Chapter 235 Daming Prefecture, Big News

Tang Ke was just a scholar, and was instantly speechless when faced with Yang Chang's domineering reply. Fan Zongyin, who was standing next to him, swallowed hard after hearing it.

From the Sui and Tang Dynasties to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, once the local vassal states became powerful, they were out of control, so Emperor Taizu emphasized culture over military power.

How long has Yang Chang been the governor?

Now he dares to be so arrogant and arbitrarily changes the officials sent by the court. Does this guy want to rebel?

Although Fan Zongyin dared to think so in his heart, he saw the guards at the door were so majestic that he did not dare to speak out to save his life.

It's none of your business, just hang it up high.

Tang Ke couldn't stand it at this time. He felt that Yang Chang hated him for agreeing to cede land and was humiliating him in this way.

Thinking of this, he pointed at Yang Changzhi and said excitedly: "Do you still have the law? Do you still have the law? I want to go back to Beijing to report you!"

"You are talking about the law in my own territory? You even dare to threaten me in person? Hmm? Tang Ke, you are dismissed from your position, and it is not unfair."

"you"

Seeing Yang Chang rubbing his hands, the hot-tempered Tang Ke suddenly lost his temper, and reminded him guiltily: "What do you want to do? Although I have been exiled to this point, I have been a prime minister after all, and my memorials can still reach the ears of the emperor. If you dare to harm me..."

"hehe."

Yang Chang smiled and replied in a playful tone: "You are a prime minister, it is a pity for you to be the governor. I happen to be short of manpower, how can it be disadvantageous to you? Let's go!"

"Where to go?"

"Of course I'll go back to Weisheng."

Tang Ke couldn't help but shrink back, but Lin Chong grabbed his arm and carried him out of the hall.

This scene made Fan Zongyin break out in a cold sweat.

When he raised his sleeve to wipe the sweat off his face, Yang Chang suddenly walked up to him and said earnestly, "Please don't be surprised, Judge Fan. I was born in Liangshan Marsh and I still have some wild spirit. Were you not scared just now?"

"no no"

"I heard that you strongly advocated the cession of Hedong and Hebei?"

"Ah? I'm not here."

Fan Zongyin was so panicked that he spoke incoherently.

Yang Chang gently patted his arm and said sternly: "Weakness will not bring peace. Since you have come to Luzhou as the magistrate, you should assist the prefect Wen in doing a good job. As the saying goes, every inch of land is stained with blood. If the Jin people want to get their hands on this land, they will have to pay the price with blood."

"Yes, yes, I will do my best."

"I might as well tell you a secret. Han Li was killed by me personally, which is why I was so sure at the table just now."

"what?"

Yang Chang's words not only made Fan Zongyin stand there in a daze, but even Tang Ke, who was being taken away, had a blank mind.

It was not until he went out and climbed onto the horse's back that Tang Ke finally came to his senses.

Because I was in a hurry to enter the city in the morning, I didn't pay attention to the situation in Shangdang City. Now I followed Yang Chang through the streets and alleys, and didn't see a single victim or beggar.

Before Tang Ke left Beijing, he had done his homework on Luzhou and thought of some response strategies, but now he was at a loss.

Didn't Luzhou suffer a disaster? Were the victims stopped outside the city?
Later, the cavalry left Shangdang and traveled north along the official road for half a day, but did not find a single refugee along the way.

Everything was unreasonable and beyond Tang Ke's expectations.

He pondered over it but could not find the answer, so he asked Lei Zhen, who was traveling with him, for advice: "General Lei, it is said that before the Jin army withdrew from Luzhou, they looted everywhere and emptied the gold, silver and grain reserves of the government and the people. The wheat has just been planted and has not yet sprouted. The harvest will not come until next summer. It is said that they will not last more than half a year, and there should be a large number of refugees. But why are there no refugees inside or outside the city?"

"Of course, the food was transferred from Weisheng."

"Use the surplus grain of Weisheng to aid Luzhou? But I remember that the land of Weisheng is barren, and you usually have to resist the Jin army. It's good enough to be self-sufficient. How can you make up for this deficit?"

"hehe."

