Chapter 917 Give It a Mountain of Corpses and a Sea of Blood
It gets dark early in winter. After entering Xin'an Lane, various noises can be heard from the houses on both sides of the lane.
"Boss, bring the sticky rice."
"The piece of meat I bought today has been cut into pieces and deep-fried. Last time I ate at the buffet at the Bo's Mansion, the braised pork was indeed extremely delicious. Let's learn how to make it at home."
"..."
"The New Year is coming soon." Jiang Qingzhi felt the festive atmosphere. Compared with later generations, the New Year celebrations at this time were not so noisy, and every household was busy preparing food.
“Food is the most important thing for the people!”
In the study, counselors gathered.
Jiang Qingzhi used this sentence to set the tone at the beginning.
"If we don't open the sea ban, we will be doomed." Jiang Qingzhi said in a deep voice: "The population of the Ming Dynasty is constantly expanding, and the number of new people added every year is countless. Men should be given land! Where is the land?"
"Uncle, after clearing the land, those people will sell the land," said Hu Zongxian.
"It's useless." Xu Wei shook his head. "The common people can't afford it, unless the government buys them all and then distributes them for free."
"That's impossible." Jiang Qingzhi said, "Lü Song has now become the second Xia Yuanji. He wants to keep an eye on all the officials in the world and slap anyone who spends money recklessly. Not to mention buying land...
Today I was drinking with Lu Song, and he revealed some news. Many people in the court are looking for opportunities to block the new policy and snipe at me. "
"It's either this or that!" Xia Yan said slowly, "After clearing the fields, we must collect taxes. Now that we haven't mentioned collecting taxes yet, it's like a sword hanging over their heads, and we don't know when it will fall. Anger and hatred... Qingzhi, do you know how difficult the new policy is now?"
"I have always been prepared." Jiang Qingzhi had read the general process of Wang Anshi's reform, which could be described as a stumbling process amidst thorns.
"Money is the root of the new policy. When Lu Song from the Ministry of Revenue invited you to drink, he was actually hinting that he couldn't hold on any longer and left you to fend for yourself." Xia Yan sneered:
"I know the nature of those people very well. They are eager for you to bring up the issue of lifting the maritime ban. In their eyes, this matter is a target, the so-called shooting the bull from a distance, besieging Wei to save Zhao..."
Xu Wei nodded, "Use this to force them to let them go."
"Exchange." Hu Zongxian said: "This gives them an opportunity."
"Why is it their chance?" Jiang Qingzhi smiled.
"Where will the money and food come from?" Xia Yan sighed. "Building a fleet is extremely expensive. Lu Song's intention is that this will be blocked. Even if the Ministry of Revenue has money, it will be difficult for you to get it."
"Those people are watching you." Xia Yan warned: "Don't be impatient about this matter."
Xu Wei knew Jiang Qingzhi's plan, "Mr. Xia, Lord Bo's intention is to use the opportunity of opening the sea to guide the hatred and anger outward."
"I don't know how much profit maritime trade can bring, but I'm afraid those people would rather sit back and watch the profit go by, and suppress the new policy!"
Xia Yan's words made Xu Wei silent. Hu Zongxian thought for a moment, "They would rather give up their own interests than destroy the new policy. That's right, those people have this idea."
The three former disciples of Confucianism were well aware of this mentality.
Jiang Qingzhi thought of the end of the Ming Dynasty. Did those ministers think the same way?
The country was in chaos, the land was in ruins, the barbarians kept attacking, and the border was in danger...
This is the scene of a nation's demise.
If the emperor and his subjects were united, even if they could not save the country, they could at least delay the crisis and extend the life of the Ming Dynasty by another 20 to 30 years.
But those ministers didn't care about all this at all.
They watched with cold eyes as Emperor Chongzhen became anxious, furious, panicked, and shouted...
The Ming Dynasty is about to fall, what are you waiting for?
Jiang Qingzhi said softly: "You can die as you wish. They would rather sit back and watch you perish. As for our family...just change the master."
