Li Xiao looked down, but saw a thin scholar in his early thirties, staring at him.

Li Xiao quickly recalled the record of Huang Zongxi in the history books in his heart.

Huang Zongxi is a native of Yuyao County, Shaoxing Prefecture, Zhejiang. The word Taichong, the word Debing, the number Nanlei, alias the old man of Lizhou, the mountain people of Lizhou, etc., are generally called Mr. Lizhou.

He was a well-known scholar, historian, thinker, geographer, astronomical almanacist, and educator in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties. Together with Gu Yanwu and Wang Fuzhi, he is known as the "Three Great Thinkers of the Late Ming Dynasty and Early Qing Dynasty".

In history, Huang Zongxi's thoughts, in many places, can be said to have surpassed his era.

He put forward the democratic idea of "the world is the master, and the monarch is the guest", saying that "the rule of chaos in the world is not the rise and fall of one surname, but the sorrow and happiness of all the people", and advocated replacing the emperor's "law of one family" with "the law of the world", so as to limit the power of the monarch and ensure the basic rights of the people.

Huang Zongxi's political proposition, which transcended the times, vigorously attacked the feudal monarchy system, and was of great significance to the development of democratic politics in later generations. His doctrine played a positive role in promoting the anti-imperialist and anti-authoritarian struggle in the late Qing Dynasty.

Seeing this famous figure with a great reputation in history, looking at himself with such a posture, Li Xiao felt an indescribable subtle emotion in his heart.

In the end, he slowly spoke: "It turns out that you are Huang Taichong, this crying temple must have been initiated by you, right?" ”

"It's the students." Huang Zongxi looked directly at Li Xiao and answered unceremoniously: "King Tang, with all due respect, our students gathered in the Temple of Literature and cried, because they were really dissatisfied with King Tang's land policy. ”

"Oh, is it? But the king of this book should listen carefully, but you are not satisfied. Li Xiao's face was very calm.

Seeing that Li Xiao had a calm attitude and asked questions by himself, Huang Zongxi took a deep breath, and he replied loudly: "King Tang, the student wants to ask you first, for thousands of years in China, the sages and virtuous ministers of the dynasties and dynasties, is there any reason why they rule the world with the gentry?" It's good now, the king of Tang, you went down to the south of the Yangtze River, drove away the Hongguang pseudo-prison state, did not seek how to get the support of the gentry, did not want to stabilize the country as soon as possible, you have to go against the ancestral precept of the Ming Dynasty not to compete with the people for profit, and carry out the so-called reform and governance in a bold and ruthless manner. Tang Wang's move, isn't it too much? ”

Huang Zongxi's words, combined with his expression of righteous exuberance, showed a generous appearance of asking for the country's life. As soon as his words were finished, the scholars kneeling below immediately echoed and agreed.

"Tai Chong is right, since ancient times, the country and the world, An Ke disregarded the demands of the gentry. The gentry are the pillars of the country, if the gentry are all opposed, the country is not extremely turbulent, and how can the policy of the Tang King be implemented? ”

"That is, King Tang's move is too careless and disregardful of reality, if the interests of the gentry in the world are lost, won't the foundation of the Ming Dynasty collapse and be safe for a long time?"

"Yes, the gentry are the foundation of the rule, how can they be treated lightly, let alone taken by force? I sincerely hope that the king of Tang will take back his sincere life, appease the gentry, stop doing such a thing that misleads the country and the people, and don't cold the heart of the gentry in the world. ”

……

Hearing the scholars at the bottom of the stairs gossiping and talking, Tang King Li Xiao sneered.

Hmph, such scholars in the well-off families of the gentry, in order to preserve their own property and land, speak of themselves as high-sounding, and speak of their own policy as so unbearable and despicable.

It seems that even those who are full of poetry and books will not hesitate to sit crooked when it comes to matters related to their own practical interests.

It's just that if you want to rely on the identity of this scholar, and in turn betray and attack this king, you can't!

Just when the scholars below were still talking to themselves, Li Xiao snorted coldly, slapped the chair butt on the right hard, and there was a crisp sound, which startled those scholars to shrink their heads and silence.

"Humph! Have you finished talking about such boring and ridiculous words? ”

Li Xiao's angry shout made the entire hall suddenly silent, and those scholars all looked at him secretly with a fearful face, but no one dared to say a word.

Li Xiao turned his face, and a pair of sharp eyes went straight to Huang Zongxi, who was closest to him.

