Han Jiang and Lu Gong were sitting in the small hall under the inner east gate, waiting for His Majesty to see him.
Both of them had thick dark circles under their eyes, obviously they had not slept at all last night.
Because this meeting is very important to both of them.
As for Han Jiang, he already knew that the day Zhang Dun returned to the court would probably be the time when he would become an official.
Therefore, this emperor's edict will most likely be his last opportunity to systematically and comprehensively explain to the emperor and the two palaces his achievements and plans in the past two years of rule, especially Yuanfeng's eight years in power.
The review of service laws is still going on.
The Young Crops Law regulations are still being improved and revised.
Especially the fighting method!
This entrusted Han Jiang with his lifelong pursuit.
Once done, it will be enough to leave a name in history, and it will also benefit future generations.
This allowed him to achieve one of the three immortalities of scholar-bureaucrats: meritorious service.
After death, it is possible to enjoy the temple of the deceased emperor and be granted the title of county prince or even king.
For Lu Gongzhu, this was also a crucial edict.
Because, after Zhang Dun returned to the court and Han Jiang took office, he, the right prime minister, would definitely replace the left prime minister.
In this way, the position of right prime minister became Zhang Dun.
As for Zhang Dun, everyone knows that he is a staunch reformer like Lu Huiqing.
However, Lu Huiqing is too impatient, does things simply and roughly, and likes to pursue short-term benefits.
Zhang Dun, on the other hand, is more prudent.
At the same time, Zhang Dun was also more moderate in his attitude towards reform than Lu Huiqing.
He is considered a conciliator in the new party.
Like Han Jiang, he advocated reconciling the gains and losses of the old and the new.
For example, last year, after the death of the late emperor, Zhang Dun was the first person in power to publicly propose that if the law of protecting horses is not implemented for a day, there will be harm.
Afterwards, the methods of striking down the horses, adjusting the service, green crops, and changing the market were all lost, all of which were supported by Zhang Dun.
But the problem is, no matter how moderate Zhang Dun is, he is still a new party member.
And he was promoted by Wang Anshi single-handedly.
Even when I went south, I made a long detour and went to Jiangning to meet Wang Anshi once.
Zhang Dunruo is the right prime minister and has real power in the capital.
Lu Gongzhu was really worried. After Zhang Dun came to power, he coordinated with other new parties in power and used the power of the right prime minister to place new party ministers in key positions.
Once this happens, it is entirely possible that the new party will start reforming again in the future.
Finally, the inner east gate of the palace was opened.
Wen Yanbo, Zhang Fangping, and Sun Gu came out of it.
Han Jiang and Mr. Lu also stood up and went up to the three elders to greet them.
The three elders returned the gift one by one.
The two of them stood under the palace gate, watching the three senators get on their carriages and head out of the palace surrounded by their families.
At this time, Han Jiang finally broke the silence and asked Lu Gongzhu in a low voice: "Does Uncle Hui know the result of yesterday's decision to persuade Sima Twelve?"
Lu Gongzhu lowered his head in silence.
Han Jiang knew it as soon as he saw it.
He chuckled: "Sima Twelve and Wang Jiefu, they really haven't changed at all in the past twenty years!"
One is Ao Xianggong and the other is Sima Niu.
Absolutely amazing!
Mr. Lu remained silent.
Seeing this, Han Jiang shook his head and sighed: "I still remember the time when I blessed my four friends and were praised by the world, but now we have no contact with each other until we die!"
This is mocking him, Mr. Lu.
After all, Jiayou’s Four Friends was written by Lu Gong.
Lu Gongzhu's face finally twitched. He looked at Han Jiang and said, "Mr. Zihua, why don't you go and persuade me?"
Han Jiang sighed: "How does Uncle Hui know that I haven't persuaded you?"
Han Jiang is now completely convinced of Sima Guang.
Ao Xianggong and Wang Anshi had already bowed their heads to reality and knew that reconciliation was needed, so they acquiesced to Han Zihua's attack on the new law.
Sima Niu still insists on going his own way!
It’s so hard to break up!
Lu Gongzhu recalled that in the past few months, Han Jiang would invite Sima Guang to his service law review office and Qingmiao regulations review office to discuss and make corrections almost every month in the capital hall.
But Sima Guang declined every time.
This caused Han Jiang's implementation of the Labor Law Regulations and the Young Crops Law Regulations to always be discussed by both the government and the opposition.
