Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

The Song Dynasty gave preferential treatment to literati, especially the top literati with fame and high positions.

For example, Yan Shu.

But the Song Dynasty also respected the monarch, and the authority of the monarch reached the peak in history.The prime minister could no longer sit and discuss with the emperor, and the censor also lost the power to advise the emperor, so he could only go all out to monitor the officials.Those who dare to offend the authority of the emperor must be dealt with seriously.

For example, Yan Shu.

Raising one's arms and hitting someone in front of the emperor, no matter who the person was beaten, is considered disrespectful and a felony.

Under these two extremes, how to deal with Yan Shu has become a rather tricky matter.

According to the previous procedure, the censor should first impeach Yan Shu for his crimes, and then the emperor decides how to deal with this person. After the examination of the second government, an imperial decree will be issued to decide whether this person should be killed or demoted. If he is to be demoted, where should he go? .

It is impossible to kill a high-ranking official like the deputy envoy of the Privy Council directly, not to mention that Yan Shu is still a famous talent.

Generally, it is demotion, but this kind of demotion does not directly reduce the official rank, the official rank generally remains the same, but deprives the person of the errands he has, and adds a false job to him, and then tells him to "go out of a certain state".

It just puts you outside, away from the power center, and rolls as far as you can.

For example, Yan Shu, according to common sense, he should have been deprived of his appointment as a deputy envoy of the Privy Council, and he should have been given the official position of a servant of a certain department in the six departments, and he should have been sent to a certain state.

Nowadays, the official system in the Song Dynasty is very chaotic. What kind of official a certain person is does not depend on his official position, but on his errands.For example, if someone's official position is the Minister of Rites, but the errand given to him by the superior is to manage the affairs of the Ministry of Accounts, then he has nothing to do with the Ministry of Rites, and the affairs of the Ministry of Rites will be taken over by another person.

The person who took over the affairs of the Ministry of Rites is likely to be the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment.

If things go on like this, the official positions of the six ministries have become idle positions.

Senior officials involved in political struggles who are unfortunate enough to be sent out are generally given the title of minister.

If the status is particularly high before the release, it may even be assigned to the Shangshu.

Then a certain minister can go to work part-time as the magistrate of a certain state.

But Yan Shu's current situation was still different from common sense.

He was the one who fought in Yuqing Palace, which is the royal territory, and it was in front of the emperor and empress dowager at that time.

As soon as he finished beating someone, the imperial guards took him down and put him in prison.

After finding out that he had no intention of assassinating the Empress Dowager, he was released and placed under house arrest.

Now the court's discussion is entangled in whether it is too cheap for Yan Shu if he is released according to the usual practice.

Injured someone in front of the emperor, and it's over with one release?

So how do those officials who were sent out after making a small mistake before them deal with themselves?

If future Beijing officials also make a small mistake, will you also release him?

But if Yan Shu was not released, how would he be dealt with?

kill him?

... Is the punishment too severe again? After all, he is also a scholar-bureaucrat.

...is still a great talent.

In short, it is too light to release him, and too heavy to kill him. For the time being, we haven't discussed how to deal with him.

But one thing is for sure, Yan Shu was convicted of assaulting Luanjia, and no one would protect him.

One is that he has already offended both parties to death, and the other is that this happened in broad daylight and under the eyes of everyone, even if he wants to cleanse him, there is nowhere to cleanse him.

The imperial court was hesitant about Yan Shu's fate, but Yan Shu himself was happy and at ease.

Anyway, there is no official business for him to deal with now. Every day in his own house, he enjoys the flowers, the moon and willow trees, and drinks with his beautiful wife and concubines. He doesn't care about his future or life.

He can deal with him as the court likes to deal with him. He accepts decapitation, demotes him, and he doesn't care anyway.

If a man can't live his life as a marquis and worship a minister, then what's the point of being an official?

When Fan Zhongyan came to visit Yan Shu, he saw this scene.

Yan Shu is now under house arrest at home, so naturally he cannot receive guests.

So Fan Zhongyan took a small sedan chair to the base of the wall of Yan Mansion on a dark and windy night, and asked Eunuch Liu to help him climb over the wall and enter.

After working together for a year or two, Fan Zhongyan discovered that Eunuch Liu is really a hidden talent.Both civil and military, wise and scheming.

If it wasn't for his physical incompleteness, he couldn't be an official in the court. Given time, I'm afraid his achievements will not be inferior to him.

Unfortunately……

Liu En took a look at the height of the courtyard wall, jumped onto the top of the wall with Fan Zhongyan's belt in his hand, climbed up to look far away, and quickly locked on to the only brightly lit place in the entire Yan Mansion.

