The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 102: Being a King is Difficult

"Da da da!"

"Hey!"

The sound of horse hooves and footsteps broke the silence in the vast snow.

Dense crowds of blue-robed censors, imperial patrolmen, Jinwu guards, and Jingzhao prefecture's bad guys appeared in Guangdeli, and pedestrians hurriedly moved to the side of the road to avoid them.

A few young men who were walking their dogs were pointing at the officials, intending to watch the fun, but when they saw the cavalry wearing felt hats, black bear coats, and shining silver armor in the distance, they ran away like birds and beasts.

The common people hid behind the windows and watched silently.

"The censor went to Bian and went to the Imperial Court!"

All the witnesses knew that something big was going to happen, and they felt excited, scared, and a little shocked. For the sake of the virtuous concubine, the saint actually broke with the loyal Prince Bian?

There was a lot of noise in the Jinzouyuan.

Officials were rushing back and forth, hurriedly packing up their official residences.

"Burn them, burn them all!" Several clerks came to the courtyard with a pile of confidential documents and burned them on the spot. The documents involved the whereabouts and likes and dislikes of the emperor, the garrison distribution of the imperial guards, the residences and house structure diagrams of important ministers, and the instructions of Prince Bian...

In the secretary's office, more than a dozen experienced writers were fluent in sorting out important intelligence, copying them one by one in tiny calligraphy onto narrow strips of cloth, and then hiding them in the soles of shoes, footwear, and hair buns.

More than a hundred experienced military attachés were also packing items.

"I, the dog-foot emperor, have eaten so much lard that I have lost my mind."

"After we capture Chang'an, we will capture the Shatuo girl and bring her to the army to exchange and ravage her. Let's see if the saint will be ashamed."

"I heard that Concubine He Shu is the most beautiful. When the king enters the pass, he will sleep on the dragon bed at night, let the emperor call him father, and stand outside the palace to listen to Concubine He Shu's moans."

"Haha, I want to play tricks on Privy Councilor Zhao."

Bang! There was a clamor of drums on the street outside the courtyard, and the military officers changed color in anger.

The gate was violently smashed open by the Jinwu Guards, and the laughing bad guys and the imperial envoys rushed in, instantly filling the entire courtyard. On the street, hundreds of cavalry and infantry quickly formed a battle array, long spears pointed at the official residence, and bows and arrows were silently strung.

Crash.

More than a hundred Bian people's military officers' faces changed several times. They wanted to draw their swords, but were directly hit in the face by the officials of Jingzhao Prefecture with goads. Some were so miserable that several teeth were knocked out on the spot, or their faces were covered in blood.

The fully armed Jinwu Guards came up, shouted and confiscated their weapons, stripped off their armor, kicked and dragged them to their knees, and said, "Kneel down for Yayeh!"

"Damn Bian army! I think they are made of flesh and will be cowardly even when facing death." A petty official cursed.

The officials who were making the memorials were so excited that their faces turned red. They stood there motionless, their bones weak, and they dared not move.

Jingzhao Yin Sun Weisheng came in with a group of blue-robed censors and subordinate officials, and announced the imperial edict with a gloomy look.

"Imperial edict: Has there ever been an official who did all kinds of evil and died a natural death? Zhu Wen is a corrupt official with no moral integrity. He raped his subordinates' wives and concubines and coveted his daughter-in-law's beauty. He murdered his neighbors and insulted his emperor and father. He was respectful but a thief at heart. Even if he were thrown into the rivers and Huaihe Rivers, it would be difficult to make him change his evil ways. I cannot accept that such a scourge is allowed to plague the world."

"The whole country is outraged and has no choice but to punish him."

"Now strip the title of King Dongping, take back the name of loyalty bestowed upon him by the sage, and settle accounts with his sins. Expel the memorial officers sent by the Xuanwu Army to the capital, seal up the memorial hall, and confiscate all items."

"Sun Ru is not a Confucian, Mao Zhen is not loyal, Quan Zhong is not loyal, alas! My heart is very sad. I hope that all the vassal officials will be self-disciplined and stop forcing me. I just want my wife and children to be safe and the ancestral temples of the saints to continue."

