Great Zhou Empire: Kill Zhao Kuangyin at the beginning

Chapter 580 Little Li Wenzhenggong (Special thanks to book friend 2017…8585 for the 3 monthly tickets!)

Chai Zongxun smiled and said:
"My dear, now that you say that, I understand.

I have seen the paintings you brought. Your brushwork is vigorous and your artistic conception is profound. You are also a talented person from Heyang recommended by General Tang himself. Naturally, I will not bury you.

I have appointed you as the academician of the Imperial Academy of Painting. How about you paint in the palace?"

The establishment of the Chinese imperial painting academy can be traced back to the "painting studio" established in the Han Dynasty. It flourished in the late Tang Dynasty, especially with many painters from the Later Shu Dynasty.

When Chai Zongxun conquered Hou Shu in the fifth year of Kaixi, he incorporated more than 50 painters from Hou Shu into the Da Zhou court painting academy, which was named "Hanlin Painting Academy."

Painters usually used paintings to record important occasions such as banquets, sacrifices, and daily life of the emperor and his family.

After the destruction of Southern Han and Southern Tang, court painters from various countries gathered at the "Hanlin Academy of Painting" in Bianliang, the capital of the Zhou Dynasty, which was a spectacular sight.

Famous painters include Huang Quan and his son, Gao Wenjin and his son, Yuan Renhou, Xiahou Yan, Zhou Wenju, Dong Yu, Gu Deqian, Li Guiqing, Dong Yuan, Xu Chongsi, Guo Zhongshu, Gao Yi, Wang Daozhen, Yan Wengui, etc.

The positions of painters in the Painting Academy were divided into the levels of painting school principal, art school, attendant, and waiting official. Those who did not get a position were called painting students. Compared with positions in other departments, positions in the Painting Academy were poorly paid, with a monthly salary equivalent to one rank lower than that of positions of the same level.

The promotion of painters was limited, and even their clothing was different from that of other civil servants. It is recorded that "those who were promoted for their art, although they wore scarlet and purple, were not allowed to wear fish ornaments."

Painters in the Painting Academy were treated differently according to their different backgrounds. Those who came from scholar-official backgrounds were called "scholars"; those selected from folk craftsmen were called "miscellaneous".

Guo Xi met the emperor as a commoner and was appointed by Chai Zongxun as the principal of the "Hanlin Academy of Painting", an official of the sixth rank, which was already a high position.

Guo Xi thought for a moment, bowed and thanked him:

"I thank your Majesty for your grace! I wish to join the Hanlin Academy of Painting as a scholar.

However, I feel that my painting skills have not yet reached full perfection, so I beg Your Majesty to allow me to travel across the vast territory of our Great Zhou Empire, to gain experience and improve my painting skills by absorbing the natural scenery of various places.

I will use my satisfactory painting skills to record the prosperity of the Great Zhou Empire under your Majesty’s rule in the future.”

Chai Zongxun knew that people who engaged in art were often different from ordinary people, so he nodded slightly and said:
"I agree.

Minister Guo can go to the Ministry of Internal Affairs to withdraw money to cover your travel expenses.

I only ask that when you return to the capital, you must report to me the true situation of the people that you have heard and seen."

After Guo Xi agreed, he left the hall.

On August 12, the 62nd year of Kaixi, a memorial was submitted to Chai Zongxun stating that the Grand Tutor and Duke of Ming, Li Hang, was critically ill.

Li Hang was born in the 12th year of Tianfu in the Later Han Dynasty (947), with the courtesy name Taichu, and was a native of Feixiang, Mingzhou.

When he was young, he was appreciated by Prime Minister Li Tao, who brought him into the palace as a retainer. Later, he passed the imperial examination and was promoted by Emperor Chai Zongxun at an early age.

He served as Prime Minister for ten years from the 32nd year to the 42nd year of Kaixi, and achieved outstanding political achievements.

The next afternoon, Chai Zongxun set out to visit the Duke of Ming at his mansion.

Chai Zongxun stepped into the main hall in the backyard after being greeted respectfully by Li Hang's three sons and everyone in the mansion. Li Hang was lying on the big bed. When he saw the emperor coming, he struggled to perform the salute.

Chai Zongxun said:

"No need to be polite, Mr. Li!

I haven't seen you for a few months, and you look so haggard. "

Li Hang said:
"I am honored to have your Majesty's favor and to have been entrusted with an important task. I will do my best for your Majesty's country and the people. I am very fortunate!"

Chai Zongxun sighed:
"My dear minister, you are my right-hand man. You succeeded Prime Minister Li, Imperial Tutor Wang and others as my chief minister. You have been a link between the past and the future. During your tenure, you have implemented brilliant policies and enabled our Great Zhou to officially move from an agricultural society to a commercial society. Your contribution is invaluable."

