[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-shao-song":3,"chapter-shao-song-shao-song-chapter-301":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Shao Song",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1558467,2024,"Chapter 301: The Benevolent King","shao-song-chapter-301",301,"\u003Cp>Inside the vast central army hall, the atmosphere was tense and delicate. With so many people and numerous braziers, many were already sweating on their foreheads, and those who were somewhat plump, like Master Fahe, had faces glistening with oil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, His Majesty Zhao Jiu just kept his head down, reading his notes without stopping, which only made the atmosphere more intense.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is a military officer and should not normally meddle in state affairs, but since Your Majesty has said that anyone may speak on governance today, I will take the liberty of discussing financial matters from a soldier's perspective.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a bout of arguing, even Li Qiong, the Deputy Commander of the Imperial Camp's Central Army, could not help but suddenly interject. \"Since we need money, commoners may seem easy to bully, but that is not advisable. From ancient times, those capable of rebellion have precisely been these seemingly easy-to-bully commoners! Our dynasty has seen two major upheavals caused by taxation—one was Fang La, who relied on the urban poor of the southeast; the other was Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao, whose roots were the fishermen and farmers of Jingxiang. These are lessons from the past! As for monasteries and merchants... to put it bluntly, has there ever been a monk rebellion or a merchant rebellion in history? When the state is in peril, we should kill them to enrich ourselves! Even if there are powerful landlords who don't know their place, there's no need for General Yue to pacify them. From north to south, I, your servant, will personally pacify them for Your Majesty! Let's see whose blade is sharper!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong came from a prefectural school background and was considered a man of intelligence and insight. Yet, no matter what, he was now just a military chieftain of exiled northerners, most eager for the Northern Expedition, but lacking Yue Fei's broad perspective and compassionate mindset. Young and hot-tempered, he inevitably became extreme on related matters. Back when the court discussed peace, everyone feared he would cause trouble—and not without reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, such fierce words, spoken at this moment, drew no reprimand or rebuttal. Instead, they triggered a momentary silence in the hall, deepening the gravity of the atmosphere... After all, everyone knew that no matter how calm His Majesty seemed now, given his temper, he might explode at any moment, and then it would truly come to the matter of blades.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Li Qiong was merely speculating on His Majesty's intentions and playing up the reckless nature of a Hebei exile military chieftain... In any case, the Eight-Character Army and the Imperial Camp's Vanguard Army were both trump cards in Zhao Jiu's hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But just then, after reading his notes for a long time and pondering deeply, His Majesty Zhao Jiu finally looked up: \"I will first state my position... We can discuss matters, but don't resort to shouting about killing and fighting all the time. I recall when Grand Coordinator Moqi served as a Censor, he once advised me, saying that before Yao Mountain and after Yao Mountain were completely different. Before, when the state was in peril, any extraordinary measures were unavoidable. But we took those extraordinary measures precisely so that today we would not need them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong quickly took the opportunity to apologize and then retreated back into the ranks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu paused briefly, then continued: \"Just now, from several Councilors to several Ministers, and also Chancellor Chen, all spoke very well. Even Deputy Commander Li, though his words were somewhat absurd, still had some truth in them... The state lacks money, but we absolutely cannot exploit the common people again. We must take from those with property above the commoners. And these property owners—whether monks, Daoists, merchants, landlords, or even nobles—definitely have money, even the most money right now. They enjoy the benefits in peacetime, so when the state is in difficulty, they should naturally contribute. But how exactly should they contribute? We can't just plunder, can we? Even if that worked, it wouldn't earn people's trust. Moreover, if we start plundering, where do we draw the line? If we easily seize the property of landlords and wealthy merchants, should rich households also hand theirs over? After rich households, should middle-class families also be extorted? There would be no boundary, and it would cause great chaos. So, we need to find a method—proper, lawful, and measured—to take money from these property-owning families for use.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be honest, the monks, Daoists, and wealthy merchants present today had been on an emotional rollercoaster, rising and falling. But in this kind of place, they had no chance to speak, only standing there in torment... Just from His Majesty's speech alone, they had first sunk to the bottom of the mud pit, then floated back to the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Upon hearing Zhao Jiu's words, Minister of Revenue Lin Qi eagerly spoke up. \"Your servant just mentioned paper currency and national bonds with this in mind... Now that the state is stable, why not follow the example of Sichuan's paper currency and re-establish or set up new currency offices in six places: Dongjing, Chang'an, Nanyang, Yangzhou, Hangzhou, and Guangzhou? Issue them properly to ensure reliable circulation. As for national bonds, I believe they should also change with the times. Given how popular they are, instead of adding interest to buy them back, we should increase the interest rate when selling them. There's no need to set half-year or one-year terms; they should be long-term holdings. The gold, silver, and copper coins obtained from bond sales can serve as reserve funds for the paper currency. I've roughly calculated that if this succeeds, we could have an income of several million strings, and an annual revenue of several hundred thousand strings thereafter.