Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and the imperial court is the largest rivers and lakes.

The gentry class of the Great Song Dynasty is basically solidified, which can be seen from the two generations and three dukes of Han Fanzhang and other big families.

In such an environment, the imperial court wanted to move their cheese, and the pressure naturally rebounded quickly.

In the eighth year of Yuanyou, on the nineteenth day of the first month.

Zhang Dian held a meeting in the political hall to discuss the matter of 'suppressing bandits in Kaifeng Prefecture', and the suppression of bandits is naturally not a simple suppression of bandits, and it is necessary for all localities to make overall plans and cooperate with the vigorous promotion of the reform process.

The meeting went well, and after finishing the business, the six Shangshu began to talk about the pressure they felt one after another.

Li Qingchen was the first to speak, stood up, raised his hand and said to Zhang Dun: "The lower officials are ashamed, the mansion also has land in Kaifeng Mansion, and the road is not bright. ”

Liang Tao hesitated, then stood up, and said, "Xiaguan also has it." The road is clean, but the buyers and sellers before and after, it is difficult to say that they are clean, and they have come to the door one after another in the past two days. ”

Zhang Dian did not move, and looked at the others.

The others shook their heads, but Xu Jiang spoke, and said helplessly: "There are not many people in the Xiaguan family, it is very clear." It's just that the clan sent me a letter, saying that there were some people hiding in Kaifeng Prefecture. ”

The taxation of the Song Dynasty was a 'body tax', that is, a poll tax, which hid the population, naturally in order to avoid taxes.

Zhang Dian looked at the group of people and said, "It's not a big deal, everything is going according to plan." ”

Liang Tao looked at Zhang Dian and said with some caution: "As far as the lower officials know, most of the acres of land in Kaifeng Mansion are in the hands of dignitaries, and there are a lot of them in the palace. ”

In the palace, it is natural that it will not refer to Zhao Xu. It is the Empress Dowager Gao, and the Empress Dowager to trace back to maybe the Empress Dowager Cao and other relatives.

Relatives were not obvious in the Song Dynasty, but they were really wealthy, and there were countless pastoral shops, tea mountain minerals, etc.

Zhang Dian snorted coldly and said categorically: "No one can stop the implementation of the 'new law'!" ”

The crowd did not speak again, but raised their hands in response.

With Zhangdun in front of him carrying the pressure, they can be a little brisker.

The military headquarters transferred 5,000 people from the recruit training camp and took up their positions outside Kaifeng Prefecture. And Zong Ze, the people and horses under construction are preparing to start long-distance drills.

The plan of the imperial court has been launched, and it is waiting for the deployment in various places.

The Kaifeng Prefecture held meetings one after another, issued reports, and ordered all localities to cooperate, and the Inspection Department of the Criminal Department continued to send people to the lower levels to expand the 'strength' of the local state capital.

And the place is even more lively, desperately covering up all kinds of dirty things. In just three days, there were thousands of land transactions in county governments!

For this kind of 'whitewashing' behavior, the county governments are naturally coping with procrastination, and at the same time stepping up preparations.

The heads and brains of Baojia villages in various localities were summoned to various places for meetings one after another, and some counties even directly detained these in the county seat.

Some capable magistrates have also frequently put pressure on major wealthy families to cooperate.

In contrast, the power of lobbying is the most powerful, penetrating every corner of the Great Song Dynasty.

Officials from all over the country wrote letters of public opposition to the voices of incessant ears, and the voices of discussion between the government and the opposition were like boiling water.

The one who felt the most profound pressure and the greatest force was naturally Zhao Xu, even if the women in the palace didn't speak, Zhao Xu could know it.

Zhao Xu went back and forth between the Funing Hall and the Vertical Arch Palace, occasionally going to see Empress Meng and Concubine Zhu, and at other times, he was basically dealing with various things.

That night, in the Funing Palace, in Zhao Xu's study.

Da Song has not yet stir-fried, most people are steaming, Zhao Xu's study, a small iron pot, boiling all kinds of dishes.

Zhao Xu grabbed a few chopsticks for Zhao Yan opposite, put them in his bowl, and said with a smile: "Ninth brother, don't be restrained, let go and eat." ”

Zhao Tong fumbled and picked up the chopsticks, picked up the bowl again, and said calmly: "Xie Guan's family." ”

Zhao Xu also picked up the bowl and looked at Zhao Yan quietly, with fair skin and a modest temperament, the only drawback was that his eyes were covered with black veil.

Zhao Xu pondered for a moment and said, "Ninth brother, I heard that you can read and write?" ”

Zhao Yan hurriedly put down the dishes and chopsticks and said, "Brother Chen can touch the letterpress with his hands." ”

Zhao Xu said with a smile: "Talk while eating, don't be nervous." ”

Zhao Tong slowly picked up the dishes and chopsticks again and took a bite very carefully. This is not a restraint on Zhao Xu, it is really inconvenient for a blind person.

Zhao Xu sighed lightly in his heart, and suddenly said: "Have you ever thought that those fonts are too complicated, you can simplify them, make them smaller, and write them on the paper in the future, you can easily touch them, not as laborious as now......"

