On the luohan bed in the side corridor of the rear hall, Xue Li Mei was playing with her son. He was almost eleven months old. Little Official Yang was growing prettier than his hair, and was deeply liked by the concubines. With the support of something, he could already stand up and walk. At this moment, Official Yang was holding onto the windowsill at the head of the kang bed, standing on his tiptoes to look outside the window lattice. He took a few shaky glances, then sat down on his butt.
Sheridan was lying lazily on the bed with a cushion and a cool mat. She was barefooted. Whenever Mr. Yang sat down, she would lift her foot and support it with a smile. The little guy was wearing open-crotch pants. His butt was smooth and tender, cool and smooth like jade. Sheridan liked to touch it very much, probably because of the sequela of the Yang family's discipline.
Recently, she had become very lazy and always liked to eat sour things. When the tall young miss touched it, she knew that the little lass had fallen into a trap. She was already pregnant. The Yang Family was a big family. It was a good thing to have a baby. Han Youniang was overjoyed. Only Yutang Chun wanted to cry but had no tears. Her sisters who liked to play with the Master the most were already pregnant, but her belly was not moving at all. God was really blind.
These two days, Yutang Chun pestered Gao Wenxin and kept asking her for advice on how to give birth to a child early, which made Gao Wenxin not know whether to laugh or cry. Both of them were normal, so they had to wait for the fated chance. How could they give birth so easily? That was the ability of the child-giving Guanyin. Why did her belly have to be flat?
She had no choice but to prescribe some tonics for men and women for Yutang Chun. However, her Master's health was important. She prescribed prescriptions to regulate essence, replenish Qi, and strengthen the body. She did not prescribe any kind of medicine.
Speaking of which, she didn't know if her master practiced Qi or if he had learned Cheng Qiyun's thirty-eight methods of sexual intercourse. His prowess in bed often scared her out of her wits and made her feel weak. Every time, she had to beg for mercy. Even after lying there for a long time, she was too lazy to even move her little finger. It really wasn't the time to use medicine.
The little fellow once again fell on Aunt Cher's feet. He turned around impatiently and saw Aunt Cher smiling happily as she picked up some dried plums and placed them in her mouth. His eyes lit up and he immediately pointed at her mouth and let out a few cries.
He still could not speak. From Han Youniang to his four beautiful mothers, they took turns to teach him how to say "Mom" every day. Little Mr. Yang was still calm, but he did not open his mouth. Whenever he needed something or wanted to go somewhere, he would point his finger in a domineering manner and say a simple "Ah", and his wish would come true.
Sheridan raised her orchid fingers and used her two white fingers to pick up a piece of dried plum to tease him. Little Mr. Yang reached out to grab it twice but failed. He curled his lips and was ready to howl. Sheridan hurriedly smiled and said, "Good baby, don't cry. Here, here, here!"
She pouted and spat out a small piece of chewed dried plum. Little Mr. Yang quickly crawled over and stretched out his mouth to take it. He had just taken two sips when his little face twitched and he began to spit it out with a strange expression on his face.
Sheridan laughed so hard that her body trembled. She used her hand to catch the dried plum that Mr. Yang spat out and giggled, "Who told you to be so greedy? You want everything. Do you still want to eat or not? Here! "
She opened her cherry lips, and Little Mr. Yang was so scared that he turned around and crawled away. His little butt twisted and turned in a very funny way. At this moment, Yang Ling walked in while thinking about something. If he wanted to go to the back hall, he had to go around the left and right. On the left was the piano room, and on the right was the room with the Arhat bed. This was the place where the women of the inner house met with female guests. It was usually one of the places where the women of the house rested and laughed, so Yang Ling often went there.
Seeing Yang Ling come in, Sheridan quickly sat up and tidied up her hair. She smiled sweetly and said, "Master is back. Has Master Li returned to the city?"
"Well, yes. Hey, you don't have to get up. Play with your son. I'll go to Yun 'er's place to see how the information she and Adeni are doing. "
As Yang Ling said this, he walked to the side of the kang and teased his son, "Darling, be good. Tomorrow, father will take you fishing. Come, call me daddy."
The child still didn't know how to speak, so he just said it casually. After he finished speaking, he turned around and left. When he walked to the side of the door, he heard two tender and clear voices coming from the bed, "Dad … Dad, Dad …"
Yang Ling's feet were like the wind. He had already left the door, but he suddenly jumped back. Wudang's' Cloud Ladder Ascending 'Qing Gong was able to jump two and a half meters backward in his hands, which was already considered to be the peak of perfection.
