Zhu Yuanzhang Returns from Modern Times

Chapter 143 strikes at the heart of the scholar's lifeline.

Inside the Wuying Hall, Prince Zhu Gang of Jin expressed his views on this matter to his father, the Emperor.

He said it very tactfully.

In fact, in his view, if he really did what his father said, it would cause more than just chaos.
It was absolutely explosive!
As the son of his own father, the Emperor, his relationship with him goes without saying.

They will definitely stand unconditionally on their father's side and support him.

Even so, after briefly glancing at these books and learning about her father's plans, she...

They couldn't help but tremble and bewilderment at what their father was about to do.

I just felt that what my father was going to do was a bit too outrageous.

It was completely beyond human comprehension.

Not to mention other people.

Other people would definitely react even more strongly upon receiving such news.

He knew all too well how conservative these scholars were when it came to learning.

Mutual attacks and using the tactic of belittling others to elevate oneself are the most common methods.

Many intellectuals talk a good game, but in reality they are extremely xenophobic.

This is especially true when it comes to disputes over the orthodoxy of the Way.

They used every means at their disposal, even beating a dog to the point of brain damage.

Since ascending the throne, my own father has also taken many actions in the cultural field.

For example, after holding the imperial examinations once, the examinations, which were longed for and desired by scholars like Song Lian, were immediately suspended.

It hasn't recovered yet.

For example, last year they executed Gao Qi, a man who was renowned in the literary circles of Jiangnan.

For example, this year we promoted the use of Pinyin and established a standard Mandarin based on the Northern accent.

Then, simplified characters were introduced...

Each of these blows struck at the very lifeblood of countless scholars.

They cut into something they cared about very much.

They were able to keep suppressing so many scholars and push these things through.

It can be said that he relied entirely on his father's prestige and various means.

Otherwise, it would definitely cause a huge uproar.

Many scholars could barely tolerate these things.

But what his father was about to do next was something that pierced the hearts of countless people.

This will make many people furious.

With the strong support of his father, the emperor, he was able to take arithmetic classes at the Imperial Academy.

This has already caused dissatisfaction among many people.

The practice of incorporating arithmetic into meals has some historical origins.

After all, arithmetic was quite important as early as the Tang Dynasty.

Arithmetic was taught in official schools.
Furthermore, arithmetic also had a place in scientific expeditions.

Therefore, even later, when his own father, the emperor, created numbers and advanced arithmetic books like the "Introduction to Arithmetic," he still remembered them.

Although many scholars reacted strongly, there was ultimately a limit to their reactions.

No one dared to completely break ties and cause any trouble on this matter.

But now, what his father, the emperor, is doing is fundamentally different from what he did before.

Agricultural books, animal husbandry, and even physics...

What are all these things?
How could we possibly bring them into the Imperial Academy and have them served at the table?

Even if such a thing were not actually done, just the mere mention of it would cause a great uproar among the heroes.

The emperor's own father's series of changes in culture and other areas had accumulated a great deal of discontent over a long period of time.

At this time, there will be a collective outburst.

There is a high probability that this incident will trigger a rapid spread of the virus.

If that's the case, then things will be quite difficult.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded: "Third brother, you are absolutely right."

If we do this, it will definitely cause an uproar, like stirring up a hornet's nest.

Countless members of the Shilin community will launch a fierce counterattack on this matter.

They expressed their dissatisfaction with these matters through various means.

Many people are not simply dissatisfied with this matter.

Instead, they want to use this opportunity to express all their dissatisfaction with us.

Let's have a proper discussion about this.

Zhu Gang was not surprised by his father's words.

It would be strange if my own father, the emperor, didn't know these things.

"But we can't stop or back down just because these people are braying like donkeys. We can't just give up on this."

"Father, is this...something very important?"

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded and said, "Of course it's important. Our Great Ming Dynasty is a major agricultural country, and agriculture is the foundation of our nation."

From the lowest rungs of society all the way up to the emperor, it can be said that everyone is inseparable from the land and from farming.

Countless people are sustained by the land.

How many people make a living from the land?

Without land, and without the produce of land, the Ming Dynasty would collapse.

Third brother, do you remember when we were at the imperial tomb, we talked to you about why dynasties never lasted more than three hundred years?

Why does three hundred years seem like an invisible threshold?

Why did so many dynasties fail to overcome it?
We gave you homework back then, but we haven't asked you about it since.

Why don't you tell us now?

Zhu Gang was slightly taken aback when he heard his father's words.

Does your own father still remember this?

This is the homework that our father assigned to his brothers.

Why are you asking yourself this question all of a sudden?
Conduct individual self-assessments?

This was the first thought that arose in his mind.

Then a host of other thoughts arose.

There's no need to say more about the second brother and the fourth brother, those despicable bastards.

Asking my second brother to consider these things is simply making things difficult for him.

That scoundrel, the fourth brother, is a master at leading troops into battle and engaging in risky ventures.

