Zhang Anshi is actually not worried about Gao Xiang. He is a mature old official who acts steadily but also cautiously.
The most important thing is that all the officials in the right governor's mansion have hope.
For the lower-level officials, with the achievements of the New Deal, their future will surely improve. With the motivation for promotion, everyone has exerted their best efforts.
For Gao Xiang, what he is pursuing now is to be famous in history.
Being famous in history may seem illusory, but for people of this era, it is a huge temptation.
The success or failure of the New Deal determines a person's merits and demerits thousands of years later. Success will be admired by future generations, while failure will be infamy for eternity. It is related to more than just one's own value for the reputation after death?
In fact, this is actually the importance of family concept in this era. The ancients valued the family and their children and grandchildren. If the reputation was not good, the children and grandchildren would be ashamed to talk about it. You know, the descendants of the ancient noble families were happy to talk about their ancestors.
Therefore, the reputation of ancestors is very important.
Zhang Anshi actually doesn't care about these frivolous things. For a person who has lived for two generations, the only thing Zhang Anshi thinks about is to leave something behind. As for how the traces left behind are judged by others, it doesn't matter.
After all, there are too many cognitive reversals in human beings. Even Qin Hui can be washed from black to white. Most of the so-called glorious images in history can be found with a microscope. But those thugs who frequently massacre cities, people
But most of them are not too harsh, but find some so-called true temperament in their words and deeds.
It can be seen that the so-called posthumous reputation is just a joke.
The next day, a guest came to Qixia.
This guest actually comes often, once every two months, but in the past, he brought with him the guards of the East Palace, but now he brings with him a young army.
Xia Xuan and Jin Dazhou led a group of captains to accompany the emperor's grandson. They were happy to come to Qixia, not only to feel the excitement here, but most importantly, they were always planning to do some business.
People like the Three Evils in the capital who are not very smart can make a fortune, there is no reason why people like them with good blood cannot.
As for Zhu Zhanji, at first he came here just to see the charms again and again, just to have fun.
Later, I just wanted to go out to relax and meet my uncle.
Uncle and nephew meet.
Zhang Anshi was very happy as always, and said happily: "My dear Zhanji, you are finally here. I heard that you have been distracted while studying recently, right?"
Zhu Zhanji nodded and said: "I read "Zi Zhi Tong Jian" all day long. I have read it thoroughly, but you have to teach me to recite it backwards. It is really hateful."
Zhang Anshi sighed with emotion: "Those who can achieve great things have always been good at studying and not asking for deep explanations. Those who just memorize will nine-tenths of the time, the ones they teach will be mediocre talents. Zhanji, in a few days, I will think of a way to speak to His Majesty.
A few words. What is your new master’s name?”
"My surname is Wang, and my name is Wang Tong. My uncle must prosecute him properly."
Zhang Anshi, however, frowned: "What are you talking about? I just reported it truthfully. What does it mean to act like a high-ranking official? It makes me look like a sycophant."
Zhu Zhanji frowned and said, "But..."
Zhang Anshi quickly covered his mouth: "Okay, when you come to Qixia, talk less and watch more."
When Zhang Anshi let go, Zhu Zhanji responded obediently: "Oh."
Zhang Anshi became the warm and amiable uncle again, and said with a smile: "Where do you want to see the excitement today?"
"I...I want to take a look at the school."
"Um?"
Zhu Zhanji said: "I heard that many children in Qixia study. I want to see how they go to school."
Zhang Anshi simply said: "This is easy to handle, my uncle will arrange it."
Zhang Anshi is always willing to accommodate any reasonable request made by Zhu Zhanji.
It's never a bad thing to let him know more.
Not long after, the uncle and nephew came to a school together.
This school is very ordinary, located in a busy city.
Zhu Zhanji asked curiously: "Uncle, why is the location of the school so noisy?"
Zhang Anshi shrugged and said, "You can't blame them. When this primary school was built, it was still very remote. But who would have known that in just two years, this place would become lively."
There was the sound of reading aloud inside. Since it was a small school, they were just reciting some arithmetic formulas.
Zhu Zhanji said: "What they teach is really simple."
