Xu Jingheng was forced into a corner. After thinking it over again and again, he could only bow again: "That's right."
"That's exactly what my husband said." Zhao Jiu looked at Lu Yihao again after hearing this, and then they both turned their eyes to Lu Benzhong, who already looked a little nervous.
Lu Benzhong swallowed his saliva, but immediately stepped forward, took out a piece of white linen paper hidden in his sleeves with both hands, and took it away in front of Xu Jingheng in public.
Xu Jingheng only took a look at the white linen paper and felt a buzzing in his head, then he bowed to the ground instinctively.
Besides, the Song Dynasty favored scholars and officials. Unless it was some sacrificial or ceremonial occasions, civil officials often did not have to kneel before the emperor, let alone an imperial decree?
But the interesting part is here. As a prime minister whose political status far exceeds that of ordinary literati, generally speaking, he cannot avoid the experience of kneeling before the imperial edict. Because when a scholar truly reaches the peak of his life, that is, when he is appointed as prime minister, he must formally kowtow according to established practice.
That's right, this piece of white linen paper has only one meaning to someone of Xu Jingheng's level, and that is that he is going to make a second announcement and officially return to the ranks of prime ministers.
Of course, actually speaking, even Xu Jingheng had to use hemp paper once... Because when he first became prime minister, he was still in exile, and it was basically a small court. Where would he get the real white hemp paper?
However, Emperor Zhao has always been a man of the ability to prescribe the right remedy for the right situation, and to tailor the recipe to the person... Just like when he appointed Wu Jie as the governor, he used bright yellow silk to fool those rough guys in the Western Army. This time, in order to make Prime Minister Xu feel respected, Zhao Jiu also specially found white hemp paper.
All I can say is that the effect is outstanding. As a traditional old-fashioned scholar who had rehearsed in his mind countless times how he would react when seeing white linen paper when he was young, when he really faced this piece of white linen paper, Mr. Xu actually bowed down directly.
And with this bow, some things became a foregone conclusion.
The edict was written by Lu Benzhong, so naturally he would not make the low-level mistakes like Zhao Guanjia's doggerel. It can be said to be symmetrical and elegant. However, after reading it, there was only one meaning - Xu Jingheng was reinstated as the deputy prime minister of the capital province, and appointed as the governor of Ninghai Navy, the governor of Liangzhe Road, stationed in Hangzhou, and in charge of the six routes of Jiangdong, Jiangxi, Fujian, Liangzhe, Guangxi, and Guangdong.
Basically, he replaced Lu Yihao as the Southeast Envoy, and was also responsible for the expansion of Guangdong and Guangxi.
After the decree was issued, the government also issued an oral order, that the white hemp should be pasted under the Leifeng Pagoda, and ordered several officials in the southeast to go and see it together... This was the final step in the Xuanma Ceremony... When appointing a prime minister, no matter whether there is room for objection from the people below, it must be announced publicly for show.
Under the dilapidated Leifeng Pagoda, the six public officials gathered together, and at this moment they were still making some messy speeches and discussions, waiting for the arrival of Emperor Zhao in the afternoon. However, unexpectedly, Emperor Zhao did not come, but instead got a piece of the legendary white linen paper.
And this piece of white linen paper immediately set off the entire West Lake.
The vast majority of cabinet members in Liangzhe, Jiangdong, Fujian, and even Jiangxi welcomed this with a cautious attitude... because Xu Jingheng enjoyed great popularity in the southeast.
Of course, there are some reasons that are difficult to say out loud, but everyone knows them tacitly.
However, after leaving Yaoshan, they had already left the scope of the Southeastern Mission, and the members of the Lianghuai Road cabinet who had nothing to do with the matter were about to become annoying again. Some of them even said that this appointment was actually against the rules... It was not that Xu Jingheng was not qualified, not popular, or had no talent, but that as a native of Yuezhou, Xu Xianggong should avoid his hometown.
In fact, the two previous envoys, Yuwen Xuzhong who pacified Guanxi and Lu Yihao who pacified the southeast, were both from Jingdong.
This certainly stirred up a hornet's nest. For a moment, the public offices of Liangzhe Road and Lianghuai Road were instantly in opposition to each other, and almost led to a group fight under the Leifeng Pagoda.
However, no matter where they came from, the real political experts in the cabinet remained serious and silent. Regardless of their place of origin, these people gathered in groups of three or four at the edge of the venue and discussed the situation in low voices. It was obvious that they all smelled a hint of solemnity and uneasiness from this piece of white linen paper.
These people simply didn't believe that no one had reminded the emperor of Xu Jingheng's hometown, nor did they believe that Lu Yihao was gone just like that... You have to know that although Prime Minister Lu was harsh to the southeast, he was undoubtedly a capable minister to the central government and the emperor, and was the Southeast's reliance.
What's more, Xu Jingheng's title of Jiedushi was enough to arouse people's speculation.
Or to go further, the truly smart people have already realized what is going on, but their intentions are unclear, so they dare not discuss it in depth.
All I can say is that, as expected, a moment later, Shao Chengzhang, the eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs who had just returned, returned to the foot of Leifeng Pagoda with a full set of ceremonial equipment and pasted another piece of white linen paper.
The white linen paper also had four-six parallelism and brilliant writing, but the original meaning was so clear to everyone present at a glance that even the dumbest person understood what was going on.
There was no other reason. Lu Yihao got his new assignment - deputy envoy of the Privy Council, and governor of Guide Army, and commander-in-chief of the military and state affairs of Hebei East Road, Hebei West Road, Hedong Road, and Yanshan Road.
This is the so-called Grand Commander of Hebei.
This means the Northern Expedition!
How could these people in the southeast not have thought that the signal for the Northern Expedition was actually sent from West Lake in Hangzhou... Is this reasonable? Did they really mistake Hangzhou for Bianzhou?
However, after the loud bang, at the foot of the Leifeng Pagoda, in the open field surrounded by the Qianzhou troops under Guo Zhongxun, countless members of the public cabinet quickly became serious again. No one thought about the struggle with the local officials anymore, and no one dared to discuss the matter itself... When the time came, as the most representative ruling class in the southeast region, most of these people just felt terrified, uneasy, hot, and timid.
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