The atmosphere in the huge Chinese Army Hall was subtle and tense. Due to the large number of people and the many braziers, many people were already sweating on their foreheads. People like Master Fahe who were slightly richer had their faces even more shiny.
At this moment, Zhao Guanjia just lowered his head and looked at his notes, but the atmosphere became more and more intense.
"As a military attache, I shouldn't interfere in national affairs, but since the officials have said that anyone can speak out about politics today, I will take the liberty to talk about financial matters from the military."
After arguing for a while, even Li Qiong, the right deputy commander of the imperial camp, couldn't help but suddenly intervened. "Since money is needed, it is not advisable for the common people to be bullied, because they have been able to rebel since ancient times.
They are just the common people who can be bullied! There were two major turmoils caused by taxation in this dynasty. One was Fang La, who relied on the poor people in the southeast market; the other was Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao, whose foundations were Jing Xiang's.
Fishermen and farmers, this is what we have learned from the past! On the contrary, it is the monasteries, merchants... To put it bluntly, have monks and merchants rebelled since ancient times? The country is in danger, and it is time to kill them to enrich themselves! They are powerful landlords, there are really many
Long-sighted man, you don’t need Yue Jiedu to level it this time. The world is far south and the sea is north, and in the end you will level it for the officials! Let’s see who is the sharpest swordsman?”
Li Qiong was born as a student in the state, and he is considered a wise and far-sighted person. However, now he is just a warrior leader of the Northerners in exile. He is most concerned about the Northern Expedition, but he does not have the overall view and compassion of Yue Fei. He is young and
When he was so angry, he could not help but be extreme in related matters. On the day of the peace talks in the court, everyone was worried that he would cause trouble. It was not without reason.
However, when such fierce words were spoken at this time, no one scolded or refuted them, and even caused a moment of silence on the scene, which aggravated the solemnity of the atmosphere... After all, everyone knows that regardless of the official's words at this time,
Ban Ansheng, with this person's temper, there is no telling when it will break out, and it really comes down to the issue of the knife.
Even Li Qiong just figured it out and used his unscrupulous characteristics as an exiled army leader in Hebei... In any case, the Eight-Character Army and the Imperial Camp Front Army are a trump card in the hands of the Zhao Guan family.
However, at this time, after looking down at the notes for a while and thinking for a long time, Zhao Guanjia finally raised his head: "I will express my position first... It is okay to discuss things, don't shout and kill at every turn. I want to
When Wanqi Jinglue was serving as censor, he once advised me that the situation before Yaoshan was completely different from that after Yaoshan. The country was in crisis before and no extraordinary measures could be taken. However,
I did extraordinary things then just so that I would not do extraordinary things today.”
Li Qiong quickly apologized and then returned to the sequence.
Zhao Jiu paused for a moment, but then continued: "Just now, several prime ministers, several ministers, and Chen Jijiu all said very good things, but Vice Dutong Li, although his words were a bit absurd.
, but the truth is still somewhat real... The country is short of money, but it must not exploit the people anymore. It can only take it from the property owners who are above the people. And these property owners, whether monks or merchants,
, the landlords, and even the nobles, are definitely rich, and can even be said to be the richest at the moment. They enjoy their gains in peacetime, but if the country is in trouble, of course they can only be asked to contribute. But, how should they contribute?
You can't rob by force, right? Even if it's possible, it's not enough to win people's trust. What's more, once the plunder is done, it can only go up, but how can the boundary be divided down? Landlords and wealthy businessmen can easily seize the family property, will the rich households also have to do it?
Hand it over? After the rich families, will the middle-class families also have to be tortured? There will be no boundaries, and big troubles will occur. Therefore, we have to find a way to be polite, legal, and within limits.
Take the money out of these wealthy families and use it."
To be honest, the monks, Taoists, and businessmen who came to the scene today were all in a state of confusion, rising and falling. But in a place like this, they didn't have the right to speak, so they could only stand there and suffer...
No, just as soon as the officials spoke to each other, they sank to the bottom of the mud pit and then floated to the surface again.
"Official family." Hearing Zhao Jiu's words, Lin Qi, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, couldn't wait to say. "I just said Jiaozi, and that's what the national debt means... Now that the country is stable, why not follow the example of Jiaozi in Sichuan, in Tokyo, Chang'an
, Nanyang, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, six offices, Nanyang, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou, will be reestablished or newly established at the same time. They will be issued properly to ensure the reliable passage of Jiaozi. As for the national debt, I believe that the national debt should also change according to the times. With the degree of popularity of the national debt, no matter how popular it is,
Instead of repurchasing them at higher interest rates, they should sell them at higher interest rates. There is no need to set a six-month or one-year period, but instead allow long-term holdings. And the gold, silver and copper coins obtained from the sale of government bonds can be used as reserves for payment.
