"Now that Jinyang has been settled, there are still frequent wars. It is not appropriate to engage in large-scale wars in official positions. Generally speaking, the old system can be used, or there may be changes. You can watch it. As long as you tell me the whole story, I will definitely be right..."
Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo sat at attention, listening carefully to Li Po's words.
This is the final verdict. After several days of deliberations, these are what they want.
Perhaps in the next few years, these words will gradually become the custom of the official circles of the two states. You must remember them word by word. After you go back, you must also ponder them carefully, because you still have to say them to the people below.
Regardless of whether it is ancient, present or future, if an official does not have such a mentality, he will not be able to go far in the officialdom.
As the lights flickered, Li Po was deep in thought and tired, but he still had to calm down, sort out each word in his mind, and then declare it to his mouth. The drama in the morning had long since disappeared from his mind.
At this time, do you make some cynical remarks to lighten the atmosphere? At the same time, do you decide on such a major issue as the official system?
Forget it, he really doesn't have that kind of "talent and strategy", and these two people in front of him are definitely not easy to fool. They will never think how funny you are. If you don't respect them, they won't respect you either.
For you, the consequences may be serious.
"However, the recommended system has been used for hundreds of years and has many drawbacks. You and I have seen it with our own eyes and cannot help but notice it."
"I believe that under my rule, any recommendation must be recorded in the record. If the recommended person is involved in rebellion, corruption, bribery, etc., the recommended person must be punished."
"Secondly, it is said that one should not avoid relatives when promoting virtuous people. Hey, there are many selfish people in the world... Therefore, under my rule, relatives must avoid this suspicion, and they must not recommend brothers, nephews and other blood-related people. Once committed, it will be selfish.
A serious crime must be committed against his family."
"Thirdly, I will set up a department in the General Manager's Mansion. All new officials must go to the General Manager's Mansion. Their virtues and talents must be verified in person, so that they can be used with confidence in the future.
Three times in a row, the recommended person has failed to pass this test, so this person’s vision is not good enough, and he is not allowed to recommend others in the future.”
Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo both nodded repeatedly, and these points were not surprising.
The recommendation system is the foundation of the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System and is also its most important component.
Until the early years of the Sui Dynasty, after hundreds of years, the development had actually been very complete. What Li Po said was that he only clearly defined a few rules on it.
These rules are actually part of the Nine-Rank Zhongzheng System and are the threshold of the recommendation system.
It's just that throughout the dynasties, most of them have been unwritten hidden rules. Some people abide by them, and some people ignore them.
Fewer and fewer people abide by these unwritten rules, and the clans gradually become interconnected. With their deep roots, these rules have become the swords of the clans. They are used when the parties are united and opposed, and they are used up.
Just put it aside, no one cares about it at all.
If these conditions can really be implemented in the two states, then some loopholes in the recommendation system can be plugged and people will have some concerns.
However, it did not touch the interests of the wealthy families too much. It can be said that this is a relatively mild political policy.
What Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo agreed with was definitely not the conditions proposed by Li Po. What they agreed with was Li Po's attitude.
It is said that governing a big country is like cooking small dishes. This is actually the truth.
Acting vigorously and resolutely sometimes does not represent efficiency, but the desire for quick success and instant benefit. This is not a good thing when it comes to governance. Step by step, spring breeze changes into rain, which is the norm.
Li Po looked at the two guys with happy faces and curled his lips inwardly. For him, no system was actually important. All he wanted was stability.
The imperial examination system may cause chaos, so it should be abandoned. The recommendation system can stabilize places like Jinyang, so use it.
It's an easy multiple-choice question, plus some prerequisites, so that these ethnic groups in Jinyang don't get too proud.
Generally speaking, he himself understands that the things he proposed can be said to be lackluster, but as long as it can make everyone feel at ease, then he might as well do it...
But having said that, compromise is compromise, and he didn't want to make it easy for the Jinyang rich people who were obsessed with pursuing official positions. Li Po rolled his eyes, suddenly clapped his hands, and said: "Speaking of this, I remembered one thing.
Come."
"Each family has extensive land and many slaves. No matter whether it is household registration or land tax, there are difficulties, right?"
Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other again, before Chen Xiaoyi nodded and said, "The manager wants to... imitate Emperor Wen, conduct detailed checks on household registrations, and collect land taxes from wealthy families?"
This is about the achievements of Emperor Wen Yang Jian. These two items alone caused the world's population and land tax to increase dramatically, laying the foundation for Emperor Wen's rule.
It was not until the last years of Emperor Wen that these collapsed, and by the Daye period, there was no need to mention them.
Emperor Yang Guang of the Sui Dynasty no longer cared about household registration, but began to levy taxes on the clans. Especially during the three conquests of Goguryeo, Yang Guang went crazy. Almost half of the grain and rice collected from Jiangnan came from the wealthy families in Kansai and Jiangnan.
