Chapter 12: Great Ills of the World, Fighting for Fame and Vessels

The Great Ming Dynasty is about to finish.

Zhu Yijun naturally knew this; not only did he know, he also knew which year it finished; for him, this was not news.

But, coming from Zhang Juzheng's mouth, the meaning was very different.

Was this taboo? Of course not.

In fact, after experiencing the tossing of his grandfather, the Jiajing Emperor, there were many such voices inside and outside the court.

In fact, this was the soil for the reformists!

Why did Xu Jie and Li Chunfang fall one after another? Why were the Chief Zhang Gelao and Second Zhang Gelao of the Cabinet now both reformists?

It was because the urgent internal and external pressures of the Great Ming Dynasty could no longer be ignored—the paper-hanger could no longer keep up with the trend of knowledgeable people.

Against this background, when the reformists submitted memorials, they would often say the Great Ming was about to finish.

In the first year of Longqing, when Cabinet assistant minister Zhao Zhenji submitted a memorial, he said: "Now although there is the name of peace and order, there is no reality; there are no dangerous and chaotic events, but there is the reason for them."

Gao Gong's memorials also lacked no words like "the world has reached a time of danger and death."

Zhang Juzheng had a previous record, saying in the "Memorial on Six Matters" that "the world has the tendency of being heavily burdened and difficult to reverse."

Words like the Great Ming was about to finish were still more pleasant than Hai Rui directly scolding the world for not being satisfied with the Emperor for a long time.

However, this could be said, but the problem was, why did you, Zhang Juzheng, say this to a ten-year-old hairy child who had no power?

Could he stand for you, Zhang Juzheng, or let you replace Gao Gong as Chief Zhang Gelao?

Zhu Yijun didn't understand what Zhang Juzheng was doing, so he could only carefully cover it up.

He showed an appropriate look of surprise: "Zhang Gelao, why do you say this!?"

Zhang Juzheng bowed in apology.

He neatly pulled three volumes of manuscripts from his sleeve and held them up with both hands: "This was written by this subject after organizing for a night; Your Highness will know at a glance."

Zhu Yijun took them with doubt: "This is?"

Zhang Juzheng didn't sell it short, bowing and replying: "Your Highness, from the Hongwu years to the present, the annual population, land, and taxes are all roughly listed on the volumes; please read them, Your Highness."

Zhu Yijun unfolded them and took a rough look.

It was indeed the population, land, and fiscal revenue for each period since the founding of the country.

He didn't look closely, but instead closed them decisively and said shyly: "Zhang Gelao, I am young and inexperienced, I don't quite understand."

Zhang Juzheng paused, and after a while, opened his mouth: "Your Highness, look, at the beginning of our dynasty, how much land was there?"

Zhu Yijun unfolded them again, following Zhang Juzheng's guidance, and looked through them.

Finding the early Hongwu years, he said "Oh": "Zhang Gelao, it is 370 million mu."

Zhang Juzheng guided him: "What about now?"

Zhu Yijun asked doubtfully: "460 million mu, Zhang Gelao, is there anything wrong?"

He didn't know if Zhang Juzheng was testing him, so he could only ask what he already knew.

Zhang Juzheng sighed: "Your Highness, at the beginning of the founding, the mountains and rivers were broken; now it has been peaceful for a long time, but the two have not changed much; Your Highness, this is the problem."

Zhu Yijun asked strangely: "Isn't this 90 million mu more? Zhang Gelao, why do you say it hasn't changed much?"

He stared at Zhang Juzheng with watery eyes, full of thirst for knowledge.

Zhang Juzheng was silent for a moment, then said: "Your Highness, during the Hongzhi years, the amount of land was 800 million mu."

The Hongzhi years, which was 1488 to 1505, a hundred years after the founding.

Zhu Yijun realized belatedly, looked at the corresponding time on the book, and then exclaimed: "Since Hongzhi, it has been peaceful for seventy-two years, and the land has not increased but decreased!?"

