Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 142 The one who puts the world in peace!
The news that Li Keyong challenged the court quickly reached Li Ye's ears.

The army of the imperial court crossed the mountains and ridges, crossed the Qinling Mountains along the Baoxie Road, and came to Fengzhou.

And the Fengzhou Army has specially raised homing pigeons, which are extremely convenient for transmitting messages.

Li Ye summoned Jingxiang to discuss the matter.

"Li Keyong and Wang Chongying asked the imperial court for military funds. What does Jing Xiang think of this matter?"

Jing Xiang read the letter several times, and then said: "The demand for military funds is too much, and the imperial court's taxes for a year are not so much. Li Keyong is using troops against the imperial court!"

Li Ye nodded.

"Hedong sent troops to Xuanwu, and 15 soldiers were wasted for three months. They only needed 20 guan, grain [-] shi, and [-] guan in compensation for casualties. Li Keyong asked the court for ten times more. The meaning of restraint probably lies in Zhaoyi."

"Why?"

Jingxiang continued: "There are hundreds of thousands of Jia soldiers in Hedong, and they have experienced the Xuanwu War. It is difficult to support them with the material resources of Hedong. Earlier, Li Keyong asked the imperial court for the land of Xing, Ming, and Cizhou. The imperial court refused, so he used military resources. Threatening the imperial court, using the might of the soldiers from the east of the river to force the imperial court to agree to his terms."

Li Ye shook his head and said: "Now bring Luzhou along, Li Keyong wants to take away all my business for the past year!"

Jing Xiang said: "If you don't give it, I'm afraid Li Keyong will send troops to Chang'an to form an alliance under the city."

Li Ye is definitely not willing to give up Zhaoyi to Li Keyong.

Li Ye was also worried, Li Keyong of Hedong and Wang Chongying of Hezhong, if they work together, Chang'an will be in danger.

"How about I lead the army back to Chang'an?"

Jing Xiang shook his head and said: "Your Majesty, no, the [-] troops have spent a lot of money along the way. If they leave now, the morale of the army will be greatly damaged, and the imperial court will lose its last prestige in Sanchuan. It will undoubtedly be more difficult to clean up in the future, and the situation is not so bad. At that level, the imperial court and Li Keyong have not yet turned against each other."

Li Ye said: "What do you think Jing Xiang should do now?"

Jing Xiang said: "Firstly, it should be announced to the world, only narrating the facts, not making comments, so that the world can know the heart of the tigers and wolves in Hedong. If there is any military incident in the future, the righteousness lies with me.

His Majesty can write a letter to Wang Chongying in person to explain how powerful it is, and then send people to contact the generals in Hezhong to divide and separate them. Wang Chongying is seriously ill, and there must be great changes in Hezhong. This is an opportunity for the court.

Third, the imperial court can agree to Li Keyong’s request to make up for the military funds, but the amount cannot be as Li Keyong said. ,

I don't have any materials for two or three months, and I'm afraid there will be no result. Even if there is a result, the court can use His Majesty's failure to return and wait for His Majesty to return to Beijing before making the delivery. "

Li Ye nodded upon hearing this.

"In this way, after a few months, His Majesty will return to Chang'an, and the imperial court will issue a statement, and the Kuhe River Army will definitely respond. The situation of the world is in the imperial court, whether it is peace or war, it is up to His Majesty."

After Li Ye heard this, his heart felt relieved, Jing Xiang was indeed a minister of great governance.

And His Majesty the Emperor also has a clear understanding of himself. After wasting his whole life in his previous life, he was in charge of a county in the end, and he was not the top leader. The limitations of his thinking were obvious.

Firstly, he didn't believe in surrendering generals and he didn't want to use surrendering generals. Secondly, he always stared at the three melons and two dates in front of him. When he heard that Chang'an was in danger, he thought about gathering troops in Chang'an. Just now he thought about bringing Yang Shihou back.

Compared with Jingxiang, he has more experience of more than 1000 years.

