Chongzhen Daming: Starting from Coal Mountain

Chapter 101
After breakfast, Chongzhen asked, "Wang Daban, where are you?"

Wang Cheng'en said: "Go back to Long Live, I have just arrived in Liucheng."

"Have you arrived in Liucheng?" Chongzhen got up and walked to the porthole after speaking.

The last time I went north to Xia Town, because I walked all the way in a hurry, I didn't have time to observe the banks of the canal.

This time going south will be much more leisurely, and I finally have time to observe the people on both sides of the canal.

However, the scene before Chongzhen's eyes was more dilapidated and depressed than he expected.

"Wang Daban, I remember that Liucheng was once a big port along the canal." Chongzhen said quietly, "I didn't expect it to be so dilapidated."

Wang Cheng'en said: "The old slave once read a travelogue, which said that a scholar went to Beijing to rush for an exam during the Wanli period. In the article, he described in detail what he had seen and heard in Xuzhou, the tea city and Liucheng, especially the description of Liucheng. In detail, the boats on the canal are blocked, the shops are lined up along the street, and the travelers and merchants from south to north are grinding their shoulders. When I think about it to this day, the old slave still seems to be able to see the prosperity of all industries described in the article."

"But now it has become a haunted area where wild dogs come and go."

Chongzhen sighed: "It turned out to be a traveler and a businessman can't see it."

"Has the land of the Central Plains been devastated?" Zhu Cihong suddenly appeared beside Chongzhen, looking out of the window with inexplicable pain in his eyes.

"This is all caused by thieves." Zhu Cijiong said through gnashing of teeth.

"It's the thieves, but it's not the thieves." Chongzhen said in a deep voice.

Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong both cast puzzled looks at Chongzhen, what does the father mean by this?
"Lang'er, Jiong'er, if you don't do well, you should admit it." Chongzhen said with a serious face, "First, our Ming court exploited the common people, and then the common people rose up."

"Before the burglar started the incident, he was just Mi Zhi, a diligent postman."

"If it weren't for the imperial court to cut the post, the thief would not follow the thief."

"If it weren't for the imperial court's additional payment, the common people would not have risen."

"So, the root cause lies in the imperial court. It was because the imperial court was not enough to use the country and then randomly increased the levy, forcing the common people everywhere to be unable to survive, and then they rose up, and only then did their lives die."

When Chongzhen said this, his tone was very calm, but Gao Qiqian and other eunuchs felt that their three views had been shattered.

Is this really what Long Live Lord said?You were not like this before, when did you learn to reflect?To be able to make such a profound review.

"Why is it the court's fault instead?"

Zhu Cijiong pouted, a little puzzled.

But Zhu Cihong sighed: "After all, it's still because of insufficient national expenditure."

"That's right. In the final analysis, governing the country is a word of money." Chongzhen said, "You remember, Honger, in the future, you don't have to learn from the Taizu to govern the country. You only need to hold on to the power of wealth and military power."

"However, isn't most of the financial power under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Households, while all the military power is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War?" Zhu Cihong was puzzled.

"That's right, according to regulations, the financial power does belong to the Ministry of Households, and the military power does belong to the Ministry of War, so unless you have the ability to kick the civil servants away, you can only bypass them." Chongzhen said solemnly.

"It's definitely not good to kick the civil servants away, otherwise who will rule the world?" Zhu Cihong said.

"Lang'er, you are right. It is absolutely impossible to kick away the civil servants. After all, there are so many states and counties in the world, and there are hundreds of millions of people in the world. They have to be herders." Chongzhen said, "So we can only bypass the civil servants. group."

"Bypassing the civil servants?" Zhu Cihong was thoughtful, "How should I go around?"

Speaking of this, some words are not suitable for others to listen to. Chongzhen is about to kick Gao Qiqian out of the cabin and ask Wang Chengen to guard the cabin door. No one is allowed to approach without his permission.

"Xiang'er and Jiong'er, my father will have a solid relationship with you two today."

Chongzhen said: "The civil official group of our Ming Dynasty is actually the same as the guard system created by Taizu. It is already completely rotten. It is just hopeless if it is lost. It is no longer embarrassing. Now they The only function is to be a paper-maker to paper this dilapidated house in the Ming Dynasty, that’s all.”

Zhu Cihong said sadly: "Father, is it not good to say that the Ming Dynasty is good?"

"Is what the father said wrong?" Zhu Cijiong agreed, "Da Ming is a dilapidated house that is about to collapse, but you don't want to admit it, brother."

Zhu Cilang remained silent.

Chongzhen smiled and persuaded: "Don't be sad, Hong'er. It doesn't matter if the house is broken or it can't be repaired. As long as our father and son are here, we can completely rebuild a new house."

Zhu Cihong said: "Father is saying, overthrow it and start over?"

"No, old houses cannot be demolished." Chongzhen waved his hand, "But new ones can be built."

After a pause, he continued: "That is to bypass the corrupt and embarrassing civil servants, and start anew to create a simple, efficient and clean administrative system."

Zhu Cijiong said: "Father, I'm afraid this will not be easy?"

