March of the 10th year of Xining.
Wang Anshi once again proposed to resign on the grounds that his son Wang Yu was ill.
As usual, the officials refused and gave Wang Anshi leave, allowing him to care for him at home.
However, Wang Anshi no longer agreed. He went to court five times, and finally ordered him to be dismissed from his position as prime minister. He was appointed as the governor of the Zhennan Army and sentenced to Jiangning Mansion.
At the time of the decree, Wang Anshi was living in Dingli Courtyard.
He also lived here when he retired as prime minister for the first time, and he still lives in this courtyard now, looking at the beautiful spring scenery in the garden and composing a poem.
There is no one on the river for a long time, and I have been dreaming of dust for ten years.
Diligence untie the knots of lilac and release the spring among the branches.
This poem is imitated by Lu Guimeng.
He stayed in Dingli Temple again and remembered the previous poem. At this moment, he was sitting under the lilac tree and reading the letter sent by Zhang Yue.
This letter can also be regarded as Zhang Yue's first-class reply to the fact that Wang Anshi was in the house and was vaguely entrusted by the government.
For Zhang Yue, government affairs are not the most important thing. What is more important than government affairs is "state affairs".
This was what Zhang Yue ordered Chen Guan to do after he entered the capital. The two of them added and deleted it seven times, often discussing it for half a day. Until today, Zhang Yue wrote a letter to Wang Anshi.
What is said to be a letter is actually included in the volume.
Just like when Zhang Yue came to the capital alone, he submitted his article to all the ministers, seeking recognition and recommendation from ministers of the two systems. At that time, Zhang Yue submitted letters to Wang Anshi three times and even visited him personally to seek his favor.
As time passed and circumstances changed, Zhang Yue wrote to Wang Anshi again, as if he was in the same state of mind when writing.
In the letter, he described himself as hesitant as a student asking for a teacher. Wang Anshi sighed slightly when he saw this. After so many years, Zhang Yue is still so respectful, cautious, and mellow.
The title of Zhang Yue's letter is "Mencius also talks about profit".
Wang Anshi laughed when he read Zhang Yue's question.
As we all know, Wang Anshi was the person who admired Mencius the most. People at that time ridiculed Wang Anshi for having the same views as Mencius. The only difference was that one talked about benefits all the time, while the other never talked about benefits.
Therefore, Wang Anshi couldn't help but smile knowingly when he saw Zhang Yue's "Mencius Yan Li".
The distinction between justice and benefit is the first thing for Confucians.
The distinction between righteousness and benefit comes from Mencius, a chapter in "Mencius".
Mencius met King Hui of Liang.
The king asked, old man, you have come so far, will you benefit my country?
Mencius replied, "Why should the king talk about profit? He is just benevolent and righteous."
This is the first sentence of the first chapter of Mencius, and anyone who has read Mencius’s books will know it.
Zhang Yue said that the Book of Changes, the first of the Five Classics, has 184 advantages and 28 disadvantages.
The Yuan Henry Zhen mentioned in the Book of Changes may be beneficial or disadvantageous.
The I Ching, regarded as the first of the Five Classics and the ancestor of various schools in China, teaches you how to "use your body".
The Book of Changes studies how to 'pursue good fortune and avoid evil' and how to 'achieve good fortune and good fortune'. This idea can be said to be integrated into the blood of every Chinese people and is shared by three religions and nine streams.
If Mencius denies 'profit', he also denies the Book of Changes, the first of the Five Classics.
What is profit? What is righteousness?
Mencius said that the "righteousness" mentioned by Mozi is to do things that benefit the world even if your head is scratched and your feet are bruised.
What Yang Zi said about "profit" is to pluck a hair to benefit the world and not do it. If you want me to pluck a hair to benefit the world, I won't do it.
Mozi's "righteousness" is "selflessness". If everyone is not self-interested, there will be no self-interest in the heart to benefit the world.
Yangtze's "profit" is "selfishness". Only if everyone benefits themselves and completely disadvantages others, can the world benefit.
Mencius criticized Mozi and Yangtze for not being the way of "neutral application", but the way of perseverance. The way to hold on to one thing is to be a thief, to use one thing to destroy a hundred.
