This is really a case of "the pot falls from the sky while you are sitting at home".
Faced with Sima Guang's righteous questioning, Zhang Fei was dumbfounded. He really didn't know where the old man got the confidence from.
After a while, he said with great grievance: "Master Sima, let alone the fact that I didn't set up that police station, even if it has something to do with me, then... that can't be blamed on me!"
Sima Guang was already so angry with Wang Anshi that he just wanted to find someone to rant to. If he found Wen Yanbo and the others, wouldn't that mean he was ranting in pairs? He said stubbornly, "This newspaper was issued by your bookstore. Don't tell me you didn't know about it beforehand."
Zhang Fei spread his hands and said, "So what if I knew it in advance?"
Sima Guang blew his beard and glared, "You... can't you persuade him?"
"I hope Mr. Sima can give me some advice. How should I persuade him?" Zhang Fei immediately asked humbly.
"If I knew, I would still use you...!"
Halfway through his speech, Sima Guang sighed in annoyance: "That's right, if I could persuade him, I wouldn't be Wang Jiefu anymore."
"Master Sima, please take a seat."
"well... ."
Sima Guang sighed again and then sat down.
Zhang Fei poured him another cup of tea, "Master Sima, please have some tea."
Sima Guang took it and poured it into his mouth. He really had not drunk a single glass of water since this morning.
Zhang Fei saw that he was drinking quickly, so he poured him another glass.
Sima Guang wanted to pour more tea into his mouth. The cup was almost at his lips. He suddenly glanced at Zhang Fei, took a sip, and put down the cup. "Please sit down."
Zhang Fei put down the teapot and sat down.
Sima Guang asked calmly, "What do you think?"
Zhang Fei remained silent.
Sima Guang looked at him fiercely, "What? Do you support this conscription law?"
Zhang Fei shook his head and said, "I don't know."
"You usually have a lot of insights." Sima Guang looked at Zhang Fei suspiciously.
Zhang Fei said: "In fact, I think the most beneficial situation for the people is to completely abolish corvée. Without increasing taxes, if the court needs strong men, it can only spend money to hire them. After all, the people have already paid taxes."
Sima Guang nodded repeatedly after hearing this, "Yes, yes, yes! That's how it should be."
Zhang Fei said: "But the three redundancies have taken up most of the court's finances. Where can we get the money? But if we want to find the right remedy, we must reduce the number of officials. During the Qingli period, Lord Fan wanted to do this, but what was the result?"
Sima Guang was silent for a while, then slammed his hand heavily on the table.
Zhang Fei added: "It is precisely because the main problem has not been solved that no matter how the law is changed, various problems will arise. The reason is very simple. The court has no money, but this matter must be done by someone, so the only option is to let the people serve for free."
Sima Guang said: "His method of recruiting labor is to collect money from the people first, and then hire the people to serve. What's the point of this? Does he mean that the people don't have to pay more taxes, but the country has more money?"
"No!"
Zhang Fei shook his head and said, "But what can we do? The financial problem cannot be solved, and the exploitation of the people will inevitably increase day by day. Even if we stop Wang Xueshi from carrying out the reform, the situation may not be better than enforcing the conscription law.
Unless Sima Xueshi can assure the government that he can solve the three redundancy problems in one fell swoop, I am willing to lead the way for Sima Xueshi and do my best. "
Sima Guang was silent.
After all, this conscription law only requires officials and households to pay a small amount of money every year. If the number of officials is reduced, it will directly cut off people's livelihoods.
Even Wang Anshi, who was so powerful, didn't dare to do this, so how could Sima Guang do it
Before coming, Sima Guang was angry, but after talking with Zhang Fei, he felt frustrated.
His idea of saving money was to reduce the number of officials and taxes, but he also knew that he couldn't do it now.
The problem seemed to have no solution.
Zhang Fei glanced at him and said, "If you really want to stop bad politics, you can only protect the people. Otherwise, the conscription law may hurt the people, but the corvée law will definitely hurt the people."
Sima Guang asked: "The law of the legal system?"
Zhang Fei nodded and said, "It also includes judicial reform. The government is responsible for collecting taxes on the one hand, but it is also responsible for judicial justice on the other. Will he convict himself
If Sima Xueshi really wants to serve the people, he should support them with actions and use the judiciary to defend the rights of the people, rather than indulging in verbal battles with Wang Xueshi, which is meaningless. "
This was a wake-up call, and Sima Guang opened his eyes. Yes, yes, although the government accepted Wang Jiefu's suggestion, it also handed over the judicial reform to me. Isn't it because they hope that I can use the judiciary to check and balance Wang Jiefu? I am really stupid. I actually forgot such an important thing.
But thinking about it, he became depressed again. "This judicial reform is of great importance. It must be done slowly and gradually. It is not advisable to rush it. But Wang Jiefu has been proposing one law after another. The equalization of transport law has not yet been implemented, and now the conscription law has been promulgated. How can I keep up with it?"
The only way to defeat martial arts in the world is to be fast, and Wang Anshi is too fast.
Sima Guang couldn't even see the taillights.
Zhang Fei laughed and said, "Don't worry, don't worry. Master Wang has just issued the decree, and there is still some time before it is implemented. I think there is still plenty of time."
