After listening to Jin Ying’s report, Zhu Qizhen had another idea in his mind.
Before returning to Beijing, he personally created a pilot project in Huailai, but it was not enough. After all, Huailai was a border town, and its development direction was special agricultural and sideline products. If Ming Dynasty wanted to further reform, it must start with the land.
In the agricultural era, land is the foundation of the country.
Since the beginning of Chinese civilization, whether it is folklore or historical records, every war has only one purpose, to compete for land.
Let’s not talk about the distance, let’s just say that this time Oara went south, it was also for the land of the Central Plains.
The Ming Dynasty made several Northern Expeditions, and each time they retreated after the attack. The reason is that the land in Mobei is too barren. Even if they were occupied, they would not be able to grow food. They would eventually have to return to the pass, but growing in the desert
The Mongols have always coveted the fertile soil of the Central Plains. Therefore, every ten years or decades, as long as a new tribe rises, it will definitely go south and invade the border, causing great trouble.
Zhu Qizhen is very aware of the shortcomings of the current land policy. However, if he wants to implement the New Deal and carry out reforms, he will undoubtedly use a knife on the gentry class. If he takes too big a step, he may be in trouble.
This is the truth.
Nowadays, the land distribution in Weizhou is extremely unbalanced, and half of it has been embezzled by Wang Zhen. There is no good conclusion yet on whether all these lands will be confiscated or how they will be distributed. It is just a good opportunity to make an attempt. If successful, it can be implemented nationwide.
, in case of failure, it is just a small Weizhou, and the situation is completely controllable.
When Shang Ren received the emperor's summons, he didn't panic at all and seemed to be well prepared.
King Tan and the cabinet have already talked with him, and the matter of joining the cabinet is a foregone conclusion. It seems that the emperor is preparing to take the exam himself.
No problem, just go ahead. As the only Great Sanyuan in the Ming Dynasty, how can you claim that you have wasted your fame?
"I, Shang, send my condolences to the Holy One!"
"My greetings!" Zhu Qizhen nodded and said, "The Qing family is exempt from courtesy. Come and have a look!"
Huaien moved a brocade pier, and Shang Ren bowed and said: "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Qizhen looked at Shang Ren and nodded secretly in his heart. He was worthy of his hand-picked exhibition official. He looked exactly like Louis Koo and was 1.8 meters tall. For future generations, he could definitely take the idol route. What is even more valuable is that in such a harsh imperial examination system,
Next, I fought my way out of the siege with my own ability, and even achieved three points in the middle and high school. I am definitely not very talented, but I just don’t know how capable I am of accepting new things.
"What books are the Qing family reading recently?"
Shang Ren was stunned for a moment, thinking to himself, weren't we talking about joining the cabinet? Why did you ask about reading?
Yes, it must be a test of the school’s own ability to govern the country.
"I have been reading history books recently."
"Oh?" Zhu Qizhen asked again, "What do you think?"
Shang Ren was already prepared in his heart, and immediately replied: "If you use copper as a mirror, you can correct your clothes; if you use people as a mirror, you can know the gains and losses; if you use history as a mirror, you can know the ups and downs."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but laugh. Do all educated people speak so high-minded?
I asked you what you think, you came to teach me?
"Let me change the question. What are your views on the governance of the country?"
Shang Ren nodded slightly. Sure enough, everything was under his control.
"An ancient saying goes that running a big country is like cooking a small dish. You can neither rush it nor slack off. Only when it is just right can you get things done."
Zhu Qizhen thought to himself that this time it sounded a little bit like human talk, but it was still a castle in the air and flashy.
"If I asked you to govern a state and a county, what would you do?"
Shang Ren thought for a moment and said: "We should put people first, lighten taxes, encourage farming, and implement benevolent policies..."
"I don't want to hear these truths!"
Zhu Qizhen interrupted him and said: "Suppose you are now the magistrate of Yuzhou and have taken office. Today is your first day in office. I want to know what you would do?"
