Daming: I asked you to hang yourself, but I didn’t ask you to rebuild the Ming Dynasty

Song Xiance frowned, his face covered with frost:

"Not to mention that there are powerful families who use scholars and hijack public opinion to further their official status.

These people only know corruption and don’t know what filial piety is. How can they become loyal men?

There are also those who rely on money to become officials. They have spent their own gold and silver to become officials. Naturally, they have to get back a hundred times. How can they be loyal? "

Song Xiance took Li Yan's hand and said seriously:

"Brother Li, what I'm talking about are all the drawbacks of selecting scholars through the imperial examination and promotion based on seniority!

I know there are drawbacks to recommendation. If the emperor is not skilled enough, the family will become completely powerful. "

Song Xiance tightened his cheeks and looked around.

After seeing no outsiders, he continued:

"However, even if the family becomes prosperous, it would be better than giving this flowery land to the barbarians after the imperial examinations were launched in Zhao and Song Dynasties!

If His Majesty had not raised an army and captured the capital...

If Zhu Ming passes away for a long time...

How does Brother Li know that Donglu will not repeat the story of Yuan Yuan? "

Li Yan was shocked.

He looked at Song Xiance in disbelief, his lips trembling:

"Brother Song, this...

Brother Song, please wake up this foolish brother! "

Song Xiance sighed:

“Brother Li, these are all single-level imperial examinations, and that’s the root of the problem!

Even if the recommendation is wrong...

If your Majesty can correct the shortcomings and correct the rules——

Then there will be no treacherous villains in the court, and there will be no wise men who are not officials outside the court! "

"Not to mention the too difficult method of improving the recommendation system...

Even if it is to imitate the Western Han Dynasty and use the Lingyi system!

If I can do this, why should I worry about prosperity? "

"Brother Li, you and I are His Majesty's important ministers. We should take this as a warning and consider it for Your Majesty and Dashun!"

Li Yan smiled bitterly.

He didn't know what Song Xiance was talking about.

For example, the current forced wages are already beyond what is necessary!

The emperor initially started to impose pay because there were too many soldiers and there was no military expenditure.

He has collected the expenditures of the Ming Dynasty retained by the Ministry of Household Affairs and found that the annual expenditures are about more than 2000 million taels.

Revenue and expenditure at the end of Ming Dynasty

And at least half of this money was embezzled by officials.

In other words, as long as he keeps the money and grain account books in order and eliminates corruption, Dashun's annual expenditure will not exceed 1000 million, or even lower!

When His Majesty came to Beijing, he only promised the people "free food for three years"!

Three years later, Dashun had a stable income...

Now, His Majesty has received 7000 million taels of silver, which is enough to support the army and court expenses, which is enough for more than ten years!

In other words, forced pay can be completely stopped!

However, no matter what he, Song Xiance and others suggested, Dashun's payment remained the same...

Although Li Yan was a military general, Li Zicheng gave him a high position as a general.

This is enough to rank among the top nine in the Dashun Army!

In fact, Li Yan's personal martial arts skills were enough to rank among the top three in Dashun, and Liu Zongmin, a brave man with such skill, admired him!

In fact, Li Yan was an all-rounder in both civil and military affairs.

In fact, Li Yan's literary talents were even more outstanding than his military talents!

It’s not like he hasn’t given suggestions to Li Zicheng!

In fact, as early as in Xi'an, Li Yan proposed a strategy that would allow Dashun to secure his position in the world:

"Soldiers are everywhere, but Qiu doesn't do anything."

If a good official remains in office, a corrupt official will be beheaded immediately.

A certain amount of money and food is only half of the original amount. ’

Frankly speaking, if Li Zicheng can implement these three points, it will really be no one else's business later.

What is politics?

It is nothing more than establishing a central point, and then formulating a program around this basis. There are three ways to proceed:

Support those who follow me, win over those who are neutral, and suppress those who oppose me!

Li Yan’s three suggestions are of the essence.

As long as you follow his method, why worry about the world not belonging to the Li family?

However - Li Zicheng didn't listen.

He was so tied up by the verses he made about his plan to seize the world that he actually made a national policy of not paying food for three years.

(mmp: That’s such ridiculous nonsense, do you take it seriously?)

But they didn’t consider that once the Ming court was overthrown, what it represented would be——

He, Li Zicheng, wants to take over all the mess left by Emperor Ming!

Li Yan tried to persuade him several times, but Li Zicheng was as stubborn as a donkey and couldn't hold him back!

……

The thinking I had when I was a bandit can no longer be used at this time!

At that time, if there was no more, we would rob it, and if there was not enough, we would seize it. Every time more harm was done to a place, the strength of the imperial court was weakened.

This is a clever plan to counteract one another!

Not to mention that.

Even when they were stationed in Xiangyang and Xi'an, the money and food confiscated from the officials and gentry were enough for them.

However, once you accept the world and take the position of Emperor Ming, the expenses will increase tenfold!

At that time, where did the money and food come from?

……

Sure enough, after capturing the capital, faced with the surge in troops and expenses——

Li Zicheng had no choice but to pay...

As early as Li Zicheng had just started to think about raising wages, Li Yan made another suggestion:

‘Every official should be treated differently, and those who are corrupt should be severely tortured and have all their property confiscated;

Those who disobey orders and refuse to surrender will still have to be punished after the stolen goods are recovered;

For upright officials, they should be exempted from punishment, preserve their self-esteem, and let them donate voluntarily, regardless of the amount.

The soldiers and horses of each battalion retreated outside the city and did not mix with civilian residences. ’

However - Li Zicheng still refused to listen, and instead chose the worst and worst strategy.

Just now, Song Xiance also gave a suggestion with the same purpose——

It’s time to stop paying wages...

However, all he got was Li Zicheng's casual remark:

"knew"!

Then there is no more then.

……

Li Yan thought about it carefully and realized that the emperor could no longer persuade him.

Not even the queen.

It's not like they haven't walked Queen Gao's route before.

However, Li Zicheng, who originally respected Empress Gao, could no longer listen to the empress's persuasion since he entered Beijing.

In fact, these days, he has spent most of the night at Concubine Dou's place, and has never even gone to Empress Gao's place...

Li Yan took a deep breath:

It seems that we have to take a roundabout route.

Li Yan frowned and tentatively said to Song Xiance:

"Brother Song, how about we call more people and go to General Liu's place to try together?"

Song Xiance slapped his thigh:

"wonderful!

General Quan is an old man who grew up with Your Majesty at a young age. He is different from us. If there is anyone who can persuade Your Majesty now, it is only General Liu! "

……

The two acted separately. Li Yan had the favor of recommending Niu Jinxing and immediately approached Niu Jinxing.

It's a pity that he asked his brother, his wife Hong Niangzi and others to return to his hometown a few days ago. Otherwise, he could have found a group of helpers from the army.

Since he was seeking help from Liu Zongmin, he naturally couldn't look for ordinary ministers.

Liu Zongmin was a blacksmith by trade and had a fiery temper. Now he was the commander-in-chief of all civil and military officials, and his status was even second only to Emperor Yongchang.