Jingming

Chapter 479 The time between old and new

During the Spring Festival, some people are happy and some are sad.

Two vassal kings, a duke, a marquis and an uncle were imprisoned, which shocked the powerful people of the Ming Dynasty greatly.

On New Year's Eve, the Ming Pao Printing Factory was still extremely busy.

Even though it was the New Year, the Emperor's New Year's message would always appear in the "Ming Pao" on New Year's Day every year, which had to be printed on time and distributed throughout the country.

But before each government office went on annual vacation, a new brochure had actually been printed and distributed.

It's called "Monthly Talks of Datong".

It also contained an article from the emperor announcing something.

After a year of preparation, the Tianxia Datong Party has initially established a team of like-minded people after recommendation, application, and review.

Next year in Ming Dynasty, we will prepare for the formal founding meeting of the Datong Party.

The address of the meeting has been determined, which is the original Hongqing Palace in Dongyuan, and now the Daming Hall was built after re-planning and renovation in the Imperial City but has never been put into use.

Hongqing Palace was built during the Yongle period as the "Emperor Taisun Palace" for Emperor Xuanzong. Later, Yingzong who returned from the "Northern Hunting" also lived here.

Since then, due to its special history, the Hongqing Palace has been basically idle and used as a pavilion.

After the imperial city was re-planned and renovated, a large-scale Mingtang building began to be built here, which was directly named Damingtang. Located east of the Imperial Ancestral Temple, everyone thought this would be another ceremonial place.

Now it is finally revealed: this is what the emperor had planned for a long time.

Although there was no proposal to establish a world-wide unified party at that time, the emperor seemed to enjoy meetings.

In the imperial palace, it was not enough to have the imperial study room, the National Policy Hall, the State Affairs Hall, the Guoyi Hall, the Wenhua Hall, the Wuying Hall, the Wen Building, and the Wu Building where meetings were often held. He had long thought about having another A place that can accommodate more people for conferences.

Zhu Houcong really likes meetings.

In his increasingly distant memory, he once had a different view on the format of meetings.

But after so many years of different identities, he has discovered that for someone like him at the top, meetings may actually be the best way.

What's more, judging from the reactions caused by planning the next stage of big moves this year, there are still too many areas that require persistent changes in thinking and understanding.

After ordering the punishment of the few "chickens" that appeared this time, Zhu Houcong did not fail to comfort the panicked "monkeys".

But this comfort puzzled many people.

It should be no problem to welcome and send off during the Spring Festival, right?

There are many clans in Cui Yuan's mansion.

There are many honorable ministers in Guo Xun's house.

"To join this party, do you have to pay a fee every year?" A count asked weakly, "Is this... money to buy your life?"

Guo Xun was furious: "Your Majesty turned around and forgot what he said! You can be incompetent, but you can't be stupid!"

"...Aren't you here to ask for advice from the Duke? You have always been favored by the Holy Spirit, and you are one of the military officials who can interact with civil servants. You are well-informed..."

Guo Xun thought to himself that among the first batch of advisers, I was also the stupidest.

But now he has a heavy responsibility, after all, he was given careful instructions by Zhu Houcong. At this moment, he glanced at everyone, and just said lightly: "Is it your willingness to be loyal to the king?"

"That's natural!"

"When encountering difficulties, do you have to share your Majesty's worries? If you have the money, give money, if you have the strength, give your efforts, and if you have the ability, you should sacrifice your life?"

"...That's natural!"

Guo Xun then said: "Isn't that the end? Now His Majesty has great ambitions to create a great cause of great unity in the world. Isn't this like fighting for the country again? For such a big thing, naturally you have to be willing, and you still have the money and strength to contribute. You have to sacrifice your life, what’s there to ask?”

The atmosphere in the flower hall of Duke Yi's mansion was a bit strange.

How can it be compared now with when we were poor and had nothing to lose? The country has been conquered, and the court does not lack this.

"This is voluntary. If you don't want to pay the small amount of party dues every year, then just don't join the party. As for whether to pay more or not, no one will force you to do so, and you will never look at it differently."

Others looked at Guo Xun in disbelief: Is this what happened?

Guo Xun actually doesn't believe it all, but at least that's what the current program and regulations say.

To be honest, there are many concepts that he doesn't fully understand, but anyway, he knows one thing: now whatever the emperor says, it will be done.

In the house of the current Prime Minister and Minister of State, Yang Shen's guests were naturally much more powerful.

"Chief Assistant, the profound meaning of this is very scary to think about. Is Your Majesty really going to implement this system?"

"...It is beneficial to the country." Yang Shen was also very cautious and just replied, "In this world, the great unity party should not have expenditures come from the national treasury. It is precisely to keep clear distinctions."

