first minister

Today is not the time to go to court, but with the Queen Mother's edict and the rush of the Xiaohuangmen, the courtiers of fifth rank and above gathered in the palace again.

Including An Guo Gong Su Zongzhe, Wei Guo Gong Zhao Qingsheng, Emperor Shu Wang Cheng and others were also present.

The purpose of such a battle was to study how to deal with the sudden rebellion of the Beiliang people.

After the arrival of the 15 crane-controlling troops, Beiliang's troops outside the two passes had reached [-], and the situation on the front line was completely dangerous.

"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, the people of Northern Liang are undeclared war and invading our territory for no reason. They should be severely reprimanded and take reciprocal measures to demonstrate the glorious power of our Central Plains orthodoxy."

After the fall of the former crown prince Dongfang Ming, the newly appointed Imperial Academy Jijiu took the lead and kicked off the discussion with a loud voice.

Although these words are useless, no one will accuse him of being pedantic this time, because this is not only a necessary rectification process, but also the best entry point to start the discussion.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, has clearly learned that Beiliang is a tiger and a wolf, with no shame. Now that the army is out, we should not easily stop. After condemning and giving orders, we should immediately mobilize troops and generals in order to defend and counterattack."

"I agree, the so-called matter is urgent. Previously, in order to suppress the bandits and pacify the people, the DPRK had no troops to send. However, now the 15-strong Northern Liang army has come to attack us, with the main force of the entire Northern Liang border army coming to attack us. The two passes are dangerous. If the imperial court still sticks to the previous policy, the army will only have 3 people. Even if the military god is alive, he may not be able to save it!"

This argument has been echoed by many people, but some knowledgeable people have refuted it.

"Although this theory has merit, it is already too late. Now the Northern Liang army is pressing down on the border, [-] crane-controlling troops are besieging Qingchuan Pass, and [-] tiger, leopard and snow dragon cavalry are besieging Yanhui Pass. The city can only be broken in a day or night. In the meantime, we must immediately mobilize soldiers from surrounding states and counties, send orders, organize the army, and set off. If nothing can be done for more than ten days, by then everything will be too late."

"Yes, in my opinion, we should be prepared to lose both passes, and order General Yue to defend the city of Yanyuan Prefecture, and then mobilize the army to stabilize the battle line around the city of Yanyuan Prefecture to protect the tranquility of Zhongjing and Guanzhong."

"Absurd! Are we not going to save the [-] unworthy soldiers in the two passes? They are still fighting bloody battles for the country. They have not given up. Why should we give up on them!"

"The back road is stable, and the Wudang Army can take advantage of the opportunity to break out. At present, 10,000+ troops are gathering in Beiliang. If the Wudang Army can hold on until the imperial army gathers in the city of Yanyuan Prefecture, the imperial court can assemble the army, camp step by step, and go to the rescue. Otherwise, Throw in 3 to [-] people and not even a splash! When the two countries compete, there are always some cruel decisions that need to be made for the benefit of the country."

In the court hall, you and I were going back and forth, arguing, and the fight was very lively, but until this moment, everyone's discussion was still in a rational and normal way.

But the next words of a person instantly silenced the court.

"Your Majesty, Queen Mother, according to the opinions of my veterans, it is better to send envoys to the Northern Liang to seek peace and withdraw from the army."

The silence in the court was not only because of this taboo statement that no one had mentioned in many years, but also because the person who made the statement was the well-known confidant and in-law of Wan Xiang, the Qing Tian Fengnian of Dali Temple.

And does this represent Wanxiang’s thoughts?
"The Queen Mother is generous. I am not a servile person. There are three reasons for this."

"First, Beiliang is now powerful. Qingchuan Pass and Yanhuiguan are surrounded, and Wudang Army can defend it. If we can seek peace with Beiliang and agree to stop the troops, we can protect Wudang Army to the maximum extent. The Wudang Army is the most powerful weapon against Beiliang among our frontier troops. Once the entire army is wiped out, it will be extremely difficult to rebuild. This is why we can leave green hills without worrying about running out of firewood."

"Secondly, at present, there are many worries in the government and the public. The harsh government is waiting for peace, and the banditry is waiting for peace. If we can get a chance to breathe, let the court recuperate, and then the army will be well-fed, we can avenge the past and avenge the previous shame. Although a moment of bloody bravery, Yi, endures the humiliation and bears the heavy burden, but does not lose his vitality."

