Chapter 983: What is yours, no one can take away

"That is fine. Minister Yang, just do your best." Zhu Yijun granted Yang Junmin's request.

Zhu Yijun did not like Yang Bo because Yang Bo was disloyal. It was not that Yang Bo was unaware of this; he knew very well that what he was doing was wrong, yet he chose to do it anyway.

In the end, Yang Bo chose to retire at the height of his career, supported the Single Whip Reform, and returned to his hometown, which could be considered leaving behind a final shred of dignity for both the monarch and his minister.

In the early years of the Wanli era, when the Emperor was young and the state was in doubt, with national affairs teetering in the wind and rain, this final shred of dignity was already no small feat.

Therefore, Zhu Yijun would not target Yang Junmin, much less deliberately suppress him. The past was the past.

It was not that Yang Junmin was incompetent. He was different from Shen Yiguan, Wang Yie, and Wang Xiyuan. The Jin Party had disintegrated, and Yang Junmin had lost his backing, which was why he found himself in such a difficult position.

Zhu Yijun had granted the Vice Prefect of Shuntian a special privilege: he could, like the court officials, request an audience at the Tonghe Palace at any time. It was said to be for discussing state affairs, but in reality, it was to allow the Vice Prefect of Shuntian to seek help. However, Yang Junmin had never used it once.

This was not strange. Before Yang Bo passed away, he must have given some special instructions. Moreover, Yang Junmin could not gauge the Emperor's attitude toward Yang Bo. He feared that if he went to the Tonghe Palace only to be met with a closed door, he, as the Vice Prefect of Shuntian, would be trampled upon by the six departments.

"If you encounter difficulties, just come to the Tonghe Palace." Zhu Yijun specifically mentioned this, telling Yang Junmin not to overthink it. Even the Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, who was proud and arrogant, knew to seek help when he encountered an insurmountable obstacle.

Human hearts are easily swayed. Having been Emperor for so many years, Zhu Yijun naturally understood that Yang Junmin was prone to anxiety and overthinking.

This time, having the official factories as his backing and seeking further grace was, in fact, a probe by Yang Junmin to see exactly what the Emperor's attitude toward him was. The Emperor's response gave him a sense of reassurance.

Yang Junmin was quite surprised, suddenly realizing that His Majesty was not a complex person at all. If one worked earnestly for the country and upheld justice for the people of the world, one could truly earn His Majesty's recognition.

"Your subject kowtows and thanks Your Majesty for your immense grace." The heavy stone in Yang Junmin's heart finally fell.

Zhu Yijun discovered that, at this point, the relationship between monarch and minister was not as complex as he had imagined. It was exactly as Mencius said: "If the monarch views his ministers as his hands and feet, then the ministers view the monarch as their heart and belly."

Because behind him stood the one hundred thousand elite troops of the Capital Battalion, which could make those with wild ambitions calm down, the relationship between monarch and minister became simple.

Without these one hundred thousand elite troops of the Capital Battalion, this relationship would be far, far more complex.

The morning court continued. Zhu Yijun approved many memorials, such as the publication of the land reclamation in Liaodong, the further determination of pasture boundaries in Suiyuan, the specific scale of the migration of people in Shaanxi, Gansu, and Suiyuan, and the further reduction and exemption of taxes due to the poor weather this year.

A censor submitted a memorial requesting a halt to the import of grain from overseas. The reason seemed quite sufficient: imported grain was cheap, and cheap grain harmed the farmers.

The price of imported grain from overseas was two mace of silver per shi in Guangzhou, and only three mace of silver per shi in Songjiang Prefecture. This price was generally lower than the grain price in the Great Ming, which led to everyone buying imported grain instead of local grain. Local farmers were forced to lower their prices, and cheap grain harmed the farmers.

If growing grain was not profitable, merchants would abandon the land, and farmers would also abandon the land. Slowly, the stability and security of the Great Ming's grain supply would become overly dependent on imported grain.

