The Chen Mansion was closer to the imperial city, so Chen Tingjian arrived by carriage.
Although the He Mansion was far away, He Qingxian came here on a mule. The tall and strong black mule was carrying only a skinny old man, so it would definitely be faster than pulling a cart.
So when Chen Tingjian got off the car, he looked up and saw He Qingxian who was riding a mule across the front of his car.
The big black mule snorted, and Chen Tingjian's eyebrows twitched.
He Qingxian got off the mule and handed the reins to the palace servant. He straightened his robe and looked at Chen Tingjian: "Would you please go first?"
Chen Tingjian did not need to be humble to him. He smoothed his long beard with one hand and walked forward.
The wind was light today, causing his long beard to flutter slightly. He Qingxian took a few glances at him and said, "I've wanted to ask you for a long time, why do you keep such a beard? It's so troublesome to take care of it."
Chen Tingjian just walked with his eyes looking forward.
He Qingxian: "I understand. It must be because your career path is too smooth and you are young and have no foundation. Growing a beautiful beard can not only add some dignity, but also make you look knowledgeable and qualified to be the prince's teacher."
Chen Tingjian: "If you have the energy to think about these things, you might as well think about how to cooperate with me to implement the new policy."
He Qingxian: "Last time I took you as my priority, this time it's time to switch sides."
Chen Tingjian: "It's not up to you to decide whether to change or not."
He Qingxian: "You are just a coward!"
Chen Tingjian walked a few steps to the side silently. The palace road was so wide that there was no need for him to walk shoulder to shoulder with He Qingxian.
He Qingxian insisted on following him.
The guards standing on both sides and the palace servants passing by saw the two elders chasing each other and walking forward. Occasionally, Elder He wanted to pull Elder Chen's sleeve, but was rudely shaken off by Elder Chen.
Outside the Qianqing Palace, Emperor Yuanyou stood in front of the white marble railing and watched the two cabinet ministers walk through the palace gate. They were still pulling each other as they passed through the gate, and only stopped when they saw him.
Emperor Yuanyou smiled.
Ever since He Qingxian came to Beijing, Chen Tingjian has become more and more like an ordinary minister. He is no longer as high and mighty as before, as if he has no flaws at all.
"It's cold outside, why did the emperor come out without a cloak?"
Coming closer, Chen Tingjian asked with concern.
Emperor Yuanyou: "The underground dragon is too stuffy, I came out to take a breath, I invited you without hesitation, I hope I didn't disturb you and Lord He to rest?"
He Qingxian smiled and said, "I am alone in the capital, and I am resting to think about the new policy. I am eager to come to the palace to accompany you."
Chen Tingjian: "I have nothing to do either, but Lord He's words seem to imply loneliness. Your Majesty may reward one or two beauties to take care of me."
He Qingxian: "No, I can't afford it. If Your Majesty wants to reward me, please give it to Chen Ge Lao. I can't give birth to a son anyway. If you give the beauty to Chen Ge Lao, you can also add a few top scholars to the court."
Emperor Yuanyou: "Okay, okay, come in with me, let's talk about some serious matters."
The young emperor walked in front, and the two elders secretly threw a few glares at each other.
Tea and fruits had already been prepared in the imperial study. Emperor Yuanyou sat on a warm couch with two large spacious chairs covered with brocade cushions in front of it.
Chen Tingjian thanked him before sitting down, stroking his beard and saying, "I wonder why the emperor summoned me to the palace?"
Emperor Yuanyou: "Of course it is for next year's tax reform. My mother agrees with your one-whip policy, and I also think it is very safe. However, Mr. He's inspiring words are not alarmist. So I want to ask you, if I choose Mr. He's tax reform policy, will it be difficult for the court to implement it?"
He Qingxian's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty is truly an excellent ruler. Whether our dynasty can be revived depends on your Majesty alone!"
Emperor Yuanyou raised his hand and signaled He Qingxian to shut up. He knew very well that although He Qingxian's method was good, whether it could be implemented depended on Chen Tingjian.
