Zhang Juzheng waited for a while at the entrance of the Ciren Temple. Zhang Siwei and Ma Ziqiang arrived shortly after.
"Prime Minister, why is Zhang Weishi in such a hurry?"
Ma Ziqiang had also noticed something unusual.
Zhang Juzheng said calmly, "Let's see first… Let's go!"
The three strode into the hall. Zhang Yu and Zhao Zhenji had already been waiting respectfully.
Seeing Zhang Yu and Zhao Zhenji sitting opposite each other in silence, with a slightly strange atmosphere, the three did not feel like greeting each other and instead returned to their seats.
Zhang Yu had someone bring out several manuscripts and distribute them to the three. After sitting for a moment, he began to speak:
"Taiyue, the court is putting a lot of pressure on us now. The Crown Prince is overseeing the nation, seeking to reform and return to the ways of the sage. Three years are allotted for this achievement, with Jiangnan being the primary focus. Our burden is not light… Uh, in the past few days, I have also drafted a strategy. You should all read it, and we can discuss it…"
What kind of person was Zhang Juzheng? With a single glance, he saw through everything –
This strategy was even worse than he had anticipated, and moreover, it was particularly absurd, even unprecedented!
The strategy stated that silk, salt fields, and other industries should all return to the ways of the sage. The method for this return was surprisingly "to use the patriarchal clan system as the framework for weaving, and to use the guilds as the supervisors of all industries." In contrast, the reforms he and Zhu Mo had implemented were based on the family and the individual as the unit, with three to five households working together to form partnerships.
Zhang Yu's strategy, while seemingly reasonable and indeed embodying the system of the sage – for the so-called system of the sage primarily consisted of the patriarchal clan system – was, upon slight reflection, exposed as absurd. How could industries be related to the patriarchal clan system? How could guilds supervise all industries? If guilds were to supervise all industries, what would the government do? Such a preposterous idea, and Zhang Yu claimed it was a strategy? And he brought it out for discussion so brazenly?
Zhang Juzheng was extremely displeased after a single glance, feeling the humiliation as if his own child had been severely beaten by someone else's adult. His expression immediately changed, and he remained silent.
Zhang Yu naturally sensed this sentiment and immediately said in a gentle tone:
"Brother Taiyue, the Crown Prince is currently overseeing the nation, Elder Grand Secretary Chen is diligently practicing the ways of the sage, and His Majesty is advanced in age and extremely anxious. Where would he have the time for delay… To be honest, this strategy was discussed with the Junior Grand Secretary, Minister Wu, and Minister Lu before I left the capital…"
He then looked at Zhao Zhenji and continued:
"Uh, Mengjing brother, what do you think?"
Zhao Zhenji was originally opposed, but the previous evening, Zhang Yu had suddenly visited, speaking with a tone of intimidation, and finally uttered strange words like whether it worked or not didn't matter. Zhao Zhenji remembered that when he was about to leave, Xu Jie had repeatedly instructed him to "never be at odds with anyone." Thus, he could only endure. This led to the discussion today. Zhang Yu's intention was actually to finalize it today; the so-called discussion was merely to save face for Zhang Juzheng.
With this thought in mind,
Zhao Zhenji sighed and said:
"Since ancient times, all industries have had leaders. Since we are returning to the ways of the sage, with the clan system leading the countryside and guilds supervising all industries, it is naturally not impossible… Cough, cough…"
Heh heh,
Zhang Juzheng's eyes swept over the two like cold lightning, creating a feeling of a fierce bull crashing into a porcelain shop, seeing exquisite porcelain shattering and falling all over the floor, his heart felt as if it were breaking…
Ma Ziqiang, himself from a powerful family in Guanzhong, had never suffered such humiliation in his life. Coupled with his innate heroic spirit, he immediately slapped the tea table with a bang and angrily declared:
"This subordinate believes this strategy is absolutely unfeasible!"
Haha?
Zhang Yu couldn't help but be stunned: He had passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-six, and after thirty years, no one had dared to humiliate him to his face! With this thought, his surprise turned to anger, and he said coldly:
"Ma Ziqiang, how dare you slam the table and chairs in front of your superior? Who gave you the courage?"
"Do you think that because your brother Ma Zixiu is a great salt merchant, you dare to oppose the Crown Prince's reforms? Let me tell you, the Crown Prince's reforms are specifically targeting powerful families like you who harm the nation and the people!"
"Taiyue, what is this person's official rank, and who recommended him? I want to impeach him!"
Ma Ziqiang had acted impulsively. He thought of how hard he and Zhang Juzheng had worked to achieve some results, and now Zhang Yu's single sentence was going to abolish it all, which made him unable to restrain himself. However, after his outburst, he regretted it deeply. After all, this person was sent by Yan Song, so how could he afford to offend him?
