Author: Zhang Jiannan
Yan Shu, like his student Wang Anshi, was born in Linchuan, in the Northern Song Dynasty, in present-day Jiangxi. His family was not wealthy, but he was intelligent and studious from an early age, could write articles at the age of 5, and became famous for a while, and was called a prodigy.
After a few years, Zhang Zhibai, a high official in Jiangnan, learned of the "prodigy" Yan Shu and recommended this "prodigy" to the imperial court. At that time, Yan Shu was only 14 years old, and he directly crossed the level to participate in the palace examination presided over by the emperor with other candidates from all over the country. Although he was young, he seemed very calm in the examination room and successfully answered the examination paper. Song Zhenzong read the examination paper, felt good, and gave Tong Jinshi a birth, thus changing Yan Shu's identity and changing from a "child prodigy" to a jinshi.
When Kou Zhun, the prime minister, heard about this, he felt that it was inappropriate, so he said to Zhenzong, "Yan Shu is a foreigner. Song Zhenzong pondered for a moment and replied, "Isn't Zhang Jiuling a foreigner?" ”
At this time, the temple examination is not over, and there are still examinations for poetry, endowment, and discourse. In the later examination, Yan Shu took a closer look at the examination paper, found that there was a problem, and reflected to Zhenzong, "I have done these questions before, please use other questions to test me." Zhenzong was suddenly touched by the honest character of this boy, and his heart deeply gave Yan Shu a big praise. Zhenzong really felt that Yan Shu was a talent, and Yan Shu, who was sincere and talented, was directly awarded an official position, the secretary of the province, and the number one.
The Secretarial Province is the institution that specializes in the management of the national collection of books and has many national library materials. Taking this opportunity, Yan Shu studied diligently, read a lot of books, made friends cautiously, and worked diligently for several years during his tenure. These Zhenzong and his superiors all looked at him, and soon adjusted his official position, went to a more important post, and grew up.
At that time, the world was too peaceful and the economy was prosperous, and officials liked to attend banquets, drink and sing songs for various entertainment, but Yan Shu did not participate, still studying hard and working hard. Zhenzong felt very strange, and his heart was full of question marks. Once, when Zhenzong saw Yan Shu, he asked him why he didn't drink and have fun. He replied honestly, "Because there is no money." Emperor Zhenzong felt that Yan Shu was both good at learning and learning, so he decided to let him be the "Prince Sheren" and read it to Crown Prince Zhao Zhen as a companion to cultivate the Prince. Yan Shu was 18 years old at the time.
Yan Shu's life was peaceful and comfortable, and his life was also richer. On a late spring evening, under the illumination of the sunset, he listened to a small song while drinking a small wine, and then looked at the flowers in the courtyard, which evoked the memories of the past, and thought of the spring beauty that could not be permanent, so that he was deeply sad and sad. In his sadness, he chanted the famous "Huan Xi Sha".
Raccoon Creek Sand A new song for a glass of wine, last year's weather old pavilion. When does the sun set? Helpless flowers fell, and déjà vu returned. The small garden incense path wanders alone.
Later, he wrote another poem "Huan Xi Sha".
He has always been limited in his life, and it is easy to dissipate his soul when he is idle, and the wine feast is not frequent. The mountains and rivers are empty, and the falling flowers and wind and rain hurt the spring even more, so it is better to pity the people in front of you.
Soon, Yan Shu adjusted his post again. After a long time, he became a Hanlin bachelor and was promoted to Zuo Shuzi. During this period, when Zhenzong encountered difficult things, he often wrote a small note and sent someone to consult him. Each time, Yan Shu wrote down his suggestions and glued them back together with Zhenzong's original manuscript notes. Zhenzong gave another great praise to Yan Shu's caution and rigor.
When Yan Shu was 32 years old, Zhenzong died, and only 12-year-old crown prince Zhao Zhen succeeded to the throne, that is, Song Renzong. When Emperor Renzong was young, the officials of the DPRK and China were all thinking about seizing the opportunity to seize power and interfere in the government, and the political situation was unstable. Yan Shu was a real person, and he couldn't look at it, so he stood up and suggested that Empress Liu bow down to the government, and with the support of most officials, stabilized the situation. Through this incident, everyone once again saw Yan Shu's character.
Ten years later, at the age of 42, Yan Shu was promoted to the position of Governor of the People's Republic of China. In the second year of his term of office, his honest character played a role again, and this time he discouraged the empress dowager from "serving the crown to the temple", and as a result, he was demoted to the local area.
Four years later, Li Yuanhao declared himself emperor, established the Western Xia State, and sent troops to the Shaanxi region, repelling the Song army one after another. Yan Shu comprehensively analyzed the military and financial situation at that time, studied countermeasures, and after asking Emperor Renzong, he did four things:
Abolish the supervision of the army by the internal ministers, and give the commander-in-chief the power to decide on major matters in the army;
Recruit and train archers for combat purposes;
Clear the long-term backlog of property in the palace and fund the salaries of the border guards;
Recover materials that have been appropriated by the divisions and replenish the national treasury.
Soon the Song army repelled the Western Xia army, and the political situation was once again stabilized by Yan Shu.
The 33-year-old Renzong has grown up and begun to take sole power, re-activating his former companion and good character Yan Shu, but Yan Shu has experienced too many ups and downs and parted ways to hate and hate, and it is inevitable that there will be no sorrow in his heart, and he is old, already in his fifties. One night, he wrote his sorrow into the word "Butterfly Love Flower".
Butterflies love flowers The sills are sad and the smoke orchid is weeping, the curtain is light and cold, and the swallows are flying away. Mingyue did not know how to leave hatred and bitterness, and the slanted light reached Xiao to wear Zhu Hu. Last night, the west wind withered the green trees, and I went up to the tall building alone, looking at the end of the world. If you want to send a color note and a ruler, the mountains and rivers know where to go!
More than ten years after Yan Shu's life, there were promotions, there were demeanings, and he also cultivated and recommended many talents, such as Fan Zhongyan and Wang Anshi, until the age of 64, When Yan Shu, who was serving in the local government, was seriously ill, he asked to return to the capital for treatment. Emperor Renzong planned to reuse him again after he recovered from his illness, and deliberately left him behind to explain the scriptures for himself and treat him according to the specifications of the prime minister.
After a year, Yan Shu's condition worsened, and Renzong wanted to go to see him. But Yan Shu did not agree, and directly wrote a note to Renzong, saying very sincerely: "I am old and seriously ill, I can't do things, and I don't deserve to be worried about your majesty." ”
It didn't take long for Yan Shu to die. Emperor Renzong had always regretted not being able to visit him while he was sick. It can be said that the lifelong growth of the great poet Yan Shu relies on his own character, and it is precisely because he is honest, cautious and rigorous, and can go all the way at a critical moment, gain the appreciation and trust of the two generations of Zhenzong and Renzong father and son emperors, and take a good road in life.