Chapter 4 4. Sima Guang on standby
The person Emperor Shenzong took a fancy to was Sima Guang.
The evidence is in the previous case.At that time, in order to appease the anger of both Han Qi and Wang Tao, Shenzong planned to transfer Wang Tao from Yushitai, and Sima Guang was appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng, and Wang Tao was changed to Hanlin Bachelor, that is, Sima Guang and Wang Tao were exchanged. .The idea was criticized by Hanwei.Han Wei said that if the prime minister is domineering, he will be beheaded.If Wang Tao is right, how can the prime minister be innocent?No, how could Wang Tao just transfer away?I'm afraid it should be confronted in court to determine right from wrong.
Sima Guang also refused to take office.He said: People in Yushitai are afraid of others.Your Majesty holds such an important position as a minister, and the minister dare not resign.However, if the prime minister is impeached and dismissed, it means that Yu Shi Zhongcheng can't do it.Although Wang Tao made a fuss out of a molehill, he was not wrong to uphold the etiquette.Therefore, the minister has to wait until the prime minister is in charge of the shift before he can take office.
Emperor Shenzong had no choice but to give up.
However, there is no doubt that he values Sima Guang.Therefore, although Sima Guang had disobeyed orders, he was appointed as Yushi Zhongcheng again on the day Wu Kui and Wang Tao were punished at the same time.It should be said that the young emperor had high hopes for Sima Guang.
In fact, Shenzong didn't miss him either.Sima Guang, courtesy name Junshi, was born in Xia County, Shanzhou (now Shanxi).At that time, the emperor was reluctant to establish a reserve for a long time, and the prime ministers were helpless.Sima Guang then reminded Han Qi: "Sister-in-law must seize the day and night."If we don't tell the world now, if a piece of paper comes out of the palace in the middle of the night one day in the future, it says that so-and-so will inherit the great line, is there any room for maneuver?
Han Qi cupped his hands again and again: Dare you try your best!
Looking at Sima Guang's performance in Han Qi's case, it is even more remarkable.Shenzong failed to appoint Wang Tao as a scholar of Hanlin, and wanted to appoint him as a bachelor of attendant, so Sima Guang urged the emperor to express his interests."The two positions are of similar seniority," he said.If Wang Tao served as a bachelor's student, Wu Kui would definitely continue to strike.At this time, if His Majesty urges him, he will lose his prestige, and if he is dismissed, he will lose his popularity.Besides, Wang Tao got a good job while he was waiting for his crime, so he might not dare to accept it. Could it be that the two sides are not on good terms?
So, how to deal with it?
Sima Guang's suggestion was to prevent Wang Tao from continuing to serve as Yushi Zhongcheng and to return to his previous position.In this way, Wu Kui had nothing to say and dared not come out; Wang Tao also felt at ease and accepted it frankly; as for public opinion, it naturally calmed down.
Looking at it this way, Sima Guang is simply the material to be a prime minister.
Sima Guang is also a person with a sense of mission and responsibility, and he can clearly see the shortcomings and hidden dangers of the empire.In May of the seventh year of Jiayou (1062), he wrote a letter to Emperor Renzong, full of eloquence and thousands of words.Among them, the most people have to admire his foresight is this sentence:
The minister fears that the future of the country is not in him, but in the exhaustion of financial resources.
Isn't this an important reason why Song Shenzong wants to reform?
What's more, Sima Guang's moral character is impeccable, and his knowledge and talent are hard to match.Even in the era of bright stars and talented people, he is outstanding.So, why did Sima Guang fail to become a leading figure during the Xining period?
First of all, I am afraid that he cannot satisfy the emperor very much.
On the second day after Han Qi's dismissal, Sima Guang was called to Yanhe Hall.Although there is a word "Quan" in front of his official title of Yushi Zhongcheng at this moment, which means "temporarily acting on behalf of him", he still knows everything about the emperor's consultation.
The topic naturally turned to personnel matters.
Sima Guang asked: "Does Your Majesty know Xue Xiang's character?"
Xue Xiang is a master of financial management, just the talent that the empire urgently needs, but his character seems to be controversial.In fact, there is no evidence to prove that Xue Xiang's quality is bad.But in the eyes of orthodox scholar-bureaucrats, those who are good at financial management must be villains, and they must be ungrateful for profit.This is one of the reasons why Wang Anshi's reform was controversial and ultimately failed.
It's a pity that even Emperor Shenzong was not exempt.He said that although Xue Xiang is hardly a gentleman, he just knows how to manage money and border defense.
