As the thoughts came to light, the feeling of loneliness deep in Zhao Junchen's heart of walking alone in a dark alley soon dissipated for the most part.
If you want to do great things, you are destined to become an isolated minority and the enemy of the majority.
Otherwise, how can it be considered a big deal?
So what if you are not understood? What if you don’t have any fellow travelers?
If you have a lot of understanding people in this world, then you don't need to change anything in this world.
Of course, those followers of Zhao Junchen are just a group of opportunistic corrupt officials and profiteers.
But as long as Zhao Junchen's skills are strong enough, as long as Zhao Junchen's will is firm enough, and as long as the binding of interests is strong enough, no one can shake the "loyalty" of these followers to Zhao Junchen!
Zhou Shangjing can’t do it!
Emperor Deqing can’t!
Even those corrupt officials and profiteers, especially those corrupt officials and profiteers, cannot do the same!
*
At this point in the conversation, Zhao Junchen's position has become more firm than ever.
And Zhou Shangjing also fully understood that Zhao Junchen's true position was completely opposite to his own, and there was no possibility of resolving the conflict between the two parties!
As for Zhou Shangjing's various tricks and calculations, they were all useless in front of Zhao Junchen.
"It seems that I and Zhao Gechen are going to have a head-to-head fight here in Nanjing after all! You have your reasons, and I have my ambitions. Who is right and who is wrong, after all, it still depends on who wins and who loses.
You can see the real chapter!"
As he slowly expressed his stance, Zhou Shangjing also completely abandoned all thoughts of luck. The look he looked at Zhao Junchen was neither as serious as it was a moment ago nor as gentle as it had always been. He took off all masks and disguises, leaving only
Calm, rational, and indifferent.
Zhao Junchen nodded: "Yes, there is still a fight after all! As I said not long ago, the winner takes all! The loser leaves!"
Zhou Shangjing's face was expressionless: "In that case, I am also very interested in learning Zhao Gechen's method of turning things around and making a comeback from desperate situations! But after all, you are the younger generation that I admire, so I still want to remind you... what I have done in Nanjing City
The layout is far more profound than you imagine, I hope Zhao Gechen will not disappoint me in the future!"
"This junior has always wanted to learn from Zhou Shoufu's invincible methods that he has used throughout the officialdom for decades! I also hope that Zhou Shoufu will take care of his health and don't fall down before this junior has his best time!"
Zhou Shangjing raised the tea cup in his hand again, took a sip of ginseng tea, and then closed his eyes and remained silent.
This is the end of the conversation!
If you don't talk about it in half a sentence, the conversation will completely collapse!
*
When Zhao Junchen stepped out of the room, Song Chengren and Wang Baoren, who had been waiting outside the room, immediately came to greet him.
"Zhao Gechen, was your conversation with Zhou Shoufu going well?"
Song Chengren asked first with a smile.
Song Chengren was not only Zhou Shangjing's best friend, but also Zhou Shangjing's loyal believer. He had always believed in Zhou Shangjing's methods.
According to Song Chengren's expectation, Zhou Shangjing deliberately put aside others to talk to Zhao Junchen alone. This conversation must be extremely important, and he must have taken advantage of the opportunity to coerce and induce Zhao Junchen to completely control Zhao Junchen.
Therefore, Song Chengren was also full of confidence at this time, thinking that Zhao Junchen must have changed his attitude and position after this conversation, or recognized that the situation was settled under coercion, and then reluctantly gave in, or
Under the inducement, he abandoned his previous hostility and decided to cooperate and coexist with the "Zhou Party" forces.
The next moment, Wang Baoren also asked: "What exactly did Zhou Shangjing talk to you about? Why did you deliberately keep us away?"
Zhao Junchen first gave Wang Baoren a wink and signaled Wang Baoren to be calm and calm.
Later, Zhao Junchen also greeted Song Chengren with a smile and said leisurely: "Old Patriarch Song, you and I will be sworn enemies from now on, so I'm afraid I won't have the chance to go to Dongfang in person in the next period of time.