Zhang Juzheng nodded.

Zhu Yijun pursued: "Zhang Gelao, what is the reason for this? Could it be that the land has all been abandoned?"

He was pretending to be stupid while knowing the truth.

Zhang Juzheng shook his head and replied: "Your Highness, it is not that the land is barren, it is annexation! It is the concealment of land!"

He almost gritted his teeth and spat it out heavily.

"When the common people encounter a disaster year and cannot pay taxes, they will pawn their land to high-ranking families; once they cannot pay it back, the land will be annexed by the big families, and they themselves will become tenant farmers."

"And after the big families annex the land, they will conceal the land, thereby privately evading taxes."

Zhu Yijun was shocked: "Annexing land and privately evading taxes? Why don't the officials arrest them!?"

That was how he asked, and he himself nearly couldn't help laughing.

He knew this matter like the back of his hand.

Land annexation, he naturally knew.

In life, there are two things that cannot be avoided: death and paying taxes.

But for these large asset entities, there are two other things: annexation and tax evasion.

The local officials arrest them? They would laugh their teeth off if they heard it.

These things were covered up by the local government, and they had always split the loot three-seven.

Not to mention arresting them; if someone from the central government dared to measure the land, the files would be lost carelessly if they were gentle, and the imperial commissioner's residence would catch fire if they were intense.

Emperor Guangwu could recreate the Yan Han, could he measure the land? Measuring the land was more difficult than fighting for the world!

Otherwise, why would the central government turn a deaf ear?

This was not one town or one prefecture; the whole world was doing this!

The difficulty of world affairs lies here: you have me, I have you, pulling one hair affects the whole body; who dares to manage it? Whoever manages it is the enemy of the common people of the world!

As for who the common people of the world are? The right of interpretation is in the hands of the common people of the world.

Zhang Juzheng didn't directly explain why the officials didn't arrest them.

Instead, he sighed and pointed to another volume: "Your Highness, this volume is the number of people through the ages."

Zhu Yijun tactfully skipped the previous topic and opened the other volume.

Zhang Juzheng said: "Your Highness might as well look at the Hongwu years, the number of households, the number of people."

Zhu Yijun found the place and read: "Hongwu years, 10 million households, 58 million people."

He really didn't know these.

However, the line "four hundred million compatriots" from the Manchu Qing period was more familiar.

But these 50-plus million were too far from 400 million.

Thinking in his heart, Zhu Yijun didn't wait for Zhang Juzheng to speak, and tactfully found the current one: "Longqing sixth year, 10 million households, 62 million people."

He raised his head in astonishment: "Compared to the beginning of the founding, the growth of the population is so meager!?"

He showed his intelligence at the right time and drew inferences from one instance.

"Your Highness is intelligent and extraordinary." Zhang Juzheng praised him and added: "In the second year of Yuanshi of the Western Han Dynasty, there were 59 million people."

The second year of Yuanshi, which was the end of the Western Han Dynasty, more than a thousand years ago.

Zhu Yijun asked for advice: "Zhang Gelao, is it because after the common people become tenant farmers, the big families will conceal the population?"

The Great Ming now collects a head tax.

Small commoners don't have the ability to evade taxes, but big families are different.

Colluding with the locality, if they report 30% of the ten-tenths of the population, it's already conscientious.

Zhang Juzheng bowed: "There is no sage greater than Your Highness."

Zhu Yijun hurriedly helped him up, sighing: "I understand what the Zhang Gelao means."

He deliberately pretended to be stupid and asked why the local government didn't arrest the big families who evaded taxes, and Zhang Juzheng used the population to answer him.

Because local big families not only have land! They also have people!

Does the government dare to investigate?

Okay, even if you are a hard bone and dare to destroy the family and exterminate the clan, what about other big families who conceal land and population?

Will they feel sad for the rabbit, and will there be a hot-headed person shouting about the officials forcing the people to rebel?

