The Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty was extremely rebellious

Chapter 517: What about the Morality of Scholars?

The eight headings of "The Great Learning": investigating things, seeking knowledge, sincerity of intention, rectifying the mind, cultivating the person, regulating the family, governing the state, and pacifying the world.

These scholars have actually learned it and they understand the principles behind it.

The Great Learning actually teaches scholars to pay attention to personal moral cultivation.

Scholars must first study things to acquire knowledge, cultivate their character, and acquire a certain level of moral accomplishment. Then, they must transform their personal moral accomplishment into external behavior, and thus make contributions to their family, country, and the world.

The most important of these is to study things and acquire knowledge. True knowledge can only be gained through practice. Only by being sincere and making use of the correct understanding formed by studying things and acquiring knowledge to cultivate oneself and improve one's character can one possess a certain level of moral accomplishment. Only such scholars can govern the country, manage the family, and bring peace to the world.

The Four Books and Five Classics actually talk about benevolence, righteousness, and morality, and "The Great Learning" especially focuses on personal moral cultivation.

However, most scholars nowadays are blinded by greed.

They have abandoned the pursuit of knowledge, sincerity, uprightness of mind, self-cultivation, family harmony and peace in the world. They just want to govern the country and fight for power and profit.

Such scholars usually become the mainstream at the end of a dynasty. They study just to fight for power and profit. They don't care about personal moral cultivation at all.

They are just full of talk about morality, but in fact they have no morals at all!
Such scholars are the mainstream in today's Ming Dynasty.

Of course, nothing is absolute.

At this time, there are also scholars who focus on studying things to gain knowledge and cultivate their character.

For example, Xu Guangqi, Wang Xiangjin, Bi Maokang and others focused on investigating things and acquiring knowledge.

Wanli needs this kind of real scholar now.

The Ming Dynasty also needs scholars who focus on personal moral cultivation.

Throughout history, those scholars who truly valued personal moral cultivation were overwhelmed by those who only knew how to fight for power and profit.

It's different now.

Wanli took them directly to the Mountain Resort and let them take a good look at the direction of knowing the world through investigation of things.

In other words, how to study things and gain knowledge can make the Ming Dynasty prosper.

When Wang Zheng and Bi Maokang saw the various processing machines and muskets and artillery, they felt like they had found their home.

They actually just stayed with Yongnianbo Wang Wei and refused to leave.

Xu Guangqi, Wang Xiangjin and Li Zhizao were still a little confused.

They saw all kinds of incredible processing machines and various guns and cannons.

The problem is that these machines, muskets and artillery have nothing to do with their areas of expertise.

They were completely confused and had no idea what was going on.

Wanli did not explain anything to the three people.

After handing Wang Zheng and Bi Maokang over to Yongnian Earl Wang Wei, he led a group of people out of Miyun County and came to the Baihe River Valley in the west.

This place was originally dedicated to growing medicinal herbs.

However, now there are many narrow fields or small strips like vegetable fields beside the avenue on the left bank of the Baihe River, and all the strange things are planted in them.

Li Zhizao was still confused after arriving in the valley.

Xu Guangqi and Wang Xiangjin looked around in surprise.

It was obvious that this valley was specially cultivated for growing various things. They could even recognize many kinds of herbs in the terraces on both sides.

Wanli took them to the narrow field along the riverbank, pointed at the strange things and asked, "Do you know what these are?"

These things are really strange and bizarre.

Because they were all brought from America and are not native plants of the Ming Dynasty.

Moreover, it is still spring now. Many plants planted in the autumn and winter of last year have been frozen to death, and only a few seedlings have emerged from the plants planted this year.

Li Zhizao was still confused when he saw this.

Wang Xiangjin took a look and didn't understand what was going on.

Xu Guangqi came to a patch of dead sweet potato vines, squatted down to take a closer look, and then said carefully: "Your Majesty, if I am not mistaken, this should be a sweet potato, right?"

Gan means sweet.

Sweet potatoes are indeed sweet.

Upon hearing this, Wanli couldn't help but ask in surprise: "Have you seen this thing?"

