I served as an admonisher in the Song Dynasty

Chapter 389 Zhao Zhen: Su Jingming must not be allowed to suffer such a huge injustice!
The first day of September.

After Di Qing, Su Liang, Yu Jing and others finished handling the matter in Yongzhou, they returned to Guizhou.

At present, Nong Zhigao has fled into Dali.

However, the Dali royal family has promised to fully cooperate with the Song Dynasty in hunting down Nong Zhigao and other rebels.

It was only a matter of time before he was caught.

And this time.

Su Liang led a thousand Song soldiers into the Jiaozhi territory and defeated 15,000 Jiaozhi troops. News that the latter suffered 8,000 casualties began to spread wildly in the southern border.

at first.

Many people think this news is untrue.

One thousand Song soldiers fought against 15,000 Jiaozhi soldiers, and the latter suffered 8,000 casualties at a negligible cost, which was unprecedented.

He complained about his grievances and scolded Su Liang.

Yu Jing told the people that this was the truth.

Some Song Dynasty businessmen who returned from Jiaozhi saw the defeated Jiaozhi soldiers with their own eyes.

He took the land route just like when he came, while Su Liang chose to take the water route, starting from the Xiang River and starting to return to Beijing.

He said that when Jiaozhi received the order from the Song Dynasty that no reinforcements were needed, it strictly abided by the edict of the Song Dynasty and did not commit any transgressions.

Some people even came to Yu Jing and asked about the situation.

Some Jiaozhi soldiers said that if the Song soldiers were not merciful, their entire army would be annihilated.

They only felt that the censor Zhongcheng Su Liang was more difficult to offend than Di Qing, and they only felt that the Song army's combat effectiveness was very powerful.

now.

People's mouths have always had the ability to exaggerate things.

For a while.

I can't help but believe that this is indeed true.

If the Nong army breaks through, the Jiaozhi army can quickly attack it; if the Song army loses to the Nong army, once a request for assistance is made, he can quickly help the Song Dynasty to destroy the thieves.

It's not that Song soldiers have the ability to draw thunder, but that Song Dynasty has a new type of firearm.

In order to reduce Su Liang's punishment, Di Qing and Yu Jing mentioned Su Liang's great role in annihilating Nong Zhigao's rebels many times in their memorials.

The original plan was——

Some Jiaozhi soldiers said that Song soldiers were heavenly soldiers with the ability to draw thunder.

……

In Bianjing City.

The fourth day of September.

The reason for such results.

Some soldiers from Jiaozhi said that each Song soldier had the courage to fight one against a hundred.

Di Qing led a large army and began to return to the court.

at the same time.

Its power is like thunder and lightning, and it can kill dozens of people in an instant.

Li Dezheng wrote a long article of 5,000 words.

……

The people in the southern border did not feel that Su Liang's actions were ruthless, nor did they feel that this move undermined the prestige of the Song Dynasty.

The leaders of many tribes in the southern border took the initiative to communicate with local government agencies, and the level of cooperation was greatly improved.

It was the Yushi Zhongcheng Su Liang who suspected that the Jiaozhi army had other motives for entering the Song Dynasty, so he led a thousand elites to ambush the Jiaozhi soldiers.

This is exactly what Su Liang wants to achieve.

Considering that the Nong army might break into Cochin, he led 15,000 Cochin troops to garrison at the border.

Before the counter-rebellion documents of Di Qing, Yu Jing, and Su Liang and the documents related to the Jiaozhi soldiers were submitted to the imperial court, the document of Li Dezheng, the King of Cochin, was passed to Zhao Zhen.

Di Qing, Yu Jing, and Su Liang all began to write documents to counter the rebellion.

The reputation of the soldiers of the Song Dynasty reached its extreme.

They saw the bottom of the canyon that was full of craters, the huge earth bags where the bodies were buried, as well as the blood stains and fallen armor fragments remaining on the surrounding vegetation.

There were also some idlers who rushed towards the nameless canyon where the fierce battle took place.

If everyone in the southern border is afraid of the Song army, there won't be so many troubles in the southern border.

The people were naturally convinced by Yu Jing's words.

He devoted himself to the Song Dynasty, and the sun and the moon can learn from him.

But soon people continued to confirm this.

Never thought about it.

Su Liang led his troops to Jiaozhi and ambush in front of a canyon.

