Back to Daming to be a genius

Chapter 72

(PS: The second update is delivered. It will be July in a while, and the earth-shaking 360-degree flip is begging for the support of the new moon ticket.)
"Everyone, there are those who are willing to sign up to supervise the relief of the disaster victims? There are twelve people in total, welcome to join." Young Master Zhang shouted: "All Jiangnan scholars are welcome to join, and Donglin students are also welcome to join, don't worry, This official's move is indeed selfish - because everyone in the world knows that I, Zhang Haogu, are at odds with the Donglin party members. If you supervise me to release disaster relief, people in the world will not worry that I, Zhang Haogu, will bribe you to engage in personal fraud Otherwise, someone will definitely complain again, spread rumors and slander, saying that all the supervisors I hired by Zhang Haogu were bribed by me, Zhang Haogu."

"Hahahaha..." Young Master Zhang's witty words made many literati laugh, and their hostility towards Young Master Zhang was greatly reduced, saying that since Zhang Haogu dared to invite us to supervise the distribution of disaster relief, then it should be I really want to do something good for the disaster victims. God has the virtue of good life, so we should help him.Thinking of this, many well-to-do literati in the south of the Yangtze River stretched their hands into their arms, ready to take out their silver taels to donate on the spot.

"I am willing to supervise." Many good people are eager to try, stand up and shout and agree, "I am willing to go, I am willing to supervise the distribution of disaster relief food!" Your Excellency is the most corrupt official in the world, if you don’t steal money, and you really distribute a lot of relief food to the victims, then I will kowtow to you in front of the victims!” There is also one of them who is famous for traveling around The big man shouted: "Master Zhang Haogu, although I, Xu Hongzu, am not from Donglin Academy, I still have a little reputation in the Jiangnan literary world. If you really spend every penny of the disaster relief money on the victims , then I will write a book for you!"

"Xu Hongzu, I seem to have heard that name somewhere?" Young Master Zhang wondered.At this time, Ye Xianggao, Gao Panlong, Qian Qianyi and others outside the Zhengxin Pavilion have already realized that the situation is not good, and they think it is not good. If this continues, our Donglin Conference may be ruined by Zhang Xiaogou Fundraiser is up!Anxiously, Qian Qianyi suddenly caught sight of Shi Kefa, a disciple of Zuo Guangdou who had just been arrested and imprisoned by the eunuchs not long ago, and found that Shi Kefa's eyes were spitting fire, and he was staring at the famous young master Zhang in front of Wei Zhongxian, Qian Qianyi Secretly happy in his heart, he hurried over and said in a low voice: "Xianzhi, Zhang Haogu, the enemy who framed your mentor Yi Zhigong and put him in prison, is right in front of you. Do you still want him to run away?"

"Zhang Haogu—!" Shi Kefa's violent and stubborn temper is well-known in history. After being provoked by Qian Qianyi, Shi Kefa immediately burst into anger, rushed up with red eyes, pointed at Young Master Zhang's nose and shouted angrily: "You This eunuch and running dog, colluding with Wei Zhongxian to despicably frame my mentor, dares to come to Donglin Academy to be presumptuous? I, Shi Kefa, can't wait to eat your flesh and sleep on your skin!"

Shi Kefa jumped out and yelled, and the passionate scene instigated by Young Master Zhang just now fell silent again.Young Master Zhang was also taken aback, and quickly stood up and saluted Shi Kefa, who was only three years older than himself, and said from the bottom of his heart: "It turns out that your Excellency is Shi Kefa, Brother Shi Nian. Zhang Haogu has admired Brother Nian's name for a long time. Disrespect, disrespect." After finishing speaking, Eldest Young Master Zhang asked again in a daze: "Who is Brother Shi Nian's mentor? Zhang Haogu is a humble man, and he is only with two thieves Wang Huazhen and Qian Qianyi in the court. No, could it be that brother Shi Nian's mentor was Wang Huazhen or Qian Qianyi? If so, then he is really a tiger apprentice."

