I'm really not doing business

Chapter 899 All evil is not evil, justice is not human nature

Lin Fucheng's remark that the barbarians were very diligent when stealing made Zhu Yijun smile.

Lin Fucheng was not lying, he saw it with his own eyes.

If the plantation is even a little lax, anything can become the barbarians'. These things are usually not particularly valuable, such as some rags, broken farm tools, wood, eggs, etc.

Because the losses were not huge, most plantation farmers turned a blind eye.

"Your Majesty, the kindness and generosity of the farmers will soon backfire, because these barbarians will hear about the farmers' kindness and will run to their land to steal. Everything that can be stolen will be stolen." Lin Fucheng told the emperor another fact.

To open a plantation overseas, one must be ruthless, vindictive and vicious, otherwise one will be robbed and even put in danger.

Good people deserve to have guns pointed at them.

Anyone who tries to civilize the barbarians will have to pay a heavy price. This is the warning that Lin Fucheng repeatedly reiterated in his travel notes on Southeast Asia, warning those who want to go south to Southeast Asia to open up plantations to make sure they are clear about the local ecology.

This is also the reason why Luzon, Old Port, and Jinchi Governor's Office need a large number of ruffians, because these people are very bad and have no moral burden, so they are the best to act as thugs.

"Your Majesty, I actually think that whether it is the West or Southeast Asia, their blood identity is also desirable." Lin Fucheng made a suggestion. When he knew that Young Master Huang was the Emperor, he began to be cautious in his words and actions.

His words should be beneficial to the Ming Dynasty as a whole, rather than being arbitrary and saying whatever he wants. He would never share His Majesty's romantic gossip with His Majesty himself again.

The last time Lin Fucheng went to Suiyuan, he shared with His Majesty some scandals about the emperor and his third wife on the grassland. Fortunately, His Majesty was kind, otherwise he would have started to learn elementary school by now.

"Oh? This kind of blood identity actually has its merits?" Zhu Yijun asked curiously: "Tell me in detail."

Lin Fucheng said solemnly: "Your Majesty, immigrants will not be loyal. Immigration without any screening will only bring disaster."

"While I was in Southeast Asia, I heard that some scholars and officials were stirring up a trend of public opinion. The Ming Dynasty was short of people, so why not appeal to overseas? Allow the Japanese, Japanese women, barbarians, red-haired foreigners, and black foreigners to enter the Ming Dynasty and share the emperor's grace?"

"This seems to be a liberal proposition, but Your Majesty knows me. I have always advocated limited freedom."

As the leader of the liberal faction, Lin Fucheng clearly expressed his total opposition to this trend in front of the emperor, a total opposition that had no merits at all.

Lin Fucheng stated his reasons in detail. The relaxed immigration policy, the simplified process of obtaining identity through birthplace, and the relaxed identity policy of recognizing anyone as long as they come will only bring endless disasters to the Ming Dynasty.

The call for this was mainly due to economic needs, but Lin Fucheng used the plantation economy as an example to tell His Majesty that it would neither solve the problem of labor shortage nor provide any help to the economy.

Lin Fucheng said with certainty: "Financially, it is a complete burden."

"I have observed for a long time in Nanyang. Those who set out on the road to the other shore with the hope of salvation, after arriving in Nanyang, will be angry that their demands cannot be met. They even have to work hard to fill their stomachs."

"They are full of resentment and don't want to work at all. There is a high possibility that they will become bandits in the end."

There are many people who are lazy and want to get something for nothing by migrating long distances. Even in the Ming Dynasty, there are many such people. When they arrived in Southeast Asia, they felt that it was better to rob than to farm, so they made a living by stealing and looting, and eventually died at the hands of the Governor's Office's guards.

Lin Fucheng then did the math for His Majesty. Before the policy was adjusted, the Luzon Governor-General's Office chose a conciliatory approach, which resulted in huge public security costs, but the economic benefits were far from satisfactory.

