Wanli Ming Emperor

Chapter 245 Ebb and flow, ups and downs

Luo Yuren's book, titled "Admonitions on Wealth, Temper, Lust, and Entertainment," was an impromptu piece intended for a supplement to the Nanjing Imperial College Journal.

The so-called wealth refers to the emperor's crime of greed.

How greedy are they?
The new policies were so focused on plundering that even the smallest amount of money was being collected and melted down. While the national treasury was full, the people's homes were empty.

King Wu of Zhou once gave away all the wealth of the Deer Terrace, and eight hundred people were won over. In contrast, Emperor Yang of Sui was greedy and amassed wealth, and his destiny was not to be fulfilled!

The so-called "anger" refers to the emperor's wrath.

How angry were they?

Indulging in anger and whims, he was harsh and unrestrained in his actions, and his laws were harsh and his governance unfair.

Emperor Shun was gentle and cautious, and his humility brought him good fortune. In contrast, Jie and Zhou were cruel and ruthless, and their resentment was widespread!
The so-called "lust" refers to the emperor's sin of lust.

Do you have lustful desires?
The beautiful concubines, with their bodies at her side, have ingratiated themselves with the emperor and led to his downfall. So many years have passed, and the empress has yet to give birth to an imperial heir. Instead, Consort Wu is pregnant first, which is clearly due to the emperor's infatuation with beautiful women.

Tang of Shang did not indulge in women and enjoyed a long life. In contrast, Emperor Muzong, perhaps a descendant of Emperor Muzong of Tang, was extremely promiscuous, took elixirs of immortality, and died at the age of thirty!

The so-called "entertainment" refers to the emperor's frivolous behavior.

How frivolous is it?
He indulges in debauchery and extravagance, and his travels are unrestrained, behaving like a commoner. Just last year he toured the northern part of Zhili, and now he wants to go to the south of the Yangtze River to have fun. He has completely forgotten that he is the emperor who is responsible for governing the country.

Emperor Renzong of Song reigned supreme in the central government, and the world was at peace. In contrast, Qin Shi Huang made several eastern tours to enjoy himself, but was assassinated each time, and his dynasty only lasted two generations.

When it comes to tearing a country apart, who can compare to the consequences of the emperor's words and actions?
Luo Yuren was writing furiously, so engrossed in his work that he didn't hear what his two fellow members were saying.

This prompted Zhao Nanxing and Zou Yuanbiao to walk behind him and peek out.

I don't know if I don't see it, I'm startled when I see it.

An uneasy look crept onto Zou Yuanbiao's face. He hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but gently advise, "Isn't Yi Zhong's wording a bit too extreme?"

Rumors were spreading in the palace that the emperor was going on a southern tour, so how dare they write something like this!
Luo Yuren didn't even look up, his tone cold and hard: "A hundred schools of thought contending, speaking freely, is an imperial decree. What's there to be afraid of going too far? Which of my words was wrong?"

Seeing his bad attitude, Zou Yuanbiao had no choice but to turn his head and look at Zhao Nanxing.

Zhao Nanxing ignored it.

Although the three of them were from the same forest, they were not conjoined twins.

Zou Yuanbiao was from Jiangxi. When he heard that the emperor was making a southern tour, he was naturally trembling with fear, fearing that the emperor would use it as an excuse to trample on his hometown and clan.

However, Zhao Nanxing and Luo Yuren were from the north and were not affected by this north-south conflict at all, so they remained calm and composed.

According to the newly learned analysis of contradictions...

At this moment, the case of the demonic book is not about who is covering up for whom, but rather a concrete manifestation of multiple contradictions, including regional fairness, tax and labor distribution, hegemony of public opinion, old and new doctrines, and associations participating in politics.

The situation is complicated and a complete mess.

Although the three men had grievances against the court on many issues, they came together and became the Donglin Three Gentlemen, whose names are still celebrated in Jiangnan today.

However, when faced with specific problems, they still have different attitudes.

Compared to the emperor's southern tour, Luo Yuren and Zhao Nanxing, two gentlemen of the Donglin Party, were more indignant at the central government's current signs of suppressing dissent and re-imposing press bans!
Since it's a struggle for the right to speak, how can the language not be intense?
Let alone using gentle words like condemning the emperor as utterly wicked, it would be perfectly reasonable to add fuel to the fire by saying something like, "Southerners are not incompetent children and do not need the protection of Northerners!"
After a moment's thought, Zhao Nanxing began to persuade Zou Yuanbiao: "Erzhan, when we held the sacrificial ceremony at the southern suburbs, we personally experienced what it means for power to be abused and for condemnations to follow one after another."

