The dispute over the exemption law was the biggest disagreement between Han Jiang, Wu Chong, Zhang Yue and Wang Anshi. In the history of another time and space, in the fourth year of Zhiping, Han Jiang criticized the previous Yamen service law and proposed the exemption law proposed to him by Jinshi Li Jiesuo to replace Yaqian service.
But Han Jiang was ridiculed by Sima Guang, and that was all. Later, this matter received strong support from Wu Chong.
In the second year of Xining, when Han Jiang became prime minister, he proposed the exemption law again, and it was passed with the support of Wang Anshi.
Wang Anshi also admitted at that time that "the current method of warfare is based on Jiangben's proposal." '...In this time and space, Zhang Yue proposed the exemption law to Han Jiang, which was also opposed by Sima Guang.
Later Wu Chong also agreed with Shangshu. After that, Han Jiang, Zhang Yue and Wang Anshi argued several times about the exemption law.
Han Jiang's first dismissal from the prime minister was related to Wang Anshi's reform of the exemption law. Why did Han Jiang and Zhang Yue oppose Wang An's stone tablet exemption law?
Because Wang Anshi collected the remaining money from his subordinates for exemption from service and the remaining money from lenient service, in the ninth year of Xining, he collected 1.41 million guan from the exemption from servitude, paid 6.48 million guan, and earned nearly 4 million guan.
And next year, if there is no change to the Yuan Dynasty, it will be the eleventh year of Xining, and the estimated income will reach 18 million yuan.
Han Jiang and Zhang Yue were stunned when they heard this, Wang Anshi, you really know how to play. Their original intention in enacting the exemption law was to save the people from suffering, but you actually used it as a living tool to make money.
So, is the dispute between Han Jiang and Wang Anshi about the exemption law benefiting the country or the people? The battle over military service is a battle over lines and a battle over political stances.
So why did Zhang Yue want to imitate Mencius? First of all, the king is despised and the minister is noble. This is why Wang Anshi and Zhang Yue both admired Mencius.
Mencius said, if the ruler regards his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his belly and heart; if his ministers regard his ministers as dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as a fellow countryman; if his ministers regard his ministers as earth and mustard, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit.
Therefore, when Mencius met the kings of other countries, he often did not give them a good look. Therefore, Wang Anshi appointed himself as prime minister and often did not give the emperor a good look.
In Wang Anshi's miscellany, he once said that if one has Yi Yin's ambition, one can let one's ruler do it; if one has Tang's benevolence, one can deprive one's ruler.
If the Duke of Zhou has merit, it would be nothing to preside over the suburban ceremony. There is a further reason why Zhang Yue admires Mencius, which is Mencius's idea of "people-centeredness".
For example, 'the people are the most valuable, the country is the second most important, and the king is the least important'. It makes sense for Zhu Yuanzhang not to like Mencius. Economically, we must protect the wealth of the people.
Those who have permanent property and perseverance, Mencius advocated that they must enrich the people. Whether it is to benefit the country or benefit the people, who is right and who is wrong in the two routes?
But if we put it in the book of Mencius, then it will be [benefiting the people] rather than [benefiting the country].
In the final analysis, it is the final interpretation of [State Affairs]. Therefore, Wang Anshi revised "New Meanings of the Three Classics", Zhang Yue revised "The Doctrine of the Mean", and "Mencius".
...Zhang Yue originally wanted to fight for these things after [Mencius] completed his cultivation, first culture, then customs, and finally legislation, but the problem was that Shen Kuo's eager speculation completely ruined his plan.
Shen Kuo was probably still complacent, thinking that by proposing to amend the exemption law at this time, he not only successfully curry favor with Han Jiang and Zhang Yue, but also made all his political achievements.
Now Shen Kuo was talking in the palace about the disadvantages of the exemption law. The first thing he proposed was to exempt the subordinates from the exemption money.
Shen Kuo's statement was of course the original political views of Zhang Yue and Han Jiang. At the same time, Su Shi and Su Che also advocated exempting subordinates from the service fee.