I am here to visit Zhou Shoufu in the garden, but I, Doctor Zhang, will stay here for the time being. I also hope that the head of the Song family will make sure that Zhou Shoufu is in stable condition and in good health, otherwise the subsequent situation will be too boring!"
After saying that, Zhao Junchen winked at Wang Baoren again, motioning for Wang Baoren to follow him, and then strode outside the East Garden.
Hearing Zhao Junchen's response, Song Chengren's expression changed slightly. He never expected that Zhou Shangjing and Zhao Junchen's private talks not only failed to change Zhao Junchen's attitude and thoughts, but instead intensified the conflict between the two parties and completely broke their skin.
So, after seeing Zhao Junchen leaving quickly, Song Chengren did not bother to see the guests off in person, but quickly walked into Zhou Shangjing's room.
In the room, Zhou Shangjing was still sipping ginseng tea with a look that seemed regretful but determined at the same time.
After hearing Song Chengren's footsteps entering the room, Zhou Shangjing raised his hand and pointed to the seat next to him, and said slowly: "Sit down and talk! Next, we still have many things to do! This Zhao Junchen... is far better than expected
More difficult to deal with!"
After Song Chengren sat down, he immediately asked: "What is going on?"
Zhou Shangjing sighed softly, and then relayed to Song Chengren in detail the content of the conversation he had just had with Zhao Junchen.
After listening to Zhou Shangjing's story, Song Chengren's expression changed again.
Zhao Junchen's reaction completely exceeded Song Chengren's expectations.
If Zhao Junchen did not fall into the trap during the negotiation with Zhou Shangjing from beginning to end, but quickly exposed Zhou Shangjing's various calculations. If this performance has greatly surprised Song Chengren, then Zhao Junchen's position is firm and clear.
He unmistakably expressed his hostility towards the gentry class, and this statement made Song Chengren even more unbelievable!
Is Zhao Junchen crazy when he publicly declares his hatred for the world's gentry?
You know, even the seventh prince Zhu Hejian has always been cautious when dealing with the contradiction between the Jin Gentry Group and the Huangzhuang forces. On the surface, he needs to constantly emphasize his trust and respect for the Jin Gentry class, even if he is forced to do so by the Jin Gentry.
, and did not dare to show any hostility.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Not to mention the seventh prince Zhu Hejian, even Emperor Deqing would never dare to directly show his hostility to the gentry class.
weeks
On the other hand, I was also used as a pawn by him!"
*
"Junior is not crazy! Junior knows exactly what his statements mean!"
After leaving Dongyuan side by side with Wang Baoren, Zhao Junchen also followed the agreement and told Wang Baoren roughly the contents of his conversation with Zhou Shangjing.
Wang Baoren was also shocked after hearing what Zhao Junchen said.
Wang Baoren never expected that Zhou Shangjing would come up with the idea of merging the Zhou and Zhao parties without warning, and even wanted Zhao Junchen to be his successor, the next model of ministerial power and representative of the Jin gentry!
Wang Baoren never expected that Zhao Junchen would directly reject the proposal without any hesitation!
If Wang Baoren were to change positions, even if Wang Baoren understood Zhou Shangjing's true plan, he might not be able to resist the temptation of power provided by Zhou Shangjing.
But like Song Chengren, the most unbelievable thing for Wang Baoren was that Zhao Junchen directly expressed his hostility to the world's Jin gentry during the conversation with Zhou Shangjing.
Therefore, like Song Chengren, Wang Baoren's first reaction was that Zhao Junchen was crazy!
Wang Baoren's second reaction was that he had to keep a distance from Zhao Junchen. Otherwise, if the Jin gentry in the world mistakenly thought that he and Zhao Junchen were like-minded people and were as hostile to the Jin gentry class as Zhao Junchen, then Wang Baoren might be in trouble in the future.
It's hard to move even an inch.
Zhao Junchen also understood Wang Baoren's thoughts, so he repeatedly emphasized that he was mentally normal.
"Master Wang, don't look at this junior in this way. I am indeed not crazy."
