Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

Almost all the core decision-makers of the Ming Empire were crowded into the not-so-spacious cabinet room.

The soldiers of the Zhongyi Guard and the Jinwu Guard were even more densely packed outside, almost arranged with some abnormal defense level.

Although they didn't know who they were defending, the emperor's protection work was still done best under the leadership of Jinwu Guard Commander Zhu Gaosui and Zhongyi Guard Commander Tong Zhen.

Affected by the presence of military officials like Lin outside, the atmosphere in the cabinet duty room became increasingly dull with the arrival of several ministers.

Among the six ministers, there is no need to go into details about a few acquaintances such as Jian Yi, the Minister of Personnel, Xia Yuanji, the Minister of Hubu, Ru Yu, the Minister of War, and Li Zhigang, the Minister of Rites.

Huang Fu, the minister of the Ministry of Industry, is less well known to the world, but he has the ability to seal borders and can be called a minister.

In the history of Jiang Xinghuo's previous life, Huang Fu was the first Jiaozhi Chengxuanzheng envoy, Secretary Buzheng envoy, and concurrently the punishment and inspection envoy. Huang Fu established a post station and a health center in Jiaozhi, compiled household registrations, and set up schools. He governed Jiaozhi for nineteen years and maintained order.

Zheng Ci, the Minister of Punishment, has limited talents. He is the kind of person who wants to climb up the ladder, but always does something ridiculous because of his short-sightedness.

Moreover, Zheng Ci especially likes to speculate on the people the emperor dislikes, and then personally impeaches them as a minister to increase his sense of existence.

During the Battle of Jingnan, Fengyang guard Sun Yue destroyed the temple built by Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang, and used the wood to build warships in the Huaihe River Basin to resist the Yan army. Zheng Ci wanted to impeach him.

This year, Zheng Ci speculated that Zhu Di did not like Li Jinglong and also impeached him for secretly cultivating desperadoes and plotting against him. Of course, Li Jinglong also backhandedly impeached Zheng Ci.

This means that when Li Jinglong so happily agreed to Zhu Di's request and went to the imperial prison to attend lectures, he was afraid of being impeached by Zheng Ci and planned to work for Zhu Di in exchange for some trust.

However, what Li Jinglong didn't expect was that after he went to prison to listen to Jiang Xinghuo's lectures, his life experiences would be completely different.

"Ah autumn~" Mike Jinlong, who was hugging a geisha in Japan and chatting and laughing with the shogunate Ashikaga Yoshimochi, sneezed at this time.

After several ministers took turns reading "Eight Strategies for Reform", they did not say anything immediately.

Obviously, no one who can sit at the highest position in the civil service system of the Ming Empire is simple. Before the meeting started, the six ministers all began to think deeply, thinking about how to respond and express their stance later.

As for Dao Yan, he arrived a little slower. It is difficult to doubt that he did not deliberately leave time for reading and thinking in the six books of ministers.

As Dao Yan, dressed in black cassock, slowly stepped into the cabinet duty room, almost everyone's eyes turned to him.

"Master Daoyan."

When Zhu Di saw Dao Yan arriving, a big stone fell in his heart.

Zhu Di is certainly the best in the world when it comes to leading troops in war.

But when it comes to court struggles, especially the implementation of reforms that cannot rely entirely on force but require a lot of consultation, negotiation, and compromise, Zhu Di is not that good at it.

Fortunately, in the past twenty years or so, Dao Yan has been very good at helping him deal with similar matters.

After Zhu Di was imprisoned and listened to Jiang Xinghuo's lectures, he was even more relieved about Dao Yan, who believed in Jiang Sheng's teachings.

Zhu Di believes that Jiang Xinghuo's theory can effectively help him enhance the national power of the Ming Dynasty. Although there will be some factors that are not conducive to imperial rule, Dao Yan can make it come true. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages. This is enough. .

Zhu Di knows very well that there is never a choice that has the best of both worlds in this world.

The theory given by Jiang Xinghuo is currently Zhu Di's best choice to enhance the national power of the Ming Dynasty and help him achieve his dream of "one emperor through the ages".

As for disadvantages, what can you do without disadvantages? The disadvantages caused by Jiang Xinghuo's theory are not unsolvable, at least in Zhu Di's opinion.

Dao Yan sat down under Zhu Di without hesitation.

Six ministers sat side by side across from each other, occupying the chairs of the seven cabinet members just now.

The seven cabinet members who were not qualified to sit now and could only stand in a row closer to the wall looked at the emperor, Dao Yan, and the eldest prince Zhu Gaochi as observers.

In other words, the warm-up just now is over.

The debate on "Eight Strategies for Reform" among the core decision-makers of the Ming Empire has only begun now.

Dao Yan looked at the six ministers' books, thinking calmly.

There was a letter hidden in Dao Yan's sleeve, a reply from Jiang Xinghuo.

Seriously, this is the second correspondence, and the first is the "Metaphysical Critique of the 'Transcendental Theory of Human Nature'".

It was this letter that gave Daoyan enough confidence to take action in advance.

Dao Yan murmured in his heart: "What I want is nothing more than to gain Jiang Shengyang's unique knowledge and establish great unity for the world."

"Ahem."

Zhu Di cleared his throat and said, "Several ministers have finished reading it. You might as well share your opinions."

Zhu Di did not intentionally isolate information. Several ministers already knew what Hu Yan said just now.

But to the slight surprise of everyone present, before anyone else could speak, someone in the Six Books of Secretariat jumped back.

