Prime Minister

Chapter 574 Wang Anshi's Speech

Su Shi's words made Zhang Yue, Chen Xiang and the officials present feel uncomfortable.Of course, is Su Shi wrong?
He was right, everything he said was true.

From the point of view of a critic, he didn't talk nonsense, and he hit the nail on the head, but the effect was like stabbing a knife into the bottom of a person's heart.

After Su Shi retired, Zhang Yue could feel that the officials appreciated Su Shi's talent and learning in the Yanhe Hall, but the result of the performance was not very good.

Perhaps this is the case for literati.

Of course Su Shi also understood that the emperor's acceptance may be very small, and he said the truth that he should not have said.

What Zhang Yue didn't know at this moment was that after Su Shi came out of the palace, because of his good popularity, many officials asked Su Shi what he had said to the officials when he met the saint just now.

Su Shi let out a long sigh, and then said that he was right in the prelude to the king, without hiding a word.

"I'll say it bluntly in front of you, the illness I'm suffering from today is that I'm eager to seek treatment, and my words are too wide, and I'm too eager to get people!"

All the officials agreed with Su Shi's words.

It’s not that everyone didn’t have this idea in their hearts, but they either hid it in their hearts and didn’t say it, or they were not as specific and profound as Su Shi’s summary. Now that Su Shi said this, the officials present agreed in unanimous agreement.

"So what do the officials say?" one official asked.

Su Shi said: "The official family will think carefully about my advice."

Many officials were overjoyed, and the officials were willing to listen to Su Shi's words, which showed that his determination to reform was not so firm yet.

The officials present at the scene had some objections to the regulations of the third division. After Su Shi's zoom-in, many officials immediately planned to go to school, or planned to pass on Su Shi's words to other officials they knew.

As for the officials in the palace, they didn't know all this, but summoned Zhang Heng.

Before meeting Zhang Heng, the official first asked Zhang Yue, "Is Zhang Zhengyan from Qing's family?"

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, Zhang Heng is indeed the nephew of the clan. When I was working as a servant of the clan study for a living, Zhang Heng was the head of the clan study."

The official heard that Zhang Yue actually made a living by copying books, and said, "It's not easy for you."

Soon Zhang Heng went to the palace.

Zhang Heng's memorials advocated the school system, which agrees with Wang Anshi, Chen Xiang, and Zhang Yue.

Zhang Heng first said: "Your Majesty, during the three generations, the law has been fully developed, from the royal family, the capital, and down to Luxiang, there are schools."

"People grow up to eight years old, from princes down to common people's children, all go to elementary school, and they are taught the rituals of sweeping, coping, advancing and retreating, etiquette and music, archery, and counting."

"And for ten or five years, from the sons of the sons of the emperor and the sons, to the sons of the princes, ministers, officials, and scholars, and the handsome men of ordinary people, all entered the university, and taught them to be poor, righteous, and The way of self-cultivation and governance of others.”

Zhang Heng's suggestion is to imitate the three generations and establish a complete education system.

From elementary school to university, they are all included in the public school, and the imperial court uses it to educate the common people, so that every common man can afford to study (primary school), and then selects outstanding children from poor families to enter the university together with Gongqing (the second generation of officials).

After hearing Zhang Heng's suggestion, the officials couldn't help being moved. This plan is of course a good one.

But how much does it cost?

It is very difficult for a county to run a county school.Before Fan Zhongyan celebrated Lixin School, most of the counties in the Song Dynasty did not have county schools.

The official asked Zhang Heng for his opinion, and Zhang Heng said: "Your Majesty can come from three places, one is government-run, the other is government-private partnership, and the third is private-run, rich counties can be government-run, not rich, government-private partnership, and finally encourage the private sector."

"It's just a university. As for elementary schools, we use the method of social studies. Then, each county will set up an official to supervise the school affairs, and then set up an official to supervise the school officials in each county along the way."

The government nodded. The cost of government-run schools was too high, and the imperial court simply did not have the financial resources, so they encouraged private schools, and the imperial court set up school inspectors in each county to manage the schools as a whole.

Of course, these were discussed by Zhang Heng, Chen Xiang, and Zhang Yue.

The officials were very happy and satisfied after hearing Zhang Heng's opinion.

After Zhang Heng left, the officials couldn't help but sigh with emotion, why Zhang Heng was completely different from Su Shi, who was also a Jinshi in the second year of Jiayou.

Of course the officials didn't know that Zhang Heng's memorials had been modified by Zhang Yue and Chen Xiang, and some parts that might cause the officials' displeasure were removed, so almost every word in the Zhang Heng memorials was satisfactory to the officials.

The official asked Zhang Yue: "What do you think of Su Shi talking about the school?"

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, I think that Su Shi's words are reasonable, and his heart is to serve the country with fists and fists, but his strategies can be listened to, but not used."

"Why?"

Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, it's like an old father has two sons. The eldest son is filial to his knees, and the youngest son is away from home. He doesn't go home for several years."

"The youngest son, who was traveling for a day, came home and saw that the old father was not taking good care of him. In the heart of filial piety, he took responsibility for his elder brother one by one."

"Your Majesty, there can be [-]% filial piety in this world, but how can [-]% filial piety be achieved?"

"The words of the youngest son's accusation are certainly reasonable, and his filial piety to his father may not be inferior to that of his elder brother, but is it true that the eldest son is not doing well?"

"Those who do things are beyond their power. If the father follows the youngest son and accuses the eldest son without knowing it, then the youngest son will wander around again in the future, and the old father will probably have no one to fulfill his filial piety."

The official couldn't help being relieved when he heard the words: "Zhang Qing's words have the air of a prime minister."

Chen Xiang also nodded slightly at the side and said in her heart, the official's trust in Du is really immeasurable.

Thinking of this, Chen Xiang recorded the prelude between Zhang Yue and Guan Jiajun in his daily notes.

The next day, in Wang Anshi's mansion, Su Shi's prelude to the emperor also passed into Wang Anshi's ears from other people's mouth.

Although Wang Anshi was the prime minister, he was not so villainous as to deliberately spy on officials' words and deeds. However, Su Shi's words were spoken in front of many officials.

Wang Anshi said that he was sick these days and did not go to court. This is not because he is afraid of Su Shi, but because he is really short of breath.

At this time, Wang Yu was reading the memorial to Wang Anshi.

The disciples reported that Xue Xiang, the magistrate of Luzhou, came to see him.At this moment Wang Anshi couldn't help opening his eyes, and Wang Yu also showed a sneer.

Wang Yu invited Xue Xiang into Wang Anshi's bedroom.

Before Zhong Er attacked Suizhou, he was overthrown by Sima Guang and other conservative officials and demoted to Suizhou.Xue Xiang was also dismissed from his position as a transfer envoy in Shaanxi for conniving with Zhong Er, and now he is only a magistrate of Luzhou.

Both Wang Anshi and Wang Yu knew Xue Xiang well.Knowing that this person must be unwilling to be demoted and wants to make a comeback, he came to Wang Anshi's house to find a way.

After entering the room, Xue Xiang said: "I heard that my husband is suffering from asthma and cannot go to court. Xue heard that only Zituan Mountain ginseng can cure this asthma.

"With this Zituan mountain ginseng, my husband's illness will be cured, please don't refuse."

Wang Anshi laughed loudly when he heard the words: "I have never eaten ginseng from Zituan Mountain in my life, and I have lived to this age. Xue Gong should return it!"

Xue Xiang's expression changed. He didn't expect that Wang Anshi would not accept him even though he was so ill. So how could he ask him to speak for him in court.

(End of this chapter)