King of Song

Chapter 336

Perhaps Li Fugui would never have imagined that a single mistake of his own would stir up unrest in the Northwest, making both the Song Dynasty and Xixia restless.

In the winter of the third year of Xining, the Song Dynasty was deeply involved from Qingzhou to Bianjing because of the case of Li Fugui and Lin Zhao.Gyeongju is in chaos, the Zhong family and the Zhe family are implicated, and the northwest border can be described as turbulent.

Fortunately, during this period, the Xixia people temporarily died down and did not take advantage of the situation to launch an attack, avoiding a catastrophic turmoil.

Is it because Xixia people are short-sighted and see a good opportunity right now?

Empress Dowager Liang knew very well that many people in Xixia were aware of it, but they just couldn't send troops.

Because of Liang Yibu's series of mistakes, the party aristocrats who were finally suppressed were ready to move, which made the Queen Mother Liang's situation very bad.

Under such circumstances, the Empress Dowager Liang was very exhausted from dealing with party aristocrats, and she really didn't have much energy to launch a foreign war.

Furthermore, domestic instability, how to go to war?A large amount of military power is in the hands of party aristocrats, so they have no choice but to give up this great opportunity.

Liang Yibu, as the chief culprit, naturally became the target of public criticism, even his sister, Queen Mother Liang, was very dissatisfied with him.

A few days ago, he was transferred back from the front line of Gyeongju. After returning to Xingqing Mansion, he had to scold him severely.It's just that they are brothers and sisters after all, so the Empress Dowager Liang has to rely on him in many places, and at least she has to cover up for him to minimize the influence.

"You, you, how old are you, why are you always so fraught with things?" The Empress Dowager Liang was quite annoyed with a look of hatred.

The marriage between Qingtang City and Tubo failed, and the conquest of Dashun City fell short. It also affected the embarrassment of her sister, Queen Mother Liang, and damaged her reputation.Everything started because of Liang Yi's burial, and it is reasonable for the Empress Dowager Liang to criticize him.

"My sister taught me a lesson, and it's all my fault!" Liang Yibu didn't dare to talk back to his sister, after all, he was at fault first, so he had to listen obediently.But the shadow of Lin Zhao involuntarily emerged in his heart, everything was because of him, otherwise why would he have failed so many times?

Fortunately, he joined forces with Li Fugui to concoct an unjust case, and the Song Dynasty emperor would help him kill him, which is considered revenge.Liang Yi's deep hatred buried in his heart finally got a little relief, and the corners of his mouth couldn't help showing a bit of complacency.

Although it was only a slight change in expression, the Empress Dowager Liang, who knew him very well and was very observant, noticed it at a glance.

"What? You don't know what's wrong, do you? The majestic Prime Minister of the Western Xia Dynasty was swayed by a boy who was weak in the Song Dynasty. Let's see what you can do?" The Queen Mother Liang couldn't help but ignore that she and her younger brother were only in their 20s. At the same time, I am very curious about this young man from the Song Dynasty named Lin Zhao, who is he?

Although the younger brother is not particularly outstanding, his ability is quite strong, which can make him defenseless. There must be something special about this person.To be honest, Empress Dowager Liang really wanted to meet this person, to see who the hell he was?But I am afraid that there will never be a chance. I heard that he has been imprisoned and will be executed soon.

How Lin Zhao was convicted, Empress Dowager Liang didn't care, only the fact.Thinking of Lin Zhao, he couldn't help but think of that scandal.Lin Zhao is the face of the Empress Dowager Xixia?What a joke!Empress Dowager Liang felt deeply humiliated, but when she thought about it, she couldn't help but feel a little shy.After all, even though she is the empress dowager, she is still a woman, not to mention she is only in her 20s!
Liang Yibu's face flushed, he was very embarrassed.Lin Zhao was already a dead person. When the hatred lost its target, Liang Yibu began to reflect on himself.What I did this time is really not good enough, and I must pay more attention to it later.

Empress Dowager Liang said: "I have tried my best, and the situation has gradually stabilized. You have to suffer some shocks, which can be regarded as a lesson for you."

Liang Yibu said nothing, this incident really had a great impact on him.His position as prime minister is preserved, but his power and prestige will naturally be hit.It's just that the matter has come to this point, and he is helpless.

