Throughout the ages, the ultimate reason that restricts the rise and fall of dynasties is nothing more than "land annexation." Except for natural disasters, all turmoil and overturns come from "the tiller has no land." Without land to cultivate, the people's ability to resist risks is infinitely reduced. Whenever
When natural disasters come, people will be in dire straits...
Whether it is excessive taxes or tyranny, the Chinese people have a very high tolerance for oppression. As long as they have a mouthful of food, they can let the nobles, royal relatives, and scholars ride on their heads to dominate.
But the Chinese people are also the most rebellious. Who else in the world can shout a slogan like "Princes, princes and generals should rather have their own kind"?
If I can't survive, then no matter who is riding on my head, they will be smashed to pieces and start all over again...
Throughout the thousands of years of Chinese history, every time a dynasty began, "land to the tiller" would create a glorious and prosperous age in just a few decades or even a dozen years. The Chinese people used their hard work and perseverance to accumulate countless wealth and dominate the country.
The whole world is proud of everyone.
Although the Tang Dynasty also experienced the prosperous Kaiyuan era when "rice was dripping with fat and corn was white, and public and private warehouses were both abundant", land, wealth, and politics were all controlled by the aristocratic families. They colluded with each other, harmed the public and private interests, and finally laid the foundation for
The hidden dangers of destroying an empire.
Even though Emperor Taizong was so wise and powerful, he had to compromise with the family members who controlled the power.
Wu Zetian, known as the "first empress of the ages", killed people without calculation and used cruel methods, but she could only suppress and eliminate the Guanlong clan that was causing trouble in the government, so she had to rely on the clans in Shandong and Jiangnan.
Throughout her life, Wu Zetian struggled with the family, but she could not really eliminate the family throughout her life. Once she died, the family that supported Li Longji's successful fight for the throne suddenly resurrected.
But now, after Emperor Taizong's Eastern Expedition and two mutinies by King Guanlong and Jin, the family is at its weakest since the Han Dynasty. It is the right time to take advantage of his illness and kill him.
…
Li Chengqian's hesitant heart gradually became firmer under Fang Jun's aggressive gaze. He also knew that he, an ordinary emperor who did not have much political talent or military talent, wanted to achieve something and not be described in history books as
The mediocre people who "eat their corpses" have become the laughingstock of the ages, so they must take advantage of the present to work hard and achieve something.
After pondering for a while, he nodded solemnly: "I will follow Erlang's suggestion in this matter. Don't worry, no matter how difficult the difficulty is, as long as I sit on the throne for one day, as long as I still have breath, I will never give up.
Persevere to the end and seek peace and prosperity for the descendants of the Tang Dynasty for eternity, so that everyone who lives has a house and those who work have a field!"
He knew in his heart that if he wanted to achieve the political philosophy he had pursued throughout his life, he would have to face not only the powerful families who controlled the world, but also the counterattack of the Confucian school, which had become extremely powerful since the Han Dynasty.
The core of "Field to the tiller" is that "the people have permanent property", and this is exactly the theory of Mencius, "Those who do not have permanent property but have perseverance can only be scholars. If there is no permanent property for the people, because they have no perseverance, they will have no perseverance."
"Everything you do to ward off evil is for your own benefit."
Mencius is also a Confucian sage. However, Dong Zhongshu "only respects Confucianism and expounds the Six Classics", which has nothing to do with Mencius. Mencius's thought of "the people are the most important, the king is the least, and the country is the second best" has never been promoted by the ruling class.
Who among the Confucian students who "came from Confucianism to become officials" would read Mencius's books?
Even treating it as "alien"...
Today, Confucianism has gradually abandoned the passion of Confucius's time of "returning to the king's ways, respecting the king and rejecting the barbarians, and the hatred of ten generations can still be avenged", leaving only the doctrine of "respecting the king and rejecting the barbarians" to safeguard the ruling class.
, and then go hand in hand with the imperial power to achieve the goal of actually ruling all peoples.
Therefore, at this time, Confucianism was not only feared by the imperial power, but also stood on the opposite side of ordinary people...
Fang Jun said calmly: "The so-called reforms all stir up the foundation of the vested interests and benefit the interests of the vested interests. Naturally, there are many difficulties and dangers. However, every successful reform will redistribute the interests, strengthen the dynasty's heritage, and make the country rich."
And the people are strong! The noble families have become poisonous insects that cling to the body of the empire, knocking bones and sucking marrow. If we don't take this opportunity to cut them off, they will breed tigers in the future, and the empire will surely fall at their hands."
In any dynasty, when the means of production are monopolized by a certain class, the outcome can only be complete destruction. A new political power is born in the ruins, redistributes the means of production, and then flourishes and declines, repeating itself in an endless cycle.
If we want to prosper for a long time, we can only break down all classes that monopolize land and treat land as the inalienable property of the people.
The way of the people is that those who have permanent property have perseverance, and those without permanent property have no perseverance. This is the eternal truth.
Just imagine, if a certain dynasty did not abolish the post stations due to financial difficulties, those post soldiers must honestly take the salary from the court to raise their children. How could they take risks and gather in the mountains and forests?
Li Chengqian deeply believed it, nodded and said: "Don't worry, Erlang, I know the seriousness, and I will not give up halfway due to difficulties. I don't want to go to England to wade into this muddy water. Ma Zhou and I still have great use, so let Xu Jingzong take charge of it."
