After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

Qianqing Palace, East Warm Pavilion.

The Hongzhi Emperor sat behind his desk reading memorials.

Yang Shen followed Xiao Jing forward, bowed, and greeted him.

The Hongzhi Emperor nodded: "Minister Yang has arrived, please have a seat!"

Yang Shen bowed again and sat down on the embroidered stool next to him.

"Cough cough..."

The Hongzhi Emperor suddenly started coughing.

Yang Shen couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, please take care of your health."

The Hongzhi Emperor put down the memorial in his hand and smiled faintly: "I just caught a slight cold, and I've already taken the medicine and I'm much better."

Yang Shen said no more, but muttered to himself.

The Hongzhi Emperor's face was pale and his eyes were bluish, typical signs of sleep deprivation and overwork.

Rumor has it that he only sleeps for two hours a day. Over time, this will inevitably weaken his immune system, making him prone to illness, and when he does get sick, it will be a serious illness.

Was the Hongzhi Emperor in history really killed by overwork?

After the Hongzhi Emperor finished coughing, he suddenly asked, "Why did you go off to represent people in court?"

Upon hearing this, Yang Shen bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, I am merely a scribe. Many people in the development zone want to file lawsuits, but they have nowhere to appeal their grievances."

The Hongzhi Emperor raised an eyebrow slightly: "Oh? Why?"

Yang Shen explained, "Because they can't write, let alone know the format of a complaint. Our Ming Dynasty has specific requirements for the format of complaints. If it's written incorrectly, the government won't accept it at all, and they might even be punished with a beating."

The Hongzhi Emperor nodded: "That's true, so we need to hire a scribe."

Yang Shen continued, "Your Majesty is wise! But the problem is, there are fewer and fewer scribes available these days."

"Why is that?"

"The Ming Dynasty law stipulated that scribes must truthfully report the facts of a case, and if there were any false accusations, the scribes would also bear corresponding responsibility. However, scribes often did not know the truth of the case, but only listened to the plaintiff's dictation and wrote it down. It was really unfair to hold them responsible for this. Over time, fewer and fewer scholars were willing to do this job, and eventually no one was willing to do it at all."

The Hongzhi Emperor pondered for a moment, then looked at him and asked, "Since no one else is willing to do it, why are you willing to do it?"

Yang Shen said solemnly, "If I don't do it, they will have nowhere to appeal their grievances."

The Hongzhi Emperor remained silent for a moment before slowly saying, "After all, being a lawyer is not a good profession. Our Ming Dynasty prohibits lawyers precisely to prevent troublemakers from causing problems. You should stay away from this profession in the future."

Yang Shen pondered for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty is right. Emperor Taizu did indeed stipulate that instigating lawsuits among the common people was prohibited. However, Emperor Taizu also revised the 'Great Proclamation' and clearly informed the people that if they encountered corrupt officials, they could take the 'Great Proclamation' and appeal directly to higher authorities. No government office could obstruct them, and the highest level of appeal was to the emperor himself. This shows that Emperor Taizu did not oppose the people suing officials; in fact, he encouraged the people to supervise the government to prevent officials from deceiving their superiors and to prevent official corruption."

The Hongzhi Emperor nodded slightly: "That is indeed the case. Then why is it necessary to prohibit the instigation of lawsuits by the common people?"

Yang Shendao said: "The prohibition of instigating lawsuits by Emperor Taizu was aimed at those who instigate and monopolize lawsuits for profit or to maliciously disrupt order. The original intention of the legislation was to maintain the stability of grassroots social order."

"At the beginning of the Ming Dynasty, everything was in ruins and people were rebuilding. Most of the people were illiterate. If they went to court, they would certainly not be able to defeat the scholars. The scholars had already received favors from the court. If they were to take advantage of the people, that would be going too far."

"If two ordinary people are going to court, they will still have to ask a scholar to litigate. This will lead to the emergence of a middle class that uses legal knowledge to manipulate the judiciary and profit from it."

"In short, what the Taizu Emperor targeted were scholars like myself!"

The Hongzhi Emperor was taken aback, seemingly finding it quite reasonable.

Yang Shen continued, "The Great Edict targets corrupt officials, those who stand between Your Majesty and the people. They rely on the power granted by the court to deceive the emperor and the people, while monopolizing educational resources. If the people do not study and are not enlightened, they will be kept ignorant."

The Hongzhi Emperor asked, "Are you saying that the ignorance and deception of the people is man-made?"

Yang Shen nodded: "The people are ignorant, so they can be deceived at will. For example, the people have no idea which taxes the government collects privately and which they should pay. For another example, the people don't know how or where to sue unscrupulous gentry like Wu Youfu for encroaching on their land."

The Hongzhi Emperor remained silent for a moment, then said, "The problem lies with those people, not with the policies."

"Your Majesty, this is not all!"

Yang Shen shook his head and continued, "For example, His Majesty clearly issued an edict to encourage agriculture, but as it was implemented at each level, it turned into an act that harmed the people."

The Hongzhi Emperor's expression changed slightly: "How could that be? The edict encouraging agriculture is meant to instruct the people to cultivate the land properly, how could it harm them?"