The decree of deprivation is not issued here.

The words that Sun Weisheng repeated were the oral instructions given to him by the saint when he entered the palace to receive his mission.

After hearing this, the officials who were reporting the incident were terrified. They couldn't believe that Prince Bian had turned into a thief and an ugly person again.

"Tie him up and take him away!" Sun Weisheng waved his hand.

Officials rushed into the rooms and messed around. The officials and military officers lined up under the supervision of the samurai to have their bodies searched and their luggage checked by the censors. Those who had no problems were captured, had cloth balls stuffed into their mouths, and were taken aside by the soldiers to be expelled from the customs later.

Those who had problems were immediately knocked off their official hats by the censors, pushed away and imprisoned in the Taiwan prison.

The incident at the Xuanwu Jinzouyuan quickly fermented, and other Jinzouyuan quietly destroyed the documents involved in the crime. Those who did not do so also felt sympathetic and dared not to mess around again. Many officials who were bribed closed their doors to visitors, fearing that they would be held accountable by the emperor, and secretly sent their families away.

……

On the top of the Jiuxianmen Tower, the saint was meeting with the two heads of the Bianzhou Jinzouyuan: Wei Zhen, the secretary of the record room, and Pei Zhu, the judge of salt and iron in various states.

They were high-ranking officials in the shogunate. The former was Zhu Wen's secretary and could freely go in and out of Zhu Wen's bedroom to do things when he was sleeping. The latter was one of the financial officials, in charge of salt, iron, transportation, tea and wine. Although he was not as prominent as Jing Xiang and Li Zhen, he was still a close confidant.

The saint also opened his eyes. Later generations spread rumors that Zhu Wen hated the noble families and performed physical salvation at Baimayi. However, now it seems that Li Zhen, Jing Xiang, Wei Zhen, Pei Zhu, Pei Di, Zhao Jing, Duan Ning and others who occupied important positions in Zhu Wen's palace are rarely humble. What noble families are being slaughtered? Just kill those who are disobedient.

"Li Keyong is a subversive usurper. His atrocities during the Qianfu years were appalling. When the previous emperor ordered him to redeem himself, although he had merit, his tyranny and extortion were no less than that of the Huihe who plundered the Eastern Capital. When he was enthroned, the traitor Li sent his daughter to marry, disregarding the clan law and human ethics. He had sinister intentions. If he is not removed, he will eventually become a national disaster. Your Majesty regards the traitor Li as loyal, so where is the place for loyal ministers?"

Wei Zhen sat on the futon and gave a sincere advice: "Prince Bian conquered Chen and destroyed Cai, and has been paying tribute for ten years. His heart of serving the country is extremely strong. If he is not a loyal minister, then what is a loyal minister? Your Majesty does not distinguish between right and wrong, but only looks at the strong and weak, listens to the opinions of the petty people, and mercilessly blames Prince Bian. He destroys his own reputation and makes Boyi and Shuqi of the world feel disappointed. This is definitely not a way to revive the country. I think Your Majesty should not adopt this."

Wei Zhen bowed his head with sincere feelings.

"As long as Your Majesty sends back the Shatuo woman and draws a clear line with the Li bandit, Prince Bian will resume paying tribute, opening the grain transport system, and offering another 30 pieces of silk, tens of thousands of livestock, and thousands of carts of salt during the winter solstice." Pei Zhu, who was very clear about the court's financial situation, lost no time in tempting.

Whether it was due to geopolitics, hegemony, or Bian Jin's poor diplomacy, the court and Li Keyong's alliance was the bottom line that Zhu Wen could not accept. On the contrary, if the court obediently stayed in Guanzhong as a mascot, Zhu Wen would not be embarrassed for the time being.

