"As for hiding wealth among the people and competing with the people for profit, I thought it was because the prince of Zhulu did not understand his meaning."
Wei Zheng talked eloquently and said: "Hiding wealth among the people is a saying from the Spring and Autumn Period Qi Prime Minister Guan Zhong. He said: When there is no seizure of the people, the people will be rich. If sacrifices are not omitted, the cattle and sheep will be rich. It talks about the collection and taxation of national corvee
The tax collection must be timely and appropriate in order to enrich the people and the country, which seems to have nothing to do with what Zhuluhou said. Your Majesty is rich all over the world, and the people are suffering from disasters. It is supposed that the imperial court should come to provide relief. It is not advisable to expect high-ranking people with high surnames."
"When it comes to competing with the people for profit, it is quoted from the "Historical Records of Xunli Biography", which says: Those who receive a salary must not compete with the people, and those who receive a large salary must not compete with the people. It means that those who receive the state's salary must not compete with the common people.
Benefits, people who have already obtained big benefits can no longer seek small benefits. The court collects taxes, and the salt and iron items add up to more than 10 million yuan every year. This is the big head, and the rest are small profits. If the court even makes small profits
How can the people live if they are not willing to do anything to the people?"
"Moreover, the development of mineral deposits has been traced since the Qin and Han Dynasties. It has been the same in all dynasties. Even those who were as violent as Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty never thought of competing with the people for profit. How can we go astray now if we are wise?
If you insist on going your own way, it will definitely cause popular resentment and turmoil in the government and the public. I hope Your Majesty will think deeply about it."
Jiang is indeed very old, Wei Zheng took action, he moved a thousand pounds, and solved all Li Mu's words with ease. Li Shimin was angry in his heart, but had nothing to say, did Wei Zheng's words make sense? Yes, at least Li Shimin couldn't think of it.
How to refute? He glanced at the three prime ministers and the six ministers, but no one spoke. Li Shimin couldn't help but get even more angry. No matter what he did, it would be fine if Wei Zheng didn't speak. As long as he did speak, this would basically be the situation.
Eighty percent of the frustrations Li Shimin suffered in his life were due to Wei Zheng alone. It didn't matter how powerful Wei Zheng was, because he represented the entire Shandong gentry. What he meant was the meaning of the Shandong gentry, the meaning of the Shandong gentry,
It is the public opinion of half the country. No matter how stubborn Li Shimin is, he cannot ignore half of the public opinion and insist on his own way!
Li Shimin finally set his sights on Li Mu and thought to himself, this is all caused by your kid. At this time, why don't you say anything? Are you all afraid of Wei Zheng?
Li Shimin himself didn't realize it. At this time, who was right or wrong was no longer the most important thing in his mind. He just wanted to see Wei Zheng suffer for once. It is true that Li Shimin was a wise king in the history books, but he was also a human being and had some problems.
The seven emotions and six desires are always deflated in the hands of one person, and he also wants to take revenge.
Li Mu, please speak to me!
"Hahaha!"
The familiar sneer sounded again, but it was very pleasant to Li Shimin's ears. The three prime ministers and the six ministers also turned to look at Li Mu. For the sake of this, could this kid still make a comeback?
Li Shimin was afraid that Li Mu would stop talking, so he quickly answered: "The Marquis of Zhulu seems to have something to say, please tell me what you want to say!"
Wei Zheng also set his sights on Li Mu. Although he looked like he didn't take Li Mu seriously just now, in fact, Li Mu's victorious appearance in several court meetings had already made him wary. Just now in the Liangyi Palace
Why didn't he speak? It was because he hadn't thought about how to say it yet. He didn't dare to say it easily without thinking it over carefully, for fear of losing unclearly like the other censors before him.
Li Mu took a deep breath, saluted Li Shimin, and said: "Your Majesty, after listening to Zheng Guogong's words, I feel ridiculous. Please allow me to argue with Zheng Guogong."
