This is the first and last volume of Volume 13.

Cai Xiang followed Zheng Lang silently to the palace. Zheng Lang had an extraordinary friendship with Zhao Zhen. Cai Xiang and Zhang Pingfang were also Zheng Lang's friends, and they were faded a little. Zhiri and the others were also Fang Hua, and they did not make plans for each other. When they were young, they had a few friends, and their status was vastly different, so it was impossible for them to have any friendship. Only Zhao Zhen was, not only with friendship, but also with a rare confidant in the ages.

If Cai Xiang doesn't understand this kind of relationship, no one else will understand it and thinks that Zheng Lang is Zhong.

Zheng Lang walked slowly in front of him with his body hunched over, but in Cai Xiang's heart, his status was so tall, almost as majestic as Mount Tai. He sighed in his heart that there are also sages in our dynasty.

It was not until he left the palace that he woke up in a daze and went up to ask: "Xingzhi, some people in the court are controversial, some people want to build the tomb of the Daxing Mausoleum according to the rules of Yongding Mausoleum, and some people have proposed that the country's economy is rude and should be handled simply."

"Junmo, what do you think?"

"I don't know that the late emperor is kind and it is not necessary to host the tomb of the Grand Historian according to Yongding Mausoleum, but the late emperor's life is simple... but it is not my final say," Cai Xiang said self-deprecatingly.

"If you don't say anything, who will say anything? If you don't say anything else, just relying on the savings of Your Majesty for more than 40 years, it is enough to build dozens or hundreds of tombs in large cities. How can it be too simple?"

"yes."

"Junmo, the tomb of Daxing should look solemn and solemn, but the burial objects must be simple and too extravagant. Your Majesty would not like it." Zheng Lang said slowly. Although he was sad, his wisdom was still there. In fact, he stuffed many precious jades into the tomb. There were only bad things but no good things. Sooner or later, tomb robbers would be attracted. In ancient times, there were robbers, and all the strong leaders and their subordinates publicly robbed them.

Cai Xiang said again: "Xingzhi, there is another thing I don't understand very well. The prime minister has many wise ministers. Why is the income and expenditure of the country becoming more and more unbalanced?"

He is a gentleman and has a good relationship with Zheng Lang because he used to be a gentleman and had a good relationship with Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu and Fu Bi. He is a moderate, and he just wants to do more practical things and doesn't want to argue. The bad saying is that he is afraid of causing trouble and is unwilling to offend others.

At the same time, Cai Xiang is another good minister, and the finance department seems to be in big trouble. He also wants to hear some answer from Zheng Lang and discuss with Zhongshu how to solve it.

If Zheng Lang was not in a bad mood, he would want to laugh.

Without a smile, he asked calmly: "Is Lu Yijian a good minister?"

"It is not a good minister, but a hero," Cai Xiang said seriously.

When Lu Yijian was alive, he was attacked by almost all the righteous ministers, but to this day, more people have reflected on Lu Yijian's achievements. After Zhao Zhen was buried for several months, the Lord of God was enshrined in the Taimiao. The state according to the system, three or four heroes of civil and military officials were selected to share the temple with the Lord of God.

The edict has not been issued yet, but the two governments have decided on the candidates. The first one is Wang Zeng, who is virtuous, talented and rewarded. It was Wang Zeng who strongly supported Liu E and Zhao Zhen and took back the power from Ding Wei, which made an indelible contribution.

There was only one martial minister, not Di Qing, and many ministers were still very uncomfortable when they mentioned Di Qing. It was not until the time of Emperor Shenzong of Song that Di Qing was truly returned to justice. Therefore, another famous general was re-elected, Cao Wei, the son of Cao Bin, the family of Empress Dowager Cao, and of course, he was also a super famous general. There was another person, not Li Di, not Fan Zhongyan and Wang Shu, nor later Pang Ji, but Lu Yijian!

Ministers still believed that Lu Yijian's moral integrity was not up to standard, and Zheng Lang also believed that this, but they no longer ignored Lu Yijian's contribution to the country. That is, they all agreed with Zheng Lang's original view.

