I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 928 Who is the biggest enemy of imperial power?

Zhu Yijun stood up and said to Zhang Siwei and others.

"Gentlemen, take a rest first. Our next stop is Tianjin. Jinshui, when will we arrive in Tianjin?"

"Your Majesty, we will arrive at Tianjin Station in two hours and ten minutes, which means 10:40 am standard time."

Zhu Yijun nodded and said, "Once we get to Tianjin, we will go down and take a look.

Tianjin is the gateway to the capital and now the largest light industrial center in North China. I want to take a good look at it.

You guys should also take a good look and walk around, it is very exhausting both mentally and physically.

"According to the order!"

Zhu Yijun walked through the dining car and came to his own carriage.

This is a customized six-axle luxury carriage, the front half of which is an office area and the back half is a bedroom.

There are also two customized six-axle luxury carriages at the back, but the layout is different from this one. One carriage is divided into three living areas, one for the accompanying concubines and princes and princesses.

At this time, they gathered at the door of the office area in Zhu Yijun's carriage to welcome him.

Concubine Song, the eldest daughter Zhu Xuanni, the eldest son Zhu Changhao, the second son Zhu Changhan, the second daughter Zhu Xuanwan, and Yu Qiaolian, the deputy master of ceremonies of the Shangyi Bureau and the master of music of the Music Department.

Yu Qiaolian finally entered the palace, but in a different way.

The eunuchs are gradually being abolished, and most of the palace duties previously handled by the Inner Palace Supervisor are gradually being transferred to six bureaus and one department composed of female officials and palace maids.

The six bureaus and one department are the Shangyi Bureau, Shanggong Bureau, Shanggong Bureau, Shangshi Bureau, Shangqin Bureau, Shangfu Bureau and Gongzheng Bureau. Their original purpose was to assist the empress in managing the palace's food, accommodation and transportation, and to ensure the normal order and daily operation of the harem.

Empress Xue Baoqin followed Zhu Yijun's wishes and adjusted and reformed the six bureaus and one department, gradually taking over the functions of the inner palace supervisor.

During Zhu Yijun's southern tour this time, except for the customs clearance, confidential documents and reception of foreign ministers, which were all handled by the eunuchs of the Secretariat headed by Yang Jinshui and Qi Yan, the rest of the eating, drinking, and defecating were left to the "special security team" sent by the six bureaus and one department. Concubine Song was the leader of this security team, and Yu Qiaolian was the executive deputy leader.

"Your humble concubine/daughter/son pays homage to His Majesty/Father."

"Everyone get up."

Zhu Yijun sat down behind the imperial desk and pointed at the seats: "You all sit down.

I will start my southern tour now. I have something to tell you."

Everyone sat down one by one and waited quietly for Zhu Yijun to speak.

"The route of this southern tour is very long, and the security pressure on Jinshui, Jinyiwei, and the Imperial Horse Administration is very high. In order to see the most real side, I will launch a surprise attack, which will naturally put more pressure on them.

you"

Zhu Yijun pointed at Zhu Xuanni and the other four princes and princesses and said, "You are older, so I brought you four out to have a good look, to see the magnificent mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty, and to see the real Ming Dynasty.

But you must not rebel, you must not show off your power as a prince or princess, you must strictly abide by the security rules and follow the arrangements of Jinshui and the others."

Zhu Yijun paused, "If you guys act a little bit crazy, it will cause great trouble to the entire security work. If you get angry, the people below will run their legs off.

During the Southern Tour, if anyone fails to comply with security rules and causes trouble, I will immediately order him to return to the capital, and put your mother in solitary confinement for a month!

Did you hear that?"

Zhu Xuanwan and the other three quickly responded, "Father, we heard it."

Zhu Yijun nodded and looked at Concubine Song, Yu Qiaolian and several other female officials.

The gongs and drums were actually played for them to hear, to warn the concubines and female officials not to act arrogantly and domineeringly behind their backs during the southern tour.

"Okay. Yu Qiaolian, take your elder sister and the others down to rest first. I want to talk to the imperial concubine."

"According to the order."

Concubine Song stared at Yu Qiaolian's graceful figure for a while. She was a little puzzled as to why Empress Dowager Chen chose such a woman to enter the palace, and the Queen did not object.

