Fenghou

Chapter 594 Game (Seventeen)
In Lin'an Jishanfang, there is a house covering an area of ​​[-] mu. This is the private residence of Zhao Ding, a scholar of Guanwendian, who knows the Shaoxing mansion. Because the New Year is approaching, Zhao Ding returned from Shaoxing to Lin'an to prepare for ancestor worship.

As night fell, Zhao Ding was sitting in the study reading a book, when his son Zhao Wenxin appeared at the door of the study and said, "Father, please excuse me!"

"what's up?"

"A person came from outside the mansion. He said he was Zhang Jun's aide, and he said he had something important to report to his father."

"Zhang Jun's staff? '

Zhao Ding thought for a while, then suddenly realized, "But Wang Mu?"

"It seems to be him."

Zhao Ding quickly said: "Please wait in my guest room, I will come right away!"

Zhao Wenxin left in a hurry, Zhao Ding put on a cotton robe, he felt a little strange, Wang Mu is Zhang Jun's important confidant, what does he want from him?

When Zhao Ding came to the guest room, he saw a middle-aged scribe pacing back and forth in the guest room with his hands behind his back, looking worried. It was Zhang Jun's confidant Wang Mu.

"Brother Wang Mu, long time no see!" Zhao Ding walked into the lobby with a smile.

As an aide, Wang Mu has followed Zhang Jun for more than ten years, and he has won Zhang Jun's trust. Usually, when Zhang Jun is out, he is in charge of sitting in Lin'an and handling various affairs for Zhang Jun.

This time Zhang Jun sent a pigeon letter from Jingzhao. He was worried that the pigeon letter would be lost halfway, so while sending the official pigeon letter, he also sent a pigeon letter to Wang Mu as a backup.

Five days had passed since Wang Mu received the pigeon letter, but he found that there was no movement from the court. Wang Mu became anxious, so he found Zhao Ding overnight.

Wang Mu quickly saluted and said, "There is an important matter, I implore the Grand Scholar for help!"

"Tell me, what is Zhang Xianggong who can't solve it and ask me for help?" Zhao Ding said with a smile.

Wang Mu took out the copy of the pigeon letter and handed it to Zhao Ding together with the original, "This is an urgent pigeon letter sent by Zhang Xianggong from Jingzhao five days ago. He sent a copy to the Privy Council, and this copy was sent to me as a backup. Yes, in case the official does not receive it, at least I have a copy here."

Zhao Ding took the pigeon letter and read it after copying it, he was secretly surprised, this is a big deal!If the negotiation fails, Chen Qing will secretly support Liu Guangshi's rebellion, and the trouble will be big.

"and then?"

"Then there was no movement from the imperial court. I asked the Privy Council and learned that the person responsible for sending and receiving pigeon letters had gone back to his hometown for the New Year two days ago. The Privy Council officials said that they did not see any pigeon letters from Mr. Zhang. I asked the Zhizheng Hall again. Tang Jian, who lives in the bookstore, said that the officials are still anxiously waiting for news from Jingzhao, and they haven’t heard of Jingzhao’s pigeon letter.”

Zhao Ding frowned, "Then you should find Xu Xiantu, who knows the Privy Council, right! Something went wrong in the Privy Council, he should be responsible."

Wang Mu said anxiously: "Xu Xianggong went to Jianghuai to reward the three armies on behalf of the Son of Heaven. He is not in Lin'an. Only Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei are left in Lin'an. Zhu Shengfei is basically idle."

"Then you can find Mr. Qin!"

"Scholar Qi, I suspect that Qin Hui is in possession of the pigeon letter."

"Are you guessing?"

Wang Mu shook his head, "I found the Zhizheng Hall's records. That night, there was indeed an urgent pigeon letter sent to the Zhengshitang. The Prime Minister on duty that night was Qin Hui."

Zhao Ding understood that this pigeon letter must have been detained by Qin Hui, he pondered for a moment and said: "I can send this pigeon letter to the official for you, but you don't want to mention the seizure of the pigeon letter again, just Do you understand what I mean when the pigeon letter is lost halfway?"

"I know!"

Zhao Ding read the pigeon letter again. This matter is really urgent, and he has to report it overnight.

Thinking of this, he walked to the door and told his son, "Get me a carriage immediately, I want to enter the palace!"

Zhao Gou just came back from his mother's queen, and her mother told herself for the third time that Liu Guangshi was recommended to her by Zhu Shengfei. She believed that Liu Guangshi was a pillar out of her trust in Zhu Shengfei. She didn't know Liu Guangshi's character. She herself did not agree that Liu Guangshi would go to Bashu again. It was Zhu Shengfei's repeated persuasion that she agreed to recommend Liu Guangshi to go to Bashu to wipe out the rebels. She did not expect such a big event to happen in the end.

Zhao Gou knew in his heart that Liu Guangshi was the queen mother's favorite. The two times of recommending Liu Guangshi to Shu were the queen mother's intentions, and had nothing to do with Zhu Shengfei, but now the consequences were serious.

