LRAB Chapter 1342 Arrival in Beijing
Chapter 1342 Arrival in Beijing
Chapter 1342 Arrival in Beijing
Fan Zuyu and Guo Lin from the Menxia Province were copying official documents from the local areas.
Fan Zuyu was promoted very quickly. After the compilation of Zizhi Tongjian was completed, he was promoted to the position of Secretary of the Secretariat.
After Sima Guang became the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he was promoted to the position of Right Censor.
Guo Lin was originally a county lieutenant. After the compilation of Zizhi Tongjian was completed, he was promoted all the way to become a recorder in the Menxia Province, in charge of the official affairs of the various departments of the Menxia Province.
Both of them were promoted because of Sima Guang.
After Sima Guang returned to the court, he ordered that freedom of speech be allowed. Many officials sensed an opportunity and submitted memorials criticizing the new law in line with the court's wishes.
Guo Lin said: "Your Majesty is still here, how can you allow the officials below to criticize the gains and losses of the government?"
Fan Zuyu said: "Why not? The Queen Mother has already issued an edict. Your Majesty has been on the throne for 19 years and has established political affairs to benefit the world. The officials have not carried out their duties properly and have caused trouble..."
What Fan Zuyu meant was that this was not your Majesty's fault, but the fault of the government offices.
This memorial is undoubtedly directed at the three provinces.
Guo Lin said: "But the exemption law is indeed a good law. Fan Bailu also told Sima Gong that when he was in Kaifeng Prefecture, when the exemption law was implemented, the people celebrated and officials and people praised it as a change. Although some officials took more surplus money afterwards, after Zhang Jiangong's reform, it has greatly benefited the people."
"How come Sima Gong doesn't even believe Zigong's words?"
Fan Bailu was the nephew of Sima Guang's best friend Fan Zhen and a relative of Fan Zuyu.
Fan Zuyu also sighed after hearing this: "After all these years, I also think that although other new laws have many flaws, Zhang Jiangong's exemption law has nine benefits and one harm."
"But when I said this to Sima Gong, he ignored it completely."
Guo Lin was very worried when he heard this.
Over the years, he had long regarded Sima Guang as a saint-like figure.
There are few people in the world who could abandon their duties as prime ministers and do this. He locked himself in the cellar of his home in Luoyang, editing books day after day for fifteen years.
Now Sima Guang has returned to the court after a long illness, and what he does is also out of his sense of righteousness.
……
The chirping of cicadas seemed to be evaporated by the heat wave. After Sima Guang became the Minister of the Imperial Court, he stepped into the capital.
He was extremely anxious and went to the capital hall to see the newly appointed Shangshu You Pushe Lu Gongzhu. The two had parted unhappily in Luoyang because of their different political views.
Lu Gongzhu went to Beijing to serve as an official, while Sima Guang continued to edit books in Luoyang.
The cicadas chirped in the midsummer as they continued to do so. The two of them stared at each other for a long time.
"Uncle Hui!"
"Jun Shi!"
After greeting each other, the two men sat down again and the hall clerks immediately served them tea.
Lü Gongzhu recalled the past and said to Sima Guang with emotion: "Chiguo has also returned to the court. The day before yesterday, he was appointed as a scholar of the Zizheng Palace and also a scholar of the Imperial Academy."
Sima Guang said: "Great, we have met the third of the four friends of Jiayou again."
Lu Gongzhu smiled bitterly, who knew that after so many years, three of the Four Friends of Jiayou met again, but Wang Anshi was the only one missing.
Sima Guang said, "I am already a man with not much time left. When I was in Luoyang, I was always worried that I would fall ill and die. This time I feel relieved to see Uncle Hui. I have something to entrust to you."
Lü Gongzhu said: "Since we are friends, please speak frankly."
Sima Guang said: "Uncle Hui has been determined and upright since he was young, and he has always been honest and upright, and the world admires him. You and I are old and have just been given the opportunity to govern the country. If we don't put what we have learned and accumulated in the past into practice today, when will we put it into practice?"
When Lu Gongzhu heard this, his lips moved slightly.
Sima Guang continued, "Recently, people have criticized Huishu for being too cautious and silent. At this time, he does not argue with the New Party. If things go wrong, Huishu will join the New Party."
When Lu Gongzhu heard what Sima Guang said, he became annoyed. Just as Cheng Hao had told him before, if he showed some mercy to the new law, Sima Guang would classify him as a member of the New Party.
