Jiajing Chengming

Hai Rui was forty years old at the time, but he was a rookie in officialdom.

His first job in the officialdom was to observe government affairs at the Ministry of Revenue.

Coincidentally, when he passed the imperial examination, the Minister of Rites Sun Chengen had been promoted to the Minister of Revenue and became his immediate superior.

At this moment, Zhu Houcong's political focus shifted from the Ministry of Rites to the Ministry of Revenue.

Because promoting compulsory education for all citizens is not as simple as issuing an order to add more academic departments and teacher training departments.

In order to fully popularize compulsory education for all civilians, we naturally have to conduct a population census first so that there are people who can teach.

Therefore, Zhu Houcong said in front of the Imperial Study Ministers Yan Song and Xu Jie:

"After the implementation of the system of equalizing land tax and the system of officials and gentry paying taxes and serving as officials, the possibility of donations has been completely eliminated in the system. At this time, a census is needed. Moreover, since we want to promote education for the common people, we must first find out how many Han people and civilized aborigines there are in the world."

"Your Majesty is right. In my humble opinion, although the system has eliminated the possibility of surrender, the general fear of officials by the people is difficult to improve in a short period of time. Therefore, I am afraid that many people will still be willing to continue to rely on the big families or hide in the mountains. Therefore, if you want to complete the census more thoroughly, you should add good policies and grace to promote it."

"For example, subsidies are given to families with many people; subsidies are given to widows and widowers who raise children alone; women who give birth to more than a certain number of children, whether they are wives or concubines, can be given memorial archways, brocade, crowns and belts for their contributions to the proclamation of the law, and the difference is only made in the specific amount."

"This will not only promote population growth, but also encourage ordinary people to take the initiative to seek government approval to register in the Yellow Book in order to receive a monthly stipend."

Yan Song said at this time.

Zhu Houcong nodded and said: "That's right, a population census cannot be done without money. It won't work if we only rely on the officials of the country."

Zhu Houcong then looked at Xu Jie and asked, "What do you think of this, Lord Xu?"

Xu Jie hurriedly bowed and smiled and said: "What the Prime Minister said is of course a mature view of state affairs, and also a heart of benevolence and love for the people. This kind of administration is exactly what the holy dynasty should do!"

"However, if we do this, the court's expenses will increase significantly in the future. If we want to avoid financial constraints, we may have to issue bonds."

"Whether to issue bonds or not, your cabinet and the Ministry of Finance should discuss it again."

“If you want to release it, then release it.”

"I am not afraid of letting the court owe more money, because facts have proven that as long as our Chinese civilization actively goes abroad, spreads advanced systems and skills, and transforms wild land into fertile land, wealth will grow rapidly."

"Right now, it's just Wadao, Jiaozhi, and Luzon. In the future, Borneo, Java, and the rumored Australia, as well as the Golden Continent and Europe, if these places are civilized, it will make the world more prosperous, which is good for both the Han and the Yi people."

"And, on the other hand, it is good for the court to owe some debts to encourage future monarchs and ministers to work hard and govern the country. If they are left with a country with a full treasury and no troubles, they will easily fall into depravity because they have nothing to do."

"As Mencius said, we are born in sorrow and die in comfort. Before advanced civilization unifies the world and completely eliminates ignorance and barbarism, the world cannot be completely free of hidden dangers of chaos, and we cannot talk about maintaining the status quo to ensure long-term peace and stability in the world!"

"Every generation of emperors must have his own great cause to accomplish."

When Zhu Houcong said this, Yan Song and Xu Jie both bowed in agreement.

Soon, Xu Jie also informed the Crown Prince Zhu Zaigui and his lecturers Gao Gong and Zhao Zhenji of Zhu Houcong's words.

"I'm afraid I don't have the ability to expand territory like my father did without wasting the domestic resources."

Zhu Zaigui replied with some concern.

After exchanging glances with Zhao Zhenji, Gao Gong began to persuade Zhu Zaigui:
"Your Highness does not need to be too modest, but should have full confidence in the Chinese civilization carried by the Ming Dynasty, because as Your Majesty said, as long as we open up the wilderness and transform barbarism with civilization, there will be no waste at home, but only benefits for the world."

"Your Highness, just as Master Gao said, every time there was a war, the people would become poor and even the country would not be able to have a good end. It's not that war is impossible, but that etiquette is not right."

"The hypocrites who are sanctimonious misinterpreted the great rites, which made the whole world a mere formality in name only, so they secretly not only tried their best to make the people ignorant and weak, but also made them poor."

"For example, as far as I know, before Your Majesty took in orphans, many gentry in this dynasty simply ignored the drowning and killing of infants by the common people. But since Your Majesty followed the correct etiquette and upheld the way of benevolence and took in orphans, many gentry and wealthy families have taken the initiative to adopt infants and young children."

