The Great Court Meeting has now become the Great Council, because the emperor cannot speak and can only listen. He cannot give opinions and can only make the final affirmation or veto. Yun Zheng feels that this kind of political structure is very similar to the parliaments of later generations. Of course, if
Without the eyesore monster like the emperor, it would be perfect. At least Wang Anshi's impassioned debate was so powerful.
"Today's rhetoricians do not ask for great talents, and those who understand scriptures do not ask for the main purpose. The way of teaching has been abolished, and the style of writing has improved. Although the edicts are complicated, why should we give warnings and exhortations?
Scholars have no integrity, which is why they hold this position. The origin is not clear, the desire is clear, and the ministers have no trust. The country does not want to change its ways, but follows its shortcomings. Officials are chaotic at the top, and bad habits are at the bottom. This may not be a blessing to the country.
also.
Today's county magistrates are awarded according to the rules, and most of them are not people with clear knowledge. The old people are planning for their descendants, and they are determined to be young, and they are always partial to themselves; the young and strong people are ashamed of the prefecture and county positions, and they are too lax in government, and they will not be famous in the promotion.
... Viewed from the perspective of one city, the county administration in the four directions is like this, and it is not difficult to hope for the prosperity of the king!
Every time the imperial court issues an order, although its intentions are good, those in power are still unable to implement it, so that the blessings are added to the people, and the officials often fall in love with them to commit adultery and disturb the people.
The bookkeeping is not good, the officials are not fearful, the corvee is uneven, the punishment is not correct, the people are not benefited, and the harm to the people cannot be eliminated. These six thieves, Fan Wenzhenggong, have been whipped more often, but the harm of official governance has become more and more serious, and now it has become a prairie fire.
If we continue not to control it, the Song Dynasty will be burned to ashes in the fire."
Seeing Wang Anshi's frothing discussion, Ouyang Xiu came out and said: "What Shenzhi Zhengshi said is true. There are many ills in the Song Dynasty. However, diseases come like a mountain and go away like a thread. Since you said that the Song Dynasty has now
If you are seriously ill, why do you need to use reform and strong medicine to treat your illness?"
The "Market Change Law", the "Equal Loss Law", and the "Baojia Law" are not blindly effective. The "Market Change Law" caused the court and the people to compete for profits, private shops closed down one after another, and the people had no food and clothing, and became bandits.
, and then the imperial court sent a large army to encircle and suppress them. If this continues, a strange circle has been formed. It is we who force the people to rebel, and then go back to suppress and exterminate them. In this way, we simply kill them all after the people are displaced, so as to avoid more
A lot of trouble.
The Duzhi Division, the Household Division, and the Salt and Iron Division have become man-eating beasts, and the people are fleeing in all directions. Even Yunzheng, who is known as a big insect, can only borrow a sauce workshop to hide himself. Through this helpless
To protect the Yun family’s few shops from the imperial court.”
When all the ministers in the court heard Ouyang Xiu mention Yun Zheng, they all fixed their eyes on Yun Zheng. Yun Zheng smiled awkwardly and said: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. The Yun family just opened a few more sauce gardens.
If you can still live, just pretend that Yun Zheng doesn’t exist.”
Wang Anshi, however, did not intend to let Yun Zheng go. He held Wu Ban in his arms and said angrily: "Marquis Wenxin obstructed the court's trade for no reason and smashed the reserved shops purchased by the Salt and Iron Company in Tokyo. Could it be that Marquis Wenxin secretly connected with the imperial court for his own gain?"
Don’t you even care about the laws?”
Yun Zheng said with a smile: "There is no way. The Yun family has a large population and the salary given by the court is not enough to support the family. Zhuo Jing has to open a spice shop to make a living. If you are involved in political affairs, please let go of the Yun family and give the Yun family a meal.
Eat, Yun is very grateful."
Wang Anshi said in a trembling voice: "Why did Marquis Wenxin say this? You are the Minister of the Ministry of War, the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, the bachelor of Baowen Pavilion, the prince's Taibao, and the 15th road in the west of Beijing. In addition, you have the title of Marquis Wenxin."
, the annual salary is no less than 150,000 guan, not to mention the countless Lumi, Chai Tan, Bing Jing, and attendants, how many people can't you support?"
Wang Anshi never expected that Yun Zheng would not argue with him at all, but instead put on a pitiful look and begged for food from one of his counselors. Just look at the faces of these colleagues in the hall who share the same hatred with each other, and you will know what Yun Zheng's intentions are.
vicious.
Yun Zheng raised his hands without changing his expression and said: "There is no way. After being a general for a long time, it is inevitable that you will get some bad habits of wealth. The maid who specializes in chopping onions in the kitchen at home needs five guan of money a month. With less money,
It’s really not enough money.”
After these words were spoken, Wang Anshi was stunned, and the civil and military officials of the court were also stunned. They all fixed their eyes on Han Qi. The allusion about the maid cutting green onions and five ounces of money per month came from Han Qi's family.
Han Qi had a long beard and a dark old face with no expression at all. Even though everyone was looking at him, he remained unmoved, as if Yun Zheng was talking about his own maid.
Wang Anshi sneered and said: "The imperial court has never had an accurate figure for the acres of land in Hebei. There was a severe drought the year before last and the tax paid was 730,000. Last year was a rare good year, but the tax was only 580,000."
