I studied in modern times

Chapter 734: Lu Huiqing Returns to the Court

After declining the waiter's kindness, the middle-aged scholar got off the boat. His followers carried his luggage, and several students surrounded him as he walked forward along the commercial passage opened in the stacking yard.

It was the first time for all the students to come to Bian Jing.

They were amazed by the strong business atmosphere and dense flow of people in Bianjing City.

"Sir...sir..."

"This Bianjing city is so lively!"

"Sir... there are so many people in the capital!"

The middle-aged Confucian scholar just smiled and led them forward.

After leaving the stacking yard, countless hotels and restaurants under the Zhou Bridge came into view.

On this most successful commercial street in the Middle Ages, thousands or even tens of thousands of people flow forward in an endless stream.

Not to mention the students of middle-aged Confucian scholars.

Even the middle-aged Confucian scholar himself was shocked!

The flowing crowd was as unstoppable as the rolling Bian River.

Countless shops line the banks of the Bian River.

Millions of lanterns are hung down and hundreds of thousands of flags are raised.

Wherever you look, you can hear the noise of human life.

And in this noisy and bustling crowd, officials holding sticks and wearing black robes appeared and disappeared.

From time to time, one could see pedestrians being caught by these officials, then taken to the main road and corralled behind something similar to a wooden chevaux de frise, called a fork.

Either a verbal warning or a punishment.

Some people were even tied up in the street and made to stand in shackles for public display.

Passersby turned a blind eye to this, as if they were accustomed to it.

As soon as the middle-aged scholar and his students and followers left the stacking ground, an official in black robes came up to them, glanced at them, and asked, "Scholars from other places?"

The middle-aged scholar nodded.

The other party stuffed a piece of mulberry paper over and said, "Since you are a scholar, I will not be long-winded. Please read carefully the regulations of the Street Department regarding the main roads in the capital!"

"Don't offend them, lest you hurt the dignity of the scholars, but that's not good either!"

The middle-aged scholar took the mulberry paper and took a look at it.

However, there were many clauses written on it, all of which were things that one needed to pay attention to when traveling in Beijing.

It also specifies many punishment measures.

For example, this paper stipulates that pedestrians in Beijing should walk on the left when leaving the city and on the right when entering the city, while carriages and horses should walk in the middle, and they should also follow the same rules for entering and exiting as pedestrians.

Anyone who violates the rules, once caught, will be punished with warnings, admonitions, fines, or even shackles and flogging.

If the vehicle violates the rules, the penalty will be even more severe!

For example, at any intersection, vehicles should slow down and avoid pedestrians...

Just as he was about to take a closer look, he heard a voice coming from afar.

"Brother Xindao...Brother Xindao..."

The middle-aged scholar felt the voice was familiar, so he looked in the direction of the voice and saw a civil official in a green robe, leading a horse, walking towards him from the state bridge.

The clerk in front of the middle-aged scholar had already bowed and retreated at this time. Before retreating, he bowed respectfully and said, "You are a friend of Jiajie Street... I am sorry! I am sorry! Please forgive me!"

He is also quite polite and treats people like a scholar.

The middle-aged scholar didn't have time to think about it, because the official had already come to him and said enthusiastically: "Ever since I received Chen Heshu's letter, I knew that Brother Xindao would be summoned to the capital to meet the emperor, and I have been waiting eagerly at Zhouqiao!"

"Finally, I have waited for Brother Xindao!"

It is Jia Zhongmin, a young and strong member of the imperial party who is now in charge of the Street Department and is extremely popular in the city of Bianliang.

As for the person who could make someone like Jia Zhongmin wait in person, this middle-aged Confucian scholar must have an extraordinary background.

He is Shu Tan, the former Chief Censor and Privy Academician of the Song Dynasty, who was famous throughout the world during the Xining and Yuanfeng eras and made countless officials tremble with fear when they heard of him. He was the first to initiate the Yang Sui investigation, and was known as the No. 1 Crazy Crow in the Censorate and the modern-day Little Fengxian.

Shu Tan stared at Jia Zhongmin blankly, and after a while he recognized him. He bowed and said, "It's Brother Jia in person!"

"On my way to Beijing, I passed by Yangzhou and paid a special visit to Jia Gong Changheng..."

Upon hearing this, Jia Zhongmin was stunned for a long time before he asked awkwardly, "How is your uncle's health?"