The "righteousness" mentioned by Mencius is different from the "righteousness" mentioned by Mozi.
Mencius' "righteousness" is the way of "utility", which takes into account both self-interest and others. But the way to make the right use is not to compromise and reconcile. How to make the right use? It must start from [sincerity], which is 'benevolence and righteousness'.
What is 'benevolence and righteousness'?
Benevolence and righteousness means "big benefit", "far benefit", and what "benefit" does King Hui of Liang have for our country? The "profit" mentioned by our country is "short benefit", "near benefit".
Everyone knows short 'profit' and near 'profit'. There is a hundred pieces on the ground. You don't need to teach anyone how to pick it up.
However, if the owner or owner of picking up this hundred yuan sees it, then it will be beneficial but harmful. Or there is neither, and this has given rise to the idea of getting something for nothing and waiting for something to happen, which is all harmful.
The reason why people become addicted to gambling begins with winning money from gambling.
Therefore, Mencius's "benevolence and righteousness" is to advise King Hui of Liang to abandon "immediate benefits" for "far benefits". Only "benevolence and righteousness" is "far benefits", and do not give up the greater for the smaller.
This is where Mencius conforms to the "seeking advantages and avoiding disadvantages" in the Book of Changes.
To achieve self-interest through altruism is the "righteousness" of Confucianism. Zhu Xi, a later generation, saw that others did not understand, so he quickly added in a hurry that "if you don't seek benefit, you will benefit yourself."
If Confucius defined what 'benevolence' is, then Mencius defined what 'righteousness' is.
Mozi's "righteousness" of sacrificing himself and dedicating himself to others is very noble and great, but most people can't do it. And Mencius' "righteousness" is the practical way to take into account "interests and righteousness".
The principle of "pursuing advantages and avoiding disadvantages" in the Book of Changes is that "a house that accumulates good deeds will always be blessed, and a house that accumulates bad deeds will have residual disasters." '
It's just that later Confucian scholars one-sidedly opposed "righteousness" and "benefit".
Therefore, Zhang Yue wrote to Wang Anshi that Mencius also talked about "profit".
Wang Anshi read Zhang Yue's book and agreed with it in his heart. Sima Guang criticized himself for being "a master of Ji Lian" and violated the "ambition of Mencius".
Wang Anshi counterattacked: "The government of the previous kings was carried out to promote benefits and eliminate harm, not to cause trouble; to manage the world's finances, not to collect profits."
Later, Wang Anshi said to Zeng Gongliang, "What Mencius said is beneficial is to benefit our country." It is like a song that prevents dampness and benefits my body and ears. When dogs eat people's food, check it. If there is hunger in the wild, it will breed. This is the so-called political matter. Political affairs are governed by financial management, and financial management is the so-called righteousness.
Zhang Yue used the Book of Changes to "seek benefits and avoid harm", and "Mencius" spoke of benefits" essentially supported Wang Anshi, and also showed that if he was in charge of the [state affairs] in the future, this would not change.
Zhang Yue only wrote half of the letter here. The following explains why "benevolence and righteousness" do not work.
Lao Tzu said, "When the great principles fail, there will be benevolence and righteousness; when wisdom arises, there will be great hypocrisy." Zhuangzi said, "As long as the saint does not die, there will be great thieves."
Neither Laozi nor Zhuangzi were interested in the Confucian set of 'benevolence and righteousness', and even scorned it.
Is Laozi and Zhuangzi wrong? Or was Confucius and Mencius wrong?
Walking the talk is not the same thing. If you want to achieve the goal of "benevolence and righteousness", you cannot promote it in the name of "benevolence and righteousness".
Otherwise, the more we promote 'benevolence and righteousness', the more hypocritical the world will be. Whatever is promoted will be weakened. You go astray as soon as you put in the effort.
To practice "benevolence and righteousness", we must oppose the movement of Tao.
Heaven and earth are unkind and regard all things as stupid dogs. It is precisely because of his unkindness that he is benevolent to all things.
Therefore, humanity must follow the way of heaven, and government must not be benevolent. Legalists are the ones who see this most thoroughly.
