I studied in modern times

Chapter 750 Parties
Wen Yanbo leaned back in the armchair, squinted his eyes, and listened quietly to what the person in front of him said.

"The government has issued an imperial decree to recall Yang Qiangu and Cui Pingshu..."

"I hope the Grand Master can come to the palace to advise and remonstrate, never let this villain return to the court, so as not to taint the Yuanyou Reform and bring shame to the Holy Dynasty."

The person who spoke was the newly appointed Left Counselor Liang Tao.

Liang Tao's father was Liang Qian, a disciple of Wen Yanbo.

He once stayed at the city of Beizhou and followed Wen Yanbo to suppress the rebellion of Wang Ze.

From then on, he caught the eye of Wen Yanbo and was promoted all the way.

With these ties of friendship, Liang Tao certainly had a say in front of Wen Yanbo.

Wen Yanbo listened to Liang Tao's words, closed his eyes, and said, "I don't know what kind of person Yang Qiangu is."

"But Cui Pingshu is an old official under my tutelage... I know him well."

"In those days, King Injo gave Choi Pyeong-suk the word 'perfect beauty' to encourage him to serve the country!"

This is a fact.

Cui Taifu initially followed Wen Yanbo.

Among the letters of recommendation for Cui Taifu's change of official position, one was given by Wen Yanbo.

Therefore, Wen Yanbo was Cui Taifu's guide in officialdom.

Therefore, over the years, Wen Yanbo has always been cold towards Cui Taifu.

But during every festival, Cui Taifu would send people to Luoyang (now Bianjing) to pay his respects to Wen Yanbo.

Although Wen Yanbo had been handling the situation coldly, he did not drive out the people sent by Cui Taifu.

Liang Tao listened to Wen Yanbo's words, lowered his head, and said: "The Cui Pingshu of that time was the Cui Pingshu of that time!"

"Did the Grand Master forget?"

"During the Xining period, during the Dengzhou Ayun case, Cui Pingshu sided with Wang Anshi and distorted the criminal law, which has been spreading to this day..."

"I heard that the Grand Master once said: Cui Pingshu is not a former official of mine!"

The Dengzhou Ayun case of that year eventually evolved into a major criminal litigation debate in the Song Dynasty.

Sima Guang and Wang Anshi each hold their own opinion.

People inside and outside the government take different sides.

Cui Taifu was on Wang Anshi's side.

In the end, Wang Anshi defeated Sima Guang by persuading the previous emperor and using his imperial authority to issue imperial edicts and amend the laws three times.

This is also what Sima Guang and many of the old party ministers who participated in the debate were most dissatisfied with - debate is debate! Discussion is discussion!

You said you couldn't beat me, so you asked Jun Quan to leave? And you asked him to leave three times!
What do you mean?

shameless!
Naturally, the old party that lost became angrier the more they thought about it.

So he took his anger out on those who stood on Wang Anshi's side in the Dengzhou Ayun case.

Many people who did not support the reform at the beginning were driven into Wang Anshi's team.

Cui Taifu is one of them.

Afterwards, because he sided with Wang Anshi, Wen Yanbo publicly announced that he was stripped of his status as a student and the letter of recommendation for him was revoked.

"And all these years, Cui Pingshu has been in power, and the disasters he has caused are witnessed by all gods and men!"

"He colluded with the powerful eunuchs and falsely accused, tortured and imprisoned hundreds of people!" Liang Tao became a little excited when he said this.

"Master!"

"If Yang Qiangu and Cui Pingshu were allowed to return to the court... I'm afraid that the good governance of the Yuanyou Reform would be destroyed by these two villains!"

He became more and more excited as he spoke, to the point where he almost spoke without thinking: "The Lord is young and immature, although he is wise and intelligent..."

"However, those who keep company with vermilion will become red, and those who keep company with ink will become black..."

"Hmm!" Wen Yanbo finally couldn't sit still anymore. He sat up and looked at Liang Tao, his eyes slightly widened.

Liang Tao immediately realized that he had spoken out of turn, and quickly bowed his head: "I have spoken out of turn, I beg the Grand Master to punish me!"