Yang Ling couldn't help but look at his son and said, "What did you say? Quickly, continue to call, call me daddy. "
Sheridan's cute little mouth had a piece of plum in it. Her pair of almond-shaped eyes were wide open. She was so surprised that she seemed to be dumbfounded.
Little Mr. Yang looked at his father with a pair of black and bright eyes. He pulled Aunt Cher's foot and said with a smile, "Daddy, daddy!"
"Ah ha!" Yang Ling was overjoyed. He rushed over to pick up his son and kissed his delicate little face. Then he said majestically, "Who said that boys learn to speak late? That depends on who it is. What kind of person is my son? He's like me, smart, hahahaha … "
After Yang Ling finished speaking, he happily carried his son and ran out. He said proudly, "I'll bring my son to show them. Haha, you guys teach him every day. I don't even need to teach him, he can call me daddy when he opens his mouth."
Sheridan hurriedly took off her shoes and said coquettishly, "Don't mind, the child is sweating from playing. Be careful not to blow. Look at how happy you are."
Yang Ling quickly stuffed the child into her arms and said, "Then you take care of him. I'll go call Young-niang and the others."
After a while, they saw Yang Ling with the surprised and happy Han Youniang, Gao Wenxin, Yutang Chun, and the little maid, Yun 'er, rushed in.
Xiao Yun was also hugging a puppy in her arms. This puppy had just been bred by a dog breeder in the capital. Yang Ling knew that it was a puppy at first sight, but it was a rare pet back then. The citizens of the capital thought that this puppy was cute and rare. Currently, due to their rarity, only royal and noble families could afford to buy one. This puppy was one of the playmates of the Young Master of the Yang family.
Han Youniang said in surprise, "Let me see, my baby son really knows how to call me daddy?"
They saw Little Mr. Yang hugging his aunt Cher's thigh and calling "daddy" non-stop. Sheridan laughed so hard that tears overflowed from her eyes. When she saw them coming in, she giggled and said, "Master, you're happy for nothing. Xiao Bao can call daddy, but he only knows how to do it. He will call anything."
Sure enough, when Young Sir Yang saw Yun'er holding his favorite pug in her arms, he happily let go of the auntie's thigh and pointed at the pug. He first let out an "ah", then started calling out, "Daddy, Daddy."
Han Youniang and Gao Wenxin couldn't help laughing. Yang Ling didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He sat down on the kang and pointed at his son. "You little bastard, you really want to embarrass your father. It's better if you don't know how to call. Okay, okay, stop calling."
"Daddy, daddy …"
Han Youniang and the others laughed even harder. Yang Ling couldn't take it anymore. He could only laugh twice and said, "Although I don't understand what it means, at least he knows how to call. Hehe, if you want him to call, he can't be bothered to care."
His son could finally speak. This was a great thing. No one paid attention to him. Han Youniang and the others suddenly surrounded Young Master Yang and said, "Good son, good baby, come, call me mommy (auntie)."
The little guy stared with a pair of black eyes and looked at his nervous mother and auntie in surprise. Then, he suddenly turned around and crawled towards Yang Ling with his little butt. He called daddy all the way and plunged into his arms. Obviously, he was scared by them.
Yutang Chun sighed and pointed at his naked butt with her big toe. She said bitterly, "This little ingrate, he is still a member of the Old Yang Family. I doted on him for nothing. He won't even call me auntie. So stingy!"
Yang Ling hugged his son and laughed heartily. He temporarily put aside his work and asked someone to bring over iced watermelon and sour plum soup. He chatted happily with his wife, his beloved concubines, and his beloved son. It was a joyous occasion.
The adults sat on the kang, eating melon seeds and fruits while chatting. The child and the little puppy squirmed between their legs, laughing and playing. Occasionally, when they looked into each other's eyes, Yang Ling and Young-niang saw satisfaction, warmth, affection, and sweetness in each other's eyes.
Yes, the most difficult times had long passed, and the situation of helping each other in times of poverty would no longer need to appear. As time went by, those bitter past would become more and more beautiful memories. Perhaps one day, when the two of them were too old to move, they would sit on a rocking chair, just like now, with a few children playing there, and would talk to them about these past events.
