Chapter 557: The Ming Dynasty

A rigid hierarchy is most typically marked by high rigidity and lack of mobility. A caste system uses politics, law, religion, occupation, culture, and even marriage to completely fix everyone's social relations. It is hereditary and unchanging, with barriers between classes that are completely impassable. This is a rigid hierarchy.

For example, the Ming Dynasty also exhibits a rigid hierarchy: the hereditary official class of the Emperor, the generations of hereditary military nobility, the prominent families that have been passed down for hundreds of years, and the scholar-officials born from the Ming imperial examinations. They enjoy privileges in law and taxation.

However, the Ming Dynasty is very clearly a class society distinguished by the means of production, not a caste society, because there are very clear channels for upward mobility. The imperial examination is the "carp leaping over the dragon gate," and the widely existing practice of obtaining hereditary rank as a battalion or company commander after performing meritorious service is also a channel for advancement. With the Wanli Reform, the common people of the Ming Dynasty have even more channels for upward mobility.

The three-level schools of the Engineer Corps, the Ming Dynasty's Royal Institute of Technology, the Martial Arts Academy, the Maritime Academy, the artisan schools of the official factories, and the paths of becoming a maritime inspector, a frontier garrison commander, or a company commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard—these are all new channels for promotion established since the Wanli Reform.

The Ming Dynasty is undergoing changes with each passing day. These changes are not solely caused by Zhang Juzheng's New Policies, so calling the Wanli Reform simply the "Zhang Juzheng Reform" is now biased. Zhu Yijun stood on the shoulders of giants, allowing the Ming Dynasty to take another small step forward, and this small step was extremely difficult.

Every step of the reform represents a new attempt and a challenge to those with vested interests.

Every step Zhu Yijun takes is very steady.

At the end of the seventh month of the eleventh year of Wanli, Zhu Yijun received a memorial from the Nagasaki Governor's Office. Following the unfavorable news of Oda Nobunaga's assassination attempt, he was defeated in Osaka Bay, which was even more disadvantageous for Oda Nobunaga.

It is not surprising that Mōri Terumoto was able to defeat the Kumano Navy led by Kuki Yoshitaka; this is not the first time the Mōri family has defeated Oda Nobunaga's navy. In the First Battle of Kizugawaguchi, the Mōri family had already won against Oda Nobunaga.

However, Oda Nobunaga soon built a new type of warship, the Atakebune. The appearance of the Atakebune put Mōri Terumoto at a complete disadvantage in maritime combat.

"Let me see what level of Ming ship Oda Nobunaga's Atakebune is equivalent to." Zhu Yijun picked up the memorial from the maritime inspector and carefully checked the parameters of the Atakebune.

"An ordinary Atakebune is 400 *liao*, which is the same as the Ming Dynasty's *Zuanfeng* sea ship: 6 *zhang* 2 *chi* long, 1 *zhang* 2 *chi* wide, and 3 *chi* 4 *cun* deep, divided into 8 compartments, with two masts, 4 oars, 9 poles, and 2 iron anchors." Zhu Yijun saw that the most ordinary Atakebune was inferior in size to the *Zuanfeng* sea ship. The Ming *Zuanfeng* sea ship is 432 *liao*, while the Atakebune's 400 *liao* is actually 374 *liao*.

Rounding up, they are both 400 *liao*.

"The largest Atakebune is the *Tenka-maru*: 9 *zhang* 3 *chi* long, 2 *zhang* 3 *chi* wide, 4 *chi* 8 *cun* deep, divided into 16 compartments, with a single mast, 4 oars, 12 poles, 3 iron anchors, 16 iron cannons, and 500 *liao*..." After reading about this large ship named *Tenka-maru*, Zhu Yijun said with slight confusion: "Feng Banban, am I confused? Can this 500 *liao* ship be called a large ship?"

The largest ship Zhu Yijun has seen is the *Youlong*, which is 33 *zhang* long, 3 *zhang* 8 *chi* 1 *cun* wide, 1 *zhang* 9 *chi* 6 *cun* deep, with a load capacity of 3.4 million *jin*, five masts, and four 30-*jin* cannons at the front alone. And this is just a merchant ship, not the *Feiyun*, which is specially used for combat and is covered in cannon ports.