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After Lin Qi finished speaking, the monks, Daoists, nobles, and wealthy merchants in the distance each stirred. If it was just buying national bonds, and the amount wasn't too extreme, why not? But judging by the Minister of Revenue's words, it might also involve some paper currency, which would be a bit painful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, after Lin Qi's well-reasoned proposal, His Majesty Zhao Jiu didn't even offer a word of praise. Not only that, but the several Councilors also exchanged glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a long pause, the one who spoke in opposition to Lin Qi was actually his political ally, Censor-in-Chief Li Guang: \"Minister Lin... What you said is all very reasonable. Paper currency and national bonds are excellent tools, and the court will certainly implement them. But I ask you, if national bonds no longer carry negative interest but are issued at positive interest, how many can actually be sold? If we're only focused on earning this interest money, doesn't that conflict with the fundamental purpose of bonds—to provide emergency relief?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi frowned slightly, preparing to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li Guang didn't give him time to think, directly revealing the crux: \"If the court wants to earn interest money, where is the Green Sprouts Law?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi was left speechless, momentarily unable to respond. The entire court, both clergy and laity, noble and common, were also stunned, then burst into commotion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No other reason—the term \"Green Sprouts Law\" touched upon the core economic and political contradiction of the Great Song Dynasty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyone with basic knowledge knew that one of the core laws of Wang Anshi's reforms was precisely the Green Sprouts Law. This law replaced usurious moneylenders with government agencies, directly lending to the poor... It was an economic regulation with an excellent theoretical framework, highly effective in small-scale experiments, but ultimately a failure in terms of people's livelihood and political morality during nationwide implementation, despite successfully raising revenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the entire failure of Wang Anshi's reforms could be traced back to this Green Sprouts Law.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, everyone finally understood why His Majesty had gathered monks, Daoists, nobles, and wealthy merchants—all these disparate groups—and let them be the first to enter the council hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You see, according to the theory that economic base determines everything, by the Song Dynasty, Buddhist and Daoist institutions were no longer purely religious groups. While they still maintained basic religious functions and occasionally pursued upper-class connections, as religion expanded to its peak domestically, with the convergence of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism, and religious theory becoming fully localized, temple economies gradually became like powerful landlord estates. So they focused more on land management and expansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this perspective, monks and Daoists were more like large landlords... Their class attributes had gradually replaced their religious attributes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, unlike ordinary landlords, their religious nature gave them a greater natural ability to accumulate currency... Think about it—who actually turns all collected money into gold to gild statues?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Filling them with copper and adding a layer of gold powder on the outside would already be quite conscientious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And printing sutras, engaging in local commercial society activities—all of these openly collected money from believers. Not to mention the thirty-seventy profit splits, but when were the accounts ever made public?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, believers' gold, silver, copper coins, silk, and grain gradually filled the cellars. With idle money in hand and greed at work, they naturally thought of making money from money, and so they began lending at usurious rates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Monks and Daoists were the most active moneylenders among the landlord class. Most temples even had specialized lending functions, giving them a significant share of the moneylending business among landlords... It can only be said that throughout history, across north and south, China and abroad, whether foreign monks or native Daoists, they were all cut from the same cloth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Look next door—the Knights Templar were also quite adept at it, weren't they?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was determined by the nature of religion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, nobles, as the top-tier landlords, accumulated the most wealth and naturally also engaged in moneylending, often lending in both urban and rural areas.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merchants, of course, need no elaboration—it was their profession. But they often couldn't compete with temples and landlords in the countryside, so their influence was generally in the towns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In other words, these people who had inexplicably gathered today finally found their common label... the usurers of the feudal era!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Green Sprouts Law, put simply, was the court stepping in to lend at interest, seizing the usury market, but with nominally lower rates, seemingly beneficial to the people's livelihood!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid the commotion, someone gritted their teeth and stepped forward to break the silence. It was none other than Minister of Personnel Chen Gongfu, who had previously supported taking harsh measures against these people. \"We absolutely must not reinstate the Green Sprouts Law!