"The reason is simple. According to the reason given by the gentry themselves, if all abandoned infants in the world were to be raised by the royal family because their parents did not want to raise them, more orphans would only know the royal family and not the gentry when they grow up."

"So, most of the wealthy families in the world would rather help abandoned children than help the hungry adults."

"It can be seen that as long as Your Highness is like Your Majesty, observing etiquette and correcting rituals, and treating the people as children instead of treating them as grass, then the military operations you conduct will be in line with the kingly way and can make the world more peaceful."

After Zhao Zhenji said this, Zhu Zaigui nodded solemnly:

"What the two masters said is true. Father is a truly benevolent and holy ruler. If I follow his aspirations, I won't be far off."

At this time, Xu Jie also smiled and said, "Your Highness really doesn't need to be too anxious. As the two lecturers said, the so-called correct etiquette is to treat the people as human beings. As long as Your Highness treats the people as human beings, it won't be too bad. In the future, the development of places like the Golden Continent and the consolidation of the global etiquette order may really require Your Highness to complete. Even if Your Majesty is a rare saint in history, he still needs a successor to continue his great governance."

Zhu Zaigui nodded again and sighed, "Lord Xu is right!"

After meeting Zhu Zaigui and his people, Xu Jie returned home and met with the Minister of Revenue Sun Chengen. He told Sun Chengen about the cost of conducting a census of the world's population and the prince's reaction to Zhu Houcong's corresponding remarks.

After hearing these words, Sun Chengen couldn't help but frown and sigh:
"Your Majesty should treat the people as children and take etiquette as the right path, which would be fine, but Gao Gong and Zhao Zhenji have also led Your Highness the Crown Prince in this way. If this continues, you really can't stay in this land of the Middle Earth."

"That being said, how can people like you and me who are pure and honest have the nerve to really admit that we don't want to stay in a country like this?"

"Again, if you don't want to do this, we can't do the same."

Xu Jie said with a helpless smile.

At this time, Sun Chengen suddenly took the initiative to ask Xu Jie: "Lord, is there any way to make His Royal Highness not listen to Gao Gong and Zhao Zhenji so much, and let him have a hobby, such as beauty, mysterious cultivation, music, etc., so that even if people like Gao and Zhao are by his side to guide him, it will not stop His Royal Highness from indulging in comfort."

"This is difficult."

"The people serving His Highness are all orphans His Majesty took in. It is impossible to place people there from outside."

"This kind of thing will only be easier to do after Your Highness ascends the throne in the future."

Xu Jie shook his head, stood up, replied with a wry smile, and then explained the reason.

"It's really lamentable! We often talk about ritual governance in front of the emperor, but your majesty actually puts it into practice. It also makes us scholars and officials who just want to maintain peace and stability doubly embarrassed."

Sun Chengen pursed his lips as he spoke and clenched the teacup in his hand.

Xu Jie nodded and suddenly said very seriously: "I just want to live in peace and comfort. I am not afraid of losing my country or myself, but I am afraid of not living in peace. There is nothing wrong with that. As Mr. Yangming said, the heart is the reason, and the conscience is the law of nature!" "It's just that Zhang Yongjia, Yan Fenyi and others have been trying to get the upper hand and flattering, so the etiquette has not been corrected. Instead, they regard saving everyone in the world without distinction between Chinese and foreigners as the right way to govern by etiquette, which makes Your Majesty think that he is right."

"That makes sense."

"Mr. Yangming is the true saint!"

When Sun Chengen said this, he stood up and bowed to Xu Jie:
"The elder is the one who truly understands the true meaning of Yangming's philosophy of mind!"

Xu Jie smiled slightly, and then said: "It's just a pity that His Highness has not yet developed much interest in the School of Mind, and has not even yet reached his conscience, advocating peace for the world."

"That may be a king who has attained the Tao, and he does not deserve this world!"

Sun Chengen suddenly whispered.

Snapped!
Xu Jie suddenly slammed the table and looked at Sun Chengen coldly: "Be careful with your words!"

Sun Chengen nodded in agreement.

Xu Jie then stood up and said to Sun Chengen with a serious face: "That's all for today! We still need to do the census seriously. In front of a king like Your Majesty, any conspiracy is useless, because Your Majesty has already considered his subjects in the worst direction without us doing evil first."

"I see."

"Our generation can only serve as prey to your majesty."

Sun Chengen nodded, then let out a long sigh.

Sun Chengen then carefully drafted a proposal on issuing new bonds to conduct a national population census, encourage childbirth, and provide assistance to children of single parents.

