I am Emperor Wanli

Chapter 952: Inspection and Ancestor Worship

Zhu Yijun took advantage of the discussion on the economic layout of the southeast to make some comments.

Building the national consciousness of the Chinese nation is a very important thing for Zhu Yijun in the next few decades, just as important as continuing to promote the industrial revolution and revitalize Ming Dynasty science and technology.

The territory of the Ming Dynasty is vast. In the next few decades, it will continue to expand in the Genxun Continent of the New World, turning this fertile land into the territory of the Ming Dynasty.

But the place is so big, how to maintain unity and solidarity?

Use the Chinese nation and Chinese civilization to unite the people.

The same civilization, the same nation, is more cohesive than the Zhu Dynasty alone.

Zhu Yijun had already emphasized this matter to the advisory scholars and court officials at the meetings of the Advisory Bureau and the Court Council in the first month of the year.

Today I will take this opportunity to give a warning to local officials in the southeast.

At the same time, it also sets the stage for Zhang Siwei's next work.

After the talk, Zhu Yijun continued to talk about the economic development in the southeast.

“As I said earlier, the economic development focus of the three southeastern provinces, one capital and one prefecture is on light industry.

Light industry is closely related to people's lives, has a great impact, and has a high output. The court's layout in light industry is that the government will withdraw and the private sector will advance in the next ten years! The government-run enterprises will gradually withdraw and give the market to private enterprises. "

Zhu Yijun's words made the ministers look at each other in bewilderment.

Officials retreat and civilians advance?

The emperor invented a new word.

But you can tell the truth of this as soon as you hear it.

However, some of the ministers couldn’t understand why such a lucrative industry and opportunity should be given to the private sector?

Wouldn’t it be nice if they all got caught by the government?

Zhu Yijun continued, "Heavy industry requires huge investment and a long construction period, but it has high returns and is related to the economic lifeline of the Ming Dynasty. It must be controlled by the court.

Light industry investment is flexible, can be large or small, has a short construction period, and the return is currently good. It is related to the livelihood of the people of Ming Dynasty. The court continues to control some light industries, such as salt industry, which is currently also an important part of chemical industry.

There is also the tobacco industry, which must also be controlled by the court.

The rest of the sugar-making, wine-making and tea-making industries will be gradually liberalized.

Textile industries such as silk cocoons, silk, cotton spinning, cotton cloth, printing and dyeing have also been gradually liberalized.

There are also 16 industries such as hardware and small agricultural machinery that will be gradually liberalized according to the established schedule. The cabinet has issued it, and you should all be aware of it.
I know you have different reactions to this matter, and now you can express your opinions."

Anhui Provincial Governor Zhang Sidi spoke first: "The emperor has already proposed a relevant plan at the court meeting in the first month of the year. After returning to Anhui, I have been thinking about it and still have doubts in my heart. I would like to take this opportunity to report it to the emperor."

"You said."

“Your Majesty, you said that we should open up some industries and allow private enterprises to enter freely. The benefit of this is free competition, promoting industry development, and allowing the people to enjoy high-quality and low-priced products.

I have visited the Luanzhou factory and the Huzhou factory, and I am somewhat confused about the term "free competition".

Another benefit is that it improves wealth distribution and gives many civilian talents the opportunity to make a fortune. This is even more puzzling to me, and I don't know where to start.

I dare to ask the emperor to teach me and solve my doubts. "

Zhu Yijun nodded.

He was well aware that since the Wanli New Deal, new ideas, new theories, and new statements had emerged one after another, and many officials were working hard to learn them. However, these unprecedented concepts could not be understood in just a few days of study.

There are many people like Zhang Sidi who don't understand it very thoroughly.

Zhu Yijun couldn't do anything about other people's failure to understand, but as the chief administrative officer of a province, it would be a big trouble if others didn't understand it.

He was willing to explain it in more detail.

Zhu Yijun replied: "Okay, these new theories must be deeply understood. They will be the guide for your governance in the future.

I am also aware that these new theories are indeed difficult to understand, especially because they are very directional and you cannot understand them just by letting your imagination run wild.

First of all, I would like to emphasize that to understand these theories, we must combine theory with practice.
Liberalize some industries, allow private enterprises to enter freely, compete freely, promote industry development, and benefit wealth distribution
First of all, it should be made clear that our current strategy for economic development is to concentrate our efforts on major tasks.

Now that the big things have been done, the locomotive of the Industrial Revolution has slowly started to move. The next task is to allow more capable people to catch this ride and enjoy more dividends of the times.

