Chapter 256: Elegant words and hidden meanings, the essence is not elegant

In every change of dynasty, or in the process of changing the dynasty without changing the dynasty, rituals and systems will be revised to a certain extent.

Scholarly Confucians are accustomed to attributing various practical problems in social and political life to the lack and imperfection of ritual systems.

But in reality, ritual systems are not omnipotent; the key also lies in the state of interpersonal relationships operating inside and outside the ritual system—here, interpersonal relationships include cultural institutional models and social relationships.

Ritual system design is often static, while the interpersonal relationships in the process of operation inside and outside the ritual system are dynamic; it naturally leads to the distortion of the ritual system itself, resulting in results contrary to the good wishes at the beginning of the ritual system design.

A mature leader must not only focus on institutional design but also care about the state of interpersonal relationships in the actual operation of the system; otherwise, all the good wishes of institutional design will come to nothing.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor's inspection activities after ascending the throne are to care about the state of interpersonal relationships in the operation of the system since the New Policies.

This is also part of his arduous exploration of world construction and New Policy reform.

In today's world, whether it is the complex situation or the fierce contradictions, it determines that construction and reform cannot continue in remote control of blind men touching an elephant.

Therefore, the Emperor Wanli Emperor walked out of the Forbidden City, witnessed it with his own eyes, and practiced it with his own body.

He ran north and south, talking, discussing, and exploring with officials, tenant farmers, small workers, and merchants in provincial and prefectural counties, observing the feelings of the people, understanding their thoughts, and thus grasping the specific direction of construction and reform.

In the process of the southern tour.

Often hearing some people's criticism, and some people are keen to splash dirty water, this is nothing strange.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor is not a sage who is omniscient and omnipotent, but a Great Ming leader who shoulders the common people and does his best; he has his faults and mistakes, and some people have some complaints about him, which is understandable.

He also never expects praise from everyone.

He has the majority he needs to unite.

It is precisely because of this that the Emperor Wanli Emperor kills officials who violate the laws of the country, but is patient with scholars and common people who have doubts, explaining his motives, putting forward his requirements, and expressing his expectations along the way.

When the southern tour procession left Shuntian Prefecture, some scholars blocked the carriage to seek an audience.

These scholars could not understand why meritorious ministers like Weng Weng Dali, Minister of Justice in Nanjing, were to be executed for minor mistakes, and they begged the Emperor Wanli Emperor to give Weng Weng Dali a chance to redeem himself with merit.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor immediately stated that precisely because Weng Weng Dali had a high status, great merit, and great influence, he had to be determined to execute him; only by executing him could he save more officials who might make mistakes, officials who were about to make mistakes, punish the past to warn the future, and cure the sickness to save the person; scholars should understand this truth.

The scholars were then convinced and left.

When the southern tour procession arrived in Jinghai County, Hejian Prefecture, the local people could not understand the significance of the southern tour and said one after another that the Emperor's southern tour itinerary was huge, conscripting people along the way, and playing like this was truly enviable.

When the Emperor Wanli Emperor learned of this, he did not explain to the people, but for several consecutive days, he was inspecting the fields of the manor; he walked through the entire Jinghai County, carefully asking about the hardships of the people, how much land there was, where the water was drawn from, what crops were planted, what the harvest was, how much rent was, how many tenant farmers there were, and the income and expenditure of the tenant farmers, etc.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor used practical actions to tell the people that this southern tour was not for playing.

During the inspection of the fields, the Emperor Wanli Emperor saw that there was very little water in the fields, so he asked, why is there not much water in the fields?

The local officials replied that water was supplied to the west side in the morning and to the east side in the afternoon.

In the north in early September, due to the low temperature, the rice had just passed the stage of tillering and was beginning to show ears, which was the neatest and best-looking time, so the Emperor Wanli Emperor asked, how much can the rice produce?

The accompanying Jinghai County officials said it could harvest more than 1,000 jin, and the Emperor Wanli Emperor's expression was not very good after hearing this.

Thanks to the Emperor's approachable image and style, the local people secretly made gestures, indicating that 400 or 500 jin was good in normal times, and the Emperor Wanli Emperor was happy after seeing this.