Seeing that Wang Baoren still refused to believe in his own reason, Zhao Junchen had no choice but to tell Wang Baoren his true thoughts.
"Ever since I learned about Zhou Shoufu's physical condition, four words immediately appeared in my mind - the rabbit dies and the fox is sad! Zhou Shoufu has his own ambitions, so he does not hesitate to die. There is a high probability that he will pass away within half a year! But Zhou Shoufu will die within half a year!
After passing away, the younger generation will inevitably become the most prominent among the officials in the temple...how beautiful you are in the forest!"
*
At the same time, Zhou Shangjing also slowly told Song Chengren his guess.
"Zhao Junchen is extremely keen. After he saw that I was about to die, I am afraid he immediately realized something! If a tree is as beautiful as the forest, the wind will destroy it! Before that, there were two powerful ministers in the temple, namely I and
Zhao Junchen! But after I die, Zhao Junchen will be the only powerful official left in this temple! With me here, Your Majesty will promote the "Zhou Party" and the "Zhao Party" to check and balance each other, and you will also be afraid of powerful officials.
They will be scattered, but once I am gone, Zhao Junchen will no longer have any constraints, and the family will be the only one... With the temperament of our Majesty, what kind of reaction will he have next?"
After hearing this, Song Chengren thought thoughtfully: "What Zhou Shoufu means... Zhao Junchen deliberately showed his hostility to the gentry class and took the initiative to establish a powerful enemy so that His Majesty could feel at ease?"
"Proactively making enemies, proactively showing weakness, and proactively desecrating oneself are the only ways for powerful officials in the past dynasties to protect themselves... Didn't I also deliberately leave Shen Changmao and Huang Yourong behind, so that those two losers could compete with me? ?It’s just that Zhao Junchen’s methods are more resolute and leave no room at all!”
Zhou Shangjing sighed leisurely.
The more he understood Zhao Junchen, the more Zhou Shangjing regretted that Zhao Junchen and he were not the same people after all, so he sighed more frequently.
*
Outside the East Garden.
Zhao Junchen continued to explain patiently: "As a courtier, after Zhou Fu returns to the west, I have an obligation to reassure His Majesty and also have an obligation to prove my loyalty! Therefore, becoming an enemy of the Jin gentry in the world is undoubtedly the best way to prove myself! As long as I If I am an enemy of the Jin gentry, it is destined that I will never become a threat. Even if I am a threat, it can be easily eradicated! Only in this way, after the chief minister of Zhou returns to the west, will His Majesty be willing to continue to use me and trust me! Otherwise, when the First Assistant Zhou returns to the west, I am afraid that I will be liquidated by His Majesty!"
After hearing this, Wang Baoren finally understood Zhao Junchen's true thoughts, and finally believed that Zhao Junchen was not crazy.
However, Wang Baoren looked at Zhao Junchen with an increasingly strange look.
Just to reassure Emperor Deqing, he took the initiative to make enemies of the gentry in the world...
Such foresight and determination are no less than those of Zhou Shangjing in his heyday, and even better!
Considering Zhao Junchen's age, Wang Baoren can only describe his performance in four words - so wise and almost demonic!
In comparison, Wang Baoren, who has always thought highly of himself, had to admit that he definitely did not have such vision and courage.
For a while, Wang Baoren's mood was quite complicated.
But after understanding Zhao Junchen's thoughts, Wang Baoren was still a little uneasy and asked: "Even if your considerations are reasonable, but just to reassure His Majesty, taking the initiative to make enemies of the world's gentry is not worth the gain! You... Do you really think that the gentry are the source of trouble?"
Zhao Junchen shook his head and said: "With immediate worries, there is no need to worry about long-term concerns! Compared with His Majesty's fear, the hostility of the gentry is just the lesser of two powers harming each other. Even if they drink poison to quench their thirst, they can only close their eyes. Drink the poison! Moreover, although I expressed my hostility to the Jin gentry to Zhou Shoufu, I will not actually harm the core interests of the Jin gentry. Even if I am an enemy of the Jin gentry, I will mostly just talk and talk. They will kill them all just like Wei Zhongxian did in the previous dynasty, so even if the Jin gentry is hostile to me because of this, the most they can do is wait for the opportunity to add insult to injury to me, and will not take the initiative to fight to the death with me."
