Chapter 328: The Art of Kingly Domination

As soon as he entered the Linjing Hall, Chen Heng found that not only Li Zhi was there, but also Wei Yinghong, Wen Shangshu, the prince and Li Jun were waiting there.

After paying respects to the emperor according to etiquette, Chen Heng took a few steps forward. Li Zhi had already waved his hand and said, "You scholars are in poor health. Please take a seat."

Before Chen Heng came out, he also looked at his complexion in the mirror. He was tired for days and his face was not very good.

After thanking Li Zhi for his concern, Chen Heng took a seat cautiously. He came suddenly this time and really didn't know why Li Zhi summoned him.

After listening to Wei Yinghong and Wen Shangshu's story, Chen Heng figured out what had happened before.

It turned out that Wei Shoufu and Wen Shangshu were invited by His Majesty to discuss the treasure banknotes.

Among the three people, Li Zhi was the one who was interested in doing this. Wei Yinghong firmly opposed this kind of scene, and his attitude was also the most determined.

Although Wen Shangshu, who was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, was a direct person, his attitude was very ambiguous, neither opposing nor supporting.

Chen Heng listened for a while and finally understood the reason why Wei Yinghong opposed it. The root of the problem still lies with the former Ming Taizu Zhu Yuanzhang.

During the Hongwu period, Baochao was also issued. However, the progress of this matter not only did not help the Ming court grow its national strength, but instead became a chicken rib in government affairs and gradually came to nothing.

With such a precedent, it was undoubtedly a huge psychological challenge for conservatives like Wei Yinghong who regarded "governing the country first of all is not to make mistakes" as the golden rule.

Chen Heng knew that today's debate was a prelude to his future political propositions. So before speaking, he considered his words more carefully. Make sure that Wei Yinghong will not continue to resist this matter in words.

As the saying goes, it is better to know the reason than the fact. Since the problem lies with the former Ming Taizu, it is natural to start with the mistakes made during the Hongwu period.

Even though the people present were all talented scholars who were well-read, Chen Heng still systematically and comprehensively introduced the issuance of Baochao during the Hongwu period.

After citing classics, Chen Heng roughly summarized the problem into four points.

First, in order to promote the circulation of treasure notes, the Ming court only allowed civilians to exchange gold and silver for treasure notes, and not to exchange treasure notes for gold and silver, and strictly prohibited private transactions with gold and silver. Just these two points have made a big mistake.

From the perspective of future generations, the closer the political affairs are to people's livelihood, the more gentle the governance methods should be. Too strict regulations often turn good things into bad things.

The second is that there are too many types. There are six denominations of treasure notes. One string, five hundred coins, four hundred coins, three hundred coins, two hundred coins, and one hundred coins. This does not include the small notes ranging from ten to fifty coins. Not to mention that every new monarch will introduce new coins when he ascends the throne.

The amount is so large that it seems to be comprehensive. From another perspective, even one side is not taken care of. And there are clear results in the history books, so Chen Heng's hindsight is not empty talk.

The third is that there are a bunch of speculators and incompetent officials in the society who make profits by rotating and wasting the old and new treasure notes.

Zhu Yuanzhang is indeed an emperor who cherishes the people's strength and hates this matter. Often, a one-size-fits-all measure is implemented, and the people who are most affected are the ordinary people who are tossed back and forth.

The fourth is that regardless of the north and south of the country, regardless of regional economic differences. Baochao is uniformly enforced throughout the country.

The local customs are different from each other, and the wealth of the people is also different. How can it be generalized and forced to accept it.

After the story of first praising and then suppressing, in Wei Yinghong's gradually upturned eyebrows.

Chen Heng turned the topic again and took the initiative to raise a question. Looking at the monarchs and ministers in the hall, he said: "Since there are so many inconveniences in the treasure note, why did Taizu take the initiative to implement this policy?"

Li Jun's talent is limited, and he is the most laborious person in the hall. He looked at his grandfather who was deep in thought, and then at Li Xian who was somewhat touched, and asked anxiously in a low voice: "Why is this?"

