Great Song Super Scholar

Chapter 724
"Wei Chen retire!"

Fan Ning saluted and walked slowly outside the imperial study.

"Go! Take a break, Aiqing has worked really hard in the past two years."

Zhao Xu watched Fan Ning resign with a smile. Just as Fan Ning exited the imperial study, the smile on Zhao Xu's face disappeared. He sat back in his seat and stared blankly at the letter of resignation on the table. His eyes were somewhat annoyed, and he agreed. Is Fanning's resignation a good thing or a bad thing?

He suddenly slammed his fist hard on the table, gritted his teeth and said, "Just do it, why do you regret it?"

An hour later, Zhao Xu promulgated the imperial decree, agreeing that Fan Ning resigned from the position of Marshal and Privy Envoy of Peking University, and changed Fan Ning to be a Bachelor of LongTuge University, and he will work with Zhongshumen. This is to retain his qualifications as a prime minister , and he was also named Taishi.

This is the first time Zhao Xu has exercised this personnel power since he obtained the power to appoint and dismiss officials above the third rank from the Queen Mother a month ago.

When the news came out, the ruling and opposition parties were in an uproar. Fan Ning's resignation from the post of military leader and coach was surprising, but Fan Ning's resignation was equally shocking.

After the reform of official positions, the imperial court emphasized the unity of functions, powers and affairs. Although this reform has a process, it has been clear at least at the level of Xiangguo.

The prime ministers of the Song Dynasty were the left and right servants and the Zhongshuling or the door servants, while the deputy ministers of the Song Dynasty were the Zhongshu servants, the door servants, and the left and right ministers of the Shangshu province, plus a privy envoy, a total of seven prime ministers, including the left and right Two prime ministers, four deputy ministers and one privy minister.

Fan Ning was appointed by the LongTuge Grand Master to be a member of the Zhongshumen. Although he still retains the qualification of Xiangguo, it is equivalent to enjoying the deputy state-level treatment for later generations. He can no longer vote in Zhizheng Hall, nor can he participate in Xiangguo's affairs , Taishi is an honorary position. To a certain extent, Fan Ning has resigned from all positions in the court.

It would be fine if Fan Ning was 70 or [-] years old, but he is still so young, which has to make people sigh, and also has to make people think about it infinitely.

Fu Bi blocked Fan Ning in front of the gate of the Privy Council, he pulled Fan Ning aside, and asked anxiously, "What's going on with you?"

Fan Ning smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Fu came just in time. I still don't know where my new official house is? Could Mr. Fu show me where to go."

"Stop giving me that hippie smiley face, I'm talking serious."

Fan Ning looked up at the sky and said with a smile, "Why don't we go have a drink together!"

Seeing people on both sides, Fu Bi knew that this is really not a place to talk, so he waved his hand, "Go to Zhulou!"

Fan Ning and Fu Bi came to Zhu Lou's special private room, they sat down at the table, and the bartender served them wine first.

Fan Ning filled a glass of wine for Fu Bi and said, "My grandmother has been in poor health this year. She is over eighty years old. I want to see her."

"Her old man lives in Beidao?"

Fan Ning nodded, "She can no longer go back to her hometown by boat, so I can only go there."

Fu Bi stared at Fan Ning for a while and said, "This is just an excuse!"

"It's really just an excuse, but the emperor approved it. How do you say it?"

Fu Bi understood Fan Ning's implication, "You mean, it's actually the emperor who wants to dismiss you?"

Fan Ning smiled, "I didn't say that, Mr. Fu was thinking about it himself."

"Okay! Even if I'm thinking to myself, but I want to know why?"

"Couldn't Mr. Fu think of it?"

Fu Bi's eyes widened, and he choked out four words for a while: "Great master!"

Fan Ning stared at the wine in the glass and said with a smile: "The taste of this wine is really good. I didn't know it before. I need to bring a few more bottles to the North Island."

Fu Bi was stunned for a moment, then sighed, "Why bother?"

Fan Ning drank the wine and said with a slight smile, "It's better to go than to be suspected. Isn't this a kind of relief for me?"

"But what about Da Song?"

Fan Ning shook his head, "Fu Xianggong is too worried. The Song Dynasty has a lot of talents. It won't be impossible because of lack of someone. If I am not here, there will be another coach. Besides, the general situation of the Liao Kingdom is gone. As long as the troops are cautious, there will be no problems. , why should Fuxiang worry?"

"How can I not worry?"

Fu Bi was really helpless, he knew that the matter had come to this point and it was irreversible, so he could only ask, "When do you plan to go to Beidao?"

"Get ready, half a month later!"

Fan Ning saw that Fu Bi was worried, so he smiled and said: "Now there is a pigeon post between Beidao and Dasong. If there is something urgent, you can contact through pigeon letters."

Fu Bi nodded silently. He originally thought that Fan Ning resigned for some reason, and he could be persuaded, but he didn't expect that it was because of his great achievements, so there was no way to persuade him.

Fu Bi is an old bureaucrat. He knows that some bottom lines cannot be touched. The emperor's bottom line is the master of high meritorious service. Once the emperor has this awareness, he should leave as soon as possible. Fan Ning's departure is undoubtedly a wise move.

"Okay! I'll tell the newspapers about this matter and tell them not to report it, so as not to cause unnecessary criticism."