"Zhang Haogu, I..." Being scolded by Young Master Zhang as a wild dog in public, Qian Qianyi was so angry that he almost yelled out, but considering that he would never be able to fight against Young Master Zhang, Qian Qianyi finally let the scolding come to his lips The words were forcefully swallowed back into the stomach.And Shi Kefa didn't even think about why Young Master Zhang respected him so much, he just shouted with red eyes: "Stop pretending to be garlic, my mentor is Mr. Zuo Guangdou Zuo who was framed and imprisoned by you!"

"Oh, it turns out that Brother Shi Nian's mentor is Lord Zuo." Young Master Zhang heaved a sigh of relief, and muttered that it would be really strange if Qian Qianyi could teach a student like Shi Kefa.After muttering, Young Master Zhang asked Shi Kefa again: "Brother Shi Nian, what you said is strange. When your mentor was arrested and imprisoned, Zhang Haogu was just a sesame seed and mung bean. Not to mention participating in the early dialogue with the emperor directly, even giving the emperor a memorandum must be approved by the cabinet before it can be presented in front of the emperor. What are you using to frame Zuo Guangdou? Besides, the person who impeached Shi Nian’s mentor was Huang What does Master Li Jihuang have to do with me?"

When Master Zhang said this, Shi Kefa's head, which was flushed with blood, immediately calmed down a lot. He said to himself that I was really confused. The person who framed my mentor was not Zhang Haogu. Everyone in the world knows this. How can I use this How about accusing Zhang Haogu?At that moment, Shi Kefa changed his tone and said angrily: "Isn't that dog official Huang Liji the same as you? He is Wei Zhongxian's running dog? My mentor was framed and imprisoned by Wei Zhongxian. Who among you running dogs is rare?"

"Brother Shi Nian, whether your mentor was arrested and imprisoned is up to the court to judge whether he was wronged. I have never handled that case and have no right to speak, so I will not argue with you." Young Master Zhang shook his head and said loudly: "But You said that I was involved in framing your mentor Zuo Guangdou to go to prison, but you are only half right—because I think Lingshi is indeed guilty!"

"What did you say?" Shi Kefa went completely mad, rushed into the Zhengxin Pavilion recklessly, grabbed Young Master Zhang by the collar, with red eyes, shouted in a choked voice: "Zhang Haogu, if you have the ability, come again!" Say it to me again!"

First Young Master Zhang waved his hand to stop Zhang Shitou who came to help, stared into Shi Kefa's eyes, and said word by word: "Brother Shi Nian, I respect you very much, but no matter how many times you ask me, I will answer you—— Zuo Guangdou is guilty!"

"Fart!" Shi Kefa roared angrily, raised his fist to Master Zhang's nose, and shouted: "My teacher Zuo Guangdou is an upright official, has a good governance, and is praised by all the people, soldiers and civilians. What crime is there? If you say no Come out, I will die with you today!"

"He's guilty!" Young Master Zhang had no fear, and said louder than Shi Kefa: "His crime lies in his ignorance, following others' advice to ask for exemption from commercial tax, taking the lead in fighting against the tax supervisor, and resisting the normal collection of taxes by the court! Although there are small merits for the common people, there are serious crimes for the court! Great crimes for the country!"

"Huh——!" Young Master Zhang finally hit the point. The Donglin scholars and Jiangnan literati who were present were not the ones who hated the tax supervisor. Seeing Young Master Zhang say that Zuo Guangdou was guilty of resisting taxes, they naturally paid special attention to it. I don't understand.And Shi Kefa was also stunned, and then he roared: "My mentor, please withdraw the mining tax and business tax for the benefit of the people all over the world. What is the crime against the court? The country?"

"Taxes are the foundation of the country!" Young Master Zhang roared even louder, "The imperial court doesn't collect taxes from the people, so how can they use it to build the country? What should they use to govern the country? What should they use to build water conservancy? What should they use to support the army? Could it be that your mentor Zuo Guangdou objected? The imperial court collects taxes, so that the Ming court should not collect any tax or penny, let the thieves run rampant, let the Yellow River flood, let the refugees in the disaster-stricken areas starve to death without food, let the Miao chaos in Guizhou spread, let the Jiannu invade the Central Plains, and slaughter China. Compatriots, is that correct!?"

