Son of Song Dynasty

Chapter 32

"Erlang, think about it, if the father just dismissed him, reasoned with him kindly, and told him that he didn't have to spend money from the treasury to celebrate my birthday. What do you think he would do? What would other courtiers and ministers do? What kind of idea?"

Zhao Kuangyin asked the question with a smile, and there was a little bit of the meaning of his son in the school.

Zhao Dezhao thought for a while and said, "I feel that you are only pretending to decline, or you are pretending to decline to celebrate your birthday because you want to gain a good reputation of thrift and love for the people. In fact, you are willing in your heart. I am afraid that other courtiers and ministers will do the same. think."

"That's right." Zhao Kuangyin patted the table and said with a smile, "It's human nature for them to think so. You can't be wrong."

He paused, raised his head slightly, and recalled the past: "When your grandfather was around, I also prepared a birthday ceremony for your grandfather. Your grandfather also refused, and told me to be frugal in everything and not to waste money. My At that time, I was still an officer in the Dianqian Division, so I didn't listen to him, so I made a big deal out of it. In the end, your grandfather didn't say that I disobeyed him by disobeying my father's order. Didn't you think that my face was radiant and smiled happily? flowers?"

Zhao Dezhao smiled and did not answer his father's words.Grandfather Zhao Hongyin passed away very early, when he was still young, so he didn't have a deep impression of his grandfather.

The smile on Zhao Kuangyin's face did not diminish, and he turned the conversation back to the present:

"Although it is human nature for those who are sons and ministers to flatter their ruler and father, I can't let them be too much!"

"Today, I beat and scolded Li Shilang with the strength of alcohol. It would appear that I have lost the dignity of the emperor, but there will be no minister who dares to make trouble for me by making arrangements for the celebration! Erlang, Think about it, how many tens of thousands of dollars your father has saved, can you still make this deal?"

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin's sentence "save money" followed by "buy and sell", as if a small rich man in Tokyo was planning his fortune, Zhao Dezhao felt very happy for no reason.

This old man of mine really deserves to be a very commoner emperor in history, and he is also worthy to have been in the society on the streets of Tokyo and worshiped others before. Still hasn't faded completely.

Thinking about it, only under the rule of a pragmatic king can the people recover quickly after a long period of troubled times, as evidenced by the prosperity and prosperity along the Bian River.

"Erro."

Zhao Dezhao was lost in thought, Zhao Kuangyin called him, and asked his son with a smile: "What are you in a daze for? Do you think that Dad did something wrong?"

"There's nothing wrong with it. It's just that Dad can't have a lively birthday celebration. It's a big pity."

"I just said that I don't care about these useless flattery. It costs a lot of money and food, and I can only make some fun."

"Well, that's what my grandfather told my father back then..."

Zhao Kuangyin stared, and immediately understood what his son was referring to, and couldn't help but burst out laughing loudly.

After laughing enough, Zhao Kuangyin's expression turned helpless, he spread his arms, sighed up to the sky, and said the truth:

"No money! Take a look, how many of the memorials for today's cooking are asking for money from the court?"

Zhao Dezhao recalled that there were about [-] memorials processed today, of which nearly [-] were birthday congratulatory forms submitted by officials at all levels, and the remaining ten were almost all asking for money.

In some places, there were floods, droughts and floods, and the relief needed money; The prison officer asked for money; the Qun Mu Department responsible for the imperial affairs also asked for money...everywhere he asked for money!

There is also a memorial that is not asking for money, but it talks about the lack of money: the officials of the Ministry of Households who are in charge of accounting and expenditure are forced to be unable to support the financial situation of the imperial court. This year, in Henan Province and Henan Province in Xijing, the land tax is being increased, tentatively set at half a bucket per mu.

The addition of land tax, even if it is only a small-scale increase of the two Dao, is a major event, and it cannot be settled easily. Zhao Kuangyin did not express any attitude towards this memorial. Zhao Dezhao estimated in his heart that this matter is expected to It has to be discussed at tomorrow's court meeting before making a decision.

The meaning of the emperor's father is very clear. It's not that he really doesn't want to have a lively birthday party, but that he is short of money and lacks money. A penny is hard for a hero. If the emperor has no money in his pocket, he will work with the "moonlight clan" of later generations. Just like people, every birthday has to be scratched.

It is not difficult to imagine that the emperor's father has been depressed all day today, probably due to lack of money.

Zhao Dezhao bowed his head and thought for a while, and soon he had a score in his mind, so he said with a smile:
"Father, the lack of money in the imperial court can only be left to my son to find a way to solve it, and you can just take care of your birthday."

"Nonsense, what can you do!"

Zhao Kuangyin reprimanded his son with a downcast face:
"The taxation and finance of the court is the lifeblood of the country's rise and fall and the survival of the country. For thousands of years, countless capable people have racked their brains on this. Is there any way that they have never thought of? With so many capable people added up, Isn't it much stronger than your little head?"

Zhao Dezhao laughed happily, and didn't talk back, but said in his heart: "In this matter, you really may not be better than me!"

After Zhao Kuangyin trained his son, his bad mood became worse, and he immediately waved Zhao Dezhao to leave.

Zhao Dezhao did not argue, and said with a smile: "Daddy, my son seriously advises you, you should quickly call that Li Shilang back, and discuss with him how to hold a birthday celebration, so as not to be caught off guard."

"Get out of here!" Zhao Kuangyin scolded impatiently with a serious face.

"The son went home and raised the pillow, and seriously thought of a good way for the imperial treasury and father's internal treasury. If the son is bragging, you can just punish the crime."

Before leaving, Zhao Dezhao said these words.

Walking to the door of the imperial study, Zhao Dezhao glanced at the emperor's father's gray temples for the last time, and said to himself: "Father, as a son, I may not be able to change your fate against the sky and change your final life expectancy." , but at least I can make you live a little more comfortably while you are alive, have one or two decent birthdays, and enjoy yourself to the fullest!"

(End of this chapter)