The attempted mutiny that occurred in Yanzhou at the end of August of the first year of Guangshun was not a big deal in that year, and during the five generations when the feudal towns were full of princes, there were almost a dozen or even dozens of such mutinies every year. However, the secret music handed by Li Bin, the judge of Yanzhou Jiedu, to Bianliang in Kaifeng still attracted the attention of the center of the Later Zhou court. From Emperor Guo Wei to his close confidant and important minister Wang Jun, they all seemed worried about this.

Their concerns did not come from Yanzhou itself, but from the triggers of the Yanzhou mutiny.

The Dangxiang people have been entrenched in the four states of Yinxia for more than 50 years, and in the past 50 years, the Central Plains Dynasty has changed in turn, but the power of the Dangxiang people in the Yinxia area has grown steadily and grown, and it has now become the largest feudal town in the Guanzhong region. Its people were tens of thousands, nearly 1,000 miles of land, and it had four states and eight counties, which had become the biggest military threat to the Central Plains Dynasty west of Tongguan.

Because the place is too far away from Kaifeng, since the beginning of Kaifeng after Liang Jianzheng, the emperors of the Central Plains of the Five Dynasties and Ten Dynasties have adopted a united front policy of Huairou to appease and increase the number of officials in the four states of Dingyan. At the beginning of the establishment of the Later Zhou Dynasty, in the first month of this year, the newly enthroned emperor Guo Wei issued an edict on the first day of the emperor's term of office, canonizing the current Dingyan Army Festival to make Li Yiyin the king of Longxi County, this title was originally the title of the emperor of the previous dynasty to the party Li family, and now Guo Wei has restored this prince to Li Yiyin, in fact, it is on behalf of the new court to recognize Li Yiyin's secession status. Of course, the Central Plains was still relatively chaotic at this time, and the king was a very common means of appeasement, and it was not very valuable. But this at least represents the court's appeased and gentle attitude towards Yinxia.

However, the envoy who went to Xiazhou to announce the edict was not able to see Li Yiyin, and the envoy of the Dingyan Army said that he was sick and hid, and only sent an unknown Han staff member to meet the envoy, and entertained him with wine and food all day long, but did not mention the matter of receiving the order. The envoy lived in Xiazhou for a month and a half, and not only did he not see Li Yiyin himself, but even any of the elders in the Li clan of the party, so he had to return in a huff. On the third day after the envoy arrived in Bianliang, news came from Xiazhou. Li Yiyin called Liu Jun, the father of Liu Yun, the prince of Xiangyin of the Later Han Dynasty, who was killed by Guo Wei's generals.

This incident was undoubtedly a major blow to the diplomatic united front work of the Later Zhou regime, and although the Dingyan army was far away, it was after all a prince. Nowadays, not a single foreign feudal town refuses to recognize its legitimacy as a Zhou dynasty and still expresses its loyalty to the Later Han regime, which has already fallen in Kaifeng, which is a naked humiliation for Guo Wei. However, in the first year of Guangshun, the Later Zhou Dynasty had not really stabilized the feudal towns and local governments in various places, and there was still Murong Yanchao, a military separatist group that openly refused to submit, in the east, and Murong Yanchao's threat was more intuitive and realistic than that of the party members. Therefore, after receiving the news that Li Yiyin was openly attached to the Northern Han Dynasty, the majority of opinions within the Later Zhou group pretended to turn a blind eye to this, neither condemned nor acknowledged it, and left it to be resolved slowly in the future.

In the same month, Guo Rong, the prince of Taibao Taiyuan County, once made a statement about the danger of Guo Weili Chen Yinxia Domain, and suggested that two relatively large jiedu establishments should be established in Yanzhou and Shuofang to curb its development trend. However, for Guo Wei, who had just taken over the country's military and political affairs, he had neither the manpower nor the financial resources to implement Guo Rong's proposal, so under the resolute opposition of the privy envoy Wang Jun, Guo Rong's recital ended in vain, and Wang Jun, who suggested that the Dingyan army adopt a policy of appeasement, was worshiped by Guo Wei a few days later as a servant of Shangshu Zuo Shot, and supervised the revision of the history of the country, and was still a privy envoy, concurrently serving as a privy envoy as the prime minister, which was a sign of becoming a prime minister during the Five Dynasties period.

Therefore, although this party's southern invasion was a routine matter, it was the first time since it became a vassal to the Northern Han Dynasty that it disturbed the border of the Later Zhou Dynasty, so it was of great significance. Fan Zhen, who had just been promoted to Zhongshu Shilang Tongping Zhangshi (one of the prime ministers) as a soldier of the military department, was the first to realize the importance of this matter, so he presented the recital sheet to Wang Jun and copied a copy of the residence of Feng Dao, a veteran of the four dynasties, Hongwenguan University, who was sent to the council of the forbidden middle school on the first day of the special order. Feng Dao was a veteran of the dynasty and the nominal prime minister (Zhongshu Ling), so although Fan Zhen's move was not in accordance with the rules, he did not commit any ********.

