The first assistant of the poor family

Chapter 512

With the clearing of land and changes in the tax system across the country, Daming's economy has improved significantly.

In addition, the tax in kind was replaced by the tax on money, and the loss of rice and grain was greatly reduced.

All of this is naturally the credit of Xie Shen.But Xie Shen was not complacent.He knows this is just the beginning.

To completely make Ming Dynasty strong and prosperous, changing the economic model is only the first step, and the guidance of capital to set up factories is the most important thing.

Both the Songjiang Mansion and the Hangzhou Mansion have proved that the big businessmen in the Ming Dynasty were capable and interested in opening factories, and the only resistance was naturally the bureaucracy.

The oppression of merchants by this class has left them with lingering fears, so most people take a wait-and-see attitude in this matter.

This is also human nature. Xie Shen didn't think there was anything wrong with it.

Profit-seeking is the nature of businessmen, and he believes that as long as these businessmen see the benefits, they will definitely join in the wave of building industries and factories.

Only when the economy is solid can there be great cultural development.

Traditional Confucianism is not so unbearable, but the essence of Confucianism has changed after Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism. It is more Neo-Confucianism than Confucianism.

Xie Shen also dislikes this kind of theory that restricts the creativity of scholars.

In his view, Ming Dynasty had no shortage of creative talents, but it was suppressed by Confucianism.

In other words, the status of craftsmen in Ming Dynasty was very low, and craftsmen's inventions were also regarded as extraordinary skills and were not valued.

As a result, many young people from craftsmen resolutely chose to take the road of imperial examinations and completed a gorgeous turn.

Xie Shen felt that in order to develop the creativity of Ming craftsmen, they had to guarantee their basic interests.

If the status difference between craftsmen and scholars is too great, I am afraid that everyone will choose to be the latter.

Therefore, Xie Shen went to the emperor on the fifth day of December, requesting the establishment of a craftsman academy, which would be listed as an official school directly under the imperial court alongside the Guozijian.

One stone caused a thousand waves, and almost all the court officials overwhelmingly opposed it.

The most fierce opponent was naturally the Ministry of Rites. He Xianjin, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites, said that the imperial examination was the foundation of the Ming Dynasty.The establishment of the School of Craftsmanship conflicts with the national policy of Ming Dynasty, and it also makes scholars all over the world panic and nervous. What exactly is the imperial court going to do?Why give such a high status to lowly craftsmen?They are obviously the most despicable craftsmen, so they should be asked to study in the capital with their buttocks sticking out their faces?What to learn, learn how to place bricks?

This is also the view of most civil servants.

They all read the books of the sages and spoke for the sages, so naturally they couldn't just look at Xiaoge's old fool.

In their view, Xie Shen is a traitor to Confucianism.

He himself became an official by virtue of the imperial examination, and he is a majestic number one scholar in the Ming Dynasty. How could he be cruel to Confucianism?
They were so excited that they even knelt outside the Leopard Room and wept.

Zhu Houzhao is very experienced in dealing with these civil servants, that is, he just leaves them alone.After a period of time, these civil servants dispersed because they were bored.

But this time, Zhu Houzhao obviously underestimated the determination of the civil servants.The number of civil servants kneeling outside the Leopard Room was increasing, and finally Zhu Houzhao couldn't bear the pressure and decided to hold a big court meeting to discuss this matter.

The emperor took the initiative to convene the Great Court Meeting, which was unprecedented in the Zhengde Dynasty.

The members of the Manchu Dynasty were all overjoyed, they had reached a consensus in advance, and they must not let this thing that violated the ancestor's etiquette happen!

Xie Shen is naturally aware of everything that happened, if the civil servants don't fight back, there will be ghosts.

Among his many reforms, the training of the new army has nothing to do with the officials of the gentry, and the clearing of the land only slightly touched the interests of the officials of the gentry.Improving the status of businessmen is only at the level of setting up factories, and the officials of the gentry don't think it has any stake.

It wasn't until Xie Shen wanted to make a serious move on the imperial examination that these gentry officials realized that this was going to touch their lifeblood!

Since the Song Dynasty, the aristocratic families in the strict sense have ceased to exist, replaced by the scholarly families of poets and book heirs, and the imperial examination is the only upward ladder for these scholarly families.

Xie Shen is about to cut off the upward ladder of these gentry, how can they not be in a hurry?
All in all, it is still a word of profit. The world is bustling with people, all for profit and all for profit.

But it is said that at the great court meeting on this day, Zhu Houzhao, Emperor Zhengde, was sitting in the Fengtian Hall, and all civil and military officials were listed under Majesty Dan to discuss matters.

Since it has not been held for a long time, everything is very strange.It wasn't until the officials kowtowed to the emperor that the tense atmosphere of Shanhu Wansui was slightly resolved.

