The setting sun hung above the palace palace, and the dusk drums of Chang'an City sounded, before Yan Zhenqing left the imperial city and returned home.
Entering the front yard, I happened to see Yan Bao secretly hiding something behind his back from a distance. In the past, Yan Zhenqing would have inevitably stopped the boy and asked him what he was doing.
On this day, Yan Zhenqing didn't care and went back to the main room.
When Wei Yun came up to him, he asked, "What are you busy with recently?"
"Has A Lang discovered it?" Wei Yun said, "He, recently, he and several classmates have become obsessed with 'searching for things', and they have been arguing about whether to build something that can make it easier for ships to sail. It's called a compass."
She was a little uneasy when she said this, because the Yan family's upbringing was very strict, and Yan Zhenqing had always urged Yan Kai to study Confucian classics and history, and she didn't like that her son wasted his time on such scheming.
In addition, he was opposed to the imperial court spending a lot of financial and material resources to build sea-going ships, which made him angry.
The strange thing is that when Yan Zhenqing heard this, he just nodded and said, "As long as you don't do anything wrong."
"You used to demand more from him than this."
"The requirements for moral cultivation have not changed, but I have recently thought that it is not necessary for him to serve as an official."
Wei Yun was very puzzled and asked: "What does this mean? Children have their own destiny, but Alang made him give up his future?"
Yan Zhenqing asked: "Isn't the Lantern Festival very lively this year?"
"Yes, it's more lively than in the past five or six years, and it's a bit like the prosperity of the Tianbao period."
"A sign of the resurgence of the Tang Dynasty, but even you saw it?"
Wei Yun smiled and said: "I am a woman and I don't know anything about state affairs. I only know that as long as the court does not burden the people, it is a good sign."
Yan Zhenqing stroked his beard and smiled, and said: "It seems that the Tang Dynasty is about to revive. Then I will be successful and retire. We will go back to Langya to live in seclusion. We will 'open up the wilderness in the south and return to the garden in a humble way'. What do you think?"
Wei Yun was stunned. She had a good stay in Chang'an, but she never thought about leaving.
If Du Youlin told Lu Fengniang that she wanted to retire, Lu Fengniang would have to talk endlessly, but Wei Yun was much more considerate and nodded, saying, "Is Alang because of those rumors? He is just jealous of the Yan family's current wealth."
"It's not a good thing to be envied by others."
"If Alang decides to leave, I won't hesitate. I'm just worried that the children will bear such a heavy burden and no one will help them, especially your highness."
Of course, her intention is still there.
Yan Zhenqing also has unfinished ambitions, and if asked about his true feelings, he doesn't want to leave.
In fact, he had been hesitating for a long time, and finally made up his mind, muttering to himself: "Only by leaving can you prove your true feelings to heaven and earth."
~~
After the New Year, Xue Bai took the initiative to propose a meal in Luoyang to relieve the pressure of water transportation from the Three Gorges and organize the free manpower and material resources to open up wasteland.
Yuan Zai strongly opposed this matter. The above table stated that the imperial court was fully capable of raising the grain needed in Guanzhong through many methods such as water transportation and purchasing.
So, when the small court was discussing, Xue Bai suddenly asked: "Since the war, Heyin, Jijin, Sanmen and other large warehouses have been damaged by the war, and the water transportation has not been dredged. Wouldn't it be difficult to transport grain and grass?"
"Return to Your Majesty, we can rebuild and repair it within half a year."
"Taking into account the time, we need to recruit another 60,000 to 70,000 people. Can the national treasury afford this salary?"
Yuan Zai looked vaguely surprised, hesitated for a moment, and said: "I think it's worth it. This matter must be done sooner or later. The earlier it is done, the more cost-effective it is for the court."
Xue Bai didn't speak, and after waiting for a while, Cui Youfu spoke.
"Your Majesty, I heard that Liu Yan sent a memorial, proposing the method of 'locating warehouses along the water'. This is a step further than Pei Yaoqing's 'transporting canals to transport millet', based on the different habits of the four rivers of Jiang, Bian, He and Wei. He asked him to personally select the location to build the warehouse and supervise the construction of the ships, so as to put an end to the bad habits of making the ships built by the transshipment department not durable and deducting labor fees excessively."
