The emperor has been looking forward to the renewal of everything, which is known to both the government and the public.
But this time, the renewal of everything mentioned in the emperor's New Year's message is different from what everyone imagined.
"...The first practical thing in the five years of Jiajing is to fully promote the 'Three Iron Weapons for Farmers' project. Iron hoe, iron plow, and iron rake. We will strive to have at least one of them in every household by the end of this year, and more than half of the households will have all three."
For this reason, in addition to the Baojin Bureau, the imperial court is also discussing strategies for reducing or returning iron levies, as well as strategies for subsidizing farmers' purchases of iron farm tools. Each province, prefecture, and county will collect detailed statistics on the shortage of iron farm tools for farmers in addition to clearing land and re-creating the yellow book.
, encouraging merchants to resell iron farm tools to other places."
It was already the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and this issue of Mingbao had also reached Henan.
There is actually a Gaolaozhuang Village on the outskirts of Xinzheng County.
Nowadays, there is also a big official in the village named Gao Shangxian.
At the end of last year, he rushed home from his fifth-rank official position as a supervisor in Shanxi Province to observe filial piety for his father.
It's just that Ding You has not become an official. According to the current rules, he, a fifth-rank life official, can also get a copy of "Ming Pao" delivered by Tongyi Bureau.
At this time, Gao Shangxian couldn't help but be stunned when he looked at the emperor's congratulatory message in the first issue of "Ming Pao" in the fifth year of Jiajing.
"Dad, why don't you read it anymore?"
Next to him was a young man who had just started to grow some beard.
Gao Shangxian was stunned for a moment, then continued to teach his son how to read the abbreviations on the newspaper.
"The second practical event in the fifth year of Jiajing period was to carry out the selection of rural virtuous people at all levels and prepare for the establishment of rural virtuous institutions at the provincial, government and county levels. Under the general affairs envoy, a royal letter room has been set up outside the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, and local rural virtuous institutions have been established.
Your letters can be sent to the Yuxin Room through Tongyi Bureau, so that I can understand the people's sentiments."
Gao Shangxian was stunned again.
Such an approach... cannot be said to be ineffective. But in the future, local officials and rural sages will have to "collude" even more closely, so that some bad things in the local area will not be spread to the capital.
Of course, local officials and rural magnates are wary of each other, so they may stop doing something. It seems that the consequences will be either nothing or nothing.
Unless everyone is afraid of the factory guard’s spy in the dark.
"father?"
Gao Shangxian shook his head: "Qing Su, wait until I finish reading first. What are you in a hurry for?"
His son's name is Gao Gong, whose courtesy name is Suqing. He is fifteen years old this year.
Gao Gong pointed back: "Look here!"
Gao Shangxian moved his gaze over there, his eyes slightly condensed.
After frowning, he continued to look at the "third fact": "All localities will sell government land at a fair price within five years of Jiajing in the form of silver, rent conversion, etc., with priority given to farmers with little land and hermit households."
Is this matter related to the election of rural sages?
The grain tax on official land was heavier. In the past, most of it was rented by local gentry and wealthy households and subleased to farmers for cultivation. Now, these fields are divided based on the fact that the gentry and wealthy households only cleared the land and rebuilt the land in the fifth year of Jiajing.
Cooperate or not against the background.
If you cooperate, you will have a chance to be elected as a county magistrate; if you don't cooperate, other village magnates will not hesitate to work with local officials to dig out some people's tattered stories and then revise the revised "Ming Dynasty Laws and Regulations".
Can farmers and hermit households with little land afford official land? Silver and rent conversion means that by paying annual grain payments, they can finally fully obtain the land rights and surface rights of some official land?
After the official treatment law was implemented, officials and gentry no longer gave face to their families, but had to pay grain. I don’t know how long it will take to sort out the confusion between the bottom rights of the land and the rights of the land.
But if the imperial court wants to implement the law on the treatment of officials, I'm afraid it really needs more grain and more money.
Maybe there really would be no need to pay, and a lot more grain would be recovered from official farmland in the next few years. When the new law really transitions to a successful stage, those fields will be completely returned to the farmers, and they will only have to pay taxes in the future.
His mind moved, and he saw the fourth practical thing: Tai Hospital was renovated, and Huimin Pharmacy was merged into the Medical Nursing Home. Within five years of Jiajing, every county would have a hospital with good doctors and well-priced medicines.
Gao Shangxian nodded, this is indeed a real thing. I don't know how the medical hospitals throughout the Ming Dynasty can be opened in every county within a year, unless they find a new name for the existing medical hospital.
Only then did he see the place pointed by his son, and asked first, "Do you know the characters here?"