Xu Guangqi nodded slowly and said, "Yes, I have seen this crop before. The people of Fujian call it sweet potato.

I heard that this kind of sweet potato tastes very good, has a considerable yield, and can be grown in the mountains and fields, so I went to Fujian to find some seedlings and planted them in my hometown to give it a try.

This sweet potato tastes sweet, so I call it sweet potato.

As for the yield, I haven't planted much in the past two years because I've been preparing for the provincial and imperial examinations, so I can't estimate it yet."

Has this sweet potato been introduced to the Ming Dynasty a long time ago?
Upon hearing this, Wanli asked, "When did you hear about this thing, and when did you go looking for seedlings?"

Xu Guangqi recalled: "I heard about it in the 23rd year of the Wanli reign, and in the 24th year of the Wanli reign I went to Fujian to look for seedlings.

I heard from people there that the seeds of this thing were stolen from Luzon by a sea merchant named Chen Zhenlong in the 21st year of the Wanli reign.

Oh, it turns out that it was stolen from Luzon by Fujian merchants, and the time when it was passed to the Ming Dynasty was about the same time when Li Guozhu brought it back to the Ming Dynasty.

It seems that the Spaniards knew how to grow sweet potatoes a long time ago, otherwise they would not have brought them to Luzon to grow.

However, this is not the point. Whether other people can grow it or not has nothing to do with the Ming Dynasty. The key is that the Ming Dynasty must know how to grow it, and the output must be increased.

Wanli thought for a moment, then explained in detail: "The origin of this sweet potato is America, not Luzon.

The sweet potatoes grown here are cultivated from the original species that I ordered people to bring from America. Moreover, the navy officers and soldiers also invited people from there to teach us how to grow them.

However, the sweet potato yield seems to be nowhere to be found. Planting it in the east yields about 1,000 kilograms per mu, and planting it here still yields about 1,000 kilograms per mu."

what?
You still think that a yield of 1,000 kilograms per mu is not enough!

When Xu Guangqi heard this, he was stunned.

You have to know that at present, the maximum yield per mu for both wheat and rice is only about three dan, which is about 500 to 600 kilograms. The yield of sweet potatoes is about 1,000 kilograms per mu, and Your Majesty still thinks it is not enough?

He was stunned for a moment, then asked carefully, "Your Majesty, do you think the sweet potato yield per mu can be even higher?"

of course.

Wanli nodded slightly, then said nonsense: "There are records in the vassal states in America that the yield of sweet potatoes per mu is very high.

However, their previous method of recording weights was different from that of our Ming Dynasty, so the exact maximum yield per mu is still unknown.

If converted into kilograms, the highest yield per mu they have ever seen is 5,000 to 6,000 kilograms or even tens of thousands of kilograms.

The conversion may be a little off, but the yield of sweet potatoes per mu should be around 5,000 to 6,000 kilograms."

The yield per mu is five to six thousand kilograms!

Xu Guangqi's eyes lit up when he heard this and he said, "If America can achieve such high production, then we in the Ming Dynasty can certainly do the same."

In fact, he was just talking nonsense. The production in America probably isn't that high right now.

However, the yield of sweet potatoes in later generations definitely was that high, and he was just using America to illustrate the yield in later generations.

Wanli nodded slightly, then raised his hand and said, “We not only grow sweet potatoes here, but also potatoes, corn and other crops.

Potatoes and corn are also the original species that I ordered people to bring from America. The yields of potatoes and sweet potatoes seem to be similar, and the yield of corn per mu seems to be over a thousand kilograms.

However, it seems that our production here cannot reach the level of that in America.

I have also ordered people to try planting potatoes and corn in Dongfan and here. The yield of potatoes per mu is only about 1,000 jin, and the yield of corn per mu is only 3 or 4 dan.

How about this, Zixian, why don't you try growing sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn to see if you can increase the yield?"

Is there any other crop in the world with such a high yield?!

Xu Guangqi's eyes lit up as he nodded repeatedly, saying, "Your Majesty, I'd really like to try. How about I stay here like Liangfu and Marquis Meng and not return to the Hanlin Academy?"