"Thirdly, now the imperial court has no choice but to take this route, because the troops on the east side of Yuyan Prefecture have rebelled, and the troops on the west side of Wuwei Prefecture are even more prepared and dare not make any rash moves, even if they give up the overall plan of counterinsurgency and gather all the people. If the army goes north, it can only build a defense line in Longcheng, which can play a very limited role in rescuing the two passes. Therefore, the most effective way at the moment is to have the mission quickly enter Liangdu to seek peace, so as to stop the two sides. Only in this way can the situation be eased again."

After speaking, many people nodded involuntarily, obviously convinced.

Beside the dragon chair, behind the beaded curtain, Concubine De remained calm and showed no sign of happiness or anger. "What do you think of what Qing Tian said?"

"The old minister agrees!"

A voice shouted loudly, "I am willing to lead an envoy to Beiliang, endure the humiliation and bear the heavy burden, and seek peace for the country!"

Everyone looked around, and the person who spoke was actually Duke Lu.

This person who is now regarded as one of the most prominent figures among the nobles seems to be restless and wants to take the opportunity to regain his former glory.

Wei Yuanzhi snorted coldly, "Gong Lu Guogong picked a good time. When he leaves for Beiliang, won't you have the final say on what to say when he comes back? Then he can return to the center of the court and take orders from the master of Beiliang to get whatever he wants. Right?"

Lu Guogong knelt down in response and shouted: "The Queen Mother has learned clearly, Your Majesty has learned clearly! My family has been blessed by the country for generations, and I am willing to do everything for the imperial court. I will not hesitate to do so. I have no such intention!"

"The Queen Mother! I impeached Wei Yuanzhi, the Minister of Civil Affairs, for using personal grudges to undermine justice, and openly criticizing the officials of the country. I ask the Queen Mother to convict you, and to make peace for all the ministers to be the heart of the country!"

"I second the proposal! Wei Yuanzhi ignored the overall situation of the country and tried his best to prevent the Beiliang mission from making peace talks just for the sake of power. If the original peace talks could be successful, our court would be able to achieve great justice this time and would not be in such a passive situation. Please The Queen Mother convicts you!"

Two officials from the Yushitai came out one after another. The first sentence was okay, but the second sentence made many people's hearts skip a beat.

Wasn't it Marquis Jianning's idea to prevent the Beiliang mission from negotiating peace?

Damn it!This means something else!

Did you dare to target Marquis Jianning?

What's next?Aim at the Jiang family or directly at the Queen Mother?

Bai Yunbian stood in the team, hesitated for a moment, and finally did not speak in agreement.

Considering the relationship between him and Xia Jingyun, such a blatant criticism would seem too deliberate, and would instead arouse the suspicion of those old foxes.

The actions of these two people were obviously ordered by his immediate superior, and combined with the recent relationship between the other party and Wanxiang, which seemed to be getting closer and closer, it was not difficult to guess the subtleties.

On the dragon chair, the young emperor Dongfang Bai, who had always watched and learned silently, suddenly said coldly, "The discussion of the day was a joint discussion between the monarch and his ministers. How can we blame the discussion of that day for what happened today!"

Dongfang Bai opened his mouth, and Concubine De, who originally wanted to see these people jumping around again, had no choice but to say: "The words of all the ministers are quite reasonable, but the sudden change of national policy is a big matter, so we have to be cautious. . First, [-] soldiers were transferred from Langya Prefecture to the west, entered the city of Yanyuan Prefecture, followed orders under Yueping Military Tent, and defended the Longcheng defense line. As for the soldiers of Langya Prefecture, the Ministry of War would supplement them from other states as appropriate. At the same time, a message was sent The commander-in-chief of the Western Route Army has ordered him to be on standby to prevent future troubles. If nothing happens, please retreat from the court."

Everyone knew that the remaining important matters were decided in a small meeting, so after paying homage, they all left.

With all kinds of conjectures, they were as excited as if they were about to raise their headscarves after getting married to a girl they had never met before, nervous and full of longing.

Once the general situation changes, I don’t know how many people will rise up from the dust, and how many people will fall into the clouds.

The real top bosses, such as Mr. Su, Mr. Zhao and others slowly walked out calmly.

What are you thinking? If the Queen Mother was really in a hurry, the ministers would have gone to the palace late at night to discuss matters last night, and they still had to wait until today.

He was obviously here to fish, but he didn’t expect that there were actually fish that thought they were smart and kept jumping out.

The two rode in a carriage together. Mr. Su looked at Mr. Zhao, "Can Jiang Yuhu do it?"

The clues in the military reports were no secret at all in front of two top old foxes who knew the soldiers well.

Unlike the Beiliang people who were deceived by themselves and thought that Jiang Yuhu's absence was because their plot had succeeded, these two people knew clearly that Jiang Yuhu had gone to the Wudang Army camp, and had taken precautions in advance.

