I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 143 Ouyang Xiu’s inscription makes it difficult for Zhou Yuan to be promoted

Another day, late at night.

Ouyang Xiu's residence, in the study.

Ouyang Xiu looked at the two framed inscriptions in front of him and murmured, "That shouldn't be the case. Could it be that Jing Ming has forgotten it?"

At this time, Ouyang Xiu's wife Xue walked over with lotus steps.

"Master, it's time to rest!"

Ouyang Xiu curled his lips: "Go to sleep first and think about your husband later."

Mr. Xue walked up to the two inscriptions and said with a smile: "If you really mean it, just send it to others. Why are you so pretentious?"

"Take care of me? Does your husband need help? Jing Ming must have not thought of it for a moment. He will definitely look for me in a few days. If I take the initiative to send it, wouldn't it mean that my Ouyang Xiu's inscription is worthless?"

The two characters in front of Ouyang Xiu.

One says: Baijia Academy; the other says: Qirenju.

Su Liang's Baijia College is about to be built. Before starting the construction, according to the rules, an official should be found to inscribe it.

Ouyang Xiu felt that Su Liang would definitely come to find him, so he wrote these two words in advance.

Never thought.

He has framed it, but Su Liang hasn't asked for words yet.

Mrs.

"Have you forgotten those embarrassing things in the past?"

"You write an epitaph for someone before they are dead; someone pays you to write an inscription, and you say that they insult you with the smell of copper and scold them."

"Another time, you were drunk in a restaurant and insisted on taking off someone else's plaque and replacing it with your own name. If they hadn't recognized you, you would have been beaten!"

……

Mr. Xue kept uncovering Ouyang Xiu's shorts, revealing all his family treasures.

If an outsider saw the dignified Tian Wenzong Ouyang Xiu being scolded by his wife, he would probably laugh until the Chinese New Year.

After Xue finished revealing the shortcomings, he added: "In my opinion, Su Jingming's talent and learning are not inferior to yours. He might have done the inscription himself, or he might have found Bao Xiren or Tang Zifang!"

Upon hearing that Su Liang might find Bao Zheng and Tang Jie.

Ouyang Xiu panicked.

Although these two men are not as good as him in literary talent, their character and official conduct are much better than his.

"That...that really doesn't work. I'll send someone to deliver these two words tomorrow. Just say...just say that I wrote them when I had nothing to do." Ouyang Xiu rubbed his hands and said.

If it was said that it was written specifically for Su Liang, he felt that he had lost some of his value.

For literati, face is worth a thousand pieces of gold.

"It's getting late, go to bed, my husband, whatever you say is fine!" Mrs. Xue put her arm around Ouyang Xiu's shoulders and walked out.

If she didn't force Ouyang Xiu to the bedroom.

Ouyang Xiuwei might think about this for another half an hour, or even rewrite two words.

……

The next day.

Su Liang received two words from Ouyang Xiu Ming's servant.

Su Liang was a smart man and immediately said: "Oh, I originally wanted to ask Bachelor Ouyang to write it, but I never thought that Bachelor Ouyang had already predicted it..."

There are still polite words to say.

In fact, Su Liang wanted Zhao Zhen to write an inscription, but he had been declined.

For the moment, settle for the next best thing.

Using Ouyang Xiu's calligraphy is not bad.

……

The sun was shining brightly on this day.

Seventy miles north of Bianjing City, on a desolate highland about five miles away from the old road of the river.

Su Liang and Cao Yan stood on it and felt refreshed.

"What a great place! The feng shui here is very good. It is very convenient to dig a road from there to the official road."

Cao Yi couldn't laugh or cry.

"This...how convenient is this? The only advantage is that those students from the Imperial College definitely don't want to come here." Su Liang smiled slightly. He also knew that this place was remote, but it had the advantage of being remote. You can definitely do some things here. Things that are difficult for others to know are a surprise for everyone.

Su Liang had an idea in his mind, but he was still struggling with it, so he definitely couldn't tell Cao Yi.

"Brother Jingxiu, this time I will be fully involved in the design of the college building, but the execution may be entirely left to you. I suggest that at the beginning of the construction, you'd better build yourself a hut here."

"You want me... you want me to live here? How can anyone live here?"

"Then... how about I go tell Mr. Cao?"

"I live, I can live!" Cao Yan said, patting his chest.

What he fears most is his uncle, and Su Liang can just pinch his weakness.

……

October 22.

The weather is getting colder, and some wealthy people in Bianjing City have already lit charcoal fires.

At this time, the officials in the court were already busy with the ceremony of worshiping heaven and ancestors during the winter solstice.

This year is the year of great gifts, and with the birth of the prince, it must be particularly grand.

Chen Zhizhong, Ding Du, and Xia Song were experts in this kind of sacrificial etiquette. Su Liang could retreat as far as he could. What he hated most was this kind of etiquette.

At the same time, the new year is approaching.

It is also the time when some officials are trying to change their ranks.

At this time.

Su Liang recommended the supervisory censor Li Xingzhou Yuan to advise Zuo Zhengyan of the Yuan Dynasty.

Zhou Yuan's performance was outstanding, and he had completed his three-year term half a year ago.

If Su Liang hadn't performed so well, the word "Li Xing" should have been removed half a year ago.

Zhou Yuan's official position has not changed. Although it has become a dispatch, it has undoubtedly been promoted to a higher level.

Just when Su Liang thought that Zhou Yuan would definitely become Zuozhengyan, the memorial was rejected by Zhongshu.

Prime Minister Chen Zhizhong's reason is: following the usual is not good advice.

He suggested that Zhou Yuan be sent abroad to serve as a promotion official in a certain state capital.

When Su Liang saw this, he immediately became angry.

He has read all of Zhou Yuan's memorials and articles, and if Zhou Yuan's performance is not enough to become the admonisher, Zuo Zhengyan.

At that time, few of the young officials were qualified for promotion.

There is obviously something fishy about Zhongshu's move.

It was even possible that Su Liang was unwilling to put Zhou Yuan in the admonishment court.

This time, Su Liang did not go to the political hall to debate.

He ran to look through the information on officials who were eligible for promotion determined by Zhongshu in recent days.

After reading through it, Su Liang made a new discovery.

Those officials who were to be promoted were far worse than Zhou Yuan.

Then, he ran to Jinzouyuan.

He asked the pen clerk who entered the memorial hall to write down the performance evaluations of several officials who could be promoted together with Zhou Yuan's performance evaluations, and made four documents.

The comparison between these four documents is clear. Anyone who is not blind can tell at a glance that Zhou Yuan is superior.

Then, Su Liang handed these four documents to Tang Jie, Ouyang Xiu, and Bao Zheng respectively, and presented one copy to the official family.

An official's ability to be promoted should be based on his ability.

Chen Zhizhong blocked Zhou Yuan's path to admonishing officials with just six words. Su Liang was naturally unconvinced.

Just as Su Liang expected.

Tang Jie, Ouyang Xiu, and Bao Zheng all went to court one after another, asking whether Zhongshu's move was considered favoritism.

When Zhao Zhen saw the comparative documents submitted by Su Liang, he couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

"Hey, this Su Jingming, it's not that Zhongshu didn't let Zhou Yuan be promoted, it's that these people who were promoted really need to be taken care of!"

After Chen Zhizhong saw the contrasting documents, he smiled faintly and said, "The truth is that I am doing things according to the wishes of the officials. Is it possible that I have done something wrong?"

(End of this chapter)