Chapter 12 5. Turn friends into enemies
Compared with Sima Guang, Duke Lu's friendship with Wang Anshi is indeed deeper.Before Xining, Wang Anshi was famous all over the world, because of the strong praise of Han Jiang, Han Wei brothers and Lu Gong.This propaganda carries weight.After all, all three of them came from famous families, and Lu Gongzhu was the son of Prime Minister Lu Yijian.If you cast a peach, you must return it.Censor Zhongcheng Lu Hui was demoted, and Wang Anshi's recommended successor was Lu Gong.
But in April of the third year of Xining, he was accused by Wang Anshi.
The process of accusation was a bit oolong, and Lu Gong's, Sima Guang's and Wang Anshi's statements were also inconsistent.The core of the case is roughly: the Department of Regulations criticized Han Qi, and Lu Gong was very dissatisfied with his work.He said to the emperor: How could the imperial court bully the feudal town like this?In case Han Qi leads the soldiers of Jinyang to go south to eliminate the evil on the king's side, how will His Majesty treat him?
This is very serious, because "Qing Jun's side" is almost tantamount to rebellion.Of course Han Qi would not say that, nor would he think so.Therefore, Lu Gong was suspected of framing Han Qi when he wrote this statement.The problem is that Lu Gong's work may not have said this.If not, then it was not Han Qi who was framed, but Lu Gong.
The question is, did Mr. Lu say anything about it?
The parties themselves denied it.Many years later, he recalled that he met the emperor frequently and never mentioned Han Qi.This passage was fabricated by Wang Anshi and Lu Huiqing out of thin air, and then secretly stuffed into a document, with the purpose of framing them.On the contrary, Wang Anshi's memoirs are convincing, Lu Gong not only said this, but also said it with tears streaming down his face.Sima Guang's records are ambiguous. On the one hand, he affirms that Zhao Yan saw Lu Gong's works from the Gongyuan into the palace to speak to the emperor.
It seems that the truth is unlikely.
However, it is certain that the edict written by Lu Gong did contain the words "it is a conspiracy to eliminate evil in Fangzheng".What is also certain is that Lu Gong strongly disapproved of Wang Anshi's reform, and his words were harsh.Therefore, the possible fact may be that Lu Gong did make similar remarks either out of righteous indignation or worry, but was seized by Wang Anshi and Lu Huiqing to make a big fuss.
Even so, it's chilling.
But it's not impossible.In Lu Huiqing's case, it may be that there is no love at all; in Wang Anshi's case, it may as well be regarded as self-sacrifice.In fact, Wang Anshi is just the kind of person who can give up everything for his ideals and ideas, including life interest and personal enjoyment, as well as personal friendship and friends.Of course, it used to be.
Such as Fu Bi and Ouyang Xiu.
Fu Bi was Wang Anshi's old superior, and Ouyang Xiu was his great benefactor.As a leader in the literary world, Ouyang Xiu's recommendation and praise are much more important than the Han brothers and Lu Gong.But how?When Ouyang Xiu applied for retirement, Feng Jing, the deputy prime minister, advocated keeping him, but Wang Anshi said: "This kind of person will harm the county if he is in a county, and harm the court if he is in the court. Why should he stay?"When Fu Bi was demoted, he said viciously: Fu Bi was guilty of both Gun and Gonggong.Just demotion, cheap him!
This is too much.
Song Shenzong explained otherwise.He said to Sima Guang: Wang Anshi and Lu Gongzhu were really close.However, Lu Gongzhu committed a crime, and Wang Anshi, as a friend, did not cover up and conceal it. This is just selflessness and fearlessness for the public!
Oh, it turns out that he is "unselfish".
This is great.We know that according to Confucian ethics, deceiving teachers and destroying ancestors and selling friends for glory are unforgivable and tolerant no matter in Shilin or Jianghu.But now Wang Anshi is not afraid.Because he is not betraying his friends, but performing official duties.What he pursues is not personal glory and wealth, but the prosperity of the empire.
So, is he wrong?
Apparently, it is this so-called "official character first" that allows Wang Anshi not to have any psychological and moral burdens when eliminating dissidents and obstacles.He can treat all opponents like autumn wind sweeps away fallen leaves.If it's not relative, there's no need to be merciful, especially in the three years when Xining's foothold is not stable.
In fact, as shown in the table above, the third year of Xining was as thrilling as the second year of Xining.One of Wang Anshi's important tasks is also the same as last year, which is to fight against the admonishing officials and supervisory officials who have occupied the position of public opinion.In the Tang and Song dynasties, when exhortations and supervision were highly valued, these people were not easy to deal with; and His Majesty the Emperor was obviously very annoyed and impatient with "the world is chaotic".
