I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 806: What the Emperor said is all true
May 16th is an auspicious day. Legend has it that it is the day when the Jade Emperor attained enlightenment and became an immortal.

The headquarters of Luanzhou Iron and Steel Group Corporation in Lulong City is under tight security.

Five miles outside the wall, officers and soldiers from the Yongwei Camp and Yulin Army formed three cordon lines.

The entire headquarters also has a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps.

The center of the alert was an inconspicuous office building. In a conference room on the second floor of this office building, an area of ​​more than 400 square meters was filled with more than 150 people.

There were four rows of tables and chairs in the front, and at the innermost part against the wall was a single table and chair, where Zhu Yijun was sitting.

In front were four tables and chairs, where four senior councillors were sitting.

Sitting in the first two rows were twenty-four advisory scholars.

Opposite the four rows of tables and chairs were ten rows of tables and chairs, each of which housed more than 120 court officials.

The table was covered with a plain floral tablecloth, and in front of each person was a nameplate with their name on it. There was also a white porcelain teacup with a peony pattern on it. People from the Tongzhengsi and Silijian would occasionally walk through it, turning on the kettle, filling the teacup with boiling water or simply replacing it with a new cup of tea.

There were aisles on both sides of the wall, and in front of each was a long table, also covered with a patterned tablecloth, with four young secretaries sitting on each. They were all officials from the Tongzhengsi and Silijian, and they had good handwriting and fast writing speed.

Holding a pen and with a notebook spread out on the table in front of him, he was ready to take notes of the meeting.

There are two rows of tables and chairs against the wall at the back, which are the seats for the attendees.

Li Chunfang, the senior official of the Constitutional Council, Feng Bao, the director of the Imperial Household, Yang Jinshui, the director of the Ministry of Finance, and others who were not officials of the court or advisors sat there and listened.

On the wall behind Zhu Yijun, there are two six-panel screens. On the left is a picture of vast rivers and mountains, and on the right is a picture of the splendor of the capital.

They were all painted by famous painters from the Hanlin Academy of Painting and Calligraphy.

There was a banner hanging above the wall with a line of words written on it.

"The plenary session of the Imperial Court Council in the fifth year of Wanli's reign".

Zhu Yijun was still wearing a light green new short-sleeved summer suit, with short hair and no hat. He looked radiant and particularly energetic.

The four Grand Secretaries Zhang Juzheng, Tan Lun, Zhao Zhenji and Wang Chonggu all wore the same attire today, wearing white short-sleeved shirts, except that Zhang Juzheng and Tan Lun had short hair, while Zhao Zhenji and Wang Chonggu had their hair in a bun with a hairpin inserted in them.

There is no way. As the old and new eras alternate, many new and old things will appear at the same time. Only after being slowly eliminated by the times will the old gradually disappear and the new become the mainstream.

The twenty-four academicians also wore different clothes. Some wore new short-sleeved shirts, some wore official uniforms, some wore double-breasted cotton and silk shirts, some wore straight robes, and some wore long robes.

Some have short hair, some wear black gauze hats, some have hairpins inserted into their buns or wrapped in net scarves, some just wrap their hair in a piece of cloth, some wear square scarves, and some wear straight scarves.
Focus on diversity and inclusion.
Because the agenda of these three days' meetings is diverse, the officials in the court need to be more tolerant.

The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Public Administration Zeng Xingwu.

"Ladies and gentlemen, now please invite His Majesty the Emperor to deliver the opening speech for the plenary session of the Imperial Court in the fifth year of the Wanli reign."

After warm applause, Zhu Yijun moved the large iron loudspeaker over and pointed the opening towards his mouth.

Without electricity, we cannot make electric loudspeakers and we cannot lay down wired telegraph networks.

The most important thing in railway operation is the timely sharing of the status of lines and trains. Each station is required to report the status of lines and passing trains to the general dispatching room in a timely manner via telegraph or telephone.

The general dispatching room modifies the operation diagram according to the dynamic situation, and then sends the instructions to each station in a timely manner via telegram or telephone. Each station either executes it or passes it on to the passing train in a timely manner.

Now there are only two railways, which are double-track lines that can run in opposite directions. The operation is relatively simple. There are no wired telegraphs or telephones, but it can barely support the situation.

However, in the next few years, the railway industry will develop rapidly. As several railways are built, the complexity of operation will increase exponentially. Without wired telegraphs and telephones to transmit information in a timely manner, big problems will arise.

The research of the Sixth Research Bureau is a bit behind the times.

In my opinion, developing alternating current should be very simple. I have also taught them top-secret dragon-slaying techniques such as electromagnetic effect, Ohm's law, and the principle of disc generator. Why haven't they succeeded in developing it yet?

