"publicity?"
Sima Guang looked at Zhang Fei with confusion.
Zhang Fei nodded. "Sima Daxueshi can make everyone aware of this problem through a series of publicity. This will harm the interests of many people and the loss will outweigh the gain. The court has made up its mind this time. If it does not follow the decision, the consequences may be very serious."
Sima Guang waved his hand nonchalantly: "You don't need to worry about that. I want to ask you a legal question. If the court modifies the law, what should be done with the tenant contracts that have not yet expired?"
Who doesn't know how to do this kind of propaganda? Is it necessary to find you, Zhang Daerbi? He went to Zhang Fei to discuss the issue of legislation.
Alas... It seems that my litigation ability has overshadowed my many advantages! Zhang Fei hesitated for a moment and said, "As long as this amendment has been approved by the court, I will insist on making the change this year without any conditions."
Sima Guang asked, "Can the landlord terminate the contract with the tenant on this ground?"
Zhang Fei said: "Not only the landlords, but also the tenants. Otherwise, things will become very complicated. The landlords can even modify the contract and not pay the tenants. The court can only act according to the law and cannot interfere too much. If the court helps them negotiate prices or imposes mandatory regulations, it will only backfire and no one will be willing to accept it."
The tenant farmers in the Song Dynasty were actually not much different from hired farmers. It was a commercial activity, and what business pursued was still freedom.
Of course, it has to be within the scope of the law, and it is really impossible to talk about minimum wage guarantee now.
...
...
The court could only make the laws more fair, rather than completely favoring the landlords as before, and ultimately they had to negotiate on their own.
It is undeniable that on a fair basis, the landlords are more advantageous because they own the means of production.
This is reality.
Sima Guang said: "If the court does not intervene, they will unite and abandon all tenants, or replace a group of tenants. If this happens in large numbers, it will bring a lot of trouble to the local government."
The capital city can be controlled, but things will become very troublesome outside the capital city.
Zhang Fei said: "There is no other way. We can only tough it out. Because in terms of legislation, the more considerations there are, the more complicated it is, and the more loopholes there will be, causing the court to lose sight of the big picture. If the court makes a new law, then they can cancel the old lease, which is a legal act. The court cannot stop them from pursuing legality."
Previously, people's tenancy contracts were legal. When the imperial court amended the law, people could consider their own interests and of course choose not to recruit tenants. I think it is not cost-effective. I can farm the land myself and just pay taxes based on the acreage. This is of course possible.
Sima Guang frowned and said nothing.
Zhang Fei glanced at him secretly and said, "We still need to promote it."
Sima Guang looked at him suspiciously, thinking that something was wrong with this guy, and asked, "How do you promote it?"
Zhang Fei whispered, "Use tabloids to promote it."
Sima Guang angrily shouted, "What a jerk! The court is using tabloids to promote its new laws. This is simply ridiculous. If the court needs to promote, it can use official newspapers!"
Dibao was the official newspaper of the Song Dynasty.
It existed during the reign of Emperor Taizong.
Because it is too ugly, ordinary people don't even watch it.
There are occasional tabloids among the people nowadays, but since they are so few, there is no explicit prohibition in the law at present. Anyway, there is a crime of making unauthorized publications or statements.
Official newspapers? They only report good news but not bad news, and nine out of ten sentences are just nonsense. Zhang Fei said awkwardly, "Official newspapers have been published for a long time and in limited quantities. The key is that they can only say some standard words, and these words cannot be used for gambling. Tabloids are different. They can say some irresponsible things."
"Irresponsible words?" Sima Guang frowned.
Zhang Fei hurriedly explained: "In fact, the court also has bargaining chips, such as tax exemption privileges and certificates of ordination, which are all bargaining chips, but the court newspaper can't say that if you dare to dismiss the tenants and cause trouble, I will take back all your privileges.
Even if the court gazette can say so, the court must be responsible for it. Once it says something, it must do it. This will leave the court with no way out.
But the tabloids can give this kind of hint. Even if the court doesn't do this, it's fine, but it can deter them and make them dare not act rashly."
Sima Guang kept shaking his head: "You are cheating, how can this work?"
Zhang Fei said: "This is not a fraud. Gossip is true if you believe it or not. If you want to believe it, you can't blame anyone. But I can guarantee that once the gossip comes out, there will be no big trouble."
Sima Guang suddenly looked at him and said, "Something is wrong with you today."
Zhang Fei smiled awkwardly and said, "I have a printing workshop, but it's not making enough money now, so I have to find a way to make some money."
Sima Guang and Wang Anshi were both smarter than anyone else, and nothing could be hidden from them.
Sima Guang suddenly realized and pointed at Zhang Fei and said:
You are such a good fellow, Zhang San. I am confused. Normally, when I talk to you about other things, you only know how to fight lawsuits. Today, when I talk to you about legal issues, you insist on talking about propaganda. So this is what is going on. In the final analysis, you are just trying to make money for yourself. "
I am not an official. I don't seek wealth for myself. Do I generate electricity with love? Zhang Fei said, "Everyone gets what they need."
