The dream of a lonely hero

It is said that Wang Jisheng, the governor of the Privy Council, recommended Fu Yanqing, the Grand Tutor of Wei Wang, the Jiedushi of Weizhou, to be the commander-in-chief of the Palace Front Division. As soon as the words came out, the four seats were silent. Everyone present looked at the emperor Zhao Kuangyin at the same time. Zhao Kuangyin played with the jade axe (jade whisk - whisk) and thought for a moment, and said: "Fu Yanqing, Fu Yanqing! What do you think?" After a moment of silence, Prime Minister Zhao Pu said: "The commander-in-chief of the Palace Front Division should be determined by your majesty."

Zhao Kuangyin looked at the officials of the Western Palace and said: "What do you think?"

Prime Minister Zhao Pu is a civil servant and can answer like this, but the Privy Council of the Western Palace must have an attitude. Privy Prime Minister Shen Shunyi said: "Your Majesty! Fu Yanqing, the Prince of Wei, has lived in the border town for a long time and may find it difficult to adapt to the capital for a while." This sentence sounds ambiguous. Is it not adapting to the daily life and diet of the capital or not adapting to the position of the Palace Commander of the capital? It is an attitude and not an attitude, but the emphasis of this sentence is "difficult to adapt for a while", but it will be completely adapted in the future. Wang Renshan, the deputy envoy of the Privy Council, said: "The imperial guards of the Palace Front Division are the emperor's best army. To lead a best army, one must have a best commander. Fu Yanqing, the prince of Wei, has led troops for half a century and made great achievements. He is qualified to be the commander of the Palace Front Division."

Zhao Kuangyin said: "The prince of Wei, the Grand Tutor of Wei, Fu Yanqing, the governor of Weizhou, will be appointed as the chief inspector of the Palace Front Division. Zeping (Zhao Pu) will draft the edict and return to the Secretariat to seal it. It will be issued tomorrow."

Then everyone dispersed.

Yin'an Hall, the mansion of the Grand Tutor of Wei, in Bianliang, Tokyo. A fine coffin was placed behind the Grand Tutor's chair in the main hall. Fu Yanqing, the governor of Weizhou, the Grand Tutor of Wei, sat on the Grand Tutor's chair and stroked the black falcon on the table. Dozens of Fu Yanqing's students and former officials were sitting on both sides, most of them were governors in charge of certain areas, including Anguo Governor Li Weidong. In two days, the governors and generals stationed outside the capital would return to the court to meet the emperor, so they came to visit Wei Wang Taishi Fu Yanqing before that. Fu Yanqing did not have a single expression of joy.

Fu Yanqing's students and former officials looked at the coffin behind Fu Yanqing in confusion. Li Weidong, the governor of Anguo, relied on his great victory in suppressing bandits in Xima Mountain and Tiemang Mountain, and said, "The coffin official will be promoted every day and make a fortune every night! I wish the old master a bright future--" Fu Yanqing interrupted him with an angry face, saying, "Are you dissatisfied with the fact that I am not fast enough to enter the coffin?" Pointing to the coffin behind him, "I have already reached the highest position among the officials. If I get promoted again, I will ascend to heaven." Li Weidong was slightly panicked, stood up and apologized, saying, "Old master, calm down, calm down! I am sorry for my rude words! There is a coffin in this hall, and I am puzzled. I made random guesses, but I didn't expect to make the old master angry. I dare to ask for your advice Old master, what is the meaning of this coffin? " Fu Yanqing said: "Although Weidong has been a military governor for a short time, he must know that 'a tall tree attracts the wind, and a person with a high reputation will lose his reputation'! Coffin, coffin, when a person reaches a high position and has a lot of money, he will soon be in the coffin!" Li Weidong advised: "Old master, don't be too pessimistic! The emperor's favor and trust in the old master are unmatched. Even if there are villains who slander, how can the emperor believe it? I heard that the two eastern and western governments are going to take over the various vassal states and counties and return them to the court. My Anguo vassal state only has two counties, and if they take more, there will be only one left.What is the difference between a military governor and a military governor? The old master is the head of the sixty-four vassal states of the Song Dynasty, he will not be indifferent, right? "

This is what the Jiedushi present wanted to say, all looking at Fu Yanqing.

