Volume 2: The Capital, I’m Back Chapter 73: The Great Talent Shang Lu
After listening to Jin Ying's report, Zhu Qizhen had another idea in his mind.
Before returning to Beijing, he personally created a pilot project in Huailai, but it was far from enough. Huailai was a small border town after all, and its development direction was characteristic agricultural and sideline products. If Daming wanted to further reform, it had to start with the land.
In the agricultural era, land is the foundation of a country.
Since the origin of Chinese civilization, whether it is folk legends or historical records, the purpose of every war is only one: to fight for land.
Not to mention the distant past, the Wala's move south this time was also for the land of the Central Plains.
The Ming Dynasty launched several northern expeditions, but each time it withdrew after fighting. The reason was that the land in the northern desert was too barren. Even if it was occupied, it could not grow food and eventually had to return to the interior. However, the Mongols who grew up in the desert had always coveted the fertile land of the Central Plains. Therefore, every ten or dozens of years, as long as a new tribe rose, they would definitely go south to invade the border, which was very annoying.
Zhu Qizhen was well aware of the drawbacks of the current land policy. However, if he wanted to implement new policies and carry out reforms, it would undoubtedly be a blow to the gentry class. If he took too big a step, he might get hurt. This is the truth that more haste makes waste.
Nowadays, the land distribution in Weizhou is extremely unbalanced, with half of it embezzled by Wang Zhen. There is no good conclusion yet on whether all these lands should be confiscated or distributed. We can take this opportunity to make a trial. If successful, we can implement it nationwide. If it fails, it will only be a small Weizhou, and the situation can be completely controlled.
When Shang Lu received the emperor's summons, he was not panicked at all and seemed to be well prepared.
Prince Qing and the cabinet have already talked to me, and joining the cabinet is a foregone conclusion. It seems that the emperor is preparing to test me personally.
It’s okay, come on. As one of the only two great scholars in the Ming Dynasty, how can I get the title for nothing?
"Your Highness, I, Shang Lu, wish you well!"
"I'm fine!" Zhu Qizhen nodded and said, "No need to be polite, come and take a seat!"
Huai En brought a brocade cushion, and Shang Lu bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Qizhen looked at Shang Lu and nodded secretly in his heart. He thought that he was worthy of being the book exhibition officer that he had personally selected. Shang Lu looked very similar to Louis Koo and was 1.8 meters tall. He could definitely become an idol in later generations. What was even more commendable was that under such a harsh imperial examination system, he had fought his way through with his own abilities and even won the top three places in the imperial examinations. His talent must be beyond doubt, but I wonder how capable he was in accepting new things.
"What book are you reading recently?"
Shang Lu was stunned and thought, aren't we talking about joining the cabinet? Why are you asking about reading?
Yes, it is necessary to test one's ability to govern the country.
"I have been reading history books recently."
"Oh?" Zhu Qizhen asked again, "Do you have any experience?"
Shang Lu was prepared in his heart, and immediately replied: "Use copper as a mirror to correct your clothes and hats; use people as a mirror to understand gains and losses; use history as a mirror to understand the rise and fall of nations."
Zhu Qizhen couldn't help but laugh. Do intellectuals always speak in such a lofty manner?
I asked you what your experience was, and you came to teach me?
"Let me ask you another question. What is your opinion on governing a country?"
Shang Lu nodded slightly, indeed everything was under his control.
"As the ancients said, governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. You can neither rush nor slack off. Only when you do it just right can you get things done well."
Zhu Qizhen thought to himself that this time it sounded a little more like human language, but it was still a castle in the air and flashy without substance.
"If I asked you to govern a state or a county, what would you do?"
Shang Lu thought for a moment and said, "We should put people first, reduce taxes, encourage farming, and implement benevolent policies..."
"I don't want to hear these big truths!"
Zhu Qizhen interrupted him and said, "Suppose you are now the governor of Weizhou, and you have already taken office. Today is your first day in office. I want to know what you would do?"
