King of Song

Chapter 341 Coincidence
This time, Xixia was determined. They didn't know the reason why Li Fugui suddenly attacked them.Even if Li Fugui himself is in Xixia now, they have no intention of inquiring about it, this is no longer important.

Some things, once hurt, cannot be undone.

For Xixia, the Song army's attack had already made them angry from embarrassment.After all, they had just proclaimed their ministers to the Song Dynasty, proclaimed their ministers to the Song Dynasty, and asked for canonization.The Song Dynasty just agreed and opened the market for mutual market trade, but a few days later, they suddenly launched an attack.

Although it didn't cause any serious losses to Xixia, it could make Xixia lose face.In particular, it caused a series of adverse consequences, which made Xixia offend the two powerful suzerains of the Song Dynasty and Liao at the same time, and it was undoubtedly a bit embarrassing to be caught in the middle.

Not only that, even the small countries under the control and influence of Xixia began to turmoil, making the situation of Xixia very bad.In such a form, no matter what the reason is, it is necessary to start a war against the Song Dynasty.On the one hand, it can show the strength of Xixia and save face, and it is also a deterrent and demonstration to neighboring countries.

At the same time, domestic considerations are also important.The Empress Dowager Liang managed to quell the dissatisfaction of the party aristocrats with Liang Yibu, and her control over power was not firm.In order to prevent internal regeneration, sending troops to war is undoubtedly the best choice.

It conforms to the interests of those party aristocrats, especially the military, and eases internal conflicts through foreign wars.While turning everyone's attention to the Song Dynasty, it can also gradually grasp power and expand influence during the war.

Why not do something that kills two birds with one stone?At the same time, Queen Mother Liang also tried to vent her dissatisfaction in this way and save face.

The inexplicable rumors put her in an embarrassing situation, and even her son complained quite a bit, which made the Empress Dowager Liang very helpless.

Being a woman is difficult, being a widowed woman is even more difficult, and being a widowed woman with great power is the hardest.

It is not easy for a weak woman to stand firm in Xixia where tigers and wolves are waiting for her, and it is even more difficult to be as comfortable as a fish in water as she is now. The Empress Dowager Liang can be regarded as a hero among women.

This time the Song Dynasty sent troops to show her courage. The Queen Mother Liang's idea was very simple, and she wanted to take this opportunity to save face.Suppress the Song Dynasty, so as to seek greater benefits.

With a guide like Li Fugui present, Xixia knew all about the deployment of the Song army on the border.Therefore, launching a targeted attack has a very good effect.From the very beginning, Xixia had the meaning of being invincible, and the initial results were very good.Empress Dowager Liang is also full of confidence...

For hundreds of years, the Xixia people have become accustomed to being aware of the fact that they feel that the Song Dynasty people are afraid of them.So as long as it is not too much, the Song Dynasty will definitely calm down.

Is it really so?Will it really develop as Queen Mother Liang expected?

When the news spread to Bianjing City, Emperor Zhao Xu was furious, and the most important thing was how to solve the matter.

Immediately, the matter was brought to the court to seek the opinions of the ministers.During the Song Dynasty, the emperor's power was not so great, and he could not decide such an important matter by himself.What's more, Zhao Xu didn't have that kind of courage. When it comes to war, if you want to be arbitrary, you need to consider risks and responsibilities. Which emperor dares to make fun of his own country?What's more, Zhao Xu is too young, and his shoulders are still a little immature.

Maybe in the past, he was not afraid of tigers as a newborn calf, maybe he dared to make any decisions.However, in the case of Lin Zhao, his performance was really bad. Although he cleverly covered it up in the end, the ministers of the court and the central government had heard something about it.With his prestige damaged, Zhao Xu had to keep a low profile.

It is better to listen to the opinions of the ministers, so that a better holy order can be made.

But sometimes it is troublesome to listen to the opinions of the ministers. As soon as the matter is revealed, the ministers immediately divide into two factions.

The main battle faction and the main peace faction are in the same situation as before.

The meaning of the main combat faction is very clear. Xixia is a courtier and subordinate of the Song Dynasty, but now they openly rebelled and attacked the Song Dynasty on a large scale.Otherwise, where should the dignity of the Song Dynasty be placed?The interests of the Great Song Dynasty in the northwest will also be lost as a result.

