The eleventh night of the first month of the third year of Song Yuanfu

Most of the yamen of the Song Dynasty were located in the imperial palace.

At this time, Emperor Zhao Xu of the Song Dynasty was critically ill and his life was on the verge of dying, and officials such as Zai, Zhi, the ministers of the two prefectures, and the ministers of the three provinces did not return to their homes, but they all gathered in the palace, and in the houses of the various ministries, they either took a break or gathered together to discuss quietly.

Zhang Dun, Cai Bian, Xu Jiang, Zeng Bu and others gathered in Menxia Province to discuss countermeasures, but they could be discussed, all of them were in opposite directions, all of them were duplicitous, and the discussion could not yield any results.

So Zhu Zai and Zhi simply stopped talking, lying on the couch and closing their eyes, each thinking about their own thoughts.

The same is true of Zhang Dan, leaning on the bamboo couch, with a pot of stove at his feet, and a thin fur quilt covered by the servant, and the temperature in the room is also more appropriate, neither hot nor cold.

Zhang Dian wanted to take a nap, but he couldn't fall asleep after tossing and turning, and his mind seemed to be overturned, and he felt extremely irritable.

Zhang Dian is already 60 years old this year, and has been the prime minister of the imperial court for six years, according to the general practice of the ancient times and the practice of the Song Dynasty, there are at most five years, and Zhang Dian has to resign and return to his hometown for retirement.

But even if there is a year and a half left, who would be willing to take the initiative to give up the phase and return to the countryside?

You must know that above the phase, in addition to being able to show your ambitions and reach the world, its identity and status are also unparalleled.

The prime minister, the son of heaven and the son of heaven are in charge of yin and yang, and the four times are in order, and the four things are appropriate, and the princes of the four yi are filled in the outside, and the people are attached to the inside, so that the doctors can each have their own duties.

When the high position is high, the person who is like crossing the river is like the king, and the door is like a city. Once it falls, it is a person who walks away from the tea and cools, and the door can be full of birds. . . Such a contrast that almost no one can endure.

The position of the prime minister is under one person and above ten thousand! But it came under this person.

Emperor Renzong of Song Jiayou for four years, only 25-year-old Zhang Dian ascended to Jinshidi, Yingzong ruled for four years, Ouyang Xiu, who was then the governor of the political affairs, recommended, Zhang Dian served as Zuo Lang and other positions. When Wang Anshi was in power, he was pleased with his talent and recommended Zhang Dian as the official of the three divisions, the manager of Jixian School, and the correction of Chinese books, and officially entered the center of the imperial court, and since then he has emerged in the imperial court.

After Wang Anshi dismissed the prime minister, after the dismissal of the prime minister, Wang Anshi recommended Zhang Dian as the "prime minister", that is, the three envoys, whose status is second only to the ruling position.

During this period, Zeng Bu impeached Zhang Dian on the charge of "deception", and Zhang Dian was dismissed from his post and demoted to Raozhou, where he was appointed as the governor of Raozhou.

Later, Zhang Dian was recalled to the imperial court, and then was demoted to Huzhou, Yuanfeng was recalled for three years, and was appointed as a bachelor of Hanlin, the right Yanzheng, and the prefect of the East Yuan in addition to the right to advise the doctor and participate in the governor's affairs, which officially entered the ranks of the government.

In the fourth year of Yuanfeng, Zhang Dian was demoted to Caizhou, and Yuanfeng was recalled again in five years and re-appointed to the position of ruler.

In the eighth year of Yuanfeng, Emperor Shenzong died, and Zhao Xu, who was only nine years old, succeeded to the throne, and the Empress Dowager Gao was regent, Yuan You was changed, and Zhang Dian was demoted to Ruzhou, Lingnan and other places.

Until Zhao Xu was in power, Shaosheng Shaoshu, as an important figure in the Shenzong Dynasty to preside over the reform of the law, and a tough opponent of the Yuanyou party, Zhang Dian was named Zuo Zhengyi's doctor, Shangshu's left servant and his servant, and he was the prime minister.

