The prince is more stable

Chapter 888 Internal Strife and Rebellion

Kill greed and foster ambition; wealth will win hearts.

Xiao Fengxian could study all sorts of underhanded tricks that China has used over thousands of years for a hundred years.

On the surface, Zhao Xiaoqian's proposed method was actually a damn open scheme. Anyway, you can say whether killing corrupt officials is wrong or not, and whether the emperor killing corrupt officials can be considered acting in the people's best interests.

If you take this logic to the emperor, he will be perfectly justified. When corrupt officials are killed, the people are happy and grateful for the emperor's benevolence, and the national treasury is full.

Everyone except the corrupt officials is a winner.

Now, if used in the Liao Dynasty, Yelü Yanxi could also conveniently pay off the huge debt he owed to the Song Dynasty.

Xiao Fengxian was shocked. There were intelligent people among the Khitan people, but not many, unless they had systematically studied the culture, military strategy and tactics of the Central Plains.

Xiao Fengxian was just slick and slippery, but he wasn't exactly smart. At least, Zhao Xiaoqian's method was like opening a new world for him.

So this is how the national treasury can increase revenue...

The Central Plains Kingdom is indeed unfathomable; even a casual suggestion from the Emperor seems to represent a height that he could never reach in his lifetime.

"Your Majesty's vision is truly remarkable; I am filled with admiration!" Xiao Fengxian immediately knelt down.

See? He may not be the smartest person, but he's very clever at dealing with people.

No matter how exaggerated Xiao Fengxian's so-called worship was, Zhao Xiaoqian felt quite comfortable looking at it.

This guy was born to navigate the officialdom. No wonder that in the real history, despite doing so many things that angered both heaven and man, Yelü Yanxi still trusted and valued him as always.

With such skill in flattery, even if you're incredibly unlucky, you're unlikely to do too badly.

“There’s no need for admiration. I’m just here to collect a debt…” Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, “Several million taels of silver may not be a large sum for a country, but it is very important to my Great Song Dynasty. Do you understand what I mean?”

Xiao Fengxian smiled and said, "Your Majesty understands. It's all about saving face. Your Majesty wants the people of the Great Song Dynasty to know the humiliations they suffered back then. Now Your Majesty will personally help the people get revenge. It's also important for Your Majesty, who has just ascended the throne."

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled: "You are a clever person, you can see my thoughts very clearly."

"Your Majesty is too kind. How could I presume to speculate on the will of Heaven? I merely wish to share Your Majesty's burdens."

Zhao Xiaoqian nodded: "I'll leave this matter to you and Xiao Wuna. In short, try your best to persuade Yelü Yanxi to return what he took from me and not accept installment payments. If he's so poor that he can't even afford to eat, I can help him come up with ideas to raise money."

"Your Majesty, rest assured, leave this matter to me. I will definitely persuade Yelü Yanxi to honestly return the money."

After a pause, Xiao Fengxian cautiously asked, "I have another question. When does Your Majesty plan to launch a northern expedition to destroy the Liao Kingdom?"

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and said, "I have only recently ascended the throne, and there are still many things to be dealt with in the country. In addition, the Song Dynasty has been at war for years, and the national treasury is indeed a bit tight. After a year or two, once the Song Dynasty has recovered its strength, I will launch a northern expedition, and the next battle will completely destroy the Liao Kingdom."

Xiao Fengxian said happily, "On the day Your Majesty launches the Northern Expedition, I will certainly clear away the obstacles for Your Majesty to enter the capital from the Liao Kingdom and welcome the royal army into the capital."

Zhao Xiaoqian blinked and said, "Before that, there's something I need you to do..."

"Your Majesty, please give your orders."

"When Yelü Yanxi was still the Crown Prince, he had a dark past, and it's time to bring it up and expose it..."

"What dark history?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled mysteriously and said, "Back when the Song and Liao dynasties first went to war, Yelü Chun was the commander-in-chief and Yelü Yanxi was the deputy commander-in-chief. They confronted and fought against our royal army. Yelü Yanxi was once captured alive by our Song army and was a prisoner in the Song army camp for a while. Are you aware of this?"

