. It's nothing more than who gets more and who gets less. Today there is a game between us and our royal family. We Aixinjueluo and others The children of the Eight Banners are playing games again, and the Manchus and other people in the banners have to play games, and the confidence of the game is strength. Today's Manchu Qing is no longer the old Manchu Qing. Since Shanxi merchants are on board, they naturally want more power."

"I understand this truth today, so I ordered him to write a good note and submit it, and to discuss it with the officials. This is to discuss with the officials and redistribute power. From now on, let's Aixinjueluo Not only is it difficult to maintain military power, but even this government affairs may have to be let go."

Le Erjin asked again: "There is no way..."

"There is definitely no big solution, but if we can really steal the secret gunpowder recipe of the Ming court before all the dust settles, it will definitely be very beneficial to the distribution of power."

"This... doesn't seem to be impossible."

"Why, do you really have a way?"

"I can only say that I have an idea. Since the secret recipe is on Wanwan Island, it is definitely impossible to send troops to grab it, but the whole Wanwan is so big and the amount of gunpowder is so much. If a small-scale elite Is it really difficult to sneak in and kidnap a few craftsmen?"

"Since Liu Dapao regards this thing as the lifeline of the imperial court, it must be guarded tightly."

"You can send martial arts masters. If one is not enough, send ten, and if ten are not enough, send a hundred. There will always be someone who can bring back the secret recipe or craftsman alive."

"Where can we find so many martial arts masters to do such things similar to death?"

"Actually, there are."

"Oh? What do you say?"

"Henan Shaolin Temple, it is said that there are many masters in it, and there has always been a saying in the rivers and lakes that fists come out of Shaolin, and swords come out of Huashan. Now Huashan is almost a guest of Nanming. Is this Shaolin..."

Jie Shu thought for a while, and said: "Most of the nobles in my Manchu Dynasty believed in Buddha, worshiped Buddha, and worshiped Buddha. It seems that the Ming court rarely heard that they had any beliefs in this respect. The reason is that foreign religion is very popular, that is, Catholicism.”

"If... as those bald donkeys promised, as long as they get the secret formula of gunpowder, the imperial court will decree that Shaolin Temple will be named the Temple of the Huguo, Buddhism will be respected as the state religion, and even promised that they will rule Mongolia with Buddhism in the future. I am afraid that they will not Are you willing to do your best?"

"This statement is very kind."

………………

the other side.

Liu Dapao, who was far away in Chenghai, naturally didn't know this, and he and Lao Le were walking with their legs like old people. To be precise, they were looking at the wealthy areas where Europeans lived.

Facts have proved that as long as there is money to be made, any ethnic conflict can be a fart. Nowadays, Europeans and Han people live in harmony here, and every Han people has a warm smile when they see Europeans.

But it's not because of Meiyang, it's purely because... almost all of these Dutch people who came to settle in Chenghai are the earliest shareholders of West Pacific Company, and they are really too rich.

In a commercial regime, in a commercial city, whoever has money is an uncle, and it may be because they are too rich. These foreign devils seem to be a little taken advantage of. The key is that they still have the habit of tipping.

The houses here are all made of European stone and domestic wood. It seems that the houses here are indeed beautiful, combining Chinese and Western styles, and the most important thing is that they boldly used gold powder on the houses.In Lao Le's words, except for the smaller area, every house here is as good as the palaces of European royal families.

"Lao Le, tell me, is there really a difference in living habits between Europeans and us Asians?"

"The houses here are not only owned by us Dutch, but many of them were built by local wealthy merchants of your Ming court. In my opinion, the style is becoming more and more similar. I remember you argued with me before, It is said that you Han people are reserved and don’t like to paste gold on the house. Hehe, well, the one in front is almost covered with gold. The house is all made of fine dolomite, and it's all European."

Liu Dapao was a little embarrassed when he heard the words, and said, "You mean that people's aesthetics and culture will gradually converge in the end, right?"

Lao Le said seriously after hearing the words: "As long as there is sufficient cultural exchange, the final lifestyle of the rich will become more and more similar. To put it bluntly, it’s all because of lack of money.”

"It's good that you get used to it. Tell me, if all the rich people in Europe come to live in Chenghai, from France, England, and Spain, can they all get used to it?"

(End of this chapter)