Chapter 350 Yiren's Thoughts
Secretariat.
A group of officials sat in their own government offices, but they did not pay much attention to their work. From time to time, they would pay attention to the movements in a certain government office.
The left prime minister and the right prime minister started arguing again today.
The two had been good friends for many years, but in the past two years, their political views had gradually diverged and they had been arguing more and more frequently.
Especially in the past few months, the conflict between the two on the issue of war or peace has become almost irreconcilable.
Officials from the Zuo Xiang faction advocated that before fighting against foreign enemies, one must first stabilize the country. They should focus on internal reforms of the country, promote medical reform, agricultural reform, optimize the tax system, etc., so that the people can live a prosperous life.
The Right Prime Minister's faction had a completely opposite idea. They believed that with Liang rebelling and Wei eyeing Daxia covetously, how to deal with external crises was more important than internal reforms. Daxia should prioritize expanding its military strength in preparation for the upcoming war.
The money in the national treasury is limited, and the focus is on internal reform, which will naturally reduce armaments. Expanding armaments will, in turn, reduce medical and agricultural reforms. Neither of them is willing to give in, and a fierce quarrel is inevitable every few days.
Inside the government office.
The left prime minister pointed at the right prime minister's nose and said angrily: "Hundreds of millions of people in Daxia are hungry, sick and hard to treat, and their livelihoods are not guaranteed, but you want to wage war and ignore the people..."
The right prime minister looked calm and asked, "Everyone knows the ambitions of the Wei Kingdom. This war is inevitable. If the money in the treasury is not used to expand the military now, will it be used to cede territory and pay compensation in the future?"
The left prime minister reminded: "Those who love war will perish!"
The right sided with the retort: “Forgetting the war will lead to danger!”
…
The left prime minister was silent for a moment, then spoke again, saying, "Are you a little extreme? Although Wei is powerful, it is not easy for them to swallow Daxia. Aren't they afraid that Chu, Qi, and Zhao will reap the benefits? War is impossible in the short term. Such expansion of armaments will be a huge burden on the treasury and will greatly affect reforms in other areas. It is more important for the people to be able to afford food and medical care than to spend money on armaments..."
The Right Prime Minister laughed sarcastically and said, "Reform, reform, it has been going on for decades, what is the result of the reform? Countless silver has been spent, but can the people afford to eat or see a doctor?"
Upon hearing this, the Left Prime Minister was speechless for a moment.
Over the past few decades, any reform, no matter how grand, has ultimately ended in failure.
The purpose of Confucian reform is for the people.
All their reforms were based on the standpoint of the people of Daxia and their efforts to gain benefits for the people, which inevitably led to conflicts of interest with the powerful and aristocratic families.
The powerful and wealthy relied on their royal status to cling to their privileges. The aristocratic families dominated one side and their power was deeply rooted in the court. Anyone who tried to challenge them would not have a good end. Every reform was bound to fail.
At the local level, the influence of the aristocratic families far exceeded that of the imperial court. Even if a decree had been passed, it would be difficult to implement it outside Chang'an.
Even as prime minister, he could do nothing about it.
Perhaps the only successful outcome of the reforms so far is the reduction of the number of powerful people.
Over the years, they have tried various reforms to reduce the number of powerful nobles, including changing the number of noble titles from one level down to three levels each time they are passed down through the generations, and finally compromising to two levels, but none of them have been successful...
How could those powerful people, who even wanted to make the title hereditary, make such a concession?
Today, there are no more powerful people in Chang'an.
The number of powerful people in the entire Daxia is only two or three tenths of what it was a year ago.
But this result was not achieved through the reform itself, but through Li Xuanjing's butcher knife and the assassins' constant assassinations...
This has to be said to be ironic.
The Right Prime Minister looked at him and said, "Admit it, your reforms are just a waste of time. After all this money is distributed, after being exploited at every level, nine out of ten will end up in the pockets of the aristocratic families. How many of them can actually be used for the people?"
The left prime minister was silent for a long time before he slowly spoke: "Success or failure, these things have to be done by someone, even if only the people of one state or one city benefit from it..."