Xiao Fengxian gasped, his eyes widening in shock: "This, this... this is actually real?"

"you have heard?"

"When Yelü Yanxi ascended the throne, there were similar rumors circulating in the capital, saying that he had a dishonorable past and had been a prisoner of the Song army. However, Yelü Yanxi was furious and ordered a thorough investigation, killing a large number of people who spread the rumors. Only then did the rumors gradually subside..."

"I had vaguely heard this rumor at the time, and I was skeptical. I thought it was a rumor spread by people in the court who were dissatisfied with Yelü Yanxi's ascension to the throne. I never expected it to be true. He really was a prisoner of the Song army?"

Zhao Xiaoqian smiled slightly: "It's absolutely true. This guy was a real spendthrift playboy back then."

"When the two armies are at war and the atmosphere is tense, even rabbits in the wild have to walk with their tails between their legs. Yet he actually led a hundred or so men out of the camp to hunt without permission. Tsk! I've been thinking about this for ten days and ten nights and I still can't figure it out. What was he thinking?"

"In the end, this guy, along with about a hundred personal guards, was captured alive by one of my generals. That general was credited with a great achievement, and Yelü Yanxi was imprisoned in my Song army camp for two months before being released."

Yelü Hongji had suppressed the news from that year, and Xiao Fengxian was clearly unaware of it. He was immediately astonished and asked, "Why did you let him go when you clearly captured him alive?"

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and said, "I didn't want to either, but Yelü Chun gave too much..."

Xiao Fengxian: "???"

"Yelü Chun sent envoys to negotiate, and the Liao army withdrew from its camp on the south bank of the Juma River. They also offered 10,000 warhorses and a vast and fertile area of ​​more than 400 square miles as a condition to exchange for Yelü Yanxi. If you were me, would you agree?"

Xiao Fengxian understood and respected the offer, and nodded without hesitation: "It seems that I cannot refuse, the offer is too tempting."

Then Xiao Fengxian seemed to be thinking about something and muttered, "No wonder the Liao army suffered such a crushing defeat in that battle. The two armies barely clashed before the Liao army inexplicably retreated to the north bank of the Juma River, and they didn't even have time to take 10,000 warhorses with them."

"When the news of the defeat reached the capital, many court officials found it strange. The defeat was simply unbelievable. Even now, some court officials are still submitting memorials demanding a thorough investigation into the inside story."

"So it was all a transaction, all to get Yelü Yanxi back. That makes sense now." Xiao Fengxian said, a look of realization dawning on his face. Then, Xiao Fengxian suddenly paused, looking at Zhao Xiaoqian: "I wonder why Your Majesty brought this up today?"

Zhao Xiaoqian said leisurely, "Although the Northern Expedition will be delayed, because I'm a bit poor lately, justice may be delayed, even if the Northern Expedition is delayed!"

Xiao Fengxian: "…………"

Zhao Xiaoqian's expression changed, and he smiled maliciously, "I have told you about this matter. After you return to the capital, you can do whatever you want to make it known to everyone, so that the people of Liao can know the truth and see what kind of person their emperor is."

"If the people of Liao all knew that their emperor had been captured by the enemy, Yelü Yanxi's words would probably not carry as much weight in the court in the future, would they?"

"And then there's the Liao Dynasty's reforms, which have caused widespread outrage and resentment... Tsk! I'm worried for Yelü Yanxi!"

Xiao Fengxian's eyes widened in surprise.

Amomum villosum and pork heart!
What a vicious scheme!
Upon further reflection, Xiao Fengxian immediately recognized his own camp.

I'm a subject of the Song Dynasty, so how can this plan be called malicious? It's clearly extremely clever!
"Your Majesty... is brilliant! I am utterly in awe, utterly in awe!" Xiao Fengxian immediately prostrated himself dramatically, bowing his head and shouting.

Zhao Xiaoqian laughed heartily.

