"…Li Yongqi is specially awarded the title of Prince of Suide, and the title is passed down from generation to generation. Li Shifu is appointed as the successor of the title, and is also appointed as the Jiedushi of Wudang Army."
In the city of Tokyo, on the second floor of the secret chamber of the Imperial Palace's Chongwenyuan, Lan Gui, the chief eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, finished reading another imperial edict. He paused for a moment and couldn't help but fetch a drink of water from the table beside him. It was obvious that he was thirsty from reading so much.
However, all the secret cabinet officials present knew that this was definitely not over yet.
In fact, you will know if you think about it.
Against the backdrop of the fall of Western Xia and the need for a large-scale integration of the Tangut clan, it is understandable that Li Yongqi and his son, who had made outstanding contributions and were considered typical loyalists, were ranked as princes. But at the same time, how could Wang Yan, one of the original ten governors who had a long history and made great contributions this time, be left out?
Even further, apart from the "Prince of Dai", there were seven princes, so if we count Wang Yan who has not yet started, there are only four county kings? Which one is more precious?
Even if it is just to make up the number, these few people are not missing. I just don’t know who else is there besides Li Qiong and Tian Shizhong who lead the troops independently... If Liu Qi is there, then Jie Yuan should also be there. I wonder if Wang Gui and Wu Lin can make up?
"Eleventh day:"
Sure enough, after swallowing a few sips of water, the chief escort Lan Gui continued reading.
"When the Jingkang disaster broke out, the two rivers were all black. Wang Yan abandoned his family to save the country and led the first righteous army to Taihang. Nanyang was besieged and the court was in danger, so he led the Eight Character Army back to the south. He fought fiercely in Yaoshan, faced the challenge with a calm mind, and led his troops to Dongpoyuan. He raised troops in Hebei, commanded the whole strategy, and put the iron curtain in Huolu.
He is devoted to serving his country, loyal and unwavering, calm and composed, and a man of both civil and military talents. He can be regarded as a great general of the country.
The Duke of Longde."
This was expected. No one in the secret chamber had any extra reaction and just listened quietly.
Lan Gui did not hesitate to take out another decree from the wooden box beside him and continued to read it, but his words unexpectedly became simpler:
"Twelve Days:
Since ancient times, it has been necessary to use real soldiers and make the generals sharp. Tian Shizhong led the right army of the Imperial Camp to defeat the people of Beiwei, obeyed orders on the Huai River, and was determined to die on Yaoshan Mountain. His name was known to the public, and he also sent Zhang Zigai to win the game and determine the outcome. He was loyal, brave and sincere, and his contribution is indispensable.
He was promoted to the rank of Prince of Fengxiang, and given the title of Jiedushi of the Weiwu Army. "
There was a little noise in the secret chamber, but it soon died down... The reason for the noise was that once Tian Shizhong made this suggestion, it meant that this reward was really a "big one", and the reason for the quick calm was also very simple. Under today's "information" bombardment, what with the "Hebei Spring Farming Inspection Team", the "Peace can only be achieved if Wushu is killed", and the "Thirteen Ten Thousand Households and One Thousand Seven Hundred Signs", even the previous news of the "Seven Princes" had already made people numb, let alone a few more Dukes?
Sure enough, Lan Gui read faster and faster.
"Thirteenth day:
Liu Qi defeated the enemy at Yaoshan, dismembered his uncle at Huolu, captured Wulinda at Qinshui, and chased Wuzhu at Shenzhou. His divine strategies and military tactics were all decisive in determining the outcome of the war.
He was promoted to Prince of Deshun and given the title of Jiedushi of Ande Army. "
"Fourteenth day:
When the Jingkang Rebellion broke out, Li Qiong gave up his pen and took up arms. He fought on the river bank and guarded Huazhou for ten years. He defeated the Jin army seven times, participated in the expedition to Yanling, fought fiercely in Dongpo, swept Hedong, and trapped Balisu, all of which were outstanding military achievements.
He was promoted to Prince of Anyang and given the title of Jiedushi of Qingyuan Army.
"On the fifteenth day:
Jie Yuan followed the King of Qin for a long time, and had a record of military exploits. He was constantly on the battlefield, destroying the enemy's defenses, and was brave and meticulous, which can be said to be a great character.
He was promoted to the rank of Prince of Zhengping and given the title of Jiedushi of Baoxin Army. "
"Sixteenth day: ..."
