Emperor Renzong of the Great Song Dynasty

Zhan Zhao followed Liu En Fei to enter the palace.

Qingbei University is busy in front of it, and Yan Shu and the others need to be busy for at least seven or eight hours to enroll 10 people.When Liu En found Zhan Zhao, the number of people on the square was reduced by half compared to before, but there were still so many people that it made one's scalp tingle.

Zhan Zhao didn't expect to see Liu En here: "Why did the father-in-law come here?"

He knew that Liu En was the eunuch in front of Zhao Yiyi, so he hurriedly asked, "Could it be..."

Liu En nodded slightly: "Boss Zhao has something to ask you for."

It's not easy to say the word "official" in the public, so I can only use a pseudonym.

Anyway, everyone who worked with Zhao Yiyi in Yangzhou knew who "Boss Zhao" was.

Zhan Zhao turned his head to look at Bao Zheng's place, and saw that they were still busy and probably couldn't finish in a while.The scene was protected by Di Qing, Ouyang Chun and the imperial guards, and Bao Zheng's safety was guaranteed, so he quietly followed Liu En and left the square.

Zhan Zhao has no official status now, he is just a quack with a white body, Zhao Yiyi can't announce him into the palace carelessly, so he can only wrong Nan Xia and Liu En to fly from the sky together.

When Zhao Yiyi saw Zhan Zhao falling in the courtyard of Yuchen Palace from a distance, he let go of the snowball that suddenly became energetic.

Xueqiu jumped off his lap, ran up to Zhan Zhao, and pulled his boots with his claws.

Liu En squatted down: "Little ancestor, don't make trouble, the officials have something to do with him."

Zhan Zhao bent down and picked up the snowball: "Is this the imperial cat of the official family?"

Liu En looked at him and smiled: "Yes, it's the royal cat of the official family."

Zhan Zhao weighed the snowball in his hand, and let it go before it stretched out its claws to scratch someone.

It's cute, but a little fierce.

"Official, Zhan Zhao is here."

Zhao Yiyi nodded: "Scholar Zhan, don't come here unharmed."

Zhan Zhao bowed politely: "Cao Min Zhan Zhao, I pay my respects to the official."

Zhao Yiyi pouted secretly, why are you pretending to be obedient, didn't you just lick my cat just now?

"Please get up. There is no need to be polite in private, I don't like to see people kneeling."

He really doesn't like to see people kneel down, nor does he like to see people stand for punishment.After Fan Zhongyan and others became familiar with him, they had already learned how to salute and find a place to sit down by themselves.

But Zhan Zhao didn't know him very well yet, so Zhao Yiyi asked him to sit down once, and seeing that he didn't sit down, he stopped forcing him.

"I'm looking for Yishi Zhan this time, because I have one thing to ask Yishi Zhan."

Time is precious, Bao Zheng may not find out that Zhan Zhao is missing at any time, Zhao Yiyi directly cut to the chase.

Zhan Zhao hurriedly said: "The grassroots are so devastated that they will do whatever they want."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and waved his hands: "It's not for the sake of heartbreak. It's just that Zhan Yishi," he thought about his words, "you protect Bao Qing every day, do you feel that there is something missing around Bao Qing? "

Zhan Zhao wondered, "What's missing?"

Apart from being a little short of money, Bao Zheng is not short of anything else, is he?

And as Bao Zheng was gradually promoted, the money was actually not very short.

Not as good as the top but more than the bottom, although not as grand as Mr. Yan, but much stronger than before.

Zhao Yiyi said: "By Qing Bao's side, there is a lack of a good wife."

Zhan Zhao was surprised: "A good wife?"

Thinking about it again, that's right, the emperor is fifteen this year and has already married the queen.Bao Zheng is 27, and it's time to marry a daughter-in-law.

It's just that what the emperor meant by saying this to him...

"Could it be that His Majesty is going to give you a marriage?"

Zhao Yiyi coughed softly: "No. Bao Qing and I are neither related nor related, so it would be too abrupt to marry you rashly. For Bao Qing's marriage, I still have to ask Zhan Yishi to contribute more."

Zhan Zhao is puzzled: "How can the grassroots contribute to the marriage of adults?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "Actually, I have already found a good relative for Bao Qing. She is the daughter of Li Shilang, the former official minister. Li Shilang has retired and is now living in Hermitage Village. His family is clean and upright, and his family status is comparable to Bao's." You match."

