Chapter 358: Palace War Change

The best sentence of the little emperor is: Zhao Xing brought a lot of information, and many ideas conflicted with the little emperor's ideas. He needs to think quietly for a while before making a reply.

The little emperor was tired, and Han Zhongyan took the lead and said goodbye to the emperor. When the ministers left the palace, no one was willing to go with Zeng Bu. Zeng Bu waved and summoned Zhao Xing: "Mr. Zhao, you scold me in the palace so much. Let me tell you the truth. I have no money and can't afford so much copper. When you go to my mansion, you can just move it. After the move, it is me who has returned your fine copper."

Zhao Xing chuckled: "Zeng Xiang, I always think that everyone has to bear the consequences for his behavior. Although I have given Zeng Xiang a light privately, I also expect Zeng Xiang to be the mainstay in the court, but this does not mean that I am very satisfied with Zeng Xiang's behavior.

Everyone has to bear the consequences for their actions. Zhang Xiang once persecuted the Yuanyou party members. Although Zeng Xiang eased the situation, he still implemented the persecution policy - Liu Zhi died, Lu Dafang died, Wang Yansou died, and countless ancestors died on the road to demotion. Zhang Dun had already bear the consequences for his actions. He was removed from office, and Zeng Xiang still held high the position. If there was no punishment, how could he explain to the people of the world?

Today, Your Majesty made the decision and gently punished Zeng Xiang. However, Zeng Xiang can be straightened up in the future. You can tell everyone that I have paid the price for my past behavior - isn't that good?"

Zeng Bu smiled bitterly: "I know you are for my own good, so I didn't turn against you. In the future, I will rely on you more in the court. Premier Han and Premier Jiang are all vindictive people. I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in the court for long. As for how long I can stay, it depends on Lord Zhao's support."

Zhao Xing readily accepted the other party's plea: "I will go back to Han Zhongyan and tell him that our only way out now is to reappear the gentleman's politics and end the party struggles. Don't worry, I will let him agree."

Zeng Bu bowed his hand and gently reminded: "Cai Jing wants to come back!"

Zeng Bu heard that Cai Jing and Zhao Xing had a good relationship. They opened an antique shop together and made fake antiques to cheat money. He now felt that the power of the new party in the court was too weak. It was not in line with the concept of balanced power, so he asked Cai Jing to be transferred back.

Speaking of Cai Jing, Zhao Xing's thoughts were further extended. He remembered that when Song Huizong had just ascended the throne, he had used the help of eradicating Zhang Dun to turn policies to the old party and restored many of the doctrines of the mean in the Yuanyou period, so that when Song Huizong first ascended the throne, he was called "Little Yuanyou". However, for some reason, when Cai Jing returned to the court, the little emperor took the old path of his brother again and began to spare no effort to crack down on and persecute different opinions, so that the government's credit was completely bankrupt in the hearts of the people. As a result, when the Jin soldiers came to the city, a commoner who was willing to fight for him could not be found in the whole city, except for a few liar Taoist priests.

Zhao Xing fell into deep thought. Zeng Bu thought that Zhao Xing was measuring the pros and cons of Cai Jing's return, so he stood quietly in front of Xuande Building, waiting for Zhao Xing's reply. At this time, the night was hazy, and the unique nightlife of the Great Song Dynasty capital began. Lanterns began to light up in the neighboring streets, and the smoke in the city was silenced, and the noise gradually rose.

Zhao Xing carefully measured it in his heart. People often say that character determines destiny. Zhao Xing is starting from Zhao Ji's character and analyzing the life of this person.

With the help of time travelers to predict the strengths of history, Zhao Xing tried his best to establish a good relationship with the young emperor before the young emperor ascended the throne, and with the reason for helping Duan Wang manage his fiefdom, he kept communicating with Duan Wang and instilling his own ideas in this young child. Now it seems that these efforts are effective, and the young emperor at least has no resistance to some of his ideas.

However, people often say that the butt determines the head. The little emperor sits in the emperor's position and his mind is no longer so simple. For example, Zhao Xing returns from winning a great merit this time, but the little emperor does not mention the issue of rewarding Zhao Xing, and even does not make any statement whether Zhao Xing returns to Guangzhou. In this way, Zhao Xing can only be a free official and stay in the capital. He has no say in the major affairs of the court. If the little emperor wants to consult him, or will call him over, but if the little emperor does not remember, he can only bask in the sun in the capital.