, one year of disaster, the tax revenue in Hebei was reduced by 150,000 yuan. I don’t know how many small farmers donated their acres of land to wealthy families in order to survive the disaster year.
If this continues, in less than fifty years, the land tax of the Song Dynasty will be exhausted. When you are trying to catch a fish, don't you just care about the head and not the tail?"
Yun Zheng shrugged his shoulders and said, "Don't look at me. You have just investigated the Yun family. My wife sold her dowry jewelry to pay enough taxes..."
Han Qi opened his eyes, looked at Yun Zheng and said, "What do you think?"
Yun Zheng knew that Han Qi was a little confused at this time. People like him who spread hatred all over the world were really hard to see and couldn't find his true purpose.
Seeing that Han Qi finally couldn't help but ask, he chuckled and said, "Actually, it's all because of boredom. Plus, nothing is going well at home recently, so I don't like anyone."
Di Qing couldn't help but laugh out loud. Yun Zheng spoke in such a naughty way. No one has spoken like this since Kou Zhun died.
There was a quarrel in the court and underground. Once the two laws, "Market Change Law" and "Fangtian Tax Equalization" were revealed, there would always be endless topics to talk about.
Zhao Zhen, who was wearing court clothes and lying on the dragon chair, seemed to be asleep. Zou Tong carefully shook the cattail leaf fan to fan the emperor. Prince Zhao Xu sat behind a short table with his chin in his hands, watching the quarrel absentmindedly.
of ministers.
Scenes like this are actually the norm in the Great Song Dynasty. There is a small space behind Zhao Xu, with a bead curtain hanging there, and behind the bead curtain sits the queen in full dress...
The sky outside was clear and clear, and the sun was shining fiercely on the earth. Before noon, the ice basin in the hall had been replaced twice. Yun Zheng pulled out a reed pipe from his arms, put it in his mouth and sucked it.
I took a big sip. I had just finished an argument with someone and had a sip of cold sour plum soup that was really refreshing.
In fact, no one expects to get a real decision from the court, even a wrong decision.
After many orders are issued, all orders will become nonsense, and the emperor's orders will be implemented with a few discounts, because the emperor no longer has the energy to take care of so many details.
Sometimes the Queen's orders are carried out, but sometimes they are ignored. Whether they are carried out or not depends on whether the official responsible for the execution is in the same trench as the Queen.
As for the orders of the central government, they are generally implemented, but the effect is not good, because the orders of the central government often conflict with the queen's decree.
At this time, the powers of the frontier officials were the most important, so several forces were fiercely competing for those frontier officials, hoping to gain their support.
After a whole morning of quarreling, the meeting finally came to an end, not because of the person who ordered it to end, but because of the sound of the bells and drums at noon.
Zou Tong and the eight eunuchs carried the emperor's dragon chair and left the hall with an expressionless face. The prince followed his father and left. As for the empress dressed behind the bead curtain, she had long since disappeared.
Zhonger Nawu fanned himself in the wind and pointed at the main hall: "Is this how you conduct court rituals?"
Yun Zheng let go of the reed pipe in his mouth and said with a smile: "Yes, this is how national affairs are decided. Have you never seen it as a foreign minister?"
Zhong E frowned and said: "Then can you tell me what you have figured out after having a heated debate all morning today, or have you issued any useful orders?"
Di Qing and Yun Zheng looked at each other, then laughed in unison: "Nothing was solved, nothing happened."
Zhong E said thoughtfully: "I am the biggest in Huanzhou. If I ignore little people like Xu Xi and Shen Kuo and use Huanzhou's reserve funds to build Hengshan City, what do you think the result will be?"
Yun Zheng thought for a moment and said, "The court will be furious!"
Zhong E nodded and said, "What happens after the rage?"
Di Qing looked at Zhong E with a smile and said, "I'm still furious!"
"Just keep getting angry like this?"
Yun Zheng nodded and said: "Yes, I will continue to be angry until all of us are tired of you, and then we will change the target of our anger."
Zhong E nodded and cupped his hands towards Yunzheng and Di Qing: "I will rush back to Huanzhou to build Hengshan City. You two can help me break it down at court."
Di Qing said: "The reason why we are staying in the capital is that your majesty wants to plunge us into endless wrangling so that we have no energy to do other things. If you can do something outside, do more things quickly." , Don’t interfere with the affairs of the DPRK, no one will pay attention to you in a short time."
Zhong E smiled bitterly and said: "After I finish building Hengshan City, I'm afraid I won't be able to escape the fate of returning to Beijing to fight. You two can occupy a good position for me now. Then we will go to the Golden Palace of the Song Dynasty to fight."
Yun Zheng just laughed, but Di Qing's face was as black as a piece of coal. Zhong E was too lazy to say anything. Today, he was dragged by Yun Zheng and Di Qing to attend a great court meeting of the Song Dynasty. He immediately understood these two things. What is my personal attitude toward building Hengshan City?
Xichengmen sent away Zhonge who was unwilling to stay for a moment. Yun Zheng felt hot all over because he drank a few glasses of wine on a hot day and just wanted to go home, take a good bath, and then have a good sleep in a cool place.
After taking a bath in the mint water, my whole body felt cool. I casually wrapped myself in a long gown and prepared to go to the flower hall to sleep. When I was in the flower hall of my inner house, I found that there were many people in the flower hall. Lu Qingqing was sitting on a chair wearing a full imperial uniform, looking serious. He was speaking Mandarin to the woman standing in the flower hall. (To be continued)