Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 703 Joint Letter
After supplementing Fan Ning's suggestion, Fu Bi's plan passed the Zhizheng Hall's vote without any suspense, and after going back to sort it out, it will be submitted to the emperor tomorrow.

Fan Ning walked out of the rotunda, and heard someone calling him, and when he turned around, it was Han Jiang.

"Han Xianggong looking for me?" Fan Ning stopped and asked with a smile.

"It's been a long time since I got together with you, let's have a drink together at noon?"

"Hehe! Mr. Han is willing to treat you, of course I can't ask for it."

Han Jiang said happily: "I think it's almost time now, why not go now!"

It was almost noon, and the two came to the Qingfeng Restaurant in the south of the imperial city, and called for a private room. The two sat down at the small wine table, and outside was the busy East Street, which was extremely lively.

Fan Ning took the initiative to pour a glass of wine for Han Jiang, and said with a smile: "Mr. Han is looking for me today, it's not as simple as drinking!"

Han Qi sighed, "Don't you think the atmosphere in the court is weird recently?"

"Weird?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "Recently, my thoughts are all on preparing for the war and developing the southern continent, and I don't care much about the situation of the imperial court."

Han Qi stared at Fan Ning for a moment, then slowly said: "I found that you are very cunning in the reform of the official system. You participated in it, changed the easiest part, and then withdrew, but now you say that you are focusing on preparing for the war and developing the southern continent. What can I say about you?"

"I am not the first to propose the reform of false officials. Back then, my grandfather Fan Zhongyan wanted to change this, but he failed. Why did I succeed? Has Mr. Han thought about this problem?"

Han Qi sipped his wine and laughed, "I'm willing to listen!"

Fan Ning picked up his wine glass and said lightly: "The key is the benefits. The reform of false officials has moved a lot of benefits. They no longer have monthly salaries and glamorous official positions. If you want them to accept the loss of these benefits, then you have to give Their other interests, and interests that cheer them up."

"You mean overseas lands and titles?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "For them, the overseas land is just a castle in the air, a line of figures in the government's account books, and they can't rent it out. They will never go there in their entire lives. This land has always been lying in the government's account books. , As for the title, it is a good thing, but the interest that really attracts the officials is not the title itself, but the title can be inherited for three generations, does Mr. Han understand? The right to inherit the title is the compensation for the interests that make them willing to give up false officials. "

"This method is wonderful, why didn't I think of it before?"

Fan Ning sneered and said: "It's not unexpected, but a matter of position. I have always said that I am a reformist. I will consider the interests of both parties and use compensation methods to carry out the reform. Only the reform can be pushed forward, like this time. How many people's interests have been affected by giving up power? The reform should focus on the future, not for liquidation. This is the position. Wang Anshi wants to liquidate the former beneficiaries and re-sign various purchase, land and mine contracts. Only if he succeeds Strange."

"So you don't care!"

"I can't talk about caring or not caring. It's not my business. Now I'm all focused on combat preparations and developing the southern continent, and I don't have the energy to think about other things."

Han Qi nodded, "You're right, if you offend too many people's interests, you won't be able to change it. I really don't have to worry so much, but the government is planning to abolish the Zhizhengtang voting system. This matter should be directly related to you. Bar!"

Fan Ning slowly drank a glass of wine, and said for a while, "This is the real purpose of Mr. Han's invitation to drink!"

"That's right, we all believe that the abolition of the Zhizhengtang voting system is weakening the power of the prime minister, which is not in line with the principle of checks and balances between the monarch and prime minister."

"and many more!"

Fan Ning stopped him, "Who does Mr. Han mean by 'we'?"

"The five phases except you and Wang Anshi."

Han Qi took out a booklet from his bosom and handed it to Fan Ning, "This is the reform plan for the three provinces proposed by our Five-Party Alliance, please take a look!"

Fan Ning took it and flipped through it. It was basically the same as what his father-in-law Ouyang Xiu said, but the Zhizhengtang voting system was retained later, but the power of the monarch and the power of the prime minister were separated. Zhizhengtang does not interfere with the right to mobilize troops, etc.

But it belongs to the scope of power of the Prime Minister, and it is voted by the Zhizheng Hall. The monarch has the right to make suggestions and listen to explanations. He also has a chance to reject it once, and he cannot reject it the second time. solve.

"Wouldn't it be meaningless then?"

Han Qi shook his head and said: "The court meeting is only a place to listen to opinions. Everyone can debate openly. If the result of the debate overwhelms one side, then the Prime Minister of Zhizheng Tang can express his position on the spot and pass a resolution at the court meeting. I think the opinions of the majority of people, that is, Zhizhengtang’s opinion.”

Fan Ning pondered for a while and said, "What if the emperor disagrees with your three-province restructuring plan?"

"Then collective resignation!"

Han Qi's attitude was extremely decisive: "The Tang Dynasty's three-province system also had the votes of the political affairs hall. It cannot be used as an excuse to restore the Tang system to suppress the prime minister. The monarchs of all dynasties in the Song Dynasty have not crossed this bottom line. We must clarify the rules to the officials. , we can respect his opinion, but he cannot change the system casually, this is the principle, so Fan Xianggong sign it!"