But when Sun Chengen circulated the drafted petition within the Ministry of Revenue for public consultation, Hai Rui, a Jinshi who was observing the government, expressed a different opinion.

"Grand Minister, I am against population censuses, and I am even more opposed to this form of census that provides subsidies for food and honors."

After Hai Rui said this to Sun Chengen, Sun Chengen was very surprised and asked solemnly: "Why do you think so?"

Hai Rui replied, "Because most of the bureaucrats in the world are lazy or greedy and selfish. If you ask them to do a census, they will only guess that the superiors want to see more people and add more people at will. Moreover, now that the land tax is distributed according to the land, they can add more people without restraint, as long as they can satisfy the superiors. "

"In this way, if the village wants to satisfy the county magistrate, it will add a hundred, and if the county wants to satisfy the prefecture, it will add a thousand. If the prefecture wants to satisfy the prefect, it will add ten thousand. If the prefect wants to satisfy the governor, it will add a hundred thousand. If the governor wants to satisfy the imperial court, it will add a million!"

"What's the point of finding the population in this way?"

"More importantly, the imperial court now has to spend foreign money to subsidize families with many children and single-parent families, and to reward those who have many children. Wouldn't the people below deliberately create more of these people and at the same time demand bribes from their subordinates?"

"Besides, if the population increases, local officials will be able to use it to enrich themselves by increasing the amount of money and grain they want to use to promote education for the common people."

Speaking of it.

Hai Rui said, "I think it is not appropriate to conduct a census of the entire country. The court should use the financial resources to build more dams and seawalls. At least these will actually pay off and bring benefits to the people. Your Majesty is a benevolent ruler, but you cannot abuse your benevolence."

"You are new to the officialdom, so I won't bother with you."

"But don't forget that you are just an observer, and it is not your turn to criticize the court's major policies."

"Besides, it is not your turn to slander the bureaucrats of the world. They are all disciples of the emperor. Even if some of them are greedy or lazy, it does not mean that most of them are untrustworthy!"

"If an official who has passed the imperial examination for many years said this, then I can now say that he has ill intentions, saying that you intend to use the incompetence and shamelessness of the officials to say that the emperor has no virtue, and even intend to limit the authority of the Lord!"

"Think about it yourself."

Sun Chengen said this sternly and left behind these words.

But Hai Rui began to argue with a sullen face at this time.

"What the Grand Master said is wrong!"

"First, I am an observer of the Ministry of Revenue. According to the Ming Dynasty Code, I have the right to make comments on the Ministry of Revenue. Naturally, I can criticize what needs to be criticized!"

"Second, I am not slandering the bureaucrats, but the bureaucrats themselves are determined by their superiors, so no matter whether the bureaucrats themselves are virtuous or not, the bureaucrats as a whole will inevitably follow their superiors and ignore their subordinates! It does not mean that a wise ruler will definitely have virtuous ministers, and there is no need to think about the inevitable flaws of the bureaucrats themselves! Even if the government is clean because of the strictness of the emperor, it is impossible to eradicate the malpractice of fraud. After all, even if it is as strict as Taizu, he still repeatedly launched large-scale prisons and could not stop the bureaucrats from deceiving the people!"

"Third, I have no intention of limiting the authority of my Lord. I am only speaking my mind and serving the Lord with sincerity."

After Hai Rui said this, Sun Chengen took a deep breath:

"Okay, then you can submit your petition, but I will not give up this question."

Zhu Houcong actually received Hai Rui's memorial not long after this.

"What do you think about this?"

Zhu Houcong also asked Yan Song and Xu Jie.

Yan Song smiled and said, "I have thought of what he said, but I did not mention it because I believe that Your Majesty and I will not stop working just because we do not trust the civil servants! There are priorities. I think that since the court is focusing on increasing the number of Han people and promoting education, how much of the money is actually used is secondary. The important thing is to open this loophole first. In this way, even if there is only one official who seriously conducts the census and encourages population growth, it will be beneficial."

"I agree with Yuan Fu's words. Hai Rui did not understand the deep meaning of the court, so he said such words, but he is also a man of integrity and courage."

Xu Jie agreed with a smile.

Zhu Houcong also nodded: "I think he is right!"

Yan Song and Xu Jie were stunned on the spot.

“But you’re not wrong either.”

"The court always has to do things. We can't always think that solving one problem will solve all problems, nor can we think that all problems will not arise, and we must not ignore solving problems."

"If we only focus on the long-term stability of our homeland and put the national treasury and people's manpower to good use, Hai Rui's suggestions will naturally be more practical; but I am not only focusing on our homeland, so I cannot adopt his suggestions!"

"So, I, the emperor, have no choice but to be humble and choose to trust my own ministers." (End of this chapter)