Song Gexing

Chapter 163 Discussing Reform with Wang Anshi

Wang Anshi was shocked and looked at Zhao Fang in horror. This is a heart-breaking statement!

After being silent for a long time, he asked unwillingly: "There is a solution to what His Highness said. I wonder if I can let you know more about it?"

He avoided the sensitive topic and returned directly to the original topic.

Zhao Fang smiled and didn't make things difficult for him. He looked at him and said seriously: "Gu's plan is to refer to the bank and set up an institution dedicated to lending money to farmers. The common people of our country can change the name. Gu Gu has thought of using the title of Agricultural Bank of China, what do you think?"

The history-recorded bank of later generations began in the Ming Dynasty, but the appearance of cultural relics tells us that there was already a bank in the Northern Song Dynasty, and it was official.

Let's talk about the paper money of the Northern Song Dynasty. The official government had exchange offices in important transportation hubs and counties. The name was Qianzhuang. A copper coin worth a hundred coins was also minted for exchange.

This kind of coin was unearthed in later generations, and it was clearly engraved with the four characters Da Song Qianzhuang. No one but the official dared to use Da Song as the inscription.

Not to mention that Zhao Fang re-issued banknotes and improved the exchange rate. Song Dynasty banks have spread all over the world, but they are still used to exchange coins and have no functions of saving or borrowing money.

Wang Anshi was stunned. Of course he knew about the bank, but what did this have to do with lending? The Song Dynasty Bank was not responsible for lending, but only for exchanging banknotes.

Seeing that he didn't understand, Zhao Fang waved to him, handed him a piece of information and said, "This is written by me alone. Regarding the structure and operation mode of the bank, you can read it before talking about it."

Unknowingly, after reading the thick stack of paper, Wang Anshi looked up at Zhao Fang, his eyes full of disbelief, but his expression was filled with excitement.

"Your Highness is a great talent! This strategy can not only solve the needs of the people, but also increase revenue for the national treasury. It can also prevent local corrupt officials from reaching out. It is truly a good way to save the world!"

Zhao Fang shook his head and said: "The plan is good, but it is difficult to eliminate corruption. What is even more difficult is who is willing to work there. I have said that scholar-bureaucrats are aloof and unwilling to do business, and setting up a bank requires a large number of professionals. There is no such thing as So easy!”

Wang Anshi was very excited at this moment, and immediately retorted: "It all depends on people! How can Your Highness be timid before taking action? I volunteer to relieve Your Highness' worries!"

Zhao Fang nodded noncommittally and said, "Wang Qing, let me tell you first, what else do you have in mind? Although the book of ten thousand words doesn't make it clear, there can't be only one Qingmiao method, right?"

Wang Anshi was startled. His own Green Seedling Method was no longer working. Is it necessary to talk about the rest?

But the prince had to answer the question. He pondered for a moment and said, "There are also market exchange laws and equalization laws, as well as some ideas for changes in the military system. If your highness is willing to listen, I will tell you."

Zhao Fang smiled while listening. It seemed that Lao Wang had also made changes. His reforms did not include several of the reforms that had been implemented in history.

Things like the Service Exemption Law, the Farmland Equalization Tax Law, and the Farmland Water Conservancy Law are all gone. Also, these were all involved in the Qingli New Deal process, so there is no need to change them again.

Zhao Fang waited for him to explain the remaining two items in detail, then clapped his hands and agreed: "I support you with these two new policies, but you still have to pay attention to one thing, that is to deceive the subordinates and conceal the superiors. After all, these two items are all about making money. , it is very easy for others to take advantage of you, so I suggest you find like-minded people and make a careful calculation before submitting your report."

Wang Anshi was immediately overjoyed. After the Qingmiao Law was attacked by him, he thought that the prince might not like his reform strategy. Unexpectedly, these two items were immediately recognized.He nodded quickly and said: "I understand. What Your Highness said is to prevent the slightest change. It should be implemented after careful calculation. I will find wise men to make detailed calculations together."

