Kaifeng Prefecture in September has a pleasant scenery.

Now is the best time, not only the best time of the year, but also the best time in decades.

The western frontier of the Song Dynasty, which had been chaotic for decades, has finally finally returned to a complete calm. Not only did the Western Xia lose Hengshan and Tiandu Mountains no longer have the power to attack the Shaanxi ranks, but also after the Song court decided to abandon Huangzhou and Shanzhou, the conflict between the Song army and the Tubo tribes of Qingtang and Tang had basically stopped.

As for the Great Liao Dynasty, which had been in the north for more than 100 years, has now become a brotherly country of the Great Song Dynasty. In the foreseeable time, there will probably be no more trouble. A truly peaceful and prosperous era is probably coming, right?

For the people of Kaifeng Prefecture, the capital of the Song Dynasty, the most gratifying change is undoubtedly the annoying treacherous ministers of the new party who lost power again. As the wise king Zhao Ji replaced the foolish king Zhao Xu, Zhang Dun's unique prime minister also came to an end. The expelled old gentlemen also returned from distant places during this period. Han Qi, the eldest son of Han Lao Gong, Han Zhongyan, had twice Xuanma in a year, and now he is the right servant of the Shangshu and the Secret Minister! Zhang Dun, the left servant of the Shangshu and the Secret Minister, who is nominally superior to the Han Gong, has been in panic all day these days. He has submitted a request to dismiss the political affairs five times within a month. Although the imperial edict did not agree, Zhang Dun still knew that the situation was hoped for the prefecture of the dignified Zhang, who had slipped out of the prime minister's mansion and the Secret Minister, hid in the temple a few days ago!

It seems that this Zhang Dajie really knows that the disaster is coming, and he even takes out the trick of "being a monk to avoid disaster"!

The world is peaceful and the new party loses its power. Not only does it lose external troubles, but all kinds of harsh policies that harm people are almost gone. Why is the Song Dynasty not the best time now?

Just the day after Zhang Dun was hiding in the monk's house, right Prime Minister Han Zhongyan entertained Fan Chunren on the fully built observation deck of the Republic Building.

Han Zhongyan and Fan Chunren have been back to Kaifeng Prefecture for a long time. Because Fan Chunren has been recuperating, this is the first time they have met.

"What is the situation now?"

After a few greetings, Fan Chunren asked about the situation.

Han Zhongyan looked at his old friend who could no longer see anything, but sighed deeply: "The official still wants to be a saint."

This answer was exchanged for Fan Chunren's silence.

After a while, Wu Haowen, who accompanied Han Zhongyan to the Republic Building, asked softly: "Is it wrong for the official to be a saint?"

Han Zhongyan and Fan Chunren both frowned and never spoke.

But Fan Chunren's second son Fan Zhengsi sighed softly and said, "The Emperor of Shenzong is the Holy Lord! Now another one is here..."

Wu Haowen was stunned when he heard this, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes.

Although he was a Bianliangzi who naturally leaned towards the old party, he was a moral "product". He also believed that the Holy Lord, Wang Anshi's "one morality" had achieved his goal. Although he liked Lianwu Haowen, the "old party youth army" with Miao Zhenggenghong, who now opposed the economic line of the new party, he accepted the new party's thought of the Holy Lord.

Well, it is of course good to have a saint! Who would oppose the saint? How great is it to be wise and powerful, to defeat the four barbarians, and to specialize in the treatment of disobedience?

But the problem is that since Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty, where were the "saints" among the officials who could draw "Pingrong Wanquan Formation Map"? They were not "saints" at all. If they wanted "saints", there would be no Liao Kingdom or Xixia long ago.

Therefore, the New Party’s “Holy King” line actually expanded the emperor’s authority for reform and packaged the “unsaint” king into “Holy King”.

In the seven years after Zhezong took power, the reason why the Song Dynasty was able to achieve good results in foreign wars and its domestic economy was still acceptable was not because Zhezong was so "saint", but because the "saint king" Zhezong chose a capable treacherous minister and fully delegated power. In fact, this is the way for the real king of the Void King. If it were a "saint king", it would have a group of prime ministers to let them fight each other.

But now, a real "saint king" is coming!

The official Zhao Ji's route was obviously different from his brother! Although he summoned many veterans of the old party, he did not show his intention to denounce all the treacherous officials of the new party.

This month, Zhang Dun's five requests to the county were rejected by him, which already explained some problems.

Everyone knows that Zhao Ji hates Zhang Dun and Zhang Dun to prevent him from becoming the emperor! But Zhao Ji has repeatedly tried to keep Zhang Dun, and among the old party elders, he only mentioned Han Zhongyan and placed him in the position of the second prime minister.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see now that Zhao Ji's path is to mix up the old and the old, and the old will not make the old and the old. The result of the struggle between the old and the new in the court is that the saint Zhao Ji is in control of everything.

What worries Han Zhongyan and Fan Chunren even more is that the best among the new generation of Jinshi like Wu Haowen have more or less accepted the concept of "Saint King". This is also the reason why Han Zhongyan wants Wu Haowen to worship Hou Zhongliang as his teacher.

By the way, during this period, Neo-Confucianism had not yet become a powerful ideological weapon in the hands of the "Saint Lords". Otherwise, all of Cheng Yi's works would not have been pursued and destroyed by Song Huizong in the first year of Chongning (1102).

