Autumn of the 17th year of Chongzhen

Chapter 390 Connecting Jiangnan
After the development of Confucianism to the Song Dynasty, Confucianism began to prevail. When the Ming Dynasty promoted stereotyped essays, people's thoughts were imprisoned. Scholars became nerds who memorized by rote, and most of the scholar-bureaucrats became sanctimonious guardians of Neo-Confucianism. suppress.

After the development of industry and commerce in the Ming Dynasty, the emerging class urgently needed new ideas to break the shackles of Neo-Confucianism. After the birth of Xinxue, it was given high hopes. Taizhou Li Zhi, one of the seven schools of Xinxue, took up the banner of opposing Neo-Confucianism. Criticizing the emphasis on agriculture and suppressing business, praising the achievements of merchants, and advocating utilitarian values, although this met the requirements of commercial development in the Ming Dynasty, it also made the gentry pay more attention to profit than righteousness, causing confusion in social thought, and was criticized by moderates as too radical.

The biggest problem of the Ming Dynasty right now is the financial problem. There are only 500 million taels left in the Hongguang Dynasty, which is not worth mentioning now. This is incomparable with the Southern Song Dynasty, which has an annual income of 6000 million and an average of [-] million.

Any reform requires the support of at least one class, either the common people, the emperor, or the gentry. To solve the financial problem, Wang Yan is naturally looking at the emerging merchant class, and the merchants who have thousands of connections. The big family with countless ties, the support of the big officials and gentry.

In the pre-Qin period in China, the status of merchants was not low. Confucianism did not lower the status of merchants at this time. Confucius had the idea of ​​"teaching students according to their aptitude, and teaching without distinction". Among the 72 sages, Zigong was good at doing business. man of.

The status of businessmen was really suppressed to the lowest level after Neo Confucianism prevailed, "preserving the principles of nature and destroying human desires." In the eyes of Neo Confucians, businessmen chasing wealth are obviously a manifestation of human desires, so businessmen are suppressed.

Wang Yan is not a nerd. He wants to revive ancient Confucianism, not to copy the Confucianism of the Spring and Autumn Period. Any era has its own particularity. The spiritual confinement of Neo Confucianism was used to promote the development of commerce and reform the finances of the Ming Dynasty.

Westerners found the brilliance of humanism from the ancient Greek and Roman classics, broke through the spiritual imprisonment of religion, and set off a great renaissance.

The Spring and Autumn Period, as the most brilliant era of thought in Chinese history, naturally has many precious spiritual wealth, which is worthy of revival by future generations.

The children of the Wang family are basically disciples of Xinxue. Since its birth, Xinxue has shouldered the important task of fighting against Neo Confucianism. Naturally, Wang Jiezhi will not refuse.

Seeing him nodding his head, Wang Yan said happily, "Since my elder brother accepts, then Yan will recommend my elder brother to be the secretary."

Over the past 270 years of the Ming Dynasty, 89 subjects were opened, and a total of more than 4000 Jinshi were admitted, with an average of more than 270 people per subject. That is to say, in the past 30 years, there were only less than [-] Jinshi.

Considering the age of Jinshi in the middle school and the life expectancy of the ancients, in the past 30 years, the number of people who can supplement the officialdom and live to the present must be less than [-].

Guozijian's office is a six-rank official position. If Wang Jiezhi had a reputation for juren in the past, he would naturally be incapable of doing it. But now that the court officials have suffered heavy losses, Juren has become a talent that the court relies on.

In the past 30 years, the imperial court has only admitted fewer than 3000 Jinshi, but the Jiashen state was changed, Nanjing fell, Hangzhou fell, Fuzhou fell, and the number of officials lost each time was in the hundreds.

Now that the imperial court has moved to Guangzhou, the reason why the Enke was opened immediately is also because the reserve of officials has been basically exhausted, and the country has begun to lack a large number of talents, which must be replenished immediately in order for the central government to operate normally.

