Back to the Song Dynasty as a tyrant

200 million guan!

This Great Song Dynasty not only gave extra preferential treatment to the incumbent officials, but also took special care of the retired ones.

Zhao Ning would not really give no pension at all. After all, some people have contributed their whole lives to the country, and it is reasonable to provide for the elderly.

However, the pension in the Great Song Dynasty was obviously not quite right, it was a bit ridiculously high.

Now Zhao Ding is rectifying the grace system, and the number of court officials will be reduced to a certain extent from this year.

In Zhao Ning's view, the leisurely life of retired officials should also be tightened up.

"It was reduced to 50 guan, and the vacated 150 million guan was put into the front line of Hedong."

"This……"

"The Guochao is at a time when expenditures are increasing sharply. You can handle this matter without further discussion."

After coming out of the Wende Hall, Mei Zhili murmured in his heart: Now it is Shaanxi, and there is no guarantee that both Hedong and Hebei will start printing banknotes and paying salaries in the future.

He couldn't help feeling, could he be Sang Hongyang?

You know, Sang Hongyang is being teased by Confucian scholars every day.

After calculating the approximate accounts, Zhao Ning did another thing. He promulgated a benevolent policy for Shaanxi on the grounds that Shaanxi was hit by war:

Exemption from Shanxi six-way head tax, buy and buy for ten years.

As soon as this benevolent policy came out, it was immediately reported in the major existing newspapers, and all the people praised Zhao Guanjia as a benevolent king through the ages.

But anyone who is knowledgeable knows that Zhao Guan's family is probably going to take action against Shaanxi's land policy.

Tax exemption is the prelude to the New Deal.

The new policy is bound to offend people. First, a benevolent policy will stabilize the situation and win the popularity of Shaanxi again.

As soon as Mei Zhili left, Qin Hui came.

"His Majesty."

"How about it?"

"This is the list of all involved in pension corruption in Shaanxi that have been found out so far." Qin Hui submitted a report, "The total property involved has exceeded 4000 million yuan."

Zhao Ningzai watched carefully.

The number of officials has exceeded a thousand.

The number of people affected has exceeded [-].

"Your Majesty, I don't know if I should say something or not."

"You can say it anyway."

"In the past half a year when I heard the case, many officials mentioned it to me and let me handle it as appropriate."

"It's reasonable to arrest so many people at once, and it's reasonable to have opinions from below, but you have to remember that many things have to be done according to the rules. Rules are used to manage people, and people can't change the rules casually."

"Your Majesty is wise, I have been taught, but..."

"Just what?"

"It's just that many officials from Luojing, Henan Province were involved in the case. After these officials were arrested and imprisoned, they caused a great impact in Luojing."

"Oh, what effect?"

"Department of punishment..." Qin Hui hesitated to speak.

"Speak straight."

"Many officials of the Ministry of Criminal Justice are afraid of interrogating Luo Jing's offenders. As a result, many officials in Luo Jing can't keep up with the progress of interrogation, and things are squeezed here."

Zhao Ning immediately became interested: "Why are the officials of the Ministry of Punishment afraid of Luo Jing officials?"

"I have inquired about it, and said that Luo Jing's officials can't afford to offend him."

"Nonsense!" Zhao Guan's face immediately turned down.

Luo Jing's officials can't afford to offend?

The majestic officials of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs in the imperial capital dare not offend the officials who came to ask questions from Luoyang?

Qin Hui was taken aback, and quickly said: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid this matter is not groundless."

"Nonsense! Could it be that there is still an emperor in Luoyang!"

"Of course not."

"Then Luoyang is not my Luoyang?"

"Of course it is His Majesty's Luoyang!"

"Then why don't the officials of the Ministry of Punishment dare to offend Luo Jing's officials?"

"Your Majesty, Luo Jing has a very high prestige in the literary world of the Song Dynasty. Most of the famous families and literati gather here. This time, the officials involved in Luo Jing's pension in Shaanxi are mostly friends and relatives, and they have a deep influence among scholars. Behind the scenes This power cannot be underestimated.”

Qin Hui's words are not alarmist. Luoyang was a very special place in the Song Dynasty.

Most famous officials would go to Luoyang after retirement, such as Ouyang Xiu and Sima Guang.

Moreover, there were three major literati groups successively in Luoyang, which had a profound influence on the Song Dynasty, which is unimaginable for ordinary people.

For example, Qian Weiyan in the early Northern Song Dynasty, a descendant of the Qian family in the southeast, formed the first literati group centered on him in Luoyang.

This group is the real literati group, you can think of them as a party.

The second literati group is the literati group with Ouyang Xiu as the core, even including Su Xun, Wang Anshi and others.

The third is the Su Men literati group, that is, those students of Su Shi.

These people in Luoyang did not gather together to rebel or fight against the imperial court.

But the literati in the Northern Song Dynasty were naturally arrogant. Everyone thought they were literati and elegant guests. Luoyang was the ancient capital of the Celestial Dynasty and had many cultural backgrounds. Therefore, literati gathered here to travel around the mountains and rivers, and write lyrics and compositions.

Over time, it has formed a great influence.

For example, Cheng Yi in Luoyang formed the "Luo School". Luo Congyan and Yang Shi, who had great influence in the academic world, were all disciples of Luo School.

The influence of ancient academic circles on the entire country is not the kind of advisory group that gives advice in later generations.

There are two lines of imperial power in ancient China. One is the administrative power line of imperial power, which is the visible power to manage the country and form the army.

Another line of power is the right of orthodoxy, that is, the orthodox right of Confucianism. They interpret the orthodoxy of the emperor's jurisprudence.

They and the imperial power are interdependent, which comes from the original concept of "the relationship between heaven and man, and the power of the king is granted by God".