The *Tenka-maru*, called the "Great Atake," is only the same size as a Ming 400 *liao* command ship. In Ming statistics, a 400 *liao* command ship cannot even be called a warship; during the Yongle era, they were not even included in the statistics. It is much smaller than the *Fuchuan* ships that General Qi Jiguang Jiguang used to pacify the Japanese pirates.

This thing is currently Japan's main warship.

Feng Bao remained silent for a moment and said: "For Japan, this ship is not small. Oda Nobunaga probably spent a lot of effort to build it. You can't compare everything to the Ming Dynasty. If you compare it to the Ming Dynasty, it's better to buy with silver."

It is not that Japan is weak, but that the Ming Dynasty is too strong.

"If he wants to buy, I won't sell to him," Zhu Yijun shook his head and said.

The Ming Dynasty prohibits the sale of ships to Japan. In addition to ships, food, weapons, and other items are also on the list of prohibited sales to Japan. Because Ryukyu is in the hands of the Ming Dynasty, goods traveling to and from Japan must pass through Ming inspections, so no contraband can escape the Ming ban.

Being caught means colluding with the Japanese, and colluding with the Japanese is a crime among the most serious of crimes.

"What is this 'Eta Hinin'?" After reading the parameters of the Atakebune and confirming that their ships did not have the ability to cross the sea, Zhu Yijun continued to read the frontier reports.

The frontier report mentioned "Eta Hinin." Zhu Yijun carefully understood it and confirmed that he had not misread it.

After thinking carefully, he remembered what this concept was. It also existed widely in 21st-century Japan. These people were called *burakumin* in later generations. There was a book called *Buraku Chimei Sōkan* that was widely circulated. The descendants of these *burakumin* also suffered from discrimination. These *burakumin* could not enter good private universities, would not be hired by companies after graduation, and ordinary families would not marry their daughters to *burakumin*. Once involved in a criminal case, they were assumed guilty, and so on.

The *Buraku Chimei Sōkan* recorded the surnames of the past Eta Hinin, such as: *Inohana*, *Inukai*, *Inukai*, *Uchō*, *Inomata*—these surnames are typical.

Zhu Yijun was silent for a moment and was convinced that this was not the fault of Confucianism. Confucianism and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius speak of the principles of ruler and subject, and also of the good and the base, but Confucianism also speaks of "education without discrimination," "human nature is inherently good," and so on. But the Japanese in Japan really didn't learn any of it.

The profession of prostitution is a base status, but Qian Qianyi, a Vice Minister of the Rites and Minister of the Rites of the Ming Dynasty, still married Liu Rushi as his wife.

When trouble broke out, the slave uprisings in Jiangnan and the *Cao Ge Suo Qi* were also major events that shocked the imperial court.

The Ming Dynasty is also governed by Confucianism, and no such things have happened. In Japan, the Eta Hinin are a group that cannot be touched or discussed.

"If this Oda Oichi is willing to come, let her come. As for her demands, just pretend not to know. Send a decree to the Nagasaki Governor's Office; they can appropriately provide Oda Nobunaga with some firearms and gunpowder to maintain the balance between the two sides, so that the Ming Dynasty can benefit as the fisherman. Zhu Yijun gave his vermilion approval to Xu Wei's memorial, letting Xu Wei grasp the degree of it himself.

Mōri Terumoto cannot win, and Oda Nobunaga cannot win. Only when both sides are evenly matched can they truly become a meat grinder, draining the last drop of blood from Japan. Only in this way can the Ming Dynasty win.

Zhu Yijun does not intend to attack Japan on a large scale in the near future. For a Japan with 9 million people, to completely destroy it, the Japanese need to do it themselves.

Balance exists in all things.

"Don't send the iron horses to pick them up this time." Zhu Yijun didn't even need to do more; just by not sending iron horses to pick them up, he released a clear signal. The officials of the Ministry of Rites received the signal and would naturally know how to make things difficult in the process. How could an audience with the Ming Emperor be so easy and simple?

Japan is not qualified to be a dog for the Ming Dynasty.

There are two choices before Zhu Yijun. The first choice is to agree to Oda Nobunaga's request and let the Ming maritime inspectors become Oda Nobunaga's protectors. This would facilitate the maritime inspectors' operations in Japan and effectively reduce the risk of the maritime inspectors gathering intelligence, which is equivalent to driving a nail into Japan's throat.

It would probably be: The Ming Dynasty's Factory-Guard in Japan — The Special Investigation Department of the Kyoto District Public Prosecutors Office.

