Zheng Chen entered Zhao Gou's study and saw that there was only a small yellow door standing aside and no one else, and he couldn't help but feel nervous.
Walking forward, Zheng Chen saluted Zhao Gou.
Zhao Gou smiled and said, "Sit down, Chief of the Pavilion."
Zheng Chen was startled. He said hurriedly: "Where is there a place for a young person to sit in front of the official family?"
Zhao Gou said: "Today is special. Sir, please sit down and talk. There are no outsiders here, so just relax."
Where would Zheng Chen dare to sit? Thank you again and again, and stand aside carefully.
Zhao Gou said: "This time the Pavilion Chief and Master Hu went to Xijing. It was a hard journey."
Zheng Chen said hurriedly that he didn't dare. He went to the east end of the palace to worship officials and brought royal equipment, and he was always at Zhao Gou's side. Zhao Gou was suddenly so polite to him today. Zheng Chen knew in his heart that he should be asking about his trip to Luoyang.
The great victory in Shaanzhou, where more than 20,000 Jin soldiers were killed in one battle, was such a shock to the court that everyone wanted to know what kind of person Wang Xiaolie was. Especially since the person offering prisoners this time was Li Yanxian, and Wang Xiaolie didn't come, Zhao Gou was inevitably suspicious. The more than 20,000 Jin troops, based on the situation before Shaoxing, were enough to penetrate the entire Song Dynasty.
People of this era, unlike people of later generations who read history books, only look at 100,000 people here and 200,000 people there, and don't think much of the 20,000 Jin Army. In fact, it is extremely rare for the Jin Army to invest 100,000 troops in a real battle. Zhao Gou has experienced so many ups and downs, and he understands the strength of the Jin army very well and will not misjudge. Wang Xiaolie was able to kill more than 20,000 Jin troops in one battle, which shows that the current armies of the Song Dynasty are far behind Wang Xiaolie.
Regardless of whether he likes it or not, Zhao Gou must try his best to win over the current Wang Xiaolie. Losing people like Li Cheng and Kong Yanzhou would not hurt the Song Dynasty. If Wang Xiaolie were lost at this time, the situation in the Song Dynasty would be very bad. Zhao Gou knew this very well, so he did not hesitate to give Wang Xiaolie a very generous reward. Even for Li Yanxian, Zhao Gou gave him special courtesy.
Looking at Zheng Chen, Zhao Gou smiled. Asked: "The cabinet chief is going to Xijing this time to see what kind of person Wang Jieshuai is?"
Zheng Chen was silent for a while. After thinking about it for a while, he carefully answered: "When I went to Xijing when I was young, it was just after the war. Wang Jieshuai was very busy and I only met him twice. With my little experience, Wang Jieshuai was kind to others, had no airs, and was very easy to get along with. "
Zhao Gou nodded. Suddenly he said: "You came to Xijing after the great victory in Shaanzhou. Why didn't Wang Jieshuai come with you to offer prisoners?"
Zheng Chen said: "Wang Jieshuai said that the battle ahead was busy, and the Jin army might not be willing to fail, so they did not dare to leave without permission."
Zhao Gou said: "Is what the cabinet minister saw and heard really true?"
Zheng Chen couldn't help sweating on his forehead when he saw Zhao Gou's eyes under Zhao Gou's smiling face, like a knife piercing his heart. He carefully replied: "From what I saw, Xijing was very busy at that time, indeed no more than usual. I don't know whether the Jin army will raise more troops to attack."
Zhao Gou nodded, lowering his head as if thinking about something. Suddenly he raised his head and said: "The Jin army has to wait until the autumn is high to start a war. Now it is about to enter the hot season. Why does Wang Xiaolie think that the Jin army will attack Xijing again?"
Zheng Chen said: "If we say that in the past, it was indeed the case. But Wushu, the fourth prince of the Jin Kingdom, seemed not to care about the autumn weather. In the fourth year of Jianyan, he just searched the mountains and inspected the sea during the hot summer. When he arrived in Shaanxi, Wushu returned to Shaanxi again. Waging war many times during the summer. Unlike others."
"It makes sense." Zhao Gou nodded. "Then the cabinet minister thinks that Wang Jieshuai didn't come because he was afraid that the Jin army would attack?"
Zheng Chen said: "To be honest with the officials, I have only met Wang Jieshuai two or three times. I don't know who he was before. How can I dare to guess his thoughts?"
Zhao Gou didn't speak, just looked at Zheng Chen. It wasn't until the sweat dripped down Zheng Chen's forehead that he said slowly: "Pavilion Chief, don't be nervous."
Zheng Chen didn't dare to wipe his sweat, but kept saying yes.