Sima Guang said: We do know how to manage money, but not border guards.
Next, when another person was mentioned, Sima Guang didn't take it seriously, and even put on the hat of "treacherous, evil, greedy and obscene", and the emperor suddenly became unhappy.He said to Sima Guang: "Every time I have an appointment, the government and the opposition will discuss it and make a commotion.If the atmosphere is like this, I'm afraid it's not a good thing.
Sima Guang said: No, this is a great thing.It is difficult for Yao and Shun to know people well, let alone His Majesty who has just ascended the throne?If treachery is used, and the officials and admonitors are all wise and silent, wouldn't it ruin His Majesty's great cause?
Shenzong asked again: Is Wu Kui'a attached to the prime minister?
Sima Guang replied: I don't know.
Shenzong asked again: Which is better to curry favor with the prime minister or curry favor with the emperor?
Sima Guang replied: Neither is good.The former is certainly treacherous and evil, but blindly catering to the Lord, trying to figure out the holy will, and acting according to the wind, is not an upright gentleman.
This is what the emperor does not want to hear.What do you mean by not catering?Is it good to sing the opposite?It's no wonder that I can't command, and it's no wonder that it's either the strike today or the sick tomorrow. It turns out that they are full of this kind of thinking!Hmph, this wind can't last long, this person has to take another look.So the next day, Sima Guang was changed to be a Bachelor of Hanlin and a Bachelor of Attendant, and Yu Shi Zhongcheng was changed to someone else.
Based on this alone, Sima Guang could only stand by.
In fact, even without these episodes, Sima Guang during the Xining period could only concentrate on compiling in Luoyang.Because although he saw the disadvantages and hidden dangers of the empire and advocated reform, he opposed reform.In the Wanyan letter written to Emperor Renzong, he clearly pointed out that the solution to financial problems is to save money and keep wealth among the people. The key to reform can also be summed up in eight words:
It is about choosing people, not making laws.
In other words, there is nothing wrong with the old system, the problem lies in improper employment.That being the case, how could Sima Guang agree with the reform?What's more troublesome is that Sima Guang didn't come up with a specific solution to the problem, but just talked about the principles of cultivating the mind and governing the country and being good at choosing people. How can such empty words solve the urgent needs of the empire?
Only Wang Anshi could inspire Shenzong.
Both Wang Anshi and Sima Guang were favored by the Emperor Shenzong, and there was only one day before and after he appointed these two new talents. On the first day, Wang Anshi was appointed as the prefect of Jiangning, and on the second day, Sima Guang was appointed as a Hanlin scholar. The time was when Emperor Shenzong ascended the throne. Three months later, it can be seen that the emperor looked at him differently and couldn't wait.
Sima Guang resolutely refused to accept the appointment.
The emperor had no choice but to summon him to the imperial court for questioning.Shenzong said: The gentlemen of ancient times were either learned but not literary, or literary but not learned.Ai Qing has both, why do you want to decline the appointment of Hanlin Bachelor?
Sima Guang said: I can't write four or six parallel essays, so I can't draft an imperial edict.
Song Shenzong said: No need.Just like the two Hans.
Sima Guang said: "The practice of this dynasty is not acceptable."
Song Shenzong said: How could it be possible that Aiqing can't write parallel prose when she is a Jinshi?
Sima Guang turned around and ran away, so the emperor had to send eunuchs to chase after him, but he still refused to accept the order after catching up.The eunuch had no choice but to force the edict into his arms according to the emperor's order, and Sima Guang reluctantly became a Hanlin scholar.
Wang Anshi's attitude also caused headaches for the court.In fact, Emperor Shenzong's earliest consideration was to call him to the central government to work. Unexpectedly, Wang Anshi, who was far away in Jiangning, asked for sick leave again and again.Finally, the emperor was in a hurry.He asked the ministers: Is this person really sick, or is he just talking about the price?
Opinions vary.Zeng Gongliang thought Wang Anshi was really sick, Wu Kui thought he didn't come because Han Qi was in court, and Han Wei thought he had great ambitions and couldn't be summoned casually.Of course there can be no conclusion on this matter.Fortunately, Wang Anshi accepted the appointment of the prefect of Jiangning, so the discussion did not continue.
Obviously, if Sima Guang was seen by Shenzong, then Wang Anshi was remembered by the emperor.This is not only because of Han Wei's constant recommendations, but also because this person has not yet appeared on the political stage, and the house is already full of applause.
Notes:
Notes: