I'm really not doing business

Chapter 765: Four Characteristics of Being a Silly Person

Zhu Yijun supported Wang Chonggu's proposal from the bottom of his heart to build an official post road from Womagang to Xianbei City. He supported it because he knew very well that the Cossacks would chase furs from the Ural Mountains to Vladivostok, and then become a great enemy of China in the north.

The Ming Dynasty had just solved the problem of Mongolia south of the desert, and Suiyuan was being ruled by the king. The two hundred years of war had finally ended, and the biggest problem since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty had been solved. Even if it chose reconciliation, just like the merger of the Han Dynasty and the Huns, it was also a solution. There could no longer be a strong enemy in the north.

Supporting the precarious Siberian Khanate was to ensure the security of the north, prevent the eastward expansion of Russia, and prevent the Ming Dynasty from continuing to make large investments in the north.

There are no big rivers in the north of the Ming Dynasty.

The development of any civilization is carried out along rivers. The same is true for the Ming Dynasty. After controlling the Yangtze River and Yellow River basins, the Ming Dynasty's development in the Indochina Peninsula was extremely intense, also because of the development of the great rivers.

Canal transport is the most labor-saving and resource-saving mode of transportation, and this remains the case even in later times when productivity was extremely high.

The big river is a belt of life and a belt of civilization.

The fact that the North could hold out for more than 200 years without water transport was already the limit of the Ming Dynasty. If powerful enemies continued to appear in the North, it would be extremely bad news for the Ming Dynasty and would mean greater investment.

When Zhu Di moved the capital to the north and gave up the ocean, it was a greater investment.

For the foreseeable future, the ocean is everything.

The freight for transporting a stone of rice from Songjiang Prefecture to Jiayuguan is the same as that to Peru, and even the time is similar. This is the huge advantage that sea transportation, a natural route that falls from the sky, has. If we add ocean currents, such a natural ocean highway, the advantages of sea transportation are infinite.

The Ming Dynasty did not care about the exact conflict between the Siberian Khanate and the Russian Empire, but it wanted to have no unified powerful enemy in the north. It would be best if it were like now, with scattered and densely distributed tribes.

"Building official roads and camps and post stations along the way is the cheapest way. The prisoners on the Korean battlefield are the cheapest labor force. They will not even cause trouble if they are given some food. Of course, they still need to be castrated to prevent future troubles." Wang Chonggu persuaded the Ministry of Revenue to agree.

This type of development method has been used since the Han Dynasty. When the Han Dynasty opened up the Western Regions, they built camps, forts and post stations.

"Tell me, how much silver?" Wang Guoguang agreed with Wang Chonggu's statement. As long as Wang Chonggu did not engage in military colonization, did not want to build a long highway, and did not want to wage war to the west, Wang Guoguang would agree.

Economic colonization is extremely cheap, earning more while spending less.

"Two hundred thousand shi of grain." Wang Chonggu answered the question.

"Two hundred thousand...food?" When Wang Guoguang heard that it was only two hundred thousand, two-fifths of the imperial mausoleum, he immediately agreed. But when he heard that the unit was food, he became a little skeptical.

Wang Chonggu said very accurately: "To drive the captives, only food is enough. Does the Grand Tutor need to pay them a salary?"

"Okay." Wang Guoguang bowed his head towards the platform and said, "Your Majesty, I think there is no problem."

It only costs a small amount to do it. If you had told me earlier that it only cost this much, I would have agreed earlier!
Wang Chonggu said this in front of His Majesty. He would not increase the budget afterwards. Even if it was not enough, Wang Chonggu would only choose to make things difficult for the Japanese pirates instead of breaking his promise in front of His Majesty.

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "Then let them pass. They are Japanese slaves after all."

On the Korean battlefield, in order to perform castration more quickly, the Ming Dynasty trained a medical team of 500 people specializing in castration, and these 500 people were mainly Koreans.

The Koreans hated the Japanese pirates to the core. The cries of their dying family members were still echoing, the flames of their destroyed homes had not yet been extinguished, and they had nowhere to vent their anger. If the Ming Dynasty had not needed labor and did not allow killing, these castrators would have been the best executioners.

Splitting the road of life and death with both hands and cutting off the root of right and wrong with one knife is the way North Koreans express their anger.

