Volume 2 Chapter 65: Night
It was already late in the evening, and the entire Song army was preparing for battle, with some even having already set out or taking action in advance.
And because rescuing Han Shizhong was the real strategic goal of this battle, the Black Dragon King's troops naturally became the most reliable independent army at the moment, and were appointed by Zhao Jiu as the direct supervisory team, responsible for patrolling the periphery of all camps to prevent anyone from leaking information or defecting in the face of the enemy.
As for the group of people who had galloped here for two days and nights, Emperor Zhao, several of his entourage, and two hundred knights, they could not help feeling tired at this time, so they all went to bed early.
However, this kind of early rest due to jet lag also has disadvantages. After sleeping until the third watch and before the fourth watch, the Nanyang group, who had just had a good sleep, got up one after another.
Emperor Zhao was young and got up early, but he took Liu Yan to Yanling City. Lan Gui was the oldest, but he was the only one who slept soundly. As for Hu Yin, after he got up, he found that Academician Xiao Lin and Deputy Secretary of the Privy Council Wanqi Xie had already gotten up and were sitting side by side in the corridor of the public housing courtyard on the side of the Yanling County Government, looking at the moon in silence.
Tonight is only the twelfth day of the first lunar month, and there are still a few days until the Lantern Festival. Looking up, the moon is neither round nor crescent. One can only say that these two people are in a very refined mood.
Of course, the actual situation was that Scholar Kobayashi was absorbed in his routine thinking, and although Wanqi Xie wanted to flatter him, he was somewhat intimidated by this Scholar Lin and did not dare to speak. The two of them sat side by side awkwardly, acting like close friends.
Of course Hu Yin didn't know this little reason, nor did he need to know it, because after what happened during the day, the three civil servants got up in the middle of the night together but did not go to look for Emperor Zhao. From a broad perspective, it must be because of the same concern.
"My dear brothers, I think the government shouldn't have behaved like this today."
As the youngest and the one with the highest official position among the three, Hu Yin casually sat beside the two men, but without any scruples, he got straight to the point and sighed.
Wan Qi Xie knew what was going on and agreed with what was said, so he instinctively wanted to respond. But then he thought that this might be seen as "criticizing the emperor". He was a lowly official, not as important as the two people beside him. If he ended up like Chen Dong, no one would care. So he didn't dare to speak for a while.
However, after a moment, Xiao Lin, a scholar, thought about it seriously and responded calmly: "My dear brother, what you said is very true. The emperor is young after all, and seems a little impatient... As for today's matter, as long as the emperor gives a little signal, General Liu will naturally do it for you. Why would it be necessary for the emperor to bleed?"
Hu Yin was obviously stunned... He didn't want to say this at all.
On the other side, Wanqi Xie's mind was as clear as a mirror, and he couldn't help smiling bitterly inwardly.
With Wanqi Yuanzhong's intelligence, how could he not know the two's sharpness? And how could he not know the significance of the axe wielded by Emperor Zhao in the daytime?
The axe strike was not as simple as killing a senior official for sacrifice, nor was it just superficial like Scholar Kobayashi's emphasis on the fact that the emperor killed someone with his own hands to lose his share... In fact, this matter is easy to explain. Emperor Zhao himself said it clearly. On his way here, he never forgot the 10,000 soldiers who served as bait. He came here with hatred, so the brutal and direct means were what everyone expected.
He is a man of low status, and he is tyrannical. This official is not afraid of doing one or two things that would lower his status.
The key to the matter lies in whether to kill or not, and whether to kill publicly or not.
After all, there is a deep-seated contradiction here - to put it bluntly, in the hundreds of years of political tradition of the Song Dynasty, some people's lives are more valuable than others, but this Emperor Zhao feels that some people's lives are not necessarily slightly more valuable or cheaper than others...that's all.
…
Not to mention Emperor Zhao’s somewhat naive idea... Emperor Renzong also had similar naive ideas... Let’s just say that in the previous tradition, the most precious thing was of course the emperor’s own life, followed by the lives of those who had served as prime ministers and shared the world with the emperor, and then the lives of senior ministers of Du Chong’s level.
