Song Gexing

Chapter 244 How to reward the problem
"How does the emperor plan to use Zhang Zihou?"

After Wen Yanbo calmed down, he began to ask Zhao Fang.

Zhao Fang expressed his thoughts without hesitation, but Wen Yanbo vetoed him: "The official is not right, Zhang Zihou may not have enough experience in government affairs. Possible leisure time, the governor's relationship is important, and Shaanxi is an important town in the northwest with heavy military and administrative tasks, so it is better to let him serve as a minister in the Ministry of Rites."

"The servant of the Ministry of Rites..."

From this position, it can be seen that Wen Yanbo did not treat Zhang Zai badly. He was indeed rewarded heavily. This was a leapfrog promotion to a third-grade official like a governor.

But the problem is that Zhao Fang wants the title of Mr. Hengqu. He cannot explain this clearly, so he can only scratch his head and say: "Is the governor really bad? I remember that he was valued by Prime Minister Fan back then, and his suggestions for northwest defense were also very good. "

Wen Yanbo smiled and said: "This minister knows that Zhang Zihou studied military books and strategies in his youth, and he does have unique insights into military affairs. But after all, it is just a plan on paper. It would be okay to be an observer, but the governor almost doesn't care. .”

The observation envoys in the Song Dynasty were originally sent to be sent to the rank of official. The official title of the fifth rank was three levels lower than that of the Tang Dynasty. In the Tang Dynasty, the official rank of the third rank was the actual official rank, which was used to control the military envoys.

Similar to the governor of the Han Dynasty, the official position was smaller than that of the Jiedushi, but it was the responsibility of supervising the Jiedushi. In the Song Dynasty, as the Jiedushi became a vacuous position, the Observer's position also became a vacuous one.

However, after Zhao Fang's comprehensive restructuring the year before last, he re-activated the duties of the observation envoy to supervise the chief envoys and admirals of each province, and the grade was set to the fourth grade.

Sharing the responsibilities of the governor, the position is two levels lower than the governor. This position is more leisurely than the governor, but it is obviously less useful to reward Zhang Zai.

Although Zhang Zai was only a Jinshi in Jiayou's second year, Su Shi and others in the same department did not even have a fifth grade, but the meaning of reward this time was different.

In fact, Zhang Zai is both civil and military. He is a native of Guanzhong. He has been used to war since he was a child, so he naturally has a deep study of generals' strategies.

His dream in his boyhood was to contribute to the national defense of the Song Dynasty, so he gave Fan Zhongyan "Nine Points for Border Discussions". Lao Fan appreciated his talent and believed that he had the qualifications to become a great Confucian, and advised him not to talk about military affairs anymore. It is to focus on the Confucian classics.

That year, Zhang Zai was 20 years old. He followed Fan Zhongyan's advice, went home and started studying Confucian classics. By the time he took part in the imperial examination at the age of 38, he was already a famous Confucian scholar all over the world.

I have to say that Fan Zhongyan has a very good vision. He persuaded two people to become celebrities recorded in history books, one is Di Qing and the other is Zhang Zai.

Wen Yanbo dared to propose a leapfrog promotion because of Zhang Zai's reputation. In ancient times, reputation as an official was also one of the criteria for promotion, and it did not necessarily have to be done step by step.

"How about summoning him to Beijing and asking him if he is willing to be an observer?"

Zhao Fang still wanted him to go to Shaanxi and asked tentatively, but Wen Yanbo was surprised.

He knew that the emperor was very fond of Zhang Zai. In the second year of Jiayou's reign, Zhang Zai, Su Shi, and Zhang Dun were often called to the prince's east palace for gatherings.

Zhang Dun is now a high-ranking member of the party. Although his rank is only from the fourth rank, he holds the position of pacifier of the third rank.

Su Shi was the worst in the sixth grade, but it wasn't that Zhao Fang didn't use him. In recent years, the banking business had become more and more mature, and it wouldn't take long for Su Shi to move to Beijing to take up important positions.