Zhang Anshi and Zhu Zhanji were standing in front of the window, with their hands behind their backs. The person in charge of the school and other teachers had already been invited by the captains to have tea. The others stepped away, and only the two of them looked inside through the window.
There were seventy or eighty children on the packed desks, crammed into the small classroom and continuing to read aloud.
Zhang Anshi lowered his voice and said: "When you were at this age, you didn't learn arithmetic seriously! When they reach your age, they will have to learn deeper knowledge. Do you know the principles of algebra and geometry?"
Zhu Zhanji said: "What I learned is different from them."
Zhang Anshi smiled and said: "Skills have specializations, so don't underestimate others."
Zhu Zhanji watched for a while, and then followed Zhang Anshi to the small school grounds outside the classroom and walked around.
Zhu Zhanji stepped on the gravel in this small school ground and suddenly said: "Uncle... I heard people say that you are uneducated and have no skills..."
Seeing Zhang Anshi furious.
Zhu Zhanji added: "But Master Yang Pu also said that under my uncle's rule, many children were studying. Scholar Yang Pu said that only saints can do such things, but I look at my uncle...not like a saint.
"
Zhang Anshi said in surprise: "Scholar Yang really said that?"
Zhu Zhanji nodded in confirmation.
Zhang Anshi sighed with emotion: "Why does this guy keep exposing me?"
Zhu Zhanji said: "Master Yang Pu also said that only people with benevolence and righteousness in their hearts can do such a thing. They are people who care about the common people and have compassion..."
Zhang Anshi waved his hand: "Okay, okay, that's enough. It makes me have a headache."
Zhu Zhanji tilted his head and looked at him and said, "Mr. Yang Pu is praising my uncle."
Zhang Anshi said: "It doesn't matter if he praises you, but...you can't believe these nonsense."
Zhu Zhanji was surprised and said: "Uncle, did he say it wrong?"
"It's a big mistake." Zhang Anshi said seriously: "It doesn't rely on mercy and righteousness to get people to study."
Zhu Zhanji was very curious and asked: "What do you rely on?"
"Benefits!" Zhang Anshi said.
If it were Yang Pu who came here in person and saw Zhang Anshi instilling this into Zhu Zhanji, he would probably get a black eye.
Zhu Zhanji seemed to be particularly interested in such strange talk.
So he encouraged Zhang Anshi: "Uncle, why is it profit?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Because after people read, they can engage in more sophisticated work and have greater value. Because of this, I do everything possible to encourage them to read."
Zhu Zhanji said: "What uncle means is... they study... is it good for uncle?"
"That's right." Zhang Anshi said without hesitation: "The so-called benevolence and righteousness, or relying on sympathy and mercy, or even the so-called enlightenment of saints, cannot allow people to consistently let the most ordinary people's children enter the school to study.
."
After a pause, he continued: "Look, over the past thousands of years, how many ordinary people in the world have been able to read? Aren't those who read all the children of aristocratic families?"
After Zhu Zhanji heard this, his expression became serious and he looked thoughtful.
Zhang Anshi continued: "The so-called benevolence and righteousness is nothing but sympathy. It is like a rich man seeing someone else naked and feeling pity, so he gave him some food and clothing. But can the world be peaceful by encouraging the rich to do good deeds?
?If this was enough, then the world would have been able to live and work in peace and contentment long ago."
Zhu Zhanji nodded and said, "Uncle is right, so...how can we do it?"
Zhang Anshi said: "Only when people feel that they are noble can they give alms to others. Charity cannot last long. Looking at the past dynasties, there are many people who have compassion, or gentlemen who know benevolence, justice and integrity, but how many people can they benefit?
What? There may be ten or hundreds of families they help, but how many people are hiding out of sight, with no clothes on their bodies, and no food to eat?"
As he spoke, Zhang Anshi touched Zhu Zhanji's head and continued earnestly: "But the benefits are different. The benefits are permanent. If you approach education with a charity attitude, then it will always be a matter of seeking fish in a tree. But
If you have a utilitarian mentality, there is a chance of success in this matter."
