eldest son of Ming dynasty

In the five years since Zhengde, sweet potatoes have entered thousands of households in the Ming Dynasty.

According to the latest planting area, there are more than 2000 million acres in the country, and the average yield per mu has reached 25 shi as planting technology becomes more sophisticated.

Although it is still far from the modern agriculture standard of 6000 kilograms per mu, which is 40 shi, but in the era without chemical fertilizers, crop yields could not increase. This is an insurmountable natural law.

In fact, a large part of the high yield of modern agriculture relies on chemical fertilizers.

In fact, 25 shi per mu is quite good. If the tax ratio is based on one out of ten, this is an annual income of 5000 million shi.

Of course, there are actually not that many. First, because there is inevitable corruption and wastage in the tax collection process, and sometimes even if a certain area suffers a disaster, it will be reduced or exempted; second, the country does not need to collect so many sweet potatoes...

Sweet potatoes are low in calories, which is an important drawback.

In fact, the court does not need much, but it still needs to be collected. If the tax is not deducted, the motivation for private planting will weaken.

Even if you can’t eat the harvest, you can still sell it and provide disaster relief. In addition, many people don’t know that sweet potatoes and sweet potato stems can be fed to horses.
Sweet potatoes are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals. Feeding them in appropriate amounts is very beneficial to their health and is an excellent feed.

So the imperial court would still collect sweet potatoes.

Of course, most of the sweet potatoes grown on the 2000 million acres of land are still eaten by the people. The people do not have such a good life, especially in some arid areas in the northwest. It is already very good to have something to eat.

In this sense, Zhu Houzhao did not encounter so many refugees along the way from Beijing, and sweet potatoes played a big role.

That's why Liu Jian spent all his efforts to build a scale of [-] acres.

This is a kind of confidence that in case of disaster or famine, people will not starve to death.

It was only in ancient times that Zhu Houzhao gradually understood the ancients' fear of famine years. Because of insufficient productivity, insufficient transportation conditions, and drought in an area for thousands of miles, if millions of people were hungry, where would they find so much extra food?How many horses, people, and vehicles are needed to transport it?
So when Liu Jian suggested going to see it, Zhu Houzhao was very willing.

As the emperor, he should implement this kind of project platform for local officials. The place was not far away, so he chose Licheng County under Jinan Prefecture.

Zhu Houzhao agreed to go the day after tomorrow.

Forget it today, he is the emperor after all, so it is so easy to travel anywhere outside the palace.

And he also has things to do today. After all, he has brought so many people here, and he can't just let them leave immediately after hearing him ramble on for a few words.

In fact, in Zhu Houzhao's concept, he should be the audience, and these local officials are the protagonists.

After all, he was out of the palace and had plenty of time, so he thought... let's spend some time.

So he said to the officials present: "Many of you will not have the chance to attend the biennial meeting. Since I have come to Shandong this time, and the chief officials of various prefectures and counties are also here, I will be more patient." Let me hear what the prefects and county magistrates want to say to me. Liu Jian, if you say that these officials, big and small, are capable ministers, then I will do whatever I want."

"Of course you can, Your Majesty."

"Okay. Then...let's let the Guanzhi County of Linqu finish talking first. There is no limit to the scope or content, and don't consider that you are just a seventh-grade official. Just tell me what you most want to say to me, the emperor. come out."

The accompanying ministers are already used to it.

Emperor Zhengde's moves were always unexpected.

Even Guan Yanqing himself probably didn't expect that he would have the opportunity to speak directly to the emperor, so he was very nervous and looked at Liu Jian with trembling lips, "Zhong... Zhong Cheng, this official..."

"You will answer whatever your Majesty asks. Just be sincere to your Majesty. What's so difficult about it? Your Majesty will be the next generation of holy kings. You don't have to be afraid."

Zhu Houzhao glanced at Liu Jian with a smile. He was wearing this tall hat, so it would be hard to get angry later.

"Okay. Your Majesty, I will boldly speak out today."

