Chapter 125: These Are All Your Requests

Abolish the New Policies?!

Jing Qing, Hou Tai, and the court officials were delighted!

Victory!

We have won!

See, Emperor Jianwen is a soft target, easy to crush.

Those cowards who left will forever be nailed to the pillar of shame in history. We, on the other hand, will become the backbone of the Jianwen court!

“Summon the Grand Secretariat’s secretaries to draft the edicts!”

Zhu Yunwen looked at officials like Jing Qing and Hou Tai, his eyes filled with coldness.

Yu Xin, Zhang Dan, and Xie Jin hurriedly arrived outside the Hall of Fengtian, where tables, chairs, and writing materials were already prepared.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Xie Jin and said, “I’ll speak, and you’ll draft the edicts!”

“As you command.”

Xie Jin had heard the whole story on his way here and was deeply anxious.

Single Whip Method, Policy to curb land consolidation, sales of garrison lands, These policies have already been implemented nationwide. How could they possibly be abolished now?

Changing policies overnight, who will dare to trust the court in the future?

The common people will fall into hardship again, losing their land, and the gentry will aggressively seize any available land. At that time, it will surely lead to widespread chaos in the country.

Xie Jin had made up his mind. He would do everything in his power to convince Zhu Yunwen not to abolish the New Policies.

But as Xie Jin approached, he heard Zhu Yunwen’s irresistible command before he could utter a word.

Zhu Yunwen scrutinized the kneeling officials on the ground and sternly said, “All officials are gathered here in the Hall of Fengtian, criticizing my governance and expressing a desire to restore the ancestral system. I understand your concerns. Therefore, I shall fulfill your request to abolish the Single whip method and the policy to curb land consolidation.”

Upon hearing this, Xie Jin’s brows lifted slightly, and his hand moved swiftly with the brush on paper.

On the sidelines, Yu Xin and Zhang Dan secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Jing Qing, Hou Tai, and the other officials suddenly became tense.

Zhu Yunwen didn’t give them any room for contemplation and continued, “I hereby order the local authorities to thoroughly investigate the lands owned by the officials in attendance. Calculate the extent of their holdings and return it all! Reimburse them for the silver they paid! The official lands and tax-exempt lands will be reinstated to their original state! Are you all satisfied with this?”

Jing Qing, Hou Tai, and the other officials remained silent.

Anyone could sense the immense anger emanating from Zhu Yunwen.

Zhu Yunwen snorted coldly and continued, “Since we are restoring the ancestral system, let me make it clear for you. Your salaries will be based on the standards of the time of Emperor Taizu.”

“Emperor Taizu’s decree states that the land cultivated by self-sufficient farmers belongs to them. If the gentry wishes to own land, they must personally reclaim and cultivate wasteland. The Agricultural Tax office is ordered to investigate the lands held by the seated officials and ascertain their sources. Those who violate this decree will be punished according to Emperor Taizu’s laws! Those who deserve death will be executed, and those who deserve conscription will be conscripted!”

“Emperor Taizu’s decree further mandates that officials cannot leave the city without permission, or they will be charged with disturbing the peace. The Security Bureau is tasked with investigating the seated officials and their relatives who hold official positions. If anyone is found leaving the city without authorization, they will be executed without mercy!”

“……”

“Emperor Taizu’s decree, that officials involved in corruption of more than sixty taels of silver will face the death penalty without exception. The Ministry of Justice, Supreme Court, Censorate, and Security Bureau are instructed to investigate the seated officials, and anyone found in violation of this decree will be flayed and dragged through the streets, with no leniency!”

“According to Emperor Taizu’s decree, anyone who knows how to sing shall have their tongues cut out. Order the security bureau to conduct thorough investigations, and anyone among the sitting officials found to have sung in the past shall have their tongues cut out without exception!”

“Furthermore, examine their poetry, essays, and memorials. If the words ‘则’ (ze) or ‘生’ (sheng) appear, they are considered references to Emperor Taizu. They shall be dealt with in the same manner as Emperor Taizu dealt with them!”

“Since you desire to restore the ancestral system, then I promise you! Xie Jin, have them sign their names today, and instruct all the departments to investigate! Once confirmed, there’s no need for further reporting! Punishments will be as Emperor Taizu decreed!”

