I studied in modern times

Chapter 888: Qingshou Palace's Retreat

The next day was July Bingzi (27).

In Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Xu summoned Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji who came to the court, listened to their work reports, and asked for first-hand intelligence about the Xihe states and Tubo and Dangxiang.

Of course, Zhao Xu’s main concern was the progress of Xihe Cotton Farm.

In response to this, Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji naturally both tried to find nice things to say.

They both knew very well what the civil officials and literati in the city of Bianjing liked to hear.

Directly in front of Zhao Xu, the cotton farm in Xihe was transformed into a charity farm.

All we do are good things like helping those in need, alleviating poverty and ensuring people’s well-being!
They also pulled out the tribes of Xibawen and Wenxixin to endorse it.

In their mouths, it was either the Song Dynasty or the Cotton Plantation.

During the drought last year, no one knew how many of the people under the command of these two Tibetan chieftains starved to death, and even more so how many froze to death.

The cotton farm took in these poor people who were starving and cold, and gave them decent jobs, allowing them to support themselves and their wives and children.

This is really great! So kind!
Xihe Cotton Farm is the Bodhisattva who saves people from suffering.

He is a pioneer in practicing Fan Wencheng's spirit of justice and justice.

Therefore, not only the Tibetan tribes were grateful to the Song Dynasty.

Even the Qiang tribe in Hengshan, after hearing about the benevolent and kind policies of the Song Dynasty, fled to Xihe with their families, crossing mountains and rivers to seek survival.

Not to mention the court officials, even Zhao Xu was frightened.

Fortunately, Zhao Xu knew very well what kind of people his relatives were!

I thought about Chai Zongqing and then about Zhang Dunli.

Zhao Xu woke up instantly.

"Battle reports can be deceiving, but the battle lines won't!" He chuckled and rubbed his hands.

I recalled in my mind the various memorials from Xihe Road sent back by Zhao Xie, Xiang Zonghui, Gao Gongji and others in the past two years.

Although these memorials basically do not discuss the people's sentiments.

They talked about things related to military affairs and land reclamation, especially Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji, who would send back a report on the reclamation of Xihe cotton fields every once in a while.

From their memorials, Zhao Xu saw the crazy land reclamation and expansion activities along the Xihe route in the past two years.

Over the past two years, the cotton planting area in Xihe Road has rapidly expanded from nothing to 100,000 acres and 200,000 acres!
This year, the area has exceeded one million mu.

If we also take into account the supporting farmland, pastureland and fallow land.

At least the cultivated land area in Xihe Road should be about two million mu now.

This data, if placed in the Southeast Sixth Road, may only be the data of a small state.

But in the Northwest, it is really amazing!

In the Middle Ages when there was no mechanization and people of all ethnic groups were not treated as livestock, it would have been impossible to reclaim so much land in just over two years.

You know, land reclamation is no different from anything else!

Even so, the Xihe area had been developed many times during the Han and Tang dynasties.

The difficulty of developing it again now is much easier than that of opening up the land in the south.

But it is still a daunting task.

And Xihe Road did it!
How did you do it?
No doubt!
It must have been paved with the blood, tears, and even flesh and blood of countless people.

Moreover, in addition to the official channels, Zhao Xu was in Xihe, and there were also the eunuchs left in Xihe by Li Xian.

These people have been continuously sending back information about the situation in Xihe.

Let Zhao Xu know some of the actual conditions in Xihe.

But then again.

Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji were not lying!

Because they are telling the truth!
Although, that's only part of the truth!

But some facts are also facts!

Just ask the tribal leaders, nobles, cotton farmers, and Han civil and military officials in the Xihe area.

They will definitely answer that Xihe Cotton Farm is really great! They are full of care for the workers in the cotton farm!
And this may very well be true!
Because, compared to reclaiming wasteland and planting cotton in Xihe.

Without a doubt, being a serf is worse hell!
Working in the cotton farm in Xihe was just a little tiring and a little hard.

But at least, I get paid and have a place to live. Even if I can't get enough to eat three times a day, at least I have something to eat.

At most they die of exhaustion or illness.

But it is unlikely that they will starve or freeze to death.

Generally, the deaths are just sporadic. It is unlikely that an entire household will die at once, or even the entire tribe will be wiped out.

And, this is progress!
Therefore, Zhao Xu had to whitewash Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji.

He even personally stepped in to characterize the Xihe that they described.

"I have heard Mencius say: A wise ruler shall regulate the people's production so that they can have enough to support their parents and feed their wives and children; in good years they can be well fed all their lives, and in bad years they can avoid death!"

"The politics of Xihe are almost here!"

"I appreciate it very much!"

Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji bowed happily and said, "We are so humble that we only wish to serve your majesty like dogs and horses. If we can only use our humble bodies to fill the ditch, our lives will be enough!"

Therefore, Zhao Xu issued an edict on the spot, appointing Xiang Zonghui as the supervisor of cotton field affairs in Xihe and Lanhui Road, and Gao Gongji as the co-supervisor of cotton and flour affairs in Xihe and Lanhui Road, and concurrently serving as the agricultural promotion envoy and water conservancy construction envoy within the jurisdiction, and still concurrently serving as the Xihe and Lanhui Road Border Defense Finance Office, and ordered the two to be responsible for the planting and reclamation of cotton fields in the entire Xihe area and surrounding areas.

The two were overjoyed and immediately bowed their heads in gratitude, stating that they would live up to the expectations of the court and the government, and would work diligently after returning and strive to make new contributions to the court and the country!
……

Just when Zhao Xu was in the Chongzheng Hall, listening to the performance reports of Xiang Zonghui and Gao Gongji.

