Sima Guang was just about to leave his post to remonstrate when he heard the eunuch outside the palace shouting,""Wang Anshi, wait outside the palace!"
"Call him in." Zhao Xu said.
Wang Anshi was dressed in court clothes. Although he was nearly fifty years old, he was hale and hearty. His body was thin, but his bones were firm.
"Your humble subject Wang Anshi greets the Emperor. Long live the Emperor!”
"Beloved minister, rise. I promote you to the position of governor.”
"Thank you, Lord!" At this moment, Wang Anshi had mixed feelings.
This journey was travel-worn, and there was no other reason than Wang Yong telling him that the new emperor admired him very much.
The ambition of a lifetime was very likely to be realized by the new emperor. The decades of waiting were worth it.
Wang Anshi prostrated on the ground and did not get up for a long time. The moment he knelt down, he could already see the new emperor's dignity and gaze.
Based on his intuition, this gaze was different from Renzong and Yingzong's. This gaze was filled with determination and dominance.
Wang Anshi did not care about his appearance and did not pursue pleasure. His biggest hobby was to write poetry and form his own sect.
What he was most concerned about was his reform to become stronger. This was his belief, philosophy, and soul.
If these could not be achieved, he would rather not be an official.
"Dear ministers, the previous emperor has already been buried and I have long been crowned. There is no need to consider the matter of the Pilgrimage. The most important thing now is to discuss wealth. Qian Youqing, come out and talk about the income and expenditure of the national treasury in the past few years.”
The Minister of Revenue, Qian Youqing, immediately walked out of the line and said in a deep voice,"Your Majesty, the national treasury is running low on silver. It can't sustain Hebei Province's expenses for a month.”
"So, where did the money go?" Zhao Xu stared at Qian Youqing and asked.
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Court is spending too much, and the national treasury is unable to make ends meet.”
"What are the main expenses?"
"Nurturing soldiers, nurturing officials, and annual coins." Qian Youqing blurted out.
"Hmph, most soldiers are redundant soldiers, and most officials are lazy officials. They eat the salary of the monarch and don't think about the country or share the worries of the emperor. As for the matter of annual coins, it's even more absurd!”
Zhao Xu's words were so powerful that all the ministers in the imperial court blushed.
Wang Anshi was unusually excited when he heard this. This was what he had always wanted to say.
"Qian Youqing, the Grand Empress Dowager has twenty million taels of silver in the treasury. The Grand Empress Dowager has already promised to use all of it for the national treasury.”
"This lowly subject obeys the decree!" Qian Youqing was shocked. He didn't expect the Empress Dowager to save so much silver. It was equivalent to one-fifth of the annual income of the entire Song Dynasty.
Where did the money come from? Even ghosts understood.
"My dear ministers, I am determined to cut off all unnecessary soldiers and officials, reorganize the administration of officials, and clean up the water transport. I hope that you will not cause trouble for me, or I will make you wish you were dead.”
After he finished speaking, Zhao Xu announced that he would withdraw from the court, leaving behind the ministers who were kneeling on the ground in fear.
……
In the Hall of Heroes.
Wang Anshi was summoned into the palace. Beside him were Wang Yong, Xu Feng, and Zheng Jimin.
" Your Majesty is wise, and I feel enlightened. Dismantling the redundant soldiers and reorganizing the government are things that I have always dreamed of. Unfortunately, the previous dynasty…"
"Wang Anshi, you don't have to say anything. I promoted you to the position of governor because I want you to reform for me. Although you are a governor, you don't have to be restrained by other officials. Other than me, no one has the right to control you and talk about your reform.”
Wang Anshi was ecstatic. The governor was the deputy prime minister. If he was not controlled by the prime minister, he was no different from the prime minister.
The reform was what Zhao Xu had been thinking about day and night. He was so happy that he couldn't believe that it was true. He didn't expect that the person who understood him would be this young emperor in front of him.
"I thank you for your kindness. I believe that if we want to reform, we must reform as a whole and not neglect one thing. I have thought about it for many years and have specific reform measures.”
"Tell me about it." Zhao Xu encouraged him.
"I have the Green Crops Law, the Water Conservancy Law, the Horse Protection Law, the Equal Loss Law, the Trade Law, the Baojia Law…"
Zhao Xu nodded. Actually, he knew all about these reforms, and he also knew the flaws and priorities in them.
"The reform should not be delayed, nor should it be rushed. I will first issue a decree to start the Qing Miao Law, Baojia Law, and Market Law. We will talk about the rest in a few days.”
Wang Anshi was already overjoyed. He didn't expect the emperor to make such a decision so quickly. Thinking back, Renzong didn't answer the reform no matter what, and Yingzong didn't have the ability to understand.
"I will not let down Your Majesty's great trust and will do my best until I die!”Wang Anshi prostrated on the ground, deeply grateful for the emperor's kindness.
After Wang Anshi left, Zhao Xu called Wang Yong, Xu Feng, and Zheng Jimin over for questioning.
"Has the palace treasury of the Cining Palace been cleaned up?”
"Reporting to Your Majesty, everything has been cleaned up. Other than the 200,000 strings of money, the Grand Empress Dowager also has countless rare treasures. There are countless agates, jades, gold, and pearls. They have all been moved to the Funing Palace according to Your Majesty's orders.”Xu Feng bowed.
"Very good. You're already old. Guarding these treasures is simply a waste of God's gifts. Xu Feng, Zheng Jimin.”
"Your subject is here!"
"I hereby issue an official decree to promote the two of you to be the Commanders and Deputy Commanders of the Palace. You will control all the troops in the palace and will be directly responsible for me, and you will not listen to anyone's orders.”
"Your Majesty, even Lord Lu Hua Cheng can't do it? According to the ancestral system, the Privy Council Envoy had the authority to mobilize the army.”
Zheng Jimin said carefully.
"I will soon abolish the position of Privy Council Envoy.”
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