"As the poem says, 'The official in charge of the state.'"

"At that time, we made a vow that even if we were reduced to being commoners in the countryside, we would still do our part for the country!"

"Now the court is using this as an excuse to not only instigate the emperor to make a southern tour, but also to reinstate the ban on newspapers and suppress dissent. Can we just turn a blind eye to this?"

"These vehement articles are also intended to remind His Majesty not to make the same mistake again!"

This progressive relationship reveals that Zhao Nanxing cares more about whether the Donglin Journal can regain its voice.

Zou Yuanbiao looked gloomy.

As a veteran of the Donglin Party, he was well aware of the two men's thoughts, since running a newspaper was the foundation upon which the three of them had gathered in Southern Zhili.

Gu Xiancheng and Li Sancai had strayed into heresy because of their pursuit of new learning, and parted ways with them.

In a fit of passion, the three of them took over Gu Xiancheng's original ideas and newspaper: the order or chaos of the world depends on the hearts of the people; the righteousness or evil of the hearts of the people depends on scholarship.

If we want to save the world and its people, newspapers are of paramount importance!

As for the emperor's southern tour and the forced land survey, how could they possibly reach Zhao Nanxing, a native of Beizhili?

Landlords and local tyrants, they die one after another, and the Donglin Journal is never short of money from gentry.

even.

If the emperor had truly thrown the South into chaos, causing widespread discontent, would newspapers like the Donglin Journal, which made a living by criticizing the government, have received even wider support?

Of course, the three of them could only understand this unspokenly—a gentleman of Donglin should naturally be cautious when alone. If he cannot maintain his persona from beginning to end, how can he educate the world?

but.

Zou Yuanbiao, this southerner, is different!

His family were prominent gentry in Jishui County, Jiangxi Province, owning vast fields and countless properties!

Once the emperor makes his southern tour, carrying the conflict between the north and south, how could Jishui County, which is known as "half of the officials are from Jiangxi, and many scholars are from Jishui," possibly escape unscathed?
At that time, I'm afraid I'll end up like Fan Yingqi, unable to even protect my ancestral graves!

Zhao Nanxing noticed his displeasure and understood what was going on.

He pondered for a moment, then composed himself, looked directly at Zou Yuanbiao, and said solemnly, "Erzhan, do you think that being cautious and tactful can persuade the emperor to repent and reform?"

A rhetorical question unexpectedly revealed the strength of metal.

Zou Yuanbiao was taken aback by the question.

Zhao Nanxing stared intently at Zou Yuanbiao, his gaze unwavering.

Does the fact that the Donglin Party has stopped publishing newspapers mean the emperor will no longer make his southern tour?
Does Zou Yuanbiao think that kneeling down and begging for mercy will save the clan's ancestral graves?

Do they think that if they start singing praises now, they can get their stripped official positions back?
Since there's no way out, there's nothing to be afraid of or hesitate about!

Zhao Nanxing lowered his voice and continued in a deep tone, "Erzhan, although we have lost our official positions, we must still uphold our integrity and not betray the reputation of the literati!"

They've all been demoted; their allegiance to the emperor has long since faded.

The fact that they are now qualified to sit at the table for a meal is all thanks to their own efforts. They have relied on the dissatisfaction of Jiangnan with the imperial court, which has been poured into the Donglin Party, resulting in their current popularity among scholars and admiration from the people.

This is the foundation; we cannot put the cart before the horse.

Once the Donglin Party shifts from criticizing the government to becoming two-faced individuals who try to reconcile opposing forces, or even resorts to flattering the emperor, their reputation, their standing among scholars, and the public opinion they control will immediately vanish!
The matter of the southern tour has been settled, and their foundation is not in the court. So what is there to fear about strong words? Just forge ahead!

The dynasty encourages open communication and never punishes people for their words.

When the emperor was touring Beizhili, his younger brother Zhao Nandou followed He Xinyin and openly insulted the emperor, but he was not punished.

We must earnestly remonstrate with the emperor!
Only through remonstrance can insightful people be gathered! Only through remonstrance can the masses be rallied! Only through remonstrance can the abuses of power in the court be crippled!

