On November 21, the seventh year of Wanli, the 34th birthday of Empress Dowager Cisheng Li was approaching.
The Supervisor of Ceremonies issued an edict, in accordance with the Holy Mother's instructions, that on the twenty-eighth day of this month, the Chaotian Palace would be built to protect the country, bring peace to the people, and prevent disasters, and the funeral ceremonies would be held for three days and nights, executions would be suspended, and massacres would be banned for three days.
In order to rush back to celebrate the birthday of the Empress Dowager, the Emperor also ended his nearly one-month tour and returned to his loyal city of Beijing on November 23rd.
At the same time, there was an increasingly heated discussion about the emperor's official tour for the Dutian platform.
…
Dingxing County is part of Baoding Prefecture, North Zhili Province.
This place is very close to the capital, but far away from power. In addition, many academies have been built here, such as Si Xun, Chongzheng, Guangda, etc., and so on. Naturally, there are many students and a strong academic style. Whenever big or small things happen, there will be A group of students talked loudly about current affairs and criticized each other.
And the hobby of admonition is very easy to spread.
As we all know, colleges are often outside the law, and everything is handled internally. State government officials rarely get involved, so naturally they cannot be said to be restrained.
Therefore, I don’t know when, Dingxing County formed a unique custom of loving admonishment.
Just like Chongzheng Academy today.
A group of high-spirited young students were sitting in the corridor, warming wine, reciting poems and composing poems.
When the wine was full and my face was red and my ears were red, the topic gradually changed, and I began to write passionately and point out the country.
"...Be strict with yourself, and you will see the results; if you love the people, you will be sure to control your husband and govern the country."
"To be completely rebellious, I have never looked forward to a consistent future as much as I do now. I even said that if the emperor unfortunately gave up halfway, I might really be tempted to throw myself into the river."
A student grabbed the wine that had just warmed up, covered his sleeves and drank the rice wine in the cup in one gulp.
In the afternoon, heavy snowflakes drifted outside the porch.
Several students were sitting around the fire in the corridor, creating a good atmosphere for admonition.
A person at the same table swallowed the pig head meat in his mouth, shook his head and said: "It is right to be strict with oneself, but it is not necessary to be lenient to others. If the property of the officials can also be disclosed, it will be a complete merit. "
Widespread corruption has completely different public opinions in the officialdom and among the people.
Even though the crackdown on corruption has been fruitful since the first year of Wanli, the people naturally have higher expectations.
Especially at this point of land conquest, even the emperor was willing to clear out the imperial village and consecrate the land from top to bottom. Of course, these students were eager for the officials to follow suit and dig out the clan's land to bask in the sun.
The drinking man took another drink for himself and said with a smile: "You just go to the capital to give your opinions. I don't think it's your high opinions that are being solicited now."
A cold wind blew by.
Not only did a few people not feel the cold, but they went wild and opened their skirts a little and rolled up their sleeves.
One student clicked his tongue and said calmly: "It is unwise to act too hastily. You must first discipline yourself before you can discipline others."
"Not to mention the officials, just the emperor's self-discipline has already caused turmoil in the palace. After collecting opinions this time, it is still unclear whether it can be implemented in practice."
"Just take your time. If you have this attitude, the situation will eventually get better."
That's all for the common people. The students were better informed and more considerate of the emperor.
Apart from anything else, as soon as the emperor expressed his position this time, the inner court hurriedly called him back on the grounds that it was the Queen Mother's birthday.
Then news came that there was a huge quarrel in the palace - at least in the eyes of the concubines, eunuchs, and female officials in the palace, the emperor's move was tantamount to using the family's wealth to please outsiders.
In addition, the response from the official circles was not as enthusiastic as that from the scholars, and the public was so enthusiastic that it was somewhat ambiguous.
The pressure the emperor faced at this time was obviously not small.
This collection of opinions is said to be done before the first month of the year, and a result will be reached. Before then, it is obviously not suitable to tease the sensitive heartstrings of the officials.
