Prime Minister

Chapter 1345: Prime Minister Da Neng (3 chapters in 1)

Chapter 1345: The Prime Minister of Great Patience (Three Updates in One)

As soon as Empress Dowager Gao entered the room, she played the emotional card for Zhang Yue.

Sima Guang and Zhang Yue both had contributions in supporting Emperor Yingzong to the throne, and they both made great contributions to his ascension to the throne.

She is a very sentimental person, so she will definitely reward you well for this.

Zhang Yue knew it very well.

What was Empress Dowager Gao's target? Her target was Empress Dowager Zhangxianmingsu. Of course, Empress Dowager Zhangxian's target was Wu Zetian.

Of course, Empress Zhangxian did not become Wu Zetian due to opposition from many ministers.

The Empress Dowager Cao, who succeeded Empress Zhangxian, was forced to withdraw from power and return power to Emperor Yingzong under the pressure of Han Qi's civil service group.

In another time and space, Empress Dowager Gao did not become Empress Dowager Zhangxian, but she was better than Empress Dowager Cao.

On the one hand, the power of the civil service group became stronger, and on the other hand, she used the card of abolishing the reform to divide the civil service group.

So that she really had the power.

In another time and space, Gao Taotao made full use of the card of Prince Yong and Wang Gui's ambiguous neutrality to force the New Party to play all its cards in the matter of choosing the crown prince.

For the sake of the Sixth Prince, Empress Xiang had to secretly communicate with ministers such as Cai Que and Han Zhongyan as a check and balance.

But in this life, the sixth prince has been made the crown prince.

The Sixth Prince is not alone, as he has Han Zhongyan, Cai Bian, Cheng Yi and others around him.

Therefore, Zhang Yue went through so much trouble and was willing to risk offending the emperor to get this done.

Now he had the capital to confront Empress Dowager Gao, and all the ministers who had supported the establishment of the crown prince were on his side.

Even Sima Guang and his old party members would never dare to raise any objection to the issue of the succession.

Now Queen Mother Gao is very weak in playing the card of Prince Yong.

When Empress Dowager Gao saw Zhang Yue's proposal to send Prince Yong away, she did not answer directly but asked, "You were summoned to the capital. What have you eaten in your residence these days?"

Zhang Yue said, "They are all home-cooked dishes. I knew I would have to meet the Queen Mother today, so I only had noodles and pickles this morning."

Empress Dowager Gao asked with a smile: "You were once a prime minister, but you only ate these?"

Zhang Yue said, "I eat light food. I usually just drink porridge in the morning. But today I am going to see the Queen Mother and I am afraid it would be disrespectful to eat porridge, so I ate noodles instead."

Empress Dowager Gao behind the curtain laughed when she heard this.

Zhang Yue implied that drinking porridge would cause frequent urination, so he ate noodles instead.

The two chatted about family matters, and Empress Dowager Gao asked with a smile, "Does Mr. Zhang usually eat so simply?"

Zhang Yue said: "No, I ate more abundantly after returning home, with plenty of fish and meat."

"But this time when I returned to Jianzhou, the wild vegetables and fruits were quite appetizing to me."

"When I was young, I liked meat and fish, but now I feel that plain and simple happiness is the real taste, and simple food can nourish the spirit of righteousness."

Empress Dowager Gao said, "Oh, what Mr. Zhang said is quite true. I have a different opinion. If a person does not pursue the great desire of food and drink, then he must be pursuing the great desire of the world."

Zhang Yue said: "So Zhang Du knows that his desire is strong."

"Oh?"

"It's better to eat less than to be too full." Zhang Yue said Zhang Maze's catchphrase with a smile.

Empress Dowager Gao smiled when she heard this, and Zhang Yue also smiled.

But the tense atmosphere in the hall eased a little.

Empress Dowager Gao smiled and said, "I and Empress Cisheng Guangxian are both Buddhists, so we inevitably dislike mixed flavors. This has put a lot of hardship on Zhang Duzhi and others who have been serving us all year round. They have to eat vegetarian food every day. Over time, their appetite has decreased."

Zhang Yue suppressed his smile and said, "From ancient times to the present, the only way to deal with things is to be respectful and cautious."