But the direct result of this incident was that when Wang Jun had not yet decided whether to bring this matter to the emperor, the emperor's decree was sent to the forbidden Zhongshu Sect in the lower province, summoning Wang Jun, Fan Zhen and Zhongshu Shilang Tongping Zhangshi to judge Li Gu into the Yanying Palace.

The system of Yanying deliberation originally began in the first year of Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty, and was later abolished, and it was not restored until the later Tang Dynasty, and it was used as a custom for several generations of imperial courts, becoming a major form of the monarch's inner dynasty.

When the three prime ministers hurried to the Yanying Palace, they found that the gray-bearded and depressed "Feng Linggong" was present.

Wang Jun's face suddenly turned pale, the emperor summoned the ministers in the Yanying Palace, but Feng Dao's sudden appearance and the first seat to give the seat at least explained that this meeting of the monarch was temporarily convened at the suggestion of this old horseman. Although Feng Dao's status and position were theoretically above him, he still felt that his authority was offended, as he was accustomed to monopolizing power on weekdays.

Therefore, after saluting the emperor at the moment, just after Guo Wei waved his hand and ordered: "Give you all the ministers to sit ......", Wang Jun bowed to Feng Dao, and said in a cold tone: "If Wang Mou remembers correctly, Ling Gong will go to Zhongshu on the third day, and he will not be on duty today, right?" ”

As soon as he said this, he immediately spoke according to the Fan Qian, who was standing behind him according to the shift: "Xiufeng's words are wrong, the Lord's grace, ordered Feng Linggong to go to Zhongshu Gate every three days, imitating the story of Li Jingwu Gong, but taking into account the fact that Ling Gong is old and frail and unbearable to work in the center, so he specially ordered him to arrive at one time every three days." This is not a forbidden rotation system, if the public is strong, you can go to the ban every day to do political affairs, if the physical strength is not enough, you can go to the three days, the lord decree has not limited the date and order of the public value, why Xiufeng is on duty or not? ”

Wang Jun immediately looked back at Fan Zhen with cold eyes, and said with a calm face: "I don't know, Wen Su is familiar with the classics, can you know what a sin it is to 'leak the forbidden Chinese language'?" ”

As soon as Fan Zhen spoke, Wang Jun immediately realized that there was such a person in this matter, and he had even guessed what Fan Zhen had done, so he questioned him on the charge of "leaking the forbidden Chinese language", which was a very serious crime in the Tang Dynasty, which was enough to cause the prime minister to be demoted. Zhenguannian and Wei Zheng's prime minister Wang Qi was degraded to the place for this crime, and although he later returned to the dynasty, he successively served as a high-ranking official such as the Ministry of Rites and Wei Wangfu, but he was never allowed to re-enter the cabinet for the rest of his life.

Therefore, Wang Jun questioned Fan with these words, and the smell of threat was already quite obvious.

However, Fan Zhen was not afraid of him at all, and raised his head and sneered: "Ling Gong is the head of the court, and Fan Mou's communication to him is the meaning of the country, but he doesn't know what 'leaking forbidden Chinese' is." Moreover, whether Fan leaked the forbidden Chinese language, there is a Taiwan admonition, and it is not Xiufeng's turn to judge......"

Wang Jun snorted coldly: "Tomorrow, I will teach Wensu to see the bullet of the Taiwan admonition——"

Fan Zhen smiled indifferently: "Since it is the impeachment of Fan's admonition, it should be avoided, since ancient times, there has never been a reason for the impeached person to read the admonition by himself, doesn't Xiufeng Xianggong even understand this rule?" ”

Wang Jun opened his mouth to speak, and Guo Wei, the Great Zhou Emperor who was sitting on top of the Danqi, patted the case lightly in displeasure: "I asked you prime ministers to come here to discuss matters, not to quarrel!" Feng Linggong was invited by Metheta, he is a veteran of the Four Dynasties, experienced in military affairs, and I am counting on being able to rely on him, Xiufeng, although you have high merit, you can't be rude to Linggong. It is still necessary to have a heart of respect for the elderly, Ling Gong is a senior, and we have all paid homage to him in front of him. You're presumptuous at the moment, aren't you even going to mess up? ”

Guo Wei was born as a military general, and his speech was very rare and elegant, but the meaning was very clear, although Wang Jun was helpless, he could only apologize.

Fan Zhen knew that the emperor was still defending Wang Jun, and sighed secretly in his heart.

