The imperial garden behind the Funing Palace.
Zhao Xu walked with Empress Dowager Xiang and admired the beautiful scenery of the Imperial Garden in May.
Butterflies are flying and bees are surrounding.
Mother and son walked side by side, talking about things in the palace.
They are just concubines who want to benefit their own families, or they are relatives of some family who are getting married recently and want something from the palace.
They were all trivial matters. Zhao Xu listened and only agreed.
He has little interest in these things and doesn't bother to pay attention to them.
As they talked, the Queen Mother began to talk about state affairs. These days, Zhao Xu deliberately avoided participating in state affairs and seemed to only read the books of sages.
Empress Dowager Xiang often came to Funing Palace to talk to Zhao Xu, study with Zhao Xu, and communicate with Zhao Xu about some state affairs.
"Sixth brother, Ali Gu of Tubo, sent an envoy to write a letter begging Xihe Zhongpu and others not to cross the border to recruit Tibetan people..."
"There were endless discussions in the court, and many ministers thought that Zhong Pu and others should be warned, and more importantly, the guardian Zhao Xi should be strictly ordered to restrain Zhong Pu and others from leaving the side..."
"What do Sixth Brother think?" As he said that, Queen Mother Xiang looked at Zhao Xu.
Zhao Xu listened, smiled softly, and said: "Empress, I have heard about this matter and reported it to my uncle secretly..."
"It is said that Qingyi, the leader of Tubo in Hezhou and Huangzhou, was a ghost leader. He abused the people under his rule and forced them to have no livelihood. He knew that I was a virtuous government, so they came to vote one after another..."
"This is the victory of the saint's teaching of benevolence and righteousness!"
"That Qingyi, who is a ghost seal, does not use benevolence and justice, does not practice etiquette, and cannot calm the people. The people will naturally come to our court. Do they still have the face to come to Bianjing to complain?"
Empress Dowager Xiang was stunned: "Has Xiang Zonghui ever reported revenge to Xihe with Sixth Brother?"
Zhao Xu snorted: "Since I went to Xihe, my uncle often rushed to the capital on horseback. He would greet his son and minister, or talk to his son and minister about the customs and customs of Xihe. He only said: I am at the border and see the suffering of the people.
The soldiers and the people are facing many difficulties, but here are a few tips. I would like your Majesty to investigate in detail..."
"My son has learned a lot about things far away..."
In fact, Zhao Xu probably knows some of the details about Xihe Road.
Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji would send letters to him every three or five times by horse delivery or urgent horse delivery to report on the situation in the cotton fields, Xihe area and the horse buying farm.
In addition, the few ministers Li Xian left in Xihe will also report to him regularly.
Zhao Xi and other civil and military ministers in Xihe will also report certain matters to the court regularly according to the system.
Although these people may not tell Zhao Xu the real local truth to the court - deceiving the superiors and concealing the truth from the inferiors is the traditional style of the bureaucracy. Reporting good news but not bad news is a routine operation in the officialdom.
But your words and my words can still outline something.
In addition, Zhao Xu now has old border ministers like Li Xian and Gan Zhaoji as assistants, serving as consultants and staff to help Zhao Xu understand the situation in Xihe, Yanyan, Jingyuan and other places.
This allowed Zhao Xu to know things thousands of miles away even though he was in Bianjing.
Based on what Zhao Xu knows now, there should be a shortage of labor in Xihe.
Mainly due to the reclamation of cotton fields, the planting area is constantly expanding.
There are many people, even though they can’t keep up with this year’s cotton fields.
But when they saw Xiang Zong returning to their cotton fields and heard about the possible expected profits, they all started reclamation work.
There is not much else on the other side of Xihe River.
There is so much unclaimed wasteland!
Therefore, along with the civil and military ministers of Xihe and the local powerful Han people, they all began to invest in reclamation and construction.
Xihe's manpower shortage problem began to become apparent.
In particular, cheap labor has become scarce.
But can a living person still be choked to death by urinating?
