Just when Guo Song defeated the Tubo army and regained Shazhou, several major events happened in the court. One was the bribery case of Zhang She. There was a censor who impeached the Prime Minister Zhang She for accepting a bribe of 100,000 taels of silver from General Xin Gaojing. Xin Gao Kyoya admitted this.
Li Shi did not expect that Zhang She, who was always known for his integrity, would also accept bribes, which made him extremely disappointed. He immediately dismissed Zhang She from his position, removed him from all official positions, and ordered him to return to his hometown for retirement. Yang Yan took the opportunity to accuse Han Huang, thinking that Zhang She She was recommended by Han Huang to become the prime minister, and Han Huang bears the responsibility.
Another incident also involved Han Huang, and that was the rebellion of Jingzhou garrison Liu Wenxi. The cause was that Prime Minister Yang Yan ordered the Jingzhou garrison to go to Yuanzhou to build a city, but the Jingzhou soldiers refused to go because their military salary was too low. Liu Wenxi took the opportunity to propose He could persuade the soldiers, but he asked the court to make him the military envoy of Qingning, but the court refused.
Liu Wenxi was so angry that he took advantage of the soldiers' dissatisfaction and occupied Anding City to rebel. Li Shi immediately issued an order and transferred Fengxiang's envoy Li Huaiguang and Jingyuan's Jiedu envoy Zhu Si to lead the army to annihilate Liu Wenxi. Although Liu Wenxi was quickly wiped out, Liu Wenxi also committed suicide with a sword. , but the people in Anding County also suffered heavy casualties.
This incident aroused the anger of Emperor Li Shi and demanded strict handling of the case. Just two days ago, Yushitai formally impeached Prime Minister Han Huang. Liu Wenxi was recommended by Han Huang as the military envoy to Jingzhou.
Zhang Shen's case was combined with Liu Wenxi's case. Han Huang also knew that the emperor would no longer tolerate him, so he asked the emperor to resign as a recommendation, and begged the emperor to let him return to his hometown for retirement.
At this time, the news that Guo Song led his army to defeat the Tibetan army and regained Shazhou reached Chang'an, and Li Shi's anger also subsided a lot.
Although Guo Song's recovery of Shazhou was not welcomed by the court officials, Li Shi was extremely happy. Guo Song did not let him down and indeed captured Shazhou from Tubo.
At this time, Li Shi stood in front of the map with his hands behind his hands. The joy and excitement brought about by regaining Shazhou made it difficult for him to calm down for a long time.
Li Bo certainly knew the importance of Shazhou's strategic position. Capturing Shazhou meant that he could go from Shazhou to Anxi, which opened up a channel to Anxi. He could send troops and supplies to Anxi, which not only enabled Datang to keep the four towns of Anxi safe. If he lost his territory, he could continue to regain the lost territory and completely drive the Tubo forces out of Anxi. At that time, he could give an account to his ancestors.
Guo Song was really his lucky general. He remembered his father's last words before his death, which Guo Song could use to the west. This shows that his father was smart. He had long identified Guo Song's position as the third emperor of the Tang Dynasty. Two Wang Zhongsi.
At this time, a eunuch reported at the door, "Li Xiangguo wants to see you!"
This is Li Mi coming. Li Shi nodded and said, "Let him come in!"
After a while, Li Mi walked into the imperial study, bowed and saluted: "I congratulate your majesty on your recovery of Shazhou!"
"This is the joy of the Tang Dynasty. Isn't the Prime Minister happy?"
"Of course Wei Chen is happy. Wei Chen is still considering whether to take advantage of the situation to regain Guazhou?"
Li Shi shook his head, "Guazhou cannot be moved for the time being. If we send troops to Guazhou, Tingzhou cannot be saved. Although this is an agreement reached by Guo Song and Shatuo and does not represent the imperial court, I also recognize this balance. In order to protect Tingzhou, I will only Can we not take back Guazhou for the time being?"
Li Mi was silent for a moment and said: "Your Majesty is right, but I didn't think carefully."
Li Shi laughed, "Isn't this why Li Xiangguo came to me?"
Li Mi shook his head, "Wei Chen is actually here because of Han Xiangguo's affairs. Although Han Xiangguo made mistakes, the Yushitai's impeachment of him was indeed a bit too harsh."
The smile on Li Shi's face disappeared. He took a few steps with his hands behind his back and said coldly for a while: "Don't you think he has been the prime minister for too long?"
Li Mi was silent for a moment, and it was only then that he realized that everything was an excuse, and the fundamental reason was that the emperor wanted to change his appearance.
Li Shi walked to the window with his hands behind his back and said after a while: "There is also Cui Xiangguo. Although he is senior, his health is too poor. The imperial doctor suggested several times that I let him rest. I decided to accept the imperial doctor's suggestion."
