Chapter 11 4. Sima Guang leaves
On November 19, Lu Huiqing and Sima Guang fought hand in hand.
Of course it was still the second year of Xining.However, since the establishment of the Three Divisions and Regulations Division on February 27, the court has undergone rapid changes.The equalization method, the green crop law and the farmland water conservancy law were implemented. A large number of officials such as Lu Huo and Fan Chunren were demoted. Fu Bi left the prime minister and was replaced by Chen Shengzhi. Han Jiang went to the Department of Regulations. In September, he was qualified as a "storyteller in Chongzheng Palace".
Untouched, only Sima Guang.
Sima Guang wanted to leave a long time ago.Six days after Wang Anshi served as deputy prime minister, he asked the emperor to release him, but he was not approved.Shenzong said: Aiqing is so famous that even the Liao people asked the envoys about Aiqing's appointment as Yushi Zhongcheng. How could he leave?Sima Guang had no choice but to stay and continue to be his Hanlin scholar.
Fortunately, he can also give lectures to the emperor.
Lectures were originally Wang Anshi's idea.The first time he met Song Shenzong, the emperor asked him for a reform plan, but the newly appointed Hanlin scholar proposed to give lectures first, because only lectures could unify his thinking.If the idea is not clear, the plan is useless.
Shenzong approved this arrangement, and there was a small episode for this.
The trouble was a question of etiquette: standing or sitting.Both Wang Anshi and Lu Gong, two Hanlin scholars, believed that of course His Majesty the Emperor was sitting.However, those who accompany the students are also sitting, and those who are lecturing are standing instead, which is not suitable, and it is recommended to reform.
The proposal sparked an immediate backlash, with officials buzzing.Opponents said: Leaving the seat and standing up to speak is a common courtesy in ancient and modern times, let alone in the presence of the monarch.Standing lectures have been practiced for more than 50 years, so how can we make unreasonable changes?
The emperor had no choice but to ask Prime Minister Zeng Gongliang.
Zeng Gongliang replied: The minister stood in the Renzong Dynasty.
The emperor had no choice but to say to Wang Anshi: Aiqing, make an exception and sit down!
Of course Wang Anshi didn't dare.
Although this is a small matter, it is very illustrative.That's right, Wang Anshi can really cause trouble, and reform is indeed difficult.But the lecture also gave Sima Guang a chance.So on November 17th, he told the story of Xiao Gui and Cao Sui.
Song Shenzong asked: Can the Han Dynasty keep Xiao He's law unchanged?
Sima Guang replied: Why not?Not to mention Han, if Xia, Shang and Zhou could stick to the laws of Yu, Tang, Wen, and Wu without changing, I am afraid they can continue to the present.
The meaning is very clear: the family law of the ancestors cannot be changed.
Two days later, it was Lu Huiqing's turn.
Lu Huiqing talked about "Book of Changes", and "Book of Changes" advocates flexibility.Therefore, Lu Huiqing also took advantage of the topic and said: the laws of the former kings changed every year, some changed every few years, some changed from generation to generation, and some remained unchanged for hundreds of generations.Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty made three chapters, and Xiao He became nine chapters. How can it be static?Sima Guang distorted and tampered with history, clearly out of dissatisfaction with the reality, using the past to satirize the present, and confuse the public, please call him to confront in court.
Shenzong had no choice but Xuan Sima Guang to come forward and ask him what he had to say.
Faced with Lu Huiqing's open provocation, Sima Guang showed a gentleman's demeanor, and replied very low-key: I don't think that the old king's way is conservative, but I just want to sit back and watch the abuses of the old law without changing it, and I have no intention of ridiculing anyone.The duty of the minister is only to give lectures, and I just hope that the words of the sages can help His Majesty's wisdom.
Lu Huiqing was aggressive.He said: Sima Guang, as a Hanlin scholar, should know everything and say everything.If you have an official position but can't fulfill your duties, you should resign, and if you have a responsibility but can't fully express your responsibility, you should also resign. Why doesn't Sima Guang resign?
Sima Guang had no choice but to ask the emperor: "I have issued a memorial for my minister's decree, such as the establishment of three divisions and regulations. I don't know if I have reached the holy hearing?"
Song Shenzong said: I have read it.
Sima Guang said: "It's not like the minister knows but doesn't speak."Ministers and ministers are here today, please ask your Majesty Lu Huiqing.The third secretary is in charge of the world's finances. If he is incompetent, he can be dismissed. Why should the Ministry of Zhongshu and the Privy Council usurp his power?What exactly do you want to set up another three divisions?As long as the regulations are not moral?
Lu Huiqing could not answer.
Sima Guang said: "If you don't listen to what you say, you can't resign, it is indeed a crime of ministers."It is not inappropriate for Huiqing to blame his ministers, it is just for the ministers to accept the crime.
