RNP Page 124
Page 124
Currently, within the republican government under Zhao Yan's rule, a significant portion of the mainstream thinking is that there is no need for change; the Qing dynasty's reforms led to its own demise, serving as a cautionary tale.
And this has been the case for thousands of years. Peace, prosperity, good weather, and abundant harvests are enough. Why bother with industrial economics?
Zhao Yan used his power to launch a revolution in officialdom, but it is still a long way from a complete shift in thinking and a change in the political climate.
Hunan Province is a typical example. Officials still hold the mindset of prioritizing agriculture and suppressing commerce and belittling industry, which has persisted for thousands of years. They believe that developing the economy means taking measures that favor commerce.
In other words, Zhang Xinghua was parachuted in, and this young man changed the mindset of some provincial officials, making them less resistant.
But when they heard that developing the economy would pose a risk to stability, everyone fell silent.
In their understanding, stability is more important than anything else. Ordinary people only need to have enough to eat and not rebel. Why would they need money in their pockets? If they have money in their pockets, are they still ordinary people?
Zhang Xinghua sensed the change in the meeting room and felt helpless. He could only speak up himself: "Crisis, crisis! That is, danger accompanied by opportunity."
"You have all heard about the achievements, and you have also heard about the potential risks."
"But I want to tell everyone that no matter what you do, you have to pay a price. You can even choke to death while eating, but can we give up eating because of a choking incident?"
"Everyone knows my background. I can tell you clearly that the Führer will never let down any official who dares to act. The Führer said that glory will never be enjoyed alone. If you achieve results, promotion and wealth are just a matter of discussion!"
"The Führer also said that one person will bear the responsibility for any crime! That clearly tells you that if you do something right, don't be afraid! The Führer will take responsibility for anything!"
"In this age of great competition, let's stop burying our heads in the sand! Which nation in the world isn't changing? Which one isn't progressing through change?"
"To borrow a phrase that the head of state once taught me, we must view things with a developmental perspective, for everything in this world is constantly changing!"
"If you're worried that things are beyond our government's capacity to respond, then we'll improve our government's response capacity. If we don't have enough people, we'll hire more; if we don't have enough money, we'll raise more!"
"If you're afraid of trouble, then keep your eyes wide open! Wherever there's chaos, quell it!"
"I am the governor, I will take full responsibility!"
Zhang Xinghua personally stepped forward to take responsibility, and even brought up the head of state, so no one objected, and everyone immediately agreed.
The provincial government quickly made a decision to support the market boom during the Spring Festival by delegating authority to cities and counties to temporarily expand personnel and security forces.
First, recruit people to do the work and stabilize the situation. After the New Year, when the new national civil service exam is coming, the provincial government will arrange for these temporary workers to take the exam and obtain official status.
The provincial government will continue to allocate funds to help cities and counties stabilize this wave of Spring Festival economic activity, ensuring they fully benefit from this once-a-year economic boom.
This was the first quarter of 1910, and it was a great achievement to kick off the year with a strong economy, which boosted the expansion of industry and markets across the province.
The achievements are there, and if we can achieve them, Hunan can turn the tide, wash away the shame of the previous major corruption case, and regain its glory as the province that started the uprising.
Even the conservatives didn't object, especially after Zhang Xinghua stepped forward to take responsibility and made the decision; no one would continue to hold them back.
Before a decision is made, you can debate it, but once a decision is made, you must carry it out.
Chapter 207 The Story of the Monk
Inside the Imperial Study in the capital.
Zhang Mingqi was having a work-related conversation with Zhao Yan, mainly about the recent Spring Festival rush.
"Your Majesty, the whole country is in an uproar right now. Railway lines are almost paralyzed, and even the highways are completely blocked."
"Trains have become trailers, horse-drawn carriages have become passenger cars, and major cities across the country have entered a state of flux, with a very large scale of people moving to and from the city. According to the transportation department's estimates, this wave involves at least 15 million passenger trips."
"In the capital and in other places, there is a lot of discussion. Some people think it is a good thing, while others think it is a bad thing."