Can you sing Huangmei Opera?
It shouldn't be that simple.

"My Lady, have you sent the telegram?"

Zhu Yijun's question made Concubine Song quickly regain her composure and answer.

"Your Majesty, it has been sent.

"I know that many people feel resentful, thinking that they have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty's economy and taxation, but the rewards from the court and me are not satisfactory."

"Your Majesty, they would never dare to do that."

Zhu Yijun interrupted Concubine Song's argument with his hand, "How do you know what they are thinking when you are in the deep palace?
Many people tend to become arrogant once they are in a high position. They think that their success is entirely due to their own ability, and that the Ming Dynasty economy will not be able to function without them!

You tell them to visit Huating in Huzhou, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Changzhou. A few years ago, there was a group of people who thought they were the backbone of the Ming Dynasty.

Ask them to go and see how tall the grass is on those people’s graves.”

Concubine Song's face turned pale.

Zhu Yijun comforted her, "Don't worry, Concubine. Most of them know when to advance and when to retreat, and I am very pleased about that.

This time I went south, I just want to have a good chat with them. Their contributions will not be forgotten by the Ming Dynasty, and I will not forget them. I will give them enough say and will not let them worry like before.

I will give them certain protections.”

"Father, you are so kind to them."

A voice came from the back door of the office area.

"come out!"

Zhu Xuanni came out obediently with her head lowered.

Yu Qiaolian ran in breathlessly, and when she saw this scene, she quickly apologized.

"I just sent my sisters and brothers to the carriage, and suddenly I realized that my eldest sister was missing. I hurried over, but I was still a step too late. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

"It's okay. We don't know what kind of temper my daughter has. You can't control her in a short time. It's okay, you go down and rest first, and let the eldest sister stay to chat with me and the imperial concubine."

"According to the order!"

After Yu Qiaolian left, Zhu Yijun pointed to the seat next to Concubine Song.

"Sit down. If you want to listen, then listen openly. If you want to learn your father's craft, then stand up and learn openly."

Concubine Song said tactfully: "Your Majesty, my elder sister is a girl, and learning these things about governing a country is not very useful."

"Haha, you are useless in Ming Dynasty. But the world is so big, there will always be a place where my elder sister can be useful.

If she still likes to start a business and wants to put what she has learned from me into practice, I will give her a place to do it. There are places where she can put her skills to use, such as Duizhou, Daqin, Persia, and Tianzhu. "

When Zhu Xuanni heard this, her eyes sparkled, the corners of her mouth curled up, and she was overjoyed.

Concubine Song also understood what Zhu Yijun meant. Her eyes flickered and she said with a smile, "The Emperor dotes on my sister and brother too much."

"They are all my children, my own flesh and blood. As a father, I don't love them. How can I expect others to love them? Big sister, please continue."

Zhu Xuanni glanced at Concubine Song and said with her head held high.

"Father, I know what you mean. It is nothing more than those merchants and factory owners in the southeast who have made great contributions to the Ming Dynasty's economy. You want to confer titles on them and make promises to them in order to win them over.

I feel that they are treated too well. They have worked hard and made great contributions, but my father and the court have also treated them well.

Many restrictions on merchants were abolished, allowing them to hold their heads high and enjoy a good life. Some were even granted titles of nobility and official rank, with generous benefits.

If we treat them any better, I think they will take advantage of us.”

Zhu Yijun laughed, "Yes, some people will indeed become arrogant if they are given too much and are fed too much!

But we can't think about this matter so superficially, we have to think about it deeply.

These people in the southeast, as well as those in Luanzhou and the northeast who developed industries, were not only the trendsetters of the Ming Dynasty, but also the ones who mastered advanced productive forces.

And how are you learning about productivity and production relations, sister?"

Zhu Xuanni replied somewhat embarrassedly: "Father, I have studied the Political Economy you wrote, but it is too difficult to understand and I cannot learn it."

Zhu Yijun looked at his eldest daughter with a face full of love.

"You have to learn it even if you can't understand it. This is the art of slaying dragons. If you understand it, you will be able to figure out the most fundamental contradictions in the world and grasp the essence of all things."

"Father, please tell me. How does this case relate to productivity and production relations?"