Li Ye said: "It's not too late, come here, prepare a pen, ink, paper and inkstone, and Aiqing will write on my behalf, I will be careless."

"promise!"

Li Ye said: "Let's use it for Li Ke first. The general idea is that I have no enmity with Zhu Wen. Zhu Wen has been paying taxes in summer and autumn, and he has pacified Huang Chao for the court and attacked Cai thieves.

But because Zhu Wen had murdered my brother, I took advantage of the assassination of the assassin to cut off Zhu Wen's official position, so that my brother could kill the thief, but the Brother Hedong Army didn't work hard, and fought for three months without success. Is this true? Is it the court's fault? "

When Jing Xiang heard this, he couldn't help but put down his pen, and said with a smile: "Li Keyong is very embarrassing, if he sees this, he might commit suicide in shame and anger!"

"That's the best!" Li Ye shook his head and continued, "Since I'm retreating and not fighting, I don't want to resent Zhu Wen any more. Zhu Wen didn't do the assassination of the prime minister, it was just an excuse I made for my brother. , since this is the case, the imperial court will restore Zhu Wen's official position, brother should not have any objections!"

Jing Xiang said: "Your Majesty, the assassination of Duke Du may have been done by Zhu Wen. I once had a word with Zhu Wen, and he said it himself."

Li Ye shook his head, Jing Xiang is still an honest man, then he said, "This time is also that time."

He also said: "I tried my best to avenge my brother, but in fact I was broken by my brother's demeanor, and I also appointed my brother as the Heyang Jiedu envoy. My brother has two festivals in one family, and the honor and favor are extremely prosperous, but I didn't expect that , Brother has the material resources of two towns, but he is not satisfied. Since this is the case, I will naturally measure the strength of Guanzhong, and make my brother happy. Brother wants too much property, and I can't get it now. I will send a prime minister..."

"Who is more appropriate to send!"

"Mr. Du and Li Keyong are old, and it was originally the most suitable, but Mr. Du is now in charge of the government, so it should not be taken lightly."

Li Ye nodded.

"Then Zhang Jun, Zhang Jun is the main envoy, and Yushitai Xu Yanruo is the deputy envoy. Let the two of you talk to Li Keyong! My bottom line is 20 guan, 20 shi, grain and grass. If Hedong doesn't follow, Let Zhang Jun and Xu Yanruo ask me for orders."

"promise!"

"One last thing, if Li Keyong is still not satisfied, you can come to Chang'an, and I can give him the emperor, so be it!"

At one point of this remark, Jing Xiang also wrote: "The crime of treason is condemned by the whole world. This remark should be taught by millions! Your Majesty, combining grace and power is a long-term strategy. Why don't you show your majesty."

Li Ye wondered, "How majestic is the imperial court?"

Jing Xiang said: "The minister heard that He Lianduo, the defense envoy of Yunzhou, and Li Kuangwei of Youzhou were not in harmony with Hedong. It can be said that the two towns have submitted several petitions to attack Hedong, but His Majesty refused. Let Li Ke make good use of it for himself."

Li Ye smiled and said, "Okay, let's find enemies for Li Ke, let's add it."

After Jingxiang finished writing, Li Ye sent a messenger to Taiyuan quickly, and left a copy, and handed it to Du Rangneng when he arrived in Chang'an.

At the same time, an edict was issued to order Zhang Jun, the prime minister, as the envoy, and Xu Yanruo, the Yushitai, as the deputy envoy, to go out of Hedong to discuss with Li Keyong.

His Majesty the Emperor ordered Wei Zhaodu, the envoy of the Zhaoyi Festival, and Wu Zhan, the commander of the Youlongwu Army stationed in Luzhou, to order the two to strengthen the city defense.

As for the letter to Wang Chongying, Li Ye was familiar with it very well. His Majesty the Emperor knew very well that Wang Chongying's disposition was different from Li Keyong.

(End of this chapter)