Gao pragmatic thought about these issues over and over for many times, and came down to almost every station he passed along the way to understand the situation personally. This behavior made Guo Pu, who was traveling with him, see it and always regarded it with suspicion.
As a high-pragmatic person, he did not ask for bribes from the post, which Guo Pu could understand. Not only did they not ask for bribes, they even paid for rewards and subsidized the stations along the way, which made Guo Pu even more satisfied. Although the reward money is not much, the average reward for each station is only about 20 taels of silver, no more than 30 taels, but because there are many stations along the way, Gao Pragmatic still spent four to five taels. One hundred taels of silver.
Of course Guo Pu knows that Gao Jingshi is rich, but through Gao Jingshi's last article "There is a Way to Make Money", coupled with Guo Pu's understanding of what Gao Jingshi has done in the past year and more, and his own eyes during this period From what he observed, Guo Pu did not think Gao Pragmatic was a rich man who spent money lavishly.
From this, Guo Pu determined in his heart: Gao Pragmatic must have something to reward along the way.
Guo Pu originally thought that Gao Pragmatism was just a simple invitation to buy people's hearts. After all, the post station served many officials along the way. The people at the post station were ordinary people themselves and had to contact ordinary people. Through their mouths, many officials could be persuaded. Knowing his generosity, Gao Shidu, can also let many people know his integrity and kindness, which really kills two birds with one stone.
But this does not explain Gao Pragmatic's unusual behavior of going to chat with the people at the inn in person every time he goes to an inn.
After all, Gao's pragmatic family background is here, and his current reputation among scholars is not bad. Looking at it horizontally and vertically, there is no need to condescend to talk to these people - even if there is something to know, send the following Can't people go? You, Gao Shidu, have 200 people under your command, and the head servant named Gao Jue doesn't seem to be a fool. Is this still unsolvable?
Therefore, Guo Pu's interest grew and grew, and he often specially observed Gao Pragmatic's actions. Until one day, after Gao Pragmatic talked with the people at Xuanhua Horse Station according to the custom of coming along the way, he stood alone in the pavilion in the courtyard. Gao Pu was writing and drawing on his desk, but Guo Pu suddenly appeared and asked Gao pragmatically what he was doing during this time.
Somewhat unexpectedly, Gao Pragmatic had no intention of hiding anything. Instead, he respectfully invited Guo Pu into the pavilion, pointed to a stack of manuscripts on the desk and told him that he was doing a very complicated calculation. Technical questions.
Guo Pu had some knowledge of mathematics, but he was not expert in it. Hearing this, he just subconsciously picked up a few pieces of manuscript paper to read.
This was incredible. Except for a few Chinese characters here and there, most of them were "ghost-painted peach charms" that he couldn't understand at all.
Gao Pragmatic naturally told Guo Pu about the Arabic numerals again, and then told him that he was calculating the current approximate cost of Ming Dynasty's national post stations and the actual cost required to maintain operations.
Guo Pu was startled at first, then surprised, and asked: "You want to clean up the post station?"
Gao pragmatically said: It is convenient to talk to smart people. Look at their wording - purge! What a professional use of the word.
If you say "reform" in the Ming Dynasty, everyone will actually understand it, but it is generally not used in this way. It is usually replaced by "reform", but in fact, "reform" is not a word that can be casually announced in ancient society. word.
Historically, both Gao Gong and later Zhang Juzheng were very repulsive to this word - it’s hard to say whether they really repelled it, but at least they were very repulsive in their words and writings.
Because "obeying the ancestral system" is very important in any dynasty. To a certain extent, "obeying the ancestral system" is the basis for demonstrating one's own legal principles. If everyone does not abide by the ancestral system, then how can the emperor inherit the legacy of the previous emperor? ?
Therefore, this is actually a very, very principled issue. Not everyone dares to say such fatal words as Aoxiangong Wang Anshi, "There is no fear of changes in the sky, no law for the ancestors, and no sympathy for the words of people."
Even though Gao Pragmatic actually appreciates these three sentences and admires Wang Anshi's fearless reform spirit, he does not dare to imitate them easily - at least for now, he does not dare to lend him a hundred hearts and courage.
With his current reputation, does he dare to compare with Wang Anshi back then? Carrying shoes is even worse. What's more, the political environment of the Ming Dynasty was very different from that of the Song Dynasty. Putting aside everything else, at least the emperor of the Song Dynasty, I, was not in the mood to kill ministers with a stick in court.
What about Ming Dynasty? As long as the emperor doesn't care about face and posthumous reputation, he will be killed with a stick.
Therefore, one of the troubles with reform in the Ming Dynasty is that no matter how you change it, you have to find a reason to say that this is not actually a "reform", but just a correction. In fact, what I did is truly following the original intention of my ancestors... As for whether you believe it or not, I believe it anyway.
Therefore, Guo Pu was very particular about using a neutral or even slightly positive word: purge.
Since it is a purge, it means that the ancestral settings will not be changed, but the problems accumulated during so many years of operation of the station will be corrected. This is naturally a matter of course and is completely a good thing.
Gao Pragmatic even thought of the "rectification movement" because of this word, and he was about to move in his heart, but he suppressed this impulse forcefully - he was not qualified to make such a big movement.
At that moment, Gao Pragmatic calmed down and gave a quick but comprehensive introduction to his thoughts.
When Guo Pu heard it at first, he didn't care much. After all, there was a problem with the station system, and the problem was not small. This was a common concern of many courtiers. How Gao Pragmatic realized this problem was not important. Maybe it was just Have you heard Gao Gong mention it?
But the more he heard about it, the more serious Guo Pu's face became, because he discovered that Gao Pragmatic was not just a whim.
During the introduction, Gao Pingshi not only described the actual situation of the station system in detail - which he had personally inquired about along the way - but also carefully analyzed the reasons for these problems, and finally explained his thoughts one by one. out the solution.
Except for asking for details in some places, Guo Pu didn't interrupt him at all. It wasn't until Gao Pingshi finished speaking that he nodded with satisfaction and said, "You are very dignified in your work, even more meticulous than him." Pay close attention to detail. It seems that although you are a little over-calculated, this over-calculating style is also extremely beneficial if used in the right direction."
High pragmatism cannot be taken seriously.
Guo Pu waved his hand and said: "Your analysis is very reasonable. Even if you let me do it, I may not think about it in more detail than you. However, has the result of your calculation been calculated? If the court really follows your plan, If we change...well, if we implement purges, will it increase the expenses for the court, making it unable to afford it?"
Gao pragmatically said calmly but resolutely: "No."
Guo Pu glanced at him and said calmly: "You have already gone to the Imperial Academy once when you were in Datong University. I think you can go to the Imperial Academy again this time. Although you are no longer an imperial envoy, you are still in the Hanlin Academy in name. , in our Ming Dynasty, no one dares to say that Hanlin academicians are not qualified to be a scholar. I have already thought of the name of this essay for you, it is called "Shu Yi Lu Shu". "
