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

Chapter 306 Am I also going to the capital? Xu Jie treads on the snow-covered chessboard street!
Hai Rui would stare blankly at the snow outside the window all day long. The early plum blossoms on the branches quietly bloomed, but gradually withered and became listless in the cold winter.

The weather is getting colder and colder, and the heavy snow in recent days has weighed down the plum blossom branches.

"Cough cough~"

In the darkness, Hai Rui lit a kerosene lamp and, in its dim light, began to peruse past official documents.

Every time I stretch out my hand, the blackened wound on my right hand becomes strikingly visible.

The child used all his strength, even leaving three or four visible holes.

Whenever Hai Rui saw this wound, he felt as if his heart was being torn apart.

Over the years, Hai Rui prided himself on serving the country and its people, always thinking of ordinary citizens. Even though he was not capable enough, he never felt guilty.

But now, all the persistence of the past seems to have become a pipe dream.

He supported the Xishan Money Exchange and the Jiangnan Textile Bureau in order to provide a livelihood for the people, but in the end, they also caused countless families to be ruined and people to die.

“I thought that by upholding the word ‘public’ I could save the world, but I never imagined that there was another group of people in this world. Those who are displaced are the common people, but aren’t those whose families are destroyed also common people?”

Disaster victims are people, but merchants and middle-class farmers should also be people.

Hai Rui raised his head. In the corner of the room, there was still the "Ten Thousand People's Umbrella" presented by the people. He thought of the "Memorial on Governance" he had submitted to the Jiajing Emperor many years ago, when he was exceptionally firm and resolute.

Even now, Hai Rui often hears Feng Erniang's venomous curses and the child's hateful eyes when he wakes up in the middle of the night.

He certainly hated evil, but he couldn't bring himself to be harsh on children.

The Great Proclamation states, "Officials do not fear my severity, but my integrity; the people do not admire my ability, but my impartiality."

Hai Rui followed this principle throughout his life, reciting the Great Proclamation again and again, but even today, he cannot help but question his own conscience.

Have I really been right to persist all this time?
The imperial court always thought that the wealthy families and those who worked hard to enrich the people should lose some of their profits, and then distribute the remaining profits to the poor people of the country.

To open up a completely new field and give more people new opportunities.

This is the lesson that Hai Rui learned from Zhang Yunxiu's new learning.

This principle aligns with the concept of "putting the people first," and was naturally advocated by Hai Rui, but it seems...
"Are the people of this world born to suffer? What can be done to free them from the torment of famine and the oppression of corrupt officials, landlords, and powerful families?"
A sage! The Great Ancestor Emperor Gaozu!

If you have spirits in heaven, can you give me an answer about Hai Rui?
How should this world be governed?

Unbeknownst to him, Hai Rui suddenly went mad in his room. He would sometimes laugh maniacally, and sometimes kneel down and weep with his face covered. He even pushed over all the documents on his desk and threw his own memorial into the stove.

"Burn it all! Burn it all! It's all useless anyway, might as well burn it all down!"

Hai Rui squatted in the stove and burned all the documents one by one.

The servants outside, seeing this scene, were so frightened that they wet themselves and ran outside to report it.

Upon receiving the news, Zhao Rui rushed over. He pushed open the door, snatched the document from Hai Rui, and quickly helped him up.

"Hai Xiantai, why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Manager Zhao, please don't stop me," Hai Rui said, his eyes red. "These things are useless to keep. What are these memorials from Jiangnan? What are these memorials on maintaining order? They're all useless. Keeping them is an eyesore. It's better to burn them."

"How can it be useless! How can it be useless?"

Zhao Rui was so anxious that he stomped his feet and almost cried as he spoke.

“Hai Xiantai, please don’t do this. Where has the upright and resolute Hai Qingtian we used to know gone? All matters in Jiangnan are still waiting for your decision, and the people of Jiangnan are always hoping that you will help them uphold justice.”

If you fall like this, what will become of the people of Jiangnan? Where will they find a just and upright official like Hai Qing to protect them?

"Hai Qingtian?" Hai Rui said with a sneer. "Have you ever seen an upright official who treats human life like dirt?"