Lan Gui paused suddenly, which immediately attracted the attention of many distracted officials in the secret cabinet, and soon, the latter knew what was going on.
"Sixteenth day:
Yelu Yudu is a recent patriarch of the Liao Dynasty. He is generous and righteous, and has always been virtuous. Unfortunately, he was controlled by a tyrant and had to repeatedly trap himself. Once he was released, he was able to open up. He made a plan with the Western Xia and offered land to Yinshan... Now that he has taken Datong and fought for Huolu, he must be rewarded to show the virtue of the Chinese emperor and to show the friendship between Song and Liao.
He was promoted to the Prince of Linhuang County, and appointed the governor of the Khitan Autonomous Road. He was to worship the ancestral temple in the old Liao Shangjing Road.
As soon as this decree was read out, it unexpectedly attracted the approval and praise of everyone in the secret chamber... The direct "donation of land" to the Yinshan strategic pass that controlled the key points of Eastern and Western Mongolia was considered a practical benefit, and the continuation of the Khitan's remaining rule in Linhuang Prefecture by appointment was a treatment that was very consistent with Confucian values.
There is nothing wrong with this title of prince.
Of course, the reason why everyone spoke out was also because they thought the imperial decree would end here... because those who had military merits and qualifications had basically been made kings, and suddenly a Khitan prince, Yelu Yudu, appeared who seemed to make up the numbers, and the number of people came to exactly sixteen, so of course they thought that the gunpowder bags thrown by the emperor today would end here.
However, just as everyone was waiting for Prime Minister Zhao Ding to step out and lead the congratulations, unexpectedly, the chief escort Lan Gui coughed lightly, then took out two more imperial edicts from the wooden box, and the secret room immediately became quiet.
"The last two."
Official Lan smiled knowingly, then regained his composure, but paused again after reading only three words. "Seventeenth day...
Seventeenth day:
Yang Yizhong's father and grandfather were loyal and unswerving, and they were all pillars of the country. He served as a military officer for ten years, obeying orders from east to west, and was consistent in the way of monarch and subject. He is my Zhao Yun.
The special promotion to the Prince of Jingsai, the foreman remains the same as before. "
After the decree was issued, the whole hall fell silent, as if everyone was worried about something. However, there was no need to say more about the last king.
"The Eighteenth Day:
Liu Yan traveled thousands of miles and followed him for ten years, so he could be said to be loyal; he was in charge of the troops and kept them inside, working diligently and without mistakes, so he could be said to be conscientious; he led the troops on the battlefield and shot Han Chang in the battle formation, so he could be said to be brave; he followed him in the tent without asking for authority, so he could be said to be upright.
The Prince of Liaoyang is promoted to the position of the leader, and his duties remain the same."
After reading it all at once, Senior Official Lan acted as if nothing had happened, and simply bowed his hands: "The emperor has issued an oral order, and you are all in the secret cabinet to hear it. There is no need to be polite... In all matters, the facts should be discussed first."
After saying this, the senior guard retreated to a corner, found a cup of tea, moistened his throat, and then left.
Of course, Emperor Zhao said that no empty gifts were allowed, but how could it not be empty in reality?
Therefore, Prime Minister Zhao Ding and other ministers, chancellors, vice ministers, nine officials and five supervisors came out one after another, saluted towards the void in the north and took turns to recite congratulations.
After a lot of trouble, the second floor of the secret pavilion gradually calmed down.
But the so-called calmness does not mean having nothing to say or nothing to discuss. On the contrary, there is so much to say and so much to discuss that I don’t know where to start.
You must know that today is different from the previous days. Four days ago, only the briefing of the victory in Hulu arrived by flying horse. The secret cabinet only knew that Emperor Zhao would not exaggerate and that it was indeed a decisive battle, so they had been noisy for the whole afternoon and discussed various plans. But today, the victory news came in waves, and the details of the battlefield were listed one by one, including beheadings, prisoners, and spoils, as well as post-war treatment and rewards. The amount of information was astonishing, how could the secret cabinet sit empty-handed?
"Let me say one thing... Eighteen princes in one go, isn't this reward a bit too excessive?" After a period of silence, the one who broke the silence was the Minister of Justice Ma Shen.
