Chapter 70 Single-handedly extended the life of the Ming Dynasty for 76 years? All dynasties were shocked!
Datang.

During the Zhenguan period.

Land was annexed and people were living in misery. Could it be that the dynasty could not escape its three hundred years of misfortune? Yuan Tiangang shook his head and sighed when he saw that the dragon slayer of the Zhu family eventually became an evil dragon.

On the side, Li Chunfeng fell into deep thought after hearing this.

——According to Tianmu’s explanation, it seems that in the dynasties on the Chinese land, the monarchs at the time of their founding were all wise and powerful, but after two generations, the country would begin to weaken.

In the middle period, an outstanding monarch will emerge to revive the country and it will reach its peak.

However, it soon declined after reaching its peak and entered a period of complete decline.

……

[It must be said that the Ming Dynasty never lacked smart people at any time, but some things went wrong because there were too many smart people. ]

[In the 14th year of Chongzhen, Li Zicheng attacked Luoyang. The soldiers defending the city begged the King of Fu in Luoyang to take out some gold and silver to motivate the soldiers to defend the city, but the King of Fu Zhu Changxun was unwilling to give a penny and turned a deaf ear to them.]

[As a result, when the city was captured, the enraged peasant uprising army boiled the 300-pound Prince Fu alive into a pot of porridge.]

[The millions of gold and silver in the cellar of Prince Fu's palace were also looted by Li Zicheng.]

[The ending of Prince Fu is the same as the ending of other princes in the late Ming Dynasty.]

[Li Zicheng knew that these vassal kings were extremely wealthy, and he slaughtered 12 of them alone. Other vassal kings also did not escape the massacre by the Qing army, and the amount of gold and silver that was robbed was incalculable.]

[This tragic ending is something Zhu Yuanzhang could never have imagined in his grave.]

[He tried desperately to create wealth and glory for his descendants by playing the role of a patriarch, but fine clothes and delicious food are nothing but fleeting clouds.]

——Too clever is half the brain.

——Peasant thinking.

——Old Zhu was really afraid of being poor, so he made all kinds of calculations, but in the end his descendants ended up being greedy.

——Here we have to mention the Enfeoffment Order of the Han Dynasty, the greatest conspiracy in ancient and modern times, with no solution.

……

Ming dynasty.

When Zhu Yuanzhang learned the whole story, his face turned gloomy. He never expected that the clan system he had carefully designed with the intention of leaving eternal wealth and prosperity to his descendants would become a loophole that would drag down the Ming Dynasty.

Even though Zhu Yuanzhang had planned everything, he never expected that his descendants would be so fertile.

Especially that Zhu Qizhen...giving birth to 100 children in one breath, are you a human pile driver?

So fertile.

But come to think of it, without the pressure of survival and with support from the court, shouldn't these bastards just have as many kids as they want?
In addition, the title is hereditary, and it will not be downgraded after it is reduced to the Lieutenant of Fengguo. It would be strange if there is no disaster after a long time.

Of course, what hurt Zhu Yuanzhang even more was the inaction of these vassal kings.

Even though he was being supported by the tax revenue of the Ming Dynasty, and even though the Ming Dynasty was facing a critical moment of life and death, as a vassal king of the Ming Dynasty, he still clung to his gold and silver and other material possessions.

He has no sense of crisis at all. How can such a thing be worthy of being a descendant of the Zhu family?

Are they worthy of being supported by the Ming Dynasty?

Do you think a dog will wag its tail at people?
In comparison, these princes are simply a bunch of ungrateful people.

Mao Zheng failed to play his role and instead dragged down the Ming Dynasty!

A bunch of misers, didn't they end up benefiting the thieves Li and the Qing Dynasty?

Thinking of these, Old Zhu became extremely angry.

And this Chongzhen, at this time he still looks indecisive, just like a corrupt scholar!
You are the emperor!
Knowing that the princes are rich, can't we levy them by force?

A loyal prince came to rescue you, but you put him under house arrest. Zhu Yuanzhang had no idea what he was thinking!

Zhu Yuanzhang didn't even understand the principle of doing extraordinary things in extraordinary times. He was a useless person. No wonder the Ming Dynasty fell into his hands.

……

the other side.

Li Shimin looked at Tianmu's introduction and couldn't help feeling regretful.

After all, he was an emperor of peasant origin, and the difference between his education and that of others was immediately apparent.

Putting aside other things for now, when it comes to the matter of vassal kings, Zhu Yuanzhang gives people the impression that his decision is not what a wise and powerful emperor should make.

Instead, it's like an old father who suddenly became rich and wants to give all his sons a good place to go.

But as an emperor, how can I be bound by these things?

As an emperor, the first thing to consider is how to ensure the smooth continuation of a dynasty.

Obviously, Zhu Yuanzhang did not consider the long-term when he established the royal family system.

Of course, being able to rise from a cowherd to the throne, Zhu Yuanzhang has surpassed most emperors.

No one is perfect, and Mr. Zhu has not received a good education, so it is normal for him to be somewhat inconsiderate.

……

“Hahaha, you deserve it! You deserve it!”

At the end of Ming Dynasty.

