Chapter 112 The Empress Dowager: Xiang Zonghui, the beautiful official of Gao Gongji
It’s settled! I said so!
Zhao Xu almost figured out the matter without spending much effort.
Sima Guang wrote a letter in a eloquent manner, listing examples of wise rulers in the past dynasties who refused to appoint relatives.
He also listed examples of these wise kings who killed relatives who violated the law and manipulated powerful officials.
Finally, he changed the topic and said: I am a fool who cannot fully understand the affairs of the world. I have recently submitted a memorial and begged for a memorial to open up a way for him to speak out. I hope that the two palaces will be kind enough to implement it in advance.
After reading Sima Guang's letter, Zhao Xu comforted the Empress Dowager: "Mother, Sima Gong didn't say anything about the two close relatives..."
Empress Dowager Xiang looked at the child and sighed: "Brother Six, what else do you want him to say?"
"He told the story about the story that Princess Guantao, the sister of Emperor Ming of the Han Dynasty, asked for an official position for her son, but Emperor Ming refused and gave him tens of millions of dollars..."
"It was also said that although Song Gaozu Liu Yu served Empress Dowager Xiao filially, he also refused to be appointed by the Empress Dowager to appoint his son Liu Daolian..."
"He even mentioned the example of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty killing Princess Longli's son, Lord Changping..."
As she spoke, Empress Dowager Xiang shed tears and looked at Zhao Xu: "Sima Gong is well-known in the world. Now that he is outspoken in his advice, Sixth Brother might as well obey..."
"Otherwise, how will the people in the world talk about my mother and son? They will say that Sixth Brother is a nepotist and treats Sixth Brother with a bad reputation..."
To Empress Dowager Xiang, Xiang Zonghui's beautiful officials were certainly very good.
But it would not be good if people in the world criticized them for their mother and son giving and receiving privately in the palace, and being labeled as nepotism.
What people say is scary!
The Empress Dowager Xiang was not willing to lose the hearts of the Xiang family for a small profit and have the Xiang family be considered 'corrupt' in public opinion.
That's not good!
However, she didn't know why, but she was very hesitant on this matter, so she did not go directly to Baoci Palace to discuss with the Empress Dowager. Instead, after getting a copy of the petition, she guarded the small official's house in Kunning Palace.
Of course, at the same time, Empress Dowager Xiang was also a little angry. She was angry at Sima Guang for mercilessly intervening and talking about the internal affairs of the royal family. In Empress Dowager Xiang's view, Sima Guangming could obviously talk about it in private, so why should such things be written down in the book?
In a public petition?
This makes her really embarrassed!
It seemed as if she, the Queen Mother, took advantage of Sixth Brother's benevolence and filial piety to benefit the Xiang family.
Zhao Xu saw the hesitation between Queen Mother Xiang's brows, guessed it, and said softly: "But... Queen Mother... this is the first time that my son has appointed a minister after he ascended the throne..."
"The sages all say: There is no beginning and no end!"
"Now, every time I appoint a minister for the first time, it will always be like this... How can there be a happy ending in the future?"
Raising her head to the Queen Mother, she finally understood the reason for her hesitation.
yes!
That was the first time Brother Six appointed a minister!
If the emperor appoints ministers for the first time, they will not be implemented.
In the future, will Sixth Brother's edict still be respected?
Can Brother Six still be able to take charge of this world?!
This is the key!
This is the point!
What happened to Sima Guang?
He has studied Zizhi Tongjian and is familiar with ancient and modern stories. How come he doesn’t even know this?
So the Queen Mother suppressed her tears, wiped her cheeks, hugged Zhao Xu and said, "Don't worry, Sixth Brother, no matter what, the Queen Mother will never let Sixth Brother be looked down upon!"
If the emperor were to be deprived of even the power to appoint ministers.
Then who is the emperor?
…
Bao Ci Palace.
The Empress Dowager was also looking at the letter from Sima Guang that had just been submitted by Tongjian Division.
"Sima Guang, what on earth are you going to do?"
Compared with the Empress Dowager Xiang, the Empress Dowager has a much hotter temper.
So Queen Mother Xiang could only cry in front of Zhao Xu.
But the Empress Dowager was already livid.
"Who is he talking about when he accuses mulberry trees and scolds huai trees?"
"I didn't say anything last time in Bianjing, but today I suddenly mentioned it..."
"Is he blackmailing me?"
She looked at the end of Sima Guang's letter and actually said, "I am begging for an edict to open up a way for you to speak out, and I hope that the two palaces will grant it and implement it early."
A few days ago, Dutang Ming issued the edict to the world. Did he not see it in Luoyang, or did he not know how to read it?
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager recalled that day when she wanted to rape the rebellious minister Ma Wanggui.
As a result, Sima Guang refused to give in and even stood up to her!
As a result, her anger became even greater.
At the side of the Empress Dowager, who should have persuaded and guided the Empress Dowager in a timely manner, turned to Sima Guang's ministers Liang Weijian and Zhang Shiliang, but at this time they kept their mouths tightly closed and did not say a word.
