Rebirth of the Ming Dynasty: Sixth Generation of Glory, I don't want it

Chapter 331 2 Little Kings and 8 Eggs

"I wonder how he dared to write this, just based on hearsay? Who used him as a pawn?"

Zhu Di deeply felt that the assistant ministers in the Prince's Mansion were not selected well.

"It's not a big deal. If it works, use it. If it doesn't, replace it. They are not wrong. Most of what is said in this memorial is not Dad's problem at all."

Zhu Gaochi no longer had his eyes covered.

I can still see, but the imperial physician said I still need to take care of myself, so I try not to use it.

He took the memorial from Qian'er and read it again roughly.

In general, Zou Ji's overall point is that the Forbidden City was built for nearly ten years. During these ten years, the ministers failed to understand the emperor's will and did many things that exhausted the people's hard work.

The focus of the opening chapter is that the ministers failed to understand the emperor's intentions and messed up things.

In the middle, many examples were given.

Some of them are well-founded and should be known by Zou Ji.

Some of them may have been written by others.

For example, the large-scale conscription of laborers has resulted in the loss of labor force in many families, lack of care for the elderly and wives, and abandonment of farmland. In order to make a living, the people are forced to cut down mulberry and jujube trees for cooking. This statement is completely unfounded and has no data to support it. It is just a lie.

The other examples cited by Zou Ji are quite simple.

He mentioned that a large amount of blue-green pigment was needed when the Forbidden City was built, and the court ordered all prefectures to purchase it. However, many places did not produce blue-green pigment, but were required to pay tribute of hundreds to thousands of kilograms. In order to complete the court's task, the prefectures could only forcibly levy it on the people. For a while, the price of blue-green soared to 16,000 strings of cash per kilogram.

That would have been fine, but when the pigments were delivered to the capital, the construction company refused to accept them on the grounds that they did not meet the standards.

It goes back and forth like this.

During those two years, the price of green in the market reached 20,000 strings of cash.

But a pound of green is actually not enough to brush even one pillar.

Even such a trivial matter as purchasing paint is such a problem, and the difficulties caused to the common people by other purchases are countless.

Zou Ji also mentioned that the laborers were miserable, and the common people were even more miserable.

Such a large Forbidden City was to be built in the center of the capital, and all the households whose houses were originally here had to be relocated.

At that time, the officials sent from the capital to supervise the construction of the Forbidden City only cared about demolishing it quickly and cleanly, and did not pay attention to resettling the people.

Before the construction even started, the whole house was demolished.

They just ignored the people crying and wailing among the ruins.

Temporary shelters are even more haphazardly planned, and it often happens that people are collectively driven out to move to other places just after they have been settled down.

Some ordinary people have changed three or four shelters but still cannot settle down.

The amount of money that was ultimately compensated to the common people was even less.

During the past ten years in the capital, every official involved in the city construction has openly turned his job into a means of personal wealth, and has used every possible means to extort money from the people.

Local governments across the country also did their best to supply the country, fearing that they would neglect the new emperor.

Even if one is an honest person, because he blocks the financial path of others, he will be slandered and ostracized, and at best he will lose his job, at worst he will be thrown into jail.

In short, Zou Ji’s summary of this middle paragraph in his memorial is very straightforward.

Everything I see is true - people strip off their clothes to please their superiors and make deals with others; corruption is rampant and no one is surprised.

If this memorial ends here, it can be regarded as a straightforward advice.

Unfortunately, this person added unnecessary details and ended up scolding Zhu Di:

Your Majesty, the tomb of your father, Zhu Yuanzhang, is still in Nanjing!!!

You actually abandoned the tombs of your ancestors and moved the capital to the northern border. You are abandoning your ancestors and are disloyal and unfilial!!!

That's why God sent down thunder and lightning to burn down the palace.

This is all your fault, Emperor.

"You almost pointed at my nose and scolded me! These people in your Prince's Mansion have been spoiled by you!"

Zhu Di glanced at Zhu Gaochi.

"He is putting the wrong person on the wrong head. Why should I bother with him? He flatters his superiors and is corrupt. None of this is what you did. The imperial court issues edicts every day asking everyone to be honest and clean officials. When have they ever listened to them?"

Zhu Gaochi didn't expect these people to do much.

It is easy to blame others, but difficult to examine yourself.

Isn't it that the huge Ming Dynasty is managed by all the officials? When they fail to manage it well, they put all the blame on the royal family.

Among all the civil and military officials in the court, only Xia Yuanji dared to speak and act, and dared to take responsibility for his words.

What Zou Ji said earlier was quite logical.

Aren’t they also trying to pass the buck later?

Laugh to death.

If his father, as a son and an emperor, was unfaithful and unfilial, and angered God, he would be struck by lightning and die that night.

He, the grandson and the crown prince, was burned to death.

Struck by lightning and burned by fire are the two legendary items of the underworld.

But they are both fine.

It just so happened that Zhang Xin had problems with her eyes.

Zhang Xin has fully demonstrated that God, ancestors and the like are nothing!

Zhang Xin has done so much for the people over the years. In terms of merits and virtues, no one in the court can compare to Zhang Xin.

During the Zhangqiu River flood incident that year, she single-handedly saved 200,000 to 300,000 Shandong victims.

Enough for many pagodas.

He was actually hit by something and became blind.

If there is a God, he must be a blind and a fool!

Thinking about this, Zhu Gaochi felt so angry that he asked again:

"Dad, is there no one else spraying?"

"The rest are nothing special either. I'm waiting to see what others write."

Zhu Di sneered.

The above are just testing the waters.

Only after seeing how Zhu Di reacts can the people behind decide what they should say and do.

It's only been three days.

To put it bluntly.

Those who come here to petition are all idiots!

"Then wait a little longer. I'll go back to accompany Dahua."

Zhu Gaochi was not in a hurry.

If you can rest, it would be better to rest for a few more days.

Zhang Xin's eyesight has not improved in the past few days.

Zhang Xin drank three bowls of blood stasis-removing medicine a day, but it had no effect except making her unable to eat.

"Go ahead, tell her not to worry. Your mother will be well again if she keeps busy. Even if she gets well, you should take good care of her for a year or so, otherwise she may have poor eyesight when she gets old."

Zhu Di waved.

"Yes, Dad! By the way, my second and third brothers should be back next month."

Before Zhu Gaochi left, he suddenly remembered something.

"Humph, you two little bastards, you're so busy going out to sea that you don't even care about your parents at home!"

Zhu Di was very angry.

There is really no harm without comparison.

The fat son went into the fire to save him even though he knew he was going to die.

Those two are having a great time outside every day!

"Dad! Be reasonable! I'm not doing my job! Am I going to stay in the capital to play with cats and dogs? You didn't even give me a fiefdom!"

Zhu Gaochi rolled his eyes.

"Get lost! Is that because I don't give it to them? I give it to them, but they don't want it!"

Zhu Di roared.