"In other words, this is about a family settling down in a five-acre plot of land. Not counting the grains obtained from the family's hundred acres of farmland outside, they plant mulberry trees and raise livestock around the homestead to achieve self-sufficiency in clothing and meat?" Zhao Jiu continued what the other party said.
"That's exactly what I mean." Hu Anguo also became a little cautious.
"I don't agree." Zhao Jiu shook his head. "I always feel that it's a bit ridiculous that a house of five acres can only achieve this level of self-sufficiency... So I want to try it myself to see if it can be better than what is written in the book."
Hu Anguo was definitely not someone who "keeps the emperor away from Confucian scholars". He did not refute Zhao Jiu on the spot. Instead, he carefully looked at the extent of the development of the wasteland in Emperor Zhao's harem and said sternly: "I wonder how much stronger the emperor wants to be than what is written in the book?"
"I was just wondering, can we make sure that everyone in the Song Dynasty can eat two taels of meat every day?" Zhao Jiu said something absurd under the helpless eyes of Feng Yi and other officials of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the looks of the Taoist scholars behind Hu Anguo. "Mr. Hu, think about it. If everyone can eat two taels of meat every day, and everyone becomes strong, won't we be bullied by the Jin people?"
Hu Anguo was silent for a moment, then he saluted and said, "Then may I ask Your Majesty, how do you plan to put it into practice to prove this?"
"Look, Mr. Hu." Zhao Jiu turned around and pointed at the wasteland and a group of people behind him. "Except for those who follow the official missions of Lan Daguan and Feng Erguan, there are more than a hundred idle eunuchs and palace maids in the palace. They are all old people who have gradually returned in the past one or two years and live in leisure in various places in the harem. And this wasteland, which used to be a lotus pond and a garden, is about fourteen or fifteen acres. It was the location of the imperial garden before Genyue was built. I plan to take these people and use this twelve or thirteen acres of land to repair the fish pond, transplant mulberry trees, feed chickens and ducks, and find a few old farmers to lead and teach them carefully... You say, if we can use these places to make the hundreds of people in the palace eat two taels of meat every day, regardless of chicken, duck, or fish, isn't it enough to prove that if people in the world work hard, they can also eat two taels of meat every day? And then make everyone strong?"
Hu Anguo was silent for a moment before he responded, "If the emperor can do this, it is of course sufficient proof. Moreover, this is the advice of the saints, the reason why the king is innocent. If the emperor wants to verify it, no one dares to stop him... But the emperor must be the son of heaven, and the royal family must have dignity. There are some things that do not need to be done in the palace, and the emperor does not need to do them personally."
Zhao Jiu kept shaking his head. "If we can't do it here, and don't do it in person, how can we put it into practice? How can we convince people? You must know that on the fourth day of the Lunar New Year, Prime Minister Lu said that practice is the only criterion for testing the principles of heaven. As for the royal dignity and the duties of the emperor, you don't have to worry about it. I am just practicing the principles of heaven according to Prime Minister Lu's original teachings. Once it succeeds, I will not bother about it personally... Just treat it as a little labor, and I will take this opportunity to endure hardships while the Jin people are still alive."
Hu Anguo sighed slightly, thought for a moment, but could only bow his head: "Your Majesty is simple and serious, and the barbarians have not been eliminated. I have nothing to say, I just hope you won't delay government affairs."
"How could that be?" Perhaps because he felt a little cold, Zhao Jiu put down his shovel and walked into the pavilion, but his tone became more and more nonchalant. "After Prime Minister Lu, the four Prime Ministers Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, Liu Ji, and Chen Gui are all the best choices of the time. They can handle most of the state affairs properly. I can completely rule the country without any hesitation. Even if there are some disputes, I am just making a judgment..."
Hu Anguo was even more speechless, and he also realized that he could not be led by the emperor like this. Therefore, after a little thought, this great scholar at that time directly dropped these topics and stood outside the pavilion to get to the point: "Your Majesty, I have an idle position at home, and I should not ask for an audience without being summoned. But today I have something to ask..."
"I know that Qi is also a substance. People are unaware of it, just like fish are unaware of water." Zhao Jiu blurted out. "Is this the case?"
"That's exactly what happened." Hu Anguo responded sternly. "Sir, this is ridiculous!"
"How do you know this is ridiculous?" Zhao Jiu said bluntly.
"Confucius said, 'The blood is just beginning to grow'; Mencius also said, 'I am good at nurturing the great and righteous spirit'; even the Taoists have the concept of essence, energy and spirit... It can be seen that the concept of Qi is related to life and morality. How can it be just a physical object like water?" Of course, Hu Anguo blurted it out.
"But why didn't you misinterpret the meaning of the ancient sage?" Zhao Jiu still didn't pause at all. "I remember when Hu Qing first met me, he told me that if I did this and that, I could have some anger and make the world like this and that, and if a Confucian scholar did this and that, he could also have some anger and make himself like this and that... But I haven't seen any anger until now! If you say there is, why can't you actually practice it, learn from me to open ponds and plant crops, and show it to the world?"
"Your Majesty, this kind of Qi is a mysterious thing, it exists invisibly." Hu Anguo answered seriously. "It's not that I don't want to show it to you, Your Majesty, but my knowledge is shallow. I can only feel and realize its existence, but I don't know how to make it appear! In fact, the Qi of the Son of Heaven that you have cultivated has already taken effect, and the battle of Yaoshan is a clear proof of this!"
Zhao Jiu nodded, and suddenly realized: "I understand. Your Qi is invisible by definition, right?"
"right."
"Then why can't Mr. Lu be allowed to be like a fish in water and not be able to wake up?" Zhao Jiu spread his hands.
"Your Majesty," Hu Anguo said sternly. "Prime Minister Lu and I have been arguing with each other in the court bulletin. It seems that he is defending us, but in fact he is attacking us. I don't think Your Majesty can't see it..."
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