Prime Minister

Chapter 1341 The battle between the old and the new

Chapter 1341 The battle between the old and the new

Then we passed Huai and Si.

Zhang Yue leaned on the railing and looked into the distance, seeing the vast river waves, just like the old days.

The more he thought about how he was intercepted by bandits here, if it weren't for Tang Jiu's rescue, he would have almost lost his life.

This time when they passed the Huai and Si rivers, the navy on the river escorted them, with warships blocking the way and not allowing any ships to approach.

Although the imperial edict forbids extravagant receptions and farewells, how can the dignity of the prime minister of the dynasty be treated as a joke?

Especially since the current governor of Yangzhou was Ye Zuqia. As a key member of Zhang's party, Ye Zuqia actively promoted Zhang Yue's return to Beijing. He not only sent naval warships to see him off, but also officials from various prefectures and counties under Yangzhou's jurisdiction came to greet him from afar.

Although officials were not allowed to board the boat to pay a visit, they still bowed from a distance, holding their tablets and showing full courtesy.

Zhang Yue sat in the cabin, with the fresh breeze from the river blowing straight into him.

Zhang Yue carefully read the letter from his nephew Zhang Zhi and realized that the political situation in Bian Jing was in turmoil.

After Sima Guang submitted a petition for advice, he was opposed by Cai Que and Zhang Dun, who rejected it on the grounds that "the emperor is not in harmony and should not make arbitrary comments on state affairs." The empress dowager originally wanted to use public opinion to check and balance the New Party, but seeing this situation, she had to give up for the time being.

He had not yet arrived in Beijing, but important events in the government were happening one after another.

Zhang bluntly said that Sima Guang had been appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Cai Que, the Right Prime Minister, was promoted to the Left Prime Minister and concurrently the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. Lu Gongzhu, the Director of the Privy Council, was promoted to the Right Prime Minister and concurrently the Minister of the Secretariat. Zhang Dun, the former Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, was transferred to the Director of the Privy Council.

At that time, Empress Dowager Gao asked Cai Que, "Now that Wang Gui has passed away, who do you want to take the position of Right Prime Minister?"

Cai Que said cleverly: "The emperor should rest and recuperate, so it is not appropriate to move the prime minister at this time."

Empress Dowager Gao said, "The Secretariat cannot be left vacant for long. The backlog of memorials is not good for the country."

It would be best for Cai Que not to become the left prime minister, because the right prime minister holds the real power. However, without the chief minister, Cai Que would be the sole prime minister, with all the power in his hands. Empress Dowager Gao would never allow this to happen, so she told Cai Que that he must be promoted to the chief minister and give up the power of the Secretariat.

Cai Que said to Empress Dowager Gao: "Based on the current rank, it should be done by Lu Gongzhu of the Privy Council, but based on the precedent of our ancestors, it should be done by the Minister of the East Hall."

The councilor of the East Hall was Zhang Dun, the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.

"Cai Que saw that the situation was difficult to go against, and secretly thought that if he pushed Zhang Dun to the top, he could still protect the New Party. But Empress Dowager Gao said: "Just follow the order of rank."

However, it can be seen that there is already a check and balance in the palace.

The most bizarre thing is that this spring, a fire broke out in the Imperial Academy during the provincial examination. The flames rose to the sky for three days before they were extinguished. More than forty candidates died, and all the examination papers were handed over to Zhurong.

He Zhengchen and Cai Bian, who presided over the provincial examination, were demoted two levels each, and Cai Jing, the prefect of Kaifeng Prefecture, was also demoted one level for his poor firefighting.

Although the fire in the Imperial Examination Hall has not been verified, it seems that the fire burned the papers but not the others, but it killed more than 40 candidates. This time it seems that the judge has made a mark on the book of life and death, specifically against the New Party.

Although the imperial court issued an order to reopen the imperial examinations, the saying "Heaven's fire will burn the treacherous and cunning" was already spreading among the scholars.

When Zhang Yue read this letter, he suddenly felt that the New Party was about to collapse.

……

After Sima Guang was appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, he refused the appointment and insisted on becoming the governor of Chenzhou.

This time, in addition to submitting the memorial, his intention was even more obvious, and he directly proposed to abolish the new law.

This time, Sima Guang pointed directly at the Baojia System and the Exemption from Military Service System. In his memorial, he clearly stated that the Baojia System and the Exemption from Military Service System were "a strategy of cutting flesh to heal a wound", and even satirized the court for "blocking the river and thinking that it was calm, but in fact undercurrents had already arisen".

At the same time, the idea of ​​opening up channels for speech was once again put forward.

Zhang Yue saw that Sima Guang was targeting the exemption law.

If anyone else wanted to abolish the exemption law, Zhang Yue would definitely regard him as a treacherous and evil person, but when he saw Sima Guang, what else could Zhang Yue say?

Having served in the court for many years, he knew Sima Guang's character very well.

This man had a very strong will and a stubborn personality, even as strong as Wang Anshi's.

One is as stubborn as the Taihang rock, the other is as hard as the Hangu Pass.

Zhang Yue could barely understand Wang Anshi's stubbornness at the beginning, because the new law was attacked by the old party at that time. If you give in a little in the court, they will dare to give in a lot to you when they get to the local level.

Therefore, it is understandable that Wang Anshi had to be stubborn in the face of the wrongs in the world.

But Sima Guang you...