We have all visited factories in Luanzhou, Huzhou and other places, and have experienced the conditions of these heavy industries firsthand.

In addition to the large investment, the dependence on resources is very serious and it must be built nearby, but it is the foundation of all industries.

Now that the foundation has been built, it is like setting up a stage, and what kind of play is performed depends on everyone's ability. Let the talented people from all over the country display their talents and show their abilities.

As I said just now, the advantage of light industry is its flexibility. A factory can grow from dozens of people to thousands of people. As long as transportation is convenient, there will be no problem moving from northern Anhui to southern Anhui, from northern Jiangsu to southern Jiangsu, and from eastern Zhejiang to western Zhejiang.

This is also in line with our strategy of layout along railways and water transport.

Previously, the biggest problem in Huzhou and Luanzhou was recruiting workers. They had to mobilize a lot of power from the court to recruit enough workers.

why?
Most people are unwilling to leave their homes.

Well, these private enterprises can be opened in county towns or in towns, right at the doorsteps of people’s homes.

People can find ways to make money without leaving their homes.

In the past, millions of industrial workers and farmers enjoyed the benefits of the Industrial Revolution. Now, we want to enable more people to enjoy the dividends of the times through thousands of private enterprises.”

Everyone nodded.

". The economic layout of the three provinces, one capital and one state in the southeast is roughly like this. We will vigorously support private enterprises and develop light industry. Your provincial governors, well, in the future, the two capitals and two states will also be unified into three departments: governor, censor and military preparation.

After the tax distribution ratio is determined, the chief secretary has money in his pocket to carry out independent provincial economic layout, and can invest in upstream enterprises of light industry, such as machinery and equipment, textile machines, looms, and silk reeling machines. Another example is upstream printing and dyeing equipment and materials, printing and dyeing machines, and various pigments.
Step by step, we can lead and help the development of the regional textile industry."

Zhu Yijun looked at the ministers present and continued speaking.

"The three provinces in the southeast, one capital and one prefecture, have established a regional integrated economy with Shanghai and Zhou as the locomotive, Nanjing as the transit hub, northern Jiangsu and Zhejiang as the two wings, and Anhui as the driving force. This will then become a huge locomotive, driving the development of Jiangxi, the two lakes, Sichuan, Yunnan and Guizhou along the Yangtze River.

Everyone! "

The ministers were cheered up and sat up straight.

"To become the locomotive of the Yangtze River Basin and drive the development of the light industry of the entire Ming Dynasty is what I and the Cabinet expect of you, and it is also the mission entrusted to you by history and the times!"

Two days later was an auspicious day. Zhu Yijun, who had been fasting for ten days, brought Concubine Song, the princes and princesses, and accompanied by Xu Zhenming, Zhang Siwei and other ministers, to the Xiaoling Mausoleum to worship their ancestors.

Xiaoling Mausoleum is located at the foot of Mount Everest in Dulongfu, on the southern slope.

In the tenth year of Jiajing, Emperor Shizong, who always loved to change the ancestral system, issued an edict to change the name of the Xiaoling Mausoleum's Shenshan to Shenlie Mountain. He also erected a Shenlie Mountain stele and a stele pavilion on the east side of the Xiaoling Mausoleum's Xiamafang.

However, officials and civilians are still accustomed to calling this place Purple Mountain.

Zhu Yijun and his entourage were dressed in casual clothes and got off the carriage at Xiamafang.

Facing southeast, Xiamafang is a two-pillar stone archway with six large regular script characters "All officials dismount" engraved on the lintel.

The Shenlie Mountain Stele, erected by order of Emperor Sejong, is located to the east of Xiamafang.

After passing Xiamafang and walking along the sacred road, you will soon arrive at the first gate of the Xiaoling Mausoleum, the Dajin Gate.

The Great Golden Gate is located northwest of Xiamafang, facing south and with three arches. The lower part is a stone Sumeru pedestal, the waist part is shallowly carved with bowl-shaped patterns, and the upper part is brick-built.

The vermilion lacquered gate was wide open, the roof of the gate tower was covered with yellow glazed tiles, and it was connected to the imperial wall on the east and west sides, majestically guarding the Xiaoling Mausoleum.

Enter the Golden Gate and continue forward to arrive at Sifang City.

Sifang City is located in the north of Dajinmen. Its real name is the Xiaoling Divine Merit and Sacred Virtue Stele Tower. It was built in the 11th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty. It is made of bricks and stones and has a square plan. There is a five-meter-wide arched doorway on each of the four walls, so it is commonly known as the "Sifang City".

