King of Song

Chapter 414

The guests invited by Lu Huiqing today are mainly leaders of the new party, and they are all people who Wang Anshi values ​​more.In other words, these people have a bright future, and they will play an extremely important role in the new party and even in the court in the future, so starting to recruit them now can be regarded as a precautionary measure.

Lu Huiqing is a shrewd person!

Among them, there are mainly two people, one is Li Dongmei, who is Wang Anshi's disciple.Although he is just a doorman and has no official position, Wang Anshi admires him very much and listens to him for advice and suggestions.This person is unusual, and a good relationship will always benefit a lot.Lu Huiqing even had an ultimate idea, when he could win Li Dongmei to his side, then he would know Wang Xianggong's every move like the palm of his hand.

Only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you survive a hundred battles!

There is also a man named Zheng Xia, whose name is Jiefu, which is very similar to Wang Anshi's.He is also from Fujian, and he can be regarded as a fellow villager with Lu Huiqing.Today's banquet was held in the name of welcoming Zheng Xia, but it was actually because Lu Huiqing attached great importance to this person.

Zheng Xia was a Jinshi in the fourth year of Hidemune Zhiping. He was in his early thirties. His official career was only four or five years old, but he was already flourishing.Now that he has just returned from his post as a judicial officer in Gwangju, the trend must be to seek to stay in Bianjing as a Beijing official.You must know that the starting point of Jinshi in the Northern Song Dynasty was very low, and the promotion was very slow. Zheng Xia can already be regarded as a rocket promotion.

In addition to his personal ability, there is another crucial reason for such a result, which is because he has a deep relationship with the current prime minister Wang Anshi.

Although Zheng Xia was born in a family of officials, his father's official position was not very high, his salary was very limited, and his father was a clean and honest man, so naturally he had no extra income.Therefore, the Zheng family is relatively poor, and the Zheng family has many children, making life even more difficult.Zheng Xia is the eldest brother, he has been very sensible since he was a child, and wanted to help his father share his worries.For him, the only way to get ahead is to study hard and study hard to become famous.He once wrote a poem: "The leak is exhausted with the books, and the wine bottle is opened in spring." It is a portrayal of his diligent career.

In the fourth year of Renzong Jiayou's reign (1059), Zheng Xia's father, Zheng Hui, served as Jiangning Liquor Tax Supervisor. Since then, he has not been promoted and has been standing still.Six years later, in the second year of Zhiping (1065), Zheng Xia went to his father's office in Jiangning to study at Qingliang Temple.Coming to Jiangning, Zheng Xia ushered in the spring of his life and also met the noble person in his life.

Because the prefect of Jiangning at that time was none other than the famous Wang Anshi.In addition to being an official, Wang Anshi has good attainments in literature. He can be regarded as a scholar. He is also good at discovering talents and encouraging younger generations.Zheng Xia was studying hard in Jiangning at that time, and became famous, and was eventually introduced to the Yamen of the prefect of Jiangning.

Wang Anshi heard of his outstanding talent and attached great importance to him.Not only invited him to meet, gave encouragement and comfort, encouraged him to become a good national scholar, but also sent his student Yang Ji to accompany Zheng Xia to study at Qingliang Temple.With Wang Anshi's encouragement and support, Zheng Xia worked very hard and redoubled his efforts.In the end, Yu Yingzong Zhiping lived up to expectations. He was a Jinshi in high school for four years. Zheng Xia was only 27 years old at the time.Jinshi at this age is considered relatively young.At that time, he was awarded the title of General Zuorang, Secretary of the Provincial School, and started his official career.

Zheng Xia's luck is really good. When he first entered the official career, it was the time when his benefactor, Wang Anshi, was the prime minister and was in charge of the government.With the implementation of the new law, what Wang Anshi lacked most was talents, so he thought of Zheng Xia, a person who knows the basics, has the ability and ambition, and a little training must be a good helper.

For this purpose, Wang Anshi planned to let him go out to practice and practice first, and then he could be of great use.So he directly promoted Zheng Xia to join the army as a judicial officer in Gwangju.It is already quite a high position to join the judicial army to be in charge of a state's civil and criminal cases, as well as related judicial affairs.As a 27-year-old Xinke Jinshi, Zheng Xia's starting point is already considered good.

However, compared to the starting point of Cai Jing Yuhang county magistrate, it is still somewhat worse.However, Cai Jing has the talent of the number one scholar and was hand-picked by the emperor, so it is naturally different.

In short, Zheng Xia's treatment is definitely considered good.During his tenure in Gwangju, Wang Anshi, as always, expressed his strong support for him.All suspicious cases in Gwangju were reported clearly after Zheng Xia's interrogation, and Wang Anshi gave all the approvals according to Zheng Xia's request.It can be seen from this that Wang Xianggong's trust and expectations for Zheng Xia.