This explanation was so insightful that Zou Yuanbiao remained silent.

After a long while, a helpless sigh rang out in the duty room.

Zou Yuanbiao bowed and apologized: "It was my foolish brother who misunderstood. I am grateful for Brother Gongji's guidance."

Seeing this, Zhao Nanxing nodded in satisfaction.

With a formidable enemy at hand, if we cannot unite our people as one, we fear we will suffer another crushing defeat—this is a lesson learned from the ancient sacrificial ceremony in the southern suburbs!

Zhao Nanxing slowly reached out and grasped Zou Yuanbiao's arm, saying gently, "Leave the matters of the Donglin Daily and the Nanjing Imperial Academy Journal to me and Yizhong."

"There is another matter I would like to trouble you with."

Zou Yuanbiao understood perfectly well what was going on.

He hesitated for a moment just now, which Zhao Nanxing realized meant that he would definitely avoid him when he wrote articles to insult the emperor and changed his pen name to hide his whereabouts.

He didn't spell it out, but cupped his hands and replied, "We are brothers and fellow practitioners who have entrusted our aspirations to each other, so why would I trouble you?"

Zhao Nanxing did indeed have something to entrust to him.

Even after the thought crossed his mind, his face visibly turned pale, and he unconsciously tightened his grip.

Only after Zou Yuanbiao's arm was being squeezed painfully did he slowly speak: "I sent a letter to the Zhang family in Taicang but received no reply. I still need Erzhan to go there in person..."

Zhao Nanxing remained expressionless, his tone icy: "Let's all ask Zhang Fuzhi together, what exactly is going on?"

……

"Third brother, what exactly happened to Fu Zhi?"

In the Zhang family home in Taicang, the atmosphere in a study was not good, with a slightly questioning voice faintly emanating from it.

The Zhang family was a prominent family recorded in the "Old Records of Taicang: Clan Prestige". They built charitable estates, established Confucian schools, and provided disaster relief to victims, and were well-known among the people.

The three brothers who were in charge of the family were all officials.

The eldest son was Zhang Qing, who was appointed as a senior official in the Ministry of War in Nanjing; the second son was Zhang Yi, who was appointed as the assistant prefect of Taicang Prefecture; and the third son was Zhang Xing, who was appointed as a grain management councilor in Suzhou and Songjiang.

Logically speaking, being from a wealthy family and holding an official position, one should be full of composure and remain calm even if Mount Tai collapses before them.

however.

At this moment, the three Zhangs of Taicang are far from being calm and composed.

They were even exceptionally anxious and uneasy.

On the table lay a gazette and several vernacular newspapers—all local Beijing newspapers—which seemed to be the source of the three men's irritability.

Several newspapers coincidentally reported the same thing...

at first.

Emperor Wanli originally advocated lifting the ban on newspapers and allowing a hundred schools of thought to contend.

He spared no effort in this endeavor, traveling far and wide to persuade his ministers, clearly showing his sincerity.

However, on the one hand, Emperor Wanli's ideas were difficult for most people to accept in the imperial court.

On the other hand, the objective reactions that aroused as things unfolded forced him to change his original intentions.

It's just that writers are naturally sarcastic and fond of satire. They're fine most of the time, but once they have a chance to speak, they just can't stop.

When too many scholars speak out, the situation becomes difficult to control.

Various societies, scholars, gentry, and local magnates took advantage of the opportunity of lifting the ban on newspapers to speak freely.

In addition to discussing classical studies, they also expressed many dissenting opinions on political affairs.

Such dissent can be well-intentioned, such as criticism of the disturbance caused by land surveys, or even reflection on the many negative impacts since the implementation of the new policies, with the aim of better promoting the new policies.

Many opinions were also malicious, such as writing seditious books to incite conflict between the North and South and to stir up regional disputes, with the aim of resisting the land survey and coercing the court.

How can we tolerate the latter as a political challenge?
However, the imperial court was slow to respond, which led to a surge of seditious books among the people, with even phrases like "Southern Emperor and Northern Court" being used in newspaper articles!

Immediately, officials in the court rushed to advise that the situation could not be allowed to continue!
We must send out city patrols and constables to find the thief who wrote the seditious book!
Even Fan Yingqi, the Vice Minister of Revenue, openly submitted a memorial hoping that the emperor could make a southern tour to quell this evil influence.

