Chapter 085 The Road is Difficult (VI)
When the memorial from Shen Tongchuan, the governor of Yongzhou, was sent to Yunjing, it was like a stone that caused a thousand ripples, immediately causing a shock throughout the court and the country.
The news of Song Song's death came too suddenly. Emperor Zhengyuan only listened to Liang Shenfu, the chief eunuch of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, reading the memorial, and then he held his forehead and asked, "What do you think of this matter, my ministers?"
There was a lot of noise in the Chaotian Hall. An official holding a tablet stepped forward and bowed: "Your Majesty, our Great Qi and Danqiu have been living in peace for more than ten years. Even if they want to tear up the alliance, they should not be so reckless..."
"yes……"
As soon as he said this, many people looked at each other and then nodded in agreement.
Zheng Jian, the scholar of Hanlin, stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, why don't we send an envoy to negotiate with Danqiu first? It's hard to understand the situation just based on Shen Tongchuan's one-sided statement."
"How could it be just Shen Tongchuan's one-sided story? Didn't the prefectures closer to Yongzhou also submit memorials? The battle between the Yongzhou defenders and Suchile was indeed true!"
General Miao could not hold back, frowning tightly, and stepped forward immediately, "Your Majesty! Shen Tongchuan has made it very clear in his memorial. It was Su Qile who first used Aduorong's death to launch an attack, but failed, forcing Song, the military supervisor, to go to Su Qile's tent to negotiate with him in person. However, Su Qile took this opportunity to kill Lord Song! The ambition of the Danqiu people is obvious! If we send envoys to negotiate with Danqiu first, I don't know how much time it will take, but how can Yongzhou afford to wait?!"
He leaned forward and said, "Sir, once Su Qile dies, Danqiu will surely attack Yongzhou!"
Da Qi and Danqiu had been fighting for many years and finally had more than ten years of peace, but it was broken by the death of Danqiu's little prince Suqile. The ministers in the court, who had always been conservative, were unsure for a while.
"But there are still some rebels that have not been completely suppressed. If we go to war with Danqiu again at this time, won't it cause trouble both inside and outside? In my opinion, we should first use gentle tactics to stabilize the Danqiu royal court. To resist foreign aggression, we must first stabilize the internal affairs!"
Someone made a suggestion.
"Now that Su Qile is dead, how can we appease the Danqiu royal court?" He Tong, a scholar from the Hanlin Academy, couldn't help but speak.
A group of ministers began to look around and talk about it.
"Pan Qing."
Emperor Zhengyuan, who was sitting on the throne, placed one hand on the table and spoke in a calm voice.
Pan Youfang, the Third Secretary, immediately stepped forward and bowed, only to hear Emperor Zhengyuan ask from above: "What are you thinking?"
The hall suddenly became quiet, and many eyes were fixed on Pan Youfang.
"I think that Prince Suchile died at the hands of the Yongzhou army. I'm afraid this matter won't be so easy to reconcile..." Pan Youfang answered, and then raised his head slightly to look at Huang Zongyu who was silent on the side, "Prince Huang Shu once knew Jianchi Prefecture and was also the pacification envoy. Jianchi Prefecture is close to Yongzhou. I think Prime Minister Huang Shu knows more about border affairs than we do."
When Commandant Miao heard what Pan Youfang said, he saw Huang Zongyu looked up in a daze, his old bones trembling, and it was difficult for him to move a few steps forward. He was very angry and couldn't help cursing inwardly, "This old guy knows nothing. Everyone knows that when he was the governor of Jianchi Prefecture, he was a person who didn't like to meddle in other people's affairs. I'm afraid he hasn't even left Jianchi Prefecture, so how could he know what's happening outside Yongzhou Pass!"
After Zhang Jing died, the government nominated this person to be the Privy Councilor of the Western Palace.
Emperor Zhengyuan did not speak, but waited for Huang Zongyu to come forward and listen to him: "Your Majesty, Su Qile's uncle was Duoling, the former prince of the Nanyan tribe, and his mother was the queen of the Danqiu royal court. The Nanyan tribe is the most valiant tribe in Danqiu. They almost control the most powerful cavalry of the Danqiu royal court. Su Qile is the prince they support. Regardless of what the Danqiu king thinks, the people of the Nanyan tribe have lost Su Qile, the prince, and the resentment in their hearts is probably difficult to dispel..."
Huang Zongyu has always been conservative, but after such a short while, he still hasn't figured out how to resolve the war with Danqiu.
Emperor Zhengyuan on the throne remained silent, and almost all of his ministers were sweating profusely.
