Chapter 326: Shock of Domineering Aura

The ministers were holding their breath and complaining in their hearts, but they did not dare to strongly oppose it. Under the authoritarian and domineering "tyranny" of Regent Prince Zhao Defang, this matter was "smoothly" passed.

Gu Pingzhou, the Minister of Rites, who came from a noble family, walked out of the class, "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Regent Prince, I have something I don't understand, and I'm risking my life to ask you!"

Regent Prince Zhao Defang said lightly, "If there is anything you don't understand, you don't need to risk your life to ask, just tell me."

Gu Pingzhou asked in a deep voice: "May I ask Your Highness the Regent Prince, will the new policy reforms you implemented in the land of Western Shu be implemented throughout the Song Dynasty? ?”

Zhao Defang did not evade the question at all, “Yes! The Western Shu area and the newly recovered Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun are two pilot areas. When a relatively complete set of guidelines is summarized from the implementation of the new policy reform experiment, they will be gradually implemented in various places in the Song Dynasty.”

At this point, the court was more lively than the competition for the more than 30 official positions. The noisy opposition voices filled with righteous indignation were almost unanimous.

Regent Prince Zhao Defang remained unmoved and coldly scanned the courtiers who were the most excited.

Gu Pingzhou raised his hand and waved to suppress the voices of his colleagues. After the hall was quiet, he continued to speak.

At this moment, Gu Pingzhou, who was full of confidence, had a look of dissatisfaction on his face.

"Your Highness, the new policy reform you implemented in the land of Western Shu has taken the ownership of the land of the aristocratic families and wealthy landlords back to the court, and rented it out to the ruffians at a low rent. How can the people of the aristocratic families and wealthy landlords survive?

The new policy has increased commercial taxes by 20%, and monopoly and malicious competition are prohibited. Which of the businesses in your Regent Palace and the princess's hands is not a monopoly in a highly profitable industry? Is the new policy reform only aimed at us aristocratic families and wealthy and powerful people? What we want to reform is Our lives?

The new policy reforms will open schools in every large village, and high schools in every county town. The court will pay for subsidies, and the children of farmers can go to school without spending money.

If this continues, the descendants of those poor people will be able to study and learn like us, the children of the aristocratic families, and seize the path of taking the imperial examinations to become officials. After they become officials, will they ride on the heads of us children of aristocratic families and act tyrannically?

Your Highness, the Regent Prince, I have a disrespectful but heartfelt reminder for Your Highness.

If you insist If this new policy is implemented throughout the country, the people will be filled with resentment and the world will be in chaos!"

Lu Qian, a secretary from an aristocratic family, also stood up and said, "I second the motion! Your Highness, in every dynasty, there have been a few powerful ministers who hold heavy fists, are self-important, and are stubborn

and self-willed. They want to implement some new policy reforms, but none of the new policies they proposed were as ruthless and thorough as this new policy reform! If this continues, how can we, the aristocratic families and the wealthy and powerful, survive? The privileged class, what kind of privileged class is it without privileges? Free trade of land , light commercial tax has been the national policy after the founding of the Song Dynasty, formulated by the two predecessors Taizu and Taizong. Does Your Highness the Regent want to be a sinner in history? "

Guanwen Hall Grand Scholar Cui Zhengqing also stepped forward angrily, "I second the motion!

This new policy reform is specifically aimed at us, the aristocratic families, the wealthy and powerful, and the big landlords, and only the lower-class common people will benefit.

If Your Highness the Regent insists on having your own way, the aristocratic families and the wealthy and powerful in the world will never agree. If the foundation of the Song Dynasty is shaken because of this, Your Highness the Regent will be a sinner for all ages!"

"I second the motion!" "I second the motion!" "I second the motion!" ... A group of civil and military officials stood up to express their strong opposition.

In this era, there are few officials who come from poor families. Children from poor families have no money to study and cannot read. How can they take the imperial examination to become an official? Those

who can stand in this court and become high officials are even less likely to come from poor families. It is extremely difficult for an official who passes the imperial examination to be promoted to the fifth rank without the support of family wealth and a complex network of relationships.

Therefore, except for a few dozen officials who do not have much property and are considered to be from poor families, basically all the officials in this court are from aristocratic families or wealthy and powerful families. Even if it costs their lives, they must strongly oppose the deprivation of their family's fundamental interests.

Those who stood and did not oppose were officials from humble families who did not have much land, or people who were loyal to the Regent and would obey his orders.

Kou Zhun was about to stand up and speak against these people, but was stopped by the Regent Zhao Defang.

The Regent Zhao Defang's face showed a rare coldness, and his eyes were so sharp that people dared not look directly at him.

: "All the important officials in the court are the best among those who have read history books. They should know that the change of dynasties and the overthrow of each declining dynasty are basically due to serious land annexation and the wealth being concentrated in the hands of a few people by the policies formulated by the privileged class. The treasury is empty, the military pay is insufficient, and the poor people are poorly clothed and hungry. The rich are enjoying

wine and meat, while the poor are freezing to death on the streets!

Then the hungry people who are about to die of hunger in various places rise up in resistance. At this time, the children of the aristocratic families and famous families stand up and raise their arms to call for a response from thousands of people. A dynasty changed and then another one took place.

There were more than 80 million poor people in the Song Dynasty. The land was annexed and the wealth was concentrated in the hands of hundreds of thousands of people. When the poor people were so poor that they were starving to death, it was time for another dynasty to change

, right? The new policy reforms formulated by me were just to let you eat less meat and not get sick, so that tens of millions of poor people could have a bite of food to eat. How did I cause public resentment and become a sinner for all eternity?

You have clearly inquired about the implementation details of the new policy reforms in Xishu. There is one thing you can tell me honestly. Are the more than four million poor people in Shu boiling with resentment?

Why can't you, the aristocratic families and the rich and powerful, survive? The new policy reform stipulates that each family is not allowed to own more than 1,000 mu of land. Will you starve to death if you are left with 1,000 mu of land?

In the business of the king and the princess, except for those that you don't have the technology to produce, which industry is monopolized? You even dare to monopolize the management of salt, iron, wine and tea. Is it allowed by the laws of the Song Dynasty?

Children from poor families cannot read and write, cannot be intelligent, and can only work stupidly for you all their lives. Ma? The people can carry the boat but can also overturn it. This people, not just a few of you, but tens of millions of people in the Song Dynasty!

The taxes of the Song Dynasty are mainly levied on those poor people who have a hard time making ends meet, while the wealthy businessmen are lightly taxed. Is this fair? Can the national treasury be prosperous? ! If

a prince breaks the law, he is guilty of the same crime as the common people. The privileged class must have privileges? Which law in all dynasties stipulates the privileged class?"

Gu Pingzhou was so angry that veins bulged on his forehead, "Your Highness the Regent, you...you are making excuses! We don't accept it!"

: "We don't accept it! ...～" "Making excuses, we don't accept it!

Regent Zhao Defang stood up with a bang. His imperial power reached its peak, and his pressure made the courtiers who shouted that they were not convinced retreat a few steps.

"Whether you obey or not, I am determined to implement the new policy reforms in all provinces of the country. With the power in my hands, I will force it through. Anyone who dares to resist will be killed without mercy!"

The hall was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

The young emperor Zhao Wuji also stood up and lent a helping hand. His face was cold, but his childish voice was crisp, yet domineering and ruthless: "If you are not convinced, feel free to come forward. I will use tens of thousands... no, hundreds of thousands of heads to clear a bloody path for the implementation of the emperor's uncle's new policy reforms!"