Zhangdun's life can be described as ups and downs, ebb and flow, ups and downs, can be described as thrilling, nine deaths, such a hard-won phase, how can Zhangdun easily give up?

At this time, Zhao Xu was critically ill and his life was on the verge of death, so the situation in the court was bound to change, and Zhang Xuan's phase was already in turmoil at this time.

If he wants to continue to be in high position, he must make a decision to gain the favor of the new king.

The current situation is that if Zhao Xu is ruo, the throne will definitely fall to one of the three of Shenzong's ninth son, King Shen Zhao Ji, the eleventh son Duan King Zhao Ji, and the thirteenth son Jian Wang Zhao Ru.

Zhang Dian is the oldest Shen Wang Zhao Tong to inherit the throne, and the next step of the choice is Jian Wang Zhao Xiang, in any case, Duan Wang Zhao Ji can not inherit the unification, the reason is that the concept of the Queen Mother Xiang behind the Duan King is almost the same as the late Empress Dowager Gao, is against the change, and is very sympathetic to Yuan You's people, so, if Zhao Ji succeeds to the throne, then it is very likely that the efforts of Yuanfeng people for many years will be in vain, Zhang Dian and others may be expelled from the court.

But at present, only Zhang Bian supports Zhao Tong in the imperial court, although Cai Bian is submissive to himself, but he is yang and yin, and at the same time, Cai Bian has been the deputy prime minister for a long time, and he has been peeking at the phase for too long, so he can't wait to drive Zhang Dian away immediately and replace him.

And Zeng Bu is not to mention, he is a mortal enemy with Zhang Dian, and it is impossible to stand on Zhang Dan's side at this time.

The other rulers are grass on the wall, and when they see which side is weak, they will definitely rise up in groups and attack it.

"Gong Zhang, you are old, why don't you go back to your house to rest?" Cai Bian saw that Zhang Dian's face was red and white, and his expression was extremely anxious, so he said to Zhang Dian: "When there is news, the lower official will immediately inform Zhang Gong." "Book bar

At this time, the situation in the court is treacherous, no one knows what the final result is, the three county kings are likely to inherit the throne, Zhang Bian is in support of Zhao Tuo, in this regard, Cai Bian is well aware, if Zhao Tuo really ascends the throne, then Zhang Bian will continue to be in the high position, then at this time Cai Bian is attached to Zhang Tun, so he left a way back for himself, in order to keep his position as deputy prime minister.

Therefore, at present, Cai Bian really cares about Zhang Dian at least on the surface.

"The old man doesn't have to worry about Cai Xianggong." When Zhang Bian was in a disgusted mood, Cai Bian suddenly said this, which suddenly made Zhang Dian unable to hold back, which made Zhang Dian extremely disgusted with Cai Bian, so he said with a gloomy face: "Although the old man is old, but he is in good health, you still have to worry about yourself." ”

At this critical moment, how can you leave the palace? Wouldn't it be a big deal to want to drive themselves back to the house, and then they take advantage of the opportunity? Hmph, there is no door, Zhang Dian said secretly in his heart.

Cai Bian immediately blushed like a monkey's ass when he heard this. Why is this person so ignorant? I was indeed a little worried about his body, but I was ridiculed by Zhang Dian and in front of everyone, so that Cai Bian couldn't get off the stage...

Cai Bian's face was red, and he held back for a while before he said: "In this way, it is a lot of trouble for the lower officials." ”

Cai Bian then sat aside angrily, and muttered at the end: "Hmph, Sima Zhao's heart." ”

"Hmph, you said that the old man is Sima Zhao's heart?" When Zhang Dian heard this, he suddenly rushed upward, and he couldn't contain it at all, so he stood up and walked in front of Cai Bian, pointed at Cai Bian's nose and said angrily: "Then who are you?" It's just a cough, so why don't you go home at this time? Why is it here? ”

Cai Bian is Wang Anshi's son-in-law, and his wife Wang is knowledgeable, poetic, and knowledgeable about state affairs.