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why not?\" Chancellor of the Directorate of Education Chen Kangbo, who had been on the same side just moments before, immediately stepped forward to argue. \"Guanzi said, 'When profit flows from a single source, the state prospers.' That is the principle! The rich lend to the poor, easily reaping the benefits. The government should collect this profit to accomplish great things!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Gongfu shook his head repeatedly: \"I also deeply agree with the theory of profit from a single source. But no matter how well it sounds, it doesn't change the fact that the New Laws failed because of it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Green Sprouts Law failed because, while benefiting the people, it angered countless property owners like those in this hall today. These property owners banded together with the Old Faction and deceived Emperor Shenzong.\" Chen Kangbo argued without hesitation. \"Moreover, Prince of Shu Wang, in his haste to build momentum for the New Faction, hastily appointed many shameless individuals, whose implementation corrupted the New Laws, leading to the Green Sprouts Law's failure! Where is the Old Faction now? And with Your Majesty's martial prowess, can you be deceived by these scoundrels in this hall? As long as we appoint the right people, we can succeed!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This matter is not that simple.\" Chen Gongfu continued shaking his head. \"I am a few years older and have personally witnessed the government forcibly apportioning loans, compelling households to borrow... Chancellor Chen, don't you practice the study of principles?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Master Fahe.\" Just as the argument was escalating, Zhao Jiu suddenly spoke, addressing one person. \"You are the Arhat I personally appointed. Why aren't you speaking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe, his face oily and dripping with sweat, quickly stepped forward upon hearing this, clasped his hands in a Buddhist greeting, and bowed: \"Your Majesty, this humble monk dares not speak rashly on state affairs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm not asking you about state affairs, just some ordinary matters.\" Zhao Jiu smiled in response. \"Does Shaolin Temple lend money? Green Sprout loans?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that His Majesty had clearly come prepared; even if it were a casual question, this matter couldn't be hidden. So after a moment's hesitation, Fahe gritted his teeth and answered honestly: \"For Your Majesty's information, during the lean season before spring plowing, when seeds and tools are needed, Shaolin Temple does indeed lend to tenant farmers and the people of Dengfeng, both in money and grain.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu nodded: \"How much interest?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Green Sprout loans are not calculated by month or year, but by season.\" Knowing this information could be easily found out privately, Fahe could only brace himself and answer. But under the lamplight, his bald head was wrinkled and soft, looking pitiful. \"Forty percent interest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has the interest always been this high?\" Zhao Jiu's expression remained calm, his voice gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course not.\" The oily sheen on Fahe's face grew more pronounced, but he dared not hide anything. \"It is said that long ago, it was always fifty percent interest. But after Chancellor Wang established the Green Sprouts Law, everyone in the Henan area—monks, Daoists, merchants, and laymen—changed the rules to thirty percent...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because the Green Sprouts Law set the maximum interest for Green Sprout loans at thirty percent?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes... yes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then?\" Zhao Jiu did not pursue the malicious intent of reactionary forces opposing the government, but continued questioning in a seemingly casual manner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then... after the Green Sprouts Law was abolished, it gradually returned to forty percent.\" Fahe said cautiously. \"During the great chaos a few years ago, before Chancellor Xu took charge of land reclamation in Henan, because seeds were scarce and valuable, some places briefly went back to fifty percent. After Chancellor Xu imposed controls, it gradually returned to forty percent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You even practice market economics.\" Zhao Jiu rarely laughed out loud, but then sighed after the laughter. \"But this moneylending is truly the fastest way to make money under heaven. Forty percent is a conscience price, thirty percent is a benevolent government policy... No wonder you all became wealthy, and no wonder Prince of Shu Wang's New Laws failed so quickly, yet still managed to gather so much money for the court to fund military campaigns.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe struggled to respond: \"Your Majesty, this matter is unavoidable... It truly meets the people's needs.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know.\" Zhao Jiu shook his head again. \"Even if this dynasty falls and the emperor is gone, this usury business will be unavoidable. But Fahe, do you think Guanzi's theory of profit from a single source is correct?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty.\" Fahe knew the most critical moment had arrived, and mustered his courage to respond. \"This humble monk dares not speak presumptuously of the ancient sages, but I can guarantee that the people of Dengfeng have always been happy with Shaolin Temple's Green Sprout loans... When the poor have no other recourse, the wealthy provide funds and charge interest as compensation. Isn't this the rich helping the poor? Isn't it a good thing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe rarely spoke up, and his argument of \"the rich helping the poor\" immediately garnered support from many. For a time, the hall buzzed with discussion, with many nobles, monks, and Daoists taking the opportunity to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, due to the unexpected contributions of several unplanned ministers, the plot of this \"Legend of the White Snake\" had already exceeded expectations. But neither Zhao Jiu nor the Councilors, who had been silent for a long time, made any overly extreme statements or expressions. Instead, they showed some signs of lament... The reason was simple: many of these issues had been repeatedly discussed over the past half-month.