Two hundred and sixtieth chapters protect the country as the Duke of Songde
Emperor Zhaoxing could not convict the prefects of Tuanxun and Xunzhou. If he was convicted, he would have fallen into Xu Zhiqiong's plan.
Xu Zhiqiong has already calculated this. If Emperor Zhaoxing dismisses the prefects of the two prefectures for corruption, the prefects of the two prefectures will immediately defect to the prince after receiving the news. With the four prefectures of Tuan, Xun, Yong, and Lu, the prince is equal to
Taking over the entire northern territory of Daxuan, plus the southern imperial province of Tunu, was enough for the prince to establish his country.
Emperor Zhaoxing was still calm enough, and Xu Zhiqiong solved all three strategies one by one. However, he did not let the losses continue to expand. He no longer pursued the corruption of the two prefectures in Tuoxun. He stabilized the two prefectures first, and then found a way.
Let the prince return to Beijing as soon as possible.
It would be too difficult to get the prince to return to the capital based on internal means alone. Liang Jixiong would not agree, and the officials would obstruct it.
Then we can only start from the outside.
As long as this war can be ended, the prince has no reason to continue fighting abroad.
Emperor Zhaoxing originally did not want to adopt such a method because he did not want to be criticized by his officials again.
But as of now, there is no more effective method than this.
"Go and call Ren Songde. I want to give him a job."
"Ren Songde?" Chen Shuncai said with a confused look on his face, "I'm afraid we can no longer use this person."
Ren Songde was one of the leaders of "Wo Yun He Shu", and the Xuan people hated him to the core. Under the pressure of Tu Nu, Emperor Zhaoxing made him a duke, which caused public outrage. Now if he wants to re-
Using this person is bound to attract a lot of criticism.
But Emperor Zhaoxing had already prepared for this: "War wastes people and money. If Ren Songde can help stop the war, it can also make up for his past mistakes."
…
At noon, Chen Shuncai arrived at the house of Lord Protector Ren Songde.
The Duke's mansion is very large, second only to the clan in size, but Ren Songde's mansion is very deserted. Except for a group of maidservants, most of the courtyard is empty. Especially in winter, it is a desolate and desolate scene.
There are two reasons why it is so deserted. First, the title system of Daxuan is different from that of the previous dynasty. The duke has status but no real power. The status of the duke is equivalent to a existence that transcends rank, but he cannot hold any position in the court.
any official position.
Secondly, Ren Songde was special. He had no military exploits and was not even qualified to become a prince. The reason why he became a duke was entirely forced by Tu Nu.
He is the sinner of Daxuan and the shame of Daxuan. In normal times, few people are willing to come to visit him. Now he is fighting with Tunu and has won consecutive battles. Ren Songde may become the target of liquidation at any time. The officials in the court avoid him.
Otherwise, no one wants to have anything to do with him.
Hearing that Chen Shuncai had come, Ren Songde, who was over sixty years old, warmly welcomed him. After looking at the simple furnishings in the mansion, Chen Shuncai sighed: "The life of the Duke has become a little more miserable."
Is it bitter?
Compare with whom.
The Duke's salary is equivalent to that of a first-class official, but the first-class official position is a false position, and the actual salary is not high. The monthly salary is 120 taels, tea, wine, cooking materials, additional expenses, fuel, minister's money and a series of subsidies of 200 taels.
Two more.
Salary is only a part of the income. The Duke's main income comes from land. After being ennobled, the court will allocate a large amount of land and collect thousands of taels of rent every year.
But not only did Ren Songde have no land, he didn't even get any subsidies. Because he was a duke with an unfair reputation and his words were not upright, all the ministers in the court made trouble for him. They cut off everything they could, leaving only a salary of more than one hundred taels.
.
More than one hundred taels a month was a figure that ordinary people could not imagine, but for his status as Lord Protector, this income was only enough for him to live a barely decent life.
Ren Songde smiled bitterly and said: "I was abandoned by the imperial court. Now I can enjoy the rest of my life here. I am extremely lucky!"
He saw his situation very clearly.
After a few casual conversations, Chen Shuncai explained the reason: "Your Majesty has entrusted the Duke with an important task."
Ren Songde was surprised: "I wonder what the Holy Spirit has ordered?"
Chen Shuncai only said two words: "Stop the war!"
When Ren Songde heard this, he burst into tears with excitement.
This is his area of expertise.
"Please Chen Bingbi to convey the message to Your Majesty, I will definitely fulfill my mission!"
…
It is approaching the twelfth lunar month, and the capital city is gradually getting a bit more New Year’s flavor. There are more stalls selling peach charms (door gods), Spring couplets, and New Year paintings in the market.
