Ming Dynasty: Ask Zhu Yuanzhang to abdicate at the beginning

Chapter 478 New Policies Foster Unruly People, Old Zhu's Worry!

Faced with the agitated crowd, the old man who had spoken first tensed up, hurriedly waving his hands and urgently explaining, "Don't misunderstand! I am not criticizing His Majesty, and my son has no disrespect whatsoever!"

"Our whole family is able to live a peaceful and comfortable life thanks to His Majesty's new policies.

"If I were still ungrateful and spoke ill of His Majesty behind his back, I would be worse than a pig or a dog, unworthy of being human!"

His words were earnest, and beads of sweat were faintly visible on his forehead. As if afraid of being misunderstood by the crowd, he hurriedly swore an oath, his tone revealing a hint of anxiety: "I swear in the name of my ancestors that I have absolutely no intention of slandering His Majesty!"

He took a breath and continued, "I just feel that these rumors circulating in Jinling are definitely not baseless."

"Perhaps there were treacherous officials in the court who slandered the emperor, and the emperor, without careful consideration, believed their lies."

"Perhaps the officials are outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, concealing the truth and deceiving the emperor."

"His Majesty is undoubtedly wise, but everyone makes mistakes. He might be deceived by these scoundrels and fail to understand the truth."

After hearing his candid explanation, the tense expressions of the crowd eased slightly.

The tense atmosphere from before carried a subtle, veiled meaning.

Their words were subtly warning the old man.

Although the friendship between the villagers over the decades is deep, if anyone dares to criticize the emperor, they should not be surprised if the villagers turn their backs on them.

An old man stroked his white beard and said, "That makes sense. In plays, it is often said that in the imperial court, treacherous officials are in power and disrupt the order of things."

"Even in our prosperous Ming Dynasty, there are bound to be treacherous officials hiding in the shadows."

"But who exactly is this treacherous official?"

"Who else could it be?" another old man sneered. "In my opinion, it's most likely the likes of Yang Shiqi and that wicked monk Yao Guangxiao. They must be the ones stirring up trouble in the court!"

"Nonsense!" An old man nearby hurriedly waved his hand in rebuttal: "Yang Shiqi and Yao Guangxiao are both key ministers personally promoted by the Emperor. They are loyal and devoted. How could they be treacherous ministers?"

"If you ask me, it's Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo who consider themselves upright figures, but I'm afraid they harbor ulterior motives!"

"No!" The old man who had spoken earlier shook his head: "Although Zhan Hui and Wang Zuo are not very capable, they are not treacherous officials!"

Everyone expressed their opinions, arguing heatedly until their faces were red and their voices were getting louder and louder, completely forgetting the presence of Old Zhu beside them.

They seemed to have transformed into remonstrating officials in the imperial court, pointing out the flaws in the country and writing passionately to expose the treacherous ministers in the court.

……

Old Zhu grew impatient, his brows furrowed slightly, he coughed twice to clear his throat, and said loudly, "Gentlemen, none of you are officials in the court. What you have heard are just rumors that are hard to verify."

"How can we presume to judge who is loyal and who is treacherous when the truth and falsehood are not yet clear?"

"In my opinion, this kind of arguing and fighting is just a waste of breath and will only damage the harmony between neighbors. It would be a losing proposition."

Everyone was puzzled, but Old Zhu understood perfectly.

The so-called "treacherous minister" is nothing more than baseless speculation by ordinary people.

Zhu Yunwen did indeed intend to provide the people with new clothes and to discard their old, patched garments.

Indeed, they hoped that the markets and restaurants would be bustling with activity, which would invigorate merchants and boost the economy.

This is the core of his "economic" theory.

It was not the idea of ​​any treacherous officials in the court.

At first, when Lao Zhu heard this "outlandish" theory, he thought it was absurd and even scoffed at it.

However, he also carefully studied the "economics" theories that Zhu Yunwen had written in his previous letters, and gradually began to understand some of their intricacies.

