Li Meng's anecdote

Renzong lived in seclusion, a literary courtier

Li Meng learned a lot of mechanics knowledge from an early age, read widely, memorized it thoroughly, was proficient in classics and history, and was good at writing articles. He often talks about the reasons for the rise and fall of chaos in ancient and modern times, and intends to use the world. At that time, the imperial examination had not been resumed, and the main way for scholars to seek officials was to be officials. Li Meng didn't want to be an official, so he opened a library at home to teach students and apprentices. Many scholars came and gained a reputation. Senior scholars from Shang Yang, Wang Bowen, Liu Xuan and Wei visited Hanzhong and exchanged ideas with each other. In the 19th year of Yuan Dynasty, he lived in Sichuan with his father (when Li Tang was the curtain officer of Sichuan Province), and the province planned to be transformed into the main book of Jinyuan County, so they all resigned. When Ahema, the powerful minister, was killed, Crown Prince Jin, who advocated the implementation of Chinese law, was able to really participate in politics, supported the new prime minister Zhongshuyou and Li Huosun to reform Ahema's autocratic politics, and began to use Confucian scholars as ministers. Twenty years later, Cui Mi, the minister of punishments, played 18 things about Chen, including: opening up the road, selecting more upright people, and visiting Confucian scholars with high hopes to emphasize the choice of Hanlin. , adopted by sai-jo, life in the book province and censorate to discuss the implementation. There is a revolutionary atmosphere in North Korea's political affairs. Li Meng thought it was time to show his knowledge and talents, but he went to the capital. He was highly praised by Yang Yishu in middle school and was recommended to Zhenjin. Summoned to the East Palace, Zhen Jin died unused (twenty-two years of Yuan Dynasty), and Yang Yan was appointed as a teacher. The famous minister of Hanlin tried his best to know his talents, and he was awarded the position of cabinet in the book, but Quan Cao was proposed as the master book of Zitong County, which was not accepted. In twenty-three years, he served as the general manager of Kuifu Road (now Fengjie, Sichuan), and Meng left Beijing to visit Kuifu Road. In twenty-eight years, he lived in Hanzhong with his father.

In thirty-one years, at the urging of his father, Li Meng once again went north to seek an official position, passing through Guanzhong. When he acceded to the throne, he ordered the provinces to talk about the affairs of Sai-jo's government and prepare for the revision of history. Shaanxi Province left Bangladesh to participate in the revision and sent him to Beijing to present it. Empress Dowager Cixi (Princess Jin) hired a famous Confucian to teach Sun Haishan and Ba Li Li Bada (the son of the late second son of Jin and Jin Dynasties, a Ba La) and recommended them to be elected. In the third year of Dade (1299), Haishan left Mobei Town. Li, who loves education, stayed in Beijing, and Meng's "daily study" won his cronies and respect. He asked the painter to draw a portrait for him, and ordered Wang Qing, a university student in Jixian County, to write the word "Autumn Valley" and personally carve a plaque to sign it, with the side note that "the auspicious day of April in the third year of Dade was copied by Shan Limandao". In the name of Emperor Wenmeng, Emperor Chengzong made him an official position. The ruler has never visited Meng, but he can't. Chengzong was ill in his later years, and most political affairs were decided by Queen Bruhan and the ruling ministers. In June of the ninth year of Dade, Prince Deshou, born to Breuhan, was appointed as the Crown Prince. In October, out of the plan of Buluhan, he sent Ba Li Li Ba Da and his mother to live in Huaizhou (now Qinyang, Henan). He is also a servant, caring for and cultivating Li, loyal and diligent as always, telling him the success or failure of ancient emperors and the way of governing the country, and introducing talents for his use. As a result, he was more trusted and became a confidant. It is difficult to make a plan.

