In the hot summer, July is on fire, and the land north and south of the Great Zhou Dynasty has fallen into the most difficult time of the year. Regardless of the north or the south, every day is like a fire everywhere, burning hot and red. All creatures are on this red earth.
Roasting and simmering.
However, the days of the Great Zhou court were not so sad. Although the hot weather was unbearable, compared with previous years, the problem of financial constraints and inability to make ends meet that made the monarchs and ministers of Great Zhou the most miserable this year has been greatly improved. Since the implementation of the new law,
In the past few years, a lot of money has been made. When there is money in the treasury, the kings and ministers of the court will not panic.
There have been several heavy rains in the south this year, which even led to floods. Fortunately, the scale was not very large. The money allocated by the court was timely, and the relief and dam reinforcements were carried out smoothly without causing greater disasters. This is also the reason why the court has money.
The benefits brought later. After all, the promotion of the new law brought a large amount of revenue to the imperial treasury. The benefits were clear at a glance. Of course, more people reached out for money. After having money, many things that had been put on hold before were started.
After the restoration, the imperial court also showed a short-term prosperity.
Yan Zhengsheng and Fang Dunru clutched their money bags tightly. They vetoed many insignificant appropriations. They wanted to use their money wisely. The money was used for the construction of water conservancy projects, major relief projects, and the construction of official roads in various places. This was
That's a big deal. As for those who so-called repairing buildings and temples and engaging in unrealistic projects to save face, they were all ruthlessly rejected.
For this reason, Wu Chunlai and Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru had several conflicts about the use of money. But Yan Zhengsu and Fang Dunru got the money, so naturally they had the final say. Especially before, they had the final say.
I took someone to the "Ten Sins" to impeach the two of them, and I couldn't be tough at the moment. So there was no other good way except scolding my mother behind her back.
After the case of Liang Wang Guo Bing's murder of Kang Zizhen, the promotion of the new law took a leap. The smooth collection of the service money made Yan Zhengshu and Fang Dunru feel a lot better. Seeing that Changping's new law and the employment law are on the right track
The collection of official loan money, exemption money, and service money also progressed smoothly. The court's pockets have gradually bulged, and the two of them also saw the dawn of the success of the reform. Despite all these disappointments, despite enduring too much
There have been criticisms and setbacks, but after all, the benefits of the new law are obvious. Those disadvantages are just minor flaws in the disease of scabies, which are not within their consideration. They even believe that many things are secretly exaggerated by the opposition.
It was unbearably hot in the lobby of the public house in the backyard of the Ordinance Department. A group of officials were sweating profusely and buried themselves in files and documents, busy with official duties at hand. Although ice cubes were placed in the corners of the room to cool down, a few small ice cubes were unable to withstand the raging heat wave.
, it’s just a drop in the bucket.
But the officials have nothing to complain about, because the two adults in the Ordinance Department are suffering from the heat wave like everyone else. The two adults' public rooms are even smaller and cramped, and even hotter than the hall. Every time they see them come out
, their clothes were soaked with sweat, and they didn’t complain a word. Mr. Fang even wrote a handwritten banner and hung it on the wall on the side of the public room. The book said: A calm mind will naturally cool down. Yan Zhengshen also said to everyone, "Everything depends on the state of mind, everyone."
Think of the public house as an ice cellar, and you will feel much better. This kind of spiritual victory method of looking at the plum blossoms to quench thirst is obviously ineffective, but it has a very good effect on soothing everyone's mood.
In Yan Zhengsheng's public room at the east end, Fang Dunru and Yan Zhengsun were sitting opposite each other, each holding a big cattail leaf fan in their hands and fanning themselves. Obviously, these two themselves could not reach the state of calmness and natural coolness.
"Brother Dunru, the last batch of service money has been put into the treasury, totaling 2.9 million taels. I think the implementation of the labor service law is complete. There are still some fish that have slipped through the net, but overall it has been a success. This is
Take a look at the list." A rare smile appeared on his serious, dark and thin face. He looked even thinner than before, with prominent cheekbones and sunken eye sockets, like a person recovering from a serious illness.
"I won't read it. You can just read it. Brother Zhengsu, you have been working very hard during this period. I think you can take a few days off. You can take a few days off and have a good rest. If this continues
, your body will collapse." Fang Dunru said with a smile.
"Ask for leave? I'm afraid I have no chance. My body is just like this. I have never been fat. I stay up late at night and think too much, but I won't collapse. Now is the critical time. Two movies
The implementation of the new law has achieved remarkable results, and it is time to ride the wind and waves and make great progress. When the emperor and everyone above are satisfied, I think we should strike while the iron is hot." Yan Zheng said with a smile.
"You are more anxious than me. Do you want to prepare for the next step of drafting a new law?" Fang Dunru said with a smile.