The argument escalated, and after half a month of fighting, there was still no resolution.

Finally, at the end of June, a coincidence completely detonated this powder keg.

Zhang Fuzhi, a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination), a Shujishi (probationary official), a compiler in the Hanlin Academy, and a Zhongshu Sheren (a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat) of the Qiushi Academy, submitted a memorial stating that the current anti-government documents are merely a means to resist the land survey and household clearing. After all, all provinces are proceeding in an orderly manner, except for a few provinces in the south, where progress is slow, civil unrest is escalating, and public opinion is incessant. Now, even the saying "Southern Dynasty, Northern Ruler" has emerged. If the emperor does not make a southern tour now, when will he?
This was certainly not a significant memorial, after all, his official rank was only that of a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat.

Even Cai Ruxian, the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, submitted a memorial impeaching Zhang Fuzhi, directly rebuking him as "obedient to everything," "brainless," "only good at guessing," "a whiz at reporting on others," and a "thug," among other things.

It is clear that its importance is negligible.

However, it was precisely this insignificant person who seemed to have emboldened the thieves, leading to an unexpected and brazen event that occurred to him.

Someone actually wrote an article anonymously, published it in the newspaper, and openly threatened Zhang Fuzhi!
The article states.

Although Zhang Fuzhi has now risen to the position of Imperial Secretary, he used to have done a lot of work in criticizing the court. Now he is acting as an accomplice to the wicked, which is utterly shameless!
Zhang Fuzhi is warned to turn back before it's too late! Otherwise, the people of Jiangnan will not forgive you!
If the imperial court only trusts people like Zhang Fuzhi, it will eventually bring about its own destruction!

How can this be! ?
Fan Yingqi, who advocated for the emperor's southern tour, immediately seized this opportunity.

He approached Shen Shixing and said that the threatening article was very good.

The good thing is that it is anonymous. Anonymity can make people think of a tendency, an idea, or a force, allowing Shihlin to reflect on its practices.

Shen Shixing listened and wholeheartedly agreed.

Thus, a letter personally signed by Shen Shixing, the Second Grand Secretary of the Cabinet, entitled "Why?", was delivered to the Nanjing Office of Transmission as scheduled and circulated throughout Jiangnan.

This is the official gazette that was placed in front of the three officials of Taicang.

First, he recounted the whole story of the seditious book case from the perspective of the cabinet, then refuted the seditious book point by point, and then expressed his regret that the emperor's leniency was in exchange for being used to stir up trouble.

Finally, there was the angry questioning.

Why?
Everyone should think about this: under the backdrop of the new policies, amidst the preferential treatment of lifting the ban on newspapers, and in the process of stirring up the North-South conflict, such a thing has actually been discovered—openly clamoring for the demise of the imperial court as ordinary people from Jiangnan.

why is that!?

This is a question posed, leaving no room for discussion.

In the final section of the official gazette, Shen Shixing made the final decision, defining the nature of the matter.

This is a signal that some people are taking advantage of the opportunity of lifting the ban on newspapers to engage in sharp acts that tear the country apart—the situation of the new policies has become so dire that the emperor has no choice but to make a southern inspection tour! It is worth mentioning that Zhang Fuzhi, as a victim of this matter, was assigned the task of "investigating seditious books" during a court meeting.

This is also where the three leaders of Taicang are most confused at this moment.

I just want to ask the same question as Shen Shixing: Why?
Aren't our own children family?
Zhang Xing, who was being questioned, naturally couldn't answer that.

He glanced at his two elder brothers and shook his head blankly: "I'll write a letter right now and ask Fuzhi what's going on."

Zhang Yi lamented bitterly, "It's too late! By the time the message is sent, the emperor will probably arrive in Jiangnan before he can reply!"

The previous series of events led to so much trouble.

The Shandong riots resulted in the deaths and injuries of hundreds of civilians and officials; the Zhejiang riots angered Shen Shixing's teacher so much that he fell ill and overturned Fan Yingqi's ancestral graves; several manuscripts startled Wang Daokun so much that he dared not attend to official business, and frightened Sun Piyang into outsourcing the land survey to the gentry.

Even now that things have come to this point, why doesn't the emperor restrain himself and stop?
They actually dared to have the idea of ​​a southern tour? Aren't they afraid of getting sick from the change in environment?!
That’s all.

