Yan Shu, Zhenzong and Renzong were important courtiers, and Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi, Ouyang Xiu and other famous courtiers were all under his command.
"Honesty for officials, honest work", let Yan Shu Qingyun go straight up, but "honest" is not enough to let him sustain himself in the mediation of the officialdom, and the selective "honest" way in exchange for endless glory, but at the same time let the "honest man" Yan Shu lost. In the end, his official path fell on his lost "honest" nature.
The blessing of "honesty"
Yan Shu used to be an honest man. Honest people, of course, often tell the truth.
Yan Shu was very bullish, and at the age of seven he had the name of a prodigy, and at the age of fourteen, he was solemnly recommended by Lord Zhang Zhibai, who had been a chancellor twice, and was authorized by Emperor Zhenzong of Song to directly participate in the temple examination presided over by the emperor himself. At a young age, in full view of everyone, Yan Shu was calm and relaxed, and his demeanor was measured. After the title was issued, Yan Shu took the initiative to stand up and said, "The minister made this assignment ten days ago, and begged for a proposition." Song Zhenzong was very happy to hear it. Ordinary people see that the test questions are written by themselves, and they must be secretly happy in their hearts, and Yan Shu actually said it, which shows that Yan Shu is really honest. Therefore, Song Zhenzong made a separate proposition and let Yan Shu write it. Yan Shu did not hesitate, and with a wave of it, the article was both fast and good, the group of ministers was amazed, and Song Zhenzong was even happier, and on the spot, he gave Yan Shu the same jinshi birth and served in the secretary province (National History Museum). The future of the honest man Yan Shu is bright.
Yan Shu's quick thinking is far more than ordinary people, and it is indeed commendable, but what makes Song Zhenzong more satisfied is Yan Shu's honesty. If an official can have one thing to say, not to hide from the top, and not to deceive the bottom, he can naturally become a good official who is diligent in government and loves the people, and naturally can become a good subordinate who is loyal and indispensable. Song Zhenzong was happy and quite reasonable.
Song Zhenzong was very concerned about Yan Shu, and often privately sent people to understand Yan Shu's behavior to see if he was really so honest. At that time, some secretarial and provincial officials often held dinners at home after work, and sometimes ran to the restaurants outside to sing and dance, and the atmosphere was very bad. However, Yan Shu was different, often staying at home and studying with several brothers. Song Zhenzong saw it in his eyes and remembered it in his heart.
Later, Emperor Zhenzong of Song selected the assistant official of the Eastern Palace for the crown prince Zhao Zhen (later Emperor Renzong) and specially selected Yan Shu. The prime ministers did not understand, so they asked the emperor, and Song Zhenzong said that recently he had heard that some of the courtiers in the pavilion did not participate in the feast and drink in their leisure time, but Yan Shu studied behind closed doors. Such a strict and thick person should assist the prince in the Eastern Palace. Yan Shu's "beware" and the frankness and consistency of the previous response are all excellent styles of honest people, and Song Zhenzong is very satisfied.
After Yan Shu received the appointment, he entered the palace to thank him, and Song Zhenzong talked to his face about the reasons for promoting Yan Shu beyond the ranks, and praised Yan Shu for continuing to be a down-to-earth person and an honest official. Unexpectedly, Yan Shu actually knelt down and said, "The subject is not a wanderer who is not happy with Yan, but he is poor and has nothing to do." If a subject has money, he must also go. In the face of the emperor's praise, Yan Shu did not silently admit it, but declared that he was not as noble as the emperor said, and the reason why he studied behind closed doors was not because of what was rigorous and thick, but because he was too poor to have money to eat. If I had money, I would have gone a long time ago. After Song Zhenzong listened, he looked at Yan Shu for a long time, and his heart was even happier: It is really rare for an honest person like Yan Shu!
In his later years, Emperor Zhenzong of Song arranged Yan Shu by the side of the young Song Renzong, and repeatedly explained to Empress Liu E that he should examine Yan Shu carefully. Yan Shu rose step by step, and participated in central decision-making in his thirties. Song Zhenzong had any difficult questions, often wrote down the questions with very small pieces of paper and handed them to Yan Shu, who also wrote down his answers in detail, and sealed the emperor's pieces of paper as they were and sent them back together to avoid leaking secrets. The whole court believed that Yan Shu was bound to be of great use, and it was sooner or later to worship him.
