Chapter 27: Zhao Kuangyin's Big Gamble (Part 2)

  "Your Majesty, one person cooking a meal can't please everyone's taste, and when it comes to serving hundreds of millions or even billions of people, the difficulty is immense. It's equally challenging for one person to make their family live a good life; being a good emperor means making thousands of families live a good life, which is even more difficult. Although an emperor has great power, doing a good job as an emperor is not easy. Not only does it require ability, but also diligence and hard work in handling countless affairs every day. If one lacks the necessary abilities or uses their power for personal enjoyment without considering the people, they will at best leave a bad reputation in history and at worst bring about national destruction and family downfall, causing harm to future generations. Therefore, since ancient times, being an emperor has been the most difficult job."

  "Why do many people want to be emperors?"

  "The emperor's power is great, like the Emperor of Southern Tang. If he were not a national ruler, how could he enjoy that kind of pleasure? Therefore, it won't be long before he becomes a prisoner under the feet of the Great Song."

  Zhao Kuangyin smiled slightly: "You have some reason to say that. Unfortunately, just now I and my second brother discussed how to arrange you, and my second brother said to reward you with an eighth or ninth rank scattered article, which is also my idea, and I am not a person who forgets his roots. My empire is inherited from Emperor Taizu's empire, and Emperor Taizu's empire came from the Battle of Gaoping. Your father made great contributions in that battle, so I wanted to reward you with an eighth rank official and a founding viscount, but then I thought of something and only gave you a Confucian lang."

  Nobility in the Song Dynasty is worthless, but it also represents a status. Song Jiuhu looked at Zhao Kuangyin with suspicion, what did I do wrong?

  He has done too many wrong things, but just because of different ideas, he doesn't think it's wrong.

  "You said on the riverbank that you want to conquer the world, but you must have civil and military achievements, virtues, and also win people's hearts, so our dynasty can swallow up the world."

  "Your Majesty, did I say something wrong?"

  "You're not wrong, but you can't say that in front of so many people. Although our dynasty is the strongest among all countries, Jingchu is still pacifying the rebellion, the two Huai rivers have not fully recovered, and the north has a powerful enemy. Song Jiu, you've also read many history books, you should know how lucky it was for the Tang Dynasty to unify the country, not only did they need to eliminate the warlords, but there was also a strong enemy, the Turks. Fortunately, the Turks had limited vision and couldn't control places like Youyun. But look at our dynasty, Hedong is North Han, Youzhou was given to the Khitan by Shi Jingtang, two major gates are wide open, our power is limited, how many troops can we spare to go south or west? Moreover, due to the existence of this powerful enemy, if we don't send troops it's fine, but once we do, we can only win and not lose. If your words get out, Later Shu and Southern Tang will be alerted, the whole country will be mobilized, how can we unify China?"

  "Yes, a thought for good, a thought for evil. If these several countries really join hands, the Song Dynasty will have a headache. I was remiss."

  "It's not that you can't be blamed, you have such insight, far surpassing ordinary people... but you're too reckless in your actions. In the future, if you have any strange ideas, write them down on a note."

  "Weird... idea."

  "It's very strange, maybe because of this sentence, I will have to sacrifice tens of thousands of generals tomorrow."

  "Your Majesty, I heard that Prime Minister Zhao has already given me a great honor. Your Majesty must not give me another great honor."

  "What's with the big hat?"

  "It's just that kind of guilt by association."

  "You little scoundrel, are you looking to add more charges against yourself? Don't you already have enough?"

  "What crime have I committed? But Song Jiu can explain it, suddenly having an epiphany, he said: 'Your Majesty, I understand your intention. Before taking action, we must not startle the snake in the grass. Once we take action, it must be swift and decisive, not only using the least amount of troops to quickly capture, but also being fast. But before that, we cannot let these several separatist lords become alert, it's best if they remain unaware. This method is many, the Lord of Southern Tang is infatuated with beauty and fond of Buddhism. Your Majesty, Emperor Tang Ming was misled by Yang Yuhuan's beauty and lost his country, Emperor Liang Wu was misled by Buddhist teachings and lost his country. We can send envoys to encourage the Southern Tang to promote Buddhism, even send high-ranking monks for exchange, and then package the monks. The monks must be knowledgeable in Buddhist teachings, have a good appearance, and be clean. It's essential that when they go to Southern Tang, they don't become like those famous scholars of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, attracting hundreds of thousands of people to watch. Then select several women with both artistic talent and beauty to entice the Lord of Tang. In this way, Southern Tang will further decline..."

  "This idea, I've heard that Yu Ping is both talented and beautiful."

  "Yu Ping..." Song Jiu didn't dare make a sound.

