Chapter 60: Hearts Divided, Minds Estranged

At the foot of Pearl-Containing Mountain, inside a thatched hut.

Zhao Han and Xu Ying had both passed the child student examination this year, but they had not sought out another classics instructor; they still followed Pang Chunlai in their studies.

Teacher Pang's primary classic was the Book of Songs, so that was all they could study.

Fei Chun read aloud from the account book: "The Ding Sheng Pavilion sold 48 copies, the Hekou docks sold 11 copies, and the Pearl-Containing Academy sold 65 copies. Total sold: 124 copies, bringing in 1 tael, 2 mace, and 4 candareens of silver. We treated the shop assistants to a meal so they would help push sales, which already cost 3 mace of silver."

"Too cheap," Fei Ruhe grumbled. "The more we sell, the more we lose!"

Fei Yuanjian chimed in, "Exactly. If we put out a few more issues of this ten-day periodical, every bit of money we invested will be completely gone."

"Take it slowly, no rush," Zhao Han said with a laugh.

The first print run of the Goose Lake Ten-Day Periodical was five hundred copies. If they all sold, and you set aside the cost of treating the shop assistants to a meal, the net loss would be 13 taels, 5 mace, and 8 candareens of silver.

Yes, a net loss!

To turn a profit, the selling price would have to be multiplied by five.

At that point, the price of each magazine would match that of an old hen, enough to buy a copy of the Collected Commentaries on the Four Books.

That was simply because the Collected Commentaries on the Four Books had a low production cost — a single print run of over ten thousand copies could be stockpiled and sold over several years. The Goose Lake Ten-Day Periodical, however, had a tiny print run, and the fiction sections were quite long. Even using cheap paper, they still could not drive the production costs down.

"What do the academy students think of it?" Zhao Han asked.

Xu Ying answered, "Those who enjoy the fiction are the most numerous, followed by your 'Discourse on Liaodong,' sir, and there are also some who like reading the classical prose. That article of yours has stirred up considerable debate, mainly centered on the third point. Equality between men and women, and equality among all trades — many people approve of those. Only equality between the free and the debased classes is not accepted."

"You don't accept it either, do you?" Zhao Han asked with a smile.

In many cases, one's stance is determined by one's position.

Although Xu Ying's family was poor, they still belonged to the free commoner class. In terms of legal status, they were inherently one grade above those of debased registry.

Xu Ying hurriedly denied it: "The free and the debased ought to be equal. Of course I accept it."

Fei Chun was Fei Ruhe's study attendant, and Fei Yu was Fei Yuanjian's study attendant. Both of them belonged to the debased registry.

At that moment, the two dared not speak, afraid of incurring their masters' displeasure, but from the bottom of their hearts they supported Zhao Han's view.

Who would willingly despise and debase themselves?

Perhaps there were some who had been brainwashed, but young men in the prime of youth surely still clung to such hopes.

Zhao Han then asked Fei Ruhe and Fei Yuanjian, "And you two?"

Fei Ruhe scratched his head and said nothing.

Fei Yuanjian, however, said, "Masters are masters, and slaves are slaves. If all were equal, then who would be the one to take charge?"

Fei Yu's expression instantly darkened, deeply hurt. His young master usually treated him quite well; he had never imagined he was still looked down upon.

Fei Chun felt much the same. Fei Ruhe's silence meant he did not acknowledge equality between the free and the debased.

Of the "three equalities" Zhao Han had proposed, equality between the free and the debased was the most radical; the other two were, in fact, more readily accepted.

Equality between men and women targeted only gender.

Equality among all trades targeted only the division of labor.

Equality between the free and the debased struck directly at class contradiction — the contradiction between slave and slave owner!

Sensing the atmosphere had grown awkward, Fei Chun hastily changed the subject: "Brother, why not cancel the poetry and opera sections? That content is purely superfluous."

"Right, drop the opera," Fei Ruhe chimed in. "Who in Jiangxi can't sing a few lines of opera? Unless you can publish new plays, it simply won't attract readers."

Xu Ying said, "Though some people read the poetry, it's also entirely dispensable."

"Fine, then we'll cancel them," Zhao Han said, readily accepting good advice.

The inaugural issue had only been a test of the waters. Cutting two sections would precisely help lower costs.

From now on, the magazine would retain only the following content: Zhaozi Said, Discourse on Liaodong, Selected Classical Prose, and Serialized Fiction.

As for Western mathematics, they could add that once sales had grown.

Xu Ying suddenly spoke up: "Right now, what's causing the biggest uproar at the academy isn't the articles in the ten-day periodical."

"What is it then?" Fei Ruhe asked.

Xu Ying explained, "This year's Jiangxi autumn grain levy has officially abolished the tax exemptions for government students."

Everyone was stunned.

Zhao Han asked, "When did this happen?"

Xu Ying answered, "Just these past couple of days. Word has spread all through the academy. You haven't been coming to class, so I'm afraid you hadn't heard yet."