However, this logic did not hold water with Zhu Yijun, because Zhu Yijun himself was a farmer. Zhu Yijun dared not say he knew more than the scholar-officials about other things, but when it came to farming, Zhu Yijun was better than most of his ministers.

No matter how cheap imported grain was, farmers would absolutely never abandon their land. In the eyes of scholar-officials who could not distinguish the five grains and did not exert their limbs, grain was a tradable commodity, something that grew on shelves, and could be bought at any time at a rice shop with silver.

But in the hearts of farmers, grain was life.

Grain was different from beef. One would not die from not eating beef, but if one could not even afford grain, one would certainly starve to death.

On this point, Zhu Yijun was very certain. He had been farming for nineteen years. From someone who would kill even a pothos plant, he had become a semi-doctor of agriculture. He had personally come into contact with at least three thousand farming households. Farmers would absolutely never stop farming just because grain was cheap.

In the ninth year of Wanli, Zhu Yijun had handled a land dispute case in Wanping County. Just because of three-tenths of a mu of land, four people from the Liu and Li families of Qiu Village in Wanping had died. In the countryside, having more children meant having more confidence, and having more children meant having more labor. Such land disputes were an advantage.

If grain prices were low, they could choose not to sell and keep it for themselves to eat. In this day and age, grain had not yet become abundant enough to be freely circulated and traded.

Especially outside of Songjiang Prefecture, other parts of the Great Ming had not completed the transformation of a commodity economy. The transportation in the Great Ming had only a few sparse imperial roads.

During a grain famine, silver could not buy life-saving grain.

Most of the farming households in the capital that Zhu Yijun came into contact with could be considered middle-class families. Usually, they did not have three years of savings; at most two and a half years, and at least only half a year. Some had no savings at all and occasionally had to go without grain.

At least during the Wanli era, this basic situation would not change significantly.

"Sir, if growing grain could make money, would it even be the farmers' turn to grow it?" Zhu Yijun's tone was very calm, but Feng Bao could feel that His Majesty was angry. It was not anger at this censor, but helplessness at this question.

If growing grain could make money, the farmers would be annexed until not a single mu of land was left.

The main economy of the Great Ming was still a small-scale peasant economy. The biggest characteristic of a small-scale peasant economy was its closed nature. Agricultural output and surplus could not be smoothly exchanged, so annexation had not yet become so severe that the people were driven to desperation.

In the process of the transformation of the commodity economy, if growing grain could make money, the local gentry would not leave a single mu of land for the farmers.

"Your Majesty, it would not be their turn." Zhang Juzheng answered this question very affirmatively.

"So, this 'cheap grain harms farmers'—who exactly is being harmed?" Zhu Yijun asked again.

"The local gentry." Zhang Juzheng did not hesitate and answered the question quickly.

"Stamp this memorial by Censor Chen." Zhu Yijun did not lose his temper at this censor, but chose to stamp it and have the Cabinet reprimand him. Censors should learn more about the actual situation before writing memorials. When Lin Fucheng discussed the grassland issue, he knew to go there personally.

"Your subject obeys the decree." Zhang Juzheng bowed his head to receive the order. A stamp of "useless and reckless speech" followed by a reprimand from the Cabinet was already quite serious.

This was the last matter of the court discussion. This unimportant matter was the final wrap-up. Zhu Yijun signaled to Feng Bao, who flicked his horsetail whisk, stepped forward, and shouted: "If there are matters, step out and report; if not, roll up the screen and retire from court."

"Your subjects respectfully see off Your Majesty." All the officials stood up to pay their respects.

Zhu Yijun looked back. Fortunately, he was a well-trained Emperor, otherwise, he would have almost laughed out loud. Shen Shiying hurriedly stood up while holding the table. His foot hurt, so he could only hold the table with one hand while paying respects, which looked somewhat comical.

This sprained foot had truly caused Shen Shiying to lose all face.

Zhu Yijun rested in the back hall for a while, and Feng Bao reported that Shen Li requested a private audience.

