Ming Dynasty 1627

Chapter 120: Will the Land Win or the People Win? (Bonus Chapter Today! Requesting Monthly Tickets!)
Ni Yuanlu finally recounted the entire process of the two daily lectures to the two of them in its entirety.

A moment of silence fell over the main hall. Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing were filled with turbulent emotions, which were difficult to calm down.

After a moment, Zhu Youjian's gentle voice rang out again, breaking the silence.

“I grew up in the deep palace, and when I had nothing to do, I would read books. However, I did not have any famous teachers to guide me, so there were often some things I did not understand.”

"Each of you is either a scholar who has passed the imperial examination and is well-versed in poetry and literature, or a son of an official who is insightful about current affairs. Perhaps you can enlighten me."

Upon hearing this, Ni Yuanlu and the others immediately bowed and said, "We dare not."

Zhu Youjian waved his hand, indicating that they didn't need to stand on ceremony, and said to himself:

"When I had nothing to do, I read the Book of Lord Shang."

Upon hearing this, Ni Yuanlu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

In the eyes of Confucian scholars, Shang Yang's laws were no different from the methods of tigers and wolves, full of heresies that were "against human ethics" and "cruel and ungrateful".

It's normal for an emperor to read this book, but saying it outright still made him uncomfortable.

Zhu Youjian didn't care and continued, "There are many harsh words in the book, which I don't accept. However, I find one argument quite interesting."

He paused, cleared his throat, and slowly began to recite:
"Therefore, in places where the land is small but the population is large, the population surpasses the land; in places where the land is vast but the population is small, the land surpasses the population. When the population surpasses the land, development is sought; when the land surpasses the population, business comes in."

Zhu Youjian's gaze swept over the crowd: "Does anyone have any recollection of this sentence?"

After a moment's thought, Qi Xinxiao stepped forward and replied, "Your Majesty, this sentence comes from the chapter 'Laying Up the People' in the Book of Lord Shang."

"That is to say, during the Warring States period, densely populated countries with scarce land should focus on expanding their territory, while sparsely populated countries should focus on attracting people from other countries."

Ni Yuanlu followed suit, stepping forward and bowing, saying, "Your Majesty, what Lord Shang said was a strategy from the Warring States period. Now that the world is at peace and the four seas are unified, this method seems no longer applicable to our time?"

His words were very tactful, but what he really meant was to remind the emperor that Shang Yang's methods were not suitable for this situation.

"Yes, what you say is very true, Minister Ni. That's how I see it too."

Zhu Youjian was not offended; instead, he nodded in agreement, but then abruptly changed the subject.

"However, the debate over the victory or defeat of 'the people' and 'the land' is truly intriguing. This has led me to a question..."

He looked at the five people below him, his gaze deep and unfathomable.

"Is the Great Ming Dynasty now a 'nation where the people prevail' or a 'nation where the land prevails'?"

Upon hearing this question, the group exchanged bewildered glances.

This is a huge question. We are just young people in the officialdom. How can we answer such a comprehensive question?

Just as everyone fell silent, Wu Kongjia, who had been keeping his head down and not saying a word, seemed to have figured something out.

He took a deep breath, stepped forward, and said:

"Your Majesty, I am unaware of the full picture of the Ming Dynasty. Please allow me to offer a glimpse into its nature by taking my hometown as an example."

"Speak," Zhu Youjian nodded in agreement.

“I come from Shexian County, Huizhou,” Wu Kongjia said in a steady and clear voice. “Huizhou is surrounded by mountains. Many years ago, there was already a large population and little land, and the people could not make a living by farming alone.”

"Therefore, many people from my hometown go out to do business, and use the profits from commerce to support their hometown. If we consider this, my hometown, Huizhou, should be considered a place where the people prosper."

After listening, Zhu Youjian turned his gaze to Qi Xinxiao and Ni Yuanlu.

Qi Xinxiao understood and stepped forward, saying, "I come from Tongcheng County, Anqing Prefecture."

“Anqing Prefecture is located between the Yangtze and Huai Rivers, with flat terrain and abundant farmland. In terms of its natural features, it could be considered a ‘land of superior location’.”

"However, Anqing has been at peace for a long time, and many people have migrated from other places, especially from Jiangxi."

"Over the years, people have multiplied and thrived, and now... it has become a 'land of prosperity'."

Ni Yuanlu continued, “I was born in Shangyu, Zhejiang. There is a saying among the people there: ‘Five mountains, one river, and four parts farmland.’ It is roughly similar to Huizhou, and it is also a place where people thrive. Therefore, in addition to farming, many people go on to trade, and some even go to sea…”

Going to sea...

Zhu Youjian narrowed his eyes and silently memorized this information.

His gaze finally settled on Zhang Zhiji and Luo Yangxing.

Zhang Zhiji was a son of a noble family and had lived in the capital for a long time. After thinking for a moment, he replied, "I grew up in the capital region, and my views are different from those of you gentlemen."

“In the vicinity of the capital, one often sees fields lying fallow and villages in ruins, and it is not uncommon for people to flee. If we consider only Beizhili, it seems that… there is slightly more land, but slightly fewer people.”