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These remarks today—whether radical, measured, righteous, or utterly shameless—were nothing beyond what the Son of Heaven and the chief ministers had already discussed in detail!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And one absurd thing was that they were well aware that every theory—whether \"profit from a single outlet,\" \"practice as the criterion,\" or Fahe's shameless argument that usury was \"the rich aiding the poor\"—had all appeared in their own discussions. In other words, even at the highest level, there were divisions, and every theory seemed correct, at least within a certain scope!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It really was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the time, the logic of the Son of Heaven and the chief ministers in discussing this matter was as follows:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nation's top priority, after all the debate, was to enrich the treasury;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to enrich the treasury, new revenue streams had to be opened;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Opening new revenue streams could only mean taking profit from the propertied class;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And to take profit from the propertied class, one should not resort to plunder or, worse, break the law oneself—that would truly destroy the foundation—but should instead use lawful and reasonable means to seize the largest, fastest, and yet most shameless economic income method of the propertied class, and, based on the fundamental concept of \"profit from a single outlet,\" incorporate it into state policy, letting the state earn this money;\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This business, or this method of accumulation, could only be usury. So to quickly and massively broaden the treasury, the state should replace these propertied classes in dominating the usury market.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And when the discussion reached this point, Zhao Jiu and the several chief ministers immediately realized... these were the same old tricks; Wang Anshi had thought of them decades earlier.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, the discussion immediately turned into a debate on the \"Green Sprouts Law.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But, again, the \"Green Sprouts Law,\" as the core of Wang Anshi's reforms, was not that simple... Some people—initially Zhao the Emperor, along with Zhang Jun, and the Chen Gui before them—insisted that the failure of the \"Green Sprouts Law\" was because it touched the core interests of the propertied class, provoking an alliance between the propertied class and the Old Faction, so its failure was purely political.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It might still be implementable now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the same time, almost every seasoned, pragmatic official firmly opposed this... Lü Haowen, Zhao Ding, Liu Ji, Li Guang, and even Chen Gui, whose duties were now more military but who had rich local governing experience, all firmly and clearly expressed their stance: the failure of the \"Green Sprouts Law\" was directly related to the law itself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The \"Green Sprouts Law\" itself was unworkable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where was the problem?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The truth became clearer through debate. After many arguments and much note-taking, Zhao Jiu had long since figured out the key and gradually changed his attitude. Then, together with the several chief ministers, they roughly reached a consensus, or rather, they convinced each other—the problem actually lay in the bureaucratic system.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the relationship between the bureaucratic system and the failure of the \"Green Sprouts Law\" could be analyzed from two angles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First, imperial power did not extend to the villages. As an extension of imperial power, the bureaucratic system that enforced the law, if it truly followed the law and regulations, could not contend with these propertied classes in the countryside. The common people trusted and obeyed these temples and landlords more. Even in the market towns, low-level officials could hardly compete with long-established wealthy merchants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From this perspective, the reactionary forces were indeed too powerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, at the same time, one had to admit that compared to temples, landlords, and wealthy merchants, the bureaucratic periphery, or the low-level officials, were probably the most reactionary group of this era!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention things like insisting on collecting cash, lending at the upper limit of thirty percent, and so on. The most terrifying thing was that when they implemented the Green Sprouts loans, they often directly turned them into malicious apportionment. Moreover, there was a portion of corrupt officials for whom this policy and any other policy were no different—they were just tools to annex land and extort money... In fact, the Green Sprouts loans were even more convenient and offered more room for manipulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Therefore, for the common people, monks, Daoists, wealthy merchants, and landlords might still be people one could appeal to with human sentiment, who could be somewhat restrained by clan and neighborhood ties, and who might be great benefactors accepting millet and fresh fish as interest. But the government was a bringer of doom that could destroy families and wipe out clans at the slightest provocation. It would force loans on you even when you didn't need money, lend out moldy seeds, and demand cash repayment. Dare