Zhan Zhao nodded: "So, it's a good match for my lord. It's just that marriage is the order of the parents and the words of the matchmaker. Did Li Shilang agree?"

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said, "This is what needs Zhan Yishi to come forward."

"Li Shilang lives in Hermitage Village, and doesn't care about the outside world. He doesn't know Bao Qing's character and talent, how can he agree to betroth his daughter to Bao Qing? Therefore, I want Zhan Yishi to help Bao Qing and Miss Li match up."

Zhan Zhao asked, "How do you tie the knot?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "When I was in Yangzhou before, you still remember Yunniang's ancient and modern basin?"

Zhan Zhao nodded: "It's the pot that made the adults unconscious, why don't you remember?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "That pot was originally a family heirloom of Master Li's family, and it was snatched by Yunniang, which harmed Bao Qing. Now Yunniang has repented and is willing to return it to the original owner. Therefore, I want to send Bao Qing to personally Go to the door and send back the treasure basin, and apologize on behalf of Yunniang."

Zhan Zhao was dissatisfied: "Why do you want your lord to apologize for her?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "Didn't your lord receive Yunniang's care when he first arrived in Yangzhou, and an apology for her can be regarded as repaying the favor. Since then, the two have nothing to do with each other, isn't it good? Moreover, this ancient and modern basin is so wicked, Sending it to anyone at random, I don't know how many twists and turns will happen, only a prudent and thoughtful person like your lord can properly hand over this basin to lord Li."

"When Bao Qing arrives at Hermitage Village, it's time for Zhan Yishi to take action."

Zhao Yiyi took out the strand of hair wrapped in a handkerchief from his sleeve: "As long as you put this thing under Miss Li's pillow, Miss Li will become hot and lie, as if being caught by a fox demon. At that time, as long as the guards claim that Bao Qing Knowing how to slay demons and eliminate demons, and help that Miss Li get rid of evil spirits, Li Shilang will definitely look at Bao Qing differently."

Zhan Zhao frowned: "Is this suspected of threatening to repay your kindness?"

Pretending to save someone's daughter's life in order to plot someone's daughter's marriage is not what a gentleman does.

Zhao Yiyi knew that he would have this concern: "No. I know Li Shilang's character well. He is not a person who will be threatened with kindness. This is just a way of kindness. Let Li Shilang treat him first. Bao Qing has a good feeling in her heart, and seeing that Bao Qing's character and talent are so outstanding, she will naturally meet Lie Xinxi and want to marry her daughter to him."

Zhan Zhao took the handkerchief hesitantly: "Then, Cao Min obeys."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said, "Guard Zhan, let's go, Mr. Yan is still in urgent need of employment."

Zhan Zhao put the handkerchief into his sleeve: "The grassroots retire."

Looking at Zhan Zhao's back as he walked away, Zhao Yiyi pondered.

This was supposed to be a fourth-rank imperial guard with a knife, but now he doesn't even have an official rank, and he has to rely on flying to get in and out of the palace, which is too desolate.

Moreover, they tried their best to protect the officials of the court, but they couldn't even eat the royal rations, which also seemed that the court was too stingy.

What excuse should I find to seal him a bodyguard...

In September of the fourth year of Tiansheng, three major events happened in Bianliang City.

The first thing is that Yan Shu, the former deputy privy envoy who resigned from office, opened Qingbei University near the Forbidden Army camp.On the first day of school, it was really empty. I heard that 10 people crowded the square in front of the university, wanting to enroll and worship Master Yan as a teacher.

The second thing is that Queen Kou, who entered the palace not long ago, is pregnant.

For a moment, everyone looked at Kou Zhun with delicate eyes.

The Duke of Lai already has power in his power, not to mention his daughter became a queen, and she is pregnant with a dragon heir so soon.If a prince is born after October, the Kou clan will be really expensive...

Just when the Kou Dang was celebrating, a piece of news that caught everyone off guard came from the northwest.

Li Yuanhao, the prince of Xixia, was succeeded by Zen and officially proclaimed himself emperor in Xingqing.

Zhao Yiyi was very satisfied with Li Yuanhao's speed of action.

