When Zhao Xu arrived at Qingshou Palace, it was almost Shenshi.
Shenshi, also known as Bushi, has always been the time for the second meal since the Qin and Han Dynasties (people in ancient times had two meals).
The dignitaries will have tea and snacks at this time.
Similar to the modern afternoon tea format.
Usually, entertainment activities such as tea fighting are also held at this time.
Therefore, Zhao Xu greeted the two palaces and was pulled to sit down by Empress Dowager Xiang.
Then, Empress Dowager Xiang personally prepared a bowl of tea soup for Zhao Xu.
"Brother Six, try it. This is the new tea method from the Royal Kitchen."
"I added some milk to prepare it. It is said to be very popular!"
Zhao Xu took it, tasted it, and his eyes lit up.
The taste is a rich tea aroma mixed with a rich and smooth milk flavor.
how to say?
It is quite similar to modern milk tea.
However, the taste is far better than those modern milk teas that Zhao Xu has drunk.
You can understand it if you think about it!
Modern commercial milk tea uses very ordinary tea leaves.
Nowadays, the tea in the palace is all imperial tea from Jianzhou Beiyuan.
The top-grade Tuancha tea is even more expensive than its equivalent weight in gold.
"How does it taste?" Queen Mother Xiang asked with concern from the side.
"Very good!" Zhao Xu praised: "Excellent!"
Empress Dowager Xiang suddenly became happy and said: "This is a recipe presented by Zhang Gang, the imperial chef. It is said to be a new recipe used by his Yinzi restaurant in Bianjing this year. Because it was well received, it was presented to the palace."
Zhao Xu nodded as he listened.
In a citizen city with a high degree of commercialization like Bianjing.
Today, some characteristics of modern capitalism are vaguely present.
What are the characteristics of capitalism?
In modern textbooks, it has been clearly written that the bourgeoisie has erased the sacred aura of all professions that have always been respected and awe-inspiring. It has turned doctors, lawyers, priests, poets and scholars into
It pays to recruit workers.
Unfortunately, today's Bianjing City already has such a trend.
The imperial doctor who served the emperor opened a medical clinic on Ma Xing Street.
The signboard clearly reads: The prefix of Jinzi Medical Officer Pharmacy.
Naturally, it was all the business of the royal physician.
For example, Sun Qi, who has served the Zhao family for three generations, owns three large drug stores on Ma Xing Street.
Although the doctor sitting in the hall is not Sun Qi, but his apprentice and descendant.
But for these three big drug stores, it’s not too much to make a fortune every day.
If a Shezhe family in the capital wants to ask him to prescribe a prescription, Qian Guan will do it!
In addition, Qian Yi, the imperial physician next to Zhao Xu, has also opened a 'Qian Family Medical Official Pharmacy' in Bianjing City.
I heard that I also made a lot of money.
After Zhao Xu came to the throne, the situation further collapsed.
Under his instructions, the imperial chefs also embarked on the road of entrepreneurship - Zhao Xu instructed Feng Jing to arrange for the Ministry of Internal Affairs to fund the imperial chefs, and the wives/husbands of these imperial chefs (both male and female imperial chefs in the Northern Song Dynasty),
Outside, various restaurants were opened according to the palace rules, while the Ministry of Internal Affairs only needed to share half of the profits.
The imperial chef named Zhang Gang must be a member of the entrepreneurial army.
Next, wait until the elementary school and primary school in Bianjing Academy start.
The sanctity of the teaching profession will also collapse in front of Brother Kong Fang.
This subtle method of boiling a frog in warm water was extremely effective in a society like the Song Dynasty.
I am afraid that only when everything is irreversible will moralists suddenly wake up and realize that pastoral songs are a thing of the past.
In the new world, everything will depend on money.
"That's it, it's very good!" Zhao Xu said, holding the tea cup and eating the snacks.
His eating habits have always been very good.
The food will always be eaten up and nothing will be wasted.
It was the same this time. He quickly ate all the tea and snacks given to him by the Queen Mother.
Then he patted his belly and said comfortably: "So full!"
"My mother's craftsmanship is excellent!"
"If you continue like this, I'm going to gain a few more pounds!"
