OBS Chapter 1122 You black sesame dumpling aren't stupid, you're just simply bad.
Chapter 1122 You black sesame dumpling aren't stupid, you're just simply bad.
Zhu Biao just counted on his fingers and then his whole body went numb.
It seems that starting from the first year of the Hongwu reign, there was constant opposition throughout the officialdom of the Ming Dynasty.
They opposed including Ningyang County separately in the cabinet as a pilot program for direct administration, arguing that it was just a small county and not worthy of such a designation.
They opposed the widespread construction of schools and communities, arguing that the national treasury was empty.
The reason given for opposing the Northern Expedition against the Yuan Dynasty was still the empty national treasury.
They opposed the establishment of a border market in Dengzhou Prefecture, arguing that Dengzhou was far from the capital and not as convenient as Jiangnan.
They oppose harsh punishment for the blank seal case because "blank seals across the seams" is something that has existed since ancient times.
They also opposed other government policies, such as the progressive tax system and the replacement of gold and silver with paper money.
The key point is that in the third year of the Hongwu reign, a large number of officials jumped out to oppose opening up the imperial examination system because "the imperial examination system is difficult to assess character, and the recommendation system is better."
In the fourth year of the Hongwu reign, a large number of officials jumped out to oppose the abolition of the imperial examination system, arguing that "the imperial examination system is the way to select talents for the country."
Zhu Biao shook his head and recounted everything he had just thought of, then looked at Yang Shaofeng and said, "I've just realized that they've opposed almost everything in the government, as if they were opposing for the sake of opposing?"
Yang Shaofeng glanced at Zhu Biao and said, "Then why doesn't Your Highness try ordering the opening of maritime trade and prohibiting government involvement in long-distance maritime trade, and then see if they will still object?"
Zhu Biao couldn't help but roll his eyes. "I'm not stupid, thank you."
Yang Shaofeng rolled his eyes as well.
Yes, you black sesame dumpling aren't stupid, you're just plain bad.
While mentally ranting, Yang Shaofeng said, "Hasn't Your Highness noticed yet? All these people are saying is just four words: competing with the people for profit."
"Anything that benefits the country and the people but requires the court to spend money first is considered competing with the people for profit, because the court spends the national treasury's money, and the national treasury's money comes from taxes, and the bulk of the taxes has always been commercial taxes."
"Anything that can make money for the court and the national treasury is a way of competing with the people for profit, because every extra penny the court and the national treasury earn means that they will earn one less penny."
"For example, the matter of this border market."
Yang Shaofeng put down his teacup and continued, "On the surface, the ban on the sea and the opening of the border markets, with the imperial court in charge of maritime trade, can allow many commodities to be sold at higher prices. They can make money as long as they run their workshops well, without having to risk their ships sinking and people dying by smuggling. This should be a win-win, or even a triple win, a multi-win, or a huge win-win situation."
"The court collects more taxes, the workshops make more money, the workers in the workshops can earn wages, and the merchants of the vassal states can buy the goods they want. On the surface, it is a win-win-win situation for all four."
"Logically speaking, they shouldn't be jumping out to oppose it."
"The problem is that the profit they make from a single smuggling operation is far greater than the profit they can earn from running a workshop."
"The imperial court's ban on maritime trade and crackdown on smuggling have increased their risks. However, the quantity of goods they smuggle is far less than the quantity of regular maritime trade at the border markets. They may even be subject to price suppression by foreign merchants, resulting in reduced profits and increased risks."
"So how could they not jump out and oppose the border market?"
"As for what Your Highness just said about opposing the imperial examination system and opposing its abolition..."
Yang Shaofeng sneered and said, "They oppose the imperial examination system because the recommendation system allows them to recommend their own people for official positions."
For example, a famous racer from the Ten Clans.
This contestant from the Tenth Clan, who was touted as "Little Han Yu" and "a seed of learning," actually never participated in the imperial examinations.
Of course, it's also possible that they participated but failed.
This is not surprising, because the famously decadent writer Zhou Xun also participated in the county examination and ranked 137th, failing to even obtain the title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the lowest level of the imperial examinations).
However, after being summoned to the capital by Zhu Yunwen, the candidates from the ten clans recommended 873 people for official positions.
Other bizarre actions included abolishing border garrisons, disbanding border troops, dismissing inspectors who specifically monitored civil officials, overturning the cases of officials who had been dealt with by Lao Deng, and returning their "family property," among other things.
Then the problem is coming.
Putting aside other issues for the time being, what kind of people are the 873 people recommended by this contestant from the Ten Clans, who is known in the martial arts world as "Little Han Yu" and "Seed of Reading"?
And this contestant from the ten clans, whose father had served as the prefect of Jining before the Kongyin case, was also known as "Emperor Taizu was strict in enforcing the law, and many officials were exiled. When they passed through Jining, Keqin would always help them."
Isn't this so-called "always showing compassion" similar to that of Song Jiang, who liked to "receive imperial edicts on behalf of Heaven"?
Yang Shaofeng pursed his lips and continued, "As for the reasons for opposing the abolition of the imperial examination system, they are quite simple."
"First, even if ordinary people could barely read a few words, they were no match for them in the imperial examinations. The imperial examinations were their only way to become officials."
"Secondly, as more and more community schools are established, the system of using family education to become an official is becoming less and less effective. The longer the imperial examination system can exist, the longer they can maintain their advantage."
"Does Your Highness believe that as more and more scholars are trained in community schools and county schools, and as more and more people become Xiucai, Juren, and even Jinshi, these people will cry out for the abolition of the imperial examination system and the restoration of the recommendation system?"
"..."
Zhu Biao nodded blankly and asked, "So what? Now we're just doing whatever they oppose? That doesn't seem right, does it?"
Yang Shaofeng picked up the small dragon ball and took a sip. "Your Highness, what do you think they oppose most right now?"
Zhu Biao was stunned for a moment, then asked, "What is it?"
Yang Shaofeng chuckled and said, "Of course, we'll conduct a thorough investigation here in Fujian."
"To put it bluntly, what they do is nothing special, and they can only do it secretly. Once it's exposed to the public, they can't continue doing it."
"so……"
Yang Shaofeng's expression gradually turned cold: "Continue the investigation! Dig deeper! The 'Da Ming Daily' will follow up simultaneously; expose every case they uncover."
"While exposing them, we should also get the Kong brothers and the opera troupe to follow up. Wherever they investigate, the opera 'The White-Haired Girl' will continue to be performed."
"Let the people know how they oppress and persecute them."
“Tear off that mask of hypocrisy from their faces!”
"besides……"
Yang Shaofeng took another deep breath and said, "Officials from Jiangnan cannot serve as officials in Jiangnan, or even in places bordering Jiangnan."
"Officials from the eastern coastal areas cannot serve as officials in the east, or even in the central provincial administration or county offices."
"Since he's an exiled official, he should at least be exiled a thousand miles away to make sense!"