Yang Shiqi and his group left to discuss how to carry out land reform and how to implement it, while also dealing with state affairs.
Meanwhile, Zhu Yunwen, carrying the proposal written by Zhang Shan, the Minister of Revenue, went to the Imperial Study and found Zhu Yuanzhang.
When Zhu Yuanzhang saw Zhu Yunwen arrive, he smiled and said:
"Yun-hu, is there something you want to say?"
Zhu Yunwen nodded before speaking:
"Grandpa, I have a suggestion that I would like to have you take a look at."
He then handed a memorial to Zhu Yuanzhang, who carefully read it, his brows furrowing deeper with each reading. After finishing, he said to Zhu Yunwen with a deep frown:
"The land distribution order? Yunwen, we know your idea is good, and it's for the sake of the people and for the Ming Dynasty to continue forever."
Such a system reform would indeed have great benefits. However, I must say that it is almost impossible to implement in practice.
Although our Ming Dynasty was established not long ago, the relationship between the nobles, officials, and landlords and the Ming Dynasty was not deeply rooted, and they were not so closely involved.
It has not yet formed a perfect interdependent situation, but this group of scholar-officials has existed for so many years.
To think that it could be so easily eradicated and that a land redistribution system could be implemented would likely remain mere rhetoric, unlikely to achieve anything substantial.
Zhu Yunwen said:
“What Grandfather said makes sense, but we have to do this. Even if we don’t do it, another dynasty will do it for us in the future.”
Zhu Yunwen spoke quite directly, after all, there weren't many reservations between grandfather and grandson when they were together.
So when he said these words without any restraint, Zhu Yuanzhang fell into deep thought.
After a long silence, he finally spoke to Zhu Yunwen:
"You mean that if our Ming Dynasty doesn't implement this soon, it won't last long and will be overthrown, and other dynasties will be able to accomplish this in the future?"
Zhu Yunwen nodded seriously and said:
"That's for sure. Nothing happens without a reason. Everything that happens has a cause. This land consolidation policy has been going on for so long, and its drawbacks have always been significant."
As Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, aptly put it, "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it." In the beginning, when our Zhu family was conquering the empire, we wanted to overthrow that system. The people were like the water, naturally willing to support our boat.
But if we become the boat, yet fail to bring them any real benefit, and ultimately still leave them hungry, then the waters will one day capsize the boat.
Therefore, I believe that this problem should be solved sooner rather than later. Otherwise, as the dynasty goes on for longer, these scholar-official and landlord classes, who are like bloodsuckers, will form an intertwined and mutually dependent relationship with the Ming imperial power.
After that, this social class will be immobilized. And this class will exploit the lower class even more recklessly. One day, the resentment that erupts from the lower class will be borne by the royal family and the court, and the court will ultimately have to face all the consequences.
However, it would have almost no impact on the scholar-official class and the landlord class. Therefore, I believe this matter is inevitable and must be done.
Zhu Yunwen's analysis made Zhu Yuanzhang fall into deep thought.
He didn't know if this was something he should really do, since many rulers throughout history had wanted to target the scholar-official and landlord classes.
In the end, almost none of them succeeded.
So he didn't know whether he should take the risk.
Seeing Zhu Yuanzhang hesitate, Zhu Yunwen said:
"If Your Majesty trusts me, then entrust this matter to me. I am confident that I can handle it well. As long as this matter is resolved, the foundation of our Great Ming will become even more solid."
Upon hearing this, Zhu Yuanzhang asked with some doubt:
"Yunyi, tell me, what is the foundation of this Ming Dynasty?"
Zhu Yunwen spoke without hesitation:
"Naturally, it is the common people, the millions of ordinary people. The foundation of this world, formed by nobles, scholars, and landlords, has always been nothing but interests. That cannot be considered a foundation; it can only be considered a parasite."
If these people are allowed to form the foundation of the Ming Dynasty, they will only corrupt its very foundation. After a period of time, the foundation of the Ming Dynasty will be eroded and shattered by their greed.
By then, the Ming Dynasty would be a crumbling empire, on the verge of collapse at any moment. Only the ordinary people would be the true pillars of the Ming Dynasty, the only ones who would have faith in the country.
As long as they can live well, as long as they can love this land and this country, then the Ming Dynasty can prosper forever and endure forever.
If the old Zhu Yuanzhang had heard these words, he might have agreed but perhaps wouldn't have supported Zhu Yunwen in doing so.
However, Zhu Yuanzhang, after reading the history books, was different; he knew that Zhu Yunwen was right.
According to historical records, the later Ming Dynasty was destroyed by various natural disasters, man-made calamities, the general environment, and some bad emperors.
It is more accurate to say that the scholar-official class deserves greater credit, as their exploitation of the common people was so severe that it destabilized the foundation of the empire.
After a period of accumulation, the problems became increasingly serious, and the day of its inevitable demise arrived.
Having fully grasped the gravity of the situation, Zhu Yuanzhang, after some thought, looked at the proposal in his hand, gritted his teeth, slammed his hand on the table, and said:
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