Emperor Ming Dynasty

In the northern provinces, because of the supervision of the censors for the whole year last year, it was very noisy, and the provincial examinations in spring and February even changed the cage and changed the bird, which caused a great change in the officialdom.

According to the conservative estimate of the Ministry of Officials, in the nine northern provinces, except for Suiyuan, the remaining eight provinces and one prefecture have [-]% of the official shortage, which almost overturned the entire court rule.

Last year and this year, the two rounds of provincial examinations, together with the promotion of Juren as an official, barely stabilized the place, and there were no mistakes.

However, it is precisely because of this that the official circles in the northern provinces have been renewed, and the implementation of government orders has also been strengthened.

Of course, this is just the emperor's thought. In fact, for the officials, they thought that Emperor Shaowu would follow Xiao Gui Cao, but it turned out to be true.

The Ming system is here, and everything is afraid of being serious.

As a result, each of them naturally became obedient and serious.

The policy of reducing rent and interest is being carried out smoothly in the north.

As for the foundation of success, besides the refreshment in the officialdom, the foundation of reality is also very important-lack of people.

Wars, droughts, and plagues have caused the people in the northern provinces to live in dire straits, losing sixty-seven out of ten household registrations, and landlords even lack tenants to farm.

Because there are so many wastelands and the government has been exempt from taxation for many years, many self-cultivating farmers choose to open up wasteland, which leads to a shortage of rural labor.

Under such circumstances, rent reduction and interest rate reduction are naturally logical, and there is little resistance.

However, a game of chess across the country started in the north, and the south was naturally unavoidable.

The two provinces of Huguang, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang were the most successful, and there was not much resistance.

Because of the abundance, the population grows extremely fast, and once there are too many things, they are worthless, let alone the population.

The pressure to survive in the south is enormous, and the pressure on scholars is also great.

For example, if there are many scholars in Zhejiang, there will be more teachers; in Jiangxi, there will be more fortune-telling accountants;

Needless to say, Fujian has eight mountains, one water and one field. I am used to going to sea merchants and going to Nanyang.

It is precisely because of this that the land rent in the north is basically around [-]%, while in the south, it reaches [-]% or even [-]%.

Although there are reasons for the double cropping of rice in the south, the greed of the landlords is still outrageous.

Gu Yanwu said bluntly: "The people in Wuzhong have a tenth (one tenth) of the land, and nine tenths (nine tenths) of tenants... and the private rent is as high as two or three dou per stone, and the few are seven or eight dou. The tenants exhaust their energy for one year, and work with dung, and the fee for one mu can be one min, but the income is only a few buckets, and there are even those who pay off the rent today and borrow money tomorrow."

After paying the rent today, you will have to borrow money from the landlord's house tomorrow.

Coupled with high interest rates, it is difficult for tenants to escape for generations.

Therefore, when the reduction of rent and interest spread to the south, it was resisted by most landlords.

The land rent should not exceed [-]%, and the interest should not exceed [-]%, otherwise the three generations would not be allowed to participate in the imperial examination.

This is tantamount to poaching their interests alive, how can it be a boil.

Zhangjia, Shaoxing, Zhejiang.

The Zhang family is very famous in Shaoxing. Its family lives on both sides of the Toumo River. There are more than a hundred clans and thousands of servants.

The Tongfu River in the west and the Miaohe River in the south form a big bay after flowing through the Shaoxing Fuxue Palace. The Zhang family invested collectively in the 21st year of Jiajing to level the big bay and become the inland river of the Zhang family.

Its richness made Shaoxing look sideways.

Zhang Dai has long hair loose, wearing a loose gown and clogs on his feet. He is reading a book leisurely, not to mention how beautiful he is.

At this time, there was a sound of footsteps, "Fourth Lord——"

Without even raising his head, Zhang Dai knew it was his younger brother Zhang Min.

"The footsteps are in a hurry, what's the matter?"

Zhang Min, who was in his thirties, was out of breath. Looking at his brother's relaxed appearance, he couldn't help laughing and said, "You two sons are not in a hurry to take part in the examination?"

"If you fail the exam, try again!" Zhang Dai shook his head: "They are still young, so it doesn't hurt to try again."

"Looking at your hurried steps, you must not care about your nephew. Why are you here?"

"East and West are discussing matters, my father asked me to invite you!"

Zhang Min was not in a good mood.

"With my father here, what do you want me to do? I might as well read a book!" Zhang Dai then turned his head and waved his hands.

"Brother, this is not up to you." Zhang Min sat down on his buttocks: "It is a matter of great importance to the entire clan, but all adult males have to discuss it in the ancestral hall. This is what the patriarch said."

"So many people, what can we discuss?"

Zhang Dai had no choice but to put down the book.