Especially in terms of labor laws, Han Jiang exempted third-class households and below from the labor-free money, and put this burden on the heads of female households, single men, and monks.
It has a mixed reputation among the public.
Especially the great monks in Bianjing City almost cursed Han Zihua to cut off his descendants.
The reason is simple: Bianjing is a commercial city.
The proportion of female households and single households is not too high.
Under the decree of the imperial court, in order to reduce their burden, these people married the people they should marry and got married if they should.
The rest must be people who don't care about those three melons and two dates.
But the great monks were miserable!
According to Han Jiang's decree, they shouldered more than 80% of the exemption money.
If they were in a local area, these great monks might dare to incite the believers to cause trouble and make the local officials take action.
But in this city of Bianjing, who dares?
Moreover, Cai Jing of Kaifeng Prefecture was particularly shrewd. In order to implement the new exemption law, he directly sent people to target the quality warehouses of major temples.
This left the great monks with no choice but to pay the money obediently.
However, the implementation of the Youth Law, which was renamed as ‘Convenient Low-Interest Loan’ in Kaifeng Prefecture, has fallen into an embarrassing situation.
Because Han Jiang's new law stipulates that the distribution and recovery of young crops money will be received from Changpingcang from local officials.
In the name of Cangfa, they issue so-called "convenient low-interest loans".
At the same time, relevant officials are exempted from the assessment requirements for "convenient low-interest loans".
The local Changping officials were even more strictly ordered not to make apportionments or force loans.
After the implementation of so many measures, the number of "convenient low-interest loans" issued in Kaifeng Prefecture has become very touching.
It is said that in some counties, even 10,000 yuan a month cannot be distributed.
But in Bianjing City, the issuance of "convenient low-interest loans" far exceeds that in the past.
Often hundreds of thousands of dollars can be distributed in a month.
As a result, both the government and the public were discussing it.
Many people say that Han Jiang's "convenient low-interest loan" is not prepared for farmers at all.
It was prepared for merchants and workshop owners in Bianjing City.
Many merchants and workshop owners will borrow money from Kaifeng Prefecture, using 20% low-interest loans to expand production or rent shops.
This once again offended those great monks - the interest rates for their pledge and treasury transactions were over 40%, and they were still returning home nine times, with compound profits.
Han Jiang provided this convenient low-interest loan and robbed them of a lot of business!
Destroying someone's wealth is like killing one's parents.
The great monks were furious, and the noble ministers behind them were equally jealous.
Therefore, these people hired many poor scholars and constantly aroused public opinion among the scholars.
Attack and criticize Han Jiang from various angles.
Some people even bribed the imperial students and asked them to build momentum in the Imperial College, saying that Han Jiang and Han Zihua were abandoning their strengths and pursuing their weaknesses, and were using the tactics of merchants.
The evidence is this - convenient low-interest loans have been trialled in Kaifeng Prefecture for several months, and more than 80% of the loans have been issued to merchants and craftsmen.
After these people discovered that Sima Guang had been refusing to cooperate with Han Jiang, they felt like they had found a treasure.
Now, many people are using Sima Guang's banner and name outside to attack Han Jiang's policies.
There is already a vague tendency to beat Han Jiang to Wang Anshi's second place.
Thinking of this, Lu Gongzhu also sighed and said to Sima Guang: "Junshi is not good at practical work, and Zihua also knows it."
Han Jiang chuckled.
Even if Sima Guang is really not good at practical work, I can still ask for you three times and four times.
Even if he, Sima Junshi, was just being polite, he should come and take a look and say a few words, right?
Even criticism!
But he just found all kinds of reasons and excuses to shirk it.
Of course Han Jiang has opinions on this.
I'm doing something, so it's okay if you don't help me.
What does it mean to do this deliberately to provide others with an excuse to attack?
Therefore, Han Jiang was actually secretly happy when Sima Guang caused trouble this time.
After all, he, Han Jiang Han Zihua, is not a gentle and kindhearted gentleman.
If he had the temper he had when he was young, he would have gotten over it long ago.
That is to say, he is now older and has to hold his nose and endure Sima Guang for the sake of his reputation.
The two prime ministers were talking.
Liang Congzheng, an internal minister next to the Empress Dowager, came to the Neidong Gate and said to the two of them: "My two gentlemen, please follow me."
The two of them ended their conversation in a hurry, straightened their clothes, took the Chao Hut, and followed Liang Congzheng towards the depths of the palace.
This chapter has been completed!