Taishi was an official position placed in the Western Zhou Dynasty in ancient China, and was specially awarded to the ministers of the auxiliary monarch. Later, it was mostly used by the emperor as a title for senior officials to show favor.

When Cai Jing was sixty-two years old, he was worshiped as a Taishi by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, which was the first month of 1108 (the second year of Daguan), and he was the prime minister at that time.

Whether it is from the perspective of Fubi or from the perspective of grace, the title of Taishi is the most suitable for Cai Jing.

Cai Jing Taishi's Mansion is tall and majestic, magnificent, and covers a vast area, as if it is a small imperial palace. At the gate, there stands a four-foot and nine-foot-high building, and the plaque is inscribed with three golden characters of "Mingluan Hall", which is Song Huizong's personal book with the "thin gold body" royal pen.

There is a South Garden with birds singing and flowers in the courtyard, and there is a West Lake with rippling blue waves, both of which are quite prestigious.

This mansion was given to Cai Jing by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, and is located in the outer city on the northwest side of the imperial city, on the south bank of the Jinshui River.

Jinshui River is an artificial river dug during the Song Taizu period, and is one of the four major rivers in the capital.

Tokyo originally had three rivers running through the city, the Bianhe River, the Cai River, and the Gojo River, and the water system was developed, so why did you dig this Jinshui River?

The reason is simple, it is to ensure that there is enough water in the inner courtyard of the palace.

The river enters the inner city from the northwest of the outer city, meanders and flows into the imperial city back garden from the Tianbo Gate, zigzags around the Taimiao in the big interior, and then crosses the royal street and goes eastward until the inner city Donghao.

The Jinshui River is called Jinglongjiang or Longdejiang in the inner court of the imperial palace, and the west of Tianbo Gate is called Tianbo River.

Song Huizong came to the palace of the fortunate Taishi, sometimes by sedan chair, sometimes by boat. In fact, it is most convenient to take a boat to go, along the Jinglong River and Tianbo River to the west, you can directly reach the Taishi Mansion.

There is also a river to the south of Taishifu, the Bianhe River, which is the largest river in Tokyo, and there are many ships that come and go every day, most of them merchant ships carrying goods. There are also ornately decorated pleasure boats that shuttle through it from time to time.

The Bianhe River passes through the city, and there are more than a dozen bridges on the river, and the one in the south of Taishifu is called Taishifu Bridge. This bridge is famous and is known to women and children in Tokyo.

Cai Jing, who lives in the Taishi Mansion in Qiaobei, is even more famous and well-known.

Cai Jing entered the official career from 1070 (the third year of Xining) to the spring of 1115 (the fifth year of Zhenghe), and has been up and down in the sea for forty-five years. He went through the emperors of Song Shenzong, Song Zhezong, and Song Huizong, and was very appreciated, and he was also ruthlessly attacked and squeezed out by political enemies many times. Now, whether it is power or treatment, the sixty-nine-year-old Cai Jingjing has reached the peak of his life goals.

At the beginning of his visit, six or seven giant merchants came to collect debts, and they took IOUs and said that during the Zhezong Dynasty, the imperial court sent troops to attack Western Xia, and borrowed more than 3 million yuan from us, which has not been repaid yet.

Cai Jing made a truthful report to Song Huizong.

Song Huizong's face was embarrassed: "Insult the country!" And what can I do? ”

Cai Jing replied confidently, "Please taste it." ”

Cai Jing ordered to take stock of the treasures of the imperial city, and package those superfluous and useless things as a price to pay off debts. Within half a year, the arrears were paid off.

Cai Jing's changes in the economic system, especially the reform of the tea and salt laws, soon saw results, and a steady stream of tax wealth was gathered in Beijing.

Cai Jing proudly reported to Song Huizong: "Today, the accumulation of goods in the inner and outer springs is 50 million, which is enough to enjoy and rich enough to prepare gifts. ”

Song Huizong was overjoyed when he heard this.

As a result, Cai Jing proposed to Song Huizong the concept of "Fengheng Yuda" to govern the country.

