Ming Dynasty: Domination of the World from the Imperial Examination

Chapter 10 People!

“But this is all fake!!!”

One stone can cause a thousand ripples. No matter how beautiful the previous words were, this turn is even more creepy.

Zhu Biao's face turned pale.

He had actually anticipated that there would be a turning point, but the turning point came so suddenly and so quickly that it was still somewhat unexpected.

Zhu Biao grabbed the corner of the chair with both hands, his stern face showing suppressed anger, but because of the officials around him, he did not explode directly.

He said in a cold voice: "What nonsense! Your Majesty's wisdom and bravery cannot be slandered by such evil words. The people of our dynasty love Your Majesty, and heaven and earth can bear witness to it. How can we allow such nonsense to slander His Majesty?"

"This is really unreasonable."

"absurd!"

The Minister of Rites Zhao Mao said, "I request that you arrest this troublemaker immediately."

"If such lawless people who confuse right and wrong continue to go unpunished, it will have a very bad impact on your Majesty's reputation."

"I request a thorough investigation."

"I think that this person is so crazy and bold as to cause trouble in the imperial examination. He must have planned it for a long time. I am worried that he has accomplices and is doing it on purpose."

"I am afraid there will be a sequel."

The Chief Censor Tang Yougong also said: "Since your majesty started the army, you have always loved the people like your own children, and the people have praised you highly."

"If it weren't for your majesty to drive out the Tartars, the Chinese people would still be living in dire straits, under the iron hoof of the Yuan people. Such merits are witnessed by heaven and earth, how can we allow them to be slandered like this."

"I ask Your Highness to order a thorough investigation."

"I request Your Highness to order a thorough investigation." Inside the palace, other ministers echoed each other. The words in the article were really too ridiculous.

How could any of that be false?

It is clear that Your Majesty really did it.

Anyone with a brain would not use those words to slander Your Majesty, but this person spoke wildly and rudely, which is really ridiculous.

It makes no sense.

This so-called counter-article is pure malicious slander. It is not worth listening to, thinking about, or even standing up to any scrutiny.

It's just for the sake of opposing.

This is extremely absurd.

Zhu Biao's expression eased slightly, and he said calmly: "Justice is in the hearts of the people, and it is not possible to confuse right and wrong with fabrications. Your Majesty's kindness to the people and the great achievements he has made for the world are witnessed by all people in the world."

"Keep reading."

Li Shanchang's eyes dodged and he was regretting taking the hot test paper, but since Zhu Biao had given the order, he had no choice but to obey.

Li Shanchang took a deep breath and continued, "It was all because the officials of the world were trying to please Emperor Hongwu and whitewash the peace. It's just that people have heard so many flattering words that they actually believed them to be true."

"Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty, local peasant uprisings have continued, and the military system has gradually collapsed. Officials are struggling to make a living, and the people's hearts and minds are divided, which is the worst in history."

"Get to the root of it."

"It's the Huaiyou commoner of Emperor Hongwu!"

"As far as the people are concerned, the Hongwu Emperor came from humble beginnings and understood the people best, and was also aware of their sufferings. Therefore, many of his major policies were based on sympathy and love for the people, but in fact, his attitude towards the people was the most superficial."

"The Fish Scale Atlas completely divides the people into different classes, and completely determines the way out and survival for the people, leaving them with no chance of recovery."

"They have been killing people in an attempt to restore order, but their efforts have always remained superficial, and it is difficult for them to effectively supervise and promote the world."

"Under such circumstances, with the decline of imperial power and the corruption of the lower classes, the people of the world will eventually fall into a desperate situation with no way to survive."

"The only option then is to rebel!" "Emperor Hongwu had no vision for the people of the world. He had a heart that loved the people, but he had no actions to love them. He regarded the world as his own, pretending to love the people but actually oppressing them."

"Everyone in the world is a house slave."

"There are no rules for the management and use of officials, and they are killing people without any rules. However, they have always ignored the law and selectively enforced the law. This will inevitably lead to officials increasingly selectively enforcing the law and punishing people for their own benefit."

"No one is more dangerous to the world than the emperor."

"Officials dare not speak out, the people have no way out, and it is difficult to find a livelihood."

"It comes down to it."

"It is this commoner identity."

"There is nothing wrong with being a commoner, and it is even admirable. But if you are in a high position and still use the mentality of a commoner to govern and view the world, then you are totally wrong."

"Since ancient times, the rich have been unkind, merchants pursue profits, scholars pursue fame, and the competition between merchants is the most cruel and cold."

"People are the most snobbish among themselves, and officials are the most aware of their own interests. The reason is that businessmen understand business, people understand people, and officials understand officials."

"Emperor Hongwu came from the lower class, so he knew the management of the lower class people most clearly. In addition, he had worked hard all the way up, so he also deeply understood the limits of the lower class."

"So the rules and regulations related to the people are extremely calculated."

"You can even say that every penny counts."

“And for officials, too.”

"It is imperative to squeeze the people and officials to the brink of the limit, and then show them favors, calling them the emperor's grace, and gaining prestige and reputation."

"The country has just been settled and is just beginning to flourish. It is the time to rest and recuperate, and to actively strive for recovery. However, how can you arouse the vitality of the country, the enthusiasm of officials, and the vitality of the people by making such meticulous calculations on the country?"

“Governing a big country is like cooking small dishes.”

"For national policies, it is better to be broad-based rather than detailed, and to be loose rather than tight. Giving local governments a certain degree of leniency so that they can adapt to local conditions and the times is the right way for the world to recover quickly now."

"But Ming is the opposite."

"All the rules were set long ago, including the salaries of officials, the annual land rent, and the amount of commercial taxes. The so-called 'laws of our ancestors' were set long ago. Such absurd behavior is simply unheard of."

"This shows how crude the Hongwu Emperor's vision was. He eventually fell into the scope of his own vision as a commoner and willingly became a frog in a well."

"As a person in power, you should care about the people and deserve respect from all people, but the king is the king and the people are the people, and they are not the same thing after all."

"The Hongwu Emperor did have a heart to help his people, but from the moment he became emperor, there was no going back. His people were the people he had in mind during the hard times of the past."

"They are not people of the Ming Dynasty."

"What he saved were the 'people of the past', the people he had seen and come into contact with in the past, not the living people of today, because the current Hongwu Emperor was not a person and could not come into contact with the people."

“All the people are just impressions of the past. In this case, even if you love the people, you are not loving the real people.”

"The officials and clerks are the ones who really know the truth about the people, but the Hongwu Emperor does not trust them. He only believes in the people he imagines in his mind."

“No tampering is allowed.”

"No one is allowed to question or argue."

"As the Hongwu Emperor's reign progressed, he became increasingly out of touch with the real grassroots, and became stubborn, arbitrary, and self-righteous."

"In the end, it's just abusing the people under the pretext of loving them."

“Come from the people and go to the people.”

"The current Hongwu Emperor has long forgotten his original intention. He is not willing to go to the fields and is unwilling to ask about the real sufferings of the people."

"He only wants to read the memorials submitted by officials."

(End of this chapter)