Fenghou

Chapter 876 Public opinion
Xu Xiantu came out of Lu's Mansion and returned directly to Da Nei in a carriage. He had Chen Qing's handwritten letter to the Son of Heaven in his hand, and he dared not delay it.

When I came to the imperial study, I happened to meet Li Guang reporting the income from the salt tax to the officials. The salt tax is now the largest tax in the imperial court, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers depend on it for their military salaries and supplies.

However, the salt tax in the first half of this year actually dropped by [-]% compared with the same period last year, which made Zhao Gou a little restless.

Zhao Gou was furious and said: "Immediately investigate the reason. If it is selling illegal salt, immediately arrest the salt dealers, behead them all, and confiscate their property to make up for the loss of salt tax!"

"Wei Chen immediately went to find out the reason!"

Li Guang couldn't sit still anymore, got up and left.

Zhao Gou paced around the room distractedly, Xu Xiantu persuaded: "Your Majesty, don't worry, as long as you find out the reason and take measures to make up for it, the loss will not be too great."

Zhao Gou sighed and said: "This financial problem has made me physically and mentally exhausted. I can't eat well all day long, and I can't sleep well. I sleep thinking about where to get money. When will I stop worrying about money?"

"Your Majesty, I think that Chen Qing's approach is right. He is also tight in finances and taxes, so he conducts foreign trade as an official and businessman. It is said that he can get high profits. We can follow suit and open ports in Guangzhou and Mingzhou, and then Lease a cargo ship to go to sea.”

Zhao Gou nodded, "This plan is not bad. Let's discuss it later in the Political Affairs Hall. We will also set up an official trade organization to carry out official business trade. Not only overseas trade, but also internal trade should be vigorously promoted. I want to make a profit, and make a profit as soon as possible!"

"Weichen will keep an eye on this matter!"

Xu Xiantu took out a letter and put it on Zhao Gouyu's case, "Your Majesty, this is a letter from Lu Yihao to my minister just now, and it is a letter written by Chen Qing to His Majesty."

Zhao Gou was taken aback, and quickly took the letter. The envelope was complete, sealed with wax paint, and there was no sign of it being opened. "

Quickly took the bamboo knife to open the envelope, took out the letter inside, read it hastily, his face gradually became very ugly, he slapped the table and said angrily: "How dare you threaten me!"

After finally reading the letter, Zhao Gou sat weakly behind the case, staring at the letter in a daze.

Xu Xiantu also guessed the content of the letter. He must use the late emperor to threaten the emperor. If the emperor dared to form an alliance with Jin, he would push the late emperor to the throne and establish a new Song Dynasty.

In fact, Xu Xiantu had a simple idea. Chen Qing not only threatened the emperor with the throne, but also threatened to seize the entire Jingnan South Road and Jiangnan West Road.

Among them, the rise of the first emperor is Zhao Gou's Achilles' heel, and it is the scene he is most afraid of appearing.

At this moment, Xu Xiantu faintly heard someone shouting, and Zhao Gou heard it too, and asked strangely, "Did Xu Aiqing hear anything?"

"It looks like someone is yelling!"

"I heard that too,"

Zhao Gou went to the window and listened carefully. The voice came from the north, like someone shouting slogans.

He hurriedly said to the eunuch: "Go and see, what happened?"

Before the eunuch could go out, a guard hurried over to report, "Your Majesty, a large-scale parade broke out among Tai students. More than [-] Tai students gathered outside Donghua Gate, shouting slogans, and the crowd was furious."

Zhao Gou was stunned, too student parade?He asked anxiously, "Why the parade!"

"They firmly oppose Song and Jin's joint attack on the Western Army!"

"Ah!" Zhao Gou was stunned for a moment.

The report on the front page of the "Lin'an Beijing News" quickly fermented. In fact, the folks have been circulating this matter, but there is no evidence, and it is just rumors.

But the article published in the newspaper is indeed very reliable. It confirms the existence of this incident and it is true.

This news undoubtedly caused an uproar in Lin'an, the government and the public were outraged by it, and the students of Tai Tai broke out in blood, and quickly formed a team to carry out demonstrations.

"The shame of Jingkang is still there, and we will never agree to the alliance between Song and Jin!"

"Oppose internal strife and demand a joint fight against gold!"

"Against peace talks!"

Tens of thousands of Tai students shouted together, with great momentum.

