Guide to traveling through the Northern Song Dynasty

"Your Majesty, please remove Prime Ministers Geng Nanzhong and Bai Shizhong!"

A group of ministers followed suit and knelt in front of Zhao Huan and refused to get up.

Geng Nanzhong wanted to hold on to power, but after becoming prime minister, he realized that he could not control the situation.

Seeing that the public opinion was fierce and it would be difficult to force him to stay, Geng Nanzhong decided to retreat instead of advancing: "Your Majesty, I forgive my humble qualifications and embarrassment of the military and national responsibilities. Please resign from the post of Dazai to die in old age."

Zhao Huan was completely disappointed with Geng Nanzhong and asked, "Who can be the Grand Prime Minister?"

Nowadays, the most qualified people to be Dazai are He Su and Wu Min.

But the two of them are afraid of each other, and the current situation is too bad, so they don't want to take this hot potato for the time being.

Wu Min recommended: "Xu Churen, a great scholar of Guanwen Palace, is talented in literature and martial arts, and possesses both ability and political integrity. He can be a great minister!"

He Su was also very satisfied with this candidate: "Xu Churen has profound qualifications, is mature and prudent, and is really the best choice for Dazai."

Xu Churen was indeed extremely powerful. Shi Yuangong took Xuzhou blacksmiths to move to Jinzhou. Those blacksmiths who had been thieves still remember Xu Churen's kindness.

Moreover, Xu Churen's qualifications are sufficient because he is a bachelor of Guanwen Palace.

Although Daguan Wen is an honorary position, it is not awarded to anyone who is not a prime minister. Xu Churen was the first official in the Song Dynasty to be awarded Daguan Wen as a prefect.

Xu Churen originally resigned from office and stayed at home. After Zhao Huan ascended the throne, he ordered to recruit talented people from all over the world. Of course, talented people who are too far away from Beijing cannot come, but Xu Churen is very convenient in Shangqiu. Not long ago, he had been promoted to Deputy Prime Minister, and now it was logical for him to be promoted to Dazai.

"Xu Aiqing, come forward and speak." Zhao Huan said quickly.

Xu Churen came out with a wat tablet in his hands, with a worried look on his face, and no trace of joy at all.

Zhao Huan asked: "If Xu Aiqing is the chief minister, is there any way to save the situation?"

Xu Churen said truthfully: "No."

Zhao Huan was originally full of expectations, but he was immediately disappointed when he heard this, but he was still unwilling to give in: "Why did Xu Aiqing say that?"

Xu Churen explained: "We must work together in the same boat. Today's six ministers and two officials can all be in power in terms of qualifications and talents. However, they are unwilling to handle the affairs of the ministry and report everything to the court for disposal. The officials of the six ministries cannot even do ordinary trivial matters. How can I help the Dazai to govern the country? It is okay to let the minister be the Dazai, but the six ministers and ministers are not allowed to shirk the responsibility. If there are regulations, they will make decisions according to the regulations, and if there are no regulations, they will make decisions based on the circumstances. Only those who cannot make decisions can apply to the Shangshu Province."

"It should be like this." Zhao Huan felt that this statement was reasonable, and he paid more and more attention to Xu Churen.

Because the previous prime ministers did not say that there was a problem with the Six Ministries, only Xu Churen was willing to raise it.

The six ministers and ministers did not dare to do anything. This is a historical problem left by Song Huizong.

The favored ministers of various powerful ministers take turns to take office, and the officials of the six ministries must be obedient. If they disagree with the powerful ministers even slightly, they will be suspected of colluding with political opponents. Over time, ministers and ministers have become yes-men, and they have to report even trivial matters.

The most outrageous thing is Cai Tiao. When he was in power on behalf of Cai Jing, he was always followed by dozens of subordinates, who were specially used to listen to reports and make decisions.

The six ministers must ask Cai Tiao for instructions in advance before even distributing holiday gifts to their subordinates.

This is not only true for the six departments, but also for the higher-level three provinces!

Therefore, after Cai You took power, he requested that the power of the three provinces be returned, and he no longer needed to consult the emperor and prime ministers on many matters. But the three provinces are barely able to do things, but the six departments have not changed.

Zhao Huan said: "Draw an imperial edict and ask six ministers and two officials to report everything!"

So the prime minister changed again.

Geng Nanzhong and Bai Shizhong were demoted and became deputy prime ministers.

Xu Churen was promoted to Dazai, and Wu Min was promoted to Shaozai. The two served as left and right ministers to jointly assist the government.

After Xu Churen took power, he was confident and planned to show his ambitions, but soon became so angry that he wanted to resign.

