"Fan dog bullied me, no one in the Great Song Dynasty?"

"I won't do it!"

"If you want to fight, you will fight, I am not afraid of any opponent!"

……

Daqing Palace, the most important palace in the Great Song Dynasty Palace, is also the most majestic and tall palace in the Imperial Palace, and at the same time, this palace also undertakes the most important state affairs of the Great Song Dynasty.

For example, the most important celebrations, the examination room for the imperial examination, and the reception of Liao envoys.

The relationship between the Great Song Dynasty and the Liao State was very delicate, and a hundred years ago, in the Battle of Lanyuan, the Great Song Dynasty and the Liao State made peace. Since then, the Great Song Dynasty and the Liao Kingdom have become brotherly states, and they have maintained a brother-friend-brother-brother relationship on the surface, but behind the scenes, they both want to tear off a piece of meat on each other's thighs. Beneath this hypocritical diplomatic relationship has been a strange diplomacy.

There is a happy event in Liao, and the Great Song Dynasty will definitely send people to congratulate him.

The Great Song Dynasty had a national mourning, and the monarchs and ministers of the Liao State would also worship as if they were dead brothers.

But behind the scenes, both families are happy when they want to kill each other. Just like today, the Great Song Dynasty's war against Western Xia was on the verge of breaking out, and all the materials were transferred to the three routes bordering Western Xia in the northwest, plus Jingzhao Mansion and other important places for material transfer.

For this reason, Zhang Dian even searched the treasury of the world for an unknown number of years, and the northwest piled up the family funds that the Great Song Dynasty had saved in the past 20 years, and piled up mountains of grain, weapons, cloth, and various materials, which also indicated that this was a never-ending national war.

There has already been one such national war, during the period of the Divine Sect.

At that time, the Liao State used 100,000 soldiers to suppress the border, and extorted a sum of 200,000 taels of silver per year from the Great Song Dynasty. It has become an indelible shame on Emperor Shenzong of the Great Song Dynasty.

This time, I was lucky to let Zhao Xu catch up. bullied his father, and then bullied his son, this is bullying the emperor of the Great Song Dynasty, not a master!

This is the reason why Zhao Xu is so angry.

However, at this time, the Daqing Palace, not to mention the Liao envoys, even the important ministers of the Great Song Dynasty left. In the huge palace, Hao Sui was the only one accompanying the emperor, and the emperor's angry voice echoed throughout the hall.

Hao Sui was a little absent-minded, he felt that the emperor was making a bit of a fuss.

Besides, you were silent when the envoys of the Liao State were there just now, and you waited until the people ran away, and then you shouted five and six, who did you do it for? This is also a helpless thing, Zhao Xu's personality is slow to heat. Even if you are angry, you will be a beat slower. Before in the court, he didn't even speak much. And when the person left, he found that if he didn't vent the anger in his chest, he would be suffocated.

This habit is very bad, and there is a suspicion of being timid and afraid. Fortunately, Hao Sui will not dislike the emperor's character, after all, he has seen a lot.

But the emperor is the emperor after all, and the eunuch can only be a eunuch. Hao Sui was beside the emperor and persuaded the emperor vigorously: "Your Majesty is angry, the Khitans are greedy and aggressive, Your Majesty does not need to be angry with some barbarians." ”

"You say, I shouldn't be angry, shouldn't I laugh?"

Zhao Xu came to his senses and pointed at Hao Sui and asked. These words are definitely embarrassing, how dare Hao Sui answer, so he had to kneel on the ground and kowtow and beg for mercy: "The slave should die!" ”

Zhao Xu glanced at Hao Sui with disdain, and said angrily: "You will say that you should die, won't you say that it is better to be broken than to be complete?" Do I have to compromise and seek to achieve everything? ”

Zhao Xu's anger rose to the sky, even if his father was blackmailed by the Khitans, now he, as a son, is also blackmailed. This Khitan can't change his way to bully their father and son, right? Could it be that the emperor of Liao saw the attributes of soft persimmons from his father and son?

"Your Majesty, didn't Zhang Xiang say that he would never compromise?"

