Chapter 446 The Power of the People

As a group representing the interests of the wealthy families in Jiangnan, the officials of various departments and yamen in Nanjing, as always, wanted to adopt an appeasement policy towards Yan Shaoting.

They are prepared to sacrifice the interests of some groups in exchange for preserving their overall interests, and continue to discuss the details.

Yan Shaoting, who was stirring up the turmoil in the south of the Yangtze River, was leisurely watching the movement of the float in the pool in the West Garden.

Zhang Juzheng and Wang Xijue each held a pole and accompanied him on both sides.

"Based on the students' understanding of these people, they certainly would not really do something that would lead to their own destruction. So the only option left is to save them and sell out others."

Wang Xijue glanced at the empty net bag and muttered softly.

Zhang Juzheng glanced at the net bag in front of him which was also empty.

Then he breathed a sigh of relief and looked sideways at Wang Xijue with a smile on his face.

As the third air force fisherman in the audience.

Yan Shaoting turned his eyes and raised his eyebrows at his student: "Governor Zhang is curious, your Wang Yuanyu family is also a wealthy family in Jiangnan, why would you help your teacher do such a thing."

Zhang Juzheng was stunned for a moment, then frowned and looked at Yan Shaoting: "You said that, not me."

Wang Xijue smiled and shook his head, then turned sideways and saluted: "Because the students have gained a lot of benefits for the family in Southeast Asia, and have also invested in a shipping company."

Zhang Juzheng curled his lips and then asked softly, "I know that if you want to do something, you will definitely make arrangements for the people around you first and decide on the benefits of each family. But do you have other plans for this shipping company?"

Yan Shaoting nodded, but did not explain anything.

Wang Xijue immediately continued, "But what we want is for all the big families to give up the land they have occupied. Even if not all of it, they should give up some of it in proportion to show fairness and justice. Then we will not be allowed to make peace with these families in Nanjing."

Zhang Juzheng nodded. This was the decision he made after discussing with Yan Shaoting and Hai Rui.

But Wang Xijue shook his head.

Then he bowed to Yan Shaoting, who was holding the club with both hands, thinking that he must not be an air force today.

“It’s just that students still don’t quite understand.”

"Sir, you have clearly gained the upper hand, and you also know that what you want to do with Governor Zhang and the Coast Guard Governor is not something that can be done right now. So agree to the conditions of these Jiangnan officials in Nanjing City, exempt them this time, and only clear out the other families outside. Isn't this better?"

The young runner-up frowned slightly.

Although he is equally talented, he lacks experience after all.

Zhang Juzheng raised his eyebrows and asked, "Why would it be better?"

Wang Xijue glanced at the gentleman who was watching the floating object with his eyelids lowered, and then explained: "I think if we do this, firstly, the goals of the gentleman, the governor-general, and the governor-general can be achieved. Secondly, we can use this to divide them and prepare for the future. With these two things, why not do it?
"The current situation in the court is not as stable as it seems, and the emperor's health is indeed not as good as before. This is not the time for gentlemen to promote reforms. If we do too much in the south at this time, it will inevitably lead to criticism.

"Besides, the officials in the court are not fools. They must know what the gentlemen are doing here. But now there is no news at all. Some people are just pretending not to know, some are involved, and some are avoiding it. In this way, it is better to stabilize the south. At least when someone in the court wants to cause trouble, there will be no reason."

After Wang Xijue finished speaking.

He then nodded politely, clasped his fists and bowed.

Zhang Juzheng even nodded with a smile, praising him: "Well said! The points you made are all correct! At your age, there are not many people in the court who can see things as clearly as you do."

Wang Xijue lowered his head with a reserved smile.

Zhang Juzheng glanced at Yan Shaoting.

"Except your husband, of course."

he added.

Wang Xijue nodded: "Sir, you are well-versed in ancient and modern times, you are quick-witted, and you are both wise and courageous. I cannot compare with you."

Zhang Juzheng still had a smiling face. Seeing that there was still no fish to take the bait, he simply put the fishing rod on the ground and stepped on it.

Then he slowly asked, "Then do you know why your husband and I want to do this?"

Wang Xijue shook his head.

It means that I don’t know.

Snapped!
There was a muffled sound.

Wang Xijue, who had been shaking his head just now, now covered his head with his hands.

Yan Shaoting glanced at the student who was covering his head and snorted, "If you know, you know. If you don't know, you don't know. Don't pretend to know when you don't, and don't pretend not to know when you do know. Of course, this also depends on the occasion, but now in front of us, if you understand, just say it out."

Wang Xijue looked embarrassed, raised his hand and scratched his head a few times, and whispered: "I don't really understand it, but I just feel vaguely... Sir, you want to see the people in Jiangnan... How are the people..."

"How what?"

Yan Shaoting asked without blinking his eyes.

Zhang Juzheng watched Yan Shaoting teaching his students with great interest.

Wang Xijue shrank his head.

"Sir, you want to see how much courage the people still have!"