"I understand. In addition to the fact that most people are lazy and want to get something for nothing, the court has to pay huge expenses to reduce their trouble-making. No matter what the cost is, from an economic perspective, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages." After listening, Zhu Yijun understood what Lin Fucheng meant.

Even if we judge from the perspective of economic demands, indiscriminately introducing foreigners is a losing business.

Lin Fucheng continued, "In fact, the sugarcane planting in Guangxi is also an example. The Annan people are like geese. In Guangxi, it is strictly forbidden for the Annan people to stay in Ming secretly. When they need to cut sugarcane, they are allowed to come in. When they are not needed, they are allowed to leave."

"If they are alive, we must see them. If they are dead, we must see their bodies. If anyone is missing, the whole team will be punished."

"The reason why this widely recognized rule has been formed is the conclusion reached through repeated practice over a long period of time."

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "Blood identity is the foundation of the Ming people as a collective."

"Your Majesty is wise." This is what Lin Fucheng meant. The unity of blood is the foundation of being a member of the Ming Dynasty.

He added: "For example, people like Legazpi and Galileo who have lived in Ming for a long time and have made great contributions to the country can also be treated as Ming people."

"There should be a strict time limit, such as staying in Ming Dynasty for at least fifteen years."

It's not that the door is closed. Since ancient times, the phenomenon of employing "Tartar officials" has never stopped. For example, Jin Midi, the minister entrusted by Emperor Wu of Han, was a Hun.

After long-term observation, people who truly recognize the Ming Dynasty and who, like Galileo, practiced medicine in the Ming Dynasty for two years and helped Huimin Pharmacy to prevent and treat smallpox and made contributions to the Ming Dynasty can become citizens of the Ming Dynasty.

"That makes sense." Zhu Yijun agreed with Lin Fucheng's statement.

The Ming Dynasty is in the process of transitioning from national history to world history. In this process of globalization, how to deal with immigration is an issue that the Ming Dynasty must face.

The answer is also very obvious. Reject large-scale immigration, impose extremely strict conditions, and crack down on illegal immigration.

Lin Fu became the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty and shared two pieces of gossip that amazed Zhu Yijun.

The first small incident happened at the Luzon Governor's Office.

A red-haired foreigner kicked a barbarian to the ground with force. The barbarian was an old man. Then, the red-haired foreigner kicked the old man's head more than ten times and kicked the old man to death on the ground, but none of the barbarians around dared to stop him.

Because Luzon was formerly the Spanish Governor-General's Office and a colony, the local barbarians did not dare to raise any thoughts of resistance. It was the Luzon Governor-General's Office that stepped in, arrested the red-haired foreigner, and executed him.

Lin Fucheng personally asked many foreigners about their opinions on this matter. They believed that it was a battle between colonists and had nothing to do with them.

Lin Fucheng was puzzled. The victims were obviously barbarians, so why were the barbarians so indifferent and actually regarded the justice achieved by the Ming Dynasty as a colonial war.

Lin Fucheng received many answers, but in the end he did not find the definite answer. He could only say that humans are animals that can be domesticated.

The second small incident was in Coconut Sea City, where a Japanese slave killed an alien in the street. The reason for the crime was simply that the Japanese slave's request for money was not satisfied, and the alien was stabbed three times in the neck in order to protect his children.

Not a single barbarian on the street stepped forward to stop them, and this was in Coconut Sea City.

How could the Governor's Office sit back and do nothing? After the investigation of the case, Zhang Yuanxun was in tears and laughter. This Japanese slave was actually a slave in his own plantation. He was driven out of the plantation because he was lazy and greedy. It was this lost identity that made the barbarians dare not resist.

Zhang Yuanxun publicly beheaded the Japanese slave, but the foreigners still did not think that fairness and justice had been achieved, but rather that it was God punishing his disobedient slaves.

Lin Fucheng was deeply saddened by the chaos in the Governor's Office.

"All evil is not evil, justice is not human nature, and the Governor's Office is indeed quite chaotic." Zhu Yijun said sincerely after listening to these two short stories.

Lin Fucheng is still sorting out the manuscripts from the past four years, and the travel notes on Southeast Asia will be continuously updated.