The man who spoke just now couldn't help but sigh: "There is no need to say words of comfort, and I don't understand. It is precisely because I understand that I worry that the emperor may not be able to go to the step of publicizing the property of the officials."
The resistance to the emperor disclosing his property may not be too great, after all, it is his own flesh that is being cut.
The inner court's public accounts are all public accounts, so there is absolutely no reason to put them in other people's names.
In addition, countless pairs of eyes are watching, and the science and technology officials check the accounts on time every year, so it is a little more difficult to make public, but it is not difficult to clear the accounts.
If it is publicized to court officials, it will be a private account.
Who is watching what is being hidden in secret, what is being sent to someone else's name? Who is going to investigate?
We can't let the inner court and the outer court investigate each other, right? How many eunuchs are there in the inner court, and how many officials are there in the outer court?
Is it the Department of Science and Technology, or the Ministry of Personnel? Isn’t that a hero checking a hero, a hero checking a hero?
In the end, I'm afraid it's just a matter of showing how much the officials say.
At this time, a student who had been silent just now suddenly said: "There is no need to be so pessimistic. Newspapers dissect the New Deal and say every year that taking one step at a time is better than standing still. I always thought that in
Reason, it’s better to do it than not do it.”
"Furthermore, even if this action is only superficial, it is still a great good, and it is enough to shine through history."
This person is obviously not bad at school. He looks like he is in his early twenties, but his hair is quite gray.
Several students who were traveling with him heard this and looked at him one after another.
The man considered his words for a moment and then slowly said: "Since the founding of the country, this is the first time that an emperor is willing to tie his own hands and feet to serve the public."
"Once this matter is decided, it should be legalized. Even if it does not contribute to the current generation, it will still be regarded as a law established by the ancestors and will benefit the future."
After hearing this, several people fell into deep thought.
The emperor's move was not only to save the land, but also to clear out the imperial estate and give an explanation to the people of the world.
It also means from top to bottom, leading by example.
By tying one's own hands and feet in this way, the family world will give in to the public world, and it can be foreseen that it will be used to restrain all officials in the future...
No matter how effective it is, how can it be meaningless?
After a while.
Only then did someone sigh and sigh: "I only hope that the emperor will remain true to his heart and remain true to his resolve."
After a moment of silence, several people nodded one after another.
When he was about to say more, he saw several figures appearing in the sight of several people.
Several people looked up and saw that the dean of the academy was walking in front, followed by two wives on the left and right, welcoming a guest dressed in red flying fish silk and a large cloak as he walked out of the backyard.
The students quickly stopped talking and stood up to greet him.
"The chief of the mountain."
"Master."
Remonstrance is usually carried out among peers. If there are elders present, everyone will shut up in unison.
Especially this guest looks unusual at first sight - the big red flying fish silk was given by the palace, either from the local governor or from the central minister.
The dean smiled and returned the greetings to the students.
Immediately, he stretched out his hand to introduce the guest next to him: "This is Shen Li, the Duke of Longjiang, who is famous for his founder and integrity. Please come and greet me."
The students were stunned.
No wonder the outfit is so bluffing, he turns out to be one of the Imperial Masters.
"Mr. Longjiang."
"Students have heard of Longjiang Gong for a long time."
Several students looked at the important minister in front of them curiously while saluting and complimenting him.
Shen Li returned the gifts to the students meticulously.
Then he handed over to the dean: "I have to go to Beijing to take up my post, so I won't bother you anymore. I also ask Mr. Zichun to stay."
Of course, if you stay, you won't stay.
When a Confucian scholar sees him off, he never stays in the atrium.
After another round of pleasantries, the teachers and students took Shen Li outside the academy. Finally, the dean personally helped Shen Li onto the carriage, and both parties waved goodbye.
The wind and snow are getting stronger.
The carriage drove slowly and gradually disappeared into the heavy white snow.
…
In the carriage, the stepson Shen Yu respectfully handed the thick blanket to his father.
