Daming: My boss Zhu Yuanzhang

Zhu Yuanzhang was silent for a moment before looking up at the remaining Ye Qingyun.

At this time, Ye Qingyun frowned tightly, seeming to have objections to what Lu Xiu and Zheng Zhihua said.

"What about you?"

Zhu Yuanzhang asked softly.

Ye Qingyun first handed over his hand, and then said: "I think that although what they said is reasonable, the fundamental reason for the rise of dynasties is population. The land in the world is fixed, and the food that can be produced per acre of land is also limited. When the population of the world When the number of people that can be supported by the world's acres of land is exceeded, some people will not be able to eat. Coupled with the reasons mentioned by the two of them, this phenomenon will be aggravated. It will be the end of the dynasty. Only after experiencing famine and war, the population will decline. Only by reducing the number of people that can be supported by the world's acres of land will a new prosperous age begin!"

Zhu Yuanzhang was even more shocked when he heard these words!

Ye Qingyun's few simple words revealed the fundamentals of the reincarnation of life and death in the dynasty. According to his statement, no matter how wise the monarch of the dynasty is, or how loyal the ministers are, it is impossible to escape from this reincarnation!
It's as if God has put a chain on the human world. No matter how hard mortals struggle, they can't break free. They can only go around and around within the limits allowed by the chain, repeating the cycle of birth and death!

Not only him, but the officials who were listening quietly around him were also shocked. This statement was too shocking, but after thinking about it carefully, they could not deny this cruel fact.

There was silence in the main hall for a while. Zhu Wuzhang was silent for a long time before he turned his eyes to them again and asked in a deep voice:

“Now that you see these problems, how do you solve them?”

Each of the several points raised by the three of them is extremely difficult to resolve.

Like Lu Xiu's weather changes, they are the power of heaven. How can human power change them? As for the population limit mentioned by Ye Qingyun, it is an unsolvable curse!
The only thing that has any hope of being solved is the problem of dividing the rich and the poor that Zheng Zhihua mentioned, but this is also extremely difficult to solve. As an emperor, he understands this deeply.

Since the founding of the country, he has massacred so many corrupt officials, profiteers and evil gentry, but it is still difficult to change this phenomenon. It is an eternal fact that the superiors bully and exploit the inferiors. Even he, the emperor...

Thinking of the end, Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but change his expression.

"Your Majesty, in fact, natural disasters are not impossible to deal with. For example, in case of floods and droughts, we can build a large number of reservoirs along the river to store water to prevent flooding in the rainy season and release water for irrigation in the dry season. As for the north, we can dredge the south canal and water diversion to the north to solve the water problem. As for ice Han, the teacher once talked about a method of greenhouse planting..."

It was Lu Xiu who spoke first. His father was Luti from the Ordnance Bureau. Although the Ordnance Bureau was only a peripheral organization, it was also managed by the Ministry of Works. Luti would often mention the affairs of the Ministry of Works when educating him. , coupled with the knowledge taught by Li Wei, he is familiar with these matters. Although he has never practiced them, he can talk about the theories.

The main natural disasters caused by weather changes in ancient times were floods and droughts. Others either had limited harm or were the joint results of floods and droughts. For example, the locust plague was caused by drought that caused large areas of land to be abandoned and the surface was not covered by vegetation, which satisfied the locusts. The conditions for reproduction are that if the vegetation is lush, locusts will not be able to lay eggs and reproduce.

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't have much hope at first. After all, these problems were indeed extremely difficult to solve. But what he didn't expect was that the young boy in front of him actually gave an answer, and it sounded quite feasible.

However, some of what Lu Xiu said can be realized immediately, and some still need to overcome difficulties. For example, in a greenhouse, just one piece of plastic is enough to study for a long time. In the final analysis, technology is the root of everything.

But even so, Zhu Yuanzhang was very surprised when he heard his words.

"Okay, okay! Your name is Lu Xiu, right?"

After hearing the compliments, Zhu Yuanzhang asked with a smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Lu handed over his hands.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, secretly wrote down the talent's name, and then looked at Ye Qingyun and Zheng Zhihua.

Ye Qingyun frowned. The point he raised was the most difficult to solve and he couldn't think of any good solution for the moment. However, what Zheng Zhihua said was relatively easy. After Lu Xiu finished speaking, he spoke:
"Your Majesty, there are many ways to control the gap between rich and poor, but the most effective way is to reform the tax system!"

Zheng Zhihua opened his mouth and pointed directly at the important point, and all the ministers were moved after hearing this.

Taxation in all dynasties has been a major matter for the country and should not be touched lightly. A little carelessness may undermine the foundation of the country.

When the tax system was mentioned, Zhu Yuanzhang's face became serious: "How to change it?"

"The gentry and the gentry will pay for the food together." Zheng Zhihua cupped his hands and said softly.

His voice was very soft, but as soon as he finished speaking, it was like a drop of water falling into a pan of oil. The ministers ignored the etiquette of the court and were in an uproar.

"That's nonsense! Your Majesty, the tax system is still a major matter for the country. You must not listen to the nonsense of children and damage the country!"

