Chapter 285 The Three-Chen Banner of the Ming Dynasty
Chapter 285 The Three-Chen Banner of the Ming Dynasty
Since the establishment of the National Policy Conference in the 16th year of Zhengde's reign, there were only eighteen top chairs at the beginning.
Now, the number of permanent political participants in this national policy conference has reached twenty-four.
Their distribution is as follows: There are seven people in the State Palace, including the Prime Minister and the Minister of State. Jiuqing, the Chief of the Royal Study, the Chief of the Sixth Section, and the Chief of the Taxation Department are all civil servants, occupying a total of 19 seats. And the Metropolitan Procuratorate is the Assistant to the Beijing Camp.
Although Rong Zheng is a civil servant, he directly represents the interests of the military together with the general staff of the Military Affairs Council, one of the five military governors, the admiral of the Beijing camp, and the chief of public security.
But this time the national policy meeting is an "enlarged meeting" held every three years, with much more attendees.
No matter how many people crowded into the original Jinshen Hall at this moment, the pattern remained the same - important ministers guarding the emperor.
The National Policy Hall, which was converted from Jinshen Hall, is very large, and the space supported by pillars inside is considered a "frame structure."
Now, the throne is in the center, facing north and south. In front of the throne, it is still similar to the original national policy meeting. There are tables and chairs on three sides, but there are several rows on each side.
The attention of the important ministers would occasionally turn to the eunuchs and eunuchs serving tea and water here, and then they would inevitably look at the emperor.
Five years ago, at the end of the fifteenth year of Zhengde's reign, the ministers and ministers were still very arrogant.
But now, the ministers have no room to comment on national affairs, and their focus is entirely on factory guards and the enterprises founded under the leadership of the emperor.
Even though there are so many important ministers in the National Policy Hall, and even though the Ming Dynasty has established a powerful prime minister, the emperor is still above everything else - for example, of everyone who can sit here now, which one does not need the emperor's nod to appoint?
What everyone never expected was that the first official agenda of this national policy meeting was to determine the style of the "national flag".
No one will think that this matter is not negotiable: for such an important meeting, every move needs to be carefully considered.
Zhu Houcong said loudly in this hall: "As I said in that letter, the Ming Dynasty is integrated up and down, and this body is the country. We have decided on this national flag. In the future, this flag will symbolize both the Ming Dynasty and China. I
As the emperor, we must also respect this flag. By setting this flag, you and others will serve in the future not only to be loyal to the emperor, but also to the country and the people of our country. When the people of the world see this flag, they must also know that our Ming Dynasty is the orthodoxy of China, and the emperor, ministers and people
We share weal and woe, and external enemies and internal worries need to be treated separately."
After a pause, he said: "Treason is worse than treason. Pursuing personal gain at the expense of the country is worse than exploiting the people for personal enrichment. If the Ming Dynasty was a family, the monarchs, ministers, officials and gentry would be like parents and brothers. How could they collude with foreign enemies?
And those who harm younger siblings and children?”
Yan Song and others looked at Zhu Houcong deeply. Starting from the name change of the three main halls... no, from the time when the National Policy Conference was established, His Majesty has actually been emphasizing the concept of the country step by step.
As the governor of Zhejiang, he certainly knew what the emperor was talking about.
These things are especially concentrated in border towns and coastal areas. Internally, they are evading taxes and embezzling national funds.
It's just that in the past, the world was privately owned by the emperor, and these matters purely depended on whether the emperor would vigorously regulate it for the benefit of personal rule. Now the emperor has a vague intention to benefit the country and everyone has a share, and harming the country means harming everyone.
Treason is more serious than conspiracy. This crime is really serious and boundless.
The emperor is putting the country above the emperor's legal system...
"This flag was painted by me under the command of Tang Yin." Zhu Houcong asked Zhang Zuo and Huang Jin to bring a square red silk flag.
Red background, yellow pattern.