Zheng Xia is also a person who knows how to repay his kindness. He gratefully regards Wang Anshi as a confidant, and he is determined to be loyal to the country and the people.Now that his tenure in Gwangju is over, returning to Bianjing to report on his work is also a plan for the next step.

Lu Huiqing could see clearly, knew that Wang Xianggong appreciated and valued Zheng Xia, and also knew the position and role of this person in the new party in the future.That's why we put a lot of effort into wooing him. Before he can make his fortune, we can woo him early so that we can establish a good relationship.

Invest as early as possible, Lu Huiqing is very shrewd.

No, as soon as they saw Zheng Xia and Li Dongmei coming together, they hurried forward to greet them.

"Jiefu, Dongmei, you are here!" Lu Huiqing was very polite, and now he seems to be the number two figure in the new party, and his performance as a virtuous corporal is quite enjoyable.

"Thank you, brother Jifu, for your hospitality. Jinmingchi is really beautiful, it's a great place!"

Over there, Wang Yu also hurried out and greeted: "The weather is hot, everyone, sit under the gazebo and drink a cup of tea to get rid of the heat!"

"Yuanze, you came early, haha!" Several people greeted each other with smiles, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.

Although Wang Yu might not like these people in his heart, he also knew that they were his father's good helpers and meant a lot to the Wang family, so he did a good job of wooing them on the surface.

After a greeting, several people took their seats. An attendant had already served tea, and after the greetings, they began to chat.Because today is nominally for Zheng Xia, the topic starts with Zheng Xia first.

For this general whom his father was optimistic about, Wang Yu was more polite, and said with a smile: "Jiefu has done a good job in Guangzhou, and my father often praises him."

"Everywhere, it's all cultivated by Wang Xianggong." When he said this, Zheng Xia had a strange look on his face, as if he was a little insincere, and he seemed a little embarrassed.Although it was only a flash, Lu Huiqing still noticed it, and there was a little doubt on his face in an instant.

what happened?

Over there, Wang Yu didn't realize it, and said, "Now the implementation of the new law is at a critical moment. It's just in time for you to come back, and my father needs help! With Jiefu's talent, he will be able to make great achievements."

"But it's not easy to be a Beijing official!" Although Li Dongmei said so, she still lamented herself.Although he has insight and strategy, he has no background in imperial examinations.Even if Wang Anshi wanted to use him, he had no choice but to be an aide after all.As for conferring Jinshi background like Lin Zhao, Minister of the Ministry of War, it is not an honor for ordinary people...

Wang Yu smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, the imperial court is now reforming the new examination method. We are close to the water first, and Jiefu can pass this way. In addition, you have made outstanding achievements in Gwangju, staying in Bianjing as an official is not a problem."

"Okay! Congratulations, Brother Zheng!" Li Dongmei felt a little sour, but still congratulated her.

"The new law needs talents like Jiefu!" Lu Huiqing suddenly laughed and interrupted.

But at this sentence, Zheng Xia suddenly showed embarrassment and faltered.If it were someone else, with such a guarantee from the prime minister, he would definitely be happy.But Zheng Xia didn't have much excitement on his face, let alone excitement and gratitude. It took him a long time to hear him whisper: "I'm not very familiar with the new method, I'm afraid I'm powerless!"

He refused?He actually refused?Suddenly full of surprise!
Sure enough, there was a problem, while Lu Huiqing was puzzled, there was a look of worry on her face!
The atmosphere suddenly turned a little off, everyone realized this problem, Li Dongmei was a little stunned, what was this Zheng Xia thinking?This is a dream opportunity, why?Are you still not happy?Is it reckless recklessness or insufficiency?

However, the one who reacted most strongly should be Wang Yu, and others didn't appreciate his good intentions, which undoubtedly refuted his face.However, in public places, the minimum self-restraint is still required.So Wang Yu restrained himself and asked in a calmer tone: "Jiefu, is there something wrong? Or..."

Zheng Xia blushed immediately, seemed to be in a dilemma, hesitated for a long time before saying: "This time back to Bianjing, Xia really wants to pay a visit to Wang Xianggong, but it is not for the promotion, but has something else to say to Wang Xianggong. .”

"Oh? I don't know what it is? Could it be convenient for me to tell my father?" Wang Yu was a little curious, but also had a bad feeling.

Zheng Xia hesitated and said, "Okay, it's about the new law. I've seen a lot of it in Gwangju in the past few years. The implementation of the new law is not satisfactory. The purpose of Wang Xianggong's reform is to make the country rich and the army strong, and to attack the powerful. , To prevent mergers. But in fact, the implementation is not thorough, and the heavy taxes are all passed on to small traders and ordinary people. How can they afford it? Therefore, there are not a few people who live in poverty.

