However, these "best" civil servants, while fulfilling their duties, still do not forget to eliminate dissidents who threaten their status...
Sitting on the rickety flat-bottomed boat, Chen Ke could clearly smell that in addition to the smell of dampness and decay, there was also a strong smell of conspiracy in the air.
About three days ago, when he and his classmates were visiting disaster-stricken citizens, he heard people everywhere talking about a rumor.
The place where the rumor originated was Daxiangguo Temple, and the person involved was Di Qing, Di Hanchen, the Privy Councilor of the Song Dynasty...
Water and fire are ruthless, and the Dragon Prince will not let the water avoid flooding your home just because you are the generalissimo. Di Qing and a large number of dignitaries also had their homes flooded. They had no choice but to move to higher ground. Many families chose
He borrowed the residences of his colleagues, and some even lived in military camps. But Di Qing did not bother his colleagues, nor did he return to the military camp where he was born. Instead, he moved to Xiangguo Temple.
Xiangguo Temple is the famous Xiangguo Temple. Although at this time, the fat monk named Lu had not yet come to the temple to see the vegetable garden, it was already known to everyone in the Song Dynasty and even in East Asia, and everyone yearned for it.
Yes. But it's not because of its high religious status, but because this place is so prosperous...
As fellow fellows from Henan, the monks of Daxiangguo Temple are definitely the predecessors and teachers of Shaolin monks. A dignified Buddhist temple is actually the most famous commercial trading center and goods distribution center in the Song Dynasty. As the national temple of the Song Dynasty, it covers an area of 1,000 acres
There are so many monks' rooms scattered here and there, and the atrium can accommodate ten thousand people. It is a rare commodity trading place in Bianjing City. 'All business and travel transactions are gathered here, and the goods from the world are piled up in the mountains and clouds, dazzling people's eyes'. Don't
Speaking of the merchants of the Song Dynasty, even overseas merchants came here because of their reputation.
The monks in the temple not only did not reject these commercial activities, but actively participated in them. They started leading transactions and taking commissions from the economic business. They made a lot of money and were as rich as the country. At this time, the largest business in the world
Where is the exchange? There is no doubt that it is Daxiangguo Temple!
Compared with the predecessors of the Song Dynasty, the Shaolin Temple is simply weak. Ashin, you have to work harder!
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Judging from the economic status of the Song Dynasty in the world, Xiangguo Temple is like Wall Street in the United States.
Such an extremely prosperous business district is firstly lively, secondly noisy, and thirdly civilian businessmen gather, which means that no high-ranking officials or dignitaries will escape from the floods here. Di Qing chose this place to find peace in the midst of the hustle and bustle, away from those
A civil servant with malicious intentions should stay away from the political atmosphere that suffocates him.
What's more, there are countless common people here. Here, he can feel comfortable and respected, so Di Qing took his family and moved to Xiangguo Temple.
The national idol of the Song Dynasty, the dignified Prime Minister, actually came to Xiangguo Temple. Naturally, the monks in the temple were extremely happy. They gave up the best Zen room for Di Qing's family to live in, and no one was allowed to spread the news.
However, in a crowded place like Daxiangguo Temple, his whereabouts were quickly exposed. From then on, every move of this national idol was under the gaze of thousands of eyes. Some legends about him,
It also quickly spread in Bianjing City.
People say that Di Qing can often be seen walking around in the main hall of Xiangguo Temple in the middle of the night, and he is wearing a yellow robe. In fact, the truth is that Di Qing did not want to attract attention, so he borrowed a monk's robe.
It is worn on the body, and the color of the monk's robe is earthy yellow, which is known to all three-year-old children.
However, the escalation of the news in the market is unmatched. In a blink of an eye, it turned into Di Qing wearing a yellow robe and entering the palace... Before the rumors of the 'yellow robe', people had rumors that there were strange lights shining in the sky at night in Di Qing's house. In fact, it was Di Qing.
The housekeeper was having a ritual ceremony at home, but he forgot to report it to the Kaifeng Mansion... The next day, the news spread throughout Bianjing, saying, "There are strange lights in Privy Di's house at night."
In addition, it is said that the Di Qing family's dog suddenly grew horns. There is also a song in the streets and alleys that "a man looks like a beard and a beard looks like a man, but his appearance is always ordinary, only by the Fenchuan River"... Ordinarily Marshal Di
There are naturally countless interesting anecdotes about such a super celebrity, and the citizens only regard these rumors as a source of conversation after dinner.
But Chen Ke smelled a strong atmosphere of conspiracy... In his opinion, these absurd rumors would touch the most sensitive nerves of the emperor!
The person wearing the yellow robe was Zhao Kuangyin, the great ancestor of the Taizu. When Cao Lili was in power for a while, his nephew was framed and cooked to death for wearing a light yellow coat. Cao Liang was also demoted to Fengling and was forced to do so on the road.
He committed suicide, which shows the emperor's sensitivity to this color...
And when Zhu Wen, who usurped the Tang Dynasty and became independent, before he made his fortune, there were strange lights in the house in the middle of the night. The neighbors thought it was on fire and rushed to put out the fire, but nothing happened. This was very similar to what happened at Di Qing's house.
