My aunt is Queen Ma

Chapter 75 Differentiation
A group of laborers rested and had lunch at a roadside teahouse.

Their lunch was simple: multigrain pancakes they brought from home, as hard as rocks.

I asked the shop owner for a bowl of tea to brew before I could eat it.

The coarse flatbread looked very rough on their throats, but they ate it with great relish.

"The Yellow River is truly deadly."

"You haven't seen the scene of the Yellow River changing its course. There was water everywhere, and corpses were floating all over the water."

"Yes, we can't do without it, but we're afraid it will become too abundant."

"Now the Yellow River flows south, captures the Huai River and flows into the sea. People in Shandong and Beijing are dying of thirst, while those in the lower reaches of the Huai River are drowning due to the high water levels."

The various topics about the Yellow River changing its course and flowing into the Huai River and then into the sea have been circulating for more than half a year.

After all, it was a matter of great importance, and people were happy to discuss it in their spare time.

Moreover, in this era of poor information dissemination, a topic can often be discussed for a long time, and even things from several years ago can be discussed as news.

Now, except for extremely remote areas, most people can say a few words about it.

Especially when northerners are around, people always habitually ask about topics related to the Yellow River.

The extent of the harm caused by the Yellow River diverting its course to the Huai River and flowing into the sea is so great that it is no exaggeration to say that everyone, young and old, knows it.

Therefore, it wasn't unusual for these workers to discuss this topic while eating.

But just then, two burly men who looked like porters at the next table suddenly spoke up:
"Everyone is still talking about the Yellow River, but that's all outdated."

Several workers were unconvinced and pressed for an answer, asking what topics were currently trending.

The two burly men, however, became reserved and refused to speak.

They also said furtively that this matter was of great importance, and that if they told anyone, they might be arrested.

This piqued the curiosity of several workers.

They all retorted: What new topic is there? I think you're just making things up.

The two of them couldn't resist and soon spilled everything:
"Do you see those scholars? Don't be fooled by their dignified appearance in front of us; they're just a bunch of idiots."

"They were being used as pawns without even realizing it."

"It's those gentry and landlords who don't want the imperial examinations to be held."

"You say I'm talking nonsense? I have evidence."

"The Emperor and the Crown Prince asked the officials to submit memorials to discuss this matter, and Chen Quanyi, the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, wrote about it in his memorial."

"Confucian scholars should first go to the government office to gain experience and learn how to govern and serve the people before they can participate in the imperial examinations."

"Not only Dr. Chen, but also more than a dozen other gentry sons, all petitioned to gain experience before participating in the selection process."

"Some people even demanded that those who had not served in government offices were not allowed to participate in the selection process."

After all, they were people from Shuntian Prefecture. Although they were just laborers, they still had some knowledge.

Upon hearing the porter's words, someone objected:

"Isn't it better for a Confucian scholar to gain experience first? It's better than him becoming an official and harming the people without knowing anything, isn't it?"

The porter sneered, "Good? That's exactly the kind of people I'm fooling."

"Which way does the gate of the yamen face? Do you think just anyone can go there for training?"

"Only the children of gentry and landlords are qualified to go and gain experience; ordinary scholars can't even get in the door."

"In the end, only the children of gentry and landlords were admitted. They had money and power, while ordinary people like us had no chance to rise up."

Another laborer retorted, "It's as if we ordinary people have a chance to rise up now!"

The porter shook his head, his tone one of disdain:

“Those Confucian scholars at least have some self-respect, and they are all temporary officials who will leave after a few years.”

“The gentry and landlords are shameless; they eat human flesh and drink human blood.”

“Once they become officials, we will truly be left with no one to turn to.”

Hearing their discussion, more people gathered around.

Everyone chimed in, and soon they reached a conclusion.

Although corrupt officials are corrupt, they only serve for a few years before leaving, and the next one might be an honest official.

The gentry and landlords are different; the government offices are like their own private property, and they won't move an inch.

What? You mean officials are being transferred to other locations?

We are all from gentry and clan families. I will take up a post in your hometown, and you will take up a post in our hometown. We can help each other.

Similar topics are being discussed simultaneously in many places.

In short, the gentry and the Confucian scholars were like brothers, pretending to be one and the same.

When it really comes down to it, the gentry treat the scholars like fools.

evidence?

The evidence is those memorials to the throne.

Many officials from gentry and clan backgrounds strongly demanded that they first gain experience before participating in the imperial examinations.

Their goal is to monopolize the power to hold office.

Other Confucian scholars were excluded.

What? You're saying I'm talking nonsense and have no basis for anything?
Ha... You've never heard of the Han Dynasty, have you? You've never read the Discourses on Salt and Iron, have you?
Find this book and read it carefully to see how those so-called virtuous officials used literature to seize national interests.

