Prime Minister

Chapter 398 Promotion and Rewards

When Zhao Shu said this, Han Qi hurriedly said: "How can I dare to say that your Majesty is an official? Your Majesty will choose to raise him from the imperial family for Emperor Daxing tomorrow, and entrust him with the country. The eternal sage."

Zhao Shu shook his head when he heard the words, and said: "There is a saying in the book that the Wang's house is worrying, and there are three sacrifices in Liangyin. I have planned to brighten Yin for three years, let Han Xianggong be the regent of Zhongzai, and entrust all important affairs of the country to you. I am worried about Xinmo." !"

Han Qi hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, this is absolutely impossible!"

The assistant minister on the side also persuaded: "This matter is absolutely impossible, and I hope the officials will think twice."

Zhao Shu said: "I have made up my mind, and I will hand it over to Mr. Han for punishment after the military and state affairs. During this period, you and your empress can do the matter of abolishing the establishment again!"

After three persuasions by Han Qi and others, Zhao Shu couldn't change his intentions. In the end, Zhao Shu simply closed his eyes, put his hands in his sleeves and said nothing, and everyone left the room.

Han Qi, Zeng Gongliang, Ouyang Xiu and others all frowned.

Ouyang Xiudao: "In the past three years, Wu Ding, Emperor Gaozong of the Yin Dynasty, was silent for three years, so there was a saying that the state affairs were left to the prime minister without changing the government. After that, the Yin declined and revived, and the rites were revived. This is also in line with the ancient rites. of."

Han Qi said: "The official family wants to remain unchanged for three years. The servant can know this intention, but how can the regent do it. This is not the way of a minister. Why do you think the official family intends?"

All the ministers are hard to tell.

Han Qi saw that apart from Ouyang Xiu, Zeng Gongliang and others disagreed, so he said, "It's better to ask the empress to follow the example of the empress dowager and listen to the government, and she will be punished with the same authority!"

Hearing Zhang Sheng here, Zeng Gongliang and others said: "If it's really a last resort, that's the only way to go."

Han Qi said: "Let me discuss it after I report it to the Queen."

After a pause, Han Qi said again: "My lords have worked hard. The officials inquired about the matter in detail, and then made a verdict. There is nothing wrong with their words. In the future, they will be the master."

Zhang Sheng said: "What about the rewards for the officials and the forbidden army, and the amnesty of the world?"

Han Qi said: "I'll discuss it first, and then I will rely on the decree. As for those who have made other contributions, they will be rewarded!"

The new king needs rewards to buy people's hearts when he ascends the throne, especially for an emperor like Zhao Shu who ascended the throne through abnormal means.Needless to say, the seven assistant ministers, isn't that what the 'yellow robe added to the body' picture is like today?

Hearing what Han Qi said, the awe-inspiring atmosphere was much less.Han Qi continued: "After tomorrow morning, Beiku envoys will be dispatched to tell the officials, soldiers and civilians of all roads to convey the meaning of the former emperor's ascension and successor. Like Khitan, Xixia should also inform with the letter of state..."

Several assistant ministers continued to discuss, and Zhang Yue was inconvenient to hear about such a major event of power transfer.

Zhang Yue looked at the coffin of Emperor Daxing. At this time, everyone was thinking about planning, how many people could really think about the late emperor.

It's not without it.

When Zhang Yue saw Wang Gui and Fan Zhen, they were still lying on the ground and weeping bitterly. Their grief was not fake.

After the prime ministers discussed for a while, Empress Cao sent Ren Shouzhong to send news that she was not allowed to listen to the affairs of state behind the curtain, and all state affairs were left to the officials to handle, which seemed to kick the ball back again.

When Zhang Yue was thinking about it, he saw Ouyang Xiu stepping in front of him and said, "Get over it!"

Zhang Yue stood up and said, "Does Mr. Ouyang have any orders?"

Ouyang Xiu and Zhang Yue went to the small room beside the hall to talk.