The cabinet is already discussing to transfer Su Shi to the position of doctor in the Ministry of Household Affairs. This is a fifth-grade official, and he is also promoted two levels above.

In addition to Su Shi's outstanding political achievements, there is also the factor of his growing fame. Lao Su's poetry has not fallen behind in recent years. He likes to show off wherever he goes and write a few popular poems.

Moreover, in recent years, the situation of occupying fertile land and planting mulberry trees in Jiangsu and Zhejiang areas was severely exposed by this third brother, and a large number of people were cleared of returning forests to farming.

Instead, we vigorously developed the interplanting of mulberry trees in fields, lakes and ponds, especially in Mingzhou, where there were many lakes, and the results were particularly good. Zhang Dun did an outstanding job in Mingzhou and got extra points. "Are the officials unwilling to keep Zhang Zihou in Beijing?"

Wen Yanbo was surprised for a long time and couldn't help but ask this question, but he immediately regretted it as soon as he said it. These words were tantamount to exploring the emperor's little thoughts.

Although the scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty were not afraid of confronting the emperor, it was only for important matters. Anyone who had nothing to do could go against the emperor, even if he was sick.

Fortunately, Zhao Fang didn't mind, and said with a smile: "Isn't it that he has always been obsessed with the unfavorable situation in Guanzhong, and the place where he studied was at the academy near Hengqu? I thought about letting him return home in fine clothes, and casually bring Shaanxi to his hometown. Let culture and education prosper."

"Chongshouyuan?"

"Yeah, it's the academy."

Zhao Fang responded, thinking that this academy was later called Hengqu Academy because of Zhang Zai's name.

Wen Yanbo was moved now, but what he understood was different from what Zhao Fang thought. What he understood was that Shaanxi really needed to revitalize culture and education, otherwise it would really become a barbaric land.

Shaanxi was originally the capital of the Han and Tang Dynasties, with a prosperous culture and numerous celebrities. However, after experiencing two major turmoils in the Southern and Northern Dynasties, the late Tang Dynasty and the Five Dynasties, most of the original aristocratic families moved away.

Then after the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty, it was the front line. One side had to face Xixia, and the other side had to face Tubo. The people paid more attention to martial arts, and there were gradually fewer scholars.

Although there were also high-ranking civil servants, the culture was indeed much weaker than that of other regions. Historically, it was Zhang Zai who gave lectures in Hengqu Town and revitalized the status of Confucianism in Guanzhong.

Now Zhang Zai is in Suzhou, and Guan Xue has no descendants in the northwest. As a Guanzhong native, it is indeed a good idea for him to go back and revitalize Confucianism.

Moreover, now that Shaanxi has become inland and no longer a frontier, the basic conditions for revitalizing Confucianism are fully mature.

Thinking of this, Wen Yanbo pondered and said: "I support the official's proposal, but it is only from the fourth rank. Is it too low?"

Of course Zhao Fang is willing to elevate Zhang Zai's status. This is his own person, and with Zhang Zai's integrity, he will never betray him because of his own interests.

He hesitated and said: "It doesn't matter if the official position is smaller, how about giving me a title?"

"Nobility!"

Wen Yanbo frowned. The titles of the Song Dynasty were also awarded only for military merit. The titles of civil servants were usually awarded to ministers who became ministers or were bestowed upon the death of famous ministers.

When a living person is still in official career, basically only military merit can lead to a knighthood.

Zhao Fang saw him frowning and said tentatively: "You don't need the title of duke, just give him the title of earl."

"Uncle Kai Guo? A fourth-grade title is fine, but it's difficult to confer a title!"

There were twelve ranks of knighthood in the Song Dynasty. As mentioned above, there was no super rank in the Song Dynasty, and the prince was only the first rank, so the earl was only the fourth rank in the Song Dynasty.

It belongs to the final third level, followed by the two levels of Founding Viscount and Founding Baron, starting from the fifth rank, which is just enough to qualify for the title of Wife and Yinzi.

(End of this chapter)