Zhao Rui's face froze, and he quickly said...

"Why does Hai Xiantai blame himself so much? Those merchants and common people who died because of futures trading were only reaping what they sowed. What does it have to do with you? Hundreds of resettlement villages in Jiangnan have all benefited from this and have gained a livelihood through looms. Isn't that enough?"

Hai Rui shook his head and said, "Was Feng Erniang's husband also to blame? Was that poor child also to blame? There is no such logic in this world, and I, Hai Rui, cannot use this to excuse her."

His white beard trembled incessantly.

“I don’t blame Xishan, nor do I blame Zhang Shiyuan. This loan law is a good method. Zhang Shiyuan’s instigation of the Jiangnan incident was indeed for the sake of millions of people.”

But I blame myself for being powerless to help those people who were suffering.

This is neither a matter of human effort nor a matter of imperial decree; it is an unsolvable problem!

Hai Rui's voice gradually became hoarse, as if he was about to unleash all the injustice in his heart.

As he himself said, Hai Rui did not feel that he could not be all-encompassing, nor did he ever think that a single decree should take into account all the people.

He simply saw the general trend buried within history.

Even someone as resolute as Wang Anshi and as shrewd as Zhang Juzheng could not change the course of events when caught in the current of events.

Now he places his hopes on Zhang Shiyuan, but Zhang Shiyuan's strategy ultimately comes back to the general trend of history.

The grain that had become cheap would rise in price again, and the people who had profited would become gentry and merchants again, continuing to oppress the rest of the people.

All of this seems to be a cycle, an unchangeable trend.

This was the despair that Hai Rui glimpsed in Feng Erniang.

Seeing that Hai Rui was already in a dead end, Zhao Rui had no choice but to take out the letter that had arrived that day.

He quickly said, "Hai Xiantai, don't jump to conclusions too soon. Since Zhang Zhangwei has made arrangements, he must have a follow-up plan. Look at this, we still have a way out."

After reading the contents of the letter from the capital, Zhao Rui dared not show it to Hai Rui, but since Hai Rui was already in such a state, he had no choice but to take it out.

Zhao Rui looked embarrassed and said, "Zhang Qianshi recently went to Fujian and Guangdong, presumably for this matter. Although it may seem like a pipe dream, it is still a way out."

Hai Xiantai, think about it. With food, everything will naturally fall into place.

As he spoke, a dry laugh escaped his face.

Hai Rui snatched the letter and stared at it intently, reading it word by word.

As he looked at it, his expression stiffened, and he turned his head to speak.

"Overseas grain varieties? Yields exceeding forty shi per mu?"

Even Zhao Rui was unsure of himself now. He wiped the sweat from his brow and said with a forced smile.

"Does Hai Xiantai think it's unreliable?"

He slapped his thigh and said excitedly.

"He's right to be unreliable! If you think it's unreliable when Zhang Zhangwei takes charge, then the matter is half done. Conversely, if you think he's reliable, then the matter won't happen."

Hai Xiantai, think about it. If there really were grain seeds that could yield forty shi per mu, it would be just like a heavenly weaving machine.

There's no need to worry about food or cloth; no one starves or freezes to death under heaven. Isn't that a time of great peace and prosperity?

Hai Rui, who was trying not to laugh, suddenly sobered up when he saw the familiar "calligraphy" of Zhang Shiyuan, which even included some illustrations.

He squinted and said, "These two things have nothing in common. The spinning machine can be improved and manufactured, but the seeds of grain in this world are hard to come by even with the most painstaking efforts. Does Zhang Shiyuan think he can use such a miracle to save the people of the world?"

Zhao Rui shrank back slightly: "At least there's a way."

He then pointed to the contents of the letter.

"There are other options as well. Just as Zhang Zhangwei said, Jiaozhi is a major rice-producing region. Once the maritime trade routes are opened, our Great Ming can exchange silk and porcelain for grain."

"How many ships are needed? It's unknown whether Jiaozhi has any food, but don't you understand the troubles that Emperor Chengzu caused when he conquered Jiaozhi?"

