"I don't blame you sir, I just feel that instead of working hard to reduce expenditures, it is better to find ways to increase revenue. For example, increase food production, weaving efficiency, iron smelting speed, etc." Zhao Kuo said.
"I understand." Zhan He said with his hands in hand without any explanation.
This is also in line with the style of celebrities in this era. I will tell you when I find a problem, but you want to hear it or not. If you don't listen, I won't continue to talk.
"By the way, where are Yu Xin and Le Yi?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"At the Legalist Academy." Zhan He stretched out his hand and said, consciously leading the way.
"How is your research on the power of faith, sir? I am still waiting to use it to improve the strength of our country, Zhao." Zhao Kuo said with a smile as he walked.
"To be honest, Your Majesty, there is still one last step to go, and I don't have any clue." Zhan He said with his hands in hand.
"There's no rush. I have plenty of time. Please study slowly." Zhao Kuo said with a smile.
The three of them talked all the way, and after more than two quarters of an hour, they finally arrived at the Legalist College.
Yu Xin and Le Yi are leading nearly a hundred disciples of Handan College to compile laws. In addition to Legalist disciples, people from hundreds of other schools of thought are also participating. They strive to be fair and just, and every law must be reviewed again and again.
"Your Majesty." Seeing Zhao Kuo coming in, everyone quickly stood up and saluted.
"I'm just here to take a look, let's continue." Zhao Kuo waved his hand and said.
"Your Majesty, this has been compiled, and these are still under discussion." Yu Xin came over holding two piles of copywriting.
"Can it be revised years ago?" Zhao Kuo asked.
"Yes, it will not delay the trial implementation next year." Yu Xin said.
Zhao Kuo nodded and read these laws carefully. If he had any objections, he would ask Yu Xin.
Although Zhao Kuo felt that something was completely wrong in some parts, he thought that it was the Warring States Period and he was the one who was wrong, so he pinched his nose and admitted it.
Zhao Kuo stayed at the college for three days and did not return to Handan. Instead, he continued westward with Zhao Sheng and Liu Ping.
First we arrived at Wu'an, then turned north to Xindu, to Julu, to Sand Dune, to Wucheng, to Gaotang, and finally returned to Handan.
Everywhere they went, Zhao Kuo and Zhao Sheng would talk to the local people to understand the local customs, what everyone thought, whether there were excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes, and whether the policies were implemented...
"What has Uncle Wang gained in the past two months?" Zhao Kuo asked on the way back to Handan.
"Your Majesty, just tell me what you want. I can accept it." Zhao Sheng said with a bitter smile. He really couldn't figure out why Zhao Kuo took him to visit so many places.
In order to be considerate of the people, you don’t need to bring yourself with you!
It can be seen from this that the impact of the previous blow on Zhao Sheng was still very large. The decline in reputation directly led to a decline in strength, otherwise Zhao Sheng would definitely have guessed what Zhao Kuo wanted to say.
"The largest component of our Zhao State are these civilians at the lowest level. Just as Zhan He said more than two months ago, only when they are stable can the Zhao State be stable. What does Uncle Wang think?" Zhao Kuo said.
"Not bad." Zhao Sheng nodded.
"Shang Yang believed that 'if a family has more than enough food, it will lead to a happy life', so he made the people "have no food at home" to force everyone to work hard. "If you give heavy rewards and light punishments, the people will not fall in love; if you give heavy punishments and light rewards, the people will fall in love."
"Therefore, one reward and two punishments tied people firmly to the land and the battlefield, which enabled Qin to rise rapidly. From this point of view, Shang Yang was undoubtedly successful."
"However, not all monarchs can grasp this measure well. People's hearts are greedy. When he squeezes one penny of profit from the people, and the people do not resist, they will think about whether they can squeeze another penny. Shang Yang's strategy is undoubtedly
We are walking on a tightrope, and if we are not careful, we may push the country to the brink of destruction."