I will make a bold calculation. If it can be done, I will always have an income of ten million yuan, and in the future I will be able to have an income of ten million yuan every year."
After Lin Qi said this, the monks, Taoists, nobles and wealthy businessmen in the distance all had their own thoughts. If they just bought national debt and the amount was not too extreme, why not? But according to the words of the Minister of the Ministry of Finance, I am afraid that it must be matched with part of the transaction.
I might as well feel some pain in my body.
Unexpectedly, after Lin Qi said such appropriate words, Zhao Guanjia didn't even say a word of praise. Not only that, several prime ministers also looked at each other.
After a long pause, the person who spoke to Lin Qi was actually his political ally, Yushi Zhongcheng Li Guang: "Lin Shangshu... what you said is very reasonable. Jiaozi's national debt is a good thing. The imperial court
It must be done, but let me ask you, if the national debt no longer bears interest but is issued with a positive interest rate, how much can it be sold? If you only focus on earning this interest, does it conflict with the fundamentals of the national debt emergency response? "
Lin Qi frowned slightly and was about to answer.
But Li Guang didn't give the other party a chance to think, and directly revealed the answer: "If the court wants to make interest money, where is the green seedling method?"
Lin Qi was speechless and found it hard to answer for a moment, while the civil and military officials, monks and laymen of the court, both noble and lowly, were also in a daze, and then started to burst into excitement.
Without him, the term "Qingmiao Law" touched upon the core contradictions in politics and economy of the Song Dynasty.
Anyone with a little common sense knows that one of the core laws of Wang Anshi's reform is the "Young Crops Law", and the "Green Crops Law" replaces the property owners who are loan sharks with the government and directly lends money to the poor... This is a theoretical framework
It is an excellent economic regulation that was very effective when tested in small-scale areas. However, in the final implementation, although it succeeded in making money, it failed completely in terms of people's livelihood, economy and political morality.
Even the failure of Wang Anshi's reform could not escape from this green seedling method.
At the same time, everyone finally understood why the government wanted to gather together such a messy group of monks, Taoist priests, nobles, and wealthy businessmen, and then let these people enter the palace in the first batch.
It should be noted that according to the theory that economic foundation determines everything, by the Song Dynasty, Buddhism and Taoism were no longer purely religious groups. Although they still maintained their basic religious instincts, they also engaged in some upper-level lines from time to time. However, following Confucianism and Buddhism,
The three Taoist schools merged, religious theory was completely localized, and the temple economy gradually became powerful and landlord-oriented, so after all, more thoughts were put on the direction of land management and expansion.
From this perspective, monks and Taoist priests are basically more like big landowners.
However, unlike ordinary landowners, their religious characteristics naturally allow them to have more money gathering functions... Come to think of it, who really converts all the money they collect into gold to build a golden body?
Filling it with copper inside and adding a layer of gold powder on the outside makes it very conscientious.
There are also printing of Buddhist scriptures and local business club activities, all of which openly collect money from believers. There is no need to mention the 30-70 split account. The key is which account was made public?
As a result, the believers' gold, silver, copper coins, silk, and food gradually filled the cellars. With spare money in hand, greed caused mischief, and they couldn't help but think that money can make money, so they naturally started to lend money at usury.
Monks and Taoist priests are the most active in lending among the landlords. Most temples even have professional loan functions, which makes them account for a considerable proportion of the landlords’ lending business... It can only be said that throughout the ages, North and South have
Chinese and foreign, whether foreign monks or Taoist priests, they are all the same thing.
Look next door, aren't the Knights Templar also very good at it?
This is determined by religious characteristics.
At the same time, as the top big landowner, Xungui has amassed the most money and has the most money. He must lend money, even to both urban and rural areas.
There is no need for businessmen to say much. Their profession is such, but they often cannot compete with temples and landlords in the countryside, so their influence is generally in the market.
In other words, these people who came here inexplicably today finally found a common label between them...loan sharks in the feudal era!
As for the "Young Crop Law", to put it bluntly, the court came to lend usury and seize the loan sharking market. However, the nominal interest rate will be lower, which seems to be beneficial to people's livelihood!
"Official!"
In the midst of the chaos, someone gritted his teeth and broke the silence. It was Chen Gongfu, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel who had previously supported the attack on these people and had a fierce attitude. "We must not repeat the Qingmiao method!"
"Why not?" Chen Kangbo, who was still on the same front as the Imperial College priest just now, immediately came out to protest. ""Guanzi" says that if you make a profit, the country will prosper. This is the truth! The rich and the poor lend money and easily reap the benefits.