At the moment, Guo Wei ordered Wang Jun to talk about the situation in the difficult army, Wang Jun did not take Li Bin's recital, and then compared his hands with his mouth, and explained the causes and development of the Yanzhou mutiny one by one, and also described the situation of Yanzhou's victimization. At the same time, they can make their own analysis and judgment. It is true that this person is impatient and arrogant, but he is really a prime minister, so it is no wonder that Guo Wei always wants to protect him.

"Passing around the city of Zhou, plundering the eight counties......" Guo Wei silently muttered the words on Li Bin's recital.

He suddenly raised his head and asked, "Xiufeng, in your opinion, what is Li Yiyin's intention to go south this time?" ”

Wang Jun smiled coldly: "The clown of the party is just grabbing a handful to go back for the winter as usual." Li Yiyin, a barbarian who doesn't read, what kind of foresight can he have? According to Li Bin, Yanzhou City was in a mutiny at that time, and if Li Yiyin took advantage of the situation to attack the city, he was afraid that Yanzhou would be broken by him at that time, and Gao Yunquan would not be able to defend it for even a day. However, isn't it stupid that he went around the city and plundered the counties? ”

"Otherwise—" Fan Zhen immediately retorted, "As the minister Li Bin said in the Zhang, the Dingyan army went deep into the territory of Yanzhou this time, and even abandoned the two counties of Fushi and Fenglin in the north of Yanzhou, and invaded Yanzhou from the east, and went straight south to harass Jincheng, and then went west to plunder Linzhen; Then to the north, return to Xiazhou from Yanchuan and Yanshui. This is not simply plundering, it must have a big purpose......"

Wang Jun glanced at Fan Zhen with disdain: "I want to hear it, what is Li Yiyin's big plan?" ”

Fan Zhen ignored Wang Jun's ridicule at all, and said with a solemn face: "The Li family has come and gone this time, the two important official roads in the south of Yanzhou and the post roads in the state and county have no secrets to the Dingyan army, if the Li family sends troops next year, I am afraid that it will be the best result if Yanzhou does not defend it......"

Guo Wei's eyebrows raised, but he listened to Fan Zhen continue: "South of Yanzhou, Yanzhou, Fangzhou, Danzhou, and Yaozhou, there is no temperate system, and there have never been large soldiers. Once Yanzhou is broken, from the Yanhe River to Chang'an, a land of flat rivers, and there is no army to block it, the four states' own defenses are nothing more than nothing in front of Li Yiyin's cavalry. If he didn't take precautions in advance, he was afraid that once Li Yiyin sent troops next year, he would not collect troops if he didn't point to Jingzhao Mansion. ”

Guo Wei had already sat up straight when he heard this, his eyes turned to Wang Jun, but he saw Wang Jun snorting coldly, and said lightly: "Alarmist, good words!" ”

Fan Zhen was furious, but he knew that this was not the time to be rash, so he got up and knelt down and said: "Your Majesty, the minister was first the servant of the Privy Deputy Envoy and the Military Department, and he has read many graphic classics in the world, and the situation in Guanzhong is really not optimistic. Lingwu Feng's family, the family style is brave, the Li family has nothing to do for a while, but the Yanzhou Gao family is all stupid and ignorant of soldiers, the soldiers are outnumbered, and the soldiers do not dare to confront the party at all, in the past five or six years, ten battles and ten defeats, and south of Yanzhou, there is no danger of Xiong Pass, no strong generals. Li Yiyin does not plan to do it, if I want to pass in the middle, then within a year or two, it must be based on, when Jingzhao falls, Tongguan is lost, Your Majesty will raise a large number of soldiers, I am afraid that it will be too late......"

Guo Wei raised his eyes and asked, "Xiufeng, if you send troops to Guanzhong at this moment, how many soldiers can be adjusted?" ”

Wang Jun smiled coldly: "Your Majesty, our dynasty has not been established for a long time, and all kinds of waste are waiting to be raised, such as today's army is divided into three parts, one is in the Jianxiong army and the Northern Han army, one is in the Tianxiong army and the Murong clan, and the other is Your Majesty's old department, and now the troops are gathered in Hebei to prepare for the Khitan." There are so many soldiers in the imperial court who can fight, and it is not suitable to be transferred anywhere, Fan Zhen wants to transfer troops to Guanzhong, and he also needs to be able to transfer them! ”

Guo Wei listened silently, did not speak, and turned his face to look at Li Gu who was standing behind Fan Qian: "Li Qing, what do you think?" ”

Li Gu looked at the emperor and said quietly: "The military ministers don't understand, and they don't dare to speak falsely." However, at this moment, the minister sentenced the household department to support the three divisions of salt and iron, if His Majesty raises troops to attack Guanzhong, 20,000 horses and half a year's food and salary can still be raised, and it is difficult to say if there are more......"