"Master Yan is over there."

Fan Zhongyan supported Liu En's shoulders and stood still on the top of the wall: "Please trouble Eunuch Liu to take me directly to that place."

Yan Shu's mansion was too big, and Fan Zhongyan read under the lamp all the year round, which made his eyesight not very good.Liu En was able to see where Yan Shu was at a glance. Fan Zhongyan squinted his eyes and looked hard in the direction of Liu En's finger, but he could only vaguely see a spot of light.

Moreover, since Yan Shu was placed under house arrest, he couldn't light candles in all the courtyards of his house as usual. Now that the entire Yan Mansion is dark, Fan Zhongyan really didn't dare to walk there in the dark.

Yan Shu is no more frugal than Fan Zhongyan, he is a big official, and he is willing to spend money to enjoy himself, so he arranges his home like a fairyland.When Fan Zhongyan visited him during the day, he would get lost in his mansion, let alone at night.

It's better not to bother the second master, and ask Eunuch Liu to bring him directly to Yan Shu's side.

Liu En nodded: "Master Fan, hold on to our house."

Fan Zhongyan grabbed Liu En's shoulders tightly, Liu En tiptoed, and supported Fan Zhongyan to jump into the distance.

After a while, he arrived at Yan Shu's place.

Fan Zhongyan landed on both feet, took a deep breath, and calmed down his frantically beating heart.

The lightness kung fu of Jianghu people is really well-deserved, it is too high, so scary, and a little weak in the legs.

Liu Endao: "Does Master Fan go in by himself, or do you need our family to accompany you?"

The implication is that if you have nothing to do here, I will leave. The little emperor is still waiting in the palace.

Fan Zhongyan said: "I still have to trouble my father-in-law to show his face later."

The little emperor's intention was obviously to win Yan Shu to their side.But in Yan Shu's current situation, he might be released from Beijing at any time. They really didn't have time to play riddles with him.

Let's have a showdown tonight and bring the meaning of the little emperor to you.Yan Shu obeyed, but not dragged down.

As the only eunuch who really served the little emperor personally, Liu En's appearance could give Yan Shu a sense of confidence.

So Liu En must stay today.

Liu En said: "That's fine. Master Fan, go in first. When you need our house, just call."

As he spoke, his figure flickered, and he just disappeared into the darkness.

Fan Zhongyan knew that this was the kung fu of the Jianghu people to hide their bodies, and Liu En should be hiding in the shadow behind a certain tree at this time.

But it was too scary, like a ghost.

That's all, even if it's a ghost, with my upright spirit, I'm not afraid of him.

Fan Zhongyan straightened his disheveled clothes when he was being led away by Liu En, and went upstairs, ready to have an interview with Yan Shu.

There is no moon tonight, Yan Shu is not admiring the moon in the courtyard, but drinking and having fun with concubines in a small building.

It is also a pleasure to drink and order if it is not easy to play music and dance.

When Fan Zhongyan went upstairs, it happened that Yan Shu lost with a punch and was punished by concubine Ji for drinking.

Yan Shu drank the wine in Concubine Ji's hand, and when he looked up, he saw Fan Zhongyan's disapproving gaze.

Fan Zhongyan said: "Uncle Tong, drinking alcohol at night is not a way to keep in good health."

Yan Shu laughed in surprise, "Xiwen!"

He stood up, stumbled to Fan Zhongyan's side, put his arm around Fan Zhongyan's shoulder: "Come, Xiwen, drink this cup with me!"

Fan Zhongyan pushed away the wine glass in his hand: "Take it away, I won't drink it."

Yan Shu murmured: "You don't drink, you don't drink..."

He burst into tears: "If you don't drink, the two of us will never have a chance to drink together again!"

Fan Zhongyan sighed and helped him to sit down.

Yan Shu leaned on the desk, crying.

How can he not cry?

Unrecognized for his talents, he was excluded everywhere in the court.With a cavity of injustice, he caused a huge disaster, completely screwed up his official career, and might even lose his life.

In front of others, he may be able to speak and laugh freely, but in front of Fan Zhongyan, he has to cry.

Since ancient times, literati have cherished each other. He and Fan Zhongyan are about the same age, and both have great literary talents.He has long referred to Fan Zhongyan as a confidant in his heart.

How can you not cry in front of your confidant?

Fan Zhongyan dismissed Yan Shu's concubine Ji who was about to come forward, and sat beside Yan Shu himself: "Now I want to cry, why didn't I cry when I was in Yuqing Palace?"