Only then did the emperor remember that just now in the main hall, Su Zhe spurned the greed of the Liao State from the point of character, and argued with reason, but the Liao envoys were unmoved. Explain, be reasonable, useless. However, Zeng Bu opened his mouth to think that the westward expedition could be stopped in order to deal with the possible sneak attack of the Liao State. The Privy Council's suggestion was also to stop the expedition to the west, but Li Qingchen did not express his position on how to deal with it, but scolded the Liao envoys, and even showed signs of making a move. But looking at it always gives people a feeling of weakness.

Only Zhang Dian was the most imposing, pointing at the envoys of the Liao State and said coldly: "If you want to fight, you will fight, and the Great Song Dynasty is not afraid of any enemy!" ”

Emperor Zhao Xu's dark face finally regained some blood, he still has supporters, of course, this has to face the war with the Liao State, and the important ministers of the Great Song Dynasty have shown a kind of stability beyond ordinary people. Only Zhang Dun, this little old man actually burst out with the power in his body that seemed to be unhidden, and the Liao envoy almost broke his work.

The Liao State did not want to go to war with the Great Song Dynasty.

For Liao, the Great Song Dynasty was the opponent, but the Western Xia was the evil wolf beside him.

The opponent knows each other's strength, there is an element of caution, and at the same time there is respect. But in the face of Western Xia, Liao is more vigilant, this is a vicious wolf who will never be satisfied, once he is negligent, it will really become a big trouble. If it weren't for the frequent coups in the Western Xia, which had been mired in internal strife, the Western Xia would have erupted into even more powerful forces.

If the Great Song Dynasty could not suppress the Western Xia, then for the Liao State, it might not be able to suppress the Western Xia.

And the Great Song Dynasty fought against the Western Xia, even in the most unfavorable situation, the Western Xia was annexed by the Great Song Dynasty. However, the Liao State still has the confidence to open with the Great Song Dynasty.

When Zhenzong and the Liao State fought in the Yuanyuan War, Western Xia was still the territory of the Great Song Dynasty. Even at that time, it was not called Western Xia. Now the Li family, the royal family of Western Xia, was given the surname Zhao, and was the envoy of the Xiazhou Festival of the Great Song Dynasty at that time.

But it is not that the Liao State is more inclined to be an opponent with the Great Song Dynasty than an opponent with the Western Xia, so it will do nothing and give the Great Song a relatively peaceful environment to encroach on the Western Xia. When it is time to get rich and blackmail, the Liao State will not be soft. Life has to fight, and so does the country. At the beginning, Emperor Shenzong of the Great Song Dynasty was threatened by the Liao State once, and the annual coin increased from 300,000 taels of silver during the Zhenzong period to 500,000 taels of silver.

If the son of Shenzong wants to destroy Western Xia, he must pay the same price as his father, or even more, so that the Liao State will not participate in this war.

"Your Majesty, do you still go to the stadium after noon?"

For the entertainment activity of playing football, Zhao Xu is serious. The reason is simple, he has found that he has become much stronger in all aspects since he started playing.

Unlike before, I was sluggish, and my hands and feet were sore and lazy. Since he played football, his waist has also been sore, but he has recovered very quickly, and he has not been delayed in creating an heir in the harem, and he can also enjoy the joy of fish and water.

This is the secret of self-cultivation, and Zhao Xu will stick to it no matter what. When he thinks of playing football, he thinks of Gao Yu, looking for an enlightenment coach who used to be his own kickball, and now he is leading troops to fight in the northwest. Zhao Xu knew very well about Gao Yu's ability that Gao Yu's ability to fight was ordinary, and it was even much worse than the kind of Jianzhong recommended by Li Kui.

Thinking that it would not be much use to leave Gao Yu in the northwest, it would be useless to recall him to the capital.

Although Zhao Xu is very serious about playing football, the timing is not right, and he has no interest in playing football today.

Pouted and said, "Let people disperse, I won't go today." ”

Back in the Vertical Arch Palace, Zhang Dian had already arrived early, and Li Qingchen also came at the same time. Speaking of which, Li Qingchen is a pure Wenchen, like Su Zhe, who can't lead troops to fight, nor can he settle accounts and plan finances, but he is very good at poetry and songs. If it weren't for Su Shi in the Great Song Dynasty, Li Qingchen's article would rank first in the world.