The southern tour procession also inspected Tianjin Wei, and the Emperor Wanli Emperor showed his ignorance.

There were many reeds planted in Tianjin Wei, of different shapes, and the Emperor Wanli Emperor asked, what is the difference between these?

The local people covered their mouths and laughed.

It was a young child who solved the siege, saying that one kind is reed, naturally growing reeds, used for firewood; the good ones can be used for reed mats; the thin ones can be used for reed curtains for summer doors and windows; there is another kind that is artificially planted, called planted reed, which can be used for weaving mats and is more precious.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor listened carefully and bowed to accept the teaching.

The accompanying painter made a painting for everyone, and a few days later, this painting was rubbed and published in the *Di Bao* and *New Newspaper*.

Afterwards, the Emperor Wanli Emperor also personally inspected the 1,400 grain storage mounds set up during the Yongle reign, as well as the Daying Granary of Tianjin Left Guard, the Dayun Granary of Tianjin Guard, and the Guangbei Granary of Tianjin Right Guard.

Because the grain accounts did not match, the grain was missing by 60% out of thin air, and it was too late to start a fire. When the Emperor arrived, seven or eight people in the Ministry of Revenue branch on Hubu Street inside the North Gate of Tianjin Wei City committed suicide together, some by hanging, and some with knives in their backs, blood flowing all over the ground, making it look like a pool of blood and a forest of meat.

The grain naturally could not be recovered. The Emperor Wanli Emperor ordered Wang Wang Yingjiao, the accompanying Ministry of Revenue official, to fill the vacancy and reorganize the Tianjin Ministry of Revenue branch.

Wang Wang Yingjiao's promotion was not out of thin air; he had been down-to-earth during these days, conducting research, and was highly favored by the Emperor. In particular, he discovered that the soil on the south bank of the Haihe River from Hexi to Jinan in Tianjin was fertile, so he requested to reclaim enclosed fields using the enclosed field farming method of the south of the Yangtze River. The Emperor Wanli Emperor had previously intended to let him stay in Tianjin to preside over this matter.

Investigating dereliction of duty and selecting practical officials, everything was the Emperor Wanli Emperor adjusting the state of interpersonal relationships in the actual operation of the system.

His painstaking efforts were further reflected after the southern tour procession arrived in Shandong.

Aiming at the civil unrest caused by the land survey in Shandong before, the Emperor Wanli Emperor met with local gentry, celebrities, worker and farmer representatives, and social party alliances in the Governor's office; he talked about the problem of rural gentry, the problem of tax distribution, and the internal contradictions of the people.

Finally, he pointed out with full confidence that as long as they persisted in the New Policies without wavering, the future of the whole world would never become darker and darker, but only brighter and brighter.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor worried about the country and the people, and traveled through the dust.

He personally inspected the livelihood status of the counties in Jinan, and after witnessing the hardships and high taxes of the Shandong people, he immediately issued a decree to reduce the annual tax silver of the local areas belonging to Shandong by more than 96,400.

On the one hand, it was to soothe the trauma caused by a civil unrest at the beginning, and to soothe the dissatisfaction of the common people; on the other hand, it was also to show with practical actions that the tax amount obtained from the land survey was taken from the people and used for the people.

The Emperor Wanli Emperor also personally met with officials such as Yang Yikui.

Regarding the land survey and household clearing, the planning was detailed, and the fatigue was mediated; the Ministry of Personnel recorded it on the spot and promoted and rewarded it according to the system.

In contrast, there were many derelict places in the Jinan Prefecture office, which were moved and reprimanded by the Governor's office several times, and even the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner personally came forward to urge them before they could implement the land survey.

After the Emperor Wanli Emperor discussed with the Grand Secretariat and the Ministry of Personnel, he finally dismissed the Prefect Yin Gao and ordered him to go to the Nanjing Censorate to listen to the investigation.

That was it.

Several great sage families, Yan Yan Sishen, Meng Meng Yanpu, Kong Kong Chenghou, and others, were summoned to the imperial presence one after another on the grounds of being hereditary Five Classics Doctors of the Hanlin Academy, and there was no news for several days.