Yang Shendao said, "The decree to encourage agriculture was issued from the Six Ministries to the Provincial Administration Commission, then to the prefectures and counties, and finally to the yamen runners who went to the fields to teach the people how to cultivate the land and learn the decree. It seems like a good thing, but the problem is that the people have a limited time to cultivate the land. If they miss the sowing season because of the agricultural promotion, it will not only fail to achieve a good effect, but will actually become a bad thing."

The Hongzhi Emperor was stunned again, waiting for him to continue.

Yang Shen continued, "When farmers cultivate the land, they pay attention to the timing of planting. Sowing is done around Qingming Festival, and rice seedlings are transplanted around Grain Rain. If you miss it, you have to wait another year. But when the officials come, they have to gather the people together, read out the imperial edicts to encourage farming, and explain the methods of cultivation. One or two days is fine, but if it is delayed for three to five days, all the work in the fields will be delayed."

"This is only a delay. What if some officials have ulterior motives and use the pretext of encouraging agriculture to go to people's homes to eat and drink and extort money? What will the people think then?"

The Hongzhi Emperor leaned back in his chair and remained silent for a long time.

Yang Shen looked at him, knowing that he needed time to process these words.

After a long while, the Hongzhi Emperor slowly spoke: "What you've said, I really hadn't thought of before."

Yang Shen said softly, "I believe that Emperor Taizu's original intention was good. The prohibition against instigating lawsuits among the people and the revision of the Great Proclamation were all for the purpose of stabilizing people's livelihoods and allowing them to live and work in peace. When the people are at peace, the Ming Dynasty will be at peace."

"However, this policy has been completely misinterpreted over the past century."

The Hongzhi Emperor looked up at him: "How has this become a misinterpretation?"

Yang Shendao said, "The prohibition against instigating lawsuits among the people was passed down, and it eventually became a prohibition against lawsuits by the common people. The word 'instigation' disappeared. As a result, the common people dared not file lawsuits, and officials and gentry could do whatever they wanted. Over time, the Great Proclamation became a mere formality."

After a moment of silence, the Hongzhi Emperor suddenly asked, "How should we resolve this situation you've described?"

Yang Shen was waiting for this very sentence, so he said, "It's very simple: popularize education and let the people read."

The Hongzhi Emperor frowned and said, "The common people's duty is to farm; what use is studying?"

Yang Shen shook his head: "What Your Majesty said is exactly the result of the efforts made by gentry and officials throughout the land over the past hundred years."

"Since the founding of the Ming Dynasty by Emperor Taizu, the Ming Dynasty has lasted for 150 years. They have repeatedly used this phrase to deprive the people of their right to education."

"The gentry and officials want to keep the people ignorant so they can manipulate the system, embezzle, and amass wealth. If the people become enlightened, discover the injustices, and point them out, it will be much harder for them to make money. Therefore, they oppose the people reading and having their own thoughts. Otherwise, they are considered troublemakers!"

The Hongzhi Emperor pondered for a moment and said, "You mean, you want all the people to take the imperial examinations? Then who will farm the land?"

Yang Shen shook his head: "Studying isn't just about passing the imperial examinations; the essence of studying is to enlighten the mind!"

Confucius said, "In education, there should be no discrimination." Only when people are educated can they distinguish right from wrong and stand up against injustice. Otherwise, they will only be tools for farming their whole lives, and officials can deceive and distort imperial edicts at will.

"In the end, the people suffer injustice and can only conclude that the court is incompetent. If this continues, people will inevitably follow the example of Emperor Taizu and rise up in rebellion, and the Ming Dynasty will perish from internal strife!"

The Hongzhi Emperor's expression changed drastically.

Xiao Jing was startled and quickly advised, "Yang, be careful what you say! Our Great Ming Dynasty is at peace throughout the land, how could there be internal strife?"

Yang Shen said calmly, "The rebellion of the chieftains in Yunnan, the uprising of Deng Maoqi in Shaxian, Fujian, the rebellion of refugees in Jingzhou, the Miao uprising in Guizhou, and the peasant uprising in Junlian County, Sichuan—all these rebellions occurred in remote areas without exception."

Xiao Jing opened his mouth, then subconsciously said, "Remote areas are difficult to manage!"

Yang Shen shook his head: "It's not that they're hard to manage, but because the mountains are high and the emperor is far away, the officials are like local tyrants. They can bully the people at will and are not afraid of the court's investigation, because they are too far away and the court can't reach them."

"The people have been oppressed for so long that they can no longer survive; they have no choice but to rebel!"

"Throughout history, there have only been two types of rebels: those who are powerful ministers who hold military power, such as Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao, and Sima Yi in the Three Kingdoms period, An Lushan in the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Taizu of Song, Zhao Kuangyin, and in our dynasty..."

Yang Shen suddenly realized he had misspoke and quickly corrected himself: "Besides powerful ministers, there are also starving people! The most typical example is Emperor Taizu Gao, who was originally a commoner from Huaixi, but rose up in rebellion during the chaos of the times, eventually driving out the Tartars and unifying the country!"