Xu Zhiqiong was wandering in the night market, thinking about how to spend this year.
This was his first New Year in Daxuan, so naturally he didn't want to spend it too lonely.
But Brother Tong is not here, Wu Qianhu is not here, and a group of good brothers in the Yamen are all fighting in the north. Who should we spend this year with?
Go to Canglong Palace to celebrate the New Year with your second brother?
do not.
New Year is the busiest time for Canglong Palace, and the second elder has to organize various sacrifices.
What's more, Xu Zhiqiong was unwilling to have to guard a bad old man during the Chinese New Year.
Going to Yinggeyuan to celebrate the New Year?
This is a good choice. The second brother agreed. The master of the pavilion can choose at will and spend the New Year in the flower forest. It is not bad.
But what if you are desperate? Yinggeyuan has no chance of true love. Once you enter the realm of the sage on New Year's Eve, the emptiness will be really unbearable.
The best choice is to celebrate the New Year with Xia Hu.
Invite Xia Hu to Zhonglang Courtyard, call Yang Wu and Chang Decai, and then Xia Hu also bring the servants to gather enough tables for a delicious New Year's Eve dinner.
While eating, I took the opportunity to get my wife drunk, then held her down, and then...
Then I must help her get promoted to the sixth rank. We are gentlemen, how can we act casually while others are drunk?
But he was afraid that Feng Jing'an would cause trouble, so he refused to let it go.
As soon as Xu Zhiqiong walked out of the Xiji Night Market, a carriage stopped in front of him: "Zhiqiong, it's easy for me to find you!"
The man raised the door curtain, and Xu Zhiqiong's eyebrows moved unconsciously.
It's Sui Zhi.
Seeing him, Xu Zhiqiong was immediately alert, but the smile on his face remained the same.
"I've met the Sui Minister."
Sui Zhi walked down the carriageway and said, "Zhiqiong, you are already a member of the Qianhu household. If you are not sitting in the Yamen, how can you still go out to watch the night?"
Xu Zhiqiong said: "There are thousands of families in the Yamen. As a junior, I should do more errands."
Sui Zhi nodded appreciatively: "If you have this kind of thought, you will become a great person in the future. Come with me to Fengle Tower tonight. There is a noble person who wants to see you."
Noble person?
The noble person you introduced is definitely not a good person.
It doesn't matter if he is a bad guy, he just happens to be doing business, but Xu Zhiqiong is a bit afraid of Sui Zhi.
First, the identity of this person is unknown. He must be someone close to the emperor, but Xu Zhiqiong does not yet know what role he plays.
The second is that this person's cultivation level is unknown. He claimed to be at the fifth level of the art of war and the sixth level of the killing art. However, Xu Zhiqiong could not see clearly his cultivation level, which proved that his cultivation level definitely exceeded the fifth level.
Xu Zhiqiong knew too little about Sui Zhi, so he should stay as far away as possible.
"Shilang Sui, the New Year is approaching and I am very busy with official duties. I really can't get away tonight. How about waiting for another two days..."
"Why, you don't even give your uncle face?"
Sui Zhi insisted on inviting him, but Xu Zhiqiong couldn't resist, so he had to follow him to Fengle Tower.
When they arrived at the private room, an elderly man stood up and looked at Xu Zhiqiong with a smile.
Is this old man a noble person?
Xu Zhiqiong looked at this person and felt that he looked very familiar.
I must have seen it before, but I can't remember where.
Sui Zhi quickly introduced him: "Zhiqiong, this is Duke Ren!"
Ren Guogong?
Ren Songde?
Xu Zhiqiong remembered where he had seen him.
In Li Shabai's paintings.
It has to be said that Li Shabai's painting skills are really superb. With just a few strokes, a painting is created in an instant. Ren Songde in the painting looks exactly like a real person.
Ren Songde looked at Xu Zhiqiong with a smile.
Xu Zhiqiong looked at Ren Songde blankly.
Xu Zhiqiong looked at the sin karma on his head, which was about seven or eight inches tall.
This guy's crime is less than two inches?
This unscientific!
Look at his cultivation level again. There is no fog on his body. He is an ordinary person with no cultivation level.
Sui Zhi reminded him again: "Zhiqiong, this is the Duke of the country."
He was reminding Xu Zhiqiong to salute.
Regardless of Ren Songde's reputation, a duke is a duke. Except for members of the royal family, anyone who sees the duke must salute, including the chief minister of the cabinet.
"Oh!" Xu Zhiqiong responded casually, as if he didn't react.