At this time, the hall was silent, and even if Li Jun spoke very softly, everyone could hear it clearly. Li Jun was so scared that he quickly closed his mouth and dared not say much for a while.

Li Xian did not blame him, but replied: "Listen carefully to what Lord Chen said."

Chen Heng thanked Li Xian for his help and took the initiative to say to Li Zhi and Wei Yinghong: "Your Majesty, Elders, the Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty insisted on planning this matter. I think there are two reasons. One is to consolidate the Ming court. The second is the financial difficulties of the Ming court."

In the thoughtful expressions of several people, Chen Heng took the "Edict to the Central Plains" written by Zhu Yuanzhang during the Northern Expedition. Old Zhu once said this: For example, Mongolia and Semu are not Chinese people. However, they are born in the same world. Those who know etiquette and are willing to be ministers are no different from Chinese people.

Why did Zhu Yuanzhang specifically add this point in the manifesto of the Northern Expedition? It was to ensure that after the debate between the Chinese and the barbarians, there would be no internal conflicts among the people after a hundred years of division.

It is not a wise move to emphasize blood orthodoxy. Continuity and tolerance are the kingly way of the world.

For a newly born dynasty, it is urgent to gather the consensus of the people, awaken the historical memory in the hearts of the people, and maintain the stability of the country.

This is why Zhu Yuanzhang mentioned in the "Appointment Edict": the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty are the orthodox of the Song Dynasty, and the Ming Dynasty is the orthodox of the Mongols and Yuan Dynasty.

This legal principle is the core of the urgent need of the Ming court. It is to ensure that every citizen, abandoning the old grievances, continues to survive on the land with a new identity as the people of the Ming Dynasty.

This is also the reason why the North and South List appeared during the Hongwu period. In the imperial examination for recruiting officials for the court, there was not a single northerner on the list of admitted candidates.

Even if the chief examiner is impartial, he has already violated Zhu Yuanzhang's taboo in politics.

The core is not to do things that are not conducive to unity.

Based on this point, we can see why Emperor Taizu of Ming insisted on promoting Baochao. All policies have the wisdom of Qin Shihuang's unified writing and unified weights and measures.

To let the people from north to south form a cultural consensus. Eliminating the situation where northerners look down on southerners and southerners look down on northerners is what Zhu Yuanzhang has been doing.

When Chen Heng finished speaking this point, Wei Yinghong felt bad. Let this kid continue to talk, the matter of Baochao is really going to succeed.

Chen Heng did not give the chief assistant a chance to interrupt, and then said: "In addition, the matter of Baochao can solve the financial difficulties of the Ming court at that time."

"What is the difficulty?" Li Zhi asked. As an emperor, you should open up the way for speech and accept talents. Facing Chen Heng's talent once again, he really couldn't restrain his desire to listen respectfully.

Chen Heng did not answer, he looked at Wen Shangshu. He knew that the other party would understand.

Wen Shiqian was indeed a long-time minister of the Ministry of Revenue. After a little thought, he blurted out: "There are many people."

These four words seemed to have a thousand weights, hitting Li Zhi and Li Xian's hearts directly.

"Yes." Chen Heng responded immediately.

Just from the data recorded in the history of the Ming Dynasty, the population census every ten years, excluding the lowly people, slaves and others. The population recorded during the Hongwu period was more than 50 million, and by the Chenghua period, this number was close to 80 million.

After Jiajing and Wanli, it was a common consensus that the population of the Ming Dynasty exceeded 100 million. However, it was difficult to count the number of people because local officials often concealed the real number of people.

If there were no natural disasters or man-made disasters, according to the development of history, until two hundred years later, the population of the world should reach a peak of 400 million.

With such an exaggerated volume, how many silver mountains and copper mines in the world should be dug out of the gold and silver that these people use every day?

The most terrifying thing is that the people in this land still have the habit of saving money. Whenever there is a war, people, regardless of their wealth or status, are keen to bury gold, silver and jewelry underground.

Not to mention, some people like to take their treasures with them into the ground.

