Chapter 469 Guiding Public Opinion
In the end, Song Mo's imperial edict to depose Lu Desheng was blocked by the four regent ministers.
After Zhang Xian and Zuo Anmin heard the news, they immediately rushed to the palace.
At this time, only Song Mo and six ministers were in the entire palace. Even the eunuch went to guard the entrance of the hall personally.
"Your Majesty, this decree cannot be issued." Prince Gong advised earnestly.
Xiao Qun also said, "Your Majesty, this imperial edict cannot be issued. Given the current situation in Pingzhou, this decree will anger Lü Desheng. What if he simply quits and hands Pingzhou over to the Xianbei?"
"He dares?!" Song Mo glared.
What's there to be afraid of? Even a rabbit bites when it's angry.
Prime Minister Chen Wan and Shang Shuling did not speak, but their attitude was very clear when they stood there.
What the two of them didn't say was that this was still considered a positive thing. If the emperor did this, coupled with the current situation, it might directly force people to rebel.
"You expect me to swallow my anger? Look at what Lu Desheng has done! One million and two hundred thousand dan of tax grain was stolen by the Xianbei in his Liaoxi County territory! He knew there was a salt lake in Longcheng but he kept it secret and mined it privately!"
When Prince Gong thought of the looted tax grain, his heart ached. These were the fruits of his recent argument with Lu Desheng.
The other three ministers of state were also hesitant at this moment, wondering in their hearts, could it be that Lu Desheng really had rebellious intentions?
At this time, Zhang Xian whispered, "Your Majesty, I am speaking frankly. The responsibility for the tax grain being robbed is really not Lord Lu's. Lord Lu defended Pingzhou against the Xianbei army that attacked it. This matter should be blamed on Youzhou Governor Deng Fangyi. If Songzhou had not fallen and Youbeiping County had not been penetrated, Pingzhou's tax grain would not have been robbed." As for the Salt Lake, he didn't dare to mention it, and he had no way to argue.
Song Mo angrily said, "If Lu Desheng had sent more soldiers to escort the tax grain transport team, how could the tax grain be robbed?"
Ministers: But we need soldiers to send!
The emperor's words were a bit far-fetched. Pingzhou was now fighting against the two Xianbei armies. All the troops were probably put there, and they had to withdraw soldiers to escort the grain transport team. Should the city be defended?
In short, Song Mo was determined to teach Lu Desheng a lesson.
In the end, as the Prime Minister, Shen Wan could only take a step back and said, "Your Majesty, simply cutting off support to Pingzhou is enough to punish Lu Desheng. Please suppress this decree for now and wait and see how the situation develops."
In fact, Shen Wan did not agree with the emperor cutting off support for Pingzhou, as this might arouse public anger.
As long as they kept silent about the cut-off of support, Pingzhou wouldn't know. Even if they did, they could just say it was the court's hard times. Then there wouldn't be any public outrage or resentment. He consoled himself with this.
Finally, Song Mo agreed.
But Chen Wan and the others didn't know that Zuo Yi had come up with a stupid plan to make the people of Pingzhou pay taxes again. Zuo Yi didn't dare to write about this in the memorial, but instead sent a secret letter to his uncle, asking him to test the emperor's opinion and see if it was feasible.
When Zuo Anmin received the letter, he was almost mad at his nephew's stubbornness. At this moment, he should just get back to Chang'an to save his life, why bother about taxes and grain!
He went to the palace this time to see how the situation developed, and secondly to ask the emperor whether Xu Junfan and his nephew Zuo Yi could return to Chang'an. But the emperor was angry at the moment, so he didn't dare to speak.
Pingzhou, Liaoxi County, Changli
Xu Junfan and Zuo Yi have not left the post station recently and have strengthened their defenses.
Since the tax grain of Pingzhou was robbed, the news came that the entire Pingzhou needed to pay taxes again.
The common people of Liaoxi County looked at them with very unfriendly eyes.
"It must be Lu Wei who spread this matter!" Zuo Yi said hatefully.
Although he wanted Pingzhou to pay taxes again, he had to consult the emperor and get his approval. But now, it was obvious that the news had leaked.
