Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 194 Father and Son Discuss the Rise and Fall of Dynasties! Loyalty Cannot Save the Ming Dynasty!
Outside the school, Zhang Juzheng remained seated, reluctant to come in.

Only when Zhang Yunxiu called did he slowly walk out, his hands behind his back, and he spoke with a scrutinizing expression.

"Shiyuan, this school is quite well run."

"Father has taken up the business of eavesdropping," Zhang Yunxiu said leisurely.

Zhang Juzheng blushed and said, "I just arrived a short while ago."

Zhang Yunxiu didn't expose him, and looked at his father and fourth brother who came in, and couldn't help but smile and say.

"Since Father has come to Peiwen Academy, is it to attend a class?"

He had previously heard from his elder brother, Zhang Jingxiu, that his father was very interested in economics.

This was exactly what Zhang Yunxiu wanted to hear. Rather than going out of his way to "sell" it, he figured he might as well wait for the other party to come and find the answer themselves.

"Attend a lecture?"

Zhang Juzheng paused for a moment, then realized that his relationship with his youngest son was becoming increasingly complicated.

He narrowed his sharp eyes.

"To become my teacher is not as easy as it sounds."

Zhang Yunxiu confidently stated, "Among the millions of learned scholars of the Ming Dynasty, who else but me can decipher the answer Father desires?"

"What an arrogant fool!!"

Zhang Juzheng laughed in anger, yet his words conveyed a sense that it was only natural.

If the youngest son isn't wild, he wouldn't be him.

"Let me ask you."

Zhang Juzheng had many questions in his mind. He stood with his hands behind his back in the school and looked intently at Zhang Yunxiu.

"You teach the ways of commerce and trade, and you lavishly teach your 'economics' techniques. Is this your method to overthrow the world?"

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere became tense and hostile.

Since the rise of Xishan Workshop, Shanxi merchants have suffered setbacks in the briquette business. Zhang Juzheng keenly realized that this young man was not only doing business, but also using the business to "preach"!
This reminded Zhang Juzheng of his youngest son's earlier outrageous remarks, in which he attempted to depose the emperor.

Now he's on edge, and every move Zhang Yunxiu makes seems like some kind of conspiracy.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and shook his head: "No, this is my way of upholding justice for the world."

"To restore order to the world?" Zhang Juzheng scoffed. "Through the ways of commerce and trade, huh?"

Zhang Yunxiu emphasized, "It's economics!"

He looked puzzled and asked in return.

"Since Father has come to Xishan, he must have come with this expectation. Doesn't he hope that my economics can solve the current predicament of the Ming Dynasty?"

"It's nothing more than icing on the cake."

Zhang Juzheng turned his head away, seemingly pretending not to care, and said.

"Since the implementation of the Wanli New Deal, the court has rectified official corruption, surveyed land, and implemented the Single Whip Law throughout the country, resulting in a steady increase in the national treasury's annual revenue."

Your economics has its novel aspects, but to claim it can turn the tide and save the world is to underestimate the officials in the court.

Seeing his father's stubborn look, Zhang Yunxiu spoke in an even sharper tone.

"Father, why pretend to be ignorant when you know the truth? You are well-versed in the Twenty-Four Histories, how could you not know the ironclad law of the rise and fall of dynasties?"

Leaving aside the ancient times, the supernatural and chaotic Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties.

Since the Qin Dynasty, in the nearly two thousand years since then, how many dynasties can truly be called a period of revival?

Zhang Juzheng frowned deeply. In his view, his youngest son's words were undoubtedly a denial of the foundation of the "Wanli New Deal".

In other words, Zhang Yunxiu was essentially pointing his finger at him.

Old Deng, stop wasting your time. The Wanli Restoration was nothing but a delusion, and your idea of ​​prolonging the life of the Ming Dynasty is also a castle in the air.

If this continued, Zhang Juzheng, who considered it his grand ambition, would naturally not be convinced.

He snorted and said, "How could there not be? In the past, Emperors Zhao and Xuan of the Western Han Dynasty rectified officialdom, reduced taxes and levies, and achieved the 'Rule of Emperor Xuan,' which was a model of restoration."

"The Western Han Dynasty collapsed in less than two hundred years."

Zhang Yunxiu's simple and clear sentence hit the nail on the head.

Zhang Juzheng, his beard bristling and eyes wide, exclaimed, "So what if it's been two hundred years? Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu revived the Han Dynasty and will be praised for all eternity!"

"It's just another way of saying it's a change of dynasty."

Zhang Yunxiu, however, was prepared and shook his head.

"Liu Xiu's father was merely the magistrate of Nandun County, no different from a commoner."

The world was in chaos, and collateral branches of the royal family rose up to restore the country. Can this be considered a restoration? It's merely slightly better than a change of dynasty.

"That's just sophistry!"

Zhang Juzheng's face was flushed red, and the veins on his forehead bulged.

"There's also the Yuanhe Restoration of the Tang Dynasty, and the prosperous reigns of Emperor Renzong and the Qianchun era of the Song Dynasty—all were restorations! How can you say that restorations are impossible?"

Zhang Yunxiu didn't argue with his father about historical materials; he simply squinted and asked a question.

"Throughout history, has there ever been a dynasty that lasted for more than three hundred years?"

Xia, Shang, and Zhou Dynasties

Zhang Juzheng stopped mid-sentence.

He suddenly realized that Zhang Yunxiu had already ruled out these three dynasties.

After all, the Zhou Dynasty had been extinct for nearly three thousand years, so it really had no reference value.