The two of them stopped talking, and the yamen gradually became silent.
At this moment, a crisp knock on the door reached their ears.
Li Nuo knocked on the door of the yamen, then walked in and said, "Li Nuo, the doctor of the Ministry of Justice, is here to report."
When Zuo Xiang saw him, his face lit up and he asked, "When did you come back?"
Li Nuo said: "This morning."
When he spoke, he did not use any honorific titles or bow.
The left prime minister didn't think there was anything wrong with it.
Because his identity at that time was not only the doctor of the Ministry of Justice of Daxia, but also the first-rank prince of Zhao. According to the rules, they should salute him.
The right prime minister glanced at Li Nuo and said to the left prime minister: "That's all for today. We'll discuss the funding issue another day."
After saying that, he turned away.
The left prime minister ignored the right prime minister, pointed to a chair in the yamen, and said to Li Nuo, "Sit down."
After Li Nuo sat down, he breathed a sigh of relief and said, "You're finally back..."
Li Nuo said, "Zuo Xiang asked me to come back. Is there something important?"
The left prime minister looked at him and asked, "Do you have any complaints against the court?"
Li Nuo asked, "Why did you say that, Lord Zuo Xiang?"
The left prime minister asked: "If you had no grievances against the court, why didn't you use your talents in Daxia, but instead made great contributions to Zhao?"
Li Nuo said slowly, "Lord Zuo Xiang is wrong. When I was a deputy minister of the Ministry of Rites, I rectified the etiquette and laws, eradicated the unhealthy trends in the court, and helped the court establish connections with the martial arts world. When I was in the Honglu Temple, I also fulfilled my duties and not only did my job well, but also helped the court to investigate the Donggong case and the murder of the prince of Liang more than ten years ago. Later, I served as a doctor of the Ministry of Justice, and I also performed my duties conscientiously and redressed countless grievances. When my wife was pregnant, the court transferred me to Zhao State for two years. I also obeyed the court's arrangements without any complaints. I did everything within my job and beyond my job. What else can the Left Prime Minister be dissatisfied with?"
The left prime minister sighed and said, "The court has indeed been unfair to you. Even if you have complaints, it is understandable. However, I promise that such things will never happen again..."
He looked at Li Nuo and spoke again: "I will not beat around the bush with you. I transferred you back this time because I hope you can use your talents in Daxia. You can ask for anything you need, and the court will try its best to satisfy you. As for your official position, I promised you before that you can choose any official position of the fourth rank in the court..."
No matter how high the official position is, it is empty. It is easy to be promoted, but it is even easier to be demoted.
Li Nuo had no desire for promotion.
If he was willing, he could return to Zhao State and immediately be second only to the emperor, and even the position of prime minister would be within his reach.
He did not give a direct answer, but said: "Lord Zuo Xiang, please make the arrangements."
The left prime minister thought for a moment and said, "How about the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice? In addition, you will also serve as the secretary of the Central Secretariat. If you have any problems, you don't need to report to the assistant minister of the Central Secretariat. You can directly come to me."
The Ministry of Justice has enough things to deal with, and the Secretariat is even busier. After being busy for half a year, Li Nuo plans to spend time with his family. He wanted to refuse the left prime minister, but the left prime minister suddenly stopped, bowed to him, and said, "I am incompetent. I have been an official for so many years, but I have not been able to make the people of Daxia live a good life. From now on, I will leave it to you..."
Seeing the gray-haired prime minister groveling like this, Li Nuo moved his lips, and finally could only say: "Okay, but I may not go to the government office every day."
The left prime minister said without hesitation, "Okay, the Secretariat will not assign you any official duties, and you don't have to come here every day. You can also arrange your own duties in the Ministry of Justice."
Having said that, Li Nuo no longer had any reason to refuse.
Having done so much for the State of Zhao, if he returned to Daxia and did nothing, he would inevitably be criticized.
Li Nuo has rich experience in how to treat everyone equally.
Li Nuo nodded and said, "That's it. I will discuss the medical reform with the Imperial Hospital as soon as possible. I will also contact the Ministry of Agriculture as soon as possible. As for the Ministry of War, however, I am not sure whether they will listen to me..."