This seemingly illogical reasoning actually contains a hidden secret.

It goes against the traditional virtues of diligence and thrift, yet it invisibly promotes the enrichment of the national treasury and the prosperity of the city.

But this also made Lao Zhu feel conflicted.

If the imperial court were to openly advocate this approach, it would likely violate the traditional virtue of "frugality as the foundation."

However, "stimulating consumption" does indeed have a significant effect on the national economy of the Ming Dynasty.

Therefore, the imperial court could only act in secret.

On the one hand, they loudly promoted diligence and thrift, educating the people to be self-disciplined and frugal.

Meanwhile, they quietly built ornate wine shops and teahouses to entice wealthy merchants to spend lavishly, thereby revitalizing the local market.

The contradictions within this remain true even in later generations.

On one hand, they praise thrift as a virtue, while on the other hand, they advocate that consumption is king.

Ambidextrous fighting.

For example, following the principle of diligence and thrift, there is no need to replace clothes as long as they can still cover the body; patched clothes are perfectly fine to wear.

As long as a car can still run, there is no need to replace it.

If you can cook simple meals at home, you won't need to go to hotels or restaurants.

……

This is true thrift, this is a virtue!

However, from the perspective of revitalizing the economy, the opposite is true.

The more new clothes you buy, the better.

You need to replace your car every few years.

The household appliances, furniture, and so on are also included.

The government is even promoting a "trade-in" program.

If you can drink heartily in a tavern, then don't stay at home eating bland food.

……

This is completely contrary to the virtue of thrift.

Whenever Old Zhu thought of this, his mind felt like it was a tangled mess, impossible to untangle or cut, so he simply put it out of his mind and refused to think about it anymore.

Seeing that the elderly men had stopped arguing, he immediately raised his voice and said, "There is another matter we would like to ask you all about!"

Everyone turned their attention to him.

Old Zhu cleared his throat and said, "Winter is approaching, and every year at this time, every household worries about firewood."

“At this time of year, villagers would search everywhere for firewood to stockpile, and the trees around the village, unless they were private property, were almost all cut down.”

"But I see that there are many newly planted trees around here, even along both sides of the national highway, and they haven't been secretly cut down. Why is that?"

Since Zhu Yunwen implemented the new policies, roads across the country have been classified into national highways, provincial highways, prefectural highways, county highways, and other rural roads and urban lanes.

Each level of road is subject to strict regulations.

Nowadays, apart from a few prosperous places like Yingtianfu and Shanghai, most of the roads that can be paved with cement are national highways.

Old Zhu's journey north this time naturally followed the national highway.

That's why it's said "both sides of the national highway".

Upon hearing his question, everyone was taken aback at first, then burst into hearty laughter.

An old man smiled and looked Old Zhu up and down, teasingly saying, "Judging from your words, you don't sound like a traveling merchant who has been all over the country. You sound more like a villager who has lived deep in the mountains for a long time and has never set foot in the outside world!"

Upon hearing this, Old Zhu's face showed a hint of embarrassment, but he did not refute it, instead revealing a self-deprecating smile.

Fortunately, the old man did not pursue the matter further and turned to go inside.

Before long, he came out with a dark, honeycomb briquette, handed it to Old Zhu, and said with a hint of pride, "See? This is the reason!"

"These are called honeycomb briquettes. They are a treasure that the court mined from the mountains and sold to our people after His Majesty's new policies were implemented."

"With these honeycomb briquettes, we no longer have to worry about boiling water for warmth in winter."

"Cooking rice and stewing dishes is also very convenient, with even heat distribution, saving time and effort."

"Although some dishes require the smoky flavor of firewood and need a stronger fire to cook them well, we poor folks don't have that many requirements. As long as we have firewood to cook something and don't freeze, that's enough."

