Song Gexing

Chapter 136 Xixia is causing trouble again
The return of Jiaozhou brought not only food to the Song Dynasty, but also a large amount of timber stocks. It was difficult to travel by land, but it was close to the sea.

Zhao Fang is already preparing to establish a shipbuilding base in Jiaozhou, but it will not be implemented until the seagoing ship technology is improved.

Cutting down usable wood and storing it now is what we should do. Shipbuilding wood needs to be dried in the shade for several years before it can be used.

"Your Highness, there is an urgent report from the northwest. The Xixia army has crossed Quyechuan and seized fifty miles of our land. The three states in Hexi are pushing each other's responsibilities. Fan Xianggong has rushed to Fengzhou."

In May of the second year of Jiayou's reign, Wang Zhongzheng came to Zhao Fang with the military information of the Imperial City Division. When Zhao Fang heard this, he said angrily: "Xiangong Fan is almost seventy, and he still goes to Fengzhou. What on earth are the Zhe family and the Yang family doing!"

The three states in Hexi refer to the west side of Quye River. The Song Dynasty established three states in Hexi, Fuzhou, Linzhou and Fengzhou.

Among these three states, Fuzhou is the headquarters of the Zhe family, and Linzhou is the headquarters of the Yang family, so they are unclear about Qu Yechuan's fate.

Quye River is the later Ulan Mulun River, a tributary of the Yellow River, from Shenmu, Shaanxi to Ordos, Inner Mongolia.

Because of its fertile land, neither Xixia nor the Song Dynasty were willing to give it up. When Qingli negotiated peace, Li Yuanhao withdrew, and this land became the territory of the Song Dynasty.

But the problem is that the three states in Hexi are military states, and the Zhe family and the Yang family are hereditary generals, and neither of them is willing to give this fertile land to the other.

This land is located in the middle of the three states. The three states all claim that it belongs to them, but they have always been unclear about it, because whoever takes it can increase their own food production and taxes.

This matter was brought to court and there was no way to make a decision. It would not be good for anyone to take sides. After all, the Zhe family and the Yang family were the vassal model established by Taizu.

Moreover, the Zhe family is still a member of the Dangxiang family, as well as the Yang family. Don't think that the Yang family is just Yang Jiye of Tianbo Prefecture. The real general Yang family refers to Linzhou Yang Jiye's younger brother.

After Yang Jiye returned to the Song Dynasty, he went to Bianjing. His lineage withdrew from the hereditary lineage of the Linzhou family. The Yang family lost its voice in the late Northern Song Dynasty because the Linzhou Yang family changed from Zhenzong to Congwen.

During the Renzong Dynasty, the Yang family was still in Linzhou. It was not until ten years ago that the Yang family truly withdrew from Linzhou's military circles. The remaining branches were still there and no longer held the hereditary official position of Linzhou magistrate.

At this time, although the Yang family in Linzhou was no longer the magistrate, they were still local tyrants. They often married with the Zhe family and competed for each other's interests. They would not fight but they would not give in.

The final opinion is that the three states in this enclave do not care about it, and whoever sows the land gets the harvest. This is equivalent to having no regard for administration, and you can divide the benefits among yourself.

On the Xixia side, since the death of Li Yuanhao, the family has no control over Xixia, and the powerful head of the country has not concealed his power. After several years of eliminating dissidents, the government has gradually stabilized the government.

A few years ago, I began to set my sights on the land of Hexi. The Qingli Peace Agreement was signed by Li Yuanhao. He wanted to cheat on it, but because of the great pressure, he had been holding back and did not dare to take action.

Historically, he took action two years ago. Because of Zhao Fang, Xixia was in chaos for a few more years, and he still took action until now.

This was a national policy that was not concealed and could not be tolerated forever. Zhao Fang was not surprised by his actions. The only person who was angry was that Fan Zhongyan rushed there in person.

Although Lao Fan lived more than ten years longer than in history, he is now 68 years old, and the old man is not in good health.

Originally, he and Han Qi would be transferred back this year, and Wen Yanbo, Fu Bi and the others would be transferred in rotation, and the positions had already been determined.