Even if they don't dare to come out and raise the flag themselves, secretly colluding, supporting some mountain bandits, water bandits, and roving bandits, providing people and money, it will immediately shake one side.

Are the Japanese pirates in the southeast all people from Fusang? Of course not.

The principle here is the same.

If the gentry and big families of the two capitals and thirteen provinces all resist the central government's decrees, the world's rot is not just talk.

Zhang Juzheng bowed and replied: "Yesterday in the court, the Huguang tax matter, the Xuan-Da border matter, all have unspeakable hidden feelings; this subject dares to use this to solve Your Highness's confusion."

Zhu Yijun looked at Zhang Juzheng steadily.

How many heroes are there in the world?

This is the outstanding person famous in history, who can be said to be as clear as fire regarding the national situation and world affairs.

From Jiajing to the present, he has probably pondered over these files for countless nights and days; now, perhaps no one understands the accumulated ills of the Great Ming Dynasty deeper than him.

Zhang Juzheng is not unaware of the difficulty of reform; he just goes forward despite the difficulties.

Zhu Yijun gently held Zhang Juzheng's hand and comforted him: "Hard work, Zhang Gelao Zhang, for enduring for the country."

Zhang Juzheng's body paused, his back subconsciously arched, and it took a long time before he slowly relaxed.

"Your Highness overstates."

"There is also a volume on taxes, please look at it, Your Highness."

Zhu Yijun nodded, withdrew his palm, and flipped through the last volume.

There was actually no need to look at this volume.

With the land and population decreasing year by year, there was no need to look at what the tax situation was.

Not to mention, the tax system of the Great Ming Dynasty was inherently insufficient.

Zhang Juzheng opened his mouth at the right time: "Your Highness, last year, the land tax collected by the Ministry of Revenue, converted into silver, was 14.75 million taels."

"Seventy-two years ago, which was the Hongzhi years, the land tax converted into silver was 16.14 million taels."

"Last year, 24 million shi of grain were collected, not even as much as the 31 million shi at the beginning of the founding."

"Your Highness, the military pay for the border troops has not been issued for several years, and the salaries of the hundred officials have also been in arrears for several years."

"If the taxes cannot be collected again... the central government is really at the end of its rope!"

Zhu Yijun listened to him finish quietly and swept through this thin volume.

He sighed: "No wonder the Zhang Gelao said the Great Ming Dynasty is about to finish."

A central government without money, and localities where decrees cannot be issued.

Japanese pirates and Tatars eyeing covetously, and border troops who cannot be paid.

Civil officials forming cliques for private interests, and gentry and big families with people, money, and land.

Great Ming Dynasty...

Zhang Juzheng stood up straight and replied: "Your Highness, if this continues, how can the Great Ming Dynasty be peaceful for long? This is truly the autumn of the world's danger and survival!"

Zhu Yijun was silent, and suddenly raised his head.

Looking at Zhang Juzheng steadily, expressionless, he said: "What should be done?"

Yes, what should be done?

The world is about to finish, what should be done?

You, Zhang Juzheng, are a Cabinet assistant minister, and I am only a ten-year-old child.

Even if I am smart and understand, what do you want me to do?

The great power is not in my hands; why tell me? If you have advice, why don't you submit it to the two palaces?

Zhu Yijun had never relaxed his vigilance.

The chapter of "Tai Jia" that Zhang Juzheng instructed Gao Yi to lecture on was still fresh in his memory.

Now that he was telling him these things, what exactly was his idea?

Zhang Juzheng suddenly raised his head and lowered his voice: "Your Highness, only one person can save the Great Ming Dynasty!"

When these words came out, Zhu Yijun felt as if he had been poured a basin of cold water and immediately came back to his senses.

He suddenly realized the atmosphere was wrong.

He raised his head and looked around, and there was no one around, not even the eunuch on duty!

Zhu Yijun felt a chill in his heart; was this a showdown?

