The visitor said bluntly: "General Wang, no one can say for sure what will happen in the future."
"roll!"
Wang Kai cursed angrily.
The visitor was not annoyed, he just smiled dryly and left the city where Wang Kai was.
The deputy general sighed and said: "These guys are crazy about military achievements. There is no reason to give in to each other on the battlefield."
Wang Kai gritted his teeth and punched the crenel in front of him, and said angrily: "They are not crazy, they want to tell their lord that their people have arrived."
The deputy general was stunned and looked outside the city in astonishment. Except for the imperial guards and rebels at Gubeikou, there were no other soldiers and horses, so he looked at Wang Kai in confusion.
Seeing the confused look on the deputy general's face, Wang Kai said angrily: "You can see the truth, how could the old guy named Du not understand? No one who can climb to the position of general of the Forbidden Army is a simple character.
It was a lie when he came to me to betray me, but it was true when he told me that his troops had arrived.
He actually wanted to remind me not to embarrass me when I was angry and sent him here."
The deputy general looked stunned.
Wang Kai ordered in a deep voice: "Go and carefully select three thousand elite cavalry and prepare to attack. Lead the team by Zhongwu General Chang Shan."
"Didn't you just..."
"Just now was just now, and now is now. Now that Du has intervened, we can no longer enjoy the military glory alone. If we continue to hesitate, I am afraid that all the military glory will be robbed by him."
"I'll go right away..."
"Let the soldiers bring enough rations. There will be almost nothing edible left in the places where the rebels have ravaged."
"Here!"
The deputy general descended from the city, quickly selected three thousand elite cavalry, and at the same time ordered Zhongwu General Chang Shan to lead the team.
After the Gubeikou Imperial Guards who were fighting outside had the rebel heads pinned to their waists and drove the rebel prisoners into Gubeikou, Zhongwu General Chang Shan immediately led three thousand elite cavalry and rushed out of Gubeikou.
Just as Wang Kai expected, after the Imperial Guards at Gubeikou chased the rebels for more than fifty miles, they discovered traces of the Imperial Guards at Yanmen Gate.
As the commander of a forbidden army, General Wang can mobilize three thousand elite cavalry to do things cheaply, and so can General Du.
The two imperial armies dispatched a total of 6,000 fine cavalry to strangle them from both sides.
The rebels were killed and routed.
It's funny to say that the rebels clearly outnumber the Jingqi by countless times.
But after facing the Jingqi, they never thought about fighting to the death. The only thought in their minds was to escape for their lives.
However, whether they are running for their lives or fighting to the death, their ending is doomed.
The elite cavalry of the Forbidden Army are all composed of one man and two horses, and they are all first-rate horses.
Only one horse could be given among hundreds of rebels, and it was an inferior horse.
In terms of speed, they are no match for the fine cavalry of the Forbidden Army.
The only advantage of their escape is that they can die slower.
Because if you choose to fight to the death, you will most likely die on the spot.
The only way to survive is to surrender.
Anyway, they were already at the bottom of the Song Dynasty, and their treatment would not change after surrendering.
It's just that neither the Imperial Guards at Gubeikou nor the Imperial Guards at Yanmen Pass seem to have any intention of taking too many prisoners.
The orders from the imperial court have not yet been conveyed, so they have many opportunities to take advantage of.
Like sheepdogs, they drove the rebels to run wildly through the territory.
Their panzers chased behind them and continued to kill, neither killing the rebels in one go nor giving them any chance to breathe.
The rebels were like exhausted sheep, unable to do anything but run.
Seven days.
The elite cavalry of the Forbidden Army killed more than 30,000 rebels.
At the same time, the imperial court issued military orders and arrived.
Wang Kai led 10,000 elite troops out of Gubeikou and annihilated the already exhausted rebels. Only the leader of the rebels, Lin Wenlong, led 300 of his followers and hid in the mountains.
Wang Kai led his army into the mountain for three days and found Lin Wenlong who had been chopped into nine pieces by his cronies. He also captured the cronies who had chopped Lin Wenlong to death.
Lin Wenlong is a greedy person, so his cronies are as greedy as him.
His cronies followed him, seeing no hope of achieving great success together, so they were concerned about the money he had collected.
As a result, Lin Wenlong was cut into nine pieces, and his money was divided among his cronies, who were preparing to take the money to escape.
