"Tell me what you think first, and then I will give you some advice."
Xu Mou looked at Xu Yue and asked him to talk about his thoughts first.
"My nephew has already considered the compensation. If compensation is required by chance, the government may compensate part of it, but it is impossible to compensate completely." Xu Yue expressed the idea that he had already considered.
Xu Mou shook his head, with a look of suspicion in his eyes: "Now that the government warehouse can run away rats, how can there be money to compensate?"
"Why can't we compensate? The salary of the officials and minor officials has been stopped. This is money. Besides, only a few counties in Jintang County, Lingquan County, in the world pay salaries to the officials and minor officials." Xu Yue said confidently.
When Xu Mou heard this, his face suddenly turned pale with shock: "Stealing people's money is like killing their parents. You have driven this group of officials to a dead end. What will you do if they come to your house to beg for food?"
"My nephew is just restoring the old system. These petty officials and clerks didn't have salaries before, so they didn't live the same life." Xu Yue replied lightly, obviously very ordinary.
When Xu Mou heard this, he couldn't help wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He never expected that these nephews would be so cold-blooded: "Sir, the taboo in official circles is to provoke public anger. You just fired Jia Li, and you will be given concessions." It's a trouble you can't solve. If all the clerks and clerks are not paid, have you thought about the consequences?"
"Uncle, it is a common practice throughout the Song Dynasty that officials and minor officials do not receive salaries. Is there anything wrong with my nephew doing this?" Xu Yue still spoke harshly, citing the entire Song Dynasty as an example, which seemed plausible.
Xu Mou kept shaking his head and smiling bitterly: "Sir, Lingquan County is different from the small officials of the Song Dynasty. They have no salary themselves, and Lingquan County has given them salaries. This rule was made by the little saint. If your Excellency stops paying, The salary will inevitably arouse public outrage. Not only will these officials and minor officials stop working immediately, some of them will go to your house to beg for food, and some of them will go to Chengdu Mansion or the little saint to complain. How do you deal with this? "
"They want to complain? Do they have the courage?" Xu Yue couldn't believe it.
Xu Mou felt that Xu Yue was a little naive: "This group of petty officials and magistrates are different from other petty officials and magistrates in the Song Dynasty. They passed the scholar examination. If you don't pay them a salary, they will definitely find a little saint to complain."
"It would be better for them to leave. The worst case scenario is to recruit a new group of officials and petty officials like Ba County." Xu Yue was dismissive, his words full of confidence.
Xu Mou felt that his nephew's ideas were indeed too simple and not suitable for officialdom at all, so he patiently analyzed: "Officialship must also have credibility, and Lingquan County only has salaries to recruit better talents than other places in the Song Dynasty. If The government suddenly stopped paying salaries. Who else will come to Lingquan County? Can you guys do everything?"
"This won't work, that won't work either, clan uncle, what should my nephew do?" Xu Yue felt his head was spinning and he had no idea at all, so he had to ask Xu Mou for advice.
"Let me think about it." After Xu Mou finished speaking, he picked up the tea cup and pondered.
Indeed, this matter was too big. Xu Yue did not dare to disturb him and concentrated on drinking tea and waiting for Xu Mou's answer.
After a cup of tea, Xu Mou made tea again.
While looking at the tea leaves in the cup, he suddenly asked a topic that had nothing to do with Chidao: "Sir, have you seen the tea leaves?"
"Tea, what does Chidao have to do with tea?" Xu Yue did not expect that his uncle would bring up this topic. He felt confused for a moment and had to ask.
"It's very relevant. Look, what color is this tea leaf?" Xu Mou asked without raising his head at all, but looking at the tea leaves in the cup.
Xu Yue looked at the tea cup in his hand and felt that there was nothing strange about it: "Uncle Clan, this is normal. Zui Chunfeng is always emerald green."
"The endless falling trees are rustling, have you heard of this poem?" Xu Mou raised his head at this time and suddenly asked another poem that had nothing to do with Chi Dao.
Xu Yue frowned and felt angry in his heart. He felt that his clan uncle was talking about topics that had nothing to do with Chi Dao today. He was anxious to death, but he met another clan uncle who was also a slow doctor.
He suppressed his unhappiness and had no choice but to follow Xu Mou's words: "Isn't this the poem "Ascend the High" by Du Gongbu? But what does it have to do with Chi Dao?"
"Sir, the endless falling trees are referring to winter. It is already early winter, but the tea leaves are still in spring. Don't you think it's strange?" Xu Mou knew of course that Xu Yue was not upset, so he asked while explaining.
Hearing this, Xu Yue couldn't help but look at the tea leaves in his hand carefully. As he looked at it, he felt more and more strange, and murmured: "Why is it so, why is it so?"
Seeing Xu Yue frowning, Xu Mou asked while sipping tea: "What do you think is the difference between Zui Chunfeng and Tuancha?"
