Chapter 35 5. Deprivation of power: depose Zhijun, three years old and one change

When Zhao Kuangyin was still serving as the inspector in front of the palace in the Hou Zhou Dynasty, he participated in the discussion of important political affairs because of gaining the trust of Chai Rong, and he was an important figure in the political core group of the Hou Zhou Dynasty.The experience of this period not only allowed him to learn many methods of governing the country from Chai Rong, but also gave him the training to govern the country in the future, and he had the earliest understanding of the ills of the society at that time and the problems that urgently needed to be solved.Like Chai Rong, Zhao Kuangyin is also a person who is very good at summarizing and reforming; and unlike Chai Rong, Zhao Kuangyin can have the opportunity to promote and practice after he has his own plan. He summarizes the reasons for the collapse of the country during the Five Dynasties , Laying the foundation for the long-term development of the Song Dynasty.

After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Zhao Kuangyin lived a frugal emperor's life, because he was not sure whether the Great Song Dynasty he established would be like those countries in the Five Dynasties period, which was just a passing cloud and would die in decades.From this point alone, it can be seen that Zhao Kuangyin's foresight is far better than that of the five emperors.Zhao Kuangyin, who often couldn't sleep at night because of thinking about the development of the country, would often go to the homes of ministers to discuss national plans with them. Among them, Zhao Pu was the most frequent visitor.Through the discussion and analysis of two people, Zhao Pu proposed three major measures for Zhao Kuangyin to make the country long-term stability: take away his power, control his money, and recruit his elite soldiers, so as to achieve the goal of a strong monarch and a weak minister from three aspects: politics, economy and military. .

Zhao Kuangyin was well aware of the harm caused by the excessive power of the local governor, and he agreed with Zhao Pu's proposal very much. He said meaningfully: "If I give the local Jiedu envoys a long sword to protect the safety of the Song Dynasty, but There's no guarantee he won't swing at me with this sword, then I'd rather he be unarmed." After determining this policy, Zhao Kuangyin first started to implement it from the Jingnan area where he first conquered.After obtaining the land of Jingnan, Zhou Baoquan was escorted back to Kaifeng, and the establishment of a new chief here became an urgent problem to be solved.

Zhao Pu asked for instructions: "Now there is no supreme officer in Jingnan. Since it is the territory of the Song Dynasty, it is necessary for the imperial court to send officials to serve as Jiedu envoys to maintain the peace of this side. At present, the courtiers are also recommending their own. A suitable candidate, but the final choice of who will be in charge still needs to be decided by His Majesty." Zhao Kuangyin pondered for a while, and said: "Now there are a lot of talents in the court, and the national prestige of the Great Song Dynasty has been promoted in Jingnan. No matter who is appointed to govern, it will not be difficult."

This remark obviously contained other meanings. Zhao Pu, who was good at observing words and expressions, knew that Zhao Kuangyin was not in a hurry to set up Jiedushi, so he stopped asking for instructions and waited for Zhao Kuangyin to explain his intentions. After a while, Zhao Kuangyin said: "The branch office established in Jingnan not only governs this area, but even several nearby states are under its management. Do you think such a sphere of influence is too powerful? ?” Zhao Pu said: "The branch county system has been around for a long time. On the one hand, it is to ensure the peace of one side, and on the other hand, it can reduce the trouble of the court in dealing with these trivial matters. It is enough to let the Jiedu envoy be in charge of the management of this area."

Zhao Kuangyin said: "In order to facilitate management, the power of local governors has continued to increase. One branch county means that several states are under the rule of one person. The division of localities in the past dynasties is also because the branch county has too much power. Take orders from the imperial court. Now look at the Han, Shu and other countries in the south. A few decades ago, they were just a branch of the Tang Dynasty, and they were raised and raised, which became the reason for the division of the country." Zhao Pu already knew what Zhao Kuangyin was worried about, so he said: "The devolution of power to the local governors is also because the emperor at the end of the Tang Dynasty was negligent in political affairs. If management is strengthened, such a situation will not be created."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded and said, "That's right, since God has entrusted me with the power to rule the world, how can I let them be lazy because I want to be lazy! Therefore, the establishment of a branch county in Jingnan needs to be discussed again." Zhao Pu asked: "Now the courtiers are waiting to appoint a Jiedu envoy to Jingnan, so will the appointment also be delayed?" Zhao Kuangyin said: "There is no need to delay the appointment, just choose a loyal and reliable civil servant to manage it. However, the scope of the Jingnan Branch County has to be reduced, and the Jiedushi here can only manage Jingnan, and cannot divide several nearby states. Included. The power of command in other regions belongs to the imperial court, directly under the capital.”

