Lin Xi was inconspicuous in Jiayou's second-year ranking, and even Zhang Heng didn't leave much of a reputation later on.
Cai Xiang was appointed Hanlin bachelor and the third envoy of power and reason. However, at that time, the Song Dynasty maintained annual tribute to Liao and Xixia. The people there were poor and had no money to levy, and the finances were in a dilemma of being unable to make ends meet.
Therefore, Cai Xiang was appointed as the third envoy, also with the intention of cleaning up the mess. At the same time, his good friend Ouyang Xiu was behind the scenes. He hoped that Cai Xiang could support him in raising the average tax on square fields.
However, because of Zhang Wangzhi's previous incident, Zhang Heng and Cai Xiang did not get along happily.
This is not to say that it is better to offend a gentleman than a villain. Offending a gentleman is sometimes more terrifying than a villain. Although you will not be retaliated in person, you will be inexplicably isolated and marginalized.
Although Zhang Yue and Zhang Heng talked as usual, they secretly felt the loneliness. This was different from the confidence and calmness in his speech and the hesitation of success when he just returned to Beijing last year to take up the post of salt and iron judge. The mood is very different.
Zhang Heng stood up to change his clothes, and Zhang Yue followed him with an excuse.
Zhang Heng knew that Zhang Yue had something to talk about and slowed down. Zhang Yue told Zhang Heng that Guo Lin was in trouble at the Nanjing Imperial College and was plotted by his classmates so that he almost missed the provincial examination.
Hearing this, Zhang Heng said: "In the examination room, you stepped on me and I stepped on you. Don't care about those who are jealous of the virtuous and capable. They will bring humiliation to themselves in the future. If you can't kill them, you will be remembered by the villain." alright."
"As for your senior brother Guo, we met him when we were in the academy. I have to help him anyway. Let's see if he can pass the Ming Jing test first. If he can't, I'll let him go to the North Prison."
"These thirty old Ming Jing and fifty young Jinshi. Since you, Senior Brother Guo, have put in so much effort, if you give it a few more years, you will be able to honor your ancestors when you have a good background. Don't fall short of all your achievements."
Zhang Yue breathed a sigh of relief, and Zhang Heng just asked for help.
"Anything else?"
Zhang Yue hesitated for a moment and said that he had talked about the equalization of taxes on square fields in the policy question. Zhang Heng's face changed after hearing this, and he immediately scolded: "Do you know that you are taking risks to gain fame?"
"In the Qingli New Deal, those officials were demoted and demoted, and their offices were seized. It has only been a few years, and you have forgotten?"
Zhang Heng looked solemn, and then said: "I think your articles have made great progress in the past two years. I didn't tell you before because I was afraid that you would be complacent. I wanted you to be a high-achieving student and once again shine on the lintel of our Zhang family. Now you But he takes risks to win fame. Although today's saints have this intention, we need to know that there are many officials in today's officialdom who oppose the equal taxation of square fields. What should you do if one of the three examiners is opposed to it? "
Zhang Yue said: "The chief is right."
Zhang Heng saw Zhang Yue's humble look, and then said: "But that's not necessarily the case. Then again, do you know why today's saints value our Zhang family so highly?"
Zhang Yue said: "Please give me some advice from the chief of the restaurant."
Zhang Heng nodded and said: "Taizu has an ancestral teaching not to use southerners as prime minister, but Duke Xi is the first person in Fujian to worship the prime minister. Why? Because he is a lonely minister. When I won the number one scholar, I also worshiped him. Legacy."
Zhang Yue understood.
He realized that he had made a conscious mistake.
I have been jumping back and forth between the old and new parties. I had hesitated over Wu Chong's marriage before, and I wanted to marry Wang Anshi but failed. In fact, I had not figured out what the real secret was in officialdom.
Yes, forming cliques is the norm for officials.
In the officialdom, if there is no one above you to speak for you, it will be difficult to move forward. Therefore, as an official entering the officialdom, you will always face the problem of taking sides. If you don’t take sides, you will easily be marginalized, and if you are ostracized, no one will speak for you.
