For ministers, reputation is obviously higher than status.
They are not so afraid of death. There are countless powerful ministers like Wang Ling, Zhou Chang, and Shen Tujia. Zhang Buyi is just an exception. There are also few grassroots like Wang Tianqi. The Warring States Period is so tough and values honor and integrity.
The atmosphere of the Han Dynasty is still affecting the present. Fame is more important than anything else. The ministers of the Han Dynasty also paid attention to reputation. From the beginning of the Han Dynasty to the end of the Han Dynasty, whether it was posturing or seeking fame, this trend was getting more and more important.
.
But now, the emperor suddenly showed his fangs.
He can easily change the reputation of these people among the people, and even leave their reputation to future generations.
This is more fatal.
Who doesn’t have some dirty facts?
Just like Ji Bu, Liu Chang can shape his trustworthiness, and of course he can also shape his surrender. As a subordinate of the King of Chu, but in the end he defected to Emperor Gao, the ministers, big and small, still have some shady information, even those who founded the country.
A ruthless man, Marquis Fou committed corruption, Marquis Huaiyin committed rebellion, Marquis Liu failed to protect the King of Han, and later got sick because he cultivated immortality without eating grains, Qu Nihou was accused of "stealing his sister-in-law and receiving gold", Zhou Bo Guanying was jealous
The evil deeds of slandering others...
Anyway, no man is perfect. Except for Your Majesty, anyone can find some problems. Even the gentleman Luan Bu also rebelled with King Yan...
If it were based on the storyteller's emphasis on the key points and half-truths and half-falsehoods, it would be really hard to tell.
The expressions on the officials' faces immediately changed.
Liu Chang looked at them proudly. This was the latest new method he had found to govern his ministers. The Queen Mother had told him many times before that as an emperor, she would beat the ministers all day long and use her own force to make them obey. This was
This is a very bad behavior, and only a tyrant would do it. Therefore, Liu Chang learned from the painful experience, changed his previous violent style, and prepared to use this new method to stop the ministers. Let's see if these people dare to be stubborn in the future!
Someone like Ji Bu who can do things is a model for the world, and someone like Wu Zui will of course be a model for future rebellious ministers and will be cast aside by everyone in the world!
The ministers felt a little helpless. His Majesty had tried every means to trouble the ministers. He could even use such a method. He was truly an example of a cowardly king.
Just when the ministers were watching the storyteller embarrassingly bragging about Ji Bu.
A group of young people came in. The two leaders were talking loudly, and they walked all the way up to the fourth floor regardless of other people's feelings about listening to books. Of course, the boy here hurriedly tried to dissuade them, but was displeased by the evil young man.
Push aside, although they did not dare to cause trouble in Lu Lu's restaurant, these people were still not taken seriously by them.
"There are distinguished guests on the fourth floor! We can't go up!"
"Fart! To tell you the truth, we two brothers are here in Chang'an. We can go wherever we want. No one can stop us. If you don't get out of the way, we will drag you out and beat you!"
Zhou Zuoche said unruly and walked up side by side with Zhou Sheng. The boy didn't stop him at all. When they were walking on the steps and their heads just popped up, Liu Chang was cheering loudly and clapped his hands.
, his mind was on the storyteller. Zhou Zuoche just glanced at it, immediately shrank his neck, and walked down without looking back. Zhou Sheng didn't even see it. Before he could ask, Zhou Zuoche covered his head.
His mouth immediately went down.
"His Majesty..."
Zhou Zuoche said in a low voice.
Zhou Sheng was shocked, "Then let's go?"
"It's okay, we'll just have something to eat on the third floor... We've never made any trouble, how can a man be afraid..."
Zhou Zuoche said a few words to embolden himself, then sat on the third floor and asked people to bring the food, but from time to time he raised his head and glanced at it, his eyes full of fear. Fortunately, he didn't do anything just now.
The noise made him think about leaving several times. However, he and Zhou Sheng had saved some money. They just wanted to come and enjoy themselves, but they were reluctant to leave like this. If they left today, they would start school again tomorrow. I don't know why.
Only then can we come again.
Zhou Zuoche and Zhou Sheng both studied in county schools. According to their grades, Liu Chang formulated the enlightenment county schools, the higher-level Chinese studies (county schools), and the highest standard of Taixue. Zhou Zuoche and Zhou Sheng are currently
They are still studying in the county school. Because of the special nature of Chang'an, it is also called the county school of internal history. In one year, they can go to Taixue.
