Imperial Master of the Ming Dynasty

The little girl lying in the wooden basin slept soundly with her eyes closed. Her mouth was slightly open, revealing her pink and tender tongue. Her nostrils were opening and closing, as if there would be snot bubbles coming out of her nostrils at any time.

But at this moment, the little girl's face was pale, and it was obvious that she had not eaten since she was born.

Zhu Di frowned, asked the person next to him to take the child and hold her in his arms, and stretched out his hand to feel her breath.

——still alive.

Zhu Di ordered: "Ji Gang, take him to the military station behind and find a woman or a cow or sheep in the camp of the civilian husband. Feed the child and take good care of her."

"I obey the order!" Ji Gang accepted the order with his fists clasped on his horse, and then turned around with the baby to the auxiliary troops behind him.

"What's going on?" Zhu Di frowned more and more, "Are there abandoned babies in the richest place in Jiangnan?"

Jin Youzi said helplessly: "Perhaps because it is a female doll, the family feels that it will cost money to raise it, or maybe the family wants a male to carry on the family line."

Zhu Di didn't say much, but became a little silent, and the team continued to move forward.

Soon, Jin Youzi was mercilessly slapped in the face.

Tongxin's Hai Dongqing was startled by the vultures that were looking for food in the forest. Following the smell of rancid meat, everyone found a dozen abandoned babies buried together in a suburban mass grave.

There were boys and girls, nine boys and five girls.

"What exactly is going on?"

Zhu Di was completely puzzled: "If the family needs men to work in the fields or other things, why are there more abandoned babies of men than women?"

Jin Youzi was also completely speechless. It was true that he was born in a village in Jiangxi, but his father Jin Shouzheng was a scholar and was hired as a tutor in Linjiang Prefecture. Jin Shouzheng was a strict and upright person with profound knowledge. His students came back to him with great enthusiasm and respected him as "Mr. Xueya".

Jin Youzi received the best education his father could provide since he was a child. He studied under Nie Xuan, a Jinshi in the fourth year of Hongwu (who was an assistant at the Imperial College and an edict in Luling), and studied the Confucian classic "Spring and Autumn".

Therefore, Jin Youzi's understanding of the countryside was limited to when he was very young. But at that time, children were playing in the village, so how could they understand farming? Not to mention the current problem of abandoned babies.

As an adult, Jin Youzi relied on his knowledge to rise to the top and rarely paid attention to the lives of ordinary farmers.

"I'm ashamed, I really don't know the reason." Jin Youzi bowed his head and said.

"fine."

Facing the scene in the mass grave in front of him, Zhu Di, who crawled out from the pile of dead, did not blink his eyes, and his heart of stone did not feel any discomfort from it.

What Zhu Di really cared about was that the real scenes of the people in the south of the Yangtze River he saw were not only different from what he remembered, but also different from what the ministers reported, and even different from other places he had been to.

In the north, people's lives should be poorer than in the south of the Yangtze River.

But even if the whole family migrates at the risk of being beheaded, it is rare to see someone abandoning a newborn baby, let alone a baby boy.

Get the title immediately.

If a family in the North has many children and cannot afford to raise a child, they can just send them to join the army.

So, why are there so many, even large-scale, abandoned babies in Jiangnan?

An answer gradually emerged in Zhu Di's mind.

Because the people can't afford it.

This is not nonsense, what really matters is the reason behind not being able to afford it.

Normally, even if the farmers in Jiangnan pay the highest taxes in the world, they can still have enough food and clothing for their family.

Why? Just because paddy fields in the south of the Yangtze River have the highest yield per mu, the only kind.

Otherwise, the empire's decision-makers are not fools. How could it be possible that the yield per mu of fields across the country is the same, yet Jiangnan pays taxes several times higher?

But what went wrong that caused farmers in the Jiangnan region, which is the most prosperous in the world, to abandon their babies?

Before Zhu Di could think clearly, his thoughts were suddenly interrupted.

"Don't go forward!"

Zhu Di raised his head and saw the few scholars he had just met on the road riding back in a panic on donkeys, panting.

Jin Youzi was pretending to be the leader of the team at this time, so he raised his voice and asked with a Jiangxi accent as a matter of course.

"Why are you so panicked? What happened ahead and you can't move forward?"

The scholar who was still the leader said with some tears at this time: "I heard from my classmates and friends that the village twenty miles ahead was burned by the army! Those officers and soldiers kill everyone on sight, run away!"

Zhu Di's first reaction was impossible.