Without saying anything or asking, they launched a fierce attack on them, resulting in nearly 8,000 casualties of the Cochin Army and a great loss of Cochin Army strength.

Li Dezheng asked the Song Dynasty, was Jiaozhi a vassal state of the Song Dynasty?

If the Song Dynasty was a tributary state, Su Liang's move was to attack the king of the Song Dynasty and cause the casualties of 8,000 soldiers, so he should be sentenced to death.

Li Dezheng asked the Song Dynasty whether this matter was ordered by the court or Su Liang's private initiative?
If the imperial court orders it.

Li Dezheng believed that the Song Dynasty had violated the regulations and etiquette of a large country, and must apologize to Jiaozhi and make compensation.

If it is Su Liang's personal intention.

Li Dezheng believed that Su Liang must be sentenced to death, otherwise it would not be enough to anger the people and restore the dignity and dignity of the Song Dynasty.

The current Jiaozhi situation was equivalent to having one of his legs broken by Su Liang.

Although Li Dezheng's words were angry, he did not dare to say such words as "breaking off diplomatic relations with the Song Dynasty".

He was also afraid that he would really anger the Song Dynasty and lead to the danger of overthrow of the country.

He needs Zhao Zhen to give an explanation.

……

Zhao Zhen did not expect that there would be such a war in the southern border.

He was not surprised that a thousand Song soldiers used firearms to cause 8,000 casualties in Jiaozhi. What was surprising was why Su Liang wanted to enter Jiaozhi and do it ruthlessly.

Zhao Zhen did not listen to the words of King Li Dezheng of Cochin.

He was waiting for news from the south.

Such a big thing.

Di Qing is the commander in chief of counterinsurgency in the southern border, Su Liang is the main combatant, and Yu Jing is the chief officer of Guangnan West Road. It is impossible not to report afterwards.

That afternoon.

The military information documents for Di Qing, Yu Jing, and Su Liang arrived.

Su Liang told the specific story of the incident.

He said that he suspected that Jiaozhi sent troops for other purposes, so he planned an ambush.

Su Liang sincerely admitted his mistake and admitted that he had killed too many people and had not reported it to the court in advance to request severe punishment. He also stated that the matter had nothing to do with Di Qing and Yu Jing.

immediately.

Zhao Zhen read the documents from Di Qing and Yu Jing again.

The situation described by the two and Su Liang was almost the same, but Zhao Zhen saw some differences between the lines.

Di Qing and Yu Jing both said that Jiaozhi was indeed suspected of having evil intentions. Su Liangnai planned such an ambush for the sake of long-term peace and stability in the southern border and to prevent the Song army from being attacked on both sides...

If ordinary officials and generals do this.

Zhao Zhen must have been furious, believing that this move was for military glory, motivated, and to become famous. Such sneak attacks on his own country were detrimental to the prestige of the Song Dynasty.

But Zhao Zhen understands Su Liang.

He understands.

Su Liang did this without any utilitarianism, it was entirely for the Song Dynasty.

In order to eliminate the hidden dangers in the southern border, he would rather bear the charge of "unprovoked killing of soldiers of the vassal country".

"Oh, this Su Jingming!" Zhao Zhen sighed helplessly.

About it.

No matter how he argued, Song Dynasty lost the argument.

Jiaozhi was a vassal state of the Song Dynasty. Its soldiers did not leave the country, but they were brutally massacred by the Song Dynasty, with 8,000 casualties.

This crime.

Either blame it on the court or Su Liang.

Count it on the court.

Then the Song Dynasty court would be charged with "unprovoked killing of soldiers belonging to the country". With this stain, the reputation of the Song Dynasty will be damaged, and no tribe or small country will dare to rely on it in the future.

and.

The Liao Kingdom and Xixia Kingdom would definitely use this incident to ridicule the Song Dynasty, and even the people of the Song Dynasty would feel that the court was too cruel and failed to govern the country.

Later history books will criticize Zhao Zhen and other Zhongshu Xianggong, thinking that this move is very cruel and not the behavior of a wise king and a good minister.

And the meaning expressed by Su Liang in the document.

It was obvious that he wanted to be blamed on himself, and that he had carried out the killing spree on his own initiative.

But if it were placed on Su Liang, Su Liang would be severely punished.

This is no small crime.

A light punishment is not enough to quell the world's anger at this cruelty.

Zhao Zhen thought for a while.

All the princes-in-law of the two governments and three departments were announced.

