"Your Majesty, it is true that Baode Mansion is remote and poor, but looking at its customs and sentiments, I am quite surprised!" Shi Xizai said.
"What you said also surprises me!" Emperor Liu smiled: "As you said, is it possible to be peaceful even if you are poor?"
"Exactly!" Shi Xizai replied without any pretense.
Facing Emperor Liu's scrutinizing gaze, Shi Xizai slowly said: "Although the area under the jurisdiction of Baode Mansion is remote, it has enjoyed long-term security, the people live in peace, and people are happy with their jobs. Your Majesty should also know that before the founding of the Han Dynasty, Thanks to Lao Ling Gong’s achievements in protecting the territory and the people for twenty years, when the imperial court conquered Khitan in the north, conquered the Dangxiang, and defended the territory from moving north, there was no need to worry about foreign aggression and border dangers. It can be said that the officials and people of Baode Prefecture have enjoyed peace for more than forty years. ....."
After hearing what he said, Emperor Liu nodded and said: "It is indeed not easy to have peace for such a long time. However, being comfortable for a long time is not necessarily a good thing. In such a long time, the growth of two or three generations will not be Will it cause governance problems and social conflicts?”
Obviously, it is impossible to convince Emperor Liu with a few words. Shi Xizai responded: "If I say no, I will be deceiving you! I inspected the prefectures and counties, and I did see some unfair people and injustices. Among the officials, There are also those who are idle and lazy in government, but this is not a problem of Baode Prefecture alone.
Its folk customs are fierce and simple, and they are respectful to the imperial court. Even a small citizen knows how to respect the majesty of the imperial court. Although the people's livelihood was poor, outside of years of famine, the two annual taxes were paid on time and in full, and they responded positively to military service and corvee service.
Of course, the people are so active because of His Majesty and the imperial court's long-term policy of lenient administration and benefiting the people, and the people are grateful. And what I see from it is that the monarch and the people are harmonious, the officials and the people are consistent, and it is the high-spirited and brilliant destiny of the imperial dynasty..."
"Okay, okay!" Seeing that Shi Xizai was getting more and more mysterious, Emperor Liu quickly interrupted him and gave him a sideways glance: "Let's talk about the problem of Baode Mansion!"
Baodefu was established in the fifth year of Emperor Qianyou's reign, and its jurisdiction consisted of Yuanfu and Linzhou. It was the product of the restructuring of Hedong that year. However, it seems that this remote place is still not suitable for building a mansion.
Noticing Emperor Liu's eyes, Shi Xizai had a slight embarrassment on his face, and then continued: "If there is any problem, it is that the people's customs are fierce, private fights are serious, vicious incidents often occur, and it is difficult to effectively control them, and the people When things happen, things are kept private, and government affairs are limited to towns. If there is no detailed investigation and investigation, it will be difficult to go to the countryside. Officials are also happy to reduce the trouble of governance..."
"How can this be the situation in Baode Mansion? Except for the fierce folk customs, this is the case in most parts of the country!" Emperor Liu sighed.
This means that the imperial power will no longer go to the countryside. Even if Emperor Liu doesn't want to see this, there is really nothing he can do. The national conditions are like this and the social class is like this, and the court cannot achieve such meticulous management.
At that time, changes were also attempted, such as allowing retired officers and soldiers to return to the countryside as village officials, in an attempt to break the old clan system. There are positive effects, and some results have been achieved, such as improving the recognition of the lower class people towards the Han Empire and Emperor Liu.
But as time went by, he discovered that he still took it for granted. What he did was just to give grace to the retired officers and soldiers, allowing them to rely on the authority of the imperial court and become the new clan elders, local snakes, and the structure of the imperial countryside. Nothing has changed.
By now, Emperor Liu had long given up on his delusions about the imperial power going to the countryside...
"Baode Mansion is also home to many ethnic groups. How are the conflicts between the Hu and Han people?" Emperor Liu asked again.
In this regard, Shi Xizai once again gave an unexpected answer: "Half of the territory under its jurisdiction is Han people, and the other half is Dangxiang, Khitan, and Tyuhun ethnic groups. However, after years of mixed living and integration, conflicts along racial lines have become very rare. Farmers and pastoralists do not invade each other.”
"In this way, it is not as troublesome as the other ways in the northwest!" Emperor Liu smiled a little. The issues left over from history and the ethnic conflicts in the northwest have almost become Emperor Liu's heartache.
"In your words, the officials and people of Baode Mansion are my important ministers and obedient people. Since they live in poverty, are there any policies and measures to help them become rich and enjoy food and clothing forever?" asked Shi Xizai with interest.
