Chapter 435: The Seedling Money Discussion

False Song, Bianjing, Purple Hall.

The young emperor Zhao Heng sat upright on the throne, his face beneath the crown and tassels still bearing a hint of youthful inexperience, but his gaze strove to emulate the dignity befitting an emperor.

Today's court assembly, however, had an atmosphere unlike the usual discussions of classics and auspicious omens, carrying a subtle gravity not easily noticed.

Vice Minister of Revenue Li Hang stepped forward, holding a tablet, his voice clear yet forceful.

Your Majesty, I have this memorial.

He bowed slightly.

Since this spring, the circuits of Hedong and Hexi have successively reported that, with spring plowing imminent, the populace suffers from lack of grain between harvests; poor farming households lack money and silk to buy seed grain and oxen, or are forced to borrow from powerful families, interest heavy as a tiger, even to the point of selling their children. If this continues, it may damage Your Majesty's benevolence and shake the foundations of the state.

A murmur of discussion immediately arose in the hall.

Many officials nodded, acknowledging the truth of this, while some furrowed their brows, feeling that placing such 'trifles' before the court was improper.

Zhao Heng leaned forward slightly, showing his concern.

Minister Li's words, I have also heard them. Then, is there a good plan to relieve the people's hardship?

Li Hang had clearly come prepared, and spoke in a deep voice:

I have discussed with my colleagues in the Revenue Ministry; we could follow the ancient intent of the Ever-normal system: when the seedlings are not yet ready, let prefectural and county offices lend money and grain to poor households, to be repaid after the autumn harvest with a small interest. This would relieve the people's urgent need, freeing them from exploitative high interest, while also slightly increasing the treasury's income and replenishing the Ever-normal granary's capital. It could be called the 'seedling money' method.

As soon as the words 'seedling money' were spoken, it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up greater ripples.

Your Majesty, this method seems improper!

An official from the Censorate immediately spoke out in opposition.

For the government to engage in lending is to profit from the people—how could that be what a sage dynasty does? Moreover, clerks could exploit this to harass the populace, surely inviting disaster!

Officer Wang of the Censorate, your words are mistaken,

Another official rebutted.

How is this profiting from the people? It is clearly a benefit to the populace! Would watching the common folk be exploited by the powerful be what a sage dynasty does? The key lies in how to establish regulations and strictly prevent clerks from cheating.

Regulations? Easier said than done! Local officials vary in quality; once this law is enacted, fear that its good intentions will be utterly ruined in the hands of those who implement it.

Should we stop eating for fear of choking? If we refrain from acting because we fear abuses, what use is a court full of red-and-purple officials?

Supporters and opponents each held their own views, and the focus of the debate gradually shifted from 'whether it is feasible' to 'how to prevent abuses' and 'whether it contradicts the Way of the sages'.

Supporters mostly focused on the people's real livelihood difficulties, believing this method could relieve the urgent need;

Opponents placed greater importance on the court's dignity and the Confucian distinction between righteousness and profit, worrying that government involvement in lending would tarnish the name of 'benevolent governance,' and fearing that the execution would breed even greater corruption.

Seated on the dragon throne, Zhao Heng listened as the debate below grew fiercer; a fleeting hint of weariness and bewilderment crossed his face.

He had not long ascended the throne, ambitious and eager to emulate the ancients and accomplish a great prosperous-era achievement.

But only when actually dealing with these minute yet far-reaching state affairs did he deeply feel their intricate complexity.

He unconsciously turned his gaze toward the perpetually silent Commissioner of the Three Agencies, Chen Shu, hoping to obtain some concrete advice.

Chen Shu felt the emperor's gaze and gave a bitter smile.

He who oversees the nation's finances, how could he not know the difficulties of local finance and the people's suffering from private lending?

The concept of 'seedling money' he had also pondered in private; he knew well that if it could be smoothly implemented, it would certainly ease some of the contradictions.

But he understood all the more clearly that this matter involves countless details—performance evaluations of prefectural and county officials, grain and money management, interest rates, collection methods—and cannot be settled by a single edict.

Especially under the current bureaucratic system, any good policy may become distorted in its implementation.

He weighed his words, stepped forward, and presented his memorial:

Your Majesty, Minister Li's memorial is indeed a discussion of observing the people's conditions. However, the matter of 'seedling money' concerns national policy and is far-reaching. I believe we could first select one or two circuits to conduct a small-scale trial, observe its effects, establish the details, then discuss wider implementation. This would both alleviate some of the people's distress and nip problems in the bud, avoiding the ills that large-scale rollout might bring.

This is a relatively prudent suggestion, neither outright rejection nor rash advancement.

Zhao Heng, hearing this, his expression eased slightly and he nodded.

Minister Chen's words, mature counsel for governing the state. Accordingly, I order the Revenue Ministry and the Three Agencies to deliberate thoroughly, to pilot 'seedling money' in the Hedong circuit, seeking meticulous regulations and strict prevention of harassment to the people.

The emperor having set the tone, the hall's argument gradually subsided.

However, the contemplation and undercurrents regarding the pros and cons of 'seedling money' did not cease with the court's conclusion; instead, they spread across a broader sphere.

Almost at the same time as the debate in the court assembly.

False Song, a quiet chamber in a separate estate.