While they were eating and listening to the storyteller telling stories, suddenly another group of people came up.
Their number is slightly larger. The leader is Xuan Ping, followed by Wang Chulong, Lu Lie, Liu Xi and others.
Xuan Ping and Zhou Zuoche didn't get along very well and always quarreled. This was the case when Liu An was here. When he saw Zhou Zuoche on the third floor, Xuan Ping sat in front of him with a smile and said, "Why are you here too?"
?Still on the third floor?”
"Ahem, there's someone above."
"Hahaha, don't you have any money?"
"How about it, do you want me to invite you up?"
Zhou Zuoche shook his head hastily, "No need."
Zhou Sheng was about to say something, but Zhou Zuoche grabbed him, looked at Xuan Ping, and said, "You'd better sit here, you can't afford to offend the people above you!"
Xuan Ping was furious, "Who in Chang'an can't I afford to offend?"
"Who's up there?"
"It's your great father!"
"You idiot! These are my son and grandson!"
Xuan Ping and others cursed and walked up immediately. Zhou Sheng watched them rushing to the fourth floor crazily, and then asked in a low voice: "Do you really don't need to remind them?"
"I told them, but they don't believe me. What can I do?"
Zhou Zuoche watched them walk up with a smile. Soon, he heard roars coming from upstairs. In a moment, Xuan Ping and others appeared in front of Zhou Zuoche with pale faces. Their eyes were full of
Fearful and nervous, Zhou Zuoche poured them wine with a smile.
"He is really our great father..."
Xuan Ping murmured, tremblingly picked up the wine cup in front of him, took a sip of wine, and calmed down his mood.
"Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
"I've told you, but you don't believe it... and you still say they are yours..."
"Be careful!
!”
Xuan Ping interrupted him hastily, and then looked upstairs again, wiping the sweat from his forehead, "It's over now... I don't want to eat, I don't want to eat, it's better to go back."
Liu Chang, who was upstairs, was talking to Lu Jia about "enlightenment".
"Actually, many ministers have advised me about this wine shop. Sometimes they say that there are too many private wine shops, and sometimes they say that there are too many merchants...According to their words, it seems that if there are too many merchants, the whole country will be affected.
The Han Dynasty will perish together... Everyone wants to become merchants and never farm again. They really think that being a merchant is easy, they can make money quickly, and everyone in the world can do it..."
Liu Chang's face was full of disdain, and he said seriously: "Actually, it's not easy for merchants to make money. If you buy sheep from Du Ling and bring them to Chang'an, you can only earn a hundred dollars per sheep.
, this also includes the cost of passing through, the cost of feeding them, and the taxes paid. In the end, it only costs more than a dozen dollars...a round trip only costs more than a hundred dollars..."
Liu Chang shook his head and sighed.
The ministers looked at him suspiciously, how did Your Majesty know so much?
It’s impossible to pretend to be a businessman and actually make a deal, right?
A majestic emperor wouldn't do such a ridiculous thing, right?
No way??
Luan Bu touched the money in his sleeve and suddenly remembered something.
Liu Chang said seriously: "I have thought about it. The Han Dynasty cannot suppress merchants just to promote agriculture. On the contrary, merchants are the key to promoting agriculture!"
The ministers were in an uproar. Ji Bu, who was being praised by the ministers below, couldn't bear it anymore. "Your Majesty, this merchant does not do farming..."
"Yes, they don't do farming, but they can pay taxes!"
"If nothing else, just look at Lu. The taxes he paid this year are almost as much as the people of a county!"
"Besides, in addition to taxes, merchants can also transport grain from abroad to the Han Dynasty. Isn't this the purpose of promoting agriculture?"
Liu Chang's hand lightly tapped the eucalyptus slip in front of him, "Only when food and goods are developed, can the Han Dynasty be able to solve important problems, that is, the problem of land annexation. I have thought about getting rid of the official tax... I want to
The heavy responsibility of oral tax is grafted on the land, but I found that this will seriously hinder the development of agriculture today. If the oral tax is eliminated, the manpower of the Han Dynasty will usher in unimaginable growth, but the national treasury will bottom out immediately, and the salary will be reduced.
If it cannot be paid, the land tax will not be able to withstand such pressure, which will lead to the collapse of all agriculture..."
