"Where is Prime Minister Kou? What happened to Prime Minister Kou?" In an instant, Wang Shu and Han Qing had a cold war together, and they asked in unison.
Regardless of whether they were close to Kou Zhun or distant, the two of them had long been accustomed to Kou Zhun strategizing, making decisions, and then assigning tasks to everyone.
As long as everyone follows Kou Zhun's requirements, the results won't be too bad.
But now that the governor of Kaifeng was replaced by Wang Shu, both of them immediately lost their backbone. Not only did Wang Shu himself feel a sudden weight on his shoulders, Han Qing was also completely unable to adapt.
"I haven't heard anything happened to the Kou Prime Minister. It should be according to the rules that he no longer serves as the governor of Kaifeng!" The messenger was startled by Wang Shu and Han Qing's reaction. He was stunned for a long time before smiling bitterly.
He responded, "Besides, I am only a ninth-rank official in Shangshu Province. There are things that you, the Prime Minister, don't even know about, and I am even less qualified to hear about them!"
This last sentence hits the point,
Wang Shu was born as the number one scholar, and last year he was awarded the title of direct bachelor from the third-grade Fuwen Pavilion. He was just promoted to the post of Councilor of Political Affairs (equivalent to deputy prime minister), which is a high and powerful position. Even he didn't know about the important events in the court.
How could the ninth-rank Chengwu Lang of Shangshu Province, who was countless levels below him, know?
Immediately, Wang Shu gave up trying to get to the bottom of the matter and handed over to the messenger with a wry smile, "That's right, Wang is being reckless."
"I don't dare, I don't dare. The king is also worried about the affairs of the country, so he has placed too high expectations on his humble position!" The messenger knew how to behave, so he quickly turned aside and bowed to return the courtesy.
Knowing that there was no point in continuing to ask, Wang Shu could only borrow some money from Han Qing, send two waves of messengers away, then jumped on the carriage and eagerly urged Han Qing to set off.
'Something big is going to happen in the court!' Without any explanation from Wang Shu, Han Qing also knew why he was in a hurry. He immediately accepted the Wanmin Umbrella and Qingyun Boots as quickly as possible, and moved toward the people who came to see him off.
They bowed deeply three times and then ordered the team to speed up.
If nothing major happened in the court recently, it would be impossible for Wang Shu to immediately return to Bianliang to replace Kou Zhun as the governor of Kaifeng without even getting hot on the ass of the Jingdong East Road transfer envoy!
As for the imperial court, it was not that no one was available, let alone Wang Shu.
At least Han Qing knew that Ding Wei and Chen Yaozi, who were transferred back to the capital one step ahead of him, were originally above Wang Shu in terms of seniority and official rank.
Moreover, Wang Shu left as soon as he arrived, and the officialdom of Jingdong East Road immediately lost its backbone.
If there are changes in the local situation before the arrival of the new strategic pacification envoys and transfer envoys, or if the Liao army sends a detour to attack like last time, the consequences will be disastrous.
Therefore, summoning Wang Shu to Bianliang to serve as the prefect of Kaifeng is an out-and-out chaos no matter from which angle you look at it.
Since it is a disorderly order, it can still get the consent of Kou Zhun, Wang Qinruo and others, and pass the review of the Shangshu Province and the Ministry of Personnel, which shows that most officials in the imperial court are already in chaos!
"What exactly happened? There seems to be no record in the history books of later generations! Or maybe it was me in another time and space who didn't learn history well?" Han Qing thought hard all the way, but couldn't find any clue.
In the memory of another world, he could not find any major historical events about this period of time.
The only thing he could clearly know was the "Chanyuan Alliance". However, he did not know the specific process of achieving the "Chanyuan Alliance" and the specific contents of the alliance.
"You can't really destroy the "Chanyuan Alliance" because of me, right? Suddenly, his heart trembled, and his right hand instinctively grasped the hilt of the sword at his waist.
However, the next moment, he relaxed his body again and shook his head with a wry smile.
The last person who was similar to him, King Zheng Ziming of Yan, was able to do more things than himself. But with this person's ability, in the end, he still only changed his own tragic fate, but failed to affect the occurrence of any major historical events.
.