Li Shimin's eyes lit up and he said: "Okay, I'll give you this opportunity, tell me."
Li Mu looked at Wei Zheng, sneered, and said: "Zheng Guogong, although I came from a remote place and have not been in Chang'an for a long time, I have heard of Zheng Guogong's reputation. Just now I saw you refuting my words, and I felt a faint feeling in my heart.
I was looking forward to it. I thought Zheng Guogong would have something high to say, but I didn't expect that it was indeed a general statement, which made me very disappointed. Just now I said that Zhao Yuanlang is a person who sells his reputation and sells his integrity. Now I want to take it back. In Zheng Guogong's case,
What does he mean in front of us? If we talk about those people who sell their names and sell their integrity in ancient and modern times, Zheng Guogong is second to none!"
As soon as these words came out, the eyes of the prime ministers and ministers almost fell out of their heads, and the same was true for Li Shimin. Is this kid crazy? He forgot who he was talking to? This is Wei Zheng!
"Li Mu! Don't talk nonsense!" Li Shimin shouted, but before he could finish his words, Li Mu saluted again and said: "Since Your Majesty has allowed me to debate with Zheng Guogong, why do you still use power to suppress others? If the debate cannot be a fair answer,
I’ll admit defeat now and admit my guilt.”
Wei Zheng's stern face showed a slight smile of interest and said: "Your Majesty, I agree with Zhulu Hou's remarks. The debate must be answered fairly. Your Majesty, please calm down."
"Okay..." Li Shimin glared at Li Mu and said, "Boy, I'll deal with you later!"
Li Mu turned a deaf ear and looked at Wei Zheng and said: "Zheng Guogong, I said that you are a person who sells his integrity just because of his reputation. I have my own reasons. But before I explain, I have a few questions that I would like to ask Duke Zheng."
Wei Zheng still looked unfazed and said, "Just ask Zhulu Hou, I will try my best to answer it."
"I would like to ask Mr. Zheng, are refugees citizens?"
"Refugees are people."
"Why don't you save the people?"
Wei Zheng was calm and calm: "We need to save him, but it should be done by the imperial court."
Li Mu asked again: "If I remember correctly, Duke Zheng seemed to have just said that refugees do not know benevolence and righteousness, and do not know etiquette. So in Zheng Guogong's mind, naturally a person with a high family name is a person who knows etiquette and benevolence and righteousness?"
Wei Zheng thought for a while and felt that there was no trap, so he said, "Yes."
"I would like to ask Mr. Zheng Guo, what are the etiquette, benevolence and justice learned by the noble family?"
"Books of Saints."
Li Mu sneered and said, "I don't think so."
Speaking of this, Li Mu's voice rose a little higher and said: "Mencius, "Jinxin Zhangju 1", said: If you are poor, you can be good for yourself, and if you are prosperous, you can help the world. This is the saying of a sage. If you are poor, take care of yourself.
If you want to achieve success, you must have the world in your heart. But in years of disaster and floods, those high-ranking people who have studied the classics of the saints, and those who know etiquette and benevolence and righteousness, forget the classics of the saints they have learned. Is this not deceiving the world and stealing their names?
"
Wei Zheng opened his mouth and found that he couldn't think of anything to refute. After a while, he said calmly: "In disaster years, when there are floods, even high-ranking families have a hard time..."
Li Mu sneered and said: "No matter how difficult it is, can the victims be in trouble? If the high-ranking people are willing to give up porridge and food, many people will die. But they are unwilling to do this because they think the same as Zheng Guogong. This is the imperial court's responsibility.
What does the matter have to do with my family? The world does not belong to my family, why should I care about it? The truth is correct, and it is indeed as Zheng Guogong said, whether to help or not depends on Yixin, and it is not illegal to not help, but as a self-proclaimed saint,
People who speak loudly, can you please stop insulting the saint? Does the saint want to teach such a student?"
Wei Zheng was speechless.