"The Ministry of Justice is worrying too much!" Li Guang, the Chief Censor, immediately stepped out of the crowd and spoke first. "This time the reward is unusual... First, it is a definite victory, almost preventing the Jin army from returning north, and then the restoration of the country is just around the corner. Not to mention seven princes and eleven county princes, even if it is seventeen or twenty-one, the title will be conferred; second, the Ministry of Justice has not heard the previous decree that this is a promise made by the emperor before the battle... In the past, King Cheng conferred the title to Tang and Duke Zhou congratulated him. I dare to ask, can the emperor break his promise to confer a title?"
Ma Shen was speechless and even caught off guard, because Li Guang's objection was too quick and too direct.
"That's right. Not only should we not go back on our word, but we should also do it sooner rather than later, and more generous rather than narrow." As soon as Li Guang finished speaking, someone hurriedly echoed him.
"If you ask me, the Ministry of Justice is really worrying too much." Then, even the Prime Minister Chen Gui couldn't help but laugh. "What's eighteen princes? When the country was prosperous and prosperous, there were dozens of princes alone. Now all of them are vacant. The two rivers have been completely recovered. Does the court need this little salary? Besides, this kind of title can be confirmed not to be a real title. It's nothing more than the government's unprecedented business and unprecedented achievements. This is just used as a meritorious service to be recorded in history books in the future."
Ma Shen was slightly startled, then suddenly came to his senses and kept silent.
Let’s talk about what kind of person Ma Shen is. His awakening was not something that was convinced by the words of these two people.
In fact, although he was dissatisfied with too many titles of king, especially the two close ministers after Yelu Yudu because of their "consistency" and "ten years of following", he felt a little awkward, and even vaguely felt that Jie Yuan and Liu Qi were able to be crowned kings because the government selfishly added them to make Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan crowned kings to shut people up... However, even though he was dissatisfied, it did not mean that he would really care about the title itself.
What is the title of a prince? In the Song Dynasty, as long as nothing went wrong, the princes would be given the title of a prince after retirement. If they did a good job, they could easily be crowned the king of a great country... But Lu Haowen's family was simply the Prince of Donglai County, which was inherited from the family. Compared with such a good thing, the title of a prince seemed a bit superfluous.
Therefore, even if he was going to talk about Yang Yizhong and Liu Yan, it was just an introduction. In the final analysis, it was just that Emperor Zhao had appointed so many military generals as kings in one go, and Ma Shen was a little worried that the balance between civil and military affairs would be disrupted.
But didn’t Li Guang and Chen Gui just jump out and make it clear?
What Emperor Zhao has accomplished in the past ten years is now on a par with that of Emperor Guangwu. If he can continue to work hard for another thirty years without any problems, he might even be able to compete with the Qin Emperor and Emperor Taizong of Tang.
Then Guangwu had twenty-eight meritorious officials in Yuntai, Emperor Tang had twenty-four meritorious officials in Lingyan Pavilion... Emperor Zhao only had eighteen kings who were military generals to restore the country?
What is the title of king? The title of king is just an evaluation system that represents your merits and ranking.
Therefore, if there are eighteen military generals, there must be eighteen civil officials!
Most of them are civil officials and military officials, and it would be comfortable to have thirty-six in total. The military officials were promised before the war, and they will be conferred titles first. After Yanyun is defeated, or the war is over, it will naturally be time to discuss the eighteen civil officials… If you complain that eighteen kingships are too many, isn’t it equivalent to complaining that the merits of eighteen civil officials are too many?
Indeed, if we remove Liu Qi, Jie Yuan, Yang Yi Zhong and Liu Yan, the number of fourteen versus twenty-eight heroes seems more appropriate.
But if that is the case, how many of you here have any idea about it?
Since the Jianyan period, there have been many famous officials. After the departure of Li Gang, Zong Ze, Wang Boyan, Lu Haowen, Xu Jingheng, Zhao Ding, Zhang Jun, Yuwen Xuzhong and Lu Yihao, how many positions are left?
Chen Gui and Liu Ji are both insecure. Hu Yin seems to be more reliable, but what about Liu Ziyu and Lin Jingmo? What about Li Guang and you, Ma Shen? Are there Wang Shu and Hu Hongxiu outside? Even Zhang Suo, who died for his country, is not sure... Who can be sure?
However, whether you enter this or not can almost directly determine your reputation after death, which is really a scam.
