The entire hall was silent, except for Gao Ruona's heavy breathing.
Seeing this man's angry and frustrated look, Chen Zhizhong, Wen Yanbo, Pang Ji, and Ye Qingchen felt no sympathy at all. Who knew that when Gao Ruona was an admonisher, he had indeed done the scandal of relying on Lu Yijian and slandering Fan Zhongyan.
As an admonisher, you just don't dare to offend Prime Minister Lu, who was powerful at the time. Why should you slander and frame Fan Zhongyan's reputation?
If they were not officials in the same dynasty, they would not bother to associate with such people.
Having said that, this young gentleman is very special. He has quick thinking and extraordinary knowledge. I wonder where he comes from?
Several people secretly looked at Zhao Yang curiously and watched the duel between Zhao Yang and Song Xiang, the privy envoy of the dynasty.
At this time, Zhao Yang, who had dismissed Gao Ruona with just one sentence, turned his attention to Song Xiang again and said with a smile: "Song Xianggong, shall we continue?"
"..."
Song Xiang looked at Zhao Yang with a cold face, turned his head slightly and glanced at Zhao Zhen. Seeing that the latter's eyelids were slightly drooped and there was no reaction, he reluctantly asked, "What are you going on with?"
"Debating whether Xianggong Song's objection to recruiting Xianggong Fan back to the capital is justified. ... Why did Xianggong Song reject Xianggong Fan so much?"
Song Xiang said calmly: "I am not ostracizing Fan Xiwen, but I feel that his advocacy of reform is not worthwhile. I heard that the benefits are not enough, so I will not change the law..."
Having said this, he suddenly glanced at Zhao Yang and asked, "Does the young man know this sentence?"
Zhao Yang tilted his head and thought for a long time, then hesitantly said: "Shang Junshu?"
Zhao Zhen, who was originally worried that Zhao Yang would make a fool of himself, and Song Xiang, who wanted to embarrass Zhao Yang, both had a flash of surprise in their eyes. They nodded and said, "Yes, how can Fan Xiwen assert that his proposition will definitely benefit the country?"
Zhao Yang shook his head when he heard this and said: "Forgive me for not agreeing with what the Prime Minister of the Song Dynasty said. National laws and regulations should keep pace with the times and check for gaps. Where are the laws issued by the Shang Lord in the past? Could they be applicable to the Song Dynasty? No! This is because today is different from the past... The Song Dynasty has been a country for nearly a hundred years, and all kinds of long-standing shortcomings have become deeply rooted in the fabric. At this time, it is necessary to seek change. Only by change can we make progress, and only by making common sense can we last long."
Except for Gao Ruona who stared at Zhao Yang with a gloomy expression, everyone in the palace was surprised, and Zhao Zhen was secretly amazed.
After a long while, Song Xiang shook his head and said: "What the young man said may have some truth. However, Fan Xiwen and his party like to talk loudly, which is not beneficial to the country. At the same time, there are many villains. They are seeking fame and reputation with the outside world, but they act in private. It is well known..."
Zhao Yang retorted with a smile: "Even if Teng Zongliang moved the minister's money, what does it have to do with the New Deal presided over by Fan Xianggong? Did Fan Xianggong ask Teng Zongliang to participate in the formulation and implementation of the New Deal? No, right? Some people use Teng Zongliang as a target. It is obvious to use this to attack Xianggong Fan and obstruct the implementation of the New Deal. Why should Xianggong Song always use this matter as a cover? Wouldn't it be better to simply say that the New Deal implemented by Xianggong Fan harmed the interests of some people and some forces? "
Song Xiang chuckled, shook his head and said calmly: "I don't know what the young man means."
Zhao Yang looked playful: "Then let me give you an example... Let's take 'Rejecting Lucky' and 'Jun Gongtian', which I think are the most controversial ones. Let's talk about 'Repressing Lucky' first, just like Song Xianggong …”
Speaking of this, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Gao Ruona glaring at him coldly, as if he wanted to eat him alive. Knowing that he had completely offended the other party, he thought for a moment, raised his right hand and pointed at Gao Ruona, He changed his words and said: "It's just like Bachelor Gao has a father..."
Gao Ruona was extremely angry before, and now he was even more angry when he heard these words. He gritted his teeth and cursed: "You want to take revenge on me?"
Unexpectedly, Zhao Yang didn't react too much. He glanced at him calmly and asked, "What? You didn't?"
