Chapter 20 Chapter 19 The Empress Dowager's Grace

Su Dongpo often received the shade of the Queen Mother.Empress Renzong saved his life during the interrogation.Now Empress Yingzong has promoted him to a high position. If it hadn't been for another empress dowager—Empress Shenzong—regent in his later years, he might have died in exile overseas. The new emperor was only nine years old, and was regented by his grandmother.Fortunately, there were wise queen mothers in the Song Dynasty. In the Han and Tang Dynasties, some queens usurped the throne and made eunuchs and relatives gain power, and some queens caused the decline of the clan.However, in Su Dongpo's time, the four empress dowagers he experienced were all wise, and some were very desirable.Perhaps because they are women, they have a basic concept of right and wrong, and they can also distinguish between good and bad for ministers.Living in the palace, they heard little of the political debates of the scholars and did not confuse them, but they knew the general tendency of public opinion.Modern popular democratic politicians rely only on the judgments of ordinary people, and they often don't even understand the editorials of the New York Times.The queen mother's judgment is the judgment of ordinary people.Shenzong had begun to change his political style in the later period, but it was impossible to do like his mother.As soon as the emperor died, the empress dowager restored Sima Guang and immediately reversed the political situation.All Wang Anshi's measures were suspended or abolished.The reign of Yuanyou began.

Now Su Dongpo was promoted rapidly.He has been in the capital for eight months, and his official position has been promoted three times.According to the ancient system, officials are divided into nine grades.In just a few months, he was promoted from a seventh-rank official to a sixth-rank, then a fourth-rank, and finally became a third-rank Hanlin, responsible for drafting the imperial edict. He was forty-nine years old at the time. Before he was promoted to Hanlin Bachelor, he had served as Sipin Zhongshu Sheren in March of the first year of Zhezong Yuanyou (1086).This position is very important, and he has to participate in the selection of officials from various ministries.At this time, he drafted several imperial edicts related to him.One is to depose Li Ding and force him to pay filial piety for his dead mother for three years.The second is to expel Huiqing.The matter was not decided by him, but the wording of the imperial edict was written by Su Dongpo.In Huiqing's case, Su Dongpo said, "Beginning with a confidant, we are deceiving the emperor together. If you are happy, you will be happy with each other, and if you are angry, you will turn against each other to devour each other." Wang Anshi passed away in April, and he had to draft a posthumous imperial edict.Wording must be subtle, with vague compliments meeting derogatory goals.The edict was promulgated in the name of the emperor, praising Wang Anshi's life and conduct, and at the same time posthumously titled "Taifu".Su Dongpo praised Wang Anshi's creativity, but pointed out that he was deceiving himself and others. "Collect the posthumous essays of the six arts, and judge according to one's own opinion. The statements of a hundred schools of thought are made into Xinsi people." An exaggerated eulogy or a negative attack.

"Hanlin Bachelor Zhizhigao" is the highest position for famous scholars.The next step is often the phase worship.Although he was a third-rank official, Su Dongpo was almost an extremely human minister, because the prime minister was only a second-rank official, and there were no first-rank officials in the Song Dynasty. What's more, the work of drafting edicts brought him very close to the young emperor and the queen mother.The order was sent to Su Dongpo's home from the small yellow gate in the palace, and the Holy Majesty also gave him a set of official robes, a gold belt, and a white horse with gold-plated silver saddle and silver bridle.The Zhongshu Province is on the west side of the palace, and the Hanlin Academy is close to the north gate of the palace, which is a part of the palace area.The emperor's paperwork was all done at night.Hanlin is always "locked in the palace" when doing business.The clerk drafts the edict in the palace on one day every month and promulgates it on two days. This is a long-standing rule.In the evening, he walked along the east wall of the palace to the east gate. There was a special study inside, which connected with the Queen Mother's palace.Sometimes Yechang has few things to do, so he can only light the red palace candles and listen to the voice of Genglou.Sometimes when it was cold, the Empress Dowager would send someone to bring him hot wine.The edicts are all dictated by the queen mother, and he must write them out in the most elegant and solemn style, and prepare to issue them the next day.

