Chen Lin quickly conveyed Zhao Zhen's decree to the ears of civil and military officials.
All civil and military officials wailed.
Just as Kou Ji expected, when faced with the choice between real duty and false duty, the civil and military officials decisively chose the real duty.
They handed over some of their frail children and young children to the care of the women in the house. With the help of their strong children, they hurried to the location of the altar.
The auspicious time selected by Qin Tianjian for this sacrifice was in the afternoon, so there was plenty of time for the civil and military officials to make their way.
Some young officials, with a little bit of hardship and gritted teeth, were able to arrive within the stipulated time.
Some elderly people, with the support of their able-bodied heirs, were able to arrive within the stipulated time.
After all, Zhao Zhen was still a kind king and did not treat his officials harshly.
If it were Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, more than half of the officials participating in the sacrifice would be dismissed by him.
If Liu Che, Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, was determined to eliminate some corrupt officials and nobles, he would definitely bring the role of sacrifice to the extreme.
He might move the time to noon or even the morning after the Qin Tian Jian announced the time for the afternoon sacrifice. He might even send someone to closely monitor the civil and military officials who were on their way.
Unfortunately, Zhao Zhen is not Liu Che, and he does not have the courage to abolish half of the civil and military officials in one go.
Kou Ji did not have the courage, so even if he knew that half of the civil and military officials could be dismissed through sacrifices, he would not dare to encourage Zhao Zhen to do it.
When the auspicious time comes.
Nearly 80% of the civil and military officials arrived at the location of the altar.
Zhao Zhen lay down in the gap of the tent door curtain, looked carefully, and found that most of the important officials in the court were there, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Looking at Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai sitting on the ground, sweating heavily and panting heavily.
Zhao Zhen sighed: "I'm really afraid that the three of them will waste time..."
Kou Ji stood behind Zhao Zhen, calmly staring at the panting officials outside the tent, and said: "The three of them know the importance of the gift of Jiaotian, so even if they have to climb, they will climb within the stipulated time.
Go here."
This is a bit unkind, but it is true.
The decree passed down by Zhao Zhen may not make Lu Yijian and the others feel afraid.
But those great Confucians who valued sacrifice as their lives were different.
They will definitely try their best to make everyone aware of the importance of sacrifice.
"They moved..."
Kou Ji whispered.
Zhao Zhen looked outside the tent and saw the great Confucians who had arrived at the altar with the support of their disciples. They gathered together and blocked the road leading to the altar. They blocked the officials, Wu Xun, and concubines who came after them.
Blocked from the main road.
After the officials, Wu Xun, and concubines who came later were blocked from the main road by the Confucian scholars, they all wanted to force their way in based on their status.
Some people took advantage of the strength of the crowd and pushed the great Confucians back.
Some great scholars accidentally fell to the ground.
His disciples immediately gathered around him and knocked his leader to the ground.
The other great scholars shouted harshly.
Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai all looked at the tent where Zhao Zhen was, and saw that Zhao Zhen was not moving.
Lu Yijian gasped and stood up, "The official is determined to punish these disobedient guys, so he will definitely not come forward. If we don't come forward, once those great scholars are hurt, we will have to
Follow up and recite the insults."
By now, Lu Yijian had already guessed the purpose of Zhao Zhen's decree.
Those great scholars were obviously looking towards Zhao Zhen, and Lu Yijian had no way to go to Zhao Zhen and ask Zhao Zhen to take back his life.
Once he finds Zhao Zhen, those great scholars will definitely blame him for destroying the sacrificial ceremony.
In the early Song Dynasty, Zhao Kuangyin simplified some etiquette to a certain extent in order to facilitate officials at both the government and the public.
The cumbersome etiquette has been removed, while the essence has been retained.
None of the etiquette left today is superfluous.
It is impossible for the great Confucians to sit back and watch Lu Yijian destroy the few remaining etiquette.
Lu Yijian didn't want to suffer a bad reputation, so he could only silently cooperate with Zhao Zhen's will.
