Facing the furious Zhao Ji, even Cai Jing was under pressure at the moment. Facing the inkstone that Zhao Ji threw at him, he didn't even dare to avoid it and could only let the inkstone hit him.
With a bang, the skin on Cai Jing's forehead was smashed, and blood oozed out immediately. However, the furious Zhao Ji just looked at Cai Jing coldly, spit out a breath of anger, flicked his sleeves and shouted: "Where is Zhang Shuye?"
"
At this moment, Cai Jing hurriedly said to Zhao Ji: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Zhang Shuye and his son came to Beijing yesterday and are waiting for your Majesty's summons."
Zhao Ji nodded slightly and scolded a young Huangmen next to him: "Immediately convey my decree and summon Zhang Shuye and his son to see you."
With Zhao Ji's temperament, national affairs have always been put off as long as possible. Anyway, they cannot delay his enjoyment. However, Zhu Meng's death this time deeply stimulated Zhao Ji. At this moment, Zhao Ji, who was angry, remembered that he had been waiting.
Looking at Zhang Shuye and his son whom he summoned.
If Zhu Meng's incident had not happened, according to Zhao Ji's temperament, Zhang Shuye and his son would probably not be able to get Zhao Ji's Zhao Ji within three to five days.
Even because of the discord between Cai Jing and Zhang Shuye and his son, they would try their best to isolate the news of Zhang Shuye and his son's arrival in Beijing, so they could only hope that Zhao Ji would think of Zhang Shuye and his son.
Brothers Zhang Bofen and Zhang Zhongxiong are extremely brave. This time the father and son went to Beijing, Zhang Bofen and Zhang Zhongxiong were naturally extremely excited.
My father has been summoned by the emperor. If nothing unexpected happens, he will definitely be reused by the emperor. This is naturally a great joy for the Zhang family.
In a courtyard where the Zhang family and his son are staying temporarily, a figure in green clothes is looking into the distance with his hands behind his back. If any official from the court sees this person, they will definitely recognize him as Uncle Zhang, the prefect of Qingzhou.
night.
Zhang Shuye seemed to have something wrong with his expression at this moment. To be honest, Zhang Shuye was really confused about the purpose of this urgent summons by the emperor to Beijing.
After all, only a few people knew about the news that Zhao Ji wanted to lead an army to the south of the Yangtze River to suppress the Manichaean rebellion. Obviously, it was impossible for people like Cai Jing to leak the news to Zhang Shuye.
There was a rapid knock on the door, and Zhang Shuye, who was lost in thought, came back to his senses. At this moment, a burly figure appeared at the door with striding steps, opened the door, and stared at the few people at the door with wide eyes.
The eunuch delivering the order.
When he saw the eunuchs who were delivering the order, Zhang Bofen couldn't help but be stunned and said subconsciously: "You... you..."
The leading eunuch who was delivering the order coughed lightly, glanced at Zhang Bofen, and looked towards the courtyard, and saw Zhang Shuye standing there at a glance.
When he saw Zhang Shuye, the eunuch who delivered the order immediately said: "Prefect of Qingzhou, Zhang Shuye takes the order!"
Zhang Shuye immediately stepped forward, prostrated himself and said: "Your Majesty, Zhang Shuye, accept the order."
As the eunuch who delivered the order read out Zhao Ji's oral instructions, his eyes fell on Zhang Shuye, with a kind smile on his face and said: "Prefect Zhang, please tidy up, and please enter the palace with our family."
On the side, brothers Zhang Bofen and Zhang Zhongxiong showed unconcealable excitement on their faces. Compared with the excitement of the two brothers, Zhang Shuye looked very calm. He raised his hands to the eunuch who passed the order and said, "Thank you for your work."
In jail."
Soon Zhang Shuye tidied up a little and ordered Zhang Zhongxiong and his brothers to stay in the yard and not move around, and he followed the eunuch who had delivered the order into the palace.
in the palace
Zhao Ji, who had vented his anger, had now calmed down. Although he was annoyed by Zhu Meng's death, it did not affect Zhao Ji's enjoyment mood at all.
At this moment, Zhao Ji was enjoying the singing and dancing of the palace ladies, as if he was trying to use this method to numb himself and make himself forget his troubles.
When Zhang Shuye arrived, Zhao Ji had no intention of avoiding it and directly summoned Zhang Shuye.
Before entering the main hall, a faint sound came over, which made the solemn-looking Zhang Shuye frown slightly. When he walked into the main hall, his eyes couldn't help but condense.
Zhang Shuye has an upright temperament. At this moment, when he saw Zhao Ji looking like a faint king indulging in singing and dancing, his face turned cold. With a tigerish face, he stepped forward and saluted Zhao Ji, and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, Zhang Shuye,
Pay homage to His Majesty."
Cai Jing, who was on the side, saw Zhang Shuye's reaction in his eyes, and couldn't help but tilt the corners of his mouth slightly, showing a look of disdain.
Although there is some resentment between him and Zhang Shuye, to be honest, Cai Jing has never regarded Zhang Shuye as a serious enemy. Apart from anything else, Zhang Shuye's temperament alone destined him to be only a capable minister, and
He is not a favored minister who can win the trust of the emperor.
If the court is clear and the emperor is a wise monarch, then naturally the most trusted ministers by the emperor are capable ministers. It is a pity that today's officials are not virtuous monarchs.
Sure enough, Zhao Ji, who was immersed in singing and dancing, was suddenly startled by Zhang Shuye's voice, and his good mood was completely ruined by Zhang Shuye.