Luo Yangxing pondered for a moment, then cautiously said, "The land of Beizhili is indeed as Zhang Zhiji said."

"However, my ancestral home is in Huguang. I once accompanied my father back to my hometown to pay respects to our ancestors. Along the way, I saw that the scenery in the north and south was very different."

"There are desolate and barren places, as well as prosperous and thriving ones. In my impression, it seems that there are more prosperous places. However, this is only what I have seen on my journey, a fleeting glimpse, and can only be used as a reference."

After listening to the five people's words, Zhu Youjian slowly nodded.

"From this perspective, some places in our Great Ming Dynasty are already 'places where the people are prosperous,' while others are still 'places where the land is prosperous.'"

He gently pointed his finger in the direction of Qi Xinxiao.

"However, even a place with a superior geographical location can eventually become a place where people migrate and multiply, just like Anqing."

He sighed softly, his voice carrying a hint of inexplicable desolation.

"So... how long will it take for my Great Ming to reach a point where the whole world is 'victorious' and there is not an inch of 'land' left to be 'victorious'?"

Upon hearing this, the air in the warm pavilion seemed to freeze instantly.

The five people present were all outstanding individuals, the most intelligent people of this era.

Having said that, they almost simultaneously understood what the emperor truly meant.

A chill crept up their spines.

Zhu Youjian didn't give them much time to think; he threw out a second question, which was also a sharper one.

"I have also read Han Feizi, and I was also deeply moved by one of his sentences."

He looked at everyone and recited, word by word:
“Nowadays, it is not considered that a person has five sons. If a son has five sons, then the grandfather will have twenty-five grandsons before he dies.”

He paused deliberately, letting his words resonate in everyone's minds, before asking softly:
"Since I have never had a son, my understanding of this theory is inaccurate. May I ask you all, is it truly so among the common people... that five sons are indeed five sons?"

The group felt a chill run down their spines as an unprecedented fear gripped them.

This is not a classic text, nor a strategy problem; it is a cold, hard arithmetic problem that can be infinitely deduced.

After a moment, Zhang Zhiji stepped forward with a stiff upper lip and said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "Your Majesty, many children die young in the common people's homes. Even if there are five children, only four or five out of ten will survive to adulthood. Perhaps... perhaps it is not so exaggerated."

"Is that so?" Zhu Youjian sighed. "Is it not an exaggeration for a couple to only have two sons who survive?"

He held up his fingers and began to calculate.

"When the couple is twenty, they have two sons. When they are forty, their two sons get married and they have four grandsons. When they are sixty, their four grandsons are born again and they have eight great-great-grandsons."

"If this couple lives to sixty, they will have two sons, four grandsons, and eight great-great-grandsons, totaling fourteen people. A family of two, after two generations, will become a family of fourteen. Isn't that an exaggeration?"

Zhang Zhiji stammered, unable to utter a single word.

The others were also speechless for a moment.

This calculation is too simple, frighteningly simple.

There was another moment of dead silence.

Ni Yuanlu stepped forward again, his face already somewhat pale: "Your Majesty... however, there will inevitably be famines, plagues, bandits, and wars... population growth may be much slower than expected."

"Of course." Zhu Youjian nodded, acknowledging his statement, but immediately followed with an unavoidable counter-question.

"However, will slowing down lead to stagnation?"

"At the beginning of the dynasty, Emperor Taizu Gao established the population of the empire, which totaled over 60 million. Now, more than two hundred years later, the population is still over 60 million. Do you believe that, folks?"

The crowd was speechless.

The flaws of the Yellow Registers were already a tacitly acknowledged, enormous lie within the Ming Dynasty court.

Everyone knows that the population is much larger than that, and even some insightful people have submitted memorials requesting a land survey and verification of the population, but in the end, nothing ever came of it.

This matter involves too many people and faces too much resistance.

Zhu Youjian's voice grew increasingly deep. "As Ji and Yangxing just said, our Great Ming still has places of great beauty at this time."

"But the growth of the population never stops. Perhaps in ten years, perhaps in twenty years, perhaps in forty years... eventually, there will come a day when no place in our vast Ming Dynasty will be better than our people."

"What will happen then?"

One question after another struck like a heavy hammer, hitting everyone's heart hard.

Everyone felt a cold sweat break out, soaking their inner clothes, but no one could answer.

Zhu Youjian sighed deeply, finally stood up from behind his desk, and slowly walked down the steps.

He walked up to the five men, his gaze sharp as he swept over their pale faces.

"I have observed that the rise and fall of the Han and Tang dynasties were both marked by a decline in population and a lack of infrastructure for the early dynasties."

"Afterwards, the founding emperor was wise and virtuous, allowing the people to recuperate and thrive, and the population gradually reached its peak."

"Then, after the population reaches its peak, it will decline, either due to famine, peasant uprisings, foreign invasions, or local rebellions."

"And so the once glorious dynasty collapsed."

