Chapter 1118
Reform
Chapter 1118 Reform (Part 1)
Pan Yun led this group of teenagers on a journey of study. In Jiangnan, they fought against corrupt officials; in the Central Plains, they fought against landlords and tyrants. Even the crown prince was tainted with the habits of a wandering knight.
But then she took them to the grasslands and befriended the tribes that wanted to rebel.
It's true that they wanted to rebel, and it's also true that they treated these transformed teenagers as brothers.
So, will you choose righteousness or emotion?
The teenagers grew up quickly, experiencing disagreements and moments of unity along the way, but fortunately, they all made it through together.
The crown prince had grown to thirteen years old, and the Ming Dynasty was making even greater strides. When they returned to the capital, the streets of the capital had changed dramatically.
A newly laid track runs along Suzaku Avenue, with a tram passing by every 15 minutes. This tram runs through Suzaku Avenue, which used to take an hour to walk, but now only takes 35 minutes by tram. There are stops along the way, and ordinary people can ride it.
With the advent of this vehicle, not only did the transportation costs for court officials to get to work plummet, but it also made things much more convenient for ordinary people.
Upon returning to the capital, the Crown Prince and his friends immediately entered the Imperial Academy to study, where his seven other teachers eagerly awaited their arrival.
Although he would return to Beijing for half a month every two months for the past three years, partly to see his parents and family and partly to receive guidance on the assignments they had given him, the time was always too short. The seven teachers said they had a lot of knowledge they wanted to impart.
Now, the Crown Prince has finally returned!
The thirteen-year-old crown prince's gaze had become much more resolute, the innocence in his eyes had faded, and when he was silent, he gave people an air of dignified authority that did not show his emotions.
The seven teachers felt a pang of sadness; this was their student, but it was also Pan Yun's masterpiece.
Who wouldn't want to have a prince as a student and personally mold him into an emperor for all time?
Unfortunately, the Crown Prince devoted the best years of his life to the Imperial Tutor, or rather, to his education.
Before the age of thirteen, it is the stage when values are being introduced. Children at this age are the easiest to guide. I wonder how much private knowledge the Imperial Advisor taught him during this time. I just hope she doesn't lead the Crown Prince astray.
After returning to the capital, Zhu Jianji officially began his career as crown prince, studying and participating in politics...
That's right, he's already thirteen years old and can start working.
The emperor would occasionally invite him to sit in on government affairs, and sometimes he would give him a batch of memorials to handle.
The Crown Prince never made a mistake.
The officials, especially the oldest group of veteran ministers, seemed to see Emperor Renzong in them, just as he had been when he was crown prince.
The nostalgic veterans were moved to tears, feeling that they had seen a glimmer of hope.
Then, the Crown Prince, who gradually gained a foothold in the court, began to handle cases, handling three major corruption cases in succession, and using them to suppress local powerful families, military nobles, and arrogant and domineering members of the imperial family.
The case involved powerful figures, both civil and military, as well as members of the imperial family. Although the number of people implicated was not expanded, the blood shed at Caishikou was enough to shock people.
The officials then realized that this was not Emperor Renzong at all, but clearly Crown Prince Yiwen!
Seeing his son's growing prestige, Zhu Qiyu was overjoyed. After thinking for a moment, he summoned Pan Yun and brought up the issue of officials and gentry paying taxes together: "Grand Preceptor, is the time right?"
Pan Yun looked up at Zhu Qiyu's face, then lowered her eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "It's worth a try."
Zhu Qiyu quickly asked, "What are the chances of success?"
Pan Yun: "Thirty percent."
Zhu Qiyu was extremely disappointed: "Only 30%?"
Pan Yun said, "A system is not considered a success simply because it is proposed and implemented. It must be maintained, and it can only be considered a success if the opposition does not exceed 30%."
Zhu Qiyu: "Does the Grand Preceptor mean that while it is possible to propose and implement the policy of officials and gentry paying taxes together, it is difficult to maintain?"
"Has Your Majesty considered the worst-case scenario if this fails?" Zhu Qiyu paused for a moment before replying, "The scholars of the land will likely rebel."
“Scholars’ rebellion will not succeed in three years,” Pan Yun said, “but they can destroy the country through other means. I think that once this policy is announced, scholars will definitely stop taking the exams and stop studying.”
"They dare!"
Pan Yun: "What do they have to be afraid of? If they don't want to take the exams and become officials, can His Majesty force them?"
"That……"
“This is a problem with thinking,” Pan Yun said. “Since the Song Dynasty, the country has treated scholars too well. Emperor Taizu admired scholars but disliked the aristocratic families, so his policies were not effective.”
Which policy of the founding emperor?
“The distribution system,” Pan Yun said, “has always been the fundamental issue between the royal family, the gentry, and the common people throughout history.”
Zhu Qiyu, having been emperor for so many years, understood things very quickly.
He murmured, "The preferential treatment of the gentry is a policy that has been in place since ancient times. How can I simply abolish it?"
“No, no, who said we were going to abolish this policy?” Pan Yun said, “We are simply changing the way we treat scholars with more favor.”
"Isn't raising officials' salaries a form of preferential treatment? Isn't enabling more people to attend school a form of preferential treatment?"
"How are the preferential treatments for those who passed the imperial examinations but did not enter officialdom reflected?"
Pan Yun: "Isn't societal honor also honor?"
She said, "Isn't universal harmony the ideal and aspiration of scholars? What, just because you're not favored, does that mean there isn't universal harmony?"
"So it still comes down to ideology. Fortunately, the education provided by the community schools in recent years has been quite effective. When the Crown Prince and I traveled among the people, we conducted a survey. The idea of achieving universal harmony and having the gentry pay taxes along with the common people would face the least resistance in Henan."
Zhu Qiyu's eyes lit up: "As expected of the Central Plains."
"This matter should not be rushed. Since Your Majesty is willing to do so, why not do the same as the reform of the imperial clan and first select a place to pilot it? If it works, we can gain experience to promote it further; if it does not work, we can stop at any time."
Zhu Qiyu: "If we choose the Central Plains region for a pilot program, what is the success rate?"
Pan Yun: "Seventy percent."
Zhu Qiyu was satisfied; with a minimum success rate of 30%, he was very pleased with this success rate.
"This was the Imperial Preceptor's initial idea, and the Crown Prince also mentioned it in a memorial. How about we entrust this matter to the Crown Prince?"
Pan Yun nodded, indicating that it was feasible, but reminded the emperor that no matter what happened afterward, he should trust the crown prince, thus increasing the chances of the Ming Dynasty lasting for thousands of generations.
Zhu Qiyu readily agreed and finally brought up the matter again in court.
Two months later, Zhu Jianji, who had just turned sixteen, officially took over the heavy responsibility of Henan and began to pilot the new policies in Henan.
This new policy is naturally not just about increasing taxes for the gentry; it is a comprehensive tax reform.
The new tax system is expected to incorporate the poll tax into the land tax. From now on, in addition to paying 30% of the taxes to farmers in grain, the remaining 70% can be paid in grain or in silver. Silver includes silver, copper coins, and dragon paper money. If dragon paper money is used, the depreciation fee can be waived.
Indeed, along with the pilot tax reform in Henan, the issuance of a new paper currency for the Ming Dynasty—the Dragon Note—was announced!
"Dragon Notes? Pfft, isn't that just a new kind of paper money? Our salaries have only been paid out in paper money for a few years, and now there's another Dragon Notes."
(End of this chapter)