Those officials thought that it was just another chaotic period, just like the late Tang Dynasty, when there were military governors everywhere. But it would not be long before the Son of Destiny would appear and unify the country.
Before that, they either stayed at home to study and farm, waiting for the right time, or they looked for a wise leader to serve, waiting for the right time.
Whether you are a self-proclaimed king or the son of destiny, it is up to us to govern the world.
So, what are we afraid of?
Is the Ming Dynasty going to end?
Then let it play out!
The sooner the better!
So, when the news of the fall of the capital and the emperor's martyrdom reached the south, those meat-eaters were actually jubilant.
This was the political ecology of the late Ming Dynasty.
The break between Emperor Jiajing and the literati was the beginning of all this.
The new policy triggered this conflict and hatred ahead of time.
"This is not a dispute." Xia Yan said meaningfully: "Qingzhi, this is a life-and-death fight. Just as you said, both sides are staring at each other at the moment, and it depends on who blinks first."
"How about slowing down?" Hu Zongxian said, "Lift the ban on sea trade... Tsk! But the work of clearing the land has already begun, and we can't stop it now."
"This is how the new policy starts." Xu Wei sighed, "Your Majesty is really..."
The Taoist started with money and food, and to be honest, no one could guess his intention.
Money and food are important, but the start is more important.
"Money and grain are the most important!" Xia Yan stroked his beard and said, "You only see the difficulties, but you don't see the point. Nowadays, the number of refugees in the world is increasing, and the expenses of the court are also increasing. All the new policies need money and grain. If money and grain are not in hand, the new policies will be difficult to sustain... Don't forget that Wang Anshi also fell on money and grain in the past." "Money and grain!" Jiang Qingzhi narrowed his eyes, "I will think of a way to deal with this matter."
"There is no other way." Xia Yan said decisively: "Lu Song's intention is actually to hint to you that if possible, you should find a way to delay the lifting of the maritime ban and wait until the Ministry of Revenue has money and grain in hand before taking action."
Everyone was silent.
But the situation does not wait for anyone!
Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "Let's wait and see about this matter."
That night, Xia Yan had trouble falling asleep and tossed and turned. The old man simply got dressed and went out.
As soon as the door opened, Xia Yan shivered in the cold night wind. He saw a dark shadow floating in front of him and couldn't help but take a step back, "Who?"
The shadow turned around, "Mr. Xia?"
"Ru-jeong!"
Hu Zongxian came over and asked, "You can't sleep either?"
"The new policy is at an impasse, how can I sleep peacefully?" Xia Yan narrowed his eyes and looked at Hu Zongxian carefully, "What's wrong with you?"
Hu Zongxian smiled bitterly, "I also have trouble falling asleep because of this. I tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep, so I just went out for a walk."
"This matter..." Xia Yan put his hands in his sleeves and sniffed, "Qingzhi intends to use the opening of the sea and maritime trade to ease the conflict, but in fact it is a compromise."
Jiang Qingzhi was not a person who liked to compromise, and his hatred for Confucianism was well known. He would do anything to defeat Confucianism.
"Master looks relaxed, but in fact, inside..." Hu Zongxian has been following Jiang Qingzhi for a long time and knows that this boss has been under a lot of pressure recently. "Master is also anxious."
"Not necessarily uneasy, but anxious for sure." Xia Yan said with a smile.
"Why doesn't Your Majesty help?" Hu Zongxian was puzzled. "If Your Majesty helps, the Ministry of Revenue will have to find a way to raise money no matter how difficult it is."
"If Your Majesty keeps taking action, once both sides are in a deadlock, or the conflict is difficult to reconcile, who will end it?"
Xia Yan's voice floated in the night wind, "That will become the nightmare of the Ming Dynasty."
Hu Zongxian was stunned. "Yes. In the early Song Dynasty, Renzong did not leave the court. Therefore, after the failure of the new policy, Renzong threw Fan Zhongyan and others out to calm the anger of the literati and officials, thus overcoming the difficulties."
