The scenery along the way did not change much, but I don’t know what happened. After leaving Hadong Road and entering the Gyeonggi Province, Fang Jie always felt that he had discovered something different in his senses. The imperial capital Chang'an is the heart of the Great Sui Dynasty, and Gyeonggi Province is the ribs that protect the heart.

In the twenty-four majors of the Great Sui Dynasty, except for Gyeonggi Province, the governors of all majors were second-rank officials. However, the governors of Gyeonggi Province were first-rank officials.

Perhaps in the perception of ordinary people, first-rank officials are nothing more than a big and big official. But you should know that these big and big officials represent the trust of His Majesty the Emperor. Since the founding of the Great Sui Dynasty, the governors of Gyeonggi Province have been people whom the emperor valued trust very much. Gyeonggi Province protects the imperial capital, how could the emperor hand over this large area to those he was worried about?

Just like, when fighting in battle, how dare the soldiers put their backs in front of the enemy?

Gyeonggi Province is a relatively small one among the twenty-four divisions of the Great Sui Dynasty. Even so, the territory of Gyeonggi Province is still larger than that of the Eastern Chu State.

When Fang Jie and his party entered Gyeonggi Province, the weather was already warm, making people fascinated by the afternoon sun. Whenever they passed by a village, they saw the elderly sitting quietly and peacefully on the pile of firewood to bask in the sun and chat, Fang Jie felt very envious and nostalgic for the past life. The elderly are always a little tired and lazy, and they like to enjoy the warmth under the sun for a long time than young people.

The content of their chats may not involve any national events, but is often more about their memories when they were young.

Fang Jie couldn't help thinking when he looked at the old people. Among these villagers who looked old, some may have been veterans who had survived countless battles on the battlefield, and some may have been rich. Although their old age was not rich, they were very peaceful.

The social system of the Great Sui Dynasty has been gradually improved after a hundred years, and there are certain written regulations for the care of the elderly. For example, elderly people over fifty can receive ten copper coins from the village forehand every month, elderly people over sixty can receive fifteen copper coins, and there will be cotton coats and quilts every winter. If they can live to the age of seventy, they will not only receive more subsidies and care, but even the county magistrate will avoid seeing elderly people over seventy when they go out.

Especially in this generation of emperors, his attention to the elderly made people feel warmer. Therefore, Emperor Tianyou Yang Yi was called the most respectful and filial emperor by the people in the Sui Dynasty.

There is a story that is not true or false, but it is very popular among the people. It is about the fact that when the emperor was the fourth prince, he once visited the south as an imperial guard. When the guard of honor passed a stone bridge, an old man with a cane was tired of walking, and sat in the middle of the bridge to rest. I wonder if the afternoon sun was too warm at that time, the old man sat down for a while and fell asleep leaning on the bridge.

The fourth prince Yang Yi stopped his men from waking the old man and waking him away. He walked over and took off his cloak to cover the old man. He was afraid that the old man would catch a cold, so he specially asked someone to remove the cotton pad from his carriage and put it under the old man. He gently supported the old man and lay on the cotton pad. Then he sat down next to the old man and took a palm fan to drive away mosquitoes.

At that time, all the officials and servants were moved. After sitting there for half an hour, the old man woke up. The fourth prince Yang Yi asked him how old he was, and the old man replied that he was 72 years old. Yang Yi immediately sent a big red envelope and handed it to the old man, saying that this was the court's filial piety to the elderly over 70 years old.

He used the word filial piety, not gift.

After the old man woke up, Yang Yi helped the old man across the bridge, and then the team started. Just when people thought that this little episode had passed, Yang Yi did something that he had to admire. He ordered people to find out where the old man lived, and then arrested a large group of people, the old man's son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren, and grandchildren, and scolded him fiercely in front of the people of the village.

It is unfilial to let the old man in his seventies go out alone without anyone helping him with him, especially... the old man planned to walk more than ten miles to the town to buy the osmanthus cake he wanted to eat. None of the dozens of people in the family took the initiative to help the old man buy it, which was even more intolerable.

After a whip, the old man's son and grandson cried and accepted the punishment.

This incident has been circulated by the people, and of course it soon reached the ears of His Majesty the Emperor of the Sui Dynasty. After his Majesty found out, His Majesty was silent for a long time, and then he gave up the idea of ​​making the third prince the crown prince for a while.

Later it was said that the old man lived to his nineties and died without illness.

Before his death, the old man held his nearly eighty-year-old son's hand and said that he had wronged you, and that you had not been able to raise your head in the village for half a lifetime. However, being beaten by a whip would make our family worry-free for a lifetime. Isn't there such a heavy sum of silver? Now that I'm going to die, I can take out the money and buy a house in the city and let the children go to the city. I can't let them follow you and be laughed at by the people in the village.

Of course, no one knows this.

Fang Jie heard this story before entering Gyeonggi Province. At that time, he just smiled and said a word in a low voice. Although Daju, Mu Xiaoyao and Mr. Zhuo both heard it, no one understood the meaning of the word. Mr. Zhuo quietly made thoughts and realized that this seemingly careless boy had a surprising mind.

Fang explained the word: "Show"

...

...

In the seven counties of Gyeonggi Province, Fang Jie, they entered Gyeonggi Province from Hadong Road and walked through Xiping County. After passing through Xiping County, they were Beidi County, and after passing through Sanshui, Sanyang, and Sanyuan, it was Chang'an City, the imperial capital of the Great Sui Dynasty.

It has to be said that the public security after entering Gyeonggi Province is amazing. Fang Jie and his group walked along Hexi Road and Hedong Road, and occasionally encountered robbers several times when they passed by Shanye. After entering Xiping County, Fang Jie suddenly realized what the difference he had always felt was. In every city and even in every village, not to mention the forced gangsters, even Hanazi, who was begging for food, did not see any of them.