"Given Wang Jiefu's personality, he won't leave me too much time."
Thinking of this, Sima Guang became restless and said, "Okay, okay, I'll leave first."
He hurried out the door.
"I'll send Sima Xueshi off."
When they reached the door, Zhang Fei said, "Master Sima, would you like me to send a carriage to take you back?"
"No!"
Sima Guang waved his hand, "There is no rush for this moment."
He didn't like riding in a carriage during this warm spring season.
If nothing unexpected happened, the old man should have gone to find Fu Bi. Zhang Fei smiled and just turned around when he saw a sneaky figure hiding in the corner.
If not Wang Anshi, then who else could it be
Zhang Fei was at a loss whether to laugh or cry. Are these two old men playing hide-and-seek
Welcome Wang Anshi into the hall.
Wang Anshi laughed and asked, "Is Old Sima here to complain to you, to ask for your advice, or to vent his anger on you?"
Zhang Fei was immediately delighted, "All correct."
Wang Anshi laughed and asked, "Then how did you respond to him?"
Zhang Fei said: "I suggest that Scholar Sima quickly complete the judicial reform to check and balance Scholar Wang."
"Just as I expected."
Wang Anshi said proudly.
Zhang Fei wondered, "Master Wang doesn't seem to be worried at all."
Wang Anshi smiled and said, "I, Wang Anshi, am upright and aboveboard. I am not afraid of anyone but the judiciary."
Zhang Fei smiled and nodded, but he knew in his heart that Wang Anshi was not afraid, not because the judiciary really had no obstacles to him, but because he was convinced that the law of law would never succeed.
If those people were willing to accept the rule of law, they would be more willing to accept his new policies.
"Then I wonder if Mr. Wang has any instructions for you?" Zhang Fei asked curiously again.
He had discussed this with Wang Anshi before, and he did not have any good suggestions on the conscription law.
Wang Anshi said with a smile: "I heard that you recently bought a big house."
Zhang Fei's expression changed, and he quickly explained: "I bought it with a loan."
"Then you must be short of money, right?"
"How can there be no shortage?"
Zhang Fei cried, "Master Wang, you don't know, this house has drained all the money of my family of six!"
Wang Anshi was surprised and asked, "There are six people in your family?"
Zhang Fei's mouth twitched. "My two wives, my father-in-law, and my elder brother and his wife, isn't that exactly six people?"
Who are you looking down on? In a few years, my family will be larger than yours.
How could Wang Anshi believe that you were crying poor in front of me? But he did not point it out, instead he followed Zhang Fei's words and said, "That's perfect, I'm here to give you money."
Zhang Fei was surprised and said, "Sending money? Are you looking for a lawsuit with me?"
Wang Anshi asked, "Does your firm make money from litigation?"
"Well... I can earn some money."
"What is the main way to make money?"
"Tax calculation."
Zhang Fei smiled awkwardly.
Wang Anshi said: "You should know that my conscription law is to redefine the classes of the people and to determine the exemption tax they have to pay."
Zhang Fei nodded, as if he had guessed the purpose of Wang Anshi's visit to him.
Wang Anshi said: "You can provide this service. If the government's division is unfair, the people can also appeal through your office."
Zhang Fei laughed and said, "Master Wang didn't come here to give me money, he wanted me to be the supervisor!"
Wang Anshi laughed and said, "When you were collecting the license plate fees, I was watching you the whole time. The establishment of the Legal Aid Department is crucial. It can prevent people from taking advantage of the opportunity to cause trouble."
Zhang Fei said: "But I can only help Master Wang to keep an eye on Kaifeng Prefecture, what about other places?"
Wang Anshi sighed, "Alas... Everything is difficult at the beginning. If we act according to the law, there will be no trouble. But if something goes wrong somewhere else, it is not a problem of the law, but a problem of people."
It can be seen that he knew very well that governing a country must start with governing the officials, but he skipped this step. He also knew that this was a hidden danger, but he had no choice. He could not cure it at all in a short time, so he had to rely on Zhang Fei's ability to help him.
Zhang Fei nodded: "Master Wang, please rest assured. I will take care of this matter."
Wang Anshi smiled and said, "If you have any trouble, you can come to me directly."
Zhang Fei laughed and said, "If I can't handle this little thing, then it's not worth it for Master Wang to come to my house in person. Master Wang should save his energy and deal with his own problems. Haha."
"You stinky boy."
Wang Anshi laughed and scolded, but his trust in Zhang Fei increased.
Although he suffered several serious losses at the hands of Zhang Fei in the newspapers, Zhang Fei never refused his requests on key issues.
After Wang Anshi left, Xu Zhiqian and Gao Wenyin came out immediately.
"Zhang San, you are really capable. When something happened, Uncle Wang and Uncle Sima came to find you immediately."
Xu Zhiqian looked at Zhang Fei in disbelief.
Zhang Fei smiled bitterly and said, "Who wouldn't want to use this free labor?"
"You are a free laborer, and many people are eager to do it." Xu Zhiqian pursed her lips and smiled, and then said: "But they are fighting fiercely in the court, how can you help both sides at the same time."
"Hehe, my brother is best at having the best of both worlds!"
While speaking, Zhang Fei quietly stretched out his two big hands and hugged the two girls in his arms, which made the two girls angry.