"..." Gao Ruona was so angry that he couldn't speak. He pointed at Zhao Yang tremblingly for a long time, and begged Zhao Zhen in a hateful voice: "This son has humiliated the old minister and his son. I beg the officials to make the decision for the old minister!"
Zhao Zhen glanced at Zhao Yang, only to see Zhao Zhen spread his hands and said innocently: "Guan, I didn't say anything. I just wanted to use the honorable father of Gao Xueshi as an example. I thought everyone has it, who can think……"
This guy is really a loser.
"Ahem!" Zhao Zhen pretended to cough and said calmly: "Scholar Gao is an elder, let alone his father? You should be careful what you say."
"Yes, be careful what you say." Zhao Yang nodded repeatedly, then looked at Gao Ruona and hesitated: "Scholar Gao, do you... have a father?"
Gao Ruona was so angry that his old face turned red. He stared at Zhao Yang for a long time, fearing that the boy would say something unpleasant again, so he gritted his teeth and said, "My father has already gone west by Hehe..."
Zhao Yang quickly bowed and apologized: "Forgive me, forgive me, don't blame me if I don't know."
After that, without waiting for Gao Ruona to react, he whispered softly: "You still don't learn well despite being taught by your father, and you stare blankly, are you trying to eat people alive?"
Although he muttered softly, everyone in the hall heard it clearly, and everyone was holding back their laughter. Everyone could see that this kid was deliberately irritating people.
Only Song Xiang broke out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, Gao Ruona was the gunman, otherwise wouldn't it be his turn to make a fool of himself?
"Zhao Yang." Zhao Zhen stopped him in an angry and funny tone: "Everyone knows what Xianggong Fan said about our dynasty's many shortcomings, so you don't have to waste your breath."
Although he did not like Gao Ruona a little, after all, the latter was already very old. If he got angry, wouldn't this young man have to bear a bad reputation?
"Yes Yes."
Zhao Yang pretended to look straight and said to Song Xiang with a pretense of regret: "It seems that there is no chance to persuade Mr. Song to change his mind."
Song Xiang smiled faintly, glanced at Zhao Zhen calmly, and sneered pointedly: "What does it matter if you don't convince me? The officials have already made up their mind."
When Zhao Zhen heard this, his expression became a little uneasy. He was about to say something when he saw Zhao Yang smiling indifferently and said: "Song Xianggong is right. The officials have already made a decision. They are just informing you. Do you think the officials are going to do this?" Shall we discuss it with you?"
These harsh words made all the ministers present change their expressions. Song Xiang even frowned, looked at Zhao Zhen and said seriously: "In this case, why do I need to express my position?"
Seeing that Zhao Yang's words had angered the ministers in the court, Zhao Zhen couldn't help but feel a little angry, secretly blaming Zhao Yang for not knowing what to do. However, Zhao Yang didn't care and said with a smile: "Although the official family has made a decision, as a minister, , it’s just a statement, otherwise how can we know whether the monarch and his ministers are of one mind?"
Are the king and his ministers united?
Does this have any profound meaning?
The ministers who were a little displeased before were slightly startled, and each of them secretly glanced at Zhao Zhen's expression.
Zhao Zhen did not expect that Zhao Yang would actually say such a sentence. After thinking about it for a moment, he immediately tightened his face and glanced at everyone in the palace. When he saw the eyes of several ministers making contact with him, they looked away unnaturally and couldn't help but I sighed in my heart: If the east wind overwhelms the west wind, or the west wind overwhelms the east wind, then you will not deceive me.
Even Song Xiang was confused by Zhao Yang's words "whether the monarch and his ministers are of one mind". After calming down, he said calmly: "In ancient times, monarchs treated their ministers with utmost courtesy, so no minister dared not try his best." I will die to repay him. To coerce his ministers into submission is the behavior of a tyrant and is not the behavior of a benevolent king."
Zhao Yang chuckled and said: "A tyrant is also a king. If a benevolent ruler loses the word "jun", what benefit will the country have if he is just benevolent?"
There was silence in the entire hall, not to mention Chen Zhizhong, Wen Yanbo, Pang Ji, and Ye Qingchen who remained silent with lowered eyebrows and eyes. Even Song Xiang did not dare to continue. After all, it was too dangerous to continue this sentence.
When Zhao Zhen heard this, he felt even more emotional, because he remembered the posthumous title Zhao Yang had revealed to him unintentionally, his posthumous title.
Renzong!
Is Ren a beautiful posthumous title? yes! But in the final analysis, he is just a conservative king in the name of benevolence.
If he really made any achievements, be it literary or military, there would be a better posthumous title.
