"The food reduction order is understandable from its starting point. In years of famine, we should be diligent and frugal in saving food. Even in years of good harvest, ordinary people believe that we should remain vigilant in times of peace and actively stockpile food to prepare for war. This should be a basic national policy.
"
Yan Shu frowned and said, "In that case, why do you say this is a ridiculous move? Hey, you are still a bit young."
Su Jin bowed his hands to Yan Shu and said: "Master Yan, what I say today is purely from the bottom of my heart, without any disrespect. Just now I saw that the lotus seed and lily soup that the emperor drank only contained three or two lotus seeds and two or three lily slices. In my heart,
I’m really touched, Shengyi Quanquan is purely for the sake of the country, how can it not be respected?”
Zhao Zhen's face softened slightly and he said warmly: "I have been entrusted by the late emperor to take over the country of Song Dynasty. It has thousands of miles of fertile land and tens of millions of people need the protection of the imperial court. Naturally, I dare not take it lightly. The suffering of a little starvation is nothing.
"
Su Jin's face was touched and he said sternly: "Your Majesty has good intentions, but good intentions may also lead to bad things."
Just as Yan Shu was about to be scolded, Zhao Zhen stretched out his hand to stop him and said, "Let him continue. I haven't heard the truth for a long time."
Su Jin bowed to thank you, and at the same time cast an apologetic look at Yan Shu and said: "Master Yan, I am not trying to demolish you. Since I have recommended you, and the emperor asked about this matter, how dare you hold back, so I will put it into my heart today."
It won’t be too late for the Emperor and Master Yan to evaluate and punish the common people after hearing what they said.”
Yan Shu sighed and looked at Su Jin with resentment. At this point, there was nothing more to say.
"Your Majesty, Lord Yan, what the common people say about being diligent and thrifty is not the meal reduction order. Food is the first priority for the people. Since the Li and Tang Dynasties, more than a hundred years have passed, and the people have become accustomed to eating three meals a day, even if it is vegetables.
As long as you can eat tofu, pickles and dumplings, you will be safe and happy. Now you are suddenly only allowed to eat two meals. It’s just that habits are hard to change. Hungry is real. If nothing else, the common people have taken this meal reduction order.
After the order was issued, in order to sympathize with the sufferings of the imperial court, I only had two meals a day, morning and evening. I used to be well fed and clothed, but today I am always hungry. This feeling is really bad. I don’t say anything but I feel resentful in my heart.”
Zhao Zhen and Yan Shu were silent. They actually felt the same way. Not having enough food always made people feel frustrated, as if everything they did was meaningless.
"The grassroots are common people. I believe that most people in the world share the feelings of the grassroots. There is nothing wrong with being frugal, but it is often not easy to grasp the degree of relaxation. It is either a mere formality or overcorrection. This reduction
The meal order is a combination of these two, which is both formal and overcorrected."
Zhao Zhen asked: "How do you say this?"
Su Jindao: "Since there is a law to be promulgated, there must be supporting supervision, reward and punishment measures, and a dedicated person to supervise its implementation. Do you have all of these? If not, then you have to rely on self-consciousness. What is the best thing in the world?
Is it possible to achieve it consciously? Everyone yearns for the Peach Blossom Spring, and people will not close their homes at night unless they pick up things on the road, but who has seen it? In Tao Qian's "Peach Blossom Spring", in the end, you can't even find the road? This shows that this kind of idealized society only exists in the mist.
Among them, or not at all in reality, but the emperor can send people to look outside. Restaurants are still open for three meals a day, and people's homes are still open for three meals a day. Even my driver will run out to the street at noon.
If you buy a dozen steamed buns and eat them to your heart's content, what's the point of such a meal reduction order?"
Zhao Zhen thought thoughtfully and asked: "The reason why I didn't enforce it is because I didn't want to force public opinion. I had already expected this."
Su Jindao: "I understand what the emperor means. A little saving is a little bit. As long as it can alleviate even a little bit of the crisis, it is good; but the imperial court attaches great importance to issuing a meal reduction order but it has such a result. Isn't it harmful?"
Does the emperor’s prestige undermine the majesty of the imperial court?”
Zhao Zhen said: "You mean there should be matching actions, and if you can't execute them voluntarily, then you have to enforce them?"
Su Jin shook his head and said: "No, what the grassroots mean is that the meal reduction order should be abolished."
Zhao Zhen opened his eyes wide and said: "Abolish it? Absolutely not. How can we abolish it before the deadline? This also damages the dignity of the imperial court."
Su Jindao: "This is what I said is overkill. What I just said is a phenomenon. Now the common people are telling the emperor what the biggest drawback of the meal reduction order is. This is also the main reason why the common people suggest that this edict be abolished."
Zhao Zhen couldn't help but listen anymore, so he nodded and said: "Sit down and talk, I heard what you said makes some sense."