Shang Ren was a little confused. Could it be that what he said was not exciting enough?
I'm going to be the one who will join the cabinet soon. What's so difficult about a small Weizhou?
"I should follow the way of the saint and know... know..."
Suddenly, Shang Ren was stunned, yes, what would I do?
For a moment, I felt like I had nothing to put into practice, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead unconsciously.
"I...will spend a month doing research, familiarizing myself with the local civil, political, and military basic conditions, summoning the local gentry, and then...this...this..."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but feel disappointed. In terms of talent, if Shang Ren considered himself second, no one in the Ming Dynasty dared to claim the first place. It is not an exaggeration to describe it as a man who is rich in learning and talented in eight battles. However, even if he is so top-notch, he can't help but feel disappointed.
He is a talented person who talks loudly every day and has all kinds of principles for governing the world at his fingertips, but he doesn’t know how to govern a country.
One can only imagine the level of those high-ranking men in the court, and what is the future of the Ming Dynasty in the long run...
Seeing Zhu Qizhen's face, Shang Ren felt extremely ashamed. He knelt down and saluted: "I will die!"
Zhu Qizhen sighed and said, "Do you know why I came to you?"
"I don't know!"
In just a few words, Shang Ren became a completely different person.
The confidence and arrogance that he had just now disappeared without a trace. He just felt that he had read the saint's books for more than 20 years, but could not understand a single word.
"The King and the cabinet value you very much and are ready to recommend you to the cabinet, but I don't think so. Do you know why?"
"I... am not capable enough!"
When he said these words, Shang Ren actually felt a wave of loss.
In the past, if the four words "inadequate ability" came out of my mouth, people would immediately roll their eyes. It would probably be the Ming Dynasty version of Versailles.
However, what I said today was sincere and there was nothing Versailles about it.
"Shang Qing, I would like to ask you formally, are you willing to go to Yuzhou to be a magistrate, or are you willing to join the cabinet?"
If others were present, they would definitely think that the emperor was crazy. Do you still need to ask such a question?
Zhizhou is just a local official from the fifth rank, not to mention that Yuzhou is a scattered state, and its status is equivalent to that of a county. How can it be compared with the cabinet bachelor?
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However, Shang Ren said willingly: "I am willing to go to Yuzhou!"
"I don't want to force you. You can go back and think about it carefully and give me a reply in three days."
"I won't consider it anymore!" Shang Ren said with a firm expression, "Please give me an edict from the emperor, and I will set off tomorrow!"
Zhu Qizhen nodded slightly and said: "Going to Yuzhou is not an easy task. I still have the same question as before. What should you do after you take office?"
"I am ignorant, please give me some advice, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Qizhen thought for a while and said: "You just said that governance should be people-oriented. This is correct, but what is people-oriented?"
Shang Ren thought for a while and said: "Food is the first priority for the people. Food is grown from the ground, so the land should be the basis."
"That's right!" Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied with the answer and continued, "Since we know that land is the basis, the first thing the Qing family will do after taking office is to inventory the acres of land and have a clear grasp of all the land conditions in Yuzhou, including fertile land.
How much, how much wasteland, how much paddy field, how much dry land, what kind of fields should be planted with what kind of crops, when to sow, when to harvest, and..."
"Your Majesty!" Shang Ren couldn't help but interrupt and said, "Can you lend me a pen and paper? I'm afraid I won't be able to remember it."
"That's not necessary. I have roughly written down a few items, and the inventory of fields just mentioned is just one of them."
Zhu Qizhen winked, and Wynn handed the note over. Shang Ren felt as if he had found a treasure, staring at every word on it, for fear of missing one.
"I'm just giving you a few suggestions. The rest is up to you. A gentleman is quick with actions but slow with words. I don't need to say more about the truth, right?"
Shang Ren took a step back, bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your teaching!"