Of course, Liang Yi has no way out, it doesn’t mean that Queen Mother Liang has no countermeasures, just listen to her saying: “Bingchang has grown up, the candidate for the queen should be considered, Alian is a good boy, and Bingchang’s childhood sweetheart, we can do something for you. Good match."

Li Bingchang is the lord of the Western Xia Kingdom, and Alian is the daughter of Liang Yibu. Even though they are still young, a big marriage has already been put on the agenda.Empress Dowager Liang's implication could not be more obvious, that she intends to marry her niece to her son as the queen candidate.This can be used to make up for the adverse effects of many previous events on Liang Yibu, and to enhance his status and power.More importantly, continue Liang's glory and wealth.

In history, examples of such aunts and nephews being queens are not uncommon.

For example, in the Han Dynasty, in order to maintain the wealth of the Bo family, the Empress Dowager Bo, the mother of Emperor Han Wen, betrothed her grandniece to Liu Qi, the grandson of Emperor Han Jing.Later, several Yin queens in the Eastern Han Dynasty all came from the Xinye Yin family and were closely related to Yin Lihua.There are also several empresses Deng, the same is true, most of them come from the Xinye Deng family.

In today's Liao Kingdom, all queens come from the Xiao family.Even the Great Song Dynasty was no exception. The Cao family raised Zhao Zongshi, had high hopes for him, and betrothed his niece to him, probably because of such thoughts.There are many examples of such aunts and nephews entering the harem one after another, and the mother is in the world, and the reasons are self-evident.

Now Empress Dowager Liang has also moved this idea, but is it good to make such an arrangement seriously?Emperor Han Jing didn't like Empress Bo arranged by his grandmother, and after the death of Empress Dowager Bo, he abolished her on the grounds of childlessness.The fate of the queens of the Eastern Han Dynasty would probably not be too good. In fact, they had a bloody lesson before Xixia.

When Li Liangzuo was young, the Empress Dowager Wuzang was in charge of the government, and the uncle of the country, Wuzang Pang Quan, was in power, and he betrothed the daughter of Wuzang's family to Li Liangzuo.But what about the result?Not only did it fail to keep the power of no collectors, but it became a reminder for their families to die.

There is no other reason. After the occurrence of the fact that two generations of aunts and nephews are queens at the same time, the influence of relatives with this surname will undoubtedly increase greatly.The dictatorship of foreign relatives was a taboo of ancient kings and was intolerable.Therefore, the ascended emperor will naturally reject his relatives' families. Once the relationship is not handled well, the conflict can only escalate and fight to the death.

It is not hidden how the Pang family was dilapidated, and the Empress Dowager Liang experienced it first-hand.As the daughter-in-law of Wuzang, he replaced Wuzang's daughter as queen.It can be said that the lesson from the past is in front of us, but we still haven't learned the lesson, and still want to marry our niece to our son.

She didn't notice, isn't she today the Queen Mother of the past?What is the difference between Liang Yi's burial and his non-possession?Is this really planning for the future of the Liang family, or is it digging the family's grave?Empress Dowager Liang didn't think so much.An indisputable fact was before his eyes, this move could at least maintain Liang Yibu's current position, and that was enough.

Liang Yibu was very excited, the uncle, the prime minister, and the head of the country, but the status in Xixia is second to none, he immediately smiled and said: "Thank you, sister!"

"I really want to thank me. I should do things well and don't let people down again!" The Empress Dowager Liang still had that expression of hating iron but not steel, but there was a lot of hope in her eyes.It can be seen that he is still full of expectations for Liang Yibu.

Mrs. Liang followed up and said: "Marriage alone is not enough, and how to calm the emotions of those party members is also very troublesome. Under such a situation, I am afraid that we will have to continue thinking about the war in the Song Dynasty."

"Go to war?" Liang Yibu suddenly felt that he had underestimated his sister's courage.

Empress Dowager Liang nodded helplessly and said: "That's right, the cold winter is about to pass, and we can mobilize troops as soon as spring arrives. I am already very polite, and I want to make peace with the Song Dynasty, but they don't appreciate it! A piece of candy, and now you gave us a loud slap. Are you going to swallow your anger?"

