Prime Minister

Chapter 511
Zhao Xu walked into the Taimiao, and all the officials knelt and waited in the temple courtyard.

The small yellow gate opened the door of the private room for the officials, slowly opened the golden pin on the oath tablet and exited the private room.

But seeing that the oath tablet was about seven or eight feet high and more than four feet wide, Zhao Xu bowed down to the oath tablet, then raised his head to look up at the stone tablet, and silently read the words on the tablet in his heart.

Zhao Xu read silently to the inscription one by one.

The descendants of the Chai family shall not be given additional punishments if they are guilty, and they will be punished in prison if they commit a crime.

It is not allowed to kill scholar-bureaucrats and those who write letters.

If descendants keep this oath, Heaven will kill them.

All three of these are Taizu's vows.

Zhao Xu muttered silently in his heart, and at the same time, no one would know what was written on the oath tablet.

After Zhao Xu read the inscription, he thought for a while, treating the descendants of the Chai family favorably and not killing the scholar-bureaucrats and those who wrote letters seems to be the same thing that the emperors of this dynasty have always done. But hiding it in the Taimiao secret?

Could it be that the scholar-bureaucrats and the descendants of the Chai family would have nothing to worry about after knowing this oath, so it became a secret agreement, no wonder, no wonder.

Taizu once treated scholars generously, divided and ruled the Dafan with Confucian officials instead of Jiedushi, because Confucian officials would not rebel.

Fan Zhongyan also said that since his ancestors, he has never killed a subject lightly, which is a matter of great virtue.

This is what the emperors of the Song Dynasty have been doing all the time. All officials think that the ancestors' family law, so it is a custom, but why does every emperor do this?

It turns out that the secret lies on the oath stele in the room of the Taimiao.

Taizu used the oath of the inscription to forbid future generations of emperors.Thinking of every new king visiting the Taimiao, he probably felt the same as himself when he saw this inscription.

After Zhao Xu finished reading the inscription silently, his heart was full of awe, and he bowed down to the Taizu oath tablet again.

After Zhao Xu got up, he said in his heart: "I will obey the ancestral family law, but... But with this ancestral family law, how to resolve the immediate urgent need, the court is now..."

After Zhao Xu paid homage to the Taimiao, he returned to the Zizheng Hall to face the ministers.

Seeing that Han Jiang offered the imperial expenses for the audit of the third department, Zhao Xu fell into a long silence, followed by deep horror.

Just take the annual income of Zhiping as an example, 600 million guan.

This income is still very good.

But looking at the expenditure, it reached 300 million guan.

In addition, there are 150 guan.

In terms of expenditures, 110 soldiers are needed, and the number of officials and clans is [-]% higher than that of Jiayou years.

Zhao Xu looked at the audit of the three divisions. Even though he had just ascended the throne and had no experience as an emperor, he knew that the finances were about to collapse.

The official sighed: "Emperor Renzong's funeral, the first emperor did not dare to reduce it because he disliked it, but now I have no dislike."

Officials said it was full of guilt.

Zeng Gongliang said: "Your Majesty, it's not that the imperial court is out of money. The annual revenue is twice that of the Tang Dynasty when it was the most. But even with such cumbersome expenses, it is still too much. The imperial court's finances have been unable to make ends meet for a long time."

Zhao Xu looked at Wang Tao, the teacher under the hall, and said: "The country is so difficult, there have been major funerals in four years, and the public and private are exhausted. I will make Wang Qing responsible for reducing the redundant expenses."

Wang Tao said: "I am not competent for this matter, but I must recommend someone."

Zhao Xu asked, "Who does Wang Qing recommend?"

Wang Tao said: "Scholar Sima Guang, a direct scholar of Longtu."

Zhao Xu said happily: "I have heard his name for a long time, and this matter must be him, so Wang Qing will be appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng. I wonder what your family's wishes are?"

Wang Tao coughed.

On the other hand, Han Qi said generously: "All the officials in the platform are admonished out of the central purpose, so His Majesty will do it himself!"

