The atmosphere was a little awkward.
Su Yang looked at Bao Zhao who was silent and didn't know what to say.
After the bloody oppression by the Mongolian barbarians, the scholars of the Ming Dynasty were still quite literati in the early Ming Dynasty, with a strong sense of righteousness!
For example, in the early Ming Dynasty, many literati could not stand what the old Zhu family did, so they would rather die than serve in official positions.
And Emperor Taizu Gao's solution was also very simple and crude. Since you don't want to be used by me, just kill him!
But even so, many literati still refused to serve as officials, preferring to be hermits cultivating their fields.
In the early Ming Dynasty, scholars such as Baozhao took it as their own duty to benefit one side. They were steadfast practitioners who set their minds for the world, established their lives for the people, inherited their unique knowledge for the saints, and created peace for all generations.
Bao Zhao is even more outstanding among them. He is not a pure literati, but a pure literati who strictly demands himself!
I thought he was Bao Zhao, the Chief Secretary of the Ministry of Punishment, and a high-ranking official in the court, but he still wore coarse linen clothes and lived an extremely simple life.
Historically, after Zhu Di conquered Yingtian, Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng abandoned their beloved Emperor Jianwen and fled directly.
But pure scholars like Bao Zhao, who adhered to the idea of loyalty to the emperor and the seniority of ministers, even if Zhu Di massacred ten tribes, would never declare in the edict that Zhu Di ascended the throne in accordance with the destiny of heaven, and still accuse him of disturbing the rules and regulations. They are rebels!
Bao Zhao even cursed at Zhu Di. Even though his teeth were first dug out, and then his limbs were chopped off, Bao Zhao still cursed at Zhu Di until his neck was cut off and he died!
Why did Zhu Di kill these scholars in anger after he tried to persuade them to no avail?
Because scholars like Bao Zhao and Fang Xiaoru do not recognize Zhu Di, then in the hearts of scholars, Zhu Di will always be a traitor and traitor who rebelled and usurped the throne. That's why Zhu Di went on a killing spree, even if he wanted to kill a river of blood. Wait for the scholar to give in.
But Zhu Di forgot that literati have integrity!
Although people like Qi Tai and Huang Zicheng accounted for the majority, there were still a few literati such as Bao Zhao and Fang Xiaoru who always adhered to their original intentions and the character and integrity of the literati.
Therefore, facing a pure scholar like Bao Zhao, Su Yang could not feel any resentment.
It is because of this kind of integrity that China can survive in the cracks and rise angrily after the alien cavalry tramples through the mountains and rivers of China!
It is because of the existence of this kind of integrity that the Han people can rise up and resist when faced with the slaughter of aliens!
Ming Dynasty needs these scholars with character!
Su Yang thought this and thought about it again.
The Minister of Punishment Bao Zhao is the first pure scholar Su Yang has met since time travel.
He wanted to try to see if he could change Bao Zhao's life trajectory and leave some seeds of scholars for Ming Dynasty!
"Old sir, do you still remember our bet?"
Bao Zhao smiled bitterly upon hearing this and nodded subconsciously.
Of course he remembered that bet.
It was the bet with Su Yang that made him see clearly the hypocritical nature of the new emperor Zhu Yunzhao!
Bao Zhao had made an agreement with Su Yang that if the new emperor Zhu Yunwen restored the supply of grain and grass to Beiping, Su Yang would accept Bao Zhao's recommendation and join the court as an official to benefit the country.
Bao Zhao was originally full of confidence in this bet, because at that time he was full of confidence in the new emperor Zhu Yunwen, so he never thought that he would lose!
But the truth is so cruel!
Not only did Baozhao lose, he lost miserably!
Even if he did not give up, he made it clear the three lines of defense left by Emperor Taizu Gao and pointed out that it was wrong for the imperial court to reduce the vassalage!
However, the new emperor still insisted on going his own way. Not only did he not suspend the vassal reduction operation and restore the supply of grain and grass to the Beiping Mansion, he also personally replied to him with a secret letter, accusing him of listening to the traitors' slander and destabilizing the country's foundation!
Oh, shaking the foundation of the country?
To prevent the reduction of vassal states is to shake the foundation of the country?
What is the foundation of the country?
It’s not your throne, Zhu Yunwen, but the common people at the bottom of the world!