Fu Yanqing said: "A sharp knife hurts people's fingers, Weidong, what do you do with a branch county?" He picked up a few papers full of words from the table and said, "Look at it." Li Weidong took it and circulated it to other Jiedushi, who handed it to Fu Yanqing after reading it. The hall was silent for a while.

Li Weidong looked depressed and said: "The old master reported to the court to cut off half of the three branch counties of Wei Bo Fanzhen. In this way, the small Anguo Fanzhen became an empty shell. What is the difference between my Anguo Jiedushi and a remote governor (only in name but without real power)? "

Fu Yanqing said: "Look at the number of remote governors nowadays. Holding power is not the way to settle down and get rich. From now on, I will shut myself up and refuse visitors. You guys take care of yourself! "

Everyone at the scene dispersed.

Li Weidong thought: The court was reducing the power of the vassal states. He had planned to expect Wei Wang Fu Yanqing to stand up and speak for him and the governors of the vassal states. He didn't expect that he was on the edge of an abyss and treading on thin ice. The heroic spirit of the army of 100,000 in the past was gone. It seemed that he was really old and could not block the wind and rain. He had to find another way out. Who could he rely on? The King of Jin was now half idle, and the King of Fu was dismissed because his relative, the palace commander Han Yun, had just been dismissed. He was very cautious and would not interfere in the military affairs of the West Palace Privy Council. He had no say with the West Palace Privy Prime Minister Shen Shunyi. The Prime Minister of the East Palace, Zhao Pu-

In the Yin'an Hall of the Wei Wang Taishi Mansion in Dongjing Bianliang, after Fu Yanqing's students and former officials left, his son-in-law, Jin Wang Zhao Guangyi, and his sixth daughter, Jin Wang Wangfei Fu Liuting, came to visit. Fu Liuting and Fu Yanqing exchanged greetings and went to the back hall to see their mother. The servants had already served tea and snacks. Jin Wang Zhao Guangyi was in high spirits and said with a smile: "Congratulations, father-in-law, congratulations, father-in-law!"

Fu Yanqing said: "Your Highness! I am buried in the ground, what is there to be happy about?"

Jin Wang said: "Congratulations, I will be honored as the chief inspector of the front of the palace, and the imperial edict will be issued tomorrow. ”

Fu Yanqing stood up suddenly.

King Jin was delighted and said, "I secretly asked the people of the West Palace to recommend my father-in-law to the emperor as the commander of the Palace Front. I didn't expect that the emperor would ask my father-in-law to be the chief official of the Palace Front Division and the chief inspector of the Palace Front Division."

Fu Yanqing's expression suddenly changed and said, "Your Highness! Are you going to look at me and send me to the coffin!"

King Jin's interest was suddenly dispelled and he was surprised and said, "Why did my father-in-law say that?"

Fu Yanqing sat down heavily and said, "Alas! The Palace Front Division is the emperor's sweetheart and eyeball. How can I ask for your palm?"

King Jin said, "My father-in-law is good at using troops and has outstanding military achievements. All the civil and military officials in the court, including the emperor, are his juniors. The emperor favors my father-in-law, and it is natural for my father-in-law to be the commander of the Palace Front Division. ”

Fu Yanqing said anxiously: "Your Highness is ignorant! I am not a loyal minister of the Emperor Chenqiao. Didn't the Emperor establish the Song Dynasty by relying on his status as the chief inspector of the Palace Front Department? In the early years of the founding of the country, he dismissed his former sworn brothers, Jingtian County Prince Mu Hualong and Zuotian County Prince Shi Yanzhao, from their military posts as the chief and deputy chief inspectors of the Palace Front Department.The supreme commander of the Palace Front Department, the chief and deputy inspectors, were no longer appointed. Han Yun, the commander of the Palace Front Department who was just dismissed, was also my sworn brother. These people were my brothers who had been through life and death with me, and they also had the merit of Chenqiao's support. I still don't trust them. I am just an old man from the previous dynasty. How can I trust me! As for the continuous promotion and reward of me, it is not only to win over and appease me and my students and old officials, but also to intimidate me, always reminding me "Don't act rashly, I'm always watching you." Didn't forget that before the Chenqiao mutiny, the then inspector ordered two sworn brothers, the deputy inspector of the Palace Front Department, the governor of Zhenning Army, Mu Hualong, and the inspector of the imperial guards, the cavalry and infantry army, Han Sikun, to station heavy troops in Zhending to patrol the border of Hebei. In name, they were to defend against the invasion of the Liao State. At that time, the Liao State was in turmoil and had no time to look south. The intention was to curb me. The emperor has good intentions for me! Your Highness should not make things worse! "

