It can be foreseen that in a few years the power of the Ming Dynasty will be completely vested in the emperor. The heart of one man will be the heart of thousands of people, and all noble officials will prostrate themselves under Zhu Yuanzhang's dragon boots.
As for treating his successors, Zhu Yuanzhang did a better job than Qin Shihuang and Han Wu Emperor, and Zhu Biao's status was not just a little bit better than Fusu and Liu Zhi.
In a certain aspect, the three of them actually have many similarities. They all have a majestic and domineering father, they all have been favored by everyone, and they all have left regrets in history.
Fusu was the eldest son of the Qin Emperor and the Young Master of the Qin Dynasty. He was tolerant and far-sighted, resolute and courageous, a believer and a warrior. He often outspokenly advised the Qin Emperor to win the government. He was sent to the border areas. Finally, he was conspired by Zhao Gao, Li Si, Hu Hai and others to tamper with Qin Shi Huang's legacy.
According to the imperial edict, Fusu committed suicide according to his father's order, and the second generation of the Qin Dynasty died.
Liu Ju was the eldest son of Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. He was established as the crown prince in the first year of Yuan Shou. He was kind and generous, gentle and prudent, and had some political talents. However, he was not familiar with the ways of power and strategy. He was framed by villains and forced to raise troops to protect himself.
In the end, he was defeated and fled to commit suicide.
These two people are basically the inner demons of princes of all dynasties, and they also prove the truth that even if they are virtuous and have the support of the people, without the favor of their father, it will be difficult to ascend to the throne.
Zhu Biao does not have this pressure. From the day he was born, the road ahead has been paved by his father. He does not need to waste any energy on pleasing his father, suppressing his brothers, and winning over the ministers of the court...
You don't need anything, you just need to walk steadily under the happy gaze of your father, and then you can board the dragon throne and become the master of the Ming Dynasty's splendid country.
With this foundation, Zhu Biao has the confidence to do something. Otherwise, how much impact can a few later generations' insights have? In an era where the word "cannibalism" is written between the lines, it is not easy to survive. How can we talk about it?
Others.
While Zhu Biao was meditating, the officials of the Tea Horse Department hurriedly ran out. When they heard that the Crown Prince was coming, they were surprised at first and then realized that he was still in front of the Yamen of the capital in the clear day. This is not how he was looking for death.
They knelt down neatly in front of the carriage: "We are waiting to welcome His Royal Highness, Your Highness Qianqiu!"
This posture startled several pedestrians passing by, and they all walked away quickly with lowered eyebrows. There were also a few pot-bellied businessmen who seemed to be coming to Tea Horse, and they all stopped and thought when they saw this.
To go back.
Liu Jin, who was in the carriage with Zhu Biao, opened the curtain, and Zhao Huaian helped Zhu Biao get out of the carriage. The head of the tea and horse department took a sneak peek and confirmed that he was really His Royal Highness, and knelt down even lower.
Other officials also followed suit.
Zhu Biao glanced at the businessmen in the distance who were in a dilemma, and casually said to the officials on the ground: "No need to give me any courtesy. I have come to the Tea and Horse Department to inquire about something important. Go and take out all the account books for the past two years.
"
After saying that, he walked straight towards the government office. A group of officials agreed and hurried to follow, with the chief bowing in front to lead the way. The tea and horses government office could not be said to be very grand, but it did have a lot of larger storage warehouses.
After entering the lobby and taking a seat, only a few chiefs of the tea and horse department were qualified to accompany and serve. The other officials retired and returned to their duties. Zhu Biao first asked a few casual questions, which were all obtained from the palace accounts just now.
Commander Tea Horse was over sixty years old and very old. When Zhu Biao asked a question, he had to think for a while before he could answer. However, his Sicheng, named Su Zhi, was more lively and clear in his answers. Zhu Biao had a good impression of him.
After a while, boxes after boxes of account books were moved to the middle of the lobby. Su Zhi bent down to pick up the directory and handed it to Liu Jin, and then put it into Zhu Biao's hands.
When he opened the catalog, there were densely packed small prints, but Zhu Biao was used to it. After flipping through two sticks of incense, the only sounds in the hall were the rustling of paper and the old commander's uncontrollable heavy breathing. The rest were like wood.
column.
After Zhu Biao read the catalog, he asked someone to take out the account books he wanted to take a closer look at from the big box, and then asked Si Cheng Su Zhi: "Last year, the tribute tea accounted for by each province was only more than 3,000 kilograms?"
Su Zhi immediately replied: "Reporting to Your Highness, the more than 3,000 jins are not included in the tribute from the royal tea garden, but only the tributes from each province are recorded, 500 jins from Jiangnan, 405 jins from Jiangxi, 200 jins from Huguang, 520 jins from Zhejiang, and 2,350 jins from Fujian.
."
This number is more than enough for the royal family. After all, the Zhu family only has a small population now. Even including the concubines in the harem, there are only a few of them. They can't even use them for tea and food. Most of them were rewarded by Zhu Yuanzhang to the officials.
Already.
This is also a kind of dignity. In the past two years, among civil and military officials, just by looking at the amount of spring tribute tea that each family received when it arrived, you can know who is more popular with the emperor in the court.
Xu Da still gets the most points this year. This has been the case for four consecutive years, followed by Li Shanchang who has returned to his hometown to retire, followed by Chang Yuchun, Li Wenzhong, Tang He and others. The majority are still Wu Xun, and interestingly, among the civil servants
The person who received the most points was not Wang Guangyang, Hu Weiyong, Liu Bowen, but Song Lian.
The meaning of this is interesting. When Song Lian was in Beijing, Lao Zhu didn't want to see him, but now he has returned to his hometown for a few months and he has dignity. When Zhu Biao was in Shaanxi and Gansu, he heard that there were cars and horses in front of the old master's house, and there were many scholars talking and laughing.
There is no one who comes and goes, and famous families all beg to send their most outstanding children to his sect.
Zhu Biao thought that after the New Year, he would have to send someone to invite the old master back. This was something he had agreed upon at the beginning. Song Lian's reputation as a great scholar in the world was also something he urgently needed. The things Zhu Biao would do in the next few years were a bit deviant.
, there must be someone among the literary elite who can speak and endorse him.
It was not easy for the imperial court to intervene in many matters among the literary elite. After all, they were not rebellious. Who could stop the scholars from getting angry, drinking, and discussing politics? Zhu Biao could not create a literary prison.
After Su Zhi finished talking about the tribute of the royal tea garden, Zhu Biao then asked: "I see that there are many tea households belonging to the imperial court. How are these people living?"
These words made the officials of the Tea Horse Department tremble. Su Zhi did not reply immediately, but the old commander raised his wrinkled old face and replied: "Your Highness, relying on the kindness of the Holy One, tea farmers everywhere are now living a good life."
It is much stronger than the previous generation, and I am very grateful to the Tian family."
Zhu Biao ignored his words and took a sip of the tea brought by Liu Jin. He felt that the taste was not as good as the one in the palace. He turned to look at Su Zhi: "Is that true?"
Su Zhi took a deep breath and said: "Your Highness, the life of the tea farmers is indeed better than that of the previous generation, but they are still in dire straits. After all, they are tea farmers..."
Zhu Biao nodded with satisfaction when he heard the words. Whether it was official lies or truth, it didn't matter. Zhu Biao never expected the people below not to fool him, but a smart person always knows when to say something, or what he said.