Profit is the biggest driving force for people to move forward. In just two days, Li Zhigang, the minister of the Ministry of Rites, compiled and archived the number of untouchables in various provinces of the Ming Dynasty as much as possible according to the existing archives of the Ministry of Household Affairs, lest it was not detailed.
At the same time, the origins of these untouchables, the hardships of life and their low status, etc., are made into a beautiful article with brilliant writing that makes people cry.
But what surprised him slightly was that the emperor did not reply immediately after reading it.
He knew that the emperor was waiting for a good opportunity.
Fortunately, this day will come soon.
~
Three days later, there was a court meeting at Qianqing Palace.
Officials from the six ministries and above, as well as nearly a hundred people including the Imperial Academy, the Imperial Academy, and the Minister of the Southern Study were all present.
Since Zhu Yunxi came to the throne, the courtiers have gradually discovered that the current young emperor is not like the former Hongwu Emperor, who insisted on attending the Fengtian Palace meetings no matter the cold or summer. Instead, he is interested in core meetings such as the Qianqing Palace. Solitary.
In fact, small meetings are more efficient and straightforward. The officials are arranged in two rows. Although it looks a bit dark, it is clear who is who.
"Is Yin Fangbin of Yingtian Mansion here?" Zhu Yunxi, wearing a bright yellow dragon robe, asked calmly while sitting on the dragon chair.
"Here you are!" Fang Bin, who was in the second row among the officials, came out to salute.
"What happened to the case a few days ago?" Zhu Yunxi asked.
Everyone knew what case the emperor was talking about, which was the scandal in the Imperial College. In the past few days, the streets and alleys in the capital were full of people gloating and ridiculing, and the students of the Imperial College did not dare to go out on the streets.
When this matter was brought up, all the officials from the Metropolitan Procuratorate of the Hanlin Academy were livid. The bachelor's degree supervisor at the Imperial Academy and others were even more ashamed and wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl in.
"If I get back to the emperor, the case has been investigated!" Fang Bin said loudly, "Although the student Xu Zhian committed murders during the day and caused a bloody case, he is excusable and the original crime will not lead to death. He will be sent to Yunnan with fifty rounds!"
"Well, this is the appropriate way to deal with it!" Zhu Yunxi nodded, "If human nature is evil, horrific things will often happen in the world. The so-called law must also be rational. Xu Zhian kills people out of anger and is justifiable. These four words can be said Good. What we need are the four words "extenuating circumstances". From now on, not only Yingtian Mansion, but also every province in the world, including the Dali Temple of the Ministry of Criminal Justice, will handle cases according to the circumstances and follow the rules of the matter. Only in this way can evil be punished and good be promoted!"
"Your Majesty, your Majesty!" said the ministers.
Zhu Yunxi glanced at them lightly again, "What else is there?"
"I have this memorial!" The counselors in the South Study Room were all standing in the first row, and Xie Jin was in the second to last row, and he came out and said.
As soon as he appeared, many people's eyes suddenly froze.
The case just now was just a prologue, and now the real drama has just begun.
"What's the matter with Qing Jie Ai?" Zhu Yunxi asked with a smile.
"Since the Ming Dynasty and the Yuan Dynasty, the world has been cleansed of the barbaric atmosphere, and the sun and moon of the Han Dynasty have been prosperous!" Xie Jin said, "China has been rejuvenated in the era of Rao and Shun, and Guocang has given enough people to know etiquette, which has swept away the sluggish atmosphere that has been in decline for hundreds of years since the Song Dynasty. "
"However, our Ming Dynasty also had bad governance at this time, and the pariah status of the former Yuan Dynasty still prevailed in the world and has not changed. The sage said that all the land in the world is not the king's land, and the shore of the land is not the king's ministers. Under the sun and the moon, all the great How can the people of the Ming Dynasty differentiate between the good and the bad?"
"The untouchables are not human beings. Suppressing good people and treating them as lowly is the bad government of the previous dynasty. Our dynasty's etiquette and education are based on the people. Things that are offensive to morals, I think they should be eradicated forever to show my Ming Dynasty's heart of caring for the world. To fulfill the emperor’s sentiments of nurturing all people!”
