My Ming Dynasty, I have the final say

Chapter 122 Measuring the Land
Today's Zhu Youxiao is probably the most powerful emperor in the history of the Ming Dynasty when he first ascended the throne, except Taizu Chengzu.

There is no queen in the harem, and no queen mother. The only concubine Zheng is still not popular with the courtiers.

In the front court, compared with Jiajing, Yang Tinghe gathered a large number of civil servants through his support to confront Jiajing, who wanted to express his ambitions.Although Jiajing finally dealt with Yang Tinghe, it was a waste of time.

Although the Ming Dynasty left by Wanli was a mess, the court was clean. Although there was a blind promotion by Guangzong, after several cleanings by Zhu Youxiao, those who remained could basically listen to human words.

What is good at the top will be effective at the bottom.

Today's emperor likes hard-working people, which to some extent has changed the atmosphere of the outer court.

Within two days, a copy of the examination method on tax payment was delivered to Zhu Youxiao's desk.

Han Xu, Zhou Yingqiu, Li Ruhua, and Zhang Wenda stood in front of Zhu Youxiao's desk.

Han Xu looked at the emperor who was reading the memorial above and said softly.

"Your Majesty, I think it's okay to re-implement the exam, but is this punishment too severe?"

"Is it heavy? I don't think it's heavy at all, it's quite light."

After replying to Han Xu, Zhu Youxiao wrote for a while, then picked up the Treasure of Apocalypse, stamped the memorial, and handed it to Liu Shimin.

"You all know what is going on in the Ming Dynasty now. If we don't govern officials with strict rules, I'm afraid I will hang myself on the crooked-necked tree in Meishan Mountain in a few years."

"..."

None of the four people dared to say a word in response to the emperor's words.

This is so unlucky.

"Let's implement this method for the time being."

Signing to return the memorial to Han Xu, Zhu Youxiao turned to look at Zhang Wenda again.

"Zhang Wenda, the Metropolitan Procuratorate must fulfill its responsibilities. It must make a list of things to be done every ten days and every month as soon as possible, and let me know clearly what the current situation of the Ming Dynasty is. And I don't want to see it again. If there is a censor, he will act beyond his authority."

"I will obey the Holy Instructions."

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda nodded hurriedly.

"After I return, I will send people to patrol the various roads."

"Li Aiqing, the inventory of land and population in the Gyeonggi area will be led by the Ministry of Household Affairs and implemented by state and county officials. This matter must be carried out as soon as possible."

"The minister obeys the order."

Hearing this, Li Ruhua cupped his hands and said.

"After discussing with Minister Yuan, I plan to measure the acres of land, renew the land deed, and create a new fish scale book."

"Well, good idea."

Hearing this, Zhu Youxiao nodded, Li Ruhua was still very capable.

"Regarding this matter, the Metropolitan Procuratorate will send people to supervise it to prevent anyone from enriching his own pockets and extorting land from ordinary people."

"The minister obeys the order."

Hearing this, Zhang Wenda immediately raised his hands and said.

This is a task directly assigned to the officials of the Metropolitan Procuratorate.

After waving for everyone to leave, Zhu Youxiao picked up his pen and started sketching again.

And as the emperor wanted to inventory the fields in the Gyeonggi area, the capital became lively again.

The Ming Dynasty has never been a conservative country. These people can always exploit various ancestral bugs, covertly or covertly.

At this time, anyone with a discerning eye has already seen that Ming Dynasty has reached the point where it must reform.

With the emperor giving substantial salaries to Beijing officials, the parties easily reached a consensus that it was imperative to inventory the land.

The tax base of the Ming Dynasty has been damaged after the promulgation of the "New Regulations on Preferential and Exemptions". If this tax base is not repaired, I am afraid that everyone's salary will not be available for long. After all, internal funds cannot be misappropriated by the foreign court every year.

As for whether the interests of the benefiting classes are affected, will there be civil unrest or something like that?

