Chapter 103 Han Zhang
The prince went to the palace to plead for Feng Deguang, which angered the emperor. The news that he was beaten with twenty boards quickly spread throughout Bianliang.
I heard that Empress Cao had a big quarrel with the Emperor because of this.
That afternoon, the government issued an imperial decree, ordering Feng Deguang to be executed immediately, all his property to be confiscated, and his family to be enslaved by the Music Bureau.
The emperor's edict does not take effect immediately after it is issued.
Although the Song Dynasty established the Privy Council and the Three Yamen to share military power, and the Three Departments to control finances, it essentially still implemented the system of three provinces and six ministries.
The Secretariat was responsible for drafting imperial edicts, the Ministry of Palace Affairs was responsible for reviewing them, and the Ministry of State Affairs was responsible for their implementation.
If the Menxia Province felt that there was a problem with the emperor's edict, it could refute it.
Without the signature of the Menxia Province, the imperial edict could not be issued and the Shangshu Province would not execute it.
Although the Menxia Province had the right to refute imperial edicts, the emperor's treatment of Feng Deguang did not violate the law, and the Menxia Province had no right to refute them.
The imperial edict was sent to the Secretariat, and Han Zhang frowned slightly after reading it.
"My Lord, what should we do now? How about you go and persuade the emperor again?" The officials from the Secretariat came to Han Zhang one after another.
"The Ministry of Personnel has already issued it. How can it change its order overnight?" Han Zhang glanced at everyone and said calmly, "Execute it."
Everyone wanted to persuade him again, but Han Zhang did not give them a chance and left the Secretariat directly.
After leaving the Secretariat, Han Zhang did not go to see the emperor, but left the palace and went to the Eastern Palace.
……
In the Eastern Palace, Zhao Xing sent away Empress Cao and his mother who came to visit him, and asked Sanshui to prepare the fishing hooks and go to the back garden to fish.
As the saying goes, you have to do your best to perform a role. He is currently injured and it is not convenient for him to show up for the time being.
It was almost the end of July and the weather was hot.
In the evening, the wind blew. There were many trees planted beside the lake in the garden, and the breeze was cool.
Zhao Xing was lying in a rocking chair, with two palace maids fanning him, and he didn't feel hot at all.
He picked up the iced watermelon juice from the ice basin beside him and took a sip, feeling very leisurely.
"Your Highness, Prime Minister Han requests to see you." Sanshui said.
Zhao Xing was stunned when he heard this, and after thinking for a while, he said, "Please invite the person over."
"Your Highness, do you want to go back to your bedroom first?" Sanshui asked.
"No need, I'll meet him here." Zhao Xing shook his head.
As the prime minister, Han Zhang always kept his distance from the crown prince.
Normally when he came to the East Palace to teach, he would leave right after teaching and there would be no private communication.
Coming to him now proved that the self-torture trick did not fool him, and there was no point in continuing the act.
Zhao Xing didn't think that Han Zhang came here just to prove whether he was really beaten.
"Yes." Sanshui responded and stepped back.
After a while, Han Zhang came to the garden under the guidance of Sanshui.
From a distance, Han Zhang saw Zhao Xing fishing in the pavilion. There was no surprise on his face, and it was obvious that he had guessed it long ago.
"Greetings, Your Highness!" Han Zhang came to the pavilion and bowed behind Zhao Xing.
Zhao Xing did not stand up when he heard the voice, but smiled and said, "No need to be polite, Mr. Han, please sit down."
Upon hearing this, the eunuch standing by hurriedly came forward with a soft stool and placed it next to Zhao Xing.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" Han Zhang came to the stool, bowed and thanked him, then sat down.
Zhao Xing had someone pour him a glass of watermelon juice and said, "I was beaten with twenty boards, but I am still fishing here intact. Sir, you don't seem surprised at all?"
"Your Highness the Crown Prince is the heir to the throne, and the emperor's family only has one son, so naturally we would be reluctant to take harsh measures against him," said Han Zhang.