Admonishment and supervisory officials also don't know what is good and what is bad. They concentrate their firepower on bombarding the Department of Regulations and attacking the Young Crop Law.Li Chang, the admonisher, reported to the emperor that some states and counties issued loans without paying the principal, but forced the people to repay the interest.Li Xing Zhang Jian, the supervisory censor, not only completely negated the reform, but also went to the Zhongshu Province to make a big fuss.Zeng Gongliang had no choice but to bow his head in silence, while Wang Anshi covered his face with a fan and snickered.
Zhang Jian was furious: What are you laughing at!Participating in politics finds Zhang Jian funny, and Zhang Jian also thinks participating in politics is ridiculous.Not only Zhang Jian, but everyone in the world thinks that participating in politics is extremely ridiculous!
Chen Shengzhi had no choice but to smooth things over: the procuratorate doesn't have to be like this.
But Zhang Jian didn't appreciate it: Mr. Xianggong, you can't escape.
Of course Wang Anshi couldn't make him laugh, and soon asked the emperor to demote Zhang Jian to Hubei Public Security to be a magistrate.As for Li Chang, Wang Anshi's solution was to ask him to name the states and counties where there was no capital loan.This person was beaten to death without mentioning it, and he lost his official position as a result.
Relying on such methods, Wang Anshi swept thousands of troops like a mat, and in just a few months, the Yushitai and Jianyuan were emptied, and the court became quiet.So he said to the emperor: Your Majesty now knows why the world is in chaos, right?
Shenzong said: "It is my improper employment."
Wang Anshi said: Not necessarily, I'm afraid people shouldn't talk at all.Your Majesty makes legislation, the prime minister is shaken above, the censor is shaken below, the feudal town is shaken outside, and there is no one to escort His Majesty, so how can there be no discussion and uproar?
Shenzong thought so.
Wang Anshi's good friend Fan Zhen was angered.
Fan Zhen's position is Hanlin Bachelor, Zhitong Jinyintai Division, that is, the chief of Tongjin Division and Yintai Division.These two departments are responsible for delivering documents, and Zheng Xia's refugee map is falsely claiming that the confidential express was delivered to Yuqian through the Yintai Department.Whether the emperor's will can be issued, and whether the truth of the people can be uploaded, it is very important to pass into the Yintai Division.
More importantly, the two companies have the right to deny, that is, to refuse to pass on documents that they think are unqualified or unreasonable.Fan Zhen had done this before.For example, he sealed and returned the edict ordering Li Chang to name states and counties without capital loans five times; the edict revoking the appointment of Sima Guang's Deputy Privy Envoy was also sealed and returned by him.Shenzong had no choice but to agree with him to resign from the post of Tongjin Yintai Secretary and stay as a Hanlin Bachelor.
Such a person, of course, cannot tolerate the suppression of public opinion.After his unremitting efforts finally failed, he wrote five memorials in a row, pointing out bluntly that "your majesty has the ability to accept advice, and the ministers have the strategy of rejecting it; your majesty has the nature of loving the people, and the ministers use the art of remnants of the people".It is said that after Wang Anshi saw it, he trembled with anger.
Fan Zhen was soon arranged to retire as the servant of the household department, deprived of all the benefits he deserved, and only his prestige was getting higher and higher.Su Shi heard about it and went to congratulate him. Fan Zhen said sadly: "The world suffers from it, but I enjoy its name. What kind of heart am I!"
However, this has nothing to do with Wang Anshi.
Two months later, in December of the third year of Xining, Wang Anshi, who had cleaned up the battlefield, was appointed prime minister together with Han Jiang.
Now Wang Anshi has no decent opponents in front of him.Han Jiang has always been loyal to him, and the two deputy prime ministers, Feng Jing and Wang Gui, are regarded by him and his subordinates as rubber stamps and signing machines.Someone once said to one of his young men named Zeng Bu: Should I also ask for advice on certain matters?Zeng Bu actually replied like this: Why do you need to ask for instructions?After the imperial decree is finished, ask them to draw and sign it.
Wang Anshi became a dictator.
As a result, Xining's four years became quite boring, even Ouyang Xiu's resignation and Fu Bi's relegation were calm.The implementation of the new law has also been smooth sailing.Although there was an incident in which petitioners broke into Wang Anshi's private residence, he quickly turned the major incident into a minor one and turned it into nothing.Of course there are annoying and talkative supervisory officials, such as Yang Hui, the censor Zhongcheng, and Liu Zhi, the supervisory censor Lixing, but they were all cleared out in July, and Liu Zhi was even relegated to Hengyang, Hunan to guard the Yancang .
Seeing the defeat of the opposition, Wang Anshi smiled.
However, he soon loses his laugh.
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