Wang Tao is the first minister of Zhao Xu's mansion, and he was appointed as the first personnel appointment of Yushi Zhongcheng from the official family, and Han Qi accepted it.

But Han Qi said: "As Emperor Renzong's Shanling envoy, you can be called a fierce prime minister, and now you are the Shanling envoy, please Your Majesty abolish the minister's position as prime minister."

Shanling envoy is an unknown job.

As the prime minister, Han Qi sent the two emperors away, and twice served as the envoy of the mountain to attend the funeral of the two emperors. He said that he was not welcome, so he resigned from the prime minister.

Zhao Xu was stunned for a moment, not knowing if Han Qi's feelings were true or not, but as soon as he ascended the throne, he would get rid of Zhao Wenxiang left by his father, and he would bear a bad name, so he tried to persuade him to stay.

However, Han Qi's attitude was a little firm, and after repeated persuasion, he said that he would resign after Emperor Daxing returned to the land.

And this scene was also seen by Wang Tao and Zeng Gongliang.

After all the ministers retired, Wang Tao and Han Wei stayed in the hall.

Zhao Xu heaved a sigh of relief, being the emperor for the first time was inexperienced, and he was really exhausted.

Wang Tao said happily, "Your Majesty has frightened Han Qi today."

Han Wei frowned slightly upon hearing this.

Zhao Xu said: "I don't know how to deal with the country, so I ask Mr. Wang to help me speak in court and solve my problems."

Wang Tao patted his chest with a smile and said: "Your Majesty is a benevolent monarch, but sometimes his temper is too lenient, but don't worry, Your Majesty, there are ministers in the court, and the rulers dare not despise Your Majesty."

Wang Tao resigned in advance, leaving Han Wei behind.

Han Wei had been silent when Wang Tao spoke just now, but now Zhao Xu asked him and said: "Your Majesty has just become the Son of Heaven, so I will advise His Majesty on three strategies first."

Zhao Xu said, "Mr. Han, please tell me."

Han Weidao: "Firstly, in the court hall, unless there are important and urgent matters to be discussed and adjudicated on the spot, other matters are not rushed to be decided on the spot. This means that the matter is not at the right time."

Zhao Xu said: "I remember, Mr. Han is afraid that I will make a mistake on the spot."

Han Weidao: "Secondly, the four ruling ministers are all ministers of the two dynasties. Your Majesty must respect them and consult them in everything, so that the ministers will be dedicated."

Zhao Xu thought to himself, Mr. Han's opinion is at odds with Mr. Wang's, but I am more willing to believe in Mr. Han.

Han Wei said again: "The third thing is that each department has its own duties, and the power is divided into each other. Your Majesty must not give orders in person and act on behalf of the department. If this is the case, it will lose the generality."

Zhao Xu thought of the fact that his father tried to embezzle the Third Division many times to hand over money to the prison, but it turned out that Cai Xiang and Zhang Yue took it back, and he couldn't help but think so.

Zhao Xudao: "I'm just worried about the lack of money. Mr. Han often cuts off the flow of my way, it's better to open it up, and saving money is worse than managing it, so how can we do it?"

Han Weidao: "Your Majesty, the affairs of the world should not be taken in a hurry. A ruler must have an order in setting up government affairs, and he must be cautious. Now that His Majesty has just ascended the throne, you should not consider this matter. Please read Mencius's article on funerals."

Zhao Xu readily accepted and said: "Mr. Han is right, I have been taught."

Han Wei smiled and said: "Your Majesty has the heart to seek medical treatment, of course I know it. The words of saving money are not as good as managing money. This is what I said repeatedly when I was in the mansion. The current plan is to find people who are good at managing money. Minister."

Zhao Xu nodded, and Wang Tao advised himself to be on guard against Han Qi, and at the same time send ministers like Sima Guang to cut down on waste.

However, Han Wei persuaded himself to respect Han Qi, and at the same time choose officials to manage money.

He didn't know which one to listen to, so he asked, "Who does Han Qing think the world can manage money for the country?"

(End of this chapter)