Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 407 A Silent Influence, Discussions Abound in the Court and the Countryside!
Mid-August of the 29th year of the Ming Dynasty calendar.

The long-awaited rains in the Jiangnan region have finally arrived.

Over the course of several days, strong winds howled across many parts of southern China, accompanied by torrential rain.

The parched earth, like a traveler longing for rain after a drought, greedily drank in this divine blessing.

This rainfall was caused by the typhoon making landfall.

Although it lasted only a short time, the amount of rainfall it brought was considerable.

The drought that had plagued the Jiangnan region for months has now come to a complete end.

Of course, while typhoons bring rain, they also inevitably cause some disasters.

Some people's houses collapsed under the typhoon's onslaught, and some fields were also submerged by sudden floods.

However, compared to the severe damage caused by the drought, the destructive power of this typhoon's rainfall is much smaller.

At this time, the Ming Dynasty had already built many reservoirs in various places, but due to the long-term drought, most of the reservoirs were almost dry.

This torrential rain was a timely relief, allowing the reservoir to be filled with water again.

Moreover, the reservoir played a crucial role at critical moments, effectively mitigating the impact of flash floods and greatly reducing the damage caused by the typhoon.

With the drought over, the debate within the court over whether the emperor should offer sacrifices to heaven to pray for rain has finally come to an end.

Also in August, in accordance with the imperial decree, local examinations were held in various places as was customary.

On the day the results were released, a large crowd gathered in front of the list.

Some people were beaming with joy.

Some people, however, were heartbroken and left in dejection.

It's truly a case of some people rejoicing while others grieve.

This year's provincial examination saw a significant increase in the number of candidates admitted due to the addition of many subjects.

In no time, the good news spread far and wide, and many towns had children who passed the imperial examinations and became "juren" (successful candidates in the provincial-level imperial examinations).

Everywhere was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers. Relatives and friends surrounded the newly appointed scholars, celebrating with gongs and drums. The atmosphere was lively and joyous, with laughter echoing through the streets and alleys, showcasing their glory.

The vast majority of these successful candidates will travel to Beijing next spring to participate in the metropolitan examination.

At that time, it will be another fierce battle, a convergence of powerful forces.

At the same time, the long-awaited Imperial University of Peking was officially established and a grand and solemn opening ceremony was held.

As the emperor and the nominal president of the Imperial University of Peking, Zhu Yunwen led his civil and military officials to the scene to show his importance.

The newly established Imperial University of Peking boasts a strong faculty, with researchers from the Ming Academy of Sciences forming the core backbone, and also recruiting technical talents from all over the country to build a diverse teaching team.

These teachers not only shoulder the important responsibility of teaching and nurturing students, but also, in addition to teaching, they still devote themselves to scientific research, just as they did at the Daming Academy of Sciences, truly achieving the integration of research and teaching.

The Imperial University of Peking had a very innovative academic setup, offering not only science and engineering disciplines such as mathematics, physics, chemistry, mechanical engineering, biology, medicine, and agriculture.

It also has many specializations in the social sciences, and the divisions are very detailed.

Unlike traditional schools that only teach the Four Books and Five Classics, the courses here cover many cutting-edge disciplines such as economics, psychology, philosophy, history, and politics.

The school's student body is primarily recruited through open admissions. The entrance examinations are meticulously organized by Peking University, adhering to the principles of fairness and impartiality, to select the most outstanding talents.

Since its establishment, Imperial University of Peking has undertaken a special mission—compiling textbooks.

On the one hand, the lecture notes required by university teachers need to be compiled into systematic teaching materials so that experience can be summarized and applied in the future.

On the other hand, they also need to compile suitable learning materials for primary and secondary school students.

The clear division of educational levels—primary school, middle school, and university—was personally determined by His Majesty the Emperor, and such a detailed plan had never been made before.

During the reign of Emperor Hongwu, although public schools were vigorously promoted, the teaching process was mostly arranged by the teachers themselves, with neither unified teaching progress requirements nor standardized teaching materials.

Now, His Majesty the Emperor, with foresight and wisdom, has issued an edict requiring public schools to use standardized teaching materials and implement subject-based teaching, aiming to create a more standardized and higher-quality educational environment for students throughout the land.

Of course, the newly planned textbooks are still being developed intensively and have not yet been promoted in various places, but it is only a matter of time.

The newly revised primary and secondary school textbooks are extremely rich and diverse in content. In addition to covering traditional literature and history knowledge, they also include subjects such as mathematics and physics, striving to expose students to a more comprehensive knowledge system.

At the same time, the public school shouldered another important responsibility—promoting the official language of the Ming Dynasty.

The school must ensure that every student can use Mandarin fluently for smooth communication and exchange.

In the past, people often only realized the importance of learning Mandarin and began to learn it after passing the imperial examination or entering the government office.

Aside from businessmen who travel far and wide, ordinary people rarely take the initiative to learn from official sources.

Even businessmen often find it difficult to use smoothly.

It usually requires the use of both hands and feet, relying on body language for assistance.

The diverse and complex dialects spoken in various regions act as invisible barriers, severely hindering the free movement of people and greatly restricting the prosperity and development of trade.

