At the beginning of the establishment of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, who founded the country with force and governed it with culture, had to adopt the policy of emphasizing the roots and suppressing the weaknesses as soon as possible in order to win over the hearts of the scholars in the world.
The profit-seeking people among the gentry were regarded as victims and demoted to a lowly status. At the same time, in order to retaliate against the decisive battle of Pingjiang, the wealthy gentry of Jiangsu and Zhejiang regarded him as a fake monk as a rebel but donated food and materials to support the local salt dealer Zhang Shicheng. Not only did he
It regarded merchants as a despicable business and also established the rule that people who had traveled to Jiangsu and Zhejiang were not allowed to serve as officials in the household department. This made the emphasis on agriculture and suppressing business since the Qin Dynasty reach a new height.
But businessmen are not stupid, they will also rationally use the rules of the game to improve their status. They respect teachers and education, rely on their huge family property to build private schools and private schools, increase investment in the education of their children, and cultivate a group of very outstanding students.
Talents gradually embarked on the road of learning and becoming officials. Even Gu Xiancheng, the founder of the Donglin Party, came from a family of merchants. By the Tianqi period, the saying that merchants were cheap had long been in name only. The merchants were not only rich but also
They became powerful, and their words could even influence the decisions of the Ming court.
Since it is an outdated statement, let’s not say it at all. The suspicious Chongzhen decided to take the initiative to pierce the last layer of household registration. At Kong Yanzhi’s suggestion, he abolished the base registration system and gave those businessmen who were always doing small tricks behind their backs a chance.
The opportunity to come to the front in an open and honest manner.
The rise of a country cannot be sustained for a long time only by Zhu Youcong's bloody plunder, and the implementation of national policies and the current situation are both indispensable. Since Zhu Yuanzhang was able to abolish the imperial guards and burn all the torture tools after Yu Neiyi cleared away the thorns, he showed to his subjects
Because of his kindness, Chengzu was able to reorganize the Jin Yiwei and conquer the world after successfully seizing the throne. Why couldn't Chongzhen, who was also a descendant of the Zhu family and an emperor, not elevate the status of a businessman and take advantage of the situation?
Of course, what Chongzhen wanted to take advantage of was not to allow businessmen to collude with officials to exploit the people and continue to control the government and engage in land annexation. After listening to Zhu Youcong's nonsense and referring to Fan Thief's suicide note, what he and the royal party's traitors wanted was to take advantage of the situation.
The profit-seeking nature of businessmen is to convert the large amount of commercial capital they hold into industrial capital, and use the huge profits to attract them to actively engage in technological innovation. Then it will inspire the most primitive greed buried in their hearts and let them out.
The Guomen made the overseas trade that was originally conducted privately and legitimately legitimate, and provided a steady stream of financial support for the development of the Ming Dynasty.[
Now, after visiting the demonstration factories established by Zhu Yousong, Prince of Dechang County, in Bianyi County, Chengshui, Shandong, the businessmen are already salivating and their eyes are red, waiting for the imperial court to order the nationwide expansion. Even if they are not qualified
The former court ministers who received the loan also understood what such a huge output of goods meant to them. However, with the fat man leading a million-strong army suppressing them, they did not dare to cross the line even half a step.
Follow the rules.
It is said that everything in the world is for profit, and everything in the world is for profit. No one can be immune to the temptation of such huge profits. Therefore, even if the scholars who walked out of the court knew what was behind the rumors, they would not
They will take the initiative to expose them. On the contrary, they will also use all the resources at their disposal to take the blame for the court and slander those who are still stubborn and corrupt, so that the people will know all the truth in the future.
I can only scold them.
Since everyone was so cooperative, it would have been too stingy if Chongzhen didn't show any signs of it. So, on February 25th of the sixth year of Chongzhen's reign, in the Chaotian Palace, which was originally used to learn the etiquette of meeting the emperor, the most important officials of the Ming Dynasty gathered together.
A group of wealthy people.
Of course, being rich is only relative. After all, with Zhu Youcong who is the most troublesome, these people can't be as rich as the country even if they put all their net worth together. You know, even if you don't count the money that has been spent,
, there are still 30 million taels of silver in the treasury of the Ming Dynasty! However, Zhou Yanru and other Jiangsu and Zhejiang scholars, who were rich in knowledge and talent, and Hu Xiyi, etc., had long taken refuge in the emperor's family. Only they knew about the traditional wealthy gentry, who came from the Luoyang Palace.
Xiao Changzi, a profiteer who travels around the world to defraud people. The pottery industry that finished his career in Liaodong and continued to use its remaining heat in the recent trade with Xiyi... Just one of these guys can make people dare not underestimate them.
