Unlike those in later generations who hated the Manchus to the core, Zhao Junchen himself did not have much prejudice against the Qing Dynasty. The Manchus were also members of the Chinese nation.
Especially after studying historical materialism, you will understand that the development of a civilization will be greatly affected by the geographical environment. The geographical environment of the Chinese nation is actually a "semi-isolated" environment. The advantage is that the early stage of civilization development is relatively
Stability and prosperity, but the disadvantage is that it will tend to become closed when it develops to a certain extent, which has little to do with personal will.
Of course, the performance of the Qing Dynasty in the late period was indeed too disastrous and brought great shame to the Chinese nation - if the failure of the two Opium Wars was due to civilization and historical reasons, then the Qing Dynasty's loss of the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1899 was definitely because of itself
is incompetent and corrupt, and the latter will do far more harm to the Chinese nation than the former.
You know, before the Sino-Japanese War, Western civilization had always regarded the Qing Dynasty as the natural overlord of the Far East. However, after losing the Sino-Japanese War, it not only set off a wave of great powers carving up China, but also created an ambitious Japan——
Then there is a painful history that no Chinese people want to look back on.
But it must be admitted that the Qing Dynasty’s achievements in opening up and expanding territory were among the best among all dynasties. In the later Chinese territory, Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Mongolia, the three northeastern provinces and other regions were actually owned by the Qing Dynasty.
Achievements have proved that certain policies of the Qing Dynasty, such as dividing the land into acres, relocating land to locals, abolishing humble status, integrating officials and gentry, etc., also had an objective promotion effect on Chinese civilization.
In short, the Qing Dynasty can be said to have both merits and demerits. You can say that its merits outweighed its faults, or that its faults outweighed its merits. But it is not worthless and should be swept into the garbage heap of history.
However, although Zhao Junchen recognized the existence value of the Qing Dynasty, he would still target the Jianzhou Jurchens by any means, but this kind of targeting was not because of "denial", but because of "butt". In short, it was the decision of the butt.
His head was broken - Zhao Junchen was attached to the Ming Dynasty and was rooted in the Ming Dynasty. The Jianzhou Jurchens were a serious concern of the Ming Dynasty and threatened Zhao Junchen's interests, so Zhao Junchen naturally had to use all means to target them.
From this aspect, Zhao Junchen's attitude towards Jianzhou Jurchen is not fundamentally different from his attitude towards his political opponents in the court. It has nothing to do with the evaluation of the other party's merits and demerits, and has nothing to do with his own personal impression. It is only about his position and interests.
*
After politely seeing off several Huizhou merchant leaders, Zhao Junchen forgot that he had to go to the back house to report to his three wives and concubines that they were safe, and instead sat there thoughtfully.
Zhao Junchen's idea of asking Hui merchants to collect poppies for him was naturally self-evident.
But this idea was just a flash of inspiration and a temporary idea. Zhao Junchen had not thought through the specific operational details of this matter, so after the Huizhou merchants left, Zhao Junchen began to think seriously and improve the plan.
Of course, compared to specific implementation methods, there is another consideration that is more important, and that is the means of prevention and restriction.
Zhao Junchen was very aware of the harmfulness of things made from poppies. Although he had an idea of how this thing could be used, he had not yet completely made up his mind.
But whether it will be used in the future is one thing. Whether it is in hand and whether it can be used is another matter. Whether there are precautions after using it is also a completely different situation.
As long as you find the right variety of poppy flowers, it is not difficult to make opium, and the process is very simple. It is not difficult to sell opium to Jianzhou Jurchens. Just describe it as a refreshing and pain-relieving medicine.
But this thing is a Pandora's box. It's easy to open, but hard to close. It's easy to sell it to Jianzhou Jurchens, but it's not easy to prevent it from flowing back to the Ming Dynasty's territory.
If there is a little carelessness, it will be a terrible situation where the Han and Manchu tribes will fall together!
Therefore, if Zhao Junchen wants to realize this plan, he must take precautions and restrictions.
"First of all, it is necessary to limit the output and sales. Only a small part is produced every year. It is mainly promoted to the high-level officials of Jianzhou Jurchen. Incidentally, it increases the price and profit. This can effectively limit the flow of opium to the lower class people... It was also popular in the Wei and Jin Dynasties.
Five Stone Powder, the effect of that thing is similar to that of opium, but it does not have much social effect. It is because the price is high and the supply is small. It is a treasure exclusive to the nobles. I can also adopt similar operation methods...
…”
"Secondly, the processes of planting, refining, manufacturing, and selling must be completely divided. If you choose to grow opium poppy in the land of Shaanxi and Gansu, the workshop responsible for the initial refining must be built in Xuanfu. Zhang Decheng's medical
The hospital will be completed soon. The task of making finished products can be left to the apprentices of the medical school, while the sales are left to the 'Jubao Trading Company'. The relevant personnel of the various procedures cannot come into contact with each other...
