Chapter 591: The collapse of rituals and music, people’s hearts are no longer the same
Chapter 591: The collapse of rituals and music, people’s hearts are no longer the same
Late at night, the lights in Yingtian Imperial City were bright, as bright as day.
Li Yuanming is old.
The palace specially allowed him to ride in a sedan chair in the palace.
At this moment, he was sitting in a narrow sedan chair.
Swaying slightly with the rhythm of his steps, his eyes slightly closed, his mind filled with a myriad of thoughts.
Whether it is the Yingtian Commercial Bank we see today or the construction companies that may appear,
All of this made Li Yuanming realize that subtle changes were taking place in the world.
Even Li Yuanming had a strange feeling.
These two businesses seemed to be creating money out of thin air.
But he knew that this money did not come out of thin air.
There must be some reason at work that he was not aware of.
But this was not his focus.
What he cares about is the rituals and music of the world and the hearts of the people.
He felt that if it was really as Lu Yunyi imagined,
If it were implemented throughout the Ming Dynasty, the benefits would be obvious.
But the disadvantages should not be underestimated and are hidden invisibly.
At least, it has a huge impact on people's hearts!
Thinking of this, a heavy sigh slowly echoed in the dark sedan.
Li Yuanming opened his eyes, and a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes.
Perhaps this is an inevitable result after sweet potatoes are truly popularized.
In the past, the people could hardly even afford to eat and wear clothes, and all they cared about was farming.
What we care about is the harvest and God's favor.
But in the future, the people of the Ming Dynasty will be able to have enough food to eat.
Other needs will naturally arise.
For example, earn more money, eat more meat, or get some spiritual satisfaction.
Li Yuanming knew that this situation would inevitably occur after the deployment in Gansu was completed.
This phenomenon has existed since ancient times.
Let’s not talk about the Song and Yuan dynasties, just look at the Ming Dynasty today.
The Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions are densely covered with water networks, and their grain production is quite high.
Once people have enough to eat, they start thinking about how to make money and how to live a better life.
Therefore, today the trade in Jiangsu and Zhejiang is developed and there are many merchants.
The same is true for Jiangxi and Fujian.
One relies on porcelain, the other on maritime trade.
They are all places with developed commerce and many merchants.
There, merchants have a high status.
Li Yuanming believed that this situation would spread to the entire Ming Dynasty.
As for whether the trend of "focusing on money" is good or bad, he finds it difficult to judge.
As my thoughts became confused, the sedan slowly stopped.
Li Yuanming got off the sedan chair and looked at the majestic Wuying Palace in front of him.
Taking a deep breath, he stepped inside.
The hall was as cool and pleasant as day, except that there were a few more candles lit.
His Majesty, who was at the top, sat there quietly as usual, looking at the memorial in his hand.
His brows were sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed.
After Li Yuanming arrived at the hall, he stood directly in the center of the hall.
He didn't say anything, just waited quietly.
After nearly a cup of tea,
The rustling sound of the pen tip rubbing against the paper suddenly stopped.
The Hongwu Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang, who was at the top, stood up and stretched his muscles.
He walked to the table beside him and sat down, pointing at the chair next to him:
"sit."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Li Yuanming did not refuse and walked forward and sat down.
Zhu Yuanzhang handed him a cup of tea, picked up a cup himself, and asked while drinking:
"What did you see and hear today?"
Li Yuanming paused and said in a deep voice:
"Your Majesty, people's hearts are no longer the same as they used to be, and the world is becoming more and more
Zhu Yuanzhang sneered:
"I knew you would say that."
Li Yuanming remained calm and continued:
"Your Majesty, if everyone is obsessed with money, people will be uneasy and disasters will ensue."
"It's easy to talk, don't you like money?"
"Your Majesty, I like it." Li Yuanming said truthfully, and then said:
“I consider myself well-read, knowledgeable about the rites and music of the world, and I live a clear life.
People like me still love money.
Not to mention the common people.
By then, if the whole world loses its simplicity and honesty because of money, the court will be in a more difficult situation. "
"We'll talk about this later. All I know is that it's better to open up than to block, and we can't stop eating because of choking."
Zhu Yuanzhang drank the tea in the cup and continued:
"The Ming Dynasty has grown from nothing to where it is today.
It depends on the courage to fight and the courage to change the methods of the Song and Yuan dynasties.