Zhang Mingqi sat opposite Zhao Yan, holding a cup of hot tea and speaking calmly and methodically, without praising or criticizing.
The Republican government abolished the travel permit system and all unreasonable restrictions on personal movement. Now, as long as you are Chinese, you can travel freely throughout China with your People's Republic of China citizen ID card and enough money, and no one will bother you when you go abroad.
With the elimination of travel permits and letters of introduction, and even the relaxation of basic household registration restrictions, Chinese people will naturally begin to move around.
A large number of laborers began to flock to the cities, enter factories and construction sites, stand on assembly lines and steel frames, and create wealth through hard work.
As the year draws to a close, they persistently return to their hometown, all for the sake of a family reunion.
Against this backdrop, it would be an easy task to overwhelm China's current transportation infrastructure.
Zhao Yan's face showed no worry, only a hint of nostalgia. He looked up at the snow outside the window and asked directly, "Old Zhang, do you think this is a bad thing or a good thing?"
Zhang Mingqi smiled and said, "Whether it's good or bad doesn't matter. What matters is that this is exactly what you wanted, isn't it?"
Zhao Yan laughed, then turned his gaze to the other person: "Haha, Lao Zhang, are you trying to fool me too?"
"To be honest, this is what I want to see and what I hope for. A tree dies when it's moved, but a person thrives. Everything is changing, and we have to change too."
The fireplace inside burned high-quality smokeless charcoal, and the steaming heat spread throughout the room, making everyone feel warm and cozy.
Zhang Mingqi swirled the teacup in his hand, watching the tea leaves tumble and rise with the flow of water, and slowly said, "This is also what you said before, that everything changes in motion, and then develops in change, right?"
"It's like brewing tea. If the tea leaves sink to the bottom and don't move, you'll never taste the real flavor of the tea. But if you make the water move and the tea leaves swirl around, the tea will become more and more fragrant."
“You’re starting to sound more and more like a Zen master, but this analogy is quite good.” Zhao Yan said slowly, “Sometimes we can reach a consensus and move forward together, but sometimes I don’t have time to explain, so I can only drag you all along.”
In short, once you get there, you'll find that you didn't go wrong by following me.
"That's how it is now. I don't have time to explain things to each of you individually or help you change your mindset, because the world won't wait for us, and neither will history."
"It's normal to feel uncomfortable right now, but we still have to carry out what needs to be done."
"Although I am reluctant to admit it, this is the reality: the truth is in the hands of a very small minority, and the rest can only obey."
Zhang Mingqi put down his teacup and waved his hand: "Why are you explaining all this to me? I've listened to you anyway. You haven't made any mistakes along the way."
"Back when we were still in the Changsha governor's office, I was the one interrogating you, but in the end, it turned out that you were the one leading me in the revolution."
"Back then, you weren't so melancholic; you were full of passion and energy."
Zhao Yan sighed: "Look at my life now. I have endless documents to read and signatures to sign, and endless meetings. Every day is an endless round of overtime, and I have to worry about all sorts of things."
"Anything becomes tedious once it becomes a work-related activity. No matter how passionate or motivated a person is, they will become numb after working for a long time."
Zhang Mingqi almost spat out his tea upon hearing this. This was another of Zhao Yan's habitual quirky remarks; he always inadvertently said things that left people both amused and exasperated.
Zhao Yan ignored him and continued, "It's like becoming an emperor. Any man who hears that he can become an emperor will be filled with passion and take that step without hesitation, even if it means being crushed to pieces."
"But from another perspective, if you treat being an emperor as a job, being an emperor is like going to work, and it's a year-round job with no days off, overtime every day, no holidays, no personal freedom, and every colleague around you is someone you have to worry about. No one can help you, and you have to do all the work yourself."
"Thinking about it this way, do you still think an emperor should have passion and drive?"
Zhang Mingqi opened his eyes wide, and seemed to think seriously for a few seconds: "Bullshit, you almost made me commit treason. I really fell for your trick and actually wanted to become emperor."
"Who in the world can be so deceitful as you, trying to trick your subjects into thinking about your own position? You really have a big heart!"
