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

Chapter 50: It's all a lie! (Please continue reading!)

He was Zhang Shiyuan?

Suddenly, the atmosphere in the classroom became awkward.

An invisible, oppressive atmosphere seemed to instantly silence everyone's voices.

The first to react were the students who witnessed this turn of events.

They started whispering to each other.

"This is the Imperial Academy Master Yu. You should visit our Guangye Hall less often."

Why did he lose his composure like that?

"Yun Jiye just now was actually Zhang Shiyuan? No, my head is spinning."

"Hey! Look at Dr. Wang, he looks just like a rooster with its feathers standing on end!"

Just as the students said, Wang Honghui's lips twitched slightly, and he found it hard to accept such a change for a moment.

His arm trembled as he raised it, pointing at Zhang Yunxiu and cursing.

"Yun Jiye! What are you doing causing trouble? Do you even know who Zhang Shiyuan is? You're just making things up like this!

But before he could finish speaking, Zhang Yunxiu stepped forward, a perfectly timed smile playing on his lips, his face radiating innocence.

"Uncle Yu, it's been a long time! You look even younger!"

Yu Youding felt a tendon in his temple throbbing madly.

He had watched Zhang Yunxiu grow up since he was a child. This kid was always like this. Every time he caused trouble, he could always put on such a harmless look. His innocent eyes and sincere tone made it difficult for people to vent their anger, even if they were full of anger.

Yu Youding sighed and said, "What are you up to now! You are a student of the Righteousness Hall, what are you doing here at the Guangye Hall?"

Zhang Yunxiu said innocently, "Uncle Yu didn't tell me I was from the Righteous Hall?"

"You!" Yu Youding almost spat out a mouthful of blood, but waved his hand helplessly and said, "Alright, alright, hurry up and come with me, don't cause trouble for Dr. Wang here."

He glanced around the classroom out of the corner of his eye and, sensing that Zhang Yunxiu hadn't caused any trouble, breathed a long sigh of relief.

"Wait!"

But then Wang Honghui let out a loud scare and blocked their way. His eyes were wide open, his beard was almost standing on end, and his voice became shrill.

He couldn't help but be angry. Just now, Wang Honghui was imagining a story of how a pearl was covered in dust, and how he, with his discerning eye, recognized its value and created a "top scholar".

How did his "top scholar" become "Zhang Shiyuan" in the blink of an eye?

Can these two be compared?
Wang Honghui's understanding was greatly shocked, and he pointed at Zhang Yunxiu and said.

"Who exactly are you?"

Noticing the other person's loss of composure, Zhang Yunxiu immediately put on an apologetic expression.

"Oh dear! Dr. Wang, look at this mess. My student is Zhang Shiyuan, nicknamed Yun Jiye. I forgot to mention it earlier. Please don't take offense."

"Are you really Zhang Shiyuan?" Wang Honghui's forehead veins bulged, and his face gradually turned ashen.

Yu Youding was also a little embarrassed. Now that he understood what was going on, he looked at Wang Honghui with some pity.

Yet another victim.

He quickly comforted him, saying, "Dr. Wang, this young man is Zhang Shiyuan. I've watched him grow up since he was a child. How could I possibly mistake him? Please don't take offense. That's just his personality. He might be a bit eccentric, but ultimately he's not a bad person. He's still just a child!"

"You shameless scoundrel!"

Before he could finish speaking, Wang Honghui flew into a rage, his finger trembling as he pointed at Zhang Yunxiu.

He not only disliked Zhang Juzheng, but also disliked Zhang Yunxiu's actions.

In particular, Zhang Yunxiu's behavior in the court last time had completely crossed the line for a Confucian scholar like Wang Honghui.

As a result, this kid actually sneaked into his own classroom and made fun of him.

Wang Honghui already harbored resentment towards Zhang Juzheng, so how could he not be furious now?
Zhang Yunxiu took two steps back, afraid that the other party would pounce on him and bite him, and quickly said.

"How dare you scold me, sir? My student studies diligently and assiduously; how has he become a shameless scoundrel?"

