I studied in modern times

Chapter 699: Layered Dolls (2)

"Zhang Jiedu has arrived at Lu Gongzhu's residence?"

Zhao Xu was half lying on the cushion, listening to Shi Deyi's report with a slight smile on his face.

The current situation is completely different from that of his previous life.

Not only Zeng Xiaokuan's backer, but also Han Jiang.

The brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe were no longer isolated and helpless in the central government.

Zhang Fangping was specially promoted by Zhao Xu with the intention of balancing Wen Yanbo and at the same time restricting the radicals in the old party.

As for taking care of the brothers Su Song and Su Zhe, it was just a side job.

Now, this incidental arrangement has begun to play a role.

"Reporting to everyone, Zhang Jiedu arrived at the residence of Prime Minister Lu at noon today and stayed there for more than an hour before leaving..." Shi De reported in an orderly manner.

Since Tong Guan returned from Jiangning, Shi Deyi began to feel increasing competitive pressure, so he became more respectful in front of Zhao Xu.

This is because, the Bian Jing Xin Bao is still financially controlled by Shi Deyi's Tanshisi.

Everything else is already independent!
Even finances are not decided by the Investigation Department.

There is also the Department of Various Departments under the Taifu Temple. Now, the person in charge of the Department of Various Departments is Liu Weijian, the chief of the Internal Eunuchs Department who serves in the Empress Dowager's Pavilion (introduced in Chapter 304).

Liu Weijian was an old eunuch who had served Zhao Xu's lineage for three generations.

After Zhang Maze's death, he was the only person in the imperial city who could call himself an old slave in front of the emperor and the two palaces without being beaten out.

Although, Liu Weijian usually doesn't take care of things.

But he did want to see the relevant account books.

This old eunuch is so smart!

He was even more loyal to Zhao Xu—he didn’t even adopt a son.

He had no residence or wives or concubines outside the palace, and he did not associate with people from outer courts.

He stayed in the Imperial Dowager's Pavilion and only left the palace every five days to go to the various departments of the Taifu Temple to work.

Although he seldom took charge of things, with him around, Tong Guan could no longer be easily controlled by others and was able to gain time and space to develop.

Originally, Tong Guan felt a little guilty and did not dare to act rashly in front of Shi Deyi.

However, since he came back from Jiangning, he didn't know who encouraged him.

In short, he began to become more and more confident.

The Bian Jing Xin Bao began to participate more and more in independent intelligence verification.

Recently, he has even begun to dare to contradict Shi Deyi's Investigation Department on some issues!

Although, he was still respectful in front of Shi Deyi.

But that's what eunuchs are like.

Once you start to fly, you can't stop the car at all. You can only step on the accelerator and accelerate again and again.

Either the car is destroyed and people die, or you climb up step by step to a higher position.

And Tong Guan is one of the six future thieves.

The biggest characteristic is that they are full of energy!
He is still very young now, and his energy is even more overflowing!

He could handle the internal and external affairs of the Bian Jing Xin Bao and the Bian Jing Yi Bao at the same time, and by the way, he could also go to the military equipment manufacturing bureau and work with Shen Kuo, and at the same time participate in the affairs of Su Song's Yuanyou Hunyi Bureau.

In front of this new king, Shi Deyi, the former wave, is already in a difficult situation.

Zhao Xu has always maintained a neutral attitude towards this.

In the palace, the emperor's neutrality itself means favoritism.

How smart is Shi Deyi?

How can I not see Zhao Xu's intention?

Naturally, I became more cautious and respectful!
After listening to Shi Deyi's report, Zhao Xu laughed and said, "Zhang Jiedu is a worried person!"

"Tell me, what activities have the two servants Zeng and Su been doing recently?" Zhao Xu asked.

Shi Deyi said, "Everyone, Mr. Zeng has participated in several poetry gatherings in the past few days, walking in the snow and singing in the garden with the famous scholars of Bianjing, and he is quite popular!"

"Especially, he was invited to attend the family dinner of Xianyu Qun, the Left Counselor, and I heard that he wrote several good poems..."

The corners of Zhao Xu's mouth curled up slightly, as if he had thought of something. He said in a mocking tone, "This Left Counselor really knows how to return a favor! No wonder I've heard in the palace that Left Counselor Xian Yuquan is praised for 'not violating the law, not abandoning relatives, and not harming the people'!"

