Liu Zhenghui’s reply was, “I also heard some rumors from others and told Your Majesty to listen to them, but I couldn’t take them seriously.
When Emperor Yang ascended the throne for the first time and put down the rebellion of King Yang Liang of Han Dynasty, it was a time of high spirits.
At that time, the Sui Dynasty was greatly prosperous and dominated all directions. There were many virtuous ministers and generals in the court, and they were prosperous and prosperous.
The Turkic Qimin Khan was very respectful. In the second year of Daye's reign, he asked Emperor Yang to visit the north, but was blocked by the court officials. Emperor Yang then went to Luoyang and planned to move the capital.
At the beginning of the third year of Daye, Emperor Yang returned to Chang'an. His close friends knew his intentions, so they wrote letters one after another, asking the emperor to patrol the north.
So in the spring of the third year of Daye, Emperor Yang led his troops to the north, accompanied by twenty or thirty thousand people including courtiers, female officials, singers and dancers, eunuchs, slaves, etc., and large armies from all ministries came to accompany him, totaling hundreds of thousands of people.
The expected itinerary is to go north from Chang'an to Yulin, along the middle of Yunnan to Zhuojun, Hebei..."
Hearing this, Li Po was also a little dizzy. From Chang'an to Yulin, then from Yulin to Zhuojun, Hebei, and then from Zhuojun, Hebei back to Luoyang, it was a circle of tens of thousands of miles, right?
Hundreds of thousands of people marched and traveled tens of thousands of miles. Thinking about the current traffic conditions, Li Po felt that his scalp was numb. Could Yang Guang have gone crazy then?
As the world's biggest travel enthusiast, Yang Guang didn't know whether he was crazy or not, but Yang Guang had traveled to many places during his mere ten years as emperor.
Li Po had heard about Yang Guang's various trips, but he didn't pay much attention to the details. When he asked General Wen Yan and others to compile the history of the Sui Dynasty, he only mentioned Yang Guangdong's behavior in a few words.
, the chronicle is indeed lacking in details.
After hearing what Liu Zhenghui said, Li Po became interested, "How do you know so clearly? As far as I know, it seems that Yang Guang did not go to Zhuojun. After meeting Qimin Khan in Yulin, he returned
Chang'an?"
Liu Zhenghui nodded and said: "That's true. After I arrived in Chang'an, I often went to the Guanwen Hall to browse the classics and saw some experiences from the previous dynasty. The records were very detailed.
According to records, Emperor Yang mobilized troops and patrolled the north with great force. The Turks were frightened and thought that the Sui Dynasty had sent troops to attack, so many people proposed to organize their troops to resist.
In the summer of the third year of Daye, Qimin Khan sent an envoy to meet Emperor Yang, requesting to go to Shuofang to welcome Emperor Yang's chariot. Emperor Yang refused and asked Qimin Khan and his ministers to welcome him in Yulin.
Qimin Khan had no choice but to lead 30,000 people to wait in Yulin.
When Emperor Yang arrived, the scene was unprecedented. Camps were set up on the grassland for more than 200 miles to welcome the emperor's arrival. The mountains roared and the tsunami shook the world."
The corner of Li Po's mouth twitched a few times, and he felt a little envious. The emperor should be very happy to do that, right?
Looking at Liu Zhenghui talking eloquently, Li Po asked quietly, "Why are you telling me this? Do you want me to follow the story of Emperor Yang and go to Yulin to show off your power?"
Or is it that Emperor Yang’s Yin Jian is not far away, and he advises me to restrain myself and not make the same mistakes as him?”
Liu Zhenghui bowed and said: "Your Majesty clearly knows that Emperor Yang's actions were crazy and unprepared. From the perspective of future generations, there is nothing to say between right and wrong.
I just want to remind your majesty... Your majesty has served the country for six years and has been diligent and caring for the people. He is unparalleled by Emperor Yang. However, in the fourth year of Yuanzhen, he made an alliance with the Turks in Yunzhong. In the sixth year of Yuanzhen, your majesty visited Luoyang eastward and returned after half a year.
, now in the seventh year of Yuanzhen, they meet and make an alliance with the Turkic Khan in the north of Yulin.
Your Majesty has great ambitions and lofty intentions, and all ministers know that, but His Majesty's heart is becoming more and more restless now, and we ask ourselves, is it still in the court, the people, or the country?"
Huh? No matter how big you are...
Li Po looked at Liu Zhenghui with sharp eyes, showing that he was already a little angry.
Liu Zhenghui was hard-boned and was not moved at all. He continued: "When Emperor Yang visited the north, he saw the Great Wall was mottled. After returning to Chang'an, in the following year, millions of people repaired the battlements of the Great Wall along the road. In two years, more than ten people were killed or injured.
Ten thousand.
Now, the walls of the Great Wall that Your Majesty sees along the road were all repaired by Emperor Yang. Is the credit to his descendants? Or is it the remnants of the people who have succeeded?"
What he said was a bit far-fetched, but Li Po understood that this guy probably heard the news that he wanted to build a northbound galloping road, so he chose the opportunity to speak, and his intention to dissuade him was obvious.
This is what people often call a straight minister, right? His words are indeed not very pleasing to the ear, and if you meet someone who is a little more irritable, your head may fall off.
Over the years, more and more people have surrounded him, and he has met all kinds of talented people. Except for a few people such as Yun Dingxing, there are no professional sycophants in the court.
Even his eldest grandson Shunde, whom he looked down upon, was not without his bright spots.
