I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 537: The king and his subjects discuss the division of labor! The countdown to the Song-Liao war begins

Early morning on the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month.

Zhao Zhen ordered the eunuchs to convey the oral instructions to the ministers of the two ministries and three departments, as well as the heads of various yamen.

"The end-of-year meeting between the emperor and his ministers has been cancelled, and all ministers will go to the yamen in advance on the sixth day of the first lunar month."

at the same time.

The New Year's Day court meeting was also arranged quite simply, with the entire Honglu Temple in charge, and none of the ministers participated.

Anyone with a discerning eye can see that something big is going to happen after the New Year.

At this moment, inside the Chui Gong Hall.

Zhao Zhen glanced at the wooden box that Su Liang brought back, which contained the resumes of the candidates for the Supervisory Censor, and asked Su Liang, "Mr. Su, among the remaining seven, who do you think is more suitable to be the Supervisory Censor?"

"I think none of them are suitable. I have more suitable people to recommend." Su Liang bowed.

"Who?"

"Feng Jing, the first place winner of the first year of Huangyou, was the Chief of Works and the judge of the Jingnan Military Office."

Zhao Zhen waved his hand.

"I have considered him. His qualifications are not a problem, and his abilities are excellent. But don't you know that Feng Jing is the son-in-law of a wealthy prime minister?"

"The main responsibility of the censors is to supervise the prime minister. The son-in-law is the censor and the father-in-law is the prime minister. This is against etiquette and it cannot be done!"

Su Liang took a step forward.

"Your Majesty, the reason why I recommend Feng Jing is because the Song-Liao War will begin next year. After you lead the army in person, there are too few censors who can check and balance the prime minister and give frank advice. It is really difficult for me to find other candidates to replace the censors Han Jiang and Lu Hui."

"I also know that Prime Minister Fu and he are father-in-law and son-in-law, but the emperor is personally leading the army this time, so won't he bring Prime Minister Fu with him?"

Zhao Zhen was stunned and couldn't help but look at Su Liang with a smile.

"Why should I bring Fu Qing with me?"

"Prime Minister Fu was once an envoy to the Liao Kingdom and is very familiar with the habits of the Liao people. He also trained the Hedong Imperial Guards for a long time in Jingdong Road with remarkable results. He also worked with me to quell the rebellion of the soldier bandit Wang Ze. Prime Minister Fu's military strategy is no less than his civil strategy. In addition, the court can have the Minister of Civil Affairs, the Minister of Wang, the Minister of Wu, and the Minister of Ouyang. Prime Minister Fu's use in destroying the Liao Kingdom is far greater than his use in the court."

A smile appeared on Zhao Zhen's face.

"You are the one who can hide anything from me. I do intend to lead Prime Minister Fu on an expedition to the north."

"Then there will be no problem with Feng Jing being appointed as the Censor-in-Chief. When we return from defeating Liao, the government will assign him other tasks."

"Okay, I'll listen to you."

Zhao Zhen stood up, looked at Su Liang, and said, "Su Qing, stay home and spend time with your family during the New Year holidays. After the sixth day of the first lunar month, we will focus all our attention on the northern border."

"I understand." Su Liang handed over his hand.

……

It’s nearly noon on the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month.

The winter sun is shining brightly.

The streets of Bianjing City were crowded with people, all the restaurants and shops were full, and many people gathered together for banquets.

Inside Su's house.

Su Liang and his son Su Zimu worked together to paste door gods and peach charms on the door.

Tang Ze and Su Qinyi were hanging red lanterns on the small tree in the yard, while Tang Wanmei was making cakes with Aunt Ji in the kitchen.

Inside and outside the house.

Bursts of laughter could be heard from time to time, creating a strong New Year atmosphere.

Su Liang is enjoying the present time very much. He is heading to the northern border after the New Year and doesn't know when he will be able to return, so he tries to spend all his time with his family.

……

It was the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month and the sun had not yet set.

Bursts of firecrackers were heard in the city of Bianjing, and groups of children were playing and playing in the streets and setting off firecrackers.

Neighbors and friends wish each other a Happy New Year.