"Amazing! It's amazing!"

Are there such people in this world?

Zhao Xu couldn't help but think of the image of the first black president on the other side of the ocean in modern times.

This person and this matter are exactly like that person and that matter!
It's incredible that they are so similar!
Shi Deyi listened and quickly lowered his head.

He knew Xian Yuqian's affairs.

This person is a smart person and is very good at packaging himself.

At the beginning, long before Wang Anshi came to power, he had already been speaking ill of Wang Anshi everywhere.

He has publicly asserted many times that "this person has evil intentions and will definitely bring disaster to the world."

After Wang Anshi came to power, he tried every means to sing a different tune from Wang Anshi.

If Wang Anshi wanted to go east, he would go west.

Wang Anshi would publicly praise anyone he disliked.

For a long time, Xianyu Qun's biggest label was "anti-Wang Anshi".

There has never been a shortage of such people in the officialdom of the Song Dynasty.

Portray yourself as a stubborn opponent.

In this way, he hopes to gain the attention, promotion and reuse of the prime minister's political enemies.

Even in the future, it may become the "small" in the system of big and small, and the "different opinion" in the confusion of different opinions.

At the same time, this person was good friends with the brothers Su Shi and Su Zhe.

At that time, during the Wutai Poetry Case, Xianyu Qun was an official in Yangzhou.

At that time, those who had been good friends with Su Shi in the past broke off their friendship with him and even burned their letters to avoid being implicated.

Only Xianyu Qun "went there resolutely" and met Su Shi.

Therefore, Xianyu Qun was demoted to Luoyang, the Western Capital.

However, in Luoyang, he turned a disaster into a blessing and successfully integrated into the circle of old party veterans, becoming a world-renowned "wise man", "famous minister" and "capable official".

Moreover, due to the flattery of Su Shi and Su Dongpo, he became a star figure in the Censorate during the Yuanyou era.

so……

Shi Deyi guessed Zhao Xu's mentality and thought to himself, "I'm afraid everyone is very dissatisfied with Xian Yu Zijun!"

Come to think of it!

We have always protected and cared for the ministers employed by the late emperor.

Xianyu Qun once offended Wang Anshi to death.

In everyone's eyes, the image of this Zuo Jianyi Doctor can be imagined.

Zhao Xu did not continue to comment on the matter, but only asked: "What about Su Sheren?"

"Sheren Su also participated in the poetry gathering at Doctor Xianyu's residence..." Shi Deyi replied: "In addition, Sheren also accepted the invitation of Zhang Jiedu yesterday and went to meet him..."

When Zhao Xu heard this, his eyes lit up: "Really?"

Then, he muttered something in a low voice, which Shi Deyi could not understand at all.

It seems to be called something like: "Journey to the West never deceives me!"

What is Journey to the West?
Shi Deyi didn't understand.

But he knew it was still ironic.

"What have the other two servants been doing these days?"

Shi Deyi collected his thoughts, thought for a moment, and said, "Mr. Qian has been studying at home... He has not received many guests, and even if he has met people, he has only met a few relatives."

"Oh!" Zhao Xu nodded. One could only say that it was worthy of being a thousand-year-old family.

The nose is so smart!
He immediately smelled something wrong and retracted his head.

"As for Kong Sheren, he had close contacts with Su Sheren and also participated in the poetry gathering at Xianyu Dafu's house. In addition, Kong Sheren was invited to participate in the poetry gathering at Fan Xueshi's house." Shi Deyi reported: "I heard that Kong Sheren seemed to have said something to Fan Xueshi, 'Mencius was not a student of Confucius, so how could he be enshrined and given a title of Duke?'"

Zhao Xu listened and just laughed.

Kong Zhongwen was the 47th generation grandson of Confucius. As a descendant of Confucius and a conservative, he naturally strongly opposed Mencius being granted the title of Duke and enshrined in the Confucius Temple.

Not to mention, Mencius' seat was placed below Confucius, giving him a higher status than other disciples of Confucius.

This is no longer heresy!

This is clearly blasphemy against the saints! Blasphemy against Confucianism!
But the arms are no match for the thighs!

They could only watch helplessly as Mencius was carried into the Confucius Temple.

At the same time, the three brothers Kong Zhongwen were all Su Shi's little fans and political allies.

These three brothers, together with Su Shi's brothers and Xianyu Qun, formed the core of the Shu Party in the Yuanyou era.