Shang Lu was a little confused. Was it because what he said was not interesting enough?
I'm going to join the cabinet soon. What's so difficult about a small Weizhou?
"I should follow the way of the saints and will...will..."
Suddenly, Shang Lu was stunned. Yes, what should I do?
For a moment, he felt that he had a wealth of knowledge but nowhere to display it, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead unconsciously.
"I will spend a month researching and familiarizing myself with the local civil, political, and military conditions, summoning the local gentry and wealthy families, and then... this... this..."
Zhu Qizhen could not help but feel disappointed. In terms of talent, if Shang Lu considered himself second, no one in the Ming Dynasty dared to claim to be first. It was not an exaggeration to describe him as a man of great learning and talent. However, even such a top talent, who talked a lot every day and could quote all kinds of great principles of governing the world, did not know how to govern an area.
It is easy to imagine what level those high-ranking officials in the court are at. If things continue like this, where will the future of the Ming Dynasty be...
Seeing Zhu Qizhen's expression, Shang Lu felt extremely ashamed and knelt down to salute, saying: "I will die!"
Zhu Qizhen sighed and said, "Do you know why I asked you to come?"
"I don't know!"
In just a few words, Shang Lu became a completely different person.
The self-confidence and arrogance that he had just displayed had disappeared without a trace. He felt as if he had read the books of sages for more than twenty years but had not understood a single word of them.
"Prince Qing and the cabinet both think highly of you and are ready to recommend you to join the cabinet, but I don't think so. Do you know why?"
"My minister... is not capable enough!"
When he said this, Shang Lu actually felt a sense of loss.
In the past, if I had said the words "incompetent", people would have rolled their eyes immediately. It would have been the Ming Dynasty version of the Versailles scene.
However, what I said today was sincere and there was no Versailles element at all.
"Shang Qing, I want to ask you formally, would you rather go to Weizhou to be a prefect, or would you rather go to the cabinet?"
If other people were present, they would definitely think that the emperor was crazy. Is it necessary to ask such a question?
The prefect was only a local official of the fifth rank. Moreover, Weizhou was a scattered prefecture, and its status was equivalent to that of a county. How could it be compared with a cabinet minister?
However, Shang Lu said willingly: "I am willing to go to Weizhou!"
"I don't want to force it. You can go back and think about it carefully. Give me a reply in three days."
"Don't think about it!" Shang Lu said with a firm look, "Please give the order, Your Majesty. I will set off tomorrow!"
Zhu Qizhen nodded gently and said, "Going to Weizhou is not an easy task. I still want to ask the same question as before. What should you do after you take office?"
"I am ignorant, please enlighten me, Your Majesty!"
Zhu Qizhen thought for a moment and said, "You just said that governing a region should be based on people. This is very true, but what is the basis of people?"
Shang Lu thought for a moment and said, "Food is the first necessity of the people. Food comes from the land, so we should take the land as the basis."
"That's right!" Zhu Qizhen was very satisfied with this answer and continued, "Since you know that land is the basis, then the first thing you should do after taking office is to check the land and have a clear understanding of the land situation in Weizhou, including how much good land, how much wasteland, how much paddy field, how much dry land, what kind of land should be planted with what kind of crops, when to sow, when to harvest, and..."
"Your Majesty!" Shang Lu couldn't help but interrupt and said, "Can you lend me a pen and paper? I'm afraid I can't remember it."
"That's not necessary. I wrote down a few items, and the land inspection I just mentioned is just one of them."
Zhu Qizhen winked and Huai En handed the note over. Shang Lu was overjoyed and stared at every word on it, afraid of missing any.
"I am only giving you a few suggestions. The rest is up to you. A gentleman is quick to act but slow to speak. I don't need to explain the truth behind this, right?"
Shang Lu took a step back, bowed and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Your Majesty!"
