Chapter 243 Shooting yourself in the foot
"I have a few words to say to Your Highness. Is it convenient for Your Highness?" Sima Guang asked.
Zhao Xing really wanted to say that he was inconvenient, but looking at Sima Guang's attitude, even if he could send him away this time, he would often bother him in the future.
Some people may find it unbelievable that a mere minister would have the guts to pester the prince?
There were not many such people in other dynasties, but there were quite a few in the Song Dynasty.
Because they co-governed the country with the literati, the ministers of the Song Dynasty respected the emperor and the crown prince, but they lacked the fear of imperial power that existed in other dynasties.
Especially for someone like Sima Guang who is stubborn and insists on his own opinions, he will do it once he thinks it is the right thing to do.
"Let's get on the carriage and talk." Zhao Xing said, pointing to the carriage.
"Yes!" Sima Guang replied.
Zhao Xing took Sima Guang on a carriage. His carriage was very spacious, about ten square meters and more than two meters high, like a small room. People did not need to bend down to walk in it.
There is a cubicle toilet inside the carriage, and the outer room is arranged like a small living room.
There was a soft rosewood Arhat bed on the upper part, and a bronze incense burner on each side, from which wafted the scent of sandalwood, which smelled very pleasant.
Zhao Xing came and sat on the soft couch at the top, and asked Sima Guang to sit down. After the palace maids served tea, Zhao Xing sent everyone away, leaving only Sanshui to serve.
"I have also read Junshi's articles such as "Emperor Gaozu of Han Beheads Ding Gong", "Gan Luo", "Fan Ju", and "Qin Pitted Zhao's Army". I have always wanted to discuss them with Junshi, but I never had the chance. I have some doubts. Can Junshi help me solve them?" Zhao Xing said with a smile.
He had indeed read these articles, not just those by Sima Guang, but also some articles by famous people like Fan Daxianggong and the Three Su brothers. He read some of them in his spare time.
Sima Guang wrote many articles about historical figures and allusions.
The article also adds some of his views on those characters and allusions.
The "Zizhi Tongjian" that has been passed down to later generations has not yet been compiled, but there are some signs of it.
However, Zhao Xing raised this not because he really wanted to discuss this with Sima Guang, but because he wanted to change the subject.
Zhao Xing felt that as a man of letters, he was somewhat proud of his articles and poems.
As a prince himself, he first praised him and then asked for advice. It was normal for Sima Guang to talk to him when he was happy.
After chatting for a while, I can find an excuse to send Sima Guang away.
"I came here this time to talk to Your Highness about something else. It is an honor for Your Highness to read my articles. If Your Highness has any questions, I can go to the East Palace to explain them to Your Highness from time to time."
Sima Guang was not carried away by Zhao Xing's flattery, but remained very calm instead.
Zhao Xing heard this and said helplessly: "I wonder what Junshi wants to tell me?"
"Your Highness, the laws of our ancestors cannot be changed. Please abolish the Qingmiao Law!" Sima Guang said.
Zhao Xing frowned slightly and said, "The Book of Changes says: 'When you are in trouble, you must change. Change will lead to success. Reform is a strategy for self-strengthening and peace for all generations. Without changing the old laws, there will be no governance. I believe that there is no law that will not change for a hundred years. Do you agree?"
"Your Highness also said that there is no law that remains unchanged for a hundred years, which shows that whether or not to reform is not the key. When the rituals and music of the Spring and Autumn Period collapsed, the world was in chaos. I also know that the Song Dynasty has many accumulated problems, but reform is not the only way to solve them. I believe that the key to solving these problems lies in governing people. If everyone abides by the rules, it doesn't matter whether the policy is good or bad. Do you agree, Your Highness?" Sima Guang said.
What Zhao Xing just said was to try to convince Sima Guang, and Sima Guang's words were the same.
Sima Guang was not convinced by Zhao Xing, and Zhao Xing naturally could not be convinced by Sima Guang's few words.
Zhao Xing did not have a good impression of Sima Guang, and this impression came from later history.
Zhao Xing was not very familiar with the history of the Song Dynasty, and his general impression of Sima Guang was that he was pedantic, conservative, and inflexible.
However, Sima Guang's words just now made Zhao Xing have a different understanding of Sima Guang.
In Zhao Xing's original idea, Sima Guang was probably conservative and therefore opposed the reform.
But now it seems that Sima Guang was not particularly conservative.
The purpose of political reform is to solve the accumulated problems. In Sima Guang's view, political reform is not necessary to solve the accumulated problems.
The cause of the accumulated problems is not the laws but the people, so it is better to govern the people than to change the laws.
As long as officials follow the rules, even bad policies can be changed into good ones. But if officials do not follow the rules, good policies can also become bad ones.
Zhao Xing actually agreed with this point, but not completely.
In Zhao Xing's view, although Wang Anshi and Sima Guang had different political views, their goal was to solve the long-standing problems of the Song Dynasty.
But both of them were too extreme. Wang Anshi only wanted to solve the problem through the system, while Sima Guang only wanted to solve it through the administration of officials.
Zhao Xing felt that the best solution was to combine the two.
The system is dead, but people are alive. No matter how perfect the system is, if people do not change, there will always be loopholes that can be exploited.
If we only focus on the administration of officials without changing some systems, the action will not be big and will not have any effect.