Shen Li wanted to say two things. He wanted to recommend Gao Qiyu as Minister of Rites, so that Gao Qiyu would be the Minister of Rites in name and reality, rather than managing the affairs of the Ministry of Rites as a Left Vice Minister, which was somewhat lacking in legitimacy.

Secondly, Shen Li had been reading history recently and had some new insights to share with His Majesty.

"Minister of Rites, follow me to the Tonghe Palace to speak in detail." Zhu Yijun let Shen Li board the small train together. The small train whistled, and with a chug-chug sound, it started moving.

"No need for formalities, sit, sit, sit." Zhu Yijun had Feng Bao pour a cup of good tea before asking: "Minister of Rites, you want Gao Qiyu to be the Minister of Rites, does the Master agree?"

"Replying to Your Majesty, your subject does not know." Shen Li said very clearly: "Your subject is on duty in the Wenyuange. The Minister of Rites has been managing affairs for a long time. If the name is not correct, the words will not be smooth. Last time, when the charter of the Pan-Pacific Commercial Alliance was signed, there were some twists and turns. Your subject still feels it is better for the Minister of Rites to be worthy of the name."

"Then I will discuss this matter with the Master, and you can recommend it, Minister of Rites." Zhu Yijun understood Shen Li's concerns. This matter really required him, the Emperor, to step in; Zhang Juzheng was not easy to provoke.

Gao Qiyu had made so many contributions. If they continued to play dumb like this, I am afraid the officials of the Ministry of Rites would have some thoughts in their hearts.

Shen Li took out a memorial and presented it to His Majesty, saying: "Your Majesty, your subject has been studying historical materials recently and discovered a strange thing, which is the unification of the six states by Qin."

"Since Jia Yi said in 'The Faults of Qin' during the Han dynasty: 'When it came to the First Emperor, he exerted the remaining strength of six generations.' Since then, scholars and poets of all dynasties have believed that the unification of the six states by Qin and the grand plan of moving east were the legacy of six generations."

"Your subject has recently studied the 'Theory of Contradictions' and the 'Records of the Grand Historian' and feels that this is not the case."

"Oh?" Zhu Yijun picked up the memorial and read it for a long time. The 'Theory of Contradictions' discusses contradictions. In Shen Li's view, when the First Emperor succeeded as the King of Qin, the Qin State did not look like it was going to unify the world, but was plagued by internal and external troubles.

The First Emperor's father, King Zhuangxiang of Qin, Qin Yiren, only served as the King of Qin for three years.

In the third year of King Zhuangxiang of Qin, King Zhuangxiang of Qin sent Meng Ao to capture Gaodu and Ji of the Wei State, and attacked Yuci, Xincheng, and Langmeng of the Zhao State, ordering Wang He to attack Shangdang Commandery and establish Taiyuan Commandery.

The Wei and Zhao states naturally would not sit still and wait for death. Lord Xinling of Wei united the allied forces of the five states of Yan, Zhao, Han, Wei, and Chu to counterattack.

The allied forces defeated the Qin army south of the Yellow River. Meng Ao retreated in defeat, and the allied forces pursued the victory to Hangu Pass. The Qin army closed the pass and did not come out. After this battle, Lord Xinling became famous throughout the world.

This was an external trouble. The internal trouble was that the ruler was young and the state was in doubt.

The First Emperor was only thirteen years old when he ascended the throne. Lu Buwei, as the "Second Father," held the government, and Zhao Ji and Lao Ai wreaked havoc in the palace. Lao Ai even called himself the "False Father." The First Emperor's younger brother, Lord Changan Chengjiao, rebelled, and Lao Ai launched another mutiny at Qinian Palace.

These incidents all proved that the First Emperor had a hard time in his early years, and these internal troubles were even more serious than the external ones.

At that time, Lao Ai was by no means a clown who could only turn wheels. When the First Emperor was young, Lao Ai represented a powerful force in the Qin State second only to Lu Buwei, and was even capable of launching a rebellion.

"So, Minister of Rites, you mean that before the First Emperor, the Qin State actually had no way to swallow the world?" Zhu Yijun felt some surprise after reading Shen Li's memorial.