But Sima Guang spoke slowly.
"Since Guang had been ill for a long time, he had entrusted his health to doctors and his family affairs to Kang (Sima Kang). The only thing he had not entrusted was state affairs. Today, he has entrusted them to his uncle Hui."
Lu Gongzhu was a little angry at first, but after hearing Sima Guang's last words, he was also sad.
Sima Guang knew that his life was coming to an end, and now he was almost entrusting the world and his own political ambitions to Lu Gongzhu.
Lu Gongzhu said: "You want me to abolish the new law, but the new law has been in effect for fifteen years. How many accidents will happen if it is suddenly changed?"
"There is also the exemption law, which is the hard work of the three prime ministers Wang, Han, and Zhang. How can it be abolished just because of your words?"
"As far as I know, the boatmen on the Bian River earn a hundred coins a day?" Lu Gongzhu suddenly turned the lid of his teacup lightly. "After the exemption money was issued, they no longer had to work as river boatmen for the government for free. Instead, they could rent a tent under the Shiqiao Bridge to sell pancakes."
Sima Guang tilted his hat slightly and said: "Uncle Hui, are you going to learn how to calculate accounts from Zhang Du? The Book of Zhou says, 'Nine taxes are used to collect money and bribes.' How can we allow the ways of merchants to undermine the order of our government!"
"In the fifth year of Yuanfeng, Hebei was hit by a flood," Lu Gongzhu wrote on the table while dipping his tea. "The Transportation Department used the exemption money to purchase 300 grain ships, and evacuated 200,000 victims within seven days."
His fingertips traced the water marks. "Junshi wants to abolish this law, but have you ever asked the refugees whether they are willing to serve hard labor again?"
Sima Guang said: "How come Uncle Hui has been poisoned by the desire for success! Emperor Wen of the Han Dynasty abolished the terraces to cultivate virtue, and Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty released prisoners to return home and the country was in order. Why should they care about pennies?"
"I have said before that the exemption law is to allow the rich and strong to serve, and to levy the poor and weak households that do not serve. It benefits the rich and is not good for the poor."
"In the old days, even if a household was conscripted, they would have some preparations. However, after serving their full term, they could rest for a few years and manage their property in preparation for the next conscription. Now, they have to pay every year, and there is no rest."
"There are also farmers who have only grain, silk and labor, and all the taxes and labor they provide for the government are not the three. Now the court says, I don't need your labor, pay me money, and I will hire people myself. Who knows that it is difficult for farmers to pay money and labor..."
"The Director of the Changping Division has collected more taxes and accumulated surplus money..."
Upon hearing this, Lü Gongzhu could not help but say, "What Junshi said may have been the case during the Xining period, but after Zhang Jiangong abolished the malpractice of the exemption law, it has long been a convenience for officials and the people. The country has prospered for several years, and not only has the national treasury been enriched, but the people have also not been burdened."
Sima Guang said: "Since I submitted a memorial to open up the channels for public opinion, many officials and civilians have said that the exemption law is harmful. How can we say that officials and civilians think it is convenient..."
Lü Gongzhu and Sima Guang argued endlessly in the capital hall about the exemption law, and the clerks on both sides of the hall quickly retreated.
Fan Chunren, who had been expelled from the capital by Cai Que and returned to the court to serve as a secretary, was about to go to the capital to report on the matter. He happened to hear Sima Guang and Lu Gongzhu arguing for a few sentences and shook his head and said, "The exemption law was indeed a little harmful to the people before, but after Zhang Jiangong changed it, it has greatly benefited the country and the people."
"Sima Junshi is so stubborn, isn't he just another Wang Jiefu?"
After saying this, Fan Chunren left, and someone immediately reported Fan Chunren's words to others.
When Cai Que and Zhang Dun arrived at the capital, they heard someone report.
Zhang Dun shook his head and said, "Sima Guang was a local official for a few days, but he is so ignorant of the people's situation."
Cai Que said calmly, "But the Queen Mother only trusts him."
Zhang Dun said: "If the country is in chaos in the future, this gentleman will be blamed!"
Cai Que said nothing and just let him do whatever he wanted.
Ever since Sima Guang submitted a memorial to abolish the exemption from military service and the baojia system, almost everyone has been against him, even his old party confidants and disciples.
But Sima Guang insisted on his own way.
As they were talking, someone reported: "Report to the Left Prime Minister, Zhang Jiangong has returned to the capital!"
