Meishan Su family, Su Yun is the most virtuous

Chapter 124 Weird Dream! (5.4K)

Su Yun suddenly raised his eyes to look at Zhang Dun and said, "The emperor... wants my uncle to preside over this reform?"

Zhang Dun glanced at Su Yun, a look of satisfaction in his eyes, and asked, "How did you guess that?"

Su Yun smiled and said, "My uncle is back. Who else can handle such a big matter but my uncle? And...with my uncle's personality, if it didn't concern him, why would he casually talk about such things with an outsider like me?"

Zhang Dun nodded and said, "This reform is very difficult."

Su Yun nodded and said, “Power will be returned to the three provinces, the duties of officials will be clarified, and the promotion of officials will refer to the Ji Lu Ge.

In the future, officials will be replaced according to their ranks so that their positions are consistent with their titles, which can reduce the phenomenon of officials not doing their job.

It also reduces the phenomenon of unclear job boundaries among officials and mutual buck-passing, thereby improving administrative efficiency and reducing unnecessary financial expenditures.

It’s a good thing for the court, but it’s not a good thing for the person in charge of this matter, as he will be the target of public criticism.”

In the early Song Dynasty, regular officials, graded officials, and stipend officials were actually one and the same, but were separated from their duties.

After Emperor Zhenzong of Song Dynasty, officials on salary were examined every three years (later four years), which was equivalent to the official examinations in the Tang Dynasty, but it was just a formality to prevent cheating and forgery.

As long as there were no serious offenses, they could be promoted smoothly. The decision on promotion of officials was up to the emperor and the competent department.

In addition, if an official is found guilty, as long as the crime is not serious, he will only be dismissed from his post but not demoted to a salaried position.

This system is naturally welcomed by the general mediocre and corrupt officials.

Anyone who wants to break this situation will be the target of public criticism.

Everyone naturally knew that this must have been Zhao Xu's idea, but whoever presided over it would be the target of public criticism. Since everyone could not do anything to Zhao Xu, could they not discipline the person who presided over it?

As expected, Zhang Dun said, "Your Majesty, grant me the position of Vice Minister of State Affairs."

Su Yun's heart moved, so that's it!

Historically, after Zhang Dun returned from mourning, he was appointed as the head of the Judicial Court and later as the Vice-Chancellor. However, within a few months, he was demoted to a local post.

The crime committed by Zhang Dun was that his father Zhang Yu occupied the land of the commoner Shen Li.

Then Shen Li stopped Zhang Dun and complained to him, and Zhang Dun arrested him and took him to Kaifeng.

The Dali Temple impeached Zhang Dun's father, Zhang Yu, the retired prince's guest, and his younger brother, Zhang Kai, the chief clerk of Shenqiu County in Yingzhou, for occupying people's land.

When Zhang Dun reported the matter to the police, it was found that it did not match the facts. When the court made the initial decision, it investigated and punished the clerk Wang Mian and others, which confirmed the words of Zhou Zhidao and others.

Zhang Dun thought that the officials should not believe the words of Wang Mian and others, and that they wanted to fabricate the number of times and force themselves to govern. He reported this to the Inspection Office and still asked them to conduct a thorough investigation and not just believe their fallacies. He was responsible for not properly directing the Inspection Office.

There are several questions here. First, why did Shen Li stop Zhang Dun from filing a complaint when his land was occupied by Zhang Dun's father and brother? What is this "Who in the hall dares to file a complaint against me?"

Does Shen Li trust Zhang Dun's integrity so much?

Instead of going to Kaifeng Prefecture to file a complaint, he went to Zhang Dun to file a complaint?
Second, if Zhang Dun knew that his father and brother had really done such a thing, why didn’t he want to cover it up quickly, but instead reported it himself?

Third, Zhang Dun served as an official all his life. Especially after Song Zhezong Zhao Xu took power, if we were to say which court minister was the most favored, it would have to be Zhang Dun.

After Zhao Xu took power, Zhang Dun was immediately recalled from his hometown to the city of Tokyo Bianliang to serve as the prime minister of the court, responsible for expelling the old party and restoring the new law.

