The ministers and chief ministers all looked solemn in the emperor's bedroom.
When the officials threw down the memorial, Lei Lei was furious and wanted to have hundreds of officials on Fuyan Road ransacked and exiled.
If Zhang Yue and Wang Gui had not dissuaded him and moved out of the ancestral system, he would have given up the idea. However, the official family's illness became even more serious.
The ministers had just walked out of the palace, and Cai Que said again: "Two prime ministers, I have something that I have not reported to your majesty just now. These are two new poems composed by Zhang Shunmin."
"Thousands of willow trees under Lingzhou City are always cut down by the officers and soldiers for salary. On the way back from Yuguan one day, He Pan will be broken off and given to passers-by."
"I went to Lingzhou Road by the sea. I went to join the army nine times out of ten and never came back. The bones were as white as sand and snow. The general went to the Wangxiang Terrace. I wonder what you guys should do with it?"
Zhang Yue read the poem and thought to himself, aren't you just rubbing salt into people's wounds? Tens of thousands of soldiers died on the battlefield, what are you talking about?
Zhang Yue took the memorial and looked at what Wang Gui meant. Unexpectedly, Wang Gui also turned around to see what he meant.
Zhang Yue said: "Let's put this matter aside for now."
Cai Quedao said: "I want Prime Minister Zhang to know that Zhang Shunmin has repeatedly talked about the defeat at Yanyan Road in the public, which has shaken people's hearts. If he does not pursue it, he is afraid that people will imitate and ridicule him in the future."
Zhang Yue said: "Can you stop others by arresting Zhang Shunmin?"
Cai Que continued: "Then let him stop talking. Without a leader, no one will spread the news about the failure of the Western Expedition. Otherwise, once public opinion arises..."
Zhang Yue pondered for a moment, but he didn't want to ban Zhang Shunmin from talking because he had an ulterior selfish intention.
The defeat at Fu Yan Road was a stupid thing done by the officials in the past. It is not good for Zhang Shunmin to publicize it among the people, but it can also completely abdicate his responsibility.
In this way, the fault of future military defeats will not be placed on himself.
Therefore, Zhang Yue did not agree with Cai Que's decision.
Zhang Yue asked Xue Xiang: "Now that the failure of Yanyan Road is reported, there needs to be an explanation. The figures reported by Yu Chong are too shocking."
Xue Xiang immediately understood what Zhang Yue meant and said: "Prime Minister, Yu Chong said in the battle report that only 30,000 people returned to Yanzhou. I don't think so. I just returned to Yanzhou and there were still people who were separated on the way.
Those who were destroyed by the party."
"I think the loss will not exceed 50,000 at most, so I will use the casualties of 30,000 as a rope, if anyone asks from outside."
Feng Jing was displeased when he heard this and said, "Is there such a thing? Converting defeat into victory is something that has been despised by all dynasties."
Zhang Kai nodded and said: "It is common to exaggerate military achievements and conceal casualties. For example, Chen Qingzhi's Northern Expedition was like this."
Zhang Yue said: "In this way, the Daxiangguo Temple and Wuyue Temple in Bianjing can be used as dojos or water and land rituals to comfort the fallen soldiers."
"This money comes from the imperial court. It can be seen that your majesty loves the people and the soldiers."
Yuan Jiang said: "We are currently using troops against Xixia, and there is still a lot of money to spend. Should we save some money?"
Zhang Yue looked at Yuan Jiang and said, "I think this money should be spent, but you must not chill the hearts of the soldiers."
At the same time, Zhang Yue said to Cai Que: "If Zhang Shunmin continues to talk nonsense and say these inappropriate words after the funeral, he will bring it upon himself."
Tsai said yes.
The prime ministers nodded, and Wang Gui and Feng Jing did not show any objection.
Being in the position of governing the country, Zhang Yue felt that "one morality" was indeed necessary.
Taking Zhang Shunmin's poem as an example, from a literary point of view, it is almost the same as "The poor bones by the Wuding River are like those in a spring boudoir's dream." It is understandable that you want to vent your resentment in your heart.