In the end, the virtuous and capable controlled the avenues to officialdom, forming powerful and influential families, and thus kicked the scholars aside.

Learn from past mistakes.

This big news involves Confucian scholars, gentry, and landlords, making it a much bigger topic than the Yellow River changing its course.

It quickly became the hottest topic of the moment, and wherever people gathered, they were talking about it.

And this topic is rapidly spreading beyond Yingtian.

The related rumors naturally reached the ears of the officials.

At first, they naturally scoffed at it.

However, when the Discourses on Salt and Iron and the Confucian classics were brought out, the nature of the matter changed.

As I said before, the Chinese people attach great importance to history.

The initial purpose of recording history was to provide reference and experience for future generations.

The Treatise on Salt and Iron is one of the most important economic works in ancient times, and its status is very high.

When everyone realized that this moment was exactly like that moment, even the most foolish person began to have doubts.

Then some Confucian scholars began to review the events of the past two years.

They were shocked to discover that the gentry and landlords had been profiting behind the scenes all along.

To take a recent example, when the imperial court used the recommendation system to recruit officials, most of the Confucian scholars were dismissed because they lacked practical experience.

Most of those who came from gentry or clan families were selected.

Later, Song Lian suggested that Confucian scholars could be sent to government offices to serve as scribes.

The most vehement opposition came from officials who came from gentry and clan families.

Their reasons were also very high-sounding: Confucian scholars are the pure and upright, how could they engage in lowly and corrupt official positions?

At the time, I thought they were truly acting for the greater good, but I never imagined they had such hidden agendas.

Upon closer examination of the clerks in the government offices, it was discovered that most of them were connected with gentry and landlords.

Case solved.

We are the truly naive ones.

Immediately, someone approached Song Lian, demanding that he uphold justice.

Song Lian also frowned. He knew something was amiss. The topic had moved too quickly, and it seemed like someone was deliberately spreading rumors.

Moreover, how did the contents of the memorials submitted by more than a dozen ministers get out?

The answer is obvious...

What really made him frown was whether those gentry and landlords were really using us as pawns.

He first appeased the Confucian scholars, and then sent someone to inquire about Chen Quanyi and others.

Chen Quanyi was filled with anxiety and fear because of the rumors, but she never expected that her and others' thoughts had been discovered.

He could naturally guess that this was most likely the emperor's doing.

But what can you do even if you know? Can you go and question the emperor?

Actually, he felt very wronged about this; you Confucian scholars are so ungrateful.

Once you become officials, you'll naturally have money and land, and you'll become gentry just like us. How can you let the emperor sway you?

Didn't we agree to jointly demand that the emperor treat the scholar-officials well?

Faced with Song Lian's questioning, he had no choice but to personally visit and explain.

It's a misunderstanding, it's all a misunderstanding.

Song Lian wasn't easily fooled and coldly replied:

"Since it's a misunderstanding, then tomorrow we will join together to submit a petition to His Majesty, requesting that he reopen the imperial examinations."

Chen Quanyi stammered, "Ah... I just submitted a memorial a few days ago discussing this matter. If I were to go back on my word now, I fear it would..."

But under Song Lian's icy gaze, his voice grew softer and softer.

Finally, he changed his mind and said, "Alright, I will accompany you to submit the petition tomorrow."

Song Lian said, "It's not my turn. Your men go first, then I'll go."

Chen Quanyi was first shocked, then her face turned cold, and she said:
“Mr. Song, we have no subordinate relationship. I call you ‘Mr.’ out of respect. Please don’t push your luck.”

Song Lian replied indifferently, "Whatever you say."

After saying this, he picked up his teacup and said, "See the guest out."

The household steward immediately came over and took Chen Quanyi away.

Watching him leave, Song Lian slammed his teacup heavily on the table.

"A bunch of scoundrels."

At this moment, a boy of seventeen or eighteen years old walked in. He was Song Lian's eldest son and grandson, Song Shen.

He approached Song Lian and said, "Grandpa, this is clearly a deliberate attempt by those above to sow discord between us. Why are you still doing this?"

Song Lian's expression changed, and he angrily said, "Shut up! If you dare to criticize the Emperor again, I'll break your legs!"

Song Shen quickly said, "Grandson wouldn't dare, Grandpa, please calm down."

Seeing his outwardly compliant but inwardly resentful expression, Song Lian felt helpless and said:

"Confucianism is the most prominent school of thought in the world, and the world needs Confucian scholars to govern it."

"But now there is a group of people who, under the guise of serving the country and the people, are embezzling national interests and trying to control the path to officialdom."

"If they succeed, the Ming Dynasty will fall into a situation where the powerful clans of the Jin Dynasty control the court."

"The lower ranks have no noble families, and the upper ranks have no poor families. It's terrifying to even think about."

"Not to mention His Majesty, even I would not stand idly by."