In Zhao Xu's previous life, after the deaths of Sima Guang and Lu Gongzhu, the Shu Party fought to the death with the Luo Party headed by Liu Zhi and the Shuo Party with Cheng Yi as the core.

It truly illustrates why the old party is infinitely divisible.

This is also the norm in Song Dynasty politics.

So, this time the turmoil was caused by the Shu Party without Su Shi?

If that's the case, then the taste is right.

Thinking of this, Zhao Xu stood up and ordered, "Duzhi, go down and get busy first!"

"I have to go to the Qingshou Palace to pay my respects to the two palaces."

……

When Zhao Xu arrived at the Qingshou Palace, he paid his respects to the Empress Dowager as usual.

Then, he sat down next to her, observed her expression, and asked, "Is the Grandmother still angry?"

The Empress Dowager's face turned livid, and she said in a sarcastic tone, "Why should I be angry?"

"The people in the outer court are all gentlemen, and they are all wise men and officials of the country!"

"I am but a woman and child, with little knowledge and little talent!"

"For national affairs, we should just listen to the wise and virtuous people!"

These are the discussions outside the palace that people around her told her about in recent days.

Naturally, it is inevitable to exaggerate, embellish, generalize, and stir up trouble.

It would be strange if she felt better after hearing these words!
Dissatisfaction with the scholars and officials in the outer court grew.

As a result, even when Lu Gongzhu entered the palace to persuade him, he was turned away.

The Empress Dowager said: "I have caught a cold lately and feel dizzy. The doctor said I should rest more..."

So he blocked Lu Gongzhu and sent him back.

She even refused to see Lu Gongzhu, a minister who had close ties with the royal family, let alone other people.

As the Empress Dowager was talking, she looked at Zhao Xu and asked, "Your Majesty, are you here today to comfort me?"

In the past few days, Zhao Xu would greet her every morning and evening and offer comfort.

Of course, Zhao Xu didn't really put his heart into it, it was just a routine matter.

However, the Empress Dowager was a little upset.

Because she believed that her grandson, Zhao Xu, favored the literati in the outer court!
And this is exactly what Zhao Xu wants to see. Just like a board game called Werewolf that he plays in modern times.

What kind of person is the most terrifying when he betrays us?
Of course, it is the time when the recognized good guys on the field turn against you!
Zhao Xu raised his head, looked at the Empress Dowager, and shook his head gently: "Reporting to the Empress Dowager, Sun Chen came here this time, in addition to visiting the Empress Dowager... there is something I want to tell you..."

"Ok?"

Zhao Xu fished out a crumpled tabloid from his pocket and handed it to the Empress Dowager: "Please have a look, this is the story about Ye Kangzhi holding a robe for Li Xian that was published in a tabloid a few days ago!"

"What's wrong?!" The Empress Dowager had naturally seen it a long time ago.

Because she is a loyal reader of the Bian Jing Xin Bao and reads every issue.

There is no way. Many things published in tabloids are too attractive to the women living deep in the palace.

Whether it was the reports on the wonderful places to visit in Bianjing or the vivid descriptions of the delicious food in Bianjing, she couldn't stop reading.

The Romance of the Three Kingdoms serialized in the Bian Jing Xin Bao made her keep reading it.

However, in recent days, the intensive reports in the Bian Jing Xin Bao about how Ye Kangzhi flattered Li Xian and how he enslaved Li Xian, while highly praising the scholar-officials and gentlemen, and how they were not afraid of the powerful and resolutely fought against the bad practices in the Song Dynasty, have reduced her love for the Bian Jing Xin Bao a little.

I couldn't help but feel a little bit of dislike for that guy named Hu Feipan.

"Grandmother..." Zhao Xu hesitated, as if he had gone through a mental struggle, and said, "Sun Chen heard from Shi Deyi that this story does not seem to be about Ye Kangzhi and Li Xian..."

"It was cut from the stories circulating among the two ministers, Mu Yan, the Deputy Minister of Finance, and Sun Lu, the Deputy Minister of Rites..."

"It's a story cut and pieced together by the tabloids!"

The Empress Dowager listened and her eyes lit up: "Really?"

"Yes!" Zhao Xu clapped his hands, and Feng Jing, who followed him to the Qingshou Palace, immediately handed him a handwritten booklet that was circulating in the market.

