Martial arts crossing begins with the story of looking for Qin

Chapter 689 Domestic and Abroad
Huang Shang smiled and said: "He is a sweetheart, and so is Your Majesty."

Zhao Ji straightened his expression and said solemnly: "Then I also want to take back the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun."

Huang Shang was stunned for a moment, why did he suddenly mention this? Then he smiled and said: "Of course."

The Sixteenth State of Yanyun can be said to be the obsession of every emperor in the Song Dynasty. Without the Sixteenth State of Yanyun, the Central Plains would have no barrier against the nomads in the north. Emperor Shenzong solemnly promised that if he captured the sixteen states of Yanyun, he could also be crowned king if he had a different surname.

Zhao Ji stared at Huang Sang and asked, "Teacher also supports me?"

Huang Shang smiled again: "Of course!"

After all, he is still young. What is there to ask? You will not think that if you have a Khitan disciple, your heart will be towards the Liao Kingdom, right?
Zhao Ji couldn't help but ask again: "Senior brother, he..."

Huang Shang smiled and said: "Isn't this what your Majesty's senior brother is used to do?"

Zhao Ji said in surprise: "Senior brother, will he return the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun to me?"

Huang Shang shook his head: "Of course not, he doesn't have the power. Even if he had the power, as a Khitan, how could he voluntarily give up the sixteen states of Yanyun?"

Zhao Ji calmed down, but also felt that he was whimsical, and asked: "What does the teacher mean?"

Huang Shang said: "His role as the Southern King is to win stability in the north for the Song Dynasty."

Zhao Ji asked: "But this kind of stability cannot bring Yan Yun back. Shouldn't we fight?"

Huang Shang shook his head and said: "War consumes the most national power. There is no need to use troops in the west and north for the time being. How much national power can be saved for the Song Dynasty? Your Majesty concentrated on solving the internal problems. As for Yan Yun, it will only be taken back when the conditions are ripe." "

Huang Sang's words did not make Zhao Ji smile, but Huang Sang saw a trace of hesitation in his face.

Huang Shang was stunned for a moment, thinking back to what he said, there was nothing wrong with him. He presented facts and reason, and they were all words of positive encouragement.

Huang Shang looked at Zhao Ji and showed his intention to inquire.

Zhao Ji glanced at Cai Jing and Tong Guan, then turned to Huang Shang and said, "Teacher, this time Tong Guan went to Liao as an envoy and brought back someone to propose a plan to unite with the Jurchens and destroy Liao together."

Huang Shang's eyes flashed, Tong Guan had indeed instigated Li Liangsi's rebellion, and the Maritime Alliance was not far away.

Huang Shang asked: "Then what is the purpose of His Majesty's trip to Jiangnan...?"

The purpose of Zhao Ji's trip was to study with Huang Shang a plan to destroy Liao. If Xiao Feng was not an important minister of the Liao Kingdom, Zhao Ji would not think of discussing this matter with Huang Shang. Maybe Huang Shang is not the person who knows the Liao Kingdom best, but his opinions cannot be ignored.

Zhao Ji said: "I just want to ask the teacher, is it feasible to unite with the Jurchens to destroy the Liao Dynasty?"

Huang Shang said: "Your Majesty should already have the answer in his mind."

Zhao Ji was silent for a moment and said, "I think it's feasible."

Huang Shang asked: "What is your Majesty's purpose?"

Zhao Ji said: "Take back the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun and destroy the Liao Kingdom. However, the domestic reform is at a critical moment, and I am afraid that the war will affect the domestic backlash against the new law, so I am still hesitant."

Huang Shang also fell into deep thought. Zhao Ji, Cai Jing and Tong Guan all stared at Huang Shang, which was actually testing Huang Shang's position. After all, his relationship with Xiao Feng was far greater than his relationship with Zhao Ji.