Wen Yanbo didn't say anything, but stood up with a slight tremor, picked up the imperial cane placed next to the armchair, and knocked on the ground in front of Liang Tao.

The crisp sound of a few sticks was both a warning and a farewell.

"Wen Liu!" Wen Yanbo called out to Wen Jifu.

Wen Jifu came in immediately: "Sir..."

"I am tired!" Wen Yanbo said, "Please entertain Kuang Zhi for me!"

"promise!"

Liang Tao could only bow and salute before sending Wen Yanbo back to his inner residence.

Watching Wen Yanbo's back, Liang Tao shook his head in his heart: "Sure enough, the Grand Master is already old!"

"No longer has the sharpness of the past!"

The emperor is young and clumsy!

This is the fact, is he wrong?

Yes!
Liang Tao also admitted that although the current emperor was young, he was mature in governing the country and employing people.

He is extremely wise and intelligent, rarely seen in history!
But, weren’t King Zhou of Shang and Emperor Yang of Sui smart or sages?
Therefore, the wiser the emperor is, the more gentlemen and upright people he should surround himself with.

And expel those villains and treacherous people as much as possible!
Just like what Sima Wengong and the left prime minister, Duke of Shen, Lu Gongzhu, did after returning to the court in the eighth year of Yuanfeng - they were all gentlemen and upright people, and served as the emperor's imperial lectures.

And now?

With the passing of Sima Wengong, there are more and more villains around the emperor!

First it was Shen Kuo, then Xing Shu and Wang Zishao.

Now we have to recall Yang Ji and Cui Taifu!

If this continues, if the emperor re-enacts the Xi and Feng reforms after taking power, what will the people of the world do?
But, Liang Tao was just a small Left Counselor.

And it was newly removed.

He was a lowly person with little influence and had rarely even spoken before the emperor.

He was really powerless in this matter.

Wen Yanbo is old and confused and cannot be relied upon.

"The only thing I can do is go and persuade the two elders, Zhang and Feng..." he thought.

……

After Wen Jifu saw Liang Tao off, he came to the guest room where Wen Yanbo was resting.

At this time, Wen Yanbo was leaning on the cushion with a manual in his hand.

"Sir..." Wen Jifu came to him.

"Liang Kuangzhi is gone?" Wen Yanbo asked without looking up.

"Ok!"

"This man is too impatient!" Wen Yanbo commented calmly: "You brothers should have less contact with him in the future, so as not to be implicated in the future!"

Wen Jifu nodded. After being scolded by his old father for two years in the capital, he has learned his lesson.

He would do whatever his old father said!
As for whether to comply or not?

It depends on my mood!

Anyway, the worst that can happen is that I'll get scolded.

Could it be possible that his old father could still raise a stick and beat him?

Of course, Wen Jifu also had doubts in his mind.

"Sir, why is it so important in this matter..." He looked at Wen Yanbo hesitantly.

Wen Yanbo put down the scroll in his hand, laughed, and answered the question irrelevantly: "Didn't Uncle Lü Hui inform you a few days ago that on the 15th of this month, he would send someone to Kaifeng Prefecture to discuss the matter of buying and pawning the pawnshop?"

"You can choose now. Which pawnshop do we want to take over?"

Although Wen Jifu didn't understand why Wen Yanbo brought up this matter, he still answered honestly: "My Lord, my son has already made his choice."

"Choose the East Wing Pawnshop in the New City of Bianjing!"

The xiangfang system in the city of Bianjing had collapsed.

All the wing-fangs, except Jing'anfang where the Bianjing Academy was located, were open urban areas.

However, the entire city is still divided into different parts according to the urban layout of the Tang and Five Dynasties.

Since last year, after the Pawnshop absorbed the pawnshops of various temples in Beijing, under the leadership of Han Jiang, the Kaifeng Prefecture, the Store and House Affairs Bureau and other officials have joined forces to divide the Pawnshop into different branches according to the different districts of Bianliang City.

The city of Bianjing was divided into the inner city, the new city, and outside the new city.

The inner city is divided into two armies, the left and right armies, and the two armies are further divided into two wings, called the first and second wings of the left and right armies.

The new city was divided into four administrative divisions, east, west, south and north, not according to military divisions but according to directions.

