Emperor of the Red Chamber

Chapter 91 The Prince discusses politics
The next day Yuan Qingbai was appointed as the Minister of Political Affairs.

As soon as this news was released, it was widely discussed by everyone, and everyone believed that this once again proved that Yuan Qingbai was the crown prince secretly appointed.

Two days later, Emperor Chengtai summoned the ministers of the South Study Room and the ministers of political affairs to hold an imperial meeting in the Nuange Pavilion of Baohe Hall.

Today's imperial meeting mainly discusses the disaster relief system.

After some heated discussions, Emperor Chengtai made a decision.

It was decided to focus on porridge relief.

It was decided to provide food relief on a per-mouth basis, that is, to estimate the population of hungry people and provide food and porridge to provide relief, so that the hungry people could be relieved to the greatest extent.

It was decided to initially set the period for porridge relief, and then make appropriate adjustments based on the actual situation.

It was decided to increase porridge factories and porridge grains based on the actual situation of famine and hungry people.

It was decided to clearly stipulate the location and distance of porridge factories. Porridge factories should be set up in nearby cities and rice factories should be set up in rural areas.

At this time, Emperor Chengtai, who was wearing glasses, looked at Yuan Qingbai: "Qingbai, you have been silent, what are you thinking about?"

All the ministers looked at Yuan Qingbai.

Today is the first time that Yuan Qingbai has participated in this kind of imperial meeting as a minister.

This is the first time Emperor Chengtai has asked Yuan Qingbai for his opinion at such a royal meeting.

After Yuan Qingbai pondered for a while, he bowed slightly and said: "I would like to report to Your Majesty that I agree with the porridge relief system proposed by Your Majesty and the ministers. In addition, I have a suggestion. Please tell me and hope that Your Majesty and the ministers will give you the correct teaching." ."

Emperor Chengtai asked: "What are your suggestions?"

Yuan Qingbo said respectfully: "I think that in addition to the porridge relief system that was discussed just now, we might also be able to add a 'work-for-relief' clause."

"After natural disasters, there will be various projects, and work-for-relief projects can be implemented to enable the poor people who have no food to work hard to make ends meet."

As early as the Spring and Autumn Period, there was such a thing as working for relief.

During the reign of Song Shenzong in the Song Dynasty, the imperial court also issued an edict to provide relief through work.

However, the Great Zhou Dynasty did not attach great importance to providing relief through work.

Now Yuan Qingbai raised it at the imperial meeting.

Emperor Chengtai thought for a while and asked the ministers: "Do you think this proposal is feasible?"

Prince Zhongzhi took the lead and said, "I would like to report to your Majesty that I think this plan is feasible."

Tang Chengyuan followed: "I also think it is feasible."

Prince Zhongzhi is the chief political minister, and Tang Chengyuan is the chief south study minister.

Both of them agreed, and Emperor Chengtai himself felt that this plan was feasible, so the matter was naturally settled.

This is the first time Yuan Qingbai has offered advice at the imperial meeting since he became the minister of political affairs.

It was just accepted.

Let all the ministers of Nanshufang and the ministers of political affairs witness the government affairs ability of this prince.

"This 18-year-old prince has saved Emperor Jing'an and Emperor Chengtai. He has passed the martial arts exam, is good at poetry, understands Western learning, and invented a hot-air balloon. At the age of 16, he was appointed as the head of the bodyguard. Now, At the age of eighteen, he was appointed Minister of State Affairs, and he was probably quite capable in government affairs... He was not comparable to the prince of Jing'an Dynasty!"

Prince Beijing sighed in his heart.

Taizu Taizu of the Great Zhou Dynasty named four founding heroes with different surnames as county kings, namely Dongping County King, Nan'an County King, Xining County King, and Beijing County King. Among the original "four kings", Beijing County King made the greatest contribution.

The person attending the imperial meeting today was the third generation Prince of Beijing County.

……

...A few days later, Emperor Chengtai once again summoned the Minister of the South Study and the Minister of Political Affairs to Nuange of Baohe Hall to hold an imperial meeting.