Gao Gong suppressed a little pride, but he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth slightly: "Although I haven't bought the dictionary that dad wanted yet, my son has read four issues of "Ming Pao" over and over again, and he can still understand most of them."
Gao Shangxian looked at him and then said: "This year Henan will probably have a provincial examination like Guangdong and Shandong, so study hard."
"Having a father at home to guide his son in his studies makes him confident!"
Gao Shangxian was also a Jinshi, so it was enough to teach his son.
But at this time, when he saw what his son was referring to, his heart had actually been in a state of confusion since before.
This fifth "real thing" will probably cause quite a stir.
[The fifth practical event in the fifth year of Jiajing's reign is that from this year onwards, the system of officials seizing affection will be fully implemented, and the day will be replaced by the month. Serving as an official after studying is to be loyal to the emperor and govern the country and bring peace to the world. Loyalty and filial piety are difficult to have at the same time. Officials who are worried when they are in mourning will all be given posthumously.
The title of honor for the deceased of a close relative is taken away from the sentiment and reused. The mourning is for the sake of psychological security, political stability and the people, honoring the ancestors and taking care of state affairs.】
Dingyou is a threshold that officials cannot avoid.
Staying in mourning does not mean that he cannot come back again, and his official status is still there. But after leaving for twenty-seven months, the official position will naturally be filled. If he wants to take up the post again, he will have to wait for the vacancy.
Looking through the annals of history, in fact, in the Tang Dynasty, there was about a 50-50 split between officials who really abided by the system and those who were re-employed by those who had been taken away from the situation. After the Song Dynasty, especially after the rise of Neo-Confucianism, most officials who were taken away from the situation were rejected, and the reputation of those who did not abide by the system was worrying.
Now this fifth fact, although there is the guise of "stealing love" and the excuse of granting a favor and honoring the ancestors, is it really suitable to continue to be an official after changing days and months with peace of mind?
I'm afraid this is just a small test of your Majesty's current etiquette.
He called it a "real thing", but did he forget how the master scolded Jaeyu?
Behind this congratulatory message, there are five practical facts.
Starting from official documents, simplified Chinese characters have been standardized to make it easier for more children to read and read: Will there be controversy? Whether it is good or bad to make people more intelligent has always been controversial. Moreover, won't this make the scientific examination more and more difficult?
Improving printing technology to reduce the cost of publishing books: This naturally needs to be paired with simplified characters. The craftsman Zheng Kui who was awarded the title of rural knight published in the last issue, the technology of printing presses and new typefaces, I am afraid that the public will not be able to do so for a while.
I won't be able to control it.
The Hedao Yamen surveyed and mapped the entire Yellow River, and His Majesty offered a reward to the world to ask for good advice on floods in the Huanghuai River: There is nothing to say about this matter. If this stage can be completed this year, the floods in the Huanghuai River will be really controlled in the future, which will be an eternal merit.
The herdsmen set up cattle and mule stations, and tried to rent and sell cattle and mules at low prices in various places to adapt to the farming season: both cattle and mules can plow the land, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is good to benefit the people, but I am afraid that it will not be easy to implement, and the Ming Dynasty is still too
Big.
After the post stations in various places were transferred to Tongyi Bureau, Tongyi Bureau would gradually open up the postal transmission system with stronger reception and delivery capabilities to the people. Letters, lodging, cars and boats, etc. were gradually opened to the people: letters are so private, and most people who need to communicate by letters
They are officials and gentry. Could this post office be another spy for His Majesty? What if the letter is opened and read? And most ordinary people never leave the county or town in their lives, and they don't need any accommodation, cars or boats.
After much deliberation, Gao Shangxian felt that in the future, Tongyi Bureau would mainly focus on business between officials and gentry.
Maybe a businessman?
"For the first five practical things, we will strive to achieve them this year; for the last five practical things, we will lay a solid foundation this year. On this New Year's Day, I would also like to say Happy New Year to all my subjects. I hope that by the end of the year, all my subjects will also say this in my heart."
After this year’s success, next year’s Spring Festival will be even more joyful than this year.”
Gao Shangxian finished reading and opened his mouth slightly.
This is really the first time that the emperor has paid New Year's greetings to people all over the world: because of this newspaper, not only every prefecture and county must pay attention to every issue, but even the old farmers in the countryside know that there is such a thing. A literate child has a certain status.
All the talented people take great pleasure in publicizing the contents of newspapers.
So the old farmers will also know that His Majesty wishes them New Year greetings...
"Dad, what did you think about it?" Gao Gong asked with bright eyes, "The matter of seizing love?"