"Meng Qing, what do you think?"
Suddenly, Emperor Zhengyuan looked at Meng Yunxian on the other side.
Meng Yunxian looked calm. Hearing the voice, he calmly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I think this war is inevitable. It's not that our Great Qi doesn't want a peaceful life, but Danqiu will never make peace with us in the short term."
His tone was somewhat helpless.
"Go on."
Emperor Zhengyuan tapped his fingers on his knees.
"In the past sixteen years, the Danqiu Royal Court has gradually conquered the twenty-nine tribes on the grassland. The Royal Court relied on the most outstanding cavalry of the Nanyan Tribe. But everyone should not forget who killed the prince of the Nanyan Tribe, Duoling. The Royal Court can suppress the hatred of the Nanyan Tribe because the King of Danqiu married their princess as the queen. This is equivalent to the Royal Court's willingness to form a family with their tribe and advance and retreat together. Although the queen has two sons and one daughter, and the Nanyan Tribe is also divided into factions, each supporting the two princes, but no matter which faction it is, Suchile has half of their Nanyan Tribe's blood after all."
The death of Nanyan Prince Duoling and the death of Suchile are old grudges and new hatreds. What does it matter if there are still factions within the Nanyan tribe? Now that Suchile is dead, those who once supported Suchile can only pin their hopes on his brother. Without the root of internal strife, won't they be more united? And Suchile's mother and brother may not be able to swallow this breath.
Meng Yunxian did not say these words explicitly, but both Emperor Zhengyuan and the courtiers in the palace at that time had already thought of this following his words.
There was silence in the hall for a while, and the ministers who had always been conservative were unable to speak for a while. If they wanted to speak, they would have to come up with a rule of peace without war. But in the current situation, how can the alliance between the two countries be preserved?
"The rest of the people are mute?"
Emperor Zhengyuan sneered on the throne, "Yesterday, they were still arguing about the issue of replacing private Jiaozi with official Jiaozi. Today, it involves military intelligence and war. How come no one can come up with a plan?"
"I am terrified..."
All the court officials bowed and saluted in unison.
"Your Majesty, I think that no matter what, please mobilize the 50,000 elite troops of Jianchi Prefecture to support Yongzhou!" The Chief Censor Jiang Xianming stepped forward and said, "Yongzhou is the last dangerous pass for our Great Qi to face Danqiu! Protecting Yongzhou should be the top priority. Otherwise, if the Danqiu Hu people really want to steal our Great Qi territory again, they can avoid the natural barrier of Rongjiang River and go straight to the heartland!"
"I am willing to go to Jianchi Prefecture and lead the troops to support Yongzhou!" General Miao immediately stepped forward and said in a loud voice.
Upon hearing this, Emperor Zhengyuan raised his eyes, his expression seemed to be a little gentler, "Miao Qing, you have an old illness, and I heard that it often relapses. Those are the injuries you have suffered for Da Qi over the years. Tell me, how can I bear to let you lead the troops to fight the enemy with such a serious injury?"
Such caring words made General Miao's straight back collapse. He lowered his head to hide his gloomy expression, and said with a dry throat, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
Most of the troops stationed in Jianchi Prefecture came from his Huning Army, and the men in the Huning Army recognized him as a general more than military orders. He almost forgot why he voluntarily gave up his military power and returned to the court to be the idle Taiwei.
Emperor Zhengyuan sat upright, "Yongzhou must not be lost. Although I cherish the days of recuperation with the people in these years, I cannot sit idly by and watch Danqiu send troops to endanger the strategic pass of Yongzhou."
"Pei Zhiyuan."
When Emperor Zhengyuan called out, Pei Zhiyuan immediately stepped forward and said, "I am here."
"Draft an edict immediately, ordering the troops stationed in Jianchi Prefecture and Zezhou to reinforce Yongzhou immediately. There must be no mistakes!"
"I obey your order."
Pei Zhiyuan leaned over.
After the morning court was over, all the court officials walked out of the Chaotian Hall in twos and threes with solemn expressions on their faces. Pan Youfang walked out while talking with several other officials. He ran into Meng Yunxian and He Tong, so he stepped forward and asked with concern, "Mr. Meng, I heard that you were ill these days. Are you feeling better now?"
Meng Yunxian said “hmm” and then said, “I haven’t thanked you for the ginseng sent by Pan Sansi yet.”
"My hometown is a place that produces good ginseng. This is not worth mentioning," Pan Youfang waved his hand, "Please take care of yourself, Mr. Meng. The new policy cannot be implemented without you."
