Fairy, Please Let Me Explain

Benefiting from the decades of Jiajing Dynasty, the Pingxian Tax Law spread to local government offices in Da Yan with great efficiency, but just like a bomb dropped into water, it will explode after a window period. During this period, the fourteen states of Da Yan fell into a strange silence.

The last calm before the storm.

It has been half a month since the day of the Northern Hunt.

A lot of things have happened in the capital these days.

Although the Pingxian Tax Law caused a thousand waves in the court, 99% of the common people still did not know about it, and even until the moment when the war broke out, they would not know why.

Therefore, the two decrees that had the greatest impact on the common people in the city were the withdrawal of the golden armored guards outside the city and the relaxation of the entry and exit control of the capital by the Imperial City Department.

The Emperor's An has been peaceful for a long time, and the situation of entering military control has not happened for decades. Now that it has returned to normal, it is natural that the literati in the wine shops and brothels will talk about the reasons for these decrees.

Some people said that these imperial guards were transferred to the front line to prepare for war, while others said that these imperial guards were sent to prevent the prime minister from usurping the throne from the beginning. Now that the new law has been promulgated, there will be no conflict between the royal family and the prime minister in the short term. Some people also said that the emperor has already eliminated the thief prime minister, so there is no need to be on guard.

These are all Confucian scholars who analyze their own insights through some one-sided news and some brain supplements.

If they say it wrong, nothing will happen.

If they say it right, they will be prophetic, which is enough to exchange for reputation.

But the speaker is unintentional, but the listener is intentional.

All kinds of rumors filled the streets and alleys of Di'an City for a while, but it was also these rumors that eliminated a lot of the oppression entrenched in the capital.

Of course, the above are all the views of the common people.

The oppression in the imperial capital has indeed dissipated a lot, but in fact it is because the wealthy merchants and small and medium-sized families in the city have received the accurate news from the court.

Although the Pingxian Tax Law is a disastrous national policy, it can be said that the negative effects have been eliminated.

Since the beginning of autumn, the imperial guards have sealed off the city, and they are the most nervous in the city.

These wealthy merchants and small and medium-sized families are not as good as those nobles. They are not qualified to place bets at the gambling table in advance. If they want to become "people with connections", they have no way to register their names, but their own wealth and power make them know more than the common people below.

This is really desperate.

People are most afraid of the unknown,

and as a force, the most fearful thing is the change of national policy.

Those court officials dare not act rashly until the national policy is made. Now that the final outcome has been determined, the hanging hearts have settled down.

Since the shadow of war is inevitable, the rest is the risk avoidance ability of each person, and Di'an, as the capital, should be a relatively safe place in Da Yan for a long time in the future.

But just when they were thinking about it these days, the news from the Imperial City Department made them fall into panic again.

The second prince in the north of the city led his troops into the city.

The moon is bright and the stars are sparse.

During the past half month, Xu Yuan has been staying in Moyin Pavilion to review the memorials that have been flying in from all over the place like snowflakes.

Most of them are related to the Pingxian Tax Law.

The letter memorial he presented in the court that day was called the Pingxian Tax Law, but it actually had no actual content. It just roughly stated the necessity of passing the immortal tax from both macro and micro levels.

If the Pingxian Tax Law is a bullet, then Xu Yuan is actually just the person who pulled the trigger.

The real Pingxian Tax Law is a huge system, which has been perfected step by step under the leadership of the old man in the past few decades.

The content of the document is as many as one million words, covering hundreds of new laws and thousands of new regulations, various guiding opinions, as well as the order of implementation and thousands of emergency plans.

Moreover.

There are two copies inside and outside, one virtual and one real.

The virtual one is for the outside, which is the way to implement the immortal tax on the surface, with the cooperation of the sect as the premise.

The real one is for the inside, mainly preparing for war, with the sect raising troops as the premise.

The room was silent, the inscription lamp emitted a cool and dim light. After reading the last file on the desk, Xu Yuan leaned back on the chair with a frown, gently pressed his slightly swollen eyebrows, recalled the contents of the memorials these days, and finally sighed.

If you want to use one word to describe his evaluation of the implementation of the new law, then "chaos" is undoubtedly the most appropriate.

Before the troops move, the food and grass must go first.

Even if all kinds of preparations are made, when the implementation really begins, hundreds of thousands of problems still burst out in an instant.

What is learned from paper is always shallow.

What warehouses are empty, what mines collapse, the martial arts hall cannot attract enough martial artists, the herbs and spirit stones are not produced enough, etc.

Just entering the state of war preparation, the chaos below has made Xu Yuan feel suffocated. If a fight really breaks out, he dare not think about how chaotic it will be.