"But in the end, all rivers will flow into the sea!" Someone looked at Huang Zuo, who worked with Yang Shen in Guangdong and now heads the personnel department. "First, Ting Tui will have power in the party. In the future, it may be lower than the third rank or even the sixth or seventh rank. They are all involved in the party affairs of the Taige Department and Yamen, right?"

"The Metropolitan Procuratorate is responsible for party discipline, and the important ministers of the Military Affairs Council will also be recommended by the Party Affairs Council first. This..."

Yang Shen remained silent.

According to His Majesty, the great unity party in this world must lead not only state affairs, but also military affairs. The emperor will realize his authority as the party leader.

This is to make the daily operations of the State Council and the ordinary Ministry of Interior offices more independent and less constrained, but it is necessary to place vital personnel and supervision in the Tianxia Datong Party. At the same time, the Tianxia Datong Party will also rely on its ties with the army to suppress the State Council, other ministries of the imperial court, and local governments: it will concentrate on running government affairs.

The system of the Ming Dynasty became more and more complex, and Yang Shen could not see far enough.

But he could still see that election was still an important part. If the emperor could not firmly grasp the power of party affairs within the Datong Party, even though personnel power and military power were related to party affairs, the emperor still had the money bag of the Huangming Assets Bureau. , but is there really no possibility that the emperor will be completely ignored in the future?

Your Majesty has just been "harsh" to your family members. Even though the emperor can be the leader of the party, and even though your Majesty is wise and powerful today, what about the future? With civil and military unity, the emperor could only obey.

In the house of another country elder, Yan Song, Yan Song saw things more clearly.

However, Yan Song only expressed superficial opinions when facing other colleagues who came to visit him.

At night, he walked to the eaves and looked up at the sky.

During the Chinese New Year, there are sounds of firecrackers and a lot of smoke in the sky, covering the stars.

Yan Song looked for the direction of Ziwei and remained silent.

How could that wise emperor ignore the normal struggle for power?

It's just that state affairs are more clearly defined, and the struggle for power should be put into a new frame.

Promise great unity, voluntarily pay contributions to jointly create great achievements, and no matter how hard we fight, we must not ruin national affairs. It is said that one family can rule the world, but in fact it has been ruled by monarchs and ministers for thousands of years. Now it is just made clear in this way.

Under the new situation, no matter how hard we fight, we cannot break the situation where the party leads state and military affairs, otherwise it will really be a scapegoat for everyone.

Parties fighting against each other are facing an eternal and difficult situation.

First, they were locked up in the Daming Hall and fought over. When they returned to the various ministries, they would do their best according to the positions they had fought for.

Whether it is the Chief of Military Staff or the Prime Minister and Minister of State, in the end it is just an errand position.

With real power, the emperor has gathered into a new frame and put a new shackle on all those who aspire to high positions: at least the words he says and the achievements he performs on errands cannot be accused of forgetting the aspiration of universal unity.

Confucianism’s thousands of years of education now have a clear organization. Being expelled from the Datong Party in the world is tantamount to being expelled from a Confucian scholar who knows the book and is polite. You can still be a human being, but are you still worthy of being an official?

What a good idea...

As for the emperor's control over everything...actually the method seems to be simpler.

With your Majesty's wisdom, you should have already figured out the key, right?

In the Forbidden City, Zhu Houcong was indeed educating Zhu Zaiyi.

"One thing leads to another wisdom. The lesson Zhang Juzheng taught you will be enough for you to benefit from for the rest of your life."

In the courtyard of Qianqing Palace, there is a stage on one side and lanterns on the other side.

The concubines, princes and princesses were playing around, and a fire was burning in the corridor in the middle. Zhu Houcong was wearing a warm robe and looking in front of him. Next to him was Sun Lan, and on the other side in front was Zhu Zaicheng.

In front of the new queen, concubines, and princes, on this New Year's Eve, which was supposed to be a time for the whole family to watch the New Year's Eve, Zhu Houcong still made it clear to everyone: he had decided to be the crown prince, and he was really cultivating him as the crown prince, and he never forgot Teach him the way to be a king. Zhu Zaiyi bowed his head in response.

"For more than 20 years, my father has changed the Ming Dynasty's system beyond recognition. I'm afraid my ancestors will be frightened and restless just looking at it." Zhu Houcong said these disrespectful words with a smile on his face.

How can Zhu Zaiyi have any room to comment?