At this time, more than 800 edicts were drafted by him, all of which were collected in "Complete Works".The language is beautiful, appropriate and precise.The wording of the imperial edict is usually full of historical examples and anecdotes, but Su Dongpo wrote it very flexibly.After his death, a scholar named Hong succeeded him.Satisfied with his literary talent, he asked an old servant who had served Dongpo how he was compared to Su Dongpo.The old servant said: "Su Dongpo's literary talents may not exceed those of adults, but he never turns the pages of books." One day Su Dongpo was sitting in the hall.He was so fed up with the jealousy of politicians and villains that he asked to be removed from this post.The queen mother summoned him to listen to the order.The young emperor Zhezong sat beside his grandmother, while Su Dongpo stood aside respectfully.The Empress Dowager asked Su Dongpo to draft Lu Dafang's order to pay homage to the chancellor, and suddenly asked, "What official did you serve the year before last?"

"Changzhou regiment training deputy envoy." "What officer is he now?" "I'm going to punish the Imperial Academy." "Do you know why the sudden promotion?" "Grace from the Empress Dowager." Su Dongpo said. "It's not the old man." The queen mother said. Su Dongpo guessed randomly: "It must be the Holy Grace." "It has nothing to do with him." Su Dongpo guessed again: "Is it recommended by the minister?" "Neither," she said. Su Dongpo was silent for a long while, and then said: "Even though I'm unworthy, I don't dare to take the wrong path to seek an official."

"I wanted to tell you a long time ago," the Empress Dowager finally said, "it was the late emperor's will. Officials and servants all know that if the late emperor put down his chopsticks in the middle of a meal, he must have read your article. Shenzong often praised you as a genius and wanted to reuse it, but it was too late. Use it and it’s gone to heaven.” When mentioning the first emperor, all three of them shed tears.Then the Empress Dowager offered tea and said: "You should serve the Emperor and repay the kindness of the late Emperor." Su Dongpo bowed and retired, and the Empress Dowager took down the golden lotus candle in front of the imperial court and asked him to take it back to the Imperial Academy.

In the first year of Yuanyou (1086), Su Dongpo was promoted to a Bachelor of Hanlin, and Sima Guang died on September 1.It happened that the spirit tablet of Shenzong was going to be placed in the Song Dynasty ancestral hall, and the fasting ceremony was held that day.Originally, Sima Guang's relatives and friends were supposed to come to worship him, and the coffin was left in mourning, and everyone wept for a while.But the timing was unlucky, all the high officials had to fast and could not come to worship.On September 6th, the memorial tablet of the first emperor was placed, and the scene and the band were all appropriate.The imperial court also pardoned the whole world, and all officials did not go to court for three days.All officials are expected to attend the ceremony.At this time, an interesting event of great significance happened.

Cheng Yi, an upright Neo Confucianist, was in charge of Sima Guang's funeral.He is strict by nature.A holy look made Su Dongpo very unhappy.He acted according to the "old etiquette".Relatives of the deceased stood by the coffin to greet the guests.It has been a fashion for hundreds of years.Cheng Yi said that this was against the ancient system, and Sima Guang's son was not allowed to stand beside the coffin to receive guests.He believes that if Guaizi is really filial, he should be extremely sad and should not see others.After the ceremony at the royal ancestral hall was over, Su Dongpo, as a scholar and head of the family, was about to bring all the officials to Sima Guang's house to pay his respects.Cheng Yi protested that this was against the rules set by Confucius.The Analects of Confucius said: "The son cries every day, but he doesn't sing." They sang songs that morning, and at least listened to orchestral music.How can we weep on the same day?Everyone continued to walk to the door, Xiao Chengyi wanted to block them.Quarrel with each other.