Chongzhen nodded: "Of course it's not easy. If this matter is leaked, it will inevitably lead to a wild counterattack by the civil servants. I'm afraid the three of you, father and son, will die without a burial place!"

Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong suddenly changed their colors when they heard the words.

"So, you are not allowed to leak a word of what the father said today."

"Father, don't worry, we will never leak it out." The two brothers looked serious.

At the same time, there is also an inexplicable excitement in his heart that he has been recognized by his father. His father actually discussed such an important state matter with the two of them, which is enough to prove the importance he attaches to them.

But the two brothers didn't know that they were actually being tricked by Chongzhen.

This matter is actually not as serious as Chongzhen said.

Because even if we start from scratch, it is impossible to achieve it in one step.

So at the beginning, the civil servants didn't care at all.

The reason why Chongzhen said this was just to let Zhu Cihong and his brothers strengthen the concept of secrecy.

Zhu Cijiong couldn't help but asked again: "Father, how should we start anew?"

Chongzhen turned his eyes to the window, and said leisurely: "The first step is to start anew, to reset the secretary prison!"

"Ah, reset the Secretary Supervisor?" Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong looked at each other in dismay, "Didn't the Secretary Supervisor be the official office that was in charge of the national book collection and text editing before the Song Dynasty? And it was a subordinate institution of Taichang Temple, that's all?"

"Oh, this secretary's supervisor is not that secretary's supervisor." Chongzhen said with a smile, "It's just a name."

Zhu Cihong said: "Father, even if it's just a name, the secretary must have an actual job, right? But once there is an actual job, can the civil servants not object?"

The implication of Zhu Cihong's words is that the civil servants will make you start anew?

I'm afraid that just showing a little sign, they will pounce on like a group of mad dogs.

Just like the great ritual discussion in the Jiajing Dynasty, and the struggle for the country in the Wanli Dynasty.

Chongzhen said in his heart that the prince is the prince, and his political sense is still very keen, and he hit the point.

Unlike Zhu Cijiong, who is simple and simple, he is very flexible in military affairs, but extremely dull in politics.

Chongzhen cast an admiring glance at Zhu Cihuang, and said with a smile: "So, we have to find a practical envoy for the secretary supervisor who can do many things but will not cause opposition from the civil society, and it is best to get the support of the civil society! "

"How is it possible?" Zhu Cijiong lost his voice. "The civil servants are not stupid. How could they support your father and you to set up a new yamen and set up a yamen that may usurp the power of the six ministries."

"Impossible?" Chongzhen said with a smile, "Think again."

Zhu Cijiong said decisively: "There is no need to think about it, it is absolutely impossible."

Zhu Cihong was also thinking hard, but he still couldn't figure it out.

"Okay, let's stop playing charades with you, the civil servants may really support the emperor's establishment of this institution." Chongzhen said, "Because this institution has great power and many posts, but at the beginning it was not the Six Departments of the Cabinet that invaded. It is the power of the [-]th Supervisor, the Fourth Division and the Eighth Bureau of the Inner Court!"

"Ah this?" Zhu Cihong and Zhu Cijiong suddenly realized.

The organization that the Emperor Ganqing wants to set up is to replace the twelve supervisors, four divisions and eight bureaus in the inner court!

If this is the case, the civil servant group might really support it, because the confrontation between the civil servant group and the eunuch group has a long history, and the civil servant group even wants to encroach on the power in the hands of the eunuch group, right?In particular, institutions such as the Weaving Bureau, Mining Supervision, and Taxation Supervision are the thorn in the eyes of the civil servants.

Zhu Cihong didn't dare to refute his father, but questioned weakly: "Father, is this okay?"

"Lang'er, Royal Father knows what you are worried about. It is nothing more than worrying that if there are no eunuchs to check and balance, the power of civil servants, especially the cabinet, may override the imperial power, right?" Chongzhen said.

"Yes." Zhu Cihong nodded and said, "This is exactly what my son is worried about."

"You are right to worry." Chongzhen nodded, "If you are an emperor with strong ability or deep roots, you will naturally not be robbed of power by the civil servants, but if you are a weak or young emperor, you will definitely be robbed. However, if the emperor wants to seize the power from the civil servants, the only way is often to use the power of eunuchs."

"This is also the reason why Emperor Wuzong supported Liu Jin, and why your uncle supported Wei Eun."

"But you must remember that due to physical defects, eunuchs often lead to psychological abnormalities, so they are far more evil than the civil servants. Although the civil servants are rotten, at least [-]% of [-]% of the taxes can go to For national use, and if the eunuchs are allowed to collect taxes, [-]% of the tax revenue may not be [-]% to the Heavenly Family! Father is deeply hurt by it!"

"So, using eunuchs to check and balance the civil servants can be said to kill eight hundred enemies and lose three thousand at the expense of three thousand. It's really not a good idea."

"Emperor Taizu Gao left his ancestral precepts on this. Unfortunately, Emperor Chengzuwen later set a precedent for reusing eunuchs. After arriving in Yingzong, it was out of control."

Zhu Cihong said thoughtfully: "There are no eunuchs, so who will check and balance the civil servants?"

"This is actually very simple." Chongzhen said with a smile, "Just use civil officials to check and balance civil officials."

(End of this chapter)