He talked about the next itinerary: "Sir, we can't get to Zhuozhou until late at night. We will rest overnight at Zhuozhou Post. We won't be able to reach the capital until noon tomorrow."
There is no waterway to enter Beijing from Henan, but a land route from Daming Prefecture to Beizhili, passing through Shunde Prefecture, Zhending Prefecture, and Baoding Prefecture.
It is already more winding than the water road, and there is more snow on the road.
Therefore, Shen Li's journey to Beijing to work seemed a bit slow and leisurely.
Shen Li took off his cloak and put it aside, then took the blanket and put it on his legs.
Shen Yu took the cloak smoothly, dusted off the snowflakes on it, put it on his lap and folded it in half: "Sir, your Majesty's announcement of the imperial property has received an extremely enthusiastic response from the public. Even the old farmers in the fields have many supporters. It is really like heaven." virtue."
This is of course what Shen Yu saw in Dingxing County - his father went to the academy alone to visit friends, and it was not like he didn't do anything. At least he went around the county and learned a lot.
As she said that, Shen Yu couldn't help but have a look of surprise flash across her face.
The emperor was not without reputation in the past.
The rectification of the clan and the debate on Confucian classics won the emperor a lot of prestige.
But, that was only among the scholars in the court.
The people don't care about your debate on scriptures or salt politics. Most people don't bother to care about what the emperor did.
In fact, if the year name hadn't been changed, I probably wouldn't have known about the replacement.
This time it's different.
The emperor's declaration of retreating from the imperial estate and publicizing the imperial estate actually attracted support from even the woodcutter and old peasants.
They even spontaneously spread the saying "Wanli and Wanli are encouraged by all the people".
Although it was only encouragement and not direct praise, it was in sharp contrast to Emperor Sejong's "Jiajing Jiajing, every house is clean".
This is not a heaven-like virtue. What else is a heaven-like virtue?
When Shen Li heard this, he recalled what he had heard in the academy and couldn't help but smile with relief: "The majority of people are those who understand right and wrong. Emperor Sejong is carrying out large-scale construction projects, knocking bones and sucking marrow. Nowadays, people are strict in self-discipline and living with the people, so the people will naturally sing different nursery rhymes. "
Since Jiajing and Longqing, emperors have always been lone men who amassed wealth. Today's emperor is willing to take a step back for the first time. For the people, it is enough to make them grateful - the people of the Ming Dynasty have always had such low requirements.
Shen Yu followed her father and smiled.
Then he seemed to have thought of something again, and he said hesitantly: "However, there are rumors that the property disclosure may not only extend to the imperial property."
This is why the emperor is now taking the initiative to tie his own hands and feet, but his attitude is ambiguous in the court.
If the fire burns too brightly, it won't be fun if you burn yourself.
Shen Li turned to look at his son and replied seriously: "If His Majesty and the cabinet have this idea, I can sit upright, so what reason can I have to disagree?"
"If you are afraid of 'one day', then you might as well not take part in the current examination. You don't have to be an official."
There are still two months until the third subject examination of the Wanli Year, which is also the subject that Shen Yu will refer to this year.
Facing his father's rebuke, Shen Yu quickly explained: "Sir, that's not what I meant."
"I'm just worried that once the private property of hundreds of officials is involved, the resistance will be too great and the situation in the DPRK will be destabilized."
"Your Excellency has just fallen in love with Your Majesty again, and I'm even more worried that it will affect Your Majesty."
Shen Li's face looked better now.
If you have just taken the exam and start worrying about your property, then it is really better not to take the exam.
Fortunately, it didn't grow crooked.
He looked at his son, slowly shook his head, and said seriously: "This time, I am patrolling the fields as the censor of Qiandu. I have been involved in the situation for a long time. How can I be affected?"
When it comes to property disclosure, is the focus on property? Of course not, the focus is on the latter, property!
Don't look at the gold, silver, jewelry, and rare fabrics. They may sound priceless and wealthy, but they are just floating wealth.