The Green Crop Law requires the government to borrow grain to help the people cross the famine when the crops are not harvested. This is good, but the interest rate is as high as [-] out of [-]. In some places, there are even [-] out of [-]. I have seen it with my own eyes. In order to complete the tasks of the imperial court, the officials forcibly apportioned the apportionment, so that it reached the point where the real cost was not paid and the people were benefited.It is a good thing for the imperial court to let the upper-class households guarantee each other, but under the high interest rate, how can ordinary people pay off their loans as soon as possible?In order to recover the principal and interest, the government can only plunder from the upper-class households.In the Gwangju area, there are not a few high-class households whose families have been ruined because of this, and there are many fewer gentry in the countryside, and they are far less prosperous than in the past.

The purpose of the Baojia method is to strengthen the army, but one out of two people in the prefectures and counties can be taught to fight in battle formations, and practice every five days. Farmers are deprived of their financial resources and deprived of their farming time. How can they do production?Coupled with other taxes and loans, it is simply unbearable.It has even reached the point where the people are in dire straits. "

It can be seen that Zheng Xia is a pragmatic and good person.Originally, he did have great expectations for Wang Anshi's reform, but after he witnessed it in the local area, he discovered that the new law had many drawbacks.In this regard, he and Lin Zhao are exactly the same.

In this situation, he was indeed in a difficult situation. On the one hand, Wang Anshi had shown him a kindness, so it stands to reason that he should repay his kindness.But he is a scholar and an official of the Great Song Dynasty. He read the books of sages and sages since he was a child, which taught him to tell the truth.Loyalty to the king and repaying kindness are ultimately in a dilemma.After thinking about it, he returned to Bianjing just to meet Wang Anshi and convey to him what he had seen and heard, hoping to remind and advise Wang Xianggong.

It's just that he didn't expect to meet Wang Yu and Lu Huiqing first today. He didn't want to say these words, but he is not a person who is good at hiding lies.Furthermore, Wang Yu is the son of Wang Anshi, Lu Huiqing is Wang Anshi's assistant, and Li Dongmei is his disciple. I believe they will pass it on to Wang Xianggong.Therefore, some words are stuck in the throat and cannot be uttered quickly.

He is happy, but some people are not happy.

Lu Huiqing's face gradually became gloomy. From then on, he noticed that something was wrong. He didn't expect Zheng Xia to have such thoughts.If I had known that I would not have invited him today, now it is so embarrassing, Lu Huiqing vaguely regretted it.After thinking about it, can this person be used? He should be the one who has the clearest understanding of the reform.It's just that he is completely different from Zheng Xia in terms of attitude and purpose... For a moment, Lu Huiqing's thoughts drifted far away.

Li Dongmei was surprised and puzzled, how could Zheng Xia have such an idea.Is this man out of his mind?It's nothing more than being ungrateful, why don't you cherish such a good opportunity?After offending Wang Xianggong, what else can I do in the future?

The most annoyed was naturally Wang Yu, he didn't expect that his family would raise another white-eyed wolf.It was the same with Lin Zhao at the beginning, but in the end he suddenly jumped out to oppose the Green Crop Law.Now Zheng Xia is even more ruthless, almost completely negating the new law, really amazing!For a moment, Wang Yu really had mixed feelings in his heart, quite unpleasant.

"Yuanze..."

"Enough!" Zheng Xia was about to speak when he was interrupted by Wang Yu: "It's not speculative, Jie Fu, think about it after you go back, so you can do it yourself!"

"Yes, I'm taking my leave!" Zheng Xia had expected such a result, turned around and left.

A banquet broke up in such an unhappy way, and everyone left after seeing this, and then there were only Wang Yu and Lu Huiqing by the lake.

"White-eyed wolf, another white-eyed wolf!" Wang Yu endured it for a long time, and finally couldn't take it anymore.

Lu Huiqing sneered in her heart, and said calmly: "Forget it, everyone has their own ambitions, Yuan Ze doesn't have to worry about it!"

"Hmph, how can they be so cheap?" Wang Yu was angry and said, "The matter in the northwest will start immediately, let Lin Zhao drink a pot first. As for Zheng Xia, just wait and see!"

Wang Xi didn't know anything about the northwest, so naturally he couldn't predict the situation, so he could only do his best.As for Zheng Xia who just left, when he saw his back for the last time, his eyes were still full of resentment.But he didn't know that in the near future, this person would bring their Wang family and the Great Song Dynasty an earth-shattering event...

(End of this chapter)