Li Mi felt that something was wrong. After such adjustment, the court would only have two prime ministers, himself and Han Huang. Could it be that the emperor planned to restore the previous two-phase system.
Li Shi understood what Li Mi was thinking. He looked at the sky and said slowly: "I still lack experience in many things. After more than a year of being in power, I gradually realized many of my father's good intentions, including his many...
The phase system was changed to a two-phase system. Only now do I know that under the multi-phase system, all kinds of shuffling and buck-passing mean that my intentions cannot be implemented at all. I have proposed limiting the authority of the vassal town since last year, but to this day, I still can’t see it.
No measures have been taken.”
Li Mi quickly said: "Your Majesty, the restriction of power of the feudal towns is of great importance, especially since the feudal towns have formed a joint guarantee state. If something goes wrong in one town, other towns will follow suit and raise troops to cause trouble, which will cause chaos in the world. We can only slow down in this matter.
If you want to figure it out, don’t act rashly.”
Li Shi snorted with great dissatisfaction, "I want to regain Hexi, but the Zhengshitang is opposed to it. I want to limit the power of vassal towns, and the Zhengshitang is also opposed to it. I don't understand. Is the world's surname Li or Zheng?"
Li Mi felt the dissatisfaction in the emperor's heart, and said with a wry smile: "Your Majesty, the power of the prime minister and the power of the monarch are completely separate, and the power of the prime minister will not infringe on the monarch's power."
"Yeah?"
Li Shi sneered and said: "It is the monarch's right to use military power externally, but how difficult is it for Guo and Song to send troops? I wanted to commend the soldiers who have made contributions to the country, but the political affairs hall vetoed it because of lack of financial resources. Don't I know about the financial difficulties?
This political hall has already overridden me. Two proposals for vassal restriction were rejected by the political hall. I feel like a clay Bodhisattva in the temple, just a decoration. This kind of political hall is not what I want. I am now
It was only then that I deeply realized the good intentions of my father in implementing the two-phase system. It was really a painful realization."
Li Mi also knew that he could no longer persuade him, and it was not impossible to restore the two-phase system. However, the emperor retained a narrow-minded villain like Yang Yan and deposed a good and capable prime minister like Han Huang. It was really a bad idea for Li Mi to judge people.
We also know that the emperor has made up his mind and it is difficult to persuade him to return. Now we can only try to preserve the possibility of Han Huang making a comeback.
"Your Majesty wants to remove Prime Minister Han, and I have nothing to say. However, Prime Minister Han has outstanding talents, is loyal to the country, and is in the prime of life. It would be a pity to demote him to a sinecure. I recommend him to sit in Zhejiang Province to protect the Tang Dynasty.
The source of wealth is constant.”
Li Shi was silent in thought. Although Han Huang was responsible for recommending Liu Wenxi, he also thought that Han Huang strongly recommended Guo Song to be the governor of Hexi Province and strongly supported Guo Song in the recovery of Shazhou. The merits and demerits can be offset, and it cannot be too much.
It is too punishing and should continue to be reused after the prime minister is dismissed.
"Okay! I will consider this matter carefully. In addition, is the imperial court's attitude towards the recovery of Shazhou too cold?"
Li Mi sighed in his heart and advised: "If your Majesty wants to limit the power of the vassal towns, you must cool down the war in the west. This is a very real problem. The imperial court is simply unable to deal with both fronts at the same time."
Li Shi was silent for a moment and said: "Forget it, the war in the west is over. I will not publicly commend you, but you still have to reward those who deserve it, and you can't be vague about those who deserve more compensation. This is what the court must do."
"Wei Chen understands!"
Li Shi walked a few steps with his hands behind his back and said: "As for the Tubo side, we must pay close attention to the movements of the top Tibetan officials. Whether, as Guo Song said, the battle of Shazhou will lead to the collapse of the hardliners, this is what I am most concerned about.
."
"Wei Chen will definitely pay close attention to Tubo's movements!"
"Go! Let's discuss with Yang Xiangguo how to start restricting the power of the feudal town?"
Li Mi pondered for a moment and reminded Li Shi: "Your Majesty, Cui Kuan, the military governor of Jiannan, is coming to the court to report on his duties."
Li Shi's eyes lit up. He should have thought of starting from Bashu.
In the afternoon, news came out from the imperial court that the emperor had decreed that Han Huang should be removed from his post as a servant under the family, retaining Pingzhangshi, and be appointed as the observer of Zhejiang's eastern and western provinces.
At the same time, Cui Youfu was relieved of his post as Shangshu Zuopushe and allowed to retire and return to his hometown.
Li Mi was appointed as his servant and minister of the left.
All officials in the imperial court realized that the Tang Dynasty had changed from a multi-phase system to a dual-phase system, which meant that the power of Right Prime Minister Yang Yan had been greatly improved.