, it’s time for the government to take advantage of this and use it for great things!”
Chen Gongfu shook his head repeatedly: "I deeply agree with the argument, but no matter how good it is, it will not delay the defeat of the new law."
"The failure of the Green Seed Law was due to the fact that while it benefited the people, it harmed countless wealthy people like those in today's hall. The wealthy people entangled with the old party and deceived the Shenzong." Chen Kangbo continued to defend without hesitation. "Again.
In addition, in order to build momentum for the new party, King Wang Shu hastily appointed many shameless people and corrupted the new law during its implementation. This made Qingmiao's power fail! And where is the old party now? And with the power of the officials, will they be deceived by these villains in the hall?
As long as we hire the right people, we can succeed!"
"This matter is not that simple." Chen Gongfu still shook his head. "I am a few years older. I have witnessed the government forcibly apportioning money and forcing households to borrow money... Doesn't Chen Jijiu talk about the original theory and practice?"
"you……"
"President Fahe." Just when the dispute was getting bigger, Zhao Jiu suddenly spoke, but he named one person. "You are the Arhat I appointed, why don't you speak?"
Fahe's face was shiny and dripping with sweat. Hearing the words, he quickly stepped out of the queue, clasped his hands and bowed: "Your Majesty, this young monk dare not speak out about national affairs."
"I won't ask you about national affairs, but about ordinary things." Zhao Jiu responded with a smile. "Does Shaolin Temple lend money, Qingmiao Loan?"
Not to mention that the officials were obviously prepared, but they just asked casually. There was no way to hide the matter, so after hesitating for a moment, Fahe gritted his teeth and said honestly: "So that the officials know that Qinghuang will not accept it."
At that time, when seeds and agricultural tools were needed before spring plowing, the Shaolin Temple did lend money and grain to tenant farmers and Dengfeng people."
Zhao Jiu nodded: "How much interest?"
"Young crop loans do not matter the month or the year, but only the season." Fahe could only answer the message with a private question, but under the light, his bald head was wrinkled and soft.
As the saying goes, "40% interest."
"Has the interest rate always been like this?" Zhao Jiu's face was as usual and his voice was gentle.
"Of course not." The grease on Fahe's face became more and more conspicuous, but he did not dare to hide it at all. "It is said that a long time ago, the interest rate was 50%, but after Wang Xiang publically established the "Green Miao Law", both monks, Taoists and merchants in Henan area
The customs have probably changed the rules and become 30%..."
"Because the Youth Law stipulates that the upper limit of youth loan interest is 30%?"
"Yes Yes!"
"Then what?" Zhao Jiu did not pursue the malicious intent of the reactionary forces against the government, but continued to ask in an easy-going manner.
"Then...then after the "Green Seeds Law" was abolished, it gradually became 40%." Fa He was cautious. "There was great chaos in the past few years, and before Mr. Xu took charge of the farming in Henan, there was a time when seeds were scarce and valuable, and some places changed again.
It became 50%, and later after Mr. Xu took control, it gradually returned to 40%."
"You are still talking about market economy." Zhao Jiu laughed out loud rarely, but sighed for a moment after laughing. "But this lending is really the fastest-growing business in the world. 40% of it is a conscience price, and 30% of it is from the court.
Good governance... No wonder you all became rich men, and no wonder King Wang Shu’s new law failed so quickly, but he still collected so much money for the court to use the army."
Fahe tried his best to respond: "Officials, this matter is inevitable...it is indeed the people who have such needs."
"I know." Zhao Jiu shook his head and said again. "Even if this dynasty is dead and the emperor is gone, this loan sharking business will be inevitable. But Fahe, do you think Guan Zi's sharpness can make a difference, right?"
"Guan Jia." Fa Heqing knew that the most critical time had come, but he mustered up the courage to confront him. "The young monk dare not speak extravagantly about the sage, but he dares to guarantee that the people in Dengfeng are very enthusiastic about the young crops loan in our Shaolin Temple.
I have always been happy... When the people are poor and have no way out, the rich contribute money to help each other and collect interest in return. Isn't this not helping the rich and the poor? Isn't it a good thing? "
It is rare for Fahe to stand out, but as soon as the theory of "helping the rich and the poor" came out, it immediately gained the support of many people. There was a lot of discussion in the hall for a while, and many nobles, monks and Taoists took the opportunity to speak.
Let's say that up to now, due to the extra performance of several unplanned ministers, the plot development of "The Legend of White Snake" has already exceeded expectations, but Zhao Jiu and the ministers who have been silent for a long time have all
There were no overly exaggerated remarks or expressions, but rather some sighs... The reason was very simple. They had discussed many things over and over again in the past half month.