Among them, the east wing is the smallest.

It only has jurisdiction over nine districts!
Wen Yanbo listened, narrowed his eyes, and asked, "Tell me your reasons."

Wen Jifu replied, "I have visited and seen it in person these days."

"Although there are only nine blocks in the east wing of this new city, there are many industries in the blocks..."

"Xianrenfang, Bianyangfang, Chongshanfang, and Anrenfang have been the places where workshops and craftsmen have gathered since the beginning of the country..."

"And Chunmingfang and Xuanyangfang are mostly populated by meritorious officials and relatives..."

"There is also Suzakumen Street, which runs through the entire east wing and has a large population..."

Wen Yanbo nodded with satisfaction after listening to this, and looking at Wen Jifu's expression, he finally felt relieved.

but……

"I'm afraid there is another reason why you chose the east wing of Xincheng as the pawnshop?" Wen Yanbo asked slowly, looking straight into his son's eyes.

Wen Jifu trembled suddenly.

But Wen Yanbo did not point it out, but just said: "There are some things you need to be careful about!"

The most famous place in the east wing of the new city of Bianjing has only been there since the Xining period - Chunmingfang.

There is the mansion given to Wang Anshi by the late emperor!

Now, Wang Anshi's adopted grandson Wang Di is in the capital, following Lu Gongzhu.

On every day off, Wang Di would return to the Jingguo residence in Chunmingfang.

Then he followed Wang Anshi's example and often visited his neighbors.

Who is his neighbor?

Song Churen!
Song Churen was the son of the late Song Minqiu, a scholar of the Longtu Pavilion and posthumously awarded Minister of Rites, and his grandfather was Song Shou, Duke Xuanxian of Yan.

After decades of management by father and son Song Shou and Song Minqiu, the Song family had become the largest social gathering place for scholars and officials in the city of Bianliang.

Regardless of whether they are from the new party or the old party, as long as they come to the Song family, they will temporarily put aside their grudges.

And there is only one reason - the Song family has something that all scholars desire - a collection of books.

From the works written by Song Minqiu before his death, we can see how rich and powerful his family’s collection of books is!
"Collection of Tang Dynasty Imperial Decrees", "Veritable Records of Six Emperors", "Chang'an Chronicles", and "Records of Spring and Autumn Retirement".

Song Minqiu was able to create these works thanks to the tens of thousands of volumes of Tang Dynasty historical materials, classics, and poetry collections collected by his family, which might not even be available in the palace.

Whether Ouyang Xiu was writing the New Book of Tang or Sima Guang was writing the Zizhi Tongjian, they had to borrow books from his collection.

So why does the Song family have so many books?
That’s because the Song family emptied the collections of four great book collectors in the Song Dynasty!
The first one is Song Shou’s maternal grandfather Yang Huizhi.

Yang Huizhi was a scholar who lived through the Five Dynasties and collected a large number of Tang and Five Dynasties classics.

But he had no sons, and after his death, his property was divided among his sons-in-law and nephews.

But Song Shou didn't want any money and just took away Yang Huizhi's collection of books quietly.

The second one is the prime minister Wenjian Gong Bi Shi'an during the Zhenmiao period. He is the grandfather of Song Shou's biological mother and the great-grandfather of his wife.

Because Song Shou and his son loved books, the Bi family's collection of books was emptied bit by bit over the course of decades by them, like a squirrel moving house.

The third one is Wang Dan, Duke Wen of Wei.

When Wang Dan was alive, he liked Song Shou very much, so the Wang family's collection of books could not escape his hands.

The fourth one is the prime minister of the time, Lu Gongzhu.

Because the wife of Lu Gongzhu's second son Lu Xizhe was the apple of Song Minqiu's eye.

Therefore, when Song Minqiu was alive, he set his sights on the Lu family's collection of books left over from the time of Lu Mengzheng.

Lu Gongzhu also knew that Song Min was looking for good books, so he opened his home and allowed him to copy and even move them.

In this way, two generations of Song Shou, father and son, relied on robbing other people's collections of books and purchasing and collecting ancient books everywhere for decades.

It supported the entire Song Dynasty and is the richest, most complete and best collection of Tang and Five Dynasties laws and regulations.