Su Liang bought half a carriage full of firecrackers and set them off together with Su Zimu and Su Qin.

Bang!Bang!Bang!
The firecrackers kept going off.

Su Zimu and Su Qinyi's clothes were covered with scraps of firecrackers, and Su Liang's hands smelled of gunpowder.

Fortunately, Tang Wanmei had made preparations and had not yet asked the three of them to put on new winter clothes.

Half an hour later.

Tang Ze originally wanted to invite the three of them to have a New Year's Eve dinner, but Su Qin pulled him over to set off firecrackers.

Finally, it was Tang Wanmei who came out and called the four people into the yard to wash their hands, change clothes and eat.

After a lively dinner, the family of five went to the market for a stroll and did not return home until late at night.

then.

Tang Ze, Su Zimu and Su Qinyi sat around the fire and began to stay up all night.

Su Zimu and Tang Wanmei went back to the room and lay down.

……

The next day.

It is the first day of the first month of the third year of He.

Less than four days later.

Su Liang got up, ate the breakfast prepared for him by Tang Wanmei, put on his official uniform, and took a carriage to the Forbidden City.

Five watch.

Civil and military officials, as well as envoys from various countries, entered the Daqing Hall one after another.

Although the etiquette was simple, the spirit of the Song Dynasty officials was different, and the eyes of envoys from other countries looking at the Song Dynasty were also different.

This is the majesty of a great country.

The Song Dynasty, which destroyed the Western Xia, had become the most powerful country in the world in the eyes of envoys from various countries.

Su Liang has never liked such ceremonial occasions. After lunch, he went home to catch up on his sleep.

He planned to visit relatives and friends on the second and third days of the New Year, and then rest at home until the sixth day of the first lunar month.

……

The sixth day of the first lunar month, early morning.

The ministers of the two governments and three ministries, the chief censor Su Liang, the prefect of Kaifeng and the grand secretary of Longtu Pavilion Bao Zheng, and the commander of the imperial guards and cavalry Cao Cong were all summoned to the Chuigong Hall.

The commander-in-chief and deputy commander-in-chief of the three yamen were either in the northwest, in the southern border, or in the northern border, or they were just nominal positions.

Cao Cong was basically in a semi-retired state.

However, he had a very high prestige in the three yamen and was familiar with the abilities of middle-level generals. The imperial court still needed to refer to his opinions when deploying troops.

All the officials were excited.

They all knew what today's meeting was for.

After a while.

Two eunuchs pulled a screen and hung a huge map of Song and Liao on it. The most conspicuous part of the map was the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun.

Seeing this map, all the ministers became excited.

If one can complete the unfinished achievements of Taizu and Taizong during his lifetime and become a part of this great achievement, then his name will surely go down in history.

At this time, Zhao Zhen strode out.

All the ministers bowed hurriedly.

"Please take a seat, everyone! I summoned you all here today only to resolve two matters."

"First, how should a declaration of war be written? And who should write it?"

"Secondly, I want to arrange for a commander to accompany me on the northern expedition. If you have any objections, you can discuss it further. The candidate must be determined today and will not be changed!"

"First, let's solve the first problem. How should a declaration of war be written and who is the most suitable person to write it?" Declarations of war have always existed.

It was written when Emperor Taizong conquered the northern border, and it was also written when Emperor Zhenzong fought against the Liao Kingdom.

to be honest.

The declaration of war is to pursue one goal: to have a legitimate reason to fight.

After Zhao Zhen finished speaking, the officials all looked at Ouyang Xiu and Su Liang.

It’s not that they are not good enough.

It's just that the literary talent of these two people is too extraordinary, and the sharpness of their writing is unprecedented. In front of them, they can't even compare with them, but are far behind them.

Zhao Zhen smiled and said, "I also think that only Ouyang Xianggong and Su Qing can take on this important task!"

At this time.

Ouyang Xiu puffed out his chest and said, "Your Majesty, if we only talk about writing the declaration of war, I will definitely take the responsibility and will not be inferior to Jingming, but this time, I recommend Jingming to write it."

When it comes to writing, Ouyang Xiu has never been humble.

He has always believed that he is the leading figure in the entire Song Dynasty literary world.

