Five hundred and ninetieth chapters game (seventeen)
In Jishanfang, Lin'an, there is a house covering an area of ten acres. This is the private residence of Zhao Ding, the great scholar of Guanwen Palace, who knew Shaoxing Prefecture. Because the New Year was approaching, Zhao Ding returned to Lin'an from Shaoxing to prepare for ancestor worship.
As night fell, Zhao Ding was sitting in the study reading a book. His son Zhao Wenxin appeared at the door of the study and said, "Father, please excuse me!"
"What's up?"
"A person came from outside the house, saying he was Zhang Jun's staff. He said he had something important to report to his father."
‘Zhang Jun’s staff?’
Zhao Ding thought for a while and suddenly realized, "But Wang Mu?"
"It seems to be him."
Zhao Ding then said: "Please ask him to wait in my guest room, I will come right away!"
Zhao Wenxin hurried away, and Zhao Ding put on a cotton robe. He felt a little strange in his heart. Wang Mu was an important confidant of Zhang Jun. What did he want with him?
When Zhao Ding came to the guest hall, he saw a middle-aged scholar pacing back and forth in the guest hall with his hands behind his hands, looking worried. It was Wang Mu, Zhang Jun's confidant.
"Brother Wang Mu, long time no see!" Zhao Ding walked into the lobby with a smile.
Wang Mu has been following Zhang Jun as an aide for more than ten years and has won Zhang Jun's trust. Usually when Zhang Jun is out, he is responsible for sitting in Lin'an and handling various affairs for Zhang Jun.
This time Zhang Jun sent a pigeon letter from Jingzhao. He was worried that the pigeon letter would be lost along the way, so while sending the official pigeon letter, he also sent a copy of the pigeon letter to Wang Mu as a backup.
Five days had passed since Wang Mu received the pigeon letter, but he found that there was no movement from the court. Wang Mu became anxious and found Zhao Ding overnight.
Wang Mu hurriedly saluted and said: "I have an important matter, please help the great scholar!"
"Tell me, what's the problem that Mr. Zhang can't solve and why he still needs help from me?" Zhao Ding said with a smile.
Wang Mu took out the copy of the pigeon letter and handed it to Zhao Ding together with the original, "This is the urgent pigeon letter sent by Mr. Zhang from Jingzhao five days ago. He sent a copy to the Privy Council. This copy is sent to me as a backup."
Yes, if the official didn’t receive it, at least I still have a copy here.”
Zhao Ding took the pigeon letter and copied it and read it over. He was secretly surprised. This was a big deal! If the negotiation failed, Chen Qing would secretly support Liu Guangshi's rebellion, which would be a big trouble.
"Then what?"
"Then there was no movement from the court. I went to inquire with the Privy Council and learned that the person who was responsible for sending and receiving pigeon messages went back to his hometown two days ago to celebrate the New Year. The Privy Council official said that he did not see any pigeon messages from Mr. Zhang. I then asked the Zhizheng Hall
Tang Jian, a scholar from Shushe, said that the officials are still anxiously waiting for news from Jingzhao, but they have not heard that the pigeon letter from Jingzhao has been delivered."
Zhao Ding frowned, "Then you should ask Xu Xiantu, who is in charge of the Privy Council, right? If something goes wrong in the Privy Council, he should be responsible..."
Wang Mu said anxiously: "On behalf of the emperor, Mr. Xu went to Jianghuai to reward the three armies. He was not in Lin'an. Only Qin Hui and Zhu Shengfei were left in Lin'an. Zhu Shengfei was basically idle."
"Then you can find Xianggong Qin!"
"Grand Master Qi, I suspect that the pigeon letter is in Qin Hui's hands."
"Are you guessing?"
Wang Mu shook his head, "I found the records of Zhizhengtang. That night, an urgent letter was indeed sent to Zhengshitang. The prime minister on duty that night was Qin Hui."
Zhao Ding understood that the pigeon letter must have been detained by Qin Hui. He thought for a moment and said: "I can send this pigeon letter to the official for you, but you don't mention the pigeon letter being detained again.
When the pigeon message is lost along the way, do you understand what I mean?"
"I know!"
Zhao Ding read the pigeon letter again. This matter was indeed urgent and he had to report it overnight.
Thinking of this, he walked to the door and told his son: "Prepare a carriage for me immediately, I want to enter the palace!"
Zhao Gou had just returned from his mother's place. The queen told herself for the third time that Liu Guangshi was recommended to her by Zhu Shengfei. She believed that Liu Guangshi was a pillar of talent out of her trust in Zhu Shengfei. She had no idea about Liu Guangshi's character.
However, she herself did not agree with Liu Guangshi going to Bashu again. It was Zhu Shengfei's repeated persuasion that made her agree to recommend Liu Guangshi to go to Bashu to exterminate the rebels. She did not expect that such a big event would happen in the end.
Zhao Gou knew in his heart that Liu Guangshi was the one who was favored by his mother. The two recommendations for Liu Guangshi to enter Shu were the queen's wishes and had nothing to do with Zhu Shengfei. But now the consequences were serious. The queen needed to abdicate the responsibility and let Zhu Shengfei take the blame.