The two largest groups in the Song Dynasty were the New Party and the Old Party.
Because Zhang Yue was familiar with history, he was naturally inclined towards the New Party, so he inevitably had the idea of hugging others.
But in fact this is a fixed error in thinking.
Who is the biggest leader of the New Party?
It was neither the first generation Wang Anshi nor the second generation Zhang Dun, but Song Shenzong and Song Zhezong.
Having said that, why does the emperor value Zhang Dexiang so much?
Because he is a lonely minister.
Take the Jinzouyuan case as an example. Su Shunqin and others, as "gentlemen" who were demoted to Fan Zhongyan, also wrote such disrespectful words during the banquet as "I was lying drunk in the North Pole and sent the emperor to help me".
However, as far as the actual issues of entering the court are concerned, such as eating and drinking with public funds and sleeping with prostitutes, this is not a big mistake.
But everyone in Su Shunqin was punished, and even Su Shunqin's father-in-law Du Yan was dismissed from the prime minister. Su Shunqin returned to Suzhou and wrote "Canglang Pavilion Notes" in a depressed mood. He was killed by Qu sick a few years later.
This punishment is too much.
Therefore, many people in the government and the public complained for them. Many officials wanted the prime minister, who was the head of the officials, to say a few words on behalf of the scholar-bureaucrats to defend Su Shunqin and the others. However, Song history records that prime ministers Zhang Dexiang and Yan Shu could not deny it (not allowed). to speak).
Zhang Heng said: "In the second year of Jiayou's reign, the prime ministers in the DPRK held a group discussion to appoint a crown prince, and the officials were dissatisfied. The officials made me the number one scholar because they remembered Duke Xi, an old prime minister who had followed him for many years, and who was always cautious in his words and deeds."
"The official's selection of me as the number one scholar is to tell the courtiers that they should learn from the Duke of Xi and be a solitary minister. Your second brother Zihou is also well versed in this theory."
Zhang Yue understood that there was a reason for Zhang Dun to resign as a Jinshi.
Zhang Pin and his younger brother Zhang Di were awarded Jinshi in the same year. Song Zhenzong issued an edict that as long as one of the brothers was awarded Jinshi.
Zhang Pin didn't express any dissatisfaction, so he let his younger brother take the exam. As the elder brother, he waited until six years to become a Jinshi. Zhang Pin's move was deeply appreciated by the emperor, and he was promoted to Secretary Provincial School Secretary (Beijing official) at the beginning of his official career. This was a treatment comparable to that of the top three Jinshi.
In the second year of Jiayou's reign, Zhang Heng and Zhang Dun both won Jinshi.
Although the official family did not say that only one of the uncle and nephew would win the Jinshi, Zhang Heng was already the number one scholar and was the most prosperous, so Zhang Dun withdrew immediately.
In the fourth year of Jiayou's reign, Zhang Dun took the exam again. Not only did he get the title of "Jie Yuan" from Kaifeng Prefecture, but the emperor also personally ranked Jian as the fifth Jinshi.
In the Southern Song Dynasty, Wen Tianxiang and his younger brother Wenbi also passed the provincial examination. The two brothers discussed that one would take the imperial examination and the other would not. In the end, the younger brother gave up his place and returned home to fulfill his filial piety, while Wen Tianxiang won the top prize.
So from Zhang Heng's words, Zhang Yue understood what a lonely minister was.
That is to always put the emperor's wishes first in your heart, and you must put them above yourself, your family, and your colleagues.
"Duzhi has learned from the words of the chief. The so-called lone minister means that he does not form cliques (colleagues), is not selfish (family), and is not arbitrary (personality)."
Zhang Heng was very impressed when he heard this and said: "Of course, villains like to pursue selfish interests, and gentlemen like to be arbitrary. However, gentlemen and villains all form cliques and fight against each other. If you want to be a lonely minister, you don't have to do these three things."
Seeing Zhang Yue's expression of great enlightenment, Zhang Heng thought to himself, Zihou is arrogant and arrogant, but he dares to break the rules. As for being square and round, and being able to deal with people well, these two brothers will each have a bright future in the future.