But when it comes to these things, it's the same.

Therefore, the emperor simply ignored them and asked him instead.

As for the eldest brother, he and the Emperor see each other almost every day.

He probably already told his father the answer he was looking for.

Prince Zhu Gang of Jin was deeply impressed by this matter.

When he first learned from his father that no dynasty had ever lasted more than three hundred years, it greatly shocked him.

In addition, his father had said that he would consult with them again in the future.

He had been paying attention to this and had given it a lot of thought.

“Father, I believe that one of the reasons why dynasties do not last more than three hundred years is the rampant corruption of officials.”

Numerous corrupt officials deceived the court and the people, committing numerous evils.

The methods were cruel.

The evil they committed would be tallied up by countless people and placed on the imperial court's head.

As more and more corrupt officials emerge, and as more and more ordinary people suffer injustice and cannot survive.

This would lead many people to either hide in the mountains or rise up in rebellion.

To overthrow the previous dynasty and establish a new order.

Newly established dynasties typically have relatively clean and efficient administrations at the beginning.

Just like my father, a brilliant and ambitious founding emperor, he severely punished corrupt officials without mercy.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded after hearing what the Prince of Jin said.

He gestured for Zhu Gang to continue.

It's clear that the third brother has seriously thought about these matters since he came back.

He didn't dismiss his previous statements as mere empty words.

"Furthermore, the imperial court and officials at all levels have been making excessive demands and imposing exorbitant taxes."

They disregarded the lives of ordinary people.

For example, when disasters occurred in some areas, the imperial court not only failed to provide relief, but many local governments continued to collect taxes, sometimes even intensifying the collection.

It would also make it impossible for countless people to survive.

This led to the decline and fall of the nation.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

Zhu Gang wanted to say something more, but after glancing at his father, he swallowed his words back.

He seemed somewhat hesitant.

These are clearly some things he's been considering, and it's not appropriate to talk about them.

How could Zhu Yuanzhang not see what his third son meant?
This matter is inherently quite sensitive.

It's perfectly normal to draw some sensitive conclusions when considering this matter.

"Third brother, just speak freely. There's nothing between us, father and son, that we can't talk about."

Moreover, this is simply a discussion about why no dynasty has lasted more than three hundred years.

This is an academic issue and does not involve other matters.

Besides, many things simply exist on their own.

It's not that if we don't talk about it, it won't happen.

Instead of deceiving ourselves like this, we should bring it up and actively try to find the reasons.

Perhaps we can come up with some solutions to this problem.

This is actually a good thing.

After hearing his father's words, Prince Zhu Gang of Jin no longer hesitated.

He immediately spoke up: "Father, I think there is another reason."

That's the emperor.

After saying this, he secretly glanced at his father's expression.

Upon seeing his father, the Emperor, his expression remained unchanged, just as he had said, showing no reservations about such matters. He then continued speaking.

“At the founding of each dynasty, the founding monarch was always capable.”

It was earned through real, hard-fought battles.

Without sufficient ability, one cannot become emperor.

Their abilities are beyond doubt; they all possess exceptional qualities.

A person who has fought his way up through battles will surely be able to maintain order and control the situation when he becomes emperor.

They will come up with many good policies.

Make the country better.

However, the emperors who came after them were not so fortunate.

Their thrones were not earned through their own efforts, but rather inherited.

Born in the inner palace, her abilities in all aspects were incomparable to those of the founding emperor.

Of course, I'm not saying that every emperor who came after was no good.

Rather, it means that, overall, most of the later emperors were not as good as the founding emperors.

The chances of a tyrannical ruler appearing in the later stages of a dynasty are much higher.

Many emperors were actually just children.

Some of them were only a few months old.

What can such an emperor accomplish?
These political affairs were inevitably manipulated by many powerful ministers.

An emperor like that would certainly not be able to govern well.

Besides these, there were many incompetent emperors, tyrannical rulers, and incompetent despots.

Their rule was a great disaster for the entire country.

The emperor is the head of the country. There is a saying: "A bad soldier is a bad soldier, and a bad general is a bad army."

If one is capable as an emperor, then naturally one can lead the entire country to a better future.

Many people have benefited from it.

Naturally, the country would not perish.

An incompetent emperor poses a great threat.

For example, Qin Er Shi (Hu Hai) and Emperor Yang of Sui (Yang Guang).

The legacy left to them by their fathers is undeniably substantial.

The country is undeniably stable.

Especially Yang Guang.

However, after Emperor Wen of Sui passed away, the once prosperous Sui Dynasty was plunged into misery by Yang Guang in a very short period of time.

The people cannot survive.

This forced uprisings everywhere, leading to the fall of the country and the loss of the empire.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, affirming his son's statements.

She then gestured for her son to continue.

“Father, I think the emperors after me are not as good as the founding emperors. Besides their own abilities and other aspects, there is another aspect, and that is power.”

