I studied in modern times

Chapter 1060 The All-Powerful Prince Jing

Of course, not all corrupt officials were reinstated.

There are always some unlucky people who have bad luck.

For example, Wang Zijing, who was placed under house arrest in Hangzhou.

This guy is so hated for what he did in Fujian!

The people of Quanzhou, in particular, hated him so much they gritted their teeth.

Actually, this wasn't a big deal.

After all, the key figures of the New Party during the Xining and Yuanfeng eras all carried the typical characteristics of cruel officials.

Among them, Wang Zijing is neither the one with the worst reputation nor the one with the most unscrupulous behavior.

But the problem is...

Fujian today was a very powerful region during the Song Dynasty.

The Fujianese ministers, led by the three Cais, two Zhangs, and one Su (Cai Que, Cai Jing, Cai Bian, Zhang Dun, Zhang Jie, and Su Song), constituted the most powerful local faction in the Song Dynasty at that time.

These people, though they can't see eye to eye with each other.

But when it comes to dealing with Wang Zijing, they are very united.

It's not that they have any grudge against Wang Zijing.

Many people had a good relationship with Wang Zijing back then!

The problem is that politics sometimes doesn't follow reason.

Specifically, these ministers from Fujian have all realized one thing—there is nothing better to demonstrate the unity of the Fujian people than targeting Prince Jing.

At the same time, the cost and political risk of doing this are almost zero.

That being the case, there's not much to say.

I'd like to borrow your head!
Moreover, the one who took the most ruthless action was actually Cai Que, who used to have the best relationship with Wang Zijing!
This former Right Chancellor, upon hearing that the capital authorities were discussing the reinstatement of officials...

He simply wrote a note, giving the governor a brief explanation of what Wang Zijing had done in Fujian.

It particularly emphasizes the fact that Wang Zijing repeatedly obstructed the establishment of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office.

And so, a single sword strike sealed his throat!
After all, almost everyone knew how much Zhao Xu valued the Maritime Trade Office!
Moreover, facts have already proven that the opening of the port by the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office was absolutely correct!

Since the beginning of this year, the revenue of the Maritime Trade Office alone has reached more than 200,000 strings of cash.

According to the system of Maritime Trade Office's quota system established during the Xining era.

For general goods, one-fifteenth of the tax is levied; for spices and jewelry, the method of extensive purchase is applied.

This means that the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office imported goods worth three to four million strings of cash in just a few months.

This doesn't even include exports!

Therefore, even considering only the economic aspects, Wang Zijing would be trapped in Hangzhou and would never be able to return to officialdom.

Who can blame them? Fujianese people are rich and influential!
Meanwhile, Jia Qing, Wang Zijing's patron, had already been demoted along with Wang Zijing in the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era—demoted to the position of Supervisor of Wine in Hengshan and Director of Dongxiao Palace in Hangzhou.

This man has only recently been reinstated—appointed as Academician of the Xianmo Pavilion and Prefect of Jizhou.

So, Wang Zijing was dragged down just like that.

However, he is not without connections.

So, within two days, someone came to Zhao Xu to plead for leniency.

Unsurprisingly, the person who came to plead for him was Jia Zhongmin.

Jia Zhongmin, along with Lü Jiawen, Jia Qing, and Lü Huiqing, were all involved in the Market Regulation Law and the Real Estate Law during the Xining Reform.

They belonged to the radical faction within the New Party at that time.

Meanwhile, Jia Zhongmin is Jia Qing's cousin.

They were all members of the Jia clan of Zhending.

"Your Majesty, Zijing is a loyal minister!"

Hearing Jia Zhongmin's words, Zhao Xu laughed: "Is there anyone in this court who isn't a loyal minister?"

Even Zhang Zhijian, who was executed by Zhao Xu, still considered himself a loyal minister before his death!
I'm doing this for the country!

However, the moment he defied Lü Huiqing's orders and refused to send troops, he was already courting death!

Wang Zijing is the same!
The moment he opposed the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office, he had already been politically abandoned by Zhao Xu. This had absolutely nothing to do with whether he was a loyal minister or not.

