Feeling that Zhao Hong seemed a little disappointed, Zhen Dexiu bit the bullet and persuaded Zhao Hong to come.
"Your Majesty, all the emperors of the Song Dynasty tried to find out the hidden tax leakage by clearing land and equating land taxes, but they always failed and failed. There are too many involved, your Majesty, please think twice!"
It works but then fails, it involves too much.
Zhen Dexiu's explanation made Zhao Hong feel disappointed.
It was because of difficulties that he asked his teacher for guidance. He came to Zhen Dexiu to solve problems, not to describe difficulties.
"True Lord, the country is lacking in power and the external affairs are weak. I am very anxious and restless. If you have any good solutions, you can tell me."
Zhao Hong said patiently, already feeling a little regretful.
The person who solves the problem must also be an indomitable person, just like Wang Anshi, who is "stubborn". Zhen Dexiu seems to have never shown such ability and courage in political affairs.
"Your Majesty, I don't have a clue at the moment. Let me go back and think about it carefully."
Zhen Dexiu bowed his hand, but there was still no substantive reply.
Zhao Hong was disappointed and his face remained calm.
"True Lord, our country is short of national power and the government's finances cannot make ends meet. The government wants to innovate and reform, and it cannot be done without money. I need money to train troops, and it is difficult to change the law. Anyone who blocks the way will be punished by the law, and I will not Tolerate and support adultery."
In the Battle of Yashan, one hundred thousand soldiers and civilians went to sea. Chinese civilization was interrupted and the nation was destroyed.
Will such a historical tragedy happen again?
Zhao Hong's brows couldn't help but frown.
Zhen Dexiu's face was solemn, and the atmosphere in the room was dull. Zhao Hong's tone became gentle, which relieved Zhen Dexiu's pressure.
"I intend to establish a Jingjie Institute and select elite soldiers and generals. It will start with Jiangnan East Road, gradually extend to Zhejiang and Zhejiang Roads, and then to other roads in the Song Dynasty. This is a big project. It should not be done too hastily, but should be carried out step by step. You What do you think?"
Pressure is useless. He was also not sure whether it was a bit hasty to ask these scholar-bureaucrats to handle land annexation.
Zhen Dexiu himself was a big landowner. However, he still has hope for his teacher.
"Your Majesty just gives orders and all ministers will obey them!"
The master of Neo-Confucianism showed his true virtue, hesitating and uttering words with twinkling eyes.
All of this was seen by Zhao Hong and he was suffering in his heart.
When it comes to dealing with big landowners, large, medium and small landowners, is he looking for the wrong person?
To solve the problems in the Song Dynasty, we cannot rely on scholars, let alone scholar-bureaucrats. Why did he forget?
If the scholar-bureaucrats were useful, the Southern Song Dynasty would not have collapsed.
"True Lord, the new dynasty has a new atmosphere. The "Jingjie Law" is only the first fire of the new dynasty. The second fire is the "anti-corruption law" to punish corruption."
Zhao Hong remained calm and continued to speak.
In the Song Dynasty, all officials from top to bottom were corrupt, which was the social custom at that time. Many people in later generations believed that the prosperity of the Song Dynasty was only the prosperity of scholar-bureaucrats and had nothing to do with the people at the bottom. This is really true.
All dynasties have vigorously fought against corruption. This strange phenomenon of not fighting against corruption was only seen in the Song Dynasty. The prosperous age can naturally linger on, but by the late Southern Song Dynasty, people's livelihood was in decline and the empire was twilight. If it didn't bounce back, it would be dark.
The coffin board of the Song Dynasty was about to be covered, and it was hammered with nails.
"Anti-corruption law?"
Zhen Dexiu had another headache.
The Song Dynasty was founded nearly 300 years ago, but it never really fought against corruption. The new emperor kept saying that he wanted to fight against corruption. This was to compete with the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty in the Song Dynasty.
Is the dragon chair under his butt still stable?
"Zhen Gong, the anti-corruption law is as imperative as the law of the realm. They are both good recipes for the revival of our Song Dynasty. I plan to select some honest and self-disciplined officials as the backbone of the anti-corruption department. Zhen Gong has recommendations. Can you choose?"
Zhao Hong's tone was gentle and his face was calm.
Zhen Dexiu may... lack cognition, but he is a master of Neo-Confucianism. There should be no problem with his character, and there should be no problem with the candidates he recommends.