On writing articles.

If he ranks second, no one dares to rank first.

This time, he was rarely humble.

Zhao Zhen asked, "Mr. Ouyang, this is not the time to yield, are you going to yield?"

Su Liang also looked at Ouyang Xiu curiously.

Among all of you present here, the only one who can occasionally surpass him in "sharp writing" is Ouyang Xiu.

"Your Majesty, I am not giving in. It is Jingming who is the most hated scholar-official of our dynasty by the Liao nobles. Jingming's writing is even more heartbreaking. This cannot be compensated by literary talent!"

Yelu Hongji had great respect for Su Liang in his early years.

But after the failure of the Liao Dynasty's reform, he blamed all the faults on Su Liang.

Many Liao nobles also believed that without the emergence of Su Liang, the censor, the Song Dynasty would not have become so powerful and wealthy in just a few years.

They hated Su Liang.

Su Liang's articles were even more damaging to them.

After hearing Ouyang Xiu's explanation, Zhao Zhen and the officials nodded.

This is true.

When Su Liang saw Zhao Zhen looking at him, he quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "I am willing to do it."

"Okay, let's discuss what the core content of this declaration of war should be?" Zhao Zhen looked at his ministers.

Wang Yaochen immediately said, "Our Song Dynasty inherited the Han and Tang Dynasties. Yanyun was the old land of the Han and Tang Dynasties, so it is naturally the territory of our Song Dynasty. Recovering Yanyun is the will of our ancestors, and it is also our goal to complete our ancestors' foundation. In addition, the Khitans are barbaric, the nobles are tyrannical, and they have killed the Han people and caused wars many times. Our Song Dynasty has the responsibility to destroy them. These two reasons are enough to give us a legitimate reason!"

All the ministers nodded in unison, but Zhao Zhen frowned.

"Recovering Yanyun cannot be the main reason for declaring war. Otherwise, if we recover Yanyun and Liao Kingdom stops the war and negotiates, what should we do? Should we stop attacking?"

At this time, Su Liang stood up.

"Your Majesty, I have something to add. Recovering the Han and Tang territories is only a small reason for us to declare war. The main purpose of our declaration of war should be to end war with war, so that the world can be peaceful and the people can live and work in peace."

"At present, the Liao Dynasty court has increased taxes and bullied merchants in order to strengthen the army, which has caused public resentment."

"We declared war to save the people from danger and to let the people of Liao see that we are not going to invade them, but to save them. Many Liao people know the living conditions of the Tanguts and Qiangs. If they follow us, then the many territories of Liao will fall without a fight!"

"This declaration of war is not only to declare war, but also to pacify the people of Liao and make them willing to accept us. In this way, the effect of this declaration of war can be magnified. We can relieve the suffering of the people and destroy Liao, and this reason will be established!"

Hearing this, all the ministers nodded.

"Okay, okay, let's write it like this!" Zhao Zhen made the decision immediately.

This is how Zhao Zhen likes to discuss matters the most.

When someone can immediately give the best solution, there is no need for further discussion, which saves time, effort and worry.

……

Followed by.

Zhao Zhen stood up and walked to the map of Song and Liao, pointing to the Yanyun plate.

"If you want to destroy the Liao Kingdom, you must first occupy Yanyun, and the key to occupying Yanyun lies in Youzhou."

"Youzhou is the secondary capital of Liao, with a population of nearly 300,000. The city walls are high and thick, making it easy to defend but difficult to attack. Taking Youzhou is equivalent to taking over the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun."

"I have decided to divide the army to destroy Liao into three routes, and first completely occupy the Yanyun area."

"The eastern route, enter from Yingzhou, conquer Mozhou, Zhuozhou, Youzhou, and go all the way north. I will lead the army in person, so naturally I will take on the toughest challenges. I will appoint myself as the commander-in-chief of the eastern route, Han Qi as the deputy commander-in-chief, and Su Liang as the military supervisor, and we will focus on attacking the eastern route."

"For the northern route, Fu Bi will be the commander-in-chief, and another general will be appointed as the deputy commander-in-chief. They will enter from Weizhou, capture Xinzhou, Wuzhou, etc., and focus on attacking the northern route."