In fact, this is the fundamental reason why Du Chong acted like a dead pig that is not afraid of boiling water... If the government really wants to kill him, he can't escape, but if they don't want to kill him, they won't kill him.
This is also the fundamental reason why Wanqi Yuanzhong has always longed to become an official, a high-ranking official, and preferably the prime minister of two governments.
Can the Jin people give you this kind of honor and fundamental benefits? You are not named Wanyan! Are you worthy?! You are different species!
However, Emperor Zhao finally used such brutal and direct means to publicly kill a high-ranking civil official who was second only to the prime minister!
Not to mention breaking the rules, nor to mention that Emperor Zhao was actually using the axe to chop off another chair leg under his own butt. Let's just talk about one thing that was right in front of us. When the axe was swung down, not only did it kill Du Chong, it also cut off the most stable rope between Emperor Zhao and the officials in Nanyang and Xiangyang.
From now on, how many people will be secretly disappointed with Emperor Zhao? Can't he save his life even if he becomes a civil official?
Wanqi Xie was of course dissatisfied with this, and he also felt that Mr. Kobayashi's reaction was a little bland, and even seemed to be making excuses for Emperor Zhao.
"That's right." Thinking of this, Wanqi Yuanzhong also looked at him solemnly. "You are young after all, you shouldn't act rashly... Even Taizu only used a jade axe to chop off two front teeth of the censor, but there is no reason to kill people in public."
Hu Yin was stunned for a moment, almost thinking that something big had happened during the few hours he slept. But soon, this man who always said what he thought shook his head and directly pointed out the problem : "It is inappropriate for the government to kill Du Chong."
The real boss expressed a dangerous position, and Wanqi Xie immediately kept silent.
"Shouldn't Du Chong be killed?" Scholar Kobayashi looked at the moonlight above his head and sighed softly.
Hu Yin paused for a moment, because his conscience and Confucian upbringing told him that the answer to this question was beyond doubt, but it went against his political common sense. So he thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head and said, "Why can't we execute him in secret?"
"Isn't this the same thing?" Scholar Xiaolin seemed to have thought of the answer to this question long ago. "How can an official who is only 22 years old after the Chinese New Year hold back?"
Hu Yin was silent again, and then he sighed: "In that case, it is the responsibility of you and me. Can't we find out the emperor's intentions in advance and advise him early?"
Before Xiaolin Xueshi could answer, Wanqi Xie was furious... How could I be responsible for such a big thing? One of you is a "half-prime minister" and the other is an "internal minister". I am just a small privy council secretary, and even a deputy. I am here to help carry the flag. How can I share this responsibility with you? If the ministers get angry when we go back, you can resist them, but what can I do?
However, thinking this in his heart did not prevent Wan Qi Xie from responding immediately, taking the opportunity to get closer to the two important officials: "Hu Zhongcheng is right. Today's matter is really worth talking about. It is also because you and I, as ministers, have not done our best."
Hearing this, Hu Yin became even more depressed: "I was thinking too much along the way and completely forgot about this matter. It's my fault. In fact, I was the first one to serve the emperor, so I should have expected something..."
"Actually, I had anticipated this and had thought about advising, but when I arrived outside the hall today, I suddenly felt strange and stopped outside the hall on my own initiative to avoid encountering such a thing in person." Scholar Kobayashi suddenly spoke, causing the two people on his left and right to be stunned.
"Why?" After a long while, the stunned Wanqi Xie couldn't help but ask.
Although he regretted it as soon as he opened his mouth, Wanqi Yuanzhong did find it difficult to understand what Mr. Kobayashi said - on the one hand, why was he unwilling to give advice, and on the other hand, why did he dare to say it in public?
Three people make a tiger, and there are already three of them here.
"I just think Du Chong deserves to die." Scholar Kobayashi answered calmly and calmly.
