prosperous age

Before the end of the meeting, the cabinet ministers habitually had their offices tidied up, while they themselves walked towards the Grand Secretary's office.

Before long, all the cabinet ministers who controlled the affairs of the Ming Dynasty court gathered in the duty room.

Then, starting with Wang Xijue, he went through the memorials that had been processed that day one by one.

These were all routine reports from local authorities, so they naturally didn't cause any discussion.

It wasn't until Shen Shixing mentioned that the Ministry of War had received a report from Shandong that the Dezhou government had arrested several suspected members of the White Lotus sect that the cabinet ministers began to discuss the matter briefly.

With the complete eradication of the White Lotus sect in Shanxi and Shaanxi and the White Lotus sect on the grasslands, some of the sect's followers fled to other places, which was something everyone was actually prepared for.

Shandong has historically been a region where the White Lotus Rebellion was frequently active, such as the Tang Sai'er Uprising during the Yongle era.

Shandong's terrain is mostly mountainous and hilly, which facilitates the formation of secret societies and the concealment of armed strongholds. For example, the Tang Sai'er Uprising relied on Xieshipeng Village in Qingzhou.

As a major agricultural province, Shandong has long had a large number of landless or land-poor farmers, migrants, and canal workers, who are easily attracted by the White Lotus sect's slogans such as "equal land distribution and tax exemption" and "Maitreya's descent into the world."

The White Lotus Sect has a very low entry threshold; one can join simply by reciting "Namo Amitabha Buddha" or paying membership fees, making it suitable for illiterate and impoverished people.

During times of famine, heavy taxes, and oppression by officials, the White Lotus sect often organized relief efforts and collective production, becoming a source of spiritual sustenance and organizational support for desperate people.

"This matter should not be taken lightly."

After listening to Shen Shixing's proposal, Wei Guangde said, "The White Lotus Sect has been resurrected and is now appearing in Shandong. Little do we know whether there are also cult members hiding in Shanxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan and other places, waiting for an opportunity to strike."

Documents should be sent to all provinces, especially those where the White Lotus sect is frequently active, urging them to intensify their efforts to investigate and ban cults.

Meanwhile, the Imperial Guards in various regions should also strengthen their monitoring of the public to prevent members of the White Lotus sect from taking risks and inciting disturbances.

As soon as Wei Guangde finished speaking, Wang Xijue chimed in, "Shuntian Prefecture should also send out officials to thoroughly investigate the activities of cults in the Zhili region."

I heard that the traitors Zhao Quan and Li Zixin once sent people to infiltrate the capital region to gather information and win over government officials to their cause.

It is evident that cults were not only active in Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Shandong, but also had many White Lotus sect members lurking in northern Zhili.

Upon hearing Wang Xijue's words, Wei Guangde nodded slightly and said, "Yuan Yu is absolutely right. The area surrounding the capital should not be underestimated either."

Wei Guangde was actually quite speechless about the White Lotus Sect. Ever since this sect appeared, it seemed that all they did was rebel, making them a true professional rebel.

The key point is that, despite China's long history, the White Lotus Rebellion never succeeded even once.

The White Lotus Sect was a secret religious society that had been circulating among the people since the Tang and Song dynasties. It belonged to the Chinese folk religion sect and was formally founded by the monk Mao Ziyuan in the third year of the Shaoxing era of the Southern Song Dynasty.

The White Lotus sect spread during the Southern Song and Yuan dynasties and became one of the most influential religions in the Central Plains at that time.

During the Yuan Dynasty, the White Lotus sect split, with some followers joining forces with people dissatisfied with Yuan rule to rebel against the Mongol Yuan.

During the large-scale uprisings at the end of the Yuan Dynasty, traces of the White Lotus Sect could be seen almost everywhere, and Zhu Yuanzhang himself was also influenced by the White Lotus Sect.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang had long recognized the true nature of the so-called White Lotus Sect. He believed that the Yuan government was corrupt and that Heaven was about to change its fate, which would lead to the rise of foolish people who were prone to rebellion.

Initially, there were only a few people, but the rest of the foolish heard of this trend and thought of doing the same, so they conspired together to start a rebellion.

In other words, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the White Lotus sect was one of the root causes of social unrest, so as soon as he ascended the throne, he ordered the White Lotus sect to be banned and severely cracked down on related activities.

Despite the severe measures taken, the White Lotus sect did not disappear. Instead, it went underground, became a secret society, and continued to spread among the people.

The key issue is that the White Lotus Sect spreads extremely quickly. For every member arrested, ten new followers emerge, growing faster than weeds.

Even more bizarrely, some officials discovered that the White Lotus sect could predict natural disasters, and impoverished people voluntarily joined the sect in order to survive.

The more the imperial court suppressed the White Lotus Religion, the more the people felt that "the government fears the White Lotus Religion," creating a vicious cycle.

No one expected that today's cabinet meeting would gradually evolve into a discussion about the White Lotus Religion.