All evils are not evil, and justice is not in the hearts of the people. This refers to a social state after the collapse of rituals and music. All evil deeds are not regarded as evil, but all just deeds are not in the hearts of the people.

If evil is not judged and justice is not served, this is what will happen over time.

By that time, the ruling class could not understand why the public was so sympathetic to the criminals when they were trying evil, and why they were ridiculed as cowards when they were upholding justice.

Credibility and cohesion are the most valuable intangible assets of the imperial court. Once lost, they are more dangerous than financial difficulties.

During the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial court managed to resolve the crises of the northern barbarians and Japanese pirates even though the annual revenue was less than six million silver coins. At that time, wage arrears were extremely common, but the foreign soldiers who were raiding the nests knew that the imperial court would not make things difficult for them.

Even when the imperial court held him accountable, Shaanxi Governor Wang Zhigao would take the responsibility for disobeying the order.

Although the generals who pacified the Japanese were repeatedly troubled, when they threw the victory news in the faces of the officials in the court, the officials had no choice but to accept it. Warriors were still useful, and at least on the surface their achievements were affirmed.

However, at the end of the Wanli period, the rebellion of the Jiannu in Liaodong became a major threat to the Ming Dynasty. Ever since Xiong Tingbi was beheaded and sent to the Nine Frontiers, the soldiers of the Nine Frontiers were no longer willing to fight for the Ming Dynasty.

The imperial court was in trouble, owed wages and rewards, and the soldiers could understand that. After all, the imperial court had its own difficulties, and they were all in a difficult situation.

But Xiong Tingbi, who was determined to destroy the Jian Nu and had done nothing wrong, was given the Nine Frontiers;

Wang Huazhen, the governor of Liaodong, who suffered defeat and did not listen to Xiong Tingbi's advice and was the real war criminal in the Battle of Guangning, lost Guangning and more than 40 castles including Yizhou, Pingyangqiao, Xixingbao, Jinzhou, Tiechang, Dalinghe, Jin'an, Youtunwei, and 400 miles of land, but was not tried.

The soldiers of the Nine Borders also had their own standards in mind. Since then, the defense of the Nine Borders has become full of loopholes.

For the Ming Dynasty, financial difficulties were not fatal; the complete loss of credibility and cohesion was the root cause of the country's demise.

Lin Fucheng explained to His Majesty the meaning of asking for money.

Begging for money is not a kind act of begging, but a way of portraying oneself as dangerous and pestering passers-by for money and property. If not satisfied, the person will continue to press on and even kill them.

It is said to be begging, but in fact it is highway robbery.

This phenomenon became common in Southeast Asia. Lin Fucheng was asked for money three times. If Lin Fucheng had not stopped the imperial guards who were accompanying him for protection, the three beggars would have been killed by them long ago.

The laws of the Ming Dynasty did not protect the barbarians. Lin Fucheng was a Ming citizen and a fifth-rank doctor of the Inquiry of Things. If the imperial guards killed the bandits who blocked the road and robbed people, they would not have any trouble and would even receive a reward.

Lin Fucheng stopped the Tiqi from killing people because he wanted to know their lifestyle. After a friendly and intimate exchange with punches and kicks, Lin Fucheng successfully found out everything he wanted to know.

These people begging for money have one thing in common, which is that they are addicted to opium. The closer they are to the Ming Dynasty, the less widespread the opium is, and the more expensive the opium will be; the farther they are from the Ming Dynasty, the more widespread the opium will be, and the cheaper it will be.

Most of these robbers who wanted to collect money had taken to the road of robbery. They were so addicted to opium that even the servants could not do their job properly. They made themselves smelly and barefoot, so that people who wore shoes would pay up obediently because they did not want to conflict with them. "Master Lin is very serious about research. I still remember the research that Master Lin did in Baoding Prefecture. He was really a man of integrity." Zhu Yijun affirmed Lin Fucheng's attitude towards research.

Lin Fucheng is willing to get to know in depth even these people who beg for money, whom ordinary people are unwilling to contact, and why they have become like this.