In a word, we must send troops to counterattack as soon as possible.

The peace faction also had arguments. They believed that the reason why Xixia sent troops was because Li Fugui was reckless and took the initiative to attack Xixia, thus destroying the peaceful situation between Song and Xia.From a moral point of view, the Song Dynasty first conferred on Xixia and then sent troops to attack, which was an act of disbelief, and Xixia's reaction was completely reasonable.

In a word, the Song Dynasty was wronged first, and what is needed more under such circumstances is peace, not war.In their words, mistakes have already been made first, and things are more complicated. You can't make mistakes again and again to make things more troublesome.

Of course, the main peace faction is a point of view as always.If it is really carried out in an all-round way, the damage caused may be more serious.Isn't Xixia's attack just for face and money.It's all for them. It's not the first time that money has been spent to avoid disasters. Why should it be serious this time?
The court hall was immediately divided into two factions, and the confrontation was very obvious.

Coincidentally, most of the people on the main site are old party officials, and these people are known for their integrity.They regard face as extremely important, especially national dignity, which cannot be provoked.Once it backs down, it will definitely make Xixia more arrogant and aggressive, and the situation will be even worse.They spoke righteously, quoted scriptures, talked freely, and their attitude was very firm.

Relatively speaking, most of the hosts are officials from the new party.The reason why they take this view, apart from financial considerations, is some selfishness.

It is self-evident what the consequences will be once the war breaks out. One thing is the most obvious. After the war, the attention of the country will be shifted to the northwest.Everything in the country needs to serve the war, especially military money, which costs more.You must know that they are presiding over reforms and reforms, and they need to spend money everywhere.

If there is a war, the country's finances will inevitably be tied up by the war, which will naturally affect the implementation of reforms.Perhaps some of them are worried about the impact on the effectiveness of the reform, and many people are worried that their interests in the reform will be lost.

Of course, this also has something to do with the scale of the war.If the scale is small, it will cost less money. If the scale is large, many reforms in internal affairs may stagnate.

Therefore, different people are destined to have different opinions on how to decide on this matter.As for the motives and reasons, they are definitely not that pure. Before considering the country, the first thing to consider is yourself.This also caters very well to some officials who have "summerphobia", so there are quite a lot of supporters.

Emperor Zhao Xu was very helpless!

His embarrassment is here, he is ambitious, according to the initial anger of the blood, he really wants to send troops to fight.But after thinking about it, I can't help but have a lot of worries. It's okay if I win this battle, but what if I lose?This is the biggest military operation since he took the throne, and if he loses the battle, it will definitely have a very negative impact.

For the future military planning, the ministers and soldiers, even including their own confidence, will have a great influence.So Zhao Xu had to be cautious. To be honest, he was really not sure of winning now.

His initial thought was to endure it, wait a few years to continue his strength, and then teach Xi Xia a good lesson.The one with high hopes is the reform presided over by Wang Anshi, but so far, the effectiveness of the reform is really hard to say.But this is a long process, Zhao Xu did not lose confidence because of it.

This is why he has concerns this time. He doesn't want to terminate the reform because of the war, or cause any adverse effects.Right now, for him, reform is the top priority.

But Xixia's actions were indeed a bit too much, to stand still?How can I swallow this breath?It was another huge test for his face and prestige.

Renzong's dynasty has always been known for its peace, and often adopts an attitude of calming things down.Except for Fan Zhongyan and Di Qing's actions in the northwest during the Qingli period, relatively speaking, they all calmed down.

In this way, although the world is peaceful, it has been doing nothing, and it is inevitable that it will be criticized by others.To be honest, Zhao Xu looked down on Grandpa's actions.

What he hopes to emulate are such promising monarchs as Taizu Taizong, and even surpass them.When he met Wang Anshi for the first time, he asked Wang Anshi to evaluate Tang Taizong.It can be seen from this that Li Shimin is Zhao Xu's idol. How could a king with great ambitions bear such humiliation?