"Sister, since the Industrial Revolution broke out in Ming Dynasty, the economy has developed rapidly. New productivity has risen in Ming Dynasty, becoming a mighty and unstoppable trend.

New productive forces must be adapted to new production relations, otherwise it will cause huge turmoil.

The political, economic and social systems are all production relations and superstructure, which rotate with the productive forces and economic base.

Sister, if we don’t follow the trend, we will be swept away by it.

This is one of them! "

Zhu Yijun took two sips of warm tea, and Concubine Song quickly stood up, picked up the thermos and refilled him with hot tea.

"Second, do you know who the greatest enemy of the imperial power is?"

Zhu Xuanni thought about it. She had been influenced by Zhu Yijun since she was a child. She summarized it in her mind and immediately gave the answer.

"bureaucracy."

"Yes. The biggest enemy of imperial power is the bureaucracy. Emperor Taizu established the ancestral system with the original intention of balancing civil and military power and monopolizing power. He did not expect that his descendants would not live up to their expectations, and after several major changes, the civil officials became the only ones in power.

Since I came to power, I have worked hard to restore the balance between civil and military officials. At the same time, I have also adopted the method used by my grandfather, Emperor Sejong, to win over one group of civil officials and fight against another group of civil officials.
After much hard work, we have achieved the current situation.

But I know very well that it will not last long if officials are appointed to rule officials. Their interests are the same, and they will come together sooner or later.

If we want long-term peace and stability and a long-term balance between imperial power and bureaucracy, we must find another way. "

"Father, what is the secret?"

"Have you ever studied geometry?"

“I’ve already started studying this semester.”

“Which geometric figure is the most stable?”

“It looks like a triangle.”

"Yes, so a third party must be introduced between the imperial power and the bureaucracy to achieve a balance."

Zhu Xuanni's eyes sparkled. "Father, the third party you mentioned is the business owners in the southeast, Luanzhou, and the northeast?"

“It’s not just them, there are also millions of workers in industrial and commercial enterprises, as well as farm workers under the Animal Husbandry and Reclamation Bureau and the Construction Corps.

Collectively they are called industry, agriculture, and commerce.

In the past, people were roughly divided into scholars, farmers, merchants and artisans. The scholars in the front were officials, the basis of the bureaucracy, while the farmers, merchants and artisans in the back were the people.

It is difficult to establish an official system by appointing officials, so it is better to establish officials by appointing people! "

Zhu Xuanni’s eyes widened even further.

Zhu Yijun continued.

“In the past, the imperial power was in the Forbidden City, so the Forbidden City became a thorn in the eyes of many people.

Later, the imperial power was in the Western Garden, so the Western Garden became a thorn in the eyes of many people.

If the imperial power was united with the workers, peasants and merchants, and dispersed in the capital, in the northeast, in the northwest, in the south and north of the desert, in the south of the Yangtze River, in the southwest, in all parts of the Ming Dynasty, and in the hearts of the hundreds of millions of people of the Ming Dynasty, how could those bureaucrats deal with it?

It will be more solid than Mount Tai!"

Zhu Xuanni's expression said, "Although I didn't quite understand, I was very shocked," which made Zhu Yijun laugh.

"Don't understand? That's right. You will slowly understand it as you travel the southern part of the country. Brothers and sisters, if you want to go into politics or start a business, you must understand these principles."

Zhu Xuanni nodded fiercely: "I understand, your son, keep it in mind first, slowly combine it with practice, and experience it carefully."

"That's right. Your father is also a father for the first time (not counting the previous life). How to teach children needs to be explored slowly. If you have any ideas, just bring them up."

"Yes, sir." Zhu Xuanni bowed and left happily.

Concubine Song saw it in her heart and understood the meaning of Zhu Yijun's words just now.

He first experimented with the eldest sister, eldest brother and other older princes and princesses to find out the most appropriate way to educate his children. Anyway, whether they taught him good or bad would have no impact on the overall situation.

Summarize the experience, apply it to the Crown Prince, and work hard to train a good crown prince for the Ming Dynasty.

Thinking of this, she felt a little angry, but there was nothing she could do.

"When you get to Tianjin, ask Jinshui to send a secret message to the telegraph office on your behalf, telling them that I won't give them anything, so they should stop having such wishful thinking!"

Concubine Song was startled and quickly responded, "I obey your order."

(End of this chapter)