The Emperor ordered Zhao Tang

Chapter 178 Lady of Yingchuan County

"She can be called the Lady of Yingchuan County." Wenren Chuchu revealed warmly.

Li Ting was stunned.

Zhao Kuangning's sister suddenly appeared in front of him, which surprised him greatly. He did not expect that she was already honored. After the hard times, the rituals and music were broken. Except for the virtuous and virtuous, the concubines such as Zhaoyi and Jieyu actually fell into the category of female imperial concubines. Their favor could not be judged by their official rank. Below the three concubines, whether the emperor cared about someone and whether they had a good life in the palace depended on whether they had a title of prefecture.

Now it is above.

Chen Chen, a beauty of the fourth rank, was granted the title of Fengyi County. Beauty is just a rank that reflects the social status of a person.

Zhao Ruxin's original position was the sixth-rank official of the Palaces. This was an official position. The Privy Councilor was a dispatched official with no rank. Strictly speaking, they were not considered concubines, but secretaries of the nature of eunuchs, and should be called palace officials or eunuchs. However, due to her outstanding achievements, she was also given the title of Lady of Tianshui County. Others of the same kind included Zhao County Yuwenrou, Donghai County Luofu, Handan County Nangong Chongyan, Xinqin County Yang Kezheng, and Xingyang County Wenren Chuchu. This was another system of concubines outside the system, forming their own circle, each with their own duties; they probably also served as the emperor's eyes and ears in secret.

As for Fufeng County Wei Yi and Hedong County Pei Zhenyi, they were the same as Madam Chen. The Saint did not give them any work to do, nor did he grant them any authority or responsibility. Their only job was to sleep with the Saint. The Saint gave them titles simply to show his respect.

These are the true concubines in the emperor's heart. If the favor continues, and there are promotions, then they will be the wives of Liang, Qi, Zhao, and Chu, who are on par with the three concubines. Without giving it time to think, Li Ting stood up and bowed respectfully to Zhao Ruozhao: "It is my fault for offending your name."

"Don't blame those who don't know. Please sit down." Zhao Ruozhao waved his hand, turned around and went back to make snacks.

Li Ting bowed and sat down awkwardly.

Zhao Kuangning was lucky enough to get a Lady of Yingchuan County right after sending her sister away. The sage was so generous that he did not dislike Zhao Ruozhao at all because she was a Cai woman. He gave her enough trust and face, showing his sincerity in recruiting her. Now, Zhao Kuangning should be completely loyal to the court, right? If Xiangyang obeyed the king's order, what would happen to Jingnan?

"Although Huang Chao was pacified, the Cai bandit became rampant again. Yan invaded Huainan, Xian invaded Jianghuai, Gao captured Xiangyang, Ru captured Dongdu, Huai, and Shaanxi, Xu slaughtered Ru and Zheng, and Jian swept Xuanwu, killing, cutting, and burning wherever he went. After these giant bandits, Jingzhou was left with only eleven households. Li comforted the wounded and disabled, and promoted trade and farming. By the time of Qianning, the number of households had exceeded ten thousand. There was no greater good than this; this was Li's contribution." After tasting the snacks, the sage finally began.

"It is the duty of the Marshal to shepherd the people on behalf of God." Li Ting put away his thoughts and replied.

"Oh?" The saint pretended to be confused, and said with a bit of surprise in his tone: "Shepherd the people on behalf of God... It turns out that Cheng Qing still has me in his heart, and Jingnan still has the court in his eyes. Last year, the Supervisory Censor Di Guichang accused Cheng Qing of invading Kui and Shi, taking the Yun'an Salt Lake without authorization, and plucking the feathers of passing geese from the southeast to pay tribute. It seems that he is a lunatic talking nonsense, and he must not be forgiven."

Upon hearing this, Li Ting glanced at the saint, but calmed down. If it was just about these two or three things, he could still deal with it.

Therefore, he denied it and said, "There is absolutely no such thing! Qin Zongquan was defeated, but the remnants still exist. His general Chang Hou occupies Baidi City. Mao Xiang, the governor of Kuizhou, is arrogant and self-centered. He allies with Wang Jian and plots to secede. At that time, the inner court was in power and did not care. The soldiers in Jingnan were loyal and brave for the country, so they drove out the Cai thief, killed Mao Xiang, and retreated the Shu thief. For the sake of the country, they recovered the four states of Kui, Yu, Wan, and Fu. As for Shizhou, Wei Pu took office in the Qianfu year and died suddenly in the Zhonghe year. Since then, there has been no governor for three to five years, and the powerful have arrogantly sat in the official residence. Such a great rebellion was suppressed by the army. It is the hope of heaven, so how can we say it is wrong? Later, Zhu Wen rose up and the Bian clan usurped the throne. The local area started a rebellion. In an emergency, I took the initiative and took over Shizhou."

"As for the Yun'an Salt Lake." After saying so much in one breath, Li Ting's throat was a little dry. He pursed his lips before continuing, "Since we acquired the salt lake, we have been sending 2,000 carts of salt to Chang'an every year to support the royal family. If there had been no battle to capture Kui, the salt lake would now be in the hands of the Cai thief, or it might have been stolen by Shu..."

