Chinese New Year

Chapter 1459 Persuasion
Yu Liang had a house inside the city, but he usually lived outside the city, simply because it was spacious and bright.

Apart from some servants and concubines, only Yu Liang lived in the house.

Even in the dead of winter, he ordered a table to be set up in the courtyard, saying he wanted to enjoy tea while admiring the plum blossoms.

Song Qian simply watched all of this with a smile.

He was old and had become quite indifferent to fame and fortune; otherwise, he wouldn't have retired to the southern mountains of Jiuquan and resigned from his official post several times. But he had no choice; he had a powerful family behind him, a family that had sided with Zhang Jun in the Battle of Pingliang. If he didn't give Liang Ting face, others wouldn't give him any.

The position of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is just right. He doesn't have to manage affairs, and his status is noble. He only needs to offer suggestions occasionally or help the Crown Prince visit others. He wouldn't usually make the visits himself, after all, he is the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince.

Visiting Yu Liang today is quite appropriate.

"Please sit down, Lord Song," Yu Liang said, gesturing with his hand.

Song Qian did not refuse and sat down directly.

Yu Liang clapped his hands. A moment later, a beautiful maid came over, her delicate hands swaying, and began to brew tea for the two of them.

“It’s been several years since I’ve seen Yuan Gui,” Song Qian said, gazing at Yu Liang.

“I’m just destined to be a busybody,” Yu Liang said. “Before I even reached adulthood, the emperor dragged me to Guangchengze to reclaim wasteland. After I started a family, I was responsible for procuring provisions for the emperor. I could only stay at home for a few days a month. Later, I was transferred to various places to serve as an official…”

At this point, Yu Liang sighed slightly, his expression complex, which didn't seem entirely feigned.

“Yuan Gui, His Majesty trusts you,” Song Qian said.

Yu Liang does not deny this point.

To be fair, he was absolutely loyal to His Majesty and had no ulterior motives, but His Majesty never gave him the opportunity.

The Council of State Affairs already has four Grand Councilors: Liang Fen, Fan Yi, Liu Runzhong, and Wang Que'er. What are their backgrounds and origins?
Liang Fen did come from a prestigious family, being a descendant of Liang Ji, the great general of the Han Dynasty, and Yu Liang recognized him.

But what about the others? Fan Yi was a surrendered person from Liangzhou, Liu Runzhong was a Jiehu from Shangdang, and Wang Que'er was a military officer from the Eastern Navy. They—well, you know what, these four are quite representative.

But Yu Liang was still somewhat dissatisfied. Shouldn't there be a prime minister from Henan? There was Yang Man before, but he was old and frail and had already retired to live out his days. Shouldn't a scholar from Henan be appointed instead? Yu Liang, Yu Yuangui, was the most suitable candidate, but the emperor just wouldn't give him the position.

“But His Majesty still has some doubts…” Song Qian added.

"What is there to worry about?" Yu Liang said, though he felt a little aggrieved.

"The new policies of the dynasty are of great importance to His Majesty, and the land survey and household registration is one of them," Song Qian said. "You are from Yingchuan, and are highly regarded by the scholars of Henan. Now, the land in Yingchuan is to be surveyed. At this time, Yuan Gui, do you think His Majesty will have any doubts?"

Yu Liang frowned.

Indeed, anyone would hesitate. As the Grand Councilor, there are countless ways to manipulate things; simply blocking an official's promotion is deadly. If all else fails, the Prefectural Governor can demote your family's social standing by one rank, putting you at a disadvantage. Or, you can be overtly lenient, instructing the Prefect or Governor to withhold your or your relatives' quotas for the "Filial Piety and Incorruptibility" or "Outstanding Talent" awards—there are countless methods.

Seeing that Yu Liang remained silent, Song Qian sighed softly and said, "As I have said before, the Yu family is a clan of noble lineage, and how they conduct themselves is a matter of great importance. In all matters under heaven, moderation is of utmost value."

At this point, he looked at Yu Liang seriously and said, "Everything should be done in moderation."

Yu Liang remained silent.

How could someone this old not understand this principle? The problem is that it's too difficult to grasp the right balance.

"Yingchuan and Hedong are about to have their land surveyed. The Crown Prince will be stationed in Liang County, recruiting officials to handle the specifics," Song Qian said. "This matter is easy in some ways, but difficult in others; the key lies in the selection of personnel. Therefore, Your Highness will recruit some people from Jizhou and Youzhou into your staff to avoid gossip. But Yingchuan—"

Song Qian didn't continue speaking at this point, but her meaning was clear.

Yu Liang sat up straight and asked, "Does the Crown Prince want me to persuade the various tribes of Yingchuan?"

Song Qian nodded slightly and said, "This is also His Majesty's intention."

Yu Liang fell silent again, and Song Qian waited patiently.

After a long while, he sighed and said, "How could I not know that land surveying is a national policy? But if the Crown Prince offends the scholars of Yingchuan, who will be available in the future?"

“Yuan Gui, you’ve acted rashly.” Song Qian sighed softly, “There are so many talented people in the world. Why be so fixated on one place? Countless outstanding individuals from Youzhou, Bingzhou, and Yongzhou wish to serve under the Crown Prince. When Liang County is established, there are bound to be staff positions such as Left and Right Chief Secretaries, Left and Right Military Advisors, Military Advisors, Registrars, Attendants, and Recorders. Many people even want to give up their official positions in the imperial court just to get into this staff.”

Upon hearing this, Yu Liang was moved.

Since his last conversation with his younger brother about managing Kansai, he had indeed come to know and recommend some talented individuals. After becoming the Kansai Transport Commissioner, he also had some Kansai scholars in the shogunate. Through long-term contact, he found that Kansai scholars were relatively simple and honest. Perhaps they were not as literary as Henan scholars, and they lacked some elegance and refinement, but they were very hardworking and conscientious, and the overall atmosphere was good.