Therefore, don't complain that eighteen kings are too many. According to the thoughts of some people in the secret room who were sweating after calculating in their minds, Wang Sheng, Wu Lin, Wang Gui, and Fu Xuan can make do, and Guo Hao and Shao Yun can also be used.
It would be best to create something like the Forty-eight Heroes of Yuetai, so that you can have some influence on it.
Of course, this is just overthinking.
If that were the case, it would be a joke.
Eighteen civil officials and eighteen military officials are the Thirty-six Famous Ministers of Jianyan. They specifically refer to the contributions to the restoration of the country, which is already a relatively large number among the more appropriate numbers.
Just like that, the topic of the prince was hastily opened, and then hastily closed with everyone knowing. Then, as the prime minister, Zhao Ding suppressed all his thoughts and got to the point: "The emperor's pre-war promise was to confer the title of prince first to reassure the army, but other promises of military merit cannot be abandoned. The Privy Council must be prepared... Again, it is better to be lenient than narrow, and to be early than late... Don't let the emperor and the court lose faith in the army. In addition, we must also be prepared to deal with the partial withdrawal of troops and the return of civilians."
"The Privy Council will do its best." Zhang Jun immediately stepped out with Chen Gui and responded solemnly.
"As for the officials in the two rivers, they should also be dealt with as soon as possible." After saying this, Zhao Ding paused for a moment before saying this which seemed to be a matter of course.
However, the Minister of Personnel, Chen Gongfu, would not indulge Zhao Xianggong. He turned around and said, "That being said, please tell me clearly... Is the power to decide whether the old officials in the Lianghe area should be decided by us or by the spring ploughing inspection team sent by the government?"
"First, listen to the official's words." Zhao Ding responded calmly. "Let's wait and see what the inspection team says... If there are any problems, it doesn't matter, because after today's incident, the official may come back any day. Even if he doesn't come back, we can arrange transportation. Then we can directly write a letter to ask, don't worry too much."
Chen Gongfu shook his head slightly but did not pursue the matter.
"What about the issue of granting land for military merit?" Minister of Revenue Lin Jingmo asked again.
"What's wrong with this?" Zhao Ding asked back with a frown, speaking hurriedly. "After the Battle of Changsha, the government returned to the old capital, and the Central Plains had done something similar. Later, the government gradually introduced a national policy to curb annexation, and it was obvious that the policy was to distribute land and implement a policy of equal distribution of land... Today, the two rivers are doing this again, but it's nothing more than a larger scale and more thorough... Even if a few people are dissatisfied, with the current situation in Hebei, the reputation of the court, the prestige of the government, and 300,000 imperial soldiers, what can they do? If anyone dares to be dissatisfied, they will just be a clown!"
"That's right." Zhang Jun also laughed and waved his sleeves. "Prime Minister Zhao's family also wants to distribute the land equally, and they are not dissatisfied. So who dares to risk the world's disapproval and cause trouble for the emperor at this moment?"
Zhao Ding immediately laughed: "My family doesn't have many acres of land in Hedong, and I was hoping that this grant of land would add some assets to my family..."
There was an immediate burst of laughter in the secret chamber.
Lin Jingmo also smiled, as if he didn't realize that Zhao Ding was pretending to be confused, and Zhang Jun was helping Zhao Ding to pretend to be confused.
The matter is very simple. With such a great victory and a close official of the government, Lin Jingmo would not question the feasibility of the policy, let alone the policy itself. What he meant just now was actually to ask Zhao Ding... Who is responsible for such a matter as granting land for military merit as it concerns the fundamental interests of the country?
Do we have to hand it over to that damn inspection team?
Of course, Lin Jingmo also knew Zhao Ding’s difficulties, and he also knew that saying certain things at this time would be a bit of a spoiler, so he laughed along.
After the laugh, the meeting continued.
Someone else suggested that since Prime Minister Lu Yihao was repeatedly disturbed and in poor health, and Fan Zongyin and others were unable to help, could they ask the emperor to send some more officials to assist him?
Someone else asked, Yan Yun is right in front of me, but the emperor is talking about peace talks. The cause and effect, as well as the truth or falsehood, are still uncertain. Should I ask for instructions?
It should be noted that if we negotiate peace, the government's conditions are too harsh, and if we continue to fight, it seems too fake.
There are many other examples.
The meeting lasted until dark before it was terminated under the forced suppression of Prime Minister Zhao Ding.