"The Zuo Zhuan of the Spring and Autumn Period has a saying: The three-chen flags and flags show the brightness. The three-chen sun, moon and stars are the most noble symbols of China since Yao and Shun. The Zhou rites say: The emperor obeys the sun and the moon and descends. Now, I have This Sanchen flag is the national flag of the Ming Dynasty. Its sun resembles me, its moon resembles the ministers, its stars resemble awns, and it resembles the people of the Ming Dynasty. Do you think this is acceptable?"
On the flag is a circle of yellow stars surrounding the sun on the left and the moon on the right.
There are no more fine lines on the pattern, but they all use bright yellow, which can only be used by the emperor. At this moment, the bright yellow moon and bright yellow star symbolize the subjects. The meaning is not only intriguing, but this flag already shows its dignity.
Naturally, no one has any opinions on this matter and says "no". Isn't the emperor citing scriptures?
The Sanchen Banner is the most noble. Your Majesty also said that treason is especially serious.
If there is any flag that is more noble than the dragon flag, it can only be the Sanchen flag, which itself symbolizes heaven.
The resolution was passed quickly, and Zhu Houcong then issued an edict: "I ordered the Weaving Bureau to weave this flag, and all yamen, armies, schools, prefectures, counties and villages in the Ming Dynasty will fly this flag high. In the future, there will be three chens in the Ming Dynasty. At the flag, everyone must respect the great power of tomorrow!"
…
From the time he was imprisoned and demoted due to an imperial examination in the twelfth year of Hongzhi, Tang Yin wandered around the world for twenty years, selling literature and paintings to make a living and indulged in alcohol and sex. He was depressed and had a bad health.
If it were not for Zhu Houcong at the Imperial University, his original life trajectory would have been poverty-stricken and riddled with many illnesses by the Jiajing period, and he died of illness in the second year of the Jiajing period.
But now that he is the dean of the Arts Department of Huangming University, he has no worries about food and clothing and is very leisurely.
The problems accumulated in the body over the past twenty years have only been delayed a little.
At this time, Tang Yin was already lying on the bed.
"Don't worry about that matter." Wen Zhengming sat beside the bed in his bedroom to comfort him, "Since Your Majesty ordered you to try painting the national flag, how could there be any disturbance in this national policy meeting?"
Tang Yin was worried about gains and losses, so he just murmured: "It's not in line with etiquette, it's not in line with etiquette..."
The concept of country is higher than that of the emperor. Tang Yin is seriously ill and is only worried about the impact his last work will have on his posthumous reputation.
This may be the simplest painting he has ever painted, but listening to what the emperor said when he told him, it is probably the most important painting in Tang Yin's life.
It will become the national flag of the Ming Dynasty and will appear in every corner related to the Ming Dynasty.
But if in the future the emperor's ambitions are not fulfilled and the successors overthrow everything, he, Tang Yin, is bound to be slandered and regarded as a frivolous minister beside the ignorant emperor, who has no sense of etiquette and shame and only wants to be flattered and favored.
"...Li." Wen Zhengming shook his head slightly and sighed.
In addition to Yan Shenggong, the emperor promoted new learning, and even changed the names of the three major halls such as Fengtian Hall, which declared that the legal system was entrusted to heaven. He had his own etiquette in mind.
Tang Yin forced a smile: "I'm afraid I won't be able to survive this winter. Zhengming, my youngest son, I will leave it to you."
He had no biological son, only one daughter. This son was adopted and was only five years old now. His daughter was already married, so Tang Yin couldn't worry about his son.
Incense is always important.
Wen Zhengming is different. He is now the dean of Huangming University, the father of Concubine Shu, and has been granted the title of uncle. Although he is fifty-five years old, he looks much healthier.
This guy really lived a long life. He didn’t die until the 38th year of Jiajing reign, and he lived to be 90 years old!
Tang Yin felt that he should have entrusted the right person.
Wen Zhengming couldn't help wiping his tears when he saw his long-time friend's gesture of entrusting future generations.
Just as he was about to comfort him again, someone from the palace came to deliver the message.
"Congratulations to Dean Tang, congratulations to Dean Tang. The national policy meeting has been agreed upon, and His Majesty has decreed that Dean Tang be at ease and recuperate. After that, the report will be made tomorrow. The Weaving Bureau is still waiting for Dean Tang to analyze the meaning of the flag and assist in weaving."
