Yang Ji's body was stronger than that of a martial arts expert at his peak, but Xiao Xun, who was concerned, confused and flustered, said he was seriously ill. When he invited Empress Xiao and a group of famous doctors, he was diagnosed with a serious illness. Prince Wei's palace was in a state of turmoil, but the final result made people feel relieved and a little bit ridiculous at the same time.
"Wenhui, I'm so ashamed of my brother!" Xiao Xun's face turned red and he felt ashamed.
"Brother, what you said is beyond words. You are also very caring and can't blame brother." Fearing that his uncle would be embarrassed and run away in shame, Yang Ji stopped talking about this embarrassing topic and asked instead: "Brother is about to go to Hanyang to take office. Do you know Where did the former eunuch Yang Xuanjiang go?"
Xiao Xun understood Yang Ji's intention and saw that he brought the topic to political affairs, so he said: "Prefect Yang will be appointed as the prefect of Chongling County in Jingzhou. Chongling is the Zhongjun, and the prefect of Zhongjun is from the fifth rank. And Hanyang He is in the lower county, and the prefect is in the sixth rank, so he is promoted, not promoted."
"Yang Xuanzhang was appointed as the prefect of Hanyang last year, but he was promoted so quickly. It seems that he did a good job in the Li family case in Longxi!" Yang Ji thought for a moment and understood immediately. Since Tianshui, Jincheng, Panhan, Huining, Lintao, Longxi, Hanyang and other counties were the traditional sphere of influence of the Li family in Longxi, each county had Li's residences, gardens, fields, manors, and shops. So before he left Tianshui Chengji County, he ordered the officials who attended Li Xuzong's birthday banquet to go back immediately to investigate the Li family's property in Longxi. Yang Xuanzhang must have seized the opportunity and got things done first, which is why he rose so quickly. .
"That's right. This is also an open secret." Xiao Xun looked at Yang Ji and asked expectantly: "Liangzhou Lintao County and Hanyang live next to each other. I wonder if Wenhui knows the situation in Hanyang and what must be paid attention to. ?”
"The main thing that must be paid attention to is the issue of race." Yang Ji told what he knew: "The population of Hanyang County is mostly Qiang people, but there are relatively few Han people. The Qiang people actually also yearn for the life of the Han family. They also want to integrate into the Han family, but they have been deceived too many times in history. In addition, the corrupt officials in the past forced good people to rebel and killed good people for credit, which made them deeply wary and hostile to the Han people. Some closed villages even The Han people are regarded as savage beasts, and the Han people are not allowed to get closer. However, the Qiang people are not a whole. Because they have been inherited for a long time, each is in one place, and there is a lack of communication, the beliefs and customs of each village and town are different; some villages are clearly separated from each other. They face each other across the river, but their beliefs are actually opposite. The problem that arises from this is that they often fight because of differences in beliefs and customs. Their fights are not ordinary fights, but wars in which many people die."
Xiao Xun felt a headache after hearing this, and quickly asked for advice: "There are more races in Liangzhou and the situation is more complicated. Similar race problems must also exist, and there are many. I don't know what the Wenhui is like. solve?"
Yang Ji didn't even think about it and said directly: "To regain the trust of the Qiang people and other ethnic groups, the best way is to treat everyone equally, severely punish lawless officials, severely punish businessmen who maliciously make things difficult and exploit them, and let them trust the government. Only Only by making them believe in the government can they promote various laws and regulations and act as a middleman to resolve the battles between Han Qiang and Qiang Qiang. In the process of promoting laws, we must also adapt to local conditions, seek common ground while reserving differences, and respect their good customs. If If you copy it mechanically and promote it forcefully, you will suffer the consequences."
