Mystery Makes Me Strong

As the debate progressed, the atmosphere in the court became more and more tense.

Emperor Jiajing raised his hand and rang the bell, signaling everyone to be quiet.

"My dear ministers, I have heard what you have seen."

"We must be cautious about the affairs of the southerners."

He paused and continued: "I think that if the skills of the southerners can be used by our Ming Dynasty, it will be a good thing."

"But as you said, they are all high and low, and we must be on guard."

"Therefore, I have decided to set up a special agency to be responsible for communication and monitoring with the southerners."

The emperor's eyes became firm: "This agency will be directly managed by the cabinet."

"Minister Xu will take the lead."

"We must learn their skills and guard against their ambitions."

"Southerners can teach skills, but they must not interfere in state affairs or discuss state affairs."

"Violators will be severely punished."

In this way, the Ming Dynasty court quickly reached a consensus.

Some young ministers, however, were thinking about how to use the skills of the southerners to improve the shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty.

Now the shortcomings of the Ming Dynasty are showing everywhere.

First, the frontier soldiers were not paid enough and were too weak to be of much use.

The rebellion in the southeast had just subsided, but the troubles in the north were getting worse.

Second, people's livelihood was in decline, tax revenue was decreasing year by year, and there were fewer and fewer places to tax.

Third, the court struggles were getting more and more serious, and more and more people were unwilling to do things.

Even in the court meetings, one-third of the staff were missing.

Fourth, civil unrest occurred frequently in various places, and a big mess was about to happen.

But they heard that the southerners had sharp weapons, so they wanted to follow suit.

Jiajing's decision made the court officials nod their heads.

The ministers agreed with the emperor's wise decision. Although there were different opinions on how to use the southerners, they reached a consensus under the emperor's decision.

The court meeting ended, and the ministers left the court one after another.

Everyone had a thoughtful expression on their faces.

They knew that the arrival of the southerners would bring new variables to the Ming Dynasty, and they must deal with it carefully.

Emperor Jiajing returned to the Wanshou Palace alone.

He looked into the distance through the window.

His heart was full of expectations.

The appearance of the southerners is undoubtedly a double-edged sword. If used well, it can make one immortal; if used poorly, it may destroy the country.

Of course, he would choose immortality.

It doesn't matter if the country is destroyed, as long as he can live forever.

Of course, if he can live forever and continue to be the emperor, that would be the best.

He took a deep breath and decided to personally supervise the new organization to ensure that everything is under his control.

He hasn't done this for a long time.

...

Wen Rensheng looked at the Emperor Jiajing and had to say that he was really similar to the character in the TV series.

He put himself first and the Ming Dynasty second.

He was obsessed with immortality.

But he was smarter than others and didn't take elixirs randomly.

He used various gloves to keep himself from being tired and ensure that he could practice Taoism in peace.

Therefore, under the balance of many factors, he could live to 60 years old.

Among the ancient emperors, this was a very long life.

Many emperors who sought immortality had very short lifespans.

For example, his son did not seek immortality, but only lived to more than 30 years old.

…

Morning mist lingered, and a workshop on the outskirts of the capital gradually woke up under the shining of the rising sun.

A group of special people gathered here.

They were all students of the southerners.

Only one time traveler was brave enough to come here and interact with the Ming Dynasty.

The main reason was that they did not carry much when they traveled through time.

So they did not rashly fight with the Ming Dynasty.

And at this time, the Ming Dynasty still had the power to repel the Westerners, which shows its resource mobilization ability.

Most places were still stable.

So no matter from which aspect, they did not directly attack the Ming Dynasty, but reached out to many forces in Southeast Asia.

And now, they need the market and labor force of the Ming Dynasty.

It is too slow to rely on themselves to slowly toss.

So they decided to contact the Ming Dynasty.

They are not worried that their technology will be learned by the Ming Dynasty, because history has long proved it.

If you don’t learn the core, optical technology, you will only be a four-legged beast in the end.

And if they learn all of them, it is actually equivalent to the victory of their time travelers: they get a familiar environment again.

So the time travelers brought the knowledge and technology of the other world, trying to sow the seeds of industrialization on the land of the Ming Dynasty.

…

On this day, the atmosphere in the workshop was different from usual.

Because a young official, Li Hancheng Hanlin, was sent here by the court to supervise the work of the southerners.

Li Hanlin wore a green official robe, a black gauze hat, and a jade pendant on his waist that symbolized his status.

He had a handsome face and a firm look in his eyes.

He was the kind of capable official with great ambitions and great abilities.

He was not a sour scholar.

He had his own sharpness.

He stepped into the workshop and looked around.

He saw the busy figures of the southern students and some mechanical devices he had never seen before.

His eyes finally fell on a southerner in strange clothes.

