Jiuxi

Chapter 693 691 [Ambition]

The spring breeze makes the south bank of the river green again.

New buds are sprouting, everything is renewed, and vitality is gradually emerging.

Because it was still within the first month of the year, the capital was still filled with a festive atmosphere. There was still some time before the busy farming season and even women were forbidden to do needlework, so naturally everyone could have a leisurely time.

Only the ministers in the court cannot rest.

At noon, the two prime ministers, the Minister of Personnel Li Shizhi, the Minister of Revenue Jing Qingshan, the Minister of War Ding Hui, and the military ministers headed by Duke Rong Xiao Wangzhi, were summoned into the palace almost at the same time.

When they stepped into the Chongzheng Hall, they found that in addition to the emperor, there was also a minister there.

This was the first time that Su Yunqing participated in a court meeting of this scale as the director of the Weaving Bureau. On the surface, he was not at all stage-frightened and was in no way inferior to Qin Zheng back then.

After the ministers paid their respects, Li Zongben, who was sitting behind the imperial desk, said to Su Yunqing, "Mr. Su, you go ahead and speak."

"The minister obeys the order."

Su Yunqing bowed and then briefly repeated the contents of the secret report sent by Yang Jingxuan.

Emperor Jingguo and Qing Yugong turned against each other?

When the important officials heard the news, they felt it was both reasonable and unexpected.

It is reasonable to say that no matter which dynasty or generation, it is a common situation that a minister who is too powerful to be trusted is a threat to the emperor. Given Qing Yugong's reputation and status in the Kingdom of Jing, plus the military power he holds, it would be strange if Emperor Jing had turned a blind eye to him. A king with great talent and ambitions for the world would definitely not tolerate a minister who could threaten the stability of the imperial power. It was only a matter of time before he would suppress the other party.

As for the unexpected, it was because Jing's army had suffered successive defeats on the battlefield in recent years. Qing Yugong could at least play a role in stabilizing the morale of the army, and there was no need for Emperor Jing to turn against him so early.

However, when he thought about the sudden death of the crown prince whom Emperor Jing had cultivated for many years and all his efforts were wasted, it was normal for him to make such a decision in anger.

Xiao Wangzhi looked up at the emperor and immediately understood the significance of today's small-scale court meeting.

Li Zongben said calmly: "My dear ministers, what do you think of this matter?"

After a brief silence, Han Zhongjie, the Marquis of Yongyi, came on stage and said, "Your Majesty, if the intelligence collected by the Textile Bureau is correct, and the Crown Prince of Jingguo did die a violent death, I think this is an opportunity worth taking advantage of."

"Oh?"

Li Zongben's face remained calm as he said, "Han Qing's family, why don't you tell us in detail?"

Han Zhongjie agreed, and then said calmly: "Once the crown prince of Jing State dies, it will inevitably cause a series of turmoil within the country. The Emperor Jing will not let the real culprit go, and the princes of Jing State will definitely start to compete for the position of crown prince. The civil and military officials in the court will inevitably be involved. This is the first reason. The Emperor Jing imprisoned Qing Yugong in the palace, which will lead to divisions within the Jing army, and its strength will inevitably decline. This is the second reason."

Li Zongben nodded slightly.

Han Zhongjie continued, "Although Qing Yugong is at a disadvantage, the Qing Yu clan has a very deep foundation and is not isolated. If Emperor Jing wants to continue to suppress Qing Yu clan, he must deploy troops loyal to him around Dadu. In this way, the strength of the Jing army in the Heluo area will definitely be weakened. This is the third reason. Combining the above three points, I think this is a godsend opportunity. Da Qi cannot watch Emperor Jing complete the internal adjustments. Doing nothing is the biggest mistake."

Li Zongben thought for a moment and then asked, "Then what do you think our dynasty should do?"

Han Zhongjie bowed his head and said: "Reorganize the military and seize the opportunity to march north!"

After a series of questions and answers between the emperor and his ministers, the words "Northern Expedition" fell into the ears of all the important ministers.

No one directly expressed opposition. If Li Duan could see a scene like today, and compare it with the First Northern Expedition that he had accomplished after many hardships, I wonder whether he would be relieved or disappointed.

Of course, silence does not mean agreement. Li Zongben obviously understands this truth. The important ministers below are just thinking about the feasibility of this matter.

He turned to look at Xiao Wangzhi who was standing in front of Han Zhongjie and asked, "Regarding Han Qing's proposal, what do you think of Duke Rong?"

Xiao Wangzhi bowed his head slightly and said, "Your Majesty, I have no objection."

This answer was beyond Li Zongben's expectations. He had already prepared for Xiao Wangzhi's opposition, but he did not expect the other party to have such an attitude.

Could it be that the suppression during this period has made Xiao Wangzhi face the reality?

Ever since the dispute over how to deal with Li Bingxue and the Feiyu Army soldiers, the power structure of the Military Academy has become increasingly clear.

Although Xiao Wangzhi had the support of Li Jingda, Han Zhongjie, Zhang Xu, Chen Lanyu and Shen Yulai gradually moved in unison. The four of them were all powerful military heroes with heavy troops, and their voice became increasingly powerful as they advanced and retreated together. In the following daily administration, Xiao Wangzhi was forced to accept the opinions of the four of them several times, especially in the appointment and transfer of the generals of the Jingzhou Army. His situation could be described as being difficult to handle alone.

Perhaps this is the reason why Han Zhongjie dared to express his position before Xiao Wang today.

Li Zongben's mind raced, and he said gently, "Duke Rong is the pillar of the country, and he is particularly knowledgeable in military affairs. Why don't you speak freely about this matter so that I can make a more appropriate response."