But the only thing to be thankful for is that these disturbances are still within the acceptable range of the Xiangguo Mansion, or the people who formulated the "Pingxian Tax Law" have anticipated that such incidents will happen below, so they have reserved a large part of the margin in advance.

Take a deep breath, Xu Yuan thought about these absurd things, and was directly laughed out of anger:

"These insects should really be dragged out and beheaded."

"If you kill them, no one will work for you."

A charming voice came from the top floor of Moyin Pavilion.

Xu Yuan opened his eyes, and Lou Ji pushed the door in.

Tonight she wore a white plain robe, but she still maintained the habit of saving fabric. The white fairy air and the temperament of this old aunt formed a different kind of charm.

Coming to the table, Lou Ji smiled and raised her hand.

Then,

"Boom!"

There was a muffled sound,

More than a dozen two-foot-thick files were piled in front of the case that Xu Yuan had just cleared.

Lou Ji said with a smile:

"My sister has approved the latest news from the Black Scale Guards for you. Take a good look at it yourself."

Xu Yuan swallowed subconsciously: "So many again?"

Lou Ji shrugged and smiled teasingly: "Hua Hong is said to have piled up a room full of them and is preparing to deliver them to you tomorrow."

Paper authenticity doesn’t cost money, right?

With a groan in his heart, Xu Yuan finally steeled himself again and prepared to start a new round of study.

Opening a file and seeing clearly the events inside, Xu Yuan's head began to hurt, and he once again confirmed the problem with the prime minister's system.

In a village under Tianshui County, Pinglin County, Guanghuai Prefecture, clan members led a crowd to cause trouble and block the autumn harvest convoy. Wouldn't it be over if the village officials handled the incident and reported it to the county?

Forget it involves military, political and commercial affairs, can such trivial matters be sent directly to the Imperial Capital?

Is this reasonable?

Xu Yuan read half of it and subconsciously wanted to say something to Lou Ji, but in the end he held back. No matter how big the problem was with the "monarchy core system" established by his father, it would not be possible to change it in the face of war. Everything would have to wait for this. Let’s talk after the war is over.

Bite the bullet and continue browsing, from the corner of his eye, he saw Lou Ji pulling out a chair and sitting down. She had no intention of leaving immediately. Xu Yuan also asked with double concentration:

"What's going on with my father?"

After Xu Yinhe returned from hunting in the north, he directly entered the secret room in the black prison of the Prime Minister's Mansion for seclusion. At that time, Xu Yuan was still in the palace of the breast-wrapped princess, chatting with her about old times, cooking wine and talking about the world, and happened to be separated from his father. .

It has been half a month since this old man went into seclusion, and no news has come out yet.

Lou Ji shook her head and said:

"I don't know."

Xu Yuan clenched his fingertips slightly when he heard this.

There was a big information gap in the Prime Minister's Mansion about what happened during the Northern Hunting. Although there were spies inserted by the Black Scale Guards in Li Zhaoyuan's Unreturnable Army, the level was not high enough. We only knew that a battle had broken out, but we didn't know what the details were.

He suspected that the old man had unlocked part of the sealing secrets during the battle and was targeted by that thing in the sky.

Lou Ji saw Xu Yuan's worry and said in a clear voice:

"Changtian, you don't have to worry about your father, and I saw him that day, so it shouldn't be a big deal."

Xu Yuan did not explain the matter to Lou Ji, because the other party knew that there was nothing he could do, so he said instead:

"Okay, sister, you have been so busy recently and you still stay here with me. You must have something to say, right?"

Among the core senior officials of the prime minister's office, Lou Ji and Hua Hong were the closest to him, and they both came to deliver the files in person. However, at this critical time, Lou Ji and Hua Hong had heavy burdens on them. He, Xu Yuan, just needed to review them, and they But it is necessary to make decisions about the direction of the Prime Minister's Office, so usually, after delivering the file or saying a few words of ridicule, or a few words of concern and encouragement, he will leave directly.

Hearing this, Lou Ji sat up slightly, curled her long hair with her slender fingers, and said:

"Changtian, today I received some news about Beishou."

"Bei Shou?"

Xu Yuan murmured and raised his eyes: "National Preceptor?"

Because the old man is in seclusion, there are three mysteries that remain unsolved in the Prime Minister's Mansion regarding the Northern Hunting.

How would the emperor respond to Xu Yuanqiang's method of overcoming the immortal tax?

Is Xiang Guo injured?

as well as,

The national teacher is alive or dead.

