I was the richest man in Da Song

Chapter 76
In the early morning of the second day, He Shao left Ji Zai to take care of the business in Kaifeng City. Yun Niang was in charge of reporting the house, and after giving orders, he, Badger Lang, He Si, and He Anwen packed their luggage and left in a bullock cart. The city of Kaifeng.

"Father, is our hometown in Jinyang as lively as Kaifeng?" He Jing asked.

"Jinyang is adjacent to the border between Song and Liao. When my father was young, he would encounter Liao soldiers from time to time raiding the land and attacking Caogu. How could it be better than Kaifeng.

But no matter how bad it is, it’s still my father’s hometown. Where are your grandparents’ graves? They haven’t returned after all these years of narrow escapes. I don’t know if they will blame me.”

He Anwen touched He Jing's head and sighed, people can't leave their hometown.

Horses were scarce in the Song Dynasty, and the court never allowed horses to be traded, so they could only rent ox carts.

These two ox carts were the best ones that He Shao rented at the chariot and horse shop. They cost thirty guans. It is said that this white ox is called "Eight Hundred Libo", and it can travel eight hundred miles a day and one night. .

Once encountering something good, the ancients always liked to use exaggerated methods to describe it. A waterfall three thousand feet deep, white hair three thousand feet long, snowflakes bigger than a mat, etc. This white cow can only run eight hundred miles a day. It is relatively restrained.

Just after leaving Kaifeng City, he saw a soldier rushing on horseback. He bumped into many passers-by and street vendors along the way, and even almost hit his ox cart.

Just as He Shao was about to start scolding, he obediently shut up when he saw the red flag on the man's back.

"Hongling is in a hurry, this is eight hundred miles in a hurry"

No matter who or what the reason is, as long as he dares to stop Hongling's rush to make Tawau a third-class crime, it is useless to be hit to death by Hongling's rush to make Tawau.

Seeing that the Hongling envoy came from the north urgently, He Shao guessed that there must be something wrong at the border.

Originally, he thought about going back to Kaifeng to meet Li Hang, but he gave up his thoughts when he thought that he was a free labor force in the eyes of the emperor. Now the world is not as important as going back to his hometown in Jinyang with his father.

Now it's the time of the morning court, and Hong Ling's urgent emissary at least directly entered the palace, and no one dared to stop the palace gate from opening.

"Your Majesty, Hongling from Sanguan hastened eight hundred miles!" Liu Chenggui hurriedly walked.

Hearing that it was three passes, Zhao Heng's heart tightened.

"Quick Announcement"

The soldiers stumbled into the hall, not even breathing well.

"Qizou Your Majesty, Hongling hastened the frontier pass. Empress Dowager Xiao of Liao Dynasty and the emperor of the Liao Kingdom marched in person. They bypassed three passes and led an army into our territory to break through Suicheng, capturing General Wang Xianzhi alive!"

"what?"

Zhao Heng's mind went blank, and the court suddenly boiled.

Although there have been occasional frictions in the war between the two countries for so many years, this time is different. The Liao emperor's personal conquest means that the Song and Liao countries will start a full-scale war again, and they have no idea whether the Song army can win or not.

Even Zhao Heng was a little flustered, and Xiang Minzhong shouted for silence, which calmed down the officials.

"Where's Yang Yanzhao? What is he doing? How could he let the Liao army bypass the three passes?" Zhao Heng asked hastily.

"Your Majesty's military newspaper said that after Yang Yanzhao, the inspector of the capital, discovered the changes in the Liao army three days ago, he discussed with the capital army to deploy Wang Chao to the east of the Jing'an army. Wannian Bridge was used to restrict the Khitan cavalry from attacking, but Wang Chao, who was deployed by the army, refused."

In the Song Dynasty, civil servants restricted military generals, and Yang Yanzhao was nominally the inspector of the generals, but without the consent of the military deployment, he could not mobilize the army at all.

"Stupid, really stupid"

"The minister impeached the Privy Envoy Xiang Minzhong and Li Hang, the Central Committee, and Sanning Dingge submitted the letter of credence to ask for the three passes. Li Xiang and the Privy Envoy forcibly blocked it. Is this the reason for the Liao army to go south?"

Although the Liao army's southward march was a huge crisis, Wang Qinruo, who was overwhelmed by Li Han, saw some opportunities to turn defeat into victory.

With Wang Qinruo taking the lead, everyone in Yushitai became excited in an instant.

"Wang Zhongcheng, can you guarantee that we can satisfy the Liao people's appetite after ceding the three passes? If you want to ask for Baozhou or Yunzhou after occupying the three passes, will you give it or not!" Kou Zhun retorted.

"Before the founding of our dynasty, Sanguan was part of the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun, which already belonged to the land of Liao. As far as I know, it is a shame and a great shame for Liao people to serve Sanguan, but Baozhou and Yunzhou are the land of our Great Song Dynasty. on a par"

Just when Kou Zhun was arguing with Wang Qinruo, another Hong Ling envoy arrived in a hurry.

