Bright Spring

The hall fell silent, and Qi Tai also stood beside him for a long time without saying anything more.

After some time, Zhu Gaoxu probably understood Qi Tai's meaning. He raised his head and couldn't help saying: "Qi Butang's strategy is a bit radical. I'm afraid that once it is announced, everyone will quarrel. But I support you."

At last, Qi Tai did not disappoint Zhu Gaoxu. This set of measures, aimed at the supply chain reform of the South Department of Defense Department, won Zhu Gaoxu's idea.

"Your Majesty, why don't you call the minister of the Ministry of Industry, Rubu Tang, to temporarily take charge of the Southern Department of the Yusi?" Qi Tai said in a deep voice, "This time, Marquis Ningyuan is going to the northwest to rectify military affairs. The imperial court wants to provide a batch of fine armored firearms. The factory undertakes. The inspection and acceptance of this batch of military supplies will be presided over by the Ministry of War; if the items are defective, as the minister of the Ministry of War, I will not accept them."

Zhu Gaoxu laughed immediately, and pointed at Qi Tai while laughing, but he didn't say anything.The expression seems to say: You are quite yin.

At that time, the iron factory is likely to produce a large number of defective products, wasting resources.But for reform, this loss is worth it.

"I think it's okay, let's do it like this!" Zhu Gaoxu immediately patted the desk lightly.

Zhu Gaoxu thought for a while and said, "Can you give Qian Xun the innovative strategy of the Southern Office? Otherwise, Qi Butang will go to sing the bad face, who will sing the good face?"

Qi Tai and Zhu Gaoxu looked at each other, bowed and said: "My lord, my lord."

854 Zhanghou Temple Avenue

Qi Tai's plan did not progress according to the "expected process".

But the result was expected.Qian Xun's memorial went through many twists and turns, from the cabinet to the Dianbao Office, and then to the imperial court, and finally passed the decision after the court discussion.So Qian Xun didn't submit his resignation letter; and Ru Xun was asked to take charge of the Nanshu Iron Works, but it never happened.

The situation is like this, because the position of the ministers in the court is very complicated.The situation is not as simple as a political dispute between the old and the new parties, and there are still many people who are indifferent.

After a few days, it coincided with the ten-day holiday.Ru Yu, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, suddenly invited Qi Tai to go to Longjiang Temple to offer incense.Qi Tai also felt that he should talk to Ru Yu and others, so naturally he didn't refuse.

Longjiang Temple is next to the port of Dajiang, and you can see the river in front of the mountain gate.It used to be the property of the eunuch Zheng He, but it was brought back to the royal family during the Hongxi period; at the beginning of Wu Dechu, the palace returned it to Zheng He's old party Wang Jinghong.

It was drizzling and the sky was cloudy.After Qi Tai and others got off the car outside the temple, they saw the boats moored on the river, which were also difficult to see clearly in the fog.A group of people walked into this quaint temple with green umbrellas.

At this time, the presiding officer greeted him personally, saluted and called "Amitabha Buddha".After seeing the ceremony, everyone went straight to the Daxiong Palace.Although there was a merit box in front of the Buddha statue, Qi Tai and the others offered a little more sesame oil money, so they gave it to a monk at the door and entered the merit book.

"Ding!" With a sound, the monk seemed to be reminding the dozing Lord Buddha that both Qi Tai and Ru Yu had come forward to pay homage to the Bodhisattva.

Ru Yu is a man in his fifties, very tall and tall, he does not look like a scholar.But he is indeed a civil servant, and has the title of earl.Daming's title is almost only based on military merit, and there are very few people who are awarded by civil officials, and Ru Yu is one of them.

Seeing that he was so tough, Qi Tai felt that he didn't believe in Buddhism at all.As for why Ru Xun invited Qi Tai in this kind of place, that's unknown.

A few people entered through the back door behind the Buddha statue, and presided over said: "You two benefactors, please go to the fasting room to rest. At noon, I will ask someone to prepare some tea and vegetarian meals."

Ru Yu said, "Thank you, Master."

The two entered a simple fasting room, while the entourage stayed in the courtyard outside, walking around on the eaves to inspect.There was a wooden table in the fasting room, and there were futons on the floor, so Qi Tai and Ru Xun sat down opposite each other after being polite.

This temple is not very clean, the busy Longjiang Port is too close, the distant noise can be faintly heard in the air, as if shrouded in a subtle "humming" sound.There are indeed few temples in the capital that are clean. I am afraid that only the nunnery on Jilong Mountain is better.

Ru Yuan lifted the teapot, poured two cups of tea, and handed one to Qi Tai.Qi Tai hurriedly bowed his body and caught it with both hands.

Ru Yu said: "The current political disputes between the court and the central government, in my humble opinion, are just the difference between 'Tao' and 'Skills'. The Holy One mentioned the word 'Technology' many times, presumably to support the new party's 'Skills'. But The imperial examinations to select scholars are mostly the way to govern the country, so it is no wonder that many old officials are worried."

Qi Tai immediately seconded, "Ru Butang hit the nail on the head and hit the nail on the head."

Ru Ting said: "However, it is useless for the veterans to object, because the new party has the support of the Holy One.

Since Taizu and Taizong in our dynasty, the emperor has the right to arbitrarily judge the national policy.Didn't the courtiers object to Emperor Taizong's conquest of Annan and his voyages to the West?When Emperor Taizong decided to move the capital to Beiping, who would want to?Everyone's industries are in Gyeonggi (near Nanjing), where the climate is humid, the population is dense and rich, and the ministers are most opposed to moving the capital.Knot

It is useless to object. "

Qi Tai said calmly: "When Jianwen was established, I first opposed the reduction of the feudal clan, and then opposed the method of reducing the feudal clan. It is really useless."

