Leaving the study, Yan Sikong and Shen Hexuan walked side by side without speaking for a long time.
When he reached the porch, Shen Hexuan stopped in his tracks.
Knowing that he had something to say, Yan Sikong also stopped and waited.
Shen Hexuan said in a deep voice: "I know that the mention of the sea tax will make the teacher unhappy, but now that the state is in short supply every year, and the left and the right are stretched out, is it a long-term solution? Increasing the sea tax may be the only way that will not hurt the country. gone."
Yan Sikong looked left and right, cupped his hands at Shen Hexuan, and whispered: "Brother Shen is also a child of Jiangnan, but he is so impartial and selfless, my younger brother admires it. It's just...some things can't be taken for granted, and the teacher may not be doing favoritism to offend the gentry in Jiangnan. It is almost equal to offending half of the courtiers, how much easier is this than cutting the royal family's expenses?"
Shen Hexuan sighed heavily, and said with emotion: "I entered the officialdom with passion in my arms, but now I find that I am useless at all."
"Brother Shen, don't be self-deprecating. You and I are mere officials now, but when we have ambitions in the future, if we want to achieve great ambitions, we must first have a solid foundation." Yan Sikong stared seriously at Shen Hexuan's eyes, "Brother Shen has a world-renowned talent, don't let it be buried."
Yan Sikong really appreciates Shen Hexuan, and thinks that this person is a clear stream in the sluggish court, who will become the pillar of the country in the future. There are too few people like this, but there must be one, in order to resist corruption and promote righteousness. If one day, he really overturns everything, people like Shen Hexuan will be needed to help the country and help the people. Therefore, he will make an exception and advise Shen Hexuan not to disobey Yan Zilian, and be careful of being hidden by snow.
Shen Hexuan is so smart, he naturally understood, he pondered for a moment, nodded, and cupped his hands at Yan Sikong.
—
Yan Sikong dragged his tired body and mind back to the mansion.
He often felt like a fish that was obviously short of water but was about to drown.
His body is very strong, but his consciousness will always feel endlessly exhausted, and hatred is the only force that supports him to go on.
As soon as he stepped over the threshold, Ali ran over and gestured quickly.
A gleam of light suddenly flashed in Yan Sikong's gray eyes: "He's here?"
Ali nodded.
Yan Sikong strode towards the wing room, his steps became very fast.
Pushing open the door, a warm room rushed towards his face, instantly driving back the chill behind him, enveloping him.
Feng Ye was sitting by the window, and when he turned his head, Jun's face showed a heartfelt joyful smile, and Yan Sikong's heart skipped a beat.
Feng Ye stood up, walked over with strides, hugged him tightly, and said affectionately: "I miss you so much." At the same time, he kicked the door shut.
Yan Sikong couldn't hide the joy in his heart: "You're back."
"At the end of the year, I was busy with military affairs. I couldn't get out of my body. I haven't seen you for two months." Feng Ye closed his eyes, buried his face into Yan Sikong's neck, and breathed in the warm and pleasant smell on his body. With a breath, the tiredness of the fast horse returning from the wind and snow was swept away.
"Really, it's been two months." Yan Sikong said, it should be fifty-five days.
"Well, I miss you every day, and I also miss you in my dreams." Feng Ye shook Yan Sikong in his arms, "Do you miss me?"
Yan Sikong smiled lightly and said, "Think."
Feng Ye grabbed Yan Sikong's waist, turned around and put him on the table, he stared into Yan Sikong's eyes, and said with a smile: "Let me take a closer look, if there is any yearning for me in your eyes. "
Yan Sikong's eyes lingered on Feng Ye's face, but he hadn't seen him for dozens of days, Feng Ye seemed to have added a bit of masculinity, he smiled, and said softly: "Is there?"
"I want to take a closer look..." Feng Ye slowly moved over, obviously intending to kiss him.
Yan Sikong hugged Feng Ye's waist and buried his face in his chest.
Feng Ye was taken aback for a moment: "Sikong, what's wrong with you?"
"It's nothing, I'm a little tired..." Yan Sikong closed his eyes, feeling that the chest he was leaning on seemed to be the safest place in the world. He said softly, "Have you eaten yet? I'm hungry."
"No, I'm waiting for you." Feng Ye gently stroked Yan Sikong's back, "Take a good rest when you're tired, I'll be with you."
"Ok."
The two ate together and drank some wine, the charcoal fire in the house was burning hot, and they both broke out in a thin layer of sweat after drinking the hot wine.
Yan Sikong listened to Feng Ye chatting about the differences between Jingshan Camp and Datong Mansion. He also talked to Feng Ye about the trivial matters of the Imperial Academy and all kinds of things that happened in the imperial court. Old friends who have known each other for many years have endless words.
Feng Ye had heard about the snowfall in the south, he said: "Everyone thinks that the country's main government is in Datong. In fact, Datong's annual military expenditure is not enough, and it depends on my father to raise it. In addition, the soldiers have guns. Without fighting and pushing the plow, the army can probably be self-sufficient in rations, otherwise how could it be possible to persist for so many years."