"I've already said it before. I'm not saying Du Chong shouldn't die." Hu Yin finally spoke up, but he was clearly angry. "Mr. Lin... I just want to ask you, have you ever thought about this? Du Chong is dead, but for him, the government has also cut off the unity between him and the people of Nanyang?! For more than half a year, the government has been trying hard to maintain Nanyang. It can be said that the government has gone through a lot of hardships. The people have finally united and done so many things. Although there have been disputes and setbacks, it is still much better than other situations, right? Should the hard work of so many people be implicated by Du Chong alone?"
Hearing this, even Wanqi Xie felt a sense of empathy... He really liked the atmosphere in Nanyang before. On the one hand, it retained the political tradition of the Song Dynasty and had everything it should have, and on the other hand, everyone could work together, and promotions were smooth without the need for bribery... And that kind of good atmosphere could only be maintained with the emperor, ministers, and special circumstances mixed together.
Once it disappears, it will be difficult to find it again.
"Yes." Scholar Xiao Lin sighed again. "For most of the past six months, the emperor's attitude in Nanyang can be described as a wise monarch. Although the ministers below the prime minister have some disagreements, they are also very motivated... Now that the emperor's axe has caused a rift between him and Nanyang, I am also distressed. But brother Hu, I want to ask you something, Nanyang has done so well, why has the situation still come to the current situation step by step?"
Hu Yin was confused for a moment, but then simply sneered: "What does Master Lin want to say?"
"Brother Hu, you are recognized as a scholar. I have a question for you." Lin Jingmo finally stopped looking up at the sky and turned to look at Hu Yin with a serious expression. "The bloodline of the former Han and the latter Han dynasties is still clear, but are they two dynasties or just one dynasty?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Wanqi Yuanzhong behind Mr. Kobayashi changed color immediately.
However, after Hu Yin's expression changed for a while under the moonlight, he relaxed instead: "Guangwu has established his own system, and he has the foundation of Guangwu's restoration of the country as his backbone, and the government's 'backbone' is still in the city to the west."
"Look." Xiao Lin scholar suddenly spread his hands and laughed, looking at the two people on his left and right, and said with certainty. "Isn't it the same thing again? Although I am not well-educated, I have been wandering around with the government these days, and I often think and sigh, so that I gradually have a very rebellious idea... That is, after Jingkang, the Song Dynasty of more than a hundred years has actually perished, and the chaotic times have actually arrived. At present, although our government is acting with the support of justice, it does everything on its own. If it can decide its own victory or defeat and build its own foundation, then the four words of ancestral family law are naturally worthless!"
Hearing the four words that the three people had been avoiding talking about being "worthless", Wanqi Xie was in a trance. He felt that the scholar in front of him was far from being cunning. His thoughts and ideas really shocked him, but he was also convinced by his sincerity and was afraid of him.
Unexpectedly, on the other side, Hu Yin was silent for a moment, and did not refute. He just looked up to the sky and sighed: "After all this talk, it seems that the affairs of the world still depend on victory or defeat? But where should the righteousness of the saints be placed?"
No one could answer this question, and Bachelor Kobayashi did not say anything more, but continued to look up at the sky and watch the moon.
Besides, the great scholar Su once said, 'We share the beauty of the moon even though we are thousands of miles apart'... Just as the three people in the county government were gazing at the moon in silence, at the same time, on the top of the city wall of the east city of Yanling, Emperor Zhao, who had been watching the movements in the military camp below the city for half a day, was actually also gazing at the moon. It was unknown whether he was thinking about the same thing as the three people.
After watching for a while, he was attracted by the smoke from the city's cooking fires that floated above the moon, and he couldn't help but sigh: "Li Qing, you said that with such a commotion, the Jin army scouts should have noticed it, right?"
"Reporting to the emperor, it must be so." Li Qiong, who had just heard the news and followed not long ago, immediately bowed his head behind him.
"Then do you think we can win this battle?" Zhao Jiu looked up at the sky with his hands behind his back and continued to smile.
"We will definitely win!" Li Qiong answered seriously immediately.