Han Feizi once said, "When a ruler treats his people, he will sacrifice his life when there is trouble, and he will do his best to ensure peace."
For the king, the role of the people is that if the king is in trouble, the people will die for the king. If nothing happens, the people will work until death to support the king.
Legalists don't sound nice, but they hit the nail on the head, and every sentence is the truth.
'Harm is born from kindness, kindness is born from harm'. Resentment is born out of favor, but there are many people with Stockholm Syndrome.
Under severe punishment, a grateful heart emerged.
Therefore, when governing a country, we should pursue "benevolence and righteousness", but we cannot just govern the country by "benevolence and righteousness". It must be supplemented by Legalism.
When Wang Anshi saw this, the paper trembled slightly in the spring breeze.
Wang Anshi thought to himself that if he had met Zhang Yue twenty years earlier, he would have taken him under his wing. Why would he have entrusted Lu Huiqing and Zeng Bu to him?
Unfortunately, there is no if
…
Deep in the palace.
Gao Taotao was hearing Zhang Maoze's report.
"Although Wang Yu lives in Tianzhang Pavilion and is waiting to be ruled, his reputation has always been bad."
"Wang Yu had a mean and severe temperament. He often called himself Lord Shang and considered himself a hero. He often advised Wang Anshi to kill ministers who could not survive and drive out the old party."
"When Wang Anshi came to power, it was this person who instigated him to get rid of the mature and prudent people and use more new and clever young people in his sect. He ordered all the students in the imperial school, prefecture school, and county school to take Wang's classics as their teachers."
"After Wang Anshi resigned as prime minister, this person used Wang Anshi's orders to ask Deng Wan and Lu Jiawen to impeach Zhang Yue and Lu Huiqing. Zhang Yue didn't know where he learned about this, and he wanted to go to the palace to confront Wang Anshi."
"But when things came to a head, he suddenly went to Wang Anshi's house, and then the misunderstanding was eliminated."
Gao Tao said: "I read it right. Zhang Yue really knows the general situation. If it were Lu Huiqing who came to confront Wang Anshi, we would lose both sides."
Zhang Maoze said: "Zhang Yue is indeed a virtuous person, but I don't know if he will follow An Shi's views and continue the reform in the future!"
After hearing this, Gao Taotao was silent for a moment and said: "If selfish people dominate the country, the world will become selfless. If selfless people dominate the country, the world will become selfish. Let's take a look. If Zhang Yue were more worldly, he would be more selfish. A few favors will do the trick."
"You bring Zhang Yue's wife to the palace for me. She had a very enjoyable conversation with me last time."
Zhang Mao left in front of Gao Taotao.
He looked back at the palace. Once Wang Anshi left, even Empress Dowager Gao now took the initiative to show her favor to Zhang Yue.
…
When the imperial edict arrived at Dingliyuan, it was already dusk.
Wang Anshi had mixed feelings when he learned that he was to be dismissed as prime minister.
When I look away, I am like the sunset in front of me, sinking towards the west. On the other hand, Zhang Yue is like the rising sun, which will rise slowly tomorrow.
But so what?
People and affairs undergo metabolism, and exchanges become ancient and modern.
Back then, a monk told me that it was a good time to rest when I was very proud!
This is also true!
Today Wang Anshi looks at cloves again.
Clove is good for cleansing the body, looks good and smells good, but if it is to be used as medicine, it should be broken into pieces, otherwise it just looks good and smells good.
He has been famous in the world for thirty years, and he went to Beijing to carry out political reforms. He did not hesitate to break his body to pieces in order to change the way of the world. He, Wang Anshi, was prepared to be ruined and was unwilling to live alone.
But after ten years of reigning in the country, he was deeply benevolent and could still retire with honor. The successor Zhang Yue could still respect Wang Anshi so much and take care of his reputation again and again. What more could he ask for?
As for where the new law will go from now on, I leave it to the sages of the world, but I am already like a flower in the past!
In Dingli Courtyard, the spring breeze did not say anything, but lilacs were blooming on the branches.
