So we went north. We walked for a while, and we stopped there, and there were patients. Xiangsheng acted as my medicine boy. He had flexible hands and feet and strong arms. I couldn't pick many medicines on the mountain, so I gave them all to him.

I have really helped me a lot along the way!”

After hearing this, Yu Ren realized that there was such a story.

"How long has Xiangsheng been away from home?" Yu Ren asked.

"It's been half a year! In the past six months, Mr. Li and I have been traveling around Shandong, otherwise we would have been to the capital." Lu Xiangsheng said.

"What did Xiangsheng see in the past six months in Shandong?" Yu Ren asked casually.

Lu Xiangsheng sighed, "The people's livelihood in Shandong is really declining. The governments of various states have exploited the people far more than in the south of the Yangtze River. There are many villages where we have walked. On the contrary, there are some uninhabited mountains, but there are crowds of people and chickens and dogs who hear each other.

These abominable corrupt officials forced many people to have no way to survive and had to escape into the mountains. However, these corrupt officials still did not restrain themselves.

I am afraid that if this continues, there will be a big chaos in Shandong in less than a few years. The great rivers and mountains of the Ming Dynasty will be eroded by these corrupt officials little by little. If one day, I will enter the cabinet and become prime minister, I will definitely punish these corrupt officials severely and restore the people to a clean sky."

Seeing Lu Xiangsheng's words, Yu Ren looked angry and was about to speak, Liang Ruji, who was standing beside him, couldn't help but interrupt. "Mr. Lu's idea is the same as mine. But now inspired by Mr. Yu, I finally understand. If you want to make life easier for the people, it is not just about solving the problem of one or two corrupt officials. The building of the Ming Empire has long been penetrated by holes. As long as the people live in it, they cannot escape the fate of being exploited.

Even if there are no corrupt officials, will the court not collect taxes from the people? Take Shandong for example! I have lived in a small county for a few years. There are 18 villages and towns in the county, with a population of less than 30,000, but the statistics in the county government still have more than 100,000 people. Why is there such a big deviation? I have also asked a friend of the county official.

He told me that the household books of our Ming Dynasty, including the yellow books hidden in the palace, have been copied over the years according to the figures counted by Emperor Taizu. Now it has been 250 or 60 years, but the court still collects taxes based on those data. Although it is re-counted every year, it is always the same as the old wine in new bottles, and it is just copied as it is.

However, over the past two hundred years, the situation in many places has changed a lot, which is different from the original population. Originally, our dynasty stipulated that taxes were one of the ten, but in all dynasties, it was light. However, due to the reduction of the people, those prefectures and counties with insufficient personnel had to complete the tasks according to the above numbers. The extra taxes were distributed to the current people. In addition to some families that really could not collect them, the government collected more than 10% of the taxes.

Take the statistics from the county in Shandong where I spent the past as an example. The taxes paid by the people there are usually about 50% of each household, and some are particularly heavy, even to 60% to 70%. How can the people survive such heavy taxes? Therefore, many people have to give up their family business and run into the mountains, willing to cultivate those barren mountains, rather than stay at home and plant their own fields.

Are these problems that can be solved by dealing with a few corrupt officials?”

Lu Xiangsheng sighed, "Brother Liang said it well. I have encountered many of these excessive tax increases. I thought that the local officials had filled the extra taxes collected. It seems that what Brother Liang said was the key.

However, I still think that our Ming Dynasty still has hope. I heard that the priests are young and promising. Once they ascend to the throne, they will reuse the people of Donglin and want to revive the imperial court. I believe that the country will be in a new mood soon and the people's lives will definitely get better and better. I believe that these problems will be solved one by one."

Yu Ren shook his head, "The gentlemen of Donglin are indeed a group of righteous gentlemen with integrity. However, they may not have saved this conquered building in the Ming Dynasty!"

Lu Xiangsheng looked very confident. "I don't agree with Brother Yu's statement. It's because of the people! As long as we all work together to help the emperor, we believe that we can usher in the rejuvenation of the Ming Dynasty."

Liang Ruji glanced at Yu Ren, looking like he was eager to speak but stopped.

Yu Ren understood that Liang Ruji actually wanted to persuade Lu Xiangsheng to give up the scientific examination and follow them to build the ideal new world. However, Yu Ren also understood Lu Xiangsheng and knew that what he believed would not change easily. Moreover, he did not have full confidence in whether his pie that he gave to Liang Ruji could be realized in the end.

As a friend, he didn't want Lu Xiangsheng to risk giving up fame and work with him.

Yu Ren glanced at Mr. Li, "What does Mr. Li think?"

Mr. Li narrowed his small eyes and put down the teacup in his hand. "I don't understand these things and I'm not interested in them. I only know that my life was given by my master. I was an orphan, and my master took me home on the street, otherwise I would starve to death.

My master’s surname is Li, so I am also Li; my master is a traveling doctor. Therefore, I have made a wish since I was a child, and I must learn from my master’s appearance in this life, travel the world, and treat the poor in the world.

I don’t understand what you said and can’t comment on.”

Yu Ren nodded silently, and seemed to have some realization in his heart.

He gently raised the teacup in his hand and said to everyone, "As the saying goes, the same way is the same! Although our understanding is different, after all, everyone is actually the same wish: to resolve the suffering of the people in the world. In the words of the Taizhou School, it is exactly what Senior Wang Gen said: The daily life of the people is the Tao, which is the most appropriate.

Let’s use tea instead of wine, cook this cup together, and then work hard in the direction of our dreams!”

After hearing Yu Ren's words, the few people were moved and raised their teacups one after another.

"Yes, Brother Yu said it right. Different paths lead to the same end, and we are still the same people." After saying that, Lu Xiangsheng raised his cup and drank it all in one go.

After drinking the tea, Lu Xiangsheng slowly put down the tea cup and sighed softly, "I just don't know when we will usher in this peaceful and prosperous era of 'the river is flat and the river is clear'."

Liang Ruji, who was sitting next to the table, heard Lu Xiangsheng's words and sighed. He remembered the Ming world he had seen in the past few years. Those greedy businessmen, officials who were more greedy than merchants, and those common people who quarreled for a little profit all day long. In the face of interests, they could betray friendship and family affection. In order to get more benefits, they slander others and betray friends at will.

Thinking of this, Liang Ruji only thought of escaping from this world sooner and building a paradise that was as uncontested as Yu Ren said.

Yu Ren put down the teacup and patted Lu Xiangsheng on the shoulder, "Don't worry! Things are in the works of man, and man will conquer nature. As long as we keep working hard, our ideals will come true one day."

Lu Xiangsheng looked at Yu Ren's eyes. In Yu Ren's eyes, what he saw was firmness and confidence. Lu Xiangsheng nodded heavily, and the pessimistic feeling just now also disappeared.

The next day, Lu Xiangsheng bid farewell to Yu Ren and Mr. Li, saying that he would go to Beijing earlier and prepare for the next year's examination. He showed great confidence in this examination. Yu Ren found a boat for him and asked him to take a boat to Beijing. This was fast and he could also read books while walking on the boat.

Yu Ren bid farewell to Lu Xiangsheng and took Zhao Rui and Liang Rusu to Songjiang. The matter here was entrusted to Cao An and Mr. Li.

The boat sailed for four or five days and arrived in Suzhou.

Everyone got off the boat and turned the carriage and headed towards Songjiang. It was about to get home, but Yu Ren began to feel nervous. Although he had known Zhao Rui for a long time, he had never mentioned this to Li Ying. He didn't know what would happen if Li Ying suddenly saw him bringing Zhao Rui home.
Chapter completed!