The confusion of "honesty"
However, people will always change, especially when a person is in the field of power and faces the temptation of power and fame, it is easier to change his mind. So, did the honest man Yan Shu continue to maintain his honest style? Unfortunately, no. There are many reasons to change Yan Shu's style as a human official, and one thing is very important.
At that time, Song Zhenzong's health was already very bad, and the wind inside and outside the imperial court was very loud, and many zai courtiers were afraid to live forever. Before and after The death of Song Zhenzong, there will inevitably be major personnel changes, and if you know the news earlier, you can prepare earlier. Therefore, the eight immortals of the ministers crossed the sea, each showing his divine powers, and used all kinds of means to inquire into the emperor's intentions. Emperor Zhenzong of Song also strictly guarded against death, strictly prohibiting the private transmission of messages inside and outside the palace.
One day, Song Zhenzong reluctantly got up, wrote a secret edict, and then beckoned people to come. During the Song Dynasty, the secretarial team around the emperor who was responsible for drafting edicts and conveying the will was divided into two groups, called the internal system as a Hanlin scholar, and the one who served as the zhizhi in other official positions was called the external system. The internal official on duty that day happened to be absent, and Yan Shu was a foreign official at the time, summoning the eunuch to mistakenly announce Yan Shu's entry into the temple. Yan Shu saw that it was an important edict for the appointment and dismissal of courtiers, and hurriedly said: "Subjects are foreign systems, and they dare not overstep their duties." Song Zhenzong nodded and ordered that Hanlin Scholars be summoned to the palace. Yan Shu knelt down and did not get up, saying, "The minister is afraid of leaks, please stop staying at the Academy." In order to show his innocence, Yan Shu took the initiative to request that the Hanlin Academy, which slept in the palace at night, never go out, and ensure that the news would not be leaked. Song Zhenzong's face turned blue, and he nodded his head without saying much. Early the next morning, Yan Shu heard that the emperor had indeed issued an edict to appoint and dismiss zaichen, but the list was different from all the things he had seen last night. Yan Shu was terrified, "deeply frightened and did not dare to speak", there were thousands of questions in his heart, but he did not dare to say them to anyone.
Why did Song Zhenzong change the list? Didn't Yan Shu say that he would be at the Hanlin Academy at night, would not leave the palace, and would not leak the news? There was only one reason, even if Yan Shu guaranteed it, Song Zhenzong did not believe Yan Shu at all. In the official arena, the power struggle is changing rapidly, especially before and after the death of Song Zhenzong, even for the closest empress Liu E, Song Zhenzong will keep a hand, not to mention the courtier Yan Shu.
And Yan Shu, after experiencing this storm, also realized the crisis of trust. Honestly being an official, telling the truth, and doing honest things can really satisfy the leaders? Can you really let yourself continue to survive in the ever-changing officialdom? Unconsciously, Yan Shu was changing his style of acting. Sometimes, honestly speaking your own truth is far less realistic than saying the "honest truth" that leaders are willing to hear.
"Honesty" is an option
Later, Emperor Zhenzong of Song died, and the young Emperor Renzong of Song ascended the throne, with Empress Dowager Liu E in power. Yan Shu's official position has been promoted all the way, and Yan Shu, an honest man, has become more and more artistic in talking and doing things, and has also learned to play tai chi, play ambushes, and pick beautiful words.
Yan Shu was an official for many years and promoted many talents, such as Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi, famous ministers of the Song Dynasty. These two people were Yan Shu's confidants who had been pulled up from the last minor official, and Fu Bi had become Yan Shu's son-in-law, and the relationship was naturally close.
Fan Zhongyan entered the official field, the official position was very small, the tone was very large, and he once wrote a letter to the prime minister to refute the shortcomings of the imperial court's policy. The Prime Minister Wang zeng was very happy to see it, and felt that Fan Zhongyan was very remarkable. At that time, Yan Shu had a recommended place to serve in the National History Museum (most of the high-ranking officials of the Central Song Dynasty came from the Pavilion), but Yan Shu did not recommend Fan Zhongyan. The prime minister Wang zeng was strange, and said: "The public knows that Fan Zhongyun is reluctant and does not recommend, but the recommenders are people?" It is not possible to do it for public use, and it is advisable to recommend Zhongyun also. "Don't you Yan Shu know Fan Zhongyun very well?" Why not recommend Fan Zhongyun, who knows about it, but recommend others? Wang Zeng even said, Yan Shu, the letter of recommendation you put forward has been suppressed for you, you still have to change it, recommend Fan Zhongyun. When Yan Shu saw that the prime minister Wang Zeng had spoken, he could only obey and recommend Fan Zhongyun.