Lu Yijian stood up, used the prime minister's order, and mobilized a troop of hundreds of soldiers and horses to stand in front of Da Ru and the officials. He also captured all the officials who had collided with Da Ru and brought them to Zhao Zhen's tent.
Zhao Zhen appeared outside the tent by chance.
In the complicated expression on Lu Yijian's slip, in the spirit of the great scholars who were looking forward to it, Zhao Zhen snorted coldly and said: "The person who presided over this ceremony is a famous and famous scholar in Bianjing City. I still have to respect the three of them.
Well, how dare you collide with them?
Many of you have become Jinshi through their interpretation of the scriptures.
After some people entered the official career, they also studied the articles and classics they spread.
They want to teach you, but you don't respect them.
There is no place for ruthless and unjust people in my court."
"Chen Lin?"
"The slave is here!"
"Dismissal from office, resign, and assassinate Qianli!"
"Here..."
Chen Lin led the imperial guards and dragged the officials who had collided with Da Ru out of the altar.
The great scholars all saluted Zhao Zhen with excited expressions.
"The official sage!"
Zhao Zhen gave them enough respect, so they paid their most sincere respect to Zhao Zhen.
Lu Yijian and others could not pretend to be deaf and dumb. They could only follow the great scholars and praise Zhao Zhen as a saint.
Zhao Zhen, who is extremely wise, continued to speak after they saluted, "Those officials and nobles who did not arrive at the auspicious time will all be demoted to six levels...and the concubines in the palace will all be demoted to three levels..."
As soon as Zhao Zhen said this, the great scholars agreed without hesitation.
Lu Yijian and others felt heartbroken, but they could not say anything in opposition.
The titles they had finally obtained for the little boys at home were all gone.
When the imperial court gave birth to an heir in the family of an official in Mengyin, the rank he gave him was not very high.
Downgrade them all by six levels, and you can drop them to negative numbers in one fell swoop.
Naturally, there is no negative number on the official title, so they are equivalent to being dismissed from the official position.
Of course, like Lu Yijian, when old ministers such as Wang Zeng resigned from office or passed away, the officials and titles of the heirs in the family had other opinions and were not included.
When they were in the central position, the court would not grant their heirs too high an official title, and they were basically all below the seventh rank.
If the heirs in their family want to obtain a higher official title, they can only wait until they reach adulthood, enter the official career, hold actual positions, and be promoted based on their own merits.
Or when they pass away or resign, they can go further through the shadow.
This is not difficult to see from Kou Tianci.
It can be said that Zhao Zhen liked Kou Tianci very much, but even so, he only gave Kou Tianci an official position as a prince's attendant based on Kou Ji's merits.
After Kou Ji made great achievements in the northwest and returned to the court, Zhao Zhen did not give Kou Tianci any more promotions or titles.
Instead, part of the grace was allocated to Xiang Yan and Kou Li.
After Zhao Zhen's decree reached outside the altar, there was a lot of wailing.
But no one at the altar cared.
The Minister of Etiquette stood on the stone steps at the altar and announced the salute.
The great Confucian scholars stood under the altar to greet Zhao Zhen respectfully, holding the sacrificial inscriptions they had prepared.
The civil and military ministers were divided into three groups, followed by Lu Yijian, Kou Ji, and a royal clan member.
Zhao Zhen, wearing a uniform, stood at the front.
"The Ritual Ceremony Begins..."
When the Minister of Rites pronounced these three words.
Zhao Zhen led the civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor to the altar.
Zhao Zhen offered incense, and civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor kowtowed.
Zhao Zhen presented three livestock, five grains, civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor before paying homage.
Afterwards, Zhao Zhen took Lu Yijian and Kou Ji to the altar.
The great scholars followed him up to the second level of the altar.
The great scholars stood on the second step of the altar and read out the sacrificial texts that had been prepared.
After the Confucian scholars finished reading the memorial text, the civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor paid their respects again.
Zhao Zhen took Lu Yijian and Kou Ji to the top of the altar.
Zhao Zhen stood at the top, read out the sacrificial inscriptions prepared for him by the Ministry of Rites, and then put the sacrificial inscriptions into the cauldron at the top of the altar.