Chen Tingjian frowned, lowered his eyes and thought for a moment, looked at He Qingxian, then looked at Emperor Yuanyou and said: "It is indeed difficult. It is the ancestral system that exempts the princes and relatives from land tax..."
He Qingxian: "The ancestral system does not allow them to harm the people. Have they listened? Your Majesty, rest assured that the court will continue to exempt the land tax from all the land that the ancestors bestowed on the princes and relatives. However, they should pay taxes for this part, and this will not be considered a violation of the ancestral system. After all, the ancestors did not expect them to dare to encroach on the people's land."
Emperor Yuanyou nodded. The princes were best at bringing up the ancestral system of their grandfather Taizu. As long as He Qingxian was around, he could use the ancestral system to shut the princes up.
"If this strategy is really adopted, I will summon the twenty-one princes to the capital next year and persuade them with reason and emotion."
Chen Tingjian paused and said, "Even if the princes are willing to cooperate, there are still the officials and gentry in the world. They have enjoyed tax exemption for a thousand years. If the court suddenly asks them to pay taxes, I am afraid that the local gentry will incite the people and rebel."
He Qingxian: "They are reluctant to part with their money, but they certainly value their lives more. They will first arrest and slash the leaders, kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, and ensure that the others will behave themselves!"
Chen Tingjian looked at Emperor Yuanyou and said, "The literati dare not rebel with force, but they will curse the court and the emperor with words, and they will continue to curse from generation to generation. Officials from all over the country will also deliberately submit such memorials to the capital. Is the emperor really not afraid of being infamous among the people?"
Emperor Yuanyou sneered and said, "What do I have to fear? What I want is peace and prosperity for the country and the people, and for the foundation of our ancestors to continue for hundreds and thousands of years."
The young emperor was too arrogant, so He Qingxian poured cold water on him: "Let's not talk about a thousand years. As long as the dynasty can be revived by your majesty and continue for another two hundred years, your achievements will be on par with those of Taizu and Chengzu."
Emperor Yuanyou didn't mind that the water was cold. He was really as good as his two ancestors. He was really amazing!
Chen Tingjian: "Does the Emperor really want to use Lord He's new policy?"
Emperor Yuanyou suddenly became nervous. This old man always kept his word. If he nodded at this moment, would the old man threaten him with his resignation
If Chen Tingjian really resigned, He Qingxian, a great official with great enthusiasm but no means to restrain officials, would not be able to implement any new policies.
He considered and said, "If you really feel it is inappropriate, then forget it."
Chen Tingjian smiled and said, "I have never felt that it is wrong, but I think this road is difficult. I am not afraid of difficulties, but I am afraid that Your Majesty will be criticized by thousands of people and that Your Majesty cannot bear the pressure of public opinion inside and outside the court. If I am still here, I will do my best to share Your Majesty's worries, but I am old, and reform is not a one-day job. The "One Whip Law" still needs more than ten years to consolidate, and the unified tax collection by officials and gentry and the land tax distribution even need the persistence of two or three generations of emperors to completely consolidate the foundation. Your Majesty, I am afraid that I can't assist you for too long, and I am even more afraid that after I am gone, Your Majesty will bear the counterattack of officials and gentry alone, which is too hard."
He smiled openly, and the look he gave Emperor Yuanyou was that of a subject to his king and a teacher to his disciple, mixed with a kindness that was almost like family affection.
The little emperor, who was taught by him personally, had never suffered any hardship. When he was gone, he would be satisfied if the emperor could stick to the one-whip method. He had no confidence in the emperor if he switched to He Qingxian's method.
He Qingxian was too scholarly. He could indeed uphold his moral principles throughout his life, but how could he expect a few words to make a young emperor resolutely walk down a thorny road to the end
When they are around, they will push the emperor forward. When they are buried in the ground, the people around the emperor will only rush to pull the emperor back.
If you can't stick to it, it's better to choose a path that is easier to stick to from the beginning.
But the appearance of He Qingxian allowed the emperor to see another option.