"The famous prime minister who was the most capable of being in the late emperor was Lu Yijian and Pang Ji later. Why did Lu Yijian and Pang Ji both let their ministers attack him when they were in charge of the government, and they were called traitors in the world?"

"Xingzhi, not many people attacked you."

"Yes, I admit that there are few people attacking me. But at the Fanlou Banquet, I talked about how many reform strategies and implemented several? The reason why the country's finances accumulated was that it was to lay off troops and dare not lay off officials. This is not as good as Pangyu. Why, once officials were laid off or officials were rewarded, there would be many attacks, which would affect the rule of rule. Second, do you know how much energy I spent to balance the interests of all parties, even no less than government affairs. Third, I went to the Secretariat at that time, and everyone was hoping for it, and did a good job. Fourth, I tried to maximize the interests of all parties and actively reduce the opposition. The reason for the accumulation of troops was the result of the smooth operation of government orders. That's it. Think about it again, after four years of administration, did some verbal officials start to dislike me?"

"I still didn't understand."

"Okay, to put it simply, Wen Yanbo was the chief for the first time. I said he was a famous prime minister, but how many ministers attacked him and found a handle for him. But then he became the prime minister for the second time. Why didn't many ministers impeach him? There are also Yan Kingdom and the naive lord."

Sima Guang also made a memorial, telling the various reasons for the gradual lack of national finance, only half of which were right.

Later, he reported to impeach Han Qi with serious extravagance and waste, but it was still unclear.

I was worried, to be honest, everything Zheng Lang did not only forced Pang Ji to sell his life, but also further sublimated the thoughts of several students, and became a dark mind, and also a real worry about the country and the people. But I haven't seen Zheng Lang for a long time.

Zheng Lang was seriously ill, and Cui Xian Xinger and his wife and concubines rushed from Zhengzhou together. It turned out that they were only one person. Even if they returned to the capital, they could not bring their wives and concubines. It was not an ancient ritual. But when they were sick, they would go back to the capital. What could Cui Xian say? She had to put half of the gate and don’t ask about the world, or occasionally buy a few newspapers to read it. She reported many things, some gossip, novels, and one of the most eye-catching ones was the Battle of Mr. Five. The source was Zhengjiazhuang, but many great scholars came in. In fact, this gradually became a grand event of Confucianism.

It was not until Zheng Lang gradually recovered that Cui Xian opened the door. Sima Guang and Lu Gong came to Zheng Lang together to visit Zheng Lang. Looking at Zheng Lang, the two were very sad. After comforting for a long time, Sima Guang said the matter seriously. Zheng Lang had known this result for a long time, but he didn't want to say it. It might not work. Will Han Qi listen to him? Sima Guang asked, but Zheng Lang patiently explained.

The reason is not as simple and vague as Zheng Lang said to Cai Xiang, and it is very complicated.

There are many, three redundant ones, serious annexation, and the court's favor is used. But the fundamental point is still one, redundant politics.

Officials of the Song Dynasty liked to overlap and overhead, and various institutions were divided into unknown differentiation. If each government order was implemented, if you were afraid of offending others and were unable to simplify the government order, you would have a lot of waste. There are three types of national fiscal expenditures: the majority is military expenditure, followed by officials' new rewards, and finally, the country's various infrastructure construction, including civilians, official ones, disaster relief and poverty alleviation, school establishment, etc. The latter also used a lot of money every year. Zheng Lang's several large-scale operations cannot be considered as normal for more than 40 million yuan in more than a year, and those who spend less than 20 million yuan will be more than 20 million yuan.

The government decree has the ability to simplify it, reduce waste, and do the same thing, 20 million coins a year are enough. If it cannot be simplified, it is enough to sit idly by and watch officials waste and deduct layers of waste, enrich their personal pockets, and participate in the business of profiteers, and use inferior products as good as good things, so it is bad. 70 million, or 80 million coins may not be enough.

The same goes for military expenses.