Like. Coincidentally, Wugou, where Zhu Wen lived, was where Di Qing's mansion was located.
Zhu Wen was a rebel, so the meaning behind these rumors was too obvious; as for the dog with long horns, they were auspicious, and reminded of a series of strange phenomena in the family before Emperor Taizu usurped the throne, so he almost hung one on the door of Di Qing's house
'Open for rebellion' sign.
As for that ballad, it directly branded Di Qing as a foreigner who is not one of my own race and whose hearts must be different. How much hatred must be required to create such a ballad?
If these incidents occurred in isolation, it could only be said to be a coincidence, but now, one after another, in a very hierarchical manner, pointing to the same person, it cannot but be explained that someone is adding fuel to the flames behind this...
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"Di Hanchen is indeed in a worrying situation..." Ouyang Xiu's affairs were also very heavy. After a few days, he finally got a half-day holiday and asked Chen Ke to row out in a boat and go fishing with him to a place with few people.
After listening to Chen Ke talk about his worries, Ouyang Xiu said without hesitation: "Liu Chang, who knew the imperial edict, had listed all the strange things about Di Qing, written them into memorials, and finally summarized them into one theme - there are many opinions today, although they are not sufficient.
Believe, you should have no worries. It is better to bear the youth than to bear the country.'
"Shameless!" Chen Ke said with a sinking face: "How can you be so shameless?"
"Alas," Ouyang Xiu sighed, threw out the fishing line and said, "In fact, all the officials in the capital have this kind of worry, Liu Chang just expressed it."
"Does the teacher also have such worries?" Chen Ke asked in a deep voice.
"I..." Ouyang Xiu fixedly looked at the fish float, shook his head and said, "Of course I believe Di Hanchen is loyal."
"..." Chen Ke breathed a sigh of relief. If Ouyang Xiu didn't stand by Di Qing's side, there would be no hope.
But he heard Ouyang Xiu continue: "Actually, among all the officials in the court, I can't find anyone who thinks that Di Hanchen will rebel." After a pause, he sighed quietly and said: "But you have to understand that officialdom is like this.
, the arguments put on the table are often excuses used to cover up the true purpose.”
"I understand this," Chen Ke nodded and said, "Someone just wants to kill Marshal Di."
"Yes." Ouyang Xiu nodded and said, "Someone just wants to drive him away."
"Why are you targeting Marshal Di?" Although he had guessed it a long time ago, the feeling of being confirmed was very bad. Chen Ke said angrily: "He is not the first general to become the Privy Councilor!"
"None of those generals have the same great military exploits, high prestige, and young age as Di Qing. What's more, now that another privy councilor, Wang Yuanfu, is also a military general, it will naturally cause concern among the civil servants... Could this be the beginning of a separate civil war between civil servants and military generals?"
"Marshal Di is the idol of civilians and military men. If he is expelled like this without any fault, who will work for the government anymore?" Chen Ke said coldly.
"This is the reason why he was expelled." Ouyang Xiu said with a mocking smile: "The one who wins the first prize outside the Donghua Gate is a good man. How can you let a warrior take away all the glory?"
"What does the teacher think?"
"Di Qing is a loyal and meritorious minister, and the court should treat him well." Ouyang Xiu said without thinking.
"Teacher, are you going to write a letter to refute Liu Chang?" Chen Ke asked curiously.
"It is natural to refute," Ouyang Xiu said calmly: "But now that the entire officialdom is full of hostility towards him, what is the use of Di Hanchen forcing him to stay? It is better to go to the local area and be a free and easy-going military governor.
In the past few years, people employed by the imperial court will naturally think of him again."
"Teacher..." Chen Ke's breathing became heavy. If the other party hadn't been Ouyang Xiu, whom he had always respected, Chen Ke would have hit him with a fishing rod.
"You don't know how Di Hanchen became Privy Councilor for the past four years." Ouyang Xiu looked at him and saw the indignation on his face. He sighed softly: "If it had been me, I would have taken the initiative to invite you."
If you resign, even if you become a county magistrate in Lijing, you won't be affected by this cowardice."
"I know..." Chen Ke said softly: "He has been ostracized by his colleagues. He has never had a say in major court affairs. Even his subordinates dare to openly provoke him."
"Yes." Ouyang Xiu nodded and said, "People in the world are only tired of fame, but Di Qing is a little too obsessed with fame and fortune. What will happen if he throws away this official position? Wouldn't he feel relaxed?"
This is not Ouyang Xiu's sarcastic remarks, but the common thinking of the scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty. When they are officials, they are satisfied with what they say. If they are comfortable with the job as a Beijing official, they just stay. If they are not comfortable, they ask for external transfer... Anyway, you can get a lot of salary for every penny.
, and you don’t have to sleep in early in the morning.
Chen Ke thought about it and felt that Ouyang Xiu was right... Besides, he had advised Di Qing in the same way back then. Why did he want to be that Privy Councilor? Aren't he asking for trouble?
"Then teacher, what are you going to do?"
"I will also write a memorial to refute Liu Chang." Ouyang Xiu paused and said, "At the same time, I suggest that the officials dismiss Di Hanchen from the post of prime minister."
"..." Chen Ke was silent for a long time and said quietly: "How do you think the historians will write this paragraph a thousand years later?"