Li Zhi followed the eunuch all the way into the palace.
Because it was already evening, the two of them walked a little faster.
If you stay in front of the Holy Spirit for too long and cannot leave the palace before the lock is locked, it will be somewhat troublesome.
Eunuch Zhang Cheng looked at Li Zhi walking quickly with his crown and hat a little messy, and reminded him: "Li Siye will face the saint later, so he must wear a good crown."
He just saw Li Zhi showing his crew cut under his hat, and everyone was stunned.
This is the first time I have seen such a Confucian scholar, it is simply out of place.
He was afraid that he would frighten the Holy One later, so he gave this instruction.
Li Zhi followed the good example and raised his hat: "I'll definitely pay attention to it later!"
After answering, Li Zhi looked at the route and couldn't help but ask: "My father-in-law, does this not look like the way to Qianqing Palace?"
Although he has never been to the imperial palace, he still knows that Qianqing Palace is located in the heart of the Forbidden City. Now that he is getting further and further away, he can see it with a clear eye.
Zhang Cheng explained politely: "A few days ago, the palace of the Holy Mother Queen Mother Chen caught fire. Before it can be renovated, it will be moved to Xiyuan."
"His Majesty couldn't bear that the Holy Mother Queen Mother Chen lived alone, so he took the Holy Mother Queen Mother Li to live in Xiyuan together."
"Your Majesty will not return to Qianqing Palace until Ciqing Palace is repaired and the Holy Mother has someone to rely on."
This is the official statement.
Apart from lamenting his pure filial piety, the officials could not fault him for anything else. At most, they made two more notes in their own notes.
Li Zhi was far away from the center, so naturally he couldn't tell the truth from the false.
Instead, he suddenly realized: "No wonder the palace has been under the Qing Dynasty for the past few days and there is no room for people in the palace."
Zhang Cheng smiled back and nodded.
Xiyuan is far away, so we have to walk a long way.
Li Zhi kept talking to Zhang Cheng: "My father-in-law, why did your Majesty summon me?"
Logically speaking, this question cannot be asked and cannot be answered.
But one doesn't understand the central rules, and the other has already given instructions.
Zhang Cheng replied very naturally: "Your Majesty is very interested in Li Siye's teachings."
He slowed down and pointed at the palace attendants walking through the Forbidden City: "Li Siye, look."
Li Zhi looked along his hand and saw a group of palace maids carrying bundles.
Zhang Cheng explained: "A few days ago, the imperial censor Hu Zhuojin said, 'The concubines of the two dynasties are blocked in the back courtyard, the old ones don't know where they are going, the young ones are really resentful, and the widows are left alone, and they are as worried as ever.'"
"Although this person is just using this matter to fabricate prophecies, he has no ulterior motives."
"But Your Majesty still chooses the good and follows it, and releases all the maids in the palace who want to return."
Having said this, he glanced at Li Zhi's expression.
Seeing this person's look of approval, I couldn't help but feel relieved.
He added without leaving any trace: "Li Siye's contribution is among them."
Li Zhi turned around in confusion: "My credit?"
Zhang Cheng nodded: "Your Majesty is confused about the theory of good and evil. The most difficult question is what is good and evil?"
"After that, I consulted classics and listened to various scholars, and happened to hear Li Siye's teachings. His Majesty called him a great talent."
"Then I remembered Li Siye in my heart, and even the dismissal of the palace maids this time was also due to Li Siye's influence."
"Li Siye opened his eyes to women and said something like, 'It's okay to say that there are long and short views. How can it be said that men's views are as long as women's views are as short as they are?'"
"Your Majesty recognized Li Siye's knowledge very much, so he treated the palace maid kindly."
Li Zhi remained silent.
His teachings have always been regarded as heretical, and even if he didn't shout about beatings and killings, he would have been looked down upon.
Now that he is favored by the emperor, I don't know how to feel for a moment.
He just raised his hand and bowed to Qianqing Palace from afar.
After being reminded by Zhang Cheng, he bowed to Xiyuan again.
This was a superficial effort, but in Li Zhi's heart, he had different expectations for the matter of facing the saint.
From officialdom to socializing, personal interests gradually arose.
Zhang Cheng led Li Zhi all the way into Xiyuan.
Li Zhi clearly felt that the atmosphere in Xiyuan was very different.
The Forbidden Army has a post of ten steps and a squad of one hundred steps. Occasionally, there are guards in uniforms and people from Dongchang patrolling back and forth.
A tense and chilling atmosphere rushed over me.
This is the emperor in front of him, seriously?
Infected, Li Zhi followed Zhang Cheng carefully for fear of getting into trouble.
The two of them arrived in front of the Longevity Palace.
Zhang Cheng stopped and smiled at Li Zhi: "Li Siye, your Majesty only sees you."
