When meeting an old friend in a foreign country, the young and mature prodigy Qi Huzi was also beaming with joy. He bowed to Zhang Yuan's five people. Among the five, Huang Zunsu was the only one he didn't recognize. Zhang Dai introduced him, and Qi Huzi said: "I've been waiting for you guys to come, just in time.
Let’s return home together. I thought it would take a few days for you to arrive.” He then said, “Mr. Jing Yi would like to see you, please come with me.” He glanced at Zhang Yuan and added, “Mr. Nan Gao and Mr. Jing Yi
They all really want to meet Brother Jiezi."
Zhang E laughed and said: "Jiezi is now notorious. Everyone wants to see if Zhang Jiezi of Shanyin has three heads and six arms, and if he holds a golden hoop, haha." This compares Zhang Yuan to Sun Wukong who caused trouble in the heaven.
Zhang Dai frowned and said, "Third brother, when we meet Gao and Zou later, please be careful not to speak so openly."
Zhang E said dissatisfiedly: "Brother, I am not a three-year-old child. How could I say such a private joke?"
Zhang Dai smiled and said: "That's good."
Qi Huzi said: "My dear friends, please follow me. Mr. Jing Yi and Mr. Nan Gao are in Yiyong Hall."
In the cold winter, the days are short and the nights are long. After a while, it became dark. The gatekeeper of the academy handed a lantern to Qi Biaojia. Qi Biaojia held the lantern and led the way. Laifu and other five healthy servants
Waiting in the wing next to the Yimen, Zhang Yuan and the other five followed Qi Biaojia into Donglin Academy——
As soon as you enter the door, you will see a large square. Under the deep dusk, the thin layer of snow on the ground is quite bright, but there is a huge black half-moon in the vast white. This is Panchi, about twenty feet long and two feet wide.
Half-moon shape, because the ground is covered with snow, the water in this Panchi looks as deep as ink——
Zhang Yuan thought: "It seems that Gu Xiancheng and others spent a lot of money to renovate Donglin Academy ten years ago. As soon as you enter, you will see such a large square with a solemn atmosphere and a Panchi, which is similar to local Confucianism."
There is a small stone bridge over the half-moon-shaped Panchi. Zhang Yuan and his entourage crossed the bridge under the white snow, and there were many footsteps. After passing the Panchi, a few dozen steps ahead was the Donglin Jingshe, where there were distinguished guests who were responsible for welcoming guests.
, also holding a lantern in his hand, together with Qi Biaojia, welcomed the five Zhang Yuan people to the Yiyong Hall behind the Jingshe——
Yiyong Hall is the most important building of Donglin Academy. It is tall and wide, similar to the main hall of local Confucianism. It is a place where people gather for lectures. There is a couplet in front of the hall:
"Mediocre behavior; mediocre words."
There is also a couplet on both sides of the surplus pillars:
"Sitting idle and talking about people can make you virtuous and saintly; doing ordinary things every day can reveal your nature and nature."
Zhang Yuan was wondering why Gu Xiancheng's famous couplet was missing, so he stepped into the inner hall and saw the twenty-two large characters reflected by the light of two large lanterns hanging high:
"The sound of wind and rain and the sound of reading are all in my ears; I care about everything about my family, state, and world affairs."
It has been two years since Gu Xiancheng's death. It was this spiritual leader of the Donglin Party who first initiated lectures and political discussions. Gu Yanwu's idea that "everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the country" inherited Gu Xiancheng's thoughts on discussing politics in the opposition. During the Wanli period, various ideological trends were extremely active, and scholars
People also dared to speak out about government affairs, and the atmosphere was open. During the Tianqi period, Wei Zhongxian destroyed the world's academies, clamped down on speech, and strictly prohibited scholars from gathering in groups to give lectures. After the Manchus entered the customs, they became even more strict with scholars. Not only were they not allowed to gather in groups to give lectures, but ordinary scholars were also prohibited from forming alliances and associations.
Anyone who dared to make irresponsible comments about the government was forbidden to be executed. In the past four hundred years, this was generally the case——
…
Gao Panlong was in his early fifties, with a red face, a high nose, and sharp eyes; Zou Yuanbiao was about sixty years old, with a tall forehead and a bright look, and his eyes were relatively gentle. The two leaders Donglin looked at Zhang Yuan and the five others as they came in to perform the post-school ceremony.