"Of course not!" Liang Yibu knew very well that it is a tradition in Xixia Kingdom, especially those party members, to uphold bravery.The more you wait, the less you can show weakness, otherwise you will easily be looked down upon by them.Not to mention the loss of support, maybe the opposition will cause more opposition and turmoil, and some people will even be ready to move.

At the same time, when internal conflicts are serious, it is undoubtedly a very wise strategy to transfer the conflicts to the Song and Xia wars.In the past, Empress Dowager Liang was unsure of controlling the situation, but now that the situation has improved, she immediately acted.The party aristocrats are warlike, and as long as they go to war, they can benefit from it, so that they can successfully survive the crisis.

This method has been used more than once by their siblings.When the young Li Bingchang first ascended the throne, the siblings took power for the first time, and it was in this way that they gained a foothold.

After the first success, let them see that there is a profit in it, and now they are doing it again.It's not just them, Liang Yibu's daughter, Alian, and the future Empress Dowager Xiaoliang will continue to adopt this approach in the future.

"Well, is it just that my sister is sure?" The most worrying thing is the result. It is easy to say if you win the battle. If you lose the battle, you will inevitably have trouble.

"Sure?" Empress Dowager Liang smiled lightly: "Do you need to be sure when fighting the people of the Song Dynasty? As long as it is not too much and does not hurt the root cause, the people of the Song Dynasty are more willing to spend money to settle the matter."

This is indeed a very embarrassing question. The scholar-bureaucrats in the Song Dynasty were all afraid of Xixia's attack.I would rather calm things down than expand the war.It is precisely because of this emphasis on culture over military affairs that the idea of ​​spending money to buy peace continues, and it has formed a bad habit over time.

Therefore, the Empress Dowager Liang is sure that as long as she violates a principled issue, such as proclaiming the emperor irrationally like Li Yuanhao, she will save the face of the Song Dynasty.Don't go too far, the Song Dynasty's reaction will not be too violent.It is precisely because of this that the Xixia people have no fear, and regard the attack on the Song Dynasty as a means of fighting for power and profit, just like a child's play.In the end, the Xixia issue became a malignant tumor, threatening the life and death of the Song Dynasty...

But this time, can Queen Mother Liang still get what she wants?
At least for now, the Empress Dowager Liang is still quite optimistic about the prospects. She said in a deep voice: "The war is to take care of those party old men, but it is even more for you and for our Liang family. This time, you must perform well and put the previous humiliation to rest. Get them all back, and today is the day..."

Liang Yibu knew it well, her sister had worked so hard for herself, if she didn't make any progress, it would really be unjustifiable.This time he was full of confidence and vowed to achieve something.

Sometimes when you are lucky, you will be what you want, and it is easy to get what you want.

Today's Liang Yibu feels that he is a lucky one. Although he can't have three happiness like Lin Zhao, he can barely get double happiness.

It was the first joy that her daughter was about to become a queen, but she did not expect to receive the second joy when she returned to the mansion.It's just that he didn't expect that this second piece of good news would soon turn joy into sorrow.

He had just received news that Li Fugui, the magistrate of Qingzhou in the Song Dynasty, had treasoned and fled to Xixia.At the beginning, Liang Yibu didn't know the reason why Li Fugui came over, and he never cared about it.It just occurred to me that Li Fugui was a senior officer in the frontier army of the Song Dynasty, and he knew many key things such as military deployment and distribution of food and grass.

Now that he came to Xixia, he could find a way to get a lot of useful things from him.It will be of great help to Xixia's plan to attack the Song Dynasty in the future. Arranging troops, attacking and defending will undoubtedly get twice the result with half the effort.

My sister just confessed to herself that if she wants to perform well in this battle, good things will come to her.As long as he controls Li Fugui, he will be invincible all the way and invincible.Liang Yibu, who had no plans to lead troops, was suddenly full of confidence, and even more eager to give it a try.

After being happy, a big question mark appeared in his mind.Okay, how could Li Fugui rebel?unless……

He knew Li Fugui's rank, and he was also involved in Lin Zhao's incident, so he knew something about it.

Now at this juncture, Li Fugui cannot stay in the Song Dynasty, there is only one possibility, and that is... After a little association, the answer is ready to come out.

