Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 442 Zhao Ji Is Scared (Subscribe!)
...

In the winter of the second year of Xuanhe, the weather in Bianliang, Tokyo was very cold, and there were scattered small snowflakes in the sky as soon as it entered the winter.

In this snowy season, after resting for more than a month, he finally led the army to the south to wipe out Fang La's group of rebels.

Zhao Ji loaded a light car and came to the city gate to see Tong Guan off in person.

Zhao Ji held Tong Guan's hand tightly and said: "Tong Aiqing, all the affairs in the southeast will be entrusted to you. If you have to, you can issue orders in my name." The meaning of Zhao Ji's words is very clear. Tong Guan with imperial power.

Not long after Zhao Ji sent Tong Guan away and returned to the Chongzheng Hall, the servant Liang Shicheng sent a memorial, saying: "Li Yan sent a large army into the cloud, and there were successive reports of success in the past ten months. Yingzhou, Shuozhou, Huanzhou was captured by Anton's army one after another, and the troops surrounded Yunzhong Mansion, and soon they will be able to occupy half of the land in Yunzhong."

After hearing this, Zhao Ji gasped, and said in disbelief, "The Anton army is so powerful?"

Liang Shicheng said: "The news from Xue Sichang said that Anton's soldiers were brave and fearless, and the infantry dared to confront the Liao horse army head-on. It is a rare force. I am afraid that only the Jin army can compete with it. Down."

Hearing what Liang Shicheng said, Zhao Ji's heart was blocked, and he said: "My Song Dynasty spends tens of millions of guns on military equipment every year. Why don't we have such soldiers?"

Liang Shicheng said: "Our Western Army in the Great Song Dynasty is not weak either. Tian Hu and Wang Qing were wiped out by them one after another. This time Taishi and Liu Yanqing led the army to go south, and soon captured Jiangning, Zhenjiang and other important towns along the Yangtze River. The natural danger of the Yangtze River has been guarded, ensuring that Fang La's bandit army cannot go north, and has defeated the bandit army several times in a row. Now it has entered Suzhou, and the next step is to point directly at Hangzhou City. I believe that it will not be long before the danger in the southeast will be completely eliminated. solve."

After Liang Shicheng comforted him, Zhao Ji immediately felt better, and then asked, "Has Li Yan left Taiyuan City yet?"

Liang Shicheng said: "Xue Sichang said that most of Li Yan's food, supplies and weapons have already been transported away, so he probably won't stay in Taiyuan City for too long."

Zhao Ji secretly made up his mind, and then said: "For me, pass on the decree to Zhong Shidao, Yao Gu, and Zhe Keqiu. When all the Anton Army enters Yundi, there is no need to ask for instructions. Immediately seal the Yanmen Pass, Chen Jiagu and Feihukou will never allow An Dongjun to return to Song Dynasty!"

Liang Shicheng responded, "No!"

Liang Shicheng hesitated for a moment, and then said: "The grand master sent back news that... Fang La was able to initiate such a large-scale riot because of Hua Shigang's troubles. Public dissatisfaction is boiling, and the Grand Master has announced in your name, the official, that the Suzhou-Hangzhou Yingfeng Bureau, Zaozuo Bureau, and Huashi Gang will be revoked."

In fact, Zhao Ji already knew about this matter, and Tan Zhen had already reported it to him before Tong Guan.

Zhao Ji really didn't expect that such a big disaster in the southeast would be caused by him.

Cai Jing's words sounded in Zhao Ji's ears, "There is a lot of wealth in the world, so it's not appropriate to support His Majesty?"

"Isn't it appropriate?" Zhao Ji didn't know whether it was appropriate or not.

Zhao Ji said: "Remove Zhu Yu, father and son and their relatives from their positions, and give an explanation to the people in the southeast."

During this period of time, Zhao Ji suffered from insomnia all night long, haggard - Li Yan in the north and Fang La in the south made Zhao Ji feel that his country was a little unstable.

Tong Guan dismissed Suhang Yingfeng Bureau, Zao Zuo Bureau, and Huashi Gang, and Zhao Ji dismissed Zhu Xie, his father, his son and their relatives. After hearing these two good news, the people in the southeast all applauded.

