I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 98 PTZ Pair

Liu Bian had to respond to Xun Yu's memorial, and he summoned Xun Yu immediately.

It has to be said that even without the bonus of fame in the memory of later generations, the content of this memorial alone, even for an unknown person, is enough for Liu Bian to take it seriously.

This should be the value of Wang Zuo's talent.

It had been nearly a year since Xun Yu was recruited as Huangmen's Minister, and Liu Bian thought it would be a good time to listen to the voices of mature and prudent ministers like Lu Zhi.

Xun Yu loved to use incense. According to legend, he "sited in someone's house for three days to be incense filled with incense." Liu Bian didn't notice it before, but now that they were face to face for a little longer, he smelled an orchid that was different from the incense used in the palace. fragrant.

After a brief discussion on the content of the memorial, Liu Biping withdrew Guo Sheng and other eunuchs, leaving only him and Xun Yu in the palace.

Xun Yu was willing to tell the truth to him and point out the real situation in the government, and Liu Bian was also willing to be honest with him.

Throw me a papaya and repay Qiongju.

He asked: "Since I learned about political affairs, I have known that thieves are everywhere in the world, and there are people who gather to rebel and attack and kill officials. At the beginning of this year, the Baibo rebellion in Hedong has been determined. The causes and consequences have been determined. In fact, the officials forced the people to rebel. However, the officials are corrupt. Oppressing the people is not limited to those who buy officials in Xiyuan. I see that the people are uneasy and the country is uneasy. What do you think of the plan?"

Xun Yu was already prepared for this.

Who said there was no title party in ancient times.

Xun Yu was keenly aware of Liu Bian's concern for these political mistakes and shortcomings inside and outside the court.

By pointing out some of the issues, he attracted Liu Bian's attention and was able to meet Liu Bian.

His ultimate goal is to explain his political philosophy to Liu Bian.

Xun Yu replied: "I believe that the way to achieve governance is to eliminate the four dangers first, and then to uphold the five policies."

Under Liu Bian's gaze, he further explained: "The so-called four troubles are: one is hypocrisy, the second is selfishness, the third is indulgence, and the fourth is luxury. Fraudulent practices will disturb the moral atmosphere, seeking personal gain will undermine laws and regulations, and willful indulgence will lead to Deviant behavior, extravagance and waste will corrupt rules and regulations. Morality is ruined, laws and regulations collapse, people's behavior is unconstrained, and desires cannot be restricted. These are the four troubles."

"If these four major evils are not eliminated, it will be impossible to implement virtuous government."

Liu Bian nodded in agreement. These four are the best explanations of the current collapse of officialdom.

"Promoting farming and weaving to nourish the people, observing people's likes and dislikes to correct customs, promoting rituals and music to show the court's education, building military equipment to ensure the majesty of the country, and strict rewards and punishments to demonstrate the country's laws. These are the five policies. "

Liu Bian continued to nod, encouraging farming and mulberry cultivation, guiding public order and good customs, imparting literary education, strengthening military armaments, and strict laws and regulations. These five items are also good advice.

According to Xun Yu's political program of four troubles and five policies, it is not a problem to become a qualified paper poster.

Using this as a guide, Liu Bian may even have the opportunity to lead a righteous and prosperous dynasty, and he may also be given the posthumous title of "Ren" after his death.

The Four Troubles and Five Policies can be regarded as a good guideline for governing the country, but it is still insufficient for the stage of the rise of clan politics.

Needless to say how rubbish the clan politics is.

The priority goal of the policymakers in charge of the country is not the national interest, but to seize personal and family interests from the country through various exquisite self-interested political calculations. Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties, absurd and beautiful... What a little bourgeois words, if the family is neat and tidy, and the same pot cooks until death, it is also beautiful.

Liu Bian then asked Xun Yu in depth: "Promoting agriculture and mulberry trees is a major matter for the country, but now the rich are in the wilderness, and the poor have no place to stand. Previously, there were floods in the seven counties, and there were countless people who were sold into slavery, and the country's annual harvest was insignificant. Then, the court was unable to appease the people. In your opinion, where should we start?"

Xun Yu certainly understood the meaning of Liu Bianping's retreat. He had been in the inner court for the past year and could see clearly.

At first, he just wanted to introduce the "Four Problems and Five Governances". This treatment technique was not summed up by him alone, but the result of many years of accumulation by the Xun family in Yingchuan.

The emperor is obviously unwilling to accept this rhetoric, but the prince seems to be able to accept it.

Xun Yu didn't intend to say too much, it was enough to let the prince know about this strategy.

But now, he heard that the prince's thoughts on the five political affairs and his concern for the people far exceeded his expectations.

Xun Yu is willing to say more.

He was not without thinking about this, and replied: "When the state collects land rent, it will take into account the output of the land, but when it collects the tax, it cannot adjust it based on the people's family property. The tax borne by the people must be It is much higher than the land rent, but it does not differentiate between the rich and the poor. Moreover, the calculation of wealth requires money, and the common people have no spare money. In order to calculate the wealth, they still need to sell cloth and grain, so there are businessmen who buy low and sell high to make profits, harming the people. , increasing the burden on the people."

Xun Yu directly pointed out the shortcomings of the current tax system. The bulk of the tax is not on the land, but on the head. A land rent of thirty to one tax may sound very good, but in fact it is the large landowners who benefit the most.

The problem cannot be solved unless the financial burdens borne by ordinary people are changed.

"You intend to reform the tax system?" Liu Bian asked. He really did not expect Xun Yu to give such an answer.

Xun Yu said bluntly: "Your Highness clearly knows that rent and tax are the foundation of the country's annual revenue. I think that when a family with a large income has more income, a family with less income has less income. In addition to the land rent, silk, silk and linen can be used as tax. "

Liu Bian was not clear about how much cash ordinary people had in their homes, but he vaguely remembered that in the Tang Dynasty, before the Two Taxes Law, most of them were paid in kind. Later, when the Two Taxes Law was changed, there was a problem of insufficient copper coins.

Considering that the ways for ordinary people to obtain copper coins are extremely limited, Xun Yu’s statement that ordinary people have no spare money should be true.

Simply put, it is more convenient for officials to collect money.

Liu argued: "I also know that the tax system should be reformed, but given the current situation, if reform is carried out in a hurry, I am worried that the re-establishment of land that triggered rebellions in various places will happen again."

Even though Xun Yu had been prepared for it, he was still a little surprised when he heard these words. He replied: "So we should eliminate the four troubles, rectify the atmosphere of the officials, implement the five policies, and select good talents and strong generals. The chaos in the fields in the past years has finally been solved." Calm down. And the imperial court not only has a virtuous administration to ensure the smooth flow of government orders, but also cultivates the advantage of military warfare. Sitting in charge of Sili, deep roots and solid foundation to control the world, even if there are rebellious ministers and traitors, they are not of the same mind, so there is nothing to be afraid of. "

Liu Bian understood Xun Yu's thoughts, which were somewhat similar to his plan. He understood very early on that no matter what method, he had to "conquer the land" again in the local area.

Xun Yu's answer made Liu Bian even more determined. Since ancient times, no reform has been bloodless, and he must not compromise out of fear of counterattack by vested interests.

In fact, Liu Bian was a little surprised by Xun Yu's outspoken performance, but this was a good thing. He didn't need to dwell on the reason. He also said bluntly: "I listened to you today and I know what it means to be like a fish in water."

　The next chapter will come later

　　

　

(End of this chapter)