In the Qinzheng Hall, it was drizzling, and the rainwater dripped from the eaves, falling to the ground with a loud splash and splashing.
The Imperial Guards on the corridor outside the palace stood solemnly, guarding the new master of the empire.
In the imperial study room, Wang Gang, Hu Mengyu, and Wu Wenying were sitting in front of Zhao Hong's desk, and they responded respectfully, making everyone feel anxious.
The emperor invited them here, needless to say, to entrust them with important tasks.
"Wang Gang, Hu Mengyu, I declare in advance that I will reuse you two. You have done a good job for the country, and I want to thank you. If you have a bad heart and lose the original intention of serving the country and the people, I will not be merciful. .”
Zhao Hong was serious, while Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu were solemn.
Sure enough, they were about to soar into the sky.
Wu Wenying's heart sank and she felt slightly disappointed.
Did the emperor call him here just to catch up with him?
"The Qing family members who came here today must have a lot of questions. We, the monarchs and ministers, can talk freely and exchange our experiences."
Zhao Hong looked at the embarrassed people and suddenly brought up a vulgar topic.
"What is the royal way?"
It wasn't that he was pretending, but it was related to the implementation of the New Deal on Jiangnan East Road, and he had to ask.
He did not discuss this topic with his teacher Zhen Dexiu or several political advisors.
After listening to the Analects of Confucius by these people, I also wanted to see if they were trusting others.
He had no choice but to cross the river by feeling the stones. There seems to be no such capable ministers as Wang Anshi and Zhang Juzheng in the history of Manchu Dynasty civil and military affairs. You just have to rely on your own judgement.
The system is the guarantee for the implementation of the New Deal.
"Your Majesty, the way of kingship is benevolent government and kingly government. King Xuan of Qi once asked Mencius for advice on "wangzheng". Mencius's answer was: When King Wen governed Qiye, the tillers were ninety-one, the officials were prosperous, the city was ridiculed but not conquered, and the Liang Dynasty was chosen. Without prohibition, a sinner who is not old but has no wife is a widower; an old man who is without a husband is a widow; an old man who is without a son is an orphan; a young man who is without a father is an orphan. These four are the poor people in the world who have no complaint. King Wen's government is benevolent. , the four must come first.”
Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu looked at each other, and Wang Gang spoke first.
Needless to say, this is an assessment before taking office.
Life is short, he should be careful when meeting the saints. He is over fifty years old, and he is ambitious and wants to make a career.
"The so-called benevolent government, in addition to easing corvee and reducing penalties, must also show mercy to the widowed and lonely, and the poor and helpless. If the people have "perseverance," the country must have "permanent property," otherwise the four people will be uneasy. Canglin Those who are practical know etiquette, and those who have enough food and clothing know honor and disgrace. This is benevolent government, and it is also the king's way, the right path for the emperor to follow."
"If it is not contrary to the farming season, the grain will not be enough to eat; if a few grains of grain are not brought into the lake, the fish and turtles will not be able to eat it; if the ax weighs a pound in the forest, the wood will not be able to use it. The grain, fish and turtles will not be able to eat it, and the wood will not be able to use it. , is to enable the people to maintain their health and die without regrets. To maintain their health and lose their lives without regrets is the beginning of the kingly way."
Hu Mengyu also spoke, obviously having his own judgment.
Although he was less than forty years old, he was only a seventh-grade official. Although he didn't know what position the emperor had appointed him to, the emperor's instructions already made his heart tremble.
"Officials govern the Qingming Festival, lighten the people's corvee, ensure that the people have enough food and clothing, and live without fear and hope. This is the "king way"."
Wu Wenying has traveled far and wide, knows the sufferings of people's livelihood, is down-to-earth, and has some insights.
The explanations made by several people made Zhao Hong nodded happily.
There is no partiality or party, and the king's way is unrestrained. Confucius governed the world with benevolence and propriety, while Mencius mostly regarded "benevolence" as the way to govern the country. Benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust are the basic social practice norms.
"Governing the country with benevolence is the time when the country is peaceful and the people are safe and secure. Today is a time of great strife. The Song Dynasty is annexing land, devaluing Huizi, soaring commodity prices, and is surrounded by powerful enemies and crises."
Zhao Hong said warmly and turned to reform.
"What do you think about the gains and losses of our "Xifeng New Law"?"