Wanshou Palace was the residence of Emperor Shizong Jiajing. It was spacious and majestic. Even if Li Zhi only looked outside the palace, he couldn't help but feel a little reserved.
He took a deep breath, thanked her, and entered the palace alone.
As soon as Li Zhi entered the palace, he saw a slightly immature figure coming towards him.
Li Zhi's heart skipped a beat and he immediately realized that this was the eleven-year-old young emperor.
After you react, you have to salute.
Unexpectedly, the emperor grabbed his arm and pulled him inside.
There seemed to be no word stranger in the little emperor's dictionary. He acted like an old friend at first sight and said to himself: "I have neglected Li Siye when I moved to the palace these days. Is Li Siye still used to it in the capital?"
Li Zhi, a minor official who studied Confucian classics, couldn't stand the emperor's courtesy and said dryly: "I'm still... used to it."
Zhu Yijun noticed that Li Zhi was a little uncomfortable, and immediately brought the topic to Li Zhi's comfortable place: "Li Siye, my theory of good and evil a few days ago has some shortcomings. I should discuss it with Li Siye."
After hearing this, Li Zhi hesitated to speak, but his expression became much more relaxed.
Obviously, you feel more comfortable when talking about familiar topics.
Zhu Yijun said directly: "I heard that Li Siye once said when he was giving lectures, 'People's right and wrong have no definite nature at the beginning.'"
"There are also words like 'yesterday was true but today is false, today is false but tomorrow it will be true again'."
"I just realized that I haven't defined what is good and evil, what is right and wrong!"
As soon as these words came out, Li Zhi instantly forgot about kings and ministers and etiquette.
He nodded repeatedly: "Yes!"
"The so-called good and evil, right and wrong, have been passed down for several generations. Xian took Confucius' right and wrong as right and wrong, Song took Zhu Zi, and today takes the prince."
"Right and wrong, good and evil, should not be determined."
"That's why people don't have right or wrong, good or evil."
Zhu Yijun quickly took up what he said: "It is right and wrong based on the right and wrong of the world."
Li Zhi cast an appreciative look.
Not many people can keep up with his thinking.
Zhu Yijun paced back and forth, thought for a moment, and then said: "Okay, okay, Li Siye answered my questions and doubts as soon as he entered the palace. He is indeed a master of Confucian classics."
"I will publish it in the newspaper tomorrow."
"If we speak in plain language, it should be said that when a person is first born, he has no consciousness, so there is no good or evil."
"Consciousness is shaped by the world's environment. When people form consciousness and express it, they begin to classify good and evil based on different principles. Then based on different personal endowments, there is the so-called right and wrong, good and evil."
"And this kind of right and wrong of good and evil is judged in the world environment. The right and wrong of good and evil are different in each era, and the good and evil formed are also different."
The so-called social practice, which determines people's consciousness, is this way.
Li Zhi also nodded frequently, showing an expression as if he had met a close friend from time to time.
Zhu Yijun continued: "In this case, isn't the quality of the world's environment the key to the good and evil of the people?"
Material determines consciousness, and this is also possible here.
Li Zhi explained: "This is natural. The southern barbarians are ferocious, the northern barbarians are ruthless, and the Japanese bandits are deceitful. It is all due to the famine, barbarism, and transgression in their countries that have shaped the poor quality of the people."
When he said this, he looked excited, but suddenly his eyes dimmed.
Zhu Yijun felt strange.
I only heard Li Zhi say in a waning tone: "So, in my dynasty, corruption is rampant, indifference has become common, the environment is bad, and most of the new entrants are corrupt officials..."
At this point, he came back to his senses!
During the discussion, I actually forgot where this place was, so I immediately apologized!
Zhu Yijun supported him and said with a gentle smile: "It's okay for Li Siye to be patriotic. How can I blame him? Besides, I already have a clue about this matter."
He met Li Zhi's gaze and continued: "I have worked with the cabinet to implement the entrance examination method."
"In the future, we will gradually replenish the salaries of all officials. We will no longer be owed salaries and lose money like before."
"At the same time, I have invited Hai Rui back. From now on, the Metropolitan Procuratorate will strictly investigate corruption."
"There are procuratorates and offices in thousands of households in various places. As soon as the law is passed, all illegal things will be investigated."
Li Zhi glanced at the innocent-hearted emperor and sighed.
These measures cannot be said to be useless, but in his opinion, their effectiveness is really limited.
He slowly said: "Your Majesty, supplementing salary can only make people self-discipline, and the so-called severe punishment of corruption is carried out by officials."
"How can the collusion between the upper and lower levels be stopped by empty words and punishments? When Taizu peeled off the day lily, it could have stopped?"
