Great Song Dynasty Writer

Chapter 211 The Battle of Wits between Prime Ministers
Upon hearing the name "Lu Beigu," the old servant's face showed a look of sudden realization.

"So it's Young Master Lu! I was just talking about him the other day, please come in!"

Unlike the Tang Dynasty, the Song Dynasty still had servants in the homes of nobles, officials, and wealthy merchants. However, unlike the "lowly people" status of servants in the Tang Dynasty, the servants in the Song Dynasty were "good people" and had an employment relationship with their masters. They would usually sign a contract to stipulate the length of service and wages, and they would no longer be bought, sold, given away, or killed by their masters at will, as they were in the Tang Dynasty.

"The young master is in his study. Please come with me, young master."

The courtyard was not large, but it was extremely elegant and tidy.

The ground is paved with blue bricks, a few clumps of bamboo stand in the corner, and several pots of chrysanthemums bloom in perfect season beside the stone steps, filling the air with a faint fragrance.

The old servant led Lu Beigu through the courtyard and into a sunny study. He said softly, "Young Master, the young master Lu from Luzhou has arrived."

"Oh? Please come in!" A gentle voice, tinged with joy, came from inside the room.

Lu Beigu pushed open the door and entered. He saw an elderly man dressed in dark casual clothes with a thin face getting up from behind his desk. It was his teacher Zhao Bian, whom he had not seen for several months.

He looked a bit more weathered than I remembered, but his upright and refined demeanor had become even more mellow.

"Student Lu Beigu pays respects to his esteemed teacher!"

Lu Beigu felt a surge of warmth in his heart and rushed forward to bow.

If Zhao Bian hadn't guided him in poetry and prose while he was in Chengdu, his path from county school to prefectural school might not have been so smooth.

Zhao Bian quickly stepped forward, personally helped him up, looked him up and down, his eyes full of gratified smiles: "Good, good! You've become much more composed! You must be tired from your journey, please sit down!"

The study was simply furnished with a table, two chairs, and a bookshelf. Several calligraphy and paintings hung on the wall, all exuding a sparse and elegant style. The writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone were all laid out on the table, and the open scrolls still bore traces of ink.

Zhao Bian pulled Lu Beigu to sit down on a chair next to him and personally poured him a cup of warm tea.

"When did you arrive in Tokyo? Where did you stay? How did you find your way here?"

Holding the warm teacup, Lu Beigu felt the teacher's sincere care, and the fatigue from the journey and the initial sense of alienation upon arriving in Kaifeng seemed to vanish instantly.

He briefly reported the matter to the teacher.

Zhao Bian listened attentively, nodding occasionally. He was particularly impressed when he heard that Zhao Bian had settled in a temple, saying approvingly, "The temple is a peaceful place, and it's the right place to focus on preparing for the exam."

He changed the subject abruptly, asking with concern, "Have the family petition and the petition for release been submitted to the Ministry of Rites?"

"Reporting to my esteemed teacher, I have just arrived from the Ministry of Rites' examination hall, and everything has been arranged," Lu Beigu replied respectfully.

"Ah That's good."

Zhao Bian stroked his beard and smiled, his gaze falling on Lu Beigu's face with a knowing understanding of the ways of the world.

"You've come here not only for the exam, but I imagine you have many other things on your mind. Is there something you'd like to ask for your advice today?"

Lu Beigu's heart stirred slightly; Zhao Bian's eyes were indeed sharp. Without further hesitation, he took out the two letters from his robes and explained the situation.

Zhang Fangping wrote the letter to Ouyang Xiu in front of Zhao Bian, and Zhao Bian knew about it.

The key matter is that Song Qi entrusted Lu Beigu to deliver the family letter he wrote to Song Xiang not long ago.

After all, Song Xiang, as a former prime minister, Grand Academician of the Guanwen Hall, and Minister of War, had just been transferred from his post in Xuzhou in May. After returning to Kaifeng, the emperor only ordered him to attend court assemblies in the same order as the officials of the Secretariat and the Chancellery, and to follow the standards of a prime minister in terms of ceremonial procession. However, he was not given any new appointment. Obviously, there was something to it.