Now, what had accumulated and settled was the deeper and deeper feelings between them. Their lives and their feelings were happier than most people in the world. Happiness, that was enough.
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Yang Ling came to Cheng Qiyun's residence and saw the two beauties, Cheng Qiyun and Adeni, arguing until their faces were red. Chu Ling sat at the table with her chin in her hand, looking at them with a smile.
Yang Ling asked curiously, "What is so fierce about?"
As soon as the two saw Yang Ling, they immediately rushed to complain, "Sir, come and comment on the tax issue …"
"Yang, Sister Yun 'er is too conservative. It's just a modification of the old system. In my opinion, it should be a big axe and a broad knife …"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Yang Ling was having a headache from their bickering. He quickly pulled one of them to the table, pressed on their shoulders and said, "All of you, sit down." He looked at Chu Ling, who was smiling as she stood up, and said, "There's no need to stand on ceremony, you can sit down too."
As he spoke, he also sat down, poured a cup of tea for each of them, and said with a smile, "Well, the Lord is here. If you have any grievances, feel free to tell me one by one."
The two beauties snorted at the same time, rolled their eyes at him, and then looked at each other, but did not speak.
Yang Ling saw that the two machine guns had stopped firing and said with a smile, "Chu Ling, you speak."
"Ah! I … I'll speak … "Chu Ling 'timidly' looked at the Lady Boss. The Lady Boss did not object, so she had to bite the bullet and said to the big boss," It's like this, didn't Duke ask the two ladies to discuss your 'Twelve Commentaries on Jingzheng' again? This … about the governance of officials, land, taxes, and military system, uh … Miss Adni and Miss have very different views. The argument between them is a little intense, but it's not a quarrel. Duke, don't worry. "
Yang Ling only understood after hearing this. He had actually gotten the two of them to discuss the matter so that he could get their opinions. He had communicated with Yang Shen, Jiao Fang, Yang Yiqing, and the rest of the group about the specifics of the matter, and he could make changes according to their opinions at any time.
Cheng Qiyun had a very thorough understanding of human nature and psychology. Adni came from the West, so she did not have the habit of being used to the East's system since she was a child. If she helped to consult, maybe she could come up with a new idea from a bystander's point of view. Yang Ling asked them to consult because he wanted to improve the system from their point of view and have fewer loopholes, so that once it was submitted, the obstruction would be minimized.
In fact, at that time, whether it was the political system or the economic system, or even the imperial examination system that was later criticized, it was quite mature and advanced compared to the West at that time. However, compared to the East's value concept of fame and the West's value concept of profit, the West was undoubtedly more pragmatic. In terms of democratic system, the West was also more advanced than the East.
Yang Ling had only asked the two of them to take a look and give some suggestions. He didn't expect the two of them to be so serious. He was touched, but he also found it funny. Yang Ling thought for a moment, then said to Cheng Qiyun, "Yes, I understand. Well, let's talk about the governance of officials first. Tell me, where are your differences mainly concentrated? "
Adni rushed to say, "I think the selection of talents should solve the problem from the root. The urgent task is to reduce redundant staff and select talents. The selection of talents should not ask about their background and qualifications. Young officials should be promoted vigorously. They should have a broad vision, dare to innovate, and be energetic. Local people over 50 years old can only be given miscellaneous positions and can't be the head of a state or county. Reward the outstanding, punish greed, and fulfill their duties. "
Yang Ling rubbed his chin and pondered for a while before saying, "Well, that's what it says, but how do we control this scale when it comes to concrete implementation? Who is going to judge which young people are outstanding? Who wasn't unqualified? Moreover, those over 50 years old can't be the head of the main hall. It is bound to affect many local officials and cause them to resist. Many of the officials who are close to 50 years old will not be at ease with politics and will specialize in speculation and personal profit. How do we solve these problems? "
Adni's face turned red. Yang Ling smiled and comforted her, "If the person in the top position is honest and wise, and then in charge of the government, he can use this kind of rectification method. In such a huge country, communication and news are extremely slow, it is not suitable. Adni came up with this method based on the situation in your country, and your country is only equivalent to a government here. You can't be blamed for being limited to this. "
Although Adni was a knowledgeable young girl, her understanding of this ancient eastern country, its thousands of years of officialdom and cultural heritage was naturally not as good as Cheng Qiyun, so what she proposed was unavoidably a bit divorced from reality. Cheng Qiyun could hear that he couldn't bear to embarrass Adni and couldn't help but smile.