"Xifeng New Law" was Wang Anshi's reform, which ultimately ended in failure. The political reform triggered party strife and laid the foundation for the collapse of the Northern Song Dynasty. This was also the unanimous view of the Southern Song Dynasty.
"What I mean is, is Wang Anshi's reform really useless? Please speak freely and don't be afraid. What I want is the truth."
Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu looked at each other, both understanding.
Rather than saying it was Wang Anshi's reform, it was better to say that the emperor wanted to know from them whether they had the confidence to implement the New Deal.
During the Song Dynasty, Wang Anshi's reform was basically rejected by both the government and the public.
"Urgent administration" or "harsh administration" or "competing with the people for profit" resulted in constant "party strife", which led to the demise of the Northern Song Dynasty.
During the Northern Song Dynasty, opponents such as Sima Guang and others criticized Wang Anshi's reform through historical revision. In the Southern Song Dynasty, the imperial court once again qualified its reforms through historical revision, pointing out that Wang Anshi's reforms led to the demise of the Northern Song Dynasty.
The new emperor overturned the verdicts of Yue Fei and Han Yuzhou, but he also wanted to "redress the grievances" for Wang Anshi's reform?
"Your Majesty, during Shenzong's Yuanfeng period, our dynasty was the best in terms of land reclamation, prosperity of markets, population, and the court's financial surplus. Shenzong's officials governed the Qingming Dynasty, and many officials were honest and diligent, which can be said to be good."
Hu Mengyu spoke first, his face flushed.
"Your Majesty, if you compare before and after the reform, you will see the difference. During the Renzong period, there were huge expenditures on redundant officials, redundant expenses, and redundant soldiers. The treasury was empty, and the wealth could not make ends meet. It was very different from the Yuanfeng period. But Shenzong Suddenly Yan came to an end, and the reform came to an abrupt end. From now on, all the kings will follow the "ancestral family law", but the benefits will be limited and the law will not change. As a result, our dynasty has accumulated many disadvantages, treacherous ministers are in power, and people's livelihood is in ruins."
Wang Gang then spoke out.
As the prefect of Shaoxing, he has a deeper understanding of the people's sufferings.
"We, the Song Dynasty, have many shortcomings and have to make changes to strengthen themselves. Reforms have always been about crossing the river by feeling for stones, and it is impossible to go smoothly. When you find the shortcomings, you will adjust and improve. If you don't change the method because you are afraid of failure or risk, you can only stick to the old ways. In the end, it is difficult to return, and the country will be destroyed and the species will be destroyed.”
Zhao Hong looked at Wang Gang and asked softly:
"Wang Qing, you are in Shaoxing Prefecture and are well aware of the hardships of people's livelihood. I want to know, why do you want to be an official? Is it true that you are an official for thousands of miles just to get promoted and make a fortune?"
This Wang Gang has a political voice wherever he takes office. It can be said that serving as an official benefits one party. In addition, this person is well-read and well-informed in military, agricultural, medical, divination, and Yin-Yang laws.
Rumor has it that this person's clothes, sedans and vehicles are all old-fashioned, he is frugal as an official, and he is an all-rounder. Give it a try.
"Your Majesty, serving as an official for one term will bring benefits to one party. This is my experience."
Wang Gang blushed, bowed and replied.
As the prefect of Shaoxing, he dealt with people's livelihood matters every day, dealt with floods, built water conservancy projects, and provided relief to the hungry. In the final analysis, it was not all about money.
Speaking of which, he had also accepted bribes, but his conduct was pretty good. He made small troubles but was not ambiguous about major matters.
In terms of personal sentiment, he is still trustworthy.
"Okay, serving as an official for one term will benefit the country. But if it is a reform, what is it for?"
Zhao Hong continued to ask questions.
"Poverty leads to change, change leads to generalization, and generalization leads to long-lasting. Reform to strengthen the country is nothing more than "rich the country and strengthens the army." Your Majesty, with the failure of Wang Anshi's reform, reminds me that we are not far away from each other, and we must be careful. As long as your Majesty does not back down. , I will definitely be the vanguard and charge into battle, so that Your Majesty will not worry."
Wang Gang bowed and saluted again, respectfully.
The failure of the reform was ultimately due to the fact that there was still no strong king and no support from the monarchy.