Having said this, he said to Xiao Xun: "Liangzhou has resolved conflicts and battles between countless races. We have compiled these successful cases into a book; every time a new official is about to take office, he must learn them well so that they can Able to deal with emergencies calmly and reasonably. However, this booklet still has many flaws and immature aspects, so it is not presented to the court. Later, I will give my brother a set of methods! I believe this set of methods can help my brother. "
"Thank you Wenhui." Xiao Xun was overjoyed immediately. He stood up and thanked him, and then said: "Wenhui, brother, I really want to make some achievements, and I have the patience to proceed step by step and work step by step. However, the imperial court has a rule of changing appointments upon completion. I'm worried that it won't be effective after my term is over. Do you have some methods that are easy for the Qiang leaders to accept and that save time?"
"Yes, yes, but I doubt you can do it." Yang Ji could see that Xiao Xun really wanted to make some political achievements instead of just messing around with his seniority, so he told him a shortcut: "Qiang people respect warriors. If you enter with sincerity, Village, then defeat and subdue their warriors, and then throw them down on the wine table in a very heroic manner, and they will listen to you. Of course, you don't have to come forward, others can do it."
"That's good!" Xiao Xun breathed a sigh of relief.
Xiao Xun was about to take office and had many things to do. After chatting for a while, he took the brochure presented by Yang Ji and said goodbye to Xiao Jing.
Yang Ji saw off the Xiao brothers and heard that Queen Xiao was still there, so he walked to the side hall where the female family members were.
Entering inside, only Xiao Ying was left to accompany Queen Xiao, and no one else was there.
After a brief exchange of greetings, Queen Xiao asked Yang Ji: "Vajra slave, what do you think about the shops and restaurants that were handed over to the Li family and the Turks?"
The royal family is an aristocratic family, and naturally has its own family property and treasury. Therefore, the royal industry is not the property of the Sui Dynasty; there is an essential difference between the two. If Zongzheng Temple, which represents the royal family, wants to win a certain store, it must also invest in it. Money to buy. But Yang Ji didn't understand why Empress Xiao suddenly mentioned this matter. He recalled the court's handling of the matter in his mind, and then said: "If you remember correctly, these shops and restaurants were sold to Zongzheng Temple by the court at the same price. The money earned is put into the national treasury. Zongzheng Temple assigns dedicated personnel to manage it, and 20% of the profits earned every year are kept in the royal treasury, 30% is given to the royal offices, and 50% is given to the Royal Women's Foundation for relief purposes. What's wrong? Is there something wrong? "
"You are right. Zongzheng Temple has bought it from the imperial court. However, many aristocratic families are now suffering from red eye disease!" Queen Xiao said: "There are more than 400 shops in various markets in Daxing City and Luoyang City, including There are cloth shops, rice grain shops, oil and salt shops, as well as jewelry and other luxury stores; in addition, there are more than 200 restaurants and inns, all of which are in prime locations where money is made daily. And the Li family in Guanzhong and Luoyang There are many workshops of various types, and they are also eye-catching workshops.”
Yang Xiu, the minister of Zongzheng Temple, was responsible for this kind of thing. Yang Ji didn't pay attention and didn't know what happened. He could only say: "Zongzheng Temple bought everything they bought. Their jealousy and jealousy can't change this fact; besides, Zongzheng Temple It’s not a forced sale, there’s no reason for them to even try to coax you.”
Within the royal family, Queen Xiao is the matron of the family. She usually pays attention to the family property. She said to Yang Ji helplessly: "Those people really can't slander the royal family from the perspective of business, but they say that the royal family is the right person of the world and the world." To set an example, you should neither engage in lowly business like merchants, nor should you compete with the people for profit."
Yang Ji understood and said: "Then they said that there is no business without treachery, and that the long-term solution is to focus on agriculture and suppress business. Zongzheng Temple should transfer all its shops and all its properties to the 'people'. Is that so?"
"Exactly!" Empress Xiao nodded gently and sighed: "I also know that 70% to 80% of the world's goods pass through the hands of aristocratic families and then enter the markets of various places and towns. They can make a profit from it by changing hands a few times. Make huge profits. And the businessmen who are somewhat famous in the world are actually members of aristocratic families."
