Chapter 591: The Imperial Power Was Too Great |
A long line formed at the entrance of the fertilizer store, and the ordinary people were eagerly buying fertilizer.
Beside the fertilizer store, a new shop opened, called the “Agricultural Technology Training School.” Several “agricultural technology experts” from Gaojia Village were giving lessons there, teaching the ordinary people “scientific” planting methods for free.
The salaries of these teachers were paid by Wu Shen.
Wu Shen had already used up his hundred thousand taels, but these days, he suddenly had money again.
The money came from Qin King Mansion.
Qin King Mansion volunteered to contribute fifty thousand taels for “disaster relief,” and without saying a word, quickly handed the fifty thousand taels of silver to Wu Shen.
At this time, Wu Shen and Shi Kefa were sitting in the backyard of the fertilizer store, drinking tea and chatting with Li Daoxuan.
Shi Kefa sighed deeply: “The assassin I sent to the capital suddenly fell ill with a strange disease and died on the way. With no living witness left, Qin King Mansion adamantly refused to admit doing it. The emperor expressed great trouble but ultimately couldn’t do anything to Qin King Mansion, issuing an edict to reprimand them harshly. Ah… truly…”
Wu Shen sipped his tea gently, with a rather strange expression: “Qin King Mansion was reprimanded and gave fifty thousand taels of silver to me.”
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa retorted in unison: “Is this result considered good?”
Li Daoxuan spread his hands: “Do you two lords really think that such a small matter could topple the most powerful feudal lord? Abolishing the fief is unthinkable, and reducing military power is also impossible. Qin noble’s escort soldiers had already been reduced to five hundred people a century ago—how could they be further reduced? Drag Qin King’s heir to be beheaded at the Wu gate? Is it possible to harm imperial relatives over a minor issue of fertilizer? Place yourselves in the emperor’s position; what could you do to Qin King Mansion?”
The two civil officials thought carefully: Yes, indeed? What could the emperor do to Qin King Mansion? Scolding them fiercely and forcing them to surrender fifty thousand taels was already a severe punishment.
Thinking that, the energy they had previously built up vanished with a puff.
Li Daoxuan added a final blow: “That assassin who died suddenly of a strange illness must have been silenced by the Imperial Guards.”
Shi Kefa objected: “How is that possible? They were Imperial Guards I carefully selected myself, absolutely loyal to the emperor, and couldn’t be bribed by Qin King Mansion.”
Li Daoxuan said: “What if the emperor ordered the execution? Without killing that person, the Qin King Mansion affair couldn’t be resolved, and civil officials would stir up endless trouble; better to kill him cleanly.”
Shi Kefa’s whole body stiffened.
Li Daoxuan burst out laughing.
Shi Kefa said with deep frustration: “How could it be like this? We exerted such great effort, and finally…”
Li Daoxuan suddenly said in a mocking tone: “This is the flaw of ‘imperial supremacy’!”
His abrupt attack on “imperial supremacy” was truly a great traitor move, startling the two civil officials terribly.
Wu Shen’s first thought was: Don’t let the Imperial Guards hear it, or it’s all over.
However, he immediately recalled that Shi Kefa sitting beside him was one of the Imperial Guards, damn it!
Wu Shen waited for Shi Kefa to flip the table.
Shi Kefa did not flip it, wearing a bizarre expression, as if wanting to flip the table yet forcing himself to listen: “Mr. Li, I cannot pretend I didn’t hear that.”
Li Daoxuan chuckled and shifted the topic: “The power of civil officials is too small; the emperor’s power is too great; this is very bad. We should give cabinet officials more voice.”
This phrase hit the sensitive spot for the civil officials.
Wu Shen was greatly pleased: “Oh? I find this highly reasonable.”
As soon as he said it, he felt he’d gone too far and quickly covered his mouth.
Shi Kefa was now awkward; although he belonged to the civil ministerial group, he was also part of the Imperial Guards system. Shi Kefa felt Li Daoxuan’s words were sensible, but his Imperial Guard identity made him want to flip the table. What to do?
How could he overturn the table over words he personally thought were sound?
Li Daoxuan noticed Shi Kefa’s internal conflict and smiled secretly to himself.
Actually, towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, capitalism had already sprouted, and there was a slight sign of constitutional monarchy emerging. Back then, the cabinet six ministries often opposed and confronted the emperor. For instance, in the case of Qin King’s title inheritance, the Ministry of Rites dared to delay approval indefinitely, and the emperor had no choice but to issue an edict scolding the ministry.
Civil officials were uniting to seize the emperor’s power with relentless effort!
This was essentially the prelude to constitutional monarchy, an inevitable development of the system.
It wasn’t that the civil officials were far-sighted; rather, their power grab for personal gain aligned exactly with the proper path of political evolution.
So Li Daoxuan bringing up such remarks easily resonated with the civil officials.
Li Daoxuan continued: “Minister Shi, last time, my wife told you that advanced productive forces require an advanced political system to match. If the political system lags, it will hold back the productive forces. Do you remember that?”
Shi Kefa was somewhat embarrassed, not wanting to admit recalling such traitorous words, yet he replied: “I remember.”
Li Daoxuan said: “Now you see the flaws everywhere in the emperor’s autocratic system. Instead of the emperor deciding everything alone, better to have officials from the cabinet six ministries step up, each with a vote, assisting the emperor in decision-making through voting. Three cobblers are smarter than Zhuge Liang; with the six ministries as six cobblers, they could top two Zhuge Liangs.”
Wu Shen and Shi Kefa both thought it reasonable, but as the talk deepened, neither dared to chime in further, only pondering in their minds.
Li Daoxuan was in no hurry; planting the seed was enough.
He let them reflect slowly.
He shifted the topic: “Now that Qin King Mansion has backed down, they won’t dare cause trouble again for some time. We have gained a rare period where the political system won’t restrain productive forces. Lord Wu, let’s take larger steps during this time.”
Wu Shen, rushing with pride, pulled his thoughts back: “Please advise further, Mr. Li.”
Li Daoxuan said: “Since Qin King Mansion won’t interfere, I can set up the fertilizer factory, new crop experimental fields, chicken farms, pig farms, and such around Xi’an. With heaven granting rain and livelihood stabilizing slightly, launching these will increase food yield and naturally rescue more disaster victims.”
Wu Shen, rushing with pride: “This reasoning is sound.”
After all, the matter of political systems was distant; Wu Shen’s present task was still primarily disaster relief. Happily holding fifty thousand taels of silver, he might as well learn from Mr. Li to establish new factories.
Wu Shen said: “Mr. Li, just tell me how you plan to do this, and I will help where I can. Also, I want to join in and learn; please teach me.”
Li Daoxuan smiled: “No problem! Lord Wu, you’re welcome to learn from my experience in setting up factories.”