Zhao Yan said, "If I don't tell you to think about it, do you really think you won't think about it? Even my disciples probably do."
"Emperor, head of state, prime minister—these are just job titles. What matters is the power. If you can command the world, even if you're just a prime minister, you're no different from an emperor."
"In short, I'm just an office worker. Every day I not only have endless work to do, but also endless worries. Even so, I still have to watch out for people around me trying to take my workstation."
"What do you think I'm after?"
Zhang Mingqi was almost rendered speechless. After a long while, he said, "According to you, being an emperor is actually quite boring."
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. The topic is getting increasingly inflammatory, it's not appropriate!"
"Let's talk about your disciple who's the governor. He really stood out this time. The central government only made the decision yesterday, but he made a plan in Hunan Province three days in advance. He's got guts!"
Zhang Mingqi quickly changed the subject; he couldn't continue talking about the "emperor's work theory," lest he drive Zhao Yan to the point of losing his resolve and quitting his job to go on vacation.
Upon hearing news of his apprentice, Zhao Yan finally perked up and cheered: "That kid still needs some training. I heard from the people below that he's so young but already exudes an air of officialdom. His hair isn't even white yet, and he's not bald, but he's already acting like an old bureaucrat. I wonder who he learned that from."
"The vice governor you sent over seems to have no control over him at all. We agreed to let him go down and settle down."
"I wanted him to get some experience, but you're going easy on him like this, Lao Zhang!"
Zhang Mingqi's face immediately turned red, and the veins on the back of her hand gripping the teacup bulged. She wished she could smash the cup to death this Versailles bastard.
"Are you ever going to shut up? Can't you speak properly? The historian is recording the daily events right here. Can't you at least give me some face?"
"Which of your apprentices is anyone to be trifled with? I only have so many men under my command, all of them are old bureaucrats. How could they possibly outmaneuver your eight hundred cunning apprentices?"
In Zhao Yan's study, there was always a historian present, like a camera. He was invisible, but he was always there, recording everything with his pen. No matter how confidential Zhao Yan needed to discuss, it would eventually end up in the historian's notebook.
The historians of the Imperial Study were special individuals who did not belong to any department of the central government, but only to the Presidential Office. This was an old rule, as the emperor's every word and action was not a private matter and had to be recorded.
Zhao Yan's only privilege was that he could look through his own daily records but could not make any changes. Zhao Yan used this thing as a memo. Sometimes when he had a bad memory and didn't know what he said on which day or time, he would ask the historian and he could see it clearly by looking through the daily records.
This is essentially a workstation camera, the kind that exposes you to no privacy 24/7!
Especially conversations at the level of heads of state and prime ministers must be recorded in their entirety, including those by Zhang Mingqi, Hong Wen, and Zhao Yan, Versailles.
Zhao Yan was quite pleased to see Old Zhang turn red with anger, because he was often angered by his subordinates in the same way. When others angered him, he would retaliate by angering Zhang Mingqi. This was one of the few sources of amusement for Zhao Yan in the Forbidden City.
Zhang Mingqi quickly calmed himself down and regained the composure and demeanor of a prime minister: "Let's continue talking, don't interrupt, speak seriously!"
“Peng Lide was considered an enlightened official under me. He also supported the new reform policies. However, after he went to Hunan to become the second-in-command, he was forced to become a conservative. The rules you set are indeed a bit outrageous.”
“I can understand that there should be competition and checks and balances between the chief official and his deputy, but why must they also insist on having different stances?”
“Peng Lide agrees with the new reform policies, and Zhang Xinghua is also one of the radical leaders. Why can’t they unify their thinking and work together?”
"Politically, you can compete and challenge each other, but you can completely agree on political views. Why make it seem like you're irreconcilable?"
Zhang Mingqi couldn't understand the unspoken political rules set by Zhao Yan. Even previous emperors hadn't operated like this. Not only did they require their ministers to be politically opposed and check each other, but they also had to have different political views. He had never heard of such an operation before.
The central government is clearly on the right track by insisting on continuing the new reform policies, so why let subordinates continue to hold opposing views? Isn't that just asking for trouble?