Various signs faintly had the trend of settling accounts after the autumn, which truly frightened many gentry and officials.

People kept reaching out to the Jinan temporary capital, attempting to probe the wind.

Fortunately, not long after, news came from the Jinan temporary capital that the Shandong Governor Yu Youding had finished reporting the land survey matters, and the Emperor would move in a few days, leaving Shandong directly along the canal and continuing south.

It must be said that the Emperor's southern tour was truly unhurried.

When Emperor Wu Sect went on a southern tour, he rode lightly and traveled hundreds of miles a day, arriving in Jiangnan in twelve days.

Emperor Shizong returned to Huguang from the capital, and it only took twenty-six days, even counting the time delayed by the three fires in the temporary palaces of Zhao Prefecture, Linming, and Weihui.

Now, since leaving the capital on the 30th day of the eighth month, more than half a month has passed, and he has only reached Shandong.

After that, he has to go to Xuzhou and Two Huai'an to inspect the dangers of the Yellow River; I don't know how long it will take to reach Jiangnan.

Dawdling, it has waited for I don't know how many people.

Fortunately, the city walls of Nanjing are long enough and big enough to stand the people waiting and looking forward to it.

The city of Yingtian Prefecture has two city walls.

The outer city wall was built by using natural hills to pile up earth, and the city wall is 120 li long, known as the "Earth City Head." With the increasing population, most of the city walls of that year have collapsed and been abandoned, leaving only the base and place names, such as Qilin Gate, Xianhe Gate, etc., which gradually became residential areas and workshops.

The inner city is based on giant stone strips, with specially made city bricks on top, more than 60 li around, embracing mountains, rivers, and lakes, with the former dynasty and the latter market, the left ancestor and the right society, a central axis starting from Zhengyang Gate, passing through During Hongwu Street directly to the Imperial City Chengtian Gate, Gongshu Duan Gate, Meridian Gate, and directly into the Palace City.

The Forbidden City, which is waiting for the Emperor to arrive, is located in the southeast corner, with its back to Zhongshan Mountain, sitting north and facing south.

Fuguishan and Fuzhoushan are where the Forbidden Army is stationed, guarding the Imperial City; Shizishan, Bazishan, and Qingliangshan have guards to guard the Yangtze River and the land route north of the city.

The Qinhuai River enters the city from the East Water Gate, starting from the Jubao Gate, winding through the city like a jade belt, and exiting the city from the West Water Gate. Along the river, houses are dense, tea houses and restaurants, hook-and-tile houses, and shops are gathered, row upon row, the so-called "Ten-Mile Qinhuai."

Grand city regulations; a dense population of far more than one million; developed commerce such as silk, printing, and glass; the century-long prosperity of scholars, opera, calligraphy, painting, and poetry.

Smoky willows and painted bridges, wind curtains and green screens.

The market is lined with pearls and gems, and the households are full of silk and satin.

Everything, in short, is just the two words "prosperity."

However.

There is often a "however."

This kind of prosperity—not ordinary prosperity, but the first-class prosperity in the world as the political, economic, and cultural center of the south—naturally has its reasons.

Unique geographical location, developed water system covering the Jianghuai Canal, humanistic atmosphere cultivated for thousands of years, and other internal causes.

Internal causes are a matter of course, worthy of the pride of the people of Yingtian Prefecture.

Of course, there are also external causes, such as its name, the two words "Nanjing," which is the extra ability given by politics.

External causes are not so much a matter of course, and often make people worry about gains and losses.

No one can deny the influence of policy on urban development.

Chongming, which is a bit to the east, was a barren land a few years ago, but under the influence of policy preference, it gradually had a climate in just six years.

Several salt tax offices in Nanzhili were once placed under the jurisdiction of the Shandong Salt Administration, and the cities of Two Huai'an immediately appeared weak and unable to do anything.

This is the visible big hand.

Just like the city of Yingtian Prefecture in Nanzhili, as one of the two capitals of the dynasty, although the status of Nanjing as a remaining capital declined after the capital was moved to Beijing in the 19th year of Yongle, its urban regulations still naturally retained the magnificent framework and prominent climate of the "Jingcheng."