Huang Zongxi felt that Li Xiao's seemingly calm, but sharp gaze like a knife, was staring at him tightly, he was suddenly uncomfortable, and was about to say something, Li Xiao above had already spoken first.

"Huang Taichong, this king only asks you one thing, now the land south of the Yangtze River is full of displaced people and unemployed people, these people, filling the streets and alleys, displaced, is really a huge hidden danger for the entire Jiangnan, how should they be resettled?"

Li Xiao's cold words, there was still silence below.

What are the opinions of you scholars who talk so eloquently, you can say it bluntly. Seeing that everyone was silent, Li Xiao asked again.

Obviously, these scholars all know that the topic Li Xiao asked is extremely difficult, and it can't be explained clearly in a few words.

And this question made Huang Zongxi feel a strong sense of oppression.

He knew that Li Xiao's words were obviously asking himself, but in fact he was just ridiculing himself, but he was just a Zhao Kuo-style figure who was talking exaggerated, but in fact had no actual level of governance.

At this moment, Huang Zongxi, who felt deeply humiliated, turned red, and even the green tendons on his forehead bloomed.

Hmph, Tang King Li Xiao, you are underestimating people too much!

"King Tang! The resettlement of these displaced people, according to the students, should be arranged as follows. Huang Zongxi coughed lightly and said eloquently; First of all, the government will take care of the displaced people and provide them with relief to ensure their livelihood. Secondly, we should look at the workshops in various places to find people and let them go to work, and in addition, if there are relatives and friends in the south of the Yangtze River, they can also take refuge temporarily. Finally, if it is really difficult to resettle, it can also be used to entangle, so that they can return to their hometowns and earn a living again......"

Huang Zongxi didn't finish his sentence, but was interrupted by Li Xiao with a laugh.

"Taichong, if you talk about research and learning, looking for chapters and sentences, this king is definitely not as good as you, but your method of relocating displaced people, in the eyes of this king, is just a joke."

"Oh, why did King Tang say this......"

Li Xiao smiled faintly and asked again: "Taichong, you are talking about this nonsense, and the fallacies in it, this king will ignore it for the time being. This king also asks you, do you know how many displaced and unemployed people are there in the land south of the Yangtze River now? ”

"This, the student is just a nameless white body, and he has not obtained an official position, how can he find out......" Huang Zongxi was forced by Li Xiao to ask, and he was suddenly frustrated, his face was embarrassed, and he muttered for himself.

"Oh, that's it." Li Xiao looked teasing: "Since you don't even know the number of displaced people, isn't the proposed strategy water without a source and a tree without roots?" Hmph, this king can tell you that in the land south of the Yangtze River now, according to the statistics of officials from all over the country, there are more than 650 displaced people and unemployed people in total! ”

As soon as they heard the number reported by Li Xiao, all the scholars below were shocked.

No way? I really didn't expect that there were so many displaced people in this seemingly peaceful and wealthy Jiangnan area. In this case, it is not easy to settle them.

So, what Huang Zongxi said is not all nonsense and completely unrealistic.

Li Xiao looked at Huang Zongxi with burning eyes, and his words were sharp and direct: "Mr. Taichong, since the Chongzhen period of my Ming Dynasty, there have been wars for many years, and the people have not been born, and almost the entire Central Plains has been caught in the flames of war. In the past ten years, in this land south of the Yangtze River, these 6.5 million displaced people and landless people have accumulated, which is actually very normal. In the view of this king, with the three strategies you mentioned, it is really unrealistic to want to relieve and resettle these more than 6.5 million displaced people. ”

Hearing Li Xiao speak like this, Huang Zongxi's face was very embarrassed, but it was difficult for him to defend himself.

"Mr. Taichong said that the first thing to do is to go out of the government to provide relief, this strategy is not bad." Li Xiao said lightly: "Moreover, this king also thinks that the people are the foundation of the country, and An Ke can't save them." Out of this idea of helping the people, the king will also vigorously draw food from other places to ensure that they will not freeze to death on the streets in this cold winter. However, such a strategy can still be implemented in the short term. If it is delayed, these more than 6.5 million mouths, even if there is more food, it will not be able to fill it all the time. Even if there are mountains of gold and silver, I am afraid that I will sit and eat empty mountains. It is also very likely that corrupt officials in the government will take the opportunity to enrich their own pockets and secretly embezzle money when they are giving alms, so that there will be a large shortage of food and go into their personal pockets in vain. Can't Mr. Taichong see such a malpractice? ”

"Tang Wang, this ......"

