"How virtuous and capable is the Khitan Lord? He dares to take the throne. Do you really think that we have no one in the Central Plains?" After Liu Zhiyuan finished speaking, the hall was silent for a short moment. Liu Xin, the commander of the Xingjie Army, spoke first and expressed his indignation.
I often turn to a topic that has become a common topic these days: "Brother, since the Jin Dynasty is dead and the people are helpless, please hurry up and give orders to the four directions to prevent the enemy from attacking the north!"
Liu Xin was Liu Zhiyuan's younger brother. He was a violent man with little talent. He only relied on the status of the Liu clan to occupy a high position in Hedong. Such opinions may be his thoughts, but the wording was given to him by his adviser before he came.
He was one of the people who had drafted his plans in advance. Recently, he was one of the Hedong civil and military officials who actively persuaded Liu Zhiyuan to join him.
After all, they are from the Liu family. Even if they don't have any profound insights, they can still feel the rare opportunity. Examples of one person achieving enlightenment, chickens and dogs, and ascending to heaven are all too common in this era.
Looking at Liu Xin, Liu Zhiyuan didn't say a word, as if waiting for his next words. Unfortunately, Liu Xin had nothing left in his stomach, so he stared blankly at Liu Zhiyuan without saying a word.
It was Liu Chong who answered the conversation, raised his hand to Liu Zhiyuan, and persuaded in a positive tone: "Brother, I believe that what I said makes sense. In today's world, except for you, there is no one who can turn the tide and rebuild the world." Compared with Liu Xin, Liu Xin, Liu
Chong looked calmer, but the hope in his eyes could not be concealed at all.
Unfortunately, he also failed to get positive feedback from Liu Zhiyuan. With a formidable expression on his serious face, Liu Zhiyuan turned his attention to other people, hoping to get suggestions.
Seeing this, Yang Bing, the governor of Jiedu Yamen, spoke slowly and said slowly: "Your Majesty, the Lord Khitan has the intention to sweep the world and annex the eight wastelands. Since he has occupied the Central Plains, Hebei, and Guanyou, how can Hedong be left alone?
Although the king sent envoys twice and failed to show his sincerity, he still sent elite troops to guard the passes. This was both a precaution and a sign of fear. With the cunningness of the Khitan master, how could he not fail to notice. The king is the founder of the Jin Dynasty.
In the land of the king, given the current situation, if we don’t advance, we will retreat, so please end it as soon as possible!”
Yang Bin's attitude is also very clear, persuade him to come in!
Under Liu Zhiyuan, Yang Bin gradually became the leader of the government. His statement completely aroused the resonance of all civil and military officials. Soon, everyone present spoke one after another, and all showed positive attitudes to a greater or lesser extent.
.
Only Chang Si, the commander of the prison capital, tried to remind him: "The Khitan drinks the Ma River, and there are hundreds of thousands of tiger and wolf soldiers running rampant in the Central Plains. With the power of the east of the river, it may be difficult to defeat them. Otherwise...
Or should we wait and see for a while?”
Chang Si is not young, has old hair, but is very energetic. He started out as a soldier, but had little military exploits, mediocre ability, and was able to hold the position of general. It was just good luck that Liu Zhiyuan took a fancy to him. However, this person was friends with Guo Wei.
To put it bluntly, when Guo Wei was still young, he often fed and clothed his family and treated him as his father and uncle. Even to this day, he still calls him Uncle Chang in private.
Perhaps he also realized that his tone was too weak, so in front of everyone, Chang Si smiled, and quickly changed his tone and vowed: "It's not that the last general is timid to the enemy, but he has the power of Khitan. The king has orders, but the last general's muscles and bones are old.
But you dare to pick up your sword, mount your horse and charge into battle for the king!"
Hearing his expression of loyalty, Liu Zhiyuan had some reaction. He raised his hand to stop the agitated veteran general and said calmly: "You are speaking from experience. It is an indisputable fact that the Khitan army is strong. Even if you think about it, you will be able to step on it."
The iron horse and the golden sword in the mountains and rivers are bound to be fearful!"
Liu Zhiyuan's words were full of fear of the Khitan, but looking at his expression, it was just fear. In this era, as a qualified hero, when his ambition is aroused, let alone the hundreds of thousands of Khitan troops, even if he Even more so, it is impossible to surrender without fighting.
At this time, Shi Hongzhao stood up with excitement and said loudly: "Although the Khitan troops are numerous, I am not afraid! I don't believe it. Three hundred thousand Khitan soldiers are all strong soldiers. The king is standing in the east of the river, with strong soldiers and horses. Tens of thousands of swordsmen think that they can rely on it, so why fear the Khitan?"
Shi Hongzhao's impassioned and generous words were quite encouraging, and Liu Zhiyuan couldn't help but express admiration when he looked at him. Although this man was irritable, vulgar, stubborn, and arrogant, his courage was real. Yes, coupled with the loyalty that is often shown on his face, he is even trusted by Liu Zhiyuan's cronies.
However, there were always people who didn't buy his account, and a slightly sinister voice sounded from the side: "Sharp your sword horizontally? General Shi's heroic spirit soars into the sky. Haha, it seems that you want to imitate Jing Yanguang." Got it!"
