Prime Minister

Chapter 547 Metaphors
"Chen Xiang."

Hearing this name, the officials knew it, and it seemed that the Xia people were demoted because of annoyance, and Chen Xiang had to go out because he was awarded a letter of credence by Khitan for fighting for courtesy.

This is so frustrating.

The officials also wanted to oppose this matter at the beginning, but there was no way, the opinions of the ministers were too unified.

As the emperor himself, he couldn't object.

The more the chapter in front of me mentions it again, it can't help but arouse the concerns of the officials.

But seeing Zhang Yue 'weeping' to the official family: "Forgive me for taking the liberty, I shouldn't have disturbed Your Majesty because of these trivial matters, but Chen Xiang is my teacher, teaching me how to read, and telling me the principles of life and doing things."

"Without Chen Xiang, there would be no minister today. The minister's report of this situation today is indeed out of selfishness..."

The officials thought it was the same when Zhang Yue pleaded for Ouyang Xiu.Sometimes the official Shangshu told the emperor that he had no selfish intentions, but purely for the sake of the world and His Majesty.The officials still have to be suspicious there for a long time, what is the stake in it.

On the contrary, Zhang Yue said that he is selfish, but he understands that sometimes, as an official, he prefers his courtiers to ask him for private matters rather than official ones.

Heaven and earth, master and master?Understandable, understandable.

Officials are very understanding.When Chen Xiang returned to the court from Khitan as an envoy, Zhang Yue did not hesitate to miss work to welcome his teacher. The officials knew the importance of this teacher in Zhang Yue's heart.

But Zhang Yue said with snot and tears: "Your Majesty, but I think that my teacher fought for the country, but was demoted to Mingzhou, and now I am depressed. I really can't understand why I have been studying for a lifetime. Is the book of sages just for us to swallow our breath?"

"What did the teacher do wrong? Is it wrong to be loyal to the emperor for the country and to maintain the dignity of my Song Dynasty?"

The officials had been dissatisfied for a long time, and they were even more angry when they heard Zhang Yue's words. He asked Wang Anshi, "First, I was demoted, and then Chen Xiang went out. I really can't understand the atmosphere in the court. Wang Qing , what do you think of this matter?"

Wang Anshi didn't have much contact with Chen Xiang, but Wang Hui had worshiped under Chen Xiang's family, so he knew a little about his character, and knew that the other party was a gentleman.

But these are not what he considered.

He offered advice to the officials to reform the law to enrich the country and strengthen the army, and then whipped the barbarians, so all the points of his thinking were based on this.

So in Wang Anshi's point of view, the Song Dynasty must have maintained a strong attitude towards Xixia and Liao. Otherwise, is the reform just for the sake of enriching the country?
For Wang Shao, of course Wang Anshi supported him, and of course he also agreed with Chen Xiang, who dared to compete with the Liao Kingdom.

Wang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, Zhong Er was demoted because he seized Suizhou City without authorization. As a warrior, his ancestors had a system of restraining martial arts. Such punishment is hard to go against the will of the people. But Chen Xiang is a civil servant, and he is the leader of the country. Decent."

"Our envoys traveled thousands of miles to Khitan to congratulate the Lord Liao on his birthday, but the Liao State envoys sat on the big seats and set up small seats for the envoys of this dynasty. Even if the Khitans don't know what etiquette is, there is no reason to treat guests like this. At present, everyone in the court is afraid of a letter from the Liao Kingdom, so in the future, the envoys of this dynasty will have no status when they go to the Liao Kingdom."

The official nodded and said: "I already understand, Zhang Qing, don't worry, I will definitely give your teacher justice in this matter!"

Zhang Yue hurriedly said: "I thank Your Majesty."

The official said: "I remember that your teacher is a famous minister of Confucianism, and he is called the fourth Mr. Binhai, right?"

Zhang Yue nodded and said: "Returning to Your Majesty, it is like this. The teacher respects learning, and he pays attention to education wherever he goes. He will definitely promote the school everywhere."

The officials couldn't help being pleased, the establishment of the school was the consensus he and Wang Anshi had reached recently, for example, the Guozijian had just expanded its enrollment by 900 people, and they appreciated Chen Xiang even more.

Such an official is available, but where should he be assigned?

However, the officials did not give Zhang Yue any further answer on the spot.

Soon Wang Anshi and Zhang Yue withdrew from the Youying Hall.

But Wang Anshi, who was dressed in a purple robe, walked in a hurry. Generally speaking, if colleagues are off work, they would chat for a few words when they walked together.

But Wang Anshi didn't intend to talk at all, and Zhang Yue didn't move closer.

But this time Wang Anshi stopped, turned around and said to Zhang Yue: "Duzhi, do you have any dissatisfaction with this old man?"

What?You can see this?
Zhang Yue quickly explained: "Reporting to Neihan, this is a non-existent matter. If Zhang does something wrong, Zhang is willing to prove his innocence in front of Neihan."

Wang Anshi said to Zhang Yue: "Then why did you interrupt the old man when he was talking to the officials? You don't know what the old man is talking about?"

Zhang Yue suddenly said: "It turns out that this is the matter, and the lower official didn't notice it for a while. He was very anxious to save the teacher. Speaking of which, if it weren't for Neihan's words today, the official would not agree. The teacher thanked Nehan."

Wang Anshi said: "Oh? Was it really a momentary oversight?"

Zhang Yue hurriedly nodded sincerely and said, "It's absolutely true, it's absolutely true! The officials are always talking to Wang Neihan like the water of the Yellow River."

What a lousy metaphor.