When the Han Dynasty officials met the emperor, they often had to hold chicken tongue incense in their mouths to prevent the emperor from smelling any bad odors. Holding chicken tongue incense in their mouths became a nickname for court officials. Zhang Yue knew that Empress Dowager Gao was a woman and had practiced Buddhism for a long time, so she was particularly sensitive to foreign odors. Therefore, Zhang Yue specially fumigated his clothes with incense and rinsed his mouth with fragrant tea several times before meeting the emperor today.

How to maintain superficial decency and the distinction between superiors and subordinates while expressing one's own interests will always be a science for officials.

Empress Dowager Gao said, "No wonder the government always says that Mr. Zhang is a loyal minister. But I recently read Li He's poem 'Repaying your kindness on the Golden Terrace, supporting the Jade Dragon and dying for you', which says that from ancient times to the present, the emperor's grace is the most difficult to accept, and a scholar will die for his confidant."

"But didn't Li He also write 'I don't know the height of the blue sky, the thickness of the yellow earth, I only see the cold moon and the warm sun, which burn the life span of people'? You said that if you don't use it for a long time, you will feel resentful."

Li He is known as the ghost poet. "Repaying the King's Kindness on the Golden Terrace and Diing for the King with the Jade Dragon" was written when he was 20 years old. It contains the romantic sentiment of a young man who is loyal to his country.

But afterwards he was frustrated in his official career and died of depression at the age of 27. He wrote the poem "I don't know how high the blue sky is, or how thick the yellow earth is. I only see the cold moon and the warm sun, which burn people's life."

Empress Dowager Gao used poetry to illustrate politics.

Do you, Zhang Yue, feel any resentment at this moment?

Zhang Yue said: "When I first proposed to establish a crown prince, my original intention was to do one more great thing for the court before retiring. When I passed Xianxia Mountain, I threw my bamboo stick into the abyss, and I had already made up my mind not to leave Fujian again."

"From where I came, there I shall return. I have toiled for the country for half my life, and now I can enjoy this peaceful life. Your Majesty has shown great kindness. The laws of nature are cyclical, and power cannot be exhausted, and blessings cannot be enjoyed to the fullest. How could I not know this?"

After Zhang Yue finished speaking, he glanced at the Empress Dowager behind the curtain.

"Later, Your Majesty appointed me as Jiedushi. I declined repeatedly, but I didn't expect the Jianzhou Tea Rebellion, and I had to accept the order. Today, I didn't hear Your Majesty send an order to summon me. Your Majesty didn't say a word on his sickbed, but you summoned me to the capital. I don't know what your Majesty meant. Please tell me and then allow me to retire and return home."

Empress Dowager Gao, who was sitting behind the curtain, was silent for a moment.

How could she not know what Zhang Yue meant by "Power cannot be used up, and blessings cannot be enjoyed to the fullest." Even though Empress Dowager Gao is in charge of state affairs now, the Crown Prince will sooner or later rule the country.

The way of heaven is cyclical.

If you disobey and oppress the successor today, what will be your fate in the future?

It feels great to manipulate power today, but what about in the future?

Let’s talk about Empress Xiang in another time and space. After supporting Emperor Huizong of Song to ascend the throne, she also nominally ruled behind the scenes.

However, Empress Xiang did not cling to power in view of the events of Yuanyou and Shaosheng. After ruling for half a year, she returned power to Emperor Huizong. When she was in power, she even ridiculed herself by saying that she did not know these characters and that she was not well educated and could not handle state affairs.

You have to know that Empress Xiang is the great-granddaughter of former Prime Minister Xiang Minzhong, so her cultural level must be very high.

What Empress Dowager Gao is doing now is not taking into account the life and death of her own flesh and blood, the officials' family, or the country and the people, but putting her own personal interests first!

Zhang Yue spoke to the Queen Mother Gao's heart, but she was a very strong-willed person and still refused to give in on Prince Yong's going away.

Empress Dowager Gao said, "Your Majesty has not recovered from his illness these days. He may be too emotional to see me. I'll see you later."

Zhang Yue said: "The Queen Mother has been mindful of our old friendship, and I am deeply grateful. I have one more thing to ask..."

