Han Qi stood in front of the door holding a lantern.
Zhang Yueyan said: "I didn't know that Prime Minister Zhao Wen was coming. I am a lowly official, but I am far away from you. Please forgive me!"
Zhang Yue thought to himself that Han Qi came here so late at night, most likely to comfort him. But at most it was just to express comfort and say a few words of meaningless nonsense. It punishes you severely without making you resentful of the court's decisions.
Zhang Yue thought.
But he saw Han Qi put the lantern on the table, walked around the room, kicked a few wine bottles and scolded: "He smells of alcohol, and as a prisoner, he is so drunk in the official office... Cheng He Decency.”
Zhang Yue smiled bitterly, what should he be afraid of if he even beat Han Zhi.
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to Mr. Zhaowen, I am now burdened with too many debts. In any case, it is just an additional crime."
Han Qi said calmly: "The matter has not reached this stage yet, sit down and talk."
Zhang Yuesheng sat down under Han Qi. Han Qi picked up half a bottle of remaining wine from the side and said, "You can have a drink with me."
Zhang Yue was surprised. Han Qi used to be a very good drinker and would often drink with others until dawn. However, after suffering from illness last year, he took the discipline and told the officials that he would never drink alcohol in the future. But now... he made an exception with himself. drink wine.
Hearing this, Zhang Yue stepped forward to pour wine for Han Qi and then poured another glass for himself.
Han Qi stared at the wine for a moment, then raised the glass and said, "I offer this wine to you on behalf of the people of Kaifeng Mansion!"
Zhang Yue was stunned when he heard this, and suddenly he was filled with grievances and said: "Your Majesty's words are serious."
Han Qi smiled and drank the wine in one gulp, still having the same heroic spirit as before.
Zhang Yue also raised his cup and drank it all, and finally said: "It's Xiaguan... Xiaguan, when he was in front of the emperor, if Xiaguan was willing to stick to his point of view, he would argue with Han Zhi in front of the emperor, insist on breaking open the south embankment, and open the city. It won’t end like this.”
Han Qi said: "Don't take everything on yourself. It would be hypocritical. What are your plans after you retire from office?"
Zhang Yue smiled bitterly when he heard this. Although he had expected this result, when Han Qi told him in person, he still couldn't help but feel angry and sad.
Zhang Yue said angrily: "What plans can I have? Where I came from, I will change back. I was originally a scholar from a poor family in central Fujian. After arriving in Bianjing and seeing the world, it is enough to comfort me."
"As the saying goes, it is better to come and go clean than to be trapped in filth and ditches. If I go back to my hometown to farm freely, I may not be happy without wearing a scarlet robe."
Han Qi couldn't help laughing when he heard Zhang Yue's words: "It is better to be clean than to be trapped in a ditch."
"I have never heard of this poem, but it seems to be a metaphor for noble things such as plum blossoms. It is very new."
Han Qi laughed, and Zhang Yue also laughed twice with him.
Then Han Qi poured a glass of wine for Zhang Yue, but Zhang Yue said he didn't dare.
Han Qi said: "Do you still remember that when the late emperor was here, I summoned you to my house to meet you one night?"
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, please remember."
Han Qi said: "I told you at that time that you were the number one scholar appointed by the late emperor, and you were from a poor family, so you were used by the officials, so you can be trusted. I told you that the position of the reserve was not yet determined. Once the world changes, even a small pawn will be lost. Everyone dreams of becoming an emperor."
Zhang Yue thought of the long conversation with Han Qi that night.
Han Qi said: "You blamed me for calling for power and demonstrations at this time, but I told you that when the country is undergoing radical changes, it is impossible for me to shirk responsibility and let people with evil intentions get their hands on power."
Having said this, Han Qi paused and looked at Zhang Yue and asked, "Three years have passed. Have you kept what I said to you?"
Zhang Yue heard this and said sternly: "The world has been able to be at peace all because of my husband!"
Zhang Yue's words were not flattering in front of Han Qi, but they were indeed true.
Since recorded history, there has never been a change of power that was not bloody.
The emperor either killed his former heroes and killed a bunch of vassal kings, or he liked to entrust the young prince to his relatives, queens, eunuchs, powerful ministers, military generals...
But facts have proven that relatives, queens, eunuchs, powerful officials, and military generals are all unreliable, because they all have more or less control over force, that is, military power.
What about civil servants without military power? When Zhao Kuangyin wore the yellow robe, Prime Minister Fan Zhi almost cried out of anxiety, but he was frightened by a soldier with a knife and finally had to obey.
This matter continued until Emperor Renzong. When he ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Zhang Xian listened to politics from behind the curtain. Later, even Empress Dowager Zhang Xian was interested in becoming Wu Zetian.
But only...only when it comes to Han Qi, it is also the current official family.
It has been realized that the system (the emperor's will) can truly determine who will be the next emperor, and what does the system rely on? It's Han Qi, Sima Guang's group of civil servants.
It's not that Empress Dowager Cao didn't want someone else to be the emperor. She had tested Han Qi's intention, but she met with firm opposition. Even Empress Dowager Cao did not dare to challenge the decision of the entire civil service group, so the matter was left alone.
It turns out that the transfer of power can also be carried out in this way... So what does this mean? Because of the performance of Han Qi and others, the civil service group truly rose. In the future, the emperors of the Song Dynasty would rely more on the civil service group.
…
Han Qi suddenly laughed when he said this and said: "I said this to Fu Shu at the beginning, but Fu Xiang didn't think so. Last year at this time, I recommended several people to the officials, saying that they should be promoted for their meritorious service. At that time, Fu Xiang was standing aside, and the late emperor What credit do these people have for entrusting His Majesty with the artifact?"
Zhang Yue couldn't help but smile as he listened.
It is conceivable that Han Qi was so angry that he fainted after hearing Fu Bi's words. Fu Bi's implication was that the official position was entirely given by the late emperor. These people have no merit, so you Han Qi also No more credit.
Zhang Yue thought to himself that if he had been replaced by Han Qi on that occasion, he might have had a quarrel with Fu Bi on the spot.
But when Han Qi said this, it was an application that had nothing to do with him. When others talk about unfair things, they will be angry and look unfair, but Han Qi's words are gentle and calm, just like ordinary things.
"Afterwards, Fan Yaofu (Fan Chunren) asked me why I didn't argue with the rich husband? I told Yaofu that I was really afraid of his rich husband! Haha."
Han Qi looked at Zhang Yue and said, "Speaking of which, do you know my purpose of coming tonight?"
Zhang Yue said: "Student understands."
Han Qi nodded and said: "That's good. Don't be discouraged if your career is frustrated. If you are young, you want to go back to your hometown to farm. Do you still lack a farmer in this world?"
"No matter how many grievances you have, what does it matter to me? But I never take it personally, and everything is unintentional. The road that I have worked so hard to pave from Fan Wenzhenggong is now almost the same. In the future, If you step on the shoulders of unknown people like us, you can climb to a higher place and have a panoramic view of the mountains."
"Wait until then and think about what happened today. It's just a side dish to accompany the wine while chatting with others! You must not let me down!"
After saying this, Han Qi patted Zhang Yue on the shoulder, then left with a lantern and disappeared into the night.
