Water Margin: The opening scene involves assassinating Emperor Huizong of Song and forcibly taking L

Hong Shimin was Huang Tingjian's brother-in-law. The Hong family owned Leitang Academy, where Huang Tingjian often lectured and taught.

With Huang Tingjian in charge, Leitang Academy was one of the top academies in Jiangxi at the time.

Later, it was implicated in factional strife, followed by the Yuan You Party Ban, and Leitang Academy gradually declined.

Currently, there are only two or three hundred students, and most of them are members of the Hong clan.

The Hong family of Leitang is in continuous decline.

Hong Xu led Wei Liangchen to the academy, chatting idly along the way, without discussing any serious matters.

As they chatted, Wei Liangchen asked, "Do you still maintain close ties with the Hong family of Poyang?"

Hong Xu replied, "Although the two clans share the same ancestry, there are many Hong families in Jiangxi, and they have little connection with each other."

Wei Liangchen said, "Write a letter to the Hong family of Poyang, saying that the Hong family of Leitang is willing to cooperate with the land survey."

"In two days, I will send officials and scholars to Poyang to survey the fields."

"I will certainly write a letter to convey this message," Hong Xu readily agreed.

The Hong family of Poyang currently has a member named Hong Hao, who serves as the Right Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review and is currently on a mission to the Western Regions to contact Yelü Dashi.

Hong Hao was hailed as the "Su Wu of the Southern Song Dynasty" because of his tough attitude, and was detained by the Jin Dynasty for fifteen years.

Hong Hao also had a son named Hong Shi, who was thirteen years old when the search for refugees took place. He fled with his elderly grandmother, sick mother, five younger brothers, and three younger sisters.

He was dismissed from office by Qin Hui for many years, but later distinguished himself in the Battle of Caishiji and became the prime minister during the reign of Emperor Xiaozong of Song.

Wei Liangchen continued, "His Majesty has decreed that if they are not from the Yimen family, there is no need to relocate so many people."

“You, the Hong clan of Leitang, only need to honestly measure the land, obey the imperial court’s policy of merging land tax and poll tax, and move one-fifth of your land.”

"Half of the Yi family must be dismantled, and those who remain must also divide their property!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Hongxu was overjoyed.

The "righteous gate" values ​​righteousness and is beneficial to local stability, especially during years of disaster.

Therefore, it is politically correct from both the perspective of Confucian morality and the perspective of the imperial court's rule.

The imperial court encouraged and rewarded this model, and prominent families began to learn and imitate it.

For example, Fan Zhongyan did this with the Fan family.

However, Fan Zhongyan's righteous family, similar to the Hu family of Hualin, was not as extreme as the Chen family of Jiangzhou.

The righteous family model that was praised in the Song Dynasty is now being suppressed by the Ming Dynasty!

Wei Liangchen said, “When you migrate, you will decide for yourselves who will go and who will stay. But remember, those who have no land or little land should not migrate.”

Upon hearing this, the smile on Hongxu's face vanished.

Many members of the Hong clan, due to their long lineage, have become tenant farmers or self-cultivating farmers.

Hongxu planned to relocate these people, but Wei Liangchen had a countermeasure, leaving him no loophole to exploit.

This is forcing the Hong family to divide their property and land themselves!

It was impossible to fake a family division, because the government would survey the land and then watch as the large clans divided their property.

Once the division of the family property is completed, the government will issue land deeds, and all previous land deeds will be invalidated.

The government knows exactly how many people and how much land each family owns.

Based on land holdings and population, it was determined which households met the conditions for migration.

If the division of property is thorough, none of the family members need to relocate.

Is this possible?

possible.

But that's definitely the mark of a ruthless person, meaning giving away large amounts of land to impoverished clansmen, or even to tenant farmers of other surnames, without keeping much for themselves.

The imperial court was pleased to see this accomplished.

……

The heads of the major branches of the Hong clan in Leitang sat down together for a meeting to discuss the matter.

"The imperial court is too ruthless, forcing us to break our family into countless pieces."

"Could we first give the land to our clansmen and tenants, and then take it back once things have calmed down?"

"Or, when land is gifted, have the recipient family write an IOU, and later use those IOUs to exchange for the land deed?"

Do you think the government officials are fools?

Why can't we do it this way?

"Whether it's land divided up during a family division or land gifted to someone outside the family, the land deeds must be reissued by the government."

Chapter 3587 Too Cunning

"Once those small households have received the land deeds, how could they possibly be willing to hand them over?"

"I will definitely report this to the authorities, and even if there is a loan agreement, it will be deemed invalid."

"That's not all. This Governor Wei is extremely cunning. Not only has he divided and weakened the various tribes, but now he's trying to sow discord among them."

"Why don't I understand?"

“We were able to resist the government in the past because the whole clan was united.”

"Once the family property is divided, it will fall apart."

"If you want to take back the land deeds, the first people to object won't be the government, but those clansmen and outsiders who have already received the land!"

"At that time, it won't be the Hong clan working together to suppress those of other clans, but rather the clansmen and those of other clans joining forces to rebel against the clan!"

