I studied in modern times

Chapter 449 Sima Guang in action (2)

Wen Yanbo, leaning on a few sticks, led Sima Guang and Sima Kang into the back room of the mansion and into a side room with a slight trembling.

The guests and hosts were seated, and Wen Yanbo ordered someone to bring tea and snacks.

Then he pretended to be confused and asked: "Jun Shi came to the door specially today. Why?"

"Master, don't you know?" Sima Guang asked thoughtfully.

"What happened?" Wen Yanbo asked: "I have been recuperating at home recently and have not been involved in foreign affairs for a long time."

Sima Guang immediately said: "I want the Grand Master to know that good news has been sent back from Guangxi. In one day, King Yun's division decided to attack the pass and captured all the prefectures of Sumao, Men, Julang, and Silang in Jiaozhi. The troops surrounded Guangyuan, Jiuzhou, etc." Source, the vanguard goes straight to the north."

"Presumably Master Wang should have gone to the north by now."

Wen Yanbo was surprised, looked at Wen Jifu, and scolded: "You are such a traitor, why didn't you tell me about such a big matter?"

Wen Jifu immediately knelt down.

He didn't quite understand. He had obviously reported the matter to his old father in the morning.

At noon, many copies of Guangxi memorials were sent from the capital hall.

However, after being Wen Yanbo's son for decades, Wen Jifu had already learned well.

Every mistake you make is your own fault!

He immediately kowtowed sincerely: "My lord, forgive me! My lord, forgive me! I just don't want you to be distracted by foreign affairs."

Sima Guang also helped to plead for mercy: "Zhou Han is very filial, and I hope the grand master will not be angry."

But the look on his face has become much colder.

He could see that Wen Yanbo didn't want to get involved in this matter at all.

He's willing to be a part of it, good or bad!

Nothing like the Wen Yanbo in Luoyang!

But Sima Guang knew that Luoyang was Luoyang and Bianjing was Bianjing.

In Luoyang, Wen Yanbo can say whatever he wants without any cost.

Even if the officials in Bianjing City heard about it, they would laugh it off.

But in Bianjing, if you casually participate in military affairs, you may accidentally encounter some taboos.

No matter how good-tempered an official is, he is afraid of getting angry.

Perhaps, the officials will not punish him.

But what if he is going to die?

The wealth and power of hundreds of people in the Wen family would be lost in one day!

The current one is recognized as having a grudge and a good memory!

Just look at what happened to Zhang Qi’s descendants not long ago.

It's just that he didn't pay back the money he owed to the city's Yiwu, so he took charge of the place and took back the rewarded mansion.

The Zhang family will be removed from now on!

When he was young, the top noble family that could make half of Bianjing tremble by stomping their feet in this city, was simply finished.

Besides, the Wen family is in great shape now!

Seeing that Thirteenth Niang's status in the palace was increasing day by day, how could he hold back his granddaughter?

As long as a queen is born, at least three generations of wealth can be guaranteed!

Wen Yanbo looked at Wen Jifu and said: "For Sima Gong's sake, I will spare you this time. If there is another time, I will not forgive you lightly!"

Wen Jifu could only bow again and said, "No."

Then he led the people obediently and retreated.

He doesn't dare to stay here anymore.

Sima Guang watched Wen Ji just exit and said to Wen Yanbo: "Grand Master, Zhang Zihou quickly attacked the pass and conquered several states in Jiaozhi in one day. This is a rare achievement. If he can destroy Jiaozhi again and return, , I’m afraid there will be one more prime minister in the capital who has great achievements in destroying the country..."

Wen Yanbo looked at Sima Guang and asked, "Why not?"

"Being a general and a prime minister, a model of a scholar!"

In the Song Dynasty, why were there so many civil servants who insisted on dictating the military even though they knew nothing about it?

The reason is very simple - every scholar-bureaucrat feels that he is excellent in both literature, Taoism and military strategy. At the same time, they all yearn for the tradition of Tang Dynasty scholars who served as generals and prime ministers.

So, although countless fools were made.

However, as long as someone succeeds, there will be countless imitators.

During the Xining period, Wang Shao succeeded in opening a border. In just a few years, he paid homage to the privy envoy with a chance to write.

Cai Ting reformed the general's military tactics and set up general training, and appointed him as deputy envoy to the privy council.

Zhao Xi, Lu Bing, Lin Guang, and Xiong Ben were all representatives of civil servants leading troops.

As for the current Lu Huiqing and Zhang Dun, they are potential figures who have the opportunity to become prime ministers with their merits.

Inspired by these people, there are people who devote themselves to side affairs every year.

Sima Guang knew that Wen Yanbo was playing Tai Chi with him, so he could only say: "However, the country has not yet had a prime minister who could destroy the country."

The last time the Song Dynasty was destroyed was the Northern Han Dynasty during the Taizong era.

If Zhang Dun returns from Jiaozhi now, he will definitely become the most authoritative prime minister in history!

Wen Yanbo listened and laughed. He said: "Jiaozhi is nothing more than a clown in the south."

"If you destroy it, what can you boast about?"

He pointed at himself and said proudly: "My achievements in quelling Wang Ze's rebellion in Beizhou back then were even greater than Zhang Zihou's!"