Li Hang thanked him with tears in his eyes:
"This is all due to your Majesty's wisdom, bravery, and foresight! I am only trying to ensure that your administration is flawless and that you have fulfilled your mission!"

Li Hang ordered his three sons and the bedside attendants to leave the hall, then he struggled to lie on the bed and bowed to Chai Zongxun, saying, "Your Majesty, I was foolish and impulsive when I was young, and I have offended Your Majesty. I beg Your Majesty to forgive me!"

Chai Zongxun knew that Li Hang was referring to the incident involving Madam Zhu.

Li Hang was afraid that Chai Zongxun would be dissatisfied and would liquidate his family members after Li Hang's death.

Chai Zongxun immediately stretched out his hand and asked Li Hang to lie down, and sighed:

"Don't worry, my dear minister. In my opinion, what happened back then is a thing of the past.

My dear minister, you are so talented. You work so hard for the country and are brave enough to protect your lover. How could I blame you?

Although I am the Son of Heaven, I should also do what I should do and what I should not do. Anyone who allows his own selfish desires to do whatever he wants will surely be a tyrant who harms the people!
Your three sons all passed the imperial examinations and became officials in the court. You also married your four daughters to the newly crowned No. 1 scholar Fan Zhongyan. You can say that your family has a successor! "

Li Hang thanked him repeatedly, and the worry in his heart was put to rest.

Chai Zongxun said:

"My dear minister, you have a very insightful vision. As for the next Prime Minister, does anyone have any recommendations?"

The current Prime Minister Ding Wei took over from Kou Zhun as Prime Minister at the beginning of the 53rd year of Kaixi, and his term will be completed by the end of the 62nd year of Kaixi.

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Li Hang pondered for a moment and said:
"The term of office and retirement system established by Your Majesty are very good.

To prevent ministers from staying in high positions for too long and forming cliques for personal gain, if anyone is still unwilling to step down at the end of his ten-year term, he must be a traitor with ulterior motives who is harmful to the country and the people!

In my humble opinion, among the important officials of the current Great Zhou Dynasty, there are two who are qualified to be the next Prime Minister in terms of character, ability, and achievements:

The first was Li Di, the second assistant and the Minister of Revenue.

The second was cabinet member and Minister of Works Feng Zheng.

Both of them are loyal to the emperor and hate forming cliques.

Only Your Majesty knows it clearly. "

In terms of age, Li Di was born in the 12th year of Kaixi (971), and is only 50 years old this year, the 62nd year of Kaixi (1021).

Feng Zheng was born in the third year of Kaixi (962) and is 59 years old this year.

Chai Zongxun thought of the 59th year of Kaixi when Feng Zheng, as the imperial commissioner, was very effective in supervising the locust eradication mission, and next year he would start his term as prime minister for ten years and retire at the age of 70.

Chai Zongxun and Li Hang evaluated the abilities of the ministers in the court for a long time. Seeing that he was exhausted, they asked him to take care of his health and then returned to the palace.

Seven days later, on August 20, the 62nd year of Kaixi, Li Hang died in the Duke's Mansion in Bian Jing at the age of 73.

Chai Zongxun sighed for a long time. Li Hang's talent was second only to Prime Minister Li Tao among all the prime ministers in the Kaixi Dynasty.

Li Tao was the one who was most capable of establishing a system suitable for this era according to Chai Zongxun's requirements, while Li Hang was the one who maintained the status quo with the most stable governance and the fastest economic development when facing the powerful enemy of the Star Religion.

Therefore, Chai Zongxun issued an edict to promote Li Hang to the title of Shangzhuguo and buried him with the ceremony of a king. His eldest son Li Wengchao succeeded to the title of Duke.

After consulting with his ministers, Li Hang was posthumously named "Wenzheng", the highest posthumous title for a civil official. Because it was the same posthumous title as Li Tao, people called Li Tao "Big Li Wenzhenggong" and Li Hang "Little Li Wenzhenggong".

Time flies. In the past few years, many famous officials and generals of the Kaixi Dynasty have passed away one after another.

Zhang Yong, Zhe Yuqing, Jing Sheng, Wang Dan and others passed away in the 63rd year of Kaixi.

In the 57th year of Kaixi, when Zhang Yong retired at the age of 70, Longxiang Guard was succeeded by Hu Lian, the youngest of the three pacification envoys.

Lu Mengzheng, Zhang Qixian, Guan Lin, Ma Shoujie, Lin Renzhao and others passed away in the 64th year of Kaixi.

(End of this chapter)