Zhao Xing smiled slightly and changed the subject, "My Lord, you came to see me. What's the matter?"
"I have nothing to do, I just want to ask Your Highness what you think about Feng Deguang's case?" Han Zhang said. Zhao Xing did not answer but asked, "Do you think that the emperor's treatment of Feng Deguang was inappropriate?"
"I don't think there is anything wrong with it. Feng Deguang manipulated the promotion of officials, which is a heinous crime and he should be sentenced to death!" Han Zhang said.
Zhao Xing was stunned when he heard this and looked at Han Zhang without saying anything.
He suddenly felt that he couldn't understand Han Zhang anymore.
At first, because of the influence of the drama he watched in his previous life, he didn't have a good impression of Han Zhang.
However, as he learned more about Han Zhang's life over the years, he realized that his original thoughts were somewhat one-sided.
Han Zhang was a supporter of the New Deal. Although he supported it, he also pointed out some of its shortcomings in the memorials on many occasions.
Therefore, he not only angered the reformists, but also the conservatives. In addition, he was not a high-ranking official at the time, so he was not implicated after the failure of the new policy.
However, after the new policy failed, when Fan Daxianggong and others who presided over the new policy were demoted, he pleaded for Fan Daxianggong and others.
After Fan Daxianggong and others were demoted, Han Zhang also wrote a letter requesting to leave the capital.
He had made remarkable achievements in local politics over the years and was transferred to the capital again more than ten years ago, where he was promoted to become a prime minister.
In Zhao Xing's opinion, Han Zhang should be a very pure person. He only has the country in his heart and has no selfish motives.
That is why he supported the new policies when they were implemented, but also pointed out some of their drawbacks.
I didn't try to please the reformists, nor did I care about the ideas of the conservatives.
Including his support for Zhao Zongquan to use the posthumous title to seize power, all of this was for the court's consideration.
However, he was opposed to the issue of how to deal with Feng Deguang.
Zhao Xing thought he had made a mistake and that Han Zhang also had selfish motives.
But at this time, Han Zhang seemed to support the execution of Feng Deguang.
Han Zhang's various behaviors are too complicated. Either there is another reason, or all of this is Han Zhang's disguise. Everything he does is for his own future.
He supported the New Deal at first, probably because it was advocated by the government, but he also saw that the New Deal had too many drawbacks and faced many obstacles, so he would not be completely labeled as a reformist by pointing out some of the drawbacks of the New Deal.
Ziqing left the capital because he understood that although the conservatives did not regard him as a reformist, they did not regard him as one of their own either. Asking to leave the capital on his own was a step forward.
However, all this was just Zhao Xing's guess. If it was really as he thought, then this Prime Minister Han would be too scary.
"If that's the case, then why does the Prime Minister oppose our father's execution of Feng Deguang?" Zhao Xing asked.
"Your Highness, do you think it is important whether I support you or not?" Han Zhang asked back.
"I am not satisfied with this explanation." Zhao Xing said lightly.
He understood what Han Zhang meant. He was simply saying that whether he supported or opposed it would not affect the outcome of the matter.
There is no problem with this. Even if Han Zhang supports it, but the other civil officials are all against it, my father will still be shaken.
If the emperor insists, he will not be shaken by one more person's opposition.
This logic seems to be correct, but it is completely nonsense.
Even if the emperor wavers, if Han Zhang can persuade him, he can still make him persevere.
Han Zhang said, "I agree that Feng Deguang should be executed, but Feng Deguang cannot die. Is your highness satisfied with this?"
"Why?" Zhao Xing frowned.
Zhao Xing was a little confused by Han Zhang's words.
"Your Highness, what do you think of the new policy of that year?" Han Zhang asked.
"The new policy was too hasty and has too many drawbacks," said Zhao Xing.
"Your Highness has pointed out the problem with the new policy." Han Zhang praised him and asked, "Your Highness, do you think that the Song Dynasty needs reform?"
Zhao Xing's face darkened when he heard this, and he said, "What exactly do you want to say, Grand Master?"
(End of this chapter)