Wang Anshi became poetic again, and after thinking for a long time, he wrote: "Reminiscing about the past traces, it is unforgettable, there are green trees, green vines and water." I heard that Jinglu is better now
, I wish I could return home with the residual Bianli.'
After reading it, Wang Anshi felt that this poem was just mediocre, and ultimately not as good as "Jingkou Guazhou is separated by water, and Zhongshan is only separated by several mountains." The spring breeze is green again on the south bank of the river. When will the bright moon shine on me again? '
We have been together for a long time, and the poems we wrote are far inferior to those before we were together. I don’t know if Zhongshan can pick them up again.
Wang Anshi thought with full self-deprecation.
…
The officials in the palace are admiring the spring in the imperial garden.
When the officials learned that Wang Yun's time was running out, they were very sorry and said to Shi De: "Wang Yun is talented and I deeply cherish him. Please send someone to Wang Anshi's house to ask what Wang Yun has to say to me."
Shi Deyi said yes.
The official paused and then asked: "I asked Wang Anshi before who could replace him, but he didn't answer. This time, can you ask Zhang Yue for me again? This matter must not be made public. You must ask in person before letting him know. Wang Anshi answered in a book."
Shi Deyi said yes again, and then said with a smile: "Although Wang Anshi had different political views on Zhang Yue, he had high expectations for him before he resigned as prime minister."
"Yes!" The official nodded and smiled.
Looking at the spring outside the palace, a few birds are making spring in the treetops.
…
A few days later, Wang Anshi resigned from office and returned to Jiangning with his son Wang Yu.
Before leaving, Wang Anshi twice declined the post of envoy and prime minister.
Officials once sent envoys to the mansion to ask Wang Anshi if he had anything else to explain about state affairs. Or recommend someone to take your place.
Wang Anshi replied at that time, "I have entrusted the state affairs to the public and will no longer talk about state affairs." '
And the three prime ministers Wang Gui, Yuan Jiang, and Zhang Yue led hundreds of officials to see each other off at the mansion. It should be noted that no one can receive such treatment after the prime minister is dismissed.
However, Wang Anshi regarded him as normal and even closed the door behind closed doors, which made all officials feel rejected.
The next day, Wang Anshi left Bianjing on a donkey wearing only cloth clothes and a hat. Wang Yu lay half-lying in the car and looked at the scenery of Bianjing.
It rained heavily a few days ago and the water in the Bianhe River was high.
The tired Wang Yu looked out the window and said to his wife in a self-deprecating tone: "This time, Zhang Duzhi is satisfied."
"I wonder if he will follow Lu Jifu's example and take revenge on me after returning to Jiangning?"
After speaking, Wang Yu coughed heavily.
…
When Wang Anshi left Beijing, the Seventeenth Mother was changing Zhang Yue's clothes into a brand new purple gauze court dress.
Zhang Yue closed his eyes, as if he was resting his mind. After Shiqi Niang dressed Zhang Yue neatly, she looked left and right and then said with a smile: "Okay."
Zhang Yue opened his eyes and looked in the mirror, only to see in the bronze mirror a senior official in purple robe and gold belt who was less than forty years old.
Zhang Yue looked at the adoring eyes of the Seventeenth Mother on the side, and couldn't help but asked curiously: "What's wrong?"
Seventeenth Mother smiled and shook her head: "Nothing?"
After a pause, Seventeenth Mother said: "Yesterday Empress Dowager Gao summoned me into the palace and had a conversation."
"I know, what did you say?"
"It's nothing. They're just words from a woman's family. By the way, I mentioned that my husband supported the late emperor who was still a member of the Thirteenth Regiment as the crown prince."
Zhang Yue smiled slightly and said, "I didn't say anything else."
"Gone."
Zhang Yue nodded and said, "I'm going to court!"
Zhang Yue walked out of the palace and mounted his horse. His entourage surrounded him across the street and headed straight to the palace.
The morning wind blew on his face, Zhang Yue's eyes were fixed on the road ahead.
At this moment, shortly after dawn, the sky and the earth are still gray. At this moment, the streets were sparsely populated, and Zhang Yue rode on horseback. The spacious feeling was like a person driving alone through the deserted streets in the early morning, as if the whole world belonged to him, and the entire Bianjing city was his own runway.