The answer to the former was solved on the same day as Beishou. The emperor withdrew the imperial troops from around the capital and did not issue an edict to overturn the decree. He was already prepared to accept the alliance with a pinched nose.

The person who was in the middle said that there was nothing wrong with him orally, but the retreat lasted for half a month, which inevitably made people suspicious.

As for the latter.

Except for the prime minister who is in seclusion, there is no other channel to obtain information in the prime minister's palace. After all, you can't just ask the emperor himself directly, right?

After thinking for a moment, Xu Yuan reacted very quickly and said:

"News from the sect?"

"Um."

Lou Ji nodded and considered her words for a moment: "With the state master's cultivation level, ten days is enough for him to return to the Tianyuan Mountains from Gyeonggi Province. However, half a month has passed since the news of the state master's return to the sect, and the Black Scale Guards are secretly inside the clan alliance. Judging from the news sent back by the emperor, it seems that the Imperial Master has"

Speaking of this, Lou Ji stared at the young man behind the desk with her purple eyes and said no more.

The sandalwood rose slowly, and there was a moment of silence.

Xu Yuan opened his mouth, his eyes flashed, and finally sighed:

"I understand, is there anything else?"

As the prime minister, Lou Ji was very satisfied with Xu Yuan's reaction, but as a person she was still a little worried, but she didn't say anything, and just continued:

"Changtian, didn't you ask me to pay attention to the rumors in the market earlier?"

"Is there any progress?"

Xu Yuan recalled briefly and realized that this was something she had explained to Lou Ji when she returned to Beijing.

Because there are extraordinary things in the world, the dynasty does not pay too much attention to the publicity and public opinion of ordinary people at the bottom. It treats public opinion control with simple and crude brainwashing methods. The emperor's favor is vast. In all things in the world, the emperor will never be wrong. People can only live thanks to the Emperor.

For this reason, in the past few decades, all kinds of shit basins have been basically put on the head of the Prime Minister's Office, and the accusations of treachery and treason against the Prime Minister have continued one after another.

In good years, I feel grateful for the emperor's kindness; in bad years, I scold the prime minister for causing chaos in the country.

Regardless of natural or man-made disasters, it is always right to scold the prime minister.

Thinking in my heart,

Xu Yuan also put down the file and said seriously:

"Let him scold us in the past, but now the war is about to start. If the prime minister's mansion keeps this image among the common people, many things will be hindered."

Lou Ji thought for a while and replied:

"I have discussed this with Zong Qingsheng and others. There is no need to let this matter affect the relationship between the emperor and the prime minister."

"You mean, this is part of the deal with the royal family?"

"It's not a deal, it's a tacit understanding."

"Is that so?"

Xu Yuan murmured, thought for a while, pushed the file he had just read forward, and asked:

"Sister, my Xu family's grain collection convoy was surrounded by the local clan leaders. What do you think?"

Lou Ji glanced at it and said immediately without hesitation:

"Just suppress it violently. The common people in the world are afraid of power but not virtue, and they can't affect the overall situation in the end."

Fear of power but not virtue

Xu Yuan was silent.

The origin of the world is that violence determines everything, and extraordinary violence is not something that mortals can resist. Therefore, the imperial world has always ruled the country with power rather than virtue since ancient times.

But after thinking for a while, Xu Yuan still asked:

"What if I insist on doing so?"

Lou Ji rolled her eyes and said unhappily:

"If you insist on doing so, then you can only go down and do it."

"."

Xu Yuan, who had already prepared to be rejected, was stunned when he heard this.

Lou Ji said earnestly:

"Your father said that during his retreat, all matters except military affairs will be decided by you. But Changtian, remember, this is for your father's sake. If he is not here, your prestige is not enough to convince the public."

Speaking of this,

Lou Ji changed the subject and said with a smile:

"Of course, sister will still stand on your side~"

Hearing this joke, Xu Yuan's heart was complicated.

He understood why the old man was so eager to let him make achievements and establish his prestige. If there was no merit to convince the public, and if what he wanted to do was rejected by the ministers of the prime minister's mansion, it would be impossible to spread this Moyin Pavilion.

This is the case with such a small matter of public opinion, let alone those major military and financial matters.

And he suddenly understood why some emperors would rather believe in treacherous people than wise people. Just because of being obedient, it was enough for them to support treacherous people to high positions.

If he becomes the head of the Prime Minister's Mansion in the future, and has not accumulated enough prestige, I am afraid that he will most likely appoint people based on personal connections, and even expand the power of his confidants such as Lou Ji, and let them send the Black Scale Guards to supervise the army.