Then, everyone dispersed reluctantly, but Lin Jingmo, as the minister on duty, stayed on the second floor of the secret chamber, waiting for the secret chamber clerk directly under the provincial government to sort out the non-confidential meeting information and releasable information. After he personally reviewed and signed it, he prepared to go downstairs and leave.
According to the rules, the former should be sent to the cabinet for review the next day, and the latter should be sent to the court bulletin department for review tonight... After a long time, the bureaucratic system will always be internally consistent.
Of course, let's not talk about any political rules. Just say that when Minister Lin walked down from this floor that may be the most powerful in the world, he heard constant noise outside the palace before he even went out... This is understandable, because Chongwenyuan is located in the southeast of the imperial city, separated by a wall from the most prosperous Ma Xing Street night market outside Donghuamen and the widest Imperial Street main road. Moreover, this noise started when the news of the great victory in the north was delivered four days ago, but it has become more and more obvious in these days.
And it is conceivable that when the news spreads from tomorrow onwards, except for the family quarters of the Imperial Camp outside the city which will inevitably be somewhat sad, I am afraid that Tokyo City will be even more lively.
However, such a matter-of-fact thing caused the current Minister of Revenue to be stunned for a moment, so that he stood in the dark Chongwenyuan, thinking about something.
After a long time, Lin Jingmo returned to normal. He turned out of the Imperial Street and found his family who had been waiting for him for a long time. Then he did not go home, but went directly to Donghuamen to find a shop and asked the shopkeeper to simmer some pork meatballs, half of which were served cold and half were made into soup. He and his family members ate quietly on the street, and then returned north to Jingyuan behind Yeonbok Palace... Whether one can have a house here is a standard configuration for whether an important official of the court is in the emperor's favor.
But when Lin Jingmo returned here, he still did not go home. Instead, he let his family and followers go first, and he went alone to pay a visit to the residence of Prime Minister Zhang Jun.
Unexpectedly, Zhang Jun had not returned yet, so Lin Jingmo waited in the back hall for half an hour before he saw the real person.
"I went to Da Zongzheng's house."
Zhang Jun didn't hide anything from Lin Jingmo. "The documents sent to the Privy Council today include not only the major imperial edicts, but also some minor documents. One of them is the commendation for the martyrdom of Zhao Bufan, the eldest son of the Grand Master of the Imperial Clan... It's not appropriate to read it out in person in the secret room."
Lin Jingmo understood for a moment, and then asked again, "Zhao Bufan is the heir to the throne, and the Grand Master is an important official in the court, and the prestige of the royal family is tied to him. He must have received special grace, right?"
"Of course." Zhang Jun took the tea brought by the maid, took a sip, and waved his hand to signal the others to leave. "The succession of titles is allowed for three generations without reduction, and according to the official instructions, the Grand Master may be given the title of Prince of a County, but he will not be among the military officials who will be crowned as Princes this time..."
"It seems too heavy again." Lin Jingmo thought.
"It is a bit heavy, but there is a reason for it." Zhang Jun explained seriously. "I heard from the messenger about the deeds on the front line that Zhao Bufan died to save Qu Duan, the Prince of Zhenrong... The Imperial Camp Cavalry suffered heavy casualties this time, and Qu Duan was deeply shocked. He even privately declined the suggestion of bestowing a banner. If Qu Duan didn't want it, it would also be bad for Wang De and Wang Yan... And Zhao Bufan is a close relative of the royal family, so it is only right to use him as an example."
At this point, Zhang Jun sighed slightly: "I originally thought that the family of the Grand Master would be too sad, but after staying in his house for a while, I realized that although they are sad, they are also somewhat heroic... According to the Grand Master's words, the national crisis has come to this point, and it is over in one day. It is a good death. It is painful and regrettable, sad and heroic... A real man should be like this."
Lin Jingmo did not indulge the other party and shook his head directly: "The country is prosperous in both civil and military affairs, and each performs their duties. Zhao Bufan died for a good cause, but as the general manager of the West Palace, it would be a bit ridiculous if you regret not being able to emulate Zhuge Wuhou at this point."
"Let's not talk about this anymore." Zhang Jun was a little embarrassed and immediately solemnized his expression. "Minister Lin came to see me so late at night, he must have something to teach me, right?"
"I didn't say anything specific. It's just that I'm on duty at the Secret Chamber today and I'm alone, so I feel emotional."
"What kind of emotion?"