You are not afraid of offending people and have the ability to do it. The quality of the food and grass transported to the border is good, and the transportation speed can be fast, which will reduce losses as soon as possible. If you are afraid of offending people and want to show goodwill, then a bucket of grain can be transported to the border for more than 1,000 yuan, and it is also a moldy grain that many soldiers cannot eat.

The same is true for officials. A normal salary of only 10 million yuan per year is enough to pay. Why can you pay 40 million yuan per year when the salary is highest? Reward! If the Secretariat is incompetent, and encountering major events such as the death of the late emperor and the new emperor ascends the throne, the finances will be even more corrupt.

The source of all this is redundant government. Whether the country can be managed well depends on whether the Secretariat can achieve such overlapping and in the case of poor government orders in the Song Dynasty, the government orders can be smooth and wasteful.

No, no matter how open source is, even if the national income of 200 million yuan per year is not enough to cover the expenses.

Sima Guang and Lu Gong smiled bitterly. Zheng Lang was right, but who could do it?

Those who can do it are now full of white hair and sleeping on the hospital bed.

But I don’t believe in Zheng Lang’s last sentence. If the country can really open up its source and earn 200 million yuan a year, there will be no deficit. Don’t believe this! Zheng Lang doesn’t want to talk too much, don’t believe it. In three years, you will believe it.

Of course, we cannot say that Han Qi is so harsh to the people. On the contrary, he is not bad to the people, but who doesn’t want to be good to the people? What should I do if the big hole in the country is critical?

"What should I do?" Lu Gongzhuo was always a good man and asked anxiously.

Sima Guang's eyes were already beating.

Zheng Lang said: "Uncle Hui, ask me the truth."

Sima Guang said: "Mr. Zheng, I am not that dark."

He quipped and explained to Mr. Lu: "Han is now in the limelight, and Mr. Zheng is very interested. Even if Mr. Zheng enters the Secretariat, if Mr. Han is restrained, can he do good deeds? It's better than three or four years."

He was right. No matter whether there is a black hole or not in three or four years, Zhao Shu will definitely die. Zhao Xu will take office and Han Qi's position will come to an end. If you check the account and then wake up, who will cause the problem? Han Qi will completely arrive at Java Island. Sima Guang said it right, but this is not the case. It means that in three or four years, the country's deficit will become increasingly large. In the end, if there is a huge loss of 100 million or 200 million yuan, Han Qi will have to go on. So who can turn the tide?

Zheng Lang said, "It's not like this, it's the system."

Without this black hole, everyone will not realize the seriousness of the problem. In fact, it is still easy to make up for it. After all, Zheng Lang's careful management for decades has laid a good foundation for the Song Dynasty, and there is no need to be as anxious as Wang Anshi. The key is what Zheng Lang said to Zhao Zhen a few months ago. If a good man meets a good wise minister, the country will be better, and the ability of a man is slightly insufficient, and the ability of a prime minister is worse, the national finance will be short of the country. Or if he meets Cai Zun again, all the people will be sad.

The real source is the system.

China has never governed the country through system and ruled the country by law. All of them are governing the country by man, governing the system by man, and governing the law by man.

But if you change it, it will definitely be much better than not.

If you want everyone to change it, you have to let everyone see the seriousness of the problem.

To put it more deeply, it is not only the system, but also a morality and idea. If all officials can do it, I am going to be an official for the sake of the people of the country, not for the sake of wine, villa, sports cars, mistresses, and seventy-two women, would it be so troublesome?

However, Zheng Lang's mood did not recover and he didn't want to say more. The master and apprentice spoke lightly for a while, and Sima Guang and Lu Gong left.

Now Cai Xiang asked, Zheng Lang answered, but did not say in depth. Cai Xiang was not brave enough, had insufficient official position, and was not very good at business. It was of no use to explain clearly. And does Zheng Lang feel patiently explained?

Go home and prepare for the last thing.

He asked his wife Cui Xian to visit Jining Temple, which was the Taoist temple built for his daughter before his death in Zheng's house, and he also gave the Taoist name Yongning.

