Zhao Ji, who was exhausted and exhausted, slept soundly.
At this time, Master Li had woken up.
She looked at the early morning light reflected through the five paper windows, and gazed lovingly at the King Zhao Guan's house. She called several times, but did not call Zhao Guan's house.
Li Shishi stretched out his jade hand, gently pushed Zhao Guanjia's bare shoulders, and called softly:
"Guan family, it's dawn, it's time to get up and go to court."
"Haha." Zhao Ji yawned with sleepy eyes. Seeing the fairy-like beauty beside him, he took the beauty into his arms...
…
Last night, I was tired and happy...
This morning, I felt my legs were weak!
However, Zhao Ji lamented that the beauty he favored, Li Shishi, did not stop the king from going to court early like Concubine Yang did.
Originally, the Song Dynasty's court meeting was held on the first and fifteenth days of each month.
Although yesterday was the fifteenth day of the eleventh month of the lunar calendar, the Zhao Guan family had just returned to the capital from a personal expedition, so the court meeting was postponed to the next day, which is today.
When the ministers see the king, it is called the dynasty, and when the king sees the ministers, it is called the meeting, which is collectively called the dynasty meeting.
There are two types of court meetings. One is the Great Court, where the emperor receives congratulations from his ministers in the main hall on New Year's Day, Winter Solstice and Daqing Day.
The first is the regular dynasty, when the emperor summons civil and military officials to handle government affairs in peacetime. The former and the latter are of a daily official nature.
Today's court meeting originally belonged to the Chang Dynasty. However, all civil and military officials knew that the imperial commander of Zhao Guan's family personally conquered the Fangla Uprising in the southeast. Therefore, everyone wore brand-new court uniforms early and prepared words of praise...
Zhao Ji was sitting in the main hall, accepting the congratulations from the crown prince Zhao Huan, several adult princes, as well as civil and military officials...
"Long live my emperor..."
Zhao Ji looked at the two rows of court officials in purple and red robes who were kneeling and prostrating on both sides of the hall, and said with a smile:
"Everyone loves you for your peace of mind."
All civil and military officials stood up and stood on both sides of the hall.
The head of the civil service was Yu Shen, the head of the military service was Duke Yan, and the head of the Privy Council was Zheng Juzhong.
Sixty-one-year-old Zheng Juzhong, who was good at following the Holy Will, was the first to come out of the queue and kowtow:
"I am in the middle, and I congratulate Your Majesty on your triumphant return to the DPRK from Fangla, who personally conquered and quelled the rebellion in the southeast.
Your Majesty’s achievements are unparalleled..."
Zhao Ji saw that Zheng Juzhong was about to start flattering, and immediately said:
"My merits have not reached this level. Duke Yan does not need to sing praises of his virtues."
"I stay in the middle and obey the order."
Zhao Ji knew that Zheng Juzhong was the elder brother (cousin) of my current Empress Zheng.
The period when Empress Zheng went from being a talented person to becoming a noble concubine was the time when the Zheng family was favored, and it was also the time when Zheng Juzhong's official career was prosperous after he ascended to the rank of Jinshi.
Zheng Juzhong relied on his true talents and knowledge to become a Jinshi. After that, he promoted himself as a noble concubine and followed his brother, and won the favor of Song Huizong, the original owner of Zhao Jizhi's deputy body.
Zheng Juzhong successively served as a minister of daily life, and was given important positions such as Shizhong and Hanlin bachelor. From the first year of Daguan (1107) to the fourth year of Daguan, he was appointed as Tongzhi, Privy Council Minister and Privy Council Minister...
During this period, due to the death of Zhao Ji's original owner, the first Emperor Huizong of the Song Dynasty, Queen Wang, when Concubine Zheng entered the palace and became queen, she once advised Zhao Guan's family that she should not be allowed to take the position of her brother Zheng Juzhong after becoming an official and amassing wealth.
It's an important position, otherwise she wouldn't dare to be the queen.
Although, at that time, Zhao Ji's original owner, Song Huizong, listened to Empress Zheng's advice and temporarily demoted Zheng Juzhong, who always regarded Concubine Zheng as his obedient brother...
However, Zheng Juzhong, who was good at catering to the Holy Will, was soon reused by Song Huizong, the original owner of Zhao Ji, and was successively granted the title of Chong Guogong and Su Guogong. In the spring of the second year of Xuanhe this year, Zheng Juzhong was once again appointed to the Privy Council and was granted the title of Privy Councilor.