If possible, doesn't he hope to fulfill the late emperor's last wish, recover the lost land of Yanyun, and even defeat Xixia and Liao, so that the Song Dynasty can inherit the foundation of the Han and Tang Dynasties?
Thinking of this, Zhao Zhen's face became even worse, and even the important officials in the palace became more and more frightened, and they could not figure out what this official was thinking.
At this time, Zhao Yang's slightly childish voice broke the dead silence in the hall.
"It seems that Mr. Song has figured it out. It's good, it's good... In that case, why don't you all express your opinion? Who supports it and who opposes it?"
"..."
Chen Zhizhong, Wen Yanbo, Pang Ji, Ye Qingchen, and Mei Zhi looked at each other in silence, and no one spoke rashly.
Zhao Yang waited for a long time but no one spoke, so he urged from the side: "What are you waiting for?... How about starting with the one with the highest official position? Who has the highest official position?"
Wen Yanbo, Pang Ji, Ye Qingchen, and Mei Zhi all looked at Chen Zhizhong in unison. Seeing this, Wang Shougui also quietly introduced to Zhao Yang: "Tongping Zhangshi, bachelor of Zhaowenguan, supervisor of national history, and privy envoy, Gongping Minister of the Ministry, Minister of the Ministry of War..."
Zhao Yang felt dizzy after hearing the series of official names and assignments. He raised his hand and said: "Ms. Chen, please."
"Well……"
Chen Zhizhong secretly glanced at Zhao Zhen's seemingly gloomy face, groaned secretly in his heart, and said with trembling lips: "Chen...Old minister...uh..."
Seeing that he couldn't say a complete sentence for a long time, Zhao Zhen heard anxiously and urged: "Does Mr. Chen support or oppose?"
"Old... old man... old minister... old man... will... will support..."
Zhao Yang rolled his eyes when he heard this, frowned and urged: "Will you support it or will you support it now? Please Mr. Chen, please be more cheerful!"
Chen Zhizhong was startled and glanced at Zhao Zhen again. Seeing the latter looking at him expressionlessly, he became more and more frightened. His lips trembled and he said: "I...I support..."
"Then tell me what you support!"
"I, I was just about to say..." Chen Zhizhong was obedient and said in a trembling breath: "Old minister... I support the recruitment of Xianggong Fan to return to Beijing as prime minister and assistant, and resume the implementation of the New Deal."
"..."
Everyone in the hall looked sideways, and Zhao Zhen almost lost his expression. Although he felt funny, he secretly shook his head.
At that time, the prime minister and the bachelor of Zhaowen Palace were frightened into chaos by a child.
This Chen Zhizhong is really embarrassing.
Zhao Yang almost laughed out loud, coughed and said: "No, no, no, the officials are just recruiting Mr. Fan back to Beijing this time, and are not planning to implement the New Deal."
As he spoke, he turned to look at Wen Yanbo and the others.
Wen Yanbo hurriedly cupped his hands and said, "My ministers, please listen to the official's decision."
"We all listen to the officials' decision." Pang Ji also quickly expressed his position.
Zhao Yang looked at Ye Qingchen and Mei Zhi again.
Ye Qingchen hurriedly expressed his position: "I am the third envoy. I am in charge of the country's money and food expenses. It is not my responsibility to coordinate the officials. I dare not overstep it. Everything is decided by the officials."
As soon as he finished speaking, Mei Zhi also echoed: "What Mr. Ye said is absolutely true. Official dispatch is not the responsibility of our Third Division. I dare not make false claims. I, the deputy envoy of Du Branch of the Third Division, Mei Zhi, seconded my opinion."
These four people neither supported nor opposed Fan Zhongyan's new policy. Now they noticed that the atmosphere in the palace was strange, so they naturally followed suit.
"Ha!" Zhao Yang clapped his hands and praised, "It's great to see the monarch and his ministers united as one. Congratulations."
"congratulations."
Wang Shougui held back his laughter and took the lead, stroking his palms in agreement. Under his guidance, Chen Zhizhong, Wen Yanbo, Pang Ji, Ye Qingchen, and Mei Zhi looked at each other and then reluctantly squeezed out some smiles and looked at each other.
In the end, even Zhao Zhen glanced at Zhao Yang with a headache, showed a playful smile, and looked at the ministers in the palace with a smile.
The atmosphere in the hall became cheerful for a while, and everyone seemed to have forgotten that Gao Ruona and Gao Xueshi still had objections.
Of course, even if someone remembers it, they probably won't care.
