Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 432 Thunderous New Policies Set the Standard!
Although Yao Guangxiao's voice was not loud, it was like the clash of metal and stone, powerful and resounding, with each word carrying weight.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the people in the hall all trembled slightly, and the atmosphere instantly became more solemn.

"What do you mean by that?" Zhu Yuntong raised an eyebrow, his tone inquisitive, his gaze fixed on Yao Guangxiao.

Yao Guangxiao nodded slightly and said in a deep voice, "Your Majesty must have already thought through the steps for implementing the new policies and is confident in your plans."

He paused, then continued, "In my humble opinion, why should Your Majesty hesitate any longer? Why not announce the new policies to the world with lightning speed and implement them decisively?"

The old monk's words were like a thunderclap, and everyone in the hall held their breath.

Yang Shiqi frowned and stepped forward, his tone urgent: "The new policies have not yet been decided in the court. Is it too hasty to implement them so hastily? If they are not thoroughly discussed, there may be unforeseen changes."

Yao Guangxiao remained unmoved, his gaze cold and stern, retorting with a hint of disdain: "The new policy involves a wide range of issues and intertwined interests. Those who oppose it may seem silent now, but once it is brought to the court, they will seize every opportunity to nitpick and find fault with everything."

"No matter how much discussion there is at that time, it will be difficult to reach a conclusion, and it will only delay the opportunity."

He turned slightly to face Zhu Yunwen, his voice becoming increasingly firm: "If Your Majesty truly wishes to implement the new policies, you should have the determination of a hero cutting off his own arm, ignoring all the noise and striking at the heart of the matter."

After listening, Yang Shiqi pondered for a moment and couldn't help but ask in return, "Shouldn't we try our best to gain more support, follow public opinion, and act in accordance with the trend, so that we can achieve twice the result with half the effort?"

Upon hearing this, Yao Guangxiao raised the corners of his lips slightly, revealing a cold smile, and slowly said, "This humble monk only knows the destiny bestowed by Heaven, and does not concern himself with the voices of the mortal world."

This single word, "This humble monk," was filled with pride and determination, revealing his disdain for the world.

In stark contrast to Yang Shiqi's cautious and meticulous nature, Yao Guangxiao had only his own ideals and goals in mind, never fearing the turmoil of the world, and only seeking to move forward without hesitation.

After listening to their words, Zhu Yunwen turned his gaze to Yang Rong and Xia Yuanji, and said in a deep voice, "What are your opinions?"

Yang Rong bowed respectfully and said, "Your Majesty's plans have always been far-sighted and flawless."

"Your Majesty should make the decision on this matter alone; I dare not offer any unsolicited opinion."

"Now that the new army has been established, I believe that if new policies are implemented, the military system should not be changed lightly."

"As long as the morale of the army remains high, the court will have a strong foundation. No matter how the situation changes, with the new army by your side, Your Majesty can rest easy."

Although his words were respectful, they subtly conveyed a sense of composure, as if he had already seen through the situation.

Natsuhara Yoshizawa remained silent for a moment, seemingly considering his words.

Suddenly, he knelt down and kowtowed, his voice low but full of sincerity: "Your Majesty's wisdom is unique and far-reaching, unparalleled in the world."

"However, the new policies concern the very foundation of the nation. I dare to speak frankly, Your Majesty. If you have already made up your mind, you may as well reveal a little bit to us."

"Although we are of limited talent and learning, far inferior to Your Majesty, it would be our honor if we could do our best to make up for what Your Majesty has not done."

"Your Majesty, I have no intention whatsoever of prying into the secrets of Heaven. I am only concerned with the fate of the Ming Dynasty and the well-being of its people. I humbly request Your Majesty to consider this carefully!"

When Xia Yuanji knelt, his forehead touched the ground, and his tone conveyed both reverence for the monarch and a deep loyalty to his country.

His words, though humble, were like pearls, sincere and heartfelt, touching the hearts of all.

Zhu Yunwen was also moved by this.

The others in the room may have had similar thoughts, but none of them were as straightforward as Xia Yuanji, and dared to speak their minds frankly.

