Prime Minister

Chapter 1334 Sima Guang Enters Beijing

Chapter 1334 Sima Guang Enters Beijing

February of the eighth year of Yuanfeng.

Forbidden City Hall.

"You are worthy of being called Duzhi. You put an end to the civil unrest in Jianzhou in a blink of an eye." Cai Que threw the tea policy document on the table.

Cai Wei bowed and said, "My son is stupid. Zhang Duzhi is just putting pressure on the noble families to raise the price of tea. How can he be smart?"

Cai Que said, "Didn't you see that he used three strategies at the same time? The first one was to use the emperor's banner to pressure the Zhang and Wu clans, and cut off the three generations of the aristocratic family from taking the imperial examinations; the second one was to force Wang Zijing to reduce the interest on tea coupons from 20% to 10%, and allow the people to sell the tea outside the official roasting quota; the third one was to bring up the old case of Peng Jingyi and use Zhu Chi's head to intimidate private thieves - it seemed like a gentle gesture, but it was actually a thunderbolt."

"The noble family smuggled 400,000 strings of tax every year, and the common people were jealous and took up arms to resist the law. Du Zhi is well aware of the principle of 'to rectify the lower, you must first rectify the upper'!"

After saying this, Cai Que threw the note aside. Cai Wei said, "Zhang Yue impeached Wang Zijing for his incompetence and almost provoked a civil uprising. He asked the court to punish him severely."

Cai Que said: "Where is the civil rebellion? Didn't it disappear in the end? If we severely punish the ministers who are sincere in their duties today, who will be willing to be a bad guy for the court in the future?"

"From then on, everyone was afraid of hardship and refused to follow the court's wishes."

"Transfer Wang Zijing to Quanzhou and demote him three levels."

Cai Wei said: "It seems too light, but I think so too. Zhang Yue didn't want to be the bad guy, so he pushed it to Daddy."

"So how do you make the new tea?"

Cai Que said: "Let's do it according to Duzhi's opinion. This is also due to the situation."

While they were talking, someone suddenly said, "Sir, His Majesty is not well."

Upon hearing this, Cai Que's teacup suddenly fell to the ground, and the celadon shattered into eight pieces.

Cai Que immediately rushed to the palace from the Council of State Affairs.

When he rushed to the front of the Funing Palace, he saw the red lacquer door half open, and the copper bells under the eaves jingled in the north wind. Qian Ming, the head of the Imperial Hospital, was arguing with three imperial doctors in a low voice, and the pulse case in his hand was rustling in the north wind.

As for the ministers, they also arrived one after another. Wang Gui was discussing something with Zhang Dun. When he saw Cai Que, he turned around from the white jade railing and asked, "Is the matter of Jianzhou settled?"

Cai Que nodded.

Zuo Pushe Wang Gui stroked his beard and said with emotion: "Mr. Jiang is really good at this."

Tsai Que did not comment on this.

Zhang Dun looked at everyone from the corner of his eye. At this moment, he was sharing a warm stove with Wang Gui, who was wearing a mink coat. Zhang Dun said, "The matter of Jianzhou is far away, let's focus on the present."

Cai Que asked, "Isn't your majesty's body getting better?"

Wang Gui pondered for a moment and said, "It depends on human affairs and fate."

At this point, Cai Que saw Zhang Dun looking at Yong Wang Zhao Hao who was coming from a distance, and immediately asked, "Where is the prince?"

Prince Zhao Hao of Yong held a string of bodhi seeds in his hand, his knuckles were white from pinching, but he still looked worried and talked in a low voice with the Deputy Privy Envoy Han Zhen.

After Han Zhen was dismissed by Zhang Yue, he had been befriending Zhang Maoze and Liang Weijian. Now he has been reinstated by the government as Deputy Privy Councilor, which was also the opinion of Empress Dowager Gao.

Later, Lu Gongzhu and his son-in-law Zhang Zhi also arrived.

As Zhang Zhi served in the court for a long time, his political views became more and more similar to those of Lu Gongzhu, which is also path dependence.

The Deputy Privy Councilor Su Song was one step behind the other two, appearing to be traveling the same way as them but not in the same party.

Next came Li Qingchen and Zhang Xu, who served as the left and right chancellors of the Shangshu respectively.

All the ministers gathered together and met.

Soon the eunuch said, "The prince has arrived!"

The ministers were overjoyed and crowded forward like a tide to surround the Crown Prince, who had been renamed Zhao Xu. Cai Bian and Cheng Yi, who were officials under the Crown Prince, stood on his left and right. Han Zhongyan, who had been recommended by Zhang Yue to be the Crown Prince's Guardian, stood beside them with his hands crossed.

