Yanhe Temple.

Zhao Ji sat on the imperial couch, although the etiquette he had learned since he was a child made his back straight, but he looked a little sick and had no energy.

The original physique of the Great Song Tianzi was not good, and during this time, disasters were all over the world, and he was overly worried and uneasy to eat, which made his face even more white and blue now, and his cheeks were also sunken.

"Wang Qing," after the important minister's recital, Wang Anshi stayed in the hall as usual, and Zhao Ji looked at the prime minister who he had been leaning on as the pillar of the court: "The matter of praying for rain tomorrow will bother Wang Qing." ”

Wang Anshi bowed with a wat and bowed: "Your Majesty is worried about the drought, damaging the food and avoiding the palace, sincerely dedicating yourself to this, dare not do your best?" ”

Zhao Ji sighed, it was still such an ordinary cliché, he was tired of hearing it for a long time, and he was tired of it. Yesterday, Zhao Ji ordered the county magistrates of Zhejiang, Huainan, Jingdong, Jingxi, and Shaanxi to pray for rain. Today, the auxiliary ministers should pray for rain. In two days, Zhao Ji will also go out in person.

For more than two months, he reduced his diet, lived in a partial hall, and prayed day and night, which can not be described as insincere. However, the affected areas of the world are expanding day by day. In the past few days, in order to pray for rain, he has fasted and bathed, and there are only two plates of seasonal vegetables at each meal, which is just a simple porridge and side dishes. All the meat and fishy things are free, and of course there is no possibility of alcohol. But he worked so hard, and the sunlight outside the hall was still so dazzling.

Zhao Ji looked at the ground outside the hall that became white and dazzling due to the reflection of sunlight, and his eyes couldn't help but narrow: "Wang Qing, now there is a great drought on all roads, and the people are displaced. This should be the reason why I did not cultivate my virtue and politics and lost my love with God. I want to give amnesty to the world, I don't know if it's possible? ”

Wang Anshi replied: "On the second day of the first month, Your Majesty has already pardoned the world; When he was in the Ming Hall of the Winter Moon last year, His Majesty also issued an edict of pardon. If you forgive it again today, it will be the third pardon in the world in a year. When Shang Tang was in drought, he blamed himself for six things, and the first one was 'government is not modest'. Three amnesties at the age of one year are 'political intemperance', and there is no reason to fight disasters. ”

When Wang Anshi discusses things, he can always quote scriptures. Zhao Ji pondered for a moment and nodded yes, "...... Wang Qing said yes. ”

However, Zhao Ji's heart is difficult to let go, and the drought has not only affected people's livelihood.

After two years of recuperation, the Western Xia has eased up, but there are many famous generals in Shaanxi, and the Xihe Road Fan army is well organized, the Liang brothers and sisters will never dare to move lightly. But the Khitans have recently made moves in Hedong. At the beginning of the year, the Khitan envoys who came to congratulate Zhengdan even hinted that the Liao lord intended to claim the land of Guannan and Daibei and redefine the land boundary.

"Today, Xiongzhou came to report that the Khitan sent Lin Ya Xiaoxi of the Northern Courtyard as an envoy to the border with the letter of state. When they come from the south, they must ask for the two places of Guannan and Daibei. Nowadays, there is a great drought in Hebei and a great drought in Gyeonggi, and people are inevitably displaced on the road. Xiao Xi went all the way south, and as far as he could see, he would have a heart for China......" Zhao Ji said, frowning.

"How can there be a man who has thousands of miles and is afraid of people?!" Wang Anshi asked sharply, "Your Majesty has thousands of miles, and there are millions of soldiers in the country. A momentary disaster, why not be afraid of outsiders knowing. There is a big drought in Hebei, is there no disaster in the Khitan country? ! ”

"If the Khitan comes to make Jian, what should be done with the two places of Guannan and Daibei?"

Wang Anshi made a decisive statement: "If this is the case, it must not be allowed." ”

"If Xiao Xi forcibly asks for ......"

"Send Xu to argue with him." Wang Anshi didn't care, this was how he used to deal with the Khitans.

