People in Zongwu: Starting with the Yin Gui Sect

Chapter 182

"Brother Lu, do you think there is still hope for the Ming Dynasty?"

Forcibly suppressing the image he had just seen, Wu Yu turned around and looked at Lu Xiaofeng reluctantly, because he was the only one present who knew Lu Xiaofeng's identity.

Lu Xiaofeng naturally knew what Wu Yu meant, but he did not answer immediately. If anyone knew the current situation of the Ming Dynasty best, it would probably be him, the secret agent of the Baolong clan.

But even if he knew, what could he do? Not to mention that even the emperor in the Forbidden City could not do anything.

Although that emperor was in office for only six years, he killed a lot of people, or corrupt officials, and even took the blame for favoring eunuchs and killing ministers. But even so, was killing so many people useful? No use!

Corrupt officials will still be corrupt, gentry and landlords will still enclose land, merchants will still evade taxes, and taxes will still not be collected.

Even though he had killed so many corrupt officials, the situation in the Ming Dynasty was still as bad as ever, and there was no improvement at all.

"Wait, maybe in a year or two, this natural disaster will be over."

Lu Xiaofeng's answer was more of a comfort to himself than a reply to Wu Yu.

But Wu Yu shook his head. As a person of later generations, he naturally knew that the natural disaster in the late Ming Dynasty was not just an ordinary natural disaster. This was a small ice age, and it would not be over for more than ten or twenty years.

"If I tell you that this natural disaster will last for more than ten years, or even decades, will you still think so at that time?"

"Crack!"

Perhaps he was shocked by Wu Yu's words, even Lu Xiaofeng, who was always known for his light skills, did not notice the movement under his feet, and stepped directly on a dead branch with a crisp sound.

"Brother Wu, this is not a joke!"

Lu Xiaofeng was really scared by Wu Yu's words, and even Hua Manlou, who was standing next to him, looked over with a shocked face.

If the natural disaster lasted for more than ten years or even decades as the other party said, then the Ming Dynasty would definitely be doomed, and no one would be able to help.

Even if Taizu was still alive, it would not work. After all, this was a natural disaster. Even if they killed more corrupt officials, it would be useless. They could not conjure up food out of thin air, and without food, no matter how much gold and silver they had, it would be meaningless.

If it was only a short period of time, it might be enough to hold on for a while, but if it really lasted for decades, where would the people live, and what the people who had no way to live would do was naturally self-evident, but looking at Wu Yu's expression, where was there any joking intention?

"Brother Wu, are you telling the truth?"

Seeing Lu Xiaofeng's expression of "Don't scare me", Wu Yu directly told them everything about the Little Ice Age, and he was not worried that they would not believe it. Anyway, this kind of thing has happened more than once in history.

But as Wu Yu talked more, Lu Xiaofeng and Hua Manlou's faces became worse and worse, and their hearts kept sinking. In the end, they were completely bloodless.

"Brother Wu, do you have a way to save the Ming Dynasty?"

After a long silence, Lu Xiaofeng asked in a miserable tone.

Just now, it was Wu Yu who asked him, but now he asked him back. In his opinion, since Wu Yu mentioned this question, he must have his own ideas.

After all, this is not just his Lu Xiaofeng's problem, but also this brother Wu's own problem, who makes him a member of the old Zhu family.

Although he didn't understand why the emperor didn't let him return to the Forbidden City after confirming his identity, he knew that the emperor had the intention of establishing the crown prince, even if the current queen was pregnant again, it still didn't give up the emperor's idea.

After hearing Lu Xiaofeng's question, it was Wu Yu's turn to be silent this time. Throughout history, half of the demise of the Ming Dynasty was attributed to natural disasters and man-made disasters. The people would naturally rise up if they couldn't survive.

Two percent was because the royal family and clans frantically enclosed land, causing the people to have no land to farm, but the taxes to be paid were not less.

The other 20% was the inaction of officials in the court. Corruption was rampant from top to bottom, which led to the collapse of the entire Ming Dynasty's finances. Without money to pay salaries, the army naturally had no combat effectiveness.

The last 10% was the external threat. The Qing Dynasty was able to rule the Central Plains later, but in the final analysis, it was the Ming Dynasty that played itself out, because neither Nurhaci nor Huang Taiji thought of being able to rule the Central Plains at the beginning.

So the demise of the Ming Dynasty was actually God's will. If even God didn't give him a way to survive, what could he do personally? Should he learn from some people in his previous life and shout: My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of God?

"Sorry, Brother Lu, I really can't find a way to save the Ming Dynasty."

As Wu Yu's last words fell, Lu Xiaofeng seemed to have been drained of his strength.

And Hua Manlou on the side alsoIt's not much better. Although he is not in the court, his love for Ming Dynasty is no less than those dignitaries.

Because he knows what the demise of a dynasty means. When that time comes, no one can stay out of it, even those people in the rivers and lakes. No one can guarantee that they can survive this disaster.

Unless he is willing to leave his hometown, leave his homeland and leave Ming Dynasty, or find a deep mountain forest to live in seclusion.

But he Hua Manlou can do it, but the Hua family can't. Even if they are willing to retire, others will not agree.

At this time, Wu Yu's eyes also revealed an inexplicable meaning. Is Ming Dynasty really hopeless? It can be said that it is, but it can also be said that it is not.

If all the existing order is torn down and rebuilt, then Ming Dynasty can naturally be saved.

But change often means bloodshed, such as the fall of Ru Tianqi into the water a year ago is the best proof. Isn't it because the newly enacted law harms the interests of the vast majority of groups?

First there was Zhengde, then there was Tianqi. Just imagine, even the emperor could die in an unclear way, let alone other ministers who presided over the reform.

Perhaps only emperors who ignored state affairs like Jiajing and Wanli could live long.

Jiajing was okay. Although he didn't manage much, he could still hold power in his own hands. Even powerful ministers like Yan Song and Yan Shifan could only take the blame for him.

But when it came to Wanli, he was suppressed by the civil officials and couldn't even leave the Forbidden City. Therefore, after knowing that he couldn't resist, he simply chose to lie down.

And it was precisely because of his lying down that he not only failed to hold power in his hands like Jiajing, but even couldn't control a powerful minister.

Once, because he read a word wrong in reading, he was scolded by Zhang Juzheng in front of everyone.

Of course, there were also emperors who were not cowardly, such as Zhengde and Tianqi mentioned earlier. These two emperors were tough enough, but the final result was that they were forced to die early, so Wu Yu said that the Ming Dynasty was hopeless.