Yan Wen and Niu Yuan walked into the courtyard one after another and saw Liu Zhennian in the corridor in front of the central hall. They both quickly bowed deeply.
Liu Zhennian had already heard that the two were coming to visit him, so he put on a neat formal suit and wandered there waiting.
"It's rare for you two to come here together," he slowly walked down the steps and came to help them with a smile, "Why, is it all because of official business?"
Niu Yuan glanced at Yan Wen secretly, and immediately replied: "I am here to give advice to the Prime Minister in order to solve an earth-shattering event."
"What about you?" Liu Zhennian turned to Yan Wen.
The latter replied respectfully: "I have other plans, so I'd better let Prime Minister Feng tell me his story first."
"Okay," Liu Zhennian said, "if the Prime Minister has anything to say, just say it, and I'll just stand here and listen."
Niu Yuan said hurriedly: "Mr. Liu is already old and physically inconvenient. He is no younger than us. It's better to sit down."
"What do you mean by what you said?" Liu Zhennian laughed, "We are all old men, what use can we do at these years? I just heard from you that you have to carry the sedan when you come over. I'm afraid your legs and feet will be damaged." Not as good as me."
"This is not what I meant."
"What does that mean?" Liu Zhennian said in a joking tone, "Is it possible that you started to feel particularly proud after you achieved that great achievement?"
Niu Yuan lowered his head suddenly: "Subordinates don't dare."
"It doesn't matter what you think with me. I will never blame others for this. But there are many eyes in the court. If you don't care, they will keep it all in their hearts. If they have opinions about you when the time comes, they will even use the topic to give you some advice. It's hard to tell if it's a stumbling block. Besides the emperor, who would sit in a sedan chair in the palace all day long? Be careful in the future." Chen Tongpao suddenly became serious.
Niu Yuan replied: "My subordinates usually don't drive sedan chairs. Today, they are just for convenience. They really shouldn't do it. From now on, we should keep the prime minister's teachings in mind and never do it again."
"Just remember, let's talk about it." Liu Zhennian sighed.
Niu Yuan deliberately coughed twice, then clasped his fists and said: "Prime Minister, the new policy under my subordinates was all achieved for you. This great victory has silenced all officials, and the voice of opposition is getting smaller and smaller. If you don't take advantage of this opportunity, It's a pity. Now that the imperial power is weak and the prime minister's reputation is already as good as the world, why not make great achievements? If the big event is decided, Mr. Liu will be the one to take charge of the country and control the people. Who dares to resist with words? After our advice, the Northern Captives The Southern Barbarians can be brought to peace with a snap of their fingers! When the country becomes strong and all the nations come to court, it will not only stabilize the country, but also enjoy a prosperous age. Wouldn't it be a great thing?"
After hearing this, Liu Zhennian glanced at Yan Wen silently, but the latter shook his head; he turned his back, with helplessness in his tone: "Niu Fengxiang, why do you make such suggestions again and again? When you first captured Zhang Longlu in Laizhou, you asked me to seek the throne in a hurry, saying that you should "exercise hegemony and enforce national laws"; now you have changed your rhetoric, and in the end, you have never strayed from the original. Now the national crisis is not yet over. Jing, but I want to seek wealth and honor for myself in a hurry. Isn't it just sitting back and watching the world starve to death? Your plan to implement the new policy is also based on the country's stability. Once the ancestral temple has different surnames and the situation is chaotic, I don't know how much chaos will happen. Have you considered this? No?"
"But the Prime Minister is nearly seventy years old after all. Even if he doesn't think about the present, he still has to think about the future. Time waits for no one!" Niu Yuan continued to admonish. Yan Wen also looked at the prime minister in front of him with complicated eyes, full of expectations and disappointment.
Liu Zhennian pinched a finger on his left hand and shouted: "I am now in a very high position, and I have everything I need, so why should I ask for it? If the dynasty really changes, my descendants will be unworthy, and my family will be ruined." If you do this, you will end up confiscating your family and annihilating your clan! Unless the world is at peace, I will never do this!"
These words made both of them lose their temper, and Niu Yuan became even more silent.
"Where's Prime Minister Yan?" He turned around and looked at him with tired eyes, "Isn't it also because of this?"
"It's different from his. I've made a report with everyone in the Zhongshu Province. I don't know if it's feasible. I would like to ask you to participate in the decision."
"explain."
Yan Wen did not respond, but took out a memorial from his arms, leaned over and handed it over: "There is a lot of content, and I won't be able to finish it in a while. I hope you can read it in person."
Liu Zhennian's eyesight had deteriorated and he had difficulty reading the documents, but thinking of his thoughts, he took it with one hand and opened it to read.
He lowered his head and looked at it for a long time, then gave it back and said: "The idea in this document is good. Go to the study room and ask the clerk to stamp it. You can submit it to the court yourself. As for the specific method, you can find someone to study it. Don’t neglect your research. I will officially announce it to the world after the emperor has approved it.”
"I understand." Yan Wen bowed, picked up the document, and immediately walked past Niu Yuan.
Niu Yuan kept listening to the conversation between the two, but acted as if he heard nothing and did not capture any useful information. But when he saw Liu Zhennian agreeing so hastily, he thought it was just a small matter and didn't take it to heart.
But little did he know that this move was a good move that Yan Wen used against himself! Of course Liu Zhennian would not agree so simply. After the two separated, he went to Zhongshu Province in person to learn the details and talked with Hong and Li until night. Although he was worried about the discord between the two and doubted the feasibility of this plan, he also knew that the government could not be unbalanced and allowing Niu Yuan to expand without limit would eventually lead to a liquidation within the Liu Party, which would seriously affect the situation. unfavorable. Finally, the decision was made on Yan Wen's new policy, and the memorial was heard by the heavens.
The emperor never had any objections to Liu Dang's edict. According to Gui Fu's opinion, he wrote an edict as a reply. It contained a lot of content, but the general meaning was very clear, which was to officially announce to the outside world: Yan Wen's reform of ancient learning. has been unveiled, and local governments will be ordered to invest in running schools, and a supervisor will be sent to visit and report the local situation to the court for more radical decisions.
The ministers were in a commotion. They were not surprised by this new 'ancient science' policy, but the fight between Yan Wen and Niu Yuan had been made public and they were almost at odds with each other. Emperor Taisu was particularly excited. After receiving the edict, he returned to the Forbidden Army camp and said to Cunzhao: "Everyone in the Liu Party has his own agenda. I have known for a long time. How could I have imagined that such a disaster would happen today! Within the crony party, The resurrected party, we can watch the fire from the other side and watch its decline! The time is not far to eradicate the willow thieves!"
The clan members could gloat at this time, but the officials who were also Qingliu were not in such a good mood. Together with Yan Wen, they shouldered the burden of the new deal and were forced to stand on the same path.