Both the historical materials and poems of the Tang and Five Dynasties were hidden on the bookshelf of the Song family.

Moreover, Song Shou and his son loved and enjoyed books.

Therefore, these valuable documents have been very well maintained and revised.

When Song Shou and his son were alive, they would organize the scholars and officials in Bianjing to correct the errors in these books. For the scholars and officials, the Song Mansion in the sixth district of Chunmingfang was simply their paradise!

After Song Minqiu's death, the Song family could no longer organize famous scholars and officials to revise and proofread the collection due to lack of capacity.

However, the Song family still opened its doors to scholars and literati from all over the world.

As long as you are a scholar, you can go to the Song family to borrow books from their collection.

As a result, the housing prices in Chunmingfang became the highest in the entire new city of Bianjing - because so many people liked to live near the Song family so that they could borrow books at any time.

Naturally, the Song family became the largest social gathering place for scholars and officials in the city of Bianliang.

In the Song family, even during the Xi and Feng eras, when the struggle between the new and old parties was most intense, it was common to see ministers from the new and old parties in the court sitting together reading quietly, and even exchanging their experiences with each other.

Since Wang Di returned to Beijing, he has lived in Chunmingfang.

Whenever he had time, he would go to the Song family to borrow books. The Song family liked this young man very much.

As Wang Di went there more often, other officials in the Bianjing city also approached Wang Di under the pretext of going to the Song family to read books.

Wen Jifu was dragged away by Xing Shu several times.

After returning, Wen Jifu clamored to choose a daughter to marry Wang Di.

But after being severely scolded by Wen Yanbo, Wen Jifu dared not mention it again.

But he did not give up.

This time, the pawnshop that the Wen family was going to buy was deliberately located in the new city of Bian Jing, with the intention of recruiting Wang Di as a son-in-law.

no way!
Wang Di smells so good!
Wang Anshi's adopted grandson! The only heir!
According to Xing Shu, no matter whose daughter married into the family, she could just lie down and enjoy a good life.

Such a son-in-law is as good as seven or eight top scholars!
Xing Shu also said that if he did not have a daughter of the right age, he would have kidnapped Wang Di back home even if he had learned from Zhang Yaozuo how he kidnapped Feng Jing.

Xing Shu's words really moved Wen Jifu.

Now that his little thoughts had been seen through by his old father, Wen Jifu naturally trembled and hesitated.

Seeing Wen Jifu's useless appearance, Wen Yanbo shook his head and said, "You rebellious son..."

"I will be pissed off to death by you sooner or later!"

Wen Jifu thought his father was scolding him for his relationship with Wang Di, so he lowered his head and accepted the scolding.

Wen Yanbo sighed a few times and said, "Do you know why I did not answer your question about Liang Kuangzhi, but instead mentioned the matter of the pawnshop purchase?"

Wen Jifu shook his head.

Wen Yanbo took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, and then asked, "What will happen to my Wen family after we buy the pawnshop?"

Wen Jifu answered cautiously: "A meritorious official or a relative of the emperor?"

Wen Yanbo nodded: "You are not that stupid!"

In the Song Dynasty, scholars and civil officials needed to maintain their reputations, no matter how corrupt they were in private.

You also need to pretend to be incorruptible on the surface.

Immediate family members need to be strictly controlled.

We can't let them mess around outside and ruin their reputation.

Therefore, scholar-official families would use retainers or clansmen as white gloves to do business.

At the same time, they know when to stop.

There are many things that we dare not do too much.

Only meritorious officials and relatives of the emperor would do business openly and run their businesses.

For example, Wang Jinqing, the son-in-law of the emperor, was the largest ramie merchant in the city of Bianjing.

His family's sacks were sold directly to Kaifeng Prefecture.

Both the government and the public turned a blind eye to this.

Because this is the unspoken rule of the game. Since our ancestors, the Zhao officials and the scholar-official group have fed the foreign relatives and nobles by giving up economic benefits.

Let these political forces that were so rampant and unscrupulous in the Han and Tang dynasties become like a docile kitten.

"Now, you know why I don't want to get entangled with Liang Kuangzhi, right?"

