Throughout Cai Jing's life, his career has gone through more than 50 years. After four dynasties of Song Shenzong, Zhezong, Hui Zong and Qinzong, he appeared in the mirror five times, which can be described as the heyday of his official career. However, despite his smooth sailing, only one Song Huizong made him prime minister for five times and served for nearly twenty years. That is to say, although he was a bachelor of Zongshen in 15, a bachelor of Tongku, and a bachelor of Hanlin in Zhezong 15, there were ups and downs in the first 30 years, and there was no sign of worship. Only once in Song Huizong, he not only visited the shrine, but also left office three times, was reappointed three times, and was constantly promoted.
Song Huizong is the 1 1 son of Song Shenzong and the younger brother of Song Zhezong. In the third year of Yuan Dynasty, Song Zhezong died of illness and Song Huizong succeeded to the throne. He is nineteen years old this year. Song Huizong is a typical gifted scholar emperor, good at calligraphy and painting, knowing everything, especially his "skinny" calligraphy, which is elegant and smart, unique in the world. He likes playing, riding, archery, playing football and everything. He likes to appreciate and collect treasures, exotic flowers and precious stones, and he hopes that they will not all be concentrated in his palace. He hopes that all the calligraphy and painting antiques in the world can be put in his study. He loves women more, and his harem makeup of 3,000 yuan can't satisfy him. He often goes out to beg for flowers and willows, and also sets up a "lucky bureau" to recruit prostitutes to deal with his affairs. He is not only a gifted scholar, but also a playboy. It is easier said than done to gain the appreciation of a playboy emperor.
When Song Huizong ascended the throne, Cai Jing, 54, was impeached by a group of remonstrators and demoted again and again. First, it was demoted from Hanlin to Longtuge, and then to Taiyuan magistrate and Jiangning magistrate. Later, he was simply dismissed from all administrative positions and lived in Hangzhou, where he was unhappy. Song Huizong took office in the third year, that is, the first year of Chongning, and began to use Cai Jing as Dingzhou. That year, he was promoted to right assistant minister of Shangshu, that is, right prime minister. In the first month of the second year, he was appointed as Zuo Shoufu, Shangshu, and assistant minister at a faster speed, that is, the left prime minister and the first prime minister of the official head.
From Jinshi to Hanlin, Cai Jing trudged step by step for thirty years; It only took Cai Jing more than a year to become a prime minister of ten thousand people from a laid-off official. This kind of reincarnation between heaven and earth is only because of Song Huizong's special love for Cai Jing.
When Song Huizong first took office, it was easy before it was difficult, and he worked hard for two days, but his greedy nature was soon exposed. In order to get more treasures of calligraphy and painting hidden among the people, he appointed Tong Guan as a court sacrificial officer and arranged for him to treasure in Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.
Cai Jing failed to live up to the emperor's trust when he became prime minister. When the emperor is naughty, he plays with him; The emperor likes treasures, so he tries to find them. The emperor wanted to build the Long Live Mountain, so he concentrated all the scenic spots and historical sites, rare birds and animals, exotic flowers and stones in the country here, "including the beauty of the world and the victory of ancient and modern times", and immediately arranged for his confidant Zhu Cuo to set up a "service bureau" in Suzhou for special collection. In order to transport these exotic flowers and stones to Beijing, he also recruited countless ships all over the country and transported them to Bianjing through canals and Bianhe River, and launched the "Flower and Stone Class" movement.
Cai Jing's loyalty to the emperor is not only material, but also political. Song Huizong admired the reform ideals of his father Song Shenzong and his younger brother Song Zhezong. He took it as his duty to "explain his father and brother", and his second title in office was "Chongning", which means inheriting the meaning that Zongshen ancestors often sent Xi Ning. Therefore, from the political point of view, Cai Jing continued to follow Song Huizong's thought of "releasing father and brother" and made remarkable achievements. At that time, the imperial examination was vigorously reformed, state and county education was developed, and mathematics, medicine, martial arts and law were added, which made the imperial examination more compatible with administrative affairs. He vigorously reformed the economy and carried out extensive reforms in tea law, salt law, currency, water transport and farmland. Especially the reform of tea and salt monopoly. After the reform, compared with before the reform, the national fiscal revenue doubled, and doubled year after year. "If you can't get more than twenty thousand a day at different times, it's already too much. Today, it is common for you to take 40 thousand yuan. It is particularly worth mentioning that Cai Jing has also implemented a social assistance system and established institutions such as residents' homes, Anjifang and Louzeyuan throughout the country. " If the widowed elderly are raised in life and their elders are over 50 years old, adoption is allowed. "It can be said that he did something practical during his tenure as prime minister. Cai Jing's ability to collect money is really gratifying to Song Huizong, a greedy and extravagant city with the capital as its back garden and the Song Dynasty as its storeroom.
Whether in public or in private, Song Huizong especially likes Cai Jing. Although he was demoted to the post of Prime Minister of Cai Jing for many times, he was often reappointed in a short time. His love for Cai Jing is really deep. Chong Ning two years, he was appointed as the left phase, and later became the Duke of Guo Jia. After five years of worshipping Ning, he joined the third division Anyuan Army and changed to Wei Guogong. In the same year, he was the third envoy, Taiyi Palace Ambassador. In the first year of Daguan, he rose to the left and worshipped Tai Wei and Tai Shi. After three years of grand view, I retired to be an official. In the second year, he went into politics and called Fuzheng Feng Lu Gong. Two years, Shi Zhi. In the sixth year of Xuanhe, the three provinces of Zhongshu, Menxia and Shangshu were re-established, which were called "public townships". In the same year, Fu Zhishi. With the support of Song Huizong, Cai Jing became the prime minister with the most officials and the highest status since the Northern Song Dynasty. Song Huizong visited Cai Jing's palace seven times, and his power reached its peak. At that time, there was even a saying among the people: "But you knew there was a Chua, but you didn't know there was a court."