I studied in modern times

Chapter 814 Personnel
The silence in the Buddhist temple did not last long before it was broken by the Empress Dowager.

"Your Majesty... I am old..." She said slowly, "From now on, let the Queen Mother make the decision on the government affairs!"

"I will stay in this Qingshou Palace, eat vegetarian food and chant Buddhist scriptures, praying for King Yeongjo and the late emperor..."

As Zhao Xu listened, the scene in his previous life when the Empress Dowager was seriously ill emerged in his mind.

At that time, the Empress Dowager in the Qingshou Palace was clearly bedridden and even had difficulty speaking.

but……

She still holds on to power tightly.

He even refused to let Zhao Xu see the prime minister's letter!
As a result, Chen Yan took control of the Imperial Pharmacy and the Imperial City Administration.

Little did he know that his greed for power had frightened the entire government and the country.

The then prime ministers Fan Chunren and Lu Dafang even went to the New Party's Li Qingchen and Deng Runfu to discuss what to do about this matter.
Even the eunuchs and female officials in the palace began to vote with their feet.

Liang Congzheng defected directly, but Liang Weijian turned a blind eye and watched Zhao Xu slowly take control of the Imperial City Bureau with the assistance of Liu Weijian and others and summon the generals of the three yamen.

That's why, on the day of Emperor Qingshou's death, Liu Weijian and Song Yongchen, under the imperial order, led the officials of the Imperial City Department to clean up the Imperial City.

Chen Yan was beaten to death, and all the other eunuchs and female officials who followed Chen Yan were imprisoned, tortured and interrogated.

During those days, there were constant howlings in the imperial prison, and countless bloody corpses were carried out and sent to the mass grave outside the new city of Bianjing.

During the whole process, those ministers who were personally supported by the Empress Dowager and those prime ministers of the old party were indifferent and pretended not to see anything.

Recalling these things from his previous life, Zhao Xu chuckled: "Grandmother is joking..."

"When I came here, my mother asked me to persuade my mother to relax and come to the main hall to handle government affairs as soon as possible!"

"Really?" A hint of surprise flashed through the Empress Dowager's heart.

"How could a minister like Sun deceive the Grandmother?" Zhao Xu asked.

"The emperor is indeed a filial son!" The Empress Dowager said leisurely, "But the Empress Dowager is not a good one..."

"I didn't take good care of the princess and her husband..."

This was the source of Qingshou Palace's worry. Because of the impact of the Zhang Dunli case, both court officials and royal family members had lost a lot of trust in her.

In the current special political situation, she faces great disadvantages.

First of all, the source of the power to rule behind the scenes was not the will of the late emperor, but the edict on the establishment of a crown prince written in the name of the late emperor after the prime ministers petitioned the emperor, who was still a prince.

Secondly, there were not one person but two people behind the curtain.

Power is decentralized.

That is why she has never really been appointed as a disciple of any prime minister!
They were all discussed with Empress Dowager Xiang, and some were even selected through imperial recommendation.

In this way, there is no one in the court.

No one, whether it was the prime minister or the generals in the three yamen, was willing to get close to her.

At this point, they simply report important matters directly to the emperor and seek approval from the Funing Palace.

Whether it was her or Empress Dowager Xiang, they could only handle daily affairs.

The decision-making power and the final say have returned to the grandson.

Under such circumstances, after Zhang Dunli's outburst, no one in the government or the public spoke for her.

Everyone is busy showing their loyalty!
No one even cared about what the Empress Dowager of Qingshou Palace thought!

This was really hard to accept for the Empress Dowager, who was extremely power-hungry.

This became a source of worry for her.

The only good news for the Empress Dowager was probably that her grandson was still as close to her as usual.

He did not become estranged from her because of Zhang Dunli's incident.

Still the same as usual, greeting each other in the morning and evening.

He did not even blame her daughter, Princess Shoukang, and still ordered the princess to live in the princess's residence. Some time ago, he even issued an edict to send the princess's son Zhang Bingyuan from the Zongzheng Temple back to the princess's residence.

All he had to do was go to the home of Master Wang, the Duke of Fuma, to receive instruction on odd days.

Then every month I would go to the Zongzheng Temple to listen to the instructions of the Grand Zongzheng.

That's it!

There has never been such a benevolent emperor in all dynasties!
In the Empress Dowager's understanding, this was naturally because of her.

if not?
So, she held Zhao Xu's hand and said, "My mother is old, and I can only rely on the emperor in the future!"

Zhao Xu lowered his head.

Memories of his previous life flashed through his mind.

He naturally knew that the Empress Dowager was playing the emotional card with him.

This made him feel a little sick.

But when he looked up, his face was filled with an expression of great sincerity.

"How can the mother be old?"

"Sun Chen is also thinking that when he grows up, he will give birth to more princes and ask the Grandmother to help Sun Chen teach them..."

"Just like my mother taught me..."

The Empress Dowager recalled the good times before and after the death of the previous emperor when the child listened carefully to her teachings. Her eyes were slightly red and she said with emotion: "Okay!"