Most of the iodine produced in the Ming Dynasty was used on these Japanese slaves. The survival rate of castrated slaves also increased from less than 75% to more than 96%, and the survival rate is still increasing. There are simply too many people who need castration, so practice makes perfect.

A steady stream of prisoners of war would arrive at Womagang via the Chidao Road and then die in the process of road construction. This was the Ming Dynasty's consistent way of dealing with prisoners of war, which began during the Hongwu period and continued until the Wanli period.

Shen Li said hesitantly, "Your Majesty, the Hanlin Academy members oppose Your Majesty's leniency towards Zhejiang students. They are a bunch of traitors. They will be banned from taking exams for ten years, not even a day less."

Shen Li naturally received the imperial edict, but when he went to carry it out, the Ministry of Rites opposed it, the Censorate opposed it, and even the Hanlin Academy opposed it.

"No, aren't benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness the five virtues of Confucianism? I asked Zhejiang to return the land, and after the land is returned, I will forgive them. Isn't this a benevolent policy?" Zhu Yijun said with some pretended surprise.

What about benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness? Even a child cannot be fooled.

"Ah, how can you spit out what you've eaten?" Shen Li sighed and said, "Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness are just words, but when it comes to a dispute over interests, no one is willing to spit it out, even if it's only three imperial examinations."

In the name of suppressing a rebellion, the emperor permanently reduced the number of Jinshi candidates in Zhejiang by ten, leaving only 25 candidates in Zhejiang, and banned examinations for ten years. During this period, the allocation of these 25 candidates was a typical distribution of existing stocks, which would have been impossible without violent means.

Even though the ten-year period has expired, it would be extremely difficult for Zhejiang to get these 25 extra staff back.

After all, due to the ten-year ban on examinations, Zhejiang students have lost 75 real Jinshi scholars, lacking voice, and are at an absolute disadvantage in court struggles.

Moreover, because the number of treasonous plots has been reduced, when the ten-year period is up, the officials in the court will still use treason to stop it.

Officials from Zhejiang can only avoid suspicion.

The imperial examination had already been held in the 14th year of the Wanli reign. Everyone had already eaten the meat, and if they were asked to spit it out, they would absolutely refuse to do so.

The ten-year ban on examinations was a painful blow to the Zhejiang gentry, but the smooth implementation of the ten-year ban on examinations in exchange for the order to return land was not a losing deal for the Zhejiang locals. If they really cared about the income from farming, they could slowly merge with other gentry.

Failing to pass the imperial examination and not being able to obtain sufficient political status is a fatal matter.

"Your Majesty, I have a solution, which is to go around in a circle." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said, "Since Korea has been conquered, officials are needed to govern Korea. Under this pretext, 25 more officials will be appointed, and Korean students and Zhejiang students will compete for these 25 officials."

The emperor supported Shen Shixing. As his mentor, Zhang Juzheng would never hesitate when it was time to take action. He knew very well how difficult it was to issue the order to return the land. Any additional help he could provide was a plus.

As long as Zhejiang makes the order to return land clear, the trend of returning land will be unstoppable and will sweep the whole country. Whoever does not return land will not have enough agricultural surplus, enough industrial population, and enough craftsmen, and will be at an absolute disadvantage in the competition.

"Then Zhejiang is sure to win, right?" Zhu Yijun thought about it. This is an increase. In order to expand the territory, the Ming Dynasty needs more Jinshi positions. Going around this circle is just right.

When it comes to politics, you often have to go around in circles.

Zhang Juzheng's meaning was very clear. These 25 quota members were for Zhejiang. When the ten-year period was up, or the land return order was fully implemented, a few quota members would be fished out from each pit and allocated to North Korea.

Shen Li said solemnly, "Your Majesty, Zhejiang will definitely win, but there are also quite a few scholars in North Korea. As long as North Korea can get a position, it will mean that North Korea has won and it will be a shame for Zhejiang. I'm afraid that the scholars of Zhejiang will be laughed at for generations to come."

Even North Korea cannot beat them in the exams. Once you are abused by the North Korean scholars, the Zhejiang scholars will follow you for the rest of your life and you will never be able to get rid of it.