But what you said is wrong.
Now the imperial court is preparing to unite to conquer the summer, and you, Zhang Shunmin, are lamenting the spring and autumn. The meaning of your poem is not to say that all the soldiers died in vain.
Their family members were so frustrated after hearing this. Who else will send their children to join the army in the future?
Therefore, "one morality" must be used to unify "ideology". This act for the fallen soldiers is "one morality", and the intention is to unite the superiors and subordinates.
In the past, when he was an ordinary official, Zhang Yue might have felt that he wanted to be spoken to, and Zhang Shunmin himself felt that he was 'telling the truth', so there was nothing wrong with him.
But now that he is in phase, his thinking angle has changed.
At the end, Zhang Yue concentrated and said: "Since we have spent money, we will erect another monument to commemorate the soldiers who died in Xixia in this dynasty. We have to sacrifice at four times every year. This can be done slowly, and it should be erected carefully wherever it is.
Think about it, this matter must be treated as a big deal."
Having said this, Zhang Yue's face became a little solemn.
But all the ministers were new to hearing about the erection of the monument, and they didn't know what it meant.
Wang Gui glanced at Zhang Yue.
Zhang Yue looked at the crowd and asked, "I want everyone in the world to know that the officers and soldiers of Yanyan Road died in state affairs. They are the loyal souls of the country. What do you think?"
Seeing Zhang Yue being slapped with such a big label, all the leaders agreed.
After several days of discussions, with the support of Xue Xiang and Zhang Kai, Zhang Yue now has more and more say in the executive meeting.
All the chief ministers dispersed themselves.
Wang Gui and Yuan Jiang were walking together.
Wang Gui said: "Zhang San's skills are really powerful. He only served as prime minister for three or four days, but he gradually controlled the discussion in the temple. Sooner or later, he was like Wang Anshi back then."
Yuan Jiang said: "Yes, I can't even insert a few words. He, Zhang San, doesn't take me seriously now."
Wang Gui said: "So you and Feng Dangshi both openly and secretly want to stumble Zhang San on the use of troops against Xixia."
Yuan Jiang said: "Cai is indeed like this. The emperor wants to continue to use troops against Xia, so he uses the matter of dealing with Zhang Shunmin and the officials who raided the Yanyan Road to please him."
Wang Gui shook his head and said, "But Zhang San won't pick on you three."
"But we want to pay homage to the fallen soldiers and erect monuments."
"Do you think he wants peace or war?"
Yuan Jiang said: "Zhang San continued to use troops against Xia on his own initiative, but he did not show it on his face to avoid being criticized. In the name of erecting monuments and paying homage to the soldiers, he was not only trying to win people's hearts, but also testing everyone."
"Today, he used the words of Xue Shizheng and Zhang Zhifu. As the prime minister, he made the final decision, so he became invincible."
Wang Gui said: "That's right. Although Zhang San came from behind and blocked the relationship between you and Feng Shi, but the state affairs are more important now, let's wait for the news from Jingyuan Road first."
Yuan Jiang said: "Prime Minister, don't worry, we are putting state affairs first at this time. But just now you saw that Zhang Zhifu depends on Zhang San for everything, not to mention Zhang Zhi?"
"The Zhang family is so powerful, but His Majesty is using them. In fact, we are beyond our reach over Mingsha, but if something happens to Mingsha, going to Zhang Zhi is like breaking Zhang San's arm."
"One of their uncles and nephews is inside, and the other is outside...it's amazing."
…
Huanzhou.
Shen Kuo sent envoys to the city to plead with Yu Chong.
The envoy said: "Shen Jinglue asked me to report to the commander-in-chief that tens of thousands of soldiers and horses have arrived on Xihe Road. As long as we add the soldiers and horses on Huanqing Road, we can break the siege of Mingsha City."
"Shen Jinglue said that the Huanqing Road leaves Weizhou and cuts off the back road of Xixia. If that doesn't work, it can also be returned to Huanzhou."
