Great Han Empire

Chapter 621 The Heroes of Troubled Times Like the Abyss
Under October, Jinyang, Longshan.

When Li Hong returned to Jinyang, General Anbei Xian Yufu and General Hussars Shi Liwei greeted him thirty miles away.

Li Hong and Xian Yufu hadn't seen each other for two years, and when they reunited after a long absence, they were very kind.Li Hong carefully asked about the situation outside the Great Wall, and then asked about the current situation of Tian Yu, the prefect of Hanbei County, Yan Wuwei, Jiang Wu and other generals, and then got to the point.Li Hong pointed to Li Wei and said, Zhong Yuan, is the matter in Mintun the same as that in Juntun, and you have a part to participate in?

Li Wei waved his hands hastily and said, "The general misunderstood. The matter of Mintun has nothing to do with me."

Li Hong looked at him suspiciously, "Zhong Yuan, the eldest princess and the court will move to Luoyang sooner or later, and the military administration of the sixteen counties in northern Xinjiang, the eldest princess and the court will also be returned to us sooner or later. What are you in a hurry for? When you returned to Longshan, there was an agreement with the eldest princess and the court, have you forgotten? Before the eldest princess and the court leave, you are impatient to take back the military and political power in Northern Xinjiang?"

Li Wei looked aggrieved, hesitant to speak.Xian Yufu caressed the three long beards in a peaceful manner, and said with a slight smile, "General, you really misunderstood Zhong Yuan."

Li Hong sighed: "Am I suspecting wrong? At present, there are a group of veterans from Chang'an and some Youzhou and Jizhou officials in the middle of the court. It is difficult to form enough power to influence and change the system of farming in northern Xinjiang. Even if they intend to reform, but How could the reform be carried out without Mr. Zhao Qi and your consent? You deliberately encouraged the ministers of the court to carry out the reform and fueled the flames, intending to stir up trouble and force the eldest princess and the court to give up power in order to monopolize the military affairs of northern Xinjiang. In doing this, have you thought about the safety of northern Xinjiang, the survival of the people in northern Xinjiang, and the survival of the great Han community?"

Li Wei bowed and said: "General, you really misunderstood. The boss, Mr. Xianyu and I don't have such thoughts. Beijiang is now at a critical moment of life and death. In any case, we will not deliberately provoke troubles. We are in disarray. The instigator of this incident is not us, but the court itself."

Li Hong looked at Li Wei with a solemn expression, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Really? Then please explain carefully. If I guess wrong, I will apologize to you."

=

After the general left Jinyang in February, Zhang Wen, Lu Zhi, Cai Yong and other ministers immediately proposed to revise the official school.With the reform of official education, the academic thinking will also be changed, and the basis for the change of national policy will be established immediately. In this way, the reform will reduce resistance and gain more people's support in the future, so as to ensure the smooth reform.Several ministers believed that the revision of official schools was the top priority of the reform of the Han Dynasty and the rejuvenation of the country, and it must be implemented immediately, starting from northern Xinjiang.

After some heated debates, the imperial court established a new system of taking ancient Chinese classics as the official study of the Han Dynasty.The eldest princess's edict is allowed to be implemented.

In the past, the Jinyang University Hall taught students the study of ancient Chinese classics, and later encouraged students to also study the ways of Xun and Meng, as well as the techniques of Huang and Lao.This kind of thing has been severely criticized by the famous scholars and officials of modern texts and classics in northern Xinjiang, especially the fact that the chief priest Jiu Wangjian took his father's "On the Qianfu" as a must-study article for all students, and they were unanimously insulted by them. And successive impeachments.Shuo Confucian Wang Fu's "Tun Fu Lun" is actually a large collection of policies for governing the country. Li Hong got the "On the Qianfu" from Li Wei when he was in Xijiang, and he agrees with the views in it very much. Many strategies for governing northern Xinjiang are taken from "On the Qianfu", so Li Hong respects "Theory of the Qianfu" very much. On ", fully support Wang Jian and Jinyang University Hall.In the winter of the sixth year of Zhongping (189 A.D.), the Son of Heaven issued an edict to the world that the study of ancient classics and modern classics should be listed side by side with official schools. So far, the academic dispute in northern Xinjiang has come to an end.