Perhaps, some people say that Tang Taizong also had the shame of Bianqiao, so he can work hard to make himself stronger and get rid of the shame.

But Zhao Xu's situation is different. Their father and son were adopted, and they succeeded to the throne as children of the clan.If you can't surpass the former Emperor Renzong, you will be looked down upon, and your status and face will be greatly affected.

Emperor Renzong died less than ten years ago, and Yingzong's four short years of reign did not make any achievements.So all the pressure is on Zhao Xu, he has a kind of eagerness for success, so he dare not relax in anything.

The matter of Xi Xia is both a pressure and an opportunity for him.On the one hand, the reform may be affected, and on the other hand, it is related to one's own authority and dignity, which is really difficult to weigh.

As a result, after listening to the opinions of the ministers for a long time, I was still in a dilemma.

At this moment, Zhao Xu's mind was full of the matter of Xixia, so he didn't notice that there was already a clear distinction in the court, and it was very obvious that each of them insisted on their own words.The era of party struggle has quietly arrived and gradually opened, but Zhao Xu didn't notice it at all.Didn't notice what this would bring to the Song Dynasty?Therefore no measures were taken.

Of course, even so, there are some neutral officials.Some people are neutral for the sake of being neutral, and they don't want to get involved, and they are wise and safe.Some are in a detached position and do not need a clear line at all.

Zhao Xu sighed secretly, looking at the arguing courtiers below.If the dispute continues like this, when will there be a result?
The officials below insisted on their opinions, but several prime ministers and heavyweight officials did not speak.

"Zeng Gongliang, what do you think?"

Zeng Gongliang, a student of Jixian Hall, is the current prime minister, and his opinion is undoubtedly very important.Especially after rescuing Lin Zhao, Mr. Zeng's momentum became stronger than before, and he gradually moved from behind the scenes to the front of the stage. He was no longer as mediocre and low-key as before, but intervened in some things.

Both civil and military officials in the Manchu Dynasty were clearly aware of Zeng Xianggong's comeback. In the past, he was mostly under the shadow of Wang Anshi, but now he is going to be a veritable prime minister.

In fact, Zeng Gongliang was on Wang Anshi's side at the beginning. When Han Wei first recommended Wang Anshi to Zhao Xu, Wu Kui, the political adviser at the time, criticized Wang Anshi.Zeng Gongliang defended it more objectively, and he also supported Wang Anshi more in future matters.

Especially after the reform started, the new law has no provisions and there are many opponents. Zeng Gongliang often adopts a tacit attitude to express his support.So much so that when Lu Hui Shangshu impeached Wang Anshi for ten crimes, he also mentioned that only Zeng Gongliang supported it among the prime ministers.

During that time, Zeng Xianggong seemed to be Wang Anshi's partner and supporter.But after a long time, it is another matter.

Zeng Xianggong's mentality and thoughts are also slowly changing.

The most direct is the disappointment with the new law. Like Su Zhe and Chen Shengzhi, their understanding and attitude towards the reform have changed.It has been three years, what effect has the new law had?On the contrary, the Great Song Dynasty was made into a miasma, and many places were even more chaotic and the situation was even worse.

As prime minister, Zeng Gongliang has a better understanding of the situation in the country.He does not have Wang Anshi's stubbornness, so he sees things more comprehensively.In particular, Lin Zhao's letter mentioned the disadvantages of the young crop law, and Zeng Gongliang was even more touched.Lin Zhao was a local official at the time, so the specific implementation of the Young Crop Law was naturally the clearest. Moreover, he was Wang Anshi's confidant, and even he felt that something was wrong, which is evident from the facts.From then on, Zeng Gongliang began to waver, and his attitude began to change. Is just persuasion useful?
Zeng Xianggong could only respond with a helpless smile. If it was useful, would Wen Yanbo and Sima Guang be forced to leave Bianjing?Even if he is the prime minister, what is the use?Just shrinking back like Chen Shengzhi is not the solution, something has to be done, and Zeng Xianggong began to have this idea since the third year of Xining.

