jdhmnovel Chapter 770 Although we may not be well-educated, we're not stupid!
Chapter 770 Although we may not be well-educated, we're not stupid!
"Let's just say, we don't need to do anything, we just need to wait quietly and watch the show."
Emperor Zhu took a sip of jasmine tea with a smile and said to Empress Ma, "Look at this scoundrel. He doesn't make a move unless he's sure of it, but when he does, he goes straight for the weak points of the local gentry and gentry."
After carefully appreciating the fragrance of the jasmine flowers and the delicate aroma of the tea leaves, Emperor Zhu added, "This is much better than Xiaolongtuan."
Empress Ma smiled, but did not expose Emperor Zhu.
After all, his eldest son had broken someone's teacup, so he had to make amends by offering two catties of Xiaolongtuan (a type of rice dumpling). There weren't many Xiaolongtuan left in the palace for Emperor Zhu to squander.
After laughing, Empress Ma frowned slightly and said, "It's true that he's targeting the local gentry and gentry with deadly intent, but in doing so, those local tyrants and bullies will probably hate him even more, and there will only be more and more open and covert attacks in the future."
Emperor Zhu hummed in agreement, "Don't worry, sister, I remember everything you told me before."
"As long as this bastard doesn't openly raise the flag of rebellion, we'll pretend we don't see it no matter who impeaches him or what kind of rumors they fabricate."
"Although I, Zhu Chongba, haven't read many books, I'm not too stupid; I can tell right from wrong."
At this point, Emperor Zhu suddenly chuckled and said, "Those local tyrants and bullies don't actually know how to slander people."
Look at that scoundrel, either he's making up stories about pearls, jade, and white jade soup, or he's making up stories about Miss Liu Si. He's disgusting and harmful. The hard bed boards in the Qianqing Palace have witnessed our suffering.
Then look at those idiots, they're either making up some nonsense about the Golden Sheep or some scoundrel colluding with Biao to undermine Zhu Chongba.
Tsk tsk.
They thought what they had fabricated was useful, but what was it actually?
Whether Zhu Chongba believed in or not, let's not even talk about the so-called Golden Sheep theory. Just the fact that he and Biao'er joined forces to undermine us is something those idiots can't grasp.
Was the position of Commander of the Imperial Guards in Ningyang County something that Biao'er actively sought?
No, those were personally selected and given to Biao'er.
Is the imperial seal what Biao'er wants?
No, that's not it. We specifically reserved it for Biao'er to handle government affairs.
Are we staying in Ningyang County because that bastard is deliberately delaying things?
No, that's not it. We've got our eyes on the water pumps and steam engines in Ningyang County.
They assumed that emperors would value their power and would try to cultivate a crown prince while simultaneously guarding against him, and would use their ministers while also trying to guard against them.
A bunch of idiots!
If you cultivate a crown prince while simultaneously being wary of him, aren't you just pushing people down the same path as Liu Ju and Li Chengqian?
If you use your ministers while also being wary of them, aren't you forcing them to see you as an enemy?
Emperor Zhu shook his head, his face full of smug mockery: "Those local gentry and gentry, if they were to make up stories about how we deliberately didn't give him the title of Marquis of Champion, it would easily make that dog resentful. It's a pity they have to make up these useless stories. Tsk tsk."
Upon hearing the words "Marquis of Champion," Empress Ma's face darkened once again.
“Your good son-in-law is a real headache, and the students he teaches are all the same.”
"Everyone's eyeing the title of Marquis of Champion, I don't know what's wrong with them!"
Empress Ma put down her needlework and said angrily, "And those two wretched girls, Jin'er and Yu'er! It's one thing that they won't give birth to a grandson, but they haven't managed these students well either. How can they be the mistresses of the house!"
Seeing Empress Ma's anger, Emperor Zhu shrank back and unconsciously shifted his body, trying to minimize his presence.
The maid standing next to Empress Ma wanted to laugh but dared not, and could only lower her head tightly.
Empress Ma glanced at Emperor Zhu, then suddenly instructed her maid, "Have everyone leave and not approach Kunning Palace. You personally keep watch at the entrance; I have something to say to His Majesty."
The maidservant obeyed and left. Empress Ma gave a slight snort and said, "This time you sent Biao'er to Dengzhou Prefecture while the two of us stayed in the capital. What are your plans?"
Emperor Zhu sat up straight, sighed softly, and said, "We're about to unleash a massacre."
"At present, the Yuan dynasty has not been pacified, the Japanese pirates are still rampant, and there are also many other miscellaneous matters such as the reform of the Central Secretariat into the Grand Secretariat, the splitting of the Six Ministries, the reform of various directorates, temples and academies, as well as water presses and steam engines."
"We really can't allow them to hold us back any longer."
"It is even more impossible to allow them to wantonly harm the people."
Empress Ma gave a soft "hmm," and after a long silence, she spoke up: "What about the new gentry?"
Emperor Zhu remained silent.
Powerful clans and aristocratic families replaced the old-style nobility.
The gentry replaced the aristocratic families and were showing signs of becoming one, only their development was more covert and their methods more sophisticated.
So, when the gentry are swept into the dustbin of history, will a new class of interests emerge, and will this class also develop into aristocratic families?
After a long while, Emperor Zhu said in a deep voice, "There will always be new people replacing the old. This is the general trend. Even if I am the emperor, I am still helpless."
"However, judging from that scoundrel's years of meddling with community schools, county schools, prefectural schools, and universities, perhaps the solution lies in eradicating illiteracy, enabling more people to read, letting more people know the true colors of those gentry, letting more people know what rebellion is all about, and letting more people learn how to rebel."
"It may not completely solve the problem, but it can at least suppress it to some extent."
After a slight pause, Emperor Zhu continued, "Actually, we also want to take this opportunity to try out one of our ideas."
Seeing Empress Ma looking at him, Emperor Zhu slowly said, "Sister, do you remember that we specially recruited some commoners to serve as officials, and also allowed commoners to bind up corrupt officials and cruel bureaucrats and bring them to the capital to file complaints?"
Empress Ma nodded slightly, and Emperor Zhu continued, "We actually want to try having all the common people in the land act as censors to keep an eye on those officials."
"Although this method wasn't very effective before."
"But after spending more than half a year in Ningyang County last year, I finally figured out this problem."
"That's because ordinary people are afraid of officials, and they don't even know that we're on their side."
"Only when all the common people can read books, know the law, and know that we are on their side will they not be afraid of the officials."
"Only in this way can they keep an eye on those officials for us, and those officials will restrain themselves because of their concerns."
After another moment of silence, Emperor Zhu continued, "Also, that scoundrel has been making arrangements to conquer the Japanese and build ships. We always felt that it was not just about targeting the Japanese."
"Japan is nothing more than a country that can be easily destroyed once the Yuan dynasty is pacified."
"Perhaps he intends to shift the blame for our own problems onto other countries?"