Now, the imperial court has promulgated a new system to drive out the Jinwen Confucianism, which has flourished for more than 200 years, from the official school.For many years, so many scholars have relied on the study of the Confucian classics to become officials, rely on the study of the Confucian classics to cultivate the world and rule the world, and rely on the study of the Confucian classics to become famous all over the world and glorify their ancestors. Today, the imperial court suddenly toppled the spiritual pillar on which they depended for survival. , smashing their livelihoods, who can bear it?
Among the big officials in northern Xinjiang, there are many who study modern classics, such as Yang Qi, the prefect of Shangdang, Wang Han, the prefect of Hedong, Guo Yun, the prefect of Yanmen County, Wang Ze, the prefect of Dai County, and Wang Rou, the prince of Jinyang. , Linghu Shao of the Linghu Clan, Wei Gu and Wei Che of the Hedong Wei Clan, Fan Xian of the Fan Clan, etc., these people immediately set off a huge wave of opposition to the reform in the ruling and opposition parties.

The battle between the two sides intensified.Since Yang Qi and others were unable to defeat Zhang Wen, Lu Zhi and other ministers who strongly advocated reform in the court, they turned their spearheads on the reform forces in their own counties.A group of ministers who opposed the reform, headed by Yang Qi, the prefect of the above party, first tried their best to prevent the county officials from teaching ancient Chinese classics, and then used various excuses to attack and dismiss a group of county magistrates, county magistrates, and officials at all levels who favored the reform. .

But this kind of method treats the symptoms rather than the root cause, and has little effect.Yang Qi, Wang Han and other officials knew that if they wanted to completely defeat the imperial court and force the eldest princess to abolish the imperial edict, they had to rely on the Hushi General in the end.In the final analysis of Northern Xinjiang, it is still the Hushi General who has the final say.So they communicated with each other and went to the court one after another, asking for tax reduction and exemption for various reasons, and even maliciously falsely reported and underreported the amount of land property.The imperial court was very angry when they saw it. It is too much for you to blackmail the imperial court with such a thing.Okay, since you have falsely reported and underreported the amount of land property, then I will increase the amount of taxes paid and see who can win the fight?
The imperial court and counties and counties are fighting endlessly, and it is the common people who suffer.As taxes rise again and again, how can the common people survive?So at the end of September, when the autumn harvest began, a large-scale conflict broke out in Shangdang's eldest son city.Although this conflict was caused by a farm ox, behind it was the careful planning and full support of the county officials. It was precisely because of the connivance and acquiescence of the county officials that the scale of the conflict became larger and larger, and finally led to This led to the outbreak of the farming crisis in northern Xinjiang.

Tuntian is the basis for the survival of northern Xinjiang. There is a crisis in Tuntian, and the blow to northern Xinjiang can be imagined.The sudden outbreak of the farming crisis caused the eldest princess and the court to quickly fall into panic, the ministers were panicked, the court and the government blamed each other, and the state affairs were immediately paralyzed.

The goals of Yang Qi, Wang Han, Guo Yun and other officials in northern Xinjiang have been achieved.After the crisis broke out, the eldest princess and the imperial court were hated by everyone in Northern Xinjiang.From the big and small officials to ordinary people in Beijiang, everyone hates the eldest princess and the court. If there were no idiots and treacherous court officials, how could Beijiang get to where it is today?In other words, the eldest princess and the imperial court are about to leave. Even though they are still staying in Northern Xinjiang, because they have lost their prestige and lost the support of Northern Xinjiang, they may no longer be able to continue to hold power.

After the crisis broke out, the Hussar General is coming back.Northern Xinjiang is the foundation of Hushi General, and it is impossible for him to tolerate the unscrupulous destruction of Northern Xinjiang by the eldest princess and the court.Therefore, the Hussar General will find sufficient reasons and get the absolute support of the officials in Northern Xinjiang to take back the military and political power in Northern Xinjiang from the eldest princess and the court.In this way, the reform of the imperial court will be abolished, Jinwen Confucianism can continue to dominate official learning, and everyone's power and wealth will be preserved.

===

Li Hong did not expect such a complicated power struggle to lie behind the crisis of farming in northern Xinjiang.He always thought that this was a small disturbance deliberately created by a group of officials in the General Hussar's Mansion in order to regain the military and political power in northern Xinjiang from the imperial court as soon as possible.Both Xian Yufu and Li Wei are high-ranking officials in Northern Xinjiang. Since neither of them sent an urgent letter to themselves, it means that the affairs in Northern Xinjiang are still completely under their control, but today it sounds like that is not the case at all. thing.Have they lost control of northern Xinjiang?