Su Jin thanked her and sat down and continued: "Your Majesty, the timing of the meal reduction order is really a failure. If in normal times, the emperor held a one-month meal reduction event every year to promote the trend of frugality, the effect would be more novel and better. But
At this time, something is wrong.”
Zhao Zhen shook his head and said: "In these lean years, how can we say that the time is not good? It is the right time."
Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, don't blame the common people for bluntly saying that this time is definitely the worst time. There are two drawbacks. Please analyze them for Your Majesty."
Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "Just tell me and I'll forgive you if I'm wrong."
Su Jin said: "Thank you, Your Majesty. Let's not talk about the small drawbacks. There are two major drawbacks. These two drawbacks may shake the country."
Yan Shu couldn't help but said: "Don't be sensational. What are you doing with such exaggerated words?"
Su Jin smiled and said: "Don't be upset, Mr. Yan. I'll tell you. The two major drawbacks are foreign troubles and internal troubles. Internal troubles and foreign troubles happen at the same time. The situation is not optimistic. The so-called foreign troubles are the war in the northwest. Although I
The common people are just introduced, but they are always concerned about the honor and disgrace of the Song Dynasty. Yuan Hao's army in the northwest and our army have been facing each other for four years. Until now, the war has subsided. Both sides are recuperating and waiting for action. The emperor's meal reduction order is undoubtedly on the verge of breaking out.
Adding a fire to the calmness.”
Zhao Zhen was surprised and said: "How can you say this?"
Su Jindao: "Does the emperor's edict say that the meal reduction order was issued to promote frugality?"
Zhao Zhen said: "Exactly."
Su Jin said: "Even I can guess that it is an excuse for lack of food. I wonder if Yuan Hao, the leader of the thieves, can guess it?"
Zhao Zhen suddenly realized, and Yan Shu also understood what Su Jin meant. As soon as the meal reduction order came out, he clearly told Yuan Hao that the Song Dynasty was short of food. How could the army talk about fighting without food? Yuan Hao would definitely take the opportunity to attack. It was indeed a foreign invasion.
Got up.
Zhao Zhen said with a trace of luck: "However, the situation in the northwest is stable and there is no major war."
Yan Shu frowned and said: "Your Majesty, Yuan Hao is waiting for time. If I were Yuan Hao, I would definitely wait for my opponent to be hungry and cold to attack. How could I do it in such a hurry? When it snows heavily in the cold winter and I am short of food and grass, then
This is the best time."
Cold sweat trickled down Zhao Zhen's forehead. He realized the seriousness of the problem; he couldn't take chances and speculate that Yuan Hao would not figure out the food shortage in the Song Dynasty. That was gambling. Once he lost the bet, the situation would change.
It must be very bad.
Yan Shu said softly: "Your Majesty, don't be anxious for now. We still have time. Yuan Hao's army won't invade for a while. Han Fan and Han are at the border. As long as the army has enough food, everything will be fine."
Zhao Zhen looked at Su Jin and said, "What about internal worries? What do you mean by internal worries?"
Su Jin said: "Your Majesty, the internal worry is a civil uprising. The meal reduction order has not been issued, and the people's hearts are still relatively stable, because even in years of famine, the court will provide relief to the victims. I believe there are precedents for this, so although there is hunger and cold, it will not lead to a civil uprising.
; But this order is equivalent to telling the people that there is not much food in the official warehouses. Once the people are desperate, they can do anything; for example, this time the Yangzhou mob caused chaos, the crisis should not have happened so early, but it happened
It happened, and it made a big fuss. This can't be solved by killing a few people who took the lead in making trouble. This kind of thing is like a fire in the wilderness. Once it is ignited, a single spark can start a prairie fire. If you don't think about it quickly,
The solution is that internal worries are greater than external ones."
Zhao Zhen sat down in the chair, the color on his face was extremely ugly. As the owner of this land, he made such a mistake in a major decision, how could he not be depressed, decadent, and worried.
Yan Shu was also sweating profusely. It was not that he had not considered this matter, but he had not taken it seriously. Su Jin's slight failure really frightened him.
"Su Jin, how do you think this Yangzhou matter should be handled?"
Zhao Zhenbing went to the doctor in a hurry, forgetting that the person standing in front of him was a sixteen-year-old boy. It was really unreasonable to ask him about such a major national event.
Su Jin said calmly: "Your Majesty, this matter is very simple, just one word: grain. As long as the grain is transported to Yangzhou immediately, the market price will be stabilized, the grain market will be stabilized, and the chaos will disappear."
Zhao Zhen spread his hands and said: "There is a shortage of food everywhere, how can we get food relief?"
Su Jin smiled and said: "Your Majesty, have you forgotten why you asked the common people to come to the capital to see you?"
Zhao Zhen slapped his forehead and laughed at himself: "Concern leads to chaos. Look, I have forgotten the purpose of calling you here. What are your countermeasures? Tell me quickly." dd