Zhao Zhenji hadn't even reacted when Zhang Yu handed him a piece of paper. Taken aback, Zhao Zhenji picked it up and read it closely, involuntarily gasping.
It read:
"To raise funds for the reforms in Jiangnan and to restore the Way of the Sages, serving the Crown Prince's holy will and understanding the true situation of the four provinces of Jiangnan, we, your servants, have resolved to establish the clan system as the framework for textile manufacturing, the Guild System for the supervision of all trades, and the Reform Vanguard as the vanguard for implementation. The strategy is as follows:
First, the ancient system of `sanchang` (three lengths/lengthsmen) was sufficient to govern all affairs of the villages. Thus, the first Emperor decreed that county magistrates should not disturb the populace without cause. Now, by consolidating the elders and gentry of each village to oversee textile manufacturing, we align with ancestral institutions and cater to the people's sentiments. This is proper.
Second, merchants and peddlers are often cunning. While they facilitate the circulation of goods, they inevitably cause prices to fall, harming agriculture. The Song Dynasty regulated this through `xingtuan` (guilds), purging unscrupulous merchants. The government's policies on price stabilization and taxation rely heavily on this. Now that we are reforming and revitalizing all industries, what other excellent strategy can we employ? We now formally establish the `xingtuan` to serve as valuable assistants to the government.
Third, reforms must have vanguards to enforce decrees, a righteous path since Duke Xiao of Qin. The Japanese pirates in Jiangnan have been suppressed, but banditry remains rampant. Villains in the four provinces often rely on this to resist the law, preventing the benefits of reform from being realized quickly. If this continues, how can the great cause of reform reach perfection? Therefore, starting immediately, the Provincial Administration Commissioner Wan Cai will coordinate the volunteers, ensuring that within ten days, every provincial, prefectural, and county government has a Reform Vanguard office.
Fourth, `jiading bubu` (household retainers and subordinate troops) have existed since ancient times, formed by voluntary agreement. The wise exhort us to emulate the virtuous, allowing the people to have role models. The Ziche family's three heroes, who died for Duke Mu of Qin, are praised in the Book of Songs. Others who submitted themselves as servants and achieved lasting fame, such as Zilu becoming a disciple of Confucius, were they not admired? Therefore, we now explicitly inform the four classes of people that they are permitted to voluntarily surrender themselves and their property to become retainers, thereby restoring ancient practices.
Fifth, we will vigorously promote academies and strictly prohibit unorthodox teachings. In the past, when the state faced many difficulties, those who spread heresy and disrupted governance appeared frequently. Over a hundred academies in the four provinces were banned. Now, all are reopened, and the study of Yangming's unorthodox teachings is forbidden. No academy or private school is allowed to propagate them."
Zhao Zhenji, of course, saw through it all.
This was completely reversed!
The people's hearts would surely fall into great chaos! Even more viciously, this fellow wanted to establish Reform Vanguards, wasn't that precisely the Shang Yang's Qin laws they had previously condemned everywhere? They had chased and cursed it across the land last year, but now it became a delicacy when it was their turn to reform?
The Reform Vanguards were truly terrifying. When Shang Yang couldn't implement his reforms, he used eight hundred vanguards to forcibly push them through, employing severe punishments and humiliation. This was the most important point for later generations who denigrated Shang Yang. Last year, when the Yan faction attacked Zhu Mo, they also accused him of using volunteers as Reform Vanguards, which stirred up a great wave of criticism. But now, when it was their turn to reform, Reform Vanguards became the righteous path since Duke Xiao of Qin?
And `jiading bubu` – although Zhu Mo had acted a bit hastily, the general opinion among the literati still greatly admired it. Whether in Jiangsu or the capital, Zhao Zhenji had always heard discussions praising Zhu Mo's abolition of slavery as a truly great and benevolent policy. This was because of a crucial point: the first Emperor had originally abolished slavery, but during the Yongle era, to punish the followers of Jianwen, their families were conscripted into the Directorate of Music as registered slaves, thus initiating the precedent of holding slaves. Furthermore, due to the intense factional struggles in the Great Ming, the families of those who failed were often conscripted as slaves into the Directorate of Music, a fate of extreme shame and misery. Zhu Mo's abolition of slavery meant that the next step could be to abolish the registered slave status in the Directorate of Music, which would bring immense benefits to everyone. But now, Zhang Yu, with a stroke of his pen, had restored it…
As for the village elders and gentry overseeing textile manufacturing, it was merely to facilitate sales to large workshops. The `xingtuan` regulating all trades was simply to eliminate the small ones, allowing the great merchants and wealthy magnates to monopolize the profits… Zhao Zhenji believed these points were correct, and Xu Jie did not object. Even the Crown Prince was indifferent, as long as the taxes could be collected. With these `xingtuan` taking on tax collection, and using forceful methods for collection, there would be no problems with revenue.
However,
Regarding the latter few points, he truly couldn't decide whether to agree.
But just as he was about to speak, Zhang Yu seemed to have seen through him and smiled, saying, "Mengjing, all of this was personally instructed by the Junior Grand Secretary. If there are no issues, shall we sign it together? The Crown Prince only has three years; we cannot lag behind…"
This?