Lei Zhen was not in a position to answer Tang Ke's question, so he responded with empty words: "General Yang is nicknamed the Bright Heavenly Lord. He will not let the people under his rule starve to death."

Potatoes were planted throughout Weisheng in late summer, and a bumper harvest was had not long ago, which just happened to alleviate the food shortage crisis in Luzhou.

Potatoes have a short growth cycle and high yield, and are also suitable for the climate of Shanxi. Yang Chang has been staying in Luzhou recently to promote potato planting in various counties during his inspection tour.

The Lord of Light is now deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. As long as Yang Chang comes forward and calls for action, people from all over the country will obey his orders.

Seeing that Lei Zhen was unwilling to talk, Tang Ke took the initiative to ride his horse to Yang Chang's side, bowed and asked: "Captain Yang, you were in Shangdang before, and you said that Han Li was not good at that."

"What? You don't believe it?"

"No."

Seeing Yang Chang turned his head to question, Tang Ke quickly waved his hand to deny it and added: "Lieutenant Yang has repelled powerful enemies and comforted the people. He is a man of great talent. I admire him very much. But I was ordered to be the governor of Luzhou. Why are you taking me to Weisheng?"

"Although there are officials of all ranks in charge of the three towns under my jurisdiction, they are all mediocre in political ability. I am usually busy with military affairs, so I just need an official to coordinate people's livelihood and allocate money and grain. Wouldn't it be better for you to help me do this than to become a prefect?"

"If I don't work in Luzhou, what will happen to the Ministry of Personnel's assessment?"

"hehe."

Tang Ke's innocent answer made Yang Chang laugh. He teased, "The Ministry of Personnel will assess the vassal states? If Tang Xiangruo really wants to return to the court, why not help me for a few years? I have the right to recommend you."

"Oh"

Seeing Tang Ke nod, Yang Chang felt mixed emotions. He didn't want to use both Tang and Fan, but he couldn't be picky when he was short of people.

Wen Huanzhang had been an imperial censor and knew that Tang Ke had a good reputation in the court. He believed that this man had the talent to be a prime minister, and if he could stay with Yang Chang, he would play a greater role than himself.

Tang Ke thought about it all the way and thought to himself, how could I, the prime minister of the Song Dynasty, be an aide to a military governor?
Do you still want this old face?
But if I don't agree, I'm afraid Yang Chang will not give up.

His conflicted mentality did not change until he entered Weisheng City.

Although the city of Weisheng was not big and its streets were not as wide as those of Bianliang, there were pedestrians coming and going and smiling people everywhere. The peaceful and spring-like atmosphere was no longer comparable to today's Bianliang.

Yang Chang, are you really the Bright Heavenly Lord? The living god that the people talk about?
At that moment, Tang Ke couldn't help but have the illusion that Weisheng was the capital.

If I move my family to Weisheng, life should be happier than staying in the capital? Perhaps I won't have to worry about being persecuted anymore.

It's a mule or a horse, it has to be pulled out for a ride.

In this way, Tang Ke stayed in Weisheng with the idea of ​​giving it a try.

With the joining of the former prime minister, the pressure on Yang Jian, Jin Dajian and others was greatly reduced. The complicated government affairs that were originally difficult to handle were easily resolved in Tang Ke's hands, saving Yang Changsheng a lot of trouble.

There is no military pressure from outside, and each government office performs its duties.

The year goes by like an arrow, and the new year comes in a blink of an eye.

Military and political leaders from all states routinely come to Weisheng to wish a happy new year and report on their work.

But Luzhou had just been acquired, and everything was still undecided.

Lin Chong is still single and has not remarried yet. Wen Huanzhang is tied up in state affairs and has no time to go there for the time being, so he sends Yan Qing and Fan Zongyin as representatives to Weisheng to wish him a happy new year and report.

The fifteenth day of the first lunar month in the second year of the Jing Kang period.

Yang Chang held a banquet at the Taiwei Mansion, celebrating the Lantern Festival with his civil and military officials, brothers and friends. The main ingredient of the banquet was potatoes. Last year, Weisheng had a bumper harvest of potatoes, and they were planted in the three towns in the spring. They will be the main food in the future, but no matter how delicious the food is, you will get tired of it if you eat it every day.

