In the Tang Wenzong Dynasty, when Li Shi was the prime minister, Jing Zhaoyin at that time was Xue Yuanxun. One day, Xue Yuansheng went to visit Li Shi's private house. According to the custom, when the hundred officials are about to arrive at the Prime Minister's Mansion, the honor guard in front of the horse is no longer allowed to shout and open the way. Xue Yuansheng had already arrived at the door of the Prime Minister's Mansion and dismounted, but Li Shi did not know that there were guests arriving at the Prime Minister's Mansion, and Xue Yuansheng seemed to hear someone arguing with the Prime Minister in the hall. So he asked the people of the Prime Minister's Mansion, "Who is the person who quarreled with the Prime Minister?"The man replied, "A lieutenant general." ”
Xue Yuansheng pushed everyone away and said to Li Shi: "Xianggong, as a minister of the imperial court, you accept the appointment and entrustment of the Son of Heaven, how can you allow a general in the army to be so rude to you?"At present, the discipline of the imperial court is corrupted, and it is still hoped that it can be rectified with the power of the prime minister, so how can the prime minister allow such a corrupt thing to corrupt the etiquette and discipline?With that, he rode away at once, and turned back and ordered the general to be taken down to the left and right.
At that time, the "Manna Change" had just occurred, and Qiu Shiliang, a eunuch and lieutenant of the Right Shence Army, was promoted to the general of the Right Xiaowei. The enemy was benign and cruel, and had killed two princes, one princess, and four prime ministers, and at this time he was in power, and someone had reported the matter to him. Qiu Shiliang ordered the eunuch to convey his order, summoned Xue Yuansheng and said, "Lieutenant, please bend to come." Xue Yuanxian didn't say a word, and ordered to immediately kill the officer who was arguing with the prime minister.
Qiu Shiliang was furious when he learned about it. After Xue Yuansheng arrived, he took off his official uniform, dressed in white, and asked to see Qiu Shiliang. Qiu Shiliang saw Xue Yuansheng and said, "Why do you kill a senior general in the army at will?"Xue Yuansheng then told the general about the rudeness of the general at that time, and said: "The prime minister is the head of the ministers, and the lieutenant is also the first of the imperial court, since the officer can be rude to the prime minister, he can also be rude to others." The lieutenant should abide by the national etiquette and law, because once the imperial court discipline is destroyed, it will be difficult to rebuild it. Xue I have finished speaking, and now I am ready to confess. After listening to Xue Yuansheng's answer, Qiu Shiliang thought that he was very reasonable, and ordered him to prepare wine and hospitality left and right, and no longer pursue the killing of the officer.
Comment: This story tells the story of Xue Yuanxian, the prime minister of the Tang Dynasty, when he visited Prime Minister Li Shi, and met a general in the army who was rude to Li Shi. Xue Yuansheng resolutely took action to take down the general, and stated to the authoritarian eunuch Qiu Shiliang the importance of maintaining discipline. Although Qiu Shiliang initially expressed dissatisfaction with Xue Yuanxian's behavior, he was eventually persuaded by Xue Yuanxian's words and gave up pursuing the matter.
This story reflects Xue Yuanxian's quality as a Jing Zhaoyin, who adheres to principles and upholds discipline. He was not afraid of power, dared to punish disrespectful behavior, and at the same time persuaded people with reason, and finally succeeded in maintaining the dignity and etiquette of the imperial court.
This story also reflects the phenomenon of the dictatorship of eunuchs in the middle and late Tang Dynasty, as well as the corruption of the imperial court. Xue Yuanxian's actions were partly a response to this phenomenon, and he hoped to restore normal order in the imperial court by maintaining discipline, demonstrating Xue Yuanxian's integrity and courage, while also reflecting the political corruption of the mid-to-late Tang Dynasty.
Recorded in 202311.24.