"When the new dynasty is established, nine out of ten houses will be empty again, and the population will decline once more. After hundreds of years of reproduction, this cycle will repeat itself..."

His speech became faster and faster, and his eyes became sharper and sharper.

"However, was the decline of this dynasty truly due to the collapse of the bureaucracy? Was it due to the growing power of foreign tribes? Was it due to local rebellions?"

"Or is it that, at its core, it's this 'land dispute' between the people and the people?!"

"If it really is..."

His voice suddenly lowered, yet carried immense weight, as he asked, enunciating each word clearly:

"Where has this land dispute in the Ming Dynasty progressed to?"

"How far is the Ming Dynasty from its demise?!"

"On the day the country falls, how many of the hundreds of millions of people in this world will have to die before the next golden age can begin?!"

Inside the main hall, there was a deathly silence.

Wu Kongjia's lips trembled. After hesitating for a long time, he finally stepped forward and spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Your Majesty… perhaps… perhaps things are not so terrible. The principles of the land and its people are indeed as they are, but… yet the people also have their own means of survival…”

He seemed to have used all his strength to say in a hoarse voice, "But... such methods are against the natural order..."

Zhu Youjian's gaze fell calmly on him: "You mean... an abandoned baby?"

Upon hearing this, the other four people widened their eyes in disbelief and stared at Wu Kongjia.

Wu Kongjia's body trembled violently, and he nodded with difficulty.

"That's right...that's exactly it."

He cupped his hands and said, "I reside in Shexian County, where a river flows through the county seat."

“During years of famine, many infants are swept downstream…their numbers are numerous. Although occasionally a kind-hearted family manages to rescue and adopt them, it is only one in a hundred.”

“If that’s the case…” He raised his head, his eyes filled with struggle, “If the common people resolve this on their own using this method… perhaps… perhaps it won’t come to the point Your Majesty mentioned.”

Everyone felt a chill run from the soles of their feet to the top of their heads, and they all looked at Zhu Youjian, trying to find the slightest emotion on the young emperor's face.

Ni Yuanlu's eyes even revealed a hint of pleading.

Fortunately, Zhu Youjian simply shook his head slowly and firmly.

His voice carried a hint of pity and a hint of resolve.

"However, if a country needs its people to drown their own babies in order to maintain its so-called eternal existence."

"Does this country really need to last for thousands of generations?"

"Does this country still deserve to talk about 'establishing a moral compass for heaven and earth and securing a destiny for the people,' or even about the teachings of Confucius and Mencius?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Kongjia breathed a long sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders.

He bowed deeply, his voice choked with emotion: "Your Majesty is wise, this humble subject... this humble subject misspoke."

Just then, Qi Xinxiao, who had been silent for a while, suddenly raised his head, his eyes flashing with an astonishing light. He stepped forward and asked urgently:
"Your Majesty! Do you already have a solution in mind for this 'land dispute'?!"

Everyone felt a chill, and all eyes instantly turned to Zhu Youjian.

Faced with the expectant gazes of his ministers, Zhu Youjian chuckled and shook his head.

He looked at the crowd before him and slowly said:
"As I have said before, when I was in the Prince Xin's residence, I merely read books from time to time, without any famous teachers to guide me."

"Then why am I reading these strange things that you find so odd?"

The group held their breath and listened intently.

Zhu Youjian said, slowly and deliberately, "It's just the four words 'seeking truth from facts'."

"Therefore, Minister Qi's question is really premature."

"To find out if there is a solution to this matter, we must first find out if this matter is true."

"This is the real reason why I have summoned you all here today."

As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to Gao Shiming, who was standing to the side, and gestured.

Gao Shiming bowed and accepted the order, handing several pre-prepared booklets from a tray to the five people.

The five people quickly took it and looked down at it.

On the cover of the booklet, in neat regular script, was written a line of striking characters—

An Examination of Population Growth Rates – A Case Study of the Gyeonggi Region

Zhu Youjian's voice rang out again, carrying an undeniable air of authority.

"Go down and take a good look at it, discuss it carefully. My requirements are all written in the book."

"Ten days later, the daily meeting will resume. What I hope to see is a solid result that can tell me the truth."

His tone became deep and drawn out.

"Just do it properly..."

"Perhaps, in the process of clarifying the issue, you yourselves will also be able to glimpse the answer to this difficult problem?"

Having said that, he said no more.

He turned around and flicked his sleeve.

"Go down, I await your good end."

The group exchanged glances, their eyes revealing a deep sense of shock and bewilderment.

They dared not ask any more questions, and could only bow and slowly retreat.

……

By the time the five of them stepped out of the warm pavilion, the sky outside the hall was already dusky.

The palace servants had already lit the lanterns under the eaves one by one, casting a warm and hazy light in the twilight.

Ni Yuanlu was the most anxious of the five.

As soon as he stepped out of the palace gate, he eagerly unfolded the booklet in his hand.

By the light of the lantern, he quickly skimmed through the text.

Soon, his steps abruptly halted, and he froze on the spot.

He gasped, then cried out in shock:

"Hiss?! This...this...how is this possible?!"

(End of this chapter)