Walked around the mountain for a while. When he came back, he saw Sun Wulang and Ge Erlang sitting on the roadside resting, so he asked them to go back with him.
Back at his residence, Wang Xiaolie handed the loach to the cook. Let them pack it up, fry it, and serve it with wine.
Seeing that it was almost noon, Wang Xiaolie ordered the officials who were discussing the matter to stop first. A few tables were set up outside for everyone to drink. This time we went to Hutoushan, firstly to discuss related matters, and secondly, as a vacation, so we don’t need to be too busy.
The cooks removed the internal organs of the loach and marinated it with salt and wine to remove the earthy smell. Heat the oil in the pot and fry it carefully until the loach becomes crispy and delicious. However, for farmers of this era, this approach was too extravagant.
Everyone took their seats. Wang Xiaolie said: "The grapes were ripe a few days ago, so I ordered people to brew some wine. Today is a good time to try it. It is said that wine was introduced to the Central Plains from the Western Regions in the Han Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, there was a wonderful method, and it is only now that it has spread all over the world. The weather here in Xiangyang is too hot and there is a lot of rain, so it is said that good grapes cannot grow. But when used to make wine, it is quite different."
After saying that, the soldiers ordered wine to be placed on each table.
Wang Xiaolie raised his glass and drank it down in one gulp. Drink three cups in a row and treat everyone to a meal.
Sun Wulang and Ge Erlang sat on one side, with a small table in the middle. There were several dishes on it, a plate of loach and a jug of wine.
Following the example of the official next to him, Ge Erlang raised his glass and drank it in one gulp. Put down the wine glass and sip the taste with your tongue. Said: "This wine has a bit of sour taste. It's not like good wine that goes bad and becomes sour. It's very refreshing."
Sun Wulang said: "This is wine, very expensive. I have been observing around for a long time, but I only drank it once or twice."
As he said that, he reached out and picked up a fried loach. I looked at it carefully and carefully put it in my mouth. After chewing it for a few times, he said happily: "I didn't expect loach to be so delicious! I only heard that it was not delicious before, but I was really wrong!"
Ge Erlang also took one and tasted it. Cai Dao said: "Loach may not be delicious, it is delicious if it is deep-fried. If it is deep-fried, it will be naturally crispy and delicious with anything! Wulang, how can an ordinary farmer spare so much oil? Observations say it is delicious, but it is not Ordinary people can eat it.”
Sun Wulang nodded, and he and Ge Erlang had a great time eating.
After three rounds of drinking. Wang Xiaolie put down his wine glass and said loudly: "It's been two days since we arrived at Hutou Mountain. I've listened to a lot of your discussions here and there. I don't want to say whether the discussion is right or not - since it's a discussion, There is no right or wrong. But why and how to discuss is still reasonable. Let’s relax today and drink and eat meat. I will take this opportunity to say a few more words.”
Chen Qiudao cupped his hands and said, "I'll wait for the observation orders!"
Wang Xiaolie waved his hand: "You don't need to be too restrained, just let us chat. Why do you need to discuss it? After all, these things are the responsibility of the Transportation Department and the local government. The Production and Production Department only needs to make requests." . It’s just that in these extraordinary times, officials are not well-equipped, and many things have to be done together. But in the future, it will be the transfer department and local governments that will actually do the work. If officials don’t discuss it clearly before implementation, they will be at a loss when the time comes. Officials don’t even know. What to do, and what should the officials and the people do?”
All the officials nodded. This is the characteristic of Wang Xiaolie's work. Government affairs are not about simply issuing orders, but about being fully prepared and discussed in advance so that those involved and those executing them understand what they are doing and why they are doing it.
Wang Xiaolie said: "I said that printing Huizi and opening banks, as long as they are implemented well, will not cause prices to rise. It will also make the industry and commerce in the market prosperous, and the government will receive more and more taxes. But How can we achieve these effects? I have to say, I can naturally tell you a set of methods. Does this method work? Is the effect good? That is difficult to say. However, let you fully discuss it and let you If I understand what I want to do and come up with a solution based on reality, the effect will naturally be different.”
Speaking of this, Wang Xiaolie said with emotion: "People in the world often make a mistake. Once they have a certain knowledge, reach a certain position, and are in charge of some people, they feel that they are omnipotent and what they say is absolutely correct. . Some of our officials often make this mistake. Don't look at everyone here who is polite and polite in words and deeds. Many people go back to the yamen, face the officials and the people, but this is not the case. They often slap the table, If this matter cannot be completed within one day, I will definitely kill you! If any village’s tax cannot be collected tomorrow, I will give you fifty military sticks!”
The people below couldn't help but look at each other in shock after hearing this. I don’t know what Wang Xiaolie means. An official is kind to everyone, so what's the point of being an official? Many things require officials to be decisive and act resolutely.