But he did not escape Wang Kai's search and was eventually captured in one fell swoop.
When Wang Zeng arrived at Yanmen Pass in an old ox cart day and night, the rebellion had been put down.
All that was left were corpses and broken walls.
There was scorched earth everywhere.
Watching this, Wang Zenglao burst into tears.
If people from the Song Dynasty hadn't kept coming out of the mountains and forests of Yingzhou and other places and appeared on the scorched earth, Wang Zeng would have cried to death.
While Wang Zeng was leading the people to bring peace to the people, he also ordered Yingtian Mansion to mobilize grain from Chang Pingcang to come and help the victims.
At the same time, Wang Zeng wrote a memorial to Du Yi and Wang Kai and sent a fast horse to Bianjing City.
The memorials of Wang Kai and Du Yi asking for merit and the memorials of Wang Zeng participating in the memorials entered Bianjing City almost in tandem.
After Zhao Zhen received the three memorials, he could not make up his mind and ordered Chen Lin to invite Kou Ji to the palace to discuss it.
There are two recliners side by side in the Zishi Hall. Next to the recliner is a low table, and next to the low table are two maids kneeling.
Zhao Zhen and Kou Ji were lying on the recliners, one on the left and the other on the right.
Since Wang Zeng left the Zhengshitang, Kou Ji was the only commander left in the Zhengshitang.
Zhao Zhen has not yet discussed a new candidate to participate in political affairs.
So now the Political Affairs Hall is Kou Ji's office alone.
Shishido is the office of the two of them.
Without a group of old masters nagging them, Zhao Zhen and Kou Ji felt much more relaxed and relaxed.
What the two of them believe is that as long as the government affairs can be handled properly, it doesn't matter if they just lie down and handle the government affairs.
The civil and military affairs of the Manchu Dynasty meant nothing to Kou Ji alone dominating the Political Affairs Hall, and to Kou Ji and Zhao Zhen dominating the Zishi Hall.
All civil and military officials in the dynasty knew clearly that Zhao Zhen and Kou Ji had the final say in the current court.
They held the military power of the Song Dynasty and reasoned with the civil and military forces of the Manchu Dynasty, and no one could argue with them.
Anyone who attempts to enter Shijido to share their power will eventually become their defeat or work under their sect.
Lu Yijian and Wang Zeng are living examples.
Therefore, if Zhao Zhen and Kou Ji don't go out to bully others, no one will care about how they work in the palace.
Zhao Zhen opened his mouth and waited quietly for Gong E to feed an apricot to his mouth. While chewing the apricot, he said: "Fourth brother, things over there in Yingzhou are a bit difficult.
Du Yi and Wang Kai beheaded more than 30,000 people and captured more than 100,000 people. It was considered the greatest military achievement of our Song Dynasty in more than a year.
Now the soldiers under their command are looking forward to rewards.
But Wang Zeng wrote to me and told me that Wang Kai and Du Yi had the strength to destroy the rebels in one fell swoop, but they kept chasing the rebels, causing people in many places to be killed by the rebels, and they committed a heinous crime."
Kou Ji refused Gong E to serve him tea. He picked up the tea cup and took a sip, pondering: "Does the official think that both sides are right?"
Zhao Zhen nodded and said: "Of course I know that Du Yi and Wang Kai have the strength to wipe out the rebels in one fell swoop, but without my military orders, even if they act expediently, they do not have as much autonomy as Di Qing.
After all, they could only defeat the enemy by sending 6,000 fine cavalry. They were still a little short of completely annihilating the enemy.
Therefore, they can only chase the rebels and exhaust the rebels' mental and physical strength. After my military orders are issued, they can quickly lead heavy troops to attack and annihilate all enemies.
So what they did is not wrong.
But Wang Zeng had something to say. He clearly told me in his memorial that he had caught Wang Kai and Du Yi driving the rebels to kill the people for the sake of greed for power.
I have learned about the tragedy of the common people through Wu Desi.
I think both of them are justified.
Tell me, since neither party is at fault, who is at fault?"
After listening to Zhao Zhen's words, Kou Ji was silent for a long time, and finally slowly said, "No one is wrong."
Zhao Zhen asked: "How do you explain the tragedy of the people?"
Kou Ji sighed and said, "The officials know clearly, why do they ask the ministers?"