Yang Chang deliberately took advantage of the reunion to have people make potatoes into various styles and have the attendees take them back to their hometown for promotion.

Perhaps because they were both people who had fallen on hard times, and also because they had not seen each other for over a month, Fan Zongyin and Tang Ke sat next to each other and kept whispering to each other throughout the table, as if they had endless things to say.

Yang Chang was already the Grand Marshal, and with the help of former Prime Minister Tang Ke, the four of them eating at the same table became a thing of the past, and banquets were no longer as casual as before.

On the east and west sides of the hall, there are single tables and seats, with a total of more than 50 seats, just like an official banquet.

Yang Chang sat in the main seat facing south, looking at his former brothers wearing official robes and sitting at separate tables, but still toasting each other as usual, as if they were still in the Liangshan Gathering Hall.

Now that the grassroots hero has become a general, the Lantern Festival banquet cannot just satisfy the desire for food, there must also be songs and dances choreographed by Li Shishi.

Among the people who fled from Taiyuan to Weisheng, in addition to ordinary farmers, there were also many girls from decent families. They lost the protection of their families but did not know how to farm, so in order to survive they could only work as helpers in workshops. Some of them unfortunately became secret prostitutes.

These girls from good families who were kept in seclusion and had no survival skills had always been a headache for Yang Chang, until Li Shishi arrived with Yan Qing.

Li Shishi was proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing and dancing, which made Yang Chang's idea of ​​forming a "cultural troupe" come true. He wanted to enrich the spiritual needs of the army and the people.

With Yan Qing's consent, Yang Chang appointed Li Shishi as the head of the Weisheng Army Music School and recruited a group of girls from good families to learn singing and dancing. They would later perform on major festivals, before and after wars, and other occasions to entertain the troops.

After three rounds of drinking, the singing and dancing ended.

Outside the hall, the moon rises over the eastern hills.

Those originally rough and timid heroes, perhaps stimulated by the singing and dancing just now, sat down on the stone steps outside the hall, clamoring and reminiscing about the past while admiring the moon.

Yang Changgang was toasting at the banquet and the wine accidentally got on his clothes. He took the opportunity when everyone was appreciating the moon to go back to his dormitory and change his clothes.

When I came back after changing clothes, I heard Ruan Xiaoqi singing fisherman's songs in the front yard from a distance, but Tang Ke and Fan Zongyin did not go out.

The moonlight outside is alluring, shouldn't we try to be elegant?

Are these two guys unable to fit in? Or are they being excluded?

Although Yang Chang has a strong sense of perception, he is still unable to eavesdrop on people's thoughts.

He walked out of the back hall and pretended to be surprised and asked, "You two are both talented people. The moon is bright in the sky right now, and you should be reciting poems and composing essays. Why are you staying in the hall? Is it because you haven't drunk enough wine, or do you have too much to say?"

"General Yang"

"President Fan has some important news, and we are just about to report it to the Grand Commandant."

"Big news?"

After hearing Tang Ke's answer, Yang Chang looked at Fan Zongyin, his expression seemed to say, "Don't keep me in suspense."

Fan Zongyin swallowed his saliva, bowed his hands and said slowly: "I have a good friend of the same period, who is now a recorder in Daming Prefecture. He wrote a letter a few days ago saying that King Kang gave an important speech at the Grand Marshal's Mansion on the first day of the Lunar New Year.

King Kang denounced the emperor for being weak, for his repeated defeats in the war against Jin, which had led to the destruction of the Song Dynasty, and for his long-term abuse of the emperor, who had lost his duty as a son. He then issued an initiative to officials in various states, asking them to petition Zhao Huan to abdicate and support the emperor to restore the throne.

"What did you say?"

Yang Chang was stunned when he heard this, and asked hurriedly: "Where does King Kang get the courage to speak so arrogantly?"

"King Kang defeated the Jin army, and the news had spread all over the country. He had great prestige everywhere. In addition, he had been the Grand Marshal for more than a month and had commanded a lot of troops."

"Control the army? Haha."