It was his decision to lead a large number of troops to clear the south of the Yangtze River. Of course, Zhu Di also knew the virtues of his Qiu Ba group, but he had given repeated orders before setting off. Logistics and supplies were all transported by auxiliary soldiers and civilians coordinated by the Fifth Army Governor's Office. All troops were If you bring tents, cooking utensils and other items, you are not allowed to disturb the people under any pretext. Otherwise, you will be detained together and military law will show no mercy.

Zhu Di would understand if there were one or two daring soldiers who lost their minds and killed or looted.

However, causing chaos in the village is something more than one or two soldiers can do. How could any officer risk his head and future and risk his colleagues and superiors to do such a thing?

What's more, the most paradoxical thing is that the ones exploring the way ahead are the Emperor's personal guards, the Loyalty Guards!

Tong Xin also shook his head at him, indicating that Zhongyiwei would never do such an unqualified thing.

The loyal guards, let alone officers, are just ordinary soldiers. Their annual salary is much higher than that of looting the village. And once they are released, they will be junior officers of other guards. Who would have free time to cause chaos in the village?

"Go to the front and see what's going on. Be smart."

An escort was sent out.

The four scholars were about to speak but stopped.

Jin Youzi asked again: "Did you see it with your own eyes?"

A scholar took out his handkerchief and wiped his uncontrollable nose, and said sadly: "How can I see it with my own eyes? Is it possible to come back alive after seeing it with my own eyes?"

Hearing this, Zhu Di and others felt relieved.

"Then who did you listen to?" Jin Youzi asked inquiringly.

The four scholars looked at each other hesitantly.

They were about to refuse when Jin Youzi shook out half of his clothes from the package carried on the back of the mule.

It's just a clean, starched green robe.

"You are an official of the imperial court?"

The scholars were a little surprised.

Jin Youzi nodded and said, "That's right. I don't want to reveal my identity before I take this opportunity to return to my hometown to visit my relatives. Please forgive me."

"No wonder, no wonder we can afford to hire Mongolians as guards, and there are several of them."

A scholar whose face was mostly scratched pointed at Zhu Di and said to Jin Youzi: "Sir, your wife seems to be a strong man. Can you lend me his mule? My donkey beat me." So cruel, my hoof sprained while running wildly."

Seeing Jin Youzi's expression of shock, the scholar thought that he had not explained clearly. He turned around and exposed the donkey's butt, which was covered with bright red bloodstains. It was obvious that the men had beaten him without hesitation when they fled in embarrassment.

Jin Youzi was already praying in his heart that Zhu Di could leave him a complete body.

But he didn't expect that Zhu Di should be so forthright. Not only did he get off the mule, but he also led him there personally.

The scholar was very grateful, thanked him repeatedly, and took out the money and handed it to Zhu Di.

Zhu Di generously put it in his arms and wanted to take away the donkey's reins.

The stubborn donkey recognized its owner and immediately kicked up a hoof when he didn't want to.

"careful!"

Tong Xin watched helplessly as the donkey's hooves kicked the emperor. If the emperor was kicked for good or bad, it would be a big joke.

What will be written in the history books of future generations?

"Emperor Wen of Emperor Taizong in Volume 5 of the Ming Dynasty": The young emperor Wen was training his troops, and he took advantage of the Youyan Xingsheng place. Taking advantage of Jianwen's weakness, his long drive turned inward, and he was on the verge of conquering the four seas. After taking the throne, he visited the south of the Yangtze River and met a stubborn donkey who died.

Just when Jin Youzi rushed to protect him in an extremely inelegant manner, Zhu Di, as if he had expected it, turned sideways to avoid the donkey's hooves, then raised his hand to clasp the donkey's thigh and pressed hard.

"Bang" sound!

The stubborn donkey fell to the ground, making a dull crashing sound!

Immediately afterwards, Zhu Di pushed and pulled the donkey's ankle at a speed that no one could see clearly. With a "bang" sound, the donkey himself was stunned.

Seeing the stubborn donkey struggling to stand up, he immediately took two steps as usual and walked towards Zhu Di.

Several guards pulled out their knives, but were stopped by Zhu Di.

Zhu Di clapped his hands, and Stubborn Donkey rubbed his big hand affectionately with the sparse gray mane on his head.

"The old craftsmanship from the past has not been lost."

It was only then that Jin Youzi suddenly remembered that the emperor in front of him was also a ruthless man who could wear forty or fifty kilograms of heavy armor, hold a gun and carry a bow, and fight bloody battles on the battlefield in person.

After a small episode, after seeing the force of "Laoban Dang" and several guards, the four scholars were finally willing to tell the truth.

"We didn't see the news about the riots in the village with our own eyes, but a classmate who lives in a nearby village stopped us on the official road, not far ahead."