The founding emperors were all chosen through hard work and real achievements.

Even if one doesn't win through battle, becoming emperor inevitably requires immense prestige.

Countless people wholeheartedly listen to him.

Many arrogant soldiers and generals could not be arrogant in front of the founding emperor.

After the founding emperor died, the next emperor succeeded him.

For many founding ministers, the newly enthroned emperor was their son or nephew.

Psychologically, this will lead to a certain degree of disdain for it.

The emperor's power will be greatly diminished.

When doing things, things certainly don't go as smoothly as they do for the founding emperor.

Moreover, at the time of the founding of the country, many things were completely overturned and reshuffled.

It's a new beginning.

Many things are rebuilt on ruins.

It's easy to do, without many constraints.

However, the longer a dynasty exists, the more interest groups there will be.

Different groups have their own needs.

Power also grows and expands as dynasties continue.

As their power increased, the emperor's power diminished.

Later emperors will find it even more difficult to accomplish anything.

Countless people will rise up to resist the emperor.

Especially when their interests are involved.

At this point, the difficulty for the emperor to accomplish certain things will far exceed that of the founding emperor.

It requires various methods to wrangle and fight with all parties.

It even means compromise and concession.

It takes a lot of effort and hard work to achieve even a small step.

Furthermore, under the backlash from various forces, the emperor's good intentions could be completely distorted.

Originally intended to benefit the people, it has been turned into a tool to harm and exploit them by various individuals.

Therefore, I say that in a dynasty that lasted for over three hundred years, the emperor's role was equally important.

After saying this, Zhu Gang felt a little uneasy.

After all, many of the things he had just said were taboo.

That is, it was his own father, the emperor, who asked him about it.

Only then will I be able to discuss this matter further.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have said many of these things to outsiders.

Even if they had said it, they wouldn't have said it so bluntly.

Even so, he felt uneasy and uncertain after he finished speaking.

He was afraid of upsetting his father, the emperor.

This led the emperor to have a different opinion of him.

"it is good."

Zhu Yuanzhang clapped his hands in praise.

He looked at Zhu Gang with full approval.

"As expected of our third son, you're absolutely right."

It's clear that you've really put your heart into this.

Many of your considerations are quite good; you wouldn't say such things without careful thought.

You've managed to bring the issue up to the emperor.

Furthermore, after the founding of a dynasty, there are many interest groups within it, which will argue with the emperor and create layers of resistance.

This shows that your insight is very accurate.

Haha, I always knew Old Zhu's son was destined for greatness!

Zhu Yuanzhang was very happy and praised his third son highly.

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Prince Jin, Zhu Gang, who had been quietly holding his breath, immediately relaxed.

Thankfully, my father really won't have any different opinion of me because of what I said.

"Father, these are just my personal opinions, the views of a junior."

If there is anything I have said that is incorrect, please correct me, Father Emperor.

These are just the ramblings of a child. Don't take them seriously.

Zhu Gang added another sentence.

Zhu Yuanzhang said, "This is not nonsense; much of it is insightful and true."

For someone your age to see these things is truly remarkable; you're very talented.

Hearing his father's praise, Zhu Gang straightened up considerably without even realizing it.

Although he spoke modestly, he, like the fourth prince and others, actually cared a great deal about his father's praise.

"You explained this matter very well, but in our opinion, there is a fundamental reason that you haven't mentioned."

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Prince Jin, Zhu Gang, was taken aback.

He was shocked by what his father, the emperor, had said.

This...this shouldn't happen!

He had already mentioned the emperor, yet his father still said he hadn't gotten to the heart of the matter.
There is a fundamental reason that has not been stated.

Isn't the emperor the root cause?
What could be more fundamental than the emperor?
"Father, this... I am foolish, and these are the only reasons I can think of."

The rest that came to mind were all minor details.

It's far inferior to these.

Please enlighten me, Father Emperor.

Zhu Gang went directly to his father, the emperor, to ask for the final answer.

What my father said was truly unexpected.

Regarding the three-hundred-year cycle of dynasties, what he said today was the result of racking his brains and consulting numerous materials.

Besides these, I can't think of any other more fundamental reason.

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded upon hearing his son's words.

It's really quite remarkable that my own third child could think of these things.

It's not surprising that the root cause hasn't been figured out.

It's normal if you can't think of anything.

Being able to come up with it is a real surprise to yourself.

Not only the third son, but even his own son Biao hadn't thought of this before.

A year has passed, and the third brother still hasn't figured out the root cause.

It was clearly impossible to get him to think deeper and find the root cause of the problem.

Zhu Yuanzhang then prepared to tell his third son the root cause of the matter.

"If that's the case, then we'll tell you."

Listen to this; isn't this the fundamental reason why dynasties rarely last more than three hundred years?

Upon hearing Zhu Yuanzhang's words, Prince Jin, Zhu Gang, immediately became extremely attentive...

(End of this chapter)