Zhao Ji frowned: "What if the Khitan sends troops?" ”

Wang Anshi was patient, "The Khitan is also a person, and it prides itself on being China, so it will not be like this." ”

Compared with the erratic party members, the Khitans who just like to take advantage of the fire to rob can be regarded as abiding by the promise. In the decades since the conclusion of the Yuanyuan Alliance, it was only in the Qingli period that he took advantage of the Western Xia to knock on a large amount of coins, and he did not use swords. Moreover, the Khitan people are accustomed to lying and intimidating, and the current situation is not as critical as that of Qingli, so there is no need to be afraid at all.

Then Wang Anshi said, "Yesterday Feng Jing also said, 'I am not straight'. ”

Zhao Ji shook his head, how could it be reasonable for the two countries to fight over this matter: "The Li clan in Jiangnan is unreasonable, and it was also destroyed by Taizu." ”

Wang Anshi also shook his head in his heart, his lord is the son of peace, who has not gone through wind and waves, and cannot withstand setbacks and ups and downs. When there is a lot of pressure, the bones of the body will be weak. In other words, any minister who has experienced several ups and downs in the officialdom will not be so panicked:

"Today's land is not wide, the people are not numerous, and the wealth valley is not small, when it is the same as Zhou Shizong and Taizong, that is, what is the Southern Tang Li family? If you share the same worries with the Li family, it must be that there is still unfinished planning about state affairs. Otherwise, with today's land, people, and financial resources, there is no fear of the Khitan principle! ”

How could Zhao Ji not be afraid, the Western Xia people never had to worry too much, but the Khitan people were different. Since the end of the Tang Dynasty, how many invasions have written the horror of the Khitan iron cavalry into the nightmare of the Song people. Although after Taizong, the Khitans never took advantage of the confrontation between the two countries, and were later forced to sign an alliance, but Zhao Ji was worried, and there was no reason to talk about it, "Now that Hebei is in a big drought and Sanguan Pitang is drying up, it is difficult to resist the Khitans!" ”

As the junction of Song and Liao, the three passes of Hebei - Sikou, Yijin, and Waqiao [located in today's Bazhou, Xiongxian, Hebei] - are said to be passes, but in fact, there is no danger pass, no pass, there is no risk to rely on, it is three walled cities built on the plain. It was built at the end of the Tang Dynasty after the loss of Yanshan to prevent the invasion of the Khitan iron cavalry. However, the three passes were quickly captured by the Khitans, until Zhou Shizong Chai Rong sent troops to recover them.

However, the location of Sanguan is just a saline-alkali land caused by the flooding of the Yellow River, so after the founding of the Great Song Dynasty, there was a large army in Zongtun, and the Khitan cavalry could still go deep into the Song realm at will. Later, when he came to Zhenzong, He Chengju, the commander stationed at Gaoyang Pass, took the opportunity to plug the river here, forming a river network and lake area about 400 miles long and 50 or 60 miles wide. Since then, except for the winter to worry about, the rest of the season, you can sit back and relax. Even if the two countries of the Yuanyuan Alliance withdrew their troops, the renovation of Sanguan Pitang never stopped. They even take advantage of the water in this area to cultivate rice. Waterlogged rice fields can also be used to block Khitan war horses.

However, the current drought has directly caused most of the Pitang lakes on the periphery of Sanguan to dry up, and the situation is no safer than when the waterways freeze in winter. Zhao Ji's worries are not without a little reason.

But in Wang Anshi's view, this truth is just Zhao Ji's unfounded worries, "If the Khitan wants to come south, when the horses are fattened in autumn and winter, how can there be a reason to send troops in spring?" ”

"That's right." Zhao nodded slowly for a while, and suddenly another sentence came out: "...... Can Guo Kui be transferred to Dingzhou? ”

The green tendons on Wang Anshi's forehead jumped up suddenly, and the previous words were all in vain!

What is Guo Kui's identity, he was casually transferred to Dingzhou, what does this make the people of the world think? Once linked to the news that the Khitan sent envoys to ask for land, the rumors of the Song Liao war must be rampant, how can the soldiers and civilians of Hebei rest assured - are there not enough displaced people? What's more, Wang Anshi has never liked Guo Kui.