Only one person? That is you, Zhang Juzheng, right!?

Advising him not to seize power anymore, to release power to him, so that he could be an Yi Yin in power, manage the new law, and then return the government?

Zhu Yijun inexplicably felt some temper.

You, Zhang Juzheng, are an outstanding person of the time, am I not!?

Who isn't a romantic figure who killed his way from a commoner to the central government!?

You, Zhang Juzheng, can only prolong the life of the Great Ming Dynasty, while I can save the world!

Zhu Yijun felt depressed in his chest and couldn't be polite.

He couldn't help but speak stiffly: "Oh? Who is it? Why not tell me, so I can ask for advice."

Even if Zhang Juzheng wanted to suppress him, he would definitely not give in.

There are many who want to save the world, but only one who can hold the great government!

This is a struggle of lines! A struggle of orthodoxy!

Zhang Juzheng replied loudly: "The one who saves the Great Ming Dynasty is naturally only Your Highness!"

Zhu Yijun's body paused, and then he was shocked!

It's broken!

He fell into the trap!

This guy was testing him!

Zhang Juzheng might be suspecting that his suppression of Feng Bao and promotion of Zhang Hong yesterday was intentional.

Even suspecting that he was another Emperor Yingzong who was dormant and waiting for an opportunity to seize power, so he had the intention to test him.

But his reaction just now was completely confirmed by him.

He used the daily lecture on "Tai Jia" as a lead, and then borrowed the analysis of state affairs to state the great ills of the world, guiding him step by step.

Finally, pretending to have a showdown was just to test his emotional changes.

His reaction just now must have been noticed by Zhang Juzheng; looking at his appearance, it was clear that he had reached a conclusion about his actions over the past two days.

And he only realized it belatedly!

Good, good, good! What a deep and calculating person!

He hadn't transmigrated for long, and with his previous behavioral habits, his leadership mentality from his previous life wasn't controlled, and in a moment of carelessness, he was actually probed by Zhang Juzheng.

Now this persona of being smart and wise, hiding his city, was afraid it would be confirmed.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yijun took a deep breath secretly and calmed his emotions.

Since things had happened, thinking more was useless.

He took the words unobtrusively: "How can the Zhang Gelao persuade me in a private court response? It's not according to the ritual."

Zhang Juzheng's face showed no emotion, replying: "The world is tied to Your Highness's body, this subject dares to expect Your Highness."

"Cultivate the body and nourish virtue, be close to rituals and scholars, and consult on state affairs."

"Preserve the foundation of the ancestors and save the world from danger."

Zhu Yijun nodded: "I have remembered the Zhang Gelao's words today."

A court response, and it was over.

The two said some scene words again, and Zhang Juzheng bowed and retreated.

Zhu Yijun watched Zhang Juzheng's departing figure quietly.

Expressionless.

Zhang Juzheng's departure, I'm afraid he will immediately be on guard against him.

In this game, he and Zhang Juzheng were almost playing with open cards, while Gao Gong held the high position of Chief Zhang Gelao but didn't put the two in his eyes.

And there was Feng Bao stirring in it.

Coupled with the Jin Party, the Pure Stream, the border towns, and the localities, the situation was chaotic, and he wanted to seize power, which was really difficult.

But...

When Zhang Juzheng was about to reach the corner, Zhu Yijun suddenly opened his mouth: "Zhang Gelao Zhang!"

Zhang Juzheng stopped immediately, looked back in doubt, and was about to bow.

Zhu Yijun reached out to stop him from bowing, just smiled: "The rise and fall of the world, Zhang Gelao, just watch my actions!"

Fighting with Heaven, the joy is endless; fighting with people, the joy is even more endless!

After saying this, he didn't look back, and under the service of the eunuch, turned and entered the inner room.

Zhang Juzheng looked at the back left by Zhu Yijun, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes.

He bowed and retreated.

……

Truly a good sage monarch.