Today's remarks, whether they are fierce, solemn, upright or extremely shameless, have not been discussed in detail before by the Emperor and the Prime Ministers!
And the ridiculous thing is that they know very well that whether it is 'making a profit', or 'practice shall prevail', or Fahe's shameless theory of loan sharking as 'helping the rich and the poor', they all
Appeared in their discussions... In other words, even at the highest level, there are differences, and every theory seems to be right, at least within a certain range!
It's really right.
The logic behind the discussion between the emperor and the governors at that time was as follows:
The country's first priority, discussed and discussed, is to have sufficient finances;
And having sufficient finances means opening up new ways of making money;
If you open up new ways of making money, you can only take profits from property owners;
If you want to get profits from the property owners, you should not take it by force, let alone enforce the law and break the law yourself. That is really destroying the foundation. Instead, you should use legal and reasonable means to seize the property owners' biggest, fastest, but also
The most shameless means of economic income is based on the basic concept of making a profit, and it is adopted as state affairs and allows the country to make money;
This business, or means of aggregation, can only be usury, so if we want to expand our finances quickly and massively, we should let the state replace these property owners in occupying the usury market.
When it came to this point, Zhao Jiu and several prime ministers immediately realized...it has been these routines since ancient times, and Wang Anshi thought of it decades earlier than them.
As a result, the discussion immediately evolved into a discussion on the "Green Crops Law".
But, again, the "Green Crops Law", as the core of Wang Anshi's reform, is not that simple... Some people, that is, from the beginning of the Zhao Guan family, and Zhang Jun, like Chen Kangbo in front of them, insist that,
The failure of the "Young Crops Law" touched on the core interests of the property owners and attracted an alliance between the property owners and the old party. Therefore, the failure was a purely political failure.
It may not be possible to implement it now.
At the same time, almost every experienced pragmatic official is firmly opposed to this... Lu Haowen, Zhao Ding, Liu Ji, Li Guang, and even those who now have more military responsibilities but have rich experience in local governance
The old regulations have firmly and clearly expressed their attitude, that is, the failure of the "Young Crops Law" is directly related to the regulations themselves.
The "Young Crops Law" itself is not effective.
What's the problem?
The truth became clearer with each argument. After many arguments and taking many notes, Zhao Jiu had already figured out the key points and gradually changed his attitude. Then he reached a general consensus with several prime ministers.
Or maybe everyone said they convinced each other - the problem actually lies in the bureaucracy.
The relationship between the bureaucracy and the failure of the "Young Crops Law" can be analyzed from two perspectives.
First of all, the imperial power did not go to the countryside. As an extension of the imperial power, the bureaucracy that enforced the law would not be able to confront the property-owning classes in the countryside if it really followed the law. The common people also trusted and obeyed these temples and landlords more, and even if
Even in the market, it is difficult for grassroots officials to compete with wealthy businessmen who have been in business for many years.
From this perspective, it is indeed the reactionary forces that are too powerful.
However, at the same time, one thing that has to be admitted is that compared with temples, landlords, and wealthy businessmen, the bureaucrats, or grassroots officials, are probably the most reactionary group of people in this era!
Not to mention that they must collect cash, but they can lend money with a limit of 30%, etc. The most frightening thing is that when they implement Qingmiao Loan, they often directly change it to malicious apportionment, and some evil officials use this policy
There is no difference between them and other policies in their hands. They are just a means for them to annex land and extort money... In fact, Qingmiao Loan is more convenient to use and has more room for maneuver.
Therefore, for the common people, monks, Taoist priests, wealthy businessmen, and landlords may still be able to talk about favors, and they can be restrained by clans and neighbors, and they are good people who can use millet and fresh fish as interest; but the government is
The Sangmenxing, who easily ruins people's homes and families, is not short of money, and forces you to take out a loan. What he gives out is moldy seeds, but when he gets it back, he asks for cash. If he dares to say anything, he will let you go immediately.
Working as laborers... Even if there are some bullies, evil monks, evil businessmen, and evil ways, I am afraid they must have colluded with the government before they can become evil.
Therefore, once the assumption that the imperial power, the government, and the grassroots officials are the real villains is taken into consideration, even the "rich and poor" used by Fahe to defend usury will become more reasonable.
After all, the people are extremely poor, and when it comes time to harvest crops and prepare for spring plowing, they really need to borrow money to make ends meet.
In the eyes of ordinary people, a 30% loan for young crops that can easily lead to the destruction of one's family is far less appropriate than a 40% loan from a nearby temple... What's more, a large temple like the Shaolin Temple that has been prosperous for hundreds of years has its own prestige and is guaranteed by force.
and religious demagogy.