Abundance means abundance, and to govern the country must first grasp the economy, and let the state finance be full and prosperous, which is the economic foundation for governing the country.

Heng means Hengtong, and it is necessary to ensure the smooth implementation of government decrees, so that the law can be effective, and this is the political foundation.

Yu means happiness, and it is necessary to create a peaceful and happy social environment and atmosphere, which is the foundation of society.

Big, that is, Hongdae, to establish the demeanor of a great country, to reflect the spirit of a great country, this is the foundation of the national image.

Cai Jing's concept of governing the country is based on these four foundations, with clear levels, clear ideas, and rich connotations. This made Song Huizong feel refreshed.

Cai Jing's concept of "Fengheng Yuda" stems from his understanding of the rich philosophy of the Book of Changes, and also reflects his thinking and longing for ideal politics.

However, these ideas of governance have been repeatedly misunderstood and criticized, and have been listed as one of Cai Jing's crimes.

Some people say that he is using this to whitewash the peace. Some people say that he is "advocating the style of poverty and luxury." Some people even said that he regarded the property of the officials as dung, and tried his best to encourage Song Huizong to squander it.

These statements, when you think about it, make people feel both absurd and ridiculous.

Cai Jing's political style has always been vigorous and resolute, and sometimes aggressive, which made Song Huizong feel very uncomfortable. Song Huizong began to suspect that Cai Jing had authoritarian tendencies.

Some ministers were also dissatisfied with Cai Jing's strong politics, but they couldn't find an opportunity to attack.

One day in March of 1115 (the fifth year of Zhenghe), Tong Guan dragged his tired body back to the capital from the Northwest Front, and after reporting the battle situation on the Northwest Front to Song Huizong in detail, he went home to recuperate.

He also has a mansion next to Cai Jingtai's Mansion in the west of the city, which was also given by Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty.

Tong Guan was urgently sent to the northwest front by Song Huizong in December last year, because something happened in the northwest. Li Yanyi, the chief of Dingyuan Village in Huanzhou (now Huanxian County, Gansu), betrayed the Song Dynasty and wrote a secret letter to Liang Duo, the commander of the Western Xia army, inviting him to send troops into the Song Dynasty to loot grain and grass. The Xia army secretly invaded and besieged Dingyuan Village for 25 days, and was very arrogant.

Li Yanyi was the leader of the Dangxiang tribe who defected to the Song Dynasty during the time of Song Zhezong, and was given the name Zhao Huaiming, and he has been an official in the Song Dynasty for more than 20 years.

His betrayal made Song Huizong very angry.

Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty immediately issued an edict appointing Tong Guan as the envoy of Shaanxi Economic Strategy, ordering him to urgently go to the northwest front and send heavy troops to crack down on the provocations of Western Xia.

The Song-Xia War broke out again.

Tong Guan came to the Taishi Mansion, and before he entered the hall of Mingluan Hall, he was greeted by a strong fragrance of agarwood. The curling fragrance of agarwood wafts out of wealth and comfort, spicy and public. This is the taste that Cai Jing likes, and this is also a manifestation of Cai Jing's character.

Cai Jing was sitting in the hall waiting for Tong Guan.

After some pleasantries, the two reached a consensus. So, they entered the palace together and came to the Chongzheng Palace.

Cai Jing said to Song Huizong:

"Your Majesty, the minister and the chief boy believe that since ancient times, it has been a matter of prosperity and beauty for the country to attract people from afar. Now the Liao State is using troops, and the army and the people are detached from Germany and are vying to defect to our Great Song Dynasty. Recruiting the people from outside the country will definitely show the emperor's prestige and unite the hearts of Yanyun Hanmin. ”

Song Huizong saw that the two old ministers agreed on the same opinion, so he allowed the performance, and ordered the governor of Xiongzhou and Shu to accept the fleeing people into the country. He also ordered the border generals to strictly guard against spies, draw maps of the mountains and rivers in the north, and find out the arrangement of military horses and horses to prepare. （）