"Has it been agreed?" Tang Yin was filled with surprise and his face was strangely red.
"Ouch!" The person who came to convey the order knew how to understand colors. He asked in surprise, "Dean Tang, why haven't we seen you for several days? How serious is your illness?"
"It's hard to get back..." Tang Yin confirmed the situation, then took a breath and said, "The implication..."
Do you need to tell it yourself? The emperor knew it, and Wen Zhengming also knew it.
When it comes to Ming Bao Xing, I am afraid that I want to put my name on it so that everyone in the world knows that this Ming Sanchen Banner was made by Tang Yin.
This time I fell ill again, both because of my health and the weather, and also because of the reason for drawing the Three-Chen Flag.
In the beginning, of course, he wanted to be exquisite and painted many patterns and patterns to embellish it.
The emperor said again and again that it should be simpler, but he still felt that what the emperor said meant too much, so he always just thought hard and was in a dilemma.
During this process, even though the final flag pattern was so simple, it took a lot of effort for Tang Yin.
Now that he heard that the matter had been settled, he was certainly a little happy, but he was also even more uneasy.
If such a pattern is spread out, will people say, "This still needs Tang Yin to paint it?"
After a while, he smiled casually and said: "Please tell your majesty, father-in-law, that I am afraid it will be difficult to recover from my illness this time. If you want to inform the world in the Ming Bao Xing, you should order someone to come and ask me as soon as possible."
If word eventually got out that Tang Yin died of a serious illness in part because he "worked so hard" on this simple painting, it would probably be a joke for the ages.
Then just laugh and talk.
Later in the evening, Lin Xiyuan came in person.
Tang Yin weakly raised his arm and pointed at a large bottle with a scroll in the bedroom.
"Your Majesty has assigned this matter to me in April. Several of my drawings are included in it. Maozhen can read it by himself."
Lin Xiyuan took it over and opened it one by one.
I saw at the beginning that there were five mountains, great rivers, dragons and beasts, and the sun, moon and stars living in all directions.
Later, there were patterns with nine cauldrons carrying the sun and the stars and the moon guarding the left and right.
Although there were only sun, moon and stars in the end, there were several editions. From extremely decorative to the last, there were only solid color patterns.
"Do you know why Your Majesty had to be so simple in the end?"
Lin Xiyuan shook his head.
Tang Yin's eyes were dazed for a moment, and then he said: "It means noble and important, but it has many uses. There are countless weaving methods, so it must be simple and cheap. What's more, the most important thing is simplicity. Your Majesty said that only simple patterns can make the Ming Dynasty famous."
Many people who are illiterate and do not know allusions remember the things they are most familiar with at a glance. The sun and the moon combine to become bright, the stars are divided into five angles, and the five elements are interdependent. Whether one star or one angle represents a person, a family, or an industry, they are all living in the world.
The background color of the land of the Ming Dynasty is red. Your Majesty hopes that the monarchs, ministers and people will all know that it means the continuous inheritance of the Chinese blood."
Staring at Lin Xiyuan, Tang Yin finally said solemnly: "The sun, moon and stars are all in bright yellow, and your majesty also wants to tell the people of the world. The Taizu was born in a young age, and he was respected as the emperor because he continued the Chinese orthodoxy. If the monarch, ministers and people have a country in their hearts, then
Everyone is honored.”
Lin Xiyuan was shocked: What about the humble status that is still there?
…
The second topic at the national policy meeting is this.
But the introduction is not from those lowly families, but from military households.
"After the establishment of various enterprises, the problems of the craftsmen households will be solved by the enterprises." Zhu Houcong looked at Yang Yiqing and others, "Many soldiers were recruited in the border towns, and the capital camp also recruited soldiers. Since the Weisuo army has been stationed, a Huguang army has been stationed.
The three guards rebelled. After the local public security department was established, ordinary banditry could be coordinated and dealt with. Taking advantage of the rebellion, the provincial governors first recruited troops, then reduced the guards, and finally changed the old military household system. This is the direction, what are the details?
Your Majesty, please discuss this together."
Each province has several guards, and the registered quota is "tens of thousands of troops."