"Your Majesty, this is what we just discussed - the consciousness shaped by the world environment. As long as it cannot be changed, corruption cannot be stopped by simple punishment."
Since Li Zhi became an official, everything he saw and heard was at the bottom. It was not uncommon to find cover-ups, collusion, and entrustments.
Don't be ashamed, but be proud of it.
He didn't believe that this kind of atmosphere could be solved by punishing people.
When everyone is guilty, everyone is innocent.
Zhu Yijun suddenly chuckled, then calmed his expression, and his tone became firm, and he said: "Li Siye, I understand that the world's atmosphere should gradually be corrected."
"I called you here precisely for this matter."
Li Zhi's heart moved and he hesitated: "Your Majesty is ready..."
Zhu Yijun led Li Zhi in front of the desk.
There was a bronze chime on the case, and Zhu Yijun knocked it casually, and the sound echoed through the Longevity Palace.
Zhu Yijun did not answer this question directly, but asked Li Zhi: "Li Siye, whose Ming Dynasty is this Ming Dynasty?"
Li Zhi's conditioned reflex: "Of course it is His Majesty's Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Yijun shook his head: "There is no one else here."
"I won't force you to speak your mind, but what I want to say is that I have thought about why corruption is so common in our dynasty."
"Li Siye, do you want to listen?"
Li Zhi was silent.
Zhu Yijun thought to himself and said: "The Ming Dynasty is already the corpse of a centipede."
"Li Siye."
"The Ming Dynasty was already dead when it lost the ability to build an imagined community."
Li Zhi was startled.
He wondered: "Imagine a community?"
Zhu Yijun nodded and knocked on the bronze chime again.
Naturally, he thought more deeply than Li Zhi.
The ethos of the Ming Dynasty was rotten at its roots, but if it wasn’t for corruption, how could it be as corrupt as the Tatars?
Corruption is just a symptom, and we really need to get to the bottom of it. The first ideological reason for the decline of the Ming Dynasty is that the Ming Dynasty has lost the ability to build an imaginary community.
Whose Song Dynasty is the Song Dynasty? This question is easy to answer. It is naturally the Song Dynasty of the emperor and scholar-bureaucrats.
So whose Qing Dynasty is the Qing Dynasty? It is easy to answer. It is naturally the Qing Dynasty of the Eight Banners.
But the Ming Dynasty was different.
Will the emperor think that the Ming Dynasty is his own Ming Dynasty? The master of the world who is worried about his life? Of course not.
Several generations of emperors have ignored the world because of this mentality. Who cares about the world? It’s none of my business!
Would all the officials think that the Ming Dynasty was a country where scholars and officials co-ruled the world? They often killed people with sticks and abandoned the market? Of course not.
The background of corruption is that the overall situation of the world has nothing to do with me. What will happen tomorrow? I can just make a fortune, and you guys will slowly get rid of it.
In the same way, the various township parties, Nanzhili, Xuanda, Zhejiang gentry, Fujian maritime merchants, and even the people of the world, from top to bottom, are not afraid of national subjugation - as long as it does not affect me, it will make no difference to changing the court.
This is the tragedy of losing the imaginary community - it is really unimaginable that the Ming Dynasty, which has the most righteous country, will fall to the point where the common imaginary community dies.
We only talk about interests, there is no right or wrong.
For your own enjoyment, you can live in a palace, work as a carpenter, and take aphrodisiacs until you die.
For the benefit of the township party, the king can be assassinated, set on fire, and his colleagues can be gathered to resist the center.
In order to protect themselves and continue their power, they can naturally support foreigners to respect themselves, and even open the door to the Tatars.
Losing the imaginary community will inevitably lead to an unlimited increase in operating costs, and the end point of the system's rigidity will inevitably be the destruction of the country.
Therefore, while Zhu Yijun was planning to support the Ming Dynasty through military and institutional means, he must also rebuild an imaginary community.
Let the Ming Dynasty once again become the common cultural belonging of people all over the world.
This imaginary community can make the most miserable coal diggers in the British Empire look proud when they think of the British Empire.
This step is not only to correct the atmosphere and clarify the administration of officials, but also to open up the north and the south, and to unite the world.
In fact, this is the theoretical preparation that must be made to improve the tribute system.
Zhu Yijun used the native language of the Ming Dynasty, concealing most of the content, and simply gave Li Zhi two sentences about cultural identity and correcting the corruption trend.
"Yes, this name is my new one."
"The so-called imaginary community refers to the common people, gentry, officials... and even me, through common origins, history, classics, etc., we build a spiritual Ming Dynasty!"
"This Ming Dynasty belongs to everyone."
"Once someone destroys the Ming Dynasty in reality and ruins the overall situation, then everyone will be hostile!"
"In this way, we can work together to correct scholarly evil."