To this day, he still has some regional prejudices or distrust of outsiders—which is human nature and has been the case in every dynasty—and prefers to use scholars from Yingchuan or western Henan. However, his views on people from Guanzhong have changed, and he is no longer too opposed to them. He will still use them when necessary.

Song Qian actually pointed this out implicitly.

Since the Wei and Jin dynasties, prejudices have become far too severe. If you, Yu Yuangui, continue to be confined to this aspect, it will be detrimental to both yourself and the crown prince.

"I've heard that after clearing the fields in Hedong and Yingchuan, Your Majesty also intends to investigate the land registers since the founding of the Sima Jin dynasty?" Yu Liang asked again. "That's for sure," Song Qian replied.

Yu Liang gasped. This was a huge mess, and it would offend a lot of people.

If this is done, the scholars' opinion of the crown prince might become very negative.

Yu Liang frowned and pondered deeply. In an instant, countless ways to resolve the situation flashed through his mind, but he did not have the thought of asking the emperor to rescind his order. From this point of view, it is not an exaggeration for Yu Liang to consider himself loyal to the emperor; he did not even have the thought of going against the emperor's wishes.

Finally, he managed to utter only one sentence: "Why is Your Majesty in such a hurry!"

Song Qian tapped the table with her finger and said, "His Majesty will be fifty-five years old after the New Year. On New Year's Day, all nations will come to pay tribute, and the Emperor's prestige will reach its peak. If we don't do it now, when will we?"

Yu Liang gave a wry smile.

Using one's power to intimidate others is an old trick of the emperor, and it has proven effective time and again, and is still used today.

"However, everything has its advantages and disadvantages," Song Qian continued. "The world is so vast, there will always be people willing to serve for the sake of their careers or families. Besides, the emperor has provided a way out. Once people have a way out, they lose the will to fight. Moreover, in this world, who dares to commit such a rebellious act? If this matter is handled well, we may reap considerable benefits, and perhaps one of them will become a future pillar of the state."

After much deliberation, Yu Liang finally nodded helplessly and said, "No matter what, I cannot stand idly by. Alas, Your Majesty, wouldn't it be better to go along with the crowd?"

“Does Yuan Gui not know the Emperor’s temperament?” Song Qian asked.

Yu Liang was speechless.

Seeing that he remained silent, Song Qian smiled and said, "Yuan Gui can look for candidates in the twelfth lunar month, but he must be cautious."

Yu Liang nodded.

Light footsteps sounded in the distance, and the two fell silent.

A moment later, the maid brought over the tea, one bowl for each person, and then stepped aside.

Song Qian picked up the cup, took a sip, and then put it down, praising, "Where did Yuan Gui get this tea?"

"Song Gong, you may not know this, but this is wild tea from Dongting Lake. Although it is not well-known, it has a refreshing taste and an unforgettable aftertaste. I really love it," Yu Liang said with a smile.

Song Qian knew that he couldn't be compared to someone like Yu Liang.

Yu Yuangui was handsome, learned, and had a dignified demeanor—a typical scion of a prominent family. Similarly, his daily expenses were also up to the standards of a prominent family, and even exceeded them.

Sending someone to find some good tea for him to enjoy was something he was capable of doing.

"Obtaining this tea was also an accident." Yu Liang shook his head and smiled, "An old servant of our household went to Jingzhou to trade and received a commercial note. Unfortunately, the person who issued the note died suddenly in Jiangling, and the goods were not sold in time, so he used tea to pay for it."

“Yuan Gui is indeed kind-hearted,” Song Qian praised.

That's the truth. People like Yu Liang, who are powerful and influential, will always try to justify themselves even when they're in the right, let alone when they actually have the moral high ground.

In addition, Song Qian was slightly surprised. He had heard of commercial drafts, which became popular many years ago, supposedly originating from an anecdote between the current emperor and Princess Jingfu. Later, some people discovered the benefits of issuing commercial drafts and began to imitate them.

I never expected that it would become popular in Jingzhou.

Of course, Song Qian also knew that commercial drafts could only circulate in a small circle, and were generally issued by acquaintances or prominent families, with redemption after six months or a year.

To be fair, this move facilitated trade and led to a boom in commerce, resulting in increased tax revenue for the court. However, disputes were inevitable, and he neither clearly understood the rights and wrongs of the matter.

"Lord Song, you flatter me somewhat," Yu Liang chuckled upon hearing this, explaining, "Nowadays, most large merchants registered in the markets rarely carry cash. Transactions are recorded in the markets, and if there's a shortfall afterward, a commercial draft is issued, or a repayment method is negotiated privately. This method is widely used, and merchants applaud it, after all, Shi Chong back then—"

Song Qian smiled upon hearing this.

The fact that the governor of Jingzhou became the richest man in the country by robbing merchants is an absurd thing that probably only happened to Sima Jin.

In Liangzhou, however, it was just a short-distance trade—considering the distances between the various prefectures of Liangzhou, it wasn't actually that short—and yet, merchants once carried more than a dozen cartloads of copper coins out on their journeys. Not to mention desert bandits, even ordinary people would be tempted to do so.

Furthermore, some responsible state and county officials, in order to prevent the local people from running out of money, often privately advised merchants not to take copper coins out of the country—although it was advice, how could you dare not listen?
There's a reason why many deals fall through.

Many of the things the current emperor does may not seem unusual at first, or even seem superfluous, but after ten or twenty years, you will gradually see the effects.

He has a really good reputation among merchants.

After finishing a bowl of tea, seeing that the weather was getting gloomy, Song Qian got up to say goodbye.

Yu Liang escorted him to the door before returning.

(End of this chapter)