Moreover, this added numerous difficulties and high costs to the imperial court's governance of local areas.

Local officials transferred from other places often find themselves severely limited in their access to information simply because they are completely unfamiliar with the local dialect. They are frequently manipulated by cunning clerks, making it extremely difficult to implement government policies.

Now, with the advancement of education reform, all of this will undergo a complete change.

The imperial court took the lead in standardizing the training of teachers to speak Mandarin, making them the vanguard in promoting Mandarin.

Following this, relying on these teachers, the program was gradually expanded to train more officials.

In particular, those who worked in government offices, regardless of their rank or even the lowest-ranking servants, were all required to undergo Mandarin training and pass a rigorous Mandarin test.

Otherwise, they would lose their qualification to continue working in the government office.

Finally, the reach of Mandarin education will be extended to all children attending public schools.

In this era, the number of people who participated in the imperial examinations was relatively limited, but there were quite a few families who, despite not being well-off, still gritted their teeth and sent their children to school for a year or two.

These children lacked the knowledge to pursue the imperial examinations, but at least they could recognize a few characters and write their own names. This would be useful in the future, whether they went into business, worked as shop assistants, or learned a skill to support themselves. In the past, this group of people usually did not speak Mandarin.

However, with the orderly promotion of Mandarin education, the future situation will surely be completely different.

People will communicate more smoothly, and connections between different regions will become closer.

These changes, like spring rain nourishing all things, quietly yet effectively permeated every corner of the Ming Dynasty.

In this rapidly changing and ever-evolving era, many things that were originally of great significance are often quickly forgotten and no longer receive attention amidst the overwhelming flood of information.

After all, there are always more important things that will attract everyone's attention.

An imperial edict summoning virtuous and learned men to the capital to discuss state affairs instantly stirred up a great deal of waves throughout the court and the country, attracting widespread attention from all sides.

In the streets and alleys, teahouses and taverns of Jinling City, people were discussing the matter enthusiastically.

"Have you heard? His Majesty has issued an edict summoning all the most learned scholars in the land to the capital to discuss the new policies and new learning!"

Inside a teahouse on Zhuque Street, a middle-aged man dressed in coarse linen clothes spoke excitedly to the other tea drinkers around him.

"Who wouldn't know about such a big event? Can you guess if the imperial court is going to implement new policies in the Ming Dynasty, just like it did with the three Jurchen tribes?" An elderly man at the next table put down his teacup, his expression filled with speculation.

"Why even mention the three Jurchen tribes? They've all been reorganized into the three major provinces of the Ming Dynasty! In my opinion, the Ming Dynasty would never actually implement such a new policy." A burly man spoke in a deep, resonant voice, his tone full of certainty.

“Yes, why should they give away the land that has been passed down from generation to generation? There’s no such logic in the world!” someone echoed, their face showing dissatisfaction.

“What’s wrong with dividing it? A thousand-year-old field has been owned by eight hundred people. Who knows how his ancestors acquired these fields? The land under heaven should be cultivated by all people. Why should the rich own vast tracts of land while the poor don’t even have a place to stand?” A young man who looked like a scholar retorted passionately, his face flushed.

“That’s right, that’s right. Mr. Fang said that the way of the sage is to make the world public. Since it is to make the world public, the land under heaven should be divided equally among everyone.” Someone else echoed loudly.

"The imperial court has already implemented the tenancy reform, and now it's time to carry out land reform," said an elderly man with a white beard, stroking his beard slowly and unhurriedly.

"Hmph, a bunch of poor devils, dreaming big! Can tenancy reform and land reform be the same?" In the crowd, a man dressed as a rich young master sneered with a face full of disdain.

“Absolutely right! The tenancy reform is simply to limit the collection of high rents and encourage perpetual tenancy. This is a benevolent policy that conforms to the principles of nature and the hearts of the people. You actually think about dividing up other people’s land and property? I’m telling you right now, this is absolutely impossible. Give up that idea as soon as possible!” A local gentryman dressed in a silk robe and wearing a square scarf, holding a folding fan, snapped it shut and spoke loudly to the surrounding crowd who were discussing it. His tone was resolute and his face was full of disdain.

"That's right, it's just a bunch of poor, pedantic scholars spouting nonsense. None of the officials in the court would support such a ridiculous thing." Another man who looked like a wealthy merchant, with a round belly, shook his head and echoed, a mocking smile on his lips.

“Although my family is poor and we don’t own a single plot of land, I know in my heart that the idea of ​​dividing up land is utterly absurd.” A simply dressed young man scratched his head, looking somewhat uneasy, and said in a low voice, his eyes revealing a mixture of helplessness and clarity.

“His Majesty has always been kind and benevolent, and would never confiscate other people’s land at will. In my opinion, perhaps he is encouraging landlords to hand over their land to the government for unified rental management.” An old man with a profound look in his eyes analyzed as he sipped his tea.

"That's a brilliant idea! I usually find collecting rent a hassle." The rich young master, fanning himself, clapped his hands in approval as his eyes lit up.

