Ten days later, Zhang Jun received a signal from Chen Qing to take action. He publicly criticized the Western Army for entering the state capitals east of the Han River in disguise and de facto occupying Jinghu North Road, seriously violating the agreement signed with the imperial court.
Zhang Jun immediately sent 50,000 troops to Suizhou, Yingzhou, Hanyang Prefecture and De'an Prefecture to expel the disguised Western warriors.
Chen Qing was furious and immediately sent a pigeon letter to Hu Yun, asking him to negotiate with the imperial court and give the imperial army ten days to withdraw from Jinghu North Road. Otherwise, all the signed agreements would be invalidated and the Western Army would have to send troops east of the Han River.
After receiving the pigeon letter, Hu Yun immediately wrote to the Zhengshitang, requesting the imperial army to withdraw from Suizhou and other five states within ten days, otherwise the Western Army would send troops. If a fierce battle broke out, all consequences would be borne by the imperial court.
Qin Hui was shocked and immediately called for an emergency military and political meeting.
An emergency military and political meeting was held next door to the imperial study, and the emperor Zhao Gou and five ministers attended the meeting.
Zhao Gou was worried and said to Vice Prime Minister Huang Guinian: "Huang Aiqing went to Jinghu North Road for inspection two months ago. Please tell me about the situation there. Why did Zhang Jun suddenly send troops to Jinghu Road?"
Huang Guinian bowed and said: "Even though they all talk so grandly, in fact they are all for profit. If Wei Chen guessed correctly, they broke out in conflict over the salt tax."
Qin Hui said: "What about the salt tax issue? Please continue to talk about it, Vice Minister Huang!"
"Before, Zhang Jun was selling salt on Jinghu North Road, monopolizing the entire salt market. The imperial court's salt had long been squeezed out, but since last year, the Western Army has also been selling salt on Jinghu North Road.
, his salt is cheap and popular among the people. The disguised warriors Zhang Jun accused were actually soldiers selling salt in disguise.
When I went to inspect Jinghu North Road, I found that the salt of the Western Army had already occupied 70% of the market. It is estimated that Zhang Jun's salt was not even 10% anymore. Under this situation, Zhang Jun could not bear it anymore, so he sent troops to occupy these five states and put the Western Army under control.
The salt sellers were driven out by the soldiers, and Chen Qing was of course furious!"
Only then did everyone understand the cause and effect. Sure enough, they were fighting for their own interests. Zhao Gou banged on the table and said: "The agreement is written clearly in black and white. Neither side is allowed to station troops in the two prefectures and states. I don't want Chen Qing to find an excuse to send troops. I will send troops."
A handwriting is sent to Zhang Jun, asking him to withdraw his troops immediately. The Political Council will also send a resolution to Zhang Jun, asking him to withdraw his troops immediately in the name of the imperial court. Qin Xiangguo, you are the right minister, you will take the lead in this matter."
Qin Hui nodded quickly and said: "I understand, but the time given by Chen Qing is too short. He only gave ten days. Now there are only seven days left. Even if he sends a quick delivery, it may not be enough. Weichen suggests that your majesty send a pigeon message first."
We will send it to Shouchun by the way, and at the same time we will send an urgent message to deliver the manuscript."
Zhao Gou nodded, "I know!"
Zhao Gou was so anxious that in the morning, Zhao Gou sent his own edict by pigeon letter. At the same time, he sent his bodyguard to rush to Shouchun for 800 miles to announce the decree. In the afternoon, the resolution of the Political Hall also came out, unanimously demanding
Zhang Jun immediately withdrew his troops from Jinghu North Road.
The guard delivered the message very quickly, running day and night, and arrived in Shouchun two days later. However, he learned that Zhang Jun was not in Shouchun. We don't know where he is at the moment. Perhaps he is commanding the army in Suizhou.
Reluctantly, the guards rushed to Suizhou. On the fifth day, two days before Chen Qing's deadline, the guards who delivered the order met Zhang Jun in the Suizhou military camp and delivered the emperor's handwriting to him.
"Require me to withdraw my troops immediately and unconditionally?"
Zhang Jun shook his head and said to the guard: "Go back and tell your majesty that Chen Qing has already stationed 80,000 troops in Xiangyang. He will completely annex Jinghu North Road whether I come or not. He is just looking for an excuse. Even if I withdraw my troops, his army will be the same."
