Prime Minister

Wang Anshi's residence.

"Xihe Road is a brief envoy?"

There are several road envoys in Shaanxi and Hedong, and there is only one envoy on Xihe Road who did not write to Wang Anshi.

Wang Anshi took the letter from Yuan Sui.

Lu Huiqing was silent, and Wang Anshi's Yuan followers said: "Master, Zhang Duzhi finally understands the general situation."

One person said: "Now Zhang Duzhi has to be handled by Xianggong."

"This chapter is also regarded as knowledgeable about current affairs."

Wang Anshi glanced at Yuan Sui but didn't speak, but continued to read the letter, and several Yuan Sui immediately kept silent.

After Wang Anshi read it, he handed Zhang Yue's letter to Lu Huiqing, and Lu Huiqing immediately accepted the letter, feeling a little impatient in his heart.

The letter was written by Zhang Yue, and Lu Huiqing saw it at a glance.

Zhang Yue's handwriting can be said to be hard to find, and he rarely writes letters in person when it is not necessary.

After reading the entire letter, Lu Huiqing couldn't help but say, what a lesson, you also have such humble words and bow your head to beg for help.

But even though he was begging for help, the words written in this book were extraordinary, without any integrity.

Wang Anshi smiled slightly.

At the beginning of Zhang Yue's letter to Wang Anshi, he strongly praised Wang Anshi's achievements in reform in recent years.

In the past, Zhang Yue had often criticized Wang Anshi's Green Crop Law and Market Change Law in private, but now he strongly supported him in his letter, saying that he was ignorant when he was young, and his knowledge was still a bit shallow.

However, Zhang Yue never mentioned the dispute over the immunity law between Wang Anshi and Han Jiang.

Then in the letter, he talked about the abundance of the national treasury and the abundance of the country's financial resources, which are all credit for Wang Anshi's reform.

His military exploits on Xihe Road to expand the territory were precisely because the reforms filled the country's financial resources, which led to his two victories in attacking Hezhou. Here he said that it was under the wise leadership of Xianggong that he achieved this victory.

Next, he explained the reasons why he and Wang Zhongzheng were at odds, and asked Wang Anshi to speak for him in front of the emperor with humility and earnestness.

At the end of the letter, he told Wang Anshi that Zhang Yue's words were from his heart, and Wang Anshi could use his letter to show the emperor and the officials of the two governments as proof of his trust.

Lu Huiqing thought to herself, what is Wang Anshi worried about Zhang Yue?I am afraid that he will return to the court in the future, and one day he will hold the position of power, and attack his reform, so to support the new law in the letter and to show the letter to others is equivalent to a petition.

Wang Anshi laughed and said: "What Zhang Duzhi means is that the old man was rewarded by the emperor for the achievement of opening up the Xihe Road and expanding the territory. I should help him in this matter both emotionally and rationally."

Yuan Sui said, "Master, now that Zhang Duzhi and Wang Zhongzheng are at odds, this is an opportunity to change people and coaches."

"Zhang Duzhi is a man with lofty aspirations, so be careful of the legacy of raising tigers."

Another person said: "Master, Zhang Duzhi refused to accept the Imperial Academy at the beginning, but now he writes to express his favor. We must be careful of his repetition. The abyss will eventually have a bottom, but people's hearts cannot be seen!"

Another person, Yuan Sui, said: "But since Zhang Duzhi has the determination to open up the frontiers for the country, he must be responsible for the Xihe Road matter. Then since he begged Mr. Xiang for this favor, it would be bad if he didn't help. Besides. With this letter as a pledge, we are not afraid that he will turn his face in the future."

Although the few Yuan Sui didn't read the letter, they guessed the contents of the letter pretty well.

Wang Anshi said to Lu Huiqing, "What does Jifu think?"

Lu Huiqing said: "My husband has already thought about it, Huiqing didn't dare to say more. It's just that I think Zhang Duzhi's word..."

Wang Anshi said: "How about this word?"

Lu Huiqing smiled slightly and said: "It can be said that the steel is strong and the bones are painted on iron with silver hooks, revealing the ambition of a man to win fame. What a good word! Please also ask your husband to hide it."