That was the person in charge of the workshop, Zhao Tiezhu.

Yes, he was obviously a time traveler, and his name was more rustic than that of the natives.

Zhao Tiezhu wore a short suit, a thick mask, and his hair was shaved, like a monk.

"Master Zhao, I am here to supervise the operation of the workshop by order of the court." Li Hanlin's voice was very calm.

Zhao Tiezhu turned around with a smile on his face.

But there was a trace of contempt in his eyes: "Master Li, welcome, welcome."

"What we do here is to help the progress of the Ming Dynasty."

Li Hanlin nodded.

Then he began to participate in the daily operation of the workshop.

He carefully observed the working methods of these southern students.

The communication between them was equal, without distinction of superiority and inferiority, which made him feel particularly uncomfortable.

Especially every time he came in, everyone just nodded and greeted him.

Some people were so busy that they didn't even stand up to salute him. He came in like a ball of gas, and no one cared at all.

This made him particularly uncomfortable.

If this happened outside, he would have been dragged down and beaten with a stick.

How could the scholars, farmers, merchants, and craftsmen not kneel down and kowtow, or stand aside to salute when the master came in?

It was simply courting death.

In a discussion about workshop management, the dispute between the two sides finally broke out.

"Master Zhao, your way is against the ethics of our Ming Dynasty. How can you manage the workshop well?" Li Hanlin frowned, with a reproachful tone.

Zhao Tiezhu sneered in his heart.

This is the key.

Because of the hierarchy, no matter how good the industry is, it cannot develop.

The reason is very simple.

The factory you worked hard to develop, people with higher status than you, squeezed you into bankruptcy with just one sentence, what are you still developing?

The ideas you worked hard to come up with, the products you made, the ministers took them away with a note, how can you make primitive accumulation?

So although the Ming Dynasty has the buds of commodity economy, it can only be a bud, and it will eventually be distorted into a combination of business and management. The bigger the management, the bigger the business.

And they are destined to be distorted, destined not to focus on industry and commerce, but to be a big manager.

The goal is wrong, so how can it develop the pinnacle of industry and commerce?

In the end, it can only be a four-legged beast, and then it will be burned down under the resistance of the poor people.

Another round, and this cycle will continue, and naturally there will be no possibility of accumulation of industry and commerce.

So Zhao Tiezhu responded calmly: "Lord Li, what we pursue is the concept of equality for all."

"Here, everyone can express their own opinions, so that everyone's creativity can be truly brought into play."

Li Hanlin shook his head and said: "Master Zhao, you are fanciful."

"Without the order of superiority and inferiority, how can the operation of the workshop be maintained?"

"If someone opposes you, how can you make your order pass?"

"Everyone is equal, won't that be a mess?"

"The reason why my Ming Dynasty can be established is based on superiority and inferiority."

Zhao Tiezhu insisted: "Lord Li, it is this hierarchy that restricts people's thinking."

"Besides, some people here have also said that the monarch and the minister are father and son, the monarch regards the minister as his own hands and feet, and the minister regards the monarch..."

"No, there is no monarch and father who is not right in the world. We, the ministers, are the daughter-in-law, and the monarch and the father are the mother-in-law. Only the daughter-in-law is wronged, how can the mother-in-law be wronged?" Li Hanlin said immediately.

Zhao Tiezhu heard that you are just talking about the Ming Dynasty.

He shook his head and said, "If you want to achieve industrialization and make products, you first need equality, and everyone should be equal in rights. You cannot bully others by taking advantage of your power, and there are rules to protect yourself."

"You must also reach a consensus and have the ability to constrain, so that everyone can protect their wealth and stimulate consumption and innovation."

"Otherwise, it will only produce a lot of waste and make a mess."

Li Hanlin understood some of it, but most of it was still incomprehensible, and the more he listened, the more awkward it became.

But he guessed that what the other party said should be Mencius's idea.

But Mencius had been overthrown long ago.

Whoever uses Mencius's doctrine will not pass the imperial examination.

As for the scholar, it is difficult.

It is because Mencius talked about righteousness, emphasizing the equality of monarchs, ministers, fathers and sons, that is, if the monarch does not talk about grace and righteousness, the ministers will not talk about loyalty.

This is treason.

And the other party is not only talking about the monarch, but also about fathers and sons.

If the father is not good to the son, the son can also be unfilial.

This obviously touched the foundation of etiquette.

And he also felt a panic.

It doesn't matter if the other party makes money, but if he touches the foundation of etiquette, that's a dead end.

If he gets involved with this person, it's also a dead end.

So he said a few words and left in a hurry.

He had to find a way to solve this matter.

This debate quietly spread in the workshop.

The southerners and the indigenous workers in the workshop all participated in it.