More and more people came from all directions to participate in the demonstration of Tai students. The number reached more than a hundred thousand people, blocking the two main gates of Donghuamen and Heningmen, and there were also discussions in the court. , especially the middle and low-level officials, almost all sided with the Tai students and the common people, opposing the alliance between the imperial court and the Kingdom of Jin to attack the Western Army.

This is the power of public opinion. Under the pressure of public opinion, in the afternoon, Zhao Gou held a temporary small meeting in the side hall of Daqing Hall. More than forty civil and military officials attended the meeting.

A vote was held at the court meeting. Except for Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei who abstained, the other forty-two officials voted unanimously and raised their hands to oppose the joint attack of the imperial court and Jin Guo on the Sichuan-Shanxi Army.

Under the pressure of strong public opinion from the ruling and opposition parties, Zhao Gou had no choice but to publicly promise that he would only accept the Song-Jin truce, and opposed the Song-Jin joint attack on the Sichuan-Shaanxi Army.

Zhao Gou immediately sent Li Guang and Xu Xiantu to appease the Tai students and the common people. The imperial court had accepted their appeal and would never form an alliance with Jin Guo, let alone attack the Sichuan-Shanxi Army with Jin Guo, and persuaded them to disperse.

In the evening, the half-day parade was a complete victory, and the Tai students and common people began to disperse one after another.

Due to the relatively short time for the parade and gathering, the Tai students and the common people had not had time to attack the Jin Guoguan, so that the Jin Guoguan escaped the catastrophe. If the rally continued until tomorrow morning, then tonight the Jin Guoguan will be destroyed by angry Tai students. shock.

However, although the Jin Guoguan was safe and sound, Wan Yanchang was so angry that he was about to go crazy. He persisted for half a month and kept increasing his chips to seduce the emperor Zhao Gou. Seeing that Zhao Gou was about to compromise, he was caught by a newspaper and a parade. Completely intercepted.

In the lobby, Wan Yanchang sat on the main seat with a gloomy face. Just now, Qin Hui and Wei Liangchen, the deputy negotiator, came to inform the Song Emperor Zhao Gou of his final decision, that he would not accept the proposal of joining forces with the Kingdom of Jin to destroy the Sichuan-Shaanxi Army. It is recommended that only long-term armistice agreements be accepted.

As for the above decision, the emperor has officially decreed that it is impossible to change it.

Xiao Yi, Deputy Negotiator of the Kingdom of Jin, said in a low voice: "Mr. Qin told me alone just now that Emperor Zhao Gou received a letter written by Chen Qing this morning, and he was stunned on the spot."

Wan Yanchang was taken aback, "Is the news true?"

"It must be true. It is Kang Shun, the eunuch of the imperial study, Mr. Qin, and Xu Xiantu handed over Chen Qing's personal letter to the emperor."

"boom!"

Wan Yanchang slammed his fist on the table, gritted his teeth and said, "I see. I said that Zhao Gou was about to be persuaded, why did he suddenly change his mind? Chen Qing's letter is the key."

At this time, Wan Yanchang's eyes fell on the "Lin'an Beijing News" on the table, and he said angrily: "There is also this newspaper that contributes to the flames. If it weren't for it, how could there be large-scale demonstrations? A sharp sword!"

"Marshal, I heard that this newspaper is located in Sanqiao, using Chen Qing's former residence."

Wan Yanchang had nothing to do with the Song court, nor could he have anything to do with Chen Qing. All his anger was concentrated on this newspaper.

"Let Li Qingzhou come to see me!"

Li Qingzhou was originally the commander of the palace guards of Liu Yu, the emperor of the puppet state of Qi. A Han internal guard of more than [-] people was appointed to inspect the intelligence points of the Western Army and the Han officials who wanted to betray the Kingdom of Jin. They ran rampant in the states of Hebei and had great power.

This time Wan Yanchang came to An, in addition to bringing [-] Jurchen cavalry guards, he also brought more than [-] internal guards, led by Li Qingzhou.

Not long after, a tall man in his thirties walked into the lobby, knelt down on one knee and cupped his fists and said, "Marshal please give me instructions!"

Wan Yanchang said coldly: "I entrust you with a task. Tonight, give me a bloodbath of the "Lin'an Beijing News" newspaper office, and leave no bones behind!"

(End of this chapter)