Shi Kefa was speechless, and Young Master Zhang yelled again: "That's right, your teacher Zuo Guangdou said in the memorial that the tax supervisors and tax envoys imposed excessive taxes on the localities and oppressed the people. Killing corrupt officials? Didn’t they kill corrupt officials that year? Could it be that the court and the country have to give up collecting taxes because some scum moths ruined the reputation of tax supervisors and tax envoys? Then no one in the world should eat, because eating may choke to death , It’s better to starve to death! Shi Kefa, don’t forget that you are able to stand in Donglin Academy today to talk about scriptures and Taoism, and discuss the government because there are officials and servants from the court to govern the place, and the local villains will not threaten you. You! It’s also because the imperial court’s army is protecting your safety, preventing foreign barbarians from invading the Central Plains, massacring and abusing the people of Ming Dynasty including you! And what does the country use to support local officials and troops? It’s not just taxes! "

"My teacher is only against the collection of merchant tax and mining tax, never opposed to the collection of land tax and petty tax." Shi Kefa finally suppressed his aggressive response to Young Master Zhang, but his tone was so weak that even he himself felt ashamed.Young Master Zhang laughed loudly, and suddenly pushed Shi Kefa away, walked to the bottom of the Zhengqi Pavilion plaque, bowed his hands to the thousands of Donglin students present, and said loudly: "All Donglin students, and all disciples of sages in the south of the Yangtze River, what about Shi Kefa?" Good question, since the imperial court has already collected land tax and pet tax from the common people, why does it need to collect commercial tax and mining tax from you? It doesn’t make sense, you are all local gentry, disciples of saints, and you have already been exempted from land tax as usual Why do you have to pay the merchant tax and mining tax to the imperial court? Why didn’t the imperial court exempt you from mining tax and commercial tax together?”

The audience was silent again, and it took a while before someone hid in the crowd and shouted: "Yes, why didn't the imperial court adopt Lord Zuo's suggestion and exempt mining tax and commercial tax?"

"Good question." Young Master Zhang applauded and said loudly: "I don't want to answer this question, nor do I want to argue with you. I just want to tell you a story. After you have heard this story, you will know why the court asked you You have collected mining tax and merchant tax. But, I just don’t know if you are willing to listen?”

"Imperial envoy, please tell me, we are willing to listen." The Donglin students and Jiangnan literati present nodded in agreement.Only Qian Qianyi, who had learned how powerful Young Master Zhang was, complained inwardly, knowing that Young Master Zhang's penetrating tongue was worth as much as a hundred thousand soldiers, and the situation today might be a bit dangerous.But Young Master Zhang cupped his hands to thank him first, then cleared his throat, and said loudly: "Then please listen carefully, once upon a time, there was a family with three sons who went to take the exam. I made dumplings in it, and prepared to celebrate after my sons won the imperial examination. It happened that it was hot that day, and the kitchen was even hotter. The mother-in-law and three daughters-in-law were sweating profusely, but they gritted their teeth in the kitchen so that the family would be full. endure."

"At this time, firecrackers suddenly sounded outside the kitchen." Young Master Zhang's tone changed, and he said in a playful way: "It turned out that the person who announced the good news came, saying that the eldest son of the mother-in-law had won the Juren, and the mother-in-law immediately told the eldest daughter-in-law Said, "You don't have to make dumplings, you can go out to cool off." Then the eldest daughter-in-law left, leaving the mother-in-law and the two younger daughter-in-laws to continue making dumplings. Suddenly, the person who announced the good news came again. It turned out that the second son of the old woman Also won Juren, the old woman said to the second daughter-in-law, "You can go out to cool off." Then the second daughter-in-law also left, leaving the old woman and the youngest daughter-in-law in the kitchen, making dumplings for the whole family. Then suddenly In the meantime, the announcer came for the third time. It turned out that the youngest son of the old woman had also won the Juren. This time, before the old woman could speak, the youngest daughter-in-law slapped her hands, stood up and rushed out of the kitchen, shouting, "I also You can cool off.'"

