The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Everyone went down to the court one after another, and Yan Shu stayed until the end until the crowd dispersed, and then slowly left the Daqing Hall, just as he turned around and went down the steps by the hall to the north, he suddenly heard someone shout: "Master Yan, stay! "

Yan Shu looked back, but saw a person standing in front of a clump of evergreens waving at him at the side door by the side of the road. Is it flowers and plants?"

Ouyang Xiu laughed and said, "The lower official is waiting for Lord Sansi. At this moment, who is in the mood to appreciate the flowers and trees."

Yan Shu was stunned and said, "How do you know I'm going to go through this side door?"

Ouyang Xiu blinked mysteriously and said: "Isn't Lord Sansi going to see the emperor? There are many people in the hall, and I'm afraid I can't speak many words. I judge that Lord Sansi will pass by here and enter the inner palace to ask to see the emperor."

Yan Shu was startled. This Ouyang Xiu didn't look simple, his sense of smell was better than a dog's nose, and he actually calculated that he was going to see the emperor, but he didn't know what his intention was.

"My lord Ouyang really deserves to be from Yushitai. I think about my psychology, and the investigation details are really top-notch. Yes, the old man is going to the inner palace to meet the emperor. I want to report to the emperor the recent progress of the food business and the shortcomings that have occurred, and ask the emperor for advice on countermeasures."

"By the way, tell the emperor about Su Jin, the special envoy for grain affairs, will you?" Ouyang Xiu interjected, with a half-smile expression on his face.

Yan Shu chuckled and said, "Lord Ouyang is too worried. Since the emperor has entrusted him with full power to handle this matter, how could I not know how to get involved? Although Su Jin was recommended by me, I really don't know whether he is guilty or not." I dare to assure you that the old man just hoped to have conclusive evidence in court just now, not to excuse him."

Ouyang Xiu nodded and said with a smile: "Master Sansi is high-spirited and upright, and he never favors private individuals. I know this, but now I regret that I volunteered to take over the investigation of Su Jin's Jiaozhao case. After the court, I will The more I think about it, the more I feel wrong, how do you think I should investigate?"

Yan Shu said calmly, "Master Ouyang has a hundred times more methods of investigating officials at Yushitai than this old man. Why did you ask me how to investigate? I don't dare to give you any advice."

Ouyang Xiu looked left and right, and suddenly said in a low voice: "Master Sansi, you mean to handle it impartially? First go to bring witnesses and get the statement, then ask Su Jin, and finally make a decision in the third interrogation between the two parties, right?" "

Yan Shu said indifferently: "How to do it is your business. The old man really can't give you any advice on this matter. Su Jin is a member of our third division. It is reasonable to avoid suspicion. Why should Mr. Ouyang ask me?"

Ouyang Xiu frowned and said, "To be honest, I don't know what to do. The letter from Xiang Lu in the hall just now made it very clear. According to the letter, Su Jin's matter may not If there is a lie, how could Tangtang make up evidence to frame others? Isn't this self-destructive? Besides, Lu Xiang is such a fine person, he can openly read the letter in the court, he must have been verified and judged, so this The case is actually quite clear.”

Yan Shu smiled and said, "Has your Yushitai always dealt with cases based on trying to figure out people's minds? Based on your thinking and observation, it seems that Su Jin's case can be directly convicted without investigation."

Ouyang Xiu was stunned for a moment, then he laughed and said, "Look, Master San Si doesn't use dirty words when swearing. How could he arrange people face to face? Am I analyzing it for you?"

Yan Shu put away his smile and said, "Lord Ouyang, this old man is in a hurry to see the emperor. If you have something to say, you can just say it. If you just want to chat with this old man, you can go to my third office in the evening. I'll ask the subordinates to prepare some." Bojiu, you and I chat while eating, so you don't have to stand here and blow the cold wind, wouldn't it be nice?"

Ouyang Xiu also put away his smile and said: "Lord San Si's suggestion is good, but I don't have that much time to spare, because I'm going to see the emperor, how about you and me going together?"

Yan Shu said, "Are you going to see the emperor too?"

Ouyang Xiudao: "Of course, I want to ask the emperor to show me how to investigate Su Jin's correction? How to investigate? Lord Yan didn't give me an answer, so I have to ask the emperor."

Yan Shu frowned and said, "If you and I go together, won't the emperor mistakenly think that the old man is in collusion with you?"

Ouyang Xiudao: "That can't be helped. Who told Master Sansi not to give me a clear statement? Although I am an official of the Yushitai, I am not ignorant of the world. To be honest, I am also very entangled in this matter. If I kill you Even if he is a saint, I will find evidence of crimes. No matter how big or small the evidence is, they will never escape my eyes. Therefore, no matter whether Su Jin is false or not, I want to check him. Evidence for imprisonment."