I'll have to go back and take another look at what went wrong and give them some advice.

These distracting thoughts flashed through Zhu Yijun's mind quickly. He glanced at the backs and heads of the ministers in front of him, then looked at the different expressions on the faces of the ministers in the court opposite him. He calmed himself down, smiled and spoke.

"Beginning on May 12, you will visit the coal mines, steel mills, machinery factories, and cashmere factories in Kaiping, Yongping, and Lulong in turn.

We not only visited industrial and mining enterprises, but also visited farms in Funing.
At night, everyone had to discuss in groups under the bright gas lights and write reports on their visits and studies.
I have read all your reports and have gained a lot of insights. I have learned a lot of new things and knowledge."

Everyone looked normal as they listened to Zhu Yijun's clear voice.

For the officials of the Wanli Dynasty, holding meetings and studying are now as common as drinking water.

The Cabinet, the Six Ministries, the various departments and offices of the local provincial governments, the county governments, the township/town offices, the Censorate system, the military government system, and the military, political and legal units at all levels all hold daily study sessions every month. The latest imperial edicts, military and political orders of the military government/cabinet, orders of the Five Military Offices/Six Ministries, legal knowledge, economic knowledge, and even basic knowledge of physics and chemistry are all part of the study content.

Sometimes when an important imperial edict was issued, temporary study sessions would be organized.

When major projects are started and completed, mobilization meetings and summary meetings should be organized.
Meetings are for learning, and study reports are essential
This system began to be implemented in the first year of the Longqing reign, when the emperor took power as the crown prince, and was fully implemented in the first year of the Wanli reign.

We're used to it. Everyone's used to it.

Zhu Yijun's voice continued to echo above the conference hall.

"Why did I go to so much trouble to invite you all to take the train and come here, and then take you all along the way to visit? Why did I go through so much trouble?
Very simple.

I have often told you before that we are now in the midst of a great change that will last for a thousand years, and we must be the first to enter a new era. What is a great change, and what is a new era?
Hearing is believing, seeing is believing! I want you to see it with your own eyes!"

Zhu Yijun spread his hands and said, "Everyone saw it and was shocked.

Some of you have seen the cotton mills and silk factories in Shanghai, the docks and shipyards in Wusong, and then said that they are nothing special.

Now I let you take a train and show you how to use steam engines to mine coal, how to make steel and iron, and how to make various machine tools. With rumbling sounds and sparks flying, you are finally shocked, shocked by the real industrial revolution.

Well, I want you to be shocked, to experience firsthand the power of the Industrial Revolution! The power of the new productive forces!"

Zhu Yijun's expression became serious and his tone became stern.

"Everyone, have you ever thought about this? If these factories and mines were opened in other countries, and these industrial revolutions took place in other countries, our Ming Dynasty would still be peaceful with men farming and women weaving.

One day, other countries came to the gate of the Ming Dynasty with steel guns and steam-powered ships, and shouted, "Open the door, we want free trade!"
What would that be like, guys?"

Zhu Yijun's fingers rapped fiercely on the table. "Back then, they were wolves and we were sheep. We could only passively accept the changes of a thousand years and the fruits of the changing times. It's just that our descendants are the fruits on the table, and others enjoy the fruits. They were the knives and we were the fish!
Our five thousand years of civilization will become ignorant and backward not only in their eyes, but also in our own eyes. By then, even Confucius and Cheng and Zhu, who have read the Four Books and Five Classics by heart, will not be able to save us.

We can only pay a painful price, try all the roads, and strive to find the way to save ourselves.

You think these are alarmist statements, but all of this has happened in my dreams, so real, so painful. "

Zhu Yijun vented all the anger that had accumulated in his heart in one breath, and looking at the faces present, a sense of pride surged in his heart.

I did it. I finally made the big ship of the Ming Dynasty not only look brand new, from a wooden paddle boat to a steam-powered steel-armored ship, but also changed its route, leaving the old route full of reefs and heading towards a new route that, although there were winds and waves, was smooth all the way to the other side of the light.

Zhu Yijun let out a long sigh and said something that surprised everyone present.

"Party strife, party strife, everyone avoids this topic. But I say that in ancient and modern times, in China and abroad, any court has had party strife.

What is party struggle? In fact, it is the struggle for interests among various forces.

What we call checks and balances is actually about resolving conflicts in party struggles and balancing the distribution of interests among various forces.

But if this contradiction is not properly resolved, it will cause big problems and lead to the destruction of the country."

After hearing this, all the ministers understood that the emperor was giving them a lesson again.

Although the members of the Advisory Bureau were accustomed to Zhu Yijun's lectures, they could hear something unusual in just a few words.

