The prince is more stable

Chapter 932 A Powerless Prime Minister
With Cai Jing's entry into the Politics Hall, Prime Minister Zhang Dun realized that his career crisis had erupted.

Although Cai Jing was only a junior official in the Imperial Secretariat, many things were foreshadowed.

Recently, due to various issues surrounding the new policies, Zhang Dun and the Emperor have had a falling out. Their political views are clearly at odds, and both want to implement the policies according to their own ideas.

This kind of conflict cannot be resolved by two people sitting down for a drink and having a heart-to-heart talk. It is a fundamental disagreement on the country's future strategy and policies, which is completely irreconcilable.

Zhao Xiaoqian wanted to cut through the mess quickly, holding both truth and power, to formally legislate the new policies of the Song Dynasty within one or two years, and then implement them swiftly and decisively. Local officials who did not comply would be replaced, and local powerful landlords who did not comply would be killed.

Zhang Dun's approach to governing a large country was like cooking a small fish—gradually implementing new policies in a gentle and subtle way, striving to both protect the interests of officials, powerful figures, and wealthy families and ensure that the common people benefited.

Therefore, Zhang Dun consistently opposed many aspects of the Fangtian Equal Tax Law and the establishment of the Censorate. He felt that Zhao Xiaoqian's approach was too radical, which could easily exacerbate domestic conflicts, cause unnecessary losses, and even shake the foundations of the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Xiaoqian believed that Zhang Dun's approach was too greedy and too naive.

Trying to consider the interests of all parties is impossible; there are hardly any perfect solutions in this world.
The powerful landlords and the peasants were two completely opposing classes, and their interests were always in conflict. No matter how perfect the new policy was, it could not benefit both sides, and might even offend both sides.

Zhao Xiaoqian faced a choice between two options, and he chose to stand on the side of the farmers and protect their interests.

As for landlords and powerful families, the new policies did not force them to starve. They only required them to pay taxes honestly and not to conceal the amount of land they owned. If they failed to do so, they deserved to be punished by the court and have their property confiscated.

The disagreement between the emperor and the prime minister lies precisely in this.

Since neither side could convince the other, Zhao Xiaoqian had no choice but to choose the simplest method: exchanging prime ministers.

Although Zhao Xiaoqian did not say it explicitly, Zhang Dun still realized Zhao Xiaoqian's intention.

Cai Jing was appointed as the Vice Minister of the Chancellery and entered the Council of State Affairs to participate in government affairs. Zhao Xiaoqian did not consult with Zhang Dun about this matter at all, but directly issued an imperial edict to appoint him, which in itself was a very strong signal.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, Zhang Dun squinted at Cai Jing. Although he was shocked and terrified, his eyes revealed no emotion.

Cai Jing stood before Zhang Dun with a respectful smile, bowing to him as a subordinate official.

"Hehe, I never expected that Yuan Chang would also join the Council of State Affairs. Your Majesty has a discerning eye and the ability to recognize talent. From now on, you and I will be colleagues in the Council of State Affairs," Zhang Dun said with a smile and stroking his beard.

"It is my great honor to be able to receive your esteemed teachings every day before you, Master Zhang. I hope you will continue to guide me in the future. If I ever misbehave or err, please forgive me," Cai Jing said respectfully.

Zhang Dun chuckled and said, “Of course, of course. Now that Yuan Chang has joined the Council of State Affairs, let’s get started. All the officials in the Council of State Affairs have their own responsibilities. Since Yuan Chang is new here, he should familiarize himself with the affairs first and pay close attention to the flood situation and disasters from all over the Song Dynasty.”

"I intend to entrust you with the task of managing the rivers of the Great Song Dynasty. Now that winter has arrived, it is the perfect time to begin dike repairs on the Yellow River. All matters concerning funds and materials..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cai Jing said nervously, "Please forgive me, Minister Zhang, His Majesty had already made arrangements for me before I took office..."

Zhang Dun paused, frowned, and looked at him: "What did His Majesty instruct you on?"