His honest nature, both simple and persistent, is like an uncarved knife, which, though not overtly sharp, possesses a powerful and awe-inspiring force.

"You are all my trusted ministers. If the new policies are to be implemented, I will discuss them with you in detail."

Zhu Yunwen spoke in a calm tone, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, and said, "What the old monk said is not without reason. The momentum of the new policies has been brewing for a long time. Those people are now fixated on the imperial examination cheating case, simply to take the opportunity to disrupt the foundation of the new policies and new learning."

"Since they are determined to obstruct us, why not cut the Gordian knot and directly implement the new policies to swiftly suppress this undercurrent?"

After speaking, he pondered for a moment and then decisively ordered: "Issue an edict to summon Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo to the palace immediately. The new policies should be finalized today and promulgated and implemented immediately."

Upon hearing this, the young eunuch standing outside the door bowed his head in agreement, then hurried away to carry out his orders.

Implementing new policies is a major national affair, and Zhu Yunwen was well aware that Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo might not fully support this move.

However, even if they have objections, they must be summoned to discuss the matter face-to-face, even if it means forcing them to nod, so that they can legitimately participate in the decision-making process.

In this way, if the new policy stirs up trouble, these two people, having already attended the meeting to discuss it, can step forward regardless of their inner struggles or whether they are willing or not, and block the surging voices of opposition.

Such an arrangement is both a royal maneuver and a strategy for governing the country.

After the eunuch left, Zhu Yunwen did not pause, nor did he wait for Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo to arrive. Instead, he turned to the four people in the hall and frankly revealed his long-planned new policy ideas.

His voice was not loud, but every word was clear: "The reason why the new policy is imperative is that the old system has accumulated too many problems and is no longer suitable for the times."

"For example, among the taxes levied by the imperial court, the poll tax and corvée labor are the most crucial."

"Both of these are levied based on population, regardless of wealth or social status. As long as one is not an official, they are treated equally."

"It appears fair on the surface, but it is actually quite wrong."

"For wealthy households, this amount of tax is nothing more than a drop in the ocean, as light as a feather, and can be almost ignored."

"But for the poor, it is like a towering mountain, heavy and oppressive, making it hard to breathe."

Zhu Yunwen's tone gradually became more impassioned, with a hint of indignation: "Imagine, the rich own vast tracts of land and have immense wealth, yet they pay very little taxation and corvée labor because they have few people in their household."

“The poor have no land to stand on and are not guaranteed a livelihood from morning to night. On the contrary, due to their large population, they are burdened with heavy corvée labor.”

"Such injustice is intolerable!"

He took a deep breath, his eyes shifted slightly, and he said in a deep voice: "The first priority of the new policies I want to implement is to abolish the poll tax and corvée labor, and replace them with the land tax system, so that no more poll tax will be levied from now on."

"According to the new system, those with more land pay more taxes, those with less land pay less taxes, and those with no land are exempt from all taxes."

"Only in this way can the heavy burden on those families who already have little land and few property be alleviated, allowing people to breathe and the foundation of the country to be stabilized."

"After this law is implemented, local governments can further relax restrictions on population migration and even actively encourage those without land to go to the city and work in factories, shops and other places to make a living."

Zhu Yuntong's voice was steady and clear.

"There is no need to keep the people trapped in their homeland and prevent them from going out, as before, in order to ensure the collection of taxes and corvée labor."

"Even though the imperial court has repeatedly issued orders to strictly prohibit such behavior, local officials, driven by their own interests, have repeatedly failed to stop it and have treated the law as nothing."

A cold glint flashed in his eyes: "After the implementation of the land tax reform, corvée labor will no longer be forcibly collected from the population, but will be converted into silver and collected."

“In this way, wealthy households with more land than men only need to pay silver, and no longer need to worry about having no one in their family to serve.”

"And those poor families who have no land to cultivate and rely solely on selling their labor to survive will no longer have to be trapped in the countryside for years and bear a heavy burden."

“They could go to the city, work in factories, support their families on their own, and make a new future.”