Shen Li listed a detailed timeline in the memorial: Meng Ao's defeat, King Zhuangxiang of Qin's illness and death, Lu Buwei presiding over state affairs, and so on.

"Your subject's one-sided opinion is just a feeling from reading the 'Theory of Contradictions'." Shen Li did not say he was definitely right. After all, it had been nearly two thousand years, and he had no concrete evidence; it was just his view.

But he could be sure that when the First Emperor ascended the throne, the Qin State absolutely did not have the strength to swallow the world.

Because in the sixth year of Wang Zheng of Qin, the Zhao general Pang Nuan led the allied forces of the five states of Zhao, Wei, Han, Yan, and Chu, once broke through Hangu Pass, and approached the Zui area, eighty li from Xianyang.

If it weren't for the old Qin people fighting to the death, plus the five-state allied forces being bedfellows with different dreams and harboring ulterior motives, whether the Qin State would exist was another matter.

Shen Li had completely experienced the Gengxu Incident. Altan Khan broke through Gubeikou and led his army south to plunder the capital region. Shen Li still had fresh memories of that panic.

In the second year of Longqing, Tan Lun heard that Altan Khan's northern barbarians were going south again, and he did not rest for seven days and seven nights, which directly led to his illness worsening.

In Shen Li's view, in the sixth year of Wang Zheng of Qin, the Qin State was still kicked open by the five-state allied forces. In the seventeenth year of Wang Zheng of Qin, it began to unify the world. In just ten years, the Qi State perished, the world belonged to Qin, and he was called the First Emperor.

This process was absolutely not as simple as just the legacy of ancestors. The First Emperor's personal struggle was a reason that could not be ignored.

The phrase "exerting the remaining strength of six generations" somewhat alienated the First Emperor's personal role in unifying the six states.

Changing to the Wanli era, although there were various problems in the early Wanli years, at least there were no problems with maternal relatives or military mutinies. During the Wanli era, the capital's gates were not kicked open by northern barbarians or Japanese pirates, and they did not reach the city walls of the capital. Even the regent Zhang Juzheng did not have the Emperor call him "Second Father."

"I know what the Minister of Rites wants to say." After chatting with Shen Li, Zhu Yijun smiled and said: "I have inherited the throne, so I will naturally do my best. Today's scene is not easy to come by. I will naturally prioritize the country and the people, and not fail the expectations of the ten thousand people."

Zhu Yijun felt that Shen Li was beating around the bush, admonishing him to be a good Emperor and not to feel that he was amazing just because he had achieved some success. Look at the ruthless First Emperor Qin. From being kicked at the door in the sixth year of Wang Zheng of Qin to the twenty-sixth year of Wang Zheng of Qin, in just twenty years, he unified the world.

"Your Majesty is wise." Shen Li saw that His Majesty really understood what he was beating around the bush to say, and immediately said respectfully.

"Using copper as a mirror, one can straighten one's clothes; using history as a mirror, one can know the rise and fall; using people as a mirror, one can know gains and losses."

"Let this memorial be published in the court gazette. The First Emperor was truly amazing. The situation he faced was much worse than mine. His twenty-year achievement is truly a great feat." Zhu Yijun gave his vermilion approval to Shen Li's memorial and published it in the court gazette to encourage himself.

"Your subject is terrified. Since ancient times, ministers have inevitably followed the wind and obeyed the decree when doing things. If they want to say a word, they fear the monarch may not listen; if they want to admonish a matter, they fear the monarch may not tolerate it! Your Majesty accepts good words, which is a great fortune for the country." Shen Li said sincerely.

Being an official to the level of a Grand Secretary was the end of the road. He could actually follow the wind and obey the decree to do things, but Shen Li was a straight and upright official at heart. When he had feelings, he was still willing to tell His Majesty.

The key was that His Majesty was still willing to listen and willing to announce it to the world, which was very rare.