Wen Yanbo, Xiao Yu and others are not submissive people. They can point out anything wrong, but they have to be more tactful in their way of speaking.
Sun Fujia is a very upright person and likes to give direct advice. However, after staying with him for a long time, he has unconsciously been influenced by him as an emperor, and his speech is not as good as when he first came to Menxia Province.
sharp.
Liu Zhenghui...he really didn't have much contact with this person, but today's words made him appreciate his style, and he was really courageous.
Li Po secretly dug out the small account book, hesitated for a long time, and finally let this guy go. The so-called "three things" are enough, but he can still tolerate this guy twice.
…………
Li Po also took two deep breaths before suppressing the anger in his heart.
The reason why he was angry was not entirely because he was criticized by his subordinates, but because this guy was the first person to openly compare him with Yang Guang.
Speaking of it, the three people he despised the most were Yang Guang, Li Mi, and Wang Shichong. Whenever these three people were mentioned, he would feel uncomfortable if he didn't say a few words.
Now, some people say that he wants to follow Yang Guang's old path. Naturally, he is not happy because of the boss.
He got up and walked back and forth twice in the not spacious room, "Don't compare Yang Guanglai to me in the future. In the three years since his founding, that guy has been to Yulin for a while. He himself is quite impressive, but he has made me homeless."
, almost didn’t get killed.”
After saying that, his tone softened, "Your advice is not selfish at all, and it is very pertinent. As the emperor, I am bound to the country, and I cannot take it lightly.
I also always reflect on myself. Even if I hold the power of the world and bear the weight of the country, I cannot act recklessly to avoid backlash. The honor and disgrace of my life and death are small. If the world is boiling and the people are scattered, who can I deserve?
However, we still have to do what needs to be done. The alliance with the Turks is of great importance, so I have to go there personally. If one day, I can recruit the Turkic Khans into the dynasty at will, why do I have to do it myself?
So, I have to work hard for you, my ministers, so that I can save some energy. Instead of wasting your words, you should think carefully about the Turks you met on this trip, how to argue with your reasons, and don't let me run away in vain.
Let’s take a trip.”
Liu Zhenghui promised, moved his lips a few times, looked at the emperor's dark face, and finally did not provoke the emperor any more. He couldn't help but feel a little regretful. He was only halfway through his words. He also wanted to talk to the emperor about other life insights.
.
For example, the emperor is the lord of the country and should behave more appropriately. Let's not talk about raising his daughter outside the palace. When I go to see the Turkic Khan this time, can I not be as intimate as last time?
State affairs should be the top priority, Your Majesty, and colluding with the Turkic Khan would be like Emperor Yang sleeping with the Turkic Khan. It is really unseemly.
Of course, he might be able to mention these words occasionally when he becomes prime minister in the future, but now he has no chance to mention them.
Liu Zhenghui then controlled his words rationally, took the opportunity to leave, and left the emperor who might get angry at any time.
There are also many types of direct ministers. People like Liu Zhenghui can be called a virtuous person. He is open-minded and not for his own selfish interests. He speaks with confidence and confidence, but he can accept it when he sees good.
So even though Li Po was annoyed, he didn't intend to blame him. He had a lot of good words in his ears, but he still had to listen to the offensive words...
I am afraid that I will meet that kind of hypocritical guy who wants to gain fame and try to get the emperor to beat him. Such a minister will die a hundred times without blinking an eye.
Fortunately, there were no such bastards in the early Tang Dynasty. Later, when Lao Zhu conquered the world, a large number of strong talkers emerged, especially the Donglin gangsters.
…………
Li Poxin was still relatively young. After Liu Zhenghui left, he washed up briefly and fell asleep. He was exhausted from this trip.
The soreness in the waist and back is nothing. After riding horses for many days, the skin on the inner thighs is actually worn out. This is the price paid for years of pampering after becoming an emperor.
But there is nothing that can be done about it. You see, he has only traveled a few times, and people have already warned him face to face. There is no need to think about leading troops to fight like he did back then.
After breakfast the next day, Li Po had already forgotten what happened last night, cheered up and set off again.
There were only four days left before the meeting, and he had no intention of letting Ashina Yang Huan go for a few days, so it was better to go sooner rather than later. Even if he arrived a day or two early, it would be better than leaving late.
In fact, when you enter the Yulin boundary, the road is much easier to walk. The wind and sand are not so strong. There are green pastures and a lot of woodland. Compared with Shuofang in the south, it is a completely different world.
And there is no shortage of water sources in Yulin. The rivers here are basically tributaries formed by the flooding of the Yellow River.
The reason why the former Sui Dynasty built a horse farm here was precisely because it was suitable for herding horses and sheep. It was the inherent territory of the Central Plains Dynasty, but the rule was not stable and would be lost from time to time.
This has always been a place where Hu and Han people lived together. Han people farmed here and Hu people grazed here. The population of Yulin was counted in the fifth year of Yuanzhen. The total number was between 20,000 and 30,000 people. It was not greatly affected by the war in the late Sui Dynasty.
The horse bandits here were relatively rampant back then.
On May 27th of the seventh year of Yuanzhen, as the rumble of horse hoofs sounded on the banks of the Yellow River, the northbound team of the Emperor of the Tang Dynasty finally arrived near Huimeng.
Li Po stationed his horse on the south bank of the Yellow River and looked across the Yellow River. There were many low hills on the edge of the endless grassland, and the shadow of the remaining veins of the Yinshan Mountains was looming farther away.