I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 497: Cotton robes and quilts are given to the poor! Baijia Academy is now owned by the public
Yushitai, inside the courtyard.

Su Liang looked at Sima Guang and Wang Anshi who were arguing over their petition to go to Hehuang to help with the political reform.

Some were dumbfounded.

Other officials tried their best to become officials in the imperial court or to serve as officials in places with prosperous commerce and simple folk customs.

However, these two people would rather serve as officials in places where the difficulty is greater, the conditions are tougher, and the challenge is higher.

The two people's ideas are very forward-looking.

At present, Hehuang really needs someone who is good at reforming the law to carry out reforms, so that several states in Hehuang can quickly be on the same track and axis as other states in the Song Dynasty.

Then after destroying Xia, it would be much easier to reform the people's livelihood in Western Xia.

Su Liang looked at the two of them, also feeling conflicted.

As full participants in the reform of the Song Dynasty, the two were familiar with various reform strategies and knew how to avoid risks, and were both capable of taking on this important task.

But Hehuang is not worth going there for two people.

The two of them came to find Su Liang, naturally wanting to get Su Liang's recommendation.

Who did Su Liang recommend?

Whoever wins is basically sure to win.

"Jiefu, Junshi, the northwest is bitterly cold, and the conditions in the Hehuang region are even more difficult. It will be difficult to return once you leave. It will take at least three years, and at most five years, and you cannot give up halfway. If Xixia also becomes part of the territory of the Song Dynasty, I'm afraid you will have to stay in the northwest for ten years. Can you bear it?"

"Yes!" they said in unison, both very sure.

These two people.

At the moment, one is 35 years old and the other is 33 years old. Both they are at the peak of their lives both physically and mentally.

Su Liang thought about it.

"Junshi is steady and has strong execution ability. I would like to recommend Junshi to go!"

Hear this.

Sima Guang was overjoyed, while Wang Anshi frowned.

The two of them never hide their emotions in front of Su Liang.

"Thank you, Minister Su. I will try my best to make the northwest prosperous!" Sima Guang bowed excitedly.

Wang Anshi curled his lips.

"Brother Jingming, am I... not stable? I am very stable! When I was fifteen, some people called me mature beyond my years!"

"Puchi!" Sima Guang laughed first.

"Are you steady? If it weren't for Brother Jingming's repeated instructions and my participation during the Qizhou Reform, the Qizhou Reform would have turned into Wang Anshi's Reform!"

"Hehuang lacks an official who can implement the current reform strategy, rather than finding another way and establishing new policies. I am naturally more suitable than you." Sima Guang said with a smile.

Sima Guang's words were hurtful, but they were true.

Wang Anshi was good at adapting.

If he went to Hehuang, he might even be able to come up with a new strategy for reform, which could be a good thing, but the risks were also very high.

At present, Hehuang needs to seek stability and completely copy the current reform strategy with minor adjustments.

"I...I...Is seeking innovation and change a bad thing?" Wang Anshi looked unconvinced.

Su Liang looked at Sima Guang and said, "Jun Shi, you go back first. I will enlighten Jiefu and recommend you to the Secretariat in the afternoon."

"Thank you, Prime Minister Su!" Sima Guang left excitedly.

Wang Anshi sat opposite Su Liang with his head down.

Like a willow branch that has been exposed to the scorching sun for an hour.

The whole person is wilted.

Su Liang smiled and said, "If you don't go to Hehuang, do you feel that you are wasting your time in Bianjing City?"

"Isn't it? Any official can do these current official duties. I want to do something big!"

Wang Anshi wanted to catch up with Su Liang and become a saint.

Now that the reforms in the entire Song Dynasty have basically been implemented, and he is not good at military strategy, he originally wanted to go to Hehuang to realize his ambitions.

I never thought that my plan would fail here in Su Liang.

Su Liang looked at him and said slowly, "In the next year at the shortest, or three years at the longest, our dynasty will inevitably have a war with Liao, and it will be a war that will cost the whole country. When we recover Yanyun and destroy Liao, we will also need someone to lead the reform there. I think you are qualified for the job!"

"what?"

Wang Anshi stood up instantly and looked at Su Liang with great excitement.

"Brother Jingming, do you think I am more suitable... more suitable to reform the Liao Kingdom?"

Transforming the Liao Kingdom is much more difficult than transforming Hehuang and Xixia.

If it can be accomplished, it will be a great achievement.

Wang Anshi liked this kind of difficult task that was difficult for anyone to accomplish.

Su Liang nodded.

If the Song Dynasty successfully conquered the Liao Dynasty, managing the Khitans and Jurchens would be a very difficult and complicated task.

Su Liang felt a headache just thinking about it.

But he believed that Wang Anshi was capable of doing the job and could do it very well.

"How is it? Are you satisfied? And Junshi can no longer compete with you!"

"Haha, satisfied, satisfied."

Wang Anshi was so happy that his mouth almost split to his ears.