  "Are you going to let her go?"

  "This, this..."

  "She has little to do with you, and yet you can't bear to part with her. Besides, she's a girl from another family! I won't bother with this."

  For this sentence alone, Song Jiuxiao couldn't help but feel a deep respect.

  Zhao Kuangyin looked at Song Jiu seriously, this young man indeed had many problems, but he also had a lot of talent. If he was properly cultivated, he could be considered a talented person. However, after thinking for a moment, he sighed and said: "Song Jiu, heaven gave you wisdom, but not a good temperament. You are lazy, reckless, greedy, lustful, thick-skinned, and cunning. If it weren't for your kind heart, I would have classified you as a petty person."

  "Your Majesty, I am not a petty person. What should be obtained will be obtained, what should not be obtained, I absolutely will not obtain. I strictly follow the teachings of the two great kings, taking it with virtue, taking it with morality, taking it with diligence."

  "Little brat, how dare you distort my words! I ask you, were you the one who told that lewd story and sang that folk song at the entrance of the Pan Mansion, saying 'take it with virtue'?"

  "That's me having no choice, otherwise Pan's little girl won't let me off."

  Zhao Kuangyi was about to say something, but the official immediately gave Pan's little daughter to someone as a gift. However, since it involved Pan Mei, he couldn't make fun of Pan Mei's daughter, so he shut his mouth and looked at Song Jiu. Earlier, he had also seen Pan Lian'er's childish appearance, and perhaps Pan Mei's little daughter had boarded this young man's pirate ship. Thinking about this, Zhao Kuangyi didn't know whether to be happy or angry.

  "Song Jiu, you are now an official of the imperial court. I intend to send two doctors to your home to discuss and teach the idea of eliminating the distinction between local and non-local households in the Hebei region. You said that the area is poor and has many outsiders, but with the construction of the outer city wall, we must eliminate this distinction and integrate the people of the two rivers. The stability of the capital depends on it. Since you are teaching, I will let Doctors Yan and Zhang assist you. Doctor Zhang can teach arithmetic, and you can communicate with each other, but the teaching of law is my idea. Those students are not only for your use, but also to further integrate Hebei, so that over a thousand local households and over a thousand non-local temporary residents in Hebei can develop a sense of belonging. Do you understand?"

  "So it was."

  "Otherwise, why would I have to give them a clear law? If they use it, they are the people of the court. Look at you, you're just a scholar, not even following the rules, let alone these students. Knowing the national laws will produce fear, and with fear comes good talent."

  "It turns out..." Song Jiu was a bit embarrassed, if it's like this, then Zhang Yan and the others won't be able to drive them away.

  "I will also tell Zhang Yan'er, you should yield to each other. You can't just follow your own temper, they are great Confucian scholars, and much older than you, it's only right that you show some respect."

  Song Jiuyi was speechless, and no matter how he tried to argue, he still had to compromise, but didn't know how to refute.

  "You mentioned Buddhism, how do you view Buddhism?"

  "The Buddha's teachings? Guan Zhong once said that when the granaries are full, one knows etiquette and propriety, and when clothing and food are sufficient, one knows honor and shame. This is not entirely correct. In terms of wealth, Wu Yue and Southern Tang were comparable to our dynasty, but their people may not have been as knowledgeable about etiquette and propriety as our people.

  Guanzi governed the country, making Qi the richest state, but after his death, high-ranking officials immediately rebelled. Therefore, Confucius repeatedly emphasized benevolence and righteousness, which is moral transformation. However, for central imperial power, we must also refer to some measures from Shang Yang's reforms, eliminating the unnecessary and selecting the essential, governing with virtue internally, and not being weak externally.

  Buddhism and Taoism have this effect as well, but laws alone are insufficient to govern the people. The Qin dynasty's laws were strict, yet within a few decades, the entire nation rose up in rebellion. Therefore, we need Confucian moral transformation, with Buddhism and Taoism providing auxiliary support.

  At the same time, no matter which wise ruler is governing, there will still be poor people, and there will still be those who encounter misfortune. Having a faith is like having a refuge, allowing them to reduce their suffering and dissatisfaction with the country. However, this is used to transform the people; the court must control it. If temples and monasteries multiply, then idle people who do not farm or weave will also increase, affecting taxation and occupying arable land. This is not transforming the people, but rather nurturing countless blood-sucking parasites on the nation's body.

  Especially for rulers, they cannot but respect ghosts and spirits. Your Majesty, how many emperors have there been throughout history, and how many wise rulers have appeared? The reason is that imperial power is too great; if Your Majesty says there is no reverence, then one cannot become a good minister. But if the ruler has no reverence, whether for the people or for ghosts and spirits, ancestors, then they can do as they please, becoming another Emperor Yang of Sui."