"In fact, eradicating the White Lotus Sect is quite simple. As long as we achieve true political integrity and a peaceful and prosperous society, the White Lotus Sect's demagogic rhetoric will crumble on its own."

Unfortunately, just as different people are raised in different ways, the officials below were no exception. The Censorate repeatedly tried to curb their corruption, but to no avail. This was the very soil that allowed the White Lotus Sect to thrive.

Wei Guangde sighed.

Although he had worked very hard to adjust the tax system of the Ming Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty was so large that the conditions of each household were different. He could only say that he could solve the tax burden of most families, but he could not solve the burden of everyone.

There are always people who are driven to the brink of starvation by the imperial taxes for various reasons, and for these people, joining the White Lotus Sect is the only way to survive.

In reality, the White Lotus sect was no longer a religious issue, but rather a dumping ground for social contradictions.

All the contradictions in society eventually erupted and were released through the White Lotus Rebellion.

The so-called eradication of the White Lotus Sect was essentially the elimination of those people who could no longer survive.

Perhaps this is the ancient system of survival of the fittest.

"What the Grand Secretary says is absolutely right. I have carefully reviewed the files on the White Lotus Sect and found that most of those involved were people who had been oppressed by the local authorities, as well as ignorant people who had no way to survive due to taxation."

How tragic and lamentable.

Wang Xijue echoed.

He had actually studied the White Lotus Sect and found that many believers joined the sect mainly because of taxes and oppression, and were forced into it.

His words silenced everyone in the cabinet.

Their silence doesn't mean they lack knowledge.

At least before, they were somewhat aware of this, but Wei Guangde and Wang Xijue made it so blatantly.

"However, now that the tax reform has been implemented, all taxes come from the land."

If ordinary people don't own land, they naturally don't need to pay taxes; presumably, this situation will decrease in the future.

Shen Shixing spoke up at this moment.

“Oppression, corruption in government, and the people being oppressed by officials will still lead them to join the White Lotus Sect.”

Wei Guangde spoke up.

The imperial court's coercion to impose taxes was often the fuse for the White Lotus Rebellion, because it concerned the livelihoods of a large number of people, and only in this way could they gather a large following.

While oppression was sporadic, it was enough to make the White Lotus sect's activities difficult to eradicate.

Moreover, how many people in history have used the White Lotus sect as a front for their own rebellions?

Just as emperors who change dynasties desperately try to prove that they are the legitimate rulers, the will of Heaven, and the popular choice, the White Lotus Sect did the same.

Perhaps the rebels were not actually members of the White Lotus Sect, but were merely using the sect's influence among the people to carry out their actions.

Nobody is discussing how to rectify official corruption, so this matter can't be resolved clearly.

In fact, the Ming Dynasty always severely punished local officials who violated the law, but this did not apply to government officials.

After all, he was a disciple of the emperor, so some face had to be saved; this is what people call mutual protection among officials.

When officials embezzle and break the law, these clerks are often the direct participants, or even the perpetrators.

Therefore, the officials' habitual shirking of responsibility is naturally the work of the clerks in the government offices.

Because they directly face the people, severely punishing them can also restore the court's image among the people.

This is also why people who served in government offices had a low social status in Chinese history.

Although they may seem to be local figures, in reality, no official or gentry respects them.

Without government service, these people would probably struggle to even make a living.

No wonder, these people were classified as the lowest of the low in ancient times, on par with prostitutes and thieves.

Of course, later changes in the system led to a completely different picture. In ancient times, professions were divided into "nine classes," with emperors, immortals, and hermits at the top, and actors and prostitutes at the bottom.

This hierarchical system reflects the values ​​of feudal society. Although it is outdated, it is an important key to decoding Chinese culture.

The term "three religions and nine schools of thought" is commonly used. The three religions are easy to understand; they refer to Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism.

The nine streams are divided into three categories: upper, middle, and lower.

The "Upper Nine Classes" represented the most respected professional groups in ancient society. As the supreme ruler, the emperor naturally occupied the top of the pyramid and held the power of life and death.

Emperors, sages, hermits, immortal children, scholars, warriors, farmers, artisans, and merchants are the nine classes of professions.

Scholars, doctors, fortune tellers, painters, scholars, musicians, chess players, monks, Taoists, and nuns were considered the middle nine classes.

The last ones remaining are: first, a secretary; second, a constable; third, a weigher; fourth, a matchmaker; fifth, a lackey; sixth, a temptress; seventh, a thief; eighth, a burglar; and ninth, a prostitute.

The reason for this classification is actually to reflect the characteristics of Chinese culture, namely morality.

The lowest nine classes were the most discriminated-against professions in ancient times. It wasn't that people in ancient times distinguished between high and low professions, but rather that the moral standards of this group were considered by people in ancient times to be the lowest of the low.

For example, there was a prejudice against people in ancient times who relied on "talking" to get things done, such as secretaries and matchmakers.

The strategists of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods relied on "speaking" to get things done, but they actually had a significant negative impact on later generations.