“That’s right, that’s right! Those poor tenants, one by one, are always behind on rent and grain, and they’re especially good at playing the victim. They cry poverty at the drop of a hat and beg me to reduce the rent time and time again. It’s really outrageous!” Another landlord-looking man was so angry that his face turned red. He put his hands on his hips and complained through gritted teeth.

"Haha, now that it's under the government's jurisdiction, it saves us from all these troubles."

Several wealthy people dressed in fine silks and satins laughed, and the atmosphere instantly became relaxed and pleasant.

"This year we suffered a drought. In previous years, a whole bunch of tenants would have come knocking on my door, crying and begging for rent reductions. But what sense does that make? Those are my fields. They rented the land, so they should pay rent. Whether there's a disaster or a reduction in yield, what does it have to do with me? Why should they suffer a disaster while I have to reduce their rent? But those poor people are completely unreasonable, they just keep pestering me. I'm a soft-hearted person, and I couldn't bear the sight, so I could only reduce their rent a little. So, at the beginning of the year, I gritted my teeth and handed over all my thousands of acres of land to the government's rental agency. So far, no one has mentioned rent reductions. I feel much better now." A plump landlord slapped his thigh, excitedly recounting his experience, his face full of relief.

"I've heard about this too. I heard that the imperial court plans to reduce or waive rent for tenants, but the landlords' share of the grain rent will not be reduced. The difference will be made up by the government." A well-informed middle-aged man lowered his voice mysteriously as he shared the information he had heard with those around him, drawing surprised glances from everyone.

"Hmph, I'm too lazy to worry about that. As long as I get my share of the land rent, what does the rest have to do with me?" A well-to-do landlord leaned back in his chair with a contented expression, picked up his teacup, gently blew on the tea leaves, took a small sip, and said slowly.

"His Majesty's grace is truly boundless!" An old man next to him stood up excitedly, clasped his hands together, and raised them high in the direction of the palace.

Others chimed in with their own comments.

"Such a wise and benevolent ruler who cares for the people is truly a blessing to the people of our Great Ming!"

"Speaking of which, upon closer reflection, this year's drought hasn't had such a significant impact. It's all thanks to His Majesty's wisdom in inventing that miraculous steam engine, which pumped water day and night for irrigation, greatly mitigating the disaster caused by the drought. Furthermore, the reservoirs built earlier also played a considerable role. In addition, a timely downpour a few days ago ensured that our Great Ming Dynasty weathered the drought safely without serious consequences. Although a reduction in grain production is inevitable, it hasn't reached the point of crippling damage."

"It's all thanks to Your Majesty's wisdom!"

"If we encountered a drought like this in previous years, it would have been terrible. Fortunately, many reservoirs were built this year, and with the help of steam engines, it is not as severe as before."

"Yes, the price of grain hasn't increased by a single penny, so how serious can it be?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, chiming in with their own opinions.

"Our Ming Dynasty's granaries are piled high with grain, enough to last for several years. His Majesty has also ordered large-scale imports of grain from the East and South Seas, so how could grain prices possibly rise?" A well-informed merchant, fanning himself with a folding fan, spoke eloquently, his words revealing his confidence in the strength of the Ming Dynasty.

"Looking at it this way, handing over the land to the government's rental agency is indeed a wise move. I'm thinking of handing over my own land next year to save myself the trouble," another landlord said, his interest piqued.

In the teahouse, the people's conversations were haphazard, their topics scattering like wild horses.

We'll talk about the various rumors surrounding the new policies and new schools in a bit.

The conversation then drifted to land rent, followed by this year's drought, the tenancy management agency, and the benevolent policies of the imperial court.

They talked about this and that, rambling on and on, seemingly aimless, yet chatting with great enthusiasm.

"I think the court would never do something like forcibly redistributing land. However, His Majesty's actions are always unpredictable, and he is full of ingenious ideas. Perhaps he is brewing some big move to implement a different kind of new policy!" someone speculated.

Just then, the curtain of the teahouse was lifted, and a young man who looked to be in his early twenties walked in.

He was dressed in a blue long gown and wore a square scarf on his head. He had a refined and scholarly air about him, and two respectful servants followed behind him.

Clearly, this was a scholar from a well-off family.

As he entered the teahouse, he overheard the conversation and sat down to join in: "How the new policies will be implemented is still undecided. In my humble opinion, the real focus of the court's summons of learned scholars to the capital is probably the new school of thought."

"Whether the new learning is truly the learning of the sages is something that needs to be discussed carefully."

"Only when this point is clearly discussed and debated will the question of whether the court should implement new policies and how to implement them be resolved naturally."

Perhaps it was his handsome appearance, elegant attire, and fluent Mandarin that drew attention to him as soon as he opened his mouth.

Inside the teahouse, another scholar approached, cupping his hands in greeting: "This gentleman must also be a scholar, but I wonder how I should address you? And what are your thoughts on the new learning?"

The young man smiled faintly and returned the greeting with clasped hands, saying, "I am Xie Jin! I have come to the capital on the orders of the imperial court to discuss the matter of the new school."

"Jie...Jie Jin?" The scholar was shocked and blurted out, "You are the famous child prodigy, Lord Jie Jin?"

……

(End of this chapter)