Because to him, Li Zhigang's words were like the so-called "dan" written in heaven.
But when I think about it carefully, I can't help but feel that this is indeed the truth.
Private land sales are decided by officials and gentry.
Whether landless people can get rid of their status as tenant farmers is still decided by the officials and gentry.
Behind the various trades of those merchant houses, there are also the shadows of officials and gentry.
If big businessmen don't seek protection from the officials and gentry, the officials and gentry will choke their necks.
Raw materials, official documents for doing business, even land for setting up workshops, employees...etc.!
~
“The New Deal must be supplemented by restructuring, and restructuring will lead to the New Deal!”
Li Zhigang continued, "This is the reason why thousands of township offices were set up throughout the Ming Dynasty, and why Tie Xuan and others directly set aside the tax department here and placed it directly under the Ministry of Household Affairs!"
"Everyone thinks that since they no longer have privileges, why should they be an official? But what about the common people? What they think is that since they are all human beings, why should you be above them and take real money without doing anything?
Or Master?"
"This is a contradiction! If the officials and gentry are not exempted from their privileges, they will always dominate the common people. The loss to the national treasury can actually be ignored. To put it bluntly, even if the officials and gentry share the same income, they will share the same income.
Well, aren’t the people who are the most difficult and suffering the most?”
"But if the New Deal is not implemented, the contradictions will become deeper and deeper! Emperor Taizu Gao once said well that when you are an emperor, you must make decisions for the people of the world and provide justice to the people of the world!"
"If things continue like this, the hands of the officials and gentry will be involved in the land tax, royal grain, and commerce. Is this fair and just?"
"If there is injustice, there will be contradictions! And they are irreconcilable contradictions! You are also a second-ranking scholar. Think about how all the dynasties have perished?"
"Your Majesty, you are far-sighted!" Li Zhigang sighed heavily.
"I can't refute what you said. I think it makes some sense, but I also think something is wrong. As for what's wrong, I can't tell you for a while!" Liu Guan also sighed.
"Ha!" Li Zhigang smiled slightly, "The reason why you can't see it is precisely because you only act as an official and don't do anything!"
As he spoke, he sighed again, "Did you know that many people in the DPRK are opposed to opening up the sea? They are opposed to so much commerce, and they are opposed to the emperor's emphasis on business!"
Liu Guan suddenly smiled jokingly, "Not only do I know that, I also know that most of the opponents are officials from Jiangnan wealthy families!"
"Well, their family... Take me for example, they also have a cotton cloth workshop, with thousands of machines and thousands of workers!" Li Zhigang said with a smile, "How much money can you make if you are an official? How much money can you make by farming?
"
"Those high-ranking academicians in Beijing spend money like water. A dinner party costs hundreds of silver dollars. Where does the money come from?"
"Have you ever thought about it, since the money they spend comes from trade, why do they still object?"
Liu Guan's eyes narrowed, "They are not against trade, but against common people's trade!"
"That's right!" Li Zhigang nodded heavily, "That's it!" He said with a smile, "The Ming Dynasty started in the Jiangnan cotton production area, a prosperous land, and it was these officials and gentry who relied on it in the beginning...
..First, they appease the people to cultivate land and pay for food, and second, they call on wealthy businessmen to continue to produce in exchange for real gold and silver..."
"During this period, the power of the officials and gentry was like a snowball. Is this a good thing for the Ming Dynasty? Given time, it won't be long, fifty years later! They have controlled business and agriculture. How will the Ming Dynasty respond?"
"What we talked about before was the conflict between the officials and the gentry, and now it is the conflict between the imperial power and the officials and the gentry!"
"If this kind of contradiction is not dealt with, business will be just a flash in the pan and eventually become a tool for the officials and gentry to make money, and those businessmen are also the lackeys of the officials and gentry!"
"If this kind of contradiction is not resolved, the lives of farmers and people will not really get better!"
"The most important thing in the world is to let nature take its course. If you do what is natural, someone's interests will be harmed and you will definitely stop it!"
"The purpose of the New Deal and all restructuring is to prevent anyone from hindering the prosperity of Ming Dynasty's business and the transformation of farmers and people!"
"Let there be big landowners in this world, but there must also be homesteaders. There can be big wealthy businessmen, but there can also be small workshops! And the taxation will not be unfair!"
Liu Guan listened silently, his expression becoming confused.
After a moment, he whispered, "I really don't understand what you are saying! But I know that you can't do anything without great courage! I understand you, you like to be new and different!" As he said, he looked at Li Zhigang, "Everyone else does.
He said, don’t look at your happy smile now, but be careful about making lists in the future. You also said that the New Deal will be criticized, and some people have criticized it...and..."