Wang Xiaolie shook his head: "Does it have to be done this way? To be sure, it's not necessary. So why do many people do it? It's simple, they can't do things otherwise. It sounds ugly, and they don't have enough ability. But the reality Yes, most of the time, most people are not capable enough when it comes to their work. Not only are the civil servants incompetent, but the officials are even more incompetent. Some officials like this, imposing severe punishments and laws without allowing anyone to object or Doubtful. In their words, this is called acting vigorously and resolutely. Does it make sense? It doesn't make sense. What does acting vigorously and decisively have to do with a rough style? If you speak well and arrange tasks accurately, you can't be decisive and act vigorously? But There are very few of our officials who can organize their work well, handle relationships well, and get things done peacefully."
As experience increases and status changes, people will also change. Three years ago, Wang Xiaolie would not have had such an understanding, nor would he have said such words. But as his position became more stable, his strength increased, and his prestige increased, Wang Xiaolie also changed.
People's understanding of the world, nature, and human society is increasing bit by bit. Recognizing the increase, recognizing your own shortcomings, instead of thinking that you know everything and can do everything, is a huge improvement. This kind of progress will change your thinking and your style of doing things. As we age, there will be further changes.
Is our understanding of the world correct? Have you really thought about many things clearly? Officials often don't understand things clearly and can't figure it out, but they are under pressure from above and do things simply and roughly. If they really understand, they won't be like this anymore.
In his previous life, Wang Xiaolie once attended a public class given by a famous teacher. The teacher said that great men like to read Buddhist scriptures, especially the Sixth Patriarch Huineng. Why? Because Huineng was illiterate and was a people's monk. Does this make sense? It made sense at the time. Now I realize that what the teacher said does not make sense. What does the People's Monk have to do with being illiterate? Can’t a person who can read be a people’s monk? If you become a people's monk, you can't read? The two were originally not related, but because they were concentrated on Huineng, they were forcibly related.
Many things in the world are like this. I don’t have a deep understanding of things, I think I understand them, but I actually don’t. I think I understand the truth of everything, but I actually don’t. Things are done right without knowing why they are right. I did it wrong and I don’t know why it was wrong.
For officials, except for a very small number of people, if they have a bad work attitude, they are simply not capable enough. Realizing this, Wang Xiaolie had much higher demands on his officials and his attitude became much better. Knowing that their abilities are insufficient, they also need to know how to make up for it, rather than being incompetent and furious. Conducting full discussions and conducting concentrated study is one of the ways.
Why not just give the order directly? Because Wang Xiaolie knew that the method he thought of might not be the best method, or even the appropriate method. Only combining theory with practice and being down-to-earth is the best way.
In their previous lives, they learned a lot of knowledge and history. Almost everyone felt that if they arrived in ancient times, they would almost certainly be rich, avoid social problems, and create a better future. Is it actually possible? Of course it's impossible. China is China. China has not experienced that in its history. People who transplant to others must go through a process of transformation and adaptation to China.
This truth is actually very simple, but most people just can't understand it. The simplest thing is that some people who study abroad feel that they have studied in developed countries and have seen developed countries. They must know more than people who have never seen them, and others must listen to them. In reality? Either we understand China honestly, or we can only keep complaining, or even live in our own illusions.
If the industrial revolution first happened in China, would the world be like what it was in the previous life? Wang Xiaolie can definitely answer, definitely not. Will there be a big voyage? Will there be another world war? That's hard to say. But it is certainly different from history.
We used to think that the world was simple and had a template. Different civilizations will only be at different stages based on this template. There are some differences, such as civilization and ignorance, advanced and backward. In fact, the world is not divided like this.
Now, in terms of ideology, Wang Xiaolie has a look-down attitude towards the officials he currently has. But in terms of status, Wang Xiaolie no longer thinks that this person is good, that person is bad, this person is noble, that person is despicable, but has a level-headed attitude. For the common people, Wang Xiaolie was also more kind and respectable in his eyes.
It is not easy to have a correct attitude towards the common people, or to the people. China's special history, most people know the importance of the people. But most people don’t know why and where the people are important. Many people, even like the ancient emperors, cite the famous saying of Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty that water can carry a boat, but it can also overturn it. In the eyes of many people, they don’t know why the people should be the masters of the country.
People are conflicted. The overall advanced nature of the people and the backwardness of individuals coexist. The people as a whole represent the direction of history, but individual people often show backwardness due to insufficient knowledge, limited knowledge, and backward consciousness. How to understand the people as a whole and how to understand individuals within the whole is not a simple matter. In other words, there are very few people who can think this matter through clearly.
As the leader of the Xiangdeng Group that was gradually taking shape, Wang Xiaolie needed to think about this matter clearly. On this basis, Wang Xiaolie needed to transform his officials, reform their administration, and at the same time transform the people under his rule.
