A powerful minister of the Song Dynasty

Chapter 235 The Great Song Dynasty was a Wealthy Nation

Song Xuan actually found Sima Guang's words quite agreeable.

After all, who wouldn't want to hear something nice?

If Sima Guang had called Song Xuan an old scoundrel and a local bully as soon as they met, Song Xuan would not have been happy to hear it.

So, having nothing else to do at the moment, he readily agreed.

A short while later, Sima Dan quickly brought over the draft contract and asked Song Xuan to take a close look.

Song Xuan didn't really care; it just fulfilled his dream of buying a horse.

"Hey?"

Song Xuan stared at Sima Dan and said:

How can you do a business at a loss?

It turned out that the contract was drafted by Sima Dan, which stipulated that if the horse died of illness before the autumn of next year, Song Xuan would have to pay back forty strings of cash.

After all, no matter how you look at it, the Sima family's actions in buying and selling sick horses were unethical.

"It doesn't have to be this way."

Song Xuan rejected the contract drafted by Sima Dan:
“My business has always been fair and just. Since I chose to buy a sick horse, I should be prepared for this.”

"If I were to sign such a contract simply because I'm taking advantage of you, wouldn't that make me look bad in the eyes of others?"

Sima Dan was also surprised that Song Xuan would return the contract, and he was immediately stunned.

Sima Dan paused for a moment before speaking:

"Twelfth Brother, signing this contract is all benefits and no harm. I don't understand."

"I don't like what you're saying."

Song Xuan immediately gestured to Wang Gui: "Take out the money."

Wang Gui took out seven gold leaves and placed them on the table.

A single gold leaf weighs about one or two ounces.

Although the imperial court established a decimal conversion system, due to the preciousness of gold, it was actually exchanged for copper coins, not one to ten.

By the late Northern Song Dynasty, one tael of gold could be exchanged for twenty-four strings of cash.

"I hope Brother Sima can draft a new contract, priced at eighty strings of cash. Even if the horse dies of illness immediately after being delivered to me, it will have nothing to do with you, the seller."

Upon hearing Song Xuan's words, Sima Dan was at a loss for what to do and looked at his younger brother, Sima Guang.

Sima Guang quickly stood up, walked to the side to collect the seven gold leaves, and went to his brother:
"The eldest brother did as the twelfth brother said, and besides, we had already agreed on a price."

Sima Dan thought to himself that he hadn't discussed the price with Song Xuan.

Who would buy such an expensive item without haggling?
And it was a sick horse.

Left with no other choice, Sima Dan had to go back and revise the contract according to Song Xuan's request.

Wang Bao was dumbfounded. He knew that Song Xuan was powerful, which was why he shamelessly clung to him.

But I never expected him to be so capable!
Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou exchanged a glance, both seeing shock in each other's eyes.

Could it be that Song Twelve made a lot of money from those books he wrote?
It shouldn’t be!

After all, the storytellers made all that money.

Even though the people of the Song Dynasty were enthusiastic about the imperial examinations and admired scholars, only a minority could afford to study and even buy things unrelated to the examinations.

The reason why Song Xuan's vernacular novels could spread so quickly was thanks to the storytellers in teahouses and entertainment districts.

Sima Guang sat in his brother's seat:

“I knew that my twelfth brother was very wealthy because he took money without giving it back.”

"Hey, I used to be so poor that I couldn't even afford to eat, so I tried to do some business to earn some money for food. I never thought it would become so popular that I could finally focus on taking the imperial examinations without worrying about survival."

Song Xuan took a sip of tea.

In short, the business environment in the Song Dynasty was quite good.

At least those officials didn't dare to openly take bribes.

Whether it's the central government or local authorities, the power structure is a hierarchical system, ensuring that they check and balance each other, and are not of one mind.

In particular, the "civil servants of the Great Song Dynasty" enjoyed generous treatment, and if they asked for money, they were essentially handing others a handle to use against them.

Many officials were not like those of the Ming and Qing dynasties.

In particular, the salaries in the Ming Dynasty were so low that many officials in the early period couldn't help but reach out for money to maintain their decent lives.

By the Qing Dynasty, it was the emperor who actively exploited his subordinates and demanded money from them.

Qing Dynasty officials naturally wanted to make a fortune, not only to pay tribute to the emperor and their superiors, but also to ensure they were well-fed.

Then the only option is for the common people to suffer even more, and for others to bear the blame.