The cabinet actually has the ability to force each pit to spit out what they have eaten. After all, Zhang Juzheng is an absolutely authoritarian figure. The reason why he has to go around in circles is to set layers of restrictions for Zhejiang students to let them know that this is a hard-won grace from the emperor. If they continue to rely on their economic status to compete with His Majesty, they will never be able to expect grace from the emperor again.

The grace bestowed by His Majesty is not so easily obtained.

The easier it is to get something, the less we value it.

"Then let's do as you say, sir." Zhu Yijun agreed to the proposal.

The number of Jinshi candidates will be increased to 375 in the next joint examination, and only the top 50 in mathematics will be eligible to enter the Academy of Gewu or become a principal at the Royal Institute of Technology.

The status of the Doctor of Gewu in the Ming Dynasty is that of a true royal relative and a true member of the royal family.

At the grand New Year's banquet, the Doctor of Gewu had a special side hall to celebrate the New Year with His Majesty, and even the royal family had to stay in the Ten Kings City.

If a Doctor of Gewu breaks the law, he must first report it to His Majesty, and then the Northern Pacification Division will handle the case specifically.

Li Kaifang's younger brother Li Kaizao committed a crime. Li Kaifang went to the imperial court for his brother. His brother was pardoned and he himself was intact. What a royal favor!
Until now, no censor has dared to go to Huangji Gate to bow down, for fear of being beaten to death by His Majesty!

Another way to put it is to force the emperor to abdicate, which is treason, especially after Yang Tinghe and his son staged a farce of "the dynasty has nurtured scholars for 150 years, and today is the end".

Li Kaifang did it, Li Kaizao was pardoned, and Li Kaifang was still fine.

Of course, Dr. Gewu also has to pay taxes. Your Majesty also pays taxes. Dr. Gewu's technical dividends also have to be taxed, but only 3%. This is the grace of the emperor, an incentive policy of taking % out of and halving it.

As a key figure in the development of productivity, being able to become a Doctor of the Study of Things basically means being a divine figure who has transcended the Three Realms and is not bound by the Five Elements.

This is also the reason why Jinshi scholars are willing to study mathematics and take the examination in the Academy of Gewu. The transcendent status of a Doctor of Gewu, if not a member of the royal family or a royal relative, then what is it?
Zhang Juzheng took out a memorial and said, "Some officials in our Ming Dynasty who are just sitting there doing nothing have four typical characteristics."

"The first is that they are afraid of being discovered because they have nothing in their heads. They speak in a confusing way so that people can't understand them. They even deliberately complicate simple things so that people don't understand what they are doing. They deliberately speak in an official tone, fearing to take any responsibility. If something goes wrong, it's the subordinates' fault, and if they make achievements, it's because they have foresight."

"To deal with those who are irresponsible, we must ask the Ming officials to speak plainly and explain things clearly. To be more precise, there must be clear instructions, and the instructions must be in written form to facilitate accountability and commendation."

"Wait a moment, sir." Zhu Yijun said immediately after hearing this: "It's already very difficult for us officials of the Ming Dynasty."

The emperor was as diligent as a donkey in a mill, memorials could not be submitted overnight, the performance evaluation system was limited in time, the names on the draft list were covered, the names in the basic register were filled in, Hai Rui fought against corruption, and party leaders like Wang Chonggu and Zhang Juzheng were still metabolizing themselves. The pressure on the Ming bureaucracy was already very great.

Zhang Juzheng put too much pressure on the administration of officials. If he pushed too hard, these officials might become angry with the emperor. If they were to resist, it would be easy for them to cause trouble and hinder the Ming Dynasty's revival. Zhang Juzheng said solemnly, "Your Majesty, this year, another census of the population was conducted in the capital. Wang Xiyuan, the chancellor of Shuntian Prefecture, found that there were more than 0 children aged 4 to in the capital, accounting for one-fifth of the total population in the capital. If this trend continues, the population of the capital will increase sevenfold in fifty years."

"Looking at Shen Shixing's memorial alone, it doesn't seem like a big deal, but if the population of the Ming Dynasty increases fivefold in the next fifty years, there will be several metropolises with a population of tens of millions. By then, it will be too late to make plans. The administration of officials must be strict, and there will be screening at every level."

