You have truly caused me great suffering!

July 15th, the third year of the Jingkang era.

It so happened that the grand court assembly was taking place, and the civil and military officials, after the suburban and temple ceremonies, came to the Zichen Hall.

Shao Chengzhang shouted as he read out the major events of the month, which were nothing more than auspicious words.

Zhao Huan listened with great interest.

He liked these court assemblies the most because they didn't involve anything major, since he had taken the throne and any such events were always bad.

And it's a really bad thing.

It's good that nothing happened, it's good that nothing happened!

Seeing the Emperor Zhao Huan's amiable and smiling face, Li Gang felt a surge of anger.

With the country facing both internal and external troubles, how can things be so relaxed!

He silently recited what he was about to say as he stepped forward, going over it in his mind once more.

After Shao Chengzhang finished reading, Zhao Huan said, "My dear ministers, the current peace and prosperity are all thanks to you."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Gang was about to step forward and interrupt the official's nonsense.

With a sword hanging over their heads, how can there be peace and prosperity throughout the land? The Dingnan Army is said to number 100,000, but if auxiliary troops are included, its size is probably no less than 200,000.

With a single order from the Taiyuan Prefecture, 500,000 laborers from Hedong were mobilized, demonstrating an authority even greater than that of the imperial court.

This is not a scene of peace and prosperity; it is clearly a sign of impending national demise.

Before he could speak, someone else spoke first. Yang Yizhong stepped forward and said, "Your Majesty, the peace we enjoy today is entirely due to the Prince of Dai's recovery of Youyan and Yunzhong. Merit must be rewarded, and transgression must be punished."

“Last autumn, the northern barbarians invaded. His Majesty granted Li Gang the authority to lead the campaign and ordered him to organize the army to defend Bianjing. We personally witnessed Li Gang proclaiming to the soldiers and civilians that ‘the city is strong and reliable.’ However, the gunpowder kilns only had enough for three months, and the arrow towers were short 100,000 arrows. The Jin army invaded the capital and ravaged the surrounding area. Is this not a failure of ‘defense’?”

"The Jingyuan army, which was sent to defend the emperor, requested to attack the enemy camp, but Li Gang rebuked them for being 'reckless' and held back. This allowed the Jin army to easily capture Pan Town."

"Looking at how Minister Li defended the capital region, he not only achieved nothing, but also repeatedly committed major military taboos, resulting in the court's weak defenses, misjudged deployments, and the loss of external support. Yet he still holds a high position, and I fear that the people of the land will not be convinced."

Li Gang was stunned. Before he could even speak, they had already attacked him.

Yang Yizhong was detained in the Dingnan Army camp during the palace coup a few years ago, and then defected to Chen Shao.

Everyone knows about this.

They sent Yang Yizhong to lead the charge; they've really lost all sense of shame.

Others reacted with indignation, sneered, or remained indifferent.
But many more people stepped forward one by one to second the motion.

Vice Chancellor Bai Shizhong, Commissioner of the Three Departments Gao Jie, and newly appointed Deputy Privy Councilor Zhang Xiaochun all stepped forward to second the motion.

At this moment, Yuwen Xuzhong's face was grim.

Although Cai Jing did not attend today's court assembly, he immediately saw through Cai Jing's scheme.

The partisan strife has begun again.
I recall the rumors circulating that the Prince of Dai himself said that there would be no northern expedition this year, and that the soldiers should rest for another year.

It is clear that the Dingnan Army is no longer fighting, and the imperial court no longer needs to exert all its efforts to unite all forces to contribute food, supplies, and provisions to it.

So they immediately launched a factional struggle to eliminate dissidents. This Prince Dai and Cai Jing were truly ruthless in their betrayal.

He had just decided to take a break this year when the factional strife started immediately, without giving him any time to prepare.

What Yuwen Xuzhong didn't know was that Li Gang had just been preparing to offer his advice.
Li Gang also knew that he should not disturb the court when there was a possibility of war on the front lines. During the truce, he planned to gradually regain power in the court.

The local areas are no longer under their control; Hedong and Shandong have all become the territory of the Dingnan Army. At least in the imperial court of Bianliang, they can no longer be in charge.

Li Gang did not consult with Yuwen Xuzhong before undertaking this task, because he felt that although Yuwen Xuzhong was resourceful, he was not good at making decisions.

He is always hesitant and indecisive when faced with problems. If you discuss something with him, Yuwen Xuzhong will most likely object.

Before anything even started, the other side made the first move.

Moreover, regardless of whether Li Gang is loyal to the emperor or loves his country, the emperor has entrusted you with the task of resisting the Jin, and is giving you strong support. He is even willing to turn against the retired emperor and punish many pro-peace officials.

But the Jin army marched unimpeded all the way to the vicinity of the capital, scaring the emperor half to death.

During Zongwang's first southward campaign and the second campaign with two armies marching south together, the only effective action taken by Li Gang's subordinates was Yue Fei's role in blocking Zonghan for a period of time in Zhending Prefecture.