to say a single word of refusal, and you'd be immediately sent to forced labor... Even if there were some local bullies, evil monks, wicked merchants, or corrupt Daoists, they probably only became evil by colluding with the government first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thus, once one considered the setting that imperial power—the government—low-level officials were the real great villains, even Fahe's argument of \"the rich aiding the poor,\" used to defend usury, would seem to have some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the common people were extremely poor. When the old crop was exhausted and the new one not yet ripe, or when they needed to prepare seeds for spring plowing, they truly needed loans to tide them over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in the eyes of the common people, a thirty-percent Green Sprouts loan that could destroy their families was far less reliable than borrowing a forty-percent loan from the nearby temple... Besides, a great temple like Shaolin, which had flourished for centuries, had its own prestige, armed force, and religious allure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the problem then arose: now that Zhao the Emperor wanted to follow Emperor Shenzong's example and eat from this bowl, how could he do so safely and steadily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know what you all mean,\" Zhao Jiu said slowly. \"And I understand your subtle arguments. But there are some things that leave no room for your chatter... Abbot Fahe, between 'profit from a single outlet' and 'the rich aiding the poor,' I can only accept 'profit from a single outlet'!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe had been about to argue, but he opened his mouth and no sound came out—because the Emperor had said there was no room for their chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why don't you speak?\" Zhao Jiu demanded coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Abbot Fahe was utterly helpless and could only respond, \"This humble monk understands.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You understand nothing!\" Zhao Jiu's face changed color with anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not to mention that this was within a military camp, surrounded by so many braziers and the armored soldiers beside them that were enough to make one's heart pound—even without that, the Emperor's sudden change in expression was enough to terrify these already anxious people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This humble monk is terrified,\" Fahe said, his heart full of grievance, but he could only kneel helplessly. \"The state is in difficulty. If the government has any demands, Shaolin Temple is willing to offer everything, only begging Your Majesty to preserve the temple's lineage, so that this humble monk does not become the one who destroyed the temple...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"'Profit from a single outlet' certainly has enormous problems, but the key is 'the rich aiding the poor.' I tell you, these four words are the most shameless, the most terrifying, and the thing I, as an Emperor, can tolerate the least!\" Zhao Jiu ignored Fahe's posturing. He wasn't really trying to throw his weight around on a mere abbot of Shaolin Temple—that would be beneath his dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, as he spoke, the reigning Son of Heaven directly closed the notebook in front of him, then looked around the hall with an air of authority: \"I ask you people, who gave you the face to call forty-percent interest 'the rich aiding the poor'? Do you really think I don't understand the people's livelihood? Don't understand arithmetic? Poor commoners have a few acres of thin land. All year round, they only get a few piculs or pecks of harvest, yet they still can't make ends meet. So they come to you to borrow for spring plowing. Before this spring plowing, they borrow three pecks, and they have to repay over four pecks. When the old crop is exhausted and the new one not yet ripe, don't they then have a shortfall of four pecks? They borrow another four and a half pecks, and don't they have to repay six pecks? Finally, when there's a good harvest and their few acres yield an extra three or five pecks, don't you collude to lower the prices, forcing them to sell cheaply, easily wiping out that extra three or five pecks? So in one year, three pecks become four, four become six; in two years, six become eight, eight become one picul... Even without a famine, in three to five years, aren't they forced to sell their children and pawn their wives? In ten years or so, aren't they forced to sell their land and become tenants? Who do they sell their wives and children to? Who do they sell their fields to? Isn't it you lenders?! As for the poor in the market towns, I'm too lazy to repeat the same reasoning, lest I be accused of being long-winded.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, Zhao Jiu let out a long breath, his cold eyes sweeping over the hall full of people of all descriptions, and then he sneered: \"Are you thinking that even so, this has been the case since ancient times, so what? What can be done about it? Li Qiong!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong never expected to be called out at this moment. He stepped forward in fear: \"Your Majesty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What was that thing you said before?\" Zhao Jiu asked with a half-smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li Qiong suddenly understood and quickly replied: \"The two major rebellions of this dynasty: one was Fang La, whose root was the poor commoners of the Southeast market towns; the other was Zhong Xiang and Yang Yao, whose root was the fishermen and peasants of Jingxiang...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you hear that?!\" Zhao Jiu suddenly slammed the table and stood up, his voice shaking the hall. \"This is the source of my anger today! Because you people are digging at my roots! I have never cared about your amassing wealth! What I care about is the poor being forced by you to have no place to stand! With no place to stand, they will rebel! If they rebel, my throne will be unstable! When I killed Liu Guangshi that day, some said I was sawing off the legs of my own imperial seat. When I killed Du Chong, they said I was sawing off my own chair legs again. When I confined the Two Sages and dismissed seventy or eighty court officials, they even said I was shitting on my own throne! Now you tell me, by doing this, aren't you simply digging a grave for me?