Zhao Pu asked: "What about the defense envoy who leads the army?" Zhao Kuangyin said: "You once told me that if you want to take away its power and hand over military power to the local government, it is always a matter of no reassurance. Then re-establish the official position and replace the post of defense envoy with civil servants. That's the only way." , I can feel at ease in the high hall." According to this instruction, the Zhidushi system in Jingnan area was quickly abolished. Although the post of Jiedushi was retained, other prefectures and counties outside its residence were no longer under the jurisdiction of Jiedushi as before, but directly under the jurisdiction of the Jiedushi. Central government administration.At the same time, the post of Zhizhou was established to replace the original defense envoy to manage the army.This method started from Jingnan, and gradually spread to the whole country with the footsteps of the Song army. When the Song army pacified the southern area, the branch system in basically all areas was cancelled, and most areas were placed under the central government. Management has greatly strengthened the centralization of the central government, while local power has been gradually weakened.

After setting up a new position "Zhizhou", Zhao Pu said to Zhao Kuangyin: "Officials staying in one place for a long time are like generals leading an army for a long time. Over time, it is easy to form their own confidantes, and slowly they will become entrenched in this place. power, once it is strong, it will not be easy to eradicate." Zhao Kuangyin asked: "Selecting young generals to serve in the military can prevent them from becoming too powerful, but how can we prevent local officials from occupying one side?" Zhao Pu said: "Nowadays many officials are reluctant to change their posts. On the one hand, they are not familiar with the new places, and on the other hand, they are unable to follow their relatives and friends. We can take advantage of this to let officials The positions are constantly flowing, and every place is a new situation, which is not conducive to their entanglement with power."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded in agreement, and promulgated a new decree after Zhizhou: "Anyone who holds the post of Zhizhou or County Magistrate in one place must change his post after three years, and he is not allowed to hold the post for a long time." Although the promulgation of this policy has avoided the continuous strengthening of local forces, there are also special circumstances.In the third year of Qiande, that is, in 965 AD, Yang Tingmei, the magistrate of Beihai County, had served for three years and was about to change his post. However, because of his honesty and integrity, he was deeply loved by the local people. In order to keep Yang Tingmei, hundreds of people went to Kaifeng to petition , hoping to be re-elected.

Such officials who are honest and caring for the people are originally a blessing to the imperial court, and it is also the imperial court's pleasure to see that the people can live and work in peace and contentment.However, this petition challenged the "three-year-old-one-change" system established by Zhao Kuangyin, so he was very dissatisfied, and said to Zhao Pu: "Yang Tingmei's term is full, is it worth destroying the legal system for him alone? " Zhao Pu has followed Zhao Kuangyin for many years, and knew very well which side the balance is leaning in his heart, so he said: "Yang Tingmei is a clean and honest official, which is the blessing of the people, but the people of Beihai County may not be too selfish if they want to specialize in beauty." .Since he is such a well-loved and good official, more people should be able to enjoy the blessings he brings. Therefore, I think he should be transferred to other places." Zhao Kuangyin was very satisfied with this answer and said: "It is justifiable for people to ask for an upright official. You can persuade them to leave on my behalf, tell them this truth, and let Yang Tingmei work elsewhere." Zhao Pu took the order and came outside the palace gate to persuade the petitioners in Beihai County to disperse quickly, but the people said: "Master Yang has benefited one side. Now that Beihai County has just recuperated a bit, but he has to change his post, the foundation he built may be will be destroyed. The common people have nothing but hope that Master Yang can serve for another three years." Repeated persuasion could not make these people disperse, Zhao Pu could only report helplessly, and Zhao Kuangyin was furious when he heard it: "The laws and regulations cannot be easily revised, not to mention that since Yang Tingmei is so loved, it is hard to guarantee that he will not be complacent." , Do something unruly in Beihai County! How could the court change the legal system just because of the pleas of a few ordinary people?" It is a good thing for officials to win the hearts of the people, but in Zhao Kuangyin's eyes, it is the sign of the expansion of local power, which is what he most taboo.Seeing this, Zhao Pu dared not answer; Zhao Kuangyin ordered: "Let the petitioners retreat quickly, or they will be punished with whipping!" After being whipped, the people who petitioned realized that the emperor would not amend the decree for their wishes, so they had to retreat in disappointment.But this matter became Zhao Kuangyin's heart trouble again.He also set up the post of general judge in the state and county, so that the general judge and Zhizhou can handle local government affairs together. Although the status is slightly lower than that of Zhizhou, he can supervise the governor of the state and county. If there is any problem, he can directly report it to the court.Through the general judgment and the prefecture to check each other, further avoid the dominance of the local governor. Appointing civil servants to serve as magistrates to manage one party was a major reform in the official appointment system in the Song Dynasty, which effectively avoided the problem of too much local power threatening the central government; Local power makes it difficult for local officials to establish their own power.The reduction of the ruling scope and real power of the local state and county governors has achieved the goal of centralization to a high degree. Zhao Kuangyin's pioneering work has been used by subsequent emperors all the time. Although it has maintained the stability of the country, it has also caused many disadvantages.The lack of power of local officials made them need to consult the imperial court for everything, which gradually increased the burden on the imperial court and made the officials redundant.Although the way of mutual restraint can limit the power of local officials, it also causes officials to compete with each other. In the official circles of the Song Dynasty, Zhizhou and Tongju have always been at odds because of the conflict of power, which has become a unique landscape.And all this is not a pity for the rulers, because they got what they want, which is the stable continuation of the dynasty.