"If you are going to make use of people's talents, you must appoint officials without review." Guan Zi Quanxiu No. 3
Everyone bowed and left in turn. Huan Dian and Zhou Zhong, who seemed to have succeeded in dissuading them, did not look happy, but became more solemn. They knew that the emperor would not let it go. This was just a test, and there would be a deeper game next.
The emperor was still standing by the railing. He deliberately bypassed Dong Cheng today and personally met with the ministers of the outer dynasty to declare his determination to reform the tax system. He was fully confident. Starting from Emperor Xiaowu, the power of the outer dynasty was gradually ceded to the inner dynasty.
The invasion caused the Shangshu Desk to have too much power and deviated from the original intention of its establishment. It became the center of the new government, and the minister who recorded the affairs of the Shangshu also became the prime minister in another sense.
In order to prevent this phenomenon, the emperor had to take measures to decentralize power, either handing over the power of edict drafting and decision-making to the new secretarial agency, or returning the power that the Chancellor had usurped to foreign dynasties.
The emperor was doing both at the same time. Needless to say, the function of secretaries and supervisors in the future was obvious. However, relying heavily on foreign dynasties and gradually increasing the power of the nine ministers had already begun to happen when Wang Yunshang was still in the court. Zhou Zhong,
People like Zhang Chang and Fa Yan were all the nine ministers whom the emperor relied on, and the emperor almost always bypassed the powerful ministers and directly issued orders to the nine ministers who had the same authority.
This time was no exception. The emperor planned to return all the power of tax collection and distribution to the chief ministers and the Shaofu, and use this as a political signal to separate power from the outside dynasty.
It is a pity that the emperor underestimated their firm attitude towards the interests of salt and iron, so that good things like returning the power of the inner court to the ministers of the outer court could not impress them.
The emperor looked at Cangchi and thought about it for a long time, as if he was overwhelmed with emotion. After a long time, he turned around and said to Jia Xu and Xun You who were standing aside: "Compared with the benefits of salt and iron, what I did today is
, it seems like a small favor."
"It's better," the waiter Xun You was the first to say, "give in?"
He explained: "At the beginning, His Majesty also mentioned that the salt and iron monopoly also had serious disadvantages. If the court wants to reset it, it cannot blindly copy past practices. The remedies that Your Majesty once proposed are considered appropriate by all ministers. Now that their implementation has been blocked,
Why don't you use this to tell everyone that you have the right to make concessions?"
The emperor was noncommittal. He had planned to separate the power of salt production and sales. The government was responsible for production and merchants were responsible for purchasing and selling. If there were different salt farms and salt officials in the same place, under the premise of the same sales price, merchants would naturally choose to purchase.
Salt of better quality is shipped out for sale. Salt officials who produce salt of poor quality and whose share does not meet expectations will be held accountable and supervised according to the corresponding performance appraisal system to improve quality.
This can not only prevent the quality of salt from deteriorating, but also ensure the government's revenue. Based on the emperor's subsequent reform of equalization, equalization and other official reforms, we can grasp the market conditions and provide different purchase prices according to the conditions of different places. For example, the Northwest Salt Lake
The production price of Jingzhou is lower than that of Jingzhou. Jingzhou merchants will naturally come to the northwest to purchase in order to pursue profits. When they come, they will definitely bring goods and specialties to sell in the northwest. This can promote the development of the commodity economy and exchanges between regions.
This is the way the government regulates the market economy and commodity prices through visible hands. It is also the emperor's initial vision for salt and iron and even for future social and economic development.
"After today, what the court will discuss is not just salt and iron." Shangshu Jia Xu said euphemistically: "Your Majesty, if you ask for it at this time, you will be showing weakness to others. Not only will it not convince them, but it will."
"You're right." The emperor immediately heard the implication of Jia Xu's words. He didn't expect that Jia Xu was better than Xun You in this aspect: "This is no longer Yan Tie's business. Let's see how they respond first."
.”
Xun You felt that this kind of treatment would intensify the conflict and escalate it to a struggle in the court. He looked at Jia Xu coldly, wondering what good would it do to him if the other party did this?
The emperor took the first step and waited for the other party to take the move. He seemed to be much more relaxed at this time. He walked out of the pavilion, followed by Jia Xu and others, and said: "The matter of Yantie will be revealed in the next few days.
When implemented locally, there may be twists and turns. Especially in Hedong, if this place is not properly settled, the salt and iron policy will only be in name only."
"The imperial court worked hard to eliminate the banditry in the east of the river, and finally regained the Puban Salt Pond. This is the private property of the Shaofu and the source of the imperial government's support." Xun You followed behind and said: "If the governance is ineffective, wouldn't it be a waste of time for the general Hussars?
The painstaking efforts?”
The emperor was deeply convinced. Following Xun You's words, he asked Jia Xu: "Wang Yi is very talented, but I don't know if he can shoulder this important task."
As a native of Liangzhou, Wang Yi did not have many connections in the court, and he suffered from prejudice due to his geographical relationship. If it had not been for Jia Xu's recommendation, Wang Yi would not have appeared in front of the emperor at all, let alone become the emperor.
Used.
As Wang Yi's recommender, Jia Xu smiled and replied: "Wang Wendu can make Hu and Han get along harmoniously in Xihe County, and the people support him, which is enough to show his talent. But Hedong County is not as good as Xihe, and now there is a great deal of salt and iron. He
Whether he can shoulder the important task depends more on His Majesty than just himself."
"As long as he can handle this matter well, I will not only value him, but also reuse him." The emperor said with a smile. Driven by interests during this period, Jia Xu finally loosened his stance and insisted on weakening the emperor.
Jia Xu was no longer as fearful of the difficult undertaking of becoming a powerful person, but instead occasionally gave advice to the emperor.
Although Jia Xu must have saved a hand, the emperor was still very satisfied with the other party's change. He immediately suppressed his smile and sighed: "If he really makes achievements in that place in Hedong, it will be really remarkable."
The emperor knew that Wang Yi not only had to run salt and iron operations in Hedong, but also had to be busy restoring production and promoting farming. He also had to deal with those powerful people and make sacrifices with them. There were so many things involved, and if anything was not done well, it would lead to ruin.
Jia Xu inexplicably trusted Wang Yi, but the emperor had little confidence in this historical figure who had little impression.
Everyone walked to the shore and were about to get on the boat, but they saw the emperor standing still, stunned.
Mu Shun, who was standing beside the boat, cautiously called: "Your Majesty?"
"I just remembered something." The emperor secretly breathed a sigh of relief, came back to his senses and said with a smile: "Hedong County is full of waste, and there are more than one or two vacancies for county magistrates, peasants, generals and other officials.
, originally I thought that those who were in office as county magistrates would continue to serve as county magistrates, and those who were vacant would be dispatched by the imperial court. The rest of the officials should have been like this. Now that I think of the situation in Hedong that Huangfu Song faced that day, I find that I still want to be simple.
Already."
Xun You frowned and looked at the emperor with Jia Xu, who was also confused.
"This time Huangfu Song said in the memorial." The emperor smiled and narrowed his eyes. This was the expression he would show whenever he had a good idea in his mind: "Hedong Wei family, Fan family, etc. are all sent to the tribe.
, helped in this battle and gained considerable military exploits. In this case, the imperial court might as well grant the title on the spot, making Wei Gu the Nong Cao of Hedong County and Fan Xian the Dian Nong School Lieutenant of Hedong County."