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sudden outburst made many, including Li Qiong, tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today, I will teach you what imperial learning is!\" Zhao Jiu's face was ashen. He stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked forward, passing the somewhat flustered chief ministers and important officials. Then he looked around coldly. Everyone he looked at, regardless of their stance, averted their eyes. \"It is this: things like valuing civil over military, favoring scholar-officials, letting different views contend, guarding the interior while leaving the exterior weak, and sharing the realm with scholar-officials—these are all superficial! The poor common people are the most fundamental foundation! Whether it's the Son of Heaven, scholar-officials, nobles, or even Buddhists, Daoists, and wealthy merchants, don't they all have to stand on top of the common people? Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. This has been a principle for centuries. Do you really think Emperor Taizong of Tang was just putting on a show with pretty words? Did he become a peerless emperor through pretty words? Do you think that because I ascended the throne as a leisurely prince, I am as ignorant as the Daoist Emperor, as frivolous and harmful to the state, and as easily fooled by you? There are some things that even if you don't understand, I do! I am convinced that this 'rich aiding the poor' of yours is digging at my foundation! I am convinced that this is the number one thing in the world that cannot be tolerated!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The gazette praises me every day as the restoration of Emperor Guangwu...\" Zhao Jiu suddenly turned his head and looked at Lin Qi. \"Minister Lin, you are learned. Tell me, when Emperor Guangwu surveyed the fields, he provoked rebellions in dozens of commanderies. But why did he prefer to use the sword rather than stop the survey?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi, put on the spot, could only brace himself and reply: \"It was precisely the principle Your Majesty has just stated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Indeed,\" Zhao Jiu said thoughtfully. \"The Former Han practiced this 'rich aiding the poor' for over two hundred years, and as a result, countless poor had no place to stand. So the Lulin and Chimei rose up in swarms. Emperor Guangwu rose from the fields of Nanyang. He naturally knew what was going on. That's why he preferred to let the powerful men who had followed him in his uprising rebel, preferred to use the sword to suppress them, rather than stop surveying the fields... And my land registration and distribution in Huai Shang and Nanyang, and in the Central Plains and Guanxi, follow the same principle. But I am in a more difficult position than Emperor Guangwu, because this dynasty has only been around for a little over a hundred years. It hasn't reached the point where the whole realm is in rebellion. It seems it can still be maintained. So, not only can I not touch the South, but when I shouted 'Restore the Song' at Baima, everyone thought I just wanted to confine the Two Sages and eliminate divergent views. They didn't realize that what I truly want to eliminate are those comfort-seeking types who think the days of 'abundance and prosperity' can return. I truly want to wash the state clean and turn it into a new Song! What nonsense about being able to defend or negotiate—isn't that just wanting peace and stability? They don't know that the current situation is one of internal strife and external threat: if we don't advance, we die... As for today's matter, write a letter to Li Gang and tell him every word. Let him comment on it. Tell him I await his reply!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Qi's heart was agitated, his chest pounding, but he could only bow his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu paid him no further attention. He walked directly to the side of the only person kneeling, looked down at him coldly: \"Arhat Fahe, I confiscated several thousand mu of land from Shaolin Temple before. It seems you still have quite a bit of land... How did these nearly ten thousand mu of fertile land come about? Were they all donated by devout believers for free? Or did you use this method, year after year, 'rich aiding the poor,' to 'aid' them into your possession? Do you think that because your temples span dynasties, from Tang to Song, the chaos you cause will naturally be borne by us Emperors? So you can feel at ease 'aiding the poor'? Digging at my roots? The eight imperial tombs of my ancestors around Luoyang—were they dug up by your Shaolin Temple?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe prostrated himself on the ground, not daring to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu ignored him and turned to a high-ranking official in a purple robe who was standing relatively close: \"Duke Yansheng, you are the direct descendant of the Sage. Your family is said to have always been reasonable... But if you are so reasonable, why did you go back and demand land from the Forward Army of the Imperial Guard? Forming a 'return-to-hometown team'? Or do you think your family is even better at spanning dynasties than the monks, so you can practice 'rich aiding the poor' with an even clearer conscience?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Duke Yansheng's lips were already trembling. He could hardly respond. An elderly official in a red robe beside him was about to speak when Zhao Jiu turned to another monk: \"Abbot Xumu of Lingjiu Temple. In recent years, you have indeed rendered great service. But I ask you, why did Lingjiu Temple's land increase by one or two thousand mu every time the Jin people came and went, and every time the puppet Qi was established and abolished?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your Majesty, those were ownerless lands after the war. They were truly not obtained through usury oppression,\" Abbot Xumu said hastily, clasping his hands in supplication.