At this point, he said with self-reproach, "It is my fault, I was used without even realizing it. Your Majesty's decision to take this drastic measure was truly out of desperation."

"I must also thank His Majesty; without his reminder, I would still be in the dark."

Song Shen secretly curled his lip. With our family's status, we must be a top-class aristocratic family. There's nothing wrong with restoring the situation during the Jin Dynasty.

You've just become stupid from reading too much.

But he only dared to think these words; he dared not say them aloud.

The next morning at court, Chen Quanyi and others finally took the initiative to submit a memorial requesting the restoration of the imperial examination system.

However, Zhu Yuanzhang rejected him again, saying that the court did not need officials who were incompetent in practical matters.

Moreover, Zhu Yuanzhang said, seemingly casually:

“In your previous memorials, some people directly opposed the establishment of the imperial examination system.”

"Someone agreed to hold the imperial examinations, but required Confucian scholars to undergo practical training before they could participate. Why have they changed their minds today?"

Chen Quanyi and the others looked embarrassed, and naturally they dared not answer.

The key point is that no matter how widely the rumors spread before, they were all rumors, and no one could verify the contents of their memorial.

They can still fool them for a while.

Now Zhu Yuanzhang has essentially ripped off the last veil in person.

They were laid bare before everyone's eyes.

This also reveals a hidden fact: there is a difference between Confucian scholars and gentry.

The gentry were actually Confucian scholars, but they were the product of the combination of Confucian scholars and clans, and they controlled the local area.

Even after transforming into gentry, they still retained the skin of Confucian scholars and identified themselves as disciples of Confucianism.

But now, the two have diverged.

Confucian scholars were from poor families—but not the poor families of the Jin, Sui, and Tang dynasties.

Since the aristocratic politics were destroyed, the meaning of being from a poor family has changed.

The phrases "poor family" and "studying hard in a cold window" used during the Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties all referred to ordinary scholars.

The gentry refers to a group that owns vast properties, has unclear ties with clans, and exerts a profound influence on local government.

When Ma Yu learned of what had happened in the imperial court, he was also taken aback.

He originally thought that the gentry were transformed from Confucian scholars, and it would be difficult to distinguish between the two.

Little did they know that it would actually create a rift between the two.

Although the rift is not too big now, it will continue as long as the imperial court does not reinstate the imperial examination system.

As long as the officials recruited through the recommendation system are mostly sons of gentry, the rift between the two sides will only widen.

No matter how stubborn the gentry were, it was no use.

Faced with tangible benefits, even the most pedantic Confucian scholar will become clear-headed.

but……

Ma Yu immediately went to the palace and found Empress Ma: "For the time being, do not let His Majesty touch the Kong family."

Empress Ma laughed, "Haha...you're too slow on the uptake, His Majesty already knew."

Ma Yu scratched his head and said, "Hey, I underestimated His Majesty."

It's not that I look down on the heroes of the world, but I do look down on you, you stinking beggar.

Empress Ma, both amused and exasperated, gently patted him: "So you're slandering His Majesty again, aren't you?"

Ma Yu chuckled twice and managed to get away with it.

You reacted quickly this time, otherwise I would have definitely given you a good scolding.

Why change your mind all of a sudden?

It can only be said that no policy is fixed and needs to be adjusted according to actual changes.

I hadn't realized before that Confucian scholars and gentry could actually be differentiated.

That's why I wanted to take them down together.

Now that there is a possibility of differentiation between the two, we should naturally differentiate between them first.

If we continue to target Confucius now, the two families will definitely unite.

The Confucian scholars were famous, and the gentry and landlords were powerful. Although Zhu Yuanzhang was not afraid of them, there was no need to make things too big.

First, stir up the hatred of Confucian scholars towards the gentry, and then use them to strike at the gentry and landlords.

This would both weaken the power of the gentry and landlords and increase the hatred between the two sides.

After dealing with the gentry and landlords, it would be much easier to turn around and deal with the Confucian scholars.

This is also why Ma Yu entered the palace.

However, he did underestimate Zhu Yuanzhang. In fact, when he discovered that Confucian scholars and gentry could be differentiated, he had already decided to change his policy.

Liu Mansion.

Faced with the current bizarre situation, Liu Bowen felt utterly powerless.

Scholars had approached him before, but he brushed them off with the excuse of rumors.

He knew the emperor too well; sowing discord between Confucian scholars and gentry was only the first step.

There will definitely be other, more drastic measures to come.

Moreover, he could guess that this wave was most likely aimed at the gentry and clans.

Even though he guessed it, he really didn't want to get involved anymore.

But in the current situation, how can one remain unaffected?

At that moment, a figure appeared in his mind.

"Someone, go and send a visiting card to Young Master Ma, saying that I would like to visit him tomorrow."

(End of this chapter)