Fan Zhongyan replaced Wen Yanbo as prime minister and Tongping Zhangzhongshu's subordinate, Han Qi was appointed as the Privy Councilor, Pang Ji was transferred to participate in political affairs, and Di Qing was appointed as the Privy Councilor.

Now only Di Qing has returned to the court, and Fan and Han are still handing over work. Unexpectedly, this happened in the northwest and delayed Lao Fan.

"Let's go into the palace to deal with this matter." Zhao Fang asked someone to change his clothes with a look of displeasure on his face, and said to Wang Zhongzheng: "Go and ask Yang Tian to go to the Chongzheng Hall, and wait for him alone there."

Wang Zhongzheng left in response, knowing that his master was really angry, otherwise he would not have called him by his first name.

Yang Tian is the current head of the Yang family in Linzhou, the younger brother of Yang Wenguang, the great-grandson of Yang Chongxun in Linzhou, and the fourth generation general of the Yang family in Linzhou.

In the second year of the Ming Dynasty, he passed the Jinshi title and was named Uncle Wu. His mother was from the Murong family and was the aunt of Murong Shuanghua, the concubine of Zhao Fang.

There were actually many marriages between the Yang family and the Murong family. Yang Wenguang's wife was also a Murong family. As mentioned above, she was the prototype of Mu Guiying in history.

It was under Yang Tian that the Yang family of Linzhou gradually withdrew from the army. His father, Yang Qi, was still the prefect of Linzhou, serving as the custodian of soldiers and horses and the deputy envoy of the reserve treasury.

Yang Qi died eight years ago and became an official at the age of seven. It was also because he focused on educating his children in literature and was close to civil servants throughout his life. His epitaph was written by Ouyang Xiu.

It can be seen that he has completely moved towards the civil service group, and he is most praised for recommending more than 200 people to become officials in his life, only three of whom later made mistakes.

Of course, the fact that he lost his father when he was young should be an important reason why he does not want to join the army anymore. I am afraid that he has never learned the Yang family's unique skills.

Both his father and grandfather died in their 30s, not because of long-term wars, but he lived to be 73 years old.

As for why the younger brother inherited the Yang family, rather than the elder brother Yang Jiye, it has to be said that Yang Jiye was adopted by the Liu family.

The Liu family of the Northern Han Dynasty was the one served by Yang Jiye. It was not until he returned to the Song Dynasty that he changed his surname back to his family name, and his younger brother had already followed Zhao Kuangyin.

The two brothers even faced each other on the battlefield, each with his own master. Yang Chongxun was not a soft-footed shrimp. He repeatedly blocked Khitan reinforcements from the Northern Han Dynasty. Of course Song Taizu trusted him and asked him to take over the Yang family in Linzhou.

His son Yang Guangxu, together with Zhe Yuqing, defeated the Khitans many times and went south. His achievements were no less than that of Yang Yanzhao, but both generations died young, so future generations ignored the Yang family in Linzhou.

Of course, Yang Yanzhao's fame, and the interpretation of novels such as the Romance of the Yang Family General by later generations, made future generations take the initiative to forget that the real line of the Yang Family General is in Linzhou, not the so-called Tianbo Mansion.

"Dad, Xianggong Fan is getting old. My son suggested that the three states in Hexi should send someone else to take charge."

Arriving at Chongzheng Hall, Zhao Fang spoke directly after seeing the ceremony.

Zhao Zhen looked at him and said: "Shou Zhong told you, I know I can't hide this from you, and I'm discussing it with my husband."

The two ministers did not say that Wang Zhongzheng leaked the information without authorization. They all knew that he was a confidant of the prince, and it would be strange not to tell him.

Pang Ji asked: "Does your Highness have a candidate? The ministers just discussed and asked me to preside over it. How do you feel about it?"

Zhao Fang rolled his eyes at him and said, "Pang Xiang doesn't know himself. You are two years older than Fan Xiang. Although your body is better than him, you must also consider cultivating heirs. You can't ask the old man to come forward in everything. After that If you are gone, who will Da Song rely on?"

Pang Ji is 70 years old this year. He has already decided that this year he will be transferred to the Political Affairs Council and will work for a few more years before becoming an official. The main purpose is to train successors.

Zhao Fang smiled at what he said, nodded and said: "Then His Highness recommends candidates for ministers to discuss."

(End of this chapter)