"Hahahaha." Many Donglin students and Jiangnan scholars laughed, and many people already understood the meaning of the story of Young Master Zhang.Master Zhang also smiled, and said: "Brothers and brothers, the family in the story is actually our country, the old woman is the common people who pay the land tax, and the three daughters-in-law are the people who pay the land tax. Mine owners, merchants, and workshop owners of mining tax, commercial tax, and industrial tax. Can the dumplings made by an old and frail old woman feed a large family? Only rely on the small tax fields paid by poor people Tax, can it maintain the normal operation of the Ming court? Everyone can think about it, think about it carefully."

The scene was still very quiet, but many people were already moved by Young Master Zhang's words, and began to think about whether it was right or wrong for them to strongly oppose the mining tax and commercial tax these years.Shi Kefa next to Young Master Zhang also lowered his head, doubting Zuo Guangdou's actions for the first time.Young Master Zhang picked up his teacup, drank a few sips first, observed the pensive Jiangnan literati outside Zhengxin Pavilion, and said loudly: "My brothers and sisters, you are all scholars, all of you are scholars. They are all the future pillars of the imperial court. Have you all forgotten, have you forgotten what Confucian scholars and scholars should represent?"

"What does it represent?" Shi Kefa asked in a low voice.Young Master Zhang replied loudly: "You represent the development requirements of advanced productive forces! Represent the direction of China's excellent culture! Represent the fundamental interests of the vast majority of Chinese compatriots!"

Shi Kefa and all the literati present looked at each other, and were stunned by the series of new terms that came out of Young Master Zhang's mouth.Young Master Zhang said loudly again: "The first two points, you have done a good job. You have studied and written books and passed down my Chinese civilization to future generations, which is to point out the direction of the excellent Chinese culture! Plant mulberry trees in your home. Raising silkworms, picking tea and burning pottery, and improving agricultural tools also represent the development requirements of advanced productive forces! But in the last point, you are far from doing enough, because you have completely forgotten who the majority of the Chinese compatriots are, who are facing each other every day. Common people with the loess turned to the sky! You speak for a very small number of mine owners, merchants and workshop owners, demand tax exemption for them, and impose the heaviest burden on ordinary people all over the world. This represents the overwhelming majority of the Chinese compatriots. fundamental interests of the

Speaking of this, Young Master Zhang suddenly raised his voice and shouted: "Answer me!"

No one answered, and after a long time, a weak voice sounded from the crowd, "Master Zhang, you are right, I will never object to the imperial court's collection of mining tax and business tax." The rich man headed by Qian Yi naturally blew his beard and stared, wishing to eat the unsteady Donglin student raw.However, most of the lower-middle-class Donglin students and Jiangnan scholars nodded their heads and echoed, "Yes, I don't object to the imperial court's collection of mining tax and business tax. No matter who incites it in the future, I won't listen to it." Mr. Zhang, my family is a tea merchant, please tell the court that my family will definitely pay taxes on time in the future, and will never resist tax again." "Mr. Zhang, I will persuade my father to pay taxes when I go back. I will also persuade my father when he is scolded and beaten."

"Thank you all, thank you all, I am here to thank you on behalf of the imperial court, Nine Thousand Years, and Jiangnan Tax Supervisor Li Gonggong." Young Master Zhang cupped his hands again and again, then turned to Shi Kefa and said, "Brother Shi Nian, do you know? Your teacher I regretted his mistakes back then, so he and Master Yang Lian jointly wrote a letter, hoping to reform the tax law and implement the taxation of the land into the mu to make up for his mistakes in the past-but Jiuqian was worried that the implementation of the land into the mu would affect the whole world. Scholars all over the world have not accepted it for the time being. I don’t say anything else, I just hope you can make up for your teacher’s mistakes and stop opposing the court’s collection of mining tax and business tax.”

"Yes, yes, yes, we support the imperial court's collection of mining tax and commercial tax, but we absolutely do not support sharing the tax into the mu!" The nearby Donglin students and Jiangnan scholars nodded repeatedly - their families were not as prosperous as Qian Qianyi and Li Sancai There are big merchants and big mines, and the collection of mining tax and merchant tax is just a blood draw for them, and the impact is not too great; but if they collect taxes on their land, it is like cutting their flesh and picking them up. bone.But Shi Kefa's face turned red, and it took a while before he said, "My family also has a business, and my family pays taxes." After that, Shi Kefa turned his head and left, walked out of Zhengxin Pavilion and said loudly: "Also, my family donated 1000 taels of silver." For the victims in Shandong, I don’t have it now, and I’ll send it directly to Nanjing in a few days to hand it over to you.”