After saying this, Zhang Yue took out a memorial and said, "I heard that Sima Guang submitted a memorial to abolish the exemption from military service and the Baojia system. This is a memorial written after many days of discussion with Zeng Bu, Zhang Xi, Zhang Zhi and others."

"On the Pros and Cons of the Xining and Yuanfeng New Laws."

Zhang Yue took the memorial and handed it to the eunuch beside him, who handed it to Empress Dowager Gao behind the curtain.

There was the sound of flipping papers behind the curtain.

Empress Dowager Gao said, "Do you know that I get up at 3:00 pm every day to recite the sutra? The Avatamsaka Sutra says: The mind is like a skilled painter, able to paint all the worlds."

"Sima Guang has been saying for more than ten years that the new law is not feasible. His heart is upright. He once told me that even if there is a small profit from the exemption money, it will eventually undermine the discipline of the court! Although the service is hard, there is still a loyal and honest spirit."

Of course, from Zhang Yue's perspective, it is also understandable why the empress dowager wanted to abolish the new law. The New Party officials were all promoted by the government, and she had no control over them.

On the contrary, the officials of the old party have been oppressed by the new party for a long time. She can only take advantage of the old party's eagerness to rise to power, overthrow the new party, and renew personnel to achieve the purpose of controlling the government.

This is a method that can achieve the goal easily without even having to think about it, so no matter whether Empress Dowager Gao opposes the new law in her heart, the underlying reasons are not important.

The only way for the New Party to compete is to play the prince card. But this does not mean that superficial work is not enough, and the support of the people is also crucial.

Faced with Sima Guang's "laws of ancestors" card, Zhang Yue would easily be at a disadvantage if he continued to narrate from the perspective of the traditional New Party.

Zhang Yue made some plans and responded, "I have been receiving salary from the emperor for 20 years, and I only know the four words 'people first'. I don't know if there is a way to use the bones of the people to build loyalty and honesty."

"Sima Junshi is a gentleman. I, like the Queen Mother, have always believed that his heart is upright. But he has been away from home for too long. He has been writing books for fifteen years. How can he know the people's livelihood? In my opinion, his stubbornness is no different from that of Wang Jiefu in the past."

Sima Guang's memorials to the emperor had the usual routine of "Your servant Guang therefore says".

Of course, the important support is Sima Guang's personality and moral model. Many people in the New Party, such as Pu Zongmeng, have questioned Sima Guang's character, saying: "Half of the talents are ruined by Sima Guang's evil teachings." As a result, the government angrily criticized him, "Since I took office, I have only seen this person resign from the Privy Council. Others, even if forced to leave, would not resign."

It is human nature to stigmatize or slander political opponents or people with different political views. However, this can easily affect your judgment and objectivity.

If Zhang Yue were to question Sima Guang's character, Empress Dowager Gao would certainly sneer at him. You, Zhang Yue, are not doubting Sima Guang's character, but rather doubting Empress Dowager Gao's judgment of people.

Zhang Yue continued, "I remember that there is a chapter in Mencius called 'People are the Most Important'. I once asked Cheng Yi, 'Can benevolent government be measured?' Cheng Yi replied, 'The number of people saved is the number of benevolent policies.' I hope the Queen Mother will use the wisdom of a young phoenix as a mirror, and not let history alone reflect the curtain."

The way to deal with the laws of our ancestors is to abolish them all. What should we do if the new laws cause turmoil in the economy and people's livelihood?

Empress Dowager Gao read the memorial drafted by Zhang Yue. If the exemption law is abolished, not only will the national treasury lose millions of guan of revenue a year, but the tea tax in Jianzhou and the machinery households in Suzhou and Hangzhou all rely on the exemption law. What should be done? Zeng Bu compiled "The Origin and Development of the Labor Law" to refute Sima Guang's restoration of the old law.

Empress Dowager Gao wanted to seize power, but her greater prerequisite was to secure her rule over the world.

Once the world is in turmoil and the people are in turmoil, she will also be on pins and needles.

Empress Dowager Gao hesitated for a moment and said, "The prince is kind, filial and intelligent. With the guidance of a great scholar like Cheng Yichuan, he will surely become a ruler like Yao and Shun in time."