“People have joys and sorrows, separations and reunions; the moon waxes and wanes; it is impossible to have everything in life.” Lin Jingmo sighed in response.
Zhang Jun was slightly startled, then immediately laughed: "Shouldn't we tell anyone about this beautiful scenery? Ten years of hard work have finally brought us to this day. The shame of Jingkang has been wiped out in one battle. Even if there are some sacrifices, it is inappropriate. After all, it is a great achievement for thousands of families. Let's enjoy it and cherish it."
"Both of them seem contradictory, but it's actually human nature." Lin Jingmo also laughed. "Just like the great patriarch's sorrow and majesty, and just like everyone in the secret cabinet today admires the Eighteenth Prince, there is no contradiction."
"That's true." Zhang Jun became more relaxed. "Then what happened to make you so 'up and down'?"
"I'm thinking about something." Lin Jingmo answered calmly, smiling. "Sir, after this war, how should the court and the emperor get along?"
Zhang Jun was stunned for a moment, but immediately shook his head: "The court is the emperor, and the emperor is the court."
"Is that really the case?" Lin Jingmo asked calmly. "Even if that's the case, the power is wasted in two places, and the relationship between the emperor and his subjects is alienated? You must know that the court respects and fears the emperor, and this is not contradictory."
Zhang Jun was speechless for a moment.
Zhang Deyuan knew very well that it was very common for Lin Jingmo to have such thoughts. Many things in the secret cabinet today could not avoid the issue of the emperor and Tokyo. The essence of this problem was that Emperor Zhao had not returned to the capital for several years since he inspected the southeast. Even before that, during the many years of repeated expeditions, Emperor Zhao was often not in Tokyo, so most of the political affairs were entrusted to the secret cabinet composed of the two governments, six ministries and five supervisors.
Even further, perhaps because it was difficult to be distracted by military needs, Emperor Zhao rarely interfered with the bureaucratic system except on specific issues even when he was in Tokyo.
As a result, the highest administrative power has actually been divided into two for a long time. Today's obscure discussion on the administrative power, appointment power, and reception power in the Mesopotamian region, including the desire of some people to run to the emperor, is essentially about this issue.
Of course, unlike many people who have been secretly worried that there would be discord between the two sides, this seemingly dangerous system has actually been functioning properly for the ten years of Jianyan.
The reason is very simple. First of all, Tokyo was authorized by Emperor Zhao, and the legal basis is Zhang Jun's saying "The court is the emperor, and the emperor is the court". In addition, the emperor has been winning battles abroad and working hard at home, and his reputation is outstanding.
Of course, the most important point is that the military power is in your hands, and the more you hold it, the more stable it becomes.
Therefore, the Tokyo bureaucracy, or what Lin Jingmo called the imperial court, had no ability to resist in front of that official, from the inside to the outside, from the essence to the surface. It was truly "you can only take what I give you."
After the Battle of Huolu, it is entirely conceivable that this kind of dominance would continue until a certain official died.
But let's get back to the point. At the same time, the bureaucracy is made up of a bunch of real people, and seeking power and the security of power is a natural pursuit... The king and his subjects, the upper and the lower, thousands of years of tricks are destined to be confusing.
"Minister Lin, you and I are both the emperor's confidants, and you are one of the emperor's closest ministers." Zhang Jun was silent for a while, and finally pointed out a fact.
"But we are also important officials of the country ." Lin Jingmo responded calmly. "As someone who holds two powers, we should be prepared for danger in times of peace and consider the government and the court as early as possible to avoid chaos in the future."
"What kind of trouble could possibly happen?" Zhang Jun was still somewhat puzzled. "Didn't the White Horse Shaoxing incident and the Southeast Wulin meeting all go through properly? The prestige of the government is here."
"It's a different time now." Lin Jingmo remained calm. "Prime Minister Zhang... When we followed the emperor from Bagong Mountain to Huaixi, I thought that this was a time of chaos. We must not be bound by the rules of the world in the future, and we should not be shaken by seeing anything extraordinary. When I heard about the great victory of Huolu today, I also had only one thought, that is, the world is really going to be peaceful... May I ask, Prime Minister, can chaos and peace be compared? Can we continue to act as we did before?"
"What should we do then?" Zhang Jun remained silent, yet he could not help feeling a little uneasy.
