Not to mention being sweaty, even my crotch was soaked!
It has to be said that the civil servants of the Song Dynasty have lost count of how long they have not encountered a sense of oppression from the imperial power.
Because Zhenzong, Renzong, and Yingzong were all very gentle emperors, they would occasionally get angry, but they never felt this way.
Even though Wen Yanbo, Fu Bi, Sima Guang and others were still sitting there, they were all shocked.
At first, when they saw the table full of delicacies, they guessed that this was either the Hongmen Banquet or a drama of bitter love.
But I never thought that Zhao Xu would use Taizu's cup of wine to release his military power as a metaphor for this matter.
The implication is that if you don't accept this softness today, your heads will have to be moved next year.
Release of military power over a glass of wine is a metaphor for wearing a yellow robe.
This is about the emperor's life and death, which is much more terrifying than the Hongmen Banquet.
Can these ministers not be scared to death?
I have never experienced it!
At this moment, Wang Anshi finally had a clear understanding of his status, and re-examined his student. He could only say that you acted really well before.
He always thought that he was Huo Guang, the protagonist of this era, but in fact he was at best Fang Xuanling, just an important assistant.
But that's all.
What’s even more heart-wrenching is that they have to finish this feast, so they can’t let it go to waste!
For these ministers, it was really like sitting on pins and needles. The hands holding the wine glasses were trembling. No matter how delicious the mutton was, it tasted like wax and was difficult to swallow. But even so, they were all devouring it for no other reason than
I want to finish eating early and leave here.
Zhao Xu did not embarrass them. During the dinner, he just had a casual conversation with Fu Bi and Wang Anshi about the two bills to ease the awkward atmosphere.
After their empty-trading operation was completed, the banquet was over.
When the ministers and dignitaries left the Chui Gong Hall, their legs were weak and they were supporting each other to escape.
It can only be said that the ministers of the Song Dynasty still lacked experience. If they were the ministers of the Ming Dynasty, when they came out of this palace, they would be so powerful that they would not even take off their pants. Can you believe it?
Just a few words, no pain or itch. This kind of banquet comes a hundred and eighty times a year, and I will be absent from it once at most. This is simply an enjoyment!
"Junshi!"
Wang Anshi looked at the group of soft-legged shrimps and said with a smile: "Look, how scared you are of people?"
Sima Guang said regretfully: "It's a pity that you are so thick-skinned that I can't scare you."
Wang Anshi snorted: "This doesn't mean being thick-skinned. I, Wang Anshi, walk upright, sit upright, and a gentleman is magnanimous, so why should I be afraid!"
Sima Guang smiled and said: "But your days of arrogance are numbered. You will be afraid of others in the future."
Wang Anshi didn't know what he was talking about, and he knew very well that the emperor was the one who was really in power now. He said: "That's fine, fair competition, let's see who among us can have the last laugh."
"It must not be you."
After saying this, Sima Guang stepped down the steps.
Wang Anshi muttered, "It must not be you."
The two left for a moment before Wen Yanbo and Fu Bi walked out slowly.
Wen Yanbo couldn't help but ask: "Does Mr. Fu still think we did the right thing?"
Fu Bi smiled and said: "Does Kuanfu think that without the Legislative Council, without the Public Security Bureau, this would not have happened?"
Wen Yanbo sighed: "My life has been in vain these past few decades!"
They still prefer an emperor like Renzong who is willing to delegate power to ministers. Therefore, during today's Hongmen Banquet, Wen Yanbo was actually a little uncomfortable. At the same time, he was also very worried. What was the purpose of releasing military power over a cup of wine? Isn't it just to take back power?
?
Taizu took over the power of military generals, do you want to take over the power of civil servants?
In fact, it was not just Wen Yanbo. When the news of this banquet spread, almost everyone could not adapt to such a powerful monarch.
But regardless of whether he adapts to it or not, the emperor's words have reached this point. At least no one dares to gossip about these two bills anymore. Do they really think they don't live long enough?
However, these two bills are closely related to disasters and must be implemented as soon as possible.
Zhang Fei also submitted an exemption law to Fu Bi on behalf of the Procuratorate. This is a supplement to the warehouse tax. It is specifically exempted for some special institutions and special circumstances. To put it simply, it is about some details.
Fu Bi also invited Wang Anshi and Xue Xiang to join the discussion.
"Xiangguo Temple is expecting an exemption of 100,000 stones."
Fu Bi said to Zhang Fei.
Xiangguosi also received the news of the Hongmen Banquet as soon as possible and knew that there was no room for maneuver on the matter, so they immediately used their connections in the court to submit an exemption application of 100,000 dan.