Zhao Xu almost obeyed Zhang Dun's every word, even the major cases such as the dethronement of Empress Dowager Gao Taotao and Queen Meng had to be discussed with Zhang Dun.

During this period, Zhang Dun was unique in the court. He held the position of prime minister for seven years, which was an extremely rare situation in the Song Dynasty. He was extremely powerful.

In the feudal dynasty era, if such a prime minister appeared, his family and descendants would surely prosper.

However, Zhang Dun imposed strict requirements on his four sons.

Among his four sons, except for the fourth son Zhang Yuan, who served as an eighth-rank proofreader in the imperial court, the rest were sent to local prefectures and counties.

They either served as county magistrates or prefectural magistrates, but they did not work in the central government and had no power.

Do you think such a person would go to court just because his father and brother occupied other people's land?
Another question is whether other people's land has been occupied. This matter is very easy to check. Why did Zhang Dun repeatedly ask for a thorough investigation and not just believe his fallacies?

If there is a problem or not, just check it. Why not check it?

Zhang Dun requested an investigation many times, but the court never did and simply sent him to prison.

Hey.

Su Yun had previously thought that it was because of Zhang Dun's arrogant personality, but now in connection with the Yuanfeng Reform, Su Yun suddenly realized.

History is very mysterious. If you don’t think deeply about some things, it will be difficult to get close to the truth.

If this was committed by Su Shi, then everything involved would be investigated one by one.

But if it was committed by a so-called "traitorous minister" like Zhang Dun, then it would be just another charge against the traitorous minister.

As for the truth, it doesn't matter. No one cares about the unjust, false and wrong cases involving a treacherous official.

At that time, when people talked about Zhang Dun, they still thought he was a treacherous minister, and that he was one of the reasons for the fall of the Northern Song Dynasty.

Even with great scholars like Wang Fuzhi and Liang Qichao helping to clear its name, it was still of no use.

Some people cannot see the truth behind history.

Some people saw it, but were afraid of such people, so they put them on the blacklist.

Some people hate people like Zhang Dun so much that they naturally won't take the initiative to attack him. They will only feel satisfied when they step on him.

Su Yun was silent for a while, then said, "Uncle, this matter cannot be done, it is better to protect yourself."

Su Yun was speaking from the heart. The water was very deep this time, so if you can avoid it, it would be best to do so.

After Wang Anshi was dismissed from his post as prime minister for the second time and Lu Huiqing was demoted, Zhang Dun and Cai Que had actually become the leaders of the New Party. Although Wang Gui was still the prime minister in name only, he did not have any say in matters; it was Zhang Dun and Cai Que who actually carried out the reforms.

After the Yuanfeng Reform, Zhang Dun was demoted and Wang Gui was deceived by Cai Que. He was nominally the prime minister, but in reality the real power was held by Cai Que.

In the end, the biggest beneficiaries of the Yuanfeng Reform, apart from Song Shenzong Zhao Xu, were Cai Que, while Zhang Dun and Wang Gui were both victims.

Judging from the principle that whoever benefits is the murderer, the mastermind behind Zhang Dun's unjust exile can only be Cai Que.

Of course, it could also be Wang Gui. After all, Wang Gui was deceived into thinking that he would definitely become the Minister of the Central Secretariat, and Zhang Dun was also his only competitor in his opinion, so it is possible that he might have been hit hard.

Zhang Dun shook his head and said, "The new law requires reform. How can I stay out of it just to protect myself?"

Su Yun nodded. In that case, there was nothing more to say.

This may not be a bad thing for Zhang Dun.

It is now the third year of Yuanfeng, and it is only four or five years since the death of Emperor Shenzong. Even if Zhang Dun is in power, he can do nothing.

Taking office at this time would be extremely risky.

Although Cai Que became the actual ruler through this reform, after this reform, the power was held in the hands of Emperor Shenzong. Even Cai Que's power was not decent.

Although Zhao Xu appointed Wang Gui and Cai Que as prime ministers in order, he did not treat them with respect and fined them for minor mistakes many times. Every time they were punished, they went to the palace to apologize.

