"Prime Minister, these are locusts caught in the suburbs."
Zhang Yue handed the locusts to his subordinates and nodded after looking at them. Cai Bian said: "Prime Minister, the color is still green. It seems that the locust plague is not serious this year!"
Locusts are usually green in color when they live alone, so they do little harm at this time.
But once the locusts gather, they become bad. When large groups of locusts gather, they change from green to dark brown, with their backs turning black and their abdomens turning brown.
At this time, there is a terrible locust plague.
Therefore, locusts living in groups and living alone are two different organisms. Moreover, locusts are highly poisonous after changing color and must not be eaten at this time.
Therefore, affected people cannot be encouraged to eat discolored locusts.
Officials in the Song Dynasty had basic common sense about identifying the colors of locusts.
Soon another official came over and said: "Prime Minister, these are locusts from near the famous names in Hebei!"
Zhang Yue picked it up, looked at it, and nodded.
Another official presented it and said: "These are locusts sent from Yongxing Mansion."
Regarding this locust, Zhang Yue carefully identified it and said: "Yes!"
There were also locusts sent from Lianghuai and other places. Zhang Yue only took a cursory glance at them.
"Fortunately, Hebei and Shaanxi are relatively peaceful this year. Although there are minor disasters, at least there is no locust plague!"
Cai Bian came to a conclusion.
Zhang Yue glanced at Cai Bian approvingly. He knew what he was thinking in his heart.
Zhang Yue said to Cai Bian: "Yuandu! You said that locusts are different when they live alone and when they live in groups?"
Cai Bian said: "I don't know, I don't know. Could it be that the prime minister is talking about people's seclusion and officialdom?"
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Yuandu, this is one of them."
"There is nothing more fundamental in the world than yin and yang. In fact, the same is true for locusts. When locusts live alone, they are still green because they want to avoid enemies and hide among the grass."
"The locusts are still black when they live in groups. Now they are exposed to the broad daylight, in order to attract their companions and at the same time tell their natural enemies that they are highly poisonous. At this time, ordinary birds do not dare to eat them!"
Cai Bian said: "Your Majesty has learned a lesson."
Zhang Yue smiled and said: "Actually, the world is so big, it is also like this. People have their own reasons for living alone, and there are also reasons for living in groups."
"You said that when a large swarm of locusts comes, what can you do if you encounter one that refuses to turn black?"
Cai Bian said: "Prime Minister, Yuan Chang told me before that the Han family system is used by kings."
"Just as the way of heaven is to make up for the deficiency when there is excess, the way of man is to make up for the deficiency when there is excess."
"The way of man is beneficial to the individual, but harmful to the family and the country; the way of heaven is not beneficial to the individual, but it is beneficial to the family and the country."
Zhang Yue smiled slightly. He was now a student in the examination school and was passing on his experience in governing.
Cai Bian said: "Prime Minister, the way the court employs people is like this locust. It can be distinguished from time to time when it is still black and when it is still green."
"For example, when a prime minister is in power, the people he uses are not all the same as him. For example, people like Cheng Yi and Lu Huiqing are just like locusts who are different from black and green. They only need to be useful to the country."
"For example, Yuan Chang and Su Ziyou are at odds with each other, but for the sake of the overall interests of the prime minister, they must tolerate each other for the sake of the country. Don't exclude them because of their differences!"
Zhang Yue nodded and said, "As long as you understand. In the future, if you want to have the same color when you are in power, you must first tolerate differences."
"The imperial court is confused by different opinions, and you often feel that it is in the way. You think all day long that once you have the power, you will follow the orders. But this strategy is beneficial to the entire family and country, and vice versa."
"Even you personally are justified. For example, are you willing to tolerate Feng Jing and Sun Gu as prime ministers, or are you willing to have Sima Guang as prime minister in the future! So you and Yuan Chang must remember the principle that when things go to the extreme, they must be reversed!"
Cai Bian said: "The way of heaven is like a bow, and the lower officials have learned it."
