I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 279: Asking Jingming when troubles arise, the "Su Jingming dependence syndrome" of the emperor and his ministers

"Everyone, what makes a minister capable of governing the world?"

"Making strategies, predicting events like a god, knowing everything about heaven and earth, and having everything in mind."

"Look at Su Jingming, who faked his own death to save himself amidst the slander and disgrace of the entire dynasty, and then failed to give birth to a child, making the king of Runan County willing to marry him richly. This kind of grace can only be seen in this world. Several people……"

In the Censor Taitai courtyard.

He Tan was vomiting and talked with a group of admonishers and officials in detail about how Su Liang completed his plan step by step.

This was another scholar-bureaucrat who was completely impressed by Su Liang's wisdom. There were already Wen Yanbo, Ouyang Xiu, Zhang Fangping, Tang Jie, Bao Zheng and others in front of him.

He Tan's voice was very loud.

Every word reached the ears of Su Liang, who was sitting in the house not far away and reading the newspaper.

Su Liang scratched the back of his head, looking helpless.

In the past two months, he has been so popular that the court even heard people saying, "When in doubt, ask Jing Ming."

This is not a good sign.

Su Liang thought about progressing hand in hand with the ministers, rather than letting them step on his shoulders.

I don't want officials and officials to suffer from "Su Jingming dependence syndrome."

……

August eighth.

Runan County Prince's Mansion, Princess Changle's wedding day.

This day is highly anticipated, and the people in Bianjing City all want to see how the Runan County Prince's Palace marries their daughter with a "little gift".

When a princess gets married, she wants to surrender.

There is still no shortage of the necessary arrangements.

Early in the morning, lanterns were decorated in front of the Runan County Prince's Mansion.

The front door is even hung with colorful silk.

However, the scale of the decoration is better than that of ordinary wealthy people's homes. It is festive enough and not considered extravagant.

afternoon.

The ceremonial guards, curtains, barriers, canopies (sedans), etc. for the princess's married daughter are all in place.

There were more than thirty Forbidden Army soldiers participating in the honor guard, all of whom were military attachés from the Fourth Army of the Forbidden Army wearing purple shirts and curly-footed headdresses.

Compared with before, this is not a big battle.

You know, when a clan member usually marries a daughter, at least two to three hundred Forbidden Army soldiers are dispatched, and there are hundreds of eaves, which can occupy two long streets.

At that time, when Zhao Zongshi and Gao Taotao got married, more than a thousand military attachés were mobilized.

Near dusk.

The Runan County Prince's Mansion gradually became lively.

The maids and women in the mansion held buckets in their hands.

They began to throw millet, soybeans, copper coins, fruits, etc. in front of the door, attracting countless children to fight for it.

A small gift does not mean being deserted.

Gradually.

The people also crowded over because the wedding team was coming soon.

After the wedding team arrives, the betrothal gift will be given first, and then the Runan County Prince's Palace will send the daughter to the Wu family with the dowry.

At this time, the people can see how much the dowry is.

About a quarter of an hour later, the wedding team arrived.

The young man of the Wu family, the groom's official, is riding a tall horse. He is majestic, handsome, and has an air of being out of the world.

Just by looking at his face, you can tell he is a rare and good husband.

The most eye-catching thing is the red plaque at the front of the procession, which reads eight words: The most benevolent husband's family in the Song Dynasty.

This is the highest honor of the Wu family at the moment.

Behind the team, eight fully loaded carriages arrived one after another.

It's the betrothal gift.

In the past, to marry the daughter of a county king, the betrothal gift would have required at least twenty carriages.

Immediately, the carriage slowly drove into the Runan County Prince's Mansion.

……

The onlookers around couldn't help but start discussing.

"The bride price is eight carriages, and I guess the dowry is at least twenty carriages. After all, she is the daughter of a county prince, so twenty carriages is not considered a generous marriage!"

"Twenty carriages? I think at least thirty carriages are needed. I heard from people in the Runan County Prince's Palace that the Prince has prepared a dowry of more than sixty carriages. Even if it is reduced by half, it will still be thirty carriages!"