Yang Ling glared at her and asked, "Then tell me, what do you think?"
Cheng Qiyun smiled and said, "I think that the implementation of policy is from the top down. To rectify the government, we must use the rule of law as the core of governance and strengthen the control of the imperial court to ensure the implementation of the new law. The specific method has already been laid out by Sir, and it is also simple to implement.
Imperial Censorate, Hanlin Academy, and the imperial censors of the Thirteen Paths, haven't they just been purged? The officials who have been retained and the newly promoted are all quite good in terms of character and ability. Sir should first strengthen the power of the Department of Education, using the six departments to control the six departments, and the cabinet to control the six departments. Layer by layer of control, layer by layer of assessment, clear rewards and punishments, and clear responsibilities, in order to improve the strength of the departments and departments to carry out the decree. "
Yang Ling nodded inwardly, "In this kind of unified feudal society, if we want to successfully reform, we can only do it from the top down, and achieve the centralization of power. If we don't strengthen the control of the imperial court over all levels of institutions, the reform will be a piece of paper. The policy that the top painstakingly formulated can only be registered and filed by the lower levels, and can't be implemented at all.
So it is necessary to strengthen the centralization of power. In fact, whether it is centralization of power or decentralization of power, there is a suitable era background for it. With the current political, economic, and cultural foundation, with the current level of technology and information, if one wanted to decentralize power and practice democracy, it would be purely a case of being kicked in the head by a donkey. It would be strange if the implementation of utopianism did not cause chaos in the world.
Of course, this centralization of power also had its differences. If all the power rose to the hands of the Emperor, when the Emperor was a wise ruler, then he would really have a myriad of affairs to deal with every day, and it could tire him to death. If he was a fatuous ruler, then everyone in the world would suffer.
Cheng Qiyun's proposal was actually to strengthen the administrative ability of the cabinet, and this ability was placed under the supervision of the supervision system. In this way, the cabinet was not under one person, and the political achievements and personal character of the officials would be under strong control. It was indeed a good way to improve the efficiency of the bureaucracy.
Most importantly, this was in line with the theory of power that Li Dongyang mentioned. No matter what kind of reform, there would definitely be some rights and interests that would be harmed. The crux of the problem was whether you could win over the support of the other part of the bureaucracy. According to this theory, if the power of the cabinet is strengthened, and the power of the science department is strengthened, then first of all, I will win over Ming Destiny's cabinet and the entire supervision system, and they will become my unwavering supporters of the reform. "
Before Yang Shen went to Nu 'er's camp, he had mentioned something similar to this to him. Now that he and Cheng Qiyun shared the same thoughts, Yang Ling couldn't help but praise her. He and Cheng Qiyun then discussed a few more points in detail regarding the assessment methods of the Science Officials, such as the collection of taxes, auditing after leaving office, and the appointment and dismissal system for assessing political achievements.
In these discussions, some of the terms were exactly what Liu Jin had done in the past. However, Liu Jin did it completely to prank people, using the personnel assessment to earn money for himself. As a result, he read the wrong things. Now that the past was brought up again, thinking of Liu Jin, Yang Ling couldn't help but feel emotional. At the same time, he also reminded himself: do things with the attitude of entering the world, and be a person with the attitude of staying out of the world.
This power couldn't be taken by himself, and definitely couldn't be handed over to any individual. The implementation of this power must really be handed over to the hands of the six departments and thirteen departments. With so many science department officials, they could restrict each other, and prevent someone from doing too much with the concentration of power. Moreover, there was also the cabinet above them that restrained each other.
The assessment of the officials was concentrated on tax collection and audit after leaving office. This ensured that the assessment could be checked, and there were measurements, and it wasn't up to the supervision officials to say it. The reorganization of the administration of the officials was the foundation, and from it, it naturally involved many other aspects, such as cracking down on illegal tyrants, pursuing and suppressing illegal tyrants who owed taxes, and so on. Extending from this, the two of them wrote and memorized for a while, and then they talked about the most headache-inducing issue of the concentration of land.