Fan Ning asked with a surprised smile: "Can the government still control public opinion?
Fu Bi shook his head, "I can only say that we try our best. It is of course best if they can take care of the overall situation. If they must report, we have nothing to do."

………….
Facts proved that Fu Bi's efforts had no effect at all. At noon the next day, almost all newspapers reported on the front pages that Fan Ning was dismissed as Prime Minister and resigned from the position of Marshal of Peking University.

All of a sudden, the government and the public were in an uproar, and this matter became the focus of discussion in the entire capital. Various newspapers wrote a series of comments analyzing the reasons for Fan Ning's resignation. Although the official reason given was because of family reasons, many of the comments were sharp. He pointed out that Fan Ning has made extraordinary achievements, his official position has been sealed, and he has reached the point where he has made great achievements.

These comments have also become the basis for discussing the matter in teahouses and restaurants in the capital, but more insightful people are worried about whether Fan Ning's resignation will affect Song's war against Liao.

In the afternoon, Emperor Zhao Xu was discussing with Wang Anshi the candidate for the North coach. Zhao Xu was considering Fu Bi, but Wang Anshi strongly recommended Vice Minister Han Jiang as the North coach.

"Your Majesty, although Fan Ning led the battle to destroy Xia, Han Xianggong was the deputy commander and took on the important task of attacking Xixia from the south. Facts have proved that he has the experience of commanding hundreds of thousands of troops. Although Fu Xianggong also has experience, but After all, he is old, and I am afraid that his energy and physical strength will not allow him to lead the army again."

Zhao Xu nodded, Fu Bi was indeed a bit too old.

At this time, a eunuch shouted loudly at the door: "The Empress Dowager is here!"

Zhao Xu was startled, the emperor's grandmother had come, and after a second thought, he knew that it must be because of Fan Ning's matter, what should I do?
Before he could figure out how to deal with it, the Empress Dowager Cao walked into the imperial study angrily.

Zhao Xu hurriedly saluted and said with a smile: "As long as Grandmother gives an order, grandson will go to the Palace of Compassion and Ning to greet him. Why does Grandmother bother to come here in person?"

Empress Dowager Cao slapped the newspaper on the table with a cold face, "I ask you, is this true?"

Zhao Xu saw the headline report on the front page at a glance, and he sighed in his heart, it really was this matter.

Zhao Xu hurriedly said: "The facts are indeed true. Fan Xianggong resigned his military post and position from me yesterday."

"You have to give the Ai family a reason. The incompetent are given high priority, but the high-achievers are dismissed. The Ai family can't figure out why?" After finishing speaking, Empress Dowager Cao gave Wang Anshi a cold look.

Wang Anshi smiled wryly in his heart. In the Queen Mother's mind, is he an incompetent?

Zhao Xu quickly found out Fan Ning's letter of resignation, and presented it to the queen mother with both hands, "Grandmother, please calm down, this is Fan Xianggong's letter of resignation, and there are reasons for his resignation on it, and my grandson had no choice but to approve it. Unbearable."

Of course, Zhao Xu also read the comments of various newspapers. Those sharp comments all said that Fan Ning was dismissed because of his high meritorious deeds. This made Zhao Xu very annoyed.

Annoyed, Zhao Xu has nothing to do, even if he is the emperor, he can't interfere with public opinion at will.

Empress Dowager Cao had already read Fan Ning's letter of resignation, and the anger in her heart gradually calmed down. She frowned and asked, "His grandmother is far away overseas! How did he know that his grandmother was seriously ill?"

Wang Anshi next to him said: "Report to the Empress Dowager, there are pigeon letter stations in the North Island and the South Continent to contact the Song Dynasty, and the news can usually reach the capital within ten days."

Zhao Xu also said in time: "Grandson also doesn't want to change the coach at this critical moment, but considering filial piety is the first priority, grandson can only approve it."

"It's all right if you dismiss him from the military post, why are you also dismissed along with his aspect?"

Wang Anshi said from the side: "The Empress Dowager doesn't know something. The Zhizheng Hall has regulations. If Xiangguo asks for private leave for more than three months, it will affect the operation of the Zhizheng Hall. In this case, it is usually to go to a real job while retaining the qualifications of the Xiangguo. Xianggong went to Beidao, at least for four or five months, and as long as half a year or even longer, so His Majesty did not do anything wrong in removing Fan Xianggong from his position."

Empress Dowager Cao was also speechless for a while, and she said coldly after a while: "Since the official reason is sufficient, the Ai family has nothing to say, but the Ai family must remind the official family that the Song Dynasty conquered the Liao Kingdom. The officials destroyed the Great Wall because of their personal emotions, and I believe that the officials will not be able to explain to the ancestors. Although these words are a bit harsh, don’t blame the Ai family for being unpredictable.”

After finishing speaking, Empress Dowager Cao turned around and walked away.

Zhao Xu's mood suddenly turned bad, did he really do something stupid?

Wang Anshi comforted him and said, "Your Majesty, the battle between Song and Liao is a struggle of national power, and it will not change because of someone's ability. Liao's national power has declined, and the general situation is gone. I believe that even without Fan Ning, the Song army will definitely be strong. Play the song of triumph."

Zhao Xu nodded, "I wish you good luck!"

(End of this chapter)