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Chapter 493 The icing on the cake

"I usually ride in a sedan, but I chose a four-wheeled carriage when I heard His Majesty's call. The soft sedan is safe and the carriage is fast. Each has its own merits, so there is no difference between the old and the new." But Zhou Daodeng did not intend to surrender, or that he did not want to completely surrender. Surrender, and still try to play both sides without offending.

"It would have been okay if we had been slower a hundred years ago. Now there are continuous droughts in the north, floods in the south, Taicang is empty, and foreigners are eager to try. If we take it more slowly, I am afraid it will be too late. What does Zhou Aiqing think?"

In fact, if the courtiers did not take the initiative to launch a counterattack against the New Deal, Hong Tao did not want to force them to take a stand. It's good to spend it slowly like this. When the New Deal in Guangdong and Fujian is completely stable, then Guangxi or Shandong will be added to expand the influence step by step and gradually eat away at the territory of the die-hard forces.

But plans can never keep up with changes. Bureaucratic capital and stubborn forces are not stupid and do not want to be frogs that are cooked little by little in warm water. Although they lost the initiative and were temporarily unable to face off head-on, their counterattack methods and intensity after discovering the opportunity were still quite powerful. They had no choice but to show their cards in advance and fight to the death.

"...The minister's house has never purchased a carriage, and the driver is also a big expense." Seeing the emperor's decisive attitude, Zhou Daodeng still did not easily choose sides. The more critical the moment, the more he should pay attention to himself. Value must not be sold cheaply.

"Isn't it enough to be the head of the six departments? Once they enter the cabinet, Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe are not good people!"

Dare to bargain directly with the emperor for benefits, Hong Tao felt that he had really underestimated this famous bastard Shangshu. Not only can he move safely among various factions, but he also dares to take advantage of the fire to maximize his interests. He has a lot of vision and courage.

But this offer was a bit overestimating. With Zhou Daodeng's reputation, even if he could barely join the cabinet, he still couldn't compete with Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe. Just being a cabinet bachelor was not necessarily better than the Minister of Civil Affairs.

"If I don't take a sedan but take a car, naturally I can no longer seek stability, but have to seek speed. The new policy will not be implemented only in Guangdong and Fujian. If your Majesty does not give up, I would like to volunteer to follow the example of the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi." At this time. Zhou Daodeng shook his robe and knelt down upright.

"...Li Zhi is not that easy to learn. Not only does he have to be restrained by his colleagues and ostracized by the local gentry and wealthy families, but he also has to be monitored by me at all times. This is the only thing that is criticized by the public. If he makes the slightest mistake, he will be shattered to pieces. You have to think about it!"

This request was completely unexpected by Hong Tao. It was not unusual to take advantage of the opportunity. There was a risk in standing in line. You can't stand in vain. Who would get up early if you don't want to benefit. But Zhou Daodeng actually wanted to be a vanguard in promoting the New Deal, which was a bit of a contrast.

"I am not as good as Li Hongfu in Neo-Confucianism, and not as good as Yuan Liqing in military management, but I think I am as good as anyone in governing the place. Please give me your permission!"

Ever since Zhou Daodeng knelt down, his whole temperament had completely changed. He was no longer the muddle-headed youtiao who just hid when things happened. Instead, he had an ambitious, responsible and somewhat arrogant character. He was somewhat similar to Yuan Keli who had returned to officialdom back then.

"That's not a small tone. Let me ask a question. Where do you think the New Deal should go next?"

Some people's arrogance is bluff, and some people's arrogance is a trough in their chests. In order to further determine whether Zhou Daodeng was making a big political gamble or had real talents and learning, Hong Tao planned to have an in-depth discussion with him on the development of the New Deal.

"I think there are two places to choose from, one is Shandong and the other is Jiangxi. Comparing the two, Shandong is better." Zhou Daodeng seemed to have come prepared and was quite well prepared. He did not hesitate much when facing the emperor's questions. , open your mouth and answer. "Tell me the reason..." If he hadn't suddenly summoned Zhou Daodeng to greet him, Hong Tao would have doubted whether this guy was a lobbyist sent by his opponent to dig a hole for him.

"It stands to reason that the New Deal started in Guangdong, followed by Fujian, and then Zhejiang. Most of Zhejiang has many mountains and few seas, which is very similar to Fujian. However, if the New Deal can be successfully promoted in Fujian, it is not necessarily the case in Zhejiang.

Just because there are many wealthy and distinguished families in the area and it is adjacent to Nanzhili, officials from the two places have been quite powerful in the court since the Ming Dynasty. Soft measures will not be effective, hard measures may lead to civil unrest. Even with the support of the navy, it will not be corrupted for thousands of miles, and the gains will not be worth the losses.

Shandong and Jiangxi are much better. They are both population and tax-rich areas. Whether it is setting up factories or growing wheat and sweet potatoes, there is no shortage of people or land. Compared with Jiangxi, which is closed and has high mountains and long roads, Shandong is not as close to the capital as it is close to the sea and has a good harbor, making it easier to control. "

As soon as these words came out, if anyone said that Zhou Daodeng had no knowledge and skills and relied on evil ways and luck to get into a high position, Hong Tao would immediately give someone a big mouth and drive him out of the court. You're an official with so little eyesight, so go home as soon as possible and don't occupy the latrine.

Not only did Zhou Daodeng carefully study the model and characteristics of the New Deal, he also had to carefully ponder his own style of doing things and draw corresponding answers. His analysis coincided with his own plan, and he even prepared for the worst. Once the implementation of the New Deal was seriously hindered by local forces, the navy would be dispatched to quell the chaos.

"Now I want to hear your opinion on Juzi's murder?" Since there is no difference in the general direction, there is no need to discuss the remaining details here.

The most important thing right now is not how to implement the New Deal in Shandong, but to defuse the opposition's offensive. If this matter is not handled properly, it will not only affect the development momentum of Guangdong and Fujian, but also affect the views of other provinces on the New Deal and the emperor.

"I come from Nanzhili. It's inconvenient for me to say something, and I don't have any good strategies. Please forgive me." It is said that the white flag has been raised to the emperor. Zhou Daodeng should have surrendered more completely, even if he betrayed a few fellow villagers, he would have to do it with all his strength. That's right.

As a result, his performance once again exceeded expectations. He actually wanted to protect the bureaucracy in Southern Zhili, and he did not hesitate to leave the emperor with the impression of disloyalty. This risk was not small.

"Don't you need me to remind you of the difference between providing help in times of need and adding icing on the cake?" Sure enough, the emperor's face sank, and he pointed out the pros and cons in a very explicit way.

"I ask myself that I don't have the ability to provide help in times of need. It's enough to settle for the next best thing and be the icing on the cake." Faced with such a huge temptation, Zhou Daodeng still chose to let go, completely losing the vigor he had just when he was in the vanguard.

"Go back and write down your views on the New Deal in detail and give it to Wang An. Don't move around if you have nothing to do these days." Fortunately, the emperor did not get angry, and the coldness on his face disappeared. He raised his hand and waved lightly to indicate this. The conversation ended.

(End of this chapter)