The person who spoke out was Wang Zhang, the official of Kongmu, the capital of both envoys. This was an official under Liu Zhiyuan. He was in charge of government affairs together with Yang Bin and was in charge of money and grain.
Jing Yanguang was a "big man" in the Later Jin Dynasty. He was also born in the military. He was famous for his archery and physical strength. He served in the Later Liang, Later Tang and Later Jin dynasties. However, his true rise had to be followed by the ancestor of Jin Dynasty, Shi Jingtang. After Shi Jingtang introduced Khitan In order to help, he conquered the Central Plains from the south and established the Jin Dynasty on behalf of the Tang Dynasty. In the process, he made great achievements.
After Shi Jingtang was troubled internally and externally and died in grief and anger, he was relied on as Minister Tuogu and served as a powerful minister for a long time. At that time, the young emperor Shi Chonggui succeeded to the throne, and Jing Yanguang, who was in power, launched a top-down "anti-Khitan" movement. After some "angry youth" actions, Yelu Deguang and Shi Chonggui's "grandfather and grandson" were separated from each other.
In this process, the concept of "sharpening swords horizontally" came into being. At that time, Jing Yanguang gave a tough response to Qiao Rong, the Khitan envoy who came to the south to hold him accountable. One of the words said: There were 100,000 people in the Jin Dynasty who spoke harshly. Sharpen your sword. If you want to fight, you will come early. These words are impassioned and full of pride.
But after being invaded by the Khitans from the south, Jing Yanguang immediately swallowed his words. The Khitans destroyed the Jin and launched three large-scale southward attacks. The first two were blocked by the Jin State, and the Jin State achieved considerable victory. The officers and men of the army were not afraid of Beidi and fought bloody battles. On the contrary, Jing Yanguang led the troops and was afraid of battle. He was timid when facing the enemy. He behaved very cowardly. Last year, when the Khitan again marched south in a large scale, Yelu Deguang entered Bian and could not bear it. He was charged with the crime of "provoking a national war", and he strangled himself out of fear of punishment.
Wang Zhang compared Shi Hongzhao to Jing Yanguang, which was obviously not a good word.
Although Shi Hongzhao was a standard martial artist mass-produced in this era, he was vulgar and irritable, loved martial arts and hated literature, and had a very bad temper. Although he was not familiar with the concept of "sharpening swords horizontally", he was even a little confused.
But the sarcasm in Wang Zhang's tone was actually felt, and his irritable temper suddenly broke out. He blushed and looked at him angrily, and said sternly: "So what? How do you treat me?"
"In front of the king, what can I do? How dare I do that?" Compared to Shi Hongzhao's stern expression, Wang Zhang looked very graceful and said calmly in the face of his fierce gaze: "I have no other intention, I just want to remind you. General, arrogant soldiers are easy to lose, let alone, in front of the Khitan army, we have no capital to be arrogant. In military battles, life and death are at stake, so we must not be careless!"
Wang Zhang's words seemed to remind Shi Hongzhao, and he subconsciously glanced at Liu Zhiyuan, but when he saw his serious expression, his heart skipped a beat, and he hurriedly apologized: "I have lost my composure, please punish me!"
Keeping watching this good show, Liu Chengyou couldn't help but have a trace of amusement and curiosity in his eyes. Liu Zhiyuan's tent was not a monolithic one, and it was not once or twice that they criticized each other. That is, under Liu Zhiyuan's tent, Under Liu Zhiyuan's suppression, he could still maintain harmony among the generals and help each other in the same boat.
Liu Zhiyuan's mind was obviously not on the dispute between his subordinates. He waved his hand and pondered for a while before looking at Wang Zhang: "Everything about Qiangu in the east of the river is entrusted to you. The general affairs are spent and the military resources are wasted. Please report to the envoy." Gu'an. Well... if we use troops, will the warehouses be enough?"
Faced with Liu Zhiyuan's inquiry, Wang Zhang did not hesitate, straightened up and held his courtesy, and solemnly replied: "After several years of operation, although there is little surplus, the money in the east of the river is still empty. However, the weather is fierce today, and if the king wants to send his troops southward, Even though I have worked very hard, I am determined to raise 50,000 horse and infantry troops for the king, which will last for half a year!"
Liu Zhiyuan was obviously very satisfied with Wang Zhang's guarantee, and his slightly stern eyebrows couldn't help but raise.
He raised his eyes and slowly glanced around the officials in the hall. After seeing that no one expressed his opinion, Liu Zhiyuan sighed with emotion and expressed his position: "The Rong and Di are plundering, the country is ups and downs, and I lead the east of the river alone. I only ask to protect and govern the people." It is enough to be freed from the scourge of war and enjoy peace, so why should we ask for anything more? Don’t talk too much about raising an army!"
"Let's all disperse!" After another pause, Liu Zhiyuan stood up and walked away with a solemn expression.
Liu Zhiyuan left, and all the civil and military officials present looked at each other a few times, somewhat helpless. Liu Chengyou quietly paid attention to the reaction of his elder brother Liu Chengxun, and saw that his handsome face was full of contemplation, looking "preoccupied".