In December of the ninth year of Dade, the Crown Prince Deshou died. On the eighth day of the first month of the eleventh year, Chengzong died, and a battle for the throne broke out immediately. Since Sai-jo established the Crown Prince in accordance with the Han system, he endowed the Crown Prince with the orthodox status of inheriting the throne. Chengzong has no other heirs. Gan, the eldest son of the real gold, has been granted a title in Mobei, "having an alliance book, willing to keep the uniform" and "not seeking disloyalty and position" (2) Therefore, only Ann Shamma ElBaradei Haishan and Ai Yu Ba Li Ba Li Ba Li Ba Li Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba Baba, Song Chengzong Bruhan, who had manipulated the state affairs for many In order to avoid revenge and stay in power, she didn't want the throne to fall into the hands of the Haishan brothers. So she and her party's left prime minister Ahutai, Pingzhang Ba Du Masin and China's political envoys made plans to implement the title system of queen first, supplemented by Ananda, king of Anxi (son of Sanmang Gora), to seize the initiative, and then made Ananda emperor. Ananda and Wang Mingli Timur went to Dadu to participate in the planning three days before Chengzong's death. North Korea's faction against King Anxi, headed by the right prime minister Hara Hassan, secretly sent envoys to Mobei and Huaizhou to report to Haishan and Ai Yu Ba Li Libada, asking them to return to Beijing as soon as possible. Love education Ba Li Li Bada indecisive. Li Meng advised Wang Anshi to usurp the throne, which violated the ancestral motto of "Zhi Zi will not inherit", and then said that the situation was critical and the seamount was far away in Wan Li. Once Wang Anxi succeeds, it will be difficult to protect himself. Inspired by him, Ai Yu Ba Li Li Ba's mother and son decided to return to Beijing and arrived in Dadu on February 16. Hare, Hare, Hare, Hare, Sun stayed at home in Su Dong, claiming that he was ill in bed and resisted the imperial edict of the Queen. Ai Yu Ba Li Li Bada sent Li Meng to discuss with him, which coincided with the Queen's sending people to visit the sick one after another. Meng pretended to be a doctor and calmly went forward to take the pulse rabbit rabbit rabbit grandson, in order to deceive the eyes and ears of the queen's messenger. According to "Biography of Li Mengchuan in Yuan Dynasty", Meng learned from Hara Hasun that the date of Anxi King's accession to the throne had been set, that is, he reported back and advocated preemptive action and early action. Different opinions in the same column. Some people think that the queen has an imperial decree that can mobilize the four guards (timid). King Anxi has many guards, while his royal highness has only dozens of guards (Ai Jiao Li), so it is difficult to succeed. Might as well wait until brother haishan arrives. Li Meng analysis, the queen party against ancestral teachings, want to set up an illegitimate child, the heart is bound to be chaotic. Your Highness entered the inner court and understood the righteousness (referring to those who stayed in the defense). Anyone who understands things will give up and obey your highness, and success is certain; If we lose the opportunity and let King Anxi take the lead, will he give up even if Haishan comes? Civil war will definitely happen. Love Education Ba Li Li Bada's life is decided by divination, and the fortune teller said nothing but good luck according to Li Meng's instructions in advance, so he made up his mind to do one thing. According to Wu Zongji, Ren Zongji, Hare Hare Sun Chuan, Hare Hare Sun sent a secret message on the night of March 1 that the Queen was scheduled to meet the court on the third day, and put forward the idea of "taking the lead" before the arrival of Haishan. It should be said that the latter record is more authoritative. Hala Hassan stayed in the palace with the right prime minister and some guards. His ideas undoubtedly played a decisive role. However, according to the praise of his contemporaries for Li Meng's feats of "fixing difficulties", Meng Yunlai did play an important role in this coup by strategizing, avoiding dangers and suspicion. The facts contained in the biography are credible, probably because he discussed the plan in a secret contact with Hara Hassan, so he dared to urge him to do something in advance. On March 2, Ai Yu Ba Li Libada led Li Meng and other attendants and guards into the palace from the Swallow Gate, and Hara Hassan came to meet him. He immediately took control of the imperial court, summoned Ahutai and others to punish him, imprisoned Ananda and Timur in Li Ming (both of them were ordered to be executed by Wu Zong), and demoted the queen Buruhan from Dong 'an.