Yu Chong was still unmoved and said to the envoy: "I always march according to rules. I don't fight when my troops are not good enough. I don't fight when there is an enemy behind me. I don't fight when my soldiers and armor are not uniform. I don't fight when there is insufficient food and grass. I don't fight when there is a dead ground in front of me."
"Now that I am on the Huanqing Road for your Jingyuan Road, all the money and food for the troops, horses and horses are allocated to you, and there are only 3,000 horses left. How can I fight if you want me to?"
"Please go back and tell Shen Jinglue that he is not responsible for the three armies because he does not know the importance of the three armies! He is a scholar who can only talk about war on paper, but I have killed people in Maozhou, defeated barbarians, and won battles! It is not his turn, Shen Kuo, to teach me how to use troops."
The messenger said: "Commander, Commander!"
The envoy tried to persuade him, but Yu Chong said "I'm tired" with a cold face and returned to the inner hall to drink tea.
At this time, someone reported: "Commander, a letter from Zhongshu has arrived!"
"Zhongshu Zhazi?"
Yu Chong was surprised, Zhongshu Zhazi was equivalent to Tang Dynasty Tang Dynasty Tongzhi.
It is a post issued by the prime minister in the name of Zhongshu. In many cases, the post is even more important than the imperial edict. After Taizong, the post was changed to Zha Zi. Although its importance is not as important as before, its status is still second only to "Wang Yan".
"It's Zha Zi under the new look!"
Upon hearing this, Yu Chong asked anxiously: "Which new prime minister is it? Feng Dangshi, or Yuan Houzhi?"
"It's Zhang Duzhi!"
Yu Chong raised his eyebrows when he heard this, and immediately took the note and read it.
"What Shen Kuo said is all about the speed of border defense, and there must be no delay. If the commander-in-chief does not take responsibility for himself and handles things as appropriate, and does everything according to nature, then there will be a lot of losses in the midst of greatness."
"Now the imperial court has assigned Han Zhen, the Privy Councilor, to the Sixth Route Economic and Strategy Department. Before that, you will deal with it as appropriate. If you find out afterwards that you missed the opportunity and delayed the opportunity, you will be punished without mercy! Military law is ruthless and strict!"
Yu Chong's expression changed when he saw the words "Definite punishment without mercy". Finally, when he looked at "Hua Si", it was the word "Zhang Yue" with the seal of Zhongshu Menxia on it.
This is the Zhongshu letter sent by Zhang Yue to Yu Chong in his name.
Yu Chong held Zhongshu's notes in his hands and paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, pinching his brows to compose himself.
Facing Zha Zi in Zhongshu, Yu Chong had ten thousand reasons and did not dare to disobey him.
Thinking of this, he immediately raised the curtain and came out. Shen Kuo's envoy saw Yu Chong. He had just thought of several words in his heart, hoping to finally persuade Yu Chong to change his mind.
But Yu Chong stepped out and said: "You don't need to say anything, I have decided to send troops to Mingsha City!"
When the other party heard this, he was surprised and said, "How come this Yu Jinglue changed when he came in and out? It's so strange!"
But I saw Yu Chong said: "I use my military skills to strike later. Although I am slow in doing things, my foundation is extremely solid. If I don't move, I will be dead, and if I move, I will be like thunder."
"I can send out troops today to capture Weizhou and flank Mingsha within five days. If we fail, I will accept military orders."
"Yes, yes." The messenger almost cried with joy.
Yu Chong said: "My words have offended me today. When you meet Shen Jinglue, don't mention it at all!"
After hearing this, the envoy hurriedly said: "How dare I talk nonsense about what the commander-in-chief said? In fact, the commander-in-chief is skillful in using troops and has learned the essence of Sun Tzu's art of war. I have always admired him!"
"Oh? What's the essence?"
The messenger thought to himself, I just said it casually, but you still take it seriously.
The messenger said: "It is as fast as the wind, as slow as the forest, as plundering as the fire, and as motionless as the mountain."
Yu Chong smiled and said: "Very good, very good."
The envoy sarcastically said in his heart, if you don't send troops, I will say that you only have the last word.
