AWB Chapter 359: Let there be no distinction between high and low coins!
Chapter 359: Let there be no distinction between high and low coins!
The three immortal qualities of a sage are achievements, words and virtue.
Not to mention their morals, even if they could have pretended not to hear what Gu Jingzhi said, the two old guys were scolded to the point of vomiting blood, and it was obvious that their character...
Their achievements were not as great as others, and especially since they were accused of forming a clique for personal gain, those court officials did not dare to speak for them anymore.
As for Li Yan...
Originally, some people wanted to say a few words, but ** stood up.
"Your Majesty, scholars are known for their achievements, their words, and their virtues. Xiling Hou's achievements are undeniable. As for his virtues... as the saying goes, benevolence and wisdom have different opinions, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain clearly at the moment. However, as for his words, I can assert that no scholar in the world can match Xiling Hou!"
** His words were powerful and he looked at Gu Jingzhi with a firm gaze.
Upon hearing this, the ministers in the court cast their gazes over, but the emperor said firmly, "I went to Ningzhou in the name of Your Majesty before, and it was at that time that the Marquis of Xiling spoke to me about hybrid rice!"
"At that time, not only us, but even Marquis Xiling himself was unsure. I asked, if we can't cultivate hybrid rice in this lifetime, wouldn't that be a waste of time?"
"When I asked this question, Lord Gu replied, 'A scholar should establish his mind for heaven and earth, his destiny for the people, carry on the lost knowledge of the ancient sages, and bring peace to the world for all eternity!'"
“If you don’t do something, you’ll never know the answer. If you do it but it doesn’t produce any results, you’ll just be lost in the crowd. All you have to do is have a clear conscience.”
"Therefore, I would like to ask, whether in Great Xia or among scholars throughout the dynasties, who has the courage and spirit of Marquis Xiling? Who dares to set such an ambition?"
**He looked around at all the ministers, and he was not afraid even of those who were of higher rank than him!
In his opinion, it is difficult to say what it means to establish a mind for heaven and earth, but Gu Jingzhi's guidance in cultivating hybrid rice and inventing movable type printing to improve papermaking are already practicing the last three sentences!
However, he ignored the power of Hengqu's four sentences. As soon as these words came out, everyone fell silent, and looked at Gu Jingzhi as if he were a god!
Even Emperor Xia was muttering to himself.
Originally, Gu Jingzhi's words "Daxia is the world, but the world is not Daxia"... He was secretly unhappy about this, thinking that Gu Jingzhi was too arrogant.
As an emperor, he understood what this meant.
The world has never been ruled by one family or one surname, otherwise there would not have been dynasties.
However, Daxia was founded by him, so he naturally hoped that this foundation could be passed down through the ages.
However, as soon as Hengqu's four lines came out, he seemed to have gotten to know Gu Jingzhi all over again.
This kid is amazing!
Although his words were rude, he was still a minister of Da Xia after all. With such a good minister assisting him, Da Xia would also benefit. With Gu Jingzhi around, even if he died, it would be enough to ensure that Da Xia would prosper for a hundred years.
He gave Gu Jingzhi a meaningful look and said with a smile, "I never thought that a saint would appear in my Great Xia!"
"Let's end this matter here! What Yan and Wen said is absurd. The people just want to survive. Spiritual food can't fill their stomachs. There's no need to mention the so-called pursuit of profit!"
As he spoke, he looked at Gu Jingzhi and said with a smile: "Marquis Xiling is a true patriot!"
Gu Jingzhi quickly said, "Your Majesty, I am deeply ashamed to accept your kindness!"
"Alright! Gu Qing, there's no need to be so modest. Since I said so, I must have my reasons. Let's continue with the topic we were discussing!"
Emperor Xia waved his hand, and Gu Jingzhi knew that the highlight was coming!
He immediately said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the ancients said: The people are the most important, the country is second, and the emperor is the least important! Only with the people can there be an emperor, and only with the country can there be an emperor!"
"Thus, the people are the foundation of the state, and the king is the leader of the people. Without the people, the state cannot exist, and without the people, the king's majesty cannot be demonstrated!"
"We, your Majesty, are assisting you in governing the country. Our fundamental goal is to ensure that the people of Great Xia have enough food to eat and enough clothes to wear, that the elderly have a place to rely on, and that the young are well cared for, and that there are no disasters such as freezing, starvation, or death from disease!"
"This is the virtue of the king and the merit of all officials!"
"As the saying goes, a good cook cannot cook without rice! If the common people of the world only farmed, with the wisdom of our Great Xia Emperor, they would have no difficulty in getting food and clothing! But they need money to study and see a doctor... Without money, nothing can be accomplished!"
"The ancient sages advocated valuing righteousness over profit, but they didn't abandon it. In fact, the two coexist, it's just a matter of priority! When the people are prosperous, they should cultivate virtue. But if the people can't get enough to eat, how can we talk about morality? Since ancient times, the tragedy of cannibalism is not uncommon, and it has even occurred frequently!"
"These examples are sufficient to prove that only when the granaries are well-fed can the people learn about propriety and righteousness!"
Gu Jingzhi did not state his purpose directly, but instead gave a long summary. Emperor Xia knew what he was thinking, but his words still made Emperor Xia nod his head repeatedly.
Therefore, Emperor Xia said, "Gu Qing, what point do you want to express?"
"Your Majesty! Poverty is not a manifestation of morality. It is not morality that feeds the world, but money and food! Therefore, I request to make a statement..."
"Reform the Great Xia currency system! Let money circulate throughout the world and put money in the hands of the people!"
wow...
Gu Jingzhi's sonorous and powerful voice fell in the court, causing an immediate explosion!
They looked at Gu Jingzhi blankly.
Change the currency system?
This is not a small matter, but a major event that has shocked the world!
Although they keep saying that money is something outside of the body and look down on profit-driven businessmen, it is obviously just empty talk to say that they can live without money!
Wei Xuan looked at Gu Jingzhi, not knowing what he was up to. He could only ask blankly, "Marquis Xiling, there's nothing wrong with Daxia's currency system right now. Why are you going to all this trouble to reform it?"
Although the two are master and disciple, they cannot be discussed as master and disciple in the court.
Working hours should be based on job title!
Seeing his teacher ask the first question, Gu Jingzhi said respectfully, "Although I agree with what Master Wei said, I cannot agree with it!"
"Daxia does have a fixed currency system, but over the years, countless people have minted coins privately. In the early years of Jianwu, a copper coin could still buy a full meal for ordinary people, but now, a copper coin can't even buy a steamed bun!"
"Because of currency devaluation, the money in people's hands is useless, and they can only barter..."
As he spoke, he told the civil and military officials in the court one by one about what he had sorted out recently, and even made comparisons through a timeline, laying out the changes in currency and prices over the years since the founding of Daxia!
Finally, he sighed, "The emergence of currency is to provide a more convenient way for people to trade, allowing people from all over the world to exchange what they have. It is the foundation of a rich country and a strong people!"
"But nowadays, gold, silver and other precious currencies are too expensive for ordinary people to use, so they have no money left!"
"They have no choice but to exchange their survival food for other necessities. If something serious happens at home, or if they get seriously ill, they might even have to sell their children!"
"Is this the meaning of our existence?"
"Virtue is only one aspect of a prosperous world; enriching the country and strengthening the people is the fundamental. Your Majesty, Gu Jingzhi, now requests that you abolish gold and silver, reform the currency system, unify the coinage, and make it equal to no distinction between high and low coinage..."