"Zhang Xiang has carefully calculated that if we set this year's oral tax, no longer collect it, and transfer the oral tax to land tax, then the evenly divided land tax will completely crush all landowners, seriously
It is not advisable to destroy the mulberry farming of today's Han Dynasty."
"I thought about it and suddenly realized that the way to promote agriculture may lie in this business."
"Since ancient times, merchants have been attacked by all countries, and Qin is the worst. Although I am not a big man who attacks Qin, I am somewhat similar in this regard. My father once ordered that merchants are not allowed to get into cars or wear brocade. They are not allowed to
Their descendants are not allowed to be officials, they are not allowed to live in big mansions, they are not allowed to own land...there are many restrictions."
"I thought about it and found that my father's idea was very simple. He wanted to increase the number of farmers and force the merchants to work in the fields. After all, no one had enough to eat at that time..."
"I can understand it, but now that the national treasury is full, even if not everyone in the world can have enough to eat, food is no longer so scarce, and food production has increased dramatically. I was in Bashu and talked to the merchants there.
After a detailed discussion, we decided to reduce the restrictions on merchants. At least, we have to let them ride in the car. How can we do business if we are not allowed to ride in the car? "
"But there are so many people who oppose it, and the tone is so serious that it seems that as long as the merchants are allowed to wear brocade and ride in the carriage, the big man will perish."
"It's a pity that during the Chu-Han War, there was a lack of these opponents. Otherwise, why bother? As long as we send merchants to drive in the Chu Kingdom, wouldn't the Chu Kingdom be destroyed? There is no need to sacrifice so much.
People."
"I have always wondered what the relationship between merchants riding in cars and the demise of the Han Dynasty..."
Lu Jia couldn't sit still, and he said: "Your Majesty, the so-called merchants are just a group of people who only have interests in their eyes and have no family or country..."
"Wait until I finish!"
Liu Chang interrupted Lu Jia forcefully, and he did not speak. Lu Jia was a strategist in Confucian garb. If he talked to this guy, he would definitely get himself involved. Liu Chang continued: "The restrictions were banned in the first place.
Now that several years have passed, only the two matters of getting on the bus and Jinxiu have been resolved. Merchants can now ride on the bus, and the Han Dynasty has not had any influence. On the contrary, commerce has developed more, materials have become more circulated, and the people have become rich...
.”
"I only believe what I see."
"Logically speaking, there are great restrictions on merchants, but look at this restaurant. It is the property of the Jiancheng Hou family. If we talk about merchants, Jiancheng Hou is considered a giant merchant in the Han Dynasty. There are not even many caravans.
The rich local families look down on merchants, but they also have mines and salt fields under their names, smelting iron, selling salt and selling iron..."
Lu Lu looked complicated and a little uneasy.
Liu Chang did not continue talking about Lu Lu. He grinned, "I thought about it for a long time and finally understood why so many big shots hate merchants. It turns out that they are afraid that they will steal their business!"
"Without merchants to compete, everyone can start a monopoly business and set their own prices without fear of losing money."
Liu Chang punched the gum in front of him, "I want to open a business!
!”
At that moment, the officials were in an uproar.
This was not Liu Chang's impromptu idea, but the result of discussions with Zhang Cang. Zhang Cang, like Liu Chang, had been on the road to promoting agriculture for a long time, and finally realized the impact of the market and economy on agriculture. Only by opening up
The market makes the economy strong so that agriculture can be further developed. Perhaps in the days when Emperor Gao was poor and sold trousers, merchants and farmers were antagonistic, but now, the two cannot be antagonistic and must complement each other.
Materials must be circulated, markets must be prosperous, and commerce must be strong, so that farming can progress further.
When business can shoulder the heavy responsibility, withdrawing the tax and allocating it to agricultural taxes will not cause a devastating blow.
"I know that if you want to do this, there will be huge resistance from the DPRK and China, so everyone, I need you to discuss this matter carefully first. What I want to do is to relax most restrictions on business and allow
Merchants can trade freely, prosper the market, reduce some business taxes, allow merchants to buy and rent houses to open businesses, allow merchants to set up large-scale factories, hire workers for production, and allow merchants to go out to trade...
..”
Luan Bu shook his head, "If Your Majesty does this, then the monopolies you just mentioned will become merchants. They can negotiate for themselves and control the country's money. The final result will be that the temples will be empty of mana and the wealth will flow into the people."