Although the six ministers and ministers did not ask Dazai for instructions, they still informed Geng Nanzhong of everything and only dared to do anything with Geng Nanzhong's permission. There are also some people who inform Wu Min and Bai Shizhong of everything, and everything goes according to Wu Min and Bai Shizhong's wishes.

Xu Churen's starting point is to serve the public wholeheartedly, enhance the subjective initiative of the officials of the six ministries, and improve the efficiency of the officials of the six ministries.

But in practice, it turned out to be a voluntary surrender of power, and no one took him as a Dazai seriously.

He, the prime minister, has become a mere commander, unable to accomplish anything!

In just a few days, Xu Churen felt physically and mentally exhausted. He was often demoted to the position of magistrate or magistrate. He worked in the local area for twenty years and had no court team of his own. Nowadays, officials from the six ministries are not allowed to ask for instructions on everything, which is tantamount to abolishing martial arts.

Under Xu Churen's leadership, although the Minister of Household Affairs was replaced, the food problem became increasingly serious.

The big grain merchants still had some inventory, but the court couldn't deal with it at all, because those grain merchants had backers behind them, and they were all powerful and powerful families with deep roots.

When the scholars and common people heard that the prime minister had been replaced, they all went home obediently and waited for the good news.

They had high hopes for the new prime minister Xu Churen, but nothing happened. They still couldn't buy food to live. Xu Churen's reputation quickly deteriorated, and the people in Tokyo thought he was incompetent.

Anyway, whoever becomes prime minister now will take the blame!

However, in order to express their sincerity in forming an alliance, the Jin people sent back Cai Jing, Lu Yihao and other captured officials.

The two of them entered the palace to face the saint, and their attitudes were extremely tough.

Cai Jing said: "Your Majesty, the golden man is ambitious and must not form an alliance with him!"

Lu Yihao said: "Opening the door and bowing down to the thieves is not advisable. The people of Hebei are heartbroken."

The matter of uniting the Jin Dynasty to suppress the bandits has been sent out in the form of an official document. How can there be an arrow to turn back?

Zhao Huan waved his hand and said: "Don't say more about this matter. You two have been in the Jin camp for a long time. Do you know how strong the Jin people are? Can they defeat the red thief?"

Lu Yihao said: "As long as the soldiers are treated well and rewards and punishments are clear, the officers and soldiers will not be afraid of the golden men, let alone the red thieves."

Cai Jing said: "If the Jin people are sincere, they can either cross the river immediately and attack the Zhu bandits with the officers and soldiers. Or they can retreat to Xiangzhou and let go of Tokyo's grain channel. Of these two things, the Jin people can do one thing. They have the sincerity to join forces to suppress thieves. If we don’t do anything, how can we call it a Song-Jin alliance? It’s clearly an opportunity to blackmail!”

Zhong Shizhong said: "If you are trapped in an isolated city for a long time, you will be defeated. There are 80,000 soldiers in Tokyo. They consume food and grass every day, but if they don't fight with the traitors, their morale will only become lower and lower. It is necessary to invite the Jin people to send troops together, and it is better to fight early." "

"What if we lose?" Zhao Huan asked worriedly.

Zhang Shuye asked back: "You can't win now if your morale is still there, but in the future you can win if your morale drops to rock bottom?"

Zhang Shuye was now not only the privy envoy, but also personally in charge of the army again. He was responsible for all the troops from Shandong.

Zhao Huan thought about it repeatedly and finally decided to urge the Jin people to send troops and quickly unite to fight Ju Ming in a decisive battle.

The envoy from the State of Song had just been sent out, and the envoy from the State of Jin had already arrived.

When the Jin envoy Wang Jun met, he angrily rebuked: "The Emperor of the Song Dynasty is good at lying. He promised to cede the land, but the Taiyuan guard refused to surrender the city!"

"Is there still this matter?" Zhao Huan was furious.

After seeing off the Jin envoy, Zhao Huan immediately issued an order: "Draft an edict to remove Zhang Xiaochun, the prefect of Taiyuan and the pacification envoy, and order him to immediately return to his hometown for retirement. Then he ordered Taiyuan guard Yang Weizhong to lead his troops to Tokyo to fight with the king and fight the red thief! "

…

Taiyuan.

The main force of the West Route Army has already gone to Hebei, where there are only a few thousand warriors that Yin Shu can lead.

"General, please rest assured that since the two countries have formed an alliance, they will definitely abide by their commitment and deliver it to Taiyuan." Zhang Bangchang said with his hand.

Yin Shuke was almost going crazy from the torture, and said impatiently: "Go, go, go. As long as you hand over Taiyuan, I will lead my troops south to help you suppress the thieves."