……
When Zhang Yue's boat arrived in Bianliang, it was the height of summer heat and even the air seemed to have been turned into gold foil by the scorching sun.
The waves of Jinming Lake outside Tongjin Gate are as blue as jade, and the soft voices and piano music of the singers on the painted boats flow into the cabin wrapped in the chirping of cicadas.
Zhang Yue pushed open the half-rolled bamboo curtain and looked towards the dock, only to see Zhang Zhi, Su Song, Han Zhongyan, Cai Jing, Zeng Bu, Cai Bian, Wang Zhongxiu and dozens of other officials, both big and small, waiting for him at the dock.
There were also hundreds of imperial guards standing majestically on the dock, holding spears and halberds.
"Please welcome Duke Jianguo back to the court!"
More than a hundred red-lacquered halberds on the dock fell to the ground at the same time, and all officials paid their respects.
The imperial edict states that extravagant receptions and farewells are not allowed, but who takes it to heart?
Zhang Yue landed, and Zhang Zhi said to him: "The Queen Mother has ordered the Taichang Temple to prepare a welcoming ceremony."
Zhang Yue's eyes passed over the vaguely visible Xuande Tower in the distance: "Wait a minute, how is the emperor's dragon body?"
Zhang Zhi lowered his voice and said, "I was able to drink half a cup of ginseng soup the day before yesterday."
Suddenly, the sound of horse hooves was heard like heavy rain. An official came galloping from Xihua Gate.
It was the secretary of the Central Secretariat Zeng Zhao. When he dismounted, he reported to Zhang Yue: "The Empress Dowager has orally ordered that Duke Jian be exempted from attending court for three days as he has been exhausted from the journey."
Zhang Yue thought to himself that the three-day exemption from court attendance was actually because he was unwilling to go to court to meet the emperor immediately.
These are just polite words.
Zhang Yue nodded, and saw a large group of people gathered near the dock, but they were stopped by soldiers.
Zhang Yue pointed his finger and asked, "What's the matter?"
Zhang Zhi said: "It's a student from the Imperial College."
As soon as Zhang Yue finished speaking, he saw a shoveling among the crowd. Zhang Yue looked at Cai Jing, Han Zhongyan and others, but they all turned their heads away.
Hundreds of students rushed out, and the leader held up the imperial examination papers with both hands, ignoring the imperial guards on the dock who were blocking them with their spears.
Zhang Yue waved his sleeves and said, "Let them come over!"
"Yes."
The imperial guards on both sides lined up to clear the road, and hundreds of students from the Imperial College came to the dock and bowed down, looking like waves.
"Students respectfully welcome Duke Jianguo back to the court!"
Zhang Yue, dressed in cloth clothes and straw sandals, walked in front of the students. Cai Jing, Cai Bian, Han Zhongyan and others stood beside him, looking into the distance in deep thought.
Zhang Yue's eyes swept across the flash of black boots behind the curtain of the teahouse in the distance - they must be the patrol soldiers of the Imperial City.
The leading scholar was Zhou Bangyan, a scholar at the Imperial College, who had been appreciated by the emperor for his poem "Fu on Bian Capital".
Zhou Bangyan said: "Mr. Jian, if the tax exemption is passed, old farmers will not have to sell their children; tea permits are allowed for trade, and poor women can buy more clothes. If you completely abolish Xifeng's laws, it would be like breaking the dike of Ruhan!"
"We ask Lord Jian to return to the court to preside over state affairs!"
All the students bowed together and said, "Please grant our approval, Lord Jian. Otherwise, we will not be able to bow any longer!"
Zhang Zhi said, "How dare you! Are you trying to threaten the Prime Minister?"
However, Zhang Yue raised his hand to stop his nephew, then looked at the guards of the Imperial City Division. He vaguely saw a clerk copying something behind the curtain, and he didn't know whether he was recording the conversation or counting the names.
Zhang Yue said gently, "Young people are to be feared! However, governing a country is not about talking. If you have any real insights, you can go to the Silver Office and submit a sealed petition."
"I am no longer the prime minister. This matter is entirely up to the Queen Mother!"
After saying this, Zhang Yue glanced at Cai Jing, Cai Bian, Han Zhongyan and others standing beside him and said, "Do you think that we can work together even if we have different philosophies?"
No one knew what Zhang Yue meant.
But Zhang Yue waved his sleeves and strode away. The students wanted to stop him but were stopped by the imperial guards.
(End of this chapter)