"One is in the sky and the other is in the underground." Even if Xu Yue likes Zhao Ping no more, he will not let his mouth and nose suffer.
Xu Mou's answer was too rough and he asked: "Then are you still willing to drink group tea?"
"If there is no Zui Chunfeng, then we have no choice but to drink Tuancha. But with Zuichunfeng, no one wants to drink Tuancha anymore." Xu Yue had to answer honestly.
Xu Mou nodded, with a smile on his face: "Zui Chunfeng leaves Tuancha far behind in terms of color, fragrance, and fragrance. After drinking Zui Chunfeng, naturally no one likes Tuancha."
"Uncle, my nephew doesn't understand. What is the relationship between Zui Chunfeng and Chi Dao? My nephew still doesn't understand?" Xu Yue returned to the topic of Chi Dao. He felt that his uncle had taken the topic astray and hurriedly brought it back. .
Xu Mou naturally knew what Xu Yue meant, and continued: "I am just trying to illustrate a truth through drunken spring breeze tea. The little sage can make people drink tea as if it is still spring in winter, which shows that the tea produced by the little sage is far more than Others. Sir, think about it, which one is better, the Chi Dao of the Little Saint or the Chi Dao of Qin Shihuang?"
"Uncle Clan, do you mean that Zhao Ping's Chi Dao is better than Qin Shihuang's?" Xu Yue unknowingly put down his tea cup and asked with a trembling voice, "This is impossible, you know, Qin Shihuang unified the six countries, He is the emperor who ended the world's strife. How can Zhao Ping be compared with Qin Shihuang?"
He was extremely jealous of Zhao Ping, so he was always unconvinced. Although his uncle had already called Zhao Ping a little saint, he still called him by his first name.
"Of course I don't deny that Qin Shihuang is the only emperor of the ages, but in terms of Chi Dao, the little sage surpasses Qin Shi Huang." Xu Mou could not see that Xu Yue was not convinced, so he made a comparison from the Chi Dao aspect.
Xu Yue shook his head. He couldn't admit this. Zhao Ping actually surpassed Qin Shihuang: "In what aspects does Zhao Ping's Chidao surpass Qin Shihuang?"
"Sir, have you noticed that Qin Shihuang's Chi Dao has very large limitations, which restricts its use. Who uses Qin Shi Huang's Chi Dao? It is him. It is precisely because he uses it himself that he requires the cars to be on the same track. . If it’s not on the same track, you can’t get on the Chi Road at all. And what about the Chi Road of the Little Sage? There are no such requirements at all.” Xu Mou patiently compared and analyzed while drinking tea.
Xu Yue did not answer Xu Mou's topic, but was digesting Xu Mou's topic.
Seeing that Xu Yue was seriously thinking about his topic, Xu Mou continued his analysis: "Sir, let's make a hypothesis. The Chidao in Lingquan County was really built according to Qin Shihuang's method. Shouldn't there be a car on the same track? If the common people find that there are only cars on the same track. Only when the rails are on the road can the people curse me?"
"Uncle, you didn't mention this. My nephew hasn't thought about this yet. My nephew has been busy with tedious official duties." When Xu Yue heard this, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.
Xu Mou nodded, seeing that he had persuaded Xu Yue, and continued his analysis: "Sir, there are many difficulties in rebuilding according to Qin Shihuang's method. First of all, there is no money to rebuild, and the Su family and Chen family demand compensation, otherwise they will not repair. Secondly, there is no money to rebuild. The common people don’t buy it. Even if we try every means to build the Chidao, it’s not the Chidao that the people need. It’s not a road for all people to accumulate good deeds, but a useless road that will last forever. Have you considered this?”
When Xu Yue heard this, he rubbed his forehead painfully, even though his official hat was slightly wrinkled, he didn't feel it.
The more he thought about it, the more surprised he became. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he became. He stood up and bowed respectfully to Xu Mou: "Uncle Clan, it's all my fault that my nephew is too young. What was originally a good deed has turned into a troublesome thing. Clan Uncle , what should my nephew do now?"
"Of course someone will clean up the mess." Xu Mou finally breathed a sigh of relief when he finally mentioned Xu Yue.
Xu Yue couldn't believe his ears: "Uncle Clan, who else is willing to clean up this mess?"
"Of course someone is willing to take care of it, even the little saint." Xu Mou said thoughtfully while drinking tea and looking at the green tea leaves.
There was a wry smile on Xu Yue's face: "Zhao Ping is watching his nephew's jokes now. He can't wait to let his nephew lose all his ugliness before he is happy. How can he be willing to clean up this mess?"
"This is very simple. Firstly, he is the chief secretary of Chengdu, and he has the obligation to clean up the mess. Secondly, he was originally going to build the Chidao, but you just made it ahead of schedule." Xu Mou is indeed his capable adviser, and he has peeled off the cocoon. One pointed out.