What Qin Hui said about Luoyang's great influence did not mean that the officials in Luoyang had great power, but that they had great prestige in the literary and official circles of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Ning keenly noticed that this is not a problem of Shaanxi pension.

Not many officials in Luoyang were involved in the Shaanxi pension case, but behind the incident in Luoyang, the contradiction between two different ideologies may have begun to emerge.

After the implementation of the new government school, the University of Tokyo, and a series of newspapers until now, the contradiction between the new Zhao Ning-centered ideology and the traditional Confucian ideology can no longer be concealed.

The disciples of Confucianism began to fight back.

Chapter 401 The Golden Army Wants to Go South? (third change)

In the past few years, Zhao Ning has frantically seized the position of public opinion while tempering the new army.

With a knife in one hand and a pen in the other.

The knife fell, the head fell, the pen fell, and the people cheered, saying that the Son of Heaven is holy.

Traditional literati are played in his hands, like killing chickens and dogs.

Whether it is a newspaper office, a new government school, or a new university, it is constantly eroding the voice of traditional scholars.

The new ideology is not just based on Confucianism to explain the theory of governing the country.

Among them, new ideas such as "seeking truth from facts, practicing the truth, and practice is the only criterion for testing the truth" are like a torrent of steel, which has left an indelible mark on the minds of the new generation of young people.

The establishment of various disciplines such as engineering, agriculture, and business at the University of Tokyo did not touch the nerves of Confucian scholars.

However, the selection of outstanding candidates to serve as supervisors will undoubtedly directly offend those who have vested interests in the imperial examination.

Who are the vested interests in the imperial examination?

Naturally, he is a Confucian scholar.

The cake in the Great Song Dynasty was so big, and there were only so many official positions. The imperial court arranged official positions for students who graduated from the University of Tokyo but did not take the imperial examination.

In other words, the two sides are actually on the same starting line.

If things go on like this, who will read the books of sages?

Zhao Ning said to Qin Hui: "Then how do you plan to deal with this matter, do you want to violate the king's law?"

"No, Your Majesty, what I mean by this minister is that there are a group of people who are now secretly fighting against the imperial court. They don't speak out on the bright side like those in the past, but rely on their own academic influence and the prestige accumulated by their families. To form an invisible force and influence the court indirectly."

"Is there any evidence?"

"When the officials in Luoyang were interrogated, several heads of the Ministry of Punishment were sick at home."

Zhao Guanjia said solemnly: "This does not directly prove that someone is in the court. You are the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment. If there is no evidence, don't make false statements."

Qin Hui's heart trembled slightly, and he said hastily: "Your Majesty taught you well, this time it's my minister Menglang."

Zhao Ning really likes to cut people, but he will never mess around without evidence.

All things must have evidence and make up the process.

The system can check and balance powerful ministers, especially ambitious people like Qin Hui.

"However, as Minister of the Ministry of Criminal Affairs, it is right to have this consideration. You have always been calm in handling affairs, and you are the person I trust the most. If there is such a thing, you must know how to present evidence."

The implication of this is obvious.

It means, I think what you say makes sense, and I allow and encourage you to engage them, but you have to show me evidence!

"Yes, I understand."

"First deal with the relevant officials of the Shaanxi pension case, I don't care what method you use, as long as it is within the scope allowed by the court and the law, I need to close the case quickly, and I will not treat you badly if the matter is done, you have to know , Xu Xianggong is old, it is impossible for me to keep a person of his age tired."

Shangshu Youcheng Xu Han is only eighty years old. Although he is upright and upright, the road to the New Deal in the Song Dynasty has just begun, and he will definitely not be able to undertake high-pressure work.

The change of government is just a matter of these two years.

Who can enter the political hall?

The cake for Qin Hui still needs to be painted.

Qin Hui immediately said excitedly: "I must do my best!"

"Go down."

On June 25, Yanjing.

Wanyan Zongwang frowned after reading the latest information from Xixia, and said solemnly: "The situation in Shaanxi is beyond my expectation. The Xixia people have not resisted for half a year, and were even beaten to Yinzhou by the Song army." !"

"Your Highness, what should we do now? I heard that Marshal Zong Han is coming to Yanjing. Is he really going to use troops against Song this year?"

Zongwang said: "Wushu has achieved certain results in the crusade against the Mughals. I guess His Majesty thinks that the Mughals are nothing to worry about."

"It must be so, Your Highness, your authority will be..."

Zong Wang changed the subject and asked, "How about absorbing copper coins?"

"We have absorbed 100 million copper coins from the Song Dynasty, most of which flowed in from Gyeonggi, Jingbei West Road, Hebei and other places. If it weren't for Zhang Jun, maybe we could absorb 200 million coins in the past two years."

"One million copper coins is enough to cause a large money shortage in Hebei and Hedong in the Song Dynasty. Coupled with the problems of people's livelihood, our goal should be achieved."

"However, the lower officials heard that recently, new banknotes have become popular in Hebei."

"New payment?"

"That's right, a kind of banknote was introduced in the Song Dynasty before, but its value was greatly devalued. The Zhao official family started to implement it last year, and it started to be implemented in Hebei. Now many people are using it. Some time ago, Xiaguan specially asked people to get it. some back."

Liu Yanzong took out the newly paid banknotes and presented them to Zongwang.

Zong Wang stroked the newly-delivered banknote curiously, and said, "I've heard of this before, but I didn't take it to heart. Since the banknotes handed over by people in the Song Dynasty devalued before, why are the people still willing to accept it now?"

"I heard that the newly paid banknotes can be exchanged for copper coins at the bank in equal amounts."

"really?"

"Exactly!"

"Is it possible for the folks to imitate this banknote?"