In the past, in terms of military strength, there were Dusi, Zhensi, and some other yamen.
There are tens of thousands of troops there, but the bandits are still suppressed one after another but are ineffective.
Nowadays, security yamen have been set up in various places. This is an internal anti-theft security force. Small gangsters will be handed over to the public security bureaus and public security bureaus that cooperate with local prefectures and counties.
And each province can naturally have about 10,000 elite soldiers, which can be regarded as a powerful force.
Many people looked at Cui Yuan.
In addition to the Beijing camp, the five military governors' offices are divided into regional commanders and military governors in the Ming Dynasty. Now it seems that in the future, the combined divisions under the governor's office of each army will be equivalent to the first battalion of the Beijing camp.
The Commander-in-Chief of the Fifth Army will obviously have more difficult internal and external combat tasks.
To recruit troops in all provinces, the supply of food and salary is just a common financial pressure, but now it is more difficult to get the local garrison generals to obey.
It is certainly a good time that the Three Guards Rebellion in Huguang was put down. The power of the new three battalions and the imperial court should be respected, but local guard posts are not only found in the provinces that have been stable for many years, but also in border towns.
There is no room for chaos in the border town.
At the national policy meeting, all the ministers expressed their opinions, and then Yang Yiqing, the new military general staff officer, said: "First the border towns, then the provinces. The border towns will be selected first, and now the Beijing camp will serve as some, and the Beijing camp will continue to recruit and train new soldiers. The provinces will first use the public
The marquis was appointed as the governor of the five prefectures, and the prince was appointed as the commander of the capital. The two nobles of the county and township were appointed as the important generals of the capital. Others were selected to serve as the public security department, public security bureau, and some public security bureaus. Some soldiers could also be transferred to serve. In this way for three years, various places
All the troops are recruited."
Wang Shouren also agreed: "The army in the Beijing camp does not need to be trained and used. It has made achievements last year, and now it is time to suppress the world. Supplemented by the titles of grace, merit, and titles, they first start from the army. The public security department uses more of their people, and the Ming Dynasty
The armies will gradually take on a new look."
If you want to feel safer, go catch thieves and local gangsters and bullies.
When recruiting troops from various provinces, they will only receive food and wages without doing any serious work. They cannot only seek to gain a little profit and free wages for guarding the fields.
If you are obedient, you will first have a title to be granted.
If they resist, they will be suppressed by soldiers recruited from the Beijing camp.
The military chiefs of each province and the governors of the five prefectures were naturally all distinguished ministers who had withstood the test in the past few years, were loyal to the emperor, received important promotions from the emperor, and were determined to make contributions.
The governors of all provinces are here, and the envoy from the left is also here.
If both the military and political parties are your own people, the problem of the guard station may seem very difficult, but it can eventually be solved slowly, as long as you make up your mind.
Zhu Houcong nodded: "Taizu determined the people of the world and set many types of household registration. This is because in the early days of the country, after long wars, the population was withered and all industries were stagnant. Now it is not the early days of the country, and the human, material and financial resources of the Ming Dynasty are several times that of the country.
In the early days, there were many people but no fields, all kinds of industries were prosperous but many people escaped, and there was endless exploitation and suffering."
After looking at these important ministers, Zhu Houcong said: "Many of you have military qualifications. After becoming an official of high rank, the first thing you think of is to change your military status, right? This is especially true for you. Don't the people look forward to it?"
"
He told the truth.
The characteristic of a military household is that someone with a military background must join the army. Although military status can also be passed the scientific examination. However, if the military status is not changed, the children of the family will still have to join the army from generation to generation. Therefore, many officials with military background will always try to find ways to join the army after they become officials.
Change military status.
"In addition to military registration, there are many service registrations. Craftsman household, salt household, kitchen household, horse household... Nowadays, since corvee service has to be reformed, there are many enterprises and private businesses that need to employ people. This should save the people of the world from such worries.
"Zhu Houcong paused, "Of course, if we change it rashly, some people will lose their livelihood. You can come up with a strategy to make a living for many people with military registration, and then change it to civilian registration.
.”
