Damn it, I'm in the garbage book I wrote

Chapter 559: Theory of the National Foundation
"Ma Zhou, you are amazing."

The last time Li Yuan used this tone was when he was referring to Xia Lin, but this time it had become Ma Zhou.

When he learned that the chaos in Chang'an was actually planned by Ma Zhou behind the scenes, Li Yuan's jealous yet talented heart rose again.

Why? Why do they have so many powerful young people in Wei? There were some in the Tang Dynasty, but they were not this outrageous.

Oh, a prime minister of a country, just because he was entrusted by someone to rush thousands of miles to quell the turmoil in a foreign capital, what does this mean? He has no one in the Tang Dynasty?

Looking back at Du Ruhui who was sitting there with a horse face, Li Yuan thought about it... Well, there really is no one. Fang Mou Du Duan is still not as good as Xia Daosheng's gang.

"Look at you, look at you all!" Li Yuan walked up to Du Ruhui and shouted angrily, "You guys have made me lose face! I'm the prime minister, come and help us put order, what are you doing?"

Du Ruhui opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time: "Ah..."

"Don't sigh for me! Go ask Prime Minister Ma how he governs the country!"

"Your Majesty..." Du Ruhui said with a bashful look on his face, "I am about the same age as him. This... this is a bit embarrassing."

"Aren't you embarrassed now? You've even embarrassed me. Look at how well he does his job. No wonder he became a prime minister at the age of 30. Look at you, you rely on your big mouth every day!"

"Your Majesty, how about tomorrow? It's getting late today, and I'm afraid Prime Minister Ma is asleep."

"I don't care about you!"

Li Yuan walked away, and Du Ruhui sighed. However, he suddenly thought of his good friend Fang Xuanling, who was now facing Xia Daosheng. Du couldn't help laughing out loud: "Heaven has been very kind to me."

Just as he said, Fang Xuanling is now facing Xia Lin. Li Yuan's reply has arrived. Li Tang will take 25% of the tax. Xia Lin just found it funny after hearing it.

"Blackmail me, right?"

"I dare not." Fang Xuanling lowered his head: "Your Majesty means that the people along the way must also survive."

"Okay." Xia Lin sneered, "Since your Majesty Emperor Li Tang loves the people so much, then I will agree to your offer. Twenty-and-a-half percent is twenty-and-a-half percent."

Fang Xuanling looked up suddenly. He didn't believe that Xia Daosheng would be so straightforward. There must be something fishy about this.

"but……"

Good, good, good. As soon as this "but" came out, Fang Xuanling actually felt relieved. If there was no "but", he would be in danger. With this "but", at least they can still talk.

"I accept the 25% tax. But I have one request, that is, this money must be used for a specific purpose." Xia Lin walked to the map and traced the line from Yumen Pass to Chang'an with his finger: "You just crossed it, right? The people along the way also need to survive, so this money can only be used to protect the people's livelihood along this line."

"it is good."

"Don't be in a hurry." Xia Lin waved his hand and said, "As the saying goes, when you are involved in money, you must be careful and cautious. I need to send an audit team to watch you do the accounting."

Fang Xuanling was confused. He knew that Xia Lin would not say anything good. Oh, his tax revenue belongs to the Tang Dynasty. Can't the Tang Dynasty decide what to do? He also needs a Wei official to place an auditing official? How can that be? Where is the dignity of the Tang Dynasty? This is a big deal.

"Master Fang, you and I both know that if no one is on duty, where the money will eventually go, you may not be able to see it, and what I see is probably just a carefully prepared account."

Fang Xuanling just smiled but didn't say anything.

"Oh, by the way. Lord Fang is from the Qinghe Fang family, also from a prominent family. Can you tell me about the family and the village elders?"

Fang Xuanling's face changed and he looked up at Xia Lin: "General Xia, what's this?"

"I just want to understand what the relationship is between you and the village elders."

"Let's benefit each other."

"Hahaha." Xia Lin suddenly burst out laughing. "What a mutually beneficial situation. Lord Fang, just tell me, if it weren't for my supervision, how much of this money would go into the pockets of the noble families, how much would go into the pockets of the village elders, and how much would go into the pockets of the common people."

Fang Xuanling remained silent. He knew that without Xia Lin's supervision, less than one hundredth of the more than 10 million taels of silver would be put into practice.

Most of them will fall into the hands of local powerful gentry and become fat meat in their mouths.

"I understand that noble families are permanent, but dynasties are changing. It is natural for Lord Fang to seek benefits for his own class. But I would like to ask Lord Fang, do you really have no backbone as a Han man?" "General Xia, please be kind." Fang Xuanling sneered: "I joined the country only to serve the country, and I never intended to protect my family."

"That's great. The funds will be used for their intended purpose. I'll do the audit."

"No."

"So what do you want?" Xia Lin slammed the table and asked, "This is my bottom line. If you can't do this or that, then there's no point in talking."

"General Xia, this is really difficult to handle."