"Haven't you read the Analects of Confucius?" Cheng Yi said, "You cry every day, but you don't sing." Su Dongpo said with a smile: "The Analects of Confucius didn't say, 'If you sing on the sun, you don't cry.'" He was very annoyed, and regardless of Cheng Yi's objection, he led everyone to the door.They took turns bowing to the coffin and wiping the corners of their eyes with their sleeves before turning and walking away.Su Dongpo found out that Sima Guang's son hadn't come to see the visitor, and only after asking did he know that Cheng Yi was not allowed.It is said that this style does not conform to the ancient system.Su Dongpo scolded in public with an old saying: "Yichuan can be called a contemptible uncle Sun Tong." Everyone laughed, and Cheng Yi's face flushed.The language is appropriate and hits the nail on the head.Neither Cheng Yi nor the other party could forget this sentence.No one likes to carry this label for a lifetime.From then on, a rift between Su Dongpo and the Henan School, headed by Cheng Yi, was planted.

Then came the chariots of the emperor and the empress dowager, the former carved with dragons and the latter with carved phoenixes, with big red wheels.They came to mourn the dead and wiped their tears on the coffin according to the etiquette.Sima Guang was extremely saddened.The body was covered with mercury and borneol bestowed by the emperor.The family received 3,000 taels of silver and 4,000 bolts of silk, and the Empress Dowager appointed two inner court officials to send the coffin back home for burial.There are ten relatives who are appointed officials. In July of the following year, Su Dongpo also served as a servant.The emperor is still young, but even if the emperor is middle-aged, there are still special courses for the emperor in the one-day palace every month.One year is divided into two semesters, the spring class runs from February to the Dragon Boat Festival, and the winter class runs from Mid-Autumn Festival to the winter solstice.Knowledgeable officials took turns teaching classics, history and the way of governing people.After the early period, specially selected officials entered the Yingying Hall from the Wende Hall along the west corridor.In Su Dongpo's time, lecturers stood while other officials could sit and listen.When Wang Anshi gave lectures, he hoped that the lecturer would sit and the others would stand, but he gave up because of the opposition of all the officials.During this period, the pompous Cheng Yi also attended the lectures, but he was the lecturer with the lowest official position.He also asked to sit and give lectures to promote Confucius' spirit of respecting teachers.Cheng Yi often told Zhe Zong about the horror of devils and the bewitching of women. At that time, the little emperor had no interest in women, but because of this, he decided to enjoy it when he grew up.He later abolished the queen and died at the age of twenty-four.