Soon there was another good news from the front line, which said: Wuzhou Observation Commander Wang Zhi led his army to fight bloody battles and regained Hangzhou City.

Things seem to be getting better in the southeast.

But just as Zhao Ji breathed a sigh of relief, Liang Shicheng brought two more bad news:
The first one, Li Yan attacked Yunzhong Mansion, and captured Emperor Tianzuo once, and seemed to have the potential to sweep the entire Yunzhong.

Second, Deng Xunwu is dead.

Zhao Ji never expected that Li Yan was so good at fighting. In just over a month, he had conquered half of Yundi and swallowed the other half of Yunzhong. You know, it took more than 100 years for Da Song Being able to do this made Zhao Ji more and more afraid of Li Yan, and made up his mind to completely solve Li Yan's future troubles.

The death of Deng Xunwu made Zhao Ji very uneasy!

Deng Xunwu was one of the mainstays of the Song Dynasty. He strongly opposed Lianjin's recovery of Yanyun Sixteen Prefectures during his lifetime.

At that time, Zhao Ji didn't want to listen to Deng Xunwu's words.

Now that Deng Xunwu is dead, all the words Deng Xunwu once said rang again in Zhao Ji's ears.

This made Zhao Ji start to think: "Should we go to recover the Sixteen States of Yanyun?"

Zhao Ji issued a decree: "Worship Deng Xunwu as Shaobao, and make him the Duke of Shen." He also said to the left and right: "Shaobao died of illness, and the Song Dynasty lost a cornerstone."

In a blink of an eye, it's time for the apricot blossoms to bloom again.

The few big apricot trees on the apricot hill of Yanfu Palace were sparsely blooming, and this kind of situation had never happened before.

The concubines and concubines in the palace were chattering in private, saying that this was not a good omen.

Zhao Ji and Concubine An also heard some rumors.

In the evening of this day, Zhao Ji and Concubine An quietly came to Xinggang to see what happened.

Sure enough, some white petals are sparsely hung on the tall apricot tree, which makes people feel very melancholy and sad at first sight.

Concubine An, surnamed Liu, was born in a commoner family.

When she was ten years old, she entered the palace as a beauty pageant and served Song Zhezong Empress Liu in the Chongen Palace.

After the death of Empress Liu, the maids of the Chong'en Palace "all returned", but the maid Liu did not want to go back to her poor family, so she lived in the house of a servant surnamed He and waited for the opportunity.

Later, Yang Jian, the chief servant, saw that Lady Liu was beautiful, so he recommended her to Zhao Ji.

Zhao Ji fell in love with Lady Liu very much when he saw her, and named her a talented person. She was 25 years old that year.

Liu Cairen is not only beautiful, but also talented, understanding, and ingenious.

She is good at cooking, and often cooks a few side dishes for Zhao Ji herself.

She can also cut clothes with novel styles, which are imitated inside and outside the palace.

Later, Liu Cairen was gradually promoted to Concubine Shu.

Seeing Concubine Liu Shu being favored, Taoist Lin Lingsu flattered her and called her "Jiuhua Yuzhen Concubine An".

Suddenly, two petals fell from the apricot tree and happened to land on Zhao Ji's shoulder.

"Official, they land on your shoulders and stick to them, they seem to be very spiritual." Concubine An stretched out her thin fingers to pinch the petals.

"Flowers are ruthless, but lovers disturb themselves." Song Huizong forced a smile.

The free and easy emperor of the past finally couldn't be free and easy anymore.

After Li Yan in the north exposed his minions, Zhao Ji knew what kind of terrifying beast was crouching beside his couch.

Fang La in the south gathered hundreds of thousands of troops, and they were inseparable from the more than 20 elites of Song Dynasty.

One south and one north, where there is a problem, it may ruin the great country of Song Dynasty.

Zhao Ji was scared.

At noon that day, a solar eclipse suddenly occurred over Tokyo.

The eclipse lasted until the evening before the sky returned to normal.

This is "Ri You Zhen", which heralds disaster and suffering.

Another shadow cast over Zhao Ji's heart.

In the eyes of people at this time, the appearance of the sun in the sun means that the emperor has acted improperly. This is a kind of warning from heaven to the emperor—a severe warning.