Huang Shang thought for a long time before speaking: "Your Majesty, I have two questions. First, is the purpose of uniting with the Jurchens to regain the Yanyun Sixteenth Prefecture, or to destroy the Liao Dynasty? Second, since your Majesty's reform has been so far, is your Majesty confident? Carry out the reform to the end?”

The three of them looked at each other after hearing this, not understanding what Huang Sang meant by his words.

Zhao Ji said: "There is no contradiction between taking back Yanyun and destroying Liao. As for the reform..."

Zhao Ji glanced at Cai Jing. Cai Jing was the main force behind the reform and knew the ropes better than the emperor.

With Zhao Ji's glance, Cai Jing had to answer Huang Shang cautiously.

Huang Shang was the one who gave up the power at his fingertips, especially because of his close relationship with the emperor. The emperor would definitely respect Huang Shang's opinion.

Cai Jing answered cautiously: "Although the reform has been going on, it is not going smoothly and the resistance is not small. Some policies are not implemented in a hurry for fear of being too hasty and causing greater instability."

Huang Shang nodded and said: "What the Grand Master said is true. As early as when Wang Xianggong reformed the law, the Grand Master was the backbone and knew the power of it. Sometimes failure is not because of mistakes, but because of being too anxious. But I want to ask the Grand Master , Even if we work steadily and step by step, will the reform be successful? "

Cai Jing remained silent. Many of the policies of the new law are aimed at cutting off the roots of wealthy families. No one can say what kind of backlash it will cause. This is also one of the reasons why the emperor dare not easily start a war with the outside world. Internal troubles are always more important than foreign troubles.

Huang Shang said: "If the outside world is stable, they will not dare to overreact for a while, but once a war starts, it will cost a lot of money and food, and it will all fall on the heads of the southern clans. It is really unpredictable how they will react."

Zhao Ji asked: "It seems that the teacher does not agree with uniting with the Jurchens to destroy the Liao Dynasty?"

No one can guess whether there is Xiao Feng's factor in this. Tong Guan is a little worried for Huang Shang. Can he pass the emperor's test?
Huang Shang said calmly: "I do not agree with uniting with the Jurchens, nor do I agree with destroying the Liao Dynasty, but I think it is the right time to take back Yanyun."

Zhao Ji asked: "What does this mean?"

Huang Shang said: "This is why I ask whether your majesty's goal is to destroy Yanyun or to destroy Liao. The two are not contradictory, but they are not the same thing."

Zhao Ji said: "Teacher, tell me what you have to say."

Huang Shang said: "The Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun is the heart disease of the emperors of the Song Dynasty. I don't know how many people have thought about the way to take back the Sixteenth Prefecture of Yanyun, and I have also thought about it. My idea is that it takes time to take back Yanyun, and This is the right time for the Jurchens to rebel against the Liao Dynasty.”

Zhao Ji asked: "Then why does the teacher oppose uniting with the Jurchens?"

Huang Shang said: "My idea is to take back Yanyun, but not to destroy the Liao Kingdom. I want to preserve the Liao Kingdom."

Zhao Ji asked: "What is the difference between the two?"

Huang Shang said: "I have always hoped that our north will not be a unified country, no matter whether they are strong or not. I have also been waiting for a new nation to rise in the north. It can be the Jurchens or other ethnic groups, but I don't I hope the Liao Kingdom will be destroyed.”

Zhao Ji had no feelings for the Jurchens, but he had rich feelings for the Liao Kingdom.

Zhao Ji was silent. Song's long-term humiliating diplomacy with Liao and the burden of annual coins made Song and Liao's century-old peace hide Song's deep hatred for Liao. Huang Shang's words did not win the emperor's heart.

Huang Shang saw that Zhao Ji was unhappy and continued to say calmly: "If we unite with the Jurchens and really destroy the Liao Kingdom, then what? It is inevitable that the Jurchens will go south. With all due respect, in my opinion, the Song army cannot defeat the Liao Kingdom. , let alone defeat the Jurchens. When the Yanyun we get is recovered and the accident is small, it is not impossible for them to drive straight down the Yangtze River.

(End of this chapter)