The main discussion this time is the Nanyang maritime ban policy.

After the founding of the Zhou Dynasty, the system of the Ming Dynasty was followed and sea bans were implemented.

During the reign of Emperor Jing'an, he established four major customs offices in Fujian, Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang, and fully opened up the sea. Even trade with Japan, which had always been strictly prohibited, was open to the public.

However, in his later years, Emperor Jing'an implemented a maritime ban on Nanyang.

The reason is that since the Zhou Dynasty fully opened up the sea, many people go to sea for trade every year, but only five or six out of ten come back. The others stay in Nanyang and have to guard against pirates.

The Nanyang Maritime Ban is not a comprehensive maritime ban, but this move has severely affected private foreign trade and made the coastal economy increasingly depressed. There are sea-going ships built with a lot of money, which are rotten in the deserted harbors and deserted shores. There are also many people who have fled to sea or Cause trouble and cause chaos.

Until the third year of Chengtai, the Nanyang maritime ban has lasted for ten years.

Many people have petitioned to lift the Nanyang maritime ban.

At today's imperial meeting, the ministers had serious differences on this matter.

The Prince of Beijing County and several other ministers believed that the maritime ban on Nanyang should be lifted and the sea should be fully opened.

Several ministers, represented by Tang Chengyuan, advocated continuing the maritime ban on Nanyang.

Emperor Chengtai also advocated the continuation of the Nanyang maritime ban.

At this time, Emperor Chengtai, who was wearing glasses, looked at Prince Zhongzhi: "Why is the ninth brother so silent?"

Prince Zhongzhi said: "To report to your Majesty, I think it is not convenient to lift the ban on Nanyang Sea at present."

In fact, he believes that the maritime ban in Nanyang should not continue and the sea should be fully opened.

But he discussed it with Emperor Chengtai alone and knew that Emperor Chengtai was very reluctant to lift the Nanyang maritime ban.

Even if he has a straightforward personality, he would not go against Emperor Chengtai in public in an imperial meeting like today. It would be useless to go against him, so he showed his support for Emperor Chengtai.

Compared with the former Ninth Prince, today's Prince Zhongzhi is much calmer!

Emperor Chengtai looked at Yuan Qingbai who had also been silent: "Qingbai, what are you thinking about?"

All the ministers looked at Yuan Qingbai, wondering how Qingbai would behave this time.

Yuan Qingbo bowed slightly and said: "Your Majesty, I don't know much about the Nanyang Sea Ban, but according to the discussion between Your Majesty Shicai and the ministers, what I have in mind is that it is not the time to lift the Nanyang Sea Ban yet."

Prince Zhongzhi sighed in his heart: "Qingbai is so clever!"

Even the Prince of Beijing County, who advocated the full opening of the sea, now thinks that Yuan Qingbai is clever.

Oh, since Emperor Chengtai was unwilling to open the sea, even Prince Zhongzhi followed Emperor Chengtai's wishes.

Yuan Qingbai followed Emperor Chengtai's wishes and supported his father in this imperial meeting instead of going against him.

Yuan Qingbai has already positioned himself as a minister of political affairs.

The positioning is: the help of Emperor Chengtai!
As the minister of political affairs, the prince would be foolish to oppose Emperor Chengtai from time to time. In this case, it would be a bad thing for him to serve as the minister of political affairs.

Try to support Emperor Chengtai according to his wishes, and on this basis, come up with good strategies.

For example, today, Yuan Qingbai believes that the sea should be fully opened to the sea, but he verbally supports Emperor Chengtai. After he ascends the throne and becomes the emperor, he can fully open the sea.

Another example is the imperial meeting a few days ago. Yuan Qingbai thought that using work for relief was a good strategy, and Emperor Chengtai would probably agree, so he proposed it.

Being a prince requires scheming.

Being a prince and leading the bodyguard and minister requires even more scheming.

How can one not need scheming when he is a prince, a minister in charge of bodyguards, and a minister of state affairs?
(End of this chapter)