Zhang Yue nodded slowly and said, "That's right. If these people are different today, they may not be the same in the future."
"Leave a thin line in your life so that we can meet again in the future! Never make things impossible."
"Just as you want to fight with someone, you must win over him first. If you want to win over someone, you must fight with him first. These methods will get twice the result with half the effort."
"As long as you always remember that your original intention is always for the country and the world. And speaking out at any time is not the best way."
"I can only tell you these words. Others will become devilish if they hear them."
Cai Bian said: "Bian has been taught."
While he was talking, someone on the side said: "Prime Minister, Su Shi has returned from his mission to Goryeo."
Zhang Yue was overjoyed when he heard this.
"Here is Su Shi's personal letter to the Prime Minister!"
The official gave the letter to Zhang Yue. After reading it ten lines at a time, Zhang Yue said with great joy: "Zizhan has fulfilled his mission and accomplished the task."
All the officials were surprised and happy when they heard this.
When Su Shi was threatening the Song Dynasty with war from the Liao Kingdom, he must have an important mission when he went to Korea as envoy. When he returned home at this moment, looking at Zhang Yue's face, he must have brought some good news.
I wonder what great things Su Shi accomplished for Zhang Yue.
…
This month, Song-Liao negotiations have been going on.
Xiao Xi, the Liao envoy, has made it clear that he will not return the national letter without an oath!
As for the person in charge of the negotiations, it was still Sun Gu, the privy envoy, but Sun Gu was often ill these days, and Chen Mu, a Hanlin scholar, was appointed as the deputy negotiator.
Now in Dutingyi, Chen Muzheng was feeling very angry.
Xiao Xi's arrogance was extremely arrogant. The problem was that he saw through Sun Gu's hypocrisy and made the negotiations between Song and Liao completely passive.
Chen Guan said to Chen Mu: "Now the Liao envoy seems to be full of confidence. Xiao Xi has firmly decided that he will write the return to Liangzhou into his credentials!"
"I won't let go at all."
Chen Mu said: "The Prime Minister has indicated that the matter of returning to Liangzhou may not be impossible to write, but let's grind it out first."
"Xiao Xi said before that he would only give us a deadline of three days!"
Chen Mu cursed angrily: "Fangou!"
"If we really don't agree, will the Liao Kingdom really want to send troops to attack the Song Dynasty once he returns?"
Chen Guan said: "Now the Liao Kingdom is pointing at Dangxiang, so it has nothing to fear."
Chen Mu paced the walk with his hands behind his hands: "That's exactly what it is, so you and I have to bear with our anger for a while and continue talking with the Liao envoy!"
Chen Mu and Chen Guan's words made everyone below them angry.
The Liao envoys insulted them again and again and regarded the Song Dynasty as nothing.
Just then, an official came in and whispered a few words to Chen Mu.
Chen Mu said with a look of surprise: "Zizhan really got the job done."
Chen Guan said: "What's the matter?"
Chen Mu said: "Zizhan went on his mission to Korea this time and received courtesy from the leader of Korea from top to bottom."
"Especially since this court has promised to give Goryeo a thousand pieces of cotton cloth by sea every year, in exchange for Goryeo agreeing to open a market in Uiju and trade with Liao for six months."
Chen Guan and other officials were both happy and sad when they heard this.
Fortunately, the relationship between this dynasty and Goryeo has become closer. Sadly, it gives Goryeo a thousand pieces of cotton cloth every year, which is a disguised annual tribute.
Use this condition in exchange for bargaining chips with the Liao Kingdom.
Chen Guan said sadly: "The price of a piece of cotton cloth is three to five times that of silk, and there is no market for it. Every winter, many people freeze to death in the streets of Bianjing. If cotton cloth is available for clothing, how can the people be like this?
Ah! How many lives can be lived."
Chen Mu said: "There is no way! The situation of the country is like this, and we have been patient with the Liao Kingdom for nearly a hundred years."