"Under such a policy, the bottom family "has no accumulation of millet." If there is a foolish emperor or a traitor in power, the court will allocate taxes again on top of the original taxes. If Uncle Wang faced this situation, what would Uncle Wang do?" Zhao Kuo asked
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"My personal strength is very small. Even if I am dissatisfied, there is nothing I can do. I can only spare part of the food and hand it over so that I can eat less in the future." Zhao Sheng thought for a moment and said.
"What if the imperial court continues to send people to recruit people?"
"Then eat less."
"What if in addition to collecting taxes, we also want to drag you to guard the border?"
"If the family loses their labor force, they will definitely die. Either way, it's the opposite." Zhao Sheng said in a deep voice.
"That's it." Zhao Kuo said.
At this point, it has nothing to do with being executed improperly. The imperial court has done enough bad things in the past. Everyone has wanted to rebel for a long time, but it just caused trouble and did not happen.
When thousands of garrison soldiers gather together, such ideas will continue to expand. As long as one person sets the banner, others will naturally follow.
"Therefore, I think Shang Yang's strategy will not work. What does Uncle Wang think?" Zhao Kuo said.
"That being said, it really doesn't work." Zhao Sheng nodded.
"So we need to use another way to make the people stable. One is to allow everyone to have enough food and clothing, and men and women to have their homes. The other is to let everyone see hope. This is also the meaning of schools and military merit systems. There is also
The point is to let the demands of the people at the bottom be conveyed."
"You have also seen how Yu Xin, Le Yi and others compiled the laws. There were people from all walks of life, but there were no farmers. Forget about other laws, farmers were not involved in the formulation of the Agricultural Law. Do you think it is reasonable?
?”
Without waiting for Zhao Sheng to answer, Zhao Kuo continued, "Obviously it is unreasonable. But those farmers are illiterate and have limited knowledge, so they cannot draft laws. This is not to blame Yu Xin and them, because even a few people will not let farmers participate. But
, it’s not their fault that the farmers are illiterate, it’s our fault, we can’t educate without discrimination.”
"So, I plan to reset the rural school, both as a public school and as a place for ordinary people to discuss politics. Uncle Wang will be responsible for it, so that the words of the lower class can be conveyed."
Xiangxue was not invented by Zhao Kuo, it existed hundreds of years ago in the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Schools in the Western Zhou Dynasty were divided into two types: "Guoxue" and "Xiangxue".
Guoxue is a school established by the central government, which is divided into "university" and "primary school".
The university of Emperor Zhou was called "Piyong", and the university of the vassal states was called "Pan Palace". The rural system was divided into rural schools, state order, party schools, and private schools.
Every year, the township school recommends talents to the university, and the university recommends talents to the monarch.
Zhou Li said, "Teach the people with the three things of the countryside and make them happy. The first is the six virtues: knowledge, benevolence, saintliness, righteousness, loyalty, and harmony. The second is the six lines: filial piety, friendship, harmony, marriage, responsibility, and compassion.
It’s called the six arts: etiquette, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and numeracy.”
In terms of education, the Zhou Dynasty had the most complete and advanced system at the same time.
Enlightenment of people's wisdom is never just something casually said by sages, but is actually done by people.
Although the official schools of the Zhou Dynasty were only accessible to some people and were still far away from universal education, he actually did it.
Under the current conditions of Zhao State, universal education is also completely impossible.
However, we can learn from the Zhou Dynasty and set up rural schools in various places and county schools in each county, which were both a place for political discussion and a place for teaching.
Each township school arranges for a village elder to be in charge of hosting and teaching at the same time, and anyone can observe.
Every year, outstanding talents are selected and sent to the county to continue their studies, and talents selected by the county are sent to Handan College.
Zhao Guo does not need to have additional expenses. Of course, the effect will not be very good. After all, you cannot expect every villager to be serious and responsible, knowledgeable, and have enough time and patience.
After the Zhao State has developed for a few years and has more manpower and material resources, it will build a real college and carry out enlightenment education.