Wang Honghui was furious and stomped his feet repeatedly, cursing, "You roar in the court, beat up the censor, corrupt people's minds, and bewitch the emperor!"

Zhang Yunxiu narrowed his eyes and said, "Doctor, you forgot? You just said that I have the talent of a top scholar."

For a moment, Wang Honghui felt something stuck in his throat, and he almost couldn't catch his breath and nearly fainted.

Just now, in front of everyone, he praised Zhang Yunxiu. Now, thinking about it, he felt a pang of pain in his heart and wished he could cut his tongue off!
"Ahem~" Yu Youding coughed awkwardly twice and said, "Nephew, stop fooling around. Come with me to the Hall of Justice. Dr. Wang is old and in poor health. What if he gets upset?"

"I see." Zhang Yunxiu glanced at Wang Honghui with a pitiful look, then quickly cupped his hands in apology. "I'm so sorry, Dr. Wang, I apologize to you!"

"You guys"

Wang Honghui kept pointing at Zhang Yunxiu and then at Yu Youding, getting a little tongue-tied and unsure who to insult.

My beloved student has become the most despised enemy!
No one was more eager to find talented people than Wang Honghui; he had originally thought he could train a top scholar.
Wang Honghui clutched his chest, feeling a tightness and a slight pain, and then plopped down on the ground.

Zhang Yunxiu quickly stepped forward to help him up, fully demonstrating the fine virtue of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, and said with a smile.

“Dr. Wang, be careful. I’m short of money and can’t afford to see a doctor. Come on, take a deep breath. Judging from your condition, Xin Jun probably has a hidden illness. In the future, if you ever feel unwell, come to me, and I’ll give you a discount on your medical expenses!” “Don’t touch me!”

Wang Honghui flung Zhang Yunxiu's hand away, pouted, and almost cried with grievance, cursing at Zhang Yunxiu relentlessly.

"You shameless scoundrel!"

Zhang Yunxiu wasn't annoyed at all, and remarked, "Dr. Wang is truly a straightforward person, hahaha~"

Yu Youding stood to the side, his lips pressed tightly together as if he were trying to suppress a laugh, but he still maintained a calm and composed expression as he spoke seriously to Zhang Yunxiu.

"Shiyuan! Don't be rude to Dr. Wang. He is, after all, an elder. Come with me to the Hall of Justice."

He had a premonition that the Imperial Academy would not be peaceful in the future.

Zhang Yunxiu nodded, glanced at Wang Honghui on the ground, and was about to leave with Yu Youding when he seemed to remember something.

He turned to look at the "friends" behind Guangyetang.

In the corner, Yuan Zongdao and the other two almost buried their heads under the table. Noticing Zhang Yunxiu's gaze, they immediately shivered.

Zhang Yunxiu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, saying, "Brother Yuan, Brother Liu, Brother Geng, I'll remember you three. We should keep in touch more often in the future."

Yuan Zongdao, Liu Dongding, and Geng Zaichu all turned pale instantly.

The main hall of the Grand Secretary's residence.

"Since the sixth year of the Wanli reign, a nationwide land survey has been carried out, which lasted for three years and has finally yielded remarkable results. The total area is approximately 7,013,976 hectares, which is more than 3 million hectares larger than that in the fifteenth year of the Hongzhi reign."

A middle-aged official dressed in a blue robe with an embroidered egret on his chest sat in the lower position and respectfully reported to Zhang Juzheng.

The official's name was Zhu Xuezeng, and he was the magistrate of Changyuan County, Daming Prefecture, Beizhili.

By the ninth year of the Wanli reign, the land survey, which had lasted for three years, had been largely completed and the land registers had been re-measured and re-registered.

Changyuan County performed exceptionally well in the land survey and was specially selected by the imperial court to report to the capital.

Our first stop, naturally, should be Zhang Juzheng.

After listening to Zhu Xuezeng's report, Zhang Juzheng nodded slightly and said.