Just as he was about to apologize, Zhao Zhenji suddenly intervened to smooth things over:
"Weishi, this person has this kind of temperament. He is a former Shujishi… Uh, he has no improper background. Brother Weishi, he is from the border regions, so it's inevitable that his manners might be a bit lacking. I think we should let it go?"
Hmph!
Zhang Yu still harbored resentment and said contemptuously:
"Openly opposing the Crown Prince's reforms, Ma Ziqiang, Ma Ziqiang, have you lost your mind? How many heads do you have to dare to defy the court?"
Ma Ziqiang saw Zhao Zhenji trying to smooth things over and thought that if he didn't salvage the situation now, he would truly offend the Yan family. This person kept saying that his family was a powerful family and that the Crown Prince's reforms were specifically to deal with them. He immediately broke out in a cold sweat and bowed deeply to Zhang Yu, apologizing:
"This subordinate was foolish! This subordinate is just a person from the frontier, rough and untamed. I beg Your Excellency Zhang for forgiveness…"
Hmph!
Zhang Yu didn't want to look at him. Instead, he turned and looked coldly at Zhang Juzheng.
Zhang Juzheng sighed deeply, thinking that Zhang Yu was clearly alluding to him, meaning to force him to submit… Submission was not impossible, but the anger was truly hard to swallow. He immediately stood up, paced a few steps, and said gently:
"Brother Weishi, I wonder how this plan will be implemented specifically? As the Grand Grand Secretary, how can I not be cautious to do things well?"
Mm-hmm,
Zhang Yu nodded, thinking that this Zhang Taiyue was finally being pragmatic. He immediately smiled and said:
"This plan is not difficult to implement… Uh, for example, in weaving, in the villages, seven or seventy-eighty percent of it is messy and disorganized. Each household does its own thing, and it's inevitable that goods are sold cheaply and damaged… My intention is to still use the strong to lead the weak, and the large to guide the small. These small workshops of the populace should first be standardized according to the patriarchal system, placed under the command of the elders, and then merged with the large workshops. In this way, each village will have its own production, and each township will have its own industry. Is that not beautiful?
In the past, the Weaving Bureau was troubled by too many and too complex workshops. In this way, with a guiding principle, the Weaving Bureau only needs to find the elders in the villages, saving much inconvenience. How can it be said that it is not feasible? Moreover, all industries in the city are like guilds acting as elders. How can they not be standardized? Brother Taiyue, you are the pillar of the present. I have been judging cases in the Dali Temple for many years, and my administrative talent is originally inferior to yours. I don't believe you have no plan for implementation…"
By this point,
His tone had softened. After all, if they were to truly get things done, they still had to rely on people like Zhang Juzheng and Ma Ziqiang.
Zhang Juzheng nodded, having understood their intentions, which were –
To continue to allow the original large households to annex the small workshops, letting the small workshops supply goods to the large households and earn meager profits. If they refused, the local gentry would exert pressure… In the end, it would essentially mean directly seizing the small workshops. These small workshops, which originally earned twenty to thirty taels a year, would now earn only five to six taels. But these small households had no choice but to comply. The pressure from the gentry was not a joke…
Thinking of this,
He couldn't help but deeply miss Zhu Mo –
Although that young man was overbearing and imperious, his intentions were righteous, and his conduct was just, which was truly unmatched in the world. Compared to the person in front of him, it was like a world of difference…
In a moment of distraction, he recalled many scenes from his time with Zhu Mo. He felt that the young man, wherever he had learned it from, had extraordinary insights into economics. His talk of unleashing productivity and adjusting production relations, though strange, was simple and feasible. The livelihoods of the four provinces were now greatly thriving. Although there were some minor problems, the reform was largely very successful. And the person in front of him, who talked about the ways of the sage, brought no benefit to economic practicality. If you were to say it was plunder, he was doing it under the banner of the sage and the Crown Prince. If you were to say it was reform, it was undisguised accumulation of wealth.
Thinking of this,
He suddenly regretted it. If he hadn't been suspicious at the time, and hadn't been too concerned about the teachings of the sage, and if they had worked together to make things irreversible, these people would have had no recourse now.
But at present, Zhang Yu was pressing him step by step. If he didn't show some attitude, he definitely wouldn't be able to get by. With this thought, he immediately said:
"Brother Weishi, it's not that I don't approve of your strategy, but implementing this plan will be extremely difficult… Think about it, those small workshops can earn twenty to thirty taels a year. After merging them, how much will they earn? After repaying the interest to our official farms, there will be little left. How can they be willing to merge? Moreover, elders are not officials, so how can they implement it? If those small workshops are unwilling, what should be done? Weishi, why don't we go down and see for ourselves, and try it out first in a county neighboring Hangzhou?"