"Your Majesty, it has been a thousand years since the copper coins were made in the pre-Qin period. Seven or eight out of ten copper mines in the world have been used up. In the long run, when the new emperor of the court introduces new coins, it will have to purchase old coins from the people to mint new coins. The greed of the Ming Dynasty for silver consumption in the fire is due to this."

Li Zhi also heard the urgency of the matter. He was not a person who was willing to compromise. He sat up straight and said to Chen Heng: "Chen Qing, continue, I am listening."

With these words, Chen Heng knew that Li Zhi was still very interested. He immediately made a suggestion and began to talk about the benefits of treasure notes, and as usual, he used the chaos at the border as an example.

"No matter how we set up border markets, how we make concessions, and how we exchange what we have, it is difficult to stop the war and make peace. Is it difficult in politics? Is it benevolence?"

Chen Heng shook his head and continued: "It's because gold and silver can be used in Dayong and in the former Ming Dynasty. In the former Qin Dynasty, the people still use them."

The liquidity of gold and silver as property does have its value preservation. But it is precisely because of its value preservation that it is not a good thing for the court.

The same dynasty is in crisis, and the enemy country holding gold and silver does not have to care about the loss at all.

And the enemy country holding a huge amount of treasure banknotes, as long as there is no confidence in winning a war, has to think about the nobles in their own country who hold a lot of treasure banknotes, and have to weigh the cost of turning the treasure banknotes into waste paper.

Compared with the colonial strategy of Western countries, soft colonization in an economic way is undoubtedly more in line with the moral values ​​of the Celestial Empire.

It is also a blood-cutting knife that kills people invisibly, which will greatly strengthen the rule and stability of the court.

This method is the same for Western countries. This is a rope around their necks. Not only can they not break free, but the more they struggle, the more difficult it will be to breathe.

Wen Shiqian has been dealing with money all his life. He immediately caught Chen Heng's question, "Since Lord Chen said that treasure notes have many wonderful uses, what if foreign countries also promote treasure notes?"

Chen Heng would not have thought of this. He said bluntly: "Treasure notes without equivalent goods are just a piece of waste paper. Without a great country as a foundation and hundreds of millions of people as a helper, their treasure notes are just a move of imitating others."

The unified dynasty has the natural advantages of the unified dynasty. As long as the official approval of Dayong, as long as Shanxi merchants, Huizhou merchants, Fujian merchants, Zhejiang merchants and others take treasure notes out of the country, it will surely become the most valuable treasure note in the world.

"When Westerners learn the Dayong language, use Dayong notes, and speak Dayong official language, Your Majesty, even if this person lives in a foreign country, how can he not be considered a citizen of Dayong?"

Under Wei Yinghong's anxious gaze, Li Zhi nodded repeatedly because of Chen Heng's story.

You kid, you haven't grown up yet, how can you just say nice words and fool people? Wei Yinghong's worries are not wrong. Even if the prosperity of shipping is the background, it still cannot get rid of the fact that there are thousands of farmers in Dayong.

Any policy related to them, it is not wrong to seek stability and be foolproof.

Chen Heng understood Wei Yinghong's concerns, and before the other party refuted, he took the initiative to join in.

"However, the mistakes of the previous Ming Dynasty are still fresh in our memory. If the court wants to promote Baochao without hurting the livelihood of the people, we should proceed slowly and plan it step by step.

We can first select several places in Jiangnan as a demonstration. Set up a special treasury and have officials sent by the Ministry of Revenue to directly manage it.

Our dynasty already has 100 taels of silver notes, so there is no need to set up another one above it. There are only copper coins and silver ingots below them, and we can subdivide it into two or three categories of Baochao here to meet the needs of the people."

Chen Heng then said that there is no need to control whether ordinary people use silver or Baochao, and only stipulate that foreign merchants entering the court for purchases need to use Baochao.

As a transit station for silver and treasure notes, the money houses directly under the Ministry of Revenue can also set up savings business.

With official credit as a guarantee, with external and internal, replace tough policies with habits. Over time, slowly collect copper coins and silver butts from the people.

After saying this, Chen Heng asked Xia Shouzhong to find a stack of paper and fifty taels of silver ingots from the palace.