"And now, rebellions are rampant within the borders of our Great Ming Dynasty. Is it really just a matter of unruly people causing trouble? Right now, it's only in remote areas. If this continues and the situation spreads, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

The Hongzhi Emperor's face was grim. After a long silence, he finally spoke: "You say that allowing the people to study will solve the problem?"

Yang Shen nodded and replied, "Take today's case for example. If those 170-plus people were literate and understood the laws of the court, they wouldn't have been oppressed by Wu Youfu until now. They should have gone to the government to file a complaint and seek justice from the officials. However, the reality is that they are illiterate and have no idea what the Ming Dynasty law stipulates. Even if they did know, they wouldn't even know how to write a legal document, so they wouldn't be able to get in the door to file a complaint, and thus they can only be oppressed."

"Let me give you another example. When the lower reaches of the Haihe River flooded, Your Majesty showed compassion for the people and exempted the local area from taxes. But who truly benefited from the tax exemption—people like Dayong or people like Wu Youfu?"

"Governments need taxes to function. If people like Wu Youfu pay less or no taxes, where will the government collect taxes from? What was originally a decree that would benefit the country and its people has, when implemented, made the poor poorer and the rich richer."

The Hongzhi Emperor remained silent for a long time before slowly speaking: "What you say makes sense. Enabling people to study is not a simple matter. People need to produce goods, books cost money, hiring teachers costs money, and families need surplus grain to support them."

Yang Shen nodded: "Your Majesty is wise! It is indeed difficult to spread education, but I can try in the development zone."

The Hongzhi Emperor's eyes flickered slightly: "How will you try?"

Yang Shen said, "I have already set up a school to teach the children in the development zone to read. I plan to teach them the Great Ming Code next, so they can understand legal proceedings. Even if they don't take the imperial examinations, they can still help the people with their cases. This way, they can help the people and also earn a living through their skills."

The Hongzhi Emperor stared at him and asked, "How do you know that the people you've trained won't become profiteers who exploit the law?"

Yang Shen replied, "The people in the development zone are all from poor backgrounds. They need someone to read and write to help them understand the laws of the court, so that when they encounter injustice, they know where and how to appeal. If it is a gentry family like Wu Youfu, they are already well-versed in the law and do not need a professional lawyer."

"From what I understand, you mean you want to pry open a breach between me and the people by dealing with the gentry who stand between me and the common people."

Yang Shen nodded frankly: "First, we'll pry open a breach, and then slowly dismantle this social class completely. We'll eliminate the barriers between His Majesty and the people, ensuring that the people understand His Majesty's intentions and genuinely benefit from the court's favors. We'll also ensure that officials are subject to oversight and cannot act arbitrarily."

The Hongzhi Emperor remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he sighed and said, "What you're doing will provoke public outrage."

Yang Shen looked up, his gaze resolute, and asked, "Your Majesty, do you wish for me to follow the crowd like other scholars, or do you wish for me to stand up and do something for Your Majesty and the people?"

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at him with a complicated expression and said, "You are going against all the officials and gentry in the country! If you want to enter the court, it will be as difficult as climbing to heaven! And your father and your second uncle will all be implicated."

Yang Shen smiled and said, "That's not what I think."

The Hongzhi Emperor raised an eyebrow and asked, "So what are your thoughts?"

Yang Shen said solemnly, "What I'm thinking is, since all the gentry in the land want to oppose Your Majesty, then I'll meet them head-on! I don't feel I'm in the wrong. Since I'm doing the right thing, why should I hesitate?"

The Hongzhi Emperor was stunned.

Xiao Jing was also stunned.

The warm room fell silent again.

Then the Hongzhi Emperor suddenly laughed.

It wasn't a polite laugh; it was a genuine laugh from the heart.

"Yang Shen, aren't you afraid of getting hurt?"

Yang Shen stood up, straightened his robes, and bowed solemnly.

"For Your Majesty, for the people, I am willing to risk everything!"

The Hongzhi Emperor looked at him and asked, "What do you plan to name your school?"

Yang Shen said, "Your Majesty, I haven't decided yet, but I humbly request that Your Majesty bestow a name upon me!"

"Xiao Jing, get me paper and pen!"

Xiao Jing turned around, took out paper and pen, and then ground the ink.

After a moment's thought, the Hongzhi Emperor picked up his brush and wrote six large characters: Great Ming Academy of Law and Politics!

He then tossed the pen aside and said, "Go! I want to see how big a breach you can pry open!"

Yang Shen bowed and said, "Your subject obeys the decree."

"Cough cough cough..."

The Hongzhi Emperor coughed again.

Xiao Jing quickly fetched a cloak and draped it over the Hongzhi Emperor.

After a while, the Hongzhi Emperor felt better and sighed, "My health is getting worse and worse."

Xiao Jing smiled and said, "Your Majesty is in the prime of life; it's just a minor cold. A few doses of medicine will do the trick."

The Hongzhi Emperor sighed and said, "I have been taking the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician for more than ten days, but it still has no effect."

Xiao Jing said, "This old servant has heard that there is a Medicine King Sect in the countryside, whose medicines are quite effective. This old servant has already sent spies to find the medicine, and we will have results soon."