"Your Majesty, I... I haven't thought about it for the moment. Let me go back and think about it."
Zhen Dexiu hesitated, but still did not express his position.
"Master Zhen, I plan to implement a new policy on Jiangnan East Road. The anti-corruption law and the economic boundary law are among the new laws. In this way, you can go back and think about it, recommend talents, and see who can take on this important task."
Originally, he still had many things he wanted to discuss with Zhen Dexiu, but he stopped in time. He has already felt that tonight may have been a useless effort and a waste of his enthusiasm.
"I obey your Majesty's will!"
Zhen Dexiu's answering voice was even deeper.
Zhao Hong's heart sank little by little, reaching the bottom of the lake.
The Song Dynasty was riddled with many shortcomings and diseases, and it may have reached the point where it is difficult to return.
Zhen Dexiu, a master of Neo-Confucianism, a second-ranked Jinshi, a brilliant scholar-bureaucrat, a real big landowner and a rich man, has been in the big dye vat of the system for so many years, and I am afraid he has already been dyed black.
There was no one like Hai Rui in the Ming Dynasty, let alone the Song Dynasty.
How high the expectations are, how high the disappointment is.
It seems that the elite class of scholar-officials is really unreliable.
And tonight's reform talk between teachers and students seems to have ended in failure.
"Your Majesty, there have always been few successes in reform and many failures. If you don't follow the laws of your ancestors, there will be no profit and no change. Your Majesty, be careful."
Zhen Dexiu advised in a deep voice, feeling uneasy.
The emperor's thunderous remarks may cause turmoil in the government and the public, and panic among the people.
Ancestral family law! Be cautious?
Zhao Hong looked at Zhen Dexiu in front of him in surprise, the disappointment in his heart was even worse, and he was already desperate.
The country is about to be destroyed, so what else should we be careful about?
Didn't they see that the people's livelihood was in decline, the government was corrupt, and the world of the Song Dynasty was already in danger?
After Yashan, what was lost was not only the loss of tens of millions of people, but also the interruption of civilization and the rewriting of Chinese history.
There is no China after Yashan. Regardless of whether this statement is correct or not, the decline of the nation and culture is an indisputable fact.
According to the ancestral family law, the emperor and the scholar-bureaucrats jointly rule the world.
But scholar-bureaucrats cannot rule the world, let alone save it. Otherwise, the two Song Dynasties would not be so useless and tragic. Whether it was the humiliation of Jingkang or the aftermath of Yashan, facing the foreign cavalry, the Song Dynasty had no power to fight back and was blindly abused.
The interests of the intellectual gentry headed by scholar-bureaucrats determined that he could not collude with these scholar-bureaucrats. Once the scholar-bureaucrats live a carefree life, the common people will suffer, and the Song Dynasty will suffer.
The mighty Emperor of the Song Dynasty, who holds the power in the world, is he still afraid of these powerless scholars?
As for the common people, they had enough food, clothing, and plenty to do, but they did not want to see the corruption of the gentry.
"If you are poor, you will change, if you change, you will be successful, and if you are consistent, you will last. If you continue to stick to the old rules, I am afraid that the Song Dynasty will perish. Zhen Gong, don't you want me to be the king of the country's subjugation?"
Zhao Hong responded coldly without hesitation.
His teacher had let him down so much tonight.
This also made his heart harder, and he could never rely on scholar-bureaucrats.
As for the New Deal, it is even more important for him to be decisive and implement it as always.
"Your Majesty clearly knows that this is not what I meant!"
Zhen Dexiu was shocked, stood up quickly, and bowed respectfully.
It seemed that his performance tonight disappointed the emperor.
"Mr. Zhen, please go back and rest first. Let me think about it carefully."
Zhao Hong waved his hand gently, and Zhen Dexiu retreated respectfully and dejectedly.
Zhen Dexiu left, Zhao Hong frowned and began to pace in the hall.
Whether it is training or fighting, all you need is money. Without money, I still train as a soldier and fight a ball battle.
The hidden taxation by these powerful officials is a big cancer. It is not only a problem that cannibalizes the country's wealth, but also a major matter that greatly affects the public's anger and affects social stability and the credibility of the court.
How can there be peace in the world? Civil servants do not love money, military generals do not fear death.
