manynovel Chapter 1239 Price (2 updates in 1)
Chapter 1239 Price (2 updates in 1)
Chapter 1239 Price (two chapters in one)
Han Zhen went from the Council of State Affairs to the outside of the West Hall of the Secretariat and stood there waiting.
At this moment, with the follower's shout of praise, more than ten gatekeepers at the courtyard gate outside the hall knocked on the ground with sticks in their hands.
In official circles, where officials passed by, doormen would knock the ground with sticks to warn people, which was called "beating with the stick."
Not everyone in the Forbidden City has the power to beat with a stick, only the Three Officials can sue.
The prime minister reported to the Secretariat, the Hanlin academician reported to the Academy of Scholars, and the censor reported to the court.
Han Zhen looked from afar and saw red-robed gatekeepers leading the way. The gatekeepers beat Zhang Yue with sticks every time he stepped on the ground. Han Zhen certainly did not have the qualifications to do so, not even as the head of the Privy Council, he was not qualified to do so.
Seeing this scene, Han Zhen stood aside with his hands folded, just like a doorman.
But Zhang Yue just walked past Han Zhen as if he didn't see him.
Han Zhen looked annoyed, but he still stood there motionless.
After that, the sound of Zhang Yuesheng beating people with a stick in the hall stopped.
Not long after, the red-robed official arrived outside the courtyard and invited Han Zhen into the hall.
Han Zhen sat facing north below Zhang Yue. Logically speaking, Han Zhen was also the head of the Privy Council. As the ruler of two governments, he was qualified to let Zhang Yue handle the case, but Zhang Yue obviously did not give him this treatment.
The officialdom is so disgusting that sometimes it is more painful than being beaten or scolded.
But what is even more painful is that you have to greet him with a smile even though you know he treats you like this! But there is no other way. Being in the officialdom for a day is like being a bird in a cage and unable to be free.
Han Zhen sighed in his heart, without showing any dissatisfaction on his face.
Han Zhen said: "Today, I listened to the Prime Minister's teachings in the government hall, and I realized that the Hengshan attack strategy was really wrong."
"Once our army marches out of Hengshan, if Liao sends troops to rescue the Tanguts, we will be caught in a territory where we will be attacked from both sides."
"Han was too ignorant to anticipate this."
Zhang Yue almost laughed and said, "Mr. Han is too modest."
When Han Zhen saw Zhang Yue, he said, "Prime Minister, you don't know that I am a person who understands gratitude and knows how to be grateful. But the generals of Fuyan Road and Huanqing Road instigated them to be ignorant of the court's strategy and to seek credit and take on border affairs as their career. If it weren't for my repeated suppression, it would have caused trouble long ago. This is absolutely true. Today, I will meet with the Prime Minister to discuss this matter and clear my name."
After hearing this, Zhang Yue thought to himself, Oh my god, you, Han Zhen, actually became a hero.
Could it be that he was inciting the masses to fight over Ling Island, and then he would be the first to rush over to defend Ling Island?
Your Han family really has a long history of learning, and your skills are simply profound!
Zhang Yue said slowly, "In today's world, the most aristocratic families are the Donglai Lü family, the Zhending Han family, the Sanhuai Wang family, and the Zhending Cao family. You have the family background, so you won't be any worse off even without my recommendation. Besides, it was you who established Lanzhou. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to keep my position as prime minister."
"Back then, I was taken care of by my respected brother, and my career started all the way. If you want to be grateful, I am the one who should be grateful."
Han Zhen listened to Zhang Yue's words and analyzed them clearly, thinking to himself, everyone says that Mr. Zhang is kind and benevolent, and this is indeed true.
Zhang Yue said: "But things in the world are like this, often things go against one's wishes."
"You want to go to Hengshan, but I want to go to Xihe Road. It's like ice and charcoal cannot coexist, or cold and heat cannot coexist at the same time."