In the turbulent times, Zhang Deyuan can rely on his status as Emperor Zhao's confidant to become the emperor's spokesperson in the court and the capital, obey the emperor's wishes to participate in daily military affairs, and even compete with Zhao Ding calmly. But will the turbulent times be settled?
"After so many years, how come my husband is still so confused?" Lin Jingmo finally laughed again. "The emperor wants to promote Yang and Liu. Is he the kind of emperor who doesn't care about the past and pretends to be profound? Where should I go? Why not ask honestly?"
Having said that, the Minister of Revenue stood up and bowed, as if he was leaving and going home.
Zhang Jun also smiled and stood up, saying, "Yes, I am grateful to Minister Lin for reminding me today... Tomorrow I will recommend Minister Lu (Lu Zhi) to the north to comfort the troops in the secret cabinet, and ask him to write a secret letter to the emperor on my behalf."
Lin Jingmo nodded slightly, then said goodbye and left.
Zhang Deyuan did not see her off. He returned to a two-story attic in the backyard and looked at the still obvious lights in Tokyo city. He was stunned for a while and then went back to the room, spread out his pen and ink, and then pressed the paper against the table, preparing to write this secret letter.
"Officials."
Just as Zhang Jun returned to his study and picked up his pen to write a secret letter, at almost the same time, in a spacious courtyard in Zhending City, under the lights, during a banquet, someone suddenly pressed down on the table in front of him, but then stood up abruptly. "I have something to say!"
The spring breeze blew the twilight away. Seeing this man stand up, the dozen or so "princes" present around him all changed color and then became solemn.
There was no other reason. This person was none other than the guest of honor at today's banquet, the Minister of Works Hu Yin, Hu Mingzhong, who had rushed over from the rear... He was famous, especially in the military. No matter if they were princes, dukes, or other close ministers, there were few who were not afraid of him.
Only Lu Yihao, the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, who sat beside the chairman together with Qin Wang Han Shizhong, remained calm and did not take it seriously.
"If I tell Mingzhong to talk tomorrow, I'm afraid Mingzhong won't listen." As for Emperor Zhao, he was stunned for a moment, but still shook his head and smiled at the table. "Go ahead... I'm prepared."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Hu Yin responded solemnly, then stepped out of the line and bowed. "First of all, isn't it suspected that the emperor's awarding of titles this time is excessive?"
There was an awkward silence for a moment. Although some of them were obviously drunk and were about to stand up to refute, they were glared at coldly by Han Shizhong and other princes.
After a long while, Zhao Jiu chuckled and replied: "Mingzhong, you are overthinking. The country will be able to restore the country and redeem the old shame. The country will reward the meritorious service. What are a few prince titles?"
Hu Yin immediately shook his head: "Let the emperor know that it has always been difficult to raise meritorious officials... Today, the kings are here, and it seems that they can restrain themselves for a while, but in the future, if they enjoy such merits for a long time, they will surely become arrogant. When the day comes that they become a disaster, the emperor will have to personally eliminate them sooner or later, and by then, it will damage the favor between the emperor and his subjects."
"Well said." Zhao Jiu actually nodded in agreement, causing the kings present to tense for a moment. "The human heart is hard to predict... It is too difficult to expect a long-term relationship between the monarch and his subjects."
After hearing this, all the kings seemed to sober up, and then Han Shizhong took the lead and stepped out one after another.
Then, the King of Qin took the lead and said, "Good instructor, I know that the emperor is so powerful and the minister is so vigilant, who dares to be unpredictable... Please relax, the emperor and the minister."
Hu Yin was too lazy to pay attention.
Zhao Jiu, however, looked at the kings in front of him with a smile on his face. "I don't mean to use Mingzhong's words to warn you, nor is there any need. I am just expressing my feelings, because some things are unavoidable...Emperor Taizong of Tang, who was the most considerate to his meritorious officials, could not avoid the incident with Hou Junji. We, the king and his subjects, are not born saints, so how can we avoid it? The only thing we can hope for is that if something really happens in the future, we can still do what Emperor Taizong of Tang and Hou Junji did."
Han Shizhong was now well-educated and knew what Emperor Zhao meant, so it was difficult for him to refute it.
It was just a small episode, not worth mentioning. Zhao Jiu waved his hand to signal everyone to return to their seats, and then looked at Hu Yin: "Mingzhong, although it is said that people who do not think about the future will have immediate worries, it is not the behavior of a wise ruler to do something narrow-minded now because of possible worries in the future. The eighteen princes have been determined, and their merits and rewards have been appropriate. There is no point in saying more."
