LRAB Chapter 1302: Once Promised to Be the World's No. 1
Chapter 1302: Once Promised to Be the World's No. 1
Chapter 1302: Once Promised to Be the Best in the World
At the beginning of the seventh year of Yuanfeng.
The Minister of Revenue Huang Lu was dismissed.
As everyone knows, Zhang Yue and Huang Lu have always been inseparable.
Zhang Yue was able to reform the court's finances successfully, squeeze money from all parties without over-exploiting the people, so as to support the court in suppressing the Tanguts and resisting the Khitan. Huang Lu played a great role in this.
However, Huang Lu was a low-key person who never wanted to be in the limelight. People outside the court thought that he was an official who only obeyed Zhang Yue's orders.
Now that Huang Lu has been dismissed, it can be seen as a sign of the times, foreshadowing the gradual withdrawal of Zhang Yue and his party.
The Bian River was a bit deserted.
In a passenger ship.
Zhang Yue was preparing for Huang Lu's departure from Beijing. There were a few side dishes and a pot of wine at the banquet.
"Something good is going to happen in Shi Pu's family." Huang Luyan said.
Zhang Yue asked: "What good news?"
"Shi Pu wants to marry Chi Zhengcheng's children to each other?"
After Huang Lu's explanation, Zhang Yue learned that Cai Que's son Cai Zhuang married Han Cuiyan's eldest daughter. Han Cuiyan was Han Qi's fifth son and Han Zhongyan's younger brother.
Zhang Yue stopped drinking for a moment, then smiled and said, "That's a good thing."
Huang Lu smiled and said, "I thought you would be unhappy."
Zhang Yue said: "Although Zhizheng and I have some disagreements, it's not a life-and-death fight, so why not?"
"Shi Pu and Zhi Zheng were classmates at the Imperial College. I will give them a big gift when they get married."
Huang Lu smiled and said, "Actually, this time the Xiang family not only looked for you and Zhizheng."
"He also looked for me and Master Pu."
Zhang Yue said: "This is also a lesson for us from the experience of Empress Xiaozhang."
After listening to Huang Lu's words, Zhang Yue thought to himself, it turns out that you, Han Zhongyan, are the hidden big boss.
Historically, after the death of Emperor Zhezong of Song, Emperor Huizong of Song ascended the throne with Empress Dowager Xiang as the ruler.
During the six months that Empress Dowager Xiang was in power, the first thing she did was to promote Han Zhongyan to the position of Right Prime Minister, and then to the position of Left Prime Minister, a position that was even higher than Zeng Bu.
This can be seen as Empress Dowager Xiang's reward to Han Zhongyan.
Zhang Yue thought of using Han Qi's influence to maintain the succession to the throne, and the Queen also thought of it. Cai Que and Han Zhongyan became relatives under this matchmaking. However, Huang Lu didn't know that Zhang Yue had already known about the secret communication between Cai Que and Han Zhongyan.
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Everyone has their own aspirations. I can't force them, otherwise I will have no friends."
"After you and I both retire, Master Pu will have his own ideas, and I cannot have anything to do with them!"
Huang Lu said with emotion: "That is why Master Pu Fang and I are willing to help you sincerely. And because of this, you can find people by saving us."
Zhang Yue shook his head and said, "Wealth and honor are what everyone desires, but how many people would treat them like a worn-out shoe like you do?"
Han Zhongyan accepted Queen Xiang's invitation, but Huang Lu did not, otherwise he would not have left Beijing early.
It should be noted that in another time and space, Huang Lu once submitted a petition requesting the Queen and Empress Dowager Gao to jointly rule the country.
Of course, Huang Lu had said that after he retired, he would also resign from the position of Minister of Revenue. This time, he was unwilling to be a prefect, and only retired as a palace official.
Huang Lu said: "I heard that Zhao Qingxian, who died of illness not long ago, named his residence Gaozhai. He wrote a poem."
"The gold on his waist has been hidden away, and the news is common. If people want to know the old man Gao Zhai, they will know him as Zhao Silang from Kecun."
Zhao Qingxian is Zhao Yan.
In the early years of Xining, he served as a councilor and ruled together with Wang Anshi.
Zhang Yue worked with him in the court for many years. He not only witnessed the style of this old minister of Jiayou, but also had a lot of dealings with him.