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But it's the same in essence. Land is the foundation for settling the people. I cannot easily give it to you,\" Zhao Jiu explained earnestly. \"But I am not an unreasonable person... Take Grand Commandant Zhang Boying, for example. His love of wealth is known to all. He was once terrified, thinking I was going to deal with him, and wanted to give me that huge helpless silver ball. But I didn't take it. Not only that, I rewarded him with imperial estates. When he was transferred to your Jingdong, I didn't touch his mansion or shops in Xuzhou. But I specifically had someone take his fields in Xuzhou, and then gave him a special permit to invest in maritime trade, allowing him to do business with Japan and Goryeo in my name... Tell me, if even he is treated like this, what about you? Does Lingjiu Temple have greater merit than he does? I've said so much. You must understand me. In the future, when we reach Yanjing, we'll confiscate the temples in Hebei and distribute them to you meritorious monks. How about that? Or, I can grant Lingjiu Temple one ship's imperial quota for trading with Japan. But the land must be handed over to Grand Coordinator Mo Qi to settle refugees and reward soldiers. What do you say?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This humble monk understands, understands!\" Abbot Xumu quickly responded without hesitation. \"And I am willing to give it, willing to give it!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And you... Han Xiaozhou!\" Zhao Jiu, without waiting for the monk to continue pledging, came directly before another person. It was none other than the head of the foremost aristocratic family of the dynasty, the Plum Blossom Han clan, Han Xiaozhou. \"Minister Han...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant is here,\" Han Xiaozhou, an honest man, quickly cupped his hands. \"Your servant...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I ask you, does your family practice 'rich aiding the poor'?\" Zhao Jiu continued to inquire earnestly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your servant does not manage the family's domestic affairs,\" Han Xiaozhou replied, sweating profusely. \"Moreover, my ancestral home is in Hebei, which is already occupied by the Jin...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And before that?\" Zhao Jiu pressed on. \"Did you practice 'rich aiding the poor' before?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xiaozhou was so anxious that tears streamed down his face—literally—but he did not know how to answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll tell you straight,\" Zhao Jiu said, patting the man on the shoulder with sincere earnestness. \"Your family truly does have a fondness for 'balancing rich and poor.' I asked Yue Pengju about it—back in Xiangzhou, when his father was alive, his family were still self-cultivating farmers with a few dozen mu of land. But then a famine year came, they had to borrow, and naturally your family 'balanced' them right out of those few dozen mu. By the time it got to him, he could only work as a tenant farmer on your land... And the reason he was able to join the army was that one day he went to your house to borrow money, ran into bandits attacking your country villa, shot the bandit leader dead with an arrow, and was recommended by your family to become an archer... The ridiculous part is, your younger brother loves to tell people every day that Military Governor Yue was originally a tenant farmer from your household. What's that about? Rushing to confess guilt?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Han Xiaozhou was almost swaying on his feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you know why I sought you out specially today?\" Zhao Jiu shook his head endlessly at the sight, then addressed the man with his hands behind his back, sighing without pause. \"Because your Meihua Han clan is different from those monks and Daoists. They—Shaolin Temple, Lingjiu Temple, even the Duke Yansheng—can survive across dynasties. But you? Your Meihua Han and the Great Song rise and fall together. Even the post of Huanzhou Prefect is monopolized by your family, almost like a fief. And what did such favor buy? If the Retired Emperor's land seizures were the work of the Six Traitors, who deceived your grandfathers and grandsons for generations? Now you've ended up like homeless dogs, your ancestral graves lost—isn't that the result of your 'balancing rich and poor' in Xiangzhou? The state is where it is today because of you nobles who only know how to 'balance rich and poor,' and to put it bluntly, some scholar-officials who only care about hoarding wealth—you are all the chief culprits! As for the Han clan ending up displaced from home, that's your own fault!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Han Xiaozhou, less than a foot from the Zhao Emperor, gasped for breath, then collapsed face-first to the ground, apparently unconscious—whether from stifling heat or fright, no one could tell. But the Emperor had been venting for half the day and was momentarily stunned, and those nearby dared not step forward to help him in the Emperor's presence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Take him out for some air,\" Zhao Jiu said after a long pause, somewhat listless, waving his hand. \"Decades of official life, and he can't even take a few words—less resilient than a monk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far behind him, the Fahe Monastery abbot, who had been feigning death on the ground for some time, twitched slightly at the ear, sending a line of sweat trickling down his neck. At Yang Yizhong's signal, two armored soldiers stepped forward and dragged Han Xiaozhou, clad in his purple robe, out of the hall like a prisoner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the man removed, Zhao Jiu returned to his desk, too lazy to flip through his notes again... At this point, flipping through them was pointless. He simply gestured to Zhao Ding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Yuanzhen, also drenched in sweat, paused for a moment before catching on. He turned and addressed the hall with a solemn face: \"The state has already decided. Private lending breeds land annexation and must be guarded against. The new Penal Code will be issued, limiting lending interest to a monthly cap of one-tenth, a quarterly cap of two-tenths, and an annual cap of five-tenths... Any violation will result in multiple-fold confiscation and severe criminal penalties—minor offenders will wear the cangue for three months, major ones will have their property confiscated and be exiled... Today, all members of the Secret Pavilion and the Public Pavilion are present. We may hold a public discussion before the throne.