"What happened to Hou Shisheng and Wu Chongdao, deputy envoy of Dongshangguanmen?

At this time, Fan Chunren turned the topic to "Nancheng Academy Discussion on Taoism". Fan Zhengsi told him this matter, and also said that Wu Haogu wanted to visit and ask for advice.

Han Zhongyan also knew that this was reported by Wu Haowen, and he also knew what Wu Haogu’s purpose was.

He thought about it for a moment and said, "I have discussed the 'contract'."

"Does the difference be considered?" Fan Chunren asked.

His son Fan Zhengsi has actually explained the whole story of "Nancheng Academy Discussion on Taoism". However, Fan Chunren still doesn't believe in the recent fortunes of an official and businessman. How could he discuss "convention" with a great scholar who is proficient in Guanluo's studies?

"Great or down?" Han Zhongyan paused, "It's just a Tao, how can we distinguish between the two?"

"Business Agreement" and "Country Agreement" are originally two branches of the same path. To put it bluntly, both of these agreements are practicing the ideal of "the world is for the public, and the talent is selected." However, neither of the agreements is perfect, and each has its own flaws.

Therefore, the significance of discussing the advantages and disadvantages of "business agreement" and "western contract" is not very important. It is meaningful to find out the shortcomings of "business agreement" and "western contract" through discussion.

"The merchant agreement is profitable, and the village agreement is virtue," Han Zhongyan commented, "If you only have profit, you will lose virtue, and if you only have virtue, you will lose."

Fan Chunren sighed: "There are many people in the world who lose their virtues and seek profits, but those who fail to maintain their virtues have rarely been there since ancient times! If the merchant agreement can really bring great benefits, then the "Republic and Shang Agreement" will sooner or later be in the world. If the village agreement cannot seek profits with the people, even if it is in line with the great way, it will sooner or later disappear.

In the future, I am afraid that it will be a matter of whether to use the merchant agreement to rule the world or a saint rule the world!"

Fan Chunren seems to be a little "pessimistic" about people's hearts, which may be related to the ups and downs of the officialdom of their father and son (Fan Zhongyan, Fan Chunren).

"De" seems to never be the opponent of "profit"!

"Business Agreement" is easy to succeed with profit. However, "Family Agreement" is encouraged by virtue, and it is inevitable that it will fail. In fact, "Lüshi Township Agreement" has failed now! It is not that the Lüshi family did not do well, and the goals that the "Family Agreement" pursued have basically been achieved. However, after the Lüshi family successfully tested the "Family Agreement" for 20 years, no one in the world was willing to imitate it, and only a group of Guanluo scholars were left to advocate it everywhere.

If the "Republic Trade Agreement" is implemented for 20 years, it will achieve its goal and bring millions of money to the participating merchants. I am afraid that no one will promote it. The second, third, and fourth Jiehe Commercial Market will appear on its own... Who doesn't like evil money? And this is exactly what Hou Zhongliang is worried about!

Fan Chunren, a great scholar who had been prime minister, could naturally imagine this, and he thought it farther than Hou Zhongliang. He thought of the conflict between the "Saint King" and the "Shangket Agreement"... After all, the "Shangket Agreement" is also the way to "the world is for the public, and select the virtuous and capable"!

Han Zhongyan sighed: "Wu Chongdao also asked about preaching and wanted to join Dongpo's disciple."

Fan Chunren shook his head, "It's okay to say that if you want to preach... That saint may like it. But why did you join Su Dongpo's Shuxue? Is Guanxue, Luoxue, and the new academic is not possible?"

Han Zhongyan also shook his head and smiled, "What if he cares about him, Yaofu, do you want to recommend him?"

"Let's ask first." Fan Chunren asked, "I hope, have your elder brother arrived?"

...

Wu Haogu has arrived a long time ago. Gonghe Building is the location of the main store of the Republican Bank. He has an "office" here, just on the fourth floor of the Republican Building, not far from the observation deck. When Fan Chunren asked him, he was looking at the Republican Bank's "balance sheet"... Of course, the debt was unprecedented, exceeding 320,000 yuan! Of course, it was not that the Republican Bank's poor management was not good, but the result of the merger of the advance payments (equities) of the subordinate subsidiaries. If the funds in the Republican Bank were included, the cash belonging to the Republican Bank on the books has now exceeded 500,000 yuan.

The prepayment mainly comes from the pre-sale of tricks of two magazines such as "The Immortal in the Wine" and "The Courtesan" and "Wenquxing". In particular, "The Immortal in the Wine", although the "Immortal in the Wine", has not been officially released, but has been hyped up by "Yujiu" and two magazines. Through the form of imperial gifts, the wealthy and powerful people in Kaifeng Prefecture have already tasted "Immortal in the Wine", and the guys who are really good at wine think that "Immortal in the Wine" are particularly exciting. Kaifeng Prefecture, Daming Prefecture, Yingtian Prefecture, Haizhou and Yangzhou and other places have also obtained samples of "Immortal in the Wine" sold by Panlou. After booking some of them, more than 100,000 yuan of cash flowed into the account of "Immortal in the Wine" (a joint venture between the Republican and the Pan family).

It seems that it won’t take too long to increase the money tree in Wu Haogu’s hands to three!

Now that so much evil money is placed on the books of the Republican Bank, it is really a bit worrying... Where should I invest in it?
Chapter completed!