"Change a pair of shoes!" Zhang Min said helplessly, "Although it's just a formality, but in the end it's going to be a public discussion!"

Afterwards, the two brothers came to the ancestral hall.

The prosperity of the Zhang family in Shaoxing can be clearly seen in the ancestral hall.

The ancestral hall covers an area of ​​more than ten mu, with more than ten halls of different sizes, enshrining the ancestors for hundreds of years, and the sacrifice field alone exceeds [-] mu.

Thus, it is enough to accommodate thousands of people to gather.

When the two brothers arrived, there were already people everywhere, but there were few noisy ones, and their faces were basically quiet.

Zhang Dai's grandfather was a Jinshi in the 26th year of Jiajing, his great-grandfather was the number one scholar in the fifth year of Longqing, his grandfather was a Jinshi in the 23rd year of Wanli, and his uncle was a Jinshi in the 41st year of Wanli.

Only his father, Zhang Yaofang, was more ashamed of him, but he was born in Juren.

It is also because the ancestors are so powerful that their position is at the forefront.

Zhang Yaofang, 60 years old, was sitting at the main seat. Seeing her two sons coming, she stared at Zhang Dai unkindly.

The latter can only beg for mercy before giving up.

His great-uncle Zhang Rumao is now retired, sitting high in his seventies, and smiled at Zhang Dai, who has become the patriarch.

After waiting for another half an hour, everyone arrived.

Only then did Zhang Rumao open his mouth and said, "Today I want to talk about the reduction of rent and interest. Last year, the imperial court issued an edict requiring local governments to reduce rent and interest by no more than [-]%."

"This is a benevolent government. Who in the Ming Dynasty would dare to say otherwise?"

"For the sake of my children and grandchildren, I changed the lease a long time ago, but there are still some people who don't follow the rules."

As he said, his eyes widened, and with the support of his grandson, he said loudly: "If someone reports it, the three generations of descendants will not be allowed to take the scientific examination. For a little profit, they will ignore their relatives and friends. I really should put it in my hands." I dug out my heart and fed it to the dog."

"That's all for you. This will ruin our Zhang family's reputation. How will we get married then?"

"The reputation accumulated by the ancestors cannot be destroyed."

"From today onwards, anyone who violates the law again will be expelled from the Zhang family and will not be listed in the family tree—"

When this statement came out, everyone was lost.

Expelled from the Zhang family, without the support of the clan, studying, doing business, and even weddings and funerals, will be greatly affected, and may even be reduced to a slave.

There are too many scholars in the family to enumerate, even the magistrate dare not presumptuously, with so many benefits, who wants to leave?

Zhang Dai clapped the paper fan and praised: "Uncle's move is brilliant, for the Zhang family's reputation, a small profit is not worth it."

Zhang Min said softly: "It is brilliant, but for some people, this is suffering."

"In Zhejiang, our Zhang family took [-]% of the rent in consideration of their prestige, which is quite satisfactory. If it is less than [-]%, it will lose nearly half of the income. It must be uncomfortable."

Zhang Dai was taken aback when he heard this.

A big family like him can earn a lot of money just by relying on the prestige of the Zhang family, and the rent is nothing.

But for ordinary people, it is indeed fundamental.

"It seems that the double reduction, in our south, there is a lot of resistance!"

"That's not true. The policy is a good policy, but the key is that it is difficult to implement." Zhang Min sighed: "I hope it is not anticlimactic!"

Next, Zhang Rumao said tremblingly: "Now, the county government has sent a document..."

As he said that, another person stood up and read aloud the document sent by the county government, and then greeted the person who didn't read much, and explained:

"Anyone with fame in the family can't live in the same family for the third generation, father and son live together, get the points, and set up a separate family—"

"What about the ones without fame?"

"Still the same—"

"Isn't that leaving the Zhumao River?" "It doesn't need to be."

"It's a separation—"

Those who have read the book basically don't ask many questions, while those who don't read much are full of questions.

Zhang Dai has long understood the root cause of his long-term subscription to the "Daming Gazette".

Although it is said that the parents do not separate the family, the imperial court requires that the family with fame must be separated and counted as another household.

This is not just a matter of family property division, but also represents household registration. In name, he and his brothers are no longer a family.

At the end of the discussion, those with fame and fame stayed.

A rough look shows that there are more than [-] scholars and scholars.

Although it is a collection of three or five generations, it is enough to show the horror of the Zhang family.

"You all understand that the imperial decree must not be violated."

Zhang Rumao said in a deep voice: "It's just going to the county government office to write the household registration yellow book. Although you don't go, it's nothing on weekdays, but you all have fame."

"Sooner or later, you have to leave the officialdom and start a career. If someone takes the blame, it will be bad."

"Let's go, all go."