……

When all the ministers came to Chuigong Hall, they all frowned and started quarreling after knowing the ins and outs of the matter.

"Jing Ming is really reckless and confused! Even if the Jiaozhi army wants to enter our Song Dynasty and cause chaos, it is enough to stop them forcibly. Killing 8,000 soldiers of the vassal country in Jiaozhi territory... This really loses the majesty of a great country. Let's How can we protect him?" Song Xiang said angrily.

Fu Bi stared at Song Xiang.

"I don't think Jingming is reckless and confused. What Jingming did was to completely defeat Jiaozhi, stop those who want to cause chaos in the southern border, and make the southern border peaceful for a long time. This move will be of great benefit to our Song Dynasty! What crime is there? "

"What's the crime? Can the court be responsible for this matter?"

"The unprovoked killing of soldiers belonging to the country is equivalent to the slaughter of our own people, and there are still eight thousand people. If we protect Jingming and admit that it is the court's intention, then all of us will be reviled by the people of future generations! This is unkind, It is unjust and goes against the etiquette of our Song Dynasty. All of us, including the officials, will be reviled by future generations!"

"Prime Minister Song, do you only have the dignity of the imperial court in your eyes? Although Jing Ming's move is obviously unfair, it is for the sake of the stability of the Song Dynasty."

"Everyone should know Jingming's temper and how important he attaches importance to the reform of the entire Song Dynasty! He did this to prevent Jiaozhi from making a surprise attack when there was a war in the north, so he did something that was detrimental to himself and the country. How can any of you protect the country without caring about your own reputation?" Wu Yu said with a livid face.

"We all know that Jing meant this, but how will it end now? Should the court take responsibility, or should Su Jingming be severely punished? If severely punished, how should it be punished to completely resolve this matter!" Zhang Fangping said.

At this time, Prime Minister Wen Yanbo stood up.

"According to what Jing Ming said in the document, he is prepared to take responsibility himself. What we need to consider now is how to punish Jing Ming so that we can calm down the incident, ensure that the Song Dynasty is intact, and make the world stop gossiping!"

Privy Councilor Zeng Gongliang said: "This incident happened in Jiaozhi territory, and we don't have any evidence that Jiaozhi wanted to attack the Song Dynasty. It is equivalent to confirming Jingming's guilt for 'unprovoked massacre of eight thousand vassal soldiers', even if the guilt is reduced to a minimum. , but also to stop."

To stop, that is, to fight to the end and remove all Su Liang's official positions.

However, if the name is not removed, the status of Jinshi will still be retained.

"Stop? Jing Ming has just been promoted to Yu Shi Zhongcheng, and the entire Song Dynasty cannot be reformed without him. I don't agree to stop!"

Wang Yaochen, the envoy of the Third Division, curled his lips and said.

"You don't agree? What's the point of not agreeing! If Jingming is not severely punished, everyone from the official family to the court officials will be stigmatized by this matter, causing damage to the state of the Song Dynasty? Who will bear the blame? Who can carry it?" Song Xiang glared.

Wang Yaochen thought for a while and said: "The officials must not stop! As long as we don't stop, according to Jing Ming's ability, he can become the Yushi Zhongcheng again in two or three years. If we stop, I may not be able to stand up as a pillar of the Great Song Dynasty's reform." Woke up!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Zhen's eyes suddenly lit up.

"Yes, you can't stop."

Zhao Zhen said firmly, "According to Jing Ming's ability, even if he is a small official, he can quickly be promoted through meritorious service. Even if he has not made meritorious service, I and the ministers can find ways to promote him."

"Jingming harms himself and the country, we cannot let him swallow this huge grievance!"

At this time.

Fu Bi said: "I have no objection, but I'm afraid Jingming won't be able to stay at the Yushitai."

If Su Liang were still allowed to take office at Yushitai, officials would definitely have a lot of complaints.

Zhao Zhen nodded.

At this time.

Wang Yaochen said: "Guan, please let Jingming go to the Third Division. I am willing to protect him!"

On the side, Song Xiang said: "I'm afraid it's hard to give the world an explanation for this kind of punishment!"

Hearing this, Zhao Zhen's eyes became sharp.

"Give the world an explanation? Sir, do you want Su Liang to stop? Do we, the people of the Song Dynasty, want Su Liang to stop? Those who want to severely punish Su Liang are just some stubborn courtiers whose interests were harmed during the reform. They are just merchants and landlords. As for the Liao, Xia, Goryeo and other countries, they just want to see our jokes. "

Zhao Zhen stood up slowly.