I can only say that I think too much.

The transparency of the upper and lower classes in the Ming Dynasty and the popularization of Confucianism made it very easy to cultivate young people with high moral standards. The younger they are, the more energetic they are.Just giving officials a generous salary or a sufficient salary was enough to win over a group of young people to the emperor's side.

After all, who would want to carry a sense of guilt and take bribes if they can get enough salary from the court?
Those who engage in corruption and bribery are generally experienced people with certain social experience.

As the discussion continued, the issue of tax increases was also brought up.

The result is that now it is not just Donglin and Qi, Chu and Zhejiang parties that are arguing, but the internal debates within each party have begun.

Just talking about the Donglin Party, some people headed by Ye Xianggao opposed the increase of land tax and supported the collection of mining tax (collected by the court, not the palace).

Some people, led by Han Xu and Zhang Wenda, opposed the increase in commercial and mining taxes and advocated increasing land taxes.

Zhu Youxiao lived in Nanhaizi and visited two guards every day, while watching the changes in the capital with cold eyes.

Zhu Youxiao did not choose to pay attention to the arguments among the various parties in Beijing.

Again, when the emperor is strong, party disputes can be easily eliminated.

Many people know the story of Yimu Lixin during Shang Yang's reform.

But what really laid the foundation for Shang Yang's reform was with the strong support of Duke Xiao of Qin. The later King Huiwen of Qin, Ying Si, violated the ban, and his master, Gongzi Qian, and his right master, Gongsun Jia, were tattooed.

The counterexample is Wang Anshi's reform that almost brought about the rise of the Song Dynasty.

The Yuanyou Party members headed by Wang Anshi and the Yuanfeng Party members headed by Sima Guang fought from Song Shenzong to Song Zhezong.

On both sides, either I will completely deny you today, or you will completely deny me tomorrow.

First there is the monument to Yuanfeng Party members, and then there is the monument to Yuanyou Party members.

Then, Su Shi, a litchi faction, was treated as a ball. He was either demoted or on the way to being demoted.

This situation lasted until Song Huizong came to power. Through Cai Jing, an unscrupulous man, he used a "Yuanyou Party Member Monument" to end the party struggle.

However, when Cai Jing grew old, the alliance with Jin to destroy Liao once again set off party disputes in the court.

At the same time, party strife or civil-official strife will also lead to another problem.

That is the moral integrity of civil servants, which is getting lower and lower.

Take the late Song Dynasty as an example. The more they argue, the more moralless they become.

If we say that during the periods of Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi, the integrity of civil servants and officials in the Northern Song Dynasty was still [-]%.

Then the period of Wang Anshi, Han Qi, and Wen Yanbo only had passing marks.

During the most intense period of the struggle between the old and new parties, the scholar-bureaucrats were scrambling to cross the passing line one by one, constantly refreshing the bottom line of moral integrity.

During the Xuanhe, Jingkang and even Zhao Jiumei periods, Li Gang's experience and the actions of Qin Hui and Du Chong tell us that it is already a blessing if it is not a negative number.

The same thing happened in Ming Dynasty.

A gentleman is a group but not a party; a villain is a party but not a group.

And the factor that determines whether the group is the party is beneficial.

They gather because of benefits, and they disperse when benefits are exhausted.

Regarding how to resolve the party dispute, Zhu Youxiao chose to end it personally, pinch these people's necks, physically silence them, and then tell these people that those who are doing things should stay and those who are not doing things should get out.

In the eyes of the emperor, there is no such thing as loyalty, treachery, virtuousness and sycophancy.

There are only those who can do things and those who cannot.

It doesn't matter if Donglin is a eunuch or something else.

Just like the lyrics in The Debate between Purity and Purity.

Wu Zetian valued Di Renjie, but did not give up on Junchen.

Jiajing used Hai Rui, but reused Yan Song.

It's all one truth.

It doesn’t matter this party or that party.

(End of this chapter)