Zhao Zhen sat up, stared at Kou Ji and said seriously: "I want to hear fourth brother's opinion."
Kou Ji pondered for a moment and said: "In order to prevent military generals from causing chaos, the imperial court has set an iron rule that military generals are not allowed to attack without orders. In order to protect the family, the country and the world.
The officials were able to hand over the power of commanding the army to the generals, and also allowed the generals the right to act expediently. They even handed over 150,000 forbidden troops to Di Qing, and Di Qing was in charge of it alone. This was already a great gift.
At least Taizu, Taizong and the late emperor could not accomplish such a feat as an official.
So the officials are right.
Wang Kai and Du Yi were right to follow the order.
Wang Zeng was right to impeach them.
Because Wang Zeng was right, they had enough troops to suppress the rebellion quickly, but they sat at the pass and waited for orders, harming the people of Yingzhou and other places."
Zhao Zhen slowly lay down and said with a self-deprecating expression: "There is nothing wrong? Is it the fault of those innocent people? I am not the kind of person who likes to flatter me, nor am I the kind of person who deceives myself and others.
It's my problem and I won't deny it."
Kou Ji looked at Zhao Zhen, "Does the official think this is his fault?"
Zhao Zhen gritted his teeth and said, "If I give them more rights to do things conveniently, the people will not suffer."
Kou Ji sighed and said: "The Forbidden Army is now considered the strongest force in the four seas. It can't be seen if there are thousands of them, but once it exceeds 10,000, it will be a very tyrannical force.
If they cause trouble, the harm will be far greater than that of the rebels.
If the officials can tolerate them dispatching three thousand elite soldiers to do things conveniently, it is already very good.
Therefore, officials do not need to blame themselves.
If the officials gave them too much power to act at their own convenience, it would certainly protect the safety of the people, but it would also hang a knife over the heads of everyone in the Song Dynasty.
For the sake of the heads of most people in the Song Dynasty, it is inevitable to choose to sacrifice a small part."
Zhao Zhen said quietly: "I think that under my rule, the people will live and work in peace and contentment, everyone will have something to do, all the children will have books to read, and everyone will be able to live in peace.
But now it seems that I still have a lot to do.”
Zhao Zhen turned his head and looked at Kou Ji, and said seriously: "Kou Gong told me that the fourth brother is a person assigned by heaven. Since he is a person assigned by heaven, there is no way to let the people do it without strengthening the local general's power to act conveniently.
Live and work in peace and contentment?
Is there no way to get the best of both worlds?"
When Kou Ji heard Zhao Zhen's words, he lay on the recliner and was stunned for a long time.
He never imagined that Kou Zhun would actually regard his guess as a fact and tell Zhao Zhen, so that Zhao Zhen would determine that he was a person appointed by heaven.
Could it be that the reason why Zhao Zhen trusted him and handed over many powers to him over the years was because he believed in Kou Zhun's words and firmly believed that he was a person given by heaven, rather than because of friendship?
Kou Ji really wanted to ask this question, but in the end he didn't ask. He just smiled and said: "What kind of person is a man of heaven? You and I have already determined that there are no ghosts and gods in this world.
If this is the case, how can one say that it is a person given by heaven?
Everything I have learned is due to the teachings of famous teachers.
It’s just that my master is just a wild crane in the mountains, and he hasn’t shown up for a long time, so no one knows about it.”
Zhao Zhen was stunned and asked hurriedly: "Did Mr. Kou lie to me?"
Kou Ji raised his eyebrows and said, "Don't the officials ask where the master is?"
Zhao Zhen shook his head and said bluntly: "I have many wild cranes in the free clouds of Song Dynasty. They are hidden in the mountains and forests. They are not willing to be used by me, and I will not force them. I am very satisfied with your help."
If I continue to be greedy, I am afraid that too much will be a disaster.
Now the Song Dynasty is slowly moving forward according to my plan and yours. Although the road ahead is not very clear, you and I already have goals.
If you ask an expert to intervene again, I am afraid that my plan and yours will be ruined beyond recognition.
When the time comes, I’m afraid all the hard work you and I have put in over the years will be in vain.”
Kou Ji praised: "The official family is really contented and happy."
Zhao Zhen smiled bitterly and said: "I am also greedy, but I know that one person has different ideas. I cannot make everyone think the same as me.
