pdf-ebookys Chapter 327 The undercurrent is surging
Chapter 327 The undercurrent is surging
Zhao Wubing, who was sitting on the big bed playing with a puppet toy, saw his father. His pretty little face immediately broke into a smile. He spoke "ahhh..." in baby talk and stretched out his little arms to ask his father to hug him.
Regent Zhao Defang embraced his son lovingly and asked softly, "Lin'er, how about the puppet toy that Daddy carved for you? When Daddy has time, I will carve a legion for you so that you can play the game of leading soldiers to fight."
Luo Li took the opportunity to tidy up the dozen puppets on the big bed. Her father was the God of War of the Song Dynasty, and the toys he made for his son were all lifelike generals, horses, and soldiers. She didn't want her baby son to lead troops to fight when he grew up, but there was no other way. There were so many toys, and Lin'er liked to play with this one.
She had no doubt about Zhao Defang's words. When he had time, he would really carve out a legion and play games with his son about arranging troops and fighting two armies. Because among these dozen puppet toys, there were several generals and soldiers who looked like Khitan and Tangut people. Every time Zhao Defang taught him, Lin'er would slap those foreign cavalrymen, "Hit, hit... hit!..."
The first pronunciation that a baby who has not yet learned to call daddy and mommy learns is the word “da” (beat).
Luo Li was not surprised to hear Zhao Defang tell her what happened in the court today. What made her a little worried was that she once again witnessed the cruelty of the young emperor Zhao Wuji. He used the blood of hundreds of thousands of people to pave the way for his uncle's new policy. It was amazing that a seven-and-a-half-year-old child could say such a cruel thing.
How can we avoid the death toll of this turbulent civil strife and ensure that the new policy reforms can be smoothly implemented? Luo Li frowned, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind, "Newspapers!" Public opinion warfare is the most effective weapon.
"Zhao Defang, if you want to win public support, it won't work just by word of mouth from the poor people who have benefited.
In this era, the right to speak is in the hands of the aristocratic families and the wealthy and powerful, and the great scholars who pass on books and write books rarely stand on the side of the poor people. The poor people are illiterate and cannot use books and words to advocate for their own interests.
By publishing a newspaper, we compete with the aristocratic families for the right to speak, for the direction of public opinion, and for the will of the people. "
"Newspaper?" Regent Zhao Defang sat on the bed holding his son, looked at the princess and asked seriously, "Is it something similar to the court bulletin?"
: "Almost the same, but different. I'll think about it and make a detailed plan. If you think it's feasible, we can start doing it right away."
On the surface, the capital city seems calm and prosperous, but the undercurrent is surging, with huge waves crashing against the shore and blowing up thousands of drifting snow!
On the day of rest, few court officials had the leisure to go on autumn outings in the suburbs, nor did they have the interest to drink wine or attend poetry gatherings. Few court officials rested at home, but they all gathered together to discuss the new policy that Regent Zhao Defang had implemented in Shu and the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.
Prince Bohai Gao Huaide and Duke Lu Cao Bin were loyal followers of Regent Zhao Defang. Although the new policy also harmed some of their interests, they still followed the prince's ambitions wholeheartedly and did not regret it.
In Cao's mansion, the two men invited the trusted Privy Councilor Chu Zhaofu, Vice Prime Minister Luo Ji, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Shen Xi, Minister of Works Zuo Dading, Vice Minister of Revenue Kou Zhun, and even the old lady She from the Tianbo Yang Mansion was invited.
The secret was finally revealed, and Kou Zhun excitedly explained to everyone the specific content of the new policy and what happened in Shu.
Although Old Lady She was a woman, she was generous and open-minded. After listening to Kou Zhun's story, she excitedly slapped the table!
"Kou Zhun, it turns out that you have been missing for a few months. Did you go to Shu to personally participate in the implementation of the new policy reform experiment?
After listening to your description of the results of these new policy reform experiments, my Yang family is the first to raise our hands to agree that the new policy should be implemented throughout the Song Dynasty!"