There were many affairs to be handled in the Three Departments. Pan Youfang was urged to leave by the officials before he could say a few words to Meng Yunxian. Pei Zhiyuan had also left long ago after taking over the task. Only He Tong followed Meng Yunxian down the stairs step by step.
"When Chongzhi is not around, you always follow me like a little tail."
Meng Yunxian held up the hem of his clothes with one hand and joked with him.
"Mr. Meng, you can still laugh?" He Tong said in a low voice, raised his chin, and glanced at Pan Youfang who had not walked too far below. "If it weren't for Pan Sansi, the emperor would not bother to listen to you."
Since Zhang Jing's death, Emperor Zhengyuan had been lukewarm towards Meng Yunxian, and he was never among the court officials summoned in private. In addition, Huang Zongyu had once had different political views from Meng Yunxian, but Emperor Zhengyuan wanted the East and West Palaces to discuss new policies together, which made Meng Yunxian quite constrained.
Just now in Chaotian Hall, Pan Youfang pulled out the Prime Minister Huang Zongyu. The emperor asked Huang Zongyu, the Prime Minister of the West Palace, and then he remembered to ask Meng Yunxian, the legitimate Prime Minister of the East Palace.
"Mr. Meng!"
Suddenly, a voice came from behind. Meng Yunxian and He Tong turned around and saw Liang Shenfu, the chief eunuch, hurried over. "Mr. Meng, the emperor wants you to go to Qinghe Hall."
"I see."
Meng Yunxian nodded. Seeing Liang Shenfu leading a few eunuchs back upstairs, he slowly looked at He Tong beside him and said, "Isn't that what the emperor wants to hear?"
He Tong saw that he was calm and composed, and he didn't seem surprised at all that Liang Shenfu would come to invite him. He had a vague feeling in his heart, and couldn't help but murmur, "Mr. Meng, what do you want to do?"
"What do you think I'm going to do?"
He Tong was a straightforward person, and he didn't think too much, let alone guess what was on Meng Xianggong's mind. He could only say, "No matter what, I hope you can be more careful in front of the emperor. The teacher..."
He said hoarsely, "Teacher, you are the only close friend in his life. Please take care of yourself."
Meng Yunxian couldn't help but laugh after hearing what you said. He reached out and patted He Tong's shoulder. "I'm glad to hear you say that. You don't have to worry about me. I value my life more than ever before. Besides, you heard in the palace just now that even if the emperor doesn't want to fight, the war between Da Qi and Dan Qiu is inevitable under the current situation. I went to see the emperor to relieve his worries, not to add to his troubles."
"You go back first."
After Meng Yunxian finished speaking, he turned and headed towards the Qinghe Hall. When he entered the hall, Pei Zhiyuan was already there, writing an edict.
Emperor Zhengyuan held his forehead and sat behind the imperial desk, "Liang Shenfu."
Liang Shenfu immediately ordered the eunuch to bring a chair and place it behind Meng Yunxian, who immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty."
"Mr. Meng, Song Song died at the hands of the Danqiu barbarians, and the Yongzhou Army cannot be without a supervisor for a day. Do you have a candidate in mind?"
As soon as Meng Yunxian sat down, he heard Emperor Zhengyuan speak directly to the point.
"Does the official have any concerns?"
Meng Yunxian bowed his head and said.
Emperor Zhengyuan snorted and laughed, "Among these ministers in the court, I really don't know which one I should trust to make me feel less worried."
Meng Yunxian sensed that Emperor Zhengyuan was somewhat dissatisfied with Song Song. He lowered his eyes, as if pondering for a while, "I dare not say which colleague is qualified for this job. After all, Yongzhou is in a critical moment. But I have something to say, I wonder if I should say it or not?"
"explain."
Emperor Zhengyuan raised his chin slightly.
"If the emperor can't think of a court official to be appointed as the military supervisor of Yongzhou, why not give the position to someone close to the emperor?"
His words were so unexpected that Emperor Zhengyuan suppressed the indifference in his eyes and asked, "Someone close to you?"
"Beside the government, I am only for the government's people."
Meng Yunxian did not look up, but Liang Shenfu, who was beside Emperor Zhengyuan, could not help but be moved by his words. Thoughts immediately turned in his mind, and he looked at Emperor Zhengyuan cautiously again.
What are the close people? They must be the eunuchs who are closer to the emperor than the court officials.
"Meng Qing is absolutely right."
Emperor Zhengyuan clapped his hands and his brows relaxed slightly.
