Lin Ze suddenly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and looked down at Chen Ping and others.
Seeing Lin Ze getting up, Chen Ping and others didn't dare to sit still, so they got up one after another.
Chen Ping was the first to bow and said: "Although His Majesty's policy of increasing revenue and reducing expenditure is a good one, there are several difficulties and it may not be easy to implement."
Lin Ze stretched out his hand and pressed down: "Sit down, I just want to stand for a while, you don't have to accompany me. If the Prime Minister thinks there are any difficulties, tell them in detail, and solve them together while everyone is here."
Before Chen Ping could speak, he heard Dongfang He, the Minister of Rites, laugh and reply: "The etiquette cannot be abolished. How can there be any reason for your Majesty to stand while your ministers sit down?"
Lin Ze shook his head. He was too lazy to care about these rigid ministers. He liked to stand around and was tired to death anyway.
Chen Ping continued: "Let's talk about saving money first. First, purchase mid-grade and above-grade natural materials and earth treasures on the market at a reasonable price. The quality of natural materials and earth treasures is different. Who should determine the fair price and how to determine it? If it is not handled well.
, it is extremely easy for corruption to occur.”
"Secondly, if someone hides or secretly takes a medium-grade or above heavenly material and earthly treasure, it is too difficult to detect. How can we prevent it?"
"Thirdly, there are no specific punishment provisions in the Qin Code for your Majesty's decree. Once someone commits a crime, how should it be dealt with?"
Lin Ze nodded slightly: "The Prime Minister has thought carefully and I am very relieved. Regarding these problems, how do you think the Prime Minister should solve them? Or how long will it take to provide a solution?"
Chen Ping was startled when he heard this. During the previous New Deal, Lin Ze almost did everything personally, but this time, he never expected that Lin Ze would throw the problem back to him and ask him how to solve it.
When Lin Ze saw this, he narrowed his eyes slightly and said displeasedly: "The Prime Minister doesn't expect me to solve it, right?"
I'm not a workaholic like Qin Shihuang or Zhu Yuanzhang. Some things are of great importance, so I just need to focus on them. I have to figure out my own solution for everything, and I'm not going to die from exhaustion?
Besides, if the emperor has done everything, why should he support a group of officials? With so much salary and rewards given out every year, you can't raise a group of idlers who do nothing, right?
For such a hard-working emperor, he might as well be inappropriate.
Chen Ping was a little unsure of Lin Ze's thoughts, so he could only bite the bullet and reply: "Wei Chen doesn't dare."
Lin Ze followed suit and said, "It's okay if you don't dare. Do you have any other questions?"
Chen Ping looked hesitant, not knowing whether he should say the next thing.
Lin Ze was a little impatient and urged: "Why don't you say anything? Is there any problem?"
Chen Ping thought for a moment, and finally felt that he could not let it go. He gritted his teeth and said, "I still don't understand a few things about Kaiyuan."
Lin Ze's face softened slightly and he said in a gentle tone: "Prime Minister, if you have any questions, you should have told me earlier, why bother hesitating? I came to you, isn't it just to discuss and solve the problem?"
Chen Ping secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His Majesty seemed to be back to normal, so he said with a sincere expression: "Your Majesty asked the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Household Affairs to take over all the cultivation sites for medium-grade and above natural materials and earth treasures. I strongly agree."
"But how to expand output, how to reward merits, or how to hold people accountable requires long-term consideration. If it is not strictly managed, I am worried that after the court takes over, someone will take the opportunity to enrich themselves and endanger the interests of the court."
Lin Zeshen believed what Chen Ping said was true. Later generations of state-owned enterprises and central enterprises suffered losses every year, which was similar to Chen Ping's speculation.
But Lin Ze did not intend to get involved in this matter, and said calmly: "This matter and the cost-saving strategy will be handed over to the Prime Minister with full responsibility. I will issue a decree later to explain this matter. The six departments are at the disposal of the Prime Minister. I only want results.
No matter the process.”
"Any more?"
Chen Ping was stunned again, but this time he was mentally prepared and recovered quickly. At the same time, he came to the conclusion that His Majesty had really changed.