The left prime minister thought for a moment, took out his seal, stamped a few blank memorials, handed them to Li Nuo, and said, "Whatever you need them to do, just write it yourself. There is no need for them to review it..."
As the prime minister, in charge of state affairs, he naturally has some privileges that ordinary officials do not have.
When Li Nuo took the memorial, it touched the left prime minister's hand, and the righteous spirit in his body was invisibly moved.
Zuo Xiang sensed this aura, looked at him, and asked in shock: "You have cultivated the great energy?"
Li Nuo nodded.
Zuo Xiang couldn't help but reach out and touch his head. A happy smile appeared on his old face, and he said repeatedly: "Okay, okay!"
Looking at this young face, he seemed to see the person from twenty years ago.
At that time, he also had a sense of righteousness.
pity……
After a long time, he looked away, patted Li Nuo on the shoulder, and said, "Don't worry about anything. I'm here, you can do whatever you want..."
A moment later, Li Nuo walked out of the left prime minister's office and left the Secretariat.
With the promise of the Left Prime Minister, whatever he wanted to do was much more comfortable than before, although it was still not as smooth as in Zhao State.
This old man in his sixties at least has the best intentions for the people.
Just as Li Nuo left the palace gate.
The Secretariat.
A middle-aged official walked into the right prime minister's office, closed the door, and whispered, "Teacher, Li Nuo is back."
The right prime minister put his hands behind his back, looked at the portrait of the Confucian sage on the wall, and said, "I know."
The middle-aged official continued, "The left prime minister wants to promote him to be the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice and the secretary of the Central Secretariat. Should we object?"
Li Nuo had only been on a diplomatic mission for less than half a year when he was promoted from the fifth rank to the fourth rank, a dual official position. Even his father could not compare with him in his time. This speed of promotion was unprecedented. If the Secretariat had opposed it, his promotion would definitely not have been approved.
The right prime minister waved his hand and said, "No need. What was supposed to happen has already happened. Even if he comes back, he can't change the result."
A trace of sadness appeared in the eyes of the middle-aged official, and he whispered: "If he had been transferred earlier, Dongfang Bo might not have died, and Chen Qi..."
The Right Prime Minister turned around and said in a deep voice: "Including you and me, since we have chosen this path, we must be prepared to die at any time. Death is not scary, what is scary is meaningless death!"
There was admiration and regret in his eyes, and he whispered: "I feel the great spirit in him, but it's a pity that he was born too early. There is no place for him to use his talents in Daxia now..."
The middle-aged official put away the sadness on his face and continued, "People from the Ministry of War said that the major aristocratic families are trying their best to send their children to the army. Many generals have received bribes from them..."
Although war is a misfortune for ordinary people, it is also a great opportunity for others to make achievements.
In a war, countless powerful families will be destroyed and new powerful families will rise.
The Right Prime Minister narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Send it, send it, the more the better..."
…
After returning to Ningxin Garden, the two female doctors' attitudes towards Li Nuo changed drastically.
Before, they guarded against Li Nuo like a thief and did not allow Li Nuo to sleep with the beautiful lady An Ning at night.
After coming back this time, their attitude towards Li Nuo became very respectful, and they humbly asked Li Nuo about medical questions.
Although Li Nuo's medical skills are similar to theirs, his medical theories are unmatched by any other doctor.
The medical science of Zhao State was originally more prosperous than that of Daxia. Li Nuo's mind had integrated the essence of various schools. It could be said that he had gathered the best of the medical science of the two countries. It was more than enough for him to guide two people in the fourth realm.
In the afternoon, my mother-in-law brought my father-in-law to Ningxin Garden.
During the meal, Song Zhe said to Li Nuo: "The three provinces are ready to promote you, so you should be prepared."
Li Nuo nodded and said, "I know. When I went to the Secretariat today, the Left Prime Minister told me about it."
Song Zhe asked, "What position did the Left Prime Minister ask you to take?"
Li Nuo said: "The assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice and the secretary of the Central Secretariat."