Of course, because his reputation was not very good, he was later disliked.

In the previous court, Li Qingchen vividly interpreted the uselessness of literati, and summed it up in one sentence: "The king humiliates the minister to death!" ”

However, Zhao Xu really didn't want Li Qingchen to do this, Li Qingchen would not die, and it would be useless for this confrontation between the Great Song Dynasty and the Liao State. Even, Zhao Xu also saw Li Qingchen's talent a little clearly, and he was not suitable to be a privy envoy. He was a little disappointed in Li Qingchen, but Zhao Xu's heart was also like a mirror, and if he changed people, he might not be as good as Li Qingchen. In fact, to put it bluntly, none of the privy envoys of the Great Song Dynasty were qualified.

Even if Wang Shao returned to the capital as a privy envoy because of the recovery of the land of Hehuang. It stands to reason that Wang Shao has military merits, can fight, and has strategies, and should be a qualified privy envoy. But in reality, it is not.

The Great Song Dynasty had more than one million troops, all kinds of complicated relationships, and the marriage between the gates, and the threat of Liao and Western Xia from the outside, this privy envoy was very difficult to be.

And the power actually exercised by the privy envoy was that of the former lieutenant.

There are many disadvantages of using a literati as a lieutenant, but the only advantage is that it is impossible to rebel.

"The death of the minister has disturbed Your Majesty by the Liao dog!"

"The minister is guilty, let His Majesty be disgraced!"

In normal times, when high-ranking officials such as prime ministers and privy envoys talked to the emperor, they would use the term 'official' to address the emperor to show their closeness. Only on very formal occasions, or when caution is required, will one speak to address 'Your Majesty'.

But Li Qingchen's heart was empty, and he faced the aggressive Liao envoys in the Daqing Hall before. He showed the integrity that a civil servant should have, not afraid of death, and had a lot of strength to die. Of course, if An Tao hadn't pulled him, he wouldn't have acted so freely. After all, Li Qingchen was a thin old man with a dry voice, and in the face of the five big and three thick Liao envoys, the result of rushing up was likely to be sent to the door and beaten up.

Even if he cooperated with him intimately on weekdays, An Tao, a good partner of the Great Song Dynasty, rushed up together, he was beaten violently.

In terms of strength, it is a hard injury, and in terms of momentum, it is more like a weak heart.

As for Zhangdun...... He's just going to use his mouth cannon today, that's all.

But after all, he is a very smart person, and he has long found out that the emperor is in a bad mood, and he seems to be a little unkind to him. Under the sudden thought, Li Qingchen became much more reasonable, and after he became reasonable, his reaction became steady, and his tone was quite calm: "Your Majesty, I only see that the reason why the Liao people threaten me in the Great Song Dynasty is to ask for money. ”

"What does Zhang Xiang think?"

Zhao Xu immediately asked Zhang Xuan, who was more willing to believe Zhang Xuan than others. At the same time, Zhang Dian never let him down. Do things very simply, and at the same time go along with your own heart.

Zhang Dian thought for a while, bowed down and said, "It's the same as back then." ”

"Greedy man, is there no way for me to do it?" When Zhao Xu said this, his heart was also broken, there was really no way.

However, in the face of a possible war, Zhang Dian still said cautiously: "But the official family, the Great Song Dynasty must also be prepared to deal with the war on both sides, otherwise, once the Liao people send troops to the south, even if my Great Song Dynasty destroys the Western Xia, it will also pick up watermelons and lose sesame seeds, and the loss will be too great." ”

Zhao Xu was upset in his heart, and it was because of this.

The 100,000 army of the Liao people is like a knife hanging over the head of the Great Song Dynasty. It will fall anytime and anywhere, if the Liao State is just greedy and wants money......

Da Song will most likely not refuse.

The last thing that the Great Song Dynasty is afraid of is the game of becoming stronger if it is charged with money, and even if the Liao State is willing to send troops to attack the Western Xia together with the Great Song Dynasty, it is acceptable for the Great Song to spend a little more money.

The biggest problem is not money, but the fickle attitude of the Liao people.

Who knows if the Liao State will go south, and if the Great Song Dynasty is in a fierce battle with the Western Xia, the result of being stabbed in the back can be imagined.