"Thank you, Brother Shi Nian!" Young Master Zhang cupped his hands and said loudly, "Brother Shi Nian, I will give you another eight words-everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world! Don't be overwhelmed by personal grievances and forget important national events. It’s in the back of your head! There are also brothers and disciples of the sages in Jiangnan, I also give you these eight words, think about it, think about it, for the country, the court and the people of the world, you should Do something?"

"Everyone is responsible for the rise and fall of the world!" Almost every literati in the south of the Yangtze River was repeating these eight words of Young Master Zhang, completely moved by what Master Zhang said.Among them, a twelve or thirteen-year-old Donglin schoolboy ran out, rushed to the Zhengxin Pavilion, held a few ingots of large silver in front of Young Master Zhang, and said with a flushed face, "Master Zhang, this is my grandfather." I will donate all the pocket money my mother gave me to the disaster victims in Shandong, please accept it. The eight words you taught, "every man is responsible for the rise and fall of the world", are really good, and I will remember them forever. Be my motto for life!"

"Thank you, thank you very much." Eldest Young Master Zhang touched the pupil's head and asked with a smile, "Little brother, what's your name?"

"My name is Gu Jiang." The elementary school boy replied loudly.Young Master Zhang smiled, patted his head again, and said with a smile: "Gu Jiang? Good name, I hope you can be like Gu Yanwu in the future, a Chinese man with integrity!"

"Who is Gu Yanwu? Why haven't I heard of his name?" Gu Jiang tilted her head to think about it, and smiled again: "It must be a great hero, a real husband, and I must learn from him. By the way, Mr. Zhang, Can you give me something more? The knowledge you talk about is better than that taught by all the old masters in Donglin Academy."

"Okay." Young Master Zhang didn't blush, and said loudly: "I will teach you another eight shames and eight honors--to be ashamed of harming the court, to be proud of loving the court; to be ashamed of betraying the people, and to be proud of caring for the people; Ashamed of being ignorant and ignorant, proud of studying knowledge; ashamed of liking leisure and loathing work, proud of hard work; ashamed of harming others and self-interest, proud of solidarity and mutual assistance; Be ashamed of disobedience, proud of obeying the law! Be ashamed of extravagance and lust, and proud of hard work!"

"Thank you, Mr. Zhang. I'm going to write it down in my notes. I will recite it every day from now on, and I will never forget your teachings!" Gu Jiang knelt down and kowtowed, and then flew back to Donglin Jingshe, looking for a pen, ink, paper and inkstone to record Young Master Zhang. of good words.The Donglin students and Jiangnan literati who were present also praised, "It's so well said, it's like the golden rule." "I've decided, this is my lifelong motto!" , Just relying on these eight shame and eight honors, it is enough to shame all Tanhua in the past dynasties." "Strange? With his knowledge, he is more than enough to be the number one scholar. How can he be a Tanhua? Could it be that the examiner of the undergraduate course has no eyes?" "Master Zhang , You have spoken out what I think in my heart, this is the goal that our Donglin students pursue all their lives!"

"What is this? If you don't accept it, I still have a lot of Marxist-Leninist ideas and socialist concept of honor and disgrace waiting for you." Young Master Zhang sneered in his heart, but his face remained calm. He just kept donating money to the disaster relief spontaneously. The Donglin students and the Jiangnan literati hand in hand to express their gratitude, and they are extremely proud.But Ye Xianggao, Qian Qianyi and others saw the silver mountain in front of Young Master Zhang getting higher and higher, and their faces became greener and greener. They wished to tear Young Master Zhang into pieces, but they really didn't have the guts.At the end, Qian Qianyi, who hated Young Master Zhang so much, couldn't stand it anymore, jumped out and rushed forward, shouting loudly: "Zhang Haogu, I, Qian Qianyi, have something to ask you!"

"It's finally here." Young Master Zhang sneered in his heart, and secretly said: "If I don't let Donglin students throw you into the river today, my visit to Donglin Academy today will be in vain!"

(End of this chapter)