"Yes, I also think there will be at least thirty of them. The whole Bianjing City is watching this matter. It's too shabby."

"I think there will be at least fifty of them. The royal family's face is all on this dowry. Prince Runan loves face very much!"

……

About half an hour later.

The much-anticipated scene has finally arrived.

As the groom took the bride into the sedan, the dowry carriages followed one after another.

Nowadays, the reason why people measure dowry in horse-drawn carriages.

This is because most dowries are large items.

For example: mahogany furniture, silk cloth, brocade quilt clothing, etc.

Some valuable things are often recorded on the gift list and then read out at the wedding to prove the strength of the mother's family and improve the bride's status.

However, this time, Prince Runan's dowry gift list will obviously not contain any valuables.

This is what the Prince's Palace and the Wu family have long discussed.

The four-cake Jianxi Xiaolong Tuan will definitely not be written on the gift list, and its whereabouts are unknown.

What the people can see is only the number of dowry carriages.

"Look, it's coming out, it's coming out, one, two, three..."

"Eight cars?"

"Huh? Why are there no more? Are there only eight cars?"

Eight dowries.

This number was beyond everyone's expectation.

Under normal circumstances, the dowry must be at least twice the betrothal gift.

Now there are just as many.

The people were a little confused. They didn't expect that the dowry of the county prince's daughter was only eight carriages.

This is equivalent to setting a rule.

From now on, if any common family has more than eight dowries, it will be disrespectful to the Prince of Runan County.

"Eight cars, I didn't expect there were only eight cars. Whoever dares to say that there are thousands of acres of fertile land and ten miles of red makeup will be overstepping their bounds." Someone said excitedly.

"Haha, I have three daughters in my family. I don't have to worry about getting married. I don't have to worry about getting married!"

……

The Runan County Prince's Mansion did a very good job in this demonstration.

If the clan takes the lead, the scholar-bureaucrats and officials will naturally follow suit, and then the people will gradually change their customs.

privately.

It doesn't matter how much the dowry or betrothal gift is.

But if you wantonly lead the trend of lavish marriage on the surface, you will be in trouble with the court.

How can the etiquette of the common people surpass that of the royal family?

Waiting for the day when Princess Fukang gets married.

If you still marry lightly, then the rules of dowry will be completely settled.

No matter how wealthy and powerful a family is, if they are not stupid, they will not exceed the dowry ceremony of the eldest princess of the current dynasty.

……

That night.

Su Liang and He Tan were invited and also went to have a glass of wedding wine.

The Wu family's arrangement is very unique, not luxurious, but not shabby at all.

In addition, Zhao Yunrang was very satisfied with his popularity.

……

August 12th, the sun shines brightly.

On the Bian River, thousands of boats competed, showing the prosperity of the Song Dynasty.

Su Liang was in a very good mood these past two days.

At present, the reform movement throughout the Song Dynasty has stabilized.

Although some laws and policies have minor flaws, the impact is not significant. After receiving the notice of "preparing for war with war tactics", Di Qing in the northwest wrote a letter specifically to Fan Zhongyan and Su Liang.

Di Qing was very excited.

Men from the northwest relied solely on their military exploits to establish their careers. When they faced Xixia, they lost all three battles. All the soldiers were holding back their energy and were ready to avenge their previous humiliation!

……

In the afternoon, Su Liang had just finished taking a nap.

Then I heard the voice of Shi Fan Zhen, the imperial censor in the palace, coming from outside the house.

"Jing Ming, no, no, no, Tang Zhongcheng and Prime Minister Wen had a quarrel in the political hall!"

Immediately, Fan Zhen strode into the house.

Su Liang said with a smile: "How often do the officials in my court not quarrel? Don't they often quarrel in the Chui Gong Hall? It's not like they're fighting!"

Su Liang didn't take it seriously.

The characteristics of the court in the Song Dynasty were: a small quarrel every three days, and a big quarrel every fifth day.

They can go to heaven over trivial things.