Cai Jing did not look at Zhang Dun's expression, but simply lowered his head and calmly said, "His Majesty has ordered me to first resolve the matter of Shi Zhongxian's suicide after taking office. The Three Judicial Offices, the Imperial City Guard, the Censorate, and other agencies will cooperate with me to investigate this case and give His Majesty and the people of the world an explanation."

Zhang Dun's heart sank.

The emperor's decree once again bypassed him, the prime minister.

He was appointed directly and assigned tasks without consulting him, the prime minister, or even giving him a heads-up.

After Cai Jing finished speaking, many people in the Political Affairs Hall turned their attention to him, focusing on the two men, especially on Zhang Dun's expression.

At this moment, even outsiders noticed that something was wrong.

The Emperor's actions were highly unusual. Although he appointed a Vice Minister of the Chancellery and assigned tasks to Cai Jing without mentioning Zhang Dun in any of his decrees, the prime ministers still sensed the Emperor's indifference towards Zhang Dun from his instructions.

The prime ministers were all shrewd and cunning old foxes. To have risen to the position of participating in the government, their skills in dealing with people and officials were naturally extraordinary, and their political acumen was among the best in humankind.

At this moment, a terrible signal gradually began to appear in the minds of the prime ministers.

The Emperor may already be considering dismissing the Prime Minister; the Council of State is about to undergo a major upheaval!
Cai Jing's appointment as Vice Minister of the Chancellery and entry into the Council of State Affairs is probably not that simple. It is not just a personnel transfer. Perhaps... Cai Jing is very likely to replace Zhang Dun.

The crowd's gazes immediately changed, and they all stared at Zhang Dun's expression.

Zhang Dun's expression changed repeatedly. He had noticed something was wrong much earlier, but he couldn't show any panic at this moment. After all, as the prime minister of a country, he had to maintain the basic composure of not showing his emotions.

So Zhang Dun stroked his beard and smiled faintly, saying, "Since His Majesty has already made arrangements for Yuan Chang, then Yuan Chang should first handle the matters His Majesty has assigned... The matter of Shi Zhongxian's suicide has had a very bad impact on the court and the public. I hope Yuan Chang will investigate it carefully and thoroughly."

Cai Jing bowed with a smile: "Yes, Your Excellency will follow your instructions."

The Hall of State Affairs fell silent again. On the surface, everyone was busy handling state affairs and reviewing memorials, but in reality, everyone would occasionally glance at Zhang Dun.

Zhang Dun sat at the head of the hall, with a mountain of memorials piled up in front of him. He picked up his brush and stared at the memorials, but he couldn't read a single word. He held the brush above the memorials for a long time, until a drop of thick ink fell onto the memorials, staining them into an unsightly blot.

Zhang Dun was startled and finally came to his senses, hurriedly wiping the ink stains off the memorial. His expression and actions were seen by everyone in the Political Affairs Hall, who exchanged glances, their eyes communicating silently.

…………

Dressed in casual clothes, Zhao Xiaoqian, carrying the increasingly mischievous Zhao Hao in his arms, appeared once again outside Zhang Xiaoyi's house.

Upon seeing the familiar place, Zhao Hao became excited and pointed at the tightly closed gate, shouting excitedly.

"Fish! Eat fish!"

Zhao Xiaoqian pinched his little cheek and said, "All you ever think about is eating! At your age... Ah! What's the most important task? It's to reduce your studies!"

Zhao Hao blinked his clear, big eyes and looked at him blankly.

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed helplessly and said, "Alright, there's no rush to reduce your studies. Let's talk about it in two years. Just cherish your carefree days now. In two years, you'll have endless homework and extracurricular classes every day, and you'll still hear your parents and teachers yelling hysterically at you for not doing well when they're helping you with your homework... Tsk!"

Zheng Chunhe listened silently behind him, his cheeks twitching involuntarily.

After a long pause, Zheng Chunhe finally couldn't help but say, "Your Majesty, the young prince's studies... are not that cruel. His tutors will be renowned scholars of our time. Even if they are strict, they would never be so disrespectful to the young prince..."

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced at him and said, "Children a thousand years from now will all go through this. My son shouldn't have it too easy. He should also experience what it's like to rush through homework in the middle of the night while wiping away tears..."

