Do You Know?: I, the Little Cabinet Elder, Regent of the World

The value of herbs is one thing, but the care taken in preparing them is another.

"In that case, I thank Lord Song for his kindness."

Jiang Zhao did not refuse.

Sometimes, showing goodwill isn't a bad thing.

When officials govern and navigate the ups and downs of officialdom, their primary goal is to benefit the people, but they may also have selfish motives, such as benefiting their relatives.

When others show goodwill, it's partly due to personal motives.

The pageboy standing by took the wooden box.

"You have been taking care of me diligently these past few days while I am ill. If you need my help, I, Song, will certainly do my utmost to serve you." Song Huai didn't waste any time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.

The two had never crossed paths; their only connection was perhaps Grand Tutor Wang.

Instead of being verbose, it's better to make a decisive statement.

“I am not on good terms with the Grand Tutor and his family,” Jiang Zhao said slowly.

“I am a disciple of the Grand Tutor.” Song Huai replied without hesitation, “As the saying goes, to repay kindness, I have taken good care of the Grand Tutor’s family over the years.”

Song Huai did not deny providing assistance to the family of Grand Tutor Wang.

It's impossible for him to address this issue separately from the Grand Tutor and his family.

No one wants their subordinates to be ungrateful.

“Lord Jiang, you may not know this,” Song Huai explained earnestly. “Since the passing of the Grand Tutor, his students and former subordinates have often been suppressed. I have served as an official for over twenty years, and I have almost entirely climbed to the third rank by relying on seniority.”

"Not long after Lord Jiang and Lady Sheng got married, Grand Chancellor Han was recalled to office and appointed Minister of Rites. At that time, we all had the idea of ​​following Lord Jiang's lead."

"However, at that time, Lord Jiang was only a sixth-rank official, and we hesitated, so we did not immediately submit to him."

"Afterwards, Lord Jiang entered the fifth rank and was appointed to the fourth rank in the outside world. He expanded the territory and his divine power was unparalleled. We admired him and wanted to submit to him, but the eldest daughter of the old Grand Tutor had a conflict with Lord Jiang."

Song Huai sighed, "When Madam Kang entered Danzhou, Old Madam Wang repeatedly asked for favors, hoping that we could transfer Kang Haifeng away and rescue our daughter. However, we dared not offend Lord Jiang, so we did nothing."

"The matter of the Kang Wang clan has caused us to lose the opportunity to submit to Lord Jiang. After that, when Lord Jiang was in charge of pacifying the frontier, it became even more difficult to contact him."

"Until this time, when Lord Jiang returned to his hometown to care for his ailing wife, Song hurriedly ordered his soldiers to clear the Huainan waterway, fearing that Lord Jiang's journey would be hindered."

"Mr. Jiang!"

Song Huai suddenly knelt down on one knee: "There is a saying: those who give you a second life are like your parents. My career is ruined. If Lord Jiang is willing to take me in, I will dedicate my entire life to repaying you!"

"This"

"Why is this?"

Jiang Zhao was startled and quickly helped the person up.

“Lord Jiang!” Song Huai stood up, his eyes red-rimmed.

Jiang Zhao paced back and forth, his hands behind his back.

Grand Tutor Wang's faction was quite capable, with at least ten members being fifth-rank officials in the capital.

If they could truly win over the old Grand Tutor's faction, about ten of the twenty or thirty people from Xihe who came to the capital would be qualified to attend court, which would amount to more than twenty fifth-rank officials in red robes.

In the imperial court, there were fewer than four hundred civil and military officials, and only about two hundred of them were purely civil officials.

More than twenty people, already one-tenth of the total, were civil officials.

After a few years, a group of officials from the Xihe faction, including Su Shi and Zhang Heng, entered the capital. There were at least thirty or forty fifth-rank officials in red robes.

Definitely the level of a Grand Secretary!

If they persevere for ten years and fully reap the benefits of Xihe's expansion, at least sixty or seventy fifth-rank officials in the capital will be from Xihe's faction.

Sixty or seventy people!

Even without inheriting the legacy left by his mentor Han Zhang, these people are enough to support him in becoming the Grand Chancellor!

Now that he has won over Grand Tutor Wang's faction, he will have one-tenth of the civil officials in the court, making him a force to be reckoned with.

In terms of background and experience, he ranks above the Minister and below the Grand Secretary.

The vast majority of newly appointed cabinet ministers are mainly composed of people left behind by the previous cabinet ministers, as well as some people they have cultivated themselves.

If we're really talking about backing, the newly appointed Grand Secretaries, who are somewhat weaker, might not actually have twenty "insiders."

Therefore, he definitely wanted the legacy of Grand Tutor Wang.

"A man's knees are worth gold; how can he be so careless?"

Jiang Zhao offered a criticism, then slowly said, "Fine, since I am the Grand Tutor's grandson-in-law, I will take responsibility for him."

Students and former subordinates are not easy to cultivate!

Song Huai was overjoyed and bowed deeply.

"Thank you, Lord Jiang!"

Chapter 158 Su Xun Passes Away!

Huaizuo, Jiangfu.

study.

Jiang Zhao held the brush, pressing down on the paper with one hand.

[Respectfully presented to Zizhan and Ziyou:]

In the bitter rains of late spring, I suddenly heard news of your passing at my father's tomb. Looking westward at the vast sky, the clouds surged like ink, and three things comforted my heart, which I dare to express in my heart:

First, the literary tradition continues; second, the virtues left behind live on; third, the mountains and rivers bear witness.

I recall that in the second year of the Jiayou era, scraps of paper fell like butterflies in Bianliang.