Almost shouting. Then Wang Xijue closed his eyes.

I didn't get the scolding and beating I had imagined.

Yan Shaoting smiled and glanced at Zhang Juzheng. It was indeed a matter of joy and pride to have a student like Wang Xijue.

He smiled and said, "Yes... I just want to see how much courage the people still have. You are right, and you are not wrong. It is just for this reason."

Wang Xijue opened his eyes cautiously.

He immediately received the gentleman's praise.

Yan Shaoting looked at the student and said, "Your deduction is very good. The reason why we have to do this is that in the future, whether it is reform or innovation, in addition to the support of the court, we also need the support of the people. We need them to take the initiative. We need to use their power to complete the change!"

The power of the people.

Although no one has ever ignored it, and whenever something happens or when there is trouble, there will be people who will use the power of the people to achieve their own goals.

But no one has ever thought about truly letting the power that belongs to the people be in their own hands and unleash it.

Wang Xijue looked puzzled.

It is difficult for a child from a wealthy family like him to understand these things before experiencing them.

Zhang Juzheng smiled and said, "What you said about seeing how much courage the people still have is one thing. Another thing is that what we are planning cannot allow us to make peace with the people in the various departments and offices in Nanjing today. If we can make peace with them today, when we go to carry out our biggest plan in the future, should we also make peace with them?
"We are all well-read people, and we are also familiar with history. Why is it that reforms in the past dynasties rarely succeed? For example, Wang Anshi's reforms in the early Song Dynasty were caused by his own ignorance of the current situation and the people's livelihood, as well as the emperor's fickleness, and their compromise of peace at all times!
"Now we just want to check the land and population of the twelve prefectures in Jiangnan. We just want to clear out some of the land they have occupied in recent years. We don't want to destroy their families, but they are so rebellious and dissatisfied.

Then when we do what we do tomorrow, won’t they really rebel? So we absolutely cannot retreat from this step now!"

This is the spirit we want.

Zhang Juzheng's face was serious and his edge was revealed.

Wang Xijue seemed to understand something and nodded silently, looking helplessly at the water surface where no fish were caught today.

Yan Shaoting just smiled and said, "We still need to send the news out, but we have to control the degree now. We must not cause any trouble. We need to let Xu Wenbi and the people from the tax and military offices and Zhu Qi's people keep a close eye on the situation below. We must not deliberately provoke the situation. We still need to fight but not break, and when the need arises, we can lead these people to vent their anger where it should go."

At this time, if there was a fight between the common people and the rich, the common people might even wipe out the rich family and seize their property.

Then the situation in Jiangnan would immediately take a sharp turn for the worse and the two extremes would be reversed.

So don’t think that Yan Shaoting still has the time and energy to fish and discuss philosophy.

But in fact, it is precisely because of the tension in my heart that I need to do this to relieve the uneasiness in my heart.

Wang Xijue said immediately: "Several government offices have already been instructed. Governor Xu's tax and military office, and Captain Zhu's group of Jinyiwei. In addition, the governor of Hai is now also leading the Yingtian governor's office to travel around the local area, and the purpose is also to appease the people."

Zhang Juzheng snorted coldly, "The Loyal and Brave Battalion has been training for a month or two, and it can be put to use now. With the Loyal and Brave Battalion, plus the Tax and Soldiers Office, and the Navy, if there is really trouble, we can use it as a warning to others and catch all the troublemakers and those behind them. That will save us a lot of trouble."

Yan Shaoting still shook his head: "The people will surely suffer casualties in this way, which is really not what I want."

Wang Xijue pursed his lips.

Zhang Juzheng glanced at him with a gloomy look. He felt that Yan Shaoting was pretending to be kind. Shouldn't Yan Shaoting be like him, and not stop until he achieves his goal?

Wow.

Suddenly, there was a sound of splashing water.

The fishing rod in Yan Shaoting's hand instantly tightened.

I saw a big fish about two feet long struggling in the water.

"Hold on tight! Don't let it get away!"

Zhang Juzheng shouted and picked up the scoop net on the ground.

Wang Xijue, with a look of surprise on his face, stood in front of his teacher to prevent him from falling into the water.

Yan Shaoting held the rod with both hands, sank his qi into his dantian, planted his legs firmly in a horse stance, tightened his back, and leaned his body backwards... and then he stood in a stalemate with the fish that had taken the bait in the water...

A two-foot-long fish eluded Yan Shaoting, Zhang Juzheng and Wang Xijue for nearly half an hour before it finally floated to the surface of the water, exhausted, and landed in Zhang Juzheng's scoop net.

When the cook took the big fish away.

Yan Shaoting and the other two were lying on the ground by the pool, panting and disregarding their image.

There was a sound of footsteps.

The blue sky in front of Yan Shaoting turned into Liu Wan’s black face.

His face looked as ugly as if he had eaten dog shit.

"guests."

"Someone wants to see you..."

…………

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(End of this chapter)