After speaking, Lu Huiqing returned the letter to Wang Anshi.

Lu Huiqing's opinion was hidden rather than revealed as stated in the letter.

Wang Anshi looked at the words on Zhang Yue's letter and nodded slightly: "As you say, you really have good handwriting! I don't think Cai Junmo is as good as him."

Lu Huiqing looked at Wang Anshi's expression, but saw that the other party stood up, went to the candlestick in front of the desk to meditate for a while, and then raised the letter to ignite on the candle.

This scene surprised Yuan Sui.

Even Lu Huiqing was taken aback, Zhang Yue's letter to Wang Anshi was burned just like that.

The flame licked the letter paper and burned it all in an instant. Wang Anshi held the end of the letter with one hand until it was burned to ashes, and then let go.

But Wang Anshi said: "Why do you measure it with the heart of a villain-a gentleman's belly?"

The belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain?
Everyone smiled when they heard the words, and one person couldn't help laughing, and then the laughter spread throughout the hall.

Amidst the laughter, Wang Anshi suddenly thought of the peaceful and leisurely state of mind at that moment when he saw the scene of heavy snow covering the mountains, frost and bamboos when he visited Zhongshan Temple.

On the wall of the study in the west verandah of the Wangfu, there is a poem inscribed by Wang Anshi.

Shuangyun Xuezhu Zhongshan Temple, throwing old people back to live in this life.

……

The next day, Wang Anshi entered the palace in court uniform and obeyed Zhongshu.

The official's first words after seeing Wang Anshi were: "I don't want the Northwest to be changed! It's just that I really don't understand this battle."

Wang Anshi asked, "I wonder what your Majesty is puzzled about?"

The official said: "Zhang Yue wanted to take all the land of Hehuang before, but he made peace with Dong Zhan, killed Guizhang, and made his grandson the head of the tribe. Obviously he could take the land of Taozhou, but he abandoned it. Yigong City. This time the imperial court sent troops to Hezhou to spend 1000 guan, plus the reward, just to force the surrender of a wooden levy and kill Guizhang, which is really too much expenditure."

"Now that Zhang Yue has negotiated peace with Dong Zhan, that's all. Now I want him to fight Xia Guo, seek prosperity, and Liangzhou, but he is prevaricating a lot, saying that the soldiers and horses are exhausted, and the food and grass are in short supply. What exactly do you mean?"

Wang Anshi said: "I think Zhang Yue still wants to beat Dong Zhan."

"Since he wanted to attack Dong Zhan, why did he abandon Yigong City? Didn't he know that this was the gate of Hehuang, the most important city in Taomin? Why did he want to support the grandson of Guizhang?"

Wang Anshi said: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Taozhou is a lofty mountain. If the imperial court wants to completely surrender the many tribes in Nanshan, it cannot be done by sending hundreds of people to guard a city."

"If the imperial court occupies a duke city, the Nanshan Fan tribe will think that I want to seize Taozhou, and there will be a rebellion. If the court wants to send troops and food to guard a duke city, it will repeat the defeat of stepping in Baicheng."

"On the contrary, the grandson of Guizhang was appointed as the head of the tribe. The Nanshan Fan tribe thought that the imperial court still governed Taozhou with local officials. The fight for power among the Fan people must be self-destructive, and they will invade each other. After a year or two, the winner will be determined. , The imperial court has completed the settlement of fields in Hezhou, Xizhou, and when the time comes, we will contact the losers and kill the winners, so that Taozhou can be pacified. Taozhou is certain, Dong Zhishigu will also surrender."

The official was touched when he heard the words, but said again: "Zhang Yue really meant it, why didn't I see him explain it in the letter? Qinzhou also came to report that Zhang Yue was monitoring Wang Zhongzheng, is it true or not?"

Wang Anshi said to the officials: "Your Majesty, when Wang Zhongzheng was sent to Xihe, I did not approve of this move."

The officials did not speak.

Wang Anshi said: "The minister is the prime minister, and the position of the prime minister is to serve the emperor. He is in charge of all officials, and the common government is in charge of everything. Your majesty just asks the minister about the Xihe matter. Why ask a supervisor?"

