Northern Song Dynasty: Starting from the son of Song Renzong

Chapter 104 This Ouyang Xiu
Ouyang Xiu had just been away for a few days when Zhao Xin's teacher Yan Shu found Zhao Xin again.

There was nothing much to say, just a slight reminder to Zhao Xin, "Your Highness, you must be careful when using Ouyang Xiu?"

Zhao Xin also had a puzzled look on his face, and then said, "Teacher, even if she is a little ugly, you can't say that to her, right? This is pure discrimination!"

Yan Shu said, "How could I possibly mean that? What I meant is that Ouyang Xiu is too aggressive. If you give him any important task, it might ruin your plans, Your Highness."

Zhao Xin also said: "Teacher, tell me how he showed off his talent."

The back garden of the imperial palace, and further north is Zhao Xin’s territory.

The two of them began to chat while admiring the scenery of the harem.

Then Yan Shu also said: "Ouyang Xiu usually does things in a very high-profile manner. For example, when he was participating in the palace examination, he made himself a new set of clothes before he even took the exam, intending to wear it when he passed the exam and became the top scholar."

"Do you think such a person can be given important positions?"

Zhao Xin also said: "This is not like your style, teacher. What, are you jealous?"

Zhao Xin just smiled and said.

Yan Shu sighed for a moment, and then said: "In fact, Ouyang Xiu does have some talent, but this talent is not matched with his personality. Moreover... this person often goes around saying that this person is a sinister villain and that person is so and so bad. He is so open about criticizing others. When the time comes, he will definitely make a lot of enemies."

"I think it would be better for Your Highness to be more careful."

"Before, he was in a low position, so of course he was a nobody, and nobody could do anything to him, because they couldn't argue with a small official. But from now on, Ouyang Xiu will be working for you, Your Highness, so don't let him drag you down."

Zhao Xin also said: "I understand. If it doesn't work, then we will banish him to Lingnan."

Yan Shu also stopped immediately and said, "Your Highness, there is no need to be so cruel. His crime is not serious enough. If he can control his temper, it will be good."

……

And at the same time...

Sishui County.

While checking the land, Ouyang Xiu was also investigating the corruption of officials here.

He is such an upright person that he naturally cannot tolerate corruption.

After a few days, we gradually got some clues. We even found out that some county magistrates helped wealthy businessmen hide their property and imposed corvee labor on other people.

It would be fine if you didn't investigate things like this, but in the north of the Song Dynasty, there would definitely be some hidden land.

Do not!
Rather, hiding is the norm.

Then Ouyang Xiu is a smart man, and Du Gong also said that His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu is a smart man, so... does His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu want to use this as a starting point to initiate an inventory of land across the country?
night!

Looking at the big round moon in the sky, and then at Prince Yu's appearance as a more emperor-like person than the emperor himself, Ouyang Xiu seemed to have realized something!
While ideas were constantly coming to his mind, he immediately wrote a memorial under the moonlight.

It is suggested that the government immediately send people to investigate the land issues throughout the country.

If all those hidden lands can be brought out, the country will naturally not lack money for war.

then……

He also wrote a letter to Fan Zhongyan, who was far away in the northwest, praising Zhao Xin for his extraordinary demeanor despite being only five years old.

In fact, Ouyang Xiu and Fan Zhongyan had known each other for a long time.

At that time, Fan Zhongyan was only in his thirties, and Ouyang Xiu was only in his early twenties.

Then, Ouyang Xiu dared to write letters to people, encouraging them to fulfill their duties and speak out more in the future.

What is his identity?
What is Fan Zhongyan's status?

He even has the nerve to encourage others to fulfill their duties and speak up more.

then……

Fan Zhongyan served as censor.

It is not easy to be a censor, so Ouyang Xiu wrote a letter to Fan Zhongyan when he needed support the most.

then……

It was through such shameless letters that the two people got to know each other.

From then on, whenever there is anything, no matter if you are in the south or I am in the north, we will write to each other.

Then a few days later.

Fan Zhongyan received the letter.

Naturally, it also mentioned that he was checking the land for Zhao Xin.