"This sentence comes from Han Feizi. When Sima Xueshi impeached Wang Jinggong, he also said that the relationship between me and Wang Anshi is like ice and charcoal, which cannot be in the same container, or cold and heat, which cannot exist at the same time."
"Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with the personal relationship between the two Simas, but they are as incompatible as ice and charcoal in cold and heat."
"It's not because of our personal relationship, it's just that we are in different places."
Han Zhen's forehead was covered with sweat when he heard this. Zhang Yue said, "When Ding Wei was the prime minister, any court official who was friendly with Kou Zhun would be excluded."
"I am not a Ding Wei, but your actions are contrary to the major policies of the court, and coupled with the defeat in Weizhou and those unclear and unclear things, I will inevitably have to stay in the local area for a few years."
"You can be appointed as the governor of a prefecture in a certain place. I promise that before I am dismissed as the prime minister, I will ensure that you are cleared of all charges and be promoted to the position of a scholar in the Guanwen Hall!"
Han Zhen's heart trembled. His brother Han Jiang was almost dismissed from the position of Guanwendian Bachelor because of his failure in Luowu City. Thanks to Zhang Yue's breakthrough in Xihe Road, he was saved. Lu Huiqing was dismissed from the position of councilor and was also convicted of crimes when he was sent to the local government, so he was not promoted to Guanwendian Bachelor.
This time, because Zhang Yue appointed him as the governor of Taiyuan, he was promoted to the position of scholar of Guanwen Hall.
In other words, this time Han Zhen was even stripped of his position as the local ruler.
From being the head of the Privy Council to being stripped of his power to govern, Zhang San was really too arrogant and overbearing, not much better than Ding Wei.
Han Zhen had no choice but to say, "Thank you, Prime Minister!"
When Han Zhen returned to Beijing this time, he asked Zhang Maonze to intercede for Zhang Yue, but he did not expect this result. This also made him see Zhang Yue's ruthlessness in dealing with people.
Well, who can blame Zhang San for being in the emperor's favor now?
When people leave, dogs meet their masters. It's my fault that I, Han Zhen, don't have good luck right now, so let Zhang San enjoy his success for another two years.
Han Zhen didn't look very happy when he said goodbye to Zhang Yue. From being able to call the wind and rain and hold the power of life and death, to having to look at the face of the powerful minister today and be at the mercy of others, the feeling was really too uncomfortable.
But Han Zhen told himself that he had to endure these two years no matter what.
Han Zhen tried to tolerate it again and again, but when he was leaving the house, he couldn't help but punch the courtyard wall. This scene was immediately seen by the gatekeeper, who reported it back.
After Han Zhen left, although he was unwilling to accept it, he ordered people to prepare a priceless gift of a box and a staff and prepared to go to Wang Gui's mansion. In the past two years, Han Zhen had made a lot of money as the acting privy envoy, and these gifts were just a drop in the bucket for him.
Han Zhen left the palace and walked halfway to Panlou Street and Nantong border.
In a large house nearby, several craftsmen were making silver and gold ingots in the official gold and silver exchange shop, while the official brokers took out salt notes and exchanged them with merchants. On the left sat a tax inspector wearing an official hat. The people could exchange their money and then pay taxes to the court.
On the wall behind where the tax officials and brokers sat were documents announcing taxes and the latest exchange rates for silver and salt notes and Jiaozi in the exchange office.
Han Zhen walked forward and saw a majestic building with a wide front. The walls of the building were decorated with gold and jade, which was extremely luxurious.
This is the most prosperous place in the world, the Bianjing Stock Exchange. From afar, countless people are crowded, many people in brocade clothes and flowery hats, bowing to each other, a scene of bustling activity.
Everywhere you look you see a thriving scene.
What the people were talking about loudly were the stocks of Xihe Road Exchange, which had soared recently, and the three newly listed textile guilds in Qinzhou. Many people profited from them.
The Panlou Restaurant near Jieshen was full of stories of wealthy guests spending millions of dollars at night. The teahouses were filled with merchants from all over the country discussing scriptures and money.