Then, why did Yan Shu bring Fan Zhongyun into the official arena, but not let Fan Zhongyun enter the central government? Quite simply, it is because Fan Zhongyun is a cannon barrel, a rectum, and when he sees something that does not meet his heart, he must say it. At that time, as a local official, Yan Shu could still keep Fan Zhongyun, but in the imperial court, Yan Shu could not take care of himself, and if he was implicated by Fan Zhongyun, he would not be able to draw it.
Sure enough, soon after, Empress Dowager Liu E suggested that the officials of the Ministry of Rites agree on the etiquette to wear the crown of the Son of Heaven to worship the Taimiao Temple, and also asked the Tianzi to lead hundreds of officials to celebrate the birthday of Empress Dowager Liu E in the main hall. Fan Zhongyan heard the news and publicly played this move against the ancestral system. When Yan Shu learned the news, he was very scared and called Fan Zhongyan to scold him fiercely, saying that Fan Zhongyun was too arrogant. Yes, Empress Dowager Liu E has been in power for ten years, like a heroine, but she has not officially ascended the throne. Now the person he recommended openly confronted Empress Liu, and the consequences were unimaginable. But what did Fan Zhongyan say? Fan Zhongyan straightened his face and said, "Zhongyan was misunderstood by Ming Gong, feared not to be called, ashamed of himself, and did not intend to offend his subordinates with righteousness." "I Fan Zhongyan was able to be recommended by the old leader, and I often worried in my heart that I was incompetent and embarrassed the old leader, and I did not expect that I would let the old leader criticize me for saying some honest remarks." Fan Zhong was aggrieved, and he was a little contemptuous at the same time, was this the Yan Shu who promoted himself in the first place? After Yan Shu listened, he was "ashamed of what he could not respond to" and felt very guilty.
However, guilt goes to guilt, and the reality is so cruel. Soon after, Fan Zhongyan was belittled by Emperor Renzong of Song for his great disrespect for Empress Liu, and Yan Shu, as a recommender, was naturally also belittled. Yan Shu's worries that day finally came true.
However, the blessings and misfortunes of the world are uncertain. It was precisely because Fan Zhongyan did this that it brought fan Zhongyan and Yan Shu more than ten years of official fortunes. In the next few years, Liu E died, and Song Renzong finally took the government. After pro-government, Emperor Renzong of Song began to purge the empress dowager's power and cultivate his own confidants, and Fan Zhongyan and Yan Shu, who had openly opposed empress dowager Liu E, were naturally used heavily. Yan Shu entered the cabinet in his early forties and served as deputy prime minister.
The official position became larger, and Yan Shu also became more sleek.
Soon after Yan Shu became deputy prime minister, a great war broke out between the imperial court and Western Xia, and friction with the Liao state was also continuous. The basic national policy of the Northern Song Dynasty was to negotiate peace with the Liao state and mobilize troops with the Western Xia. Seeing that the Northern Song Dynasty was busy fighting the Western Xia and unable to look north, the Liao State took the opportunity to propose that the Northern Song Dynasty cede ten counties to replace the previous old coins. Fu Bi sent an envoy to the Liao State, but sternly refused, saying: "Since the Northern Dynasty is proud of gaining land, the Southern Dynasty will be humiliated by the loss of land." How can a kingdom of brotherhood bring about glory and humiliation? Fu Bi responded very decently, taking into account the face of the Liao state without losing the national character of the Great Song Dynasty, and stressed that only in this way can the friendship of the brotherly country be maintained, which is beneficial to each other. However, at that time, the Emperor of the Liao State did not immediately sign the state certificate, but only made a verbal promise to continue to accept the old coins. When Fu Bi returned to the Northern Song Dynasty, he saw that on the state certificate submitted by the Liao State, he called the Northern Song Dynasty to the Liao State as a "tribute", which obviously regarded the Northern Song Dynasty as a subordinate vassal state. Fu Bi then sent another mission to the Liao State, insisting that this insulting word could not be used. However, the emperor of the Liao state was very tough, saying that even if the word "sacrifice" was not used, the word "Na" (Na, which is still the relationship between the feudal state and the suzerainty), must be used, and the threat of force must be used. Fu Bi argued on the basis of reason and did not back down. The Emperor of the Liao State had no choice but to send another emissary to change the State Letter. However, after Fu Bi returned, the prime ministers of the Northern Song Dynasty actually signed the Northern Song Dynasty's "Na Coin" state certificate. Fu Bi's hard-earned victory was erased by Lü Yijian, who was then the prime minister.