Shen Kuo said that there are so many thieves in the area now, and people are starving to death on the Huaihe Road and the Zhejiang Road, and people cannibalize each other. This is all because the labor laws are too harsh and too heavy.
As soon as these words came out, An Tao, who had previously mentioned the rise of thieves in the area, changed his expression. Shen Kuo was still unconscious, and he continued: "I think that hiring by force should go hand in hand with hiring by force, so that those who have the strength but not the money should be asked to contribute, and those who have the money and the money should hire people!" After listening to Shen Kuo's discussion, Zhang Yue felt the same in his heart. admire.
Shen Kuo is indeed a talented official. He is absolutely right on the spot about the shortcomings of the exemption law, and he is not wrong at all.
The biggest problem with the service exemption law, besides the remaining service money, is that it is levied on the subordinate households. In the past, female households who did not have to serve in the yamen and those who were not yet married had to be paid.
For example, a female household is a household with no male son in the family and a widow, which has almost no source of income. There are also pre-teen households, that is, orphans and widowed mothers. The husband has passed away, and the mother and son are dependent on each other. This category is even worse than the female households.
It used to be that these second-class households did not have to do government service, but under the new law, you have to pay even if you don't want to take advantage of the country's loopholes.
This simply drives these people to a dead end. For example, those with a monthly income of less than 5,000 are exempt from personal tax, but now if the monthly income is zero, they have to pay.
Not to mention that the imperial court is currently short of money, and Lu Huiqing casts 30% off and 50% off to plunder people's wealth, all of which are regarded as good governance.
Money shortage will inevitably lead to low power and high money. In the past, the poor had no money, but they could sell their strength to pay for labor. But now it is not possible. The court does not want your strength, but the court wants your money.
In order to pay for the service, the common people had to sell their houses and land. Otherwise, where would the eighteen million yuan for the exemption law come from? Zhang Yue had only spent so much money after fighting in Xihe for five years.
How many families were destroyed for these eighteen million yuan? How many people have starved to death? Is the reform meant to benefit the country or the people?
Therefore, Han Jiang, Zhang Yue, and the Third Chief of Staff Shen Kuo all wanted to persuade the officials to slow down, stop, improve the new law, and go more towards the "people-oriented" route.
However, through the test of Zheng Xia's incident, both Han Jiang and Zhang Yue found out that the official family did not want to change at all. Zhang Yue didn't know what to say. After playing the battle in the palace half a month ago, the official pointed at the map of Xixia, took his hand and said: "I want to gather the best soldiers from all over the country to destroy this thief. Please help me patiently." After three years of hard work, I still have to fulfill my long-cherished wish even if I have to bear the infamy."
"Zhang Qing, I am not a master who enjoys great achievements, nor do I want to gain fame after my death, but I want to ensure that my descendants will no longer have such worries and suffer!" Zhang Yue was so moved that he could not speak at that time.
How can you ask him to throw cold water on the official family at this time? Is it benefiting the country or the people? Which truth is correct?
Anyone who asks this question is politically immature. At this moment, listening to Shen Kuo's words, the official's face was already very ugly.
Shen Kuo didn't realize it and said: "Your Majesty, as the third envoy, I am in charge of the affairs of the world. If the service fee is not reduced next year, I will earn 18 million yuan." Shen Kuo actually spoke extremely fluently today and no longer stuttered. .
This was also the time when Shen Kuo performed his best in his memorial, and his views were recognized by many officials. After Shen Kuo finished speaking, Cai Que stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, I have committed three crimes in impeaching Shen Kuo!" The official, who had been angry for a long time, glanced at Cai Que who was out of office to speak and said, "Come here!" Cai Que looked at it One glance at Shen Kuo was like looking at a corpse.
Cai Quedao: "The law of exemption from military service is determined by Sinong Temple. As the third envoy, Shen Kuo overstepped his duties and spoke with ulterior motives. This is the first crime!"
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, I... I didn't... I told the truth." Shen Kuo showed a guilty conscience on his face.
