After Yue Fei's unjust case was rehabilitated, it could have brought a breath of spring breeze to the Southern Song Dynasty, however, Song Xiaozong did something at this moment that was called "**" by later generations.
This decision turned out to be the key to the continuation of the life of the Southern Song Dynasty, supporting the continuation of history for a hundred years. What is this kind of" Why is it so far-reaching?
In 1142, the Jin army invaded the Song Dynasty again, Song Huizong Zhao Ji fled in a hurry, and the Taishang Emperor Zhao Gou was captured and went north, and the Southern Song Empire was in danger. At this time, Yue Fei, a young general of the Song Army who was born as a monk of Ganlu Temple, rose up and showed outstanding military talent in the fight against the Jin Army, breaking the main force of the Jin Army in several battles. His heroic deeds drove straight into the rear of enemy lines, and made the Jin people fearful. The people of the Southern Song Dynasty ignited the hope of recovering the lost land, and they all looked forward to his northern expedition to the Central Plains.
However, the powerful minister Qin Hui and others were extremely jealous of Yue Fei's increasing prestige. They feared that once Yue Fei's Northern Expedition was successful, it would inevitably shake their dominance. As a result, Qin Hui and others joined forces to frame Yue Fei and forced Gaozong Zhao Go, who was then the Ouyang King of the Southern Song Dynasty, to order Yue Fei to be detained and deprived of military power. In 1142, after Yue Fei was brought back to Lin'an, he was tortured by forced confession, and was falsely accused of misdeeds by Qin Hui, and finally illegally executed in the winter of 1142 under Qin Hui's manipulation.
Yue Fei's tragic death was like a thunderbolt from the blue, and the soldiers and civilians of the Southern Song Dynasty all mourned the unjust death of this national hero. Some people even saw Yue Fei's soul in a dream and complained bitterly about their grievances. After Gaozong ascended the throne, under the pressure of the ruling Qin Hui and other magnates, he had to suppress it silently, and did not dare to overturn the case for Yue Fei.
On April 16, the fourth year of Jianyan in the Southern Song Dynasty (1130), Zhao Yan was born as the eldest son of Gaozong. Before he was one year old, his mother Wang died of dystocia. Zhao Yan has been weak and sickly since he was a child, and in order to cultivate the prince, the death of his biological mother was a huge blow to him. It was also when the Jin people went south, and Zhao Yan spent almost all of his childhood during the war.
The lack of his mother's love and companionship, and the tense situation in the Southern Song Dynasty court, made the handsome Zhao Yan introverted. At the age of 16, he was named the Yang Queen, and he was more accustomed to being alone, studying quietly, and being diligent in political affairs.
He was not yet 24 years old when he ascended the throne, but Zhao Yan looked extremely introverted and old, without the pride of being young and vigorous. Some courtiers once commented that he was "calm-hearted", which was in stark contrast to his father Gaozong.
Because of his experience of Yue Fei's unjust case, Zhao Yan hated Qin Hui very much. In 1162, Gaozong died, and soon after he succeeded to the throne, he ordered the redress of Yue Fei's wrongful convictions. Even in the face of opposition from Qin Hui and other ministers, he also reprimanded Qin Hui for framing Zhongliang. In the end, at the insistence of Song Xiaozong, Yue Fei obtained Zhaoxue, and his family was also settled, which fell to the ground for a big stone in the hearts of the people.
Song Xiaozong held a grand memorial service for Yue Fei, and tens of thousands of people spontaneously came to commemorate this national hero. Song Xiaozong also personally wrote a memorial text, praising Yue Fei's righteous act of sacrificing his life for the country. The rehabilitation of Yue Fei's unjust case not only greatly boosted the morale of the people, but also allowed Song Xiaozong to establish an image of a wise monarch in the hearts of the people.
The redress of Yue Fei's unjust case made Qin Hui and other powerful ministers who were originally in a high position extremely frightened. They realized that Song Xiaozong was no longer the Gaozong of the past, and it was likely that they would liquidate the corrupt forces they had accumulated during the Gaozong period.
Qin Hui once used the banner of anti-corruption during the Gaozong period to eliminate dissidents and consolidate his position. He used the power in his hands to be very innocent, and the corrupt bureaucrats relied on paying tribute to him to get promoted, or even re-enter the court. Under the manipulation of Qin Hui, the situation of the court is becoming more and more corrupt, but no one dares to speak.
After rehabilitating Yue Fei's unjust case, Song Xiaozong made Qin Hui feel deeply afraid. He understood that this gentleman was determined to promote justice, and he would hold them accountable.
