I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 148 Su Jingming is well-founded and Chen Zhizhong faints for the second time (please vote for me)
An hour later, Chuigong entered the hall.

Zhang Fangping, Bao Zheng, Tang Jie and Su Liang stood in the hall together.

When the prime minister was so angry that he fainted in Kaifeng Mansion, how could Zhao Zhen not ask questions?

Fortunately, Chen Zhizhong's body was not seriously injured.

It was only because of being too tired recently, coupled with excitement and shortness of breath that I fainted.

After taking some medicine and sleeping, nothing will happen.

Followed by.

Zhang Fangping, a witness from the beginning to the end, told the whole story.

Zhang Fangping has an excellent memory.

It's almost word for word, even the tone of Bao Zheng, Tang Jie and Su Liang's speech were imitated.

There was no bias towards Chen Zhizhong or Su Liang.

After hearing Zhang Fangping's description, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but look at Su Liang.

"Su Jingming, did you do it on purpose? Chen Xiang fainted. Your statement that 'elephant taming performances should be abandoned' is at least half of the credit!"

"I know that you and Prime Minister Chen are not getting along, but Prime Minister Chen has been working hard for the Winter Solstice Suburban Festival recently. He has been busy day and night for elephant training and chariot etiquette. How can you say such harsh words! I order you to do so. Today I will go to see Prime Minister Chen with a heavy gift and apologize to him sincerely until Prime Minister Chen is satisfied."

At this moment, Tang Jie and Bao Zheng also looked at Su Liang. They also felt that Su Liang was deliberately angry.

However, they believed that at Su Liang's age, there was nothing wrong with looking down on mediocrity and showing off his sharp edge.

Su Liang smiled helplessly.

"Officials, I really don't want to be angry. There is a reason why I proposed that elephant taming performances should be abandoned."

Su Liang took two steps forward.

"Elephants are abundant in the southern border, Jiaozhi, and occupied areas. Although most of the elephants in the elephant garden in Bianjing Yujin Garden came as tribute, our court gave the other party no less than ten times the reward, which is really an extra expense."

"Officials know how much consumption it takes to transport a huge elephant to Bianjing City. Wherever it passes, local officials recruit civilians and demolish countless bridges and houses. The people all complain. For this matter, they blame you, officials." ah!"

"After an elephant arrives in the capital, it takes at least three mahout tamers to tame an elephant, and when it is grazed, one elephant eats as much food as more than ten people. It takes only seven or eight days to raise it for a year. Such an act is too extravagant!"

After hearing Su Liang's explanation, Zhang Fangping frowned and stood up.

"Su Yushi, what you said is certainly true, but elephants are auspicious to the royal family. Taizu even had people compose the "Taming the Elephant" chapter of ritual music. For important rituals, our dynasty takes the lead in taming elephants, and the elephants kneel before Scenes like this fully demonstrate the prosperity of the Song Dynasty and the majesty of the imperial authority, which cannot be bought with money."

Zhao Zhen sat up straight and said: "What Prime Minister Zhang said makes sense. Taming an elephant before the carriage and worshiping the king can make the people of the world awe. This little money cannot be saved. As for the demolition of bridges and houses you mentioned, We really need ideas, Zhongshu can give these people some subsidies!"

Zhao Zhen only heard Su Liang's words, "I'm scolding you as an official" and took it to heart.

Su Liang smiled slightly.

"In the official family, during the period of Emperor Taizu and Emperor Taizong, the elephant kneeling before the emperor could indeed demonstrate the imperial power. But it is no longer the case. Because the royal family often uses the ceremony of taming elephants, many rich people have also learned to practice it and make the elephants kneel before them. . The common people have figured out the way."

"Those who tame elephants all hold short-handled copper blades. If the elephant is untamed, they will strike it. This is the reason why the elephant kneels before the king. The people have seen this illusion, and the court continues to use it as a divine right to the king. The symbol of majesty is truly laughable.”