Zhang Fei said: "Based on the 4,800 people in Xiangguo Temple, at the beginning of autumn, 50,000 shi of food can already help them survive for one and a half to two years. It cannot be said that there are people dying of hunger outside, but the land of Buddhism is still alive.
The smoke from the kitchen is curling up, which is not in line with Buddhist thought.
Moreover, Xiangguo Temple also has many uses for money in other aspects. They can convert grain into money. Without legal provisions, Buddhism cannot do business."
Fu Bi asked again: "What about the charity foundation?"
This was actually mentioned by Xiangguo Temple, because Xiangguo Temple estimated that Zhang Fei would give the charity foundation an exemption, so our Xiangguo Temple also often does good deeds!
Zhang Fei shook his head and said: "No exemption. In this exemption law, I didn't even mention charitable foundations."
Wang Anshi on the side said in surprise: "Charitable foundations are not exempted?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "The charity foundation usually has twenty or thirty people working on it. Other tasks are entrusted to offices or other workshops. How much food can they eat? The food of the charity foundation is at the end of the year.
, we will donate a sum, and the rest will be sold directly to grain merchants in exchange for money to do business, so there is no problem of storing grain."
Fu Bi immediately had nothing to say.
It is actually reasonable for charitable foundations to be exempted, but I did not expect that Zhang Fei would not be exempted from even one stone of food.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Xue Xiang said again: "But the exemption you gave to the grain merchants is a little low. Grain merchants must control the price of grain at three hundred and fifty per stone for a whole year.
Only if you have between 100000 dan and 400 sen, and sell grain continuously can you get a food exemption of 5,000 dan.
There is nothing wrong with this provision, but five thousand dan is still a little short, so I thought grain merchants must ensure sufficient inventory."
Zhang Fei said: "Actually, our procuratorate has also considered granting unlimited exemptions to grain merchants as long as grain prices remain within this range. However, the Third Secretary must not forget that if grain merchants have too much inventory, it will lower grain prices after the autumn harvest."
, this will lead to low prices and harm to farmers."
Sima Guang on the side suddenly said: "If grain merchants keep enough grain, they can help citizens cope with emergencies, such as this disaster."
Zhang Fei explained: "We can't expect grain merchants to provide disaster relief. Merchants are profit-seeking, and the court is still needed in this regard.
Now that the imperial court has established the WFP, the WFP can purchase the excess grain on the market every year. In other words, when the price of grain drops to 350 cents, the WFP should take action and purchase the grain on the market. Then
In response to emergencies, the grain can be sold to merchants to continue to maintain a stable grain price.
Frankly speaking, we still hope that the warehouse tax will be controlled by the state and should not be controlled by merchants or landlords. However, we cannot force grain merchants to sell grain to the WFP, so we must still follow market transactions."
The implication is that the WFP can hoard enough food, but grain merchants do not need to hoard food and do not need too many exemptions to avoid affecting food prices.
Wang Anshi nodded and said: "That's good, it should be so."
It immediately aroused Sima Guang's contempt. Of course you said yes. Sima Guang said again: "What if the food is all stored in the WFP and the WFP manipulates food prices?"
Wang Anshi smiled and said: "I knew you would say that. The WFP will issue regulations on food prices, charging them at what prices, and selling them at what prices. If this is illegal, your public prosecutors can arrest people directly."
Fu Bi asked again: "As for the import and export of grain between state capitals, you are giving immunity to local governments."
Zhang Fei nodded and said: "This is because the grain output in the state capital is different. Just like the capital, there is a serious shortage of grain. Therefore, merchants who purchase grain from outside should be given full exemptions. On the contrary, the grain in the capital must be sold outside.
Grain will also face warehouse tax, but if states and counties have abundant grain, they can not be exempted and maintain the grain prices in their own states and counties."
Fu Bi nodded, "That's it."
Zhao Pin suddenly said: "Can the tax department really investigate such a complicated design?"
Zhang Fei said: "I have talked with the Department of Taxation, and they have increased the fines and criminal penalties for intentional tax evasion. Thirty thousand dan is used as the limit. Within 30,000 dan, you can use the ransom to avoid criminal punishment, but above 30,000 dan, you must accept criminal punishment. This is mainly
In order to ensure the interests of the country and the monarch, it is difficult to gather a crowd to rebel within thirty thousand dan, but it is possible with thirty thousand dan."
Another rebellion.
If not for this rebellion, there would never have been that Hongmen Banquet.
Fu Bi was too lazy to say anything, although he didn't know how you calculated the difficulty of your thirty thousand shi of grain rebellion.
You are right!
You are right!