When the paper ashes rose with wisps of blue smoke, they took Kou Ji and Lu Yijian to bow to the sky three times.
The sacrifice did not end there.
In order to show his sincerity, Zhao Zhen had to take all the civil and military officials to live under the altar for seven days.
Of course, it is the officials who really enjoy the food and drink.
Zhao Zhen has a tent and food.
Zhao Zhen gave the great Confucians enough face, so it was not easy for the great Confucians to care about this matter.
The great Confucians just stared at the civil and military officials.
Seven days later.
The civil and military officials, the emperor's relatives, and the country's relatives were all so hungry that they could not stand up straight.
Finally, with the help of the soldiers of the Forbidden Army and the Royal Guards, he got on the carriage.
Of course, Kou Ji's family of three is not included in this list.
Xiang Yan was pregnant, so she received special care from Zhao Zhen. Zhao Zhen secretly sent someone to invite Xiang Yan over and let her live with the two pregnant concubines and eat and drink together.
When he set off from Bianjing City before, Zhao Zhen could not protect Xiang Yan in full view of the public.
But when I take care of Xiang Yan in private, no one can say anything.
No matter how miserable the civil and military ministers are, they still want to have some dignity, and they will not bother with a pregnant woman.
Kou Tianci didn't have to worry about food and drink.
When he had nothing to do, he sneaked into Zhao Zhen's tent to eat and drink.
He has a special status, and it is difficult for civil and military ministers to care about him.
Kou Ji was teleported through Kou Tianci and got some food from Zhao Zhen, so he was not hungry.
Zhao Zhen, sitting on the Dragon Banquet, led the civil and military officials and the royal relatives back to Bianjing City, and then announced their dispersal.
Civil and military officials and relatives of the emperor drove directly to some of the most famous restaurants in Bianjing City. They were obviously starving.
Kou Ji originally wanted to go back home, but was stopped by Lu Yijian, Wang Zeng, and Zhang Zhibai. They found a wine shop and invited Kou Ji in.
After sitting down.
Lu Yijian said to Kou Ji with a complicated expression: "The three of us will keep an eye on you from now on, and no one will impeach you again. Please stop making trouble."
Hearing this, Kou Ji said with a strange expression: "Together with the courtesy of Jiaotian, in the eyes of you three, is it a monster? If these words reach the ears of those great scholars who have just received official rewards, they will probably scold you eight.
Ancestors for generations.”
Before the three of them could speak, Kou Ji added: "Although it was me who proposed the Jiaotian Ceremony, it was the officials who made the final decision. The three of you suffered this time, and that was also given by the officials. Follow me.
It doesn't matter much.
My proposal to hold the Jiaotian Ceremony is purely out of public concern."
"Pooh!"
Wang Zeng spat and said angrily: "I know who you are, kid. You just don't want people to impeach you, so you came up with such a bad idea and made everyone miserable.
Your kid proposed to hold a ceremony in the countryside. If you are sincere, I will take off my head and give it to you."
Kou Ji said unhappily: "I don't like to hear what the prince said. Am I such a domineering person? Am I the kind of person who will retaliate even when I am angry? If someone impeaches me, I will retaliate against them. Then I will
Who have you become? No one in this world knows that I, Kou Ji, am good at giving and have a broad mind."
Zhang Zhibai sighed and said something fair, "You are a good philanthropist, but you are not broad-minded."
Kou Ji asked: "When I went to the northwest, the memorials to impeach me were almost filling the Chui Gong Hall. Who did I take revenge on? I took revenge on no one. This alone is enough to show that I have a broad mind.
When I went to the northwest, people from the palace of the eldest princess of Deng State secretly threatened my wife and asked her to hand over the members of the steel forging workshop and the textile workshop.
But did I take revenge on her?
I don't?"
When Lu Yijian and the others heard what Kou Ji said, the corners of their mouths twitched.
You didn't take revenge?
How did the Chai family die if you didn't take revenge?
How did the eldest princess of Deng State come to be imprisoned in the palace?