The name of the Taoist temple is deeply filled with a kind of fatherly love.

Since Zhao Zhen’s death, Zhao Niannu has also been even more sad.

But outsiders have long forgotten the existence of her eldest princess.

Cui Xian went to Jining Temple and asked Zhao Niannu to go to the palace to ask the two people. Zhou and Feng and Zheng Lang helped them leave the palace and became monks and Taoists. But there was a condition that they would never get married for life. It sounded a bit cruel. Although the two little sisters were Zhao Zhen's concubines, they were only about twenty years old. But in this era, they had to do it because of their identities.

Once they get married, the three little princesses will be sad, and Zheng Lang will be sad too.

Only after agreeing to this condition can Zheng Lang provide help.

After hearing Cui Xian's words, Zhao Niannu understood and immediately entered the palace. Although she became a monk and a female Taoist priest, Zhao Shu, was named the eldest princess of Yue Kingdom in order to do superficial work. This time she was the real eldest princess, and the palace guards dared not stop her.

After entering the inner palace, talking to Zhou and Feng, he returned to Jining Temple and sent an elderly woman from the Taoist palace to the Zheng family. Cui Xian went over again and the two talked for a while. The next day, Zheng Lang got up early and arrived at the wait-out courtyard.

He did not go to court but went to the court to block the officials and said something.

Seeing Zheng Lang coming, almost all the ministers stood up in awe.

Zhao Shu was making trouble for Han Qi to put out the fire behind him, but no matter how he tried, there were still some rumors outside, and some ministers were vaguely dissatisfied. Even if you silently look at the ugliness of power, at least you can't choose a sickly man for the country to take the lead.

However, no one took the lead, Fu Bi seemed to be able to take the lead before coming back. Moreover, he was not a match for Han Qi when he was in Han Qi's class. He was at the time of being under Han Qi's class, let alone, so he had little hope for him.

Zheng Lang came out, allowing many ministers to see the dawn.

At least you can't let the emperor continue to make trouble, and it will become anything.

Looking at Zheng Lang's white hair, what they saw was not hair, but loyalty, morality, and sages.

Zheng Lang didn't want to come out of the mountain. If he came out of the mountain, most of the ministers would turn against each other and start a new stove.

Fu Bi looked at his good friend and felt a little sad. He held Zheng Lang's hand and said, "Xingzhi, I feel very sorry for the death of the late emperor. But people cannot be resurrected. The country still has many difficulties, so Xingzhi needs it."

"Yanguo, look back on the past forty-two years."

"What you said, carry on the past and open the future."

"Yes, but when I look back, can that long scroll that is so beautiful that it is so beautiful that it makes people feel like it will be reproduced?" Zheng Lang couldn't help but shed tears again.

A man doesn't shed tears easily, but it's not time to be sad. Zhao Zhen's death brought great sadness to Zheng Lang. In less than three or two years, this mood could not calm down. Zhao Zhen was really good to the literati and officials. Some conscientious ministers couldn't help but the corners of their eyes were wet when they saw Zheng Lang crying.

Fu Bi also accompanied Zheng Lang to shed tears. After a while, Zheng Lang wiped the tears with his handkerchief and said, "I am here to wait for the misunderstanding to agree with the two systems to give a letter of edict. Zhou and Feng, two nobles, asked to become monks and pray for the blessings of the late emperor."

When Han Qi heard this, he became anxious and said, "Although the two nobles are good at putting their hearts in mind, they still have three princesses. What should I do if I become a monk?"

"For female Taoist priests, not for female nuns, they can be kept by their side."

That won't work. If it is spread, what will the Baizhu outside think? Han Qi said: "Who said it?"

"The two nobles asked the eldest princess to ask my wife. I think this is also a good thing, so I come to ask you for your approval."

"No, they have the will to do so, so they will perform blessings for the late emperor in the harem."

Fu Bi returned to the capital and couldn't figure out the partner. Although Zheng Lang was very careful, he was a little nonsense. However, Zheng Lang definitely asked, "Xingzhi, what happened?"
To be continued...