bookrandom Chapter 1321 Mr. Face
Chapter 1321 Mr. Face
Chapter 1321 Mr. Face
As the sun set, Zhang Gen rode his horse onto the Bian River floating bridge.
The eaves of the Wansheng Gate Tower were half exposed, and a long winding queue had formed under the gate. Farmers carrying firewood and Uighur merchants leading camels were shoulder to shoulder. Since the imperial court recovered Liangzhou, this official road from Luoyang to Bianjing had become three times busier than in the early years of Yuanfeng.
"My dear, I missed the closing time of the city last night, so I had to rest in the inn."
The attendant apologized in a low voice and led the carriage to the thatched huts lined up at the foot of the city wall.
These temporary guesthouses, with oilcloths propped up by bamboo poles, have always been the place where poor scholars and traveling merchants stay. When Zhang Gen lifted the blue cloth curtain, he ran into two Uighur merchants wearing hats with rolled brims holding candied raisins and bargaining with the vendors in stiff Chinese.
The thin blankets in the inn were filled with unpleasant dampness, but Zhang Gen chatted with the Hu merchants around the fire until three o'clock in the morning. The Khotan jades that slipped out of the sleeves of these merchants reflected the firelight, and their eyes shone brighter when they talked about the reopening of the trade routes of the thirty-six countries in the Western Regions.
However, Zhang Gen could tell at a glance that this Khotan jade artifact was fake... a dishonest businessman.
It was not until the gong struck the fourth watch that he fell into a hazy sleep in the scent of cumin and sweat.
At the beginning of the morning, Zhang Gen bit off the last bite of cold pancake and mixed in with the crowd of people entering the city to submit for inspection. When the gatekeeper checked the documents of the scholar in front of him, he pressed his thumb hard on the red seal - this was a trick used by the clerks, waiting for the poor scholars to hand over the money in fear.
When the poor scholar in front of him was about to pay, Zhang Gen sneered and knocked his official seal on the table. The gatekeeper saw Zhang Gen's stern face, then looked at the official seal and copper token, and was so shocked that he stood up and bowed.
The city gate official immediately let Han Shi and Zhang Gen pass in panic.
After accepting the poor scholar's gratitude, Zhang Gen rode into the city on horseback. As soon as he entered the city gate, the noisy voices of people hit him like a heat wave.
Bianjing is as prosperous as ever.
The officials in scarlet robes carrying red-leafed calf carts and the scholars in green shirts carrying book boxes on donkeys were moving side by side.
After entering the city, Zhang Gen originally wanted to return home to visit his mother and younger brother, but he had not even walked a mile after entering the city gate.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of horse hooves behind me, and saw three men in black clothes breaking through the crowd and coming.
"Zhang Chaofeng, please stay!" The leader crossed his arms and saluted. The words "Imperial City Department's Personal Attendant" flashed on the gilded silver plate on his waist. "Your Majesty has ordered that you should go to the Chuigong Hall immediately to make an appearance."
Zhang Gen stroked the Nine-Bend Heart Thread given by his mother in his sleeve, but his face remained calm: "Please allow me to change my clothes and face the emperor."
Zhang Gen thought to himself that although he had not concealed his whereabouts from the northwest to Bianjing, he was under surveillance all the way. He had expected that Cai Que would hinder his entry into the palace, but he did not expect that it was the government's spy, the Imperial City Division.
"As you please, sir."
Zhang Gen ordered his attendants to hold the package in their hands, and he went to a nearby teahouse to change his clothes, and then came out in a crimson official uniform. The crowd of onlookers suddenly started whispering.
Upon seeing this, the three people from the Imperial City Bureau stepped forward again to pay their respects.
After the Battle of Pingxia City, Zhang Gen had been promoted to Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites. After the Yuanfeng reform, he was promoted to Chaofeng Daifu, the sixth rank.
The new system of Yuanfeng stipulated that officials of the fourth rank and above wore purple, officials of the fifth and sixth ranks wore red, and officials of the seventh to ninth ranks wore green.