After saying this, Zhu Yunwen angrily left.

Let you all jump around all day, wanting to restore the ancestral system so much, really liking the old Zhu? Fine, I’ll grant your request!

The ancestral system, well, it will be handled just like Emperor Taizu did.

This is what you asked for, so even if you die, you can’t blame me.

After all, you all are so nostalgic for Emperor Taizu, nostalgic for that era of bloodshed and darkness, where heads rolled like a river of blood.

Xie Jin had a smile on his face. The emperor’s so-called abolition of the New Policies was only directed at those who opposed the policies, not a nationwide change. It was just around a hundred officials on either side, nothing to worry about. If it pleased them to restore the old system, then so be it.

“Official Jing, since you initiated this, please leave your name behind so that we can report to the Security Bureau, Ministry of Justice, the Supreme Court, and, oh, I almost forgot, also the Censorate under your jurisdiction.”

Xie Jin handed a brush to Jing Qing and then presented the paper.

Jing Qing was trembling and shook his head repeatedly, stammering, “I-I-I was just too tired and collapsed here. I wasn’t participating in any protest.”

“Official Jing, if that’s the case, it wouldn’t be any fun, would it?”

Xie Jin’s eyes carried a mocking look as he spoke coldly.

Jing Qing stood up, his face extremely pale.

He had thought that Zhu Yunwen would compromise and abolish the New Policies, but who would have expected that while they were being abolished, it was only for the officials participating in the protest, with no mention of the Ming Empire.

What was even more unsettling was that Zhu Yunwen wanted to reinstate the terror policies and literary inquisitions from the time of Zhu Yuanzhang.

Even if I had ten head, I couldn’t withstand an investigation like that.

Sign the document?

No, I would rather die than sign!

Jing Qing turned and ran, paying no heed to Xie Jin’s enthusiastic calls.

With the main head gone, they would have to find someone else.

Xie Jin turned his gaze to Hou Tai and was about to utter “Minister”, Hou Tai clutched his stomach and shouted, “Stomachache, I’ll go ahead!”

“Huh?”

Xie Jin was taken aback.

Looking at the protesting officials, none of them displayed their usual dignity. They all ran as fast as they could. From the looks of it, they must have been exercising regularly. Even the seventy-year-old man was briskly moving, making one couldn’t help but admire.

Xie Jin looked at the empty decree, smiled at Yu Xin and Zhang Dan, and said, “I’m afraid there’s no one in the court opposing the New Policies anymore, right?”

Yu Xin and Zhang Man nodded repeatedly.

Reinstating the ancestral system was just a pretext for the officials to secure their interests. But if the ancestral system was to be fully reinstated, with all those rules set by Zhu Yuanzhang, it would be quite entertaining(搞头).

A truly “entertaining(头:head)” time, no room for ambiguity.

“Send this decree to all officials. If anyone wishes to oppose, let them sign their names. If no one opposes, we can still report it to His Majesty.”

Yu Xin suggested with a hint of amusement.

Xie Jin’s eyes revealed a sense of admiration and he said, “His Majesty’s move is truly sharp. In the future, the court will be much easier to manage.”

Instead of going directly to the Kunning Palace, Zhu Yunwen went to the Ministry of Rites’ printing office. One-third of the staff from the printing office left the palace and joined the workforce at the China Bookstore’s workshop, while the remaining two-thirds stayed in the printing office.

Luo Guanzhong has completed the compilation of “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.” The entire book is divided into 120 chapters, starting from the first chapter ” Three Heroes Swear Brotherhood In The Peach Garden; One Victory Shatters The Rebels In Battlegrounds.” and ending with the 120th chapter ” Recommending Du Yu, An Old General Offers New Plans; Capturing Of Sun Hao, Three Kingdoms Becomes One.”

It only awaits the completion of the engraving process before it can be printed in large quantities.

“How many chapters have been engraved?” Zhu Yunwen asked

The supervisor of the workshop quickly replied, “Your Majesty, we have arranged craftsmen to carve the woodblocks in batches, with each group of craftsmen responsible for twenty chapters. Currently, we have completed carving for sixty chapters, and it should take another seven days to finish all the woodblocks.”

Furrowing his brow, Zhu Yunwen asked, “If I recall correctly, movable type printing has been available for many years. Why is the workshop still using woodblocks?”

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