Chen Heng put these two things on the table, looked at everyone and asked: "Your Majesty, Prime Minister, Wen Shangshu, do you think it is more convenient to go out with fifty taels, or..."

Chen Heng picked up a folded paper and stuffed it directly into his arms, and patted his waist by the way. The meaning is self-evident.

Everyone naturally sees the benefits of treasure notes. Wei Yinghong was also relieved by Chen Heng's mature words of taking small steps along the coast first and promoting promotion with convenience.

He was afraid that Chen Zhixing would become eager for quick success because he had received too much praise in the past.

Li Xian, who was standing by, had already patted Li Jun on the head and whispered, "Don't just listen, remember what Lord Chen said. Write a policy paper for me tomorrow."

Well, he didn't say anything, but he had an extra task. Li Jun complained in his heart, and still couldn't understand his father's good intentions.

Chen Heng continued to narrate, "Your Majesty, the main thing about treasure notes is to facilitate merchants. Civilian shops must prepare weights and scissors for trading.

For half-liang items, the customer takes out one liang of silver. The owner has to cut off half of it and weigh it with a scale before the money and goods can be cleared.

Therefore, there are many small silver coins in the folk, which is also the reason why every household has two things on hand."

From this point of view alone, the promotion of coins and treasure notes with clear amounts is indeed an urgent matter for an empire that has opened up maritime transportation.

"One benefit can bring hundreds of benefits, and one thing can benefit for thousands of years. It must be Baochao! I ask for a discussion. The court should promote Baochao in five years."

Li Zhi was listening with great interest. Suddenly, he heard the five-year period and couldn't help wondering, "Why five years?"

Chen Heng said loudly, "If you want to govern, you must first govern people. If you want to govern people, you must first govern the law.

If these two are not available, the Baochao issue should be delayed. I ask for a discussion. Add a math lesson to the imperial examination. Those who don't understand this will find it difficult to be local officials in the future."

"I disagree." Wei Yinghong immediately stepped out and made a rare clear statement.

Seeing that it was the chief minister who was speaking, Chen Heng naturally stopped talking and let the other party say what he meant first.

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Li Zhi was really unkind. He sent someone to send a car to summon Chen Heng. When the meeting was about to end, he forgot to arrange a car to send him back. Fortunately, when he arrived at the Meridian Gate, Lin Zhixiao, the steward of the Jia Mansion, was already waiting outside the palace gate.

"Master Chen, please get in the car." Lin Zhixiao diligently brought a horse stool and reached out to help Chen Heng get on.

Such a respectful attitude made Chen Heng feel a little subtle. However, his thoughts soon fell into calmness, and he turned to think about Wei Yinghong's previous rebuttal.

Indeed, Wei Yinghong's remarks have their own position. Recruiting officials with the Four Books and Five Classics is a tradition that has continued for nearly a thousand years.

What is learned in it is the words of sages and the law of all laws. The impact of rashly promoting arithmetic to the main subject is definitely more harmful than beneficial.

This is also the reason why Dayong no longer puts arithmetic in an important position since the provincial examination.

The county examination and the prefectural examination are the examinations for students, which are intended to consider the knowledge of talents in all aspects, and the court still has something to say.

Once this degree is exceeded, it will inevitably cause complaints from the officials.

But without taking this step, the officials in the court cannot complete the transformation into technical bureaucrats.

The significance of this matter is not only broad and deep, but also its leading role.

Only by starting this and testing the attitude of the officials towards the court's education reform can we pave the way for future political measures.

"Ah." Chen Heng sighed in the carriage.

Take your time, some things cannot be solved by one generation. What lies before you is a mountain that has existed for thousands of years.

Compared with the small tide of the times, how should a person or a dynasty choose and give up the habits and concepts of thousands of years?

Lin Zhixiao, who was driving, thought he had made a mistake and startled Mr. Chen in the car.

He held his breath and looked inside the car. Seeing that Chen Heng didn't speak for a long time, he continued to drive the car anxiously.