The second choice is not to agree. Most of the Ming maritime inspectors come from the southeast and chose to risk their lives at sea because their families suffered from Japanese pirates. The soldiers on the front line are using their lives to guard the safety of the Ming Dynasty's maritime borders, so that the suffering they experienced will not befall the Ming Dynasty again. If Zhu Yijun, the emperor who handles logistics in the rear, turns around and sells them to Japan, letting the maritime inspectors serve the Japanese, then it would be very reasonable for the maritime inspectors to curse him as a "dog emperor."

The opinions of the front line are very important. The soldiers on the front line are paying with their lives, fighting on the battlefield. The first consideration in the rear should be the opinions of the front line. This has also been Zhu Yijun's consistent stance since he became emperor. Zhu Yijun has never interfered with any of General Qi Jiguang Jiguang's command on the front line.

Zhu Yijun is well aware of his own military talent.

Zhu Yijun did not express his position immediately, but sent a decree to the Northern Suppressing and Pacifying Office, asking the *Tiqi* of the Northern Suppressing and Pacifying Office to consult the opinions of the various maritime inspectorate offices.

Whether this Special Investigation Department of the Kyoto District Public Prosecutors Office should be established, the opinions of the maritime inspectors carry the most weight.

The Ming Emperor tends not to agree. He must consider the emotions of the soldiers on the front line, especially the maritime inspectors who are deep behind enemy lines. They are already very hard-working operating hydrofoil sailboats.

"Your Majesty, our maritime inspectors are not going smoothly in gathering intelligence in Japan, and they often have to pay a high price. If they had an official identity to act, it would be much simpler." Zhao Mengyou, as the *Tishuai* and the head of the Ming intelligence department, put forward his own opinion.

Being benevolent does not conflict with loving soldiers like sons, nor is it contradictory. When sacrifice is necessary, Zhao Mengyou will step forward, but if casualties can be reduced and intelligence can be obtained more conveniently, it is also good news for the soldiers on the front line.

Life is the most important thing. Losing one maritime inspector is a loss for the Ming Dynasty.

"After all, they are going to Japan to be the 'Emperor Father,' not to be Eta Hinin." Zhao Mengyou whispered his reasons. They are going to be people above others, not base people. He could understand the Emperor's tendency not to agree, because not giving the Japanese envoy an iron horse was the most powerful tendency.

Zhu Yijun could actually understand Zhao Mengyou's statement. Think about the life of the Great American troops stationed in Japan in later generations. The maritime inspectors going to Kyoto from the Ming Dynasty would have the same treatment—doing whatever they want, doing whatever they want.

"But it's still a grievance. Even if it's nominally protecting Oda Nobunaga, it's still a grievance." Zhu Yijun waved his hand and said: "Send a decree to ask for the opinions of the various inspectorate offices."

Zhu Yijun decided to ask first and see what the maritime inspectors on the front line said. Whether the maritime inspectors want to be this "Emperor Father" of Japan—actually, they can go without protecting Oda Nobunaga, but instead become a tool for the Ming Dynasty to stir up trouble in Japan, a special task force that protects Oda Nobunaga, providing everything except protection.

The emotions of the maritime inspectors must be taken care of; they are on the front line of resisting the Japanese.

"Why are Lin Fu and Li Zhi arguing again? Didn't they make up?" Zhu Yijun picked up the miscellaneous report on the table. This is today's miscellaneous report. There are actually few miscellaneous reports that can be published daily. Only three can do it: the *Gewu Bao*, the *Min Bao*, and the *Xiaoyao Yiwen*. Most of the others are semi-monthly or monthly. It is already very good to be able to publish once a month.

Daily publication requires a large number of readers to be achieved.

The *Gewu Bao* really has things to publish every day. There is no end to it. Not to mention the Ming Dynasty's understanding of the infinite principles of all things, just finishing the content about "investigating things to extend knowledge" in the *Yongle Dadian* is a task that is difficult to complete in a lifetime.

The recent excitement in the capital is nothing more than Li Zhi and Lin Fu arguing again and again. The squabbling between the two liberal factions is like a daily routine. Even though they made peace last time, it does not affect the two of them attacking each other with words.

This argument is about the tax collection of the Tax Collection Institute.