Zhang Dian hesitated: "But the materials have been mobilized to the northwest, and it is impossible to fight without a fight." It's just that I have to divide my troops to guard against the Liao State, which is what makes my Great Song Dynasty embarrassed. The forbidden army on the northern front was overwhelmed, and if you wanted to guard against the Liao State, you had to transfer the Western Army to the Hedong Road, so that the number of troops attacking Western Xia could not even guarantee 200,000. ”

Zhang Dan is also in a dilemma. In his opinion, the Great Song Dynasty would not be afraid of Western Xia, nor would it be afraid of the Liao State. But these two opponents fought with Da Song together, and even if his confidence was inflated, he didn't dare to say that he would win. It's easy to say that such a big battle is won. But if it fails, the national strength of the Great Song Dynasty will surely plummet. Even the northern defense line will completely collapse, and the entire north of the Great Song Dynasty will be in no danger to defend.

Da Song can't afford such a risk, and he doesn't dare to take it.

Emperor Shenzong was the same at the beginning, but fortunately, the Liao people then spoke, and the annual coin increased from 300,000 taels of silver to 500,000 taels of silver a year. It is said that it is the year's coin, but in fact, the Liao people can't see it at all, and when the time comes, send more silk, tea, and porcelain on the field, and the money will return to the pocket of the Great Song Dynasty.

But the damage is not great, but the shame is strong.

Because of this, Emperor Shenzong was infamous for losing power and humiliating the country. Especially, even at such a price, the Great Song Dynasty has not beaten Xixia down, not only did he not beat him, but he also lost......

At the same time, there was also a reason, even in the most difficult period of the war between the Great Song and Western Xia, the Great Song did not dare to draw troops to guard against the Liao State. The Western Army has always fought more with less, using 200,000 troops against the 500,000 troops of Western Xia.

It's a dead end.

The prime minister is embarrassed, and the emperor is also embarrassed.

Zhao Xu thought for a while and asked, "What about the land of the river?" ”

The Great Song Dynasty had an army of 50,000 in the land of Hehuang, and these 50,000 horses were also elite. No worse than the Western Army.

However, this proposal was rejected by Zhang Dan: "Official, the land of Hehuang is the only horse breeding land in my Great Song Dynasty, and now it is still threatened by the Tubo tribes. How to guard against the Tibetan tribes is a problem. ”

Li Qingchen had no good way, but as the supreme commander of the Great Song Forbidden Army, he couldn't help but speak when facing military affairs.

Otherwise, what's the use of asking him to do so?

He can't get along with constructive suggestions, or strategic suggestions.

I could only think of a way to pit the disciples, and I saw Li Qingchen cough a few times, cleared his throat and said, "Zhang Xiang, do you want to try it without using the Praetorian Guard?" ”

It has been a few months since the Janissaries were formed.

But the recruitment continued, with a total strength of less than five thousand. Such an army, regardless of whether it goes to Western Xia or Hedong Road, is a drop in the bucket.

Zhang Dian immediately shook his head and said, "No, Li Kui formed the Praetorian Guard, and the soldiers are not a problem." But the biggest problem was the weapons, and now the Praetorian Guard really formed an army of musketeers under one command, and three artillery under the command of artillery. The total number is only 1,500. Counting the 3,000 cavalry drawn from Qingtang, there were only more than 8,000 horses. This kind of person, going to any battlefield will not help. ”

The truth is often very cruel, so cruel that one loses all illusions.

While the court was still in the process of wrestling with the Liao, Li Kui returned to the capital with the troops of the Praetorian Guard to the south.

He didn't wait to enter the palace to face the saint, so he went to the iron smelting workshop of the iron supervisor, found Zheng Qi, and asked about the number of rear-loading flintlock pistols.

Zheng Qi opened his mouth and said, "There are a full 1,020 white branches. After speaking, Zheng Qi looked proud, and the output of the iron-smelting workshop has risen sharply since the management of the division of labor assembly line. It was even twice as much as he expected.

But Li Kui was not satisfied with this number, and said with disgust: "It's only like this, it's been almost two months." ”

Zheng Qi was not happy when he heard this, and exclaimed: "Renjie, brother, my tired waist can't straighten up, and you still talk about cool things, it's inhuman!" ”