For the imperial court, the population explosion in a short period of time may be the biggest and most severe challenge Your Majesty will face in the future. The combination of factors such as population growth, population concentration, and the increase in industrial population will place higher demands on the officials of the Ming Dynasty.

"If a man does not plan for the future, he will surely have immediate worries." Wang Chonggu said as he stepped out of the class and bowed his head. Wang Chonggu supported the pressure on the administration of officials instead of opposing Zhang Juzheng because of party struggles.

The scale of government-owned factories was constantly expanding, and the Ming Dynasty's overseas expansion was in full swing. Bureaucrats had to be specialized and matured through institutional means.

If they are trapped in the vicious circle of retro-Confucianism, the times will completely abandon these inferior Confucians, and they will be eliminated if they cannot properly perform their functions.

Even the tax inspectors are becoming professionalized.

"Well then." Zhu Yijun was silent for a moment and then said, "Sir, please speak."

Zhang Juzheng continued, "The second typical characteristic is that they are pretentious, muddle through, and will fool around if they can. They will not cause trouble if they can avoid it. They dare not do anything, do not want to do anything, and are too lazy to do anything. But if something goes wrong, they will immediately resign."

"For this kind of situation, we need to conduct a timely investigation, and we need the Imperial Censorate to re-examine everything to ensure that it is not a perfunctory measure or a way to get by."

At this point, Zhang Juzheng looked at Hai Rui. Hai Rui had carried out a comprehensive reform of the Censorate in the fourteen years since he returned to the court. Currently, the censors of the Censorate could be given some trust, but of course just a little.

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Unlike the early years of the Wanli period, it was no longer a pure tool for party struggles and a mouthpiece for the powerful and the right wing.

Zhang Juzheng held his hand and continued, "The third typical characteristic is that they are full of bad intentions and wait for you to make a mistake. They have studied benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trustworthiness all their lives, but they have not taken it to heart at all. They regard being an official as a place of fame and fortune, fighting for the sake of fighting, waiting for subordinates, colleagues, and superiors to make mistakes, and then immediately add insult to injury, or even deliberately set traps to harm their colleagues."

"This is also simple. The inspectors and governors of various places will regularly visit and question the officials in the court anonymously, investigate thoroughly, find the bad apples, and purge the scum in the bureaucracy."

"The fourth typical characteristic is absolute loyalty and deep understanding. They form cliques and factions in the local area, and attack the slightest dissent. They put obstacles in the way, blackmail, and refuse to cooperate in the work, so that the dissidents will fail in the examination."

"This is also simple. Let the officials under the Examination and Performance Law write a petition, clearly state the situation, and after the petition is reviewed, it will be sent to the Censorate for supervision and verification."

Zhang Juzheng mentioned the four most typical characteristics of officialdom, which are unhealthy tendencies that must be curbed, and are conducive to clearing out incompetent people and removing the mediocre and promoting the capable. The performance evaluation system abolished the slavery of bureaucrats and gave them the opportunity to compete relatively fairly.

"If there is one such characteristic, you must be careful; if there are two, you should be dismissed; if there are three, you should never be re-employed." Zhang Juzheng told Your Majesty the basic principles of handling, which is also part of the performance evaluation system.

"What about the other four?" Li Youzi asked puzzledly.

Wang Chonggu shook his head and said, "With four characteristics, what else could it be but a traitor? Yuan Fu, how did you come up with such an accurate summary?"

Wang Chonggu's understanding of the traitors was very professional. He approved of Zhang Juzheng's actions, but he made a great decision. Wang Chonggu even suspected that Zhang Juzheng made a life profile based on his past experiences!
He has all four characteristics.

Could it be that Zhang Juzheng had opened his third eye and could follow him every day to see what he was doing, saying and doing?
"Well, I found Wang Qian and asked him. He told me everything he knew, chattering like a surging river. He told me every detail of Wang Ci Fu's previous working habits." Zhang Juzheng said with a smile.

"Ah?" Wang Chonggu's eyes suddenly widened, and he stared at Zhang Juzheng blankly, with a look of disbelief on his face, and he didn't move.