The little emperor is an art lover. The height he can reach in art is unique among the emperors, and it is difficult for ordinary people to reach the artistic height he has achieved. This requires talent and some personal efforts.

After thinking about it carefully, the little emperor was also a person who pursued perfection. His pursuit of perfection made him paranoid about art and impatiently dealing with national affairs, which made Cai Jing take the opportunity to monopolize the power. Zhao Xing vaguely remembered that among the so-called "Six Thiefs of the Northern Song Dynasty", several eunuchs liked to imitate the handwriting of Song Huizong and wrote the imperial edicts themselves. His arrogance was so great that even Cai Jing had to flatter him. However, the little emperor ignored this. During the Song Dynasty, those eunuchs who forged imperial edicts were not punished at all.

This shows that the little emperor's mind is not at all about dealing with national affairs. Cai Jing's artistic talent was appreciated by the little emperor, so the little emperor was attracted to him as his confidant, and then entrusted all the national affairs to Cai Jing, which gave Cai Jing the opportunity to play with power... Zhao Xing thought of this and looked down at himself. When it comes to manipulating people's hearts, Zhao Xing believed that he was much more intelligent than Cai Jing. However, in terms of artistic attainments and flattery methods, Zhao Xing was far inferior to Cai Jing, so some things that Cai Jing could do, but Zhao Xing could not do.

However, Zhao Xing could do this by manipulating people's hearts. He may not be the spiritual confidant of Song Huizong, but he could definitely become Zhao Ji's right-hand man...

Thinking of this, Zhao Xing seemed impossible to stop Cai Jing from taking over. Now Tong Guan has gone to Hangzhou. With Cai Jing's means, it is no problem to curry favor with Tong Guan in the mountains. He will return to the court without dispute and replace Zhao Ting's place, and then use his artistic attainments to make the little emperor feel like he is incomparable. Next, history will inevitably return to its inherent trajectory.

After understanding this, Zhao Xing nodded gently: "Sir Zeng, Cai Jing, Cai Yuanchang must come back. I can help you with this, but I am worried that Cai Jing has the style of Wang Anshi, he is very unique and likes to do so. I am worried that this guy will not be a good thing for you and me when he returns to the court."

Zeng Bu thought for a while and replied: "Leave the future affairs to the future. Let's take care of us."

Zhao Xing nodded and agreed: "I will send a quick horse to Hangzhou now and inform Cai Yuanchang to prepare early..."

Halfway through his words, Zhao Xing caught a glance at a Suzaku Army soldier. Several Suzaku Army officers rushed to Xuandelou. Zhao Xing stopped talking and greeted the officers. The soldiers walked up to Zhao Xing and bowed in panic. He reported anxiously: "Sir, it's not good, the army mutiny."

Zeng Bu was shocked and turned around and looked at the palace. He raised his foot and found that Zhao Xing did not move. He stopped nervously and urged silently: "Li Ren. What's going on? Why did the Zhuque Army mutiny? This is at the foot of the emperor. Zhuque Army is holding thunder bullets, cannons, and muskets in his hands. Once mutiny occurs, what will happen?!"

Zhao Xing waved his hand and stopped Zeng Bu's shouting. He turned to the officers and asked: "What's going on? We are in Liao Kingdom, and we are hundreds of miles deep in the heart of Liao Kingdom. There are enemies around us. We did not mutiny. Why did we return to the capital of the Song Dynasty and mutiny instead? Don't be anxious, talk slowly."

Several officers of the Suzaku Army breathed and explained in detail: "Sir, the problem lies in the school. The Privy Council conducted an school scheduling our army, but they had to confiscate our guns. We approved our salary - Sir, we are all 'generals', but in the official list of the Privy Council, we are still Huanqing soldiers, and our salary must be paid according to the imperial soldiers. How can this be achieved? It is obviously because of ulterior motives."

Zeng Bu interrupted and said, "The soldiers of the Zhuque Army were all Huanqing archers, and they were not even considered as Xiang Army. Paying salaries according to the standards of the imperial guards is already a grace, so why do you still have to make trouble..."