"Foreign relatives and ministers are not allowed to interfere in government affairs!" Wen Yanbo said to Wen Jifu earnestly, "You brothers must remember this!"

These are the rules of the game.

My in-laws’ house, just stay aside when you’re full.

Stay out of national affairs!
"Then you will not care about it?" Wen Jifu said worriedly, "If this happens, I am afraid that the government and the public will criticize you..."

Wen Yanbo was the Grand Tutor and was in charge of important military and national affairs.

If he doesn't care about this kind of thing, public opinion will scold him to death!
Wen Yanbo smiled and said, "When did I ever say I don't care?"

"But who is Liang Kuangzhi?"

"He said, I have to take care of it, so what am I?"

"No matter what, Uncle Lu Hui has to come and invite me personally!"

Wen Yanbo grinned when he said this.

He is the Grand Tutor, in charge of important military and national affairs, and a national elder who ranks above the Prime Minister!
Who are you, Liang Tao?
Is that someone you can easily hire?
joke!

If he could be invited by anyone, how could he influence national affairs?

Of course, what Wen Yanbo would not say out loud was that he actually didn’t understand the situation either.

He wants to see which way the wind is blowing.

Then decide your own strategy based on the situation.

……

Lu Gongzhu is taking a rest at home these two days.

So he cherishes his precious rest time.

But soon, his peaceful vacation was interrupted by unexpected events.

"En Xiang..." Li Chang sat opposite him, worried: "The emperor has issued an imperial decree to recall the two villains Yang Qiangu and Cui Pingshu!"

"If these two thieves return to the court, there will be no peace in the court!"

Lu Gongzhu rubbed his temple, sighed, and asked, "Who wrote the imperial edict to the emperor?"

"The one who wrote the imperial edict was Qian Xie, the secretary of the imperial court..."

"Father Qian Mu?!" Lu Gongzhu snorted twice. He was not surprised by this guy's double-dealing.

Because Qian Xie's stance has always been wavering between left and right, new and old, a typical fence-sitter.

It just so happens that this person is not only good at writing, but also has top-notch calligraphy in contemporary times.

Therefore, he has a wide circle of friends, all over the world.

People like Su Shi, Lu Dafang and Fan Chunren are all in his circle of friends.

However, it is said that he had a grudge against Zhang Dun.

It seems that it was because he was ridiculed by Zhang Dun when he was in the court.

Anyway, when Zhang Dun was later sent to govern Guangxi, he held a farewell banquet for his colleagues when he left Beijing, but he did not invite Qian Xie.

"What about the Ministry of Personnel?" Lü Gongzhu sighed, "Why didn't the officials in the Ministry of Personnel reject it?"

Li Chang sighed and said, "I have already asked the two officials on duty that day."

"Hu Wanfu (Hu Zongyu) said that he did not know about Yang Qiangu's affairs..."

"Also, Yang Qiangu once served as the Water Supervisor of the Capital. Now it is no problem for the emperor to appoint him as his successor!"

Lu Gongzhu closed his eyes and asked, "What about Cui Pingshu's edict?"

Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Justice and Minister of the Dali Temple!
This is the person who holds the power to interpret the criminal code!
The Dengzhou Ayun case has proved how terrible it would be if the New Party members were given the power to interpret the Criminal Code - they would distort the Criminal Code and even directly remove the imperial power and modify the Criminal Code to suit their ideas and needs.

And Cui Taifu is the most terrifying candidate in this result!
Because Cui Taifu really understands criminal law!
He is a Jinshi who graduated from the Ming Dynasty Law School!
The Ayun case back then had already proved that he would amend the criminal code for political reasons.

Once Cui Taifu returned to the court, the Dali Temple under his control would never agree to overturn the criminal law formed after the Ayun case - if someone has caused injury by murder and the case is about to be investigated, and the person surrenders himself, the sentence will be reduced by two levels from murder.

Overturning this decree was not just Sima Guang's last wish.

It is also one of his political pursuits, Lu Gongzhu!

Since ancient times, those who kill will be put to death, and those who injure or steal will be punished!
In order to carry out reforms, Wang Anshi unscrupulously violated this iron rule that had been in place for thousands of years!
As long as you surrender yourself, your sentence can be reduced.

