Ru Quan then said, “I’m not saying that merchants are forbidden, but throughout history, agriculture has been prioritized over commerce. Grain is the foundation of a stable government. Merchants make extraordinary profits, which enriches themselves, leading to extravagance and debauchery, and causing the people to neglect farming.”

Seeing that his two sons were about to start arguing, Ru Chang just listened quietly. He had no intention of getting involved in the conversation; he just wanted to see what his sons thought.

Ru Chang was actually quite satisfied with his three sons. Although he was an official in the Ministry of Personnel and could have used his position for personal gain, he did not do so.

For example, both of his sons are currently studying at the Imperial Academy. In fact, it wouldn't be impossible to actually grant them official positions.

Guhe

For now, his two sons are still studying diligently at the Imperial Academy, preparing for the imperial examinations. If they were to enter officialdom, they would essentially be following the proper path, requiring them to pass the examinations with flying colors to become officials.

As for his eldest son, Ru Jian, becoming an official, although Ru Jian's abilities were rather ordinary, he still managed to become an official. This was naturally due to the emperor's favor; Ru Jian was not only an official, but even if he was only a minor official, he was still an official with real power.

Moreover, Ru Jian was also a驸马都尉 (Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant), making him one of Emperor Ying Shi's uncles, which was clearly one of the greatest favors bestowed upon him. In fact, everyone understood that this was the emperor's affirmation of Ru Chang.

Ru Chang listened attentively to his two sons' argument, finding nothing wrong with it. He was happy to see his sons each express their own opinions. As for the conflicting viewpoints, it wasn't a big deal.

Even Ru Chang, who served in the same court as Yan Zhenzhi, Lian Zining, and others, and had been by the emperor's side since his time as a prince, sometimes had differences of opinion with such colleagues and friends.

It's nothing serious; even officials in the same court have differing opinions. It's also normal for brothers to have disagreements.

“Father, His Majesty is very fond of business, which may not be a good thing.” Ru Quan said with some emotion, expressing his concern. “Previously, the Maritime Trade Office had trade routes to overseas countries, and many merchants in the country had dealings with it. Now, with the banks providing further support and the land tax being converted into a poll tax, merchants will likely benefit even more.”

Ru Yong, however, immediately said, “Your Majesty has also said before that in order to make a profit, merchants must bear risks and also incur costs. Merchants’ goods must be of high quality and low price in order to be popular. Merchants also need to hire people to produce goods. Those who have no land or little land can find a job to support their families.”

This is naturally a fact, and it's only right that merchants profit. However, these merchants also need to produce goods to bring more products to the people of the Ming Dynasty, and they also need more workers or to collect raw materials, etc.

Ru Yong, beaming with excitement, said, “Merchants obtain silk and cotton from farmers, who then profit by paying taxes and buying salt. If merchants want to trade cloth, they must hire weavers, which means someone can earn wages to support their family.”

There are some truths that people may actually know, but many are unwilling to think about them or simply do not want to admit them.

These are principles that many people understand, and Ru Yong is simply explaining them more clearly.

Moreover, these were principles that Ru Yong had heard from the emperor, which naturally meant that many people would pay even more attention to them. Some even felt that what the emperor said must be profound truth, the absolute truth.

He continued to listen to his two sons argue, probably also to test their understanding.

In fact, by listening to the arguments between the two sons, one can understand the thoughts and opinions of the students at the Imperial Academy.

The Imperial Academy was, after all, an important training ground for future officials of the Ming Dynasty, and the knowledge and abilities of its students should not be underestimated. Especially now that a major event is about to occur, not only is the court buzzing with discussion, but the scholarly community is also debating these matters.

It's impossible for everyone to applaud it, a fact many understand. However, the extent of the controversy it will cause is something many are watching closely; it's no small matter.

After all, everyone understood that the land tax reform would inevitably infringe upon the interests of many people. And those whose interests were infringed upon were all people with considerable power. If these people caused trouble, the emperor would naturally be under immense pressure.

At this point, we need to see the emperor's ability to withstand pressure and his skill in handling situations; this is no small matter.

Zhu Yunying may not be fully aware of the rumors circulating outside. However, he is naturally aware of certain things, so this doesn't surprise him at all; dissenting voices are perfectly normal.

For Zhu Yunying, there was nothing to worry about; it was only human nature. After all, in those people's eyes, Zhu Yunying had threatened their interests, and it would be highly unusual for them not to take any action.

There's no need to do anything now; it's probably normal to have dissenting voices.

As long as these people don't cause too much trouble for the time being, Zhu Yunying naturally doesn't care. In fact, in Zhu Yunying's eyes, their opposition is basically like a mantis trying to stop a chariot, and such overestimation of their own strength is not worth paying attention to.

Some things are irreversible, and the general trend of the world is not so easy to change. The most important thing is that the emperor's will will certainly be implemented. After all, Zhu Yunying is not some puppet; he is the true Son of Heaven, holding real power.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!