Zhao Hao was the first to interrupt. Zheng Zhihua's words were simply audacious. It was enough to share the land with the peasants, and to pay the grain to the gentry as well. This was going against the scholars all over the world. Although he was the Minister of Rites and had no control over the tax system, he still had to stand up and refute it.

Zhao Hao was the Minister of Rites and the promotion officer for this palace examination. Seeing him speak out, others couldn't help it and came out to advise him.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the tax system is related to the survival of the country. It must not be tampered with. It is safer to follow the ancient system."

Song Ne also followed suit.

As the Imperial College's sacrificial wine, he was also selected as the examiner for this palace examination.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the tax system is related to the country, so we must not act rashly!"

"I second my opinion, this man dares to speak such nonsense, your Majesty, please punish him!"

After Song Ne spoke out, Du Qi from the Imperial Academy, Zhou Zijian, Zhao Rui and others from the Hanlin Academy also spoke out, and many even clamored to punish Zheng Zhihua.

That's all Lu Xiu's words were. No matter how good his ideas were, the imperial court could block him to death with just one word. But Zheng Zhihua's power was too great. If His Majesty listened to his words, it would not only affect them but themselves. , the interests of the entire gentry class were dealt a huge blow.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at these excited ministers, his eyes flashed, and then he smiled and said: "There are no taboos for scholars to give advice. We only listen to advice and will not change the tax system easily. Dear friends, please rest assured."

After hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, the ministers calmed down, bowed respectfully and retreated to both sides, but they still looked at Zheng Zhihua with unkind eyes.

Zheng Zhihua was also a little uneasy at this time. He did not expect that a single word would offend so many people. After all, he was only a teenager. He would learn whatever the teacher said. As for the consequences, he did not So much to think about.

In fact, Li Wei had naturally known about this good strategy for a long time, but he never mentioned it to Zhu Yuanzhang, because he knew that it would be useless and he would offend people for nothing.

Zhu Yuanzhang would indeed not adopt this tax system. After all, now that the world has just been decided, the fields in the world have not yet been cultivated, and it is not yet time to equalize wealth and poverty.

Moreover, if this policy continues to be implemented, the resistance to punishing corrupt officials and killing nobles will be much greater. After all, there are still few officials and nobles, and they can be divided, but there are more gentry in the world.

"If you have any other ideas, just say it!"

Zhu Yuanzhang encouraged Zheng Zhihua with a smile.

Zheng Zhihua looked at the ministers uneasily, hesitated for a moment and then said in a mumble: "Also...the rich should be taxed more, and the poor should be taxed less or exempted from tax. In addition, the court should also invest a lot of money and food to provide medical security for the people. , if there is a disaster, we should also provide payment for goods to help the people tide over the difficulties, so that no one takes the opportunity to acquire the people's land at a low price..."

He explained some of the methods he had learned from Li Wei one by one. The officials' faces became even more ugly after hearing this, as if they wanted to rush in and beat him to death.

Zheng Zhihua also felt the fierce gazes of the ministers and scholars. At the end of his speech, his voice became lower and lower, but he finally finished with Zhu Yuanzhang's encouragement. Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile: "Hehehe, okay, okay! These suggestions of yours are very good. Are these also what that boy Li Wei taught you?"

"Yes... yes, it was taught by Teacher Li." Zheng Zhihua didn't hide anything and answered directly.

When the officials heard Zheng Zhihua's answer, their expressions changed.

It's Li Wei, it turns out to be Li Wei, the traitor!
No wonder!
In the past, when Li Wei first entered the court, they and other civil servants regarded him as a traitor. Now several years have passed, Li Wei has become more and more powerful, and many officials who are interested in him have joined him. Everyone subconsciously ignores his nature as a traitor.

In addition, Li Wei's behavior has restrained a lot in the past two years, making them almost forget that this guy is not the same as them at all.

But now, after hearing Zheng Zhihua's answer, they finally realized that no matter how long it takes, the traitor is still essentially a traitor.

Zhao Mao, who once stood with Li Wei in the court to quarrel with the officials, his impression of him plummeted, from a good attitude to a hostile state.

This is even more true for Song Ne, Du Ao and others. They were originally extremely opposed to the Ming and Huang Neo-Confucianism of Li Wei and Fang Xiaoru, and they hated it even more at this time.

"Your Majesty, Duke Han is misleading his disciples. In my opinion, I should order him to close the academy and stop spreading these fallacies!"

Zhao Hao interrupted as he left work again.

"I second the motion, Your Majesty. Duke Han has already reached the highest position among the officials. We really shouldn't let him act so willfully any longer!"

Du Xun also followed suit.

The ministers spoke to each other. Although they did not dare to call him a traitor as before, they all criticized Li Wei in and out of his words.

The corner of Zhu Yuanzhang's mouth moved slightly, and a smile flashed across his face, and then he looked embarrassed: "You can't say that. Duke Han also cultivates talents for the country. I think these three people in front of me are very good."

