Chapter 203: Reconciliation (Part 2)
After all, Zhao Jiu did not lose his temper with the new scholar. Deep down and on the surface, he was still a reasonable person... Moreover, he had just had a heart-to-heart talk with Yue Fei and Zhang Rong, and explained that although the matter started with capturing a son-in-law, the hidden danger that could lead to conflict lay in the separation of civil and military officials.
How can you vent your anger on someone who is younger than you?
From this perspective, Emperor Zhao seems to know what is important.
Therefore, instead of being scolded or beheaded in the Daxiangguo Temple, Yu Yunwen was able to relax in the courtyard with the emperor and two military governors while a powerful official was guarding the door. He also drank a new drink developed by the Daxiangguo Temple, which the emperor called rock sugar and snow pear throat soothing tea, and took the opportunity to gossip.
At this time, because there was an official present, everyone spoke more carefully, except for this newly-minted scholar, who was still young, and whose first time out of Sichuan and also whose first time drinking rock sugar and snow pear wine with the official. He seemed particularly excited and frank in his words, and basically said what he meant.
All I can say is that this person is young after all.
However, communication is still necessary and effective. Since both parties are so sensible, things will be much easier.
Finally, after repeated hints and questioning from the officials, and confirming that the so-called "parents' orders" of the newly-minted scholar were not excuses and that he really seemed to be a mama's boy, the officials simply agreed to let him stay here overnight, and to perform a polite and graceful scene in front of the Daxiangguo Temple tomorrow, and then leave separately without further entanglement.
Emperor Zhao did not stay long, but asked the masters of Daxiangguo Temple to prepare some "rock sugar and snow pear" to bring to the palace, and then he left.
Nothing happened that day, and the next day, because Yu Yunwen "escaped unscathed", the matter seemed to be uneventful. It was just a little joke to add to this year's extremely successful Grand Enke, but it was not as earth-shattering as Hu Quan's article.
But on that day, the young official claimed to be ill and did not show up at the Qionglin Banquet that he was supposed to host.
At the beginning, several ministers did not take it seriously and thought that the emperor was sick again... Of course, this illness referred to a heart disease, which had occurred once before when he was offering sacrifices to the eight tombs in Luoyang. It was an old problem.
After all, Emperor Zhao is just a young man in his early twenties. If he is unhappy, it is normal for him to have some disagreements with his ministers. It will be fine after a few days, right?
However, another day passed, on August 14, when the new Jinshi were appointed as officials, Emperor Zhao still hid in Yanfu Palace and did not come out. He only asked the chief escort Lan Gui to hand over two notes.
One was to order all the generals to return to their respective defense areas after the Mid-Autumn Festival and to be careful of the autumn... this was self-evident; the other was a special decree to appoint Hu Quan as the editor of the Privy Council, and Yu Yunwen and Hu Hong as the attendants... It did not even interfere with the appointment of the top scorer and the two runners-up.
At this time, the ministers of the capital and the Privy Council had just learned from Lan Gui that Emperor Zhao was really ill. He had been listless for two days and could not even practice archery and calligraphy.
At this moment, the ministers were panicked... After all, the heir to the throne was gone, and Emperor Zhao was the only heir after all. Although it was only a minor illness, what if it was delayed? Moreover, after the imperial examination, the generals and ministers had to take their positions. Tomorrow, August 15th, after the Mid-Autumn Festival, it would be the so-called post-autumn period. We should be careful to guard against the autumn and prepare for the Jin people. How could we not be on guard?
Therefore, Prime Minister Lu Haowen and other three ministers only had a brief discussion in the capital hall diagonally opposite the Xuande Tower, and then they jointly submitted a memorial, citing the reason of preventing autumn in wartime and the incident in Nanyang as an example, hoping to restore the old custom of having the prime ministers enter the palace to keep watch at night.
When Zhao Jiu received the note, he immediately sent Lan Gui out from the palace to reply again, saying that the three prime ministers had to deal with military and national affairs of the capital, the province, and the Privy Council, and had to stand guard every three days, which was too tiring... If there was anything wrong, it would be better to have the six ministers take turns to be on duty in the palace.
This is a bit ridiculous!
The political tradition and the political power class are there. The prime minister is the prime minister after all, and the chancellor is just the chancellor. If there is something really important, let alone the chancellor, even if six chancellors plus a chief censor come together, they will not be as useful as a prime minister.
You have to know that the prime minister has the right to participate in politics and can make decisions at critical moments. Moreover, the prime minister's decisions are recognized by people inside and outside the palace and the whole country. Relatively speaking, the Chief Censor is only called "half prime minister" because he has certain power of criticism and a clamping effect on the prime minister. The title of the six ministers is even more ridiculous.
The matter was of great importance, so the three ministers quickly jointly submitted a hastily written note, directly pointing out the official's mistakes and asking Official Lan to hand it back.
Emperor Zhao also corrected his mistake and immediately asked Official Lan to come back. He agreed to the suggestion that the prime ministers should take turns to be on duty in the palace, but at the same time he also pointed out that a deputy privy envoy could be added to reduce the burden.
This time, because he was ill, he did not directly appoint anyone, but asked the prime ministers together with the ministers of the capital and the Privy Council to immediately discuss a suitable candidate... But they had to be quick, because tomorrow was Mid-Autumn Festival, and then it would be the 'after autumn'.
After hearing this, the ministers understood that even if the emperor was really unwell, it was a combination of real and fake illnesses.
However, even though they understood the situation, these three people would never give up this opportunity... because this was about recommending the Prime Minister.
Politics is about personnel, and this is a personnel issue of the highest level. Whether it is public or private, it is of fundamental importance.
However, this matter ultimately requires the final decision from Emperor Zhao, so one must try one's best to recommend someone from among his own pockets who can be recognized by the Emperor, or in other words, find a candidate that one recognizes the most from among the Emperor's pockets.
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