The civil and military ministers on the other side of the Xihe River, and even the local powerful Han people, started the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, each showing their magical powers.
Although I don’t know, what exactly did they do?
But one obvious fact is that they started to import labor from outside like crazy.
Judging from the reports of Li Xian's old ministries, it seems that they initially recruited labor through pilgrims from Tibet, Dangxiang and Han teams.
However, they soon discovered that this recruitment speed was too slow and unsatisfactory.
So, they started to take the initiative.
As a result of these people taking the initiative, the Dangxiang, Qiang, and Tubo people around Xihe were attracted in large numbers to Xihe Road.
The Xihe Song Army may have carried out several armed escort operations - and may have even teamed up with Tibetan leaders like Wen Xixin and Wen Baxin who were dissatisfied with Ali Gu to do some operations that may not be convenient for the court to know.
A lot of people were 'taken away' from Qingyi Jie Guizhang.
This is probably what happened - even if there is a difference, it probably won't be much different.
So, will the Tibetan people and the Dangxiang people sit back and watch as Xihe sucks blood?
impossible!
Now that the Tubo people have come to Bianjing to file a complaint, it is probably their inner peace faction who is making a last-ditch attempt.
Once the answer from Bianjing is not what they want.
Zhao Xu felt that the war was likely to be brought forward.
Because this year's drought is still continuing and may even expand.
The drought is spreading from Huainan Road to the north, and drought is also occurring in western Beijing.
Under the influence of the global Little Ice Age climate, the Central Plains located within the precipitation line is experiencing drought.
What about Qingtang River, Huanglingxia and Hexi?
I'm afraid the disaster will only get worse.
And under drought, more and more people will be unable to survive.
In order to survive, more and more Tubo people, Dangxiang people, and Qiang people fled to the Song Dynasty.
It was very convenient for these people to flee to the Song Dynasty.
There is no Great Wall on the other side of Xihe River, and there is no concept of border there.
Especially the nomadic people live in pursuit of water and grass as the seasons change.
Especially those small tribes, they really come and go at will.
The Dangxiang side might be a little better and the management should be stricter.
The loose regime of Tubo in the Qing Tang Dynasty could not control the small tribes below.
When people couldn't survive, they fled to the Song Dynasty without any effort.
In the past, Xihe might have disliked these people.
The poor people from Hehuang came to Song Dynasty to beg for food!
roll!
Now...
I'm afraid it's too late to welcome you.
Where is this person begging for food?
He is clearly the boy of the God of Wealth.
So, war is imminent.
Moreover, this is a two-way war.
Zhao Xu could see the hidden eagerness of these guys from the secret reports from Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji, as well as the written reports from Zhao Xi, Wang Wenyu, Li Hao and others.
They do it on purpose.
They are provoking!
They are eager to fight!
This is Zhao Xu's experience in his previous life - whether ministers dare to fight or dare not fight can be seen from the words.
As for the Tubo people and Dangxiang people, even if they don't have these things.
Under the coercion of drought, they would also make the same choice of sending troops south.
In his previous life, the Song Dynasty had made so many concessions, and Sima Guang even ceded territory to pray for peace, but in the end war broke out.
What's more, nowadays, the Song Dynasty is very tough, and Xihe is even actively provoking and intensifying conflicts.
Running in both directions, Zhao Xu knew that the war would definitely break out in advance.
So a few days ago, he decided to arrange for brothers Zhong Jianzhong and Zhong Shizhong to go to Xihe to occupy a pit first and gain experience.
Does the Queen Mother know about these twists and turns?
As soon as she heard Zhao Xu's words, she felt happy in her heart.
I am very satisfied with Xiang Zonghui's performance of being respectful, cautious, considerate of the country, and understanding the righteousness.
In her opinion, only in this way can the Xiang family be rich and prosperous for a long time, and this is the right choice for the Maoyan family to bring blessings to their descendants.
So he said with a smile: "Although Xiang Zonghui is not very effective, he still knows how to be loyal to the country and knows how to talk to Sixth Brother about local affairs... This is what a relative should be like!"