Not sooner or later, just after Kou Yaoniang was pregnant, she became emperor.

In this way, Kou Zhun can go to the northwest with more peace of mind.

The Song Dynasty has always regarded itself as the suzerain of Xixia. Although Xixia has another suzerain, Liao, which is not very popular with Song, the people of Song still cannot accept the fact that Xixia actually pretended to be emperor and wanted to fight against Song.

It's worth it!

Forget about the Liao Kingdom, even a small country like Xixia wants to be on an equal footing with me?

It really makes no sense!

In the Chongzheng Palace, Kou Zhun stood at His Highness, furiously saying: "...This is such an act of disrespect, please Your Majesty to allow the old minister to personally lead the troops and capture that Li Yuanhao to the capital!"

Sure enough, just like what Liu En said, Kou Zhun's temperament is that whatever happens, he wants to join in any excitement.At best, it means that I have a strong sense of social and historical responsibility, but at worst, it means that I have to get a sense of existence everywhere, and I seem to be very capable.

If he is not allowed to participate in such a big event of crusade against rebellion, he can suffocate to death in his own home.

And if he leaves Beijing at this time, that's called worry-free.

His daughter became the queen and conceived the emperor's heir.As long as a son is born, he is the eldest son of the emperor, and the position of prince cannot escape.Even if this child does not have a son, the young couple is still young, and there are plenty of opportunities to have a son.

At that time, as the prince's grandfather, what else would he have to be afraid of?

That's why he dared to stand in the Chongzheng Hall and volunteered to ask the emperor to send him to the northwest.

Zhao Yiyi wished to agree with Kou Zhun with both hands and feet, and personally sent him to the northwest, but he still had to do what he said: "Master's heart is devoted to serving the country, I can understand it. I heard that there is a person named Di Qing in the imperial army, who is highly regarded by the master..."

When Kou Zhun heard this, he thought to himself, you want to divide my military power?It's worth it!Who doesn't know that Di Qing is your cousin, and if he really asked him to lead the army to the northwest and come back victorious, does this privy envoy still have my role!

Therefore, Kou Zhunyi solemnly stated that the old man has a long-term ambition, and although the minister is old, he can still serve the country for another 50 years.

Zhao Yiyi also played Tai Chi with him hypocritically. After a few back and forth, the matter of Kou Zhun going to pacify Xixia was settled.

Both of them breathed a sigh of relief, feeling that they had gotten a big deal.

This is the third time that Kou Zhun has led troops from Bianliang City to the border to quell the chaos.

On the eve of departure, Kou Zhun sat under the lamp, feeling a lot of emotion.

It was the first time that he took a cowardly emperor, handed over the fruits of victory, and signed an unequal treaty, and had to send out old coins every year.To this day, there are still people who attack him by saying that the Chanyuan Alliance lost power and humiliated the country. It is impossible to say that he is not wronged.

But he still has to bear the blame for losing power and humiliating the country.If he doesn't recite it, should the emperor recite it?No matter how unhappy Kou Zhun was, he could only swallow his grievance silently.

There is no way, who is a courtier who doesn't take a few scapegoats for the emperor?

The second time, when the little emperor had just ascended the throne, the former emperor of the Liao Kingdom excitedly went south to bully their Song Dynasty orphans and widowed mothers.

At that time, he was appointed as a privy envoy and led the forbidden army to go out, but he saw through the weakness and incompetence of the forbidden army. He didn't dare to go head-to-head with the Liao army.

The privy envoy of the Liao Kingdom mutinied and cut off the emperor's head and proclaimed himself emperor. He returned home that night and plunged into the endless internal strife. It is said that four or five kings surnamed Yelu have died in the Liao Kingdom in the past two or three years. The powerful officials surnamed Xiao died countless times.Kou Zhun saw all this, and was actually proud that he resolved a crisis without a single soldier, but when he thought about it carefully, he felt aggrieved.

But this time Xixia's rebellion hit Kou Zhun's muzzle exactly.

As soon as the new army was trained, someone came to provoke it. It was still a small barbarian country.I don't want you to see the heavens. Chaoshang is so powerful, he has been the prime minister for so many years in vain.

Kou Zhun is gearing up at home, and Zhao Yiyi secretly meets Di Qing who is about to go to war in the Nanqing Palace.