Yan Shu whimpered and did not answer.

Fan Zhongyan said: "Lord Yan, listen to me."

Yan Shu dried his face and raised his head: "Say it."

Fan Zhongyan said: "Master Yan was born as a child prodigy, with extraordinary talent, and just after he passed his age, he became an official and deputy envoy to the Privy Council. Could it be that Lord Yan is willing to be demoted from Beijing like this, and become a small magistrate?"

Yan Shu smiled bitterly: "What's the use of not being reconciled, this is the end of the matter."

Fan Zhongyan sneered: "Lord Yan did it himself. No one forced Master Yan to beat his followers in front of the officials. Lord Yan doesn't have to be so wronged."

Yan Shu slapped the table: "I'm not... Oh! Xiwen! Why don't you even understand!"

Fan Zhongyan patted him on the shoulder: "I understand, I understand."

"Then you still..."

Fan Zhongyan shook his head: "It's just that Uncle Tong, your move is really unwise!"

Yan Shu was puzzled: "Unwise?"

Fan Zhongyan said: "You only know that you have offended the Queen Mother and the Duke of Lai. From now on, there is no hope of official career. You are not willing to waste time in Beijing, so you simply plan to leave. But Uncle Tong, there are not only the Queen Mother and Lai Guo in the court." There are two dukes."

Yan Shu frowned: "There are more than just the Queen Mother and Duke Lai? This... Xiwen, you mean..."

Vaguely, he seemed to understand what Fan Zhongyan was talking about.

"You mean, the emperor..."

Fan Zhongyan nodded.

Yan Shu said, "But the emperor is still a child!"

Everyone knows that the emperor is young, so the queen mother needs to listen to the government behind the curtain.

Fan Zhongyan smiled and shook his head: "The emperor is not young anymore. There are already discussions in the palace, and next year the emperor will be elected."

"But……"

But the Queen Mother is still in charge.

The premise of the queen mother's regent is that the emperor is still young.

But if the emperor can already get married and govern himself, what use is there for the queen mother?

Yan Shu heard his heart pounding: "Xiwen, you mean...you mean..."

Fan Zhongyan nodded: "You offended the Queen Mother and the Duke of Lai, but you did not offend the Emperor. This world belongs to the Emperor, not to the Queen Mother and the Duke of Lai. After all, the Empress Dowager's regency is not a long-term solution. After two or three years, the Emperor will be born again." Marriage, the queen mother must return to power. Duke Lai is old and is only a courtier with a foreign surname, so can he go beyond the emperor?"

"That's why I said Uncle Tong, you are unwise. Obviously, as long as you survive for another two or three years, everything will be fine when the emperor is in charge. Can't you even wait for two or three years? You have to do something like this now , even if the emperor wants to protect you, it will be difficult."

Yan Shu suddenly said, "Oh, this... this..."

He grasped the deep meaning in Fan Zhongyan's words: "You said, the emperor wants to protect me? Why would the emperor want to protect me?"

He doesn't seem to have done anything to make the emperor protect him, right?

Ashamed to say, he was actually a bandit.

As a result, Kou Zhun was offended by what he said at the court meeting, and then Kou Zhun gradually drifted away from him.

Fan Zhongyan smiled and said: "Your Majesty knows that Uncle Tong, you are a rare virtuous person, so you are moved to cherish talents and love talents. It's just..." He frowned: "Uncle Tong, you really made Your Majesty difficult this time. do it."

Yan Shu thought that his official career was hopeless, so he began to give up on himself.Now I suddenly saw a glimmer of hope, and immediately burst into a great desire to survive: "What's the matter, Xiwen? How does His Majesty plan to arrange me?"

Fan Zhongyan glanced at Yan Shu, and said leisurely, "Now it's not how His Majesty plans to arrange you, but how you plan to arrange yourself."

Yan Shu was puzzled: "How am I going to arrange myself?"

Fan Zhongyan took a deep breath: "You will definitely not be the Deputy Privy Envoy anymore, you have to be clear about this."

Yan Shu nodded: "I know that."

"The imperial court hasn't decided how to deal with you yet, but I think it will come to a conclusion within a few days. It will probably give you the title of servant—I guess it's the servant of the Ministry of Punishment—and then let you leave the capital."

Yan Shu frowned: "This..."

Staying away from court disputes was what he was after.

but……

The emperor just took a fancy to him, if he is out of Beijing now, what if the emperor forgets him in a few years?

Fan Zhongyan continued: "You probably don't want to."

Yan Shu didn't answer.