What is the foundation of the world? It is acres!
The prosperity of the world lies in the fields, and the chaos in the world also lies in the fields.
The so-called publicity, the most important thing is to confirm the ownership of the land - even if the money can be hidden in the cellar without anyone noticing, the land owner cannot escape no matter how hard it is, and someone will always find out.
Arranging fields and confirming power are two sides of the same coin. How could Shen Li, the censor of Qiandu, inspect the fields and stay out of it?
After being cocooned, I finally realized what I was doing, and my face was cloudy and uncertain.
He hesitated to speak: "Sir..."
Shen Li waved his hand and interrupted him: "The examination is coming soon. You should focus more on your homework. If you fail the exam this time, you will have to add a math subject as a threshold for the next subject, which will add to the twists and turns." .”
He just changed the topic abruptly, but when he saw that his son wanted to talk more, Shen Li simply picked up the newspaper in the carriage and turned his head away: "Well, this matter will have to be discussed at least until the first month of the year. There is no final decision yet. What are you in a hurry for? Let’s wait until we get to the capital.”
After that, he leaned against the wall of the carriage, with his back to Shen Yu, and pretended to read the latest newspaper.
After a while.
There was no movement behind Shen Yu.
Shen Li relaxed and turned to look at the newspaper in his hand.
Ever since Sima Zhi broke Shen Li's deafness to the outside world, he could be said to have been publishing newspapers in various societies.
Yuan Hongyu's "Gewu Daily" is the slowest to update and the most obscure.
After Yuan Hongyu discussed Taoism with the emperor, he spent three years in seclusion. Now he combines epistemology and practice theory to create a new theory of studying things to achieve knowledge. He calls himself "Post-Neo-Confucianism".
Every time Shen Li reads it, he feels enlightened.
Just like an article last month, Shen Li was amazed by the analysis of "the connection between things in epistemology, whether they are isolated and single or universally coexisting".
Qian Dehong and Xue Yingqi, who founded Donglin Journal, passed away in recent years, and the newspaper was handed over to Gu Xiancheng.
Perhaps it is because of the years of hard work in Sichuan, but today's Donglin Journal has turned away from the past and turned to reality, and has gradually talked about the sufferings of the people's livelihood, the family, the country and the world.
In particular, an article last year, when explaining the so-called isomorphism of family and country, extended the view that "the development of things is an upward spiral", which was praised by people at the time.
The "South Zhili Daily" supervised by Li Chunfang was founded relatively late, but because it is endorsed by the News and Pages Department, it can be said to be the largest newspaper, covering everything from political affairs to pornography.
Last month, Li Chunfang teased Sun Piyang, the new governor of Yingtian, and the latter retaliated by giving him a potted plant.
For this reason, Li Chunfang, a maternal relative, was often laughed at by people at the time for talking about Yin and Yang and the planting of Piyang.
All in all, apart from the shortcoming of liking to play some vulgar jokes about regional discrimination between various provinces in South Zhili, South Zhili Daily is the most humorous and interesting - well, from a certain perspective, such vulgar jokes may not necessarily It's an unintentional shortcoming.
Of course, if Shen Li loves to read more, it must be the "Sun and Moon Morning Post", also commonly known as the Xinbao.
It is both interesting and serious, and its writing style and content coexist. It touches on all aspects of economics, current affairs, anecdotes, miscellany, practice, etc. It is undoubtedly the most popular newspaper.
It is also the newspaper that Shen Li is holding now.
Only when reading the latest newspapers, Shen Li could feel that under the current ruins of the Ming Dynasty, there were also new shoots that were sprouting.
For example, after the emperor visited Shuntian Mansion, he gave instructions on a series of bad policies. This was the vitality of the New Deal.
The Hanyang Iron and Steel Plant run by the Huguang clan has optimized its iron-making technology, which is the vitality of the clan's business.
The first trial run of a large shipping ship built by Longjiang Shipyard is the vitality of shipping.