Well, if Chen Tingjian is willing to let the emperor choose himself, he and He Qingxian should be able to accompany the emperor for another ten years or so. If the emperor is tired by then, it will still be time for him to adjust the new policy.
Emperor Yuanyou saw the gentleness and tolerance in the old man's eyes.
That look was very similar to the look in the old man's eyes when he was a child and he pulled the old man's beard and the old man lowered his eyes to look at him.
Emperor Yuanyou suddenly turned around and said, "You all leave. I will think about this alone."
Chen Tingjian and He Qingxian: "Yes."
After the two men left, Emperor Yuanyou could no longer control himself and let out a sob that he tried hard to suppress.
Parents who love their children will plan for them in the long run.
He had a father, but after his father left the court, most of his attention was on women. The most important thing he put into his life was to work with his mother to help him choose Chen Tingjian as his teacher.
He had a mother, who was stricter than Chen Tingjian. She treated him like an emperor and would not tolerate any sand in her eyes. She would definitely make plans for him, but there was only so much she could do, and she had to rely on Chen Tingjian.
Chen Tingjian, Old Man Chen.
Emperor Yuanyou had resented and hated him, and when he hated him most, he wished the old man had been swept away by the flood in Lingzhou.
There is no doubt about the old man's ability, but when He Qingxian proposed that officials and gentry should be one, and when He Qingxian scolded the old man for being cunning and daring to offend officials and gentry, at that moment, Emperor Yuanyou actually agreed and felt that He Qingxian was the one who truly loved the country and the people.
But the old man's words just now suddenly made Emperor Yuanyou realize that the old man not only cared about the court and the people, but also him.
What He Qingxian longed for was clean government and prosperous people. What the old man saw was the best step he could take for the court, the people and himself.
Inside the imperial study room where the heating was on, the young emperor took out a handkerchief and secretly wiped away his tears.
Stinky old man, I still look down on him. The old man must have been in his seventies or eighties when he passed away, and he was only in his thirties or forties at that time. Why couldn't he stand on his own
After calming down, Emperor Yuanyou took out a mirror, made sure there was nothing wrong with his eye circles, and then called the two ministers in.
Chen Tingjian and He Qingxian stood before the emperor again.
Emperor Yuanyou said bluntly: "I have made up my mind to implement the policy of requiring clan members, officials and gentry to pay taxes and distribute the tax according to the amount of land. I also ask the two ministers and the cabinet to formulate a set of practical new policy details as soon as possible."
He Qingxian looked at Chen Tingjian.
Chen Tingjian bowed his head and said respectfully, "I obey your order."
Emperor Yuanyou looked at He Qingxian again and said, "Although this method was suggested by the elder, the specific implementation should still be led by you, sir."
He Qingxian never thought of arguing about this, and replied: "I understand, I am willing to be at the service of the emperor and Lord Chen."
Emperor Yuanyou: "This road is very difficult. Please take care of yourselves and help me walk a little further."
The two ministers knelt down at the same time and kowtowed to receive the emperor's order.
"I still have to inform my mother, you can leave first."
Chen Tingjian hesitated to speak.
Emperor Yuanyou gave him a look that told him not to worry.
Chen Tingjian and He Qingxian then withdrew from the Qianqing Palace.
The palace road was long, and He Qingxian still walked beside Chen Tingjian, whispering: "You wanted me to go to Beijing, I'm afraid you had expected this day to come, right?"
He knew that Chen Tingjian also hated the two major cancers of princes and corrupt officials. He was a shrewd man, and recommended him to join the cabinet probably to find a helper.
Chen Tingjian looked at him and suddenly smiled in an unfathomable way.
He Qingxian: "What do you mean?"
Chen Tingjian didn't want to say.
When they reached the palace gate, He Qingxian stopped the car and refused to let him get in. Chen Tingjian looked him up and down and said with a faint smile, "Two years ago, I always thought that we would not be able to meet again until we die."
He Qingxian: …
(End of this chapter)