While the imperial examination was in full swing in Chang'an, Zhu Si's special envoy Wang Ling, the Minister of the Ministry of Revenue, also arrived in Chang'an, and was received by Zhang Qiu'an, the Minister of the Ministry of War.
Wang Ling was originally the governor of Puzhou, but he became Zhu Si's minister of household affairs very reluctantly. This was also a characteristic of the Zhu Si dynasty. Local governors and governors were unwilling to become officials, even if they were ministers.
Not willing to do so, and most of the jobs don't last long, and can be changed quickly, ranging from a few months to half a year, to a few days.
The reason is also very simple. First of all, there is no power. The political power of Zhu Si's court was monopolized by Liu Feng. The power of each ministry was shared by a group of his staff. The ministers and ministers of each ministry became decorations.
You have to go to the Prime Minister's Mansion to report to the staff.
The second and most important reason is that the legitimacy of the Zhu Si dynasty is increasingly questioned by the people in the states under its jurisdiction. Areas outside the territory do not recognize the legitimacy of the Zhu Si regime. They are either called Zhu Si thieves or rebels. And its own
The subjects no longer recognized him as the orthodoxy of the court because of their difficult life and heavy taxes.
It is this widespread resentment and disapproval that makes local officials unwilling to serve as officials in the court, and just want to keep their local official powers. Even if Zhu Si is overthrown in the future, the King of Jin is unlikely to pursue local officials unless it is
You common people have gone too far.
Wang Ling was invited to the post house to rest. In the lobby of the post house, Wang Ling briefly told Zhang Qiuan the content of his negotiation this time.
"Our emperor's intention is that we hope that you will withdraw your troops from Weihan. In return, we will hand over Jeju and Yunzhou as well as Li Na and his son to you. In other words, we will send troops to destroy Li Na? And bring Ji and Yun to your side."
Zhou and Li Na and his son leave it to you."
"Is it that simple?" Zhang Qiu'an asked with a faint smile.
Wang Ling was silent for a moment and said: "Let me tell you the truth? If we can't reach an agreement with you, then we will form an alliance with Li Na? Fully support Li Na? Including money, food, soldiers, and cooperative operations to retake Qi."
Zhang Qiu'an nodded. "Thank you Wang Shangshu for your candor, but I also want to tell you our attitude. Is it best if Wang Shangshu can make the decision? If you can't make the decision, please convey our opinions to Luoyang as soon as possible."
"Zhang Shangshu, please speak!"
"The first is about the issues to be discussed, we should be detailed."
Zhang Qiu'an said calmly: "We should divide the discussion into three parts: Weihan, Mianchi, Yuzhou and Yingzhou. Of course, if you have clearly given up on Yuzhou and Yingzhou? Then remove them? Only talk about Weihan and Yingzhou.
Mianchi County, and then it’s your bargaining chip, first of all we don’t recognize Jeju and Yunzhou, we want to talk about Mizhou, Yanzhou and Yizhou.”
"This is a bit difficult!"
Wang Ling looked embarrassed. When he was leaving, the emperor repeatedly warned him that there was no room for negotiation in the three states of Mi, Yan, and Yi, so he would not participate in the meeting.
"Our emperor has made it clear that the three states of Mi, Yan and Yi will not participate in this meeting."
Zhang Qiu'an nodded. "Then let's change the plan. Let's not talk about Weihan? Just talk about Mianchi County and Yu and Ying prefectures? Either use Mianchi County in exchange for Ji and Yun prefectures? Or we can reciprocate and use Henan and Ying prefectures."
Ying Prefecture exchanges Ji and Yun Prefectures, and if you want to exchange Mianchi County and Henan and Ying Prefectures back together, then in addition to Ji and Yun Prefectures, you have to show other sincerity."
Wang Ling was silent for a moment and said: "I can't make the decision, I need to report to the emperor."
Zhang Qiu'an smiled slightly and said: "Don't rush, let's talk slowly, maybe we can find other feasible solutions."
.........
They chatted for a while, and then Zhang Qiuan left and went to report the other party's attitude to King Jin.
After listening to Zhang Qiuan's report, Guo Song smiled lightly and said: "Since Zhu Si wants to use Li Na to make a deal, he must first ensure the survival of Li Na's army. If I guessed correctly, they have already given Li Na
Give the army some food."
"Your Highness, do you want to leave this bargaining chip to them?"
Guo Song shook his head, "I have never regarded Li Na as a bargaining chip in negotiations. Yesterday, I ordered Li Bing to divide his troops into two groups and capture Jeju and Yunzhou as soon as possible."
Guo Song took a few steps with his hands behind his back, and then said: "The bottom line of my negotiation is to exchange Mianchi County for Mizhou, Yanzhou, and Yizhou. If they don't do it, they will get nothing in the end."
........
On the Yellow River north of Jeju, two hundred cargo ships loaded with grain and supplies sailed along the south bank toward Lu County. The weather today is very good, the sun is shining, and there are blue sky and white clouds above our heads. The Yellow River has just passed the peak season, and the water volume is huge.
