bookrandom Chapter 1327 The End
Chapter 1327 The End
Chapter 1327 The End
From the war-torn Xihe Road, to the prosperous Bianjing, to the misty Hangzhou, and finally back to Jianzhou, after many twists and turns, Zhang Yue seemed to have returned to the place where his dream began.
Wealth and honor do not return to their hometown, just like walking in brocade at night.
Nanpu Creek has nine bends and eighteen turns. Zhang Yue took a boat upstream. The creek is winding and the banks are rocky. Deep in Cuiwei, towering ancient banyan trees hang down their beards and brush the water, with moss growing on their twisted roots.
A waterfall hangs high between the cliffs, and rainbow light appears and disappears where the water drops splash. Woodcutters carry firewood across the stone beam, and the sound of chopping wood blends with the sound of the mountain stream.
Tea ridges are staggered on the green hills. Tea pickers in lilac-colored skirts have flowers in their hair and are picking tea leaves in the tea fields with their fingers flying.
Zhang Yue and Huang Haoyi abandoned their boat and went ashore.
Several old men in straw raincoats and hats were fishing by the stream, and at this moment, the sound of bells and chimes from the temple on the mountain made people feel very quiet. As a person, Zhang Yue was used to recovering his energy through solitude and self-reflection, and he lived in the mountains and forests, avoiding the intrigues in the court and the wars in the northwest.
To fight without fighting is Zhang Yue’s way of dealing with things.
After he resigned as prime minister, factional strife was inevitable, which he had long anticipated.
It will not help to just jump in headfirst. Instead, you should step back and look at the reasons behind it.
This is "Always be without desire, so as to see its wonders; always have desire, so as to see its boundaries."
You have to watch how things develop and pull yourself out of it. If you want the result of things, you have to get yourself involved.
Since no one understands the harm of factional strife, let it happen. Let you guys make a fuss, but the prerequisite is that you have to withdraw from it first, otherwise others will think that you are also the cause of the factional strife, and the dirty water will naturally be thrown on you.
While thinking carefully, Zhang Yue suddenly heard the voice of a child reciting not far away: "Being poor is not a dead end, poetry and books are the boat."
The sound was as clear as breaking jade. Zhang Yue looked in the direction of the sound and saw a child of about four or five years old holding a book and reciting poetry facing the stream.
Zhang Yue stopped to take a closer look, and saw a heroic look between the boy's eyebrows.
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "This boy is very good."
Huang Haoyi, who was standing by, looked at him and said in surprise, "This child looks so familiar, his features are so familiar."
But the boy was looking up at me with bright eyes.
Huang Haoyi asked, "What's your father's name?"
The other person replied: "My father is an official in another country, his last name is Li Kui."
Huang Haoyi smiled and said, "You are not mistaken."
Zhang Yue nodded when he heard this. Li Kui's family did live in this area.
Zhang Yue asked the child, "Then I know you. Your name is Li Gang, right?"
The child nodded and asked, "How do you know?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "Of course I know that. I also know that there is a line of words under the scroll in your hand: Zhang Yue, a Jinshi in the sixth year of Jiayou."
The children were very surprised.
"This book was originally given to your father by me." Zhang Yue said with a smile.
Zhang Yue immediately took off his clay inkstone and gave it to him. The bottom of the inkstone was inscribed with the eight characters "Literature can convey the truth, and martial arts can stabilize the country." He said, "I plan to return to my hometown to teach students this time. It is fate that I met you unexpectedly."
"Remember that if a man wants to fulfill his life's ambition, he must study the Five Classics diligently in front of the window!"
……
In the Chuigong Hall, one could hear a pin drop. When the official's fingertips touched the lacquer tube, they trembled as if they were burned by fire.
Shi Deyi opened the lacquer tube and took out the memorial with a yellow silk backing.
"On the 8th day of the 8th month of the 7th year of Yuanfeng, Xu Xi, the governor of Fuyan Road, and Li Shunju, the military supervisor, hereby submit this report."
Shi Deyi looked at the emperor with this thought in mind. Cai Que and Zhang Zhi beside him were also worried.
Cai Que's shoulders suddenly relaxed under his python robe, and he saw Zhang Zhi's knuckles turning white as he gripped the tablet. The young attendant Zhang Gen's pen was suspended on the paper, with a drop of ink about to fall.
"The first battle in Lecheng was a success! We beheaded more than 7,000 people and captured countless horses and weapons. General Gao Yongneng led the Beiwei Army to break the Iron Harriers' chain formation, and General Qu Zhen crossed the river and attacked the central army. The flag of King Li Bingchang was defeated. All this was due to your Majesty's wise advice and the soldiers' dedication..."
"Good! Xu Yuangui lived up to my expectations!" The emperor laughed and slammed the table, tears welling up in his eyes. Cai Que raised his lips slightly and glanced at Zhang Zhi.
At this moment, Shi De's Adam's apple rolled and his voice suddenly became hoarse:
"However, the Khitan Pishi army suddenly rushed out from the border of Yinzhou, and the Liao general Yelu Tabuye led 50,000 elite cavalry to cut off the grain route. Although Shen Shumi personally led the reinforcements to fight to the death, he was eventually attacked from both sides... Our army abandoned Yongle and retreated south, and lost Mizhi Village, losing more than 10,000 soldiers and horses. After the reinforcements from Huanqing and Jingyuan Road arrived, the Liao army did not dare to advance further."