Nearly twenty years had passed. The Wanli Reform could be called brilliant, with the appearance of a prosperous age, but His Majesty was still the same as in the past, willing to accept admonitions and willing to encourage himself. In Shen Li's view, this perseverance was a fortune for the country.

"Your subject takes his leave." Shen Li bowed again and left the Imperial Study of the Tonghe Palace.

Zhu Yijun stood by the window, watching Shen Li leave the gate of the Tonghe Palace. Looking at Shen Li's back, holding the memorial, the Emperor said with some emotion: "It is truly the Han dynasty's country, with loyal officials in every generation. The Minister of Rites has already reached the peak of his official career, entering the Cabinet and becoming a minister, yet he still dares to speak and is willing to speak, reminding me not to be arrogant."

"However, his expectations for me are a bit too high."

Taking out the First Emperor Qin's affairs to admonish the Emperor, this expectation was truly very high.

Before the First Emperor Qin, the feudal lords stood side by side. After the First Emperor Qin, all dynasties used the Qin system, opening up a new unified system for the world. Just unifying the world, having the same tracks for vehicles, the same characters for writing, and the same weights and measures, was enough for Zhu Yijun to chase for a lifetime.

"Bring the memorial." After watching Shen Li leave, Zhu Yijun began to deal with the day's memorials. Dealing with these things, one got used to it and it was actually fine.

Shen Li had already written the memorial recommending Gao Qiyu as Minister of Rites. After Zhang Juzheng read it, he wrote a floating slip, pasted it on it, and sent it to the Directorate of Ceremonial in the half-room. The Directorate of Ceremonial presented it to the Emperor.

Zhang Juzheng did not oppose Gao Qiyu being the Minister of Rites this time, but accepted Shen Li's recommendation on the grounds that "the group of dragons has no leader, everything is not smooth, and everything is not continued."

Fighting was fighting, and making trouble was making trouble, but national affairs were not child's play. If someone else was put up, even if Gao Qiyu did nothing, he could still sideline the other party. With the group of dragons having no leader, the Ministry of Rites would not be smooth, which was not conducive to the country's system. Therefore, Zhang Juzheng accepted Shen Li's recommendation.

One must strive for oneself. As long as you strive, what is yours, no one can take away, not even the Senior Grand Secretary.

The Emperor gave his vermilion approval, the Cabinet drafted the decree, and Xu Jue took the imperial decree to announce it.

Gao Qiyu was at home recuperating from his illness. This illness of his was very strange. Before, he had been disdainful of Yan Shixuan's talk of "overcoming the superior," but now he truly believed it!

Originally, the imperial physician diagnosed that he would recover in just two or three days, but at noon, his condition suddenly worsened.

Xu Jue came to the Gao Mansion to announce the decree. When Gao Qiyu received the decree according to the rites, two small eunuchs opened the imperial decree.

An imperial decree with brocade was a major event.

"By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:"

"I have received the mandate of Heaven, inherited the grand foundation of the successive sages, oversee the governance of the country, and soothe the ten thousand directions. Only when the way of governance is prosperous can we obtain people to govern together; if we want the sound of education to spread far, we rely on envoys to proclaim our might."

"Now, Gao Qiyu, Left Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, has a broad vision and is skilled in talent. He did not refuse danger and distance, set sail for ten thousand miles, stepped on whale waves and crossed heavy oceans, and held the imperial banner to communicate with the absolute regions. He made the various chieftains of the West know the prosperity of my Heavenly Dynasty's might and the splendor of its culture. This is the first merit."

"The Japanese slaves are jumping beams, coveting the vassal states, the sea waves are not peaceful because of them, and the world is not peaceful because of them. You again received my decree, crossed the sea again, held the firm decision of the temple plan, intimidated the East Ying at the wine table, and finally made the leader bow his head, make a blood alliance, and establish the 'Kyoto' treaty. This is the second merit."