In fact, in history, Xu Guangqi discovered that sweet potatoes, which he called ganya, were easy to grow and had a high yield, so he wrote a book called "Sweet Potato Memorial" in an attempt to promote sweet potato planting in the Ming Dynasty and solve the famine problem.

However, Emperor Wanli at that time did not care about state affairs at all and had no interest in promoting sweet potato planting. The sweet potatoes that were enough to solve the famine were ultimately not promoted.

It's different now.

Wanli nodded without hesitation and said, "Food is the most important thing for the people. If you can increase the production of these things, it will be much better than studying in the Hanlin Academy."

This means agreeing.

Xu Guangqi bowed repeatedly and said, "I will do my best."

Your Majesty, what about me?

Wang Xiangjin glanced at Xu Guangqi with some envy, then said cautiously, "Your Majesty, I'd like to ask, these sweet potatoes and potatoes seem to be fruits and vegetables, aren't they staple foods?"

You want to stay too, right?

Wanli nodded slightly and said, "Sweet potatoes and potatoes can both be considered fruits and vegetables. Sweet potatoes can be eaten with staple foods, while potatoes are mainly used for cooking.

I also ordered people to bring back some pepper, pumpkin, and tomato seeds from America. These are grown as fruits and vegetables there, and the yield is quite high.

However, the things I planted here don't seem to be growing very well. Zijin, why don't you stay and try growing these things too?"

Are there fruits and vegetables from America here?

Very good!
Upon hearing this, Wang Xiangjin's eyes lit up and he bowed repeatedly, saying, "Your humble servant obeys your command."

Wanli nodded slightly, then said solemnly: "Trial planting here is actually nothing.

You should have seen the Songliao Grand Canal of Nurgan Regional Administration on the map in the imperial gazette. There is a large plain over there. I plan to order people to open up more than 100 million mu or even 200 million mu of fertile land there for growing grain.

In this way, the Ming Dynasty will no longer be short of food.

However, the climate there is different from that of the two capitals and thirteen provinces of the Ming Dynasty, so you have to try it out to find out what is suitable for growing.

I want you two to take charge of this matter. Are you willing to go to the bitter cold land of the far north and give it a try?"

It turns out that the Nurgan Regional Administration still needs to open up 100 to 200 million mu of fertile land for growing grain!

If we could really grow crops in that bitterly cold land in the far north, the Ming Dynasty would no longer be short of food.

Food is the most important thing for people.

Xu Guangqi bowed without hesitation and said, "I am willing to go."

Wang Xiangjin bowed without hesitation and said, "I am willing to go too."

Very good, the Ming Dynasty needs such officials.

Wanli nodded with satisfaction and said, "First, you can try planting sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn and other crops here to familiarize yourself with their characteristics. When the frost in Nurgan Prefecture thaws in mid-April, I will send a fast navy ship to take you there."

After that, he ordered someone to call Huatou Li Fang over, gave him detailed instructions, and ordered him to assist Xu Guangqi and Wang Xiangjin in trying to grow various crops here.

After all, Huatou Li Fang is a gardener who specializes in growing flowers and plants. He is good at growing herbs similar to flowers and plants, but he doesn't seem to be very good at growing grains and fruits and vegetables.

Li Fang tried to grow these flowers last year, but it seems that she has not figured out any way to increase the yield.

However, he had tried planting it before, so he had some experience.

Moreover, whether it is flowers, herbs, grain crops, fruits and vegetables, they are all plants after all. Although the planting methods are different, the planting process is similar.

He, Xu Guangqi and Wang Xiangjin were all experts in this field, and the three of them gathered together and chatted animatedly.

Soon, Xu Guangqi ordered people to bring hoes and start digging the ground.

It seems that this top scholar is also an old hand at farming. He is so skillful when digging the ground.

Wang Xiangjin followed Li Fang to the place where fertilizer was mixed, and no one knew what they were going to do.

These three guys seem to have similar interests and feel like they met too late. It should be no problem for the top scorer and the runner-up to be placed here.

Seeing this, Wanli nodded slightly, and then left with Zhu Changxun, Li Zhizao and others.

(End of this chapter)