For the Su family, living in the capital has decisive benefits.The house has been sold, and Su Dongpo has now built an official residence in Baijia Lane.Even if the house is not for sale, it is too far from the office.The new house is close to Donghua Gate, where all the officials go to court at dawn.Therefore, Su's house is located in the most favorite living area of ​​Baiguan, which can also be said to be the city center area, where there are many expensive shops and restaurants. The family began to enjoy a new life in the capital, which is not the same as the Huangzhou farm back then.They hadn't settled down in the capital for fifteen years, except for the three months when Dongpo was arrested. There was another time when he couldn't enter the city, and everyone lived in the suburbs.The conscientious Su Mai once served as a petty official in Jiangxi. I don't know if he has come back for a reunion, but the 16-year-old Su Xi and the 14-year-old Su Guo are both at home.Mrs. Su and Chaoyun are now able to live a good life, and they are a little overwhelmed by the prosperity of the capital.Surrounded by silver buildings, silk and satin shops, vegetable shops and two or three-story buildings. The best products in China are concentrated near Donghuamen, and the prices are extremely high, which can really scare rural women.For example, flowers and fruits that are not in season, no matter how expensive they are, people will still buy them.The servants in this area are hired by the Employment Bureau, which is very convenient.The area is full of pubs and food stalls.When entering a restaurant at night, courtesans line up on the corridor to greet them, waiting to accompany their drinks. Young people accompany their fathers in, staring straight ahead or looking down at the ground.During the banquet, vendors sell candied fruit, dried fruit, cold meat and pickled vegetables from room to room.It is said that there are 40 to 50 kinds of dishes in restaurants that serve three meals, and the waiters carry them and shuttle them around the room continuously for customers to choose.If one dish is missing, the restaurant will lose customers. Su Dongpo likes to treat guests at home, and restaurants are eager to arrange family banquets.The silverware is provided by the store, and even the poorer restaurants will send chefs to hold banquets.And supply silver pots, silver cups, silver plates, silver spoons and silver-tipped ivory chopsticks.This is the custom, after a few times, the silverware of four or five hundred taels will be collected the next day, and the restaurant doesn't think much of it.After the capital was captured by the Jin people, someone recorded in a nostalgic style that everyone was proud of the capital and was very sincere to strangers.When they see a stranger being bullied, they will step forward to defend him, even at the expense of conflicting with police officers.Neighbors often visit new residents, offering tea and wine, and persuading them where to shop.Some people have nothing to do, take a teapot every day, and visit from house to house. Amid the sound of prosperity, Su Dongpo continued to practice yoga and health preservation.He slept in the palace overnight.Whether he was in the palace or at home, he always got up at dawn, combed his hair a hundred times, put on official robes and boots, and then lay down and took a nap.According to him, false sleep is extremely sweet.It's time to go to court.He had already dressed neatly, stepped on the gilded white horse, and walked towards Donghua Gate. The morning court usually ends before ten o'clock. If there is no special event, his time is entirely his own.If he doesn't socialize, he will go shopping with his wife and children.Xiangguo Temple is nearby, and the temple courtyard is full of stalls of incense fans, knives and scissors, antiques, antiques, calligraphy and paintings.Sometimes the whole family went to Dongcheng to visit the forty or fifty markets, from hairdressing stalls to vase flower shops and cage bird shops, and they would spend a whole day without knowing it.Occasionally they also pass through Suzaku Gate to another large residential area in the outer city.The Confucian Temple and Taixue are both in Nanwai City, and there are many Taoist temples further outside.Sometimes they went back to town and ate at The Terrace, the best tavern in town.They can also visit the famous Tangjiayin Building along Nanmen Street, buy lacquerware from Wenzhou, or go to the pharmacy on Baocisi Street to pick the best herbs. In fact, there is no difference in happiness between a life of luxury and a life of simplicity.Only those who are not worthy of being a high-ranking official envy the honor and favor of a high-ranking official.Usually those who don't want to be officials fight for the authorities wholeheartedly, but those who want to be officials are not qualified enough.Once the "official wish" is fulfilled, the pleasure of being a high official is not necessarily better than that of a successful blacksmith.Su Dongpo said in his notes "Pleasure and Suffering": Some took a more tacky view of life in the capital.His relative Pu Zongmeng tried his best to enjoy himself.The daughter-in-law of the Pu family is busy all day teaching the maid to squeeze all kinds of "crispy flowers" and add sugar to make desserts.She never used the same kind of cream flower to entertain guests twice, so the maids had to squeeze flowers day and night.Pu Zongmeng also has a wonderful habit, including "big washing face", "small washing face", "big washing feet", "small washing feet", "big