Chapter 916: Clown Jiang Qingzhi
If Confucianism is like a zombie, jumping stiffly across the Central Plains, then Mohism is like a knight-errant, traveling around with a sword.
Mohists don't like being constrained by nature. You let me bury myself in study and take the imperial examination when I am old and gray... I would rather travel around the world and avenge my enemies.
To be honest, even the most knowledgeable people only have a rough idea of what the Mohist school was like a thousand years ago.
But one thing is generally acknowledged, that is, the Mohists were unrestrained and upright.
There is even a saying that the Mohist school was defeated by its sinister younger Confucian school because it was too upright.
Since we have fallen into decline, let's not complain or fight for anything. When we have nothing to do, we can just walk around, have a look, and figure out some mechanical techniques. Isn't that great?
The Mohist school, which seems to have lost its heritage, actually still exists. How much knowledge could it have accumulated over thousands of years?
No one could have guessed it, but judging from the emergence of gunpowder, the emergence of flintlock rifles, and the emergence of artillery, this school of thought that had been in decline for many years had an incredibly profound foundation.
"How many more?" asked the Taoist priest.
"No more." Jiang Qingzhi smiled.
"Gone?"
"The rest are just some small stuff, they're all here." Jiang Qingzhi pointed to his mind.
He is a man who values friendship and loyalty. If it were Jiang Qingzhi, who had not experienced the baptism of South America in his previous life, he would definitely give all his knowledge to the Taoist master.
The Taoist was nice to him, really nice.
But power is the most poisonous poison in the world, it can corrode all affection.
Jiang Qingzhi would rather transfer the knowledge of later generations and his own foresight about the future bit by bit.
He didn't dare to bet that the Taoist would remain the same in the future.
Even great and powerful emperors like the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor still became confused and even crazy in their later years facing the threat of death.
Walking in the West Garden, Jiang Qingzhi thought of the Mausoleum of Qin Shihuang, which he had visited.
If the First Emperor had not become senile in his later years, the Qin Dynasty would not have perished in the second generation.
Emperor Wu of Han also followed the same path as Emperor Qin Shi Huang.
What they have in common is the fear of death.
The more a person has, the more he fears death.
"Is it gone?"
In Yongshou Palace, the Taoist priest suddenly laughed.
"Huang Ban, what do you think?"
Huang Jin lowered his head, "Your Majesty, I think that the knowledge accumulated by the Mohist School after lying dormant for a thousand years is probably... innumerable."
"Then why did he cover it up?" asked Emperor Jiajing quietly.
If Lu Bing were asked this question, he would definitely say he didn't know.
He is a hawk.
Huang Jin is not only a family servant, but also the Taoist's partner for many years.
So he said frankly: "I think that Lord Wei is afraid."
"Afraid of me?"
"Yes."
Emperor Jiajing frowned, "What is he afraid of?"
Every time the cousins Jiang Qingzhi and Emperor Jiajing met, Huang Jin watched from the side and figured out a lot from their words and actions.
"Your Majesty, Long Wilbur is not afraid of you, he is afraid of the emperor."
Emperor Jiajing closed his eyes and sighed, "Emperor? A heartless imperial family."
Huang Jin smiled bitterly and thought of the Qin Emperor and Han Emperor.
I also thought of Emperor Taizu Gao in his later years.
"Your Majesty, do you remember that Long Wilbur had advised Your Majesty to stop taking the pills several times earlier?"
"Hmm?" Emperor Jiajing was startled. "Pills?"
"Yes." Huang Jin said, "Chang Wei Bo said that elixirs are harmful and have no benefits, such as heavy metal poisoning."
Anger suddenly flared up in the eyes of Emperor Jiajing. "That is a Taoist elixir, extremely mysterious. How dare you, boy..."
what!
Emperor Jiajing's anger suddenly dissipated.
"That idiot... The emperor is afraid of death, so he seeks immortality. Once he fails to obtain it, he will go crazy. Or he will find a way to vent his anger... The Qin Emperor and Han Emperor were like this. They were wise and brave in their early years, but stupid in their later years. There is a great terror between life and death, who can not be afraid? I... am afraid of it too!"
“Is he worried that I will follow the same path as my predecessors and go crazy because I can’t get what I want?” Emperor Jiajing suddenly laughed, “Hahahaha!”
Huang Jin looked at the Taoist priest worriedly, "Your Majesty, in fact... I can see from the side that Chang Wei Bo's concern for Your Majesty is genuine."
The laughter stopped, and Emperor Jiajing narrowed his eyes. "If there is one person in this world who most hopes that I can live a hundred years, it is probably Qingzhi. He treats me..."
"It's like being with a relative, never with an emperor." Huang Jin saw that Master Dao was in a good mood, and smiled, "I have never seen anyone so relaxed when interacting with Your Majesty. His whole body was relaxed, and even his waist was a little droopy. He looked... like a child facing a close elder, so free and unrestrained."
"It's loneliness." Taoist sighed, "I was forced to be alone, imprisoned in the West Garden. As a great Mohist, he is also lonely in this Ming Dynasty dominated by Confucianism."
This pair of cousins are trying to keep each other warm... Huang Jin suddenly had this thought.
"I am not afraid of death. I will die if I have to." Emperor Jiajing said calmly, "That idiot underestimated me."
……
Historically, Taoist priests were afraid of death, so they performed various rituals and sacrifices constantly, which cost a lot.