"In fact, research is very simple." Lin Fucheng said with a smile: "Your Majesty, the first step in research is to give up your past prejudices and ignore the bias of public opinion. The second step is to get closer to the target of the investigation. If you talk about food, clothing, housing and transportation for a few hours, even if you have only finished elementary school math, you can get a relatively fair conclusion."

“It’s not difficult.”

Zhu Yijun laughed loudly and shook his head, saying, "It looks simple, but it's actually as difficult as climbing to heaven."

"Master Lin, if you ask the scholars of the Ming Dynasty to give up their prejudices, isn't that the same as denying everything in the past?"

"There is also this second step, which is to approach the target of the investigation. The scholars do not want to see these sufferings in life. The gentlemen are kind-hearted and cannot bear to see these sufferings, so they simply do not look at them."

"And this level of mathematics, Master Lin, there are quite a few scholars in our Ming Dynasty who still know nothing about mathematics. They can't even figure out the simplest accounts. They are famous scholars, but they have made many jokes."

"Disaster."

What Lin Fucheng said is relatively simple for students of new-style education.

Because we accept the theory of contradiction, we know that everything exists in opposition and unity. Only by establishing this dialectical thinking and determining that everything has two sides can we put aside our inner prejudices.

The vast majority of the old Ming Dynasty intellectuals had extreme black-and-white, binary thinking. Instead of asking them to put aside their prejudices, it would be better to just kill them.

"That's true." Lin Fucheng thought for a moment and said, "In my opinion, the theory of contradiction is the norm of the country."

Lin Fucheng actually didn't like the class theory very much, because when he divided his own class, he found that he was the elected official class second only to the hereditary officials, and was the target to be overthrown.

Lin Fucheng also felt that his class identity was that of a poor laborer. He was full of sympathy for the poor laborers, and all his travel notes were written from the perspective of the poor laborers.

The difference between class identity and actual class often causes Lin Fucheng to have some cognitive confusion and bewilderment. Sometimes he would be a little dazed and not know from what standpoint to understand the problem.

Of course, because he is not an important person, this brief cognitive confusion will only affect him personally. However, if the ministers in the court or even the emperor have cognitive confusion, the consequences will be disastrous for the Ming Dynasty.

On the contrary, Lin Fucheng could accept the contradiction theory in its entirety without causing any cognitive confusion.

It is really difficult to study and cure class theory. Even studying class theory itself contains an unsolvable contradiction.

To learn class theory well, one must be a gifted person. Such people are the ones who are most likely to cross classes. Once they cross classes, their class identity will change. The dragon slayer will become the dragon. When class identity changes, their position will also change.

To learn and use class theory well requires great wisdom which is unavailable. For ordinary people, it is more reliable to practice the theory of contradiction than to practice class theory.

Lin Fucheng has traveled all over the country for so many years, and the only two people who dare to say that they have put the class theory into practice without any problems are Your Majesty and Yuan Fu. Shen Shixing can only be considered half-hearted.

Lin Fucheng said in confusion: "I have an immature idea in Nanyang. I found something I cannot understand, that is, the cost in the past will not be the decisive factor in future decision-making."

"It stands to reason that when people make various decisions, there should be traces to follow, which are the costs they have continuously invested in the past. This cost can be money, energy, and time, but this is not the case in Nanyang."

The past does not equal the future. Huge sunk costs are not the decisive factor in future decisions.

This is the phenomenon observed by Lin Fucheng, but Lin Fucheng does not understand the problems and reasons behind it at all, and cannot provide any reliable solutions.

People are extremely fickle, and various decisions can suddenly undergo a major reversal due to a variety of things.

Lin Fucheng thought that it would be a very difficult task to persuade Yin Zhengmao to change his strategy of kingly way, but Yin Zhengmao's policy change completely completed a reversal within a year. The transition from kingly way to hegemonic way was so rapid that Lin Fucheng was caught off guard.

Some plantation owners suddenly sold their plantations at a very low price, and then boarded the ship back to Ming Dynasty with their families and went home.