At the same time, the farmers who are responsible for planting must not be allowed to understand the true uses of the things they grow, that is, ordinary medicinal materials and precious flowers; the artisans in the workshops responsible for refining must not be allowed to understand the special uses of the things they make.
, it is said to be a special spice; the apprentices responsible for manufacturing the finished products must also be strictly controlled, and they cannot be allowed to know the true origin of the raw materials; the merchants responsible for selling must keep it secret, and must not reveal the origin of this product to them
The true origin..."
"Finally, it is the supervision method. I have to pay special attention to the relevant information from various places through the several news channels in my hand. Once there is a flow of opium beyond the account records to the people, we must trace it to the end and eliminate any hidden dangers with thunderous means.
And the signs!"
"In this way, we can form the greatest degree of monopoly and manipulation, and we can also keep secrets as much as possible to prevent the situation from getting out of control and causing harm to ourselves."
Zhao Junchen's methods and knowledge have become more and more sophisticated, and in just a short moment, his thoughts have been sorted out in his mind.
Then, Zhao Junchen thought of more.
"Actually, in addition to damaging the body, this thing also has the effect of killing one's ambition and affecting the mind. Therefore... it may not be necessary to completely restrict the use of Han people. There are some specific candidates... For example, the seventh prince Zhu Hejian, his physical condition has always been
No, I can look for an opportunity to recommend it to him. Emperor Deqing has always admired immortality and yearned for immortality, so it seems that he can give it a try..."
Thinking of this, Zhao Junchen shook his head again, thinking that this approach undoubtedly added variables, and he reluctantly suppressed the excitement in his heart.
If people like Emperor Deqing and the Seventh Prince Zhu Hejian lose their minds, no one knows what they will do.
If he really wanted to take such measures against Emperor Deqing and the Seventh Prince Zhu Hejian, he would have to wait until Zhao Junchen was fully prepared and only missed the last step.
*
While Zhao Junchen was thinking deeply, the three daughters Cui Qianxue, Fang Ru, and Zhang Yuer had received the news that Zhao Junchen had returned to the Zhao Mansion, and rushed to the living room to meet Zhao Junchen.
After seeing the three women appear, Zhao Junchen realized that he was only thinking about his own plan, but had forgotten to meet his wives and concubines to report their safety. He felt a little guilty, so he stayed with the three women for a while, and first expressed his stance.
After being concerned about their current situation, he told them in detail about his various experiences in Xuanfu Town.
About half an hour later, Cui Qianxue saw that it was getting late, so she left the living room first and went to the kitchen to prepare tonight's meal. She seemed to like the fun of cooking with her own hands.
After Cui Qianxue left, Zhao Junchen, Fang Ru, and Zhang Yuer stopped talking about the trivial matters of their parents, and the conversation quickly turned to serious matters.
"This time I went to Xuanfu Town, but I gained a lot. I still plan to leave the matter of trading with Jianzhou Jurchen to the 'Jubao Trading Company'. I have asked Zhao An and others to prepare in advance, but some specific details still need to be
Keep an eye on it!
The plan to infiltrate Xuanfu Town is now considered to have made key progress. Our next target is Jizhou Town! Zhang Su, the commander-in-chief of Jizhou Town, is a difficult person to deal with. Penetrating Jizhou Town is far more difficult than
It is much more difficult to infiltrate Xuanfu Town. We must act cautiously and not let Zhang Su notice anything. We would rather progress slowly than expose any flaws. If it doesn't work, we will postpone the action and let me find a way to transfer Zhang Su.
Besides...
Also, there has been no news about the Nanjing Six Ministries and the Crown Prince going out to the capital to investigate the vassal king. The progress is far behind my imagination, and I need to send someone to investigate what is going on!
Oh, by the way! I took Chu Jiayi with me this time because I wanted to take the opportunity to resolve her grudge against me. After several conversations, it seemed that I had gained something. She no longer seemed to resent me.
, but even if you don’t know whether her behavior is sincere or disguised, you should also look for opportunities to test it out, but don’t let her notice it..."
After hearing these instructions from Zhao Junchen, Zhang Yu'er's expression was extremely focused. She was still extremely interested in this kind of thing and felt quite addicted to it. From time to time, she would put forward her own ideas and discuss a few words with Zhao Junchen.
On the contrary, Fang Ru was a little careless. She just kept stroking her growing belly with her hands. Occasionally she would be distracted and didn't know what she thought of. A smile full of motherly glory appeared on her face. It was obvious that she had put all her thoughts into it.
To the child in the womb.
Zhao Junchen did not blame Fang Ru for not belonging to her. Instead, he reminded himself that he must show more attention and love in the future, and try not to leave Fang Ru responsible for things like this kind of Machiavellian calculations in the future.
Okay, just let her have peace of mind and raise the baby.
Therefore, after talking about the business, Zhao Junchen changed the topic again and talked about Fang Ru's unborn child. Not only did he express his concern and love, he also said that he had prepared a series of names in advance and was waiting for the child to be born.