Wang Jun saw that his opinion was isolated, and he was a little anxious, got up and bowed to the emperor and said: "Your Majesty is a soldier who knows the soldiers, hastily recruiting new troops, without training, and without being sharpened on the battlefield, sending them to the front line to face the party cavalry is just a fish and meat for swords, this is a taboo for soldiers, and Your Majesty must not be careless." ”

Guo Wei waved his hand: "Fan Qing got up, sat and said things, don't kneel down at every turn, the prime minister sat down and said, this is the rule set by Han Gaozu." It is not only the system of the imperial court, but also the dignity of the country, and it cannot be lightly ......"

Fan Zhen promised, got up and sat down and said: "The minister thinks that no matter how difficult it is, the thousand-year-old imperial capital of Chang'an must not be abandoned, and a strong general must be dispatched to sit in Guanzhong, so as to deter the party and people from not daring ......to go south easily."

Wang Jun said coldly: "It's easy to talk about empty white teeth, where do the soldiers come from?" ”

Fan Zhen said angrily: "When there is no soldier to adjust in a national crisis, what is the benefit of the imperial court setting up a cardinal envoy?" ”

Wang Jun was furious: "Are you questioning me? ”

"Enough!" Guo Wei snorted lightly again, interrupting the argument between the two, and seeing that Fan Zhen was about to get up again to apologize, he waved his hand, signaling that he didn't have to apologize.

Guo Wei lowered his head and pondered for a long time, then turned his head to look at Feng Dao, who was sitting on the right side and had not spoken a word since the ministers entered the hall. Even when Fan Zhen and Wang Jun were arguing with each other over his affairs, he was still sitting there expressionlessly, as if he couldn't hear the quarrel between the two at all, and as if he was about to fall asleep......

"Ling Gong...... Is there a good way to share my worries? Guo Wei asked tentatively, he was also worried that Feng Dao was really asleep, in case his sudden question scared the patriarch of the Four Dynasties and made him fall off the chair, it would be a big joke.

However, as soon as he asked, Feng Dao's face immediately turned to him, and it seemed that he was not asleep, Guo Wei felt a little relieved, and asked gently: "Ling Gong, please tell ......?"

"Your Majesty, the old minister heard that he saw His Majesty from Ruan Jinjing, I don't know if he has returned to Fuzhou?"

Feng Dao's voice was dry and without the slightest strength, but the words he asked made all the ministers in the palace stunned. Guo Wei immediately turned his gaze to Wang Jun, and Wang Jun hurriedly played: "Zhezhen is still in the pavilion, whether to let him go back to Fuzhou or not, the privy council and the Zhongshu are still collegiate, and the minister thinks that it is better to make him stay in the center to prepare for consultants, or it is also a way to give him a position in the office......

Guo Wei nodded, turned his head and asked Feng Dao, "What does Ling Gong think?" ”

Feng Dao grinned: "Originally, it didn't matter if Ruan was the prime minister or not, but since Guanzhong is tight now, it is better to worship him as a servant, transfer him to lead his troops and horses out of the town of Guanzhong, and Fuzhou Jiedu will be succeeded by his son Zhe Deran." The Zhejia army has the name of being a strong soldier in the world, and it must not lose to the party members, and the imperial court only needs to give him enough food and salary supplies......"

Guo Wei's eyes lit up, this is indeed a good way, it is not difficult to support the situation in Guanzhong with Ruan's ability.

He was secretly pondering in his heart, and Fan Zhen had already played: "What Ling Gong said is really a good policy, Your Majesty can grant the envoy from Ruan Zhangwu's army and summon Gao Yunquan to enter the court as an official ......"

Guo Wei smiled and shook his head: "That will force the Gao family first, there is no need to do this, give the envoy from Ruan Jingnanjun, control the three towns of Xuanyi, Baoyi, and Jingnan, worship him as a servant, and grant Zhende Yan as the envoy of the Yong'an Army Festival, and the prefect of the state." On the day he was ordained, he was ordered to set out on the festival, and at that time I personally bestowed the festival on him, and he was ...... for his magnificence."

Wang Jun opened his mouth, and wanted to say something, but the words came to his mouth, but he swallowed it again, bowed his head and answered, "Ministers and other edicts."

Guo Wei said: "The military department and the cardinal government, as well as the three divisions, have money and food, and they must be prepared enough for Ruan, and we can't let the soldiers of the state of the state of the family go hungry to fight for us...... Do you understand? ”

Several ministers got up to respond, and Guo Wei turned his head again and asked Feng Dao, "What else does Ling Gong have any suggestions?" ”

Feng Dao's gaze wandered for a moment, then lowered his eyelids and said, "Your Majesty is wise, the plan is right, and the minister has nothing to say." It's just that on the Yanzhou side, it's better to solve it as soon as possible, if you can, you won't fight, and the swords and soldiers will suffer together, and it is the people of Lishu who will suffer......"