"This time is different. Tang Zhongcheng discovered that Prime Minister Wen and Concubine Zhang were too close in private and exchanged heavy gifts. He impeached Prime Minister Wen for conspiring with the concubine and seeking personal gain. He should no longer be prime minister."

"Then, after Tang Zhongcheng learned that the officials had kept his memorial from being published, he went to the political hall to argue with Prime Minister Wen. Both of them were very excited and became incompatible with each other. Finally, under the influence of Prime Minister Fan and Prime Minister Wu After his persuasion, Tang Zhongcheng left."

"But when he returned to the censor's desk, he immediately wrote a memorial to impeach him. From what I saw, I'm afraid he won't stop until he impeaches Prime Minister Wen until he is dismissed!"

Su Liang asked: "How did Wen Xiang defend himself?"

"Prime Minister Wen admitted that the two parties did send gifts to each other, but it was because Zhang Guifei's father had been a guest of his family, and there was some contact between the two parties. Tang Zhongcheng was not satisfied with this explanation, saying that as Prime Minister, Prime Minister Wen did not avoid suspicion and lost the court etiquette. system……"

Su Liang thought seriously.

"This matter can be big or small. It all depends on the official decision. We don't need to get involved."

If Concubine Zhang Guifei had no children, this matter would be nothing.

The key is that Concubine Zhang has a prince.

If Concubine Zhang and Wen Yanbo were trying to take advantage of each other, the impact would be bad.

Wen Yanbo may not have this intention, maybe he just keeps going back and forth because of old memories.

But these things cannot be explained at all.

The most important task of the Yushitai is to keep an eye on the husband-in-law of the two mansions.

Tang Jie's impeachment was a performance of his duties without any fault.

in recent months.

Tang Jie and other Taiwanese remonstrators were not very satisfied with Prime Minister Wen Yanbo.

When Wen Yanbo was first promoted to Prime Minister, he acted decisively and handled political affairs quite rigorously, which attracted praise.

But after being in this position for a long time and having many affairs, it is inevitable that I will become a little more diplomatic.

And with mature and prudent ministers like Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi on the side, it becomes even more obvious that Wen Yanbo, the prime minister, is somewhat incompetent.

Su Liang can understand Wen Yanbo.

As the Prime Minister, you have to consider many pros and cons, and even take care of the emotions of many people. It is common for you to be misunderstood.

In the current government, the prime minister is a high-risk profession.

Since the official took the throne, there have been more than ten prime ministers, all of whom have received mixed reviews.

No one can satisfy everyone.

When Fan Zhen heard Su Liang's words, he couldn't help but be stunned, and asked seriously: "It's hard for you to solve it?"

Su Liang couldn't help but feel happy.

"Brother Fan, I...I'm not omnipotent. This matter also involves the harem. What can I do?"

"Besides, I have a good personal relationship with Tang Zhongcheng and Prime Minister Wen. Before I can confirm whether Prime Minister Wen is secretly in love with the imperial concubine, I can only avoid suspicion and say nothing." Su Liang spread his hands helplessly.

Fan Zhen looked helpless and said, "Oh, Tang Zhongcheng is a bully. I hope this matter won't cause too much trouble!"

……

The next day.

Tang Jie once again impeached Wen Yanbo and brought in Concubine Zhang Guifei.

He said that Concubine Zhang also wanted to make friends with Wen Yanbo.

I'm afraid that the two of them have formed an alliance, and if they are not severely punished, there will be chaos in the future.

Zhao Zhen was furious and called Tang Jie nonsense. He threw his memorial to the ground in anger, and then drove Tang Jie out.

Then, Tang Jie went on to impeach.

Taiwan’s admonishers all have this stubborn temper and accept death.

Followed by.

Supervisory censor Lu Jie and Zuo Zhengyan Zhao Bian also participated, both of whom were Tang Jie's accomplices.

Then, Zhang Fangping, Wu Yu and others spoke for Wen Yanbo.

What was originally a conflict between two people suddenly escalated into a conflict between two groups of people.

