In the apse.
The charcoal fire has burned all the calligraphy and painting that the emperor has practiced these days.
The two eunuchs took out the charcoal basin, and there was only the smell of burned paper and ink remaining in the palace.
Seeing all the calligraphy and painting burned, the official's depressed mood seemed to be better, and the guilt of being addicted to calligraphy and painting seemed to be alleviated after this experience.
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty, as I can see, the rise and fall of this country and its strength have nothing to do with your Majesty practicing calligraphy and painting by half a day more every day. In fact, it has nothing to do with it..."
The officials were shocked when they heard this.
Zhang Yue continued: "On the contrary, it is beneficial for your majesty to indulge appropriately. Rather than carrying out large-scale construction projects and recruiting an emperor into the harem, your majesty restrains himself in a certain way. Sometimes it is not a good thing to be too tight. What I said is blunt, Please forgive me, Your Majesty."
The expression on the official's face changed slightly and he said: "What you said is absolutely true. I will accept your advice."
Zhang Yue said: "As for Han Jiang's refusal to become the prime minister here, it is actually for the sake of the overall situation. Your Majesty knows that in terms of the exemption law, Han Jiang has always advocated exempting subordinates from the exemption money and the remaining money from the leniency. Once he becomes the prime minister, he will definitely have an affair with Wang Anshi. conflicted."
"The two ministers, King and Han, one is urgent and the other is slow. Although they both have the ambition to eliminate the long-standing abuses and implement reforms, it is really difficult for them to get along with each other. After the two merge, they may have many problems in politics. , Isn’t this a mistake in the plan? If the prime minister is changed, I am worried that it will ruin the political affairs. Therefore, I think that this is probably the reason why Mr. Han resigned from the prime minister."
After listening to Zhang Yue's words, the officials were convinced and said: "Yes, Prime Minister Han is solemn and respectful. He also has the style of an elder when he is an official, and he really has the character of a minister."
Hearing what the official said, Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty is wise."
Zhang Yue understood that Han Jiang's road was widened. This resignation not only betrayed Wang Anshi's favor, but most importantly, gave the officials a very good impression.
In the eyes of the emperor, the overall situation is the most important, and the image of being tolerant for the country is thus revealed.
The emperor's trust in you is far more important than your position.
The official said: "The prime minister of this dynasty has always been one of the current and former prime ministers. Han Jiang is the only two prime ministers in the dynasty who support the reform. I can't bear the reform to be abandoned, so I intend to use him. Now he is willing to I will resign from the post and recommend Wang Anshi, and I will remember this in my heart."
As Zhang Yue thought, an important reason why the official family replaced Wang Anshi with Han Jiang was that he supported the reform and could also prevent the restoration of conservatives.
】
The official said to Zhang Yue again: "Han Jiang's policy of emphasizing the Tibetan army and undervaluing the Han army when he was the envoy of Xuanfu caused many criticisms from the government and the public. However, he did recruit many Tibetan households and weakened the power of Xixia. At that time, Luowu City Although the battle came back without success, it also severely damaged the vitality of the Westerners. It has not recovered yet, and they no longer have the power to actively attack the dynasty. The present request for peace by Xixia is all the result of Han Jiang. As Li Qingchen said, I am very It’s thin.”
After hearing this, Zhang Yue thought to himself that this sentence from the official family can be said to determine Han Jiang's merits and demerits. After the Battle of Luowucheng, the government and the public were scolding Han Jiang. Han Qi's niece-in-law Li Qingchen was in Han Jiang's shogunate at the time and wrote A lot of little information was collected that was not conducive to him, which had a negative impact on Han Jiang's reputation.
The emperor's words to Li Qingchen showed that the court had reached a clear conclusion. The battle between Luo Wu and Han Jiang not only had no fault, but had merit. Li Qingchen and others no longer need to gossip.
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty is wise, I will inform everyone after I return."
