Although Emperor Liu's words were a bit false, his attitude was still clearly stated. He was dissatisfied with the so-called "commercial tax reform" proposed by the Financial Secretary. This made people murmur, especially It was Shen Yilun, the financial envoy present, with an obvious hint of embarrassment on his old face.
Therefore, after Emperor Liu finished speaking, Shen Yilun stood up on his own initiative, leaned forward and bowed: "Your Majesty has taught you a lesson, it is because my ministers and others were not careful in their opinions and considered them improperly!"
Seeing this, Zhao Pu also spoke up and said to Emperor Liu: "Your Majesty, the Finance Secretary has only made a preliminary draft of the proposal to increase commercial taxes, and there is no final decision yet. The officials are still discussing it. Your Majesty's teachings should be remembered by all ministers. Keep it in mind, discuss it in depth, and come up with a comprehensive and appropriate solution!"
When it comes to official language and clichés, how many people can be more proficient than Zhao Pu, a minister? Zhao Pu talks eloquently, and he also means to speak for Shen Yilun.
His eyes wandered a bit, and the old Shen Yilun's gesture of acknowledging his guilt and asking for punishment made Emperor Liu a little embarrassed. He immediately waved his hand and said: "Shen Qing, you don't have to be like this. I'm not asking for accountability, I'm just expressing my feelings. , there is no stability without farming, no wealth without work, and no life without business.
Luoyang and Kaifeng were so big that they spread in all directions. If there were no merchants to trade from them, how could the two capitals prosper? Among merchants, there are not only profiteers and philistines, but also good merchants and righteous merchants. We should make a distinction!
The imperial court should still encourage and protect the merchants and people who helped the Han Dynasty flourish! Therefore, when the court introduces policies, it should take a longer-term view and try to avoid killing the goose to obtain the eggs! "
"What your Majesty said is true, please bear this in mind!" Zhao Pu took the lead and agreed.
After saying that, Zhao Pu added: "The court will naturally encourage good merchants and righteous merchants, but it does not mean that they are laissez-faire. After all, merchants pursue profits and it is difficult to understand etiquette and justice. There are thousands of merchants in the world, and most of them are for personal gain. Of course, they are given to the big man. It brings vitality, but it also breeds a lot of illegal things.
Therefore, I have always believed that merchants should be restrained. If they are too lenient, it will only destroy the good and honest customs among the people. If the people rush to imitate, then who will work in agriculture and who will work, which will not be beneficial to the Han Dynasty.
In addition, the imperial court has implemented policies to encourage business over the years, and with its relaxed business environment, the Han Dynasty has also produced a large number of wealthy businessmen. These families have accumulated a lot of wealth through the good treatment of the court and through the commodity trade. But whether these people abide by the law and pay taxes in accordance with the court tax system is probably not the case.
The minister has also received many reports. In the process of earning wealth, the wealthy businessmen are often suspected of committing crimes, and there are even some who care about human lives. Naturally, the court should not treat these people equally.
I think that the court can be a little more lenient with small businessmen and hawkers, but it should still strictly restrict those big businessmen and wealthy people..."
Zhao Pu's attitude was also very clear in his words, and his words contained a lot of disgust for the powerful merchants of the Han Dynasty. However, Emperor Liu always felt a little strange when he listened.
Zhao Pu is not a person who shows political leanings easily. He is so strong this time and wants to deal with big businessmen with all his teeth and claws, which is worth pondering.
After thinking about it, Emperor Liu made a guess. The effect would be more obvious if the pigs were killed and fattened. If he wanted to target them, he would have to target the merchants. The imperial court had not done anything like this before.
As for the reasons Zhao Pu put forward, you don't need to take them too seriously, they are just excuses. On the other hand, among these big businessmen, it doesn’t matter which one has achieved something. Even those big and successful businessmen in the two capitals are mostly closely connected with nobles and bureaucrats. This is inevitable. The accumulation of wealth To a certain extent, if you want to continue to develop and seek protection, relying on the powerful is also an inevitable choice.
In fact, many people are the minions of the powerful, such as Zhao Kuangzan, the king of Dongping. His family's restaurant business is booming...
Gu attacks big businessmen. Is this a way for Zhao Pu to secretly assassinate Chen Cang? Emperor Liu's suspicious nature made Emperor Liu think more subconsciously, but looking at Zhao Pu's calm and natural expression, he couldn't help but murmur in his heart.
Emperor Liu suddenly felt that this Zhao Pu was also a bit unfathomable and difficult to see through. He even felt a sense of panic after suddenly realizing that these ministers were all the elites standing at the top of the Han Dynasty, and they could not be easily seen through. In the past, Emperor Liu had always confidently understood the overall situation. It would not be these people who accompanied him to perform...
Emperor Liu was suspicious, and sometimes it really made Emperor Liu feel tormented. Doubts surged in his heart, but Emperor Liu's face remained steady. He nodded to Zhao Pu's gaze and said with a chuckle: "What Zhao Qing said makes sense. The national laws are strict. Since the commercial law has been established, it is not just a decoration, it is necessary." Strictly abide by it, and businessmen should be guided and restrained to make the rules deeply rooted in the hearts of the people!"
Seeing Emperor Liu's expression of support, Zhao Pu finally showed a smile, cupped his hands and said: "Your Majesty is wise!"
After noticing Zhao Pu's peaceful and respectful expression, Emperor Liu felt even more disgusted.
"Your Majesty is busy with state affairs, so I won't bother you too much. In a word, focus on state affairs and people's livelihood. After the next two or three years, the Han Dynasty will become more and more prosperous. This depends on the princes!" said on the chair. After leaving some traces, Emperor Liu stood up and said goodbye. Before leaving, he did not forget to give him a word of encouragement.
Of course, he gave Zhao Pu a reminding look.
Regardless of how much turmoil there was in the court some time ago, the work of the Han Dynasty Hall was still running normally. After the turmoil, everything seemed to have fallen silent. Zhao Pu's so-called political goal of restricting nobles was ultimately limited to rumors and did not even appear on paper.
After entering March, it was as if it had never happened. Zhao Pu did not express any attitude or opinions on this matter, but focused his energy on national affairs. There were still many things that needed to be changed, both inside and outside the Han Dynasty.
The nobles no longer made noises, and there were fewer gatherings. They seemed to feel a retreat from the contrast in Zhao Pu's performance. Of course, there were inevitable warnings from some big bosses. There may have been suspicions of conspiracy in the previous private meetings, and it was easy to It's not something that should be done if it's true, it's taboo, and it's not that bad.
Of course, Zhao Pu is not a timid person, and he will not give in easily just because he feels some pressure. What makes him regress is Emperor Liu, the referee behind the scenes.
Overtly and covertly, Emperor Liu reminded Zhao Pu to prioritize things. At the moment, the most important thing for the Han Dynasty court was to appease the people's livelihood and restore national strength. Other things should be put aside.
Food must be eaten one bite at a time; the road must be walked step by step. Emperor Liu's attitude was clear with a hint of ambiguity, but after understanding who Zhao Pu was, he let it go.
However, letting go does not mean giving up, it can be regarded as temporary hiding. Moreover, Zhao Pu's previous aggressive actions were also a kind of test, not only to test Emperor Liu, but also to test the reaction of the nobles. Now, he has got the answer he wanted.
Political talents like Zhao Pu are not reckless in what they do or what policies they come up with. They have clear goals, but means and methods are also needed to achieve the goals.
From Emperor Liu's ambiguous reaction, Zhao Pu also received a relatively clear attitude, but the timing was wrong. Zhao Pu still has the patience to wait for the right time.