Yue Wumu’s words and wise sayings are truly a man of understanding!
"Your Majesty, there are very few scholar-bureaucrats in the Manchu Dynasty who are honest officials. The Jingjie Law will cut off their flesh, and the Anti-Corruption Law will kill them. I am afraid that Your Majesty will be disappointed if I put my hope in the True Duke."
Seeing that Zhao Hong was worried and frowning, Dong Songchen said softly from the side.
To implement the "Jingjie Law", powerful officials must cut their flesh. The anti-corruption law is tantamount to cutting off officials’ money channels. Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents. It's all about profit.
If he wanted to fight the entire bureaucracy and landlord group, Zhao Hong would dig his own grave.
"Dong Songchen, you dare to say anything!"
Zhao Hong laughed, stopped, looked out the window, and frowned.
Dong Songchen was right. Even his teacher, Zhen Dexiu, the leader of Qingliu, was a big landowner and big bureaucrat. He was an embarrassment to the generals, let alone other officials.
It was originally planned to let Zhen Dexiu go to Jiangnan East Road to serve as the imperial envoy to ensure the implementation of the New Deal. Now it seems that he took it too much for granted.
"Your Majesty, the officials of the imperial court are closely connected with each other. If we want to implement the boundary law and anti-corruption law on Jiangnan East Road, we may need to find someone else."
Dong Songchen continued speaking in a soft voice.
It seems that he has no confidence in Zhen Dexiu.
"Dong Songchen, you are right. I have already tasted the sweetness of being an official. How can I be willing to spit it out when the meat is in my mouth? The days are long, so take your time."
Zhao Hong turned his head, his face still expressionless.
If you want to follow the king's path, you must choose capable ministers with lofty ideals and command the world with imperial power.
Fortunately, Jin Deokxiu was not directly appointed to an official position such as the Imperial Envoy. Otherwise, the implementation of the New Deal would have been difficult or even in vain.
"Dong Songchen, I want to implement the New Deal on Jiangnan East Road. Do you think Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu are suitable?"
Zhao Hong subconsciously asked about his smart attendant.
Hu Mengyu is stubborn and honest as an official, but he doesn't know what Wang Gang is like?
"Your Majesty, I really don't know. However, if you want to implement the New Deal, this person must be as fiery and resolute, just like Wen Zhenggong, the original "Old Master". If you are soft-tempered, you may not be able to hold a big position."
Defeat your husband! Wang Anshi!
Zhao Hong laughed.
"There is no need to be afraid of changes in the sky, no law for the ancestors, and no sympathy for the words of people." Wang Anshi is well-deserved for his reputation as Prime Minister.
"Dong Songchen, if I establish an anti-corruption department, do you think there is anyone in the court who is worthy of the important task?"
Zhao Hong smiled and looked at Dong Songchen.
There are no eunuchs involved in politics, it is entirely up to the king's self-determination.
As for whether Wang Gang can do it or not, he has to be in charge personally. If he doesn't do it, just replace him.
"Your Majesty, the ministers of the DPRK and China are so intertwined that it is difficult to find a suitable candidate. To establish an anti-corruption department, it is best to transfer someone from outside to serve as the chief. As for who it is, His Majesty can decide who it is."
Dong Songchen replied cautiously.
If the ministers of the DPRK and China knew that he was "involved in politics," he would probably be scolded and beaten to death.
outsider?
Zhao Hong frowned and fell into deep thought.
Isn’t the Independent Commission Against Corruption in Hong Kong an independent agency separate from government officials in later generations?
"Is there no one available in the mighty Song Dynasty?"
Zhao Hong was a little suspicious. There are still many loyal people among the scholar-bureaucrats.
"Your Majesty, from the perspective of a slave, the courtiers may be available, but the person in charge must be someone close to Your Majesty. Otherwise, it will be impossible to establish authority and the risk will be extremely high!"
Zhao Hong nodded, he already had an idea in his mind.
"Dong Songchen, please let me know that Xu Liang and Zhou Ping will enter the palace tomorrow. I have important matters to discuss with them!"
Dong Songchen accepted the order and murmured secretly in his heart.
Zhen Dexiu has broken the emperor's heart, and the emperor wants to make a final decision.
Zhou Ping and Xu Liang, two lucky young people, were about to be pushed to the forefront of history intentionally or unintentionally by chance.