Zhao Hao's face changed slightly and he was about to continue speaking, but Zhu Yuanzhang raised his hand to stop him and said: "Okay, as the saying goes, listening to both will lead to enlightenment and partial belief will lead to darkness. We also hope that Ming Dynasty can reproduce the ancient scene of hundreds of schools of thought contending."

Hearing this, even Song Ne couldn't help it anymore and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, all schools of thought are in troubled times. Since the Tang and Song Dynasties, they have all relied on Confucianism to select scholars in order to achieve peace in the world. Your Majesty should also follow this. The old times are good.”

"Huh, really? That's it for Tang Dynasty. Is Song Dynasty really peaceful?" Zhu Yuanzhang said coldly.

"This……"

Song Ne was at a loss for words for a moment. There was no denying that the Tang Dynasty was prosperous, but the Song Dynasty lost half of its country early on. Although it survived for more than three hundred years, there were constant wars with the northern border, and it was definitely not peaceful. Until the Ming Dynasty drove away the Northern Yuan Dynasty, China Only then can the whole territory be truly restored.

"Okay, you don't have to say much. If you have the ability, just compare yourself to others. I won't interfere in this matter." Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand.

Hearing this, Zhao Mao, Song Ne and others could only respectfully claim that they were right and temporarily retreat.

After asking Zheng Zhihua, Zhu Yuanzhang finally turned his attention to Ye Qingyun. Both Lu Xiu and Zheng Zhihua had come up with solutions to the problems they raised, but he was the only one who had nothing to say.

Ye Qingyun spoke for a moment and then answered with cupped hands: "Your Majesty, if you want to solve the problem just raised by the student, the student believes that there are three directions. One is to increase the grain yield per acre, which is what the teacher often calls productivity, and the other is to expand the territory and gain access to More land, and the third is, as Zheng Zhihua said, try to balance the relationship between the rich and the poor and take care of the interests of more people. The first and second are to increase revenue, and the third can be regarded as reducing expenditure, so that the Ming Dynasty can last longer. "

Zhu Yuanzhang frowned slightly: "Food production cannot be increased indefinitely, especially for land. None of your methods can fundamentally solve the problem."

"Yes," Ye Qingyun said with a look of shame, hesitating for a moment, "According to the teacher, when technology develops to a certain level, we can all fly to the world, and there are countless stars in the sky, and among them there must be the same ones as those under our feet. If we can develop science and technology to that level in places where the earth can generally survive, there will be no need to worry about lack of land in the Ming Dynasty for tens of millions of years. "

"Ha ha……"

"Do you mean to let us all live in the stars?"

"How much can I believe you if you say that I can live on the moon? How big can a star be to live in a human? It's more like living in an ant!"

The officials laughed and made sarcastic remarks one after another. The scholars couldn't help but laugh, and Zhu Yuanzhang also frowned and remained silent.

His statement seemed to everyone to be too outrageous, and he actually wanted people to live on the stars.

Ye Qingyun quickly explained: "No, in fact, those stars are huge spheres that are vaster than the earth under our feet. The reason why they look so small is because they are too far away from us!"

"Absurd!" Zhao Hao rebuked directly, "If it is as you said, the stars are so vast. Even if they are far away, they should be bigger than the sun and the moon. How can they be like dust and sand?"

"That's because it's far, far away!"

Ye Qingyun emphasized.

However, when everyone listened, only Lu Xiu and Zheng Zhihua beside him and a few of the scholars who came with them for the examination nodded in agreement, while the others shook their heads and laughed.

In fact, it's not their fault for being ignorant. It's actually as far away as Ye Qingyun said. It's so far away that it's unimaginable.

Today's people can only travel dozens of miles a day on a fast horse. Even the most knowledgeable literati have only heard of the farthest places in the Western countries. Tell them how far away the stars are from them. Light years, they don't understand at all.

After all, they have never heard of the speed of sound, let alone the speed of light.

Before the advent of the Age of Discovery, many people did not even believe that the earth was round, let alone the infinite universe.

"Okay, let's not mention these distant things for now."

Zhu Yuanzhang waved his hand to stop everyone's discussion. He turned back to look at the three of them and nodded with satisfaction: "You are all very good. Okay, I, Jinkou Yuyan, will designate you as the Three Cauldron Armors!"

When Ye Qingyun and the other three heard this, they were overjoyed and thanked them all: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty!"

Sandingjia means the top three in the imperial examination, the second place in the imperial examination, and the top three, the highest honor for scholars!
With this fame, it can be said that the future is bright!
Zhao Hao, Song Ne and others all changed their expressions.

"Your Majesty, I'm afraid this is inappropriate. These three people are just lying. Your Majesty is showing mercy by not blaming them. How can they be given the position of Ding Jia?"

Zhao Hao spoke up.

Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him displeased and said coldly: "We are very satisfied with these 'false words'. Why, do you have any objections?"

Zhao Hao was startled and quickly lowered his head: "I don't dare."

"It's okay if you don't dare. We will publish the list tomorrow and leave the rest to you. If you don't do it well, we will punish you severely!"

"Yes, I obey the order!" Zhao Mao respectfully accepted the order. (End of chapter)