Li Xiao waved his hand and continued: "Let's look at the second article, Mr. Taichong said that he can arrange these people as much as possible to work in workshops all over the south of the Yangtze River, and support his family from now on. The king really wanted to ask, after these displaced people arrived in Jiangnan, they have been struggling here for a few years, or more than ten years, but there has never been a workshop to receive and settle them, but why? ”

Without waiting for Huang Zongxi to answer, Li Xiao sneered: "Actually, it's very simple, because there are too few workshops, and there are too many displaced people and landless unemployed people, there is not enough ability to absorb and resettle them." You must know that in the Susong area, where weaving is the most developed, the local landless farmers have not been completely arranged, how can they still have spare strength to absorb more displaced people and unemployed people from other places. If the government were to force these workshops to accept them beyond their own ability, they would be afraid that they would die immediately, and the weavers and servants who had been working hard in them to survive would also find it difficult to survive. Therefore, Mr. Taichong's second strategy is really just a joke that does not know the truth. ”

Listening to Li Xiao's straightforward sarcasm of himself, Huang Zongxi's face was suddenly very hot, he half-opened his mouth, and wanted to refute Li Xiao's words, but for a while, he didn't know how to speak.

At this time, the other scholars below were even more talking, and everyone had an embarrassed and complicated look.

Li Xiao saw that Huang Zongxi was already embarrassed, and he couldn't help but smile secretly in his heart, he immediately struck while the iron was hot, and continued: "Mr. Taichong, let's talk about your third plan at the end. You say, let these displaced people and unemployed people go to relatives and friends, or the government will send them a pestering to go home. In the eyes of this king, this is even more nonsense, purely to add laughter. ”

"Tang Wang, you ......"

"Taichong, you don't want to think about it, people are not plants and trees, how can they not know the truth that trees move the dead and people move the living. The reason why they are still wandering the streets and begging to survive is entirely because in this land south of the Yangtze River, there are no relatives and friends to turn to, or rather, there are no relatives who can allow them to devote themselves to their lives. Such a simple reason, in fact, why does this king need to say more here. “

Li Xiao looked grim and continued: "And you said that you let these rookies take the plate and return home, and you are talking nonsense with your eyes open. Taichong, don't you see that now the world is in turmoil, except for Shandong and Jiangnan controlled by this king, there are endless chaos and wars everywhere, and the people are surviving under the blade. The country is already so erosive, where can these displaced people have a home to return to? Where else can I go home?! Besides, the homeland is difficult to leave, and the villagers are the foundation, do you think these homeless people are all idle and uncomfortable before they want to leave their hometown? If it weren't for the war and sword soldiers, these poor people would not be able to survive in their hometown, how could they abandon their parents' hometown and struggle to beg in this land south of the Yangtze River! ”

"You say, if you don't let these big landlords and gentry take out the land and distribute it to this extremely poor and homeless people, let them farm for a living, and live for the time being, where will they still have a chance to live! Where else to go! ”

The more Li Xiao spoke, the more angry he became, he slapped the armrest heavily, and said loudly: "It's a pity that you and other so-called scholars saw the miserable state of people's lives, but they didn't care about it and treated it indifferently. On the contrary, for the big landlords and gentry who exploited tenants and had rich families, complained and complained, and even made this ridiculous crying temple unveiling, not only worthy of the book of sages, but also ashamed of the three words of readers! You scholars, who are studying, do not want to serve the country, do not want to ask for life for the people, cannot ride a horse to kill the enemy, and cannot help the poor, but can only find chapters and excerpts, quote scriptures, seek personal gain, and gain a false name, which is really useless for the country and the family! Today, you incompetent and useless scholars are half able to come up with the slightest useful strategy, but here you are talking about the flames, and in turn accusing this king, it is really ridiculous! If this king hadn't cared about you who had studied for many years, all of whom were talented and learned, and didn't want to fall into the reputation of persecuting scholars, he would have been like Ma Shiying and others a long time ago, and all of them would have been put in prison. How can you still be disrespectful here, and make a lot of nonsense! Let me tell you, Hugh said that he is just waiting, but for the life of this people, for the people of this world, although there are tens of millions of people, I will go! ”

When Li Xiao said this, Huang Zongxi was already in a cold sweat, and his face was even more blushing, he didn't say much, threw himself on the ground, and bowed his head and bowed.

And the rest of the beings, seeing that Huang Zongxi was reprimanded by Li Xiao, everyone was ashamed in their hearts, so they all knelt on the ground and did not dare to make a sound.