Chapter 54 The Prime Minister of the Southern Tang Dynasty
In the Prime Minister's Mansion in Jinling City, except for one place where the lights were on, the rest was dark.
The place where the lights were on was the bedroom of the Prime Minister Song Qiqiu. In the bedroom, the lights were dim, and a slender-looking white-haired old man was sitting in the room with his eyes narrowed.
On the couch, next to the bed, there was a pot of charcoal fire burning. The temperature in the room was still a little low. The old man tightened his cotton robe tightly, opened his eyes slightly, and looked at the two young people standing in front of him.
One was dressed as a military general, and the other was dressed as a scribe. The two young men looked very respectful, waiting for the old man's instructions.
The old man is Song Qiqiu, the current prime minister of the Southern Tang Dynasty. Unfortunately, although the current emperor of the Southern Tang Dynasty entrusts Song Qiqiu to manage political affairs, he always trusts the other five treacherous little men who are called the "Five Ghosts" by the world.
people.
Song Qiqiu looked at the young general with an excited face, sighed and said: "Wen He, why are you still such a irritable temper? What happened to the navy camp?"
The young military general named Wen He quickly stepped forward with admiration and guilt on his face, and said to the old man: "My teacher is really good at predicting things, and the students admire him. Teacher, the news of the attack just came from the northern and southern camps. According to the previous
The sergeant who came to report said that there is an unknown fleet upstream, which has completely annihilated our 1st Marine Battalion, which is responsible for patrolling and guarding tonight, and is currently storming the Jiangbei Camp. The specific intention is unknown!"
"Wen Kui, what's the matter with you?" The old man yawned and looked at the other young scribe expressionlessly.
The young scribe bowed respectfully, and then said: "Teacher, it's still the 'five ghosts' who are causing trouble in front of the Holy One. Today they went to the palace to meet the Holy One, saying that the mentor had failed in presiding over the affairs of the country and should not be appointed as the Prime Minister again, and they
They mentioned to the Holy One that my mentor recommended my senior brother to be the General of Pingxi this time, and they slandered my mentor for appointing a private person. The Holy Spirit thought for a long time, his face was gloomy and uncertain, and I didn’t know what my mentor thought."
The young scribe carefully looked at Song Qiqiu's expression, but unfortunately he was disappointed. After listening to his words, the old man still looked expressionless and sleepy.
"That's all?" The old man opened his eyes lazily and glanced at the two of them. However, the two of them were shocked and quickly lowered their heads.
"Wen He, you dare to come to see me before you even know the situation of the enemy? Wen Kui, don't mention these trivial matters in front of me again. Your duty is to make suggestions for the Holy One, not to argue with villains every day.
Alas, you two and Wen Zhong are both my students, why is it that Wen Zhong has grown into a talented person who can rule alone, but you two have not made any progress?" The old man leaned on the brocade quilt on the short couch, his tone a little bit.
Desolate.
The two young men looked ashamed and stood aside respectfully with their hands lowered, not daring to speak anymore, waiting to hear further instructions from the old man.
"Wen He, the First Battalion of the Navy has pretty good combat effectiveness. Do you know how it was wiped out?" The old man closed his eyes and seemed to be asleep, but he asked the young general a question.
"Teacher, since no one can come back alive, the students don't know what happened." The young military commander Wen He replied with an embarrassed look on his face.
"It seems that there are experts in Xuan Kung among the enemy. This battle is not clear-cut, and I am afraid that it is our navy in the Southern Tang Dynasty that will suffer in the end. Since you are the commander of the navy's Xiang army, if there is someone in the navy's camp,
Anyway, I'm afraid your career has come to an end. You immediately go to Maxian Taoist Temple to ask Master Madaopo to take action. Don't mention anything else. Just say that there are monks from Qixia Temple who have escaped in the enemy camp, and she will definitely take action. In addition,
Remember to leave people to guard the camps, especially the Jiangbei camps, to prevent the enemy from taking advantage of the chaos to attack. Jinling is currently empty of troops. There are only 10,000 naval troops in the south and north of the Yangtze River, and 2,000 personal guards in the city. Once the enemy takes advantage of the chaos to attack,
Go ashore and break through the Jiangbei camp. Jinling will not be protected." The old man said in an unhurried voice. Even when he mentioned the worst possibility, his face remained expressionless.
Wen He was overjoyed. He came here just to ask the old man for advice. How could he not know that if there were any slight mistakes, the yarn would definitely be in danger, or even worse, lost in the wind? He didn't even know how he lost his life. Although Song Qiqiu was his mentor, many people in the court now turned to the "Five Ghosts" who were deeply trusted by the Holy Emperor. Song Qiqiu's lineage was quite marginalized and suppressed. If If it weren't for Song Qiqiu's role in the Southern Tang Dynasty that no one could replace him in the Southern Tang Dynasty, I'm afraid that none of the three students who were his students would be as powerful as they are today.
Song Qiqiu had three proud disciples. The first was the Wenzhong he just mentioned. He was currently on the front line of Ezhou and was the commander-in-chief who put down the war in Western Chu. The second, Wenhe, served as the commander of the Xiang Army of the Southern Tang Dynasty. San Wenkui served as the secretary of the Zhongshu in the palace and was responsible for drafting imperial edicts. He had good calligraphy and good poetry and lyrics, and was deeply loved and valued by Emperor Bao Dad.
After Wen He got the idea, he didn't dare to delay for a moment, and immediately handed over his hands and was about to leave. However, the old man stretched out his white and dry palms to stop him from leaving forgetfully. He half-opened his eyes and said: "Please go to the Jiangnan camp to guard Madao Po." , you led your own troops and horses and guarded the Jiangbei camp." After Song Qiqiu said this, he closed his eyes again, as if he was no longer too lazy to open them.
Wen He was stunned for a moment and quickly replied: "Student, remember, teacher, student resigns!"
The old man waved his hand, and Wen He wiped the undetectable cold sweat from the corner of his head. He was still not steady enough. Although the old man didn't look at him, he seemed to know his every move. When he left, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart. .
"Teacher, if there are no other instructions, the student will also resign?" Wen Kui stood respectfully next to the old man's bed. After more than half an hour, he saw that the old man seemed to be asleep, so he could only say something in a low voice beside the bed. He didn't expect the old man to hear his words, but he just wanted to find a reason to leave. Unexpectedly, the old man suddenly opened his eyes, yawned, and said: "Oh, Wen Kui is still there? I am really old and energetic. Not as good as a young man, he fell asleep at such a young age, what did you just say?"
He seems to be chattering away not like a shrewd and sophisticated politician, but like an ordinary old man who is confused.
Wen Kui was almost depressed to death. He must have fallen asleep next to you. I stupidly waited for a long time and expected you to give me some advice on how to figure out the holy will and then find a solution. What's the way out? You can't just stay in the palace and write poems and paint with the Holy Emperor every day. That would be too frustrating for your own ambitions.
The old man seemed to understand what he was thinking, and suddenly said: "Wen Kui, you go back first, there is nothing else for me to do here. Remember, the will of the Holy Spirit is unpredictable, just do your own thing and nothing else. Force it.”
Wen Kui thoughtfully bowed to the old man, turned around and left. After he left, the old man nodded with satisfaction and murmured to himself: "After all, Wen Kui is more stable and can go out to practice. "
Just after Wen Kui left, a person suddenly appeared from behind the screen beside the old man's bed.