Outlaws of the Marsh

Chapter 457 The last Minister of Zaifu who dared to speak out (please subscribe!)

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Empress Zheng was very disturbed that Zhao Ji was going to unite with the Jurchens to regain Yanjing!
"Is it possible to rely on these barbarians to recover Yanjing?"

"The world has been at peace for a long time. There are singing and dancing everywhere. Everyone only cares about their own happy life. Who cares about the loss of Yanjing? Moreover, this is not regained by their own strength, but by the Jurchen. It's too dangerous."

"..."

After thinking about it again and again, Empress Zheng felt that Zhao Ji should be persuaded.

On this day, seeing that Zhao Ji was in a good mood, Empress Zheng persuaded him: "Officials, it is enough to guard the country of the ancestors and govern the world well. Don't always think about expanding. The Song Dynasty has been peaceful for a long time. Once a war breaks out, Who wants to go to the front line to work hard? Don't listen to the one-sided words of some ministers."

Zhao Ji smiled and said, "Do you think I look like an expanding emperor? I just want to regain the homeland of the Han and Tang Dynasties."

Empress Zheng said: "So the officials want to take back Yanjing with the power of the Jurchens?"

Zhao Ji said: "Let them fight with snipe and clam, and our Song Dynasty will benefit from it. Isn't that good?"

Empress Zheng said: "I heard that the Jurchens are barbaric and not easy to associate with, so why should we provoke them? If troubles arise, wouldn't the gains outweigh the losses?"

Zhao Ji said: "Do you know what the current situation of the Liao Kingdom is? It is falling apart. For the Song Dynasty, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I want to seize this opportunity. Opportunities are fleeting. I want to use the smallest To obtain the greatest reward, I told you, you don’t understand, you just wait for the good news that I will recover Yanjing.”

After speaking, Zhao Ji left, unwilling to stay with Empress Zheng for even a moment longer.

Seeing that Zhao Ji had made up his mind and it was difficult to persuade, Empress Zheng was frowning.

Soon after, Empress Zheng heard that her father was in poor health, so she went back to her natal home.

Seeing that his daughter was unhappy, Zheng Shen, Queen Zheng's father, asked, "What's wrong with the Queen? Why don't you tell me about it, maybe I can find a way."

It is no longer a secret that Zhao Ji wants to regain Yanjing, so Empress Zheng told Zheng Shen about the conversation she had with Zhao Ji a few days ago.

After hearing this, Zheng Shen sighed softly, and said: "It seems that the officials are determined to take back Yanjing... It's just that he wants to use the Jurchens to take back Yanjing, I'm afraid it's inappropriate, the Jurchens are as brutal as bandits , and as cunning and ruthless as a lemur, when dealing with them, no one can predict the result...you have to find someone to persuade the officials."

Empress Zheng said: "Deng Xunwu has passed away, most of the remaining people in the court are flatterers who dare not go against the wishes of the officials, who can persuade them?"

Not long ago, Li Gang, Li Guang and others were all exiled from Tokyo by Zhao Ji because they advised Zhao Ji not to set up Fengyingsi.

Moreover, even if Li Gang, Li Guang and others were not expelled from Tokyo, it would be useless. Their positions were too low to influence Zhao Ji's thoughts.

Zheng Shen said: "Or let Zheng Juzhong persuade the officials?"

Zheng Juzhong was the son-in-law of Wang Gui, who had served as prime minister during the Song Shenzong era.

Therefore, since Zheng Juzhong entered the official career after being admitted as a Jinshi, his contacts have been very good, and his position has been promoted step by step.

At the same time, Zheng Juzhong is also very good at building relationships. He and Queen Zheng don't know each other because they both have the surname Zheng.

Empress Zheng also needed important ministers to help her consolidate her position as empress, so she admitted it.

In this way, Zheng Juzhong gradually became the spokesperson of the Queen's Party.

Although Zheng Juzhong is only in his early sixties and is not as big as Cai Jing and Tong Guanda, his health is not very good, and he has been bedridden recently.

