Chapter 036: Zhu Yuanzhang and Liu Ji's Disharmony
The chief editor of the laws and regulations of the "Great Ming Code" was Li Shanchang, assisted by twenty people including the Chief Censor Liu Ji as legal advisors.
Li Shanchang was merely the chief executive, while the legal advisors were the ones who did the real work. The biographies of the twenty legal advisors reveal that Liu Ji was the mastermind—firstly, he held the highest official position and title, and secondly, he was the most talented, with the other scholars far inferior to him.
Therefore, it can be said that the first credit for the "Great Ming Code" goes to Liu Ji, and the "Great Ming Code" also reflects Liu Ji's thoughts.
Liu Ji's governing philosophy is often described as "rule by virtue", and he often talks about "rule by virtue" and wants to educate the people.
So how do we educate the people?
Liu Ji said that the people should know and understand the law, and the rule of law can ensure long-term stability for the people.
Liu Ji's most important advice to Zhu Yuanzhang was not "attack Chen Han first" (Zhu Yuanzhang was attacked by Chen Han), but "please make laws to stop the indiscriminate killing."
Of course, Liu Ji was not a Legalist. He was a true descendant of Confucianism. The "combination of leniency and severity" and "combination of morality and law" he advocated were all said by Confucius.
Well, he is a lowly Confucian of Xunzi.
Compared with Liu Ji, Zhang Yi is considered to be average.
He was just a great scholar who taught his son to become a brave and famous general, and donated his private land to create public land for mutual assistance.
It’s nothing, really nothing.
As a Confucian scholar and a disciple of Cheng and Zhu, it's reasonable for me to read a few military books, right? I care about the people and use my private land to implement the well-field system, right?
It is indeed reasonable.
Liu Ji and Zhang Yi both stayed temporarily at Song Lian's house.
Song Lian cleared out a small yard for the two of them and helped them organize the books they brought.
Except for the books of Xunzi, Liu Ji's collection is entirely composed of Legalist doctrines; Zhang Yi's collection is better, with half of it being Confucian classics and half being military books.
The corners of Song Lian's dark lips twitched slightly.
These two people have revealed their true intentions and don't even want to pretend anymore.
Fortunately, they had a common dream of the "Well-Field System", otherwise there would have been many more fights.
This group of literati in Jinhua, eastern Zhejiang, led by the Four Masters of Eastern Zhejiang, all dreamed of the well-field system.
Now that they had hope of realizing the well-field system, they temporarily put aside their hostility and began to exchange information again.
Ye Zheng was also invited to come and formally meet with the two as a descendant of Mr. Shui Xin and a successor of the Yongjia School.
Ye Zheng had originally prepared for a fight, but when he saw the books on Liu Ji and Zhang Yi's bookshelf, he shut up.
Liu Ji applied a cold, wet cloth to the corners of his eyes and said, "That Biao'er's identity is not simple. Could he be Zhu Yuanzhang's biological son?"
Several people present: "..."
Song Lian smiled, then pulled the injured corner of his mouth and twitched violently: "Bo Wen, Biao'er is Chen Guorui's child. You should know Chen Guorui, he is the God of Wealth of the Zhu family army."
Liu Ji rolled his eyes at Song Lian. "I'm not stupid. You and Li Shanchang are Zhu Yuanzhang's most important civil officials. Zhu Wenzheng and the others are his most trusted adopted sons, all of them his confidants. You henchmen are so close to Biao'er, and Biao'er is even teaching the children of Zhu Yuanzhang's generals. Even if he's just a child, his influence is too great."
Liu Ji snorted coldly, "Either Zhu Yuanzhang is a petty-minded man, praising and killing a child like Chen Biao in order to destroy the Chen family; or Zhu Yuanzhang is hiding his eldest son at the Chen family, using the false name of the Chen family's legitimate son to protect him. Choose one of the two. Humph, but with your moral character, you wouldn't collude with Zhu Yuanzhang to plot against a child."
Song Lian and others: "..."
Seeing Song Lian's expression, Liu Ji sneered, "Don't worry, not everyone is as smart as me."