At worst, we can continue to coordinate extensively and have another standoff.

Who would have thought that Wanli's southward journey was orchestrated by his own nephew!
Now, not only is there no chance of collusion, but the reputation that the Zhang family of Taicang has accumulated over many years has also been completely destroyed!

Distinguished families refused to see him, while local gentry and powerful figures constantly hurled insults at him.

The letters from scholars questioning the Zhang family almost flooded their gatehouse!
Zhang Yi still can't tell whether his nephew's memorial requesting the emperor to make a southern tour was merely political opportunism following the crowd, or a case of a son selling his father's land to gain power!
Snapped!
A loud slam on the table startled the two younger brothers.

Zhang Qing placed his palm on the table, seemingly having figured something out, his face expressionless.

As the eldest brother, I have to make a decision now, no matter what!

He looked at Zhang Xing and said decisively, "Li Zhi, go and deal with the seventeen newspapers under your jurisdiction immediately."

Zhang Xing was almost caught off guard by the sudden order.

What was done?!
Seventeen newspapers? Those are the foundation of the local business community!
Despite their great literary reputation, these three brothers are not easily fooled.

Not only did he frequently exchange articles with Wang Shizhen, Gui Youguang, Wang Daokun and others, regarding them as like-minded, but more than ten years after the publication of "Loudong Poetry Collection", he finally established the structure of a school of thought, with his door attracting a large number of students seeking his guidance, and his reputation among scholars resounded throughout Jiangnan.

But in terms of true accumulation.

The fame generated by newspaper articles in one year is equivalent to that of the previous ten years!

It must have cost a fortune to get this business to where it is today! The resources that allow the grandchildren to become leaders in the academic world and command great influence are all contained within this business!
They just gave up like that?!
He hesitated for a moment before confirming, "Brother, Fuzhi only submitted a memorial; it's not that serious, is it?"

Zhang Qing left no room for negotiation. He frowned and said in a deep voice, "What kind of foundation isn't built through hard work? Don't say another word, just disown us completely!"

As long as the green hills remain, there will always be firewood to burn. The eldest brother is like a father, and when making choices, there is no need for explanation.

Seeing his elder brother's decisiveness, Zhang Xing gritted his teeth and reluctantly agreed.

Zhang Qing paused, his gaze sweeping over his two younger brothers before finally settling on Zhang Yi: "Daozhi, you must go to Zhejiang immediately!"

Zhang Yi met his elder brother's gaze blankly.

Why would I go to Zhejiang? The New Party has already dug up Fan Yingqi's ancestral graves and won a great victory. Why would I go back?
With a sense of urgency in his heart, Zhang Qing didn't have time to keep people in suspense. He simply placed his hand on Zhang Yi's shoulder and explained, "In recent years, I have been studying Confucianism in depth, and I am really too busy to manage everything at home. I can only entrust you with the household chores yourself."

"So much so that matters large and small concerning the Duke of Yansheng of Shandong, Yin Shidan, the Dong and Fan families of Huzhou, Sun Piyang, the governor of Yingtian, and Wang Daokun, the governor of Zhejiang, were all handled by you personally..."

Zhang Yi was slightly moved, vaguely discerning his elder brother's arrangement.

Zhang Qing grabbed his younger brother's shoulder and said, word by word, "Go to Zhejiang, find a private boat, and go out to sea. Don't come back until you receive my letter!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of his two younger brothers changed drastically!
"Brother..."

Zhang Yi understood his elder brother's plan. He was too conspicuous, and if the emperor found fault with him, he would probably face the extermination of his entire family!

This is both a way to avoid the limelight and a necessary measure of splitting the bets.

But to ask him to abandon his family and career and flee to the ocean all by himself is really asking too much of a man!
He didn't have time to speak.

Zhang Qing waved his sleeve and said sternly, "Don't argue, do as I say!"

That shout truly embodied the elder brother's authority.

Zhang Yi opened and closed his mouth several times, but finally gritted his teeth and nodded.

The three of them fell silent without prior agreement.

Zhang Xing hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "And what about you, elder brother? Are you going to welcome the emperor in Southern Zhili?"

The younger generation inexplicably became key figures. Even if the emperor was only acting on a whim, he would still have to ask the elders about their official positions; this was the usual practice.