The hall was as silent as a grave.
The official stretched out his hand and flicked it, and the teacup on the table fell to the ground and broke into powder. He held the letter and looked at it again and again, his hands shaking.
Zhang Gen sighed slightly upon hearing this, and the brush in his hand finally fell: "On the 8th month of the 7th year of Yuanfeng, Yongle won a victory and then lost again. The emperor was silent for a long time, holding the memorial in his hand and unable to stop fighting."
Cai Que's purple robe was splattered with tea stains, but he still insisted: "The Liao people are cunning, it's not their fault..."
Zhang Zhi raised his tablet and interrupted him sternly: "Your Majesty, if Cai Que had not insisted on building the city, there would be no such defeat!"
"Were we defeated? In Yongle City, our army defeated the Dangxiang?" Cai Que's sleeves fluttered, and his jade belt buckle jingled. "The Liao people's betrayal of the alliance was an unexpected event. How can we blame the government for its conspiracy?"
"How long will Prime Minister Cai continue to deceive the emperor?" Zhang pointed his tablet at Cai Que's forehead and said, "Building the city of Yongle was a last-ditch effort! You knew that Shen Cunzhong had no intention of building the city of Hengshan, but was coerced into submitting a petition, yet you allowed him to deceive the emperor!"
Zhang bowed to the ground and said, "Your Majesty, please understand. Did Xu Xi dare to mention the burning of the water fort and the tragic death of civilians in his report? Did he dare to say that Li Ji slaughtered the soldiers and caused the army to lose morale?"
Cai Que sneered: "Zhang Zizheng is really well-informed. Could it be that before the Privy Council's golden medal arrived, the private express horse of the old Western Army has already arrived at your house?"
"In my opinion, Gao Yongneng hesitated before the battle, and Qu Zhen disobeyed military orders - these arrogant and brave generals are the culprits of the defeat!"
Zhang Gen looked at Zhang Zhi and Cai Que arguing in the hall. Both of them had channels and actually learned the inside story of the Battle of Yongle City before the gold medal was delivered.
"Could it be that someone is secretly instructing this arrogant general?"
Cai Que's pupils shrank suddenly and he said, "If we follow Zhang Jiangong's slow plan, Xixia would still be grazing horses at the foot of the Helan Mountains! Building the city of Yongle is a must."
"That's enough!" The emperor threw the memorial in the hall. "Zhang Qing's secret letter only said 'urgent aid'. I knew that you would lose Yongle City!"
"If I hadn't ordered Shen Cunzhong to send troops to rescue you, the 200,000 soldiers and horses in Fuyan Road would have been buried with you. Now only more than 10,000 were lost, which is a blessing in disguise."
Cai Que's face turned grim, he took a step back and bowed, saying: "Your Majesty, I deserve to die!"
Look at Cai Que’s forehead pressed against the imperial brick.
"Death?" The emperor suddenly looked up at the scene outside the palace, and said, "I am the one who deserves death! After twenty years of reforms in the Xining and Yuanfeng periods, I have accumulated so much money, food, and troops, but at the foot of Hengshan... I failed again. Oh, God, how can you be so unkind to me!"
The emperor suddenly coughed violently. Shi Deyi, who was standing beside him, helped him up. Several eunuchs also sat silently by his side, crying with the emperor.
Zhang Zhi also bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I am incompetent and cannot share your worries like the Duke of Jianguo did."
The official said: "No, I acted on my own will."
"So... So it turns out that success doesn't depend on me!"
At this point, the emperor's face was filled with sadness. He gently covered the Yongle City Military Report spread out on the desk, and his voice suddenly became low: "From now on, the court will not mention the matter of attacking the Dangxiang again!"
"Stop the Fengshan ceremony at Mount Tai!"
"Rest and recuperate to keep the people safe!"
Cai Que was shocked when he heard this, but he finally bowed deeply.
Zhang Zhi shed tears and said, "Your Majesty..."
The official waved his sleeves and was about to turn around and leave the hall, but he stopped.
The official turned around with half of his face immersed in the shadows: "Pass the order down, Cai Que will be demoted one rank."
"Shen Kuo and Xu Xi were demoted two ranks each."
"Appoint Zhang Yue as the governor of Jianning Army and the governor of Jianzhou!"
As soon as the official finished speaking, Cai Que kowtowed: "Your Majesty is wise!"
After saying this, the official finally left the hall.
……
When the emperor said "Don't mention attacking Xia again", Zhang Yue was chatting with Li Gang in Nanpu Creek.
He and Li Gang both put their bare feet into the cold stream and swung back and forth.
Li Gang suddenly pointed at the sunlight shining through the clouds and asked, "Sir, will the sun set?" Zhang Yue looked towards the burning sunset at the end of Jianxi River.
Looking at the sunset, Zhang Yue suddenly thought of the time when he was standing on the ridge and looking out before leaving Fujian with his books on his back. It was exactly the same scene.
“When the sun sets, it will of course go back up the mountain.”
"As the sun rises and the moon sets, there will always be those who come after us to carry the torch."
"I will return to my hometown and live in seclusion in this state. From now on, I will teach students for a living and no longer care about worldly affairs. As for what will happen to the world in the future... it's up to you."
Zhang Yue said to Li Gang with a smile.