It's not that you didn't take revenge, you didn't take revenge by dying.
Seeing that Lu Yijian and the others were staring at him without speaking, Kou Ji said with certainty: "This shows that I am definitely a broad-minded person."
Lu Yijian was too lazy to talk nonsense with Kou Ji anymore. He stared at Kou Ji and said solemnly: "Don't tell these lies to the three of me. Please tell me something accurate. Do you agree?"
"Promise what?"
"I and the three of you will help you stop those impeachments, so don't act like a monster in the future."
"..."
Kou Ji glared at Lu Yijian and the other three, and shouted: "Who do you think I, Kou Ji, am? From the time I became an official to now, everything I do, Kou Ji, is for the imperial court, and I never have any selfish motives..."
"What do you want?"
Wang Zeng shouted angrily.
Kou Ji said without hesitation: "I also want the three interpreters from Honglu Temple who are good at food and literature."
When Lu Yijian and the others heard this, they almost spit out a mouthful of blood.
Lu Yijian glared at Kou Ji fiercely, "Here you go!"
Kou Ji asked: "When can we arrive?"
"tomorrow……"
"call……"
Kou Ji let out a sigh of relief and said with a smile: "Actually, I'm pretty easy to talk to. You guys say..."
"roll!"
Wang Zeng couldn't bear it anymore and pointed outside the wine shop and shouted.
Kou Ji stood up, shook his sleeves, and hummed: "It is unbecoming and unseemly to say such vulgar words in public while participating in political affairs..."
Before Wang Zeng could explode again, Kou Ji had already left the wine shop.
"Shuzi! Shuzi!"
Wang Zeng cursed angrily.
Lu Yijian sighed. After Wang Zeng had scolded enough, he looked at Wang Zeng and Zhang Zhibai and said, "Do you think he and the officials are going to attack civil servants?"
Wang Zeng and Zhang Zhibai both frowned.
Zhang Zhibai hesitated and said, "Is it too early? The government has attracted a group of famous scholars through this suburban festival, but it is not enough to support them in completing the reform of the cultural system.
Regardless of the fact that the famous scholars are supporting the officials now, once the officials affect their interests, they will definitely stand opposite the officials without hesitation."
Lu Yijian said in a deep voice: "Then how do you explain the officials who were dismissed from office during this suburban festival? I checked carefully afterwards and found that most of the officials who were dismissed from office and resigned during this suburban festival due to the delay in time were civil servants."
Wang Zeng asked with some confusion: "Do the officials and Kou Ji really want to take action against Wen Zhi?"
Zhang Zhibai asked: "Just like how we dealt with Wu Xun, find a reason to remove many unnecessary officials in the court?"
Lu Yijian glanced at the two of them, lowered his voice and said: "The biggest harm to the cultural system of the Song Dynasty is not the officials of the court chief, but the land. Most of the land in the Song Dynasty is controlled by officials and local powerful men.
.
The reason why people in various places frequently revolt is because the land in their hands has been occupied by local powerful men or officials. They have no land to farm and can only act as tenants.
They are so oppressed that they can no longer survive and will inevitably cause chaos.
If this problem is not solved, even if the officials and Kou Ji try to play with the cultural system, it will not have much effect."
Zhang Zhibai said in a deep voice: "No one in the court knows about this matter, and I'm afraid the officials also know the dangers involved. However, the implications of this matter are very wide, and the officials do not dare to act rashly."
When Zhang Zhibai said this, he glanced at Lu and Wang and said, "You two also have a lot of land in your house. If the officials want to distribute it to the people, are you two willing?"
Wang Zeng looked at Zhang Zhibai and said in a deep voice: "It's not a question of whether we are willing or not. What will happen even if we donate the property in our house? If the officials are not willing, they will definitely unite with the local powerful to cause chaos.
At that time, we will become the target of public criticism."
Lu Yijian frowned and said: "This matter is extremely harmful. We cannot act rashly before we come up with a proper solution."
Wang Zeng said in a deep voice: "But the thoughts of the Guan family and Kou Ji are beyond our control. They will not discuss with us what they want to do behind their backs."