Arriving at the palace gate, the officials came in sparsely on horseback, but when they saw Zhang Yue, they all stayed aside.
Zhang Yue rode straight forward without stopping.
When they reached the palace gate, the officials dismounted and handed over their mounts to their attendants to walk into the palace. However, Zhang Yue continued to ride his horse forward. When passing through the long corridor of the palace gate, the forbidden attendants also bowed and saluted respectfully.
When the officials on the left and right saw Zhang Yue, they all stopped and bowed to see him, with a look of awe in their eyes.
When Zhang Yue passed by, the officials on the left and right talked about it one after another.
"Zhang Gong must be even more proud now!"
"I think you probably heard something from the palace!"
"There is indeed some news, but I don't dare to talk nonsense. We will know when the dust settles."
"In fact, after the Prime Minister expresses his gratitude to the government, he should recommend Zhongshu Pingzhangshi, and Zhang Gong should be the candidate."
"Isn't it Yuan Houzhi?"
"It's not for outsiders to say anything about this, but it depends on which husband the official's sacred heart hopes for. How can Yuan Houzhi be better than Zhang Gong! But Zhang Gong is too young, and he has been in Zhongshu for less than half a year. Suddenly, Ping Zhangjun's state affairs are too urgent."
"Whether Zhang Gong is fair or not, Deng Wan and Lu Jiawen will be in trouble."
"Yes, once the Prime Minister is gone, these two people will become like grasshoppers after autumn."
Several officials laughed.
…
In front of the main hall, Deng Wan and Lu Jia asked what they seemed to be arguing about, but when they saw Zhang Yue at the palace gate, they all stopped arguing in unison.
"I've met Zhang Xianggong!" the two people said while avoiding each other.
Zhang Yue glanced at them and nodded, then walked past the two of them.
After Zhang Yue left, Deng Wan and Lu Jiawen's smile turned frosty.
Deng Wan said: "Da Langjun has said several times that the one who will abolish the new law in the future will definitely be Zhang San! He wants us to be careful about Zhang San!"
Lu Jia asked: "What's the point of being careful? The Prime Minister has already resigned! You and I should have already found a way out!"
Deng Wan laughed bitterly when he heard this. He watched Zhang Yue, who was dressed in purple, holding up the hem of his official robe, slowly walked up to the palace and said: "Which Fujianese can you say can stay in power for a long time? Even Sima Twelve said, Fujian people are so cunning. Dangerous people."
"If he ascends to the position of prime minister and excludes you and me in office, it will also be a matter of revenge. He is no different from Lu Jifu, how can his position be stable?"
Deng Wan saw that the rising sun was shining golden light on Zhang Yue, who was slowly entering the palace. At this moment, he couldn't help but admit it. In terms of demeanor, no one in the world can compare to Zhang Yue at this time.
Lu Jiawen also looked up and said, "Don't look at Zhang San, but think about you and me."
The moment he entered the palace, Zhang Yue looked down at the slow steps.
This principle of being an official is just like benevolence and righteousness.
Straight is curved, curved is straight.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue entered the palace. After a while, Wang Gui, Feng Jing, Yuan Jiang, Zeng Xiaokuan and others arrived one after another.
The chamberlain came out to send a message and asked several ministers to go into the reception hall first to talk to the officials.
The official read Wang Anshi's letter several times and hid it in his sleeve. After a while, he said to the arriving ministers: "Wang Qing has returned to Jiangning, but after he leaves, who can succeed him."
"The appointment of the prime minister is like the pillar of the sky. You must be cautious. I have thought about this matter again and again. If you have any candidates in your mind, you may as well tell me!"
Wang Gui, Feng Jing and others were silent.
Seeing that all the ministers refused to answer, the officials were about to take out Wang Anshi's letter and announce it.
But at this moment, Zhang Yue stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, I dare to nominate someone!"
The official was surprised when he heard this, and then asked: "Who does Zhang Qing recommend?"
Zhang Yue said: "I recommend Han Jiang!"
ps: Some of the ideas in this chapter come from "Seven Lectures on Mencius" by Mr. Nan Huaijin.