The official knew that he was in the wrong, and immediately said: "Trouble me for the reform, and don't dare to work hard for the Xihe matter."

Wang Anshi said: "At the beginning, the palace said that Zhang Yue shouldered the emperor's order, sealed off borders and destroyed the country, and he was a person who shared the country's safety and danger. Only by not invading his responsibility on weekdays can he be responsible in the future."

"This is the case with Zhang Yue, and so is the minister. Your Majesty chose to order Zhang Yue to use troops, and gave Wang Zhongzheng the opportunity, but he did not agree with the two governments before issuing orders."

Knowing that they bypassed the Second Mansion, the officials issued an edict to Wang Zhongzheng to command Zhang Yue, which also made Wang Anshi somewhat dissatisfied.

The official then said silently: "It is my long-cherished wish to control the Xihe River and then try to destroy Xia, but there are many obstructions from the Privy Council."

The officials meant that Wen Yanbo, the privy envoy, often obstructed it, so sometimes it was easy for him to make his own decisions.

Wang Anshi said: "Your Majesty, I think that the use of troops is a matter of consensus among all the people. We should start with it and use the way of generals. We should know his talents and use them without doubt, so that we can expect him to make a difference."

The official nodded and accepted Wang Anshi's opinion. Just at this moment, the servants outside the palace rushed to him and said, "Your Majesty, the Xihe Jinglue envoy Zhang Yueyou has written a note!"

As soon as the official heard it, he said: "Quick pass!"

The servant took the Zhazi and inspected the calligraphy card, and then saw that the wax was intact, and in front of the emperor and Wang Anshi, he used a wedge to cut open the sealed bamboo tube and took out the Zhazi.The officials couldn't wait to read Zhang Yue's Zhazi, but saw the number "Pinghe Huangce" at the head of the Zhazi came into view.

……

Xizhou Jinglue Mansion.

It coincides with the Dragon Boat Festival, and all the staff members in the mansion have drank realgar wine. During the banquet, they peeled rice dumplings and chatted, talking about ancient and modern figures, celebrities and officials of this dynasty.

Cai Jing and Cai Bian talked about Lu Duan, Lu Mengzheng, and Lu Yijian's way of being officials and eunuchs, and everyone was fascinated by it.

Lu Duan is not confused about important matters, Lu Mengzheng is a prime minister, and Lu Yijian is clever and adaptable.

Lu Shengqing said with a smile: "Talking about being an official, when the three Lu Gongs were young, their official positions were not as good as the commander-in-chief. The commander-in-chief has risen from a humble family to the current high-ranking official of the frontier. I think it's better to talk about it face to face. I ask Marshal Yi to teach you how to be an official."

Everyone said yes.

It happened that Zhang Yue passed by, and all the staff got up.Zhang Yue asked everyone what they were talking about, so they said what Cai Jing, Cai Bian and Lu Shengqing had said.

It just so happened that everyone also asked Zhang Yue how to be an official.
Zhang Yue smiled and sat down at the banquet and took a sip of realgar wine, and said solemnly: "My way of being an official is also simple, and there are three righteousnesses for being an important person!"

Everyone cheered up when they heard it.

"Which three meanings?" Everyone pretended to ask for advice humbly.

Zhang Yue said slowly: "One righteousness is for perseverance..."

All the staff members nodded when they heard the words, they asked officials to practice more, there were many divergences along the way, and the road was difficult, if it weren't for perseverance, who would persevere to the end, and when encountering blows, they would abandon their official positions and let themselves go, not for the strong.

Hearing this is really inspiring.

"The ambiguity is that you don't want to lose face..."

All the aides were taken aback when they heard the words, but after thinking about it carefully, enduring ridicule and humiliation is a common thing in the officialdom.

In the end, Zhang Yue took a look at everyone's expressions and said slowly: "Three righteousness lies in persevering in not losing face..."

All the staff members were silent for a while, then burst into laughter.

It turns out that the commander-in-chief is entertaining us...

Seeing all the staff laughing up and down, Zhang Yue also smiled.