Such a record is truly unacceptable; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's a disgrace.

When the Dingnan Army arrived, they drove the Tartars out of Hebei and took the opportunity to recover Youyan.

Although Li Gang was furious, he had no way to refute it, as he had not prepared beforehand.

His defeats on the battlefield were his biggest weakness, and these officials kept harping on it.

Li Gang, who had already taken half a step, could not take the remaining half step no matter what he did.

He was filled with grief and indignation, and a little bit of shame. Why hadn't he won?
If the troops under one's command have won even one conflict, it would be enough to cover up one's shame at this time.

The only truly elite troops they now possess are the newly formed Bianliang army, which Gao Qiu, whom they had always looked down upon, had trained on his deathbed.

That was built by Gao Qiu at the cost of his life, to repay the Emperor's kindness and favor. He promoted a large number of young military officers, making it arguably the most daring and capable army.

Unfortunately, when the Jin army was pressing in, the Emperor Emeritus held onto it and refused to hand it over.

This also squandered the Song Dynasty's last chance. You drove out the Tartars entirely by relying on the Dingnan Army, so anything you say seems pale and powerless.

Inside the Zichen Palace, the officials' heated voices echoed continuously.

The king on the high platform remained silent, while his colleagues around him secretly watched him with strange looks.

In order to counter the Dingnan Army, Li Gang sent all his accomplices, those who were loyal to the Song Dynasty and wary of the Dingnan Army, out to train the new army.

Zong Ze, Zhang Suo, Wang Bing, Ma Kuo.
The remaining people numbered only a dozen or so, and they were all those who did not have the official rank or seniority. Only a handful of them were qualified to enter the Zichen Palace to participate in the Suwang Court Assembly.

Yuwen Xuzhong suddenly took a step forward. This kid was very cunning. He knew that the hall was noisy now, and his words would definitely be drowned out.

So he ran around the palace, raised his hands, and jumped three times. Such a bizarre action indeed attracted everyone's attention.

Seizing the brief moment of silence, Yuwen Xuzhong exclaimed loudly, "The siege of Bianliang, was it truly Li Xianggong's fault?"

"Before this, weren't there villains like Tong Guan, Liang Shicheng, Wang Fu, Cai You, and Zhu Mian who ruined the nation's arsenal, causing military preparedness to fall into disrepair and leaving the soldiers powerless to fight?"

His move worked, and Li Gang's faction seized the opportunity.

The ball is being passed to the Emperor; the current disparity in strength between the two sides is too great. Only by bringing down the Emperor can we protect Minister Li.

Everyone's thinking is quite simple.

Even if Your Majesty is dissatisfied with Minister Li, you should still support a force in the court that dares to oppose the Prince of Dai.

Aside from the renowned and upright prime minister Li Gang, who else would dare to oppose Chen Shao, who commanded a large army?

Now that we've stepped forward, Your Majesty, you'd better try to smooth things over, at least try to save Minister Li. All eyes were on Emperor Zhao Huan, making him restless and uneasy.

Inside the Zichen Palace, you could hear a pin drop.

About twenty breaths later, when everyone's patience was almost exhausted, Zhao Huan finally spoke.

"This matter is extremely difficult to judge. The ministers all have their own opinions, and I cannot make a decision. Why not send someone to inquire about the Prince of Dai's opinion?"

Even the Hedong faction was stunned at this moment.

They did not pursue Li Gang further after that incident.

The official's statement was so illogical that everyone felt it might be a sign of dissatisfaction, a sarcastic remark.

But upon closer listening, it doesn't quite sound like it.
To prioritize the overall situation, everyone abandoned this opportune moment to pursue and kill Li Gang, and decided to wait until the next grand court assembly to continue.

Of course, the turmoil in Shilin will not subside.

Back then, when Cai Jing dealt with the old party, he directly used the "Traitorous Party Monument" to completely end the conflict between the new and old parties.

He is adept at using public opinion to create momentum.

After the court session ended, Yuwen Xuzhong walked anxiously to Li Gang's side and discreetly positioned himself behind him so that he might fall.

If Prime Minister Li were to be attacked and fall in the Zichen Palace, it would be a huge blow to the already weak morale of their faction.

Li Gang straightened up and laughed, "Uncle Tong, don't worry, I'm not so easily defeated."

The two walked out of the Zichen Palace side by side and strolled slowly along the main road of the imperial city.
-

After the court session, Zhao Huan was sullen and unhappy.

He immediately set up a table at Yanfu Palace, and only the company of his family could make him feel a little more relaxed.

Shao Chengzhang stood to the side, hesitant to speak. As someone close to the emperor, even if he was dull-witted, he could see through the emperor's intentions.

His Majesty has already surrendered; what reason do the ministers have to fight now?

Even from the highest moral standpoint, if the emperor were to abdicate, and you disobeyed the imperial decree, you would be considered traitors.

Thinking of this, the eunuch who originally had his heart set on the Song Dynasty could only shake his head silently.