After a moment of pause, Zeng Bu suddenly realized and turned around and asked Zhao Xing: "Li Ren, is your salary higher than that of the Imperial Guard, how much higher is?"

Zhao Xing was proud of himself, and he shouted to himself: "That's right, this army belongs to mine, and no one can take it away. The court wants to divide and disintegrate, it depends on how he can afford to spend money."

In his heart, Zhao Xing still had a look of annoyance on his face. He stretched out a slap, thought for a moment, shook his head, clenched his fists, and opened his fingers twice. While Zhao Xing opened his hand, there was also a noise in the palace, and the noise became louder and louder. Zeng Bu looked at the palace and explained tremblingly: "In the palace, that place is still your Suzaku Army. If you are a member of the people, think of a solution-ten times, you actually give the soldiers ten times the salary. Isn't this time rushing to catch up with the salary of a county magistrate? Is there anyone who supports the army like this?"

The soldiers of the Suzaku Army looked at the noisy places in the palace and replied respectfully: "Sir, when we ordered the school, the Suzaku Army soldiers who entered the capital had sent someone to inquire, saying that after they entered the capital, their salary was reduced too much, and asked about our situation. We happened to be inquiring about the school. When the troops started to chaotic, we looked back and found that they had run away. I guess they had received the news and started to make trouble when they returned to the base."

Zhao Xing was calm and said slowly: "Mr. Zeng, Zeng Xiang, the land salary of the soldiers in our army cannot be measured according to common sense. They usually receive the salary of the imperial guards, and there are additional clothing, gunpowder, summer cooling, carbon salary, food, carriage and horses. In addition, they have to be given training fees during training, and combat fees during battles. In addition, their land spoils also belong to them. Therefore, after careful calculation, their salary is more than ten times higher than that of the imperial guards.

Of course, I don’t pay all this money. The capture on the battlefield is the big deal, and it is our enemies who pay for us. When I fight, I usually have a lot of spoils. However, this time I fought with the Liao people, and I maintained a situation where I can’t win. I guess the soldiers were a little unwilling to accept it - where is the general in charge?"

Zhao Xing's last sentence was asked to the soldiers. Shuai Fan was a small official, and a fifth-rank official like him was not qualified to go to the palace to participate in the discussion, so after the banquet, Shuai Fan led people away from the palace.

"I don't know, I'll go to the Lord's Mansion to look for it first, but I didn't find any trace of the supervisor's supervisor, so we had to wait in front of Xuande Building."

Zeng Bu could no longer stand, and he urged: "Leave people, go to the palace first. Your Majesty is there. Your Majesty's safety is the most important thing. First, appease the soldiers in the palace... You are really willing to give up ten times the salary."

Zhao Xing untied his sword and handed it to the officers of the Suzaku Army, and ordered: "Get my sword and tell the army that those who dare to go out of the camp will be killed without mercy. Please be calm and don't be impatient. I will go to the military camp later and discuss solutions with them."

In the palace, the palace maids were already armed. They held swords, sticks, and brooms in their hands and tried to calm down. Zeng Bu led Zhao Xing to the emperor's bedroom to greet him first. The little emperor didn't even open the door of the palace and replied in the hall: "Zhao Qing, let's go to appease the Zhuque army and come and greet him again."

Zhao Xing bowed to the hall gate and stood on the steps and whispered loudly: "Your Majesty, Zeng Xiang is here, please open the door. Zeng Xiang comes in and accompany you. I will go and appease the Zhuque Army."

There was no answer inside the door, Zeng Bu turned his eyes and immediately scolded Zhao Xing: "You go, it's enough for the old minister to wait on the steps... Wait, give me your gun."

Zhao Xing carried three hand guns with him and gave them to the officer of the Suzaku Army. He untied two hand guns and handed them to Zeng Bu. He turned around and ran towards the base in the Suzaku Army Palace.

In the Zhuque Military Barracks, the soldiers quarreled together, and several eunuchs surrounded the entrance of the courtyard with sticks. When they saw Zhao Xing coming in, they had no courage to stop them. They looked at Zhao Xing's back walking into the courtyard with trembling eyes. While they were terrified, the noise in the courtyard suddenly stopped.