"It's ridiculous that the sergeants and officials in the court still talk about peace and quiet all day long. Every time the court wants to cheer up, these people always oppose this and that."
"How many people can truly make plans for the world like Duke Jing and the Prime Minister? But our humiliation and hardships cannot be made public, and in the end only those scholars said that we have lost our power and humiliated the country!"
Chen Guan said: "We can only talk about it first. I don't know if we can do what the Liao envoy wants!"
…
After a while, Chen Mu, Chen Guan and Xiao Xi sat opposite each other.
As for Xiao Delit, the deputy envoy of the Liao Kingdom, he had long been tired of the negotiation life in Bianjing and kept talking about going out hunting all day long.
Now Xiao Xi looked at Chen Mu, and Chen Guan listened to the conditions they proposed.
When they learned that Goryeo was allowed to trade with Liao in Yizhou, Chen Mu and Chen Guan saw a flash of joy in Xiao Xi's eyes.
Both of them knew that this condition really impressed each other.
Both of them showed expressions of relief.
Yes, when Xiao Xi came to negotiate with the Song Dynasty, Liao Prime Minister Yelupo secretly warned him about the Yizhou matter.
Yizhou and Baozhou are located east of the Yalu River.
Goryeo has been asking for these two pieces of land from the Liao Kingdom.
However, the Liao Kingdom has always refused to give it to Goryeo, and the two sides have always been in a stalemate. Because the land in Yiju and Baoju is very poor, and Goryeo refuses to open a market, the Liao Kingdom must travel thousands of miles to send supplies from the east coast to the west coast.
In addition, the caravans were unwilling to go here, so it was very difficult for the Liao Kingdom to maintain the occupation of Yizhou and Baozhou.
To put it bluntly, it is a loss-making transaction.
This was the same as Sima Guang's original objection to the expansion of land on Xihe Road. Taking these places would not be worth the gain for the Song Dynasty, and it would cost money and food to maintain. However, the economic strength of the Song Dynasty was far superior to that of other countries, so it was not difficult to maintain it.
But the Liao Kingdom couldn't do that. They came to the Song Dynasty armed forces to beg for food all day long.
Therefore, maintaining Yizhou and Baozhou for a long time was a huge expense for the Liao State's national strength.
For the Liao Kingdom, opening a market was an urgent matter. The Liao Kingdom even threatened war before, but Goryeo remained determined not to be moved.
But this time the Song Dynasty achieved this goal for the Liao Kingdom.
It can be regarded as a three-party exchange of chips. Of course, the Song Dynasty took the money to satisfy the three parties.
Xiao Xi looked at the two Song envoys and said with a smile: "I finally believe that you, the Emperor of the Song Dynasty, are sincere."
"You are sincerely allied with me, Daliao Dynasty, rather than some people who are ignorant of current affairs and want to provoke soldiers."
Chen Mu and Chen Guan both laughed bitterly after hearing this, but there was nothing they could do.
Chen Mu said: "Your Majesty finally understands your Majesty's good intentions, so our efforts will not be in vain."
"Can your envoy please draft our credentials?"
Xiao Xi stretched out her hand and said: "I remember that my Princess of Daliao married the leader of the Dangxiang Kingdom, and your Majesty has not sent out any congratulatory gifts yet."
"This is really detrimental to the long-term relations between the two countries!"
"I think so, you Song Dynasty will spend another 200,000 guan of money as a congratulation."
After hearing what Xiao Xi said, Chen Mu and Chen Guan were furious.
Chen Guan wanted to get up, but was pushed down by Chen Mu.
Xiao Xi turned a blind eye to Chen Guan's provocation, and instead said slowly and honestly: "This two hundred thousand guan may be money, salt banknotes, or silk cloth."
"Our Majesty will not mind, but your sincerity must be seen by His Majesty."
"As long as you agree to this matter, you can temporarily not write the words in the certificate of credence! Otherwise, it will still have to be written."