But now that most of it has been said, there is no reason to keep the rest hidden. Chen Ping straightened his back and said, "Your Majesty, I feel that it is inappropriate for the Ministry of War to send troops to fight in all directions to plunder heavenly materials and earthly treasures."
"Using weapons recklessly, not to mention the uncertainty of victory or defeat, how many treasures can be recovered, the manpower and material resources consumed, plus the pensions and rewards, will definitely far exceed the gains, and the gains outweigh the losses."
"I believe that conquests should be replaced by envoys, showing off force, and ordering tribute from all sides. Those who obey should be forgiven. Those who don't obey should be sent to destroy them with a large army. This is a good strategy."
Lin Ze waved his hand and said: "What the Prime Minister said makes sense, so I will do as you say. First send envoys to the four directions and ask them to pay tribute. If they don't comply, we will send a large army to destroy them."
"The Ministry of Etiquette will preside over the mission, and the Jinyi Guards Department will arrange for people to follow you. Remember to draw a map on the way to avoid finding the way during the expedition."
Chen Ping, Dongfang He, Han Xin, and Wu Fan all bowed and responded: "I obey the order."
Lin Ze sat down and asked for the third time: "Do you have any other questions?"
When Chen Ping heard this, he hesitated. He originally wanted to ask why Your Majesty was so negligent in politics today, but he felt that it was too presumptuous for a minister to say such things, especially to humiliate His Majesty in front of other ministers, which was already a lie.
It was a serious crime, so I didn't say it out loud.
Lin Ze was keenly aware of the change in the expression on Chen Ping's face and asked proactively: "Prime Minister, do you still have something to say?"
Chen Ping hesitated for a moment, then bowed and responded: "I have made it clear to Your Majesty what I am thinking today, and there is nothing else I want to say."
Lin Ze nodded slightly, turned to the others and asked, "What about you?"
Han Xin, Wu Fan and others replied one after another: "I have no objections and will follow His Majesty's instructions in everything."
Lin Ze stretched his waist and said: "Okay, let's go down and work. The prime minister has a great responsibility, and all the ministers must help with their heart. I hope that you can not only create the beginning of eternal peace for the Western Qin Dynasty, but also extend the blessings to our descendants.
Prosperity for generations.”
Several important ministers, headed by Chen Ping, bowed and saluted: "Your Majesty's teachings, I and others will bear them in mind. I will live up to your Majesty's expectations. I and others will retire."
Then they left one after another.
Before leaving, Chen Ping looked back at Lin Ze. He was full of words but left without saying anything. Instead, he left with a trace of unwillingness.
Lin Ze saw it and smiled indifferently, paying no attention to it.
Lin Ze couldn't guess what Chen Ping was thinking.
Doesn't Lin Ze know that increasing revenue and reducing expenditure is too idealistic, and the actual implementation will encounter many problems, slow progress, and poor results?
It's just out of other considerations that I pretended not to know.
Looking at some of the things Lin Ze did when he came back from the Taoist palace, he first encouraged Zhuang Zhou to suppress Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism, and then showed his attitude of sparing no effort to build eight altars.
Today's discussion is even more like a nationwide effort to revive the sacred tree.
In the final analysis, it is just for Taoist saints to see.
As for whether the three religions of Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism have a high or low degree of cooperation, whether building eight altars can be useful, and whether the power of the whole country can have some effect.
Sorry, it's out of my control.
Anyway, for what the Taoist Saint told him, it seemed that Lin Ze had tried his best. Even if the result was unsatisfactory, Lin Ze could say that things were too difficult and it was not a crime of war.
This may seem like a superfluous move, and it is not much different from Yang serving Yin against Yin, but in fact it is very different.
No matter what, the attitude is in place.
Lin Ze did this out of necessity.
First of all, Lin Ze was not sure whether the resurrection of the Jianmu Sacred Tree was, as Tao Sheng said, an opportunity that could tempt the saint, or a huge pit that could trap him to death.
Secondly, the situation is stronger than the person. Lin Ze is not the opponent of Dao Sage for the time being and cannot openly oppose him.
Combining the two may seem to go all out, but in fact the effect is average, so it is the best choice.