"In this way, the amount of firewood used will be greatly reduced. Why would ordinary people need to cut down trees all over the mountains?" "Besides, the imperial court has long prohibited unauthorized logging. The government has sent yamen runners to patrol, and there are people in the village who are in charge of this matter. If you are caught, you will be paraded through the streets as a warning. Who would want to lose face like that?"

The old man paused, then sighed, "Although I am a rough man and have not read many books, and do not understand many profound principles, I still understand the principle of 'draining the pond to catch all the fish'."

"Once the trees are planted, they should be allowed to grow strong and provide shelter for future generations."

“In the past, there was no other way. There was no firewood. We couldn’t just not cook or keep warm and freeze to death in the cold winter, could we?”

"What use is the tree now that the person is dead?"

"Things are different now. With honeycomb briquettes, life is better, and the trees can be saved."

"In the end, it is His Majesty's new policies that are truly considerate and have the people's best interests at heart!"

Old Zhu looked down at the dark honeycomb briquette on the ground. He had seen this object before when he was strolling around Jinling City, and its unique appearance and practicality left a deep impression on him.

The city of Jinling was densely populated, with a population exceeding one million both inside and outside the city. The available firewood in the surrounding area was already in short supply, resulting in high firewood prices that were unaffordable for ordinary families.

Therefore, once honeycomb briquettes were launched, they spread like wildfire throughout the city, with citizens scrambling to buy them.

This is indeed a good thing.

With it, not only can the urgent need for firewood and cooking be greatly alleviated for the millions of residents of Nanjing, but it can also gradually restore the greenery and vitality to the barren mountains that have become barren due to excessive logging.

However, Old Zhu originally thought that this novel item was exclusive to Jinling City and its surrounding areas, and at most it would be promoted and used within the jurisdiction of Yingtian Prefecture.

Unexpectedly, even in this remote rural area, honeycomb briquettes have begun to be used.

He paused for a moment, then suddenly realized.

The village is located next to the national highway, making transportation convenient and frequent business exchanges. It is not surprising that coal is transported here from the mines.

However, an even bigger question lingered in his mind.

Old Zhu frowned and pondered for a moment, then looked up at the old man and said, "These honeycomb briquettes are good, but they still cost money, right? The price is probably not low. The poor families in the countryside can afford them."

Nanjing was the capital of the Ming Dynasty, a prosperous and bustling city. Most of its citizens were wealthier than those in the countryside, and with more money in their pockets, they naturally had the ability to purchase honeycomb briquettes.

Moreover, Nanjing is densely populated, and firewood is in short supply, with prices so high that they are astonishing.

In contrast, although honeycomb briquettes need to be purchased, their price is far lower than that of firewood.

Moreover, burning coal is much less troublesome and labor-saving than burning firewood.

As a result, people in the city competed to buy them, and every household set up a dedicated honeycomb briquette stove.

But the situation is different in the countryside.

Most villagers don't have much money. They can make a living by simply going up the mountain and swinging an axe to get firewood. It takes a little effort, but they can support themselves.

Why would they be willing to spend money to buy the honeycomb briquettes that city dwellers admire?

Upon hearing his question, the old man immediately burst into hearty laughter, a smug gleam in his eyes: "Haha, of course buying coal costs money!"

"But my family is doing alright; we can afford coal!"

After hearing what he said, the villagers all eagerly chimed in.

"My family can afford honeycomb briquettes, and we live a comfortable life!"

"The fire in my stove burns day and night, it's very warm!"

"Burning coal is much less troublesome than burning firewood! You can put honeycomb briquettes in the stove and not have to worry about them for two or three hours. Unlike firewood, which requires someone to be there for a moment and you have to keep adding firewood, making your back ache."

Everyone chimed in with their own opinions, a hint of smugness on their faces.

It was as if being able to burn honeycomb briquettes at home was something to be proud of in front of the neighbors, something that would make one feel proud and honored.

Conversely, if a family is still burning firewood, they will be secretly looked down upon, as people will think that the family is too poor and cannot even afford honeycomb briquettes.

Old Zhu observed the crowd discreetly, his mind racing. Who was he?

