I studied in modern times

Chapter 632: Utensils conceal etiquette, etiquette expresses trust

The two palaces listened to Zhao Xu's explanation and nodded secretly.

This explanation is reasonable.

Although they still find it hard to give up Shancai!

But as long as there is really an annual income of 10 or 20 million strings of cash, then it is not impossible to spend 1 million strings of cash to win people's hearts!

The rules of the game in the Song Dynasty have always been the same.

The royal family eats meat, and the powerful and wealthy drink soup.

Everyone sat in a row and shared the cake.

Well, there is another problem.

The Empress Dowager said: "Your Majesty's thoughts are indeed thorough!"

"But if this is the case, the weavers in the Silk and Brocade Courtyard may all become private individuals..."

"The imperial servant of the Heavenly Family has been reduced to a commoner..."

Zhao Xu smiled: "Grandmother, nowadays there is no such thing as imperial work or not!"

"Now, even the imperial doctors in the Imperial Medical Bureau have opened traditional Chinese medicine clinics in Ma Xing Street and Tu Shi Zi!"

As a dynasty with a highly developed commodity economy.

The Song Dynasty already possessed some characteristics of capitalism - money could buy all services.

There were imperial doctors who treated the emperor, imperial chefs who cooked for him, and even paper, pens, ink and tea specially supplied to the emperor.

As long as you have money, you can buy their services!

And it can be purchased openly and through legal channels.

The weavers of Lingjinyuan had already been taking orders from outside as early as the time of Taizu.

When Zhao Xu developed Jing'anfang, he turned education into a commodity!
If you buy my house, you can go to the best preschool and elementary school, and be eligible to enter Kaifeng Prefecture School!
The Empress Dowager suddenly smiled and said, "Your Majesty is right!"

At this time, Empress Dowager Xiang quietly turned her head and looked at the palace lady Zhang outside the curtain. The master and servant nodded in tacit understanding.

So the backup plan that had been prepared was quietly put aside.

The eunuchs and female officials serving in the inner chamber of Baoci Palace had quietly walked across the thousand-foot cliff.

……

What happened in Baoci Palace spread quickly without any deliberate concealment.

At this time, Han Jiang in the hall was still examining the article in the Bian Jing Yi Bao.

"The ruler makes laws according to the Way, so he names them according to their meaning..."

"I follow the rules and regulations with courtesy, so I am able to do my job..."

He kept chewing on these two sentences, with uncertain colors flickering in his eyes under his white eyebrows.

He confirmed that these two sentences were not said by Wang Jiefu, nor were they the New Party’s past propositions.

But if these two sentences are placed in the framework of new academic thought and the new party’s propositions, they somehow fit in.

What is new learning?

This is relative to the old learning.

What are the old school standards?
It is a system of annotations on chapters and sentences compiled based on the annotations on the Nine Classics of the Han and Tang Dynasties, with "Erya Zhengyi", "Lunyu Zhengyi", "Xiao Jing Zhengyi" and others as its core.

But the new learning overturned not only the ideological theories based on the system of annotations on the Nine Classics of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

He also has to create a completely new theoretical foundation and social and cultural environment!
For example, "The Book of Documents. Zhouguan" says: The three dukes discussed the truth and governed the state, harmonized yin and yang; the three solitary dukes promoted the teachings and illuminated the heaven and earth.

In the past, Zheng Xuan believed that this meant that the Three Dukes and the Three Orphans were all ministers of the emperor, assisting the emperor in governing all nations.

However, Kong Yingda of the Tang Dynasty believed that the responsibilities of the duke and the sovereign were the same.

In other words, the Three Dukes and the Three Solitary Lords, whether they are discussing the Dao of governing the country, harmonizing yin and yang, or promoting the teachings and illuminating the world, all mean the same thing and there is no difference.

But Wang Jiefu didn't think so!
That year, he publicly overturned the annotations of Zheng Xuan and Kong Yingda through the mouth of his son Wang Rong.

Then, this sentence in the Book of History was elevated to a very dangerous level - Yin and Yang are the foundation, and Heaven and Earth are the end. Transformation depends on the Dao before it can be established, and Heaven and Earth depend on Yin and Yang before they can be established. Discuss the Dao without explaining it, and then you can assist. The foundation is at the top, and the end is at the bottom. Therefore, when you discuss the Dao, you can promote transformation alone; when you regulate Yin and Yang, you can illuminate Heaven and Earth alone; when you discuss the Dao first, you can assist alone later!

Did you see it clearly?
In the new school of thought, everything is in order.

Yin and Yang have their order, and Heaven and Earth have their way.

Naturally, the court and the country should also have laws to constrain them.

Not only ministers have to abide by it, but the emperor has to abide by it too.

Otherwise, it will disrupt the order of yin and yang between heaven and earth, destroy the harmony of nature, and lead to a series of disasters, and even the overthrow of the country and the destruction of the society!

"Wang Jiefu, Wang Jiefu..." As Buddhist monks in the Xining era, Han Jiang and his brothers Han Zhen and Han Wei were naturally very familiar with Wang Anshi's new learning and his ideas.

