The officials in the Wenhua Palace thought this way, and they all bowed down to listen to the emperor's decision.
Emperor Chongzhen looked serious and said to them: "It has been two hundred and seventy-five years since the founding of the Ming Dynasty. The situation when the "Ming Dynasty" was formulated is already very different from what it is now. Therefore, I have decided to follow the current situation.
We need to re-revise the "Da Ming Code", and the aspect of etiquette is also within the scope of revision!"
No matter what dynasty it is, in addition to some legal regulations in the main body, some detailed laws will definitely need to be changed as time changes.
As for the "Da Ming Code", it is divided into 30 volumes, including one volume of famous examples, including the five punishments, the ten evils, the eight regulations, two volumes of official regulations, seven volumes of household regulations, two volumes of ritual regulations, five volumes of military regulations, and ten volumes of criminal regulations.
One volume and two volumes of Gongli, a total of 460 articles.
From October of the first year of Wu, that is, before Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne and proclaimed himself emperor, he ordered Prime Minister Zuo Li Shanchang, Yu Shi Zhongcheng Liu Ji and others to discuss the decree. It went through three major revisions before it was finally finalized.
Since Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty strictly prohibited his successors from "making chaos into law", after the "Da Ming Code" was finalized, it was not revised again until the end of the Ming Dynasty.
If there are indeed changes, an edict or regulations will be issued to supplement the laws. For example, in the 13th year of Hongzhi (1500), Article 279 of the "Regulations on Punishment" was formulated. In the 29th year of Jiajing (1550), it was revised.
Three hundred and seventy-six articles were added. In the thirteenth year of Wanli (1585), it was revised again and three hundred and eighty-two articles were added. From then on, the laws and regulations were implemented in parallel.
Now, Emperor Chongzhen did not say that he would issue an edict or formulate regulations, but directly said that he would amend the "Da Ming Code". What does this mean? It means that this must have been approved by Emperor Taizu before he said this!
In other words, Emperor Chongzhen can communicate with Emperor Taizu in heaven. This is another piece of evidence! No wonder Emperor Chongzhen seems to have become a different person since Emperor Taizu appeared!
Thinking of this, He Fengsheng and others had no objections and responded in unison: "I obey the order!"
Looking at the ministers below, Emperor Chongzhen said solemnly: "Emperor Taizu once said that the law should be simple and easy for people to understand. If there are many threads, or one thing has two ends, it can be light or heavy, and the official will be treacherous.
, it is illegal. If the husband's net is tight, there will be no big fish in the water. If the law is tight, there will be no big fish in the country. Your Majesty and others will study it carefully, and I will personally discuss the above items of punishment names. Therefore, this time when the "Da Ming Code" is rewritten, it must also be based on
Emperor Taizu did it this way, do you understand?"
This is the teaching of Emperor Taizu, who dares to violate it!
Therefore, after Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, He Fengsheng and others had no objection and responded in unison: "I obey the order!"
Later, Emperor Chongzhen ordered the cabinet members present, and participated in the reconstruction of the "Da Ming Code" together with the six ministries, nine ministers and the ceremonial supervisor.
After naming the list of people who would re-rewrite the "Da Ming Code", Emperor Chongzhen solemnly explained: "The re-revision by you and others must be based on the wishes of Emperor Taizu. I will add one or two more here, and you and I will implement it!"
He Fengsheng was the chief minister of the Ming Dynasty, so he was naturally appointed by Emperor Chongzhen to be the president of the law order, that is, the general person in charge. When he heard the emperor's words, he immediately bowed down to receive the order on behalf of others.
Emperor Chongzhen looked at him and said: "First of all, Emperor Taizu once said that the law should be simple and easy to understand. Therefore, the law and official documents of the court must be read with additional sentences and detailed rules for sentence reading. I will then give you,
From now on, follow what I have given you!"
Ancient articles may be read privately with sentence fragments, but when read to others, they are usually read without sentences. This was considered by ancient scholars as a basic ability to identify a person's knowledge level.
This makes it difficult to spread the text and reflects the identity of the scholar.
In this regard, after reading many articles and books written by Liu Weichao in the past, Emperor Chongzhen was convinced. He felt that the set of punctuation marks of later generations was very good, making articles easier to read and conducive to dissemination.
Especially if we want to learn scientific knowledge in the future, we must make this knowledge more disseminating, and punctuation marks are indispensable. Therefore, taking this opportunity, he made a request to read additional sentences.
The principle of making it easy for people to understand was put forward by Zhu Yuanzhang in the area of law, and no one can object to it.
"Wei Chen accepts the decree!" He Fengsheng heard this and had no objection and immediately accepted the decree.
Before Emperor Chongzhen finished, he continued: "Except for retaining the lowly status of sinners, all other lowly statuses, including Lehu, lazy people, beggar households, servants, companions, and poor households, etc., will all be removed from their registrations and opened to the people.
Right home."
In the original history, the abolition of these debased titles was abolished by Emperor Yongzheng of the Manchu Qing Dynasty. But in this dimension, since Liu Weichao could influence Emperor Chongzhen, and Emperor Chongzhen wanted to take this opportunity to revise the "Daming Code", he naturally
It was brought up to brainwash Emperor Chongzhen from the perspective of Ming Dynasty’s desire to unite all those who wanted to unite and expand externally, rather than from the perspective of human rights. Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen, who wanted to be the leader of the world and one emperor through the ages, immediately recognized it.