"Come on, our ancestors have long established the rules, and there will never be any meritorious deeds in our country that cannot be rewarded!"

This is a fact! Whether it is civil servants or military generals, in the Song Dynasty, there was no problem of too much merit and no reward.

Honors, titles, and official posts are like matryoshka dolls layer by layer.

There is absolutely nothing that cannot be rewarded.

In addition, honoring fathers and ancestors, praising wives, and showing favor to clan members are also very effective means of appeasing and motivating people.

As for his great achievements?

That would be too simple.

Return to the court and serve as prime minister for a year or two, then go out to rest and recuperate, and then use it when the country needs it.

Take Wen Yanbo as an example. Before he became an official, he was already serving as the governor of two towns. He was worshiped as the official Jin Ziguanglu, transferred to the Zhu Kingdom, and was granted the title of Duke of Lu.

However, he still has a lot of room for improvement.

And he is eighty years old.

After spending his whole life, he went to the court four times, Xuan Ma twice to pay homage to the prime minister, and he changed his sword seven times, but it was still the same.

Where did Zhang Dun go?

After he has collected all these achievements, let’s talk about the issue of whether he may be so great that he can’t lose the title.

Sima Guang listened and sighed: "The Grand Master is upright and loyal to the country, but Zhang Zihou is different from the Grand Master."

"He is a treacherous and frivolous person, he is honest and unruly, and he acts recklessly and arrogantly. He speaks many slang and vulgar sayings, does not express clear opinions, and does not uphold the righteous words of a gentleman. When he was in the capital, he often used the capital as a market place and invaded and insulted fellow officials. Le..." Sima Guang said slowly: "How can such a minister be worthy of the prime minister?"

Zhang Dun made Sima Guang feel in danger!

Because his use of troops, strategies and methods in Jiaozhi showed that this person, once he returned to power, would do anything, break conventions, and break through institutional constraints.

Now that the two palaces are in charge of politics, they have soft ears.

Zhang Dunruo continued to misbehave in the capital, and even interacted with Wang Jiefu of Jiangning.

Can things in this world continue?

Wen Yanbo listened and flicked his fingers gently.

He knew that although Sima Guang's evaluation of Zhang Dun was a bit harsh, his words were also ruthless.

But, some of these things are true.

Zhang Dun and Zhang Zihou are such a person.

Wen Yanbo had also heard of Zhang Dun's many great achievements.

For example, when he was in the capital hall, the junior officials below dared to call him "Ms. Zhang Qi".

If it had been anyone else, he would have been slapped in the face, and if he had a bad temper, he would have to report to Lingnan.

But Zhang Dun was laughing and joking and enjoying it.

For example, Zhang Dun likes to make fun of others, especially with language.

Many people are victims of his evil intentions.

It is indeed not in line with the traditional requirements of the Song Dynasty for a prime minister.

Being a prime minister must be majestic, powerful, and lawful.

How can you laugh and laugh with others?

How can you just make fun of others?

Moreover, Zhang Dun had a notorious reputation and had been accused and impeached many times of killing too many people and killing innocent people indiscriminately.

In a strict sense, he did not meet the requirements of a prime minister.

but……

I can’t help but the officials like it!

Otherwise, why would the officials want Zhang Dun's generals?

No way?

Can Zhang Dun, the only one from the Song Dynasty, go south?

Let’s take a look at the list for this southern expedition.

Yan Chen, a former minister of the official family, has been the third direct commander of Yulong Zuozhi since he came to the throne and the envoy of the emperor's palace.

After he went south, his younger brother, Yan Yuan, an old minister of Qiandi, took over this position.

Di Yong, the Superintendent of the Army and Horses, was a general who was personally recalled by the officials with an imperial edict. As soon as he returned, he was appointed as the crucial Hemen Tongshi Sheren, in charge of the Tongjian Department, which was called the emperor's eyes and ears.

Gao Zunhui, uncle of the Empress Dowager.

These people are either the emperor's confidants, or former ministers, relatives of the emperor, or relatives of the emperor.

In this group of relatives and friends, a ruling Zhang Dun, who seemed to have nothing to do with the official family, was suddenly inserted as the commander-in-chief, who was fully responsible for the Southern Expedition. In order to ensure authority, the official family even made an exception and allowed Zhang Dun to obtain the title of the ruling official. He received the assignment that only the prime minister could get: the envoy to encourage farmers within the administration and the envoy to observe and handle the affairs within the administration.

I would like to ask: Is the leader of this family and friends group a relative or friend?

　Note: Sima Guang's evaluation of Zhang Dun is a copy of the attacks on Zhang Dun by Wang Zhan, Wang Yansou, Zhu Guangting and others.

　　These people are closely related to Sima Guang, and to some extent, they should represent Sima Guang's attitude.

　　After all, those who scold their mothers in court usually do not mean what they mean, but what the boss behind them means.

　　PS: Zhang Dun was an outlier in the political arena of the Northern Song Dynasty.

　　He is so unlike a politician that it is normal for him to be scolded.

　　PS, when Shao Sheng was here, Zhang Dun even dared to make jokes about Zhe Zong, and Zhe Zong also joked back and teased Zhang Dun. The personalities of these monarchs and ministers really match each other.

　　

　

(End of this chapter)