Of course, some people advised Tang Jie that the matter was not serious and there was no need to keep an eye on it.

However, Tang Jie moved the world with his outspoken voice, insisting that Wen Yanbo was no longer suitable for the post of prime minister and should change his position.

What is even more interesting is Ouyang Xiu, who recommended Fan Zhongyan as prime minister.

For a time, the court almost turned into a mess.

Inside the Chui Gong Hall.

Zhao Zhen looked at the piles of memorials in front of him and was very angry.

Angry at Tang Jie for being unreasonable, angry at Wen Yanbo for not knowing how to avoid suspicion, angry at Zhang Meiren for giving gifts in private, and even more angry at the ministers for adding fuel to the fire.

It forced him into a dilemma.

At the moment, it is impossible for Zhao Zhen to remove Wen Yanbo as prime minister.

Because Zhang Fangping, Wu Yu and Song Xiang do not have the appeal to serve as prime minister.

And Fan Zhongyan is busy with the affairs of the Reform Department. If he is allowed to take charge of Zhongshu again, his health will definitely be too much.

As for Xia Song, it was even more impossible.

His reputation among Tai Jian was too bad. If he accepted Xia Song as prime minister, the court would be even more chaotic.

As for Tang Jie.

Zhao Zhen could not punish him, because Tang Jie was performing his duty of admonition and had no fault.

After Zhao Zhen thought for a while, he said to the chamberlain on the side: "Su Liang, the censor of Xuan Shi, also knows miscellaneous things."

When in doubt, go to Su Liang.

Zhao Zhen also suffered from Su Jingming dependence.

……

About half an hour later.

Su Liang came into the hall with a smile on his face.

Zhao Zhen said angrily: "Taiwan's remonstrance to impeach Prime Minister Wen made the court uneasy, but you are at ease and don't even bother to write a memorial!"

Su Liang smiled and cupped his hands and said, "I think this is good."

Hear this.

Zhao Zhen picked up the memorial on his desk and was about to throw it at Su Liang.

Su Liang hurriedly said: "Guan family, listen to my explanation, listen to my explanation!"

After Zhao Zhen put the memorial on the desk.

Su Liangcai continued: "No one is perfect, let alone the current Prime Minister. All officials are watching the Prime Minister. If he makes a little mistake, someone will impeach him and ask the officials to remove him."

"I believe that even if the government removes the Minister of Literature and replaces him with a Prime Minister, these problems will still arise. If you want to look for faults, you can always find them. For example, personal ethics, family members, relatives taking advantage of others, and public criticism Not good to wait!”

Zhao Zhen nodded in approval.

The Prime Minister is the target of court officials.

No one who serves as the Prime Minister of this dynasty has not been impeached. There are all kinds of problems, but they are not major.

"I understand this truth, but how to solve this matter now? The court is already so noisy!" Zhao Zhen frowned.

"Ignore it."

Su Liang spit out four words.

"The officials don't need to spend too much time on this matter. Just let everyone continue to argue. When they get tired of arguing and run out of words, the matter will be almost over. Finally, the officials can mediate."

"Guan Jia, you care too much about the harmony of the court and always want to get a certain result. When mother-in-law and daughter-in-law quarrel, there is no right or wrong! Quarrels in the court are the daily life of officials, and quarreling is not a bad thing!"

"After this quarrel, Prime Minister Wen has been encouraged by Tai Jian, and he will pay more attention to personal ethics, and then work hard to stabilize the position. We, Tai Jian, will also continue to find faults, so that the prime ministers of the two governments and three departments will be prepared for danger in times of peace and constantly correct themselves. "

"If you want to distinguish between right and wrong, or to remove the prime minister or let Tang Zhongcheng go, then you will lose more than you gain!"

Hearing Su Liang's theory that "quarrels are not a bad thing".

Zhao Zhen felt that he was a bit over the top, and his ability to "make peace with mud" was just right for this matter.

"It makes sense, it makes sense, then I won't take this matter to heart and let them continue arguing!" Zhao Zhen's mood suddenly became happy.

(End of this chapter)