"What is even more commendable is that you understand the situation, act according to the time, act according to the situation, advocate the grand plan of building the Pan-Pacific Commercial Alliance, link the goods and values of the various barbarians, and communicate the existence of all countries. Establish customs and passes to facilitate exchanges, and set rules to equalize benefits. This is not just a temporary benefit, but actually opens the foundation for ten thousand generations of peace. This is the third merit."

"Previous matters are not asked. Now I specially promote you to Minister of Rites, add the title of Junior Guardian of the Crown Prince, bestow the fighting bull robe, the front-opening crane cloak, reward one thousand taels of silver, and twenty ends of silk."

"You are still the Zhang Yuanfu of the Pan-Pacific Commercial Alliance affairs, concurrently leading the Four Barbarian Hall affairs, overseeing the etiquette of exchanges between all countries, and the essentials of the alliance's prosperity and reform."

"I hope you will work hard in your duties, encourage loyalty and integrity, proclaim my virtue and will, harmonize all nations, and make China and foreign countries one family, sharing prosperity."

"The established constitution of the successive dynasties, spreading virtue and bestowing grace, is announced to the world, so that all may hear and know."

"Respect this."

"Your subject kowtows and thanks Your Majesty for your immense grace. Long live Your Majesty, long live, long live." Gao Qiyu performed the grand ceremony and received the imperial decree.

"Junior Minister, when you recover from your illness, just go to the Ministry of Personnel to get the seal and official robe. The Senior Grand Secretary also agreed. This Ministry of Rites having no leader is not a thing. I congratulate the Junior Minister on your promotion." Xu Jue handed over the imperial decree and said with a smile.

Gao Qiyu coughed lightly twice and said in a low voice: "Same joy, same joy."

When Xu Jue left, the small eunuch whispered a few words to the gatekeeper. The gatekeeper handed over a small square box without any fireworks. The small eunuch rolled his sleeves and accepted this bribe. This bribe was for Xu Jue.

There were some things that absolutely could not be accepted, but this kind of "congratulatory gift" for a promotion had to be accepted. Otherwise, Gao Qiyu would be worried, thinking he had offended the big eunuchs in the palace without knowing when.

But in this process, Gao Qiyu did not send it, the gatekeeper sent it; Xu Jue did not accept it, the small eunuch accepted it. This was just for mutual dignity. If the Anti-Corruption Division really wanted to investigate, this would be bribery.

Gao Qiyu did not give too much, just a total of two hundred silver banknotes. For this amount of silver, the Anti-Corruption Division would be too lazy to even take a look.

Shen Shiying also received the imperial decree. He did not intend to make things difficult for Gao Qiyu, but first equipped Yao Guangqi and Yan Shixuan with the necessary officials. In three days, he sent the two out of the capital.

It was very strange to say that as soon as Yan Shixuan left the capital, Gao Qiyu's illness immediately improved, and he could go to court the next day.

Being the immediate superior of Yan Shixuan, first, one must have a hard life, and second, one must have deep blessings. Otherwise, it would really be somewhat dangerous.

Yan Shixuan's "overcoming the superior" was really a vague statement, because many things were coincidences, but he could not stand the fact that the number of coincidences was a bit too many.

Gao Qiyu looked at Shen Shiying's leg, and Shen Shiying looked at Gao Qiyu, who had just recovered from a serious illness and had a yellow complexion. Both of them had lingering fears, and both had a kind of illusion of surviving a disaster.

"Brother Yaotai, I have not been in the court for the past few days, and there is one thing I don't understand."

"This conversion of resident craftsmen into officials in the official factories hits the vital point of the powerful. It passed the court discussion just like that and was implemented. Recently, I heard at home that the Shuntian Prefecture Southern Yamen really had a big movement, and all the officials and runners were replaced." After Gao Qiyu received his seal, he did not leave, but inquired about the trends in the court.

Logically speaking, this conversion of resident craftsmen into officials hit the vital point. Did the powerful just accept it like that?

"Calm on the surface, but surging undercurrents?" Gao Qiyu asked in a low voice.