After hearing Zhao Junchen's explanation, Wang Baoren finally felt a little relieved.
However, Wang Baoren ignored one thing.
That is, Zhao Junchen cleverly avoided the last question he just asked, and did not answer whether his previous statement that he regarded the Jin gentry as the source of trouble was sincere.
In fact, during the private negotiations with Zhou Shangjing, Zhao Junchen's various remarks and emotions were not false in the slightest.
However, after Zhao Junchen's official experience in the past few years, his tactics have become instinctive. Even when his true feelings are revealed, he will still subconsciously use various tactics to seek his own interests.
Zhao Junchen was indeed hostile to the Jin gentry and regarded the Jin gentry class as the source of trouble in all dynasties, but Zhao Junchen did not intend to completely eradicate the Jin gentry group for the time being.
On the one hand, all the original sins of the Jinshen Group can be explained in just four words - land annexation!
And if you want to truly solve the problem of land annexation, just eradicating a group of gentry is of no use. It only treats the symptoms but not the root cause. As long as the private land policy remains unchanged, the problem of land annexation will never be eradicated. The only way is
Public ownership of land.
However, Zhao Junchen currently does not have the ability to implement the land public ownership reform, nor can he withstand the counterattack caused by this reform, so he can only temporarily tolerate the existence of the Jin gentry.
On the other hand, in the current period, for the Ming Dynasty, the existence of the Jin gentry is actually beneficial, but this benefit does not mean that the Jin gentry can educate the people, govern the countryside, etc., but refers to the role of the Jin gentry during the Ming Dynasty.
Their miserly characteristics.
During the Ming Dynasty, perhaps because of the example of the old Zhu family, Jin gentry generally liked to hoard gold and silver. The stronger the Jin gentry family, the more they liked to hoard gold and silver, such as the famous Jin gentry families in Jiangnan.
, for example, the Song family, Li family, Wang family and others all have cellars full of gold and silver. When one cellar is full, they build another cellar. No one can estimate how much gold and silver they have hoarded.
However, in the late Ming Dynasty when silver actually depreciated significantly, the habit of hoarding gold and silver by the gentry led to a significant reduction in the scale of silver flowing in the market. Objectively, it maintained the purchasing power of silver in the Ming Dynasty and also inhibited the purchasing power of silver in the Ming Dynasty.
inflation.
From this aspect, it can even be said that the Jin gentry took the greatest credit.
Therefore, until the problems of land privatization and the devaluation of silver, the legal currency of the Ming Dynasty, are completely solved, it is impossible for Zhao Junchen to really provoke the Jin gentry group.
Of course, Zhao Junchen would not explain these things to Wang Baoren. Even if Zhao Junchen explained these things in detail, Wang Baoren might not understand them.
In fact, all Zhao Junchen's current methods are just to stabilize Emperor Deqing and delay time, so as to prevent Emperor Deqing from taking action against him in advance.
In Zhao Junchen's view, given the current situation between the government and the opposition, time is on his side!
Some things may be destined to happen, but the longer you delay, the greater your chances of winning!
*
"So, is the statement that Zhao Junchen is hostile to Jin Shen true or false?"
On the other side, Song Chengren also asked the same question.
The Song family was the head of the Jiangnan Jin gentry and had huge interests, so Song Chengren looked particularly serious when he asked.
After Zhou Shangjing pondered for a moment, he did not evade the question and said slowly: "There are truths and lies, half truths and half lies! But... even if only 30% of his hostility to the Jin gentry is true, this son must not be kept!"
Song Chengren's expression became more and more serious, and he nodded vigorously to express his approval.
After pondering again for a moment, Zhou Shangjing waved his hand and said: "Next, we will act according to the original plan and give Zhao Junchen a warning first..."