Zhu Youjian, who escaped death, laughed out loud as he looked at the capital city in flames!

They are a bunch of short-sighted and stingy people. They totally deserve to end up like this. It's so gratifying!
Do you really think the fall of the Ming Dynasty will be good for them?
Do you really think that Li the traitor and the Manchus will protect them like they did to the Ming Dynasty?
Dreaming!
It's entirely these idiots' fault that they have ended up like this!

……

The sky screen changed.

An old man who looked like a scholar was talking.

[The Ming Dynasty had a history of 276 years, and the last 76 years were entirely sustained by the efforts of Zhang Juzheng alone.]

[I can say that if it weren’t for the birth of the extraordinary genius Zhang Juzheng, Li Zicheng’s peasant uprising would have come 60 years earlier! ]

……

Hongwu period.

Yingtian City.

He had no time to feel angry at the incompetence of the princes. The moment he saw the new title, Zhu was shocked and looked at the sky in surprise.

Is there really a minister who could extend the life of the Ming Dynasty for 76 years with his own will?
Not only Zhu Yuanzhang was frightened, but all the founding emperors and rulers of the revival of dynasties were intrigued by this guy named Zhang Juzheng.

Everyone wanted to know how extraordinary this genius Zhang Juzheng was, that he could single-handedly extend the life of a dynasty for more than 70 years.

As ambitious people from all dynasties took out their notebooks, Tianmu began to explain slowly.

……

[Standing in front of you is a young juren, a jinshi, a shujishi, an editor of the Hanlin Academy, You Chunfang and You Yude, who are also the deans of the Imperial Academy, the right vice minister of the Ministry of Rites and the bachelor of the Hanlin Academy, the left vice minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the grand secretary of the Dongge, the minister of the Ministry of Rites and the grand secretary of the Wuying Palace, the minister of the Ministry of Personnel and the grand secretary of the Jianji Palace, the chief assistant of the cabinet and the grand secretary of the Zhongji Palace, the assistant left pillar of the country, the grand tutor, the grand teacher and the grand teacher of the crown prince, the greatest reformer and politician of the Ming Dynasty, Zhang Baigui, Zhang Jiangling, Zhang Taiyue, and Zhang Juzheng.]

……

As Tianmu slowly revealed a series of honors that Zhang Juzheng had received, all the famous figures in history were greatly shocked.

Many people who originally disagreed put away their contempt, straightened their postures, and looked at the sky with serious expressions.

Even great rulers like Li Shimin and Zhu Di were staring at the sky at this moment.

For an official to be able to achieve this, he must have been a very high-ranking official, one in a million... Not to mention that this man single-handedly kept the declining Ming Dynasty alive for more than seventy years.

Such people are rare in history books. They should be treated as national heroes and not be looked down upon.

……

【Zhang Juzheng's ancestors had followed Zhu Yuanzhang in starting an army. Although his family had left the military and became ordinary farmers, the experience of their ancestors sacrificing their lives for the country still inspired him all the time. 】【Zhang Juzheng was inspired and set his ambition very early on: he was willing to be a straw mat for anyone to sleep on, even if it was soaked in feces and urine, and he would not hesitate to benefit the world regardless of personal reputation. 】

【Zhang Juzheng set his sights on becoming a saint, and to achieve this goal, he chose a path of applying knowledge to society.】

……

Sanctify!

Looking at these two words, all scholars from all dynasties were excited.

These two words are the ultimate goal of almost every ambitious scholar.

But there are very few people who can stick to their original intentions and remain consistent.

……

"Good! I didn't expect there would be such a minister in the world!"

During the Yongle reign, Yu Qian was deeply shocked.

He knew very well how much obstacles he would face as a minister if he wanted to do good things for the country and the people.

Therefore, he had deep respect for this later reformer.

……

[After the death of Emperor Jiajing, the 30-year-old Zhu Zaigui succeeded to the throne. Because Zhang Juzheng had served as Zhu Zaigui's lecturer in the palace, he officially entered the cabinet.]

[In June 1572, the Empress Dowager and the Concubine Dowager joined forces with Feng Bao to dismiss Gao Gong from all his posts in the name of the 6-year-old Emperor Wanli, ordering him to leave Beijing and return to his hometown that day, leaving the position of Prime Minister vacant again.]

[Soon after, another cabinet member passed away, leaving Zhang Juzheng as the only one left in the Ming Empire's cabinet. In addition, he had served as the Grand Tutor and the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince, and was the teacher of Emperor Wanli. It was natural for him to take over Gao Gong's position.]

[Zhang Juzheng reached the peak of his career as a minister, and his era as the Prime Minister finally began. He was 48 years old that year.]

[For a long time, Zhang Juzheng looked like a man without an attitude, but now he can gradually show his attitude.]

[The counselor is not in a moment, he is not as impatient as he was when he was young. ]

[It has been 25 years since he passed the imperial examination. He has changed from a young man who was easily impulsive and angry to an introverted, humble, resolute and deep-minded old minister.]

[He witnessed round after round of cabinet competition and saw too many people fall before his eyes. Zhang Juzheng was determined to end it all. The method was simple: to firmly grasp power.]