As he said that, Cui Youfu glanced at Yuan Zai casually and said, "I think that Yuan Zai's proposal was too hasty, so this matter can be planned calmly."
"Good." Xue Bai said: "Since there is still money left in the treasury, it should not be left untouched. Money is like water and must flow. The ministers think that we can lend spring seedlings to the people, release them in the spring, and take them back in the autumn to dredge water transportation. If you pay enough at the end of the year, the annual interest...just set it at one or two cents."
As soon as these words came out, most of the officials in the palace changed their expressions.
"His Majesty!"
I don't know who was too excited, shouted incoherently, and was about to get out of the queue.
Xue Bai waved his hand calmly and said, "What are you doing so loudly? We'll discuss it someday. I'm tired, so let's go."
Since he came to the throne, he has become tired more and more easily. Whenever he encounters this, he just says "I'm tired" and waits for the officials' reaction.
On this day, when the officials arrived at the government office, they kept talking.
"Isn't it a good thing for the court to lend money and compete with the people for profits?"
Some people also whispered: "Don't you know? I was a money banker before I was in Qiandi, and I am very good at calculations."
"I'm afraid this is inappropriate."
"The annual interest rate is two cents..."
No one dared to discuss this matter in front of Yan Zhenqing and Du Youlin.
In the official room of Zhongshu Province, two people were sitting across from each other. Yan Zhenqing asked first, "Has your majesty expressed his anger with you before raising this proposal?"
"No." Du Youlin shook his head, feeling worried and said, "This is no small matter."
This is of course not a trivial matter. What does Xue Bai mean when he talks about an annual interest of one or two cents, or a deadline to pay the full amount at the end of the year? If a farmer borrows 100 yuan in the spring and pays it back after the harvest, it will be repaid according to the latest time limit. One hundred and ten cents or one hundred and twenty cents.
Nowadays, private loans, loans from acquaintances or mortgage loans only carry a monthly interest of one or two cents. As for usury loans, the annual interest rate is often double. In other words, when ordinary farmers really need to borrow money, they usually borrow one cent in the spring. One hundred coins, and two hundred coins will be paid back after the autumn harvest.
As for some people who take advantage of people's crisis, they deliberately lend money to farmers at high interest rates in years of famine and disaster, not for the double interest but for the land.
The word "people" when officials talk about "competing with the people for profit" does not necessarily refer to those farmers.
Of course, the implementation of this policy is extremely complicated, and it is easy for local officials to push back, or it may touch the interests of too many lenders, turning it from a move that benefits the people to a move that harms the people. This is exactly what Yan Zhenqing is worried about.
"Mr. Yan, do you think your Majesty has entered again?" Du Youlin asked.
He used the word "and" because in their generation's view, running a big country is like cooking small dishes. It is not appropriate to use these drastic measures to open up more wasteland, tax less, work diligently and love the people, and reduce expenses.
National strength will naturally gradually increase, but Xue Bai is different. Every time he pursues innovation and change, it means there are risks.
In the past, it was Yan Zhenqing who came forward to dissuade Xue Bai, but this time, he said: "Maybe I am too stale."
"Hearing what Mr. Yan means, do you oppose or support this matter?"
"If Your Majesty proposes a loan for spring seedlings, what he wants to do is definitely not just a loan for spring seedlings."
Yan Zhenqing originally thought that when the country's affairs were stable, he would retreat bravely, but today he saw Xue Bai's intention of change and became uneasy again.
He had to remind Du Youlin.
"If you and I are appointed prime ministers, the pressure we have to bear will not be small."
"yes."
After talking about this matter, Du Youlin hesitated and asked for advice on another trivial matter.
"Mr. Yan, why have you never asked me if I really knew about His Majesty's life experience five years ago in Tianbao?"
Yan Zhenqing said in surprise: "Why should I ask you?"
"A few days ago, my unscrupulous son asked me about this matter. I also felt strange." Du Youlin asked, "Is there any mystery in this matter?"
"Du Wulang? He must be asking casually." Yan Zhenqing said, "Did you really know about His Majesty's life before Tianbao Five Years?"
"Yes." Du Youlin said, stroking his beard.
Yan Zhenqing's expression of thoughtfulness flashed across her face.