Seeing this, Wang Yan was eager to take control of the Guozijian.

At this time, he looked at Wang Fuzhidao again: "My brother's previous achievements in Huguang and southern Jiangxi, I and Wan Dushi have played a record. After Mr. Zuo Ge discussed with me, the Ministry of Officials gave two official positions, one is Guozijian Jijiu, one is promoted by the Secretary of Shibo. I mean to choose Guozijian Jijiu, but the specific choice depends on the elder brother's wishes."

Guozijian sacrifices wine from the fourth rank. Although the official position is high, it is a leisurely position, but it is conducive to cultivating party members. Although the promotion of Shibosi is from the fifth rank, it has great power and controls the lifeline of the imperial court's finances.

Wang Fuzhi understood what Wang Yan meant. He knew that Wang Yan wanted him to serve as the Imperial Academy's sacrificial wine. In this way, if he cooperated with Wang Jiezhi, the Imperial Academy would be Wang's world. doorman.

Establishing contacts in this way may not have any effect in the near future, but ten or twenty years later, when Wang Yan stabilizes the situation and carries out comprehensive reforms, it will be a decisive force.

Wang Fuzhi understood what Wang Yan meant, but he had his own ideas.

There are regulations in ancient official circles. Officials who are sent down to serve as local officials must first not sit in their hometowns. Second, when father, son, and brother are both local officials, they must be separated by three hundred miles.

Modern people always underestimate the wisdom of the ancients, but the ancients are not inferior to the modern ones in terms of checks and balances. After learning these good things, there will be no chaos like the director of the father, the deputy director of the wife, and the son of the staff.

At this time, Wang Fuzhi smiled slightly and said: "I know what Shi Heng means, but it's too late. My Wangmen theory has been suppressed by the court. At this time, my Wang brothers are in charge of the imperial court's prohibition of wine and business affairs. Attention, it will also make Neo Confucianism quickly counterattack, which is not conducive to the spread of theories."

Wang Yan nodded and thought for a while. The study of mind has been developed for more than a hundred years, but it still has not shaken the status of Neo Confucianism. He knows that he is really impatient.

"It doesn't matter if my elder brother chooses the Municipal Shipbuilding Department. This place is the key to the court's taxation. The tax system is no longer suitable for the current situation. The Ministry of Household Affairs will definitely submit a letter to reform in the near future. After that, my elder brother will have a lot to do." Wang Yan said in a deep voice. : "However, the post of the imperial prison to avoid alcohol is of great importance. It is related to the future of my Wang family. If my brother doesn't do it, who should I hand it over to?"

Wang Fuzhi thought about it for a while and said after a while, "Huang Zongyi in the eastern part of Zhejiang Province, under the tutelage of Liu Zongzhou, the Confucian Taidou, has a high reputation in the south of the Yangtze River, and he is close to Shi Heng in thought. He can be recruited to be the Imperial College Jijiu."

Wang Zhaopin heard Yu nodded and said: "This person is from Donglin, and now Donglin has been divided, some followed Qian Qianyi and surrendered to the Qing court, some followed Chen Zilong to fight the Qing Dynasty in the south of the Yangtze River, and some could only seek self-defense. Donglin was originally a representative of the Jiangnan gentry, but Jiangshan was turned into what it is now, and they are also hated by the Jiangnan gentry. However, Donglin and the Jiangnan gentry are inextricably linked and cannot be separated. Donglin is currently in chaos It's unbearable, but it happens to attract a group of gentry over here."

The Jiangnan area is the essence of the world. The prosperity of a dynasty must be due to a group of enlightened gentry and aristocrats. It is certainly impossible to build a strong empire by relying on the peasants of the lower class.

Wang Yan was moved by the words, nodded and said: "In this case, brother Lao will write a letter and send it to the east of Zhejiang."

(Thanks to Xiami 007, Ai Shangxie’s monthly pass, thanks to Zhenzu, Huamancheng 66, and Yuedong Woxin for their rewards.)
(End of this chapter)