From the beginning to the end of the meeting, Liu Chengyou did not say a word, but just listened silently. When everyone dispersed, Liu Chengyou also stood up, and with calm steps, he caught up with another person who also said nothing. .
"General Guo!"
The slightly dry call sounded in his ears. Guo Wei stopped, turned around, looked at Liu Chengyou with some surprise, and clasped his fists respectfully: "What's the matter with calling the general?"
Liu Chengyou tightened his sleeves with his hands behind his back and looked closely at Guo Wei. His behavior was solemn and polite, and his expression was cautious. Liu Chengyou secretly sighed in his heart. At this time, Guo Wei was an educated warrior, well-educated, and not at all arrogant. It was really difficult to It makes ordinary people feel bad.
"Just now in the hall, all the princes are actively speaking, but the general is the only one who looks calm and doesn't say a word, but why?" Liu Chengyou looked at Guo Wei calmly and asked. His tone was flat, even a little boring.
Guo Wei also looked at Liu Chengyou. Of course he knew about the "extraordinaryness" of the second son of the Prince of Peking, but when he heard the question, he couldn't help but wonder. Under the young man's gaze, he suddenly felt a little awkward in his heart, but he replied calmly: "At the end of the day, people speak softly and have little knowledge, so it is inconvenient for them to make unreasonable opinions."
Seeing Guo Wei's humble look, Liu Chengyou's face did not change at all, but his voice was slightly higher: "General, why should you belittle yourself? I often hear adults say that the general is witty and intelligent, and his words are always meaningful and sincere. The current situation is turbulent. I have nowhere to go to the east of the river, so I ask the general to give me some advice."
After listening to his words and looking at Liu Chengyou's numb expression, Guo Wei's eyelids drooped slightly, and he thought for a while before speaking eloquently: "No matter how much we talk about the future of Hedong, it will all be in the King of Peiping's thoughts. With the king's words He is wise, wise, resolute, and I am afraid he has a plan in his mind. The general will wait, all he has to do is wait for the opportunity, wait for the direction of the king's horse, and go with the sword..."
After Guo Wei finished speaking, he observed Liu Chengyou's reaction, which was still the same uncomfortable autistic look. His mind was racing, and Liu Chengyou asked in a strong tone: "Where will the opportunity come from?"
"Perhaps, when Wang Xiufeng and Bai Gong return to Jinyang, the situation will become clearer." After thinking about it, Guo Wei said.
"I've learned a lesson!" He replied calmly without saying more. If his eyes with deep meaning moved away from Guo Wei, Liu Chengyou cupped his hands and walked slowly towards the inner courtyard of the palace.
Looking at Liu Chengyou's back, Guo Wei's calm heart couldn't help but have some waves. His brows were slightly furrowed. Liu Chengyou's gaze just now made him feel a little frightened. The second prince of Peking seemed to be very concerned about him. Why is this? In his heart I couldn't help but feel a little suspicious.
Taking a deep breath and shaking his head, Guo Wei quietly walked out of the palace, muttering: "This Prince of Peiping, Erlang, the city is getting deeper and deeper..."
Liu Chengyou looked for Guo Wei, naturally just for testing purposes. Facts have proved that this person is still quite good at judging the situation, and he sees the situation very accurately. Liu Chengyou also agrees with him in his heart. The trends in Hedong are really interesting. Only after the two men returned north did Liu Zhiyuan make up his mind.
What Guo Wei said about Wang Xiufeng and Bai Gong refers to Wang Jun and Bai Wenke. Wang Jun was born in Xiangzhou, with the courtesy name Xiufeng. When he was young, he moved around many places and changed owners several times. It was not until he took refuge with Liu Zhiyuan that he settled down. In the military, he was a general. Although his rank and status are not high, he is quite talented and efficient in doing things, and is highly appreciated by Liu Zhiyuan.
Previously, he was sent to Bianliang as an envoy by Liu Zhiyuan to present congratulatory gifts and loyalty to Khitan. By the way, he explained to Yelu Deguang the reason why he did not dare to leave the town and go to Beijing to pay homage in person, and to test his attitude. Of course, what is more important is that "Spy" mission. Yelu Deguang took control of Bianliang, and the people of Henan Province in the Central Plains were deeply poisoned by him. News of this kind came one after another, but what exactly it is, requires a dedicated on-site "investigation".
As for Bai Wenke, he was a native of Jinyang. He was over 70 years old and had an official residence in Beijing as deputy stay-at-home officer. He was also ordered to serve in Bian, which was exactly the same as Wang Jun's mission.
The distance between Jinyang and Bianjing is actually not that far. Ignoring the mountains and rivers, the straight-line distance is only seven or eight hundred miles. Bai Wenke came out later. Needless to say, Wang Jun had been envoy to Bian for nearly half a month. It was expected that the delay would be so long. It's time to return to Jinyang.
There were endless thoughts and thoughts in his mind. As he walked around, Liu Chengyou's expression became even more indifferent. When he arrived in front of his mother Li's court, Fang reached out and rubbed his face, trying to make his facial muscles softer, and went in to say hello...