This made them complain and completely shook the foundation of the Sui Dynasty.
At this time, Li Po brought up this matter, which made Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo feel excited. This is one of the most sensitive nerves in aristocratic families.
Emperor Wen dared to do it because he had the power to rule the world and no one else dared to disobey him.
If the current two states did this, what would be the consequences? Just thinking about it made their hearts beat wildly.
Looking at the appearance of the two of them, Li Po chuckled twice.
"I will talk about this first. There is no rush. Since there are precedents to follow, it is not something that cannot be done. I have been fighting for many years and have seen countless tragic scenes. So, in my opinion, there is no such thing as
Food is a more precious thing."
"But now, we are all moving here and there, but there is not even a trace of taxes... People in Jinyang City just want to be officials, how can they do it if they don't give something?"
"You guys go back and discuss this matter. Small households have to collect land taxes, and big households have enough to eat and drink, so you don't care about anything?"
"It just so happens that the Wang family is about to amend the law and let them add some clauses to the tax. Haha, even if the Wang family proposes it, well, there is no rush. In two years, I want to see the actual
There are feasible strategies, but at the same time, the wind must be heard. I don’t want to hear too many objections, do you understand?”
Is there anything unclear about this? Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo raised their hands at the same time and said, "Don't worry, manager, this is something that benefits the country and the people. I will definitely try my best to accomplish it."
One said: "The general manager wants to take a long-term plan. We dare not refuse. We only hope that the general manager can treat it carefully and not to rush."
Li Po returned the greeting with his hands raised and said sincerely: "I heard someone say that the world belongs to the people of the world. There may be differences between high and low, or there may be differences between rich and poor. However, those with more strength will win, and those with less strength will decline. This is not true.
The principle of transfer."
"I can make the rich and powerful families rich and prosperous, and the common people can be well clothed, fed, and warmed by me. Everyone regards my rule as their home, so they can help me achieve my goals. You can help me. You should understand this principle and act accordingly.
Don’t be biased based on whether you are rich or poor.”
"From now on, when your family is prosperous, my family will be prosperous. When your family is declining, it will be the decline of my family..."
Having said this, Li Po laughed loudly, slapped the table and said: "Cao Mengde once said, I would rather teach me to betray the world than teach the world to betray me. This is what a hero says. I, as long as others don't betray me,
, I will live up to you."
Wen Yanbo raised his thick eyebrows, feeling excited and thinking, compared with Cao Mengde, this is a great ambition.
Chen Xiaoyi stood up directly, dusted off his robes, and bowed deeply, "We must keep the words of the general manager in mind. It is said that a scholar dies for a confidant. The general manager entrusted me with a heavy responsibility. If you believe it, how dare we?"
Why don’t you just give up and die exhausted?”
Li Po smiled, his eyes flickering, showing some cunning, "Don't be like this, I'm not just telling you, I'm telling the people of Bingdai and other states. Now that the world is in chaos, you come and I go, sir.
There is loyalty to speak of.”
"For a long time, everyone has accepted it as common sense, so how can it become so? There are many people under my command, and I want them to understand that under my rule, it is not a place where they can come and leave whenever they want...
"
……………………
On a winter night, the stars are twinkling and the chill is enveloping.
Chen Xiaoyi and Wen Yanbo quietly walked out of the house together.
Before arriving at the gate of the mansion, the servants who had been waiting there rushed forward and surrounded the two people on their horses. The two people said goodbye with their hands far away.
Up to this point, they had not said another unnecessary word, but their hearts were already spinning a thousand times.
In the end, they came to similar conclusions.
Combining kindness and power, this is probably the result that person wants to get.
There are too many ethnic groups in Jinyang, and they are very unruly. Some are tentative, some are surrendering, some are deliberately causing trouble, some are arrogant, and some are humble. Over the past few days, they have met countless people of all kinds and have a deep understanding of this.
And after this conversation, the two of them are almost confident. How to grasp the right balance depends on their respective talents.
On the way back to the mansion, Chen Xiaoyi breathed a long sigh of relief.
He beat his waist, shook his head, and sighed secretly, time is not forgiving, if he were twenty years younger... not only ten years, but ten years, with the current talent, how far could he go?
It's really hard to say.
And Chen Xiaoyi...it's a pity that he spent too much time in that damn place in Dongdu.
Wen Yanbo, who was on the other side, tore off his cloak and threw it to the servant. He just wanted to take a quick breath to cool down his burning heart.
His only regret is that his brother never stayed in Jinyang. Otherwise, with the two of them here, brothers working together, and meeting the Ming Dynasty, the Jinyang Wen family will undoubtedly become a wealthy family sooner or later.