The position of Prince's Guardian was usually a nominal one, but it became a real position for Han Zhongyan.

With these three people protecting him, the prince's position is as secure as Mount Tai.

Upon seeing this, Prince Yong Zhao Hao's eyes dimmed and he stood still.

Cai Que bowed and said, "Your Majesty is seriously ill and can hardly get up. The crown prince should personally serve you medicine to show your filial piety and rule."

After Cai Que finished speaking, he looked at Prince Yong Zhao Hao again, and it was clear that he was saying this to the other party.

Zhao Xu's childish voice was shrouded in white mist: "I have been copying the "Book of Filial Piety" for days to pray for my father..."

All the ministers said yes.

At this time, the eunuchs said, "The Empress Dowager is here! The Empress is here!"

Prince Yong Zhao Hao began to feel hopeful. With the arrival of Queen Mother Gao, he had a backbone.

The Empress Dowager arrived, surrounded by fans and yellow umbrellas.

All the ministers withdrew, and Empress Dowager Gao allowed the Queen to enter the palace for a while before all the ministers were allowed to enter.

But behind the curtain of the East Chamber, Empress Dowager Gao and Queen Xiang seemed to be sitting there.

He didn't dare to reveal anything, but quietly stood in front of Empress Dowager Gao.

The various camps in front of the palace were now clearly divided.

Empress Dowager Gao choked up behind the curtain and said, "Your Majesty said before that he had a headache and was cold, but now he can't say a word. Let's discuss what to do next!"

Cai Que said in a deep voice: "The emperor is still thinking about the 'unfinished reform' in his sleep, so we will act according to the Yuanfeng regulations."

Wang Gui stepped out of the line, holding his tablet in his hand, trembling, and said, "I, your old minister, would like to follow the precedent of the eighth year of Jiayou and order the officials to prepare a white hemp edict..."

Wang Gui wanted to let Empress Dowager Gao share the power to handle state affairs, but before he could finish his words, he was interrupted by Zhang Dun: "Prime Minister Wang, be careful with your words! When the Emperor was in the Ren Temple, the prince had not yet been established. Now the Crown Prince has already been established. How can you make rash decisions?"

Empress Dowager Gao heard this and said, "Your Majesty cannot speak, please discuss it."

Empress Dowager Gao choked up as she spoke and continued, "The crown prince has been appointed, and the great event has been decided. The affairs of the country depend on you all. I also plan to summon a few more important officials to assist in state affairs."

All the prime ministers said: "The court's laws and regulations are in place, how dare we not follow them carefully!"

Empress Dowager Gao said, "I'm sorry to have troubled you gentlemen tonight. Please split up into two shifts."

"I will stay at Funing Palace tonight."

"The Crown Prince and Prince Yong are accompanying me."

After hearing what Empress Dowager Gao said, all the ministers looked at each other in bewilderment. It was understandable that the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince were guarding the Funing Palace, but what about Prince Yong?

As the emperor's younger brother... of course it is possible, but at this time... Queen Mother Gao wants to use her power to turn the situation little by little to her advantage?

Han Zhongyan and Cai Que both looked at Empress Xiang who was standing beside Empress Dowager Gao behind the curtain.

The ministers could not oppose Empress Dowager Gao's order for the time being, so they arranged for people to stay on duty that night and had to leave the Funing Palace.

Han Zhongyan took the copper fish talisman handed over by Neidongmensi, and he and Cai Que each held half of the talisman for verification.

After verifying the amulet, Cai Que told his attendant, "Tell mother to go to the palace to pay respect to the queen tomorrow."

When Cai Que said this, he did not avoid the crowd. At this time, Cai Que showed his clear attitude. In fact, since he and Zhang Yue submitted a petition to support the crown prince, they were in the same boat.

However, Zhang Dun, Zhang Xu, Li Qingchen and Han Zhen were exceptions.

Except for Zhang Dun, these three were either Empress Dowager Gao's people or Wang Gui's people. If Prime Minister Wang Gui turned around and joined Empress Dowager Gao's side, it would be hard to predict what would happen.

Compared with when Zhang Yue was appointed Crown Prince a year ago, there have been major changes in the government staff.

Zhang Dun said: "Now the emperor is seriously ill, the country cannot be without a ruler for a day, the prince is already eleven years old, we should ask the prince and the queen mother to take charge of the government together."

Wang Gui shook his head and said, "Your Majesty once said that he would not be the Supreme Emperor, and it would be an act of usurpation to have the power to rule the country."