As for the tax currency bill, everything has been negotiated before, and the final amount was set at five million guan.
If we just looked at this number, Sima Guang and others felt that it was too much and it would be impossible to pass it.
But there are detailed regulations in it.
The most important thing is the daily minimum wage.
This is determined based on prices in different regions.
In Gyeonggi Province, the price is set at one hundred cents per day.
The price in Hebei is set at eighty cents per day.
In Huainan area, it is set at 70 Wen per day.
Moreover, these five million strings are issued in two stages. In the first stage, only two million strings will be issued. If the drought continues until early autumn, the remaining three million strings will be issued.
With such detailed regulations, the Public Security Bureau and the Procuratorate will be able to better supervise.
Sima Guang and the others had no reason to object. After all, this money was distributed to the people, rather than exploiting the people's labor force to build public facilities for the court due to the drought.
...
After finalizing all the details, the Legislative Council officially announced the final bill.
Of course, it was also through the press, which has now become an indispensable part of the imperial court.
The people in the capital are rejoicing. The key is the minimum wage, which is far beyond their expectations. This is their usual wages. In times of disaster, you pay so much.
There is nothing to say!
At the same time, the price of grain dropped accordingly the next day, to the previous price of 400 cents per stone, which was also the usual price.
When food prices fall, commodity prices also fall.
But before everyone could be happy for too long, suddenly some grain shops inside and outside the capital began to close down. Grain merchants all said that the grain in the warehouses had been snapped up by the people and they needed to purchase grain before they could continue to operate.
Immediately afterwards, a large number of grain shops closed their doors and stopped operating.
This immediately caused greater panic.
Prices are rising straight again.
All I can say is that this life of ups and downs is really too exciting.
Legislative Council.
"What's happening here?"
Fu Bi asked in confusion: "Why are those grains not sold anymore after only selling them for a few days?"
Sima Guang and Wen Yanbo looked at each other with sad expressions on their faces.
Lu Gong wrote: "Those big landowners don't seem to want to surrender. It's still half a year before the beginning of autumn. They just bet that the court won't be able to survive the beginning of autumn. For this reason, they don't hesitate to pay the warehouse tax.
"Previously, lowering grain prices to sell grain was just to give ourselves a reason to close the business and avoid directly irritating the officials."
We are obedient and we sell grain, but if the grain is sold out, there is nothing we can do.
Fu Bi said: "Don't they still know the official's attitude?"
Wen Yanbo said: "Of course they know it, but they have studied the bill carefully and it is legal for them to do so. The warehouse tax does not force them to sell grain, as long as they do not intentionally evade tax. They put the grain in the warehouse and wait for the tax."
The Secretary will punish you."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Fu Bi frowned and said: "I see."
Wen Yanbo said: "Now we have to see how Wang Jiefu and the others will respond."
They don't support the emperor's use of this method to achieve his goals, and they don't give him a way to survive at all. This also makes them unable to talk to the big landowners, so you can clean up this mess yourself.
...
The reason why Zhao Xu's Hongmen Banquet was successful was that he had the truth on his side. I just asked you to exchange grain for money. The imperial court no longer suppresses land annexation. If you hold a large amount of grain in your hands, can I sleep?
No one dares to refute, but that doesn't mean they will surrender.
This is impossible.
This is related to the power game between the landlord class, the scholar-bureaucrat class and the emperor.
When it comes to power, it is impossible to admit defeat.
You want to fine me, right? OK, I would rather let you fine me than sell grain to others, let alone recognize any tax coins.
Anyway, there’s still half a year left, let’s see who can’t hold on first.
At the same time, the public security bureau and the law have to protect our legitimate rights and interests. I am not breaking the law by not selling food.
Immediately, Zhao Xu also gave a very violent reaction, suddenly announcing that he would take back all the privileges of brewing wine and selling salt in Gyeonggi Province, and then replace it with money and cloth subsidies.
Send money directly, no more privileges.
He wants to use this to tell those powerful people that I will never compromise.
Because those who can hold these privileges must all be powerful people, and the food is also in the hands of these powerful people, this is definitely a precise strike.
This immediately led to the further intensification of the situation, and the prime ministers were deeply frightened and uneasy. The monarchs and ministers of the Song Dynasty rarely went to this step.
If it were Renzong, he would definitely take a step back to avoid further intensification of the situation.
But Shenzong's words only intensified the situation. You want to fight, right? Well, let's fight to see who is stronger.
Fortunately, no matter how the two sides fight, it is still within the rules.
The landlord accepted the punishment, but did not sell the grain. Although Zhao Xu took back his privileges, he still provided money and cloth subsidies. He did not say that he had violated his original promise, but just changed the method.