"Eight hundred miles in a hurry, Xiao Talin captured Dingzhou and the general died in battle. He conquered Yunzhou and captured Yunzhou's observation envoy Wang Jizhong."

"How can it be so fast, do you have a good plan?"

Within a day, the two states fell into the hands of the Khitan people, which made Zhao Heng a little flustered.

"I think the most urgent task is to hand over the military power of Sanguan to Yang Yanzhao with full power, and shoulder the responsibility of controlling the Liao Dynasty," Xiang Minzhong said.

"The minister thought that if he wanted to maintain the peace of the Song and Liao Dynasties, he first had to dismiss Li Hang to Minzhong to show his sincerity in promoting peace in the Song Dynasty, and then talk about the ownership of the three passes." Chen Pengnian finally found an opportunity.

"Can the Liao army really retreat?" Zhao Heng asked.

"You can prepare with both hands. While promoting peace, you can also prepare for Yuliao. At the same time, it can be regarded as delaying time," Wang Qinruo said.

"If Song and Liao can regard peace as the most important thing, the two of us are willing to plead guilty"

Li Hang confessed to Minzhong and the two knelt under the imperial steps, waiting for the emperor's trial.

Everyone knows that even if the three passes are ceded, it may not be able to satisfy the Liao people's appetite, but when the war between Song and Liao resumes, one person is always needed to take the blame.

"The decree is to return the military power of Sanguan to Yang Yanzhao, and the other army will deploy Wang Chao to delay the fighter and order him to be beheaded for public display!
As for Li Xiang and the privy envoy, who worked hard for the country all their lives, I believe that he has only public intentions and no selfishness. "

These people, headed by Wang Qinruo, who are taking the right path of the imperial examination, all looked excited. They were about to overthrow the mountain that had been overwhelming for many years, and the time had come for them to take power.

Xiang Minzhong handed Li Hang a memorial. The military memorial is usually sent to the Privy Council first. This memorial was written by Yang Yanzhao.

"Once upon a time, look at this"

"Liulang said in the memorial that the Khitan garrison is far away from the northern border, and there is a tendency to go south. Please order all the troops to guard the dangerous roads to prevent accidents.

At the same time, Fanyuan is easy to attack and difficult to defend, and the Khitan people are tired of gathering troops from all over the Liao region. They hope to command the three passes and take the initiative to attack. "Xiang Minzhong said.

"Coincidentally, I also have a memorial here."

Xiang Minzhong is in charge of the Privy Council, and Yang Yanzhao's memorial will be sent to him as soon as he is injured, while Li Hang's memorial was sent by Wang Chao, who deployed the army to break the capital. The imperial court went to war with the Liao Dynasty, but it didn't say a word about the Liao army's overwhelming force.

What made them even more helpless was that both of their memorials had been approved by the emperor's imperial pen, that is to say, the emperor had known for a long time that the Liao army would make a big move, but because of fear of war, he chose to believe in Wang Chao wishfully.

"At the beginning, you and I were the ones who resisted the ceding of the three barriers. Now that the war has started, Your Majesty is too eager to seek peace. Wang Qinruo, an old fox, is the best at figuring out what he wants. He will seize this point and continue to force him until we are dismissed." Xiang Minzhong looked at He glanced at Li Hang.

"Li Xiang, privy envoy, now we are in a troubled time in the Song Dynasty, you two must not give up in your heart," Kou Zhun said hastily.

"Now it's not about whether we want to or not. His Majesty has given us a step down if he didn't make a ruling today. We can only rely on you in the future." Li Han patted Kou Zhun on the shoulder.

"In the beginning, it was already irreversible for you and me to quit, but the way to leave still needs to be discussed." Xiang Minzhong said.

"Yes, you and I have been in charge of the government for so many years and are hardliners against the Liao Dynasty. If the Liao people know that His Majesty dismissed you and me, it will undoubtedly release His Majesty's desire to seek peace.

Before the peace talks, if the emperor's heart was found out, he would naturally open his mouth like a lion, which is not conducive to peace, so now we should also give His Majesty a step down and use a reasonable reason to step down."

Li Hang and Xiang Minzhong had a tacit understanding of each other for many years.

"Ping Zhong, the two of us will try our best to recommend you as a prime minister. You must remember that the Khitan people are a country of tigers and wolves. Even if you want to make peace in the end, you must make peace after Yanzhao's victory over Khitan. Make peace for the sake of peace. Big taboo, promoting peace through war is the right way.

If you don't beat the Khitan people, I'm afraid that there will be no real peace in the Song Dynasty, and this is my last advice to you." As a privy envoy, Xiang Minzhong understands Khitan's nature best.

(End of this chapter)