And, in the Wanli Eleventh Year Examination, a new mathematics subject will be added, well... I cannot agree with this.
Shen Li couldn't help but shook his head, not knowing what was so good about mathematics.
Whatever you don’t like to see, there is just that.
This edition of the New Paper happened to print a mathematics article, which took up a lot of space.
The title is very eye-catching - "On the Critique of Mathematics since the Millennium and Its Future Development Direction".
If you don’t like it, you don’t like it. Naihe will try and add it soon.
Shen Li could only hold his nose and calmly read the first edition of mathematics that he usually skipped - lest his son fail the exam this year and need to use these things three years later.
In addition to the eye-catching title of this article, there is also a commendation letter next to it.
The emperor used this article to commend the author, promoting him from a student to a scholar of Liangjiang, granting him a residence, a monthly salary, and the right to write memorials.
He even personally gave the author Liu Sanpao a calligraphy, saying, "Dunkai."
Shen Li curled his lips in dissatisfaction. What an honor it was. It was too much.
In fact, as a high-ranking courtier, he is more or less knowledgeable about numbers.
Even though the Imperial College was unwilling to take elective courses in the state school, it became a compulsory subject after becoming a Shujishi.
Even Sima Guang, his ancestor who was as staid as Sima Zhi, was also proficient in mathematics.
Why should the emperor favor him alone?
Shen Li dispersed his thoughts for a while, and then he started to read the text.
The article begins with a brief overview of the development of mathematics.
For example, counting, calendar requirements, rules, moments, standards, ropes and other measurement requirements are the beginning.
to the development of becoming one of the six arts of the gentleman.
and "Nine Chapters on Arithmetic" and other works, a system of tools has been formed, which can be called mathematics.
With the prosperity of business in the former Song Dynasty, Yang Hui, Qin Jiushao, Zhu Shijie and others opened libraries to teach students, formed associations, and wrote books, which once brought mathematics to the peak of development.
Finally, there was an avalanche of collapse since this dynasty.
Shen Li read this sentence several times and couldn't help but shook his head. The emperor was still the same as before, and he had no taboo at all about such remarks that exposed his family's background.
Since the early Song Dynasty, in just a few hundred years, almost everyone in this dynasty could not understand the works of Song people such as Zhu Shijie and Qin Jiushao.
There is nothing wrong with saying it was an avalanche collapse.
But when it is published, it doesn’t look good - the progress of the Ming Dynasty compared to the previous Song Dynasty had better be comprehensive. Even if it is just counting the backwardness of heretics, there should not be any. Even if it is true, it should not be messed up everywhere. explain.
This is not what Shen Li thinks alone, but the consensus of most court officials.
Therefore, this statement could not have been published without the emperor's permission.
Shen Li suddenly missed the emperor. He hadn't seen him for seven years, and he was probably taller than him now.
He shook his head, getting rid of unnecessary thoughts from his mind.
All in all, after introducing some mathematical context.
Liu Dunkai put forward three major criticisms.
One is to explore the household registration system of this dynasty.
It is believed that the common people who specialize in mathematics will be classified as Yin and Yang, which will stifle the mathematics community and return mathematics to the family industry of inbreeding, which will greatly curb the development of mathematics.
Secondly, it criticizes the mathematical carrier.
Due to the limitations of the times, for thousands of years, characters have been recorded on bamboo slips. Due to the limited space, the text had to be abbreviated, which largely made the expression of mathematics less precise.
Various "Nine Chapters on Arithmetic Annotations" and "Zhou Bi Suan Suan Jing Annotations" have caused people to annotate it again and again, making a lot of repetitive efforts.
Nowadays, paper is cheap and exquisite, and the length is sufficient. Is it still necessary to save space?
Why should we stick to the simple expression of the past instead of striving for precision?
Third, there was strong opposition to the separation of mathematics and Confucianism.
What is metaphysical is called Tao, and what is practical is called tool. The Confucian component of mathematics is still too little.
