bookrandom Chapter 1253: Lu's Merit
Chapter 1253: Lu's Merit
Chapter 1253: Lu's Merit
You must never let go of power for a moment.
This is common knowledge among many emperors and prime ministers in ancient and modern times.
So in order to prevent this, there are many conventions and rules.
For example, it was customary in the Song Dynasty that when the emperor passed away, the prime minister would ask to be sent to the mausoleum. This was a custom to prevent the prime minister from oppressing the new emperor, and it also gave the new emperor an opportunity to place people in his place.
This is also the reason why so many ministers opposed Zhang Juzheng's seizure of love during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty.
According to the rules, ministers had to observe a period of mourning for twenty-seven months, and when they returned, the court situation was completely different.
It was also customary for the prime minister to submit his resignation and be allowed to go or stay if the censors impeached him.
Zhang Yue simply moved to the temple and made it clear that he would let it go for the time being. If you can advocate for the war or peace with Liao, then you can advocate for it.
In a nutshell, if you can do it, go for it!
The emperor has issued an order to retain him, but Zhang Yue still resigned again.
Resolute attitude.
However, when Zhang Yue heard that Sun Gu was appointed as the Privy Councilor and would replace himself in presiding over the peace talks with Liao, he could not help but feel angry.
Zhang Yue sometimes faced the wall in deep thought, sometimes paced back and forth in the meditation room, and finally couldn't help but ask: "Besides his moral integrity and writings, what else does this Sun Yunzhong have to show for himself?"
Li Kui, who was outside the Zen room, heard Zhang Yue's angry scolding, moved his body but sat down again.
Zhang Yue thought to himself that the Liao Kingdom allowed its troops to attack Cangzhou, but the imperial court actually planned to seek peace.
There were peace-loving factions within the Song Dynasty, and there were also peace-loving factions within the Liao Dynasty.
Zhang Yue returned to the table and sat down. Under a white porcelain oil lamp, he wanted to write a letter to Cai Bian and others to stop Sun Gu's peace talks.
But Zhang Yue touched the pen and then put it down.
It would have been easy for him to stop Sun Gu, and even returning to the position of prime minister was just a thought.
Since he has decided to let go for a while, he should really control himself. No matter how badly he makes trouble outside, he should just wait and see what happens.
It is not only a way to train the soldiers, but also a way to prevent the people below from relying on themselves.
So Zhang Yue stood up and opened the window, and the night wind blew into the Zen room with the fragrance of lilac in the garden.
Zhang Yue took a deep breath and pondered towards the moon. Joining the game requires courage, but withdrawing requires wisdom.
It is easy to say that one is born. Like the three heroes of the early Han Dynasty, everyone admired Zhang Liang, who was able to retire after achieving success and leave after his work was done. But didn't Xiao He and Han Xin know?
Zhang Liang was a staff counselor and was only responsible to Liu Bang, so it was not difficult for him to leave.
But Xiao He and Han Xin were prime ministers and generals, and each had a large group of interest groups under their command. How could they retire after achieving success?
Isn’t it the same for me now?
But now that things have come to this, I can only let them go in all directions, and I will remain unmoved. I will wait and see what these people can accomplish when I am not in the court.
If you are not anxious, they will be anxious instead.
Thinking of this, Zhang Yue sat down and picked up his pen to write a second letter of resignation to the emperor.
"Wang Anli and Su Song are both loyal and reliable ministers, Huang Lu and Cai Jing are both smart and capable ministers. I sincerely ask Your Majesty to recognize other talents and use them well... I ask Your Majesty to allow me to return to the old rivers and lakes. I dare not pretend."
Thinking of Zhang Dun's proposal to increase the salt monopoly in Hebei in order to recruit soldiers after he took office, Zhang Yue was furious and wrote a memorial to express his opposition: "The salt monopoly in Hebei proposed by Zhang Dun must not be allowed. Once the Liao army invades, it is unknown who will support the people. Don't lose the big picture for the small."
……
Jiying Palace.
The emperor and Sun Gu sat opposite each other.
Sun Gu reported, "Your Majesty, the Liao envoy Xiao Xi refused to ride on the post horse and insisted on bringing the northern border troops into the city, just as before. I have already ordered that everything be done as the Liao envoy wishes."
The official said: "Xiao Xi is familiar with the situation in our country. If this is the case, we should tolerate it."
Sun Gu said: "In addition, the envoys who came to Beijing today are very aggressive. I think we should ban the court newspapers from talking about anything related to the Liao envoys coming to Beijing, so as to avoid causing controversy among the people."
The official said, "I agree."
Sun Gu added: "In addition, Guo Xin requested silk money, but the three officials said it was not possible."
The emperor said, "I have discussed this matter with Mr. Huang, and he said that he would rather resign than give the money. It would be better to get the money from somewhere else."
Sun Gu said: "The envoys from the embassy reported that they heard that the Liao ruler would stay in Xijing this winter, and they have ordered people to clean up the Xijing Palace and gather troops and store food in order to receive his gift."