Cheng Qiyun said, "Actually, all these reforms are interlinked, and they complement each other. The reorganization of the administration of the officials affects the collection of taxes, the name of punishment, and the integrity of the government. The issue of land, in turn, involves the name of punishment, the integrity of the government, and the collection of taxes. Speaking of the problem of land being occupied by the rich and powerful, we have to mention Liu Jin Eunuch Liu's contribution.
He had cleared the land in order to highlight his personal achievements. In order to clear as much land as possible to claim credit, he had caused many families to break up and die. But now that the land of the victims had been verified and returned to them, the rest of the land was real.
How much land the officials, gentry, and commoners actually have legally, and how much land has been hidden by the local tyrants, or how much of the imperial court's land has been embezzled, has also been recorded. Not counting the embezzled land, just the amount of land that has been concealed is 1.47 million hectares, and the amount of tax evaded is 800,000 hectares, right? With this data, the collection of taxes, and even the reform of the tax system will be much easier. "
Cheng Qiyun pursed her lips into a smile and said, "Daren has listed some of the more reasonable tax methods that are being explored and tried out in some places, such as Ying Tian Prefecture's' Lijia Silver ', Zhejiang and Guangdong's' Equalization Silver ', Fujian's' Gang Silver ', and Jiangnan's' Ten Sections of Brocade '. Most of these tax methods have changed from traditional taxes in kind to being paid in silver. This not only facilitates the imperial court's collection, transportation, and safekeeping, but also eliminates the damage and mildew caused by improper safekeeping in these links.
However, I feel that among these methods, the 'One Whip Tax' method that you mentioned is the best. With this method, miscellaneous taxes, equalization taxes, labor taxes, silver taxes, and other taxes will be combined into one, and the labor taxes will be included in the land tax, and all will be calculated according to the mu of land. There will be no reduction in the amount, and no increase in taxes. The poor who don't have land will not have to pay taxes, and the rich cannot have more. The corvee labor is fair, and no one will lament that it is unequal. "
Yang Ling nodded and said, "Yes, and using silver to replace the physical and labor taxes will expand the circulation of money, weaken personal dependence, and allow merchants and craftsmen to obtain greater freedom. This is extremely important for the development of industry and commerce."
On this point, Yang Ling secretly discussed it with some of the ministers in the imperial court and obtained their approval. The 'One Whip' method ensured the stability of the imperial court's taxes, and would not make the rich get richer and the poor get poorer until they went bankrupt and rebelled. Strengthening the development of industry and commerce, the farmers with land would be happy to farm, and the rich in the city would be happy to buy land. It would also not infringe on the interests of the powerful officials and local tyrants, so as to avoid strong local opposition and make his painstaking efforts go to waste.
The One Whip Law made it difficult for officials to use taxes for corruption, lightened the burden of the poor, and increased the income of the imperial court. Moreover, it was within the range that the powerful officials and tyrants could accept. This was a more pragmatic reform strategy. If they were really hot-headed and wanted to implement a one-size-fits-all policy to return the land to the people, beating the local tyrants and dividing the land, then they would have to first pull a team up the mountain to fight guerrilla warfare.
The more the two people talked, the happier they became, and Yang Ling's thoughts became clearer and clearer. He said excitedly, "Very well said. Right now, Elder Jiao and Yang Yiqing should have already left the yamen. I will go to the city to take a look and discuss it with them. I will present it to the emperor in the next two days. "
Yang Ling only cared about being happy, but did not notice the hidden bitterness of Adeni, whose advice was not taken seriously. Seeing him hurriedly get up and leave, Adeni looked even more lonely …
※ ※ ※
"The emperor has actually already seen these arrangements. The official report is just a signal to the world, a signal of reform. I am responsible for eliminating bandits and settling the refugees. From what I have seen and experienced in the local areas, I know that if the country is not rich and the army is strong, and the people are happy and working, then there will be no end to the suppression of bandits. If the malpractice cannot be eliminated and the new policy can be implemented, then the country cannot be rich and the army can not be strong.
The current emperor is young and wants to have a great achievement. All the officials are the pillars of the country, please do your best and express your views. Let's refine these admonitions one last time so that the new policy can be implemented smoothly. Lord Liu, what do you think? "
Yang Ling looked around and said in a clear voice. In the Jiao Fang residence, several invited officials sat around the table and were making the final deliberations on the new policy.
What was served on the table was always a cooked dish. The implementation and decision of a policy was the result of detailed investigation, research, balance and coordination of various forces in advance. Just like now, Yang Tinghe and Yang Yiqing were not on good terms, but his forces occupied two seats in the cabinet and played a decisive role in the implementation of the policy.