The official said this not only to Han Jiang, but also to Han Jiang through Zhang Yue's mouth to appease the important ministers. This is often more useful than praising him personally.
When the officials saw Zhang Yue's understanding, they also secretly praised him for understanding my intentions.
The official said: "Let's talk about your arrangements. Since Han Jiang resigned as prime minister and you are not in harmony with Wang Anshi, you have made up your mind to invite the county, right?"
Zhang Yue said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, this is what I mean."
"If I still insist on you returning to Xizhou, will you go?"
Zhang Yue said: "Since it is your Majesty's order, I will not hesitate to die, but..."
The first time you say it is a lie, but if you say it again this time, the lie becomes the truth. In fact, Zhang Yue already knew that he had been selected to go to the northwest at the meeting just now, and now it was time to talk things over with the emperor.
The official said: "It's just... you ask for money, soldiers or food, I will grant you all."
Zhang Yue said: "Your Majesty said this, so I boldly spoke out."
"But it doesn't matter!"
The official perked up after hearing this, and was not afraid that Zhang Yue would put conditions on him, which showed that the situation in the northwest could still be saved. If Zhang Yue didn't mention it, he would be worried that he would not be able to work in the northwest and would be perfunctory with him.
Thinking of this, the official sat back down and stared at Zhang Yue. At this moment, he felt a little energetic.
Zhang Yue said: "The three armies have not yet moved their food and grass. Please allocate 10 million yuan to me first!"
In the first phase of Xihe development, the imperial court has allocated 15 million yuan as advance military expenditure. During the reign of Jiayou, this was a quarter of the imperial treasury revenue.
When Han Jiangxining attacked Luowucheng in the fourth year, he only used 7 million guan. At that time, the people of Hedong and Shaanxi provinces were in dire straits.
But now Zhang Yue's development in Xihe has actually far exceeded Han Jiang's original attack on Luowucheng.
The first phase is 15 million, the second phase is 10 million, and the total is 25 million, enough to fight three Luowucheng battles.
But the official said: "Is ten million guan enough? I will give you 15 million guan! This money will be given from the inner treasury!"
The official said domineeringly.
Yes, although Wang Anshi's reform was known as making money, it did harden the emperor in front of him.
The royal inner treasury was completely empty before, but what about now?
Zhang Yue heard that the officials had built thirty-two rooms in the inner treasury of Jingfu Hall, which were now filled with money accumulated from the reform.
Reforms such as the Market Change Law, the Young Crops Law, and the Farmland Water Conservancy Law were implemented one after another, filling the national treasury.
The official specially composed a poem for this Jingfu Palace warehouse.
The five seasons are lost, and the wild beasts are blazing.
Yizu created a country with the intention of punishing Ai.
Yuan set up an inner palace to recruit scholars.
The great-grandson Baozhi dared to forget his ambition.
What does this poem mean? It is said that during the Five Dynasties, China lost its territory and barbarians were rampant. Taizu established the foundation, and in order to punish the barbarians, he set up an internal treasury to raise soldiers and soldiers for the purpose of regaining the territory.
These are the first six sentences. Where did the money Taizu accumulated in the inner treasury go? Unable to withstand Taizong, Zhenzong, Renzong, Yingzonghua, and finally the imperial treasury was empty in the hands of the emperor today.
The last sentence refers to the fact that the officials who are now great-grandsons dare not forget the original will of Emperor Taizu.
There are thirty-two characters in this poem, and each character is used to name a warehouse in Jingfu Hall.
This poem expresses the official's determination to inherit Taizu's legacy. When Zhang Yue first learned about this, he couldn't help but think of Jia Yi's "Guo Qin Lun".
As far as the First Emperor, the survivors of the sixth generation vigorously pursued the strategy and controlled the inner world, swallowed up the princes for two weeks, acted as the supreme and controlled the Liuhe, beat and beat the world...
