"Well then... I'll finish my speech in one go before I talk about other things... Next, in the long run, after the increase in the number of people is exempted from taxes and the tax is distributed according to the amount of land, the people will no longer drown their babies. As a result, after a generation grows up, the population will increase sharply, but most of them will be poor. What will happen then? Will they rise up in rebellion? Will we restore the old practice of the Xiang army and use the national treasury to support it? Has the emperor considered this matter?"
"How could I not have thought about such a natural thing?" Zhao Jiu responded seriously.
"Then there is... This time when the scholar surnamed Wang in Yuhang committed suicide, I certainly know that someone took advantage of the situation. That person committed suicide, and no one is to blame... But Your Majesty, this time for the land tax distribution, and last time for the Qingmiao loan, you gradually opened up the Military Control Department and the Imperial City Department, allowing them to have more and more power and responsibilities, and to intervene in more and more things. Isn't that true?" Liu Dazhong continued to ask, his emotions becoming more and more intense. "I know Yang Yizhong, although he has a bad reputation, he is actually a calm and loyal person, and Yu Yunwen is an outstanding junior. But Your Majesty, if you let the two departments go like this, aren't you afraid that one day Yang, Yu and others will be gone, and the two departments will be replaced by villains, and a Lai Junchen or Zhou Xing will appear, causing a disaster?"
Zhao Jiu still nodded: "You are right, there is such a hidden danger."
After these words were spoken, Yang Yi Zhong and Yu Yun Wen could no longer control themselves and they stepped out of the crowd and knelt down to apologize.
"Then your Majesty, my meaning is very clear..." Liu Dazhong ignored the two people and continued to express himself earnestly. "Since ancient times, why did Taoists talk about governing by doing nothing, why did Confucian scholars talk about virtue, and why was there a dispute between the old and new parties, and why did I oppose quick success and instant benefits... It's not because I don't know that your Majesty has good intentions, nor is it because I don't understand what is a good law and what is an existing inferior system, but I also know, and those ancient sages know even better, that no matter what, the people have no power to resist the situation and the government! No matter how good the law is, no matter how good the design is, it will become more harmful to the people after a long time than before the change, and the burden on the people will always be heavier than before the change!"
At this point, Liu Dazhong was filled with grief and said, "I will borrow an old saying. The wealth of the world, if not in the hands of the government, is in the hands of the people. However, the government officials and the powerful will always plunder the people, just like tigers and leopards eating sheep and rabbits. Do the government believe it or not?"
Hearing this, the situation-conscious people behind him were so frightened that they dared not say a word, but Xu Jingheng had already been touched. If it were not for the promise he made to the government after the martial arts conference that day, he would have almost turned against the government... After all, Liu Dazhong's words were exactly the heartfelt dilemma that these former Confucian idealists faced when they came into contact with the actual operation of society.
The more you do, the more problems you will end up causing.
Xu Jingheng lowered his head and remained silent. Lu Yihao opened his mouth to speak, but when he looked up, he met the gaze of Emperor Zhao and fell silent.
After Zhao Jiu stopped Lu Yihao with his eyes, he continued to speak sincerely to Liu Dazhong who suddenly appeared: "I believe in the sincerity of your words, and I also believe in the truth of your words."
This sentence made Liu Dazhong completely lose control. He immediately asked back: "So, even if you know this, the government still wants to do these things?"
"That's right." Zhao Jiu nodded in response. Although his words were calm, they were firm and resolute.
"Why is it so?" Liu Dazhong was almost furious. "Why is it so? Isn't the government considering the future generations?"
"Mr. Liu, please allow me to answer you for a moment." Zhao Jiu looked at him seriously. "We are talking about the heart-to-heart talk between the monarch and his subjects. Can I ask you a question as well?"
Liu Dazhong sighed and spread his hands.
When Zhao Jiu saw this, he suddenly took off his hat, stood up with the help of a gold-decorated red belt, and walked to the table. Then he did something that no one expected - he bent down, found something from Yang Yi's waist, and pulled it out directly.
The moonlight was bright and the lake was shining. Everyone could see clearly that Emperor Zhao had actually pulled out Yang Yizhong's sword, which also shocked them.
The sword flashed like spring water, and with a simple swing of Emperor Zhao, it appeared less than a foot in front of Liu Dazhong. The Emperor immediately asked a question that frightened everyone present:
"Liu Qing, do you think this sword is sharp or not?"
Lu Yihao and Xu Jingheng both changed color and were about to step forward. The members of the Southeast Pavilion who were standing behind them, who were seeing such a scene for the first time, recalled those legends and were even more stunned.
But at this moment, Liu Dazhong was much calmer than the others. He calmly looked around, stopped the people around him from coming forward, and directly responded to the sword: "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this sword is sharp enough."
Zhao Jiuping held the sword still, but his expression darkened. "Liu Qing, this is an amateur's talk. It's the times and the situation. This sword was considered a good sword in the past when the country was at peace, but nowadays, any sword is not sharp enough. Because now on the battlefield, armor is getting more and more neat and harder. A sword like this may seem sharp, but after being used in battle, after one sword cuts a person, there will be tiny cracks covered by bloodstains. After two sword cuts, there will be tiny cracks quietly appearing. After three or five swords have really killed a person, it can no longer be used."
"I see." Liu Dazhong was puzzled for a moment and wanted to ask again. "Then..."
"Mr. Liu, you said that we should be open-hearted today, so I will be open-hearted with you. I am actually this sword." Zhao Jiu interrupted him and gave an unexpected explanation. "What I told Zhang Jiucheng that day was the external aspects, the situation. What I told you today is the internal aspects, myself... Mr. Liu, why do you think I am seeking some eternal method? Why do you think I am seeking some long-term plan?"
Liu Dazhong was confused for a moment.
“Mr. Liu, your actions today are enough to prove that although your beliefs differ from mine, you are still a gentleman, and a gentleman with insights and who knows the root of the problem... There was one thing I didn't say to Zhang Jiuchen that day, which was that although he was a man of high character, he had never stood on the ground. But today I can say that Mr. Liu is a gentleman who is both high and low.” Under the full moon, Zhao Jiu put down his arm holding the sword and sighed as he faced the other party.
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