The Queen Mother looked at her very happily.
Those snacks and tea soup were indeed made by herself in the palace with Wen Xunniang and Di Qiang.
"As long as Brother Six likes it," said the Queen Mother Xiang, "When Brother Six grows up, my mother will be in the palace and prepare food for Brother Six every day."
"Okay!" Zhao Xu said obediently.
The Empress Dowager was listening beside her, somewhat amused.
He said, "The official family will have a Buddhist feast tomorrow. I ordered someone to make some new sets of clothes for the official family. I will try them on later to see if they fit me."
"Thank you, Mother." Zhao Xu thanked him quickly, and then asked, "Sun Chen heard that Mother wanted to test Sun Chen's homework?"
The Empress Dowager then sat up straight, became serious, and said, "This is indeed the case."
"I heard that the official family has been reading during the summer break. I wonder what books they are reading?"
Zhao Xu counted on his fingers: "Replying to my mother-in-law, Sun Chen has been reading history books in the palace in the past two months, except for visiting Kaifeng Mansion."
"I have read the Historical Records and the Han Dynasty."
Naturally, the two palaces had heard about this for a long time, but this was the first time they heard Zhao Xu personally admit that he was reading history books.
This is incredible!
It should be noted that one of the signs of the emperor's adulthood is that he can understand history books.
Especially national history!
After reading the history of the country, the emperor is generally considered to have the ability to issue orders.
So, the Empress Dowager asked: "Can officials and family members understand this?"
Zhao Xu nodded and said, "Sun Chen also wrote a lot of notes!"
He, who once ruled the world in his previous life, naturally knows the importance of history books.
In a Confucian civilized society, history books are not just carriers for recording history.
It is also a political statement.
If you understand the history books, you will also understand the politics of past dynasties.
If we could deduce the truth hidden behind the words from the words.
Then, this emperor would be qualified.
Therefore, all the wise kings of the past dynasties have read history, and they have the discipline to read a piece of history every day.
"What a blessing from our ancestors!" Empress Dowager Xiang smiled and said to the Empress Dowager: "Sixth brother is so smart and handsome, he will definitely be able to rejuvenate my Zhao family."
The Queen Mother nodded: "What the Queen Mother said is true."
So, she made a formal test of the contents of some historical records and Han books.
And Zhao Xu answered fluently.
After listening to Zhao Xu's answer, the Empress Dowager felt somewhat lonely in her heart.
Because she knew that if things continued like this, the world in which she would be able to obey the government and hold power would be much less than she expected.
I'm afraid the courtiers will be impatient before the official wedding.
I'm afraid it wouldn't be very respectable at that time.
If you want to be decent, you have to hand over your power in advance!
For her, what is comforting is that this grandson is filial and has nothing to say to the Gao family. It can be said that he thinks of the Gao family in everything and gives him all the grace he can.
As a result, the Gao family is even closer to this grandson than to her.
Gao Zunhui and Gao Gongji are the best examples.
What these two guys are doing outside is actually reported to Funing Palace first and then comes to Qingshou Palace for instructions!
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager also sighed in her heart: "The official family is a holy master with destiny."
"I've been taking care of him for two or three years, so it's time to quit..."
Even Gao's family members are closer and support this grandson.
Does anyone else need to think about it?
Thinking of this, the Empress Dowager gave the Empress Dowager Xiang a wink, and the latter understood it and said to Zhao Xu: "I heard that Sixth Brother recently issued an edict, ordering the Kaifeng Prefecture to examine the Dharma of the monks and monks in the temples in Beijing?
"
Zhao Xu nodded and said: "It is true!"
He knew that the Empress Dowager and Empress Dowager Xiang were both devout Buddhist believers.
Both palaces are in the palace and enshrine Buddha statues.
On every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month, we will eat fast and recite the Buddha's name.
When encountering the Ying Temple, the birthday or death anniversary of the late emperor, people will be sent to Taiping Xingguo Temple, Huguo Temple and Kaibao Temple to burn incense and pray for blessings.
He explained: "My son, this is based on the stories of our ancestors."
“The ancestors had a system of ‘Guaranteeing Ming’s Conduct’ to restrain the monks and strictly enforce the rules and precepts.”
