Chapter 286 Yelu Zhongyuan’s hesitation


Chapter 286 Yelu Chongyuan’s hesitation

Sima Guang was silent for a long time after hearing this, and said, “You didn’t come to me just to talk about this, right?”

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is demoted today. I have appointed the Duzhi Envoys Department and want to investigate the problems of the Three Divisions. I recommend you to take over the Duzhi Envoys Division.

Although the most serious shortcomings in the Song Dynasty are the three redundancies, you should be aware that the Three Divisions exist. The shortcomings are not small. Don’t you want to solve the shortcomings through officialdom? This is a good opportunity for you.

I have been with His Highness for many years and know His Highness’s temperament. , if you want to convince His Highness, you must achieve results, and His Highness will only pay attention to what you say.”

A smile appeared at the corner of Wang Anshi's mouth. He understood Sima Guang's temperament. Sima Guang changed the subject, which meant that Sima Guang recognized what he just said.

"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince agreed?" Sima Guang asked.

"If His Highness doesn't agree, how can I come here?" Wang Anshi said with a smile.

Sima Guang was silent for a long time and said: "Okay!"

"Let's go, follow me into the palace to meet His Highness!" Wang Anshi said.

"Wait a moment, I'll change into my official uniform." Sima Guang said.

"Yes." Wang Anshi nodded.

After Sima Guang changed into his official uniform, the two went to the palace together.

Zhao Xing was surprised to learn that Wang Anshi brought Sima Guang into the palace.

Wang Anshi left a name in history as a stubborn man. Zhao Xing thought Wang Anshi was very stubborn.

After actually getting in touch, he found that Wang Anshi was not as stubborn as he thought.

On the contrary, Sima Guang was much more stubborn than Wang Anshi.

Zhao Xing felt that the title Ao Xianggong was most appropriate to be placed on Sima Bald's head.

I thought that with Sima Guang’s temperament, Wang Anshi could not persuade him, and I don’t know what method Wang Anshi used to persuade Sima Guang.

"I pay my respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!" The two of them saluted.

"No courtesy!" Zhao Xing waved his hand, looked at Sima Guang and said, "Jiefu should have told you that I am going to let you take over the post of Duzhishi. After you take over, check as soon as possible to see if there are any problems with the Third Division. "

"I obey!" Sima Guang bowed.

"Eunuch Liu, please send Sima Guang to Du Branch to take office." Zhao Xing said.

“Yes!”

Eunuch Liu responded and left with Sima Guang.

Zhao Xing looked at Wang Anshi and said: "Jiefu, my father has prepared to retire in isolation, and the court will announce this tomorrow morning. Do you think Sheng Hong is qualified for the post of Kaifeng Prefecture Yin?"

If so. If his father refuses to give him the throne, he will naturally continue to be his Kaifeng governor when his father recovers.

But his father has decided to pass the throne to him, so he is naturally not suitable to continue to be the governor of Kaifeng.

The position of Kaifeng Prefect is very important. Sima Guang took over as Duzhi Envoy. Zhao Xing originally wanted Wang Anshi to be the Kaifeng Prefect.

But I felt that letting Wang Anshi serve as the governor of Kaifeng was a bit unfair.

Wang Anshi was shocked when he heard the news, but he quickly came to his senses, thought for a moment and said: "Sheng Shaoyin handles the affairs of Kaifeng Mansion in an orderly manner. It is perfect for him to serve as the governor."

Wang Anshi said this not because Sheng Hong was a relative.

It is a recognition of Sheng Hong’s ability.

Before Sheng Hong became a Beijing official, his official career was smooth. Although he had the help of the royal family's connections, his own ability was also a big factor.

Although Zhao Xing was said to be the governor in recent years, in fact, Sheng Hong was basically handling the affairs of Kaifeng Mansion.

"In that case, let him take the post." Zhao Xing nodded and said, "You should enter the Hanlin Academy as a Hanlin bachelor."

"I obey the decree!" Wang Anshi said calmly.

…………

On the plain more than ten miles north of Shangjing City, in a military camp that stretches for more than ten miles, flags are fluttering.

At this time, there were 200,000 soldiers and horses gathered in the military camp, which were all the soldiers and horses that Yelu Zhongyuan could control.

Including the servant army and the Han troops in Yanyun's Sixteenth Prefecture, the total strength of the Liao Kingdom exceeded one million.

However, most of the soldiers and horses, like the local Xiang troops in the Song Dynasty, were stationed in various places to maintain local stability.

Excluding the border garrison, there are only three to four hundred thousand standing troops.

Among them, Yelu Zhongyuan controlled about 100,000.

At this time Yelu Chongyuan gathered 200,000 soldiers and horses. Except for his own 100,000 soldiers, the rest were soldiers and horses of the nobles who supported him.

The actual number of soldiers and horses under the control of the Liao Emperor was around 500,000, but excluding the garrisons guarding local areas and borders, the number that could be mobilized at will was only 200,000 to 300,000. This was also the reason why the Liao Emperor was previously afraid of Yelu Chongyuan.

With similar military strength, even if the Liao Emperor could deal with Yelu Chongyuan, the losses would not be small.

After Yelu Zhongyuan got the secret recipe of perfume from Zhao Xing, he asked someone to make perfume according to the secret recipe.

Then send someone to sell it in Shangjing.

The concubines in the palace have long heard that there was something called perfume in the Song Dynasty.

Unfortunately, the sealing effect in ancient times was too poor and there was no fixative.

When the perfume was shipped to the Liao Kingdom, the smell was already very weak.

Apply it to the body and it will dissipate quickly.

