Chapter 489: Willing to serve as His Majestys vanguard
This historic policy reform will completely overthrow a system that has been maintained for more than two thousand years.
It is useless for the emperor to have courage and courage. There must be a group of officials who are truly loyal to the emperor and have ideas and dare to do practical things to support and implement them.
Sun Chuanting was the best candidate. In the original history, he had already realized that the national policy of the Ming Dynasty was about to change.
Most of the food and pay for the Qin soldiers were plundered from wealthy households.
Because his power was limited and the emperor could not firmly support him, it was just a small fight after all.
He just wanted to take back the military farmland that originally belonged to the military households, but he was actually found guilty and imprisoned. It is really a pity.
Emperor Chongzhen was capricious and had great character flaws. He often wavered between major events and could not make up his mind. As a result, the Ming army was defeated and fled in every critical battle.
He didn't want to spend money or food to send troops, he just wanted Sun Chuanting to wipe out the bandits in Shaanxi, and he also wanted to preserve his false reputation as the so-called Holy Lord and Mingjun.
If Emperor Chongzhen could fully support Sun Chuanting, the Ming Dynasty might still have perished, but it would never have perished so quickly or so cowardly, and he would not have been forced to hang from a crooked neck tree by Li Chuang.
There are too many such examples. Hong Chengchou, Sun Chuanting, and Lu Xiangsheng, the three top figures in the late Ming Dynasty, were not defeated by Li Chuang and the Manchu Qing Dynasty, but by Chongzhen.
Sun Chuanting's personality is relatively withdrawn, and he has a very confident and determined heart, and he is unambiguous in what he does.
He is the best candidate to implement the new policy of dividing the land into an area.
As for Li Zhongzheng and Zhu Youxiao, they were basically gambling. Although he didn't know this person well, he was still worthy of being reused.
The result did not disappoint Zhu Youxiao. This Li Zhongzheng lived up to his name and was upright.
Before Sun Chuanting could speak, he said first:
"Your Majesty, the land annexation in our Ming Dynasty is extremely serious, and the people are extremely poor. Not only are they oppressed by the landlords and gentry, but they are also heavily exploited by the government."
"So much land is concentrated in the hands of the wealthy gentry, but they can use various means, and even collude with officials to evade taxes. It is really hateful."
"I don't know the specific situation in other places, but I saw the situation in Shaanxi with my own eyes and heard it with my own ears."
"It's time to reorganize the place and appease the people. Otherwise, if this continues, civil unrest will inevitably break out in Shaanxi within a few years."
"If Your Majesty wants to implement the new policy of dividing farmers into acres and sharing grain between officials and gentry, I am willing to serve as a front-line soldier and share your Majesty's worries."
Zhu Youxiao nodded secretly. He had a pretty good eye and he didn't see the wrong person.
Immediately afterwards, Sun Chuanting said:
"Although there are not many gentry and wealthy families left in Datong Prefecture, if we want to implement this new policy, we will inevitably be blocked by the court officials and the gentry all over the world."
"Although it is only a single place, it is enough to trigger these people to unite in opposition. It will be a devastating blow to His Majesty's reputation."
After hearing this, Zhu Youxiao sneered and said:
"I never care about any bullshit reputation. I am the emperor of the Ming Dynasty and the emperor of the people. Naturally, I have to think about the welfare of the people of the Ming Dynasty."
"In the Ming Dynasty, we share the world with the common people, not with the officials and scholar-bureaucrats."
"You all must remember this firmly. This is the Ming Dynasty, the Year of Tianqi, not the Year of Zhao and Song, nor the Year of Hongzhi."
"The situation of suffering the common people and enriching the gentry must never happen again. Taizu worked hard to build the Ming Dynasty. How can it be ruined by me?"
"Your Majesty has such great ambitions. I am really excited. There is hope for the revival of the Ming Dynasty."
Li Zhongzheng burst into tears. Although he was born in the scholar-bureaucrat class, he had lived in a poor environment since childhood.
The circle I have been in contact with since childhood is also the poor people who work hard every day just for a bite of food.
He has seen too much of the warmth and coldness of the world, the indifference of the world, and all kinds of oppression and injustice, and he is almost numb.
He had never enjoyed any privileges since he was a child, and he scorned and despised the privileges of scholar-bureaucrats.
He studied hard and became an official, just thinking that he could do his little bit and have the opportunity to change the current situation of his hometown and make the lives of his fellow villagers easier.
Unexpectedly, in this life, he would meet a hero who has such ambitions and sincerely cares for the people. It is really a blessing for him.
"You two don't say it's too early to fight. If you do this kind of thing, I will only get a bad reputation at most, but it's different for you."
"You are bound to receive countless scoldings and cold looks, overt and covert exclusion and suppression, and all kinds of false accusations."
"If you are not careful, you will die without a burial place. It can be said that you have a narrow escape from death."
"I will give you time to think about it before telling me your determination and answer."
"What did your Majesty say? It is the duty of a minister to share the worries of the king and father. Since you are an official, you must also consider the people. Otherwise, why are you an official?"
"As long as His Majesty gives the order, I will immediately start implementing the new policy, and I will not disappoint Your Majesty."
Sun Chuanting immediately expressed his stance.
Not to be outdone, Li Zhongzheng immediately echoed:
"I second the proposal."
"Okay, I will fully support you two. Just go ahead and do it. No matter what happens, I will be responsible for it."
"You don't have to pay attention to those rumors. The reform is destined to offend others. But as long as you two can stand firm in your original intention and have today's awareness, I will not treat you badly."
"As for your merits and demerits, future generations will be able to comment on them. Whether you will be famous throughout the ages or be famous throughout the ages depends on how well you two manage your job."
"I will bear in mind His Majesty's teachings."
The two of them responded in unison.
Zhu Youxiao immediately appointed Li Zhongzheng as the prefect of Datong, and Sun Chuanting replaced Wang Sanshan as the governor of Shanxi and the envoy of Shanxi Chengxuan, Si Youbu.
They are fully responsible for the implementation and implementation of the New Deal, and they can also recommend officials.
Zhu Youxiao has only two requirements. One is to be able to do things, dare to do things, and not be afraid of offending others. No matter what his background, as long as he has the ability, he can be boldly appointed.
The second is to be young and of clean origin, preferably from an unpopular poor family or an official from a remote area.
These people have been suppressed and ostracized by the political parties in the government, and have basically no interests at all with some big gentry, so they can get twice the result with half the effort.
If during the implementation period, some people dare to gather people to cause trouble and engage in so-called civil uprisings, etc., they will hinder the implementation of the New Deal.
The two can directly contact the Fusi Yamen of Jinyiwei Town in Datong for arrest and processing.
It can be said that they have given enough power and support. It depends on how the two of them handle the specific matters.
However, with Sun Chuanting here, Zhu Youxiao is still very confident. This is not a fuel-efficient lamp.
Next, Zhu Youxiao had a focused and comprehensive detailed discussion with the two people on the specific implementation of the new policy of sharing the land with farmers.
This is the first time in history, no matter how big or small, nothing can be done carelessly.
Only when the results of Datong's reforms are achieved can Zhu Youxiao have the confidence to persuade the courtiers. This is also accumulating experience.
After all, it is just a local government now, but it will be implemented nationwide in the future. We must take this opportunity to cultivate a group of ruthless elites who can truly promote the reform.