Zhang Anshi looked at him deeply and said: "Just like you kid, if you think in the future that the people are so pitiful and your children cannot study, and you must make all the children of the world study, then this matter will definitely end in a joke.
But you might as well think about it, so many people are not studying and their output is low. If this continues, how many taxes will the Ming Dynasty be able to levy with these people? How many people can Qixia's business sell the goods it produces? After you think about it like this
, then there is hope for success in this matter.”
Zhu Zhanji looked at him steadily and asked, "Uncle, why is this?"
Zhang Anshi said: "It's very simple, because... these people don't actually need charity. Apart from satisfying the so-called self-spirit of some rich people, charity does not have much benefit to the entire world. You are utilitarian
If you look at this matter and create opportunities for them to change their destiny and improve their lives by reading books, then there is no need for you to urge these people. Even if they live frugally, they still have to provide for their children to study."
"The so-called heart of benevolence and righteousness is nothing more than treating oneself as a saint and a gentleman, and treating the common people as nothing more than grassroots, because they are like cattle and horses. They must be motivated by their own compassion or some kind of morality in their own saintly studies.
, can improve the situation of the common people. This is just the trick of princes and generals, but you have to know that in fact, these ordinary people, apart from their poor background and poor family background, are actually the same as the so-called ministers in this dynasty.
no difference."
Having said this, Zhang Anshi raised his hand, pointed at Xia Xuan and Jin Dazhou who were standing in the distance, and said: "Have you seen those two fools? If they are not the sons of Xia Gong and Jin Gong, I'm afraid they will have nothing to do with these people.
Compared with the children of ordinary people, they are far inferior."
"So, if you want to do anything, the first thing you have to do is not to have a so-called charity mentality. If you want to accomplish something, the first thing you have to do is to treat them as a person. You just need to put yourself in their shoes.
Think about what people like you will think and worry about after you promulgate a law, these people who seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, then try to solve these concerns as much as possible, and then use utilitarianism to spur them.
They will naturally follow you and flock to you, so whatever you want to do will be successful."
Zhu Zhanji listened carefully and said: "I seem to understand that the reason why Qixia is like this is because it is beneficial to my uncle and these people. Because of this, everything falls into place."
"Smart!" Zhang Anshi praised him without hesitation, looked at him happily and said: "As expected of my nephew, he is the son of my Zhang family."
Zhu Zhanji continued to ask: "But uncle, is this kindness, justice and integrity really useless?"
Zhang Anshi immediately shook his head and said: "Of course benevolence, justice and integrity are good, but benevolence, justice and integrity are only used to regulate oneself, it is an internal thing. But if one talks about benevolence, justice, integrity and shame to restrain others, then this person... must not have
Benevolence and righteousness, nine times out of ten, are without shame."
Zhu Zhanji said: "But my uncle always taught me to be filial..."
Zhang Anshi suddenly became angry and raised his voice: "We are talking about benevolence, justice and integrity, but we are not talking about loyalty and filial piety. Can loyalty and filial piety be the same as benevolence, justice and integrity? Zhanji, you are confused..."
Zhu Zhanji hurriedly lowered his head and said, "Okay, okay, uncle, don't be angry."
Zhang Anshi felt relieved when he saw that he was submissive.
Other things can be discussed, but filial piety comes first, which cannot be discussed under any circumstances.
This is the traditional virtue of the Han family. If this is gone, then the thousand-year cultural heritage will be cut off.
By the Mid-Autumn Festival, the collection of summer taxes finally took shape.
At this time, Zhu Chun, the king of Shu, returned to Beijing from Suzhou and passed by Qixia to pay a special visit.
In fact, Zhang Anshi and Zhu Chun didn't have much personal friendship, they just met twice.
However, because we advance and retreat together, our relationship is closer than ordinary people.
Zhang Anshi invited Zhu Chun to the back office. Zhu Chun looked tired from work, with obvious tiredness on his face.
Zhang Anshi said: "How about going to Suzhou this time?"
Zhu Chun was exhausted, but still full of energy. Hearing Zhang Anshi's words, he did not answer immediately. His mind was deeper than ordinary people. He paused and said: "There are some obstacles, but as long as you are willing to work hard, there will be no problem."