Han Zhen remembered that when the stocks of Xihe Road Exchange were listed, he also bought some, but not much. However, as far as he knew, the Zhang family bought a lot, as well as several aristocratic families, such as the Donglai Lu family, the Sanhuai Wang family, and the Zhending Cao family mentioned by Zhang Yue before.
There are even the Wen family, the Fu Er family and the Wu family, Zhang Yue’s relatives, who are far away in Luoyang.
The Wen family bought a lot of land from the foreigners in Xihe Road, and then hired local foreigners to rent cotton and grain fields.
Now that Liangzhou has been conquered and the Western Regions have been reopened, the profits from the Silk Road will continue to flow in. Beji cloth and silk will be sold to the Western Regions together, and the salt notes and Jiaozi, which are anchored by salt and Beji cloth, will also become more stable.
In addition to the old aristocratic families, there were also new nobles who sought to climb up the social ladder by clinging to the throne, such as the Shen family who previously ran the exchange and the Chen family who managed the Shaanxi postal route. The three emerging textile merchants in Qinzhou all benefited from it.
He knew that he was not fighting against Zhang Yue alone. Behind Xihe Road was a place where the interests of the new and old families intertwined. Even if Zhang Yue did not manage Xihe Road, conquer Liangzhou, and open up the Western Regions, the interest groups behind it would force Zhang Yue to take this path.
Thinking of this, Han Zhen's expression slowly changed, but he felt a little calmer. He was wrong from the beginning, very wrong.
If I had known that the interest group behind this was so powerful, if I had forced my way through Hengshan, even if Zhang Yue didn't take action, others would have dealt with me.
His son Han Zongshu rode alongside Han Zhen and said, "What a humble prime minister. In the final analysis, he is just a servant of the old and new aristocratic families! The so-called restoration of the country and the conquest of the Han and Tang dynasties are just a lie to deceive the people."
Han Zongshu felt a little resentful in his heart. Han Jiang was the prime minister at the time and it was not easy for him to manipulate these things. Han Zhen, due to his arrogance, also looked down on these things.
However, Han Wei and his nephew Han Zongshi have not been able to manage the situation in recent years, and they got on the train before the imperial court conquered Liangzhou.
Han Zhen glanced at Han Zongshu, who quickly said, "Dad, I am upset for a moment."
Han Zhen said: "Prime Minister Zhang is a prominent figure in the world, it is not your turn to comment."
"Yes."
"Forget it, I can't go to the palace! You can go there for me! Just leave after sending it off and don't stay! I don't want my father and I to lose face twice in one day."
"Yes."
Han Zhen turned his horse around and gave up the plan to go to Wang Gui's house. He just sent Han Zongsu to deliver the gifts to Wang Gui's house.
Han Zhen looked back at the bustling and prosperous world. It was an inconspicuous place a few years ago, but now it has unknowingly become the lifeline of the Song Dynasty.
……
The merchant who served as the Liao envoy in Zhang's mansion arrived at Zhang Yue's mansion again.
Zhang Yue looked at the other person and asked, "You are the Wu Guogong's (Yelü Po's) man, right?"
The other party hesitated for a moment and admitted, "That's right, Prime Minister. Please forgive me for concealing the truth before."
Zhang Yue looked at him and smiled, "No problem. In the seventh year of Xining, Duke Wu and I represented Song and Liao in the negotiations."
"But now, times have changed, and I have unexpectedly become the person who controls the country in both countries."
In addition to being the Duke of Wu, Yelu Po is currently also the Privy Councilor of the Northern Courtyard.
In the Liao Dynasty, the status of the Privy Councilor was higher than that of the Minister of the Secretariat, and the Northern Court was higher than that of the Southern Court at the same level.
The other party said: "The king said that he and the prime minister served different masters, but he admired the prime minister's demeanor and eloquence. It was he who urged the king to not use force lightly when there was a prime minister like him in the Southern Dynasty."