"This time, Su Liang has made great contributions in rectifying the officialdom in the southern border. His achievements in annihilating the Nong army are second only to Di Qing. However, he is guilty of 'wrong command and unprovoked killing of soldiers belonging to the country'. I have decided to demote him several levels and let him go." He was appointed Zuo Zhengyan in Jianyuan, and his rank was from the seventh rank."

From the third level to the seventh level, there is no one left in this series.

"If anyone is dissatisfied, let him come find me!"

"In addition, after Su Liang returns to Beijing, let him write a letter of apology to Jiaozhi. Then, I will compensate Jiaozhi with some porcelain, silk and other items. The items can be a little more expensive. I don't believe that the King of Jiaozhi dares not to appreciate it! "

"Can you accept this solution?"

At this moment, all the ministers were in awe of Zhao Zhen.

Although this matter was done for personal gain, it was done for the public good and for the country and the country of the Song Dynasty.

Wen Yanbo showed a smile.

It is not suitable for Su Liang to stay in Yushitai at the moment, but it is also feasible to stay in Jianyuan. With Ouyang Xiu supporting him, no one dared to do anything against Su Liang.

Immediately, all the ministers raised their hands and said, "I have no objection."

At this time.

Wang Yaochen, the third commander, took two steps forward and handed over his hand again.

"Officials, I think we should not compensate Jiaozhi for valuable things. Nowadays, Jiaozhi fears me like a sheep and a tiger. If we compensate generously, I'm afraid they will think that we are frightened by their accusations, and maybe they will become even more arrogant!"

“At the moment, although the national treasury has money, it must save and spend accordingly.”

"In the past, we were bullied by Liaoxia because we were too refined and reasonable!"

"For the outside world, I feel that we can be as brutal and domineering as possible without losing our principles."

"I suggest that the officials order the opening of two more forecourts on the border of Cochin. When trade in the south prospers, the people of the two countries will have money. We would rather give this money to the people on the border of the two countries than to the king of Cochin. "

"It makes sense, the Third Secretary will still spend money!" Zhao Zhen said approvingly.

immediately.

Zhao Zhen added: "Next, after this matter spreads out of the court and among the people, someone will definitely impeach Su Liang on the grounds that he has damaged the dignity of the country. I will trouble you how to minimize these negative impacts. This matter The results will be announced after Su Liang returns!"

"I obey!" All the ministers bowed their hands in unison.

……

Two days later.

The story of Su Liang leading his troops to attack the Jiaozhi soldiers spread to the streets of Bianjing.

The people were talking a lot.

Some people call Su Liangshi a god descending to earth, some accuse Su Liang of being too tyrannical, and some say that Su Liang's actions are all for the long-term peace and stability of the Southern Territory of the Song Dynasty...

There were also some officials who presented collectively.

He attacked Su Liang for his addiction to killing, cruelty and cruelty, which damaged the dignity of the Song Dynasty.

Regarding these memorials.

Zhao Zhen suppressed them all and said they would discuss it later after Su Liang returned to Beijing.

……

On the eighth day of September, above the Xiang River.

Su Liang lay comfortably on the chair on the deck, basking in the autumn sun and looking at the autumn scenery on both sides of the Xiang River.

The mood is very pleasant.

He knew that when he returned, he would be insulted by some people and even severely punished.

But he doesn't regret doing it.

He knew that even if he was deposed, he could be promoted quickly.

The current Song Dynasty cannot do without him.

Moreover, he was harming his own reputation for the benefit of the Song Dynasty, and the officials would never let him suffer great injustice.

As for his reputation in future generations, Su Liang didn't care at all.

He was certain.

In the history books of later generations, his reputation for political achievements is nothing more than a flaw at best.

"Let's think about tomorrow's matters. What I want to do now is to enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way and taste the delicious food from various places!"

Su Liang looked at Sun Sheng and said: "Sun Sheng, remember! All the big and small wharves in the prefecture will stop when you meet the river. For the small wharfs, you go to the shore to look for delicious food. For the big wharfs, I will go there myself. We will arrive in Bian in mid-October. Just the capital.”

"Okay!" Sun Sheng said with a smile.

Following Su Liang, he has become half a gourmet.

(End of this chapter)