Zhao Xu laughed happily after hearing this: "Mother, my uncle is my uncle! Naturally he will help me!"
He smiled and nodded to the Queen Mother: "This is natural!"
"If you look to your family, you will look to Sixth Brother!"
While the mother and son were talking, Feng Jing came to report: "The Queen Mother, everyone, Lao Zongyuan from the Qingshou Palace is here. He said that the Qingshou Palace has invited the queen, and everyone goes to discuss it."
"Oh?" Queen Mother Xiang frowned after hearing this: "Do you know what happened?"
Feng Jing paid his respects and said, "I'm telling you that Grand Master Wen seems to have lost his temper... Qingshou Palace is furious and invites your Majesty to come and discuss it..."
The Empress Dowager immediately let out a deep breath.
Master Wen?!
Wen Yanbo!
Why did he lose his temper? Who dares to offend him?
He was a veteran of the Four Dynasties, a prime minister who had the merit of making decisions and supporting the establishment.
He was also an important official in the Pingzhang military and state affairs of the dynasty - he was an important minister who was above the prime minister and could pay one homage to the emperor.
He quickly took Zhao Xu to the Qingshou Palace.
…
Empress Dowager Xiang took Zhao Xu to the Qingshou Palace and greeted the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager then spoke to the Empress Dowager: "Empress Dowager, among the censors in this court, for some reason, someone actually impeached the Grand Master last month."
"Even I don't know about this."
"Today, it suddenly spread in Beijing."
"Now Taishi Wen has closed the door to thank guests..."
As she spoke, her face became even more livid.
What annoys her the most about this matter is not that someone is impeaching Wen Yanbo, nor is it that Wen Yanbo starts to rely on his old age and act like one again.
But - someone was impeaching Wen Yanbo, but she didn't know.
She didn't know there was such a thing until word spread.
This made the Empress Dowager, who had always been powerful and lusty for power and control, really intolerable.
At the same time, she could not help but murmur in her heart - someone who could secretly detain the censor's bullets without telling her.
In addition to her grandson the emperor, there is also Empress Dowager Xiang of Baoci Palace.
After listening to the Queen Mother, she stood up and apologized: "Mom, please calm down, this matter is the bride's fault..."
She glanced at Zhao Xu.
Zhao Xu had already explained it to her on the way to Qingshou Palace.
The purpose of leaving the censors' memorial to impeach Taishi Wen was to protect those censors, and more importantly, to give Taishi dignity.
A very reasonable explanation.
It's also in line with Sixth Brother's temperament.
that is……
Empress Dowager Xiang knew the temperament of the Empress Dowager's concubine.
When the late emperor was here, the queen's desire for control was very strong.
The fact that the two kings could not move out of the palace for nineteen years is a clear proof - it should be noted that the four kings, in those nineteen years, begged to move outside the palace dozens of times.
The ministers of the outer court begged the two kings to move there countless times.
The late emperor agreed no less than ten times.
The Qinxian Houses in Xianyifang have been built for six or seven years.
But the two kings still stayed in the ban.
The reason lies in this concubine.
The late emperor was filial and could only obey his biological mother.
Therefore, when the late emperor became seriously ill after the first lunar month of last year, unforeseen circumstances arose, and unusual movements occurred both inside and outside the palace.
As a person who experienced it personally, Queen Mother Xiang naturally remembers it fresh.
She will never forget those days when she prayed to gods and Buddhas day and night in Kunning Hall.
She will never forget the warnings that the Four Great Kings, Mrs. Anren Blessing, Cai Que and other prime ministers issued to her many times.
Thanks to the blessing of Bodhisattva and the spirit of the ancestors, Sixth Brother was able to successfully ascend the throne without any danger.
otherwise……
In Bianjing today, it is really unclear who is sitting in the court, who is the queen mother, and who is under house arrest.
Although Queen Mother Xiang knew these things, she must always bury them in her heart and never tell others.