Lu Yijian thought for a while and said, "We have to find a way to find out what the officials are thinking."
Wang Zeng and Zhang Zhibai nodded together.
While Lu Yijian and the others were trying to figure out Zhao Zhen's thoughts, Kou Ji had already left Bianjing in a carriage.
After returning to the house, Kou Ji stayed in the study, making plans for his crash course in food writing, and did not leave the house again.
The storm about the Suburban Festival is spreading in Bianjing city.
Many officials were dismissed from their posts because of this suburban festival, and many officials were demoted.
There was almost a cry of mourning in the official residences.
The same is true in the palace.
Those concubines worked hard and finally advanced one or two levels, and a suburban festival brought them back to their original positions.
Some people even fell out of the ranks of concubines and became maids in the palace.
However, no one showed mercy to them.
With the endorsement of the great Confucians, civil servants should not trouble Zhao Zhen on this matter.
Although Wu Xun and the imperial relatives suffered some injuries in this suburban ceremony, compared with other civil servants, their injuries can be said to be minimal.
They saw Wen Chen's misfortune, and it was too late to be happy. How could they speak for Wen Chen.
In the end, the outcome of the Suburban Festival was that, amidst the cheers and praises, Zhao Zhen dismissed nearly 70% of his empty duties in the court.
…
The next day.
Three officials from Honglu Temple who were knowledgeable about food culture arrived at Kou Ji's house.
Kou Ji asked the steward of the house to arrange for them to stay first, and then ordered them to teach him how to learn food.
Kou Ji plunged into the study of Dashiwen and studied it for more than a month.
It was not until spring was approaching that Kou Ji broke away from his studies.
Kou Ji walked out of the study room, stretched his waist, glanced left and right, and realized that no one was paying attention, so he subconsciously stuck out his tongue.
After studying Dashiwen for more than a month, Kou Ji felt that his tongue was knotted. He stuck out his tongue, naturally to relieve the pressure on his tongue.
However, this scene was seen by others.
"Sir...you...you..."
Fan Zhongyan quietly appeared next to Kou Ji, looking at Kou Ji sticking out his tongue with a look of astonishment on his face.
Kou Ji stared at Fan Zhongyan with a slightly darkened face and said, "When did you arrive?"
Fan Zhongyan was stunned and said frankly: "I have been waiting in the side room. When I heard your footsteps, I hurried over."
"Is something wrong?"
"have……"
Fan Zhongyan said with a somewhat solemn expression: "The rumors in Bianjing City are even worse."
Kou Ji was stunned for a moment.
Fan Zhongyan reminded: "There are rumors about your appointment as Jinshi...some scholars are running secretly and plan to stop taking the exam on the day when the course starts."
"Stop taking the exam?"
Kou Ji looked stunned.
Fan Zhongyan nodded solemnly.
Kou Ji smiled, stared at Fan Zhongyan and reminded: "Don't spread the news that the officials will come to the examination room in person. If they want to stop taking the exam, let them stop.
When the officials come to the examination room in person and see no one, they will definitely ‘reward’ them well.”
When Fan Zhongyan heard this, he smiled bitterly, "Aren't you doing harm to others?"
Kou Ji smiled and said, "Am I trying to harm them? It's because they have bad intentions. In previous years, the practice of handing in papers was prevalent in the scientific examinations, and there were countless cheaters, and they didn't stop taking the exams.
They just stopped taking the exam this time because they thought that me recruiting some of the talented scholars to my house would be a handle. They could use this to get rid of some of the talented scholars and reduce competition.
If you want to hurt people, they are hurting themselves, not me."
Fan Zhongyan said dumbfounded: "If you reveal that the officials will come to the examination room in person, they will definitely not..."
Before Fan Zhongyan finished speaking, he was interrupted by Kou Ji, who said sternly: "They have learned to frame others for their own benefit before they even enter the officialdom.
If they succeed, will they continue to do so in the future?
If I let them enter the officialdom, I might send them to death with my own hands later.
I hid the fact that I would attend the examination in person from the officials, so I was not harming them, but saving them."