Nowadays, Lu Huiqing is almost in charge of Zhongshu Province alone.
Wang Gui and Feng Jing were unwilling to compete, but the other could not compete. Such a day of monopolizing power was exactly what Lu Huiqing and many officials in the world dreamed of.
At this moment, Lu Huiqing said to Lu Wenqing: "According to what is said in the letter, Zhang Duzhi does not like the market changes. If he is allowed to return to the court, I am afraid that Zeng Zixuan will be second, or even worse."
"If the officials ask Zhang Yue to try the case of Yi Si in this city, then everything will be over!"
The case of the Municipal Yi Division is the key to Lu Huiqing. It is related to Lu Huiqing's position and the survival of the New Party.
Therefore, Lu Huiqing was absolutely unwilling to let people like Zhang Yue, who opposed the market change law and at the same time had the trust of the officials, enter Beijing.
Lu Wenqing said: "Brother, in the past when Lu Yijian was in the court, hundreds of officials would stay with him and leave if they didn't. Just like Fan Zhongyan, Kong Daofu was demoted far away. Everyone in the government and the public respected Lu Gong's methods."
"Today, the only way to make Zhang Yue come out is to exaggerate the strength of the Khitan army. This is not my lie. The Lord of Liao established his teeth in the clouds and also sent envoys to the south. Everyone in Bianjing was doubtful."
"Let's exaggerate some words and say that the Khitan is afraid of Zhang Yue. When the time comes, the officials will follow the public opinion and have no choice but to push Zhang Yue to guard Hebei."
Lu Huiqing nodded and said: "It's a good plan, but I don't like to use tricks. In the past, people all revered Duke Fan and demoted Duke Lu. Duke Lu was bending and stretching in the affairs of the world, and he was very skillful. His achievements are not comparable to those of a corrupt Confucian scholar."
Speaking of this, Lu Huiqing said: "The case of Shiyi Division must be settled as a solid case. Who do you think is the best person to hear this matter?"
Lu Wenqing said: "It's better to let Zhang Zihou come to the trial!"
Lu Huiqing's eyes lit up. Zhang Dun was the governor of Yingzhou and a backup candidate for Gaoyangguan Road's pacification envoy. If Zhang Dun was allowed to investigate this matter, then... Zhang Yue would have greater confidence in leaving Yingzhou.
Lu Wenqing said: "It's just that Zhang Zihou is hard to understand, his likes and dislikes are unpredictable, and he is arrogant and unruly. I'm afraid he will be difficult to control in the future. But at least Zhang Zihou and his brother are from the same hometown."
Lu Huiqing smiled and said: "It doesn't matter whether we are from the same hometown or not. If Zhang Zihou and I don't speculate, how can we speculate with Zeng Zixuan and Zhang Duzhi?"
After a pause, Lu Huiqing said: "In addition to the case of Shi Yisi, there is also the traitor Zheng Xia, who must be severely punished!"
Zeng Bu and Zheng Xia both came from Wang Anshi's sect. Both of them 'betrayed' Wang Anshi, which led to the other party's dismissal as prime minister. The new law was almost abolished, so he must enforce discipline and be punished severely!
This is a superficial reason. At the same time, dealing with a person externally can also improve cohesion internally.
This is also what he must do now as the leader of the new party. Lu Huiqing must do it whether he wants to or not.
In the past, Lu Huiqing saw why Wang Anshi offended so many people when he became prime minister, and even fell out with almost all his good friends.
But now he understands that as long as you are in this position, you have no choice! You are not representing your own wishes, but the wishes of a group of people.
Just like the scene in the Chenqiao Mutiny where the yellow robes were added to the body, many people studied whether Taizu had this idea. In fact, it doesn't matter, because when you get to that position,
…
Since the official meeting with Wu Chong and Lu Huiqing that day, we heard that the people in the capital were unsettled, and there were rumors that a million Khitan troops were approaching the country and could move south at any time. Now that Han Jiang has been transferred back to the capital as prime minister, although Wen Yanbo has been appointed to the Daming Mansion
, the other party also has experience in quelling the Beizhou Rebellion, but after all, he is too old and needs a young and powerful person to assist him.