It would be absurd to ignore what is happening right now because of something that has not yet happened.
There is a sentence of Lu Yunyi that I like very much. He said it in the Imperial College.
First decide whether it exists or not, then consider whether it is good or not.
The people are all poor now, why think so much, just wait until you have money."
Li Yuanming bowed slightly:
"Your Majesty, as the Minister of Rites, I consider matters of this nature."
"I know your painstaking efforts, and I also know that you have fulfilled your duties. I don't blame you."
Zhu Yuanzhang then showed emotion on his face and said in a deep voice:
"When I was a monk, I was hungry all day long.
The only thing on my mind was having enough food to eat.
Since I couldn’t get enough food as a monk, I joined the army and soon I had enough food.
That’s when I started to have other ideas.
First get a good knife, then pick up some broken armor to make a good armor.
Go to the battlefield to kill enemies and make merit, earn more money, and marry a wife.
Just like this, step by step,
The ideas became more and more, and the visions became bigger and bigger, which is how I got to where I am today.
If you and I are like this, how can we expect the people of the world to stand still? "
Li Yuanming understood what His Majesty meant. After a long silence, he slowly spoke:
"Your Majesty, I understand."
However, there was something strange on Li Yuanming's face.
The slight tremor in the corner of his eye was enough to show that he was not at peace inside.
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and smiled faintly:
"Lord Li, don't worry so much.
Building houses and roads may not be so urgent for villages near the capital.
But the territory of the Ming Dynasty was thousands of miles, and it was far more than just Zhili.
Over the years, the imperial court has been trying its best to repair the roads.
Provincial governments and government offices in various places are also working hard to repair their houses.
But there are still many places where the roads are muddy and people live in mud houses and shacks.
Whenever it rains and blows, countless people will be killed or injured, and the government won’t be able to rescue them in time.
Now with this new gadget,
It would be great if we could build some good roads and some good houses that can protect us from the wind and rain."
Li Yuanming nodded gently:
"Your Majesty has compassion for the people, and I deeply admire that."
Zhu Yuanzhang just laughed at this kind of compliment and said:
"In a cement workshop outside the city, the Ministry of Industry sent craftsmen to build a simple house.
The wall is less than two fingers thick and looks very simple.
After all, it's just a square box, extremely simple.
The cost is not expensive, only about ten taels, and I heard it can be reduced further, perhaps to seven or eight taels."
At this point, Zhu Yuanzhang showed emotion, his eyes sparkling with ambition:
"With only seven or eight taels of silver, you can build a house that can shelter you from the wind and rain and provide a place for your family to live.
In the past, the imperial court would not even dare to think about this.”
"There are tens of thousands of Ande Guangsha, sheltering the world's poor people with joy."
"When I saw the house, this poem was the first thing that came to my mind.
In recent years, the imperial court has built cities and dug canals, making the whole city look brand new.
But many villages have been neglected.
Now that the court has the conditions, it is time to do something to benefit the people."
Li Yuanming pursed his lips slightly, knowing that this matter was unstoppable, and nodded gently:
"Your Majesty, such an important matter still requires a reliable person to handle it.
It is not a good thing for many government offices in the court to get involved.”
"It has always been like this. If the court wants to do something, it has to give benefits, otherwise it will be difficult to move forward.
You have already met Liu Sili, how do you feel about him? "
Li Yuanming hesitated for a moment and replied:
"Your Majesty, I am a well-behaved man, a defender of the city."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded with satisfaction:
“Well, as long as you don’t do anything bad and don’t hold us back, that’s enough.
Who do you think should run the new construction company?"
Li Yuanming looked strange:
"Your Majesty, can't you leave Lu Yunyi in the capital?
Or let him go to the Ministry of Revenue,
I always feel that letting him stay in the Ministry of Industry or go to Daning would be a waste of talent."
Hearing him say this, Zhu Yuanzhang sneered, with a deep look in his eyes:
"What? Did Yang Jing offend you too?"
Li Yuanming pursed his lips and shook his head:
"Your Majesty, you know that I always deal with things, not people.
If the Ministry of Revenue does not do a good job, then naturally we have to say something.
During this period, the feeling that the Ministry of Revenue gave me was that
How can our great Ming Dynasty be so poor? "
"Yang Jing also has his difficulties, and the court should be considerate of him.
Besides, a Shangshu in his twenties is too shocking.”