"Master Zhou, you said that the emperor summoned us for what purpose?" Many of the people present are old acquaintances, and everyone has made a common choice. All the unpleasantness back then can be written off. Hu Xiyizhi
Therefore, he still maintained respect for Zhou Yanru, just because he wanted to deceive others and know the court's plan earlier.
"But I can't be called your lord..." Zhou Yanru knew very well that if he hadn't been more sensible in all the court's actions, he would never have had the chance to stand here. He replied with a courtesy: "Now this court
I can’t understand what’s going on in the hall. But since the Holy One has called us here, I’m afraid it’s still inseparable from the gossip that was spread a few days ago!”
"Is it about to start?" Even Hu Xiyi, who has a rich family, couldn't help but light up when he heard this. That gossip? Isn't it that the Ming Dynasty is about to restart overseas trade, and they, the first batch of beneficiaries, can rely on powerful
Is the military strength being cheated and deceived everywhere? Oh no, according to Prince Dechang, it should be called fair trade, or the kind of fairness that cannot be bargained with the Ming Dynasty merchants.
"It won't be so fast!" Wen Tiren, who was more cautious, interjected from the side: "Now that the general has just pacified the Japanese islands, there is nothing there that needs my services except digging for silver. So I am afraid that the target of this trade must be us.
Those Western Yi allies, but I haven't heard of any big commotion at the naval base in Shandong recently..." Then he pointed to a large group of neatly dressed people who looked quite shabby here and said, "If it's for sea trade,
It is absolutely impossible for the imperial court to summon them together."
"What you said makes sense!" Seeing those people, Zhou Yanru remembered that all agricultural and sideline products nowadays are controlled commodities. The Ming Dynasty has adopted the strictest trade quota system. It is impossible to sell food, even if it is
For tea, it also depends on whether you are lucky enough to win the lottery. Do you want to play smuggling with yyng in previous years? Are you really like the Ming Dynasty navy stationed at Xin'an base or the old navy who fished and dried nets? The result of playing this game with them is just
Maybe the cannon hit the ship before it even weighed anchor.
As for the other two drugs and arms that can bring huge wealth, they are national trade that General Zhenguo is personally responsible for. Anyone who wants to compete with that damn fat man for a job may not even be able to guess how he will die. So wait for yourself
If people want to do business, they have to wait for people who can obtain state interest loans to build factories and produce products.
"Why is he here?" Looking at the figure who appeared on the stage, the scholars were furious. If there hadn't been a monster in that family, how could they be in the position where they were now competing for work with their own servants? So much so that many laid-off workers walking on the street often cannot help but want to kick those fat people who catch their eye.
"Welcome the Holy Master" Perhaps he felt the resentment of the crowd, and the playful Zhu Yousong did not care that he was still the king of Dechang County, and actually played the role of a eunuch.
"The common people bow to my emperor! Long live! Long live! Long live!" There was no noise. No matter how gorgeous they were, and how high their status was in the past, everyone's current status was Yyng.
"Everyone, please sit down!" Chongzhen went straight to the topic with a kind smile on his face. "I came here today for a few small things, and I wanted to inform everyone first!"
"The common people and others respectfully invite your Majesty..."
"Wait!" Chongzhen interrupted everyone's routine shouting and said to everyone in the Xiyi Pavilion: "The first thing I want to do is to solve your identity problem. With the approval of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, all of you are already imperial officials! As for whether it will be from the ninth grade or the sixth grade, I will wait until the Duke of Hui Dechang announces it slowly, and I will not waste my words!"
Are you an official again? Looking around, there are at least a thousand people. The court has money recently. But such a large-scale reward is too childish, right? Although it is not very mny, Zhou Yanru and other scholars still think it is quite good. In terms of face, at least they are still superior court officials.
"Of course..." How could Chongzhen, who has always based his happiness on other people's pain, be so kind? I heard him change the topic and said: "This official position is of no use in the Ming Dynasty. The imperial court is relatively poor recently and cannot Pay you wages!"
As soon as these words came out, the scholars who were just about to express their gratitude began to curse in their hearts again. You are a fool! You are a fool to the fullest! You are so busy chatting, are you using your useless official position to make people laugh, right? The court is still poor. Then what is piled in the treasury?[
"But..." Chongzhen behaved very mnyly to everyone, and said after a long pause: "This official position is still of great benefit to you. For example, if you encounter any trouble when you go abroad to do business, you can rely on it to Does the official position mobilize a corresponding number of overseas legions? Everything is free!"
"Thank you, Emperor, for your kindness!" This sudden surprise is funny, isn't it? Although they were a little angry, everyone present understood that this official position is just like that of the general who governs the country. It is only used to bully outsiders! Overseas! What is a legion? They are organized and disciplined bandits! As for the trouble, isn't it just a matter of talking?