All in all, without good ministers and famous generals in charge, Hebei is now unstable.
The officials were very worried after hearing the news from Shi Deyi.
That day I met Empress Dowager Gao and Empress Dowager Cao in the palace of Empress Dowager Cao.
The two queen mothers also heard the rumors and asked the emperor about the Khitan envoy Xiao Xi's request for the Song Dynasty to convert the land, and whether the Khitan had stationed heavy troops on the territory and wanted to raise troops?
The official said: "The crime of this son-in-law is such that this matter has alarmed the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager."
Empress Dowager Cao said: "It is useless to talk about this now. How did the ministers in the court discuss it?"
The officials talked about it in general, and then said that Lu Huiqing wanted Zhang Yue to go to Yingzhou to serve as the pacification envoy for the Gaoyangguan Road.
Yingzhou, later known as Hejian Prefecture, is located in the north of Youyan and east of Qingji. It is the key point of the waterway and the only way for the Khitan to go south to the Central Plains.
Placing Zhang Yue here can make the emperor sleep a little more peacefully at night.
Empress Dowager Cao said: "But the Lord of Liao built his teeth in Yunzhong. He may not have passed through Yingzhou. He may have gone to attack Hedong."
The official said: "Yes, Hedong and Yanyan should also choose generals to guard."
Empress Dowager Cao shook her head secretly, the officials had no way to defend themselves against the enemy.
Empress Dowager Cao said: "Is it Lu Huiqing who wants to place Zhang Yue here?"
The official said: "It was Lu Huiqing's intention to report back to the Empress Dowager. I speculated that he was worried that Zhang Yue would oppose the market change law when he returned to the court."
Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Dowager Gao both nodded happily when they heard this. The officials still saw things clearly.
"But I am worried that no one except Zhang Yue can deal with the Khitan in Yingzhou." At this moment, the official almost had the word "coward" written on his forehead.
Empress Dowager Cao smiled and said: "Your Majesty, I think this chapter is not about generals, but good at strategy and planning. I have read his Pinghe Huang Ce, and it is a temple strategy comparable to Ping Bian Ce. You can rely on it."
After that, Hehuang was taken over one after another, and the Qing and Tang Dynasties also returned to the Song Dynasty. It can be seen that the calculation of his temple is correct, and everything is in the painting."
After hearing this, the officials repeatedly said, "What the Empress Dowager means is to ask her ministers to issue an edict asking Zhang Yue how to deal with the Khitan?"
Empress Dowager Cao said: "Zhang Yue is a scholar of the state, and if the master fails to treat him politely when he issues an edict, he should send an important minister to inquire. Zhang Mao is currently in Yongxing Mansion. Your Majesty can order him to inquire personally on behalf of the master."
After a pause, Empress Dowager Cao said: "First ask Zhang Yue about his strategy, and then ask him if he is willing to go to Yingzhou to take up his post?"
The official heard this and said: "Go to Yingzhou? But I still want to transfer Zhang Yue back to Beijing!"
Empress Dowager Cao smiled and said: "Why are you so anxious, Your Majesty? If you want to join someone, you must first observe their ambitions."
…
Zhang Yue and his entourage have already stayed at the inn in Yongxing Mansion. This time he returned to the capital with only a dozen or so people besides Peng Jingyi and Huang Haoyi. They did not show the appearance of a frontier official at all.
After Zhang Yue stayed in the post house, he learned that Zhang Maoze, the governor of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, came to see him.
Zhang Yue and Zhang Mao have been friends for a long time. When they attacked Ren Shouzhong, they were on the same front.
After the new emperor ascended the throne, in accordance with the rule of one emperor and one courtier, Zhang Mao retired from the front line and only served Empress Dowager Cao and Empress Dowager Gao.
In order to avoid suspicion, Zhang Yue also stopped interacting with him.
On the Lantern Festival in the sixth year of Xining, Wang Anshi rode a horse into the palace and his horse was beaten. It was Zhang Maoze who ordered someone to do it. Zhang Maoze also scolded Wang Anshi to his face, saying that the prime minister is also a minister, and he rode into the forbidden palace to be like Wang Mang.
?
Now Zhang Maoze and Zhang Yue meet at the post house.