The coup succeeded in one fell swoop, and Li Meng was appointed as Zhongshu to participate in politics. Meng has been in the private sector for a long time, knowing well the people's feelings and handling government affairs to promote benefits and eliminate pests. Because of the suppression of the wind of luck, this group of villains are dissatisfied and still have not retreated. However, with the success of the coup, the battle for the throne between the Haishan brothers made him fall into embarrassment and fear. Haishan has a long life and is armed to the teeth because there is an army in the north. In terms of birthright and strength, the throne should be given priority to him. However, before he returned to the south, Ai Yu Ba Li Libada, with the support of korean king, ministers and Su Wei guards, wiped out his political enemies and mastered the imperial power first. Now, all the kings and teeth suddenly demanded that Ai Yu Ba Li Lebada be enthroned as soon as possible. According to Yuan Shi Ren Zong Ji, he immediately declined, saying that he had no intention of "looking at artifacts" and that the throne should belong to his brother Haishan. But it is puzzling that his mother asked the Yin and Yang family to calculate the fate of their two sons in order to "get a suitable position" and "calculate" the results, that is, let Xiao Zhang send a message to Haishan in order to let him give in and support his brother. However, seamounts are ambitious. On hearing the news of Chengzong's death, his generals offered to seize the throne by force. From March to Helin, I can't wait to call all the kings to a meeting to discuss the promotion and give them rewards. Angry at his mother's advice, he accused him of being a "minister who recently took office" and said that he was determined to seize the throne and then led the army south. In this case, Aji had to hurriedly send envoys to welcome Haishan Nanlai to the throne. His attitude in the turmoil of the throne is still unclear, but as a trusted counselor, he participated in the planning of the coup, cared for and educated Li Jin, and was immediately appointed as the ruling minister after the job was done, which cannot but arouse suspicion. The accusation of Haishan's "minister in power" was full of traps, which undoubtedly frightened him deeply. So Haishan came to the south and offered his resignation, saying, "The ruling minister is going to marry the son of heaven. Now that he is on the road, I don't see the color. I really dare not take the risk. " Li Aiyu tried her best, but left without saying goodbye and fled to Xuchang Mountain for seclusion. In May, Haishan (Wuzong) ascended the throne, and sure enough, someone reported that "it was difficult to decide at first, and Li Mengchang advised his brother to take it for himself." Since Wu Zong inspected his insincerity, he didn't pursue it, and he didn't dare to recommend Li Meng again, because he loved Li Ba University in Ba Li. After living in seclusion, he wrote a poem "Two Poems to the East Palace" (East Palace refers to Li's love of religion, since Wu Zong became the Crown Prince after he ascended the throne, and his brothers reached a compromise), expressing their understanding of the sinister political struggle in the imperial court:

Difficulties and obstacles, diligent, obedient, do your best. Try a little dragon killing skill and turn it into sleeping with a tiger.

Untie fish and gullies, and birds that escape the net soar in the sky. Everything starts now, before you die.

Consultant for ten years, once you are safe. If you succeed, you should be ashamed to know that it is too late.

No matter how bad the Great Wall is, don't be suspicious if you put all your eggs in one basket. Those who seek immortality through the valley are wise and talented.

After more than two years, Ai Yu Ba Li Li Bada mentioned Li Meng's contribution to solving difficulties to Wu Zong at an internal banquet. He ordered someone to visit him and sent an envoy to Beijing to visit him in the first month of his junior year (13 10). He was specially awarded Pingzhang politics, Jixian University and Tongzhi Yuan politics, but in vain.

Just this year, a storm tried to abandon the storage and start a new stove. Due to the arrogance and extravagance of Wuzong, the treasury has dried up, and officials who have accumulated a lot of wealth, such as Tuo Domineering, Sambo Slave and Xerox, are attached great importance. , and the minister, province, granted heavy power. He raised money by issuing large amounts of money and raising tax levels. Shangshu ordered Sanbao slave, the left prime minister, to favor the autocratic regime, fearing that the Crown Prince would love to raise Li. Through eunuch Li Bangning, he persuaded Wuzong to set up another crown prince as the Crown Prince, and urgently called the right prime minister to discuss it, but he gave up because of opposition. Sanbao slave said, "Today, my brother has given it to his brother. The day after tomorrow, my uncle should give him a nephew. Can you protect him? " Perhaps it is Wu Zong's own concern. Behind this incident, there must be a complicated and subtle power struggle and political line struggle between Wu Zong and his brother, the Crown Prince. In the first month of his senior year, since Wu Zong died, he immediately went to Shangshu Province to love teaching, and executed the Prime Minister on charges of "protecting the old chapter and poisoning the people", and then appointed Prince Zhan to be in charge of government affairs in Zhongshu Pingzhang. In March, as Chu Jun, he announced his direct accession to the throne (for Injong) without Hu Litai's recommendation. In this secret and fierce struggle, Li Meng lived in Beijing all the time and had contacts with Li Ba Party, but there was no record of his activities. Sui Yao, the only contemporary, praised him, saying that after the death of Emperor Wu Zong, in the last years of Emperor Wu Zong, "Hong Ji was in trouble, relying on it, and helping the sky red" (2); Zhang (later prince literature, the censor of China and Taiwan) also made it clear that he was "difficult to make two decisions". It seems that in the process of Bao Chu and Ren Zong's accession to the throne, he also planned something and played a great role.