Inside the building is the "Stele of Divine Merits and Sacred Virtues of the Xiaoling Mausoleum of the Ming Dynasty" erected by Chengzu for Taizu. It is 8.9 meters high, of which the stele head and the body are 6.7 meters high, and the tortoise shell is 2.08 meters high.

The inscription has 2,746 regular script characters and was written by Emperor Chengzu, recounting the merits and virtues of Emperor Taizu throughout his life.

Zhu Yijun took the lead to look at it.

Zhu Xuanni, along with her younger brothers and sisters, stood in front of the stele and recited the inscription while shaking her head.

The clear and crisp childish voices echoed among the mountains and lush greenery, making the clouds and forests look even more luxuriant and beautiful.

Cross the Imperial Bridge and walk along the Stone Elephant Road, where six kinds of stone beasts are arranged in sequence along the way. All of them are carved from a single piece of stone using the round sculpture technique, with smooth and round lines and a grand aura.

At the end of the walkway is a pair of 6.52-meter-high white stone watchtowers with cloud and dragon patterns, commonly known as Huabiao.

Past the watchtower is Weng Zhong Road.

The total length is 250 meters. There are eight Weng Zhong in total, divided into four groups, standing opposite each other, each four meters high and with a sturdy body.

Two pairs are military generals wearing armor and holding golden shields, and the other two pairs are civil officials wearing court crowns and holding court scepters.

Lifelike, heavy and simple.

Zhu Yijun nodded: "The stone horse neighs in the wind and the stone statue stands there, hesitating about the midnight court order. It is indeed so!"

I have been here before when I was a senior civil servant. I came here with a group organized by my company. There was a fat dark-skinned tour guide who was very knowledgeable and could recite all kinds of anecdotes.

This poem was said by him on Weng Zhong Road, which left a deep impression on Zhu Yijun.

Then enter the Lingxing Gate, cross the Jinshui Bridge and arrive at the Wenwufang Gate.

The Wenwufang Gate is the main gate of the Xiaoling Mausoleum, with five gates, three large and two small.

Inside the main gate is the middle gate, inside which there is a sacred silk furnace, with verandas on the left and right. On the right after entering the middle gate is the slaughtering pavilion for slaughtering livestock, and on the left is the Jufu Hall where the monarch and his ministers changed their clothes during the sacrifices.

Zhu Yijun and his entourage changed into sacrificial robes in the Jufu Hall and solemnly entered the Xiang Hall.

The hall is nine bays wide and five bays deep, with a double-eaved hipped roof, and is grand in scale.

Portraits of Emperor Taizu and Empress Xiaocigao are hung in the hall.

Zhu Yijun brought Concubine Song and the princes and princesses into the palace, while Xu Zhenming led the ministers outside the palace, offering sacrificial animals and performing the ritual of five bows and three kowtows.

Zhu Yijun then brought Concubine Song and the princes and princesses to the square city wall on the top of the tomb, and performed family rituals and sacrifices facing the top of the tomb of Emperor Taizu and Empress Gao.

After the ancestral worship at the Xiaoling Mausoleum, Zhu Yijun completed an important event in his southern tour.

He then inspected Nanjing University, Nanjing Museum and Nanjing Library, and then officially issued an edict to donate the Nanjing Imperial City for the expansion of these three places, with the imperial palace part used as a museum.

However, before that, the Nanjing Imperial City needs to undergo large-scale reconstruction, including water supply and drainage, fire prevention, reinforcement, and renovation. It is estimated that it will take another one or two years before it can be used for civilian purposes.

By then, a large part of the cultural relics "collected" by the Ming Dynasty from all over the world will be treasured here.

The Ming Dynasty took the lead in launching the Industrial Revolution and promoting free trade. The world will be turbulent and many places will be uneasy. In order to prevent these treasures of human civilization from being destroyed in the war, it is better to keep them in the peaceful and prosperous Ming Dynasty.

When the world is at peace and all is united, the people of those places can go to the Ming Dynasty museum to see the representatives of their culture.

Tickets are discounted!

Four days later, Zhu Yijun and his party took a train and first went to Zhenjiang and Changzhou, where they inspected for two days respectively.

Then I came to Suzhou, inspected for three days, and then went straight to Huzhou Shanghai Station.

At Kunshan Station, the special train stopped for ten minutes. Zhang Siwei got off the train quietly and disappeared into the night.

(End of this chapter)