"Secretary Wei, what you said..." The sage laughed and asked, "Do I need his consent to marry a wife and establish a queen? In the past, Zhu Wen was trapped in Tongzhou and was forced into a desperate situation by Meng Kai. If it weren't for the pity of the late emperor, I don't know which group of wild dogs would have eaten him! Now if the court is not in agreement, they threaten with force. Who is this loyal minister, and who is the traitor? This traitor, where should I put the traitor? This is definitely not the way of a minister."

"Your Majesty!" Wei Zhen did not expect the saint to have such eloquence. It seemed that he could not be fooled, so he stood up and said, "The King of Chu attacked the Luhun Rong and arrived in Luo to inspect the troops on the border of Zhou. The emperor sent Wang Sunman to comfort him and asked about the size and importance of the tripod. You must know that Chu has an area of 5,000 miles and a million soldiers! If Mi Lu had made trouble, even though Zhou's virtue was still there, I dare not assert that the will of heaven would not change. Your Majesty should cherish the foundation of the saints!"

In the corner, the historian was startled.

"Intimidation is a common tactic used by most of the feudal lords in the world today. Now that I have issued an edict against all odds, I hope you understand that threats will not work on me." The saint stroked the silver knife and scratched a mark on the table: "If you speak rudely again, I will not hesitate to massacre all 307 people in the Xuanwu Jinzouyuan."

"Your Majesty, isn't this a threat?" Wei Zhen narrowed his eyes and looked at the agitated warriors around him.

“It’s just an equal negotiation.”

"Does the Emperor really want to collude with the thief Li?"

"Once the edict is issued, there is no turning back." The saint stared at him and moved closer: "I dare to be Yuan Ziyou and risk my life. Does he have the courage to be Erzhu Zhao, the gambling tyrant?"

"In that case, goodbye." Wei Zhen and Pei Zhu stood up, bowed briefly, and went downstairs with their entourage.

After talking for a while, the two of them could see the emperor's resolute attitude and his determination to be the king's enemy. He was the one who would not cry until he saw the coffin. Very good, when the army enters Chang'an, we will see if the saint can still be as calm as he is today. There have been many emperors who were stubborn in the past, but they still behaved ugly when they died. Some cried, some shouted, and some circled the pillars.

The current emperor is too wise and has too strong a will to rise to the occasion. He must not stay for long. However, he has accomplished such a great feat in just over a year. If he continues to be the emperor, it will be fine! It would be better if the eunuchs were still there. It is not difficult to bribe and intimidate them to kill the emperor and replace him with an obedient one.

What a pity! They also read the decree of deprivation, and their intentions were extremely vicious.

It was both alienation and incitement. Everyone knew that Ge Congzhou and Zhang Cunjing were Zhu Wen's right-hand men and generals of the Xuanwu Army. However, the court appointed the former as the governor and the latter as the deputy governor. Once the imperial edict arrived, would these two people and their officers have ambitions? Would Zhu Wen be suspicious? What would other civil and military officials think? Would they be suspicious and uneasy?

This conspiracy is so shameless that it makes people want to kill.

On the other side of the wall, Zhu Xiewusi covered her big belly and sat back in her chair.

"The Bian thieves are good at making flattering statements and bewitching the emperor. They are the source of disaster." After eavesdropping for a long time, Zhu Xiewusi came to this conclusion. If the emperor continues to be instigated by this group of people, there is no guarantee that he will not be shaken.

Immediately, she recalled the advice given by Wei Zhen and Pei Zhu.

"Li Keyong, subversion and usurpation."

"If it is not eliminated, it will eventually become a national disaster."

"As long as Your Majesty sends the Shatuo girl away and draws a clear line between you and the thief Li..."

These words echoed in her ears like a curse. Zhu Xiewusi's nails dug deep into her knees: "Such a traitor..."

"Don't pay any attention to the virtuous concubine. Getting angry will hurt the fetus." The female official advised: "The saint still loves the virtuous concubine."

"Call Xue Zhiqin, Helian Weihuan, Yelu Chongde, and Tuoba Weicai, I have something to do." Zhu Xiewusi ordered.

If she hadn't heard these words, she wouldn't want to damage the saint's reputation. But now, she was unwilling to let the more than 300 thieves in the Jinzouyuan go.