Ye Zheng and Liu Ji had no previous friendship, so he didn't need to be polite when speaking: "Bo Wen, people who are too smart are prone to trouble."
Liu Ji said: "I will pretend not to know in front of outsiders."
He paused and said, "After knowing, it is safer to pretend not to know."
The life wisdom of “being confused is a bliss” is to pretend to be confused when you know the truth in your heart. If you are really confused, you will only die in confusion.
Liu Ji said: "Let's not talk about the previous things, and don't hide the important things from me. From now on, we will work together under Zhu Yuanzhang, and we will resist the overall situation of the world and become traitors among the literati..."
Liu Ji smiled and said, "Let's not fight among ourselves."
Everyone despised Liu Ji.
Compared to Liu Ji, who hid himself so well, they were not traitors.
Song Lian thought for a moment and spoke first: "Biao'er is indeed the Marshal's biological son. The physiognomist said that Biao'er cannot return to his position before he reaches the age of twenty. Don't let it slip."
Liu Ji raised his eyebrows: "Physiognomist? Is he really capable or a liar? Have you ever tried it?"
Song Lian said, "After the fortune teller revealed the secret, he fell and fainted that night and passed away a few days later."
Liu Ji said in disbelief: "Really? He wasn't killed?"
Song Lian shook his head. "My lord, the physiognomist said that day that Biao'er would not be able to return to his position until he reached the age of twenty. The specific situation would take several more days to calculate. The result... Sigh."
Liu Ji was speechless: "This fortune teller is really so confident. Hasn't he considered that he will be punished by heaven if he reveals the secret of the heavens?"
Song Lian said, "He might be too confident and think he can avoid heaven's punishment."
Several people were silent.
After a while, Zhang Yi asked, "What are you... talking about? What fortune teller? What divine punishment? Chen Biao is Zhu Yuanzhang's son?!"
Several people turned to look at Zhang Yi.
Ye Zheng sighed: "I'm relieved. Even with your talent and knowledge, Brother Zhang, you didn't realize that Bo Wen is so cunning. He is indeed not an ordinary person."
Zhang Yi: “…” I feel like he is despising me.
Liu Ji: “…” I felt like he was insulting me.
The literati in eastern Zhejiang began to have in-depth exchanges behind closed doors. Li Shanchang found Zhu Yuanzhang with wine and cried loudly while drinking.
Two more have arrived! Two more helpers have arrived! Things are getting better!
After getting drunk, Li Shanchang began to curse Zhu Yuanzhang as usual.
Zhu Yuanzhang first drove away all the scholars, then suddenly introduced the well-field system, and was also required to educate the soldiers and their children. The workload piled up on him. Every day, he would open his eyes and start working, fall asleep while working, and wake up to continue working... Is this a life for a human being?
I only sleep less than three hours a day!
Zhu Yuanzhang helped the wailing Li Shanchang to straighten his back while muttering, "Isn't three hours a day enough? Lord Li, you've slept enough."
Fortunately, Li Shanchang was drunk and unconscious, otherwise Zhu Yuanzhang would have been so angry that he would have packed up and left... He must have been reluctant to leave. He had finally sorted things out and had help coming. How could Li Shanchang leave at the first sign of hope? He was simply being eaten alive by Zhu Yuanzhang.
Liu Ji and Zhang Yi were soon introduced to Zhu Yuanzhang.
Zhu Yuanzhang respected Zhang Yi very much, but for some reason, he always felt that he and Liu Ji did not get along well.
After returning home, he said to Chen Biao, "Don't have any contact with Liu Ji. He always speaks in a sarcastic way and looks down on people."
Chen Biao was puzzled: "No, Mr. Bowen is very kind and amiable. He even painted a fan for me!"
Chen Biao unfolded his folding fan, on which was a picture of a chubby little tiger cub.
It's not a typo, it's just a little tiger cub, vivid and lifelike, just like a fat cat.
Zhu Yuanzhang was puzzled: "Why are you fanning yourself in the middle of winter?"
Chen Biao unfolded his folding fan, closed it, and then unfolded it again. He tilted his head back and fanned it a few times: "Handsome!"
Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”
He really wanted to refute his stupid son who was fanning himself in the middle of winter, but in the end he also took a fan and fanned himself with his son.
To be honest, it’s really handsome!
Liu Ji: "My Lord, if you are too hot-tempered, you can wear fewer clothes and drink more medicine to reduce your heat."
Zhu Yuanzhang: "...Don't you think this is cool?"
Liu Ji squinted his eyes and looked at him for a while, then said, "General, you are more suitable to wear armor and a broadsword. A folding fan is more suitable for scholars."
Zhu Yuanzhang straightened his scholar's robe and said, "Look, a scholar!"
Liu Ji said seriously: "It is suitable for scholars, not clothes suitable for scholars."
Zhu Yuanzhang: “…”
He went home to change his clothes, then thought carefully for a while and slapped his thigh.
You are so good, Liu Bowen! You are indirectly calling me a dog.
Zhu Yuanzhang went to find Liu Ji angrily to settle the score, but he saw Liu Ji holding his son's picture book and drawing a literacy book.
Chen Biao's eyes sparkled: "Mr. Bowen is amazing!"
Liu Ji smiled and said, "No big deal."
Chen Biao took out his folding fan and performed a trick: "Yes, sir, look, I learned it!"
Liu Ji praised: "That's amazing! I'll teach you another trick."
Liu Ji pulled out a larger folding fan from his waist, twisted it on his fingers, snapped his wrist, put the fan into his sleeve, then bowed, his movements done in one smooth motion.
Chen Biao clapped his hands: "So cool! I want to learn from you!"
Liu Ji held Chen Biao's hand and picked up Chen Biao's small folding fan: "Come, turn it like this first..."
Zhu Yuanzhang retracted his steps, then gathered his momentum and walked over like a gorilla, saying sarcastically, "Mr. Liu, didn't you say it's stupid to fan yourself in winter?"
Liu Ji put Chen Biao on the ground, stood up and bowed to Zhu Yuanzhang: "General Chen, I never said that."
Zhu Yuanzhang: "You said so!"
Liu Ji said innocently, "General Chen, think about it again. Did I really say that?"
Zhu Yuanzhang thought carefully.
Liu Ji really didn't say that! He just told her to wear less clothes and take medicine to reduce internal heat!
Chen Biao tilted his head, feeling helpless as he watched his father and Mr. Liu arguing with each other again.
My father is a simple, honest and upright good man.
Mr. Liu is a gentle, generous and elegant man.
They are all good people, so why do they always quarrel when they get together?
Not only did Chen Biao not understand, but the group of literati in eastern Zhejiang, including Li Shanchang, also did not understand.
Li Shanchang: "My lord trusts Bowen very much. He told him Biao'er's identity the first time he met him."
Zhang Yi: "That's right. The Lord didn't tell me, he only told Liu Ji. You reminded the Lord, and he was still confused. He said he remembered saying it, but he really didn't say it."
Song Lian: "My lord, before you even became king, Liu Ji has already been helping you formulate laws and overseeing all officials. Of course, I trust Liu Ji."
Ye Chen: "My lord, you let Liu Ji live in the Chen family. We don't live in the Chen family!"
Wang Xi: "Fortunately, the Lord used me to write the letter from Zhu Yuanzhang to Biao'er, so that Liu Ji didn't get it."
Ye Zheng: "Then why do the Lord and Bo Wen always insult each other every time they meet? The Lord was so angry that he said several times that when he became emperor, he would find an excuse to kill Bo Wen."
Several great writers looked at each other, puzzled.
Neither the onlookers nor the parties involved can understand it.
But Zhu Yuanzhang hated Liu Ji very much, but at the same time he trusted and valued him very much.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, Zhu Yuanzhang wanted to celebrate with the people in the name of Marshal Zhu, and asked Liu Ji and Chen Biao to take them to sell lanterns, to prevent Chen Biao from joining in the fun.
Zhu Yuanzhang dressed up so majestically that even his childhood friends had to rub their eyes before they could recognize him. But he still had to be careful that Chen Biao would see him and expose their father-son relationship.