It's purely a matter of political stance!
If Zhao Xu could even accept and reuse Wang Zijing, a minister who had once openly opposed the opening of Quanzhou port and the expansion and development of foreign trade, then...

Then, the authority and status of the local maritime trade offices will be questioned!

Zhao Xu doesn't have the ability to be in two places at once, so it's impossible for him to be thousands of miles away and keep an eye on what's happening on the ground.

He could only declare his position with a resolute political statement—anyone who dares to oppose the Maritime Trade Office, oppose foreign trade, or oppose free trade shall die!

Even the gods couldn't keep him!

I said it!
Jia Zhongmin was momentarily speechless, unsure how to respond.

Zhao Xu waved his hand and said, "Alright, alright!"

"Jia Qing, go back to your work!"

Jia Zhongmin could only stammer and bow four times before taking his leave.

Zhao Xu thought that the matter was over.

To his surprise, the very next day, someone else came to him to plead for mercy.

Moreover, the person pleading for leniency is no ordinary person.

He was Zhao Xu's most trusted confidant and the minister he currently employed most effectively—Shen Kuo.

After reading Shen Kuo's petition for an audience, Zhao Xu's expression turned strange.

"When did Wang Zijing become so close to Shen Kuo?"

Although Wang Zijing was a member of the New Party, Shen Kuo was also a member of the New Party back then.

However, the New Party has countless factions.

When Wang Anshi was still prime minister, Lü Huiqing, Wang Pang, Zeng Bu, and Zhang Dun had already started fighting each other.

During this period, there were incidents such as Zeng Bu betraying Lü Huiqing and Lü Pang publicly arguing with him.

After Wang Anshi retired from public life, chaos ensued, and the world descended into utter turmoil.

Today, the so-called New Party no longer exists.

What remains are nothing more than a group of ambitious individuals waiting for Wang Anshi to die so they can seize the right to interpret the new scriptures.

Many people have even decided that if they don't win the right to interpret the scriptures...

Then he himself will establish a new party!

Shen Kuo was one of them.

Tong Guan, standing beside Zhao Xu, shrank back as he listened to Zhao Xu's self-talk, looking hesitant to speak.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Xu frowned: "What does Tong Banban know?"

Tong Guan replied in a low voice, "To inform you all, when I was in charge of the Bianjing Yibao (a local newspaper), I saw a scholar who signed himself 'Hangzhou Sanren' (a recluse from Hangzhou) submit an article advocating Shen Tiju's theory of 'investigating things to attain knowledge'..."

"I have noted that the contributor's letter was sent from Hangzhou..."

"I also asked someone to take this person's handwriting and ask several people, and they all said that it must be the handwriting of Prince Jing!"

Zhao Xu's expression immediately turned strange: "This Prince Jing..."

You could say he's politically unreliable.

He was able to sense an opportunity and decisively took sides, helping Shen Kuo to advocate "investigating things to acquire knowledge".

It should be noted that Shen Kuo's "School of Investigating Things" was now considered a mere lapdog within the Song Dynasty's academic circle.

Even the epigraphy seminar organized by Lü Dalin had a greater influence than Shen Kuo's school of thought on the investigation of things!
To date, the School of Natural Sciences has been nothing more than a small, quietly developing entity within a specialized arms manufacturing bureau.

Even after leaving the Bureau dedicated to manufacturing military equipment, few people in the Imperial Academy of Astronomy and the Imperial Academy of Medicine recognized its authority.

Therefore, for Shen Kuo, every supporter was invaluable.

But, you could say that Wang Zijing is politically reliable.

Why did he oppose the establishment of the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office back then?
If he hadn't objected, the Quanzhou Maritime Trade Office might already be earning millions of strings of cash a year!
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Xu put down Shen Kuo's letter and said to Tong Guan, "Go and invite Supervisor Shen to the pond in the back garden!"

"It's been a long time since I went fishing with the Director!"

"promise!"

(End of this chapter)