"Sun Chen was worried, so he ordered Shi Deyi to check..."

"Then I found out that the story about Mu Yan and Sun Lu's 'flattery' and 'enslavement' to Li Xian in Xihe Road originally came from this book!"

The Empress Dowager took it and saw the words "Shao's Records" written on the cover.

"What is this?"

"I heard that this is a private notebook written by Shao Bowen, the son of the famous scholar Shao Yong. It records the private words and deeds of ministers and celebrities of the country..." Zhao Xu replied.

"Grandmother, please turn to page 85..."

Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager turned to page 85.

The title of this page is: Peng Sun flatters Li Xian.

Then it vividly describes how each minister of the imperial court acted in the past and how they fawned over the eunuchs.

In order to curry favor with Wang Zhongzheng, a minister named Yu Chong asked his wife to sing with a clapper and even toasted Wang Zhongzheng with ambiguous words, creating a tense atmosphere.

It is written as if you are personally there. If a few more words were added, it would probably be an article about Liu Bei.

It also describes how Peng Sun flattered Li Xian in the past.

Not only did he give Li Xian slippers, he also held Li Xian's feet and flattered him by saying, "The general's feet are so fragrant!"

Even Li Xian was disgusted by it.

Then he said: "Isn't my flattery too much?"
You are so shameless!

Hidden in these short passages are the records of Sun Lu and Mu Yan presenting Li Xian with his robe and belt in just a few sentences.

The Queen Mother doesn't care about anything else.

She stared at those words for a long time, then sighed, "So, the so-called 'Ye Kangzhi flattered Li Xian' is false!"

"The ones who really flattered and servile Li Xian were Sun Lu and Mu Yan?"

Zhao Xu shook his head and said, "Grandmother, Sun Chen has checked..."

"Ministers Mu and Sun are both among the most upright gentlemen in the country. They are upright and aboveboard. Those who are close to them all say: They are like mirrors!"

"So?" The Empress Dowager looked at Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "It is just as the Grandmother thought!"

"This time, Mr. Zeng might be making wild guesses!"

"Using hearsay to accuse the ministers of state and criticize the removal of the Grand Mother."

When the Empress Dowager heard this, her face instantly turned red.

"If that's the case!" She said happily, "I was almost deceived by it!"

The tone was both excited and angry.

The Qingshou Palace has been feeling very depressed over the past few days.

The pressure from public opinion was so great that she was almost shaken at one point. It was only after the eunuchs around her, such as Liang Weijian and Liang Congzheng, strongly persuaded her that she calmed down and did not give in.

As for why Liang Weijian and others wanted to persuade?

This was naturally a good thing done by Zhao Xu.

As soon as Shangguan Jun's article was published, the eunuchs in the palace jumped up like a cat whose tail was stepped on.

Because Shangguan Jun's article attacked all the eunuchs and shouted the slogan "All eunuchs can be killed".

These guys might be happy to see Shangguan Jun step on Li Xian.

But if he shot at all the eunuchs and shouted at them to kill, the eunuchs would not tolerate him.

Whoever created the figurines has no descendants?

The eunuchs absolutely do not want the outer court to take this opportunity to continue to suppress and restrict them.

So, everyone united.

Even the eunuchs serving the imperial consorts began to be mobilized.

The eunuchs are all masters at understanding people's minds, and they are adept at using all kinds of rhetoric.

As a result, there were people lobbying the Empress Dowager day and night.

Even the concubines in the palace began to come out and find the Empress Dowager to persuade her to be firm.

The Qingshou Palace was originally unhappy with the outer court.

Now that he has gained so much support, he naturally wants to compete with the outer court to establish his authority.

However, the wind direction in the outer court is not quite right.

With the precedent of Empress Dowager Cixi's death in mind, the Empress Dowager was hesitant and unwilling to give in.

Now, the big gift package sent by Zhao Xu made her extremely happy, like a pillow hitting the ground when she was sleepy.

She immediately asked, "Sir, where is Shao Bowen now?"

"But he lives in Luoyang!"

"Liang Weijian!" The Empress Dowager turned her head and looked at Liang Weijian beside her.

Liang Weijian immediately bowed and said, "I am here, please give me your orders, Your Majesty!"

"You must take a team of people to Luoyang immediately and bring Shao Bowen to Bianjing for me. Let Kaifeng Prefecture give me a thorough trial of his framing of state ministers and slandering important officials of the court!"