The reason why he never asked Du Youlin this question was because he only needed to ask if he was not sure whether Du Youlin was lying, and he knew from the beginning that Du Youlin was lying.
From this point of view, Du Wulang seems to know something, what about that day?
~~
That night, Yan Quanming said to Yan Zhenqing: "Zhang Bian passed away a few days ago."
"How did you die?"
"This is the end of my life."
Yan Quanming actually knew that it was Yan Zhenqing who investigated a large number of insiders of the three commoners case through Zhang Bian, and finally found Guo Suo, which strongly proved the legitimacy of the emperor today.
But because the emperor was the son-in-law of the Yan family, if others knew that it was the Yan family who found Guo Suo, the matter would be less convincing, so Yan Quanming kept it secret.
"I understand." Yan Zhenqing had no reaction to Zhang Bian's death, "You go and have a rest."
"Here."
After Yan Quanming retreated, Yan Zhenqing closed her eyes and stroked her forehead, showing a tired look.
He recalled the afternoon when he met Zhang Bian.
"You don't have to have high expectations. If it's fake, it's fake." Zhang Bian said, "If he is Xue Xiu's concubine, Tang Chang might not recognize him yet. But how could Tang Chang not recognize Li Ying's third son?
?Zhang Jiuling and He Zhizhang have adopted those convicted criminals for many years, and it’s not like Tang Chang has never seen those children."
Zhang Bian said this with sarcasm in his eyes.
"You see, the truth is always easy to distinguish. What is difficult to distinguish is power. From the moment Tang Chang lied to help Li Cong ascend the throne, the truth has been lost. You are the only one who cares about the truth. What do you care about?
"
Yan Zhenqing was devastated when she said goodbye to Zhang Bian.
He finally confirmed that his son-in-law, his student was pretending to be the emperor's heir, and was only one step away from usurping Li Tang's kingdom. The guilt made him extremely painful. At the same time, he also had a trace of intolerance, unable to bear the impending stability and peace.
Down the drain.
During that time, he thought about killing Xue Bai himself. Even if it would make his daughter heartbroken, the Yan family could sacrifice for the Tang Dynasty.
It was at that time that he received an invitation to meet someone.
It was those words with that person that supported him until today.
"Yan Qingchen, the Supreme Emperor asked, 'Can I entrust the Tang Dynasty to you?'"
"The most important thing of the country is to worship the Rong. After Wu Zhou, the Tang Dynasty was still the Tang Dynasty. What was more important was the blood of Emperor Zhongzong, or was it Emperor Zhongzong's sacrifice to the ancestors of the Li family? The Tang Dynasty had Emperor Deming, Emperor Xiantian Taishang, Gaoshang
Emperor Daguangdao Jinque Xuanyuan is the ancestor, but the Li family is really his descendant? If thousands of years later, the memorial tablets of Li family's ancestors are still enshrined in that ancestral temple, then Li Tang will still be Li Tang."
"Xue Bai is Li Qian. There is someone who can prove this. I will teach you how to find him."
"You are a minister who is loyal to the country and not to the emperor. You are not needed to seize the throne, but you are the last resort to ensure the continuation of the Tang Dynasty."
"If you still can't deceive Xue Bai in the end, it will definitely anger him. By then, neither the Supreme Emperor nor I will be able to convince him. Only you, maybe there is a way to convince him."
"Okay, don't let anyone know about this meeting, forget your conversation with Zhang Bian, and forget the conversation you and I had before. You can't fail, just do it alone with these secrets."
…
The next day, Yan Zhenqing was awakened by the sound of birdsong.
He raised his head and found that he had slept on the desk all night, with a big cloak wrapped around him. Wei Yun must have been worried that he would catch a cold, but he could not move himself.
Today was a double day and there was no court meeting, but he still went to the palace and asked to see Xue Bai.
The deaths of Cui Zhongwei and Zhang Bian made him realize that if he stayed in the court, it would inevitably be true, which would lead to various speculations. It was better to go into seclusion as soon as possible and downplay the past events before the emperor ascended the throne.
He suspected that Xue Bai had already guessed something, so he was actually worried deep down in his heart.
"My father-in-law is here, presumably to borrow money for spring seedlings?"
"yes."