These two big Diao Dang, who had spoken all the good words for Sima Guang's path to power in Zhao Xu's previous life, are silent now for a simple reason - the Municipal Affairs Bureau has been abolished and the Embankment Department has also been abolished.
They and the nephews behind them are already satisfied.
In this case, why take the risk to say good things to Sima Guang?
Will Sima Guang give them money?
Not really!
Finally, Zhang Maoze, who had just been promoted to the post of Ning Guojun Lieutenant, began to persuade him: "Madam, please calm down. Maybe Sima Gong is not talking about the two close relatives?"
"My Majesty, why don't you recruit Sima Gong to the capital and ask him face to face..."
"If it doesn't work, you can also ask Grand Master Wen to come and take a look..."
The Queen Mother gradually calmed down.
"Forget it!" She sighed: "I'll ask him face to face..."
After saying that, he was about to send someone to ask the Queen Mother to discuss the matter in Baoci Palace.
At this time, Queen Mother Xiang's voice came from outside the palace: "My Lady, the bride has something to discuss..."
The Queen Mother immediately stood up: "I am about to invite the Queen Mother for discussion!"
So he ordered someone to invite Empress Dowager Xiang in.
As soon as Empress Dowager Xiang entered the palace, she saw the expression on the face of the concubine. She bowed politely, asked the concubine to greet the empress, and said, "The empress is also worried about the letter from Sima Gong?"
The Queen Mother nodded.
The Empress Dowager Xiang said: "The bride was still discussing with the officials just now, whether we can withdraw Xiang Zonghui's mission for material reasons..."
The Queen Mother looked at her daughter-in-law.
Withdrawn?
Will Sima Guang be over her in the future?
Will she have to obey Sima Guang’s orders in the future?
Who is the king? Who is the minister?
The Empress Dowager said with a livid face: "How can outsiders comment on my family's affairs?"
She still thought about Sima Guang's merciless confrontation in the palace that day.
I have to say that this is a matter of perspective.
Without Zhao Xu's operations, without Zhao Xu's arrangements to send Xihe back to Zong, Gao Gongji.
Now, the Empress Dowager's trust in Sima Guang will reach an unparalleled level!
But now, because of Wang Gui's incident and Gao Gongji's mission.
The Empress Dowager, no matter how she reads Sima Guang's letter, she feels that he is insinuating me! He is saying that I am nepotistic! He is even threatening me!
"Your Majesty..." Queen Mother Xiang sat down in front of Queen Mother Gao and said softly: "These are all small details..."
"Um?"
"Mother, do you know what Brother Six said?"
The Queen Mother looked at Queen Mother Xiang quietly.
He sighed to the Queen Mother: "Sixth Brother said: This is the first time he has appointed a minister..."
"All the saints taught him: There is no beginning and no end!"
The Empress Dowager's face turned pale.
Yes! There is no beginning and no end!
If the emperor appoints ministers for the first time after he ascends the throne, they will not be implemented.
Who will take the Emperor seriously in the future?
The laws of the imperial court and the system of the country will be gone!
Today I agreed to Sima Guang's request, and more Sima Guang will appear in the future.
Then……
The Empress Dowager is the daughter of the Jiangmen family, so naturally something will happen to her.
In the chaotic times at the end of the Tang Dynasty, feudal towns were divided!
Everywhere will be local vassal towns that do their own thing and do not listen to propaganda!
In the Tang Dynasty, they were called Jiedu envoys, and in the Song Dynasty, they were probably called Jinglue envoys and transfer envoys.
Therefore, the Empress Dowager said directly: "The officials are right!"
"Whatever Sima Guang wants to say, just let him say it!"
"Xiang Zonghui, they are determined to be Gao Gongji's beautiful official!"
"That's what I said! He, Sima Guang, has the guts to continue to say that I and the Queen Mother are nepotistic, and he can continue to frighten me with examples of the wise kings of the past dynasties who killed their relatives!"
"I want to see whether the world in this world listens to him, Sima Guang, or to the officials!"
He actually called Sima Guang by his first name and didn't even give him any respect.
Queen Mother Xiang was shocked when she saw the Queen Mother's reaction, and quickly persuaded her: "Your Majesty, please calm down... Your Majesty, please calm down..."
"Sima Gong is a famous person in the world and a model gentleman. He is also the teacher and guardian left by Emperor Daxing to Sixth Brother..."
It's okay if the Empress Dowager didn't persuade her. Once she did, the Empress Dowager stood up.
"Without him Sima Guang, will the world be in chaos?"
"There is also Taishi Wen in the court...and Mr. Lu in Yangzhou..."
"They are all the assistant ministers chosen by the Daxing Emperor for the officials!"
At the end of the article, Sima Guang wrote a letter from Luoyang on the 17th day of April (the 17th day of the 4th month of the lunar month) (historically it was the 21st day of Jiashen). Here, due to the butterfly effect, it was a few days ahead of schedule.