It really wasn't a still picture. The courtiers in the Wenhua Hall looked at each other. The professionally trained etiquette officers were trying very hard to hold back their laughter. Their faces were serious and ashen, for fear of laughing out loud.

Wang Chonggu really misunderstood Zhang Juzheng. Zhang Juzheng only knew a general idea of ​​Wang Chonggu's past and did not know all the details clearly. After all, Zhang Juzheng was very busy and did not have the time to stare at Wang Chonggu every day and study his every move.

It was Wang Qian who told Zhang Juzheng the details of Wang Chonggu's actions, and only then was he able to identify the traitorous characteristics in Wang Chonggu.

"Rebellious son, absolutely a rebellious son! The Prime Minister just sold out my son like that?" Wang Chonggu asked with some confusion, the corners of his mouth twitched a few times.

"Wang Qian specifically told me to tell Wang Ci Fu that these four points were found from Wang Ci Fu. He was willing to sacrifice his own family for the sake of the Ming Dynasty's administration. Wang Ci Fu has raised a good son." Zhang Juzheng said sincerely. He really recognized Wang Qian.

The past is past. Wang Qian’s sharing of Wang Chonggu’s past behavior will be helpful for the country to select talents.

Wang Chonggu took a deep breath, then shook his head and said, "Hey, it's all my fault."

Because of the issue of juren, Wang Qian could not be promoted, so naturally he became a loving father and a filial son. He even specifically told Zhang Juzheng to tell the truth. Wang Chonggu could not blame his son for being so irritating to him. The juren issue was a disaster caused by his father's lack of trust in his son.

The core of the disaster is not whether Wang Qian is talented or not, but that this is imperial examination fraud. Not revoking his honors is a personal pardon from Your Majesty.

Of course when I get home and close the door, I still have to beat him.

Zhu Yijun was watching the show from the side and specifically instructed the eunuch that if something was not right, he should immediately go to the Jiekuyuan to ask for the chief physician. Wang Chonggu was old and was so angry by Wang Qian that he might faint. Fortunately, Wang Chonggu didn't seem to be that narrow-minded.

In fact, Wang Qian had a choice, which was to be a sole minister and a cruel official. However, none of the sole ministers and cruel officials in every dynasty had a good ending, and they all became scapegoats of the emperor in countless cases.

Now Wang Chonggu is still in power and is still alive. The emperor should give him face. When he leaves office or dies, the emperor will definitely reuse this kind of loyal and cruel official and make him do things that are not very convenient to do.

Wang Chonggu can only pin his hopes on His Majesty's morality. Fortunately, His Majesty is very moral. Over the years, His Majesty has always emphasized the principle of sharing happiness and bearing difficulties alone, and he is even a little protective of his children.

As long as they are His Majesty's people, and they point fingers and complain, His Majesty will take the blame himself and do something extraordinary, which is quite chivalrous, such as killing Chen Youren in the street who glorified the Japanese pirates and slandered General Qi's Eastern Expedition.

"Then let's do as you say, sir." Zhu Yijun agreed with Zhang Juzheng's proposal and made further improvements to the administration of officials.

"I obey your order." Zhang Juzheng looked at Wang Chonggu for a while with a very complicated expression before returning to his seat in front of the long table.

Logically speaking, if one possesses all four characteristics, he should be an absolute incompetent. After all, each of the four assessment criteria points to incompetence. But if one possesses all four characteristics, he would be very capable. After all, it is impossible for someone to do so many bad things without having any ability.

This is very consistent with another concept of the theory of contradiction: everything will turn into its opposite when it reaches its extreme. Extreme conservatives and extreme radicals often show similarities, which is the objective law that positive pole gives birth to negative pole and negative pole gives birth to positive pole.

"Your Majesty, the descendants of ninety-four princes and nobles of the Mongol Empire have arrived at Wanguo City in Songjiang Prefecture and will come to Beijing today. The imperial court has arranged for them to study in the Siyi Hall. Can they be taught mathematics and science and engineering?" Shen Li talked about something that His Majesty had promised before, that a group of international students had arrived in the Ming Dynasty.

"You can teach them, but you have to teach them etiquette first, especially about going to the toilet." Zhu Yijun gave special instructions because he was afraid that these international students from the Mongol Empire would defecate everywhere.

This is Zhu Yijun’s biggest worry about these people.