Under the new system of Yuanfeng, this sixth-rank uniform should not appear on a young man who is not yet thirty years old.
They naturally didn't know that this was a special honor bestowed by the government on the meritorious officials of Pingxia City.
In the Battle of Pingxia City, Zhang Gen made a great contribution and was reported to the emperor by Shen Kuo. Zhang Yue wanted to stop him, but the emperor insisted and personally issued an imperial decree... specially promoting Zhang Gen to the position of Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites.
It should be noted that Zhang Yue was promoted to Langzhong of the Ministry of Rites in the second year of Xining, but was demoted three levels afterwards.
She was young, and was wearing red clothes while walking in the market. Countless people saw this scene and couldn't help pointing and talking.
There is jealousy, suspicion, and envy, but Zhang Gen has long been accustomed to it.
As the son of a prime minister, you have to bear more responsibilities than others.
When he arrived at the palace, Zhang Gen was supposed to hand in a written statement before he could see the emperor, but a close official allowed Zhang Gen to go in directly.
Zhang Gen thought to himself, "It is not possible for a minister to see the emperor whenever he wants.
When Zhang Yue was the prime minister, he had to schedule a meeting at least five days in advance. After arriving in Beijing, he had not even sat down at home to discuss how to deal with Cai Que when he was summoned to the palace by the emperor.
The official sitting on the throne in the Chuigong Hall was reviewing memorials to the emperor's memorials. The rising dragon embroidered with gold thread on the lapel of his ochre-yellow official robe rose and fell with his breathing, and his red wolf-hair brush made rustling sounds as it drew on the rice paper.
"Your Majesty, I, Zhang Gen, pay my respects to you." Amid the scent of sandalwood, Zhang Gen caught a glimpse of the Xixia wart armor displayed on the rosewood stand on the east side of the throne - it was a gift of captives presented in celebration of the great victory at Pingxia City.
The official put down his wolf hair brush and said, "Please sit down!"
After Zhang Gen declined several times, the emperor said, "You don't have to stick to these things."
"I was just about to have a long chat with you about the situation of the Tanguts in the northwest. If you keep standing, you'll probably get tired."
Zhang Gen thought, this is not just a simple formality, but a long chat. Zhang Gen was a little nervous. Even though he was born in a wealthy family and was used to meeting important people, it was still an experience for him to ask for advice from the emperor.
After Zhang Gen took his seat, the borneol smoke from the gilded and silver incense ball made his scarlet robe flicker.
The official said, "Two years have passed since the great victory at Pingxia City."
"I heard that the Tanguts have recently reorganized their army, and their leader Li Bingchang intends to revitalize the country and recruit officials who are not from the Tanguts, such as Han people and Uighurs."
Zhang Gen said: "Your Majesty is wise and wise, and you know the affairs of the Western bandits clearly."
The emperor held out his hand and said, "Don't be so hasty to flatter me. I already know the strengths and weaknesses of the Western bandits in the country, their situation, their leaders, and their absurd actions."
"Among them, there are reports from the Privy Council's Jisufang Office and reports from the Ministry of War's Zhifang Division."
"He who makes more military plans will win. Most of these were made by Zhang Shang when he made the plans for me!"
Zhang Gen knew that at the beginning of the country, only the Privy Council's Jisufang was used to spy on foreign affairs. After Zhang Yue became prime minister, he established the Military Affairs Bureau's Zhifang Division to find out the domestic situation of the Khitan and the Dangxiang.
"But there was one thing that Prime Minister Zhang had not taken into account. He asked me to plan to place boats and rafts on the upper reaches of the Tao River, either to transport food for the army, or to carry soldiers, or to prepare for fire attacks. The wood and materials used can be obtained from the Mobang Mountain. The craftsmen should be obtained from the Fengxiang Prefecture's shipping department."
"We will cross the Yellow River from the upper reaches and go down to take Xingzhou and Lingzhou. If the Tanguts attack us with fire or water, we will be doomed if we are not careful."