It was unprecedented for the prime minister to be fined and go to the palace to apologize. In the past, the prime minister was in charge of state affairs, and if the emperor wanted to interfere in state affairs, he had to discuss it with the prime minister. How could there be such an insulting act?

After Zhezong ascended the throne, Empress Dowager Xuanren took charge of the government. She immediately appointed Han Zhen, a representative of a great northern aristocratic family, as the right prime minister, and appointed Han Zhen's two nephews as ministers to compete with Cai Que.

Empress Dowager Xuanren asked the censors Liu Zhi and Wang Yansou to impeach Cai Que one after another on the grounds that when Cai Que was the envoy to the tomb of Emperor Shenzong of Song, he did not stay overnight the night before the hearse was set off, did not attend the journey, and did not apologize after returning.

Subsequently, conservatives returned to the court one after another. After Sima Guang and Lu Gongzhu were appointed, they wanted to completely abolish the new law.

Tsai refused to give in and took all the responsibility on herself, saying that it was she who suggested the implementation.

So in the second month of the intercalary year of the first year of Yuanyou, he was demoted to the position of scholar of Guanwen Hall and governor of Chenzhou.

The next year, he was stripped of his official position because of his brother Cai Shuo's affair and transferred to Anzhou and then to Dengzhou.

Because his poem "Visiting the Gaiting Pavilion" contained ridicules against the imperial court, he was demoted to the position of Yingzhou Beijia and settled in Xinzhou, where he later died.

Cai Que's end was extremely cruel. He was first demoted to the prefect of Chenzhou, and then transferred to Anzhou and Dengzhou step by step. Later, he was demoted to Beijia and settled in Xinzhou, and finally died in Xinzhou. If he had not died, he would probably have been further exiled until he was reduced to poverty.

This step by step is for peeling hemp.

The so-called "peeling off the hemp" is explained in "Chaoye Lei Yao·Jiangmian·Peeling Off the Hemp" as follows: "There is no tradition of punishing ministers in this dynasty, so when a minister is guilty, he is often first sentenced to death in the palace, and then the censors submit a petition. After the emperor approves it, he is again sentenced to death on another day and gradually demoted." If it weren't for a deep hatred, it would never be done so excessively!
As for why Empress Dowager Xuanren was so cruel to Cai Que, one reason was that Wu Chuhou fanned the flames, saying that Cai Que's quatrain "Climbing the Car and Standing in the Pavilion in Summer" was a metaphor for Empress Dowager Xuanren to be Wu Zetian.

When Empress Dowager Xuanren saw these poems being misinterpreted, she was furious.

The Song Dynasty's attitude towards the Tang people can definitely be described as "verbally and practically". They hated Empress Wu's chaotic politics and Emperor Taizong's killing of his brothers even more. In her heart, old lady Xuanren was most afraid of being criticized by her ministers.

Of course, the most profound reason was that Empress Dowager Xuanren hated the new law so much.

What she fears most is that Tsai Que will be reused one day and will enact new laws, so Tsai Que must die!

Oh, of course, Zhang Dun also suffered the same fate and was demoted again and again. However, Zhang Dun was in better health and did not die during exile. He still had a chance to make a comeback.

During the reign of Empress Dowager Xuanren, Sima Guang and others, the crackdown on the New Party of Cai Que and Zhang Dun was extremely cruel. Although no one was killed directly, the method of peeling hemp was used repeatedly.

It is not surprising that when Zhang Dun returned to government again, he used the same method to deal with the old party.

It's just a cycle of revenge.

Thinking of this, Su Yun shook his head. This was why he didn't want to be an official.

During this period, everyone's focus was not on governing the country, but all about party struggles. What's the point of going in now?
Sometimes you are a traitor, sometimes I am a traitor, we attack each other and the revenge never ends.

Zhang Dun was surprised and asked, "You nodded and shook your head, what do you want to say?"

Su Yun smiled and said, "Nodding means I admire my uncle's determination for the country, and shaking my head means I am not optimistic about this matter."

