Hu Quan, the Minister of Punishment, did not enter the Imperial City Prison in the end.
Old guys like Zhao Ding, Yu Wenxuzhong, and Lu Yihao dared to walk in because they knew they were old enough.
Their future has reached this point, and to be honest, they can't go much further.
Having them express their opinions not only allowed them to express their feelings to Zhao Huan.
The most important thing is to save Li Gang's life. He is too old. If Tong Guan, a ruthless man, really does something, he will die.
Even if they peel off Tong Guan and get cramps, what's the point?
At this time, everything they did came into Zhao Huan's ears. Tong Guan told Zhao Huan every move they made, and at the same time, he also sent up the apology papers they submitted.
Their plea was very simple, they were to plead for Li Gang and directly tell Zhao Huan that although Li Gang spoke fiercely, he was loyal.
These officials should be reused, not sent to prison.
I handed in the fold and then walked in myself.
"It seems that they are clearly going to stick to it."
Zhao Huan leaned his body back slightly and leaned on the chair behind him. His whole body seemed to have lost all energy.
He personally sent his ministers to the prison of the Imperial City Division.
Of course he knew that these people were truly loyal, important, good and capable ministers.
However, Zhao Huan still had to be ruthless to capture them. It didn't matter if he was regarded as a faint king, or he was scolded as a tyrant.
Because he is the emperor!
He has given a lot of power to them. He has given a lot of financial power, personnel appointment and dismissal power, and even military power to these people.
Now that he has reached this point, if he cannot guarantee his absolute prestige.
He can guarantee his rights, but what about his son, after he dies?
Zhao Huan is now nearly forty years old. He doesn't know how long he can live, or even whether he can calm the world and solve everything in his lifetime.
For nearly ten years, I have only managed to protect myself completely.
He didn't know how long it would take him to keep making progress. He didn't want to let this group of people form cliques for selfish purposes.
The Song Dynasty must never fall into that situation again.
"Your Majesty, Li Gang has not suffered any abuse or injustice in prison. I have also warned those brats, but I don't know how your Majesty arranges the affairs of the court.
The Imperial City Secretary has already seen what the Yushitai handed over and did not frame them falsely.
Although it is a bit excessive to call them treason now, but to say that they formed a clique for personal gain and remove them..."
"After being dismissed, you and I both know one thing. Li Gang will have no successor, but there is one thing he said is right.
The problems in the world today are not in the court or in the localities. The problems in the world lie at this root.
If the root is rotten, it will only get worse in the future. "
"I don't understand what it means to have a rotten root. What I know is that people in this world do what they do because of their nature.
Some people are good-natured and can be honest and self-sufficient even if they live in a poor family. Some people are greedy by nature...just like the old minister. No matter how many sage books you read, it is meaningless.
In fact, the old minister thinks that everyone has his own usage. Corrupt officials have their own usage, and honest officials have their own usage.
Those who are useful to Your Majesty will be reused, and those who are of no use to Your Majesty will be killed.
This is a lot of killing, so people will naturally be afraid, and when they don’t dare anymore..."
"Your Majesty, Fan Zongyin, the Minister of Civil Affairs, wants to see you!"
"Zhu Shengfei, the left minister of the household department, wants to see you!"
"Li Guang, the censor of Zuodu of the Procuratorate, begs to see you!"
Yao Pingzhong's sudden report interrupted Tong Guan's words, causing the atmosphere in the hall to fall into an awkward stalemate at this moment.
"You should step back first, and those in the prison...take care of them."
"Old minister understands."
Tong Guan didn't waste any words and bowed directly to leave.
When he walked out of the hall and passed by Yao Pingzhong who was bowing to ask for his life, Tong Guan's eyes lightly swept over him. Yao Pingzhong did not change his movements, but his eyes tilted slightly.
The two people's eyes crossed.
No words were spoken to each other.
Fan Zongyin, Zhu Shengfei, and Li Guang also filed in and came to Zhao Huan's side.
"What do you three mean by this? What do you want to tell me when you come here suddenly?"
Zhao Huan looked at the three "successors" in front of him with a smile on his face. Li Gang was imprisoned, and Zhao Huan turned around and promoted Li Guang.
Zhao Ding, Lu Yihao and Yu Wenxuzhong gave him such a hand, and he immediately responded and promoted his successor.
Fan Zongyin was a Jinshi in the third year of Xuanhe. Before Zhao Huan ascended the throne, Fan Zongyin was already a minister in the court, and was promoted to the position of serving as censor and admonishing the officials.
It's just that he and Li Gang have never dealt with each other. Back then, he once opposed Li Gang's appointment as prime minister and was even thrown into Shuzhou as a small county magistrate.
It was not until some time ago that he was recruited back due to his excellent political performance and being recommended by Lu Yihao. He first served as the censor Zhongcheng, and after the reform, he served as an official in the Ministry of Personnel.