The biological son and biological grandson are not unfilial to the old man who passed away two months ago, but they are also biological father and son after all, and there is no need to avoid certain topics.
Gao Shangxian frowned: "Just study your lessons carefully!"
He felt that it was not his son's turn to consider these matters, and besides, he now clearly wanted to encourage him to stop worrying - Gao Shangxian had already met the conditions in a day and a month.
But if what goes before leads to deeds, in the future a hundred years from now, won't you, kid, be prepared to keep filial piety to me?
But Gao Gong said seriously: "The son's rule of rites and the love-stealing thing have been around since ancient times. Your Majesty's words are reasonable. Besides, dad, my son will take the exam later, and I'm afraid the new learning will be particularly important. Dad, do you know the new learning?
?”
Gao Shangxian was stunned by the question and was speechless.
Gao Gong said with deep meaning: "The central government has undergone major changes, and the capital has a lot of official shortages. The capital is the easiest place to learn new things."
Gao Shangxian raised his head and sighed, looking at his father's tablet.
Your grandson is indeed extraordinary. When he passed by the government, he said that this guy is expected to win the title of the Provincial Examination Ceremony Leader.
Dad, why don't my son do it for your grandson and not have such a useless reputation?
Who knows what the future will be like?
In the following days, everyone in the small Gaolaozhuang Village gradually came to know the contents of the emperor's congratulatory message.
Gao Gong's house suddenly became more lively. They had already celebrated the New Year, and many people came to visit again.
Here, there were both wealthy squires of the same clan and small farmers in the village who elected leaders and collected gifts.
Dear fellow villagers, it is impossible for Gao Shangxian to turn away people during the first month.
"Xian Gong, our Gao family now respects you as an elder. This time His Majesty is determined to implement a new law in Henan. You are the backbone, so you have to help us explain it!"
"Yes, yes, the official land is sold, and the village sages are elected, and you can be heard in the county."
"Xian Gong, if the sun changes the moon, can you be appointed without mercy? If your majesty bestows you with a title, your family tree will have to be revised! Seeing that your Majesty's grace is universal, Xian Gong may be promoted to the fourth rank.
, then wear a red robe!"
Gao Shangxian couldn't laugh or cry.
Of the so-called ten real things, they were only concerned about three of them, plus one that was not specifically mentioned in it, namely Qingzhang Tiantu.
His noble and virtuous future is naturally closely related to Gaolaozhuang Village. Who made him a Jinshi?
There has never been a big shot in the ancestors of the Gao family, and he, the fifth grade, is the "man who makes a fortune." Fortunately, two of his five sons have grown up, and the eldest son has also been selected. Although the second son does not have any literary talent, he is
The third son, Gao Gong, really has a promising future.
Everyone in Gao Laozhuang expected Gao Shangxian to "lead by example" and lead them to enjoy the policy.
He sighed: "Now it is just His Majesty's decree. How to sell the official land and how to select the village wise men, the court and the province have to set the regulations, and the prefecture and the county will follow the regulations to know how it will be implemented."
"With you here, there must be at least one of us in Gao Laozhuang as a wise man, right?"
The Gao family of Gaolaozhuang Village, Xinzheng County is not qualified to be called the Xinzheng Gao family now. The elder of this clan is not wealthy either, but he said with certainty: "Although my incompetent son did not pass the examination to become a scholar, he is also literate. He can
Write a letter to His Majesty!"
Gao Shangxian couldn't laugh or cry: "Your Majesty wants to promote simplified Chinese characters, can he read and write them?"
"Aren't you here? For our Gao family, you have to teach us!"
The elected leader of the poor peasants was hesitant and hesitant. The noble nobles could not avoid it, so a time was set for them to come together. Now that the gentry, wealthy households and clan elders were here, how could he have any room to speak?
Gao Shangxian agreed perfunctorily, but did not want to touch other matters.
Seeing this, Gao Gong said: "Uncles, we don't have official fields in Gaolaozhuang. The official fields are scattered all over the place, so we must buy them from nearby. As the saying goes, if a strong dragon can't suppress a local snake, why should we farm in other villages?
Or even move to another village and be bullied?"
The Gao family hall suddenly became silent, and the poor peasant leader's eyes darkened.
Gao Shangxian looked at his son and pursed his lips.
Seeing that his father did not reprimand him, Gao Gong continued as if he was being encouraged: "As for the rural sage, the benefits of false fame are nothing more. It's good to get them. But if you want to be this local sage, I'm afraid you won't get the benefits first, but the benefits.