Zhao Zhenji was instantly enraged: You've done everything, and I know nothing about it. Am I just a puppet?
But the times were stronger than individuals. Why was Xu Jie always so timid? And pretending to be aloof, claiming not to understand factionalism? Since his faction had fewer people and less power than others, what could be done?
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Despite this,
One question still needed to be clarified.
He immediately pondered and asked, "Weishi, where will the personnel for these Reform Vanguards come from? They are under the Provincial Administration Commissioner, but what about the Surveillance Commissioner? And the Governor?"
Zhang Yu smiled and replied,
"As for personnel, with the restoration of `jiading bubu` by a single decree, we will have as many as we need! As for who will manage them, I considered Liu Yingjie and Zhang Han, but one is inspecting coastal defenses at Zhenhai Guard, and the other is ill at home. So what can be done? Moreover, Reform Vanguards are not yamen runners or soldiers; they are needed to implement administrative affairs. It is reasonable for the Provincial Administration Commissioner to manage them, don't you think?"
To be formed by `jiading`?
This meant forcing all the household slaves released by Zhu Mo to return to their former masters?
He then asked,
"Brother Weishi, we are on the same boat now… You must be upfront with me about some things… Uh, Zhu Mo previously abolished `jiading bubu`, tens of thousands of people. Are you going to make them all return to their masters? How will these people agree to that?"
Heh heh,
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Zhang Yu nodded and said,
"Mengjing, I won't hide it from you. There are a total of over 600,000 people, and more than 300,000 were not yet resettled when Zhu Mo came down… It will be very difficult to have them all return to their masters. For example, those who have already gone to the reclamation guards will be hard to bring back. But those who are not in the reclamation guards will all have to return to their masters!"
This?
Alas,
Zhao Zhenji sighed and continued,
"But what if these indentured servants refuse to comply?"
Hahaha,
Zhang Yu couldn't help but burst into laughter, pointing at Zhao Zhenji and saying,
"Mengjing, I thought you were a hero, but you're so indecisive! I created these Reform Vanguards precisely for this purpose! If they don't come back, then we fight! Can't we force them back?"
This?
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Zhao Zhenji, after all, had been raised on the classics. A cold sweat broke out on him. If this continued, it would be a miracle if there wasn't chaos! Moreover, if such bloodshed occurred, wouldn't he be implicated? With blood on his hands, how could he enter the Grand Secretariat?
At this thought,
He immediately retorted, "Weishi, this seems improper, doesn't it? Elder Yan is a man of talent in the world. Your rashness like this, wouldn't it put Elder Yan in an unjust position?"
Hmph!
Zhang Yu said contemptuously, "Mengjing, I am discussing this with you out of respect for Grand Secretary Xu's reputation. Don't try to trap me… Go back and ponder it yourself, and then speak to me after you've thought it through…"
Having said this,
Zhang Yu became very indifferent.
Zhao Zhenji blurted out, "You!"
Hmph!
Zhang Yu directly asked, "If you don't sign, it doesn't matter. Whatever you please!"
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Zhao Zhenji slammed the table with a "bang" and stood up angrily, saying, "Jiangnan cannot be stained with blood! Regarding the Reform Vanguards, I explicitly object!"
Zhang Yu completely ignored him, directly picked up his brush, signed the plan, and shouted,
"Minister Wan! Proceed with the implementation immediately!"
Zhao Zhenji then let out a long sigh and said slowly,
"Weishi, we are fellow colleagues who will die together, and fate has brought us to preside over the reforms in Jiangnan… I have one piece of sincere advice: killing the people is inauspicious!"
Zhang Yu calmly replied,
"Mengjing, you don't need to advise me. Just go back and ponder it yourself! I have said all I need to say. You decide for yourself…"
You!
Zhao Zhenji was about to retort when a thought flashed through his mind—
He wants me to ponder?
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Ponder what?
What is there to ponder?
Suddenly,
A brilliant flash of insight struck his mind—
They're doing this on purpose?!!
Deliberately causing bloodshed!
Good heavens!
What do they want to do?
As this thought arose, he immediately felt a chill run through his entire body, and his mind became blank—
They want to ruin Prince Yu…
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And also ruin the reforms!
They want to tarnish the reforms with bloodshed, to intimidate the populace, and to completely hand over power to the gentry, officials, and unscrupulous merchants, rendering the imperial court a mere formality…
Then what's next?
Wouldn't it be a forced abdication?
After all,
Zhao Zhenji was an outstanding Jinshi scholar. In addition to studying Neo-Confucianism, he had also diligently studied the philosophy of Huang-Lao and possessed profound insight into major court affairs. He often considered himself capable of being a Grand Chancellor. How could he not see through this? If Zhang Yu, a mere second-rank official, dared to act like this, wasn't it behind Yan Song's intentions?
This was clearly a prelude to a major event!
In an instant,
He had grasped the whole story, but one thing puzzled him—
If they get rid of Prince Yu and then force an abdication, then who will become emperor? Have they already chosen a vassal king? Or perhaps that mad Prince Jing…?