Three plantation farmers in Manila, Luzon, opened up tens of thousands of acres of fertile land from the mountains and forests where there was nothing, and operated the business for fifteen years. Even Yin Zhengmao thought that these three landlords would become Luzon gentry.

He gave up immediately, and even Yin Zhengmao's personal attempt to retain him was of no avail.

These three landlords wanted to leave because they felt they were old and homesick and wanted to return to their roots. Their strong obsession with home was so strong that even their children and grandchildren could not dissuade them.

Upon hearing this doubt, Zhu Yijun smiled and said, "Master Lin, the contradiction theory actually makes it very clear that a three-foot-thick ice does not form overnight."

"The Marquis of Sishui's adjustment of policy did not happen overnight, and it was not simply because of your lobbying. Instead, the king's policy had achieved little effect over a long period of time, and the contradictions accumulated to the point where he had to change."

"The same is true for the three farmers in Manila. Homesickness and memories of their families may have played a part in their decision, but perhaps they went out to sea in the first place just to return home with wealth."

"How many Fujian villagers kowtowed to Mazu and then went out to sea to risk their lives, only to return home and build a big house in the end."

"In fact, his goal from the beginning was to stand out and prove to everyone that he was not a coward."

"Manila is not a good place. It's extremely hot and humid, full of mosquitoes and flies, and the saltwater crocodiles are so big that they are scary. Fifteen years of suffering has accumulated too much."

“Quantitative change will eventually lead to qualitative change.”

"I still haven't resolved the contradiction, otherwise I should have figured out this problem long ago." Lin Fucheng suddenly realized, and the doubts in his heart seemed to be cleared up.

It seems to be unprovoked, but in fact it is the accumulation of various emotions that ultimately leads to this seemingly irrational decision.

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said, "The witchcraft disaster of Emperor Wu of Han and the An-Shi Rebellion of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang both seemed to be major changes in the world without any signs, but were there really no signs at all? In fact, it was not the case. They were inevitable after the long-term accumulation of contradictions."

"Take the An Lushan Rebellion as an example. An Lushan died within a year of his rebellion, but the An Lushan Rebellion lasted for eight years."

"Did the Tang Dynasty win the An Lushan Rebellion, or did Hebei win? In fact, the Tang Dynasty did not win. In the end, the Tang Dynasty and Hebei simply reconciled."

The outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion was not due to the stupidity of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, nor the ambition of An Lushan and Shi Siming. The war continued after An Lushan's death.

To understand the fundamental reason for the outbreak of the Anshi Rebellion, we still have to answer a question: What were the people of Hebei fighting against?
In the Battle of Yecheng, Guo Ziyi dug the Zhang River and flooded Yecheng. At this point, the final result of the Battle of Yecheng was that Shi Siming won a great victory by defeating the larger force with a smaller one.

If the Tang Dynasty was too far away, why did Emperor Taizong of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Di, move the capital to Beiya? It was indeed for the emperor to guard the country's gates and prevent the barbarians from going south, but there was also a little insignificant reason, to prevent others from taking the same path he had taken.

Lin Fucheng's time in the imperial audience was very long. He chatted with the emperor for more than an hour before leaving the Mochou Lake Palace. There is no doubt that Lin Fucheng, who dared to speak the truth, had never lost the emperor's favor.

"General Ti, take good care of Lin Fucheng and don't let him get stabbed to death." Zhu Yijun reminded Zhao Mengyou. To be honest, this guy offended too many people. The reason he is still alive is because of Emperor Zhu Yijun's efforts to protect him.

The whole family was in chaos, and not only the emperor was offended, but also the powerful and wealthy.

The fundamental reason why every family is resentful is that the Wanli Reform did not benefit thousands of households. Since Zhejiang returned farmland to the people and Jiangxi, Huguang, Jiangzuo and Jiangyou implemented the military management system, this resentment is gradually alleviating.

The imperial court finally accumulated enough power to make profound changes to the production relations in the land system.