After announcing his name, Gao Panlong and Zou Yuanbiao exchanged glances——
After sitting down and serving tea, Huang Zunsu, the elder, took the lead in talking about his classmates in the Imperial College and Wei Dazhong, Ruan Dacheng was a classmate, and expressed his admiration for Donglin. Zhang Dai and the four others also expressed the same admiration——
Gao Panlong spoke with a voice as loud as a bell: "What do the five talents from Nanjian admire about Donglin?"
Huang Zunsu saw that Zhang Yuan was silent, so he replied: "The five late students admire the knowledge and integrity of the gentlemen of Donglin."
Gao Panlong said: "Then let me ask you, what is the purpose of studying?"
Huang Zunsu said: "Study to understand the truth, practice and practice, practice, be loyal to the emperor, this is the way to be patriotic."
Ni Yuanlu, Zhang Dai also answered in the same way, very grandly, and Zhang E's answer was: "Illiterate, more depressed than a blind person -"
This sentence made the serious Gao Panlong laugh. Gao Panlong said: "It's not about literacy, it's about reading."
Zhang E means that if you are illiterate, you can't read "Water Margin" and "Jin Ping Mei". Isn't that depressing? Hearing Gao Panlong emphasize reading again, knowing that Gao Panlong meant reading the Four Books and Five Classics, he said: "Of course it is for the sake of becoming an official.
.”
Gao Panlong chuckled and said to Zou Yuanbiao: "Brother Erzhan, Zhang Suzhi's grandson is willing to tell the truth." He stared at Zhang Yuan with bright eyes, wondering what Zhang Yuan's advice was?
Zhang Yuandao: "Studying at a later age is also for the purpose of becoming an official——"
Zhang E replied that he wanted to be an official, and Gao Panlong just smiled, but Zhang Yuan also answered in the same way, but Gao Panlong had a look of disdain on his face, thinking that the famous Zhang Yuan was just a vulgar creature——
But Zhang Yuan said again: "If you don't become an official, how can you benefit the people?"
Zou Yuanbiao had been observing Zhang Yuan's words, deeds and demeanor, and then he said: "What a loud tone, how can you benefit all people?"
Zhang Yuandao: "Can I first let the junior students ask some questions from the two gentlemen?"
Zou Yuanbiao and Gao Panlong looked at each other and said, "It's okay to ask."
Zhang Yuan asked: "For more than 20 years, the dispute over the foundation of the country has been filled with memorials, demotions, and imperial staffs. It has consumed countless energy of the emperor and his ministers. I would like to hear the opinions of these two gentlemen on this matter?"
When Gao Panlong heard Zhang Yuan ask about this important matter, he perked up and replied: "The affairs of the world are not a private matter of one family. The establishment of a prince is a matter of the whole world. How can we allow the emperor to abolish the elder and establish the younger?"
Zhang Yuan asked: "Are you willing to waste the government for this?"
When Gao Panlong heard this, he became angry and said sternly: "If you don't fight for the country, why fight for it!"
Zhang Yuan remained calm and said steadily: "Wan Sheng understands what sir means. Wan Sheng has another question. Do you two gentlemen think our Ming Dynasty has any immediate worries?"
Gao Panlong said: "The country's foundation is not solid, and this is a big worry."
Zhang Yuandao: "King Fu has settled in Luoyang, and the battle over the foundation of the country has been decided."
Zou Yuanbiao looked at Zhang Yuan and said: "Zhang Sheng seems to have a high opinion on the country's immediate concerns. I would like to hear the details."
Zhang Yuandao: "Internally, there are land annexations, corrupt official administration, natural disasters, and constant party strife. Externally, the Jianzhou Jurchens are rapidly growing, which will definitely become a serious disaster in Liaodong."
Gao Panlong did not care that the Jianzhou Jurchens would become a serious trouble for Liaodong, saying: "The Mongolian Tatars are the border threat. How many Jianzhou Jurchens can there be is not a big trouble, but land annexation and natural disasters are indeed big troubles. As for party struggle,
That is what we must fight for. Party people are like human beings. If there is no party in the world, there will be no gentlemen or petty people. Those who rule the country must not be concerned about the party. They must clearly distinguish their party."
Zhang Yuan did not compete with Gao Panlong for the party of gentlemen and the party of villains, and said: "Nurhaci, who established the state, will establish the country and proclaim himself Khan in less than three years. From then on, he will be the enemy of the Ming Dynasty. There will be no peace in Liaodong."
Gao Panlong asked: "How dare you be so sure?"