Cai Bian has something, first seek it in private, and then announce it in the court, is a typical fear of guilt, has already become the laughing stock of the court, the world has ridiculed Cai Bian, every day to follow, all of them cough and spit...

Zhang Bian was ugly in public, coupled with Cai Bian's "young and vigorous", Cai Bian is more than ten years younger than Zhang Den, and he is about fifty this year, so Cai Bian couldn't contain his anger, stood up and said angrily: "In addition to coughing and spitting, it is also a hundred times stronger than the high love of Shuiyun Township." ”

As soon as Cai Bian said this, all the ministers around him couldn't help laughing.

The abbot immortal is out of the vast, and he still loves Shuiyun Township. Whoever makes the fame even three victories, why is the life experience to be forgotten.

This is a parting poem given by Su Shi to Zhang Dian, but it was understood by Zhang Dian as a satire on his family ugliness, and the two also had a gap in their hearts, and then they became together.

"Shaft dare?" At this time, Cai Bian humiliated in public, which made Zhang Dian angry, and the anger in his heart could not be contained at all, so he grabbed Cai Bian and pushed it hard, pushing Cai Bian down on top of the bamboo collapse.

Cai Bian exclaimed and fell on top of the bamboo collapse, the bamboo collapse was not strong, relatively soft, so there was a loud noise, the bamboo collapse was crushed, Shang Shu Youcheng, the deputy prime minister of the court sat on the ground, looking at Zhang Dian in horror.

Zhang Dian is tall and outstanding, although he is old, but his majesty has not diminished back then, at this time, he suddenly went violent, he was really majestic, worthy of being a great Di Weng, and suddenly Cai Bian was so shocked that he didn't dare to speak anymore.

Although Cai Bian is much younger than Zhangdun, he is much shorter than Zhangdun, and his body is not as strong as Zhangdun.

As the saying goes, heroes don't suffer immediate losses, and when they have to admit it, they have to admit it. . .

"Your Majesty is in danger, how can you do this at this time? What kind of system is it? Zeng Bu shook his head when he saw this.

Who doesn't know this? Do you need to be cold? Hearing this, Zhang Dian turned his head and glared at Zeng Bu angrily, but secretly regretted it in his heart.

Zhang Dian is a fiery temper, and he doesn't care about his temper, but after his temper has passed, he generally regrets it.

At this critical moment, it was a time when help was needed, didn't Zhang Dian directly push Cai Bian to the opposite side?

"Why are you doing this?" Shang Shu Youcheng Xu hurriedly helped Cai Bian up and said: "Zhang Gong is working hard day and night on state affairs, and His Majesty is in danger at this time, so it is inevitable that he will be a little irritable, so you can take care of one or two." ”

Hearing this, Zhang Dun stopped his anger for a while, and nodded to General Xu to show his gratitude.

Which of these people would be on their side? Then it has to be Xu Jiang, Zhang Dian said secretly in his heart.

Who is Xu Jiang? Jiayou eight years of the champion of the Gui Mao Branch, at the age of 26, is the youngest champion of the entire Fujian Road, erudite and talented, more loyal and upright, at this time has gone through the four dynasties of Renzong, Yingzong, Shenzong, Zhao Xu, is the elder of the four dynasties.

Xu Jiang attached himself to Zhang Dian, and Zhang Xuan recommended him to enter the slaughter and execution column, and Xu Jiang reported it to Li, and recommended Zhang Qi, the brother of Zhang Dian, to Zhilong Tuge, as the pacification envoy of Huanqing Road, commanding the northwest army, passing through the northwest, fighting against the Western Xia, and achieved good results.

At this time, Zhang Kai has been in the northwest for more than four years.