Su Liang looked at Wang Anshi, who was smiling, and said, "It's enough for you and I to know about this matter. We can talk about it later."

"I understand. The one who understands me is Brother Jingming!"

Wang Anshi bowed solemnly to Su Liang, then left with great joy.

……

That afternoon.

Su Liang recommended Sima Guang to go to the Hehuang area to serve as the governor of a certain state and implement the overall reform policy of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Zhen and the other ministers of the Secretariat made the decision that day and appointed him as the governor of Minzhou.

Zhao Zhen originally wanted to let him go to Hehuang after a year.

But Sima Guang strongly requested to set off immediately, and three days after the order was issued, he went to Hehuang to take up his post.

Before leaving.

Sima Guang, Wang Anshi and Su Liang drank tea until late at night and had a great time chatting with each other.

……

November 15th.

As the weather got colder, the people in Bianjing City all put on thick clothes.

It was almost dusk, after the government office was dismissed.

Su Liang walked out of the Censorate and was about to take a carriage home, but suddenly he heard a familiar voice coming from not far away.

"Jingming, here, here!"

Su Liang looked in the direction of the sound and saw a person coming out of the window of a carriage not far away.

The man's face was mostly covered by a gray scarf.

Su Liang couldn't see his face at all.

He sounded familiar with the voice, but couldn't guess who it was.

"It's me, Cao Yi!"

Cao Guojiu lifted his scarf and waved towards Su Liang.

Su Liang strode over, with his carriage following closely behind.

Su Liang walked up to the carriage and said with a smile, "My Lord, what are you doing? Do you owe someone money? Are you afraid to see anyone?"

Cao Yi quickly closed the car window, lifted up his scarf, and couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

"How could I, Lord Tao Zhu of the current dynasty, owe anyone money? It was those three hundred acres of cotton that caused the trouble!" After Cao Yi finished speaking, he took out two large bundles from the side and opened them quickly.

Su Liang took a closer look. One cloth bundle contained a cotton robe, a cotton hat, cotton socks, cotton boots, and cotton gloves; the other cloth bundle contained a thick and large cotton quilt.

This six-piece cotton suit is very exquisitely made and was obviously sewn by a master tailor.

Su Liang fell in love with it at first sight.

He touched the cotton robe and murmured, "Not bad! In the future, the people will have something to keep warm in the cold winter."

Su Liang touched it again and again, and even tried to wear a cotton robe. After experiencing it, he asked, "What trouble can these cotton things cause?"

"Ugh!"

Cao Yi let out a long sigh.

"At the beginning of the year, I followed your instructions and reclaimed more than 300 acres of cotton fields by the Yellow River. After the harvest, I asked Granny Huang and the craftsmen from the Baijia Academy to spin cotton."

"Then, I took the lead in finding someone to make such a set. I also love to show off. I wore it out for a stroll a few days ago. Then, the royal family relatives and dignitaries in Bianjing City knew about it and took a fancy to it. They all wanted to buy it from me, saying that they had no shortage of money! Even my sister asked me to make a set for the emperor!"

“At present, we can only make 2,000 sets at most.”

"I've calculated that five thousand sets are not enough for the royal family, relatives, ministers, and some relatives and friends. If I give them to someone or not, I'll offend them!"

"In the past two days, people have been sending money to my house to make reservations. I can neither agree nor refuse, so I can only hide!"

"I want to throw all this cotton into the warehouse, but if I don't make it into cotton robes and quilts, then this year's work will be wasted. Do you have any good ideas?"

Su Liang thought for a moment and looked at the exquisite six-piece cotton set in front of him.

“I suggest not giving any.”

"No one? Then what should we do? Should we wear it ourselves?"

Su Liang shook his head and said seriously: "It should be given to those who need it."

"The purpose of cotton-padded clothes is to keep out the cold, not to be fashionable. Who of those who come to you to buy cotton-padded clothes will suffer from cold this winter without cotton-padded clothes?"

"Rich families have many ways to keep warm! Every family has five or six pieces of clothing made of fox fur, mink fur, or raccoon fur. People with less means also have clothing made of rabbit fur, dog fur, sheepskin, or deerskin."

"Besides, there are tools such as heated beds, braziers, incense burners, hand warmers, and foot warmers. Some families even have maids who are specifically responsible for warming the bed, so they won't get cold at all."

"But the lower-class people's houses were shabby and their clothes were thin. Their bedding was filled with hemp skin, willow catkins, reed catkins, straw, rags, etc., which had very limited effect in keeping out the cold. Many elderly people died because they could not survive the cold winter."

"I suggest that the Hundred Schools Academy and Kaifeng Prefecture jointly select thousands of extremely poor families and give them cotton robes and quilts for free."

"Don't make cotton hats, cotton socks, cotton boots, and cotton gloves. It's better to make cotton robes and cotton quilts. In addition, you can give them charcoal as a gift so that they can spend a warm winter."