Although the finalized reform of the administration of officials was extremely beneficial to the cabinet and would not affect his rights and interests, but would be strengthened. However, concealing it in advance and excluding him would inevitably cause estrangement, so Yang Ling also invited the Minister of Revenue, Liu Zhong. He was one of Yang Tinghe's people. His presence was tantamount to telling Yang Tinghe what he had agreed on at any time.
In this way, when Liu Zhong voiced out his opinion, everyone had a tacit understanding that it represented Yang Tinghe's opinion. Therefore, after Yang Ling finished speaking, he first looked at Liu Zhong, wanting to know the opinions of Grand Secretary Yang Tinghe and Liang Chu.
Liu Zhong smiled modestly and said, "When this lowly official was in Hanlin Academy, I only knew how to encourage writing and criticize the malpractices of the times. I felt that it was inconceivable for some of the malpractices that were unseen and uncorrected. I only thought that it was the officials of the court who did not perform their duties properly and neglected their duties. It was not until I became the Minister of Revenue that I realized that the malpractices were so deep that it would be difficult to achieve results without bold and decisive measures.
At present, the annexation of land is serious, the refugees are scattered everywhere, the disaster of the Grassland Translation has arisen, the country's treasury is empty, resources are scarce; the Tartars in the north and Qinghai in the west are making strange movements, the Hami garrison is in a dilemma, the Chieftains in the south are fighting for power and profit, the reform and reform is imminent.
This lowly official deeply agrees. "This was the result of the distribution of power. Otherwise, even if Yang Tinghe agreed in his heart, it would be hard to avoid making things difficult for them. Hearing this, Yang Ling was very happy. He heard Liu Zhong said," Lowly official only has one suggestion: the land that the wealthy gentry and landlords have coveted can be returned to the peasants. Other than that, no matter how much land they have, including the land that has not been reported for tax purposes, we can only strengthen the management, impose taxes and fines, and not confiscate them to the common people.
This whip technique is of great benefit to the poor people who have land, but it is not as good as the landless peasants. The refugees are the source of disaster, and this problem must be solved. Lowly official thinks that right now the development of industry and commerce, the opening of the sea and sea, the exchange of markets and trade, the immigration of Guandong can solve a large part of the refugees, and the return of the land that has been seized can solve a part of the problem.
Other than that, I would like to ask the Ministry of War Lu Daren to spend a lot of effort on the military system reform, the removal of the guard stations, we must pay attention to the management of the military fields that have been cleared out, these large tracts of land can also be used to settle a part of the refugees. By that time, even if there are still refugees, their mathematics is limited, it will be difficult for them to make a name for themselves. Unless there is an enormous natural or man-made disaster, and the imperial court is powerless to provide relief, otherwise there will not be a situation where one person rises to the top and calls for tens of thousands of people to respond and rebel. "
Yang Ling nodded slightly and thought, "This must have come from Yang Tinghe's plan. This person is very pragmatic, he can balance the interests of all sides, and he does not have to make too drastic a policy to attract opposition from all sides, and he can solve the problem effectively. He is indeed a capable person."
Lu Wan said worriedly, "Although this whip technique will cause some losses to the aristocrats, the enlightened and law-abiding aristocrats pay taxes according to the number of acres of land, and basically have no impact. Because they pay taxes in silver, they do not need to use the official price to pay the grain into the treasury, and they will gain more, so they will support this policy. Lowly official thinks that it will only affect those aristocrats who usually evade taxes.
This group of people will definitely be dissatisfied, but by rectifying the governance of the officials, we can offset the resistance of a part of the aristocratic families of officials. Coupled with the fact that this time the refugees have stirred up a rebellion, most of them will respond. If we are to say who is really difficult to reach, it should be those nobles and ministers. If it is really implemented, Duke, there will definitely be people who will tamper with it. "
Yang Ling smiled faintly and said, "This, I have already guessed. With a carrot in one hand and a big stick in the other, I originally did not expect to be able to get everyone to agree by talking things over. Some people, they are just a chicken to scare the monkeys, so why not use them to test the knife?"
