First Minister of the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 372

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Xiangzhou, the current Xiangzhou Daoxingtai Shangshu Zuo Pushe Li Xiaogong is a veritable high position and power, and the entire Jingchu Xiaoxiang dozens of prefectures are under his jurisdiction.

Li Xiaogong was born wealthy. His grandfather Li Wei was the governor of Shuozhou in the Northern Zhou Dynasty, and his father Li An was a former general in the right army of the Sui Dynasty. He was a high-ranking official for generations. .

But Li Xiaogong's fate is good, now that the Li family is in control of the world, he, the county king, lives a bit more extravagantly, but it is harmless.

After coming to Xiangzhou to stay in the festival, Li Xiaogong went hunting during the day and had banquets at night, really enjoying life.

On this day, Li Xiaogong was planning to take his guards to go hunting outside the city, when he was overtaken by a fast horse not far from the city.

"Your Majesty, you belong to Li Shijun," the attendants looked at and said.

Li Xiaogong frowned, extremely unhappy, spat: "Disappointment".

Seeing this, the officials around him had no choice but to comfort him: "Mr. Li may have something important to do."

"If he has nothing important to do, this king will not be able to do it if he is the governor of Xiangzhou," Li Xiaogong snorted coldly.

The knight came to him, out of breath, "Your Majesty, something is wrong, the High Envoy of Jingzhou hastened to report that Jianghuai Fugong Er has reversed."

"What?" Li Xiaogong was shocked, and immediately shouted: "Go back to the city, order all the military houses to assemble and prepare for war."

Although Li Xiaogong likes to have fun, he understands the general situation and is very sensible at critical moments. While riding back to the city, he ordered: "Quickly send an order to Huangzhou and order Zhou Faming to prepare the army for war."

Huangzhou is the junction of Jingchu and Jianghuai, it is the front line, Li Xiaogong is afraid that Zhou Faming will be negligent and let the bandit army break through Jianghuai.

The land of Jingchu is under the jurisdiction of Li Xiaogong. If there is no accident, this Li Xiaogong is also the commander-in-chief. There is no imperial order. Li Xiaogong can only remind Zhou Faming, the general manager of Huangzhou, to prepare the army and cannot make other military deployments.

Back in the city of Xiangyang, Li Xiaogong quickly wrote the memorandum and ordered people to send it to Chang'an urgently. At the same time, he ordered the governors of all states to reorganize the army and prepare food. He wanted to complete all preparations before the imperial order was issued.

Hongzhou, the old county of Yuzhang, and the new mansion of Hongdu, is known as "Min Ting, the head of Wu and the tail of Chu", and its geographical location is very important.

At the beginning of the year, Zhang Shan'an, a bandit who ruled Yuzhang County, surrendered to the Tang Dynasty. Li Yuan abolished Yuzhang County and set up Hongzhou, and established the Hongzhou General Manager's Office, which governed Hongzhou, Qianzhou, and Jizhou, and worshiped Zhang Shan'an as the general manager of Hongzhou.

When Zhang Shan'an voted for the Tang Dynasty, there were many disputes in the court, thinking that Zhang Shan'an was unfaithful and righteous, and could not be reused. However, Li Yuannian took the initiative to vote, so he still reused him and entrusted him with the important task of managing.

The reason for this controversy is because Zhang Shan'an's resume is too shameless.

Zhang Shan'an was originally from Yanzhou. He murdered and became a thief at the age of 17. He first joined the bandit Kou Mengrang in Changbai Mountain. .

At this time, Zhang Shan'an, seeing that Meng Rang was weak, actually encroached on Meng Rang's tribe. Meng Rang had to flee again, forcing him to flee again and submit to Li Mi. Missed, or died in the chaos.

After embezzling Meng Rang's tribe, Zhang Shan'an moved to Jianghuai, captured Lujiang County and joined Lin Shihong. However, Lin Shihong deliberately alienated Meng Rang, and ordered Zhang Shan'an to go out of the city to camp.

In a rage, Zhang Shan'an set fire to the city and attacked Lin Shihong, who was defeated.

Later, Zhang Shan'an flirted with Xiao Mian again, and cooperated with Xiao Mian's troops to attack Su Hu'er in Yuzhang County. Lin Shihong was defeated again and retreated to Yugan City, which indirectly contributed to the defeat of Lin Shihong, a separatist prince.