Zhao Yan's expression was obviously stunned, and then he bowed down and said, "Please also ask the official family for advice." ”

Zhao Xu actually doesn't know much about Braille, only once seen a person touch it, it is a word composed of small dots, carefully recalled for a while, and said: "I find some people, let them think of a way, it shouldn't be difficult, there are special graphic representations, as long as you keep in mind that the problem should not be big." ”

There are not many commonly used fonts, and Zhao Tong doesn't have to write articles, and he piles up words, which is completely sufficient.

Zhao Yan smiled lightly, but he didn't take it to heart, and said, "Xie Guan's family." ”

Zhao Xu snorted, and then said, "I know that you donated the property in the palace and ran a small shop outside the palace. Don't work so hard, I let the Zongren Mansion triple the amount of money you get. If you need it, just say to Chen Pi, you and I are brothers, don't see outside. ”

Zhao Yan hurriedly said: "Official, the younger brother doesn't need so much on weekdays, and now the court urgently needs it, so it's better to follow the court." ”

Zhao Xu looked at Zhao Li, and felt more and more emotional, if he was not blind, it would be great.

After a pause, Zhao Xu said: "That's it, I have a ticket number outside, you go and make a show, just go around if you have nothing to do, and withdraw your money from there every month." I heard that Concubine Wuxian's health is not very good, so I don't have to worry about me, I will leave the old ginseng. You go to the hospital later, you should find someone to find someone, you should take medicine and take medicine, don't worry about anything. ”

Zhao Yan was stunned and stunned when he heard this, and it took a while to react, and he hurriedly got up to salute.

Zhao Xu took his hand and said, "There are no outsiders, no need to be so polite, sit down, you are also doing me a favor......"

Zhao Yan was caught by Zhao Xu and stumbled a little, after standing up, he didn't sit down, raised his hand and said: "Xie Guan's family, the courtier's brother has written it down, and he will definitely do a good job for the official's family......"

Zhao Xu smiled and said: "Sit, you don't need to do anything, just deal with some people occasionally and block some trouble." ”

"Yes." Zhao Yan responded, and then slowly sat down.

Zhao Xu gave him some more food and said, "Eat, when you have nothing to do, you can come over, don't be so angry." ”

For several brothers and sisters, Zhao Ji's little bastard is the closest, but it is also the one that makes Zhao Xu hate iron and steel. Zhao seems to be Zhao You'e, most of them are driven by Concubine Zhu in the back, and Zhao Xu is not a person who is good at expressing feelings, so he is always a little separated. It was Zhao Yan who made Zhao Xu feel comfortable.

Zhao Yan responded, with a gentle smile on his face.

The two brothers chatted for a long time, and Zhao Xu didn't send Zhao Yan back until late at night.

Zhao Xu did not return to the Funing Palace, but stayed in the Renming Palace.

After Empress Meng served Zhao Xu to bathe, the two of them lay on the bed and talked about various things casually.

After he became seriously ill and fell into a coma, not only did the court tend to be more united, but there were also quiet changes in the palace.

Especially after Empress Meng became pregnant, her status in the palace rose sharply, and the things in the dark corners of the past seemed to have suddenly disappeared without a trace.

Zhao Xu touched Empress Meng's stomach and said with a smile: "Actually, I prefer my daughter, my daughter is intimate, and my son is a debt owed in my previous life." ”

Zhao Xu has not been able to handle the relationship between father and son, and he has always been in a state of 'hostility' and 'concern' with his father.

Thinking about it now, it's very inexplicable, but let him choose again, I'm afraid it will be like that.

The relationship between father and son is really inexplicable.

Empress Meng pursed her lips and chuckled: "Official, that concubine gave birth to a daughter?" ”

Zhao Xu thought about it, but the heir is related to the stability of the court, and the birth of a man and a woman is completely unreasonable.

Zhao Xu hugged her tighter and said, "Whether it is a gentleman's daughter or a son, in short, I want to have a daughter." ”

Empress Meng understood, even if it was an old husband and wife, she still blushed a little.

……

Early the next morning, Zhao Xuchen practiced for a while, then took Zhao Yan out of the palace and met Zhu Qianzhen in a teahouse.

Zhu Qianzhen listened to Zhao Xu's introduction, and hurriedly saluted: "Villain Zhu Qianzhen, I have seen His Royal Highness the Nine. ”

Zhao Yan couldn't see it, so he could only return the salute slightly sideways with his voice.

Zhao Xu asked the two of them to sit down, and said to Zhao Yan: "Zhu Qianzhen is my little mother's brother, you will help me look at the royal ticket number in the future......"

Zhao Yan listened, and hurriedly got up to see the salute, Zhao Xu pulled him and said with a smile: "There is no need for so many courtesies, you will meet a lot in the future." ”

Saying that, Zhao Xu turned to Zhu Qianzhen and said, "The ninth brother has an eye disease and can't do too much. He's just making a sign, blocking trouble, you have to be cautious. ”

Zhu Qianzhen looked at Zhao Yan seriously, and said solemnly: "Yes, the villain understands." ”

Zhao Yan is more nervous than Zhu Qianzhen, he is a blind man, what can he help Zhao Xu? Is it just a signboard?