"Gentlemen, the purpose of my court meeting today is to open the School of Craftsmanship."

Zhu Houzhao's voice was very dignified. He glanced at all the courtiers and continued: "Your family seems to have a lot of opinions on Mr. Xie's proposal, so let's talk about the reasons."

"Your Majesty, I think that building a craftsman academy is an act of forgetting one's ancestors."

He Xianxiang, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites, took a step forward, and said in a clear voice: "The Ming Dynasty established the country with Confucianism and rituals, and the so-called guidelines are always strict. Craftsmen are low-level people. How can they be listed in the capital's official school alongside Confucian scholars! Therefore, I think that building officials The Academy is unwise."

"He Shilang's words are wrong!"

Xie Shen also took a step out of the imperial court, slightly bowed his body and saluted the emperor in Fengtian Hall.

"Emperor Taizu set the four registrations of army, civilian, craftsman and stove, but he didn't say that the people of craftsman are untouchables, and they also have the right to participate in the imperial examination. It's just that more people are used to inheriting their father's business as a craftsman. That's all."

His words can be said to have slapped He Xian in the face severely.You must know that there are quite a few court officials who were born as craftsmen, and He Xian's words tantamount to angering the public.

He Shilang's cheeks blushed, and he defended himself: "Mr. Xiaoge misunderstood the meaning of being an official. The meaning of an official is that those craftsmen who are engaged in craftsmanship are untouchables. It does not mean that all craftsmen are untouchables."

Xie Shen was overjoyed, he thought he dug a hole, and He Xian really jumped into it, it was so cooperative!

"He Shilang means that officials of craftsman origin are not untouchables?"

"Of course. That's what I mean by being an official."

He Xian nodded, finally heaving a sigh of relief.

"But the craftsman's identity is inherited in one continuous line. The father and brother of these court officials who came from the craftsman's family background may not necessarily be officials, but they are probably craftsmen!"

hiss!
He Xian was in a cold sweat when he heard this.

Why didn't he think of this? Although there are many officials with craftsmanship, most of them are still engaged in craftsmen.

"Your Majesty, He Shilang seems to be very unfriendly to my father and brother, a craftsman official from the Ming Dynasty."

Xie Shen's words were like a magic bullet.Zhu Houzhao looked like he didn't think it was a big deal to watch the excitement, and the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.

It's been a long time since this grand court meeting has been so interesting and exciting. It seems that there is a good show to watch.

The back of He Xian, the right servant of the Ministry of Rites, was already soaked, and he could feel the hostile eyes from his colleagues.Although the overwhelming majority of officials from North Korea and China are civilians, there are also many officials from craftsmen.

Just now He Xian's words were explained by Xie Shen, as if he was scolding all craftsman officials' fathers and brothers as pariahs.The dragon begets the dragon, and the phoenix begets the phoenix. The children of the untouchables are naturally untouchables.

Isn't this tantamount to calling these officials untouchables?

Li Dongyang couldn't stand it any longer. He stood up and coughed, "Your Majesty, I think what the minister said is very inappropriate. How can we determine whether a person is a pariah because of his registered residence? Is it true that except for those who were born in the country, the rest of the people are Are you not His Majesty's people?"

Although Li Dongyang is not a craftsman, he is a military member.

On weekdays, Li Dongyang didn't feel that he was any different from his colleagues. It wasn't until he was stimulated by He Xian's words that he realized that in the eyes of some people, those with military and craftsman backgrounds were not human at all.

These people simply think they are pariahs!
From this point of view, he should really be on the side of the craftsman official.

Seeing that the chief minister of the cabinet had spoken, He Xian completely collapsed.

He immediately fell to his knees and hugged Li Dongyang's thigh and said: "Mr. Li Ge, this is not what I mean by being an official. I'm an official with a cheap mouth, I'll slap my mouth myself!"

After He Yan finished speaking, he began to slap his mouth hard.This is not just for show, but for smoking thoroughly, loudly, and fiercely.

He Xian is just the third in command of the Ministry of Rites, with Shang Shu and Zuo Shilang on his head.

Even the officials of the Zhengyin hall of the Ministry of Rites dare not be rude to Li Dongyang, how dare he, a right servant, offend this great god?
They are all in the officialdom, so He Xian naturally understands the fate of offending the chief assistant.So even if his face is going to swell now, He Xian can't hesitate.

This scene is too funny.

Xie Shen watched He Shilang self-mutilate, dumbfounded, thinking that the group of people who recommended He Xian must have regretted it?
Li Dongyang didn't speak, and looked at He Xian coldly.

He Shilang is suffering in his heart, he has smoked dozens of times, and Mr. Shoufu is still not satisfied?
Out of the corner of He Xian's eyes, he glanced at the Son of Heaven sitting upright in the hall, and found that His Majesty had no intention of interrupting his self-mutilation, and was even more desperate.