The emperor frowned. Sun Gu said, "On the way back to the embassy, Xiao Xi said that Liangzhou was a land of ruins. How about returning it to the Westerners?"
The envoy replied that if the Westerners repented and corrected their sins, the court would show mercy, but the land of Liangzhou must not be returned. Since the Northern Dynasty is trying to persuade them to make peace, and the two countries have an old alliance and friendship, it is already doubly lenient.
The emperor sat on the couch for a long time without saying anything, so Sun Gu asked, "Why is your majesty so worried?"
The official said, "As long as the Liao Kingdom does not panic, the western affairs can be resolved in three to five years. Now the Liao Kingdom has repeatedly intervened, and the matter is already on the verge of being completed. If it goes wrong one day, how can it be picked up in the future?"
"Shen Kuo and his men have already established a firm foothold in Tiandu Mountain. Considering that the imperial court has fought hundreds of battles to achieve today's success, how can the people of Shaanxi ever rest in peace?"
Sun Gu said: "For now, this is the case. Let's wait and see if the Liao envoys come to Beijing before discussing it again."
The emperor said to Sun Gu, "Zhang Qing is very determined to leave. What do you think?"
Sun Gu said: "I guess that the peace talks with Liao are against his will. As long as Your Majesty orders him to stay, Zhang Yue will surely feel the grace of Your Majesty."
The official said, "I sent an envoy to see him yesterday, and he said he had made up his mind. I don't know whether it is true or not."
Sun Gu said: "The position of the Prime Minister is a place where one is punished. One action should not be criticized by the world. Not only Zhang Yue, but I also often think so."
The emperor said, "Liu Bojun is talking nonsense. I will punish him!"
"I am not afraid of the Liao people, but I am worried that if the war breaks out, many people in Hebei will die under the Khitan cavalry.
Sun Gu said: "This is a blessing for all the people."
After the emperor talked with Sun Gu, he felt extremely depressed.
He said to himself on the couch, "My ancestors, the Liao Kingdom has been aggressive and humiliated me again and again. I am angry. But as the ruler of the world, I dare not show off my courage."
"Fighting wars with Liao and Xia on two fronts is extremely disadvantageous to the Song Dynasty."
"So I temporarily dismissed Zhang Yue and used Sun Gu, which was also a last resort."
The official became angrier and angrier as he thought about it. He sat on the couch with his eyes closed in deep thought, and heard someone calling, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
The emperor opened his eyes and saw Li Xian standing in front of him with a happy look on his face.
"What's the matter?"
Li Xian said: "Your Majesty, Hedong General Lü Huiqing sent a letter reporting that Hedong had won a great victory!"
The official was shocked and said, "Bring it here!"
The official looked over.
It turned out that Lu Huiqing ordered Liu An, the commander of this route, to pretend to surrender to the Dangxiang and lure 7,000 cavalrymen from the west into the country, where he killed more than 4,000 and 400 of them. He then sent troops to attack their lair and seized more than 100,000 weapons, sheep and horses and returned.
He ordered Lu Huiqing to build Nuanquan Village and Wulong Village. The Dangxiang people were terrified.
Lu Huiqing submitted a petition to ask for leave as Jiedushi!
Upon hearing this, the emperor could not help but applaud and said, "Good job, Lu Huiqing, you really lived up to my trust in you!"
Immediately, the emperor smiled again and said, "Lu Huiqing really knows how to ask me for a reward. What a fake governor!"
Li Xian said: "Your Majesty, Lu Huiqing is indeed a rare genius in the world, and he is also a shrewd and capable minister, but it was Prime Minister Zhang who recommended Lu Huiqing as the governor of Hedong!"
Guan Jiaxun nodded and said, "That's right."
"I know that Lord Lu and Lord Zhang have always been at odds with each other."
"If Lu Qing was in Zhang Qing's position, he would not be able to recommend this person, but Zhang Qing can. This is the difference between a gentleman and...!"
The official smiled slightly when he said this.
……
At this moment, Taiyuan New City.
After Zhao Guangyi conquered the Northern Han, he demolished the city of Jinyang.
But later, in order to deal with the invasion of the Liao Kingdom, he ordered Pan Mei to establish Taiyuan.
Pan Mei rebuilt Taiyuan City again. In order to destroy the dragon vein of Taiyuan, Pan Mei only built T-shaped streets in the new city but not cross streets.
Today, Lu Huiqing's governor's residence is located within Pan Mei's former commander's residence.
Lu Huiqing didn't know that the mansion under his feet was the Secretariat in the Yuan Dynasty, the Governor's Office in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the Military Governor's Mansion of Yan Xishan in the Republic of China, and later the provincial government.
Now Lu Huiqing is in the Jietang, commanding 100,000 Hedong troops.
At this moment, he thought to himself, if Song and Liao make peace, then what use will I, Lu Huiqing, have to use my military power!
Chapter Three Chapter Three, This time I am not taking action to protect you, but to protect myself.