In addition, with the implementation of the reform, Wang Anshi became more and more powerful, with greater influence and power.As a result, Zeng Gongliang's power and status continued to decline, and the prime minister became a nominal figure.Zeng Gongliang didn't say anything, but he was naturally unhappy in his heart.Therefore, some ideas in my heart became more firm, but there has been no suitable opportunity to come back.

Lin Zhao's case is undoubtedly an excellent opportunity, Wang Anshi was implicated and hit because of this, Zeng Xianggong's role was not abrupt, just right, he intervened logically, and then came back logically.

Standing in the hall today, Zeng Gongliang has not spoken.Maybe he doesn't know much about military affairs, but he is a veteran in politics and strategy. He can see clearly what the people below are arguing about at a glance.

Zeng Xianggong felt that this was another opportunity!
"Your Majesty, I think it's time to send troops to fight back, to attack the ambitions of Xixia wolves, and to defend the territory and dignity of our Song Dynasty."

Zeng Gongliang's words immediately caused a shock in the court.The Prime Minister's suggestion definitely carries weight.

In Zeng Gongliang's view, the situation in the Northwest must be contained, and it is fine to buy peace with money, as long as there is a bottom line.You can't let Xixia push forward like this, you must boost your morale, and then sit down and talk.

Furthermore, Zeng Gongliang also wanted to use this to ease the reform temporarily.Maybe both the officials and Wang Anshi should calm down and think about it carefully after the frenzy dissipates.Based on the needs of domestic affairs and diplomacy, it is necessary to send troops to war.

Zhao Xu's expression moved slightly, and he also keenly felt that Zeng Gongliang was different from before.In the past, his words would not be so straightforward, without a sense of tact or even ambiguity, which meant that there was no room for maneuver.Zeng Xianggong's speech undoubtedly gave the war faction the upper hand...

"Wang Anshi, what do you think?" Zhao Xu was a little helpless, what the most trusted Wang Anshi thought was also very important.

All the officials also suddenly regained their spirits. Isn't this a head-to-head confrontation between Zeng Xianggong and Wang Xianggong?The result may directly affect the future court situation, so everyone is waiting to see.

"I thought it was time to send troops to counterattack and deal a heavy blow to Xixia!" Wang Anshi's answer surprised many people.Including Zhao Xu, it was a bit unbelievable. I thought Wang Anshi would insist on the main peace. After all, this is good for the reform, but I didn't expect him to be the main battle?

They all overlooked one point, Wang Xianggong is the leader of the new law, but he is also a man with blood and a strong temper.More importantly, Wang Xianggong has ideals and ambitions.Regarding the territorial issue of the Song Dynasty, he did not have such a simple idea of ​​recovering the sixteen prefectures of Yanyun.It is self-evident how lofty the ambition is to restore the old environment of the Han and Tang Dynasties.

How can such a person tolerate the frontier being so ravaged and attacked by an enemy country?Xixia's behavior was undoubtedly a great provocation, and Wang Anshi felt that it was necessary to fight back.

Because in his conception, the Liao Kingdom is the biggest enemy.If you want to defeat the Liao Kingdom, you must first cut off its right arm, which is Xixia.Without Xixia's support, the Liao Kingdom would not be so terrible.At the same time, without the restraint of Xixia, the Song Dynasty could go all out to fight against Liao.

Although it is not yet time to start a full-scale war with Xixia, its arrogance must be contained, otherwise the difficulty of sending troops in the future will be greatly increased.Especially this time, the northwest frontier defense is in jeopardy. If there is any accident on the Fourth Shaanxi Road, the consequences will be absolutely disastrous.

Especially when Li Fugui was in Xixia, his existence was a great threat.At the same time, it also deeply stimulated Wang Anshi's heart. It was his support that led to this situation. He was responsible for Li Fugui's huge destruction.

The situation has already been created, and it must be restored as much as possible, and sending troops is a must.Not to mention the heavy blow to Xixia, it would be great if Li Fugui could also be brought to justice.To be honest, Wang Anshi really wanted to ask face to face, why did the honest and loyal friends in the past become what they are now?
Zeng Xianggong and Wang Xianggong had the same opinion and coincided with each other. It is self-evident what the minister will do and what the reaction will be.Zhao Xu smiled helplessly, the answer was already there...

(End of this chapter)