Li Hong asked anxiously: "How about the counties outside the Great Wall? How about the Tuntian District in Hetao? Is there an urgent report from the Tuntian District in Pingcheng? Is there any news from Zhongshan and Changshan? Do Tang Fang, Zuo Yan and Zhao Jian have letters?"

Li Wei waved his hand and said, "Don't worry, General, the counties outside the Great Wall and the villages of Hetao, Pingcheng, Zhongshan, and Changshan are very quiet and have not been affected by this incident."

"Yang Qi, Wang Han, and Guo Yun are very measured and controlled this matter to the five counties south of the Great Wall, Taiyuan, Shangdang, Yanmen, Xihe, and Hedong." Xian Yufu explained, "Other counties There has been no misreporting or underreporting of land properties in the county, so the imperial court has not increased their taxes, and the place is very quiet."

"Then what happened to the Hedong army station?" Li Hong asked.

"After the Shangdang farm crisis broke out, Master Yang Qi ignored it and let the people make troubles. He seemed to let go of the pick and quit. The court was very angry, so Lu Zhi, Ma Ridun, Yuan Pang and other ministers forced Zhao Lord Qi invites the eldest princess, and immediately recruits soldiers from the east of the river to the Shangdang to suppress the rebellion. Lord Zhang Baiqi was already very dissatisfied with the imperial court's random increase of gifts, he refused to accept the imperial edict, and even ran to Longshan to lose his temper." Li Wei smiled wryly, "It's impossible not to accept the imperial decree, so I asked Master Zhang Baiqi to return to Hedong and secretly instigated the soldiers in the field to make trouble, so as to avoid the deterioration of the situation and control the crisis in the field in northern Xinjiang within a certain range."

"Hmph..." Li Hong sneered, "You're worried that Yang Qi's incident won't be enough, so add more fire?"

Li Wei smiled noncommittally, but did not speak.

"The two of you haven't written to me and deliberately concealed this matter. Why?" Li Hong looked at Xian Yufu and asked slightly annoyed, "Luoyang is already at war, and Jizhou is about to fight again. At this time, you let Bei This kind of thing happened in Xinjiang, why? Let me ask you, is the matter still under your control?"

Xian Yufu nodded, "Yiqian (Chen Hao) has already arrested dozens of low-level officials, temporarily stabilizing the situation in various places, but because it involves too many people, we dare not arrest them any more. Let's find a solution when you come back." .”

"How did you settle the tax issue?"

"We have already asked the eldest princess to set up a list in the name of the general to calm the people, and give an appropriate reduction on the basis of last year." Xian Yufu said, "If this matter is ordered by the eldest princess and the court, I am afraid that no one in northern Xinjiang will believe it." ,so……"

Li Hong waved his hands restlessly, "Chen Hao arrested dozens of them? What's the reason? Is there anyone who is corrupt and broke the law?"

"Since the establishment of the censorship in Northern Xinjiang, the administration of officials has changed a lot, and there has really been no discovery of corruption and violation of the law." Li Wei said, "The main reason for the arrest is to connive and tacitly allow the people to make trouble."

Li Hong shook his head, "Except for the officials in Zhangzi County, everyone else has been released, and they will be released immediately."

"Urgently write to Yang Qi, Wang Han, Guo Yun, Wang Rou, Wei Gu and other lords, please come to Longshan to discuss matters." Li Hong thought about it and added, "Specially specify that I invited them to Longshan Discuss the matter of official education and reform."

===

When they arrived in Longquan, Zhao Qi, Zhang Wen, Lu Zhi, Liu He and other ministers came out to welcome them.

After exchanging pleasantries with them, Li Hong took the lead to meet the eldest princess at the eldest princess' mansion.

Ding Gong and Cai Yong also returned to Longshan with Li Hong. Together with many ministers, they first went to Taifu's mansion to discuss matters.

When the eldest princess saw Li Hong, she shed tears like seeing a relative she had not seen for many years.Li Hong said a few words of comfort, then took out a box of exquisite pastries from his pocket and put them on the table, "When I passed by Anyi, I remembered that His Highness was very poor in Longshan, so..."

The eldest princess got it in her hand in surprise, "The general bought it for me specially?"

Li Hong smiled, "I don't have any money, so I can only buy some food for Your Highness. This place can't be compared with Luoyang, let alone the Imperial Palace. Your Highness is suffering."