Lin Fu, a liberal, is actually quite disgusted with the tax collection of the Tax Collection Institute, because the Ming Dynasty now has more financial resources. The lives of the common people are paid in grain, and they are also burdened by the harsh demands of corvée, the "kicking and pouring" of grain, exposure to wind and sun, no money to buy supplements, private demands from the township, and suffering from punishment. Since the Ming Dynasty now has sufficient financial resources, it can collect fewer taxes. It would be better to let the people benefit from this agricultural tax.

Li Zhi, on the other hand, stood on the side of supporting the Tax Collection Institute's tax collection and refuted Lin Fu's point of view.

"Why do I feel like the two of them are singing in harmony and coordinating with each other?" The more Zhu Yijun read the content of these two copies in his hand, the stranger he felt. There was a strange smell that did not belong to the liberal faction at all—the kind of strange smell of fawning and pleasing the superior.

Zhu Yijun soon guessed that Li Zhi probably already knew his identity.

Li Zhi is an official figure, and he knows the rules of the officialdom too well.

"Summon Li Zhi for an audience." Zhu Yijun did not intend to hide it, and directly let Li Zhi come to the Tonghe Palace for an audience with the Emperor.

The end of the seventh month is still scorching hot. Amidst the shrill cries of cicadas, Zhu Yijun looked at the miscellaneous report written by Li Zhi in his hand. The more he looked, the more he felt it was like they were coordinating. Lin Fu rarely pointed fingers at government decrees, and the words he opposed were all clichés, which seemed to be deliberately throwing out a brick to attract jade, letting Li Zhi express his point of view.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty. Long live, long live, long live Your Majesty." Li Zhi entered the palace for an audience and directly knelt down smoothly.

Zhu Yijun looked at Li Zhi, who was not surprised at all, and asked with a smile: "You are not stupid either. How come your evaluation only fell to 'middle-upper'?"

"Your Majesty, there are only so many promotion quotas. Your subject was one step behind others, and it is as difficult as ascending to heaven to catch up. My skills are inferior to others." Li Zhi said helplessly. The Emperor's first sentence was to expose someone's scars.

Li Zhi did not make excuses for himself. Being old and unable to compete with young people is not a shameful thing. Admitting one's shortcomings is knowing shame.

"Exempt from the ritual. Then tell me about this article of yours." Zhu Yijun handed the miscellaneous report in his hand to Feng Bao, and Feng Bao handed it to Li Zhi.

Li Zhi knew that this was a hard-won opportunity. This was the second time in his life he had seen the Emperor. The last time he saw him, the Emperor was still "Young Master Huang." He had not passed the metropolitan examination, so naturally, he was not qualified for the palace examination and had no chance to see the Emperor at all.

This was the first formal audience with the Emperor in his life.

This was the only opportunity in his life, and he had to grasp it. Even if he wanted to be a "suggestion basket," he had to be the one that could reach the Emperor's ears directly. Otherwise, no matter how many suggestions he made, they would not reach the Emperor's ears at all.

"Your Majesty, your subject supports the Tax Collection Institute because the Tax Collection Institute has ended a phenomenon among the people, which is the widespread armed tax resistance." Li Zhi said very confidently: "Your Majesty, the existence of the Tax Collection Institute has ended this chaotic phenomenon."

"I live deep in the capital and do not know the suffering of the people. I have heard of the prevalence of tax resistance, but there have been no reports in recent years. Li Zhi, tell me, why has this chaotic phenomenon that has existed since ancient times disappeared?" Zhu Yijun frowned and said: "If you deceive me, you know the consequences."

The reason why Zhu Yijun wanted to see him immediately after seeing this article was to ask for the truth. Zhu Yijun knew about the armed tax resistance, and Lin Fu had also mentioned these in his travel notes.

"Your Majesty, 'acting as a tiger's accomplice'." Li Zhi looked at the Emperor and took a deep breath, saying: "Harsh government is fiercer than a tiger. The imperial court is the biggest fierce tiger in the world, which is what Your Majesty called the biggest evil in the world. The reason why the common people think so is still because of 'acting as a tiger's accomplice'."

"The *Taiping Guangji* says that after a tiger eats a person, it becomes a ghost that lures more people to be eaten by the tiger, and the imperial court is that fierce tiger."

Zhu Yijun frowned and said: "Is the tax collection of the Tax Collection Institute not a harsh government?"

"At least it is not a harsh government against the poor and suffering people. The poor and suffering people have no oil or water to speak of. As far as your subject's official experience in the local area is concerned, the cost of tax collection is not small. Scraping three feet of ground to scrape the poor and suffering people, what can be scraped out?" Li Zhi said very confidently: "Tax collection is a harsh government, but that is for the powerful and wealthy, the local gentry and scholar-officials."