The three brothers were even supportive.

Otherwise their attitude wouldn’t be so ambiguous!
"You are so lucky..." Han Jiang sighed, stroking the wrinkled tabloid with his old hands.

"The late emperor couldn't stand you!"

"The young official seems to be able to accept it..."

Wang Anshi and his new learning and new party's ideas no longer concealed themselves after the eighth year of Xining.

The world needs a holy king to lead!

Everyone unites under the leadership of the Holy King, working closely together and performing their respective duties.

What if there is no Holy King?

Then the emperor should rule the country with ease and entrust the affairs of the world to the sage.

So, after Wang Anshi was appointed as prime minister for the second time, he was dismissed again just two years later!
The late emperor could no longer accept that Wang Anshi taught, guided and advised him in the manner of a teacher and in the tone of a master.

Wang Anshi could not accept it either. The officials who had sought his advice and assistance as his disciple and student in the past were no longer willing to listen to him. They began to become impatient and eager to accomplish everything in one fell swoop within three to five years.

The master and disciple finally parted ways.

In essence, this is a conflict between the power of the monarch and the power of the prime minister.

There is a conflict over whether the emperor should make decisions on his own or consult and cooperate with his ministers, or even entrust all state affairs to his ministers.

This is why the politics of Yuanfeng became a one-man show for the previous emperor.

This is also the reason why Wang Gui and Cai Que were able to become prime ministers!
One is a three-pronged official, the other is a flatterer. They act based on the above principles and have no stance of their own.

Putting down the tabloid, Han Jiang slowly closed his eyes.

At this time, the voice of his aide Zhang Zhiruo came from outside the door: "Prime Minister, the emperor has sent an envoy to the capital hall. Please ask Prime Minister En and the ministers in the capital hall to meet in the main hall of the capital hall."

Han Jiang immediately stood up and came to the main hall of the capital.

Here he saw Feng Jing, the emperor's attendant, standing in the hall with a dozen eunuchs carrying boxes.

"Mr. Feng..." Han Jiang stepped forward to greet him and asked, "Who is this?"

Feng Jing laughed and said, "Before Xihe Road, more than 100,000 kilograms of cotton bolls were paid as tribute. The government ordered the Military Equipment Bureau to select the best ones and make hundreds of quilts..."

"In addition to offering it to the two Empresses in the Palace and the Empress Dowager and Imperial Concubine in the Palace, it will also be given to the princes, princesses and members of the royal family..."

"The emperor also thought of the hard work of the ministers in state affairs, and specially ordered me to give them to keep them warm in winter..."

So the eunuchs accompanying him opened the box.

Inside was a quilt covered in silk and embroidered with exquisite patterns.

Upon seeing this, Han Jiang immediately led Li Chang and An Tao, who were on duty in the capital, to bow and express their gratitude.

After seeing Feng Jing off, Han Jiang, Li Chang and An Tao looked at the boxes that were left behind.

There are words on each box.

So they can easily find the portion given to them.

As the left prime minister, Han Jiang was given four quilts, each of which was embroidered with scenes of the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter, as well as patterns of birds and animals.

Li Chang and An Tao each got two beds.

However, the quilts they obtained were slightly different.

The pattern on Li Chang's quilt depicts the winding Yangtze River, while the pattern on An Tao's quilt depicts the surging Yellow River.

Han Jiang saw this and seemed to be thinking about something.

……

Wen Yanbo also received a quilt given by the palace.

As a minister of military and national affairs, he received five quilts.

Five is a very interesting number, and it means one more bed than the prime minister.

But Wen Yanbo couldn't be happy.

After seeing the messenger off, he sat in the courtyard in a depressed mood.

Wen Jifu was curious when he saw this, so he asked, "Why are you unhappy, sir?"

"I hope I'm just overthinking it!" Wen Yanbo said slowly.

"I don't understand what you mean..." Wen Jifu bowed his head again.

"Wang Jiefu said: Five is the number of heaven and earth combined!" Wen Yanbo said softly: "So the laws made by the ancient kings were all like this!"

"So there are the Five Classics, the five ranks of nobility, the five rituals, the five punishments, and the five kinds of mourning!"

"According to this, the late emperor established the national ceremony of paying homage to the emperor, and the vassal states paid homage to the emperor every five years..."

Wen Jifu was stunned when he heard this.

Can you still understand it this way?

Maybe the government didn't mean that?!
Wen Yanbo looked at his stupid son and sighed.

Can the emperor bestow gifts on elders casually?

They are all metaphors!
It is said that utensils conceal etiquette, and etiquette expresses trust!

The one in the current dynasty is only young, but he has more thoughts than anyone else!

Haven’t you heard about what’s happening in the palace?

Everyone in Lingjin Court was treated like this by him, using both kindness and force.

Those officials who were pardoned and granted grace and were given an opportunity to make a fortune were tied to the official's chariot for their entire lives and even their descendants.