After Jie Jin finished speaking, there was a slight whisper in the palace.
Counselor Nan Shufang and the six ministers frowned and thought, the matter of untouchables has not been raised for a day or two, why is it brought up at this time? Everyone understands that this matter may not seem difficult, but it is difficult in the heart.
Everyone in the Hanlin Academy is very puzzled. As Qingliu's spokesperson in Nanshufang, why do you, Xie Jin, have to say these things?
Their expressions could be seen clearly by Zhu Yunxi, who was aloof.
Then, his eyes fell on Li Zhigang.
"I have heard about the matter of low status for a long time. People with low status everywhere in the world are inferior to others, just like slaves!" Zhu Yunxi thought deeply, "But who knows how many people there are?"
"Please play!" Li Zhigang stood up immediately.
The action was so fast that the officials of the Ministry of Etiquette around him were surprised.
"We inherited the low-ranking status from the previous dynasty in the Ming Dynasty. The main ones include lazy people from Zhejiang, Leji from Shaanxi, Leji from Shaanxi, Leji from Beiping, Danhu from Guangdong, and fishermen with nine surnames from Zhejiang. Beggars from Zhili, and servants from Huainan and Huaibei. I’ll be waiting for you!”
"In the 23rd year of Hongwu, there was a rough estimate of a total of 720,000 people. But now, the number is probably far more than 800,000!"
After saying that, he continued, "Explanation of what the scholar said about getting rid of the untouchables, I second the proposal. All the people in the world are the emperor's subjects, and they should be treated equally. Moreover, the untouchables are suffering day by day, and the common people despise them. The rich are regarded as servants, and the government treats them as slaves. They have already suffered. It’s unspeakable. If this bad government still exists, it will be a disgrace to the Emperor’s benevolence!”
"So many?" Zhu Yunxi frowned deeply on the dragon throne, "Where did these lowly people come from?"
When Li Zhigang saw the emperor continuing to ask questions, he was so agitated that he couldn't help himself. His eyes were shining, "The Lehu prostitutes in Beiping, Shaanxi Province, etc., include survivors of the Liao and Jin Dynasties, as well as old people of the Mongolian and Yuan Dynasties. Since the Song Dynasty, dynasties have changed in the north, and there have been many sinners. Being a bitch is a common thing."
"Most of the lazy and beggar people in Zhejiang were born after the Song Dynasty. Mongolia was divided into ten households, and the Wu people are still humble to this day! They make a living by exorcising ghosts, carrying sedan chairs, and acting. Not only are they not allowed to take imperial examinations, work or farm like other lowly people, they are also not allowed to If you marry a good citizen, you are not allowed to travel, and you are not even allowed to dress like a good citizen."
"The Danhus of Guangdong have lived at sea for generations and are not allowed to land. They are illiterate and have no manners. They are often humiliated by the people!"
"There are also nine surnames with fishing songs, who drift on the Qiantang River and make fishing their profession."
"The servants in Huainan and Huaibei are even more shocked. I know that in a village, there are people with two surnames. But one surname is the master, and the other surname is the servant of this surname. The power of life and death is entirely in the hands of the master, what is the difference with the slaves? different?"
"He really did his homework!"
Zhu Yunxi listened silently and thought to himself.
The origins of untouchables are complicated, and most of them are due to historical reasons. Because many of them are immigrants, they are deeply discriminated against and suppressed by the local people. In the feudal dynasty, those who had land were the common people, and the government would protect them. These people without land, People who cannot read or write are naturally the lowest among the lowest.
"Everyone should be treated equally in the world!" Zhu Yunxi said, "It is urgent to deal with low status." He said, looking at everyone, "What do you think, dear friends?"
The next second, what surprised Zhu Yunxi was that it was Zhu Gaochi who stood up and spoke.