Of course, the problem arises. The Zhao Guan family wants to learn to eat this bowl of rice with caution, so how can they eat it safely?
"I know what you mean." Zhao Jiu spoke slowly. "I also understand your agility, but there are some things that I don't allow you to say more... Fa He presided over and made a point about helping the rich and the poor.
, I can only get out one hole!"
Fahe was originally ready to defend himself, but he opened his mouth in silence - because the officials had already spoken and they were not allowed to say anything.
"Why don't you speak?" Zhao Jiu asked coldly.
Host Fahe was completely helpless and could only respond: "I understand, little monk."
"You know nothing!" Zhao Jiu said angrily.
Not to mention that this is inside a military camp, and it is not to mention how frightening it is to have so many braziers around and so many soldiers on the side of the brazier... Even if there is no official, the sudden appearance of the officials is enough to make these people who are already worried...
People were frightened.
"The young monk is scared." Fa He lamented in his heart, but he could only kneel down helplessly. "The country is in a difficult situation, and if the government wants anything, the Shaolin Temple is willing to give it all. We only ask that the government preserve the temple tradition and prevent the young monk from becoming the ruin of the temple...
…”
"It is a big problem to make a hole, but the key is to help the rich and the poor. To me, these four words are the most shameless and terrifying in the world, and they are also the most important thing for me as an official.
Intolerable things!" Zhao Jiu ignored Fahe's pretense. He didn't really want to show off his power over a mere Shaolin Temple abbot. It was too shameful.
In fact, after saying this, the current emperor directly closed the notes in front of him, and then looked around proudly in the audience: "I ask you people, who gave you the face to say that 40% interest is to help the rich and the poor?
Do you really think that I don’t understand people’s livelihood? Don’t you understand arithmetic? The poor people have a few acres of thin fields, and all year round, they only get a few stones and buckets of harvest, but they still can’t do everything properly, so they asked you to borrow money to prepare for the plowing. Before this spring plowing
If you borrow three dou, you have to pay back four more. When the harvest fails, will there be a shortfall of four dou? If you borrow another four and a half dou, will you have to pay back six more? After all, this year has been a good harvest, and several acres of land have been harvested.
After three to five dou, are you going to join forces to lower the price again, forcing the people to sell at low prices, and easily wipe out these three to five dou? So within one year, three dou became four dou, four dou became six dou; within two years, six dou became eight dou.
Dou, eight dou can turn into one stone... Even if there is no famine, will you be forced to sell your children to raise your wife in three to five years? Will you have to sell your land to tenants in ten or ten years? To whom will your wife and children be sold? To whom will the land be sold?
Who? Is it you who lend money?! As for the poor people in the city, I don’t even bother to say it again, so as not to be criticized by others.”
Having said this, Zhao Jiu took a long breath, glanced coldly at the people of different shapes in the hall, and sneered: "Do you want to say, even so, it has been like this since ancient times, so what? What can be done? Li Qiong
!”
Li Qiong never imagined that he would be called out at this time, and he was also terrified to say: "Guan family."
"Why did you say that before?" Zhao Jiu seemed to be smiling but not smiling.
Li Qiong suddenly understood and hurriedly responded: "The two major disturbances in this dynasty, one in Fang La, were caused by the poor people in the southeastern market; one was caused by Zhongxiang Yang Yao, and the cause of the cause was the fishermen and farmers in Jingxiang..."
"Did you hear that?!" Zhao Jiu suddenly shouted, shouting loudly in the hall. "This is where my anger lies today, because you people are digging up my roots! I never care about you making money! What I care about is
The poor are forced by you to have no place to stand! If there is no place to stand, they will rebel! If they rebel, my throne will not be stable! When I killed Liu Guangshi that day, some people said that I was cutting off the legs of my throne.
Du Chong actually cut off the legs of his own chair, waited for me to imprison the two saints, repelled seventy or eighty courtiers, and even said that I was pouring excrement on my own throne! Now tell me, what are you doing?
Why don't you just dig my grave directly?!"
The sudden attack made many people, including Li Qiong, tremble.
"Today I will teach you what imperial knowledge is!" Zhao Jiu's face was ashen, he stood up and moved forward with his hands behind his back, past the panicked ministers, and then looked around coldly. Everyone he saw, no matter what position they were in.
Dodge. "Then those who value literature over military affairs, preferential treatment to scholar-bureaucrats, confuse different opinions, keep one's inner emptiness inside, and share the world with scholar-bureaucrats are all things from above! The poor and the common people are the most basic foundation! The emperor also
Well, whether it is a scholar-bureaucrat or a distinguished businessman, whether it is Buddhism or Taoism or a wealthy businessman, don’t they all have to stand above the common people? Water can carry a boat and it can capsize it. This has been true for hundreds of years. Is it true that Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty was just pretending to say nice things?