As a result, thieves and bandits arose all over the world and social order was greatly deteriorating!

Li Chang hesitated for a moment: "When the imperial edict of Prime Minister Cui Pingshu was delivered to the Ministry of Personnel, the official on duty was Fan Fan Zigong!"

Lu Gongzhu's eyes widened, he couldn't believe his ears: "Who?!"

"Fan Bailu!?"

"How could it be him?"

Fan Bailu, someone who came out from the young master's side.

After the young master ascended the throne, he successively served as Jiujiulang, Jiujiushenren, Tongxiu Jiujiuzhu, and Zhongshu Sheren.

He rose to prominence step by step and was only promoted to Jieshizhong last year.

From this perspective, it was indeed impossible for Fan Bailu to reject the emperor's edict.

But the problem is...

In addition to being a close minister to the emperor, Fan Bailu also has another identity!

Nephew of Fan Zhen, Duke of Shu!

Fan Zhen spent the entire second half of his life fighting against Wang Anshi's new laws.

As his nephew, Fan Bailu should never have allowed Cui Taifu's imperial edict to pass!
After a long while, Lu Gong took a deep breath and cursed, "Another thief in the house!"

This is to compare Fan Bailu with Lu Jiawen of his Lu family.

There is no other way!
Lü Gongzhu stood up and said to Li Chang, "Gongze, get ready and follow me back to the capital!"

"I want to write a letter to ask for an audience with Your Majesty! I beg you to revoke your order!"

Li Chang asked, "Doesn't Prime Minister En need to invite a few elders to the palace together?"

Lu Gongzhu shook his head: "No need to trouble you elders!"

Li Chang wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by Lu Gongzhu: "Gong Ze, go and get ready!"

He is the prime minister!

Moreover, he is the sole prime minister in the court now!
How can you ask the elders for help when you encounter problems?
If that were the case, who would respect him as the prime minister?
In the future, when the newly appointed right prime minister enters the court, won’t he be aggressive and take advantage of him when he sees that the left prime minister is so incompetent and weak?

Therefore, Lu Gongzhu would never invite the elders.

He is not Han Jiang, who will be controlled by those elders.

He is Lu Gongzhu, the son of Lu Yijian!

……

Zhang Fangping listened quietly until Liang Tao finished speaking.

Then, the elder stood up silently and said, "I am a little tired..."

"Besides, let's go back first!"

Liang Tao looked in amazement at Zhang Fangping, the veteran he admired.

He couldn't understand why Zhang Fangping had the same reaction as Wen Yanbo.

However, Zhang Fangping had already stood up to see the guest off, so he did not dare to ask any further questions and could only bow respectfully again.

Zhang Fangping's son Zhang Shu came in, invited Liang Tao and sent him out of the house.

Then, Zhang Shu came to Zhang Fangping and asked, "Sir, why don't you agree to Liang Kuangzhi's request?"

Zhang Fangping laughed: "Liang Kuangzhi is the descendant of Wen Kuanfu's former official, but he did not go to look for Wen Kuanfu, but came to look for me..."

"You think I'm a three-year-old child?"

"This is clearly Wen Kuanfu's evil plan!"

"Tell me to be the bad guy and offend the emperor, then he can be the good guy!"

"no way!"

Having fought with Wen Yanbo for a lifetime, Zhang Fangping thought to himself that he had already seen through the old man's despicable tricks.

"But what if it's not?" Zhang Shu asked.

Zhang Fangping pursed his lips and said, "If that's the case, then Liang Kuangzhi can be killed by me!"

Zhang Shu looked at his old father in confusion: "Why?"

"Because..." Zhang Fangping licked his lips: "I heard from Zhang Yunsou (Zhang Shunmin) that Liang Kuangzhi and Cui Pingshu have a feud and hatred!"

"It is said that Cui Pingshu has evidence of his crime..."

"If what Zhang Yunsou said is true, then Liang Kuangzhi is taking advantage of me!"

"What I hate most in my life is being used by others and being a pawn for others!" Zhang Fangping said this with gritted teeth, as if he was thinking of an old friend.

(End of this chapter)