The Jiangnan Examination Hall, which famous scholars and great Confucians consider themselves students of, the Nanjing Ministry of Court where high officials and nobles come and go, the Nanjing National Treasury where half of the world's taxes are gathered... are all incidental to being a "Jingcheng," achieving the current Nanjing City.

Then, can the preference belonging to the "Jingcheng" be maintained as a matter of course?

At this juncture, too many people are thinking and worrying about this.

This worry naturally does not come from nowhere.

In fact, when the Emperor Wanli Emperor left the palace for a southern tour, this wind began to blow.

As the Emperor passed through Shuntian Prefecture, Hejian Prefecture, and Jinan Prefecture, and got closer and closer to Jiangnan, this wind blew more and more fiercely.

In the latter part of last month, that is, on the 21st day of the ninth month, the temporary capital's Office of Transmission printed an article in the *Di Bao*, "The New Policies Are Changing," on the one hand, indicating that the purpose of the Emperor's southern tour this time is to continue to promote the New Policies, and on the other hand, warning some officials without naming names.

The article said.

"Recently, in this period, among some rural gentry, scholarly Confucians, and high-ranking officials, the 'Soft Restraint elements' who oppose the New Policies have performed the most resolutely and wildly.

They disregard everything, wanting to stir up an earthquake on the land of the Great Ming Dynasty that harms crops and destroys the population, not hesitating to stir up civil unrest one after another, issuing posters one after another, provoking contradictions among the people of the world, just to hinder the New Policies from continuing.

Now the attack of the 'Soft Restraint elements' has not reached its peak, they are in high spirits, and are about to reach the peak.

The Emperor, as the leader of the world, foresaw this, so he left the palace for a southern tour."

The harsh wording and the ungrateful characterization. A chill that rushed directly to the spirit was transmitted to Jiangnan and Nanjing Ministry of Court like a broken bamboo.

As the saying goes, throwing a stone to ask the way, the stone falls into the water, and naturally the water splashes.

Some people are panicked and hide at home to avoid disaster.

Some people follow in public but oppose in private, accelerating the connection.

Some people are furious and keep moving.

Forging the *Impeachment of Zhang Zhang Juzheng* in Hai Rui's name, making a fuss, and bitterly criticizing the New Policies; anonymous articles accusing the Grand Secretariat, saying that the political trust inside and outside the court has been seriously damaged; even prophecies pointing directly at the Emperor, cursing the Emperor to be struck by lightning sooner or later.

Posters, newspapers, memorials, and secret letters were scattered in Jiangnan like snowflakes.

"Now students are demonstrating on the streets, and the common people should follow!"

"The situation is very serious, the imperial court has already lost its way!"

"The situation is on the verge of breaking out, Zhang Zhang Juzheng and the others can't mix anymore, it's time to retire!"

"Southerners and Northerners should take turns to sit in the village!"

"The guards of the Northerners follow Beijing, and the guards of the Southerners follow Nanjing!"

The discussions were numerous; the Emperor Wanli Emperor had only been on the throne for eight years, yet more than 300,000 opinions, errors, and crimes had been counted, and the surging undercurrent almost burst out of the Two Huai River!

However.

As the saying goes, it is not a true dragon that does not cross the Yangtze River.

Stubborn resistance was originally the meaning of the question, and it did not exceed the expectations of the center.

The Emperor's itinerary was still unhurried, visiting old ministers, inspecting the people, and guiding water conservancy.

Only a decree named *Instructions on Rectifying the Atmosphere in Jiangnan* was sent to the desk of the Nanjing Ministry of Court plainly, with a simple title, which seemed to be the calmness and toughness of the center on the New Policies, without any room for maneuver.

As for what kind of atmosphere is being rectified, the decree did not say too thoroughly.

However, everyone knows it well.

Arriving in Nanjing with this decree was the advance official, He He Luo Wen, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, and his subordinates.

The Nanjing Ministry of Rites was very sensible. Liu Sijie, Minister of the Ministry of Rites, retreated three houses, vacated the office for Vice Minister He, and went home claiming illness.

He He Luo Wen is a vulgar Northerner with no etiquette.

