In the Palace of Qianqing, Emperor Hongzhi was summoning ministers to give lectures to him.
This is also one of the daily required courses for the emperor. Usually, he summons the lecturers from the Hanlin Academy to teach him some history, emperor's art, classics and so on.
It can be regarded as an important way for the emperor to learn, because generally those who can give lectures to the emperor are quite high-level bachelors of the Hanlin Academy. Not only do they know astronomy and geography, they are at least full of knowledge and talents.
Those who can enter the Hanlin Academy are all great talents who rank high in the imperial examinations, so there is no doubt about their talent.
"The ancient emperors paid attention to diligence and frugality, were fond of learning and thinking deeply, and governed the country with benevolence, justice, morality, and filial piety. They did not compete with the people for profit, but encouraged them to farm and recuperate with the people. They could become a sage and wise master!"
Emperor Hongzhi was pondering in his mind as he listened to the lectures given by his attendants on the ways of governing the country by the ancient emperors.
If this has been done in every dynasty, why do dynasties continue to change?
If benevolence, justice, morality, and filial piety can really govern the world, then why do we still need to use laws?
After all, these are just things that Confucianism has used throughout the ages to deceive kings.
What Liu Jin said at the beginning was right. The most critical and core factor in the change of dynasties was the issue of land annexation.
Land and wealth are concentrated in the hands of a few people, and the lives of the people at the bottom are becoming more and more difficult. Once there is a disturbance, natural disaster or man-made disaster, these people will not be able to survive immediately, and naturally it will be time to change the dynasty.
Such things as benevolence, justice, morality, filial piety, etc. are all nonsense in the face of not having enough food and clothing.
Only when the common people can have enough food and clothing, can this person talk about benevolence, justice, morality, propriety, justice and shame. This is the principle of having enough food and clothing and knowing honor and disgrace.
At the beginning of each dynasty, the common people still had their own land, and the land was not concentrated in the hands of a few people. At this time, if the common people could live a better life, they would naturally become stable and prosperous.
However, with the annexation of land and the growth of population, people's land became less and less, and taxes became heavier and heavier. This dynasty slowly began to decline, and a change of dynasty was inevitable.
The Ming Dynasty was able to achieve what it is now, really because of its external colonization and expansion, and the development of industry that improved its labor force and production efficiency, so it was able to change its destiny and become prosperous and strong.
As for the Confucian approach, it is outdated and no longer suitable for this era.
"...The so-called competing for interests with the people refers to the emperor. The royal family should not compete with the common people for interests. The world itself belongs to the emperor and the royal family. How can we continue to compete with the common people for interests."
"Only by giving benefits to the people and giving them a bite to eat can the people become richer, and the emperor can collect more taxes."
As the other party talked, Emperor Hongzhi heard something was wrong.
This is about fighting for the interests of the people. What does this mean?
Are you saying that you are competing with the people for profit?
What interests are you fighting for with the people?
Could it be that the industries under his command are all managed by Liu Jin, and he only invests and holds shares.
Besides, do ordinary people know how to do business?
I am not competing with the common people for profit. The so-called people are not common people at all.
In addition, in Liu Jin's words, in the past, when the salt merchants took control of the Ming Dynasty Salt Industry, a pound of salt could be sold for dozens of pennies, and they would also provide you with sand.
Now that Changlu Saltworks has taken control of the Ming Dynasty salt industry, salt that costs a few pennies per pound is still the finest snowflake. Who is competing with the people for profit?
These industries under my command are really doing things for the people. Although the money is money, it is money earned based on skills.
You have been here talking non-stop about competing with the people for profit, and there are a lot of truths. If I had listened to your deception like before, I would probably not even know that I was sold.
Emperor Hongzhi had tasted the feeling of having no money. He felt very uncomfortable. He couldn't do anything he wanted to do. He was scolded by the ministers every day and could only sulk in the palace.
Now I am teaching myself a lesson, saying that I am competing with the people for profit. When the time comes, will I say that I should not compete with the people for profit, and will give up my property to you people?
Thinking of this, Emperor Hongzhi frowned.
Things are getting more and more interesting.
There were more and more memorials coming to him, and the ministers were constantly instilling in him the ideas and concepts of not competing with the people for profit, and instilling in him the emperor's philosophy of being diligent, thrifty, and governing the country from the ground up.
This is another time to brainwash yourself.
None of these ministers know how to do anything. They only think about fighting for power and gain, and they also plan everything about themselves.
As soon as Liu Jin and Wang Shouren left, his good days were gone, and he suddenly had more worries. He even thought about developing his own property.
If it had been before, I might have really believed you.