Anyway, Zhao Gou was originally reluctant to let Zhu Shengfei become the prime minister, but he reluctantly agreed because it would not harm the queen mother's face. After dismissing Zhu Shengfei, he could consider replacing Zhu Shengfei with Li Guang, the Minister of Civil Affairs. Zhao Gou learned from Liu Guangshi's lesson.
I no longer want to leave this prime ministership to my mother.
At this time, Zhao Gou drank two mouthfuls of bird's nest, and an old eunuch hurriedly came forward to report, "The official, the great scholar Zhao Ding has something urgent to ask for, and it is related to the negotiations with Jingzhao."
Zhao Gou was stunned, why is it Zhao Ding?
But Zhao Gou was very anxious to know the news about Jingzhao. He didn't have time to think too much and immediately ordered: "Xuan him to go to Linde Hall to meet you, I will be there soon!"
Zhao Gou slowly finished the bird's nest porridge, changed his clothes, and then got on the dragon chariot and headed to Linde Hall.
Zhao Ding was waiting by the fire in the Linde Hall. At this time, a eunuch came forward and said: "The official has summoned me. Bachelor, please follow me!"
Zhao Ding followed the eunuch to the imperial study. The imperial study was brightly lit, and the emperor Zhao Gou, dressed in casual clothes, was already sitting there waiting.
Zhao Ding quickly stepped forward and knelt down to salute, "I, Zhao Ding, pay homage to Your Majesty and wish Your Majesty long live, long live, long live!"
"My beloved, I will live without any ceremony!"
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Zhao Ding stood up, took out the pigeon letter and the copy from his arms, put them on the plate in the hand of the eunuch next to him, and motioned to present them to the emperor.
Zhao Gou looked at the pigeon mailbox on the plate and asked with a smile: "What is this?"
"Your Majesty, this is the urgent pigeon message sent by Mr. Zhang from Jingzhao. It arrived in Lin'an five days ago."
"What?"
Zhao Gou was immediately furious, "You arrived in Lin'an five days ago, why are you giving it to me now?"
"Your Majesty, please calm down. This is a backup pigeon message that Mr. Zhang sent to his staff at the same time. He sent an extra copy because he was afraid that the court would not receive it. His staff found that there was no movement from the court and found the secret minister tonight."
Zhao Gou's expression softened slightly, but he still said dissatisfiedly: "The pigeon letter matter must be withdrawn from investigation. In the end, it was not received, and someone deliberately withheld it. I will never condone this matter!"
"Your Majesty, the content of Xianggong Zhang's pigeon letter is very important. Please read it."
Zhao Gou picked up the copy of the pigeon letter and read it carefully. Zhang Jun's last worry really made Zhao Gou's heart hang. Once the negotiations broke down, Chen Qing was likely to separate Sichuan and Shaanxi, and secretly supported Liu Guangshi in his confrontation with the imperial court.
.
If Chen Qing and Liu Guangshi join forces, they will be in big trouble.
Zhao Gou was really nervous. He thought for a while and asked Zhao Ding, "Ai Qing also read the letter, tell me what you think?"
Zhao Ding was secretly happy that his opportunity had come, and he was not hypocritical. He said frankly: "As a bachelor, Wei Chen has the obligation to share your Majesty's worries. Wei Chen thinks that Zhang Xianggong is inclined to agree to Chen Qing's plan, and gives Chen Qing the title of Sichuan and Shaanxi Province."
The Xuanfu envoy exchanged the financial power of Bashu for the governance of Bashu. The ministers carefully considered it. If Chen Qing was really willing to give up the governance of Hanzhong, this would actually go back to the situation in the early years of Shaoxing. He used the financial resources of Bashu to support Shaanxi.
The army fought against the Jin soldiers."
"But it's still different. At least I could command the Western Army in the early years of Shaoxing."
Zhao Ding sighed and said: "Your Majesty, if Chen Qing wanted to separate Sichuan and Shaanxi, then there would be no negotiation at all. He defeated Liu Guangshi's army and won militarily. The conditions for separatist Sichuan and Shaanxi are ripe, but he is still willing to negotiate with the imperial court.
Negotiation, Weichen feels that this is something to be thankful for, and that we have not lost the opportunity. At this time, we must firmly seize this opportunity. If we fail to seize it, that is what Mr. Zhang is worried about in the letter. The negotiation breaks down. Chen
Qing separatized Sichuan and Shaanxi and supported Liu Guangshi in his confrontation with the imperial court."
Zhao Gou's expression changed several times, but he was still a little hesitant. Zhao Ding persuaded him again: "Xiangong Zhang also said in the letter that Chen Qing only wants the salt and iron rights, transshipment rights, mining rights, tax rights and money-making rights, but he doesn't want them."
, at least our local governance power is still intact, and then Mr. Zhang fights for criminal law review rights and other powers, then Bashu will actually still be in our hands."
"It's only nominally in our hands."
"His Majesty"
"Okay, I know in my heart that the consequences of a breakdown in negotiations will be serious. No need to say more, let me think about it again."
Zhao Ding resigned and left. Zhao Gou paced back and forth in the room with his hands behind his hands. His heart was like a mirror. He had to agree even if he didn't agree. However, this sense of humiliation still lingered in his heart.
At dawn the next day, several homing pigeons took off into the sky, circled several times in the sky, and flew westward with Zhao Gou's handwriting.