"And what?" Li Zhigang asked with a smile.
Liu Guan thought for a while, "Some people criticize and others make trouble. Even if the New Deal is completed, the officials and gentry will still be officials and gentry! The country cannot lack the common people, but it also cannot lack the officials and gentry. Again, in order to appease public anger..."
"If I end up in infamy, the New Deal will be a joke!" Li Zhigang interjected.
Then, he looked into Liu Guan's eyes and said, "I used to have your idea, but I don't have it now! The New Deal is difficult. If I, a person who contributed so much, end up dead in order to calm down the so-called anger, then what is the right of the New Deal?"
Or is it wrong?"
Then, Li Zhigang tapped the table with his fingers heavily, "If I die, someone will definitely overturn the verdict! The New Deal will be put down! Wouldn't it be in vain for the emperor, all the princes, and my efforts?"
"Killing me means telling the world that the New Deal is wrong!" Li Zhigang said again.
Liu Guan was silent again, and then said solemnly, "Is there a possibility to kill you! But the New Deal will continue to be implemented! As you said, everyone can see the benefits of the New Deal!" As he said, he sighed, "Shang Yang was killed.
The car is broken, but Qin Fa is still Qin Fa!"
"So Qin II is dead!" Li Zhigang gritted his teeth and said, "If you kill people who can do things, who dares to really do things? The law is not static. Let things take their own course. The law must also arise as the times require and even adapt to the situation.
People’s sentiments and God’s will!”
"If the current contradictions are gone, who will deal with the conflicts in the future?" He said with a sneer, "My reputation has been ruined... It will do more harm than good to the country. By then, I, a person with a long-standing infamy, will be among those who want to reform the contradictions.
A lesson for others!”
"Why does the emperor protect me? Because there are too many officials, they only think about being a high-ranking official, thinking that nothing will happen below, thinking about ensuring that the food tax is sufficient no matter how hard the people are, thinking about the suffering of the people
, thinking that everyone in the government and the gentry will be happy..."
"Forget it, forget it!" Liu Guan waved his hand, "I won't argue with you anymore, I can't defeat you!"
"Haha!" Li Zhigang laughed heartily, "You are no match for me in terms of words. You don't know how to speak!" After saying that, he glanced at Liu Guan and said, "As long as you can speak a little, you won't be able to speak now.
He is a political participant!"
"I think it's pretty good. There are few good things to do in life!" Liu Guan smiled bitterly, "I don't get scolded or people stare at me, I'm content!"
"Hey!" Li Zhigang leaned down slightly, "With the commotion in Jiangxi, Fujian and Zhejiang, the chief ministers of these three provinces will definitely have to be replaced! Have you ever thought about it?" As he said that, he touched Liu Guan's arm,
"How about I give you a few nice words in front of the emperor?"
After saying that, he paused again and said with a smile, "I think it's okay! The New Deal is coming, and you will be the chief official of a province. I can count as someone who has the same ideas in the local area..."
"You want to drag me into the water?" Liu Guan said with a smile.
"It's so ugly to say that! I'm doing it for your own good!" Li Zhigang scolded with a smile.
"Hey..." Liu Guan sighed, "I don't want to be the chief minister of a province!" He said, looking at Li Zhigang, "I think you are too smart for your cleverness!"
"How do you say it?" Li Zhigang asked hurriedly.
"The emperor must already have someone in mind for the candidates for the chief executive of these three provinces. Why are you getting involved? The emperor likes you to do things, but he may not like you to overstep in personnel matters?" Liu Guan said seriously.
"Ah!" Li Zhigang slapped his forehead, "Shaoying, thank you for reminding me! If it weren't for your words, I would have almost made a big mistake!"
Indeed, based on his understanding of the emperor, everything else would work, but not personnel matters, which could only be decided by the emperor's words.
"What a pity!" Li Zhigang shook his head again and said, "Tie Xuan, the chief minister's term is about to expire. I still want you to be the chief official of this prosperous place in the world!" He said with a sneer, "This time Jiangnan is causing trouble.
, Tie Xuan’s face is also dull!”
Liu Guan looked at Li Zhigang again, "How can he have a bright future despite his lackluster face?"
After saying that, he paused and said, "When the chief minister of a province is transferred back to the capital, he will be the minister of the six departments! Now Zhang Butang of the household department is old...it will only be three to five years at most. People are iron chief ministers, but when the emperor was the king of Wu
A reading companion, a right-hand man!”
"Besides, even if there is a vacancy in Zhejiang Province, there will still be Jingqing in the future! Is it my turn?"
"Huh?" Li Zhigang suddenly became furious, "Why should he?"