I, the Ming Dynasty, can still save me

Chapter 136 The Disadvantages of Mind Learning (Please subscribe)
The butt determines the head, and the position determines the thoughts.

Zhu Youxiao can completely understand the emotion of this wealthy businessman. Wherever the economy is developed, the status of businessmen will naturally be high. Capitalism in Jiangnan has sprouted in the late Ming Dynasty, and the status of businessmen will naturally be much higher.

Many people earn far more income from doing business than from being an official, so they regard business as their first livelihood.Even in places such as Huizhou, South Zhili, there has been a custom that merchants are the first class of livelihood, and subjects are secondary.

It is precisely because there are many merchants in the south of the Yangtze River and the power of merchants that many officials have affairs with merchants. Even many educated families have the custom of letting their concubines and others specialize in business, while their legitimate sons study and become officials.

The economic base determines the superstructure. Once businessmen rise, they will inevitably need someone to speak for them. This is one of the reasons for the rise of Xinxue.

"Different professions but the same path lead to dedication. I have also heard Wang Yangming's words. He said that no matter whether he is engaged in scholarship, agriculture, industry or commerce, it is all to temper his inner qualities and become a nobler person."

Zhu Youxiao had also heard this sentence, so he explained it casually. Wang Yangming said that the status of scholars, farmers, industry and commerce was equal, and there was no longer a distinction between who was superior and who was inferior.

"Yes, Li Mengyang once said that husbands and merchants and scholars have different skills but the same mind. After Wang Yangming's death, his disciples and grandchildren spread his doctrine everywhere, saying that although the world is big, if you have a good intention and a conscience, even if you have a conscience, Ordinary people can all become saints!”

"As soon as this statement came out, all merchants in the south of the Yangtze River regarded him as a model. They all said that as long as they wholeheartedly do good, they can become saints even if they are doing business, and they are no different from scholars."

Zhu Youxiao was secretly shocked when he heard this, as he said again, position determines his thoughts.

As a businessman, I was naturally overjoyed when I heard it and felt that I had a theory that spoke for myself.As scholars who have always regarded Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism as the norm, how can they accept these crooked theories? They will definitely be suppressed as heretics.

As an emperor, the spread of Xinxue can indeed improve the status of businessmen.

But after thinking about it, he felt that Xinxue was not of any benefit to the court at present.

No matter how bad Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism was, it put forward higher requirements for the moral integrity of scholar-bureaucrats than the Tao of Confucius and Mencius.

It is not enough for these officials to just serve the people and the country. You need to be able to restrain your desires and preserve your integrity for the emperor.And adhering to integrity has a positive effect on maintaining national unity, stabilizing the political agenda, and continuing rule.

As for Xinxue, although it also has the advantages of liberating people's shackles, it is not good for the current court, especially the Xinxue after Wang Yangming.

They advocate that reason exists in natural human desires, and that one should obey human hearts and let things take their own course, in order to gain happiness and become holy.

This led many people, especially scholar-bureaucrats, to find excuses for their own enjoyment. They abandoned their own moral integrity, no longer restrained their desires, ignored reality, took bribes, and indulged in enjoyment. They were not ashamed, but instead felt proud of it.

This is one of the reasons why the scholar-bureaucrats in the late Ming Dynasty had such low character, were so easy to give in, and had no integrity. It was also a problem that Zhu Youxiao had a headache and wanted to solve.

Because as an emperor, how could he manage so many officials in the world if he only relied on Dongchang Jinyiwei or Yushiyanguan to manage and restrain them? Therefore, ancient officials often relied on morality to restrain themselves.

If officials have no morals, do not restrain their desires, and indulge in pleasure, it will be an absolute disaster for the people below, and even for the court.

Therefore, although Xinxue has many advantages, at present, it is still necessary to use Neo-Confucianism more, and he will not abandon Xinxue, but must deliberately transform it so that it can be further spread.

The same is true for businessmen. Zhu Youxiao not only wants to exploit them, but also supports them, and cannot drain the benefits.

"Here comes the tea. Please be careful, Sir. It's too hot."

Huang Dong's words of tea interrupted Zhu Youxiao's meditation. "Brother Lu, I'm sorry, I'm so lost in thought after listening to your words. Come on, come on, why don't we sit down together."

Lu Xiangsheng was usually outgoing and liked to make friends. Seeing how heroic this young man was, he didn't hesitate and stood up and took his seat directly.

"I just heard you talking about businessmen and Xinxue, and I thought that you are a person who cares about state affairs. Someone in my family is an official in the court, so he knows a lot about the affairs in the court. Now the court is in great debt, and the court officials There are constant internal fights, and the Liaodong rebels are trying to be cruel. Although I have no fame, I am still worried about the affairs of the country, but I don't know any good strategies."

When Lu Xiangsheng heard Zhu Youxiao's words, he immediately felt like a confidant, because these comments were also special, and he immediately became emotional when he saw this.

"Brother Wang's words really touched my heart. I came to the capital last year and have been reviewing my lessons in Beijing and preparing for the national examination. However, on the road, what I saw was not as prosperous as the capital and Jiangnan.

Disasters occur frequently in various places, especially when passing through Huaibei and Shandong. Last year there was a severe drought. The red land in Shandong was burning, and people died of hunger all over the fields. It was very miserable. "

As he spoke, he pointed to Huang Dong, who was still running errands in the teahouse.

"This man's name is Huang Dong, and he is from Shandong. Because of the severe drought in Shandong, a family of four, his parents starved to death on the road, and his sister sold herself as a maid. Only he escaped to Beijing and joined his uncle's family to survive. "

"I have also heard about the severe drought in Shandong. I seem to have heard that Emperor Guangzong once allocated 100 million silver from his internal funds to provide relief to the disaster-stricken areas. I don't think much of it was actually used for practical purposes."

Zhu Youxiao knew about this matter, but his father Guangzong had already dealt with it. Subsequently, the Chief Secretary of Shandong reported that the disaster had been alleviated, and he ordered that Shandong's taxes be exempted for the next year as a relief.

But Lu Xiangsheng shook his head after hearing this and was noncommittal about Zhu Youxiao's words.

"Guangzong loves the people and can allocate huge sums of money to alleviate the disaster, which shows his sage. I also heard that the new emperor also exempted Shandong from taxes, which shows that his majesty is sage and considerate of the people. But what I am worried about is not the disaster relief issue, but the increasing number of people. Serious White Lotus Sect.”

When Lu Xiangsheng said this, he looked around to make sure no one was eavesdropping.

"White Lotus Sect?"

Zhu Youxiao was shocked. Sun Yingyuan and others also looked at each other and became wary of their surroundings.

"Yes. On the way here, I often see White Lotus believers using the name of giving porridge to coerce the victims and secretly preach. Some even blatantly worship the so-called "Master Maitreya" in the county. They tell everyone they meet that this is the time for " "In the event of a calamity, Maitreya will be born to save the world."

If Zhu Youxiao hadn't been so convinced that this person was Lu Xiangsheng in history, he wouldn't have believed him.

"I originally thought it had spread very quickly in Shandong, but I didn't expect that there were many believers in Shuntian Prefecture setting up stalls to worship. I also informed the government several times, but to no avail. If I hadn't talked to you today, otherwise I wouldn't have I will never say this."

As he spoke, Lu Xiangsheng shook his head, expressing his helplessness.

Zhu Youxiao was secretly shocked after hearing this, because Lu Xiangsheng's explanation reminded him of a famous uprising in history.

　The number of words in the second update is a bit less. I will update it during the day tomorrow and make up for the number of words.

　　I feel like I'm back in good shape, and I'll try my best to update more.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)