Of course, both of them have some ideals, but they are stubborn and find it difficult to listen to others.
Zhao Xing did not tell Sima Guang these things. Through the simple communication just now, Zhao Xing could see that Sima Guang was a man whose thoughts were fixed and could not be convinced by just a few words.
After a moment of silence, Zhao Xing said, "The Qingmiao Law is not a reform."
"Uh…"
Sima Guang was confused by Zhao Xing's words, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that the Qingmiao Law was indeed not a reform, because it did not exist before, so how could it be changed?
Strictly speaking, the Qingmiao Law is a new law. As for whether new laws can be added, it seems that there is no such provision.
Emperors of all dynasties have added some new laws without changing the regulations set by their ancestors.
Zhao Xing smiled secretly in his heart, but said calmly: "When you are in a position, you should plan your policies. It is not your business whether to reform the law or not. You are overstepping your bounds by telling me this."
Through simple communication, Zhao Xing had already figured out Sima Guang's character and had a way to deal with him.
Sima Guang was a man who was deeply influenced by Confucianism, with etiquette, benevolence, wisdom and trustworthiness deeply rooted in his bones, and he was very abiding by the rules. Zhao Xing had no doubt that if he ascended the throne in the future and ordered Sima Guang to commit suicide, he would do it.
Because the king orders his subject to die, the subject has to die. This is the rule.
It is useless to reason with this kind of person. He is stubborn and cannot be convinced.
Just tell him the rules and he will follow them as long as they are there.
"I am the co-director of the Censorate. It is my duty to advise the prince and I have never exceeded that limit," Sima Guang said solemnly.
"Uh…"
Now it was Zhao Xing's turn to be dumbfounded.
But there is nothing wrong with what Sima Guang said. Judging from the official position he held, it does not seem to be an overstep.
"I will think about your words carefully when I get back," Zhao Xing said.
Zhao Xing had already made up his mind to go back and ask his father to change Sima Guang's official position.
As long as he doesn't serve as a censor, assign him another official position and see what he has to say when the time comes.
"Then I will take my leave first!" Sima Guang stood up and bowed.
"Sanshui, please see Junshi off for me." Zhao Xing ordered.
After seeing Sima Guang off, Zhao Xing pondered for a while, got off the carriage and entered the palace again.
When the emperor learned that Zhao Xing had returned, he was very confused. After Zhao Xing told him his purpose, the emperor shook his head and said, "You think things are too simple. All officials in the world have the right to write letters to advise the emperor. I remember this Sima Guang. When he was in office before, he would write letters to advise me whenever there was any disturbance in the court. He served as the co-director of the Censorate. In just two or three years, he wrote me more than a hundred letters. I never get tired of hearing his words."
It takes more than a hundred times of treatment in two or three years, with an average of one treatment every ten days.
At first glance, it doesn't seem like much.
However, given Sima Guang's position, he was not required to report everything in writing.
In many cases, you can meet with the officials directly and give them advice in person.
The reason for submitting a memorial was that a few words were not enough to make one's point. As a subject, one could not give a long speech to the emperor, so one could only write a memorial, citing classics, and present it to the emperor.
Even though the emperor had a kind character, he was still very annoyed by Sima Guang's treatment.
"Is there such a thing? Why have I never heard of it? Since my father is annoyed with him, why does he still let him serve in the Censorate?" Zhao Xing asked puzzledly.
He really didn't know that Sima Guang had such a record.
Logically speaking, Sima Guang's military achievements should have spread throughout Bianliang long ago.
Besides, since the emperor is annoyed with him, it would be better to demote Sima Guang to a lower level so that he can out of sight and out of mind.
But my father brought the person to my side.
"This person is very talented. If he were to hold a local office, the memorial he submitted would need to be submitted to the Secretariat first. But it is different for the censors, whose memorials are sent directly to me." said the emperor.
After Zhao Xing thought about it for a moment, he understood what his father meant.
Sima Guang was a talented man, and what he said in his memorial made sense and won the approval of many people.
The contents of the note would be spread through the Shangshu Tai.
If the emperor does not adopt it, there will inevitably be criticism.
It’s different with the Censorate. The letter was sent directly to my father. As long as my father ignored it, no one else would know.
Unless Sima Guang himself spread it everywhere.
But given Sima Guang's temperament, he would not do such a thing.
"Then we can only let him continue to stay in the Censorate?" Zhao Xing frowned.
"No, there is another good place." The official smiled.
"Where?" Zhao Xing was delighted when he heard that.
"Eastern Palace!" said the official.
"what?"
Zhao Xing was stunned when he heard this, wondering if he was shooting himself in the foot.
The emperor was already annoyed with Sima Guang, so he had to keep him by his side.
Now Sima Guang was thrown to him.
Why is the East Palace a good place to go?
This is because the Eastern Palace and the imperial court are two different teams.
Court officials could concurrently hold official positions in the Eastern Palace, but they could also only hold official positions in the Eastern Palace.
If he only holds an official position in the Eastern Palace, he will be his subordinate.
The matters he is in charge of are all related to the crown prince, and he is not directly responsible for court duties, so he cannot trouble the emperor.
"Father, I came to you to ask you to stop bothering me. Why did you leave him to me?" Zhao Xing said with a sad face.
"I was a little worried about you, but I feel relieved with him watching over me." The emperor said with a smile.
(End of this chapter)