He swallowed the rest of the words - If you don't take it, Your Majesty still wants to benefit from the two thousand carts of Kui salt every year?

A sage knows a tune by hearing it, and understood what Li Ting wanted to say but hesitated, and was choked for a moment; these bureaucrats who were young Jinshi graduates were really sharp-tongued.

Li Ting pursued the victory: "When the southeast offered tribute, Li never paid a penny, and even sent troops to escort it many times. This is well known in Jiangling. Di Guichang must have received money from someone, so he framed the general and alienated the emperor and his ministers."

The saint's face turned red and white. Fortunately, he added a sentence "It seems that the lunatic is talking nonsense" at the end of his speech, otherwise it would be embarrassing. In addition, if he was not a time traveler, it would be difficult to distinguish Cheng Li's loyalty and treachery...

As for Cheng Li, Sun Guangxian, a confidant of Gao Jixing during the Later Tang Dynasty, once commented: "He was favored by the Tang Dynasty but helped the tyrant to commit evil, and was a fake official of Chen Cheng. He was neither loyal nor righteous, and was always wrong."

The historians of the Northern Song Dynasty held the opposite attitude: "Cheng Li was a powerful vassal. Although he did not do anything to save the Tang Dynasty, he was loyal to the emperor. Although his achievements were not fulfilled, his ambition is commendable." Although he did not take any actual actions to save the Tang Dynasty, he gave money to the Li family and shouted slogans. Isn't this called loyal to the emperor? It is still worthy of recognition.

Xue Juzheng and his gang lied with open eyes and whitewashed traitors with such disgusting words. It might be related to the betrayal of Zhao Kuangyin, the governor of Guide Army, to Emperor Shizong of Zhou.

The saint did not intend to argue verbally with Li Ting anymore.

He had considered the strength of Jingnan. There were more than 40,000 soldiers and horses on land and sea, which was actually difficult to support, but Chengli had a strong desire for expansion and used all his income for military affairs. When the Tang Dynasty was about to fall, it had 100,000 people. However, judging from the performance of being annihilated by the Wu people in the Battle of Ezhou, there was a lot of water. At present, these 40,000 troops, on the one hand, frustrated the Shu people's eastward advance and wiped out the Cai bandits. On the other hand, they failed to deal with the Lei family who ruled Wuling and Lizhou repeatedly; it was hard to say how strong they were.

The territory currently controls eight states and one prefecture, including Kui, Wan, Zhong, Fu, Shi, Gui, Xia, Yu, and Jiangling. Liu Xin, the governor of Yuzhou, was appointed by the court. Last year, he brought thousands of barbarians to the king, but if Cheng Li wanted to use force, the old man would have no choice but to run away.

Overall, they are not strong enemies.

Considering this, the sage, who had been silent for a long time, finally revealed his true intentions: "I have an edict now, Li Qing, please take a look at it for the time being."

Li Ting felt a chill on his back. There was no reason for the king's order to be leaked in advance... He didn't know what heinous scheme the cunning emperor was planning.

"Chongyan." The saint called out and hooked his finger at the young woman who was writing next to him. Nangong Chongyan came over with a pile of official documents, smiled and glanced at Li Ting with ill intent, then put the things in his hand on the table and sat down on his left.

The sage did not make any distinction and casually picked up the top edict and handed it to Li Ting.

Li Ting subconsciously stood up, took it with both hands, opened it and took a look.

——"The Edict to Recruit Cheng Li": Jingnan defends the land, and the saints have been stable. Recently, because of Chao's disorderly order, bandits have risen up and dared to plot evil. Li thought that the Nine Cauldrons could be obtained, so he fabricated faults and plundered the neighboring roads... The court is the public judge of the world. What we are worried about is that the king's teachings are not promoted and the criminal law is not strong; since we want to stop the war, we will order the army to move. It is advisable to order Zhao Kuangning, the governor of Xiangyang, Tang, Dengsui and other states, to cooperate with Lei Man and Ma Yin. Still order the central commander Zhao Fu and Zha Zhu... 30,000 infantry and cavalry to supervise and dispatch successively... The great law has no pardon, and the constitution must be implemented..."

"This..." Li Ting was dumbfounded, his hands and claws trembling. The saint was so amiable just a moment ago, how could he change his attitude so quickly?
"Keep reading." The saint remained calm and pointed to the pile on the table. Looking at Li Ting's pale face, Nangong Chongyan laughed. Don't worry, I wrote a lot of orders, and the words may be relatively harsh, so please bear with it.