"Just speak up."

boom.Guan Yanqing kowtowed, then straightened his upper body and cupped his hands, "I believe that in the ten years since Your Majesty has been on the throne, the national power has been increasing day by day, and the number of refugees in the world has been decreasing year by year, especially in Shandong. So I want to say what I want to say to Your Majesty the most, It’s not about fields or settling cases, it’s about ethics.”

"Ethics?" Zhu Houzhao was a little surprised.

"Yes. Parrots can speak, and they are not separated from birds; orangutans can speak, and they are not separated from animals. Today's people are rude. Although they can speak, don't they have the heart of animals? I observe that your Majesty governs the country, enriches the people, and strengthens the army, and no emperor can do it. Out of His Majesty's right hand. But as the "Book of Rites" says, the reason why people are human and not like birds and beasts is because of etiquette. I... I secretly think that Your Majesty attaches great importance to material things and despises etiquette and education. If it goes on for a long time, this may be the reason. Trouble. I am of low rank and have little knowledge. If there is any offense, please punish me."

"kindness……"

Zhu Houzhao looked into the distance and was thinking.

Guan Yanqing was only a county magistrate, but what he said seemed to be wrong.

Because he came from an era that believed in material things, his faith must have been revealed in every detail of running the country in ten years.

"What do you think?" the emperor asked the people around him.

Wang Bing reported back and said: "I think this person is audacious and arrogant. Your Majesty governs the country without focusing on material things and despising etiquette. Don't you know the etiquette when you hear the goods in the warehouse, and know the honor and disgrace when you have enough food and clothing? Your Majesty allows the people to eat enough, and then receives the food. Come down so we can talk about etiquette."

"Guan Yanqing, what is your response to this?"

The young man said: "After ten years of great governance in Shandong, there is also a rare sweet potato. Although I dare not say [-]%, [-]% of the reserve warehouses are full of food, and [-]% to [-]% of the people will not have to suffer from hunger. But as a place of Confucian temples, Shandong has not yet flourished in ethics."

"Your Majesty, this is my fault." Liu Jian immediately accused him.

Zhu Houzhao waved his hand, he didn't care, "I have been emphasizing pragmatism for many years, but in recent years, I have gradually felt that sometimes we should be pragmatic. Pragmatism means working with your head down, and you must look up to see the road. Today you can speak freely."

He himself felt that Guan Yanqing's words made sense.

Materials are important, but in an era when materials are the most important thing, people must have a spirit in life.Otherwise, you are happy when you are full, and you are happy when you are hungry and you are full. That is the life of a pig.

And he had twelve words and 24 words of values ​​at that time, so now as the emperor, what kind of spiritual quality should he guide the people of Ming Dynasty to have?
spirit.

The power of these two words is far beyond what most people imagine.

It can often burst out with huge power at critical moments of life and death.

For example, should he give the nation 'Han' a more specific connotation and fully construct the concept of nation, sovereign state and territory?These are the basic elements of a modern nation.

But in the 16th century, it was almost blank.

This spiritual recognition of the same concept can actually enhance the cohesion of a country. In the foreseeable future, it may also be able to avoid the tragedy of the Han people losing the Central Plains again.

When Guan Yanqing heard that the emperor was not angry, he felt a little calmer.

The same is true for other people. They are basically afraid of Emperor Zhengde because of his great prestige, but after seeing it with their own eyes, they feel that he is worthy of the name of a saintly and virtuous emperor.

A small seventh-grade county magistrate who really pointed out the areas where the emperor's governance could be improved is still alive and well.

This is the confidence that the prosperous times give to the emperor, because my achievements are real, can you just say a few words and say it's gone?Only Emperor Jiajing, who had been both a bitch and a memorial arch all his life, went crazy when he asked Hai Rui to expose him.

So on this day, at the governor's office in Jinan City, dozens of ministers argued fiercely in front of the emperor.Although Zhu Houzhao did not participate directly, he listened very carefully.

More local literati who were not able to attend and only heard about it dubbed this grand event "Monarchs and Ministers Watch the Ceremony", and it quickly became popular among the people.

Its connotation is the literati's expectation for a kind of holy king. From Qin Shihuang to the present, such a scene has rarely happened.

Maybe decades later, some people will be nostalgic for the past and recall the past.