Just then, the door opened.

Zhang Xiaoyi's familiar face appeared before everyone.

Zhao Hao recognized him and immediately started kicking his arms and legs excitedly: "Uncle Yi, Uncle Yi! Eat fish, eat fish!"

When Zhang Xiaoyi saw Zhao Hao, a smile appeared in his eyes. He reached out and took Zhao Hao, teasing his chubby little chin with his fingers.

"Okay, let's eat fish. I'll have your aunt cook it for you."

The group went inside, and Zhao Xiaoqian sat under the grape trellis in the courtyard. Looking at the withered grapevines, Zhao Xiaoqian clicked his tongue and said, "Let's plant more grapes in the spring. Next summer, we can sit under the shade of the grapevines, and just reach out to pick a grape. That would be so nice..."

"I'll get you some grape seeds after spring. Let's choose a good variety. Your grapes this year aren't very good; they're a bit sour."

Then Zhao Xiaoqian turned to Zheng Chunhe and said, "Old Zheng, remember this. Go find some Western Region merchants and get some good grape seeds for Xiao Yi."

Zheng Chunhe hurriedly and respectfully agreed.

Zhang Xiaoyi didn't say thank you; given their friendship, there was no need to be polite about such a small matter.

After instructing his wife to go out and buy fish, Zhang Xiaoyi sat opposite Zhao Xiaoqian, watching Zhao Hao chase chickens and dogs all over the yard, and couldn't help but show a doting smile.

Turning to look at Zhao Xiaoqian, Zhang Xiaoyi's expression suddenly turned serious.

"The city of Bianjing has been quite lively these past few days. Shi Zhongxian, the Vice Minister of Revenue, committed suicide at the palace gate. It seems that some people in the city are also secretly inciting the people's emotions. Rumors are circulating that the emperor is incompetent and cruel, acting arbitrarily and refusing to listen to good advice, leaving loyal ministers with no choice but to die for their cause..."

"To be honest, many ordinary people have been misled by the rumors and their opinions of you have become quite unpleasant."

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression was indifferent, and he seemed absent-minded. He was still looking up at the grape trellis, as if Zhang Xiaoyi's grapes were more attractive to him than the rumors circulating in the market.

"...What if we expropriated the land in front of your house, then demolished all those houses outside, and had the craftsmen from the Ministry of Works dig a pond and raise fish in it? Tsk tsk!"

Zhao Xiaoqian said with anticipation, "In that case, your wife won't have to buy steamed fish from outside anymore. My son and I can eat fish whenever we want, and I can even sit by the pond and fish."

"By the way, the pond should be right next to the grape trellis. In the summer, sitting under the shade of the grapevines, picking grapes with one hand and holding a fishing rod with the other, that would be amazing! ... Picking grapes and fishing, Lao Zheng, do you think this is a good idea?"

How could Zheng Chunhe possibly object? If the emperor wanted to create a hole in the sky, he would unconditionally help the emperor build a ladder and pass him a bamboo pole.

“There’s potential, of course there’s potential! If Your Majesty is interested, this servant will immediately invite the officials from the Ministry of Works over,” Zheng Chunhe said without any principles.

Zhang Xiaoyi looked helpless: "Brother Zian! Be serious. With such a big thing happening, aren't you worried?"

Zhao Xiaoqian was startled, and a look of disorientation suddenly appeared on his face.

It seems like it's been a long time since I've heard anyone call me "Brother Zi'an".

Only this commoner friend was addressed by the same name as before, because he had no desires for himself, so he only had eyes for his friends, not the emperor.

After a long silence, Zhao Xiaoqian suddenly said, "Xiao Yi, tell me, I offended so many people, and I desperately promoted the Fangtian Equal Tax Law. Did I do something wrong?"

Zhang Xiaoyi shook his head in confusion: "I can't read many characters, let alone understand the Fangtian Equal Tax Law. I only know that the common people are just as ignorant as I am. They believe whatever they hear. Whatever rumors others spread, they follow suit. The more the rumors spread, the more unpleasant the words become."

(End of this chapter)