After Zhang Heng's words, Zhang Yue understood even more clearly in his heart. Although Gu Chen said it sounded nice, it was very difficult. As an official, could he truly be completely non-partisan and selfish, and not be arbitrary?
This principle must be put into concrete examples to be the truth, and it must be able to take shape according to things.
But since Zhang Dexiang, Zhang Heng, and Zhang Dun have all taken this route, it is natural for me as a descendant of the Zhang family to take this route... I can only say that to a large extent, what route you take and what you pay for Such friends, and even marriage, are often arranged by your family background.
This is momentum!
After Zhang Yue and the others left Zhang Heng's place, they were planning to find a place to have a drink. When they came to a remote alley, they suddenly saw a person running out in a panic.
Zhang Yue didn't care at first, but he recognized the person at first glance.
The other party turned out to be Wang Kui.
Seeing that each other's clothes were disheveled, everyone actually met in such an embarrassing environment.
Zhang Yue was about to pretend he didn't know him and leave, but Wang Kui stepped forward and said, "Du Zhi, please do me a favor and cover up for me."
Zhang Yue didn't know why, but he saw Wang Kui making a pleading look.
"Brother Junmin, why do you say this and want my help?"
But Wang Kui said: "You just said you didn't see me."
After saying this, Wang Kui took the road and walked away. Zhang Yue looked confused. At this time, an old man chased behind him, followed by several tough men.
The old man asked Zhang Yue, "Where did you see the scholar go?"
Zhang Yue said: "I haven't seen you yet, so I wonder what the old man is talking about?"
The old man stamped his feet and said: "This damned scum. Last month, my daughter went to the temple to offer incense. He was met by my daughter who coaxed her with sweet words, saying that he was a candidate for the imperial examination and how talented he was. Not only did he pass the imperial examination, but he was also a master of science. It’s not a problem to get the first prize in the future, I promise to give my daughter the first prize wife in the future.”
"My daughter is new to the world, and seeing that this man is really talented, she falls in love with him. This man is good at rhetoric, and he is willing to give up money to deceive my female servant to cover for him. Therefore, my daughter has been with him several times under the pretext of offering incense. I He actually didn't notice it and ended up doing such a shameful thing."
Zhang Yue couldn't help but be dumbfounded after hearing this.
The old man sighed: "When this matter was finally exposed, I wanted to beat her to death to rectify the family tradition. However, I have always loved this girl in my life and was reluctant to do such a cruel thing. I had to endure my anger and took advantage of their private meeting one day. I brought all the people together and asked him if he would marry my daughter, and he agreed wholeheartedly. He also told him where he was from, where he lived, and what his last name was."
"I saw that he spoke politely, and he was a really talented person. I thought he was true to his word. Who would have expected that this guy has a human face and a beastly heart. Afterwards, I went to look for him at the address he gave me, but found that he was not there. I was so angry that I was bedridden. "My daughter couldn't stand this humiliation and wanted to hang herself from the rafter. Although she was saved by the female envoy, half of her life was lost."
"Didn't this boy want to take the imperial examination... These days, I have been guarding the left and right sides of the Gongyuan. I finally caught this guy. Unexpectedly, this guy was very smart. As soon as he saw me, he ran away with oil on his feet. His whereabouts are unknown. Now I can't chase him. I would like to ask the scholar to tell me, who is this person's name? I am trying my best to lose face and report this person to Kaifeng Mansion. I would like to ask the scholar to tell me, I am with him. My little girls are all very grateful.”
Zhang Yue was stunned after hearing this, why is Wang Kui such a scumbag?
He usually heard the other party's gossip, but this was also a romantic affair among scholars, and Zhang Yue didn't care if he knew about it.
But being able to do such things as seducing a good girl and ruining her reputation is really too scumbag.
Ps: Thank you all for your monthly votes, and thank you for your enthusiasm. I feel like I can keep updating more, and it will only be a matter of time before I become a great person... There will be another update in the evening, and I am in tears.
