Chapter 554: The Steamed Bun Theory, What a Great Mr. Jiang
Mo Zhan returned home.
The injury on his shoulder still hadn't healed completely, and his mother couldn't help but feel distressed when she saw it.
"My son, why don't you start a small business?"
Mo Zhan shook his head, and his mother sighed, "Chang Wilbur is good, but he has too many enemies. It's dangerous to follow him!"
"Uncle is a man of great accomplishments." Mo Zhan said.
"What's the big deal?"
"Big event in the world."
Seeing her son's determined expression, Jiang couldn't help but sigh, "There are so many major events in the world, how much can he accomplish alone?"
Mo Zhan said, "My uncle said that if you don't do it, I don't do it, and he doesn't do it, the Ming Dynasty will surely sink. Even if more people do it, the Ming Dynasty will have more hope."
Jiang was making clothes for him. After biting the thread with her teeth, she said, "Get up and try."
Mo Zhan stood up and stretched out his arms. Jiang tried them on and said, "It fits me perfectly." She put the clothes down and said, "There are the emperor and the prime minister above. Just let them do those things."
"My uncle once said that even though I am in a low position, I still dare not forget my country."
"Why does my son keep talking about his uncle?"
Mo Zhan was silent for a moment, "Because... what Uncle said is right."
For many people, right or wrong is never a question. The question is that their own interests cannot be harmed in the slightest.
What Jiang Qingzhi did in Suzhou Prefecture made the powerful people in the world feel the pain.
More than ten powerful people were beheaded, and the crime was treason!
Damn it!
You dare to rebel with more than a dozen powerful men? Do you really think that the people in the world are fools!
Some people questioned and even impeached him, but the memorial was intercepted by Yan Song. The rebuke from Yan Song came from Zhilu:
"Is there solid evidence that the powerful people in Suzhou Prefecture are plotting rebellion? Do you want evidence?"
The young minister walked out of the palace, sticking out his fat belly, and said proudly: "No need!"
Hey!
"Could it be that the Yan Party and the Mohist School have merged?"
"Mostly."
"The Yan Party is extremely powerful, and Jiang Qingzhi is very capable. If the two factions join forces, I'm afraid our days will be difficult."
"What are those celebrities doing? I don't know how to make a move."
"If anyone can stand up and suppress Jiang Qingzhi, those people said that they will fully support this person."
"It's a pity for Xu Jie."
"What's there to be sorry about?"
"That's the Ministry of Personnel!"
"The Minister of Personnel is nothing."
"Then what do you say counts?"
"For example..."
When Prince Jing and Prince Yu returned to the palace, they heard several officials discussing the matter.
"Local tyrants have inextricable ties with the officials in the capital." King Jing looked at the officials coldly, "They must have a large number of slaves and countless fertile fields at home."
"When the interests of officials and powerful people coincide, the Ming Dynasty will be in danger." Prince Yu thought thoughtfully.
"Your Highnesses, His Majesty has summoned you." A eunuch took the two princes away, and several officials looked at each other.
"I wonder if those two have listened to it."
"How could I not have listened? Now the two princes seem to be getting along, but there is only one position. As Your Majesty grows older, it is imperative to appoint a crown prince. Who would be willing to give up the throne?"
"You only need to stand opposite Jiang Qingzhi to get the full support of our Confucianism. How about this deal?"
"It's not a loss!"
……
"...My cousin said that the origin of the Ming Dynasty crisis was population."
"population?"
Through a door, the father and his two sons were communicating.
As Dao Ye gradually stepped to the forefront, such exchanges became more and more frequent.
"Yes." King Jing said, "My cousin said that even if we take back all the lands annexed by those powerful people and bring back all the people, the population will still continue to grow. But the land in the world is limited, and the population is growing uncontrollably and faster and faster..."
The Taoist said softly: "The land cannot support the population..."
"Yes." King Jing said, "My cousin gave an analogy. Originally, the Ming Dynasty made a steamed bun. Ten people ate it and everyone was full. But gradually the population increased, 20 people, 30 people... one steamed bun could not feed them. This is the root cause of the crisis in the Ming Dynasty."
"When dynasties mentioned dynasty crises, they mostly mentioned land annexation, population absorption, corrupt officialdom... the steamed bun theory." The Taoist priest stood behind the door, quietly looking at the somewhat cold sunlight on the stone slabs outside.
"Father," Prince Yu said, "What my cousin said is correct. When the country was founded, the population was declining, nine out of ten houses were empty, and wasteland was everywhere. In this way, everyone has land to farm and everyone can have enough food.
With the help of the brave soldiers and generals who swept away foreign tribes at the founding of the country, the so-called prosperous times often appeared. Now it seems that this prosperous time was nothing more than the result of decline and fall. "
"Hmm?" The Taoist snorted unhappily.
King Jing glanced at his elder brother, thinking, where did you get this theory from? "Father, the previous dynasty declined, either due to internal strife or invasion by foreign races. As a result, nine out of ten households in the world were killed. Then the new dynasty was established on this basis. Isn't this based on the decline of the previous dynasty?"
Prince Yu raised his eyes, and there was a look in his eyes that was unfamiliar to Prince Jing. "The so-called cycle of order and chaos, the alternation of rise and fall, is just like this. The previous dynasty collapsed, and nine out of ten households in the world were killed. Then the new dynasty was established in the empty Central Plains. The population contradictions and crises were gone, so it developed rapidly... This is prosperity.