For this reason, Qin Hui stepped up to win over the hearts of the people, trying to gather strength again to deal with the possible political storm. And Song Xiaozong, while appeasing the people, is also plotting anti-corruption actions.
After rehabilitating Yue Fei's unjust case, Song Xiaozong began to implement a series of political reforms. He believes that the prevalence of corruption is largely due to the lack of restraint. Therefore, it is necessary to fundamentally solve this problem, establish a strict supervision system, and form a mechanism for checking power.
Song Xiaozong's first reform was the reform of the assessment system. He abolished the unfair appraisal system that relied on interpersonal relationships in the past and implemented a new system based on performance. This means that there is no place for the unearned **, and the court will usher in a blood exchange and reshuffle.
In order to ensure the fairness and fairness of the assessment, Song Xiaozong set up a powerful assessment committee. The members of the committee are strictly selected, and they must have outstanding political achievements, integrity, ability and execution. The assessment not only covers the local level, but also extends to the local level.
This assessment reform is like a political **. Both the government and the opposition are self-examining, for fear of being swept away by this anti-corruption storm. And for those who have been accustomed to lazy politics for a long time, the pressure is unprecedented, and the heart is pounding. Not long after, a large number of ** were removed due to unqualified assessments. Some were even exiled to the frontier. The establishment of a supervision system has given those who violate law and discipline no respite.
A wise monarch always regarded the suffering of the people as his own, and Song Xiaozong was exactly like that. He made many rounds of visits to the people and personally inspected the living conditions of the people. Song Xiaozong found that the rulers of the past not only lived in luxury, but also oppressed the common people to satisfy their vanity. Song Xiaozong was determined to turn this situation around.
Song Xiaozong first started from himself and advocated a simple and frugal lifestyle. He abolished many of the overly red tape rituals and simplified the daily expenses of the royal family. It is also far from luxury in the dining utensils, mostly using ordinary porcelain, and only on a few occasions using gold and silver products. This was unprecedented in the royal family at the time.
Through his exemplary role, Song Xiaozong influenced and led many subjects to join the ranks of simple etiquette. For a time, the atmosphere of the Southern Song Dynasty changed, and thrift became a new fashion. This saves a lot of unnecessary expenses for the development of the country. Song Xiaozong also used the saved funds for people's livelihood and social construction, so that the people have more sense of gain.
Song Xiaozong often visited the people and listened to the people's suffering. When he finds that he is overtaxed, he directly orders a tax reduction. This has directly benefited people in industries such as winemaking, textiles, ceramics and other industries, and their livelihoods have become richer. Under the benevolent government of Song Xiaozong, the people felt the warmth and compassion from the imperial court.
Strengthening the army and revitalizing the Southern Song Dynasty After years of wise governance, Song Xiaozong made the Southern Song Dynasty embark on the road of prosperity. The reorganized army made the Jin people in the north fearful. The situation of clean internal affairs and economic prosperity has won the hearts of the people. But he also knows that all this stability is based on military strength.
Song Xiaozong realized that the great enemy must continue to strengthen its military strength. He vigorously promoted military technology and encouraged the modernization of the army's equipment. He also strictly enforced the military training system, ensuring that each unit was adapted to modern tactics. Strict discipline and adequate logistics also raised the morale of the troops.
Under the rule of Song Xiaozong, the Southern Song Dynasty's national defense strength and military combat effectiveness made a qualitative leap. This "newly-born" strong army made the enemies of the Quartet shudder, and formed a strong protection of the territory of the Southern Song Dynasty. It is this powerful national defense force that has supported the peaceful and prosperous era of the Southern Song Dynasty for a hundred years.
All in all, as the founder of the Southern Song Dynasty, Song Gaozong certainly made great contributions, but it was Song Xiaozong's wisdom and courage that really pushed the Southern Song Dynasty to its peak and long-term stability. It was the reform of Song Xiaozong's upright style and discipline and boosting national strength that laid the foundation for the strength of the Southern Song Dynasty in the later period.
He slashed the fence with his sword, giving the people a respite; He abolished decay and made the people feel warm; He reorganized the appearance of the army, which made Beidi frightened. It was Song Xiaozong's first example of benevolence and Mingjun who opened the curtain of the Southern Song Dynasty's century-old peaceful scene.
Therefore, when we remember this great Southern Song Dynasty emperor, we cannot but have high respect and gratitude for him. It was the authoritative Linxuan of Song Xiaozong that allowed the Southern Song Dynasty to ride the wind and waves in the turbulent era and continue to write a brilliant page of history!