The bedroom in Qingshou Palace was silent at this moment.

The Empress Dowager, holding Li Nu in her arms, listened quietly to the report from her close confidant, Lady Wang, who had followed her for more than thirty years.

"Did Zhang really say that?" asked the Empress Dowager.

Wang lowered her head and answered softly, "Yes!"

The Empress Dowager stroked the fur of the raccoon in her arms, with a strange look flashing in her eyes.

Baoci Palace said it wanted to remove the curtains?
If she really wanted to withdraw the curtain, there was no telling what the court officials would say. In short, nothing good would happen!
This was unacceptable to the Empress Dowager, who had always been strong and proud.

However, she has been creating the image of "female Yao and Shun" and "Tai Ren of the Song Dynasty" to the outside world.

She would never allow her glorious image to be tarnished.

In particular, she must not let the young official know that she, the Empress Dowager, is actually a power-hungry, selfish person.

If that happened, it would be unbearable for her, the Gao family, and Yang Wanghao.

Moreover, once the curtains on Baoci Palace are removed, it means that she will never be able to return to politics, and even the power to interfere in court affairs and state affairs will be stripped away!

Just like the Xining and Yuanfeng eras.

The emperor didn't listen to her, and neither did the ministers.

This is what the Empress Dowager fears the most!
After a long while, the Grand Empress Dowager sighed softly: "Have I ever thought of asking the Queen Mother to remove the curtain?"

"Why would the Queen Mother have such an idea?"

"Go and tell Zhang..."

"Tell the Queen Mother to give up this idea, and say that the emperor is still young and the state affairs still need the Queen Mother to share..."

"If the Empress Dowager withdraws the curtain, the Emperor will be burdened with state affairs... If the Emperor is injured, what can be done?"

In this matter, Baoci Palace only needs to draw the curtains.

But there are many things to consider for the Qingshou Palace.

"Yes!" Wang bowed and left.

The Empress Dowager closed her eyes and chanted the Buddha's name: "Amitabha!"

Then, she seemed to remember something?
He called Liang Congzheng, a close official who was waiting outside the palace, to his side and ordered, "Go and convey my order to Princess Ji. Please ask her to enter the palace tomorrow!"

The Princess of Ji County was Wei, the first wife of Zeng Bu, the ruling official.

When Zeng Bubai came to power, he was also promoted to the title of Princess of Ji County.

Speaking of which, the reason why Wei was able to please the Empress Dowager was not only because of her talent and high emotional intelligence.

It's her background - Wei's grandmother, Lady Chen of Jiqing County, was the younger sister of Chen Zhizhong, the ruling official of the Renmiao Dynasty.

Chen Zhizhong and the Empress Dowager's biological father Gao Zunfu had some relationship.

It was because of this relationship that the Empress Dowager looked at Wei with a higher regard and spoke a few more words to her when she came to the palace to pay homage.

It was these few words that gave Wei the opportunity to get close to her.

otherwise……

How could the wife of a minister serving in a prefecture outside the capital gain the trust and closeness of the Empress Dowager in the palace so quickly?
Liang Congzheng's mind moved, and he immediately lowered his head: "Yes!"

……

After the court was dismissed, Zhao Xu, surrounded by the imperial guards, walked along the corridor back to the Funing Palace.

Halfway through the walk, Zhao Xu stopped.

Because he saw the figure of a eunuch beside Liu Weijian.

I think his name is Zhang Dun?
This should be the name!

"Everyone!" The other party knelt down.

Zhao Xu waved to him.

He bowed and came in front of Zhao Xu, not daring to look up, just staring at the ground.

"Does the old commander have something for you to convey?" Zhao Xu asked.

"only!"

"what's up?"

"The guard said that the Queen Mother of Qingshou Palace seems to have ordered someone to invite Mr. Zeng's wife to the palace tomorrow!"

"Oh!" Zhao Xu disagreed.

Wei was a frequent visitor to the Qingshou Palace. She often went in and out of the palace, accompanied the Empress Dowager to visit the gardens and appreciate the flowers, and they were very close!

"The guard also said that it seemed that yesterday, Madam Fengsheng Renshou, who was beside the Empress of Qingshou Palace, had some private conversations with Madam Anci Renkang of Baoci Palace..."

"Today, the two ladies met several times again..."

"Then, the Queen Mother of Qingshou Palace ordered someone to invite Princess Jijun to the palace..."

Zhao Xu listened with a burning gaze.

He could smell the taste.

and so……

Yesterday, Baoci Palace and Qingshou Palace had a secret confrontation?

The result of the confrontation might very well be that Baoci Palace won a move, and Qingshou Palace went to ask for external assistance?
And the foreign aid invited by Qingshou Palace was Zeng Bu’s wife Wei?

Wei, is becoming the think tank of Qingshou Palace?
Just like Cixi Guangxian and Ouyang Xiu’s wife Xue?

Zhao Xu looked at the eunuch, nodded slightly, and said, "I understand!"

"Just go back and do your work!"

"Yes!" The eunuch bowed again and said goodbye.

Zhao Xu narrowed his eyes and walked slowly back to Funing Palace.

He knew that Liu Weijian was often used as a mouthpiece in the palace.

Many people, when encountering problems that are inconvenient to talk to Zhao Xu directly, will convey them through Liu Weijian.

Like some people in Qingshou Palace who want to follow the dragon...

There are also some words from the Empress Dowager.

All of them were conveyed through Liu Weijian.

so……

What exactly happened in the palace?