Ru Yu said again: "Of course, you also tend to forget things. Now many old ministers look down on the new ministers, probably because they forgot that in the early days of Yongle, many old ministers were liquidated, and people like Yao Guangxiao, Yuan Gong, and Jin Zhong , but ascended to the sky in one step."

Qi Taidao: "The Holy Majesty has repeatedly stated that he does not want all courtiers to be in danger." He said softly, "The Holy Majesty has clearly promised that the most serious thing for a minister is to dismiss him from office, and his wealth and reputation will definitely be preserved. The Holy Majesty will never allow it, colleagues To ruin a certain minister's reputation. The two of us have known each other for many years, and I can tell you from the bottom of my heart that I am very sincere today."

Ru Yu nodded and said, "Although it is inevitable that some people are fighting for power and profit, most people oppose Qian Xun because they are worried about the country."

Qi Tai nodded and listened patiently.

Ru Yu glanced at him, and said again: "Using 'skills' to govern the country has great hidden dangers. For example, Qian Xun advocated the reform of the Nanshu Iron Works. At first glance, it seems that it is just a newly established small yamen, but it involves various places. Artisan households, corvee labor, and local supply are fundamentally established methods.

Qian Xun's method seems to be quite good.The Governor’s Mansion of the Five Armies submitted a list of military weapons to the Ministry of War, and the Ministry of War proposed the amount of military expenses to the Ministry of Households, and the Ministry of Households reviewed the funds; After the Ministry of War received the military expenses, it purchased ordnance for the officers and soldiers.

When the ironworks received orders to manufacture military weapons, they had to hire artisans under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of War, and purchased raw materials from mines and kilns established by the Ministry of Industry and War, or from private merchants.In order to supply good materials, we have to integrate the scattered factories and kilns in various counties, and the rules are the same as the Nanshu Iron Works.

The increased expenses ultimately come from the Ministry of Household Affairs.The money from the Ministry of Households first flowed into the Shouyu Sinan Office; then it flowed into the bureaus, workshops, factories and kilns under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Industry, as well as private business gangs, as the cost of providing raw materials.

And the Ministry of Households gets the money, one is from the central bank to mint coins, and the other is to let the municipal ship lifting department under its jurisdiction collect taxes.The whole rules are closely linked, which seems to be very strict. "

Qi Tai responded.

Ru Yu said: "I even feel that this set of rules is not Qian Xun's idea, and I'm afraid more than one person is behind the scenes."

Qi Tai was noncommittal, pretending not to know.

Ru Ting said, "But there is one biggest problem with this matter."

Qi Tai couldn't help but immediately asked, "What?"

"The process is too complicated. But it is very in line with the new party's idea of ​​'governing the country with skills'." Ru Yu said, "If it takes a little longer, once the bureaucracy is relaxed, the whole set of rules may be corrupted. There are wages and food and salt rewards, which is better than the situation of ordinary people; if the wages are relaxed a little bit, it is inevitable that all kinds of idlers will rely on human relations to make up for it, and the government-run workshops will inevitably be ruined."

Qi Tai immediately asked back: "If the hundreds of thousands of officers and soldiers of the Beijing camp are neglected, won't they be corrupted?"

Ru Yuan was stunned by the question for a while, and had no choice but to nod and said, "It's true according to reason."

Qi Tai said: "Therefore, in order to prevent all things from being corrupted, we must try to check and balance all parties and rectify all things. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. In order to make officials more practical, the reform should also involve the administration of officials, so that officials have the opportunity to practice before taking office. Officials are practical, and they are proficient in detailed government affairs."

Ru Xun looked at Qi

Tai asked, "Qi Butang also supports the idea of ​​the new party?"

Qi Tai shook his head and said: "I don't completely advocate 'governing the country with skills'. It is equally important to select talents and appoint talents, and to integrate scholars into one mind. But I still think that governing the government can be achieved without skills."

Qi Tai went on to say: "Li Bing's governance of Dujiangyan in the Tang Dynasty could not only rely on inspiring people;

We often control the Yellow River, and being able to control the flooding of the Yellow River does not depend on the virtue of loving the people and the heart of a child; it is very important to make good use of "skills", which often have little to do with morality.For example, the method of 'building an embankment to restrain water and attack sand with water'; and when embankments are broken, the key is to make good use of willow rollers.Even a highly respected minister who does not know the art of water control will not be able to accomplish anything.

When the princes of the imperial court governed the government, prefectures and counties, they paid less attention to skills and emphasized morality, because everything could still be maintained; when it came time to manage the Yellow River's embankment, they paid more attention to "technology", which was forced by the law of heaven.

Now the Holy Majesty is determined to work hard, and he does not want to see things go up and down, or reason.All loyal ministers, it is time to share the worries for the king, not to be too complicated, and to forge ahead with all your strength. "

After hearing this, Ru Yu was silent for a long time, bowed and said, "Qi Butang is wise."

Qi Tai also said kindly: "When the Holy Majesty spoke, there was 'flexibility' and "room". Those who can't do it, as long as they don't get in the way, there is still no serious problem. This is to avoid party disputes and win the unity of the common people.

Instead, I suggest to my colleagues that instead of criticizing the new party, it is better to try to do better. The position in the court will naturally be invincible.Liu Ming and other newly promoted officials lack experience and experience, and it is difficult for them to match the experienced and virtuous officials.Our advantages are obvious, we just need to get rid of our stubbornness. "

Ru Yu pondered for a moment, then suddenly said: "The Holy Majesty asked Liu Ming to go to the Ministry of Punishments to edit the decree, so that he can establish rules for reform?"