His Majesty the Emperor didn't speak, and Lord Shoufu didn't speak either. His delicate jade face looked like a pig's head.

Unknowingly, He Xian pulled himself to the corner of his mouth to ooze blood.

He felt a sweet smell filling his mouth, and stopped in horror.

"Why did He Shilang stop?"

The corners of Li Dongyang's mouth curled up slightly, and he said calmly.

This old man Li is simply a beast.Seeing him treat people kindly on weekdays, when he is cruel, he is like another person.

Killing is nothing more than nodding, his face is already swollen and bleeding, what else can he do?
He looked at Li Dongyang with grief and indignation, and then he responded with a resounding slap!

Li Dongyang hit him?Li Dongyang actually hit him!
He Xian was astonished, ashamed and angry.

Slapping yourself and being slapped in the face are completely two concepts.

He Xian can accept slapping himself, but he can't accept being slapped in the face!

He was so angry that he passed out.

The officials present were also completely divided into two factions. Those with military and craftsman status stood on one side, while those with civilian status naturally belonged to the other camp.

The two sides rolled up their sleeves and glared at each other, ready to fight.

Although civil servants are not as powerful as generals, their fighting skills are not bad at all.

In fact, small-scale fights often broke out between civil servants due to political differences and conflicts of interest, but at most they were only in private. In the court meeting, it is still unique to fight in groups in front of the emperor.

Seeing that the situation was getting out of control, Zhu Houzhao, who had been watching the excitement, coughed quickly and said, "Okay, this is a misunderstanding. In my opinion, you gentlemen don't have to make noise in front of the palace, right?"

He bit the two words in front of the hall very hard, the meaning could not be more clear, you can fight in front of me.

After you retire from the imperial court, whether you want to single out or fight in groups is up to you!

When the Son of Heaven spoke, the civil servants immediately said in unison: "I obey the order."

Although they said so, they already wanted to fight the opposing camp in their hearts.

Zhu Houzhao didn't expect such a result from the discussion, it was really dumbfounding.

"Do you have any comments on today's matter?"

Zhu Houzhao glanced at all the officials and asked majesticly.

Those civilian officials who were planning to criticize Xie Shen to death all lowered their heads at this moment, staring at each other.

Even a fool would know that Xie Shen's anger was aroused by Xie Shen's anger as a shield for officials who are now craftsmen or military. At this time, attacking Xie Shen with all his strength would only hurt his own strength.

No way, they are too aware of the importance of occupying the moral high ground.With the idiot He Xian out, they are now at a disadvantage and can only endure it.

"Since there is no objection, let's do it today. Retire!"

Zhu Houzhao just felt as if he had watched a big show, and he was always excited.He just wants to send Mr. Chaozhao quickly to ask him how he arranged the situation.

Inner Palace Wenhua Hall.

There are only Zhu Houzhao and Xie Shenjun and his ministers in the hall.

Any sound in the empty hall can be heard clearly.

Zhu Houzhao was fascinated by it, and he was still immersed in it until Xie Shen finished speaking.

"Your Majesty, it's actually very simple, as long as you can guess the thoughts of these civil servants, it's not difficult to arrange." Xie Shen said with a smile: "In fact, civil officials with military and craftsmanship should not be much different from civilian officials. On the side of the imperial examination. But after this incident, they will never be united with those who call them untouchables."

"Wonderful, wonderful!"

Zhu Houzhao clapped his hands and said: "Sir, this is a great move. I also think that the status of craftsmen is too low. If we add another subject according to the imperial examination, and the outstanding ones will enter the School of Craftsmanship, then our great Ming craftsmen will have the motivation to invent and tinker. Lots of novelties."

Xie Shen nodded, the emperor's goal of thinking about him has been achieved.

In fact, the craftsmen of the Ming Dynasty were no worse than those of Europe. The difference was that Europe encouraged inventions, while the Ming Dynasty regarded them as strange and obscene skills.

Only by discouraging and suppressing ghosts can we be motivated.

In order for the horse to run, it must be fed.

This is true in all three aspects of economy, culture and military.

Just look at the Tang Dynasty, the most powerful military in history, didn't it also start from the nobles of Longxi?At that time, military merit was the most important, and scholars did not ride on the necks of generals, so the combat effectiveness of the Tang Dynasty was strong.On the other hand, in Daming, since the Tumu Fort change, honors have completely become a decoration, and the combat effectiveness of the army has been inferior to each generation.

Therefore, if we want to make great strides in military, technological and commercial development, we must give soldiers, craftsmen, and businessmen enough respect, and not let scholars overshadow the sky with one hand!
(End of this chapter)