bath" and "small bath".He washes his face twice a day, his feet twice, and takes a formal bath every other day. "Small face wash" only washes the face, changes the water once, and is served by two servants. The "big face wash" changes the water three times, and is served by five servants until the neck and shoulders are washed. "Little Zhuozu" changes the water once, and is attended by two servants, washing up to the ankles. The "big washing feet" changes the water three times, and is attended by four servants, washing up to the knees. The "small bath" used twenty-four gallons of water and required five or six servants to attend the bath, while the "big bath" also used twenty-four gallons of water but required eight or nine servants. The "big bath" is washed with ointment, and people are asked to put the clothes on the wire net and slowly roast them with different aromatherapy.He wrote to Su Dongpo saying: This large set of bathing methods is quite good for him.Dongpo wrote back and said, "I am relieved to hear that the income is very high. However, there are two things that I would like to advise. One is frugality, and the other is compassion." Being an official has many advantages both socially and materially.Intellectuals at that time had only two options, either to become an official or to be indifferent—indifferent usually means poverty.Of course, one can gain eternal fame by concentrating on academics; but for many people, immortal fame, even if they are sure, is just a self-consolation on an empty stomach.There was a joke in Su Dongpo's time that he was promoted to an official in the irony but claimed that the official was a literati who sacrificed for the country.The story is as follows: Once upon a time, there was a poor scholar who had no money to buy steamed buns.He was hungry and panicked, so he thought of a clever plan to cheat food.He went outside a bakery, turned around and ran, but no one paid attention to him.So he turned to a cake shop full of people, and when he saw the steamed buns, he ran away screaming and fell to the ground.Everyone gathered around and asked him what he was afraid of.The poor scholar shouted, "Those steamed buns!" Everyone laughed out loud, having never heard of such a miracle.The bakery owner didn't believe it and wanted to try him.He led the scholar into the room where the steamed buns were kept, and peeked at him through the keyhole.The poor scholar was very happy that the trick worked, he scooped up steamed buns with both hands, and ate his fill.Moved by compassion, the boss rushed into the room and asked him, "What are you afraid of?" The scholar replied, "I'm really afraid of a cup of good hot food." One day, the two sons-in-law of Han Wei—a wealthy and famous family who had given birth to seven prime ministers—came to see Dongpo. He asked about their father-in-law's recent situation: "He's fine," said one of them, "and he says he's old now, and he's going to spend the rest of his life in music, wine, and beauties; otherwise he doesn't know how to live." "Really!" Su Dongpo said, "Because he doesn't have many days to come, I'm even more afraid that he will go the wrong way. Let me tell you a story, you might as well tell your father-in-law, okay?" "Of course." The young man said. Su Tungpo told the following story: Su Dongpo went on to say: "Now my father-in-law thinks that he doesn't have many days to come, so he should enjoy it to the fullest. Would you two send him a message for me? Just say that I want him to pay attention to his own affairs, instead of wasting his spare energy with alcoholic women." , might as well think of what he can take with him when he dies." Referring to his respectable old friend Fan Zhen, Su Dongpo recalled after his death: "Fan Jingren was not good at Buddhism in his life. To the point of death, he often does not follow the Buddhadharma. A certain person said that Jingren did not study Buddhism but attained the principles of Buddhism. Even if he slanders the Buddha, it will not harm him.” Now Su Dongpo's fame has reached its peak.Literati friends all admire him, and he enjoys a high official salary.He suffered far more than anyone else for the sake of peace, and he is highly regarded for this reason.After Sima Guang's death, he became the number one scholar in the contemporary era. He was not suitable to be a prime minister, and everyone recognized that his prestige was higher than that of all officials.For a while his two friends Lu Gongzhu and Fan Chunren became government leaders.His younger brother also returned to the capital. He arrived in the first month of the first year of Yuanyou (1086) and served as Yushi Zhongcheng, and was promoted to Shangshu Youcheng the following year.Friends who were exiled in the south are now in important positions, including Wang Shen's son-in-law, Wang Gong, Sun Jue, and Fan Zuyu.Chen Zhen, his old friend in Huangzhou, also came to the capital, not to be an official, but to visit Dongpo.Huang Tingjian, a great poet who corresponded with him a few years ago, also came to see him and formally worshiped him.Over the years, Su Dongpo has repeatedly praised the four bachelors in his letters, which has greatly enhanced their reputation.At this time, everyone recognized that Huang Tingjian, Qin Guan, Zhang Lei, and Chao Buzhi were the "Four Sumen Scholars".Later, Li Yu and Chen Shidao were recruited and became the "Six Scholars" of Su Clan. Su Dongpo's prestige once caused a couple to turn against each other.The scholar Zhang Yuanbi admired Dongpo very much.He looks ordinary, but married a beautiful