Not long after Xiao Mian captured Yuzhang County, the Tang army attacked Xiao Mian. Zhang Shan'an, an ally, took the opportunity to attack, stab Xiao Liang in the back, and captured Yuzhang County. Don.

He rebelled several times, and even stabbed benefactors like Meng Rang and Lin Shihong in the back. The character of this bandit is really obvious to all.

Nanchang County, Nanchang County was set up as early as the fifth year of Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty, and it was the seat of Yuzhang County.

During the Xinmang period, it was renamed Yishan County, and in the ninth year of Kaihuang in the former Sui Dynasty, it was renamed Yuzhang County.

After Zhang Shan'an surrendered to the Tang Dynasty with Yuzhang County, Li Yuan ordered that Nanchang County be renamed as Nanchang County, which was still the seat of Hongzhou.

There is a Hongzhou Governor's Mansion in Nanchang City, and Zhang Shan'an, the Hongzhou Governor who governs the five states, is receiving a mysterious guest in the Governor's Mansion.

In the back hall, the door is closed, and there are only two people sitting opposite each other in the room. One of them is of short stature, with a short beard under his jaw, his eyes are very small, squinting, and his eyes shine from time to time. It seems that this person is extraordinarily shrewd. It was Zhang Shan'an, the governor of Hongzhou who had rebelled several times.

Sitting opposite was an old Taoist priest with white beard and hair. Although he was not a fairy, he still had the demeanor of a master of Taoism.

"Should I call you Daoist Zuo or Shangshu Zuo?" Zhang Shan'an twitched his short beard, squinted his eyes and smiled, his laughter was treacherous, "I haven't seen you for a few months, I am so envious of your promotion speed."

The Taoist on the opposite side is Zuo Youxian, Minister of the Ministry of War canonized by Fugong Er, the pseudo-Song Tianming Emperor.

"What is a mere minister, as long as General Zhang is willing, even Wang Jue is fine," Zuo Youxian said with a smile on his face.

"Let's talk about the conditions of Fu Gong," Zhang Shan'an said directly.

Zuo Youxian's face was happy, but he was very disdainful in his heart, and he was even more vigilant, this kind of bandit who sees profit and forgets righteousness is not enough to have a deep friendship.

Immediately said: "As long as General Zhang raises troops to contain the Tang army in Huangzhou and Shuzhou, our Great Song Dynasty can sweep across the southeast and take Wuyue and other places. At that time, General Zhang will be made king. I promise you hereditary succession, and you will not listen to it." Xuan".

Zhang Shan'an was a thief at the age of 17 and was illiterate. Hearing this condition, his eyes lit up, "What king?"

Zuo Youxian was stunned, and the hand of Nianxu froze, but fortunately, Zuo Laodao was a veteran of fooling people, and immediately said without changing his face: "King of Chu, King of Wu, King of Qi... the first-class kings are all selected by you, At that time, you will be under one person and above ten thousand people."

Zhang Shan'an groaned silently, while Zuo Youxian was thinking, Zhang Shan'an said: "I'm going to be crowned king now".

Zuo Youxian had a black line on his face, but considering the explanation of Fu Gong Er when he was leaving, he immediately agreed, "I will report back to the saint and immediately issue a decree for canonization."

Zhang Shan'an was overjoyed, "After the matter is completed, the king will thank you very much, and Zuo Shangshu will invite you."

Really shameless, the corners of Zuo Youxian's mouth twitched, on the surface he still bid farewell very respectfully.

The next day, Kuai Ma sent an imperial decree to assist Gong Er, canonizing Zhang Shan'an as the king of Chu, worshiping him as the Daxingtai of the Southwest Road, and directly handing over the entire southwest region to Zhang Shan'an, including Jingchu, Bashu, and middle Guizhou.

Zhang Shan'an was overjoyed after receiving the order, and was completely stunned by the cake painted by Fu Gong Er, and immediately raised his troops brazenly.

After all, Zhang Shan'an was born as a bandit, even if he rebelled, Zhang Shan'an didn't have the courage to face him face to face. If he squinted his small eyes, he would have evil thoughts.

(End of this chapter)