"Yes." Hu Yin did not argue, but continued to bow. "Your Majesty, I have another question... It is a very good idea to have the military scholars inspect the spring plowing, but what about after the spring plowing? Should we let them take over the matter of confiscating the property of the rebels and granting land for military merit?"
"That's right." Zhao Jiu nodded. "Is it not possible?"
"It's not impossible, but where will this move put Tokyo?" Hu Mingzhong asked directly.
Zhao Jiu finally frowned: "I have no intention of ignoring the two prefectures and six ministries in Tokyo, but the military here has not stopped, so what's the point of going around in circles? Moreover, I will not hide it from Mr. Hu, I do want to give the scholars with military experience a result of their origins, and I also want to clean up Hebei more thoroughly, and I don't want Tokyo to be involved and squeeze us too much."
"If that's the case, it's fine to talk about the matter at hand." Hu Yin became more serious. "But I have one thing to say... Although the government is away from Tokyo all year round, and the country's orders are actually issued by the two gates all year round, the two prefectures and six ministries in Tokyo are still officials of the government after all, and there is absolutely no distinction between insiders and outsiders... Today's military operations have not stopped, but it is also obvious that the world is stable. At this time, the government should also comfort the officials in Tokyo to calm people's hearts."
Zhao Jiu finally smiled again: "Mingzhong is worrying too much."
"I didn't worry too much this time." Hu Yin was unusually serious. "The mountains and rivers will be restored, the old shame will be wiped out, and the ten years of hard work will be completed. This is a great thing, and it is what I have always wished for. I heard about the great victory in Huolu on the way, and cried while hugging the quilt at night. I sat up and laughed and lost my composure... At that time, I realized what it meant to "read poems and books with joy and desire"... But when I arrived at the Huolu battlefield, I calmed down. Your Majesty, the world is not only about avenging shame. The chaotic times will be settled, and the peaceful times will come. Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven. Have you ever thought about how to deal with things and appoint people in the future when there is peace?"
Zhao Jiu nodded and continued to ask with a smile: "Anything else you want to say?"
"Yes." Hu Yin was still serious. "No matter how great the victory, Hebei is bound to be devastated. After the government appeases the people for spring farming, how will it restore production in the two rivers? There are also military matters. It should not be difficult to advance to Yanyun, but the Jin Kingdom still has a foundation outside the Great Wall. If it goes on an expedition, how can it balance the internal and external affairs and prevent Hebei from being dragged down by the military? Do you expect that if the Eastern Mongols advance to Zhongjing Road, they can force the Jurchens into a desperate situation, and then follow the government's strategy of alienation and kill each other?"
Hearing this, Zhao Jiu and Lu Yihao, who had been silent, looked at each other instinctively, and then the official still smiled and said: "I have thought about what you said, and I can give you an explanation."
Hu Yin remained calm.
"You don't have to worry about Tokyo, because even if the world is at peace, I am prepared to continue to maintain the status quo and authorize the two governments, six ministries and the secret cabinet to govern the country on my behalf." Zhao Jiu responded calmly.
"What do the government do?" Hu Mingzhong was still serious. "Do we have to raise fish for ten years and plant mulberry trees for ten years?"
"That's exactly the answer to your other question." Zhao Jiu responded with ease. "I have made up my mind to go to Hebei every year during the slack season to personally supervise the management of the Yellow River... We will use as much effort as we have. If it takes three years, then it will take three years; if it takes five years, then it will take five years; if it takes ten years, then it will take ten years... For other matters, I don't have the ability, so don't come to me."
Hu Yin was stunned for a moment, then silent for a while. He was even a little flustered... He did not expect this answer.
"As for the Jin Kingdom," Zhao Jiu remained calm. "I don't expect that Eastern Mongolia can do anything. Since Mingzhong is here, why don't you wait with me for a few more days? We can explore the land and water while waiting for news... Calculating the days, plus their attention to this place, we should get the news and take action."
Hu Yin suppressed all the confusion in his mind, tried hard to think, and suddenly realized it. Then he praised sincerely: "The emperor has a keen insight, and his strategy is really brilliant!"
Zhao Jiu accepted it calmly, then raised his glass to signal his attendants, causing Han Shizhong and others who were confused to respond hastily.