Of course, Sima Guang's political IQ was still very high, and Empress Dowager Gao ordered him to be the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. As for the participation in the government of the East Hall, Sima Guang showed a disdainful attitude, saying that as long as Empress Dowager Gao did not agree to my proposal to abolish the "Baojia Law and the Exemption Law", I would not be appointed as the Prime Minister.

This is somewhat like Yao Chong's Ten Matters Memorial to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.

If you want me to be prime minister, you must first promise me ten things.

The same is true for Sima Guang. If you want me to be the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, you must first agree to abolish the baojia system and the exemption system.

Sima Guang's move was certainly noble, but it was completely used in the wrong place.

The exemption law saved many people, but in Sima Guang's eyes it became a method of cutting flesh to heal a wound.

He personally saw an old farmer crying as he handed over the exemption money: "From now on, I don't have to sell my cow or pawn my wife to support the government!"

But now, in Sima Guang's writings, he has become the most evil person who harms the people and the country.

Empress Dowager Gao read Sima Guang's resignation letter and sighed, "There are so many officials in the court, but only this old minister does not want an official hat."

Empress Dowager Gao sent the imperial envoy Liang Weijian to give him a handwritten edict, ordering him to take up the post.

The imperial edict says, "The successor is young and virtuous, and I shall share all the affairs with you. We rely on upright people to assist the state. I would like to discuss state affairs with you. Why would you refuse? I will issue another imperial edict to open the way for discussion, and you must serve and implement it."

Empress Dowager Gao did not agree to Sima Guang's proposal to abolish the new law, but she agreed to Sima Guang's condition of opening up the channels for communication.

If it were someone else, they would be even more stubborn.

But this time Sima Guang accepted the appointment as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel. The next day, he went to the East Palace wearing a tall hat and a wide belt, which immediately caused an uproar in the court and the public.

……

Seeing Sima Guang appointed as the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Zhang Yue knew that it was irreversible for the old party to return to power.

Cai Que and Zhang Dun didn't know how many days they could hold out. In history, when an official died, he died, but now he was watching this scene with his own eyes, and he didn't know what to think.

Lu Gongzhu was appointed as You Pushe, and Sima Guang was appointed as Menxia Shilang, and they had already formed a situation of competing with the New Party in the court.

Sima Guang's words about abolishing the baojia system and the exemption system were clearly announced to the world.

Thinking of the re-examination of the provincial examination, he certainly hoped that scholars would use this opportunity to sing the "change" in their articles. Zhang Yue beat his chest. If the exemption law was really abolished, the harm Sima Guang brought to him would be ten times more than that of Lu Huiqing and Cai Que combined. Could it be that... could it be that Sima Guang really had to go down the same path as Yuanyou?

Zhang Yue turned to Jiangning and went to Banshan to visit Wang Anshi again.

But when he arrived at Banshan Garden, he met Wang Anli, the prefect of Jiangning Prefecture, and learned from him that Wang Anshi was seriously ill.

Wang Anli said to Zhang Yue, "A few days ago, when you learned that Lord Junshi criticized the Baojia Law, the Qingmiao Law, the Baoma Law, and the Farmland Irrigation Law, your expression was normal. But when you heard that Lord Junshi said that even the exemption law should be abolished."

"My brother was shocked when he heard this and asked in a low voice, 'Even the exemption law is going to be abandoned?' After a moment, he said to himself, 'This law must not be abandoned.' After saying this, he fell ill that night and never recovered."

Zhang Yue was particularly sad after hearing what Wang Anli said.

He had experienced this feeling of total despair on the boat, and Wang Anshi felt it ten times stronger than him.

Zhang Yue stood up and said, "Since Lord Jing is ill, I will not disturb you. Bye."

Wang Anli nodded and saw Zhang Yue out.

Suddenly, a medicine boy in blue came crashing in and reported, "The master has woken up! He wants to see Prime Minister Zhang!"

Zhang Yue immediately returned to Wang Anshi's bedroom, where he was greeted by a strong smell of medicinal soup.

Wang Anshi was half asleep and half awake on his sickbed.

Zhang Yue stepped forward, shook Wang Anshi's hand and said, "Mr. Jing!"

Wang Anshi closed his eyes and did not answer.

Wang Anli was crying, and Zhang Yue called out again and again, "Jing Gong!"

Wang Anshi finally slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Zhang Yue, and stretched out his bamboo-like hand from inside the tent.

Zhang Yue immediately shook Wang Anshi's hand.

Wang Anshi laughed and said, "I just took a nap and dreamt that I was discussing philosophy with you, Lord Jiang."

Zhang Yue smiled with tears in his eyes when he heard this and said, "Mr. Jing, we have known each other for so many years, we can't keep arguing!"

Wang Anshi heard this and said sadly: "Sima Twelve has become a prime minister! I am not afraid of the floating clouds blocking my view, but they are blocked in the end..."

Zhang Yue said: "Don't worry, Lord Jing. This time when I return to the capital, I will fight to the death to protect the new law."

Wang Anshi glanced at Zhang Yue and said, "Don't be too hasty in measuring it. When external things come, be lenient in dealing with them. This is the way of the mind."

After saying this, Wang Anshi nodded and fell into a deep sleep again.

Zhang Yue stood up from the short stool beside Wang Anshi's sickbed and said with a folded hand: "Jing Gong, it is easy to follow the old ways, but difficult to change the laws. It is easy to change the laws, but difficult to abide by them."

"I will do my best to go to Bianjing, you just need to recover from your illness!"

(End of this chapter)