For example, Zhang Yi's deception of King Huai of Chu and the State of Zhao demonstrated his low moral character, leading society to classify him as a morally depraved individual.

For example, prostitution, theft, and burglary are all morally reprehensible activities.

Given this, Wei Guangde naturally felt no psychological burden in dealing with the situation.

Therefore, Wei Guangde directly set the tone on how to eliminate the White Lotus Sect.

"Rumo, tomorrow you will contact the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate to clean up a group of corrupt officials in the government in each province and bring them to justice."

Everyone naturally understood the meaning behind Wei Guangde's words.

Since the White Lotus Sect is to be banned, the first step is to win over the people. This is one of the means to do so, besides dealing with the officials in the government.

These people have been oppressed by them for many years, so naturally they hate them to the core.

Punishing them pleased the people, and when the court subsequently searched for members of the White Lotus sect, the people's resistance was not as intense.

"Your Excellency, these people are often the ones who know the people below you best."

If we clear them out, it might delay the investigation into the White Lotus sect.

Wang Jiaping interjected.

"It's just a matter of cleaning up those who misbehave; they're not the only ones in the government office."

Wei Guangde waved his hand casually and said.

Dealing with those who do a lot of bad things and trying to please the people will not affect the operation of the government office.

When he said that, everyone else nodded in agreement.

It can be said that feudal dynasties, whenever they needed to quell public grievances, generally did just this.

In fact, these people are the real temporary workers, since they don't have official positions.

It's those officials with official positions who are truly untouchable.

Having set the tone, Wei Guangde took out a draft memorial from his sleeve, handed it to Shen Shixing, and said, "Ru Mo, take a look first."

This is a method I came up with based on recent events in Southeast Asia. Let's discuss it internally first, identify any omissions or deficiencies, and reach a consensus before submitting it to the Qianqing Palace.

Shen Shixing took the document from Wei Guangde's hand, and his expression immediately turned serious after just one glance.

He read it twice, then handed it to Yu Youding beside him without saying a word.

Afterwards, Yu Youding, with a serious expression, handed it to Xu Guo, then to Wang Jiaping, and finally to Wang Xijue.

After reading it, everyone looked serious, their previous relaxed expressions gone.

"After carefully considering the report in yesterday's document about the conflict between Aceh and Palembang, I felt that this matter should not be taken lightly."

Previously, the imperial court had not had close ties with vassal states, but in recent years, naval warships have frequently traveled between various countries' seas, and there have been incidents involving Burma and Luzon.

I suspect that the various countries were apprehensive and fearful, which led to the Aceh incident.

In response, the imperial court should use swift and decisive measures to suppress any dissent and deter the countries of Southeast Asia.

In addition, favors should also be bestowed.

Only by combining kindness and severity can lasting stability be achieved.

After Wei Guangde finished speaking, he looked around at the group of people.

"Should this petition be submitted directly to the emperor, or..."

Shen Shixing spoke up, cautiously.

"Regarding relations with vassal states, I have reviewed the documents and found that there are no written regulations since the founding of the nation."

Therefore, I thought that issuing an edict to all countries would put their minds at ease.

"As long as they show respect to our Great Ming, the Great Ming will naturally protect them."

At this point, Wei Guangde smiled wryly and said, "However, the memorial is just my initial draft, which is only my personal opinion. It still needs to be checked and supplemented by the gentlemen, and the relevant content needs to be improved before it is submitted to His Majesty for his information."

Upon hearing his words, everyone nodded silently.

This was to clearly define the relationship between the Ming Dynasty, the suzerain state, and its vassal states, outlining what they needed to do for the Ming Dynasty and what the Ming Dynasty could offer them, all clearly stated on paper.

"I need to go back and think it over carefully, and I also need to review the documents from the previous dynasty before I can express my opinion."

Wang Xijue spoke first.

His words actually indicated an attitude: he acknowledged the matter, but the regulations needed to be improved.

Yu Youding glanced at Wang Xijue, then at Shen Shixing, and seeing their reaction, he followed suit with the same attitude.

Wang Xijue, Yu Youding, and Shen Shixing in the cabinet have already reached a certain tacit understanding and seem to be working together.

Xu Guo and Wang Jiaping then nodded in agreement.

Seeing this, Wei Guangde turned to Shen Shixing and asked, "What do you think, Rumo?"

"I have no objection."

Shen Shixing immediately nodded and said.

“Since the Hongwu era, I have had the documents between us and our vassal states located and placed in the Secretariat. You may send someone to retrieve them.”

Wei Guangde said.

He had people find the information, knowing he couldn't hide it from them, so he casually revealed it.

Everyone nodded in agreement.

After chatting for a while, they said their goodbyes and went their separate ways.

Wei Guangde sat in the duty room for a while longer before getting up and leaving.

However, what he was most concerned about at this moment was naturally the conflict between Luzon and the Western Barbarians. (End of Chapter)