"The aristocratic families are equally powerful and have complicated relationships. No one can do anything to the other, so they acquiesce to the existence of the other and reach a delicate balance. At the same time, there is also the so-called competition according to the rules. Once someone wants to enter and destroy the balance they agree with, They will join forces to suppress them, and if they cannot compete, they will use their power to eliminate them."
"Nowadays, our royal family has risen strongly and prospered in business, destroying the balance they recognized. However, they cannot use their power to kill us, so they have to use public opinion and public opinion to force us to submit."
Empress Xiao believed that Yang Ji and Xiao Ying understood these truths, but the unfavorable public opinion pointed at the royal family and her as the queen, making her feel depressed and anxious. When she said this now, she not only hoped that Yang Ji could help her eliminate the heated public opinion, but also wanted to see if Yang Ji could save the royal family's property.
"Sister-in-law is so right." Empress Xiao's words resonated deeply with Yang Ji. As Empress Xiao said, aristocratic families are actually the largest businessmen in the world, while small and medium-sized aristocratic families and ordinary families do not have much power. If they do not act according to their rules, they have ways to annihilate them and will not pose a threat to them. The reason why they kept saying that merchants were humble and deceitful, and always strongly demanded that the court emphasize agriculture and suppress business, was actually mainly because they were afraid that the royal family would enter the shopping mall and seize their profits.
Once the imperial court wanted to collect business taxes, they said that although merchants were humble, they were also people of the Sui Dynasty. They also said that merchants traveled around the streets to trade north and south, bringing scarce goods to various places, and they contributed to the country. If the imperial court levied commercial taxes, merchants would inevitably become resentful and slander the imperial court and use rumors to incite "the common people" to rebel.
If they were pushed into a hurry, "merchants and common people" from all directions would either cut off supplies or directly raise flags to rebel; and the emperors of all dynasties did not take the big fat business tax because they were worried about this.
It’s not that I don’t want to take it.
Therefore, whether they say that no businessman is a traitor, that they should focus on agriculture and suppress businessmen, or that they ask the court not to compete with the people for profit, they are actually seeking profit for themselves; no matter what the court does, they are the beneficiaries.
"Is there any way to solve this problem?" Queen Xiao felt that she was too eager. She calmed down a little and said to Yang Ji in a calm tone: "Vajra slave, your brother and I have read "Three Kingdoms", I have also read your "Romance of the Three Kingdoms". We all think that one of the reasons why Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty sold his official position and title was because there was no money at his disposal. The national treasury may have it, but he could not use it. Another aspect is that all the civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty were descendants of aristocratic families. , Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty knew that they were ambitious, but he couldn't touch any of them."
"Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty had no choice but to pretend to be stupid and sold all the official positions that could be sold. This move not only made the aristocratic families relax their vigilance, but also stirred up disputes among the aristocratic families. At the same time, he made a lot of money by building the Eight Passes of Luoyang and the Eight Gates of Xiyuan. The captain’s money.”
"It is precisely in view of the helplessness of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty that your brother and I believe that there must be a strict distinction between the public and the private, and they must not be confused. The royal family can donate money. If the court encounters difficulties, The royal family can also lend it out; but the imperial court cannot use various high-sounding names to forcibly seize the royal family's property and money, let alone other aristocratic families."
After saying this in one breath, Queen Xiao took a sip of tea and then said: "The royal family is also one of the aristocratic families, and it is also the most powerful family. Why can't they scold merchants and make money at the same time like them?"
"Sister-in-law is right!" Yang Ji has grown up and has never seen Empress Xiao lose her temper like this before. It seems that she is really anxious, and then she said again: "Then do you have the best of both worlds?"
Queen Xiao was immediately discouraged and shook her head in frustration: "Of course I don't have it anymore, otherwise why would I be so anxious?"