wife.After marriage, the wife found out that her husband read Su Dongpo's poems all night and ignored her.Finally she couldn't bear it any longer, so she said to her husband, "So you love Su Dongpo more than me! I want a divorce." She got her wish, and Zhang Yuanbi told his friends that it was all because of Su Dongpo that his wife begged to leave. Su Dongpo was very popular at that time, and many literati even imitated his hat.He wore a very tall hat with a narrow top bent forward, which later became the famous "Zizhan hat".One day he accompanied the emperor to Liquan to see a play, where the palace troupe was performing.A clown wore such a hat on stage and boasted: "My work is much better than yours!" "How can I see that?" said other actors. "Don't you see the hat I'm wearing?" said the Harlequin.The emperor smiled knowingly, and looked back at Su Dongpo deliberately. Amidst all the sound of prosperity, Su Dongpo joked and played with his friends to his heart's content.During his tenure as Minister of Rites and examiner, he and other examiner friends were banned for several weeks.They were busy correcting the papers, and Su Dongpo walked back and forth in each room, chatting and laughing, making them almost unable to do anything.At night, he drove late at night and quickly corrected his papers. There are many records left about the stories he randomly made up.Many stories involve puns, especially the clever questions and answers between him and Liu Bin, another master of wit.Some stories can be translated into English. Once Su Dongpo visited Lu Dafang, the prime minister.Lu Dafang was a fat man, and he was taking a nap when Su Dongpo came.Su Dongpo waited for a long time, feeling very unhappy.Finally Lu Dafang came out, and Su Dongpo pointed to an earthen basin in the living room, in which a turtle with moss on its back was raised. "It's not unusual," Su Dongpo said to his master, "Six-eyed turtles are really hard to find." "Really?" Lu Dafang opened his eyes wide and said, "There are six-eyed tortoises in the world?" Lu Dafang felt that he was being fooled; but he also thought that Su Dongpo was very knowledgeable and might have read this record in a book. "Of course," Su Dongpo said, "During Tang Zhongzong's time, a minister paid tribute to a six-eyed tortoise. The emperor asked him what characteristics the six-eyed tortoise had. One sleep is equal to three sleeps for others." Su Dongpo once told Qian Xie that he liked the simple life in the countryside.He said that they only had rice, radish and clear soup for dinner; but he was very happy and satisfied.One day Qian Xie sent a post to invite him to dinner, and the post said: "We will treat guests with three whites." Su Dongpo had never heard of "three whites", so he didn't know what it was.He happily went to the banquet and found that Qian Xie had only prepared three things: a pinch of salt, a plate of raw radish, and a bowl of rice.Su Dongpo remembered his big words and knew that he had been fooled.Su Dongpo remained calm, and it took a while before he posted a post to clear the money and eat the "Sanmao" meal.Qian Xie went to the banquet and found that the table was empty.Su Dongpo asked him to sit down, and the two sat facing each other for a long time.After a long time, no food came, Qian Xie said he was hungry.Su Dongpo solemnly asked his friends to eat Sanmao (no) quickly, "Salt is also gross, radish is also gross, and rice is also gross, so what is not Sanmao."Su Dongpo took revenge and forgave his friend, and the two happily shared a big meal. Su Dongpo served as a scholar of the Imperial Academy, and was often locked in the palace at night.There was a man who admired him very much and desperately collected his autographed inscriptions. He often exchanged ten catties of mutton with Su Dongpo's secretary for every short note of Su Dongpo.Su Dongpo knew about this.One day the secretary asked Dongpo to reply to a message from a friend, and Su Dongpo replied verbally.When the secretary came again, Dongpo said, "Didn't I already tell you?" "The man insists that you answer with a pen," said the secretary. "Chuanyu, the official, will kill the slaughter today." Dongpo replied. In the Analects of Confucius, there is a man named Sima Niu, who has the same surname as Sima Guang.One day Dongpo and Sima Guang had a heated debate on the issue of national policy, but Sima Guang could not be persuaded.He went home and threw his robe on the recliner, and shouted at Chaoyun: "Sima Niu! Sima Niu!" Over the years, Su Dongpo has constantly said in his policy discussions that "independent thinking" and "impartiality" are important conditions for a good minister.But independent thinking and impartiality of opinion are what partisans hate most.One day Su Dongpo paced up and down the room after eating, holding his stomach contentedly.He asked the women at home what was in his belly.Chinese often say that a person is full of thoughts, emotions, and economics.One waiter said: "It's all articles." The other said: "It's full of knowledge." Dongpo didn't take it seriously.Finally, the wise concubine Chaoyun said: "It's not appropriate for a bachelor to have a full stomach." "Yes!" Dongpo laughed loudly. Once an unknown scholar came to see Dongpo, brought a volume of poems, and asked Dongpo what he thought.The poor scholar recited his own works in a cacophonous tone, which seemed very complacent. "How does your lord feel about contempt?" he asked. "Ten points." Su Dongpo said. The other side is good.Dongpo also said: "Poetry has three points, and reciting has seven points."