Promotion and fortune in Song Dynasty

"Scaremongering." Zhang Shixun said expressionlessly: "In the final analysis, it's just your one-sided words and wild speculation."

Before, Zhang Shixun still had the idea of ​​sincerely establishing a little friendship with Lu Ci, "peace is the most important", but after witnessing the other party's youthful spirit and acting out of selfish flattery, he completely Never mind that.

Lu Ci had already finished what he wanted to say, and had no intention of continuing to confront Zhang Shixun tit-for-tat and fight with each other. Instead, he smiled slightly, and returned to the desk when he saw it.

Except for Zhang Shixun who dismissed this, no matter it was Zhao Zhen or the other three ministers, their hearts were heavy.

If, as Zhang Shixun said, all of this was purely Lu Ci's alarmist talk and based on his imagination, then it would be better.

But what Lu Ci described was the sore point that they had been vaguely aware of, but avoided deep thinking.

Because the first emperor enshrined Zen on Mount Tai, then descended from the heavenly scriptures, built temples repeatedly, and was a farce caused by the fire in the palace, the wealth accumulated in the treasury has been greatly reduced.

Right now, spending huge sums of money to prepare for the war on the western front, relying on the government to subsidize from the internal treasury, just to maintain it, if the Lord of Liao really wants to take advantage of the fire... then it's really better to take the step that Lu Ci said first, to preemptively strike.

"What Qing said is a big deal," Zhao Zhen remained silent for a long time, and finally changed his mind. He asked for the memorial that was returned to Lu Ci just now, and put it in the drawer solemnly: "Wait for a little more time before making a decision."

"Yes."

Lu Ci smiled and nodded, as if he had never heard of the ripples he caused, and continued to review the official documents leisurely.

——"You really said that?"

After dinner at night, Liu Qi, who was only casually asking Shang Lu Ci a few words, not really inquiring about the government, was almost frightened when he heard his friend's understatement.

Seeing that Lu Ci still nodded lightly, Liu Qi was both admiring and shocked, and said, "Are you treating yourself like a cat with nine lives, or when did you borrow courage from the sky?"

Lu Ci lazily said: "The other butlers in the hall are all used to seeing strong winds and waves, how could they be as surprised as you?"

The corners of Liu Qi's mouth twitched slightly, apparently not thinking so.

But just as he was about to speak, after a little deliberation, he swallowed the words embarrassingly - based on what he knew about Xiao Taotie, he might be a gentle, gentle and easy-talking person, but he was extremely assertive.No matter how much he persuaded, he might not be able to change the other party's mind.

"You." Liu Qi was silent for a long time, and finally sighed: "Everything should be done step by step, why are you so anxious?"

Lu Ci shook his head: "It's not because I'm impatient, but I'm afraid I won't be able to boil it slowly with warm water when time is running out."

What he didn't mention to Liu Qi was that when he handed in this memorial, he knew that what he said would be too radical, not only would he not be accepted, but he would also be attacked by groups.

Unless they are forced to do so, most people would rather take chances than go to the bottom of the boat and take the huge risk of tearing their faces with their strong neighbors.

What's more, his qualifications are still young, and he is a prime minister for the first time, so he must not have enough weight. How can he persuade the civil and military officials of the Manchu Dynasty with empty words?

Zhao Zhen has always defended him, and it is even worse for him to take advantage of the official's trust and plant hidden dangers for the future.

Regrettably, even if it was expected, the fate of this memorial has not changed in any way because his simple court debate convinced everyone except Zhang Shixun.

——It was suppressed by the officials themselves, put into a drawer and sealed in dust, and made vague promises, but it couldn't even go to the main hall where the government was discussed in the early days.

I hope that when it sees the light of day again, it will not be the day when things change drastically.

It's just that he didn't hesitate to make his face ashamed, and insisted on tossing around for such a time, so there must be other meanings.

What Lu Ci is asking for now is to let this memorial be the first warning: at least to plant a seed of resentment and guard against the greedy extortion of the Liao side who demanded an increase in the annual tribute that will come sooner or later.

Liu Qi carefully observed Lu Ci's face, and saw that he was frustrated at the first suggestion, but he was not depressed at all, so he couldn't help admiring: "In terms of the skill of calming down when encountering difficulties, I'm afraid I will never be as good as you."

Lu Ci smiled lightly, but did not respond. He just silently picked up the tea cup and took a sip.

His eyes were empty, and his mind had already flown to the distant border.

Di Qing, who didn't know that he was being missed by his lover, didn't fall asleep at this time, but stayed alone in the study, scribbling on the case with a serious face.

