Liu Bei did not ask everyone to give their opinions immediately, but asked them to go back and write a list of whether they could accept the terms and some of the problems they would face and give it to him. Then he would discuss and talk one-on-one to help those who had Difficult people solve difficulties.
If we can't reach a consensus internally, this matter won't be fully promoted to the outside world, right?
With a "gentle" heart, Liu Bei vowed to solve all problems for everyone and make himself a serious "service emperor."
Of course, if anyone really regards him as a "service-oriented emperor", then he is really confused about the situation, hehehehe...
Even in modern workplaces with less intimidation, subordinates who want promotion and salary increase will not leave the problem to their superiors, otherwise the superiors will think that you are of no use to them.
This is still the case in modern times, let alone the ancient dynasties where three clans were constantly at odds with each other.
Therefore, smart people will not choose to leave the problem to the emperor, but will give the emperor the results he wants to please the emperor in exchange for precious political resources.
So Cao Cao, the two Xiahou, Xun You and Xun Yu, the five bosses were divided into two small groups, and each started an internal small meeting.
Because Cao Cao and the two Xiahous had close family ties, they got together to discuss this long-standing problem and poured out all their bitterness.
"I don't have any problems myself. When I pay taxes, I pay taxes... I don't think it is difficult to pay taxes. I am willing to pay taxes to His Majesty, but there are some elders in the clan. They... are really... ……well!"
Xia Houyuan slapped his thigh and said, "I really don't know how to talk to them about this matter. They are old and stubborn. If they don't want to do this, they may even threaten death. What should I do?" ?”
Xiahou Dun shook his head angrily.
"I don't care about this matter. I don't have any property myself. I will take whatever your Majesty gives me. If your Majesty doesn't give it to me, I won't take it. The elders of my family don't have any land or property. Being poor also has the advantages of being poor. ."
Xia Houyuan suddenly became depressed.
"Yuan Rang, your branch doesn't have any land, but my branch does. Not to mention there are other branches that are not far from us. If something goes wrong with the members of the family, will you not be implicated? Come to me quickly. Let’s figure it out together!”
Xiahou Dun sighed.
"I once heard your majesty say that people die for money and birds die for food. Taxes that have not been paid in the past suddenly have to be paid, and their worth is completely controlled by the court. They will definitely not be happy.
Talking softly will not work, and other methods will not work. There is only one way, and that is to tell them that if they don't hand over their taxes, they will die. In this way, it will be easier to talk. "
"this……"
Xia Houyuan was speechless.
Then he could only look at Cao Cao.
"Meng De, what do you think about this matter? Tell me, doesn't your family have more land? With hundreds of thousands of acres, how much tax will you have to pay? Can the people in your family accept it?"
"Of course I know."
Cao Cao sat aside, rubbed his temples, and sighed: "Actually, I was thinking just now that maybe we shouldn't worry about this matter at all. We shouldn't feel that we can't solve this matter and it will bring trouble to His Majesty. If If we can't even do such a small thing well, how will His Majesty treat us?"
As soon as these words came out, Xia Houyuan was stunned for a moment.
Xiahou Dun nodded in deep agreement.
"His Majesty can say in public that we should hand over matters that cannot be solved to him. I think this does not mean that we are really going to do it. If we really do it, His Majesty will probably be very angry."
Xia Houyuan didn't turn around for a while.
"Wait, what do you mean?"
"Isn't it clear enough?"
Cao Cao sighed, shook his head and said: "This is a test for us by Your Majesty. Only by really settling the family affairs and proving to Your Majesty that we can control the family instead of being controlled by the family, can we win the favor of Your Majesty." Further appointment, otherwise, there is no need to say anything else.”
"this……"
"Your Majesty has made it very clear before."
Xiahou Dun said slowly: "His Majesty proclaimed himself emperor for us. He proclaimed himself emperor so that we could enjoy wealth and peace. He has paid a lot for us. Now, it is our turn to repay him. If even the family If these things can't be solved, how can there be any reward?
If he can't even handle this kind of internal affairs within the family, and cannot control the family, but is countered by the family, then how can His Majesty believe that we can solve his problems when it comes to large-scale land reclamation?
When the time comes to conquer the land, if a rebellion is triggered, the whole country will rebel, and there will be people everywhere who raise troops to rebel. At that time, Your Majesty needs people who can really do things, not people who are half-hearted. "
Cao Cao also nodded.
"Whether this matter can be handled well or not will determine to a large extent how His Majesty will appoint us in the future, and what kind of future we will have in the future. Yuan Rang is now the governor of Youzhou, and I am now the governor of Silizhou. The governors were all sent to the outside world.
Whether we can return to official positions in the Luoyang court from being sent abroad depends on whether this matter can be handled well. If this matter is not handled well, Yuan Rang, I, and you, Miaocai, may have our career come to an end. At this point, this should be His Majesty’s intention. "
Hearing this, Xia Houyuan swallowed unconsciously.
"This... Your Majesty wouldn't do such a thing, right?"
"It didn't happen in the past, but it doesn't necessarily happen now."
Xiahou Dun sighed: "In the past, the generals loved us wholeheartedly, but now, there are no more generals, only His Majesty the Emperor is left. Although His Majesty the Emperor and the General are the same person, to us, they are completely different." ."
Cao Cao did not comment on this.
Xia Houyuan reached out and touched the cold sweat on his forehead.