?Is he able to become an emperor through the ages just by talking nice words? I ascended the throne as an idle prince, and I am as ignorant as the Taishang Daojun Emperor, as frivolous and harmful to the country, and as a result, I am fooled by you? There are some things that you don’t understand about me.
I understand! I have just decided that your "rich and poor people" are digging into my foundation, and I have decided that this is the most intolerable thing in the world!"
"Di Bao praises me every day as Guangwu Zhongxing..." Zhao Jiu suddenly turned around and looked at Lin Qi. "Lin Shangshu, you are knowledgeable. You said that Guangwu conquered the fields and forced dozens of counties to rebel, but why would you rather move?
Daozi, do you want to continue to farm?"
When Lin Qi was asked about it, he could only respond bravely: "This is exactly what the officials say."
"Yes." Zhao Jiu said thoughtfully. "The former Han Dynasty has been helping the rich and the poor for more than two hundred years. As a result, many poor people have no place to stand, so green forests and red eyebrows have sprung up. Guangwu started in Longmu, Nanyang.
Of course I know what's going on, so I would rather let the powerful people who followed me rebel, and would rather use the knife to suppress it than to sort out the fields... And I cut off the soil from Nanyang in Huaishang, and consecrated the fields in the Central Plains and Kansai.
This makes sense. However, it is more difficult for me than Guangwu, because this dynasty is only a hundred years old, and it has not yet reached the situation where everyone in the world is rebelling. It seems that it can still be maintained. So I can't say anything in the south, and shout at Baima
After saying that I wanted to introduce the Song Dynasty, everyone thought that I just wanted to encircle the two saints and eliminate dissent. But they didn’t know that what I really wanted to go to were those comfortable people who thought that they could go back to Fengheng Henan. I really wanted to rebuild the country.
Clean up so that you can become a new Song Dynasty! What nonsense can you keep and be harmonious? Don’t you just want to be stable? But you don’t know that the current situation is caused by internal and external troubles. If you don’t advance, you will die... Write a letter to Li Gang about today’s matter
Say it, word for word, and ask him to comment again! Just say that I am waiting for his reply!"
Lin Qi's heart was restless and his chest was beating wildly, but he could only bow his head.
Zhao Jiu paid no attention to him, walked directly to the only person kneeling on the ground, and said coldly: "Fahe Arhat, I have collected thousands of acres of land in Shaolin Temple before, and you seem to have a lot of land... This
How did nearly 10,000 acres of fertile land come from? Are they all offered by good men and women for free? Or do you follow this method, year after year, helping the rich and the poor, giving alms to the poor? Do you feel that your temples span dynasties?
From the Tang Dynasty to the Song Dynasty, those of us who were officials were the ones who suffered the troubles caused anyway? So we can rest assured that the rich and the poor should help each other? Dig out my roots? Do all my ancestral graves around Luoyang count as being dug up by your Shaolin Temple?
of?"
Fahe was lying on the ground, not daring to answer.
Zhao Jiu ignored it and turned to a purple-robed official who was closer to the front: "Mr. Yansheng, your family is the direct descendant of a saint. It is said that the family has always been reasonable... But it is so reasonable, why do you have to do it as soon as you return?"
Asking for land from the imperial army? How about setting up a homecoming team? Or do you think that your family can transcend dynasties better than the monks, so the rich and the poor feel more at ease when they help each other?"
Yanshenggong's lips were already trembling, and it was difficult to deal with it. An older man in red robes beside him was about to speak, but Zhao Jiu turned to another monk: "Master Xu Mu of Lingjiu Temple, these days
You have indeed made great contributions in the year, but I ask you, why is it that every time the Jin people come and go and the Puppet Qi builds and destroys, the land of your Lingjiu Temple increases by one or two thousand acres?"
"Guan family, those are the ownerless lands after the war, and they really are not the result of usury oppression." Xu Mu, the host, hurriedly clasped his hands together to express his feelings.
"But it is essentially the same truth. Land is the basis for settling the people. I cannot give it to you easily." Zhao Jiu explained sincerely. "But I am not an unreasonable person... just like Zhang Boying and Captain Zhang. He loves money."
As everyone knows, he was once frightened before, thinking that I was going to deal with him, so he tried to give me that helpless big silver ball, but I didn’t even ask for it. Not only that, but instead rewarded him with royal property. When he moved,
The town went to your Jingdong. I didn’t touch his house or shop in Xuzhou, but let someone take over his land in Xuzhou, and gave him a special permission to invest in the maritime trade business. He can use my
In the name of going to Japan and doing business in Goryeo...you said, even he is like this, so what do you think? Your Lingjiu Temple has more merits from him? I have said so much, you have to understand me and fight in Yanjing in the future.