Looking at Jin Youzi with a calm demeanor, one of the scholars earnestly advised: "My lord, you should be familiar with the principle that a gentleman should not stand behind a dangerous wall. No matter whether the news is true or false, there is no need to move forward."

The scholars looked at Jin Youzi's guards again and said with some covetousness: "How about we go back together and take care of each other."

Tong Xin and others sneered at this.

Looking out for each other?

I'm afraid I brought four oil bottles with me.

Obviously they are afraid of asking for help from others, and they still talk as if both parties are mutually beneficial. These Confucian scholars are already extremely hypocritical at such a young age.

"You tell me one thing truthfully first, and then talk about other things."

Instead, Jin Youzi acted like an official, ignored the requests of the scholars, and made his own demands.

People under the eaves have to bow their heads.

The scholars looked at each other, and then someone said.

"My lord, just ask. If we know anything, we will tell you everything we know."

"It's best this way." Jin Youzi twirled his sparse beard on the horse and asked, "Then do you know why there are so many abandoned babies along the way?"

Upon hearing this question, several scholars hesitated.

Tong Xin took the lead and pressed the handle of the knife.

"We said, we said! Don't use the knife, and say what you have to say!"

This is when a scholar meets a soldier, and I can't explain it clearly. Several scholars talked about it in a variety of ways.

"The first reason is that local families really cannot afford to raise children."

"Why can't you afford it?" Jin Youzi made up his mind to find out more about the abandoned baby today.

"Because there is not enough food." The scholar's answer was simple, "There is not enough food every year."

"Songjiang is famous all over the world for its wealth. How come there is not enough food? Is it because the imperial court imposes heavy taxes?"

The scholar replied sincerely: "The imperial court's taxes are indeed heavy, but this is only on the one hand. On the other hand, it has to be paid to the landowners and clans. What is left in one's own hands is barely enough to live on, and it is far from enough to raise children." ”

Landowner?

Clan?

Jin Youzi, Zhu Di and others were confused.

Seeing that the topic had come to this point, and they couldn't think of running away without explaining it clearly to the court official in front of them, the four scholars simply explained patiently.

"It does not mean that whose name the field is in, the harvest from the field belongs to whom. According to the government's yellow roll and fish scale roll, the field belongs to A, and A is a yeoman farmer, but in fact this is not the case."

"What's going on?" Zhu Di interjected and asked.

The answer was none other than the owner of the stubborn donkey, who spoke in detail.

"For some fields, A and B have signed a private contract. The kind that involves fingerprints are actually B's fields, but they are nominally A's. This is the so-called 'sustenance'. Compared with simple tenant farmers, It’s not that harsh.”

Zhu Di suddenly realized that the people registered in the double register with the government were not tenant farmers, but self-cultivators. In fact, they were another form of tenant farmers.

Jin Youzi was quick in thinking and raised two questions in succession regarding this point.

"First, if a tenant farmer disguises himself as a farmer, how will the previous corvee be counted?"

"Secondly, if A wants to take out the property that nominally belongs to him to rent or do other things, isn't B afraid of suffering losses?"

The scholar said helplessly: "These two problems cannot be avoided with the clan."

"How to say?"

"The local chiefs are actually people from the same clan who take turns to be the chiefs. On the surface, this person is the chief in the government and is responsible for organizing corvees and collecting taxes. But in fact, he may be a puppet in the clan and cannot really speak. Those clan elders are in charge."

Looking at the shining blade that he inadvertently pulled out, he swallowed, and the scholar continued to speak with all his strength: "The so-called corvées are all done by local clans who organize young men in the village to serve, and they have nothing to do with the people who work in the fields. , someone will use X’s name to do corvee work, as long as the government catches the person doing the work, who cares whether you are the person or not, there is no way to confirm it.”

"What about A? Just be responsible for plowing the fields?"

"Of course not, you have to pay a fee to the clan."

Jin Youzi nodded. He finally understood the ownership and use of the fields and the part of the corvee.

There are many tricks to play, and from an official point of view, it can even be said to be impeccable.

If the land is registered with the government, it belongs to A, and it is indeed cultivated by A himself. If the government is too lazy to take care of it, then there really is no one to take care of it.

Since there is clan as a deterrent, in this era, ordinary farmers who have clan status are indeed unable to resist the powerful power of the traditional patriarchal system.

Then the second question about land leasing and subletting will be easily solved.

If you are A, I'm afraid you won't be able to get your "own" land title. It should be kept in the clan. Even if you get it, it will be very difficult to sublet it.

No one will come across the village to come to you just to rent you a few acres of land for farming.

The people in the same village are all from the same clan, and they know the tricks here. Since there are stable rules, no one will rent it, otherwise their family will suffer retaliation from the clan.