Zhang Dun said: "No matter what, this reform is always a good thing. It can't be a bad thing to get rid of those corrupt officials, right?"

Su Yun smiled and said, "The establishment of the Political Affairs Hall is to improve efficiency.

After the three-province system was established in the early Tang Dynasty, due to the separation of powers among the three provinces, drawbacks often arose. In particular, the Secretariat, which had the power to issue orders, and the Ministry of Personnel, which had the power to review government orders, often argued with each other and shirked responsibility due to different political views.

In view of this, Emperor Taizong of Tang decided that the three ministers, the Minister of the Central Secretariat, the Palace Attendant, and the Minister of the Secretariat, would work in the same office, which was called the Political Affairs Hall.

Afterwards, he was appointed by the emperor to attend government affairs hall to discuss matters, and was also called prime minister with titles such as "Canzhi Zhengshi", "Canyu Chaozheng" and "Tongzhongshumenxia Sanpin".

Now we have to restore the separation of powers among the three provinces. By then, the repeated wrangling will not make the efficiency higher, but will only delay things further.

It is easy to change the capital, but difficult to change the local areas. Even if the capital is changed, the local areas are the ones who actually implement the decree. If the local areas do not change, the decree will not be implemented. What is the use of it?"

Zhang Dun was silent.

In fact, it’s not that he can’t see these problems, but that he can see them but can’t do anything about them.

Su Yun stabbed again and said, "Once this change is made, the power of the prime minister will inevitably be weakened, and the power of the monarch will be strengthened."

Zhang Dun looked towards Su Yun suddenly, and was suddenly reminded of the struggle between the power of the emperor and the power of the prime minister mentioned in Su Yun's article "On the Political Gains and Losses of the Han, Tang and Song Dynasties", and was suddenly shocked.

The three provinces were arguing with each other, and the emperor would inevitably have to come out to uphold justice, and at that time the power would certainly belong to Zhao Xu alone.

Zhang Dun thought for a while and said, "Okay, let's stop here. Don't discuss this with outsiders. Once it is leaked, you will be in danger."

Su Yun nodded and said, "After I see the emperor, I will return to Huangzhou. The affairs of the court have nothing to do with me, so please rest assured, uncle.

If my uncle had not treated me with sincerity, I would not have said anything. I will keep my mouth shut from now on."

Zhang Dun nodded and said, "Okay, that's all for today. Did you bring the manuscript? How much have you written in the past few days?"

Su Yun said somewhat ashamedly: "I only wrote three times."

Zhang Dun nodded and said, "I heard you say it's almost finished. I'll find time to finish it as soon as possible."

Su Yun nodded.

After dinner, Su Yun said goodbye and returned to the courtyard.

When we returned to the courtyard, Ah Hu and the others had already returned, and they all looked very excited.

Today they went to Daxiangguo Temple again. Although Daxiangguo Temple was not open for business today, they set up a stall outside and sold nearly two thousand stuffed pancakes.

This surprised Su Yun a little.

Ah Hu explained that Daxiangguo Temple usually has a lot of people, although not as many as when the temple was first opened, but there is still a constant flow of people.

We have more experience today and put one more car on the ground, so the number has increased.

The bald-headed man said that his uncle had already modified the stall cart and it could be tried out tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow one stall cart could meet the daily needs of two people.

Su Yun encouraged them and then hid in the study.

After a conversation with Zhang Dun today, Su Yun was not in a good mood.

Thinking of the cruelty of the party struggle that would follow, Su Yun couldn't help but feel frightened.

He used to be worried about Su Shi, but now that he has more contact with Zhang Dun, he has also begun to worry about Zhang Dun.

In Su Yun's opinion, whether it is Su Shi or Zhang Dun, they cannot be simply judged as good or bad people. They have been considering the country throughout their lives.

Needless to say, Su Shi saw the flaws of Wang Anshi's reform when he saw it, and he wrote it on his own body, for which he was envied and exiled.

Later, Sima Guang and others wanted to completely deny the new law. Su Shi saw the merits of the new law and again advised them not to completely deny it and to make some choices. However, he was again envied and demoted.