Zhao Xu quickly stopped her: "No, mother!"

"I, your Majesty, have sworn before the Emperor that I will never again convict others for their words, except for those that conspire to commit treason!"

This is because the so-called "Shao's Records" was forged by Zhao Xu.

If Shao Bowen was really arrested, he would be easily exposed once the trial began (Shao Bowen had a backer, and many people would speak for him, including Wen Yanbo, Feng Jing, Fan Chunren, Lu Dafang...).

Zhao Xu's purpose was just to discredit Shao Bowen.

It doesn’t matter whether he wrote these jokes or not. What matters is that the two palaces and court officials all thought he wrote these jokes.

Therefore, all other jokes in the entire "Shaw Brothers Chronicles" can be disproven in an instant.

At the same time, Zhao Xu could also use this incident to establish a memorial archway to "not punish people for their words."

Truly establish the credibility of the three oaths he made that day.

Using Shao Bowen, the son of Shao Yong, as a raft, the story of the log establishing trust was re-enacted.

With this incident, it would be natural for the Bian Jing Xin Bao to publish some articles that would be considered outrageous today in the future.

As for the Bian Jing Xin Bao, which was involved in this incident, how should it deal with the aftermath?

Zhao Xu also had an idea in mind - since even Shao Bowen could be spared punishment, then the Bian Jing Xin Bao certainly could not be punished either.

Of course, Zhao Xu had already instructed Tong Guan to prepare a "temporary worker" as a scapegoat.

At that time, let the Bian Jing Xin Bao publish an apology and rumor-refuting article.

By the way, I want to put all the blame on that temporary worker - it's all his fault! We have fired him now and will never hire him again! I also promise to strengthen the review in the future and put an end to rumors.

At the same time, the Bian Jing Xin Bao serialized chapters of The Romance of the Three Kingdoms for seven consecutive days.

This way there is a high probability that the matter can be muddled.

The memory of the general public is very short.

Once the hot topic passes and time passes, everyone will forget the performance of Bian Jing Xin Bao in this storm.

The Empress Dowager was a little unhappy when she heard this: "If that's the case, then it's too easy for him, isn't it?"

Who is Shao Bowen? She doesn't know, nor does she care.

She only knew that it was the jokes written by this guy that made her lose face - within one day, two Zhongshu Sheren returned the lyrics!

There has never been such a thing in the history of the Qing Dynasty.

unacceptable!

He simply didn't take her, the Empress Dowager, seriously!

The public opinion and external comments in recent days have made her even more unhappy.

It also reminded her of what had happened since last year.

The attitude towards the scholar-officials in the outer court began to quietly reverse.

From original appreciation, it has turned into disgust now.

Moreover, she has the confidence!

You guys, first of all, stop me from punishing Wang Gui.

Okay, I obey!

But Wang Gui was scolded to death by the people of Bian Jing!
Moreover, after Wang Gui died, his son Wang Zhongxiu had an affair with a prostitute during the period of mourning!
The elegance of the Song Dynasty scholars and officials has been completely destroyed!
It would be better for me to convict Wang Gui and flay him right from the start!

Afterwards, you refused to allow Gao Gongji and Xiang Zong to return to Xihe to serve as officials.

The words he spoke were just as harsh as this time.

Gao Gongji and Xiang Zonghui are still in Bian Jing, but they will definitely bring disaster to the country and the people and will inevitably ruin the overall situation.

The results of it?
Gao Gongji and Xiang Zonghui defeated the western bandits so badly that they couldn't even enter the gate of Xihe. They beheaded thousands of them and captured nearly ten thousand.

He also captured Qing Yi Jie Gui Zhang alive, forcing the Tibetans to surrender.

It really made her proud!
Now, this incident happened again.

Same recipe, same wording.

And the result once again proved that the upright people in the outer court were wrong!

She is right!
With confidence, my voice became a few notches higher!
"Although the government swore before the late emperor to remove all treasonous writings, from now on no one will be punished for their words!"

"I dare not let the government lose its promise to the late emperor and the world!"

"But Shao Bowen cannot be forgiven easily!"

"At least they should send an envoy to question them!"

"What the Grandmother said is true..." Zhao Xu nodded: "Send someone to reprimand him and order him to reflect on his mistakes behind closed doors!"

,

(End of this chapter)