So there was no news about Jiang Yuhu in the military reports, and the Wudang Army fought so conservatively. It was obvious that Jiang Yuhu had a back-up plan.

The crux of the issue now is, can this young man who has inherited the fame of the old military god Jiang Qingxuan and shouldered the myth of the undefeated Wudang Army on his shoulders, be able to make a comeback?

Opposite are a total of 15 Beiliang cavalry, and the personal commander of Beiliang Zhennan King.

Mr. Zhao said with a smile: "At least for now, your precious grandson-in-law and the Queen Mother trust Jiang Yuhu."

Mr. Su rolled his eyes, "I'm not blind, can I see their trust? I'm asking you, do you think Jiang Yuhu can do it?"

What the words mean is that you, a top intelligence chief, don’t have newer and more powerful evidence?

Mr. Zhao shook his head, "In order to keep it secret this time, Jiang Yuhu didn't even send a secret letter to the court. How could I know that? Besides, the sky is high and the road is far away. When the news is passed, Qingchuan Yan hasn't even returned twice yet." Inside the pass, the flying pigeons fixed by the Ministry of War are delivering messages quickly! Just wait, if there is no problem with the daily report, it means that the city has not been broken yet."

"What's the use of you!"

Old Xianggong Su muttered dissatisfiedly, "Fortunately, no one came to the Black Ice Platform today to look for trouble. If anyone comes, it is because the Black Ice Platform wasted time and failed to rebuild, so that no abnormal movement of the Beiliang was discovered, resulting in the situation. With such a dejection, I think you have roasted your adopted daughter and adopted son-in-law on the fire!"

Mr. Zhao, the owner of the village, snorted and did not answer. He turned to look outside the car, his brows filled with sadness.
-
"Gao Yang, you didn't say a word about what happened today. What kind of advice do you have?"

As we walked back to the central courtyard together, Wan Wenbi asked.

As soon as these words came out, several big shots in the court looked over.

Xia Jingyun said softly: "The Minister of Dali Temple said it very well today. In the current situation, water far away cannot quench the thirst close by. We can't do anything. It is better to wait for the dust of the battle in the north to settle before taking any action. The Queen Mother's The handling was very appropriate.”

Yan Songwen said: "Listening to Marquis Jianning, do you think there will be changes in the war between Qingchuan Pass and Yanhui Pass?"

Xia Jingyun said calmly: "The Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and the Snow Dragon Cavalry surrounded Yanhui Pass, and the Crane Controlling Army attacked Qingchuan Pass. Three of the five major frontier armies of Beiliang came. The Crane Controlling Army was originally the main force in Beiliang's attack on the Western Regions. From such a far away place, The transfer from the local government shows that Emperor Liang worked hard for a long time and calculated with intention but not with intention. With 15 versus [-], our chance of winning is really not good. But..."

He looked at Yan Songwen and suddenly smiled softly, "I still believe in Prince Anguo."

Yan Songwen was stunned and flicked his sleeves, "How can a military and state matter be such a child's play!" Wei Yuanzhi snorted coldly, "Don't trust the people you doubt, but trust the people you employ. The Prince of Anguo County has made many military achievements and led the Wudang Army to carry the banner of the Jiang family. For many years, if we don’t support him, who else can we support? Should we support Duke Lu to cede territory and seek peace?”

Yan Songwen was born in Yushitai, and of course he was not to be outdone. "Master Wei, this is a confrontation between two armies. This is a military and national event! You and I can't change the situation by quarreling here and deciding whether to win or lose!"

"Okay, okay. We are all colleagues and we are just discussing things normally. There is no need to get angry."

Wan Wenbi took the initiative to smooth things over, and then said: "Speaking of the quarrel, tonight's banquet between the talented people in the capital and the Northern Liang prince, Gao Yang, as the leader of the younger generation of our dynasty, why not come and sit in person to prevent the Northern Liang barbarian You have the upper hand!"

"Okay! I'm not on duty tonight, so there's not much to do."

Xia Jingyun readily agreed, which made Wan Wenbi, who had just said it casually, be stunned for a moment, and then he had to smile dryly and said: "With Gao Yang taking action, I think that Hulu kid will not be able to cause any trouble."

Everyone walked back to the central courtyard while chatting and laughing. Wei Yuanzhi looked at it for a while and then entered Xia Jingyun's workshop with a puzzled look on his face, "Why did you agree to him?"

Xia Jingyun smiled and said, "It's not a big deal."