Fu Yanqing, who is far-sighted, made a very thorough analysis. King Jin was very impressed, but he was still a little unwilling and said, "My son-in-law is ignorant and has good intentions. I hope my father-in-law will forgive me! But today the emperor has issued an order in the Purple Palace, ordering Zhao Pu to seal it and issue it tomorrow." Fu Yanqing pondered, "This is also something I don't understand. What kind of chess is the emperor playing with me? But I still don't believe that the Supreme Commander of the Central Forbidden Army Palace Front Division will be abandoned and re-established, and I don't believe that I will be asked to take the position. ”

Just as Fu Yanqing expected, the next day, the imperial edict to appoint Fu Yanqing as the chief inspector of the palace was not issued. Five days later, Emperor Zhao Kuangyin summoned the ruling ministers to discuss matters in the Purple Palace. There were the Privy Envoy of the Western Palace Shen Shunyi, the Deputy Privy Envoys Chu Zhaopu and Wang Renshan, the Co-Prime Minister Zhao Pu of the Eastern Palace, the Vice Prime Minister Liu Xigu and Lu Yuqing. These were all one of the "Eight Wings" of the Bafu when Zhao Kuangyin was the governor. Zhao Kuangyi said: "Someone reported that Fu Yanqing, the governor of Weizhou, was holding his own troops and deliberately plotting a rebellion. What do you think of the measures? ”

All the ministers present were shocked. They had all experienced the ups and downs of officialdom and deduced that the informant was very good at picking the time. He picked the time when Fu Yanqing was appointed as the inspector of the palace and when Fu Yanqing returned to the court.

The hall was silent for a long time. Chu Zhaopu said: "Fu Yanqing comes from a family of military generals. He is brave, strategic, and good at using troops. He is in charge of Hebei and intimidates the enemy. The Liao State is very afraid of him and calls him "Fu the Fourth". His nine brothers are all governors in charge of one side, and many of his students and former officials have served as governors. If he really rebels, the consequences will be disastrous. Your Majesty should make a decisive decision and immediately detain Fu Yanqing and hand him over to the Ministry of Justice for trial!"

Zhao Kuangyin thought for a while and said nothing.

Shen Shunyi said: "No! It is too hasty to act like this. Dealing with Fu Yanqing will affect the whole body. How can we convince the public if Fu Yanqing is convicted based on the report of one person? This will make the governors of the various vassal states panic and put them in danger. We must not force them to take risks! "

Chu Zhaopu said: "Does the Prime Minister intend to turn a blind eye to Fu Yanqing?"

Shen Shunyi said: "Zhaopu's words are too early! I think your majesty wants Fu Yanqing to stay in the capital in the name of sympathy for the old minister.Rest for two or three months; Your Majesty will send someone to Wei Bo to investigate secretly to see if he intends to rebel. If it is true, it will not be too late to take action against him. "

Zhao Kuangyin pondered and said to Zhao Pu: "What do you think of Shunyi's words?"

Zhao Pu said: "I think Shunyi's words are quite safe."

Zhao Kuangyin said: "Who should be sent to investigate secretly?"

Shen Shunyi said: "I recommend Xishan Duzhe Guo Jin. Guo Jin is upright and upright, and has no party or faction. He also returned from Xishan and is now in the capital."

Zhao Kuangyin nodded after thinking and said: "Zeping, you also recommend one."

Zhao Pu considered: "This is a serious matter. Let me report to Your Majesty tomorrow after careful consideration."

Zhao Kuangyin said: "Okay. Depose the sub-counties of the vassal states (reduce the vassal states and reduce the territories of the governors), how are the progress going, my dear ministers? "

Shen Shunyi said: "The sub-counties of the 49 vassal states have been taken back by the imperial court. Each of the 49 vassal states only governs one prefecture. Your Majesty, please read it." Then he presented the prepared memorial to Zhao Kuangyin.

Zhao Kuangyin took a look at the memorial and said: "The progress is slow. My intention is that the vassal states should not govern the prefectures and counties in the end." He asked Zhao Pu, "What is Zeping's opinion?"

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