Upon hearing this, Song Zhe paused in picking up the food, feeling a strange feeling in his heart.
He had been an official for twenty years, and had only just climbed to the fourth rank, thanks to Li Xuanjing's massacre. Otherwise, he would still be wasting his time as a Langzhong in the Ministry of Personnel.
He had been in office for less than a year, but he was already in the position of a minister, just like him.
The court's rules that limit the promotion speed of officials are meaningless to him.
Although the power of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Justice is not as great as that of the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, which can make him feel a little comforted, but he also serves as the Secretary of the Central Secretariat, which is a position that truly controls state secrets. The future prime minister will most likely be selected from the Secretary of the Central Secretariat.
People cannot be compared with each other. He was no match for Li Xuanjing back then, and he is still no match for Li Xuanjing's son now.
He calmed down, looked at Su Qing, and said, "Holding two positions at the same time is a heavy burden. I'm afraid he won't be able to take care of the family. You should take care of the beautiful lady more..."
Li Nuo said, "It's okay. The Left Prime Minister has agreed that I don't have to go to the government office on weekdays. My mother-in-law has taken care of my wife for so long, it's my turn to take care of her now."
Su Qing looked at Song Zhe and frowned, "We are all ministers, why can they not go to the government office, but you have to go every day?"
Song Zhe was concentrating on eating, he shouldn't have said that.
After dinner, Yiren couldn't wait to wear her new clothes to show off.
“It’s so pretty!”
"Master sister is so beautiful!"
Mu'er and Ning'er were very supportive and surrounded her, their eyes full of stars.
Yiren was so happy that she gave each of them a gem. The two sisters, who were so happy just now, soon started quarreling because of the different colors of the gems.
Li Anning rolled her eyes at her, looking so useless. How could a princess be so happy just because of a piece of clothing?
Li Nuo knew that she was deliberately showing off in front of the beauty, so he held the beauty's hand and walked with her by the lake.
The beautiful lady held Li Nuo's hand with one hand and held her belly with the other hand, and asked, "How are you and Yiren doing?"
Li Nuo told her about their experiences in Zhao State one by one, looked back, and said: "I don't know why, she didn't let me tell you about this, just pretend you don't know..."
Compared to this, Song Jiaren seemed to be more concerned about another question and asked, "How did she break through to the Grandmaster level?"
Li Nuo knew that the beauty would definitely ask this question.
She actually doesn't have a strong competitive spirit, and she didn't show any reaction when An Ning broke through.
But if Yiren breaks through, the meaning will be different.
In the past, she was stronger than Yiren.
Now that I have been overtaken by Yiren, it is normal to have a gap.
What's more, she used to be the strongest in the family.
But now, even Li Nuo's cultivation level has surpassed hers. She has suddenly gone from being the strongest to the weakest...
Li Nuo could only comfort her, "It's okay. After you give birth to the baby, I will take you to Zhao State and let the master of Zhao State serve as your sparring partner. Yiren was able to break through so quickly, so you can do it too..."
After the walk, while the two female doctors were treating Jiaren and Anning with their Qigong exercises, Li Nuo took the opportunity to pull Yiren to another courtyard, set up a soundproof barrier, and said, "Can you please stop showing off your cultivation in front of Jiaren in the future?"
Yiren curled her lips and said unconvincedly: "Why?"
She has achieved a breakthrough to the Grandmaster level, but Song Jiaren has not yet done so. If I don’t show off in front of her, then what’s the point of her breakthrough?
Li Nuo put his arm around her waist and said, "Be obedient."
Yiren's earlobes gradually turned red. After a moment, she lowered her head and said, "Okay, I won't show off anymore, okay..."
Then, she looked around like a thief and asked, "Where are Song Jiaren and Li Anning?"
Li Nuo said: "In the room, two female doctors are treating them."
As soon as she finished speaking, Yiren's arms suddenly wrapped around Li Nuo's neck.
Li Nuo asked in surprise: "What?"
Song Yiren snorted coldly, stood on tiptoe, and said, "Humph, they stole my husband before, now it's my turn to take revenge..."
(End of this chapter)
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