Kou Zhun was delighted to see that his lobbying was successful, and he quickly gave her some compliments: "She Taijun is very righteous, open-minded, magnanimous, generous and chivalrous. Kou Zhun deeply admires her."
Lady She laughed heartily, "Kou Zhun, you are really good at flattering people!"
Cao Bin also raised his tea in admiration, "Lord Luo, I didn't expect that you, who was deeply imprisoned, would preside over such an earth-shaking new policy reform experiment in Shu. I admire you, I admire you!"
Thinking about what he had done in Shu, Luo Ji felt quite accomplished. He raised his teacup and said modestly, "Duke Lu, you are too kind. The new policies and reforms were formulated by His Royal Highness the Regent, and I was just the one who implemented them."
Chu Zhaofu looked solemn, but there was a fire in his eyes. He said, "Your Highness the Regent is a man of great talent and vision, and he is worthy of his reputation of loving the people like his own children. At first glance, this new policy harms the interests of the aristocratic families and the wealthy, but the beneficiaries are tens of millions of working people.
If such a new policy reform can really be promoted and implemented throughout the Song Dynasty, five years later, the Song Dynasty will surely be strong and stand on equal footing with the world, and the Song Dynasty will truly last for thousands of years!"
Prince Gao Huaide of Bohai was a rough but meticulous man. He drank his tea and silently observed everyone's reactions.
Shen Xi and Zuo Dading were both high-ranking officials who came from humble backgrounds. Their property was not abundant, and the land they had purchased was less than the highest standard of the new policy, at 1,000 acres. Of course, they wholeheartedly agreed with the prince's new policy.
Gao Huaide put down his teacup and said, "The new policy that His Royal Highness the Regent wants to implement will damage the interests of some aristocratic families and wealthy and powerful people, and will definitely be strongly resisted.
We are all utterly loyal to the Emperor and His Royal Highness the Regent, and we agree with the Prince's new policies.
So, the most urgent thing for us to do is to persuade the court officials who are close to us to keep an eye on those who want to fight to the death, and lend a helping hand to the prince's new policy."
Everyone immediately agreed and discussed the tasks they needed to complete.
Other court officials also gathered in groups of three or five, each with their trusted colleagues, to discuss the pros and cons of His Royal Highness the Regent's new policies.
More than fifty guests were invited to the home of Minister of Rites Gu Pingzhou, all of whom were officials of all ranks in the court.
Cui Zhengqing, the Grand Secretary of Guanwen Hall, Lu Qian, the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, and Lu Mingde, the Imperial College's Chief Academician, arrived early. They really couldn't sit still at home, their hearts were anxious, angry, fearful, and terrified, so they came to discuss an idea with their colleagues, how to fight against the new policy of Regent Zhao Defang?
After these officials from aristocratic families and wealthy and powerful families arrived one after another, they first angrily cursed the crappy new policies that harmed their family interests, and then they calmed down to discuss countermeasures.
After everyone discussed and gave their own ideas, the leader Gu Pingzhou stroked his beard and pondered for a moment, then said, "We were all loyal and devoted ministers who supported the emperor and the regent. But now, the regent, who has just taken the throne, has come up with a new policy that seriously damages the interests of our family. If the new policy is really implemented, there will be no way for us, the aristocratic families and the wealthy and powerful people, to survive!
Therefore, we must fight to the death. We are not rebelling against the emperor or the regent. We are rebelling against the new policy which is extremely dark and cruel.
The regent holds the military power, acts decisively and ruthlessly, and the young, immature, and ignorant emperor supports him unconditionally. Therefore, we can only choose to fight with words, and we cannot choose to fight with blood unless it is absolutely necessary."
Everyone nodded frequently. Yes, they were not rebelling against the emperor or the regent, but against the new policy. The regent held military power, and they opposed the new policy but did not want to die.
Cui Zhengqing, the Grand Secretary of Guanwen Hall, asked anxiously: "Every word you said, Lord Gu, makes sense. All the colleagues present are in the same camp with no second thoughts. Lord Gu, please tell us how we should choose the literary duel?"