Han Qi turned to the last page, which was already signed by Fu Bi, Wen Yanbo, Han Qi, Lu Gongzhu, and Zeng Gongliang.

Fan Ning asked: "What about Wang Anshi, did you tell him?"

"After you sign, Wen Xianggong will bring this notebook to him in the evening."

Fan Ning nodded, picked up a pen and signed his name on the back: Privy Envoy Fan Ning.

Han Qi is right. The separation of powers between monarchs has been the political tradition of the central court for thousands of years. It was not until the Hu Weiyong case in the early Ming Dynasty that the system of separation of powers among monarchs was gradually broken.

Zhao Xu shouldn't take advantage of the opportunity to recover Youzhou to make this small move. Of course, Fan Ning can persuade Zhao Xu, but after thinking about it, he still thinks that Zhao Xu should learn this lesson.

In the Ningxiang Pavilion in the inner palace, the emperor Zhao Xu knelt in front of the imperial grandmother, bowed his head deeply, his face was full of shame, and was scolded bloody by the imperial grandmother Empress Dowager Cao.

"The seven ministers resigned collectively. You really gave the ancestors a face. You dared to do things that Gaozu, Taizong, Zhenzong, and Renzong didn't dare to do. You thought that if you regained Youyan, your wings would be hardened. You can do it." Do whatever you want?

If your imperial grandfather had half the guts of you back then, you are not the emperor now, but Zhao Wenyun, do you know that?
Now that you are capable, you have forced Qi Xiang to resign collectively, so you can deal with it yourself!What are you doing with Aijia? "

Zhao Xu was full of pain. A few days ago, he consulted with several senior scholars on this matter, and all the senior scholars said that it was feasible, but now he just put forward the draft, and he was hit head-on by the Zhizheng Hall. Even his most trusted Wang An Both Shi and Fan Ning opposed him, which made him angry and frightened. He had no choice but to ask the emperor's grandmother to mediate the matter.

Zhao Xu said with a face full of shame: "Although my grandson has also consulted several great scholars, this matter is indeed my grandson's recklessness, and my grandson apologized to the emperor's grandmother!"

Empress Dowager Cao was also in a bad mood. She heard this annoying news early in the morning. The newspaper said that the government would restore the system of three provinces and six ministries, but did not mention abolishing the Zhizhengtang voting system. Only now did Empress Dowager Cao know that her grandson had done it. What a nasty thing, in order to enhance the power of the monarchy, it is necessary to abolish the most important negotiation and voting system in the power of the prime minister.

This child is still too young, too immature!

Empress Dowager Cao hated that iron could not be made into steel, and she could scold her, but she couldn't ignore it, after all, the power of appointment from the third rank and above was in her hands.

She gave Zhao Xu a hard look and said, "Don't listen to the Grand Scholars for everything. You don't know if they have selfish intentions! You have to reflect deeply on this lesson. Ai's family is getting old, so it's impossible to help you all the time."

Zhao Xu felt relieved, cursing and scolding, the queen mother still wanted to help him in the end, he quickly said: "Grandson will definitely reflect deeply, and will not do the same stupid thing again."

Empress Dowager Cao said, "Where are their resignations?"

Zhao Xu quickly handed in a stack of seven resignations. Empress Dowager Cao was really annoyed when she saw such a thick stack of resignations.

She put the resignation letter aside, and said earnestly: "Aijia has been paying attention to this reform of the official system. A few months ago, you exchanged your title for a false official. You did a very beautiful and sophisticated job. Aijia wanted to praise you. I didn't expect that In a blink of an eye, you did something stupid, and Aijia really didn't know what to say about you."

"Reporting to the emperor's grandmother, exchanging titles for false officials is actually Fan Ning's proposal."

"No wonder! It really looks like his reformist style."

Empress Dowager Cao nodded and said: "Actually, it's not that Aijia doesn't support the reform. Many rules of the Song Dynasty were set when the country was founded, adapting to the overall situation when the country was founded. Now that more than 100 years have passed, the overall situation has changed. Some rules are to be changed. Change, the key is how to change.

To a certain extent, Aijia is also a reformist. Aijia believes that reform requires wisdom and patience, just like sorting out a mess, without patience and wisdom. , Even if it is untied in the end, it will become fragmented, and the reform is the same. If it is not handled carefully, it will lead to serious court splits and political crises. Officials, you should talk to Fan Ning more, it will be good for you. "

Zhao Xu kowtowed, "The teachings of the imperial grandmother, the grandson will always remember."

Empress Dowager Cao took a memorial from the table and handed it to Zhao Xu, "This is Fan Ning's first application for the development of the Southern Continent to request the transfer of money from the internal treasury. , you can handle this matter!"

Zhao Xu's heart moved, and Fan Ning really convinced the Queen Mother.

Zhao Xu resigned, Empress Dowager Cao thought for a moment, and said to a female official beside her, "Send a decree to the Zhizheng Hall to summon the Seven Ministers to discuss matters in the Ci'an Hall!"

(End of this chapter)