Jiang Qingzhi's arrival gradually changed the situation in the court and the world, and the contradiction between the monarch and his ministers became more and more intense. The environment changed, and Dao Ye also changed a lot.
For example, there are fewer Buddhist ceremonies, and the smell of incense in Yongshou Palace is more replaced by the smell of fireworks.
"I don't dare to bet."
In Zhu Xizhong's duty room, Jiang Qingzhi said frankly: "I have tasted the sweetness of power. Those officials who are like gods in the eyes of ordinary people are respectful to me. A word or even a look from me can make them guess and panic... This is the taste of gods. Brother, people who hold power will be more reluctant to give up as time goes by."
"So you are so secretive and stingy when you take things out." Zhu Xizhong sighed, "Actually, you are wrong."
"Oh!"
“It’s hard to change human nature.”
"I admit this."
"Your Majesty is affectionate and generous to his family and those around him. Even if he is afraid of death because of his old age, in my opinion, people who are affectionate become more affectionate as they get older."
"Lonely!"
"Look! Look, I told you you're not stupid! Why are you so confused today?" Zhu Xizhong shook his head, "You seem to be close to His Majesty and me in the past few years, but in fact you are wary of me. Don't shake your head, I've never been wrong in judging people."
Jiang Qingzhi was really shocked. "Am I wary?"
Do I need it?
Jiang Qingzhi felt that he had never been on guard against the old playboy and the Taoist priest at all...here he was referring to their personal relationship.
"You have." Zhu Xizhong said, "Many times you don't realize it yourself. When you encounter something or find something wrong, you always look sarcastic or disdainful, as if... like a god watching a mortal doing something stupid. Do you know that look makes people want to beat you up?"
"Have it?"
"Have!"
"Fuck!"
"You often ridicule others for being like a crow landing on a pig. You only see the blackness of the pig, but fail to see that your own family is also pitch black." Zhu Xizhong rarely finds an opportunity to ridicule his younger brother, and he goes all out, "Your family is just like that."
Jiang Qingzhi lit a cigarette, took a puff, and exhaled the smoke.
"Think about it slowly." Zhu Xizhong stood up and came over to pat his shoulder. "Your Majesty is smarter than we imagined. I can see it all. Do you think Your Majesty doesn't know? He is just tolerating you."
Jiang Qingzhi was confused.
It seems that everything I did was seen by the Taoist priest, but I was feeling complacent about it.
I feel like I have fooled the ancients.
I'm just a clown.
A feeling of frustration made Jiang Qingzhi a little annoyed.
"Uncle."
Mo Zhan came in, "Someone's coming from Lu Song's side."
"Who?"
"Lü Ping."
"Greetings, Lord." Lu Ping came in. "The Minister of the Chancellery came down to invite you to have a drink after you leave the yamen."
Jiang Qingzhi wanted to decline, but when he thought of what Daoye and Zhu Xizhong said, he nodded, "The old place?"
"Yes."
"it is good."
As soon as Lu Ping left, someone came from the Taoist priest's side.
"Your Majesty said that the lifting of the maritime ban needs to be discussed by the court. In addition, before lifting the maritime ban, the fleet construction must be decided first."
"Reporting to your majesty, just say, I know."
Lifting the maritime ban requires support from multiple departments. After the maritime ban is lifted, the scale of civilian ships going out to sea will become larger and larger, and the current size of the Ming navy cannot control the situation.
Therefore, a strong navy is necessary to suppress the situation.
"My Lord, money and grain are a big problem," said Zhang Juzheng.
"I know." Jiang Qingzhi stroked his smooth chin, "Let's discuss this matter with Lu Song first."
After leaving the government office, Jiang Qingzhi went to the alley.
The alley had a stronger flavor of the New Year. The children probably received lucky money and bought firecrackers, which were exploding here and there.
Jiang Qingzhi entered the tavern, and Lu Song was sitting in the corner, waving, "Here!"
Jiang Qingzhi walked over and sat down. "It's rare for a stingy old man like you to treat me to a meal. Tell me, what's the matter?"
"Let's drink first." Lu Song stood up and poured wine for Jiang Qingzhi. After sitting down, he raised his glass. Jiang Qingzhi smiled and said, "Let's talk about things."
Lu Song drank it all in one gulp, "Today I tried to test the attitudes of those people towards lifting the maritime ban."
"Not good?" Jiang Qingzhi was a little hungry, so he picked up a piece of pig's stomach and ate it.
The pork tripe was probably stewed and then fried, and the taste was very strange and not very good.
"What they mean is... anything that is good for the new policy, anything that is good for you..."
"All against?"
Lu Song poured the wine slowly. "I argued that the overall situation should be given priority. I listed the difficulties in the government's finances, but those people..."
"This is the Confucianism you defend so much." Jiang Qingzhi said calmly, "You still want to reform these people. Old Lu, this is wishful thinking."
"I can't care about that right now." Lu Song smiled bitterly, "Lifting the maritime ban is urgent, but those people are vowing to stop it... Some even said that they would rather die than agree!"
Seeing Jiang Qingzhi silent, Lu Song sighed and said, "This is a hole. The anger and hatred brought about by the land reclamation will burst out from this hole. We... lifting the sea ban is difficult, and raising money and food to build a fleet is even more difficult."
"I am glad that you used us."
Jiang Qingzhi finished his glass of wine, stood up and said, "Old Lu, I'll find a way to get the money."
"What can we do?" Lu Song smiled bitterly.
Jiang Qingzhi said calmly: "Just wait and see."
(End of this chapter)