He accepted Liu Weichao's proposal and took this opportunity to propose the decision to abolish most of the lowly status.
This low status is mainly a historical legacy. It was still retained when the Ming Dynasty was founded. Some of it was added by Emperor Chengzu.
Although it is said that the abolition of the lowly status has actually damaged the interests of those in the official household, at least there is less sense of superiority and more competition. For example, the lowly status cannot participate in the imperial examination, but after the abolishment of the lowly status, they can participate in the imperial examination.
However, no matter which emperor he is, it is impossible to be greater than the founding Emperor Taizu.
Now that Emperor Chongzhen has communicated with Emperor Taizu who became an immortal, it must be Emperor Taizu's intention. Who can object?
He Fengsheng and others, after hesitating for a while, finally bowed to accept the order.
Emperor Chongzhen continued to add private goods, and said to the ministers below, mainly looking at He Fengsheng: "Science, the knowledge of rejuvenating the country and bringing peace to the country, is not something that the world can possess. I got it from the Ancestral Temple, and used it to strengthen the country and enrich the people.
I dare not hide it privately, so the Railways Department also divides it, the cement formula, etc., etc., etc. However, I am the only one, and it is not my wish to use such good knowledge to strengthen the country and enrich the people.
Yes; therefore, this time, I want to add science to the imperial examination and share it with scholars all over the world. From now on, all scholars in the Ming Dynasty will take sacred learning as their teacher and science as their path, cultivate their own minds, and benefit the world!"
If Emperor Chongzhen directly shouted from the beginning that he wanted to add another subject to the imperial examination, it would definitely arouse everyone's opposition. If nothing else, the Four Books and Five Classics in the imperial examination are the study of saints.
Why is it suddenly added to a discipline that has been passed down for thousands of years?
However, the situation is different now.
Emperor Chongzhen has proved with facts that this science, just as he said, is a good thing for strengthening the country and enriching the people.
Apart from anything else, the Ming Dynasty's steel output doubled, so that the mass production of new armor and sophisticated ordnance was one of the key factors in Jizhou's victory last year.
Think about it, the Jianlu have always been suppressed and beaten by the Jianlu. In the capital and even other places in the pass, the Jianlu came and left whenever they wanted. An invasion by the Jianlu was like entering an uninhabited land.
Then, because of the scientific bonus, hundreds of thousands of captives were directly defeated and almost the entire army was annihilated!
If this is not a strong country, what else can be considered a strong country?
In addition, glass, cement, and especially steam trains are already in use. It is said that there are also good things in textiles in the palace, but they have not been taken out. If these are just sold for money, they will be a cornucopia of wealth. Enrich the people.
This is definitely not a lie!
Such various benefits are obvious to all, and the emperor has also said before that this is actually an extension of the study of things to achieve knowledge. In total, it can be regarded as part of the study of saints.
It's just that now we have separated this and used it together with the holy as the way and science as the way.
With these factors in place, at least the senior Ming officials present did not find it difficult to accept it!
Emperor Chongzhen said it now after communicating with Emperor Taizu, and Emperor Taizu probably approved it.
Therefore, in the Wenhua Hall, He Fengsheng and others looked at each other and finally accepted the order.
Seeing this, Emperor Chongzhen finally talked about the cause of the incident and the etiquette aspect.
Just listen to Emperor Chongzhen saying to them: "With the help of science, I have seen that the people's life will be prosperous in the future. Therefore, the etiquette in all aspects of food, clothing, housing and transportation can be appropriately liberalized. However, you should also know which ones."
It cannot be exceeded, and I will take another look at it after drafting it again!"
The emperor saw that the people's lives would be prosperous in the future? This is exactly what Emperor Taizu used his magic to make the current emperor see, right?
With this thought in mind, He Fengsheng had no objection at all to this request. He was still afraid that the emperor would regret it, so he quickly responded respectfully: "Old minister, I accept the decree!"
It is estimated that the basis for most etiquette systems should be lowered, so that most people will not exceed the limit. As for which etiquette systems must not be exceeded, such as King Lu's Mausoleum, it must not be exceeded.
Then there's more...
While he was thinking about it, he heard Emperor Chongzhen explain to him again: "Below the red line that cannot be exceeded, and above the general etiquette system, there may be some more, or more people can be allowed to enjoy it. I will look back.
I would like to give you a list for your reference, mainly to create some new casual officials for the use of talents from all walks of life..."
Hearing this, He Fengsheng and others were very curious. Unofficial officials who are used by talents from all walks of life? What is this?
While they were thinking about it, they heard Emperor Chongzhen continue to say to them: "For those who are capable, master, and grandmaster of the third level, if their skills meet certain requirements and serve the imperial court, they can be given as casual officials and enjoy the corresponding etiquette;
Together with the merchants, measured by the amount of money, they must pay a corresponding amount of money to the court every year to prove their financial strength, and their moral conduct must also be consistent. And the conformity of moral conduct depends on the amount of charity."