Having an affair with my niece and daughter-in-law! Is Ouyang Xiu from The Drunkard Pavilion really such a person?

"The Drunkard's Pavilion" is an eternal masterpiece written by Ouyang Xiu when he was frustrated. At this time, Ouyang Xiu not only suffered setbacks in the workplace, but also experienced unimaginable troubles in his family life and in all aspects. . As a great writer and politician in the Northern Song Dynasty, he was a Jinshi when he was young and became a veteran of Renzong, Yingzong and Shenzong in the Northern Song Dynasty. He was favored by the rulers of the Northern Song Dynasty. The glory he can enjoy is unimaginable to ordinary people.

So for some people to say that he had an affair with his niece and daughter-in-law, they are mostly far-fetched and malicious slander by political opponents. Because Fan Zhongyan's reforms supported by Ouyang Xiu touched the interests of many people. In his later years, he also had ideological conflicts with Wang Anshi's reformists. He himself was maliciously slandered and framed by political opponents many times in order to attack and even kill Ouyang Xiu. This is why Ouyang Xiu, who is a clean and self-sufficient person, would have these unwarranted scandals. The reason! The affair was maliciously hyped

Due to the Northern Song Dynasty's Renzong Dynasty, the Northern Song Dynasty's several wars against Xixia were all disastrous, resulting in massive losses in troops, materials and population. There was an uproar inside and outside the court. At this time, the Northern Song Dynasty must undergo reforms before it could be reborn. So Ouyang Xiu supported the Qingli New Deal presided over by Fan Zhongyan. Although his move had certain positive significance for the political situation of the Northern Song Dynasty, it offended the powerful conservative faction of the Northern Song Dynasty.

So they launched an indiscriminate and bottom-line attack on the officials who presided over the Qingli New Deal, aiming to completely remove them from power and make them notorious until they could no longer raise their heads. Since Ouyang Xiu had no black material in other aspects, they made their own black material. At that time, Ouyang Xiu's brother-in-law passed away. In order to prevent his sister from being an orphan and a widower, and being bullied, he asked his sister to bring his niece to live with him.

After my niece grew up and got married, she unruly had an affair with a domestic servant and was caught in the government. Unexpectedly, the niece might be beaten in prison and accused of having improper dealings with Ouyang Xiu. And the imperial censor Qian Mingyi even used tricks in private to manipulate Ouyang Xiu's family property, and took advantage of the situation to make the whole thing bigger!

Under the influence of this incident, although Song Renzong also wrote a handwritten letter to appease him, he had served as Taichang Prime Minister's Admonition Court, Youzhengyan's Zhigao, and Hebei Capital Transfer Envoy. Ouyang Xiu was demoted to Chuzhou as the governor. One point for the conservative faction. They saw that this trick worked well, so during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Song Dynasty, they concocted the story that he had an improper relationship with his daughter-in-law. Various theories became more and more intense, and various factions were plotting against each other for their own little plans!

However, Song Shenzong, who had just ascended the throne, still saw through the essence of the matter, spoke out to appease Ouyang Xiu, and personally wrote a letter to Ouyang Xiu, and demoted the two officials who had falsely accused him. However, in order to balance the forces of all parties, Ouyang Xiu was also demoted. This shows that rumors are indeed very lethal! Ouyang Xiu's political views are contrary to many people

Why do people always want to mess with Ouyang Xiu? Or is it because he is too lonely in the officialdom, and his political views and cultural cognition tend to swing! At that time, in the officialdom of the Northern Song Dynasty, there were already signs of forming cliques to attack each other. Ouyang Xiu supported the Qingli New Deal during the Renzong Dynasty, which offended the conservative faction. So under the calculation of the conservative faction, he fell from the mortal world and his reputation became bad.

When Wang Anshi was implementing the New Deal, he wanted stability because of his early experiences, and he was considered a conservative. He fought with Wang Anshi's new officials for several rounds. Although he has his own political opinions, he has become a loner! No one likes him, and no one wants to help him. Moreover, the poetic innovation movement he advocated certainly improved the development of literature in the Northern Song Dynasty, but this was another thing that offended people. If you offend a literati, even if you are also a literati or a Jinshi, you will never feel better when it is time to scold you. Ouyang Xiu's character is impeccable

But on the other hand, there is no problem with Ouyang Xiu's character and personal ethics. The revolutionary faction in the Renzong Dynasty became a conservative force in the Shenzong Dynasty. Such a separation of views was that most people were motivated by interests, while Ouyang Xiu was motivated by public motives. He just wanted the Song Dynasty to be better and stronger! For example, he promoted outstanding students from poor families, such as the two brothers Su Shi and Su Che, as well as Zeng Gong, Zhang Zai, and even Bao Zheng and Han Qi who were promoted and inspired by him.

He didn’t care about the background and family of these students. He only recognized their knowledge and talents, and boldly promoted and appointed them, making Song Shenzong’s capable ministers and officials like the endless river, and the country’s strength and prosperity. Song Shenzong himself was determined to forge ahead, and he had the courage and action to fight Xixia!

Doing practical things out of public motives and not seeking reputation is the main reason why Ouyang Xiu has been maliciously framed by some villains many times. Although these stigmas were passed on to later generations, they did not affect Ouyang Xiu's reputation as a great writer and outstanding politician in our country! If we talk about the essence, the Northern Song Dynasty is the first in terms of personal morality and a capable minister with both ability and talent. He is well-deserved!