Ouyang Xiudao: "There are no outsiders here. It was Mr. Han who told me just now that you have done a good job in this errand. It is not in vain that Emperor Daxing trusted you before!"

Zhang Yue thought of the deceased Zhao Zhen, and couldn't help but sigh.

Ouyang Xiu also said with emotion: "I have also received a lot of kindness from knowing and encountering, and I would not be able to reach this day if I am not the emperor of Daxing."

Ouyang Xiu's words were somewhat bleak.

Speaking of this, Ouyang Xiu said to Zhang Yue: "You have the merits of making a decision, and you have taken into account today's affairs. As long as the new king is in place, your career will be smooth in the future..."

Zhang Yue couldn't help but said: "Uncle, this kind of credit and reward is not something you want."

"From the beginning when the new prince resigned from the prince, to the later resignation from the official family, until now he has been in the dark for three years. He has been worrying and silent. Every time he wants to take a step back, he has to force us to push him to take two steps. In this way... in the future If the new king does something again, how can we deal with it."

Ouyang Xiu sighed: "How can I and the gentlemen not know? But what can I do?"

The next day all the officials entered the court, still wearing auspicious clothes, and no one knew about the death of Emperor Daxing. Crying and offering sacrifices in front of Ningdian.

Han Qi took the edict and read it out in front of all the officials, and finally all the officials paid homage to Zhao Shu, and at this point the new king officially ascended the throne.

After Han Qi read out the will, all the officials were still staying in Funing Hall, and Zhang Yue was among the crowd.

At this time Sima Guang came here and asked Zhang Yue: "I heard that when the Emperor Daxing was in great danger, is it where the speed lies?"

Zhang Yue nodded and said, "Exactly."

Zhang Yue said a few words, but seeing that Sima Guang wiped his tears and listened, he said happily after hearing about the death, "Fortunately, there is a time."

Zhang Yue said: "Don't dare, it's all up to Princess Han Xiang Zhang, I just followed, I dare not claim any credit."

Zhang Yue praised Han Qi, and based on what he saw last night, his words were indeed not exaggerated.It is true that without Han Qi, I am afraid that there will be more twists and turns in the establishment of the reserve.

At this time, an official said again: "The official family has a decree to amnesty the world, except those who are often amnesty (if amnesty is not pardoned), all officials will be promoted to the first rank, and there will be a clear decree in a while!"

Zhang Yue said in his heart, once the enthronement edict is issued, the reward will come down.

This is the general rank of the great ceremony. In the Tang Dynasty, when the new emperor ascended the throne and established a prince, he was only promoted to scattered officials, but in the Song Dynasty, the official rank was promoted.

Zhang Yue is now the prime minister of Dali Temple, located at the 38th rank of Beijing official, and the first rank is Zhuo Zuo Lang, 37th rank.

Zhuo Zuo Lang nominally worked for the secretary province, but Zhang Yue did not work there part-time, but only as his official title.The author Zuo Lang is from the eighth rank, so the official position is also moved from the ninth rank to the eighth rank.

The highest officials in the capital are Zhuo Zuo Lang and Cheng Cheng of Dali Temple.Further up is the court official, the lowest court official is the prince Zhongshe, the secretary Cheng.He was also promoted to the highest official in the capital, and the next step was to be a court official.

A court official is a promoted court official, also known as a regular official, who can participate in court meetings and see officials and so on every day.Beijing officials can be transferred to court officials when they reach the end of their term. It is not like there is a natural gap in the selection of people to Beijing officials.

An official in the Beijing Dynasty had to grind every three years. Zhang Yue has only been an official for one year now, and it is reasonable to have to work for another two years before he can be promoted to Zuo Lang, but now he has saved two years of effort.

The promotion of this official is based on the age limit. The so-called age limit means that no one is asked about the virtuous and foolish, and the recruitment standard is based on seniority.

Most officials can only get through the years slowly, unless through unconventional means such as imperial examinations or general promotion of gifts.