Duke of Yan.
Zhao Ji looked at Zheng Juzhong who was in his 60s, and through the remaining memories in his mind, he wondered whether Zheng Juzhong was favored by the original owner of his body, Song Huizong, because of his relationship with Empress Zheng as cousins.
?
It's really not all like this.
During his term of office, in order to cater to the emperor's will and compete for power, Zheng Juzhong first colluded with Liu Zhengfu to attack Zhang Shangying and Liu Kui, and helped Cai Jing regain his position. Then he followed in the footsteps of Zhang Kangguo and opposed Beijing in everything, and was widely expected by scholars...
Moreover, when Zhao Ji dealt with Cai Jing, Gao Qiu, Wang Fu and other corrupt officials and traitors, Zheng Juzhong definitely stood firmly on my side.
In other words, although Zheng Juzhong holds an important position in the Privy Council, he is very good at taking sides and knows who he relies on to achieve his current power and status.
In the Song Dynasty, the chief officials of the Privy Council in charge of military matters were in most cases civilian officials. This was also because the emperors of the Song Dynasty were afraid that if military generals had too much power, they would imitate Chen Qiao's mutiny.
Song Taizu, who was wearing a yellow robe, was not easy to handle.
Of course, there are very few exceptions, that is, Di Qing (born in 1008 AD and died in 1057 AD), a famous general in the Northern Song Dynasty, once truly served as the top leader of the Privy Council as a military general - the Privy Councilor.
Di Qing, nicknamed Hanchen, came from a poor family and joined the army at a young age. Because he had tattoos on his face and was good at riding and shooting, he was known as "General Mian Nirvana".
During the reign of Emperor Renzong of the Song Dynasty, he moved to Yanzhou to command the envoy. In the fifth year of Emperor You's reign (1053), he led troops to attack Kunlun Pass at night and quelled the rebellion of Nong Zhigao. After that, he successively served as Deputy Privy Envoy, Military Envoy of the National Protectorate, Hezhong
Yin was promoted to privy envoy.
However, after Di Qing became the privy secret envoy, he was squeezed out by the civil service group. In the first year of Jiayou (1056), he was removed from the post of privy secret envoy, and was given the title of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Ping Zhangshi, and was sent to Chenzhou.
In March of the second year of Jiayou's reign (1057), Di Qing died of depression at the age of forty-nine.
Zhao Ji looked at Zheng Juzhong in front of him. Compared with Di Qing, who was no longer alive, he was really worthy of his position as the chief officer of the Privy Council!
Zhao Ji did have a good candidate in his mind to be the chief officer of the Privy Council, and that was Zongze, who was famous in history as a Jinshi and became a famous general who fought against the Jin Dynasty.
However, Zhao Ji also knew very well that Zongze's current reputation and official qualifications were far from being able to replace Zheng Juzhong at this time.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Zhao Ji has already made a plan in his mind. Zheng Juzhong will first occupy the position of leading the Privy Council. Later, when the time is right, he will help the loyal minister Zong Ze to the high position of the Privy Council.
At this time, Zheng Juzhong was in charge of the Privy Council, and the eunuch Tong Guan was also in charge of the Privy Council. They were both chief officials of the Privy Council, and there was no Privy Envoy.
This is because in the Song Dynasty, in many cases, the emperor was reluctant to support extremely important official positions such as Privy Council, which held military power, in order to centralize power. In most cases, the official position was to be in charge of Privy Council affairs.
It is a temporary proxy, similar to how later generations would act for a certain high-ranking military official.
Zhao Ji was extremely dissatisfied with Zheng Juzhong, who took the lead in the court meeting and could only sing praises.
At this time, Zheng Juzhong also saw Zhao Ji's unkind look towards him.
Zheng Juzhong, who was wily and resourceful and good at observing people's words and expressions, immediately changed from the mode of praising virtues and flattering others to the mode of reporting on national affairs. He started:
"I am in the middle, and there are important things to tell you."
Zhao Ji said coldly: "Speak!"
Zheng Juzhong calmed down and immediately told Zhao Guan's family:
"I learned from the report that the bandit Wang Shan from Hedong gathered tens of thousands of people and bandits to bring disaster to the Hedong area.
Nowadays, western Beijing, Huainan, Henan, and Hebei are not very peaceful either.