Yan Zhenqing was still thinking about how to test Xue Bai, but he didn't have much to say about the Chunmiao loan.
"When these new policies are proposed, it is inevitable to have concerns." Xue Bai said: "I am by no means a dictatorial person. This matter should be discussed by everyone."
"Having said that," Yan Zhenqing said, "just like His Majesty wants to build a sea-going ship to send people to the ocean. Although the Ministry of Public Affairs is opposed to this matter, Your Majesty can still do it in the name of a private trading company. It is indeed not an arbitrary decision, but a willful act.
"
Xue Bai smiled and said: "That's because I have this strength."
"If all the officials are opposed to the Spring Miao Loan, your Majesty will surely ask Fenghui Bank to handle this matter?"
"Yes, in fact, Fenghui Bank has had this business for a long time, but it didn't make a big splash."
When Yan Zhenqing faced these things, he did not object strongly, but listed various possibilities that he was worried about.
For example, although building a sea-going ship for a long voyage may harm the interests of business travelers on the Silk Road, few people thought that far ahead. This matter was purely a matter of money. Instead, the Ministry of Public Security refused to approve it, and the emperor used his private money to do it.
, which is equivalent to saving a fortune for the national treasury.
Chunmiao Loan is different, it touches the interests of too many people.
Therefore, after Yan Zhenqing finished speaking, he finally said: "Your Majesty's foundation is not yet stable. Please think twice about doing this now."
"I know." Xue Bai said: "That's what I think. What if Fenghui Bank is owned by the imperial court?"
Yan Zhenqing was stunned and speechless for a long time.
Why Xue Bai was able to usurp the throne was obviously because of his achievements. But the most fundamental reason was his secret strength. He secretly made copper coins, iron tools, gunpowder, and used teahouses and restaurants like Fengweilou to get information. More importantly, Fenghui
Banks can control a large part of the money exchanges around the world.
To say that Xue Bai's foundation in the court is not stable is only superficial. In fact, Xue Bai's deepest foundation is Fenghui Xing, and now he wants to hand it over?
It was difficult to answer this question. Yan Zhenqing was also worried that Xue Bai was testing him, so he thought about it and asked a question.
"Does Du Erniang agree?"
"If the imperial court can give her an official position, she will definitely agree."
"If a woman becomes an official, she will never succeed."
Yan Zhenqing shook his head, thinking that Xue Bai did not sincerely attribute Fenghui Xing to the imperial court.
"It all depends on the people." Xue Bai said: "Since Du Jin can manage Fenghui Bank to such an extent, she must have the talent to be an official. At least she is much better than most of the people in the court who are sitting on a plain diet."
Gradually, Yan Zhenqing understood what Xue Bai meant.
If Fenghui Bank is state-owned, it will be equivalent to the imperial court having a yamen that specializes in managing money and lending, and it will also be involved in the country's tax accounting. This process of integration is also the process of Xue Bai expanding his own power.
In other words, Xue Bai never gave up his political demands. He wanted to build a sea-going ship and Zhongshu didn't agree, so he built it privately; he wanted to inspect the world and all the officials didn't agree, so he started by going to Luoyang; he wanted to
The imperial court also had its own methods for issuing spring seedling loans.
What happens next? Changes in the tax system, imperial examinations, and even the suppression of wealthy families.
Yan Zhenqing could feel Xue Bai's ambition, but his worry was getting deeper and deeper.
"I'm afraid now is not the time to do this."
"I have been on the throne for three years, is it not the right time?" Xue Bai said: "I can wait for another three years, but will my father-in-law support me then?"
Yan Zhenqing was silent.
If he wanted to speak his mind, he hoped that Xue Bai would wait twenty, thirty, or even longer years before making changes.
By then, few people in the world and hundreds of officials in the imperial court will remember the secret history between the Tianbao period and the early Zhengxing period. The Li and Tang Dynasties will be stable. Even a new king named Li Zuo will ascend the throne, and there will be no future troubles.
Perhaps, he had another consideration in mind, that is, he did not want Xue Bai to become a powerful emperor. Powerful people usually do whatever they want and did not like to be restrained.