"However, recently, many monks do not practice Dharma, and monks frequently suffer from the six impurities."
"The Secretary of the Kaifeng Prefecture reported that a monk who was given purple robes by the emperor gathered people in the bathhouse of Bianjing to have sexual intercourse. He even said that he was practicing meditation in the desire to walk. When faced with the criticism of others, he even said to himself, 'I am self-adjusted.
Heart, what do you want to do?"
"How can I tolerate Buddhism being so dirty and peaceful in this peaceful place?"
The two palaces listened and agreed with Zhao Xu's words.
In fact, they also hate the behavior of those great monks on the market today.
The monks do not chant sutras, but do business.
Instead of becoming a monk, monks hang around, even live with prostitutes, associate with officials, and pursue fame and fortune.
Almost all famous ministers and officials have a few monk friends.
The Empress Dowager nodded and said: "It is good for officials to strictly follow the Buddhist rules."
"It's just that many contemporary monks don't study Buddhist scriptures. If there are officials who use Buddhist scriptures to take exams, I'm afraid many people won't be able to pass..."
The monk does not understand Buddhist scriptures.
In other times, this might have been a joke.
Partially in the Song Dynasty, this is a social reality.
Because the mainstream of Buddhism in the Song Dynasty is Zen, which is idealistic and does not practice much Buddhist scriptures. It just talks about "wine and meat pass through the intestines, and the Buddha's heart remains".
Therefore, these great monks are all eloquent, and their mouths are full of charm.
But asking them to recite sutras? But it is blinding.
Especially the great monks in Bianjing, who live in a place as materialistic as Bianjing.
There is also Zen thought, which adds fuel to the fire.
The great monks are doing various activities under the banner of "Walking Meditation in Desire".
When faced with criticism from outsiders, it’s like, ‘I’m cultivating my mind, what do you know?’.
Zhao Xu didn't bother to care at all.
However, these great monks hold the treasure trove of treasure in their hands.
He was really hot-eyed.
But those great monks were neither willing to cooperate nor hand over the pledge.
This made him very embarrassed.
I have no choice but to increase their strength, seize their weaknesses, and repair them severely.
Zhao Xu then asked: "Mother, if you want to test monks, if you don't test Buddhist scriptures, what else can you test?"
"This is like the scholar-bureaucrats, if they don't take a test on the classics and meanings, how can they take a test on singing and dancing?"
The Empress Dowager was speechless after hearing this, and had no choice but to tug on Empress Dowager Xiang's sleeve.
Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to say softly: "Sixth brother, all the temples in the world were built by imperial edicts from past dynasties."
“This is especially true in Bianjing!”
"If a temple is built by decree to preside over it, the head of the monks will be the presiding officer, but the head of the monks does not practice Buddhism deeply..."
"What do people in the world think of this?"
This is true.
According to the ancestral system of the Great Song Dynasty, new temples in the world must be built with royal orders before they are allowed to exist. Otherwise, it is illegal and can be regarded as akin to obscene worship, and should be destroyed by the authorities.
The Ancestor System of the Great Song Dynasty also stipulates the "Guaranteeing the Ming Dynasty" for temples and Taoist temples all over the world.
That is to say, the abbots and monk heads of major temples must guarantee the character of the monks and nuns in the temple.
If someone commits adultery and commits a crime, he or she will be held accountable together. Generally, the blame will be shared with the offending monk or nun.
Secondly, it also regulated the source of monks.
A monk must obtain the consent of his living grandparents and parents (if not, the closest elder) and issue a document. At the same time, the temple abbot and the head of the monks must inspect the monk's body to confirm that there are no tattoos before he is allowed to become a monk.
This is to prevent criminals, deserters, and escaping into Buddhism.
Therefore, almost all temples, especially those in Bianjing City, which appeared after the founding of the People's Republic of China, were built by royal decree.
Including the ancestral temples of the Xiang family and the Gao family, the same is true.
But once the temple was built, the person in charge or the head of the monks failed to pass the exam.
The royal family would indeed be embarrassed.
It will also seriously affect the reputation of official temples - once official temples are not recognized, wild monks will rise.