But obviously, this privilege is more satisfying than money. Having money does not necessarily mean you have power, but if you have power, you will definitely be able to make money.
This is gradually eroding the influence of the powerful and landlords.
The rich and powerful can only suffer this loss.
Even the queen mothers of the two palaces could only keep silent, and they did not even dare to persuade him.
Of course, Zhao Xu had the confidence to do this because he had food in hand and was not panicking.
Then again, thanks to Wang Anshi's New Deal, a lot of food has been saved for the court in recent years.
Three divisions.
"How are the arrangements going?"
Wang Anshi asked Xue Xiang.
Xue Xiang replied: "Everything has been arranged."
As he said that, he took out another tax coin and said, "This is the latest printed tax coin. The vermilion pigment used in it is a tribute that only the imperial palace has. It is difficult to forge, and it has the word 'imperial' printed on it." , whoever dares to forge will be punished with the death penalty."
Wang Anshi took the tax coin and looked at it carefully. It was very beautiful. There was a word "tax" printed in the middle and two small characters "yu" above and below. This told everyone that the emperor personally endorsed this tax coin. On the left was
On the face value, there is a pattern of corn and wheat on the right side, surrounded by complex patterns and large and small characters.
In fact, regarding banknotes, the Song Dynasty had already formulated a very complete system. At present, the possibility of imitating it is very small.
It's just that this time they face different opponents, and the requirements are more stringent.
After looking at it carefully, Wang Anshi asked again: "What about food?"
Xue Xiangdao: "Everything has been deployed. I have ordered that half of the tax grains on Jingdong East Road be transported to Hebei and the other half to Huainan.
The grain stored in our Beijing warehouse alone is enough to cover the past six months, and according to our estimates, after half a year, the warehouse tax collected alone will be enough to make up for the warehouse expenses during this period.
Because many wealthy families have stockpiled grain for more than one year, or even three or four years, the current goal is to regulate wine taxes to prevent them from turning grain into wine.
It just so happens that Quyuan has sold out all this year's wine. If they want to brew grain into wine during this half-year, it must be illegal. Therefore, we plan to levy a 300% tax on the additional wine brewed.
Tax."
Wang Anshi exclaimed: "Then who knows how to make wine?"
"That means they are not allowed to brew."
Xue Xiang nodded and added: "Not only that, currently all major restaurants use coal to make wine, so we also plan to levy a 50% overtax on imported coal. This will force those restaurants to reduce the amount of wine they make.
In order to have more grain in stock on the market.”
Wang Anshi said: "But cooking also requires coal?"
Xue Xiangdao: "About these, all are the accounts provided by Prosecutor Zhang. They also thought that this would affect the restaurant's vegetable prices, but it would only affect the restaurant. However, with the reduction of wine making, the restaurant's business will inevitably be affected.
, so it won’t have much impact. People in the countryside still cook with firewood. It’s not winter yet, so they don’t need coal for heating yet.”
Wang Anshi nodded and asked: "Are these accounts provided by Zhang Fei?"
Xue Xiang nodded.
Wang Anshi said: "Does it count that the Third Division can't come out?"
Xue Xiang shook his head and said: "The statistics of the Third Division are far inferior to those of the accounting office of Bianjing Law Firm, and they don't know many algorithms, so they don't have the ability in this area yet."
Wang Anshi said: "You can't always rely on others for this kind of thing. After all, the Third Department is the financial center of the country and cannot be exposed to the eyes of outsiders."
Xue Xiang smiled and said: "It depends on how many talents the School of Arithmetic and Mathematical Sciences can provide us."
Wang Anshi hummed: "The School of Arithmetic Science really needs to be reformed."
...
Outside the Chui Gong Hall.
Today it is the turn of the enemies Wang Anshi and Sima Guang to discuss matters with the emperor.
Sima Guang looked at Wang Anshi and saw a relaxed look on his face, "It seems that you have already thought of a countermeasure?"
Wang Anshi didn't answer and asked instead: "Isn't the current situation what Junshi is most afraid of?"
The corner of Sima Guang's mouth twitched. This was indeed what he was most worried about. If he had been asked to preside over the reform, he would have weakened these powerful people, but his opposition was too strong. He should wait and said: "You know,
If we don’t handle it well, what will be the consequences?”
Wang Anshi said: "I only know how serious the consequences will be if these arrogant and domineering landlords are not dealt with. I will win this battle."
While they were chatting, the palace door opened and the two of them entered the palace.
Today, Wang Anshi wants to propose countermeasures to the emperor.