"It's no big deal. You are now a central minister, how can you still join in the kid's game? You don't even look at Baiyun! It's obvious that everything is trying to suppress your reputation. Don't tell me that you don't understand! "

Xia Jingyun smiled slightly, "There are many ways to gain fame, and it doesn't have to be aloof or mysterious. Since we will inevitably have to deal with the noisy neighbor to the north in the future, it would be good to meet and get familiar with these talented people from Beiliang first."

Wei Yuanzhi saw that Xia Jingyun knew what he was thinking, so he said no more and said with a smile, "That's good. Come to think of it, when it comes to reciting poems and composing poems, these people together are not enough for you to deal with alone."

It was just past half-way through Shenshi, when young people walked towards Honglu Temple one after another.

After Wan Xuanming consulted his grandfather, he gave up the idea of ​​holding a banquet in his own house or in Mingyu Tower, and still held the banquet in Honglu Temple to ensure that no one would get caught.

But although the banquet was held at Honglu Temple, he carefully selected famous chefs in the city to serve.

Wan Xiangqin and his grandson were invited, but these cooks would not dare to disobey. The minister of Honglu Temple also tried his best to lead the people to help prepare various arrangements for the dinner.

Young people came one after another, and Wan Xuanming became the host without hesitation, greeting everyone warmly, and then led them to Xue Wenlu and others.

Then, those young people in luxurious clothes all showed great courtesy and flattery in their words, which greatly benefited Xue Wenlu and others.

This scene of stars holding the moon was what they had expected before coming.

Although I arrived a little late, I finally arrived.

Bullying your own people on your own territory is not enough. Bullying others on other people's territory is really fun!
Looking at these soft bones in front of him, he carefully put away his disdain and smiled reservedly and kindly, fully displaying the demeanor he was proud of in the Beiliang Dynasty.

While talking, several young people walked in again.

Xue Wenlu keenly discovered that their clothes were much worse than those of the previous people, but he did not look down on these people because of this, because he knew that when it came to talents, these people might be the real pillars, and And because of his background, he is the easiest person to be won over by his overtures.

Although Wan Xuanming's introduction was obviously less intimate, Xue Wenlu greeted him warmly.

Everyone was flattered, and some even turned visibly red.

Although most of them have passed the imperial examination and entered the court as officials, their current status is low and they do not have much knowledge. For example, Xue Wenlu, the son of a prince, the envoy of Beiliang, and a person with a well-known talent and reputation, has been working continuously on weekdays. It's rare to meet someone, let alone be treated so kindly by him.

Although they are almost the same age as each other, the disparity in status still makes them look up to him uncontrollably, and then develop a great affection for him.

It turns out that the people of Beiliang are not all barbarians and rough people.

It turns out that there are also such polite and virtuous corporal people in Beiliang.

Everyone in Beiliang was also very satisfied. It would be great if these feeble-minded Southern Dynasty people could be used for themselves with a little kindness.

But in this peaceful place, a voice sounded calmly, "I would like to ask your envoy, since you are sent to our court on the order of your emperor to negotiate peace, why do you go to war without declaring it and invade our territory of Great Xia? Is it because the king of your country has gone back on his word, or has your country always regarded faith as nothing?"

Xue Wenlu narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the young man who spoke.

He was dressed in ordinary clothes and had a thin figure. He was obviously from a humble background, but his back was straight and his expression was calm. He gave the impression that he was like a piece of bluestone by the roadside, ordinary but stubborn.

"Presumptuous! Uncle Li Duan! This is not the place for you to talk nonsense!"

"Exactly! Talented people are gathering together tonight to participate in a grand event. Why are you sowing trouble here?"

Wan Xuanming was also complaining in his heart. He only thought that this person was last year's Tanhualang, so he should be called, but he did not expect that this person would be so short-sighted and say such things.

He was about to explain to Xue Wenlu, but Xue Wenlu waved his hand and said with full demeanor, "We are all young people. When we gather together, we can say whatever we want. There is no reason to blame."

In the midst of the crowd praising his lord, Xue Wenlu looked at Li Zhiyi and said: "I am gathering with you tonight. I am not an envoy from Daliang. I am just a young man who wants to sit down and discuss matters with all the sages. As for government affairs, I am not an envoy." I should discuss this with the Queen Mother and her ministers in the court hall, but it is inconvenient to say more here."

Li Zhiyi's expression was quite indignant, "If you are not an envoy, you are just an ordinary citizen of the Northern Liang Dynasty. Your country sent out troops brazenly, and slashed at our frontier troops with butcher's knives. Our soldiers are fighting bloody battles in the flames of war. I'm going to Xia'an I can laugh with you here and raise a toast to each other! What you said about sharing the grand event is just a way to win people's hearts and build momentum!"