Otherwise, wouldn't all this studying and striving for official rank have been for nothing?
Sima Guang had no intention of going into business, because after he stopped raising the horse, his family would have plenty of money freed up.

Even setting aside the portion allocated to the clan to support its members, his father's salary was more than enough to keep the family afloat.

"Twelfth Brother is truly gifted."

Sima Guang, at such a young age, once again offered a compliment.

It wasn't that Sima Guang was so slick at a young age; although he was a child prodigy, his father took him to banquets so often that he gradually learned the way adults spoke.

Knowing how to speak in a way that makes others happy.

Besides, this isn't a lie.

Song Xuan waved his hand: "Everyone is working so hard just to ensure their survival."

"If you can't even manage your own survival, then even if you have a thousand ideas in your mind, you'll be powerless to do anything about it, let alone serve the court or stand up for the people."

"That's all bullshit!"

Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou increasingly agreed with Song Xuan's words.

Their biggest problem right now is that they are stuck on the issue of survival, which prevents them from focusing on their studies.

If the problem of survival is solved, one can concentrate on studying and will surely be able to achieve even greater success in the exam.

Sima Guang looked as if he had just realized something.

He frequented "high-class circles" of literati and scholars, where most of the conversations revolved around romance and poetry.

Very few places have been able to address such issues affecting people's livelihoods.

In particular, although Qian Weiyan held many banquets, he was a descendant of a royal family. How could he know about the hardships of ordinary people?
But he immediately realized it from Song Xuan's words.

What distinguishes Song Xuan from other literati and scholars.

Because he believed that, given time, Song Xuan's abilities would surely allow him to replace great Confucian scholars like Liu Yun and become the most outstanding scholar.

So Sima Guang asked Song Xuan again, "Twelfth Brother, could you tell me about your experiences along the way?"

"of course can."

Song Xuan learned about the boatmen, porters, and porters on the canal, as well as the small vendors selling goods at the docks, and even about Xu Xianchun, the young Zhou Chu he met in Guancheng.

Sima Guang became increasingly convinced that Song Xuan was different from others.

Because he discovered that even though Song Xuan had achieved so much, he was by no means the kind of person who was aloof and superior.

On the contrary, they are willing to get close to the poor, punish evil and promote good, and even give others a chance to reform themselves.

Other officials would never say such discouraging things at a banquet.

"What Brother Twelf said really opened up my mind."

Sima Guang was known as a child prodigy, and he understood the meaning behind Song Xuan's words: a keen observation of the people's poverty and a desire to change this situation.

After all, there had been a long period of peace between the Song and Liao dynasties, and there had been no major wars in the northwest.

The lives of ordinary people should be easier.

Otherwise, if war breaks out, the taxes borne by the people will only increase.

Not to mention the need to conscript large numbers of laborers to abandon their farm work and support the front lines.

If this continues, people's lives will become increasingly difficult.

"Twelfth Brother, why do you think so many people are still struggling to make ends meet?"

Wang Gui felt the items were too expensive because he had lived in Tokyo.

Wang Bao felt he didn't have a good father, otherwise he wouldn't have gone hungry from childhood to adulthood.

As for Yu Zhouxun and Wang Gongshou, they didn't have any opinions, and calling them corrupt officials didn't seem appropriate.

Because they haven't encountered it before.

Song Xuan didn't think that Sima Guang, this child prodigy, would be unable to understand.

He thought for a moment, then explained:

"Firstly, the Song Dynasty had a developed commercial sector, but the commercial taxes were not low, and small and medium-sized merchants paid the most taxes. Because they paid more taxes, the prices they sold were higher."

“A steamed bun used to cost an hour’s worth of hard-earned money, but now it takes two hours to buy.”

Sima Guang quickly understood the meaning behind Song Xuan's words, and he tacitly refrained from inquiring about the taxes of those large merchants.

"The exorbitant profits from salt, tea, and wine go to the government, while ordinary people have to pay exorbitant prices for salt. I've heard that in places like Jiangxi, the price of salt is ten times that of rice."

"ten times."

Wang Gongshou couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. Even though he lived in the suburbs of Tokyo, he had never bought such expensive salt.

The reason Tokyo can have a population of one million without collapsing is that goods from all over the world are transported to Tokyo via canals.

Therefore, Tokyo City has no shortage of supplies at all.

There are countless expensive items, but everyday necessities are relatively easy for people living in the suburbs of Tokyo to obtain.

The peak of commercial tax revenue in the Northern Song Dynasty reached 160 million strings of cash, but the so-called high GDP is full of inequalities and does not mean that people's livelihood is good!