Di Qing is Kou Zhun's deputy, and Kou Zhun thinks highly of him, and has almost handed over the entire Forbidden Army camp to him.This expedition, of course, must bring him along.

Sometimes Zhao Yiyi also finds Kou Zhun very interesting - knowing that Di Qing is Zhao Yiyi's cousin and a die-hard royalist, yet he dares to give Di Qing such an important position.

If you want to say that he is open and aboveboard, he feels that he is really not such a person.The only explanation can only be that he is overconfident and feels that even if you are the emperor's cousin, I don't fear you, and I dare to reuse you, because I am not afraid of you.

I am not afraid of rebellion from my subordinates, because I am strong enough and confident enough.

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said to Di Qing, who came to step on the moon: "Congratulations to Commander Di, he is about to soar into the sky."

The envoy of Yanzhou is Di Qing's official position, which was specially granted for the crusade against Xixia.

Di Qing said: "The minister has today, all thanks to His Majesty's cultivation."

If His Majesty hadn't rescued him from the prison in Kaifeng Mansion and made him worship Kou Zhun as his teacher, how could he have gained his current fame and status.

Zhao Yiyi ordered Liu En to pour a cup of tea for Di Qing: "This year's new tea is from Yangzhou, try it."

Di Qing picked up the tea cup and took a sip: "Good tea."

Zhao Yiyi pointed at the teacup: "Bao Zheng went to Yangzhou to manage tea last year, and he wiped out the accumulated evils of the tea market in the south of the Yangtze River in one fell swoop, which doubled the tea government revenue of our court this year. The peace of all parties depends on Bao Zheng. Therefore, he returned After entering the capital, he was awarded the post of censor to know miscellaneous affairs."

That is to say, as an emperor, I will reward those who make meritorious deeds, and will never treat loyal ministers badly.

He smiled at Di Qing: "You came back from Xixia, and you are a general who has made great achievements. What do you want me to reward you for?"

Di Qing said: "You will not be rewarded for your merits. Now that the border has not been settled, how can Qing dare to take credit for it?"

Zhao Yiyi said: "When you come back from Xixia, I will make you a privy envoy."

There was no longer a smile in his words, but some seriousness and coldness.

Zhao Yiyi has always been committed to being a lenient monarch, and rarely speaks sarcasticly to his subordinates.

Now that he said a word of praise in such a tone, Di Qing was taken aback.

After a long time, Di Qing finally understood what the emperor meant.

After returning from Xixia, he was appointed as a privy envoy.

The current privy envoy is the Duke of Lai.

Can Duke Lai agree to appoint himself as a privy envoy?

Zhao Yiyi said: "You have high martial arts skills and are familiar with the art of war. Xixia is not a strong enemy, so you must be able to deal with it freely."

Di Qing said in a deep voice, "I will do my best."

Zhao Yiyi nodded and smiled: "Naturally, you must go all out."

He patted Di Qing on the shoulder: "You have to go all out than anyone else, and make contributions that no one can match. In this way, I will reward you heavily and make you the leader of generals."

Zhao Yiyi is almost implying that Di Qing and Kou Zhun are fighting each other.

He planned to take advantage of Kou Zhun's expedition this time to clean up the Kou party in the rear, so that Kou Zhun would have no place in the court after he came back.

If you want to deal with such a powerful minister, you must properly arrange the position and power he left behind.

Once there is a power vacuum, there will be turmoil in the government and the public at least, and chaos in the world at worst. This is no joke.

Kou Zhun is now both civil and military, he is the prime minister, and he is also the privy envoy.He even broke through the authority of the Privy Envoy and directly controlled the Imperial Army.

As for the civil service position, Zhao Yiyi intends to leave it to Fan Zhongyan.

As soon as Kou Zhun left, Fan Zhongyan was his chancellor.

Only Di Qing can hold the position of military commander.

He didn't want to find another literati to be a privy envoy, and he didn't want to do any more commanding and dispatching troops.

He needs a strong army that can truly sweep the world, and the leader of this army does not think of others except Wu Qu Xingjun.

But Di Qing has a huge disadvantage - he is too young.

But at the age of more than ten years old, you want to be a privy envoy?

And as a military commander as a privy envoy?

This is a big violation of the law of the ancestors!