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the words were spoken, the hall fell silent—not even a man wiping his sweat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've said enough today—things I should and shouldn't have said. But I'm that kind of man: young and hot-blooded, and if my heart is unsettled, I speak out. If I didn't speak tiger-wolf words or take tiger-wolf actions, I wouldn't be me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Jiu sat sideways in his seat, raising his voice, showing no sign of fatigue or heat. But many in the hall, including several councilors, were sweating more and more profusely. \"So I'll keep talking. I know some laws won't take effect overnight—like abolishing base-status registration and forbidding wife-pawning. Those traditions have stood for millennia, and people will still do them in secret. This law, cutting private lending rates in half, will surely face backlash. In remote places where the emperor is far away, they won't even pay attention. That's unavoidable—top-down reform is this hard. But just because it's hard, should I stop? Should I not make laws? I can't control every mountain hollow or every small temple, small landlord, or small merchant who sets high interest in secret—but can't I control you? Everyone here today covers the big loan sharks of the Central Plains at the very least. If anyone dares to give me another sophistry like 'balancing rich and poor'—whether you're a star descended from heaven, an arhat reincarnated, a direct descendant of the Sage, or an imperial relative—I truly will destroy your families and clans, and tear down your temples and monasteries! Layer by layer, I'll press down. I refuse to believe I can't gradually change customs! I refuse to believe I can't give the common people a little breathing room!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still dead silent. After a moment, Grand Councilor Lü Haowen let out a long breath, stepped forward, folded his hands, and asked: \"Public Pavilion and Secret Pavilion, is there any opposition?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhao Ding and Zhang Jun understood and stepped forward in turn to ask the same.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After the three councilors had finished their inquiries and no one answered, the Minister of Justice Wang Shu was sent out to receive this new penal code clause, to prepare it properly and then publish it in the official gazette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn't over yet,\" Zhao Jiu said, sitting there in the flickering torchlight, his throat a little dry. \"Arhat Fahe...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This humble monk is here,\" Fahe replied softly from the ground, his voice faint as a thread, but his reaction extremely quick.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We've only settled 'balancing rich and poor,'\" Zhao Jiu said seriously. \"We haven't talked about 'profit from a single channel' yet... I know the pros and cons of the Green Sprouts Law very well. Using government clerks for this kind of thing will inevitably cause chaos—I have to learn from past mistakes... Now I ask you: is Shaolin Temple willing to handle Green Sprouts loans for me in Henan Prefecture?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe looked up in shock, dumbfounded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That is, follow the state's legal interest caps, come to me if you need money, and I'll endorse and guarantee it for you—do it properly and openly,\" Zhao Jiu said, flipping open his notes to find the relevant entry and reading somewhat perfunctorily. \"Then I'll send people to audit your accounts. You take the profit, we split it fifty-fifty, bypass the local government, send it to Dongjing every quarter, and deposit it in the Jiaozhi Service warehouse under the Ministry of Revenue. How about that?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe was about to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't overthink it,\" Zhao Jiu suddenly closed his notes and added with a cold smile. \"I wouldn't dare let you contract taxes, levies, or loans. Just think of it as me using the imperial brand to buy in and forcibly take half of your Shaolin Temple's lending business—and also to supervise you so you don't use this business to annex land again... And we don't even know if this method will work yet. Maybe later I'll reorganize and forcibly take it all, or simply abolish it... But no matter what, we have to try, don't we? Let's do it and see how it goes!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How would this humble monk dare disobey Your Majesty's sacred decree?\" Fahe swept his gaze across the faces of the several councilors, roughly understanding that while this matter might have some controversy, it had already been decided at the highest level. He immediately sat up cross-legged, pressed his palms together, and showed a face of great joy. \"Moreover, Your Majesty's divine martial prowess is beyond words—there are seven Bodhisattva guardians before Your throne alone. You are the Benevolent King among benevolent kings! And the sacred decree of a Benevolent King is like a dharma decree. I believe even our temple's Patriarch Bodhidharma, if he knew, would submit wholeheartedly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Benevolent King?\" Zhao Jiu let out a scornful laugh, sweeping his gaze over the nobles, wealthy merchants, monks, and Daoists, then fell into inexplicable melancholy and spoke recklessly. \"If I hadn't early on become a tyrant and an unfilial son in Shaoxing, where would I have gotten the guts to be this Benevolent King today? But what of it if I did? You're all just paper tigers!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fahe pressed his palms together, smiling, pretending not to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PS: Thanks to the 121st ally, classmate Melissa Lan.\u003C\u002Fp>",7437,"2026-06-06T07:46:04.529Z",1,"Novelzhen Translator","8f4f5234c946a9ae747ae8d1c3041429fb52d561b796be30d8af5f1423a12ee9","shao-song-chapter-302","shao-song-chapter-300",489,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fshao-song-cover.jpg"]