If this issue continues to be discussed, it will become the management of today's enterprises and many commercial banks and merchants in the future.
Making a living is not a temporary thing.
As a member of the military, it is now an obligation to serve, but you also have a stable "salary", although it is not much after layers of exploitation.
But this can at least be regarded as an "iron rice bowl" to a certain extent. After all, those who manage corvee labor and dispatch are officials, so they will be given some credit.
If all of these were gone, not all of the many conscripted families would welcome him, but would instead worry about how to earn a living in the future.
To farm, you need to have enough fields to distribute to these people.
To do work, you need to have a certain guarantee mechanism, and you can’t just feed it all to those eighteen companies.
What's more, there is another, even larger group of people.
"Then there are the hidden households and the lowly ones." Zhu Houcong looked at them, "Do you have any clever ideas?"
The low status is actually simple, as long as the court does not decide to beat these people so that they will never be able to stand up again. Among them, the main ones are Le Ji, fishermen, danmin, etc.
The number of hidden households is too large. These are the population living in the families of officials and gentry, and are not included in the official statistics.
The advantage is that it can avoid corvee.
The downside is that once they are held accountable, the authorities will punish them.
They have a relationship with the officials and gentry in which they pay protection fees and are protected. For this reason, they are willing to pay food and contribute to the officials and gentry who are staying with them.
If this part of the population needs to be counted and released, the biggest question is whether the implementation of the new law in local areas will make their survival pressure greater than it is now.
In addition, the "livelihood" of a large number of their families who work as slaves in the homes of officials and gentry begging for food may also be destroyed.
Once the good days when officials and gentry can no longer earn land rent by collecting large amounts of hidden land as in the past are over, they will probably have to "lay off employees" under the increasing economic pressure before they can find new profit points.
The current industrial and commercial foundation of the Ming Dynasty cannot support such a huge "employed population".
Fei Hong, the first Prime Minister and Minister of State of the Ming Dynasty, stood up and said: "Your Majesty, next year after the land clearing and restoration of the Yellow Book, there will be more fields and how many more people will be created. It is not yet known. After the governors of the provinces return, they will feel at ease by the end of next year.
There are many. Since ancient times, agriculture has been emphasized. As long as there are no wars, farmers have their own land, and taxes are appropriate, people will not flee their hometowns and become hermits. If there is a clever strategy, it is only the taxes, corvee, etc. in the new law.
Even after it is implemented in local areas, it will not harm the people."
After a pause, he looked at the civil servants he was about to take charge of, and said solemnly: "Your Majesty has entrusted you with important responsibilities, and the emperor and ministers are united. This is an unprecedented situation. We will live up to your trust, conduct more inspections, and make
The common people are relieved of their worries and have shown kindness to His Majesty. When we gather here again in three years, we hope that we can bring good news to Your Majesty, instead of increasing the number of refugees and making the people's livelihood difficult. Do you think so?"
The prime minister's face is for sale, and what he said is the truth.
At this time in the Ming Dynasty, there were probably tens of millions of people who had fled their homes and lived in hiding. Not all of them were now supported by others. Most of them farmed their own fields, but they were only in the names of the officials and gentry.
Clear it out and return it to them. If the burden of taxes and corvees is no heavier than it is now, there will be no major problems.
They just need to be able to handle the local gentry and low-level officials.
In addition, we have to deal with the worries in the minds of these hidden people.
After all, they feared the government more than their own masters, so they fled their homes and became hermits.
Zhu Houcong nodded: "Remember, the people are not the enemy, only the gentry who still harm the national interests and enrich themselves, and the officials who treat the people as slaves are the enemies. After the Ming Dynasty's Three-Chen Banner arrives, the people of the world must be convinced and know that
I treat them as respectable and valuable family members. The necessary taxes are not to support me and the officials, but to help them avoid banditry, build water conservancy, build bridges and pave roads, run schools and educate people, etc."
He also paused for a moment, and then said: "I hope that in three years' time, the monarchs and ministers can formally discuss here whether the Ming Dynasty will no longer be divided into various nationalities. The people of the Ming Dynasty are all civilians. There will be no punishment.
Then all the children can take the scientific examination!"