Xu Yue still didn't understand, and couldn't help asking: "Uncle, my nephew and Zhao Ping are not the same people, why does he want to help his nephew? Secondly, why doesn't he build the Chi Road in Lingquan County?"
"The situation is different, and things are done differently. Your Excellency stands on the basis of Lingquan County, while the Little Sage stands on the basis of Chengdu Prefecture. He does not build the Chidao in Lingquan County, maybe it has something to do with his strength. Your Excellency uses the power of the whole county. , don’t you think it’s difficult to build?” Xu Mou analyzed it from the perspective of the layout and considered it from the perspective of economy.
After hearing Xu Mou's persuasion, Xu Yueting's hurt heart had just been comforted.
Suddenly he remembered something and felt like he had fallen from the mountain to the bottom of the mountain.
Xu Yue's face was pale, worry written on his face: "Uncle, now the Xu family and the Xie family are fighting fiercely through the "Da Song Zhonghua Newspaper" and "Da Song Li Bao", will Zhao Ping add insult to injury?"
"The way of officialdom is to be harmonious but not the same, and to fight without breaking up is the way to survive. Although the Xu family and the Xie family had a heated argument with the little saint in the newspaper, they did not get angry, and they should not add insult to injury." Xu Mou said. He stroked his beard and said while drinking tea.
Xu Yue was still worried and unhappy: "Don't worry, Zhao Ping may not add insult to injury, but what if he refuses to save him?"
"This is indeed possible. But I think Zhao Ping probably won't. If Zhao Ping does this, his reputation as Zhaojiazhuang will be ruined." Xu Mou put down his tea cup and circled the coffee table a few times, "But Zhao Ping I will definitely not do this in vain, there will definitely be a price to pay. This old man went to Jintang County to negotiate with him."
"Thank you, Uncle Clan. My nephew is really ashamed that he came to Lingquan County and caused so much trouble for the Xu family and the Xie family." At this point, Xu Yue's eyes turned red and he couldn't help but cover his face with his sleeves, feeling that he No face to see anyone.
"That's right. Your Excellency also has political achievements." Xu Mou raised Xu Yue's right hand and tried to persuade him.
Xu Yue almost shed tears and shook his head: "Uncle, there is no need to comfort my nephew. My nephew knows that what he has done is really embarrassing."
"Sir, you really have a political achievement. You proposed and built Chidao. Isn't this a political achievement?" Xu Mouyi spoke sternly and sonorously.
Xu Yue raised his hazy tearful eyes, looked at Xu Mou, and took his hands: "Uncle, is this also a political achievement?"
"Of course this is a political achievement, but it's just not done satisfactorily. After the Chidao is built, it will be recorded in the history books that Xuzhi County proposed and built the Chidao, and the little saint perfected it." Xu Mou had already thought about how to record it in the county annals, and he had already thought of it.
Xu Yue bowed respectfully again and said gratefully: "Thank you, Uncle Clan, this is the best result, but my nephew has no face to stay in Lingquan County anymore."
He was actually reluctant to leave Lingquan County, but leaving such a huge mess here made him really have no shame in staying.
"Lingquan County originally belonged to Zhao Ping. This time I just gave it back to him." In fact, no one was willing to spit out such a piece of fat. Thinking that the Xu family had to spit it out, Xu Mou smiled bitterly.
Amid Xu Yue's anxiety and his face full of expectations, Xu Mou set off from Lingquan County on a horse and with two servants.
Although Xu Mou sounded extremely certain that Zhao Ping would agree, Xu Yue was still unsure.
After all, the Xu family and the Xie family have a hostile relationship under the officialdom.
Three days later, Xu Mou came back from Jintang County with a tired look on his face.
Xu Yue greeted him and asked expectantly: "Uncle, does Zhao Ping agree?"
Xu Yue could never lose face, or maybe he was jealous of Zhao Ping's strength. Even if he was asking for help, he was unwilling to call Zhao Ping a little saint.
"The negotiation was more difficult. Fortunately, Zhao Ping agreed to rebuild this road, but he put forward some conditions." Xu Mou's words seemed to be devoid of emotions, making it impossible for Xu Yue to guess his emotions.
Xu Yue thought for a while, maybe Zhao Ping's request was too much more similar to his own.
He bowed his hands and asked, "Uncle, what conditions did Zhao Ping propose?"
"His demands are too high. Cheng Liang was promoted from county magistrate to county magistrate, Li Zhihao was promoted from Taoyuan Town chief registrar to county lieutenant, Yu Jihan was promoted from Dianli to Taoyuan Town chief registrar, and Jia Li was the chief registrar." He shook his head and smiled bitterly.
Xu Yue couldn't help being surprised: "Why does Zhao Ping ask for so much? And hasn't Jia Li been fired?"