"There are no surging undercurrents. The wood has become a boat. The officials of Shuntian Prefecture have already been replaced." Shen Shiying shook his head and said: "The powerful dare not make trouble. The idea of General Qi, the memorial of the Master, and the vermilion approval of the Emperor—who dares to oppose? Not to mention these, just angering the craftsmen is a big deal."

"The craftsmen came down from the mountain some time ago and really offended the official factories to death. Wang Ji, the general manager of the Xishan Coal Bureau official factory, is also not easy to provoke."

Qi Jiguang, Zhang Juzheng, and the Emperor—the three giants thought of this method together. Oppose? Use the nine clans to oppose?

"The general trend is unstoppable, and it cannot be blocked." Shen Shiying added another view: economic status determines political status. The official factories possess huge means of production and control the distribution of production surplus. After having economic status, seeking political status is inevitable.

Coupled with the trouble after Wang Chonggu's death, the craftsmen knew the power they possessed. After the establishment of the equity system and the industrial alliance, could the craftsmen still be bullied by others?

Gao Qiyu agreed very much and said: "Reasonable. I remember that in the last Shuntian Prefecture rural examination, scholars from the resident craftsmen accounted for 30%, and in the palace examination, resident craftsmen also accounted for more than 10%."

"If one day, all the craftsmen in the world could have the treatment of resident craftsmen, that would be great."

Resident craftsmen and craftsmen are not in the same class at all. Resident craftsmen have equity in the official factories, while craftsmen in private workshops have nothing. Craftsmen in private workshops are not even considered scholars, farmers, artisans, or merchants; they are poor people and hard laborers.

Shen Shiying was also happy and said with a smile: "The Junior Minister really dares to think. Even the Master dares not think so."

"Actually, today, looking at the rise and fall of the shipyard during the Yongle era, I understand why the local gentry must stop official ships and official trade. It is not entirely for the huge profits of maritime trade. During the Longjiang and Qingjiang shipyards, there were twelve thousand resident craftsmen alone. These are twelve Battalion Commander."

The tossing of the Shuntian Prefecture Southern Yamen changing people made Shen Shiying understand why several shipyards declined after Yongle. The Emperor did not pay attention, the court opposed, and the local gentry naturally wanted to take the opportunity to destroy them vigorously. Otherwise, these resident craftsmen might really take their place.

"Songjiang Prefecture and Yingtian Prefecture also have to change, and they are looking for craftsmen from the shipyard." Shen Shiying told Gao Qiyu a piece of news.

"In the future, scholars will be 30% civil registered, 30% military registered, and 30% industrial registered, standing in a tripod. Only then will it be stable." Gao Qiyu pondered for a moment and suddenly said.

The Great Ming's talent selection mechanism had some problems. Military registered accounted for 30%, and civil registered accounted for nearly 70%. This emphasis on literature and suppression of martial arts was naturally the general trend, but now the situation had changed. Only when the military, civil, and industrial stood in a tripod could the court be considered completely balanced.

"Hey, you say so, it really is." Shen Shiying sat up straight suddenly, with bright light in his eyes. He said with a heavy face: "Junior Minister, let me think slowly."

Martial merit nobles, because military talent will not be inherited by blood, usually will not lead troops to fight after one or two generations, and the proportion of civil and military registered origins in the court becomes particularly important.

This imperial examination every three years is a feast for dividing power. After having the variable of official factories, it will completely change the court pattern and reach a stable state.

"No wonder, the Master once said to His Majesty that if one day in the future, one must choose between Wang Chonggu and the Master's posthumous name, the Master asked His Majesty to choose Wang Chonggu." Shen Shiying suddenly remembered a detail.

At that time, Shen Shiying felt strange after knowing it. According to his understanding of Zhang Juzheng, Zhang Juzheng was not such a broad-minded person.

But now Shen Shiying understood that the official factory system was a variable, a huge variable, and the material pillar of the Wanli Reform.

"What did His Majesty say?" Gao Qiyu asked curiously.

Shen Shiying said with a strange face: "His Majesty said, of course I want them all."

His Majesty had the strength to want them all. ===== CHAPTER 984 =====