"Your Majesty, the reason why your subject says that the Tax Collection Institute is a good government for most people in the Ming Dynasty is that the fierce tiger no longer eats people, and these ghosts that act as accomplices cannot eat people themselves."

"Your Majesty, urging for taxes and urging for collection is conscience-less. Anyone with a little conscience cannot bear to do it."

Acting as a tiger's accomplice—when the tiger no longer goes to the countryside, the ghosts that follow the tiger to the countryside cannot harm the common people either.

"The difficulty of being an official lies in urging for taxes and collection. Urging for taxes and collection is the need of the imperial court for taxes, like a hungry stomach waiting for food. The poor people paying grain rent is like digging into the brain and marrow. As local officials, they are pressed by the imperial court's urging in front and intimidated by the imperial court's punishment behind, so they can only supervise the handling."

"Being an official in the local area, one will think: rather than offending the imperial court and the monarch who can promote or demote me, it is better to endure the resentment of the common people who can do nothing to me. Therefore, orders are not completed, and the collection of arrears never stops." Li Zhi said with a heavy face.

These words are not pleasant to hear. Li Zhi, a liberal, is saying to the Emperor's face that the imperial court led by the Emperor is the biggest evil in the world.

"Continue." Zhu Yijun was not angry. Li Zhi came from the local area, which can be considered the voice of local officials. He already knew his identity, and he still wanted to say this. This is blaming Chen Shan, it is loyalty. At least Li Zhi is loyal to the Ming Dynasty's mountains and rivers, and loyal to the Ming Dynasty's common people. He can say this point.

Li Zhi finally breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. He knew he had bet right. The Emperor was willing to understand these things, rather than hiding in the palace as a supreme, high-above, and addicted-to-praise emperor.

Li Zhi continued: "Offending the imperial court is better than offending the common people. For local officials, this is not a dilemma, so they will go to the countryside to urge for taxes and collection. The imperial court wants taxes, so the powerful and wealthy, the local gentry and scholar-officials who act as tiger's accomplices, take their lackeys to the countryside together."

"Every time they urge for taxes and collection, thousands of families cry and thousands of households wear mourning clothes, just like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. As long as the common people have debts, they have to sell their new silk and new grain to exchange for meager income to pay taxes, grain, and harsh levies. If both silk and grain are exhausted, they sell their property. If the property is exhausted, they sell their wives and children."

"In this way, the taxes sent down by the imperial court are collected, but if this continues for a long time, seven or eight out of ten people will die. Draining the pond to catch the fish—there will be no fish next year. Isn't it painful?!"

"But they only care about collecting money and grain, not whether the common people die."

Is promotion important, or is the peace and contentment of the people under one's rule important? For local officials, promotion is naturally important.

"But they only care about collecting money and grain, not whether the common people die." Zhu Yijun repeated it, looking slightly silent, and said: "I know why you can't be promoted. 'If there is sin in the world, the sin lies in me'."

Speaking the truth in officialdom will offend many people.

"Your Majesty's Tax Collection Institute has arrived!"

Li Zhi said quite excitedly: "Your Majesty, the Tax Collection Institute's tax collection is aimed at big families. Big families have money and grain, and they have used all kinds of means to hide them. Even if the Tax Collection Institute only leaves 30% in the local area, it is enough for local food and drink, and enough to pay taxes. Since the money and grain are collected, there is naturally no need to urge for collection!"

Zhu Yijun shook his head and said: "But the powerful and wealthy still want to exploit downwards. They will transfer the taxes they paid to the heads of the common people."

"Your Majesty, it is not like that. If the tiger no longer eats people, how can the ghosts act fiercely?!" Li Zhi said very confidently: "The imperial court no longer needs to rely on the powerful and wealthy, so the common people's resistance is not defying the king's orders, nor is it rebellion. If they really fight, the powerful and wealthy are still the minority."

"In the countryside, it is nothing more than the imperial court, the local gentry and scholar-officials, and the common people. These three parties originally had the imperial court and the local gentry and scholar-officials standing back-to-back tightly. If one is the tiger and the other is the ghost, the common people can only be meat on the chopping board, slaughtered by others!"

"But now, the yamen and the local gentry and scholar-officials no longer rely on each other tightly. For the common people, this is a great thing, even if the tiger is dozing off!"