After deeply understanding the epistemology proposed by the emperor, Liu Dunkai suddenly realized that any utensil has the existence of Dao - any theory should be inseparable from Confucianism.
Why has mathematics been fragmented and fragmented for a long time?
It’s because of the lack of Confucian guidance!
There is a lack of integration in research and treatment, a lack of continuity within the system, and a lack of cognitive transcendence!
To sum up, there is no Tao that rises from strange and ingenious tools to universally applicable to all things. It is not used enough in practice and the exploration of cause and effect is not done deeply.
Shen Li was quite pleased.
Today's Taoism has turned to mathematics to innovate.
After the discussion on Taoism in the second year of Wanli, Confucianism really took on a new lease of life.
I have to say that as a scholar, I feel very satisfied when I see these outsiders promoting Confucianism to such a high level.
He then looked down.
Subsequently, based on the above criticisms, Liu Kaidun put forward suggestions for those who practice mathematics - they will strive to standardize and accurately use mathematical terms; at the same time, use the guidance of Confucianism to make more efforts in practice and explore cause and effect.
Specifically, it is, first, exploring cause and effect, focusing on logical reasoning and deduction, summarizing mathematical rules, and constructing a continuous and systematic model of the original relationship of mathematical calculations.
Second, practical comparison abandons the limitations of thinking brought about by bamboo slips and introduces graphics as a supplement to logical deduction. The combination of pure rationality and practical rationality can be said to be a combination of numbers and shapes.
Below are some examples of deduction and the application of combining numbers and shapes.
It's a very good basic question. The good thing is that it makes the originally obscure question easy to understand.
Shen Li browsed every number and symbol carefully, and then...
Then breathe gradually and evenly.
Then the eyelids started to fight.
After a while, the newspaper fell from his hand to the ground.
Mr. Long Jiang fell into a deep sleep.
…
The time to fall asleep always passes quietly.
I don't know how long it took.
Shen Li felt that the carriage seemed to have stopped suddenly, and there was a commotion outside the carriage.
Affected by these, he opened his hazy eyes in confusion.
Shen Li raised his eyes and looked inside the carriage, but did not see his son.
The noise outside the carriage gradually became quieter, and Shen Li gradually woke up.
He pushed himself up, opened the car curtain, stretched his head and looked outside.
Not far away is the post station, with the words "Zhuozhou Post" written on the flickering lantern.
Of course, the carriage did not stop at Zhuolu Station.
A circle of torches stood between the carriage and the inn.
Oh... Set up a card and check, but the torch is a bit dazzling, Shen Li thought.
Hmm? Interrogation? Torch?
Shen Li was startled and suddenly woke up!
Taking a closer look, it turned out that a group of soldiers had surrounded the road ahead and were checking pedestrians!
He looked at the group of soldiers with a solemn expression. Judging from their clothing, they seemed to be the Jinyi Guards and the Beijing Camp Red Helmet Guards.
Meanwhile, my son was negotiating something with the soldiers blocking the card outside the inn.
The Red Helmets have all been sent out...
Shen Li frowned, realizing that things were not simple.
He was about to ask the servant driving the car to call him back for questioning, but he saw that his son seemed to have finished negotiating, and turned around and walked back with a solemn look.
The group of soldiers, led by Jin Yiwei, was wearing a flying fish suit and clasped his fists at Shen Li, obviously knowing his identity.
Shen Li didn't return the gift. He looked away cautiously and looked at his son.
Before Shen Yu could get closer, Shen Li could not wait.
He hurriedly asked: "What's going on? Why are there so many night checks in Shuntian Mansion? Even the Jin Yiwei and red helmet guards are sent out?"
Zhuozhou belongs to Shuntian Prefecture, only more than a hundred miles away from the capital. Important areas in the capital are never investigated without incident, let alone the Jin Yiwei and the Beijing Camp. Now with this look, something is obviously wrong!
Shen Yu's face looked a little ugly.
He subconsciously looked around before approaching Shen Li.
Chapter completed!