In order to avoid harming the harmony of the heavenly family and affecting the stability of the country and the country.
But these things were still like thorns piercing her heart.
Let her always subconsciously keep a few hands open, make some precautions, and make some preparations.
so……
Queen Mother Xiang would never tell her concubine the true truth.
She said softly: "Your Majesty, the imperial censors' memorial to impeach the Grand Master was written by the bride to allow Brother Six to stay in the imperial examination."
"But I forgot to tell my queen, I beg your queen to forgive me for this bride's sins."
When Zhao Xu saw this, he also bowed and said, "Sun Chen begs my mother to forgive me."
The Empress Dowager looked at the mother and son, and politely apologized in front of her.
There were countless thoughts in my mind, but in the end I could only smile. I stood up and helped the Queen Mother, and also helped Zhao Xu, and said: "The Queen Mother, the official family, are all one family, it doesn't have to be like this, it doesn't have to be like this!"
She knew it very well in her heart.
As long as she keeps the same pace as the Queen Mother and her son, she, the Queen Mother, can be completely ignored.
She also understood that many things were actually clear to the Queen Mother.
Otherwise, Empress Dowager Xiang would not have sent Yan Shouqin to Daxiangguo Temple to pray for the late emperor in the name of an official.
Fortunately, this daughter-in-law does things in a measured way.
Otherwise, I don’t know how many twists and turns there will be.
Then he pulled Empress Dowager Xiang and Zhao Xu to sit down, and said warmly: "I know that the Empress Dowager is thinking about the stability of the court."
As of now, that's all it can do.
She looked at Zhao Xu's obedient appearance, tenderly stretched out her hand, touched Zhao Xu's head, and continued: "I don't mean to blame him, but if similar things happen in the future, the Queen Mother should send someone to talk to me."
"The bride understands!" nodded to the Queen Mother.
The Empress Dowager nodded, as if she understood. But what was she thinking in her heart? Only she knew clearly.
"Your Majesty..." asked the Empress Dowager: "Neither the bride nor Sixth Brother have told anyone about this matter..."
She had already asked about it on the way here.
Brother Liu never disclosed it to the outside world, but people outside still knew about it.
This once again proves that Ouchi’s secrecy is a joke!
The Empress Dowager listened and nodded gently. She believed this.
"This matter needs to be investigated strictly!" the Empress Dowager said seriously: "The internal secrets are often known to outsiders. If this continues, what dignity will the Tian family have?"
"Yeah!" nodded to the Queen Mother.
Although, both palaces actually know that this matter is unsolvable.
But you still have to do it.
Even if it's just a show, catching a few unlucky eggs and killing chickens and monkeys is fine.
You can't just do nothing and let the people below talk nonsense!
"What about the Grand Master?" The Empress Dowager said worriedly: "How should we deal with it?"
Wen Yanbo has now closed his doors and thanked guests.
If this veteran of the Four Dynasties cannot be appeased as soon as possible, and if he continues to show his temper, what if it spreads to the Liao Kingdom and the allies are surprised, thinking that the Song Dynasty does not respect the veteran officials?
If the Liao people made another mark on their own history books, the entire Song Dynasty would lose all face.
At this time, Zhao Xu chose to speak and said: "Mother, Queen, how about I go to the Grand Master's residence and visit to express my condolences?"
"It just so happens that I also plan to come to the Grand Master's residence to congratulate him on his birthday this year."
The two palaces looked at each other and then both laughed.
"This is a good idea from the government," the Empress Dowager said first.
Now the only one who can coax Wen Yanbo back is the Emperor himself.
And Wen Yanbo was indeed qualified enough to have the emperor come to express his condolences in person.
"It's just that if this happens..." Xiang Taihou said: "Those censors must be dealt with."
The Queen Mother listened and nodded slightly, which was the proper meaning of the question.
Although the imperial dynasty system allows the imperial censor to report events.
But if trouble is caused, the censor will have to take care of it himself.
(End of chapter)
This chapter has been completed!