It usually takes five or six years for Zhang Yuezhong to be promoted from being a judge in Dali Temple to Zuo Lang, but now it only took two years.However, it is still inferior to Bao Longtu. Bao Longtu has been promoted 26 times in 25 years as an official, thanks to the special promotion of the official family.

In addition to adding officials, there is also humanity, and the rewards have also come down. For example, in the Ganxing story, the imperial army gave 100 million guan, and the officials in Beijing spent 400 million guan.

A Beijing official said: "This kind of reward, it seems that the school secretary can get hundreds of guan!"

Many officials were happy, and Zhang Yue was also thinking about how much money he could get, when he turned around and saw Sima Guang's expression was very ugly.

Zhang Yuexin thought that it would be no problem for an official of his level to be a thousand people, let alone other high-ranking officials.It is also the new king who is superior to buy people's hearts and spares no effort. Anyway, it is all the money of the common people. Which official would object?

But Sima Guang resolutely said: "How can there be such a reason? The country's expenses have always been in distress, and now there is a big funeral. It has been hidden for many generations, and it is almost squandered. Once this move is out of the state, the military officials have no money, and they must borrow money from the people." , as a reward. At this moment, how can I expect such a generous gift!"

When Sima Guang said this, many officials who were greedy for rewards just now were ashamed, and Zhang Yue was one of them.

Many officials asked one after another: "Scholar Sima, what do you think we should do?"

Immediately Sima Guang raised his arms and shouted: "I'll go and meet the official prime minister and state this matter!"

Sima Guang had a very high appeal among civil officials, and many officials immediately responded.Immediately, Sima Guang led a group of officials to the main hall.Zhang Yue hesitated when he saw this scene, but after thinking about it, Sima Guang's move was indeed right, so he also followed the team.

Sima Guang led all the officials to the steps.

Zeng Gongliang was surprised to see so many officials arriving here and asked Sima Guang, "Junshi, what are you doing?"

Sima Guang said: "I heard that the new king has ascended the throne, and this time he rewarded all the officials of the imperial army with 500 million guan? Dare I ask Mr. Zeng if it is true?"

Zeng Gongliang said: "It is true."

Sima Guang said: "I lead everyone to implore the officials and ministers to take back this order!"

"Now that the national treasury is empty, if you give rewards again, once the country's use is insufficient, it will be collected from the people. The people are poor, why give their lives? Driven by hunger and cold, they must be thieves. This is the foundation of the world's safety. Please think twice. !"

"This……"

Seeing so many officials gathered, Han Qi, Ouyang Xiu and others also stepped out of the inner hall, and after asking, they said: "At the time of Qianxing, there has been such a kindness, and you should not dismiss it lightly."

Sima Guang said: "At the time of Qian Xing, there were not as many rewards as there are now. What's more, the treasury was the most abundant at that time. Now every official has moved to one official, and there is no time for inspection. The grace is already thick, so how can we bear to give things. We wait How dare you use the misfortune of the public family for the benefit of the private family!"

Sima Guang tried to persuade him again, but Han Qi still refused.

Zhang Yue knew in his heart that the official family used the Xiaozong to enter the Dazong. Judging from yesterday, Empress Cao's clan did not support him, and they really wanted to use money to buy people's hearts.

Yesterday, after Li Zhang entered the palace to worship the new king, he immediately asked for rewards as soon as he met. Han Qi threatened to transfer foreign troops to Beijing. In the end, the two sides bargained and the forbidden army still took 100 million guan, and the minister took 400 million guan.

However, the annual income of the imperial court is only more than 6000 million guan, and the annual expenditure is greater than the income.In the case of a fiscal deficit, a quarter of the fiscal revenue is used to reward the officials of the Imperial Army, which is used to buy people's hearts.

Who will lose in the end?In the end, instead of making the common people suffer, it is the vitality of the country that is consumed.

After what happened last night, Zhang Yue originally admired Han Qi for helping the crisis, but now it seems that the imperial court still needs a prime minister who can make more drastic changes.

(End of this chapter)