In the hands of merchants, the market will be controlled by merchants. In order to seek profits, merchants will take the things of the Han Dynasty to foreign countries and sell them to foreign countries, betraying the Han Dynasty..."
"I know, so I have to put a lock on them..."
"I want to set up a department, called the Food and Drug Administration, to be responsible for the affairs of merchants all over the world!"
The ministers started talking again.
Liu Chang grinned and pointed at the storyteller, "Everyone, please think carefully before answering. If you ruin the good things of the great man because of your stupid ideas, you will be despised by everyone in the world in the future, and you will be cast aside after your death.
No peace!"
The ministers woke up in shock, no wonder you want to bring us here to discuss it again, this is actually a threat??
Liu Chang did not expect them to give an answer right away. After eating and drinking, he listened to the other two stories. Liu Chang left here with satisfaction. Sitting in the car, Lu Lu looked very uneasy.
From time to time, he looked back at Liu Chang and explained: "Your Majesty, I never negotiated the price myself, I just..."
"Haha, what are you afraid of? If it weren't for you, Prime Minister Zhang and I wouldn't have thought this far."
"I heard that you set up a factory in Luoyang. Is it true?"
"Yes, I bought 300 spinning wheels, hired people to carry out prevention and control, and then transported the cloth to Yan State for profit... But I did it according to the local prices and never raised the prices. The people I hired were also voluntary.
Yes, I did not force you, I..."
"I've said it all, no need to explain. You just want to make money. Who doesn't like making money? As long as you don't use your identity to seek benefits and find convenience for yourself, everything else is not a big deal. Anyway, it's not just
You do this..."
"But, Lu, although money is a good thing, people still have to be content. Sometimes, too much money can bring disaster to you and your clan...Don't be too greedy."
"I know..."
Lu Lu wiped his sweat, and neither of them wanted to continue arguing on this issue. He said: "By the way, the people sent to Shu County are back, and they have brought you..."
"Oh? When did you arrive?"
"Morning..."
"Okay, bring it here!
"
.......
Chen Ping gently stroked his chin and looked at the books in front of him. He had read these books when he was very young. However, when he was older and he read them again, he had a different perception. Combined with his own
After this life experience, Chen Ping had the urge to write something, but he couldn't write it down several times. He felt that his knowledge should not appear on paper and should be kept in his heart for the rest of his life.
is the most suitable.
Chen Ping's only friend in Chang'an now is Wei Wuwu.
And Wei Wuzhi was already very old. It was very difficult for him to come and leave. He disappeared without knowing when.
Chen Ping only had one son. After this son left Chang'an, there was no one around him. The ministers were afraid of him, and no one dared to take the initiative to get close to him. Except for Liu Chang's son, no one came to visit him.
Although this kind of retirement life is a bit boring, Chen Ping can tolerate it.
"Father Zhong!
!”
Chen Ping reluctantly dropped the pen in his hand, and this man came to seek advice again.
He raised his head and turned around.
Liu Changzheng was holding a half-year-old child in his arms and standing in front of him with a smile. There were two women standing behind him.
The child was only four or five years old, and was looking around curiously at the moment.
Chen Ping was stunned. The familiar face of the child made Chen Ping seem to see his young son.
Liu Chang looked at the child in his arms, "Why don't you call me daddy!"
The child was also very obedient and shouted crisply to Liu Chang: "Father!"
Liu Chang laughed, "This silly boy, that one is your big father!"
"Marquis Qu Ni, look, someone sent someone to send the child here, saying that he will be taken care of by you for a while. This is your eldest grandson, Chen Hui!"
Chen Mai got married in Shu and soon had a child. However, because Chen Ping was in poor health and the child was small, he could not be sent to Chang'an. Chen Ping has never seen his grandson until now, and he is Liu Changjiang's baby.
He handed it to Chen Ping and looked at the little guy in his arms. Chen Ping was still a little confused.
"Father!
!”
the little guy yelled.
"Why!"
Chen Ping responded, a smile quickly appeared on his face.
Liu Chang looked at the two of them, nodded, and turned around to leave, but Chen Ping hurriedly called him.
"I heard that Your Majesty wants to open a business?"
"Yeah, I'm busy with this matter, so just play with this little guy and don't interfere with my big things!
"
Liu Chang waved his hand and strode out of the mansion without waiting for Chen Ping to answer.