"Lanzhou to Xingzhou is hundreds of miles away. We are deep in enemy territory, and there is a big river blocking our way. If we are frustrated, how will we deal with it?"
The official also criticized it bluntly.
Zhang Gen was at a loss for what to do when faced with the emperor's praise and criticism of Zhang Yue. The conversation was completely controlled by the emperor, and he could only keep silent and nod in agreement.
"What do you think?"
Zhang Gen finally got a chance to speak, and said, "Your Majesty, Xihe Road uses Lanzhou and Liangzhou as hubs, which is the key to controlling the situation of the Western Bandits. The Western Bandits have lost their passage to the Western Regions and have to withdraw troops to defend it. This is a win."
"Lanzhou has fertile land, better than a fort. Guzhi Fort has recruited Han and Tibetan people to cultivate the land, and has obtained tens of thousands of acres of farmland. This has alleviated the urgent need for food for the garrison, which is the second benefit."
"The Xihe River has been fully opened from Jingzhou, and the entire Tiandu Mountain is under the control of our dynasty, forcing the Dangxiang to retreat to Mobang Mountain to defend Xingling Prefecture. This is the third gain. As for attacking Xingling from Lanzhou, it is just a timely move and is far from being included in the three gains."
The emperor nodded and said, "You are right. Time is the hardest thing to come by and the easiest thing to lose."
"After the defeat in Lingzhou, Prime Minister Zhang advised me to take Lanzhou first, and then attack Liangzhou, and then go out from Jingyuan Road, set up forts in Xining Village, and go straight to Mingsha City."
"In the Battle of Pingxia, our army successfully built a city at Xiaoguan. I finally connected the dots and turned the lines into a surface, firmly taking the initiative against the Western bandits. All of this was planned by Prime Minister Zhang."
Zhang Gen said: "Your Majesty praised me. I thank you on behalf of my father."
The official said: "After the defeat of the Tanguts at Pingxia City, they did not return to the army. But the Khitans were worried that the Tanguts would not be able to recover, so they sent troops to attack Hedong and approached the city of Taiyuan."
"Although Lu Qing repelled the Liao army not long ago and Liao sent envoys to negotiate peace, it delayed the work for two years after all, giving the Western bandits a chance to catch their breath."
"The Western bandits have now realized my intention to build a city and advance from the Hulu River Valley. They have built a large number of forts along this line, and have stationed their few elite troops in Jingyuan Road. It will be difficult for us to take Lingzhou now."
Zhang Gen said: "Your Majesty, I think it will not be difficult to attack Mingsha City if we fight hard."
The emperor smiled and said, "What do you think of Xu Xi?"
Zhang Gen said: "He is as loyal, brave, honest and trustworthy as Zhou Bo of the Han Dynasty."
The emperor said, "I heard that Xu Xi's brother-in-law is Huang Tingjian. He is compassionate and generous in dealing with generals and is not afraid of losing his mind for the country. He will be a good minister in the future."
"Therefore, I appointed him as the governor of Fuyan Road to plan for Hengshan."
Zhang Gen was shocked.
The official said, "Not long ago, Shen Cunzhong wrote a memorial saying that the area stretches across the mountains, with fertile soil for thousands of miles, and the people are strong and good at fighting, with many horses, and the benefits of salt and iron, which the Xia people rely on for their livelihood. Their fortresses are all located in dangerous places, which are strong enough for defense. The construction should start from Yinzhou; the next step is to move Youzhou to Wuyan; and the next step is to repair Xiazhou."
"The three counties are in a three-way confrontation, and the land of Hengshan is included in it. Yanzhou is also built to take advantage of the two places. In this way, Hengshan's strong soldiers and horses, and the benefits of mountains and swamps, all belong to China. Its position is high, overlooking Xing and Ling, and it can directly overthrow its nest."
"I think it's good."
Zhang Gen pondered and Zhang Yue rejected the emperor's suggestion to attack Hengshan several times.
But that doesn’t mean we won’t take Hengshan.