, how about taking over the temples in Hebei and giving them to you meritorious monks? Or go to Japan to do business. I can also grant you a royal quota for a boat from Lingjiu Temple, but the land will be given to Wanqi Jinglue to resettle the refugees.
, how about giving rewards to the soldiers?"
"Young monk, I understand, I understand!" Host Xu Mu quickly responded. "I'm willing to give it, I'm willing to give it!"
"And you... Han Xiaozhou!" Zhao Jiu didn't wait for the monk to continue expressing his position, and came directly to another person, but it turned out to be Han Xiaozhou, the head of the Meihua Han family, the first family in the dynasty. "Han Qing
…”
"I'm here." Han Xiaozhou was an honest man and quickly handed over his hand. "I'm here..."
"I ask you, does your family help the rich and the poor?" Zhao Jiu continued to inquire sincerely.
"I don't care about the household affairs." Han Xiaozhou said quickly with sweat on his head. "Besides, my hometown is in Hebei, which is occupied by the Jin people..."
"What about before?" Zhao Jiu couldn't follow up. "In the past, the rich and the poor helped each other?"
Han Xiaozhou burst into anxious tears. He really did, but he didn’t know how to respond.
"Let me tell you." Zhao Jiu patted the other party's shoulder and said sincerely. "Your family really likes to help the rich and the poor. I asked Yue Pengju. When he was in Xiangzhou and his father's generation, the family was still
A self-cultivated farmer has dozens of acres of land, but if he has no choice but to borrow money during a calamity year, he will naturally be helped by the rich and poor of your family. Even dozens of acres of land will be given to him. When he comes here, he can only give him money.
Your family is a tenant farmer... and the reason why he joined the army was because one day when he went to your family to borrow a loan, he encountered bandits besieging your villa in your hometown. He shot the leader of the bandits to death with one arrow, and then he was recommended by your family as an archer...
What’s ridiculous is that your brother also likes to tell people every day that Yue Jiedu was born in your family’s tenant farmer family. What is he doing? Are you rushing to plead guilty?”
Han Xiaozhou was almost shaky.
"Do you know why I am specifically looking for you now?" Zhao Jiu shook his head when he saw this, and raised his hands directly to this person and kept sighing. "Because you, the Plum Blossom Han Family, are different from those monks and Taoist priests. The Shaolin Temple, the Spiritual Vulture
Temple, and even Yanshenggong can succeed across dynasties, what about you? You Meihuahan and Song Dynasty really have both prosperity and loss. Even the magistrate of Xiangzhou is your family's exclusive possession, which is almost the same as enfeoffment. But this
What did you get in exchange for such grace? If Taishang Daojun, Emperor Kuotian and others were deceived by the six thieves, who have been deceived by your ancestors and grandchildren for generations? Now you have fallen like a bereaved dog, and your ancestral graves have been lost. Is it possible?
Isn’t it the result of you helping the rich and the poor in Xiangzhou? The country is today, you nobles who only know how to help the rich and the poor, and even let it go, there are some scholar-bureaucrats who only care about amassing, they are also the culprits! As for Han
If you have left your hometown today, it is your own fault!"
At this point, Han Xiaozhou was breathing rapidly less than a foot in front of Zhao Guanjia, and then he threw himself to the ground, as if he was unconscious, but he didn't know whether he was bored or frightened... but a certain official had a seizure.
After half a day, I was in a daze for a moment, and the people around me didn't dare to help the official.
"Take him out for some fresh air." It took Zhao Jiu a long time to react, but he was a little uninterested, and then waved his hand. "After decades of ups and downs in the officialdom, I can't bear these words. No monk can bear it."
Not far behind him, Master Fahe, who had been lying on the ground pretending to be dead for a long time, moved slightly behind his ears, causing a line of sweat to flow down his neck. At Yang Yizhong's signal, two soldiers stepped forward and put on their purple robes.
Han Xiaozhou dragged him out of the lobby like a prisoner.
After being taken away, Zhao Jiu also returned to the case, but he was too lazy to look through the notes... At this point, it was no longer interesting to look through the notes, so he just gestured towards Zhao Ding.
Zhao Yuanzhen, who was also sweating profusely, was startled for a moment, and then realized what he was doing. He turned around and faced the whole room seriously: "The country has reached a conclusion. Private lending breeds mergers and acquisitions. We have to be on guard. The "Xingtong" is about to be issued. We are about to use the profits from the borrowing."