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In the Linjing Hall, no one had left. Li Zhi was very active in his mind, and he stood in front of a huge painting with Li Xian and Li Jun, the father and son.

The scene depicted in this painting is really interesting. On a long street, people come and go. People carrying loads and foreign merchants driving carts shuttle through the fields.

At the bottom of the painting stands a small stone tablet with the words "Xiu Nan" written on it.

On the right side of this street, the painter relied on his skills and imagination. With the long willow bank as the boundary, he brought a vast ocean out of thin air. On the surging sea, several large ships are leaving the port. The bright sun on the upper left shines on the mast, and it is the seagulls chasing the waves, and the sea tide shows the national strength.

Li Xian does not know the painter, but it does not prevent him from appreciating the painter's skills. Such a painting that combines people's livelihood and national affairs is actually the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" of this dynasty.

Compared with the latter, this painting has a more indescribable grandeur.

Li Jun noticed Xue Ke's signature, and even recognized Chen Heng and Lord Liu in official robes in the painting.

The more he looked at it, the more interesting it was in his heart. Liu Yanzhang had accumulated eight lifetimes of virtue to have Chen Heng as his subordinate. He did nothing, but his name was about to be passed down through the ages.

"The name of this painting is 'Blue Waves Ten Thousand Miles', which is what I really like." Li Zhi raised his hand and clicked on the painting, and then said, "What do you think it was like when Zheng Sanbao went to the West?"

Li Zhi still couldn't give up his desire to make achievements. He needs something to embellish his imperfect imperial career.

Do you really want to leave a reputation in history as a man who rebelled against his father? How will thousands of future generations view themselves?

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Wei Yinghong waited at Lin's house for half an hour before Lin Ruhai rushed back eagerly. The servant who delivered the message had very agile legs and feet.

It's just that before Lin Ruhai came back, he asked his son-in-law about the affairs of Linjing Palace. When he knew what was going on, he turned around and returned home.

Needless to say, there is no need to elaborate on the relationship between the two families. When Lin Ruhai came in, he saw Wei Yinghong wandering around the hall.

The two greeted each other briefly, and Wei Yinghong began to complain to Lin Ruhai about Chen Heng's behavior.

"It's not that I don't know the benefits of this matter, but does it only have benefits? In all things in the world, if one thing is good, it will harm another, this is the way of yin and yang.

Zhixing is young and has a courageous and diligent approach, but as an elder, why don't you give me more advice? "

Faced with Wei Yinghong's accusation, Lin Ruhai was helpless. He couldn't open his son-in-law's head and see what Master Pei had taught him, right?

Chen Heng's opinions on politics were unheard of in many places. If everyone was arguing about sages' books, Lin Ruhai's talent and learning would certainly be good.

But this child has never been limited to books. Heng'er's vision and mind have always been flowing in the great rivers.

"You yourself said that Heng'er's actions make sense." Lin Ruhai sat opposite her friend and patiently advised, "You are the chief minister and elder appointed by His Majesty, and you are the mediator. It is your job to stabilize the country. "

Seeing Wei Yinghong's gloomy face, Lin Ruhai couldn't help but smile evilly, "Heng'er said that he is not in his position and does not seek his position. The heavy burden of the country still requires Father Weber's hard work."

This is such nonsense that people just slap their butts and walk away. Wei Yinghong's nose is so angry that he is crooked.

Chen Heng's current official position is not sufficient for state affairs, but Li Zhi will use Chen Heng's rhetoric to ask the DPRK and Chinese cabinet to implement it.

There was no way, who asked Chen Heng to persuade Li Zhi.

"Calm down, calm down." Lin Ruhai treated this friend who came to settle accounts with fine tea. "When young people grow up, they will always have their own ideas."

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Since Chen Heng returned to the Jia family, he has been treated with all kinds of courtesy by the Jia family. From the beginning, Jia Lian greeted Chen Heng with care and concern.

When it was time to have dinner at home in the evening, Chen Heng walked into the table. The Jia family members, who were still talking in low voices, all stopped talking silently. Either avoiding Chen Heng's gaze, or taking the initiative to stand up and greet him.