Empress Dowager Gao's words were already a semi-compromise.

Zhang Yue smiled slightly. He knew that he had achieved his goal. Now was not the time to add fuel to the fire, but to leave it for next time.

If you are too aggressive, you will easily become annoying.

People are both reasonable and emotional, so you have to grasp the right timing.

Zhang Yue said: "Your Highness the Crown Prince relies entirely on the Queen Mother's guidance. I will take my leave first."

When Empress Dowager Gao heard this, she had already drafted an imperial edict, ordering Zhang Yue to go to Taiyuan immediately after being summoned to take over from Lu Huiqing in guarding Hedong, but this decree could not be issued for the time being.

Empress Dowager Gao watched Zhang Yue's back and couldn't help thinking, No wonder Your Majesty values ​​Zhang Yue so much, this man is truly worthy of the position of Prime Minister.

……

When Zhang Yue walked out of Chuigong Hall, the dusk had already dyed the palace walls and eaves red. He stopped and looked back at the candlelight in the hall, and his ears were still echoing with the Queen Mother Gao about Prince Yong's departure.

"Meet Mr. Jian!"

Xing Shu bowed deeply to the ground, the hem of his purple robe stained with the moss on the steps - it was obvious that he had been waiting for a long time.

Zhang Yue motioned the eunuch to stay aside and walked closer to Xing Shu and asked.

"Why is Doctor Xing waiting for me here instead of going to the East Hall to draft a letter of dismissal?"

Xing Shu's Adam's apple rolled, and he could not help but remember Sima Guang's reprimand for being indecisive: "Lord Jiang, you are too kind to me. I was a student of Lord Jiang in those days, and I will never forget this kindness."

"It's an old story." Zhang Yue interrupted: "Isn't He Shu now serving under the left prime minister?"

Xing Shu's expression darkened when he heard this and he said, "It's hard to explain this in a few words. I'm sorry for my short-sightedness, but I also want to use my promising body to do something great for the court and the country."

"It is a noble sign to have the heart to help others. It is good that He Shu has such a heart. But it is not easy for Lu Lianzi to do it."

Xing Shu's face darkened at Zhang Yue's words, and he said, "Lord Jian, I did study under Lord Sima, the Right Prime Minister. At that time, I was full of confidence and high spirits, and wise men vied to associate with me. Later, I successively became a disciple of Lord Jian and the Left Prime Minister. Outsiders say that I am fickle by nature, and I hold upright opinions on the surface but am cunning on the inside."

"But I am sorry that I just want to run around and try to reconcile the differences between the old and new sides and avoid the recurrence of party disputes."

Zhang Yue shook his head upon hearing this and was about to leave. Xing Shu quickly caught up with him and said, "I know that Lord Jiang is very busy, so I dare not disturb you."

"But now Lord Sima is as stubborn as a rock and won't listen to any advice. Looking at the whole world, the only person who can save the new law is Lord Zhang!"

Zhang Yue looked at Xing Shu and asked, "Did Zhizheng ask you to come see me?"

Xing Shu looked around and lowered his voice and said, "Minister Zuo has offended Lord Jiang many times before, but this time Lord Jiang is back in power, he also played a role in urging him to return. I hope Lord Jiang will put aside the past grudges and save the world."

Zhang Yue said, "I have not been involved in government affairs for a long time, so how can I save him? As for Zhizheng, he thought of this day when he forced Chen Heshu to death."

Xing Shu said: "But whether the new law stays or goes away is closely related to Lord Jiang!"

Zhang Yue's expression eased a little when he heard this, and he said, "Tell Zhizheng that I have already submitted a petition today. My attitude is that the exemption law must be preserved and the market exchange law must be abolished. As for the other laws, it depends on his ability."

Zhang Yue wanted to leave again.

"Lord Jian, please stay!" Xing Shu said, "Lord Sima is next in line, but it's the Queen Mother's side."

Zhang Yue smiled slightly upon hearing this and said, "Uncle He, the most urgent task is to get the Second King out to calm the people."

"As for the way to break the impasse... it depends on whether you, Uncle He, dare to join the game yourself?"