"Mr. Jia is in good health. When I visited him, I mentioned him specifically, saying that the Jia family is now very much dependent on him for its glory!"

Only then did Jia Zhongmin smile.

He was just a branch of the Jia family. In the past, he was not loved by his grandmother or grandfather in the clan.

Even when the clan is worshiping their ancestors, they sit at the children's table.

Especially the uncle Jia Changheng, who was highly respected in the family, looked at him as if his nose was not a nose and his eyes were not eyes.

Now that Jia Zhongmin has risen, one day he will return home in glory, go to Yangzhou to show off his power and feel the exhilaration that Su Qin had in the past!

However, this thought only flashed through Jia Zhongmin's mind, and he smiled and pulled Shu Tan's arm: "Brother Xindao, let's go..."

"I have already chosen a house in the Chaoji Courtyard as my elder brother!"

"Please stay here for a few days. After you meet the emperor and receive his teachings, I will find you a nice place to live!"

……

"Mr. Zhang, you are too impatient!"

"How could this be?"

"Even if I call in sick again after a year or ten months after taking office..."

"Now it's all right, you've been tricked, right?!"

Zhao Xu shook his head and put down the letter from Dutang sent by Baoci Palace.

This was a memorial written by the ministers of the capital after they had gathered to request the two palaces to promote the official position of Zhang Li, the former governor of Zhending Prefecture, and to increase the number of palace and shrine officials according to the usual practice.

The reason was that the scholar of the Zizheng Palace and the judge of Zhending Prefecture, Xi, admitted that he was often ill and asked the court to extend him favor.

According to history, when the former ruling official reports illness, the court should treat him with courtesy!

Therefore, the ministers gave a very considerate suggestion - we request that the scholar of Zizhidian and the judge of Zhending Prefecture, Li, be appointed as the Zhengyi Doctor and the Supervisor of Zhongtaiyi Palace.

The two palaces naturally had no objection, so they sent the memorial to Zhao Xu. If Zhao Xu had no objection, he would seal it and order the Academy of Scholars to issue an edict for promulgation.

Will Zhao Xu have any objections?
Of course not!
Because he was also annoyed by Zhang Xu's recklessness!
So he told Feng Jing beside him, "Send someone to deliver the memorial to the Academy of Scholars and order them to issue an imperial decree to extend the favor according to the precedent!"

"Yes!" Feng Jing accepted the order, took the letter, bowed and left.

Zhao Xu sighed slightly.

In his opinion, Zhang Xu brought it upon himself.

After Han Jiang retired, he suddenly wrote a letter to the court to report his illness.

He talked a lot of nonsense, but what he said was that in the eighth year of Yuanfeng, he had contributed to the establishment of the crown prince, and the country should not forget him...

It's purely greed that makes one blind!

Just as Zhao Xu said, it's too hasty!

Even if he had waited a few months before calling in sick, the officials in the capital would not have been so cruel to him.

But he was impatient and offended a lot of people.

Among them, the most unhappy one was naturally the Prime Minister of the time, Lu Gongzhu.

And who is Lu Gongzhu?

This old man in the political arena has come through the Xining and Yuanfeng eras, and has experienced countless ups and downs, but he is still standing firm like an unshakable tumbler.

Could he be controlled by Zhang Xu? Threatened?
joke!

Didn’t you claim to be ill and in poor health?
it is good!
The court will promote you and give you a higher rank!

Say thank you to Lu Zuokui quickly!
The promotion to Zhengyi Dafu was just a cover, the real killer move was to add him to the palace shrine official position.

Palace and temple officials have only two uses in the political arena of the Song Dynasty.

When it was awarded to nobles, meritorious officials, and retired elders, it represented the grace of the court and the favor of the emperor (they could get an extra salary!).

However, when it was awarded to incumbent civil officials, the meaning changed.

Because palace and temple officials have one characteristic - they don't do any work!

This feature is great in the Song Dynasty!
It is a shackle tailor-made for dissidents.

As the saying goes, "If you dismiss them, you will hurt your kindness; if you keep them, you will mess up politics." The palace and temple officials can avoid these shortcomings.

With the system of palace and temple officials, the court could reasonably, legally, appropriately and decently allow some important officials to step aside and gradually marginalize them.

Aren’t you awesome?

Then go and serve the Three Pure Ones and the Five Emperors of the Five Mountains!