Zhao Xu explained all kinds of things seriously, and taught them a method of bookkeeping and reconciliation again, and also said his thoughts on the operation of the ticket number.

Zhao Xu is a later generation, in Zhu Qianzhen's view, many of the officials think it is a little taken for granted, and he cautiously put forward his views.

Zhao Xu pondered and analyzed, praised Zhu Qianzhen, and encouraged him to 'seek truth from facts' and communicate frankly.

Zhao Yan has been listening silently on the side, secretly remembering.

This conversation was at noon, Zhao Xu had another meal with them, and then he went to Taixue.

On a small road in Taixue, Zhao Xu and Shen Kuo walked one after the other.

Shen Kuo is the kind of old man with a pointed chin, a long beard, and somewhat sunken eyes, who is not angry and arrogant.

He stood in front of Zhao Xu, not as groveling as others, and his tone was also crisp and neat, and said: "Official, Weichen took office yesterday as the head of the Tai Academy, and he will be seriously rectified, and it is strictly forbidden to study." ”

Zhao Xu looked at him seriously, nodded slightly, and said, "Su Xianggong repeatedly mentioned Shen Qing's family to me, and I also read a lot of books written by Shen Qing's family, which are really profound and eye-opening. ”

Shen Kuo said: "I don't know which one the official family is talking about?" ”

Chen Pi on the other side of Zhao Xu suddenly frowned, this Shen Mengxi may not be too good at being a person, right? Didn't you hear the polite words of the official? If the official family can't answer, is the official embarrassed or you embarrassed?

"Dream Creek Pen Talk."

Zhao Xu said casually: "The summary of various crafts in it is very good, and the pros and cons of the imperial court, borders, taxes and other pros and cons are very true, and the opinions are pertinent, which makes me greatly inspired." ”

Shen Kuo was slightly stunned, but he didn't expect the official family to really watch it.

Zhao Xu did read it, when he was trapped in the Funing Hall before, Zhao Xu read a lot of books, and later wanted to understand the reality in the Vertical Arch Palace, and found a lot of information to read, "Mengxi Pen Talk" is one of them.

Zhao Xu paced slowly and said: "For the problems that Shen Qing's family said, I and all the Qing family have had in-depth discussions and thoughts, and now the imperial court is reforming and implementing the 'new law', which is to solve the problem. Although you don't want to go out again, your past experience still gives us a lot of references......"

Shen Kuo is a 'new party', a law-changing faction, deeply trusted by Wang Anshi, and finally went to work because of the party struggle, now in his sixties, he has lost his previous spirit, and has been living in seclusion in Mengxi Garden, if it weren't for Su Song's recruitment, he would not have come out.

Although Su Song is the 'old party', his achievements in the 'side door and left road' made Shen Kuo very admired, and the two have similar interests and abandon political opinions, but they get along very well.

Shen Kuo listened to Zhao Xu's words, his face was a little moved, and he immediately regained his composure and said, "The minister also hopes to help the imperial court." ”

Zhao Xu walked, glanced back at him, and said, "Shen Qing's family wrote a book and said it, there is nothing wrong. But in my opinion, it is not enough. There are so many good things that can't stay on paper. I thought that in Taixue, we should set up an organization to promote and apply some good things, such as agriculture, astronomy, geography, etc., which is a great measure for the benefit of the country and the people, and should not be taken lightly......"

Shen Kuo was stunned, hurriedly chased after him, and said, "The official family really wants to implement it?" ”

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "Medicine, agriculture, engineering, astronomy, geography, arithmetic, etc., not only should be widely promoted, but I also plan to set up compulsory subjects in the academy, and the imperial examination will also be ......."

Shen Kuo was suddenly excited, lost his previous arrogance, and said, "Official, is this matter handed over to Weichen?" ”

Zhao Xu stopped, looked at him, and said, "My idea is to set up various institutions under the supervision of the country to vigorously promote them. I am prosperous in the Song Dynasty, and the others cannot be left behind. Why don't you do things that benefit the country and the people? ”

Shen Kuo's face was excited, and he said continuously: "What the official family said is what the official family said is ......."

In fact, there is a disadvantage of the prosperity of literature and Taoism, that is, it compresses other living space, and when Confucianism is at its peak, things other than Confucianism will be rejected and squeezed like never before.

Shen Kuo deeply sympathized with this, and as soon as his "Dream Creek Writings" came out, I don't know how many verbal criticisms he suffered, and he was once banned.

Although there is partisanship, the root cause is Confucianism.

Zhao Xu looked at Shen Kuo and said, "On the side of the household department, we will separately compile a budget for Guozijian, and the tentative budget will be five million yuan in three years, not only to expand the academy according to the plan, but also to step up the research and ......promotion of various processes, equipment, and disciplines."

Shen Kuo was excited, nodded again and again, and was speechless.

If Guozijian can really do this, it will definitely be an unprecedented big move for the benefit of the country and the people!

In the long run, I don't know how many people will be benefited, and how much benefit it will be to the entire Great Song Dynasty!