The emperor seemed to be telling them some basic things, which were the core of his philosophy of governing the country and the principles he followed.

This is something extraordinary.

Everyone perked up and listened more carefully.

The capable officials who have ambitions for the country think that this is a good opportunity to learn the art of slaying dragons; the officials who are keen on their official careers think that this is a good opportunity to thoroughly understand the emperor's condition.

It is a good opportunity for everyone to learn and improve.

Zhu Yijun continued, "I have told you before that the Qin, Han, Tang and Song dynasties essentially perished due to the collapse of the imperial court's finances.

Why did it collapse? On the surface, it was because of the collapse of the government caused by party struggles, but in fact it was because the interest distribution system was destroyed.

Some forces enjoy the greatest benefits but bear the least responsibilities. As a result, conflicts accumulate and become more serious, and if they cannot be resolved, someone will rise up and overturn the table.

If there is nothing to eat, then no one should eat it.

Therefore, reasonable distribution of benefits is one of the best ways to resolve and ease conflicts.

Throughout history, countries at home and abroad have been exploring ways to reasonably distribute benefits.

Ancient Greece and Rome established the Senate, where nobles gathered together to hold meetings to discuss state affairs.

Britain held the Charter Convention and France held the Estates-General.

If they continue to do things this way, in a few hundred years, there will most likely be a referendum, and democracy will prevail.

In fact, in my opinion, these are all means and mechanisms to balance the distribution of interests and resolve conflicts.

However, with the development of the times, more and more people are participating in this mechanism. In my opinion, firstly, people are becoming more enlightened, and more and more people and groups are willing to defend their own interests.

Second, it is easier to fish in turbid waters, and it is easier to make a big show when there are more people.

But every place has its own way of singing opera. Europe has its own way of singing opera, and the Ming Dynasty has its own way of singing opera. "

Zhu Yijun paused, waiting for the shocked crowd to slowly digest his words.

Everyone also understood what Zhu Yijun did not mean explicitly. The Advisory Bureau and the Court Council were the consultation mechanisms he was exploring for the rational distribution of interests.

"I have read the history books of ancient and modern China and foreign countries and found that there is no best national system. Only the suitable one is good.

A good national system is one that suits the country and nation, suits the development of the times, can reasonably distribute benefits and resolve conflicts.

Since the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, especially after the Jiajing Dynasty, the Ming Dynasty has been plagued by internal and external troubles. Why? Because the system of interest distribution was unbalanced and became extremely unreasonable.

Some groups have usurped the most benefits but have borne the least responsibilities. The imbalance in distribution is manifested in fierce party struggles, followed by the concentration of wealth, that is, land annexation.

The rich got richer, and the poor got poorer. Problems accumulated to the point where they were difficult to resolve, and then they broke out one by one. The court's finances were out of control, the local governments were out of control, and the border defenses were out of control.
Everyone has lost confidence in the court's interest distribution system and is using their own means to defend their own interests.
Unscrupulously annexing land; hiding population; colluding with pirates, engaging in illegal maritime trade; colluding with border troops, smuggling and evading taxes.
The people receive the least benefits, but have to bear the most responsibilities and carry the heaviest burdens, and are suffering terribly. The final result is that the table is overturned and no one wants to eat.

How to do?
What should we do in the face of this mess passed down by our grandfather? "

The more they listened, the more excited they became.

What the emperor is saying now is all real gold and dry stuff!
"We can only start from scratch and in the process, we should pay attention to the main contradiction of the Ming Dynasty and establish a profit distribution mechanism to resolve this contradiction.

What contradiction?
I think that the main contradiction during the period of smashing pots and stoves is the contradiction between new productive forces and old productive forces.

After thousands of years of accumulation and collision, human civilization has finally given birth to new productive forces. This trend can be seen in the West and in China.

It’s just that the European countries were a mess before, so they had a light burden and could go into battle lightly, and it was easy for them to ride on the crest of the new productivity wave.

In contrast, our country has a long history and profound civilization, but this is actually a heavy burden. The old productive forces are too powerful and the new productive forces are suppressed.

However, in the past few years, I have solved this problem with my ministers. Now the new productivity is thriving in Ming Dynasty, and the old productivity has been left behind.

The power of the new productive forces and their ability to create wealth are obvious to all! With so many benefits, everyone naturally accepted this new thing.

But the main contradictions are phased: old ones go away and new ones emerge.

The previous conflicts have been resolved, so what is the main conflict in the Ming Dynasty now? "

The voice echoed in the meeting hall, and everyone was silent, waiting for Zhu Yijun's next words.

Zhu Yijun looked at them, waiting for their answer.

(End of this chapter)