Zhang Bangchang was sent to the city by Yin Shuke and sat on a basket hanging on the tower.

Zhang Xiaochun asked: "Your Majesty really wants to borrow Jin soldiers to suppress thieves, and also wants to cede Taiyuan to the Jin Kingdom?"

"It's absolutely true, this is the edict." Zhang Bangchang held the edict and handed it out.

Zhang Xiaochun read the edict, was silent for a moment, and handed it to Yang Weizhong.

Yang Weizhong finished reading the imperial edict without saying a word.

Zhang Bangchang urged: "Please open the city gate quickly and give up Taiyuan to the Jin soldiers!"

Zhang Xiaochun hesitated and turned to look at Yang Weizhong.

Yang Weizhong didn't speak, just shook his head slightly.

After receiving the response, Zhang Xiaochun immediately made up his mind and angrily shouted: "You actually colluded with the Jin people and issued false edicts to deceive the city! Come on, arrest this Jin people!"

"This is not an edict, please don't make a mistake!" Zhang Bangchang shouted anxiously.

Yang Weizhong's soldiers had already taken action and blocked Zhang Bangchang's mouth, then dragged him down from the city tower and took him to the government prison for custody.

The city tower was clean, but the two civil and military officials were worried.

Zhang Xiaochun sighed: "This is a serious crime of deceiving the emperor and resisting the emperor's decree."

"It has to be like this. If Taiyuan is ceded, Hedong Road will never have peace." Yang Weizhong said.

Zhang Xiaochun said: "I am responsible for this matter alone. If I am questioned by the court in the future, it will have nothing to do with General Yang. General Yang was forced to do things by me."

Yang Weizhong was greatly moved and bowed to Zhang Xiaochun.

The situation did not go according to the script of the emperor and his ministers in Tokyo, and the officials resisted the decree and were unwilling to sacrifice Taiyuan. But if Taiyuan did not give it, the Jin soldiers would not cross the river to suppress the bandits, and would have to continue to confront the Zhu bandits.

Similarly, Xixia did not listen to the Jin people and refused to withdraw its troops from Shaanxi. Even if you want Xixia to withdraw its troops, the Jin Kingdom must hand over the territory it promised to cede!

The alliance between Song and Jin has become a joke. One cannot command local officials, and the other cannot command the army of the vassal country.

Zhang Xiaochun walked back to the back house of the government office in confusion. His wife Ji Sanniang, who was more than 20 years younger than him, immediately came over to comfort him: "Husband, don't worry. Even if the army is defeated and the city is destroyed, I will die with my husband. What's more, , the people of Taiyuan are united, and the Jin people will definitely not be able to attack."

"I'm not afraid of the golden man, I'm afraid of the emperor in Tokyo." Zhang Xiaochun said with emotion.

Zhang Xiaochun was very poor when he was young and was funded by the local wealthy Ji family.

After being admitted as a Jinshi, he refused to get a son-in-law from the powerful men in the capital, and insisted on returning to his hometown to marry the frail and sickly eldest daughter of Ji.

After only a few years of marriage, Aunt Ji died of illness.

Zhang Xiaochun also asked to marry Ji Erniang, who was blind and also frail and sick.

Even his father-in-law Ji Yuanwai also opposed it because Chang Xiaochun had a bright future, how could he remarry a blind girl?

However, Zhang Xiaochun insisted on marrying Ji Erniang home. The couple loved each other and gave birth to an heir. But a few years later, Ji Erniang also died of illness.

Ji Yuanwai offered his third daughter to marry him again, but this time it was Zhang Xiaochun's turn to refuse. Because he is already in his early forties, and Ji Sanniang is young, beautiful, and in her prime, and she can definitely be his daughter in terms of age.

Ji Sanniang admired her brother-in-law's talent and respected his moral character, and publicly swore that she would not marry anyone who was not a prince. Only then did Zhang Xiaochun agree to the marriage.

Seeing that her husband was worried, Ji Sanniang asked, "What's wrong with the emperor?"

Zhang Xiaochun closed his eyes in despair: "The emperor asked me to dedicate the city to cede territory and give Taiyuan to the Jin people."

"How is this possible? Has the emperor been deceived by a traitor?" Ji Sanniang asked in disbelief.

Zhang Xiaochun sighed: "As expected of the Supreme Emperor, he is better than his master!"

(Thank you book friend for your concern. There is no big problem. It’s just immunity problems, allergies, red pimples all over the body, and it makes me want to die when I sweat. One of the medicines is taken once in the morning and once in the evening. After taking it, I feel sleepy and sleepy. Yawning while coding.)