After listening to Liu Weichao's introduction, Emperor Chongzhen has been thinking about this matter during the New Year of the 22nd year of Chongzhen.
Things in later generations cannot be completely copied, but this experience is still very useful.
Fortunately, when the Ming Dynasty reorganized the place a few years ago, not only the land was re-measured, but also hidden households were checked and the population was re-enumerated. In a short period of time, there was no need for another national census.
Based on the existing population data, the number of grain fields, etc., Emperor Chongzhen spent nearly a month coming up with an opportunity for the Ming Dynasty version control to further implement imperial power.
Otherwise, Emperor Chongzhen would have trouble sleeping when he thought of Liu Weichao saying that his huge empire was only built on floating sand.
The progress of the investigation at Liujiazhuang in Wujin County was also very fast. Coupled with the convenient transportation at this time, the official mission going south to handle the investigation had further results, which were reported to the Ministry of Punishment and submitted to Emperor Chongzhen.
The patriarch of Liujiazhuang, Liu Chuanzhui, relied on his son Liu Guangdou as the censor to annex land in the village and suppress the clan members, causing at least three lives. Once the iron fist of the imperial court was struck, all the illegal activities of Liu Chuanzhui and his immediate family members were exposed.
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Therefore, Emperor Chongzhen, together with the imperial censor Liu Guangdou, dealt with the case of corruption and bribery. In addition to the death penalty for the criminals involved in the murder, Liu Guangdou was also charged with condoning family members' violations of law and discipline, and was exiled to Luntai.
Luntai is the name of the city newly built by the Ming Dynasty at the foot of the Tianshan Mountains. It is named after the Luntai County established here during the Tang Dynasty.
After a year of construction, this Luntai has basically formed a city. Under the garrison of the army, the people of the Ming Dynasty gathered at the foot of Tianshan Mountain. In addition, prisoners were also escorted to build a railway from Luntai to the east. In this way, the east and west jointly built the railway.
, we can strive for the railway connection from Guihua City to Luntai as soon as possible.
Being exiled to such a far away place, and all the main criminals being sentenced to death, it can be said that this is a harsh judgment and the killing serves as a warning to others!
Emperor Chongzhen used the Liujiazhuang pig cage to ask the cabinet and the six ministries to discuss how to prevent such a life-threatening incident from happening again.
This kind of treatment would definitely be considered heavy if it were done in the past.
However, in the 23rd year of Chongzhen's reign, it was not really conspicuous.
Because just last year Emperor Chongzhen had already been vaccinated and emphasized the importance and authority of the "Da Ming Law". Even if it involves the vassal king or his son, it will be treated equally.
Therefore, anyone can take it for granted that the emperor would not allow lynching according to the established patriarchal laws in this place. It is not difficult to understand that he would take this matter so seriously.
Generally speaking, the greater the power of clan rules, the greater the benefits for all officials. Because as long as there are officials in the family, they must be at the top of the family hierarchy.
Now Emperor Chongzhen obviously wants to restrain the power of the patriarchal clan, which is to attack their interests. When the interests are harmed, no one will be willing.
However, the importance that Emperor Chongzhen attached to it was obvious. If we really want to talk about it, it must be that the "Da Ming Code" is higher than the local clan rules. This is beyond doubt.
In other words, the legal aspect does not make sense. In terms of the ancestral legal system, there is no way to suppress Emperor Chongzhen. After all, the current emperor has direct contact with the founder of the country, Emperor Taizu. If the ancestral system is used to suppress it, who knows?
What did the Emperor Taizu in heaven think? Most likely, he would pay more attention to imperial power. Talking about the ancestral system would only shoot himself in the foot.
However, if their interests are harmed, they will fight to the death no matter what. This is the nature of most people.
No, someone reported this to Emperor Chongzhen, saying that this kind of thing has been around since the Shang and Zhou dynasties were recorded. In fact, the birth of imperial power was still behind the patriarchal clan rules. If the patriarchal clan rules were deprived of it, it would be
It violates thousands of years of tradition. Is it possible that all the sages in the past were wrong when they were alive? So many sages and emperors were wrong in the past? All wise kings and wise men were fake?
All these things are discussed, and the only thing we can do is focus on this aspect and strive for as much power as possible for themselves.
And all of this was within Emperor Chongzhen's expectations. After all, his month-long preparation was not led by Hu Nong, because he himself was the biggest leader.
After receiving these memorials, Emperor Chongzhen discussed the matter at the Great Court, that is, when all civil and military officials gathered together.
In the Jinluan Hall, on the throne, Emperor Chongzhen threw out all the memorials, and then shouted in a cold voice: "The wise kings and ministers of the past dynasties, the sages of the past dynasties, have left their names in history. The history books have long been concluded, and I have never questioned it. However, this
One moment, another moment, do you understand?"
What he said made the officials feel happy at first, but then they were a little confused. What does this and that mean?