"Yes, that's what I think. Draft a disarmament law first. This is an urgent matter that needs to be solved at present. Most of the imperial government's finances are dragged down by military expenditures. Don't forget that now that the treasury has some money, once the military expenditures are allocated,
There is not much left. Did you listen to Yang Jun last time? He asked for 12 million taels of silver, saying that the Xixia garrison would change their uniforms, and that the soldiers and horses in Yanyun Border Town would also change their uniforms. It was really a lion's mouth.
"It costs so much money to change clothes once, which is really too much." Yan Zhengshen frowned.
Fang Dunru also frowned and said: "Yes, the finances are really going to be ruined by military expenditures. The number of soldiers in the imperial army of the Great Zhou Dynasty plus the training troops of the local regiments is nearly two million. It is really too huge. The key is that the combat power is still worrying.
Very, very useless. It’s no wonder that the idea of recruiting soldiers is wrong. Those prisoners are just sent to the military camps. For the sake of local security, the refugees are also kept in the army. This is actually an act of drinking poison to quench thirst. It’s nothing.
The huge number of troops is only a waste of money and national wealth. This really needs to change. Otherwise, the results of our hard-earned reforms will still be dragged down by military expenditures. To make the country rich and the military strong, the two are not separate, but complement each other.
of."
"Because of this, we have to speed up the pace and cannot delay it any longer. The Zhou Dynasty cannot afford to delay it. Now the Liao people are fighting the Jurchens and have no time to look south. If they free up their hands, there may be trouble on the border again. Use this
The timing is right, we have to act quickly." Yan said solemnly.
Fang Dunru nodded slightly, but shook his fan and frowned thoughtfully.
"Brother Dunru, do you have any ideas?" he said seriously.
Fang Dunru sighed, put down his cattail leaf fan, looked at the man and said solemnly: "Brother Zhengsu, to tell you the truth, I don't know what the emperor is thinking now. Ever since the Kang Zizhen case, I always feel that the emperor supports us.
Our thoughts have been shaken. If the emperor cannot fully support the army this time, we may not be able to move forward. Yang Jun is not easy to talk to. He has already put down his words and said that if it comes to his head, he will definitely
If there is a purge and reduction of troops, he will probably be the first to oppose it. He is not Lu Zhongtian and others, after all, there is still room. Yang Jun is a rough man, he can do the things of the extermination order, and he still expects to follow
What kind of reasoning can he make?"
Yan solemnly smiled and said: "Brother Dunru, this is the first time I have seen you like this. Since you and I came to Beijing, I have never seen you have such worries. You have always been the one who rushed to the front, regardless of your own safety. This time
You hesitated, which surprised me."
Fang Dunru sighed and said: "It's not that I'm hesitant, but...many things are hard to explain in one word. You know my character. I never think about myself when I do things, but only consider the matter itself.
My concern is also about whether the reform itself can be pushed forward."
"I understand you, Brother Dunru. When it comes to this reform, the price you have paid is greater than mine. Lin Jue... Hey! Your only proud disciple turned against you. His wife actually led someone to attack him last time.
I went to the Yushitai Yamen and used violence against you. The emperor's attitude is also very ambiguous. The Kang Zizhen case and the attack on the Yamen were handled so well that it is difficult to get rid of it. In your family... I heard that your wife and daughter are...
Your relationship is also very tense. No matter who you put it on, it will be difficult to resolve it. If you were not Fang Dunru, anyone else would have collapsed. But, Brother Dunru, what we do is for the sake of the greater good.
Zhou Sheji, for the sake of the welfare of all people, we are bound to suffer. This is something you and I knew very well from the beginning. Look at this banner: "Establish a heart for heaven and earth, establish a destiny for the living people, carry forward the unique knowledge for the past saints, and for
Peace for all eternity is what we ultimately pursue. Personal gains and losses, honor and disgrace, what does it matter? We both have our own intentions to do something. Don't forget your original intention, this is our ambition." He said in a solemn voice.
Word.
Fang Dunru chuckled: "Brother Zhengsu, I wrote this banner, but you used it to enlighten me. I have no intention of shrinking, I am just feeling a little emotional. This is the only person in the world who knows me, Fang Dunru.
You are just serious, do you think I will give up? If the reform stops now, it will be abandoned halfway. Do you think I will do something halfway? Not to mention the traitor's betrayal, even if everyone betrays me, I will not hesitate.
I am suffering, and so are you. You and I are the same. I don’t need to comfort you, and you don’t need to enlighten me. If you say we should do it, then we will do it. To be honest, I have already written the draft of the Disarmament Law.
, just waiting for you to say a word, we can use it for research. Then we will go to the emperor to explain it in detail. The emperor nods and we will immediately draft new laws and regulations. As for whether Yang Jun will cause trouble and whether others will object, do we care? If we are afraid,
As for these, I have already gone back to Songshan Academy to teach."
Yan Zhengsu laughed loudly and said: "You have even written the draft, but I am just being sentimental. I am just laughing and laughing. You and I are just two old bones anyway, who are you afraid of? We will do it immediately, no matter how dangerous it is.
, let’s break through. After we break through, the clouds will clear, the mist will disperse, the rain will clear, and the sky will turn blue.”