"In the past, the imperial court conscripted laborers for two reasons."

"Firstly, all kinds of projects require a large amount of manpower, such as building roads, repairing river embankments, reinforcing city walls, and constructing palaces, all of which require a large number of people."

"However, the imperial court has limited financial resources and cannot afford to hire craftsmen. It can only rely on the people to work for free." "Now that the Ming Dynasty has built a brand-new financial system and the national treasury is becoming increasingly full, these projects should allocate funds to hire skilled professional craftsmen."

"Workers are motivated because they can earn money based on their skills, which speeds up the project and ensures better quality."

“The people are relieved of the burden of hard labor, their resentment dissipates, and they can even use this as a form of work relief to help the poor who are struggling to make ends meet.”

"The second reason for conscripting laborers stemmed from the fact that agricultural work was divided into busy and leisurely periods."

“During the off-season, when there is nothing to do in the fields, people are idle at home. If they have nowhere to vent their energy, trouble is bound to arise.”

“Even worse, some people gather in groups of three or five to discuss illegal and disrespectful matters in private. If they are not careful, they may break the law or even cause chaos among the masses.”

“In the past, the imperial court forced them to work by corvée labor in order to kill time and prevent trouble from arising.”

"However, times have changed. The Ming Dynasty now has numerous factories and various engineering projects are springing up like mushrooms after rain, which urgently require manpower."

"During the off-season, people can go to construction sites of various projects to work or go to factories to make a living."

"They will actively seek work to support their families, and there is no need for the court to forcibly conscript them."

At this point, Zhu Yunwen's lips curled up slightly, revealing a confident smile: "Such a new policy not only relieves the people's suffering but also benefits the foundation of the country."

"With fair land taxes and free labor, people's livelihoods can be revitalized, and the country can enjoy long-term stability and security."

At this point, he paused briefly, his gaze sharp, and his tone suddenly became more serious: "In addition, there is another matter that needs to be clarified at the same time. The previous exemptions from corvée labor for imperial relatives, nobles, and officials and gentry shall be completely abolished from the date of implementation of the land tax reform, without exception."

"For those scholars who are dedicated to learning and have outstanding talent, the court should lend a helping hand and allocate funds to support them in their studies."

"Therefore, I intend to increase the number of students receiving stipends and those receiving education, and improve their treatment so that they can concentrate on their studies without any worries."

"However, all previous preferential treatments in land tax must be abolished."

"Firstly, this move is unfair to students from poor families; secondly, if this continues, it will inevitably encourage land annexation and harm people's livelihoods."

"The same applies to imperial relatives, nobles, and officials."

"The court will never treat them unfairly. I will pay them their due salaries in full, and even increase them to reward their loyalty and diligence."

"But those tax-free privileges obtained by virtue of their status will be abolished from now on."

"To curb the evils of land annexation, those who are imperial relatives or meritorious officials should take the lead and set an example for all people, so as not to fail the expectations of the court and the people."

In his envisioned blueprint, the expanded number of students enrolled in the Imperial Academy and the Imperial College would primarily focus on practical disciplines such as medicine, agriculture, mathematics, physics, and chemistry, rather than being confined to traditional Confucian textual exegesis.

This aims to cultivate scientific researchers and inject new vitality into the Ming Dynasty.

However, these are specific details to be discussed later, and there is no need to elaborate on them now. He simply sketched them out in his mind and will lay them out when the time is right.

After hearing Zhu Yunwen's words, the four people in the hall couldn't help but exchange glances, each with a different expression.

Yao Guangxiao broke the silence first, stroking his beard and smiling, his voice filled with admiration: "Your Majesty is indeed far-sighted and meticulous in his thinking. This plan not only addresses the current problems but also demonstrates Your Majesty's benevolence. This humble monk thinks it is ingenious."

Upon hearing this, Yang Rong and Xia Yuanji nodded slightly, their faces showing agreement.

Yang Rong cupped his hands, his tone respectful yet firm: "Your Majesty's law not only rectifys the laws and regulations but also benefits the people's livelihood. I wholeheartedly agree with it."

