The emperor burned the prime minister's clothes, and a year later, the cave was still there, and the treasury was opened
Luxury and frugality, one fierce and one auspicious, are evident in front of you. "- Bai Juyi. Among the traditional virtues of the Chinese nation, diligence and thrift are the most admired, but they are also the most difficult to practice.
From ancient times to the present, there are many characters who are known for their diligence and thrift, and they have become models for modern people, so that we have a deeper understanding of "diligence and thrift".
Surprisingly, one of the role models turned out to be the prime minister of the Great Liao State. It is really rare for the ancient ** to be honest. Yet the prime minister did, even very well.
How incorruptible is he? It is said that he wore the same clothes every time he went to court, which made the emperor feel very strange, so he privately asked people to burn a small hole in his clothes.
A year has passed, and the hole is still there, which means that the prime minister has not changed his clothes for at least a year. This fact surprised and moved the emperor, so in praise of the prime minister, he ordered the treasury to be opened.
So who is this prime minister? How did he become a prime minister? 01 The Emperor's Gift Zhang Jian was originally an ordinary **, and his path to entry was also very ordinary, and after obtaining the ranking through the scientific examination, he was assigned to Yunzhou and became a local official.
However, his loyalty and talent were recognized by the emperor, who was eventually promoted to prime minister. His story proves that as long as we stay honest and work hard, it is possible to achieve our dreams.
Although his position is not high, Zhang Jian's integrity, kindness, conscientiousness and responsibility have won the recognition of colleagues and superiors. Everyone thought that his talents should be given a broader space for development, and the opportunity soon came.
When the emperor of Liao State was paraded, the local ** presented local specialties, and the Jiedu envoy recommended Zhang Jian to the emperor, saying that he was the treasure of Yunzhou.
The emperor was very curious about the "dedication minister" proposed by the envoy of the festival, but out of the emperor's vigilance, he did not believe it. Originally, he planned to observe first, but when he heard the name Zhang Jian, he was very surprised.
Interestingly, a week ago, he had a peculiar dream in which four people served him and served him very attentively. The Emperor found them very useful, so he rewarded them with two mouthfuls of food each.
Looking back now, didn't that dream show the meaning of "frugality"? After the dream, his wariness of Zhang Jian diminished a lot, and he became curious about him. He asked Zhang Jian many questions, and Zhang Jian always remained confident in his answers, without the flattery of the emperor or the fear of power.
The emperor was full of praise for Zhang Jian's outstanding talent and decided to recall him to the court and entrust him with important tasks. Zhang Jian entered the court and was promoted all the way until he became the prime minister of Zuo, and was deeply appreciated by the Liao Shengzong.
He was shrewd and capable, and handled the affairs of the court in an orderly manner without the slightest mistake. In addition, Zhang Jian also has an admirable quality, that is, his simplicity.
Although he was in a high position, he always maintained a frugal life. There was only one dish at a time, and the clothes he wore were ordinary coarse cloth, but his money was enough for him to live a luxurious life.
However, he used the money he saved to help those in need.
Liao Shengzong deeply admired Zhang Jian, and even if someone said bad things about him behind his back, Liao Shengzong never wavered in his trust. After the death of Liao Shengzong, his son Liao Xingzong inherited the throne, and Zhang Jian, as an old minister of Liao Shengzong, continued to assist the new emperor under his entrustment.
However, Liao Xingzong and Zhang Jian did not have a deep relationship, and even felt very angry when facing Zhang Jian's many straightforward remarks, and even wanted to dispose of him.
However, Liao Xingzong soon discovered a habit of Zhang Jian, every time he went to court, Zhang Jian always wore the same set of old clothes, which looked like he had been wearing for a long time. This gave Liao Xingzong a new understanding of Zhang Jian, and began to change his attitude towards him.
Driven by curiosity, Liao Xingzong burned a hole in Zhang Jian's clothes, but he didn't expect Zhang Jian to care about it, and insisted on wearing the same clothes until the next year.
This incident surprised Liao Xingzong, and he began to reflect on his luxurious life. After being moved by Zhang Jian's frugality, Liao Xingzong began to change his habit of profligacy. But he still felt that Zhang Jian's life was too simple, so he opened the treasury and told Zhang Jian that he could choose whatever he wanted, and he could take anything he wanted.
Zhang Jian's frugality is not superficial, and deep down he does not have much desire for the materials of the treasury. In the end, he picked only a few pieces of cloth and left. When he was old, he hoped to resign and return to his hometown, and although Liao Xingzong agreed to his request, he still let him stay in the city.
As long as there are any difficult questions in the court, or something that he doesn't understand, he will come to ask. As an important minister of the two dynasties, Zhang Jian was able to make Liao Shengzong and Liao Xingzong trust him so much, not only because of his political talent, but also because of the simplicity of his life.
He was able to maintain simplicity for decades, which is a great challenge for ordinary people, let alone a prime minister.
His excellent qualities, lack of desire, noble conduct, diligence and thrift, made him deeply appreciated by the emperor, so that his name has been passed down to this day, and has become a model for countless people.