But it does not mean to directly open the government granary, but to lend all the grain in the granary to the WFP at an interest rate of one point, and the WFP will sell the grain to the outside world. This is of course also proposed by Zhang Fei, which is to prevent the government from directly doing things.
Buy and sell.
But there is a requirement, that is, you must use tax coins to purchase food.
In addition, all the salaries of officials and soldiers were converted into tax coins, and they were allowed to use the tax coins to buy food. However, this part of the tax coins was calculated as an extra and was not included in the five million yuan, because it did not belong to disaster relief.
scope.
Also, it is required that tax coins must be used to buy salt. Regarding the salt merchants, it has been settled long ago, because the salt in the capital comes from Hezhong Prefecture, which is Zhang Fei’s base camp. At that time, the salt merchants in the capital can directly buy salt from Hezhong Prefecture.
The salt banknotes in Hezhong Prefecture are currently very strong, so there is no need to worry about the salt banknotes depreciating.
The key point is that salt merchants don’t dare to refuse to agree. If you don’t agree, then you won’t be able to do this business.
All major salt shops are now closed and making internal adjustments to prepare for the arrival of tax coins.
Without waiting for Sima Guang to think clearly, Zhao Xu played directly.
It seemed that the two of them had agreed upon it, and today was just a matter of going through the process.
In fact, Sima Guang had no reason to object, and he would not object.
In the end, the court should open warehouses to store grain and allow tax coins to be purchased. This was what Sima Guang was most worried about. The court would set an example, which is of course good!
.....
Bianjing Law Firm.
"I'll help you all from now on."
I saw a young man, very humbly offering his hand to some twenty middle-aged men with big bellies.
"Don't dare! Don't dare! It's only because of Director Cai's care that we can take on this business. We will definitely follow the WFP's arrangements in the future."
"That's not necessary, everyone is just trying to make money."
"Yes Yes Yes!"
"okay!"
Zhang Fei, who had been watching the show for a long time, stood up and said, "Let's go to the bar."
The servant immediately brought the wine, and each of them took a glass. Fan Li also took a glass, but Zhang Fei did not take one.
One person asked: "Won't Prosecutor Zhang drink?"
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "You all call me Zhang Prosecutor, why am I still involved in this matter? Lao Fan can just drink for me. I'm just sitting here."
Fan Li raised his glass and said, "I wish you a happy cooperation."
“A pleasure to work with.”
...
There are twenty or thirty people standing here now, all of them small and medium-sized grain merchants in Gyeonggi Province. Today, they have reached a cooperation with Cai Jing, who has just arrived in Beijing and is the first director of the WFP.
In the future, WFP will cooperate with them to sell or purchase food.
Because according to regulations, WFP cannot sell grain directly, it must sell it through grain merchants. Generally speaking, it must follow market rules.
But there is no doubt that the WFP is the largest grain trader in the country. Because the WFP is responsible for the country's strategic tasks, anyone who cooperates with the WFP will definitely have a meteoric rise!
These small and medium-sized grain merchants decisively chose to side with the WFP because they want to surpass the big grain merchants through hard work. It is almost impossible because the land is in the hands of the powerful.
This step also directly disrupted the alliance between their grain merchants.
These small and medium-sized grain merchants are all first- and second-class households, and their families also own fields. Of course, most of the fields are still in the hands of a small number of large landowners.
But in this way, it is tantamount to isolating those big landowners.
After the grain merchants left, Cai Jing immediately bowed to Zhang Fei and said, "Thank you very much for your guidance."
The tone is very sincere.
He was so smart. When he heard this, he immediately ignored everything and went straight to the capital.
Although the director of the WFP seems to be inferior to the president of the court and the chief prosecutor, and is not even an official, the WFP is burdened with important strategies. If he can do this job well, the next step will be at least a minister of the Ministry of Household Affairs.
It's like riding a rocket upwards.
Cai Jing was traveling day and night, and was so excited that he couldn't sleep.
Moreover, he had just returned and Zhang Fei had already given him a big gift before he had even figured out the situation.
The entire plan has been arranged long ago and is just waiting for Cai Jing to implement it.
Zhang Fei smiled and said: "But I can also help you with this step. You have to walk the next road by yourself. I only ask you one thing, that is, don't break the rules. If you break the rules, I will definitely put you in jail."
Go inside, but within the rules, you can use any method, and I will have unlimited tolerance for you."
Cai Jing didn't think much and agreed directly: "Teacher, don't worry, the students will never make a mistake."
Their teachers and students had done a lot of shameful things in Hezhong Mansion, so Cai Jing had a thorough understanding of Zhang Fei's character, and was also familiar with Zhang Fei's routines and how to operate within the rules, even if Zhang Fei didn't