I have to help the county to offend people. How many native people are there in this field? Not only the big gentry are worried about a thorough investigation, but ordinary farmers are also worried. It will be a small matter to pay more grain in the coming year. It will be good if Xianshu Village in this township can push one person out.
, our Gaolaozhuang will offend other surrounding villages."
Hearing this, the clan elder asked blankly: "Brother Gong, if you say so, then we, Gao Laozhuang, should not even think about Guan Tian, Xiang Xian, etc."
"No! Just clarify the pros and cons!" Gao Gong bowed to his father, "Dad, my son thinks that you, Ding You, are at home and should take the lead to help the county handle this matter. If you stay away from the temple at this time, you can help the county handle it.
If you know the truth about what your Majesty said, you will surely reach heaven to hear it. When the time comes, your Majesty will take the initiative to issue an edict to seize love, which will be the best choice!"
Gao Shangxian's pursed mouth opened: When he was doing the inspection, he paid less attention to his family. He knew that his son was smart, but now he has learned so much about being an official?
Being in office has the benefits of being in office, and not being in office has the convenience of not being in office.
Implementing the new law will be a big problem for any local official. If he, who is living at home and is a fifth-rank official, can help, and others dare not say it, the resistance in Xinzheng County will be much less.
Sooner or later, the emperor will know what is going on in the place.
Now I am still at home, my reputation is intact; I understand the general situation and help His Majesty implement practical things; if I have some bright strategies to help the county solve many problems, it is another sign of talent.
It would be much better if the emperor took the initiative to seize his love and appoint him instead of trusting his old friends to help him with activities.
"...then according to you, what should dad do?"
Gao Gong suddenly became more expressive and quickly replied: "Running a school and teaching simplified Chinese characters are one thing. As a person in the field at this time, preparing county and township virtuous courtyards, analyzing the benefits and disadvantages for the virtuous people in the countryside, and clearing good land are two.
Things. Summon all the merchants in the county to contact the ironware sellers, prepare to build a medical hospital, publish books on the new learning of simplified characters, and create a cattle and mule institute. These are three things. When the official land is sold, the county will definitely need more silver than less.
Food, after all, the government office has spent a lot of money after the restructuring. Dad can ask the Xiangxianyuan to raise money and lend it out with little or no interest. These are four things."
Gao Shangxian's expression showed shock: "Lending it with the money raised by Xiangxianyuan without interest?"
Gao Gong nodded affirmatively: "When this village sage was first established, reputation must be more important than profit. The people who are keen on this village sage now have short-sighted people, but there are also people who have a long-term vision. We must implement all strategies at the same time. Those who are short-sighted will be the best."
You can talk about it and suggest that the county magistrate should not elect him as a rural sage. Based on several practical things, your majesty is really anxious for the needs of the people, and he will not want new laws to harm the people. The purpose of setting up this rural sage is to focus on the word "virtuous". Since we need a rural sage
Instead of relying on power to harm the people, we need to protect the local virtuous people from the officials using the new law to harm the people. Father, only when the common people call upon His Majesty to be wise and Father does these things can he be considered truly meritorious!"
What shocked Gao Shangxian was not Gao Gong's idea of raising money from the Xiangxian Yuan and lending it to the people to buy land without charging interest. What shocked him was the political wisdom displayed by his son.
At this time, he naturally did not dare to imagine how successful his son would be in the future. He just had the feeling that he suddenly discovered that his son was better than him in some aspects.
Running a school in the countryside as a Jinshi and teaching simplified Chinese characters is the future of the children of many wealthy gentry families in Xinzheng County.
Helping the county prepare for Xiangxian Yuan is what ties them to the present.
Relying on the relationship between the government and the public, he helped various merchants in the county contact the Baojin Bureau, Jiang Zuojian, Mingbao Bank, Qun Mujian and other foreign trading firms, which was the source of cash and wealth in Xinzheng County.
Implementing the popularization of the "Three Essential Things for Farmers" and the establishment of medical and nursing homes will tie the hearts and minds of the people of Xinzheng toward the emperor and the imperial court.
Gao Shangxian was still absent-mindedly worrying about how to lose his love decently, but his son helped him point the way.
"Brother Gong will definitely be the prime minister in the future!" The clan leader almost turned his thumbs up, and then said to Gao Shangxian earnestly, "Mr. Xian, I think it will work!"
"... Let me think about it carefully. I understand what you mean by coming here today. Well, after the fifteenth day, I will pay a visit to Tongzhi County first to see what he has in mind."
A true fifth-grade person must have the restraint of a true fifth-grade person. How can he shout "My son is a great talent" in front of outsiders now?
After they left their gifts and left, Gao Shangxian looked serious: "What books did you read last year?"