Moreover, the wife and children are barely able to survive in the heat of the kang, so who is willing to resist?

In fact, the shorter the period of time affected by the war, the easier it is for the fixed grassroots organizational form of the clan to stabilize, even to the point of becoming rigid and repressive.

As long as the clan elders continue to hold the power of the clan, this phenomenon of ranking based on seniority will continue in the clan.

Even a major disaster would be hard-pressed to destroy the organizational form of a clan, unless there was a major war that would cause the world to fall apart and family members to be separated.

This was the situation in the north in the early years of the Ming Dynasty.

The north is completely different from the south, especially the Han'er in the land of Yanyun. Starting from the Liao Kingdom, to the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, they have been separated from the south for hundreds of years.

This gap is not only reflected in the "North and South List" incident, but is a comprehensive gap in temple interests, economic exchanges, and cultural differences. It is definitely not something that can be bridged in just a few decades after the founding of the Ming Dynasty.

And Zhu Di himself is precisely the representative of the interests of northern scholars, military leaders, and landowners. Note that he is not a spokesperson or an agent, just a representative.

The topic returned to the present moment, Jin Youzi asked again.

"Are there abandoned babies just because they can't afford to raise them?"

"It's not because they can't afford to support them. There's another reason, which is quite important." Several of the scholars smiled wryly.

"explain."

The leading scholar replied: "No matter what happens when you are born, you must try your best to support yourself in studying. After studying for a year or two, you can see whether you are a good scholar. No one accepts his fate, so he must give it a try." , but the cost of trying this would make ordinary farmers bankrupt."

Another person added: "Just like gamblers, some farmers, after raising one child, want to support the second one and embark on the road that goes straight to the blue sky. In the end, they completely give up the idea of ​​having a baby. , or the family is destroyed.”

At this point, the stubborn donkey owner became emotional.

"It's hard to travel, it's hard to travel! Don't you see the bright golden branches in Jianzhang Palace, thousands of long branches hanging down on the ground. In February and March, the flowers are like sleet, and you don't see the nine layers of darkness."

"If I was not lucky enough to be admitted as a scholar, how could my parents dare to have younger brothers and sisters!"

At this time, the stubborn donkey under Zhu Di's crotch snorted and shook his hair.

At this point, the matter of the abandoned baby, and even the matter of the real land and property, have been basically clarified.

The two parties were supposed to say goodbye, but Jin Youzi went back with them without agreeing to answer their questions.

However, at this time, the sound of horse hooves sounded from the direction in front of the official road.

Tong Xin unwrapped the big bow wrapped in horns and wanted to shoot an arrow into the sky to summon the surrounding loyal cavalry to come and escort him.

Several guards nearby also drew their swords, and some people gave up their horses to Zhu Di. The team actually had horses, but only a few guards rode them. Zhu Di insisted on riding mules at first.

Zhu Di listened to the sound of horse hooves, but signaled them to be calm.

"There are no armored cavalry, they are all country horses. There are only three or five people in total."

Jin Youzi was stunned for a moment.

This is a veteran of the army, and his experience in battle is outrageous.

Just by listening to the sound, you can roughly judge the number and strength of the people coming.

"Xu~"

As expected, a few strong farmers from the countryside came, and the "weapons" in their hands were just ordinary farm tools.

A young man in front seemed to be very familiar with several scholars. After he dismounted and saluted, he glanced at Zhu Di and others, and said eagerly.

"Several classmates, the officers and soldiers who are making trouble in the village have horses. I'm afraid that you won't be able to run away and will be overtaken. Why don't you come back to the village with me quickly? There is a soil fence in the village. It is tall and thick. Even a small group of officers and soldiers cannot chew it. Those who come down are much better than you running around outside, so come back with me."

Seeing the young man's sincerity and some sense of truth in his words, the few scholars hesitated for a moment, then consciously or unconsciously followed him and the farmers who came with them, and walked forward.

"We are also very scared. How about taking us with you?" Zhu Di suddenly said while riding on the donkey.

The donkey snorted, seeming to agree with Zhu Di's opinion.

The young man who acted like a country tycoon had a hint of solemnity between his brows, and then he relaxed his brows and laughed boldly.

"Okay, okay! It doesn't matter if there are four or ten, it's all the same!"

"Let me go on my way!"

The Zhu Di branch will not be written for too long. I try to see the true style of the Ming Dynasty folk at that time through Zhu Di's perspective, so that everyone can feel the practical problems that will be faced in transforming a big agricultural country, and also to avoid the aesthetic fatigue caused by constant lectures. .The branch plots should be written with more twists, more compactness, and more realism.