Some people secretly supported Li Hanlin's point of view, believing that without the order of respect and inferiority, the workshop would fall into chaos.

Others agreed with Zhao Tiezhu's concept, believing that equality can make everyone do good things.

They will not let some ignorant officials interfere.

...

On this day, Li Hanlin came to the workshop again.

He gathered everyone under a high platform.

He said sternly: "Everyone, the reason why our Ming Dynasty can prosper is because we follow the Confucian way."

"The hierarchy between superiors and subordinates, the emperor and his subjects, and the father and son are all strictly enforced."

"If the southerners are allowed to promote equality, where is the order? Where is the etiquette?"

"By then, the father is not the father, and the son is not the son. Wouldn't the world be in chaos?"

"Never talk about this again in the future!"

Zhao Tiezhu retorted: "Lord Li, the Ming Dynasty is prosperous? Not necessarily?"

"Everywhere I see, there is famine."

"There are refugees everywhere, and the price of hiring workers has become so cheap that it only takes one month to feed them."

"Can this be called prosperity?"

"Why is it so? Have you ever thought about it?"

Li Hanlin was furious when he heard this: "You are slandering!"

"You bastard, the court saw that you still have some respect, so they let you enter Beijing to open a factory."

"I didn't expect that you would take the opportunity to slander the court!"

Zhao Tiezhu said disdainfully: "Slander, I just told you the truth!"

He knew very well that the only condition for industrialization is equality and checks and balances.

In short, you can't have an ancestor above your head who can take away your achievements with just one sentence.

In fact, it is not completely equal, as long as there can be checks and balances between forces.

In this regard, those real feudal states are more likely to enter industrialization.

Because there is a check and balance between their lords and kings.

Lords can be transformed into large factory owners more easily.

Their industries can be maintained.

In places like the Ming Dynasty where there is only one emperor, even if you are a minister, you can't keep your industry.

Because ministers will also go down and retire.

At that time, the industry will not work.

Just like Xu Jie, he had a lot of land when he was prosperous, but he had to spit it out once he stepped down.

This is just a microcosm.

In the final analysis, there is no so-called check and balance here, and it is a completely unstable system.

As long as there is a change in status between the emperor and different forces, wealth and factories will be lost.

And the change in status is very fast.

Ten years is enough for a minister who seems to be high and mighty to fall quickly.

How can factory owners protect themselves in this time?

This is the evil result of the lack of checks and balances.

Zhao Tiezhu did not think of this before.

It was not until he traveled through time and space, in the collision with other travelers, and when he did things himself, he experienced the plunder of officials, that he realized that if there is no concept of checks and balances and equality, then even if it develops, it will be swallowed up by others.

Now, they cannot construct a new check and balance force, so they need to form a system that can protect everyone's rights and interests.

And let everyone reach a consensus, and everyone will take the initiative to maintain it.

Especially the cavalry who are deeply rooted in the hearts of the people and will hold power have this consensus.

This is the most fundamental.

Then he argued with Li Hanlin.

Although Li Hanlin was unhappy, he still had integrity after all - he disdained to use the government's tricks to deal with people who debated with him.

After all, he thought it was very dirty.

This debate lasted for a long time.

Until the sunset, the atmosphere in the workshop was still tense.

Li Hanlin walked home alone.

He did not take a sedan chair.

But his heart was full of doubts.

He knew that what Zhao Tie said was true.

The Ming Dynasty is now in decline.

One hundred and fifty years have passed, and it is about to end.

It really feels like this.

More and more refugees are freezing to death, and there is less and less land.

The court is in deficit every year.

Even the officials can't pay money. Isn't this a sign of the end of the dynasty?

He thinks Zhao Tiezhu's words are right?

However, even if everyone is equal, can the Ming Dynasty be saved?

He thought carefully that if everyone is equal, land annexation will be much more difficult.

No one will rely on the status of a juren to exempt too much tax. In fact, a juren can't be exempted from much tax.

According to the Ming Dynasty law, the maximum amount of land that could be exempted was fifty mu.

However, because the Juren had connections in the officialdom, the specific implementation was completely different.

When the clerks and the yamen runners settled accounts, all the land of the Juren masters was basically counted as low-grade land, dry land, and poor land. In this way, the tax collected was much less.

Going further, slowly, they simply stopped collecting taxes.

This is why there are many people who have made contributions above the Juren level.

The law is one thing, and the execution of the yamen runners and clerks is another.

If everyone is equal, and the Juren masters are the same as the common people, then the yamen runners will not treat them differently.

Being able to think of this shows that Li Hanlin is not an ordinary nerd. He has really been exposed to practical work and experienced it personally.

Because he was promoted from a scholar to a Juren.

He personally experienced the change in the attitude of the yamen runners and clerks.