"The Grandmother promised the Emperor that when the Emperor grows up, he will give her many great-grandchildren..."

As she spoke, she began to cry.

Zhao Xu quickly took out a handkerchief he carried with him and wiped her tears.

When the Empress Dowager saw this, she finally laughed: "I'm sorry to have embarrassed you, Your Majesty..."

Zhao Xu shook his head.

"Why did the emperor come to see me at this moment?" She finally remembered the anomaly and asked.

Zhao Xu then briefly told her about the meeting with Pu Zongmeng and Qian Xie today.

After listening to this, the Empress Dowager pondered for a moment and said, "The Emperor made a great choice in appointing Qian Xie as the Imperial Academy Scholar!"

"The country needs ministers like Qian Xie now!"

Zhao Xu nodded: "My mother praised me..."

"As for Mr. Pu..." The Empress Dowager thought of Zeng Bu and hesitated.

"What's wrong with the bachelor?" Zhao Xu asked.

"I heard that his reputation as an official is not very good!" The Empress Dowager thought for a moment and made up an excuse.

"It is said that when Pu Xueshi was in Beijing, he would light more than 300 candles every night and slaughter more than a dozen pigs and sheep every day..."

Zhao Xu said: "Sun Chen has also heard about these things..."

"That……"

Zhao Xu repeated what he had said to Empress Dowager Xiang in front of the Grand Empress Dowager.

The central idea is that there are too many gentlemen in the government now, and we should use some capable and controversial ministers to neutralize them, so as to prevent them from joining hands to undermine the imperial power and shake the country.

This reason was the most politically correct reason in the Song Dynasty.

Almost no one can blame it!

After hearing this, the Empress Dowager also fell silent.

Although she really wanted to recall Zeng Bu and appoint him as prime minister.

In this way, she would have some people at her disposal in the court.

but……

First of all, Zeng Bu’s qualifications are indeed not enough!

Secondly, she was worried that even if Zeng Bu returned to the court as prime minister, he might not listen to her.

After all, Zeng Zhao had taught her a lesson years ago.

Three...Looking at the grandson in front of her, she couldn't refuse.

So, after a long while, she said, "Since the emperor has already made up his mind, let's do as he wishes!"

Zhao Xu was immediately delighted: "Then Sun Chen, go and summon Scholar Fan to the palace. Let him draft the edict of appointment today and he will be appointed as the Prime Minister tomorrow morning!"

The Empress Dowager was surprised: "Is it so urgent?"

Zhao Xu sighed, "Prime Minister Lu has been the prime minister for several months."

"The rulers in the capital have also been very hard-working in the past few months..."

The Empress Dowager nodded: "Yes!"

Since Han Jiang retired, Lu Gongzhu has been the sole prime minister in the court. Lu Gongzhu was already old, and now he is the sole prime minister again, and Zhao Xu has stuffed a lot of tasks on him.

I am so busy every day that I am exhausted and don’t even have time to participate in my favorite activities such as meditation.

In addition, An Tao and Zhang Xu were dismissed one after another, but their positions were not filled.

Especially Li Qingchen's Privy Council, almost all tasks now fall on his shoulders alone.

As a result, in the past few months, he rarely rested even on his days off, and even when he was off duty, he still handled official documents at home.

After a few months, my hair turned a lot whiter.

"Your Majesty, are you planning to use the imperial court to nominate the vacancies in the two governments?" the Empress Dowager suddenly asked.

Zhao Xu replied: "Sun Chen plans not to have to recommend him this time!"

"Directly appoint them from among the important officials waiting to be appointed from various places..."

"Do you have any candidate for the position of Grand Mother?" Zhao Xu asked deliberately.

The Empress Dowager immediately perked up and asked Zhao Xu, "Does Your Majesty still remember the former Hanlin scholar Zeng?"

Zhao Xu nodded and said, "Of course Sun Chen remembers!"

"Last year, the scholar sent a lot of tribute from Yangzhou!"

The cabbage sent from Yangzhou is now growing vigorously in the Funing Palace garden.

"Then what do you think, Mr. Zeng, is capable of governing the country?" asked the Empress Dowager.

Zhao Xu nodded: "Sun Chen believes that Zeng Xueshi will be competent in the two governments!"

Yes, a competent scapegoat.

"It just so happens that after Prime Minister Zhang (Zhang Xu) resigned, there is a vacancy in the ruling office of the East Palace. We can first appoint Scholar Zeng as a scholar of the Zizheng Palace, then recall him to the capital and appoint him as a scholar!"

"Good! Good! Good!"

Although Zeng Bu could not be appointed as prime minister, he was able to enter the two palaces, which made the Empress Dowager very happy.

Zhao Xu was even happier.

Because, for some things, Zhao Xu had not yet found someone to take the blame.

Once Zeng Bu comes back, won’t this be ready?
In addition, we can also take this opportunity to put a label of "Hou Dang" on Zeng Bu's forehead.

There will be reasons to deal with him in the future.