"I also think this is the case!" Zhu Gaochi stood, one person two widths wide than Jie Jin, and said, "Just now, Shilang Li said that there are at least 700,000 untouchables in the world. If these 700,000 people are turned into good men, , then our Ming Dynasty will have more than 700,000 hard-working and honest people. But if we ignore it and allow them to be oppressed for generations, we will have more than 700,000 people who are resentful of the imperial court!"
"What you said is absolutely true!" Zhu Yunxi nodded and said, "But in my opinion, it cannot be superficial at this time. Being regarded as good citizens is just a piece of paper. But in the future, their resettlement and how to make a living and settle down are the top priority.
, Who do you think is worthy of this great responsibility?"
As he spoke, he observed the expressions of the ministers below. China's affairs were never difficult at the decision-making level, but at the executive level. There were too many smart people, and no one wanted to suffer.
"Your Majesty knows everything!" Xie Jin said, "It is better to teach people how to fish than to teach them how to fish. Giving them a way to make a living is the best way to succeed once and for all." After saying that, he paused and said, "This matter is...
It is a kind of virtuous government that is rarely seen in the ages, and it is a divine grace that benefits all people. Therefore, I believe that such a thing cannot be done by a powerful minister!"
"Lao Jie, choose me, choose me!" Li Zhigang shouted in his heart.
"I guess you have someone in mind, right?" Zhu Yunxi said with a smile.
Xie Jin said, "I really have a candidate who is of high status and has good character. In the past, the Supreme Emperor often praised him as the Royal Thousand-mile Horse. He will definitely be my great Ming Wise King in the future..."
"You're such a pretty girl!"
Zhu Gaochi's heart skipped a beat and he cursed secretly, "So you want to push me out?"
At this moment, Xie Jin smiled in front of everyone's surprised eyes and said, "It must be His Highness the Crown Prince Yan, Minister of the King!"
"I second the proposal!" As soon as he finished speaking, a group of noble scholars from the Hanlin Academy stood up to express their stance.
"Yeah! That's a good candidate!" Zhu Yunxi pretended to be deep in thought, "I am a cousin of the crown prince of King Yan, and it is legitimate for him to take charge of the royal administration, and the local government does not dare to deal with it perfunctorily." He said, shaking his head slightly, "However,
It’s hard to avoid being alone for him!”
Suddenly, the fire in Li Zhigang's heart burned again.
"For the purpose of pardoning the untouchables in the world, Zhu Gaochi, the Crown Prince of Yan, will be the general commander, and Li Zhigang, the Minister of Rites, will be the deputy." Zhu Yunxi said, "I hope you two can work together to carry out the first good policy for me after I ascend the throne!
"
"I obey the order!"
Zhu Gaochi was exhausted, while Li Zhigang was excited and excited.
Once you have the power, even if you are exhausted!
Anyone who dares to block my way will be killed by me!
It seemed that his enthusiasm made Zhu Gaochi smell a little. Zhu Gaochi turned his head slightly to observe the other person, then lowered his head and revealed an imperceptible sneer at the corner of his mouth.
"Idiot!"
"I have my own notes!"
Cao Guogong Li Jinglong suddenly stood up again, attracting attention.
This kind of moral government is a matter for civilian officials. Why are you, a military man, getting involved in it?
"Come on!" Zhu Yunxi said.
But I saw that Li Jinglong did not speak immediately, but straightened his robes and bowed solemnly.
"The Emperor's compassion for the people moved the hearts of the ministers beyond measure. In the past hundreds of years, has there ever been a sage like the Emperor in China, who regards all creatures in the world as his brothers and feet?"
"This virtuous government is carried out in the world, avoiding baseness is good. The emperor's move made everything in the days of Yao, Tian and Shun not be affected by it. Isn't it the only way in the world that the untouchables are tied to each other when they are alive, and the dead are holding grass in their hands? Even after thousands of generations,
All the people are grateful for the emperor's kindness."
Look, how good it is!
Even though Zhu Yunxi had heard too much flattery from Li Jinglong, he felt completely comfortable at the moment.
The literati from the Hanlin Academy looked at Li Jinglong and cursed in their hearts, "Shameless, your photos are so good, how will we write excerpts praising his virtues in the future?"
This chapter has been completed!