Song Shenzong said: Today is just a discussion with each other, why is this!
Other officials also rushed out to smooth things over.
Shenzong said to Sima Guang again: Don't be angry, Aiqing.
Sima Guang said: "I dare not."
Wang Anshi quit.
The reason for quitting was that two and a half months later, that is, on the first day of February in the third year of Xining, Han Qi wrote a letter in Hebei, suing Wang Anshi for dispatching officials to enforce the Green Crop Law, ordering borrowing regardless of rich or poor. Urban residents who farm land are also apportioned, which is obviously contrary to the spirit of the legislation to help the poor and suppress mergers. Therefore, it is recommended to recall the promotion officials from all walks of life as soon as possible, and change the Green Crop Law to the original Changping Law.
Shenzong was very moved when he received the memorial.He said to the ministers: Han Qi is really a loyal minister!Worried about the royal family while away from home.I originally thought that this law would benefit the people, but I didn't expect to harm the people like this!What kind of money do urban residents want for young crops?Want a forced loan?
But Wang Anshi jumped up and said: What can urban residents not borrow?As long as they voluntarily lend money, to whom is the money not loaned?
This is a strong word.So this time the two prime ministers, also two Fujianese, Zeng Gongliang and Chen Shengzhi, also stood by Han Qi.Seeing that the situation was not good, Wang Anshi immediately submitted a leave note to the emperor, saying that he was ill and would not go to court.
The emperor immediately thought of Sima Guang.
In fact, Shenzong had long wanted to reuse this emperor, but Wang Anshi firmly opposed it.Wang Anshi said: Sima Guang used the name of bluntly speaking against the superiors, but in fact he bought people's hearts. All the remarks he made were harmful to the government, and all the people he made friends with were villains.His Majesty has entrusted him with a heavy responsibility. Isn't that a big red flag for dissidents?
Shenzong had no choice but to give up.
But now that Wang Anshi is ill, there is no need to listen to him anymore, and Sima Guang has also been appointed as the Deputy Privy Envoy.Unexpectedly, Sima Guang would not do it.He said: As long as the establishment of the three divisions can be abolished, the officials can be recalled, and the young crop law can't be implemented. Even if no position is given to the minister, the minister will receive a lot of gifts and feel very happy.
The implication is also obvious: If you don't accept my opinion, I won't do it!
Of course Shenzong could not agree.He said: Aiqing is the deputy envoy of the Privy Council. According to the statutory duty, he should talk about military affairs. How can he talk about things outside the scope of his authority?Sima Guang replied: "If you don't accept the new appointment, you are still a scholar of the Imperial Academy, of course you can say that."
The monarch and his ministers were at loggerheads, but Wang Anshi went to work.
It's not surprising to go to work.Because after receiving the sick leave note, Sima Guang took advantage of the imperial scholar's authority to draft the imperial edict, and used the emperor's mouth to reprimand him, and said in a very ugly way: Now that the public opinion is boiling and the people are in turmoil, you actually want to shirk your responsibility in order to seek freedom. Save.You have no regrets about your private conspiracy; who will I entrust with what I hope?
This is tantamount to negating Wang Anshi's character and political reform.Of course Wang Anshi couldn't accept it, and immediately wrote a letter to defend; Song Shenzong also felt that something was wrong, so he hurriedly issued an edict to comfort him, and specially sent Lu Huiqing to announce the edict.The final result: Wang Anshi, who had been lying at home for 20 days, returned to his post.
Now it was Zhao Bian's turn to be embarrassed.Because during Wang Anshi's sick leave, Shenzong once issued an edict to stop the implementation of the Green Crop Law.Zeng Gongliang and Chen Shengzhi were ready to serve the imperial edict, but Zhao Bian advocated letting Wang Anshi do it himself.Who knew that the first thing Wang Anshi did after his comeback was to order the Department of Regulations to refute Han Qi's memorial.Zhao Bian was unable to explain to the people of the world, so he had to write to the court, publicly expressing his opposition to the reform, and resigned from his position as a political adviser on April 19, and went to Hangzhou to learn.
Next, on September 13, Prime Minister Zeng Gongliang resigned.
Chen Shengzhi submitted his resignation after Zhao Bian, but it was not approved.
Sima Guang also had no choice but to leave and go to another place to be a magistrate on September 27th.Of course, Shenzong still kept him.On the eighth day of August, when Sima Guang submitted an application for release, the emperor asked: Why can't Aiqing stay in the capital?
Sima Guang replied: I dare not.
The emperor pondered for a long time: Wang Anshi is an old friend of Qing, why should he doubt himself?
Sima Guang smiled wryly: Your Majesty will know what happened to Duke Lu.
So, what happened to Lu Gong's work?
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