"Oh?"
Everyone was surprised!
How could such a thing happen?
They had always heard that the servants of the Prince of Yu's mansion were the most honest, never causing trouble. How did Feng Bao, who had been eating and drinking for free, end up at the Yan family's restaurant?
Yan Song pondered for a moment, then suddenly grinned and said,
"Good, good, very good. That's how it should be... I recall your first report saying that Yan Fu and Yan Shou encountered someone on the street holding a royal jade pendant... Prince Yu has probably heard about it, meaning Zhu Mo might be from a princely family! I told you to investigate, but you didn't... Now Prince Yu sends his servants to eat and drink for free without paying, meaning – he needs our Yan family's help! Do you understand? Do you grasp the deeper meaning...?"
_Hiss_
Everyone suddenly realized—
Yes,
Not paying meant owing the Yan family a favor, but how could a prince owe a favor?
It was as if to say—
He wanted the Yan family to help him with something! And this matter could absolutely not be spoken of, and the Yan family should know it implicitly... What else could it be? It could only be something related to the imperial family, which was why the eunuch Feng Bao remained silent...
Alas,
Ginger is indeed spicier when it's old, and the Grand Secretary is the most formidable. Zhu Mo's background had already aroused Prince Yu's suspicion!
The more Yan Shifan thought about it, the more excited he became, and he said gravely, "Yes, absolutely! This makes things easier. With Prince Yu's stance, it will be much easier for us to bring down that Zhu Mo..."
Seeing that his retainers understood the crux of the matter, the old Yan Song felt somewhat reassured and said slowly,
"Yes, that's right... Everyone must be united, think more, and things will become clear. Now, Zhu Mo, Xu Jie, Zhang Juzheng, and those behind them have not yet moved against our people, but what about next? I predict that the next step will be to move against our people... Therefore, we must win over more people. We must win over anyone we can, and protect anyone we can. This message must be passed down. I have treated scholars all my life and will never give up halfway!"
He paused and continued, "You all, what kind of people have you been using these past few years? Not a single one can hold the fort... I have always said that the most important thing in accomplishing great deeds is to use the right people! Only when people are used correctly can things be accomplished! Shifan, all of you think about it, who are the people we most need to win over now?"
After suffering such severe blows, everyone suddenly realized that Yan Song's everyday nagging truisms were the ultimate truths, and they listened intently.
Yan Shifan pondered for a moment and said, "Father, your son has also understood it this time... Zhu Mo's actions in Jiangnan, none of them are for the benefit of scholars. The gentry are bound to be resentful. His cruel official's blade is already hanging over their heads! Your son thinks that the gentry of Jiangnan should be the people we most need to win over right now?"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone simultaneously had a thought—
Yan Shifan was, after all, intelligent and had reacted a step faster!
Yan Song also greatly approved, nodding his head,
"Yes, that's right... Zhu Mo is carrying out reforms! Reforms, do you understand? It's not just aimed at our Yan family; he's targeting scholars all over the empire! As long as one is a scholar who governs, they will not like this... This is our momentum! Do you understand? Shifan, Wenhua, Long Wen, all of you go and mingle, tell your subordinates to make it clear to the gentry of the empire that Zhu Mo is carrying out reforms. He wants to change the ancestral system, the system of the sages, and this is the greatest momentum now..."
_Hiss~_
Everyone suddenly realized—
Yes, Zhu Mo's actions, while ostensibly targeting the Yan family, were a bloody assault that wounded the gentry of the entire empire. What about government-run banks, envoy merchant groups, establishing rules for merchants, and so on? If this is not reform, what is it? He speaks of the common people all the time and doesn't put the gentry in his eyes at all...
To put it bluntly,
This is a Shang Yang of the Great Ming!
Once he succeeds, what honor and prosperity for his descendants will scholars who govern have?
...
In the following days,
To better handle the relief efforts in Xuanda, Zhu Mo no longer stayed in the Hanlin Academy but went directly to work at the Ministry of War.
This was suggested in Zhang Juzheng's secret letter. Firstly, he had many connections in the Ministry of War, and secondly, Xuanda was part of the Nine Borders, and important matters had always been handled by the Ministry of War. Moreover, Liang Menglong, as the deputy envoy, was also the Vice Minister of the Ministry of War, making everything logical and allowing him to trust his own people.
Reports on the disaster situation in Xuanda arrived every three days. Zhu Mo pondered repeatedly and felt that Liang Menglong was doing a good job. Most of the disaster victims had been resettled, and indeed, no one else had died.
"It seems I don't need to go to Xuanda personally. After the salt arrives and the goods are delivered, and the market is thoroughly investigated, the next step will be to go to Jiangnan and get the salt industry investment started... We'll walk on two legs. Only when Zhang Juzheng finalizes the overseas silk trade and receives the deposit from foreigners will we have truly established a foothold..."
On this day,
It was the ninth day after receiving the deposit.
A large ship of sea salt had arrived at the Yongding River port.
To provide good service, Zhu Mo found over two hundred people and personally delivered the goods to the clients' residences and shops according to the addresses on the deposit ledger. After a busy period, by the dark of the next day, all the goods had been delivered. Zhu Mo distributed the wages to everyone on the pier.
The harvest this time was substantial. For 200,000 jin of salt, they earned a total of 40,000 taels of silver, which was a considerable sum in the current capital. The gross profit margin was quite impressive. Even if they sold at a reduced price in the future, there would still be substantial income. It seemed the strategy was indeed feasible.
Upon returning to his residence, a postal courier was already waiting at the door. As soon as they met, he handed over two letters.
One was from Shen Shixing, a lengthy essay titled "A Letter to Scholar Zhu," discussing his insights into Zhu Mo's strategies. The other was from Zhang Juzheng, first reporting good news and then recommending several people.
Zhu Mo read both letters several times and felt that their simultaneous arrival was truly unusual.
Shen Shixing's long essay indeed discussed the views of the pure scholars and gentry on the current situation, using the tone of peers discussing issues. The entire text focused on one keyword: the orthodox way.
" ...
It is said that when scholars govern, they must rectify their hearts and cultivate themselves. In the villages, they are gentlemen, setting an example for the common people; in the court, they are loyal ministers, guiding the ruler towards the era of Yao and Shun. This way is like the sun and moon traversing the sky, existing not because of Yao and Shun, and not perishing because of Jie and Zhou. As Dongzi said, 'The heavens do not change, nor does the Way,' this is what it means.
The Yan faction, however, does not cultivate itself nor show sincerity. It first promises fame and fortune to solicit the ruler, and then governs by unorthodox means, which harms the Way. Therefore, for twenty years, people's hearts have become frivolous, and the orthodox way has become hidden. The people do not respect scholars, and scholars do not care for the people. The four cardinal virtues are not upheld, and natural disasters are frequent.
Now, Scholar Zhu governs like parting the clouds to see the sun, and the Great Way returns. Scholars and the common people of Jiangnan all praise him. Why? Because the scholar's way is orthodox, upright, and impartial. However, even the sages consider expediency. To correct a crookedness that goes too far is appropriate, but the expediency within the classics cannot be abandoned. Now, the Yan faction can be described as vicious, so using evil to control evil and expediency to oppose the orthodox way is the orthodox way. If one were to judge everything by Qin law, then scholars would not be scholars, and the people would not be the people. This is abandoning the expediency within the classics, which the sages have all deemed unacceptable, and the gentry of the empire will surely be perplexed by it..."
Zhu Mo thought for a long time, and then, referencing Zhang Juzheng's letter, he finally understood.