He occupied the Ministry of Rites office unscrupulously, openly acting as a hall official, questioning military and civilian officials every few days, making the city of Nanjing restless.

Just like today, the 7th day of the tenth month was the winter solstice, which was a holiday, but the Ministry of Rites hall was still full of people.

"The Grand Historian said, dare to offend the color to reach the principle."

"The so-called 'ism' is the name of principle, meaning the sect of learning, the spirit of man, and the system of the group."

"This official is ordered to rectify the atmosphere; today, let's rectify your 'regionalism'."

After saying this, He He Luo Wen sat in the main seat, leisurely picked up the tea cup, and took a sip.

The so-called new dynasty elegance, besides creating new words, also got the essence of old words and new meanings; the new is good, and the new is a symbol of progress.

It is like the word "regionalism," which jumped out of the trap of north-south opposition and accurately and tactfully summarized the widespread ideological trend of Jiangnan military and civilian people, which is not bad.

Unfortunately, the knowledgeable people attending the meeting could not feel its subtlety. In the Ministry of Rites hall, it was still silent.

He He Luo Wen didn't mind. He put down the tea cup, picked up a file on the side, and called names one by one: "Shi Shi Guan, Giving-Attendant of the Nanjing Ministry of Rites."

After the voice fell, there was no expected response.

Everyone turned their heads to look, but the latter ignored the cast gaze and lowered his head without speaking.

He He Luo Wen was used to it. He turned his head and looked over, saying to himself: "Giving-Attendant Shi."

"Beijing and the remaining capital are equally important, and we should promote the use of the southern pivot. For all matters of ritual system construction, it is advisable to discuss them in the remaining capital first. Because the public discussion is harmonious, the temple calculation is precise, just like the plans of three people can help Zhuge."

"This is the original text of the article written by Giving-Attendant Shi, right?"

This is a public publication of the Nanjing Imperial Academy, and there are even vernacular versions distributed to the people—Beijing and Nanjing should be the two cores of politics, and Nanjing should play a greater role; some basic construction on the ritual system can be discussed by Nanjing first, and then decided by Beijing; three cobblers are better than one Zhuge Liang.

An Arabian Nights proposal, but the point it targets is very obvious.

How can a national policy like land survey be decided arbitrarily by someone, or a part of people?

It has been promoted for so long, and the people of the south are complaining, isn't it because the center ignores the interests of the people of the south?

If Nanjing were allowed to exert its inherent political utility, how could it have fallen to the point of the Emperor's southern tour?

Shi Shi Guan heard this and finally raised his head, pursing his lips and asking: "For the sake of the country, what is wrong with it?"

Under the dissatisfaction, even the official respectful address was omitted.

He He Luo Wen nodded, and he really didn't say anything more.

These people have nothing they dare not coerce.

From the people of Jiangnan to the political status of the remaining capital, they are all bargaining chips to resist the New Policies, and there is really no room for rectification.

He He Luo Wen wrote a "Soft Restraint element" in the file and closed it silently.

He picked up another file and called out: "Lin Shao, Secretary of the Ministry of Justice."

An official in his thirties was clearly the subject.

He raised his head and looked directly at He He Luo Wen, fearless.

He He Luo Wen scanned the file and opened his mouth to question: "Secretary Lin, the workshops all say that you openly discriminate against Northerners; as long as it is a Southerner who commits a crime, you open the door of mercy; as long as it is a Northerner who commits a crime, you add to the crime."

"Is there such a thing?"

Lin Shao's face was ugly, and he snorted coldly: "Nonsense!"

He He Luo Wen turned the file to the next page without raising his head: "Nonsense?"

"A Southerner committed suicide by jumping into a lake, and you sentenced his innocent Northern friend to pay 200 taels of silver; a Northerner committed suicide by jumping into a river, clearly cheated out of hundreds of taels of silver by a Southerner, but you said it was normal friendship, and even snatched and burned the IOU left by the deceased's sister."

"A Northerner stole 85 taels from a Southerner, and you sentenced him to one year in prison; a Southerner stole 330 taels from a Northerner, and after the report, you only sentenced him to pay 118 taels."