"Is that so?" Zhao Jiu found it interesting and couldn't help laughing again. "Are you so sure?"
"Of course!" Li Qiong replied impatiently. "Your Majesty, this is from the bottom of my heart! This is not a deliberate flattery!"
"Tell me."
"Good instructor, I know." Li Qiong quickly bowed and said, "I am from Xiangzhou, and I have experienced almost all the battles of Jingkang... I just feel that compared with the Jin people, it is not that we have fewer people than them, nor that our heroes are weaker than them, nor that our weapons and equipment are inferior to them... The reason we have been defeated many times is that the leaders are so inferior to the leaders of the Jin army!"
"It's quite interesting!" Zhao Jiu continued to laugh.
"Your Majesty." Li Qiong hurried to explain seriously. "I was in Hebei at that time. Although I didn't go to the battlefield, I also heard and saw some things... It is said that the marshals, princes, and crown princes of the Jin army often personally supervised the battles, commanding the three armies under the crossfire of arrows and stones, and they were self-confident. Although they were arrogant, they had to admit that they had the spirit of heroes. Once these people came to the front line in person, they did not take refuge, and even led the people to cross the river naked. Who in the Jin army would dare to cherish their lives? It is precisely because of this that the Jurchens were able to move forward and conquer thousands of miles. And what about the generals of the Song Dynasty? They were often not as talented as the average people. Whenever they went out to fight, they had to stay hundreds of miles away, claiming to be cautious. They summoned the troops and replaced the officers, but they only sent a messenger with empty documents to issue orders, claiming to win the battle thousands of miles away... In such a situation, it is not surprising that they were defeated repeatedly, the country was destroyed, and even the two saints were hunted in the north?"
"Is it the same for Zong Ze and Du Chong?" Zhao Jiu suddenly turned his head and asked.
"That's what I want to say." Li Qiong responded earnestly. "My mentor, Vice Marshal Zong, once became a general, he was able to wear coarse clothes, carry cooking utensils, lie on straw, and ride a cart in the army. So even though he was only a 70-year-old man with no military experience and had difficulty riding a horse into battle, he was able to win the hearts of the army, and defeated the Jin army at its sharpest point, saved Tokyo from being abandoned, and turned the surrounding bandits into soldiers in his hands. And what about Du Chong? Although he is my superior, what is the difference between his attitude and that of the group of people in Jingkang? What about communicating with the Jurchens without fighting? No wonder everyone was in a panic, forcing the emperor to come here in person to rectify the military law."
Zhao Jiu shook his head slightly, not knowing what he was thinking.
At this time, Li Qiong's three-part logical deduction finally came into place: "And today, the emperor did not avoid the sharp arrows, pierced through the enemy's cavalry, and came to the front line in person. The people were excited. Isn't it consistent with the attitude of my mentor as a commander? The dragon flag is raised. Who dares to cherish the life of the 80,000 people under the city of Yanling? And 80,000 people are willing to die for it, so what battle can't be won?"
Emperor Zhao shook his head again, but still remained silent.
By the way, Zhao Jiu didn't know whether this was the man's true words, or just flattery out of fear of his relationship with Du Chong and a special desire to show his loyalty... But no matter what, at this point, Emperor Zhao knew very well that since he had killed Du Chong with an axe in broad daylight, he had also cut into the foundation that he had worked hard to build in Nanyang for more than half a year, causing an irreversible rift between him and some people, so he must win this battle!
Because only by winning this battle can they continue to have Han Shizhong and Yue Fei as their advisors, and then control the Tokyo Liaison Office, which is actually a semi- independent Hebei exile group, and then gain an unquestionable huge political reputation... Only with this level of reputation can Nanyang pretend to forget Du Chong, continue to be obedient, and play the game of top-down unity.
Of course, after killing Du Chong, Emperor Zhao had actually done everything he could... It felt like sage time, and next was Yue Pengju's time... And this was the fundamental reason why Emperor Zhao did not refute Li Qiong's crude words. He was inexplicably full of confidence in the upcoming battle.