We have a traitor in our midst!

Although they knew that the important ministers in this term were not very hard-boned, the fact that "Jiangnan Good Ministers" popped up so quickly still made these ministers who pride themselves on their character as civil servants a little embarrassed.

The person is not too surprising, Zheng Ci, the Minister of Punishment.

Zheng Ci had already prepared the draft before Daoyan arrived, and opened everyone's eyes to see how the emperor licked the dog "squeaking".

Zheng Ci, the Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, shook his head and said: "Today's commentators may say: Heaven and earth have nothing to do with people. Food and shaking are all constants, which is not enough to be fearful. The laws of our ancestors may not be perfect. They can be reformed, but they are not enough. Follow the rules; mediocre feelings, like to follow the rules but fear to change, you can succeed, but it is difficult to think about the beginning, there are many different opinions, not enough to listen to."

The first of the six ministers, "Tianguan" Jian Yi, the official minister, interrupted Zheng Ci's speech mercilessly.

"Is Zheng Shangshu still going to follow Wang Linchuan's statement?" Jian Yi sneered, "The meaning is different in ancient and modern times, and the traces of poems and books cannot be completely believed in evil? The words of the saint are profound and lofty, which is beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Or is it possible that the purpose is not understood? Would you like to hear the explanation?"

Jian Yi shook his scarlet robe and said simply.

"Your Majesty, Zheng gives you an incompetent and sycophantic minister."

As soon as these words came out, Zheng Ci's face suddenly became extremely embarrassed. It was one thing to be a dog licker, but it was another thing to be scolded for being a dog licker.

Moreover, Jian Yi also scolded him for being incompetent and copying Wang Anshi's words.

But before Zheng Ci could raise his voice to refute, Jian Yi continued: "I know that Your Majesty is determined to change the laws and make the Ming Dynasty strong, but Your Majesty also needs to know that today is not about persuading or forcing us ministers to agree, but changing the laws will be enough." If it continues to be implemented; even if it continues to be implemented, according to my opinion, it will probably be like Wang Anshi's reform, which will eventually rise and fall."

Jian Yi's words were very rude, but they were indeed what he had to say and express as the de facto leader of the civil service system, or half of the prime minister.

You must not be timid when facing the emperor at this time.

After all, he is Tianguan, after all, he is Jian Yi. Zhu Di also knows that Jian Yi is not speaking on his behalf.

Therefore, Zhu Di calmly asked for the first time: "Then according to Jian Shangshu, what is the problem? But what are the three fears of a gentleman mentioned by Hu Qing?"

Jian Yi glanced at Hu Yan and shook his head.

"A gentleman's three fears are certainly very reasonable and indeed need to be considered, but I believe that they are not rooted in moral tradition."

What Jian Yi said next was so concise and straightforward that even Zhu Di was moved.

I don’t know whether it was because he was afraid that the emperor would misunderstand his own meaning, or because Jian Yi simply wanted to speak clearly to prevent the reform. Jian Yi’s words were all dry words without any moisture.

"I am a scholar, and I also study the words of Confucian saints. But I also read history books. Judging from the precedents of past dynasties, Confucian orthodoxy is by no means something that cannot be changed."

Jian Yi said simply.

"Your Majesty wants to change the imperial examination and bring Xunzi back to the status of the Five Sages of Confucianism. That's fine."

"Your Majesty wants to be a holy king and an emperor who is not subject to the influence of heaven and man. That's fine."

"But your Majesty must know that throughout the various revisions and changes of Confucian orthodoxy, changes in thinking have always been for the sake of the temple."

"The veteran believes that reform is not advisable, not entirely because of the three fears of a gentleman, but because in the "Eight Strategies of Reform", there is no core that can meet the needs of the reform of the temple."

"What is it?" Zhu Di asked in a serious voice at this time.

Jian Yi did not oppose his intention to change the law, and even made it clear that the three fears of a gentleman were not a problem. As long as Zhu Di wanted to be a holy king and reformed the imperial examination, there were many great scholars who wanted to lick the emperor and debate the scriptures for him.

After all, since Zhu Yuanzhang, the great emperor of the Ming Dynasty, could elevate Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism to the position of designated reference answer for the imperial examination, then Zhu Di can naturally change it.

In the feudal era, it was not easy for the imperial power to modify Confucian thinking, but it was definitely not as difficult as climbing to the sky.

It has to be said that Dong Zhongshu got off to a bad start.

Since Jian Yi pointed out the core of his opposition to reform, Zhu Di was naturally extremely concerned.

After all, while Jian Yi said that the reform method would not work, he also pointed out why the change method would not work. This was the most meaningful to Zhu Di.

"The new class of gainers."

Jian Yi hit the nail on the head.

"Reforms in ancient and modern times can be successful if the wise king unreservedly supports and supports the new beneficiary class, and the leader of the reform is extremely capable. These three are indispensable."

"Your Majesty, the current heroic leader, is determined to turn things around and rectify the Ming Dynasty. I have no doubt about it."

"Master Daoyan inherits the unique learning for the saints."

When Jian Yi said this, he glanced at Dao Yan, and he didn't know that this saint was probably "Jiang Sheng"?

Jian Yi continued: "According to the "Eight Strategies for Reform" put forward by the sage, it turns out that Master Daoyan himself is also an outstanding talent, well-respected by the public, and is in line with the ability of a person who leads the reform."

"But." Jian Yi shook his head and said, "With all due respect, I can't see any content in the Eight Strategies for Reform about 'supporting the new benefited classes'."