"Then... what should we do? If something goes wrong, it might not just be the three of us, but also the Cao family and the Xiahou family..."
"There's only one way."
A stern look flashed in Cao Cao's eyes, and he said coldly: "Didn't Your Majesty also say that? If you feel that the land tax is too heavy and you don't want to pay so much, you can sell part of the land to the government at the market price. If the government can buy it, then we can We can coordinate in private.
If you don’t want to pay so much tax, then sell the excess land to the government. The government will also use money to buy the land. It’s something you and I agree with. But if we are not willing to accept even this condition, we can’t just give in. …”
"Then it can only let them know how painful it is to have land but not live to enjoy it."
Xia Houdun looked at Xia Houyuan and said: "Miaocai, this matter is not only related to your career and mine, but also to the future of the family. We must not let some short-sighted people ruin the overall situation, and we must not let a few people destroy the family inheritance. You must not be merciful, do you understand?"
"Of course I won't be merciful, but..."
Xia Houyuan pursed his lips and said hesitantly: "After all, you are a clansman. If you really say this, you still have to do so many things. How can I see my clansmen in the future?"
"If we don't do everything right, how can you and I have the dignity to meet His Majesty?"
Xiahou Dun said bitterly: "For the clansmen, there is always room for relaxation. As long as you and I still have official positions and power, but if we have no face to see His Majesty, what do you and I have left? Which is more important, what do you do? Are you being stupid at this time?"
Xia Houyuan was shocked, lowered his head and stopped talking.
Cao Cao had the same attitude.
So not long after, the three of them reached an agreement that this matter must be resolved internally.
The problem must not be left to Liu Bei. If the problem is left to Liu Bei, then they themselves will become Liu Bei's problem. What Liu Bei needs to solve is not the problem of Xiahou and Cao, but the problem of Cao Cao, Xiahou Dun and Xiahou Yuan. .
They don't want to become Liu Bei's problem.
After Cao Cao and the two Xiahou came to a unified conclusion, the negotiation between Xun You and Xun Yu did not go smoothly.
Xun Yu hoped that Xun You could mediate in this matter. Except for the two of them, no one in the Xun clan was an official. Although there were people in the family who understood righteousness, they might be willing to accept and pay land taxes for the sake of the overall situation. requirements, but there must be some who are unwilling.
After all, in the eyes of some people, asking them to pay taxes is tantamount to insulting them, denying their status, and putting them on the same level as common people.
This is something that they should not do at all. It is not in line with their identity and status, and it is difficult for them to accept it.
Xun Yu felt that it was not easy for his tribe, and he did not want to force his tribe, so he hoped that Xun You could go with him to discuss a sound strategy with Liu Bei.
Xun You thought this was a foolish act.
"It's not just a matter of a day or two for the tribesmen to be ignorant. I have tried to persuade the tribesmen in many ways not to be enemies of Your Majesty, but to think of ways to be happy with Your Majesty and to have a closer relationship with Your Majesty, but no one believes me! To this day, no one believes me! But I regret it, is it too late?”
Xun Yu's face fell.
"Gongda, I know you are resentful, but the Xun family is your family after all. After all, you and I grew up under the guidance of the Xun family, so no matter what, we should..."
"The moment my uncle kicked me out of the house, I decided that from now on, Xun Gongda would only live for himself and not for the family."
Xun You stretched out his hand to stop Xun Yu: "Wen Ruo, I advise you not to say anything for the family. If you really think about the Xun family, then you can persuade them to pay taxes. Whatever your majesty says will be whatever it is. I will fully support it. This is the way to survive.
Otherwise, in less than twenty years, in ten years, the Xun family will completely decline, and your career may not be any better. A big man is still a big man, but a big man is also different from the big Han in the past. Wen Ruo, think about it. Yang! Be sober, this is my last warning to you! "
After saying that, Xun You left without waiting for Xun Yu's feedback.
Xun Yu looked at Xun You who was far away in silence. Apart from sighing deeply, he couldn't even chase him a little.
Has Xun really reached this point?
But Xun Yu is still clear about one thing.
Many people said that Yang was dead after handing over all his family property, but Xun Yu didn't think that was the case.
Yang did lose everything, but in return, Yang Xiu was able to do his best beside Liu Bei.
Now he is included in Liu Bei's cabinet. It is said that he is still a relatively senior member of the cabinet. He is highly appreciated and trusted by Liu Bei and is often sent out to work by Liu Bei.
Xun Yu felt that Yang Xiu's future was not just in a cabinet. Sooner or later, Yang Xiu would be released. Fire reborn.
The Xun family, as a high-ranking family that was once on equal footing with the Yang family, now seems to be in the same predicament that the Yang family once faced. However, Xun Shuang, the former head of the Xun family, did not have the courage of Yang Biao.
Yang Biao gave up confrontation, gave up persistence, gave up everything he could, in exchange for a glimmer of hope.
And will the Xun family have the same opportunity to resurrect themselves by giving up and switching?
Only one member of the Yang family is still an official, while two of the Xun family are still in office.
Could this be an opportunity?
Xun Yu looked at Xun You's leaving figure and thought deeply.
But there wasn't much time left for him to think.
Because the next day was the first day of the first lunar month of the first year of Zhenguan.
An old era has completely passed, and a new era has officially arrived.
(End of chapter)