"The method is actually relatively simple!" Yang Ji said: "That is to label the shops, restaurants, and inns with the royal name, and write a promise to use the money earned to relieve the victims; and then write some eye-catching slogans with the content of the slogans. Sticking to the slogan 'Shopping equals doing good', you can write slogans like 'Buying is not a commodity, but doing good and accumulating virtue'."
"Can your method work?" Queen Xiao glanced at her sister and found that her bright eyes were full of suspicion.
"It can definitely be done!" Yang Ji said: "Putting out a letter of commitment will let the people know that the purpose of the royal family's business is not to make money, but to help more people. Putting out slogans can attract more customers with good intentions. This When faced with products of the same price, similar customers will definitely believe what is sold in royal stores, not to mention that shopping is equivalent to doing good, so why not do it?"
"What's more important is that the foundation's charitable acts of donating money and gifts every year are an indelible fact. People in every county basically know it. When people connect the shops and the foundation, they can know that the royal family and the black-hearted profiteers have an essential relationship. We understand and support the royal family’s business. As long as you stand on the side of the royal family, those rumors will naturally fall apart.”
After pondering for a long time, Yang Ji said again: "Now that the people have returned to their hearts, no matter what you two say, the people will believe it. If you two jointly write a pitiful and compassionate edict with the theme of doing business and doing good, not only will By overcoming all rumors and rumors, she can also gain a wave of public support and leave a reputation among the people as a benevolent monarch and a virtuous queen."
Among the emperors and queens of the past dynasties, if we talk about the masters of fame and reputation, Yang Ji believes that Li Shimin and Empress Changsun are the most successful in history, while Yang Guang and Empress Xiao are not qualified to compete with them. He had to take the opportunity to teach Yang Guang and Empress Xiao well.
When Queen Xiao heard this, she shook her head repeatedly: "It doesn't matter if you don't write this kind of edict. If you write it, wouldn't it be a lie?"
Yang Ji was defeated by her. He scratched his head fiercely and said with some hatred: "My good sister, you have been a princess, princess, and queen for decades, why are you still so naive? ? Let me ask you, can your face be used as food or clothing? How many of the wise kings in history need face? What's more, there are many poor people who need help, and our royal family does make money Go help people, can this be called cheating? What are you embarrassed about?"
Queen Xiao was speechless and speechless; Xiao Ying couldn't listen anymore. She glanced at Queen Xiao secretly with some worry, and saw that she didn't look displeased. Then she felt relieved and pretended to be angry. He turned to Yang Ji and said, "Sister, I am not only the queen, but also your sister-in-law. How can you talk like this?"
Yang Ji sneered and said to Xiao Ying: "When our sister and brother met, you were still a little girl who could only cry. How can you destroy our friendship?"
Xiao Ying rolled her eyes at Yang Ji angrily and funny, and said angrily: "When I met my sister, you were not born yet! How dare you say such a thing?"
"Okay, okay! Stop arguing." Seeing that the couple actually "showed off their affection" and started fighting for cooperation, Empress Xiao suddenly said to Yang Ji in a dumbfounded voice: "Let me go back and think about it."
Yang Ji said: "Although you have considered it, some opportunities are fleeting. Once you lose them, you will regret it."
"Sister, I think Wenhui is right this time!" Xiao Ying said to Empress Xiao: "If bad public opinion sweeps the world, the royal family will not only be forced to transfer the shop that earns a lot of money every day, but will also become infamous. And each and every The aristocratic families are united on this issue. They must have a tacit understanding to take advantage of the great victory and launch an attack on the royal family. By then, nothing can be saved. Your descendants will have no money to use, and you don’t want your descendants to do so. Become Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty?"
"Is it really that serious?" Upon hearing this, Queen Xiao couldn't sit still.
Yang Ji sighed: "Aren't you very clear about the truth and the consequences? Since it is clear and obvious, why are you still hesitant? Why are you still waiting for trouble?"
Empress Xiao finally made up her mind, stood up and said, "I will go back to the palace immediately to talk to your brother!"