Su Liang flipped through the cotton robe and quilt in front of him and continued, "It doesn't have to be so exquisite. Ordinary linen can be used for the outer lining. As long as it is warm and strong, it will be fine. When the Northwest produces a large amount of cotton next year, cotton robes and quilts will be everywhere on the streets. By then, whoever wants to make it exquisite can do as he pleases!"

"Also, I want to use this incident to make Baijia Academy public again. What do you think?"

"Return it to the public? Of course!" Cao Yi said excitedly.

Su Liang looked at Cao Yi and asked, "Are you willing to do so?"

For several years.

Cao Yi invested a lot in the Hundred Schools Academy.

From the establishment of the hospital to the salaries of staff, half of the money was paid by Cao Yi, and the rest was paid by Zhao Zhen and Su Liang.

However, due to the rule that "the Hundred Schools Academy cannot make a profit", Cao Yi did not make a penny from it.

Even when the craftsmanship of the Hundred Schools was given to the people for free.

Cao Yi could have taken on the business of equipment construction, but he did not accept it and left it entirely to the craftsmen in the city.

If all the academies were returned to the public.

Then he and Su Liang may only have nominal titles in the future, and future management and operations will be entirely run by the court.

Cao Yi smiled and said, "Why would we be reluctant to give it up? The purpose of building the Hundred Schools Academy is to tap talents from all walks of life and improve the Song Dynasty's farming, construction, commerce, etc., and to make it the property of the court. Only then can this purpose be maximized."

"The Hundred Schools Academy is meant to benefit the country and the people, and returning it to the public is its best destination!" Cao Yi's eyes became red as he spoke.

He has given too much to Baijia Academy.

"Okay. Next, you will be responsible for finding someone to make cotton robes and cotton quilts. I will go and talk to Master Bao. We will make a big fuss about this matter so that everyone can see the power of the Hundred Schools Academy. In this way, no one will dare to object."

"No problem, just give me seven days." Cao Yi said with his chest puffed out.

Su Liang nodded, and just as he was about to get off the carriage, Cao Yi said again: "Jingming, if someone comes to me to buy a cotton robe or quilt again, I will try to persuade them first. If I can't persuade them, let them come to you. How about that?"

"Okay, I'll see who has the courage to look for me!" Su Liang smiled and got off the carriage.

In Bianjing City.

Whether it was the royal family's relatives, scholar-officials or some aristocratic merchants, basically no one dared to ask the censors to get things done through the back door.

not to mention.

Su Liang was also the chief of the censors.

If the proposal is rejected by the censors, he might be impeached, and the impeachment would be based on solid evidence.

……

Early the next morning.

Su Liang went to Kaifeng Prefecture.

After hearing this, Bao Zheng agreed with this matter very much.

Baijia Academy's donation of cotton robes and quilts not only reflects Baijia Academy's consistent style of helping the people, but also promotes people's understanding of cotton.

By early next year.

There will definitely be a large number of people who set aside part of their land to grow cotton.

In this way, within two years at most, cotton clothing will be fully used in the Song Dynasty!

……

November 23rd, early morning.

In front of Kaifeng Prefecture.

More than 3,000 poor people holding "cotton cards" came to Kaifeng Prefecture to receive cotton robes, quilts and charcoal.

As the payer, Cao Guojiu naturally had to show up and deliver these cotton products to the people personally.

His actions.

It can also promote the habit of wealthy merchants in Bianjing City to do good deeds.

In order to prevent some merchants from reselling, Kaifeng Prefecture stipulated that cotton robes and cotton quilts were prohibited from being sold. Once sold, the government would forcibly take them back and severely punish the sellers.

Su Liang stood not far away, flipping through the resumes of these poor people.

I feel very emotional.

"To realize a world free from hunger, cold and heat, there is still a long way to go!"

these people.

Some are due to sudden misfortunes among the young and middle-aged people in the family; some are childless and old and weak; and some are suffering from long-term illnesses and have used up their life savings on medicine.

For them, these cotton clothes can save lives and help them get through the long winter.

……

After the incident was over, Su Liang immediately reported it.

He summarized the many benefits of the Hundred Schools of Thought in benefiting the country and the people, and recommended that they be directly managed by the court like the Imperial College.

This is no trivial matter.

But Zhao Zhen and the other ministers had already anticipated this.

In the past four years, the Song Dynasty's farmland has increased in yield and its construction has developed rapidly, and 70% of the credit comes from the Hundred Schools Academy.

Everyone is watching.

The Hundred Schools Academy deserves a status given by the imperial court.

At this time, the dean Zhao Zhen finally revealed his true identity. After discussing with the ministers, he simply and decisively issued an edict.

He served as honorary president, Cao Yi, Cao Guojiu, served as deputy president, and Su Liangze served as supervisor.

For a moment, the craftsmen of Baijia Academy were overjoyed.

They won fame for the Hundred Schools of Thought through practical actions, and also let people all over the world know that the imperial examination and official career are not the only way out in life.

This move is of extraordinary significance and infinite value to the people of the Song Dynasty.

(End of this chapter)