Zhang Qing nodded. He was a senior official in the Ministry of War in Nanjing. He was returning home on leave to go back to his hometown, so he naturally had to go back to Nanjing.

After a moment's thought, he decided to reveal his plans as well, to avoid any misjudgment in the future: "When I return to Southern Zhili, I will personally go to find Li Chunfang!"

The two younger brothers were taken aback and couldn't help but exchange a glance.

Although the elder brother gave orders in a few words, in an orderly manner, they still felt a wave of anxiety wash over them.

Li Chunfang is no good person!
After the salt administration scandal, Li Chunfang willingly fell into depravity. In order to send his granddaughter to the palace, he completely sided with the emperor and from then on, he gradually distanced himself from the gentry of Jiangnan.

He then took charge of the Nanjing News Bureau, frequently issuing reprimands and inquiries, and all the news outlets were hampered by him.

Although he held sway for a time with his official rank and prestige, and was powerful enough to not fall, and outwardly served as a leader in Jiangnan, in reality, his household had become quite deserted.

Just like Zhang Xing, one of the three brothers in the house, who originally married a woman from Li Chunfang's clan and had to call Li Chunfang his ancestor, he would visit her every year—regardless of whether Li Chunfang was home or not, and regardless of whether he took a detour.

However, since the Wanli Emperor's reign, relations between the two sides have deteriorated rapidly. Apart from grand birthday banquets, there has been little contact between them, and it is even less frequent than when visiting the residence of Prince Xijue, a relative by marriage.

Zhang Yi then pressed further, "Brother, are you trying to gauge Li Chunfang's opinion?"

Zhang Qing did not deny it, and said frankly, "The emperor will definitely inform Li Chunfang in advance when he goes on his southern tour. Let's go and test whether we have revealed our secrets."

Logically speaking, since his nephew was able to pass the imperial examination, he must not be a stupid person. He should not try to gain attention in such a matter and put himself in a bad position.

But if it's forced...

Thinking of this, Zhang Qing's face grew even uglier. Suddenly, as if all his strength had given out, he let out a long sigh: "Or perhaps we should see if it's necessary to kneel down and beg for mercy."

Upon hearing this, the three people reacted with different expressions.

Green, red, purple, white, pork liver, banana leaves—a dazzling array of colors, a truly spectacular sight.

The emperor was on a southern tour, and although no one was in sight yet, the sense of oppression was still immense.

It is unknown how the people of the southern border will be humiliated during the southern tour.

……

Coincidentally, the emperor was currently humiliating the people of the southern border.

"You stinky out-of-towner!"

Zhu Yijun ran his fingers through Li Baiyang's hair: "Eat while you're eating!"

It was just beginning to get light.

If I go back to bed too late or get up too early, I might as well just stay in bed and wake up.

Li Baiyang was covered by the blanket, and all that could be heard was his hesitant voice: "Home is not peaceful!"

The tone was very forceful, and Zhu Yijun couldn't help but gasp.

The conflict between the North and the South is terrifying!
In his pain, he uttered a harsh threat: "If you continue to show such disrespect, don't blame me for not taking you on this southern tour!"

Upon hearing this, Li Baiyang paused in his actions.

She poked her head out from under the covers and mumbled, "Have the people chosen to accompany His Majesty on his southern tour?"

Upon hearing this, Zhu Yijun nodded gently with tenderness: "There is a distinction between close and distant relatives. I have only brought you and Consort Wang."

After saying that, he pulled the person into his arms and played with them endlessly.

Li Baiyang opened her hands in front of her chest and glared at the emperor: "Your Majesty knows that you decided to do this after speaking with the Empress. She is the one you trust the most in the harem and cannot do without her. You are also afraid that I, as an Imperial Noble Consort, will stay in the harem to compete with her for power and bully her. So you simply took me away so that I would not have to see her."

Zhu Yijun's expression was awkward.

Overusing rhetoric has indeed made it less effective.

"The outer court has also selected candidates. Hai Rui is returning to the capital today, and I will go to the outer court to make the arrangements."

As he spoke, Zhu Yijun coughed lightly, pulled Consort Li into his arms, and pretended to change the subject: "By the way, what did the imperial physician say about Consort Han yesterday?"

He and Consort Han held their wedding ceremony for half a month in June.

By the end of the month, Consort Han actually stopped menstruating.