"Shenzong was full of confidence and personally took part in the reform. Wang Anshi's reform failed, and he was deeply involved in it and died in depression. The situation was irreversible... From then on, party struggles became the drum of the former Song Dynasty's demise, echoing over Bianjing all the time."
Xia Yan said quietly, "Your Majesty is not Renzong, nor is he Shenzong. He failed once before and knows how powerful it is. So this time, Your Majesty stayed in the West Garden and seemed not to have taken any action. In fact, the emperor's eyes were hovering over the capital, and even over the Ming Dynasty. Like a hawk, he was circling.
Once they find that the crisis is irreconcilable, they will swoop down and temporarily pull the Ming Dynasty out of dire straits."
"You said it was a desperate situation."
"Yes. Even if he is pulled out, he will still be alive. People say that if you fail to win the throne, you will die. The one who wins will be the king and the one who loses will be the bandit. Compared with the reform, winning the throne is just a small matter."
“Whether the reform succeeds or fails, it affects everyone in the world and even the general trend of the world.”
"You have a big picture view, so don't hide your shortcomings."
"I……"
"Today you have been hesitant to speak, now it's just you and me, let's talk!" Xia Yan suddenly wanted to imitate Jiang Qingzhi and smoke a medicinal cigarette.
"In fact, in my opinion, given the current situation, it is better to turn our attention to the north."
"You mean...An Da?"
"Yes." The white air exhaled by Hu Zongxian slowly dissipated in the air. "In ancient times, there was a method of providing food to the enemy. Why can't the Ming Dynasty use it? Taking advantage of the internal chaos of Altan Khan, the army went out of the border, burning, killing and looting along the way. All males taller than the wheels were executed.
Since we are going to do it, we should do it thoroughly and completely eliminate the threat from the grassland. When the victory report reaches the capital, the prestige of your majesty and the Duke will be at its peak. With the backing of the triumphant army... we will implement the new policy. "
Xia Yan was a very experienced person, but he took a deep breath and said, "The new policy..."
"Pause!" Hu Zongxian whispered, "Your Majesty... is being reckless. He underestimated the anger and hatred of Confucianism... The hatred that accumulated after Zuo Shunmen has never disappeared, and now there is new hatred. If Your Majesty dares to go out now, I bet those people will dare to kill the king!"
Xia Yan sighed: "Then, go north to transfer the conflicts and hatred?"
Hu Zongxian stamped his feet and said, "Going north to attack the Hu is not to divert conflicts and hatred, but to completely eliminate the threat from the grassland. Without the external threat... the Beijing guards can free up their hands."
"You!" Xia Yan looked at Hu Zongxian in dismay, "Suppress the world?"
"Yes." Hu Zongxian's voice sounded colder than the night wind in Xia Yan's ears. "My Lord once said that the new policy is not a dinner party. If that's the case, then why are you still hesitating? The threat from the north is gone. With the Beijing Guards as the main force and the border troops as the auxiliary, suppress it! Send the army to various places and force the new policy to be implemented. Anyone who opposes it will be arrested."
"If the smoke of war breaks out."
"Then kill them!" Hu Zongxian's voice was icy. "This Ming Dynasty needs a reform as Lord Bo said, from the mind to the body. The ideological reform requires overthrowing the Confucian shroud, and the same is true for the physical reform. If they bow their heads, it's fine. If they refuse... then use swords and guns to reform them."
"Even Xu Wei doesn't dare to come up with such an idea." Xia Yan felt that everyone underestimated this low-key strategist in front of them.
"What did Shang Yang rely on for his reforms? Harsh punishments!" Hu Zongxian said coldly, "Then the Former Qin Dynasty unified the world. Killing for future generations, even if God doesn't bless you, so what?"
"If God doesn't bless us, that's against God!"
"Then go against the will of heaven!"
"If I hadn't been able to see the breath you exhaled, I would have thought you were possessed by a ghost."
Hu Zongxian stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the night sky. "To borrow a line from my uncle's poem, if it is beneficial to the country, I will not shy away from it because of good fortune or disaster! If this world needs mountains of corpses and seas of blood, then give it mountains of corpses and seas of blood!"
(End of this chapter)