He will march into Suizhou in the name of suppressing bandits. I heard that he has even prepared bandits and told Your Majesty that my army must maintain the dignity of the Song Dynasty. Even if it loses, Chen Qing must know that there are people in the Song Dynasty.
Dare to resist him!"
The guards tried to persuade him again and again, but Zhang Jun just refused to listen and did not accept the instructions.
With no choice but to leave Suizhou, the guards returned to Lin'an.
Two days later, at the same time that the imperial envoys arrived in Suizhou, 100,000 Western troops marched into Suizhou and Hanyang Mansion. Zhang Jun's army fled at the wind, not daring to fight the Western troops.
In just two days, 100,000 Western troops occupied De'an Prefecture, Hanyang Prefecture, Suizhou, Yingzhou and Xinyang Army, and expelled local officials who refused to surrender to the Western Army.
When the news reached Lin'an, Emperor Zhao Gou couldn't bear it. He also knew that Chen Qing was deliberately making excuses. Regardless of whether Zhang Jun's army violated the agreement, he would annex the four states of Handong. If he still swallowed his anger this time, the prestige and credibility of the imperial court would be ruined.
It will be completely ruined. No matter what, he must take action.
The emperor Zhao Gou immediately ordered Han Shizhong to lead 30,000 naval troops to Jiangzhou to wait for an opportunity to recapture Jinghu North Road, which was occupied by the Western Army.
In the Imperial Study Room, Emperor Zhao Gou paced back and forth with his hands behind his hands, feeling upset for a while. Needless to say, Chen Qing was getting stronger and stronger. Now Zhang Jun was gradually approaching the edge of losing control. If Chen Qing's army was still in Sichuan and Shaanxi, Zhang Jun's
Two hundred thousand troops are right above their heads!
What makes Zhao Gou feel most aggrieved is that Zhang Jun doesn't take him seriously anymore. He regards the handwriting sent by him as waste paper, but he still has to bear Zhang Jun's 200,000 troops and 500,000 yuan a month.
A regular military salary is like being slapped with a smile on your face.
Is it okay to cut off their military salary? Of course, it is possible, but Zhao Gou is a little afraid. He is afraid that once his military salary is cut off, Zhang Jun will rebel and go straight to the south of the Yangtze River.
But if he was allowed to spend a lot of money to maintain the current state of separatism, Zhao Gou would not be willing to do so, which would really trouble him.
At this time, the eunuch's chamberlain said at the door: "Your Majesty, Mr. Xu wants to see you!"
Zhao Gou nodded, "Announce his appearance!"
The troubles in his heart could not be resolved, and Zhao Gou also wanted to hear the opinions of his close ministers.
After a moment, Xu Xiantu hurriedly walked in, bowed and saluted, "See your Majesty!"
"Xu Aiqing, are you in such a hurry?"
"Your Majesty, I heard that your Majesty sent the navy to Jingxiang?"
"Whoever said that is nonsense!"
Zhao Gou was dissatisfied and said: "I just sent the navy to Poyang Lake to spy on Jingxiang and guard Jiangnan West Road to prevent Chen Qing from being greedy and annexing my Jiangnan West Road."
Xu Xiantu breathed a sigh of relief. He heard that the imperial navy was sent to Jingxiang, which really shocked him. The Western Navy navy was so powerful. If they went to Jingxiang, wouldn't they be throwing an egg at a stone?
At this time, Xu Xiantu saw that the emperor was preoccupied, so he cautiously asked: "Your Majesty, are you worried about the Jinghu North Road?"
Zhao Gou sighed, "I'm so upset right now. I don't even know what's bothering me?"
"Actually, I understand your Majesty's mood. There is both the huge pressure from the Western Army and Zhang Jun's unruly attitude. Your Majesty doesn't know how to solve the two problems, so he feels a mess in his heart."
Zhao Gou frowned, "That's it. Does Xu Aiqing have any solution?"
Xu Xiantu shook his head and said: "The main reason for your Majesty's troubles is that the organization is unclear. Chen Qing and Zhang Jun are mixed together, so you feel disorganized and don't know where to start? In fact, your Majesty put Chen Qing aside first. Although he is ambitious,
But Sichuan and Shaanxi are still far away from us, and the Jin Kingdom still occupies Hebei, which is its most important strategic goal, so Chen Qing will not threaten the imperial court in the next two or three years.
On the contrary, it is Zhang Jun, who used to be so mediocre and incompetent, but now his ambitions are beginning to show little by little, and his true colors have been revealed. He is the most important person we have to deal with, especially because he covets Yangzhou, so he is slightly