Zhao Yan was an honest official. When he went to Sichuan to serve as an official, he only brought a zither and a crane with him. Later generations used the numbers "zither and crane" as a synonym for an honest official.
After Zhao Yan retired from the position of prime minister, he was extremely indifferent, so he made the statement "If people of his time want to know Mr. Gao Zhai, they will only know Zhao Silang of Kecun".
Huang Lu pointed to the Bian River flowing by the boat and said, "When Zhao Zhongxian entered Shu and crossed the river, he saw the river was so clear that he could see the bottom. He vowed, 'My ambition is to make the river as clear as this!'"
"I am a scholar from a poor family. I came here with clean hands, and I will leave with clean hands!
After three cups of wine, Zhang Yue and Huang Lu said goodbye.
The passenger ship departs.
Huang Lu asked, "Duzhi, do you think that Your Majesty will appoint a crown prince this spring as promised?"
Zhang Yue said: "It is unknown."
Huang Lu said: "Whether it succeeds or not, this proposal of establishing a crown prince is the best in the world!"
Zhang Yue smiled and watched Huang Lu leave on the boat from the shore. Although Huang Lu was once the Minister of Revenue and tens of millions of guan passed through his hands every year, when he left Beijing, he only took his wife and children with him and several merchants to squeeze on a boat.
Huang Lu took a step forward and said in a distant voice: "Measure it, you must know that when you were young, you had lofty ambitions and promised to be the best in the world!"
Zhang Yue recalled that when the two of them had a long conversation at night in the Imperial College, they had expected each other to become the best figures in the world.
The two chatted about what it means to be a first-rate person in the world. It is not about how high your position is or how high your status is, but about living like the person you want to be.
He still remembers the joke he made at that time to this day.
Why are there so many farewell poems in Tang poetry? Because it is so difficult to find a bosom friend in life!
Zhang Yue bowed to Huang Lu across the river.
Huang Lu returned the greeting and turned to go into the cabin.
……
After Huang Lu was dismissed, there were drastic personnel changes in the court, and He Zhengchen, Cai Que's confidant, took over as the Minister of Revenue.
The Minister of War Han Zhongyan was appointed as the Minister of Rites. The emperor obviously agreed with Zhang Yue's suggestion and let Han Zhongyan succeed Han Qi and occupy a high position in discussing rituals.
Later, Li Qingchen, the Minister of Personnel, was appointed as the Minister of the Left, and Cai Que, the former Minister of the Left, was appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
This was the tacit understanding and agreement reached between Zhang Yue, Wang Gui and Cai Que.
Cai Que passed Zhang Zhi to become the Minister of the Imperial Household, which also meant that he would succeed Zhang Yue as the Right Prime Minister. Cai Que, who had been neglected, regained his popularity.
As for the Minister of Works, An Tao took over as the Minister of Personnel. The former Minister of Rites, Chen Mu, was appointed as a prefecture governor, and Zeng Bu returned to the court to serve as the Minister of Punishments.
As for the Minister of War and the Minister of Works, the positions remained vacant and would not be filled.
This is the case in the officialdom. When a person is promoted, it will be accompanied by a series of personnel adjustments. This is also often referred to as one person, one job.
However, Huang Lu and Chen Mu left Beijing one after another, and Wang Gui and Cai Que's confidants entered the central government to govern. Zhang Yue felt that the tea had gotten cold before the guests had even left.
Of course, Zhang Yue also understood that this was the price he had to pay for proposing to establish a reserve.
The Emperor and Empress Dowager Gao must be extremely angry now.
Although Zhang Yue wisely handed over power step by step, he also fought back in order to prevent Cai Que from succeeding him as the right prime minister and taking power in the future.
He first handed over the power to remove officials from the Zhongshu Tang and changed it to the Shangshu Sheng Gongyi Tang to remove officials.
It is well known that handing over personnel power is like giving up one's own martial arts.
At the same time, in order to curb the power of the Minister of Revenue, he changed the Right Cao of the Ministry of Revenue (formerly the Sinong Temple) to be directly under the Ministry of Shangshu. This move prevented Cai Que from joining forces with his cronies, the new Minister of Revenue He Zhengchen, to change his own conscription law in the future.
In this case, even if Cai Que became the right prime minister, he would find that his power was not comparable to that of Zhang Yue when he once served as the right prime minister.