After a few words of greeting, Zhang Maoze revealed his reason for coming to consult on state affairs on behalf of the emperor. He asked: "What is the purpose of the Lord Liao in building Yayunzhong Mansion?"
The Liao Kingdom had two routes to attack the Song Dynasty. One of the western routes was to send troops from Yunzhongfu to attack the direction of Taiyuan, east of Hedong. The terrain here is quite dangerous and can be defended.
There is also the east road. Due to the loss of the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun, there is almost no danger here and it is all plains. If they cannot win in the field, the Liao cavalry can fight to the edge of the Yellow River and reach Bianjing in one go.
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Zhang Yue said directly: "The Khitan did not dare to raise troops, they were just drawing up the territory. The imperial court could respond slowly but refuse sternly. As for the Lord of Liao who built Yayunzhong, he only wanted to see me regaining Hehuang, so it was just a plan to invade.
My territory.”
"The cessation of territory is just for the sake of temporary peace. The Liao Kingdom is insatiable. It only takes an inch in the morning and a foot in the evening."
Zhang Mao nodded, feeling a little relieved after hearing this.
Zhang Yue continued: "Now that the war in Xihe has just stopped, it will take three to five years for this dynasty to restore its national strength. During this period, it is necessary to recuperate and recuperate, and not to engage in war and cause trouble."
Zhang Maoze said: "But the difficulty now is how to coexist peacefully with the Khitan and Xixia without fighting each other within three to five years?"
Zhang Yue said: "The country of Xixia is exhausted and unable to make progress for the time being, and the Khitan is clamoring to send troops. How could it be that they would have fought earlier if they wanted to fight? In fact, the Khitan is more afraid of fighting with me, so it is bluffing, but many people can't see that. It's just
I'm just afraid of the Khitan's great power."
Zhang Mao asked: "According to the rules and regulations, can peace really be maintained in these three to five years?"
Zhang Yue said: "We can renegotiate the border demarcation matter with the Liao Kingdom. Twenty years have passed since the alliance at Chanyuan and when Duke Fu returned to the Liao Kingdom. The Lord of Liao will also reevaluate the alliance in order to seek greater benefits."
.”
"You can't deceive the Khitan by paying lip service without offering real money and silver. But once we show weakness, the Xia Kingdom will be eager to make further progress and will take advantage of the situation to propose an increase in annual tribute."
Zhang Mao was sweating when he heard this and said: "We are a little confused. Why did the manager just say that the Khitan did not want to fight and was just bluffing, but here they said that they wanted to re-draw the alliance?"
Zhang Yue said: "Because the troubles of the Liao Kingdom were within the country and not the dynasty, they provoked the border dispute with the Song Dynasty. Mencius said, if you enter, you will be unable to fight the soldiers at home, and if you leave, you will be invincible against foreign patients, the country will perish."
"So the Liao State knew this well, so it would not fight, but it would provoke Song to consolidate its power."
What Zhang Yue is talking about is the issue of primary contradictions and secondary contradictions.
The biggest problem of the Liao Kingdom was to deal with domestic conflicts, and the issue of bordering with the Song Dynasty was a secondary conflict. But if the two countries did not handle this matter well, then the secondary conflict would become a major conflict.
After Zhang Yue said this, Zhang Maoze was suddenly enlightened.
Zhang Maoze thought to himself, no wonder the officials think so highly of him. The empress dowagers of the two palaces asked me to consult Zhang Yue personally. This man has clear knowledge and clear judgments. If he is the prime minister and assistant, he must be named.
Zhang Maoze asked again: "Now that the governor of Yingzhou is vacant, I wonder if Zhang Jinglue intends to know Yingzhou?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "I would like to be sent by your Majesty."
Zhang Mao asked: "Oh, if the Khitans invade from the south, Yingzhou will be the first to bear the brunt. Aren't you worried about it?"
Zhang Yue thought to himself that Yingzhou had been in business for a long time during the Song Dynasty. In history, the Jin soldiers did not break Hejian Prefecture twice when they went south. Bianjing fell, and Hejian Prefecture was safe and sound.
Zhang Yue said: "If the Khitan really dares to invade the south, I will definitely defend Yingzhou! The Khitan will not dare to go deep!"