"Is it really so?" Zhu Yijun tasted it slightly and said: "I will send *Tiqi* to investigate everywhere. If it is not as you said, you know that deceiving the emperor is an unforgivable crime."

"Your subject knows." Li Zhi dared to take responsibility for his words!

Zhu Yijun thought for a moment and said: "Go and call the teacher."

If you have doubts, you must find a teacher! As a student of Zhang Juzheng, isn't it natural to find a teacher to ask?

Zhang Juzheng came very quickly, and he also brought Xiong Tingbi.

"See Your Majesty, Your Majesty is safe." Zhang Juzheng led Xiong Tingbi to pay respects.

"Why did Xiong Da come?" Zhu Yijun looked at Xiong Tingbi. At fourteen, he was already broad-shouldered and thick-waisted. It is true that he looked a bit mature. In this era, fourteen is already the age of marriage.

"Your Majesty, the student still wants to go to Suiyuan." Xiong Tingbi took a deep breath and said: "Eating the king's salary and being loyal to the king's affairs, Your Majesty rewards some silver every month. Your subject feels uneasy taking it. The teacher could not overcome the student, so he had to bring the student to Tonghe Palace."

"Not allowed to go." Zhu Yijun said very calmly: "If I say sixteen, it is sixteen. To say more is to defy the decree."

"Yes." Xiong Tingbi felt fear. Although the Emperor spoke very calmly, he was quite majestic. Imperial power cannot be provoked.

Seeing that Xiong Tingbi did not dare to talk back, Zhu Yijun put away his imperial posture, but still said with some majesty: "Xiong Tingbi, remember, I find you famous teachers, let you study wholeheartedly, and let you practice martial arts, so that you can serve the imperial court and the Ming Dynasty. I know you have high talent and are both civil and military, but thirteen is still too young. Whether you want to go to Suiyuan or the Western Regions, go after sixteen. Only then can I feel at ease."

"Do you know my love for talent?"

"The student knows it very well. It was the student who was abrupt." Xiong Tingbi knew that the Emperor was caring, fearing that he, a future pillar, would die prematurely.

Zhu Yijun then smiled and said: "Sit down."

"Teacher, this is Li Zhi. He wrote an article. Teacher, please help me take a look." Zhu Yijun handed Li Zhi's article to Zhang Juzheng.

Zhang Juzheng looked at it for a long time, then looked at Li Zhi and said: "Why is your evaluation only middle-upper? If you were a little higher, you could have been promoted. Why did you retire as a prefect?"

"At first, I had some disdain for the teacher and refused to learn the theory of contradictions, and I had some complaints about the theory of contradictions and the method of assessment." Li Zhi sighed. These two master and apprentice were really carved from the same mold. The first sentence was to expose someone's scars!

Is it interesting!

"Why do you have complaints about me?" Zhang Juzheng frowned and said: "You and I have no contradictions."

"Because of He Xinyin, He Xinyin and I are both from the Taizhou School. Although we have never met, I thought the teacher was excluding dissidents." Li Zhi thought for a moment and said: "He gathered people to lecture for the sake of money. There are five human relations, and He Xinyin abandoned four of them, and only placed himself among the teachers, friends, and sages. This is withered and cannot be used as a training."

"If you restrain people too hard, those who rebel will be many; if you blame people on the road, those who live will be uneasy; if you gather people with money, then the greedy will compete to rise. Death is their own taking."

At first, Li Zhi misunderstood Zhang Juzheng, so he was very dissatisfied with Zhang Juzheng's exclusion of dissidents, until he learned what He Xinyin had done, and then he understood why He Xinyin died.

Gathering people with money and greed competing to rise is the crime. For the sake of money, he abandoned everything. There are five human relations, and he abandoned four. This is the way to self-destruction.

This is not what Li Zhi is saying to Zhang Juzheng's face now. When he was the prefect of Yao'an in Yunnan, after specifically asking his classmates to understand He Xinyin's actions, he was very disdainful.

"Does the teacher think what Li Zhi said about 'acting as a tiger's accomplice' is true or false?" Zhu Yijun asked directly to his face.

Zhang Juzheng bowed his head and said: "Naturally, it is true. The reason why no one says it is that they regard the imperial court's tax payment as a fierce tiger. This kind of statement is really a bit rebellious."

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xs007zhuikereadw23zw ===== CHAPTER 558 =====