Xia Lin stood up and licked his lips, with one hand on the table: "It's difficult, so don't do it!"

After saying that, he overturned the table and left the scene in a huff: "Master Fang, come and talk to me after you have figured it out. Otherwise, there is no point in talking."

Fang Xuanling sat there watching the copper kettle rolling to the ground and the steaming water splashing onto the ground, feeling an inexplicable sense of grief and anger in his heart.

He really envied Du Ruhui at this moment. At least Du Ruhui didn't have to face such a difficult bastard who was impervious to all kinds of trouble. If he really agreed to this man's request, what would be the difference between that and losing sovereignty and humiliating the country?
But he flipped the table, he flipped the table...

At this moment Fang Xuanling really wanted to cry but couldn't. It was really shameful for him to be bullied to this extent by such a young boy at his age.

The next day Fang Xuanling wanted to see Xia Lin, but was told that Lord Xia was not feeling well and was not suitable to meet guests.

On the third day, Fang Xuanling still wanted to see Xia Lin, but was told that Lord Xia was seriously ill and not suitable to see guests.

On the fourth day, Fang Xuanling continued to want to see Xia Lin, but was told that Lord Xia was on his deathbed and was not suitable to see guests.

On the fifth day, Fang Xuanling said he agreed to Xia Lin's request. Guess what? Xia Lin was resurrected.

"The royal family holds power, the noble families hold money, and the gentry hold people. You guys are playing with the heavens and the earth, but who of you treats the people as human beings? Lord Fang, I am not targeting you, nor a certain person, but this is the way the world is. Don't blame me. I am young and fearless. I was not born to have a big family and a big business. I just want to do something while I am still alive."

This is what Xia Lin said when he raised his glass to toast Fang Xuanling.

"General Xia is already seriously ill. Isn't it inappropriate for him to drink?"

"Master Fang has brought me a happy occasion, okay." Xia Lin said with a smile: "Master Fang, after all, men should want to leave their names in history, right? Master Fang, don't you want to?"

Fang Xuanling smiled and said, "Then please General Xia, tell me what you mean by heaven, earth and man."

Xia Lin pursed his lips and held the wine glass in his hand, thinking for a moment: "I only have a humble opinion. Just think about it, Lord Fang, who has been restricted and who has been protected in the past reforms? Everyone says that they are for the people, but in the end why can't the dynasty escape this reincarnation? Lord Fang, please answer me three questions. The first question is, who benefits from the tax-sharing system? The second question is, who benefits from the hereditary system? The third question is, who benefits from the imperial examination system."

Fang Xuanling was no rookie. He smiled and said, "The tax-sharing system is originally a benefit to the princes. This is a benefit to the royal family."

"Aristocratic families are naturally hereditary families, passed down from generation to generation. Even if one is born with nothing, one can still rely on the glory of their ancestors. Hereditary succession naturally benefits aristocratic families."

"The imperial examination system... well, it is said to be for the benefit of the people of the world, but in recent years, we have also seen that the imperial examination system selects talented people, and the scholars provided by the gentry in various places and the talented people recommended by the powerful in the market are naturally the ones who benefit."

"Okay." Xia Lin nodded with a smile: "Master Fang, are there any issues concerning the common people here? Money, power, and people are all circulating in this circle. It's nothing more than your family becoming the emperor today, while his family is in trouble and has become poor. But scholars from poor families are far better than the common people's cattle and horses. This is unfair."

"But General Xia, is there justice in the world?"

"No." Xia Lin shook his head. "There was none before, there is none now, and there will be none for a long time in the future. But at least we have to give people hope. We can't be born as cattle and horses and only pin our fate on the next life, right? We have to give people hope to move forward! Lord Fang should understand what I mean, right? But now... under the high platform are piles of bones. It is indeed difficult for a carp to leap over the dragon gate, but there is still a door after all, but now the door is closed."

Fang Xuanling lowered his eyelids: "A pot is only so small, no one wants more people to eat."

"Then at least you should leave a few out. Lord Fang, I heard that you set the national policy for Li Tang, right? It's pretty good. But..." Xia Lin narrowed his eyes, "You don't treat them as human beings. You sing praises in Chang'an City, and everything you see is prosperous, but have you seen the yellow-mouthed children at the city gate who peel tree bark to grind into flour to eat?"

Fang Xuanling pursed his thin lips tightly and said nothing. How could he not have seen it? He had seen it too many times, but he just didn't care.

"This is a good year." Xia Lin came close to Fang Xuanling, staring into his eyes. "Master Fang, do you dare to go out and take a look in a bad year? Aren't they human? Maybe to you, they are not human, but to me, they are human. I don't ask for anything else, I just want them to live, to live in peace and security with a full meal. Are they wrong? Am I wrong?"

"So." Xia Lin stood up and said with a smile: "If you don't understand this, we are natural enemies. Enemies have no left or right, only up and down. I am not forcing you to lose your rights and humiliate your country. I am forcing you to squeeze out a bite of food to feed the hungry people in the northwest, Lord Fang."

(End of this chapter)