Ouyang Xiudao: "Since the first year of Jiayou, the imperial court has been constantly undergoing reforms, such as horse administration, tea taxation, land equalization, buying laws, imperial examinations, and military service laws. There are often endless discussions among the ministers. If there is a slight change, ancient rituals will be adopted. The words of family law push away the evil spirits, and I like to follow stories."
"What are ancient rituals? What are ancestral family laws? The origin of rituals must be due to human feelings, and they must be replaced by human feelings. Therefore, if you want to change the etiquette laws, you must trace their origins and know the reasons why they were changed. If you know why they were established, you can know why they were changed."
Zhang Yue said: "Nowadays, the official family is the head of a promising family, and my uncle is the father-in-law. This is the blessing of the world and the country."
Ouyang Xiudao: "I don't dare to take credit. It is the Prime Minister of Han who has the ambition to promote peace, revive the king's culture, and be as prosperous as the Zhou and Han Dynasties. He always followed my instructions until the time of this modification, knowing its potential and doing it, and he can become an official. Show honor and do your best for the common people."
Ouyang Fa also said: "Since Han Xianggong came to the throne, he has restricted the country but only punished him, and evened out the people's wealth but only relieved his strength. He is actually the true prime minister."
Zhang Yue listened to Ouyang Xiu and when Ouyang Fa said this, he felt that Han Qi really had great ambitions.
The Jiayou period was not without reason called the golden age of scholar-bureaucrats. Officials were too busy giving birth to sons and had no time to deal with government affairs. Fu Bi and Han Qi held power on behalf of the king.
Among them, the reform of horse administration, tea tax and other initiatives were promoted by Han Qi. Fu Bi also supported the reform, but he was more cautious and slower.
There was a meeting in the political hall. Fu Bi felt that something was difficult to decide. He pondered over and over again. Han Qi couldn't help but said: "Another babble!"
When Fu Bi saw that Han Qi was so disrespectful to him in front of many officials, he couldn't help but change his expression and said, "What did Xu say?"
However, Zhang Yue knew that history would tell them that Ouyang Xiu, who advocated straightening out regulations and reforming with human feelings, Fu Bi, who was politically prudent, Han Qi, who was bold and courageous, and Han Jiang, the most radical of Han Qi's disciples, and Wang Anshi during the Xining period. It's so weak in comparison.
It is estimated that Han Qi would sigh, Damn, this reform can still be carried out like this?
But it is undeniable that without the Qingli Jiayou period, when the scholar-bureaucrats worked hard to eliminate the long-standing abuses, the vigorous reform in the Xining period would not have been possible.
The law of land equalization and exemption from labor originated from Ouyang Xiu.
The recruitment method originated from Han Jiang.
As for the compilation of Taichang Yinge Li, it was also one of the preludes to promote the reform movement of Jiayou Zhiping.
Is Taichang Yinge's ceremony important?
It may not seem important to the outsider, but this is the rationale for change. Just like why Wang Anshi spent so much time writing new meanings of the Three Classics.
But Taichang Yingli's efforts were in vain, because after Wang Anshi came to power, he overturned everything before, swept it into the garbage with a broom, and then did it himself.
Taichang Yingeli is destined to fail, but since it is something he can do and is willing to do, there is no reason not to do it.
Don’t ask about the reward when doing something, ask whether you want to do it!
Do it knowing you can’t do it!
Zhang Yue thought of this and said resolutely: "If my uncle gives me any instructions, my nephew will definitely go all out."
Ouyang Xiu said happily: "I really did not misjudge the person. Come, let's eat first."
When Ouyang Fa heard this, he immediately gave Zhang Yue a bowl of rice in a very stupid manner.
When Ouyang Xiu and Zhang Yue talked about his intention to reform Taichang Yin, he was very serious in his words. This was his political ambition, and he didn't even notice that there were grains of rice on his beard.
Zhang Yue looked at Ouyang Xiuxin and said, compared to Xi Ning's drastic changes, he preferred Jiayou's romantic character!
On the other side, Seventeenth Niang and Mrs. Wu talked for a long time. Mrs. Wu asked so carefully that Seventeenth Niang's face turned red.
