Daming Super Dimension Company, President Zhu Yuanzhang!

"When it comes to serving the country and the people, why talk about interests?" Wang Anshi said with a serious expression.

Zhao Xu looked at him eagerly, "My dear minister, what you said is absolutely right!"

“People in high positions should not put their own interests first.”

Wang Anshi took a half step forward and immediately knelt down to pay his respects. He raised his voice and said, "Your Majesty is wise!"

The two of them really met too late.

"Please take a seat, my dear minister." Zhao Xu said.

After sitting down, Wang Anshi looked at Xiao Ran again and asked solemnly, "Mr. Xiao, can you continue with the new law you just mentioned?"

"After the method of enriching the country, the method of strengthening the army is to be followed. The current policy is to maintain the army. There are many soldiers but the overall strength is very poor. The centralization of military power and the garrison system have led to the situation that the generals do not know the soldiers, the generals have no permanent soldiers, and the generals are subject to too many restrictions in command. In addition, the soldiers are often replaced, lack training, and have low quality."

"In response to these problems, you proposed the Baojia Law, the Reduction of Soldiers Law, the Appointment of Generals Law, the Protection of Horses Law, and the Military Equipment Supervision Law."

Xiao Ran explained the contents of these laws, and finally talked about the method of selecting scholars.

"The imperial examination system was reformed, the Gongju Law was promulgated, the Mingjing subject was abolished, and the law subject was added. Afterwards, the Imperial College was rectified, and the Imperial College Three-House System was implemented, with three classes of upper, middle and lower classes for teaching at different levels. The imperial examination was replaced by daily assessments, and students with excellent grades could directly become officials without taking the imperial examination. More subjects were also added to the Imperial College."

"It sounds like there is nothing wrong with the new law." Wang Anshi pondered, confusion evident between his brows.

Zhao Xu also nodded in agreement.

Xiao Ran smiled and said, "The new law can indeed fill the national treasury and change many things, but you still don't understand the people of the world well enough."

Picking up the teacup and taking a sip, Xiao Ran spoke slowly.

"Let alone the opposition of the conservatives in the court, the new law focuses on seeking to open up financial resources and increase the country's fiscal revenue. For example, the equalization law uses the state's administrative power to force purchases and sales, which makes the country rich and the people poor. In addition, the implementation of the new law is too radical."

Wang Anshi's reforms also caused bad consequences at the time.

"There was also the exemption law. Even small businesses like carrying water had to pay exemption fees, and the merchants were asked to pay interest. The tax amount was more than the cost, which made the people dissatisfied. When the Baojia system was implemented, in order to avoid high taxes and being drafted into the army, people mutilated themselves, and some even cut off their own arms. According to records, in 1072 AD, more than a thousand farmers from Dongming County went to Beijing to petition and caused trouble in front of Wang Anshi's residence."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Xu and Wang Anshi were shocked.

"How could this happen?!"

Xiao Ran asked, "Wang Anshi, do you really understand the current situation of the people of the world?"

"I passed the imperial examination at the age of 21, served in the court for many years, and was once a local official. How could I not understand the suffering of the people!" The angry Wang Anshi stood up and said excitedly.

He believed that he was always doing things for the people and felt extremely sympathetic towards their suffering.

"Don't get excited. I have a question and you just need to answer it." Facing Wang Anshi's anger, Xiao Ran remained calm.

“Why are the people so poor?”

After a moment's pause, Wang Anshi said in a deep voice, "The court is corrupt and the powerful are oppressive."

"This is just one of them."

Xiao Ran looked at Wang Anshi, "Do you know why the new law failed?"

"It was not perfect and was opposed by conservatives in the court." Zhao Xu on the side answered quickly.

“The new law is just an institutional reform for the current governance crisis, but it does not address the root cause.”

"You want to enrich the country, but you have never considered enriching the people. The so-called way to enrich the country is actually to seize the profits of merchants, landlords, and farmers and return them to the national treasury, redistribute the benefits of the world, and use the world as an object for wealth."

"The biggest problem is that this country is a fake rich country that relies on the world for nourishment."

These words were very sharp, as if they completely denied the new law proposed by Wang Anshi.

Without waiting for Wang Anshi to come to his senses, Xiao Ran continued: "Now, do you still think you are considering the people of the world?" Zhao Xu's face darkened slightly. He also understood that the new law was not feasible.

After a while, Wang Anshi bowed to Xiao Ran, feeling extremely ashamed, and said, "I'll teach you."

"Mr. Xiao, if the new law that Wang Anshi wants to propose doesn't work, then how can I enrich the country?"

After all, the most urgent issue now is the empty treasury.

"How to make the country rich depends on him." Xiao Ran set his sights on Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu was stunned. "Why?"

"I just talked about the problems with the new law. The failure of the reform also involves human problems."

"Because the new law violated the interests of privileged bureaucrats, landlords, and businessmen in many ways, the opposition was supported by the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and Empress Shenzong. At the same time, because the new law itself had many shortcomings, it was also opposed by some upright ministers such as Su Che, Han Qi, and Sima Guang."

"In addition, there is your indecision and even compromise with the conservatives."

"Wang Anshi was dismissed twice because of your compromise. You wanted to gain the support of ministers and royal family for the throne, and you also wanted to enrich the country and strengthen the army through reform. On the one hand, you appeased the conservative ministers and recruited old-school figures who had been dismissed and demoted, such as Lu Gongzhu, Feng Jing, and Sun Gu, while insisting on reform to balance the old and new factions."

Now it was Zhao Xu who was ashamed.

Zhao Xu said awkwardly, "If Mr. Xiao can propose a good reform, I will not allow anyone to oppose it."

"That may not be the case, but I can give you two options for your wish. First, I will find someone to help you reform the country and strengthen it. Second, I will make money by selling things that benefit the country and the people."

The customer's demand was simply to fill the treasury, and Xiao Ran could quickly do that by taking out something from later times.

It's just treating the symptoms and not the root cause.

Zhao Xu didn't hesitate at all, "I choose the first one."

He still wanted to change the law.

"Okay, I'll come again tomorrow." Xiao Ran nodded and did not stay in the hall any longer.

……

Jimo ancient city
Xiao Ran was planning to go find Zhao Kuangyin, but then he remembered that Zhao Kuangyin might not be good at this.

After a little thought, Xiao Ran immediately chose to go to the Tang Dynasty and was teleported directly in front of Li Shimin.

"I have something to trouble you with."

Hearing this, Li Shimin smiled and said, "What's the matter? Tell me."

Xiao Ran briefly mentioned the order he had just received, "After thinking about it, I think only you can solve this problem."

"I still have many memorials to review." Li Shimin raised his eyebrows and did not agree.

"Besides, this happened during the Song Dynasty, and I am the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty."

Xiao Ran was surprised, but he quickly understood the implication, "I will go to Song Taizu first to see what reward he can give."

Li Shimin was speechless. He didn't think the Song Dynasty could offer him anything worthwhile. "Why would I need something from the Song Dynasty?"

Xiao Ran was shocked. He never expected that Li Shimin would suddenly ask for a reward.

"The reason they went with you in the past was because they were all descendants of my Li family." Li Shimin explained calmly.

"What kind of reward do you want?" (End of this chapter)