"However, it will actually be easy for you to become emperor in the future. My descendants will also be easy." Zhu Houcong paused for a moment and sighed slightly in his heart, "Even if you can't be as diligent and diligent in governing like me, as long as you If you keep one thing in mind, you will not make a big mistake. When the emperor serves the people, he firmly grasps the righteousness. There are always more ministers, and they will fight. As long as there is no mistake in the righteousness, the emperor can still hold the power of judgment. Who is loyal and who is traitorous? In the Hall of Cultivation of the Heart, only morality will be discussed. Whoever is good and who is mediocre will be discussed in the Hall of Wenhua and Wuying only by talent."

"My son, I will remember it."

Zhu Houcong looked at him, then suddenly stood up and untied his robe: "So my body and bones are healthy, and it is good for me to be a young prince for more years. After all, the Ming Dynasty has changed beyond recognition, and you need to learn too many things. Like me, you also need to take care of your body and bones." Good exercise. Let’s go play with your brothers and sisters.”

The Forbidden City was a happy place, but the northeast, east and southeast of Ming Dynasty were miserable.

But Ming still didn't take action.

After recent months, starting from the banks of the Yalu River, a large team finally arrived in the capital accompanied by Gong Yongqing.

Returning to the capital at this time was naturally deliberately arranged.

Seeing the peaceful and lively Ming Dynasty capital where people live and work in peace and contentment, the elders in the team burst into tears.

Without comparison, there is no harm.

From leaving their hometown in the chaos of war, to escaping all the way in the cold weather, the kind Ming officials and orderly relief and resettlement, these few months of experience made them believe Gong Yongqing's words.

Arriving outside the east gate of the capital, the wrinkled elders unrolled a long scroll tremblingly.

There is not a single word on this long scroll, only handprints.

There is no curfew tonight, but there are guards at the city gates.

The news reached the palace directly, and the people who fled North Korea petitioned, hoping that the Ming Dynasty would send troops to quell the chaos and relieve the people from the fire and water.

Gong Yongqing knows how to cause trouble.

This time he did the right thing. He used the Ming Dynasty to provide relief to North Korean refugees regardless of the cost, which caused confusion and criticism among the Ming people. At least he won the hearts of these refugees.

There, they had no choice but to argue that it was just a civil strife in North Korea after all. How could the Ming Dynasty break into North Korea and help them return home? With euphemistic words, this matter was finally facilitated.

In the words he said to some elders over there who "understand the righteousness deeply": The people's will cannot be violated. How could the people of the Ming Dynasty be willing for the imperial court to resort to military warfare? Just giving out porridge and relief has already caused criticism in Beijing. Unless all the people of North Korea return to their hearts, they are one family and cannot be ignored. When it comes to the people of the Ming Dynasty, we must also see that the people of North Korea will truly return to their hearts in the future and will not drag down the Ming Dynasty.

So they set off, a team of more than a thousand people in ragged clothes, walking from the banks of the Yalu River.

Be ragged and miserable.

This is for the people of Ming Dynasty to see, so it cannot be faked.

Naturally, the monarchs and ministers of the Ming Dynasty had known about such an incident for a long time, but the people in the capital did not.

On New Year's Eve, the people of Ming Dynasty spent the Spring Festival peacefully, and there was such a big and lively event among their enjoyment.

The imperial decree then came from the palace: There were many people from the outer vassal, so the Department of Public Security and the Ministry of Rites and Communications were ordered to choose a place to set up camp outside the east gate to accommodate their people. The matter of petitions from all the people will be discussed by the king and his ministers after the festival.

During the Spring Festival of the new year, starting from the first day of the new year, going outside the Dongmen Refugee Camp to see North Korean refugees has become a new thing for people in the capital.

It’s still the same sentence: without contrast, there is no happiness.

The emperor's New Year's message was also published.

[After more than ten years, from survey to testing to actual construction, with a total consumption of more than one thousand and four million taels of silver, the Huanghuai dikes and weirs have been completed. Whether the floods in the Huanghuai River can be relieved for a while, the next step is to see the results year by year. 】

[The basics of a farm are that, outside of the weather, water conservancy, grain seeds, farm tools, and manure have been handled one by one over the years. At the beginning of the new year, the skilled craftsmen, wise ministers and officials who govern Huanghuai will be promoted to the four directions in the next step. It is time for the cultivated land in Huguang to continue to be organized and become the new granary of the Ming Dynasty; in Shaanxi and Shanxi, trees are planted to stabilize the soil, firstly to reduce the floods of the Yellow River and Huaihe River, and secondly to restore the water and soil in Guanzhong; to open up new fields in the Hetao, the fortress of Jiangnan is beginning to take shape. Yams, potatoes, corn, and many new grain species are being cultivated every year. In time, the people of the Ming Dynasty will have enough to eat. 】

[The steam engine created by Xin Shihou has been used in the weaving bureau. To improve the loom, the next step is to find a suitable place, improve cotton seeds, and grow cotton in large quantities. I hope that in ten years, the cotton cloth produced in the Ming Dynasty will be dozens of times that of today, and its price will be lower. People in the Ming Dynasty will not be afraid of the cold, and every family will have cotton quilts, so there is no need to use cotton quilts to survive the winter. 】

[After the change to the AD, I took the world as my aspiration, created a party of world harmony, and made trade agreements with the feudal lords to exchange their needs. In all matters and strategies, the monarch and his ministers have one heart for the people of the Ming Dynasty...]