Li Mu continued to ask: "Zheng Guogong just said the allusion of hiding wealth from the people and competing with the people for profit. After listening to it, I was quite emotional. Zheng Guogong, what I want to ask is, are the nobles and nobles the people?"
Having learned from the past, Wei Zheng thought for a longer time this time and said, "It's the people."
Li Mu turned to Li Shimin, bowed and saluted, and said: "Your Majesty, Duke Zheng said that aristocratic families are citizens, and I ask your majesty to cancel the preferential treatment given to aristocratic families."
Now it was not just Wei Zheng, the three prime ministers and six ministers all shouted "no". Li Shimin's face was livid and he said: "Li Mu, don't talk nonsense."
Li Mu smiled and did not refute. He looked at Wei Zheng and said, "Zheng Guogong, why is it that at this time, the noble gentry are no longer the people?"
Wei Zheng still couldn't answer, so Li Mu continued: "When people look up to them, the nobles are not the people. When they harm their own interests, the nobles are the people again. I want to know, are they the people? Today they are the people, but tomorrow they will not be the people.
, so like a rat with two ends? Isn’t he a villain?”
Wei Zheng's face turned ugly.
Li Mu smiled casually and said loudly: "Can't Duke Zheng give an answer? How disappointing! I have heard that Duke Zheng is devoted to the people and does not hesitate to speak out and remonstrate for the people. Therefore, Your Majesty calls Duke Zheng a 'human mirror'
', it was a good talk for a time. But now it seems that the people in Zheng Guogong's heart are probably somewhat different from the people in my heart. The impression of Zheng Guogong in my heart has also taken a turn for the worse. Zheng Guogong, what you are dedicated to is not the people;
Gentlemen. I have also heard about some of the bad relations between Zheng Guogong and the Shandong nobles. I didn’t believe it at first. But after listening to Zheng Guogong’s words today, I can’t bear to disbelieve it.”
Tang Jian listened with fear and said: "Li Mu, be careful what you say!"
Li Mu waved his hand and said, "I am open-minded. Is there anything I need to be careful about?" As he said that, he stared at Wei Zheng and said, "Zheng Guogong, I just told you that you should be honest about your name, but you are not convinced. Now I have
Now that I have explained my truth, whether you are convinced or not has nothing to do with me, and I don’t care much about it. I have a few more words for you to think about, Duke Zheng.”
"I have only been studying the classics of saints for a short period of time. It has only been three months since I read the Analects of Confucius. But I have some insights. I believe that as a human being, you should follow the three cardinal principles. The three cardinal principles are righteousness between king and minister, love between father and son, and obedience between husband and wife.
.Loyalty and righteousness should be spoken between monarchs and ministers. But Zheng Guogong doesn't seem to understand this truth very well. I heard that Zheng Guogong first served Wagang Li Mi, then served Prince Yin, and then served Your Majesty. When he served Li Mi, he once told people that Li Mi was not like him
When you serve your Majesty, you alienate the brothers of the Heavenly Family. When you serve your majesty, you don't think about your duty as a minister, and you don't think about sharing your worries for your Majesty. Instead, you go against your majesty in everything. Now that I think about it, it's probably nothing to be afraid of.
In order for the common people to remonstrate directly and harm the interests of the Shandong gentry, Zheng Guogong is willing to be a lackey and stand up for him!"
"Confucius said Cheng Ren, Mencius said Zhi Yi. If you are really a loyal and upright minister, how can you serve three masters? Such behavior is not too much to call you a slave with three surnames! If you say that you are just trying to be upright, am I still wronging you?"
The Tai Chi Hall was completely silent, and you could hear a needle drop.
No one thought that Li Mu would dare to say such a thing. This was Wei Zheng, who had a good reputation, but he actually said that Wei Zheng was a lackey and a slave of the third surname! This is incredible!
Wei Zheng's face turned pale at this time. He never imagined that one day he would be forced to do this by a junior!