Today's emperor has become wiser. He is no longer the stupid emperor who was easy to fool when he first ascended the throne. Therefore, no one dares to be the first to answer the question, lest they fail to recognize the emperor and offend the emperor, which will outweigh the gains and losses.
Okay. Anyway, this matter concerns everyone, not just yourself.
Based on this idea, in the Jinluan Hall, after Emperor Chongzhen finished speaking, it was quiet and no one spoke at all.
Emperor Chongzhen sat on it and glanced at the ministers below. He knew very well that although these ministers had been screened by him, they were no longer the same as the ministers Chongzhen had fifteen years ago. The heart of being loyal to the emperor and serving the country was also
Indeed there is.
However, in other aspects, when there are conflicts of interest, they will behave like this, and it cannot be said that they have changed their minds.
With this thought in his mind, Emperor Chongzhen did not wait for them to speak, and said again: "What is this moment and that moment? I can put it in plain language, everything must be based on reality, that is, facts must be tested and sorted out.
The only standard..."
His words directly followed Liu Weichao's explanation to him. As the founder of the study of geology, speaking in this way did not arouse any suspicion. Because this tone was similar to that of geology.
Just listen to Emperor Chongzhen continue to say: "I did not say that the wise kings of the past dynasties were wrong or that the sages of the past dynasties had problems, because their situation at that time was in line with the methods they wanted to adopt. Now, I ask you, how is the Ming Dynasty today?
Is the current situation completely different from before?"
Upon hearing this, all the civil and military officials became speechless.
Yes, the current situation of the Ming Dynasty has definitely undergone earth-shaking changes. Compared with any previous dynasty, it is completely earth-shaking. I believe that if people in the past were alive, they would never recognize that this is still a human world!
The simple principles of adapting teaching to the times and teaching students according to their aptitude also prove that what Emperor Chongzhen just mentioned about proceeding from reality is certainly correct.
These people in the palace are not fools. They have already heard what the emperor means. I am afraid that their previous arguments cannot stop and change the emperor's determination.
Sure enough, they heard that Emperor Chongzhen didn't need them to reply, and continued: "Since today is different from the past, what's the difference between doing things according to the old rules and trying to find a sword? The truth is changing, and the strategy will naturally change? To
Otherwise, slash-and-burn farming will be the way you live now. There are many such examples. In South Asia and across the ocean, people just stick to the previous rules unchanged. If anyone thinks that is the right thing to do, I don’t mind sending him there.
Live the life he wants!"
"..." Upon hearing this, the civil and military officials, who had not spoken in the first place, immediately shut their mouths.
What a joke. Are you crazy to live a life of slash-and-burn farming?
Emperor Chongzhen glanced at their expressions while speaking. He probably saw that he had almost finished what he said, so he spoke again: "I have decided to add township-level government offices in upper-level counties and middle-level counties with large populations, and to
The county government set-up will be the same, which will reduce the governance pressure on upper-level and middle-level counties."
Upon hearing this, many people breathed a sigh of relief. It turns out that the emperor did not really strip away all the clan rules! Compared with their expectations, this was greatly reduced, and it was acceptable!
While they were thinking about it, Zuo Maodi, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, stood up and said: "Your Majesty, there are many high-level and middle-level counties in the country. If a new level of yamen is added, there will not be enough Jinshi, and even the candidates will not be enough."
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This is another earth-shaking change!
In the past, after more than two hundred years of accumulation in the Ming Dynasty, there were so many candidates and scholars that many people even had to queue up to become officials.
However, during the Chongzhen period, there was great chaos in the world, and bandits were everywhere. They also specialized in killing officials, as well as local squires, who were the official reserves of the imperial court. The turmoil lasted for more than ten years, resulting in a large number of candidates and Jinshi being reduced.
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Then, the current emperor has introduced the study of geology, and the special scientific examination on geology is held once a year. The emperor also attaches great importance to it and gives good treatment. If you do well, you will not only get a title, but also countless wealth. Therefore, young people
Many people no longer specialize in the Four Books and Five Classics to take the imperial examinations, but choose the path of studying physics, which further reduces the number of candidates and Jinshi.
Also, the Ming Dynasty suddenly became powerful. Not only did it open up new territories, but also changed the territory and returned it to the locals. I don’t know how many officials were filled in the entire western part of the Ming Dynasty. Now there are also officials from Liaodong, North Korea and Hetao, and they are not enough.
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In addition, many vassal kings have already moved overseas. Although there are not many scholars recruited among the subjects they recruited from the country, there are still some, including candidates and Jinshi, etc. An obvious example is Zizhou Sun
This further reduces the number of idle candidates and scholars in the country.
In other words, it can be said that in the 23rd year of Chongzhen, there are no more candidates or Jinshi waiting for employment in the civil service department.
It was also for this reason that Zuo Maodi had to single it out to remind Emperor Chongzhen.