In the evening of that day, Su Jin went to the palace to see Zhao Zhen. Hearing that Su Jin had returned from the northwest, Zhao Zhen was very happy and summoned Su Jin in the palace. The monarch and his ministers exchanged a few words of greetings, and then retired to the main topic.
Zhao Zhen waved away the servant, turned around and asked, "How did you go with the war horse?"
Su Jin said: "Fortunately, Longshan South Racecourse has already raised 10,000 horses. The grass seeds scattered on the 10,000 acres of pasture are growing well. I have selected 2,000 stallions. In time, the racecourse will be able to breed foals on its own. I am very confident."
Song will also have its own supply of horses in the future."
Zhao Zhen clenched his fists in his palms and said happily: "Great, a piece of my heartache is about to go away. With war horses, whose country do we, the heroes of the Song Dynasty, have to fear? Su Jin, you have made another great contribution, but you have already done so."
You were promoted too quickly, and since this matter cannot be publicized publicly, I will not reward you this time."
Su Jin bowed and said: "Serve the country and do your duty, how can you expect rewards everywhere." [
Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "Very good, if everyone is as upright and upright as Su Jin and works hard to govern, why should our Song Dynasty not be strong?"
Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, please don't give me a high hat. In fact, this time I want to ask the Emperor to issue an order to the Privy Council to receive the first batch of 8,000 war horses. I cannot afford the feed and fodder for these horses.
If this continues, I will be naked and begging next time I go to Beijing."
Zhao Zhen laughed and said: "I'm crying about poverty again. I know you can definitely afford it, and I don't have any money to give you now. You can only find a way to solve it yourself."
Su Jin shouted: "Your Majesty, how can you do this? Isn't this costing my life? Millions of dollars are spent on horses and food. What do you want me to give to the depositors when Huitong Bank is settling at the end of the year? Then
If that's the case, I won't do any further horse trading."
Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said: "Don't be impatient. I don't have the money, but I can use other alternatives. Water conservancy projects are being built in the south this year. The Yangtze River Embankment on Huainan Road is also being reinforced this year. Official roads in various places are also being renovated. This
You all need money. It's not that I don't want to give it, but I'm really short of money. Delivering the horse to the army is naturally a top priority, but I know you must have a way to solve it. Those mediocre people can't solve it by themselves. I want them to do it.
You can only give money first."
Su Jin widened his eyes and said, "Am I the only one who's unlucky? If I wear such a tall hat like yours, half of my hair will turn gray. I can't do that."
Zhao Zhen looked at Su Jin and said sincerely: "Su Jin, I am talking to you from the bottom of my heart. I have high expectations for you. You know how I will treat you. Although you have made many great achievements, you have also made big mistakes.
A lot of them, I have forgiven you, so you just return my favor and think of a way to do it? According to the Privy Council's budget for the year before, this year's army's armor will be forged in the furnace, and 20,000 new armors will be added, all of which cost money.
Ah, what do you ask me to do? The imperial court only has an income of 20 to 30 million yuan every year. Last year, in the great harvest year, the purchasing method you proposed saved 3 million yuan. Even so, it was only 32 million yuan. Everywhere is required.
With money, everyone says his business is the most urgent, what do you think I can do?"
Seeing Zhao Zhen's haggard appearance and pitiful tone, Su Jin felt a little soft-hearted. The emperor thought it was better to be a landowner than to be happy like this, worrying about this and that all day long, making him vomit blood every time he thought about it. It was really meaningless.
But Su Jin can't just go back empty-handed and use his own money to fill the country's holes. Su Jin doesn't work hard at all. If this continues, he will definitely go bankrupt. When the time comes, the whole family will go to drink the northwest wind?
After thinking about it, Su Jin said: "The emperor has said this, and if I don't agree, it would be disrespectful to the emperor."
Zhao Zhen said happily: "I know you understand the righteousness well. I will remember your kindness. When the court calms down, how about paying the full amount, plus interest?"
Su Jin waved his hand and said: "Your Majesty, you don't have to draw sugar cakes for me. You haven't given me the food money I paid for Yangzhou's food affairs the year before last. I don't want to give it to you anymore. I can't get this money. So,
Well, can I ask the emperor for other things?"
Zhao Zhen said: "You say, as long as it doesn't go out of line."
Su Jin said: "I want a place."
Zhao Zhen said in astonishment: "You want a place? You mean you want a fiefdom?"
Su Jin shook his head and said: "No, I heard that there is a place east of Yinzhou on Yanyan Road that produces oil. It can be refined to obtain kerosene, but it costs a lot of money. However, this material can be burned to make ink. I want to grind it and sell it.