Xuan Wanggui said ambiguously: "We will obey the Queen Mother's order on this matter."

Everyone thought to themselves, Wang Gui, something is wrong with you.

……

Han Zhongyan walked down the steps and said to Cai Bian beside him: "Although the Crown Prince has been established, he is still young. In the past, Emperor Renmiao ascended the throne at the age of thirteen, and Empress Dowager Liu still maintained the throne for twenty years."

Cai Bian asked, "What does Shibao mean?"

Han Zhongyan said: "Now we should invite the two palaces to come together, and the Empress and the Empress Dowager will have the same power to deal with military and national affairs."

"Both of them should be in charge of the imperial court?" Cai Bian asked, glancing towards the Funing Palace. "Why not ask the Empress Dowager to share the power to handle military and state affairs and to ask the Empress to assist the Crown Prince. This way, we can follow the old Mingdao practice."

In the second year of Mingdao, when Empress Dowager Liu was in power, Li Chenfei was not allowed to participate in government affairs.

Han Zhongyan said: "But this is the most beneficial to the prince!"

Cai Bian asked, "Will Zhizheng handle this matter?"

Han Zhongyan said: "He may not. But we can do this. One more person will give us more credit."

Cai Bian nodded and said, "The Queen Mother said before that she wanted to summon some important officials to the palace. Who do you think can do the job?"

Han Zhongyan watched the eunuch walking quickly with the box in his hand, knowing that it was the "imperial seal" - the Empress Dowager Gao might be in contact with the ministers.

Han Zhongyan said: "I guess it's Sima Junshi!"

Cai Bian frowned: "Sima Junshi has lived in Xijing for fifteen years. If we summon him according to the Three Departments Regulations, I am afraid he will be obstructed by the new scholars."

Han Zhongyan sneered: "Why go through the Yintaisi? Please ask the Queen Mother to send a letter of surrender directly to Luoyang!"

"This is also the intention of the left prime minister to propose the white hemp summons."

Cai Bian asked, "Master, did you forget that there is another person?"

Han Zhongyan shook his head and said, "It's difficult!"

"The Queen Mother will definitely not allow it."

……

"Disciple!"

"Sima Guang, a scholar of the Zizheng Palace and a senior official, has a broad mind and profound knowledge, and has been deeply rooted in my heart for a long time. In the past, he served in Erying's court and expounded on the way of governing; later, he participated in the affairs of the Western Capital and compiled the laws and regulations. Although he has temporarily stopped attending the imperial lectures, he has never forgotten the country."

"Sima Guang, the former academician of the Zizheng Palace and the senior official, is specially appointed as the governor of Chenzhou."

Sima Guang was filled with emotion after receiving the imperial edict.

Now, Empress Dowager Gao began to handle state affairs on behalf of the emperor in her capacity as the authority to handle military and national affairs. The first thing she did was to recall Sima Guang, the important official.

In addition to Sima Guang, there were Sun Jue, Liu Cizhuang, Sun Sheng, Sun Gu, Han Wei and others who were all old party members of Xining and Yuanfeng. They all entered the court to discuss politics in the name of local officials earlier than Sima Guang.

Sima Guang held the imperial edict in his hands and saw the red seal of "Shangshu Libu Yin" on the corner of the silk - this was clearly an ordinary document for an external appointment, and not the special ceremony of recall promised by the government.

Fan Zuyu, who was promoted to the position of Secretary for editing books, found that the silk used in the edict was thinner than that of ordinary imperial edicts, and it was obvious that it was hastily drafted. He thought to himself that the edict of the prefect should be issued by the Secretariat and use the seal of the Secretariat, but here the seal of the Ministry of Personnel was used. It seems that the three ministries did not want Sima Xianggong to come to the capital.

In the past, all the deputy privy councilors resigned from their posts. Now, I am just asking for a prefecture governor. Can you agree to take over, sir?

Fan Zuyu said, "I heard that the Empress Dowager asked Prime Minister Wang whether Sima Guang had come."

"Prince Wang said, no."

"The Empress Dowager said, all the ministers are here, why doesn't Sima Guang come?"

Sima Guang smiled happily. Fan Zuyu, Guo Lin and others asked, "Have you packed your book boxes?"

Everyone was overjoyed to know Sima Guang's decision, and said in unison: "That's good!"

Guo Lin asked: "Master, why don't you wait for the Queen Mother's special envoy?"

Sima Guang smiled and said, "No, Uncle Lü Hui is already impatient waiting in the capital."