Lu Wan nodded and said, "Duke, to suppress the bandits first, this is a strategy to clean up the roots. His Majesty also has the heart to do this, so lowly official will naturally do his best. It is just that now we are using troops, and at this time the reform of the military system will easily shake the morale of the troops, so we have to worry about it. Furthermore, the corruption of the troops, the loss of farmland, also involves the governance of the officials and the reform of the land. The implications are great, lowly official has thought hard for a long time, and feels that we can find a compromise method …"
He stroked his beard and looked at the former Minister of War, Yang Yiqing, and said, "Lowly official thinks that the reform of the military system can be separated from the Twelve Edicts, and be carried out slowly, stewing the soup slowly, doing it without announcing it. Now the military strength of the regiments in the various regions is not below that of the Wei Suo soldiers, and even a bit stronger. The court might as well order the inspector-general of the various regions to expand the regiments and reorganize the armaments.
Now, aren't there refugees everywhere? We can change the rule that the regiments only recruit local soldiers, and absorb a portion of the refugees into the army. This way, the quality of the soldiers will be guaranteed, and the rebels will not have any refugees to use. After the war is over, we can then announce that the army will be raised to recruit soldiers. Those Wei Suo soldiers who have been unwilling to be soldiers for a long time, and even those who would look for an opportunity to run away, will naturally be happy to obey. The shortage of soldiers in the army can also be immediately filled up by the regiments that have already been trained, and the recruitment system can be carried out quickly and steadily. "
Yang Yiqing had led troops for a long time, and he had always held a position in the border army, and the majority of the border army used the recruitment system. The soldiers were not limited to the local people, so after thinking for a while, he nodded in agreement and said, "I think it is feasible to plan slowly, and start with the preparation of the troops. But order the various regions to prepare the troops, and the regiments to strengthen the investigation of the soldiers, and do not recruit those who are too ruffian and have a criminal record into the troops. "
Lu Wan smiled and said, "Sir Yang, do not worry. Now that the bandits are everywhere, after the new regiments are established, they will participate in the encirclement and suppression of the bandits. In the midst of the war, whether the soldiers are qualified or not can be examined."
Jiao Fang saw that no one else objected, so she also recorded this item. The Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Wang Hua, said, "Governing a country is nothing more than seeking prosperity and strength, but the scholars and literati mostly worship the Confucian school of Song and Zhu, who preach that there is nothing outside the heart, and do not seek external help. Such people become officials and do not pay attention to the national economy and the people's livelihood. They talk big, talk big, talk big, and look down on the people's livelihood, and use empty talk to harm the country.
This lowly official thinks that we can gather a group of great scholars and retired officials, and summarize the rise and fall of a dynasty, and promote the idea that the law is impermanent, and that it is important to be close to the people. This is a theory that is suitable for the customs, so that the officials at all levels can abandon the old rules, and make the country and the army the most important task, sweep away the useless empty talk, and seek practical results. We can combine learning and governance with solving the national economy and the people's livelihood, and sweep away the pressure of public opinion. "
Yang Ling happily agreed, and said, "That's right, Official Wang is right. In this year's Autumn Examinations, the imperial examinations must increase the weight of political theory, and reduce the proportion of poetry, songs, and prose. In the future, the examination questions must also be like this. In order to pass the examination, the students will pay attention to practical matters, and care about the people's livelihood. In my opinion, this is the most important matter for the Ministry of Rites. We must change the root of the empty talk, and cultivate more capable and capable officials for the court, and not the winter Taoism. "
The officials gathered their wisdom and strength, and organized the new policies that they were preparing to implement one last time, and then they all took their leave.
Jiao Fang put away the booklet that recorded the opinions of various parties and various interest groups. She turned to Yang Ling and said, "Guogong, the new policy is not difficult, the difficulty lies in implementing it. These major policies are approved by the Cabinet, the Six Ministries, and the Department of Science and Technology. Moreover, His Majesty is very supportive of it, and the purpose is to solve the court's malpractice in all aspects. The reason is high-sounding, it will be very difficult for the opponents to put their opposition on the table.
But these reforms, no matter which one it is, will involve the interests of many people. On each road there will be several big tigers. If the big tigers do not fall, the rest will imitate them one after another. In that case, no matter how perfect the national policy is, it will only lead to a complete loss. "
"Hmm," Yang Ling said, "I have already anticipated this. Don't look at the fact that His Majesty is in favor of it, the Cabinet will implement it; each road should be very smooth. However, it is hard to avoid some people's hope. Moreover, they will push out a few important people to take the blame. If they can't pass this hurdle, everything else is out of the question.
