History live broadcast: My audience is the ancestors

Chapter 89 Zhao Pu
I send my thoughts to the bright moon: Ah, Li Shimin had so many sons, it would be nice to have only two.

Don’t allow the world to grow old: Wuwuwu, that means Li Yuan’s curse will not really come true, right?

Lian Lian: It's really possible. Li Shimin's son doesn't even know what happened to him, and Wu Zetian, a great figure, turned the Tang Dynasty into Wu Zhou, although it was later changed back.

My charming and short-lived ancestor: well, who can say for sure? The royal family has no family ties.

Yinhe: Lao Zhu’s family is weird, let’s just ignore it.

My charming and short-lived ancestor: Yes, yes, the situation in the Ming Dynasty was different. Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to family ties.

Yun Xi: This is true.

Su Yue opened another folder and said, "The next one is Zhao Pu, the founding prime minister of the Song Dynasty."

My charming and short-lived ancestor: Oh, Zhao Pu. Wait, Zhao Pu?

Fuling: In other words, can you control Yueyue?

I send my longing to Mingyue: That’s right, Zhao Pu is such a great guy.

Don’t let the world grow old: Zhao Pu is a big shot in the history books. Although there are only a few sentences, they are still very impressive.

Su Yue sighed and said, "Okay, without further ado, let's just look at the personal information."

Zhao Pu (922-August 992, 8), whose courtesy name was Zeping.

A native of Jixian County, Youzhou, he later moved to Luoyang, Henan Province.

He was a politician from the Five Dynasties to the early Northern Song Dynasty and a hero of the founding of the Northern Song Dynasty.

In his early years, Zhao Pu was recruited by Liu Ci, the governor of Yongxing of the Later Zhou Dynasty, and later became the staff of Zhao Kuangyin (Taizu of the Song Dynasty), the general of the Later Zhou Dynasty.

In the seventh year of Xiande (960), he planned and launched the Chenqiao Mutiny, helping Zhao Kuangyin overthrow the Later Zhou Dynasty and establish the Song Dynasty.

In the second year of Qiande (964), he was promoted to the rank of minister, Pingzhangshi, and bachelor of Jixian Palace. He served as prime minister for ten years.

During this period, Zhao Pu assisted Zhao Kuangyin in seizing vassal towns, deposing the military power of senior generals in the imperial army, implementing major measures such as updating garrison laws, reforming the official system, and formulating border defense against Liao Dynasty.

In the sixth year of Kaibao's reign (973), he resigned as prime minister and left the three cities of Heyang. After Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty came to the throne, he paid homage to the prime minister twice in the sixth year of Taiping and Xingguo (981) and the first year of Duangong (988). During this period, he took the lead in planning the rebellion of Qin King Zhao Tingmei and suppressed Zhao Tingmei and the Minister of War Lu Duoxun.

In his later years, he requested to be promoted to official positions many times due to illness, and was successively awarded the titles of Liushou of Xijing, Yin and Grand Master of Henan, Zhongshu Ling, and the title of Duke of Wei. In the third year of Chunhua (992), Zhao Pu died of illness in Luoyang at the age of seventy-one.

Taizong personally wrote the eight-character Shinto stele and gave it to him. It was given to Shangshu Ling and the King of Han, with the posthumous title of "Zhongxian", and it was also presented to the temple of Taizu Taizu of the Song Dynasty. During the Lizong period of Song Dynasty, he was one of the twenty-four heroes of Zhaoxun Pavilion.

Although Zhao Pu read little, he loved reading "The Analects of Confucius". His theory of "ruling the world with half of the Analects" had a great influence on later generations and became a famous saying about governing the country with Confucianism.

He was resolute and decisive, and played an extremely important role in formulating a unified war plan and strengthening centralization measures in the early Song Dynasty.

He also participated in the establishment of laws and regulations and the rectification of official administration in the early Song Dynasty. His remaining works include "Long Fei Calendar" and "Yi Zu Shou Zen Record".

I send my lovesickness and the bright moon: Niuban, worship, and tribute.

My charming and short-lived ancestor: Although not many people know him, he is really awesome!
Yun Xi: Yes, Zhao Pu thinks he is just an ordinary person if he doesn't know him, but if he knows him, he knows how awesome he is.