The eldest princess gently touched the slightly fragrant brocade box, thinking of the luxurious life in the past, thinking of the queen mother, father, and younger brother, she couldn't help feeling pain in her heart, and tears flowed down again.Li Hong let out a long sigh and did not speak.If there is a war in Jizhou, it will be hard to say whether the eldest princess can return to Luoyang.A young girl suddenly took on the fate of saving the country, which is really incredible when I think about it.When will she be able to live the life of a princess in a peaceful and prosperous age?
"How is your Highness?" Li Hong asked softly.

The eldest princess shook her head, "Master Xiaolan is pregnant with a child, and she won't be here recently. Wenji was taken to Shaling Lake in the cloud by General Zhao. I am very lonely, and I always have nightmares at night, and I dare not sleep. .Later I asked the two wives of the general to accompany me. Now that you are back, I will be alone again. I am very afraid.”

Li Hong felt sad, and said softly: "Then let Xiaoyu and Fengxue continue to accompany His Highness. The battle is very tense now, and I think I will leave Jinyang soon."

The eldest princess looked at him in surprise, "General, can't you stay with me in Jinyang? There are many generals in northern Xinjiang, and they can all go out on your behalf. Why do you go out in person every time? Don't you like it so much?" Fighting, like killing people?"

Li Hong was speechless.

"An accident happened in Beijiang, and the general doesn't care?" The eldest princess quietly wiped her tears and said in a low voice, "I don't understand anything. The ministers are arguing endlessly. I am very scared. I really want to stay in this place." I can't go down. Can't you stay with me?"

Li Hong shook his head, "His Royal Highness, you will understand when you grow up a bit. I will take my leave."

The eldest princess looked at Li Hong's tall body slowly standing up, with a very sad expression.

"General, did you also buy it for the two ladies?" The eldest princess asked suddenly, holding the box of pastries in both hands.

Li Hong bowed and said with a smile, "It's rare for me to buy something for them. I don't know if they like it or not?"

"As long as it is a gift from the great general, anything is fine." The eldest princess Yu blushed and said softly.

Li Hong didn't hear what the eldest princess said, and hurriedly retreated.

===

Zhao Qi, Zhang Wen, Lu Zhi and others were very excited. Before the strategy of restructuring and rejuvenating the country had begun, they suffered serious setbacks, which made it difficult for them to accept.Several ministers suggested that Li Hongxing act like a thunderbolt to quickly wipe out the opposition forces in northern Xinjiang, so as to lay a solid foundation for reforming and rejuvenating the country.

Xian Yufu, Li Wei, Yu Peng, Zhang Fan and other ministers suggested that Li Hong proceed from the stability of northern Xinjiang, and it is better to temporarily abandon the policy of restructuring.Judging from the current situation, the conditions for restructuring are very immature, and the restructuring still needs time, time, and more importantly, strong strength.Without strength, the restructuring will not succeed, it is just a flash in the pan.

Li Hong listened quietly for a long time, and finally said: "We will discuss this matter later. I want to hear the opinions of Yang Qi, Wang Han and other ministers."

"The top priority of the imperial court is to keep Luoyang and take Jizhou." Li Hong stood up and said, "Before taking Jizhou, the northern border must ensure stability. You adults should think about it, now we can't even keep Luoyang. Talk about restructuring? Isn’t this asking for trouble?”

After Li Hong finished speaking, he took his leave and went to discuss matters in the Hushi General's residence.

=

The affairs of the Hussar General's Mansion were mainly concentrated on the two battlefields of Jizhou and Kansai.

The Kansai battlefield is currently supported by General Longxiang Xu Rong, and the troops and food can barely deal with it. Luoyang should have no worries in the short term.

In the direction of Jizhou, Qu Yi had already dispatched an urgent message with his eight-hundred-mile gallop, and Yuan Shao asked for help from the Northern Frontier Army.Yuan Shao said in the letter that Gongsun Zan was so arrogant and lawless that he wanted to occupy Bohai County by force.At present, the main force of our Jizhou is fighting fiercely with the Yudu and Suigu Yellow Turbans in the Black Mountains. supply.

Li Hong was overjoyed and urgently wrote to Qu Yi, and immediately contacted Yuan Shao, telling him that the battle situation in Luoyang was tense, some troops had gone south for reinforcements, and the northern army in the direction of Jizhou was seriously insufficient in strength and could not stop Gongsun Zan, so he asked him to find a solution by himself.If Yuan Shao keeps begging us to send troops, then you can talk to him slowly.You ask him, should he wipe out Gongsun Zan or drive Gongsun Zan back to Youzhou?Because these two results require different forces, if Gongsun Zan is to be completely wiped out, we must recruit soldiers from the fields. In this way, can Jizhou afford the food and salaries of the northern Xinjiang army?If Jizhou can bear it, should we pay us a month's food in advance?
Urgently write Yang Feng and Wang Dang, and immediately lead the army into Handan of Zhao State to join Qu Yi.