The thief Yang Jin, nicknamed the Hornless Ox, gathered tens of thousands of thieves. Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, and Wang Dalang also gathered thousands of thieves. They traveled between western Beijing, Huainan, Henan, and Hebei, invading and looting, and became a disaster.
…”
Zheng Juzhong's report immediately caused Zhao Ji to think deeply.
Traveler history master Zhao Ji knows that the bandit leaders Wang Shan, Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, and Wang Dalang reported by Zheng Juzhong really existed in history. However, these famous bandit leaders in history at this time
Not that many people have gathered yet.
After the Jingkang Incident in history, Zongze stayed behind in Tokyo. Wang Shan was a bandit from Hedong who had 700,000 men and 10,000 chariots and wanted to occupy the capital.
Zongze rode alone to Wang Shan's barracks and said to Wang Shan with tears: "The imperial court is in crisis. If there are one or two people like you, how can there be any danger of foreign invasion?"
Wang Shan was deeply moved and cried: "How dare you not serve the imperial court."
As a result, Wang Shan surrendered and Zong Ze was entrusted with the important task of becoming a powerful armed force against the Jin Dynasty.
At that time, Yang Jin was known as the Hornless Ox and had an army of 300,000. Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, Wang Dalang and others each had tens of thousands of troops. They traveled between the west of Beijing, Huainan, Henan, and Hebei, invading and looting, and became a disaster.
Zongze sent people to tell them that misfortunes would bring blessings, and declared the righteousness of resisting the Jin Dynasty and saving the country, and recruited them all to surrender and join the Song Dynasty army to resist the Jin Dynasty...
Zheng Juzhong saw that Zhao Guanjia was listening to his report, and he was happy. He finally found a topic that interested Zhao Guanjia after his great change of heart.
Zheng Juzhong continued to report:
"After Zhao Guanjia pacified Nanla in the southeast, our Song Dynasty soldiers relied on the power of heaven. At this time, their morale was at its peak. It was good to the king of Hedong to cause chaos among Yang Jin, Wang Zaixing, and Li Gui in the west of Beijing, Huainan, Henan, and Hebei.
, Wang Dalang and other thieves took advantage of this great opportunity to eliminate them."
Most of the civil and military ministers agreed with the proposal of Empress Zheng's elder brother, Duke Zheng Juzhong, who was in charge of the Privy Council...
Zhao Ji saw two people standing at the end of the two rows of ministers in the main hall, namely Zong Ze and Li Gang. They did not agree with Zheng Juzhong's proposal.
Zhao Ji asked: "Zong Aiqing and Li Aiqing, what do you think of Duke Yan's request to send troops to quell the rebellion in the east of Jingdong, west of Jingdong, Huainan, Henan, and Hebei?"
Zongze went out to report back and said:
"Your Majesty, Zongze, relies on the power of heaven that the official commander personally conquered Fangla and returned home, so there is no need to send troops to quell Wang Shan, Yang Jin and other thieves. As long as the officials send envoys to recruit people, they can surrender the king without using swords."
Shan, Yang Jin and other thieves are used by the court."
Li Gang also left the class and started playing:
"My minister, Li Gang, agrees with Lord Zong. If the recruitment fails, it will not be too late for the imperial court to send troops to quell Wang Shan, Yang Jin, Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, Wang Dalang and other bandits!"
Zhao Ji nodded and said:
"What Zong Aiqing and Li Aiqing are doing.
Above the court, dear friends, who is willing to recruit Wang Shan, Yang Jin, Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, Wang Dalang and other thieves on the road to surrender to the bright side?"
As soon as Zhao Ji said this, except for Zongze and Li Gang who were eager to try, other high-ranking officials like Yu Shen, Zheng Ju and others bowed their heads and remained silent.
They thought in their minds: Zongze and Li Gang, you two were demoted and reused as officials who returned to the capital, so you didn't come up with a plan to recruit bandits in the city. Don't we know that if we can recruit An Cheng, it will be better than the imperial court sending troops to conquer.
Is it much more cost-effective?
However, we all know that when Zhao Guanjia personally conquered the southeast to pacify Fangla, he sent Shangshu Zuocheng Zhang Bangchang, and Liu Yu, an official from Lianghang Road, and his son Liu Lin entered the Fangla military camp to recruit troops. What was the result?
Not only did the three of them fail to recruit security, but they rebelled because they could not withstand the severe torture of Fangla's bandit army. In the end, Zhao Guan's family shot three arrows and killed them in front of the enemy troops outside Hangzhou...