"Your Majesty, whether you are training a new army, building roads, ships, or making armor and weapons, you need money. If you don't change the law, how can you get the money? Without money, how can you talk about strengthening the army? Once your Majesty wants to implement the New Deal, you cannot give up halfway, otherwise The reform will inevitably end in vain.”
Hu Mengyu said with a dark face, pointing out the key to reform.
"You two are taking over my army!"
Zhao Hong nodded slightly and looked at the two of them with appreciation.
"Listen up, all of you. I will fully support you. It is you who will implement the new policy on Jiangnan East Road."
Smart people don’t need to say it a second time. Both of these two people know the key to innovation and reform. They are not just submissive, but they are officials.
It seems that letting these two people go to Jiangnan East Road will at least be good.
"Your Majesty wants...the two of us to go to Jiangnan East Road to implement the new law?"
Hu Mengyu's heart was beating wildly and he opened his mouth to ask.
"Do you know why the Xifeng Reform was resisted by Manchu officials?"
Zhao Hong did not answer Hu Mengyu's question and asked instead.
Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu looked at each other, and Hu Mengyu, young and energetic, blurted out.
"Your Majesty, in my humble opinion, the reason why the reform failed is just the human heart. If human nature is good and open-minded, and everyone cares about the country and loves the people, why is the reform so bad?"
"Your Majesty, we must still use capable officials, assist with the law, and use thunderous means to ensure that the New Deal can be implemented smoothly."
Wang Gang was mature and prudent and continued.
Zhao Hong laughed and nodded appreciatively.
"Hu Qing, Wang Qing, you are right. The success or failure of reforms is based on royal power."
Zhao Hong finally put forward his idea.
"The success of the reform cannot be pinned on the good and evil of people's hearts. The royal way needs strong royal power to promote it. This is one. The norms and support of moral laws make the government clear and clear. I have my own arrangements. You have My full support is the third one. But you have to do it yourself to reform and strengthen yourself. In about three years, I will make Jiangnan East Road a model for the country. Do you have confidence?"
Make Jiangnan East Road a model for the country!
Wang Gang and Hu Mengyu looked at each other again, stood up together, and bowed respectfully.
"I sincerely obey your Majesty's teachings!"
Jinling, the ancient capital of the Six Dynasties, was built along the river, with a high city and a thick pool. Its strategic position is extremely important. Zhao Hong used Jiangnan East Road as his experimental area, and one can imagine his determination to reform.
Thinking again that Zhao Hong set up the newly built martial arts hall in Jinling City, with Jiangshan looking north, one can imagine the importance of Jinling.
With the full support of the emperor and the protection of the law and important officials, although he was under great pressure, he was still confident. If you can live up to the king's expectations, step into the ranks of governing and deliberation, or benefit a party, and leave a name in history, it is almost within your reach.
Maybe it can be compared to or surpass Wang Anshi, but it may not be impossible.
"In general, reforms should not be carried out violently, but should be carried out step by step. For example, when we arrived in Jinling, the first major event was to clean up the land and find out the tax leakage. At the same time, I have established an anti-corruption department to put an end to corruption and bribery. Ensure the smooth progress of the Jiangnan East Road New Deal.”
For thousands of years, China has been a humane society, replacing human rule with the rule of law. Only by clear and transparent administration can the root cause be cured.
"Your Majesty, we are implementing the New Deal, clearing land and collecting hidden taxes, and the next step is to implement the border law?"
Wang Gang's heart was heavy and he subconsciously asked.
The Song Dynasty traveled south for hundreds of years and tried the Jingjie method many times, but all returned without success. The power of obstruction is evident.
The emperor was so fierce that he carried all the bombs to the main hall, holding the sword and bleeding for five steps. The emperor will definitely push it to the end, and by then I'm afraid there will be rivers of blood and heads rolling in.
"That's right. Land clearing is a means, and boundary law is the goal. It will be trialled on Jiangnan East Road first, and then extended to Zhejiang, Jinghu, Sichuan and other prefectures. Within ten years, or even faster, I will The boundary law was tried out throughout the Song Dynasty."
Zhao Hongkan talked about it, he was full of ambition and full of confidence.
Those predecessors, as the kings of a country, actually failed in the face of difficulties in reform. It is really strange!
Since you are all rubbish if you are not good enough, let him finish it. He wanted to see who dared to block the way.