Zhang Yue smiled and said, "I am really grateful that Duke Wu thinks highly of me. You are also a Han Chinese from the north. I wonder if the Han people in Youyan still admire China?"
The other party said sternly: "The Prime Minister is such a wise man, but I'm afraid this is just wishful thinking."
"Please forgive me for saying that the Southern Dynasty is weak and lacks military spirit, but my Liao Kingdom has been fighting in the south and the north for many years. Whether it is the vastness of the territory or the strength of the army, it is better than the Song Dynasty. So it goes without saying how the Liao Kingdom views the Southern Dynasty."
"Not only that, successive Liao rulers have trusted the northern Han people and appointed many of them as generals or ministers. They also govern the northern Han people according to Han customs!"
Zhang Yue did not get angry but laughed instead, "You are telling the truth. When the royal army marches north to comfort the people and punish the criminals, the Han people in Yan will welcome them with food and drink. I'm afraid that's just wishful thinking on our part!"
The other party said: "The Prime Minister is indeed wise, but as far as I know, there are many people in the Song Dynasty who seem to have such fantasies. Now that Liangzhou has been taken, they are even more courageous. I am afraid that Song and Liao will finally fight!"
Zhang Yue laughed when he heard this and said, "Well said, what about the Han people in Yandi?"
The other party said: "The characters are extremely prosperous. In literature, they have the talent of Xiao He and the strategy of Zhang Liang. In martial arts, they have the courage of Overlord and the generalship of Li Jing."
Zhang Yue asked: "How many people are like you?"
The other party said proudly: "There are so many of them that it is impossible to count them."
Although the other party spoke neither humbly nor arrogantly, he was secretly frightened.
Zhang Yue nodded slightly and said, "I really underestimated you for saying this. I have no intention of marrying Youyan for the time being."
"What matters most to the truth is the immediate commercial benefits."
"That's right. Lord Yelu Po also hopes that the two families can maintain a long-term alliance and avoid the disaster of war."
Zhang Yue said, "So, didn't your Liao Kingdom want to open a market in Baozhou to trade with Goryeo?"
"If I can urge Goryeo to achieve this, can it express the sincerity of peace between Song and Liao?"
The secret exchanges between the Song Dynasty and Goryeo were no secret to the Liao Dynasty, and they turned a blind eye to it. However, the establishment of a market in Baozhou to trade with Goryeo was exactly what Yelu Po was striving for.
The other party thought for a while and said, "This is a good suggestion, but I'm afraid it's still not enough. If we want the Liao Dynasty to sit back and watch your Song Dynasty annex Liangzhou, we must give the six states of Beijiangdong back to the Liao Dynasty."
Zhang Yue sneered, "Return the six prefectures of Jiangdong? This was the excuse used by your Liao Kingdom during the third war with Goryeo. At that time, the Liao Kingdom could not do this even after losing 100,000 soldiers. Do you want us, the Great Song Dynasty, to do it for you?"
"Why don't you persuade me, the Song Dynasty, to join forces with your Liao Dynasty to destroy Goryeo and divide its land equally?"
The envoy also said: "The Liao Dynasty is now stronger than the Song Dynasty, and you Song Dynasty is also facing a mortal enemy like the Tanguts. Therefore, we have conditions to offer a price."
Zhang Yue said: "Then there is only one battle."
Seeing Zhang Yue like this, the messenger softened his tone and said, "I will report this to the King of Wu when I return. As for whether he can agree to it, we will talk about it later."
"In fact, you in the Great Song Dynasty have also seen that the Hebei region has not suffered from war for decades, all because of the presence of people like Lord Yelu Po in the Liao Kingdom. I will take my leave!"
After the Liao envoy left, Zhang Yue thought to himself, everyone wants to be the strongest person in this world.
But this is not possible for everyone, so you must understand how to compete with people who are stronger than you.
The same is true between countries. It seems that after the Liao Kingdom's intimidation, the Song Dynasty dared not put forward any conditions. It would definitely not work to just lie down and allow the Liao Kingdom to slaughter it.