"A Northern carriage driver reported that he was stabbed and his throat cut, and when you learned that the criminal was a Southerner, not only did you exempt him from prison, but you gave him 1500 wen."

"A Southerner held a knife to resolve the previous grievances with a Northerner, but failed, stabbed the neck, blood flowing all over the face, such a great evil, you also exempted the criminal from prison, and even wrote a letter to appease the thief, truly knowing the heart once."

"Every time a Southerner sues a Northerner, you don't distinguish between right and wrong, and directly arrest the person and put them in prison."

"Some time ago, there was such a thing, you clearly knew that the former was a false accusation, but you refused to repent, not only refusing to return the person's innocence, but also sending Prefectural Yamen runners to knock on the door in the middle of the night, threatening the people in the workshop who pointed at your spine."

"Even speaking wildly, saying that you want to gradually abolish the chronic illness of Southerners and Northerners committing crimes and being sentenced to death."

"Are these things all my nonsense?"

It is not that He He Luo Wen did his homework well, it is really that there are too many such unjust cases, and they are all in the paper pile.

Perhaps it is unconscious discrimination, perhaps it is intentional provocation of north-south opposition, in short, it is coercing the people of the south in fact, shaping collective consciousness, and joining the torrent of confrontation with the Northern imperial court.

No one in the world agrees to ban the death penalty, but if you want to say that it is only banned for Southerners, it is really hard to say.

The same truth, the gentry say that Jiangnan taxes are heavy, and land survey should not be, the imperial court ignores it, but if the whole Jiangnan says so, land survey may not be able to continue—in fact, it is precisely because of this that it encountered obstacles, and then the Emperor had this southern tour.

It can be said that Lin Shao and these people are all national thieves!

However, after Lin Shao heard this, his face did not have extra expressions.

He smiled contemptuously, raised his neck, and said righteously: "Jiangnan bears the weight of the world's taxes, how can it be treated the same as Northerners?"

"The scale of the law tilting towards Southerners is the justice of the Great Ming Law!"

Lin Shao had a set of brain circuits to convince himself.

Because Southerners occupy an important position in tax distribution, when the Three Judicial Offices handle cases of Southerners violating the law and committing crimes, they should adhere to the principle of combining leniency and severity, and treat cases of Southerners violating the law and committing crimes differently.

This is a principle based on reality; how can it be called regionalism?

He He Luo Wen was speechless for a while.

This is the terror of north-south regional disputes. Southerners have incomparable political immunity on such topics. Even in front of him, a Northern Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites, they dare to say such things righteously.

Not regionalism?

Try having me, He He Luo Wen, a Northerner, say these things? Unless I want to be an honest official and no longer publish anthologies.

In the past, he didn't dare to touch these things openly. Thanks to the fact that it was the above who spoke now, he dared to straighten his waist in front of these Southerners and shout about the evil wind.

He He Luo Wen shook his head, wrote the four words "Soft Restraint element" on the file again, and closed it silently.

He paused and turned to look at another person: "Assistant Commissioner of Education, Fang Fang Liangshu."

The so-called Assistant Commissioner of Education, the full name is the Assistant Commissioner of the Provincial Surveillance Commission, in charge of the education of the province, a fourth-rank official.

If the path of the first two was to coerce the remaining capital and the people, Fang Fang Liangshu was even more hateful.

This person simply reached his hand into the Confucian schools at all levels of counties and prefectures.

Bewitching students everywhere, joint memorial.

Saying things like, now the officials in the official schools are very dissatisfied with the leaders of the Confucian school, and there should be extensive discussions on whether to let the official schools do things on their own—that is, let the imperial court only pay money, and as for management, let the scholarly celebrities take charge.

As for where the scholarly celebrities are? Sorry, there are no scholars in the north.

He He Luo Wen hated this guy very much, and his tone of calling people was even stiffer, and he was about to scold him directly.

Unexpectedly, the words in his mouth had not yet been uttered.

Fang Fang Liangshu, who was called, stood up suddenly, sneering and directly interrupting: "Vice Minister He, don't tell me these things, the things we say are not on the same level."

"I have no principles and no bottom line, and I will always stand on the side of my own region." ===== CHAPTER 257 =====