Naturally, since Zhang Xu was appointed as the palace official, he could no longer perform his duties as the judge of Zhending Prefecture.

According to convention, his power in Zhending Prefecture would be taken over by the Tongpan.

As for himself?
Take good care of yourself!
If I'm lucky, I might be able to transfer to a wealthy state in the southeast to live as a private citizen in a few months.

But in politics it is obvious.

Unless a miracle happens, Zhang Xu's political career is over. After sending Feng Jing away, Shi Deyi appeared beside Zhao Xu and reported in a low voice: "Everyone, the Investigation Department just reported that the former Chief Censor and Privy Councilor Shu Tan has just returned to the capital... Jia Zhongmin from the Street Department personally took him to the Chaojiyuan under the Zhou Bridge..."

"Shu Tan?" Zhao Xu pursed his lips slightly: "What a coincidence!"

Just after getting rid of a futures fatality, a person who had already been politically sentenced to death came back.

"I heard that Shu Tan saw Su Che being sent to Chenzhou by his friends at the dock of the stacking yard, so he asked the dock workers about the situation..." Shi Deyi continued to report.

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes, sat up straight, and asked, "What did he say?"

Shu Tan was demoted by the emperor Zhao Xu's father, but now he was reinstated by the grace of the Empress Dowager.

Therefore, this person's loyalty is questionable in Zhao Xu's eyes.

We need to see if he has any complaints or resentment towards the late emperor.

Shi Deyi shook his head and said, "It is said that Shu Tan did not say a word, but only asked about the reasons for Ye Kangzhi's case..."

Having said that, he briefly reported to Zhao Xu what the Investigation Department had found out from that guy and other people through various means - this was very simple, just treat these people to wine and meat.

After drinking two ounces of horse urine, people can be guided to say anything.

After listening to this, Zhao Xu smiled.

Since he ascended the throne, he has been gradually and quietly whitewashing his father through various means.

Since last year, the influence of Bianjing Xinbao has expanded.

He even more unscrupulously instructed Tong Guan to write various essays to whitewash his father.

The main style can be found in the beautification and whitewashing of European and American rulers in the works of Zhiyin and Readers.

Of course, it was inevitable that adaptations were made to suit the humanities and society of the Song Dynasty.

But the basic style has not changed!
The main focus is on being close to the people!
Therefore, under Zhao Xu's whitewashing in the past two years, the reputation and image of his father, Emperor Shenzong of Song, Liewu Shengxiao, has undergone major changes!

From being a "reformer" and "dictatorial ruler" who was praised and criticized in the past, he gradually transformed into a "holy ruler" and "wise ruler" who wanted to make a difference, worked diligently for the people, cared about the lives of the grassroots people, but was fickle and suffered from misfortunes due to fate.

This image of the king, with a certain tragic tone, fits well with the fantasies of the lower classes of people.

It brought spiritual comfort to the people.

The effect is very good, even surpassing the image that officials in the past have created for themselves - officials are good, and the bad ones are the corrupt officials below!

As for your question, it has only been more than two years, why are the people in Bian Jing so forgetful?

But it is what it is.

No matter what era, the masses are always forgetful.

Even in modern times, the media can easily manipulate historical records, tamper with public memory, confuse cause and effect, or even create something out of nothing.

What’s more, this was during the medieval Song Dynasty, an era when journalism was just beginning to emerge.
The ideology of the short essays that Zhao Xu compiled for his father was extremely close to the needs of Bianliang society!
Just like the short essay "The wind can come in, the rain can come in, but I can't come in".

For the people of Bian Jing, it was a wake-up call.

If a person is hit with this stick, he will be dumbfounded and will believe that this must be a story about the "sage emperor".

no way!
As a commercial city dominated by handicrafts, Bianjing had a very developed civic culture, and the people attached much more importance to their personal property than any other country or region on the planet today.

The most common lawsuits in Kaifeng Prefecture every year are inheritance disputes.

Husbands and wives, brothers, aunts and sisters-in-law, sisters-in-law...are all fighting for the inheritance!
What are the ethics and family morality...

What brotherly love...

All the beautiful feudal ethics imagined by Confucianism no longer exist in the city of Bianjing.

Because of Brother Kong Fang, families were broken up, couples turned against each other, and brothers became enemies.

In this social environment, it was inevitable that the short essay written by Zhao Xu would break the circle.