Zhao Fang smiled and said: "Reform cannot be accomplished overnight, but neither can we rest on our laurels. Who knows whether the good methods now will still be suitable in a few decades. We should keep this in mind when doing politics. Yi said: Gou is new every day, and new every day, and new every day. ! These words are true and must be remembered.”

Wang Anshi paused and bowed again: "Your Highness's kind words, I will take them to heart!"

"Let's talk about the army. I just finished changing the military establishment in the first half of the year. There are still some shortcomings. It just confirms each other."

Hearing Zhao Fang turn the topic to the army, Wang Anshi sat down and pondered for a while and said: "I have summarized several things over the years, but some of them have been changed by His Highness, such as the reduction of troops. Your Highness did it more thoroughly than I did, and there are Regarding the local protection of armor, I think your highness’s military reform seems to be based on the Tang Dynasty’s intention to protect the armor, so I’m afraid this method of protecting armor will not be used. The only three remaining ones are the law of generals, the law of protecting horses and the law of weapons supervision.”

As he spoke, he explained his various measures, why he needed to change them, how he should change them, etc.

Zhao Fang shook his head and said: "It's not the government army system that is gone. Although the government soldiers are strong, they are too wasteful of money and food. They can only raise elite soldiers and cannot be spread throughout the country."

Then he glanced at Wang Anshi and continued: "Your armor protection method, if Ruo Gu guessed correctly, is for rural soldiers."

Wang Anshi nodded and said, "Yes!"

Zhao Fang pondered: "Baojia is actually necessary, but we cannot force it and can only call for volunteers. People can practice during their leisure time, but if we force them to train every few days, it is a bit overwhelming. After all, people have to support their families." , If a person can't even support his family, how can you talk about being loyal to the emperor and patriotic?"

Wang Anshi wanted to refute, but he opened his mouth. He really didn't know how to refute. After trying to save others, he found that if he had to bend his waist for five buckets of rice every day, he wouldn't care about the flood outside.

"Besides, the art of generals is indeed a good way to solve the problem of soldiers who do not know the generals and generals who do not know the soldiers, but it is not enough."

Zhao Fang continued to comment, and Wang Anshi was stunned when he heard it, "Isn't that enough? Is His Highness more radical than myself?"

Ignoring his stunned look, Zhao Fang continued: "Actually, everyone knows that the reason why the soldiers of the Song Dynasty did not know the generals and the generals did not know the soldiers was not that the soldiers were not brave, nor that the generals were incompetent, nor that the training was inadequate, but because of Emperor Taizu's The loss of military power over a glass of wine was caused by Emperor Taizong's emphasis on civil affairs and neglect of military affairs."

Wang Anshi opened his mouth in shock. He really didn't know whether he should answer or not. Neither yes nor no was appropriate. Even though he was so arrogant that his ancestors were not lawful and people's words were not fearful, he was still a loyal Confucian scholar in his heart.

This is a naked criticism of the late emperor, and he was also the founder of the Song Dynasty. He really didn't have the courage. In fact, no one in the world had the courage, except Zhao Fang, the son of the dragon, who could say it.

But even the emperor Zhao Zhen didn't dare to say that the prince was not stingy. Of course, this is what Wang Anshi thinks now.

Seeing that he was sweating profusely, Zhao Fang smiled and said: "Let's not talk about this first. Let's talk about the horse protection method. This one by Gu Jue is the most inappropriate. It's not that there are no horses in the Song Dynasty. Please treat it as a horse protection method." Judge Guoqun Mu should know that the Song Dynasty is not suitable for raising horses. Even if they are raised, they cannot be used as war horses. It is better not to raise them and just buy them. If there are not enough in Tubo, why not go to Dali? Try it? I checked all the information since the Song Dynasty and found that we actually ignored Dali Kingdom’s request. I’m afraid we don’t even know that Dali Kingdom also has horses, right?”

(End of this chapter)