He knew that Xiao Fengxian's flattery was exaggerated and hypocritical, but he was still very happy to hear it.

Just like when women are being intimate, they call out all sorts of random names like "baba," "husband," "passenger," "patient," "bad student," "plumber," "doorman," and so on.

Is it fake or not?
Of course it's fake.

Unhappy?
Come on, tell the truth honestly.

Yelü Yanxi, far away in the Liao capital, probably never imagined that he had merely sent an envoy to the Song Dynasty, only to have the Song emperor and the Liao envoy exchange a few words and then conspire to ruin him, creating a huge mess for him.

Although the Song Dynasty is currently poor, justice cannot be delayed.

The two countries fought not only on the main battlefield, but also on many hidden battlefields.

Zhao Xiaoqian wanted internal strife in Liao, the more chaotic the better.

A foolish monarch, a corrupt court, and a weak army were all good news for the Song Dynasty.

To achieve this goal, all means, both honorable and dishonorable, can be used.

Anyway, Yelü Yanxi has two traitors around him, and he himself has a ready-made dark history, so why not use them?

Ah, no, not his dark history, but the path he took to get where he came from.

After discussing matters with Xiao Fengxian over a drink, Zhao Xiaoqian escorted him out of the palace and ordered the Vice Minister of Rites and the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies to entertain him.

Xiao Fengxian left the palace with profuse thanks.

Of course, Zhao Xiaoqian also gave special instructions to the Vice Minister of Rites and the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.

While we should treat him well, we shouldn't spoil Xiao Fengxian too much. He's come all this way to Bianjing, the capital of the Song Dynasty, so it's fine for him to appreciate and experience the local customs, but we can't grant him excessive requests, such as visiting brothels, bullying men and women, or anything like that.

Yes, you can't go to brothels, not even if you pay them.

Even now, during the national mourning period for the late emperor, music and marriage are forbidden throughout the country. If Xiao Fengxian dares to visit a brothel at this time, he will still be punished according to the laws of the Song Dynasty.

The weather is getting cooler, and the Mid-Autumn Festival is approaching.

Lately, something strange has been happening; old friends have been coming to visit in droves, and we've had one reunion after another.

The next day, Zheng Chunhe came to report that Li Qingchen had returned to the capital.

After Zhao Xiaoqian established the Supervisory Office, he appointed a Supervisory Grand Master and two Assistant Ministers, who together formed the basic structure of the Supervisory Office.

Li Qingchen was personally appointed as the Right Vice Minister of the Censorate by Zhao Xiaoqian.

Li Qingchen, who was originally serving as the Vice Prefect of Zhending Prefecture, immediately handed over the prefecture's administrative affairs after receiving Zhao Xiaoqian's decree to transfer him to Bianjing.

Upon returning to Bianjing, before even going home, Li Qingchen immediately went to the palace gates to request an audience.

The two were former colleagues. When Zhao Xiaoqian served as the prefect of Zhending, he was very incompetent and basically did nothing. If it weren't for Li Qingchen helping him manage things and acting as the prefect in his capacity as a sub-prefect, Zhending Prefecture would have been in a mess.

Strictly speaking, Zhao Xiaoqian owed Li Qingchen a favor back then.

Upon hearing that Li Qingchen had returned to the capital, Zhao Xiaoqian was overjoyed and immediately issued an imperial edict to summon him.

Not long after, Li Qingchen, dressed in official robes, arrived at Funing Hall. Upon entering the hall, he did not dare to raise his head and knelt down in front of the table on the west side of the hall.

"Your subject, Li Qingchen, the Vice Prefect of Zhending Prefecture, pays his respects to Your Majesty."

After waiting for a long time, there was no movement or speech from behind the table. Li Qingchen gradually showed some fear and unease, but remained in a prostrate position and dared not move.

After a long while, a figure squatted down beside him, looking at the empty table in front of him with a puzzled expression. He leaned close to his ear and asked in confusion, "Brother Bangzhi, what's so special about this broken table that you're willing to worship it? Have you developed an attachment to it?"

(End of this chapter)