Chapter 16: The Common Ideal of the Great Ming

"The Yuan Dynasty did not know how to govern the world; the northern nomads were never destined to hold dominion for a century. The policies they implemented were truly too crude. Especially the tax-farming system—it was utter nonsense! Cough, cough, cough... Heaven only knows how many people it fattened, and how many it turned into gluttons with insatiable appetites. Your Majesty... you have expelled the barbarians and restored China. Now that it is the era of the Great Ming, the traces left behind by the northern nomads are not so easily erased. It will take time to change them gradually... cough, cough..."

Liu Bowen weighed his words carefully, speaking with extreme caution. He had to be cautious; the Emperor's questions were far too sensitive. He had been burned by the Emperor’s traps before and was terrified that one slip would land him back in a deep pit dug by his sovereign. Such things were well within the capabilities of the man sitting before him.

"Master Liu, I understand what you are saying. But I am not asking about the officials of the Yuan Dynasty. I am talking about the many people who followed me to conquer the world, to expel the barbarians and restore China. Among them, how many have not suffered from the harsh policies of the Yuan? How many have not tasted the bitterness of that era? Following me, they stood firm in their opposition to the barbarians. They never took a cent of the barbarians' pay. Why, then, have they turned into this?"

"Cough, cough, cough..." Liu Bowen coughed a few times, unsure if it was a natural urge or an instinctive reaction to the Emperor’s words. This Emperor was truly difficult to handle! He wouldn't give any opportunity to brush the matter off. He knew that the title "Your Majesty" was not easily earned. Liu Bowen felt a mix of resentment and helplessness. Analyzing why those who had helped conquer the world had changed was not an enviable task.

"Your Majesty, the influence of one's environment is subtle and pervasive. He who stays in a room filled with sweet-scented orchids will eventually lose the ability to smell the fragrance, and he who stays in a shop selling salted fish will eventually cease to notice the stench. When the First Emperor went on his royal tour, the Emperor Gaozu of Han saw him and remarked that a great man should strive to be like that. The deeds of the Yuan officials were perhaps deeply etched into the hearts of these men. Perhaps many of them had secretly sighed that a 'great man should be like that.' That is why I said earlier that the traces left by the Yuan are too deep to be erased in an instant..."

Liu Bowen’s silver tongue was indeed remarkable; he had managed to turn the argument around! Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, signaling for him to continue.

"Beyond that, this matter concerns human nature. A love of ease and a hatred of labor, pride, luxury, debauchery, and the pursuit of gain while avoiding harm... these are the inherent traits of man. For instance, many people endure hardship and labor diligently. Is it because they love hardship and love to labor? Not at all. It is because if they do not endure hardship or labor, they cannot survive. If there were an opportunity to live well without hardship or toil, many would surely not choose to suffer. Now, many who could not survive in the chaotic times have followed Your Majesty to conquer the world, and their status and position have changed drastically compared to the past. They have more choices and the ability to stop suffering themselves..."

Listening to Liu Bowen, a phrase suddenly echoed in Zhu Yuanzhang’s mind: *I have fought wars my whole life; can I not enjoy myself now? Play the music, keep on dancing!*

"But they themselves are no longer suffering. I have treated those who helped conquer the world with great favor. I gave them high status, the rewards they deserved, and salaries sufficient for their needs. This should be enough for them to live in abundance. Why then, in defiance of my warnings, must they reach their hands into places they should not?" Zhu Yuanzhang interjected.

Liu Bowen waited quietly for Zhu Yuanzhang to finish, then continued: "This still pertains to what I called human nature. A man’s heart is never satisfied; he is like a snake trying to swallow an elephant. Once he possesses some things, he wants more. To address this, we must use rules and laws to restrain them, and we must provide instruction... cough, cough..."

"But I have already established the rules. The Iron Plaque stands in the Fengtian Palace square precisely so they see it every time they attend court. I have even made them memorize those nine articles, yet it is of no use. Even after I dealt with Liao Yongzhong recently, I believe it will not have much of a deterrent effect. The spirit we had when we were conquering the world—that sense of pulling together toward a single goal—is gone..."

For a moment, Liu Bowen fell silent. These matters were too complex, too deep. Moreover, what the Emperor said was the truth.

"When we were conquering the world, we had a common enemy, and many knew it was not yet time to enjoy the fruits of our labor. So they worked with all their might. Now that the world is pacified and our original wishes have been fulfilled, naturally... cough, cough..." Liu Bowen did not continue, but his point was clear. This was the difference between conquering the world and ruling it.

"I think what you say makes sense, Master Liu." Zhu Yuanzhang nodded, affirming his words.

Liu Bowen felt gratified. The Emperor’s current demeanor reminded him of the days when they were conquering the world, when His Majesty would humbly seek his counsel on many issues.

"Then, Master Liu, do you have any good solutions to resolve this?"

Liu Bowen fell into deep thought, his brows furrowed, letting out an occasional cough. Solutions certainly existed—formulating laws, enforcing them strictly... these were things on the tip of his tongue, ready to be spoken at any moment. But he knew full well that the Emperor had not spoken at such length just to hear these platitudes. If he used such empty words to brush the matter off, the Emperor would be dissatisfied, and it would be an insult to his own intelligence. Yet, how could a truly effective, far-sighted solution be conceived so easily?

"I have an idea, Master Liu. Why don't you hear what you think of it?" After a long pause, Zhu Yuanzhang broke the silence.

Liu Bowen looked up, curious about what the Emperor might say. This Emperor was often truly "creative," especially when it came to setting rules or dealing with people!

"I believe there are many reasons for this outcome. But the most fundamental one, the one with the greatest impact, is the lack of a common goal. When we were fighting the northern nomads, we had a unified ideal: to expel the barbarians, restore China, establish order, and save the people. Everyone knew what had to be done, so it was easy to pull in the same direction. Now that these things are accomplished, the common goal is gone. I want the Great Ming to be prosperous, but many are already lying on their past merits, living out their days in idle comfort, doing as they please. Laws and discipline are important, but I believe the most crucial thing now is to put forward a new common goal. We must tell them that the journey is far from over and that we must continue to strive. We must let them know what to do next and where to direct their efforts. We must gather everyone’s spirit once again to get things done!"

Liu Bowen’s back straightened unconsciously, and he even swallowed the cough that was about to escape him. The pleasant, long-lost feeling of being sought for counsel by the Emperor had vanished. He finally saw it: the Emperor had taken such a roundabout path not to seek his advice, but because he had already reached his own conclusion. He was, in turn, instructing him! This maneuver was truly the Emperor in his element. It was a familiar taste indeed!

"Then... does Your Majesty have a vision for this common goal?"

Zhu Yuanzhang replied, "I do!" He paused, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled: "I call this common goal the Great Ideal of the Great Ming!"