It was impossible for him to salute Ren Songde.
Seeing Xu Zhiqiong standing still, Sui Zhi had no choice but to ask the two of them to sit down. Ren Songde didn't mind either, always with a friendly smile on his face.
While the food was being served, Sui Zhi asked, "Zhi Qiong, you went to the battlefield and heard that you made many military exploits. How do you feel about it?"
He waited for Xu Zhiqiong to show off his achievements and then beat him.
Unexpectedly, Xu Zhiqiong did not show off, but only said: "Fighting is really not easy."
Sui Zhi nodded: "I heard that the battle at Yangjiao Pass was very brutal."
"Tragic!" Xu Zhiqiong agreed, "After the war, there were mountains of corpses. Fortunately, the dead were all Tunu."
Sui Zhi sighed: "Not only Tunu, but also many soldiers of our army were killed in battle. They were all in their prime years and good men."
"Yes, they are all good sons and daughters of Daxuan."
Sui Zhi added: "I have been in the army for half my life, but I am extremely sad about the war. It is my duty to kill and injured soldiers. I feel sorry for the civilians who suffer innocently."
"Yes," Xu Zhiqiong nodded, "the people are really pitiful."
Ren Songde spoke: "It is not easy for Xu Qianhu to have such insights at such a young age. The war started from man-made disasters, but the pain of war is far worse than natural disasters."
Xu Zhiqiong nodded and said: "What the Duke said is that it is all man-made disasters."
Ren Songde sighed: "If the war can be extinguished as soon as possible, it will be a great blessing for me, and it will also be a blessing for millions of people!"
"It would be best if we don't have to fight."
Xu Zhiqiong heard something, he was going to have peace talks again.
This business is really skillful, but why did he want me to do it?
Ren Songde said: "I am willing to put an end to the war with my little talent, and I hope Xu Qianhu will not hesitate to help."
He asked me for help?
This is the right person.
Sui Zhi continued to persuade Xu Zhiqiong: "Zhiqiong, quelling the war is a blessing to the country and a blessing to the people. You must not shirk it."
Xu Zhiqiong nodded and asked, "I wonder how Xu can serve the Duke?"
Things were progressing so smoothly. Ren Songde was overjoyed: "I would like to ask Xu Qianhu to send a letter to His Royal Highness, asking His Highness to cease the war for the time being. I will then meet with Lord Tunu to persuade him to withdraw his troops."
Sui Zhi thought that Xu Zhiqiong would do everything possible to refuse, but he did not expect that Xu Zhiqiong readily agreed: "This is easy to talk about. I will compile a letter and send it to His Royal Highness. I wonder what the will of the country will be like?"
Xu Zhiqiong had no intention of writing to the prince, he just wanted to leave here as soon as possible.
Xu Zhiqiong didn't intend to say another word to a guy like Ren Songde. Any more words would make Xu Zhiqiong sick.
And Sui Zhi was here again, and Xu Zhiqiong didn't intend to stay for long, so he simply followed them and got away as soon as possible.
"How magnificent!" Ren Songde was overjoyed and gave Xu Zhiqiong a glass of wine, "With your words, the pain of war is over! Please drink this cup to Xu Qianhu!"
Xu Zhiqiong drank the wine, feeling suspicious in his heart.
Why is this old guy so excited?
If I say something casually, will he really believe it?
Do you want me to write a letter to the prince on the spot?
That is impossible!
If he forced me to do so, the worst he could do was run back to Zhonglang Courtyard, but Xu Zhiqiong didn't want to reveal his identity in front of Sui Zhi, and he didn't want to use the judge's ability easily unless he had to.
But Ren Songde didn't make any more requests, and what he said next were all polite words at the wine table.
After saying a few polite words, Xu Zhiqiong stood up to leave. Ren Songde did not stop him, got up and sent Xu Zhiqiong outside Fengle Building.
Sui Zhi took a few more steps and told Xu Zhiqiong: "Nephew, you must do what you promised to the Duke, otherwise you will cause trouble."
Xu Zhiqiong was stunned: "What does the so-called disaster refer to?"
Sui Zhi lowered his voice and said: "Since you promised the Duke to write a letter, you must write a letter. I know you deliberately didn't say when you would write the letter or what kind of letter you would write. But if you agree, you agree. Honestly.
Do what the Duke says,
If you don't write for a day, you will lose your energy.
If you don’t write for two days, you will lose your cultivation.
If you don't write for three days, you will lose your life.
Be sure to remember that the letter must persuade the prince to cease the war, otherwise it will not be counted!"