Then came the peaceful years, with a growing population. When the land could no longer support the population, a crisis broke out, and the dynasty collapsed. Then, nine out of ten households were killed... A new dynasty was established again..."
Prince Yu's voice was very soft, but it sounded like thunder, causing Huang Jin's body to tremble.
He was well-read in history books, but had never heard of such remarks.
The historical records often comment on the rise and fall and the cycle of order and chaos by saying that the emperor was stupid, the ministers were incompetent, or the powerful ministers were in power. There are also various other reasons, such as land annexation and corrupt government...
"So-called natural disasters and man-made disasters are actually just the right time. Take the Ming Dynasty for example. Which year has there not been a natural disaster? But which natural disaster has caused war everywhere?"
Prince Yu became more and more excited as he spoke. An idea came to his mind: what Sun Chonglou said was right. His cousin was a talent that only appears once every five hundred years!
"When the dynasty reached its end, it was like a spent force, or like sitting on a pile of extremely dry firewood, and the so-called natural disaster was just a spark. Even without the spark of natural disaster, there would be civil unrest, or something else to ignite the firewood and destroy the dynasty!"
Prince Yu finished speaking and took a deep breath. "I used to study with those Confucian scholars. I learned the so-called right way and read the so-called classics. They instilled in my mind many ideas that a wise ruler and wise ministers will surely bring about a great governance. But now I think that they are all just talking nonsense, empty talk, and have no benefit in governing the country."
He stood up and said through a door, "Fortunately, my father allowed me to study with my uncle, so I was able to understand this truth. If I hear the truth in the morning, I can die in the evening. I feel this way right now."
Inside, the Taoist only felt a buzzing in his head.
"The cycle of prosperity and decline is caused by too many people."
……
"What do you think His Majesty will think of this statement?" Xia Yan asked with a smile in the study room of the Jiang family.
"Your Majesty is extremely smart. In fact, over the past thousands of years, countless smart people must have thought of this. But why has no one mentioned it? It's because they have drawn a cage for themselves and imprisoned themselves!"
Jiang Qingzhi took a puff of herbal medicine cigarettes. "Whenever this thought comes to mind, they are led back to the viewpoints they accepted in the past. The rise and fall cycle has nothing to do with population. It is the incompetent rulers, the treacherous ministers, and the corrupt government. Why do they deceive themselves and confine themselves to a prison?"
Under the gaze of the crowd, Jiang Qingzhi slowly said: "It's just because they are panicked and frightened. As for the reason..."
Jiang Qingzhi shook off the ash from his cigarette and smiled. "The growing population is the root cause of the dynasty's decline. So, how to solve it? Under the rule of Confucianism, the dynasty couldn't find a solution, so they bent their waists, stuck their butts out, and pretended not to know the answer."
"You have confined yourself to a prison and deceived yourself!" Xia Yan covered his forehead with his hands. "I am also one of them. I am so ashamed and guilty!"
Hu Zongxian looked at Xu Wei and said, "Old Xu, you claim to be extremely smart, but have you ever deceived yourself like what Uncle said?"
Xu Wei did not answer, but Hu Zongxian could not help laughing when he saw his unhappy expression.
……
Taoist priest was extremely smart. He figured out the problem in an instant with just one click.
"Yes, land annexation and population absorption only make this problem more urgent. They are not the root cause."
There was something special in Dao Ye's eyes. "Qing Zhi... is indeed a great talent. Did he tell me how to solve it?"
Then Dao Ye smiled again, "Forget it, I think this question will embarrass him as well."
"Father."
"explain."
"This matter..."
"Rebellious son, do you want to taste your father's punishment?"
"Father, my cousin said that the solution to this problem couldn't be simpler."
"Huh? That brat said that? How shameless!"
"My uncle said, just make the steamed bun bigger."
It became quiet inside instantly.
King Jing glanced at his elder brother and whispered, "Are you not going to pretend today?"
Prince Yu then realized that he seemed to have just... shined.
He laughed dryly and said, "This is a flash of inspiration."
I don’t believe you... King Jing was silent.
A while ago, many ministers suggested to establish a crown prince. Most supported Prince Yu, but there were also many who agreed that he should be the crown prince.
Although both of them said that the matter was decided by their father, only they themselves knew what they were thinking deep in their hearts.
"Make the steamed buns bigger!" Taoist said quietly, "In the past, Qingzhi would always mention opening the sea, going out to trade, and rebuilding the navy...
He even kept deceiving me, saying that there were countless unowned lands, endless resources, rivers flowing with milk and honey... countless gold and silver. Only some stupid natives were still eating raw meat and drinking blood. Now it seems that this kid has been planning since then. "
"I cannot sit back and watch the Ming Dynasty decline, or leave the problem to my children and grandchildren. If so, I will definitely make plans for it." Dao Ye stood up and looked into the distance, as if he saw an endless ocean. "If we want to go to sea, we must build a strong navy and more powerful weapons. The Mohists are good at mechanical arts. In this way, the country will prosper, and we must make use of the Mohists..."
The two princes outside the door looked at each other.
My cousin actually fooled my father?
"What a Mohist!"
"What a great Mr. Jiang!"
……
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(End of this chapter)