When Fan Zhongyan saw it, he thought, isn’t this bad?
If I really do this, I don’t know how many people I will offend.

This forced Fan Zhongyan to write a reply letter overnight, asking him not to be impulsive.

The country's problems have been around for a long time and are not so easy to solve.

If you want to investigate in a small place like yours, of course you can, but what if it's on a national scale?
Then how many powerful people will you offend?

This matter is definitely not going to work.

At that time, others might maliciously slander you, forcing you to be demoted. However, the key is...

While Ouyang Xiu was checking the land, he had already written a memorial to the court.

It describes in detail the hidden situation of the land in this fiefdom.

and……

He even applied for a thorough investigation of land properties across the country.

He is obviously an adult already, but he is still so naive.

This is not!

Fortunately, both governments are now controlled by a group of calm and steady people.

Look at people like Zhang Dexiang and Yan Shu.

The memorial was hidden immediately and only shown to the emperor and His Royal Highness the Prince of Yu.

If other ministers in the court knew about this, it would cause a huge trouble.

However, the Song Dynasty's national finances are now declining. You know what, his father, Zhao Zhen, really has the idea of ​​thoroughly investigating the hidden lands.

Then he discussed with his teacher Yan Shu how to conduct a thorough investigation.
The local officials and dignitaries will definitely not cooperate.

And his teacher, Yan Shu, was indeed a veteran, and he directly took a compromise plan, that is, if the county magistrate could find out the hidden lands, the hidden property would be rewarded to the local county magistrate according to a certain ratio.

In your place, there is collusion between officials and businessmen!

Well!

Give the county magistrate huge benefits and see if he will continue to be friendly with you.

Zhao Zhen also thinks this method is good!
Then he called Zhao Xin and asked, "Zui Xinglai, what do you think about this?"

Zhao Xin also thought for a while, then said: "This seems to be useless. Wouldn't the local merchants just bribe the county magistrate with money? Unless they have just finished studying and passed the imperial examination to become county magistrates, who would do such a risky thing."

"Besides, using money to tempt the county magistrate to work will only make his morality more corrupt. I'm afraid he will be even less willing to work if he doesn't have money in the future."

How could they come up with such a stupid idea?

of course!

Zhao Xin is not saying that it has no effect at all.

Just saying…

This has little effect.

Even if this decree was issued, it is not certain how many people would respond.

even……

At that time, scholars generally care most about their reputation. Once your decree is issued, those whose interests are damaged may slander the county magistrate who is willing to do the work, saying that the county magistrate is greedy for money, so he thoroughly investigated the land in the county.

Then who dares to do this?
In the Song Dynasty, reputation is much more important than money.

If you lose your money, you can earn it again.

If your reputation is ruined, you will never be able to recover in your entire life.

As for those county magistrates who are greedy for money, they have been bribed by merchants from the beginning, so why should they ask for your reward?

and so……

This decree will only waste the manpower and material resources of the court and will not have any effect!
After Zhao Xin said this.

Zhao Zhen and Yan Shu both looked at Zhao Xin, and Yan Shu said, "Your Highness Prince Yu is really becoming more and more like that."

Zhao Xin then said, "So, Daddy and Teacher, you two are teaming up to test me?"

The two adults blushed.

Do not!
They actually really want to do this!
Of course, doesn’t Yan Shu know?
But the official said he wanted money, and you said you didn't have any, so what use would the official have for you? You could only think of a useless method to appease the official first.

And Yan Shu has a bottom line.

If there are people who have no bottom line, they are the famous treacherous ministers in history. After all, if the government wants money, it is not a casual thing. As long as you have power in your hands, you can get any money!
Zhao Xin also admired his father. On the one hand, the country was short of money and had reached this point, and on the other hand, what about it?

He is also very extravagant!
Zhao Xin said, "If you want to make money, you should go to Champa to transport spices!"

It can provide jobs and make money.

This is definitely the right way!

Immediately afterwards...

His teacher showed Ouyang Xiu's memorial to Zhao Xin. "Look! I said there was something wrong with this person!"
Don't think that he is done with just this one memorial. He will surely submit more memorials one after another until you agree.

He has a similar temper to Fan Zhongyan.

(End of this chapter)