Zhang Yuandao: "There are four Jurchen tribes in Haixi, Hulun. Three of them have been annexed by Jianzhou Jurchens. To the north of Fushun, it is all Nurhaci's territory. The Khitan people once said, 'If there are not even ten thousand Jurchens, they will be invincible.' Nurhachi unified the Jurchens."
Ministry, if he doesn’t establish a country and proclaim himself emperor, how can he succeed?”
Zou Yuanbiao asked curiously: "Zhang Sheng, how do you know so much about the Jurchen tribes?"
Zhang Yuan smiled and said: "A scholar can know the world's affairs without going out. As long as you have a heart, you can always understand it."
Gao Panlong said: "But if I want the Ming government to be open to people and people, why should I be afraid of mere Jurchens? I think the country's troubles are internal and not external."
Before the Battle of Sarhu, the Ming Dynasty and the public generally despised Nurhaci. They all believed that as soon as the army came out, the army of the Later Jin Dynasty would collapse, but they could win in one battle. Now we can get a clue from Gao Panlong's attitude. In fact, Gao Panlong was right.
Yes, if the Ming Dynasty had good political connections and people, the financial support would not be a serious problem. However, with constant party strife, there is no way to talk about political power and people. Zhang Yuan can't make Gao Panlong believe him now. He just gives a warning and leaves a foreshadowing -
—
Zhang Yuandao: "Let's not talk about foreign troubles for now. Let's just talk about the immediate worries, land annexation. How do you two gentlemen think we should solve it?"
Zou Yuanbiao was quite surprised that Zhang Yuan, a weak scholar, talked about these things calmly and unhurriedly, and said: "Let's listen to Zhang Sheng's talk first."
Gao Panlong said: "The emperor blessed the king with 40,000 hectares of land, but the ministers fought hard and reduced it to half. The land occupied by the kings and clans is extremely astonishing. Taking Henan Province alone, the land occupied by the princes and clans accounts for about 60-70% of the land.
In the second of ten villages, there are only one in ten civilians. In the second, a large amount of land has been annexed, and land rents have been arbitrarily levied. Please ask Zhang Sheng to try to solve the problem of how to solve the problem of occupying the land of the palace."
Zhang Yuan had considered these issues, but he didn't have a suitable opportunity to express them. Now Dong Lin Erkui asked, he was not polite and said: "If there is no good reform strategy for the clan's land occupation, I am afraid that the Ming Dynasty will not have enough land to support the feudal lords."
——”
This sentence is another breakthrough in the eight-part essay. It outlines the main points and grabs the lead. Zhang Yuan has now learned and applied the techniques of the eight-part essay. Even Gao Panlong, who was quite prejudiced against Zhang Yuan, praised: "This statement is extremely true."
Zhang Yuan proposed to strictly limit the occupation of land by clans and vassals. The state would grant a fixed amount of land and give it to the world to keep, and let the kings and clans run their own operations. The state would not support the annual salary, and the clans would support their clansmen, changing the completely parasitic lifestyle of the clans.
——
Zou Yuanbiao nodded and said: "What Zhang Sheng said is excellent, but it is extremely difficult to implement it. All the kings will rise up to oppose it, and the emperor will not make this determination."
Zhang Yuandao: "Of course it is extremely difficult, otherwise how can it be called a national worry? Not only is the land occupied by clans serious, but also by officials and gentry. In fact, Wansheng believes that land annexation is not terrible. No matter how annexed it is, the land still needs to be cultivated.
, it does not mean that once the land is annexed, farmers will be displaced without their land. The key is the loss of tax revenue and the landowner's intention to increase land rent and pass the tax to the farm laborers. In the event of a disaster, the farm laborers cannot afford the taxes and become refugees. This
That’s the key point that needs reform——”
Zou Yuanbiao and Gao Panlong looked at each other, and they both felt that the weak-headed scholar had hit the point and had profound insights. They took turns asking Zhang Yuan questions, almost treating Zhang Yuan as the chief minister of the cabinet. Zhang Yuan was very smart, and his answers
He has great reservations. He cannot announce all his reform plans at once, because it will affect the vested interests of a large number of people. Things that cannot be implemented for the time being cannot be publicized first, otherwise the resistance will be terrifying.
It would be extremely detrimental to Zhang Yuan's career.
————————————————————
My nephew who came to play during the summer vacation took over the computer, so the update is late. Please vote for recommendation.