"That's true." Sima Guang nodded: "What if the court were to give up some benefits to share with the people?"

"Stop wishful thinking."

Song Xuan held up one finger and laughed:
“If the government doesn’t engage in this highly profitable activity, then other forces will naturally intercept it and pocket the profits, making it difficult for ordinary people to receive them.”

Yu Zhouxun nodded; he was old and understood this principle.

Even if the government doesn't do it, the families of those bureaucrats or the wealthy merchants and landlords of the past will do it themselves.

"The second problem is land consolidation, where the rich own vast tracts of land while the poor have nowhere to stand."

The Song Dynasty allowed the free buying and selling of land.

Not to mention that officials also received official land, which amounted to a considerable number of acres.

Tenant farmers had to pay more than half of the land rent.

In years of famine, many people go bankrupt and sell their wives.

Wang Anshi's Green Sprouts Act was intended to correct this shortcoming, but it was implemented by his subordinates as official usury.

Which meat-eater would willingly cut off their own flesh?

You must be out of your mind!

Song Xuan pointed outside:
"I have traveled to Xijing and found the entertainment districts and brothels very lively, but I am sure that more than half of the people there do not deserve to have a house in Luoyang, not to mention how many people are struggling to make ends meet."

Sima Guang had never observed the lives of ordinary people in such detail.

Because besides studying, he spent his time accompanying his father to banquets.

There is very little focus on people's actual well-being.

"well said."

When Sima Chi returned from his shift, he heard Song Xuan say such things.

He quickly stepped forward and examined it carefully.

This man had a handsome face, and his words just now were truly thought-provoking.

"I don't know who you are?"

Sima Guang quickly introduced him to his father as the famous Song Twelve, who had taken a fancy to their sick horse on the street.

The weather is hot now, so it's a good time for him and his friends to have dinner at my house.

Sima Chi immediately welcomed him and was even more surprised by Song Xuan.

He originally thought that Yan Shu's praise of people was also based on "flattery" and used to promote younger generations.

However, through his conversation with Song Xuan, Sima Chi realized that he had been wrong.

How could I possibly have such despicable thoughts about someone as esteemed as Lord Yan?

Song Twelve is truly a man of great talent!
Yan Xianggong's ability to judge people was not something he boasted about, but rather a conclusion reached through repeated verification.

Sima Chi stroked his beard and sighed:

“What Twelve Lang said makes perfect sense. As far as I know, the weavers are governed by the silk guild and work hard for six or seven hours a day, but the wages they earn each day are only enough to buy two liters of rice.”

Even when Zhuge Liang was over fifty years old, he still needed to eat three or four liters of rice a day, which led Sima Yi to conclude that his days were numbered.

Not to mention the strong laborers who weave, who work so hard every day, yet their wages don't even cover their daily meals.

Through Lei Yuanwai, Song Xuan did manage to raise the wages of the weavers slightly, but they were still a minority in the Song Dynasty.

He didn't even offer any suggestions on improving the loom.

Because at that time, the Song Dynasty had no shortage of weavers.

If the efficiency of the loom increases further, the wages of the weavers will be reduced even further.

With so many goods having nowhere to be sold, and payments piling up layer by layer, the silk industry ultimately suffered.

Unless you make the plate bigger!
"Has Judge Sima ever considered selling those silks in the Northwest for trade?"

Song Xuan picked up his rice bowl: "Can this be considered a way out for local silk?"

Sima Chi shook his head and told Song Xuan that unrest was about to break out in the Northwest again.

The Liao emperor dispatched a large army to attack the Uyghurs in Ganzhou, where unrest broke out.

What power did the Ganzhou Uyghurs have to resist?
Song Xuan chuckled. He had already explained the analysis of this battle to Cao Yongli.

Moreover, the task of unifying the Northwest was something that Li Yuanhao had to accomplish.

Now that Li Yuanhao's father is still alive, the Liao Kingdom's military expedition will surely be fruitless.

Song Xuan ate a few bites of food and smiled:

"Prefect Sima, do not worry. The Uyghurs of Ganzhou will surely be able to defeat the Liao expeditionary force and will still be able to trade with the Song Dynasty."

"what?"

Sima Chi was somewhat surprised.

The usually astute Sima Guang looked up and thought of Song Xuan. He had already heard the officials discussing this battle.

They all believed that the Ganzhou Uyghurs would not be able to hold out and would be defeated by the Liao Dynasty.