——"The Decree of Appointing Cheng Li as the Governor of Beidi to Inspect the Turkic, Tangut, and Tibetan Envoys": The Shuofang territory is vast and complex. It is blocked by the barbarians and the Mo people, and is a strategic point. The desolate Jilu has been lonely for many years. Rather than going out to the border with all our might, why not seek out talented people to defend the border? Moreover, the land of a thousand miles is fertile and can be cultivated. If we can find the right person, the country will have nothing to worry about. The resumes of Chinese and foreign peoples are difficult to match my will. I think the Chinese customs are the same, but I stopped before it happened. I advised to ask the barbarians to work in the fields, but stopped at Yanying. Looking back at the past dynasties, this is regrettable. The Supreme Pillar State Cheng Li is a virtuous official, unrestrained and resolute. I know he is worthy of the job. But the Governor of Beidi County has lofty ideas and lofty ambitions. "

——"The Decree of Granting Li Ting the Title of Jincheng Yinjun Liangzhou Education Envoy": Only when the king is acting, can things prosper. The rise and fall of a country is based on rituals and music. The success or failure of a government is based on clarity. If you want to stop the war, you must promote love. Get rid of the mixed and violent spirits, and ignore the blindness of the ignorant. I am so far away that I am always worried that the candles in the Xuanshi Hall will not be lit, and I am always worried that the people in the prefectures and counties will not be close to the register. Li Ting, the secretary of the Jingnan Jiedushi, is upright and cautious, and his words are like words…"

Li Ting's eyes widened.

Education Envoy, when did this new position come into being? You suddenly let me manage the three counties of Jincheng, Liangzhou, and Yin. How can pie fall from the sky? Is your Majesty lying?
Wow, scroll down.

really!

There is also a system of appointment for Zheng Zhun, He Yin and other shogunate colleagues, as well as generals such as Zhao Wu, Xu Cun and Liu Changmei. Almost all the middle and high-level officials are left out. This is to capture everyone in one fell swoop!

He looked at the Saint and the Lady of Handan County again.

The couple smiled in the same way.

So bad!
Once these decrees are announced, whether it is rewards or punishments, people in Jingnan will be in chaos. Not everyone likes to secede. At least he came here to repay the kindness of Cheng Shuai; not everyone can see through the temptation of becoming an official in the court.

"Just wait for it to be sent back to Chang'an for use. When and what to send is up to Cheng Li and you." The saint stroked Li Ting's hair and woke him up from his trance: "Go back to Jiangling and convey my intentions clearly. I will only give him ten days. If he doesn't come to see me within ten days, I will go to see him."

Hearing this, the concubines, waiters, officials, and guards in Wanshou Court all smiled, and more than a hundred eyes were cast on Li Ting.

Li Ting got goose bumps on his neck.

"Your Majesty, may I ask who will succeed the governor of Jingnan?"

"My elder brother-in-law Kuang Ning." The shameless saint answered as a matter of course. Zhao Ruozhao, who was busy beside him, snorted and his stomach twitched. He bit his cheek to hold it in. I haven't officially entered the palace yet, and I haven't even slept with you yet. Is this saint too shameless?
Li Ting closed his eyes.

As expected. It was impossible to ask Zhao Kuangning to move to Jingnan before. If the saint dared to issue this edict, it was impossible to predict what Zhao Kuangning would do. But now the relationship between the two sides has entered a new era. In addition, facing the threat of Zhu Wen, as long as the saint takes Jingnan and asks him to move, he will probably be eager to move to a safe place. Besides, Jingnan has eight states and one prefecture, isn't it better than Xiangyang?
"General Cheng has worked hard to govern Jing for six years..." Li Ting swallowed his saliva. Before leaving, Cheng Li had talked to him. If the town could be moved, it would not be impossible to hand over Jingnan. If not, other interests should be strived for. At that time, according to the price paid by the saint, he would consider whether to surrender to Liang or join the court.

"Stop talking." As soon as he opened his mouth, he was interrupted by the saint: "He is a prefect of a county. I still remember his merits in governing Jing. Don't bargain, let him rest assured. As long as he is dedicated to the king's affairs and holds the Jingnan, I will not let him down. I keep my word, you can ask someone. Wu Xiong is such a stubborn killer, I will let him be the captain of Yincheng, can't I accommodate Cheng Li?"

"If he refuses to let go, you must persuade him to think about the tragedy of Li Maozhen, Wang Xingyu, Wang Xingyue, Han Jian, Li Gongdi, Han Zun, and Wang Jian. Once the battle starts, people's hearts are unpredictable. He may be killed by his subordinates before I reach Jiangling. His wife and daughter were beaten by the chaotic soldiers and cried. When they got tired of playing, they chopped them into small pieces and threw them into the cauldron and boiled with salt. Is it fun? I was not afraid of tens of thousands of Bian thieves in Jingu City and Pujin Pass, and I will not be afraid of a mere Chengli this time. If you don't come to the court, you will die."

It was like thunder rumbling in my ears.

Wenren Chuchu, Nangong Chongyan, and Zhao Ruozhao stole glances at the saint's expression in surprise.

Li Ting stood up and bowed down in fear and trepidation: "I am guilty. I will remember your Majesty's admonition and return to the south to report."

Difficult.

Zhao Kuangning, Lei Man, Ma Yin, and Wang Jianzhao are enemies on all sides. Once they start fighting with the saint, I can’t imagine what cruel scenes will happen.

I hope Cheng Shuai has some sense and doesn't lose his mind.

(End of this chapter)