Xia Yuanji lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then said softly, "Your Majesty has the world in your heart, and I am truly convinced."

Only Yang Shiqi remained silent for a while, his brows furrowed slightly, as if he were carefully considering the contents of the new policy. After a moment, he slowly spoke: "Abolishing corvée labor, implementing the land tax system, and then using the tax revenue to hire craftsmen to do the work that was previously done by corvée laborers—this method is indeed ingenious and can be described as killing two birds with one stone. However…"

He looked up at Zhu Yunwen, his tone filled with worry and self-reproach: "The premise for implementing this policy is to accurately measure the land in the country and clarify the amount of land owned by each household."

"Your Majesty previously ordered me to oversee this matter, to measure and register the land throughout the country. Although initial results have been achieved, there are still considerable discrepancies compared to the actual situation."

"If the basic number of acreages is unclear, how can the method of merging land tax with poll tax be implemented safely and reliably?"

This statement hits the nail on the head.

Zhu Yunwen was also slightly taken aback.

He had previously thought that measuring the fields across the land was a simple matter, and that the imperial court would issue an order and it would be completed naturally.

However, when he actually assigned Yang Shiqi and Xia Yuanji to handle the matter, he realized how tricky it was.

To put it bluntly, from local officials to clerks and runners, from gentry and powerful families to ordinary farmers, no one was willing to honestly report the number of acres of land they owned. They all hoped that the accounts would be as vague as possible so that they could get away with it.

With the lower classes united in their resistance, even if those above possessed extraordinary abilities, it was like punching cotton – there was nowhere to land a blow.

However, he had not only realized the difficulty of this matter today; he had been aware of it for a long time and had naturally considered it before.

He raised a slight smile, revealing a composed expression, and said in a clear voice: "In the past, it was difficult to accurately measure the land area because everyone at the lower levels was determined to conceal it and did not want the court to have clear accounts."

“But once the land tax system is implemented, those people who have no land or have meager land holdings will spontaneously stand up to distinguish between the real and the fake.”

“They are numerous, and this matter directly concerns their vital interests, with far-reaching implications.”

"Even if local officials, yamen runners, and even local gentry and powerful families wanted to suppress it, they would never be able to stop this torrent."

"As long as the court strictly supervises, these people will stand up and reveal the truth to the court whenever they encounter injustice."

"In this way, the problem of measuring fields is solved easily, and even twice as effective with half the effort."

After saying this, he changed the subject, his tone suddenly becoming more stern: "I have decided to order the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Criminal Law to send capable personnel to various places to strengthen patrols, strictly investigate unjust cases, and punish those tyrannical local bullies who act recklessly."

"At the same time, the Censorate, which is headed by Yang Qing, also needs to send more censors to go deep into the prefectures and counties to investigate the people's conditions and eliminate malpractices."

"In addition, this matter also needs to be placed on the shoulders of the local governors and imperial inspectors, who are required to do their utmost to promote it."

Zhu Yunwen straightened his body, his gaze sweeping across the hall like a blade, and said in a deep voice: "The court will establish a strict evaluation and supervision mechanism for this matter."

"Those who have made outstanding contributions to the implementation of the land tax reform will be rewarded and promoted."

"Anyone who dares to be perfunctory, delay, or cause trouble will be dismissed from their post at best, and imprisoned at worst. There will be absolutely no leniency!"

His voice carried an overwhelming force, as if imbued with divine might.

Yang Shiqi nodded slightly: "Your Majesty's thoughts are profound and interconnected; I have been overthinking things."

Seeing that the four people in the hall had no further objections, Zhu Yunwen's expression flashed with a strange light.

He originally thought that scholars and officials would definitely oppose abolishing their tax privileges.

Unexpectedly, none of the four mentioned it.

This matter seemed insignificant compared to what had happened before, which made Zhu Yunwen somewhat puzzled.

However, there was no need to delve into the reasons at this point. He continued, "Since you all have no objections, I will now discuss the second new policy measure..."

……

(End of this chapter)