In the Wanguo City, the sailors from the Mongol Kingdom would defecate everywhere and were reported by other barbarians several times. The servants from the Maritime Customs Office tried to preach to them, but it was completely useless. So they had to use the "six sticks in one second" method. After a period of time, these sailors finally learned how to go to the toilet.

Shen Li hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, these are all descendants of princes and nobles, all Brahmins and Kshatriyas, not Vaishyas, and they have learned etiquette."

"Mungugh King Akbar sent them here and gave each of them 10,000 silver coins, asking the Ming Dynasty to train them well. Even if they died, it would not be a pity."

The Mongol Empire had a strict hierarchy, a merger of the four-class system and the caste system that were the legacy of the Yuan Dynasty. It was completely different from the class system of the Ming Dynasty, so the Ministry of Rites was quite uncomfortable dealing with the Mongol Empire. Every time the Ministry of Rites saw the situation under the rule of the Mongol Empire, they were very glad that the Ming Dynasty had returned like lightning!

Akbar claimed that he was the Dharma Protector, the future Buddha, the future Wheel of Time King, and the Brahmin among Brahmins. The nobles were also Kshatriyas, that is, military and political rulers.

"Your Majesty, Akbar called this study a search for roots. Akbar does not like castes, nor does he like the fourth class of people." Shen Li said seriously.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and said, "Looking for roots? What roots? In my opinion, he has done a good job. My Ming Dynasty is also full of contradictions. I am also walking on thin ice, fearing that the foundation of my ancestors will be destroyed in my hands. Every family has its own affairs and every family has its own difficulties. Mengwuer, there is no need to learn from the Ming Dynasty."

"Just learn this, humility and pride." Shen Li bowed his head and said, Your Majesty's words were very polite, which was humility.

Akbar founded the foundation of the Mughal Empire, and he felt that these two things were what the Mughal Empire lacked most.

It is very difficult to understand the Ming Dynasty as a country where politics and religion were combined, because the Ming Dynasty focused on the present world.

When the Central Plains completely completed the county system in the Han Dynasty, when the iron officials of the Han Dynasty constantly supervised the craftsmen to smelt various ironware beside the blast furnace, and when the Han cavalry completely defeated the Huns in the northern desert, from that moment on, the construction of national identity through religion became a false proposition for the Central Plains.

The Han people were extremely extravagant and made ironware, which was like a treasure, into farm tools. Up to the 14th year of the Wanli reign, iron pots were still the second most valuable commodity in the Ming Dynasty after cotton cloth.

The overall leadership of the Central Plains Dynasty had never been falsified before the demise of the Southern Song Dynasty in the second year of Xiangxing. It was a universal truth as true as the sunrise and sunset!

Before the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty, there were indeed ups and downs, but the Chinese people did not need religion to complete the construction of the dynasty, did not need to debate to prove the legitimacy of their leading the world, and did not need religion to deceive the people for self-comfort.

The Russians, Japanese pirates, Koreans, Westerners, and Persians can all fall behind. If they fall behind, they will just learn, and if they can't learn, then forget it. They will lie down and start debating. They need religion. Only the Chinese cannot fall behind, because falling behind means the sky is falling, and all narratives will completely collapse.

After the fall of the Southern Song Dynasty, this all-round lead was falsified for the first time, but the establishment of the Ming Dynasty soon proved once again that the Chinese were ahead of the world in all aspects and pushed the debate between China and the barbarians to its peak.

This is the fundamental logic behind Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Di's 18 northern expeditions, which were determined to completely defeat the Yuan Dynasty. It is also the motivation for the Wanli Reform. The West has already made the claim that the sun never sets, but the Ming fleet will still be strangled. This is a fact that is difficult for the people of the Ming Dynasty to accept.

This is an arrogance that is engraved in their bones. Li Yashi said that the people of the Ming Dynasty are accustomed to using humility to disguise their pride.

"Okay, if he wants to look for it, let him look for it." Zhu Yijun said with a smile.

Each person brought 10,000 taels of silver, and for 94 people that was nearly one million taels of silver. Zhu Yijun finally turned the overseas student business into a profitable business. This amount of silver was enough to cover the tombs of two former emperors.

(End of this chapter)