Not long.

Xue Zhiqin and the other three arrived and bowed, "Greetings, Madam."

"How many military officers do I have in the Imperial Court?"

"88 people." Hearing this, Xue Zhiqin secretly thought that something was wrong. He had watched Concubine Xian grow up, and he knew her very well.

"The Bian bandits have insulted my family and ruined my reputation. When the Bian bandits arrive at Lantian Qingli Posthouse, I will order my warriors to become thieves and remove their heads. Their weapons and armor will be removed and they will be killed like pigs and sheep." Zhu Xiewu thought briefly and said softly, "After we have done this, don't let the emperor know. I don't want him to be embarrassed."

"Madam, His Majesty's authority is growing..."

Zhu Xiewusi suddenly opened his eyes, staring straight at Xue Zhiqin, and asked in a reproachful tone: "You are not a pig, you are not in the court, and you do not eat Tang salary. You are the official of Hedong, and you belong to my father. Bian and Jin are like water and fire, don't forget your duty."

"I have served the father and son of the Minister of the Interior for thirty years. How could I have any intention of rebelling?"

"Destroy the corpse and cover up all traces, so that the Saint won't know the truth. How can he blame us?" Zhu Xiewu said calmly, staring straight at Xue Zhiqin: "Even if he knows, I will protect you."

"I obey your command." Xue Zhiqin didn't dare to say any more nonsense.

Zhu Xiewusi originally intended to let Zhu'er do this, but she felt that Zhu'er had completely sided with the sage. This kind of thing that was detrimental to the emperor's reputation would not be done without the sage's approval, and instead advised her.

Thinking of this, Zhu Xiewusi shook his head slightly. Li Lang was good at winning people's hearts. This was a good thing. I just didn't know whether his feelings for me were genuine or just pretending to be intimate due to the situation.

She thought again of Li Keyong and the golden eagle her father gave her when she was a child. The golden eagle could see rabbits ten miles away because it flew high in the sky.

My father was led by his emotions. His vision was like that of a mouse, and he could only see flies, insects, and rotten leaves at the entrance of the hole. Perhaps the family needs a sensitive and rational person to lead it...

------

The saint has returned to Penglai Palace.

Several ministers who had been waiting for a long time immediately spoke up.

"Your Majesty is right. The most urgent task is to rectify the defense of the pass, store grain and train soldiers. But I humbly think that we should prepare for the worst in everything. We should send envoys to discuss with Bianzhou again. If we are defeated in the war, it will be dangerous! Besides, Zhu Quanzhong pacified the Cai thieves and deliberately brought Zong Quan and others to the court to be killed. After defeating the rebel An Shiru of Yicheng Army, he did not want to be in charge of several towns, so he sent his general Hu Zhen. After taking back Zhaoyi from the Shatuo people, he asked the court to take it over. He also sent troops to fight against the thieves who plundered tribute, and he himself has not missed the deadline for ten years. If this is not a loyal minister, what is it? As long as Your Majesty endures the humiliation for a while, sends envoys to appease, and then sends the Shatuo woman away..."

"She is my virtuous concubine, you are not allowed to say anything about Shatuo woman!" the saint said angrily.

"With Quanzhong's loyalty, as long as Your Majesty temporarily endures the humiliation, sends an envoy to appease, and then sends away the virtuous concubine, Quanzhong will naturally be obedient. I also ask Your Majesty to put the king's cause first and wisely judge between good and bad fortune." Shangshu Zuocheng Zhao Chongyi said righteously.

He wanted to ask the sage, how many times had Li Keyong paid tribute? Since he was appointed as the emperor of Taiyuan, he has been causing trouble everywhere, either attacking Yun or Zhao, causing all the towns to jointly submit a petition for punishment. The year before last, he also severely damaged the king's army and killed dozens of civil and military officials including Sun Xianggong, the deputy envoy of the army. He has lived for most of his life, either robbing, rebelling, or invading neighboring towns. How could he be a good person?