Enter the language book and implement the new deal

After Li Meng took office, in view of the worst abuses at that time, he mainly carried out four reforms: First, he saved rewards by "retro", that is, he rewarded them according to the original rules, cut down his redundant gifts and stopped abusing them. Second, heavy mg. Since Dade, mg has been greatly abused, and countless people have been awarded the title of "Three Publics"; Monks and Taoists are also governed by the government, disrupting political affairs. Meng Zhuo told me to give up excessive magnesium and stop becoming a monk. Third, the fees charged by nuclear officials are too high. Xuanhuiyuan is in charge of the court's meals, banquets and accommodation, while Taifu supervisor is in charge of the left and right warehouses and their cashiers. The income and expenditure of these imperial institutions are not checked by the government, and the situation of bullying the market and overcharging is very serious. Li Meng suggested that it should be inspected. In March of his senior year, Injong ordered the prefect: "From now on, although it is a small matter, don't talk to me or anyone else." ("Yuan Renzong Collection of Righteousness") as part of the implementation of the New Deal. Fourth, eliminate redundant guards. In the Yuan Dynasty, the number of Si Suwei (afraid of learning) increased. At the same time, because staying in the hostel (afraid of learning) is a shortcut to being an official, many non-Mongolians of all colors take risks and become a heavy economic burden. Injong ordered the removal of the Guards, and all those who were invaded by Han Chinese, Koreans and southerners returned to their original places. This was due to Li Meng's comments. These four reforms violated the interests of nobles and recent ministers. Although Mongolian ministers dare not talk about it, Li Meng knows there will be danger and can stand up and let go. He was also appointed to be in charge of studying in imperial academy, supervising students in imperial academy and studying politics in the course of rectification. Suggestion: "If Confucian scholars from all directions have become heroes, please appoint them as a national scholar, an academician, a secretary, a teacher or a Confucian scholar, so that Confucian scholars can be encouraged." Renzong took his advice and said, "From now on, don't limit the seniority, be talented, even if it is white." ("Yuan Shi Ren Zong Ji Yi"). He also ordered Li to select talents from the north and the south to be the Hanlin. In the first year of his accession to the throne, Injong did a lot of good governance, such as selecting Confucian officials, attaching importance to education (increasing the number of children in the country and feeding them), reorganizing institutions (setting up and upgrading various government offices 30 years later, cutting, merging, reducing and stopping redundant staff), and saving money. This has a lot to do with the influence of Li Meng's years of teaching and his assistance after he took office. He once said: "Tao and morality are mutually beneficial to the world."

Only a few months after taking office, Li Meng resigned. Renzong refused, saying, "When I am in office, I will be on the book, and I will always be with you." In July of his senior year, he sealed Qin Gong and ordered him to decorate the portrait, fill in the gold plaque, give the number before copying and sign it, so that the civil servants could make a preface to praise him. It can be said that it is a great honor for a Confucian scholar of Han nationality who was born in cloth. However, six months later, in the first year of the Qing Dynasty (13 12), Li Meng asked for leave and buried his parents in Shangdang. Although Renzong told him to return the matter as soon as possible, he postponed his return to Beijing until December (the funeral was over in March) and insisted on resigning from government affairs. Finally, he was allowed to remove Pingzhang from his de facto post and retain his original title and title. In the summer of the second year of the Qing dynasty, he also returned the national seal of Qin. Why did Li Meng ask for resignation again and again when we were together? At that time, Zhang said, "I came in cloth, and I was afraid of Fakeren." In fact, there should be a deeper reason. For Li Meng's reform, it was only because of Injong's support that he dared not openly oppose it. However, there is also a powerful conservative force, headed by Empress Dowager Cixi's Answering herself and her minions, and Temuder, the prime minister of Zhongshu Right. They are subject to the New Deal everywhere and do the opposite. On 1 1 month of senior three, Li Meng reported a serious financial situation: "Today, he spends more than 6 million ingots every year, builds more than 100 civil projects and uses millions of ingots. He ordered more than 3 million ingots to be reused, and the northern military supplies were 67 million ingots. Today, I saw that I saved 1 1 ten thousand ingots. If it is safe, I can give it to you every week! There is no hurry to float the charges from now on, so it is advisable to stop. " It is pointed out that training and rewards are still huge expenses. In December, the minister of Zhongshu Province said, "Today's official has failed the examination, or has been replaced without reason, or has been promoted to usurp the post of lord protector and Prime Minister. Some of them were fired and reinstated. This spring, more than 1000 officials were dismissed. How do we know about cheating? A bad random selection method is nothing more than this. " It can be seen that the financial and bureaucratic reforms have been disturbed (especially the "internal order") and are not smooth; The nobles and ministers who opposed the New Deal got the support of the Queen Mother, which made Li Meng, a Han Chinese with no "roots", feel deeply dangerous. This can be seen from his poem "I am successful" (suspected during the period of returning home to bury my relatives):

Halfway up the mountain in the afternoon, it is difficult to stop moving forward, the alkali invades the moss, and the wind blows the robe cold.