Su Yue said: "Well, I don't know him very well. Now let's just look at his allusions!"

Half of the Analects governs the world

Zhao Pu was born as a minor official, and his knowledge was much worse than that of ordinary civil servants.

After he became prime minister, Song Taizu persuaded him to read some books.

Every time Zhao Pu goes home, he closes the door, takes a book from the bookcase, and reads it carefully.

When I go to court the next day to handle political affairs, I am always very quick. In his later years, he "could not let go of the scrolls" and placed hundreds of classics and history on his desk. His knowledge has been evaluated by future generations as "deserving of a master".

After Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty came to the throne, he once chatted with Zhao Pu and asked casually: "Some people say that you only read one copy of "The Analects of Confucius". Is this true?"

Zhao Pu replied honestly: "What I know does not exceed the book "The Analects of Confucius".

In the past, I used half of the "Analects of Confucius" to assist Taizu in bringing peace to the world. Now I use half of the "Analects of Confucius" to assist His Majesty, and the world will be peaceful. "

After Zhao Pu died of illness, his family opened his book box and found that there was only one copy of "The Analects of Confucius" in it.

So people spread a saying that Zhao Pu ruled the world by "half of the Analects of Confucius".

Reason is great
Once, Song Taizu asked Zhao Pu: "What is the biggest thing in the world?"

Zhao Pu did not answer immediately.

Before Zhao Pu could think of an answer, Taizu asked again: "What is bigger than other objects in the world?"

Zhao Pu thought for a while and replied: "The truth is the greatest in the world."

Taizu immediately clapped his hands and praised: "Yes, yes, everyone must abide by the principles. Even I, as the emperor, must obey the principles. Your answer is wonderful."

Loyalty between monarch and minister
When Taizu and Taizong of the Song Dynasty were young, they had close friendship with Zhao Pu.

It is said that the three of them once met the famous scholar Chen Tuan together, and Taizu called Zhao Pu "Zhao Xuexue".

Taizu's biological mother, Queen Mother Du, always called Zhao Pu "Secretary Zhao", even after the founding of the Song Dynasty.

Taizu also treated Zhao Puru as his right-hand man. He was furious when the imperial censor Zhongcheng Leidexiang impeached him for occupying citizens' houses and "collecting money and bribes" and punished him heavily.

This shows Zhao Pu's status in the heart of his great-grandmother.

In "Cuju Picture", Zhao Pu and others watch the brothers Taizu and Taizong of Song Dynasty play football

Among the anecdotes that have been handed down to this day, there are many stories about Taizu and Zhao Pu talking about each other, which shows the deep love between emperor and minister.

For example, when discussing Sang Weihan, the prime minister of the Later Jin Dynasty, Taizu praised Sang Weihan's talent, but Zhao Pu said bluntly because Sang Weihan loved money, "Even if Weihan is here, your majesty will not use it."

Before expanding the outer city of Kaifeng, Zhao Pu followed Taizu to Zhuque Gate to plan.

After Taizu conquered the world, Zhao Pu repeatedly talked about some shortcomings in the relationship between the two when they were not yet prosperous.

Taizu had an open-minded character and said to Zhao Pu: "If the emperor and prime minister can be identified in the dust, then everyone can go and ask for them."

From then on, Zhao Pu stopped talking about this matter.

In the sixth year of Kaibao's reign (973), Taizu visited Zhao Pu's mansion.

At this time, King Qian Chu of Wuyue sent someone to deliver letters and gifts. The list said that they were "ten bottles of sea goods" and they were placed under the left corridor of the main room.

Just as Taizu's car arrived, Zhao Pu rushed out to greet him and had no time to cover the gifts.

Taizu saw it and asked what it was. Zhao Pu replied that it was a sea creature.

Taizu said: "The sea food sent by Qian Chu must be very good."

He ordered someone to open it and found that the bottle was filled with golden melon seeds (small particles of gold from melon seeds).

Zhao Pu was very nervous, kowtowed and apologized, saying, "I haven't opened the letter yet, so I really don't know what's in it."

Taizu smiled and said: "Just accept it, don't worry about it. He thinks that all major national affairs are drawn up by you scholars."

(End of this chapter)