Some people say that Su Shi would not be an official. But if he disregards his conscience, only cares about himself, and only regards promotion as the ability to be an official, then Su Shi would indeed not be an official.

But both the country and the people need to have such a conscience.

As for Zhang Dun, history says that he confused names and facts, reversed right and wrong, promoted a group of villains and spread them around China and abroad, was sinister and cruel, and they echoed each other, spreading their poison to all directions and causing changes in heaven.

He caused the court to be full of evil, and the talented people to join the army, while the traitors hid and fled. He was in power for seven years, stealing power and bringing disaster to the whole country. He dared to harm the virtuous and kill people. When faced with great changes and important matters, he concealed conspiracies and expressed dissent...

These are nothing but attacks from political opponents. When we evaluate a person, we should not look at what he said or what his opponent said, but should actually look at what he did.

Zhang Dun devoted his life to restoring the New Law and correcting its many shortcomings. To a certain extent, he overcame the defects of the Xining New Law. He did not blindly reject the policies of the Yuanyou period but learned from its good policies.

During his tenure as the Three-Department Envoy, he pointed out that the financial resources of the whole country were excessive and there was no way to check the amount of waste and recorded it. He requested the selection of talented people, the compilation of records, and the annual review of the increase and loss to test the officials in charge of various departments.

Subsequently, the Three-Department Accounting Department was set up to re-register the country's household registration, population, field affairs, mines, houses and gardens, rents, annual taxes, etc., so that the possessions and non-possessions could be communicated and the national affairs could be examined.

These are effective administrative measures that are beneficial to the country and the people.

In terms of employing people, Zhang Dun ordered that all academic officials at home and abroad who had not entered the government through the imperial examinations, Jinshi, or Shangshe students be dismissed from their official positions, and also dismissed all those who had held official positions through personal connections.

Zhang Dun served as prime minister for seven years, and he never used his power as prime minister to bestow official titles on his confidants.

Moreover, Zhang Dun was a true hero in expanding the territory. Zhang Dun opened up the southwest, and from then on southern Sichuan, southwestern Hubei, western Hunan, northeastern Guizhou, and western Guangxi were truly incorporated into the territory of the Song Dynasty and became part of China, never to be separated again.

During Zhang Dun's administration, the Song Dynasty basically had the upper hand in the war against Western Xia, and defeated Western Xia into submission.

When we exclude Zhang Dun's crackdown on the old party, we can basically see that he was an extremely outstanding prime minister with extraordinary abilities and impeccable personal conduct. Compared with Han Zhongxian, who was not good at fighting or being a prime minister but whose success brought success to everyone around him, Zhang Dun was much better.

Su Yun sympathized with Su Shi and also sympathized with Zhang Dun, and he always had a feeling of pity for Zhang Dun as a tragic hero. Su Yun really didn't want to see these two people become enemies in the end.

But Su Yun always felt a little conflicted. He didn't want to get involved in such a fight, but when he thought about the future, he felt a little reluctant.

However, Su Yun quickly discarded these thoughts.

——I just need to eat and drink well, and as for the rest, even if there’s a flood, what does it have to do with me?
But that night, after he finished writing The Romance of the Three Kingdoms and went to sleep, he had a very long dream.

In the dream, Su Shi was demoted again and again, and was finally rehabilitated at the age of 62. He died in Changzhou on his way back to the north, which was extremely miserable.

In the dream, before his death, Su Shi said to Su Yun: "I miss the fish soup in Huangzhou very much. When can I ask Ah Hui to make it for me again?"

Zhang Dun was hated by Emperor Huizong of Song Dynasty. Although he was already seventy years old, he was still treated in a way that was almost like peeling hemp. He was demoted again and again and finally died in the place of exile.

In the dream, Zhang Dun said, "If you don't want to be an official, then don't do it, but I am still willing to let you be my son-in-law. You must protect your sister Ruo for the rest of her life, otherwise I will not forgive you even if I become a ghost!"

Huh? What kind of dream is this?

Su Yun spread his fingers to block the sunlight pouring in from outside, and was a little dazed.

(End of this chapter)