Therefore, Zheng Shen proposed to ask Zheng Juzhong to persuade Zhao Ji, Empress Zheng couldn't help hesitating, and asked, "Can he get out of bed?"

Zheng Shen said: "No, I have to. Besides him, among the present courtiers, who else can persuade the officials?"

On the same day, Zheng Shen went to Zheng Juzhong's house.

The next day, Zheng Juzhong dragged his sick body to Chongzheng Palace, and said to Zhao Ji: "Officials, the Jurchens are barbaric, vulgar, treacherous, and cruel, and they cannot be handed over."

Zhao Ji said: "How do you know that the Jurchens can't make friends? Have you dealt with the Jurchens before?"

Zheng Juzhong said: "Although I have never dealt with the Jurchens, I heard that the Jurchens lived in a desolate place, hunted and fished for a living, ate raw meat, drank raw water, and were uncivilized. It's conceivable."

Zhao Ji put on a straight face, and said, "You can't make decisions based on your imagination, you are still Dazai, you don't even understand the truth!"

Knowing that he was wrong, Zheng Juzhong quickly changed the subject, saying: "I believe that the Song and Liao alliance should not be lightly broken, and the faith of the ancestors should not be abandoned lightly."

Zhao Ji's face became more gloomy, and he said, "Who said that I will break my ancestral oath?"

Zheng Juzhong couldn't have noticed the change in Zhao Ji's expression, but he felt that he must say what should be said - this is his duty.

Therefore, Zheng Juzhong continued: "Officials, you must not be deceived by those thieves who harm the country and the people..."

After hearing this, Zhao Ji became even more unhappy, and said coldly: "In your opinion, I am just a foolish king who can't distinguish between good and evil, true and false, isn't it?"

After all, Zhao Ji with a livid face blasted Zheng Juzhong out.

Zheng Juzhong originally wanted to persuade Zhao Ji, but in the end he got a bad nose from Zhao Ji, and felt very depressed.

Leaving Chongzheng Hall, Zheng Juzhong walked directly towards the capital hall, he wanted to persuade Wang Fu.

When he came to Dutang, Zheng Juzhong said to Wang Fu: "The bad idea of ​​uniting the Jurchens to attack the Liao Kingdom came from Zhao Liangsi. Who is Zhao Liangsi? He was abandoned by the Liao Dynasty. He had a grudge against the Liao Kingdom, so he defected Our Great Song, why did he encourage our Great Song to attack Yanjing in the north? His purpose is obvious, just to avenge himself, didn't Mr. Xiang see it?"

Wang Fu said: "Whether Zhao Liangsi has ulterior motives or whether he is loyal to serve the country is not for you and me to judge, it must be determined by the officials, and it must be judged by history. You and I are just ministers, and we should obey the orders of the officials. "

Naturally, Zheng Juzhong couldn't say, you are the prime minister, how can you just obey orders, you should have your own opinions, if he said such rebellious words, he would have spent so many years in the officialdom for nothing, he could only change the way Said: "Between the Song and Liao Dynasties, for 200 years, the soldiers did not know how to use swords, and the peasants did not increase their service. Even if the Han and Tang Dynasties implemented the policy of harmony and military affairs, there was no prosperity and stability like our dynasty. If we break the alliance and abandon the contract , I’m afraid it will incur the wrath of heaven and the people, Mr. Xiang, as the leader, why don’t you dissuade him?”

Wang Fu said: "The so-called century-old peace covenant is actually not reciprocal. The officials have long hated the 50 silver and silk given to the Liao Kingdom every year, so they have the idea of ​​​​joining the gold."

Zheng Juzhong retorted: "A mere 50 silver silks, what is it to us in the Song Dynasty? In the Han Dynasty, Shan Yu was given 90, which is how many times more than today? And once the war starts, the military expenditure will be huge. How many times?"

Wang Fu said impatiently: "The government has already made a decision, who dares to stop it! Stop fanning the flames, it won't do you any good."