Not only will we have to follow the will of His Majesty from now on and not waver in the slightest, we will have to devote ourselves and our descendants to it!
There is no freedom at all.

If you disobey, you will be criticized by everyone.

Moreover, Wen Yanbo also knew that the arrangements for Lingjinyuan, those things that were superficial, were only for fun.

That official must have other arrangements.

Just as he handled the pawnshop.

Don't look, he has now merged the pawnshop and the mortgage office controlled by the big monks in Bian Jing, and is planning to start buying.

But in fact, Wen Yanbo knew that this official wanted to set up a guild above the pawnshop.

The guild was responsible for remotely controlling and directing the pawnshop's operations and establishing regulations.

Why did Wen Yanbo know about this?
Because the official had already hinted that he would choose one of his sons to be the first head of the Pawnshop Guild.

And in the pawnbroker guild, this official has more than just the Wen family as a pawn.

People from the Cao family and the Wang family were also controlled by him remotely.

In addition, Wen Yanbo also knew that Huang Liang, a businessman from Fujian, was also a member of this official's family.

In other words, even though the pawnshops were sold out, everyone can still operate them freely.

However, the Pawnshop guild was still remotely controlled by the palace.

The pawnshops only appear to be free.

In fact, anyone who disobeys can be driven out of the industry through the guild.

So, will the weaving workshop after the dissolution of Lingjinyuan also have a guild?

The answer is probably yes.

Moreover, Wen Yanbo knew that the official held another trump card that could determine the life or death of these weaving workshops - raw materials!
The cotton bolls in Xihe are sold directly to the government by the Xiang and Gao families.

Individuals may be able to obtain some cotton bolls from Xihe through various means.

But it is impossible to obtain it in large quantities.

The Xihe government and royal family are not blind.

The raw materials were controlled and the workshops became slaves of the royal family.

The official had come up with so many tricks in the pawnshop and textile workshop.

How could he make a move without a purpose when it comes to national affairs?
Wen Jifu looked at his old father's desperate expression and could only lower his head and said, "Please calm down, my lord. I am stupid and crude. I don't want to be angry with you!"

Wen Yanbo was so angry that he laughed. He waved his hands and said, "I am not angry!"

He has accepted Wen Jifu's mediocrity.

"On the contrary, you are honest and simple, which I like very much!"

Wen Jifu and Wen Yiqing are just a little bit stupid and not very good at politics.

But the basic vision and consideration are still there.

He won’t end up like Wu Anchi from Wu Chong’s family, who played a good hand of cards badly!
"Liulang!" Wen Yanbo suddenly called out Wen Jifu's ranking.

"My son is here!"

"Go to the Imperial College less often to see that fool from the Wu family in the future!" Wen Yanbo said.

"Why?"

"I'm worried that one day he will offend God and send down thunder to strike you as well!" Wen Yanbo said coldly.

Wu Anchi was still in the Imperial College, and he was still being bad and blaming others.

If such a person really causes disaster that destroys the family one day, if Wen Jifu is still foolish enough to think of their old friendship and become friends with him, he might accidentally implicate the Wen family.

It doesn’t matter if Wen Jifu dies.

What if Thirteenth Lady in the palace is implicated?
"This..." Wen Jifu thought of Wu Anchi and shrank his neck: "It shouldn't be that serious!"

"Didn't the current emperor swear an oath before the late emperor that if the prime minister is guilty, even if he has committed the ten most heinous crimes, he will only be sentenced to death, and if he has committed more than the ten most heinous crimes, he will be exiled to prison?"

"No matter what, Wu Anzhi is the son of the former prime minister. Even if the government considers his father, it will be lenient and give him some preferential treatment..."

Wen Yanbo was almost laughing at this idiot.

He looked at Wen Jifu coldly and said, "Go and ask around to see what the Huayang Wang family is like now?!"

After Wang Gui died, his sons carried the coffin back to his hometown. Not long after that, the rumors about the Wang family and the misdeeds of Wang Gui's sons had spread throughout Bian Jing.

The worst thing is that Wen Yanbo also heard that in Chengdu, Wang Gui and his sons have been accused recently.

It wasn't just the brothers who were quarreling over the division of property.

Many local people were also implicated in various lawsuits.

If nothing unexpected happens, the two or three million strings of cash left by Wang Gui will be eaten up by hyenas and jackals in a blink of an eye as people inside and outside the company denounce each other!
Therefore, the identity of the so-called descendants of prime ministers is not just a talisman.

Sometimes it may even be a death warrant!

Anyone with a discerning eye could see the official's attitude towards the Wu family and Wu Chong.

What did Wu Anchi’s imperial edict on the resumption of teaching at the Imperial College say?

Abandon the teachings of benevolence and forgiveness of the saints!

Don’t care about the suffering of the people!

This is pointing at one's nose and scolding someone for being unkind and unjust!
This is equivalent to expelling him from the ranks of the scholar-officials!
Since he is not even a scholar-official, he can be exiled, executed, or even his entire family exterminated!

……

(End of this chapter)