Hai Rui slammed his fist on the door and said angrily.

"Zhang Shiyuan is simply making a fool of himself! I never expected him to be the one to put my hopes on him!"

To be fair, there was a time when Hai Rui truly regarded Zhang Shiyuan as the savior of the Ming people.

Otherwise, why would he insist on this?

But now, all that's left for him is hope.

"It's better to pray to immortals and Buddhas than to place your hopes on such illusory things!"

Hai Rui threw the letter to the ground, his forehead veins bulging. It wasn't that Hai Rui was pedantic; the whole thing was simply absurd.

Even in the fertile fields of Jiangnan during the Ming Dynasty, the yield of rice per mu was only about three to four shi (a unit of dry measure).

But Zhang Shiyuan, that brat, talked nonsense and exaggerated the price of that grain seed to forty shi, a full ten times the original amount.

No one can be trusted.

Comparing the two options, going to Jiaozhi to "seize grain" seems more reliable.

However, Jiaozhi was far away in Southeast Asia, and the natives of Jiaozhi were uneducated. They were assimilated during the reign of Emperor Chengzu, but by the time of Emperor Xuanzong, it had only been a short twenty-year history before they broke away from the rule of the Ming Dynasty due to constant rebellions.

Even today, although Jiaozhi is nominally a vassal state, the Ming Dynasty has little influence over its internal affairs, and its status is no different from that of Japan.

If ships travel thousands of miles to Jiaozhi to demand grain, and the people of Jiaozhi refuse, must we really use powerful ships and cannons to force open the gates of Jiaozhi?

Zhao Rui sighed helplessly, just as he was thinking about how to persuade Hai Rui, he discovered that Hai Rui had actually stopped being crazy and was now tidying up his bed and documents.

"Has Hai Xiantai thought it through?" Zhao Rui's face showed joy. "Hai Xiantai hasn't eaten today. Shall I have someone bring him some food? He can't afford to go hungry."

Hai Rui, with a determined look in his eyes, tidied his clothes, found the manuscript he had written a few days ago, and then raised his head to speak.

"No need for food, just find me some dry rations."

"Dry rations?" Zhao Rui looked puzzled. "Hai Xiantai hasn't eaten in a long time; I'm afraid it might harm his spleen and stomach. It would be better to heat up some food. I'll have the kitchen prepare some rice porridge."

“No need for that,” Hai Rui said, shaking his head. “It would be more convenient to just take some dry rations for the journey.”

"On the way?"

"Correct."

Hai Rui nodded slightly and said.

"I must go to the capital to confront Zhang Shiyuan in person!"

There are many people in this world who want to see Zhang Yunxiu, and Xu Jie is one of the more eager ones.

However, Xu Jie had served as an official in the court and had not visited the capital for many years. He should have made some kind of entrance; it would not have been acceptable for him to enter without proper preparation.

In early December of the ninth year of the Wanli reign, Xu Jie chose an auspicious day, bathed and changed his clothes, and then rode in a sedan chair through Chongwen Gate into the capital.

Even when he entered the capital, he was greeted by pageboys and students lining the streets. Such pomp and ceremony made it seem to outsiders that Xu Jie had "fought his way into" the capital, rather than coming to "plead guilty."

Xu Jie sat inside the sedan chair and slowly lifted the curtain. He could see dozens of students and pageboys dressed in plain blue robes. They were all strangers and were respectfully bowing to the sedan chair as disciples.

They all looked respectful, but as soon as the sedan chair arrived, they shouted in unison.

May Lord Shaohu enjoy boundless blessings!

There was quite a grand display, with even many pageboys loudly reciting Xu Jie's past articles and poems.

For a moment, a scholarly atmosphere seemed to rise within Chongwen Gate.

But Xu Jie did not smile. He called Wang Shizhen over and asked her questions.

"Why do we only see young students and students, but not the former officials and staff of the ministries, nor the former students and clerks?"

Xu Jie retired and returned to his hometown in the second year of the Longqing reign. Only thirteen years have passed since then. His former students and officials in the court are now high-ranking officials. Although the relationship has faded, there is still a teacher-student bond between them. Why is there not a single familiar face?
Wang Shizhen looked embarrassed. He cupped his hands in greeting and lowered his voice.