"you……"
Zhao Ji raised his head and looked at Zhang Shuye with an angry face. He happened to see Zhang Shuye's upright face. He stopped when he spoke, and stared at Zhang Shuye, thinking
He still needed Zhang Shuye to help him go to the south of the Yangtze River to quell the rebellion. Zhao Ji gritted his teeth and suppressed his displeasure with Zhang Shuye in his heart.
Even though he noticed Zhao Ji's unhappy expression, Zhang Shuye still looked at Zhao Ji solemnly.
Zhao Ji, who was in a bad mood, was not in the mood to enjoy the singing and dancing anymore, and waved his hand to signal the palace ladies to retreat.
When Gong E retreated, Zhao Ji looked at Zhang Shuye, tried his best to show a smile on his face and said: "I have called Ji Zhong here because I have something important to entrust you with."
Zhang Shuye heard this and said quickly: "Your Majesty is right, I will die for your Majesty."
As if thinking of the deaths of Zhu Meng and Liang Shicheng, Zhao Ji showed a somewhat gloomy look on his face. He stood up suddenly, looked at Zhang Shuye and said: In the land south of the Yangtze River, the Manichaeans rebelled and disrupted the Song Dynasty. This was a serious problem for the imperial court.
Also, I want to order Ji Zhong to personally lead the army to pacify, but I wonder if Ji Zhong is willing to take on this important task?"
Zhang Shuye was slightly startled. Although he is the prefect of Qingzhou, it does not mean that Zhang Shuye does not know the affairs of the world.
Chu Yi's defeat of the Manichaeans in the first battle has spread all over the world. Zhang Shuye, who has always been concerned about national affairs, naturally cannot help but know about it. Hearing this, he couldn't help but show a bit of surprise.
Almost subconsciously, Zhang Shuye said: "Even the ministers admire the King of Guangyang for his ability to command troops. With the King of Guangyang in the south of the Yangtze River, it will only be a matter of time before Manichaeism is pacified. Your Majesty..."
Seeing Zhao Ji's face becoming more and more gloomy, Zhang Shuye later realized that something was wrong with Zhao Ji's expression and stopped.
Zhang Shuye had heard about the rumors about the discord between Zhao Ji and Chu Yi, but Zhang Shuye had never believed it.
But now it seems that the rumors are not false.
Zhao Ji just looked at Zhang Shuye and said, "I just ask you, are you sure you can pacify the land south of the Yangtze River?"
When Zhang Shuye heard this, he did not reply immediately. Instead, he pondered for a while, then looked up at Zhao Ji and said, "My ability to pacify the land south of the Yangtze River depends on your majesty's approved support."
Zhao Ji was slightly startled and immediately said: "Ji Zhong has something to ask for, and I will grant it."
Zhang Shuye immediately said after hearing this: "I would like to issue a military order to your majesty. If you don't want to put an end to the chaos in the south of the Yangtze River, I will raise my head to see him."
Hearing Zhang Shuye's words, Zhao Ji immediately smiled with joy and said: "Ji Zhong said this, I feel at ease!"
Cai Jing on the side gave Zhang Shuye a nonchalant look and said: "Zhang Jizhong, the court is not well off now. You also know that Wang Qing in Huaixi and the Tianhu rebellion in Hebei are nothing more than the chaos in Bianzhen.
Earth, both Xixia and Liao are our great enemies of the Song Dynasty. They have already restrained too much of the Song Dynasty's energy, and the support the court can give you is very limited."
Hearing this, Zhang Shuye just glanced at Cai Jing indifferently, and then said to Zhao Ji who looked embarrassed: "Your Majesty, I only ask your Majesty to allocate 50,000 elite troops to me. I am confident that we can pacify Jiangnan within a year."
chaos."
Zhao Ji immediately clapped his hands and said, "I agreed."
Watching Zhang Shuye leave, Cai Jing said to Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty, although Zhang Jizhong said that he is not weak, but if he wants to quell the chaos in Jiangnan with only 50,000 elite soldiers, he is probably not strong enough.
.”
Zhao Ji glanced at Cai Jing in surprise. Based on his understanding of Cai Jing, Cai Jing was at odds with Zhang Shuye, and he was afraid that Zhang Shuye would be unlucky, but now he looked worried about Zhang Shuye's trip.
Seemingly noticing Zhao Ji's surprised gaze, Cai Jingdang said to Zhao Ji with an aggrieved look on his face: "The conflict between the minister and Zhang Jizhong is just a personal grudge. How can it be compared with the national security? If Zhang Jizhong
Ji Zhong's departure has been of no use, and the situation in the Song Dynasty will be destroyed. Even if I don't know the difference between right and wrong, I still know what is light and what is serious."
Hearing what Cai Jing said, Zhao Ji couldn't help but patted Cai Jing with a moved expression and said, "If everyone in the world were as loyal as Cai Qing, I wouldn't have any worries."
Zhao Ji said with a confident look: "I will personally issue an order and send two royal heavenly beings to help Zhang Shuye. Coupled with the strong men in the army, I don't believe it. The chaos in Jiangnan will not be quelled."
Cai Jing's eyes lit up, and he immediately complimented Zhao Ji: "Your Majesty's move is very wonderful. Before the national justice, the two royal heavenly beings may have no choice but to obey orders. Otherwise, your Majesty's decree can be used to beat them as traitors."
Thief, it would be even better if these two heavenly beings could sacrifice their lives for their country."
Zhao Ji looked straight and said: "I hope that this time to pacify the south of the Yangtze River, no one of our Song Dynasty soldiers will be harmed. Otherwise, if anyone is harmed, I will be heartbroken."