As soon as he said this, the "friends" who were standing beside him quietly moved away.

"Bold!" Wan Xuanming finally couldn't sit still. He not only pointed at Xue Wenlu and others and scolded him, but also scolded him together, "Come here! Drive this arrogant and rebellious person out of here." !”

Several guards were about to come forward immediately, but Li Zhiyi was not afraid. He had experienced many ups and downs in life, so this was nothing.

"Hey! Aren't you just sitting and talking? Why can't you stand it and want to expel someone after just a few words? Mr. Wan, why are you acting like a little lady, so anxious after just two words of teasing?"

Behind Li Zhiyi, Xu Dapeng, Zeng Jimin and others walked in.

Xu Dapeng said with a smile: "I admire His Highness the Crown Prince's demeanor, and he will not be angry if he comes uninvited?"

Xue Wenlu smiled and said, "Your Excellency, you are joking. Brother Wan, who are these?"

Wan Xuanming looked at Xu Dapeng warily, "These are the classmates who were promoted to Beijing from Sishui Prefecture with Marquis Jianning."

He deliberately emphasized the word Jianninghou and reminded Xue Wenlu to pay more attention.

Xue Wenlu smiled when he heard this, "I am actually a classmate of Mr. Xia. I have admired Mr. Xia for a long time. His talent is as high as a mountain and his strategy is as deep as the sea. Unfortunately, we are always close to each other. Today, you all want to tell me about Mr. Xia's past!"

As soon as these words came out, someone immediately cheered and said: "His Royal Highness is also a great talent in the Northern Liang Dynasty, and he is on par with Marquis Jianning!"

"Yes, it is rare for His Royal Highness to have such a humble heart. It is said that the sea is open to all rivers. With such a tolerance, there is no need to worry about not being able to make achievements and become famous in history!"

Xu Dapeng frowned, "Are you okay? Even if the Beiliang people are coming now, the results of the battle on the front line are still unknown. We, the Central Plains Orthodox, are not without the strength to fight. Are you so flattering? I won't say anything. Is His Royal Highness the Crown Prince really talented and learned? Marquis Jianning is so talented and learned, and he has saved the country and the country from danger many times, and I have never seen you praise him like this?"

Those honorable nobles and children of aristocratic families who had suffered greatly in this great change were cursing in their hearts. If it wasn't because Xia Jingyun was so powerful, why would we bet all our bets on the people of Beiliang? Do we still think of him?Go ahead and dream!

Xue Wenlu said with a smile: "You may have misunderstood me and all of you here. I am hosting a banquet with Brother Wan today. I just want to get together with you and appreciate the scenery and people of the Southern Dynasties. This trip is worthwhile, and so are you. We all had a great time chatting together and participating in the grand event. As for Mr. Xia, it’s a pity that he has reached a high position now and would never attend a banquet like ours. I believe that as long as he can come, everyone will never forget our family. heroic."

"Yes, what you said makes no sense. Marquis Jianning is so powerful now that we have no chance to flatter him!"

"Yes, Marquis Jianning respects his status, so how can he be as close to the people as His Royal Highness?"

At this moment, a loud shout suddenly came to mind at the door, suppressing the commotion in the field, "Jianninghou, Hubu Shangshu, Mr. Xia is here!"

In the midst of astonishment, Xia Jingyun, who had changed his official uniform and was only wearing an ordinary green shirt, walked in with a calm expression, graceful appearance, and a smile, "I am here uninvited, won't I disturb everyone's interest? "

Xu Dapeng looked at Xue Wenlu, "Your Highness, why are you blushing?"

Xia Jingyun stepped forward with a smile, "What nonsense are you talking about? His Royal Highness is in high spirits."

"Yes, yes, refreshed."

Xue Wenlu was caught off guard by Xia Jingyun's appearance, and was struck by Xia Jingyun's demeanor that resembled that of his father and others. He was in a daze for a moment, but quickly realized, "It's an honor for Mr. Xia to come. Come! Then let’s take a seat, shall we?”

Xia Jingyun looked around. Many of the powerful young men who had previously flattered the people of Beiliang lowered their heads and did not dare to look directly.

He turned to look at Wan Xuanming, with a meaningful smile on his face, "Master Wan, you are the host, you are the host, you make the arrangements."

Faced with an opponent that even his grandfather did not dare to confront head-on, Wan Xuanming dared not hesitate at all and hurriedly went to make arrangements.

At the same time, a belated homing pigeon flapped its wings along a familiar road.

Not far in front of it is the end point of its journey, and the city of Zhongjing that it has been waiting for for a long time. (End of chapter)