Xu Junfan remained silent. The people of Pingzhou were known for their toughness and lacked much reverence for imperial authority. The current situation was very unfavorable to them. If possible, he planned to return to Chang'an.
At this time, the news that Pingzhou might need to pay taxes again was spreading like wildfire.
The common people were very unhappy. This time the tax grain was collected based on high production, and now they have to collect it again?
They are fighting in Pingzhou! It is obvious that Pingzhou is about to be surrounded, and food has become a vital material to ensure their survival.
At this time, the imperial court not only did not exempt them from taxes, but also forcibly collected their grain?
At this moment, another piece of news came that the imperial court had directly cut off the support it was preparing to provide to Pingzhou.
"Is this true?"
"Yes, I have received accurate information. Lord Lu requested the court to provide some weapons, but was rejected."
The common people have lost their voice.
Indeed, weapons are very sensitive in normal times, but what time is it now? Are they still reluctant to give up their weapons? Are they going to let them fight the Xianbei people with bare hands?
For a time, the people were filled with indignation.
"How can the court do this?"
"Everyone doesn't know that our emperor has provided soldiers, generals, and food to the Northern Border and Bingzhou, and has also raised enough supplies for Youzhou, but he has cut off support for Pingzhou!"
"This is outrageous! The imperial court in the Northern Territory, Bingzhou, and Youzhou all provided support, so why did they leave out Pingzhou? Are we in the Great Pingzhou no longer citizens of Dali?"
"Why are you so harsh on us?"
Since ancient times, people have always been concerned about inequality rather than scarcity.
This news, coupled with rumors of another forced levy of taxes and grain, further aroused public anger.
"We work hard day and night, pay taxes year after year, and this is the result we get?"
"That's right, this imperial court is rotten to the core. Not only can they not protect us from the wind and rain, they even make things worse for us!"
"Hey, who are we? Haven't you seen the Qin family, the Duke of Zhenguo, who have guarded the border for generations? What happened in the end? Because the crown prince died in an accident in the northern border while visiting the troops, the whole family, young and old, were exiled to our Pingzhou."
"Wasn't there a rumor that the Qin family was collaborating with the enemy?"
"Do you believe this? Anyone could collaborate with the enemy, even the Song royal family, but the Qin family is the only one that can't!"
"Why?"
"Think about it, the Qin family has guarded Beijing for generations. How many of their men have died at the hands of foreigners, and how many foreigners have died at the hands of the Qin family? It can be said that the Qin family and foreigners have an irreconcilable blood feud. Under such circumstances, how could the Qin family possibly collaborate with the enemy?"
Right and wrong are in the hearts of the people, and the people have their own scale in their hearts.
"But the prince died in the North after all."
"Yes, so General Qin Yue died to atone for his sins. Before his death, he inflicted heavy damage on the Qiang and Hu tribes. Wasn't that enough? But it was useless. The entire Qin family was still exiled."
"So, if the Song Imperial Court treats a military family like the Qin family like this, what about us commoners?"
"This world is truly terrible."
"Look, it's only been two or three years, and without the Qin family, the northern border has been lost."
"Do you know why we in Pingzhou were able to hold on for so long?"
At this time, the people of Pingzhou all knew that the four places were attacked by the Xianbei, and the other three places were broken, but only Pingzhou was still holding on.
"Perhaps the city gate and walls we rebuilt are strong enough?"
"Our soldiers are also very brave."
"These are the important reasons why we were able to defend the city, but there is one thing that everyone doesn't know."
"What?"
"I heard that the generals assisting in defending the city are the sons of Qin Yue, Marquis of Zhenbei."
"Is it the Qin family that was exiled to Pingzhou?"
"Yes, when they were in the North, they were all small generals."
"No wonder our Pingzhou was able to hold out for so long without having its city gate breached. It turns out that the battle-hardened young generals of the Qin family were defending the city." You know, Jinyang in the northern border was the first to be breached.
What's wrong with feeling a little proud?
"You may not know this, but General Qin Yue's youngest son, Qin Sheng, is the son-in-law of our Lord Lu."
"Ah, is that so?"
"yes."
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