Zhao Ji hastily promulgated the "Criminal Edict": "The master is not virtuous, and the government is uneven, so that the world is chaotic and thieves. I look up to the light of the three lights, but I can't manage and raise all living beings. I have gone too far. I wish to be virtuous and upright, Speak bluntly and extremely admonish me to correct my mistakes."

Zhao Ji hoped that the "guilty edict" would be used to dispel people's doubts and anxiety.

However, a misfortune still befell Zhao Ji.

One night, Concubine An suddenly felt hot and shivering all over her body.

Zhao Ji hurriedly called the imperial doctor to see him. The imperial doctor prescribed treatment according to typhoid fever, but the condition not only did not decrease but aggravated.

The Tai Hospital immediately organized a consultation with the imperial physician, but all kinds of methods still failed.

Seeing Concubine An's spirit was so depressed that she had no food or drink, Zhao Ji was very anxious but helpless.

On this day, Zhao Ji was discussing matters with Wang Fu in Chongzheng Palace, when news came that Concubine An was critically ill.

Zhao Ji came to Huining Palace in a hurry, and saw Concubine An lying quietly on the bed with her eyes closed, her face pale and her breathing weak.

Zhao Ji walked to the bedside and gently held Concubine An's hand.

Zhao Ji's hand seemed to have magical powers, and Concubine An's face suddenly became rosy.

Concubine An slowly opened her eyes, smiled, and said, "The official family is here."

Zhao Ji nodded.

Concubine An moved her body slightly, and held Zhao Ji's hand tightly, with tears streaming down her cheeks, "The humble concubine came from a humble background, now I have met the grace of the Holy One, my wish is enough, even if I die, I will have no regrets!"

Zhao Ji also wept silently.

"Although my concubine's bones are buried in nine springs, her soul is always around the official family. I hope that the official family will always remember the people of the world and put the ancestral temple and society as the most important thing. The concubine can't bear to leave, but the fate is here. The official family must take care of the holy body and don't miss it too much..."

Concubine An was still thinking, but her voice stopped abruptly.

Her face was still rosy, her hands were warm, and her body was still soft.

Zhao Ji couldn't believe that she left just like that, he hugged Concubine An's body and wept endlessly.

Concubine An really left like this, leaving Zhao Ji with three sons and a daughter.

Concubine An is the little concubine Liu, following the eldest concubine Liu and Li Shishi, Zhao Ji's favorite woman.

Zhao Ji issued an edict to pursue Concubine An as the queen, and her posthumous title was "Ming Festival". For several days, she didn't think about tea and food.

Just then, the golden envoy came.

In this eventful autumn, Zhao Ji has no interest in recovering Yanyun sixteen prefectures.

Moreover, Zheng Zhongju tried his best to persuade: "Officials, don't think about recovering Yanjing anymore. It is enough to guard the ancestral land of the country, to be worthy of the sky above, and to be worthy of the people below. At present, Li Yan is so powerful that he will be ready at any time." There is a possibility of going south, and the situation in the southeast is turbulent, so it is definitely not a wise move to join forces with Jin to destroy Liao at this time."

Zhao Ji realized that Zheng Zhongju might be right.

Therefore, Zhao Ji, who no longer wants to regain the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, does not want to see the Jin envoy,

Knowing what Zhao Ji meant, Wang Fu ordered Dengzhou Zhizhou Wang Shizhong to hold back the Jin envoy.

Wang Shizhong tried his best to persuade the envoy to stay in Dengzhou with good food and drink.

However, Master Wang's intentions were soon known by the envoy Jin.

The Jin envoy was furious, and secretly made a heavy note to Zhao Ji and his ministers, and at the same time threatened Wang Shizhong: "If Wang Zhizhou doesn't send someone to take us to Bianliang, Tokyo, then we will walk there by ourselves."

This time, the Jin envoys came not only for the alliance at sea, but they urgently needed to know what happened to Li Yan and his group. How could they stay in Dengzhou for a long time?

Seeing that the Jinshi could not be stopped, Wang Shizhong had no choice but to send a carriage to drive them on the road. At the same time, he sent a fast horse to gallop to the capital to report to the imperial court, so that the imperial court was ready...

……

(End of this chapter)