"Now that Western Xia is about to move, Guo Kui is indispensable to sit in Guanzhong."

"I don't know what Wang Qing proposes? With the current situation, we must have the military ability to defend the north. ”

"Wait for the ministers and the secret court to retire and audit, and tomorrow will be your majesty." Wang Anshi didn't have a suitable general or a civil servant who was familiar with military affairs, and the only thing he could think of was Xue Xiang. It's just that he is now in charge of the Sixth Route Shipping Division, and he can't get rid of the affairs of the Bianhe River water transportation for the time being.

Zhao Ji didn't want to fight with Wang Anshi, the prime minister insisted on the appointment that he did not agree to, then he couldn't fight for a result, unless he removed Wang Anshi's phase, otherwise the edict without the prime minister's signature would be illegal, "This matter will be handed over to the Qing family and the Privy Council, and we will discuss it tomorrow." ”

Wang Anshi bowed: "The minister obeys the order." ”

After saying a few words, Zhao Ji also said that he was tired and changed the topic, "Yesterday, Han Gang of Baima County wrote a book. However, he said that the Hebei refugees who stayed in Liyang were invincible, and he implored that the displaced people be exempted from crossing the river so that they would not be forced to cross the river and lose their lives in vain. Is there anything about it? ”

"It's true." Wang Anshi nodded, this matter can't be hidden. He replied, "The spring is warm, the Yellow River is thawing, and the river ferry will be restarted in these two days." Liyang County also reported that there were homeless people gathering at the ferry. Han Gang is also taking precautions, otherwise the displaced people will not be in the river, and there will be harm to His Majesty's holy virtue. ”

"Han Gang's arrangement started after he arrived in Baima County." Zhao Ji pondered for a moment and asked, "Said that it was a rainy day, could it be that he knew that the disaster would continue to this year as early as last year?" ”

Wang Anshi didn't know what the Son of Heaven thought of Han Gang's actions in Baima County, and Han Gang did not hide the situation in Baima County at all in the recital, as well as his method of resettlement of displaced people. Now he is asking for the exemption of the displaced people's ferry fees, which is tantamount to inviting the displaced people to go south.

But he still has to defend his son-in-law, "Everything Han Gang has done is prepared. If the drought continues, be prepared so that there will be no chaos. If the drought does not come, deep wells, windmills, ditches, medical halls, and stone kilns will also be useful in the future. ”

Zhao Ji nodded, he didn't mean to blame Han Gang, and he appreciated it very much. He was only worried about political and military affairs, and it was only now that his mood was a little better.

The rumors and trivial matters in the Kaifeng Mansion can be heard by Zhao Ji through the officials of the Imperial City Division who are all over the capital, plus the eyes and ears stationed in the local area, he knows everything Han Gang did in Baima County.

Relief to the victims will inevitably cost money, and Han Gang spends it on the cutting edge. The opening of wells, the replanting of locusts, the extermination of locusts, and the preparation for the resettlement of the displaced people made it easy to prepare for everything, and the money and food consumed were not wasted. For example, deep wells, windmills, and canals, most of them are the villagers' own manpower and material resources, and the government has even saved a lot of wages for the displaced people. After the drought is lifted, there will be thousands of acres of watered land in Gyeonggi that are not afraid of drought.

This is called a competent officer!

Therefore, Han Gang preset the camp in the county, and applied for exemption from the ferry fee, but Zhao Ji was not angry. If he acts like this, if he is someone else, he must be evaluated for merit. But Zhao Ji has always valued Han Gang, and Han Gang has done an excellent job, so in his eyes, this is called having the courage to do things and sharing worries for the monarch - different people do the same thing, and the evaluation is far different. Just like the stupid things done by celebrities can be called anecdotes, while ordinary people who are stupid will only get ridicule.

"All the rules of Han Gang are allowed. The money and grain consumed in Baima County are all replenished by the Kaifeng treasury. Zhao Ji thought for a while and said, "As for the homeless, let him arrange it first." In a few days, depending on the situation, let him preside over it justifiably. ”