In any case, whether it's the Ganzhou Uyghurs or the Khitans, they are all barbarians, so it's best if they fight like dogs.

Ultimately, the Song Dynasty benefited.

But if the Liao Dynasty couldn't even defeat the small Ganzhou Uyghurs, wasn't that underestimating the Liao Dynasty?
That was the Khitan Dynasty, which had repeatedly crushed the Song Dynasty!
"Twelfth Brother, what makes you say that?"

"Even with 500,000 troops, the Liao emperor who was in charge of ruling the Western Xia failed to destroy Li Mingde. Instead, he was routed by Li Mingde and suffered heavy losses."

"Now, several years have passed, and the Liao Dynasty has not reorganized its army. Their fighting strength is only worse than that of the Liao army when it attacked the Western Xia a few years ago."

"On the contrary, the Ganzhou Uyghurs frequently clashed with the Western Xia, and their soldiers were all veterans of countless battles, making them far more formidable than the Liao army."

Song Xuan continued picking up food with his chopsticks:
"If Magistrate Sima does not believe it, then wait for news from the front lines. Instead, gather a batch of silk now and transport it to the Northwest for trade as soon as the war ends."

“I believe that the Ganzhou Uyghurs must have made quite a few gains at that time, and they had the money to exchange for such a sought-after commodity as silk.”

As for ironware...

That absolutely must not be allowed to leave the country.

Unless someone is deliberately smuggling.

It's very difficult for money smuggled out of the country without going through the military.

Sima Chi fell into deep thought; Song Xuan's judgment was not without merit.

He would discuss this matter with Liu Ye, the prefect of Henan Prefecture, the next day.

Perhaps this could improve the miserable situation of the weavers in Xijing City, allowing them to earn more money to support their families.

"Yes, I will report this idea of ​​yours, Twelfth Brother, to Prefect Liu."

Sima Chi poured Song Xuan a small glass of wine as a way of thanking him.

After all, he was a sixth-rank official, and for him to offer wine to Song Xuan, a commoner, was a great humiliation.

Song Xuan naturally thanked him and accepted Sima Chi's offer.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, it was getting late, and if they didn't head to Taishi Academy soon, they might not be able to stay overnight.

Sima Chi's rented courtyard couldn't accommodate so many people, so he let Song Xuan and the others leave, promising to meet again later.

Anyway, they all travel and study for a period of time.

Sima Chi, accompanied by his son, saw Song Xuan and the others off at the gate and watched them leave.

Once back in the reception room, Sima Chi finally spoke and asked:
What do you think of them?

Sima Dan understood that his father was asking about his younger brother, so he simply sat there drinking tea without saying a word.

"Apart from the one carrying the big package who is Song Xuan's own old crew, the other three should all be people he met on the road."

Sima Guang recalled briefly: "Moreover, the time they spent together was not very long, but they were all impressed by Song Xuan. I think Song Twelve is extraordinary."

"Yes."

Sima Chi also realized that he had underestimated Song Xuan.

I never imagined that this young man would actually be so knowledgeable.

“I originally thought my son Sima Guang was a rare child prodigy, but I never expected that other child prodigies were just as outstanding.”

"Father, don't forget, there's also a child prodigy studying at Taishi Academy."

The person Sima Guang was referring to was Wang Anren, who also had a half-brother, the child prodigy Wang Anshi!
"Yes."

Sima Chi stroked his beard and shook his head, saying:
"There are so many child prodigies in the world, yet I, as their father, am not as insightful as my son."

Sima Guang was like a little adult, and he had a strong sense of self-control, knowing what he should and shouldn't do.

He could even offer advice to his father and use his brain to help his older brother manage the family affairs.

"Actually, there's still one thing I don't understand."

"Father, please speak."

"It's about what Song Xuan just said, that the Liao Kingdom will be defeated again. I'm really worried about that."

Because other matters concerning improving people's livelihoods were too grand and distant, Sima Chi lacked the ability and power to make changes.

However, he still had the courage to use the Liao Kingdom's defeat to help the local people earn some extra money.

Moreover, once it was completed, it would be considered a political achievement for Prefect Liu Ye.

At this moment, Sima Chi was extremely conflicted, wanting to do it but also hesitant and timid.

Sima Guang pondered for a long while before speaking:

“I think what Song Twelve said makes a lot of sense. Anyway, there’s no loss, so Father might as well ask Prefect Liu to go all out and take a gamble.”

(End of this chapter)