Zhao Gou sighed softly. He muttered to himself: "It is really not easy for Wang Xiao to join the rebel army and serve the country wholeheartedly. It is a pity that he has accomplished such an extraordinary feat this time, but cannot see him. If there is one or two talents in the court, For a general who is compared with Wang Xiaolie, how can state affairs be so difficult! Alas—"
Zheng Chen listened carefully on the side and did not dare to get angry.
After a while, Zhao Gou said: "It is very expensive to raise troops. It must be very difficult for Wang Xiaolie to raise an army of 100,000 people with only one or twenty states. The cabinet minister went to Xijing this time to see Wang Xiaolie's management. Lower common people's life
how? "
Zheng Chen said: "When I went there, it was when the Jin Army attacked Xijing. As soon as I entered Suizhou, I saw a lot of people carrying grain to the county town. I asked specifically and said it was collected by the government. When you get food, you give money.”
Zhao Gou nodded. Said: "Wang Xiaolie was in Xiangyang and printed Huizi himself. I heard that many places like to use it. I looked for it and found that the printing was indeed exquisite and the denomination was not large. You said that the government gave money to the people, but it was Huizi. Bar?"
Zheng Chen said: "I didn't ask, but I guess it is. After passing Suizhou, except for the very small money of one or two cents, the people there use Huizi."
Zhao Gou hurriedly asked: "Huizi was printed out of thin air and the people were willing to use it?"
Zheng Chen said: "From what I have seen, the people don't seem to object and like to use it. This thing is printed on paper, which is lighter than copper coins and easier to carry. If you do business over long distances, it will be more convenient. Daily buying and selling of goods , it’s also easier to use than copper coins.”
Zhao Gou couldn't help but frown. Said: "Wang Jieshuai is really a great person! As long as the people are willing to use Huizi, the government can print it out in millions, so how can it be short of money? In order to cope with the war, we also print Huizi, why don't the people Do you like it? If they could rule as well as Wang Xiaolie, how much easier would be the government?"
Zheng Chen said: "From what I have seen, the Huizi in Xiangyang are different from us. Under Wang Jieshuai's rule, Huizi can be used for trading, paying taxes, and depositing in banks to earn interest. . Unlike other places, no matter how much time passes, Xiangyang Huizi will not become lighter and you can still buy so many goods."
Zhao Gou said: "Wang Xiao doesn't have many opportunities to hunt seals? If there are less seals, what's the use of this thing!"
Zheng Chen said: "The official is a sage!"
Zhao Gou shook his head. He still didn't want to think about these unfathomable things for the time being. He also asked: "Even though the government is not short of money due to Yinhuizi, the people are suffering from it. According to you, do the people under Wang Xiaolie's rule have an easier or more difficult life compared to other places?" "
Zheng Chen said: "In my opinion, under the rule of Wang Jieshuai, the official family is better off than the people in other places in the world. I asked Scholar Hu that in their place, the people only pay three measures of food for one acre of land - —”
Zhao Gou said: "I've heard about it too. Three dou per acre means the land tax is not light."
Zheng Chen said: "But under Wang Jieshuai's rule, apart from paying three measures of grain per acre of land, there was nothing else. No miscellaneous taxes, no exorbitant taxes, no money and purchases, nothing. Oh, that's right. , there are fifty laborers per Ding. Compared with other places, the tax may seem heavy, but it is actually much lighter.”
Zhao Gou nodded and said nothing. After Jingkang, after many exiles, Zhao Gou was not an emperor who was raised in a deep palace and ignorant of the sufferings of the people. The world is like this. We need to raise troops and put down chaos. How can it be possible without exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous taxes? Under Wang Xiaolie's rule, if there were only these taxes on the surface, the people would be much better off than in other places. What the people fear most are miscellaneous taxes that come from unknown sources.
In fact, with the level of national strength and productivity development of the Song Dynasty, it was more than enough to cope with the war with the Jin Kingdom. Why is it that the people are actually living a difficult life and the court is still short of money? In addition to official corruption and incompetence, the more important reason is that a large amount of wealth has been wasted. The efficiency of the government is low. Once the money is in hand, only a fraction of it is truly effective. What Wang Xiaolie did was to maximize the effect of the wealth he collected. The burden on the people is low, but the money in Wang Xiaolie's hands is enough, and there is even some leftover.
For the Song Dynasty to be in today's predicament, the government must bear a very large responsibility. Just not surrendering and resisting the Jin army is not enough, far from enough. The government must shoulder its responsibilities and do this well. You can't say that as long as I don't surrender, no matter how harshly I treat the people, I will be qualified.
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Chapter 580 Night Talk