The restrictions are the upper limit of 10% monthly interest, the upper limit of 20% of quarterly interest, and the upper limit of 50% of annual interest... If there is any violation, he will be severely punished and sentenced to prison.
All the members of the imperial court are here, and the public discussion can be held in front of the emperor."
As soon as he finished speaking, the whole hall was silent, and no one even wiped his sweat.
"I have said enough today. I have said everything that should be said and should not be said. But I am such a man. Even when I was full of energy a few years ago, I would speak out if I felt unhappy, so I still have to say it." Zhao Jiu was here.
They turned sideways and raised their voices to each other, not feeling tired or stuffy at all. "I know that some laws may not be useful if they are enacted... Just like what was said before about abolishing lowly status and not allowing wives to be married, but thousands of years of tradition remain.
There, I'm afraid that the private sector will still do it secretly. And this law directly reduces the private lending interest rate by half, and there will definitely be a rebound. Even those who are high in the mountains and the emperor will not even pay attention to it. There is no way, top-down
The reform is so difficult. But no matter how difficult it is, won’t I do it? Why don’t we make laws? I can’t control the small temples, small temples, small landowners and small businessmen who set high profits in private, so why can’t I control them?
Will you stay? Those who came here today have at least rounded up all the big loan sharks in the Central Plains. Who dares to tell me another sophistry like "helping the rich and the poor"? It doesn't matter whether you are a descendant of the stars or an Arhat.
Reincarnation, or direct descendants of saints, relatives of the emperor, I really dare to let you exterminate your family, destroy your temples, and destroy your temples! If you keep pressing the rules one by one, I won’t believe it. I can’t change the customs even a little bit! I can’t let the people breathe!”
There was still silence, but after a while, the public minister Lu Haowen took a long breath, walked forward, tied up his hands and asked again: "Is there any objection to the public pavilion and the secret pavilion?"
Zhao Ding and Zhang Jun understood, moved forward together, and asked questions one by one.
After the three prime ministers' inquiries were completed, no one answered, but Wang Shu, the Minister of Punishment, was asked to go out, take over the new criminal law, prepare it to be formulated, and then report it to his residence for public announcement.
"The matter is not over yet." In the flickering firelight, Zhao Jiu, who was a little thirsty, sat there and continued to talk to each other. "Fahe Arhat..."
"The little monk is here." Fahe spoke softly on the ground, breathless, but his reaction was extremely quick.
"We have only stopped 'helping the rich and the poor', but we haven't talked about 'making a profit'..." Zhao Jiu said sternly. "I am very clear about the pros and cons of the "Green Crops Law", and I use officials in the yamen to do this kind of thing.
, there will inevitably be trouble, and I have to learn from it... Now I ask you, is Shaolin Temple willing to provide a youth loan for me in Henan Prefecture?"
Fahe raised his head in shock, dumbfounded.
"It means setting the upper limit on interest in accordance with national laws. If you are short of money, ask me for it, and I will give you a guarantee. Do it in a serious and generous manner." Zhao Jiu spread out his notes and found relevant matters.
, read a little perfunctorily. "Then I will send someone to your place to check the accounts. If you get the interest, we will add it to the five-year-old. Without going through the local government, we will send it directly to Tokyo in quarters and hand it over to the sub-services warehouse under the Ministry of Accounts."
,how?"
Fahe will speak out.
"Don't think too much." Zhao Jiu suddenly closed the note again and added with a sneer. "I don't dare to ask you to pay taxes, taxes and loans. You just think that I want to use the royal family's brand to buy shares and take half of your Shaolin Temple's loan business.
That's all, I'm also supervising you not to annex land through this business... Moreover, I don't know if the method will work. It's impossible to say that we will have to rectify and force the harvest in the future, or simply abandon it... But no matter what, we have to try this.
Let’s do it? Just keep doing it and see what happens!”
"How dare the young monk disobey the official decree?" Fa He glanced at the faces of several ministers and roughly understood that although this matter should be somewhat controversial, it had finally been decided at the highest level, so he immediately sat up cross-legged and put his hands on
Putting his hands together, his face showed great joy. "Besides, the power of the officials is indescribable. There are seven guardian Bodhisattvas in front of me. They are the benevolent kings among benevolent kings... and the benevolent king's decree is also the decree of the law. I think he is the founder of this temple, Bodhisattva."
If you know it, you will obey it wholeheartedly."
"The benevolent king?" Zhao Jiu sneered and glanced at the noble merchants, monks and Taoist priests, but he sighed for no reason and his words were nonsense. "If he hadn't become a violent king and unfilial son in Shaoxing early, how would he have the courage to be a king today?
This benevolent king? But what if he actually does it? You are all just paper tigers!"
Fahe clasped his hands together and smiled, pretending he didn't understand.