Having seen countless people and understood the ways of the world, he had already taken in the expressions and manners of this group of people.

It seems that the successful promotion of honeycomb briquettes is not only due to their practicality, but more importantly, to their clever use of the subtleties of human nature.

Although people in the countryside are not wealthy, they love to compare themselves with others.

The neighbor to the east bought new clothes, and the neighbor to the west was not to be outdone.

If the neighbor in the east builds a new house, the neighbor in the west will sell everything they own to build an even more magnificent one.

This is true for all people.

A competitive spirit is ingrained in their very bones.

A competitive spirit has become prevalent in the world.

Clearly, Zhu Yunwen was well-versed in this principle when promoting honeycomb briquettes.

He will use honeycomb briquettes to create a symbol of dignity and prestige.

This made the villagers flock to it, fearing that they would fall behind, lose face, and be looked down upon.

In this way, the promotion of honeycomb briquettes spread like a gentle spring breeze, quietly integrating into thousands of households.

As everyone was enthusiastically "bragging" about how strong their stoves were, an old man interjected, "There's another matter. His Majesty is considerate of the people's plight and knows that the people's livelihood is difficult, so he has specially set up a subsidy for purchasing honeycomb briquettes."

"The cost of buying honeycomb briquettes is only half paid by the people, and the other half will be covered by the imperial court."

"That coal-fired stove was a gift from His Majesty, and he didn't take a single penny from it."

"How can we not accept such a great favor?"

"So, unless a family is so poor that they can't afford a single copper coin, most families in the village now use honeycomb briquettes."

"It's warm and cozy, and it makes me feel comfortable. Who wouldn't want to live such a good life?"

Old Zhu instantly grasped the secret.

This was also one of Zhu Yunwen's methods.

Ordinary people often find it hard to resist the temptation of getting a bargain.

In their eyes, the imperial court was generously subsidizing half of the cost, and they only needed to pay the other half. If they didn't buy it, wouldn't they be losing out for nothing?
Therefore, purchasing became an almost inevitable choice.

What's more, a free coal stove is also provided.

How could the villagers bear to refuse such an easy benefit?
In fact, coal mining had long been firmly controlled by the imperial court's monopoly companies.

Thanks to increasingly sophisticated mining technology and the extensive use of short-distance railcars for transportation, mining costs have decreased significantly.

However, coal prices are set by the government, and the market is completely monopolized.

The so-called "half of the government's subsidies" may have been nothing more than an empty promise. In reality, the government spent almost nothing and even made a lot of money, but in return, it won the praise of the people and the government gained both fame and fortune.

The same calculation lies behind the free coal stove.

The mass production cost of coal stoves is extremely low, but once they are distributed to the people, they will definitely use them.

The demand for coal surged, and the government's coal companies made a fortune from it.

The widespread use of honeycomb briquettes not only earned the imperial court a reputation for environmental protection but also brought in a flood of wealth, achieving multiple benefits with one move.

Zhu Yunwen's plan was truly brilliant!
Old Zhu secretly admired him, but a hint of worry also crept into his mind.

With people competing and showing off in this competitive atmosphere, the world and people's hearts will likely become increasingly restless.

The old man before me, while vehemently criticizing the decline of morality and the loss of traditional values, also couldn't escape the trap of comparison and greed.

Their contradictory words and actions are like a mirror, reflecting the complexity and helplessness of human nature.

Old Zhu felt a mix of emotions. He bowed to the elders beside him to say goodbye, then turned and boarded the carriage again.

Sitting in the carriage, he gently lifted the curtain, pushed open the glass window, and gazed at the distant villages and mountains.

A breeze blew by, bringing a hint of coolness.

Old Zhu looked at Jiang Huan, who was riding alongside him on horseback: "You say, this new policy has made every household well-fed and clothed, and their lives are getting better and better. But if it makes people's hearts corrupt and lose their true selves, then is it still good or bad?"

……

(End of this chapter)