"This is what I need Li Siye to do."
After saying this in one breath, Zhu Yijun concluded: "In short, I need a new set of theories to answer the question of whose Ming Dynasty belongs to the Ming Dynasty."
After listening to this, Li Zhi was stunned and silent.
Is this an eleven-year-old boy?
The level and depth of his thinking are as high as the founding of a sect. Compared with the emperor, those Doctors of the Five Classics in the Imperial College are really smelly shit.
This level was not even reached when Li Zhi was twenty-one, let alone eleven years old!
If he were not an emperor, he would almost not be able to resist asking to be his friend.
The imaginary community, the good name, is imaginative and unconstrained, yet it makes people see the sun through the clouds.
Li Zhi couldn't understand how an eleven-year-old boy could express such a precise expression.
Just this precise feeling made Li Zhi feel that it would not be as simple as the emperor's words to use to correct the trend.
He couldn't taste it for a while, so he kept it in his mind and prepared to go back and deduce it.
The Ming Dynasty, whose Ming Dynasty is it?
This is really a difficult question to answer.
Li Zhi said: "Your Majesty, I have little virtue and talent, so I can only..."
Zhu Yijun interrupted him directly, and said with a strange expression: "Does Li Siye think that I want you to sing my praises?"
"Li Qing, I will tell you bluntly."
"I came to you because this matter requires us to put aside the rules of the monarch and ministers and start a new one."
"It's not as simple as just patching it up. The theory must reflect reality and explain what is already there, otherwise it will have no vitality."
"Li Qing, apart from you, I can't find such a deviant and outstanding Confucian scholar."
To explain what has happened, naturally we cannot simply use the phrase "people are noble and noble." After all, the people can't see how they live, and they still know whether they are noble or not.
Theories that are divorced from reality will give people a sense of disobedience. Let alone building a common imagination, they will only be regarded as toilet paper by the people.
At the same time, it is impossible to create such a theory without being rooted in the Four Books and Five Classics itself, at least not by Zhu Yijun himself.
This is the difficulty. If you don’t break away from the times, you have to start from scratch.
Li Zhi shook his head helplessly.
No wonder the emperor said that he could "study with peace of mind" and tailor a set of doctrines, but even if he couldn't rest for four or five years, he would not be able to show off.
But the difficulty doesn't stop there.
Li Zhi raised his head and looked at the emperor: "Your Majesty said it well, doctrine can only reflect reality."
"With all due respect, if the people have no food to eat and no fixed place to live, no matter how good the theory is, they will not be able to build the imaginary community that Your Majesty talks about."
Zhu Yijun nodded: "I understand what Li Qing means."
"If I cannot improve the situation of the people during my decades in office..."
He looked at Li Zhi and said seriously: "That means I am incompetent."
Li Zhi remained silent and bowed again.
After exchanging thoughts, he finally recognized the emperor.
He opened his mouth and said: "Your Majesty is holy and virtuous, I am willing to do this!"
Zhu Yijun smiled, helped Li Zhi up, and said: "I will hand over part of the new report of the General Affairs Department to Li Qing, and my salary will also be included in it."
"This matter is not urgent. As long as a prototype is polished within three years, you will be able to live up to your trust."
After giving some instructions, Zhu Yijun watched Li Zhi leave the Longevity Palace.
He also called Jiang Keqian and said, "Ask someone from Zhongshushe to go to the Ministry of Civil Affairs and tell Wen Chun to transfer Wang Shizhen to the capital."
Jiang Keqian responded and left.
Zhu Yijun stood in the empty Longevity Palace, slowly closing his eyes and recalling the recent responses and arrangements.
It is certainly not enough to leave this matter to Li Zhi alone.
The vernacular of Xinbao is only for the heads of Guizhou to read, and it is still lacking in meaning among scholars.
This was the reason why he summoned Wang Shizhen back to the capital. After Li Panlong's death, Wang Shizhen dominated the literary world, and his reputation should not be underestimated. It was fitting that he should come to the capital to be used by him and become a horn among the scholars.
As for whether to open Enke and recruit talents, he and Zhang Juzheng have not yet discussed it, so they can only look forward to it.
Hai Rui left for Lianghuai yesterday, and there will definitely be a lot of fighting in the future. Now, taking this opportunity to move to Xiyuan, there is nothing wrong with clearing out all the people in the palace.
After Zhu Yijun convinced the cabinet and forced Zhang Juzheng to follow his lead, he just kept a low profile for a while.
Cultivate your moral character.
After counting them all, Zhu Yijun closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He nodded with satisfaction.
He knocked on the bronze chime beside him, and the crisp and clear sound echoed in the Longevity Palace.
It’s about 12 a.m. in the next chapter.
Chapter completed!