After the banquet, Kang Ning personally saw off the guests, and even helped the drunk Zhao Xian to the car with his own hands. He also explained to the servants and the coachman politely, and stopped to watch the car drive away and disappear from sight. The party had just officially ended.
If it were Duke Lu himself, that would be fine. It was just Zhao Xian who behaved like this. With Kang Ning's current reputation, it was indeed a bit of a loss.
However, Kang Ning didn't care about this. He just felt that a little while today would be of great benefit. Compared with Zhao Xian, his source of information may not be narrow, but some key information is missing, especially when it comes to some movements and trends in the upper echelons of the imperial court.
In the past, I had contacts and exchanges with so many different people, and I did get a lot of useful information. However, people like Zhao Xian
"frankness",
The "refreshing" situation is still excellent. Today's meeting was of great benefit to Kang Ning. At least Zhao Xian gave him a big wake-up call.
After so many years
"Frustration", Kang Ning has actually understood some things. Today's Han Dynasty is a social system that took decades to build under the leadership of Emperor Liu. In this system, there has been considerable development and progress in all aspects. But the limitations of various regulations are also very clear.
In terms of business operations, Corning has made great achievements in various aspects, and can even be said to have reached the pinnacle of this field.
But on the other hand, that's all. When he wanted to break through this field and complete the transformation of his life and career, obstacles and resistance that were not obvious at first came one after another.
Everyone in the world is interested in profit. Money can affect power and even control power in many aspects and to a large extent. In the Han Dynasty, power lies in money, but there are always exceptions, such as Kang Ning.
However, in today's Han Dynasty, if you want to put this unspoken rule on the table, you are challenging the rules and breaking the rules. This is disgusted by people and unacceptable to universal values.
Strictly speaking, those who try to challenge the rules will end up facing Emperor Liu, and Emperor Liu is the person who hates bad rules the most, especially the rules he made.
It is true that Emperor Liu himself would do things to slap himself in the face and break his words from time to time, but he is the emperor after all. To restrain the emperor with the same standards as his ministers, it is also difficult to a certain extent. Setting an example also depends on the emperor's mood. What's more, this is Emperor Liu!
Before the matter of Jiangxi's participation in politics was finalized, there was a moderately heated debate within the imperial court. Several people believed that Kang Ning was different from ordinary merchants in that he showed his sincerity in times of crisis and had made great contributions to the imperial court. The official position is justifiable, and it can be regarded as a reward for merit, which comforts the hearts of the benevolent people in the world.
Regarding such an argument, one can imagine what kind of attitude and reaction Emperor Liu would have. Without considering other factors, he just rushed
The four words "selling one's official position and getting one's title" were enough to make him angry. However, there were people who had no sensitivity at all and no correct consciousness. Instead, they spoke eloquently and eloquently.
"Principle" comes. In Emperor Liu's view, Kang Ning may be different from ordinary businessmen, and he has also worked hard for the court. However, the court has also given sufficient rewards. He is not satisfied with the huge benefits in business, and he intends to gain something in his official career. , that is greed.
Although Emperor Liu had always encouraged industry and commerce, he hated it from his heart. He just had to take advantage of its advantages and endure its disadvantages.
When Emperor Liu held this attitude, the subsequent development of the matter is not surprising. Officials who made relevant remarks were demoted and dismissed one after another. Even Zhong Mo resigned from his post in Jiangxi not long after. Although he was once transferred to the capital to serve as the head of the department, his political career soon came to an end. He was dismissed from office and finally suffered from depression. And finally.
Since then, Kang Ning has never had the same smooth sailing as he had in the previous thirty years. All kinds of troubles have come one after another. Although not fatal, they are overwhelming and even make him deeply worried.
When Kang Ning realized that given the current political ecology and environment, it would be extremely difficult for him to make a breakthrough, and Emperor Liu was the biggest obstacle, which was particularly disappointing.
With Kang Ning's intelligence, he naturally knows how to keep a low profile and avoid disaster, but just because he is smart enough, he is extremely unwilling to do so.
In his opinion, if one can move from an official to a businessman, one can naturally move from a businessman to an official. Although the court has rules that clearly prohibit serving officials from doing business, Kang Ning can really see the actual situation. Just on his Kang family's ship, Carrying a lot
"Dignified guest". Look at how many powerful people in the Han Dynasty first served as officials and then went into business to make profits. He just reversed the order. How did he get so many prejudices and restrictions?
Collusion between officials and businessmen, transformation between officials and businessmen, this is the norm, is reasonable, and should be... Kang Ning is a typical example. After accumulating a certain amount of wealth and gaining a certain social status, he wants to seek wealth and wealth. However, this was not something Emperor Liu could accept.
After encountering setbacks in his pursuit of becoming an official, Kang Ning did not recover. He even came up with a bold idea: If he was more direct and donated a certain amount of his family property, could he get an official position or even a title?
Compared with sneaking around in Jiangxi, this kind of idea is much more straightforward. Of course, to achieve such a goal, we must first look at the timing, secondly, we must have someone to mobilize, and finally, the money must not be too little. Corning's initial budget is one million. Through... Kang Ning once made preparations and actions to implement this whimsical idea, but was finally persuaded by someone. A friend, an old Taoist, a Taoist priest who was supported by him and convinced him, it is said that he also I listened to Patriarch Chen Tuan’s sermons in Huashan, and it was half
"Outer disciple". After listening to Kang Ning's idea of donating money to become an official, the old Taoist didn't say much, but gave an unpredictable warning, saying that the power of God is unpredictable, and this move will not only bring no blessings, but only bring disaster!
Then, the old Taoist wandered back to Shannafu, and Corning fell into calm thinking, perhaps out of trust, or perhaps out of alertness to danger, and finally gave up.
That is to say, Kang Ning listened to the advice, otherwise, his millions of wealth would be just a waste of time. Emperor Liu's emphasis on Mingjue was definitely not something ordinary people could understand. It was almost regarded as the legal system and cornerstone of rule. He wanted to change his position for a few stinky money, but it was just a matter of death.
What's more, even if Emperor Liu didn't say anything, even the nobles of the Han Dynasty would rise up to oppose and criticize. For some military nobles, even the ministers like Wei Renpu and Xue Juzheng, who were ennobled by civil rule, looked down upon them and often criticized them. Not to mention a mere merchant.
If you can buy a title with a little money, then the nobles will not be in a rage and the people will not be in chaos?
If Kang Ning really did that, in the eyes of Emperor Liu, it might be a provocation and humiliation. How could it end well?
In the past few years, Corning has been working hard to figure out how to break through this problem that has troubled him for many years, even to the point of getting into trouble.
Today, Zhao Xian's words finally inspired him to think differently. The majesty of the old emperor is irreversible and difficult to resist. You can take a longer-term view. As long as you are willing to compromise any rules and regulations, there will always be a day when they can be changed.
If he wasn't good enough, he still had sons and grandsons. Money might not be that useful to Emperor Liu, but it was different for other people.
In the carriage going home, Kang Ning had two thoughts in his mind. One was to send someone to inquire about the whereabouts of the emperor's grandson Liu Wenhuan to see if there was any opportunity to show courtesy and wink; the other was to ask Guangyang Bo and Prime Minister Zhao Kuangyi There, it’s time to walk around more.