Yan Sikong nodded and sighed: "I've thought of this a long time ago. Liaodong's military expenses were in arrears from time to time."
Feng Ye said sternly: "To relieve the financial constraints of the state treasury, we still need to start with the redundant and useless clan. Unfortunately, it is too difficult."
"If the clan has been multiplied for a hundred years, it will definitely become a major disaster for the country. This has been the case in all dynasties. If you want to get rid of the poison, you have to pay a heavy price every time." The foundation is deep, and if you make a move, it will affect the whole body. If you don't do it well, you may have the risk of overthrowing the country.
"Nowadays, Dasheng's national power is weakening, and the ruler's power is falling. I'm afraid he doesn't have the ability to solve the clan's troubles. But if he doesn't solve it, it will only get worse day by day." Feng Ye shook his head, "One day I'm afraid I'm going to die. Through the root system."
Yan Sikong said in a deep voice: "You are right, if you can pull out the cancer in the clan, there is still a possibility for Dasheng to be rejuvenated."
"But what did Yan Zilian tell you?"
Yan Sikong smiled wryly: "I brought it up on my own initiative, but the teacher is also powerless."
"Well, I'm afraid that no one will be able to do this matter. If the clan's salary is reduced, how can those relatives and relatives of the emperor give up?"
"I think it's farther than cutting the salary, but I dare not tell the teacher."
"Oh?" Feng Ye waited for Yan Sikong to continue.
Yan Sikong took a deep breath: "I thought that the feudal clan should be cut down."
Feng Ye's face changed slightly, and he said after a while: "Sikong, you really dare to think about it."
Cutting the vassal refers to reducing the power, military strength, and financial resources of various princes. This will not only greatly fill the national treasury, but also solve the troubles of local redundant staff and large tails, and fundamentally eliminate the possibility of rebellion.
Cutting feudal vassals has always been a major event that every emperor wants to do but almost can’t do it. Most of them dare not do it, and very few of them are backlashed. Fengtian's difficulties, Emperor Jianwen's cutting down the feudal clan, and Yan Wangjing's difficulty, each of them is a bloody lesson from the past, and there are very few people who really succeeded in cutting down the feudal clan.
But once successful, it will benefit greatly.
Yan Sikong didn't just think about it, he also dared to do it.
He had already thought about it since he decided to secretly promote the reduction of the feudal clan. If it succeeds, the country will be rich and the people will prosper. It is the achievements of all the people. If it fails, it is very likely that Liang Wang will be forced to rebel. If Liang Wang rebels, Ge Zhong has only two choices. Wang, most likely still dead. It would be even better if King Liang really usurped the throne. King Liang is greedy but not foolish. He is better than Emperor Zhaowu, not to mention he was bullied by Xie Zhongren back then.
This strategy of killing three birds with one stone, if used well, can save his strength for ten years.
Yan Sikong smiled: "I am an official in the court, so naturally I also hope to make meritorious deeds and benefit the country and the people. Besides, I only dare to talk to you about this drunken nonsense."
"You." Feng Ye pinched Yan Sikong's cheek, "Sometimes, I really don't know what's going on in your mind." He narrowed his eyes, "No, I may... never see you through .”
Yan Sikong smiled and said, "If I can see through it that easily, you probably don't want to see it."
"You're right." Feng Ye looked at Yan Sikong fascinatedly, "The more I can't see through you, the more I want to see it, and I can't move my eyes away anymore."
Yan Sikong felt slightly sour, and said lightly: "Some people, you'd better never see through them for the rest of your life."
"That person must not be you, I want to know everything about you." Feng Ye leaned over and kissed Yan Sikong's lips lightly.
It's freezing cold outside, but warm inside.
—
Because of the cold weather, Feng Ye took Fenghun back to the palace. When Yan Sikong saw it, he found that its fur was twice as thick as Xia Ri's, and it looked more majestic and huge. Ordinary people would be scared to pee when they saw it. Pants, even the servants in the mansion took a detour when they saw him, but he was not so afraid anymore, and even missed him a little after not seeing him for a few months.
He rubbed Fenghun's cheeks vigorously, and said with a smile: "Hun'er, you look like a bear with your fur."
"Then you probably haven't seen a bear before." Feng Ye stroked Feng Hun's head, "The bear is much bigger than it."
"When you first met a bear, it must have been extremely dangerous."
"En." Feng Ye nodded, "If it wasn't for Hun'er risking his life to lure it away..." He suddenly leaned into Yan Sikong's ear, and said ambiguously, "You won't be able to see your husband."
Yan Sikong scolded with a smile: "You will talk nonsense."
Feng Ye smiled proudly.
In the evening of that day, they ushered in the first snow of this winter together. The snow fell heavily and quickly accumulated a thick layer. Covered with locust tree branches, Fenghun is excitedly chasing his tail in the snow, this tranquility is indescribably satisfying.