Chen Wen was just finishing a deep application attempt of 'Fortune Momentum Initial Perception'.

He was not sensing aimlessly; rather, he focused his mind and spirit on the far side of the light curtain, that region representing the core of False Song's power—the Bianjing imperial palace.

He hoped to capture some clearer 'Fortune Momentum' fluctuations concerning major decisions.

Just at the moment when Zhao Heng finally adopted Chen Shu's suggestion and set the tone.

Chen Wen's mind and spirit shuddered violently!

Within his perceptual field, the stagnant yet complex vortex of False Song's Fortune Momentum seemed to be stirred by an invisible force.

It was not a world-shaking upheaval, but an extremely sharp fluctuation carrying strong connotations of 'conflict' and 'variable,' suddenly erupting from the context representing the court's deliberations!

This fluctuation did not stem from a single powerful individual, but was provoked by countless minute thoughts concerning 'livelihood,' 'finance,' 'law,' and 'official system' colliding, intertwining, and clashing!

It is not like the gentle, positive ripples brought by improvements in farm tools or grain transport ideas;

but rather like an invisible blade not yet fully drawn, which suddenly split a corner of that stagnant Fortune Momentum, revealing the deeper, more profound contradictions and undercurrents hidden beneath!

What made Chen Wen's mind and spirit tremble even more was that, at the same time this sharp conflict fluctuation arrived, a certain extremely faint 'Wenqu'-type light point he had previously sensed vaguely in the direction of the Jiangxi circuit seemed to resonate with it in some extraordinarily distant, ineffable way!

It was as if an invisible thread linked this courtroom debate with that distant, unnamed potential node far away.

Chen Wen let out a muffled grunt, abruptly breaking free from that mystical state of perception, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Such a forcible capture of high-intensity conflict fluctuations imposes an enormous mental burden.

He gasped a few times before his surging blood and spirit's turmoil settled.

His eyes were filled with an unprecedented gravity.

Such a strong omen of conflict...

He muttered under his breath, his brows furrowed tightly.

"The matter under discussion in the False Song court today is anything but ordinary! Its impact is profound, likely far exceeding mere improvements to farming tools and grain transport. This… this seems to be the beginning of some kind of… change that strikes at the very foundation of its state policy?"

He could not ascertain the specifics of what was being discussed, but the intensity of the "variable" contained in that fluctuation made him feel wary, yet also faintly sense an opportunity.

At that moment, Zhang Cheng and Wang Ru arrived side by side, their faces lit with the excitement of having just learned the news from intelligence channels.

"Your Majesty, the False Song court is facing a major controversy today!"

Zhang Cheng spoke a little too quickly.

"Vice Minister of Revenue Li Hang proposed implementing the Qingmiao Money law, whereby the government would lend to poor households during times of shortage, sparking heated debate. Ultimately, the Emperor adopted the words of Commissioner of the Three Offices Chen Shu, deciding to pilot it only in the Jiangdong Circuit."

Chen Wen's eyes flashed with a sharp light.

"Government loans? Indeed… it strikes at the root. Once this proposal is out, the contradictions within False Song concerning 'righteousness vs. profit', court conduct, and people's livelihood will be impossible to conceal any longer."

Wang Ru added:

"According to scattered information from Lu Ming's side regarding his conversations with Li Yuan, Li Yuan appears to be quite concerned about this matter, leaning toward support, yet he also expresses deep worry about the potential drawbacks in its implementation."

Chen Wen gave a slight nod, walked up to the map, and his sharp gaze swept over the territory of False Song, finally settling on the direction of the Jiangxi Circuit.

"Issue the order,"

He said in a low voice, his tone carrying an undeniable resolve.

"Strengthen intelligence gathering on all major trends of internal False Song disputes concerning finance, taxation, law, and official systems!"

"Closely monitor every detail of the Qingmiao Money trial in the Jiangdong Circuit, recording its effectiveness, obstacles, and all disturbances it provokes!"

"At the same time,"

His finger pressed heavily on the location of the Jiangxi Circuit.

"Focus on the scholars of the Jiangxi Circuit, especially those young scholars with novel ideas who dare to question the status quo—devote double the effort to observing them! That glimmer in that direction is vaguely related to this court controversy; its importance may well exceed our previous estimates."

Zhang Cheng responded solemnly:

"I understand! This may be an important window into the future direction of False Song's state policy. Whether the Qingmiao Money succeeds or fails, it could trigger a deeper wave of reform. We must anticipate it in order to devise our response."

Wang Ru also said:

"Should we let Lu Ming, at an appropriate time, guide Li Yuan to pay more attention to such fundamental practical reforms and accumulate related insights?"

"Yes."

Chen Wen nodded.

"But we must be more cautious—only guide him to observe and think, never directly involve him in a specific stance. Li Yuan's views must come from himself."

He stared at the map, as if he could see through that thin sheet of paper to the land beyond the light curtain where a storm was brewing.

"The mountain rain is about to come, the wind fills the tower…"

He said softly.

"This 'Qingmiao Discussion' is precisely that first gust of wind."

"What it unveils is likely not only the predicament of spring plowing, but also, beneath the False Song's prosperous era's fine robes, the lining that has long been riddled with holes."

"The undercurrent is no longer hidden; it has begun to lash the embankment."