"It seems that the Zhang family father and son are all-powerful in this capital city, and with the new policies in Xishan just beginning, everyone has some concerns."

Once we've settled into the city, I imagine someone will come to pay their respects at the inn.

Xu Jie looked at the bustling street, where people came and went, peddlers hawked their wares, and the people showed no signs of hunger or cold. Although it was winter, they longed for peace and quiet.

However, the more peaceful the scenery was, the more jarring it became to him.

He lowered the curtain, exhaled, and said.

"Then let's go to the inn to rest for the time being."

Wang Shizhen nodded slightly and said, "I will send someone to make contact. I believe there are still knowledgeable people in the capital."

Standing to the side, Wang Xijue felt a pang of sadness upon seeing this scene.

It seems that when Xu Jie was in charge of the government, his carriages and horses filled the roads when he went out, and he was surrounded by officials when he came in. Now that he is old and has arrived in the capital, he can only rely on spending money to maintain a semblance of dignity and pomp.

Yes, all those students and pageboys paid money.

But Wang Xijue's mind was elsewhere; he turned his gaze in one direction.

That was the direction of Xishan, and his good son, Wang Heng, was currently teaching at Peiwen Academy in Xishan.

Three days later.

Xu Jie sat on a chair in the post station, his tea being refilled again and again. He couldn't help but look up and ask.

Still no one coming?

Wang Shizhen looked embarrassed and stammered.

"The student has already sent letters, all addressed to old friends and acquaintances, but unexpectedly, they have all been met with evasive responses."

Xu Jie's face remained calm, as if he had expected this all along, and he slowly spoke.

"Where is the Zhang family residence?"

Zhang Juzheng even wrote a letter and had someone deliver it to his residence.

Wang Shizhen's face stiffened: "That's true. It's like a stone sinking into the sea."

"Humph!"

Wang Xijue slammed his hand on the table and said.

“He is an official, and we are commoners. We should naturally maintain our dignity. I have said before that going to the capital would be tantamount to humiliating ourselves!”

Xu Jie, however, seemed oblivious, looking out the window as the cold wind blew, causing the snow on the branches to fall.

He slowly sighed and said, "Since the Jiajing era, I have had many interactions with Jiangling. At that time, the two of us jointly 'overthrew Yan,' which was quite a momentous event."

Later, when I became the Grand Secretary and Jiangling became the Grand Secretary of the Eastern Pavilion, we both agreed that we should reform the corrupt practices of the Jiajing Emperor and focus on rectifying official corruption.
The scene of Wenyuan Pavilion in its heyday is still vivid in my mind, yet everything has changed beyond recognition.

Xu Jie's face grew increasingly aged, and he lost his former decisiveness and sharpness, leaving only a sigh of old age.

"That's all."

Xu Jie poured out the tea in front of him, slowly stood up and said.

“If Zhang Jiangling doesn’t come, I, Xu Jie, will go. This Jiangnan is not the Jiangnan of the imperial court, nor is it the Jiangnan of us; it is the Jiangnan of millions of people.”

If Zhang Jiangling wants stability in Jiangnan, he still needs us.

Wang Xijue angrily said, "Master Xu! He is a student, and you are his teacher. How can a teacher pay a visit to his student?"

"No need for further words, I'm off now."

Xu Jie said with his hands behind his back and a deep look in his eyes.

Is today the day of Heavy Snow?

"It's the Great Snow solar term, and it's still snowing heavily outside," Wang Shizhen sighed.

"Just right."

Xu Jie nodded slightly.

"There's no need to take a sedan chair. I'll measure the distance on foot, walking through the snow, just to see how far the Zhang family compound really is."

Wang Xijue stamped his foot and sighed, "Master Xu!"

Xu Jie completely ignored the advice and slowly walked outside.

Wang Shizhen, however, understood the implication. Taking advantage of Xu Jie's absence, he gave instructions to his servants.

"Quickly find the people at the Gyeonggi Daily News; today's events must be known to everyone in the capital!"

(End of this chapter)