What's more, the two ministries of Zhongshu and Menxia each had one more person, Zhongshu Shilang and Menxia Shilang to share power. From four prime ministers in three ministries to six prime ministers, from Zhang Yue monopolizing power, to the prime minister discussing major matters.
Zhang Yue knew that Cai Que must be cursing in his heart, thinking that it was really unkind of him to smash the pots and pans after the meal.
But Zhang Yue no longer cared what Cai Que was thinking.
Shiqi Niang had already sent someone to send some things back to her hometown in advance.
More than a year ago, Zhang Yue sent people to Jianzhou to find a piece of land to build a house.
It was a forest residence in the mountains, located in Chong'an County. This Chong'an County was later Wuyishan City, and belonged to Jianzhou together with Pucheng.
Nanpu River originates from Chong'an County, and if you go downstream, you can reach Pucheng, your hometown. Few people know that Liu Yong and Liu Sanbian were from Chong'an.
From now on, the green waves, the misty corridors, the calm lake and the green mountains will be my companions day and night, and the wealth and glory of the past will be like the wind blowing on my temples.
Just like the saying "Zhao Silang of Ke Village". Who knows that the guest in the mountain today is the same person as before.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue smiled slightly, even though he had once said with Su Shi and Su Zhe that they would retire and live together in Xianyang.
But no matter how tall the tree is, its leaves will return to its roots, so he still wants to be Huang Lu's neighbor.
But there is one last thing I haven't done.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue looked at the spring snow outside the window and immediately picked up his pen to write a memorial.
He decided to submit a petition to the emperor requesting retirement, even though there were still three months left until his original agreement with the emperor.
After finishing the memorial, Zhang Yue felt relieved. Shiqi Niang watched Zhang Yue write his resignation and said, "Sir, I can't accompany you back to Jianzhou for the time being!"
Zhang Yue said: "I don't need you to take care of Brother Weng and Brother Cheng."
Shiqi Niang said, "Brother Cheng has been silent since he came home today."
Zhang Yue heard this and said, "What's wrong? Brother Cheng doesn't talk much usually."
Shiqi Niang said: "Although Cheng'er's temperament is not like his brother, he has no less ideas in his heart."
Zhang Yue asked, "His academic performance has improved a lot recently, which impressed me. Maybe he is unhappy because he failed to get into the middle school this time."
"In fact, whether or not you enter the middle school is secondary."
"It's rare that he has such an enterprising spirit. Ordinary people often say that within three generations there will be a son who can make a fortune in the family."
"There may be no signs of this kind of child in their early years. Their academic performance is average and their interpersonal relationships are not that good either. However, after going through things, they are like a phoenix rising from the ashes."
"Today, Saburo seems to have a strong character and is tenacious in his actions. You will see."
Shiqi Niang laughed and said, "Sir, it seems that what you said is not about your own child, but about yourself."
Zhang Yue smiled.
……
In the Funing Palace.
After the emperor read Zhang Yue's resignation letter, he asked Shi Deyi and Song Yongchen, who were standing beside him, "Do you know why Prime Minister Zhang is resigning at this time?"
Seeing the stone, one or two people could not answer.
The emperor said, "As the saying goes, the Eastern Palace is built in spring. Prime Minister Zhang retired before the crown prince was established. It is clear that he does not want to take credit for the establishment of the crown prince. He retired early to persuade me to make up my mind sooner!"
The Eastern Palace is also known as the Spring Palace.
Therefore, the time for establishing a crown prince is usually chosen in spring. Now it is February, and Zhang Yue must retire before March to show that he did not make the remonstrance for the credit of being established.
At the same time, he advised the emperor to make up his mind as soon as possible.
The emperor is now healthy, but he still has some regrets in his heart. He has already taken action in advance, first eliminating Zhang Yue's followers Huang Lu and Chen Mu, and promoting Cai Que and Wang Gui's confidants.
When the emperor saw Zhang Yue's resignation letter, he sighed, "For so many years, Zhang Qing has been using the same tactics, using weakness instead of strength, using softness instead of hardness, but he is persistent, which means he will not give up until he achieves his goal."
Song Yongchen and Shi Deyi were reminded of the words in the Tao Te Ching when they heard the official's words: "The weak overcomes the strong." This is what the flowing water does not compete for the first place, but for the endless flow.
The emperor looked out of the palace for a long time and said, "I have approved Mr. Zhang's resignation!"