So I want to seek talented people, but I don’t like talented people to impose their ideas on me, or on the Song Dynasty.
I'm a big Song, it's enough to have an idea.
As long as we follow an idea, we will build success sooner or later.
If there are two ideas, three ideas, or even more ideas.
There are so many choices, I don’t know which path to choose.
More importantly, I'm afraid that I won't be able to go far if I have too many ideas.
Today we go this way, tomorrow we go that way, and the Song Dynasty is changed beyond recognition.
So it’s better to just follow one path from beginning to end.”
After hearing what Zhao Zhen said, Kou Ji sighed sincerely: "The officials have finally understood how people live."
Zhao Zhen had no intention of discussing this with Kou Ji. He stared at Kou Ji and asked, "Tell me quickly why Kou Gong told me that you are a person appointed by heaven."
It is not difficult to judge from Zhao Zhen's words that Zhao Zhen is close to Kou Ji.
Because after Kou Ji explained the matter, Zhao Zhen decisively chose to believe Kou Ji, and decisively believed that Kou Zhun was lying to him, not Kou Ji.
Kou Ji saw Zhao Zhen's thoughts and said with emotion: "Grandpa is probably afraid that we, the emperor and his ministers, will lose trust and go against each other. That's why he used this lie to tie us together tightly and let us support each other wholeheartedly."
Contribute to the Song Dynasty."
Zhao Zhen pondered for a moment and nodded: "I can understand what you said. When my father was in court, he lost trust in Duke Kou three times and defeated him three times.
He placed a group of treacherous ministers in high positions and tortured the people of the Song Dynasty, causing the Song Dynasty to be devastated.
If my father could trust Kou Gong and be consistent, perhaps our Song Dynasty would become better than ever.
Mr. Kou probably doesn’t want you and I to become like him and my father, so he used such lies to bind us together.”
Kou Ji stood up, saluted Zhao Zhen, and said: "My grandfather also told a white lie. Please don't blame the officials."
Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter. After all, it's for you, my king and my ministers, and for my country, the Song Dynasty. As long as it is beneficial to my country, the Song Dynasty, I don't mind being deceived."
Kou Ji couldn't laugh or cry, "It's better for officials not to be deceived by others, lest traitors take the opportunity to climb into high positions."
Zhao Zhen narrowed his eyes slightly and said quietly: "In fact, I don't care at all whether he is loyal or traitorous in this court. As long as he can contribute to our Song Dynasty and comply with my requirements, I can tolerate it.
.”
As soon as Zhao Zhen said these words.
Kou Ji pursed his lips and didn't know how to speak.
Seeing this, Zhao Zhen asked: "Is what I said wrong?"
Kou Ji smiled bitterly and said: "It doesn't matter whether you can make achievements or not, but as long as you can strictly abide by the requirements set by the officials, there is no way to become a traitor.
Therefore, the official’s words are very inappropriate.”
Zhao Zhen pretended to be stunned, "Really? I think it's pretty good."
Kou Ji shook his head and said nothing.
Zhao Zhen told him very generously that he could tolerate both loyal and traitorous people.
But the requirements he put forward for becoming an official were obviously based on the standards of a loyal minister.
If a traitor can strictly abide by the standards set by him, what kind of traitor is he?
Therefore, Zhao Zhen seems to be generous enough to accommodate treacherous ministers, but there will never be treacherous ministers in the court.
Because Zhao Zhen would use his own standards to turn all the treacherous ministers in the court into loyal ministers.
Kou Ji lay down again at Zhao Zhen's signal.
Zhao Zhen said with emotion: "I firmly believe that you are a person given by heaven, and I have believed it for more than ten years. Now that I have discovered that it was Kou Gong's lie, not only am I not disappointed, but I also feel a little lucky.
Do you think it’s strange?”
Kou Ji said bluntly: "The officials probably feel that the achievements that you and I, the monarchs and our ministers have worked hard to establish, should not be divided in half by the illusory God."
Zhao Zhen laughed loudly and said: "That's right! That's right!"
He and Kou Ji jointly established the current Song Dynasty and established supreme achievements. He was really unhappy to let God take a share of them for no reason.
Now that he learned that God was not involved in the process of establishing their careers, Zhao Zhen was naturally very happy.
He may have had the idea in his mind that ‘God is just like this’.