Nowadays, it is not only the common people who are singing this song.

Even the nobles and relatives of the emperor were talking about it.

In a few years, perhaps, unofficial history will be transformed into official history.

Therefore, Xianyu Qun and others unfortunately became victims of this large-scale magical attack on the history book.

After it was revealed that they had 'slandered the late emperor' and 'made irresponsible remarks about the Holy Lord'.

The entire city of Bianjing rose up to attack!
From peddlers to wealthy merchants, from nobles and military officials to relatives of the royal family.

Everyone shared the same hatred for the enemy.

I swear to criticize these people to pieces!
As a result, Xianyu Qun and others left Beijing in a panic, almost in a state of embarrassment.

That is to say, Su Che, because he was Zhao Xu's imperial lecturer, he had a little respectability, but people believed that he was blinded, bewitched and deceived by villains.

After stopping his smile, Zhao Xu said to Shi De: "Stay tuned..."

"promise!"

"Also, Hedong's Prime Minister Lu is about to return to the capital..." Zhao Xu ordered, "And have someone arrange a place for him to stay in the capital..."

"Yes! I will obey your command!"

……

Three days later, it was February Wushen (25).

On the official road north of Bianjing City, a group of soldiers, surrounded by a large ceremonial guard, marched towards Bianjing City in a mighty manner.

Flags were raised high.

Among the pedestrians on the road were officials leaving the city.

When they saw this team, they all swallowed their saliva.

They naturally knew that only civil officials and ministers could have such a grand ceremony!

Moreover, he must be a civil official who is stationed in a certain place and holds military power!
So, who is coming?
It's almost coming out!
And when those high-raised flags came into people's sight, everyone gasped.

"Grand Secretary of the Advisory Palace!"

This is what is held up in the forefront.

"Doctor Zhengyi!"

"Hanoi County founding marquis!"

"Imperial purple gold fish bag!"

"Go to the Guards!"

"Hedong General Manager and Pacification Envoy is also in charge of Taiyuan Military Affairs!"

Flags came one after another.

The cavalry from Hedong came riding on horses in a show of force and the sound of their horses' hooves struck people's hearts.

Countless people looked at these flags with dull eyes, and some even trembled.

"Fujianzi!" Someone murmured to himself, "He has returned to the court..."

These are the people who fear Lu Huiqing.

"That Ma Liu Houzi has returned to the court!" This is the person who hated Lu Huiqing.

But they are either afraid or hateful.

Lu Huiqing's return to the court to report on his work is an unstoppable trend!

Because Lu Huiqing returned to the court with a victory!
How many years has it been since our dynasty produced any scholar-officials capable of fighting?

Now, there are four at a time!
The scholars and officials can finally hold their heads up high!

The only problem is...

These four civil officials who have proven themselves on the battlefield do not seem to be gentlemen of the old party!

This is very embarrassing.

Fortunately, among these four people, there are two diehard New Party ministers, Zhang Dun and Lu Huiqing.

The remaining two are both worth fighting for.

Zhao Xie had always had close relations with the gentlemen of the old party.

Although Zhang Qie was unknown before, he seemed to have a good relationship with old party gentlemen such as Su Shi, Li Chang, and Fan Chunren.

So, the base of the wall can still be dug.

As long as I dig it out, I won’t be embarrassed.

……

It was the same day that Lu Huiqing arrived in Beijing.

Zhao Xu issued an edict and ordered the Academy of Scholars to draft an edict to posthumously confer titles on the former prime minister and Duke Kangguo for three generations of his father/grandfather.

Therefore, Han Jiang's great-grandfather Han Chujun was posthumously awarded the title of Duke of Yan, and his great-grandmother Li was posthumously awarded the title of Grand Lady of Yan.

Han Jiang's grandfather Han Baoshu was posthumously awarded the title of Duke of Lu, and his grandmother Guo was awarded the title of Grand Lady of Lu.

Han Jiang's father Han Yi was posthumously awarded the title of Duke of Ji, and his biological mother Pu and stepmother Wang were posthumously awarded the titles of Grand Lady of Ji and Grand Lady of Han.

His two deceased wives also received posthumous honors.

This is a signal to further enhance Han Jiang's status.

This is not only fulfilling the promise made to Han Jiang, but also encouraging other ministers - family members, to give Emperor Zhao 996. Emperor Zhao will really give out big gift packages after he retires!

(End of this chapter)