After that, it was left to Fang Ru to choose, and Zhang Yuer kept saying nice things beside her.
Seeing that the topic turned to her unborn child, Fang Ru immediately regained her energy and excitement, and her smile became more vivid, full of happiness.
In fact, Fang Ru has been like this for a while. Most of the things inside the house are left to Cui Qianxue, and most of the things outside the house are left to Zhang Yu'er. She herself is becoming more and more lazy, only focusing on the care and maintenance of the baby all day long.
As long as she hears someone praising the child in her belly, she will be happy and satisfied. She will no longer be as smart and strong as before... In short, anyone who sees Fang Ru's changes before and after will think of "One pregnancy makes me stupid."
Year" idiom.
Zhao Junchen has no intention of interfering with Fang Ru's changes. She has already given enough in the past, and now as long as she feels happy, that's all.
*
In the few days after returning to the capital, Zhao Junchen was still busy. He had to go to court every day and rush to Wenyuan Pavilion for work after the court meeting.
In fact, as the new year is approaching, this is also the busiest time for the temple center. Summary of various government affairs of the previous year, formulation of government affairs plans for the next year, and celebration arrangements for Emperor Deqing's birthday are all needed
Zhao Junchen personally participated.
In addition, there are several important tasks for the imperial court in the next year, such as the rectification of commercial taxes in the northern provinces, the further deepening of agricultural reforms, the opening of mutual trade with Jianzhou Jurchen, the stable rule of the Hetao area, etc.
They also require Zhao Junchen to invest more energy.
After finally finishing the day's official duties, Zhao Junchen could not be idle after returning to the Zhao Mansion. Those "Zhao Party" officials in the central court and local government offices, or those court officials who were interested in clinging to Zhao Junchen, all took advantage of the New Year.
When the opportunity came, they all came to visit with heavy gifts, and Zhao Junchen had to make time to meet him.
Especially Zhao Junchen's old troops on the three sides of Shaanxi and Gansu - such as Shaanxi Governor Zhang Shengde, Guyuan General Soldier Fang Zhenshan, veteran He Zhang and others - have all arrived at the center of the capital one after another at this time, waiting for the reward from Emperor Deqing.
, during this time, they also went to the Zhao Mansion to reminisce with Zhao Junchen. Zhao Junchen and them had a close friendship, so naturally they could not thank guests behind closed doors, but also had to hold a banquet to receive them grandly.
At the same time, in order to win their interests and benefits, Zhao Junchen has tried his best these days.
According to Emperor Deqing's plan, he will announce the specific rewards for these Shaanxi-Gansu heroes on the first day of the Lunar New Year, which is his birthday. However, these matters are of great importance and cannot be decided by Emperor Deqing alone.
It was necessary to obtain the support of everyone in the cabinet beforehand, so Emperor Deqing summoned several cabinet elders many times in the past few days to discuss the matter.
Whenever this time comes, Zhao Junchen has no intention of avoiding suspicion, and will definitely try his best to fight for benefits for his old subordinates - Zhao Junchen's illustrious military exploits in Shaanxi and Gansu are all due to Zhang Shengde, He Zhang, and Fang Zhenshan
The full support of others is something that everyone knows, so Zhao Junchen is not worried that his actions will attract criticism and be considered to be a clique for personal gain. In fact, if Zhao Junchen blindly avoids suspicion at this time, he will be criticized.
Criticism from both the government and the opposition.
When Zhao Junchen fought for the interests of his old subordinates, he was unyielding and even directly contradicted Emperor Deqing many times, causing Emperor Deqing a headache.
According to Emperor Deqing's idea, most of these heroes from Shaanxi and Gansu are close confidants of Zhao Junchen. At this time, it is natural to rise up and down covertly, try to stand aside, and never let them have real power. But whenever Emperor Deqing made it clear
Similar ideas will encounter fierce backlash from Zhao Junchen.
At this time, Emperor Deqing didn't have much to do. After all, his idea was indeed unreasonable. If he owed too much to the meritorious ministers, Emperor Deqing would not be able to explain to the government and the public, so he had to take a step back.
, in addition to using high-ranking officials and generous salaries to free up some Shaanxi-Gansu heroes, other Shaanxi-Gansu heroes also gained real power, but they had to stay away from the center of the capital.
On this matter, Zhao Junchen and Emperor Deqing had completely different positions, and several other cabinet elders also had their own opinions, so the debate lasted for three or four days. It was not until the day before New Year's Eve that all parties finally agreed
A compromise was reluctantly reached and the final result was negotiated.
After all this busy work was over, Zhao Junchen came back to his senses, only to find that it was already New Year's Eve!
…
Recently, in view of the recent trend of evaluation of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in the book review area, Chongzi uses this chapter to talk about his own view of history. It is not a novel point of view, and it is just a family talk, but I hope everyone can learn from it.