After Pei Zhiyuan finished drafting the edict, he walked out of the Qinghe Hall with Meng Yunxian. He put his hands in his sleeves and couldn't help sighing, "The courtiers are the ministers, but what about the eunuchs? They are the slaves of the emperor. The courtiers don't necessarily serve only the emperor and father, but the eunuchs can only be the masters. Lord Meng, your words really touched the emperor's heart."
Meng Yunxian did not recommend anyone from beginning to end, but it was precisely because of this that Emperor Zhengyuan let down his guard and accepted his suggestion.
But Liang Shenfu, who was standing by, couldn't help but work hard to gain credit for his godson Han Qing. He would definitely not let go of such a good opportunity.
This appointment will most likely fall on Han Qing. After all, the Night Police Department he is in charge of has always been the government's Night Police Department. Before Han Qing became the Night Police Department Director, he was supported by Liang Shenfu and was able to be close to the government. If the government did not trust him, it would not have allowed him the position of Night Police Department Director.
Han Qing has always been a solitary man and rarely socializes with court officials. There are also not many civil officials in the court who look up to him as a eunuch who relies on official power to impose severe punishments.
No one in the court knew the relationship between Han Qing and Meng Yunxian. Once Han Qing became the military supervisor of Yongzhou, Meng Yunxian would be able to quietly control the situation at the border of Yongzhou.
"Now I am only worried about the situation at the border of Yongzhou. Even if the imperial edict is sent as soon as possible, it will take some time to reach Zezhou and Jianchi Prefecture."
Meng Yunxian raised his head and sighed, "Yongzhou has natural defenses. Our military strength in Yongzhou is not much different from Danqiu's military strength in Juhan Pass, but we are short of horses and cavalry. Shi Manu under Suchile is a fierce general in the Nanyan tribe. He must have elite cavalry under his command. Qin Jixun is afraid that he will suffer..."
Yongzhou is not without its own strategic locations, and Shi Monu's arrival here is the first real war with Da Qi in sixteen years. He may not be able to break through the Yongzhou Pass, but as long as he can weaken the strength of the Yongzhou army as much as possible, Danqiu's reinforcements will use Yongzhou as a breach and try their best to take it down.
After autumn comes in Yongzhou, the temperature difference between day and night becomes greater. It is as cold as winter at night, and only warms up a little during the day. This place, where it seldom rains, is windy and sandy.
"Qin Jixun and Wei Dechang! Your grandfather Danqiu drove you out of the poplar forest and forced you to retreat into the city. Now you dare not come out to fight?"
Under the tower, Shi Manu, the Danqiu general of Juhan Pass, sneered on horseback, "You are so cowardly now. When you killed my little Danqiu prince Suchile, why didn't you think of this day?! I will make your heads into bowls to hold the ashes of our prince Suchile!"
"They Danqiu people use skulls..."
Qingqiong, who was on the city wall bringing bread to the soldiers, just happened to hear the shouting of Shi Monu below, and his dark pupils trembled.
"The dog is barking, but I'm too lazy to listen."
Duan Rong picked his ears and said, "Don't listen to it. If you listen to it too much, you won't be able to eat the cake."
Qin Jixun was talking to Xu Hexue. Seeing that Qingqiong looked unhappy, Ni Su wrapped her cloak around him and said, "I gave you acupuncture last night. Do you feel better?"
"It's better now. It doesn't hurt as much as before."
Qingqiong nodded. As soon as autumn came, he felt too cold to bear it. It was even worse in winter . His health was always worse than in spring and summer.
"Ni Su."
Ni Su was talking to Qing Qiong when he heard a voice calling him.
She turned her head and saw Xu Hexue wearing that snow-white round-necked robe. The vermilion collar of his inner garment was very eye-catching. He still had a long scarf wrapped around his face. His always cold eyes were looking at her and waving at her.
She stood up and walked in front of him, and he stretched out a hand and put an oil-paper bag into her palm. Then he said, "Commander Wei gave it to you. You and Qingqiong can eat it together."
Ni Su opened the oil paper package, revealing a cake wrapped in frosting that looked like fine snow particles. She looked up and saw him discussing the deployment of defenses with Qin Jixun again.
She picked up a piece and took a bite. The red bean paste was very soft. Her eyes lit up. She stuffed a piece into his hand and turned to go to Qingqiong.
Xu Hexue paused and lowered his eyes to look at the extra piece of cake in his hand.
Qin Jixun also saw it. For the first time in so many days, a relaxed smile appeared on his solemn face. He turned his head and glanced at Ni Su's back, "Miss Ni really wants to share everything with you."