Kuang Guo didn't help after all, and his whole body was not safe. You can't drink a statue of Maodian wine.

In October of the second year of Qing Dynasty, Renzong ordered Zhongshu Province to discuss the imperial examination, and Li Meng also discussed it beforehand. 1 1 month, the imperial examination imperial edict was issued, and the provincial examination is scheduled for next August and next February. At that time, the imperial examination was closed for a long time, and the resumption of the imperial examination was repeatedly discussed from the early years of the ancestors. Until Injong, the resistance was still great. "I laugh and anger, but always in the name of a scholar, so shame, also talk about it. A few people who praised its success ". Among these supporters, Meng Lifa played a major role. Long-term lectures in Youfu made Renzong deeply influenced by the culture of the Central Plains, and formed the idea of "governing the country with self-cultivation, emphasizing Confucianism and Taoism" (Renzong language) and the policy of reusing Confucianism; When discussing the way of employing people with Injong, he put forward the idea of implementing the imperial examination: "Since ancient times, talents have never been solid, but prosperous. Today, if you want to use the talents in the world, why not give up your subject? However, virtue must be practiced before words can be used. " Urge Renzong to make a decisive decision. In December of the first year of Yanchou (13 14), he was appointed as the official of Zhongshu Pingzhang; The following spring, he was ordered to make contributions to the imperial examination, presided over the first imperial examination since the founding of the People's Republic of China, and served as the imperial examination supervisor. In the poem "Salute to the Beginning of Science", he proudly wrote: After a hundred years of internal affairs, satellites gather in Beijing overnight. The leopard dares to spy on all the scholars in the world. Who is the leader of Japan? Talking about current events with tolerance, clothes are full of a sense of sacredness to life. May the true Confucianism help the wise master, and the old man will live up to his life. In July, Dr. Jin Guanglu (formerly Dr. Yipin Guanglu), an advanced doctor, was awarded as a pillar country and changed to Han Gong.

Restriction and persecution of power rape

However, after Meng Li entered middle school for the third time, it seems that he failed to make a difference in government affairs. Temuder, the right prime minister, was authoritarian, and Meng Fenling was given the title of money, which was punished by law. Excessive greed, Meng is not attached to power or treachery, but he can't correct himself. There is such a sentence in his poem "I miss you so much": "What can three records of Chinese books achieve? Looking at each other in the painting is also cheeky. "It doesn't seem modest. At the beginning of the second year of Yanchou, Yushitai played because of the flood and drought, talking about "the manager of Zaichen has not arrived". Meng immediately resigned "avoiding sages". Later, he was helpless because of illness and pleaded for government affairs many times. In July of four years, Injong approved his request, dismissed Pingzhang's political affairs and granted Hanlin an imperial edict. Meng took pleasure in literature and history after his retirement.

In the first month of the seventh year of Yanyou, Injong died, and Temuder, who had been dismissed by Injong, was immediately appointed as the right prime minister by the Queen Mother, regained power, and persecuted the minister who impeached him; Li refused to attach it to the book * * *, which was a false slander, took his title, offered his predecessor's tombstone, demoted his bachelor's degree and became a lecturer in Jixian County. If he refuses to attach himself, he can slander him. Meng unexpectedly took office happily, leaving the powerful minister and traitor with no excuse. Judging from the fact that Temuder took Li Meng as the object of persecution as soon as he took office, he also had a struggle against Temuder's authoritarianism, not silence and tolerance. In April of the first year of Zhi Zhi (132 1), Meng died of illness in Dadu. In Pu Daoyuan's elegy, there are two sentences: "What can we do when things are difficult?" And "failure to restore discipline will make people angry and lament." . It reflects his situation in his later years and the injustice of persecution.

Li Meng's talent is ups and downs, and his poems are widely circulated. When he discusses and plays this chapter, he often destroys his manuscript. There are "Autumn Valley Collection", but only "Selected Songs of Yuan Dynasty" has a few songs, and "A Record of Stone on a Mountain Tour" has only one.