"Who does the emperor plan to use as the governor of the West Palace?" asked the Empress Dowager.

"Sun Chen plans to wait for Scholar Zhang from Huanqing Road to return to the capital and appoint him as the co-director of the Privy Council so that he can preside over the commendation of military officials along the border..."

The Empress Dowager was stunned for a moment before she realized that Zhao Xu was talking about Zhang Yu.

"Isn't it too fast to promote him?" She couldn't help but question.

In the eighth year of Yuanfeng, Zhang Yu was only the deputy envoy of transportation in Chengdu Prefecture, working with Lu Dafang.

I am only a sixth-rank imperial doctor, which is equivalent to Su Shi who is now in Dengzhou. My official rank is even lower than Su Shi's, and I am only directly in the Jixian Academy.

However, in just two years, he was promoted rapidly at rocket speed.

First, in the eighth year of Yuanfeng, a special decree authorized the appointment of the Qinfeng Road General, and this official was promoted from Chaofeng Doctor to Chaosan Doctor, and was promoted to Zhilongtu Pavilion.

The following year, he was specially appointed as the governor of Qingzhou from Qinfeng Road.

Just straighten it out!
Not only was the word "Quan" removed from it, but it also changed the second-line Jinglüeshi to the first-line, and combined the Jinglüeshi and Anpacificationshi into one, becoming a true military commander.

Just a few months after he took office, the Song-Xia War broke out.

This old civil official, who was not favored by anyone before the war, shocked everyone with his performance in the war.

Not only did he remain calm in times of crisis, he also deployed and commanded effectively.

He even invented new tactics and used them in the war, so the Western bandits suffered heavy casualties and lost their weapons in Huanqing Road.

Use civil officials to unify the troops and fight to win.

This perfectly met the fantasies of countless scholars and officials in the Song Dynasty.

The name of Zhang Qie Zhang Zhifu became famous throughout the world, and it was said that even the Liao Kingdom, Dali, Jiaozhi and other countries had legends about him.

Therefore, after the war, Zhang Qie was rewarded according to his merits and was promoted from Chaoqing Dafu (sixth rank) to Chaoyi Dafu (sixth rank), jumping three levels.

He was directly appointed as a scholar of Longtu Pavilion and transformed from a small dragon into a big dragon!

Xun was transferred to the guard general, skipping N levels.

The title was changed from the honorary founding county baron to the actual fief of Julu County, with an additional fief of 600 households and actual fief of 200 households.

For a civil official, this is no longer just riding a rocket.

This is a lightning promotion!
But, Zhang Qie has military merits!
Don't think that the Song Dynasty was always shouting "respecting culture and suppressing military power".

However, military merit still ranks above all other credentials for ascension.

Nothing can surpass the value of military merit.

The scholar-officials fantasized at home every day about the beautiful moment when they would one day lead an army to attack another country, capture its ruler and present the captives in the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Therefore, there was no criticism about Zhang Qie's promotion, and there was not even any questioning voice in the court.

Public opinion in the Shilin community even felt that the reward was a bit too light.

It should be done in one step, promoting Zhang Yu to the rank of Zhongsan Daifu or above (fifth rank), at least appointing him as a scholar of Duanming Palace and conferring him the title of founding county duke.

There is no way, Zhang Qie’s success made these people happy.

Of course they have to build momentum for Zhang Qie!

What's more, there is Lu Huiqing!

Those who disliked and hated Lu Huiqing, in order to belittle Lu Huiqing, began to flatter Zhang Qie crazily.

only……

Even so, a civil official who was only a sixth-rank deputy envoy of transportation two years ago was promoted to the two governments in more than two years and got the cool umbrella.

It's still too shocking.

In the Song Dynasty, where seniority was a serious problem, this was another major shock after the Xining Reforms.

Once he is awarded the title, there will definitely be a lot of people gossiping, questioning and attacking Zhang Qie as a "lucky boy".

This is all normal!
However, facing the questioning of the Empress Dowager, Zhao Xu killed the game with just one sentence.

"Mother, Master Zhang is already sixty years old this year!"

The Empress Dowager was stunned: "Is Scholar Zhang already sixty years old?"

Zhao Xu nodded: "Yes, the scholar was born in the fifth year of Tiansheng, and he is already sixty years old this year!"

A sixty-year-old civil official fully meets the standards of a veteran official.

If an old minister with military merit is appointed to the two governments, it will be difficult for others to attack him.

Could it be that the Emperor promotes virtuous people and employs capable people, yet you also have doubts about it?
"Is that so..." The Empress Dowager said, "Then we'll listen to the emperor!"

Zhao Xu nodded: "Thank you, mother!"

Zhao Xu whispered in his heart: "Mr. Zhang... In the last life, I owed you, Mr. Zhang, and I will repay you in this life!"

In his previous life, because Zhang Qie had to be in charge of military affairs on the front line, Zhao Xu never appointed him as the ruler until his death.

However, this is unfair to Zhang Qie!
With his military achievements, he is more than qualified to be a prime minister, let alone a ruler!
(End of this chapter)