"Everyone gets what they want." Sima Guang snorted, "I won't agree to this. We still have to find a way to solve it through the legal system."
Zhang Fei said, "Master Sima has misunderstood. It's not that I don't provide a solution just to make money. To be honest, I don't need this little money. But then again, publicity is very important. Shang Yang's erection of a tree was also publicity, and it had nothing to do with the law. A good publicity can really achieve great things with little cost."
Sima Guang thought about it and felt that what he said was not without reason. Shang Yang's erecting of a tree was a form of propaganda, except that he was promoting the idea of the rule of law. He asked, "How do you think we should promote it?"
Zhang Fei pondered for a while and said, "The key now lies in the local area. Besides the government, the stability of the local area depends on the gentry and local officials. If they can support the court, then this matter will not arise."
Sima Guang nodded and said, "But I'm afraid that the bad apples among them will start trouble!"
Zhang Fei said: "But most of the gentry and the nobles also enjoy special privileges from the court. When discussing this matter with his colleagues, the Grand Secretary Sima could casually mention it and link the gentry's special privileges with local stability, so as to resolve the hidden danger of them using the tenants to cause trouble."
Sima Guang thought about it seriously and said, "This method is not bad, but it will definitely encounter great resistance and will not work."
Zhang Fei said: "Sima Daxueshi only needs to mention it once, and they will definitely oppose it, so forget it. Then, spread the news in a tabloid."
Sima Guang was stunned for a moment, "Is that all?"
After all, there are very few tabloids nowadays, and he doesn’t really know how to play with them.
Zhang Fei chuckled and said, "That's enough. Although this was just something that Sima Daxueshi said casually, and after the tabloid came out, Sima Daxueshi also tried his best to deny it.
But this means that the court has considered that the landlords may use the tenants to cause trouble, but if there is a real disturbance, no one can say whether the court will do so, which will make the landlords timid. In fact, the land tax is different for the land, and they will not lose much even if they re-sign the contract, but if the tabloids make such a fuss, the cost is uncertain. "
Sima Guang thought to himself, this trick is really brilliant!
But he was still very hesitant.
Zhang Fei's eyes turned and he said, "Actually, there is a more reliable way."
Sima Guang asked: "What is the solution?"
Zhang Fei said, "Just don't say that, Grand Secretary Sima. Let a minor official say it. Then Grand Secretary Sima strongly opposes it. As far as publicity is concerned, as long as this sentence is said during the discussion of this matter, it doesn't really matter who said it."
Sima Guang thought for a while and said, "Let your father-in-law speak."
"ah?"
"You what?"
"No...no."
Zhang Fei said: "This... this may affect my father-in-law's career."
Sima Guang glared at him: "Then why did you let me speak before?"
Zhang Fei said awkwardly: "Didn't I immediately make amends afterwards?"
Sima Guang chuckled and said, "I am not testing you on purpose. If you really want to do this, after thinking about it, your father-in-law is the best candidate. He is the judge of the Dali Temple, and his words carry a certain weight.
Besides, your father-in-law has always supported Wang Jiefu's reforms and has offended many big landlords. This idea was proposed by him, and everyone is used to it. It will not affect his career."
After all, this was his first time playing, so Zhang Fei was unsure and said, "Forget it, just pretend I never said anything."
Sima Guang said: "Forget about mentioning your father-in-law. What are you thinking?"
Zhang Fei said, "It was Grand Secretary Sima who asked me first. What can I do?"
Sima Guang thought for a moment and said, "Well, go ask your father-in-law first. If he doesn't agree, then we can talk about it another way."
Zhang Fei was also a little conflicted. This matter was actually very important to him. Now that Sima Guang had agreed, it was undoubtedly a great opportunity. However, this old fox just wanted to make things difficult for him and even drag Xu Zun into it.
After a long while, he nodded and said, "Okay, I'll go ask, but it probably won't work."
Sima Guang smiled but said nothing.
In the evening, Zhang Fei took the opportunity to take a walk with Xu Zun and told Xu Zun about this matter.
“That’s a good idea.”
Xu Zun's eyes lit up and he said happily.
"ah?"
"You don't think I'm a pedantic person, do you?" Xu Zun asked.
As the number one weirdo in the legal profession, he is also very good at using tricks.
Zhang Fei said hurriedly: "No, of course I don't think so."
Xu Zun said: "In fact, it should be so. Those gentry and country gentlemen enjoy the preferential treatment of the court. It would be fine if they didn't help, but they are thinking of causing trouble for the court. It's really unreasonable. Just scaring them will make it easy for them. Do you think this matter can be self-defeating?"
Wow... one is more ruthless than the other! Zhang Fei said awkwardly: "That may be difficult."
Xu Zun nodded and said, "Okay, if Sima Junshi discusses this matter, I will mention it casually."
Zhang Fei hurriedly said: "But if this matter becomes a big deal, it may cause some people to be dissatisfied with my father-in-law."
Xu Zun snorted, "I am an official to serve the court and to plead for the people, not to make them happy. This is what I want in my heart. If you don't worry about the world before you worry about yourself, and enjoy the world after you enjoy yourself, then talking about ruling the world together is simply nonsense."
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