"If our Song Dynasty was really strong, why would we need to use a few elephants to kneel down to prove that people want to show what they lack. Such face-saving etiquette that wastes people and money and makes people laugh should be abolished and foreign tribute elephants should be banned. With this money, We might as well get a few more horses!”

Zhao Zhen was still struggling after listening to Su Liang's words.

But when I heard the last sentence, "With all this money, we might as well raise a few more horses," I was suddenly stabbed in my weakness.

The Song Dynasty was short of horses. There was always a shortage of good horses and strong horses.

The reason for the shortage of horses was not that the Song Dynasty had no money to buy horses, but that there was no suitable place to raise horses.

Yanyun and Xixia are both excellent places to raise horses. There are fat grass, sweet springs, and open areas where horses can run happily.

In the Song Dynasty, there were also some small areas for raising horses, such as in the south of Luoyang and near Qiantang in the south of the Yangtze River, but they were all swallowed up by farmland.How can you raise good horses if there is no land for them?

Even if they bought good horses, they were bred into bad horses in the small stables of the Song Dynasty.

Coupled with the high price of horses, generally only scholars or officials rode horses.

This type of people rides slower on horseback than on donkeys, which makes the horses in the Song Dynasty not even remotely powerful.

Su Liang's words are obviously saying that taming elephants cannot prove the prosperity of the Song Dynasty. Only having a land to raise horses can prove the prosperity of the Song Dynasty.

Bao Zheng immediately stepped out of the queue, cupped his hands and said: "Guan family, I think what Su Jingming said is very reasonable. Since ancient times, pursuing rare birds and taming elephants will only lead to corruption. This trend must not increase!"

"I second the proposal!" Tang Jie also said.

Zhang Fangping looked at Su Liang and couldn't help but cupped his hands and said, "I also think that what Jing Ming said is quite reasonable."

Although Zhang Fangping likes to pretend to be confused sometimes.

However, he was still better than Chen Zhizhong in some important ceremonies, perhaps because he was a Jinshi and was more educated than Chen Zhizhong.

Zhao Zhen was also convinced by Su Liang's words.

He thought for a while and said, "Okay, starting from today. Elephant taming performances will be abandoned in all rituals and sacrifices, and tribute elephants from foreign countries will be prohibited. With the winter solstice festival in the suburbs gone, Prime Minister Chen can relax a little."

After saying that, Zhao Zhen looked at Su Liang again and said with a bit of laughter: "Su Jingming, don't go to Xiang Chen's house to bring gifts and apologize. If he knows that I have ordered the abandonment of the elephant taming performance, he will most likely beat you up when he sees you. I even fainted from your anger again. You must be merciful when you speak in the future."

As soon as he said this, everyone laughed, and Su Liang also hurriedly smiled and handed over his hands.

Bao Zheng and others discovered that after having a prince, the officials were not only full of energy and decisiveness, but even talked much more interestingly than before.

……

At night, inside Chen Zhizhong's mansion.

A woman was crying while feeding him lotus seed soup.

Chen Zhizhong's eyes widened and he said, "Why are you crying? What's there to cry about? I'm not dead!"

"This time, it's not a bad thing that I fainted. At least the officials saw my efforts for the Winter Solstice Suburban Festival. Su Liang's words were too harsh. If I expected it right, the officials would definitely scold him and let others Apologize to me, it’s worth it!”

"This year, or even next year, my position as prime minister will be secure!" A smile appeared on Chen Zhizhong's face.

He has always believed that as long as he chooses to work hard where the officials see him and obeys the officials' ideas, he will be able to maintain a stable position.

No one can pull him off.

At this moment, an official in charge of the Winter Solstice Suburban Festival outside requested an audience.

Chen Zhizhong quickly invited him in.

The official walked in and said, "Prime Minister Chen, there is an official decree. Starting from the Winter Solstice Festival this year, elephant taming performances will be abolished and foreign tribute elephants will be prohibited. You can rest for two more days!"

"Whose idea was this...this...?"

"It was Yushi Su's suggestion. Do you want to listen to his reasons? He said..."

The official just spoke.

Chen Zhizhong tilted his head and fainted again.

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(End of this chapter)