He really doesn't want to.

Fan Zhongyan looked at him with a smile: "What should I do?"

Yan Shu sighed: "Xiwen, don't entertain me anymore. You also know that my current situation is really unbearable."

Fan Zhongyan said: "Some time ago Zhang Gong Zhibai passed away, you know that?"

Yan Shu nodded: "I know."

When Zhang Zhibai passed away, he hadn't caused trouble yet, so he knew about it.

Fan Zhongyan said: "The imperial court discussed giving him a posthumous title. Originally, the discussion was about Wen Jie. There was a censor who said that Zhang Gong kept the way and was the best, so please posthumously Wenzheng. Lai Guogong disagreed, and writing is a beautiful posthumous title. There is no need to add another one." Orthographic. The last thing to decide is the text."

Yan Shu looked at Fan Zhongyan and motioned him to continue.

Fan Zhongyan asked him: "Uncle Tong, do you understand?"

Yan Shu said, "Uh, what do you understand? Could it be that Duke Lai liked Wen Zheng's posthumous title and wanted to keep it for himself?"

Fan Zhongyan said helplessly: "No, Duke Lai might want Wen Zhong more. But that's not what I want to say."

"Since the Five Dynasties, the style of study in the world has declined. At the beginning of the founding of the kingdom, culture and education were advocated, and even the first emperor wrote several poems to encourage students all over the world. Your majesty has been in power for several years, and he goes to the son of the country to listen to lectures every year. This is to promote the style of study. "

"The imperial court regards scholars as the most valuable, and anyone born as a Jinshi will be a good official. However, the world today is still not as smooth as the imperial court expects, because the school is not prosperous."

Yan Shu was thoughtful.

Fan Zhongyan continued: "Nowadays, the imperial court attaches great importance to literature, but there are no schools among the people, so they cannot spread the wind of literature and virtue to the countryside. Therefore, the emperor wants to choose a learned Confucian, establish schools among the people, train talents for the court, and educate the people."

He looked at Yan Shu meaningfully: "If you think about it, there are only great talents who are knowledgeable but not fettered by ordinary affairs..."

Yan Shu immediately said, "I wish to build a school for His Majesty."

He is very knowledgeable, and he is not fettered by worldly affairs. Isn't that what he is talking about!

Knowledgeable, he was so clever that he alarmed the Central Committee when he was a child, and he was not fettered by mundane affairs... What kind of mundane affairs can he have if he is about to be demoted!

Fan Zhongyan nodded: "Uncle Tong, it's very good that you have this awareness. But..."

Yan Shu was anxious: "What's the but!"

Isn't this an errand tailored just for him!

Fan Zhongyan said: "Your Majesty means that the first school will be built in the capital. But Uncle Tong, you will be demoted from the capital."

Yan Shu was doused with cold water.

Yes, he is leaving Beijing soon.

He gritted his teeth.

It shouldn't have been such a big death in the first place!

If he hadn't beaten people in Yuqing Palace, he would still be a good privy envoy, wouldn't he be able to stay in the capital and run this school for the emperor?

This is an errand sent by the emperor himself!

Moreover, the establishment of a school, a great event that benefits the literary world, is recorded in later history books, which is also beautiful!

...It is much better than being recorded as beating someone in front of the emperor.

Seeing his tangled face, Fan Zhongyan said: "But things are not without room for change."

Yan Shu's eyes lit up, and he grabbed Fan Zhongyan's sleeve: "Xiwen, you must help me. I must seize this opportunity!"

This is his last chance, if he can't seize it, he will really be finished.

Fan Zhongyan comforted him: "Don't get excited, listen to me."

"You will be sent out of the capital, so you can't run a school for His Majesty. But if you stay in the capital, can't you do it?"

Yan Shu raised his head suddenly: "Your Majesty can let me stay in the capital?"

If he committed such a serious crime, could he not be expelled from Beijing?

As long as he doesn't leave Beijing and can stay in Bianliang to run a school for His Majesty, it doesn't matter even if his rank is lowered.It doesn't matter if he is downgraded to the sixth rank, anyway, as long as he handles His Majesty's errands well, he will definitely be promoted back when His Majesty takes charge.

Fan Zhongyan said slowly: "My lord Yan wants to go out to know other states, and his duty is that he must not stay in the capital. But if it is a grassroots Yan Shu, no one can control where he wants to stay."

Yan Shu was stunned, his eyes straightened, and he opened his mouth: "Cao Min, Yan Shu?"

It was extremely difficult for him to say these four words, as if he had exhausted all his strength in speaking.