Kou Ji smiled and said: "The officials invited me to the palace to weigh how to deal with matters in Yingzhou and other places, but now we have been chatting for a long time.
Should we get down to business?"
Zhao Zhen was not anxious at all. He stared at Kou Ji and said, "Fourth brother really doesn't have a best-of-both-worlds solution that can solve this kind of embarrassment that's happening in front of us?"
Kou Ji was speechless.
Zhao Zhen continued, minding his own business: "Taizu, Taizong, are my fathers and emperors. Guarding against warriors is like guarding against thieves. The oppressed warriors cannot raise their heads in the court.
It is precisely because of this that the Song Dynasty was bullied by the barbarians, and the civil servants were in power. On the surface, they were all loyal and virtuous ministers, but secretly they were all scumbags.
Now I have supported the warriors and watched them help me expand the territory of the Song Dynasty and establish supreme achievements.
There are many things in my eyes that are different from those of Taizu, Taizong, and my father.
I think it’s good to be a martial artist or a scholar.
Just like two human legs, one is indispensable, one is long and the other is short.
Civil and military forces should complement each other and move forward together.
In this way, the literati look at the warriors, and the warriors look at the literati.
As long as I control the balance and prevent any one of them from getting too powerful.
Then I don’t have to worry about the literati and military men causing trouble.
Only in this way can we, the Song Dynasty, gather the strength to do whatever we want to do."
Zhao Zhen spoke for a long time, and Kou Ji understood what he meant.
Zhao Zhen told Kou Ji that he would give the warriors all the freedom they could.
Now that civil and military forces can balance each other, he can stay in the middle court with peace of mind.
But there were some words that Zhao Zhen didn't say, but Kou Ji guessed.
That is because Zhao Zhen really wanted to give more power to the warriors so that they could maintain local security and prevent the people from suffering.
But he was also afraid that the warriors would become powerful, so he suppressed the literati and turned the Song Dynasty into a deformed child again.
Now, he is competing between his throne and the people.
On one side is the inheritance of the ancestors, on the other side is the safety of the people.
Zhao Zhen is indeed a bit difficult to choose.
Kou Ji pondered again and again and said to Zhao Zhen: "In fact, officials don't always have to think about whether to delegate power or not. The biggest problem in this embarrassing situation comes from the transmission of news.
As long as officials find ways to speed up the transmission of messages, this embarrassing situation can be greatly avoided.
Nowadays, it takes seven days to send an order from Bianjing City to Gubeikou.
Once a war broke out in Gubeikou, news would come and go on the 14th.
If the officials can find ways to speed up the transmission of messages and shorten the time by half, then the danger to the people will be reduced by half.
If the officials can find a way to let the news arrive at night, then no matter where a rebellion occurs, the imperial court will quickly send troops to eliminate it.
At that time, as long as we do not cause harm to the country and the people, the people will rise up and attack.
The state of the Song Dynasty was as stable as Mount Tai."
Zhao Zhen was stunned for a moment, and after thinking about Kou Ji's words for a moment, he sighed: "So it can still be like this..."
Kou Ji smiled and said: "Officials should learn to step out of the problem and look at the problem again. There will be different gains."
Zhao Zhen nodded in agreement, "I will turn around and ask the people below to find ways to speed up the transmission of the news. If it can be shortened, the people will be less in danger. I will feel better."
Kou Ji praised: "The official is worthy of being a benevolent and righteous king."
Zhao Zhen said dumbfounded: "Come on. The people now call me Emperor Wu, which has nothing to do with benevolence and righteousness."
Kou Ji laughed out loud.
A famous benevolent emperor in history became emperor Wu, which really made people laugh.
Zhao Zhen continued: "I plan to give Wang Zeng, Du Yi, and Wang Kai 50 hits each. What do you think, fourth brother?"
Kou Ji stared at Kou Ji and made a listening gesture.
Zhao Zhen said with a smile: "The king once interfered in the military affairs of the Privy Council and was fined for half a year. Wang Kai and Du Yi lied about their military merits and their rewards were halved. The soldiers' military merits were not compromised, but because they killed too much, they were ordered to oversee the work for half a year and keep an eye on those
The prisoners plowed the fields.
Every half a year, two thousand soldiers will be dispatched as supervisors at the two passes, and they will be replaced back and forth until all the fifty thousand imperial troops have been rotated through, and the supervision period expires."