When all the civil and military officials in the dynasty heard that Zhao Guan's family wanted to send officials to recruit people, they were all so frightened that they shrank and complained in their hearts that Zongze and Li Gang proposed such a brainless recruitment plan.
At this time, Zongze and Li Gang left the class almost at the same time, knelt down, kowtowed, and said:
"My minister, Zongze, is willing to follow the imperial edict of the officials and go to recruit Wang Shan, Yang Jin, Wang Zaixing, Li Gui, Wang Dalang and other bandit leaders to surrender to the bright and submit to the imperial court."
"My minister, Li Gang, is willing to follow the imperial edict of the official family and go to recruit people..."
Zhao Ji deliberately looked serious and said tentatively:
"Two beloved ministers, one is a Jinshi by birth, and the other is a Jinshi by rank. They have both been civil servants. Going deep into the den of thieves to recruit them is extremely dangerous, with a narrow escape from death!
Moreover, Zong Aiqing and Li Aiqing had just returned to Beijing to resume their duties, and their official ranks and prestige were not high enough to protect the bandit leaders such as Wang Shan and Yang Jin.
The matter could not be accomplished, but the lives of the two beloved ladies were at stake.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Why don't you let me go to the court and select two ministers with higher official positions and higher reputation than you two to serve as imperial envoys?!
"
As soon as Zhao Ji said this, all the court officials with higher official positions than Li Gang and Zong Ze were so frightened that they broke out in cold sweat, their bodies trembled slightly, and they wanted to bury their faces in their arms.
Zongze and Li Gang asked again:
"Although my official position is low, when I receive the imperial edict and go to recruit peace, I am reading the imperial will in front of the leader of the thieves."
"Even if the leader of the thieves threatens him with life and death, I would rather die than surrender..."
"My minister Li Gang will definitely put his life and death aside. Even if he fails to recruit the rebels, he will not betray the imperial court just to survive for a while like the rebellious ministers Zhang Bangchang, Liu Yu, and Liu Lin did..."
"Alas!!" Zhao Ji pretended to sigh and said:
"I already know that you two dear friends are loyal and brave. However, as I said, you two have low official positions, which are not enough to intimidate the thieves and not enough to show my sincerity in recruiting peace."
"Alas!!" Zhao Ji sighed again, pointed at Yu Shen and Zheng Juzhong who were in front of the train, and said:
"Yu Aiqing, Zheng Aiqing..."
When Yu Shen and Zheng Juzhong heard that the officials were calling them at this juncture, could it be that they were asked to go to the dangerous gangster lair in person to carry out a recruitment plan?
"thump!"
"thump!"
Yu Shen and Zheng Juzhong knelt on the ground one after another, fearing that Zhao Guan's family would ask them to recruit people.
In charge of the affairs of the Privy Council, Duke Zheng Juzhong of the State of Yan hurriedly knelt down and asked:
"In the official family, although Zongze and Li Gang have small official positions, they are commendable for their loyalty and bravery. The official family can promote their official positions."
"Cough cough cough..."
Dazai (Deputy Prime Minister), Duke Wei and Grand Tutor, Yu Shen, who was already in his seventies, deliberately pretended to cough repeatedly and said out of breath:
"I, Yu Shen, agree with the words of Duke Yan.
Cough cough cough...
After the death of the rebellious minister Zhang Bangchang, the post of Minister Zuocheng was temporarily vacant.
Cough cough cough...
My minister Yu Shen recommends Li Gang to serve as acting minister Zuocheng temporarily..."
After taking charge of the Privy Council, Yan Guogong Zheng Juzhong saw the scheming Yu Shen's statement, and then looked at Zhao Guan's family with an expression of secret joy. He immediately understood everything.
Zheng Juzhong, who was good at catering to the Holy Will, thought to himself: "It can be seen from various signs that the Zhao Guan family intends to promote and reuse Zongze and Li Gang!
However, it is difficult for officials to say it openly.
If the ministers know their interests and take the initiative to recommend Zongze and Li Gang, then not only will they be able to avoid going to the gangsters' lair to recruit people, but they will also be appreciated by the officials."
Thinking of this, Zheng Juzhong would never let Yu Shen take the credit of recommending virtuous people to himself. He immediately knelt down and asked:
"My minister Zheng is in the middle and is reporting to the officials because the Privy Council is temporarily short of a deputy envoy.
The minister recommends Zongze to the officials to temporarily serve as deputy envoy to the Privy Council..."