Is it me, Bao Zhao, or you, Zhu Yunwen, who really shakes the foundation of the country?
Of course, I can only think about these words in my heart and dare not say them out.
But even so, Bao Zhao was still extremely painful and confused.
The loyalty and patriotism he has always adhered to makes him unable to remain indifferent.
Bao Zhao even wanted to return to Jinling directly and risk his life to persuade the new emperor Zhu Yunwen to stop the action of cutting down the vassal and stop making the same mistakes again and again!
But if he really does this, he may offend Long Yan and put him in a dilemma of life and death!
So when he came to visit Su Yang today, he also had the idea of saying goodbye.
"Then old gentleman, do you still remember what the bet was?"
Su Yang continued to ask.
"If something cannot be done, retreat bravely!"
Bao Zhao subconsciously said the answer, and his pupils shrank suddenly.
If something cannot be done, should we retreat bravely?
Did Su Yang...see through his plan?
But at that time of the bet, he was so full of confidence, would he definitely lose?
Bao Zhao was a little frightened and looked at Su Yang in disbelief.
Su Yang sighed and considered his words.
"Old sir, Zhu Yunwen will not stop cutting down the feudal vassals. Even if it means sacrificing the people of Beiping Mansion, he will definitely do so."
"There is a saying that you can never wake up a person who is pretending to be asleep. Zhu Yunwen is the person who is pretending to be asleep!"
"He only has one thought in his mind now, which is to wipe out all the vassal kings who have heavy troops and may threaten his throne, and stabilize his throne as emperor. As for the small things like sacrificing some common people, Zhu Yunwen doesn't care at all!"
"If he, Zhu Yunwen, really cared about the people, if he really loved the people like his own son, he would not have cut off the supply of grain and grass to Beiping Prefecture from the beginning. In the end, Zhu Yunwen is just a showman, both responsible and upright, extremely shameless! "
Listening to Su Yang's sharp and sarcastic words, Bao Zhao's face gradually turned pale.
He wanted to refute Su Yang, but he couldn't find the basis for refutation!
Because what Su Yang told is the truth!
But tearing up all the emperor's hypocritical fig leaves and revealing the emperor's true face would be too cruel for a loyal and patriotic good minister.
Unacceptably cruel!
Su Yang saw Bao Zhao's pain, and then changed the subject.
"Old sir, what do you think of King Zhu Di of Yan?"
King Zhu Di of Yan?
What does Su Yang mean by this?
Bao Zhao's face changed drastically, and he had a rare angry look.
"Su Yang, are you working as a lobbyist for Zhu Di?"
No wonder Bao Zhao was so angry, Su Yang's suspicion of being a lobbyist was too obvious.
He had just scolded the new emperor Zhu Yunwen for nothing, but then he changed the subject and mentioned King Yan Zhu Di. Coupled with the identity of King Yan's son-in-law Su Yang, it was difficult not to make Bao Zhao suspicious!
Su Yang laughed immediately when he heard Bao Zhao's question.
"The lobbyist of King Yan?"
"Old sir, you are worrying too much!"
"Zhu Di is not qualified to let me be his lobbyist!"
Hearing these arrogant remarks, even Bao Zhao was a little surprised, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
This kid is really crazy!
Zhu Wanqiu on the side listened and curled her lips subconsciously, took out her small notebook and wrote down something again.
Humph, sir, you said bad things about your father again. Let’s see how he deals with you when he finds out his identity later!
"I just think that if King Yan Zhu Di sits in that position, the people's lives will be better!"
Bao Zhao took a deep look and walked away with some displeasure.
Su Yang didn't get up to stop him.
"Old sir, our second bet is on the batch of grain and grass you have been tracking."
"If the batch of food and grass still hasn't appeared in the cold winter, then the old gentleman has won, and the young man is willing to accept the recommendation to become an official in the court."
"But if Prince Yan's Mansion opens a warehouse to store grain in the cold winter, then the old gentleman will lose. Please stay in Beiping Mansion for a while and observe the various aspects of life!"
This is...the second bet!
Bao Zhao didn't answer and left the courtyard directly.
However, Su Yang noticed with sharp eyes that the Chief Secretary of the Criminal Department paused obviously.
Apparently, he had listened.
I just don’t know what choice he will make when Prince Yan’s Mansion opens a warehouse to store grain.
