After the first lunar month, there was a heavy snowfall near the village.
Zhang Yue wore a raincoat and returned to the village with Tang Jiu from Xishan Temple. Zhang Yue walked along the mountain road and enjoyed the snowy scenery while drinking wine. In the wine gourd in his hand was the Huangjing wine he bought with a Taoist in the mountains a few days ago.
After living in the mountains for several months, Zhang Yue also slightly grew a short beard, becoming less formal and more unruly as he stayed away from officialdom.
When they arrived in front of the manor, they saw a carriage parked outside the door.
Zhang Yue took off his raincoat and was about to ask the banker who the visitor was?
But he saw a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties wearing a green robe standing in front of him.
Zhang Yue couldn't help being flattered when he saw the other party. He smiled and stepped forward to salute: "I don't know that Sima Gong arrived at the humble residence. It is really a long way to welcome him."
This middle-aged man was Sima Guang, who smiled and said: "Du Zhi, this is really a good place."
Zhang Yue said with a smile: "If Mr. Sima likes it, I can stay here. I'm just afraid that it will delay my official business."
Sima Guang shook his head.
Zhang Yue asked: "What?"
Sima Guang sighed: "I can't say enough."
Hearing this, Zhang Yue understood that Sima Guang would not go to the Three Treasures Hall for nothing, so he must have something to say here, so he smiled and said: "Then slowly, I have Huangjing wine brewed by the mountain Taoist... I almost forgot about Sima Guang."
It doesn’t matter if you don’t drink alcohol, the chicken, duck and fish here are quite fresh, please let me do my best as a landlord.”
Sima Guang laughed and said, "Excuse me, but a simple meal will be fine. I'm used to having a simple diet."
Immediately Zhang Yue and Sima Guang sat across from each other in the house.
Zhang Yue smiled. After he was dismissed from office, Han Qi guaranteed his return with the northwest military service, but the emperor did not agree. Sima Guang went to the official family and said that Zhang Yue would not be rewarded for his merits and would be punished for minor mistakes. Han Zhi would not be punished for his mistakes.
, is it okay to be rewarded for no merit?
Sima Guang spoke out righteously, and Lu Hui also spoke out, but the officials ignored the public discussion and public opinion.
Zhang Yue said: "Sima Gong spoke uprightly before, but I haven't stopped yet."
Sima Guang waved his hand and said: "Don't thank me, I don't care about this when I work."
Sima Guang paused and said: "Today, I really have something to ask of you."
Zhang Yue said: "Sima Gong, please speak!"
Sima Guang said: "Do you still remember when I was chatting with you about compiling a history book?"
Zhang Yue said: "I remember that at that time, Sima Gong and I served together with the late Emperor Jingyan. Sima Gong once told me that there are so many historical records on Taoism that it is difficult for scholars to read them all. He wanted to summarize the essentials and write a history book."
Sima Guang smiled slightly and said: "By the way, after Fan Jingren went out before, I have now stepped down from my post of admonishment. I wanted to plead with Your Majesty to leave Bianjing and go to Xijing to spend the rest of my life, but the official's kindness did not agree."
"It just so happened that I had always intended to write a history book, so I took this as a reminder, and the officials gave me permission to build a bookstore in Chongwen Academy."
After speaking, Sima Guang smiled and said: "Remembering the discussion of history with Du Zhi, I am still not as good as you. Your extensive knowledge and strong memory are unparalleled today, so I took the liberty to come here. How about you help me?"
Zhang Yue suddenly realized that Sima Guang meant this.
It turns out that Sima Guang is currently in the same situation as himself, being marginalized by the officials.
But officials like Zhang Yue and Sima Guang, who have made great contributions to making decisions, retain a certain degree of dignity and treatment even if they are marginalized.
For example, Zhang Yue's salary will be paid as usual, and it doesn't matter if you don't come to work.
As for Sima Guang being better than himself, after all, his contribution was greater than mine in the beginning.
Sima Guang was removed from his remonstrance position, and the officials still had to pretend to retain him. Don't you like to study books? I will let you organize a bureau in Chongwen Academy to concentrate on studying books, but don't bother me with other things.
Zhang Yue couldn't help but chuckle after hearing Sima Guang's treatment. I didn't expect that you, Sima Guang, would sit on the bench with me, and then invite me to study history together today. If his expectations were correct, what Sima Guang invited him to study was to be...
Later generations called it the imperial textbook Zizhi Tongjian.
Sima Guang took out the crudely edited history book and gave it to him. Zhang Yue was filled with admiration when he saw it, and said to Sima Guang: "Okay, okay, Mr. Sima's intention is really good."
Sima Guang asked: "Oh, I don't dare to take it seriously. In fact, I came here today to hear your opinions."
Zhang Yue said: "I dare not take my opinion seriously. The general history compiled by Sima Gong should be recorded year by year. It is said that events tie the day, days tie the seasons, and times tie the years."
Sima Guang nodded and said: "Of course. I plan to write a history book starting from the 23rd year of King Weilie of Zhou Dynasty and ending with the conquest of Huainan in the 6th year of Emperor Xiande's reign of Later Zhou Dynasty."
Zhang Yue said: "This is the Spring and Autumn Period, the style of Zuo Zhuan."
There are two main types of history books: one is the chronological style, and the other is the biographical style.
For example, the Twenty-Four Histories that we read in later generations are in the biographical style, while the Zizhi Tongjian that Sima Guang planned to compile is in the chronological style.
Zhang Yuedao: "For example, the Han Dynasty Book of History uses characters as its length, and talks about emperors, generals, and heroes... Most historians in the future have such books, and the New Tang Dynasty Book written by Ouyang's participation in politics has such themes and views.
History can learn about personal successes and failures, but it is difficult to see the general picture and take an overall view."
Sima Guang nodded slightly when he heard this.
Zhang Yue said: "It's like when we read the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, if we look at Zhuge's Northern Expedition, he came out of Qishan Mountain, trained for half a year, and then attacked in a few months, another year, and another three years. Why is it so confusing?"
"But reading the general history that records the years like this, we can see that the first attack was due to the new emperor of Wei coming to the throne, the second attack was because Cao Xiu was defeated by Shiting, and the third... By comparing it like this, we can know the beginning and end of the war.
"
"In a nutshell, you can understand people by reading history, and you can understand things by reading Sima Gong's book. As the saying goes, he who does not plan for the future is not enough to plan for a moment, and he who does not plan for the overall situation is not enough to plan for a city. With this book, all kings will let go
It’s at Eucalyptus.”
What Zhang Yue said is why Zizhi Tongjian has the status of an imperial book.
Just like the processing of information events, a year's affairs are very complicated. How to capture the details from so much information to make the right decision.
This has been the case for the political elites who have governed the country for thousands of years. Countless people often give you advice every day. It is very easy to be wise after the fact. Once you do something wrong, countless people will tell you, why don't you listen?
My advice in advance, but what did you do beforehand.
Therefore, after processing all the opinions and information, the final decision must be made by the top leader.
This is the highest level strategic issue.
Read Zizhi Tongjian and learn how our ancestors made decisions in such situations.
Zhang Yue briefly talked about his analysis of the wonderful features of this history book, but he did not expect that Sima Guang was shocked after he finished speaking.
Zhang Yue himself was also shocked, no way.
What I said was the analysis and evaluation of Zizhi Tongjian by netizens from all walks of life in later generations, saying how great this book was and how well-intentioned Sima Guang was who compiled it.
But at this moment, Zhang Yue looked at Sima Guang's expression and couldn't help but wonder, what on earth is going on?