Zhang Juzheng walked out of the East Side Hall with a calm pace, but his heart was not calm.

This Crown Prince, as he expected, had the heart to participate in politics and seize power; yesterday's events were all intentional.

He was only ten years old, and he had this kind of wisdom, holding power, hiding his city, amazing!

Compared to this Crown Prince, when he, Zhang Juzheng, was ten years old, he was still... oh, it seems he could write policy essays to criticize the world, and even the governor appreciated him, so it seems he was still a bit worse.

However, it was even more amazing; being able to be mentioned in the same breath as him, Zhang, this Crown Prince was afraid he was the wisest monarch since the founding of the country two hundred years ago, second only to Emperor Yingzong.

If this new monarch had even half his mind on the right path, it would truly be the fortune of the world.

As for now...

He looked at the small eunuch beside him and said: "Go tell Chief Eunuch Feng to be on guard against Zhang Hong."

The words were vague, but Feng Bao would surely understand.

That's right, Feng Bao's ally was him, Zhang Juzheng!

Otherwise, how would he dare to test the Crown Prince in a place like the Wenhua Hall where there were many eyes and ears.

Otherwise, how could Feng Bao get the news of Gao Gong's impeachment?

Making friends with eunuchs is a taboo for Cabinet ministers and a shame for civil officials.

But he didn't care!

To do great things, how can one cherish one's own body?

Gao Gong knew that to implement reform, one must hold great power, not hesitating to suppress Cabinet colleagues and exclude dissidents; how could he, Zhang Juzheng, not know?

What good people and bad people, Pure Stream and Turbid Stream, are the opinions of fools!

He, Zhang Juzheng, is not a Pure Stream paper-hanger who only knows how to talk; he is a capable official!

A capable official who can do things and save the sky!

For this, he did not hesitate to make friends with eunuchs and stab his friends in the back; he knew that Gao Gong could not save the Great Ming Dynasty!

For this, he did not hesitate to spy on the holy heart and treat the Emperor like a child; he was afraid, he was afraid that this last opportunity would encounter another sage monarch who didn't care about the world!

He was no longer young, and his graying temples told him that this was his last chance.

Afterlife, afterlife name? The Great Ming Dynasty was in danger, and he couldn't think that far.

To make the Great Ming Dynasty reborn in the sacrifice of the new law, the power of the monarch, the ambition of the Cabinet colleagues, the greed of the gentry, and even his own life, all could be used as sacrifices on the table!

The Great Ming Dynasty must be brought back to life in his hands!

Zhang Juzheng walked away from Zhu Yijun, step by step, with firm steps, out of the Wenhua Hall, and back to the Cabinet.

——

Note 1: "Recently, laws and discipline have gradually relaxed, customs have changed day by day, this is the trouble of long-term peace. Although there is the name of peace and order, there is no reality; there are no dangerous and chaotic events, but there is the reason for them; this is what is called leaving the great and throwing the difficult here." — "Huang Ming Jingshi Wen Bian, Volume 254, Three Kinds of Nine Ills and Three Situations Memorial"

Note 2: Lai Jiancheng. Border Town Grain and Pay: Border Defense Expenses and National Fiscal Crisis in the Middle and Late Ming Dynasty 【M】. Zhejiang University Press, 2010.

Note 3: Zhou Bodi. History of China's Finance 【M】. Shanghai People's Publishing House, 1981.

Note 4: Liu Xiaocheng. History of China's Finance and Taxation 【M】. China Financial and Economic Publishing House, 2007.

Note 5: Yang Hui. A Comparative Study of Fiscal Revenue and Expenditure Structure between China and Britain in the 17th-19th Centuries 【D】. Northeast Normal University, 2013(02).

Note 6: It should be noted that the population number in Zhang Juzheng's mouth is the official statistics of the Ming Dynasty; according to modern demographic big models, the population in the sixth year of Longqing should be around 150.91 million.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 13 =====