Return the funds, otherwise where will I get the money to continue doing business with the Yeli tribe?"
Zhao Zhen said in astonishment: "Making ink? How much money can you make from that thing? You can't be like that, right?"
Su Jin smiled and said, "Don't worry about it. Your Majesty only needs to give me the barren mountains and ridges fifty miles away from the Silver River. From now on, I will supply the imperial war horses for free, but the amount is limited to 10,000 horses per year. I can't afford more."
Zhao Zhen was very suspicious of Su Jin's motives, but Zhao Zhen also knew that the land of Ningdong bordered Xixia and was a barren barren mountain. Although there was oil production, and oil was the raw material for refining kerosene, it was not refined into
Kerosene consumes a lot of money and is not worth it; besides, there are still several states that produce oil, which is not very valuable; but since Su Jin wants that place to make ink or do other things, let him go, after all, it is important to Zhao Zhenlai
It is said that a barren mountain is not worth the annual supply of 10,000 war horses.[
"Okay, I just love the fifty li of silver and give it to you. Don't regret it. I have ten thousand war horses every year. If one is missing, I will be angry."
Su Jin smiled and said: "How dare you not honor your promise and give up your head?"
/
Zhao Zhen smiled and said: "It's good that you understand. You work hard. In a few years, I will transfer you back to Beijing. You will have to shoulder a heavy responsibility. Don't make any trouble in the past few years."
Su Jin nodded in agreement, the monarch and his ministers took a few sips of tea, and the topic naturally turned to the reforms of Fan Zhongyan and others.
Zhao Zhen coughed and asked Su Jin, "I heard that last winter, Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu, Fubi and others invited you to join us in the reform, but you refused, right?"
Su Jin said: "Yes."
Zhao Zhen said: "I'm sorry. During the imperial examination, your policy and argument were very clear. You seemed to be cynical and wanted to change the world. Why did you refuse when they invited you?"
Su Jin said: "I don't have that talent, so it's better not to cause trouble."
Zhao Zhen frowned and said: "If you don't mean what you say, you must mean what you say. I think you are extremely interested in the reform. Otherwise, how could you immediately write out the ten disadvantages of the policy? And it seems that the details have been carefully considered. I ordered Fan Zhongyan, Han Qi and others
The blueprint for carrying out changes is based on your policy. Fan Zhongyan said that your policy's Ten Disadvantages are quite detailed and can be carried out according to it with almost any modifications. On the contrary, you, the initiator, are unwilling to participate. I really feel qgu."
Su Jin looked at Zhao Zhen and said: "Actually, the emperor should understand what I mean. Last year, the emperor summoned the ministers to ask if they could make changes according to the ten disadvantages of the policy. At that time, the minister had already made it clear that some items were feasible and some items were not feasible at the moment.
It is not feasible; although the tiger-wolf medicine seems to have immediate effects, it is also very toxic, so I dare not use it hastily, so I still insist on the step-by-step approach."
Zhao Zhen said: "Are you saying that Fan Zhongyan and the others are too radical?"
Su Jin shook his head and said: "I dare not make unreasonable comments. I will not seek political advice if I am not in my position. The emperor is the only one who supports the reform. Fan Shuai, Han Shuai, Fu Bi, Ouyang and other famous ministers are involved. It is best for us not to interfere."
Zhao Zhen said: "The more I listen, the more I feel that there is something in your words."
Su Jin stood up, knelt down and saluted, saying, "I have nothing else to say. I only ask the emperor to promise me one thing today."
Zhao Zhen said in surprise: "What are you doing? Ping Sheng! You can tell me anything."
Su Jindao: "Master Fan, Master Han, Master Fu, Master Ouyang, Master Bao, and all the other masters who are actively promoting the reform are thinking about the Song Dynasty. No matter what happens in the future, I dare to ask the emperor to remember this.
Don't believe the slander of villains; I don't want them to be slandered, and I also hope that the emperor can grasp the priorities of change. If you do it too hastily, it will cause a lot of trouble."
Zhao Zhen felt more and more qgu, why did Su Jin seem to hint to him both in and out of his words that the reform would fail? He even begged for mercy for Fan Zhongyan and others in advance, which Zhao Zhen found a little funny.
"Get up, you're taking too much care," Zhao Zhen said with a half-smile.
Su Jin didn't move, he cupped his hands and said: "I beg the emperor to agree to this."
Zhao Zhen waved his hand and said: "I promise you, I really can't understand you. What are you thinking in your mind?"
Su Jin responded indifferently, thinking: If I tell you my secret, you will be scared to death. If I recall it carefully, I can calculate the date of your death, but will I tell you?