There are only 20 people per county in each session of Scholars. In a place like Zhejiang, there are almost hundreds of people vying for a spot, and the pressure of competition is extremely high.

They are not afraid of the Yamen, but they are afraid of reporting by their opponents.

If because of such a small matter, the career is hindered and the official path is cut off, then the loss outweighs the gain.

Although the group were unwilling in every possible way, they could only admit the reality.

"The imperial court is making more and more moves."

On the way back, Zhang Dai said thoughtfully.

Zhang Min echoed, "Compared to the previous dynasty, the emperor loves the people more and more. This is not a good thing for us and other big families."

"With the Jiashen change, how can the emperor not have a long memory?"

Zhang Dai sighed.

He used to be so leisurely, a child prostitute, a beautiful maidservant, a flying eagle and a running dog, enjoying the glory and wealth for half his life.

But in the Jiashen year, everything changed.

The court is gone, King Fu is gone, and King Lu of Hangzhou Jianguo is gone.

Under the turbulent situation, the order of the court collapsed, and the Zhang family gradually became unstable.

In the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, there was even an anti-rent movement.

Many tenants were instigated and began to attack the main house on a large scale, demanding rent relief, and even in the end, they robbed directly and openly.

The Zhang family was also inevitably affected. After being in turmoil for a long time, they didn't dare to go out at all, and they didn't receive rent for half a year.

With the enthronement in Nanjing today, the order has gradually stabilized.

It was only at this time that Zhang Dai realized, how could there be any eggs under the overturned nest?
It was only then that he realized something, and washed away his former impetuosity.

"Brother, you are only in your forties, why don't you go to Beijing again?"

Zhang Min said with a smile: "Seeing how you care about the country and the people, you are the most suitable to go to the officialdom and fight for the world."

"I can't do it anymore." Zhang Dai said with a wry smile, "I'm okay with making fusses, but it's too difficult to govern the people, so I can't be a county magistrate who only knows how to talk, right? Wouldn't that harm the people?"

Zhang Min smiled, you are afraid that you will lose face, you should take the same subject with your son!

He didn't say that.

Because it is a test, the place is stable, and there is no literary society. Many people are praying for their children, nephews, relatives and friends, and the temples and temples are full of incense.

The Confucian Temple is more expected.

However, in Xiaoshan County between Hangzhou and Shaoxing, a civil unrest broke out.

However, he said that a scholar named Qin Heng could only know a few hundred characters, and was living in the countryside, renting ten acres of land for a living.

When I came to the county seat, I heard that the gentlemen talked about the Daming Communique and talked about the double reduction.

He thought about it, his family rented ten acres of land, if he hadn't been so busy, he might have starved to death.

If it is really only [-]% of the rent, it can be mixed with food and clothing.

So he gritted his teeth, bought a bulletin, publicized it at home, and then mustered up the courage to tell the landlord [-]% of the rent.

This time, the owner's family was immediately annoyed, not only beat him half to death, but also took back all the rented land, and no more planting was allowed.

This immediately caused an uproar in the countryside.

In addition to his being beaten, news of rent and interest reductions was also reported.

In Zhejiang, there are ten farmers and nine tenants. This policy cares about their interests, and one more morsel of grain can save a person's life.

Not to mention reducing the rent by nearly half.

Now, Qin Heng mobilized his relatives to publicize the matter in the village, causing all the people in Xiao County to know about it.

Then hundreds of people gathered and went directly to the master's house, not only looting, but also taking back the IOUs from previous years, which greatly won the hearts of the people.

This time, Xiaoshan County couldn't sit still anymore, and immediately dispatched a patrol battalion to arrest this person. After beating him half to death again, he closed the case directly, reported the death penalty, and sent him to Shaoxing Mansion.

At this time, public opinion was boiling, and people in the city and the countryside were discussing this matter, and they all believed that his crime was not worthy of death.

Many scholars from the bottom class sent out a lot of letters requesting a retrial of the case.

Now, it is the turn of Shaoxing Prefecture and Hangzhou to take the wax.

Following the public opinion, this incident spread to the entire Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions.

Zhang Dai also felt indignant when he heard the words: "It is to obey the state affairs, but bad people try to resist, even if they exceed the rules, it is justifiable, how can they be guilty!"

After saying that, he actually wrote to Hangzhou directly, requesting a retrial of the case.

A letter from Juren is worth a thousand words.

Following Zhang Dai's leadership, many scholars and scholars also wrote letters one after another, causing a lot of excitement.

For a time, Zhang Dai's reputation spread far and wide, and everyone knew him in alleys.

Seeing this, the provincial government of Hangzhou had to think twice and think for a long time.

The governor of Zhejiang had a headache for a few days, and the emperor's decree arrived in Hangzhou, which shocked the whole Zhejiang and caused great disturbance in the officialdom.