He ordered Zhang Yan to rush to the Tuntian District of Pingcheng, gather the [-] frontier troops who had already arrived there, and take them secretly to Changshan, waiting for the order to fight.If the army has not gone to battle next spring, they will garrison the fields on the spot.

Li Hong asked Zhang Yan to go to Pingcheng to lead Fifty Thousand Bianjun Commanderies to the south, which meant that Qu Yi was to command the Jizhou battlefield alone, but Xian Yufu raised objections. He believed that it would be better for Zhang Yan to command the Jizhou battlefield.Among the several armies currently on the battlefield in Jizhou, there are many senior generals of the Yellow Turbans, and at the right time, Zhang Yan can use his high prestige in the Yellow Turbans in the past to appease the Yellow Turbans.

Li Hong did not agree.Gongsun Zan had [-] cavalry and [-] infantry.From the perspective of dealing with cavalry, Qu Yi's command experience is obviously richer than that of Zhang Yan.If Qu Yi had matched Gongsun Zan in the first battle and dragged Gongsun Zan to the south of Jizhou, then Zhang Yan's army would have been able to insert behind Gongsun Zan in time.

"One thing we have to consider is when the heavy snow will come." Li Hong said, "If the heavy snow comes early this winter, Zhang Yan will definitely not have time to outflank Gongsun Zan's rear, so the battle will be delayed until March or April. As time goes by, the battle situation will change, and it's hard to say whether we can wipe out Gongsun Zan."

"As for appeasement of the Yellow Turban Army, I don't think it should be considered. Bai Rao has already died in Puyang, and the Black Mountain Yellow Turban Army is full of hatred and will not be easily appeased. If the Qingzhou Yellow Turban Army crossing the Hebei is not good at attacking, it will also be in the Yellow River Ice Before the closure, that is, around the middle of next month, they will be withdrawn to Yanzhou and Qingzhou, so there is no matter of appeasement."

"Let Qu Yi command the battlefield in Jizhou." Li Hong said decisively, "I will write another letter to Qu Yi, telling him to restrain his temper, and not to boss around the Yellow Turban generals, but to be more polite."

=

At the end of October, Yang Qi, governor of Shangdang, Wang Han, governor of Hedong, Guo Yun, governor of Yanmen County, and more than a dozen ministers including Wang Rou, Linghu Shao, and Wei Gu arrived in Longshan one after another.

When Yang Qi spoke, his hands kept trembling, very excited.I agree with the restructuring, but how can there be such a restructuring?When Emperor Guangwu rejuvenated Sheji, the official school was Jinwen Confucianism. Could it be that Emperor Guangwu's rejuvenation failed?What does the crisis of the great Han society have to do with Jinwen Confucianism?I think Zhang Wen, Lu Zhi and others are fake in reforming the system, but trying to gain power is real.

The other ministers were also furious, especially Wang Rou, who sharply criticized Li Hong for giving up the military and political power in northern Xinjiang.Master Taifu has gone back, and he is also leading Youzhou Shepherd.Han Fu was driven away by Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shao immediately occupied Jizhou Mu, but how about you, General?You are so generous.You won a good reputation, but you hurt us.You once vowed that if you want to succeed in farming in northern Xinjiang, you must return the money you borrowed from us.What now?Now you don't even care about northern Xinjiang, do you still care about our money?

Li Hong quickly comforted them, saying that the court would pay back the money.Wang Rou, Wei Gu and others did not believe it, "Unless the general is in charge and acts as an agent of state affairs, no one will believe your words."

At this moment, Yang Qi took out a memorial, asking the ministers present to sign it, and asked the eldest princess to join the concert, and implored the eldest princess to worship Li Hong as the great general to lead the military and act as an agent of state affairs.As for the "four different images", Taifu's mansion and Jian Yushi's mansion were all abolished.

Li Hong repeatedly declined, "My lords are harming me, are you not afraid that I will become the second Dong Zhuo in the future?"

"You are the second Dong Zhuo, and you are better than this gang of traitors who will harm the country." Yang Qi said bitterly, "This gang of bastards not only want to change the law, change the national policy, but also change the foundation of the big man, how can I agree? ? Either I die, or he dies."

Li Hong was secretly horrified.

===

(End of this chapter)