When such a sensitive and core political issue was brought up, Zhao Yan's expression became serious, and he even straightened his posture.
The historians in the corner all raised their heads, their eyes shining with eager anticipation, waiting for what they were about to record.
Instead of answering the question directly, Zhao Yan told a story first.
Once upon a time, there was a mountain, and on the mountain lived a temple.
"Stop joking around, Your Excellency, speak seriously!"
"Alright, there are two monks in the temple. Monk A recites the Diamond Sutra, and Monk B recites the Tao Te Ching. They both recite scriptures to Buddha every day."
A always corrected B, explaining the Diamond Sutra to B, saying that this was the scripture that should be recited in relation to the Buddha, and that reciting the Tao Te Ching was incorrect.
But Monk B never listened to Monk A and insisted on reciting his own Tao Te Ching every day.
Monk A patiently explained the Diamond Sutra to Monk B and offered him advice.
Hearing this, Zhang Mingqi asked, "The monks in the temple are right to chant the Diamond Sutra, but the ones who chant the Tao Te Ching are wrong, aren't they?"
"Let me finish telling the story before you ask any more questions," Zhao Yan continued.
“Life in the temple continued like this until one day, Monk A finally couldn’t take it anymore. He tore up Monk B’s copy of the Tao Te Ching and then kicked him out of the temple. From then on, there was only one monk and one sutra in the temple.”
"What do you think will happen to this temple fair? And what will happen to Monk Jia?"
Without hesitation, Zhang Mingqi said, "Of course the temple will be better. After all, there's one less monk reciting unrelated scriptures. Monk Jia did nothing wrong, so he'll definitely be better too."
Zhao Yan shook his head and slowly said, "In the end, the temple collapsed, Monk Jia left, and no one chanted sutras anymore!"
Zhang Mingqi's eyes widened in surprise. "You're playing me?" she exclaimed.
Zhao Yan said, "No, this is the end of the story."
"Because Monk B kept contradicting him, Monk A kept studying his own scriptures to try to correct him. But after he drove Monk B away and tore up the Tao Te Ching, no one contradicted him anymore."
Monk Jia believed he was right and had won, so he stopped studying the scriptures and even stopped chanting them. Gradually, the temple could no longer stand.
Zhang Mingqi lowered his head and pondered, "Zhang Xinghua is Monk A, and Peng Lide is Monk B. Do you want Zhang Xinghua to always be a monk who diligently recites scriptures and studies, instead of a monk who becomes careless, vain, and arrogant after winning?"
Zhao Yan looked at Zhang Mingqi approvingly and said seriously, "A great man once said that outside the party there is no party, there is the ideology of an emperor; within the party there are no factions, there are all sorts of strange things."
"The existence of the opposition has always been necessary, not only in terms of political stance, but also in terms of political views."
"When working, everyone must work together, but when talking, everyone must speak differently."
"Whenever you can't hear a single dissenting voice, it might not mean you're about to win, but rather that you're about to lose control and fall!"
"The opposition acts like a brake."
Zhang Mingqi didn't understand: "What is a brake?"
Zhao Yan corrected, "It's just a rein. It doesn't matter what you call it. It's something that makes you slow down."
"This thing usually seems like a complete hindrance, something that annoys you and slows you down."
"But there's a saying that goes, 'Though the road is long, you will eventually arrive.' Going slowly is acceptable; going too fast can easily lead to problems."
"After all, no road is completely straight and smooth. There will always be bends, uphill sections, and downhill sections. At this time, you will be very grateful that there is something to slow you down so that you don't plunge headfirst into an abyss."
"I see, I've learned something!" Zhang Mingqi bowed respectfully, then sat down again and asked, "Although this story is simple, it is quite complex to understand."
"Also, I'm afraid you haven't finished your annotations yet?"
Zhao Yan laughed and said, "Smart, this is the deeper meaning of the story. The story only mentions a temple, but never says whether it is a Buddhist temple or a mountain god temple, or whether it is required to put a Buddha statue in the temple. In fact, you can put the Three Pure Ones or the City God."