Suddenly, Liang Yibu's smile froze, and his heart skipped a beat, with a very bad premonition.Just as he expected, someone reported to him soon, and Lin Zhao was acquitted.

Not guilty, that is, not dead.

Hearing this news, Liang Yibu really felt a feeling of extreme joy begets sorrow, all the joy in his heart was swept away in an instant, replaced by endless depression.

He already hated Lin Zhao very much. Recently, a lot of pressure has been completely attributed to Lin Zhao.The reason why he could bear it was because he thought that Lin Zhao would die and be able to take revenge.

But in the end, it was a waste of time to fetch water from the bamboo basket. Even if he lost his sister's reputation, he still failed in the end.Liang Yibu's sense of frustration is probably no less than that of Wang Yu and Lu Huiqing.

Helpless, really helpless!The infinite hatred in his heart could not be vented, and the suppression made him very uncomfortable.Although he really wanted to take revenge, Lin Zhao was already in Bianjing, and he was beyond his reach.Unless he comes to the northwest again, as long as he comes, he must be allowed to come and go...

Now saying these are empty words, under such circumstances, the only way to transfer all the hatred to the Song Dynasty.Then the attack on the Song Dynasty is bound to be more arduous, and we must regain the face lost in Dashun City...

Liang Yibu, who had calmed down, thought that controlling Li Fugui was the top priority right now.

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At this moment, Li Fugui was like a bereaved dog. He fled to Xixia territory in a hurry. He was extremely haggard, old and wasted.

I didn't expect Bianjing to fail, it doesn't make sense!

With Wang Xianggong here, and Wang Yuanze personally participating in it, how could there be any mistakes?What's more, the crime of Lin Zhaowen's beheading has been confirmed, how could such a thing happen?Li Fugui was a little puzzled.

Could it be that someone made a game against him?Wang Xianggong crossed the river and demolished the bridge?Li Fugui, who has a wicked mind, first thinks of other people's problems.He would never have imagined that what was certain would take a fundamental turn because of the sudden appearance of the Empress Dowager.

The person he arranged didn't expect such a situation, so there was a delay in sending the message, so that Li Fugui was not on guard.It was also a coincidence that Wang Shao's timing was excellent, and he was taken down in one fell swoop.

"Wang Shao, I didn't expect this guy to be such a bastard. He is usually humble and respectful, but today he is so ruthless!" Li Fugui cursed all the way, and couldn't stop at all.Perhaps there are only such ways to resolve the anxiety and violent struggle in his heart...

He originally thought that the most serious consequence would be dismissal and exile, but he didn't expect Wang Shao to do it directly.Even the army has been mobilized, the sword has been used, and the seriousness of the matter is constantly rising. He can think of what it means.

"General, the matter has come to this point, it is lucky to be able to save his life." Chen Qiao usually looks like a calm scholar, but in fact he has a ruthless heart in his bones, and he is very good at taking risks.

The reason why he took the risk was because he saw the situation and consequences clearly.Wang Shao's decision represented the imperial court's decision to deal with Li Fugui. As long as the truth about Dashun City was revealed, he would surely die. How could he, who was deeply involved, be spared?
Rather than just sitting there waiting to die, it is better to defect to Xixia directly, and still have a chance of survival.As for welcoming Li Fugui, it may be to repay the kindness of knowing you, and it is an act of loyalty from a confidant.Or maybe you just want to add a little weight.A staff member will not attract the attention of the Xixia people, but a general with a great relationship is another matter entirely.

"Chen Qiao, thanks to you!" No matter what happened, at least his life was saved.As for the power and status in the Song Dynasty, the glory and wealth, and even the fame and festivals are not important at this moment.

"It should be!" Chen Qiao just responded lightly.

"What should I do next? Shall I go find Liang Yi to bury him?" Although Li Fugui also realized that in his own capacity, it seemed not difficult to have a meal in Xixia.It's just that at this moment, my mind is in a mess, and I can't figure out anything.

"I'm afraid we don't need to look for it. Someone has already come to look for us!" Chen Qiao stared straight into the distance, and when Li Fugui turned his head, the dust was flying in the northwest, and someone was galloping towards him...

(End of this chapter)