Since he was 13 years old, the word Caomin has nothing to do with him anymore.

Cao Min, Yan Shu?

Fan Zhongyan patted Yan Shu on the shoulder: "Uncle Tong, resign. Resign and concentrate on doing things for His Majesty. When His Majesty takes charge, it should be yours or yours."

Yan Shu was neither crying nor laughing: "This...I..."

From the deputy envoy of the privy to the grassroots!

The government and the people are not separated by a natural moat, but the whole world.

The grass people are the head of Guizhou, the straw dog, the water that carries the boat, and the common people in the world that the scholar-bureaucrats sympathetically mentioned.

But officials are different.

There is a saying in the imperial examination that officials have to eat a burnt tail banquet when they are promoted, which means to burn the tail of a fish and turn into a real dragon.Let me tell you clearly that the distance between officials and people is the distance between fish and dragons.

Yan Shu's lips trembled.

Because the official position is so important, the factional strife in the Song Dynasty was at most to drive people out of Beijing, and it was rare to push people's official positions to the end.

No matter how hard the fight is, it's just a downgrading of the official rank. His status as an official is still there, dormant outside the capital. When his party gains power, or the emperor thinks of himself again, he can continue to return to the capital smoothly. official.

So being demoted from Beijing is actually a painless thing for senior officials, and you can come back after a year or two as soon as the wind dies down, unless you really lost your way.

As long as the official position is still there, there is nothing to be afraid of.

Once the emperor and the courtiers, as long as they live long, there will always be a bright future.

But becoming a grassroots person is completely different.

When he was still an official, even political opponents rarely bullied him at will because they could be activated at any time.

What do grass people have?Grassmen have nothing.

Once you become a grassroots citizen, it is tantamount to giving up the official reputation and achievements you have accumulated in half your life.

From a servant of a certain department in a certain state to a favored minister of the emperor, all it takes is an idea and an imperial edict from the emperor.

And from a grassroots to an official, it is too difficult, too difficult.

Yan Shu shook his head: "No, no, this..."

Fan Zhongyan said: "Uncle Tong, think about it carefully."

Saying that, get up and leave.

Yan Shu tugged at his sleeve: "No! Xiwen, please help me beg Your Majesty, don't let me resign from office, downgrade my rank, or go back to the secretary province, and leave me an official status. Can't become grassroots..."

Fan Zhongyan snatched the sleeve from him: "Impossible! Uncle Tong, there is only one way to go now. You resign and run the school well. After three to five years, the emperor will allow you to study national history as well. The position of prime minister! If you don’t resign, you will be the Minister of the Ministry of Punishment, and you will go out to know other prefectures. After three or five years, His Majesty will not remember you. What do you have to return to Beijing? Are you willing to be a prefect for the rest of your life?”

Yan Shu shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Someone was going upstairs.

When Fan Zhongyan turned his head, he saw Liu En coming up.

Yan Shu saw the eunuch's uniform on Liu En's body clearly, and knew that this was a high-ranking eunuch higher than him, so he hurriedly said, "This father-in-law is..."

He was not close to the emperor, and because of the dim light, he didn't recognize Liu En for a while.

Fan Zhongyan introduced to him: "This is Eunuch Liu by the official's side."

Yan Shu hurriedly saluted: "I don't know that Eunuch Liu came to the humble house, and I feel lost to welcome him."

Liu En waved his hand: "Our family came with Mr. Fan."

Yan Shu looked at Fan Zhongyan.

Liu Endao: "Master Yan, our family listened to what Mr. Fan said was reasonable, why did Mr. Yan not want to resign?"

Yan Shu said, "I..."

Liu En said again: "If Mr. Yan is worried about being bullied by others, then you can rest assured. Our family will reveal the details to Mr. Yan. This school is run by the government with all its heart. It is always on the lips. Today we say I will talk about it tomorrow. I have been talking about it for more than a year and almost two years. At that time, Master Yan will help the government to set up the school, and the government will often summon you to inquire about the school. He has a famous white body here in the official family. Who dares to look down on your lord? I still hope that lord Yan will think about it again."

Yan Shu was silent for a long time, then he gritted his teeth: "I am willing to resign to help His Majesty run the school well."

Liu En smiled: "That's right."

He said again: "Oh, this matter of the official's family has been entrusted. Our family has thanked Mr. Yan here."

Yan Shu hurriedly said, "Don't dare. I just don't know what kind of school the government wants to run?"

Liu Endao: "We don't know what kind of school the government wants to run. I just heard that the school should be called Qingbei University by chance."