This matter of the emperor personally speaking to the people of Ming Dynasty has been going on for more than ten years.

After so many years, the emperor is not as mysterious as before, but he also seems more approachable.

In front of the line of North Korean refugees in ragged clothes lining up to receive relief food, the people in the capital were decently dressed, and the attention of the lively people at the moment was not on how much money the relief food would cost.

Refugees are real refugees and cannot be faked.

The cowering figure and the panic-stricken expression all looked so real and careless.

In contrast, it becomes increasingly clear that the lives of Ming people today are precious.

Thinking about the emperor's rudeness to the princes and ministers before the Chinese New Year, it really made these people in the capital who came to seek superiority sigh with emotion.

"It looks like the price of cotton is going to rise?"

"It is certain that the price of cotton will rise, but cotton cannot be eaten. Now we don't dare to blatantly invade fields and seize production. Those few have not been convicted yet. Naturally, those who have the spare capacity to grow cotton are only the big ones."

“There is still little fertile land.”

"... If you ask me, the fields in the outer vassal have been ruined. Look at what the soldiers and horses have done. It would be great if we were allowed to plant it!"

"Hey, don't say it..."

Even ordinary people have thought of this because of the explosion in demand for raw materials brought about by the accumulation of many technologies in the Ming Dynasty, not to mention those with better minds?

After more than a year of overt and covert competition between those who are unwilling to change the status quo and those who are unwilling to accept the status quo, the current situation has actually been summed up in one sentence: the imbalance between Ming's huge market demand and the supply of internal and external raw materials.

I don’t know who said this first, but it’s so true!

"Those big trading houses that were on the line in the past were just afraid that the current business route would change! They didn't even think about it. They only tried their best to make money from takeaways. They bought back few raw materials and took advantage of them. They all sold to Lao Gao. Price! If we continue like this, how can we talk about producing dozens of times more cotton in ten years?"

"If you ask me, those officials in the foreign vassals are really outrageous! If it is like the Ming Dynasty, if the people can farm the land and work with peace of mind, how much goods can they buy? Then if the things are sold through the factory, then what will happen? Is it this little money now?"

"Brother, if you say this... Your Majesty calls the people of foreign vassals also your subjects. It's really wonderful..."

"It's just that the officials can no longer educate the barbarians like the previous dynasties did. Your Majesty is right, you can't treat them as barbarians!"

For these businessmen who were not able to seize the upper hand but were equally astute, in their eyes, if the people in other vassals could also make good use of it, it would be both good labor and future customers.

"Have you heard? This year's batch of ten-year national bonds will be due for redemption. Are new bonds going to be issued? Last time, those big commercial banks subscribed for a lot, and then they got on the line. Now they are afraid that they will The princes and dignitaries who cooperated with them over the domain fell. But it is different. If the imperial court really has a plan to unite the whole world and make the world unified..."

"Those refugees can come from Liaodong in such a large number... Oops! It's too slow! Everyone, we should also sympathize with their weakness and suffer, and we should jointly petition!"

"...Wonderful! Wonderful! I traveled to Jiuliancheng and got to know some North Korean officials. I don't know if they are still there, but someone knows me!"

With the new year and new atmosphere, there is no shortage of smart people in Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Houcong, who was still enjoying the Spring Festival with peace of mind, couldn't help but smile after hearing Lu Bing's report.

As expected, he is a businessman with the most sensitive sense of smell and a businessman who is not afraid of taking risks.

The Ming Dynasty is not just a group of big businessmen who are getting bigger and bigger and therefore more and more conservative.

After so many years, more and more businessmen have grown up on the stage of Ming Dynasty.

He loosened some ties for Daming, and someone would naturally show up.

These people just lack an opportunity.

Now the opportunity is in front of us, the new stage has been set, the gongs and drums are beating, and the place has warmed up.

It’s time for the drama to begin.

"Yan Sang! Ouchi Yoshitaka has already defeated Nizi Harujiu, and now it's our Tsushima Island!" Zong Qingyasu has aged even more during this time.

Yan Shifan remained calm: "Don't worry, it's almost over."

(End of this chapter)