Mrs. Wu said: "What does this mean? When my brother-in-law and I were newly married, we also came here like this. There is nothing difficult to say between us sisters."
The Seventeenth Mother shook her head repeatedly.
At this time, Zhang Yue and Ouyang Fa had arrived outside the door. Ouyang Fa said: "Madam, Du Zhi is going back home."
Mrs. Wu said impatiently: "If you stay here for a moment longer, Shi Qi and I haven't finished talking yet."
Mrs. Wu also felt that her attitude was too bad and she did not save face for Ouyang Fa in front of her sister and brother-in-law. The Seventeenth Niang said: "Sister, you were not like this in the past."
Mrs. Wu sighed: "What else can I do? From the wedding ceremony to the daily necessities, your brother-in-law has never sought advancement. He only plays with antiques, calligraphy and paintings at home. He has no intention of becoming a Jinshi. I asked him to become an official." , he also doesn’t want to be an official, he said it several times, but now he doesn’t want to say anything anymore.”
The Seventeenth Mother said: "Since my brother-in-law doesn't like being an official, I might as well just do what he wants."
Mrs. Wu smiled bitterly and said: "You don't know my difficulties. Fortunately, now that my father-in-law is in power, everyone sells out three points of my Ouyang family's face. What will happen in the future? How can people who have climbed too high stoop to look at others? Your face?"
Mrs. Wu said: "Every one of us girls in the Wu family hopes that their husbands will succeed. I am like this, fifteen is like this, and you will be like this in the future. But it is easy for the prime minister's daughter to do it, but it is difficult for the prime minister's wife to do it. Zhang You must not only support Mr. Sanlang in his future career, but also make him think of our Wu family. I will tell you from my own experience. No matter how good the plan was at the beginning, it will all fall to the ground in the end. Live life.”
The Seventeenth Mother listened and nodded.
The next day Zhang Yue reported to Taichang Liyuan.
Taichang Liyuan belongs to Zhongshu's sect and is in charge of ritual affairs. In the Tang Dynasty, the Ministry of Rites was in charge of etiquette, including Taichang Temple.
But in the Song Dynasty, Taichangli Temple was established to take charge of etiquette matters together with the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple.
This is also very 'Song Dynasty'.
Specifically speaking, it is in line with the overlapping style of the official system of the Song Dynasty.
After the establishment of the Taichang Liyuan, the power belonging to the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple was usurped. The Ministry of Rites can now also manage the imperial examinations, cashiers and seals, etc. The Taichang Temple was so miserable that it only managed the Wuchengwang Temple and Zhaigong Xiyue. Things have almost been reduced to a mascot-like existence.
how so?
Because the imperial court wants to "strengthen action".
It turns out that the Ministry of Rites and Taichang Temple were not very obedient and did things too slowly, so the officials established a new Taichang Liyuan to take away the power of the two yamen.
Taichang Liyuan has a Judicial Court and a total of four Magistrates. One characteristic of being an official in the Taichang Liyuan is that almost all magistrates and magistrates of the Judgment Court have close posts.
The post is an official from Chongwen Hall.
Officials who came from Chongwen Hall were close ministers of the emperor. It turned out that the officials were disobedient and the official family could not be abolished, so a new yamen was established and replaced by his own confidants.
Taichang Liyuan is the establishment and revision of etiquette. As long as Confucianism is the mainstream, etiquette will be the most important thing for a country.
After Zhang Yue arrived at the hospital, he met with the other three magistrates of the academy and shared the knowledge with them.
Now the magistrate of Taichang Liyuan is Chen Jian, who is Han Qi's confidant. Now he is the school director of Mi Pavilion, and is appointed to the Court of Justice and Inspection, and knows Taichang Liyuan.
One person concurrently served as the highest official of the two yamen, namely the Wen Ji Yuan and Taichang Li Yuan.
This is also a strange thing about the official system of the Song Dynasty. Many officials were appointed to the Ministry of Civil Affairs such as Nahou Que, because there were no redundant official positions in the court, but there were many high-ranking officials, one person holding multiple positions.