Zheng Juzhong said angrily: "One day in the future, it will be you, Wang Xianggong, who will make the people of the Great Song Dynasty feel ashamed! When you are in trouble, you will never be able to absolve yourself of the blame!", and then left angrily.

The last two sentences that Zheng Juzhong dropped were sonorous and forceful, which made Wang Fu feel uneasy and sat there for a long time.

In fact, from Wang Fu's heart, he is also skeptical about the strategy of uniting the Jin Dynasty to destroy the Liao Dynasty.

But Wang Fu knew clearly that Zhao Ji wanted to take back Yanjing, if he went against Zhao Ji's wishes, his position as Prime Minister would come to an end.

Moreover, it is impossible not to recover Yanjing now. Could it be that Yanjing is given to Li Yan or to the Jurchen?

Zheng Juzhong left Dutang and went to the Privy Council next door.

Tong Guan was the initiator of Zhao Ji's Northern Expedition, and he was also the appointed leader. If he could persuade Tong Guan, he might be able to stop the Northern Expedition.

Zheng Juzhong found Tong Guan and said, "I just came out of the Dutang, and Wang Fu has already been scolded by me."

Tong Guan said nonchalantly: "Isn't Zheng Dazai going to scold me here?"

Zheng Juzhong said: "Who dares to scold the grand master? I came here to persuade the grand master to keep his head well, and don't be accidentally chopped off."

When Tong Guan heard this, his face sank!
Zheng Juzhong didn't seem to see Tong Guan's face, and continued: "Yanjing is very important to my Song Dynasty, I know this, but the grand master must not forget, that piece of land is also important to the Liao Kingdom, to the Jurchens, and to Li Yan." It's very important. None of these three families are easy to get along with. How can Yanjing be recovered so easily?"

Tong Guan remained silent.

He already knew the strength of the Liangshan Army, and he also knew that the Jurchens were not easy to mess with. As for the Liao Kingdom, he hoped that the former Daliao Empire had really fallen.

Zheng Juzhong said again: "Teacher, don't always think about making meritorious deeds. You can say that you have achieved fame now. You have recovered Qingtang, and wiped out Tian Hu, Wang Qing, and Fang La. These are enough for your name to go down in history. If you don't know Well, I think, maybe you will be ruined."

Tong Guan forced a smile.

If he disagreed with the Northern Expedition, how could Zhao Ji reinstate him?
Although Tong Guan is nearly 70 years old, his body is still in good shape, so he doesn't want to retire and wait for death.

Seeing that Tong Guan was not moved by his persuasion, Zheng Juzhong turned and left disappointed.

Walking outside the door, Zheng Juzhong paused, then turned his head, looked at Tong Guan and said, "Who are the Jurchens? They are tigers and wolves. If you insist on dealing with tigers and wolves, sooner or later you will have to mess with them." Do you believe it or not? As the instigator, you will bear the primary responsibility in the future."

Tong Guan remained silent.

Although Tong Guan has realized that Zheng Juzhong's words are not unreasonable, he is still reluctant to part with the power in his hands.

And if Tong Guan wanted to retain the power in his hands, he had to follow Zhao Ji's wishes, otherwise he would be replaced by Zhao Ji who had already made up his mind on the Northern Expedition.

Seeing that Tong Guan had made up his mind, Zheng Juzhong left the Privy Council very disappointed.

After coming out, Zheng Juzhong looked up at the gloomy sky, and murmured: "What kind of fate will the Great Song Dynasty have?"

A few months later, Zheng Juzhong died suddenly, and he was posthumously named King of Huayuan County, posthumously named Wenzheng.

Throughout Zheng Juzhong's life, he cannot be regarded as a clean and honest official or a very accomplished official.

However, even so, Zheng Juzhong's death is of great significance to the Northern Song Dynasty, because he was the last minister of the prime minister who dared to speak out at critical moments before the Northern Song Dynasty showed a state of subjugation.

……

(End of this chapter)