At that time, Zhang Yue and Tianzi Temple proposed to first go out of Xihe Road to take Lanzhou and Liangzhou, then go out of Jingyuan Road to take Mingsha City, and finally go out of Hengshan to take Dingnan and five states.
Only then can we concentrate our forces to capture Xingling and annihilate the Dangxiang.
Now Lanzhou and Liangzhou have been captured. After the Battle of Pingxia City, the Song army has advanced to Xiaoguan in the direction of Jingyuan Road, and is only a hundred miles away from Mingsha City.
However, the Dangxiang had not been idle in the past two years. They built many checkpoints between Xiaoguan and Mingsha City and sent strong troops to defend them. In order to allow the Song army to take advantage of the waterway to supply food and grass from Lanzhou, they also stationed heavy troops at Mobang Mountain.
It was not easy for the Song army to attack Mingsha City again.
Therefore, the government wanted to take advantage of the time when the Dangxiang were planning to attack the Jingyuan Road to restart the Hengshan attack.
Just at this time, the Privy Councilor Shen Kuo submitted a memorial, proactively proposing an attack on Hengshan.
But why did Shen Kuo propose it? It was because Cai Que had the upper hand over him, and Cai Que instructed Shen Kuo to make the proposal.
Zhang Gen said: "Your Majesty, the mountains and rivers of Fuyan Road are not like those of Jingyuan Road. Fuyan Road is surrounded by pavilions and barriers, and beacons are scattered everywhere, so it is also difficult to defend."
"The Jingyuan Road is mostly river valleys and hills, which are easy to hide and station troops. When the Tanguts attacked Pingxia City, Shen Jinglüe arranged four routes of troops in advance to support them, which led to a great victory."
"If we go to Fuyan Road, I don't know where to get support? Hedong has to guard against the Khitan, so we can't move. I think if we want to achieve military success, we should attack from Xiaoguan to Mingsha City."
The emperor flatly rejected the idea, saying, "Attacking Mingsha City is a small undertaking!"
"It's only a hundred miles away."
Zhang Gen was stunned.
The official stood up and paced in front of the map, as if talking to himself, and said with some kind of determination: "When using troops, you must try them first, and you should start with the easiest ones."
"I order Xu Xi to select strong generals and march westward along the Fuyan Road to force the enemy to take down their lair, so that everyone in the army will be terrified and flee in panic. Then, perhaps we can achieve an unprecedented feat!"
Zhang Gen didn't know what to say. He hesitated for a moment, then he threw everything away and said resolutely: "Your Majesty, Shen Cunzhong's memorial was secretly instructed by someone in the court!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the emperor's attendants all changed color.
Wang Zhen, the attendant standing by, was so startled that he almost dropped his pen.
The official was surprised, turned his head and looked at Zhang Gen and said with a smile: "You know that this is not what you said, it will ruin your career."
Soon the emperor saw Wang Zhen writing, and he stopped him with his hand, saying, "You don't have to record the last few sentences! Delete them all! And you don't have to record the next few sentences I say either."
Wang Zhen agreed and deleted them all immediately.
The emperor said, "I know why you came back to the capital this time. All the ministers in the court were promoted by me personally, and you are not someone who can speak lightly."
Zhang Gen's heart sank. He had thought that this time when he returned to Beijing he could meet the emperor and expose Cai Que's evil plot.
But I didn't expect this to be the situation.
That’s right, the government knows everything, is clear about everything, and is observant of everything.
Even the fact that Cai Que used the evidence to force Shen Kuo to submit a memorial was clearly known.
I thought that after meeting the emperor and explaining everything clearly, I could bring Cai Que down.
The emperor closed his eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "I will say one more thing. There is no factional strife in the court. Now there is still a vacancy for a servant. You can fill the position."
Zhang Gen was stunned when he heard this.
The official said slowly: "Do you understand my intention?"
Zhang Gen thought to himself, what does it matter whether I understand or not? The truth is that when the emperor is in a hurry, the factional struggles will become more intense.