"The problem behind this national annihilation strategy is actually a mathematical problem!”
Chen Shu knew that if he didn't explain this matter clearly today, Brother Zhu would probably not let him go back.
He remembered a question about the chessboard and rice grains in his previous life. Then, he changed the background with a story that the people of the Ming Dynasty could understand.
"One day, there was a farmer who worked as a long-term laborer for the landlord. He made a very strange request!”
" The landlord asked him how he should be paid. The farmer said, if possible, could the landlord pay him 1% a day?"
"He only needs a grain of rice on the first day!”
"Two pills on the second day!"
"Four pills on the third day!"
"Eight pills on the fourth day!"
"Sixteen pills on the fifth day!"
"And so on, after thirty days, he will no longer need the salary of the landlord and will work for him for free!”
"Brother Zhu, do you think this is worth it?”
"A grain of rice?"
When Zhu Biao didn't answer, Empress Ma and Old Zhu, who was eavesdropping in the secret room, fell into deep thought.
Especially Old Zhu, who scoffed when he heard Chen Shu's question.
What was one grain of rice a day enough for?
Even if he doubled it every day, how far could he go?
However, none of them were ignorant people. They understood that Chen Shu must have his motive for asking this question.
" One pill a day, two pills a day, three days... five days sixteen, six days thirty-two, seven days... twelve days..."
The three of them used the dumbest method to calculate twelve days later. At first, they thought that this problem was simple, but when they calculated later, everyone's expression changed drastically.
After more than ten days, the three of them realized that they could not continue calculating.
Old Zhu stood up in the secret room and glared at Chen Shu.
This math question was no ordinary question. It was clearly a seemingly harmless trap that was actually a bottomless abyss.
Chen Shu stood at the side, quietly waiting for Zhu Mu and the old madam to calculate. He did not have to wait long before he saw the shock he expected.
"Is it, a lot?"
"Actually, the answer to this question is ** grains of rice. That's right, more than 500 million grains!”
"One jin of rice is about 15,000 grains. If the landlord keeps his promise, he will have to pay the farmer about 35,000 jin in a month, which is 3,500 dan of grain!“
"Of course, the biggest possibility is that he will be beaten to death by the angry landlord!”
Chen Shu thought he was joking, but the two generations of emperors of the Zhu family did not laugh.
They had completely understood the horror behind Chen Shu's math problem. Wasn't this phenomenon the number of imperial clan members that would increase in the future under Old Zhu's policy?
No matter how much faith was given, as long as Old Zhu insisted on providing for the descendants of the imperial clan, the future Great Ming Dynasty would definitely be crushed by the salaries of these imperial clan members.
Of course, the situation in reality might not be as orderly as the calculation. For example, the descendants of the imperial clan would not snowball twice in each generation, and the older generation of descendants would also die. However, this did not affect the inference of the outcome.
"The strategy to destroy a country, the strategy to destroy a country, so that's how it is!”
Zhu Biao muttered to himself as if he had gone mad.
"But, how should I solve it?"
Empress Ma was a little better than the Emperor and his son. She knew that since Chen Shu had pointed out the problem, there must be a way to deal with it.
Chen Shu smiled and said,"
"Isn't the method to get rid of it very simple?”
"The terrifying thing behind this question is that the imperial clan disciples will give birth, so the number will definitely snowball!”
"If the Imperial Family can control the number of disciples they support, they won't have any financial problems!“
"But with Old Zhu's personality, it would be strange if he could change!”
"So, let's drink and not talk about this problem.
"Brother Chen, don't…"
Zhu Biao saw that Chen Shu stopped talking about the key point and quickly begged him,
"If you don't finish speaking, are you trying to suffocate me to death?”
"My good brother, I beg you!”
"Tell me, what should I do?”
Hearing this, Chen Shu laughed out loud.
"Brother Zhu, with your personality, you're suitable to go to the Ministry of Revenue!”
"The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of the world's money and grain. They need people like you who can get to the bottom of things!”
"Actually, just think about it and you will understand. There is no need for me to say it clearly. In this world, it is not just my Ming Dynasty that is conferred the title of king.”
"It's also because the emperor's old farmer mentality is causing trouble that he wants to protect his descendants for thousands of years!”
"But if his policy is changed, only the eldest son will inherit the title, and the other children will have their benefits reduced for generations!”
"If you want benefits, then go to the battlefield and earn them yourself!”
"This way, not only can we protect the money bags of the Imperial Court, but we can also let the future generations of the Imperial Family maintain their bloodlust!”
"Good!"
As soon as Chen Shu finished speaking, Old Zhu, who was in the secret chamber, could not help but agree.
Immediately, he realized that he had made a commotion and quickly shut up.
However, Old Zhu's eyes were also filled with joy and undisguised admiration for Chen Shu. Mr. Chen was still the same Chen Shu who had fought with him and guided the country!“
If someone else were to say that Old Zhu's own policies were wrong, just like what Chen Shu knew about Old Zhu, he would probably scoff.
Those who could become emperors had a heart as solid as a rock and rarely felt that they were in the wrong.
However, Chen Shu had already pointed out the economic account behind his conferment of the imperial clan's descendants with a math question. Even if Old Zhu was a cow, Chen Shu would still forcefully pull him back.
"Sir understands me!"
The Emperor laughed and drank a cup of wine.
Old farmer, I am an old farmer. Because they had suffered, they wanted their children and grandchildren to be good.
However, Old Zhu had forgotten that he was still an emperor. If he did not know how to weigh the pros and cons, his good intentions might cause the Ming Dynasty to collapse.
At the same time, the Emperor also thought about the issue of Chen Shu's salary for officials. It was also one of the policies that he had forgotten to weigh the pros and cons of the emperor's methods and left hidden dangers for future generations.
People's hearts are unpredictable, and there are no fish in the clear water.
As the emperor, he naturally hoped that the salaries of the officials were enough.
However, this was enough. When the people's hearts were lacking, corrupt officials would spring up like bamboo shoots after a rain.
Old Zhu killed a batch of them, but the effect was not good.
The officials of the Ming Dynasty were still eyeing the risk of being beheaded for corruption. He had also thought about this problem, but he never felt that it was only wrong.
However, he had to admit that he had lost in the end.
Were there still corrupt officials in Great Ming? Actually, there were many, but the Emperor was already tired of killing them. Perhaps he would kill them again in the future, but the speed at which he killed corrupt officials definitely couldn't cause the most basic rule of Great Ming Dynasty to collapse.”
" In a sense, this is another form of balance between Old Zhu and the officials!”
"Wouldn't it be better to raise the salary and keep many ordinary people out of the muddy water than to tacitly acknowledge the existence of official corruption?”
The Emperor muttered to himself. If there were others present, they would definitely be shocked.
This was because Old Zhu would never admit his mistake.
"Emperor's mind, if you use your righteous name to suppress me and speak up for the officials, I, Zhu Yuanzhang, will not accept it!”
" But whether it's the policy of the imperial clan or the salary of the officials, what Sir wants to guide me is that I, as an emperor, have forgotten the art of balance.
"Old Zhu is convinced!"
The Emperor stood up. There was no one else in the secret room.
What the Emperor thought of was the scene of him not being able to outtalk Chen Shu.
Just like in the past, he bowed to Chen Shu.
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