Then after problems arose in Yu Wenxuzhong, he was naturally promoted to the top by Zhao Huan and temporarily acted as Minister of the Ministry of Personnel.
Fan Zongyin looked at Zhao Huan in front of him and just smiled, then bowed and saluted.
"I am old, so I do things more tactfully. I have nothing else to do here today. I just want to ask Your Majesty, what should I do as the Minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs?"
"Fan Zongyin, you are also an old minister of my court. Do you still need me to teach you how to be a minister of the Ministry of Civil Affairs?
If you need me to teach you all this, then what do I want you to do? "
"Your Majesty misunderstood. If it were normal times, the veteran wouldn't have to worry about this. The veteran also has his own way of being an official and his own way of making recommendations.
But now, the old minister is really old, and there are really many things that he doesn't know what to do.
After all, when a person gets old, he has to think about his family, his children and his grandchildren. "
"Speak directly if you have anything to say. To be honest, Fan Qing is about the same age as me. He is speaking from an old minister. I thought I was dealing with some kind of old scholar!"
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Although I am not very old, I have gray hair..."
"I know you are working hard for the country, and I will reward you!"
"Your Majesty must not say that the veteran is a minister of the Song Dynasty. One day as a minister, one has to work on state affairs. This is the job of the veteran.
It's just that the old minister now doesn't know how to contribute to the country. "
"..." Zhao Huan didn't answer, he just looked at Fan Zongyin in front of him, and Zhu Shengfei and Li Guang behind him, "Did you three meet by chance or by appointment?
I am actually more concerned about this. "
"Your Majesty..." Li Guang was about to stand up after hearing these words, but was interrupted first by Fan Zongyin, whose words were still so gentle.
"It actually doesn't matter how we and the others come, and His Majesty actually doesn't care about it.
At that time, the old Prime Minister Zhang Shou once asked the old minister how he would govern the world if he could one day participate in politics and become a governor.
Your Majesty, does your Majesty know how the old minister responded? "
"Fan Qing, why don't you tell me what you have to say."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. This is what I said to Mr. Zhang back then. If this young man is really able to take charge of the national destiny of the Song Dynasty one day, he will definitely spread the word, promote talents, save money, cherish famous weapons, and suppress luck.
What do these words mean? In fact, Your Majesty knows better than the veteran.
The veteran has always felt that whether we are a king or a minister, in fact we are not tit-for-tat forces.
What your Majesty wants is not the supreme authority. Your Majesty is the Holy Lord and the Mingjun. If what your Majesty wants is this supreme right, the best result would be to do nothing.
Why do we need to reform like this, go to the battlefield in person, and put ourselves in danger?
Back then, His Majesty was sitting at the border of Guazhou with a sword, glaring at Tubo, so that it did not dare to make any rash move.
How domineering is this? Who in the world dares to underestimate me, the Song Dynasty?
Back then, His Majesty sat in Chang'an and faced Wanyan Zonghan, the number one general of the Jin Kingdom.
There were countless casualties in the bloody battle in Chang'an. Was Your Majesty ever afraid?
No, Your Majesty has never been afraid!
But now His Majesty is afraid?
No, I don’t think it’s because His Majesty is afraid. I think it’s because those people are ignorant.
As an important minister in the court and a subject of His Majesty, how can you put the world before His Majesty?
Your Majesty loves this world because it is His Majesty's world, and what right do they have? Why should they go against His Majesty and say such things for the sake of this world?
They are wrong. "
Fan Zongyin always maintained a kind smile on his face, but the words he spoke were indeed very piercing.
And Zhao Huan looked at Fan Zongyin and slowly sank down.
"Is Fan Qing pleading with them?"
"I don't dare. I'm really old. My bones are getting worse and worse. I feel that I may not have long left to live.
If he is able to ascend to the rank of First Grade, if he is lucky, the veteran will be able to help twenty children from Yin Yin's family.
If these twenty children can be more obedient, my Fan family can also become a powerful force.
The Song Dynasty is becoming more and more stable. If the Song Dynasty is good, my Fan family will be fine. Why should I change this kind of thing?
In fact, the old minister once told his children at home that if I couldn't recommend them to the imperial court, could they pass the imperial examination and enter the official career?
The old minister’s child told the old minister.
Since there is a simpler way, why study hard for decades in a cold window? Isn't it human nature to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages, and to enjoy leisure and hate work?
The old minister thinks it is very reasonable. A child can know that it is human nature to prefer leisure and avoid work, and to seek advantages and avoid disadvantages. How can anyone in this world not know this?
Your Majesty, sometimes this world is ruined by just these four words of human nature.
We all want human nature, so who wants this world?
Your Majesty must want this world, but Your Majesty...can you tolerate human nature?"