What he wrote was a memorial to the Lord to recommend Zhong Shiheng.

After living together for more than a month, he couldn't see that although there were constant frictions and collisions between himself and Zhong Shiheng, it was just that the two used different methods, and their goals were the same after all.

Zhong Shiheng tends to be sophisticated and tactful, he likes to win over with affection, and takes a slanted edge in everything.

Di Qing, on the other hand, was stern, ruled the army with cool laws, and never deviated from the usual track unless necessary.

With Zhong Shiheng's talent and temperament, he might be more compatible with Zhang Kang, but it's not suitable for him to be with him.

The more Di Qing saw it clearly, the more determined he became, and that night, he started to write the letter of recommendation.

Just as Di Qing, who hadn't written these literary articles in person for a long time, was struggling to come up with words and sentences, he suddenly heard a report from his servant, saying that it was Yan Qinzhou, who had just left his post yesterday for a night visit.

Di Qing was taken aback.

It stands to reason that Yan Shu's accumulated government affairs are enough for ten and a half months of non-stop work. At last night's clean-up banquet, the two had already chatted briefly.

It stands to reason that all the friendship between him and Yan Shu was indirectly established on the father-in-law, and it is not deep at all. Why are there so many private things to say?

Even though he was full of doubts about Yan Shu's late-night visit, Di Qing threw away his pen without thinking, left the memorial that had just begun, and strode towards the reception hall.

Yan Shu was absent-mindedly pacing in the hall when he heard Di Qing's footsteps approaching, so he stopped suddenly and came forward to meet him: "Brother Yu came late at night without invitation, I hope Brother Qing will forgive me."

"Brother Yan said this, it is too far-fetched."

Di Qing shook his head, and received a hint from Yan Shu on the spot, so he withdrew his servants and closed the door tightly, leaving him and Yan Shu alone.

"Brother Yan is here at this time, there must be something important to discuss."

Di Qing signaled to the seat neither humble nor overbearing, asking Yan Shu to take a seat at the guest table, and then sat down himself, and said calmly: "My foolish brother would like to hear more about it."

"Young brother is refreshing."

Yan Shu let out a sigh of relief, his whole body couldn't help but relax a little, took a cup of hot tea made by Di Qing himself, and didn't rush to drink it, but held it absent-mindedly, his eyes wandered slightly, and he didn't speak for a long time to get to the point.

On the one hand, Di Qing was thinking about the unfinished memorial, and on the other hand, he was speculating about the real purpose of Yan Shu's arrival late at night, but it was difficult to have any specific clues on either side.

In this silent atmosphere, Di Qing unconsciously tapped twice on the table with his sharp knuckles, and the two crisp sounds woke up the two who were thinking at the same time.

Yan Shu waited for a long time without waiting for Di Qing's urging question, so he could only open his mouth: "Young brother has always been a straightforward person, and I don't want to delay your work, so I got straight to the point..."

Although Yan Shu is a newcomer, he is not only a friend of his sweetheart, but also a well-known talent in the court. At this time, he is the magistrate of Qinzhou. Di Qing immediately cheered up and listened carefully to his words. .

It's just that after automatically filtering out the tedious and boring opening remarks in his mind, and skipping the carefully modified sentences, the real face revealed made him feel shocked and unbelievable.

The meaning revealed in Yan Shu's words was to persuade himself to join forces with him, deliver a letter to the imperial court, and stay with the [-] Eastern Army at the crucial Qinzhou gate, and send another army to the battlefield on the western front!

When Yan Shu first spoke, he was still a little stiff and awkward, but as he spoke, he felt more and more that this was a win-win situation, and it was worth fighting for with Di Qing, so it gradually became smoother.

From Yan Shu's point of view, letting civil servants supervise the army was justified, but going to the western front, where life and death were uncertain, and fighting side by side with hundreds of thousands of enemy and friend enemy troops, it was a life-threatening job.

Although he never considers himself a wealthy scholar, when it comes to training soldiers and killing the enemy, he is content to let a seasoned veteran go. Although Di Qing has performed brilliantly on the battlefield in the past, he is now a serious civil servant, destined for a bright future. Yuanda, where do you need to take risks yourself?

Of course, Yan Shu proposed to keep Di Qing, not only because he wanted to take care of this little righteous brother for his friend Lu Ci, but also because he valued the protection represented by the [-] forbidden troops.

Seeing is better than hearing a hundred times, even though there are rumors spreading outside, he totally despises the imperial army composed of these chariot officers who sit on a vegetarian diet, but he visited the barracks for a week during the day today, and saw that their looks and temperaments are completely different. force.