If Xue Bai carries out drastic changes, it will inevitably affect the interests of the world's aristocratic families. Just say that the Spring Miao Loan is for land annexation. If the reforms fail and cause chaos, the opponents will first attack Xue Bai's weaknesses. Contradictions
Under the intensification, when Xue Bai realizes that Li Qian's identity has become his weakness, he may risk it; and even if the change succeeds, Xue Bai will become a more powerful emperor.
No matter how you look at it, the risk of subverting the country is greater than its benefits.
But, can it be stopped?
After pondering for a long time, Yan Zhenqing spoke, but changed the subject and said: "Your Majesty has great ambitions and cannot be without talented people to help him. Why not ask Li Mi to come out?"
After Li Heng's death, Li Mi became an official and retired.
This is also a person who is loyal to Li Tang. Yan Zhenqing has been worried a lot recently, so before coming here, he had thought of asking Li Mi to help him.
Xue Bai said: "I'm afraid I can't convince him anymore."
Yan Zhenqing said: "Perhaps I can give it a try."
"That's fine."
Both wanted to test each other, but in the end neither made it clear.
At the end, when Yan Zhenqing left, Xue Bai walked out of the Xuanzheng Hall and watched him walking down the steps step by step, feeling gradually unbearable.
When facing Li Longji, Xue Bai said that sooner or later when his achievements are great enough, he can tell the world about his life experience. He feels that as long as the family and country are rich and the people in the world live well, it does not matter what his surname is.
What. People have always been concerned about their own lives. Who he is is not important to them at all.
Because Xue Bai has always been an ambitious and selfish person. His desire for civil and martial arts to make people in the world live a better life is not entirely out of public motives, but a sense of accomplishment that keeps climbing upwards.
If his achievements could surpass the emperor's surname, it would make him tremble with excitement.
But lately, he has often been thinking about what would happen to Yan Zhenqing if that day comes. Will he die for the Li Tang clan, or will he be happy for the prosperity of his family and country?
In other words, for Xue Bai himself, if he really has such achievements, does it matter whether he exposes it or not?
Does he still care about what the world thinks?
He realized that he cared more about what Yan Zhenqing thought.
~~
"Mr. Yan!"
"Mr. Yan!"
Just as Yan Zhenqing walked out of the palace gate, he suddenly heard the eunuch's call behind him.
He turned around, and a young eunuch quickly ran to him and said, "Please stay here, Mr. Yan. Your Majesty will be here soon."
"What do you mean?"
Yan Zhenqing was very puzzled, but still stopped and waited for a while.
Afterwards, I saw Xue Bai dressed in casual clothes and leaving the palace in an ordinary robe. He came to him and said, "How about we walk together today?"
"How could your Majesty be so ridiculous?!" Yan Zhenqing whispered, as if he wanted to remonstrate.
"Teacher, do you remember taking me outside the city to catch runaway households?" Xue Bai said, "I haven't seen those farmers for a long time."
After hearing this, Yan Zhenqing sighed slightly, nodded, and actually took Xue Bai out of the palace in disguise.
The two of them left the city directly from Chunming Gate and walked towards Tiangan, chatting casually as they walked.
"Teacher, do you believe what I said there is a continent on the other side of the sea?"
"How can you be sure?"
"I am convinced." Xue Bai said: "I want to make an agreement with the teacher, is it possible?"
"What's the agreement?"
"If the teacher can trust me and support me without sparing any effort, I can make the teacher achieve what he wishes."
Yan Zhenqing stopped and asked, "Do you know what I want in my heart?"
When he asked this question, he felt a little uneasy in his heart.
Because if this matter is exposed, it will prove that Xue Bai already knew that Guo Suo was arranged by him, and it will prove that he did not deceive Xue Bai in the end.
However, Xue Bai did not answer this question. He picked a willow branch and read a poem softly.
"The Tang Dynasty existed in Zhaozhao, and God provided for all nations. The ancestors obeyed the orders, and the four sects followed the rules..."
Yan Zhenqing was in a trance for a moment after hearing this.
He could not determine Xue Bai's views on life experience from this poem, but he could determine Xue Bai's views on the Tang Dynasty from it.
When he heard the words "Great-grandson Jixu, Xiangshen Peiji" that followed, he was even more relieved.
As long as things proceed in this direction, it is the best outcome for him.