[Power is only a tool to realize ideals. What he wants to do is to be a powerful official who can benefit the world.]

【At this time, Zhang Juzheng clearly saw that the Ming Dynasty was sliding from prosperity to chaos. 】

[This seemingly stable and mature country is actually full of hidden dangers, and he is determined to change all of this. ]

[The ten years after he became the Prime Minister were a decade of vigorous development for the Ming Empire, and the Ming Dynasty, which was on the decline, showed signs of revival.]

……

"If you don't fight for just one life, fight for a hundred lives. How great." Yu Qian felt that he had found a confidant.

Power is just a tool to realize ideals... Zhang Juzheng is probably a powerful official, Zhuge Liang thought silently.

As we all know, what emperors hate most are powerful ministers (except for those like Liu Chan)... Zhuge Liang couldn't help but worry about Zhang Juzheng's fate.

According to the development of history, powerful officials would usually be liquidated after their death. The emperor at that time was Wanli, a bastard who had not attended court for decades.

It would be fine if Wanli followed Liu Chan's example and gave up power, but I am afraid that this guy will settle accounts with Zhang Juzheng after his death. In this case, all Zhang Juzheng's efforts may be in vain...

Zhuge Liang couldn't help but look down with worry.

……

【Zhang Juzheng believed that the most serious crisis at the time was the monarch’s declining power, which led to the political situation getting out of control, so the first thing he did was to rectify the rules and strengthen the monarch’s control over his ministers.】

[In 1573, Zhang Juzheng presented the multiplication method to the emperor, requiring officials at all levels to record their work tasks in account books, and to summarize them in the cabinet after monthly assessments.]

……

During the Hongwu period, Old Zhu straightened his back and clapped his hands, "What a good idea! Why didn't we think of this?"

"Biao'er, quickly write this down. All officials in the Ming Dynasty should do this from now on!"

This is a good idea!
After all, it is the brain of a scholar that is smart.

With this method, we can see at a glance who dares to slack off in the future and which bastards are just occupying the toilet without doing anything... Old Zhu thought happily.

This Zhang Juzheng is a capable man, no wonder he was able to restore the Ming Dynasty to its former glory.

As for the ministers having too much power and becoming powerful ministers, although the emperor Zhu was wary of this, compared with Zhang Juzheng's contributions to the Ming Dynasty, it was not worth mentioning. Even if he wanted to control it, he couldn't...

Compared to these, Zhu Yuanzhang was obviously more curious about what other reforms Zhang Juzheng would have.

……

[In 1578, Zhang Juzheng issued an order to seize all land in the country. Three years later, he extended the Single Whip Law, which had been implemented in some areas, to the whole country.]

【Zhang Juzheng's reforms not only cleared out a large amount of land hidden by the rich and increased national tax revenue, but also simplified the tax payment method and improved administrative efficiency, allowing farmers and industrialists to concentrate on production. 】

……

"Speak more clearly!"

Old Zhu scratched his head anxiously.

Although Zhu Yuanzhang read a lot of books after he became emperor, it was indeed difficult for him to clearly understand this series of reforms based on just a few words in the book.

As if to help poor students like Lao Zhu to have a deeper understanding, Tianmu gave a slightly detailed introduction to the background and practices of Zhang Juzheng's reforms at that time.

……

【In the middle and late Ming Dynasty, the national finances fell into a serious predicament. On the one hand, the bureaucracy was bloated and officials were seriously corrupt, resulting in huge fiscal expenditures.】

【On the other hand, land annexation, heavy burdens on the people, intensified social contradictions, and the court's fiscal revenue decreased year by year. This financial dilemma seriously restricted the development of the Ming Dynasty, and reform was imperative. 】

……

"Corrupt officials!"

"Harm my Ming Dynasty!"

When Old Zhu saw these two words, he became extremely angry!

Zhu Biao looked a little embarrassed. Although corrupt officials were despicable, the harm done by the princes seemed to be no less serious. These princes had also engaged in a lot of land annexation.

……

【So Zhang Juzheng proposed to conduct a nationwide land survey, which was also the basis for the full implementation of the Single Whip Law.】

[Zhu Yuanzhang originally set the land tax limit at over 8.5 million mu, but during the Hongzhi period, only 6.2 million mu of land was left after clearing the land.]

[Land annexation has resulted in more and more land being taken from the hands of the middle and low-income people and transferred to the hands of the landlords and tyrants through various means such as occupation, plunder, and purchase.]

……

Land annexation.

Landlord and powerful.

Seeing these two words, many people's expressions froze.

Looking back at the two thousand years of feudal dynasty history of China, the words "land annexation" and "landlords and powerful people" have always been present.

The vast majority of intelligent people realized that this was an unfavorable factor affecting the stability of the dynasty and knew that this was the root cause of the dynasty's demise.

Many dynasties have implemented many policies to alleviate this phenomenon, but it is difficult to solve this problem from the root.

At this moment, I saw Tianmu mentioned this issue.

Many emperors and ministers looked up at the sky seriously, wondering how this genius, who had helped the Ming Dynasty prolong its life for more than 70 years, had avoided this phenomenon.

(End of this chapter)