Nowadays, there are people selling perfume in Beijing, and the smell is very strong. Applying it can last for an hour or two.

The concubines in the palace naturally would not let it go, and sent people to buy it one after another.

Yelu Chongyuan had been sending people to monitor the activities in the palace. When a very favored concubine of the Liao Emperor sent someone to buy perfume, he arranged for someone to add poison to the buyer.

The concubine also bought perfume to please the Liao Emperor. As a result, when the Liao Emperor favored her, he was poisoned and died.

After Yelu Zhongyuan received the news that Xiang Xiang had entered the palace, he secretly escaped back to his fiefdom.

After receiving the exact news that the Emperor of Liao had been poisoned and died, he raised his troops and went to Beijing.

The cities along the way were not prepared at all, and they rushed to the outside of Shangjing City like a bamboo.

However, Yelu Chongyuan was not in a hurry to attack the ministers. Instead, he and Yelu Yixin poured dirty water on each other.

After a verbal argument, Yelu Chongyuan said that he would give Yelu Yixin five days to think about it. If Yelu Yixin did not open the city gate and surrender by then, he would attack the city.

At this time, in the Chinese army camp, Yelu Chongyuan sat high at the head, and both sides were filled with his generals and nobles who supported him.

"Everyone, I have received news that Yelv Yixin has mobilized 50,000 soldiers and horses from the border. I have sent my son to lead the troops to ambush. As long as these 50,000 soldiers and horses are dealt with, a big event will happen. It can be done!" Yelu Zhongyuan said with a smile.

The reason why he laid siege instead of attacking was because there were nearly 100,000 soldiers and horses in Shangjing City. He only has 200,000 people, and including those who surrendered along the way, there are only less than 250,000.

Even if these troops can attack Shangjing, the losses will be considerable.

But he also has an advantage. Yelu Yixin doesn’t know how many people in the city have been secretly attracted by Yelu Zhongyuan, and not many dare to trust them.

Yelü Chongyuan does have back-ups in the city, but those people are not of high status.

Yelu Yixin was tightly guarded, and it was very difficult for his people to approach the city gate.

The biggest use of these people is actually to win over people.

It’s just that the situation is unclear now, and not many people in the city are willing to join him.

Yelü Chongyuan besieged and refused to attack. In addition to not wanting to lose too much, he also wanted to deal with the troops sent back by Yelu Yixin.

Firstly, it can weaken Yelu Yixin's strength, and secondly, it can frighten the people in the city.

As long as people in the city are panicked, his people can naturally win over some people.

It will be much easier to break the city then.

Yelu Yixin can guess somewhat about Yelu Zhongyuan’s purpose.

But Yelu Zhongyuan used conspiracy. He didn't know how many people in the city had secretly defected to Yelu Zhongyuan, so he lacked a sufficient sense of security.

In order to stabilize people's hearts, he cannot send people to conduct large-scale investigations, otherwise he will be in trouble.

So even if he knew it was Yelu Zhongyuan's plan, he could only mobilize his troops.

"Congratulations to the King of Qin!"

"You should be called Your Majesty!"

"That's right, meet your Majesty!"

The nobles who supported Yelu Chongyuan, all Flattered.

They support Yelu Zhongyuan, isn’t it just for the benefits that Yelu Zhongyuan promised.

If you don’t flatter me now, how long will you wait?

“Haha!” Yelu Zhongyuan laughed.

"Report!"

At this moment, a soldier hurried in and saluted: "Your Majesty, an urgent report has been sent from the south!"

" It seems that my son succeeded!”

Yelu Zhongyuan took the letter with a smile, opened it and read it amidst everyone's flattery.

However, when I saw the content of the letter, the smile on my face slowly solidified.

The flatterers also noticed something was wrong and became quiet.

“Damn it! The Han people are so bold!”

Yelu Zhongyuan stood up suddenly and kicked down the table in front of him.

"King Qin, what happened?" a noble asked.

"The Song Dynasty sent 100,000 more troops to the border. When the 50,000 soldiers and horses mobilized by Yelu Yixin learned the news, they stopped and did not enter the ambush place." Yelu Chongyuan gritted his teeth.

He also knew that when Yelu Yixin mobilized his troops, he would definitely tell them to be careful of his ambush.

But the place where his son ambushed is the only way back to Shangjing. Even if the opponent is prepared, his son occupies a favorable location and carries more soldiers and horses, so he can still gain the upper hand.

Now that the Emperor of Liao is dead, people are in panic. As long as they have the upper hand, they can surrender.

At that time, his troops and horses were getting more and more, while Yelu Yixin's troops and horses were getting fewer and fewer.

The people in the city naturally know how to choose.

Who would have thought that the Song Dynasty would send more troops to the northern border.

The general leading the troops stopped immediately after receiving the news.

His plan failed.

What he was most angry about was not this, but that after Yelu Yixin learned the news, if Yelu Yixin threatened to call back the border garrison and forced him to withdraw his troops, how would he choose?

If they don’t retreat, Yelu Yixin really wants to transfer the border garrison. With the current situation of the Liao Kingdom, how can the defenders of those cities resist?

Even if he destroyed Yelu Yixin and seized the throne, but was driven back to the grassland by the Song Dynasty, what was the point of being an emperor?

Yelu Zhongyuan is used to enjoying a fixed life. How can he be willing to live the same kind of life like his ancestors?

Don’t talk about him, the same goes for the nobles of Liao Kingdom.

They have long been accustomed to the Han lifestyle and are not willing to go to the grasslands to live a hard life.

But if he retreats, it will give Yelu Yixin time to breathe.

He will be in danger then.

(End of this chapter)

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