The truth cannot be solved.”
Zhang Anshi said: "There are many gentry in the Susong area. People say that this place is where the cultural context is. The so-called cultural context is just that there are more scholars. Precisely because of this, the resistance is also great. But it is my right governor's office.
On the contrary, he is more leisurely. Among the gentry in the prefectures and counties he leads, they are nothing compared to the scholars in Su Song."
Zhu Chun smiled and said: "At first, someone asked me to be the governor-general of the left to govern Yingtianfu, Suzhou, Songjiang and other places. I think this was the purpose."
Hearing this, Zhang Anshi couldn't help but laugh and said: "It's a pity that they miscalculated."
Zhu Chun just smiled and said nothing more.
At that moment, Zhang Anshi had a banquet prepared. After he and Zhang Anshi had a drink, he said, "I still need to go and preside over the summer tax, so I'll take my leave."
Zhang Anshi said: "This time, the Zuo Dudu Mansion should collect a lot of summer taxes."
Zhu Chun laughed: "Where... a rough estimate, it is indeed quite a lot."
However, Zhu Chun did not go into details and said goodbye to Zhang Anshi.
After leaving the Yoududu Mansion, one had to go to the ferry, but Zhu Chun did not get on the bus, but walked directly.
He was walking in the streets of Qixia. At this time, Qixia was different from before.
Halfway through the journey, he couldn't help but sigh: "Whenever the sky is right, Suzhou will be like this, and I will be able to retire with success."
One of the people accompanying him was Chen Qiang, the commander of Chengdu Zuowei.
Chen Qiang said: "Your Highness, these Suzhou gentry are begging for help this time, and they are all swept away. It can be seen that they are at the end of the road, and with Your Highness suppressing them, how can they dare to make mistakes? It won't take long for Your Highness to succeed."
The King of Shu, Zhu Chun, smiled and said, "How many years have you been with me?"
Chen Qiang said respectfully: "I have been a vassal since His Highness, the King of Shu, and I have become a subordinate of His Highness since I humbled myself."
Zhu Chun said: "I have followed this king for so many years, but I am still so confused. You... still can't see through it."
Chen Qiang said in surprise: "Your Highness, please give me some instructions."
Zhu Chun paused and stopped in front of a vendor's stall. This vendor was selling candy figures. There were many children around, but they had no money, so they just watched "Watching Plum Blossoms to Quench Thirst" from a distance.
Zhu Chun said: "Buy some and give them to the children. Don't buy too much. It's not good to eat too much in anything. Give one to each person."
The retinue at the back should step down.
Zhu Chun had already walked away first, and Chen Qiang continued to follow step by step.
Zhu Chun said at this time: "You only saw them kneeling at the feet of my king and crying bitterly. You saw them sweeping the floor and wailing and crying one by one. But have you ever thought about it? If a decent person doesn't even give up his face, he is willing to
Such people are the most terrifying when they are so groveling."
Chen Qiang said in surprise: "Really?"
Zhu Chun said: "If they can do this today, they will dare to kill people tomorrow. It is precisely because of this that I urgently returned to Beijing because I felt something was wrong."
Chen Qiang said disapprovingly: "What else can they do? They are just fish on the chopping board."
Zhu Chun pursed his lips and didn't speak for a long time. Then he said for a long time: "What I am thinking about now is how to deal with it. As for you, a fool like you, who is always willing to eat fish and meat, and what they dare to do, there is no need to mention it again. Such empty words
It is useless to talk too much. To deal with those people, you need to treat them with 120,000 yuan of spirit."
"When I met Duke Wei today, one thing he said was right. The gentry in their right governor's office are nothing compared to the people under their left governor's office. They are nothing to mention."
Chen Qiang said hurriedly: "Yes, yes, Your Highness...how do you plan to deal with it?"
Zhu Chun smiled, his eyes flickering, and in the blink of an eye, murderous intent suddenly appeared.
When his eyes fell on Chen Qiang, his eyes became gentle again, and he said softly: "I hope they don't know how to praise!"