Even if he is the emperor's cousin, it is difficult to convince the public.

Zhao Yiyi can only hope that Di Qing can make an indelible contribution in the war to pacify Xixia.

Only in this way can he break the rules and promote Di Qing without falling into the scandal of cronyism.

As the deputy of the chief general of the first army, if he wanted to make such a great contribution, he had to compete with the general.

but……

Would Di Qing be willing?

Di Qing is a martial arts star with full moral values, and he is highly valued by Kou Zhun's teachings. Would he be willing to compete with Kou Zhun just for the sake of being able to replace Kou Zhun after returning to Beijing?

Zhao Yiyi didn't know.

He can only gamble that Di Qing's loyalty to himself can overwhelm his moral obsession.

Di Qing knelt in front of Zhao Yiyi, and slowly knelt her head on the ground: "I..."

He suddenly didn't know what to say.

From the very beginning, he was loyal to the emperor.Kou Zhun was just a teacher arranged for him by the emperor, and he was even the emperor's political enemy.The emperor wanted to suppress Kou Zhun. As a loyal royalist official, he should do his best to fight against Kou Zhun and help the emperor eradicate this political enemy.

However, Kou Zhun's teaching and reuse in the past three years are not fake.

Di Qing gritted her teeth fiercely

As a courtier, his only job is to be loyal to the emperor.

The favors of other people are just passing by.Only loyalty to the emperor should last forever.

Although the emperor asked him to betray his mentor, he must obey.

He said: "My minister, obey the order."

Zhao Yiyi breathed a sigh of relief and made the right bet.

Di Qing was indeed loyal to the emperor as he had always said.

He looked at the loyalty on Di Qing's panel and was grateful for a while.

As long as this person's loyalty is a little low, there is no need to deliberately go against his will. You only need to be a little passive and sabotage, and don't try your best to compete with Kou Zhun for credit. Make the position.

Zhao Yiyi silently erased the planb of "calling Yan Shu back to the court as a privy envoy" in his heart.

President Yan should teach and educate people at Qingbei University.

He helped Di Qing up from the ground, held on to his hand, and sighed slightly: "Duke Lai is your teacher, why not my teacher. My respect and attachment to Duke Lai is by no means less than you. "

This is nonsense, he has respect for Kou Zhun, but probably not as much as Di Qing.

Di Qing said: "Your Majesty is merciful."

Zhao Yiyi smiled and said: "You should have heard that the queen is pregnant. When you come back from Xixia, will you be able to catch up with the prince's first birthday?"

This is to reassure Di Qing: You see, although I am going to deal with Kou Zhun, I am not an ungrateful white-eyed wolf.I married Kou Zhun's daughter, and let his daughter give birth to the emperor's heir. Even if Kou Zhun can no longer be a powerful minister, he is still the grandfather of the prince.

I treat Kou Zhun with all benevolence and righteousness.

You can't have any more resentment towards me.

Di Qing smiled: "I must do my best."

Secretly, he also breathed a sigh of relief.

After all, the emperor is a righteous king, and he can't do things like cunning rabbits and running dogs.

The emperor left a decent way out for Kou Zhun, and Di Qing was able to slightly reduce his guilt about rebelling against Kou Zhun.

He bid farewell to the emperor and returned to the imperial camp.

Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night, and also his last night as Kou Zhun's good apprentice and subordinate.

Tomorrow will be an endless enemy.

He was cleaning his saber, the blade reflected the moonlight, and the room was bright.

After sending Di Qing away, Zhao Yiyi stretched his waist and decided to rest at Nanqing Palace tonight.

The room where he was seven years old in the Nanqing Palace is still preserved—since he was crowned prince, he has been a "jun", and the Baxian Wang family is a minister.Of course, the courtiers cannot continue to use the house where the monarch once lived, and it should be properly sealed and cleaned regularly.

Lying on this bed, he felt a lot of emotion.

It was here that he spent the first seven years of his life, and also the most carefree seven years.After those seven years passed, he entered the palace to fight with Kou Zhun and Liu E, and from then on, even a good night's sleep was a luxury.

That is, Liu E left the stage recently, leaving him a space to sleep well.

He closed his eyes, ready to fall asleep.

But I heard a rustling sound from the roof.

He was always alert when he slept, and immediately turned over: "Who?"