The prince is more stable

Chapter 833 Discussion of Politics between the Ruler and His Ministers
To understand suffering, one must immerse oneself in it.

The Buddha said: If I don't go to hell, who will?

Ancient officials enjoyed such luxury that they forgot what human suffering was.

Sitting in his official seat, he suddenly had a flash of inspiration, slapped his forehead, and thought, "This policy is great, it's definitely suitable for the people." So the policy was introduced, and he was smug, thinking that the people would sing his praises.

The new policy contained too many assumptions, and Zhao Xiaoqian carefully reviewed each clause, finding numerous loopholes.

It was a policy issued from the perspective of the Bianjing imperial court, but they forgot that when these policies were implemented at the local level, local officials would distort them, use coercion, and exploit loopholes in the new policies for their own benefit, thereby enriching themselves.

Officials who travel thousands of miles only seek wealth. New policies with loopholes are like mountains of gold and silver placed in front of them. With a little thought, they can not only avoid breaking the law but also make a fortune. How many officials in the world can resist such temptation?
This is why the new policies received widespread praise in the imperial court, but were met with widespread criticism when implemented at the local level.

One reason was that it threatened the interests of the old bureaucrats and local aristocrats. Another reason was that local officials lacked oversight from the imperial court, so much so that a good scripture was misinterpreted by monks, who of course also made a fortune.

These are real problems that Zhao Xiaoqian is facing.

He used to ignore it and be too lazy to get involved because he didn't think he was important enough and didn't want to cause trouble for himself by getting caught up in endless factional struggles.

But now, if Zhao Xiaoqian ascends the throne, this issue cannot be avoided.

This country belongs to him; he can't afford to ruin it.

"The new policies cannot become evil policies that are despised by the people. Many provisions of the new policies need to be revised. In terms of the economy, there are the Green Sprouts Law, the Labor Service Law, the Market Regulation Law, the Equal Tax Law, etc. In terms of the military, there are the Baojia Law, the General and Soldier Law, and in terms of the imperial examination, there are the Three-Tier System, the Examination Reform Law, the Specialized Examination Law, etc..."

“These new laws all have areas for improvement. In the future, we will discuss them one by one, and let the officials who have been sent down to the countryside take the lead after they return to Beijing. We will just listen. These officials who return to Beijing will be the main members involved in improving the new laws.”

Zhang Dun's eyes widened, his heart filled with utter shock.

The list of new laws that Zhao Xiaoqian listed for improvement included almost all categories and clauses of the new law. In other words, Zhao Xiaoqian had to change the entire content of the new policy from beginning to end, which would be an extremely large, complicated and lengthy process.

Ignoring Zhang Dun's shock, Zhao Xiaoqian continued, "The improved policies should first be piloted in a specific area. After three to five years, if there is no opposition from the people, they can be gradually rolled out to the whole Song Dynasty. Prime Minister Zhang, this is the correct approach to doing things."

"Then there is the issue of the old party and the factional struggles in the court. The improved new law has been tested and proven to be mature and feasible. So the old party in the court only has two choices: either abandon their original views and integrate into the new party, or be purged from the court."

"I dislike internal strife and infighting, as they are of no benefit to the country. Once the new policies are implemented, the entire nation, from the emperor and his officials to the common people, must be of one mind to ensure that the new laws take root in every village and household of the Song Dynasty."

"Finally, there are issues such as the court's oversight of local areas, public opinion on the new laws, and how to restrain the scholar-merchant groups. These details can be discussed later, and based on the new policies, checks and balances can be gradually introduced to address the loopholes in the new policies."

After finishing his speech in one breath, Zhao Xiaoqian felt a bit thirsty and picked up his wine glass to take a sip of wine.

This was the first time he had fully articulated his governing principles. It wasn't a comprehensive overview, but rather a general outline, outlining the strategic direction for the Song Dynasty for the next few decades.

Zhang Dun stared at him blankly, his heart filled with even greater shock.

It must be admitted that this governing program is very comprehensive and mature.

If this is carried out as planned, minimizing interference and obstruction from internal and external factors, and if it is ultimately achieved, then the future Song Dynasty will undoubtedly become a prosperous dynasty no less than the Zhenguan and Kaiyuan eras of the Tang Dynasty.

The emperor and his ministers are worthy of being remembered in history and admired and praised by future generations. And the future Song Dynasty will reach the pinnacle of its national power, without exception.

Originally forced to ally with Zhao Xiaoqian due to power and interests, Zhang Dun suddenly felt genuinely convinced of Zhao's abilities and secretly rejoiced that he had chosen the right side. He had truly encountered a wise, pragmatic, and far-sighted monarch.

Zhao Xiaoqian's suggestions were highly valuable. At least in this day and age, it was impossible for the emperor and the court to send officials down to the countryside to understand the hardships of farmers and assess the advantages and disadvantages of policies.

But Zhao Xiaoqian brought it up anyway, and he really intended to implement it.

The bureaucratic system of the Song Dynasty was bloated, with a serious problem of redundant officials and staff. The biggest problem was the so-called "salaried officials," who had no real power, did not have to clock in or out, but the court still had to pay huge salaries to support them every year.

If the policy of delegating officials to civilian positions can be implemented, the problem of "salaried officials" might also be solved. In short, those who are capable and hardworking will be promoted, while those who are inactive will be dismissed.

Zhang Dun silently pondered Zhao Xiaoqian's words, then suddenly stood up and bowed deeply to Zhao Xiaoqian.

"Your Highness possesses great talent in governing the country, and I admire you wholeheartedly. I am willing to serve Your Highness for the rest of my life."