Xiao Wangzhi was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, since this involves the Northern Expedition, I think we should listen to the opinion of the commander-in-chief of the border army."

"Of course, I am waiting for the secret report from Lu Chen and Liu Shouguang, but——"

He changed the subject and said confidently, "The greatest regret of the late emperor is that he can't come to the old capital again. The Northern Expedition is imperative. I think the border soldiers are eager to serve the country and make achievements. What Han Qing said just now is very true. Civil strife in Jing is a rare opportunity. Once you miss it, it will be difficult to have a second chance. I am not so arrogant as to think that the Jing army is vulnerable, but if we can use this opportunity to recover the homeland outside Heluo City, we can lay a solid foundation for returning to the old capital in the future."

Xiao Wangzhi seemed to hesitate, but finally bowed and said, "Your Majesty is wise."

Li Zongben was very satisfied with his attitude, a faint smile appeared on his face, and then he said: "The scale of this war will not be too large, but no matter how big or small the war is, the court must be prepared in advance. This is why I summoned all the nobles to the palace today."

Over the past two years, thanks to the hard work of the two prime ministers and the Minister of Revenue Jing Qingshan, the Jingjie Law was implemented in various parts of Jiangnan. The court's tax revenue has increased significantly, and the treasury has gradually become full. Therefore, Li Zongben had the confidence to fight a battle to restore his reputation.

The military would certainly not oppose the Northern Expedition. On the premise of being loyal to the country, the Northern Expedition would mean countless military exploits and rewards, and perhaps even a title that would bring honor to the family.

Lu Chen is the best example.

A merchant's son who had never taken part in the imperial examinations, became a county duke at a young age because of his outstanding performance on the battlefield. How many powerful and noble sons with stronger family backgrounds than him had to bow down before him?
Li Zongben had been worried that Xiao Wangzhi would raise objections, but now even the Duke of Rong had no objection, so who else could stop the Northern Expedition?
Just at this moment, a powerful voice sounded.

"Your Majesty, regarding the Northern Expedition, I ask Your Majesty to think twice before proceeding."

The person who stepped forward was the left prime minister of the current dynasty, Xue Nanting.

Li Zongben controlled his expression and said gently, "What are your considerations, Prime Minister Xue? Feel free to tell me."

After Li Daoyan begged for his death, Xue Nanting was undoubtedly the head of the civil servants. Although he did not have the prestige of Li Daoyan, and the Qingyuan Xue family could not give him enough support, and he did not even have as many supporters in the court as Zhong Cheng, but Xue Nanting was the most trusted civil official of the late emperor and he was upright, so his words still carried a lot of weight.

Xue Nanting raised his eyes to the emperor and said calmly: "Your Majesty, I am not against the Northern Expedition, but now is not the right time."

"Why?"

"It has only been a year since the Battle of Yongqiu. The people of Daqi still need to recuperate, and so do the border troops. The late emperor spent nearly ten years preparing for the first northern expedition, and your majesty should be very clear about this. It is easy to start a war but difficult to end it. The court is not fully prepared now. Once the war goes wrong and is dragged into the quagmire, the advantage we have worked so hard to gain will vanish. Therefore, I implore your majesty to think twice."

Xue Nanting paused for a moment, and then said, "Besides, it is still unknown whether the civil unrest in Jing is true or not. We cannot rule out the possibility that this is a trap set by the king and his ministers to lure our border troops to attack. I hope Your Majesty will be cautious."

The smile on Li Zongben's face gradually disappeared.

"Prime Minister Xue has made thorough considerations. This is a mature and prudent statement for the state."

Before Li Zongben could speak, the Minister of Personnel Li Shizhi stepped forward and said, "I also have some superficial views on this matter."

Xue Nanting turned around and looked at Li Shizhi, and said calmly: "What do you think, Minister Li?"

Li Shizhi said calmly: "Prime Minister Xue mentioned that the late emperor worked day and night and spent ten years to promote the first Northern Expedition. The process can be said to be overcoming difficulties and everyone in the world has seen it. As the saying goes, everything is difficult at the beginning. The late emperor painstakingly laid the foundation for the present emperor. This is not a shackle that imprisons future generations, but a legacy that inspires us to carry on the past and forge ahead. The word "Northern Expedition" carries the long-cherished wish of the late emperor and hundreds of millions of Daqi people. Your Majesty has such an ambitious ambition, and we, the ministers, should do our best. Do you agree with me, Prime Minister Xue?"

Xue Nanting narrowed his eyes and said, "Ambitions are commendable, but we must always consider the reality, otherwise it will be a castle in the air."

Right Prime Minister Zhong Cheng suddenly coughed lightly, but Xue Nanting seemed not to hear it.

Hearing this, Li Zongben frowned, and a strong feeling of unhappiness suddenly surged in his heart.

Li Shizhi remained calm and said slowly: "Prime Minister Xue has a point, but I think that the Northern Expedition is a castle in the air. Prime Minister Xue is worried that this is a trap set by the king and ministers of Jing State. I can't help but ask, which king in the past dynasties would use the death of the heir as bait? The prince of Jing State died suddenly, and the trend of civil strife has already begun. How can such a good opportunity be missed?"

At this point, he looked up at the young emperor behind the imperial desk, bowed and said, "I dare to make a suggestion. The Northern Expedition is promising. Your Majesty, please make a decision as soon as possible!"

Li Zongben quietly looked at the Minister of Personnel, who exuded a noble air, and his brows gradually relaxed.

(End of this chapter)