His throat bobbed, but he couldn't utter a word.

"Dynastic changes have always been like the cycle of day and night. Father surely understands this, but he simply refuses to acknowledge it."

Zhang Yunxiu spoke with profound wisdom. "In my opinion, the Ming Dynasty's fate is sealed, and its reign will last no more than forty or fifty years!"

These words struck Zhang Juzheng like a thunderclap, his eyes widening in anger and his white beard trembling violently.

"What nonsense!"

This surprised even the fourth brother, Zhang Jianxiu.

My younger brother is truly a master of witty and outrageous statements!

Is it okay to say such things so casually?
He sighed inwardly.

Both sides quoted classical texts, which was far beyond the scope of what a martial artist like him could understand.

Unable to participate in this "literary debate," he simply stopped listening, silently retreated outside the school, gave his younger brother an encouraging look, and then guarded the gate.

If others were to overhear these words, they might cause a great disaster.

Zhang Juzheng wanted to get angry, but thinking of his previous experiences, he eventually restrained himself and calmed down.

He looked at his youngest son meaningfully and said.

"The rise and fall of dynasties is the general trend of the world, and it is not something that we, as subjects, should comment on. We eat the emperor's food, so we should share the emperor's worries, be loyal to the emperor and love the country. Such treasonous words should not be spoken again in the future."

After experiencing so much, Zhang Juzheng occasionally lost his temper, but his temperament became much more peaceful.

Especially in front of her youngest son, she is no longer as easily enraged as before.

After all, every time he lost his temper, he not only failed to teach the kid a lesson, but also got very angry himself. What was the point?

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and said, "Father's loyalty to the emperor and his love for the country are evident to heaven and earth, but it's a pity he couldn't save the Ming Dynasty."

Zhang Juzheng said, "Can you save them?"

Zhang Yunxiu's eyes burned with fervor: "What if I could truly continue the Ming Dynasty's reign and spare the world from the suffering of war?"

Zhang Juzheng had long understood the other party's tactics, and immediately sneered, "The price is to abolish the emperor. How is this any different from changing dynasties?"

"No."

Zhang Yunxiu shook his head and said.

"The emperor must be deposed, but not immediately; he must be deposed step by step."

If he benefits the people, then he can remain in office for a while longer.

If he were to ruin the livelihoods of everyone for his own selfish gain, then he must be abolished.

"This is utterly heretical!" Zhang Juzheng exclaimed, his eyes wide.

Zhang Yunxiu spoke eloquently: "Mencius said, 'The people are the most important, the state is next, and the ruler is the least important.'"

This has existed since ancient times; it's not something I invented alone!

"That's it!"

With a sigh, Zhang Juzheng gave up on arguing with his youngest son about their differing ideologies.

At least the youngest son doesn't want to rebel for the time being.
He was a little tired, so he strolled to the podium, stopped in front of the blackboard, and stared at the various "economic terms" on it, such as "supply and demand balance" and "market laws".

Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but ask, "Is the way you speak of to bring order to the world the study of economics and commerce?"

"Yes and no."

Zhang Yunxiu followed and pointed to the word "productivity".

"Economics cannot exist independently; it must be based on productivity. Without productivity, even the most sophisticated economics will ultimately be nothing more than a castle in the air."

"Productivity?" Zhang Juzheng looked puzzled.

He had heard the word more than once, but he had never really understood it.

Zhang Yunxiu tried to use plain language to speak.

"So-called productive forces are nothing more than three things: laborers, means of production, and objects of labor."
Simply put, one is people, who are the carriers of power, whether through farming or production using skills; the other is tools, which are the wings of power, and when tools advance, power advances.

There is also land, such as farmland and mineral resources.
Finally, there are systems, such as land systems and commercial taxes, etc.

He gave Zhang Juzheng a brief explanation of the concept of "productivity," and the latter seemed to be deep in thought.

Zhang Juzheng said, "Your Xishan workshop succeeded because it relied on 'tools' to guide the improvement of productivity, and finally supplemented by economic means."

Zhang Yunxiu was somewhat surprised, but then he realized that Zhang Juzheng lacked this kind of understanding, and it was rather strange. He nodded and said.

"It's more complicated, but still largely the same."

With bright eyes, he looked at his father and continued explaining.

"Father is still bothered by the matter of lotus root coal, but I have never cared about it. In fact, people outside are almost speculating that I used some extraordinary means to win this business battle."

In reality, the child only made some minor arrangements.

The Shanxi merchants employed various tactics, but my son remained confident and prepared.

"Is this the reason for productivity?" Zhang Juzheng squinted his eyes, adopting the posture of a student.

"Exactly!"

Zhang Yunxiu found it very comfortable to talk to intelligent people.

"The crux of the coal war is simply that productivity cannot keep up. If Xishan develops its productivity, it can overcome all obstacles with one force. Even if the Shanxi merchants hoard goods and speculate, my supply will be continuous, so there is no reason for us to go bankrupt."

Developing productive forces is the overt strategy, while using economic means is supplementary; the two complement each other to ensure an invincible position.

"Everything you've done is for the purpose of developing productive forces?" Zhang Juzheng said.

Zhang Yunxiu squinted and continued speaking.

"If the Ming Dynasty wants to continue, it must attach importance to science and develop productivity."

Father knows better than I do that in the past two hundred years, the rich in the Ming Dynasty have become richer and the poor have become poorer, and the situation has become so deeply entrenched that it is difficult to reverse.

What is it all about in the end?

(End of this chapter)