Zhao Xiaoqian looked at him with considerable surprise. This was the first time Zhang Dun had referred to himself as "your subject" in front of him. It seemed that Zhang Dun had indeed accepted him as the future emperor of the Song Dynasty from the bottom of his heart.

Looking at Zhang Dun's sincere expression, Zhao Xiaoqian said earnestly, "Prime Minister Zhang, the affairs of the state cannot be accomplished by the efforts of one or two people. No dynasty has ever produced such a hero. The road ahead is long and arduous. I hope that you and I can work together to accomplish this task."

"Your Highness, I am willing to die for the sake of the Song Dynasty."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled and took the initiative to raise his wine glass.

"Come, Mr. Zhang, let's drink to our hearts' content tonight."

The two exchanged a smile, toasted each other, and drank. Setting down his cup, Zhang Dun quickly glanced at the one in front of Zhao Xiaoqian and cautiously asked, "Does Your Highness perhaps wish to emulate Qin Shi Huang and govern the world by venerating the virtue of water?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was taken aback: "What do you mean? Where did you get the idea that I admire the virtue of water?"

"If you don't revere the virtue of water, why is Your Highness's wine cup still half empty? ...Are you raising fish?"

Zhao Xiaoqian: “…………”

I've seen it all; cultured people can be really filthy when they swear.

…………

The grand ceremony debate at Daqing Hall is still in full swing, with discussions becoming increasingly heated.

Every day, Zhang Dun would send someone to report in detail the details of the Great Rites Controversy, including what someone said that day, how the opposing camp refuted it, the Empress Dowager's reaction, the reaction of the old party, and so on.

To reiterate, whether the leader knows or not is their business. If the subordinate says nothing, then it's a matter of attitude. Such a person won't last long in either the workplace or the government.

At the height of the court assembly's grand ceremony debate, a banquet was held at the Chu King's residence that evening.

Zhao Xiaoqian personally sent out invitations to two important guests to a banquet at his residence.

Both guests were very young, or rather, they were minors.

King Zhao Yu of Yan, King Zhao Si of Yue.

Zhao Yu was about fifteen years old, and Zhao Si was twelve. Neither of the princes had reached adulthood yet, and in the eyes of others, they were just children.

Prince Jian (Zhao Si) and Prince Duan (Zhao Ji) were a few years older than them. Zhao Si was hot-tempered and domineering, while Zhao Ji was sinister and ruthless.

In contrast, the Prince of Yan and the Prince of Yue were much more obedient. After all, they were still young and inexperienced. They might have heard about court intrigue and had been encouraged by others, but they were not qualified to participate in this game.

These two young princes now live in the palace primarily to study and practice calligraphy, and to be taught by great Confucian scholars.

Today, the two princes received an invitation sent by Zhao Xiaoqian. To be honest, they were so frightened that their hearts almost jumped out of their chests.

Without the slightest hesitation, the two immediately decided to attend the banquet, and they also prepared generous gifts to show their respect.

After all, given Zhao Xiaoqian's current significant influence, no one in the world would dare to refuse an invitation he sends out. His Highness Prince Cheng has given you face, so you can't refuse, or the consequences will be severe.

At this moment, Zhao Yu and Zhao Si sat in the Yin'an Hall of the Chu King's Mansion, looking nervous and uneasy. They carefully lowered their heads, keeping their eyes straight ahead, and their manners were impeccable.

Zhao Xiaoqian seemed very friendly, chatting with the two of them from the moment they met, mostly about trivial matters concerning the Zhao clan.

The two were clearly not talkative people, or perhaps Zhao Xiaoqian's reputation intimidated them. Their conversation was rather dry. Zhao Xiaoqian asked a question, and they answered it, not daring to say a single word more than necessary, making them seem like they were being interrogated by Bingjingwu.

Finally, Zhao Xiaoqian's enthusiasm waned, so he awkwardly raised his glass and said, "Gentlemen, please drink to your hearts' content."

The two princes quickly clinked their cups together and drank them down in one gulp.

After taking a sip, both men were stunned. Zhao Yu, who was slightly older, blurted out, "How can this not be wine?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said calmly, "Of course it's not wine, it's goat milk that I specially prepared for you, freshly squeezed this afternoon."

Zhao Yu looked at him, puzzled. "Uh, Brother Zi'an's way of treating guests is truly... heh, heh heh! Quite novel."

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed: "You two are not adults yet, and you haven't had your coming-of-age ceremony. Don't try to imitate adults in everything. As for alcohol, we can talk about that after you're adults. By the way, you two haven't lost your virginity yet, right? This matter... well, it's best to wait until you're adults to talk about it."

The youngest, Zhao Si, looked completely bewildered, probably not understanding what he meant.

The older Prince Zhao Yu of Yan looked strange, with a hint of embarrassment on his face.

Being a man himself, Zhao Xiaoqian immediately understood and exclaimed in surprise, "The Prince of Yan is no longer a virgin?"

Zhao Yu coughed twice, turned his head away uncomfortably, and pretended to admire the luxurious furnishings in the Yin'an Palace.

Zhao Xiaoqian clicked his tongue in amazement.

Did she lose her virginity before her pubic hair was fully grown? She's only fifteen, right? Is she that precocious?
Thinking back to my past life when I was fifteen, I felt I had grown up and matured, and I scoffed at things like Ultraman and Gundam that kids liked, finding them childish and laughable.

What should a 15-year-old adult be concerned about?
Of course, you should be concerned about whether to choose Ken or Chun-Li in Street Fighter in the arcade, or who is the best in King of Fighters.

As for the girls in the same class and school, ha! What's there to pay attention to in someone who can't even utter the ultimate flashy move "Oyo Gen"?
(End of this chapter)