Forget it, Zhao Gou was reluctant to let Zhu Shengfei be in the prime minister, but he reluctantly agreed to dismiss Zhu Shengfei because of his mother's embarrassment. I don't want to leave this prime ministership to my mother anymore.

At this time, Zhao Gou drank two mouthfuls of bird's nest, and an old eunuch hurried forward to report, "Officials, Grand Scholar Zhao Ding has something urgent to see, saying it has something to do with the Jingzhao negotiations."

Zhao Gou was stunned, why is it Zhao Ding?
But Zhao Gou was very anxious to know the news about Jingzhao, so he didn't have time to think about it, and immediately ordered: "Xuan him to meet you in Linde Hall, and I will be there soon!"

Zhao Gou finished his bird's nest porridge slowly, changed his clothes again, and then got on the dragon chariot and went to Linde Hall.

Zhao Ding was waiting by the fire in the Linde Hall. At this moment, an eunuch stepped forward and said, "I'm summoned by the officials, Grand Scholars, please follow me!"

Zhao Ding followed the eunuch to the imperial study room. The imperial study room was brightly lit. Emperor Zhao Gou was already sitting there waiting in casual clothes.

Zhao Ding hurriedly stepped forward and knelt down to salute, "Minister Zhao Ding pays homage to His Majesty, I wish His Majesty long live long live long live!"

"Ai Qing is free from courtesy!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Zhao Ding got up, took out the pigeon letter and the copy from his bosom, put it on the plate in the hand of the eunuch next to him, and motioned to present it to the emperor.

Zhao Gou looked at the pigeon letter box on the plate, and asked with a smile, "What is this?"

"Your Majesty, this is the urgent pigeon letter sent by Zhang Xianggong from Jingzhao. It arrived in Lin'an five days ago."

"what?"

Zhao Gou was furious, "I arrived in Lin'an five days ago, why did you give it to me now?"

"Your Majesty, calm down. This is a spare pigeon letter that Zhang Xianggong sent to his staff at the same time. He sent an extra copy because he was afraid that the court would not receive it. His staff found that there was no movement from the court, so they found the minister tonight."

Zhao Gou's face softened a little, but he was still dissatisfied and said: "The pigeon letter must be withdrawn. After all, it has not been received, and someone deliberately withheld it. I will not tolerate this matter!"

"Your Majesty, the content of Zhang Xianggong's pigeon letter is very important, please read it through Your Majesty."

Zhao Gou picked up the copy of the pigeon letter and read it carefully. Zhang Jun's last worry really made Zhao Gou's heart hang. Once the negotiations break down, Chen Qing is likely to separate Sichuan and Shaanxi, and secretly support Liu Guangshi to fight against the court. .

If Chen Qing and Liu Guangshi join forces, it will be a big trouble.

Zhao Gou was really nervous, he thought for a while and asked Zhao Ding, "Ai Qing also read the letter, tell me what you think?"

Zhao Ding secretly rejoiced that his chance had come, and he was not hypocritical. He said frankly: "As a bachelor, I have the obligation to share the worries for your majesty. I think that Mr. Zhang is inclined to agree to Chen Qing's plan, and he named Chen Qing the Sichuan-Shaanxi The envoy Xuanfu exchanged the financial power of Bashu for the governance power of Bashu. The minister carefully considered that if Chen Qing was really willing to give up the governance power of Hanzhong, this would actually go back to the situation in the early years of Shaoxing. He gave Bashu financial resources to support Shaanxi. The army fought against the golden soldiers."

"But it's still different. At least the Western Army in the early years of Shaoxing was commanded by me."

Zhao Ding sighed and said: "Your Majesty, if Chen Qing wanted to separate Sichuan and Shaanxi, then there would be no negotiation at all. He defeated Liu Guangshi's army and won military victory. The conditions for separating Sichuan and Shaanxi are ripe, but he is still willing to negotiate with the court. Negotiation, Weichen thinks this is something to be thankful for, and we have not lost the opportunity. At this time, we must firmly seize this first-line opportunity. If we do not seize it, it is Zhang Xianggong's concern in the letter. The negotiation broke down, and Chen Qing separated Sichuan and Shaanxi and supported Liu Guangshi to fight against the imperial court."

Zhao Gou's complexion changed several times, but he was still a little hesitant. Zhao Ding persuaded again: "Zhang Xianggong also said in the letter that Chen Qing only needs the rights to salt and iron, transshipment rights, and mining rights, and he doesn't want tax rights or money casting rights. , at least our local governance is still intact, and then Zhang Xianggong will fight for the right to review the criminal law and other powers, so in fact Bashu is still in our hands."

"It's only in our hands in name."

"His Majesty."

"Okay, I know it well, the consequences of the breakdown of the negotiation are very serious, no need to talk about it, let me think about it again."

Zhao Ding resigned and left, Zhao Gou paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his back, his heart was like a mirror, he had to agree if he didn't agree, but this sense of humiliation was still lingering in his heart.
At dawn the next day, several carrier pigeons soared into the sky, circled a few times in the air, and flew westward with Zhao Gou's letter.

(End of this chapter)