"The imperial court has long agreed that the land under the jurisdiction of nobles and imperial relatives should be reduced in descending order of kinship. The estates of meritorious officials should not exceed two hundred hectares. If the bloodline is cut off, regardless of the amount of estates, only five hectares will be left. The estates of nobles and relatives will also be taxed at three fen of silver per hectare by the relevant authorities."

He sighed and continued.

"Since the founding of the country, the princes and nobles have been granted land and fiefs, which is a great favor from the emperor."

However, as time passed, more than two hundred years had gone by in the Ming Dynasty. The princes and nobles, who should have been working for the benefit of the court and the people, instead seized vast tracts of fertile land. If this continued, the common people would have nowhere to stand. How could our Great Ming Dynasty remain stable?

Zhang Juzheng looked at Zhu Xuezeng with a gentle expression.

"You have been ordered by the court to work diligently and conscientiously, without distinguishing between relatives and strangers, or between the noble and the lowly, and to apply the law uniformly. The land survey has been remarkably successful, and your contributions are truly great."

"I dare not," Zhu Xuezeng quickly rose and bowed. "It all depends on the Grand Secretary's strategic planning; we have only done our respective duties."

Zhang Juzheng narrowed his eyes. He had invited Zhu Xuezeng to his residence, not just to say some polite words, but clearly with a deeper meaning.

"At the beginning of the ninth year of the Wanli reign, the land survey had been completed. In order to steadily promote the 'Single Whip Law,' we must not act rashly."

Previously, I ordered you to conduct a thorough survey of the land acreage, identify any omissions or problems, and find any relevant information. Did you find anything?

"Your humble servant," Zhu Xuezeng seemed hesitant and indecisive.

Zhang Juzheng then focused his attention on a bow at Zhu Xuezeng's feet and said meaningfully.

"You brought a measuring bow to my residence, is it to measure how many acres my Zhang residence occupies?"

Zhu Xuezeng panicked for a moment and quickly cupped his hands, saying, "This humble official dares not."

He hadn't expected that Zhang Juzheng, who held a high position in the imperial court, would actually recognize the measuring bow used for surveying fields.

He immediately sighed, hesitated for a moment, and then finally spoke.

"To be honest, I dare not disobey the Prime Minister's orders, but regarding this matter, I truly do not know whether I should speak of it or not. I would prefer to..."

Zhang Juzheng realized something, and his expression became even more solemn: "Speak freely and without reservation. There is no one else here."

"Alas!" Zhu Xuezeng sighed. "The reason for this will be clear to the Prime Minister at a glance."

He handed the measuring bow to Zhang Juzheng, and while holding it in his hand, he explained.

“At the beginning of the land survey, the Ministry of Revenue issued a model, which was three feet and five inches per step, and two hundred and forty steps constituted one mu.”

However, in practice, the measurement of the bow is often shortened. The so-called three feet and five inches is sometimes three feet and one inch, sometimes three feet and two inches, and sometimes even less than three feet.

Zhu Xuezeng gritted his teeth and reported, "Officials in many places use this small bow when dealing with ordinary people to overreport the acreage; but when dealing with high-ranking families, princes, and nobles, they would rather conceal their estates than use a large bow."

In this way, wealthy households would naturally receive smaller quantities, while smaller households would receive larger quantities. This would allow local officials to report back to their superiors, and it would also benefit the powerful and wealthy families.

In an instant, Zhang Juzheng seemed to turn into a statue. He placed the measuring bow in his palm, his face turned ashen, and he said angrily.

"According to you, one bow was drawn three inches too far, and another bow was drawn three inches too high. The local authorities have made a huge fraudulent accounting when measuring the fields!"

　Note 1: Zhang Juzheng's description of the policy of decreasing estates of meritorious officials and nobles can be found in the "History of Ming Dynasty, Volume 53, Food and Commodities I": During the reign of Emperor Shenzong, the policy of decreasing estates of meritorious officials and nobles according to their hereditary order was revised, and was slightly more lenient than the old system. Afterwards, those who should have had their estates reduced were always granted temporary reduction by imperial decree and could not be abolished.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)