, It’s just that Xu Jingzong is cunning and wise, so he may not be willing to be used by me.”
To measure the land in the world, the spearhead is clearly aimed at the aristocratic families. How can those wealthy families who have lived for hundreds or thousands of years just sit back and wait for death? Even if they don't know the next move of the court after measuring the land, there will definitely be a group of resistance. Whoever is responsible for this matter will have to face the aristocratic family.
The anger of the clan offends the whole world.
Fang Jun was very sure about this and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, don't worry, Xu Jingzong will definitely complete this matter conscientiously. For a person like him who is passionate about power, he can only make up for so many years of failure by taking the wrong approach.
He is not afraid of offending others because of his wasted career, but is afraid that he will not be able to obtain the corresponding power. If your Majesty is willing to give him power, he will naturally devote himself to serving the king and devote his whole life to it."
Historically, Xu Jingzong was attached to Wu Zetian. He won Wu Zetian's trust and gained great power. He even dared to attack Zhenguan ministers and Guanlong leaders like Changsun Wuji. His ambitions were formidable.
Now we are just dealing with those aristocratic families whose foundations have been damaged and whose strength is insufficient. With the support of elite troops loyal to the empire, how can we retreat in spite of the difficulties?
*****
Fang Jun will naturally not be on the front line against the aristocratic families. He is now almost the incarnation of Li Chengqian. Every word and deed represents Li Chengqian's holy will. Once he ends in person, it will mean a tit-for-tat confrontation between the emperor and the aristocratic families.
, there is no room for change.
Although suppressing the clans was a national policy confirmed by Li Chengqian, it could not make the conflict between the imperial power and the clans too intense. Fang Jun was the buffer zone between the emperor and the clans, and Xu Jingzong was the only one who charged into the battle.
In the duty room of the Yamen of the Ministry of Rites, Fang Jun conveyed Li Chengqian's holy will to Xu Jingzong. This kind of thing cannot be expressed to others through written documents, but can only be conveyed through oral instructions. The profound meaning is: the emperor's record is well done.
If you succeed once and everything goes wrong, you will be the only one to take the blame...
Xu Jingzong naturally understood the huge danger involved. Once all the aristocratic families rebelled, a huge wave would surely rise. How could he alone be able to withstand it? He was afraid that if a wave came over, he would be shattered to pieces.
But risks contain opportunities. As long as he can survive this hurdle, he will surely leap over the dragon gate, turn the carp into a dragon, and become a powerful official in the dynasty that His Majesty truly trusts and relies on. His status may only be lower than that of Fang Jun...
Xu Jingzong had no official authority as "the head of the six ministries" in front of Fang Jun. With his short and fat figure, he poured tea and water for Fang Jun diligently. He couldn't hide his excitement and said: "I would like to ask the Duke of Yue to report to your majesty that I have nothing to offer."
I have been wasting my qualifications for many years, and it is only now that I have met the Ming Lord. The favor of Jian Ji is like reincarnation. Your Majesty has an order, how dare you disobey it? I am fully aware of the danger in this matter, but even if I am shattered to pieces, I will still do it for Your Majesty.
It has to be done properly!”
Today's aristocratic families are nothing more than a group of toothless tigers. Although they are ferocious when shouting, they may not be able to bite someone to death when they pounce...
Of course he understood that the reason why he was able to get such a job was because His Majesty was unwilling to push Fang Jun to the forefront, but as long as Li Ji, Fang Jun, Fang Jun, Xue Wanche, Cheng Yaojin and others stood firmly on His Majesty's side,
No one in the world can afford to make waves.
The only thing that goes against the sky is to gain the reputation of being a "cruel official". Compared with the benefits that are about to be obtained, it is simply nothing.
Fang Jun nodded, glanced at the books piled with documents under the candlelight, and warned: "You have to come up with a reason for this matter. If you bring it up in Wude Hall tomorrow, there will be people who will support you and carry it out.
I want to tell you one more thing. Your Majesty attaches great importance to this matter, and even regards it as a criterion for his lifetime achievements. As long as you do your job well, Your Majesty will naturally reward you, but if you do it wrong... the consequences
think it yourself."
What are the consequences?
Of course, he was pushed out to bear the wrath of the family members...
Xu Jingzong knew it well and solemnly said: "Since the Eastern Expedition, followed by two consecutive mutinies, the Guanlong clan, the Shandong aristocratic family, and even the world's clans including the Jiangnan nobles have suffered heavy losses, and they have unprecedented control over various places.
His Majesty is so weak that it is wise for His Majesty to choose to operate on the family members at this time. Otherwise, it will be difficult to suppress them after they have recovered their strength... For the sake of His Majesty's great cause, I am willing to serve as a pawn and devote myself to death."
It is an honor to be the emperor's "gold medal fighter".
"Xu Shangshu, I will tell you your Majesty truthfully. Thank you for your hard work!"
Fang Jun stood up and patted Xu Jingzong on the shoulder, commending this guy for his courage.
Doing something knowingly cannot be done is the courage of a powerful minister. Facts have proved that even if you want to be a "powerful minister" or a "treacherous minister", you must have certain qualities. Not everyone can be...