In this regard, Shi Xizai shook his head slowly: "To be honest with you, I am personally satisfied with the political and public sentiment in Baode Mansion. With all due respect, all I can do is to maintain political integrity, keep officials clean, and crack down on Illegal, seek justice for the people, and provide them with a relatively fair and comfortable livelihood. Other than that, I don’t want to do too much.”
"Your idea is unique. It is much more practical than those officials who swear in front of me that they will make the people under their rule rich!" Emperor Liu raised his eyebrows.
Shi Xizai also answered truthfully: "The Han Dynasty has a vast territory, with thousands of prefectures and counties. There are places of wealth and wealth, and there are places of poverty and poverty that don't even know about others. It is our duty and responsibility to seek the welfare of the people. However, if you want to Wealth, wealth, food and clothing depend on the people themselves.
We have always been concerned not with scarcity but with inequality. For the people, fairness comes before poverty. Therefore, all I need to do is to do my best to be fair to the people, be public-minded, and uphold the public law, that's all! "
Seeing that Emperor Liu was thoughtful, Shi Xizai continued: "I have been inspecting Hedong for several months and have come to this conclusion. I plan to govern according to this policy in the future. If there is any inappropriateness, please correct it!"
Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu suddenly came to his senses, took a deep look at Shi Xizai, and sighed: "I thought you were a scholar, but this scholar's view is so thought-provoking!"
"Everyone is different, and each has his own governance policy and philosophy. You can apply it according to your ideas. I will wait and see. I hope that in a few years, Hedong will be governed. But one thing needs to be remembered. Focusing on agriculture and nourishing the people is a basic national policy. You should be more careful about this matter!" Emperor Liu said seriously.
"I will remember your Majesty's teachings!" Shi Xizai said.
After a while, Emperor Liu asked: "After so many years, how is the reputation of the Zhe family in Baode Mansion?"
Hearing the emperor's sudden question about this matter, Shi Xizai suddenly felt a little nervous. He raised his eyes and observed, only to see a nonchalant look on Emperor Liu's face. After hesitating for a while, he decided to speak honestly: "The people within the territory, especially the people in Yuanfu Prefecture, are still grateful for the kindness of the two generations of princes of the Zhe family. The people also voluntarily donate to Zhe Laoling's public shrine, offering worship at all times, and the incense is endless. . The Zhe family is still the leading family in Baode Mansion and has a high reputation."
Unlike other relatives, the Zhejia family has a base that has been operating for many years, and its influence reaches all levels. Although the former Duke of the country was replaced by Ruan, Emperor Liu had consciously reduced his family's influence on the prefecture. This was the reason for the merger of prefectures and the establishment of prefectures. Until the head of state, Zhe Deku, was transferred from Baode Mansion, Emperor Liu did not take any more action against the Zhe family.
Therefore, some key members of the direct lineage of the Zhe family were transferred to various places in the Han Dynasty to serve, but there were still many members of the clan left in Baode Mansion to maintain the prestige and influence accumulated over two generations.
For the Zhe family, more than twenty years is enough time to put the family's mark on a place. This was the case with Fuzhou in the past and Baode Mansion today.
Seeing Shi Xizai's nervous expression, Emperor Liu smiled freely: "When the world was in turmoil, Mr. Zhe, the old man, endured hardships and overcame all obstacles to create a rare place of shelter and habitat for the people of Fuzhou. The people have never forgotten their kindness. To this day, I am still very grateful, which shows the simplicity of the people's hearts, which is understandable and should be praised!"
As he said this, Emperor Liu ordered Zhang Dejun who was waiting on him: "I have ordered that after passing through Taiyuan, Concubine Zhe and her son should go to Baode Mansion to pay homage on their behalf. It just so happened that, after more than twenty years, Concubine Xian was also allowed to honor Concubine Xian. Come back!"
"yes!"
"Your Majesty is so magnanimous and benevolent that I admire you greatly!" Shi Xizai said immediately after hearing this.
Emperor Liu smiled, and a gust of autumn wind blew by, and he couldn't help but sneeze. Seeing this, Shi Xizai said: "Your Majesty, it's cold here, so you should go back to the hall and rest!"
Emperor Liu didn't force himself. He was still very careful about his health. He stood up and told Shi Xizai: "Assist Li Ye to prepare for the ancestor worship!"
"This is what it should be!" Shi Xizai responded immediately.
When arriving in Jinyang, it is naturally necessary to worship heaven and ancestors.