Wild monks are not as easy to control and obedient as these official monks.
The mixed beliefs and schools are even more diverse.
Maybe they are people from the Maitreya Cult or even the Vegetarian Demon Cult.
That wouldn't be fun.
But Zhao Xu still insisted on his opinion. Of course, his attitude was somewhat relaxed and he said: "Mother, the son knows this."
"Therefore, the examination questions issued by Ming Seng Lu Si are also very simple Buddhist principles."
"They are mainly the contents of the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra."
"If they don't even know this..."
The Queen Mother lowered her head as she listened.
Even she knows the Shurangama Sutra and the Diamond Sutra.
But the problem is...
"Sixth brother..." Empress Dowager Xiang had no choice but to remind Zhao Xu: "Maybe you don't know something. The Song Dynasty was not exempt from the tax of temples and Taoist temples."
"The abbots and heads of monks in each temple can only be busy with the livelihood of the whole temple..."
This is a fact!
Last year, Han Jiang presided over a review of the service law and decided to exempt households below the fifth class from the service fee, and at the same time reduce it by half for households below the third class.
However, the tax reductions and exemptions did not disappear, but were passed on to monk households, female households, single households and sons-in-law.
These four types of people were also the first choice of the Song Dynasty government for tax increases.
Speaking of which, monks also have to pay taxes, which is the result of Zhou Shizong's extermination of Buddhism.
Including, the ancestral system mentioned by Zhao Xu is also the result of the summary of Zhou Shizong's policies.
Therefore, in the Song Dynasty, eminent monks never presided over temples and appeared in monks' offices.
But those unknown old monks.
For example, none of the monks convened by President Kim's Translation Court and Sutra Translation Court were presiding or the head of the monks.
The presiding officers and monk leaders were like merchants in the Song Dynasty, far better than monks.
They are all proficient in abacus, but they don't know how to chant sutras.
Many people may remember to recite "Amitabha".
Therefore, Zhao Xu's edict was aimed at the seven inches of these people.
Just deliberately trying to choke their necks.
Of course, Zhao Xu was actually just showing off.
As the Empress Dowager Xiang said - the great monks are the executors of Zhao Guan's family's religious policies.
If you get rid of them, the reputation of the official temple may be greatly reduced, which is shooting yourself in the foot.
Especially the great monks in Bianjing City, almost all of them are members of the system.
In a sense, they and Zhao Guan's family are actually in the same boat.
This is also the reason why great monks can do the quality warehouse business.
Therefore, Zhao Xu is actually playing a coward's game and applying extreme pressure.
The purpose is to force the great monks to give in and compromise.
Empress Dowager Xiang didn't know this, so she just held Zhao Xu's hand and said softly: "Sixth brother still has to consider these things, give or take at his discretion, and forgive."
Zhao Xu naturally wanted to give face to the two palaces.
Of course, this was already in his calculations. From the beginning, he had already figured out the bottom line.
He said: "Since the mother-in-law and the queen mother have said so, I will think about it again..."
“Find a way to get the best of both worlds!”
"It can not only strictly regulate the Buddhist rules and clear out a small group of unscrupulous monks who ruin the reputation of the Buddha and do not abide by the precepts, but at the same time do not harm those who truly worship the Buddha sincerely."
The emperor issued an edict.
If there is no flag-sacrifice, where will the emperor put his face?
Naturally, we need to capture a few typical people to come out and offer sacrifices to the flag!
At the same time, it also kills the chicken to show the monkeys, so that the great monks can know how powerful it is.
Of course, this matter is actually the same as the story of Journey to the West.
There is a background and a backer.
There are Buddhas and Taoist ancestors interceding for mercy.
Those who don't have heels can only blame themselves for their bad luck and have to walk under the golden cudgel.
When the two palaces heard Zhao Xu's statement, they immediately laughed.
After all, they actually don't care much about the affairs of the great monks.
The reason why they intervened in this matter was based on their own reasons.
It's also a matter of face.
Others came to ask for help, so I had no choice but to help and talk.
After all, those temples had decades of connections with the Gao family and the Xiang family. In addition, what they said made sense, so they chose to help.