Thoughts flashed, and Xu Yuan nodded slightly:

"Then go and do it."

"Can I ask the reason?"

Lou Ji smiled.

But this question is not an inquiry, but a concern.

This public opinion method is the first national-level decree from Xu Yuan's "supervisory state". Although it will not consume too many resources of the Prime Minister's Mansion, it will be done, but if it fails, it will always affect his prestige in the Prime Minister's Mansion.

Xu Yuan didn't think too much, nor did he hide it:

"As long as the cultivators are alive, the common people will not be able to influence the overall situation at the macro level, but they can be transmitted layer by layer at the micro level. If you have the support of the people, military rations, taxes, and even enemy intelligence will accumulate. When the war is about to begin, don't ignore it even if it's small."

After listening carefully, although Lou Ji had some objections, she didn't say them.

The Xiangfu sent troops in the name of the court.

How could those ordinary people tell the difference between "king's teachers"?

And all these reasons can be solved by the violence that the cultivators have. When the mind and soul are swept over, all traces of the enemy's formation will appear. Once the illusion is performed, mortals can tell you their family tree.

But on second thought, Changtian's words are not unreasonable.

If he wins the hearts of the people, he can focus all his energy on the battlefield, and it will be more legitimate to usurp the world in the future.

After thinking of the legitimate reasons and sorting out the words he said when he took the blame for Changtian after the failure of this policy, Lou Ji stood up from the chair:

"Okay, sister will arrange this matter, do you have anything else to do?"

Xu Yuan thought about it and suddenly said:

"Sister, who is in charge of Wenshuyuan?"

Wenshuyuan, the Silijian of the Xiangfu, is responsible for the reports of various files and the internal affairs of the Xiangfu.

"Zhou Xianlin."

Lou Ji casually said the name of a senior official of the Xiangfu.

These days, Xu Yuan has become familiar with these senior officials. After a brief review of their resumes, he said:

"Bai Muxi has broken the origin, so arrange her to work as an accountant in Wenshuyuan."

Lou Ji glanced at Xu Yuan and said nothing.

Seeing this, Xu Yuan sighed:

"Is it not possible?"

"Humph."

Lou Ji snorted unhappily.

Arranging his own eunuchs in the office of the general manager of the house in the prime minister's mansion is obviously an attempt to seize power.

"Go to your father for this matter. Wenshu Temple is not under the jurisdiction of my sister."

"Is that so."

Xu Yuan nodded, but there was no strange look on his face.

These days of "regent" have given him some ideas of inserting his confidants into the key institutions of the prime minister's mansion, but now it seems that it is obviously not the right time.

Looking at Xu Yuan's expression, Lou Ji thought for a while and added:

"But Changtian, if you are willing, you can send the enchanting soul demon body called Su Jinxuan to my sister. I like her very much."

The meaning is very clear. The Black Scale Guards are not afraid of you seizing power, so they send it here for my sister to train.

Xu Yuan shook his head and refused, saying:

"She will help the little girl of the Feng family for the time being, and we will discuss this matter later."

Seeing this, Lou Ji did not mention it more. It seemed that she remembered something and said:

"By the way, Li Zhaoyuan entered the city today. Do you know?"

Xu Yuan nodded:

"I received the news yesterday."

Lou Ji blinked at Xu Yuan and asked:

"What do you think?"

Xu Yuan restrained his expression and said:

"As the crown prince, he is very difficult to deal with, but he is qualified to be the future partner of the prime minister's mansion."

After talking with Li Qingyan in the palace that day, he had already roughly deduced in his heart that Li Zhaoyuan would become the next emperor.

Lou Ji looked at Xu Yuan deeply and advised:

"Changtian, there are some things"

"I know."

Xu Yuan's lips curled slightly and interrupted her softly:

"Although I don't like this prince, sitting in this position will not give me too many personal emotional choices."

".I'm glad to know, sister is leaving first?"

"You can stay and accompany me to read the files."

"Forget it, sister is too busy."

Lou Ji waved her hand with a smile, rubbed Xu Yuan's head in the air, and walked out the door.

And at this moment,

There was a subtle sound of breaking air outside the door.

Lou Ji paused as she was walking, and subconsciously looked back at Xu Yuan's expression, but she saw that he was still expressionless, with no sign of joy or anger. He just calmly put down the file and stood up from behind the desk.

From time to time,

the visitor landed on the corridor in front of the door, and Bai Muxi's voice came from outside the door:

"Sir, the second prince is outside the mansion asking for an audience."

The moonlight entered the house, and the room was silent for a moment.

"You want to see him?"

"You came to my house on your own initiative, why don't you see him?"