Zhang Yue was not surprised that Cai Que came out to stab Shen Kuo. Cai Que is the best at spying on the master's intentions. The officials all said that Zheng Xia would never give up, and they even punished Wang Zishao, which showed their attitude.
Although Shen Kuo was absolutely right, he "didn't look at the direction of the wind when taking a shit." In the end, the more right he was, the more he was wrong.
Do you think the officials don’t know the facts that Shen Kuo said? Officials and family members know everything! Otherwise, the officials would not have said to him that he would endure three years of hardship and bear a bad reputation.
Shen Kuo's excuse had no effect at all. The more he knew about his character, he had a thousand words in his heart, but his reaction on the spot was relatively slow. To put it bluntly, he was stupid.
On the contrary, Cai Que reacted very quickly. From Shen Kuo's speech to finding the flaw, it only took a moment. The Third Division is the executive level, and the exemption law is implemented by Sinong Temple. You, Shen Kuo, have gone beyond your own status to speak out.
"Your Majesty, when Wang Anshi talked about the exemption from military service before, Shen Kuo repeatedly praised it and called it a good law that will never be changed. But today, he talks about the disadvantages of the exemption from military service. It is really unreasonable to repeat!" As soon as Cai Que said this, the people in the palace felt that it was a good law that would never be changed. Shen Kuo was a public-spirited official.
Cai Que is right, you Shen Kuo have a criminal record. You Shen Kuo will fawn over whoever is in phase, over and over again.
Isn't this modification of the exemption law exactly what Han Jiang and Zhang Yue advocated? Shen Kuo was speechless at this moment, and everyone's face turned red with anxiety.
"Shen Kuo's attachment to his ministers is the third crime!" Cai Que's last sentence was the shortest and most concise, but it was also the most lethal!
The separation of the Zhongshu, the Privy Council, the three departments and the three yamen, supplemented by the supervision of the Yushitai, was the basic national policy of the Song Dynasty, in order to restrain the power of the prime minister.
Deng Wan had previously relied on Wang Anshi, so he left. Now he was replaced by Deng Runfu, who was appointed by the officials, and resumed his duties as supervisor of Zhongshu.
Now it's your turn, Shen Kuo. Shen Kuo said: "Your Majesty, I... I am not attached to anyone, I just... just speak frankly!" The official said nothing and looked at all this expressionlessly.
Seeing this moment, Deng Runfu said: "Shen Kuo, you said you are not attached, so before you go to court today, didn't you discuss the reform of the exemption law with any minister?" Shen Kuo's expression changed when he heard this, and he began to hesitate in his words.
Seeing this scene, Zhang Yue almost covered his face with his sleeves, which was really embarrassing. Seeing that Shen Kuo didn't answer, the official glanced at Han Jiang and Zhang Yue at the bottom of the steps, and then said in a voice as piercing as ice: "Shen Qing, tell me the truth, which minister did you discuss with in advance?" Shen Kuo still said In silence, Zhang Yue was a little surprised. Didn't he expect that you, Shen Kuo, are quite loyal?
Shen Kuo said: "Reporting to your Majesty, I have discussed this with Han Jiang in advance." Deng Runfu and Cai Que both laughed at this moment.
At this time, the official said: "Apart from Han Jiang, is there no one else?"
"There is no second person, I dare not deceive you." Shen Kuo said hurriedly. When the officials heard this, they looked at Zhang Yue and thought, "The other party escaped unharmed."
At this time, Han Jiang stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, did Shen Kuo come to visit a month ago? He said that in the fifth year of Xining, your Majesty was exempted from military service!" The official was stunned when he heard this. Yes, he did say that back then. Say this.
In the fifth year of Xining, the emperor suggested to Wang Anshi that based on the experience of Zhejiang's trial, how about exempting the local fifth-class households from paying the labor service?
I actually forgot about this and almost shot myself in the foot! Han Jiang saved the situation with one sentence.
ps: There will be more updates tomorrow!