Compared with Zhu Wen’s actions, can’t the saint tell who is loyal and who is treacherous? He is not blind.

"Your Majesty, you have done great service to your country—"

Seeing that Cui Yin, the Minister of Personnel, was about to start a long speech, the sage, who had been patiently listening for a long time, finally couldn't help interrupting and said, "I know that many people are against the war, but I don't want to be like King Li who doesn't allow his subjects to speak. But I want to tell you that the world's affairs are in my hands! I am doing it now, and you should know when to stop after two or three times of admonishment!"

After saying this, he stood up from the futon and prepared to go to the study to work. At this moment, he heard a loud shout: "To defy fate and benefit the superior is called loyalty!"

The Privy Councilor watched in horror as Zhao Chong threw himself forward, fell to the ground, and reached out to hug the Saint's legs. The Saint was also greatly surprised. He calmed himself down and slapped the back of Zhao Chong's hand in a harsh voice: "You are out of your mind! What do you want to do?"

Hearing the saint's rebuke, several eunuchs, concubines and guards rushed in from outside.

The officials who were waiting to report also swarmed in, dumbfounded as they watched Zhao Chong and others kneel on the ground, pulling the emperor to advise them: "I humbly hope that Your Majesty will be cautious in governing the country. Quanzhong rebelled because he was afraid of Li Keyong. Your Majesty, think about it, if the court is friendly with Quanzhong and marries him with a woman from Bian, will Li Keyong rebel?"

"Zhao Chong, old man!" The sage was completely furious and cursed: "I am the emperor and you are the emperor?"

"Zhao Chong, step back quickly!" an official from the Secretariat called out his name.

"You old fool." The guards rushed forward and dragged Zhao Chong, who was crying and making remonstrances, to the side.

"Get out!" The saint pointed at Zhao Chong and the others with a cold expression and warned them loudly: "From now on, don't come to see me! If you continue to do favors for Quanzhong, I will think you have accepted bribes from the Bian bandits. The prison is cold and deep, don't challenge it!"

After saying that, he looked at the censor Luo Fu and said, "Luo Ji, if you receive requests for an audience from them in the future, ignore them!"

Zhao Chong and others wanted to make a report, but they were knocked down from behind by the guards, lifted over their heads and carried out. The officials who witnessed the incident were terrified and dared not say a word. It was the first time they saw the emperor get angry. Seeing this, there was no hope of making a report, and everyone left.

"Both the military men and the civil officials are a worry to me." The saint sat down with a stiff expression.

"It's not easy to be a king, and it's also difficult to be a minister. The emperor has his own wishes, but his loyalty is not obvious, so he will be suspected." Zhao held the saint's hand and said quietly, "The enemy is strong and we are weak. Those who advocate war are not necessarily loyal, and those who advocate peace are not necessarily treacherous. Whether it's war or peace, everyone has their own considerations. As a king, you should collect the goodness of your ministers to build a country. If you only listen to what you like, your ministers will think about how to please you all day long. How can they still pay attention to national affairs?"

"I saved myself from having to listen to them three times with patience." According to his mood, the saint didn't want to listen to any noise: "Are Zhao Chong and Cui Yin considered loyal ministers?"

"It is not up to them whether they are loyal or not." Zhao helped the saint straighten his wrinkled clothes and said, "As long as you remain strong, the whole court will be full of loyal ministers. If you lose a battle one day and the country's fortunes decline, rebellions will emerge in endlessly."

The saint was silent.

The emperor was lonely and miserable. Because he didn't know who would be loyal to him and who would betray him. Who would be loyal first and then betray him, who would betray first and then be loyal. And who would simply use him. Therefore, many emperors spent their lives in constant suspicion and judgment, fearing that they would give their true heart to the wrong person.

difficult.

On October 11, the first year of Jingfu, Wei Zhen and more than 300 others were killed by thieves in Lantian County. Upon receiving the news, Zhu Wen burned the imperial edict, cut off the envoy's ears, and expelled the envoy from the country.

(End of this chapter)