  "One cannot be a good ruler without awe," Zhao Kuangyin muttered to himself.

  "Yes, but it can be revered, not approached or trifled with. The Emperor Wu of Liang and the Tang master did not revere, but rather trifled with, if there were gods, they would help bring about the downfall of the country, rather than protect its prosperity."

  "Respect ghosts and gods, but keep them at a distance... Hmm, these few young whippersnappers."

  Song Jiuzhong looked up and saw several heads sticking out of the Pan family's gate, sneaking a peek at the teahouse. It was Pan Mei's son and those second-generation rich kids. They had been chatting for a long time, and more than a dozen of these second-generation rich kids felt very strange. Song Jiuzhong couldn't help but shake his head, thinking that he himself was working hard to make a living, while these second-generation rich kids didn't need to work hard and already had everything, so bored that they didn't know how to pass the time. Suddenly, he had an idea and asked Zhao Kuangyin boldly: "Your Majesty, I heard that you made a bet with Chen Yun and lost three peaks of Mount Hua to him?"

  "What did you lose in the bet..."

  "Folk say that Your Majesty went to Shaanxi and lost three games of chess to Chen Tuan on purpose when passing by Mount Hua, then lost the three peaks of Mount Hua?"

  "Folk sayings, you also believe," Zhao Kuangyin was puzzled, but when Song Jiu mentioned Chen Yun, he saw a slight change in Zhao Kuangyin's eyes. There must be a story behind this, but it wasn't something he could know about. Whether or not there was such a saying didn't matter, what mattered was what came next. Song Jiu continued: "Your Majesty, allow me to be bold for once and make a bet with you."

  "How bold," said Liu Gonggong.

  Zhao Kuangyin also became cheerful and looked up and down at Song Jiu, saying: "You little boy, you have nothing from top to bottom, what do you use to make a bet with me?"

  "Your Majesty, I have a suggestion. If I lose, I am willing to devote all of my talents to the imperial court."

  "How dare you! You are an official of the imperial court, if you don't obey the imperial court, who will you serve?"

  "Mr. Liu, no need to rush, listen to him, Song Jiu, you won?"

  "If I win, grant me the river islet outside Dongshui Gate. It's about 26 to 29 hectares in size. I'll use two hectares to build a dock and a transfer station for the imperial court, and another two hectares to build an academy to cultivate various talents for the imperial court. Half of the remaining land will be used for commercial purposes, such as building houses to recover costs and settle the islet's residents. And I'll also build a flying bridge over the Bian River for the imperial court," Song Jiu said, drawing a picture of a rainbow bridge on the table with his finger in the tea water.

  The Zhao brothers were deeply concerned about the people's livelihoods and fell into deep thought as they looked at the bridge design. The bridge was crucial, as it would facilitate transportation between the two banks. However, the previous flat bridges had hindered large ships from passing through and affected water transportation. If all the bridges over the Bian River were like this, it would be equivalent to raising the bridge's height by several meters, making it more important than Song Jiu's crane.

  Zhao Kuangyin walked a few steps and said, "Do you think I'd gamble with you? The river islet may be in the suburbs, but it's adjacent to the city wall and borders the Bian River. How could your skills be worth the value of such an important location? And what about the huge flying bridge, dock, transfer station, academy, and residential buildings you proposed? Do you have the funds for all that? If I were to gamble with you, it would be a shame that would last forever!"

  It turns out this kid still wants to make a fortune and is greedy for wealth.

  "Your Majesty doesn't need to worry about the money, as long as you dare to take a gamble, the money will appear. Moreover, it's not entirely a gift to me, those civilian residences cannot be moved afterwards, the academy also cannot be used, let alone the imperial court. However, the remaining commercial industries will all be returned to the imperial court after 50 years. And the 50 years are not a gift to me either, for the first two years it cannot generate income, I won't pay taxes. In the third year, I am willing to pay one million strings of cash in taxes to the imperial court, in the fourth year it's two million strings, and in the fifth year it's three million strings...". Song Jiuzhen thought desperately about the time when the Song Dynasty recovered Southern Tang, and continued: "From the sixth to tenth years, it's still three million strings, the eleventh year is five million strings, the twelfth year is six million strings, the thirteenth year is seven million strings, the fourteenth year is eight million strings, the fifteenth year is nine million strings, and the sixteenth year is ten million strings. It stops at ten million strings."

  "Nonsense!" Zhao Kuangyi shouted, the total tax revenue of the entire capital city for a year was only around 300,000 to 400,000 strings of cash, and now you're talking about 1 million strings, is money made of paper?!