"Joining the game with your own body?" Xing Shu asked.

At this moment, Cai Que from the Ministry of Personnel was looking towards the Chuigong Palace and said slowly, "Originally, there was an imperial decree to send Zhang Duzhi to Taiyuan as the governor of Hedong, but the decree has not been issued yet."

"From this, we know that Zhang Duzhi's words moved the Queen Mother."

"So I told him to go back to Beijing."

Zhang Dun, who was standing by, listened to Cai Que's words but remained silent for the time being.

……

As dusk fell in Bianjing, Empress Dowager Gao's nephews Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji arrived at Xing Shu's residence at the invitation of Xing Shu.

"Doctor Xing said that there are white peaches in the mansion that can cure the emperor's illness. I wonder where they are?" Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji asked, but his eyes were actually looking inside the mansion.

As everyone knows, the emperor is seriously ill, so all banquets and entertainments are cancelled.

But these children of aristocratic families cannot stand loneliness, so they go out under various pretexts, saying they are going to see the white peaches, but in fact they are just seeking pleasure.

Xing Shu smiled and said, "Please come in and you will know."

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji showed an expression of understanding, there must be something else going on in the mansion.

Gao Gonghui stepped on the locust flowers that were deliberately not swept on the stone path and smelled the ambergris - this was definitely not the rule for an ordinary banquet.

"Could this 'white peach' of Doctor Xing be a seed from the fairyland of Yaochi?" Gao Gongji jokingly pushed open the door, only to see a plain stone table under the ancient Yang tree and three cups of plum blossom wine.

It’s a pity that there are no prostitutes.

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji sighed silently in their hearts, but it was said that female prostitutes were too ostentatious, so it would be nice to have a banquet.

The two of them sat down after they finished talking. They also knew that Xing Shu was secretly following Cai Que's orders and intended to win them over. He held banquets and small banquets from time to time as a way of currying favor with Empress Dowager Gao in a roundabout way.

Prime ministers are all good at dancing with long sleeves.

Now that Empress Dowager Gao is in power, Cai Que and Xing Shu will definitely try to curry favor with her. I wonder what gifts will be presented after the banquet.

They didn't care. Xing Shu spoke nicely and helped them with small things from time to time and made some concessions. They were happy to do so every time.

Xing Shu had already picked up the pot and poured wine.

After three rounds of drinking, Xing Shu suddenly grabbed the hands of Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji and said, "Prime Minister Cai ordered us to show our confidants."

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji were surprised to see Xing Shu like this. They just came here to have fun, why do you, Xing Shu, look so serious?

"Your Majesty's illness cannot be concealed. The Crown Prince is young, so it is better to make an order early. Yong and Cao are both wise kings!"

As soon as these words came out, Gao Gongji's jade chopsticks fell to the ground.

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji were so scared that they almost peed their pants.

They were just dandies, it was ok for them to come here to eat, drink and have fun, but even if they had ten thousand guts, they would not dare to get involved in such a dispute over the succession. Even though they were the nephews of Empress Dowager Gao, once they got involved in such a matter, they would still be doomed.

Haven’t you, Cai Que, always supported the prince?

When did he turn against the king and support Prince Yong and Prince Cao?

Why are you telling me these things?

Gao Gonghui, who had a little more insight, said, "Doctor Xing, don't deceive us with your words."

"Everyone knows that the crown prince has been appointed, and the people of the world are looking forward to his succession! How can we think otherwise?"

Gao Gongji on the other side hurriedly stood up and said, "Don't say that anymore. This person wants to bring disaster to our family. Let's leave first."

Xing Shu looked surprised and said, "Please don't be so polite, if there is such a big thing, don't forget Xing's kindness."

"Doctor Xing is drunk!

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji left in a hurry when they saw Xing Shu like this.

In their panic, they both stumbled while crossing the threshold of Xing's mansion.

“Watch out for the steps!

Xing Shu saw them off to the door and smiled as he watched the two nephews of the Gao family staggering.

……

"Mediocre! All my Gao family nephews and nephews are mediocre!"

Empress Dowager Gao closed her eyes and fiddled with the Bodhi beads on her wrist, but her anger did not ease at all.