Seeing Fan Zongyin's tone straightening, Yang Chang took over the conversation and sneered, "Does anyone really believe in his reputation gained through false merit? As the saying goes, real gold is not afraid of fire. If he wants to win the loyalty of his troops, he must show real ability. Does he have the real ability?"

"General, King Kang really has it."

"Ok?"

Yang Chang was surprised by Tang Ke’s words, and then he folded his hands and waited to hear what was to come.

"It is said that when King Kang was sent as an envoy to the Jin camp last year, he was respected by the Jin army marshal Han Libu because of his dignified character. Last time, he repelled the Jin army from the east and was once again valued by the Jin army. It is said that he has sent envoys to Daming Prefecture to discuss the solution of the conflict between Song and Jin. The Jin people threatened that Your Majesty had broken the alliance many times and was unwilling to talk to the current emperor again."

"You don't want to talk to the emperor? But you want to talk to the prince?"

Yang Chang pinched his chin and said to himself, "Why do I feel like something is wrong there?"

"Whether it's right or not."

Tang Ke smiled bitterly and said: "Now only King Kang can stabilize the Jin people. Most of the ministers in the court do not want war. I am afraid that they will really force Your Majesty to abdicate and support the restoration of the emperor. The commander should make plans early."

"Plan? What plan? Want me to support Zhao Gou? Who the hell is he!"

"Taiwei, be careful with your words."

Tang Ke reminded in a deep voice: "If the emperor can be restored, King Kang will have the merit of supporting him and may be made the crown prince, that is, the heir to the throne in the future. Even if you disagree, it is best not to offend him."

"I'm talking about Tang Xiang."

Yang Chang interrupted Tang Ke and said meaningfully: "Don't you think that changing the emperor is as easy as changing the prime minister? Can he be forced to abdicate with just a few words? Are the imperial guards led by Wang Zongchu just there to eat and do nothing?"

"That's true"

Tang Ke woke up as if from a dream, and murmured, "The imperial guards in the capital are your majesty's confidants, and the emperor's confidant Tong Guan was executed by your majesty last year. If Prince Kang wants to support the emperor to restore the throne, he may have to fight back to the capital. Wouldn't the country fall into civil strife? Wouldn't the Jin people reap the benefits?"

"So it's not that easy. How many troops can Zhao Gou control? It's just the people in Xiangzhou and Cizhou. If he really dares to lead his troops back to Bianliang, not only will he have the Western Army to defend him, but there are also Ma Kuo and others in Hebei. I'm afraid they won't just sit there and watch."

"Then you, Commander Yang..."

"Me? I have military duties to attend to. I won't get involved in the royal infighting."

Although Yang Chang did not say that he wanted to rebel, he also made his position clear.

Prince Kang made a wild statement. Tang Ke could foresee that the future of the capital would be turbulent. If his family stayed there for a long time, they might be affected.

Although Weisheng seemed to be very close to the Jin army, it gave people an inexplicable sense of security.

No, I have to bring my family over.

"Captain Yang, there are not many government affairs at the beginning of the year. Can you allow me to go back to the capital to bring my family to reunite with me?"

"What do you say?"

Yang Chang smiled playfully, and then said, "Write a letter tomorrow and I will send someone to Tokyo to fetch someone. It's freezing outside right now, so you don't have to suffer by yourself."

"Alright, alright."

While Tang Ke was answering, he did not forget to pat Fan Zongyin and reminded him, "Juemin (Fan Zongyin's name), do you want to pick up your family? We can go together."

"Ah, when I left Beijing, my wife and children also returned to my hometown in Xiangyang, so let's forget it for now."

"Oh"

Fan Zongyin had other ideas, so Yang Chang naturally would not rush to help.

After the banquet that night, all the guests left.

Yang Chang returned to the West Wing to rest. Before going to bed, he mentioned this to Zhao Fujin. The princess was stunned and murmured, "I remember that my father once spent the Lantern Festival with us. The other brothers were enthusiastic about reciting poems and writing lyrics, but my ninth brother kept his head down and kept silent. I thought he was introverted and timid, but I didn't expect him to dare to do such a thing?"

"Haha, my ninth brother, you are not sure whether you are brave or not, but you are really not a good person."

(End of this chapter)