"That guy surnamed Wei is definitely not a good person. He'll get struck by lightning one day!"

"so what should I do now?"

"We can only try to divide the family as much as possible, but each branch and each house must also have land, otherwise we will not be able to maintain our livelihood in the future."

“Relocate those children born to concubines or maids, as well as those who are uneducated and misbehaved.”

“But if any of the children born to concubines or maids are learned, they must be kept to take the imperial examinations.”

“Those who move out must also own land in their name, which can be used to exchange for land with the people in Hunan.”

"So these fields will be handed over to the government?"

"What else can we do? The Chen family of Jiangzhou has already given in. Do you still want to defy the imperial court?"

"This is outrageous! If the retired emperor were still in power, this would never have happened."

"The retired emperor was a benevolent ruler, while the current emperor is just..."

"Silence! Do not speak carelessly, or you may face the extermination of your entire clan."

"..."

The group of old men discussed the matter back and forth in the secret room, only to find that Wei Liangchen had blocked all the loopholes.

Hong Xu could only helplessly conclude: "We are nothing compared to the Chen family of Jiangzhou who suffered heavy losses."

"The Chen family had to move half of their clansmen away, countless farmlands in Jiangzhou were exchanged, and they were forced to divide their property."

"From now on, the Chen family of Jiangzhou can only be called the Chen family of Jiangzhou."

"We only need to move one-fifth of our land, and the ancestral hall is in Jianchang, so we no longer need to fear competing with the Chen family for land!"

"Yes, we are in a bad situation, but the Chen family of Jiangzhou is in an even worse situation."

"All things considered, we still made a profit." This guy knows how to do the math.

Hong Xu suddenly laughed out loud: "I heard that the head of the Chen family, along with several other clan elders, were arrested and taken to Nanchang to be jointly tried by the three judicial departments."

"Their actions angered the court in the former Song Dynasty, and they still haven't stopped now."

"Yes, there are many righteous families in the world, but the Chen family of Jiangzhou is rare."

"Let's settle this matter quickly. Several members of my Hong family are officials; we mustn't let it affect their promotions."

"As long as there are clansmen still holding official positions, one day we will be able to revitalize the clan!"

"..."

Outside Leitang Academy.

Zhang Liangyou couldn't help but ask, "Governor Wei, the previous dynasty always praised the Righteous Clan, so why is the Ming Dynasty suppressing them?"

"I have this question in my mind and humbly request the Governor's guidance."

Upon hearing this question, the accompanying scholars all looked over, pricking up their ears to listen for the answer.

Wei Liangchen smiled and said, "Everyone, come over here and sit down. Don't worry about getting your clothes dirty."

"As early as the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, when the court separated large relocated families in Kaifeng Prefecture, many court officials raised questions."

Do you know how His Majesty answered at that time?

Hearing that Governor Wei was going to answer questions, the surrounding scholars gathered around.

Moreover, by inviting friends and acquaintances, the news spread further and further.

When the news reached Leitang Academy, it had already become that Governor Wei wanted to give a lecture on the meaning of the classics there!

Wei Liangchen chose a small mound, and the scholars sat on the ground around him.

Row after row, circle after circle, people sat together, forming many irregular concentric circles.

Before long, the Hong family members also arrived after hearing the news and continued to sit on the outermost edge to listen to the lecture.

Even the Hong clan chief and elders came.

Wei Liangchen stood on the mound, waiting quietly for a long time, before finally asking, "Has anyone read Liu Zongyuan's 'On Feudalism'?"

"Those who have read this, please raise your right hand."

This was a relatively obscure article, yet dozens of people raised their hands.

Wei Liangchen then asked, "Who can recite 'On Feudalism'?"

With all arms down, no one could recite it.

If it's not on the imperial examinations, why bother memorizing this stuff? Spending time reading it a few times is already the limit.

Wei Liangchen, however, was prepared. He took out a piece of paper and said to Zhang Liangyou, who was sitting in front of him, "You recite it."

"Yes!"

Zhang Liangyou stood up, took the article, and read it aloud: "Was there truly no beginning for Heaven and Earth?"

"I cannot know for sure. Did humankind truly have a beginning?"

"I cannot know for sure. Then which is closer?"

"It is said: 'The beginning is the closest.' Who can explain this? It is explained through feudalism..."

The main points of the article are as follows:

Does nature have an initial stage? I don't know.

Did humanity have an initial stage?

I don't know either. I think it probably exists.

In ancient times, humankind coexisted with all living things. Thorns grew everywhere, wild beasts roamed in packs, and people ate raw meat and drank blood.

Chapter 3588 National Development

Humans do not have the sharp teeth and claws of wild animals, nor do they have feathers to protect them from the cold. Humans can only rely on external things to survive.

But resources are limited, which leads to conflict. To mediate disputes and quell conflicts, wise leaders who can distinguish right from wrong are needed to lead the way.

Gradually, rulers, laws, and decrees came into being.

As people gather, they form ethnic groups, and then there are ethnic groups outside of these groups.

The scale of their struggles grew larger, leading to the emergence of armies and wars.