Han's skills and capabilities were several times inferior to Zheng Ziming's, so how could he have a greater impact than him?
"Jiajun, hurry up. Faster. Wang can also ride a horse. Captain Yang is injured, so he can sit in the carriage and take care of it slowly." Just as he was smiling bitterly, Wang Shu got out of the carriage again.
Come out and ask to split the team into two.
"No, I can also ride a horse. If I go back to Bianliang a day earlier, I can confirm the condition of my father and grandfather." Yang Xu was also anxious, and he poked his head out of another carriage and responded loudly.
"Okay, I'll let my wife take the carriage and drive slowly. The three of us will go ahead on horseback!" Han Qing understood the mood of Yang Xu and Wang Shu and nodded decisively.
Although they agreed happily, Dou Rong and Xu Ziling also gave Han Qing their full cooperation. However, after walking for another two days, the three finally arrived at Gunzhou on the East and West Road of Beijing.
On the way, two more waves of common people blocked the road and offered Wanmin umbrellas. Han Qing paid homage to them one by one. He felt more and more the weight of the words "Situ Simin" in his heart.
Along the East and West Roads of Beijing, and closer to Daming Mansion where the Liao army gathered heavily, the civil atmosphere has become very tense.
The streets of many cities have become deserted in broad daylight. However, the official roads leading to the south are filled with horse-drawn carriages and pedestrians.
At this time, all the people who had enough money and the ability to go to the south to visit relatives and friends left their homes as much as possible and headed south. As for how long it would take to return, no one dared to think about it.
In some places, prominent surnames or wealthy families were reluctant to part with their own land, and built forts in the countryside one after another. They did not expect to be able to stop the Liao army with their thin fortification walls and hundreds of young men. They only wanted to be able to block the Liao army when the troubled times came.
Various "green forest heroes" who robbed homes and homes.
"Damn Khitan people!" Wang Shu is a scholar, and his mind is far more sensitive than Han Qing and Yang Xu. Seeing the devastation along the way, he was immediately filled with righteous indignation. "The total is only one million people, but they are greedy enough to spy on the Central Plains.
What can they do if they conquer the Central Plains? They can only turn the cities into rubble, turn the farmland into grassland, and burn the classics and books as firewood."
"Who called Wentian Wuxi of the Song Dynasty? After the two Northern Expeditions, no one dared to mention it for the third time?" Yang Xu glanced at him and said angrily, "Always thinking about defeating others without fighting, God
How could there be such a beautiful thing down there? The longer we don't fight, the less courage the soldiers will have, and the more slack the civil servants will become. Until now, we can only watch the Liao army unstoppable!"
These words involve too much depth. Even as Wang Shu was involved in political affairs, he did not dare to speak casually. After hesitating again and again, he said with a wry smile: "It's not that we can defeat the enemy without fighting, but the first two times
The Northern Expedition resulted in a serious loss of vitality. Therefore, whenever the Liao Kingdom deliberately provoked a border provocation, the court always held a cautious attitude and prevailed. Until the past two years, Jiajun offered gunpowder and successfully persuaded Xiazhou to return to China.
Under the rule of the Song Dynasty, there were a little more people who dared to speak out and fight. However, most people were still wary of the Liao Kingdom."
"It's just an excuse!" Yang Xu had been on the front line for a long time. He saw the situation more intuitively and felt deeply in his heart. He was also stimulated by the eventual fall of Zhending City, so he spoke in a harsh tone. "If it is the Yanyun Sixteenth Prefecture,
As prosperous as the south of the Yangtze River, the Song Dynasty would rather bleed its soldiers into rivers to recapture it long ago. Now it is increasingly unwilling to send troops to the north. It is simply because it dislikes the poverty of the Sixteenth State of Yanyun. Taking it back will not increase the national treasury.
Instead of paying taxes, the court will have to pay to fill new holes."
"That's absolutely not the case, be careful what you say, be careful what you say. In the past twenty years, the imperial court has been unwilling to mention the Northern Expedition again, and it is definitely not because of the poverty of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun." Wang Shu had just been promoted to the post of counselor for political affairs, and his conscience had no time to turn black in the future.
He quickly blushed and waved his hands.
Yang Xu did not argue with him, and continued to sneer: "But don't think about it. Year after year, the people of Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures have changed two generations. If this continues, who will still remember that they are from the Han family?