Fei Yuanjian, whose studies had advanced considerably over the past two years and who had a faint hope of passing the xiucai examination, suddenly blurted out a deeply seditious remark: "Has the Emperor gone mad?"

"It seems the Emperor has been driven to a point where he has no other choice," Zhao Han said, unable to suppress a laugh.

After the twenty-fourth year of Jiajing, anyone who passed the xiucai examination was exempted from two dan of land tax and from corvée labor for two adult males.

What had Chongzhen done?

He abolished the exemptions for government students, squeezing two dan of grain out of every xiucai's mouth to supplement the state coffers.

For the sons of wealthy families, two dan of grain meant nothing; they had plenty of ways to evade taxes.

Those truly affected were all the impoverished xiucai!

This measure could only increase annual revenue by three hundred thousand taels, yet it would trigger extremely severe consequences.

Impoverished scholars, finding it ever harder to make a living, would attach themselves one after another to the powerful gentry clans, for otherwise they would have no money to continue studying for the juren examination. In the north, many xiucai, out of resentment toward the Emperor and compounded by their livelihood struggles, simply ran off to join the peasant armies.

The decree had been issued in the third year of Chongzhen, but obstructed by surging public opinion, the provincial authorities had been quietly resisting it all along.

But they could hold out no longer. This year's Jiangxi autumn grain levy would finally impose full taxation on xiucai — Chongzhen had dispatched eunuchs to supervise the tax collection!

In the first year of Chongzhen, the Emperor had vigorously suppressed the eunuchs, to the jubilant cheers of the civil officials.

In the second year of Chongzhen, the Emperor suddenly expanded the Eastern Depot and the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Though their law-enforcement powers were revoked, their surveillance authority grew day by day, and the capital was soon crawling with agents of the Depot and the Guard.

In the third year of Chongzhen, the Emperor no longer trusted the military officers, and eunuchs began to meddle in army affairs, their power as army supervisors increasing. As things developed to their logical conclusion, any decision made on the front lines had to be discussed by civil officials, military officers, and eunuchs together.

In the fourth year of Chongzhen, the Emperor no longer trusted the civil officials, and eunuchs took over management of the state's finances.

By now, the purse strings of both the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works were entirely in the grip of the eunuchs, with a special office created for the purpose: the "Superintendent-General of Revenue and Works" — a post held by a eunuch, wielding authority equivalent to a Governor-General.

The eunuchs also controlled the right to mint coinage. On the reverse of copper cash minted from the fourth year of Chongzhen onward were stamped characters such as "Supervised" or "Imperial Decree" (had the Ministry of Revenue or Ministry of Works minted the coins, the reverse would bear the characters "Revenue" or "Works").

Eunuchs were further dispatched to the provinces to supervise tax collection.

By the fifth year of Chongzhen, the Emperor had monopolized all power, the eunuchs' influence towered to the heavens, and both civil officials and military officers were feeble chickens.

No commercial taxes were collected in the late Ming?

After the Tartars breached the passes, the central government's finances fell into crisis. The land tax was raised yet again, and commercial taxes, customs duties, industrial taxes, deed taxes... all were increased across the board!

The national treasury did not grow much fuller, but the various eunuchs were fattened to bursting.

Civil officials, military officers, landlords, merchants, peasants, xiucai — all groaned with resentment, growing daily more estranged and disaffected from the Emperor.

Under such circumstances, who would really bother about what essays Zhao Han wrote?

"Ziyue, Ziyue, I've come to see you!"

Fei Ruyi suddenly arrived at the thatched hut, and he had brought along a handsome young page.

Though master and servant were no longer dressed in outlandish costumes, on the whole they still looked gaudy.

Zhao Han cupped his hands and smiled. "Brother Changhuai, please come in!"

Fei Ruyi did not return the bow, but directly grasped his hand, pulling Zhao Han's hand as he said, "Worthy brother, I have come to bring you news."

"I wonder what tidings my elder brother brings?" Zhao Han hastily withdrew his hand.

Fei Ruyi then threw an arm across Zhao Han's shoulders, the gesture more like an embrace, and laughed. "Grandfather went to the county seat yesterday to invite the Vice Education Commissioner to the academy. When the time comes, I fear he may attend your debate."

"Many thanks for the warning, elder brother." Zhao Han shifted aside, trying as much as possible to escape the physical contact.

Fei Ruyi pressed close again. "That Vice Education Commissioner is not only incorruptible as clear water, but also a Daoxue purist. Worthy brother, you must be extra careful."

"Absolutely, absolutely." The fine hairs on Zhao Han's arms stood on end.

I'm not afraid of some Vice Education Commissioner.

Right now, you're the one I fear most!

Fei Ruyi did not move away. Xu Ying, Fei Ruhe, Fei Yuanjian, and the others instead recoiled instinctively, staring at this fellow with faces full of terror.

(End of chapter)