amaotonovel Chapter 680 Li Shanchang, you are truly a living beast!
Chapter 680 Li Shanchang, you are truly a living beast!
If Emperor Zhu did indeed intend to move the capital, then many things can be explained.
For example, why was it that of the twenty-six students from Ningyang County who took the first imperial examination, only Zhou Jingxin remained in the Secretariat, while the remaining twenty-five were all sent to serve as county magistrates in the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, and not a single one was assigned to Jiangnan?
For example, why did Emperor Zhu upgrade Dengzhou to Dengzhou Prefecture and transfer Yang Dianfeng there to serve as the prefect and oversee the Dengzhou market?
It wasn't because "the northern lands are barren and in need of talented people to govern them," but rather because Emperor Zhu had the idea of moving the capital, which is why the twenty-five students from Ningyang County were sent to the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun to serve as county magistrates.
It is located near the future capital, but it is not attached to the capital.
Similarly, it wasn't because "Dengzhou had just suffered a disaster, and setting up a border market could speed up Dengzhou's recovery and allow the people of Dengzhou to live a better life as soon as possible."
Although Dengzhou border market is not very close to the future capital, what if we switch to sea route?
If the capital were moved to Beiping, the Liaodong Military Command alone would be enough to contain the Koreans. With Dengzhou Prefecture and Yongping Prefecture supporting each other, the capital's location would become inland, completely eliminating the risk of attacks from the sea.
As a result, the location of Dengzhou Prefecture became exceptionally important.
It's no wonder that Emperor Zhu upgraded Dengzhou to Dengzhou Prefecture and appointed his good son-in-law as the prefect of Dengzhou Prefecture.
This also explains why construction of Zhongdu Fengyang was halted.
He could even explain why Yang the madman wanted to establish reclamation farms.
Don't give me that excuse about resettling soldiers laid off from various garrisons.
Yang the Madman's ultimate goal was to transform the non-coastal prefectures and counties in Jiangnan into places primarily focused on agriculture and workshops, and then, by utilizing the reorganized garrisons, to gradually bleed the Jiangnan gentry dry.
Thinking of this, Liu Bowen couldn't help but sigh.
Is there still a good person in the Ming Dynasty?
Yang, in his madness, went on a crazy rampage, treating officials and local gentry as if they were not human.
When he ascended to the throne, he was always thinking three steps ahead, and after deciding to move the capital, he made various preparations.
And then there's Li Shanchang, that old scoundrel who had long guessed that the emperor wanted to move the capital, but he kept it a secret and refused to say it.
Upon further reflection, Liu Bowen felt even more displeased.
Why did that old scoundrel Li Shanchang tell me this secret alone?
Was it because he finally had a change of heart?
No!
He's trying to drag me down with him!
I had read those memorials before, but I had never considered the possibility of moving the capital.
Now Li Shanchang has made his intentions clear: whenever news of someone wanting to move the capital spreads, the first person to be suspected will be me!
Li Shanchang, you are truly a living beast!
Liu Bowen grew angrier the more he thought about it. While cursing Li Shanchang in his heart, he said with a dark face, "Qi-ge'er...it's about time he took up an official post, isn't it?"
Ok?
I was trying to give you some helpful advice, but you old fool stabbed me in the heart.
Li Shanchang sneered inwardly and retorted directly, "Where's your Lian-ge?"
After Li Shanchang said that, Liu Bowen immediately became dejected.
Well, it seems no one can escape this fate.
Li Shanchang continued, "Actually, sending them to the farm is a good thing—think about Tu Jie from Hu Weiyong's family."
Upon hearing the name Tu Jie, Liu Bowen immediately broke out in a cold sweat.
Right.
Tu Jie was inexplicably drawn into a case involving the disappearance of children and the outflow of ironware.
His own entire extended family repeatedly appeared in the King of Hell's palace.
Sending the younger generation to work on a farm for two years is a relatively safe option, at least for those two years.
Just as Liu Bowen was pondering this, Li Shanchang continued, "In my opinion, whether it's Qi Ge'er or Lian Ge'er, their going to the farm may only be the first step."
Liu Bowen's heart tightened, and he asked, "What about the second step?"
Li Shanchang said, "The second step is to send them to serve as officials in prefectures and counties."
"Just like the prince consort, he climbed up the ranks step by step from the county."
"Who knows, one day we might have to be transferred to a garrison for some training."
“Once they’ve all gained enough experience, it’ll be time for us old folks to step down and give way to the more capable ones.”
"Of course, this is on the premise that they live up to expectations."
"If they don't live up to expectations and can't compete with those students who came through the imperial examinations, they'll probably just be stuck with their titles and live a life of ease until another promising young person comes into their family."
Liu Bowen blinked.
Is this good too?
At least you don't have to live in fear, and you don't have to worry about the names of your entire family flashing wildly before the King of Hell.
With that in mind, Liu Bowen made up his mind: "Then let's split up and each go and persuade those civil and military nobles?"
Li Shanchang glanced at Liu Bowen and said sarcastically, "Is this something the two of us can do to persuade them?"
"Whose child isn't precious?"
"Listen to me, your Censorate will begin impeaching them tomorrow, focusing on their failure to properly educate their children."
“Let’s go one by one, starting with me, then the two from Chang Heizi’s family. Anyway, his family doesn’t have a good reputation.”
"After impeaching Chang Heizi's family, let's also impeach the upper-level families as well."
“Isn’t the Fifth Prince at the Medical School of Dengzhou University? Impeach him for neglecting his duties.”
“Isn’t the Second Prince in the Engineering Department of Dengzhou University? Impeach him for neglecting his duties and being ambitious.”
"The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince are in the army; they are being impeached for their excessive military spending."
"Once His Highness gets angry and deals with the Second Prince, Third Prince, Fourth Prince, and Fifth Prince, and they come to us for a solution, I will bring up the farm issue again."
"Brother Qingtian, this kind of eager buying isn't a good deal."
Ok?
So, it's me who offended everyone, and you, Li Shanchang, are the great guy who helps our old brothers solve their problems, right?
You're such a beast!
Liu Bowen cursed Li Shanchang in his heart, but Li Shanchang squinted and said, "Back when we hadn't quelled Zhang Shicheng, Fang Guozhen and Chen Youliang, even though the old brothers in Huaixi and Zhejiang were not on good terms, they could still work together. Everyone thought in the same direction and worked together. How did it become like this now?"
"I just can't understand it. They're just some local gentry and scholars, maybe with the White Lotus sect at most. How could they have stirred up so much infighting among us?"
……
Just as Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen were reminiscing about their glorious past and discussing how to swindle all the officials and nobles before turning their attention to the local gentry, Yang Shaofeng had already taken Hu Weiyong, Wang Guangyang, and Xia Yu to Ningyang County.
"Shocking."
Yang Shaofeng reported to Emperor Zhu in person: "In Shandong alone, there are more than 300 officials of all ranks involved, as well as more than 200 generals and soldiers of all ranks in the military districts and garrisons."
“In places like Zhili, Jiangsu and Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong, I’m afraid even more people will be implicated.”
"If we also include the White Lotus Sect..."