Fu Bi was very angry and told the emperor: "The government is like this, and it wants to put its subjects to death." The death of a subject is not a pity, such as a state affair? Indeed, Fu Bi had won a diplomatic victory, but when he turned around, Prime Minister Lü Yijian accepted the insulting state letter. Fu Bi said that the matter of personal life and death is small, the honor and disgrace of the Great Song Dynasty are big, and it concerns the national system, how can we do such a thing that loses power and humiliates the country? Song Renzong originally did not notice this problem, and listening to Fu Biyi, he attached great importance to it. Although the Northern Song Dynasty and the Liao brothers were commensurate, they have always treated each other as equals, and they are definitely not subordinate relations. The chancellor, Lü Yijian, panicked and argued that he estimated that it was a clerical error and would definitely let the Liao state make another revision. At this time, Song Renzong said, "How about the cardinal Yan Shu? At that time, Yan Shu was promoted to privy councillor in charge of the national military, and his opinion was very important. Yan Shu said, "Yi Jian will never do this, I am afraid of mistakes!" Yan Shu actually identified Lü Yijian's major mistake as a clerical error, and his tone was more affirmative than Lü Yijian himself. This time the rich man was furious and said, "Yan Shu treacherous yeah? Dang Yijian deceived His Majesty. "You must know that Fu Bi and Yan Shu are the relationship between the son-in-law and the father-in-law." Even Fu Bi couldn't see Yan Shu, and in dealing with such a serious diplomatic issue, he actually attached himself to Lü Yijian and saw Lü Yijian's face and spoke, completely losing the fairness that a supreme military commander should have.
Yan Shu, who dared to express his chest directly and honestly as an official, is gone, and Yan Shu, who has been an official for many years, has long cultivated into a kung fu of copper skin and iron bones. If you want to stand firm in the official arena, you must rely on the power gate. Although Yan Shu was a privy councillor, Lü Yijian was indeed the prime minister in charge of military and political affairs, with greater officials and heavier powers. Speculating on the intentions of the leaders, saying what the leaders want to hear, even if they distort the facts, they must safeguard the interests of the small group, and slowly become the principle of "honest people" Yan Shu as officials.
Success is also "honest", defeat is also "honest"
When Yan Shu was in his fifties, he formally worshipped the chancellor, and after many years of daughter-in-law becoming a wife, he finally reached the high position of just looking at the emperor's face. However, two years later, he was deposed by Emperor Renzong of Song because of an old incident.
Song Renzong's birth mother was originally Concubine Li Chen, but his mother Liu E raised Song Renzong from an early age until Liu E's death, and Song Renzong did not know who his birth mother was. In the same year that Empress Dowager Liu E died, Princess Li died a few months ago, and Yan Shu was responsible for writing the epitaph. Yan Shu's epitaph only mentions that Concubine Li Chen once gave birth to a princess, and there is no mention of Song Renzong at all. Years later, Cai Xiang turned the matter over, saying that Yan Shu, as a servant, of course knew the truth, but he distorted the facts and ignored the truth. Song Renzong was furious and very annoyed with Yan Shu. Of course, there were also other ministers who interceded for Yan Shu, and they thought that Yan Shu was also helpless, and at that time, the empress dowager was in the dynasty, and she could not tolerate Yan Shu telling the truth. Even Emperor Lao Tzu did not know who his birth mother was after the death of Empress Dowager Liu E.
However, Song Renzong could understand intellectually, but emotionally he could not accept it. Why couldn't Yan Shu argue with reason like Fan Zhongyan, Fu Bi and other ministers, or even fight to the death? Where did Yan Shu, an honest man who was highly praised by Song Zhenzong, go?
Emperor Renzong of Song eventually demoted Yan Shu to a local official. In the following ten years, although Yan Shu rose and fell several times, he never had access to the center again. Once the emperor had doubts about Yan Shu's rules of conduct, it was more difficult for Yan Shu to gain trust than to ascend to heaven.