Wang Anshi took a look, and then said: "Before leaving Beijing, at a banquet, the old man once said to Du that Zigong asked about politics, and his words were enough to eat, soldiers, and trustworthy. How could it be that the officials also had enough words a few months ago?" Ask me this question, do you know about it or not?"

Zhang Yue thought, yes, I discussed this issue with Wang Anshi, why didn't I bring it up for a while.

Zhang Yue shook his head resolutely and said: "No, the officials have never asked about Wang Nehan."

Wang Anshi looked at Zhang Yue with a look of doubt, and then said: "Han Chiguo (Han Wei) once told the old man that this time the old man came to Beijing to pay homage to Hanlin scholars. Apart from him and Zeng Jixian (Zeng Gongliang), there is a third person to ask the official The family recommended the old man."

"At that time, the old man thought it was Uncle Lu Hui (written by Lu Gong) or Sima Junshi (Sima Guang), but they all admitted that they had never recommended the old man in front of officials."

Wang Anshi paused, and then he went to ask Han Wei who the person who recommended him in front of the officials was.

Han Wei laughed, and told Wang Anshi that he was someone you would never think of, but I already promised him that I would not tell you.

Wang Anshi couldn't help wondering, who would he never think of?Still refused to tell myself.

Wang Anshi thought it over and over again, but he felt that Zhang Yue had a three-point possibility.

However, it is reasonable for Han Wei and Zeng Gongliang to recommend him. Han Wei and himself have been good friends for many years.

But if Zhang Yue recommended himself, what is the reason?

But Wang Anshi thought about it again, if Zhang Yue recommended him, why would he be kind and silent?It is also impossible that he interrupted himself just now when he was talking to the officials about relatives, virtuous ministers and villains.

If you want to reform, you must have the same faith as Qin Xiaogong did to Shang Yang.

The monarch and his ministers are like one person, and only in this way can great things be achieved.

He wants to explain his ideas to the emperor subtly through lecturing, which is the purpose of his lecturing.

Zhang Yue's actions seemed to prevent the officials from trusting him like Qin Xiaogong trusted Shang Yang.

It was clearly sabotage intentionally.

Wang Anshi was a little confused, so he walked out of the hall and asked Zhang Yue this question, but seeing Zhang Yue laughed and said: "Wang Neihan, you are worrying too much, Zhang is so soft-spoken, how can he be competent for the matter of electing ministers. Zhang Yue As an official, I have always been cautious in my words and deeds."

"Then Lu Jifu (Lu Huiqing), Wang Zichun (Wang Shao), didn't you recommend them to the government?"

"Exactly."

Wang Anshi was silent for a moment, and then said: "Zhang Duzhi, don't you think that a few words can do this and that. In the future, I will be able to tell whether your words are true or not."

After leaving this sentence, Wang Anshi had just walked a few steps, and suddenly heard a voice behind him: "Wang Neihan stay!"

Want to see the real chapter?

Wang Anshi stopped, turned around, narrowed his eyes and looked at Zhang Yue.

But the smile on Zhang Yue's face was gone, replaced by a first-class dignified and solemn expression.

Zhang Yue walked up to Wang Anshi and said, "Wang Neihan, Zhang has a story he wants to tell Wang Neihan."

"In the Spring and Autumn Period, there was a prince whose favorite concubine died of illness. The prince was heartbroken, so he spent 20 years building a mausoleum for his favorite concubine by finding the best craftsmen in the world with all his strength."

"When the mausoleum was built, the princes and kings looked at the majestic mausoleum and the beautiful decorations, and felt that this mausoleum would never be surpassed by anyone in the past and present. It is a pity that the coffin of the favorite concubine and this mausoleum Seeing this, the princes and kings moved the coffin of the beloved concubine out of the mausoleum to bury her separately."

Wang Anshi looked at Zhang Yue after listening to the story: "This is Zhang Zhengyan's fabrication, it has never been tested."

Zhang Yue said: "It doesn't matter whether you can test or not, but Wang Neihan must understand the meaning of what the officials said."

Unlike the joke just now, Zhang Yue's words seemed extremely sincere.

Wang Anshi glanced at Zhang Yue, and said, "Thank you Zhang Zhengyan for your kind words."

After Wang Anshi finished speaking, he turned around and left in big strides.

But it is said that at the farewell pavilion outside Bianjing, Sun Jue and other students are giving wine to Chen Xiang to practice.

Several students looked in the direction of Bianjing from time to time, Sun Jue said with a wry smile: "It seems that Duzhi can't get away today."

Everyone couldn't help feeling a little disappointed, Chen Xiang said: "It's okay, before serving the king, it is reasonable for Du Zhi to go in and out of consultants and have no time to get away for a while."

Everyone listened and nodded.

So Sun Jue helped Chen Xiang into the donkey cart.

Chen Xiang was a clean and honest official, so he was extremely poor. When he took office, he couldn't afford a carriage, so he had to use a donkey cart instead.

Before boarding the donkey cart, Chen Xiang glanced at Bianjing, his face full of vicissitudes.

The students watched Chen Xiang leave Bianjing in a donkey cart.

Just as Chen Xiang's donkey cart was driving farther and farther on the official road, a group of cavalry came galloping from behind and caught up with Chen Xiang's cart on the official road.

Chen Xiang's car stopped halfway like this.

Sun Jue and other students couldn't help being curious, what happened?
But Chen Xiang's donkey cart turned around from the official road, and then the cavalry surrounded the donkey cart and returned to the farewell pavilion.

Surprised and delighted, Sun Jue led a group of students forward and asked, "Teacher, are you not leaving?"

Chen Xiang leaned out from the curtain and said, "I don't know why, His Majesty suddenly issued an order to summon you! Could it be..."

(End of this chapter)