Zhang Maoze and Liang Weijian were both silent, while Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji outside the corridor were both trembling.

"I hope the Queen Mother will have mercy on me and save the lives of my family."

"The sons of the Gao family." Empress Dowager Gao opened her eyes and glanced at the Gao Gonghui brothers who were crawling on the steps.

As the candlelight in the hall flickered, Empress Dowager Gao was deep in thought.

Why did Xing Shu ask this question even though he knew the answer and still told Gao Gonghui, Gao Gongji and the others this?

There is a conspiracy here, with three meanings.

People who didn't know the truth saw the first meaning and thought that Xing Shu, who was always fickle, was going to change sides again.

People who understand a little see the second meaning and think that Xing Shu was testing the Empress Dowager Gao's intentions through Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji.

Only those who truly understood would know that Xing Shu deliberately said the opposite of what he meant, and Empress Dowager Gao saw the meaning behind it from her own perspective.

The fact that Empress Dowager Zhangxian concealed the identity of Emperor Renzong's biological mother and refused to return power to Renzong until her death almost brought disaster to the Liu family.

That’s right, your position as Empress Dowager Gao is very impressive.

But have you ever thought about your mother’s family? How did Wu Sansi and his son die in history?

Queen Mother, you should think carefully about your family.

It wasn't easy for the Gao family to be where they are today.

Gao Gonghui and Gao Gongji outside were so frightened that they had lost their souls.

There are also Gao Zunyu, Gao Shijing and so on.

Once she passes away, the fate of the entire Gao family will be in the hands of the civil service group.

Queen Mother Gao said angrily: "Whose idea is this? He definitely doesn't have the guts to do this!"

"Is it Tsai Chi-cheng?"

Zhang Maoze hesitated for a moment, and Liang Weijian said, "Yesterday, Zhang Yue left the palace and talked with Xing Shu in the palace."

"afterwards……"

"It really is Zhang Yue!" Empress Dowager Gao showed a look of sudden realization. "Afterwards? How?"

Liang Weijian said: "Afterwards, Zhang Yue bowed deeply in the direction of Funing Palace!"

"this!"

Empress Dowager Gao became furious, but soon calmed down.

At this moment, she couldn't help but sigh that Zhang Yue's deep planning did not let down the emperor's cultivation over the years.

Soon, Queen Mother Gao was furious again: "What a great Zhang Yue's family foundation, Prince Yong's advancement, and the relationship between me and the Crown Prince are all planned by him."

"This person will not give up until he achieves his goal, just like when he appointed the crown prince!"

Empress Dowager Zhang Maoze pinched the Bodhi seed with her fingertips and said, "Empress Dowager, in the second year of Tiansheng, Empress Dowager Zhangxian wrote a letter in her own hand to the ministers, saying, 'If Ma Deng's reputation is recorded in the book, this is my wish.'"

Ma and Deng refer to Empress Ma of Mingde and Deng Sui respectively.

"The world must know the heart of the Empress Dowager, and must know the heart of Empress Dowager Zhangxian."

Empress Dowager Gao pondered for a moment after hearing what Zhang Maoze said.

"The decree was passed saying that Princess Yong was suffering from a heart disease, and the Imperial Medical Bureau was ordered to send an imperial physician to be on duty for twelve hours."

Zhang Maze and Liang Weijian knew that the empress dowager had been very strong-willed throughout her life, and even at this moment she had to save her face.

"Liang Weijian, tell Prince Yong to return to the palace. The emperor doesn't need him to take care of the sick. From now on, he is not allowed to enter the palace unless summoned!"

Liang Weijian said he had received the order and left.

……

When the first star lit up, Cai Que, Zhang Dun, Zhang Xu and other ministers on duty stood on the cloud steps with their hands behind their backs, watching Prince Yong leave the palace from afar.

Only five days after Zhang Yue arrived in Beijing, he accomplished what more than a dozen ministers had failed to do in half a year.

At this moment in the Funing Palace, the emperor's condition became serious again!

PS: Don’t be anxious, the book still has more than 300,000 words.

Try to catch up on what you owe.

Here are the first 6,000 words!