People praise the family for having "three Su brothers". With the people of the world in need of food, the two brothers should carry on their father's will and help the world, which is the greatest filial piety.

I lie on my pillow, tears streaming down my face, hastily writing this with the last flickering candlelight. This hasty writing cannot fully express my thoughts.

Respectfully presented by Jiang Zichuan of Huaizuo!

In about an hour, a letter of a thousand words was written in one go.

"call!"

Jiang Zhao took a deep breath, stood up, and waved his hands to the left and right, the ink stains drying.

"Hesheng, send it to Meishan," Jiang Zhao instructed.

"Yes." He Sheng approached, took the letter, and strode outside.

Jiang Zhao stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the blue sky.

This letter was sent to Su Shi and Su Zhe in Meishan.

Their father, Su Xun, one of the Three Su's, passed away while in office!

In the second year of the Zhiping era, Su Xun was recommended by Zhang Fangping to serve as a proofreader in the Secretariat, responsible for proofreading classics and verifying documents.

As a minor official of the eighth rank, he was not involved in political struggles and had little power; it could be described as a leisurely position.

Unfortunately, Su Xun was already fifty-eight years old!

An elderly man nearing seventy could be full of energy one moment and suddenly become listless the next.

Thus, he died in office.

The Minister of Rites, Sun Xian, presented his memorial to the emperor, and ordered the emperor to travel to the capital to attend the ceremony.

Su Zhe, overwhelmed with grief, escorted the coffin back to his hometown.

Su Shi, the prefect of Hezhou, also set off overnight to return home for the funeral.

As the eldest of the Seven Sons of Jiayou, he received a letter of comfort and solace when his two friends encountered a tragedy.

Jiang Zhao shook his head.

Things are impermanent!

Given Su Xun's health, who would have thought he would pass away so suddenly?

However, with Su Xun gone, Su Shi and Su Zhe had to resign from their official posts and observe mourning.

In Confucian societies, the concepts of mourning for parents and the five degrees of mourning are emphasized.

Among them, the mourning period was only for scholars.

If an official's parents pass away, or if the emperor or empress dies, the official is required to observe a period of mourning for three years.

Of course, when the emperor or empress died, it was a national mourning period, which was often expressed as days instead of months, with officials observing a 27-day mourning period.

During the mourning period, one must live in a mourning hut, eat vegetarian food, sleep on straw mats and pillows, and refrain from taking the imperial examinations, getting married, having children, attending banquets, or wearing fine clothes.

According to the "Tang Code Commentary on the Laws of Official Duties," anyone who hears of the death of their parents or husband and conceals it without reporting the loss shall be exiled two thousand li. If someone releases their mourning clothes and celebrates a good day before the mourning period is over, or forgets their grief and makes merry, they shall be sentenced to three years of penal servitude.

The act of observing mourning for one's parents is subject to social supervision. If someone reports it and the report is verified, the consequences range from dismissal from office to imprisonment.

With Su Xun's passing, Su Shi and Su Zhe were undoubtedly obliged to observe the mourning period for three years.

The five degrees of mourning are a system that applies universally from top to bottom in society.

Based on blood ties, they are divided into three categories: Zhan Cui, Qi Cui, Da Gong, Xiao Gong, and Si Ma.

The mourning period varies from three years to five months.

Among them, the "Zhan Cui" ceremony is for children to mourn their parents, wives to mourn their husbands, and subjects to mourn their rulers, and the requirements are roughly the same as those for mourning.

The difference is that the "cutting off the ailment" is aimed at ordinary people.

When an official is in mourning, he must be dismissed from his post, and the requirements are even stricter.

The common people, after their mourning period, had much lower demands and were allowed to work.

The remaining four types of mourning clothes—Qi Cui, Da Gong, Xiao Gong, and Si Ma—are universally applicable in society.

If it involves scholars, the same rules must be followed.

The difference is that the remaining four degrees of mourning do not require mandatory dismissal from office, and the degree of mourning becomes lighter and the requirements become lower.

Among them, Jiang Zhao is involved in the Qi Cui, one of the five degrees of mourning.

As a grandson, if Jiang Zhi were to pass away, Jiang Zhao would have to observe the mourning period for one year.

The practice of Qi Cui (a form of mourning) has never involved a mandatory requirement for dismissal from office.

The vast majority of officials experience a decline in status during their tenure, living a simple life with minimal travel and basic necessities.

The occasional official who voluntarily resigns and retires is undoubtedly a paragon of filial piety.

Jiang Zhao is one of them!

Moreover, he was dismissed from his post to attend to his ailing wife.

The reasons for this were twofold: first, to fulfill filial piety; and second, to gain favor from the new emperor.

There was nothing he could do; he was the old emperor's favorite minister!

He passed the imperial examination in the second year of the Jiayou era with top honors and served as an official for less than a year, reaching the fifth rank.

After three years of service away from home, he was promoted to the rank of fourth-grade official.

In the sixth year, he was enfeoffed as Duke of Lu and promoted to the third rank.

Nine years later, he entered the capital and was promoted to the third rank, where he taught members of the imperial family.

With such a resume, who wouldn't say that the Emperor has shown him great favor?

Now, facing the change of imperial lineage, he naturally has to consider the future.

They had to find a way to get the new emperor to show him favor.

If there is a bond of gratitude between the ruler and his subject, then he has the opportunity to gain the new emperor's trust.

With the promise of being called "the greatest emperor of all time," he could remain active in the court for at least another ten years.

Ultimately, sometimes all that's needed is a way for the new emperor to show favor.

Most of the time, court officials did not have such a way out.

Taking advantage of his grandfather's serious illness, Jiang Zhao decided to go all out and resign from his post.