He came to serve in Qinzhou, which is located in the borderlands, but he was forced by his political opponents. Therefore, his greatest wish was not to make outstanding achievements that surpassed Lu Ci's, but rather to have no achievements and no faults. Save your life and return to Beijing as soon as possible.

"...If you want, I will get up overnight and send the memorial as soon as possible before the army sets off. Otherwise, it will be too late to send another person after the army sets off." Yan Shu paused, looking at the expressionless Di Qing really couldn't figure out the other party's mind, so he continued dryly: "You think about it as soon as possible, and let me know the decision."

He seldom dealt with Di Qing directly, and only saw the other party's Nian Lu Ci's undisguised gesture.

But he didn't want the other person sitting in front of him to be so old-fashioned, completely different from the impression he had in mind.

Just as he had never been able to see through the deep thoughts of Lu Ci, who was always smiling, he couldn't even see the thoughts of Di Qing, whose face was calm and calm from beginning to end.

Di Qing nodded curtly, as if he was thinking seriously, and did not give Yan Shu the straightforward answer he wanted most.

Although Yan Shu was a little disappointed, he also knew that there was no point in staying any longer, so he quickly got up and left.

When parting, he couldn't hold back after all, and said in a low voice: "You may think that I am greedy for life and afraid of death, but I am not proficient in military affairs. If I miss a fatal battle opportunity or lose an important door, it will be a thousand dollars." The crime of hacking into pieces... There are still family members in Beijing who are waiting for me, just like waiting for my younger brother to return safely, younger brother, you can think about it."

"Brother Yan."

Di Qing let out a long sigh, and said sharply: "If you and I are not a barrier, who can be a Great Wall to stand up and protect you and my family?"

Yan Shu was taken aback when he heard this.

After a while, he gave a stiff smile, nodded slightly, and left without saying a word.

There was no warmth in Di Qing's eyes, and he had no intention of watching the other party leave, so he turned back to the room with a sullen face.

The author has something to say: Notes:

This plot is adapted from the historical Yanzhou officials (headed by Zhao Zhen) begging the appeasement envoy Han Qi to let him keep Fan Yong.Their purpose of retaining Fan Yong was not to truly love each other, but purely because they were afraid that the task of defending the country would fall on themselves, and they wanted to leave behind a shield. "Di Qing Biography" Chapter 5

**I didn't mean to black Yan Shu, but I just made a character guess based on Yan Shu's attitude of preventing Fan Zhongyan's sharp remonstrance and "causing trouble" in his history.Purely personal inference!

The following is from "Fan Zhongyan who worries about the world first"

——In the Huiqing Hall, the civil and military capitals of the Manchu Dynasty bowed down to the Queen Mother one after another, congratulating the Liu family on their longevity.In fact, all civil and military officials also felt that such a scene and etiquette were inappropriate, but they all held back in their hearts and dared not speak out, and they all knew that the emperor's doing so was really helpless.Fan Zhongyan's upright and strong personality couldn't tolerate this matter.When he got home, he felt more and more that this was against the etiquette and dignity of the Song Dynasty, and he must write a letter to the emperor.One day, Fan Zhongyan went straight to Song Renzong, knelt down and remonstrated: "Your Majesty, it is detrimental to the dignity of the emperor, you represent the country, and the court is the place to govern the affairs of the country. Family games are played here. Although the royal family has private family affairs, family rituals and national rituals cannot be confused. Your Majesty is an adult, and the Empress Dowager should stop listening to the government behind the curtain and delegate power to the Majesty."

So the Queen Mother forced Song Renzong to relegate Fan Zhongyan to Hezhong Mansion (now Yongji County, Shanxi) as a judge, and his first experience as a Beijing official died prematurely.At that time, Zuo Sijian Liu Sui and Teng Zongliang and other officials had interceded for Fan Zhongyan, but the emperor relegated Fan Zhongyan because of the empress dowager's power. Later, Liu Sui, Teng Zongliang and others were implicated and were relegated by the queen mother. use.

Facing the reality, Fan Zhongyan had no choice but to pack up his belongings and go to Hezhong Mansion to work.Before leaving, Yan Shu and others bid farewell to Fan Zhongyan.Yan Shu blamed Fan Zhongyan for being too reckless, and shouldn't be so reckless, causing a catastrophe.But everyone also expressed admiration for Fan Zhongyan's outspokenness and integrity.Out of respect for Yan Shu, Fan Zhongyan wrote a long letter to Yan Shu before leaving, in which he expressed his position and views righteously, expressing that he would never follow others, and would always follow the truth.Of course, he also tactfully expressed his gratitude to Yan Shu for supporting him.