Just then, a dark cloud swept across the sky and covered the imperial city.

Looking at the palace eaves shrouded in shadow, Shao Chengzhang knew in his heart that the Song Dynasty was doomed.

But seeing the Emperor, who had arrived at Yanfu Palace and was now beaming with joy, Shao Chengzhang felt that it wasn't so bad that the Song Dynasty was finished.

The emperor was not a good emperor.
-

A three-legged gilded incense burner with animal heads, placed on a rosewood flower table, emitted wisps of blue smoke. Cai Jing sat in his bedroom, receiving guests.

Nowadays, everyone knows that Grand Tutor Cai is old and rarely visits. Even when he does come, he only stays for a short while before leaving.

In fact, Cai Jing felt that his health was better than before.

The pressure was already too great.

Emperor Huizong (Zhao Ji) was a bottomless pit; Tong Guan, Wang Fu, and Liang Shicheng were all baring their teeth, eager to bring him down.

Even with all his skills, he could never satisfy the emperor's insatiable appetite.

Moreover, seeing the money he had worked so hard to obtain being casually scattered in palaces, Taoist temples, and gardens, and being casually given as rewards to close officials, concubines, and even palace servants, Cai Jing felt like he wanted to vomit blood.

Now that they only need to focus on their work, the Song Dynasty's finances are even slowly improving.

To reiterate, the Song Dynasty was not short of money; how much grain, fodder, and supplies did the Dingnan Army consume?
To be honest, it was a lot, but the Song Dynasty could afford it.

Compared to the ten military governors of the previous dynasty during the Tianbao era, compared to the 600,000 imperial guards of this dynasty, and compared to the local garrison soldiers who were paid without working...
Ding Nanjun is content as long as he has enough to eat.

Moreover, after they destroyed the Western Xia and recovered Yunzhong and Youyan, the annual tribute saved was enough for their own expenses.

Cai Jing felt that this time assisting in government was easier than any previous time, which made him feel very happy.

As for his descendants, after Cai Jing completely abandoned his sons and focused solely on raising his grandchildren, he truly felt a sense of boundless freedom.
The grandchildren are all at the right age now.

When Zhang Xiaochun came today, Cai Jing, unusually, did not lie down but sat in a chair.

Zhang Xiaochun looked at Cai Jing, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Regardless of his character, if you were to conspire with someone like Cai Jing in officialdom, you'd be truly fortunate.

Because he kept winning
Aside from being forcibly suppressed for a few years by Zhao Ji, the strongest imperial power in the Song Dynasty, he had no rivals at other times.

The reason is simple: the Song Dynasty rests on his shoulders; he is the one maintaining the Song Dynasty's finances.

Just like Li Gang's rebuttal today seems pale and powerless.

He was unable to defeat the invading Jin army, so he was powerless against the Dingnan Army.

The old party scholar-officials were incapable of managing the finances of the Song Dynasty, so they were generally powerless in the face of Cai Jing.

It can be said that Cai Jing feared only one thing: that external forces would violently destroy the current system of the Song Dynasty.

Either the iron hooves of foreign tribes will shatter the framework of the Song Dynasty, or a powerful figure like Chen Shao will use force to eliminate him.

Within the bureaucratic system of the Song Dynasty, he had already achieved an invincible status.

You say the Song Dynasty is sick, and you can treat the illness, but you can't just cut off its main artery, can you?

Chen Shao's reason for cooperating with him was simple: he wanted to inherit as much of the Song Dynasty's legacy as possible.

Destroying a dynasty, utterly shattering it, and then establishing a new dynasty is a catastrophe and a disaster for the people of this land.

If Yang Jian had destroyed the Northern Zhou and established the Sui Dynasty, he wouldn't have been able to accumulate the richest fortune in history for his son so quickly.

After the two sides finished exchanging pleasantries, Cai Jing smiled and said, "In my opinion, it is not appropriate to press on now, but rather to give them a break."

Zhang Xiaochun glanced sideways, never expecting that Cai Xiang, known for his fierce internal strife, would say such a thing.

Cai Jing chuckled and said, "The problem with the Prince of Dai now lies not in the court, but in the common people. If we suppress them too harshly and demote them from the court to various places, they might be misled and cause some people in the localities to oppose the Prince of Dai."

"You should know that those who were able to reach the Golden Hall in Bianjing were all local gentry leaders, while the Dingnan Army in the Jiangnan region could not get their hands on it."

Zhang Xiaochun clearly took it to heart, and Cai Jing nodded secretly; it was so pleasant to work with smart people.

He continued, “Most of them will remain in the court, and some will even be promoted, but not given important positions. Their only hope in the court is that the Emperor will work with them, but it seems that the Emperor has no intention of joining them.”

Zhang Xiaochun nodded repeatedly and said, "I will certainly pass on Grand Tutor Cai's invaluable advice to the Prince of Dai."

Keeping these people trapped in Bianliang might actually be better than sending them to various places. (End of Chapter)