But I did not become the emperor for nothing these past few decades, not to mention that people like Liu Jin and Wang Shouren told me these things.
After thinking about this, Emperor Hongzhi remained calm and prepared to see what these people wanted to do and what they would do next.
.....
It's another morning in the Jinluan Palace.
"Your Majesty, I have something to report!"
A minister stood up.
"Hmm~"
Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly, indicating for him to continue speaking.
"Your Majesty, gentlemen~"
"I have here a letter from the people in the Yulin area of Shaanxi Province. The local people in the book describe the many problems caused by oil exploration in the Yulin area."
"Some oil extraction businessmen discharge oil waste wantonly, causing water pollution, fish and shrimp in rivers dying, and cattle, sheep and livestock unable to drink."
"There are also oil businessmen who wantonly destroy hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land in order to exploit oil."
"There are even oil businessmen who, for their own benefit, seize fertile land, buy and sell by force, bully men and dominate women, and commit all kinds of evil."
This minister stood up and complained about many things that happened due to oil extraction.
After hearing what this minister said, Emperor Hongzhi immediately frowned.
Oil mining involves so much, polluting water sources, destroying fertile land, seizing fertile land, etc., but it's normal if you think about it carefully.
Where there are interests, there will be fights. What's more, the price of oil has always been very good, and the market demand for oil is getting stronger and stronger.
"My dear friends, how do you think this matter should be handled?"
Emperor Hongzhi thought for a while and asked.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the exploitation of oil should be regulated, the impact on the environment should be reduced, and the occupation, destruction, and pollution of fertile land should be strictly prohibited. Those profiteers and bullies who seize fertile land, buy and sell by force, and bully men and women should be severely punished.
"
As the current chief minister of the cabinet, Han Wen was naturally the first to stand up.
The meaning is also very simple. The regulations should be regulated and the punishment should be severe. This is not a special thing. Such things happen in all walks of life.
As long as there are interests, there will be rivers and lakes, there will be fights, and there will be all kinds of things. What the court has to do is to regulate and guide, and punish those who do not follow the rules.
"Hmm~"
Emperor Hongzhi nodded slightly. In fact, this kind of matter should not be brought to the court. Local officials should act in accordance with the laws of the Ming Dynasty and solve this problem.
"Your Majesty, I believe that the reason why there is so much chaos is entirely because the interests involved in oil are so huge."
"Now the price of oil has remained high, and the market demand is very strong, which has greatly stimulated businessmen to go out and compete for oil."
"In order to obtain the oil, they will do anything and everything. Polluting water sources and destroying fertile fields are nothing to them. Forced buying and selling, and bullying of men and women are also commonplace."
"As long as there are still huge profits to be made from oil, things like this will definitely happen again."
"I believe that the imperial court should monopolize oil and strictly prohibit private oil exploration. All oil, gold, silver, iron, copper and other resources should belong to the imperial court and should be exclusively operated by the imperial court."
"The imperial court established a special mining mining office to conduct mining operations in a unified manner and standardize mining, which could also reduce competition among merchants and increase the imperial court's income at the same time."
Yang Tinghe stood up and took out the memorial that had been prepared long ago.
"Does the imperial court have a monopoly on mining?"
Emperor Hongzhi, Han Wen, Zhong Fan and others immediately frowned deeply when they heard this.
This mining franchise seems to be very good. It reduces competition, increases the court's income, regulates the market, etc. There are many benefits.
But when things actually get underway, I'm afraid it will be a different story.
Look at the salt industry in the past, which was exclusively owned by the imperial court. What was the result?
The court received little money, the households who cooked the salt were poor and exhausted, and the common people were eating extremely expensive salt. In the end, the only ones who got rich were the salt merchants and the officials who handled the matter.
The imperial court's monopoly system eventually turned into officials relying on this monopoly system to turn salt into a tool for making huge profits. This is how salt merchants became richest in the world.
Don't think that these salt merchants are really capable and know how to run the business, but they just relied on the exclusive policy to become a worm in the Ming Dynasty.
Now we are still playing this game. Oil, gold, copper, iron, silver, etc. are all said to be franchised by the imperial court. Damn, the benefits here are so huge. If we really set up a franchise, I don’t know how much money we can make by then.
How many moths are there.
It is estimated that in the future, ordinary people will no longer be able to use cheap oil. With the urine of these people, they can do anything.
"Your Majesty, I think what Mr. Yang said is true. Bringing mining under the exclusive control of the imperial court will not only standardize mining and the market, but also bring a lot of revenue to the imperial court. It will do more than one thing with one stone."
"Yes, Your Majesty, what Mr. Yang said is true. The mining industry must be returned to the imperial court and be unified and monopolized!"