The remaining heroes of the sixth generation of Fen, from Taizu, Taizong, Zhenzong, Renzong, Yingzong, to Guanjia, are the sixth monarchs. Now the Song Dynasty has also embarked on the road of Qin's reform and strengthening the country. But the officials of the Song Dynasty were not as cruel to their ministers as the Qin Dynasty.
"Flog the world" was a mantra that Wang Anshi often said when admonishing officials.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue couldn't help but think, what is the purpose of being an official?
It doesn't really mean much to get promoted for a while. Only by closely linking one's destiny with the country's future and the nation's aspirations can one truly govern the country and bring peace to the world!
At this stage, it seems that Han Qi, Wang Anshi, Sima Guang and others are pursuing the same thing.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but think of the desolate scene when he saw off Han Qi when he resigned from the prime ministership. It's like the saying that it's hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice. In fact, Han Qi has done a good enough job.
Nowadays, the country is no longer stretched as it was more than two years ago. Three years of reforms to amass wealth and train troops are opportunities brought by fortune. Many people of insight are trapped by the situation but cannot realize their ambitions. Now this opportunity has come to us. On the body.
In this era, there are young emperors' long-cherished ambitions and thousands of years of hard work. Wouldn't it be great to take advantage of this turbulent time to achieve something great?
Zhang Yue thought of this and replied calmly: "I accept your order!"
The official put his hand on the imperial vase next to the eucalyptus and said: "I have been lamenting all night, fearing that my talents are not worthy of Taizu's lofty ambitions, but I hope that Zhang Qing will succeed in the day to comfort me!"
Money and food are the first priority for soldiers and horses. Without money and food, Han Xin would be helpless even if he came back to life in vain.
With the investment of 1,500 coins in the second phase of Xihe, Zhang Yue said confidently: "For the second matter, I would like to ask your Majesty to grant me the power to make arbitrary decisions as the generals decide on the occasion!"
Hearing what Zhang Yue said, the official's face froze.
The officials did not expect that Zhang Yue would dare to propose this condition to him.
In the future, if the imperial censor intends to impeach Zhang Yue for "supporting soldiers and respecting oneself", it will be a serious crime.
Although the officials felt that Zhang Yue, as a civil servant, would not want to rebel, there would be endless troubles if this example started.
Once this power is given to Zhang Yue, it will be almost the same as the Five Dynasties Jiedushi, but it has been discussed at the previous prime minister meeting. The official said: "I give it to you. You don't have to ask for reports on everything. You can make arbitrary decisions when the opportunity arises... At the same time, you can take the rewards, punishments and dismissals of any officials and generals below Xihe Road. You can take them by yourself. Generals below Hengban can be killed first and then reported!"
Zhang Yue was secretly surprised in his heart. This was tantamount to blessing him with unlimited power, and Jiedushi was nothing more than that.
This is a first-class honor and the emperor's deep trust in you.
In the past, the generals who went on an expedition were most afraid of a fire in the backyard. Not only would someone hold you back, but the emperor would also be suspicious of you. In this way, whether you win or lose, you will lose your life.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but be moved by the fact that the emperor trusted you so much and put all the power in your hands. He said, "A scholar will die for his confidant."
…
The breeze blew through the ancient palace.
Wang Anshi slowly boarded the carriage with Wang Pang's help. Wang Yu asked: "Have you decided who will go to the northwest?"
Wang Anshi nodded and looked at the palace in the distance.
Wang Anshi clearly remembers that during the meeting of the imperial governors, the official ordered seven prime ministers to recommend candidates to go to Xihe to fight the fire.
The seven prime ministers each held a piece of paper, and under the screen separation, no one could see the other, and each wrote down the candidate in their heart.
When I finally put the notes away, I saw the same name written on all seven notes.
The so-called name Fu Jin Ou is nothing more than this.
Wang Anshi said to Wang Yu: "When this son comes back to the court from the northwest, even I will have to avoid him."
After speaking, Wang Anshi entered the carriage and sat down.