After walking hundreds of miles in Xiping County, I didn’t see a beggar. Even if I were to Fang Jie’s previous life, this was a grand occasion that was difficult to achieve. It can be seen that the officials of Gyeonggi Province, who are closest to the imperial capital, really dare not do nothing.

"The prosperity of the Great Sui Dynasty is rare in the world."

When he was looking for an inn to stay in Lulai County, Fang Jie couldn't help but sigh.

After hearing this, Mr. Zhuo just smiled and said that this was because the officials in Gyeonggi Province knew a truth well and did not dare to slack off.

Fang Jie asked what the reason was. Mr. Zhuo smiled and said that since the founding of the Great Sui Dynasty, the officials in Gyeonggi Province have killed the most. Because it is too close to the imperial capital and the officials do not trust and be harmonious, so if anyone makes a mistake, it is afraid that the memorial to impeach him will be placed on the emperor's book case.

Officials should be wary of not only the so-called troublemakers who dare to go to the capital to complain, but also be careful about their colleagues around them. No one knows whether they were good friends who had been drinking and drinking tea with them before, but the next day they wrote a memorial to the court.

"Officials do not protect each other, and even do not trust..."

Fang Jie murmured and sighed: "I don't know if such an officialdom is a blessing or an unfortunate one for the Sui Dynasty."

When Mr. Zhuo heard this, he became interested. After sitting down, he asked, "What is happiness? What is misfortune?"

Fang Jie sat on the bed, lay down on his arm and said, "Fortunately, because officials do not protect each other, the people naturally have many benefits. Because of this, His Majesty the Emperor does not have to worry about the fact that officials form cliques and private interests. The court officials and local officials do not collude with each other, the country of the Sui Dynasty will be stable. Your Majesty is afraid that this situation will be successful, and even has a lot of thoughts about it. Anyway, I have never seen each other before, and the officials have been wary of each other to this point."

"As for the misfortune... I mean, if the Great Sui Dynasty reaches a dangerous situation, officials and generals completely distrust it, this is a huge hidden danger. For example, foreign enemies enter the Great Sui Dynasty, it is difficult to guarantee that they will not be disassociated due to personal grievances between officials. Once such a crisis occurs, the biggest problem that the Great Sui Dynasty will face will come from the inside."

Hearing this sentence, Mr. Zhuo just smiled faintly and asked: "Then do you think that soldiers from which country in this world can step into the territory of the Great Sui Dynasty? Mongolian Yuan? Or the weak Dongchu and Nanyan?"

In the tone of this sentence, the arrogance and confidence of being a Sui people are fully displayed.

Fang Jie thought about it carefully, then shook his head: "I really couldn't imagine that any other country in this world could run rampant on the territory of the Great Sui Dynasty."

"but……"

He paused and said, "If it weren't for the wise king of all ages, I wouldn't dare to let the ministers below be so trembling and intrigue. Otherwise, wouldn't the emperor be so tired that he vomited blood?"

"Disrespectful"

Mr. Zhuo said with a blank look.

“Respect and disrespect are not on the surface, but on the inner heart.”

Fang Jie said seriously.

Mr. Zhuo glanced at Fang Jie and suddenly sighed: "I don't see much respect for His Majesty the Great Sui Emperor from your heart."

Fang Jie was stunned and then said angrily: "You are cheating!"

Mr. Zhuo smiled and pondered for a while and said, "Since you also said that unless the wise king of the ages is not able to control such a court, I can tell you seriously. Since Your Majesty can turn the court into this with one hand, you can naturally turn the court into another with the other. When Your Majesty wants the officials to be disunited, no one dares to unite. When Your Majesty wants the officials to unite, who dares to be disunited?"

Fang Jie was stunned, and then said sincerely: "I'm so domineering."

...

...

Mr. Zhuo looked at Fang Jie and asked seriously: "Why do I always feel that you are full of doubts, uncertainty, or even a sense of crisis in everything? I have never seen such thoughts in any young man. Even the twilight old man is afraid that he can't see clearly in some things. You live like this every day in worry, aren't you tired?"

Fang Jie thought about it and replied: "Maybe it's a habit."

Mr. Zhuo said: "Then I'm even more curious, what kind of experience has made you develop such a habit?"

Fang Jie smiled and said, "Can you see it yourself?"

Mr. Zhuo glanced at him and said, "Do you think you can do anything in your mind? I have said before that reading the mind has no meaning for people with firm minds or strong minds. I can't see what is hidden deepest in your heart, so I wonder how you have such a deep scheming at such an age?"

Fang Jie said seriously: "Is this considered talent okay?"

Seeing that he didn't want to say much, Mr. Zhuo couldn't continue asking. He was silent for a while and said, "Actually... what I'm even more curious is that although you have been saying that you have no idea about being admitted to the Martial Arts Academy, you don't seem to have much worry about entering the Martial Arts Academy, whether in your tone or in your heart. What kind of abilities are you hiding?"

Fang Jie asked: "Sir, really want to know?"

Mr. Zhuo nodded.

Fang Jie looked at the left and right and looked close to Mr. Zhuo's ear and said in a very soft voice: "I won't tell you..."

Seeing that Mr. Zhuo's crucified expression was really cute, Fang Jie smiled and said, "Actually, I'm not sure whether I can enter the Martial Arts Academy, but I seem to be a little sure of being able to enter the Sui Dynasty. Perhaps... I am more suitable to be a civil servant? Because the methods I can think of so far are ridiculous and naive, but they are novel and effective. Maybe they can really make the Masters and Scholars in our Great Sui Dynasty look at me with admiration, and even the Emperor will look at me with admiration."
Chapter completed!