Yan Shu knew that Ouyang Xiu was telling the truth. Yushitai investigates someone, unless they don't want to kill you, whoever you are, there will always be a tail for them to grab. Who doesn't have yellow and white things behind their ass nowadays?Who dares to pat his chest and say that he is as innocent as water?Of course, Yu Shitai would not be so stupid as to bite people randomly, but a new official like Su Jin, who has no foundation, is like holding snails with three hands, and one of them is accurate.

Ouyang Xiu continued: "But on the other hand, I know that food affairs are the top priority of the imperial court right now, and Su Jin is an expert. If I blindly handle the case for the sake of solving the case, wouldn't it be a waste of money? Taking Su Jin alone is a small matter, bad It is a big matter to get the food affairs of the imperial court; one is the responsibility, and the other is related to the overall situation. It is really difficult for me to choose, so I came to ask the opinion of Lord Sansi, but Lord Sansi did not give me any advice, so I had no choice but to go See the emperor."

Yan Shu looked into Ouyang Xiu's eyes, trying to find some clues. This person's reputation is not good. Since entering the Yushitai, he has had a bad temper with many officials in the court, and has a weird temper. Not to mention myself as the third envoy, I don't respect him when I see him on weekdays, even Fan Zhongyan and Han Qi who are far away in the northwest are often criticized by him in court. character.

However, the emperor treats this person pretty well, and this person's poetry and prose are also quite profound. Although everyone doesn't like him, when it comes to the poems and proses of Mr. Ouyang, there are few who don't give a thumbs up; How could Yan Shu dare to have a heart-to-heart with him, if he was not careful, he would fall into his trap and be bitten by him. Although it would not bring down his power, it would still make people uncomfortable.

Yan Shu looked into Ouyang Xiu's eyes, those slender eyes were full of sincerity, without any hint of cunning, joking or conspiracy.

Yan Shu sighed and said, "Lord Ouyang, it's not that I don't give you an opinion. Your analysis of the situation is extremely accurate. Whether Su Jin is guilty, whether he has overstepped his authority to recruit security, whether he refused the state government's reinforcements and caused casualties of officers and soldiers, these things The old man also wants to know the truth; but there is a principle that the food affairs related to the stability of the country must not have any twists and turns. Su Jin is a talent, without him, the old man is really not sure to proceed with this matter. "

After a pause, Yan Shu continued: "The current situation, old man, might as well tell you clearly that it has been more than ten days since the deadline set by the imperial court, and now it has entered the twelfth lunar month, and there has not been a grain of grain purchased in official warehouses in these ten days. There is less and less food on the market, and it is about to run out; the autumn harvest and the food bought by the former officials have been difficult to last for too long, and if this continues, within a month, when the New Year is still in celebration, I am afraid that even Bianliang The food in the city is about to run out, not to mention that the Northwest War is about to break out. If there is no military food supply for the soldiers at that time, you can definitely guess the consequences without the old man saying it clearly. The old man is in the position of the third division. Let go, the emperor knows the importance of it, so today he entrusted you to handle this matter in the court, he is also very embarrassed, one side is the law of the country, and the other is the country, if you ask the emperor, how will the pope answer you? "

Ouyang Xiu frowned and pondered, with something on his face.

"We wait for the salary of the emperor, and we are favored by the emperor. At critical times, we must know how to share the worries for the emperor. Everything must be clearly stated by the emperor. This is an irresponsible evasion. But all famous officials in ancient and modern times not only get each other, What is commendable is that they dare to take responsibility, for the common people, for the country, and for the emperor, if you ask the emperor about some things, it is better to ask your own heart, the answer comes from the heart.”

Although the tone of Yan Shu's words was indifferent, the meaning of the words was not simple. Ouyang Xiu was silent for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "I've been taught, I know what to do. Before I leave for Yangzhou, I would like to ask Lord Sansi to generalize the bandit chief." Shen Yaozu handed it over to me, in fact, there is no need to go to Yangzhou to investigate at all, after Shen Yaozu is escorted to Beijing, he can tell whether Su Jin acted falsely, whether he is guilty or innocent is only a matter of a few days, if the Privy Council wants to leave , I'm afraid it's..."

Yan Shu was startled, how could he have forgotten this matter, he was really confused, the guard Ma Jun and his party had just arrived in Beijing, and he just said this in front of everyone this morning. Afterwards, Du Yan took the person away to ask for a confession, then things would be troublesome.

Yan Shu hurriedly said: "Master Ouyang, please come with me to pick up the prisoner. The old man here in the emperor will come to see you later. The prisoner is in the prison of Kaifeng Mansion, and the guard Sima Jundu will lead people to guard him."

Ouyang Xiu changed his face and said: "Hurry up, hurry up, the Guard Division is under the jurisdiction of the Privy Council, Sir Third Division, you are so confused."

Yan Shu had no time to worry about his rudeness, and hurriedly took Ouyang Xiu out of the palace.