I hurried back to the capital to personally oversee things. One reason is because I am worried about the situation in Qinghai, and the other is because of this consideration. No matter what kind of big tiger it is, we have to think of a way to topple it. I will stay in the capital for a few more days. When the various policies are initially implemented, I will go to Shanxi. "
"Cough! Cough, cough! " Old Man Jiao coughed dryly and said in a strange tone, "If there is a big tiger, it will definitely be pushed out to block the arrow."
"Who is it?" Yang Ling asked in a low voice.
"The current Duke Yan."
Yang Ling was startled. "Duke Yan? What did he do this time? "
This kind of aristocratic family, which had existed for many dynasties, was the most troublesome. In the third month of the Third Year of Chenghua, Duke Yan Kong Hongxu raped more than forty women and strangled four innocent people. He was only stripped of his title and replaced by his younger brother. After he gave birth to a son, he still wanted to take back his title. Murder and murder, the Emperor's punishment was nothing more than this.
Zhang Yuanji, the Zhenren of Mount Longhu in Shanxi, violated the law by using utensils and robbing women. In order to make money, he killed more than forty common people, including a family of three. In the end, he was also stripped of his title. What was a privilege? Especially when the Emperor thought that the impact of killing a criminal on the country was higher than upholding the dignity of the law. This kind of aristocratic family power was already at the peak.
He heard Jiao Fang say, "Duke Yan has been back for less than half a month, and now there are two cases in the capital. The three departments do not dare to take care of it, and the six ministries do not dare to accept it, so they pushed it to me. This is only a small matter, but the court wants to reorganize the government and clear up land acquisitions. There will definitely be people who will use this matter to make things difficult for the court, so we have to plan early. "
It turned out that when Duke Yan returned to his hometown and saw that his mansion was in a mess, and all the food had been stolen, he was filled with hatred. During that period of time, his temper was not very good. His family's land was more than a million mu, stretching across several counties.
Coincidentally, his family had a piece of land in a neighboring county, with a river running through it. Upstream was a small landlord's land. At this time, the easy to plant and early ripening grain distributed by the court arrived, and every family rushed to plant the grain. The Kong family disliked the inconvenience of using the water source, so they had a dispute with the family. The short-tempered Old Master Kong only needed to give the order, and naturally, someone would use the crime of colluding with bandits and harming the people to find trouble with the family. In the end, they forcibly 'bought' the family's land at an extremely low price.
The other matter was that there was a servant in his family, who could be considered a relatively high-ranking housekeeper. His brother had performed meritorious service in suppressing bandits in the army and was promoted to baihu. He went to the Kong mansion to visit his elder brother. The two of them talked happily and wanted to go home together to see their parents. It would only take them three days to go back and forth, but Old Master Kong did not allow it. The baihu said a few words, and Old Master Kong was furious. He immediately set up a court in the main hall where Red Madame used to raise horses and cook food. He pressed the baihu and his brother to the ground, and each received sixty strokes of the rod.
The two of them were beaten black and blue. At this time, it was wartime, and the remnants of the bandits in Shandong had yet to be dealt with. The soldiers' waists were relatively firm, and the general who led the troops was Qiao Sihai. He felt sorry for his officers, and the officials of the three departments in Shandong did not dare to intervene. He filed a complaint to the capital, and along the way, he reported what the housekeeper knew about Old Master Kong's illegal occupation of more than ten thousand mu of land.
After listening to the whole story, Yang Ling carefully pondered for a while, and faintly had a good idea. He said with a smile that was not a smile, "I understand. This matter, we must let the soldiers who are bleeding in the war vent their anger. As for the illegal occupation of land, we must make him spit it out. I will start preparing for this matter now. We cannot let him become the tiger that obstructs the reform and reform."
Elder Jiao made a sound of agreement, and then said in a low voice, "Duke, I can think of another person. Perhaps someone will be bold enough to bring him out."
Yang Ling laughed, and said indifferently, "Tell me, which big tiger is it?"
Elder Jiao shook his head, and said, "This one … is not a tiger, but a dragon, a real dragon!"
"Ah?" Yang Ling's eyes widened, and he said, "The current Emperor! The Emperor … what can be used against him? "
Elder Jiao moved closer to his ear and whispered …
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