Li Yuanming's expression froze, and his gray beard trembled slightly:
"Your Majesty, I want to transfer Lu Yunyi to the Ministry of Revenue as the Minister."
Zhu Yuanzhang glanced at him and sneered:
"Is there any difference? If someone has made a contribution, he should be promoted.
If the assistant minister is not promoted to the minister, what should he be promoted to? Are they going to let him stay home at such a young age? "
The Wuying Palace suddenly fell into silence.
Li Yuanming thought about it carefully. With Lu Yunyi's ability to do so,
It is natural to make achievements.
By then, perhaps within a few years, a Shangshu in his twenties will emerge.
As soon as this scene appeared in his mind, Li Yuanming felt strange.
Seeing him like this, Zhu Yuanzhang laughed:
"People have already given you face.
He always took leave for the morning court and the court meeting.
Otherwise, a young man standing among you old men would be ashamed of himself. "
Li Yuanming's facial features wrinkled instantly.
I scratched my head for the first time ever, it seems to be true.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hand: "Okay, going to Daning was already decided a long time ago and cannot be changed.
You have to help me find the right person.
Such important court affairs should be entrusted to someone who can be trusted."
"How is the prince?" Li Yuanming asked directly.
In his opinion, such important matters concerning money and the general situation of the world are best left to people who are not greedy for money.
But there are few people like this in the world.
Then find someone who has great power and enough money.
After much thought, the only ones left are the Crown Prince and His Majesty.
Zhu Yuanzhang only thought about it for a moment, then understood his thoughts, shook his head slowly, and cursed:
"You old thing, I am already this old,
If there was no Crown Prince to help me review the memorials, do you want to tire me to death?
If it were someone else, the prince wouldn't have the time to do these things."
"King Qin?" Li Yuanming asked again.
Zhu Yuanzhang was a little surprised and laughed:
"Are you planning to talk about all my sons?"
"Your Majesty, to do such a thing one must be able to resist temptation.
I don't know how much money and power flow through my hands every day.
Even a saint cannot avoid greed.
After much thought, I think it would be more appropriate to leave this matter to you princes.
At least after so many years of teaching by His Majesty, most of the princes have the idea that the world belongs to all.”
Li Yuanming spoke calmly without hiding anything.
But Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought and shook his head:
"Whether it is Yingtian Commercial Bank or Construction Company,
No one in the palace should show up. There are many people in the court and the public who curse me.
If anyone from the royal family gets involved, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
Think about it again, there is no rush now. "
"Yes, I understand."
"How is the preparation for Yingtian Commercial Bank going? Can it open on schedule?" Zhu Yuanzhang asked again, with a slight smile on his face:
"The lucky draw held by the company is very interesting. The children in the palace also want to try it."
Speaking of the lottery, the wrinkles on Li Yuanming's face deepened, and the corners of his mouth twitched slightly:
"Your Majesty, have you seen the lottery card?"
"I've seen it before."
"Well, have you read the words above?" Li Yuanming found it difficult to speak.
"Look, just tell me what you think."
"Your Majesty, although the Jinyiwei is notorious and has a bad reputation,
The court was extremely fed up with him.
But after all, it is an imperial court.
Now, the greater the influence of Yingtian Commercial Bank, the more embarrassing the reputation of Jinyiwei is. It is really disgraceful. "
Li Yuanming looked sad.
After some contact, it was only in this matter that
He could feel that Lu Yunyi was a young man.
If there is a grudge, it must be avenged, full of passion.
"Well, let him be.
I feel more at ease since he is scolding the Jinyiwei so loudly.
If he keeps silent and does something secretly, the Imperial Guards will have a headache."
After today's encounter, Li Yuanming has already convinced himself of Lu Yunyi's methods.
Their real purpose is often hidden very deeply.
It is even hidden in the mud under the water, making it difficult to see through.
If this kind of ability is used to plot against others, it would be disastrous.
just
"Your Majesty, I think it would be better for you to be more restrained."
"Hahaha, original name, you're not the only one who has come to me for this matter.
Many people submitted memorials to speak for the Jinyiwei, and I know what they are thinking.
On the one hand, they were afraid that the people would scold the Jinyiwei and, by the way, would also scold the various government offices of the imperial court.
On the other hand, they want to make me suspicious."
"Your Majesty, I absolutely do not have such an idea." Li Yuanming stood up suddenly and bowed.
Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and waved his hands:
"Sit down, sit down. I know you are loyal to the emperor and love your country.
But it has happened, so let it go.
The Jinyiwei did a poor job and deserved to be criticized.
The Ministry of Rites cannot restrict businesses because of these rumors.
You also need to help me keep an eye on the other government offices and make sure they don’t trip me up from behind.”
"I understand."
Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, stood up, and walked towards the inner hall with his hands behind his back. A voice came from afar:
"Okay, it's getting late, go back and rest early.
We are people who worry too much and sleep too little.
It takes a long time to fall asleep in bed.”
"My minister retire."
Li Yuanming's face was solemn as he walked out of Wuying Hall.
After today's conversation, he understood a lot of the thoughts in the palace.
He also made some plans for the future actions of the government office.
But when he reached the door, Guo Ying, Marquis of Wuding, who was on duty, suddenly came over and called him.
"Master Li."
"Greetings to Lord Wuding."
Guo Ying smiled, looked him up and down, and asked:
"We are old acquaintances. How about I ask you something?"
"Marquis Wuding, please feel free to speak."
Guo Ying nodded: "Are you going to the business today? Are your preparations going well?"
"Excellent."
Li Yuanming answered truthfully. He knew that Concubine Guo Ning in the palace also contributed money.
“Is there any possibility of making money?”
"Looking at what Lu Yunyi has done, he will definitely make a lot of money."
"That's good. I'm relieved now."
Guo Ying nodded with satisfaction, the smile on his face became brighter, and he continued to ask:
"You all know about the new business, right? How much money does the Ministry of Rites plan to pay?"
Li Yuanming was not surprised that Guo Ying knew about this.
The most informed person in the entire court,
Apart from Mao Xiang, it might be the officer in front of him, the marquis of the imperial city.
Li Yuanming sighed and looked sad:
"Lord Wuding, to be honest, the Ministry of Rites doesn't have much spare money.
We can only squeeze out a few tens of thousands of taels from next year’s budget.”
Guo Ying raised his eyebrows, with a hint of surprise in his eyes:
"so much?"
"The Ministry of Rites is responsible for educating the people on behalf of God. Now that there is a good opportunity, how can the Ministry of Rites sit idly by?"
Guo Ying laughed and nodded repeatedly:
"Okay, I feel relieved now that you said that. I was trying to persuade you to stop meddling in other people's business.
Now that you have joined in, I have saved myself a lot of trouble."
"Oh?"
Li Yuanming moved closer and lowered his voice:
"Lord Wuding, we have known each other for at least thirty years.
Tell me, how much money is the Marquis's Mansion prepared to pay?"
"The Marquis' Mansion doesn't have much spare money, maybe 50,000 or 60,000 taels. While those old guys are away, let's grab some more."
Li Yuanming stood there in a daze, lost in thought, and then bowed:
"I understand. Thank you, Lord Wuding. I will take my leave."
"let's go."
After seeing Li Yuanming off, Guo Ying walked into the Wuying Palace with a long sword in his hand.
The Hongwu Emperor, who was supposed to be in the back hall, sat back at the top.
Looking at the document in his hand, he didn't even raise his eyelids, but the voice came over:
"gone?"
"Your Majesty, I am leaving." Guo Ying looked strange and continued:
"Your Majesty, I have no intention of paying."
"Hey~" Zhu Yuanzhang raised his head:
"Just say what I ask you to say. No matter who comes tomorrow, go up and ask them. Talk to them."
"This"
Guo Ying hesitated several times before finally speaking:
"Your Majesty, I feel that Your Majesty and I have become shills at the market."
"Yes, it was a proxy." Zhu Yuanzhang admitted generously:
"Using the money from the six ministries to build roads and houses is like robbing the rich to help the poor.
If we don't give them a greater sense of urgency, will they be able to pay so easily once they come to their senses?
You have to speak better tomorrow and not let anyone see your flaws."
"Do you want me to contribute some money as well?"
"You? Keep that little money for yourself.
Don't work hard all your life and end up with no money left.
As for the members of the merchant company, I will pay Concubine Ning to buy more.
When the time comes, you old brothers will share it, and you will have a share too."
Guo Ying raised his eyebrows and laughed:
"Thank you, Your Majesty. I will definitely trick these old guys!"
(End of this chapter)