Just now, the voice of the Vermilion Bird Army was really loud. He practiced to thrill the loud voice of the eunuchs who were used to being gentle and elegant were extremely frightened. But now, the voice disappeared so quickly that the eunuchs doubted whether the Vermilion Bird Army soldiers in the courtyard were instantly killed by Zhao Xing.

The eunuch Liang Shicheng murmured in a low voice: "So powerful and evil. It's said that Taiwei Zhao led twelve servants to trick the 30,000 elite Tubo. Our family was so shocked that their chin was dislocated. It turned out that it was true. Look, when Taiwei Zhao entered, it turned out to be dead."

Zhao Xing walked leisurely into the courtyard of the Suzaku Army with his hands behind his back. When the Suzaku Army soldiers saw Zhao Xing, they immediately crossed their hands and did not dare to say anything. Zhao Xing walked slowly around and called a soldier. Hears: "Shi Sanlang, I remember you were an orphan from Huanqing Children's Camp. Your father was killed in Xixia. His widowed mother remarried. It was the help of your father's army that raised you... I heard that you got married two years ago, and your wife gave birth to a son for you and inherited the incense of the Shi family, right?"

Shi San crossed his legs and knelt on the ground, knocking his head loudly, saying, "Entertainment Father, it was you who were raising children in the children's business that children have today. They have great kindness and virtue, and will never forget them."

Zhao Xing pointed at the soldiers in the group and summoned them one by one: "Shi Qingsheng, Kou Yilang, Zhao San, Ma Si... You are all from Huanqing Boy Camp, I remember you are twenty years old this year, have you started a family?"

The soldiers of the Vermilion Bird Army, named by Zhao Xing, knelt down on the ground, called themselves an entitled father, and kowtowed to Zhao Xing frequently. Zhao Xing ignored them and pointed at the other people in the bush, and greeted: "Zhai Jiu, I remember there is a persimmon tree in front of your house. The persimmons are very sweet. When you came to Guangnan, you still remember bringing me a basket of persimmons, but why didn't you send persimmons to my house last year?"

Zhai Jiu burst into tears: "Sir, I still remember my persimmon tree, whimper."

Five hundred soldiers, Zhao Xing could remember the names of a small half of the people. The person he called the name of was kneeling on the ground. Others hesitated for a moment and fell to the ground with the flow. When Zhao Xing saw the soldiers, he calmed down. He continued: "Everyone knows where this place is? The Palace of the Song Dynasty! His Majesty lives in the palace, which disturbed His Majesty. It was a crime of rebellion and killing the nine clans. Once you step out of this camp, no one can save you. Not only do you have two sections of your head, but even your family and relatives cannot be spared. Shi Sanlang, your son cannot survive; Shi Qingsheng, Kou Yilang... your family cannot survive. Is this the result you need?"

Shi Sanlang kowtowed and bleeding: "Entertainment father, I can't survive anymore. Our Suzaku Army looked at the scenery and the expenses were too high. We had to swish the gun chamber three times a day, but the military equipment supervisor did not distribute tung oil, saying that there was no such fee. The adoptive father's regulations were not obeyed, so we had to pay for tung oil by ourselves. We now have to pay for the land for the imperial guards, but the imperial guards' swords, guns, bows and arrows were ignored once a year, and we have to deal with them several times a day. The money paid by the government, let alone supporting the family, is not enough. We have to rely on the savings over the years to supplement it.

Adopted Father, when will this kind of life be the end? When we are in the army and fight, we used our lives to exchange for money and family life, but now we can't even survive ourselves. How can we take care of our family..."

Shi Sanlang's words caused a whimper. Shi Sanlang walked a few steps on his knees and hugged Zhao Xing's thighs and cried: "Entertainment father, save the child. You should let me go back to your side to join the army, even if you go to the Huanqing front line again. This palace guard looks at the scenery on the surface, but in fact, life is not enough. You can't leave the child behind. If the adoptive father ignores it, the child will die in front of you today. It's also a pleasure."

Zhao Xing was silent for a moment, dusted the soil on his body, and coldly ordered: "The army, stand up, line up, and leave the palace empty-handed."

Zhao Xing did not give everyone a reply, but everyone was able to leave the palace empty-handed, which means that they might be exempted from the responsibility of guarding the palace. The soldiers of the Suzaku Army were speechless, arranged their teams in the blink of an eye and walked out of the camp with bare hands.