The speed is also more urgent,
Teams of trackers were pulling the boats forward on the shore. On the leader of the 5,000-stone boat, an observation soldier stood on the mast pod, holding his hand curtains, looking sharply towards the south bank in the distance. He vaguely saw
A small black spot, that should be Lu County.
"Ring the bell, Lushi County is coming!"
‘Dang! Dang! Dang!’ The bell rang rapidly on the big ship.
On the shore, General Li Bing was leading 30,000 cavalrymen along the bank of the Yellow River, keeping the same speed as the fleet. Naturally, their horses were transported from the other side of the Yellow River, allowing the Jin army to quickly restore its cavalry force.
Li Bing heard the bell, turned around and smiled at the soldiers: "Keep on holding on, let's go to Lu County to rest!"
The cavalrymen cheered up and continued to move forward at a constant speed.
In fact, Noh County is the seat of Jeju Prefecture, with the largest population and the largest city. However, Li Na placed his troops in Donga County. The main reason is that the city wall of Noh County is too dilapidated and has not been repaired in fifty years. The wood has decayed and the city walls are too old.
The bricks turned into powder with just a slight blow, and even soldiers did not dare to patrol the top of the city for fear that people would sink in while walking.
The city wall is not suitable for repair and can only be rebuilt, which will cost at least tens of thousands of guan. How could Li Na be willing to spend so much money to build the city? Three years ago, the people in the county raised 20,000 guan to prepare to rebuild the city wall, but this money was not enough.
Li Na misappropriated his military salary, which aroused the anger of the people in the county and cursed Li Na's ancestors for eight generations.
There was no money to repair the city, so the city wall could only remain in its old state. It might completely collapse one day. Naturally, Li Na did not dare to put his army in such an unsafe city.
There is another unknown reason, that is, Lu County was once an enclave of Tian Chengsi's uncle and nephew on the south bank of the Yellow River for a long time, just like Liyang County was once an enclave of Zhu Si in Hebei.
The long-term management of Tian's uncle and nephew made the people of Lu County more loyal to Wei. After the fall of Wei, Li Na took over Lu County, but the two county magistrates he appointed were driven away by the people of Lu County. In the end, Li Na and
The gentry of Lu County reached an agreement not to enlist the young men of Lu County to join the army, so Lu County accepted the county magistrate appointed by Li Na. How could Li Na like such an unruly county?
The fleet finally arrived at the Yellow River pier outside Lu County. This is also the most important advantage of Lu County. It is the largest pier on the south bank of the lower reaches of the Yellow River and the most important river crossing in the lower reaches of the Yellow River.
Cargo ships began to dock one after another, and at the same time, the cavalry also arrived. Li Bing got off his horse. At this time, dozens of gentry from Lu County came to welcome the Jin army.
A group of gentry stepped forward and bowed, "A salute to General Li!"
"Do you know me?" Li Bing asked in surprise.
One of the gentry said: "I just came back from Licheng County and met General Li!"
So that's it. Li Bing nodded with a smile and asked: "Is there a Qi army in the county?"
A middle-aged man who looked like an official saluted and said: "Reporting to the general, there has never been a Qi army in the county. Now even the county magistrate and the county magistrate have abandoned their official positions and fled."
"Then you are..."
"Wu Liang, a humble official, is a county lieutenant in Lu County, so he is a local."
Li Bing said happily: "From now on, you are the magistrate of this county!"
Wu Liang was overjoyed and said quickly: "I am willing to serve His Highness the King of Jin!"
"Now you have something to do. Go to the county and recruit thousands of people to unload the goods on the ship for me. Of course they will be paid. Each person will be paid two hundred cents a day. As soon as possible!"
The wages were not low, and they were old money. Naturally, everyone was enthusiastic about it. Even trackers joined the army of unloading ships. Wu Liang soon recruited thousands of young and strong men to come to the dock to help unload the ships.
For a time, the pier was extremely lively. First, the tents and barracks were unloaded, and the soldiers began to set up camp not far from the pier and install the barracks.
In a pavilion next to the pier, Li Bing was asking a dozen gentry about the situation in Jeju.
An old man who knew the situation said: "General Qi, there are 10,000 troops stationed in Jeju. They are in Dong'a County, led by General Liu Hao. However, I heard that they have insufficient food and grass. The soldiers can only eat one meal a day. There are complaints, Liu Hao
They robbed grain shops in Dong'e and Yanggu counties and the granaries of dozens of large households, and barely solved the food problem. Once they heard that this made Li Shigu very dissatisfied, he publicly accused Liu Hao, causing a serious confrontation between the two.
"
Li Bing nodded. Li Na ordered his son Li Shigu to appease the people of Jeju, but Liu Hao did the opposite and launched an army to loot. This would of course anger Li Shigu.
"Then what?"
"Then I heard that Li Shigu went to Yunzhou overnight, and Liu Hao led his army to stay in Dong'a County."
Li Bing fell into deep thought. He offended Li Shigu and his life with Li Na would not be easy. Can Liu Hao win over him?