Prime Minister

Chapter 517
Inside the hall.

The emperor's golden palace asked for advice.

This is the dream of countless scholars.

But for Zhang Yue and other humble bachelors, they have practiced countless times since today.

The policy questions learned by scholars in the imperial examination are to specialize in the emperor's Linxuan questions.

Zhang Yue has written dozens of articles only in the examination room since he was studying. As for the ten-year cold window, he wrote no less than tens of thousands of articles. Ask him and Su Shi, Su Zhe two brothers.

But Zhang Yue understands that these policy questions are not counted.

The emperor and examiners will not adopt your policy theory as a national policy because of your good writing. Instead, you have to reversely figure out what the emperor and examiners like to hear, and you write what you want.

But given how much the officials value him now...

Zhang Yue couldn't help but worry. When he was a scholar, if he touched Jiangshan's characters, he could be very high-spirited, and he would even die endlessly if his words were not surprising.But when you get to his position, you have to be cautious.

Zhang Yue was only half a beat late, but saw that the officials couldn't bear to say: "I don't want to listen to empty words, so I ask Zhang Qing to tell me what is the most important thing in the way, and what is the ultimate theory?"

Zhang Yue heard the words, and deeply felt the eagerness of the emperor in front of him to seek medical treatment, and more precisely described it as impatience.

Zhang Yue heard that the officials summoned Sima Guang before, and they also asked how to govern the country.

Sima Guang replied that the emperor should focus on self-cultivation, and then find the key to governing the country.

What Sima Guang said is not a chicken thief, it is indeed the truth.

The official has just ascended the throne, although he has a few teachers to teach him, but he has no experience in handling political affairs. Now we catch a minister and ask how to govern the country. How can we answer this question?

The safest thing would be for the emperor to have his own judgment after two or three years in power, and then make suggestions.

Otherwise, if something goes wrong with the administration, the officials say Sima Guang, Zhang Yue misunderstood me... What about the five-year Ping Liao that was agreed?
Therefore, Sima Guang, as a great master of Confucianism, starts from human feelings in every sentence.

His implication is that the emperor, you are too good now, after two years of study, I will tell you how to govern the country.

The emperor did not understand Sima Guang's words.

The current state of the official family is... I am waiting online in a hurry, what should I do?
Do you want to prevaricate the officials like Sima Guang?
No.

The emperor has no experience in governing the country, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have his own judgment.

Therefore, I must be like how to guide the chess in Go. The goal is not to win or lose, but to teach the players how to play chess correctly.

So Zhang Yue first asked: "Your Majesty, the matter of governance lies with the master. Although ministers have the way of governing the country, it may not necessarily be His Majesty's way of governing the country. How to govern the country requires Your Majesty to have his own opinions in handling and listening to the state."

The official was a little disappointed when he heard this sentence, because some of the officials he asked also answered like Zhang Yue.

"For example, teaching people to play chess, what's the use of teaching people how to play chess? The most important thing is to understand how you want to play chess. Dare I ask Your Majesty, have you read Han Feizi recently?"

The official's eyes lit up, he nodded vigorously and said: "I have been reading."

The legalist theory, in the eyes of the emperor, is like poison wrapped in honey. Even though people around him keep saying that it is poisonous, every emperor can't help but try it.

Zhang Yue said solemnly: "Since the founding of the country by Taizu, the ancestors have guarded the world, and there has been no major change for a hundred years, and the rough peace is not the way to apply to Han."

The official asked: "Then what should be done?"

Zhang Yue said: "Changing customs and legislation are the diseases of the world today. This is not enough to change the law of the Han Dynasty. But now your Majesty wants to find a way to enrich the country and strengthen the army, but you can't ask the ministers. What is the reason? Woolen cloth?"

The official nodded.

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, when Confucius first obtained the Ben Gua, he couldn't help showing sadness in his eyes. Zi Zhang asked, why didn't Master like it because the Ben Gua is an auspicious hexagram?"

"Zi said, there is a Li hexagram in the Ben hexagram, which is not the hexagram of the right color. Black and white are the right color, so the Ben hexagram is the hexagram of decoration. However, good black lacquer does not need to be decorated, and good white jade does not need to be carved. The texture is pure and does not need embellishment."

"Your Majesty, Confucius was more interested in quality than literature, so he didn't like Ben Gua, but when I read the Book of Changes, I knew that Ben Gua could be beneficial, so I went there."

"If you talk about governing a country, Legalism is quality, and Confucianism is literature. Quality is better than literature, and it is barbaric. Literature is better than quality, and history is the only way for a gentleman."

The officials suddenly said: "The system of my Han family has the hegemony of Legalism and the kingly way of Confucianism, but isn't it for Confucianism to express the law?"

Zhang Yuedao: "Your Majesty, the way of decoration is not superficial, nor is it the way of inconsistency between the outside and the inside, but the quality of the decoration and the unity of the quality."

"The way of heaven lies in the intertwining of rigidity and softness, and the way of humanity is limited by culture, governance and education. Therefore, when we practice the way, we must observe the way of heaven to observe the changes of time, and observe the way of humanity to transform into the world."

"The key to this hexagram is that it comes from softness and firmness. When you want to practice judo, you use the way of rigidity as a decoration, and when you want to practice the way of rigidity, you use judo as a decoration, just like the Taoist saying that everything embraces yang and bears yin. Therefore When His Majesty can appreciate the humanities, then he can follow the way of heaven."

The official suddenly said: "I understand what Zhang Qing means. If I want to change customs and legislate standards, I must first understand why the world is unwilling to change customs and laws, and then I can practice the way."

"Zhang Qing, what should I do now?"

Zhang Yuedao: "It's about selecting talents, being close to the virtuous, keeping away from the villain, courtesy, righteousness, honesty and shame come from the gentleman."

"As long as your majesty has more confidantes, then big things can be planned gradually. The most important thing is to listen to advice and make the way of speaking unimpeded. This is also easy to govern with the smooth, otherwise it will lead to chaos."

The official nodded and said, "Of course. Among so many ministers, Zhang Qing is the only one who is willing to tell the truth to me. I have gained a lot from this performance."

"Emperor Renzong and the first emperor both left words saying that you can assist the country. Right now, I need a person who can make policy and plan, and I plan to use you to plan the country..."

After the official finished speaking, Zhang Yue hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, the minister is young and inexperienced enough to be worthy of a great position. If your majesty wants to do the right thing, the minister can assist you, but you still have to choose another important minister."

Zhang Yue wiped off his sweat. What qualifications do you have? You have only been an official for a few years. How dare you put such a big deal on me?

It can be seen from this that the emperor is really too eager, too eager for success and fame, a bit like he will reuse someone if he catches him.

The officials also suddenly remembered that Zhang Yue did not have enough qualifications. To assist him in policymaking, he must at least have a bachelor's degree or above.

Zhang Yue is still a little far away from this position.

So the official looked at Zhang Yue and said: "In Yiqing's opinion, who among the officials in the world can assist me in my way?"

After Zhang Yue heard what the officials said, a name quickly flashed across his mind.

But this hesitation was only for a moment, he said: "Your Majesty, there is one person, and this person is Wang Anshi from Jiangning Mansion."

After Zhang Yue finished saying the name, Han Wei beside him couldn't help being surprised and delighted.

And the emperor silently said: "Wang Anshi?"

(End of this chapter)