At this time, the troops of the three departments in front of the palace had arrived, but they saw Zhao Xing watching the team with his hands behind his back, and did not dare to force them too much, so they blocked the road to the palace sleeping hall. Then they allowed the soldiers to leave the palace.

After sending off the last Suzaku Army, Zhao Xing rushed to the emperor's bedroom. At this time, the little emperor had opened the door of the hall and Zeng Bu sat on the threshold. Jiang Zhiqi stood inside the door, and Han Zhongyan accompanied the little emperor in the hall.

Zhao Xing went to the hall with bare hands, took off his black hat, and kowtowed to the young emperor to apologize: "I am guilty. I am inappropriate in the control of the army, and I will cause the army to mutiny. Please give up the crime."

The little emperor was not confused, and he comforted me with kind words: "What are you guilty? I just explained that I didn't expect that the salary of the Suzaku Army was so generous, and Zhao Qing had such a generous reward. How many troops did Guangnan raise? Can it afford it?"

Zeng Bu had returned to the hall, but he still maintained that loyal and righteous attitude of Yuntian. He had forgotten that he had heard of the mutiny for the first time, and was scared to the point of being scared. He heard the little emperor's name, and he was straightened with his chest like "there are millions of soldiers in his chest" and shook the pistol given to him by Zhao Xing. This sway attracted a rebuke: "Zeng Xiang. Don't dance in front of His Majesty."

This voice was Zhao Tingzhi, Zeng Bu snorted. He glared at Zhao Ting's eyes fiercely and obediently put away his gun.

In front of the imperial throne, Zhao Xing bowed and replied: "Your Majesty, this army is not difficult to support. Although it costs a lot to support these warriors, it is very worth it. A few years ago, 3,000 people attacked Zhan Po. The cost of the Zhan Po country was enough for us to support them for three years. Next, we used another 3,000 people to occupy the entire Dali - Your Majesty, Guo Kui and Di Qing fought in the south, mobilized 200,000 troops, and consumed countless civilians and food. The army of these thousands of people was cheaper than that of the 200,000 army.

I have always thought that if he gives a person twenty times the salary, he will have twenty times the courage. The so-called reward must be brave. This is what I mean. I will use the salary of the imperial guards to support a pure firearm unit with ten times the salary of the imperial guards. Their number will inevitably be greatly reduced, but their energy will be far ten times the energy will be much higher than that of the imperial guards. Isn’t this verified? Thousands of them can destroy a country, and a half-army can compete with the Liao people’s three military commanders. Such warriors will not cost much money to reward. Moreover, as long as they defeat the enemy, the enemy will pay for us to support them. Therefore, although the Zhuque Army spent a huge amount, the land of Guangnan was not dragged down by them. On the contrary, because they destroyed the country continuously, they brought rich profits and spoils to Guangnan.

Your Majesty just asked how many troops there were in Guangnan, regardless of the navy. Because those naval warships were utility ships, they patroled, escorted merchant ships and transported some goods. That army made money for Guangnan, so it was not on the military list. As for the army, I, Guangnan, have a total of five armies, divided into demons, ghosts and Vermilion Bird Army, of which 4,000 Zhuque, and Lord Fan Chuncui took away 500 people first. Later, I sent him 1,000 people. After I returned to the south bank of the Yellow River, I sent him 1,000 people. At this moment, I still had 800 Zhuque Army and more than 300 wounded soldiers.

As for the four armies of demons, demons, ghosts and monsters, the number of demons is the most important. There are 1,000 artillery soldiers, 5,000 auxiliary soldiers, 1,000 musketeers, 2,000 auxiliary soldiers, and 2,000 auxiliary soldiers. In addition, there are spear soldiers. They are counted as auxiliary soldiers, with a total of 1,100 people.

The other three armies, the Ping Yao Army, had three thousand barbarians, and had already entered Guangxi and Dali; the Ghost Army, and 3,000 troops were stationed on the border between Dali and Tubo; the Strange Army, and 3,000 strange troops, went to Fujian to replace the unfinished bandit suppression work of the Zhuque Army. There were 0,000 troops in the entire army, and this number was counted as auxiliary soldiers. Although there were many soldiers, Guangnan still had a shortage of troops, which often made me feel stretched."
Chapter completed!