"For the western route, Pang Ji will be the commander-in-chief, Liang Shi will be the deputy commander-in-chief, and another 50,000 troops from the northwest will be summoned to enter from Shuozhou, capture Xiangzhou and Yunzhou, and focus on attacking the western route."

Zhao Zhen paused, and continued, "In the city of Bianjing, the remaining ministers are headed by the Minister of Culture, who assists the prince in governing the country. Bao Xueshi is in charge of the defense of the capital and the Imperial City Department. Zeng Fu is in charge of the Privy Council and is responsible for dispatching soldiers. The Minister of Planning is in charge of the three departments and is responsible for the transportation of food and supplies. Cao Gong is responsible for selecting the generals with the three commanders and deputy commanders and finding suitable mid-level generals. In addition, the distribution of firearms is also adjusted according to the situation of the three routes..."

"As for Japan, we already control 70% of its trade. Chuzhou and Haizhou have already begun to deploy defenses. I want Cao Hu to lead the navy of Chuzhou and Haizhou. It will be more than enough to destroy Japan."

"We must not relax in the southern border, northwest, and coastal areas. Once there is internal strife or foreign invasion, the Secretariat must immediately send troops to suppress it and not allow it to expand. In addition, we must strictly investigate the phenomenon of local officials concealing and lying about the situation. When I am not in the court, the court must be more stable, and the local authorities must be more strict!"

……

"I have thought about this arrangement for a long time. Do you have any objections?"

All the officials clasped their hands and said loudly: "I have no objection!"

What Zhao Zhen did was the best solution.

He put everyone in their most appropriate position.

"Okay, as long as we are united as one, we will surely be able to destroy Liao."

"Everyone, this battle is a battle to change the world. We must not only win, but also win beautifully."

“Several years from now, when people in the future talk about history, after they have finished talking about the glorious Han and Tang dynasties, and the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, I hope that they will not talk about the division of the Song and Liao dynasties into the north and the south, but that the Great Song Dynasty unified the country, and the rest of the small countries will all become vassal states of the Great Song Dynasty!”

This is really encouraging!
All the ministers clenched their fists excitedly.

"In addition, I grant the Imperial Censor Su Liang the power to monitor the entire northern border army."

"Lord Su will lead 500 officials in the northern border to monitor the actions of the three armies. If anyone disobeys military orders, rushes forward, retreats incompletely, or acts on his own, Lord Su has the right to dismiss him. Wherever Lord Su goes, it is as if I am there in person."

"Also, Su Qing also has the right to monitor my actions. If he objects, I must discuss and decide on a policy with the group, and not act alone. If I disobey him, I will write a self-blame edict. If there are major losses, I will give up the power of the commander-in-chief of the East Route!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the ministers looked at Zhao Zhen with admiration.

The emperor is unwilling to suffer the same loss as Taizu, Taizong and the previous emperor.

He was strict with his ministers, but even stricter with himself.

Su Liang was also stunned.

The emperor's words made his power reach the peak of the Chief Censor of the Song Dynasty.

If someone else had this power, the gentlemen would certainly disagree.

Because this was above the imperial power, making all military commanders and chief officers subordinate to Su Liang.

No civil servant in the Song Dynasty had ever enjoyed such privileges during war.

But no one objected that this person was Su Liang.

In the Song Dynasty, only Su Liang has this qualification.

Zhao Zhen paused and continued, "You all need to complete the preparatory tasks in Bianjing before the 25th day of the first lunar month, including selecting generals, preparing food and supplies, determining the number of troops to be commanded, and handing over positions."

"I have decided that on the second day of February, the day when the dragon raises its head, I will officially announce to the world the declaration of war against Liao. On the same day, the vanguard army will set out for the northern border!"

"Time is short and the task is heavy. Next, you will have to work hard. If you are not strong enough, please communicate in advance. This battle is related to the fate of our Song Dynasty. Everyone must do their best, even at the cost of their lives!"

"I obey!" All the ministers raised their hands in unison.

At this moment, everyone is full of motivation.

(End of this chapter)