The other person was Yan Chengyu, who reviewed the Chongwen Academy and also knew the Liyuan.
Zhang Yue inquired before he came that Yan Chengyu was the second son of Yan Shu, the elder brother of Yan Jidao, and the brother-in-law of the former prime minister Fu Bi.
The dispute between Han Qi and Fu Bi also came to these two people, and Yan Chengyu and Chen Jian couldn't deal with each other.
The third person is Lu Xiaqing from Zhimi Pavilion and Tongzhi Liyuan. He was appreciated by Ouyang Xiu and was promoted to Taichang Liyuan for compiling the New Book of Tang Dynasty. He is now responsible for compiling Taichang Yinge Liyuan.
This person can be said to be extremely knowledgeable.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but feel a little more enthusiastic when meeting Lu Xiaqing. Lu Xiaqing apparently also received orders from Ouyang Xiu and was very respectful to Zhang Yue.
Chen Jian, the deputy director of the academy, said to Zhang Yue: "According to the system, the four deputy directors of the academy need to take turns. I am the first official, and the second official is Dr. Su (Su Song). Now he has left the post to know Yingzhou, and the second official is Dr. Su. On the third day it was Dr. Yan, and on the fourth day it was Dr. Lu.”
"How about filling Dr. Su's position with him?"
Officials of Taichang Liyuan attacked Dr. Taichang, so they called each other doctor.
Zhang Yue said: "I will obey the order of the chief ceremony leader."
Chen Jian nodded and said, "Today is Dr. Yan's shift. I will go to the Medical and Procuratorate to sign for custody. It is not the day of rotation. You can come to the Liyuan every day to sign for custody."
Zhang Yue was dumbfounded when he heard this, which must have made Taichangliyuan so happy.
It’s just a day and a day off. Where can I find such a job? I can do it for free!
After Chen Jian left, Yan Chengyu was on duty today. He said to Lu Xiaqing: "Dr. Lu, I need to be on duty at Chongwen Hall in four days. How about you take over the shift for me?"
Lu Xiaqing said: "Dr. Yan, please forgive me for my inability to do so. I am also writing and compiling books, and I really can't get away from it. How can I talk about taking turns?"
Yan Chengyu said: "Can Duzhi help me?"
Zhang Yue said: "I have little qualifications and am new here. I still need to learn more rules."
Yan Chengyu shook his head and said: "That's it, that's it."
Zhang Yue looked at the three of them and understood that all the officials in Zhiliyuan and Tongzhiliyuan had part-time jobs. Wasn't Zhang Yue assigned by Ouyang Xiu to assist Lu Xiaqing in repairing books?
After Yan Chengyu left, Lu Xiaqing said: "Dr. Zhang, come with me. Let's talk as we walk."
The two of them were walking in the corridor of the Liyuan. Lu Xiaqing said: "The matter of the rites book was first initiated by Ou Gong. At that time, Brother Cidao (Song Minqiu), the dean of li, was in charge of the ceremony. Later, Cidao resigned and Dr. Su took over."
"You also know that Mr. Ou is good at writing history, but he doesn't pay much attention to etiquette. He even never read the language of etiquette in his life. Therefore, although Mr. Ou was sentenced to one year in the Liyuan Academy, the compilation was done by Dr. Su. Sutra. Dr. Su has been in the library for nine years, and the books he has handled can be said to be very orderly. However, Dr. Su later took on other tasks, so the work on the ritual books in the second year of Jiayou came to a halt, and now we have to edit it again."
After speaking, Lu Xiaqing opened the door and saw a large bookroom filled with books and articles for research.
Su Xun, another old man, and two or three clerks were copying and searching for articles.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but said to Lu Xiaqing: "There are more than hundreds of thousands of volumes of ritual books, but these people are afraid that they will not be enough."
Lu Xiaqing sighed: "My Taichang Liyuan is not as large as the Third Division. There are only dozens of officials, all of whom are busy with errands."
"Why not hire some people outside to copy?"
Lu Xiaqing said: "Where can I find money? I, the Minister of Taichang Liyuan, only have 10,000 yuan per month!"
Zhang Yue collapsed when he heard this. This yamen must be too shabby.