"Secondly, it's your image problem. You've all seen it in the past few days. Even those Tatars who were afraid of being beaten by the generals want to get on top of you by relying on the remaining power of the rotten Confucians!" Chongzhen The singer performed beautifully: "Every time I think about this place, I feel uncomfortable in my heart..."
Make it up! Just keep making it up! The people present are not fools. If those Tatars didn't have the imperial court behind them, how dare they dare to scold the people of the Ming Dynasty? They wouldn't be afraid of angering the fat man who was tossing around on the Japanese island. After returning to China Turn their entire clan into eunuchs? But since the emperor mentioned this, the merchants could only listen quietly and see what other harmful tricks this foolish king could come up with.
"I have studied with the ministers in the DPRK and found that merchants have been looked down upon by people since ancient times. The big reason is that you have not been able to establish your own set of ethics! Therefore, I decided to build a business school for you.
This is an opportunity to create new doctrines and even cultivate saints belonging to your business world!"
Business school? It’s over, it’s over. This fool started to imitate that damn fat man’s bait for others again, and he had to bite the bait! Everyone present began to whisper. To be honest, the official who just made a lot of promises was not too much.
It was a big shock. After all, no one can predict the major events in the court. What if the emperor has a whim and demotes the businessman to a low status again?
But the effect of establishing a new theory is completely different. Although this road is difficult to walk, once it is successful, it will have a bright future. According to the current situation, the imperial court probably wants to return to the prosperous age of a hundred schools of thought. If they can take advantage of the situation,
This is an opportunity for merchants to rectify their names and form their own set of theories. Even if some people in later generations want to persuade the monarch to depose the hundreds of schools of thought and only respect Confucianism, they dare not completely ignore their voices. What's more, they will have a lot of wealth and integrate the classics of the hundreds of schools of thought.
Would businessmen be so stupid as to give people this opportunity?
"However, I don't know anything about doing business, and not many ministers in the DPRK know this! Therefore, you have to do the cumbersome things of compiling teaching materials, recruiting teachers, and training students yourself! There are many of you who are dear to the world.
I believe you, great scholars and erudite geniuses, can handle such a small thing. As for the location to open this business school, I have already prepared it for you, in the Jiangnan Gongyuan that has been renovated!"
Chongzhen's words immediately caused a greater shock. The emperor was right. With these talented scholar elites present, it is not difficult to take advantage of the strengths of each school and create a discipline of his own. The key is
It all depends on whether you can get the full support of those in power.
Where is Jiangnan Gongyuan? Many of the scholars present here have studied hard for ten years and then fought with thousands of troops to embark on official careers. Now, although everyone has been kicked out of the court, they have to cooperate.
The imperial party's traitors promoted those new policies, but every time they recalled the original scene, they still felt that their glory was limited. However, now a small Jiangnan Gongyuan has once again ignited their hopes. The emperor is showing that at least there will be no one in the Chongzhen Dynasty again.
Despise the merchants, and the court will give the greatest help. What else is there to say? Just do it! Create your own theory, let business studies keep pace with the Bai family, and when you are in a good mood, you can show off with a few words!
"Since I want you to be willing to establish a new theory, I have to give you some hope, right?" Seeing that everyone was already moved, Chongzhen also struck while the iron was hot: "In the past, people said that merchants are profit-seeking people who forget their integrity, so I don't want you to cultivate students.
Parasites who do not care about production or work! What I want to come out of there are Confucian businessmen who hold the Analects in one hand and calculate the abacus in the other, have the world in mind, know how to help people in distress, and can benefit the people and relieve the court from difficulties!"
"All ministers must obey the holy orders!" The term Chongzhen said quickly aroused everyone's resonance. What is Confucianism? The saints have said that a gentleman's Confucianism is loyal to the emperor and patriotic, and upholds good and evil.
Later generations. The existence of merchants is closely related to the people's clothing, food, housing and transportation. The exchanges between the north and the south are all due to merchants. The title Confucian merchants combines the righteousness pursued by gentlemen with the profit pursued by merchants.
"Of course, my request is only for the merchants in the Ming Dynasty! As for leaving this country, dear friends, whether you want to be a profiteer who hides a knife in a smile, or a bandit merchant who robs everywhere with an open fire and a sharp weapon, I will not
Mind it! All I ask is that you don’t forget the national interests when doing business. When you have time, learn from the pre-Qin businessmen to learn about foreign intelligence and bribe important officials of enemy countries, so as to make your due contribution to the rise of the Ming Dynasty..."
"I will obey the Holy Orders!" Even if Chongzhen didn't say this, businessmen would gradually realize it. If there is no powerful empire behind them, then no matter how rich they are, they will still be slaughtered in the eyes of others.
Lamb, how can you still go out and bully people? (To be continued...)