Erlang? This year, apart from his own Khitan family, the most followers of Yelu Longxu who went south were the Han'er signed army. A few years later, the Liao Kingdom had a clever emperor, and all signed soldiers changed their Khitan nationality and gave them the surname Yelu.
, the Liao Kingdom will increase its population by several million. By then, what will the Song Dynasty do to resist the Liao Kingdom's attack?!"
"This..." Wang Shu was horrified when he heard this, but didn't know how to respond.
Not to mention that he had just been promoted to the post of Chief Minister, there were still five or six prime ministers and deputy prime ministers ahead of them. Even if he, like Kou Zhun, became Tong Zhongshu's subordinate Ping Zhangshi (prime minister), he might not be able to turn things around.
The Song Dynasty now fears the Liao Dynasty like a tiger.
"You two, there is no need to argue about this. The Northern Expedition to Yanyun is a matter for the future after all. For now, let's think more about how to ensure that the Liao army cannot attack Chanzhou!" He was worried that if Yang Xu continued to talk, both sides would be unable to step down.
Han Qing panted and tried to smooth things over beside him.
"Unless the imperial court mobilizes elite troops to support Chanzhou as soon as possible, I'm afraid Li Jilong will be as helpless as my grandfather." Yang Xu's attention was quickly attracted by his words, and he frowned and whispered.
"The Henan camp has just begun to be formed, and I'm afraid it can't be moved lightly. The Yong'an Army under Commander Zhe is far away in Hedong. Even if it receives the order, it will be too late to rush to Chanzhou. The only ones who can go up now are the Zhenrong Army." Don't mention it.
Wang Shu's mind immediately became clear about the imperial court's major policies. He thought about it and responded quickly, "It's just that General Li has become ill from overwork recently, so he may not be able to lead the army himself..."
"Old General Li fell ill from overwork. Why didn't I know what happened?" Han Qing was confused by concern and asked eagerly before Wang Shu could finish.
If Li Jihe had not come to help in time, he and Dou Rong would have died long ago in the joint pursuit of the Red Lotus Sect and corrupt officials, and it would be impossible for them to have the happy life they had later.
But now, most of the soldiers around him are from the Suppressing Army. Every time he sees Wu You and others, the old general's voice and smile become clearer.
"Just before I came to the east road." Wang Shu sighed and added in a low voice, "Originally, the Zhenrong Army stationed in Fengqiu could become the last line of defense for the capital. But after General Li fell ill, the court could not find a suitable one.
Candidates should be selected to replace him. If you appoint a veteran general at will, it will be difficult to convince the Zhenrong Army officers..."
Only halfway through speaking, there was suddenly a rush of horse hooves behind them. The three of them turned their heads and saw another group of messengers rushing over like lightning.
The leader also saw Wang Shu, Han Qing and Yang Xu. He immediately raised a letter bucket coated with fire paint and shouted at the top of his voice, "Prime Minister, Prime Minister, the imperial edict. The Majesty has an edict, please hurry."
You return to Beijing as soon as possible. I rushed to Qingzhou in my humble position, but couldn't find you, so I had to chase you all the way."
"Imperial decree, urge me?" Wang Shu was dumbfounded and confirmed to the other party in a hoarse voice.
I am just a civil servant, no matter how trusted I am, I should not enjoy the treatment of two imperial edicts urging me to take office. Unless, unless people like Kou Zhun, Wang Qinruo, Ding Wei, Chen Yaozi are bedridden at the same time, the officials have nothing to lose.
It’s completely unavailable!
"I don't know the details, but the imperial edict is in the paint bucket." The messenger gasped and approached Wang Shu, took the paint bucket from his back, and held it to him with both hands.
"Where is Prime Minister Kou, how is he doing recently?" Wang Shu did not immediately reach out to open the paint bucket, but asked Han Qing again in unison.
"Hello, Mr. Kou!" This messenger, who was much better informed than the one three days ago, raised his hand to wipe his sweat and continued to pant in response, "The official family wants to personally conquer the country, and Mr. Kou will accompany him. Therefore, please return to Kaifeng as soon as possible."
Mansion, assist King Yong in taking charge of the capital!"