The imperial physicians also understood the importance of caution in officialdom; after taking the pulse, they only said things like "maybe," "it seems," or "let's see."

It wasn't until August, after two missed periods, that the Imperial Hospital confidently organized a consultation, taking pulses in the morning, noon, and evening, and even observing the characteristics of fasting urine this morning.

Zhu Yijun was unable to guard the palace, so he asked the two palaces and the empress to inquire about it.

Li Baiyang lay on the emperor's chest, staring at him with wide eyes: "The imperial physician said that he would have to see him this morning to confirm, but the imperial physician said yesterday that Mount Putuo had manifested its power, so it should be pretty much true."

Zhu Yijun wrapped his arms around her waist and nodded absentmindedly.

In this way, the noise surrounding the southern tour would be much less—these court officials were genuinely afraid that they would suffer from acclimatization problems and die in the Western Garden.

With Hai Rui returning to Beijing today, everything is ready.

Finally, I can embark on my southern tour!

The situation in the south is in complete chaos, so a southern tour is inevitable!
For example, when conducting land surveys, it is absolutely unacceptable to do things perfunctorily as was done in history.

Although the progress reports from Sun Piyang and Wang Jiaping to each county seem decent, in reality, they are probably not reliable!

If all the land area had been accurately calculated, how could the Southern Zhili region have only measured 40,000 hectares?
If all the unregistered households had been registered, how could there have been the Jiangnan slave rebellion at the end of the Ming Dynasty?

There are also arrears in taxes. This issue has been addressed by imperial edicts no less than seven times, yet the authorities are still making excuses and requesting exemptions. The prefectures of Suzhou in Jiangnan owe more than 711,350 taels of silver, while the prefectures of Huaiyang owe more than 239,630 taels.

That's nearly a million taels!
Does that mean the people aren't paying taxes? Of course not.

Judging from the exorbitant taxes and levies of Huizhou Prefecture, it's unknown how many government offices set up numerous checkpoints to obstruct tax collection, only to claim they couldn't collect the taxes once they reached the central transportation hub.

Which of these old debts that must be settled are truly difficult to resolve, and which are truly bad?

The same applies to tax reform.

Even the most powerful imperial court, when it comes to tax reform, has to obediently go to the south to sit down and talk politely.

Just like Emperor Chengzu, why did he leave the palace for a southern tour?

Because the imperial throne was not handed over normally, the emperor's control over the south was particularly weak.

Since Zhu Yijun ascended the throne, he has never set foot outside of Beizhili, so his control over the south is probably not very good.

Emperors with real power would make southern tours, as many weak points of power were located in the south.

Continue to implement the land survey and household registration system.

The liberation of the population gave rise to commerce.

Inspect the tax reform in Songjiang Prefecture and summarize its gains and losses.

The administrative divisions were redefined, and Southern Zhili was dismantled.

Ideologically, efforts should be made to quell regional disputes and contribute to the shared vision of the Ming Dynasty.

Under the guidance of the master, traditional learning in Jiangnan huddled together for warmth, but still needed to be thoroughly reformed and eliminated.

After the sacrificial ceremony at the southern suburbs, the opposition in the central government gathered in the ministries and departments of Nanjing, determined to bombard the headquarters.

Lots and lots of them.

Zhu Yijun simply couldn't count them all.

This is not something that can be easily resolved in a year or two.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yijun suddenly remembered that the Tuman Khan's large-scale attack had not yet arrived as expected, and he still needed to give Wang Chonggu and Qi Jiguang some instructions, in case...

Just as he was making preparations, he felt a warmth in his lower body, and his body trembled involuntarily.

Zhu Yijun then came to his senses, realizing that he was still chatting with Consort Li.

He shifted his position with difficulty and said with difficulty, "We'll go see Consort Han Yi later. When we head south, my beloved consort will go to Mount Putuo to fulfill a vow at the Guanyin Bodhisattva's shrine on Consort Yi's behalf."

Li Baiyang sat beside the emperor, not listening at all.

"We'll discuss the matter of Mount Putuo later. Your Majesty, please escort me to Mount Wu first..."

Her hair at her temples was disheveled, and her eyes were alluring.

Zhu Yijun was engrossed in watching.

He couldn't help but stop his serious words, instinctively wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing them tightly together.

It's like the situation between the North and the South.

While they are inseparable, one rises and the other falls, experiencing ups and downs.

(End of this chapter)