Zhao Bian gently placed the two letters on the table, looked at Lu Beigu, and said with a gentle gaze, "Your caution in coming to ask me first is commendable."

He picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and seemed to be carefully considering his words.

After a moment, Zhao Bian slowly said, "Ouyang Yongshu and Song Gongxu are both important ministers of the state and literary giants. Ouyang Yongshu is determined to reform the writing style, advocate classical prose, and oppose the frivolousness of the Western Kunlun School. Although there is considerable resistance, his intention is commendable and his ambition is admirable. Brother Gongxu, on the other hand, values ​​the rules and regulations more. He has always been prudent and upright. Although the two of them may have different paths, they are both pillars of the state. Although their personal relationship is not close, there has been no discord or infighting between them."

He paused, looking at Lu Beigu's attentive expression, and continued, "Moreover, Zhang Andao will soon be reinstated as the Minister of the Three Departments. You should present this letter to him, and Ouyang Yongshu will surely accept it gladly. As for Song Zijing's family letter, you should just send it over. Song Gongxu may have different opinions from his brother on official matters, but the bond between brothers and the kinship of blood cannot be broken by external things. Even if Song Gongxu really has a grudge against someone, it is only natural for you to send a family letter, and no one will find it strange."

"So, Song Gongxu still has grudges against others?"

Despite Lu Bei's caution, Zhao Bian knew that if he avoided the topic, his student would definitely feel uneasy.

So Zhao Bian explained, “It’s definitely true, and it’s not a secret. Song Gongxu has always been at odds with Wen Kuanfu (Wen Yanbo) and Bao Xiren (Bao Zheng). In the third year of the Huangyou era, Bao Xiren impeached Song Gongxu for ‘not controlling his sons and brothers and for not making any contributions to the government.’ As a result, Song Gongxu was dismissed from his post as prime minister. He once said in private that Bao Xiren ‘only sought fame for his outspokenness.’ However, Wen Kuanfu is too busy fighting with Liu Hang to care about Song Gongxu now.”

Lu Beigu noticed that Zhao Bian addressed all the people he mentioned by their courtesy names, except for Prime Minister Liu Hang, whom he addressed by his given name.

This was clearly disrespectful, and the implication was obvious: Zhao Bian and Liu Hang had a very bad relationship.

As for the matter of "Wen Yanbo and Liu Hang's contest of wits" that Zhao Bian mentioned, Lu Beigu had already heard about it on his way here when he overheard Zeng Gong, Lü Huiqing and others discussing matters of the court.

Contrary to popular belief, Wen Yanbo, one of the gentlemen of the Qingli era, actually had an inseparable connection with Consort Zhang in his path to promotion.

Consort Zhang, as Emperor Renzong's most beloved woman, enjoyed his exclusive favor for over a decade. With Renzong's deliberate indulgence, she also wielded considerable power in the outer court. The reason for this is simple: Renzong had always wanted to depose Empress Cao as well, which required influential civil officials to speak on behalf of Consort Zhang in the outer court.

Therefore, Wen Yanbo, Liu Hang, Zhang Yaozuo, and others, by attaching themselves to Consort Zhang, all received rapid promotions that were beyond normal speed.

If Consort Zhang were still alive, Wen Yanbo and Liu Hang would not have had any conflict. Unfortunately, she died young, and before Emperor Renzong could depose her, Consort Zhang passed away in her thirties.

As a result, the conflict between Wen Yanbo and Liu Hang gradually intensified, and the conflict between the two became public this year.

At the beginning of this year, after Emperor Renzong suffered a stroke and fell into a coma, someone reported to Wang Su, the prefect of Kaifeng at the time, that some junior officers in the palace were inciting soldiers to plot a rebellion.

This almost instinctively reminds one of the "Qingli Palace Coup" more than a decade ago, and even more so of the countless times during the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period when lower-ranking officers and soldiers elected high-ranking military officers to rebel.

At that time, the two Privy Councilors were Di Qing and Wang Chao's son, Wang Deyong, both of whom were veteran generals who were deeply loved by the army.

(End of this chapter)