"I obey your order." Zhao Mengyou bowed his head and accepted the order. If it weren't for the protection of the imperial guards, the scholar Lin Fucheng would have died a thousand times already.

Zhu Yijun took some time off and went to Chaoyang Gate again, where he supervised the execution of more than one hundred criminals who pretended to be crazy. Finally, the remaining criminals did not dare to continue pretending to be crazy and began to confess their crimes honestly.

Soon, the imperial guards were dispatched again, and this time they arrested thousands of brokers and compradors from various prefectures in Jiangzuo and Jiangyou. They were the running dogs of these powerful and wealthy people.

The emperor also wants to kill people.

"The East Zhejiang Canal has been completed. Your Majesty, there are some disagreements on the Zhejiang side. The Zhejiang Governor Hou Yu Zhao is ready to release the water for navigation immediately, while some Zhejiang officials, under the pretext of inspection, want to wait two months until August, when Your Majesty arrives, before opening the gates to release the water." Feng Bao placed Hou Yu Zhao's memorial on the table.

The East Zhejiang Canal is the canal from Hangzhou to Ningbo. It took four years to build this canal, with an investment of 3.5 million silver coins and the deaths of 2,500 Japanese slaves, but it was completed ahead of schedule.

There are more than 25,000 Japanese slaves working on the East Zhejiang Canal. After completing the construction of the East Zhejiang Canal, these Japanese slaves will go north along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal to repair the entire Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and dredge part of the Huaihe River.

Any water conservancy project requires long-term repairs before it can play its role.

Zhu Yijun shook his head and said, "Offer auspicious signs? No need. Let Hou Yuzhao open the water for navigation. Before I arrive, let's test sail. If there are any problems, there is still time to fix them before I arrive."

"Your Majesty is wise." Feng Bao thought about it and it was indeed true. He would rather fail to offer auspicious signs and be thrown into the canal by His Majesty to sacrifice to the river god.

Feng Bao said hesitantly, "The restoration of farmland in Zhejiang has been basically completed. It can be completely completed before the end of the 18th year of Wanli. Your Majesty, the land in Zhejiang has great dissatisfaction with Hou Yuzhao."

Ever since Hou Yuzhao arrived in Zhejiang, there has been a constant stream of memorials impeaching him, because Hou Yuzhao implemented the order to return the land, and treated those who disobeyed his orders as enemies. He would often lead the nine battalions of Zhejiang to attack people's homes, and his methods were extremely cruel, much more cruel than Shen Shixing's, and it was exactly the way he treated his enemies.

It is customary for wealthy families in Zhejiang to keep domestic slaves, with the number ranging from dozens to over a thousand.

In view of this characteristic, Hou Yuzhao would conduct three inspections on all large families with more than 100 hectares of land. The first inspection was a comprehensive tax inspection by the tax inspectors; the second inspection was a physical inspection after the abolition of the slave system in the ninth year of the Wanli reign; the third inspection was a land return inspection;
With a three-pronged approach of tax inspection, personal registration and land deeds, and the violence of the Nine Camps of Zhejiang, the speed at which the land return order was implemented was terrifying.

"Hou Yuzhao, the living King of Hell." Zhu Yijun rubbed his forehead. There were wrong names, but there were no wrong nicknames. Ling Yunyi just loved killing people, but Hou Yuzhao had his own logic in doing things and successfully turned himself into a living King of Hell.

The key point is that it makes perfect sense that Hou Yuzhao treated powerful local officials and gentry in Zhejiang as bandits outside the Great Wall. In a Ming Dynasty, all people are subjects of the king. Those who do not respect the king's orders will be treated as traitors, even if their loyalty is not absolute or they are absolutely disloyal.

"Since the return of land has been basically completed, the original ban on imperial examinations should be suspended. This favor should be attributed to Hou Yuzhao." Zhu Yijun gave Hou Yuzhao great support.

Since he did a good job in returning the land, Zhu Yijun naturally gave him enough support.

Of course, what Zhu Yijun said was suspension, not cancellation. If Zhejiang continues to do so, the ban will continue to be enforced.

(End of this chapter)